One morning he walked into his office, surprised to see his father standing by the window.
"Dad?" Gabriel closed the door behind him. He found his father particularly unnerving.
"Gabriel." Michael turned around. "Why didn't you tell me that someone was harnessing you?"
"What do you mean?"
"During dinner the other day you asked me some questions. It made me very concerned for you and your safety. I checked with the staff here and finally someone told me of that crazy woman. Why didn't you say anything?"
"It has been dealt with." Gabriel replied as he bit his tongue.
"You should've told me, boy. Your mind is still fragile." Michael walked up to Gabriel and placed his hand on Gabriel's shoulder. But the squeeze wasn't comforting. Instead it felt like a silent threat.
"I have dealt with it."
"Do you know the woman's name?"
"Why?"
"I want to make sure that it has been dealt with properly."
"She hasn't been a problem since. Do not worry. I have send her away with enough of warning." Gabriel walked around and sat at his desk which felt like a safe barrier between him and his father.
"Do you know her name?" Michael asked through his gritted teeth.
"I don't."
Michael walked up to the desk, placing his hands in his pockets.
"Maybe I should've told you earlier…" he sighed but it was an overly dramatic sigh. Gabriel knew his father enough to know how insincere he was now.
"What should you have told me?"
"About your accident. It was caused by a woman." Michael spoke slowly, every word carefully calculated.
"Really?" Gabriel played along.
"Her name was Claire Thompson. She was obsessed with you. Until one day she shot you."
"Claire Thompson?" Gabriel's face was full of surprise. He recognised the name but he didn't know where from. He only knew Claire as Elise.
"Indeed. She was crazy."
"Why are you telling me that now?"
"Because although she was detained and send away, I am concerned that she is very dangerous and that she will do anything to entrap you. Even lie to you about being married to you."
"Don't worry, dad. I would've known if I was married." Gabriel forced a smile on his face. "But thank you for your concern."
"I am always concerned about my son. Now, I wanted to check in with you about the finding of the project L1683."
"Yes." Gabriel quickly dug up the documents and looked at a file his father prepared. Diamond Corporate was to find some research for Moore Pharmaceuticals. As he read the proposal, he remembered Claire's words (or Elise's). This project brought no benefit to DC, just the losses. He sold his soul to the devil. "I will check it over and send it across to you later this week."
"It is a bit more urgent than that. Why won't you just sign it off while I'm here?"
"I want a good read through it."
"You're just giving yourself more work." Michael sighed. "I need it by the morning."
Gabriel nodded unconvinced but it was enough for Michael.
Gabriel finished his work earlier that day. He was unable to decide what to do with his father's project.
And when he couldn't make up his mind, just like over the years before, he went to the cemetery. Speaking to his mother allowed him to think through things without anyone looking over his shoulder. Even if he has forgotten a lot, and his mother wasn't more than a vague memory, his habit remained.
On the way over he bought a bouquet of fresh flowers and then he walked between the rows of white and grey stones.
He was deep in thought when he caught the least expected sigh. Claire sat on a small bench in front of a new looking stone.
Gabriel hesitated for a good while before he walked up that path.
"I didn't expect you here." Gabriel's voice sounded behind Claire. She looked around slowly and then furrowed her brows.
She shrugged, not willing to move or acknowledge anything he had said. He still acted as if she was a stranger while she needed him more than ever before. She needed someone, anyone, to console her and tell her that the life hadn't ended with her mother's last breath. But he wouldn't. Not anymore. He was going to be clueless and hurt her, and she couldn't bear any more pain. Claire's world has crumbled. "Who was it?" Gabriel asked after a moment of silence.
"What?" Claire looked around again. Gabriel's question surprised her.
"Who was it?" Gabriel pointed at the gravestone. "Who was Leanne Thompson?"
"My mum," Claire answered and then returned her gaze at the gravestone.
She closed her hands into fists and her knuckles turned all white. The very sight of Gabriel reminded her of his father and Michael Moore was going to be so happy to see the death of her mum. He must've been the happiest man now. Leanne was dead and Gabriel went back to him.
"Thompson? I thought you were Elise Cooper." Gabriel's brows were knitted as his forehead creased and folded. 'Thompson' was very fresh in his mind.
"It's complicated." Claire was trying to bite her tongue to not explode at him. She didn't have the energy for a fight. But yet, right now, all she felt was anger at the injustice. "I am both. I am more than that, actually." She wiped a tear that escaped her eye. "Who are you here for?"
"My mum."
"Diane?" Claire tilted her head as she looked back at him again. It was odd to think that Gabriel didn't know all over again that his mum is alive. Or maybe Katherine Miller was gone too. Claire realised that she wasn't able to reach out to her nor Eva in a long time.
"Yes." Gabriel watched her with his quizzical look. "Where did you manage to find that out? My Wikipedia page?"
"No. That kind of information isn't on your Wikipedia page."
"I haven't seen you in a while."
"No." Claire scoffed as she answered. Her gaze returned to the gravestone.
Gabriel stood in place, unsure how to proceed. These weren't the circumstances that he wanted to find her in. "I'm sorry about your mum." He said at last. He could understand Claire's pain more than anyone else.
"Thanks." That's all Claire could utter.