The Prophecy (The Guardians) (18 page)

Gabe said nothing in response.

 
“I suppose congratulations are in order.” Michael Continued.

“Thank you, sir.”

“I want you to know how deeply sorry I am that Uri involved you in all of this again.
 
After you made your decision to leave, I made it very clear to everyone they must not interfere.
 
He should have never brought Rachel to you; it wasn’t fair of him to do so.” Michael said sympathetically.

“Really?
 
I’ve been gone for over five years and all you can tell me is you’re sorry I’m here?” Gabe surprised even himself with the question.

“That’s not what I meant.” Michael answered flatly.

“Of course not—” Gabe said sharply.
 
“Sir, is there a reason you wanted to talk?”

“I told them to leave you alone because you made it quite clear you wanted no part of the Guardian life.
 
It was out of respect for you.
 
Now, with Rachel, Uri has set things in motion that is dragging you back into all of this.”

“I’m not sure what you think my being here means, but I’m glad Uri brought her to me.
 
I can’t imagine my life without her.” Gabe defended.

“You always were a romantic soul.” Michael added with a smile.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Gabe snarled.
 
Michael said nothing, Gabe continued.
 
“Are you talking about Sophie?”

“I know how much all of that hurt you, Gabe, I never wanted to wipe her memory and I never would have if I would have known what it would have led to.” Michael explained.

“Is that it?
 
You think I blame you about Sophie’s memory?
 
Well I don’t, you can rest at ease knowing I placed that blame squarely on my own shoulders.”

“It wasn’t anyone’s fault.”

“Yeah, Michael, it was.
 
I was the one that insisted on the procedure.
 
You warned me and I lost everything, happy?”

“You think that made me happy?”

“I don’t know what I think.”

“I see…” Michael continued.

“Is there something else?”

“There is a lot of history here, I know, and I’m not trying to fix it, but it’s my responsibility to make certain you understand.”

“Understand what?” Gabe asked harshly.

“I need to make sure you understand the implications of what your and Rachel’s relationship means when it comes to the prophecy.”

“I quit giving a damn about your prophecy a long time ago.
 
I love her and I will protect her with my life if I have to.
 
However that fits into your storybooks, so be it.”

“And I believe you will, protect her with your life that is.
 
The problem is, I don’t see that being worth very much to Rachel.”

“Excuse me?” Gabe exclaimed, his outrage obvious.

“I don’t mean any disrespect, but let’s be real about this.
 
You haven’t been in training for the past five years.
 
You made your choice, which nobody here faults you for, but as a result you’re simply not prepared for this battle.
 
I’m sorry, but she just can’t go with you, we have to keep her safe.”
 
Michael said as if he still had command over Gabe.

“With all due respect, sir, I don’t give a damn what you think of my abilities to protect her.
 
She is going to be my wife and I am not leaving her side.” Gabe answered firmly.

Michael stood silent for a moment, looking Gabe up and down.
 
At last he relented, “Very well.”

“Are you serious?
 
You tell me I’m too weak to take care of the woman I love and then simply give up?”

“All these years and you still don’t get it.
 
I don’t force anyone to do anything.
 
I’m telling you you’re not strong enough, if you don’t want to listen to me and you want to put her life in danger, there’s nothing I can do.”

“Oh, I get it, this is your way of subtly saying you did what I wanted when it came to Sophie and look how that turned out.
 
Well, it’s not going to work.” Gabe argued.

“I’m doing no such thing.” Michael replied.
 
“In fact, you’re welcome to have the wedding here, but it needs to be quick if you choose to do so.
 
Things are increasingly unsafe and we’ll soon be attempting to rehouse many of the refugees elsewhere.
 
It would be far too unsafe for the two of you to remain for an extended period of time.”

“So you’re just going to let me take her?” Gabe questioned in disbelief.

“Of course.
 
If you choose to have the ceremony here, afterwards you can take Rachel and any supplies you might need.” Michael offered.

“You think that’s a bad idea?” Gabe asked, questioning himself more than Michael.

“You do what you think is right.
 
Things are getting bad out there though, you’ll need to make sure you stay one step ahead of the trackers.
 
You’ve made it this long however, I’m sure you’ll both be fine.

Gabe thought about Michael’s words, he was right; he had no current experience dealing with this war.
 
He had been hiding for over a year.
 
How could he possibly keep Rachel safe?

“I’m not going to leave her.” Gabe insisted.

“And nobody says you should.” Michael reassured him, turning to rifle through a stack of papers on the table.

“Let’s say I wanted your help, the help of the Guardians, what were you thinking?”

Michael looked up at Gabe and smiled softly, “If you want, I can send Uri and Haim along with you.”

“Where are we supposed to go?” Gabe asked.

“Anywhere you can, just don’t stay in one place too long.
 
You only need to stay ahead of the trackers.” Michael explained.
 
“Think about my offer.
 
I have to go; the elders are waiting for my report.
 
I will be back soon; in the meantime, Dina can help with the wedding plans, if you choose to have it here.”

Gabe said nothing; he wasn’t sure what he could possibly say.

Michael walked up and grabbed hold of Gabe’s arm, “I really am happy for you.”

In a flash Michael was out the door, bounding down the corridor, leaving Gabe standing there alone.

