Work Text
A frustrated groan at the recurring annoying scraping sound. As soon as Julia stepped on the brakes, it was like a hundred small pebbles rubbing together under the car. Maybe a stone was caught somewhere, and perhaps this problem would take care of itself at some point, but still, she wasn't comfortable with it. She remembered the moment the noise first appeared – after changing the tire. There's a good chance they weren't tightened properly, which would've been a lot worse ...But now, the young woman first wanted to enjoy the Christmas holidays with her family. Full of anticipation, she got out of the small parking lot and slammed the car door behind her. This whole thing gave her no peace, so she decided to go to the yellow angels on the first day after the public holidays. As it turned out, after the inspection, the rear brakes were broken."Have it repaired as soon as possible; otherwise, you'll continue to ride on the piston at some point," the employee said and handed her the car key back.For a brief moment, she thought of going to the auto shop in her hometown. But what if nobody had time in the next few days? In the following days, several long distances had to be made, and Julia feared that her car could break down on the road, or worse – she could have an accident or cause an accident with other road users.Problems shouldn't be postponed; that was the first time she really missed her ex-boyfriend. Up until over a year ago, he'd always taken good care of her car and saved her a lot of money. So what else could she do? She had to drive to the repair shop here. "Good morning, you lazybones, the holidays are over! Let's go to work!"With a sleepy grunt, Gabriel opened one eye and mumbled something unintelligible as his brother simply pulled the blanket away. Wide awake the next moment, he tossed his warm pillow in his direction, which until a few minutes ago had given him a good night's sleep."You dumbass!""Close but no banana," Cas laughed and jumped to the side."Easy for you to say. Apparently, as a never-ending student, you always have free time!"Don't misunderstand … Gabriel loved his job as a mechanic, and therefore it would never have occurred to him to switch places with his younger brother. But there would've been nothing wrong with a little more free time.A look at the alarm clock revealed that he really was a bit late, so he got up in a hurry, adjusted his boxer shorts, and wanted to go to the bathroom...."What the hell ... get outta the bathroom!"The dark-haired man then explained that he had an appointment with his girlfriend."Something solid would suit you too, not just roaming around," he added with a grin, hopping aside as his older brother shoved him roughly."And it would suit you well if you finally moved outta my apartment, you parasite!"As much as he liked his younger brother, sometimes he was a pain in the neck.With a sigh, Gabe turned on the water in the shower because Cas wasn't entirely wrong. The dark blond man was almost forty and had only one real relationship. But it lasted a little over seven years. Then there were just acquaintances, average sex, little to no feelings – he was somehow jaded. It was nine in the morning when he looked up from the papers, intrigued by the voice outside."Novak. Customers!"The secretary entered the office before knocking. Well, the door was open that day, but that's how she always did it. He'd explained it to her several times and felt the older lady was doing it on purpose....With a nod, he put aside the reports he'd just written and stood up. What he then saw made him smile slightly because this voice matched this young woman standing at the reception and looking around. Instinctively and unnoticed, Gabe paused at the door and looked her up and down.With the key and the certificate of approval in hand, the young woman casually leaned against the table and let her eyes wander around the hall. Glasses danced on her nose, pushed up repeatedly with the index finger, and the thick coat almost completely covered her body, which stimulated the mechanic's imagination. But he wasn't there, for this reason, so he tore himself out of his thoughts and walked towards Julia with a throat clearing."Morning, what can I do for you?" That was one of the things she loved about her hometown. Here everyone was on first-name terms and was somehow friendlier and more familiar, contrasting to the hectic city where she'd lived and worked for years.Slightly startled, Julia turned around and looked directly into Gabriel's eyes – maybe a moment too long because the reason for the visit was suddenly forgotten."Um ... well ... I have an emergency. My brakes, I mean the brakes on my car are broken and ... well, if it's possible ... can you replace them today? I know it's short notice, and I'm sure there will be many people coming after the holidays, and you guys are busy and ..."
Stop babbling, Julia; pull the brakes!
"I'll take a look," Gabriel replied with a smile and pressed a few keys on the computer.Julia felt herself blush because this man was damn attractive. The slightly longer, dark blonde hair fell in light waves over his face, and that smile was adorable. Add to that those bright amber eyes and deep voice ... And he looked fucking sexy in the blue overall. Gabriel Novak read his name tag.
Gabriel, what a beautiful na...
"It could be tight, but if you could leave the car all day, we'll just push you somewhere in between," he said wittily, making Julia smile.
I'd like to be pushed by you …
"Great.""Well, have you been here before? I mean … your car?"Julia nodded, although she was having trouble remembering the license plate as his eyes clouded her mind. Then she couldn't remember her phone number and only realized on the way home that she had mixed up the digits.Luckily she'd given her parents' phone number because she could remember those four digits.When she handed him the car keys and their hands touched briefly, the sparks could be felt on both sides. With a head shake, she let him know she didn't need a rental car as her parents' house was only a half-hour walk away. During the day, Julia was with her niece and nephew, and her parents' cordless phone was always within reach. With every ring, she jumped up beaming with joy, but this warm, gentle, but still rough male voice couldn't be heard. "Hmm ... unfortunately, it's not enough with the brakes alone," his colleague growled and came out from under the car. When Gabriel was told what was to be exchanged, he sighed softly. What he'd added up in his head turned out to be a bit more expensive."All right, I'll call Julia ... I mean Miss ..." he mumbled and took the phone outside, looking forward to hearing her voice again.Excitedly he dialed the parents' number and didn't have to wait long."Hey, this is Novak from the garage ..."In short was explained what was broken, but Julia didn't really listen because it was just gobbledygook. The only thing that mattered to her was hearing his voice. She imagined what he was doing. Maybe he was chewing on a pencil or looking out the window. Maybe he had a smile on his face too."... yes, of course, do what's necessary. See you."They hung up far too quickly, and Julia longed to pick up her car again. Of course, it wasn't about the car; she wanted to see Gabriel again. Julia had correctly guessed because while Gabe was on the phone with her, he looked out of the window, lost in thought. Half an hour's walk – that's what she said. He imagined in which direction she'd live, or rather, where her parents lived … he knew that because the car had a license plate from another city.As a long-standing employee, he'd also completed his apprenticeship in this workshop. To the displeasure of his colleague, he insisted on rechecking everything because this young woman's safety was his top priority that day. Julia found concentrating on her two young playmates challenging because her mind was elsewhere. On the other hand, she mentally slapped herself because he was probably married with five children and a house in the country.Then, finally, the redeeming call came. "Didn't you say you hafta leave early today? I'll do it", Gabriel's colleague said and wanted to take the test report and the key from him.With a violent head shake, he firmly held both because nothing could be more important than Julia. Even if it meant he and Castiel only had to eat dry pasta for dinner.Ten minutes later, the large sliding door opened, and Gabriel immediately noticed the young woman had loosened her hair, which had been tied in a ponytail earlier in the morning. The red hair fell in a wild mane over her shoulders, accentuating the fawn eyes even more. He just stood there, heart pounding, waiting for her to approach. Julia didn't miss this look, and without him noticing, she caught a glimpse of his hands. No ring – but that didn't have to mean anything.After everything had been explained to the smallest detail, he watched as Julia put her signature under the test report. The two stood so close that their shoulders almost touched. A little embarrassed, she looked up and handed the pen back to him.
