Opening Christians door, she was met, as usual, by the soft glow of the candles in the chandelier over the bed where he was sleeping. Not bothering to take of any clothing, Gabrielle climbed under the sheets and pressed her head to Christian's chest. Briefly, he stirred, then put an arm around her back, pulling her closer. It wasn’t until he felt a wetness fall on his chest that he spoke.

"Why aren't you with Edge?" Not raising her head, Gabrielle said nothing. Christian sat up, forcing her to do the same. Gabrielle countered by burying her head in the pillow instead. "Why aren't you in Edge's room, Gabrielle?"

"He's mad at me." She said, finally raising her head, revealing tears streaming down her pale cheeks. She sat up, and leaned against Christian.

"Why?" He asked softly, stroking her back. She shook her head.

"I - I told him something that happened…in Cardiff…he got upset…" Christian thought a moment. The only thing he knew of Cardiff was her meeting Kael.

"What was it?" Again, Gabrielle shook her head.

"If I tell you, you'll only get mad too…"

"Was it with Kael?" Christian asked gently. This time, she nodded reluctantly. "You two…Did you…"

"Yes, Christian, I screwed Kael." She managed to blurt out, almost unintentionally, causing more tears. "And Edge hates me for it." Christian tried to quiet her, but she continued. "You know, when it comes to screwing you, he doesn't care, but Kael's different…why?" She asked, looking up at him with a gaunt, pale, tear streaked face. "You don't care, do you?" He smiled forcefully, caught off guard by the paleness and thinness of her face. Her golden eyes seemed to burn with fire and her skin stretched tightly across her skull. It must have been ages since she'd fed.

"I don't care, Gabrielle. There's reasons behind everything and - " He frowned. "How long has it been since you’ve fed?" She lowered her gaze in some sort of odd, misplaced guilt.

"I don't know…" She answered, then whispered a response.

"What?" She sniffed, and held back more tears.

"A year…" When her gaze finally met his again, she stared into his shocked eyes.

"Why? I didn't know we could…god, Gabrielle…" He shook his head in disbelief.

"I'm afraid! I haven't killed someone since…for twenty years, Christian!" She exclaimed passionately. "The guilt of Jeff is in my head everyday! I'm afraid to feed, I know how it will turn out. I don't want to kill anyone….I know what will happen…"

"Gabrielle, you have to! Its what we are, you can’t - " He stopped. What could he do, force her to drink? No, she had her own way now, her own life. This was how she lived. If she didn't want to feed, so be it.

"I can't feed. I've gone longer than this without it…let me be?" She asked, innocently. He nodded, and she lay back down. He joined her.

"Talk to Edge tomorrow, at least. Explain what happened. He'll understand. He just doesn't like Kael, that’s all."

"Thank you for not being stupid." Gabrielle remarked, falling asleep in his arms. He smiled down at her, old feelings welling up, thinking maybe he hadn't lost her yet.

Gabrielle stormed down the hall and flung Edge's door open with a fury that not only woke him with a start, but scared him beyond belief for a brief second. Looking too the doorway and seeing Gabrielle walking quickly with heavy footsteps over to his bed, he relaxed a little. Edge soon realised he shouldn’t have relaxed so much as she grabbed his arms, pulling him up out of bed and making him stand. Rubbing his eyes once she let go of his wrists, he noticed the set, determined look on her face, and knew something important was going to transpire.

"You wake your ass up Edge, we’ve got a hell of a lot of talking to do." He shook his head as if trying to clear it, and began to make his way over the soft chairs by the draped window. Gabrielle stopped him, grabbing hold of his arm with surprising strength, preventing him from moving. "Stay right there. Don't move." He furrowed his brow in concentration. "I am going to tell you what I've been doing for the last twenty years, every last thing you need to know, every damn thing that you may have a problem with or find even remotely questionable, and you are going to stand there and listen without saying a word, got it?" Edge nodded, and Gabrielle began her narrative.

"Let's start at the beginning. Julie Andrews always said it was a very good place to start. That night I left you, I wandered Bourbon street, loving that open container law. I ended up pissed drunk in an alley, and the only thing that told me I had to move was the sun which decided to interrupt my sleep. I was nearly burned alive. Shows how great I can live alone. One night and I'm as good as dead. Luckily, there was a nice little backdoor that was left open. The next day, I hopped a Greyhound to Lafayette, spent a boring, lost year there before heading over to North Carolina. I stayed in Raleigh, fed on the locals and somehow met up with Matt and Melissa. God, how I wanted to be with him, just to recapture the past. He wanted me to stay. We spent weeks mooning over past days and he told me about Jeff's ashes in the wind, and how incomplete his requiem was. I cried for a few days, still feeling rightfully guilty about what I did. Then, brace yourself. If you didn't want me screwing Kael, you're sure as hell going to hate this. In some odd detached moment, we just comforted each other in the only way we hadn't yet. So, to make that long story shot, Melissa found out, and all hell broke loose. I left, even though Matt still wanted me to stay. I decided I'd be better off alone. To Toronto I headed, back home for some reason, and spent three years there. I think it was three years at least. I met this other vampire, Chris. After a brief affair with him, I realised that I was really meant to be alone. At least for the time. Chris just bugged the hell out of me, so I shipped off to Europe. Went aimlessly around France, Greece, you know, Edge, we should go to Crete sometime. Its perfect there. And I just went wherever else I ended up. Finally, 15 years or so later, I ended up in Wales. Travelled the whole place too, went everywhere I could. The last place was Cardiff. That’s where I saw Kael, and he convinced me to come back here and be with you again. After I made my decision, I was a mess. You have to understand I had been thinking and analysing every little thing for almost a full day. I needed

something, I needed comfort. So, we fucked. Yea, it was a mistake, but it was my favourite mistake. Oh, and while all of this was going on, I was battling the demons within that prevented me from feeding and actually killing. Its been a year since I've fed, Edge, but this isn't the longest I've gone. The whole time I was in Toronto, I didn't take a life. Sure, I fed, but that was only on Chris, and as Christian told me once, that’s exchanging not feeding." She signed heavily. "And that, in a nutshell and without a lot of detail, is my 20 years." Edge stood before her, trying to absorb all that had been asid. After a moment, he reached out and pulled her to his chest.

"You know what?" He asked, as she titled her head up. "As long as I have the old Gabrielle back, I'm fine." Gabrielle smiled forcefully. Was there even an old Gabrielle, as he put it, left, she thought.

"You know I'm not the same person that left you, right?" He smiled down at her.

"Of course you are." She frowned, but quickly put her head to his chest, so he couldn't see.

"Remember Evil Dead?" Gabrielle mused, sitting at the kitchen table with Edge, drinking coffee as always. He smiled.

"Of course I do…we never did finish watching it."

"There's lots we didn't finish." Gabrielle pointed out. A grin grew on his face.

"Think we should rent it again?" Gabrielle bit her lip in thought.

"Yea, we should. Why not?" she finished, tossing back the last bit of her coffee and rising to get another, seeing Christian standing in the doorway.

"Am I allowed to watch too?" He asked, speculatively. Edge glanced over at Gabrielle. She smiled and nodded.

"Well, as long as you don't mind the possibility of us leaving half way through…" Christian shook his head.

"The last week, Gabrielle, I've learned to tune you two out."

"Are we that bad?"" She asked innocently. He smirked.

"In one week, you've made up for twenty years. Not that there's a thing wrong with that, but - "

"But I think Christian wants some too." Edge said with a purely evil grin. Christian raised his eyebrows.

"Hardly, Edge. I can just go out on Bourbon and find someone else who wants me…" He crossed his arms and leaned against the counter. Gabrielle sighed.

"Christian, its not that I don't want you…" Edge raised a hand to silence her.

"She just wants me more." He said with a shrug. "That's all." Gabrielle shot him an annoyed glance.

"Shut up Edge. Christian, remember all the shit that happened last time?"

"Yea, but its diff - " She shook her head as Christian stopped speaking.

"You know it won't be. Don't even try."

"I know Gabrielle, but can't we just have meaningless sex?" Gabrielle regarded him with open shock.

"Christian, are you - " Edge lowered his head as Gabrielle turned to him, his hair falling over his face to conceal a grin.

"I'm perfectly serious. I mean, we're both consenting adults, and Edge could probably care less, as long as he gets to screw you whenever he pleases, so…" Her mouth gaping open, Gabrielle thought about what had been said. Edge whenever she wanted and Christian, no strings attached. It was worth considering.

"Edge?" She asked, pleadingly, wishing he would say something to sway her decision. He just raised his hands, an amused look on his face.

"Hey, don't look at me. Christian explained it perfectly. He's an evil little man." She sighed hopelessly.

"Well…..Christian, I think we need to talk. Edge, we're going out." Gabrielle said, dragging Christian out the front door.

"This table." Christian said simply, sitting across from her. They were in the Café Du Monde at their table outside in the false light of a street lamp.

"Yea…" Gabrielle said, smiling. "We had some of our most important, philosophical conversations here. And…" She stopped, lost in a memory.

"And?" He urged her to continue.

"You remember that one night in the alley across from here?" Christian smiled.

"How could I forget that." His gaze wondered over to the alley. He hadn't fed for two weeks. He did it only out of need, and that was becoming more frequent. But he knew Gabrielle almost never fed anymore. She saw the hunger in his eyes and felt her own.

"You can't repeat the past…" Christian contemplated out loud, knowing what she would say.

"Repeat the past? Of course you can." He chuckled.

"You still quote Fitzgerald as well as ever."

"Its not true anyway. We can't repeat it, but we can make it better."

"So you're saying…"

"I agree with a aforementioned proposition." Gabrielle said, formally, with a nod and a grin, running her tongue over her lips. "Hungry?"

They were in the alley, the dead body of the women they killed on the ground, buried amongst the garbage. Gabrielle stared expectantly at Christian, who was staring at the body on the ground. Gabrielle stepped forward and roughly pushed him back into the wall with a thud. Her mouth covered his in an instant, her hands sliding under his shirt. It took him a moment to react, but then he grabbed her waist and pulled her around to lean against the wall, angling his head to press his mouth harder against hers. Breaking away hesitantly, Christian drew back to look at her. Gabrielle's eyes were closed, and her head was titled back, recovering from his kiss. Christian loved her like this, the purely sensual being of his night, some 20 years ago. But he hadn’t thought of her like this for a long time. Growing impatient, Gabrielle snapped open her eyes and stared at him.

"You just gonna stand there?" He smirked, and drew her closer.

"Hell no. I'm going to fuck you I this alley until I have to carry you out. Then I'm going to take you home and fuck you some more." Gabrielle glanced around at the now dawn lit sky.

