Having finished with her preparations, Sara went into the kitchen to find
Ian leaning on the counter, eating another of those incredible pastries
that he had brought for her. He was, however, having slightly better luck,
only managing to get chocolate in his beard. She thought longingly about
returning his favor but knew that they did not have the time for that.
They couldn't keep up like this without one of them giving way and she was
not completely sure he was ready even if they didn't both have to go to
work.
"Hey, Nottingham,"
"Hey, Sara," he said, the simple formula bringing a smile to his face.
"About last night, I know that you think it's your job to protect me but.."
"No," he responded before she even had time to finish her sentence.
"No what? You didn't even give me a chance to finish."
"No, I cannot stop following you. It is my duty and my honor to protect you and I will do it." There was a new and determined note in his voice. It was the first time he had ever refused her anything and she didn't know how to respond.
"Ian."
"Sara, let me finish. I know that this concerns you, and I will be more careful in future to remain unobserved, but I will not let you walk into danger alone. I cannot and will not do that. If this is a problem, I do not know what I can do about it. You have always prided yourself on your independence, but you do not have to stand alone anymore." Sara stood there dumbfounded. He had never stood up to her that way before, he had never stood up to her at all before. In spite of her determination to help him become his own man, the first time he had done so, she didn't know what to say. Her initial reaction was to start screaming at him but for one reason or another, she just was not in the mood. Maybe it had something to do with the dreams, or maybe it was the chocolate and coffee flowing through her system but she just couldn't seem to get up her normal head of steam. She stood there with an astounded look on her face, trying to think of a response.
He moved over to her and took her hand in his, brown eyes pleading for her to understand or at least accept his decision. "Now neither one of us has to stand alone. Is that not what we both wanted?" Sara was taken completely aback. How could she possibly respond to that without hurting him and damaging all the progress they had made?
"All right, for now," she relented finally. At least this way she had the option of revisiting it with him later, when she was not in danger of being late for work. "But we aren't done with this subject, okay?" she told him.
"Very well, Sara." He smiled at her. While it was only the first round, he had at least gotten her to a limited agreement and that would do for the moment.
Sara's desk was starting to resemble an explosion in a paper mill. She was just trying to keep her head above water. Adding to that her attempts to get her head around the events of last night, and the changes between her and Ian and she had all the makings of a monster headache. Now she had this new body to deal with when she didn't even have time for the old ones. "Just what I need, one more case," she said aloud to herself.
"Hey, Pez," Jake called as he walked in. "Have you got a file started for last night's body?"
"Yeah, just getting to it, why?" she asked.
"It's been reassigned to Turnbull and Orlinsky. Between you and me that guy who was in the Captain's office the other day is back again. I think he's putting the pressure on. Have you seen Danny?"
"Great, just what I need, more pressure." She handed Jake the file. "And, no I haven't seen him."
"So what's the deal, Pez? This Vorschlag thing?" he asked.
"Yeah, when rich guys get killed, everyone notices. Listen, Jake, if they're looking for me, I'm hitting the streets, tell Danny when you see him, OK?" She grabbed the Vorschlag files, her jacket and helmet and left the precinct in a hurry.
Sara settled for a coffee shop around the corner and laid the files on the table, ordering coffee. Cops frequented the place so the files wouldn't faze anyone. This was getting nowhere fast. Damn, she thought, I wish we could just pin the thing on Irons where it belongs. She considered it for a moment. Why not? Irons was dead, the world would have to know sooner or later. But what would it do to Ian? How to make this work, to make everyone happy, and still get out of it with my life and badge intact. I have finally lost it, either that or I am finally making sense of it all. As she drank her coffee, a plan began to form in her mind.
Danny returned to find his partner gone and Jake sitting on her desk. "Hey, McCartey, where's she gone?"
"Sara told me to let you know she was hitting the streets, Mr. Politics is back in the Captain's office. I got that background you wanted. Not much available."
"She's probably gone to hit something, anyway. What you got?"
