Alcohol, Jake bashing, and SnuggleBunnies

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

A/N: Response to Magicks' challenge. Read the end for all parts.

Sara rubbed her eyes as she stared about her apartment. It had been a helluva long day and it was only ten thirty at night. "What's wrong with me?" she muttered to herself. "Its not like I don't have friends I could call someone. But no I am going to sit in my apartment alone and pray this thing on my wrist doesn't decide to go psycho."

With that the phone rang. "Pez, Go!" her answering machine demanded.

"Sara," Gabriel's voice sing-songed. "I can see your figure in your big chair from outsideNow buzz me up." Gabriel was indeed standing on the street. She nodded and hit the button.

He was at her door in moments. "I'm glad to see you. Kind of tired of talking to ghosts" There was something odd in Gabriel's expression. "What's up man? I mean I'm real glad to see you. I needed the company but I was afraid that after our little run in with the interior government you weren't going to be so hot to see me Have your stitches come out yet?"

The young man just smirked and brushed past her raiding her kitchen. "I have come to get sloshed. If you want to join me that is fine If I stayed at my place things would end up being broken. If I went to a bar you'd be bailing me out of jail."

"And your girlfriend's" Sara asked cautiously.

"Our friends in the interior government as you put it scared the hell out of her," he said with a smirk looking Sara over. "After I got back to my shop, everything that had ever lived at my place of hers was gone. In fact I can't even get a straight answer from her roommate if she's still in the country. Now I may sound like a jerk but ya know if she doesn't want to see me than well I guess we broke up and I'm not really that upset about it There was also a nice little note saying that they' would be watching and that I should be more careful with who my friends were." Gabriel had pulled the bottle of Jack Daniel's from his backpack and searched for a very large glass from amongst Sara's cupboard.

Sara could see Gabriel was in pain but it was not really deep. "So you're here? Not that I'm not happy but why?"

He stared for a moment, "I'm not going to let anyone pull you from my lifenot those creeps that were chasing usnot Nottinghamand sure as hell not that moronic partner of yours. Did the sun fry his brain or is he that stupid? Danny I like Hewell you can tell he's on the levelhe loves you. Jakehe'd sell you out faster than"

"I get the picture," she said with a sigh. "Danny has said something similar to me when I got back to the precinct."

"Yeah I know. Danny and I talked," he confessed.

"What? Why?"

He shrugged, "Wanted to make sure you were okay."

Sara looked him over, "You could have called me. I was sure you didn't want me around."

Gabriel shook his head, "If I called you, you would have said you were fine. At least talking with Danny I could get a straight answer and a little more of a chance to chat with your only family."

Sara walked over to her friend and wrapped her arms around him, "Thanks sweetheart. It's nice to be loved by someone I can trust."

Gabriel held her tight, "Back at ya, Pez Now what do you say we get silly."

Sara and Gabriel sat laughing their asses off about nothing in particularwell actually it was the many idiotic things Jake had done since arriving. "No wait Ya got to see this," she gasped and put in a videotape. There was Jake at what appeared to be a renovated disco in front of a large group of people singing karaoke.

"Oh my god Can I have a copy of this so when I feel depressed I will have proof I can't sink lower than that guy?" Gabriel asked. "What is he singing anyway?"

Sara smiled, "That is his attempt at The Who's, Who are you? He thought it was funny since we're homicide detectives."

"How did you get him up there?" he asked.

"What makes you think he didn't just do this on his own?" she questioned.

Gabriel tilted his head, "Then I have even less respect for him"

She laughed in that funny, I've had too much to drink but I'm not puking yet' sort of way. "You're right. I bet him he couldn't make it through a whole song."

"What did he get if he won?"

Sara rolled her eyes, "What do you think?"

"Eww You kissed that guy! Now I have lost respect for you," Gabriel insisted.

"He didn't make it through the songAnd it was a date not a kiss."

"Just as long as you're not grabbing his butt in front of feds its fine by me," he smirked.

