Story in a Nutshell: The night before Elena's coronation was pretty special to Gabe, minus the nightmares of course.

Note: Requested from kimwillbee hope you enjoy this!

Also caution, this is T rating for a reason. There is some killings and some sex is implied in a dream sequence. Although this does turn to fluff by the end. Oh and yes the poem at the end is the modified version of the poem from Miraculous:The Adventures of Ladybug and Cat Noir, just a fun little shout out since I just binged watch the entire first season.

Outside of the hall of the royal suites, it struck ten p.m. as everyone except for one Gabriel Nunez was going to sleep. Currently he was in the door way of the princess of Avalor.

"Night Gabe," said Isabel as the young princess waved at him.

"Night princess Isabel," said Gabe as he smiled at her before shutting her door. He would be back soon enough to check on her and princess Elena late at night. Sometimes several times because he did tend to be a perfectionist. At least as of lately since tomorrow Elena was having her crowning ceremony to become queen. Nobody was going to ruin that on his watch.

He smiled as he looked at her door before leaving to patrol the rest of the castle. Gabe was going to do it again although he'd leave Diego to go look after Francisco and Luisa. Then Euan with Esteban to look after for the night.

Then he went into Elena's room to make sure that she was okay. He was surprised to see her up and about as she was fretting over her dress. Gabe grinned as he could just picture her in that midnight blue gown that hugged every curve. His crush on her never really left after all this time as it seemed to turn into love.

"What do you think of this necklace?" she asked showing him a pretty light blue crystal. "I have earrings to match."

He scratched his head unsure what to say to that. "Both would work," he said as she smiled. Then laid those out for the next day to wear. The ceremony wasn't until that evening but she must have been nervous.

"Hey, you'll be okay," he said as he gave her a small grin. "Tomorrow is going to go off without a hitch. I won't let anyone any one in or anything."

Elena smiled back as she thought about it. "Actually, you're not going to be in charge of security. I need Mateo, Naomi, and you up there with me. Find your best outfit and just show up."

She hummed as she set aside her necklace and earrings. Gabe wanted to say something to that but bit his tongue back. No need to protest, if she wanted them up there, then she wanted them up there. Although he wasn't exactly sure why in this case. He looked at the clock and saw that it was almost quarter after, Elena should be in bed.

"I should be getting to bed," she said as she pulled out another dress. This one in a pretty pink color and he could tell that it was her night gown. He turned to leave as she noticed this. "Hey, stay here for another couple of minutes."

He gave her a look that he really shouldn't be here as she ignored that. She came back out of her closet dressed for bed and a present in her hand. "I gave something to Mateo and Naomi already, you're next."

She had that mischievous look on her face as he pulled out something from the bag. Inside was a pin that was like Francisco's except without the red in the middle and solid gold. Gabe looked at her as he smiled before giving her a side hug.

"I love it, thanks Elena," he said still grinning ear to ear. He wanted to tell her more and lift her off her feet but instead he felt a bit tongue tied. "I should probably go and you should get some sleep, queen Elena."

Elena laughed a little before rolling her eyes as he turned to leave. He pressed the pin into his palm as he let the door close behind him. Shaking his head, he found his candle lantern before making his nightly rounds.

First, go around the library with two of his men then finding his way to the gardens and back up the steps. Then he met up with Euan and Diego to patrol the royal suites. Quietly the three of them made their way to the hall as Gabe peeked into Isabel's room again. She lay there peaceful in her pale blue nightgown. Smiling at the young girl he gently shut the door and walked down to Elena's room. Then he smiled a bit brighter knowing that Elena was calm too.

Instead of heading to the guard barracks, he went to his room he was given near their rooms. Night attacks were possible and all three of them had to be on hand. Although usually he stayed in the barracks and not as much in this room. Seeing the hall was empty he smiled before getting ready for bed. He dropped his boots on the floor and laid down before actually putting on his bottoms and button down top. He looked at the door and then decided to sleep. Gabe could stay up all night if he could, but that be that wouldn't be good for his health. Although, he liked the idea of Elena taking care of him late at night.

With the thought of the princess he smiled. It's been rather complicated between the two of them lately. That much he could admit with so much going on between the two. Smiling he went to bed knowing that tomorrow Elena was becoming queen. She just had her twentieth birthday last week and tomorrow she was having her crowning ceremony. She was officially going to be Queen Elena, he thought, with a warm feeling running through him. Gabe turned to lay on his side as he thought about tomorrow. He wasn't even going to be part of security. Instead, Elena wanted him, Naomi, and Mateo up near her throne during the ceremony. Just that thought thrilled him as he was happy to be part of her life. Closing his eyes, he felt sleep start to overcome him.

Gabriel Nunez sat up straight as he looked around his room. The curtains over the rising sun made his room look eerily red. It looked the same except it didn't have his personal touches that he had added over the years. It wasn't much but something better than nothing. What happened to a few of his things? Sitting up straight he looked around only to find that most of everything was dusty. Coughing he ran a hand across the dresser to find everything missing inside as he looked in the drawers. Confused and a bit dazed he reached for the door handle and pulled.

