Author's Note: Hello everyone! I have a perfectly good excuse for my absence. But for now please read, enjoy and I'll see you at the bottom!

Chapter 8: Gabe's P.O.V.

An idiot, that's what I am. I should have never left her alone. Well it's all words now. I have to show her my actions. Be the person she needs. And wants. She's so broken, alway's has been.

She calls me over to the bed and I gently sit down. The shift in weight accidentally causes her to put pressure in her wrist, causing her to wince. I reach out quickly to comfort it but she shakes her head. The room is silent, awkwardly. Not that nice normal silence.

"Erhm, uh. You looked beautiful tonight. Well before the thing…" Way to go ol' sport.

"Well, you know what they say, all good things must come to an end."

"I wish it was me."

"Who attacked me?"

"No. Who took you tonight. Looked into your eyes on that dance floor."

"But I'm glad it wasn't." Of course she wouldn't. I abandoned her. "Because if you think about it, this situation. These moments we are spending together will make us stronger, as people and as a coup-" She trails off. But I think I know what she means. "Or whatever this is.." I turn to her. Well, what I can move to face her without causing to much shift of weight and look at her. She's looking at the wall across, clearly flustered about what she has just said. I take my hand and place it on her right cheek, forcing her to look at me, but not with enough to make her resentful of the motion. I lean my face in closer to hers, and place my lips ever so gently on hers. I let them sit for a few seconds before lifting them.

"Gabe, I feared that I'd never know your touch again an forget it, but goodness have you made me remember."

She places her head in my lap and quiets herself. After not hearing another word from her, I realize she is sleeping.

"As have you Amelia, as have you." I place one last kiss on her forehead before closing my eyes and getting my first night of actual rest.

God damn, it's bright. I never was much of a morning person, but then again, I never really slept before. At all. I feel a body next to me move. Amelia.

"Ugh, my wrist." Her face contorts from that of a calm sleeper into one in pain. I instantly jump up from my drowsy state and to the door.

"Hold, on let me get you some more ice and Advil." I make a move to open the door and she bolts up right in bed.

"No Gabe you can't!"

"Why not, do you want to be in pain?"

"No! But my parents! What if they see you and assume we..you know?" Ohh, now I see.

"Right, perhaps you should go down and I'll climb out the window and knock on the front door?"

"….Alright, but be careful, it's the second story you know." Yes, I realize that Amelia.

Should have thought this through last night. But clearly we did not. I walk towards the window as she climbs out of bed.

"Gabe wait." She stands and grabs my wrist, I mean really grabs it.

"Amelia it's okay." I put my hand on her chin and left it so she's looking me in the eye. I place a quick kiss on her lips before completing my journey to the window. She nods and makes her way to the door and down stairs.

The window, what a brilliant idea. Well, here goes nothing.

Amelia POV

God, I hope Gabe doesn't hurt himself climbing down. Is he ok? He should be down by now. I mean one would think.

"Amelia?" Damn. Mom.

"Hey! Mom, what's up? How are things with you and dad?" Could I be more awkward?

"They're fine…Amelia! What on earth happened to your wrist?!"

"Oh, that. Yeah I, uh I fell last night at the dance and landed on it. It's totally fine though."

"Amelia, that is most certainly not fi-" The doorbell rings just as she lunges for my wrist. Bless you Gabe Goodman. But before I can reach it, mom answers it.

"Hell- Oh. Hello there. Can I help you?" Mom looks skeptic as she looks Gabe up and down. My heart is beating so fast I'm worried she'll hear it.

"Yes! Hi, I uh, I'm here to see Amelia." Gabe is slightly out of breath and I can see his cheeks flush.

"Gabe! Uh mom, this is Gabe. He's um, he's my, my uh... boyfriend." I smile nervously and she looks from me to Gabe and back.

"Uhuh." That's it? That's all she has to say? Is that good? I can't tell!

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Buifut." Gabe extends his hand to her which she takes , clearly still trying to piece everything together.

"Likewise… Amelia what happened to that nice boy Landon that was here for you last night?" I cringe, as does Gabe, but his is much more visible. Thank god mom doesn't see it.

"Mom. He, he wasn't a good guy." I show her my wrist. "Gabe wasn't able to take me to the dance last night, which was why Landon escorted me. But then Gabe showed up and Landon got mad and tried to stop me from leaving with Gabe and I accidentally fell and sprained my wrist." It's not really a lie. It's mostly the truth. I can feel Gabe's eyes drilling into me. He's giving me a "How can you protect him?" look.

"Wasn't a good guy? Amelia, I-I, how could you let me stand there while you went off with him?! I just, I don't understand." She sighs, and drops her head, leaning on the wall for support.

"We need to do something, we need to press charges or someth-"

"Mom, no! Please you really don't need to do that. It was a mistake nothing happened last night that was really all that serious! Ask Gabe!" I throw my hand towards Gabe and drill my eyes into his. He looks surprised for a second but quickly regains himself.

"Yeah, Mrs. Buifut, what happened last night was a complete accident. Really, it doesn't seem like it. But I was there. I-I promise you." Mom does one last look-down of Gabe before smiling at him.

