Eli: I was so tempted to wait a couple of weeks before putting this out, just to see you all in agony. But that conscience of mine got to me. Plus, I just had Chinese food. So, here's chap 4. And see if you can figure out what book I've been reading.

Ian turned and looked at Sara. "I would say yes, but things have now gotten more complicated. And I would be lying if I said I wanted your friendship."

At this point, Sara completely lost control of her temper.

"What?! You come to my apartment to remind me of your promise and now your telling me you don't even want to be friends?!"

Ian tried once again to leave. "Don't you even try to leave! You think you were the only affected by that day? I wasn't lying when I said I didn't have any friends. You never had the chance to, I did. Do you have any idea what it is like for a six year old girl to be torn from her first and only friend? To be put among peers and be considered an outcast? Do you know what it's like to be a little kid and to be called things like freak?"

"Yes." He sullenly replied, remembering all too well his own experiences.

"You understand me. I know you do. So why the hell don't you want to be friends?"

Sara got up and walked right in front of him, so that he couldn't leave.

"Answer me! And for Christ's sake, look at me!"

Ian's own confusion and pent up anger finally gave way. He looked down to her.

"Sara, do you really want to know why? Here's why: Through all this, my feelings surpassed that of friendship and are now in a place that I have never known existed. As you said yourself, I understand you! And you are correct in saying I had no chance to have friends or any other types of relation, for that matter! So the place I am in is not unusual, but I have no idea how to go about it! And to settle for friendship would be an insult to me to the fact this is beyond it!"

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?!"

"It means I am in love with you!"

"What?" She was expecting many answers, but not that one. Both of their tempers were now sub-dude.

"I am in love with you. There, it's been said and done." He left her apartment and left Sara in a state of utter confusion.

"What the hell just happened?"

-Next day-

"Okay, Pez. What's bothering you?" Sara looked up from her desk.

"What makes you think something is bothering me, Danny?"

"Well, besides the fact you are staring into the abyss and you haven't had any coffee, we haven't traded barbs all day. So spill."

Sara sighed and then related the happenings of the night before, making sure to leave out Irons and the visions.

"Whoa! So you're telling me that the same assassin that tried to kill me is an old pal of yours and now says he's in love with you? Pez, you should write soap operas."

"Yeah, sure as hell pays more than this."

"So, how do you feel about him?"

"Not sure. On one hand, he's an assassin. On the other."

"He's in love with you. Doesn't he get points for that?"

"He also tried to bury you alive. How many points is that worth?"

"Yeah, but if you want the truth, it was more of that gothic chick than him. Besides, didn't you all ready tell me he helped you find me?"

"Cryptic as he is, yes."

"I bet you like him and you're just holding out."

"And I bet he bit your neck and is controlling you to defend him."

Danny pulled down his turtleneck. "No marks." Just then, the phone rang. He answered.

"Yeah? Wait a second." He turned to Sara. "Mina, it's Dracula."

"Hilarious." She grabbed the phone from him. "What do you want, Nottingham?"

"To have closure to our discussion; can you meet me in the precinct?"

She glanced at her clock. "Yeah, just a minute." She hung up and grabbed her coat.

"So he's thirsty?"

"No, wants me to help him on his next plan to kill you. I'll be back."

She was gone before Danny could make any remarks.

Eli: I wonder what they have to discuss. For all those who don't know, Mina is one of Dracula's victims. Lovely couple;)