Love loss

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

A/N: Please don't flog me. New job, lack of sleep, and random bouts of writer's block were to blame for the delay. It's kind of a serious chapter. Sorry but it's been a rough patchso it shows.

Jake cradled the phone loosely to his ear listening to the constant sound of his ex, Angela, on the other end. He had his back to his office door as his partners walked in. "Uh huh" A deep sigh escaped him. "Are you boring me? Why yes you are! HeyI'm the one that has been happy supportive guy here. I'm not your best girlfriend. If you need to vent about Glen I'm not the one to do it with Why? Because I'm your ex. Ex's don't like to hear about the new guy no matter how nice they are."

Sara and Danny looked at each other than back at their partner's back stiff and frustrated. "NOI'm not up for this. Herecall me six months after the wedding and we'll try the friend thing again cause right now I've had it Crying worked when we were together. It doesn't now. I know you turn on the waterworks to get your way. I'm not biting Angie Look, I'm at work and this conversation is over." With that the cell phone was snapped shut and several groaning breaths were released.

"How's it going Surfer boy?" Danny asked light heartedly.

Jake snarled as he turned around. "Not in the mood Woo. I'm tired, frustrated and annoyed I don't want to see anyone happy or in love for a long time."

"Wow Okay Well guess you'll be applying for new partners and nerve see the morgue again," Sara stated tilting her head.

"My ex just called to complain about the wedding, her family, her friends, and her fiancélike I care. Breaking up means I don't have to care anymore!"

"AlrightNot going to let anyone I know date you if this is the way you act," the wielder commented.

"Like you have any other female friends than Po."

Danny snapped his head around, "Heypissed off brat. Give it a rest. We aren't the problem. Sorry about the girl but deal and don't bite our heads off."

Jake pouted. "It's like I said beforewhen I start looking for Ms. Right all the people around me find theirs. It's just depressing. That and I really don't like the fact I never got a shot with Vicky."

"That ship has sailed brother," Sara sighed.

"I know I just hate seeing him. I hate it so much He's getting lessons in social skills and has what appears to be the love of his life. I, who have been dating steadily since high school, have no prospect in sight."

Danny rolled his eyes, "That isn't entirely true."
"What do you mean?" Jake questioned. Sara looked on in amusement.

"Remember when I said I would let my wife loose?"

"Yeah?"

Sara laughed out right, "You didn'tLee is so bad when she's given a pet to play with."

"What are you two talking about?"

Sara once again smirked, "Danny decided I needed a man last Christmas so suddenly I had all these guys calling saying they were a friend of Lee Woo. I nearly killed them both."

"You had someone to kiss at midnight on New Years eve," Danny stated.

"NoI didn't. I had a group of desperate men who wanted to get laid This year I have someone to kiss and cuddle" Sara started on.

"Sara" Jake groaned. The wielder looked up. "Please stop with the relationship talk. I can't take it. I'm happy for you and Gabrielreally I am I just want someone of my own and the constant reminder that I'm alone makes it worse."

"If I might interject The person I was talking about," Danny began, "was not selected by my wife. She was selected by me."

"Who?" Sara questioned brow wrinkled.

Danny smirked, "You remember Linda?"

"Oh my You've What?" she spurted.

Jake stared confusedly. Danny smiled, "You two may not have gotten along but that doesn't mean she wouldn't hit it off with Jake."

"She was so"

"Stubborn, opinionated, forceful" Danny offered.

"Yeah," Sara agreed.

"You're fixing me up with another Pez?" Jake squawked.

"Hey!"

Danny smirked, "Not exactly. Pez and Linda just brought out the toughest parts of each other. Like Pez, Linda is quite pleasant when she's with me I don't think you'll ruffle her feathers either."

Jake shrugged, "Worth a shot. Can't be any worse than spending time with Pez when she hasn't had her coffee."

"I hate you both," Sara snapped.

Gabriel could tell by the way the door lurched open that his girlfriend was less than pleased about something. He rolled into her hurried path and stared up at her with a disarming smile. "What's up luv?"

She frowned, "Gabriel, am I difficult?"

In the months they had been dating he had learned not to laugh. Laughing was a very grievous sin. He was sure somewhere is Sara's childhood there was a traumatic experience of her being laughed at. But as for now Gabe just tugged her down into his lap. "Why do you ask?" he muttered purposely avoiding the 'girl question.'

"Danny's setting Jake up with a girl that I never have gotten along with, that when she was described Jake said 'You're fixing me up with another Pez?' I don't want to think of myself like that," Sara pouted.

"Danny gets along with her right?"

"Yeah"

Gabriel smiled, "Than I suppose I'd get along with her too."

"You better not be getting friendly with the enemy," she snipped.

At that he chuckled softly laying her head to his shoulder while he played with her fingers. "All I'm saying is other people probably think she's great. People normally have trouble spending time with someone like themselvesat least when the similarities are things we don't like in our selves," Gabriel astutely observed.

