16: Fear

Warning: Adult language

Gus! Gabby screamed in Nathaniel's head.

"What are you doing here, August!?" Nate growled, furious to once again be interrupted.

"Like you, I thought I'd pay our dear Gabby a visit to offer my condolences." he answered Nate. To Gabby he said, "I'm so sorry to hear about your sister." His voice sounded sincere.

As one, Gabriella and Nathaniel broke apart. Nathaniel turned to face Augustus, and Gabby backed up a few small steps.

"Okay. So you've said what you came to say. Now leave." Nate said with a trace of a threat to his voice.

"Always so eager to see me go, Nathaniel. It wounds me to the quick!" Gus responded.

"You have no quick."

"Such viciousness from you, Nathaniel." A look of mock surprise crossed Gus's face. "Oh! Am I interrupting a touching scene?" He grinned wickedly.

Piss off! Nate thought very clearly to Gus.

Augustus's grin changed to laughter.

"What do you want, Gus?" Gabriella asked harshly, working at hiding her fear.

"I merely want to talk with you, Gabriella. However, your boyfriend here seems to think that's a bad idea." Gus replied.

"I don't want to talk to you." she said evenly.

"What have I done to you? Other than assist you in seeing a terrifying vision. I am sorry about that. I still don't know what all that is about, and I get the feeling it's about me. I have a right to know, don't I?" Gus argued with her over Nate's shoulder.

"If she doesn't want to tell you, she doesn't have to." Nate reminded him.

"I'm hurt by feeling that the two of you are teaming up against me, especially since I have no idea why. At least bring these accusations to light so that I might dissolve them!" Augustus said to Nathaniel with, for once, a sincerely hurt look on his face.

"I don't want to tell you, Gus." If you know what you're going to do you'd just do it all the sooner to force along the upcoming events.

"I don't understand it, Gabby." Gus said to her, talking over Nate's shoulder again. "If you'd just tell me I'm sure I could assuage your fears. You trusted me when I answered all your questions. Why don't you trust me now? Why are you afraid of me?"

Gabriella shook her head no.

Augustus made an exasperated noise and said, "Get out of my way, Nathaniel."

"Not a chance."

August became angry when he redirected his attention to the open hostility coming from his progeny. "This is getting ridiculous. I came to talk, yet I feel you're ready to fight me, Nathaniel? I hope you realize the folly of that decision." He then turned his attention back to Gabriella, dismissing Nate as if he were an annoying insect. To Gabriella he said, "Gabby, I want to be your friend. I find you fascinating. Your gift is a true one, and I don't know if you have any idea how exceedingly rare that is."

"You find her 'fascinating'? Fascinating? She's a person, not a painting! With your enormous vocabulary you seem to like that word, August. She doesn't want to work on her gift." Nate said bitingly to his maker.

"She can talk for herself, thank you, Nate." August lightly scolded his 'child'.

Nate hated the way Gus was now trying to make himself look to be in a better light than him.

"But he's right." Gabriella said quietly. "Leave me alone, Gus."

Nathaniel gestured to Gabriella behind him by putting one of his hands in her direction, keeping his eyes on Augustus, and said, "See? Now she even said it for herself."

August ignored Nathaniel again and instead turned to Gabriella once more, "Gabriella, you shouldn't waste what has been given to you. I'm sure I could help you, if you let me." When he saw Gabriella shaking her head no, he knew he needed to try a different tactic. He hadn't wanted to use force, but the chit wasn't cooperating.

Nate clearly read his intentions and stepped once more into Gus's path as he growled, "I don't think so!"

With every ounce of strength he had, Nate punched Gus in the jaw, taking him by surprise. Gabriella hardly had time to react as she watched him fall to the ground.

Augustus amazingly appeared to stop himself mid-fall, at least, that's how it seemed to Gabriella. He quickly retaliated by kneeing Nathaniel in the chest since Nate was already bent a little from the blow he's just delivered.

Nate felt the very unpleasant sensation of his insides compacting against themselves. It had been an age since he'd felt pain like this. Dimly, in the back of his mind, he knew he'd heal from it after a few minutes, but it didn't look like Gus was going to give him the chance to recover as he dealt him repeated blows to various parts of his anatomy, sending him to the ground.

