I do not own Intelligence or any of the characters. Not even the chip. But I love Riliel, so...
Here is Chapter 2. I decided to make a 3 chapter story. And I will definitely continue The decisions we make. At the moment, the chapter is just a sketch on a notebook, but it will become a posted chapter in a few days.
Now I leave you with Riley, Gabriel and someone else.
Years of working in the Secret Service trained Riley to be awake at different hours, depending on the time zone, the person's she had to protect time table, so it was a rare day when she woke up after 5:30 a.m. When she was given the job to protect Gabriel, she designed her schedule according to Lillian's instructions, the time she had to bring him to CyberCom and without missing her training time as well. She would never admit though that she enjoyed waking Gabriel every morning for their check-up. It was fun to see a former Delta Force complaining like a kid every time he had to wake up and take her call. And the fact that Gabriel looked deliciously and in the same time annoyingly rumpled on most of these times, was a nice bonus.
The moment Riley started to wake up she could tell that the time was way past their check-up time. The noise from outside her apartment's windows was more potent than the usual Saturday morning silence. Riley tried to raise her head from her pillow but a sharp pain pierced through her skull. She tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt so heavy. And her mouth felt like she chewed sandpaper. She let her slightly raised head hit her pillow again, wincing from the dull pain and as she closed her eyes. The events from the previous night came back to her: the night out, Gabriel, dancing, the kisses, coming back to her place and... Oh my God she climbed out of her bed like a bat out of hell, her eyes bulging from her head in shock, the previous pain forgotten, I slept with Gabriel! Shit!
Taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, Riley realized that something was off: after their... activities, she said to herself just as she was feeling her body flush, Gabriel stayed with her. He took her protectively in his arms and lulled her to sleep with his gentle touches and strong heartbeats resonating in her ears. She never felt so close to another man in her life. So safe. So loved. And this morning she was the only occupant of her queen sized bed. Gabriel was not with her. Looking around the room for the clothes they shed the previous night as they couldn't wait to feel each other, she saw that there were no clothes on the floor. What the hell? The pile of clothes neatly folded on the chair by her desk drew her attention: those were the clothes she wore, but only hers. Not Gabriel's. Where the hell is he? she asked herself. Maybe he is in the kitchen...or in the living-room, but the apartment is too quiet. Or maybe he went home. Taking a robe she kept close to her bed, Riley wrapped herself in it and went out on her balcony. She tried to watch into his apartment but, apparently, no one was there. Maybe he left a note, a text, something, she thought, getting worried. Riley got back into her bedroom and checked everything: bed, pillows, her phone and extended her search to each surface of her place where Gabriel could have informed her about his plans. There was nothing. Gabriel has left the apartment the same way most of the men are doing after a nightstand: with no strings attached.
Riley took a deep, shaky breath as she felt her tears threatening to prickle at the corner of her eyes. I won't cry, she said to herself. But what if something happened to him? She asked herself, worried. Even though it was proven a few years before that Gabriel's chip couldn't control his decisions, the fear was still there. Mei Chen was still a threat, albeit she didn't show up on the grid lately and Doctor Cassidy increased the chip's protection shields so she wouldn't try to hack it. Remembering one of Nelson's tracking phone app, she searched her purse and retrieved the needed object. Accessing Gabriel's chip data coordination, she was able to see that Gabriel was driving out of Washington, the data showing he took their work car and heading to Chesapeake Bay. Nice. Why didn't you fly out of the country, Gabriel? she thought sarcastically. She knew that Doctor's Cassidy vacation residence was there and it was one of the places Gabriel sometimes went to relax and forget about things he saw during their missions and to regroup himself.