"That makes sense."

"Glad you think so."

They sat quietly for a long time just holding each other. It had become somewhat of a ritual. No matter what time of day, when Sara got off work she went directly to Gabriel. He was becoming her touchstone. She avoided thinking about the consequences of relying on him so much. For Gabriel's part the time with Sara helped restore his trust in her. He was aware how hard it was for her to trust and depend on another. The time together in stillness was a major act of love.

"Gabriel?"

"Yes."

Sara leaned away so she could look at him. "I'm not sure how to form this question or statement."

"Okay. We'll deal with however it comes out of your mouth," he said tapping her lips with his index finger.

She looked away biting her lip; "Can you focus back on us rather than Ian?" Gabriel's brow crinkled. "It's just initially you were focusing on him because of the whole me being an idiot thing. Then it wasn't a distraction anymore it was a pet project. I feel like we're just hoveringwaiting for me to fail you again."

Gabriel tried to urge Sara's face to his own but she wouldn't budge. "I'm not waiting for you to mess up Sara."

"Then why don't you want me?" she pouted standing up out of his lap and beginning to pace.

It was a good question. Why hadn't things moved forward? Gabriel considered this as she paced.

"I mean I like us. I like that we're together and such but we're sort of at the old married couple point Vicky and Ian are all over each other. Now they may not be having sexwith Ian being a virgin and allbut its obvious that they want each other. It's obvious that they crave You love meyou don't want me."

Sara expected Gabriel to wrap his arms around her, to coo and sooth but that isn't what happened. She turned back to the chair and he was there right in her face. There was an intensity in his eyes that she couldn't placethey were almost angry. Then they were kissingbrutally kissing. Sara's body was pinned to Gabriel's as one arm held her to him. His other hand grabbed hers pulling it to his groin. "I like to argue," he husked and kissed her harder again. Sara was shocked beyond the pale.

"Does that put your mind at rest? I want youthere's no hiding it." Gabriel's eyes drilled into Sara's. "But that has nothing to do with this. You're keeping up with the Jones' again. There is a better way to ask me to up the 'passion' without bringing other people into it." He moved away from her swiftly running his fingers through his hair then dry washing his face.

Sara gritted her teeth. "But you don't trust me That's what it boils down to then. You want me, you love me, but you don't trust me." She nodded her head a few times. Her words weren't really angry just hurt. "We've been building that relationship level trust back up by you choosing toto court me I guess. But when it comes right down to it you are terrified of being back in my room with me saying all the wrong things and you remembering. You're terrified that I'm going to need to be in control or go to fast or not listen to you I tried to fool myself. It would be easier if it were lack of interest but its not. I just screwed up too much for you to trust me in that arena." Closing her eyes she sighed.

Gabriel stared slack jawed. He wanted to deny the words but it was true. He was scared of getting out of control again. He was afraid Sara wouldn't stop or listen when he asked. Sara's voice called him back to reality.

"I'm gonna gogive you some space and time to think. Maybe talk to Lizbeth." She shrugged, "If it matters, I just needed this on the table. It was like the giant white elephant in the room no one would talk about for fear they would look stupid It will always be your call when and how. I know better than to assume I would drive. You need that control more than I do and I need you anyway I can get you. I have no problem waiting just as long as I know we're going somewhere not just dating for dating sake. Kissing friends."

"Sara"

She held up her hand and cross to him. Kissing him lightly she whispered, "Love you I'll be by tomorrow and the night after and the night after. I'm not going anywhere. Someday soon I hope you'll tell me what I can do to make you feel safelike the holding thing is for me."

"Sara" Gabriel whispered getting choked up.

This time she touched his lips her fingertip then held him close in emotional silence. A quick kissed to the head and she was gone.

Gabriel slumped in his chair. "Damn" he grimaced.

Flipping his phone he dialed, "Yeah Lizremember that talk you told me I was avoiding Well Sara just beat me to the punch No it wasn't bad. I just didn't realize how freaked I was So what you told me. I'm allowed to be emotionally challenged occasionally Hey cut it out or I'm calling Dad instead" After a long pause Gabriel sighed, "So? How do I make love to my girlfriend?"

A/N: I know it's a weird place to leave off since Ian and Vicky get more of a spotlight next roundat least I think so. Oh guess what? There is a new gargoyle in my room. Actually he's not new just uncovered. Nuana now has a partner too since William and Anselm play so well together. I'll have to think of a good name. Right now all my gargoyles are playing nicely together on the floor. We're cleaning the house so they have to be out of the way at moments. No fearsthey are well cared for.

A/N2: I did find my gargoyles in my Neil Gaiman collection this weekend. They are all very jealous that they can't come with my husband and I as we hear the legendary creator of the Sandman series this weekend. So now my little friends are plotting. It's already taking bizarre shapeand its invading Eli and Magicks. Watch outthey're coming for you too.