All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.

This story follows right after When I'm Gone: Third Installment to GONE Saga, so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.

The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12th and will progress from there.

AN: Finally! From here on out, everything changes. Multiple lives will come into play and be changed. I love every one of my own characters and although this is Gabe's story, he's part of a whole and I want to share the whole with y'all.

Look forward to the awesome reviews. Enjoy as you read!

Chapter Seventy-Eight (16 yrs old)

Vivi stumbled into her room, the door closing behind them, thoughts chaotic as she watched her brother cross the floor towards the window seat, knee sinking into the pink and white stripped cushion as he looked out the window at whatever was happening outside.

She stood beside her bed, still trying to make sense of all that had happened when Marc's words snapped her back into the present time, "What?"

"We need to leave."

She stared at him, not able to connect what he was saying with what had happened outside, "Leave? Why?"

The look of incredulity on his face let her know he couldn't believe what she was asking, holding his left arm tight against his chest to keep the weight from dragging on his shoulder, "Are you serious? Did the whole thing just go right over your head? I'm no longer welcomed here. If Gabriel becomes Alpha, he'll either banish me or kill me…more than likely kill me."

"He wouldn't do that," she knew her argument was weak, considering her brother stood before her with a dislocated shoulder, broken nose –which thankfully had stopped bleeding –and what she was certain were broken ribs with the way he was hunched over, "He wouldn't kill you."

"He was going to," Marc couldn't believe his sister was actually standing there, defending the guy when she had witnessed the whole thing, "That's why he made Uncle Seth step down."

"Uncle Seth wouldn't have let him."

There was an edge of hysteria to her words and he wondered if shock was setting in, knowing he had to get her to understand what was going on before it did, "Uncle Seth didn't have any say about it."

They stood there, staring at each other, Marc knowing it wasn't fair to her but he wasn't willing to do this on his own, "Are you coming with me or not?"

Blinking, she sucked in a breath as the words he'd said sunk in, "You're –you're asking me to choose?"

"Yes," Marc moved away from the window, stopping a couple of feet away from where she stood, "Me or him?"

Trying to swallow with the lump in her throat was near impossible, her hands shaking as she reached up to push her hair away from her face, "I…I can't. You're my brother and he's…I love him."

Marc grimaced as a sharp pain from his shoulder and ribs met somewhere in the middle of his chest, causing a wave of nausea to crash over him. Sucking air through his nose, he swallowed back the desire to throw up, breathing in deep a couple of times before he looked at his sister, "You think he feels the same way? After that whole mess outside?"

"Gabriel loves me," Vivi enunciated each word carefully, wanting her brother to understand, "He would never hurt me."

"Are you sure about that," Marc jumped on the one insecurity he knew his sister had, "Has he ever told you? You think it matters now?"

She stared at him, her heart lurching painfully at his words. No, Gabriel had never once told her he loved her…but he showed her, in so many ways, both big and small…that counted, right?

She blinked back tears, not wanting him to see how deep her uncertainty went, "I can't pick between you two –I won't."

Marc sucked in a breath through gritted teeth, letting go of his arm and settling his hand on his sister's shoulder, "Fine…then I'll make it for you."

He didn't give her time to process his words, applying sudden pressure to the subclavian artery to cause unconsciousness. He almost screamed out in pain as he caught her in his right arm before she fell to the floor.

Dragging her to the twin sized bed, he awkwardly settled her on it, catching himself with a hand on the mattress as his vision dimmed due to the sudden bursting pain in his shoulder and ribs.

Sitting on the floor, he leaned back against the side of the bed, breathing hard as he recalled having seen his coach help the team's pitcher pop a dislocated shoulder back into place.

He knew it had to be done –and soon –so he took a deep breath and in a smooth unhurried motion, he lifted his arm before him, keeping his elbow bent at a ninety degree angle. He fought back the urge to throw up as he moved his arm to the side them lifted it up.

His stomach cramped and his lungs seized up as the humeral head fell into the socket, muscles throbbing with the pain.

Long minutes passed before he felt like he could move, still using his good hand to keep his left arm immobilized against his chest. Getting onto his feet was tricky but he managed it just fine despite his protesting ribs.

