"I'm amazed you were willing to risk coming out with me tonight, if
I'm such a lightning rod for supernatural dangers, as well as destined to
be Hell on relationships." Sara's eyes narrowed as she shot a green glare
at Nottingham.
She was really smarting from his 'Is there anyone else?' crack. He made her sound like some kind of social retard, unable to make or sustain close friendships.
"Did I not point out that the few friends you have allowed yourself to have are better equipped to deal with such danger? Young Bowman knows more about the supernatural that perhaps anyone other than Irons in this city. Your other friends are all involved in law enforcement, and as such, are better armed than the average citizen, not to mention more aware of their surroundings." Ian said placatingly.
"I notice you are ignoring the last part of my question." Sara's foot had been tapping with annoyance, but now it stopped.
Ian found himself taking an involuntary step back. As long as she was giving her anger some outlet, Pezzini was unlikely to attack. It was the stillness that presaged violence with Sara, not agitation.
He struggled with the urge to bow his head and take her wrath, knowing it for the conditioned response it was. Sara would run over him if he let her, her personality was so strong. The last thing he wanted to do was transfer himself from one domineering and abusive master to another. Which is what would happen if he showed any weakness now.
"Not that we started out as friends, but I have covered your back every time you went out. Even when you did not see me, I was there. Take it as a compliment to your abilities that I very rarely had reason to come out of the shadows to assist you."
"Yeah well, no offense, but I think you could have insulted my abilities a few times. I would have liked some back up you know." Sara grimaced. There had been a few occasions where she wasn't sure she was going to make it out of a situation alive.
"For myself, I would have preferred to be at your side from the beginning, but that would not have been fair to you. You needed to learn that you could stand on your own two feet, that all the power and strength you could ever need comes from within yourself." Ian reached out and took the hand without the Witchblade in his. He raised it to his lips and laid a delicate kiss on the back of her hand.
"I've always known that, it's just that it doesn't seem like enough sometimes. I know you've been there on those times when it wasn't. Irons told me you went against his orders and supplied me with Conchobar's ransom, so I even know about that. What I've never understood is why you hover on the fringe of my life, never getting close enough to truly see. If I hadn't figured out it was you yesterday, you would have never told me, and I can't understand why."
"I needed you to want me for myself, not for what I could tell you about the Witchblade, not for the interference I could run for you with Irons, not for my martial abilities, but for me. Until yesterday I had no idea you held me in any kind of regard. I thought you hated me. The harsh words, the dismissive attitude, and the contempt I would see in your eyes..." Ian closed his eyes for a moment at the old pain.
Sara watched the pain move over his face and winced. She had been a bitch, she knew she had been a bitch, and she would have continued to be a bitch. Pez didn't kid herself; she would have kept cutting Nottingham without a care for how his heart bled.
"Saying I'm sorry doesn't seem like enough, but it's true. I am sorry for the way I treated you. I was pretty horrible." Pez tightened her hand in Nottingham's, trying to give silent support.
"Yeah, yeah. You're a bitch. Not, I sssuspect, a big newsss flassh. Why don't you take a break from the persssonal drama and let me claim my prizzze. There is a matter of a kissss owed." Carmelita waved one hand dismissively at Sara, knowing it would infuriate her.
"How about this for some late-breaking news? You're going down." Sara growled, quite willing to transform the guilt she was feeling over her treatment of Nottingham into a nice righteous wrath. If the wrath was tinged with the green of blinding jealousy over the idea of Carmelita laying those scaly lips on her man, well, no one not inside her head would have any way of knowing.
Ian wisely kept silent. There was nothing he could add to this conversation that would defuse the situation. Next to him Sara was drawn up tight; even her hand in his was tense. Nottingham glanced between the two women, suddenly aware of the fact that he had somehow come to be partially between them. He stepped out of the line of fire and let go of Sara's hand. Times like this, a man was better to keep his mouth shut and get out of the way, for the cat fight was clearly about to get ugly.