"Umm, mind if we skip to the last two parts? As much as I look forward to being fucked in an alley, I don't want to be burned alive at the same time." Leaning forward and stealing one last searing kiss, Christian put his arm around her shoulders and the walked quickly out of the alley, more than eager to get home.

The motorcycle ride home took Gabrielle back. Her and Christian had done it so many times, and now they were again. Gabrielle's arms wrapped tightly around Christian's waist, driving dangerously fast without helmets. The wind whipped his hair behind him, sending it cascading into Gabrielle's face in a rush of gold. Christian too missed their travels every morning back home after a night of philosophising and feeding. Now it was going to lead to what he wanted for years, what he dreamed of most. Being with Gabrielle.

Reaching the house, he pulled Gabrielle off the bike and bent his head, kissing her softly once more before leading her inside. Once there, jackets were thrown hastily on the floor, and after a quick survey of the living room and finding it empty, they tumbled down on the couch, Christian laying over Gabrielle. He started down at her face, and the play of the shadows from the dimly lit room. She didn't look like the pale fragile young girl who had left, she was changed, but he didn’t know how. His thoughts drifted from the past to the present as Gabrielle pulled his head down, kissing him eagerly, begging him for more. This time, he didn't hold back.

Kael opened the door to the house slowly, knowing when it squeaked and trying to avoid noise. He vaguely wondered why he came back. Her name danced through his head. Gabrielle. That was why he came back. Stepping in the hall way, his ear was drawn to the sounds coming from the living room. Swinging his head around, he saw Christian on the couch, and sure as hell heard Gabrielle, obviously beneath him. He leaned back against the doorframe and watched, hearing a muffled whisper from Gabrielle, and saw Christian crane his head around in surprise.

"Don't stop on my account." Kael said, a slight smile on his face. When it was made clear he wasn't welcome by Christian's dark glares, he turned to leave, then heard Gabrielle shout out for him, pushing Christian off.

"Kael?" She yelled enthusiastically. "Kael, what the hell?" Kael turned around and was greeted by a much less than fully clothed Gabrielle flinging her arms around his neck. He chuckled and pushed her away.

"Gabby love, go back to Christian." He motioned towards Christian, who was watching them impatiently.

"But, Kael, you're - " He pushed her back to Christian.

"Finish Christian off. I'll be upstairs in my room." She glanced questioningly at him.

"Your room?"

"Well, what's yours is mine." Kael finished, turning back to the hall and walking up the stairs quietly. He didn't want to confront Edge.

"Gabrielle, you can't just leave like that, I mean, right in the middle of - "

"Be quiet, Christian." She responded, pushing him back down on the couch, straddling him, and roughly kissing him without a shred of self containment.

Edge sat upstairs in his room, wondering why the door had opened and shut twice. He knew Gabrielle and Christian were home, probably glued to each other downstairs, but they hadn't left. The sun was almost up. He heard the shuffle of heavy boots, trying to be quiet in the hall outside his room. He couldn’t pick up any thoughts, or images from them, but it wasn't Gabrielle or Christian. He door to Gabrielle's room squeaked open, and shut with a snap. It couldn't be anyone else. Edge stood up, opened his door, and rushing into the room. There was the intruder, as far as Edge was concerned.

"Kael, you fuck. I thought we got rid of you for good." Kael spun around and saw Edge.

"No Edge, you can't get rid of me that easily." Kale said, smoothly, feeling slightly nervous around a man who tried to kill him once. Edge stood still in the doorway as Kael walked slowly over to the bed and threw himself down, resting his arms behind his head. "Do you really think the sun would kill me? I mean, locking the door so I couldn’t get in was brilliant, Edge, I'll give you that, but it sure as hell didn't do me in." He turned his head slowly in Edge's direction, sighing with boredom. "You know how many times I've been left for dead? Know how many times I've died? Same as you. Once. Good try though, really. I applaud you." Kael added sarcastically, clapping. Edge glared at him with anger and hatred.

"Get out of this house." He commanded through clenched teeth. Kael glared back just as hard.

"No, you see, Gabby wants me here, so here I shall stay." He said with a shrug. "You should have seen the warm reception she gave me." He beamed proudly. "Even stopped fucking Christian to hang all over me."

"You're a liar. She doesn't want you here. She doesn't care about you."

"Edge, I'm afraid its just the opposite. Did she tell you all about our few fun days in Cardiff?" Kael asked with a smirk.

"It was one night! Don't - "

"One night?!" Kael spit out, laughing. "It was not one night! It was a good bloody week!"

"Bullshit! It was one night, you - " Kael raised a hand for Edge to stop.

"I suggest we act all gooey and happy for a moment, because she's coming up the stairs. Don't want trouble in paradise." He finished as Gabrielle flung open the door, and seeing Kael on the bed, ran and leapt on top of him.

"Kael, what are you doing here? You were gonna go to Blackpool, and - " She paused, screaming with joy, "What the hell are you doing here?" He glanced at Edge with smug grin, then turned his attention to Gabrielle, grinning down at him.

"Gabby, not gonna say hi to Edge?" Kael asked her, nodding his head in Edge's direction. She looked around to see that she had just passed Edge in the doorway, and blushed a little.

"Hi Edge…sorry about not seeing you there…you know, I get to see you all the time, and I can jump you whenever I want. I don't even know how long Kael's here for." Edge's eyes hardened and he clenched his jaw.

"I'll be in my room." He said, coldly, walking off with out so much as a look back.

"What's up with him?" Gabrielle asked Kael, who shrugged.

"He's yours, I don't know what's wrong…moody bastard." He mumbled. Gabrielle playfully slapped his chest.

"He's not. Anyway, what are you doing here?" He squired beneath her.

"Get off and maybe I'll tell." She smirked.

"But I don't want to." He rolled his eyes.

"Gabby, Christian just finished with you downstairs, and now you want me? Now wonder they're both so tired and moody." Gabrielle grinned widely at him, not moving.

"Wanna join the ranks?"

"Not right now, love. Don't you want to know why I'm here?" He asked, looking hurt and pushing her off. Gabrielle scooted up to rest against the headboard beside him.

"I know why." She said simply.

"Oh really?" She nodded, but remained silent. "Well, are you going to tell the rest of us?"

"Nah, you pushed me off. You'll get nothing, and you'll enjoy it." Kael resting his head in his hand, propping his elbow up on the pillow, sighing tiredly, if not over exaggeratedly.

"What must I do to get it out of you?" Gabrielle raised an eyebrow.

"What ever you're willing to do…aw, screw it, I'm too tired. I'll share with you my amazing and vast knowledge." He looked speculatively at her, and started to say something, which she knew would be utterly sarcastic and rude. "Shut up, Kael." He sighed again, and looked expectantly at her.

"So, enlighten me, oh wise one." Gabrielle grinned proudly, and began.

"After Cardiff, you were lonely. One week with me warped your fragile little mind. You couldn't function without me. Nothing was as it should have been, your world was turned upside-down. You, " she paused for dramatic effect, "Cannot live without me." Upon finishing, she expected him to erupt into laugher, almost shocked when he didn’t. "You're not laughing…"

"No, Gabby, I'm not." What the hell was that supposed to mean, her mind screamed. "Why the hell would I laugh?"

"Cause I was joking…" She answered slowly. In a rare moment of seriousness, he took her hand and stared straight into her eyes.

"I know, but its true. I don't know what it was in Cardiff, but, god I can't help it." Gabrielle searched his eyes for some glimmer of humour, an indication that he was joking. He had to be. "You can't be with them, Gabby, you cannot. You've changed, even I know that, but they can't see it. They expect the same sweet innocent Gabrielle as before."

"Christian's changed…Edge had too - "

"Then why did Edge get so mad about Cardiff? Why did he get so defensive when I mentioned it?"

"He…" Gabrielle searched for something to say, but there was nothing.

"He can't stand anyone other than himself or possibly Christian being with you. He doesn’t know you've changed…He still thinks you can't think for yourself… He hasn't let go of the old you." Gabrielle swore under her breath. Why did Kael always have to be right?

"What can I do about it?" She asked, hopelessly, thinking.

"Well, if you want, I can try and talk to them…I was the one who brought it up, and - "

"No, Kael, I'm going to take care of this myself. I’ll make Edge see how much I've changed…I'll find some way…"

"You sure? I mean, I can talk to them, if you need help or anything, I’d be glad to - " Gabrielle just smiled at him, and lay down next to him.

"I know. I'll do it, Kael. Thanks." Gabrielle fixed her eyes on the ceiling then closed them. She felt a hot breath sear her cheek, and upon opening her eyes, she stared into Kael's.

"The suns up." He remarked nonchalantly.

"And?"

"I'm going to sleep." Kael told her, not moving.

"So sleep."

"Where?"

"Idiot. Here."

"Oh." He rested his head on her shoulder, and she couldn't help but wonder if he was actually going to sleep. "Gabby, love?" He asked, whispering directly in her ear.

"What Kael?"

"You should get something pierced. You don’t' even have your ears done…"

"Tomorrow Kael. Go to sleep."

"What you gonna get done? Something hidden?" Kael asked, rolling over and burying his head in her shoulder.

"Only if you get the same place done." Gabrielle responded, tiredly, unconsciously moving closer to him.

"Fine." He flocked his tongue quickly out and over her shoulder, making her shiver. "But then I get to pick."

"Great. Sleep Kael."

"Nite pet."

"Goodnight, babe."

"Did you see who's back?" Christian commented, walking into Edge's room. "I thought we got rid of him."

"No." Edge responded grimly, sitting by the window. Christian took chair across from him.

"He's with Gabrielle, isn't it?"

"They spent a week together in Wales, Christian. A week." Christian frowned in thought, coming to the same conclusion as Edge. "He's got her in a thrall, that has to be it. Why would she be with him?"

"I don't know. She can't be acting of her own will. She's not herself." Christian told Edge of his noticed change in Gabrielle.

"She hasn't been the same since she came back." He sighed. "I've already made it clear to Kael that he's not welcome in this house anymore, but he didn't listen. What are we supposed to do if she wants him here?" Christian looked out the window, then back at his brother.

"We'll just have to make him leave. Like before."

"Kael, wake up!" Gabrielle whined, sitting up next to a still sleeping Kael. She had waited half an hour already, and was impatient. Kael mumbled something and rolled away from her. "No, Kael, get up!" She yelled grabbing his arm and pulling him around to face her.

"Bloody hell, Gabby, let me sleep."

"No, you already had sleep. You don't need anymore." He moaned and finally opened his eyes.

"God, I've missed seeing you in the morning." Gabrielle smiled at his words, and leaned over him.

"Wanna go somewhere?"

"Gabby, I'm too tired - go downstairs and putter about with the other men in the house while I wake up, will you?"

