Save your strength for the morning after

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 4:54 pm

Christopher attempted to hug his father, his arms not reaching too far but his soft cheek pressed against Mike's chest. The man stepped forward to take Joshua as well. "Where is Gabe?" he asked Travis, whispering.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 4:55 pm

William reached for Sarah-Gabrielle, smiling when he noticed that she was dressed in a pink outfit. She snuggled into him, his hand protecting her head and neck.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:01 pm

Mike almost had to juggle with his two sons to make sure he held both. Joshua tried to pat Mike's nose, which didn't help him much to keep his balance. He looked around for a trace of Gabe's presence, or a clue that he had been there earlier.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:04 pm

William slowly looked around, watching for signs of Gabe as well. He shivered slightly, holding onto his daughter. He jumped when he saw Gabe enter the room from the bathroom, scratches covering his cheek.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:06 pm

Mike didn't know whether to jump at the man's throat or apologize for hurting him so badly. Unable to decide, he moved closer to William and made sure his sons were close to him.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:08 pm

William tried to look away. "William," the other man said quietly, staring at the ground. "I-I'm sorry. I had a little too much to drink...," he whispered.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:11 pm

"That's so easy," Mike muttered, clearly disgusted by Gabe's sad attempt to apologize. He didn't look away from him. He silently wondered if anyone could tell William was pregnant.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:12 pm

"A-are you...?" Gabe asked, too afraid to finish his sentence. William kept his head down, staring down at his daughter.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:13 pm

Mike nodded for him, furiously glaring at the man he would never consider a friend again.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:15 pm

Gabe saw Mike nod and gulped, running a hand through his hair, more than overwhelmed. "I-I-I-I'm really sorry," he whispered, eyes staring at the floor in guilt.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:17 pm

"Yeah, be sorry," Mike said angrily under his breath, and wished the man would feel worse than he ever did before.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:18 pm

William continued staring into his daughter's deep green eyes. "I-it's okay," he said in the smallest whisper he could ever have managed.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:21 pm

Mike's eyes widened a little; he looked at William. "No it's not," he whispered. "No one has the right to treat you like that."

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:24 pm

"I-I deserve it," he whispered, his voice trembling. His daughter could see that he was about to cry, and she didn't quite understand. She held onto him, trying to wrap her arms around his arm. She was so small that her arms couldn't completely wrap around William's arm, and it was practically just a bone.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:07 pm

Mike glared at Gabe again, as if to say look what you've done, before kissing William's cheek tenderly. "Don't say that. No one deserves to be hurt like that." He hoped either Pete or Travis would interfere, because he only felt like beating up Gabe in front of everyone.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:18 pm

William shook his head, hugging his small daughter close. "I-I did deserve it," he whispered again. "That's what I was trained to be." He shivered as his daughter reached to touch his cheek.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:24 pm

Mike shook his head. He walked over to Pete, literally dropped both children in his arms, and walked up to where Gabe stood. He grasped the man's shirt and pulled him forward, not intimidated by his height in the least. "I have no idea what you told him last night," he said loud enough for everyone to hear, "but you're going to tell him you didn't mean a word of it. Now." He looked at the scars on his cheeks then into his eyes, as if to warn him of what he could do.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:26 pm

"Stop," William whispered, shaking his head. He held his daughter closer still. The tiny baby could see that he was upset and tried to comfort him by snuggling into his side. He looked down into her eyes again, his own filled with tears. He bit his lip as she cooed, trying to calm him down.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:30 pm

Mike let go of Gabe's shirt, only to deliver a punch straight to his jaw that sent him to the floor. He could hear his children whimper. "William is not anyone's whore."

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:31 pm

"Stop it," William whispered again, closing his eyes. Sarah-Gabrielle whimpered as a tear fell from her mother's eyes and landed on her forehead.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:35 pm

Mike took all the bags of things they had bought the night before, and took both of his sons as well. He was so angry he didn't mind the weight on his arms. "Sorry for the trouble," he told Pete and Travis. "And thanks for taking care of the kids. We'll be going now."

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:37 pm

Travis and Pete stood up, standing next to Mike. "You can't carry all of that and you know it," Travis said quietly, taking some of the bags out of Mike's arms. Pete did the same, leaving Mike with only his children. William looked up at Mike, his eyes moving all over the place. "C-can they come with us?" he asked, his legs shaking. Gabe finally stood up and walked towards William.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:38 pm

Mike wanted to nod, but felt paralyzed just by the sight of Gabe near William. He waited to see if he'd say anything.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:43 pm

Gabe carefully touched William's arm, trying to get his attention. William looked over at him, eyes still full of tears. "Bill, I...I didn't mean anything I said. You don't know how sorry I am...," Gabe whispered, his eyes staring into William's. The vampire could sense his guilt within the man's eyes, and could see that he actually meant when he said.

Subject: Re: Save your strength for the morning after Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:50 pm

Mike's features softened. The visible wound he had inflicted Gabe must have been nothing compared to the pain William had felt, so he had yet to feel guilty about it. Still, he accepted the man's apologies. "Shh," he told his whimpering children. "Mommy is alright."

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