Note: // Images //
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Chapter 1
New York City: Spring 2002
Detective Sara Pezzini walks down the street bumping into a figure. "Oh sorry" she mutters looking down to see a dark haired teenager staring at her. "Hey" she smiles
The girl moves away almost frightened she runs down the street
Sara looks down to see her bracelet hiss 'Damn thing' she thinks turning to see if she can find the girl.
Sixteen year old Anai runs around the corner away from the cop her inborn instincts knowing who the woman is. 'Supernatural.' "Shit" she mutters her mind flashing over images
// A glove with a blade on the end.
The woman dodging bullets.
Arguing with a dark haired man. //
Anai shakes her head "Stop" she mutters trying to end the images.
"Hey kid" Sara calls finding the dark haired teen in the alley
Anai looks at the cop "What?"
"Are you OK?" Pez asks
Anai moves away from the woman "Yeah fine."
"I get this feeling you aren't being honest with me."
"Not fond of cops." Anai says moving past the woman
"Not many people are" Pez smiles "Names Pezzini."
Anai looks at her "I know"
"How do you know?"
Anai takes off disappearing in the crowd. she goes in search of her best friend/lover/protector.

That afternoon
Sara enters her office removing her jacket
"Hello Lady Sara"
Sara jumps at the sound of the familiar voice "Damn it Ian one of these days your going to give me a heart attack" she says closing the door to her office. "What are you here for? Give me another vague warning?"
"The girl you spoke with... where is she?"
"I didn't get her address." Sara retorts "And stop stalking me."
"I am protecting you." Ian replies
"Nottingham why are you here?" Sara demands annoyed
Ian bows his head "Find the girl. She can answer many questions."
Sara stares at him "How am I supposed to find her?"
Ian reaches out touching the bracelet. "The Witchblade will lead her to you." he looks away "I have to go"
"Ian why would this lead her to me?"
"It will show you." Ian says walking out the door
Sara stares after the enigma 'What am I going to do with him?' she shakes her head turning to her paperwork.

Chapter 2
That Night: Anai and Zan's place
"You OK babe?" Zan asks finding Anai staring out the window of their bedroom.
Anai tilts her head back to look at him "She knows my father."
"You saw that?"
"Mmm" she nods "I'm scared"
"Of what?"
"I haven't seen my father since I was five or six. Momma always told me he was different. That his work is why we had to stay away from him."
" 'nai its OK."
"Momma said his boss was a jerk who would do anything to take me from her." she shivers involuntarily
" 'nai nothin' will seperate us."
"Promise?"
"I promise" he kisses her temple "how are you feelin'?"
"My stomach and head still hurt from being so close to the Witchblade" she sighs turning she wraps her arms around him rubbing her cheek against his chest.
"Lets get you to bed." Zan picks her up carrying her over to the bed he lays her down pulling the covers up.
As he starts to move away Anai grabs his hand "Stay?"
"For a little while. I have to get to work."
Anai nods "I know" she yawns "I wish you didn't have to work tonight"
"I know but I'm close by if you need me."
"I love you my King" she says sleepily
"And I you my Queen" he smiles kissing her neck.

Just before dawn
Zan enters the bedroom concerned when he doesn't find Anai awake to greet him. 'She usually wakes up.' he shakes his head 'Must be exhausted.' he sits on the edge of the bed leaning down to kiss her forehead. He frowns "She's burning up" he mutters touching her forehead. "Anai come on babe wake up" he says taking her hand he winces his mind receiving images
//A dark haired man watching over a woman sleeping.
The man being beaten by another man with silver/blond hair//
"FATHER" Anai cries out curling up she clutches her stomach
"Anai come on your dreamin' babe" Zan says worried
Anai opens her eyes looking at him hazily "Zan"
" 'nai I need you to stay awake"
"Zan" she drifts back to sleep
"Anai come on don't do this babe"
//The cop wearing the Witchblade healing Anai//
"The cop." Zan sighs "OK babe I guess we'll give it some time... if need be we'll go to the cop's place" he runs his fingers through his spiked locks.

