31: Somebody to Love

Gabriella woke up to the bedside table alarm going off. She looked at it. Who sets their alarm for three in the morning? Rude of them to not turn it off when they left.

Three a.m. I wonder what Nate's doing right now. Does he miss me yet? I'm going to really stink after being in here for a few days.

She flopped back down onto the mattress with a feeling of depression coursing through her.

Damn it! I miss him. What's gonna happen now?

Uh, hello? Am I psychic or what?

Oh, but I don't wanna ask about this. I don't really need to. I'm going to visit him tomorrow. I owe him an apology.

Wait ... it's tomorrow right now!

She got up out of bed and brushed her hair and teeth. She'd never really unpacked her suitcase, so she grabbed it as she headed out the door. She hated how her hair smelled of cigarettes.

As she put her suitcase into her car she had a strange sense of foreboding. On the other side of the parking lot was only woods, and the streetlamps provided only meager light. That light didn't make it very far into the woods, making them quickly go pitch black after only a few feet. Someone was watching her. She nervously turned around and looked behind her. Nothing.

That's when she heard it. It was a strange growling, like a bear or a large dog. A deep, menacing sound. She quickly fished her keys out of her pocket, got in her car and turned the ignition. Lucille wouldn't start.

Why does this always happen?! She thought just as Lucille roared to life. She sped out of the parking lot, continually looking in her rear view mirror for anything that might be following her. The view stayed clear.

She pulled into the driveway and wondered if Nate knew she was there. Was he even awake? She glanced up and noticed his bedroom light was on.

I wonder if he'll even accept my apology, she thought as she walked towards the front porch steps.

"Yes he will!" Nate said as he suddenly appeared in front of her with an ecstatic expression on his face.

Nate had slept in Gabby's bed until the sound of her car pulling in woke him. For a split second, he'd worried she was in trouble, but that was only due to his nightmare. Hearing her even thinking of apologizing, he flew down the stairs and opened the door.

Gabriella felt mildly shocked to find his arms around her, but she didn't mind in the slightest. In fact, she returned the favor by throwing her arms around his neck. Within seconds, their lips had their own reunion.

Gabby went upstairs to take a shower and get the cigarette smell out of her hair while Nate unloaded the car. As he did this, an idea hit him.

He was sick to death of the games, but how could he make sure they wouldn't fall into the same trap? The whole of everything felt like some twisted back and forth dance. Dance. It is like we're dancing. Some kind of bizarre mating ritual. He laughed at himself inwardly. Hm... maybe this dance isn't so bizarre or twisted after all.

Gabriella came down the stairs to find Nate leaning up against the corner of the bookshelf apparently deep in thought. She saw him look at her as she reached the bottom of the stairs, yet his face showed that his mind was far removed from the scene in front of him.

Well, I'm officially back. Now what? she thought to herself.

As she walked closer, his eyes became more focused on her. She was about to ask him what he was thinking when he suddenly said, "I think it's time for another dance lesson."

She finished walking over to him and asked, "Really? Right now? Why?"

She's as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs, Nate thought.

Aloud, he said, "Because I think it will help."

"Help what?"

"Us."

"Dancing." she asked her question like a statement.

"Yes." Then he smiled with a mischievous gleam to his eyes and said, "The tango."

"I can't do that." was her automatic response.

"Not yet. That's why I'm going to teach you." And so much more than dancing. He skirted around her and moved all the furniture in the living room out of the way to open up the floor.

Then he went over and started picking out some music. He grinned to himself on his selection of one particular song. He'd never before thought that that song might actually work for this dance ... It would if he did it right.

Gabriella stood leaning against the piano as she watched Nate apparently concocting some plan in his head. The tango, huh? That a rather ... seductive dance, isn't it? "Nate ... " she started up. She was looking for a way to get out of this.

Nate spun around and interrupted her, "Gabby, do you trust me?"

She was taken aback by the brusque way he asked the question. "I ... " Maybe. "Yes." she answered, but she wouldn't look him in the eye as she said it.

She turned away from him, her intention to walk away and look out the windows on the doors, anything to escape the moment. Nate caught her before she could take a single step.

"I asked that because you're afraid. Don't be." He shrugged now as he said, "It's just me after all."

Gabriella couldn't help but giggle a little. Yeah, just a vampire. His hand moved down her arm and gave her goosebumps as the music started up.

Gabby soon discovered that this dance was more difficult than any of the others that Nathaniel had tried teaching her. She quickly became discouraged and wanted to quit, but Nate refused to let her.

Nate suddenly caught her before she fell over backwards on her butt.

"Let's do something else, Nate. I'll never get this one."  she complained as he pulled her back into the regular dance position.

