Nathalie's POV:

  I sighed as I glanced around me. It had been six months since her death and Gabriel still had not spoken a word to his son. I knew that sort of thing could not be healthy for their relationship. What was I to do?

      "Gabriel," I said gently. "Yes, Miss Sanceuor?" He asked his voice never wavering. "Talk to him, he needs you," I responded. "The needs of my son and I are not your concern," He scoffed. He frowned.  He had not spoken much to those who came to the funeral months ago and he had not said much since then.

    Adrien had said plenty. He had asked me yesterday if his father loved him. I had reassured him the best I could that his father loved him. Now, I was not so sure. Did Gabriel truly have any love for his only offspring of him, and Emilie?    It seemed that the odds were not in his favor right now.

       "Sir, Adrien needs to know that you cherish him," I tried to point out the obvious. "What he needs is his mother. Right now, he can't have that so for now, I suppose you could try your best to take care of him. To give him the motherly affection he needs, but I will not seek anything further from you, is that understood?" He stood four inches taller than me, making me feel short and vulnerable. "Understood clearly, sir."  

     Adrien entered the room sensing the tension, "Father, what did you say to her?  Nathalie looks afraid, What did you do?"  He stood beside his father looking him in the eyes as he spoke as if somehow he felt it would make me feel protected.

   "Lad, you are too young to understand such matters,"  Gabriel stated. Adrien shook his head. "I know more than you think.  I know that Mom almost lost me when she was pregnant with me, I know that you went out with Nathalie before Mom came along, and I know that every day when you look at me you wish it were Mom here instead of me. "  I gasped in horror. I worried how Gabriel might react.  He had been known to strike out at the boy when he was angry.

      Gabriel balled his hand into a fist and brought it towards Adrien.  I reacted by screaming at him while putting my hands out.  This resulted in his fist hitting my hands. Well, I did not care if it brought me pain.  I would do anything to protect Adrien even if it meant taking the punches from his father.  As my hands started to sting, Adrien cried. He wept and yelled at his father, "If that is the way you feel then, leave us. Leave her alone at least, it is not her fault. None of this is Nathalie's fault. She has always been there for all of us." 

         Mr. Agreste turned towards the door letting it slam behind him on his way out of the room. I had a feeling that he would be back, I did not know what kind of mood he would be in next.

     Adrien bandged my hands. He hugged me and whispered, "It is okay, I do what I can to protect you. I will not father, kill you."  I whimpered feeling defeated. Somehow I felt, I had already let Emilie down in some way.  I was supposed to be looking after Adrien and Gabriel, but it seemed Adrien was looking after me.

    "It is not right the way, He treats you," He said. "I know, but he should treat you better as well."  "Listen, he never treated me right, Mom just always stopped him before things could get too rough, she is not here anymore, so he feels like he can do whatever he wants. Well, I have had enough of that." he scowled.

         "I promised your mother," I began. "Shh, whatever it is, I am sure if she knew what we did, she would not hold you to it," Adrien argued. He came back with some luggage. " We leave tonight while my father is in his study." He stated. "I don't think that is necessary," I tried to argue. "Nathalie, he attacked you." He frowned.

        I packed my things into the bags Adrien held out. Then, Adrien went to his room to pack his things.  Later, The two of us met up outside the door that led to the garage while Gabriel was busy with his study. 

       Tonight, we entered the garage, Adrien opened the trunk of the red car placing the bags inside. He shut it, then, handed me the car keys. "You will have to drive because I don't get  my license for a few years."

      I nodded, getting into the driver's side. Adrien sat on the passenger side, pressing the button that opened the garage door.

   The two of us left, and without another word, we left Gabriel's house, and him behind. We would start over afresh just the two of us.

       Sorry, Emilie, I thought. Well, at least, I can keep part of the promise. I can still look after Adrien for her.  Soon, we were a long way off from that part of town. We stopped for gas, snacks, water, gum, mints, and pocket Kleenex.  After this, we continued until we got hungry enough for more food than chips, pretzels, and candy. We stopped to eat supper at some hole in the wall diner. It was a place I was sure Mr. Agreste would never approve of. Well, good for him, because we could do what we wanted now.

       I only hoped he would not report me for kidnapping. I did not want to go to jail.

      After the meal, I paid, and then we left with a fresh road map, and a box with cookies inside. I think the waitress felt sorry for us or something. She did not charge us for the dessert.

      I kept on driving until we were far away from Paris. Once we grew tired, we pulled into a hotel parking lot. We stayed there for two months. Two months with no word from Gabriel, it is almost as if he was glad to be rid of me and Adrien. Was that even possible? Could it be true he did not regret a thing?

    ...Time skip!

    One year later, Adrien and I are still on the run. I managed to find us an apartment to rent which was not too expensive. I kept homeschooling him since I was not sure what else to do. I could not afford a private school, and the public was too far off. Besides, Adrien seemed happier somehow now than he had been in years.

      Gabriel texted me and asked me where I was. He did not ask about Adrien, only me.

       I texted him back, "None of your business. You never cared about me before, so why should you now?"

         Gabriel texted me back things too lewd and rude for me to repeat. So, I will not dwell on them now.

          I looked over at Adrien who was finishing up his homework before he left to work at his shift at the pizza place. I smiled. He sure was a good boy. I was glad to take care of him. He was like the son I never had.

     Once he was ready to go, we both headed off to work. Yes,  I worked at the pizza place too. It did not earn much, but it was enough to pay the bills and put food on the table.  It gave enough to help Adrien who was growing taller have the clothes that fit him.

     After work, I got a text from Adrien's friend, Chole, then one from Kagami.

    "I am glad Adrien has you," Kagami's text read.

     "I am glad Adrien has you to care for him, his father doesn't," Chole's text read.

       I did not show him the texts, because I did not want to upset him.

 Find out more when the story continues in Take Care of Him for Me Part 4 by Summer ChengSummerCheng37   

  Until then,

bye-bye,

little owlets!

Summer out!