His eyes adjusted to the light as he was in the hallway outside of the princess's room. Shaking his head, Gabe went to princess Isabel's room. She would be the best person to explain what might be going on. Hesitantly, he knocked and waited for someone to shout I'm coming or don't come in. Normally that was what Isabel would say to anyone while she was working on something. When he didn't hear a voice, he opened the door to find that nobody was in there. That was odd, he thought, as he went to Elena's room. She wasn't in there either he saw when she never came. He scratched his head before concentrating on where could they be? It was too late in the day to be lunch much less breakfast and it was too early to be dinner. In the distant there were sounds of chanting.

"Princess Elena?" he called into the empty hall looking around for evidence that anyone was even here.

"Gabriel?" said a voice from behind him. A bit surprised he turned to the owner of the voice. Armando, he thought, seeing the portly man looking up at him. Although he saw that he looked like he was afraid of him. "You shouldn't be here. Run and go get help while you still can."

At this he looked alarmed at hearing that one. "Help? Armando who needs help? What kind of help?"

Before Armando could answer him, they were surrounded by guards. However, it wasn't his guards the ones that he knew and was used to. Heck they weren't even dressed in blue but in black as he recognized those uniforms. They were from Shuriki's time on the throne. Gabe would see these men patrolling the city for curfew and such. What the? His thoughts cut short as they surrounded the two of them.

"Thank you for finding him Armando, Queen Shuriki will be pleased," said the tallest in the bunch. Before he could fight them off, he heard the chanting again. This time it was closer, much closer, than before. They were outside of the doors of the castle although nobody was going to be let in.

Then he saw her, Queen Shuriki in the flesh. Next to her was Elena and Naomi who looked defiant but clearly scared. Guards surround Senor Francisco, Senora Luisa, Princess Isabel, Chancellor Esteban, and his friend, Mateo de Alva, who looked just as terrified.

"Oh good, our third friend is here just in time to see what becomes of the family," she snapped as Gabe was pushed to the ground next to Naomi. Watching them, Shuriki turned back to the four in front of her. In her hand was Mateo's tamborita as she waved it at them. "First I would like to get the owner of this magical device out of the way."

Gabe could only watch in horror as the guards were holding all three of them down.

"NO!" he could hear all three of them yell as Mateo was struck first. Gabe tried to buck off his guard to no avail as Shuriki eyed her next target.

"Then the person who betrayed me," she snapped staring at Esteban with a look of pure hatred. Not even taking a second guess, Shuriki wielded Mateo's tamborita to kill Esteban. Elena was shaking from where she was being held trying to get them off of her. Then she turned to look at Luisa and Francisco, Gabe trying so hard to fight off the men on him. It took four to hold him down alone now.

"You two lived past your prime," she said raising Mateo's magical device and striking Luisa and Francisco in one terrifying blow. Elena was crying now with three men holding her as he saw the tears. Fighting his bonds, he knew Isabel had to be next. He had to protect her at all costs, he failed as a guard if Isabel died on his watch.

"And the one that hurts the most," she said with an evil smirk on her face. Prying away from the guards with all of his might he could only see red as he fought to save Isabel. That didn't stop the evil queen from her striking final blow. Elena was shaking and now he could hear her pain and tears.

Shurki looked at Mateo's tamborita with a final look as she gave it to a guard to tear in half. She pulled her wand out of her dress pocket as she turned to them.

"As for you three, you have a purpose," she said with that satisfactory look on her face. She walked over to Naomi and could only hold her up by her neck. "I could always use a servant girl."

He watched as Naomi's normal gown was transformed into a simple restricting brown dress. Shuriki using her magic had Naomi on her knees. She sneered down at the girl as Naomi couldn't even raise herself to get back at her. Then he watched as she turned to him.

"And I might have some private plans for you later," she said if a bit more seductively. At this he shivered knowing exactly what that meant.

Then Shuriki looked to Elena as he could feel just how broken his princess must be feeling right now. Stepping in front of her, she gave her a long hard look. "And your queen is to be in chains," she cackled as Elena was pushed up to look in her eyes. Shuriki pulled out her wand and smiled as she cast some kind of spell on her. Naomi couldn't move and neither could he.

"Elena you have to snap out of it," he tried calling as his voice seemed to be put on mute. He tried to run to snap her out of it but he stayed where he was, perfectly poised.

Shuriki nodded at the girl as Elena was standing and listening to her. "Hmm, you'll be of some use," she said giving him a glance. "Maybe you two will give me an heir before I kill you."

Gabe was going to pounce again as he

Sat up in bed feeling sweaty all over the place. He felt around and made sure Shuriki wasn't there and going to use him as some kind of concubine. At the very least make him procreate with Elena, he thought disgusted although not as much as he thought. That dream felt like it was real and that she was really there. He sat up quickly and not bothering to put his uniform back on he wandered into the hall. First thing he was going to do was check up on Isabel.