Early evening: Sara's Apartment
"I'm coming I'm coming" Sara calls sleepily "Nottingham if that's you I swear" Sara trails off as she pulls open the door to find a tall man with piercings and spiked hair cradling the young woman from the day before in his arms "What the...? Who are you?"
"She needs your help... or that things help" Zan nods at the Witchblade "I can't heal her like this."
Sara steps aside letting the man enter "Why don't you just take her to the hospital?"
"Too many questions" Zan answers setting Anai on the couch. "Anai is my life and my responsibility... I ain't gonna take her anywhere that can result in her being taken from me."
Sara nods moving closer she touches the girl's forehead "She's burning up... why do you think this can heal her?" she nods at the Witchblade "How do you know about it?"
"I know what she knows."
"What's your name?"
"Zan"
"Let's see what we can do" Sara allows the Witchblade to activate putting her hand against Anai's forehead. She gasps as the images hit blurring together but the last images sticking out the most
//Anai hugging a man's legs "Daddy"
Sara's eyes move up to see the figure's face 'Ian?!'
Ian's eyes meet Sara's then he looks down at the child//
Sara pulls back staring at the young woman
"You saw it didn't you" Zan says looking at the cop knowingly
"She's... she's his daughter"
"Mmm" Zan nods crouching beside the couch he touches Anai's cheek "do you know where he is?" Zan asks softly
"He's probably outside" Sara replies
Anai blinks hazily through her fever "Zan?"
"Hey 'nai."
She holds her arms out
Zan picks her up settling on the couch with Anai against his chest "Sleep my Queen" he whispers against her hair. After a moment he looks at the cop seeing the faraway expression. "I need to speak with him."
Hearing the tone Sara snaps out of her thoughts "Why?" she asks suspiciously
"Because I need to know somethings... like why she gets the visions of that thing." he nods at the Witchblade.
"She gets visions of the other wielders?"
Zan nods "Its getting harder for me to protect her from them."
"Give me a sec. I'll see if he's out there" she nods at the window. She makes her way to the bedroom opening the window looking down and up she doesn't find Ian sitting on the fire escape. She sighs leaving the window open for him to enter. "He'll show up sooner or later" she says returning to the livingroom.
"Her fever's gone down some" Zan says "thanks"
Sara nods "What did you mean by you couldn't heal her?"
"Its a long story" Zan hedges
"Know the feeling." Sara says warily
"You should keep your window closed Lady Sara."
Sara looks up to see Ian walk down the steps "About time you showed up" she says annoyed
Ian stops in his tracks seeing the teen sleeping on the couch. "Anai" he says softly his voice and eyes showing his surprise and concern
"Zan that's Ian."
Zan looks at Ian then at Anai "She's pretty much unconscious."
"What happened?" Ian asks
"Ask that thing" Zan says annoyed "lately its caused her numerous nightmares." he nods at the Witchblade
"It hasn't caused any to me" Sara says "other than the normal."
"Its in her blood." Ian says
"How so?"
Ian looks at Sara then at his daughter "Anai born just over nine months after he forced me to wear the Blade."
"So the Witchblade still had some lasting effects on you that ended up in Anai."
"Yes." Ian's eyes narrow looking at the young man holding his daughter. He like Sara sensing Zan's power "Who are you?"
Zan looks the older man over also seeing the ruthless power in his dark eyes "Nothing you need to know about right now."
"Why did you seek out Sara?" Ian asks
"Anai was sick... I couldn't take her to the hospital and I saw this place. So here we are."
"Where is Hope?" Ian asks
Zan looks down at Anai cuddled against him "She's dead"
Ian closes his eyes "How did she die?"
"Protecting us." Zan answers "I wasn't strong enough to stop him."
"Who?" Sara asks
"One of my enemies."
"Where is this person?" Ian demands his voice hard
Zan looks at his love's father his royal air beginning to show "Who he is and where doesn't concern you at this time. I will deal with him in my own way when the time comes." he looks at Sara "Beware if that is as powerful as it feels you will find yourself in some trouble... bigger than anything you've ever seen." he looks at Anai "I'm only here for your help... I can't stop the images from appearing... or even slow them down. They are getting worse."
"The Witchblade is showing itself to her." Ian explains "I do not know how it can be stopped or slowed."
"Would Irons?" Sara asks
"He could but I promised Hope that Irons would have no contact with Anai. I am not going back on that promise."
"This is a promise you're going to have to go back on" Zan says "Hope would understand."
"You do not understand what it is like to be under his thumb" Ian says
"I am not going to lose Anai. Either you help me or I take her there" Zan says his eyes hardening "Anai is all I have left and whatever is causing this in the end will result in her death or worse."
"The worse is Irons." Ian says
"Not for me. Or for her. The worst is being seperated." Zan says his heart breaking at the thought of losing Anai.
"Ian I don't trust Irons either but I think he's right. I saw some of what she sees. They are what I see. She's a kid... who knows how much her mind can handle."
"I'm going to have to tell him about her." Ian says staring at the floor. "He is not going to be happy." Ian winces inwardly at the thought of his punishment for not telling his Master about Anai
"No he's not but who cares... he might have answers that can help them." Sara says
Ian reluctantly nods "I will take you there."
Zan nods "Thanks."
"We should go... I have been gone far too long."
Sara touches Ian's arm "Ian your doing what's best... for both of you."
"I hope so... for her sake." he looks at Zan standing with Anai cradled in his arms. "Are you sure about this?"
Zan looks at Anai then back at Ian "It has to be done. I would prefer to not do this but her life and perhaps her sanity is at stake."
Ian nods walking out the door
Zan looks at Sara "Thank you"
"Your welcome. If you or Anai need anything let me know."
Zan nods walking out the door.