"Yea, I guess. I owe Christian an explanation about last night…but will you get up?" She asked, thinking he probably wouldn't.

"I know, I know." He thought for a moment. "Half an hour, right love? Then we’ll go and - wait, why the hell do you want to go out?" Gabrielle rose off the bed, a sly grin on her face.

"Remember this morning when you said I should get something pierced?" Kael's eyes opened wider and he sat up hurriedly.

"You've decided then?" She nodded. "Where?"

"Its gonna be a surprise. You'll find out when I make you get one in the same place."

"You realise that just ruled out a lot of places…" She shrugged.

"And the sooner you get up, the sooner we get to play." Gabrielle finished, turning and walking out of the room.

"Gabby, don't leave me hanging here…" He heard her sharp laughter from halfway down the hall.

"I doubt you'll be hanging…"

"Shit…" Kael swore under his breath, watching her walk down the hall. "How am I supposed to wait that long?"

Kael sat in an uncomfortable chair in the front of the tattoo and piercing place Gabrielle had dragged him into. She in the back, in the curtained off area, where he couldn't see what was going on. She assured him he'd love it. Alternating between glancing nervously at the people walking by, and trying to peer into the small back room, Kael, though he wouldn’t never admit it, was on edge.

"Its just a hole through my body," he told himself quietly, "Its not going to be the death of me." He nearly leapt to his feet when the curtain was drawn back, and Gabrielle stepped out. Kael rushed over to her, grabbing her shoulders and looking intently at her face. Nothing. Ears. Nothing. "Gabby, where is it?" He asked raking his hand through his hair. "Your tongue?" she shook her head. "Hell, Gabs, where is it?"

"You'll see soon enough. Now its time to get yours done." Gabrielle responded, pulling him behind the curtain.

"My what?"

"Sit." She commanded, pointing to the slightly reclined chair. A woman stood beside it, pulling on gloves. She looked up at Gabrielle.

"Does he know?" Gabrielle shook her head.

"He will soon. Do your work."

"Kael, your name is?"

"yea…" He responded, trying to hide the nervousness in his voice.

"Alright Kael, take off your shirt." He stared in shock first at the woman, then at Gabrielle.

"I'm not - "

"If you don't do it, I'll do it for you." Gabrielle moved close, starting to tug at his black T-shirt. He pulled away, grumbling.

"Alright, alright." He mumbled, pulling it over his head and tossing it at Gabrielle. "Wanna tell me now?"

"Fine. Well, telling you doesn't have the same effect. I'll show you." She said, yanking her black shirt up, almost over her head. Kael stared in awe at the glint of a silver ring coming from her left nipple.

"Bugger all…" He remarked quietly. "That hurt?" She shook her head.

"Not a bit. Now get yours done. You promised." Gabrielle pulled her shirt down as she reminded him of the promise he had made. He laughed, his gaze torn between Gabrielle to the sharp object in the woman's hand.

"So I get to have something sharp thrust through a very sensitive area of my body?" Gabrielle smirked.

"Right now." He bit his lip, then shrugged happily.

"Fine. Pierce me."

Five minutes later, he was sitting, still in the chair, flicking his finger over the ring, smiling proudly.

"I like it." Kael said, looking over at Gabrielle to see her reaction.

"Its nice Kael…" She said back, laughingly. "I like it too."

"Good." She tossed him back his shirt. Kael looked over at her, eyes dark with evil intentions. "Shall we go home and play with the new accessories?" Gabrielle grinned back, with thoughts just as evil.

"We shall."

Christian stepped into the living room and saw just whom he had hoped to see. Gabrielle sat curled up against the couch, wet hair falling annoyingly in her face as she eagerly read an old Terry Moore comic.

"He's so fucking brilliant, Christian." She remarked as Christian sat beside her. "So brilliant." Gabrielle folded the comic shut and tossed iot on the table, pushing her hair out of her eyes. Half of it was dry and all of it formed a giant mass of brown, obstructing much of her face, save for the golden eyes, peeking out from between strands.

"Why is your hair still wet?" She almost laughed at his question, thinking he might be joking, but he wasn't.

"I had a shower a few minutes ago…" She spoke aloud, adding silently With Kael and smiling to herself.

"But you always dry it…"

"Kael was…umm, he needed the bathroom, and - " Christian cut her off by nodding and she was thankful he didn't care for the truth in this instance.

"Gabrielle, wanna go out tonight?"

"I was going out with - " She looked down and bit her lip. Christian didn't like Kael, and he certainly didn't want to hear it, she knew, and made her decision craftily. "At about 11, okay? I've got things to do. But I will go out with you."

"I was just asking, cause its been a week since we’ve been together, and I figured, you know…" He said softly, drawing closer and resting an arm around her shoulder, trailing off as his lips met hers in a hungry kiss, somewhat stunning her. After a few moments, Christians hands began to roam under her shirt and Gabrielle pushed him back.

"Christian, I'm not in the mood right now…" She finished as Kael, shirtless and running a towel over his wet hair, walked into the room, ignoring the dirty look from Christian, and stretched out on the loveseat, clicking on the television. It wasn't until Christian cleared his throat that Kael glanced over at the two on the couch.

"What, am I interrupting you two again?" Christian started to say something in response, but was cut off by Gabrielle.

"No!" She spoke too quickly and eagerly. "We were just talking about tonight…"

"Oh." Kael said simply. "But we're going out, Gabby."

"No, I'm going out with Christian." She told him, loudly. "Kael, come upstairs and…and help me find something to wear. I'm going out to the club with Christian…" She reiterated her point, kissing Christian swiftly on the cheek, then rising and walking to the doorway, waiting for Kael. He flashed a grin at Christian before taking Gabrielle's hand and following her upstairs.

"You're going out with Christian?" Kael asked, pouting at Gabrielle as she riffled through the closet. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Kael, I've gone out with you every night this week. Remember how I left Christian last week? I think he deserves an outing with me for tonight."

"Maybe, but where does that leave me?" Kael asked with desperation, moving up behind her.

"I don't know, go somewhere by yourself." Gabrielle retorted, trying to push him off as he wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her shoulder.

"But I'll be alone. All alone. You've still got an hour…c'mon Gabby, just come to the bar with me…then come right back and go out with Christian…" She sighed and weighed her options, then leaned back into Kael's embrace.

"Alright, but only for a bit." He spun her around, grinning.

"Can I pick your clothes?" She rolled her eyes.

"So I can look like a bargain basement slut? Well, sure!" she said, sarcastically. He just pushed past her and began looking for the smallest, darkest things in her wardrobe.

Four hours at the bar had passed and Gabrielle raced her bike back home. She had forgot about Christian. Kael, damn his gorgeous hide, hadn’t bothered to remind her. She hoped Christian hadn't left. There was a light on in the house, in the living room, and she concluded it had to be him. Breathlessly bolting through the door, she ran into the living room and saw only Edge on the couch.

"He's already gone Gabrielle. Two hours ago. He got tired of waiting." She sighed and walking into the room, falling down beside him.

"Damn. Well, what am I supposed to do now?" She turned to look at him. "You going out?"

"Nope. Hadn't planned on it."

"Fuck this then, I'm going to bed. Nite Edge." Gabrielle walked out of the room, dimly aware of Edge asking if he could some, at some cheap attempt to cheer her up, which didn't work. The second her head hit the pillow, she heard the door open, and shut, followed by the roar of a motorcycle engine barrelling out of the driveway.

"Damn him" she swore. Edge had gone out, and left. She was alone.

Gabrielle stared up at the dark ceiling of her room, laying on her bed. Kael wasn’t home yet, Edge was gone, and as far as she knew, Christian was still out. Her door opened, and he heard heavy breathing, but couldn't sense who it was. Rolling over slowly, expecting Kael, Gabrielle was startled to see Christian. But he didn’t look like himself.

"Bitch…" he slurred, stumbling into the room.

"Christian…" Gabrielle blinked at him in concern, noticing his drunkenness. "You've been drinking…" Christian walked over to the bed and stood over it, swaying.

"So? Kael can put back as much as he wants and you wouldn't say a word."

"Christian, go lay down." She pleaded, sitting up.

"No, Gabrielle." He told her, grinning menacingly while climbing onto the bed. "I'm not going to listen to you. Not this time." He pulled her down and roughly straddled her.

"Don't Christian, please go. You don't know what you're doing…"

"Hell, I know what I'm doing. I'm going to fuck a little slut." Gabrielle winced at the words. Even if he was drunk, they still hurt. "You think you can get away with everything? Screwing everyone in his house?" He chuckled under his breath, grabbing her arms and pinning them above her head. Gabrielle squirmed and he responded by leaning his head down and roughly, bruisingly kissing her. He pulled back, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth, staring down. "Little fucking slut…don't even know what you're doing is wrong. Just wait until your precious Kael gets it."

"What?" Gabrielle said sharply, staring up at him. Christian smiled crudely.

"Kael's gonna die." He told her nonchalantly, sliding down her body, ineptly fumbling with her clothes and his while Gabrielle still tried weakly to fight him off without success. It was more shock than fear that began to paralyse her. She couldn’t believe Christian would do this, force himself on top of her. Gabrielle closed her eyes as she felt his skin against hers. If she closed her eyes, it could be someone else. It was Kael, or Edge. Except she knew it was Christian. One hand still pinned hers above her head as his other hand came up and clumsily cupped a breast before deciding against all foreplay. As he entered her roughly, she told her self she should hate it…but he had always felt so good inside her, on top of her. Christian wanted it to hurt, thrusting unyieldingly hard. He took her soft, almost silent screams for screams of pain because that’s what he wanted them to be. As he came and rolled off of her, she said nothing, but started to weep for not trying to stop it, and for knowing she would only forgive him tomorrow. Standing up, Christian took

one last look at her, and swiftly backhanded her, leaving a red blotch on her cheek, soon wet with tears. Gabrielle rolled over, shaking and clutching the blankets around her, tuning out Christians last words, said incoherently as he slammed the door shut. Staring at the darkened wall, she lay dangerously alone with her thoughts until she heard the door open again. Not wanted to see who it was, afraid to see who it would be this time, Gabrielle remained still as the heavy boots fell across the floor. She heard a jacket being thrown on the chair, and knew it was Kael. Still, she couldn't turn around to face him.

Kael saw Gabrielle on the bed unclothed, clutching the blankets around her and wondered if she was cold. He heard a sob and quickly covered the distance between them, reaching out to make her turn.

"Gabby…what is it?" He asked, not bothering to take off his clothes and laying on the bed beside her, pulling her towards him.

