Please don't hurt the library man

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

A/N: AckI included children! All young child speak will be awfully spelled and sort of phonetic. Children provide the humor. I have no idea what Danny's children are named but I knew that he had a daughter so I gave him a son too.

A/N2: Beginning you get lusties and sap. All rightaway we go.

Sara arrived at Talismanic just as Gabriel was locking up. "Right on time my beauty. We ready for an evening of Grill the boyfriend' or what?" he joked.

"I'm more worried about Jake. I know I said this was okay but" she groaned.

"Oh stop He came clean about the FBI junk and laid off us"

"Well I I just don't want him thinking we want him back as a partner," Sara said crossing her arms over her chest.

"You are trying to find something to be worked up over," Gabriel stated.

"I have to do something!" she grit her teeth.

It took all of his will power not to tease, Sexually frustrated much.'

"So do I get to hang on for dear-life on the back of your bike or"

"Do you want to?" she asked with a smile.

He shook his head, "Not really. But I will if it will your tension." Sara raised an eyebrow. "Nothing" he muttered and blew out his breath.

"No there is something definitely on your mind."

"Same thing that's on yours we just haven't talked about it since that morning"

"Huh?" she grunted.

"You are leaving me opening after opening a man can only take so much," Gabriel said frustrated. She still didn't get it. "Large motorized vehicle vibrating between your legsyou do the math."

"GABRIEL!" Sara yelled with big eyes shocked.

"What?" he groaned.

Sara was on him in seconds, kissing him hard and hungry while pushing him down on his chair. She followed him down straddling his lap. Gabriel first grabbed her hips and settled her on his lap. He slid one hand up cradling her lower back massaging the muscles while the other was holding the back of her neck pulling her firmly to him. They had gotten very good at the hot and heavy though they would always stop abruptly. It was as if the tension between them would mount and mount until they had to devour each other to release the pent up energy.

"We'll be late," he gasped between kisses and caresses.

"They'll wait We're the guests of honor," she responded stroking her hands down his back and sides.

Sara bit Gabriel's earlobe and his hips surged up. "GodI am gonna have very good fantasies about this chair from nowon," he murmured between kisses, gasps and moans. "Sara I want you so badly," he growled French kissing her deeply.

"Losing your resolve," she toyed licking the outer rim of his ear.

Gabriel wrapped both arms around her waist holding them firmly together as he ground himself into her. "Not at all," he whispered heatedly watching her squirm in his arms. He planted little kisses up her neck as he reigned in his hormones. "We'll have dinner like a nice normal couple, I'll take you home and remind you what you're waiting for It will be slow and sensuousand one day you will ask me to make love to you. Not screw or bang or a thousand other terms, but make love And then I will."

Sara gulped air as she gazed into his brown eyes that were dark with need. She swallowed a few times before she could talk, "The things you say"

Gabriel just kept holding her loosely in his arms as she tried to regain her composure and her breath. She finally couldn't take the eye contact anymore and looked down. "It's been It's been a really long time Gabrielsince sex wasn't the thing that emotions grew out of for me. This waitingmaking sure we're on the same pageits scary sometimes."

Gabriel eased her eyes up. "Its not meant to be scary Sara," he whispered stroking her cheek with his thumb. "It's meant Sex is something physical that people do for pleasure. Making love is something emotional, spiritual evenits an act of commitment and love. That's why the Anglican Church considered the consummation of a marriage a sacrament" Sara was trying to avoid his gaze again. "I love you and hormones are wonderful things but I want desperately to have you look at me with the same level of commitment and love as I do for you when we become one the first time."

Sara's gaze had set on Gabriel as he spoke the last sentence. Her eyes began to mist a tear from each eye fell. "I'll cry the whole time," she responded in the barest whisper.

He kissed each tear trail on her face and said softly, "I won't mindtruth is when I see that in your eyes it will probably bring me to tears as well."

She leaned down and laid her head on his shoulder holding him close. "I love you GabrielDon't doubt that. It's the expressing it part that I have trouble with."

He smiled softly petting her hair hugging her too. "I know luvI know." He kissed her cheek, "Why don't we cuddle a little longer then we'll take what ever mode of transportation you wish."

Sara sniffled, "No cabs."

"We are going to work on your new cab phobia at some point."

"Not today."

Danny met Gabriel and Sara at the back door. "What's up partner?"

