I will love again

Part 53 - Keeping her close

"What was that?", Nathalie asked after some time.

Gabriel shrugged.

"I haven't got the slightest idea, my love. But it would be best, to not think too much about it tonight. You really need to rest now, Nathalie. May I?"

He reached for the baby, but Nathalie shook her head vehemently.

"Don't even think about it", she snapped at him. "I will not let her sleep in another room, where she will be all alone!"

The chuckle of her husband only fumed her anger. She took a deep breath, about to start telling him off. when she felt his lips on hers.

"I promise, to come back in a couple of minutes with the little beauty. I just want to get her ready for the night. How's that? And while I am doing that, I remember you talking about taking a shower, even before she was born. I am sure, you feel the urge much more right now. And well, I know, that I was like the worst father to Adrien for all those years, but I want to do much better with Hélène. And I honestly wouldn't be able to leave her in a cold and lonely room all by herself!", Gabriel said accusatively, feeling hurt, that she was thinking so low of him.

Seeing that she was about to cry, he quickly kissed her again.

"Shush, darling. I know you were just protective. what would you say? I'll take care of little 'Miss' Agreste, while my sweet and beautiful 'Mrs.' Agreste has a bit of a calm and quiet time just for herself?", he comfortingly suggested.

Nathalie sniffled, taking the paper tissue, Gabriel was handing her, and blew her nose. Then she inhaled deeply.

"I guess I have to learn, to be apart from her, for those things, right?", she chuckled sheepishly. "It's just, you know, I want to be near her. It's not, that I wouldn't let you or Adrien or Marinette hold her, I just want to be close, while you do! Is that as lunatic, as it sounds to me?", the young mother wondered anxiously.

But Gabriel cupped her cheek and said, to calm her down:

"You are acting totally normal, Nath. I would find it worrying, if it was the other way round. But what would you say, if I did go and bring all the things necessary, to change her diaper and clothes, as well as that changing table for the bath tub, so we were going to be in the same room with you for that? It would be the end of even thinking about some alone time though!"

"I've had enough alone time for two Nathalie's in my life already. I want to be with both of you from now on for every single second of the rest of our lives. Don't interrupt me, I know, I will change my mind at some point, but for now, I would feel even better, if Adrien and Marinette were here too.

I have so much love to give, I don't know where to put it all", she rhapsodized with a contagious enthusiasm. Then she suggested a compromise, "maybe I can bear to be apart from her for as long as you need to change her and then you could come and join me in the bathroom with her. Only if you like, though!"

Gabriel grinned mischievously and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Really, Gabriel?", the look , she gave him was contemptuous.

Now he broke into a laugh.

"I am just teasing you a little bit my love. After what you had to endure today, I would understand, if you won't even think about anything like that for quite some time", he sat down on the bed right beside her now, "I will always covet you, my sweet Nathalie, no matter what. But for now, I just want to be with you almost as much, as you want to be with all of us!"

Both their heads turned towards the slight movement they had noticed, seeing their little girl starting to stir, about to wake up.

Gabriel leaned in and kissed Nathalie another time. A kiss, that contained all his love and send a warm feeling of bliss through both their bodies. Slowly parting again, he sighed while the, with hormones overloaded, woman pecked his lips again before he was out of reach.