"Christian…" Gabrielle whispered in a voice that was strained, shameful and tired. "He…"

"What?" Kael prodded. Gabrielle couldn't say it. she didn't want to say it. Instead, she sent Kael a mental image of what had happened. In a second, he was on his feet and at the door.

"That bastard! How could he?" Kael roared. "I'll kill that fucker!"

"No!" Gabrielle screamed, half sitting up. "No, Kael…please… He didn't mean too. Please…" Kael saw the need on her face, and felt it within her. Christian could wait. Gabrielle needed him. "Don't hurt him Kael…" She pleaded in a small voice as Kael lay down and drew her to him again. She rested her head on his chest, looking up at him. "He didn't know what he was doing Kael…He's been drinking…he didn't mean it.." Her words were more to reassure herself then tell him. He nodded, stroking her hair, pulling her closer when she started to cry again

"Gabrielle, its okay. Don't worry love. It'll be okay." In his mind, Kael plotted a confrontation with Christian, and wondered why the hell he would ever rape her.

"Kael…Christian told me something….they're going to kill you…" Gabrielle said warily. He clenched his jaw. It won't be the first time, he thought.

"Gabby, don't worry about me…go to sleep." With that, Kael resolved someone would die for their sins, but it wouldn't be him.

Edge flung the door to the house aside, a cold wind blowing in behind him. He felt Gabrielle's pain. He knew Christian was behind it. Edge stood in the hall, searching mentally for his brother, stalking into the kitchen when he found him sitting at the table, head cradled in his arms. Quickly,. Edge walked over, grabbing a handful of Christian hair, pulling his head up.

"What the fuck did you do to her?" He shouted, waking Christian, if not succeeding in sobering him up. He started at Edge without remembrance, and Edge only jerked his head back more. "What did you do to Gabrielle?" Christian clenched his eyes shut with pain, barely able to remember a thing.

"Edge - " Christian pleaded with him to release his grip, eyes watering. "I - I can't remember!"

"You raped her! You goddamn little - Why?" Christian winced as Edge pulled him up out of the chair, twisting his hair painfully.

"I…What?"

"Raped her!" Edge told him, yelling furiously. "Why, Christian? She loved you as much as anyone, more even! Why would you do it?" Christian met his brothers gaze with confusion. He remembered going into Gabrielle's room, but nothing after. He couldn't even remember how he got in the kitchen.

"Edge, let me go! I don't remember!"

"You're telling me you don't remember what happened an hour ago?" His grip began to loosen, and Christian relaxed a bit.

"No…I went out drinking and…" Edge let go. Christian rubbed the back of his head, and dropped to the chair. Edge sat beside him.

"You don't remember at all?" Christian shook his head and stared down at the table, trying to think.

"I know I went into her room…" He told Edge slowly, "But the rest is a haze… How did you know?" Edge frowned.

"I felt it…her pain. I was in the club and I could feel her being…violated." Christian shuddered.

"I'm..I didn't mean to…"

"Tell her that." Edge said, coldly, rising from the table. "But you know you've already been forgiven." Christian looked at him as he left, turning around to add one last thought. "And you know we're both only second to Kael."

Kael woke up with Gabrielle still in his arms, the blankets strewn around the bed. The left side of her face was bruised and dry tears left streaks down her face, reminders of what had happened. Looking further down her body, Kael saw her hips were bruised. 'I should have beat the bugger senseless when I had the chance.' He thought. There was no need, no point in what had been done. Kael couldn't understand Christian's motivation. But he knew he wanted to kill him for it. Gabrielle shouldn't be put through such pain. It was needless. Waking up in a haze, Gabrielle at once thought of Christian, as he had been the night before. Rough, drunken, abusive. He'd never been like that towards her before. Breaking into sobs at the thought, she clung to Kael.

"What the hell did I do to him?" She wailed. "What did I do?"

"Gabby, nothing. Love, you did nothing. He wasn't himself…He didn't know what he was doing, you said so - "

"No!" She screamed, lifting her head. "You don't get it, do you? I did something! People don't just rape people for no reason Kael! He said…He said I was a slut…Kael?" He frowned. "He talked about how I screw everyone, but I don't - "

"You don't understand why you have to play by mortal rules?" Gabrielle again raised her tear-streaked face, and met his blue eyes, nodding. "But you know, and that’s enough." He drew her closer, kissing her bedraggled hair. "Tell him then. Tell Christian, if you need to, tell Edge. Tell them how you feel about this. It’s the only way."

"Will you be there?"

"Gabby, they want to kill me."

"But I need you there. I can't do it without. You make me strong…"

"Sh. I was there for you in Cardiff, and I'm here now."

"What if they hate me?"

"They love you."

"What if they don't understand?"

"Then we can move out."

"But - "

"Don't think anymore, love. You're giving me a headache. Go to sleep."

"It just that - "

"Gabby, I love you, but go to sleep. You need rest." She sighed, and put her head down on his chest.

"You really mean it?"

"What?"

"That you love me?" He was silent for a moment, thinking.

"Of course. Now sleep."

"I love you too Kael." Gabrielle told him in a small, childlike voice. But he didn't hear. He was already sleeping.

"Go." Kael said, standing at the top of the stairs, Gabrielle standing before him. "Go talk to Christian." She bit her lip and hesitated.

"What if I need you?" She whispered. He took her face in his hands, bringing his head closer.

"I’ll be right here. Just talk to me…" He said, kissing her forehead, "In here. You know how." Gabrielle closed her eyes, then nodded, turning and walking down the stairs.

It seemed to be an impossibly long walk. Gabrielle knew Christian was in the kitchen, and she had to talk with him. It had been three days since he violently took her, and they hadn't spoken since. Standing in the hallway, she could see him, head pressed against the glass, looking outside, dragging his finger idly down the windowpane. When she walked into the kitchen, he looked up and his eyes grew guilty. Neither spoke. Gabrielle sat on the cushioned seat beneath the window beside him, staring out at the blackness of night. Christian occasionally broke his gaze outside to look at her, then drew his eyes reluctantly back out.

'Kael, help me.' Gabrielle silently pleaded with him. 'What do I say?' 'Tell him what you think, ask him what you want to know' came his mental response. Building up courage through silence, Gabrielle drew a deep breath.

"Do you hate me, Christian?" She asked quietly in a small, almost scared voice. He turned his head from the window to look at her, but he couldn't look into her eyes without guilt. He stared to say no, but stopped himself. Did he hate her? He didn't know. She was different, much different that before. Could he still love her the same, he wondered?

"Gabrielle…" That was it. He didn't know what else he could say. Nothing worked, no words rang true. They were all hollow, dead and meaningless. Christian kept his gaze fixed downward.

"Look at me…" She pleaded, a stray tear shining in her eye. Why won't he look at me? She asked herself over and over. Slowly, he brought his head up, and at long last saw her eyes, her face, and hated not her, but himself. Still, words that came so easily before seemed to have fled his mind. He could say nothing. By her eyes, he knew he was forgiven. In his own mind, he was guilty as sin. He shouldn’t be forgiven, he knew. He could never forgive himself for something so severe, so earth-shatteringly cruel. Gabrielle looked at him with fear in her eyes, fear and forgiveness. His own eyes glazed over with tears, blurring his vision, Christian rose and left the room, out the front door into the refreshing, somehow alive coolness of the dark.

Gabrielle sat, head pressed against the cool glass, weeping again for what she deemed a lost love. 'Kael,' She called in her mind, not being able to voice her need, 'He left me…'. At once, he was by her side, then she was engulfed in his arms. Neither noticed Christian had re-entered the house, standing in the doorway. He watched Gabrielle in Kael's arms, heard Kael's sweet comforting words to her, and wanted it all to go away. Christian wanted her back, wanted everything to be as it was before, before she went away, before Kael, before anything happened.

"He hates me…" Christian heard Gabrielle say painfully to Kael. "I don't want to stay here…" Kael told her to be quiet, garnering more sobs. Turning his head, he saw Christian in the doorway.

"Do not go near her Christian. Leave her alone. Don't you dare speak to her." Kael hissed through clenched teeth at Christian, who with one last look, left the house and sped off into the night, unsure of his destination.

Edge stalked into the house and headed for the kitchen, intent on a sandwich until his stomach turned at the site before him. Kael was cradling Gabrielle in his arms, comforting her. Kael looked up at Edge and grimaced.

"Your bother, " He whispered, "won’t even speak to her. He’s left her shattered, and didn’t do a damn thing about it afterwards." Edge shook his head.

"What am I supposed to do about that?" He whispered back harshly. "Christian has his own mind." Kael scoffed.

"I’d like to know what the hell was on his mind half an hour ago, or even three days ago." Edge walked closer, grabbing a chair from the table and sitting down to face Kael.

"He didn’t say a word to her?" Kael shook his head.

"He said her name, that was it. He won’t even look at the poor girl." Edge frowned deeply.

"Its guilt…that’s all."

"Well, its crushed her." Kael retorted matter-of-factly, pulling Gabrielle closer. "And she’s been able to put together a coherent thought or even a sentence fragment since. Her mind was fragile enough and now…" He sighed. "Who knows." Edge looked thoughtful.

"What do you mean by all that?"

"I’ve seen it happen before, mate. It won’t be the first time. Its in her eyes…her brain." Edge looked at Gabrielle’s pain worn face, seeing an almost blank look in her eyes.

"Is there anything we can do? Anything at all?"

"Take care of her. We have to take care of her the best we can, Edge. But there's nothing we can do."

"So…she’s insane?" Kael snapped his head around, and his eyes burned into Edge’s.

"Don’t you ever say that, Edge, never. She’s fragile, she’s not insane. No one ever goes insane. They fade away, but they do not go insane, remember that, and don’t ever think of saying it again."

"But….Kael, she’ll get better, right?" Edge asked with hesitant hopefulness, reaching out to stroke her hair as she nestled into Kael’s arms.

"She’s strong. I don’t know what else to tell you. You should take her to bed. She needs to sleep with someone more familiar for a while." Edge tried to suppress a smirk as Kael put Gabrielle on her feet, and Edge took her hand. She looked up at him, rubbing her eyes.

"I’m tired Edge."

"I know," He responded, leading her up the stairs. "We can sleep, Gabrielle."

"Good." She told him smiling innocently. "It’s been so long."

The bar on the Chartres was noisily crowded for the early night. Christian had brought Gabrielle here some time ago to drown her sorrows, and now he brought himself for the very same reason. He sat at the farthest stool watching the couples dancing, couples touching, couples drinking and hated himself. Of course, there was only one way to drown self hatred in New Orleans and that was drink until you couldn’t feel your pain, or at least until you could pretend it wasn’t there. He figured no one had noticed him, that he blended in, but he didn’t notice the girl watching him from the stool across the bar. Aspen had been trying to catch his eye all night. She knew he was a vampire, but not just any vampire, he was the one she had been waiting for.