Taking a deep breath, Riley looked around her apartment: everything was in its place, just the way she liked it, except her bedroom. The rumpled sheets, the indentations in both of her pillows remembered her of the amazing night she spent with the man she... she loved and the disappointment and hurt she was currently feeling. I can't believe it! Why did you do this Gabriel? I thought that after three years of working together and everything we've been through, you would at least had the decency to tell me in my face this is not what you wanted. That the previous night was a...mistake. Damn you Gabriel! The initial disappointment turned into anger and and she took it on the disheveled bed that carried the print of their night together: she ripped the sheets from it and she balled them into her arms, the smell of Gabriel's body mixed with her own attacking her nostrils. Not wanting to think about it anymore, Yeah, keep telling yourself that Neal, shethrew the offending items in her washing machine and started cleaning her bedroom like it was a life saving mission. Soon... too soon she finished and decided to take a shower and scrub away the last remnants of Gabriel from her body. Or maybe not her inner voice laughed at her when Riley saw herself in the bathroom mirror. Apparently, Mr. Vaughn had a thing for hickeys, her neck, breasts being covered in different shades of pink or bluish marks. How the hell am I going to conceal this on Monday? She could only imagine Nelson's sniggers and innuendos. An errant memory of her biting and sucking on Gabriel's neck made her smile devilishly. I only hope you have marks as well Gabriel. I won't do the morning briefing of shame on my own. That if His Jerkness will bother to show up for work. I am sure as hell I won't go looking for him. God... Neal... what the hell did you get yourself into?
Gathering her strength, Riley decided to continue her morning routine, just like nothing happened, trying to push the last hours events in the back of her mind. She dressed herself in her running attire and prepared herself for long jogging session. And a huge cup of steamy, sugary cup of soy latte after she thought. She needed her coffee fix as she still had a mild headache.
Riley left her apartment with a sigh. She hoped that the run will clear her head and she will find a solution for the mess she got herself into.
Doctor's Cassidy's house from Chesapeake Bay always have been a peace oasis, the place where Gabriel went years ago when he needed to make a decision about the chip implant, when he felt overwhelmed of his abilities or simply needed to think. It was exactly what he needed now. The previous night has been one of the best of his life. Feeling Riley so close to him was intense and making love to her was magical, but this morning, when he woke up with her body wrapped around his, he felt overwhelmed. Riley has been assigned as his protector for exactly 3 years and even though, at first, he refused to work with her, as she seemed too young and defenseless herself to complete her task, she managed to surprise him with every mission, with every moment she looked out for him, been at his side and believed in him when everyone else was against him.
Now, the dynamic of their relationship changed because his feelings for her took over their professional bond. The way Riley responded to him was unexpected. From her kisses, touches, the way she gave herself to him, he could tell she wanted him just as much. But was it all just physical or Riley felt more? Somewhere in between their missions, her annoying morning check-ups and their friendly nightly dinner and a beer, his feelings for her changed, deepened and he had no idea what to do about them.
He loved his wife and for the short time they had with each other he will be eternally grateful, but in the last year he only thought about her as a fond memory, a woman that will always have a place in his heart, but she wasn't his heart anymore. Riley was.
Arriving at Doctor's Cassidy house, Gabriel saw his car in the driveway and realized that, in his haste to leave, he didn't check if the place was empty or not.
With a deep sigh, Gabriel stopped his car engine and walk out of the car, heading slowly towards the front door.
Just as he was about to knock, the door opened and a surprised Shenandoah opened the door for his cyber-son.
" Gabriel... what are you doing here at... the doctor paused to look at his watch, 9:30 in the morning? Are you all right boy? "
" I am fine Doc, just needed some time to think. I am sorry to show up like that, I didn't check if it was empty before I left Washington."
" You drive all the way until here? " the doctor was surprised. " When did you leave Washington? Come inside and tell me what's been bothering you. Is it the chip? "
" No Doc, is not that. The chip is fine. I left Washington at 6."
" I was about to make a fresh pot of coffee. Want some? "He asked Gabriel.
" Yeah. I could drink some coffee."
A few moments later, both men sat at Doctor Cassidy's kitchen table, each of them with a steaming cup of coffee in front of them, Gabriel deep in though.
The Doctor decided to break the silence and see what's been bothering Gabriel.
