A/N: Once again, my humblest apologies for taking so long to post. This
is a short one, mostly because it has really been giving me trouble. I
don't like to post anything under 3 pages (in Word) but I just couldn't
make the conversations I wanted to do work. I've redone this one sooo many
times I'm getting sick of it. So, no more stalling, rewriting, or hair-
pulling. Here it is, for your enjoyment (I hope). After this, I promise
some action at Kenny's big bash.
When Ian got back to the apartment building Sara was still a few minutes away with the groceries, so he waited in the lobby to help her carry stuff up. Since he had been detained by the FBI, she had been able to take his car, and consequently had quite a few more bags of food than she would have been able to handle on the bike. Being on vacation had the disadvantage of not being able to use a precinct squad car to do her shopping on her lunch break, so she was very pleased to be able to have the use of Ian's car. They managed to get all the bags in one trip between them, and headed up to the apartment together.
As soon as they had set the groceries on the kitchen counter Sara tackled Ian and kissed him long and hard. He laughed and hugged her tight.
"I missed you, Ian," she said and kissed him again. "Do you suppose we have time to."
"Only if you care to join me in the shower," Ian said. "I need to get cleaned up and changed before I start cooking, but time's getting short."
"I'll scrub your back if you scrub my front," she offered impishly. He grinned and grabbed her, pulling her shirt off over her head. They headed for the bathroom, stripping each other as they went, and had a very pleasant half hour under the steaming hot water before actually soaping up and rinsing off. Ian toweled briskly, finger-combed his damp curls, and headed to the bedroom to get dressed so he could start cooking. Sara took the time to blow-dry her hair, since she knew there was little she could do in the kitchen to help Ian.
In the half hour it took Sara to get ready Ian had the kitchen in complete disarray and the apartment was filling with wonderful smells. She picked up their scattered clothing and tidied a few more things she hadn't gotten to before leaving for the grocery store, then went to watch Ian cook. He was dicing chicken into cubes and tossing it in with frying onions and garlic, then adding white wine. The smells were really making Sara hungry, especially since she had forgotten to eat lunch.
"I noticed our outfits for the party tomorrow are here," Ian said.
"They delivered them as I was about to head out for the store," Sara replied. She had hung them very carefully in the closet. "Can I help with anything," she asked.
"Um, yes," he replied. "The garlic French bread." He told her how he wanted it, and she got it ready for the oven, then helped with the salad. By the time Allyson arrived everything was ready and Ian and Sara were relaxing on the couch with some wine. Sara had turned her ring so the stones were towards her palm to help preserve the surprise, so Ian could make the announcement himself. Gabriel arrived a few minutes later, handed Sara some flowers, and gave her a hug. There was small talk, and then Ian ushered everyone in to the table and started serving the food while Sara poured the wine.
"This is great, Ian," Allyson said as she tried the chicken stir-fry. "You're really getting good."
"Thank you," Ian replied, blushing a little.
"I hardly ever have take-out or pizza anymore," Sara said. "Ian is spoiling me."
"You spoil me in other ways, love," Ian replied. Gabriel made a disgusted face at the couple's gooey-ness and Allyson laughed. Dinner progressed in light spirits, and it was becoming obvious that Gabriel was more than a little interested in Allyson, and she in him. Sara and Ian exchanged a significant look.
After dinner was cleared away Ian brought out champagne and chocolate éclairs. He popped the stopper expertly and poured four glasses, then raised his in a toast.
"To my lady Sara, who has agreed to be my wife," Ian said. Sara grinned, Gabriel's jaw hit the floor, and Allyson gave a delighted shriek and hugged Ian, then Sara, fiercely.
"You're not kidding," Gabriel said, half believing they were pulling his leg until Sara twisted her ring around to show the gorgeous stones off. He stared at it for a minute, then looked at Ian. As it sank in he got a big grin on his face and pulled Sara into a hug and gave her a brotherly kiss, then shook Ian's hand.
"Congratulations, you two," Gabe said. "This is great."
"Thank you, Gabriel," Ian said. "You two are the first to know."
"Wow," Gabriel said, surprised. "Irons doesn't even know yet?"
