Eva still struggled wrapping her head around the news that her brother was married, and to Claire at that.
In a sense, her cunning plan didn't need to be acted upon as she already had a woman she started to consider as a close friend of her brother.
Claire snuggled her face into Gabriel's arm feeling increasingly drowsy from a busy day.
"I hope that the guest room is alright for you." Gabriel said to Eva which drew her back to reality.
"It's fine. I still don't know why you moved and when though. I thought that you liked your other villa. The guest room here is so different to the one you used to have." Eva started to mumble.
"Claire expressed her dislike of my previous home so I found somewhere where I felt that she might be happier." Gabriel explained as he squeezed Claire's hand.
"I didn't know it was his home." Claire explained quickly. "He asked me about my opinions on different architectural styles so I told him what I thought, unknowingly criticising his home."
"That's actually so cute!" Eva shrieked in a high pitch.
"Some bats might've heard you just then." Gabriel said with a wince.
"I'm so excited about you joining the family, Claire." Eva declared as she sat next to her. "Even if you don't like Gab, I'm sure we can be best of friends. I can't wait to do all sorts of sisterly things with you."
"Like what?" Gabriel asked curiously.
"Like getting drunk and climbing onto the tables in a club." Eva replied as she grabbed Claire's hand. "Or we could go shopping, or out for dinners and movies, or other fun things."
"I think I'll abstain from spending any more money." Claire said carefully.
"Gabriel!" Eva turned to her brother. "Did you keep your finances separate?"
"No, Claire has access to all of our funds." Gabriel answered honestly. "She can spend however much she wants. However, Claire is insistent on keeping the finances separate."
"I'm still repaying my previous debt, I rather not pile it up." Claire grumbled as she rubbed her face into Gabriel's arm.
"Look Eva, I think we had a long day. Sorry to be a bummer but I think it's time for us to go to our bedrooms."
"Bedrooms?" Eva caught on straight away.
"Claire has her own space in this house that I do not infringe on without her permission. She has her own bedroom and study."
"Oh, the two forbidden rooms are Claire's! Gotcha." Eva nodded. "Go ahead then. I'll go upstairs soon too."
"You sure you don't want me to stick around with you?" Claire asked with worry.
"Don't you worry about me, Claire. We have a few more days of getting to know each other and I'll make sure to come around soon enough again."
"Who said that you'll be invited again?" Gabriel asked his sister teasingly.
"Gabriel!" Claire called his name sharply. "Eva's your sister. She should be welcome at any time or any day she wishes to come."
"I knew that you both will be teaming up against me." Gabriel laughed. "Good night, Eva." He declared.
"Goodnight, Eva." Claire echoed with a smile.
Gabriel walked Claire to her bedroom, leaving her there to get himself ready for the night. The knock sounded on his bedroom door. He opened the door with a wide smile which vanished as soon as Eva's deathly cold gaze landed on him.
"Eva?" He was surprised that his sister came to see him.
"What did you do to that girl?" Eva asked through her gritted teeth as she walked into his bedroom shutting the door behind her. "You're an absolute twat, you know that?"
"I do." Gabriel nodded still taken aback by Eva's attack on him.
"Claire seems like the loveliest person ever. She's fun and smart and so nice. Why did you have to pick someone like her?" Eva was very angry at him. "I know that you are good, Gabriel, but… I saw you spiral out of control and harm everything and everyone around you." Eva sighed. "So… what did you do to her?"
"You're right, Eva." Gabriel nodded. "I fucked up really badly. With you, with my friends, and especially Claire."
Eva was surprised at Gabriel's admittance, and she felt a knot in her stomach as she just now realised how broken her brother was. His regret was visible through his eyes, through his body.
"Will you tell me?" Eva asked in a much calmer tone.
"I fell for Claire really badly while I still didn't deal with my issues. I've hurt her really badly, Eva. I've hurt her beyond forgiveness." Gabriel admitted as he sat down at the edge of the bed in defeat. "And I mean, physically and emotionally. I've hurt her so much that I deserve nothing more than punishment for the rest of my life."
"Oh, Gabriel…" Eva facepalmed trying to contain her tears.
"I gave Claire an option to leave me and that option is still very open. I can't undo what I've done and if she ever feels like she can't be with me because of it, then I will not question it. It's a no question asked kind of a deal."
"I see." Eva nodded. "I'm glad that you recognise your wrongdoings. I still feel sorry for Claire but it isn't my place to say anything." Eva sighed. "She's still here though so whatever happened… she's still here."
