Author's Note: Writer's block attacked my soul for this story recently. More brain storming is needed to find out where this is going. Oh another new poll on my profile page. Too many other stories bouncing around in my head.

CHAPTER 36: Bulletproof

"This time baby I'll be bulletproof." – Bulletproof, La Roux

It was pretty damn late when Claire heard the slam to the door. She shuddered into her uncle's arms as they watched some reality show on TV. Her father was the first to get up followed by Mr. Muggles who's feet patted across the floor. Peter followed as Claire looked to the time. She was glad for the weekend. She loved spending time with Peter, but if things kept going how they were she was going to have to skip class on Monday. She couldn't bare going knowing Elle was missing since the morning. She had already texted Gretchen telling her she was having a family emergency. Elle had left her phone here.

Mr. Muggles barked loudly jumping as Peter got himself up as well. Claire got herself up hearing something break. Someone cussed and she peered into the first hall. She first saw Mr. Muggles jump up to greet Gabriel. He looked like a living corpse of a man Claire knew. Peter helped him out taking his one arm as her father grabbed the other. Elle went to pick up the shattered vase, but her mother shook her away. Claire came over to pick up the glass as Elle looked on worried up at Gabriel.

"Get him on the couch." Noah instructed as Elle followed the older men to the living room. She rubbed her belly taking deep breathes and Claire could see tears fog her eyes.

They plopped the young man on the couch as he cried as if a needle had been stuck in his back and the motion pushed it further. Elle ran her fingers through his hair kneeling beside him. Noah began to look across the room wondering what to do. Peter kept his lips pressed together watching Elle nearly fall to pieces. Gabriel struggled to breath.

"It was Candice." Elle finally breathed out stroking Gabriel's stubble. Noah didn't seem all that surprised. "She put so many drugs in him." Peter saw the tears come down silently on Elle's face. He watched the man laying on the couch wither in pain almost crying. His fingers shook as they reached up for the woman he loved. She took the hand kissing his palm softly. Her expression then turned to Noah. "We have to do something." Her cheeks were wet as Claire stepped in the room.

"My blood." She explained allowing everyone to focus their attention on her. Mrs. Bennet went about cleaning the glass peering at her daughter. "It brought Elle back so it should bring Gabriel back." Peter looked to Noah as if for approval.

"It's worth a shot." Peter explained trying to focus his attention not at the couple withering for each other, but for the prospect of helping someone. "I mean we can't go wrong." Claire smiled half way as Bennet nodded.

"Alright," He insisted moving toward his office as Peter watched him. "There's some left over equipment in my office from my Company days. Can you get Claire ready?" Peter nodded motioning Claire to the bathroom. Elle peered from the group back down at Gabriel.

"Everything's going to be alright Gabriel." She kissed his fingers lovingly. "You'll get better and then we can go home." She held his hand tightly in her grasp.

"Elle," He whispered with a smile letting his fingers twitch to stroke her little hand. "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright, baby." She said not letting her tears get the best of her. "I'll always forgive you. I love you too much to care what happens. Just stay okay. Stay with us." She put his hand to her belly letting him feel the baby roll against her skin and fabric. His eyes looked down briefly at the growing child. Elle felt her heart quicken in hope at the same time it dropped.

"I . . . am . . .sorry to you both." The heart beat slowed and Elle felt the pulse of her own heart race. "I love you." His eyes dripped down as the heart beat faded. Elle found her eyes widening as she felt the man slip from her fingers. The pulse slipping away so noticeably her own heart ached.

"No. No. NO!" She screamed grabbing Gabriel's face. "No please. Please don't leave me alone. Please. Please." Her eyes didn't leave his form. He could have been sleeping if he wasn't so ungodly pale. So sick looking. "Noah! P-Peter! Claire! Gabriel please don't leave. I c-c-can't be anything without you please!" Noah rushed into the room as fast as Peter and Claire did.

"Give me the needle." Peter called taking it from the man's hand. Elle didn't care what happened. She grabbed Gabriel's hand trying to shock him back at one point. In movies that had worked hadn't it? "Elle step back. Don't do that." She felt her body want to give up. He seemed so peaceful maybe he wanted this.

Noah lifted her petite pregnant form off the ground holding her around him as Peter drew the blood from Claire. He plunged the needle into Gabriel's forearm as Elle gasped only because in an odd way she felt the pain herself. She knew it would more then likely work, but what if it didn't? What if he just stayed peaceful and dead forever?

