A Tale Of Two Blades Chapter 31, a tv x-overs fanfic

Author's Note: Italics signify thought or emphasis.

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Nottingham's Loft
New York, NY
Monday, August 13, 2001
Late evening

The small indicator light on Lilianna's cell phone was blinking red when they got home. She had a message. She ignored it at first, helping Christian clean and put away the various weapons they had used earlier in the day. Lilianna was also still mulling over the fact that they had run into Jarod and Elaine. She had been ecstatic when the Witchblade had shown Jarod what he had been to her, but now that it was over, she couldn't help but worry about the ramifications.

Knowing that he and Elaine ended up together, would Jarod trust her too soon, before Elaine realized her own feelings? Would Jarod risk exposure by visiting Sara? Would he try even harder to bring down the Centre and end up getting himself killed, or worse: captured? Would he go up against Irons?

There were too many scenarios that could go horribly wrong, and she wished she had scheduled the meeting for much sooner than a month away. And what if she had been forced to return to the future by then? An arm wound around her waist and Lilianna leaned back against her husband. Christian whispered comforting words into her ear through the fall of her hair, giving small, reassuring squeezes to punctuate his words.

Lilianna turned in the circle of his arms and nuzzled into him. He, too, was worried about a family member. In a way, it had to be worse for him since he couldn't let Elaine know who he was yet. Lilianna had grown up knowing she had family out there somewhere, but he had only recently learned about his, and he had yet to be able to celebrate anyone but his mother, who was not even part of the living world.

They stayed wrapped around each other for a while, drawing strength and love from each other's presence. Anyone seeing them in moments like that would never have believed that each was capable of killing with a simple flick of the wrist.

After several minutes of mutual comfort, Lilianna pulled back and smiled up at Christian. "The twins would really like hamburgers and salads for dinner tonight."

He grinned at her, eyebrows raised in mock surprise, "Oh, the twins would, huh?"

"Mm-hm," she murmured as he kissed her softly. "You want to make dinner while I see what my mother wanted?"

"How do you know it isn't Gabriel who left you a message, did the Blade tell you?"

Lilianna shrugged, "No, I just think until things settle down a bit, Gabriel will be too worried to risk calling me."

Christian nodded and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Alright, I'll cook dinner, you take care of your phone message."

He moved away from her and for a moment she wanted to call him back, for them to be able to pretend their world consisted only of the two of them, that they didn't have a long-lived megalomaniac, a Witchblade Wielder, an FBI agent and a demon god to worry about. But they wouldn't be who they were and where they were if the circumstances of their lives had been easier. She wouldn't trade loving him for anything. And she knew he felt the same way.

Lilianna picked up her cell phone and dialed the number to retrieve her voicemail. She had two. Both from her mother.

"Why didn't you tell me Irons was having you followed? And why is it necessary for Gabriel to suddenly be all the way across the country? Who could you possibly know and trust enough to send him to Los Angeles with? Lilianna, we have to talk about this."

The second was much shorter. And angrier.

"Did you know your father was an FBI agent?"

Lilianna grimaced and considered putting off calling Sara back. But Lilianna knew she and Christian's other activities from the day would spark a reaction from Irons and it was only a matter of time before they weren't able to do ordinary, everyday things like make apologetic phone calls. So she took a deep breath and dialed her mother's number, sitting down on the couch as the phone rang once, twice.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mom," Lilianna said softly.

She heard Sara sigh, a sound between relief and frustration. Lilianna wasn't sure she could stand to wait while her mother decided what to ask first, so she jumped right in.

"Yes, I know Dad is in the FBI, I thought you did too, which is why I didn't tell you. Gabriel is safe; you don't need to worry about him or the person I sent him away with. Once I realized Irons was having me followed, I sent him away to protect him. In my timeline, he died protecting you." Not to mention in the two other timelines I now have knowledge of.

"And why didn't you tell me about Irons following you? I have a right to know when my daughter is in danger, Lilianna."

Lilianna sighed. "I haven't stopped being in danger for one moment in my entire life, Mom. And I was afraid that once you knew about Irons following me, you'd want to do something about it..."

"Damn straight!"

"Mom," Lilianna cut back in. "Being an FBI agent is everything to Dad."

"What does that have to do with this?"

"If Dad knew about Irons, he'd want to do something, too, and he'd lose his job at the very least. But even if you didn't tell him, and I really wish you would, his job and life could be on the line because of his involvement with you if you did something rash."

Sara was silent for a few seconds before answering, "So you just want me to act as if nothing has happened?"

"It's the only thing you can do right now without making things worse for someone in the end."

"Lilianna, I don't like feeling helpless."

"I know, Mom, and I'm sorry. But I can promise you it won't be for too much longer."

Sara sighed again. "I'd ask you what you mean by that, but your father is coming up the stairs and I have to pull myself together before he comes in."

"Okay, Mom. Bye."

"Bye, kiddo."

Lilianna stared at the cell phone for a few minutes. She hadn't told Sara about Jarod. And she wanted more than anything to beg and plead until Sara capitulated and told Jake about the Witchblade and about, well, her. But then the smell of food and the growl of her stomach dragged her from her contemplations. She could worry later. Right now, the twins really were hungry, and so was she.

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Author's Note: Sorry this chapter is a little short, but it's a transitional chapter.