"No," Sara replied. "And we want to keep it that way. It's going to be a secret for a while, especially from Irons."
"Promise," Allyson said.
"Me too," Gabriel agreed.
The rest of the evening was quite festive. Especially after Gabriel and Allyson left.
When Ian got back to the apartment building Sara was still a few minutes away with the groceries, so he waited in the lobby to help her carry stuff up. Since he had been detained by the FBI, she had been able to take his car, and consequently had quite a few more bags of food than she would have been able to handle on the bike. Being on vacation had the disadvantage of not being able to use a precinct squad car to do her shopping on her lunch break, so she was very pleased to be able to have the use of Ian's car. They managed to get all the bags in one trip between them, and headed up to the apartment together.
As soon as they had set the groceries on the kitchen counter Sara tackled Ian and kissed him long and hard. He laughed and hugged her tight.
"I missed you, Ian," she said and kissed him again. "Do you suppose we have time to."
"Only if you care to join me in the shower," Ian said. "I need to get cleaned up and changed before I start cooking, but time's getting short."
"I'll scrub your back if you scrub my front," she offered impishly. He grinned and grabbed her, pulling her shirt off over her head. They headed for the bathroom, stripping each other as they went, and had a very pleasant half hour under the steaming hot water before actually soaping up and rinsing off. Ian toweled briskly, finger-combed his damp curls, and headed to the bedroom to get dressed so he could start cooking. Sara took the time to blow-dry her hair, since she knew there was little she could do in the kitchen to help Ian.
In the half hour it took Sara to get ready Ian had the kitchen in complete disarray and the apartment was filling with wonderful smells. She picked up their scattered clothing and tidied a few more things she hadn't gotten to before leaving for the grocery store, then went to watch Ian cook. He was dicing chicken into cubes and tossing it in with frying onions and garlic, then adding white wine. The smells were really making Sara hungry, especially since she had forgotten to eat lunch.
"I noticed our outfits for the party tomorrow are here," Ian said.
"They delivered them as I was about to head out for the store," Sara replied. She had hung them very carefully in the closet. "Can I help with anything," she asked.
"Um, yes," he replied. "The garlic French bread." He told her how he wanted it, and she got it ready for the oven, then helped with the salad. By the time Allyson arrived everything was ready and Ian and Sara were relaxing on the couch with some wine. Sara had turned her ring so the stones were towards her palm to help preserve the surprise, so Ian could make the announcement himself. Gabriel arrived a few minutes later, handed Sara some flowers, and gave her a hug. There was small talk, and then Ian ushered everyone in to the table and started serving the food while Sara poured the wine.
"This is great, Ian," Allyson said as she tried the chicken stir-fry. "You're really getting good."
"Thank you," Ian replied, blushing a little.
"I hardly ever have take-out or pizza anymore," Sara said. "Ian is spoiling me."
"You spoil me in other ways, love," Ian replied. Gabriel made a disgusted face at the couple's gooey-ness and Allyson laughed. Dinner progressed in light spirits, and it was becoming obvious that Gabriel was more than a little interested in Allyson, and she in him. Sara and Ian exchanged a significant look.
After dinner was cleared away Ian brought out champagne and chocolate éclairs. He popped the stopper expertly and poured four glasses, then raised his in a toast.
"To my lady Sara, who has agreed to be my wife," Ian said. Sara grinned, Gabriel's jaw hit the floor, and Allyson gave a delighted shriek and hugged Ian, then Sara, fiercely.
"You're not kidding," Gabriel said, half believing they were pulling his leg until Sara twisted her ring around to show the gorgeous stones off. He stared at it for a minute, then looked at Ian. As it sank in he got a big grin on his face and pulled Sara into a hug and gave her a brotherly kiss, then shook Ian's hand.
"Congratulations, you two," Gabe said. "This is great."
"Thank you, Gabriel," Ian said. "You two are the first to know."
"Wow," Gabriel said, surprised. "Irons doesn't even know yet?"
"No," Sara replied. "And we want to keep it that way. It's going to be a secret for a while, especially from Irons."
"Promise," Allyson said.
"Me too," Gabriel agreed.
The rest of the evening was quite festive. Especially after Gabriel and Allyson left.
