Sudden Birthday Illness

[Gabrielle Kovac]

It was November 29th, and now Gabrielle Snow was officially twenty years old. It was an age she had thought of being many times when she was much smaller and couldn't wait to grow up and be a lady. She was finally that age now and she suddenly wished she wasn't feeling so old. Things had changed so much from how she acted when was a little girl and how she acted now that she was older. Besides the fact that she was often called an ugly duckling by all the boys at school, she was often too busy with dance or something else to really worry about all the things she worried about now. As the years passed by she had lost that ugly phase and managed to become a very beautiful young woman, most guessed that she would blossom someday because she was Danielle's daughter. It wasn't until her last year of school that she also quit ballet and started to focus on better things, and now she was here. Gabrielle currently stood inside her empty feeling room and gazed at herself in the mirror for a long moment. She was supposed to be going over to Colton's house today because he had invited her over. It might have been for her birthday or something but with him she never really knew what to expect. Just a few weeks ago or so for example, she had come to visit him in the Hospital to tell him that she had gotten a job as a Healer but they ended up doing highly inappropriate things in his office again. A sigh escaped Gabrielle as she tried to apply just a small hint of blush to her cheeks to add color to them. Normally she didn't add any at all and preferred to look as natural as possible, but this morning she had woken up feeling weak and looking as pale as a ghost. No matter how weak she was feeling she knew she'd feel even worse if she passed up time to go see Colton. She really liked him and ended up finding herself missing him whenever she didn't see him for awhile, even though she saw him almost every day. Not the passed few days though since she had those days off. Gabrielle quickly pulled her hair into a low ponytail and left her bangs to frame her face before she grabbed her bag and apparated off, not even bothering to tell her brother that she was leaving.

Gabrielle arrived in front of the door and waited a moment to steady herself and try to get her dizziness to fade before she reached up and knocked softly on the door. Once she had knocked a few times her hands went to brush some of her hair out of her face and make sure she looked okay, she still wanted to look good. Even if it was just his house, a place she had been to a few times. For some reason though she still felt weak and dizzy. What was going on with her body right now?

 

[Colton Kovac]

Colton had long since asked when Gabrielle's birthday was and for a very good reason. Colton was preparing something. He had asked for a day off today, and it was vacation time for him, and he would have been paid as well. He would love to have a week off but there were appointments to fill, people to heal, and babies to check up on. Colton had a duty to the hospital, but he also had a duty to Gabrielle. Today was her birthday, and all morning, he was making sure everything was just perfect. The entire living room and kitchen were streamed with silver and turquoise streamers. Colton waved his wand and balloons ascended into the air, slowing going and resting onto the ceiling. Gabrielle was turning twenty, and he was just two years older. She seemed so much older than that. And yet, a smile had not left his face, how happy he was right now. This would be like a third date, where he would ask her to go steady with him. Colton was not exactly nervous about today. He liked to think that he would be getting a girlfriend, but that alone was just too weird to really think about. He never had one before, how could he a good boyfriend? Colton wanted to be the best boyfriend for Gabrielle, if she would have him that is. He hoped that she would, but he would not know until she arrived and the day was nearly over.

Now Colton went into the kitchen and he prepared the cake that matched the decorations, and it read, 'Happy Birthday, Gabrielle Snow!' Colton waved his wand and he conjured silver and turquoise sparkles from the tip and he used it to lightly sprinkle across the hardwood floors. Colton sighed over how everything seemed a little girlie but then again, he was trying to impress a girl anyway. Colton took a deep breath and he knew that she would be arriving any moment. Colton could not wait to get this started because of how happy her expression will be. Colton used small, everlasting candles to light up the cake, and wondered if she would use the old traditions of blowing out the candles and making a wish anyway. Colton did not really celebrate his own birthday because he did not care about turning one year older, it was just another year closer to death. How morbid that sounded, that was just the way Colton thought, and would continue thinking until someone changed his mind about how birthdays could actually be good. Colton heard someone knocking on the door. She is here, he thought. Colton allowed his nerves to settle as he went to the front door, opening it to reveal that her that he was wearing an army green shirt with dark blue jeans. However, his smile quickly vanished when he saw just how...not well she looked. "Um, Gabrielle, come in, and then tell me, what's wrong?" As a healer he knew signs of illness. But he would have to hear the symptoms before passing any judgment. He stepped aside for her to enter into his decorated home.

 

[Gabrielle Kovac]

The moment the door was opened and Colton's handsome face appeared her heart sped up until it was beating so fast one would think she just ran a marathon. Her shyness and nervousness immediately flew right out the window as thoughts of him and only him swam around her mind. As he offered for her to come in he also asked what was wrong. For a moment the blonde was confused by what he meant when he asked her to tell him what was wrong. But then she remembered how she was feeling sick and probably looked as pale as a ghost right now. As much as she wanted to tell him that she was feeling horrible she didn't want to ruin her night with him, so she would just cover it up as best as she could. "Oh, don't worry Colton, I'm fine. Just a little tired from working so much." Gabrielle told him as she walked inside and closed the door behind her softly. Once she was inside immediately inhaled softly and smiled to herself, she loved the way his house smelled. It reminded her of him and this time something a little extra, like cake perhaps. Had Colton been baking today? Gabrielle quickly adjusted the striped tank top she was wearing before she allowed her sky blue eyes turn to Colton shyly. She was really hoping that he believed her lie so she could stay here and spend the evening with him instead of going home and being miserable. The warm smell of the house already made her spirit lift a little, making her feel less weak and tired. Or so she thought. It wasn't until she stepped further into house to remain having them both just stand randomly by the door that she saw exactly what he had planned. The entire living room and kitchen were streamed with silver and turquoise streamers and there were also balloons everywhere. He had planned her a birthday party? "Did you do this all...for me? No one's ever thrown me a birthday party before." She turned and gave him a gentle bug before she pulled away and stared at the room in utter disbelief and happiness, this was a sign that he truly did care for her. Or least was a good enough friend to be willing to go out of his way to throw her a party for her birthday. At first she was a bit unsure about telling him when her birthday was because she didn't want to reveal how young she was compared to him. Gabrielle didn't want to risk looking like a kid to him.

