Chapter 15

Gabriel found himself revisiting the scene in his mind as he roamed his apartment, unable to shake the vivid memory of what had happened earlier. After a long day at work with countless meetings running into one another, Gabriel had been about ready to go to bed when he'd heard the loud bang from outside.

Worried and cautious, he'd quickly stepped out of his apartment—only to be met with a sight that had caught him by surprise. There, seated before her door, was Joslyn, surrounded by her scattered belongings, resembling fallen leaves in disarray.

However, it hadn't quite been the disorderliness of her belongings that had captured Gabriel's attention initially. It’d been the tears streaming down her face, her shoulders shaking with each sob. The contrast between her usual composed demeanor and her current state of vulnerability had been so stark and had struck him deeply.

The image of Joslyn in such a state of distress had stirred within Gabriel an overwhelming yet inexplicable sense of protectiveness, prompting him to quickly comfort her.

It had been roughly ten minutes then since she stopped crying and was brought into Gabriel’s own apartment by him after he'd found out that she had lost her keys and was locked out of her apartment.

Assessing Joslyn, Gabriel noticed that she was a bit damp from the rain that had begun falling just earlier that night. "I'll get you something to change into," he said gently.

Hearing Gabriel's words, Joslyn glanced down at herself with a confused frown, realizing just then that she was indeed a bit wet. Looking out the window, she then noticed the downpour she hadn't even been aware of earlier, too caught up in her haze of numbness.

Joslyn nodded appreciatively at Gabriel, who returned the gesture with a small smile. He then disappeared into his bedroom and returned moments later with a clean t-shirt for her. "Here, you can change into this," he offered kindly. "I'll leave to give you some privacy."

With a grateful nod, Joslyn took the shirt from him as he left the living room to his bedroom, closing the door behind him to give her the space she needed. Standing just inside the door, Gabriel couldn't shake the feeling of curiosity, wondering what had caused her to break down like that.

However, his thoughts are interrupted when he heard Joslyn call out from the living room, her voice albeit weak and barely audible as it bore a hint of exhaustion. “I’m done,” she'd said.

Hearing that, Gabriel walked back to the living room again but on getting there, he was greeted by the sight of Joslyn shivering slightly with her teeth chattering in tandem. Now that she’d changed out of her wet clothes, she was feeling the difference in temperature.

The last thing Gabriel wanted was her catching a fever, so with concern etched on his features, he backtracked into his bedroom and began to rummage through the dressers in his closet, his hands moving purposefully as he searched for one of his spare blankets.

Finally, his hand closed around the soft fabric, and he yanked it out of the dresser. Exiting the room, Gabriel promptly approached Joslyn and wrapped the blanket around her quivering form in order to ward off the cold. The chill from the rain had seeped into her bones and he could see the goosebumps prickling her skin.

Without any hesitation, he turned up the heat a notch, the subsequent warmth slowly filling up the living room as Joslyn snuggled deeper into the blanket, letting out a quiet sigh in comfort. Gabriel watched her closely, his heart aching at the sight of her vulnerability. It was mildly odd seeing her act different from her usual way.

Gabriel was still busy watching her when a soft sound suddenly filled the living room, quiet yet audible over the pitter-patter of rain still falling outside. Gabriel's brows shot up his forehead in surprise as he took in the embarrassed look on Joslyn’s face from where she was sat, huddled on the couch. He finally recognized the sound; it was her stomach rumbling.

Quelling his amusement, Gabriel asked gently, his voice cutting through the silence settling in the room. “I assume you haven't had dinner yet then?” She stalled for a moment before shaking her head in reply, rousing Gabriel's suspicions.

Frowning, he scrutinized Joslyn for a couple of seconds before voicing his suspicion in form of a question. “Have you even had anything to eat today at all?”

Gabriel takes her slight grimace and expression of weariness as the answer; No, she hadn't.

Muttering a curse, he quickly set about heating up some of the leftover food his mother, Nora, had packed for him after their dinner together a few days ago. With a few swift movements, he transferred the food into a microwave-safe dish and set it to heat.