Damn, those eyes make me all tingly
But at some point, the two had to part ways; after all, other people were also present. Julia thanked him and wished him a happy new year. It was difficult for him to let go of that hand he shook in farewell. With a wistful sigh, he watched her leave the shop, get in the car, and drive away.So, should that have been it ...? Since he really didn't feel like dry pasta, Gabriel unlocked his apartment door, armed with two pizzas."Tell me, are you still eating that?" Cas asked in surprise after half an hour and pointed to the barely touched pizza since his brother didn't seem hungry.Shrugging, the older of the two replied that he had no appetite, which Castiel acknowledged by a head shake."It's been a long time," he murmured with his mouth full and immediately washed it down with a sip of water."What?!" Gabriel asked, confused."That look …" the younger man grinned, pointing his index finger in front of his face, "… you're in love!""Oh, nonsense. I'm gonna my room."Quickly he got up so as not to have to talk to his brother about love affairs. Gabriel wasn't the only one having a restless sleep.Julia rolled from one side to the other and finally exhaled in frustration – so loud that the neighbors must have heard it too. In the middle of the night, she shuffled into the kitchen and made herself some coffee. Then she sat at the computer and surfed the net for a while.Time passed, and concentration wasn't possible. Her thoughts kept revolving around this one man. Gabriel Novak. She didn't know anything about him. Finally, she forced herself to return to bed because work was only a few hours away. It was Friday, and Gabriel was in a bad mood. Maybe it was because he hadn't slept much that night and dreamed of deer."Who's Julia?"Only now did the mechanic notice the two people standing behind him and looking over his shoulder. Following their gaze, he looked at the pen in his hand, writing this name countless times on a piece of paper."Get the hell outta here!" Gabriel snapped and closed the office door behind his younger brother and the secretary, who disappeared into the small kitchenette with a giggle.Shrugging, he sat back down at the desk with the computer. Yes, what did he have to lose? He wanted to see the young woman again and find out more. So he picked up the company phone and dialed her cell phone number."The number you dialed doesn't exist."When this voice was heard, he stared perplexed at the phone before trying again – unfortunately with the same result.That didn't help either, but he knew her parents' number. It was worth a try, and a woman's voice answered on the second ring.Gabriel introduced himself and wanted to find out Julia's number using a professional pretext and had to smirk again when this woman told him to call again in a few moments because the number would be saved on the phone and it wouldn't be possible to use both at the same time.A few minutes later, he chuckled as the number lay in front of him, and it turned out to be 73 instead of 37.
Now or never
After taking a deep breath and knowing he wouldn't be disturbed, he dialed the number and sighed in relief when a dial tone was heard.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Julia heard her phone, but since the schnitzel couldn't just be dropped, the caller had to wait. The boss had already spoken to her about her lack of concentration. Since she couldn't imagine who'd disturb a cook at lunchtime anyway, she forgot that the phone had rung during the orders....Slightly disappointed, Gabriel put down the company phone when only the mailbox could be heard. But then came the realization that Julia mightn't call back if she didn't know who'd called. Using his own cell phone, he texted and prayed he didn't have to wait too long for an answer. When the hustle and bustle was over, Julia took her cell phone out of her pocket and was amazed. With every letter, her heart pounded faster.'You wanna know if everything is okay with my car? Really now?!'A laughing smiley in addition because emotions were difficult to convey via text messages.'No ... but also. I wanted to know much more if everything was okay with you''My car is fine. A nice mechanic took good care of it. And I'm fine too'Waiting impatiently like a teenager for an answer, an annoyed growl followed because another impatient guest wanted something to eat....'You think I'm nice?'Julia thought about how to answer, but to write was always easier than saying to someone's face how one felt.'Yes' – short and sweet.'Yes, very much,' she wrote in a second message.'You too. Can I call you?'Julia looked at the clock and wrote when it would be appropriate.After more hours that seemed to pass even more slowly, she packed her things and got home as soon as possible. The long-awaited call came in the stairwell. With a smile, Julia noted that he was very punctual.Fast as lightning, she ran into her apartment and slammed the door because the neighbors didn't necessarily have to hear everything. The first question was why she was so out of breath. The conversation lasted long; the two talked a lot, laughed even more, and got along fantastically. Gabriel lay on the bed, his feet dangling in the air, while Julia put on speakers and made herself something to eat."I wanna see you again. As soon as possible," he finally said. Smiling happily, the red-haired woman closed her eyes for a moment and nodded … until she remembered that Gabriel couldn't hear the nod."I have New Year's Eve and New Year off ..."Gabriel's heart jumped with anticipation."I have an annoying brother.""I have an apartment to myself.""All right, I'll bring the champagne with me. I look forward to visiting you."After sending the address, it was a done deal, and they both counted down the days, hours, and minutes until they saw each other again. New Year's EveIt had been a long time since Julia had been so nervous. No wonder her last date felt like decades ago. The table was set, some small cold delicacies were ready, and there were biscuits left over from Christmas. The apartment was clean, and Julia had even thought about getting the second set of bed linen from the basement – it could start.Now she was standing in the shower and enjoying the warm waterdrops on her skin with closed eyes. While the young woman was lathering up, the question of having sex on the first date came up.She'd be more than ready for it. And at nearly thirty, she was past the age to wait for the right moment. In addition, alcohol would also be involved, which would also remove the last inhibitions. Besides that ...
Oh, why am I even worrying so much?! As it should come, so it will come
In his excitement, Gabriel had overlooked the street where he should've turned.
Damn!
For a long time, he'd thought about bringing flowers, but at the last moment, he found something that fit much better. He, too, had made up his mind and concluded that it should be Julia who should set the direction and boundaries. Nervous and impatient, he stood in front of the apartment door and rang the bell....After a somewhat hesitant greeting, since no one really knew how a keychain suddenly dangled in front of her face. Grateful and smiling, Julia took the good piece from his hand – two angel wings fused with the VW symbol. He knew he'd hit the bull's eye when her slender fingers lovingly caressed the cold metal. Gabriel's heartbeat increased as he looked at Julia. The tight black turtleneck and long black skirt flattered her figure; her red hair was pinned up, so she was even a little taller than Gabriel. Another plus was that she wasn't wearing make-up. On the one hand, she didn't need it, and on the other, no man wanted to wake up next to a strange woman the next day. It was breathtaking. The otherwise eloquent man was simply speechless.With a wink and after removing his shoes and jacket, he was asked to follow her.The lovingly prepared delicacies made his mouth water.Within a short time, the ice had melted, and the two were joking and laughing, punctuated by small accidental or intentional touches. Traditionally, the TV was switched on to see dinner for one, and from the small conservatory, countless fireworks could be seen all around."Much better than outside where it's freezing cold," Gabriel laughed and turned off the light.He stood behind Julia, put his hands on her shoulders, slowly stroking down her arms. The fireworks were beautiful, but those gentle touches were even more electrifying. Eyes closed, she stepped backward, so her back was against his chest.Gabriel swallowed and tried to get his racing heartbeat under control. Maybe the alcohol was a little to blame, but it felt so damn good to feel that warm body close to his own. Neither of them said a word; everyone enjoyed this tingling in their bodies, this intimacy, this familiarity.Julia laid her head back on his shoulder and grinned as some of his soft hair caressed her neck. His hands wandered to her stomach, squeezing her even closer, and her hands settled on his arms, stroking