Just as Gabrielle started to head more into the living room a sudden wave of dizziness and nausea hit her. She was so happy and excited over seeing Colton again that she wasn't exactly being careful not to over do it. Immediately she stumbled and managed to grab a hold of something to keep her steady so she wouldn't keel over to the floor. Another hand went to clutch her warm forehead as well because her head was starting to throb like crazy. Gabrielle whimpered for a moment as she tried to control the sick feeling that was coming over her, she really just hoped that Colton wasn't getting too worried or upset. "I...don't worry..I think I feel better now." But the moment she tried to make sure that she was fine enough to move and walked and stepped away from the object she was holding, her body decided that it had enough of her trying to be stubborn and move around and gave out. Before Gabrielle knew what was happening she had fainted and her body collapsed to the floor.

 

[Colton Kovac]

Colton could not put his finger on what exactly could be the matter with Gabrielle but he hoped that it would not interfere with tonight, because tonight was the night he would decide to make her his girlfriend. Nothing could screw that up, nothing that he could think of at least. Well, an illness might depending on how serious it was, but he hoped that whatever was wrong with her was not anything to really worry about. Colton just hoped that it was not anything fatal, and what were the odds that it was something fatal that could not be magically cured? Colton wanted nothing more but to make sure that she was all right. The first sign he could see that she could not cover up was the shade of her skin. How could he not ever notice that? It was not something that he was used to seeing – paleness. “Being tired does not make you pale, Gabrielle. You should know that by being a healer,” Colton pointed out with narrowed eyes. But he hoped that it was just a trick of light, but his heart and mind told him different. Something was wrong, and he was going to see what it was even if she did not want him to. Colton cared, maybe too much, but he did not care. He wanted to make sure that she felt better. There had to be something going around that would make her pale. There were many things that could be the factor, but he did not know anything more other than just being pale.

“Yeah, who else am I expecting with a birthday other than you? But I have never had a party before, so you can tell me how it feels, all right?” Colton smiled lightly, hoping to cover his concern for Gabrielle’s health. He hugged her gently in return and he walked slowly toward the kitchen, but the sounds of stumbling footsteps made him turn and he saw that it was Gabrielle. Lightheadedness, that was something that he had seen before with pneumonia. Or something of the sort. Colton narrowed his eyes once more and he was worried even though she told him not to. “Gabrielle…” his voice was a little stern, and before he could even reach her, she fainted and collapsed. “Gabrielle!” Colton shouted as her body hit the floor. With a wave of his hand, any lit candle dimmed so that the fire hazard was limited to a minimum. He went to Gabrielle’s side, and lifted her up with his arms, easily. He went to his bedroom and he laid her down, and covered her up. He felt her forehead with the back of his hand, and he groaned. If the symptoms were treated before, this would be a lot easier to handle. The sickness progressed a little too much, and put Gabrielle’s body on the line. Well, a few potion treatments could heal her right up, but Colton was afraid. He did not want to even think that there was a chance of losing her, not even a single percentage. Whipping up a potion, he waited by the bedside for Gabrielle to regain consciousness to take the potion.

 

[Gabrielle Kovac]

Gabrielle could remember a time when she was really young and didn't have as much to worry about like she did now, everyone was so much easier when she was seven and only cared about her dancing, being forced to eat vegetables, and not being able to play after dinner or something. When you were young it was all just simple things that bad then seemed huge. But when an adult looked back they often longed for those times when it was that easy. Now it seems that the childhood days of worrying about nothing were over and done with before she knew it. This is probably what brought on the sickness, all the stress coming at her at once. She had a home she needed to worry about, a job, her brother and his stupid decisions, oh and not to mention that her feelings for Colton were starting to grow more than ever and she wasn't sure if she could keep them to a minimum anymore. It was evident that she wanted him to be hers and this plus all of the other things going on in her life lead her to not take very good care of herself when she probably should have, it didn't help that she had a very weak immune system either. After what had probably been no more than a half an hour Gabrielle started to awaken and come back to a conscious state. Gabrielle turned her head to the side and immediately groaned when she felt like the room was starting to spin yet and shutter. She felt so awful and so sick right now that she wasn't even sure what happened. She could tell she was on a bed but that was about it. Where was Colton.

"C-Colton?" Gabrielle's hand reached out for something, a sign of life within the room. She hadn't even opened her eyes yet because she knew it she did it would made her head worse and her stomach sick, it was a migraine that was bothering her but there was other symptoms too. Weak and achy muscles, sore throat, nausea. It was all hitting her but it was the head pains that made her whimper as she turned over. "Whoever it is..can you please dim the lights. It's bothering my head." Gabrielle muttered as she reached back behind her and pulled the hair tie out of her hair and let her wavy blonde locks pool out around her. It made her feel a little better comfort-wise but health-wise she felt like she was dying or something. Squinting one of her eyes open she tried to poop and sit up but only manage to feel too dizzy and laid herself back down. "Where am I right now and what happened?" She thought saw Colton, the man of her dreams beside her but she would feel horrible if he was taking care of her when they were supposed to be celebrating her birthday together. He when through all of this hard work and now she felt horrible about ruining it.

 

[Colton Kovac]

Colton was a healer, and thus, what muggles would call a doctor and he was going to stay at Gabrielle's side for as long as he possibly can. Coltno made sure that Gabrielle was comfortable in his bed and he went to prepare some soup or something that would be warm for someone that was sick. Colton put the cake away and he cleaned up the decoration that he so carefully tended to for her. There were more important things now to take care of because she was sick, and unconscious for the time being. It took Colton ten minutes to clean up and put the cake in the fridge to save for later. He then poured the soup into a bowl and carried it to the bedside, where he put it by the potion for Gabrielle to take when she woke up. Though while he sat down in a chair by the bed, he waited for a moment that she would stir and wake up a bit. Colton glanced up in concern when she let out a moan and there he could tell that she was getting really sick. Colton did not like that at all, because he was growing feelings for Gabrielle. He was really liking her and seeing her like this was not on his things that he would consider pleasant at all. Colton stood up when Gabrielle beckoned for him, and he saw her hand reach out for something. Colton stood up and he took her hand into his own, cradling it because he cared like no other for her. He cared because he liked her and the face that he liked her and she was sick was mixing into his instincts to be a healer.