Gabrielle dextrously pulled herself out of the window and climbed up the roof, where Edge was perched. The stars were out in full brightness and as she leaned her head on his shoulder, she silently pointed out their star. He smiled and rested his chin on her head.

"Hi." Gabrielle spoke, in an innocent voice, too innocent to suit her. Edge didn’t respond, but pulled her closer, warming her against the cold of the spring wind. Gabrielle and Edge sat silent, watching the stars roll across the sky, unmindful of time or other people walking below, or any other inconsequential things. Before dawn hit the sky, Gabrielle spoke in the last minutes of darkness.

"See that star there? The brightest one?" She pointed at an almost blindingly white star that he was sure wasn’t there before.

"Uh-huh?" she sighed and moved closer to Edge.

"I know who hung it there."

As the stars gave way to the first orange-pink colours of day, Gabrielle and Edge climbed back in the house through the window, and as the curtains were shut, retreated into the comforting arms of one another again. They were once again drawn to each other through madness and love. Before drifting off into sleep, Edge thought the star, and what she meant.

"Gabrielle, who hung the star?" She raised her head from his chest, and shot him an odd look.

"Christian, of course. He made the sky."

As Aspen watched Christian devour drink after drink she thought of why she dragged her ass from New York to New Orleans. Christian remained hunched over his many empty glasses, not looking up at all, which bothered her. How was she supposed to get his attention if he wasn’t even looking? Frustrated, she slammed down her own glass and made her way through the crowd to the empty stool beside Christian. Aspen straightened her black silk dress, and put a fake smile on, causally leaning against the bar. Christian still didn’t look up.

"Can I sit here?" She asked sweetly. He shrugged half-heartedly, and mumbled a response. "Pardon?"

"I said I don’t care." He reiterated, turning his head slightly. Aspen, continuing to smile, boosted herself up on the seat, leaning near him and still string to catch his attention. Seeing that inadvertent means weren’t working, Aspen opted for the more direct approach.

"I’m Aspen." She said, sticking her hand annoyingly in his face.

"Wonderful." He grumbled, hunching down lower over the bar.

"And you are?" Sighing deeply, Christian turned in his seat and despite the hair covering his face, stared into her eyes with a piercing glare, letting her know she was unwelcome on this particular night.

"Look, I don’t care what the hell you want, but leave me alone. I’ve got too many problems with the dead, and damned if I need to be hated by the living too. Go home. You’re not wanted here." Aspen’s heart stopped at the sadness in his voice coupled with the coldness of his eyes. There had to be something she could do. He was the one she came for. She couldn’t lose him.

"I just wanted to – "

"No, go away. Maybe come back when I’m not dead-set on being too drunk to think, and to maybe come up with an excuse for my behaviour. Hear me? Leave." His voice rose continually with anger and not a trace of sadness was left. Aspen backed away reluctantly, muttering under her breath too soft for him to hear that he was the one. He would fulfil the destiny her dreams had brought her. He would be hers, and she would be his.

Gabrielle woke up with the taste of Edge’s blood still in her mouth, but he wasn't there. The sun was casting small rays of light through the curtains, almost blinding her. Looking around the room quickly, frightened, Gabrielle saw Edge wasn’t there. Scrambling up against the headboard, she clutched her knees to her chest, trying to find Edge mentally. After a mere second, she gave up in desperation and began screaming his name. In an instant, he rushed into the doorway, looking questioningly at her. Gabrielle stared at him with hurt eyes.

"You left me Edge…the sun is here and you left…" She whimpered softly as Edge came to the bed, pulling her into his arms. Her fear of the sun had come to fruition and increased in the weeks after Christian had left. She couldn’t be left alone while it was out. Not even Kael understood why. Edge stared down at Gabrielle, once again peaceful and calm in his arms, and desperately wanted to understand why she was like this. It wasn’t just the fear of the sun, she constantly spoke of incomprehensible things, of Christian, of dreams of blood, and death. Christian had been back a week ago to get some of his things, and shocked his brother with his audacity. He brought the other girl to the house, stood with her in front of Gabrielle, and it crushed her so completely beyond all semblance of sanity. Terrible mood swings plagued Gabrielle constantly, and she refused to feed. Nothing was the same. Kael insisted on protecting her from everything. He kept her in when night feel, tried to keep her happy, and had more patience than Edge when she babbled incoherently. He had been through it before with someone he loved, Edge knew. He also know what had freed Kael's past lover from her insanity, and knew neither of them had the strength to do it. No one would kill her. If she wanted death, which she spoke of increasingly as of late, she would have to do it herself, but neither Edge nor Kael wanted that. Edge remembered the night before, when he had force fed her. It helped keep her normal even if it didn’t last for very long. Sighing, he lay down on the bed, still holding Gabrielle and as the sun slowly began its descent, Edge finally slept, listening to Gabrielle’s voice whisper beside him.

Kael sat in the living room in darkness, thinking about himself, Gabrielle, and Edge. At least he and Edge were slightly getting along, if only for Gabrielle’s sake. Kael had patiently explained to him at the first signs of Gabrielle’s deterioration that if they didn’t co-operate with each other, she would only get worse. He told Edge about someone in his past, leaving out names and places, who had gone insane, became ‘fragile’ as he said, to a point where only death would help. Once it went that far, Kael told Edge, death was the only pure, beautiful conclusion of a great passion.

Christian smiled falsely at Aspen, who settled back in his arms on the couch of her apartment, the apartment they now shared. His mind drifted past the movie on the flickering screen to wondering why he was with her at all. Aspen, he had come to learn quickly, wanted only immortality from him. Since childhood she claimed to have had dreams with Christian in them, and he always made her into a vampire. For Aspen, the relationship they shared was an allusion to the immortality she would no doubt gain. For Christian, Aspen distracted him from his thoughts of Gabrielle, from his own hatred and from the twisted thoughts his head entertained of stealing Gabrielle away from the house and doing exactly what Edge had done 20 years before. It was what had driven her away in the first place, but Christian couldn’t help but hold out hope for a small affair to end his life with Gabrielle, a small token to take away.

He came back to me, but he was with someone else. Another girl. A mortal. I don’t know her, but Christian’s her star now. He didn’t talk to me, and I stood with Kael and Edge talked and the girl stared at me. Her hair is like the sky just before it hurts. Christian moved out and it’s because of her. I’m supposed to hate Christian. Except I don’t, but he must hate me. He didn’t talk to me…he never does. I think it’s been weeks since he left, but I don’t know. Kael keeps me inside, never lets me out. When Christian left I wondered if the stars would still be there. They are, but they don’t stand out anymore. Only one does, right before the sun. It’s Christian’s. Even Edge’s star isn’t as bright. At night, I look at the stars. What would I do if they went away? I’d find something else to do, except Kael doesn’t let me do anything. He told me it was dangerous to go out. I don’t have a star with him. I met him too late, loved him to late, danced with him too late. I want to go out, to dance with him when the sun comes up. That’s one thing I miss a lot, and never realised it until now. The sun. Christian’s girl can walk in the sun. If I was here, I’d have everything I want. I want to be her. I want Christian, I want the sun, I want the sky when its light. I want it all back, but this is all there is. This is all there ever will be from now on. Someday, like the song says, I’ll have a beautiful life as a star. That’s Christian’s song. Black, like the starless sky. He gave them to her. I want them back. I want Christian back.

"Can we go out tonight Kael?" Gabrielle asked, seated on the couch beside him. He sighed, and shifted to face her.

"I don’t think so Gabby. Its not – "

"I can’t stay here anymore!" She told him sharply. "I haven’t left for too long!"

"Gabby, it’s not safe for you out there, You know why you can’t leave…" Gabrielle frowned deeply and rose, sighing, then running towards the door. Kael reached it before her, blocking it and holding it closed. Gabrielle struggled to push him aside, to make him move, but he wouldn’t. With a weak sigh, she dropped to the floor in front of Kael, staring up at him with dark eyes.

"I just want to go out…remember when we used to go out and have fun? We’d go and rink, and dance and…we don’t…" Kael lowered her eyes away from her and extended a hand to help her up, which she glared at in silent refusal.

"Gabby, do you really want to go out?" Pouting, she nodded. He smiled and again extended a hand. "Then we will." Gabrielle looked up at him with happiness taking over the darkness of her eyes.

"Okay." She responded, accepting his hand and letting him pull her up. Immediately she bolted to the door, running to the bike that someone had left in front of the house. Kael strolled out of the house slowly, and slid in front of her. They were off, clubbing, intent on an innocent evening out.

Aspen stood impatiently by the door, clad in a short, strapless red dress, trying to catch Christian’s attention, which was hard to come by. Finally, she slammed her purse down on the couch he was sitting on, and began to speak as he finally looked up.

"You promised tonight that we’d go out. I’m ready, I’ve been ready for an hour, and you’re still sitting on the couch watching god knows what…now are we gonna go, or what?" Rolling his eyes, Christian flicked the television off, and stood up.

"Sure." He shrugged, making his way out the door. "You only needed to ask." Aspen closed the door, chattering away happily, while Christian thought he may catch a glimpse of Gabrielle at the club. Tonight just seemed like an untainted night, where everything would go right.

Christian sat at the bar, turned to watch Aspen dancing. It should have entranced him, made him want her more, but he would only picture the way Gabrielle might have danced to the same music. Why couldn’t he get her out of his head? Even when Aspen’s lips touched him in places that brought insane amounts of pleasure, he could only imagine Gabrielle and the way she used to nonchalantly bring her head up and grin devilishly at him after…He shook his head, trying to clear it off thoughts of Gabrielle. Christian concentrated on Aspen on the dance floor, but couldn’t shake the feeling he was getting. He knew he was using her, but

she thought they had something special. She always spoke of the dream, the same dream she had every night. But Christian saw her as a way to pass the time before he finished things with Gabrielle. Smiling absently at Aspen, his eyes roamed to the door and wondered how hurt she’d be if he just left. She’d only come after him, yelling about her ‘prophecies’ as she called them and her dreams of them together as vampires. And because he could easily pretend she was someone else, he’d take her into his arms and kiss away her tears, tell her he was only getting air. His thoughts were lost when he heard a familiar voice beside him order a bottle of whisky and a bottle of Chartreuse. Gabrielle’s drink. It was Kael, who Christian thought hadn’t noticed him. Praying he wouldn’t, Christian turned his head to the site, but Kael only stifled a deep chuckle.