Catching a glimpse of his reflection on the mirror over his sister's dresser, he grimaced, realizing he would have to get his nose reset. Taking one of his sister's make-up remover wipes, he rubbed at the dried blood on his face, wincing in pain when he touched his bottom lip.

Tossing it in the pink trash can next to her desk, he moved across the floor to look out the window, eyebrows lowering at the empty street. The faint sounds of howls and growls let him know whatever was going on between Gabriel and Sam had been moved to the nearby forest.

Sitting on the window seat, he looked over at his sister, letting out a sigh. He wasn't sure what he was going to do –he couldn't exactly carry her out, what with his bummed shoulder, but knew she wouldn't go willingly if he waited until she woke up.

Sneaking out wasn't an option –it wouldn't be fair to leave Tia Rosa without any explanation as to what happened and where they were going, not that he had any idea about the latter.

Standing up, he started pacing the length of the room as he went over his options, discarding each one before something on his sister's desk caught his attention.

Picking up a folded piece of paper set on top of a thick blue folder, he opened it, immediately recognizing Gabriel's quasi-neat handwriting:

Dear Viviana,

It feels weird to write out your real name but I want you to know I mean every word I write in this letter.

Growing up with you has been the most amazing adventure of my life, and I know there's more to come but I am positive none of them will top you –except maybe for flying (kidding…I'm sure flying will come second to you).

You are the center of my world –everything that makes you who you are, even the part you don't like, has become what makes the sun shine, what gives the air that sweet smell that fills up my lungs.

I love you, Viviana.

I know I've never said it but I've tried, really hard, to show you and I hope this surprise will convince you how much I love you –unconditionally and without reserve.

I promise you I will do everything in my power to make your dreams come true –and I look forward to the day when your dreams and mine become ours.

With all my heart and soul,

Gabriel

Setting the letter aside, he felt his stomach knot at the embossed lettering dead center of the folder, his fingers shaking slightly as he opened it, expecting to see an admission application but instead he found another letter addressed to his sister.

Dear Miss De Lune,

We are pleased to inform you your application for an audition to The Juilliard School Dance Division has been accepted.

Your audition will be set for the third week of September. Enclosed is the week's schedule as well as your room assignment.

Please ensure to arrive a day before as you will need time to settle and find your way around our campus. Contact information for your admission counselor has also been enclosed. Please let her know your traveling plans and she will ensure someone will be available to meet and assist you however needed.

Your audition video and portfolio showed great promise and we are looking forward to meeting you.

Sincerely,

Lawrence Rhode, Artistic Director

He knew, without a doubt, if his sister saw this, she would definitely be making a choice –and it wouldn't be one he would like.

Pulling out her desk chair, he sat down, closing the folder and absentmindedly playing with one of its corners as he thought back on tonight's events.

He was a selfish bastard –what had happened with Betty was proof enough of that but this…he was actually contemplating breaking a promise he had made to his sister years ago…

Because the only other option was for him to go out on his own –something he was not willing to do.

He supposed if he was going to be a selfish bastard –a soulless monster –he might as well go all the way.

Moving to the window seat, he grabbed one of his sister's girlie pillows, settling it behind his sore shoulder as he tried to find a comfortable position, for what he was planning to do was going to take most of the night.


There's a difference between an Alpha by blood and an Alpha by default, and although Sam had been the Alpha of the Quileute pack (the short time Jacob took over not-withstanding) for many years, a part of him had known his reign as Alpha was coming to an end.

That small part was what kept him from forfeiting his life after his pride got in the way.

The fight had been intense with blood she by both, and although Gabriel was a young pup with limited fighting experience, he still had come out on top.

It had been a blow to Sam's pride to roll over and expose his soft underbelly in a sign of defeat and submission but he'd done it, knowing to continue fighting was to lose his life.

Especially when the wolf in him had recognized the power this young Alpha had –power that came with an Alpha bloodline.

It was a kind of power he had always lacked.

Sam limped out of the woods bordering his backyard, still feeling the physical effect of his loss.

