Reaction

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

A/N: This chapter tends toward the serious. Don't worry, I've already written the next chapter and it is wonderfully amusing.

"Okay so I understand sort of about last night and this morning but what about the whole bunny on your desk thing?" Danny inquired.

Sara annoyedly blew her hair out of her face. "You won't let that go will you?" He shook his head. "Here," she handed him the note. "I'll explain once you read that."

Danny blinked several times. "I've known you for a lot of years Sara but I did not know you were into the whole disciplinary thingnot that it doesn't make sense."

Sara slapped his arm; "NoThat was a Gabriel addition."

"So what's up Snuggle Bunny, my little sadist, and him as your personal mattressThis ought to be good. The visuals alone on the last are hysterical."

"Danny! We had been drinking. He asked if spooning was allowed. I said I was too tired to care so if he wanted cuddle somethingI was his Snuggle Bunny," she said the last part at the table. Her partner about fell out of his seat laughing. "Stop it!"

"Oh he is soooo good for you," Danny quipped. "Any guy that can pull off that sort of gift and still get action on the street outside is doing something right But I believe there is more to the punishment and sadist stuff."

She sighed, "We messed with Jake's head this morning. That's how all this got started. Last night I teased him with mean things I could convince him to do and he called me a sadist. This morning Jake appearance brought out the worst in me."

"As he does with most people."

Sara gave him a look. He raised his hands in defense. "Anywayso now my two nicknames are Snuggle Bunny and Sadist."

"And what his nickname is your personal mattress?" Danny questioned.

"The whole Jake thing again. When we woke up this morning" she bit her lip. Danny motioned for her to continue. "When we woke up this morning I was effectively laying entirely on top of him." Her partner cracked up. "Cut it out Gabriel called himself my personal mattress in front of Jake."

"So you woke up sprawled out on top of one of your best friends that you had been drinking with the night before You can't tell me that for one second you didn't get worried."

"I still had on my Nevermind. No I didn't worry."

"I like this boy."

"I know Why didn't you tell me he called to check on me last week?"

Danny smiled, "He would talk with you when he was ready. It worked out for the best So ya gonna consummate this"

"Don't go there Woo. He may be one of my very best friends but its still a bit early for that," Sara stopped him.

"Fair enough."

"Uh Sara?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you trust Jake?" Danny asked simply.

She thought about it, "Not with my lifeno."

"Good you shouldn't."

"Why?" Sara asked.

"Lets just say my informant was checking into Jake and he is not who he says he is. Most likely he's FBI and if that's true then he is definitely the one that fed you to the wolves," the Asian man stated.

"I'll keep it in mind."

Sara found herself staring at the rabbit on her desk, the file in her lap and the blond man next to her. Time to take action. "Hey Jake, lets take a spin. See ya in a while partner."

Danny gave her a look but nodded, "Later."

Sara drove just general patrol giving Jake the chance to figure out if he wanted to talk to her or not. "So what happened to Gabriel's foreign girlfriend?" Jake led off with.

The Witchblade burned at her wrist. Like a repressed memory coming to light he saw the blond girl threaten and harassed. Sara then saw Jake make a couple calls and one to the woman herself to let her know her visa was fine. "You okay?" he asked secretly hoping it had gotten to her.

"A little sick To answer your question, the feds gave her a rough time and took her visa. Even if she came running backI'm not worried, but thanks for the concern," she said simply. "Need to pull over for a bit."

Sara ducked into a store's bathroom and let the visions come. It was randomIan interceding for Sara and Gabriel with the governmental agents so they would not pay with their lives for something they could not control. Jake is making friendly with several feds in the office that day. Her friend being murdered. The death of the photo clerk. Gabriel being beaten and not turning any information about her over. Then it was clear as day the words he spoke, I love her. Why would I tell you anything that could hurt her?' The scene shifted, Danny watching the office trusting Jake less and less. His call to her. The vision came in no order but three things were clear: Danny and Gabriel loved her and were loyal; Ian ironically could be trusted in many ways when push came to shove; and Jake McCartey was the last person she wanted to put her life in the hands of.

Stepping back out to the car Sara looked Jake in the eye as she slid into the driver's seat. "I want you to ask to be reassigned this afternoon Jake."

"What?"

"Look, I don't know what you thought or if you honestly believed I wouldn't find out, but constantly lying to me does not endear you at all. So this afternoon when we get back you will ask to be reassigned. It would look better for you that way. Everyone will believe I was difficult to work with If I ask to have you removed there will be questions And I really don't think you want me to blow your cover."

Sara stared into confused blue eyes. "You have to understand its undercover work. Lying is part of the game."

"Yes but having the frozen visa of my boyfriend's ex suddenly unfrozen the morning you find out I'm involved has nothing to do with your assignment!" she snapped. "And before you lie to me againit doesn't matter how I found out. You're caught; you're compromised and you're using your position to manipulate my lifeso you will ask for a new set of partners this afternoon."