"In my own club, full of loyal employees? Not to mention all these witnesses, witnesses who are very susceptible to my influence? My, my, you certainly have a high opinion of yourself."
"It's not an opinion, Queen of the Bad Hair Days, it's a fact." Sara stepped forward, eyes glittering in the dim light.
The Serpent shape on her wrist shifted back to its normal gauntlet form as the emotional tidal wave smashed into it. The blade shot out with a metallic rasp and Sara raised it to the 'guard' position. She was going to give her the reunion with her ancestor's blood that Carmelita wanted all right. Pezzini was going to shove the Witchblade right through her heart and out her back. Surely that would be close enough to satisfy all parties involved.
"Whatever." Carmelita's shrug was unconcerned, conveying without words that she was not impressed, although fear flickered through her eyes as she watched the Witchblade change forms. Somehow Sara had subverted her connection to her ancestress' blood. It was time for a strategic retreat.
"Even if you managed to defeat me, and that's a rather large if, there would be a great deal of bad press for you, not to mention jail time. I think we all know what happens to police officers in prison." Carmelita smiled gloatingly, knowing she had the upper hand.
"First, who said I was a cop?" Sara bluffed, as she looked around at the gracefully moving wall of dancers, terribly aware of how very 'in public' they were.
It was worth hedging on the truth, as Carmelita had shown no sign of recognition earlier. Unless the Witchblade that had clued her in to Sara's identity, she might be basing her shot on Ian's comments during their conversation. That or the woman was an excellent liar, who had known all along who she was approaching.
"Oh come now, Msss Pezzini, I could hardly forget the detective that sssent my mother off to prissson to die, even if we were not essspecially clossse." Carmelita purred with malice.
Ah. That would be excellent liar. Pezzini's career could very well come to a grinding halt if she were to attack a high profile business owner, especially once the connection between mother and daughter was made.
If Sara killed her rival, as her feelings were screaming for her to do, she would go to jail. Not since that night in the subway with Gallo had she felt so full of vengeful anger. It would be so easy to spit the bitch on the Witchblade. She had to grit her teeth against the emotional storm raging through her frame and think of the consequences of such an action.
"Secondly, your little witnesses won't always be around, now will they?" Sara cocked an eyebrow, ignoring Carmelita's scornful reply more successfully than her own temper.
"No, they will not, but sssuch lack of protection worksss both waysss. There will come a time when we will have our reckoning, you and I, and I think that time will be sssoon." Carmelita stepped back, letting a couple whirl between them. When the way was clear again, the young Gorgon was gone.
"Yes, soon." Sara said to the empty air.
A/N:
Hello all. As Jen has already told you, I was in a four car pile-up on
St. Pat's. I got off relatively easy, whiplash and a sprained thumb
(from gripping the dashboard. I was bracing for impact. Stupid, yes?)
They are saying six weeks minimum before the hand is back up to speed.
So obviously, it's going to be a while between updates.
At least my boss is letting me come to work, even though I can't
really do any repairs like this. I'd be totally screwed financially if
he'd told me to stay home until the doc gives me a clean bill of
health. I can't saw or hold anything with my right hand.
I never realized how many things I need my thumb to do, or how
creative I can be when I need to get something done and there's no one
around to help. (the saddest thing is watching me try to open anything
that is supposed to twist off) I am typing one-handed, which seems
terribly slow, but it's not like I'm doing anything else. Nor does it
affect how long it takes you to read it. heh.
I did have a very negative experience with my insurance provider,
AIG. I had to argue with the insurance company for two hours just to
get them to apply Blue Book value to my totalled out car, which
they're supposed to do anyway, instead of wholesale value. Frelling
sonsofbiscuits. Like I could replace my vehicle for that. I've changed
my mind, politicians aren't the biggest crooks in America, the
insurance companies are. I'm still going to owe on my car loan, but
not as much as I would have.