As the food warmed up, Gabriel returned to the living room, fully intending to scold Joslyn for the reckless action of neglecting her well-being all day but on getting there, the reprimand died on his tongue, replaced with concern as he took in the sight of Joslyn cradling her foot, her face contorted in a pained grimace as she carefully prodded the seemingly injured toe.

Gabriel was immediately reminded of how he'd had to carry her into his apartment because she had been unable to walk on her own due to the agony. Remembering that, he quickly returned to the kitchen to fetch her an ice pack from the refrigerator before settling on a seat beside her, coaxing her injured foot across his thighs so he could take a proper look at it.

Gabriel stifled a wince himself as he examined the bruised toe, noticing the angry purple color it'd gained, indicating that she hadn't bruised it just by kicking her front door.

“You really should get this checked out at the hospital, Jos.” Gabriel gently advised, his voice tinged with concern as he carefully brought the ice pack to her toe and started massaging it as tenderly as he could, his touch a soothing balm against the ache she'd been feeling. Joslyn gave a weak nod in reply, a small appreciative smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

The microwave chimed, signaling that the food was ready. Transferring the pack to her, Gabriel stood from his seat and returned to the kitchen, quickly dishing the warm meal onto a plate for Joslyn. With a gentle smile, he brought it over to her, placing it on the coffee table within her reach before taking a seat beside her again.

He pretended to occupy himself with his phone while stealing subtle glances from the corner of his eye at Joslyn as she absentmindedly picked at her food. Regardless of her obvious hunger, she only managed to take small bites here and there, barely making a dent in the meal he had served her. Not saying a word yet, Gabriel gave her a few moments of privacy, not wanting to press her for answers just yet.

However as he watched her, a sense of urgency welled up within him, prompting him to speak. "Jos," he started softly, his voice breaking the silence that hung between them. "You need to eat. It's not proper for you to go without food all day."

She glanced up at him, her eyes filled with exhaustion and reluctance. For a moment, she hesitated, but then she nodded, her movements slow as she took another small bite of food.

Gabriel waited patiently as Joslyn ate, the silence stretching between them like an invisible barrier. When she finally finished, he cleared the dishes away, his movements gentle and unhurried.

After he was done, he led her to the guest room he'd already prepared for her for the night but Joslyn stopped him before he could leave, her voice hesitant as she asked, "Aren't you going to ask me what happened?" Her gaze searched his face for answers but in the depths of them, Gabriel could see her reluctance in the midst of her fatigue. She was only willing to tell him for the sake of courtesy, not because she wanted to recount whatever had happened to her today.

Understandably so.

Realizing this, Gabriel allowed his curiosity to simmer down as he met her gaze with a steady look. "You need rest, Joslyn," he replied softly. "We can talk about it tomorrow, if you want to. Only if you're ready to speak about it, okay?"

Joslyn nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Thank you, Gabriel," she murmured, gratitude evident in her voice, not just for this but for everything he'd done for her tonight.

With a nod of understanding, Gabriel bid her goodnight and retreated to his own room.

As Gabriel lay in bed, the events of the evening replayed in his mind like an endless loop. The sight of Joslyn's tears, her vulnerability laid bare before him, had stirred something deep within him—a fierce protectiveness that he couldn't quite shake.

In the quiet of his room, he found himself wrestling with a barrage of questions. What had caused Joslyn to break down like that? Was she okay? The uncertainty gnawed at him, but he knew that pressing her for answers wouldn't help.

Joslyn needed time, space to process whatever she was going through. And as much as Gabriel wanted to help, he understood that sometimes the best support he could offer was simply being there for her.

With a sigh, he closed his eyes, willing himself to let go of his worries, at least for the night. Tomorrow was a new day, and he hoped that it would bring with it the opportunity for Joslyn to share whatever was bothering her.

❀ ❀ ❀

A shrill scream pierced through the quiet of the night, jolting Gabriel awake from a deep sleep. Heart racing, he bolted upright in bed, the sound echoing in his ears. Without hesitating, he leaped out of bed and rushed towards the source of the cry—the guest room where Joslyn was staying for the night.