"Idid not grab your butt!" Sara stated with a slight head nod sipping at her refilled cup.

Gabriel raised his hand, "I was thereIt was my buttand your hands was definitely grabby." He settled down again taking a long hit of Jack.

"Careful Drink too much of that I'll be able to talk you into anything," she said with a mischievous smile.

"Like what?" he countered.

"Singing three blind mice' wearing a pink flamingo ornament as jewelry," she nudged him nodding her head, "Buying a BackStreet Boys CD."

Gabriel glared, "You are a cruel womanI never realized you had this sadistic streak before. No wonder Nottingham has a thing for you."

Sara kicked him lightly, "Below the belt!"

She looked at her wall clock and saw it was four a.m. "Well I won't be able to let you go home tonight. You," she poked the young man in the chest, "are far too inebriated."

"That's why there are cabs," he answered.

"AhhLast cab ride I had I was taken by the Fed people. And you were deposited into my lap shaking and bleedingNo cabs!" Sara snapped.

"Fine then where'm I going to sleep? And don't even say on the floor when I have a nice soft bed at home."

She huffed thinking to herself for a minute. "Come on," she said tugging at him.

"Where am I going?" Gabriel questioned.

"A bedYou said you wanted a bed. There is but one bedTherefore don't take the covers or put cold feet on mine and we'll be fine."

Gabriel didn't even have a chance to respond as Sara escaped to the bathroom. "I drank too much," he muttered. After she was done in the bathroom she ushered him in. He got inside a shook his head several times. He was probably already asleep on Sara's couch.

"Hurry up Bowman Turn out the light."

"Guess not," he mumbled to himself.

"So what are the rules Chief?" Gabriel asked standing at the side of the bed.

"What?" she grumbled snuggling into her covers.

"How much clothing do I need to wear to bed?"

Sara was a little shocked but then remembered what he meant, "Anything but nude is fine with me."

"Damntake the fun out of getting in bed with you," he muttered removing his shirt. Sara caught a glimpse of his chest while his eyes were covered be his t-shirt. She faced the other way quickly. Gabriel climbed in, "So we're to our own corners, right?"

"Huh?"

"No spooning?"

Sara laughed, "Gabriel I am too relaxed to care. If you want to hold something, I am your Snuggle Bunny."

"The fact that I don't have a tape recorder right now to have captured that phrase is horrendous," he cackled.

"Oh shut up and come here," she snarled.

"Night Sara," he whispered kissing her cheek and hugging her waist.

"Night Gabriel," she responded snuggling back further into his arms.

Jake McCartey talked his way into Sara Pezzini's building carrying donuts and pastries. He knocked at the door a couple times. The door swung open to reveal Gabriel Bowman in his boxer shorts and nothing else before him. "Man what are you doing here?" the young man snipped laughing internally at the look of deflated ego and general annoyance. This was going to be fun.

"Ahh I came by to pick Pez up. After everything that happened, I haven't had much time with her," the blond man murmured making fish faces at the situation.

"That's surprising Keep your friends close and your enemies closer," Gabriel quipped before turning his back on the detective. "Sara!" he called.

"Gabriel have you seen my other sock?" she grumbled wet hair and t-shirt clad holding one sock in her hand. Jake again began to gape openly. "Jake? What are you doing here?"

"Ahh Breakfast?" he muttered holding up his box of goodies.

"That's okay. I'm making eggs," Gabriel said from the stove.

"Well aren't you a sweetheart?" Sara smiled at him.

"That's mea sweetheart and the world's best human mattress," he said biting the inside of his mouth.

Sara forgot herself for a moment and just responded overlooking Jake entirely, which of course was real easy. "I already said I'm sorry. You really didn't need to turn the tablesyou were liking me as your very own human blanket," she snipped.

Jake just watched the exchange in absolute awe and confusion.

Gabriel tugged Sara to his side and whispered, "He totally thinks we"

"I know what he thinks!" she whispered back.

