In love?

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

A/N: Mix of Gabriel / Sara and Ian / Vicky mainly. I promise to get back to Sara and Gabriel soonlike next chapter, which is already being written.

Gabriel sat on the side of Sara's bed stroking her hair as she started to rouse. "Hey there sweets," he murmured softly.

"Gabriel" she said with a rush of relief. "I know who you were nowI know what it's about."

He took her wrist and slid it between the sheets to cover the flickering lights and swirls of the Witchblade. "SaraVicky's here and your partners are on their way over. Ian is being quiet and sort of watching everything"

"Is he okay?" she asked worried.

"Yeah. Why?"

She shook her head, "Before the vision he was talking about wishing I had killed him when he asked."

Gabriel nodded, "Well he told your partners, called me, brought you homeYour own personal body guard. I was impressed he called me to let me know."

"He knows Gabrielhe can feel me. Ian knows that if I opened my eyes and you weren't the first person I saw I'd be that much worse off," Sara said blandly.

"Ya mean it?" he asked like a teenage boy afraid he had miss heard the words.

"What? Mean what?"

"About"

"Wanting you to be the first person I saw?" He nodded. She breathed in deeply and decided now was as good a time as anybetter in fact because Gabriel couldn't completely freak out with people near by. "I guess I haven't been real clear on this point.
When I said Ian could feel meI was referring to the initial conversation we had about him. How he could feel it if I fell in love" Gabriel's large eyes trained on her expressionless. He would make a damn fine poker player. "He can feel it now."

Gabriel's eyes got only a fraction wider.

"I need to check on our patient," Vicky said way too cheerfully as she entered the bedroom.

"We need a minute," Gabriel said quietly.

"This won't take" Vicky began.

He stopped her motion and walked her back to the door. "We need a minute," shoved her out and shut the door.

She looked to Ian who shrugged. "Now that I didn't expect."

Gabriel paced for a moment then stopped then began to pace again rubbing the back of his neck. Sara would have been completely thrown be his behavior except she had just walked in the past and spoken to his former self who already confessed his undying lovefive years past her former self's death.

Gabriel sat on the edge of her bed and stared into her eyes thoroughly confused. "Are you saying you fell or are falling in love with me?"

She smirked, "I'm saying I have stopped fightingI just got a chance to meet you years ago. You loved me so muchit was plain in everything you did and said. We didn't get the chance to make it work last time. Now we doIt's the reason we're connected. It's the reason from the moment you came into my life I knew I could trust you. Hell you were my priest last time."

"I was a priest."

"Yeahand you age incredibly well, but Gabe that's not the point. I said I was willing to give this a trywell its more than a try. Its something the Witchblade has voiced an opinion on," she held up the softly rippling pulses of the blade.

"But are you in love with me?" Gabriel asked point blank staring into her eyes.

Without a batted eyelash she said, "Yes."

He cupped her face and kissed her so gentlyIt was a fairytale kiss. He stroked her cheek with his thumb and leaned their foreheads together. "I love you toobut you knew that already."

She smirked, "YeahI did. Go apologize to Vicky and let her examine me."

"You got it chief. That thing is still alivebe mindful of it."

Vicky and Ian continued to let their eyes meet occasionally. Ian simply watched quietly as she moved about getting something to drink from the refrigerator. "Would you like something?"

"No thank you."

"OkayHow long have you known Sara?" she asked to make conversation.

"A long timeand a short time."

"Ohyou are Sara's riddle man" Vicky muttered pointing at him slightly as she poured herself a soda.

"She has spoken of mefavorably?" Ian questioned.

Vicky smirked, "I don't know how you'd put it You are as much a puzzle to her to figure out as she is to you."

"I do not wish to unlock her secrets."

"Then what do you wish?"

"To be seen." Ian and Vicky stared at one another taking in the other's statements.

"Hey," Gabriel called to Vicky. "Sorry about thatthere's no excuse. Go on in."

"Thanks." Dr. Po looked back before she entered the room. "You will say goodbye before you leave?" she asked Ian. He nodded as she slipped in the room.

Gabriel glanced between the two. "Somebody likes you," he muttered to the man in black. Ian blinked several times confused while Gabriel just laughed at his reaction quietly.

Vicky checked Sara over then sat down. "How often do these spells occur?"

"It's nothing like thatJust something left over from the illness," Sara covered.

"Ah huh. Well I would suggest telling people you have vertigo or an inner ear abnormality. Otherwise when these things occur again someone is going to take you to a hospital and possibly lock you up," Vicky said seriously.

"What? Come on?"

"Come on nothingYour symptoms mimic a hypnotism. Someone other than me is going to figure that out. If someone suspects you are not really 'ill' in the classic sense you could get in trouble at work. I'd stick with the inner ear dealIts hard to treat and won't get you off the job but it will still afford you an occasional 'spell,'" Dr. Po advised her friend.

Sara bit her lip, "What do you believe is wrong with me?"

Vicky smirked, "Nothing I think you probably go into some sort of alerted state of consciousness. Then again we'll eventually need to discuss why the bracelet I tested for everything under the sun can change colorsand why it reacts to Ian's presence."

They stared at one another a moment before Vicky launched into another topic, "So Ianyou wouldn't mind"

Sara's eyes nearly crossed in confusion. "What has been happening since I went under?"

"Nothingjust a lot of eye contact."

Once again Sara cocked her head, "Well you must be something special if he's looking you in the eyes. He has the annoying habit of dropping his gaze so you can't read his face."

"So will you?" the coroner asked.

"Will I what?"

"Come on Sara"

"You're really attracted to him aren't you?"

Vicky just nodded quickly, "Oh yeah."

