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Chapter Twenty-One: Pride

[Gabrielle]

I woke up in Gunnar's vest, my back and hair drenched with sweat. I took the first plastic bag I saw and threw up. If only my nightmares had just been that, nightmares.

''Gabrielle you ok?'' Gunnar asked, and I felt the tears rolling on my cheeks.

''Nightmares,'' I mumbled, and he helped me clean up before he took me into his arms.

''It's ok, I am here,'' he said, but I could hear the worry in his voice.

''I know; thank you,'' I replied with a small smile.

''Here,'' Toll interrupted, giving me meds. ''Even we still need them from time to time.''

''You're a life saver,'' I said, and he let out a small laugh.

''I try,'' he answered, and I laughed too.

''So, does the toilet still work or?'' I trailed off, and Toll nodded.

[Plane]

''She'll be fine,'' Toll said to Gunnar as soon as she'd closed the door.

''I fucking hate it,'' Gunnar replied.

''We know,'' Hale sighed. ''We don't like it either, but she's here, and even I have to admit…she's pretty good for someone with as little training as her.''

''You're talking like this is going to be her thing too now,'' Gunnar said, clearly hating the idea.

''What if she decides to stay?'' Toll asked. ''I know Barney wouldn't like it at all but…''

''Won't. Fucking. Happen,'' Gunnar said in a growl. ''She deserves better than that. She'll get better and go back to Tool's and be happy. She won't fucking end up like…''

''Like you?'' Toll said with a soft voice, and Gunnar shook his head before he got up to clean the mess.

Hale and Toll exchanged a look that said it all.

They were in deep shit.

[Maggie]

''Are you sure?'' Lee asked.

''What other choice do we have?'' Maggie countered, and Barney nodded.

She went to the back of the plane, and Barney kept looking in front of him.

''Are you ok?'' She asked Gabrielle and the girl nodded.

''Good.'' She replied while sitting beside her.

She looked briefly at Gunnar who was pretending badly to search something in his bag. Maggie had a feeling that Hale and Toll were also pretending not to listen or watch them. She let out a small sigh. She was use to being surrounded by clueless men.

She'd been a mercenary for a couple of years now, right after she'd manage to find herself a place amongst the military back in China. Not that they'd gave her a choice back then. Skills came with responsibility…and people to force you to use them. She let out a small laugh. And to think that being a freelancer would be any easier.

Gabrielle send her a questioning look and Maggie smiled.

''You gave them a run for their money. I bet they weren't prepared for it…they never are when it comes to us.'' She said and the younger woman offered her a small smile.

''The least I could do.'' Gabrielle replied quickly, her smile getting bigger, and Toll chuckled.

Both women looked at him and he tried to hid it with a cough. Hale looked highly amused until Maggie send him a pointed look. Gunnar scoffed.

''I know we don't know each other much, but I will help you.'' Said Maggie and Gabrielle looked at her straight in the eyes.

''The choices you'll have before you won't be easy. And I wish I didn't have to tell you, but they will be even harder as a woman in a men's world. A world that's already dark and broken.'' Maggie explained.

''You talk like this will be my world now.'' Gabrielle said with a soft voice and Gunnar froze.

Maggie noticed, and she understood him, but she'd also seen what the girl was capable of. And Gabrielle would some day be aware of it too. She knew her family had seen it. There was only so much Gabrielle could hide from herself.

''Whether it will be or not isn't the question. What you need to think about is: What are you going to do about it now? And I'll be there to help you with that too.'' She concluded and Gabrielle took her hand.

''Thank you.'' She said and Maggie nodded.

There was a brief silence, then Gabrielle smiled.

''So, does that mean you'll be around for a while then?'' She asked and Maggie involuntarily looked at the front of the plane.

''I don't know, maybe.'' Replied Maggie.

''I'll take that as a yes then.'' Laughed Gabrielle as she winked at her.

Maggie smiled at her, knowing that Gabrielle's reaction not only meant acceptance, but also healing.

[Barney]

''You're awfully quiet for a guy who's about to destroy his own plane,'' Lee commented.

''You got to do things you hate sometimes, even though you wished there would have been another way,'' Barney answered.

''I don't like to see her involved in this. I bloody hate it in fact…'' Lee stated, and Barney sighed.

''But she's good, isn't she?'' he said with a defeated tone, and Lee tensed. ''I hate to see her hurt; I hate that she's in danger…''

''But hell, she's kicking some serious arses,'' Lee admitted in almost a whisper, and Barney nodded after a couple of seconds.

Then there was a silence, and Barney let out a small sad laugh.

''You're awfully quiet for a guy who fell in love with my daughter and didn't hide it in front of Gunnar,'' Barney commented, and Lee became even more tense. ''Relax, you're lucky. I don't think he saw it.''

''But?'' Lee asked.

''I'll still kick your ass if you touch her,'' Barney said with a smile.

''Of course,'' Lee chuckled. '' But you look way too happy about that outcome if you want my honest opinion.''

And Barney laughed.

[Gabrielle]

Everybody around me had that same sad, worried look on their faces, and I sighed. Gunnar took my hand, and I squeezed it a little. The plane started to lose altitude, and I held Gunnar's hand tighter.

