Gabriel had to get out. He couldn't handle looking at Marinette, standing there. Oblivious.

So as soon as he could, without looking suspicious, he made a hasty retreat to his office, and then locked himself in his private washroom, to be extra sure he wasn't disturbed.

Stumbling to the sink, he quickly splashed water on his face. Face still dripping, Gabriel stared at himself in the mirror.

He noted his ashen face, dishevelled hair from having just run his hands through it, and slightly bloodshot eyes. Oh, he definately looked a sight!

What was he supposed to do?! Marinette wasn't supposed to BE here! He had thought he had taken care of her? Had he been mistaken? Had she not been dead when he dumped her under that bridge?

Scrubbing his hands over his face vigorously, Gabriel continued to panic.

What if she ever remembered?! What could he possibly SAY?!

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Gabriel shifted the papers in front of him, assessing each one that Marinette had given him carefully, while she stood off to the side, patiently waiting for any critiques.

Marinette was the best designer he had ever hired. She was talented, driven, and handled criticism well. And she seemed to always be able to Anticipate what he was thinking, before he had a chance to voice it aloud! And the rest of the team adored her! Hiring her had been the best decision he had ever made!

And as an added bonus, she was breathtakingly beautiful. If she hadn't been a designer, she could have been a model. Agencies would have killed to have a woman with such classic beauty working for them. There was no need for makeup or Photoshop to cover up any imperfections.

So it was no wonder that Gabriel was attracted to her.

He had tried to deny it when she first came to work for him. For months, he had been overly harsh with her, trying to push her away so he didn't feel this need in his chest to grab her and kiss her.

But everyday, she showed up without fail, completely unphased by his abrasive attitude. She simply continued to work for him as if his attitude was normal.

And then when he slowly started to warm up around her, she still remained the same. Not even so much as a raised eyebrow at his change in demeanor.

So it was no surprise that, with her beauty, calm nature, and steady demeanor, that he was convinced he was in love.

And he was convinced that Marinette must love him too.

All those late nights designing. How she would order them food on said late nights, and not even need to ask what he wanted, she just seemed to know! And the way she would smile at him. With a twinkle in her eyes and so much warmth! She made him feel like he was a teenager again, When he first met his long deceased wife. And she always stood so close to him! Always at the ready, right beside him. Whether it be with a pen, or to look at what he was referring to on a design.

So after months of uncertainty, and having convinced himself she must love him too, he couldn't take it any more.

Couldn't take the way she teased him with her flirty, form fitting dresses. Or the way she wore heels, not wedges. Because she knew they drove him crazy. Or the way she'd paint her oh-so kiss able lips a different color everyday, and SMILE at him with those lips. Or the way she openly defied him by wearing her hair down, with only clips to pull it away from her face, when he had specifically stated it was more efficient and businesslike to have it in a ponytail or bun. And oh, how he loved to watch her hair flow when she moved!

He stood up from his desk, instead of finishing looking at the designs Marinette had handed him.

He saw her startled expression, the first he'd ever seen that look on her face, and before she could form any words, he pulled her into his arms. With one hand tangled in her glorious hair, the other around her tiny waist, he pulled her to him and started kissing her like she was water and he had just been in the dessert for a year!

He ignored her stiffness, assuming it was shock.

And then ignored her pushing on his shoulders. Because surely she wasn't pushing him away, she must be trying to pull him in closer!!

He was more than happy to oblige, tipping her backwards ever so slightly.

When he tried to slide his tongue into her mouth, he was promptly slapped across the face.

Gabriel was so startled, he let her go, and Marinette fell to the floor in a tangled mess.

And instead of a twinkle, her blue-bell eyes were on fire! And an angry blush was coating her cheeks.

Getting up from the floor, she had straightened her dress out, and glared at him.

His earlier passion quickly fizzled under her gaze, and he wasn't sure what to do!

Hadn't that been what she had wanted too?!

"What the hell was that?!" she finally yelled. "You can't just go around grabbing people like that!"

"What?! You wanted it just as bad as i did!" he stated harshly.