"This guy's pretty scary. No personal data available beyond his employment record, been with Vorschlag since '97, before that the military, Special Forces, real cloak and dagger stuff. He was with an experimental unit called the Black Dragons for three years, stone killers, all of them. Interesting though, the project was sponsored by a partnership between the DOD and a private company. Any guesses?"
"Vorschlag?" Jake nodded. "Makes sense, guy gets out and then goes to work for the people who helped train him. Anything else?"
"No, like I say, it's like this guy doesn't exist, except for his job and his military record, and that's classified. I only got that much because I have an ex-girlfriend who works inside the Beltway, for the State Department."
"And you let her get away, Jake?" he teased him a little distractedly, while trying to process the information. He reviewed what he knew about Nottingham. He different, cold, and the way he moved spoke volumes for his physical skills. You don't get to work for Kenneth Irons without being the best at what you do, not and stay there as long as he had, not and stay alive as long as he had. Danny was pretty sure that he was the shadow at the crime scene last night, and it was sheer luck that he had caught sight of him. The guy seemed to genuinely care for Sara, and with her attitude, she could probably use someone who could stand up to her, keep an eye on her. And there was that eerie promise in the office yesterday, something told him that Nottingham had meant every word. It was weird, but all in all it was not a bad thing, if she had someone who cared that much about her. Sara only thought she was 10 feet tall and bullet proof, from what he saw this guy really was. He knew his partner had some issues, she was so afraid to get close, to lose someone that she pushed them away. Nottingham had managed to survive both his weird military background and his life as Irons' bodyguard, there was not much chance of anyone managing to kill him. Danny was trying to put it into perspective when Jake interrupted him.
"So what's this about? Is this guy a suspect or something?"
"No, he has the prefect alibi. I just wanted to know a little more about who I'm dealing with."
When Ian arrived at the apartment, Sara was already there, on the computer in the corner. She looked up when she heard him and began to shut down the machine. "Good, you're here. We need to eat and then I have something I need to talk to you about." She stood up, came over and gave him a quick kiss. Her manner told him that something was up. She was practically crackling with nervous energy.
"Anything you wish, Sara," he said curiously, as he took off his coat.
"You know usually that would tick me off, but tonight, I hope you really mean that."
After dinner they sat down together on the couch. Dinner had been a quiet affair, Sara was too keyed up to make light conversation, and Ian did not know what to say. Small talk had never been his strong suit. Sara sat facing him cross-legged on her side of the couch, this time not suggesting that they get any closer, they did not need the distraction at this moment. Ian had been a little edgy all through dinner, waiting for her to tell him what was on her mind. Her mood was rubbing off on him. She took a deep breath and began.
"Ok, I think I have a plan to deal with this mess, but it's not going to be easy and I am going to need your help in a big way."
"Of course, anything Sara. I feel a certain responsibility for the situation."
"I would love to argue with you, but I can't really. This is going to be rough, but it is the only thing I can think of. If you have any ideas, please tell me. First.strange question, do you have a birth certificate? There's no public information on you in the system. It's important, if we are going to prove who you are." Ian looked completely lost. It should bother him, he thought, that she checked him out without asking, but considering all the information he had helped gather on her without her knowledge, it was only fair. After all there was very little that a simple check would show and they both knew it.
"Ye-es, actually I have more than one, " he told her, still trying to figure out where she was going with this. He had a pretty good idea what she was thinking; at least part of it and it scared him beyond words. He looked at her, concern showing plainly on his face. Sara rolled her eyes at him.
"No, I mean a real one. One that says you are Irons' son. We will probably need to prove it."
Ian thought about it, not sure he wanted to know what she had in mind, even more sure that it was not going to be pleasant for either of them. "Yes," he said, slowly. "I think so. I can also arrange to have the doctor who delivered me. But what is the point? No one knows my father is dead."
