Ch. 14: Don't Push Away

Tristan went into isolation. It was not a good kind either, for the next several days; he would stay in his room until evening when no one was awake. He would wander and eat before returning to his chambers. He was scared that if it happened again, he would hurt one of them. He feared that it might be Luka next or he would hurt Gabriella.

Gabby, he shook his head. He could remember the fear in her eyes from what he did. He felt so ashamed, so helpless that he hurt her. "What have I done," he quietly said to himself. He examined his hands before rubbing them, "How can she love me?"

Luka walked out his bedroom one night, quietly going down the hall to see a small glow coming from the library. He pushed the door open to see Tristan sitting in his chair. He approached to see his friend asleep; he grabbed a blanket and placed it over him. He kissed his forehead before whispering, "Night Tristan."

He walked down to Gabriella's room to see Gabriella lying on her bed, holding the note Tristan wrote to her. He could see that she had been crying so the little boy walked over to her bedside. He climbed onto the bed and slipped under the covers, hugging her softly. Gabriella slowly woke up to see Luka next to her, snuggling next to her. Gabriella gave a sad smile kissing the top of his head as Luka held her tightly.

B&B

She had to see him. She never expected the curse to accelerate so fast. She didn't think that he would transform so painfully. It meant that Tristan was becoming weaker and less of a man slowly turning into a monster.

She appeared on in his bedroom, noticing the room a mess. Pure rage had come through this room and she could sense pain and anger in here. She walked out to the balcony to see Tristan sitting on the railing. "Tristan," he turned to see Zelda looking at him.

"Get out!"

"You are getting worse, Tristan. It won't stop."

"I blame you," he growled. "Now leave me alone." She tried to speak but immediately a knife was thrown, barely missing her head, she looked in astonishment as Tristan turned away, "That's my warning."

Zelda never took orders but she disappeared out of Tristan's sight, becoming merely a ghost to avoid his rage. She stepped outside seeing he was not at the balcony but she looked up at the roof to see Tristan's grim look. She stepped away as she turned and disappeared, she reappeared in another room, walking inside to see Gabriella sitting at the piano.

She walked over and sat beside her, she noticed the tear streaks on her face. Zelda sighed as she leaned and whispered in Gabriella's ear, "He's on the roof." Gabriella looked up and gave a questioning look before Zelda whispered again, "He's there. I promise."

Gabriella slowly stood up with Zelda following her. She opened the bedroom door to her room and walked to the balcony, unlocking it. Zelda watched as she walked out as she mumbled softly, "Figure out your feelings for him, Gabriella. Tristan's curse is getting worse and I sense something bad is coming." Then she disappeared again into the night.

B&B

Gabriella slowly stepped out onto the balcony to see Tristan sitting on the roof. His head was on his knees as he looked out to the open terrain. He looked down hearing the footsteps, their eyes locked for a moment before he stood up, hiding further onto the roof. "Tristan," she called out to him.

"Just go away," he told her.

"No, I will not go away," Gabriella argued. She heard a low growl but did not move, "Tristan, don't push me away."

"Gabriella, I attacked you," he argued. "What if it happens again? What if it happens again? What if it's Luka this time or it happens to you again? Gabby, I can't watch you get hurt."

"Tristan," Gabriella closed her eyes as she began feel tears build up. "Please don't push me away. Everyone pushes me away and I just lost my best friend! I'm tired of being pushed away," she sobbed.

Tristan flinched at her sobs. He never liked when someone cried but when she heard her cry, his heart broke.

When Gabriella didn't hear a reply, she stormed off the balcony, ready to leave until she felt a hand clasping on hers. She looked back to see Tristan holding it, his face tired and sad. He gently pulled her close to him, almost scared to touch her anywhere else beside her hand. "I don't want to push you away," he told her.

"Then why are you saying for me to leave?"

"So you don't get hurt," he whispered.

Gabriella cupped his cheek, "Tristan you are not going to hurt me." She took his hand, running it against her bandage that still covered the wound. "Come over here," she told him. Slowly she walked him back to the bed, sitting them both down. Tristan looked at her curiously and cautiously as Gabriella stood up and walked out for a moment.

When she returned, she had a small bowl of water with her and a cloth. She sat back down, dipping the cloth in and handing it to her. "What are you doing," he asked her.

"You told me someone should take care of me. I should have that because it's time," she explained to him. Her emerald eyes looked up at his bluish gray eyes then looked away, "Unless you were lying?"

Tristan cupped her cheek, "I never would lie to you." He then took the cloak and slowly took her arm in his hand; his fingers delicately untie the bandage to reveal the small claw marks that was on her arm. He swallowed harshly before looking away; Gabriella could see the sadness in his eyes but slowly lifted his face.