The healer dimmed the lights in the room and he knew that he was dealing with a migraine. Those were awful to deal with, and he had managed to summon up enough symptoms in his mind to think of the diagnosis. It was nothing too serious, and it could have been prevented sooner to ignore a lot of what had happened now. Colton murmured, "Gabrielle, take the potion, it should help with your aches. I think I can figure out what is wrong with you, if you give me everything that is bothering you." Colton needed to be sure of what he did and gave to Gabrielle. Colton released her hand and he took the vial into his hand, something that would just soothe some of the symptoms for now, and that was it. But the potion he might need to make would be a little while, but he thought that if he took good care of Gabrielle, then she would be all right here soon enough. The healer took a seat next to her on the bed, but not so much that he would put any unneeded pressure on her back and body. Colton chuckled and he murmured, "I was going to ask you to go steady, but I think I should worry about getting you better, huh." The lights dimmed so much, that it was giving him a headache just trying to strain his eyes to speak with her and talk to her. At least she was not alone with this now. She was with someone who really cared about her well being. It was something that he did not have much at all growing up.

 

[Gabrielle Kovac]

Gabrielle was thankful that Colton had actually dimmed the lights for her, it mean that she could now open her eyes softly and let her baby blues travel around the room slowly. Finally they landed on Colton and she took a deep breath to try and steady her nausea. "I'm sorry you did all that decorating and stuff for nothing. I still really appreciate it. I guess...I've been under a lot of stress lately so I haven't been taking care of myself very well. Sorry, I can go home if you want." Gabrielle told Colton weakly as she shifted a little in the bed and turned to look at him, she looked tired right now but she felt so much worse. But she felt bad that he had gone through so much trouble to surprise her for her birthday just for her to get sick and all his hard work to waste, especially when it could have been prevented. Gabrielle hadn't been sleeping well, eating properly, and working a lot due to a lot of family things going on. Perhaps she should have made sure that she took better care of herself and she wouldn't feel so awful right now, she probably deserved this for stupidity. On top of that she didn't know if he would want her here hogging his bed and spreading germs all over the place. If he wanted her to go home she would brave it up and go hope and rest there. Even though she much preferred to be here because Colton knew what he was doing and this place reminded her of him, and that was enough to make her feel better already. She was told to take the potion and she ever so gently took the vial and downed it all in one gulp before she scrunched her nose and laid herself back onto the soft mattress. Medicine was never fun to take. He also question her about her symptoms and she waited for a moment before she answered him. "I feel like I have chills, shortness of breath, chest pains, body aches, headaches and possibly a Fever, and Nausea." She listed off everything she had been feeling and currently was feeling. There was a lot of symptoms and if she was less sick and could think about it more easily then she would have no issue figuring out what it was. But since she was feeling miserable she hoped Colton would have an idea so there could be a an easy way to treat it. Hopefully it isn't anything too serious either because she was young and she still wanted to a lot of things with her life, sure she had health problems but she was going get past them and actually live.

Gabrielle was told that Colton had been planning on asking her to go steady but he figured he should work on getting her healthy again. If there had been more light in the room she knew that Colton would have caught the blush on her pale cheeks right away. Now she really cursed herself for getting sick tonight. If she hadn't then she might have been asked to be Colton's girlfriend, and honestly she really liked that idea. "I would have said yes, if you had asked me." She breathed out before she coughed out slowly and groaned when her body reacted badly to the feeling of her coughing. Truly if things had gone better she would have accepted in a heartbeat and she thought that Colton should know that. So he knew that she liked and cared for him. She wanted him to know that this wasn't all in vain.

 

[Colton Kovac]

"It is the thought that counts and no, I do not want you going home right now, not without feeling like you are yourself again," Colton spoke, his voice soft but there was a stern tone to it as well, like he was meaning what he said. He really did not want her going home - not while she was as sick as she was right now. It was not something that he wanted to control about someone, but it had to be done for the safety and well-being of Gabrielle Snow. His brown eyes gazed around, trying to see more things but it was still harming him anyhow. Colton listened to the symptoms and nodded. That was pneumonia all right. He would need to make a good potion for that, but it would take a little while before it would take effect, and since her symptoms have been as bad as they were now, it won't be a very simple task. He might have to make her take multiple dosages of potion. Slowly, he stood up and he went toward the exit of the bedroom, when she told him that she would have said yes, if he had asked her. Colton's hand touched the wooden panel of the doorway, and he let out a soft sigh. "Perhaps when you are better," Colton spoke, his gentle voice comforting and soothing, "I will have to ask you like I planned to this evening." It was not like that had changed his mind. Nothing would change his mind from his decision to want to be Gabrielle's boyfriend. Just because someone got sick was no reason to turn them away. That was what being a Healer was all about. Though being a Healer meant that one would have to take care of themselves, and after this, Colton could only hope that Gabrielle would take better care of herself.

The moment he left the bedroom, he made sure to listen in to anything that would require immediate attention. Taking out a potion book from his resources, he got out the ingredients to make the antidote for pneumonia. It took several minutes, but after what he thought was forever when really ten minutes had passed, the light blue potion was ready for ingesting to fight off that nasty sickness. Colton went back into the bedroom and he sat down next to Gabrielle once more. He knew that like everyone, she would probably need convincing to take the medicine. He had not dealt with pneumonia patients really, but he knew that it would not be as bad as some things he had to witness and perform. He had to do Caesarean surgeries many times and it was not that bad, and this would not compare to that. Colton turned and positioned his body on the bed so that he could speak to Gabrielle. "I think you may have pneumonia, so I made this potion. After a few hours, I might need to make some more if you are not making a fast recovery. It won't taste too bad." He thought that it would taste more like strong mint or something like that. Colton handed over the vial, hoping that he would not have to get stern. He did not like getting stern, especially not with someone he cared about.

