Nathalie's Breakup

Part 6 - Gabriel's confession

Groaning once again, the pregnant woman shook her head.

"Though I hate to say it straight away like that, it's your fault alone! Not just the way, you whispered it into my ear, but also, what you said....crap.... I told you before, I have never been in such a desperate need to... well you know. And only moments later you did 'THAT'! I tried to go to sleep, but.... I simply couldn't. My hormone controlled body has a will of its own, you know, and I was hoping, if I did a bit of my work, I could find some distraction and calm down a bit. Well, you know the rest of it, though the almost fall did the trick in the end. I'm back to normal. Mostly!"

Grinning, he teased her:

"What do you mean, if you say mostly?"

Nathalie quirked an eyebrow and gave him a disapproving look.

"Seriously, Gabriel, do you really think, this is the right moment, to make fun of me?", she told him off.

He paled in an instant, hearing her words and was quick to apologize:

"Oh God, no, I'm sorry, love! I didn't mean to make fun of you, I only tried to lighten your mood a bit! Can you please forgive me, Nathalie?"

He had pushed himself to his knees and crawled over to her, taking both her hands into his own, to rub his thumb over the back of them.

"Got you!", she blurted out and for the first time in ages burst into a real and honest laughter, not like the one before in his bedroom, to overcome the awkwardness. Letting herself fall backwards onto the lawn, she took more than five minutes until she was able to stop and give her boss a remorseful glance.

"I wasn't planning on doing that, it just slipped and then..... I haven't been able to even smile for so long now, Gabriel, please don't be mad!"

He had watched her with concern, when she had been lying before him, laughing so vigorously, that he had already been scared, she might be experiencing another nervous breakdown, just an even worse one than the last time.

But now, seeing her face regaining some colour and her eyes beginning to sparkle with the will and joy to live again, he couldn't help it but beamed at her widely, as he scooted around her, to frame her legs with his own and gently pull her upper body against his chest, so he could wrap his arms around her waist and place his hands on her belly, which was, due to her position, protruding way more than when she had been lying on his bed.

The young assistant sighed contently, as she relaxed into his embrace, her arms resting comfortably on his upper thighs, when she wondered:

"Why are you doing this? What is happening right now, Gabriel?"

He kissed the top of her head, leaving his lips there for a moment, then confessed sheepishly:

"I have no idea, love. But I do know one thing, which is, that from now on, I will take care of you and your baby. Just like you helped us raise Adrien, I want to be there for you. Maybe...."

He paused, giving her the time to progress his words.

"Maybe?", she asked so quietly, that he could hardly hear her.

"Well, Nathalie, I am very certain, that you have an idea, what maybe could happen, but that's only up to you! I wouldn't even dare to....", he inhaled deeply, then continued, "...come on to you and abuse the emotional turmoil, you're in, to my advantage! But I am telling you again, that I really will try to do, whatever you ask from me. You were and still are like a mother to Adrien, he told me so himself. Now I am offering you, to be a father for your child, to love him or her, the way you always loved my son. And to love you, if you want that, but there is no need to make a rushed decision. I am here and I won't go anywhere, I will just be waiting for you. But I am already looking forward, to see your face when you feel the first kicks or when you can finally let Adrien and me feel them too. When you take the first glimpse at your slime and even a bit blood covered baby and instantly know, that you've never seen a more beautiful newborn. All those moments, you should have been able to savour with the man, you loved so much, I know, it won't be the same with me, but..."

He made another pause, because she had started to tremble again and now Gabriel started to worry once more.

"Where does this come from, Gabriel?", she asked, her voice shaking.

"Hm?", he uttered confused, "what do you mean?"

"I get the part, where you want to do for my baby, what I did for Adrien, but...the other things, don't try to tell me, that you suddenly fell in love with me! I don't like to be lied to, you should know that!", she spat, getting slowly angry now.

The man, who was still holding her and caressing her stomach, sighed and made a decision, he had been pushing back for years now. But for her wellbeing and for the tiny chance, that she one day might feel the same again, he took the chance and began to explain:

"What if I told you, that I have been a complete and total moron and narcissist, who was so sure, that there was no need to rush and tell you, how he felt until it literally was too late, because you had met someone else and all of a sudden were gone. What if the very same moron hated the thought to have lost you, yet he still loved you that much, that he didn't even try to interfere with the, to him at least, one sided relationship, but hoped for you to have a chance to live a happy, fulfilled life? Would you believe me, if I told you, that I feel bad right now, because I kept my mouth shut and left you alone in a situation, where you truly needed someone who really cared? And most important, can you ever forgive me, for taking your kindness and your loving affections for granted instead of reciprocating them and showing you, how much you meant to me and still do?"