(Thanks to all of you who reviewed. I hope you enjoy the next chapter. Once again I do not own any characters except for Nadia and her lover. Another 5 reviews or more will get another chapter up on the site! I live on feedback, the more I get, the faster I write. Happy reading!)
The harsh buzzing of his phone jerked Ian out of his brooding thoughts. He answered it quickly, hoping it was about Sarah.
"Ian, it seems we may have a new player in this game, a girl who is very close to Sarah. Find out what the connection is." Kenneth ordered his son in a bemused tone of voice.
"Yes father." Was all Ian could think of to say, completely lost in absorbing this new information that had to do with the one woman he loved. After hanging up the phone, he stared into the window of her apartment, lost in his own thoughts.
About an hour later, he heard the sound of the bolt lock being opened by a key. Ian rose slightly and moved carefully out of view without loosing sight of the room, expecting it to be Sarah coming home. What, or who, came though that door made his jaw drop wide open in complete surprise.
A young woman with short messy looking red-gold hair slowly rolled her wheelchair inside, as she was clumsily trying to hold onto a rolling suitcase with one hand while driving with the other. He winced in silent sympathy as the door banged shut as she drove though, banging into her arm and shoulder. The tearstains on her cheeks spoke of pain, but did not mar the fierce pride burning in her blue-gray eyes. She wore oversized sweatshirt and jeans, as though she had been in a hurry and threw on the first things that came to hand. Copper framed glasses had made her eyes look larger than normal in her sweet oval face.
Slowly this new player made her way to the sofa that was in the middle of the living room before giving up and loosing her grip on the suitcase. Resting her right hand in her lap, she rubbed it as though it ached. From where Ian was perched outside the window he could see that the hand was not right in it's form with the joints twisted and jerky movements. As she sat there, she seemed to relax a bit, as though she knew that she would be safe here without question.
The sound of the door opening announced Sarah's arrival. Ian was surprised to see the mixture of worry, concern, and absolute fury that battled for expression on her face.
"NADIA!" Sarah screamed her cousin's name in relief and joy. Forgetting the door, her gun fell unnoticed from her shoulder to the floor with a heavy thud as she ran the short distance in her cousin's side, unbuckling the younger girl's seatbelt and lifting her out of her chair to spin her around. "I was so worried about you! Are you all right?! What happened? Did you get hurt?!" Sarah's words tumbled and tripped over each other as she squeezed her frail looking cousin tightly as though to reassure herself that the younger one was safe in her arms.
"Sarah..." Nadia squeaked, squirming slightly. "Sarah, your crushing me... and I need desperately to empty my bladder..."
"Uh-oh!! Okay." Sarah laughed while carrying her to the bathroom. "I'll put you on the pot, then I'll start dinner. You must be very hungry!"
Nadia nodded in feverant agreement. "Good idea to both of them. I didn't exactly feel safe on the streets."
Sarah nodded and shut the bathroom door, so whatever reply she made wasn't heard. After a minute, Sarah came back out of the bathroom alone. Ian took this time to quietly open the window and slip inside while she was distracted with dinner. He was a bit surprised to hear her humming softly under her breath and had to fight down the green-eyed monster of jealousy that surfaced suddenly within him.
"So, who's your little friend there?" Ian asked, hiding his smile as Sarah whirled around in surprise and anger. He was startled to see the level of protectiveness in her eyes.
"That is none of your concern! Are you spying on me again?!"
"Sarah! Are you okay? I didn't know your boyfriend was coming over!" Came Nadia's shout before Ian could answer.
"HE IS NOT MY BOYFRIEND!!!" Sarah shouted back, laughing even as the anger flashed in her forest green orbs. She made her way to the bathroom, with a big grin on her face.
A few seconds later, the two women came out of the bathroom, both of them looking a bit more calmer and happier. Sarah went back to her cooking, while Nadia drove over to Ian and begin to circle him.
Ian sensed that this was part play and part 'I-want-to-get-your-measure-since-your-going-out-with-my-cousin'. He saw the thinly veiled worry in her eyes even as she joked around with them "Not bad for a male, but still not my type. Lucky for you Sarah!"
Sarah just grinned while shaking her head. "Go get unpacked woman, it's almost time for dinner."
Nadia laughed and left the room, carefully rolling her backpack in front of her.
Ian moved silently to help Sarah. "Start talking, who is she?"
(Hahaha, cliffhanger! Review if you want more!)