A/N: Well, here's the next chapter. I apologize for taking so long, but you know how life is. In response to the decision of Fanfiction.net to restrict what we can write, I know many writers are looking for other places to post their stories. For those of you who already have them posted on your own web pages, please check out http://home.attbi.com/~witchblade1 It is a sort of index where you can have your link posted so people can go one central place and still find all of us. There aren't many links there now, but with word of mouth it could become the best place to go to read our stories, so if you think it's a good idea please tell others. As always, please R/R. I really enjoy hearing from all of you. Thanks!

Ian checked with Sara to be sure she was alright, and learned Gabriel was already there and Jake was expected momentarily. Feeling it was safe to take the time, Ian stopped at the grocery store, then the hardware store. His car was pretty full by the time he made it back to Sara's building. Gathering up the groceries, he went up to the apartment and knocked, his arms too full of bags to fish for the key. Sara knew it was him and threw the door wide immediately, grabbing some of the bags from him as soon as she realized his predicament. Gabriel eyed Sara in disbelief from behind her shoulder.

"What the hell is he doing here, Sara," Gabe demanded.

"Moving in," she said bluntly, heading for the kitchen with Ian to deposit the bags of food on the counter.

"Yeah, right, Sara," Gabe said. "Pull the other one."

"Seriously, Gabriel," Sara said. "I haven't gotten to that part of the story yet, but Ian is moving in with me." Gabriel was looking back and forth between them in disbelief. Ian couldn't resist the temptation to shock Gabriel, and he pulled Sara into his embrace for a long, wet, deep kiss. She chuckled wickedly in his mind, knowing exactly what he was doing. When they finally pushed apart Gabriel's jaw was hanging. Sara couldn't help laughing at his poleaxed expression.

"I have more in the car, Gabriel," Ian said. "Would you please help me bring it up?"

"Um, sure, I guess," Gabriel said, following him back out the door while Sara began putting the groceries away. On their way down in the elevator Gabriel kept eyeing Ian strangely. Ian was amused by the situation, and touched by the way Sara had been so blunt and unafraid to state their new relationship to one of her closest friends.

"Go ahead and ask, Gabriel," Ian said.

"You two are really going to live together?" Gabriel blurted out.

"Yes, Gabriel, we are," Ian answered gently, knowing the young man was still afraid of him because of their past encounters.

"How did that happen?"

"Not overnight, I assure you," Ian replied. "We had come I contact so many times that we finally decided to be something less than enemies. Then we became friends. Then something more."

"How much more," Gabriel asked almost challengingly. Ian could sense his protectiveness towards Sara, and decided to give the young man the absolute truth. He looked Gabriel in the eyes.

"We are soul mates, Gabriel. She is my other half, my very life. I would die for her."

Gabriel was taken aback by Ian's reply, and by the fierce passion beneath the words. He believed Ian, completely and utterly.

"An assassin and a cop," Gabriel said as the elevator reached the bottom floor. "You're in for a hell of a ride."

Ian smiled at the young man's attempt at humor as the elevator doors opened. Jake stood on the other side, waiting to go up to Sara's apartment, and he stepped back warily upon recognizing who was coming out of the elevator. Gabriel grinned, decided to enlist Jake to help carry bags, stepped out and took Jake's arm. Ian followed behind, wondering how to handle this situation. Jake would never trust Ian, and certainly would object to the relationship. He decided to refer all Jake's questions to Sara and leave it at that.

"Great timing, McCarty," Gabriel said as he spun Jake around to head back down the hall with them to the front door. "Ian picked a few things up for Sara, and we need help bringing them up."

"What's he doing here," Jake asked Gabriel in almost a growl, glaring over his shoulder at Ian.

"Ask Sara," Gabriel said simply.

"She's still in danger, Gabriel," Jake said.

"Not from him." Gabriel pulled Jake back out into the rain. Ian was surprised at the firm tone Gabriel used, and that he would defend Ian so quickly after questioning him. He mourned again his lack of comprehensive knowledge of the better side of human nature.

They reached the car and loaded up quickly. It was raining harder now, and there was a distant rumble of thunder. Ian gathered his luggage out of the trunk while Gabriel and Jake grabbed the stuff on the back seat. As quickly as they could they dashed back into the lobby, dripping water all over the floor while they waited for the elevator. When it finally came they all loaded into the elevator, Ian ending up in the front. Jake finally noticed that what Ian carried was suitcases, and jumped to some conclusions.

"What the hell are you doing, Nottingham," Jake snarled. Gabriel backed into the corner as far as the confines of the elevator would allow. Ian simply turned to regard Jake with a cool, neutral expression on his face.