Nate tried to cough as he fought to repair his lungs. Breathing wasn't necessary, but it was preferred.

"Silly child!" Gus said in an admonishing way. "What were you thinking? The length of your life is but the turning of a page compared to the entire volume that has been mine. Fool! I've studied every method of fighting that has ever been, plus some you probably never knew existed! The only reason you're not destroyed right now is for Gabriella's sake!" He walked around behind Nathaniel. "If you ever try anything like that again I won't be so lenient!"

Gabriella stood frozen with fear as she watch the man she loved being beaten to a pulp -- or rubble. She didn't know whether she should be grateful or more terrified when Gus turned his furious gaze upon her.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that." Gus said to her. "Spare the rod, spoil the child, right?" He took a step towards her. "I just want to talk, Gabriella."

"Not a minute ago you didn't." she said.

Gus stopped in surprise. "Oh? And what makes you say that?" He didn't think there'd been anything in his body language that gave his intentions away. He knew Nate had only known by reading his mind. How did Gabriella know?

"I don't know how I know, but I do." she said as she took a little step back. "Hurting me won't get me what you want either, Gus." She repeatedly took small steps away from him, but forgot the existence of the grave marker behind her.

Her heel caught the edge of it and she fell backwards, scratching her back slightly against the rough edges of the leaves of the bushes and landing hard on her rear end.

Typical she couldn't help but think the woman always falls down when the bad guy is chasing her.

"What is it that has you so terrified of me?" Gus asked quietly, walking towards her.

"I won't do it, Augustus! I won't be your little pocket fortune teller! I know that's what you want!" she voiced strongly.

Did you tell her? Gus asked Nate's mind.

No. She's not stupid. She has you pegged correctly. Nate answered him the only way he could. What Nate didn't tell him was that she knew what he wanted from the vision she had. He gratefully, finally coughed as he felt himself heal.

"But why don't you let me help you anyway? I don't want you to be my 'little pocket fortune teller' as you put it. I want us to be friends, and how you're treating me right now hurts." Gus said to Gabby as she backed herself into the bushes.

"You only want to be my 'friend' for what you can get out of it." Gabby quipped.

Gus raised his hands to the heavens in a 'help me' gesture before looking back down at her. "What does anyone want to be friends with anyone for other than what they can get out of it? You could learn so much from me, Gabby."

"No, thank you. I think I'll pass."

Nate could feel the anger grow in Gus once again.

"I told you, leave her alone!" Nathaniel yelled as he worked his way between Gabby and Gus once again.

Gabriella worked on standing herself up, getting irritated at the way her heels caught in her dress repeatedly.

"Nathaniel," August warned calmly while looking straight ahead, "do not test me. The only reason you're not dead now is because I know you're part of her vision that I so want to come true, but if you attack me again, I'll just have to create the events as I see fit." The idea of turning Gabriella himself warmed in his thoughts. Then I could control her. I'll never let her go. He greedily turned his eyes on her once more.

"Never!" Nate nearly screamed.

Well prepared this time, August merely leaned back to avoid Nate's punch. Gabby had turned to step over the bushes to get away somehow and back to her car, but she pathetically tripped over them instead.

Good grief, I'm pathetic! Gabriella thought to herself.

Gus waited until Nate had righted himself before he dealt his own blow, nearly ripping his head off. Nate sprawled on the ground behind him. Gabriella turned her head a little to see him on the ground, and she fought to get up.

Damn you, heels.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now." Gus asked Nate icily.

Nate croaked out his answer, the only one he knew would matter to Gus, "Because she'll hate you forever if you do. She may not realize it yet, but I feel it. She loves me."

August's face was contemplative and his head tilted to the side before he finally said, "Good reason." Then he shoved him to the ground.

Gabriella hid in a nearby flowerbed, unable to just leave Nathaniel. For once, she was grateful for the cumbersomeness of her long black dress because it helped to hide her. She just wished she could cover her hair. She debated throwing some of the mulch in it when she heard a voice calling her that sent chills up her spine.

