6 Chapter 6

Harper

I followed him into the house. Furious. He walked into the kitchen and I stood at the end of the bar.

"Gabriel. Tell me what's wrong with me?" He walked around the island and up to the stairs.

"Are you afraid I won't be your friend? Do you just not want me to show you up? You're a skilled fighter, I could learn a lot from you." He ignored me moving up the stairs. He walked into his room and I stood in the doorway.

"Is it because I'm a girl?" I closed the door and walked over to him. He stood with his back to me.

"Am I inferior to you?" I threw a left at his back and he spun and batted my hand away, and counter with a right I wasn't ready for, and it was a quick exchange and he had me backed up pinned against the wall, he was breathing hard and I was stunned into silence.

"You are not inferior to me. You are my equal, I just can't stand the thought of causing you pain. To lay a hand on you that would cause you to flinch--I can bring myself to look you in the eye and subject you to the assessment I make of an enemy. It's not because you are a girl, that has nothing to do with you. You are more than good enough for me to spar with. I just can't-- so don't push me, please." He rested his forehead on mine and my heart pounded against my chest wall. And he smelled amazing like nothing I was used to. It filled my senses blinding all my reason and logic. I reached up and cupped his cheek. His eyes flicked to mine, I gently ran my thumb over his cheekbone and he leaned into my touch. He was trying to protect me from himself. He was always protecting me. I pulled his lips down to mine before logic could stand in my way. And his lips were soft, warm and they were delicious. He kissed gently like he was afraid of hurting me. My hand slid back behind his neck and his hands found my shoulders and he pulled me closer. I never wanted to stop, he was mine. He pulled back and his eyes were bright, confused but excited too. I reached up and touched his chin, pressing my thumb against his bottom lip. He was waiting for me to react. I pushed his shoulders back firmly and he met the edge of the bed and he tumbled down on the mattress. I crawled up on his lap and his hands found my hips, and I brought his lips to mine. And it was an explosion of electricity in my body, my brain was in overdrive trying to process all the emotion and sensations. And it was like a different side of him came out, he took charge, rolling me over on the bed pinning me under him. His eyes were bright green, his hair hung off his forehead and I reached up brushing it aside.

"It's who I am to push Gabriel," He made a growling sound and move off of me.

"Don't get me, wrong Harper, you are a gifted fighter. You have amazing instinct, I give you credit for doing as well as you do for not having formal training, but I have. I've been trained since a child. And you wouldn't stand a chance sparing with me my angel. You aren't ready yet." I sat up on my elbows and looked at him.

"But you let me fight your friend?" I looked at him confused.

"Caleb? He couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag. And I would have never allowed him to harm you." He cupped my cheek and I leaned into his touch. He took my hand and helped me to my feet.

"We have to talk about--" He turned me around and I looked at him waiting for him to say something.

"You started this, I leave it up to you. I am who I am and you make me better. You push me to do things I never could. And I feel like I need to protect you all the time. I think about you constantly, I worry about you. Seeing you fight makes me angry, I don't like it when someone hurts you and I can't do anything about it." I reached you and touched his face.

"Well, you're pretty attractive so that's a plus-" I shrugged and he laughed and shook his head and pulled me into his arms.

"Thank you I think?" I smiled and cuddled into his chest.

"You are safe-- I am safe when I'm with you. I never feel any kind of fear around you, ever. I am amazingly protective of you. I love seeing you happy--"

"So did you kick her ass yet?" I looked at him as his friend called up the stairs. I shook my head and put my forehead on his chest.

"I don't know if I like him or not?" I told him honestly, and he chuckled nodding his head to me.

"Cal? He grows on you, he's a little rude at first but he gets better. You just have to put him in his place." He shrugged like it was the most natural thing to do in the world.

"Right, how do you want me to do that?" He smiled.

"Punch him in the face when he says something that makes you mad." I felt my jaw drop.

