Chapter Five

Gabrielle looked at her self sceptically in the mirror. She had never felt more beautiful. Angelica was putting the finishing touches on her hair do.

"With this hair no one, let alone Joe will be able to ignore you." Angelica said through the bobby pins in her mouth. Her words increased the butterflies in Gabrielle's stomach a million fold.

"Maybe I shouldn't go." Angelica looked at Gabrielle her mouth falling open making all the pins fall to the ground.

"Oh now look at what you made me do," Angelica disappeared from the mirror.

"I shouldn't go."

"Of course you should!" She heard Angelica shout from the ground. "God only knows, you deserve a bit of fun." Angelica appeared beside Gabrielle. "You look amazing and my fingers are practically bleeding from putting up that hem and lowering that neckline. I am not about to let my masterpiece been thrown in a closet." Gabrielle smiled at her friend's words. It was good to have someone like Angelica on your side.

"Okay, I'll go…but only for you."

"Of course, who else is there anyway?" Both girls burst out laughing as they put the finishing touches on Gabrielle's hair.

Joe flexed his shoulders back making them crack. He didn't really want to go to the dance; in fact he was dreading it. Rebecca was cute god bless her but she…she what? She was very pretty, she could talk, and she had a great sense of humour. So why did Joe dread taking her out? Because she isn't Gabrielle.

The thought startled him. To distract himself he looked down at his uniform. Everyone had put on their dress uniforms for the flash occasion. Don must have spent an hour in the bathroom. Joe wanted to punch him, but why?

BECAUSE HE IS GOING WITH GABRIELLE! A voice screamed in side him. He rubbed his hand on the back of his neck as the group of young men walked to pick up their dates.

"You okay?" Joe looked at Web.

"Fine." Was all he offered making sure his clipped tone sent the message he didn't want to talk.

"Fine." No more was said.

When they arrived at the nurses station Isabelle was waiting. She kissed George Luz when they arrived. George had said something about Isabelle being the light of his life, a gift from god…something along those lines Joe wasn't paying attention. He was too busy sulking.

"Where are the others?" Don asked Isabelle.

"Oh they are just coming." Floyd Talbert was taking Angelica, Webster was taking Nicola and Elizabeth and Rachael were going stag to the best of Joe's knowledge. Suddenly he hated being the attention of those three girls. "Here they are." Isabelle added.

All the guys turned. Joe saw that Rebecca had on a pale pink dress, but what he really noticed was Gabrielle in a navy blue dress. It stopped at the knee and the voluminous skirt went right to her waist. The neckline went from one shoulder to the other sending down long tight sleeves. Her hair was up in a bun with one long strand falling down her back. Joe didn't think his heart would ever beat again.

It seemed to shatter when after meeting Joe's eyes for a heart stopping moment Gabrielle walked over to Don instead of him. "Hi Joe." Joe looked around at Rebecca who was positively beaming at him. Joe suddenly had a very harsh pang of guilt, he had agreed to take Rebecca, he hadn't asked Gabrielle… not that he had had the chance. But that wasn't the point.

He offered Rebecca his arm. She took it greedily and steered him forcefully to the door. Don and Gabrielle were right in front of them. Gabrielle looked back and meet Joe's eyes, them seemed to be pleading with him in a way he couldn't understand. Before he could take her in she turned back to Don.

Tonight was going to be a long night.