Chap 9 -- Homecoming (Part A) -- Witchblade Karma

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Date Posted: 21:40:33 10/07/02 Mon
Author: wormie
Subject: Chap 9 -- Homecoming (Part A)
In reply to: wormie 's message, "A Complex Genesis" on 20:48:06 05/20/02 Mon

A/N: Chapters 1-8 can be found all together here. Thanks as always to Jessica, my fab beta reader. Thanks this time also to Beck for checking out the sneak peek & telling me it was fine and to post it already.

Chapter 9 -- Homecoming

Sara and Nottingham hadn't spoken a word on the way to Navarro's. Sara had expected another ride on his motorcycle and was mildly disappointed that he had driven a car. She had meant to joke about how the car -a beautiful black Jaguar- just didn't compare to the motorcycle of the previous day, but then decided against it. She could tell that he was...nervous. No, not nervous...Nottingham was never nervous. He was worried - for Henry, Gabriel, Navarro and Sara herself - and she had absorbed his mood.

The front door to Navarro's brownstone was still locked, but Sara knew that wasn't necessarily a good sign. This 'replacement' was probably as good as Nottingham at picking locks.

Sara frowned. Navarro's apartment covered the entire top floor and Sara didn't remember seeing anyone in the building earlier when she had left to meet Jake. If there had been trouble, the neighbors would have called the police. The White Bulls hadn't all been rounded up-they were still in danger.

"Neighbors?"

Nottingham shook his head. "Ina owns the building. She and Henry are the only ones who live here."

He tilted his head slightly, briefly closing his eyes. "He's not here."

It was weird, but no weirder than how he always knew where to find her. Nottingham pulled out a key and unlocked the door. He entered first and Sara pulled out her gun, holding it at the ready, just in case. Sara was sure Nottingham was armed, but he didn't draw a weapon.

They climbed the stairs in silence, Nottingham leading the way. The Witchblade was silent on her wrist. At the top landing, Sara could see that the door to Ina's apartment was slightly open. With barely a glance at Nottingham, they flanked the door. Sara pushed the door open with the tip of her boot.

Nottingham went in first. He paused in the living room and indicated the corner of the room before heading down the hall to the bedrooms. Gabriel was slumped in the corner. Sara saw the Witchblade's stone swirl just before she again felt that slowing of time that marked a vision.

The replacement -a clean-shaven, upscale version of the Nottingham she knew- had taken two steps into the room, surprising Gabriel, backhanding him. The blow sent Gabriel across the room and against the wall. This Nottingham turned toward the dining room in time to see Navarro lunge at him.

Sara blinked once as the vision faded and quickly went to check on Gabriel, setting aside the million and one questions she had about Nottingham's...twin? She couldn't think of another word to describe him. She knelt next to Gabriel and checked for a pulse. He was alive, breathing, but out cold. Sara opened his eyes, and his pupils seemed to react to the light. He didn't seem to have any other injuries.

Sara glanced up to see Nottingham returning, wondering if he had found Henry or Navarro. His face was grim, but he only shook his head at her unspoken question and then headed towards the dining room. Sara, sure that Gabriel was fine for the moment, followed Nottingham.

The dining room was a mess - Navarro and the twin had had a Hell of a fight. Sara frowned. It was now unlikely that Navarro had been able to escape with Henry. Nottingham stood briefly between the dining room and the kitchen and seemed to sway before rushing in to the kitchen. Sara hurried behind him, in time to see Navarro's body on the floor, her head at an awkward, unnatural angle. Sara didn't need a Witchblade vision to know that her neck had been broken.

Nottingham collapsed to his knees, cradling Navarro's body against his chest. He looked up briefly at Sara, his eyes shining with unshed tears.

Sara could only stand there, her chest constricting at the sight.

"I'm sorry."

Sara meant it, but she doubted Nottingham had heard her. He didn't make a noise; he didn't rock Navarro. He only held her, the tears flowing down his cheeks, his sorrow plain on his face. There was a time when she thought he was not capable of such emotion, and now she was ashamed she had thought that. There were few people in Nottingham's life, and he obviously cared very deeply for them.

Sara took a few steps to stand next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He finally looked up at her the way a little boy looks at his mother when he doesn't understand that his puppy has died.

"Help her." His voice was soft, almost inaudible.

Sara opened her mouth to reply with some simple words of sympathy, but instead the Witchblade offered her the flash of another vision.