"Well, I suppose if you say so. It still seems a little fishy but if you're so certain. Well Gabe! I hope I'm not scaring you too much. It's just such a surprise! You are, I mean. That is, Amelia never mentioned you before." There's a awkward pause where mom smiles to me raising her eyebrows, I smirk back. If only she knew.

"Yes..well Amelia and I. Well we weren't exactly sure what we had was true-"

"True!? Son what are you talking about? Who the hell are you?" Dammit dad!

"Dad!"

"Sam!"

"Don't 'Sam' me!. I have a right to know who my daughter is dating if he's standing in my house!"

Gabe looks absolutely petrified. And I can tell my dad is getting a kick out of this. I keep forgetting that Gabe's never had to deal with this.

"He-hello sir. I, uh, I'm Gabe. And yes you could say your daughter and I are dating. I'm so sorry that I was not able to ask and discuss it with you before hand."

Stop trying to get on his good side.

"Ask me?! Son, I like you already! Now what were you saying? Something about true..?"

"Oh, yes sir. We weren't exactly sure if the feelings we shared for one another were true or not. That is..what I'm trying to say is." He's so cute when he's flustered. Ugh!

"What I'm trying to is that I love your daughter." Both of my parent's eyes are wide. And I can't tell if it's because Gabe is saying he loves me or if someone besides them loves me.

"And I know, I know that we're young and things change but I have never been so sure about something in my entire life."

"Amelia…how on earth…how on earth could you hide this boy from us!? Sam isn't this just so sweet? Reminds me of us! Oh! Do you remember the time that you introduced yourself to my dad? And he showed up on the porch with the deer-"

"Mom! Please stop. As much as Gabe and I would love to hear your story, well now is not the time."

"Perhaps another time Mrs. Buifut, I actually came to inquire if I could spend the day with Amelia."

Mom looks slightly disappointed but smiles and nods.

"Of course, you can Gabe. You two have fun. Go ahead and take the car Amelia." Thank. God. I swear if she didn't let me out of this house I would have eaten the entire fridge.

"Thanks mom! Bye!" I grab the keys, and Gabe of course, and make for the door. He looks just as glad as I am to get out of here. We get to the car and I hop in the driver' seat.

"Make good choices kids! Be back before midnight. And Gabe, I want to see her home alive."

"Bye dad!"

I honestly don't think I could have driven away any faster without breaking any laws. We drove in silence all the way to the mall. I don't even know why I came here. Maybe it's because this was the first real place Gabe and I went together. I don't know. He looks kind of stressed, and I know it's not because of my parents.

"Well, I think they took it pretty well. Don't you?" No response. "Gabe?"

"Huh? Oh yeah. That went well. I-I just, Amelia can we sit down somewhere, this is all really new to me."

"Oh God! Of course I'm so sorry! Come here." We grab a table by one of the coffee shops. Also something he's never experienced. Maybe the mall wasn't such a good idea.

"Gabe I sorry, is this too much for you? I didn't even think. I'm so sorry. Are you alright?" I slide my hands over the table to his and he flinches a little but I don't pull back.

"I'm fine, it's just that I've never done so many things, and this is all so much. Not coming here Amelia, I think I'm ok with it. But how could you defend him like that? Landon, the things-the things he did…tried to do to you. And you just protected him? I mean how?" I had no idea this was bothering him that much.

"Gabe it really wasn't that big of a deal."

"Wasn't that big? Wasn't that big? He, he tried to…to. How!? But do you know what the worst part is? And maybe it's to early to say all this since I just got back and we're still figuring everything out. But do you even care how I feel about it? Amelia I saw the girl I love and should have been protecting get hurt. And then you protect him." I look to him and see how hard he's trying not to get severely upset about this. It's different for him now that other people can hear him.

"Gabe, I had no idea that you felt that way. But please understand I do care. I care so very much about how you feel. But I said what I did to protect you." His expression has gone from frustration to confusion.

"I said that because my parents really would have brought what Landon did to the police and you..you would have had to say what you saw to them. But Gabe you're supposed to be… well you were, for lack of a better word, dead. And for so long. So I said what I said to protect you."

"I never thought about that Amelia, oh god I'm so sorry I even said anything. Please forget it."

"Gabe there's nothing to forgive. You said what you thought and I hold nothing against you. Come on, let's get on a different topic." He still looks hurt and ashamed about what he said. But I know I can easily fix that.

"Well Gabe let me ask you this, now that we can do things together without me looking like a total schizoid, where are you gonna take me for our first real date?"

Author's Note: So I actually don't have a perfectly good excuse for my absence other than writers block and life. So I a thousand apologies to you all. I really am so very sorry that I haven't been able to update. Especially when you have all been so very supportive. AndI thank you for it. So I will promise you this. If you wish I will continue this on a steady pace or I can end it here. Please let me know. Either way thank you for al your support. And that's all I have to say about that. Not related and you probably don't care but if you have tumblr follow me. Perhaps we can get to know each other. I would love to know the people who are reading me stories. if you do have one follow me : Sherlockedmein is my url. In relation to the story as always. Thank you for reading, please please please review. And let me know about continuing or not. Thank you again.

Thatoneegirl

PS Please excuse any typos I will be going through and doing a full search for anything in the near future.