slightly. Despite the warmth, goosebumps immediately formed, and he brushed his nose against her ear, wishing her a happy New Year. Julia slowly turned to him, took the two champagne glasses from the table, and bumped into his."I wish you the same," she smiled, and while they drank, their eyes didn't separate, nor when Julia took the glasses and put them back on the table.The air burned; only the fireworks and their rapid breathing could be heard. "You're beautiful," he whispered, placing a hand on her cheek, and with a happy sigh, Julia leaned into that touch before doing the same.His thumb traced gentle circles until it reached her full, soft lips and lightly caressed them. A quiet, aroused sigh escaped him as they gradually opened, and her demanding look showed she wanted it too."Julia ..." he whispered his hand on her hip, pulling her so close he couldn't suppress a low moan.There was no hiding the fact that he was hard, and he knew she felt it too.After another step, Gabe felt the chest of drawers on his back and was glad to be able to lean against something because his legs threatened to give out....Both were surrounded by darkness, broken only by the glow of the fireworks and their eyes sparkling as their heads moved towards each other and lips finally touched.As much as he liked looking into her eyes, he couldn't keep his open any longer as they inhaled each other's air. So sweet, so seductive. At the same time, their lips parted, and even if it was hesitant at first, after a few moments, they both melted together as if they'd never done anything else.Gabriel's hand undid her hair clip, and the magnificent head of hair stroked his hand. Julia became more and more courageous. Her hands tangled in his hair, caressing his soft, short beard and further down that soft but firm torso before cheekily tucking them under his sweater and gently stroking his stomach and hard nipples. A choked gasp could be stolen from him.The warm skin under her fingers, the soft chest hair, and the gentle vibrations ...It was way too long ago. She wanted it, needed it...."Are you cold?" she teased, letting him feel her grin on his lips.Cold? Gabriel burned up with desire and, in response, let his tongue dance with hers.Breathless, the two parted, but only for a brief oxygen refueling before greedily reconnecting.He, too, wanted to feel more now. More skin, more of everything."Can we ... bed," Julia gasped on the edge of control, and Gabriel could only mutely nod before taking her hand, rushing into the bedroom, and simply throwing her on the bed.With giggles and kisses, the clothes flew across the room, and after a few moments, both were only in their underwear. "I wanna see you. Can I switch on the light?"When Julia shook her head, a frustrated grumble followed. Not that she was shy – not after drinking, but she just wanted to smell, taste, and feel."Look with your hands," she whispered wickedly, and this sentence wasn't even finished when a demanding tongue could be felt on her neck, slowly snaking down and curiously exploring every corner of her body.The rest of the disruptive clothing joined the other before both lost in the frenzy of passion. Lips, hands, hot breath ... moans and gasps filled the room. Finding out what the other liked didn't take long.When Julia came, her eyes were closed, and she let herself drift. Sometimes a loud moan escaped, and her mouth pressed against anything close enough – Gabriel's neck, shoulder, or her own hand.No sheet of paper fit between the two. She'd wrapped her arms and legs as tightly as possible around his body to feel him even more deeply … to be one. Gabriel tried to hold back but nearly lost the sweet fight as everything around him tightened. Seeing that she was amidst her intoxication, he gently but firmly grabbed her neck, pulled her in for another kiss, and then covered her face with kisses – soft at first, then more demanding. That was all it took before he too exploded and whispered that he loved her.No idea if she understood the words or if it was much too early. It wasn't important at that moment either because it seemed fitting. The only important thing was that Julia felt comfortable with him.Happy and content and she lay down on Gabriel's chest. His arms lay protectively around her body. The warm sheets only partially covered their sweaty bodies."You mean a lot to me, Gabe," Julia whispered wearily, and his deep, soothing voice lulled her into a peaceful sleep. Julia was used to being alone in her bed, so it wasn't uncommon not to always wake up on the side she fell asleep."Ouch ...!Suddenly there was a dull growl, and one of her eyes opened. Giggling and shrugging, she noticed her arm draped over Gabriel's eyes."Good morning, stranger."..."Well, I've been thinking. We should go on a date."Gabriel interlaced his fingers with hers and brought them to his lips, looking at Julia questioningly."What do you call this?" the young woman grinned and kissed his cheek."I dunno. I was thinking of a real date. A fancy restaurant, we'll dress up nicely, I'll give you some flowers ...""I thought we agreed on a casual relationship."The grin grew wider because Julia liked the thought."It's about one steak. A Steak isn't gonna forge an emotional bond between us."Laughing, he bent over that beautiful woman and attacked her sensitive neck with tiny kisses."One meal doesn't hurt anyone.""Oh well. If you order a steak, at least the cow is involved," she replied cheekily and kept him at a distance. This, in turn, spurred Gabriel on even more, and Julia couldn't react that quickly, the dark-blond man sitting on her thighs tickled her until she almost ran out of breath under snorts and pleas."Now, what about the steak?""It's just one meal, and we won't talk about our feelings or anything important, okay?""I can talk football off the top of my head for an hour, and then we can have meaningless sex right away," Gabriel replied with a wink."You don't really think that I'll go to bed with you on the first date!"Julia tried to stay serious, but she only managed to do so for a few seconds, and they rolled on the bed giggling until Gabriel almost fell off.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Julia was about to turn on the washing machine when her cell phone rang.Her cousin was on the other end of the line, wanting to know if she'd be interested in helping out at a wedding on short notice. Of course, the young woman agreed spontaneously because it was always fun and well paid. Her cousin ran a catering business and was always grateful. Pouring drinks and handing the guests little things on various platters wasn't too much effort either, and one was given smart work clothes.And since everything had been a bit hasty anyway and the two lovebirds had decided to take it easy, Julia didn't think it was necessary to tell him either. Why? It was a wedding and not some bar where he could join. On the said day …"Another Bacardi-Cola," a girl slurred, shaking the empty glass in front of Julia's face. The red-haired woman had already seen too many alcoholic corpses in her professional career. The girl with the long black hair, whose eyes were already looking in different directions, didn't seem to be able to stand on her feet anymore either."Don't you think you've had enough?" Julia asked cautiously."No, you serve here, so serve me!" she screamed.Julia would've put her at fifteen as skinny as this girl was. The straps of the light blue dress kept slipping off her shoulder, and somehow it looked two sizes too big....Young people and alcohol were such a topic, but Julia wasn't in a position to say anything. So she poured a new glass so as not to start an argument. This girl danced in place with some other teenagers, screeching, laughing, and almost tripping to the tune of Purple Rain."Where are her parents?" her colleague murmured busy slicing lemons. Julia had only a shrug as an answer.Then the first glass shattered on the floor, which only got the girl a giggle, and since it seemed so much fun, she grabbed her friend's drink and just dropped it. Provocatively she looked at Julia, after which the young woman bit her lip and then tensed everything in her body before closing her eyes with a deep sigh."One more," the teenager grinned cheekily, but Julia shook her head and asked about her parents instead. "I'm alone here."But before the parents were judged, Julia thought back to her own youth, and although she certainly hadn't acted like that, she'd enjoyed this freedom."That's enough!"The third glass smashed on the floor, and Julia angrily crawled under the table at the front of the bar, grabbed the girl's arm, and pulled her out the door amid her screeches and the guests' looks. It wasn't difficult to keep the skinny girl under control, and all attempts to resist failed. Hysterical giggles mingled with various curses, but it took a lot of effort to calm the girl down. After five minutes, she suddenly burst into tears, and Julia was surprised by this mood swing and a little overwhelmed. After another