18: Make Yourself At Home

warning: adult language

As Gabriella approached the front porch steps, Nathaniel could feel her apprehension. She worried about her upcoming showdown with Gus and the rapid rate that their relationship had gone from simple boyfriend/girlfriend to living together. She understood the 'why'; it was the reality of it that made her nervous.

"Hey." Nathaniel said as he walked up and wrapped his arms around her. "It's going tor be okay, alright? I know it's a huge step, but we'll just make it up as we go along." he said, referring to last night's conversation in which he'd told her that he would do his absolute best not to crowd her or take things too fast even though they were living under the same roof. Inwardly, however, he seriously worried he might do just that.

In the past, Nathaniel became accustomed to women nearly throwing themselves at him, and he never lacked for company should he decide that's what he wanted. Occasionally, however, there would be someone more resistant to his charismatic ways, and the thrill of the chase would make him very entertained for a while.

Gabriella proved to be the latter, of course. However, this time his goal changed. He'd not felt this way for any woman for a long time. He thought he'd never find anyone once Helen had been forever lost to him, but he did. In the 1930s, there was Imogen. After she died in a car accident, he swore he'd never let himself feel that deeply for anyone ever again. He should've known it would only be a matter of time until he did.

Gabriella sighed and wavered in nervous agitation before he said to her, "If it makes you feel better, you're not the only one who's nervous here."

"You don't act nervous." Gabriella responded to him.

Oh, but I am, he thought. If I end up losing you as well... He didn't want to finish the thought in his head.

Gabriella stopped her fidgeting to ask, "What are you nervous about?"

"I'm a little nervous about what August is going to do, and although I'm fairly certain this will work, I worry what will happen should it not." He sighed before he continued, "And I'm scared to death of losing you." His arms tightened around her and she leaned her head back against his chest.

"I don't want... to be... turned, Nate. It frightens me. Yet I don't want to leave you either." She paused for a moment, trying to recall something. "I had the strangest dream last night..."

Nate sucked in a quick breath of air as his skin started to singe. "Tell me about it in a minute. I need to get inside."

"Oh! Yes, of course." she immediately started worrying about that now as well.

Gabriella had packed most of her clothes, as well as her books and other various needful things, and they sat outside in her car, waiting to be moved into whichever room she chose. She picked the one upstairs that wasn't the bedroom where Gus had answered her questions. 

Nathaniel told her to sit down and literally make herself at home. He knew that in order for what they were about to do to work, she needed to really believe that this was her house, which it was. In the meantime, he left her sitting in the living room while he showered and changed.

Make myself at home. Make myself at home, Gabriella mentally chanted in her head and thinking about Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. It needs to be a mental thing. Well, I've certainly got 'mental' covered, don't I? This is home. I live here now.

I really do live here. This house has to be five or six times the size of my old house... that old house that isn't home anymore. This is home. I may not quite know the ins and outs of the place, but it's home nonetheless. She continued with her mental soliloquy as Nate, now showered and recovered from the sun, very quickly brought in her luggage. He wouldn't hear of her doing it. She gave up asking once she realized he could get it done in a matter of seconds anyway.

Once finished with the task, Nate stopped just in front of her to ask, "How are you doing?" He could feel a sense of calm confidence coming from her that made him very optimistic.

"If I could only just get over my fear of him, I'd be great." she answered calmly.

They heard someone merrily humming on the path up to the porch, and Nathaniel tensed when he realized it was August.

Nate cleared his mind of his plan as Gus smiled warmly and said, "Why, hello, Gabriella! What a pleasant surprise!"

In a moment it won't be, Gabriella thought to herself as she worked on controlling her fear. She was grateful once again that Gus couldn't read her thoughts.

In a fraction of a second, Nate was sitting next to Gabby with his arm across her in an almost possessive way. Gabriella stared at Nate, shocked at this sudden display and wondered what caused it. That thought was second only to the other shock of where Nate placed his hand. Even considering all the making out they'd done the night before, she was unprepared for this more public display. She unconsciously worked at trying to move his hand in vain. It wouldn't budge. In fact, Nate tightened his grip the smallest bit as if to say 'quit it.' 

After a few seconds, she gave up and went back to wondering at his motivation. As she wondered, she missed out on some of the two men's conversation.

Gus interrupted her thoughts as he asked her, "You're moving in?"

Startled, she looked up at him and answered as calmly as she could manage, "Yes. We decided that since I was going to spend so much time over here in the future that I may as well go ahead and move into one of the upstairs rooms." She slapped her hand down on Nate's in mild irritation.