 

[Gabrielle Kovac]

Gabrielle nodded her head when he told her he didn't want her going home until she was feeling like herself again, which meant that she could stay here just a little bit longer. She didn't want to go home and she didn't want the care that Colton was giving her to end because she felt so endeared to have him treat her like this. "No complaints there." Gabrielle told him, she was going to stay and she wasn't going to be upset about it either because she was honestly happier here than she as even at her own home. She settled into the bed and let her thoughts wander as she watched him start to leave. His statement about asking her later made her smile softly, she hoped he didn't change his mind or anything she because she would honestly not mind being his girlfriend and having him be hers. Gabrielle was curious because she wanted to know how he planned to do it this evening. Would it be romantic or sweet, maybe both. Of course she was going to say yes regardless but it left her giddy just thinking about how it would be to be asked. She has never had a boyfriend before so it would be different, but she wanted the change and she wanted to have a piece of that happiness. It wasn't long before Colton returned with a diagnosis and what looked like some form of medicine. She sighed under her breath when she was told that she had pneumonia. "Well it could be worse. Thanks Colton..I owe you. I think I need to rest a little though, I hope you don't mind if I crash in your bed." She took the Vial without complaint and handed it back to him before she pulled out her wand and made sure it allowed her to change into more comfortable clothing and pulled the covers up further over her body. Immediately the medicine worked wonders and she felt her symptoms begin to fade and her tiredness get stronger. With a high pitched yawn she rolled over and cuddled into the pillow that smelled too much of Colton. Before another word could be said she was out.

 

[Adrian Rowan]

The moment that Colton left his house was the moment that Adrian Rowan, Colton's brother and rival - well, Adrian thought he was a rival to him - stepped out of the fireplace. Adrian wore light tan shorts and a blue tee-shirt. He ran his fingers through his blonde hair. He made sure no soot was on him, but he smelt the house. His nose wrinkled and he muttered, "Smells like, cake, mint and caring. Ugh." Adrian shrugged his shoulders and he wondered around the living room, before making sure that the front door was closed. Adrian wondered why Colton had to leave in a hurry, but he shrugged once more and he walked around the place, before he went to the fridge and he happened to have seen a cake, something that looked absolutely delicious. Adrian sneaked him a piece, and it completely healed his empty stomach. Adrian then heard a noise that sounded like it was coming from the bedroom. "Oh-ho does Colton have a lady friend in the bedroom?" Adrian closed the fridge door after opening up a soda, and he drank it as he moved out of the kitchen.

Approaching the bedroom, Adrian peeked in and what he saw was not some ugly broad that he thought that Colton would shag up with. This woman was gorgeous! Adrian smirked lightly, and he crossed over into the bedroom, and he sat down on the bed, careful not to wake her. He proceeded to lay down, and those he was like a charming man, half the time, he was a real prick too. Adrian placed his leg upon her thigh, from what he could feel and he murmured, "Why settle for Colton, when you can have a god like me?" He sounded incredibly conceited, but he thought that with his looks, and his charms, as well as his voice, he could have this girl. Why did he want her? She was hot, and she was supposedly Colton's. He was going to have fun with this, that is, if she accepted or declined him.

 

[Gabrielle Kovac]

After four hours or so of resting due to the effects of the medicine Gabrielle had finally awoken to actually be feeling a lot better then she was when she first came over. That was the first thing she could feel when she had awoken from her dreamless sleep. She still had a little bit of a headache and felt a little weak and tired but other than that she felt perfectly fine. Whatever it was that Colton had given her worked perfectly fine and she owed him so much later because he didn't really have to do this for her. Since she had just woken up and was still like half asleep it didn't register to her that someone had entered into the room until she felt someone sit on the bed next to her. Since this was Colton's house and it was his bed she didn't think anything of it, he was probably just tired and wanted to rest or relax. Maybe he even just wanted to check up on her or something so she wasn't going to really stir or bother to wake herself up fully. Gabrielle was still very tired so she was going to attempt and just go back to sleep. Maybe after a few more hours of some much needed rest her headache would be fully gone and she could actually bother to stay awake to entertain Colton or something, she still felt so bad that he was stuck taking care of her. When she felt him lay down next to her she actually stirred a little and felt herself begin to feel a little less sleepier than she was, especially when he placed his leg upon her thigh. 'Eh?' Since Gabrielle had feelings for Colton and they had done things together before quite a few times it wasn't like she was horrified or extremely or put into shock. But she was sick and she didn't think Colton would want to be this intimate while she wasn't feeling well. For a moment she leaned into him and sighed happily because she liked how caring he was. But for some reason it didn't feel right this time, and then he spoke. This wasn't Colton! Immediately her baby eyes snapped opened and her body awoke. When she turned body she looked to make sure, he was definitely not the Colton she had come to adore. She was in bed with a stranger, his body all over hers.

"AHHH!" Gabrielle screamed bloody murder. She was pretty sure that her scream could have been heard at least a good mile away from where she was. Her hand shot up to smack the man in bed with her right upside the face before she stumbled away from him which instead caused her to fall out of bed and hit the floor with a thud. Gabrielle was wearing her pajamas but she didn't really focus on her clothing of choice. Instead she backed away from the bed further. Her eyes were wide and she looked scared to death. "Who the hell are you? W-where's Colton?" She demanded, her French accent coming into play as she started to get angry and demand questions from the man that was in the bed and has his body all over hers. Gabrielle didn't want him and she wondered where Colton was right now? Was he okay or was this guy someone she needed to be scared of?