What would she do with the baby? What would she do with her life without him? She didn't want to even think about it so she watched the blood enter his system and waited. She felt like it took centuries for the color to return to his face. For his fingers to twitch. For him to catch his breath, but it happened. She felt a sudden breath release from her as he sat up on the couch. Alive. Alive again. She threw herself at him letting it all out.

"Don't leave me please." She cried wrapping her body so tight around him as he stood up she thought he'd become a part of her.

"Never Elle." He focused his attention on the people who saved him for a moment before holding the young woman. "Never if I had a choice."

--

Dying took a lot out of someone. Enough to keep them in the Bennet household with Peter sleeping just across from them. He sighed letting himself let go of Elle once that night. Every since he had risen from the dead. He felt the need to hold her become too great for him. Letting her go like he did now rolling out of bed hurt him. It made his body ache, but he needed some water or something.

He just needed a minute or two to rethink things. He had a new ability. Elle had witnessed him murder someone and he had died. Dying wasn't exactly everything he hoped it'd be. There was the moment when you felt it. The moment that told you it was going to happen no matter how hard you clung to the world. To her. He let it happen though. He let his soul, sprit, or whatever leave the body. He hadn't gone to heaven though. Not like Elle had.

It was a quick blackness and it hurt. It hurt so badly wherever he was. He was alone, afraid, and wanting the world more. He never wanted to leave her again. Leave himself. Leave anything the world had to offer. He'd go to that dark place again when he died, but not before he made sure Elle got everything she needed in life. Then he could go back to the dark place and die happily.

He knew he didn't deserve heaven. He had killed too many people to deserve to be in a place that was so full of love. Even so when he died he'd be alone. Elle would have her heaven and he would be in the dark place alone. He tried not to think about it, but it was so fresh in his mind. He walked into the living room to see Claire sitting in pink pjs on the sofa.

"Don't you have school?" He almost scolded her. She flinched at the tone of his voice.

"Yeah, but I think I should be here for her." Claire peered into the office behind Gabriel at Elle. He nodded understanding a bit for her need to protect Elle. "I can miss a couple morning classes for the sake of Elle." Gabriel nodded deciding the glass of water wasn't something he really needed. He really needed to talk.

"You really care about her don't you?" He stated sitting beside the young college student. Claire shrugged and nodded playing with the straps on her pants.

"She's like a sister to me." She said in a little breath. She almost sighed, but caught her breath. "I don't want to see her in that much pain ever again." Gabriel saw the young woman's fingers twitch. She was getting somewhere with this. "Dying. You. It hurts her in ways nothing could ever hurt anyone. I thought she was going to break when you died." She breathed out then turned her attention to him. "What's it like? Dying?" He hesitated before answering thinking the question over.

"Well . . . uh . . .for me . . . like not existing." He peered down into the dark carpet of the floor. "Like everything I was . . . I strived for had suddenly disappeared and all that was left was pain and misery." Claire felt her toes curled. She may have never died herself, but in a way she knew the feeling. Sometimes she'd lie awake and wonder if her life wasn't just some freak show. If she was a real person or not. She breathed out closing her eyes before speaking.

"Gabriel," She rarely ever said his name which clued the man in on the importance of the next words. "I want you to take my power." He almost backed away from her at the thought. Claire's power was always tempting, but he let it not enter his mind as an option. Elle loved Claire too much for him to do that to her.

"Claire, no." He breathed out, but she let her eyes open in sudden determination.

"You won't be able to die and . . . she won't have to ever be alone again. You can protect them both. Your baby and her. Things will be so much better." She held his hand trying to encourage him.

"Claire . . . you'll die." He told her letting his attention focus to the suicidal teen. She shook her head as if it were all a lie.

"If it happens it happens." She squeezed his hand. "I love Elle. I love her so much I don't want her to hurt like she did this afternoon. I want her to be happy. I want you to make her happy Gabriel. You can't do that if you keep dying and judging by the enemies you have made I think it's going to happen a lot. There are only so many times you'll be close to me when it happens." He looked at her knowing full well she was right. "I want this to happen. I need you to take my ability." He slowly let the situation become a part of him. He nodded letting his finger rise. She closed her eyes and laid on the couch.

"It's going to hurt." He told her trying to hold back any emotion he felt. Sadness, anxiety, excitement.

"I know." And with that Gabriel began to cut.