"To what, exactly, are you referring, Agent McCarty," Ian asked coldly, though he had seen the direction of Jake's gaze right before his outburst, and had a fairly good idea what must be running through Jake's mind.

"The suitcases," Jake snarled. "You don't think you're moving in, do you? Taking advantage of Sara's confusion to push some sick agenda of yours?"

Ian took one slow, deliberate step towards Jake, pushing his face close to Jake's, and looked him straight in the eye. Gabriel tensed, expecting bloodshed at any second. Jake met Ian's cold, ruthless gaze and blanched, having forgotten exactly to whom he was speaking in such a manner. When Ian spoke, his voice was laced with danger.

"I understand your concern for your friend, Agent McCarty. Her welfare is of the utmost importance to me. If you ever dare imply otherwise to my face again, be assured I will take offense and act upon it."

The elevator chimed and the doors opened onto Sara's floor. Jake edged out of the elevator and into the hall past Ian, who was grinning maliciously now at his back. Gabriel gave him a funny look, and Ian's expression changed to one of pure innocence. Gabriel just shook his head and grinned back. They reached Sara's apartment as she was opening the door for Jake. She told Gabriel and Jake to put their bags on the couch, and Ian slipped into the bedroom to drop his suitcases at the foot of the bed. When he came back out she was poking through the bags, trying to figure out what he had gotten.

"Vertical blinds, Ian," Sara asked, arching one brow quizzically.

"Your windows are woefully open to the world," Ian responded.

"What, you think some sniper is going to climb up to the roof over there and shoot Sara?" Jake snarled.

"It could easily happen again, Agent McCarty," Ian said with icy calm.

"Again," Sara asked pointedly.

"Yes, Sara," Ian replied. "A few months ago a contract hit man for Mr. Gallo tried the same thing."

"And just how would you know that," Jake demanded, feeling brave again after the confrontation in the elevator, and hoping Ian would let something slip that could be used against him.

"I hear things, in my line of work," Ian said, with the clear implication that Jake should have heard those things too, in his line of work, and was found lacking because he had not.

"And what line of work is that," Jake demanded.

"Bodyguard to the most powerful man on the planet," Ian said, in a tone that reminded Jake to watch his step. Jake bristled, and Sara stepped in, tired of the verbal sparring between them.

"Jake," she broke in between them smoothly. "I'm sure you have to get back to the Bureau soon, so let me play you that tape. Gabriel, would you please help Ian start hanging the blinds? I happen to agree that they're a good idea."

"Um, sure," Gabriel said, turning to Ian for directions. Ian grabbed the bags and retreated to the bedroom, leaving the door open so they could hear while Sara played the tape for Jake. As she fast-forwarded to the relevant message, Ian leaned against the doorframe, watching and listening. As Sara played the threatening message for Jake, Ian's jaw tightened, and a murderous gleam entered his eyes. Gabriel took one look at Ian and retreated completely into the bedroom and began unwrapping the blinds and sorting out the hardware to hang them. Jake popped the tape out of her machine and tucked it into a pocket.

"Don't worry, Sara, we'll find this guy. Meanwhile, watch yourself, and try not to go anywhere alone."

"I know the drill, Jake," she said, amused.

"Speaking of alone," Jake murmured, leaning closer so he wouldn't be overheard. He had no idea just how sensitive Ian's hearing was, or he wouldn't have bothered. "Why is Iron's pet assassin here with his luggage?"

"He's moving in, Jake," Sara said, her tone a cross between warning and amusement. "We've been seeing each other for a while, and he's not only a world-class bodyguard he's a great cook."

"C'mon, Sara," Jake said, disbelieving. "He's a hired killer."

"You're a White Bull," Sara snapped back, getting tired of Jake's attitude. "Things aren't always what they seem, are they Jake?"

"That's different," Jake replied.

"That's so cliché, Jake. Look, who I date is my business. I appreciate your worrying about me, but I'm safer with Ian than anyone else on the planet. If you want to worry about me, worry about who's threatening me. Worrying about Ian is a waste of time."

"All right," Jake said, conceding temporary defeat in the face of Sara's determination. "I'll get this analyzed and let you know as soon as we find anything."

"Thanks, Jake," Sara said, giving him a quick hug before walking him to the door. Jake looked once at Ian, who stared back unwaveringly, then said goodbye to Sara and left. Sara leaned against the door for a minute, then sighed and turned back to Ian and Gabriel.

"Now, what are we doing with these drapes," she asked, a ghost of a smile on her lips.