minute, the black-haired teenager stormed into the lady's room and locked herself.Julia took the opportunity and went looking for her cousin to tell her to take care of this girl. The guests were on their way home anyway, and the staff would manage without additional help. Armed with the jackets, Julia knocked in vain on the door – after all, it was winter.So the young woman just let herself sink to the floor and listened to the sobs, repeatedly interrupted to vent problems. Her mother was an alcoholic, and at this point, Julia figured the apple didn't fall far from the tree. Her father left them when she was almost seven. Although the contact existed, it was sporadic. Gradually it came out that although her father had said she could always come, she felt obliged to stay with her mother. The latter had repeatedly struggled with depression during various stays in hospital and rehab.That was when Julia's sympathy showed up."I don't even know your name.""Rachel," the young girl sobbed and suddenly opened the door.Julia immediately got up and offered to help, but the teenager waved off and went to the sink to wash her face. Julia got frighted because Rachel was pale as a corpse with huge, expressionless eyes. This girl didn't have an easy life, and Julia became more and more aware of that. This evening should be an escape from everyday life. Rachel was happy and grateful that someone was there to listen to her concerns without judgment."I'll take you home now, okay?" Julia said, putting the arm around her waist.The young girl began to cry again and vehemently shook her head. Again they were disturbed because some people came in, so Julia just took Rachel's hand and went outside."You can't come to my place; I live in another city, and I still have a long way to go," Julia replied, shrugging, but at the same time, she knew that she couldn't leave Rachel alone."I ..."After some thought, the girl reached into her purse and pulled out a business card."Maybe you could take me to my father."When Julia held the card up to the light, her breath caught in her throat. "Um. Tell me, where does your father work?" she asked, although she already knew that it couldn't be a mix-up since the company address was given as well as the home address.The drive lasted half an hour, during which Julia considered whether she should tell Rachel that her father and she ...What was that between the two? Nothing happened except for drunken sex, many phone calls, a meal, and a hasty I love you. But Gabriel meant a lot to Julia, knowing he was no different.He had a daughter. Julia had to think about that first. Why hadn't he told her? But much more important was how she would've reacted to it. Now Julia faced a fait accompli and had his frightened daughter in the passenger seat."Julia ... I'm sorry I behaved so impossibly; that's not my style. Please don't tell my father about this," Rachel whispered, upset and sniffed.The engine was turned off, and Julia nodded.When they both got out, the red-haired woman was about to start but decided not to say anything. The young girl should first sleep in and digest the events. "Holy shit!"With a pounding heart, Gabriel woke with a start as the doorbell had rung for the third time. Rachel had a key, but simply breaking in wasn't the best way. Shaking his head, he blinked a few times to get the sleep out of his eyes and then looked at his watch with a yawn."What idiot rings at half past two in the morning!" Castiel growled, who met his brother halfway, who already had pressed the intercom button."I hope it's an emergency," he murmured sleepily but was instantly wide awake when he heard his daughter's voice.That was a surprise, and he experienced the biggest surprise when the apartment door opened and he saw Julia.Since Gabriel didn't want the neighbors to hear anything, he let the two women in and turned on the light in the living room, where all four sat at the table."I'll take you to your room," Cas said, taking his niece by hand."We'll talk tomorrow ... today ... later," Gabe called after her, still completely confused by the bizarre situation.Glad to have the weekend off because sleep was out of the question anyway, now he was in a quandary and didn't know what and, above all, how he should explain it. "Tea?" Gabe asked nervously, heading into the kitchen to buy a few more minutes to think.Julia hadn't said a single word so far, and he didn't know how to approach this topic because she was sitting on his couch, a little stiff and impassive.With a sigh, Gabriel sat down again and started with the fact that he'd become a father early and unplanned. Even then, celebrating was more important to his ex than taking care of their child. Although contact with Rachel was never broken, it was relatively rare for the two to see each other."She is a nice girl."Julia sipped at her cup while glancing sideways at Gabriel."It's not easy for her," he sighed and looked down. Suddenly he felt like a failure. He knew the circumstances and that the grandparents cared for Rachel and their daughter. That's why he'd withdrawn from their lives ... had chosen the easier way. Gabriel was afraid because Julia was so silent and he couldn't read anything from her face and that it was over before it had really started because he wasn't straight with her.He was even too scared to ask her to stay at his place. So the two sat next to each other more or less in silence. "Were you married?"This question broke the silence, and Julia saw a slow nod. All the memories suddenly came back, and since he didn't want to hide anything anymore, everything broke out. The two were far too young to raise a child. Rachel was now about to reach full age. But at the time, he loved his ex-wife, and they were sure they could do it. They had a lot of support then, and the two women still have it today.He told Julia about the ups and the many downs and that he'd only stayed the entire time because of Rachel. But eventually, he got broken on that and left.Gabriel felt the rising tears, which were bravely swallowed. The rollercoaster of emotions he experienced during those years still gnawed at him today. There was also domestic violence. Men who were beaten by women didn't fit the stereotype. But Gabriel had undergone it. The cards were on the table, and although he was a little ashamed of it, he also told that. He hadn't told anyone, not even Cas ...Until that point.Neither of them knew he was sitting on the floor in the corridor with a stunning head shake when he heard the truth. And hearing his brother talk, he felt that despite the marital hell he'd been in, Gabriel blamed himself. Castiel knew the two had had some troubles in their marriage from time to time, but that ...
What a bitch
"Every time I got home from work, I didn't know what to expect. Sometimes I got along well with my wife, and she was my dearest person, and other times she was drunk and hit me with her fists or something to compensate for the physical inferiority. She always wanted to discuss problems, whereas I preferred to have had my peace. And my calm always drove her crazy. But it wasn't just about physical violence. Insults, humiliation, and control were always there. She threatened to kill herself and take Rachel with her should I leave. But we didn't always fight; there were also good times ..."He took a deep breath and said he was glad that Rachel hadn't noticed as much as possible from this time since she'd either already slept or was with the grandparents.What a hell. With tears in her eyes, Julia saw his trembling hands and felt how much the situation was still burdening him. Slowly she slid a little closer, took his hands in hers, and patiently waited until Gabe looked up to look at her."You're a wonderful person."That was all she said, but there was so much more in those words – that he'd done everything, that he'd done nothing wrong, and in her fawn eyes, he could read that the fear of losing her was unfounded."Thanks ... for listening," he murmured, taking a deep breath and attempting a smile."Thank you for your trust," Julia replied, kissing his forehead before closing her eyes and pressing her forehead against Gabe's. "Did you sleep on the couch?" Cas murmured and closed the door behind him with a yawn when he entered the living room the following day.It also didn't take long for Rachel to stand in the doorway and look at each of them before they were told the idea that had kept her up half the night."Rachel ... that isn't possible. Your mother has custody and would never allow that," her father replied, shaking his head."In three weeks, I'll be of full-aged, and then I can live where I want anyway and do what I want!" Rachel shouted angrily and stormed out of the room after the sandwich had been thrown back onto the plate.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Julia sat huddled on the couch and winced when the door fell shut. She was alone again. Painful groans as she moved her hands, which were zip-tied tight behind her back.
Where did I get myself into?