Jake gritted his teeth. That little punk was responsible for all of this.

Sara read his expression like a book, "If anything happens to Gabriel, I will hunt you down like a dog and hurt you in ways you've never dreamed. I got my reputation as a bad ass not as some female cop need to prove her chops but because I really am that sadistic when it comes to people I love being hurt. You made a very big mistake this morning McCartey. Don't make any others."

He breathed deep then sighed in defeat, "Let me say one thing I was going to tell you about the assignment this morning. That was what was up with the breakfast thing. I realized that things were pretty new between you and Bowman so when he told me why the other girl wasn't around" He at least had the decency to look ashamed, "I could at least make it so she was around again and then maybe Look it was a really bad idea I admit but"

"No there is no buts McCartey."

"Fine I'll ask for the transfer. I screwed up"

"Yeah"

The two officers just sat quietly in the car, "Try Sanford and Wallace. They're a good team."

Jake looked up with a half smile, "Thanks Sara." She just nodded.

Jake went straight to the captain to request a transfer, which was actually not as hard as he thought. It seems Sanford and Wallace had asked for him if Pezzini and Woo's caseload got light.

Danny watched out the window, "What did you do?"

"I suggested it was in his best interest to ask for a transfer or I would."

"OkayWhat got you so pissed off?"

Sara gritted her teeth; "He orchestrated a re-acquaintance between Gabriel and his ex."

"That would do it."

"Yeah it did," she sighed.

"Talismanic," Gabriel said business like.

"It's Danny Just a head's up. Your little comment about Jake calling your ex worked like a charm."

"What are you talking about?" Gabriel asked thoroughly confused.

"Sara took Jake out for a ride, when they came back Jake walked into the bosses office and asked for a transfer by her prompting. The call to the ex is what put it over the top," the Asian man said happily.

Gabriel sat quizzically for a moment. How did she know about The Witchblade. It was that big a deal that the Witchblade showed her? "Well at least you won't have him weighting you down"

"Ya well We'll see how this plays out."

Danny smiled into the phone, "So what's on tap for you and Pez tonight?"

"Dinner outWhere I'm not sure," Gabriel said tapping the desk in front of him.

"Oh by the way the Snuggle Bunny was really funny. Sara has been staring at it all day. The guys in the precinct are going nuts wanting to know what sort of man actually got Pez."

It took Gabriel a minute to digest everything conveyed in those three sentences. One, Sara had shown Danny the note or at least told him something, which was good and weird at the same time since Danny is a guybut he didn't think Sara had any female friends. Two, Sara likes her rabbit enough to stare at iti.e. think about him. And three, his gift, appearance, and Sara's reaction caused enough of a stir to get the department talking.

"She told you about the Snuggle Bunny thing?" Gabriel questioned.

"I got to read the note Not that I needed those visuals but hey I am the best friend. And don't try to explain stuff. Any questions were already answered. I have to say for a man a couple weeks ago I was impressed spoke Bulgarian or whatever the hell that was I am much more impressed with the embarrassing Pez and getting away with it That takes talent."

The hacker smiled, "I'm glad I meet inspection."

Danny laughed, "Oh no. You haven't passed inspection by a long shot. You still have to make it through an entire month plus a dinner at my house to get the Woo seal of approval. Right now you're on probation with positive marks."

"What a cop way to put things? So pointer on dinner?"

"Honestly it won't matter. She'll tell you what she's hungry for and go there."

"Oh kid I have to say too, don't take this the wrong way, but I'm impressed you didn't take the other girl back. After the time you had with Pez and the reality of police work sets in there aren't a lot of guys that want to stick it out," Danny said smoothly.

"I knowbut if Sara and I hadn't become this is just weird. I mean I love Sara, there's no way around that and I've been close to her for a while so I just always thought I was too young or relegated to the little brother pile. A month ago she asked me why I never asked her out and I was flooredI mean who am I?"

Danny was catching on; "So this isn't so unexpected after allIt was just timing."

Gabriel shrugged, "And men with guns. Never know how you really feel until its life or death I guess."

"No man If she asked you why you never asked her out, she had thought about it. Not only that but if she was prompting she wanted you toask that is. Sara's forward in a lot of ways but she still wants to be asked."

"Well she kind of missed that part with me egging her on to kiss me this morning."

"Gabriel Sara Pezzini found out you were in the building, left her partners, ran out to the street and made out with you for all to seethat is not a common occurrence or something to be taken lightly. You may not have done the official asking part but you are more than under her skin. Between last night and tonight things maybe be radically different but don't let it interfere with your friendship. I'm marriedI know," Danny said solemnly.

"Good to remember, oh wise Asian Master."

"Sara calls me that"

"I know."

TBC You guys will love the date.