Danny cleared his throat, "Remember how we invited Jake and this was going to be a nice dinner with family,'" he said in quotations.

"Yeah," Sara responded confused.

"Well Lee decided to invite one of her best friendsand her boyfriend."

Gabriel looked at him confused. "So?" Sara asked.

"Well the thing is Lee's best friend Mai-Ning works with a group of kids after school."

"I knew this," Sara stated heading for the house.

Danny put his hand out to keep the door closed, "Mai-Ning was assaulted about a month and a half agowould be rape."

"What are you getting at?" Gabriel asked.

"Well it turns out someone saved her from the attack."

"Jake?" Sara asked incredulously.

Gabriel had looked inside the window to see a man reading to Danny's daughter. "No, that's not Jake," he said with wide eyes. "It does however explain why my throat hasn't been slit in my sleep."

"Huh?" she murmured before Gabriel pushed her to the window to see Ian Nottingham sitting with the little girl on his lap and a very smitten Asian woman sitting on the armrest playing with his hair. Ian looked up at her and smiled as she grinned back.

Sara blinked about a million times before walking away from the window and pacing about. She finally stood still and said, "Are you telling me Ian Nottingham saved your wife's best friend from being raped and now she's dating him?"

"More like he stopped the attack, beat the hell out of the guy, carried her to safety, got her to a hospital, sat by her bed all night, called her family and friends to alert them of the situation and now her father is planning to have them married by Christmas," Danny said in a long breath. "Turns out he sort of knew her. He has been making anonymous donations to her after school program and has been checking in on them every couple weeks. He of course won't admit that he is the donor but"

Gabriel sighed, "That sounds like something Nottingham would do." Both cops stared at the hacker. "What just because he hated my guts and stalked Sara doesn't mean I can't see the good points in the man. I mean there isn't a guy around that has chivalry written all over him the way Nottingham does."

Danny shook his head, "Anyway Mai-Ning had wanted this guy that was just known as tall, dark, & handsome' to ask her out but of course he didn't. After the attack she became sort of his to protect. He told herand I quote If you save the life of another you are responsible for that life,' end quote. I never saw him or got his name at the hospital I just knew some mystery guy was paying for everything and taking good care of Mai-Ning. I promise that until he arrived at my door I didn't know it was him. Believe me I did not want the man who helped bury me alive in my housenor do I now want Lee to know Nottingham had anything to do with it Apparently Ian tried hard to get out of dinner trying every which way to Sunday to explain that police and he didn't make good bedfellows. He didn't want to disturb our dinner. I also think he didn't want to answer questions about the whole situation with Mai-Ning. Then again the minute he entered the house he took me aside and apologized better than anyone in human history"

"How did he apologize satisfactorily for nearly killing you?" Sara asked folding her arms over her chest.

"Lifting up the back of his shirt so I could see the scars left from failing to do what was ordered.'" Sara gaped openly at the admission. Ian would never have shown that level of vulnerability unlessunless Danny's approval was something important. Danny looked down; "Social services missed the boat when he was a kid let me tell you. He's got scars that were given over a decade ago that still look awful Seeing that put a lot in perspective especially the rage against the man that attacked Mai-Ning."

He paused, "Mai-Ning loves him, Lee loves himHell even my daughter loves himand as much as I hate to admit it he has been amazing to Mai-Ning and her familyso try not to antagonize the man at dinner okay."

Sara went to object but Gabriel grabbed her side. "We'll be good. Right Bunny?!"

"Oh don't be cute now," she snipped.

"Really Sara," Danny said. "I'm going to have enough trouble with Jake I don't need you adding to it."

"Hey the party out here?" Jake asked as he walked up.

"RookieCome here," Sara said throwing her arm around his neck walking him away.

Danny looked at Gabriel and said, "Must be really secure in your relationship to bat an eyelash at that."

The hacker shrugged, "Jake is so far outside Sara's type its not even funny. Now if I were to worry it would be about that man in there," pointing to Ian.

"Why?" the detective questioned.

"Because she will pick apart in her brain for hours why anyone would spend their time with him and it is suddenly possible that she'll realize that he wasn't stalking her because Irons made him but because he liked her. So however nice he is to the woman in there suddenly Sara will see what she missed," Gabriel commented. "They have a lot more in common than she likes to admit.

Danny stared at him; "You have nothing to worry about."