 

[Colton Kovac]

After going out in town to get some ingredients for the potion, Colton thought that he had everything he could get. He apparated outside of his house, before opening the door and closing it behind him. Though what he was thinking that he was going to hear on his arrival is either Gabrielle calling out for him, her breathing indicating that she was sleeping, or nothing at all. However, what he was not expecting to hear was a scream. Gabrielle's scream. It made his blood run cold. What if someone was killing her? Colton dropped the ingredients on the floor with a small THUD as he flourished his wand. Colton rushed to the bedroom where he found Gabrielle, unharmed, but looking rather weird. "Gabrielle, why were you scr-" Colton's voice was cut off when he saw none other than his half-brother Adrian Rowan. Colton's eyes narrowed, and he knew what he was doing here, that was for sure. Colton did not put away his wand, but rather aimed it at Adrian. "You could not leave a sick girl alone. You just had to drop in and hit on her, didn't you. Adrian, I will say this once, because I have not exactly said anything to you before but I will now." Colton was being rather aggressive but he was also protective of Gabrielle as well. "Touch Gabrielle, and suffer the consequences." His dark eyes turned to look over at Gabrielle and he inquired in a much softer tone, "Are you all right?"

 

[Adrian Rowan]

Adrian was not expecting to feel a stinging sensation on his jaw, and naturally, he jumped back when he felt this. Adrian naturally hopped out of bed as well, and he threw his hands up when she demanded to know who he was. He was going to say something that would result, or could, in another slap across the face however Adrian's attention was diverted to someone entering the house and coming into the bedroom. Adrian heard his brother's words, and he lowered his hands to his side. Oh, did Colton actually let his family jewels drop? Adrian's mint green eyes went over the girl's body, that Colton now revealed as Gabrielle, and he smirked, "She doesn't look sick to me. She looks rather ripe if I say so myself." Adrian ran his fingers through his hair and he saw Colton's threat as nothing more than a joke. He had never done anything to Adrian before, even if his voice sounded authentic. Adrian shrugged, "Oh please, the worst you are capable of is watching me take things away from you. Don't act as if you care, because you have never cared about anything in your life. What makes you think that you care for this toy after every other girl at the school I managed to take from you?" Adrian rubbed his jawline once more and he murmured, "Damn, she has a hit. Even though the girls that seemed interested in you, you never noticed them. Still, I took them anyway." Adrian wondered if he would be striking a few nerves when he spoke like he did. Adrian did not even answer the question that Gabrielle demanded from him. He assumed that Colton would be doing that himself. Besides, that smack really hurt! All he was trying to do was show Gabrielle that there was a bigger, better fish in the sea that looked like him.

 

[Gabrielle Kovac]

Gabrielle was about to start yelling some more but then Colton came into the room and was going to ask why she was screaming, he stopped in mid-sentence though. It seemed that he definitely knew this guy since he was even able to call the other guy by his name, it was Adrian. Then she saw a side of him that she never expected to see, he actually threatened this guy that if he touched her there would be consequences before he asked her more softly if she was okay. "It's a little too late to threaten him for that, he was practically on top of me a minute ago! Ripe?! I'm not some piece of fruit you creep! She rolled her pretty blue eyes eyes and stood herself up before she wiped her shirt and shorts off to make sure she had gotten no dust on herself. Once that was done she readjusted her clothing and turned to look at Colton softly, he seemed stressed to she was debating on whether a soft hug would fix this or if she needed to just stay out of the way. Then 'Adrian' opened his mouth and started to mock Colton as if he was his king or something. Gabrielle's mouth dropped as her confusion grew. It seemed like something was going on between these two guys and now she was sort of stuck in the middle. Though she was fully on Colton's side simply because she had feelings for him, he seemed genuine and the other guy was just a jerk. Her hand slid back as she gripped Colton's wrist softly, she asked if he knew this guy softly before she pushed some of her hair out of her face and let her eyes narrow at Adrian.

"Toy? Your going to get more than a smack in the face if you keep talking like that you self-centered pig." Gabrielle hissed as she released Colton's wrist and crossed her arms over her chest. Like she had told Colton before, she could be sweet and gentle unless she was very upset or irritated. Which she was a little of both right now. She didn't like this guys' attitude and she felt very violated because it wasn't exactly normal to wake up and pretty much have a guy on top of you. The only man she would ever fully willing allow to be even close to her like that was Colton.

 

[Colton Kovac]

Colton lowered his wand, and he finally put it away. Colton heard what Gabrielle said about Adrian being practically on top of her. He then noticed what she had done to him. Smacked him. He could see the redness from here. Gabrielle had a hit. Colton pointed out, "Ripe? I hope you don't plan to use that when you fall in love one day. That can only bring out those that are destined to be on the corners of the town's main street. Then again, you don't care, do you." Colton remembered that Adrian tried to best him in everything, yet Colton remembered vividly that he had received the Head Boy position easily. He had gotten better academics. The most the ex-Gryffindor did was get more girls than outstandings in his life. That was not something to be proud of. Colton was getting less and less patient with Adrian, and he answered Gabrielle without taking his eyes off of his brother, "That would be my half-brother, Adrian Rowan. He seems to feel superior to me for some reason, when he has done nothing but waste his life on alcohol and cheap sex." Colton continued to have that cold glare, something that a Slytherin would possess, and it was so unlike his nature to be this cold.

Colton continued, "He was a Gryffindor Prefect while I was in Slytherin, in the same year. I recall actually making better grades and becoming Head Boy whereas he got the reward of 'Head Up His Own Ass'." Colton put his hand on the nape of Gabrielle's back, practically telling Adrian that Gabrielle was his, and no one else's. Colton once more pointed out, probably the most he has said in a long time to anyone, because when he got aggravated, he tended to talk more - yet when he was pissed, one could not tell but only see the anger in his eyes and no words would come from his mouth, "Gabrielle means a lot to me. I was going to ask her to go steady, and well, I don't think it is needed because it is obvious that we are technically together. Now, if you don't mind, leave my house before you go out of here in a matchbox." There was no sounds of Colton joking around with this matter. He was tired of it, and he was tired period. He was wanting to make sure Gabrielle was better, not deal with the moron.

