Was that on the Menu?

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

A/N: Magicks- I have no email address for you to answer your review question. You know where to find me.

A/N2: I had some friends in high school the restaurant you are going to read about is based on. So before you askyes people like this do exist in America.

Sara threw her coat down on the sofa with her Snuggle Bunny under her arm. "Now where am I going to put you?" she muttered to the rabbit. It's little polished eyes shown brightly. "The bedafter all you're supposed to be what I hug when Gabriel's not around."

She entered her bedroom to find a very large beautifully illustrated version of The Velveteen Rabbit' propped up on her pillow with another note.

Bunny,

I bet you haven't been read to in a long timeso here is the first bedtime story that I will read to you in the coming months. Sometimes I think you don't understand enough about what love is and how it transforms usyou also have the tendency to think you're unimportant and rather unreal. This is your reminder how precious you are to me and those who love you.

Gabriel'

Sara sat on her bed with the bunny in her lap and the book under her chin and wondered why things hadn'twhy she hadn'twhy he hadn't Timing maybeand men with guns. All major life changing experiences had to begin or be followed by a major act of violence. God's cosmic joke that was her existence. But nownow she was with a man that loved herand respected her along with what she did And everyone she loved got killed. She hugged herself tight in a ball and cried.

Gabriel came into the apartment quietly wanting to sneak up on Saramaybe even catch her in her skivviesthen suffer the punishment for it. When did he start getting off on the punishment thing he wondered?

The sound of whimpering was coming from Sara's bedroom drew Gabriel quickly. She lay in a ball curled up sniffling. Gingerly he climbed onto the bed trying not to disturb her until he could lay her head on his chest. "What's wrong sweets?" he whispered.

"Everyone I love ends up dead," she groaned. She was still clutching his gifts.

Gabriel took the book from her arms then laid the rabbit on his stomach so at least her arm was draped over his chest. His fingers ran lightly over her back and ran through her hair. "I can't promise I won't die," he said kissing the top of her head, "but I'm not going anywhere either. And there is no point trying to scare me off, you're stuck with me."

"But what if" Her words halted as his lips descended on hers. He was mastering the art of the shut up' kiss. It wasn't really he wanted her to shut up, it was just there was no reason to say the words. What ifs never get you anywhere.

Tenderly over and over their lips met softly, unhurried. Sara had to admit this was nicesomeone to hold her when the world seemed to crash in, someone to stop her mind from wandering to difficult paths, someone to kiss her sweetly with no attempt to make it any more than an expression of affection.

"You still want to go to dinner or do you want to see if you have anything edible in this place?" Gabriel asked sweetly.

"There isn'tlets order a pizza," Sara mumbled from the center of his chest.

Gabriel got his phone out with one hand and hit one to the memory buttons. "Hi Aunt Sally its Gabe. Can you fix me a large supreme pizza and I'll come get it? No I'm not at my shop. Don't worry, I'll come get itAunt Sally stopI will not get sucked into this." There was a long pause and then he said exasperated like this was the last conversation he wanted to be having, "Yes No I don't have a picture of her in my wallet I promise. This weekend I will get one in there I'm sure I can dig one up before I go NO you can't talk to her"

By now Sara was giggling (No really she was giggling) at the conversation. "Great, now she's laughing at me. Ya see what you've done? No I won't give you her address. I am coming to pick it up. I'll seeI'll seeI'm asking" Gabriel huffed looking at Sara, "Would you consider getting up and going to dinner? This is my godmother and aunt. She owns an Italian restaurant not far from her and she's Just say no and she'll understand. You won't have to get up or"

"No. I'd love to meet your godmother," Sara said with a smile.

"You were supposed to say no," he grumbled.

"You got to embarrass me at workI get to be gushed over by your godmother."

Gabriel shook his head, "You don't understand."

"Well I soon will won't I?"

He glared, "Aunt Sally we'll be there in a half an hour NoWhat? No if you get to see her in person why do I need to bring a photo? Nomy cousins do not need to see what my girlfriend looks like Aunt Sally Yes Yes Please don't call my mom Please stop yelling in Italian. I'm only catching every other word I do know Italian quite wellbetter then your kids and that's all they heard growing up. I just have trouble over a telephone while you're in the kitchen No there is no need for that" Gabriel stared at the phone, "She hung up She hung up. On meI'm her favoriteEven from her own kids."