Tristan let his fingers travel the wound softly before taking the cloth, slowly cleaning it. Gabriella hissed in pain before feeling Tristan's hand soothingly rub the pain away. He then dried it off before lifting it up and gently kissing it. Gabriella closed her eyes at his touch as he pulled back and gently wrapped it back up.

He slowly pulled away before their eyes locked again. "You are not a monster," she whispered to him, "you are the most amazing person I know just please don't push me away."

Tristan nodded before he asked softly, "Why did she push you away?" Gabriella felt her tears build up again as she cried against his chest, he held soothingly rubbing her back, "Why?"

"She wanted me to leave you," she whispered against his chest. Tristan nodded and kissed the top of her head before pulling back, wiping her tears away. "It hurts so much, Tristan. No one cared for me in the town except her and she worried about me so much but when she told me to leave you and everyone else behind. I didn't want to."

Tristan closed his eyes and sighed, "Why did you not go?"

"I don't know. You think I would but you've been so wonderful to me and everyone treats me so well," Gabriella answered shaking her head. She felt so confused; she did not know why her heart beat so fast whenever she was near him. Her feelings were so confuse between the man of her dreams and Tristan, she was not sure of anything.

Gabriella nuzzled into Tristan's chest, holding onto him as if she was the last thing to hold onto. Tristan held her tightly, he did not want to let go. He was not going to let go of her as she spoke softly to him, "Tristan?"

"Yes?"

"You have to promise me you won't push me away," Gabriella begged him.

Tristan looked down at her. Their eyes locked as he took her hand and placed it on his heart; she could feel its heartbeat, which she knew so well. He kissed her forehead then the side of her mouth, barely touching her lips as he whispered, "I promise."

The two slowly slipped into the bed with Gabriella lying on Tristan's chest as he closed his eyes. She touched the corner of her mouth remembering the kiss the man of her dreams gave. Tristan's kisses held the same spark but he did so tentatively that it felt so loving, so real. She sat up slightly seeing that he was sound asleep, his face looked unease but Gabriella gently caressed his cheeks. Slowly the pain in his face disappeared almost calming at her touch. It was a face that she adored and looked at the most, when he was asleep; it made her smile so much. However, she never felt so much pain before until he told her to leave, trying to push her away.

Her heart almost broke from those words.

She bit her bottom lip softly before she slowly leaned down and kissed Tristan's forehead then his cheek slowly down his jaw line before finally she placed a tentative and soft kiss on his lips. She felt a spark as she pulled back; she touched her lips as he slowly saw a small smile on his face form. She smiled back before laying back on his chest, listening to his heart again.

B&B

Tristan groggily opened his eyes. He suddenly remembered the feel of lips against his face and his lips. He touched his lips in amazement before shaking his head; it must have been a dream. He looked over to see Gabriella gone from his bedside before he noticed that there was a small white rose on his nightstand.

He smiled softly before he leaned over to see a small note. He picked the note up, opening it, to see Gabriella's handwriting.

I thought it would be nice if you got the rose this time…

He traveled for hours. Curse Tristan and Aaron, they both interfered but now he reached his destination. He entered the town quietly through the doors of a tavern. The bartender looked at him, "Who are you looking for?"

"Brandon," he answered. The bartender pointed to the back room, which he walked over to. He knocked on the door, opening the door.

Brandon had his feet up as he talked to the others at the table, "I mean if I had one chance in that game I would have won that woman. Gabriella would have been in my grasps. Her father keeps betting all the gold and soon he will bet the house away. I also heard that Lucille got sick," he told them, "She was sent to Gabriella's father and I doubt she will get better. She will be betted away sooner or later especially with her health."

"Do you care, Brandon," one of the men inquired.

He shook his head, "No, all I wanted was Gabriella to have my way with her. She's been used before; I heard that she was good."

"So what happened then?"

"She was given to another traveler unfortunately."

"You tend to miss many things in your grasps, brother." Brandon looked up to see a man at the door, his face clawed and his shoulder bleeding from bite marks. Brandon stood up in shock as he approached the man, hugging him tightly before pulling back and said to him, "I have many things to tell you since I saw you six years ago."

"How so?"

"It involves Gabriella and why I'm so injured."

I hope you know who I'm talking about at the end of this chapter guys cause it's a big part of the story. Also, I gave you a kiss! There you go! LOL…but anyways, who does have a prediction on what will happen? Additional thing, what do you think Luka should do with Tristan for a whole day? Ok enough with talking…We all know the drill Review, PM, etc!

Thank you!