Reunited

-Chapter - 70 - The day before... -

-Make sure to take a break when you need it! This chapter is pretty long, but I hope you enjoy! <333-

August 21, 2027
-11:40pm-
-Agreste Mansion: Gabriel & Nathalie's room-

The couple were pleasantly asleep, with Nathalie's face resting on Gabriel's chest and their arms wrapped around each other's naked bodies; however, they were abruptly disturbed when the blaring sound of the alarm clock sitting on Gabriel's nightstand began to go off.

Gabriel was jolted awake by the sound, while Nathalie groaned and moved her body closer to him than it already was, and her arms tightened their grip around his waist. He slowly blinked his eyes open. When he felt a yawn coming, he removed a hand that was on Nathalie's waist and placed it on his mouth.

Gabriel gazed down at Nathalie and smiled weakly, still weary. He put his hand on her waist again and repositioned her to be on top of him to ensure they were still connected while he slowly moved closer to the edge of the bed to reach the infuriating alarm clock's off button.

Once he was able to switch the alarm off, Nathalie asks him in a low voice, her exhaustion notable, "Darling....is it morning?..."

"No, darling," Gabriel responds while caressing her bare back up and down, and he observes that her eyes are still closed.

Nathalie questions him again, "What was the alarm for?..."

"It's the reminder I set last night... We have twenty minutes until midnight... Then I'd have to leave, darling," Gabriel explains to her, still continuing to caress her back gently.

Hearing his response, Nathalie raised her head from his chest and gazed at him with only her left eye open. Gabriel giggled slightly before putting his hand behind her head and moving her face closer so he could kiss his fiancée on her forehead.

"I don't want you to go... Gabriel," Nathalie whispers to him and managed to open her other eye.

Gabriel gave her a sincere smile. "I do not want to leave either, darling... I'd like to remain here all night and cuddle with you... But I'm not supposed to see my bride the day before the wedding..., " He reminds her.

Nathalie sighed deeply and repositioned her head on his chest again. "What if we break the tradition."

"We can't..." Gabriel says, remembering what had happened to his late wife.

He wasn't one to believe in superstitions, but this one was different. He and Emilie stayed together the night before their wedding, and it led to tragedy. Yes, it could have been a coincidence, but he didn't want to take that risk with the woman he loved and cherished so much.

"I know that, but- I want to stay with you....Darling, it might not even be true..." Nathalie tries to reason with him.

"We don't know that for sure, darling..." Gabriel paused then asks her making her look at him again, "Would you rather not see me for a day... Or not see me for the rest of your life?"

Nathalie furrowed her brows. "What kind of question is that?" She stared him in the eyes and said, "Although being away from you is torture, the best option is not to see you for a day." Gabriel noticed how her eyes turned from solemnity to sorrow. "I can't imagine my life without you anymore, Gabriel... I'd be a total mess without you---the man that I love so much."

Gabriel stroked the back of her head and gave her a smile, saying, "Though only the future can tell what will happen, I want to do everything in my power to keep you by my side for as long as possible... You witnessed how much I suffered without you. I would never put us through that again. I don't want to lose you for the second time, my Nathalie..." Gabriel placed his palm on her cheek and stroked it with his thumb, saying, "I know it's difficult, my darling...for me as well, but today will go by really quickly. We will be able to get through it."