Trapped in a small hotel room, has she been waiting for hours? Days? Weeks? The red-haired woman had lost all sense of time as there was no clock. And the cell phone? The other woman had taken it from her. A few weeks had passed, and it all started when Rachel moved into her own apartment after the whole truth came out in court. With tears, the young woman also said that her mother had beaten her. There were extenuating circumstances for Gabriel's ex-wife – because of unsoundness of mind.The court had only given the four of them this one small ray of hope ...Because as unfair as that was and as hard as the others tried to get their point across, she got away with a suspended sentence and two months of therapy in a psychiatric facility. This therapy had ended a week ago, but nothing had changed – except that Julia suddenly got caught between the fronts. With a head shake, Gabriel put the cell phone on the table and sat down, head in his hands. For two days, he tried in vain to reach his girlfriend. Sure, both of them were very busy with work, but she didn't even report back …"Something's wrong," Gabe murmured absentmindedly and, a few moments later, decided to head to her apartment."I'd like to accompany you, but I have a lecture in an hour ... we'd just knock on her door," his little brother replied."I ain't gonna knock at all," Gabriel grinned and wiggled the apartment key in front of his face."Hope you two can work this out. I like Julia."With a disparaging snort and saying that neither of them had anything to work out, he grabbed his jacket and shoes and stormed out the door. He thought about it as he drove. The last three months were among the most amazing in his life.But there was a catch to the whole thing. With a smile, he decided to ask Julia if she'd want to move in with him because the constant driving was annoying. The hours that the two spent on the street could also be put to better use.When the dark blond man was in the stairwell, another attempt was made, but like countless times before, only the mailbox could be heard.As the spare key was put in the door, he rolled his eyes again. How often had he said that it was child's play for burglars if the door was just pulled shut instead of locked...."Honey?"The apartment wasn't big, so it didn't take long until the last corner was searched – no sign of Julia. And as it turned out, his girlfriend apparently hadn't been here for a long time. The dried dishes and roses he'd brought when he last visited four days ago were indications of this. But she was always so tidy ...Something was wrong; Gabriel had a bad feeling. Since it was only a few minutes to her place of work, he wanted to find out more."She's been missing for the second day without an excuse," the boss murmured, who was already worried because it wasn't Julia's way of not getting in touch. "What's up, pops?"Rachel greeted her father at her apartment two hours later with a hug. The two talked for a long time, and Gabriel smiled a few times because his daughter had grown into a beautiful, intelligent, independent young woman. Apparently, his ex-wife must have done something right after all. And he thanked fate for having Rachel back."She'll show up again, for sure. And if not, we'll go to the police and call the hospitals."She put her hands on his for comfort, and even though Gabe didn't believe in the police, he nodded so as not to worry Rachel. Because deep inside, he'd already decided to look for her alone.He was taking vacations, which was better because he couldn't concentrate on work anyway. The people who came to him to have their cars repaired entrusted their lives to him, and he couldn't and wouldn't reconcile that with himself. Julia, the love of his life, was gone. He'd filed a missing person report, but no one had a lead. At some point, he was standing in the shower in the early evening, hands leaning against the wall, eyes closed, and the warm water pattering his lowered head when a cold shiver suddenly shot through him."Susan," he breathed – his ex-wife. Would she be capable of such a thing? In any case!He was the reason Rachel left her mom and lived near him. And that scene of her with handcuffed hands yelling at him in court for revenge was more present than ever.While drying, it was finally clear ... there was no other way.When Cas saw his brother coming out of the bathroom with this blaze in his eyes, he asked his girlfriend to leave because that made him a little scared too. Under no circumstances did Gabriel want to involve his daughter in the whole thing, but he needed more information because Susan hadn't been a part of his life for more than ten years. And so, the three met before sunset for a crisis meeting. From one second to the next, Julia's heart was beating so hard that she became dizzy when the door was unlocked.It wasn't much she remembered, but she did remember taking a quick shower after work and making herself something to eat before going to bed. After fluffing the covers, she wanted to turn off the light behind her and felt a brief sting in her neck. Her eyes went black, and then it was all gone. She didn't notice anything about the kidnapping, but Julia woke up briefly in the car's back seat. It was only a second or two, and she was sure to recognize a man and a woman before darkness fell again.When she eventually regained consciousness later, her hands were tied, and she was sitting on the couch in some hotel room.In addition, the mouth was taped, and her eyes were blindfolded, but Julia recognized the urgent voice immediately, and therefore the blindfold was superfluous. Much to Susan's displeasure, because immediately Julia felt her little toy."100,000 volts. I won't use it if I don't hafta, but you'll exactly do what I tell you" Susan smiled and switched off the stun gun.Thanks to the damn duct tape, Julia's screams were no louder than a desperate whimper. Tears ran down her face, but there wasn't the slightest chance of escaping this torture. With a jerk that made the young woman groan again, Susan ripped off the tape. Grateful to breathe a little better again, she wanted to know the reason from Gabriel's ex-wife."Rachel won't come back to you," the young woman said in a firm voice that was more played than real."I know. Gabriel took the most important thing in my life, and I'll do the same now. He'll suffer from worrying about you. I've watched you long enough; you stick together like bluebottles. But I'll make it easier for him … he'll soon forget you," she replied with a hysterical, scary laugh.This woman spoke in riddles, but Julia had no energy to argue. The young woman tried the gentle way but failed after just a few moments because it was impossible to have a reasonable conversation with an unstable psychopath. To be honest, Julia was happy to be alone again. Alone with her thoughts. Only from the bathroom the water dripping from a leaking faucet was heard.Finally, she'd seen her face. What would Susan do to her? Did she want an exchange for her daughter? Julia wondered what her boyfriend was doing. Surely he'd already noticed her disappearance and probably called a thousand times ...Exhausted, she laid her head on the back of the couch and closed her eyes, trying to think of good times. At some point, she fell into a restless sleep and only woke up again when the sun's rays fell into the small room and two sausage rolls dropped on her lap."Please ..." Julia whimpered. She urgently needed to go to the toilet. All feeling in her arms was gone as they were still tied behind her back."Go," she replied, pointing to the door."Are you gonna do that, or will you take the handcuffs off?"Julia jumped immediately when the shocker was felt again, and she was granted three minutes with the words to refrain from stupidity. After she had eaten and had a few sips of water, she was tied back to the couch. During the day, there was a sudden knock on the door, and a glimmer of hope spread.With a final warning that her mouth would be sewn shut at the slightest noise, Susan opened the door to the strange man. Seeking protection, Julia pulled her legs up, but the shackles didn't allow much leeway."Because I need your hands, I'm gonna take off the cuffs now …" she said calmly, bending over Julia with the dreaded stun gun, "… don't do anything stupid."The blood slowly circulated again in the limbs, and Julia rubbed her aching, red wrists."Now, you probably wanna know why you're here. When I'm done, Gabriel won't give a damn about you. Better … he'll wish he never met you," the blond woman grinned, getting up to get something from the bedside drawer. With the words to write a farewell letter, Julia was thrown pen and paper.Those words struck her like a bolt of lightning and twisted her heart in a knot worse than a 1,000,000 volt stun gun could ever have caused. Shocked, Julia stared after her tormentor with a head shake.
I certainly won't, you bitch!
Another sharp ache in her shoulder as she vehemently refused ... and again and again. The young woman whimpered and wondered how many electric shocks someone could take. It wasn't just the electric shocks that sent a hot tingle through her body; this evil thing also left little burns on her skin. But hey, Julia was a cook and had survived worse wounds."Write!" Susan hissed, but Julia defiantly threw paper and paper on the floor.With tears in her eyes, she focused on Gabriel, but after three more sharp bites, Julia gasped, wailing and writhing."You seem to like pain," Susan grinned, and there were two more in the hip before the stun gun went higher and a condescending grin formed on her face."Ten seconds, and your jugular is mud. I get what I want anyway, but I don't wanna unnecessarily get my hands dirty on you. Be a good girl and write the letter."The lungs rattled, the blood swooshed in her ears, and the head pounded.With a sweet voice, the older woman put the pen in Julia's hand again, and the red-haired woman surrendered with a trembling sigh.
What else can I do? Forgive me, Gabriel, for having to do this to you. I love you
Silent tears ran down her pale face as Julia slowly nodded, leaving a hint when Susan was distracted for a moment. Angrily she tore the paper from Julia's hand and asked what it was about."Since you ask me to give up my love, I can probably draw a broken heart. You owe me this favor," Julia replied, looking straight into Susan's eyes. Julia then watched with an anxious frown as the other woman drew up a syringe and held it in front of her face with the words to move on to the fun part. An answer to the question wasn't granted to her; instead, Julia felt a short, burning sting on her neck and found out a few minutes later what the stuff did."Don't worry, the effect only lasts for a quarter of an hour; that's all we need."The man came out of the bathroom with a wet towel and wiped her face.Raging and kicking, Julia tried to escape the situation, but something wasn't right. Her movements became slower and more sluggish from second to second, until after half a minute, Julia panicked because she couldn't speak anymore."A little make-up so you don't look like a corpse ..." Susan grinned and touched the young woman's rigid face.