It was surprising how quick the sting of defeat had faded, revealing a sense of relief he hadn't expected.

Entering his empty house, he let out a sigh, wishing –not for the first time –he had gone with his wife and daughters to New York, where Lili was meeting with her creative manager to hash out plans for her first fashion show.

He didn't like how empty his house felt without his family –Bradley had headed up to Portland yesterday morning for orientation at Portland State University, where he would begin his college career in two weeks.

In a way, Sam was glad neither of the twins had been present for this –there was the possibility Gabriel's phasing could have triggered theirs, especially Bailey, who seemed to be teetering on the edge, just needing one little push to go over.

Getting into the shower, he realized he could stop phasing, something he knew Emily would be ecstatic about. Of course, to do so, he would need to broach the topic with his new Alpha.

He might be feeling some relief over this new change of status but having to ask for permission…that sure was going to stick in his craw.


Early the next day

Marc was sweating, his tense body shaking with exhaustion but he'd accomplished what he'd set out to do –he now had complete control over the part of his sister's brain involved in her decision making process, but it had come at a great price.

One he hadn't expected to have to pay.

Either his sister had held out on him concerning her ability or she wasn't aware of it but he'd realized, a little too late, there was more to it than just 'seeing' relationships.

It seemed, while he was now in control of her decisions, he'd inadvertently given up control over his emotions.

It was a frightening feeling –having his heart ripped out of his chest and split open, spilling out every emotion –fear, hope, love, anger –he'd ever felt, leaving him with an aching hole of nothingness as he tried, and failed to stuff it all back where it was.

He was feeling raw and horribly exposed and the more he struggled for control, the worse it seemed to get.

He stood on shaking legs, his hand trembling as he reached up to wipe the sweat off his forehead, the neon numbers on his sister's alarm clock letting him know they needed to get going and soon, especially if he wanted to avoid Uncle Seth altogether.

Looking over at his sister's sleeping form, a wave of guilty swamped him but he shoved through it, mentally calling out to her.

Wake up.

Vivi's eyes snapped open, her breathing speeding up slightly before settling into an even rhythm.

She felt…off…numb, like she was sitting in a vacuum where everything spun around her yet nothing settled.

"We need to go," her brother's broke into the strange blankness where her thoughts would normally be, "Pack enough clothes for a week –we'll get anything else we need later."

She slowly swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat up, her eyes tracking him as he walked across the floor of her room to the closed door.

She watched as he opened the door, her face blank as he looked over his shoulder, a wealth of emotions in his dark brown eyes as he cleared his throat before speaking again, "Stay away from your desk –you won't need anything from there."

Vivi knew something was…not right as her body moved of its own accord, as if on strings, lacking its usual grace from years of dancing. She watched herself carefully select clothes from her drawers and closet, methodically folding each article of clothing before placing it into her duffel bag.

It was strange how detached she was feeling, like an out of body experience but she couldn't seem to make any sense of what was happening, couldn't understand what she was doing or why.

Zipping the bag closed, she reached under her mattress, pulling out the leather bound embossed diary she had religiously kept since she was a child, knowing the older volumes where in one of the drawers of her desk…

There was something behind all that white noise in her head that this wasn't normal but she couldn't grasp exactly what it was…

Opening the book, her eyes skimmed over the flowery writing, knowing it was hers and yet, feeling like someone else had written the words flowing across the page…

I love him.

Last night, we snuck out and headed into the woods. He took me to the spot where he and his brothers, along with his dad, change into wolves on the full moon nights. It's by a river and it's beautiful…

He showed me the family tree –told me how one day, my initials would be carved right next to his. Then we swam in the cold river. We didn't have bathing suits so I stripped down to my bra and underwear, but only after he stripped down to his boxers.

I was so cold after we got out but he warmed me up real quick and we…we did it…

The way he touched me –

She stopped reading, reaching up to the necklace at her throat and without thinking, she snapped it off her neck and used it to mark the entry. The clear marble with its captured silver star swung wildly before she dropped the book on the bedside table, picking up her duffel bag and turning just as the door opened.

"Ready?"

