How soon is now?

(There's a club if you'd like to go
you could meet somebody who really loves you
so you go, and you stand on your own
and you leave on your own
and you go home, and you cry
and you want to die)

Author's Notes: This is about the Movie Characters. Not the book. I do not own the storyline or characters. This is just a fanfiction.

Summary: Astrid's childhood. And Gabriel plays a trick on Astrid.

When we were little girls, we would run through the woods. Our hair flowing behind us. We would giggle and laugh. We were only ten years old. Just little children. Innocence was key. We would run, jump, and shift forms in the air. It was such a glorious feeling. We were just little girls.

By the time we turned thirteen, we had become wrapped in the world of young men. Esme, my young sister, had taken a liking to a boy named Ivan. Quite a cute fellow. They spent so much time together. Soon, we didn't even run together anymore.

I felt alone. Watching them. Seeing them go out together. Soon we weren't really seeing each other anymore. I missed Esme. When we turned sixteen, she spent most of her time at the distillery. Watching Ivan work.

The Gandillon Distillery, commonly know to humans as Brookwood Absinthe, made absinthe, known to kill people. Not just humans but the Loup-Garoux as well. The irony in that is amazing.

Slowly but surely I began hanging out at the distillery too. And then I saw him. Gabriel. He was wiping down one of the machines with a worn out cloth. I approached him slowly.

Gabriel must have been eighteen, I younger by two years. He twirled the towel around and whipped it at the heavy metal. Grinning, he turned around. He must have noticed me staring, he waved.

"Astrid de Ruelle of the Bucharest Loup-Garoux pack," he bowed deeply, "How may I be of service to you? Come here for a drink?"

I stuttered, "Um...," he prompted me on, "Yes. Um...I wanted to try some."

He walked down the staircase with me and towards the bar. He patted a stool. He went around the bar while I sat down. He poured me some absinthe in a large shot glass. The liquid was a clear green. I sniffed it once.

Wrinkling my nose, he said, "C'mon I'm right here. It's not that bad."

Butterflies welled in my stomach. I lifted the glass to my lips. Tossing my head back, I gulped it down. The liquor was bitter and it scalded my tongue. I chocked back a gag.

I looked at Gabriel. Glee. "See that wasn't so bad." He whipped the glass away and took his worn out cloth, wiping the table. He grinned, "I love a woman who can drink down a shot of liquor."

I smiled meekly.

I tossed in my bed. Sweat glistened my body. My night mare wouldn't go away. I hadn't had a nightmare like that since I was nine. I lifted myself out of bed panting. Esme woke up next to me.

"Riddy, you ok?" She sounded scared.

I was still panting, sweat sliding down my back.

"Fine," Inhale. Exhale. "...just fine."

I got up from bed. "I'm going to go for a walk. Lock the bedroom door."

Before she could protest I ran out of the bedroom and up the second stairwell. Up on the rooftop, I breathed in the cool summer air. Stretching my limbs and yawned.

Whatever caused that dream sure should be shot with silver. I walked to one side of the roof. Perching myself at the edge. Quickly, and in a blink of an eye, I took off running. Hopping over the gaps between houses. I stretched my legs to its maximum capacity.

I hopped to three houses. I landed on Esme's friend's house. Jenny. Gabriel and Ivan's little sister. Quickly I sneaked into her bedroom.

"Jenny, wake up." I rubbed her gently. She wouldn't wake, so I moved her roughly. "Jenny!"

She stirred. "Astrid? Esme?" She asked groggily.

"No it's just Astrid. Can I use your back door?"

Jenny sat up, glaring daggers at me. "Astrid! Do you know what time it is?" She looked at the clock, "two in the goddamn morning!"

"Shh!" I smothered her mouth with my hand. "Can I please use your back door?"

She looked at me, thinking through the situation. "Fine just stop doing this. I need my beau-"

I didn't even listen to her. Just ran out and down the stairs. Almost there.

Four hands wrapped around me. Two around my neck and mouth. Two around my wrist and waist.

"Wait a minute. Gabe. It's a chick!" Ivan's voice.

"Jenny?" Gabe's.

"No! Astrib!" My muffled cried surrounded the kitchen.

The both of them released me and I hurried to open the door. It was only slammed back closed by Gabriel's hand.

I squealed.

I looked back at Gabriel and Ivan. Both of the twins had anger in their eyes but smiles on their faces. Matching black hair and brown eyes. Only difference between the both of the them was their skin tone. Gabriel's tanned. Ivan's pale. Maybe it was Ivan's british look that appealed to Esme, while Gabriel's Mediterranean look appealed to me.

"Um, Gabe, Iv," I stuttered, "I really should be getting home."

The twins had an eye contact conversation. Ivan's eyes lit up. Gabriel smirked and turned back to me.

"I'll walk you home." Gabriel said.

"Oh, that's not ness-"

He put up a hand, "You are one of the daughters of our alpha. You need protection." He grinned. Ivan retreated up to his room. Chuckling to himself.

Gabriel opened the door and led me out. We walked in silence the whole way up the street.

"Why were you running?" He asked, curious. We reached the house.

"I had a nightmare. I like to run." I shrugged.

"It's not good to run from your fears, you know? You would only be running from yourself." He leaned into me and kissed me gently on the lips.

I woke up with a start. Sweat pored from every pore of my body. I patted my body down and touched my lips. That was a nightmare.

"I'm going to shoot Gabriel!"

"What's wrong, Riddy?" Esme woke up, frightened.

"Gabriel drugged my absinthe!"