"Sometimes this hurts more than if she weren't. It's a painful reminder of all that I have done and all of which I can't undo. And yet, she's good enough to look past it and smile at me on my darkest day and pull me out of the deepest pit. She didn't push me to change but yet she encourages me and supports me. And she doesn't even know that she does all of it. She doesn't even know that she's the only reason I'm still here and afloat. The day I laid my eyes on her, I was sat in a car at the end of the day, convinced that it was an end. I was planning to end it all that night. And there she was - stunningly dazzling, looking around with her big eyes as if she saw the world for the first time. When I saw her again she admired the paintings on the ceiling of a club, once again mesmerised by something so simple. I forgot the world could be beautiful and her wonder attracted me." Gabriel smiled weakly. "I was too afraid to speak to her, can you imagine? I couldn't utter a word to her, afraid that she was a mirage of sorts and that she was going to vanish. But then, I did end up coming across her at work. I couldn't escape her and she drove me insane - and she didn't even know! She was outspoken and she stood up for what she believed. She had the courage to do so, something I didn't have all my life. I wanted to protect her and yet I wanted to bend her and make her fall to her knees. She didn't buckle. She stood up with pride showing me how wrong I was."
"Why didn't you tell me that you've struggled so much?" Eva asked with worry.
"Because I felt like I wronged everyone. I wanted to make things right. First time ever, I wanted to protect someone. I was ready to stand up to everyone for her sake."
"And what made you hurt her?"
"Exactly that I wanted to protect her. I wanted to keep her close to me to keep her safe. I forgot that without telling her that, all she saw was prison whilst with me."
"And how are things now between you two?"
"Amazing." Gabriel chuckled. "I love her more every day and I can almost believe that we can be together forever more."
"It sounds like you really do love her." Eva nodded. "I am not going to lie, I don't like that you've hurt her. But I'm glad that you found love and that she seems to like you too. I hope that it was a good lesson for you and that you can keep this new Gabriel up. I kind of like the new you, too." Eva smiled. "I'll leave you to it. I'll stick around for a few more days so I'll have plenty of time to bother you more." Eva briefly hugged Gabriel before walking out of his bedroom. She was tempted to speak to Claire but she decided that she'll catch up with her the next day.
Gabriel changed into his pyjamas and hesitated before knocking on Claire's bedroom door. She mumbled something so he opened it.
"I thought that you abandoned me." Claire said while pouting her lips. She was curled up on the bed with her eyes already closed. Gabriel smiled as he walked up to the bed and lay beside her.
"I'm never going to abandon you, you silly girl." He mumbled as he moved her hair from her face. Claire frowned before a tear escaped her eye. "Why are you upset?"
"Because you're being nice to me." Claire mumbled as she opened her eyes, looking at Gabriel with her piercing gaze.
"Shouldn't that make you happy?"
"I don't deserve it."
"What?" Gabriel was shocked by the statement.
"I don't deserve it."
"What don't you deserve?"
"People being nice to me. People caring for me. And people love me. I don't deserve your care or love."
Gabriel pulled Claire closer to him.
"Why would you say something so outrageous?"
"I'm worthless." Claire sobbed into Gabriel's chest.
"Never said that again." Gabriel said sternly as he held her face with his hands so that she had to face him. "Never say that you're worthless or undeserving of love and care. And never think that there's a chance in the world that I'll abandon you. What made you think any of it?"
"I thought that you'd decided to sleep away from me." Claire mumbled.
"It's Friday night and the beginning of a weekend. The deal is that we sleep together over the weekends, right?" Gabriel asked to double-check that the deal was still on. Claire nodded. "And I'm sorry that it took so long. I've been told off by Eva as I went to my room."
"Why?" Claire furrowed her brows in worry.
"Because she likes you and she had to make sure that I'm aware that I'm a twat for the whole marriage contract thing." Gabriel smiled and then kissed Claire's forehead. "And before you say anything, I am well aware. If anything, I'm the one undeserving of your care and yet, even when you hated me, you asked me if my hand was okay. So stop this silliness." Gabriel wrapped his arms around Claire, resting her head on his chest. "I love you, Claire dear." He kissed her forehead again.
Claire calmed down and soon she fell asleep. Gabriel followed in her footsteps not much later, but only after he worriedly watched her in her sleep, concerned that her mental health seemed to be declining. She was increasingly questioning her worth and his intentions towards her as if she expected that he could ever leave her. There was little in the world she could ever do for him to leave her, and she was most definitely incapable of doing so.
Gabriel was suddenly woken up part-way through the night. He tried to work out what was happening as he heard Claire's voice in the dark.
"No, please don't… don't." Claire cried in her sleep thrashing around the bed. "Please stop. Don't… don't touch me… please…"
Gabriel stared at her body beside him in the dark, as she seemed to fight someone off. She was still asleep.