" What is it Gabriel? When I saw you yesterday you were getting ready to take Riley out to celebrate your partnership. What changed? Is she OK? "
Gabriel took a deep breath and just broke the news like a band-aid.
" I slept with Riley last night. "
" Aha. Well... and what was so different this time that make you come here? " The Doctor asked calmy.
" What do you mean?"
" You know Gabriel, ever since you seem to get over your wife's death everyone thought that you and Riley started building something on your own. You are so close to each other, focused on yourselves and so in tune that we just thought you finally realized what it was in front of you and started building your relationship away from our eyes."
Gabriel was shocked. Nelson and Jameson would make stupid jokes about him and Riley but he never listened to them. Now apparently there were other people who thought the same.
" Last night was the first time Doc. And before you say something else, we are not in a relationship."
" I see. Did she rejected you in the morning? "
" What? No! Why would you think that?" Gabriel asked surprised.
" Well... You slept with Riley, a woman you, obviously have feelings for, and yet you left Washington at 6 a.m. to come here. " the doctor answered him.
" I needed a place to think, to decide how I will approach Riley about my feelings. I don't want that what I feel about her and what happened last night to affect our work. "
" What did you tell Riley when you left? " Cassidy asked as he was preparing to take another drink from his coffee cup.
" Nothing. She was sleeping. "
The Doctor spat his mouthful of coffee all over his kitchen table and started coughing violently.
" Are you all right Doc? Take deep breaths." Gabriel was at his side in a second patting him on his back and offering a few napkins from the box placed on the kitchen counter.
" Gabriel... " the doctor took a deep breath as his coughing fit subsided, " my son, for a man with a chip in his head and access to every bit of information that exists on this planet, you really can be an idiot sometimes."
" Huh?"
" Jesus Christ, Gabriel!" Cassidy raised his voice "From what I recall of yesterday's plans you went out with Riley, you've been intimate with her and then, this morning, you woke up, left her asleep and just took off? I am not a woman but I have been married to one for 30 years my boy, and let me tell you this: we may think that women are complicated, but for them, a man leaving their bed after they've been together, while she was still asleep no less, means one simple thing: to him she was only a nightstand. So I have to ask: was Riley only a nightstand to you, Gabriel?"
"Of course not!" Gabriel denied Doctor's statement, shocked about such a supposition." I have feelings for her, deep feelings. I love her Shen!" He finally admitted to his friend the nature of his feelings towards Riley.
" Ha! Finally!" The Doctor exclaimed, his glasses- covered eyes dancing with amusement and triumph, just like he did after an important scientific discovery.
Gabriel rubbed his palms over his face in an exasperated move. He fell right into Cassidy's trap and he revealed his feelings towards Riley. With his head down, he voiced his biggest fear to his older friend.
" I don't think she feels the same about me, Doc. To Riley I have never been more than a friend, a partner."
"And how do you know that?"
"I..." Gabriel was at loss. He didn't actually know what Riley felt about him. Last night she was so perfect in his arms, gave herself to him so freely. Every touch, heated whisper was only for him. What if, he wondered.
Doctor Cassidy looked at Gabriel and sighed.
" Gabriel... You and Riley have been through so much together. You may say that it was her job to protect you, but you two developed so quickly this partnership, as you call it, that you could only see at some of the oldest teams. And let's not forget the times when Riley put her job, her life on the line just because she believed in you and not the evidences. You two may be only friends outside this job, but for her it was obvious it was more. Why do you think Lillian changed the fraternization policy? I tell you why: because she saw the dynamic between you two change and she chose to make that decision than to lose her best agents."
Gabriel was at loss. Apparently, everyone saw what he was too blind to see. He needed to talk to Riley, to clear the air and try to find a way to make things work between them.
"Thank you Doc. I guess I will head back to Washington and talk to Riley."
"Yeah, son, good luck with that."
"Why do you say that?" Gabriel asked surprised.
"You left her alone, Gabe. I can only imagine how furious she is right now. And we all know she hasn't been hired as your protector because she is good looking or for her big green eyes."
