You are enough

Realisation

Gabriel's POV

Nathalie's blissful eyes stared at me in astonishment.

"What do you say, Nathalie?" I asked, caressing her cheek.

"Sir, I... that's fine. If that is what you want, then I..."

She got hold of her crutches and escaped my embrace, separating my hand from the warmth of her skin.

"Please leave my room and let me pack my things."

"What? Why? Why are you leaving? You do not want that? I thought..."

"Sir, please leave." Her eyes were wet, yet she truly made an effort for tears not to run down her cheeks. What had upset her so much? I just told her "I do not need you to be my assistant anymore, I want you, Nathalie".

"But Nathalie!"

"No. I've endured too much for you to come around, lounge around with me, and then go like 'I do not want you anymore'."

"That is not what I meant! Wait!"

"I thought we were friends, sir. I thought I mattered to you, that I was not disposable. That we would be together all the way to the end. I thought you..." she coughed and doubled up. "I gave my life for you..." she sputtered.

She fell on her knees and kept on coughing on the floor. I grabbed my glasses, got up and held her in my arms despite her struggling.

"Nathalie, listen."

"What? What else do you need, sir? Say what you must and leave. I have to prepare my stuff."

"Nath... here." I handed her the cup of tea. "Take a sip. Now listen."

"Come on, I'm all ears. But I do not have the entire afternoon to lose. Packing can be difficult in my condition."

"I got nervous... I meant I didn't need you anymore as an assistant... if I want to leave the past behind I must change a couple of things... one of them is having you take me everywhere on a tablet. I... want to do it, just like Emilie would. I want to be there for Adrien, to face my fatherhood as I should have a long time ago... I want to be the person Hawk Moth did not allow me to be... I want to enjoy life and..."

"So, you are dismissing me?"

"No, Nathalie. I want to enjoy life and I want you. I want you in this new life, in this new beginning. I want you, Nath."

Her cheeks turned crimson as her body stopped fighting against my grip. She leaned against my chest as I picked her from the floor and laid her on the bed. I sat at her feet and stared expectantly.

"Sir, I..."

"No more 'sir'. You are fired," I joked.

"Fine." She smiled. "Gabriel, in that case I... I think I'll still have to pack my things."

"What? Why? I... do you not want to be mine? Sorry, I might have misinterpreted signals... I... My apologies, Nathalie. I must have misunderstood, forgive me, please. I..."

And all of a sudden, her soft lips were pressed against mine. I kissed her back and pressed her body against mine. Everything made me feel loved; her heat, her taste, her long fingers tangling on my hair.

"Gabriel, I love you."

"And I love you, dearest. Why would you pack your stuff? You know you can always live here, you do not have to move because we are dating... I mean, on the contrary, I would be more than grateful if you lived here with us as my partner..."

She blushed as red as a cherry and let out a soft cough.

"And that's exactly why I should pack my things, Gabriel. Or will you leave me here in my room?"