The Gala

Chapter 4

Nathalie wakes up to see Duusu right next to her on the pillow.  "Wake up, Duusu."  Nathalie says as she pokes her kwami.  Duusu slowly opens her eyes and then flies in circles around Nathalies head.  Nathalie puts her glasses on and looks at the clock and then bolts up-right.  "It's 8 A.M......the next day...."

Duusu stops in front of Nathalies face.  "Yeah!  You must have been more tired than you thought!"  Nathalie runs her fingers through her hair, which is still in a bun, but a very messy one.  She looks under her bed for her crutches, and doesn't see them, so she looks at where she had set them yesterday when she ate with Adrien, and there they are.

Nathalie groans a bit.  "Duusu, could you grab those?"  Duusu flies over and drags them across the floor, only getting a few centimeters before she drops them.

"Ehm- no.  No I cannot."  Duusu says.  "Maybe you could ask Mr.Gabriel to-"

Nathalie cuts Duusu off.  "No!  If I tell him I won't ever hear the end of it."

Duusu flies back over to Nathalie and sits on her lap.  "But Ms.Nathalie, you need them, and I can't get them for you.  You have to ask for help."  Nathalie glares at Duusu.

"Fine."  Nathalie says to Duusu, and the kwamis face lights up.  "I'll just get them myself."

"WHA-"  Duusu exclaims, but is stopped when Nathalie pushes herself up, her knees wobbling.  She takes one step and immediately falls down.  "Are you ok Ms.Nathalie!?" Duusu exclaims loudly.

"Yes, but you won't be if YOU KEEP SHOUTING."  Nathalie says quietly, her voice getting angry.

Duusu smiles at the anger from Nathalie.  "Ok, ok."  Duusu says, then flying out of Nathalies room.

"But Duusu you can't- and she's gone."





"MR.GABRIELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!"  Duusu screams at him as she flies through the door to the atelier.

Gabriel looks up annoyedly sipping his coffee.  "Yes, Duusu?"

"Ms.Nathalie left her crutches at the table so now she's trying to walk to them!"  Duusu says to him.

Gabriel rolls his eyes at Nathalies stubbornness, and sets his coffee down and ascends to her room.




Gabriel opens the door and runs over to Nathalie, who's coughing on the floor.  "Nathalie!"  He says as he pulls her up against his chest.  "Are you alright?"  He asks when she stops coughing.

She pulls herself away from him and smiles at him.  "Yes."

"Promise?"  He asks her with a worried look.

"Yes I promise, Gabriel."  She replies gently, and Gabriel smiles a bit.

"Maybe you shouldn't go tonight..."  He says as he helps her up.

Nathalies knees wobble as she stands there, even with Gabriel bracing her up.  "No, I'll be fine."  She says as she grabs her crutches and walks--kind of--to the bathroom, and she closes the door behind her.  Gabriel sits down in a chair by her table.

"Are you sure?"  He asks her when she comes out, her hair fixed.

She sighs.  "Yes, I'm sure."

He stares at her for a moment before talking.  "It's still a few hours until the gala, I've cleared you work for you, I don't want you be exhausted by the time we go.  I'll have food sent up for you, ok?"

"Ok.  I'll see you when it's time to go?" She asks him.

"Yes, Nathalie.  I'll see you then."  He grabs her hand and squeezes it before standing up and leaving.