TW, this chapter will have mention of abuse, please read on with caution if that is triggering for you!

Eight-year-old Gabriel stood facing a corner in his parents living room, doing his best not to move an inch, knowing that if he did, his father (who was seated behind him) would strike him with the strap.

Gabriel could feel sweat pouring down his face, he wasn't sure how long he had been in the corner, but he didn't dare move or ask to come out, if he knew what was best for him.

Gabriel hissed when his father's strap struck his tender back...

"What did I say about moving?! I saw those fingers twitch! When I said I wanted you perfectly still, I meant it! Don't move again!" Charles boomed.

Gabriel didn't even resize that he had moved, it must of been nerves causing him to twitch, he breathed deep and tried to calm himself, so he would not move again.

After some more time, Gabriel's leg's began to burn from standing in one spot for so long, he could feel his knees were starting to wobble, he tried to stop them before his father saw, but he was too late.

Gabriel yelped when his father grabbed him by the hair and dragged him out of the corner and over to where he had been seated.

Charles turned his son to face him, he looked like a bull that had seen a red flag.

"What did I say about moving?! YOU CAN'T EVEN FOLLOW SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS YOU DAME BRAT! I"M GONNA TEACH YOU TO OBEY ONE WAY OR ANOTHER!" Richard boomed.

"NO FATHER, PLEASE! I promise I will stand there and not move another muscle!" Gabriel cried, on the verge of tears.

"DON'T YOU RAISE YOUR VOICE AT ME BOY!" Richard replied.

Gabriel was whipped on his back and backside, after what felt like a life time, his father finally pushed him away, knocking him onto the ground.

"You are lucky I am tired or I would continue! Get back in that corner! And I swear if you move again, you will be whipped completely raw, do I make myself clear?!" Richard asked.

"Y-Yes s-sir, I-I'm sorry." Gabriel sobbed.

"Dry those tears! What are you? Some kind of sissy girl?! Get back in that corner! And I want to hear "I'm sorry, father" until I decided whether to forgive you or not!" Richard boomed.

Gabriel jumped up, wiped away his tears, and then got back into the corner, hoping that if he did what his father said this time, he wouldn't whip him again.

"I'm sorry, father, I'm sorry, father, I'm sorry, father..."

"LOUDER!" Richard boomed.

"I'M SORRY, FATHER, I'M SORRY, FATHER, I'M SORRY, FATHER."

"Gabriel?"

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."

"Gabriel! Wake up! You are dreaming!" A voice called.

Gabriel was startled awake, he looked around and soon realized he was still in his office, he finally locked eye's with Natalie, who looked concerned.

"N-Natalie, what happened?" Gabriel asked.

"You fell asleep, I didn't want to disturb you, but then you started screaming in your sleep, another nightmare?" Natalie asked.

Gabriel nodded, before sitting up and taking a few deep breaths, trying to calm his nerves. Natalie sat by her boss and gently placed her hand on his shoulder, she felt him tense up.

"Gabriel, it's okay, you were just dreaming, you are safe now." Natalie said gently.

Gabriel opened his mouth to reply, but both adults attention was caught when they heard the door to Gabriel's office open...it was Adrien, he pocked his head in, also looking concerned.

"Adrien, is everything alright?" Natalie asked.

"Yeah, um, I heard father yelling, and I-I wanted to make sure he was okay." Adrien replied.

Natalie nodded, "He's alright dear, he was just having a nightmare."

Adrien decided to come into the office and sit on the other side of his father.

"W-Was it about your past, father?" Adrien asked.

Gabriel nodded, "I-It's nothing son, really, I-I have these nightmares all the time."

"A-All the time? H-How long have you been having them?" Adrien asked.

"Oh, um, since I-I was around sixteen or seventeen, they started not long after I left home." Gabriel replied.

"You left home at seventeen?" Adrien asked.

"N-No, sixteen, I was still in high school, but I decided I'd rather live in my car, then live with my parents any longer." Gabriel replied.

"S-So, you were homeless?" Adrien asked.

Gabriel sighed, "Yes, for about six months, I had three part time jobs, and I finally saved up enough money to get a small apartment, it wasn't much, but it was better then living in my car."

"Why didn't you ever tell me any of this?" Adrien asked.

"I, um, because I didn't think it was important, b-but that was part of the reason I always made sure you and your mother had whatever you needed or wanted, and why I push you to work so hard in sports, music, languages, & school, I want you to have better opportunity's then I did as a teenager." Gabriel replied.

"D-Did you and marmee know each other in high school?" Adrien asked.

"Yes, we went to school together and were in some classes together, but we were only friends, as I didn't want to try and get into a committed relationship when I was living in my car. I knew even if I had tried, her parents would of never allowed the relationship to move foreword. Even after I got my own apartment, we were still just friends, it wasn't until my twenties when we finally started dating." Gabriel replied.

"Y-You told me marmee knew about your past before you two were married, did she ever try to get you into therapy?" Adrien asked.

Gabriel sighed, "Yes, especially when she became pregnant with you. But, I refused, my pride got in the way, I thought I was above therapy, I thought I just had to get over it and move on."

"So, was this whole therapy thing really for us? Or just secretly for you?" Adrien asked.

"No, no, son, I had no intention of opening up about my past in therapy, I didn't even want to go for the issues we were having, but Natalie encouraged it and, well, everything kind of just fell into place, I guess." Gabriel replied.

"It seems like you have a lot to work through from you past, so how will you possibly be able to continue working with me on our issues, if you are working on your childhood trauma?" Adrien asked.

"Don't worry, son, I can work on both, I promise what we are dealing with will not get pushed to the side, no matter what else I'm working through."

"You've made that promise before, and never kept it, how can I be sure you'll actually try to keep it this time?" Adrien asked.

"Adrien, maybe now isn't-"

"No, Natalie, he's right, I'm sorry, Adrien, I really am, I have no excuse, and I just hope, if you have any trust left in me what so ever, you will hopefully believe me when I say things will be different this time." Gabriel replied.

"Yeah, we'll see." Adrien replied, as he got up and left his father's office.

Natalie looked over at her boss.

"Sir, this wasn't the right time for that, he knew that too."

"Natalie, when is the right time for stuff like that? He's not wrong, and we both know it. I just have to hope that he can find it somewhere deep down to believe me, that things will be different this time." Gabriel replied.

Natalie gently took Gabriel's hand.

"You're doing your best, he'll see that eventually."

Gabriel sighed, "I know, but...is it too late for that? I may have burned that bridge with Adrien permanently. And there may be no fixing that."

Okay, I'm gonna end this chapter here. I'm so sorry it's been so long, I've been super busy, and was in a huge writers block funk, and I am now just getting back into the swing

of things. But, I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter, if you did, be sure to comment and let me know! Until next time friends! Blessings! Butterfly582.