The day they thought would never come

Prequel snippet 4 - The cleansing

Jack POV---

I looked down at her head. Slowly brushing the hair back from her face. She looks like an angel, so peaceful. Even with the dried tears lining her face. She looked like... my angel, my Gabrielle.

Wait, what am I thinking. Jaycee....Jaycee is my girlfriend. I love her, she loves me. She is my present and....

Present, but not future anymore? Are you really sure she is even that now?

That annoying little voice in my head just won't stop. It keeps telling me that things have changed. That the future I thought about only a day ago was no longer so laid out before me.

No matter how much I combat it with logic and reason, it just won't stop putting that little bit of doubt in my mind that maybe things have changed. Doubt that can only grow.

A little whisper of "Jack" sounds in night.

Only Gabrielle can be so cute when she sleeps. Still the same after all this time. Well at least she is finally sleeping peacefully. This has been one trying night.

From the moment the door opened and I saw her standing there, quietly crying as she tried to hug herself. It was heartbreaking. Totally heartbreaking to see my Gabrielle in such a state. She looked so lost, so defeated, so different from her old self and image she has been portraying online.

I wonder how her family and friends could have missed it. I could see it in the little ways. The lost weight, the dullness in her hair, every little thing screamed that something was wrong. Something just looked off even above the state she was in now. At that moment I thanked my stars that Cassie was such a nosy person. Who knows what could have happened if she didn't find the note.

The moment I stepped in and held out my arms she latched on to me like she was someone drowning in the ocean. I just held her as the crying turned into sobs. I could feel the pain coming from her and all I wanted to do was to protect her from it.

It's amazing that no matter how much life changes some simple things can't. Even with the hurt. Even with the time apart. She was still my Gabrielle, still in my heart and I wanted to protect her from everything, even when I can't.

I resorted to picking her up when she wouldn't move. Her legs locked around me like a Koala bear. So I shut the door and walked us over to the couch.

I finally got her to loosen a little and shifted her so I could sit on the couch with her in my lap. I just kept stroking her hair and murmuring it would be ok. I would help her. She wasn't alone.

It took a while, but eventually she ended up crying herself to sleep. Right there on my lap. I just held her.

That is when I had a few seconds to text Jaycee. She was right. Gabrielle was on the edge. I could tell it from the moment I walked in. She needed me here right now.

I am not sure how long she slept that first time, maybe 30 minutes, maybe an hour. I really don't know. I do know it was long enough to bring back feelings I thought I had finally buried for good.

Then she woke up. I could feel her breathing change and her arms lock hard around my neck. Almost like she was afraid that I would vanish the moment she let go.

It took me several minutes to get her to raise her head and look at me. It was like she thought it was all a dream that would end if she opened her eyes. But I did see a little of the old Gabrielle in the back of that stare, just for a moment when she finally looked into my eyes. A faint glow of warmth and happiness that was missing from when I walked in.

Then started the crying apologies. The broken hearted explanations. The pleading for me not to hate her.

The pressures, the people, everything seemed to come out in one long stream of agony.

Then we talked. We didn't fight. We didn't try to hurt each other. We didn't try to prove either of us was right or wrong. We just talked about everything. Everything that lead up to our breakup and everything that had happened after.

We both finally came to see what the the other person saw and felt. We came to terms with what happened and finally put it behind us.

Getting Gabrielle to let me up to go to the bathroom at one point in there took a lot of convincing that I would come back. That I wouldn't just run away and leave her there. I wonder how many people ignoring her problems it took for her to be this way? All I knew was that there were way to many doing just that.

I think it was a fresh start for both of us. I know at least for me, the weight I was carrying seemed to lighten greatly. I could tell she was feeling the same thing.

There was still a lot to talk about. Gabrielle's life seemed to have hit the edge of a rock face. One wrong move and its a long way down. But still, I think it helped her at least take a step or two back from the edge. Jumping wasn't going to be the only option anymore.

Then it happened. She tried to kiss me.

I saw it coming and had to stop her. I had to remind her that I was still with Jaycee. I thought she was going to lose it again when she asked me if she knew I was here with her.

The look of surprise on her face when I told her that she pushed me into making that step almost caused me to lose it. I don't think Gabrielle would have liked me laughing so hard at her face at a time like this.

I could hear the sadness in her voice when she apologized for trying to kiss me. I could hear the fear when she asked me if I had to leave to go back to her tonight.

I could feel the happiness when I told Gabrielle I wasn't going anywhere until we figured out how to help her out of the spiral her life has become.

No matter what happens from here on out, I was not going to let her face it alone anymore, even if it is just standing by her as a friend.

When I called Jaycee to tell her what was going on, I was surprised she wasn't upset. I was shocked when she said she was going to swing by with some clothes for me so I wouldn't be stuck in the same ones tomorrow.

As I told Gabrielle that she was going to drop a couple of things off to me, so I could spend the night here on the couch, she looked dumbfounded.

When she knocked on the door and I opened it, Gabrielle surprised me again by inviting her in. I think I can count the number of nonfamily members that have seen Gabrielle looking like that in one hand with fingers left over.

I ran outside to get something from my car while they were talking. I am not sure what they discussed. I am really not sure how to deal with what Jaycee said to me when she came outside to leave.

She kissed me, told me she understood, and that we would have to have a long talk tomorrow... First us and then with Gabrielle. I am not sure what to make of that. It kind of sounds ominous.

Gabrielle looked happy when I came back in. I am not sure if it was from their discussion or the fact that I didn't leave and was keeping my word.

Now here we are, her head on my lap. Fitting like a long lost glove. I am so confused about everything right now. My feelings are all jumbled up like someone started a blender in my head.

Oh well, what will come tomorrow will come tomorrow. For tonight I will just enjoy watching my Gabrielle sleep. Safe and sound with me watching over her again, at least for one night.

Outside an apartment, in a small city in the Midwest, the night sky seemed to sparkle just a little bit brighter through the window.