Nottingham dead on the ground before her, a crossbow bolt in his heart...Sara pulling the bolt out, knowing the Witchblade will heal him...Nottingham gasping for breath.

"Please, Sara."

Sara was only vaguely aware of what he had said. Standing before them, for only Sara's eyes, was a woman with Sara's face. She wore some kind of armor Sara couldn't identify, a long curved sword at her side. Her bracelet was different than Sara's, but Sara still recognized it as the Witchblade.

The woman, this other Wielder, shook her head.

"You cannot help her, Sara. She has set sail on a new journey."

Itagaki. Sara wasn't sure how she knew that was the Wielder's name, but she did. Sara also wasn't sure that she understood any of this, but if she could help Navarro...

As if hearing her thoughts, Itagaki said, "She is now a part of us. That was her greatest wish. Take heart in that."

Itagaki looked down at Navarro's body with a fondness tinged by sadness.

"She was a good warrior." Itagaki stared at Sara for a long moment. "The boys will need you now."

"Help her!" Nottingham demanded.

Sara looked down at her right wrist. She was unaware that he had grabbed it, his palm over the Witchblade. Sara glanced up, but Itagaki was gone. Sara crouched next to him.

"I'm sorry, Notting-...Ian. I can't."

He looked at her accusingly, his grip tightening. "You could if you wanted to."

"I want to," she said softly, "but the Witchblade won't."

"Why?" he asked, his voice once again soft but with a different accusation in his eyes: she was the Wielder; she had to have an explanation.

"You understand this thing better than I do," she replied, her tone at once somber and compassionate. "Maybe someday you can explain it to me."

Sara did understand it, though. Ian or Navarro would have died today, and that life was the price for something else, something yet to come. Sometimes, the Witchblade really sucked. She couldn't explain it to Ian, though, not now. He had been ready to give up his life -was it only a couple of hours ago?- and his grief would be so much worse, knowing that he could have taken Navarro's place. In time, he would understand all this because he did understand the Witchblade better than she did. For now, Sara was grateful that he wasn't thinking straight.

Eventually, Ian loosened his grip on her wrist. He carefully set Navarro's body back down onto the floor and sat back on his heels, shoulders slumping.

Looking at Navarro, he whispered something in a language Sara didn't understand. It was meant for Navarro, so Sara didn't ask.

Sara stood, offering a hand. Ian placed his hand in hers and stood in one graceful movement, barely holding on to her hand. He hadn't needed her help to stand but accepted the gesture all the same. For the second time that day, Sara held on to his hand.

Ian stood before her, head bowed.

"It'll be ok. In time." The words sounded lame to Sara, but he nodded. Their eyes met briefly, and she was startled at the raw emotion she saw there. She didn't think he had ever felt anything like this. She found herself pulling him closer, drawing him into an embrace.

Slowly, tentatively, his arms wrapped around her. He rested his cheek on her head and she felt him sigh gently.

"It'll be ok," she repeated, not really knowing what else to say.

After a moment, his hands came up to her shoulders, pushing her away gently. He took up his pose, legs apart, head bowed, hands clenched behind his back.

"He will have taken Henry to Mr. Irons. I suggest you attend to Gabriel and I will retrieve Henry."

"Uh...no."

He raised he head slightly, fixing her with a cold stare. His lips pursed slightly and then he frowned. He wanted to get Henry out of that house. He wanted to avenge Ina. If he went, he would fail.

"Your 'replacement' is expecting us and he's dangerous," Sara continued reasonably. "We have to go in with a plan."

"That's...ironic, coming from you."

That hurt, but Sara chose to ignore it because it was true.

"When you go in without a plan, people are likely to die."

She saw his jaw muscles clench and unclench, anger warring with reason.

"Look, I know you are angry..and hurt. But I promise you we will get this guy."

Ian lowered his head, awaiting orders as Sara knew he would. A promise from the Wielder was something he could not ignore.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

...to be continued...

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Replies:

It's going to be continued soon, right? -- Gabrielsgirl, 04:32:56 10/09/02 Wed
Ahhh..... And you stopped it there because??? Must have more... -- Spin, 11:40:51 10/09/02 Wed
Oh Boy....Ian is ticked off....I can't wait to see what happens! -- So Cal Susan, 10:38:53 10/10/02 Thu
Chap 9 -- Homecoming (Part A) -- Jade2099, 13:47:27 10/12/02 Sat