"I am not going to haul off and deck your friend in the face every time he offends me. His nose, jaw, and cheekbones would be broken, plus think of the damage it would do to my hands." I held my knuckles out to him and he took my fingers in his hands. He pressed a kiss to each knuckle.

"Come on--" We walked back downstairs and Caleb was watching something with Kayla. Callie was cooking dinner, and I went to offer help. Gabriel caught my hand before I could escape completely. I smiled and squeezed his finger before he let my finger slip from his hand.

After dinner, we didn't really get a chance to be alone, and Caleb nearly invited himself to stay the night. But he said his mom would want him home in case something were to happen.

"Nice to meet you Barbie--" I took a step towards him and Gabriel put his arm around my waist restraining me. He came over and patted my head and I gave him an elbow to the stomach.

"Like being stung by a butterfly." I felt insulted and Gabriel tightened his hold.

"You should go, Cal, before she gets mad enough to actually swing." He waved and left, I sat with Kayla and we fell asleep in front of the TV.

---- Gabriel -----

I looked in the living room and they were both passed out, my mom turned off the TV and picked Kayla up gently. She gave me a kiss on the forehead and went upstairs. I turned out the kitchen light and walked into the living room. I bent down and picked Harper up and muttered in her sleep.

"No, I want to stay." I shook my head and carried her upstairs to her room, she curled under the blanket and I knelt on the bed and pressed a soft kiss to her temple.

"Sweet dreams my angel." I walked out of her room and pulled the door shut behind me. I walked to my room and stretched out on the bed. I felt a smile spread across my face and I was still in shock. I could feel her lips pressed against mine. It was a magical feeling that I had never even felt before. I touched my lips and rolled over on my bed. Her scent lingered in my room. I took a deep breath and relaxed into sleep.

I snapped awake like I was forgetting something and looked at the clock. It was 4:30 in the morning. I rubbed my face and laid back in bed. I sat up and looked around my room. Something woke me, what was it? Soft footsteps sounded going down the stairs and I got out of bed. I opened my door and looked around. I didn't hear anything, but there was a light on downstairs. I walked down and looked around. No one, I frowned and the back patio door was open. I walked over to it and Harper stood on the deck looking up at the sky. I leaned against the door frame and watched her for a moment. She wrapped her arms around her waist and she sighed. I walked out and wrapped my arms around her waist and she jumped. I chuckled and she leaned back against my chest. I brought my wings around my shoulders and wrapped her in the warmth. She sighed and her head fit perfectly back against my shoulder.

"Why are you up?" I looked down at her and she took a shaken breath.

"Bad dreams." I frowned and rested my chin on her head.

"I'm a sorry angel, why are you out here?" She gave a humorless laugh.

"I didn't want to wake anyone--" I turned her around and she wrapped her arms around me.

"It will be okay--" She nodded and I felt her bodyweight dip and I picked her up. I carried her back inside and to my room, I laid her on my bed and covered her with my blankets and she buried her head in my pillow.

"Gabe--" she muttered and rolled over. I turned to walk out, but she started talking.

"Stay, don't leave me here alone. Please come back--I'm alone...please...Gabe---I can't see..." My heart broke and I crawled in bed with her and she whimpered.

"Gabe I'm afraid..."I pressed my lips to her temple.

"I'm her angel. I'm right here." She gave a relieved sigh and her body relaxed into a deeper sleep. I closed my eyes and it took me a second to adjust to having someone else in bed with me, but it was a good feeling. One I could get used to very quickly.

---- Harper ----

I woke vaguely aware of my surroundings, but very aware of the arm wrapped tightly around my waist. I sat up and his arm fell back to the bed. I looked around and his room was a deep blue with matching curtains and comforter. It was bare like he never really got into decorating or was never a fan of anything. I ran a hand over my face and groaned. Sunday. I hated Sunday almost as much as I hated Monday. Rolling out of bed I stretched out my body and my joints popped and loosened. I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled my hair up into a ponytail. An arm wrapped around my waist and I jumped. Startled, Gabe chuckled and I smacked his hand.