Sara sighed and continued. "In order for this to work, you're going to have to admit that he's dead." She knew she was asking a lot of him, asking him to come out of the shadows in a hell of a hurry. She thought about how hard it was going to be for him and all she had to offer by way of comfort was to stand beside him the whole time.
"Hey, Nottingham,"
"Hey, Sara," he said, the simple formula bringing a smile to his face.
"About last night, I know that you think it's your job to protect me but.."
"No," he responded before she even had time to finish her sentence.
"No what? You didn't even give me a chance to finish."
"No, I cannot stop following you. It is my duty and my honor to protect you and I will do it." There was a new and determined note in his voice. It was the first time he had ever refused her anything and she didn't know how to respond.
"Ian."
"Sara, let me finish. I know that this concerns you, and I will be more careful in future to remain unobserved, but I will not let you walk into danger alone. I cannot and will not do that. If this is a problem, I do not know what I can do about it. You have always prided yourself on your independence, but you do not have to stand alone anymore." Sara stood there dumbfounded. He had never stood up to her that way before, he had never stood up to her at all before. In spite of her determination to help him become his own man, the first time he had done so, she didn't know what to say. Her initial reaction was to start screaming at him but for one reason or another, she just was not in the mood. Maybe it had something to do with the dreams, or maybe it was the chocolate and coffee flowing through her system but she just couldn't seem to get up her normal head of steam. She stood there with an astounded look on her face, trying to think of a response.
He moved over to her and took her hand in his, brown eyes pleading for her to understand or at least accept his decision. "Now neither one of us has to stand alone. Is that not what we both wanted?" Sara was taken completely aback. How could she possibly respond to that without hurting him and damaging all the progress they had made?
"All right, for now," she relented finally. At least this way she had the option of revisiting it with him later, when she was not in danger of being late for work. "But we aren't done with this subject, okay?" she told him.
"Very well, Sara." He smiled at her. While it was only the first round, he had at least gotten her to a limited agreement and that would do for the moment.
Sara's desk was starting to resemble an explosion in a paper mill. She was just trying to keep her head above water. Adding to that her attempts to get her head around the events of last night, and the changes between her and Ian and she had all the makings of a monster headache. Now she had this new body to deal with when she didn't even have time for the old ones. "Just what I need, one more case," she said aloud to herself.
"Hey, Pez," Jake called as he walked in. "Have you got a file started for last night's body?"
"Yeah, just getting to it, why?" she asked.
"It's been reassigned to Turnbull and Orlinsky. Between you and me that guy who was in the Captain's office the other day is back again. I think he's putting the pressure on. Have you seen Danny?"
"Great, just what I need, more pressure." She handed Jake the file. "And, no I haven't seen him."
"So what's the deal, Pez? This Vorschlag thing?" he asked.
"Yeah, when rich guys get killed, everyone notices. Listen, Jake, if they're looking for me, I'm hitting the streets, tell Danny when you see him, OK?" She grabbed the Vorschlag files, her jacket and helmet and left the precinct in a hurry.
Sara settled for a coffee shop around the corner and laid the files on the table, ordering coffee. Cops frequented the place so the files wouldn't faze anyone. This was getting nowhere fast. Damn, she thought, I wish we could just pin the thing on Irons where it belongs. She considered it for a moment. Why not? Irons was dead, the world would have to know sooner or later. But what would it do to Ian? How to make this work, to make everyone happy, and still get out of it with my life and badge intact. I have finally lost it, either that or I am finally making sense of it all. As she drank her coffee, a plan began to form in her mind.
Danny returned to find his partner gone and Jake sitting on her desk. "Hey, McCartey, where's she gone?"
"Sara told me to let you know she was hitting the streets, Mr. Politics is back in the Captain's office. I got that background you wanted. Not much available."
"She's probably gone to hit something, anyway. What you got?"
"This guy's pretty scary. No personal data available beyond his employment record, been with Vorschlag since '97, before that the military, Special Forces, real cloak and dagger stuff. He was with an experimental unit called the Black Dragons for three years, stone killers, all of them. Interesting though, the project was sponsored by a partnership between the DOD and a private company. Any guesses?"