But hey, at least I'm alive. The guy in the car in front of us went
through the windshield (that's windscreen for my pals across the pond)
So wear your seatbelts my friends, cause you just never know.
She was really smarting from his 'Is there anyone else?' crack. He made her sound like some kind of social retard, unable to make or sustain close friendships.
"Did I not point out that the few friends you have allowed yourself to have are better equipped to deal with such danger? Young Bowman knows more about the supernatural that perhaps anyone other than Irons in this city. Your other friends are all involved in law enforcement, and as such, are better armed than the average citizen, not to mention more aware of their surroundings." Ian said placatingly.
"I notice you are ignoring the last part of my question." Sara's foot had been tapping with annoyance, but now it stopped.
Ian found himself taking an involuntary step back. As long as she was giving her anger some outlet, Pezzini was unlikely to attack. It was the stillness that presaged violence with Sara, not agitation.
He struggled with the urge to bow his head and take her wrath, knowing it for the conditioned response it was. Sara would run over him if he let her, her personality was so strong. The last thing he wanted to do was transfer himself from one domineering and abusive master to another. Which is what would happen if he showed any weakness now.
"Not that we started out as friends, but I have covered your back every time you went out. Even when you did not see me, I was there. Take it as a compliment to your abilities that I very rarely had reason to come out of the shadows to assist you."
"Yeah well, no offense, but I think you could have insulted my abilities a few times. I would have liked some back up you know." Sara grimaced. There had been a few occasions where she wasn't sure she was going to make it out of a situation alive.
"For myself, I would have preferred to be at your side from the beginning, but that would not have been fair to you. You needed to learn that you could stand on your own two feet, that all the power and strength you could ever need comes from within yourself." Ian reached out and took the hand without the Witchblade in his. He raised it to his lips and laid a delicate kiss on the back of her hand.
"I've always known that, it's just that it doesn't seem like enough sometimes. I know you've been there on those times when it wasn't. Irons told me you went against his orders and supplied me with Conchobar's ransom, so I even know about that. What I've never understood is why you hover on the fringe of my life, never getting close enough to truly see. If I hadn't figured out it was you yesterday, you would have never told me, and I can't understand why."
"I needed you to want me for myself, not for what I could tell you about the Witchblade, not for the interference I could run for you with Irons, not for my martial abilities, but for me. Until yesterday I had no idea you held me in any kind of regard. I thought you hated me. The harsh words, the dismissive attitude, and the contempt I would see in your eyes..." Ian closed his eyes for a moment at the old pain.
Sara watched the pain move over his face and winced. She had been a bitch, she knew she had been a bitch, and she would have continued to be a bitch. Pez didn't kid herself; she would have kept cutting Nottingham without a care for how his heart bled.
"Saying I'm sorry doesn't seem like enough, but it's true. I am sorry for the way I treated you. I was pretty horrible." Pez tightened her hand in Nottingham's, trying to give silent support.
"Yeah, yeah. You're a bitch. Not, I sssuspect, a big newsss flassh. Why don't you take a break from the persssonal drama and let me claim my prizzze. There is a matter of a kissss owed." Carmelita waved one hand dismissively at Sara, knowing it would infuriate her.
"How about this for some late-breaking news? You're going down." Sara growled, quite willing to transform the guilt she was feeling over her treatment of Nottingham into a nice righteous wrath. If the wrath was tinged with the green of blinding jealousy over the idea of Carmelita laying those scaly lips on her man, well, no one not inside her head would have any way of knowing.
Ian wisely kept silent. There was nothing he could add to this conversation that would defuse the situation. Next to him Sara was drawn up tight; even her hand in his was tense. Nottingham glanced between the two women, suddenly aware of the fact that he had somehow come to be partially between them. He stepped out of the line of fire and let go of Sara's hand. Times like this, a man was better to keep his mouth shut and get out of the way, for the cat fight was clearly about to get ugly.
"In my own club, full of loyal employees? Not to mention all these witnesses, witnesses who are very susceptible to my influence? My, my, you certainly have a high opinion of yourself."