The frustrated young man got up and started to pace. "All I wanted was for you to have really good pizzathat's all. Sweet boyfriend thing to do. Then I get sucked into an Aunt Sally fight and suddenly I'm bringing my girlfriend and a picture of us to the restaurant by which time several of my cousins will have arrived to look us over like a hunk of meat My mother will be called which means I'm going to be yelled at in Italian again for not letting her know I finally found a girl I'm willing to meet the family.' Then my dad will get on the phone and yell at me for making my poor old' mother cry with her delicate' heart and"

He was speaking so fast Sara wasn't sure what had happened to the laid back Gabriel that would mediate standing on his head. "ShhhWe can call her back and say I'm not feeling well."

"Oh no we can't. When you said yes it was a done dealand oh lord don't let Sally reach StevenOh please merciful heaven above" When Gabriel started to slip into lapsed Catholic speak it was time to worry.

"Gabriel It's just your family. Family always will push your buttonsNow calm down and take a deep breath."

"Well my nice relaxing evening at home just became a high stress evening with family."

Sara smiled, "I'd kind of like to see the people that helped make youyou."

Sara looked into the window of the family owned restaurant that she was eating at that evening. Gabriel was beyond jittery. "RelaxOR I will kiss you in there and cause even more issues," she threatened.

"Sadist."

"And you love me."

They walked in to see a large woman barreling toward them. Sara was completely lost as the woman followed presumably by her husband spoke quickly to Gabriel who answered back at the same speed.

Eventually Gabriel said, "SaraAunt Sally would like the photo before I try to hide it or destroy it."

She laughed, "Now that would not go over too well with me."

"Sarah What a nice strong name," Sally said in a thick accent taking the photo of them at the pier and handed it to her husband. "I'm Sally and this is my husband Michael. Your food is almost ready. Come sit We saved you a booth in the back."

Sara and Gabriel sat down swiftly. "See that wasn't so hard," she said simply.

He started to laugh, "That was getting in the door. We are now seated next to the kitchen where all my cousins can stop by and say hello between service."

No sooner had the words been spoken than a large football player type came to sit on Gabriel. "How are you? My little brother treating you all right?"

"Brother?" Sara questioned.

"God-brother Steven" Gabriel groaned under the weight of the other man.

"So how did you meet Gabe?"

"Oh yes how did you meet Gabriel?" Sally asked.

At that moment Sara realized the entire kitchen staff had stopped to hear the tale. "Well I'm a police officer and I had to see Gabriel about a case."

"In trouble with the lawtsk," Steven snipped as Sally began to speak heatedly in Italian to Gabriel who looked ready to die.

"No nothing like that," Sara saved him. "Steven, could you let him up? I'd like him to sit by me."

"Oh sure." Without further thought the football player stood and let the half-crushed man move to the other side of the table. "So what was the case."

"One of the guys Gabriel knows was on line at his shop and accidentally watched a murder take place. Gabriel was very helpful and has continued to be helpful." Sara was sure his family did not approve or understand Gabriel's line of work. "His knowledge of history is amazing plus the stuff he can find on the net with his computer I go to him before the techies at work any day. Gabriel is probably the smartest guy I know." Sara gave him a little kiss on the cheek.

"Are you trying to have us married with children before the end of the evening?" Gabriel whispered to her.

"Just want to be sure they understand someone appreciates and respects what you do even if they don't understand it."

The innocent look in her eyes did him in. The one thing he swore he would never do in front of his gossipy familyhe did. Gabriel held Sara's cheek in one hand and whispered, "I love you," before kissing her softly.

A flurry of Italian speaking and crashing of plates alerted the couple to the family's reaction. One cousin, no more then sixteen, gazed dreamily at Gabriel like he was the second coming of Christ and Elvisor whatever rock star teenage girls lust after mixed up together. Steven's mouth hung open apparently unable to comprehend that someone actually would date his little brother' while two servers ran into yet other as Steven relayed in Italian Gabe's confession moving to the kitchen. Aunt Sally was already on the phone presumably to Gabriel's mother and Michael just smiled proudly. "Young lady," the elderly Italian man muttered. "What is your last name so when I pray before God I'll have it right."

Sara swallowed, "Pezzini."

Another loud clatter of dishes and general mayhem. "She's Italian Sally she's Italian," the old man said.

"I heard Your mother will be so happy," Sally said with the phone to her ear.

Gabriel buried his head in her shoulder. "You know if this doesn't work out not only do I loose one of my best friends but my family losses their best chance to see me married before I'm thirty."