"Doc..." Gabriel groaned.
"I may be old but I am not dead Gabriel. Now go get your girl. I have a few calculations to make. I am going to be a few thousands of dollars richer starting Monday." the old man rubbed his hands happily.
"Huh?"
"We are running bets ever since Riley ran with you when you were accused of murdering that FBI Deputy Director."
Gabriel was at loss. Apparently, he and Riley were CyberCom's employees betting material.
"Who are the participants?" he asked.
"Well... Nelson, Chris, the guys from the fourth floor, Lillian..." the Doctor took a deliberate pause, "your mother."
"My mother?!" Gabriel was shocked.
"Well... It was a good bet son. Now go and get that girl. I really want to win."
Gabriel rolled his eyes at his older friend antics.
"I am going." Gabriel took a deep breath. "Thank you Doc! I really needed this conversation."
"Don't worry about it. See you on Monday. I am curious about your brain activity after this week-end."
"Really Doc?"
"I am scientist, son. Of course I am curious about this sort of things."
"I am out of here. Bye!" Gabriel was exasperated.
"OK Gabe. Drive safely!"
Getting inside his car and starting it, Gabriel went on his way back to Washington, ready to get back to the woman he loved. He only hoped that Riley won't beat the shit out of him.
Back in Washington, Riley was trying her best to push back in her mind the events from the previous night and this morning. During her jog, she made a decision: she will be the mature one and give Gabriel the space he wanted. On Monday morning she will talk to Lillian and ask for a transfer and, if that won't be possible, she will resign.
It was the best for both of them. She should have watched her feelings for Gabriel and be professional. Not to fall for his southern charms. He obviously didn't get over his wife or simply didn't want to be with Riley. She knew that he didn't date in the last three years, his only intimate moments being with Mei Chen, during their cyber-renders. Gabriel told her that he had no feelings towards the Chinese assassin, but who knew? Riley had been fooled by his caresses the previous night. Who knew what was going through his mind?
Stop it Riley! What happened, happened. You are a mature, strong woman, who has been through enough. Time to move on!
A sharp knock at her apartment's door stopped her from her musings.
Getting up from the couch she's been vacating ever since she came back from her run and leaving the cup containing her latte on the coffee table, Riley went to her door and looked through the peephole.
The image from her hallway made her gasp and instinctively reach for her gun. The view from outside her door was obstructed by a large bouquet of red roses. Slowly opening the door, Riley came face to face with a serious looking Gabriel, who was holding onto the flowers as it was his life-line.
"What are you doing here Gabriel?" Riley asked him sharply.
"Riley..." Gabriel started nervously "I am sorry!"
"OK. Apologies accepted." Riley answered back calmly.
"Errr... these are for you." He tried to hand her the flowers, but Riley took a step back and crossed her arms in front of her defensively.
"Gabriel. Don't." Riley took a deep breath. "What happened last night, happened. I got your message this morning loud and clear. You don't need to come here, apologize and bring me flowers."
Gabriel advanced a few steps towards Riley, only for her to back up into her apartment. It was exactly the advantage he needed to enter the apartment and get Riley to actually listen to him as, from what he saw, she already made up her mind about what happened between them.
Letting the roses on a chair nearby, he got closer to Riley, who backed away from him, until her back hit the hard surface of her living room wall. Gabriel placed his right palm on the wall next to her head, while with his left, he lifted her chin so he could look into her beautiful emerald eyes. The hurt and sadness he saw there almost made him fall to his knees. He made her suffer. Her, the woman he loved with all his heart.
"Riley" he whispered. "I am not sorry for last night. It was the best night in my life. I am only sorry I left this morning. I have these feelings for you, Riley, so deep, so powerful that scarred me. And..." he stopped uncertain.
"And what Gabriel?"
"And I had no idea if you felt something for me. I mean... I am government property. No matter how much time you spent convincing me that I am human, you did it as a friend. But being more..."
