Hello my little bon-bons. I would like to that lovely21, Guest and Hllo-Beastie for the wonderful as always reviews.
I have just had the most Crazy idea. But it will be for a later chapter or two. Hmm, I might just have to get writing so I can get to it. What do you think? Anyway back to the here and now. Gabriel vs Kali. Who will win?
Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.
Saturday found Kali at her store once again. The builders may not be working but she had much to do to get this the latest addition to The Goddesses Nectar empire up and running. On approaching the door at 8 she found that unlike the last five mornings there was no pink box waiting for her. Well good. It seemed Gabriel had given up. She thought, resolutely ignoring the little voice at the back of her head which screamed why? Why was he giving up so easily? She didn't care and she didn't want him back. (I really have stopped believing you there hon.) And if he had given up then it just proved to her that she was right to not fall for his charms again. With that she straightened her back and set about going through the paper work she had received from the New York office.
It was 11 o'clock Saturday morning and Gabriel was just gently closing the pastry box which contained the items he had spent the last couple of hour's meticulously creating, or re-creating as it may be. With the box closed he grabbed his coat.
"I'm heading out. Not sure how long I'll be." He shouted to Kevin then not waiting for a response he left through the back door of The Bakery. He had a special delivery to conduct. (Oh dear. Who here thinks this isn't going to go well?)
Kali was leaning over the counter going over the applications she had had for the managers' position when the door to her store opened. She looked up to tell whoever it was that they were closed when she came face to face with Gabriel. Instead of speaking she just glared at him.
"Hello Kali. How lovely to see you, you look as beautiful as I remember." He said with his charming smile on his face.
"What do you want?" Kali growled in return but Gabriel was not put off by her tone. He was made of sterner stuff.
"Well a little birdy told me that you weren't getting your gifts, so I thought I would bring them to you in person." He replied placing the box down on the counter next to Kali's hand, and when she just looked at it he moved and opened it to reveal its contents. Which was a replica of all the miniature figures he had created over the last week for her. (How sweet. But do you really think that's going to work Gabriel?)
"I don't eat marzipan figures." Kali replied crossing her arms not looking into the box. She had already seen all of them the first time round.
"But there you're favourite." Gabriel said in a cajoling voice moving the box closer to her.
"Were Gabriel, were. I haven't had then in 15 years." Kali replied without thought, cursing herself when the words left her lips. She. Did. Not. Care. (I. Don't. Believe. You.)
"Well isn't that a coincidence as I haven't made them in that long either." Gabriel said with a smirk on his face, through his eyes held guilt, sorrow and hope in equal parts. Not that she cared.
"I don't care. Take them and get out." Kali spat at him. She was not going to fall for him again. Even if a little voice in the back of head told her it was too late for that. That in fact she had never stopped loving the man in front of her.
"No." Gabriel said. Gone was his charming cheeky façade and in its place was the true Gabriel. The one she had always know was there, had glimpsed many times in the past. The one that would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. Well if that was the way he wished to play it. She was his equal, if not his superior in determination. (I'm sure you are darling. It be why you're such a good fit. In my opinion at any rate.)
"I'll call the police." She threatened though she knew she wouldn't really but it gave her time to think of how to fight this Gabriel.
"Do that, in fact I'm pretty sure you'll find Dean-o loitering next door if you want to have me arrested." Gabriel replied with a shrug and crossing his arms also, making her narrow her eyes at him. She had forgotten that Dean was a police detective damn.
"Don't tempt me." She answered in a low voice. She would get him to leave.
"Of course if he did that it would probably upset Cassie. Can't be sure though. Shall we give it a try?" Gabriel replied with a return of his mischievous personality as he smirked at her once again and the twinkle appeared in his eye. And she knew, just knew, he would love nothing more that for her to call Dean in.
"Gabriel I am not interested in you or anything you have to offer." She finally responded in a tried voice uncrossing her arms. She didn't have the energy for this fight.
"Liar." Gabriel replied softly smiling at her with his true smile. The one she loved, then and now.
"Just leave me in peace. You managed it for 15 years why can't you continue?" She asked in a begging tone. She needed him to go. She couldn't do this. Not now, not ever.
"Because I love you. I have always loved you and I will always love you." Gabriel replied completely sincerely and looking into his eyes she saw that it was true. He really did love her, and that just made everything so much harder. (Yes it does.)
"I don't love you." She whispered at him looking deep into his eyes.
"Yes Kali, you do." Gabriel replied his smirk reappearing though hope flared in his eyes.
