Worrying herself into sleep. That's what happened with Nathalie who's mind got so crowded with all different thoughts that she could not have a second of peace.
So as she felt herself slowly get exhausted from shaking anxiously, the woman laid back on her boss's bed.
It felt as if the softness of the mattress would've kept her safe from any troubles, and when Gabriel's hands also wrapped around her, she knew that she was safe.

The assistant had missed this so much. His hugs, those little kisses, and the warmth of the man cuddled against her.
After all she knew that she couldn't go far without him.
So although she felt defeated to admit, she had to whisper.

"I'm so happy to be here again."

This caused Gabriel's lips to instantly form a smile.

"Me too." He added "I wanted this."

Like that the designer's hold on her tightened and he pulled himself closer to her.
Nathalie smiled as she felt him kiss her cheek, carefully, she even leaned her head more towards him before completely letting go and falling into a deep slumber.
The man soon also followed by falling asleep just a few minutes after Nathalie. And like that, in each other's arms, feeling protected from all evil, the two adults spent the rest of the night in this warm embrace.

-

In the morning, when the sun shined through the pale white curtains of Gabriel's room the two woke up cuddled against one another.
It was quite a strange situation to be in as just a little time ago the two had the biggest fight of their lives, but in contrast to that, now they were like two inseparable lovebirds.

The designer's left hand resting on her back whilst the other as he woke up became placed on the side of the woman's face.
Like that the grey haired man gently caressed her cheek with his thumb, slowly waking up the assistant.

"Nathalie." He mumbled seeing her blue eyes open and focus on him "How did you sleep?" The designer asked with a loving tone, it had been a while since he'd used that sort of voice to communicate to another.
But now he didn't seem to hold back.

"Alright." The woman rubbed her tired eyes before yawning and staring into the face of her boss who showed no signs of tiredness despite not having his first morning coffee. The assistant even became a little curious as to what got him so awake, but before she could've thought further she got interrupted by the man's lips pressing against hers. The pleasant feeling followed by his hand slowly moving to the back of her head where Gabriel removed the woman's hair tie.

Now this had the assistant shocked, she even opened her eyes for a second and parted their lips by a millimeter of a space just to stare up into the man's navy eyes questioningly.

"Why-" she whispered quietly whilst glaring at her superior harshly who didn't want this to end badly.

"Nathalie you're so pretty." he admitted "I simply can't get enough of your beauty."

Nathalie's eyes widened as she shockingly pulled her head back even further, like that letting the hair fall down to her shoulders.

"Gabriel-"

"I know we've been here before many times, but now I am not lying to you, I promise I really do want to show all the possible love and care for you. I promise. I will tell you anything and everything you would like to know of the past, I will make sure you live comfortably for the rest of your life, j-just please-"
Suddenly, the grey haired man reached out with his hands to pull hers closer to him, and as he did so, the woman also got dragged into his direction.
Yet regardless of being only a few centimeters far from him, Nathalie still shook her head.

"Gabriel are you serious?"
Tears began sparkling in the corners of the assistant's eyes, and as much as she tried to hold them back, they eventually broke through.

"Do you think I'd joke around knowing you have my child? Do I seem that cruel?"

"N-no I-I-"

"Nathalie I'm being serious! Just live with us and we'll be so very happy. I promise."

"A-and will you give up on Emilie?"

That question immediately brought silence upon them.

Gabriel sighed staring down at himself in shame whilst his assistant couldn't believe what was happening.

"How could you possibly love me and this child if you are fighting to get back your wife! It doesn't work like that! You have to choose me or her."

"Nathalie I pick you! I-I don't want to do it anymore! I never said I did! I just-...I'm not the best at saying my goodbyes." He sighed "Plus...somehow I will need to tell Adrien-"

As soon as the man had uttered that, his assistant had an unexpected flashback.

She was running in the pouring rain to find Adrien who had somehow gotten away from home.
The weather was rough and by then Nathalie had gotten soaked.

Suddenly a loud yell of "De-transformation" had got her attention, and when she looked around the corner to see who was there, the woman spotted Adrien.

The poor blond boy was lying on the ground looking beaten up. Scars and bruises all over him.

Quickly, with no hesitation she rushed to his aid.

Then after she had helped him up and asked all about what he had gotten himself into, the teenager quietly whispered:

"You promise not to tell anyone?"

Immediately Nathalie suspected something horrible was going to happen as Adrien wasn't the type to keep secrets.
Or at least not from her.
The boy trusted the assistant with everything, however now he was doubting even her.

But regardless of all things the woman nodded, to which she got the answer:

"I-I'm...Chat Noir, and these bruises are from fighting with Hawk Moth."

So now as the assistant remembered this incident she couldn't let Gabriel do what he wanted to do.

"No!" Nathalie shouted awkwardly "Don't tell him!" She emphasized "There is no need!"

"What? Why?" The designer stared at the woman before him quite concerned.
Suddenly her breathing quickened and she was shaking which clearly showed the stress.
Except the man didn't know from what or whom she had her worries.

He simply wanted to be a better father and not a liar, but unexpectedly the person who had supported him with that all along didn't want to do it anymore.
"Nath he deserves to know what happened to his own mother and who his father really is. Don't you think? You always say that honesty is important."

"I- uh- well yes of course it is! I appreciate you mentioning that b-but-...this is a different case. I-I mean-...what if he reacts badly?"

"Surely he'll understand, and after talking it through we'll be fine."

"No Gabriel! Y-you have no idea how it would affect him."

"Why? Is there something I don't know of? Something complicating the situation?"

To be continued-