"Gabriel..." Riley took a deep breath "I know the implications of being with you. And the only reason I've been with you was because I fell for you, hard." She cupped his check and caressed him slowly, lovingly. "I love you Gabriel."
"Riley..." he was at loss. He left her that morning because he thought she didn't feel the same for him and here they were, so close to each other, the words he wanted so much to hear, falling from her beautiful lips.
"Shh... It's OK if you don't feel the same..." Riley started only to be cut off by Gabriel's lips colliding with her own. The kiss was so consuming, with every touch of his lips against hers Gabriel trying to show Riley the power of his feelings towards her. When they felt they had no air, Gabriel slowly broke their kiss with a deep groan, only to deposit small, sweet pecks at the corner of her lips, on her cheeks, towards her ear, and started nipping at her earlobe until Riley felt weak to her knees and butterflies playing like crazy in her stomach.
Gabriel stopped his assault only to whisper in her ear the words he was dying to say to her " I love you Miss Neal."
"Really Gabriel?" Riley pushed at his chest.
"Well baby, I know how much it annoys you." Gabriel smiled smugly. "Now put that gun down sweetheart, unless you want to shoot me with it."
Riley forgot she still had the object in her hand. She grabbed Gabriel's hand and took him towards her couch, depositing the gun in a side drawer while on their way.
Gabriel took Riley in his arms, and just like the previous night, Riley found her place on his chest. She loved hearing his strong heartbeats.
Gabriel stroked her back slowly, depositing soft kisses on her hair, forehead and soon pushed her down on the couch so he could gain access to her lips. He was addicted to her lips.
"I love you Riley." Gabriel whispered against her lips.
"Me too. Not shut up and kiss me."
"Your wish, my command."
Many minutes and a heavy make-out session later, Riley was holding Gabriel in her arms and she was playing with his hair. Gabriel just finished telling her about where he went in the morning and offered her a few details about the talk he had with his older friend.
" Mmm... this feels so good baby" Gabriel told her, his voice rough with pleasure.
Riley laughed softly.
"I am sure it does. You sure you are OK with everything, Gabriel? It's not only our jobs but I am sure on Monday we will be the teasing stock of every geek from CyberCom."
"I am perfect Riley. I am sure it will be tough, but I have you with me and I am sure our missions won't be much different from what they were before. And" … "Gabriel added "I am sure the geeks will be too busy counting their gains to offer us too much attention."
"What?!"
"Well Riley, it seems that good people at CyberCom placed bets on our love life. And people we wouldn't even imagine participated at it."
Riley was in shock. She and Gabriel were close, but they never gave any reason for their co-workers to suspect there was something between them.
"When did that started?"
"After the murder charges against me in 2014. Apparently, you running with me was considered a gesture of love."
Riley didn't say a word.
"Riley?" Gabriel asked concerned.
"I am fine. I just never thought about it that way. All I wanted was to find out the truth and you to be safe and exonerated."
"Who knows, baby? Maybe they were right. Considering that one of the participants is my own mother."
Riley had to laugh.
"Yeah, your mother is something."
"Ihi... And I am sure she will be happy for us, just after she, Shen, Nelson and Lillian finish counting their winnings."
"Lillian as well?!" Riley groaned.
Laughing, Gabriel rose from his position on the couch and leaned against it gathering Riley in his arms.
"What can I say? We are famous" he smiled smugly. The cup of coffee laying abandoned on the table caught his attention and he reached for it.
"Even now you can't help yourself" Riley smiled at him.
Taking a drink, Gabriel grimaced. "How can you drink such a concoction?"
"Well... Is sweet, delicious and I need my sugar rush to function through the day."
"Hmm... I know a thing sweeter than that" Gabriel answered her, his blue eyes darkening with desire.
"Yeah? What?" Riley threw back gluing herself to him seductively.
Gabriel captured her lips with his own, his searching tongue invading her mouth and making her moan wantonly. Their hands started to wander aimlessly and bodies grinding to another with all the passion they could muster.
Soon, their bodies joined in the most intimate way and Gabriel gave Riley his answer:
"You."