Sara kissed the top of his head. "Won't they have a problem with the fact that I'm older than you and nearing thirty myself let alone that I'm a cop."

Gabriel shrugged, "They'll expect us to have children right awayno birth control allowed and then only maybe after the first comes along. As for the cop thing, I'll get the you need a job that makes enough to support your family' speech to avoid it."

"So let me get this straight. Because we came in for dinner and you kissed me in front of your family now all their wishes come true?"

"No You're what they want for meespecially the Italian part Plus you're leaving out the part where I said I love you in front of themthat is the hugeness they were reacting too."

"Why?"

Gabriel rolled his eyes, "My family hasn't met anyone I have dated since I was seventeen. I swore up and down that"

"That what?" Sara asked.

"Okay don't freak out. Remember this just started with a pizza I was going to pick up and you were the one that agreed to come" She nodded. He sighed heavily, "I swore up and down that I wouldn't bring another girl to meet my family until I found the one I would marry. So coupled with the love thing"

"The love thing?" she teased.

"Yes the love thing. I've said it twice and you have not responded so I chose to stick with the love thing."

"I told you I loved you last night," Sara insisted.

"That was before this," Gabriel moved his arm between the two of them.

She had to laugh. Gabriel did have his moments of insecurities as well as teen angst. For all the times she could swear he was born old this was a time he seemed very young. "Gabriel?" she whispered. His eyes came up to hers from the napkin he had been steadily ripping. Sara smiled softly, "I love you too Now wasn't there a pizza we were supposed to be getting?"

"Yes," he smirked kissing her lightly. "Aunt Sally is our food ready?" he asked stepping into the kitchen just as Steven brought their pizza out.

The cordless phone was thrust into Gabriel's hand and he decided just to sit back down. "Yes, mom No mom Mom! Stop thatI am too old for you to be Yes she is Italian. A police officer. Homicide. No mom if I marry her I would not make her switch to a less dangerous department How can I think of your grandchildren? There are no grandchildren Mom, we're not married Stop yelling at me in Italian. No she can't speak it as far as I know." Sara shook her head. "No she can't. What? No you can't talk to her. Momyou've interrupted our date, our food is getting cold, and Sara has already dealt with enough family for one day" There was a long pause, "Yes I did say that. Yes she did No mom Yes it is that Sara."

Gabriel looked at her with puppy dog eyes then turned to Aunt Sally. She motioned for the phone back starting to speak rapidly into it in the foreign language. "What's she saying?" Sara whispered.

"She needs the line for orders. We're a very handsome couple and you would bear her beautiful dark haired grandchildren though they would all be short."

"She did not."

Gabriel stared at her. "Why would I make that up?"

"I'm that Sara?"

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "What you think I don't talk to my family at all?"

She smiled, "No. I just wonder what that means is all."

"You're not going to let this go are you?"

"No this is far too fun."

He groaned, "So I admit that this morning wasn't the first time I've considered what it would be like with us And in those sorts of situations I do have a tendency to talk too much about a person."

Sara smirked, "So your mother knew you had and crush on me and you had been denying it."

"I wouldn't say crushInterest yes."

She picked up her pizza, "I asked why you hadn't asked me out."

"You were being reactionary You were lonely and I was suddenly not able to give you my undivided attention. I'd say that really wasn't indicative of anything you felt," Gabriel stated cutting himself a piece.

"Am I sitting in your god-mother's restaurant? Did I get hassled beyond compare today for making out with you in front of the precinct? Did I give you keys to my apartment? Yeah not indicative my ass!" Sara fumed.

He chuckled," The point isyes my mother knows exactly who you are."

Suddenly Gabriel started fussing at his aunt in Italian.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Come on that was not nothing," Sara insisted.

He gritted his teeth; "She made a comment about My mom didn't marry an Italian. Bowmannot an Italian name. She talked about bringing the bloodline back It's stupid. They wouldn't love me any less if I married an Irish woman but I know they would have problems with several different nationalities."

"Like your ex?"

"Lets not talk about that Family pushes your buttons right? She just pushed one of mine. Uncle Michael is already chewing her out for it so"

"Eat your pizza," Sara said kissing his cheek.

He smiled, "This wasn't as bad as I thought."

"See what the right attitude can do," she quipped.

"Nopethe right view," Gabriel said giving her his sly smile and biting into his favorite pizza around. Sara smiled one of those genuine smiles he was beginning to think only he got. Oh he was falling fast.

TBC I love this chapter. REVIEW!