Author's Note: Short, but hopefully sweet chapter. I'm pretty sure this story has a few chapters left in it before the finale. The sequel may be delayed though as I have been thinking about new stories and trying to go back to Thirty Tales of Gray if my mind wishes to go there.

CHAPTER 37: Two Princes

"One, two princes kneel before you. That what I said now. Princes, princes who adore you." Two Princes, Spin Doctors

Gabriel had a hard time comprehending why on Earth a person, let alone a Petrelli would move from New York City to Odessa, Texas? He had a hard time believing it for about three seconds until he caught wind of how much Peter had come over to their cozy little place in the first few weeks he was in town. He fidgeted whenever the younger man was around Elle as if to protect his territory. His mate and unborn baby boy.

Elle hardly minded, but on occasion gave Gabriel the attention he craved around the Petrelli brother. Gabriel was glad Noah and Peter had yet to discover he had nearly killed Claire when taking her power, though part of him was annoyed the kill didn't work. Claire was fine and their secret was safe, but as he had come to realize secrets didn't stay secret for long.

In the past month or so Peter had settled into his new hospital leaving the staff of Odessa General charmed. He had helped Mrs. Bennent with Mr. Muggles leaving the pooch adoring the Petrelli. He had helped Claire with boy problems and roommate issues. Apparently she had a fight with Zach about her new kind of boyfriend West and her roommate Gretchen didn't find the new boy too appealing either. He had comforted Elle in many ways when Gabriel had to go to work to support his family. Elle seemed to get lonely often these days as she neared her due date.

Yes, Gabriel Gray could admit when he was jealous, but he could also see that Peter's interest in Elle was far from the caring kind medical worker that Elle claimed he was. Far from the boy scout Claire knew him as. Gabriel looked at him and saw a potential home wrecker. Not that anything would make Elle leave him or him leave Elle, but he seriously needed to have a long frank discussion with the man about girlfriends and how not to steal or flirt with them.

"So what's this about?" Peter was sitting in the hospital cafeteria as Gabriel sat across from him. They were both on a lunch break and this appeared to be the perfect time to talk. Gabriel sipped his coffee as Peter moved around the crushed pasta in his dish.

"Well I believe you are spending too much time with Elle." No use in beating around the bush. Peter just smiled not at all surprised.

"Come on, Gabe." He chuckled softly as the older man's brows narrowed. "Are you really feeling threatened by me?" As if it was completely obvious he could never compete with Gabriel Gray. He only looked on questioning. "Elle adores you. She'd die for you. I mean when you died I really really thought I was going to have to watch her and stop any potential suicide." Gabriel swallowed in fear of that.

"And if I was dead you would have moved right in wouldn't you?" He drank his coffee knowing full well Peter wouldn't let a lonely pregnant blonde be pregnant for so long. Or maybe he was wrong. Maybe he just cared about Elle. He empathized with him, but he wasn't dead. He'd be alive and kicking forever which scared him, but as soon as Elle died he'd be five steps to a local gun shop to shoot himself in the head beside her. According to Claire that was the only way as per her icy accident where she was declared dead until Peter pulled a rod from her head letting her become invincible once more.

"Would you have wanted her to raise the baby alone?" Gabriel felt his heart sink in thought of little Noah. He merely looked down at his coffee as Peter ate.

"You moved here." Gabriel put in knowing full well he probably would have perfered Elle alone then with Peter, but part of him wouldn't have minded it. As long as Elle was happy and Peter kept her and Noah safe it wouldn't matter. "I bet she was the main reason."

"Sure," Peter shrugged downing a bottle of water. "But there's Claire to worry about too. She's at a rough patch in her life. Also I almost screwed up Nathan's election once. I might as well stay far enough away to not mess it up anymore." He declared looking to the water. "But yeah, I suppose it's mainly her. She's very special." Gabriel knew that. He didn't need Peter to tell him how special Elle was.

"And she's all mine." True. Forever whether Peter knew it or not Elle would be his forever and only a bullet in the head could stop him.

"I understand that, but I want to be with her in any way she wants me." Peter declared with soft eyes. "Whether it is as a friend, a nurse, or whatever. Whatever she needs me for I'll be for her." Because she was special. Because both men knew how incredibly unique this woman was. And they couldn't help, but realize that they each knew how the other felt. No matter how much they'd hate to admit it.

--

Elle was curled up in a little ball in bed when Gabriel got out of the shower. Her breath letting soft curls of heat against the pillow as she closed her eyes. Gabriel only had a pair of plaid pants on as he crawled into bed beside her. He pressed his hand to her full belly under the thin layer of the silk pink nighty. She groaned awake seeing his face slowly smile.

"Hey you." She whispered pressing her hand to his clean shaven face. He smiled letting his lips plant a kiss on her own lips.

"Hey yourself." He kissed her deeper as she wrapped her arms around him. He tasted like the tuna casserole she had so poorly prepared as well as the minty toothpaste she had gotten four days before. An odd combination, but on Gabriel's breath was the scent of heaven.

"Are you looking for some hot pregnant action tonight?" She nearly giggled to herself as she saw his eyes glitter with lust.

"Anytime any place." He chuckled letting his finger pull the thin night gown over her head and discard it to the floor. She tugged at his pants freeing him from them in one quick motion.

"How about here and now?" she wondered thoughtfully. He never seemed to deny her.

As her belly grew they found it difficult to perform certain sexual acts. Gabriel occasionally ate out of her, but Elle found that spooning and her on top was much easier. She straddled Gabriel tonight glad she had refused to wear underwear to bed anymore. She liked how Gabriel felt inside her when she was pregnant. He had created the life inside so why should she feel any different? She could imagine riding anyone else so hard and with so much growing passion.

She enjoyed hearing him grunt and say her name like a prayer. She enjoyed his nimble watch maker fingers friction her clit as it grew anxiously. She tightened around his hard erection gasping as arousal engulfed her. She found it difficult to keep her body in check when it was so big. She had never been a big girl, but for a pregnant woman she wasn't terribly huge either.

She gasped out his name hard and loud feeling a sudden wetness leave her. She gasped at the force rolling off of him and to her side. She tried to control her breath as Gabriel went to his side to stroke her stomach.

"Elle," He breathed trying to regain his own composure. "Elle, sweetie, what's wrong?" She looked down at herself feeling a hard pain curl inside her. She bit back a yelp feeling the wetness continue to leak.

"I-I think my water just broke."