Unnatural forces

Chapter 13

Gabriel's POV

I felt my heart clench at Santana's obvious pain. I was only trying to protect her.

"...you are free to leave me alone." She said in a broken voice.

I couldn't. It was impossible to leave her alone, believe me I had tried. She was intoxicating and the best part about it was that she had no idea. Last night I had almost kissed her and I was so upset with myself I didn't sleep not even a little bit. So I had called Fabio in as a desperate move and maybe...just maybe I could take a step back.

My efforts were laughable. My plan had backfired because the thought of someone else training her was more than I could bear but I resisted the urge to go to Fresh Hell.

Then she came to my office.
I snapped. I was trying to stay away yet there she was tempting me.

I literally saw red when I heard her scream during her training. Payne was once "under arrest" for losing control and hurting several trainees. He wasn't allowed to work for almost 10 years. So when I heard Santana scream, a thousand horrible bloody scenarios flashed in my mind and before I knew it I was dragging her across the field.

She just didn't get that I was trying to protect her. And also I was immensely drawn to her by a force I couldn't name or resist.

Now she was waiting for me to say something but what do I say? How can I tell her that she was driving me crazy after four days of knowing her without scaring the crap out of her? How was I to tell her she put my mind and feelings in turmoil without seeming crazy? I had spent half my life learning to control my feelings and my mind and within four days this innocent, enchanting little creature had torn down all my defences. I was in unfamiliar territory.

Now she was turning away from me to leave. She probably would be avoiding me like the plague after this and that's the last thing I wanted. If I let her go now I would lose her. At this point even though she might hate me, I knew I had to keep her close. I had to say something.

"I can't." I blurted out.

She stopped and turned. "What?" She whispered.

I had to say something again. Racking my brain, I said. "I can't leave you alone." No! Not that! Say something else. "I'm drawn to you like a moth to a flame. I can't leave you alone." It seemed my tongue had a mind of its own.

I anxiously waited for a reaction from her. I got none.

Santana was staring at me with a blank expression on her face. I couldn't blame her.

"What do you mean?" She whispered with a slight frown.

I took a step closer to her trying not to look intimidating while she was looking more fragile than I've ever seen her. I felt a tug on my heart strings. She was probably confused by my behaviour, hell I was confused by my own behaviour.

"Gabriel..." She prompted.

"I want to protect you." I said in the greatest understatement of my exact feelings.

She shook her head. She clearly hadn't been expecting me to say that. "I can learn to protect myself." She said determinedly. "Look, Gabriel-"

"Then let me teach you." I interjected before she tried to walk out on me again.

She smiled lightly. "We tried that already. You bailed. And I completely understand. Soon I'll be ready and we can go and find Nana and I will be out of your hair." She shrugged her slight shoulders in resignation.

Then she will leave.

And never come back? Well that was the initial deal wasn't it? That she help find Shelly then she can leave. Well I couldn't stop her from leaving but I wanted to make her remember me forever because I certainly wouldn't be able to forget her in a hurry. How pathetic was I?