What the hell did you inject me ... I can't feel anything anymore!
Even swallowing was more difficult, and Julia had to concentrate, so her body didn't go limp.
Good lord, what's this?
Inwardly Julia fought; outwardly, nothing moved but her eyes. Suddenly a word popped into her head. Promidal. Julia wondered if that even existed or if it was just made-up. A long time ago, she'd seen the movie Anatomy and ... could it be possible?
Damn shit, it feels like it!
"Okay, you can strip her down," she heard Susan say and then saw this man above her, not older than herself, with short black hair and black horn-rimmed glasses.
W-wait ... no one is stripping anything here!
Panicked, Julia tried to protest with her eyes, which only caused a malicious laugh from both of them. A puppet, unable to move and not knowing what to expect. A few moments later, she found herself almost naked in bed, and this man lying next to her was also almost naked.
That can't be true ...!
"Don't cry again; I just did your makeup. Don't worry; he won't hurt you. I just need a photo, and since you wouldn't do it voluntarily, we took care of that, so relax and smile for the camera. Oh yeah ... you can't," Susan sneered.
What's that for a cheap number
"No, no, no ... open your eyes; we want it to look real!"Confident in victory, she waved the photo from the instant camera in front of Julia's face. If the young woman could've snorted contemptuously, she would've done it when the man took a bill, pocketed it, finished dressing, and left just as quickly as he'd come."I'm happy with you; you can rest. I hafta play postman."With hysterical laughter, the cable ties were fastened again, and of course, she didn't forget to seal Julia's mouth again with adhesive tape. The relief was incredibly great when the feeling finally returned to her body after what felt like hours.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
What was happening on TV didn't interest Gabriel, and the remote control flew angrily onto the table. Concentration was gone anyway since his thoughts revolved only around Julia. With a desperate look, he made it clear to his brother that he had to do something."Yes. But what?" Cas murmured with a helpless shrug. After that, the older man jumped up so suddenly that the glass fell off the table. He ran out of the room with the words to visit Susan."But certainly not alone," Cas yelled, hurrying to keep up with his brother.Of course, Susan wasn't at home because at that moment, she impatiently waited for someone to unlock the front door, to put a small souvenir in the mailbox for her ex-husband, and then quickly disappear again. She almost fell into the trap and was just able to hide behind a house wall when she saw the two men run out of the door at lightning speed. At night in bed, Gabe couldn't fall asleep for a long time. The past few weeks with Julia had been like a beautiful dream he never wanted to wake up from. After a long time, he found meaning in love again, and everything was destroyed in the blink of an eye. And since he couldn't sleep anyway, he got up again and went to the well-stocked alcoholic shelf.Cas was still with his girlfriend and had no idea how bad his brother was doing.In his trembling hands, he held a note and a photo. He read it over and over again ... but it made no sense.'I'm sorry, but I can't and don't wanna do this anymore; it's over, don't look for me'Painfully, his heart clenched, and he fell to the ground, hopeless. It couldn't all be true. In desperation and anger, Gabriel tore the note into pieces, drew his legs close to his body, head to his knees.
Honey ... you can't do that to me. I love you I need you. We were happy … I can't believe this, and I won't accept it until you tell me to my face ... you owe me that ... please come back to me!
That wasn't her style. Honesty was always so important to Julia. And a letter was all he got?! Thoughts blurred behind his closed eyes, and he hardly heard the knock on the door. Gabriel couldn't move ... he didn't want to move. Actually, he just wanted to sleep ... or die ... it didn't matter."Gabe, open the damn door. I forgot my key!" Cas shouted and sighed with relief when the key was slowly turned, and he was let in.The dark-haired young man immediately knew something was wrong when he caught a glimpse of the desperate man, who immediately crouched down on the floor again. "What the hell happened? Talk to me," he whispered, startled, and sat beside him."She left me," Gabriel mumbled listlessly, and only then did Castiel see the snippets on the floor."What ...?" he asked.Two silent tears rolled down Gabe's cheek. Castiel couldn't believe what he'd just heard. His brother repeated these words over and over again. Gone, over, and that he didn't deserve to be happy.Cas got to know Julia, and that was just impossible. The two went together so well and complemented each other in every way."There, the proof," he hissed, tossing the photo to his younger brother."She doesn't look particularly happy," Cas murmured, checking the picture against the light."Happy or not, she's gone," the older man sobbed, wriggling out of his brother's comforting hug and wondering when was the last time he cried.But Cas couldn't be shaken off and just hugged him harder.After a while, Gabriel allowed it all to erupt and clung to his little brother until the sobs turned into a low whimper. Comforting, whispered words and a promise to uncover this mistake, which had to be a mistake, and the soothing circles on his back eventually led to Gabriel being able to calm down. And lots of alcohol did the rest."I love her," Gabriel sobbed haltingly."I know.""I want her back; she is my life. I can't live without her."Castiel supported him on the way to his room and helped him onto the bed.Instinctively, Gabe drew his legs up and positioned himself in the embryo position. His last thoughts were of his girlfriend. What a fucking nightmare. The alcohol made it easy and put him to sleep on the spot. He woke up a few times, but the side of the bed next to him was empty. But then he looked at the small couch and was infinitely grateful that his best friend and little brother didn't leave him the whole night. Tears of desperation ran down Julia's cheek when she had to think that Gabriel must have already gotten the message. After all, the two had only been together for three months. Would he believe it or know it was fake?Damned. Julia hadn't been this happy in a long time, and she wouldn't want it to end for anything in the world. Just lost in thought, Susan's voice brutally tore her out. She hadn't noticed that there was already company again."I didn't think it would be that easy."Smiling happily, she sat down on the couch, crossed her legs, and proudly reported that Gabriel had met a pretty, young woman in the cafe, whom he'd also hugged and kissed. Whether Julia should believe it or not ... it didn't matter either; it hurt that Susan was taking such shabby advantage of the situation. When Gabriel woke up the following day with a hangover, dragged himself out of bed, and sat down at the kitchen table, he saw his brother sitting there, gluing the scraps of the torn letter back together."So, and now take a look at it soberly again," he murmured and put the photo next to it."Sober?" Gabe replied with a short laugh while sipping his coffee, "… wait a few more hours.""Really now? Julia didn't leave you; she was kidnapped! Dude, that's what this bitch wants! She wants you down, and it looks like she got it!"Damn, that was loud. Gabe had a headache, felt sorry for himself, wished this bloody nightmare was over, and somehow he felt the urge to ruin something.For Cas, it was clear that the photo was posed. He didn't even know his brother like that. Just giving up wasn't his style, and that's why Cas decided the night before not only to fight with Gabriel but also for him. So he could make up for at least a little bit of his guilt.It took a few moments, but suddenly Gabriel felt terrible. Not because of the hangover, but because he'd thought for a single second that Julia would cheat. Cas tried everything to convince him to fight for his love, and finally, Gabriel saw that he wasn't the victim. After one last deep breath, Gabe downed his cup of coffee, ran both hands through his hair, let his fingers crack, and nodded...."The paper is totally wavy; these are tears – she cried," Cas said, pointing to the paper with his fingers. "And the photo ... look at the face – completely expressionless."Gabriel was so glad his brother was there. As he took a closer look at the short letter, he saw something. At first, he thought it was a broken heart, but something came to mind upon closer inspection. A few weeks ago, the two had been fooling around in her bed, and suddenly he was handcuffed to the bed. Just for fun, he asked if he should think of a safe word. In short, the two had agreed on wings. And this drawing was very reminiscent of wings. That was a clear cry for help.His heart started beating faster again as the scales fell from his eyes."You're a genius Cas. Thanks, brother," he smiled, standing up and kissing his forehead, which