"Christian I know its you." He said in a low foreboding voice, "And if you leave me and Gabrielle alone, I’ll leave you and that slut alone. We don’t want to hear from you, we just want to enjoy the music and the drinks as much as you do. So carry on, you rapist you." Christian turned to retort but Kael had slipped away through the crowd, bottles in hand. Vainly, Christian scanned the tables for a glimpse of Gabrielle, but he couldn’t see her. Kael didn’t want him to see her. It wasn’t until Aspen had returned to the stool next to him that Christian caught the flash of gold from Gabrielle’s eyes headed towards the bathroom. He had to talk to her, and far be it from him to let gender equity stand in the way, he thought, making his way towards the ladies bathroom.

Kael set down the dusty bottle of Chartreuse before Gabrielle.

"DO take it easy. I don’t intend to carry you home unless I really have to…" Gabrielle looked around the club as if she’d never seen it.

"Christian’s here. That girl dancing belongs to him." Kael frowned, taking the cap off the bottle of whisky, and bringing an ever-present shot glass out of his jacket.

"Gabby, they don’t want trouble. Leave them." He poured a shot into the glass and tossed it back quickly, setting up another one. "Drink, dance, enjoy it all, Gabs." Half an hour later, the same time as Aspen left the dance floor and despite Kael’s weakened protests and her own shakiness, Gabrielle excused herself to the washroom. Kael just hope she didn’t run into any unfortunate forces on her way, but with a sick certainty, knew she would.

The crowd had begun to die down, and Gabrielle was alone in the bathroom, full of echoes. She looked into the mirror, then lowered her head, resting her hands against the counter top. She closed her eyes and didn’t think anything of the door opening, and the footsteps that seemed to stop right behind her. As the strong arms wrapped around her waist, she mistook Christian for Kael, and reclined into his embrace. Her mind dulled from the Chartreuse, it wasn’t until she felt his long hair brush across her check that her eyes snapped open, and she spun around, staring to Christian’s face. She opened her mouth to scream, but couldn’t. Over the past two weeks, she had wanted Christian more than anything in the world. Gabrielle wanted his gentle touch on her body, his mouth on her neck, him inside of her. He felt the same. In a split second, his mouth was against hers, his tongue sliding in and brushing against her subtly sharp fangs. Knowing her desire for him was going to be released, she pressed her body hard against his, and found

herself being pushed back against the wall, then onto the counter. She moaned into his mouth as one of his hands reached under her shirt, caressing a breast while his other hand slid up her thigh and under her skirt, tugging down what was beneath. In a quick motion, Gabrielle moaned louder, wrapping her legs around his waist as Christian thrust himself deep inside of her, almost withdrawing completely before thrusting again. Within moments, Gabrielle came, clenching around him as he released into her, and leaned against her for support.

Regaining a small bit of composure, he kissed her one last time, a reluctant brush of the lips and Christian left out the door without a word passing between them. Gabrielle stood up, watching him go, then leaned her head against the tiles, trying to cool her flushed cheeks without much success, as Kael came busting through the door.

"What the hell was he doing in here?" Kael demanded, "I saw him leave!" His walked closer, touching her reddened cheeks. "He fucked you. Right in the damned bathroom. Bugger all. I told him to leave you alone and, what does he do? Son of a whore fucks you." He sighed, aware of her gaze on him and her hunger. "Come on then" He lifted his wrist, which she eagerly latched on to, drinking the sweet, alcohol laced blood until he had to force her off. "Lets go now. Don’t want some other moody prick of a vampire to screw you in the middle of a blasted club." Gabrielle smiled to herself, taking Kael’s hand and walking out of the bathroom a step ahead of him.

As Christian returned to his seat at the bar by Aspen, she noticed something, but didn’t know what. It might have been the hunger in his eyes, his finally released desire or any number of things he had been concealing. Glancing over to the bathroom, she briefly saw the two vampires she had seen at Christian’s old house exiting. The girl looked flushed, sated, and the male looked…drunk. He was supporting the girl and as Aspen turned her face towards Christian, she caught his pained look at the girl before turning his eyes back to Aspen. She was just mortal, she wouldn’t be able to understand what was going on, Christian told himself. But Aspen knew something was going on, that there was trouble in their paradise and it all steamed from that girl. There was only one course of action. Get rid of her, then Christian could be completely hers.

Edge lay in Gabrielle’s bed, arms stretched behind his head, body partially covered by the black silk sheets, staring at the ceiling. She would be home soon because it was almost morning. In the nights, she was Kael’s, but as soon as the sun rose, Edge had her. He had almost drifted off to sleep at thoughts of Gabrielle when the door opened and she bounded in the room, jumping on the bed, snuggling down beside Edge, and sighing contentedly. Edge grinning down, rubbing her back and noticed Kael at the door.

"Your brother fucked her in the bathroom of the club tonight. Just thought you might what to know." Edge’s grin turned to a frown as Kael turned away. Even when he wasn’t there, Christian made his presence known. Edge could smell him on Gabrielle. And in Gabrielle’s mind, she wasn’t with Edge at the moment.

Kael staggered down the stairs, cursing himself for ever getting involved with these people, but more so for letting himself feel the way he did about Gabrielle. He had sworn to his last lover on her deathbed that he could never be with anyone else, that he could never love anyone else. But the more time he spent with Gabrielle, the more his promise was being shattered. At first, in Cardiff, he was sure it was just a physical attraction, and he knew she needed comfort. It was better to turn to someone you somewhat knew that turn to a complete stranger. When he found himself on the plane back to New Orleans not even a week after Gabrielle had left, it was to see her. But he told himself it was just to see how she was doing, whether or not she was getting along with Edge and Christian. But now, grabbing a bottle of whisky from the always well-stocked cupboard, he was shocked to find himself in love with her. He hadn’t loved anyone since his promise, and now Gabrielle was always in his mind. There was something about her idiosyncrasies that he loved, something about every word from her, insane or not, that gave him a feeling he hadn’t had for too many years to count. He knew he couldn’t tell her. It would only succeed in complicating matters more. Not now, he told himself, just not now. She was still in his mind as the bottle of whisky was half drained, and his head fell to the table with a dull thud. The sun was up.

Christian sat in Aspen’s apartment staring at the dark blue curtain and the way the sun made small lines where it parted. The curtains in Gabrielle’s room used to do that, he thought absently. Aspen was curled up on the couch behind him, a blanket tossed hastily over her. Even in her sleep there was something needy about her. But it was a foolish need. She said she needed Christian but he often, if not always, scoffed at this. They’d been together two weeks and Aspen had been more than eager to jump-start the relationship. Then again, it was Christian who insisted he spend days at her apartment rather than at home. It was he who told her quite plainly that he was moving in only days after they’d met. Not that she offered any protest. Aspen thought it would be a better way to get closer to him, and to get what she wanted. But the further away he was from Gabrielle, the more he dreamt of her and wanted her once again. Three hours had passed since the encounter in the bathroom, and he wanted her still. He started entertaining the idea of going to the club every night in case she showed up. That way, he could stop pretending it was Gabrielle beneath him, when it was really Aspen.

Gabrielle rolled out of Edges arms sometime in the late afternoon. He didn’t notice, and merely stirred. She sat at the end of the bed watching the small remnants of sunlight peek trough the curtains, making patterns on the floor and the wall. Like when Edge had left her before, she ached for Christian. It was heightened only by the fact that not even half a day ago, she had been with him. She wanted him again. Downstairs, she could sense Kael’s drunken rest. Why was he still here, she wondered. Gabrielle expected him to leave after Christian did, when things got bad. There was no point in him staying, at least none Gabrielle could see. Why was she even here? She meekly decided she should be with Christian, wherever he was. Sighing and rising slowly and quietly, careful not to wake Edge, she padded down the hall, and down the stairs. She stopped to peer into the kitchen, to see Kael sleeping at the table, half a bottle of whisky beside him. Same old Kael, she thought, smiling to herself as she absently turned and tugged on the front door.

Closing her eyes against the sun that spilled out, she walked slowly outside, to find Christian. As the sun hit her full in the face, she screamed and flung her arms up to protect her face, but continued walking. Slowly and painfully, the sun began to blister her body, and only halfway down the steps, Gabrielle collapsed, still bathed in yellowish sun.

Kael was the first to hear Gabrielle’s scream. He thought it wasn’t a scream of pain and that it was coming from the room above, where he had last seen her and Edge. But it grew louder and persistent, coming from the open front door. Wait – he thought – why’s the door open?

A second later, Edge felt his skin crawl and heard the blood stilling scream. Groaning and reaching out a hand beside him to clutch Gabrielle, he sprang out of the bed when he felt nothing. Looking frantically around, he bolted down stairs and was met by call at the bottom.

"Where is she?" Edge yelled at him, "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing! I just heard – "

"Bullshit!" Edge said, grabbing Kael’s neck and hauling him up against the wall.

"Edge – She’s – " Kael managed to choke out very little, but gestured out side, where the sun streamed in from the front door. Edge tore his eyes away from Kael and glared outside. A figure was huddled down, collapsed on the stairs, arms flung up in a meek attempt at protection from the blazing sun. It was Gabrielle. Kael stared at Edge, then wasted no time in grabbing the ever -present blanket from the back of the couch in the living room, and tossing it to Edge. He took a deep breath before running outside without a thought, covering himself as best he could. Once outside, he threw the blanket over Gabrielle, roaring in pain as the sun hit his own exposed flesh. He ran inside the house with Gabrielle in his arms, laying her down on the couch before he collapsed on the floor, panting too loud to hear a single name escape her lips before she passed out. But Kael, now kneeling by her side, heard her call out for Christian.

A scream reverberated dully through Christian’s head. It immediately registered as Gabrielle’s scream. She was in pain. Looking briefly at Aspen he grabbed the keys that hung by the door and took the elevator to the parking garage, to go out and help Gabrielle.

Aspen heard him leave and snuck out after, grabbing her own keys and racing down the stairs, watching his car leave before jumping into her own and following. Aspen knew Christian was going out after that little bitch, and she intended to stop whatever was going on.

The world quickly turned from black to red as Gabrielle slowly awoke. Kael loomed over her, sighing with relief, drawing a cold cloth against her blistered skin.

"Gabby, love…. You're alright." He spoke calmly, but even in those words there was the unspoken question of 'why?'. Opening her mouth with intent to speak, she was silenced by his finger over her lips. "Don't. I understand. Edge is upstairs. He's got burns of his own, but of course insists on taking care of himself. He's not as bad as…" Kael silenced himself, and Gabrielle closed her eyes just as the knock on the door came. Kael frowned, determined to ignore it until it grew louder and more persistent. Signing again, he let go of Gabrielle's hand and walked to the door. Upon opening it, he saw Christian on the other side, and sneered.

"Get lost. You've done enough"

"I just want to know if she's okay - I heard her scream out and - " he stammered, eyes flying around the house.