She nodded, walking out of the room without a backward glance, dispassionately noticing his left arm strapped to his chest as well as a somewhat crooked angle to his nose.

He walked down the stairs behind his sister, having a hard time swallowing past the thick lump in his throat, his eyes burning with tears he struggled to keep at bay.

He wondered if she was unknowingly projecting her emotions on to him since he was making her decisions…the lack of expression on her face once they reached the living room where Tia Rosa was playing with Harry and Carlos let him know that was indeed the case.

Now, if he could only figure out how to get a handle on this roller coaster inside him…

Rose looked up from the puzzle she was helping her boys with, her smile fading as she noticed the duffel bags then focused on Marc's face –she'd never seen him look so…conflicted.

As for Vivi –her face was completely devoid of emotion, a frightening mask revealing nothing of what she was thinking or feeling.

Standing up, she rubbed her clammy hands against the denim fabric of her jeans, the loose top she wore easily disguising the small three month bump she and Seth had yet to share with the rest of their family, "What's going –"

"We need to leave," Marc interrupted her, moving around Vivi to stand before the woman who'd raised them when she herself was merely a girl, "After last night…we're no longer welcomed here."

Rose shook her head, her heart beating speeding up as she took his hands in hers, looking up into his bright brown eyes, seeing so much emotion in them it almost made her gasp, "You don't need to go. Seth will find a way –"

"It's not fair to him," Marc squeezed her hands, taking in a breath as he tried to smile but it didn't work. Instead, he swallowed with some difficulty in an attempt to keep his voice steady, "We'll be okay, Tia. We'll keep in touch…let you know how we're doing…where we are."

Rose looked over at Vivi, feeling frantic as she realized something wasn't right –while Marc seemed to be too emotional, Vivi…she didn't seem to be present at all, "I'm sure Seth can –"

"No," Marc took in a deep breath, closing his burning eyes which turned out to be a mistake as a tear broke free and rolled down his cheek, "I can't put Uncle Seth in that position. Whether Gabriel is Alpha or not doesn't matter. Uncle Seth folded under Gabriel's command and although I don't know how pack hierarchy works…after last night, Gabriel's not going to want me here."

"But Vivi…" Rose's words trailed off as her niece turned to look at them; her gold-brown eyes were flat, no emotion showing as she briefly glanced at her before locking eyes with Marc.

The seconds piled on each other, Marc's ability to keep his conflicting emotions at bay close to failing when Vivi finally spoke up, her voice devoid of any emotion: "I'm going with Marc."

Rose looked between them, her heart beating frantically in her chest as she realized there was nothing she could do but let them go.


Three days later –Early in the morning

One look at his face and she was able to see past the exhaustion she knew was riding him hard.

"How is he," she asked as she stepped into the shower behind him, taking the washcloth from his hand and soaping it up before she proceeded to scrub his back.

Rick groaned as he let his head drop forward, the hot water running over him feeling good after spending three days and four nights out in the woods helping his son with this new facet of his life, "He finally was able to phase down sometime around three this morning."

Making her way down one arm, then the other, she asked the one question upper most in her mind, "So…did he?"

Letting out a tired chuckle, he turned at her urging, leaning back against the tiled wall as she scrubbed his chest, knowing what she was referring to despite the ambiguity of her question, "I'm not sure."

"How can you not be sure," Leah looked up at his face, frowning at him even though he had his eyes closed, "It's the most obvious thing in the world."

"Yes, but there's more involved here."

"Like what?"

He let out a sigh, knowing her reaction to what he was going to tell her, "There's something there –not as strong as imprinting but stronger than plain love…and somewhat darker."

She stared at him, waiting for him to further explained.

Opening one eye to look at his wife of fifteen plus years, he wondered how she was going to take his new about her baby boy no longer being…well…a boy, "Apparently that night they…"

She rolled her eyes at his hesitation, "Yes, I'm sure they did considering they've been sexually active for about a month now."

Closing his eye, he let his head fall back against the tiles, knowing she hadn't told him for the same reason he hadn't told her, "Well, turns out towards the end…she bit him."

"What," Leah stared wide eyed at him, waiting to be told it was a joke but when he simply opened his blue eyes to look at her, she felt her face and neck flushing in anger, "That little bitch!"

