Past and Present

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

A/N: For this story we are suspending the reality that no one at the precinct knows or recognizes Ian I forgot to mention that in the last chapter.

Ian stared down at Sara with the most pained look on his face. "He has been with us before," he said cryptically.

Danny looked them both over. "I'll be right back partner," she said quickly.

Sara tugged Nottingham from the office and out to the street. "What are you talking about?"

"Our young Mr. Bowman has been with us before. A few times in fact."

"Okay why do you look so disturbed?" Sara mumbled. Ian swallowed and stared at his feet. "What is it?"

"You are falling in love with himIt just hurts Sara," he whimpered. "You are the only person I have ever lovedthe only person I was ever allowed to loveand you choose another." His eyes shimmered, "Wish you would have just ended my misery when I begged you to."

Sara felt a wave of unrelenting sorrow. She saw scene after scene of him weeping over her dead body. He always outlived her. He always felt guilty for not protecting her better. Suddenly the Witchblade took her and took her hard, causing her body to convulse and fall to the ground.

Ian gathered Sara in his arms and carried her to his car near by. Dialing quickly he got Danny. "Detective Woo?"

"Yes?"

"This is Ian Nottingham, the man that was just speaking to your partner. She was ill last night as you know and fainted outside. I am planning on taking her home. Would you please alert Mr. Bowman?"

"I don't really know Gabriel. I'll be right out."

In moments Jake and Danny were standing at Ian's car. Miracle of miracles Danny did not recognize Ian as one of his 'buried alive' attackers. "What happened?" Jake demanded.

"The fever must not have entirely left her," Ian lied through his teeth. This was merely a way for both men to testify that he had done nothing to Sara and she was indeed sick.

"I'll get Vicky," Jake said quickly running back into the building.

"Who isVicky?" Ian asked stiltedly.

"Dr. Pothe coroner Take her home and get Gabriel. I'll send Vicky over and take care of the chief. I'll be over later," Danny stated.

"As you wish."

'Where the hell am I?' Sara wondered as she saw herself walking in her own clothes to Ian in a different age.

This isn't about you dear.

Sara stared, 'Who was that?'

The branch of good and evil you wear upon your wrist This is about your protectorand more.

'Why?'

When the protector loses his will to live, there is only destruction You were correct. There have been ages when you were not joined. This is one of themin a manner of speaking.

Sara watched as a red haired woman with a slightly rounded belly scurried across the kitchen. She wore a thick skirt and blouse. The house looked familiar.

That's right dear, this was your house before you died. That is the protector's second wife Fiona. She is carrying their first child, a son, Thomas.

Ian appeared behind his wife, grabbed her hips and pulled her down with him onto a chair. He brushed her hair aside and kissed along her neck. "My lovely," he murmured against her skin. Fiona leaned her head back against him reaching behind her to twine her fingers in his hair. Ian's left hand reached up his wife's bodice and caressed her breast while his right hand rubbed circles on her belly. "I love to feel your body change," he groaned kissing her throat.

In a swift motion he gathered her up in his arms and headed for the stairs. "Thomas," Fiona fussed. "The day has begun."

"I have no need to show you my love throughout the day?" he questioned. "I want to see you in the sun."

"But..." He stopped and watched her worry her lip. "I am no longer small Once the baby comes I never will be again" She dipped her head, "I will never look like Emma did."

Ianwho in this time was named Thomas sat himself and Fiona on the steps. "Emma my love, died over five years ago. I have been married to you far longer than I was married to her. She was a child when she died." He urged her face up with his fingers, "I do not want a child Fiona, luv. I want a womanmy woman my wife. The woman who saved me from myself and gave me something to live for. Emma is gone. Please do not ever think you live in her shadow when you shine like the sun." Fiona hid behind her red hair. "Let me love you in the morning light not just under the moon."

Fiona met his eyes and kissed him softly, "Take me to bed Thomas." With a smile Ian stood carrying his wife up the stairs.

'Okay what was that?' Sara questioned.

Go outside. I did not say our journey was over.

Sara walked a path on instinct to could only be described as a hut.

"May I help you Miss?" a familiar voice called out.

Sara turned to see an aged Gabriel wiping off his hands from the earth he was planting in. "AhNo just taking a walk."

He tilted his head; "You look very much like the departed daughter of a friend of mine. Are you related to the Asbury's?"

"Yesa cousin. I have been told I look like Emma," Sara ventured realizing she was dressed for the part now.

Gabriel grit his teeth at the young woman's name, "Such a young and vibrant soul. I do miss her Forgive me. I am Father Simon. You are?"

"Sara," she muttered. "Father?" He was wearing the ring. "You said you a Father. Are you the priest for the local parish?"

"No my lady. I am but a farmer here. Most of the older folks knew me as Father when I was the priest. I have not led in five years."

Sara's mind became clear, "Because of Emma. Because of what happened to Emma and how much you loved her."