"Claire…" Gabriel gently caressed her arm.
"No!" Claire jumped up in bed pushing Gabriel away with all her strength. She was screaming as she looked around in terror.
"Claire…" Gabriel tried again but Claire seemed still in a daze, panting as she looked around frantically. Gabriel waited for her to calm down before trying to approach her again. As Claire seemed more aware, Gabriel moved closer and grabbed her hand. Claire's instincts were still to move away, to run away, so Gabriel didn't try to force it when she flinched at his touch and moved her hand away again.
Soon she started to look more aware of her surroundings.
Claire got up and rushed to the toilet, throwing up almost instantly.
She had yet another nightmare, so vivid and real that she struggled to recognise that she was asleep and that she was safe. Gabriel followed her to make sure that she was okay but once again when he came near her she flinched.
"Don't touch me." Claire said coldly, unable to cope with any physical contact, feeling a strong physical aversion to it. Gabriel nodded and moved back. He felt awkward standing there so he left the bathroom and went to get Claire some water.
As he returned Claire was curled up on a bed, still distressed.
"I've brought you water." Gabriel said as he walked around the bed, squatting beside it to be on the same level as Claire's face. "I am not going to touch you if you don't want me to. I promise." He said cautiously. "I am not going to ask if you don't want to talk about it. And if you want, I'll go." Claire shook her head. "Would you be okay with me staying with you if I am to stay at a distance?" Gabriel asked at which Claire nodded.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay, Claire dear. Everyone has nightmares."
"It's not only a nightmare…" Claire mumbled.
"Was it a flashback?" Gabriel asked with indescribable worry and softness in his voice. Claire nodded. Gabriel felt his stomach turn at it. Claire's begging and wailing in her sleep was beyond heartbreaking and realized that someone was cruel enough to ignore it and harm her further. The hatred filled Gabriel again toward the men that assaulted her. "You're safe, Claire. No one is going to hurt you ever again." Gabriel said with confidence. He knew that he'd kill anyone who even would attempt to hurt her.
Claire's breathing steadied.
"I'm sorry." She mumbled in embarrassment. The clock on the bedside table showed that it was just after 3 am. "I didn't mean to wake you up."
"It's fine, Claire dear. Sleep is overrated anyways." Gabriel said with a smile as he sat on the other side of the bed. She laid with her back to him. Gabriel had to fight an urge to pull her in for a hug as he wanted to comfort her but he resisted, knowing that what Claire needed were space and understanding.
"Gabriel…" Claire started unsurely.
"Yes?"
"Thank you for being so…" Claire struggled to find the right word. "Supportive and respectful. But…" she hesitated.
"Yes?"
"What if I never get to function normally?" Claire asked with worry. "What if this is the only way I'll ever be?"
"Well…" Gabriel thought carefully about his answer as he shifted on the bed, leaning against the headboard and supporting his chin on his hand. "I fell in love with you as you are, with all your cracks and broken pieces. You're not something that needs fixing, and I'm not going to try to do it. You will be cherished as you are, and supported if you want to change anything. But throughout all of this, I can promise you that you will be loved, respected, and valued." Gabriel hesitated. "I love you unconditionally, Claire."
"How can you say it so lightly?" Claire asked as she sat up.
"It's easy to say it because it's true and because it is you. It doesn't mean that it's not meaningless or that it doesn't carry any value. It means everything to me. You mean everything to me." Gabriel smiled as he reached out his hand, giving Claire a chance to decide if she wants to hold it. "And… you're the first person I ever was able to tell that to."
Claire hesitated but she cautiously put her hand on Gabriel's open palm.
"Thank you." Claire said as she laid her head on Gabriel's shoulder.
"Do you want to talk about your flashback-slash-nightmare?"
"I don't know. It seems like you have a good idea of what happened whilst I was at uni, and it was that, again." Claire sighed. "It tends to go away for a while, for a couple of weeks maybe, and when I'm more stressed out it comes back to haunt me. And every time it feels so real, as if I were there."
"No one will ever hurt you like that again, Claire." Gabriel said as he squeezed her hand. "No one will ever hurt you. Not while you're with me, and not when you decide to leave. I won't allow it for as long as I live."
Claire chuckled her tears drying off. She looked up at Gabriel's stern face as he seemed to be plotting murder.
"I'm sorry for waking you up."
"My dear Claire, I don't care if you wake me up for the smallest of reasons. I want to be there when you're upset, however little or big it is." Gabriel caressed her face. "Try to get some more sleep if you can."
Claire nodded as she hugged Gabriel's side, finding him increasingly comforting, before falling asleep again.