At her bewildered expression, he rolled his eyes and explained, as if she were a child.

"You've been teasing and flirting with me for months!"

Marinette gave an affronted gasp, and quickly gathered her things, shoving them into her messenger bag as she spoke.

"For your information," she began frostily, " I was not FLIRTING, I was happy! And behaving properly professional every day!"

She clipped her bag closed, and whipped around to face him again, hair whipping with the movement, angry color still in her cheeks and fire in her eyes, and continued. "And I have not been TEASING you! I happen to LIKE dresses! And feeling pretty, FOR ME!! Nobody else!!"

Stalking to the door, she flung it open so hard, it banged against the wall, making Gabriel jump. But she still wasn't finished.

"So if you expected me to just hop into bed with you because your the great Gabriel Agreste, you are sadly mistaken!"

And with a flourish, she was gone, speed walking down the hallway to get as far away from him as fast as possible.

With a loud groan, Gabriel knew he had screwed up! Royally! But now, he had to stop her, try to get her to listen to him!

" Marinette!! " he yelled, as he took off down the hall after her.

He spied her waiting for the elevator, and so He yelled her name again. "Marinette!"

Looking over, he saw the panicked look in Marinette's eyes, and she quickly turned away from him and sprinted to the end of the hall to the stairs, rather than wait for the elevator.

He had almost caught up to her. The staircase door slammed shut as he reached it, so he flung it open and yelled again.

"Marinette stop!! Just let me explain!!"

He flew down one flight of stairs, and saw her glance back at him from the floor below.

The rest seemed to happen in slow motion.

As she glanced back at him, she missed a step on the stairs, and started tumbling down, banging her head against the stairs and the wall several times.

He just stood frozen, watching her tumble. And kept watching for several minutes after she stopped, body in a heap on the floor.

After what felt like hours, but was probably only a few minutes, he ran down the rest of the stairs, calling her name uselessly.

"Marinette! God, please be ok! I'm sorry! I really am! Just wake up!!"

He tried to move her, so he could see her face. But then he remembered that he shouldn't. Broken bones and whatnot.

So he shifted himself around her, to try and be on the side with her face.

"Marinette!" he continued to call her name, despite never receiving a response.

He must have sat there for a good half an hour, bawling when he still had recieved any response from Marinette.

He had tried to feel for a pulse, like they did In all the shows, and he never found one. He had even placed his hand in front of her face to check if she was breathing.

Still nothing.

He had killed the best thing that had ever happened to him! Even if they weren't romantically together, she was still the best designer since, well, him!

She had been absolutely brilliant, and he had KILLED HER!

Gabriel didn't know what to do!

But after an hour had passed, he knew he had to do something!!

So, picking up her small frame, he finished making his way down all the stairs, and exited out a back door that led into the alley.

She was slowly getting heavier the longer he held her, but he couldn't leave her so close to the Agreste building!

Huffing and puffing a good dozen blocks away, having taken longer to get to his destination because he needed to stay in the alleys and avoid people, Gabriel gently laid Marinette under a bridge along the Seine.

He started to cry again, and brushed her tangled hair away from her face. He tried once more to feel for a pulse, and even put his cheek close to her mouth to feel for any breaths, and got nothing.

His poor Marinette. He would miss her so much.

He made one last glance back, almost like he expected her to magically wake up despite everything. When she didn't, he slowly turned away, and snuck his way back to the office.

Xoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Gabriel had started crying softly, sometime during his reminiscing.

After all this time, convinced she was dead, it was a huge blow to see her standing in the doorway, just like old times. Well, almost. Her tank top and shorts had been a huge difference, but not a wholy unwelcome change.

But oh, how she still had the ability to take his breath away!

He had wanted to apologize. To take back all that he had done to her! But when she couldn't remember, it was like a blessing in disguise!

Like a reset. They could start over, and he could erase all the kissing, and go back to the way it was! Her being an excellent designer and his next in line, and him being professional.

But there was always the possibility she'd remember someday. And he didn't know if he could risk that.