Practically gliding down the hall, he creeped open her door to find Isabel fast asleep and probably dreaming about an invention, he closed it. Isabel was safe he though thankful that she was safe and nothing was going to hurt her. She was okay, as he went to Elena's room.

He let the door swing in as he saw Elena sleeping soundly with her head buried under her pillows. She laid on her stomach snoring lightly. It was kind of cute as he let out a breath. Nothing was wrong with either girl and they were safe. Gabe gave a sigh of relief that Shuriki returning to Avalor and killing Elena's family was all just a very bad nightmare. Lying down, he let the dreams come. Nice pleasant dreams, like showing Josefina or Veronica how to fence. Or sharing a kiss with Elena, as he felt the dreams come to him.

The next morning, he heard the birds chirping and the sounds of other early morning risers. Which meant him as he remembered last night. He wiped his face feeling that sweat that he didn't realize was there. Today was the day of Elena's coronation! Nightmares really shouldn't be bothering him as he thought about what life would be like now. Elena as a queen he thought with a smile.

That's what he should do for her, he thought thinking about it. He should get her something just as a coronation present, like she did for him and the others. Hopefully that's what she would have seen it as because his real intent was pure affection for the young queen. For him the present would just be some kind of token of affection. Gabe thought that this could have been his move but had decided against it. Just the gift would do he thought before deciding what to get. Flowers, he decided, knowing that she likes marigolds. So, a banquet of flowers and chocolate. Elena loved chocolate, he thought remembering exactly what she liked.

Then Gabe debated on how to give them to her. Leave them with a card signed by him? Leave them anonymously? Outright give it to her? He sighed unsure but first he just had to get his flowers first. He made his way down to the gardens. All he had to do was go find Tomas and he could pick the flowers. Taking a breath yet again, he went down to the gardens. Then after that was taken care of he went to get some chocolate from a nearby shop. It was still early and nobody was going to miss him.

"Elena, I want to give this to you to show my…" he started before hesitating. "Elena, I really like you…. No. I have something important… You are one of my best friends… No. None of this sounds right. Maybe I should just leave them there. Then if she asks I could tell her."

He sighed as he looked at her door unsure what to do. Tomas had hand-picked some of his best flowers as he knew who it was intended for. With the flowers in his hand he thought about the best way to tell her how he felt about her. His crush on her was something that only a few people knew. At least he hoped

"Elena, I have something I need to tell you," he said trying out his speech again.

"Go ahead," said a voice from behind him. He swirled around to see Elena standing there, of course he thought. Just behind him was the door to her bedroom. He felt caught like a mouse in a trap.

Gabe cleared his throat as he hid the flowers and chocolates behind his back. He didn't expect Elena to hear him. "Hi," he said looking at her. "I found these outside your door this morning."

If a bit reluctantly he handed her the flowers and then the chocolate in a heart shaped box. He loved the look on her face as she lit up. Elena loved them as he had hoped. She fingered one of the petals on the flowers with a wide grin. Then looked at the chocolate with her eyebrows raised a little.

"There's no note," she said looking around. "These are beautiful, I wonder who gave them to me."

"It was me," he said coming clean if a bit clumsily as Elena's smile didn't fade. Thank goodness, he thought, seeing that. "I was going to surprise you, it's for your coronation. Since you gave me the pin, I'd figured I'd get something for you."

Proudly he showed her that he had it on. That was a lie as he wondered if Elena could tell as well. It was a present not just for her coronation but also as a bit of a way to tell her that he cared about her. That, and he thought of her as more than a friend although telling her that wouldn't be the best thing to say on the day of her coronation. Maybe in another couple of years, he thought. Elena's face become soft as she grinned at him.

"These are beautiful Gabe, thanks," she said as smiled. "I'd hug you but I'm holding these."

Right.

"I can put of those in your room if you like," he said offering to drop them off, seeing as he had the flowers in a vase already. He was sure there was something else he was missing but wasn't positive. Then he saw Elena bend down to pick something up. His letter he thought. Gabe had written something for her not too long ago for her but never sent it. He must have stuck it in the flowers sometime when he was thinking about what to say. Gabe put the flowers on her bedside table and then the chocolate next to it, before rushing back out. Just in time too as she was going to pick it up.

"Oh, right, a hug," she said as she saw him. Stepping on the paper, he prevented her from reading it. He felt his arms around her as he squeezed her a little. They stayed like that for a few minutes before pulling away.

"You give good hugs," she said as he grinned a little silly. He felt himself melt a little at hearing that. "I better get to my rehearsal."

With that she was practically skipping down the hall. Gabe sighed as he picked up the paper from the floor and skimmed over the poem.

Your hair shines like the sun, your eyes are beautiful brown, I look at you and wonder your innermost thoughts and dreams. Our love will be so true, together for eternity, my heart belongs to you.

It was so corny he thought as Gabe just slid it into his pocket. Maybe someday he would give it to her as he whistled down the hall to get back to work. This was going to be the best coronation the city was ever going to see.