By: magicks
Summary & Disclaimer: I'm too lazy to write them again. See first chapter.
A/n: thanx for reviews, everybody! They have quickly become my meat and drink.
A/n2: IrishRavenX- I appreciate your review, but I have to say wha-huh? Danny? Son/andor/daughter? And hilarious? This was supposed to be angst. Am I doing something wrong?
Chapter 2- A Friendship is Born
Gabriel woke up with a pounding headache and a bout of nausea that made him reach for the first empty vessel, which, fortunately, was a bedpan. After he had emptied his stomach of what little contents it had, he felt the hand on his back. One look at the owner of that hand brought back the memories of the night before in full force. Shit.
"How are you feeling?" Nottingham asked quietly.
"Like someone tried to carve me up for Christmas dinner," Gabe replied grumpily. "Where the hell am I, anyway?"
"In a private hospital owned by Vorschlag Industries. You had lost too much blood for you to heal without proper medical attention, so I brought you here. I have spoken with the doctor; they are keeping you for another seventy-two hours."
"Wait a minute, private hospital? I can't afford-" Gabe started.
"It is all being paid for by Vorschlag Industries."
Gabe closed his eyes in relief, ingesting the fact that Ian Nottingham had saved his life, voluntarily. Suddenly his eyes flew open and it was only Nottingham's quick reflexes that kept Gabriel from falling off the bed. "Sara!" Gabe gasped. "Does- does she- did you-"
"Lady Sara does not know of this," Nottingham assured him. "You are registered under the name Ivan Colks, and I have not informed anyone of your predicament. No one is aware of this."
"But she'll find out," Gabe said, breathing slightly heavily from his exertion. "I can't just disappear for three days."
"If you wish, I could divert her attentions for the time being so she may not be privilege to this," Ian offered. Gabriel stared at him.
"You would do that? I-I mean- would you?"
"Yes, young Gabriel, I would." Ian answered.
"Not to sound ungrateful or anything, man, but, well, why are you doing this? It's not like we're on the best terms or anything."
Ian met Gabriel's eyes for a moment before looking away. "You are the only one the Wielder trusts, therefore you must be protected for her sake."
"Oh." Gabriel tried hard not to feel let down. Of course Sara was the reason. She was the only thing Nottingham cared about.
"But," Nottingham continued, "that is only part of the reason." He looked Gabriel straight in the eye, revealing to him some of the pain and sadness embedded in his gaze. "I know what it is to feel alone and forgotten," he said, in a softer voice than Gabe had ever heard him. As soon as the words were spoken, he tore his mocha eyes away from Gabriel's chocolate ones, breaking the spell those quiet orbs cast. He rose from the small plastic chair by the bedside.
"I must leave now," he said. "Mr. Irons is expecting me, and Lady Sara will soon awake." He cast a stern glance over Gabriel. "Rest. I will come to see you tonight." Moving to exit, he stopped just before putting his hand on the doorknob. "And do not fear. I will tell no one." Then he was gone.
***************************
True to his word, Nottingham arrived at 7:00, just as Gabriel was finishing dinner. "You know, most of my meals at home don't taste this good," Gabe joked.
"Perhaps if you bothered to acquire meals of better substance you would not find them such a weak comparison," Nottingham replied.
"Is that a subtle hint that I need to eat better?"
"When you do eat."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It is clear that you do not eat regularly, and when you do, it is probably no more than a few bites of takeout or junk food."
"And how the hell would you know that?" Gabriel was defensive, scared at how close to the truth it was.
"You are obviously undernourished, which denotes a lack of nutritious food, and the doctor I spoke with said you are at least 7lbs. underweight, which also suggests you did not eat very often." Faced with this clear logic, Gabriel could not deny it any longer.
"I just never felt like it," he confessed. "Eating and sleeping give you time to think, and thinking was-is the one thing I try to avoid."
"Why?" Nottingham asked quietly, knowing full well why thinking could be dangerous, but also knowing that Gabriel needed to admit it to himself.
"Because," Gabriel squirmed uncomfortably. When Nottingham remained silent, he sighed and elaborated. "Because I keep reflecting on how useless I am. Let's face it; I have a business that's going nowhere, a nonexistent love life, and my closest friend only stops by for information on a case. And usually I don't have much to give her. So tell me, where's the use in my life?" he finished angrily, his eyes both daring and pleading Nottingham to find an answer.
"Is that how you see yourself?" Nottingham held his reserved countenance. "As an unsuccessful businessman with friends who use you?"