"Leah –"

Tossing the washcloth aside, she jerked the shower curtain open, dripping water on the floor as she got out, "After all we've done for her –taking her into our family, treating her as one of our own –she goes and bites my son?"

"She's not venomous," Rick tried to assure her as he shut the water off, watching with tired interest as she grabbed a towel and proceeded to dry her wet body.

"She didn't know that," Leah glared at him, wrapping the towel around her body before walking out of the bathroom and into their bedroom, "She could have killed him."

"But she didn't."

Knowing she was well into an angry rant, he did the one thing guaranteed to get her mind on something else. Grabbing the edges of her towel, he pulled her into his space, covering her mouth with his as her breasts came into contact with his bare chest.

It awed him how, after sixteen years together, she still had the power to set him on fire with just a kiss. Deepening the kiss, he gloried in the sweet taste that was uniquely Leah, the sudden rush of desire hitting him like a bolt of lightning.

Breaking the kiss to get much needed air, she stared up at him, her full lips spreading into a smile as she playfully pushed her soft lower stomach against the evidence of his arousal, "And here I thought you were too tired."

Pressing a smile into the corner of her mouth, he moved his lips across her jaw to whisper into her ear, "The day I'm too tired to love you is the day I'm buried."

She let out a husky chuckle, wrapping her arms around his neck as she let him walk her backwards towards their bed, damp towels left behind on the floor.

Placing a hand on his chest over his heart, she gave him a pointed look, needing one thing clarified before they got into bed where he'd handicap her ability to think, "What about Gabriel?"

Letting out a sigh, he slid his hands up her back, fingers burrowing into her dark hair as he cupped her face to look into her brown-green eyes, "We'll all know more once he sees Vivi again."

He felt her body tense against his, her eyes widening as she wrapped her long fingers around his wrists, "What?"

"He headed over to Seth and Rose's place while I came here."

"Rick," she stared up at him, wide-eyed, a strange sense of foreboding washing over her, "Marc and Vivi left La Push three days ago."


His hands were hot and everywhere he touched me, it felt like he was branding his fingerprints on my skin.

And when he kissed me…I love his kisses. When he kisses me, it's like…the only thing he wants to do. He kisses me like he wants to…inhale me. It's hard to explain but…but it's amazing.

It hurt at first but it got better towards the end –I've never felt so alive, so…complete.

He completes me.

Gabe looked up from the journal in his left hand, his right one tightly fisted around the marble on the necklace he had made for Vivi some years back.

He was in Vivi's room, sitting sideways on her white wicker desk chair to read the journal he'd found on her bedside table, the marble having caught his attention as soon as he opened the door into the empty room.

Blue eyes silently issued a command as his Uncle Seth leaned against the door frame, arms crossed over his wide chest, the awkwardness from the change in status still hanging in the air.

"Rose wasn't able to stop them," Seth quietly supplied the information, wanting to admonish Gabe's invasion of Vivi's privacy but something in the way his young Alpha held himself let him know it wouldn't be the best thing to do at the moment, "But she said they both wanted to leave…they called yesterday. They still haven't stopped anywhere specifically."

Gabe closed his girlfriend's journal, looking at the Juilliard dance school folder he'd left on her desk as a surprise, wondering if she'd read the letter he'd left with it. Seeing it beside the folder, when he recalled having placed it on top, he picked it up, his improved sense of smell easily picking up Marc's scent as well as a fainter scent that was his but none of Vivi's.

"If I tell them they can both come back, maybe –"

"No," Gabe interrupted him, setting the letter back where it was, reaching out to run his fingers over the smooth surface of the small wooden jewelry box he'd given her as a Valentine's gift back in middle school, "Marc de Lune is not allowed on Quileute land."

Seth wanted to argue but didn't –he was already struggling with the guilt at having lacked the strength to stand between his nephews, thus sacrificing one to the other, "What about Vivi?"

He watched as Gabe looked down at his hand, the marble catching the bedroom light as soon as he opened his fist, the silver star within dancing gaily with the captured light.

"I don't know."