"No, you almost had it that time. You've just got to have a little more confidence." he said as he started leading her again. She rolled her eyes and actually attempted to mess up on purpose, but Nate outmaneuvered her and stopped it before she could. "Now, now. That's cheating if you do it on purpose."

Her eyes flashed up to him as she almost snarled, "Really now. Mess up on purpose? I wouldn't know anyone who does that, would I?" She attempted to stomp on his foot. She knew he knew that she referred back to that first date when he'd mess up on purpose so that they'd bump into each other.

Nathaniel worked hard at holding back a laugh as he said, "Oh, well, if you're messing up on purpose to persistently bump into me then do continue, but I get the feeling you're trying to trip us up and make me stop." He trapped her foot with his and leaned into her [(press play)] as he said, "And right now nothing is going to make me stop."

The intensity of the moment got broken as Gabriella laughed at the next song to play. "Queen?" she asked and laughed again. "We're going to dance the tango to Queen's 'Somebody To Love'?"

He released her foot and turned her around.

"Yes." he answered simply and kissed the tip of her nose.

Gabriella couldn't help but smile a silly smile as she thought, Well, this should be interesting. Up until then they'd just danced to music more typical to the tango.

He spun her out and they started dancing once again.

Although Gabriella felt like laughing still, one look into Nathaniel's eyes and her laughter died in her throat when she read the seriousness of his expression. She found herself remembering the steps without even trying now, and even easily following when Nate decided to mix it up a little.

I may not be psychic, Gabriella, but I knew you'd be able to handle this dance without much trouble with the way you've successfully countered every attempt I've ever made to sleep with you. A natural at it, I'm sure.

Gabriella gasped in shock as she felt like her feet had been pulled out from under her ... which they had. She found herself sitting on Nate's leg as he looked at her with a mix of anger and confusion. The tempo of the music momentarily forgotten, Nate slid his hand up her calf and thigh before coming to her waist as he quickly pulled her up to stand.

Nate momentarily enjoyed how their legs had intertwined and how he continually shocked Gabriella. Freddie started singing again, but they stood still as Gabby brought her head up, almost glaring at him.

Don't think I don't know what you're doing, Gabriella thought almost predictably. Almost in a daze, she brought her hand down the side of his face. As her fingertips grazed the stubble of his beard, he closed his eyes and appeared to suppress a tremble. It was his turn to glare when he opened his eyes to find her smiling a small, triumphant smile up a him.

Nathaniel reached up and snatched her hand from his face and started them dancing again. The fear and nervousness had left Gabriella's eyes as she stared back at him. Now, she appeared to almost dare him to try something, and, never being one to not follow up on a dare, he gladly accepted the challenge in her eyes.

Gabriella found herself laughing as Nate dipped her so fast it felt more like being thrown and caught. She felt pleased that she never for a second thought he'd drop her. She felt her stomach muscles tighten as Nate brought his hand up her leg while pulling her back to a standing position. In its travels, his hand had pushed up the skirt of her dress a small amount.

"Like I'd drop you." he said to her sarcastically as she threw her arms around his neck. She made a high-pitched squeak as he swiftly pulled her against him. He laughed.

Again, they went back and forth in a few steps before Gabriella's smart mouth got the better of her.

"So, you're just going to push and pull me all over the floor?" she taunted.

So, he did.

 "Yes." he answered her simply.

Once Gabriella had recovered a little, she began bringing her extended leg closer to her. As she attempted to do that, Nate leaned down like he planned on kissing her. Knowing they were supposed to be dancing, she ducked her head away from him with a wary expression on her face. Nate looked mildly annoyed as she circled her head away from him until he'd pushed her around and sat her on his knee.

After turning her torso, Nate brought up the leg that had been underneath him by the ankle and slowly brought it up in front of him, running his hand along the length of her leg.

At about the same time, Gabriella ran her hand down the other side of his face now. She debated pulling his face up so that she could lean down and kiss him, but she had to remind herself that they were dancing after all.

Yes, we're dancing, Nate thought as he pulled them both up to stand. He attempted to regain a regular dance position, but about that time, the music's tempo changed. He momentarily gave up on the pretense of their dancing.

He swiftly let go of her hand and brought his to her back to pull her closer to him as he leaned into her. The skin of her throat called to him.

Gabby felt shocked from this unexpected change. Nate appeared to be completely ignoring the fact that they were dancing as his lips collided with her neck. Part of her wanted to just forget that they were supposed to be dancing, but another, more stubborn, part reminded her to remind him.

"Nate.... we're ... dancing, remember?" she breathed as he'd worked his way up to her jaw.

Damn her. I can't keep off of her for even half an hour, can I? "Mm? Dancing. Right." Again, he tried for the traditional dance position, only now he held her tightly against him.

