The Prophecy (The Guardians) (12 page)

“Well, Michael doesn’t control me anymore.
 
You can tell him I know full well the danger this puts me in and I am willingly accepting it.
 
She’s staying here with me and that’s that!” Gabe growled, growing more agitated at the idea of Rachel being in danger.

Uri’s look of confusion gave way to a devilish grin as his eyebrows lifted slowly.

“What?” Gabe asked, puzzled by his friends expression.

“Oh it’s cool, I get it.” Uri snickered in reply.

“You get what?”

“You like her.”

“Of course I like her, she’s a nice girl.”

Uri leaned in close, “No, you know what I mean.
 
You really like her.”

“What?” Gabe protested.
 
“That is ridiculous.”

“I know this look, the smitten Gabe look.” Uri boasted triumphantly at his deductive skills.

“Shut up, you don’t know what you’re talking about.” Gabe turned to walk away from his friend who was frustrating him.

“Have you kissed her yet?” Uri prodded.

“You’re insane.” Gabe added, stopping and turning to face his friend again.
 
“I owe her, that’s it.”

“What do you mean you owe her?”

Gabe sighed, the details that led to his injuries were long buried in his mind and rehashing them seemed less than appealing.
 
“I had to run some errands and got into a fight while I was gone.
 
Rachel patched me up and took care of me.
 
That’s all.”

“Are you alright?”
 
Uri asked, moving in to get a closer look at Gabe, inspecting him for any obvious wounds.

“I’m fine, it was nothing, really.
 
Besides, with the way we heal I can take a lot.”

“I’ll talk to Michael again, I can’t make any promises.” Uri said.

“She’s staying, end of story.”
 
Gabe was not lying when he said he wanted Rachel to stay because he felt like he owed her, but Uri was right as well.
 
There was something more to Gabe’s feelings for Rachel, he wasn’t sure to what extent, but knew to say otherwise would be a lie.

“Alright, I’ll tell him.
 
I’ll be back as soon as we find a place.
 
Be safe.” Uri said, reaching out and grabbing Gabe’s arm before disappearing into nothingness.

Gabe watched until that last lingering bit of smoke dissipated.
 
He took comfort in knowing, at least for the time being, that Rachel would remain here, with him.

After Uri left, trying to sleep seemed pointless.
 
Gabe couldn’t stop thinking about everything he had said.
 
What if Uri hadn’t shaken the tracker like he thought?
 
Were he and Rachel in danger now?
 
Would Gabe be able to actually protect Rachel if their hiding spot were uncovered?

What about the things Michael had told Uri?
 
It sounded like Michael was full of regret that he had placed Gabe’s life in danger.
 
Perhaps Gabe was wrong about his mentor.
 
He had always assumed the moment he left Rampart, Michael would be so full of disappointment and disgust for him, he could only hate him.

Then there were the discussions about Gabe’s feelings for Rachel.
 
He had managed to avoid the topic successfully with Uri, but it didn’t mean there wasn’t merit to his the observation.
 
Gabe in fact had been haunted with fantasies of Rachel and he having explicit escapades.
 
He had dismissed them up until this point as nothing more than the natural hormonal impulses of a man.
 
After all, he had needs that had not been met in quite some time.

It was becoming clear to Gabe, the more he thought about Uri’s words, that in fact what he felt for Rachel was not just innocent urges.
 
The thought of her leaving unraveled him.
 
The idea of being alone, the constant solitude was tolerable, he knew that after a year of it.
 
It was more than just the idea of being alone, it was being without her.
 
Feeling this way about her shook Gabe to his core.
 
After Sophie, he never wanted to feel that for someone else again.
 
Loss hurts too much and Gabe even had a prophecy telling him that any future Rachel and he could have was doomed.
 
Yet here he was, unable to let her go.

Gabe was determined not to let Rachel discover his feelings.
 
He would deal with them in his own way.
 
Just because he wanted her, didn’t mean he had to act on those desires.
 
Being near her, keeping her safe, that would have to be enough; anything more would only lead to disappointment.

Gabe looked over his shoulder at Rachel who still slept peacefully.
 
He debated telling her about Uri’s visit, at first convincing himself that it would only frighten her.
 
The more he struggled with the choice he realized he was actually the one that was afraid.
 
What if he told her and she decided she would be safer at Iron Gate?
 
How could he not tell her though?
 
She had been just as worried about Uri as he had been; it wasn’t fair to keep her in the dark like that.

“What is that delicious smell?” Rachel asked, sitting up and releasing her body into a stretch.

“I thought maybe you would appreciate it if I returned the favor and did the cooking for once.
 
Breakfast is actually something I can handle.
 
I hope you like pancakes.” Gabe added, placing the towering plate on the table.

“What?
 
No way, my eyes must be deceiving me.” Rachel gasped, hopping up and rushing to the table, breathing in the steaming stack of goodness.

“Ha ha,” Gabe chimed back sarcastically.
 
Extending his arm he offered her a jar, the outside of which was covered in sticky finger prints.
 
“I’m afraid I don’t have any maple syrup, but I do have honey.”

“Honey is perfect.” Rachel squealed, grabbing the jar before taking a seat.
 
“I can’t believe you did this.”

“Wow, it’s that hard to believe that I might actually do something nice.” Gabe retorted.

“You know what I mean, it was nice, that’s all I’m saying.”
 
Rachel defended her remark even though she knew Gabe was only joking.
 