 

[Adrian Rowan]

Adrian let out a sigh and he rolled his eyes. He uttered, "I never had to pay for my sex. If it was one thing, they paid me, not the other way around..." Though there he was lying. Truth be told, Adrian did not sleep around much at all, but he did make out with about every being that walked his way. That was different than sleeping with them, but he did not want to say this to Colton, because that smartass could probably turn it around on him. Adrian knew that Colton was being serious, but his mint green eyes stared at him, when he pointed out that little name that he received when he was a seventh year. So, what? He liked not being a head boy. He thought that that job was far too boring. He liked being with girls, oh so many girls. "Okay, but we will see how steady she goes with you when I get her to actually make out with me, Snake." Adrian winked over at Gabrielle. She may not be interested now, but she will be. Oh, Adrian was determined to steal this one from Colton. Colton seemed attached, and this just made it worth the game. Adrian slowly walked around the couple, grumbling in Russian his defeat before stepping over into the fireplace, and using floo powder to go back to his loft in Florida. Green flames engulfed him and he was gone.

 

[Gabrielle Kovac]

Gabrielle shifted from one foot to the other as she had to try and restrain her herself from giving that Adrian guy another smack across the face for being such a jerk. She learned that he was Colton's half-brother and even went to school with him. It seems that Adrian is a lot like her brother as both their lives seemed to be based on alcohol and sleeping with women. Gabrielle felt her brother had an excuse for his stupid decisions though while she figured that this Adrian guy was just another one of those cocky guys that grew up like this. One day he's probably going to get good smack in the face by reality or some pretty girl that had enough common sense to deny him right to his face and whoever that girl is, has Gabrielle's automatic respect. "I'd rather kiss an angry dragon then make out with you." He was attractive to probably get many girls but it wasn't the looks that attracted Gabrielle to them, it was the personality and how much they made her wanting more. Which is probably why she and Colton clicked so well since he wasn't like Adrian at all, had respect for himself as well as her, took things slow, and didn't always go around with other women. If he did he would likely end up making Gabrielle jealous all the time and she didn't like having to worry about losing him to someone else. He wasn't hers technically but she liked to think that he was or would be, she just didn't want to share him. He was the first person to really make her feel like she was cared for and allowed to actually care about someone else. When Adrian left she sighed and uncrossed her arms and let them rest by her sides. She had forgotten that she was even sick and in bed earlier by this point because Colton's obnoxious brother had to go and ruin her day. She felt better now but still, she didn't want to wake up like that. The loser smelled like cake too so she could only guess that he had eaten some before he came in here. After a moment of silence passed she turned to Colton and could still feel his hand at the nape of her neck.

"So um, thanks for standing up for me Colton. And...thanks for taking care of me while I was sick." She gave him a soft pretty smile before she leaned over and hugged him softly. More so to hopefully calm him down because she could feel that he was tense and she didn't want him to be upset like that. Plus she really was thankful for all he had done and wanted to be closer to him, she found herself wanting that a lot recently. Suddenly Gabrielle remembered something and almost giggled into his neck but instead it just came out as a breath of air and a soft smile. "So were technically together, hm?" Gabrielle was feeling very cuddly and curious all of a sudden. Now that she wasn't feeling so sick and wanted to be up and spending her time with him like she was supposed to in the first place. The time was unknown to her so she didn't known whether or not it was still her birthday or anything. It didn't matter now though.

 

[Colton Kovac]

Colton was far too glad that Adrian was gone, but what confused him was on where he was going. His head inclined and he raised an eyebrow. Florida? What was that? Better yet, where was that? Colton thought that it was a good riddance now that he was leaving, and it was better than nothing. Colton brushed his dark chocolate hair from his eyes and he knew that things would be a lot better now. Though he remembered the threat, and hopefully, Adrian would not take Gabrielle from him. How could he? Gabrielle was not into jerks like him. How did Colton know? He did not, but he liked her, a lot. He did laugh when she said that she would rather kiss an angry dragon than him, and that was just asking for death. Colton would not even get near a dragon. He was not scared of them exactly, but he was afraid of being eaten alive. That was not the way he wanted to go out of this world. Colton wanted something other than just hot sex and stuff like that which was what he thought that Adrian was after in the long run. Colton wanted nothing to do with his half-brother, and hated that he was calling him Snake like he did when they were in school. How stupid can one get? Colton had a career now, and someone that he could see spending the rest of his life with, potentially. He was not in love, but this feeling that he was receiving from Gabrielle, it was not something that he wanted to give up because it was just comforting to know that someone cared for him. He wondered if Adrian came back with a new attitude, if she would even think about doing anything with him. He still doubted that as well.

Once Gabrielle hugged him, Colton hugged her lightly in return, affectionately. Colton murmured, "Don't worry. That idiot had it coming from the moment he touched you and said something to you." He paused for a moment, and then he remembered that he dropped potion ingredients in the living room. He focused his magic and used Scourgify to clean it up. Colton said, "I am a healer, and you were sick, so I take care of you. Though I really preferred you staying here and being treated. By the way, you are feeling better, right?" Colton was hoping that the potion had fought off the illness easily, and hoped that it would not be a bother anymore. His tense muscles relaxed as he realized that he was just going to be fine without Adrian now. Colton chuckled at her question and smiled, "I guess so." Colton wanted nothing more but to just relish in this moment. He had a girlfriend, someone whom was wonderful to him. "This is exactly what I wanted, and are you sure that you are not really sick now? Your birthday isn't over yet." Colton wanted to give her her present and all, but now with all the drama done, he could not remember where he placed the present. That was something that he needed to find, but right now, he was not exactly into wanting to go hunting at the moment. All he wanted to do right now is continuing to embrace the woman he had in his arms right now. She was the one for him, but Colton had time to figure that out. He was just living moment to moment.