Gabriella felt she could hardly move without some part of her body brushing up against his as the music picked up in volume and tempo until it culminated in a long, high note.

Nate turned them both and sent her flying out from him while he tightly held her hand during that note.

When he'd brought her around, he pulled her and bent as he grasped her around her waist. They both knew the dancing was done.

Enough! Nathaniel thought as he breathed in while he brought himself to a standing position. Gabriella panted for air before his lips crashed into hers.

Gabriella felt his arms tighten around her waist as he lifted her feet off the floor.

Enough dancing. Enough games. Now, Nate thought as he carried her to his bedroom.

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First of all, I'd like to thank the band, Queen, for being awesome.

Thanks to everyone on facebook that helped me to find the tango poses. The title pic pose was done by Zhippidy :D, and I love it.

For those that pay attention to these things, yes the time of day outside the windows kept changing in a non-chronological way. Like a dummy, I downloaded the new driver for my video card. This caused a few problems for me, and it also could've been the reason my game crashed numerous times. (hence the time of day changing--and I was too angry to care about that atm) Also, that's why Gabby's pretty necklace disappears halfway through. I hope that's not a permanent problem with that necklace cuz I like it. (Anubis, you rock!)

Hope you enjoyed it. I did my best to set it up to have an average reading speed cause the scenes to match somewhat closely to the music.

30: Looking Glass

adult language

What do I do now? Gabriella floundered as she leaned against the barn wall. He said I could go. Do I want to go? I never expected him to say I could leave. 

In a daze, she walked over and picked up her suitcase. She dusted it off and put it in her car. She dumbly walked back into the house to get her magical tome.

She picked up the book and held it to her chest. Her mother had wanted to steal it. Gus probably told her to do it.

As she grabbed the last of the things she wanted to take, she asked herself, Do I want to leave? Where will I go? I can't stay at a hotel forever. I really liked my little house. It was close to town. I could walk almost anywhere. Then Nate has to go and ruin that!

Whatever. I'm leaving.

She headed out to her old car, Lucille. She didn't see Nate, but she knew he was in the stables. She guessed Reggie was getting an earful about her.

Nate had finished grooming Reggie when he heard Gabby's hunk of junk start up. She's really leaving. What am I gonna do?

 He slammed his head into the barn's wall, heartbroken, as he heard her drive away.

He numbly walked into the the house. It felt so empty without her. I've lived alone for decades. I actually used to enjoy living alone.

He stomped up to Gabby's room in a wordless haze. He could still smell her. She just has to come back. She just has to, he thought as he landed face down on her bed, his face pressed into her pillow.

Gabby parked her car at the local motel to rent a room. In the motel office's window she saw an advertisement for a traveling fair. It would arrive in a week. Well, I know where I'll be in a week's time. And Nate will be with me.

She opened the door and walked into her room. It smelled faintly of cigarette smoke and stale beer. Well, what should I expect? Cheap rate, cheap looking room.

She went and stared at herself in the mirror.

What are you doing?
I'm escaping Nate. He was practically holding me hostage.
So what? He was only worried about you.
He was trying to seduce me at every turn. Any time I did something nice. Well, any time the mood struck him.

Come off it, Gabriella. You know you wore that dress on purpose. You knew he'd react like that. In fact, you wanted him to. Why are you angry he did what you wanted?
Because he did more than I expected.
Oh really?

Okay, he did exactly what I expected. Then I had to go and be a bitch and eat that garlic when I knew he wouldn't like it.
Then of course he avoided you. Why are you sad because of that?
I wasn't sad so much as angry. He ... alright so I missed him which made me sad.
So you moved out ... because you missed him?
I moved out because I was tired of being a prisoner!

You were the only one that thought of yourself as a prisoner.
......
Oh.... and to prove that point, he let you go. You know he's hurting right now, and it's all your fault. He fucking loves you and you love him yet you have a funny way of showing it! He has to fucking seduce you because that's the only way he could get any inkling that you loved him! Yes, he wants you. That's normal!
....

So, you have to decide. Do you want him to ignore you or are you going to allow yourself to love him?
I don't want him to ignore me. I didn't like that at all.
So... that leaves you with...

I'm afraid.
Of what?
I'm afraid of being in love. Look what it did to my father.
....
How do I know Nate isn't going to hurt me?

You have to trust him. Plus... girl, are you forgetting you're psychic?
Daddy was psychic too, apparently. That didn't stop Mom.
Nate isn't your mother.
....

You can trust him.

"I want to take a nap." she said to the empty room. Then she shook her head, berating herself for talking to herself like a crazy person before she pulled off the bed's comforter to sleep on the somewhat-cleaner sheets.

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I've always wanted to use the face-down pose. :)