"Vorschlag?" Jake nodded. "Makes sense, guy gets out and then goes to work for the people who helped train him. Anything else?"
"No, like I say, it's like this guy doesn't exist, except for his job and his military record, and that's classified. I only got that much because I have an ex-girlfriend who works inside the Beltway, for the State Department."
"And you let her get away, Jake?" he teased him a little distractedly, while trying to process the information. He reviewed what he knew about Nottingham. He different, cold, and the way he moved spoke volumes for his physical skills. You don't get to work for Kenneth Irons without being the best at what you do, not and stay there as long as he had, not and stay alive as long as he had. Danny was pretty sure that he was the shadow at the crime scene last night, and it was sheer luck that he had caught sight of him. The guy seemed to genuinely care for Sara, and with her attitude, she could probably use someone who could stand up to her, keep an eye on her. And there was that eerie promise in the office yesterday, something told him that Nottingham had meant every word. It was weird, but all in all it was not a bad thing, if she had someone who cared that much about her. Sara only thought she was 10 feet tall and bullet proof, from what he saw this guy really was. He knew his partner had some issues, she was so afraid to get close, to lose someone that she pushed them away. Nottingham had managed to survive both his weird military background and his life as Irons' bodyguard, there was not much chance of anyone managing to kill him. Danny was trying to put it into perspective when Jake interrupted him.
"So what's this about? Is this guy a suspect or something?"
"No, he has the prefect alibi. I just wanted to know a little more about who I'm dealing with."
When Ian arrived at the apartment, Sara was already there, on the computer in the corner. She looked up when she heard him and began to shut down the machine. "Good, you're here. We need to eat and then I have something I need to talk to you about." She stood up, came over and gave him a quick kiss. Her manner told him that something was up. She was practically crackling with nervous energy.
"Anything you wish, Sara," he said curiously, as he took off his coat.
"You know usually that would tick me off, but tonight, I hope you really mean that."
After dinner they sat down together on the couch. Dinner had been a quiet affair, Sara was too keyed up to make light conversation, and Ian did not know what to say. Small talk had never been his strong suit. Sara sat facing him cross-legged on her side of the couch, this time not suggesting that they get any closer, they did not need the distraction at this moment. Ian had been a little edgy all through dinner, waiting for her to tell him what was on her mind. Her mood was rubbing off on him. She took a deep breath and began.
"Ok, I think I have a plan to deal with this mess, but it's not going to be easy and I am going to need your help in a big way."
"Of course, anything Sara. I feel a certain responsibility for the situation."
"I would love to argue with you, but I can't really. This is going to be rough, but it is the only thing I can think of. If you have any ideas, please tell me. First.strange question, do you have a birth certificate? There's no public information on you in the system. It's important, if we are going to prove who you are." Ian looked completely lost. It should bother him, he thought, that she checked him out without asking, but considering all the information he had helped gather on her without her knowledge, it was only fair. After all there was very little that a simple check would show and they both knew it.
"Ye-es, actually I have more than one, " he told her, still trying to figure out where she was going with this. He had a pretty good idea what she was thinking; at least part of it and it scared him beyond words. He looked at her, concern showing plainly on his face. Sara rolled her eyes at him.
"No, I mean a real one. One that says you are Irons' son. We will probably need to prove it."
Ian thought about it, not sure he wanted to know what she had in mind, even more sure that it was not going to be pleasant for either of them. "Yes," he said, slowly. "I think so. I can also arrange to have the doctor who delivered me. But what is the point? No one knows my father is dead."
Sara sighed and continued. "In order for this to work, you're going to have to admit that he's dead." She knew she was asking a lot of him, asking him to come out of the shadows in a hell of a hurry. She thought about how hard it was going to be for him and all she had to offer by way of comfort was to stand beside him the whole time.