made the younger man grimace at first, but they both started laughing at the same time.The only question now was where and how.Gabriel shook his head when Cas came up with Rachel."We're not gonna drag my daughter into this!"Before Castiel could finish the sentence that she was already in the middle, the two heard a voice behind them. "Drag me into what?""Where are you coming from?" Gabriel sighed."Yeah, I'm glad, too, pops," she smirked, giving him a loud, smacking kiss on the cheek.Her father had always avoided talking badly about her mother, and she appreciated that a lot, although she knew what a bitch Susan could sometimes be. But what she heard when the two started talking was outrageous."I owe Julia my new life. Sure, I'm in," the young woman agreed immediately and was a little annoyed that her father didn't want to tell her about it.She liked Julia from the beginning, and it was terrible what she had to endure because of her. Gabriel hesitantly showed her the photo and the letter. Not for a second did Rachel believe what she saw; on the contrary. Looking closer, she noticed something immediately."I know that guy."Now Rachel had the final attention of the two men. Her mother had a friend who had a son."Sometimes, they were with us. Mom wanted to pair me with him. Rocco, that's his name. Greasy guy. Ugh," she said, choking dryly.And something else occurred to her. As luck would have it, Rachel almost ran into him two days ago when he came out of the hotel where her friend was working, with whom she wanted to have lunch."I dunno why and didn't care either, but I felt he wanted to leave as soon as possible. Somehow he was totally nervous.""If you say your friend works at the reception, we have Susan," Cas said, slapping his palm down on the table."No, she's a chambermaid," Rachel replied.That was even better. After half an hour, a plan was fixed.…"Can you do that?""I'm your daughter," the young woman laughed. The next day, the two teenagers and the two brothers arranged to meet in a small cafe near the hotel. Along the way, Castiel had to use all his energy to stop Gabriel from breaking into every hotel room to find Julia.Half an hour later, everything was settled, and the three of them found out that a few rooms were always locked. There was usually a sign on the door, so the maid knew the guests either did the cleaning themselves or the room wasn't occupied. Of course, the staff adhered to that."If that gets out, then I've had the job for the longest time," the blonde girl sighed and spun her water glass absentmindedly, but then she looked up with a shrug and said that it was only a temporary solution to earn some extra money while studying.Gabriel couldn't help but jump up and kiss Rachel's friend left and right on the cheek. Then he hugged her, saying that he was forever in her debt. Everything would be fine, he felt that, and the hope and relief came back little by little. Again and again, Julia fell into a twilight sleep between tears of despair, pain, and fear. She was so incredibly thirsty. The damn blindfold was so tight that no matter what grimaces Julia made, she couldn't manage to loosen them. Why this stupid blindfold?! So she had no choice but to go blindly into the bathroom, but as soon as she stood on her feet, dizziness forced her back onto the couch.A few minutes later, she tried again, with success. The maddening pain in her shoulder from the damn bonds made her groan in agony. By a hair's breadth, she would've run against the door handle, but then she had an idea. Julia got on her knees and tried to hook the handle between the skin and the blindfold. It was exhausting, and besides her racing heartbeat, there must have been a few drops of sweat forming on her forehead – at least that's how she felt it.…Eventually, after endless moments of cursing, praying, and teeth-gritting, the endeavor was crowned with success, and with one eye, she could see enough to get to the sink without incident. Then, the next problem. Various contortions were tried to move the faucet, but it didn't work.In desperation, Julia tried it with her teeth, but the staring regulator didn't move a bit, and she let it go before her teeth were ruined. On the way back to the room, her gaze lingered on the minibar, and with a relieved sigh, the red-haired woman put her lips to a bottle of mineral water a minute later. Julia felt pretty exhausted back on the couch, although she didn't actually do anything else, just lie around lazily or sit. The clock could be set based on the regular visits of her tormentor – if Julia had had one.The first thing Susan saw was the empty water bottle, which made her angry. For this, the red-haired cook was again punished with the stun gun.She endured it without screaming because she wanted to avoid the gag at all costs. Julia breathed a sigh of relief when Susan disappeared out the door, but the renewed loneliness that brought with it so many thoughts and feelings was just as unbearable.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Some distance away, three figures were standing on the sidewalk. No sunglasses, but the hoods pulled deep into their faces. Rachel, Gabriel, and Cas kept watching for half the day, wondering what the owner must be thinking as the three constantly stood in front of his café."Okay, the bird has left the nest. Let's go," Gabe said, but Rachel grabbed his arm before he left."You don't do anything stupid. Promise, pops?"Rachel looked at him seriously, but Cas promised to take care of him. Rolling his eyes, Gabriel nodded and took one last look around before his daughter hurried into the hotel to look for her friend. As a chambermaid, it was easy to get into all the rooms, and Meredith, that was Rachel's friend's name had worked a double shift that day to help the three of them."There are four rooms in total on this floor. Keep a lookout!"Rachel positioned herself to face all sides, and the girls exchanged a tense look.…With a sigh, Meredith closed the fourth door again, looking at her friend with a shake of her head. The last two rooms were two floors above them, and the girls ran up the stairs in no time. "Damned!"It was only a whisper, but when Gabriel felt the elbow in his side, he knew something was about to go wrong."Crap. Rachel isn't answering!"He cursed when there was no dial tone because he panicked when Susan returned to the hotel. No one expected the criminal to be so quick; if the action weren't taken quickly, Julia wouldn't be the only one in danger."Keep trying. I certainly won't be able to stop her for long," Gabe murmured, handed his brother the cell phone, and stormed after his ex-wife.He hastily pushed open the revolving door and saw her picking up the room key from reception. He didn't have a plan. Improvisation was announced."Susan!" Startled, she turned around."Gabriel?"He grabbed her arm and struggled to control his raging anger. He wasn't allowed to blabber, and they already had the guests' attention. A thousand thoughts were circling in his head, and something had to be said because the two had been staring at each other for far too long."I wanted to talk to you again, the matter in court ..." he began and had to force himself to smile a little because he wanted to throw up his guts in front of her shoes.Susan squirmed out of the tight grip, hissing at him about not having time now, and babbled something about an affair. Gabriel only heard words anyway, no context. He was upset and hoped that the two girls could free Julia and that all three were already safe."Can I talk you into a cup of coffee?" he asked in a sweet voice but only got a head shake.Every attempt failed to stop her, and with a sigh, he had to watch as Susan climbed into the elevator. Several quick prayers towards heaven followed."Please say you reached Rachel," Gabriel asked with a pleading look when he was outside the hotel again. A few moments later, Gabe took his daughter in his arms, full of relief, and wanted to know how things were going. She explained that five out of six rooms were clean, and Meredith was watching the last room."We'll know more in fifteen minutes; then, she'll stop working."These fifteen minutes just didn't want to go by – as always when one was waiting for something.Finally, Meredith could be seen from afar."The woman you described walked into this room, but I couldn't see anything," she murmured. There was a hint of disappointment in her voice, but the chambermaid had done a great job.As a reward, the four wanted to get some refreshments, but Castiel had a hard time keeping his brother from storming back into the hotel. "Damn it, Cas! Lemme … that bitch!"Tears of anger and despair swam in his eyes, and he threatened to kill Susan if anything happened to Julia. After all, every minute would be a minute too much.Rachel saw how bad her father was doing, which broke her heart. She'd really gotten to know him and Julia in the last few weeks, and the two simply belonged together."I do it.""Whatcha doing?" Gabriel asked, puzzled, and then shook his head when she explained her plan. Now he'd just taken Rachel away from this danger – her mother, and now she wanted to