 

[Gabrielle Kovac]

Gabrielle remained in the embrace but she pulled back a little so that her blue eyes could stare into Colton's for a moment and lift her hand to her fingers could graze over his smooth cheek. He had no idea how handsome he was did he? Even though it wasn't his appearance that won her over, she had to admit that it was a nice touch added onto him. "Hey um...I know you probably don't want me to ask this but...did your brother really mean when he said that you've never cared for anything in your life? Your face when he said that looked so serious and angry that I-I feel stupid for bringing this up." Gabrielle shook her head and tried to dismiss it from her thoughts. She didn't even know why it came to her at all but when she saw Colton's face and Adrian's words all hit together as one she wondered if there was something about Colton that she didn't know. Her feelings for him made her want to know more about him in any way that she possibly could. Gabrielle wanted to know more about his past and how it was for him growing up, she wanted to know his fears, his hopes, and even dreams for the future. If he would tell her about his life and everything she would be willing to share more about hers. About her parents, about how she used to dance, how she wanted a baby some day but could never have one of her own. There was so much they could talk about and she knew that being with Colton would never have a dry moment.

"Oh, it's still my birthday? That potion worked really well then. I feel fine, perfect actually. Can I stay the weekend here though..I think I'd rather spend time with you and everything then go back home." Gabrielle stopped embracing Colton but smiled as him as well as shooting him the innocent pleading puppy dog look. The weekend meant they would have more time together and that she could spend her birthday with him. Hopefully her sweet innocent pleading look would get to him and possibly have him be more likely to agree. She wanted to spend more than just one night her and now that they were dating she saw no reason why he would be worried about letting her stay. Dating sounded so strange for them, but she liked it. Now she could tell that little old lady that was her patient that she and Colton had finally gotten together. Apparently she had been rooting for them from the start.

 

[Colton Kovac]

Her blue eyes met Colton's dark eyes and embraced the touch that she made him smile even more because it was something that he just liked. She amazed him in every way and Colton was just happy that he had Gabrielle in his life. It was something that he amazed himself with. He wondered what she thought about him but he thought that it would be unneeded. She liked him for who he was, and liked him with every flaw he had in him. Colton glanced down when she asked what Adrian had meant by that, and he knew what it meant. During school, he was around many people, but he lacked the ability to actually care about anyone. He was more focused on studies and such. Though he did not thing that it would come to bite him, it might have tonight. Colton was a man that had trouble caring about anyone or anything without a really good reason. He barely cared for his siblings because he did not know them except Ariah. Colton left her embrace and he sat down on the bed, and he let out a small smile to wait on what Adrian meant. "Sure," Colton answered, "you can stay here whenever you want." Now that they were seeing each other, she could stay as long as she desired because Colton welcomed her.

Now he decided to reveal exactly what Adrian meant about what he had said about never caring about anything. Colton folded his hands in his lap and he bowed his head slightly, making sure to not make eye contact because this was not exactly the best thing to bring up. Colton confessed, "What Adrian meant was that while in school, I never cared about anything or anyone. I could turn away a sick and dying person because I had 'better things to do' with my time. I never cared about anything that is until I became a healer, and then it was all about the job. That is, until I met you. The girl that ended up being my former best friend, maybe I did care for her but not as much as my studies. Adrian only sees what he wants to see, and I guess he sees me as the same Slytherin in school, whereas I am not. I guess I evolved into a caring person when that emotional girl came in for a pregnancy test and ended up becoming my girlfriend." Colton never thought that he would care about anything in this world other than his job about a year or so ago, and here he was, caring a lot and sacrificing his time at work to be here with the girl that managed to bring out a more caring being into Colton. He was still cold from time to time, and that was not going to change, but at least he was a more caring person to those that have their names engraved in his heart. "I told you my story, so let's hear yours."

 

[Gabrielle Kovac]

Gabrielle returned Colton's small smile with one of her own when he told her that she was allowed to spend the weekend at his place and anytime she wanted as well. "Thanks." Was all she could find herself saying to him because she knew more than was a little unnecessary. They were dating and both were adults so as long as he was fine with it there didn't seem to be little preventing them from being together whenever they wanted. It took a moment but Gabrielle decided to sit next to Colton on the bed, not before grabbing the blanket she had been curled up with before Adrian showed up, and wrapping it around her thin body. Then he began to explain to her the whole story about what his brother meant by saying that Colton never cared for anybody. A part of her was so happy that he trusted her enough to share this with her and actually answer such a serious question. It took a lot of care and trust to actually tell someone about something this deep and Gabrielle almost started to wonder if she would be able to be as open as he was doing right now. The beginning of explanation did surprise her a lot though. It was such a contrast to the person that Colton was today, she had never seen him turn away from any one, even if they weren't really something he knew a lot about he still tried to help. Then again that was a different time and it was solid proof that people can and will change. At the mention of Colton's former best friend Gabrielle frowned for a moment, from what she had heard that girl needed a good smack upside the face or something because she slept around entirely too much. At least that was what Alyssa told her. The very last thing about his story made her smile before she tried to resist a soft laugh. "Way to remind me that I was a complete psycho the day we met. But I can see that your brother is an idiot who was just trying to bother you. I think the important thing is that you started to feel and care for others when you were ready, it shows you've grown mentally wiser over time, I'm sure you are very cared for as well." Gabrielle told Colton as her hand went over and brushed a strand of hair out of his face so her blue orbs could meet with his dark ones. Colton asked to hear her story then and she sighed. She would tell him but she just had to know that she could trust him with her secret. Some of her hair was pushed behind her ears as she shifted and turned her face to look directly at Colton's.

"My mother always told my brother and I to never fall in love and open our hearts to others. She said it was the best way to keep your heart from being broken. So I grew up never wanting to be close to others and avoid loving anything, and in the end it came back to bite me. Did you know that I used to be really good ballet dancer, I was top of my class, and I wanted to travel to Paris to join a school of arts there? But I had shut people out so long that the damage was already done, I ended up getting really sick for awhile. I stopped dancing, quirt caring about school, and freaked out everytime someone got close to me. I wanted so much not to end up like my mother had that I destroyed myself doing it. Sometimes I still think she's right...it's just better to keep people out to protect yourself." Gabrielle shrugged her shoulders, telling Colton her story was pretty hard but she had only told him the outline of how bad it was. She could have told him that her parents were Death Eaters, that her father tried to leave her to rot, how he scared her without even trying/ Gabrielle had never felt so strongly for someone before and it scared her to feel this way.