"I'm sorry, I must be imagining things. I could've sworn I just said that," Gabe retorted sarcastically. Nottingham remained calm.
"And because of this, you have no reason to live?"
"I believe I said yes to that one, too." Nottingham's gaze flicked over Gabriel neutrally.
"Then tell me, what reason do you have to die?"
"Huh?" Gabe was taken off guard by the question. "What do you mean?"
"You have given me no reasons to live, but none as to why you must end your life, either."
"Ok, now I'm confused. Isn't that the reason to die?"
"Two negatives do not make a positive, Gabriel. You have no reason to live, but you have no reason to die. Therefore, you must find a reason for one or the other."
"Gee, got any suggestions?" Gabe asked sarcastically.
"I can only tell you what I have observed in my short acquaintance with you." Gabe snorted at the word 'acquaintance'. "You are Gabriel Bowman, a close friend to the Wielder, Sara Pezzini. You are the person she trusts the most. Do not underestimate that." Nottingham emphasized his last remark by shooting Gabriel a look, before continuing. "You are a shrewd businessman with a good heart. You have assisted the Wielder in many of her cases, and provide useful information, though it is often unappreciated and unused. Most importantly, you have shown a loyalty to your friends that should not go unrecognized. I know for a fact your life has been threatened because of your relationship to Lady Sara, and yet you continue to help her with the Witchblade."
"So, what, I'm a good friend? Gee, thanks Nottingham, I've got a new lease on life." Gabriel exhaled loudly and laid back in his bed.
"Do not undervalue yourself, Gabriel. If you do only one action to make your life worthwhile, it is enough."
"So, basically, I should live for my *ability* to be a good friend. Wow, Nottingham, I'm surprised. Have you ever considered a career as an inspirational speaker?"
Nottingham met Gabriel's eyes with a stare that would have frozen fire itself. "Do you believe this to be a joke? Have you any idea the good fortune you have? You are in the prime of your life, and you have the freedom to be anyone or anything you want. You do not have to comply with anyone's demands; you live for yourself. Do *not* take such freedom for granted."
Looking at him, Gabriel realized, for the first time, that Nottingham didn't have these things, that he'd never had these things. Working for Irons was not a job; it was a lifelong duty, a duty he couldn't, and probably wouldn't, escape. That fact (and the guilt that accompanied it) hit him hard, and he studied the sheets for some time. Nottingham was right; he was taking his life for granted. He knew he was lucky, but he couldn't stop the depression trying to overwhelm him. Why did he feel so worthless? Caught up in his thoughts, he didn't notice he had asked his last question out loud until he heard Nottingham answer.
"Because you are ill."
"What?"
"You feel worthless because you have a disease of the mind. You must fight it like one fights everything else: with strength, severity, and endurance. Do not be afraid to ask for help. Pride is the greatest weakness; it can kill you before you are aware of its presence."
Kind of like somebody else I know. Gabe shoved the passing thought out of his head. Nottingham was trying to help him, doing more for him than his closest friends did. It didn't feel right to be thinking those things about him now, no matter how true they may be. He felt he owed something, his respect at least, to the assassin who had saved his life. Gabe pulled himself out of his reflection in time to see Nottingham pull on his dark overcoat. "Nottingham? Where're you going?"
The man in question turned from the door he was about to open. "I am leaving. You are tired, and I must see to my Lady."
Gabriel began to protest when he realized that he was tired, exhausted, actually. But he had to say this. "Nottingham, I-uh, I just wanted to say thank you," he stuttered, fighting back a yawn. "If there's ever-" he lost the battle and yawned widely, "If there's ever anything I can do for you, short of hurting Sara, just ask."
Nottingham stared at him seriously. "Do not die a senseless death."
"I won't, I promise," Gabe said, fighting to keep his eyes open so Nottingham could see that he was sincere. Nottingham then did something Gabe had never seen him do; he smiled. Not a mocking smile, but a genuine, heartfelt smile, one that almost reached his eyes. Almost, but not quite.
"Thank you. Now sleep."
"G'night." Gabriel allowed himself to drift off. Nottingham paused before gliding silently to the bed to look down at the sleeping young man. He took off one glove and hesitantly stroked Gabriel's forehead, brushing the hair back. "Sleep well."
**********************************
A/n3: Oh, well, I tried my best, but the conversation still sounds like crap. There's a reason Nottingham's so OOC, though; can you guess?
Come on. Just press the blue button. Everybody does it. You know you want to.