Miraculous - The New Guardian

Part 64 - Nathalie and Gabriel(edited)

Gabriel finished the call from Adrien, after giving him permission, to visit Marinette's family in Italy for a couple of days. Though he wasn't sure, it was the right thing to do, he was too occupied with his own actual issues, to think too far into it. By the way, those two were old enough, to go on a 500 miles trip, while there was a grown man, who he paid as Chauffeur and Bodyguard, driving them directly to their destination.

He tiptoed back into the hospital room, to not wake Nathalie, who he had left behind, sleeping in her bed, to answer his phone. But the young woman was already awake and looked at him with anticipation.

"Did anything happen?", she softly questioned, her voice full of concern. Gabriel slowly shook his head, and swallowed hard, then cleared his throat, before he could return her gaze,

"Adrien just asked, if he could take Marinette, to visit her family, so they can stay there and care for her grandmother, without feeling guilty towards her!", he explained.

"Oh", was all he got as response.

She turned her head, to look out of the window, so he wouldn't see the tears, that were filling her eyes again.

"Nathalie", he quietly muttered, not sure, what to say. He stepped closer, slowly seating himself beside her, and waited, showing her, that he was there, without pushing her to talk to him.

He sighed, when she didn't react at all. Carefully leaning back, he lowered his head onto her pillow, putting his feet up on the chair beside the bed.

A moment later, he heard her muffled crying, and turned his head, to nuzzle his nose into the back of her neck. He felt her sob. After pressing a firm kiss to her neck he softly said: "I love you, beautiful!", only to hear her scoff and cry even harder.

Gabriel sighed again. "I know there's is nothing to make it up ever again, but that doesn't change the fact, that I love you!"

The young woman finally turned her head and looked at her spouse.

"I know, that you do, but it still hurts. Why did you tell me? If you had just kept it to yourself, we would be okay!", she accusingly asked. "Even after Emily told you, to not tell me right away, if you had to do it at all. Why couldn't you at least wait until we were back at the mansion? And did you ever consider, that you might have hurt Emily even more? She doesn't remember those years, that have passed, while she was unconscious. For her, you were her loving husband, and she gave you free, to be with me, without even a hesitation, just because she was only thinking about you. By kissing her, you hurt us both. I could tell, that she was crying, when she hung up the phone, Gabriel. It isn't fair to her or me, or our b-b-ba-b-b-by."

"When would have been the right moment to tell you then? When we left the hospital to go home, or after a few days at home? Or at the mansion, as you just said. It makes me sad, that you can't accept it as your home too. You are not my assistant anymore, you are my wife and I love and trust you. It's your house now as well. Everything I had, is yours now too. Except the things, I promised Emily of course....", he paused and looked at her,

Then Gabriel suddenly chuckled.

"Sorry", he said, "but I just realized, when you were my assistant, you moved around the house with more ease than since we're married. Isn't that somehow funny, how you were so convinced in your position and are so insecure, that I am being honest with you? Nothing like that will ever happen again, my love, I swear that to you on everything that means anything to me."

Nathalie smiled slightly.

"I saw that", was her husbands reaction.

Her smile grew wider. "I hate you", she whispered.