Stabbing at the top two pancakes, she dragged them to her plate, slathering them liberally with the honey.
 
Without hesitation, she stuffed a heaping bite in her mouth, moaning with delight.

“You like them, huh?”

Muffled and still chewing, Rachel groaned, “Oh my God, these are so good.”

“Thanks, it’s one of the few things I can actually cook.
 
One of my many foster parents taught me.” Gabe explained, a fond but brief memory invading his thoughts.

Gabe seized the nearby kettle and poured Rachel a steaming cup of coffee; pushing it across the table when he finished.
 
Taking a deep breath he sat across from her, filling his own plate with the sweet treat.

Rachel slowed her binging and watched Gabe as he poked at the food on his plate, never actually taking a bite.
 
“Not hungry?” she asked.

“I guess not.” Gabe replied solemnly, his mind still debating if he should tell Rachel of Uri’s visit.

“Is everything alright?” Rachel asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

“Yeah.
 
Of course it is.
 
I mean— well — it’s just, never mind.” Gabe’s anguish became evident to Rachel as he spoke.

Reaching out across the table and placing a hand on top of Gabe’s, she reassured him. “It’s all right, whatever it is, you can tell me.”

Gabe thought how she would have made an excellent Guardian.
 
She didn’t even possess any super powers, yet somehow by just her touch she managed to calm him.
 
Gabe smiled, “It’s nothing.”

Not satisfied with his answer, Rachel continued to push for the truth. “Your face doesn’t look like nothing is bothering you.
 
Why don’t you want to tell me?
 
Is something wrong?”

“No — of course not.”
 
Gabe reassured Rachel.
 
“I just don’t want you to panic.”

“Gabe, really?
 
I would think after all this time you’d know I’m not the type to panic easily.
 
I’m in this too; you need to tell me what’s going on.” Rachel demanded.

Gabe sighed.
 
She was right; Gabe had no right to keep information from her.
 
If she decided to leave the valley and go to Iron Gate after he told her, then maybe that was what was best for them both.

“It’s Uri.” Gabe began.

Rachel gasped, clearly assuming the news must be bad.
 
“What’s wrong?
 
Is he hurt?
 
Oh my God, Gabe. Is he dead?”

“No— nothing like that.”
 
Gabe answered, attempting to reassure Rachel.
 
“He came back last night.”

“What?
 
Where is he?” Rachel said looking around the room.
 
“Is he outside?”

“Not exactly.” Gabe replied

“What’s going on, Gabe?” Rachel asked, growing tired of the back and forth.

“He was only here for a few minutes before he left again.” Gabe explained.

“I don’t understand?
 
Why didn’t he take me with him?”

“I told him you needed to stay here with me.” Gabe replied flatly.

Rachel looked stunned by his answer.
 
“What?
 
I don’t understand.
 
Why would you tell him that, Gabe?”

Gabe wished he had phrased his responses better, it was clear Rachel was very quickly becoming highly agitated with him.
 
“I promise, everything is fine, if you would just let me explain.”

“Fine, explain.” she snapped, dropping her fork on the table.
 
With crossed arms she glared at him.

“There is nothing to be upset about, you’ll see.
 
You were asleep when Uri got here.
 
He didn’t want to wake you, that’s all.
 
He told me that he has been looking for a safe place to take you, but every place is too hot.
 
He said he could take you back to Iron Gate for now.”

“Wait, I thought they said Iron Gate wasn’t safe?” Rachel questioned.

“He spoke to Michael and they didn’t want to involve me any further.
 
They said they think they could keep you safe there until something else can be figured out.”

“Oh,” Rachel interjected, her expression revealing confusion.
 
“When am I leaving?”

“You’re not; I told him you could stay here.” Once the words left his lips, Gabe held his breath, unsure of what her response would be.

“Why would you do that?”

“Rachel, I owe you.”

“You don’t owe me anything.”

“You saved my life.” Gabe argued.

Picking her fork back up and returning to her pancakes, Rachel dismissed his thankfulness. “I didn’t do anything more than anyone else in my position would.

“Well, I don’t exactly agree with you.
 
I think you did a lot and I am not letting you go back to Iron Gate when you will be perfectly safe here.”

“Nonsense, you’re not going to put yourself in further peril at my expense.
 
Is there a way to contact someone there and let them know I’m coming?”

“Hold on, slow down.”
 
Gabe felt the discussion spiraling out of control.
 
He chased the words that would keep her there; make her stay with him.
 
“I want you to stay.
 
I like having you here.”

“What?
 
Oh my, Gabe Harwood, are you actually giving me a compliment?” Rachel mocked, her cheek puffed out and stuffed with food.

“Are you kidding?
 
You’re so much cheaper than any cook or housekeeper I could get.” Gabe replied, bursting out in laughter.

“Oh no you didn’t!” Rachel squealed, pulling back her fork as if it were a tiny catapult and flinging a sticky heap of pancake at him.

“Hey!” Gabe yelped, dodging the flying glob.
 
“I’m serious, I want you to stay.
 
Will you?”

“Well, I must admit, leaving does worry me.
 
After all, I would hate for you to go back to just eating your cooking.
 
You might wither away to nothing if it weren’t for my mad skills in the kitchen.”

“Rachel, I need to be serious for a moment,” Gabe decided he had to make the situation clear to her in order for him to carry no guilt over her choice.

“Oh no, not serious,” Rachel mimicked Gabe, giggling.