Sorry it's taken so long. Hope you enjoy this chapter. =]
Chapter Three: Bottles Of Secrets
Gabrielle stirred in her sleep. It had taken her over an hour to fall into a shallow sleep, she couldn't stop worrying about Steve. She fluttered her eyes open. A sound had roused her, one she couldn't quite place. She hadn't heard it in a while, and was not alert enough to recognise it. She heard the creek of a cupboard door and sat upright. That sound she knew. She grabbed a robe from the end of her bed and slipped it over her pyjamas. She walked briskly to the kitchen and didn't even acknowledge the man standing there. She grabbed Steve;s hand and removed it from her cabinet.
"Steve, you can't." She sat him down and took the key from his other hand. She has completely forgotten that she even had a liquor cabinet.
"I'm sorry Gabbi." He sighed back in his chair, as if just realising what he was doing.
"What am I supposed to do with you if you don't behave yourself?" She scolded, but caringly.
"I don't know what came over me, I just... I couldn't sleep and I remembered where the key was and I just... Old habits die hard I guess."
Gabrielle tried to not fall to pieces at his confession. Steve excused himself and went for a shower, leaving Gabrielle to have a staring contest with the dreaded cabinet. She made a decision that didn't seem to affect her at all. She unlocked the cabinet and filled a cardboard box with bottles. She carried the box outside, with not much difficulty, and chucked it into a garbage can. She didn't need them as much as Steve needed to not see them.
He remained in the bathroom for quite a while. Gabrielle deciding she may as well get ready for work and arrive early. Luckily she had a bathroom adjoined to her bedroom, she didn't want to be fighting Steve for one.
Once dressed she knocked on the door o the other bathroom.
"Steve?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm off, mate. I may as well go in early." She leaned close to the door. He had been in there for more than half an hour.
"Right. Just, don;t talk to Frank, please."
"Yeah I know. If it's brought up I'll speak to Charlotte. Okay?"
"Thanks." Gabrielle gave to door a worried look.
"Do you want a ride to the other hospital?"
"Nah, Gab. You go to work. I'll speak to you later." She decided it was best to leave him be.
Frank and Charlotte were engrossed in a conversation when Gabrielle arrived. She hoped neither of them would have too many questions about Steve.
"Ah, Jaeger!" Frank interrupted an unamused Charlotte.
"Yes, Frank, what can I do for you?" She sighed and faked being nice.
"When Taylor get;s here tell him I need to see him." Gabrielle didn't know what to say.
"If I see him." Frank seemed happy with this answer, and left. Gabrielle saw her opportunity as Charlotte was left alone.
"Charlotte?" The 2IC turned to face Gabrielle.
"Yes, Gabrielle."
"Can I have a word with you, in private?" Charlotte was confused, but interested.
"Sure, let's go to my office." Charlotte led the way, all the while Gabrielle wondering what to say, and how to say it.
When the door to Charlotte's office clicked shut, an awkward silence fell.
"What's going on Gabrielle?"
"Steve won't be coming in today." She didn't want to explain if she didn't have to.
"Dare I ask why?"
"His mother has been in an accident. But he wanted to keep it quiet, so can you not tell Frank?"
"That's terrible. His mother, I mean." Charlotte looked genuinely concerned. 'Is he... I mean, is he- alright?" Gabrielle knew what she meant.
"He stayed at my place last night. He's been fine so far."
"Okay then, well, thanks for telling me."Gabrielle took this as a sign of her dismissal. "And Gabrielle? If anything does happen, I'm here."
Gabbi was touched by Charlotte's offer, she wanted to tell Charlotte everything, but knew that this wasn't her problem. It was Steve's, so she shouldn't be blabbing about it.
"Thanks, Charlotte." With that, she returned to the Nurse's Station, trying to ignore the many question emitted from Frank.
Please review, I really like it when people do! And feel free to leave suggestions, if you want it to take a certain direction, or a different one. I'm open to that. =]