Gabe strode to the edge of the empty room, his mind still reeling from his conversation with Michael.
 
When Gabe asked Rachel to marry him, all he had been thinking about were his feelings for her, his selfish feelings.
 
He wanted her to become his wife because he didn’t like who he was without her.
 
He didn’t want to be alone again.
 
He hadn’t put any serious thought into what that would mean for her.
 
She was already being hunted, and now to be with him would enlarge the target dramatically on her back.
 
He wondered how he could be so naive to think love was the only thing that mattered in this.

Glancing back at the now empty chamber, he contemplated the meeting that had just taken place.
 
It wasn’t just the fear of the unknown that had Gabe’s adrenaline pumping.
 
Being here, back in the thick of it, was invigorating.
 
No matter how far he ran from his destiny, it never changed who he was.
 
He was a born fighter, without that battle in his life something was missing.

As a boy, Gabe hadn’t known things about himself that he had come to know as a man.
 
He knew now that leaving Rampart was about so much more than a broken heart and frustration over all the secrets and lies.
 
He fled all those years ago because he was scared of himself, of who he really was.
 
He had denied it for years because he didn’t want to admit it, he left because he knew if he stayed he would be driven to fulfill his destiny.

All these years alone, he had been miserable.
 
It was easier for him to blame it on everyone else, to accuse them of robbing him of his life.
 
But, what actual life did he lose?
 
He had no friends before Rampart, he had no family that Uri took him away from, he had only darkness.
 
He knew had he stayed, he would have fulfilled the prophecy, he could feel the urge to fight in his bones.

He left because he wanted to live, no other reason explained it.
 
Things had changed now though, unknowingly, when he let Rachel in his life, the walls started coming down.
 
Once she had made her way into his thoughts, he couldn’t get her out, he was hers now, and nothing else mattered except being with her.
 
The desire to be with her leading him back to this place wasn’t what scared him.
 
He felt alive here, surrounded by his friends.
 
What scared him was that Michael was right and he would not be able to protect her.
 
He had a chance to have it back, his life with the Guardians if he wanted it.
 
And now he has love, Gabe was petrified he wouldn’t be able to hold it all together, that he would lose it like he had before.

He turned back around to exit the room, excited to see Rachel and tell her all that had happened.
 
To introduce her to everyone, and most of all he wanted to assure her that, with the help of Uri and Haim, she would be safe.

Much to Gabe’s surprise, blocking his path stood Sophie, she stared at him like a tiger staring at its prey.
 
Uneasy about how close she stood to him, Gabe stumbled backwards.
 
“Oh, excuse me, I didn’t see you there.”

“Losing your touch, huh?” Sophie growled entering the room, walking past him to stand next to the large round table.

“Umm, no— I— I simply wasn’t expecting you to be there.” Gabe argued, clearly rattled by her presence.

“There used to be a time when nobody could sneak up on you.
 
The great Gabe Harwood, protector and savior of us all.” Sophie taunted.
 
“I guess those days are over, huh?”

“I never claimed to be anyone’s savior, and besides, how would you know?
 
Last time we spoke you didn’t even remember who I was.
 
Perhaps you should keep your opinions to yourself when it comes to speaking about people you have no recollection of.” Gabe fired back.

“Oh, but I do know you, Gabe.” Sophie said flatly.

He stared into Sophie’s eyes, forgetting to breath, hunting for something recognizable.
 
She simply stood there, hip cocked, a devilish grin on her face as she twirled her flaming locks around her slender finger.
 
For an instant he thought he saw it, the light in her eyes that he hadn’t seen for so long.
 
He shook his head, sure he had to be mistaken.

His chest felt like it was on fire, as if his heart was going to burst from his chest.
 
Gasping, Gabe remembered suddenly he needed to take in oxygen.
 
When he fled Rampart, Sophie had become a stranger.
 
He risked everything to save her from the curse and when his efforts weren’t enough, he demanded Michael wipe her mind in an attempt to return her memories to the point where the curse had taken hold.
 
Things had gone horribly wrong, instead Sophie lost all memory of him and everything that had happened since she first came to the school.
 
She lost any piece of who she was because of Gabe and his insistence on the memory wipe.

It was different then when he had left Rampart though, now, standing here, it was like looking into the eyes of the Sophie he once knew.
 
From the moment he had met her, it was clear she was a warrior, strong and bold, just one of the guys, always ready for the fight.
 
It had been something they shared, though he hadn’t realized that until after he was already gone.
 
Her feverish attitude was one that was always keeping the people around her on their toes, and there it was, the fire was back in her eyes, but it couldn’t be, that Sophie was gone forever.
 
Confused by her behavior, Gabe sought clarity, “What are you talking about?”
 

“I’m talking about the fact that you’re the chosen one, the great Gabe Harwood, or have you so easily forgotten that part?
 
Perhaps it’s not me with the memory issues.
 
Oh no, of course you remember, after all, the first night you came to Rampart you brought me back from the brink of death with your healing abilities.
 
You’re a damn legend, I’m just wondering when you’ll start acting like it.

“I know exactly who I am, so let’s not presume you’re here to enlighten me or something.
 
My question is; who told you about me?
 
You seem to be getting your information from somewhere.”

“Really?
 
You’re not as clever as I remember, that’s for sure.” Sophie replied firmly.