"I knowbut one day it will all come together and she will finally understand what she could have hadand will wonder," the younger man said with a far off look.

There was no way he could explain to Danny that the wielder and her protector were a matched set despite whom they loved. True enough one day Sara would see Ian as a person and then Gabriel could only hope that they had built a strong enough foundation to stand that particular trial. Sara didn't know the investigation he had done into the Witchblade's past and he knew she wasn't trying to find out. If Nottingham told her they were together in life after life she would have laughed in his face and called him a psycho. But Gabriel knew the truth. Kenneth Irons had twisted and deformed that man enough that the Wielder would not recognize her Protector and therefore would never consider him. Gabriel sighed, was it wrong not to tell Sara or did she have to choose each generation?

"Zoning there Gabriel," Danny said swatting his back.

"I'm gonna go ahead in," the hacker said.

He peered into the room and saw the picturesque scene again and hoped not to disturb it. Dark little eyes peered up at Gabriel suddenly. "Pease don ert the libary man," a small boy of four or five.

The hacker stared at the child only to have his sister, his mother's best friend and Nottingham gazing at him. Gabriel got down on his knees at the little boy's level and said; "If you mean Mr. Nottingham" he said pointing to Ian. The little boy nodded, "you don't have to worry I've known Mr. Nottingham for a while."

" ant ta see my Leg-os?" the child accepted at face value while Ian just sat quietly trying to figure out what to make of the situation.

"Sure What's your name? I'm Gabriel."

"Machew," he said in his child like way.

"Matthew," his sister announced. "I'm Lily."

"Nice to meet you Lily," he said shaking her hand. Mai-Ning went to introduce herself only to have the small boy interfere.

"Come on" Matthew tugged pulling the hacker to a back room just as Sara walked in. "Aun Sara, Aun Sara air's a ig man whos a nite in the ivin oom," Matthew said hurriedly climbing into Sara's arms.

"A what?" she asked.

"A Knight," Gabriel annunciated. She raised an eyebrow. "What? I can speak several languages but not childgive me a break." Sara kept staring. "Steven's older siblings have kids."

"There's the reason" Sara looked at the little boy in her arms. "So who told you he was a knight?"

" ily. She saed he was a nite in shinny arms."

"You mean a knight in shining armor?" Sara asked.

"How'd you no?" Matthew said.

"I'm smart," she said putting him back down.

"Can we read another?" Lily asked Ian.

"I think everyone has arrived so you would have to ask your mother if there is time before dinner," he stated smoothly.

Danny leaned over to his three guests and whispered, "Call the man Ian or Mr. Nottingham. I know its weird but when you're trying to teach your small ones manners you have to be consistent."

Jake smirked but Sara poked him in the stomach. "Mija," Sara called up the stairs.

"She decided that it was Friday so she should be out," Lee stated urging Lily off of Ian's lap.

"Guess you don't have a dinner date Jake," Sara smarted off. A hint of a smile graced Nottingham's lips. "Guess I win Friday night Danny."

"Very funny," Jake groaned rolling his eyes. "I still cannot believe you two"

Matthew appeared at Jake's leg tugging at his pants. The blond man stared down. " y you ave ite air?"

"Translation," Sara whispered to Gabriel who was standing next to Jake.

"He asked you why your hair is whitemeaning blond," the hacker explained. Jake went to respond just looking down at the boy. "No manget on his level. You're in his home be polite," Gabriel managed to say with a straight face. Ian raised an eyebrow to him. Gabriel just smirked back.

On his knees Jake said, "Well both your mommy and daddy have black hair so you and your sister have black hair. My mommy and daddy have blond hair so my hair is blond." Matthew stared at him.

Ian waved the boy over and got on one knee. The little boy toddled up and listened as Ian whispered in his ear. The boy smiled and stood in front of Ian waiting for dinner to start. Gabriel now raised a questioning eyebrow at the knight who smirked back.

"Okay introductions all around," Lee began. "I'm Lee and these are our children Lily and Matthew." Both children flanked Ian.

"I'm Mai-Ning."

"An' dis is da gweat nite," Matthew said proudly.

"No silly. We're saying names This is E-An or Mr. Not-in-ham." The little girl looked up at him confused and asked, "Why would you put a knot in a ham?"