It was the smirk that pulled her eyes from him. She would not fall again. "No I don't. You don't know me Gabriel Novak. I am no longer some stupid naïve little girl. I've changed. I've grown up. Isn't about time you did the same?" she said cuttingly not looking into his eyes.
"I grew up Kali. The day Cassie arrived on my doorstep I grew up real quick." Gabriel replied in a low threatening tone which made her turn to him with a look of disbelieve on her face and the raise of an eyebrow.
"Not that quickly considering you just left." She said sweetly smirking at him.
"Is that what this is all about? I had to leave." Gabriel replied throwing his hands up in the air in frustration.
"I know." Kali said simply. She really, really did. Didn't change her mind though.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I was a fool, but Kali-" Gabriel tried in an almost desperate voice.
"No Gabriel no buts, it's over." Kali cut him off. She didn't want to hear Gabriel's defences for what he had done.
"I don't accept that." Gabriel said with a growl of his own. This was not over. Ever.
"I moved on." Kali replied in a reasonable voice.
"Yeah to Baldor." Gabriel said with a sarcastic tone and a roll of his eyes.
"How do you know about that?" Kali asked shocked that he knew.
"Your wedding was splashed across plenty of magazines Kali. It wasn't that hard to find out about." Gabriel replied sarcasm still dripping from his lips.
"You left Gabriel. What did you expect? Me to just wait for you to return? I had no idea where or why you had gone." Kali responded, her voice getting louder as she got to the end, her own frustration coming out now.
"I was going to come back Kali." Gabriel tried to explain
"Really? Because I haven't seen any evidence of that in the last 15 years." It was Kali's turn for sarcasm to be lacing her tone.
"I know, okay I know. But it's the past and I can't change that. All I can do is improve the future." Gabriel tried again. There had to be something he could say to get her to take him back. He wouldn't, no couldn't accept it was over for them. That what he had done was irreversible. (I hope not.)
"And you can do that by leaving me alone." Kali said gesturing to the door.
"I can't." Gabriel replied in a broken voice. He couldn't walk out of her life for ever.
"Then you had best learn how to." Kali said sternly.
"Kali please, just give me one more chance." Gabriel begged. To hell with dignity, he needed her more.
"No Gabriel. That is what I can't do." Kali replied in a quiet voice. Looking into her eyes Gabriel saw the heartbreak and pain. He just wanted to make it all go away. Make her better. She deserved to be happy. His happy Kali.
"why?" he asked softly staring into her eyes as he took a step closer to her, buoyed by the fact she did not step away he moved closer still as he spoke again. "What is it you're scared of?" he asked in a hypnotic tone. "Is it that I'll leave you again? Because I won't Kali, I promise I will never leave you again." He finished having finally managed to walk close enough to her that he could reach out and cup her cheek in his hand, slowly stroking her face with his thumb as he stared into her eyes.
"No Gabriel. I can't… I can't go through that again." Kali finally answered, her voice catching and tears appearing in her eyes as he looked down at her. He just wanted to wrap her in his arms and never let go. Never let anything or anyone hurt her ever again.
"You won't have to." Gabriel whispered to her as he moved his face closer to hers.
"I don't trust you Gabriel." Kali replied placing her hand on his chest to stop him. She couldn't kiss him. If she did, she knew that any resolve she still had would melt away as she would melt into his embrace. "Please leave." She asked gently putting her hand over Gabriel's and squeezing it gently before she pulled it from her face.
"Is there nothing I can say to convince you?" Gabriel asked not letting go of her hand, and this time it was Kali who saw the heartbreak and pain in his eyes.
"No. you said it all with three words in a note 15 years ago Gabriel." Kali replied dropping his hand and taking a step back from the man she loved.
"Okay. I'll go. But please Kali, don't throw away what we can have just because of my stupidity." With that Gabriel turned and left. Standing on the sidewalk outside the store he put his head back trying to prevent the tears in his eyes from rolling down his cheeks. Once he had got his composure in check he turned, only to come face to face with Dean.
"I'm guessing that didn't go so well." Dean said in a neutral tone. None of his usual sarcasm or banter that he seemed to reserve for talking to Gabriel.
"No." Gabriel barked at him. He didn't want anyone seeing him as raw as he currently was.
With that Dean opened the door to Angel Books and stood back to let him in. Gabriel stood and stared at it for half a minute. Thinking through his choices. In his mind he had three. He could walk away and go and lick his wounds, he could go in and talk rubbish putting on the Gabriel Novak show, or he could ask for help. Taking a deep breath and plastering a dramatically tragic look on to his face (well he was still Gabriel) he walked into his brother's store. He didn't really have any choice at all. He needed Kali back, and he couldn't do it on his own.