Ever watchful for any moment when he could have a little fun, Nate started running his thumb in little circles on her leg. Well, at least she's distracted from being afraid, he inwardly grinned, however his eyes remained forward and serious. He couldn't stop the slight upturning at the corners of his mouth though.

Gus sighed in mild disappointment when he heard Nate's thought. He was upset that Gabby still feared him. He tried to come up with different ways he could undo the harm he'd caused. He'd gladly do whatever it took to get back in her good graces.

 "It's completely unnecessary for me to have the second-biggest bedroom in the house, Gabriella. Why don't you take that one?" Gus asked, wishing to put her closer to Nate on purpose. He knew the closer the two became, the more likely the vision would come about sooner.

Nate sat up, aggravated at Gus' thoughts.

Gabriella studied Nate for a short moment before looking at Gus and saying, "No, thank you. Upstairs is more ... private."

Nate explained to Gus about how they planned on fixing the upstairs up for her so she could feel more at home with her own space while Gabriella absentmindedly rubbed her fingers on the spot on her leg that Nate's hand recently vacated. She was still getting accustomed to his somewhat cooler touch, and she felt like his hand was still there.

"Well, I still say this is a cause for celebration. After all, our little family has gained a new member! Anyone for Bloody Marys?" Gus beamed at them.

The slight irony of the name of the drink Gus decided to make was not lost on Gabby.

As Gus got up to mix the drinks, Nate nudged Gabby and wordlessly indicated that now would be a good time to get the ball rolling, so to speak. Gabriella paled.

Suddenly the idea seemed crazy to her. She looked up at Nate in wordless indecision. Nate performed the monumental effort of trying to get Gabriella to do what she needed to do while not thinking of it. Finally, Gabby put her hand in his as she stood up from the couch and walked over to the bar.

Stay near me, she thought to him.

She walked up to stand in front of Gus while Nate casually reassured her with his presence.

"So, Gus, you're happy I live here now?" she asked, working at controlling the frantic rate her heart had taken.

"Of course!" he gladly answered her, happy that she was at least talking to him, even though she seemed nervous. "I knew the three of us would end up together."

Gabriella found her opening, and her heart nearly pounded out of her chest as she said, "Well, in my opinion, three's a crowd. I'd rather you didn't live here, Gus."

The bottle Gus had twirled in his palm fell and shattered on the wood floor as Gabriella continued her speech, "I rescind your invitation into my house, Gus." Gabriella worried that it wouldn't work because she'd never given him an invitation, and Nate had to practically hold her up as she grew weaker with terror, wondering what Gus would do now.

Gus's eyes burned like two blazing-hot suns as he regarded Gabriella, a look of pure rage on his face. In Gabby's mind, she heard a heavy, metallic clunking noise as if an ancient machine had started to come to life. She could feel it - another piece set into the puzzle to bring about her visions. But she couldn't take back her words now. To do so would invite the fury that Gus looked to be desperate to unleash.

A strange, unseen force pushed Gus nearer to the front door. As he fought it, he turned to the two of them and said, "So that's your game, is it? I have to hand it to you, Nate. That was clever. Risky, but clever." He turned to Gabriella to say, "Gabby, you're a fool. It was a very bad decision to incur my wrath. I was wanting to be friends, but you seem determined to be my enemy."

"So be it." he finished.

Nathaniel couldn't contain his joy at finally finding a way to rid himself of his maker. He couldn't see Gabriella's terrified and worried expression.

What have I done? Gabriella thought to herself as she watched the closest thing to magic she'd ever seen sweep Gus out of the house.

Nate swept past Gabriella, unaware of her state of rising panic due to his overwhelming relief and happiness. He stared out the windows next to the front door as Gus was not only banned from the house, but the entire property the house sat upon. In the back of his mind he also felt overjoyed that this meant that Gabriella must truly feel at home here since what she did worked so well.

With the grin still on his face, he turned to Gabriella and said, "Gabby, that was perfect! Better than perfect! You did an ..." He stopped and, for the first time, he took in her expression and emotions. Gabriella still continually thought the same 'what have I done?' thought over and over again, each time becoming more and more afraid as her whole body stood frozen to the spot.

Oh no, he thought as he slowly pulled her to him. She meekly pushed against him with one hand while the other combed itself into her hair to pull on it nervously. "Don't push me away." Nate said quietly to her as his arms wrapped around her.

"What have I done?" Gabby whispered to herself as well as Nate.