As he flung open the door, his heart sank at the sight before him. Joslyn sat huddled on the bed, her shoulders shaking with sobs, her face contorted in anguish and sadness. Without a word, Gabriel crossed the room in quick strides and sat beside her, gently reaching out to touch her trembling shoulder.

"Jos? Baby, what happened?" He asked softly, his voice filled with concern. But she was too consumed by her distress to respond, her sobs echoing off the walls of the room.

Gabriel felt a surge of helplessness wash over him as he watched her break down before him. Wrapping his arms around her, Gabriel held her tightly, offering what little solace he could.

Tenderly, he brushed the tears from her cheeks, his touch tender and reassuring. "It's okay," he murmured softly. "You're safe with me, Jos. I'm here."

Joslyn looked up at him, her eyes red and puffy from crying, Gabriel's heart clenched at the raw pain etched on her face. He could feel the weight of her words even before she spoke them, her voice choked with tears and hiccups as she struggled to form each syllable.

"I saw him die," she muttered, her voice only a smidgen more than a hoarse whisper.

Gabriel's brows furrowed in confusion, a pang of worry creeping into his chest. "Who, baby?" He asked softly, his voice mirroring hers barely above a whisper as his hand gently stroked her back.

"Joshua," Joslyn choked out between sobs, her voice thick with grief. Gabriel's heart skipped a beat as he tried to make sense of her words.

Joshua? Could Joshua perhaps be someone she loved? Obviously, he was very important to her to have her so shattered like this at the thought of him dying, but who exactly was he? A lover, maybe? A fiancé? A husband?

The thought ignited a flame of jealousy within Gabriel, so hot and consuming. Anger surged through him like a storm, his mind reeling with the possibility of Joslyn being with someone else. The mere idea of her finding solace in another's arms like she's doing with him now sent a pang of hurt through his chest, a sharp ache that threatened to overwhelm him.

He hadn't thought to make any investigations about Joslyn after returning to her life again all those months ago because he'd been so certain that she wasn't taken, especially since her hand remained ring-less—something he had always made sure to check on every flight with her.

However, a ring was only to indicate marriage or an engagement. There were conventionally no items to signify a mere boyfriend-girlfriend relationship. The thought chilled Gabriel to the bone. That would, at least, explain her constant refusal of his advances, even though she hadn't just come out and said it to him. Why? Did she enjoy watching him pant foolishly after her?

Gabriel, with much effort, pushed his feelings aside, casting them into the depths of his mind, even as jealousy, anger and hurt threatened to consume him. He couldn't afford to dwell on his own emotions, not when Joslyn was in such a situation. She needed him now more than ever, and he couldn't let his own issues get in the way of providing her with the comfort she so desperately needed. And he was choosing to be here for her, at least for tonight, no matter what relationship she shared with Joshua.

With a deep breath, Gabriel forced himself to focus on Joslyn, on the pain etched into her tear-streaked face. His heart ached at the sight of her grief, his turmoil momentarily forgotten. Leaning closer, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly as she continued to sob against his chest.

"It's okay, sweetheart," he murmured softly, his gentle voice attempting to draw her out of her pain. "I'm here."

He continued to hold her, offering what little comfort he could as she quieted down, her sobs gradually fading into hiccups and sniffles. Another moment of silence stretched tautly between them, the weight of Joslyn's pain palpable in the air.

"He was fine, Gabriel," she began, her voice trembling with sorrow. "I visited him like I do every week, and he was fine. But then… then his body started to shake, and I… I thought he was going to d-die right there in front of me."

As he listened to her words, his mind raced again with questions and concerns. Who was this Joshua? And why had Joslyn kept his existence a secret from him? The questions swirled constantly through Gabriel's mind like a whirlwind, each one more bewildering than the last. Joslyn spoke again, her words cutting through the silence like a knife.

"And then he flatlined, and I thought I had lost him, I thought I’d lost my brother forever," She continued, her voice still a mere whisper. "For a moment, it felt like my world was crumbling. But thankfully, the doctor was able to stabilize him."

She paused, taking a shaky breath before continuing. "They said that he'd had ventricular fibrillation, and that's why his heart stopped. It was—it was terrifying, Gabriel. I've never felt so helpless in my life."