"Don't scare people like that, I could have had a heart attack." He cuddled his head against my back.

"You are too young to have a heart attack. You are in good shape and your diet isn't that bad, you shouldn't have a stroke anytime soon either."

"Alright, Dr. Phil." He looked up at me hurt.

"He isn't even a real doctor." I sighed and he moves so I could lay back down in bed. He laid over me partially and I enjoyed the bodyweight for a moment.

"I like your mom--" He smiled down at me.

"I like her too, she's pretty awesome." I ruffled his hair.

"Smartass." He shook his hair from his face and his smile was easy carefree.

"We have to go back to school tonight." He frowned and I agreed. It was most unfortunate.

"Well look at it this way at least your contacts will be waiting for us." He got a strange look on his face.

"What?"

"I forgot about them--I will pay you back." I shook my head.

"Think of them as a birthday present."

"I'm pretty sure my birthday already passed." I shrugged.

"Doesn't matter. Happy late birthday." He sighed and shook his head.

"It doesn't count, you didn't even know when my birthday is."

"Sure I do." I countered and he folded his arm across his chest.

"Alright, when is it then?"

"That day when you popped out of your mama." He snorted at my description of birth.

"My birthday is on September 17th." He shook his head and I fell forward on his chest. He coughed trying to get his breath back and looked down at me.

"When is yours?"

"Mine?" I looked at him confused for a moment.

"Yes, the day that you, yourself popped out of your mother."

"Oh, the dreaded day--August 12th." He smiled at me and shook his head. He ruffled my hair and I pushed his hand away. I heard my phone ringing from the spare room and I rolled off of him and walked out of the room. I flopped down on the bed and looked at my daddy's picture.

"Hey, daddy." There was silence on the other end. A muffled argument, and then he came on the line.

"Hey sweetie, just wanted to call and check-in." I smiled, he always was a worrywart.

"I'm okay daddy, I spent the weekend with my friend, it's was great."

"Well that's good, I just worry about you up there."

"I know daddy but as long as mother doesn't come back up I should be fine-" Then she took the phone from him.

"I don't know what we were thinking of sending you to the God awful school, they have no consideration for what the parent wants--"

"Because it's my life mother, a miserable healer doesn't heal well. They are smart enough to know that if you put someone where they don't want to be they will resist and become depressed. My life isn't about what you want--" A warm hand closed around my ankle me I looked back. Gabe motioned for me to come to eat.

"I gotta go." I hung up, the audacity of my mother astounded me sometimes. I sat down as the island and Callie was making eggs.

"Good morning! I was thinking we could have a family day--you know go into town see a movie get dinner--what do you think?" Kayla nearly exploded out of her seat.

"Yes!" Gabe nodded and I smiled at her.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea." She beamed and returned to making eggs. After breakfast we all went upstairs to get ready, I somehow managed to grab the shower before Kayla or Callie. And was doing my hair when Gabe walked into my room.

"So what is the town like? I've never really spent a lot of time there?" I had my shoes waiting at the end of the bed and he rummaged through my suitcase and pulled out my nice summer dress. He held it out for a moment inspecting it before laying it out on the bed.

"It's nice. I mean we don't usually go out because mom is so busy with work but it's good to know she still goes--" There was a hint of sadness to his voice, I turned and put down my curling iron.

"What do you mean?" He was leaning against the far wall, and his hands were shoved deep in his pockets. He looked devastatingly hot, he pushed at the carpet with his toe.

"Before my father left we used to go into town every weekend, always together as a family...then he started going alone...he stopped being the father I knew and the husband my mother loved...eventually we found out that he was having an affair...but it was more than that, he had an entire family....another son, a girlfriend I'm assuming...and when my mom found out it nearly destroyed her, so the town holds a lot of meaning."

"We don't have to go--if it means that much I am okay with staying home and watching a movie and making easy food."

"No, this is something mom needs to do...he just lives there now and we try to avoid running into him..." I could completely understand that.