throw herself right in the middle again?!"I ain't a kid anymore, pops. You can trust me. She won't hurt me.""We're there every step of the way," her uncle said. Most of the hotel's guests were seated at dinner or had gone out.With a racing heart, Rachel stood in front of the dark brown door and knocked hesitantly. The two men had positioned themselves left and right, ready to intervene at any time. Behind the door, Susan gave a start, hissed at Julia not to make a sound, and quickly put tape over her mouth. Rachel knocked again, as nothing happened."Mom, open up! It's me."Julia screamed her name, but only a dull hum came through the tape. But it was heard. Gabriel heard it too, narrowed his eyes, and clenched his hands. His daughter gave him a quick look that meant he shouldn't mess up."Mom, I know you're here. Open up ... I miss you," she added, biting her lip but hoping it had an effect.Inside the room, Julia was struggling with shortness of breath, as she was so startled when Susan slapped her in the face, which made her toes tingle. The answer came a little hesitantly when Rachel was asked if she was alone. Damned. She could've slapped herself for that at that moment. Susan wasn't stupid and now had to think carefully about the next steps. Again and again, she went through the most diverse scenarios in her mind. If she opens the door now ... Pushing her daughter away wouldn't be a problem – even if Gabriel were to be there. But what if the two weren't alone? If he had his brother with him?She still had an ace up her sleeve and went to the bathroom. When she came back, Julia's eyes widened, knowing that it was that crap paralysis stuff again that was in that syringe Susan was holding in her hand. Panicked, she screamed and kicked, trying to avoid the inevitable."Damn, Susan! Open the door immediately, or I'll kick it in!"Gabriel was furious, and it was taking far too long. With both fists, he pounded on the door. And since that creaking and squeaking wooden door wasn't as solid as it appeared, Susan panicked that other guests would also be alerted....She used the element of surprise, ripped open the door, pushed Rachel aside, kicked Gabriel between his legs so that he couldn't breathe for a moment, and sank to his knees with tears in his eyes.In a flash, she stormed towards Julia and chased the syringe into her neck. The young woman cried out in panic, but the tape muffled the scream, and then her body went cold again as the liquid made its way through the veins.With full force, Susan ran into Cas, who staggered briefly but immediately set off to pursue his ex-sister-in-law.Rachel was the first to regain her composure and knelt next to Julia in front of the couch."What the hell?!"The girl didn't know what had happened. The adhesive tape was carefully removed with the presence of mind, but after she'd repeatedly asked what was going on and Julia didn't answer but only stared with huge eyes, she turned to her father for help. With effort and groaning in pain, he crawled toward the two women.The pain he felt when he saw his great love helpless in front of him far exceeded the kick in his balls. Then he remembered he had a small pocket knife on his bunch of keys and cut the zip ties. Immediately Julia's hands fell down lifeless, and since both of them still didn't know what was going on, they could only throw desperate looks at each other. "I didn't catch her," Cas suddenly gasped, joined the three, and when he looked closely at Julia, he wanted to know what was happening."Who of us is studying medicine? Tell me what's going on!" Gabriel growled."Veterinary medicine," his brother said sheepishly."As if that makes a difference!"If Julia could, she would've laughed. But she couldn't move. Only her eyes wandered frantically back and forth. "Say something, honey, please say something," Gabe murmured, stroking her cheek.A barely perceptible quiver on her lips, but no sound came out.
She's not moving ... damn, why isn't she moving?!
"Okay, don't panic," Cas murmured and bent over Julia. "Look at me. Blink once for yes … blink twice for no."All stared into her face when Cas asked if she was okay. She would've liked to have made the corresponding face to the rarely stupid question, but that wasn't possible."She blinked twice, fine ... I mean, not fine. Was something in the syringe that paralyzed you? Once ... okay. But that passes again, right? Once ... very good. How long? Minutes? Hours? … once …"Rachel hugged her father encouragingly and whispered that everything would be fine. His heart was racing, and he was lovingly stroking her head repeatedly. Julia looked at him with tears streaming down her face. The most important thing was that she was safe. Cas lifted Julia off the couch and put her on the bed. At that moment, the hotel manager came, alarmed by the noise and the reports of some guests."It doesn't work that way ..." he started but didn't get any further because Gabriel hissed at him angrily."Hostage-taking at your hotel. Get the hell outta here before we press charges and shut the damn door from the outside!"The older man was so perplexed by this outburst that he only said that they, of course, keep the room overnight.Then Gabe sat next to his girlfriend, took her hand, and planted a kiss on her motionless lips."I love you."
I love you too
Julia tried to concentrate because the feeling of powerlessness settled over her like a heavy, warm blanket. Everyone was talking, but Julia didn't understand anything; she only saw Cas measure her pulse.Suddenly it got so hot that Julia started to sweat. Like a fish on land, she gasped and looked at her boyfriend for help."Take off her jacket; she burns up," Cas said.
No, please don't ...!
"Holy shit ..." Rachel murmured, startled as part of the small wounds appeared, "... what did my mom do?!"Silent tears ran down Julia's face again as her eyes closed. "I'm so sorry, honey, I'm so incredibly sorry."When he squeezed her hand again, Gabriel cried. Julia had never seen that before, and it was frightening but somehow beautiful simultaneously.
Don't cry, my love, it's okay; it's over, it's not your fault
Suddenly her foot twitched, and the young woman blinked a few times in relief. It took a while, but gradually a tingling gripped her entire body. Unpleasant but at the same time one of the most beautiful feelings.After a few more minutes, she tried to sit up but dropped back into the mattress with a pained face."I'll never let you go again. I love you", Gabriel whispered and kissed his girlfriend's hair, forehead and cheek."Let's leave them alone. We can talk during the day", Cas said with a wink to his niece and took her hand to go home. "I dunno what to say."With a deep sigh that contained so much sorrow, pain, and fear, Gabriel lay down next to Julia and looked deep into her eyes."Just hold me; I wanna feel you," she whispered.He was good at that. Lovingly and carefully, his strong arms wrapped around her and pressed her close to his body, giving her the necessary warmth, security, and love. Again and again, he gently stroked her back up and down, kissed her face, and finally buried his' in her hair."I've never been so scared," Gabriel murmured and swallowed hard. "I ...""Is okay. I'm safe."The tears slowly dried up; the soft sobs slowly turned into an occasional sniffle, and Julia finally smiled with her hand on his cheek while sinking into his warm eyes for the thousandth time. It had been three terribly agonizing days that seemed like three weeks to both of them. Neither of them said a word about Susan. No question, Gabriel's ex-wife would get what she deserved. "Where do you wanna go?" he asked in amazement after a few moments when Julia pushed him slightly away."I wanna take a shower."Gabriel didn't let go of her hand and asked if he should come along, but Julia shook her head. A few moments later, with a deep sigh, she stood naked in front of the mirror and looked herself up and down. Susan had done a great job there.Julia jerked in pain as she moved her shoulder, looked at the red wrists, and counted the many small burns.
How was that? Every eight years, the skin would regenerate?
Eyes closed, she rested her hands on the sink and bowed her head. When the red-haired woman looked up again, she saw Gabriel's shocked face in the mirror, his eyes wide open. He stood there helplessly, mumbling an apology. What Julia had been through in the last few days, what pain she had to endure ... it hurt so much to see that."No," she replied, turning and taking his hands. "I'm sorry for what I had to do to you, and I can't even imagine how you felt. Gabriel, I love you, and I could never leave you, and I hope you didn't have doubts about it for too long ..." she sobbed, and Gabriel hugged his girlfriend tightly."These were some of the worst days of my life, but I'm so glad and grateful it's over. I'm so blessed to have you back with me and a brother and daughter who're absolutely awesome. I never want to be without my three musketeers again."His eyes automatically closed when Julia rubbed her nose against his, kissed him on the lips, and slowly began to undress him with a breathy oath of love.