[edited]

"What happened back there?" He took the seat next to me.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said wishing he'd leave me alone.

Our view of the lake was beautiful and I blessed the day Matt brought me here. It was calm, I came here cause I needed calm.

"Answer me."

"Its nothing." I answered curtly. I noticed my voice getting thick.

Gabe sat silently beside me. I don't know why I'm drawn to him. Maybe its because were both filled with guilt, have seen pity, knows how it hurt to want to change something and can't. Maybe it's because deep down I had always known, that he knew I'm broken.

There I said it I'm broken!

I sobbed out and brought my hand to cover my mouth.

But that didn't stop the words from spilling out.

"I'm broken Gabe," I whispered

He sat silently, still, looking forward. I continued. I don't know what urged me to.

"I'm happy and cheerful but that's short lived. When I'm alone its eats at me. Deep down I'm broken. No one loves me, there's none that care enough to notice that, I'm broken."

Tears were flowing freely now.

"I want to be normal, to be happy. I really do but its hard. Knowing that I have no purpose. I'm a Mateless wolf for Christ's sake..." I trailed off.

"What's wrong with me, why can't I smile like Matt, or be carefree like Brit, shit I'd even be a prude like Caleb. But no, I had to be like you... Broken, unfixable, alone."

"I tried to help you, thinking maybe I'd feel better, that there'd be hope. But truly, I found out you can't be fixed like I hoped, you don't want to be fixed, you have to want it for it to work. So I'm sorry."

I finished my ranting and wiped my eyes. Gabe was still silent and I felt stupid, what did I expect a pity party?

I stood up to leave. But was pulled back by Gabe's hand on my arm.

"Gabe let go." I said softly, I was emotionally, mentally and physically drained of energy. I couldn't fight anymore.

"Sit a while." He murmured. And I did sighing softly.

"I noticed you were broken." He said finally "But I can't help so I didn't try."

He looked at me the moon casting light on the lake that reflected on his face and in his eyes.

Maybe that's why they were so glassy.

"I'm sorry you had to be like me, and I know its selfish but I'm glad you are, because otherwise there'd be no one that understood me."

He sighed and rubbed at his face.

"God I'm so stupid for admitting this but, I'm drawn to you for some weird reason. You just scream danger."

I looked at him accusingly " No I don't, I'm hopelessly clumsy and I..."

"Let me finish." He said cutting me off. "You're a danger to my heart Grace. I'm at risk, look at me, I've fought the urge to smile around you so much my face hurts. That's why I stayed away. I feel Grace, I was numb and cold and now I feel. I'm pouring my heart out now for Christ's sake."

He sighed "you've changed me, and that night we found you I felt it, I had known you were coming. I had prayed for relief, admittedly I wanted death but the goddess sent you, and I was angry, you weren't what I asked for. I didn't want what I got. So I attacked you."

"And now I understand why." He said "and it doesn't make me feel any better about what I did because the goddess was right, you were what I wanted. You were perfect."

He sighed.

"So Grace, what all this shit means...I mean what I'm trying to say is you had a purpose, you still do."

We stayed silent for a long time his words lost on the wind. I think we're both lost in thought. Or maybe we liked silence.

Then he sighed, got up and pulled me to my feet.

"Let's go home." He scooped me up bridal style. And took me home.

This time I didn't have any wise comment to jab at him, there was no "lighten up Gabe"
or

"I always knew you were soft."

I didn't have the energy to act anymore.

So I sighed.
And clutched at his shirt.

****

I was only faintly aware of being placed on a bed. I moaned at its softness and cuddled deeper into the blanket thrown over me. I was freezing and I was forever grateful for the thoughtful person who laid it over me.

I sighed.

The tension leaving my muscles as sleep took over. "Thank you." I mumbled.

The room was quiet but I knew I wasn't alone. Whoever it was hadn't gone yet. I thought of Gabe and how I got here, I tried to peel my eyes open to see if its him. But I was so tired.

I grunted when exhaustion hit me.

"Shh sleep, its late." The voice whispered.

"Goodnight Gabe" whispered.

I was hovering over sleep. And when I finally took the plunge in the deep end.

I heard it softly.

"Goodnight Hope."

I remember thinking

Who's Hope and who the hell was this.

Before I was consumed completely. I succumbed to sand man's whims as sleep enveloped me.

There were no monsters waiting to hurt me...why?

•••
A/N
Let's all say it in unison
A-DOR-ABLE !
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