"Let's mess with his head," Gabriel said wickedly wrapping his arm around her hip. Sara looked at him half-shocked half-excited. "Come on, what happened to my little sadist?"

That was all it took to get Sara to kiss Gabriel soundlyand what a kiss. He had waited for that kiss for so long. The tongue was quite unexpected but definitely not unpleasant. Gabriel gave himself over to the kiss running his hand over her hip and then holding her butt. He could feel Sara's hands in his hair and at the nape of his neck scratching. He groaned a bit tugging her closer causing her to groan.

A loud clearing of the throat followed by, "Your eggs are burning and the spatula is melting," got their attention.

Gabriel looked over his shoulder at the thoroughly infuriated blond man. He turned back to Sara with a smirk. Nibbling on her ear he whispered, "Never worry about him wanting a date again." Sara pulled away looking a bit disturbed. "Don't do that" he whispered stroking her hair.

"Your eggs!" Jake demanded.

"Be right with you Jake," Sara said quietly untangling herself from Gabriel's embrace. The young man removed the food from the stove and went to follow Sara into the bedroom.

"What happened to the blond?" Jake said loud enough for Sara to hear.

"The feds threatened herbut you wouldn't know anything about that would ya?" Gabriel stated walking away.

Sara was already mostly dressed when Gabriel got into the room. "Help me find my sock," she demanded.

"Sara, stop," he responded. She was making her bed. Gabriel knew for a fact that Sara never made her bed. "Straightening your sheets will not change the fact I slept here last night." She didn't raise her eyes so he stood in front of her. "Washing them will take away my scent but it won't make last night go away."

Green angry eyes flashed him, "Gabriellast night"

"Was wonderful," he finished. "This morning seems to be where the confusion lies."

"Put on some clothes," she snapped.

Gabriel looked down and smirked, "NopeI think my attire puts me on the advantage in this argument so I am staying put." Sara got annoyed and flexed her jaw. "What is the problem Sara?"

"We shouldn't be this way."

"Really? We seemed to be doing just fine a couple minutes ago," he stated.

"To antagonize Jake," she whispered knowing Jake was probably trying to listen.

"At first," he agreed whispering getting very close to her stroking her long hair, "but that doesn't explain the tongue involvement nor the fact that I wasn't decked for holding you right about here." Gabriel pulled Sara to him and laid his hands on her rear. There was no place for Sara to look. "Try my eyes," he suggested.

Almost timidly she looked into his face as his lips slowly descended on hers. It was a gentle, sweet, and almost a chaste kiss. "Now that had nothing to do with your partner, did it?"

"Sara?" Jake called. "I think I found your sock." She rolled her eyes and gave Gabriel a little kiss before heading back to the living room.

Gabriel came out a minute later in only his jeans. "I'll clean up," he motioned to the kitchen.

"Thanks sweetheart," she replied.

Jake clenched his jaw. "We should go."

"Right Be with you in a minute," Sara stated. Grabbing the extra keys for her apartment she gave them to Gabriel who was at the sink. "HereSo you don't have to be buzzed in anymore."

He smiled huge, "Thanks." She went to leave but he snagged her side. "Want a mattress tonight?" Gabriel said soft and low.

Sara actually gulped. "Not sureDinner date definitely. I'll call when I'm getting off from work," she added at the end causing Gabriel to laugh.

"Why Detective Pezzini, were you entertaining thoughts of" he went in for her ear again.

Sara tugged him forward and kissed him hard. "Bye! Lock up."

"Got it Chief," he called to her.

Jake said nothing until Sara and he got in the car. "Gabriel?"

She nodded her head a little unsure herself, "Gabriel."

A/N: Required- Alcohol (lots); Karaoke on tape; Disco; Three blind mice;' Pink flamingo ornament; BackStreet Boys CD or Dead Puppies CD; The Who; a bet; someone thinks Gabriel and Sara have slept together (extra points if its Danny or Jake); and a sock gone missing.

I got it all. Hope you enjoyed it. I certainly did.