"FineI'll suggest you both go out to dinner with us."

"Thank you thank you thank you!"

Sara sighed loudly, "IAN!"

The man in black appeared in the doorway concerned, "Yes, m Sara." Better not call her my lady in front of the pretty doctor.

Sara knew exactly what had happened and smirked. "We didn't really get a chance to talk this afternoon for obvious reasons so why don't you stay for dinner?"

Gabriel appeared at the door with a pout. He wanted to be alone with Saranot quite catching the fact Vicky wasn't going anywhere. Ian himself looked shocked, "I do not wish to impose."

"I wouldn't have invited you if I didn't want you here. Now you know me well enough to know that's true Now I'm pretty beat so I expect the three of you to figure out what take out will be best," Sara explained to give Gabriel a clue. The young man just raised an eyebrow at her from behind Ian. "Vicky what are you in the mood for?"

"Chinese?"

"Ohsounds good," Sara said with a smile. "Ian I am sure you know the best Chinese restaurant in town."

He considered her abnormal behavior for a moment and then said much to her surprise, "Why don't I just make us stir fry? I am sure Detective Woo and McCartey will want to join in the meal."

"NoMy partners can wait their turn. Gabriel's not going anywherebecause he's Gabriel. Vicky has to stay to keep checking my vitals and blood sugar"

Vicky turned her head to Sara and mouthed, "Nice savethe blood sugar idea will work pretty well."

Sara smirked, "And you aren't going anywhere because we didn't get to finish our conversation. I do believe we were discussing"

"I remember what we were discussingVery well what would you like to eat Doctor," Ian stated.

With an amused expression she said, "Vickyand I am all for some crispy duck with plum sauce."

Ian gazed at her a moment, "That is an excellent choice Sara you will want the chicken fried rice?" She nodded. "And surely you will want crab rangoon?" he said over his shoulder to Gabriel.

"It will freak me out until the end of time that you can do that," Gabriel complained and brushed passed Ian. "And stop calling me Shirley."

Ian just stared at him; "I did not"

"Vicky explain the joke to him while Gabe helps me get situated better?" Sara announced.

"Sure thing," she smiled and led Ian lightly by the arm out the door.

"MatchmakerMatchmaker make me a match," Gabriel sang quietly.

Sara rolled her eyes. "It's potential."

"Well done potential at that," he agreed before staring back into her face. Cupping her cheek with his hand he whispered, "Are you going to stick with the blood sugar cover?"

"It's really just for practice. Vicky knows I'm not sickshe said that I was in an altered state of consciousness. That's the best way to put it without sounding like a nut job," Sara commented.

Gabriel kept stroking her cheek gazing at her longingly, "Do you know how completely in love with you I am?"

She smiled laying her hand atop his, "I think I mightbut it will never get old to hear." They sat silently. "So tell me already!"

He laughed and rubbed the tips of their noses together. "I" he kissed her left eye. "Am completely," he kissed her right cheek. "In love with you," he whispered breathlessly staring directly into her eyes before kissing her deeply.

Vicky watched as Ian silently began to sag in pain. "What's wrong?" she asked quickly. He shook his head. "Please tell me."

"I heard a comedian once say, 'why is it we never recognize the moment love begins but we always know the moment it ends?' I feel that now," he confessed.

Vicky didn't understand, "Were youTell Pez I'll check on her tomorrow." She started to search for her coat.

Ian stared for a moment and began to piece together what was going on in the woman's mind. "Pleasedo not leave. You are the first person to truly enjoy my companyin a lifetime."

She turned and considered him. "But" she pointed to the bedroom door.

"I said 'moment it ends' implied finality. Do you not grieve when something dies?" he questioned quietly.

Vicky nodded, "I suppose you do We have already ordered the food."

"I am not partial to duck so you must stay," Ian said with a smile taking her hand and caressing her knuckles.

She began to swallow convulsively as his eyes penetrated her heart.

The buzzer in the apartment sounded loudly. "Could you get that?" Pez called sounding thoroughly frazzled.

Vicky looked over her shoulder and then back at Ian. "She and Gabriel are confessing their love for one another with words and actions Sara gets frustrated easily."

Vicky laughed, "I don't want to know how you know that."

"ObservationI pride myself on the ability to read individuals," he muttered tracing his fingers up her wrist.

Her breath caught in her throat, "And what have you observed about me?"

Ian smirked, "You are highly intelligent, quick witted, and a dear friend. You look beyond the obvious and seek the correct answer not conventional wisdom. You enjoy using your knowledge to help others even if it's as mundane as taking someone's temperature. You love the romantic ideas of fairytales and adore being spoken to in soft tones. You respond to the barest touch and wish that someone would look at you the way Gabriel looks at Sara. You have no idea how beautiful you are not just in outward appearance but in inward grace And when I told you I wanted to be seen your eyes told me you saw me, the thing I have always longed for."

Vicky blinked several times very slowly before the buzzer rang again. Ian left her standing where she was and pushed the button to let Sara's partners in. Vicky continued to stare stunned. Right as Jake opened the door he saw Vicky kiss Ian's cheek. The detective's eyes fell. "That has to be the single nicest thingwell paragraph anyone has ever uttered about me," she stated.

Ian nodded and went to slip out the door, "I will return momentarily."

Danny and Jake stared at Vicky who was completely taken with how the door hung since there was no one there to stare at. "Hello?" Danny called. "Our friendly neighborhood coroner appears to be smitten," he called loudly.

Vicky woke from her reverie; "You ain't seen Pez yet."

TBC

A/N: Back to the daily grind. I doubt I'll be able to post as often as I have been but we'll see.