As Joslyn spoke, Gabriel felt a surge of relief wash over him, but it was quickly followed by a pang of guilt. Her brother. It had been her brother all along, and Gabriel realized that he'd let his own insecurities cloud his judgment. He was almost consumed by his jealousy and anger that he had failed to see past his own emotions, almost letting his feelings get in the way of comforting her. This moment belonged to her after all, not him.

Even though the guilt weighed heavily on his conscience, Gabriel, once again, suppressed his feelings once and for all. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, her head resting on his chest.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that, baby." He murmured softly, his voice filled with empathy. "But I'm glad your brother is okay. You must have been so scared."

Joslyn nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek as she nestled into Gabriel's embrace. "I was," she admitted quietly. "But I'm just grateful that he's still here with us."

"Sometimes," Joslyn continued softly, her words a whisper in the otherwise quiet room, "I can't help but wonder if I shouldn't hold on to that hope any longer. Perhaps, I've simply been fooling myself into thinking that one day, my brother would miraculously come back to me."

In the silent darkness of the room, Gabriel's thoughts raced, his heart heavy with concern for Joslyn. He wanted to offer her more than just comforting words; he wanted to reassure her that she wasn't facing this alone, that he was there for her no matter what.

Gently, he stroked her hair, his touch a silent reassurance of his presence. He could feel the weight of her grief pressing against him, the depth of her pain echoing in the stillness of the night.

"You're incredibly strong, Jos," he whispered softly, his voice barely audible in the stillness of the night. "To have carried this burden for so long and still strive is truly brave."

Joslyn shifted in his embrace, her head resting against his chest as she sighed heavily. "I don't feel strong or brave, Gabriel," she confessed. "I feel completely lost and helpless."

Gabriel's heart clenched at her words, a pang of sorrow washing over him. He wished he could take away her pain, to shield her from the harsh realities of life. But all he could do was hold her close, offering his silent presence as a source of comfort.

"I feel so helpless," Joslyn continued, her voice assuming a frustrated tone. "And it doesn't help that my father is always nowhere to be found. I have to go through this hopelessness alone, and it's suffocating. It sucks."

Gabriel didn't even want to start to imagine the agony Joslyn must have endured watching her brother teeter on the brink of death without any other person there to serve as her support.

"I'm really sorry you had to go through all that alone, sweetheart,” he murmured softly. “But I want you to continue trusting in your brother's fighting spirit. Miracles can happen and I know he's strong enough to overcome this and come back to you."

He cupped her chin, guiding her face up gently to meet his gaze. "And you're not alone in this, my love," he assured her, his voice gentle but firm. "I'm here for you, every step of the way, and whenever you need someone, I promise to be here. We'll get through this together. Ok, my love?"

Joslyn nodded in response, her gaze remaining glued to Gabriel's. They stared into each other's eyes, the atmosphere in the room shifting from the morose heaviness that'd been present there since Gabriel had rushed in, to an aura slightly less depressing but just as compelling.

Drugged by the comforting warmth and heady natural scent of Gabriel and absolutely fatigued by the overwhelming waves of emotions that had drowned her today, Joslyn found herself leaning closer to him, her eyes fixed on his lips.

However, just as their lips were about to touch, Gabriel swerved his head so her lips met with his neck instead while he planted a soft kiss on her forehead. Joslyn ducked her head in shame, feeling a pang of rejection as her heart sunk at the sudden distance between them.

She thought he had always wanted her and this would be a golden opportunity for him to have her, but it seemed as though he didn't tonight or maybe, not anymore.

Joslyn’s throat ached but before she could pull away from his embrace, Gabriel whispered tenderly against her forehead, his words gently caressing her skin. "I refuse to take advantage of you while you're this disoriented, darling," he whispered. "But when you're much more clear-headed and still want to indulge, I won't deny you. So for now, go to sleep, my love. I'm here with you."

Joslyn nodded, her eyelids fluttering closed in obedience, a sense of comfort washing over her as Gabriel rested back on the bed with her, his hold not relenting one bit. Almost immediately, she surrendered to sleep again, cocooned in Gabriel's arms this time.