"You did what needed doing, and you were amazing." he crooned to her. He minutely tightened his hold on her as he turned his face into her hair to breathe in her delicious smell. He felt disturbed by Gabriella's fear.

"It was meant to happen." she said. "So, it happened. Will I ever learn?"

"What are you talking about?" he asked, confused.

"Nate... another piece fell into place. We would've done better keeping him around." Hindsight is 20/20 they say, she said and thought to him.

Quoting another cliché, she said, "Well, what's done is done, and we can't go back." She sighed wearily and rested her cheek on Nate's shoulder.

Nate stood there in mute shock. He didn't understand how it could be that another piece fell into place, but he trusted Gabriella. He understood her thoughts, but he couldn't understand where the idea of the puzzle piece falling into place came from. He lightly ran his fingertips up and down her spine as he felt her go from clutching at him to wanting to run away and back again. He wished he could tell her everything was going to be alright, but he wasn't sure himself if that was true.

If she dies, I'll never forgive myself. I won't torture myself long, however. I'd sooner die than live without her. I'm not going through that again.

He brought his hands together behind her shoulder blades and squeezed her to him as tightly as he dared before he said, "Gabriella, have you any idea how strongly I love you? I don't understand it. We haven't known each other long, but it doesn't feel that way."

"I love you, Nate." she breathed unexpectedly, and his heart swelled until he felt it would almost burst.

Something did break inside of him, however - his restraint.

Poor Gabriella was unprepared for the unbridled onslaught of Nathaniel's passion, but she welcomed it. Shaking from some unknown emotion, she clutched at him desperately. She imagined that she stood at the edge of a cliff, and Nate was the only thing keeping her from plunging head first over the side. When he leaned into her, the mental picture of it became clearer, causing her to panic.

Mistaking the reason behind the feeling of panic coming from her, Nate forced himself to back off little by little. Then he felt confused when she acted like that wasn't what she wanted. She stubbornly refused to let him back off. Does she realize what she's asking for?

He broke the kiss and slightly turned her head to speak low in her ear, "I told you just last night that I'd do my best to take it slow." He ran his index finger over her lips as he continued, "If you keep kissing me like that I don't think I'll be able to stop myself." He started kissing her down her cheekbone as she answered him.

"You kissed me first, remember?" she said breathlessly. "All I did was kiss you back."

"I was trying to stop."

"I didn't want you to."

"And therein lies the problem." he chuckled.

Nate placed kisses slowly all over her face with it cupped in his hands. Take it slow take it slow take it slow take it slow, he rapidly chanted in his head. He fought tooth and nail the urge to just carry her off into his bedroom right now. He really did want to take it slow, but Gabriella's beautiful face in his hands was making that nearly impossible. Her erratic breathing drove him towards the edge of sanity once again.

Before he could begin another plunge into the land of no return, he could hear the maid letting himself in. That provided enough of a shock to bring them both back to reality. They broke apart and stood there staring at each other.

While panting, Gabriella said, "Let's um... go discuss what to do with the upstairs."

Fuck the upstairs. You're not staying up there long enough to make it worth the time to change things around. You've not even been here half a day and already I'm realizing the folly of my attempt to back off and take it slow.

Nonetheless, the pair of them went upstairs to discuss renovations.

"Obviously, I haven't done much with the space." he said in an attempt to act like he didn't think they were wasting their time up there.

They heard the maid climb the stairs, and Nate worked at keeping his hands off of Gabriella. He started fidgeting, something he rarely did, and he felt Gabby staring at him in confusion.

Nate distracted himself by introducing Gabriella to the maid, forgetting the man's name in the process.

Gabriella stood aside to let the man continue with his work after the awkward moment of introductions. She didn't need to be a mind reader to know the man disapproved of her living there with Nate.

"Well, I don't really see much of a point in trying to stick a kitchen up here. The one downstairs is huge. But some couches and bookshelves and the like would be nice." she rambled as she tried to make it obvious to the man their situation.

Nate worked at maintaining his calm and not firing the man who'd done good work for about nine months now for his thoughts.

Already bored with discussing the pointless renovations, Nate said, "You know, we could knock down that wall in between the two rooms and make one bedroom if you'd like."

They watched the maid make his way into Gabby's room.

He mumbled under his breath to her, "I'm going to fire his ass if he thinks what he just thought again."

"I think I can guess." Gabby mumbled back.

"You're right." he confirmed her suspicions in thinking the man thought her a whore. "Want me to fire him? Or you could. That would be awesome if you did."

"Want me to?" she asked.

"Up to you."