 

[Colton Kovac]

It felt nice, to have someone like her to feel like he was an actual human being. It was not something that he was used to, because inside, it frightened him to be close to anyone. He did not appreciate fear so he always shoved it to the side and did things his own way. It was just how Colton hid things, behind walls and never dealing with them. Colton remembered that his father was the only one of his birth parents that actually wanted him around, whereas his mother was not exactly bringing out the welcome wagon. Colton remembered her telling him to never visit, and if he wanted to spend time with the siblings, they could not have their father home. Colton hated being kept a secret, and that was what he endured while growing up. The Kovac’s were friendly compared to his mother. She loved the Romanes’ family, so much, she did not have enough to share with Colton. Colton listened to what Gabrielle said after he revealed his own small tale of how he was growing up. Colton chuckled softly, and he responded, “I think that you were still the highlight of my day but you were emotional so don’t worry about it. Anything too fast though and I fear I might bounce back into my dark shell.” That was what his life felt like, now that he thought about it. When he did not talk to anyone socially, when he was doing nothing but studying, his life was just a dark room with no light. He had goals, but after he completed them, he would not know what to do so he would set another one, and he would have done that until he literally worked himself to death. In a weird way, perhaps Gabrielle saved him from a cruel fate. Without her coming back into his life, what would he have been doing now? He knew that he would have had Ariah either way, but he did not know how he would treat her then versus now, because now, he was a good brother but just a little protective. That was nothing that he could help though, since he was protective naturally.

Though once he heard her story, he was a little confused on why a mother would say that but that might have been a little off the record. Colton closed himself off without anyone telling him to, and she had someone telling her to just close herself off. Her beloved dancing was ruined because of the way she was living, and that was something that he did not know about her. Well, something had to explain how she was rather muscled but Colton’s mind averted from that immediately. Colton murmured, “Gabrielle, if you want to go back to dancing, you can do that whenever you please. If it was one thing I was doing right most of my life, it was setting goals and going for them especially if it was something that you loved so much. But I don’t think your mother was right about closing yourself off. Sometimes, you are going to be hurt, and you cannot prevent that. Closing yourself off makes it harder because if someone does harm you, badly, then who are you going to run to? Also, not to brag, kind of think that you aren’t trying to keep me out by telling me this.” His hand softly rubbed her spine to relax her. “I won’t hurt you either.” The words that he uttered were surprisingly true for him, because he did not think he was capable of hurting someone now that he was a healer and he cared so much for Gabrielle. He could not or would not hurt her even if his life depended on it. He was not that type of person. Colton may have been a Slytherin, but he was one of the most loyal and smartest person to have walked that hall those years. Colton decided to lighten the mood, “So, you have a little time left of your birthday. What do you want to do with the time you have left?” Colton felt like she was the driver of this broom on this day, because it was a special day for her. She was another year older, she gained a boyfriend on her birthday as well as being violated by another male, whom her boyfriend gladly put him in his place for the time being.

 

[Gabrielle Kovac]

Gabrielle let her eyes fall to the floor as she hid a blush from Colton. It was genuine shyness because a boy had never told her that she was the highlight of their day, usually they called her a nightmare or something else rude and hurtful. One of her favorite things about Colton was how he seemed able to put up with her attitude. She didn't really have much of one while he was around because he kept her calm. But that first day she had half expected him to never wand to look at her again, she was so rude and hateful to him when he was only trying to help her. "I won't let you go back into that dark shell of yours. You don't think were moving fast do you?" Gabrielle told Colton the first part of her statement with a gorgeous smile. She really meant it because she would try everything she could to keep him like he was, even if it meant living with him to keep him used to her presence. He didn't have to accept the rest of the world at all as long as he spoke to her and keep being social with her. Gabrielle didn't want to lose him and she didn't want to face what it would be like without him. Right now him and her job was pretty much her entire world. And Gabrielle would rather lose her own sanity then have to face life without either of them. Shifting a little Colton began to run her spine and give her some advice. Gabrielle easily leaned into his touch and released a breath. If this was how it felt being infatuated with someone then Gabrielle was a bit upset that she had never found that out earlier. His advice seemed to really help too, well for the most part. He was the most honest person when it came to this advice. "I'd love to start dancing again but I'm really out of shape. And I have many other things to focus on now like my job and you." Gabrielle admitted as she poked her stomach softly and sighed. She was still quite toned but she did think she had gained a little bit of weight since she had last danced plus her muscles tone and flexibility were most likely gone and dead to the world. Gabrielle was very sure she couldn't stretch like she used to. It would probably cause her to pull a muscle or something. More was said by Colton and it made Gabrielle forget momentarily that she was ever thinking about picking dance back up again.

"Your different." Gabrielle told him very softly when he pointed out that she wasn't trying to keep him out by telling him what she just had. It was true. He was different to her because she cared for him so much more than she had anyone else. Plus for some reason Gabrielle was able to find herself to trust him more, she never felt remorse on telling him anything. So right now she was trusting him with knowing how she felt. "Promise?" Gabrielle asked lightly when Colton said that he would never hurt her. As much as she wanted to believe it she wanted to hear the promise from him. Colton seemed to honest to lie so she knew that if he said he wouldn't then he wouldn't. Gabrielle would never hurt him herself but could she open her heart to him? Colton asked what Gabrielle wanted to do with the time left on her birthday and an almost sly smile came to her face. Why not indulge in some fun with her boyfriend while she was feeling okay. "You." Was her curt but precious reply. She then leaned over and lightly encased his lips with hers. Her hand drifting over to his cheek as she broke the kiss and smiled at him. If Colton denied her birthday wish then she'd probably just get some cake and ask to watch a movie. But if he didn't then she was surely going to make up for lost time earlier.