"She's burnt badly…but she'll make it." Christian nodded, not turning away from the door. "And no, you can't come in."

"The suns out though…Its already pained me enough to come here and - just until the sun sets?" Kael stared at him in annoyance then stood back, defeated.

"Stay in the kitchen." Kael mumbled, "Don't go near Gabrielle." Christian nodded again and seated himself at the window of the kitchen, watching Gabrielle laying on the couch, her hand clutching Kael's as he knelt beside her. Occasionally, she would let out a soft, painful moan, and Kael quieted her with a word and a kiss to soothe her feverish skin. Christian wished it were he comforting her, softly telling her to sleep. All were unaware of the front door, slowly creeping open, and Aspen swiftly traipsing in carefully.

Edge sensed the presence of two more people in the house, his brother, and someone he didn't know. There was something peaceful about Christian's presence, but still sad as it had been before he left. Moving slowly, for the blistering wounds that were his battle scars from saving Gabrielle hurt too much to move with regularity. Standing at the top of the stairs and looking down, he saw the door still open and thought he could make out a small figure dark in the house through his sun blurred vision. But when he focused in there was no one. Surely, it was his mind and his eyes deceiving him, so he continued on his way to see what Christian wanted.

Aspen saw Christian in the kitchen and followed his fixed gaze to Gabrielle, and then to Kael. There was a hall to her right, and a study. She determined it as the best place to hide until Gabrielle was alone. Already, she was vulnerable enough to get rid of, but Aspen has to wait until her sentinel left and until Christian was gone. Only then could Gabrielle be disposed of.

Edge walked down the stairs using the banister to support his sore frame. He was lucky enough to have not heard Gabrielle's strangled cry for Christian, and damned if Kael would tell him. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he called to Kael.

"Why is my brother here?" Kael turned his head away from Gabrielle, towards Edge,

"God only knows, if there is a god that is. He's in the kitchen. Edge nodded and made his way to where his brother sat, sitting down beside him at the curtained windows. Christian's eyes were still fixed on Gabrielle.

"I shouldn't have done it, Edge." He said, sadness in his voice. "Any of it."

"She forgave you…" Edge pointed out to which Christian shook his head.

"But what about myself? I can't live with this…this guilt, knowing that I've driven her…" He shook his head again. "I hate myself for it…but I can't let her go. That’s impossible."

"What about…what's her name?" Christian laughed softly at the thought.

"Aspen. What about her?"

"Why are you with her?"

"Because…she says she knows me, she talks about these dreams she's had of me making her a vampire. God, Edge, she came here to find me. It's all she ever talks about. It makes me want to blow her brains out, and - " He stopped, sighing heavily.

"What?"

"It's just…every time we’re doing anything…intimate, all I can see is Gabrielle. Even when I wake up with her in my arms, I picture Gabrielle." He put his head in his hands. "It's not fair to Aspen. I'm not living up to her vision of me…its not right, but even if I leave for a second, she gets paranoid about losing me, like I'm going to leave her forever…"

"Like Gabrielle used to do before she went to sleep…" Edge smiled warmly, remembering their first night together. Christian smiled for a second remembering this behaviour as well.

"Why aren’t you with her, Edge?"

"I am…in the day, while she's sleeping…Then I'm with her."

"You used to be so close…"

"Kael has her now. He's in love."

"How do you know that?" Christian demanded, anger and jealousy rising within. Edge gestured over to Kael, who still sat beside Gabrielle, watching over her, her hand in his.

"That answer your question?" Christian shrugged, frowning.

"But how can she love him? He's so…brash and crude and…" Edge just shook his head.

"I don't know but she does…You can tell. And we’ve got to respect that." He finished as Kael came walking into the kitchen.

"She says she's hungry." He explained, looking into the cupboards.

"Food or blood?" Edge asked, as Kael rolled his eyes.

"Food, quite obviously. If it was blood, do you think I'd be here and looking for that cereal she likes so much?" He pulled out a brightly coloured box of Trix. "And don't think I haven't forgotten our little confrontation earlier, Edge. It'll be settled once she's better," Edge stood up abruptly, painfully remembering the heat on his skin, but not letting it deter him from his path, which led straight to Kael.

Aspen lay in wait in the study, but heard Kael's shouts, as well as Edge's and Christians coming from the kitchen…which meant Gabrielle was alone in the living room. Running her hand over the knife she grabbed a hold of from the wall of the study, she left quickly and almost in an instant, stood over Gabrielle. She groggily looked up and didn't recognise Aspen. All Gabrielle saw was the twisted grin on her face and a flash of metal before the searing pain in her throat became unbearable. Aspen had stabbed right through her neck.

Edge lunged at Kael, wrapping his hands tightly around his neck, slamming him back into the counter. Christian leapt up to stop his brother from killing Kael, which seemed to be Edge's only thought at the moment. It would only draw Gabrielle deeper into her insanity. Try as he might Christian could not pry edge off of Kael, who's face was growing increasingly red from both oxygen deprivation, and from being slammed against the cupboards behind him repeatedly. In a futile attempt at retaliation, Kael instinctively bared his fangs, trying to growl at Edge. Christian continued to pull Edge off until he was swatted into the wall with a sharp backhand from his brother. At the same time as his head hit the doorframe, Christian heard a hoarse yell, low and painful. Sitting up and turning his attention to the living room, he saw Aspen standing over the couch, glaring down at whomever was there. Seeing the blood stained knife help in one hand, Christian scrambled to his feet, remembering Gabrielle as he ran to the living room. He silently prayed for her as he surprised Aspen with a tackle, knocking her down as she yelped in pain, her body crashing against the fireplace. Her head smacked the stone with a sickening crack, and her body landed in an awkward position on the floor. Christian could smell the blood that dripped from the gash on the back of her head. With dull, pleading eyes she looked up at Christian, barely able to speak but for the same words she had said so many times before.

"Make me a vampire…one of you…" Christian knelt down beside her, putting his hand around her neck, lifting her head up. In her mind all of the dreams, all of the prophecies she'd had about becoming what he was came alive. Her vision grew blurry and she couldn't see the stoic expression in Christian's face as he bend his head and slid his fangs into her neck. Almost busting with happiness, Aspen knew this was it. The moment she had waited for forever. But Christian decided it wasn't meant to be. Aspen died with a smile, ever-awaiting a vampiric eternity that would never come.

Gabrielle couldn't speak and could barely breath. Her skin was already beginning to lace its way closed, but she was bleeding a great deal, slowing the healing process. She smelled blood, not her own, but Aspens, and then smelled the familiar scent of death. Aspen was dead. Christian stood up; wiping his hands on his dark jeans, he turned to Gabrielle. Blood dripped from her wound onto the couch, on the floor forming a dark puddle. He lifted her from the couch carefully, intent on taking her into the kitchen where Kael and Edge still fought. If they saw her, they'd stop fighting in an instant. He stood in the doorway with Gabrielle's hurt, blistered and bloody body in his arms, hoping she would heal as they ceased fighting.

"Look!" Christian yelled as Edge was sent stumbling into the table by Kael. Kael snapped his head around and let out a strangled gasp.

"Gabby - my love…"

"You see?" Christian yelled at him as Edge drew nearer. "See what happened?"

"No…who did it Christian?" Edge questioned warily. Christian opened his mouth then snapped it shut. "I thought so. Your bitch."

"She's gone now Edge…I killed her for what she did to Gabrielle."

"But you brought her here Christian…you brought that whore here knowing full well what she'd do!"

"No, Edge, I didn’t bring her here! She followed me…I'd never let her come…" Christian continued defending himself as Kael started to walk forward, taking Gabrielle's frail form from Christian's arms into his own. Christian and Edge remained locked in vocal combat, almost oblivious to Kael, who now cradled Gabrielle, not caring that her blood soaked through his shirt and stained it. Her wound should have been closed by now, Kael thought, but her blood still flowed. Nothing would help especially his blood. It would only seep out of her open neck and do no good. He walked out of the kitchen, ascending the stairs, ignoring the protests of Edge and Christian, who had briefly halted fighting to try and figure out where Kael was taking her.

"Gabrielle?" She heard her name being called in the accented voice of Kael, and struggled to open her eyes against the pulsing redness of pain. She groped around her for something to grab hold of and found her cold, black silk sheets and it registered that this was her room. Faintly, she could hear the door being banged and muffled yells from the other side. Again she tried to open her eyes, but decided it wasn't worth the pain. Gabrielle could sense Kael near her, and became confused. As if on cue, Kael began to speak. "Its okay, Gabrielle, don't get confused. You're in your room…I brought you here to take you away from the fighting…from them, just until you heal." His voice was rushed and quietly rough. "Don't try to speak, the gash in your neck won't let you speak for a few days now…just stay here, and sleep it off." She felt his hand squeeze hers. "It'll be okay. I've got to think about things…and so do you so just sleep, love. It's going to be okay. I swear it..." Gabrielle was lulled to sleep by his voice telling her everything was fine and not to worry. So she didn’t worry.

Edge raised his fist to bang on Gabrielle's door again, but sighed and lowered it. There wasn't a point anymore. Christian stood beside him, shaking his head.

"Do you think she's okay, Edge?" Christian asked shoving his hands in his pockets and looking at the door, then at his brother.

"She will be." Edge replied bitterly. "But if it wasn't for that bitch of yours she'd be better…and Kael wouldn't have her locked in her own damned room." He turned and walked towards his room.

"Wait, Edge, shouldn't we try and - "

"And what? Bang the door down? No, Christian, we should leave them alone. Kael wants her, he can have her for now at least. I've had enough of this shit."

"So you're not going to even try to get - "

"No Christian!" Edge screamed at him, turning around. "It’s a lost cause! We've just got to wait until she gets better…then we can make Kael go…like we did before."

"So that’s it?" Edge sighed deeply in annoyance.

"Yes, that’s it. We wait. There's nothing else we can do, okay? Not right now at least."

"But - "

"Christian, shut the fuck up, go to your room, sleep, dispose of that bitches body, but don't talk to me. I don't want to hear it." With that, Edge slammed his door shut, leaving Christian in the hallway outside Gabrielle's room pondering the immediate future, as well as the past.

Kael sat on the bed beside Gabrielle, watching her sleep. Sighing, he tilted his head up to the ceiling and stared at the small silver and gold stars Gabrielle had adorned it with not too long ago. He remembered walking in on her and Edge on the bed that night, pointing at the stars despite their falsity. But they were real in her eyes, and perhaps they were the only things that had been real, simply because they were always there.

"What are you thinking?" Gabrielle's sleep addled voice called out to Kael and begged an answer.

"The stars." He replied with a half-truth.