Sara started to crack up only to be tugged by Gabriel. "Lily will think you're laughing at her." Sara promptly elbowed Jake.

"I get the feeling that's going to happen a lot tonight," the surfer groaned.

Ian smiled at the little girl, "I'll tell you after dinner."

"I want it by a-be-l," Matthew muttered scampering over to the young Italian.

"Well that's fine. I want to sit by E-an," Lily said nodding her head.

"Okay Guess I'm the unloved new guy," Jake stated shifting on his feet.

"This is why Mija should have been here," Danny picked at him.

Jake's eyes got round, "Stop with the Mija jokes. Your wife will think I actually have a thing for your teenage niece." He said a little louder then he intended.

"Mommy, what did he mean by a thing?" Lily asked.

Danny, Jake and Sara all turned as one to the little girl while Gabriel and Ian smirked. Lee looked to Mai-Ning for some idea what to say. " id he ay sompin bad?" Matthew asked Gabriel.

Gabriel leaned down, "Noit was just grown up thing to say and he forgot there were little kids in the room."

" m not a iddle id," Matthew said with a pout, " m onna be a big brodder. Mama saed so."

Gabriel looked from the little boy to Sara with a small smile. Sara responded like most girlsshe sighed. That stupid I'm so happy I'm in love and maybe one day I'll have one of those with you' sigh.

Jake could not pass up the opportunity. He muttered in her ear, "See. Danny was right. You will want a baby Snuggle Bunny of your very own."

Gabriel and Danny both heard and busted up laughing while the rest of the room stared blankly at the laughing idiots in the corner. The laughter got worse the moment Jake groaned. "Oh I'm sorry Jake. Was that your rib?" Sara said sweetly. She then looked at the blond directly and whispered, "Be thankful for the children McCartey or you would already be in pieces And remember revenge is sweet."

"Oh yeahWhat sort of punishment did Gabriel get for the rabbit at workyou little Sadist?" he volleyed.

Gabriel quickly grabbed Sara and kissed her soundly. "Don't do anything stupid," he whispered his warning.

"Like kiss me in front of a room full of people with two kids," she snipped.

"No," he buried his head in her hair. "Like activate the Witchblade accidentally. It's swirling red. Ian's the one that alerted me to the little bugger waking up."

"You guys need a minute," Jake asked, "Family planning and all."

"Detective McCartey," Ian addressed him coolly. "It is said a wise man refrains from speaking as to not to appear a fool. An idiot speaks and removes all doubt."

Sara gaffed while Gabriel and Danny bit back laughs to refrain from joining in. Danny laid a hand on Jake's shoulder, "Come on man lets get something from out back."

"Thank you Not Ian," Sara caught herself.

"My pleasure There are few times I can mock someone you love without feeling your wrath."

"Very true," she nodded. "So is dinner tonight a celebration of the hero?"

"I was under the impression it was a trial by fire for myself and Mr. Bowmaneach to our own Woo," Nottingham replied simply.

Mai-Ning gazed between the two. "I didn't realize you knew each other."

"We introduced via Kenneth Irons," Sara replied. "We didn't exactly get off on the right foot." Ian looked down. "Though more recently he has proved helpful," she added.

"You honor me by your words," he said with a slight bow.

Matthew tugged at Gabriel, " y he ecum libary man gan?"

"Library man? I'm not sure what you mean little guy?"

"Ta-lks ike a book," Matthew said rolling his eyes.

"Good point."

"What was the question?" Ian inquired.

"He asked why you became the library man againyou talk like a book," Gabriel informed him. "Mr. Nottingham is very well educatedhe read lots of booksso many that he talks like one."

Matthew's chin began to quiver, "Mama I on't ant to ta-lk ike a ook."

"Good going Gabriel. The kid isn't going to want to read any more," Sara snipped.

Ian looked at Matthew then Mai-Ning then Matthew again. "Matthew, my father taught me to speak this waynot reading books. Has your Daddy taught you some Chinese words?" The little boy nodded. "So your Daddy taught you them to speak like him. My father taught me to speak this way to sound like my father. Does that make you feel better?" Matthew nodded and took his seat. Ian shook his head at Gabriel.

"What? I normally get it right," the hacker defended. It was going to be a long night.

TBC

I can't decide if I should do more of dinner or let it be discussed after the fact. What are your thoughts? And no matter what I do it will not make Sara and Gabriel have sex any faster.