I also felt every single one of my injuries making a comeback on the pain they caused me. I closed my eyes before I felt Maggie taking my other hand. That woman was a blessing, and I did hope my dad would get his head out of his arse when it came to her. I might have been a mess, but I wasn't blind.

The plane entered the cave, and I screamed.

[Team]

They'd done a quick health check before they hurried up on the platforms. Gabrielle was between Toll and Hale with Gunnar in front of her. She still kept her rifle close so she could watch their backs. Then the whole cave collapsed, and they ran to a hole that, as it turned out, had no other exits.

[Gabrielle]

The oxygen was getting scarce, and I could feel my anxiety rising up. I got up and walked in circles as if it would help me find a solution.

''Gabrielle, you really should be resting,'' my dad said.

''I've been doing that for an hour,'' I replied, and he sighed.

Then Gunnar got up and started explaining how he'd make a bomb, and at this point, any solution looked good to me. He started gathering the material, and we all stepped away from the wall. There was a small crack, then nothing. I was about to go and comfort him when a loud noise made me put my hands on my ears. Then I saw the wall collapse and blinding lights.

The lights were shut down and I saw Trench, Tool and Yang coming our way while the miners were getting out.

''I knew I trained you well!'' Trench exclaimed when he saw me, and I ran into his arms.

''Careful, your ego will make this whole thing collapse,'' I retorted back, and he laughed. ''I missed you.''

''Me too, kid,'' he said, and Tool pulled me into his arms as soon as Trench had released me.

''Gabrielle!'' he exclaimed, and I started crying.

''Dada,'' I answered. '' Thank God you're ok.''

''You scared me to death,'' Tool said before he took a step back to look at me.

''They look worse than me,'' I tried to joke before I cried even more.

Tool took me back into his arms, and I stayed there for a while before I turned to Yang.

''You're getting one too you know?'' I said, and he smiled before he hugged me briefly.

But I could see in his eyes that he was happy and relieved to have found us. We didn't get to talk as much since he often took missions on his own, but we did get along well. We got out to see hundreds of people reuniting, and I smiled.

''It makes it worth it, doesn't it?'' I said without thinking, and I saw the others smile.

[Barney]

''Yeah it does,'' Barney agreed before he passed an arm around his daughter's shoulders.

He still didn't like her involved in their world, but he was proud of her. She was doing this for the right reasons, or as close as it would ever get.

''I love you,'' she said.

''Love you back,'' Barney replied, and she hugged him.

Then he turned to Trench.

''So, I guess I owe you one?'' he joked.

"We are now even," Trench replied, puffing smoke out of his lit cigar.

''Sorry to interrupt this Hallmark moment,'' Church started, and Gabrielle turned to him. ''But Vilain is getting the plutonium to the airport as we speak.''

[Gabrielle]

I could see the annoyed look on my father's face, and I got closer to the man.

''And you are?'' I asked while raising an eyebrow, and the man extended his hand for me to shake.

''Church, C.I.A,'' he simply replied, and I took a step back. ''Look, I am sorry that you got involved in this, but this is part of the risks we have to take in order to…''¸

''We?'' I retorted back before I removed my vest. ''Look at me. Was this fucking worth it?!''

''Gabrielle,'' Gunnar tried, but I was having none of it.

''I don't give a flying fuck who you are or how important you believe yourself to be, but make no mistake, there is no 'we' in you being too much of a coward to get on the mission yourself. There is no 'we' when you give orders for other men to die or be tortured for the sake of you looking good.''

I was seething, but I could see he had the good sense of looking ashamed of himself.

''So, was it worth it?'' I asked again, and when he didn't answer I added. ''Did the cat get your tongue or did you sell it to the C.I.A as a side piece to your soul?''

''Gabrielle!'' Barney exclaimed, and Church scoffed.

''You look a lot like your father,'' he replied with a fake smile, and I could see he was uncomfortable.

''Genetics. I would explain, but your suit is too nice for you to have your nose bleed all over it. What I will tell you is that, unlike you, I don't let others finish the job for me. But when I am done, I am fucking done. Do I make myself clear?'' I growled.

''People have been in jail for less than that,'' Church replied, and I could see my father tense.

''Why are you telling me that? Are you trying to share your experience about why you don't pick up the soap when you drop it in the showers or have you always had something up your arse?'' I asked, and I heard Trench laugh. ''So, do we have a deal?''

''We do,'' Church said with a smile, and I shook his hand.

[Team]

''What the hell were you thinking?'' Gunnar asked Gabrielle as soon as Church had gone back to his helicopter.

''I may have lost it a little but…'' Gabrielle said before Gunnar interrupted her.

''Do you have any idea how bad that could have been?'' he questioned, and she could feel the guilt rising.

''Do I?'' Gabrielle asked with a broken voice, and Gunnar froze.

''I…'' Gunnar started, and she sighed.

''Don't, just don't, '' she concluded before she turned around.

Hale looked at him, and he sighed.

''Yeah, I know she's right,'' Gunnar said with a tired voice. ''But I still fucking hate it.''