"You think about them too?" Her voice was more alert but barred the roughness of the wound on her neck that was almost healed over. Kael smiled down at her and nodded. Gabrielle sat up beside him, resting her head on his chest and looking up at the mock sky. "You know we never had a star…"

"So pick one. We might not have much time…"

"Don't say that. We'll have as much time as we need. I'm not going anywhere." He sighed, and she raised her head from his chest and shot a questioning glance at him.

"Love, I am."

"No…no, Kael, you have to stay here….why would you go?"

"I've been thinking, Gabby and there's…" He took a deep breath as if to still his nerves. "There's no place for me here." Gabrielle made a small noise of protest, but Kael continued. "You belong with Christian, or with Edge, whomever you choose. I just complicate things."

"Kael, they didn't take care of me...they can’t, not like you do! You can't go…I love you too much…"

"You don't...not in the way that you love them. Just listen to me." He put his hands on her now tear-streaked face, brushing the salty wetness away with his thumbs. "Don't cry…Please don't. I have to leave…I know you don't understand now, but you will, and you'll thank me for it after. Anyway, we've still got one night before I leave…don't spend it crying." She sniffled quietly and looked up into his clear blue eyes.

"Then how should I spend it?" She asked him, pouting like a child. He lowered his eyes for an instant to hide the desire before answering.

"With me, love…I think you know what I mean…" Gabrielle glared up at him with mock anger.

"You're so arrogant. What makes you think I even want you now?"

"You know you love it…" Gabrielle sighed, and nodded.

"Yeah…I'm gonna miss you Kael." He put a finger to her lips, quieting her.

"Shh. Don't think about that now." Kael whispered, removing his fingers to grace her lips with his in what engaged their last evening together.

When Gabrielle awoke, her door was open and Kael was no where to be seen. Searching mentally, she found Edge and Christian to still be slumbering in their respective rooms, and Kael downstairs in the kitchen, his mind moving too fast for her to grasp individual thoughts. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she tiptoed out of the room for the first time in a week to see what Kael was doing. As Gabrielle slipped quietly downstairs, she felt a surge of power and independence. Her body was completely healed, as was her mind by some grace of whatever gods watched over them. Kael had watched over her for the whole week, protected her from fights but now she didn't need him, and that knowledge shot through her like lightening. Approaching the kitchen, she paused for a moment, long enough to let Kael know she was coming. He put down the pen he was furiously scrawling with, and beckoned her over. Gabrielle complied, and walked over to the seat next to him.

"I'm going to leave now." He said calmly, as she nodded. "And I want to thank you for everything…the fun we had…but I know that you don’t need me anymore." Gabrielle smiled slightly and nodded. "You don't need anyone now, you know that?" She nodded again, and began to speak before Kael spoke again. "What do you really want now?" She lowered her eyes to the floor, and thought for a second.

"Love." Gabrielle answered quietly. "I want the love I used to have from Edge, and the comfort I used to have from Christian… And I want it from you Kael. I just want everyone to love me." Her words rang with a childlike whistfullness, and they stung with simplicity. After a moment Gabrielle spoke again. "You know, everything I've done with anyone has been for love…Even when I'm a million miles away, I'm Edge's…I've always been his. And Christian…" She broke off, sighing. Kael's eyes were on her expectantly.

"Gabby…" He said her name shakily, waiting with bated breath for her response. She sighed deeply and shook her head.

"I know you love me Kael…. But - "

"God…" He muttered under his breath.

"You know how I feel…that I want to cling to you and never let go and I love being with you, anywhere near you its perfect…But I know you made a promise a long time ago, and because of me you're breaking it to her. I know you're leaving now...but I want to let you know its over. Forever." He sighed. He knew this, but it still for some reason hurt. Slowly, his lips curled up into a smug grin.

"You know I was using you. For all the sex, and the fun and the bodily harm and all of it. Yea, I strung you along all the way." Gabrielle let her head fall, leaving hair to cover her face, then rose to embrace him.

"You're always such a bastard, Kael. Thank you."

"Don't mention it." Kael rose, forcing her to stand up. He walked over to the always well-stocked cabinet and grabbed a bottle of vodka, citing it as 'one for the road'. Gabrielle smiled, attempting not to cry at his somewhat speedy departure, and escorted him to the door, where they stood facing each other.

"One for the road?" He asked tentatively leaning in for a kiss. Gabrielle stood on her toes, lightly kissing his cheek. When she puled away, he slipped an arm around her waist, smiling slyly. "I expected more than that as a goodbye…" Gabrielle closed her eyes as, for the last time, his mouth captured her, and his tongue wound with hers until neither had breath left.

"Happy?" She teased as he leaned back against the doorframe.

"That’s barely going to hold me for five minutes..." They both shared a small soft laugh before breaking off into sighs. After a rare awkward moment, Kael opened the door, letting dusk's orange light billow in. "So I'll…I'll see you around sometime?" Gabrielle shrugged.

"Yea, I guess. You should come visit." Absently, he nodded.

"I'll do that. Talk to you again, pet."

"Take care, Kael." Gabrielle watched him mount one of the bikes, and ride off, a black speck on the orange glowing horizon.

- Try to Get Some Sleep par K's Choice

Gabrielle sighed deeply as she closed the door, and ignored the feeling of a burden being lifted. She found herself ascending the stairs, and didn't know her destination until she arrived at Christian's door. Not knocking, she walked in slowly and stood before his bed watching him in his slumber. Even then, a few small lines of worry marred his face. Gabrielle frowned. It was worry for her. Without thinking, she crawled under his sheets and pressed herself close to his body. Christian woke up and instinctively held her closer and tighter then he ever remembered before. Then he realised it was really Gabrielle, it wasn't his mind. Letting a small surprised sigh escape his lips, he started to question her, but stopped himself. He questioned too much in his life, and this was a blessing. Gabrielle was in his arms again, and he was determined to let her stay there for as long as she wanted.

When the sun had disappeared into the blackness of the sky, Edge walked out of his room, and noticed the door to Gabrielle's was open for the first time in a week. Narrowing his eyes in concentration, he searched the house for her presence and found it in his brother's room. Clenching his jaw, he stood in front of Christian's room, readying himself to enter loudly, and disturb the couple, until he thought of the uselessness of the act. It had been weeks since Gabrielle had had Christians comfort and Edge remembered how much it had always meant to her. As Edge walked away he decided he would let her choose and be happy with whatever came out of it. Sitting in the kitchen, he noticed the piece of paper that lay on the table, and the long messy scrawled script that belonged to Kael. Edge read the words with a small smile, knowing they were already true.

As you already have noticed, I'm gone. I left because Gabrielle had it hard enough with just the two of you before I came in and screwed it all up. But I have to ask you this. Let her choose. Its her life, and while it may involve the both of you, its up to her who she chooses to fuck, and who she wants to spend her eternity with. She's also fine now, health wise and mentally. I made sure of that before I left. Don't make it any harder on her than it already is, or feel the wrath of me, if I can stumble my way back. Tell her I love her forever and take care of her for me. Sorry for the missing bottle of whatever I ended up taking.

Kael.

As the moon became a bright yellowish globe at the top of the sky, Gabrielle rolled out of Christian's arms, and watched him sleep. He was a phenomenal sight in her eyes and it took all her strength to finally tear herself away. He awoke as he heard the door creek open and looked at her with protest rising in his mind. She just smiled at him and put her finger to her lips, quieting him with a single, simple gesture. Christian smiled and lay back down, knowing it was her time to be with Edge.

As Edge heard the small footsteps creeping down the stairs, he knew it was Gabrielle. Absently he watched the doorway from the cushioned bench seat at the kitchen window and as she came into view, couldn't repress his smile. The burns on her body had healed, leaving a perfect alabaster glow that seemed to enhance the bright gold of her eyes and the warm brown of her hair. Of course, the now healed burns from his body did much the same to augment his features, and Gabrielle noticed with a sigh of remembrance. It seemed longer than a week since they'd been together, and in reality had been much longer since she'd been truly herself around him. Slowly, she began to make her way over to him, sitting down beside him. The memories of the bench seat below the window haunted them both, even more so in the particular instance of being almost reunited. Looking around with a misplaced nervousness, Gabrielle broke the silence with a simple greeting.

"Hi." She heard him let out a breath in what must have been relief.

"You're okay now?" He asked, turning his head to look at her.

"I'm fine."

"The neck?" Distantly, she brought her hand up to feel where the scar had been mere days ago.

"It's healed over. And the burns are gone…so are yours…" She noted with simplicity. He nodded and they sat in silence for a moment more.

"Mentally though, how are you?"

"I'm fine that way, too…" Gabrielle responded, looking at him strangely.

"That’s good then…" She nodded at the words, looking down. Another rift of silence tore them apart. "Look, I…I'm a stupid jealous fuck." He told her plainly, gauging her face for reaction. She let out a small chuckle, and put her hand over his.

"Its okay…its not all your fault…I mean, I wasn't all there anyway. And the whole thing with Kael, that was just for fun. I hope you've realised that now."

"I have. And don't worry about it anymore. He's gone."

"I know, I saw him off when the sun set…" Gabrielle trailed off, wanting to say more, but feeling tears threatening to sting her eyes if she didn’t stop speaking, not because of Kael but because of being with Edge after seemingly so long apart.

"You miss him?" She looked up at him with a quivering lip.

"Not as much as I've missed you." He looked at her with confusion.

"But I've been here the whole time…"

"I know, but it was different then…it was like I didn’t know what was going on, its all a haze after when Christian…" She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Are you letting him stay?"

"Of course. I can't turn him away. He's my brother…and I know how much he means to you." He drew a deep breath. "And if you want to be with him, then that’s fine. I know you were with him after Kael left…" Finally, the tears that threatened to come came and overflowed in Gabrielle's eyes.

"I've had my time with him, Edge…I had that a long time ago, and I know he's only there to comfort me. He knows it too. So…" She sniffed quietly and looked up at him again, into his sympathetic eyes. "There's nothing stopping us this time…no Kael, no Christian, I don't want anything else but to try it again and make it perfect." Visible joy overflowed on Edge's face as he smiled at her, his eyes growing glazed with blissful tears and reached out to cup her face in his hands. No words glimmered in his head, only pure, strong emotions and Gabrielle felt them too. After a matchless moment of staring into each others eyes and letting affection flow though wordlessness, he enfolded her in his arms and ran his hand over her hair, over her back and thanked whoever blessed him with this. Neither kept time of how long they remained locked in an embrace, but when they pulled back, Gabrielle made her intentions clear.

"Edge?" She asked, a mischievous grin rising on her face.

"Yes?"

"Make me coffee?" He laughed and she sat, smiling.

"I thought you'd never ask."