"Gabrieeeelaaa? I know you're still here somewhere. Your car is still here." Gus paused as he listened. He couldn't tell if it was a bird in the nearby flowerbed or an accelerated, weak heartbeat of the human he searched for. "I could easily smell you out if need be. It's a waste of time to hide." The idea of turning her himself had settled comfortably in his mind.

He decided to go and set his plan in motion. He was now certain that it was her in the nearby flowerbed. Before he could move a millimeter, Nate tripped him by grabbing his pantleg.

"You ungrateful son of a bitch!" Gus threw at Nate as Nate attacked him with surprising and sudden skill. Just as soon as Gus tried to make a move, Nate read him and immediately countered it. What Nate lacked in strength and skill he made up for in the ability to anticipate Gus's moves.

Gabriella heard Gus say that he should've killed him a moment ago in between the sounds of their fighting. No! ... He really wants to kill him! Shaking, she came out of her hiding place and ran back over to the fighting duo.

"Stop!" she screamed to August. "Please! Don't! I'll do it okay?! But not if you kill him!"

"Oh, yes you still would if I killed him and turned you myself, but I prefer a peaceful relationship." Augustus said to her as he dusted himself off, warily watching Nathaniel as he stood up from the ground.

Gabby felt a little unnerved as Nate almost materialized in front of her.

"No, Gabby. You don't have to." he pleaded.

"It's a small thing, Nate. Please don't be upset."

"But, you hate it!" Nate responded, dumbfounded and mildly irritated as well.

"There are things that I'd hate more." she said and her lower lip quivered the tiniest bit.

"Gabby, don't worry about me." he said as he closed the distance between them and pulled her close.

Gabriella let out a shuddering sigh and buried her face in the hollow made between his neck and shoulder, relishing the Nate smell. She'd thought she knew she loved him before Gus had arrived, and had been about to tell him before they were interrupted. Now, she knew she loved him. She wanted to tell him, but didn't want Gus in audience as she did it. August now knew her weakness, and it scared her to her core. Still, if he wanted her cooperation he wouldn't hurt Nate.

Nathaniel didn't know which emotion was more prevalent in him. All at the same time he wanted to reassure Gabriella, but at the same time he wanted to shake her in fury. What was all that fighting for if she was just going to give in in the end? At any rate, he cherished the feel of her in his arms, and he wished August wasn't standing nearby, watching them, scheming. With the thoughts running through Gabriella's mind right now, he longed to kiss her until the sun came up - which, unfortunately, was soon.

Gabriella nervously brushed some dirt off Nate's coat as she said, "It'll be daylight soon."

"I'm good for a bit longer." he said and really wished Gus would leave.

Gabriella sighed, exhausted. "I'm tired. I wanna go home and sleep, and then think about everything by myself for a while. I'll just pretend you can't hear me."

"I'll do my best to make it background noise unless you mentally scream at me like you're apparently good at doing." he chuckled at her mild glare.

"I'll come by this evening?" he asked her as he tucked some errant strands of hair behind her ears before just leaving his hands cradling her face.

She nodded in his hands in response to his question.

Damn you to hell, Gus. This would be so perfect if only you weren't here! he angrily thought over to him.

Oh, don't mind me. Gus answered sardonically, but Gabriella thought to him simultaneously.

I wish Gus would just leave! She thought as she watched him smile.

He tilted her head down and tenderly kissed her forehead, determined not to let Gus be a witness to their first kiss--which was taking an agonizingly long time to come about.

"The sun's almost up." she whispered to him, not knowing why she felt she had to whisper. "Go home."

A smile flitted across his face as he said, "You first."

"Nate..." she whined. "You're freaking me out."

"You worry too much. I want to make sure you make it home safely in that hunk of junk over there." he nodded in the direction of her car.

She made a mock-scoffing expression. "Hunk of junk? Lucille has served me well for many years."

"We should head home, Nathaniel." Gus interrupted before Nate could get out the laugh that built.

"Until tonight then." Nathaniel said before he kissed her hands. Then the two of them vanished. 

Gabriella didn't know it, but Nate stayed out of sight to make sure she made it home okay before returning to his house.