What if All I Need Is You (Gabenath)

My Heart Is You

Gabriel observes Nathalie's sleeping face through the glass window of the hospital room. He watches the way her chest rises to then descend in an unhurried pace. The bruising to her cheek and forehead, as well as the cast on her wrist are a bitter reminder of where she was the entire night.

Last night was torturous for Gabriel. The ache in his stomach telling him something was wrong, increased by the second.

He feared he might never see Nathalie again.

But now that he stands here, with Nathalie resting just a few feet away from him, Gabriel feels he can breathe again.

Even in her drowsy and medicated state, Nathalie is beautiful. The subtle coloring of her cheeks and the darkness of her hair, glow in contrast to the dreary hospital room she's in.

She's captivating, absolutely breathtaking. Gabriel thinks he could stare at her forever.

———

"You can go in if you'd like." Gabriel hears a voice say.

He turns around to find Camille standing behind him, with a cup of coffee in between her hands.

"Can I?" He asks with a sheepish look on his face.

She quickly nods, giving him a reassuring smile, but not before thanking him.

"Thank you so much for all your help last night", she says in complete gratitude.

"You don't have to thank me", Gabriel responds. "I'd do anything to make sure Nathalie is safe."

And then he simply proceeds to enter the hospital room.

———

The crisp scent of mint and cleaning fluids instantly invade his nostrils the moment Gabriel steps inside the room. His footsteps are light as approaches the bed.

And when he is finally standing next to her, he is able to clearly see the injuries to her face.

His eyes fill with tears at the sight. It's a stabbing pain in his chest to know Nathalie had to suffer in such a way. Gabriel inevitably blames himself. If only he'd seen Arthur's intentions from the very beginning.

Gabriel runs his fingertips over the cast that covers her left wrist. He can feel the roughness of the white material, and when he sees Nathalie's right arm twitch and her body shift, he realizes she is soon to wake up.

Her deep shiny blue eyes blink in a slow rhythm while she simply stares at him. As if she were questioning herself if he's really there or not.

The medication she has received has her somewhat disoriented and confused, causing her vision to be blurry.

"Gabriel?", she mumbles in a raspy voice.

"Yes, my love. I'm here", he replies in a whisper.

Her lips form a light smile, and when she feels Gabriel run his hand down her cheek, a single tear leaves her eye.

"Why are you crying?" He asks, wiping the tear from her pale and bruised cheek.

His voice is so soft, and just as he takes a seat on the chair next to the bed, Nathalie takes a deep breath. Her warm breath hitting his hand.

"For a moment, I thought I might never see you again", she tells him.

"Oh, my Nathalie", he says with tears welling in his eyes once again and his voice trembling in sorrow from her words.

"I wouldn't be able to live without you. My heart is only full when you're close to me..."

He then pauses for just a moment, debating whether to tell her what his heart feels for her.