"It's not an opinion, Queen of the Bad Hair Days, it's a fact." Sara stepped forward, eyes glittering in the dim light.
The Serpent shape on her wrist shifted back to its normal gauntlet form as the emotional tidal wave smashed into it. The blade shot out with a metallic rasp and Sara raised it to the 'guard' position. She was going to give her the reunion with her ancestor's blood that Carmelita wanted all right. Pezzini was going to shove the Witchblade right through her heart and out her back. Surely that would be close enough to satisfy all parties involved.
"Whatever." Carmelita's shrug was unconcerned, conveying without words that she was not impressed, although fear flickered through her eyes as she watched the Witchblade change forms. Somehow Sara had subverted her connection to her ancestress' blood. It was time for a strategic retreat.
"Even if you managed to defeat me, and that's a rather large if, there would be a great deal of bad press for you, not to mention jail time. I think we all know what happens to police officers in prison." Carmelita smiled gloatingly, knowing she had the upper hand.
"First, who said I was a cop?" Sara bluffed, as she looked around at the gracefully moving wall of dancers, terribly aware of how very 'in public' they were.
It was worth hedging on the truth, as Carmelita had shown no sign of recognition earlier. Unless the Witchblade that had clued her in to Sara's identity, she might be basing her shot on Ian's comments during their conversation. That or the woman was an excellent liar, who had known all along who she was approaching.
"Oh come now, Msss Pezzini, I could hardly forget the detective that sssent my mother off to prissson to die, even if we were not essspecially clossse." Carmelita purred with malice.
Ah. That would be excellent liar. Pezzini's career could very well come to a grinding halt if she were to attack a high profile business owner, especially once the connection between mother and daughter was made.
If Sara killed her rival, as her feelings were screaming for her to do, she would go to jail. Not since that night in the subway with Gallo had she felt so full of vengeful anger. It would be so easy to spit the bitch on the Witchblade. She had to grit her teeth against the emotional storm raging through her frame and think of the consequences of such an action.
"Secondly, your little witnesses won't always be around, now will they?" Sara cocked an eyebrow, ignoring Carmelita's scornful reply more successfully than her own temper.
"No, they will not, but sssuch lack of protection worksss both waysss. There will come a time when we will have our reckoning, you and I, and I think that time will be sssoon." Carmelita stepped back, letting a couple whirl between them. When the way was clear again, the young Gorgon was gone.
"Yes, soon." Sara said to the empty air.
A/N:
Hello all. As Jen has already told you, I was in a four car pile-up on
St. Pat's. I got off relatively easy, whiplash and a sprained thumb
(from gripping the dashboard. I was bracing for impact. Stupid, yes?)
They are saying six weeks minimum before the hand is back up to speed.
So obviously, it's going to be a while between updates.
At least my boss is letting me come to work, even though I can't
really do any repairs like this. I'd be totally screwed financially if
he'd told me to stay home until the doc gives me a clean bill of
health. I can't saw or hold anything with my right hand.
I never realized how many things I need my thumb to do, or how
creative I can be when I need to get something done and there's no one
around to help. (the saddest thing is watching me try to open anything
that is supposed to twist off) I am typing one-handed, which seems
terribly slow, but it's not like I'm doing anything else. Nor does it
affect how long it takes you to read it. heh.
I did have a very negative experience with my insurance provider,
AIG. I had to argue with the insurance company for two hours just to
get them to apply Blue Book value to my totalled out car, which
they're supposed to do anyway, instead of wholesale value. Frelling
sonsofbiscuits. Like I could replace my vehicle for that. I've changed
my mind, politicians aren't the biggest crooks in America, the
insurance companies are. I'm still going to owe on my car loan, but
not as much as I would have.
But hey, at least I'm alive. The guy in the car in front of us went
through the windshield (that's windscreen for my pals across the pond)
So wear your seatbelts my friends, cause you just never know.