"Nah, he's just a stubborn prick. I'm not going to let him bug me. If I let him bug me then I'm going to constantly worry what other people are going to think." she decided.

I'm about ready to fire him just to get him out of the house right now.

"You know, the whole knocking the wall down is a good idea actually." she smiled.

Won't matter, he thought as he resisted the temptation to bring his hand up, run it down the length of the far side of her jaw and turn her face back towards him.

When the maid came out of Gabby's room, Nate plastered on a fake smile and told him to take the rest of the day off, saying they were just going to be making a mess anyway dragging furniture here and there, etc. The man smiled in return and left.

Gabriella watched as a piece of lint or small feather from the duster or whatever it was from God knows where land in Nate's hair. She mindlessly reached up to pick it off of him. Nate reached up to grab her hand.

He didn't keep her hand, but instead ran his up her arm while saying, "I just thought of something. You haven't been given the official tour."

"I'm pretty sure I can find my way around, thanks." Gabriella said with a small laugh.

"Nonsense." he argued, and before Gabby could even blink, he picked her up and whisked her down the stairs.

"Nathaniel! You just scared the crap outta me!" Gabby admonished.

He ignored her. "The downstairs consists of a large greatroom, which I like because I like to move fast when no one's looking."

"You don't say." Gabriella said dryly.

He chuckled a little and said, "This is the kitchen." He slowly lowered her, making sure to hold her close as she became upright again.

She made as if to shake him and only ended up shaking herself as she said, "Warn me if you plan on doing that again!"

He merely laughed at her before his expression changed to a more serious one as he said, "What is it about kitchens?"

He didn't kiss her long enough for Gabriella's liking before he said in an over-excited voice, "Next room! Picking you up now!"

His voice sounded low and quiet as he said, "This is the dining room, although no one has ever eaten in it before. It's mostly for show."

"Nate, this isn't necessary. Put me down."

"It's absolutely necessary, and I like carrying you." he said and kissed her before she could finish her exasperated sigh.

The next second Gabriella found herself on the couch with him crouched over her. She closed her eyes, trying to stop her head from spinning.

Nate whispered down to her, "I assume you're familiar with the living room area. And this couch. But I thought you might want a closer inspection." He leaned down and very gently nibbled on her lower lip before claiming the rest of her mouth.

He didn't linger there, however, but traveled down her neck to run his mouth down the length of her collarbone before he lavished attention on the upper swells of her breasts where they peeped out of the top of her shirt.

Then he paused and lifted himself back up to stare down at her. Gabriella opened her eyes, wondering what he was doing now. As her eyes met his, she could see the conflict raging inside of him. She didn't know how to answer the question in his eyes.

Suddenly, she found herself upright again, and she held on to him since she didn't trust her legs at that moment.

"That's the bar. Here's the television I rarely use." he said and motioned with his arm. She didn't even bother looking, but pulled herself up to shut him up and end the damn tour.

Tour's done! she exclaimed to him from inside her head.

He aggravated her by pulling back to say, "Oh, no no no. There's at least one more room I want to show you." Then he bent slightly and lifted her over his shoulder.

"This is my room." he said amid her loud protests to be put down. He walked to the center of the room and turned in a circle so she could see the room.

"Put me down!" she yelled once more.

"You want down?" he asked belligerently.

"Yes!"

"Okay."

So, he almost threw her on his bed before climbing on top of her, placing himself between her legs.

"My Lady Psychic," he addressed her, "you should've seen this coming." He grinned down at her before she sat up to stop his smart mouth.

----------

Augustus seethed with hidden anger as he walked into the local watering hole. The first thing Nate had requested of him was to not hunt the locals. He didn't see any reason he should abide by that wish anymore. The question of who to pick still remained. He liked to play with his food first, so he debated which mortal before him might give him the most fun. His eyes fell on the lonely-looking redhead sitting at the end of the bar. Perfect.

He smoothly slid into the seat next to her, immediately aggravated he couldn't get a read on her. Not again! he angrily mused. Still, even without that added advantage, he felt confident he'd get what he wanted.

She smelled as if she already had a few under her belt. As she watched the bartender prepare her stew, he felt her eyes check him out. He artfully resisted the urge to smirk.

It never really mattered what he said to his prey, they always laughed at his jokes or listened in amazement as he recounted tales from the past. This woman was no different from the rest.

"I'm sorry, how rude of me. My name is David. David Michaelson." he held out his hand to her.

"Marge Hudson." she returned.

Suddenly the woman gasped as their hands met in the handshake. Their eyes clicked together, and Gus found the blue in her eyes remarkably familiar. Hudson...