The man tensed. "You aren't an Asburyare you?"

"NoI'm not... not really."

Father Simon looked at her wrist, "That is why you died. For that bracelet."

"No I died because someone decided I didn't deserve to wear it How long did you love me Father?" Sara asked.

He shook his head; "I am talking to a dead woman."

"PleaseI need to know this. I am trying to understand."

Gabriel swallowed, "It was when you started to come by my office the day after my sermons so you could think on them and discuss them with me properlythat's what you said. I foolishly got my heart involved when I knew you were far too young for me. Watching you fall in love with Thomas after the accident was awful but then marrying the two of you was the hardest moment of my lifeuntil you died."

"You were my last thoughtnot Thomas."

He began to weep, "I knew I could never be with you, but I thoughtI loved you from afar only to have the only moments of real intimacy with you be on your deathbed."

Sara sighed, "But I knew you loved me."

"I loved you."

"Be a priest again Father. I would not be happy to know you left our parish over my lifeyou have souls to think about." With those words, Sara knew had nothing to do with her but were pure Emma, she turned from Gabriel and returned to the darkness and the Witchblade.

'OkayWhat was that?' she questioned. 'Did I just change the past?'

Noyou made sure the past stayed intact... Did you feel her?

'I don't talk that way,' Sara muttered.

You must help your protector find something or someone to live forI will not interfere unless

The door to Sara's apartment opened to reveal tall, dark and handsome to Vicky Po. "HiI'm Vicky. Danny said to come by."

"IanNottingham." He stared for a long moment. "Please come in. Is Detective Woo with you?"

"NoI'm supposed to call him when I'm done." Ian merely nodded.

Vicky examined Sara thoroughly while Ian examined Vicky with his all-encompassing stare. Ian, of course, knew Sara was in a vision but he was very curious what this doctorattractive doctorwould make of it. "I've never seen anything like this," she whispered.

"Yes?" Ian concentrated dark eyes on her. Their gaze caught one another.

"Ahlast night with the fever she had some of this same symptoms but I believed they were a facet of the feverhowever today they stand alone." Ian waited patiently while Vicky once again was seized in his eyes. "That isit's as if she has been hypnotized."

Nottingham smirked. The young doctor did not let conventional wisdom rule out her possibilities for an explanation. "That is very astute."

"You know what is wrong with her then?"

"She is having a vision," he commented. "It happens some times."

Vicky raised an eyebrow. "Is she safe? Last night she was spiking a strong fever."

Ian broke out into a broad smile... an uncommon action for the former assassin. This woman far surpassed his expectations. She accepted his words because even though they were unconventional they made the most sense. "Last night her visions involved a great fever and illness."

"I'm not supposed to know about this am I?" Dr. Po asked.

"No."

"Well then I guess I just had a theoretical conversation with one of Pez's close friends while we waited for her to wake," Vicky stated.

"I guess so," Nottingham could not contain his joy. Once again they stared at one another.

"Detective Woo," Danny announced into his phone.

"Hey, its Po."

"What's up with Sleeping Beauty?" he asked.

"Still Sleeping Beauty. Dark haired men I didn't know existed until a month ago flank her on either side. I'm betting on Gabriel as the princethough I sure as hell wouldn't mind writing Ian into my fairytale," she said quickly, completely unaware that dear Mr. Nottingham had quite advanced hearing.

Ian was quite taken with the young coroner despite himself. He was finding it increasingly difficult to worry over Lady Sara when he knew full well that she would be fine. This interesting creature with dark hair and eyes baffled him. He heard her continue, "Remind me when Sara wakes up to have her fix me up with my mental image of Robin Hood."

"Sounds like someone has fallen in lust quite easily," Danny quipped.

"Any man that can speak that smoothly and articulately without making himself seem pompous is worth closer examination."

Ian flushed at her words. Vicky appeared to be attracted to him both physically and mentallya far cry better than Sara's reaction to him.

Sara groaned. "Dr. Po," Ian called.

"Danny I got to go, Sara's waking up. Call you later."

"Later."

"What was that?" Jake asked.

"Vicky appears to be taken with Sara's Wednesday lunch partner." Jake stared for a moment. Danny shrugged, "He's over there still. Apparently when Sara is sick, her apartment is the place to be if you want any dirt on the woman. Thus being why I am heading over presently. I want to meet this Gabriel person."

"Yeah," Jake muttered. 'And I want to see my favorite coroner,' he thought.

Sara's apartment was about to get very crowded. Now the real question was what was she going to do about the glowing bracelet on her wrist while she had company?

TBC

A/N: The following are the website listings I have received for the campaign to bring back Witchblade next season:

http://www.nezgirl.com/index.html

http://www.witchbladecentral.com

http://www.voy.com/3

http://www.witchbladecentralstation.com

A/N2: Once againI'm not done yet. I'm still unclear where the confusion came in last chapter. Review. Do you like the back-story?