all human. No matter how small a portion it might be, I have the blood of the once immortals running in my veins. One of the perks I suppose. I heal more quickly than others. Comes in handy when you get your ass kicked by a couple Wintoks.” Gabe reassured her.
“A couple of what?” Rachel asked, completely puzzled by the word.
“It doesn’t matter,” Gabe added dismissively. “What matters is you were right.”
“I was?” Rachel asked, still confused. “About what?”
“My friends, they’re dead. I do get the people who care about me killed.” Gabe continued solemnly.
“Oh, Gabe, I shouldn’t have said those things.” Rachel protested.
“Why not? It was the truth. Maybe it’s about time I start facing some.” Gabe reaffirmed.
“No, I was just angry.” Rachel added. “I didn’t mean any of it.”
“They are dead, Rachel. The people who helped me when I first left Rampart, they were killed just because they helped me. Raimie died believing me to be something I’m not. I let everyone around me down.” Gabe confessed.
“I’m sorry.” Rachel whispered, unsure what else she could possibly say.
“Don’t be. I was broken. Hell, I’ve been broken my entire life. I don’t really know what I’m looking for, or for that matter what I’m missing. I know what I have here is not what I want, not anymore. I know, I probably sound crazy. I guess what I’m trying to say is — well, thanks.” Gabe said looking down.
“Oh, it was nothing, just a few stitches. You may not thank me after you see the scars, a seamstress I am not.” Rachel added with a chuckle.
“No, no— you don’t understand,” Gabe began. “I mean, of course thank you for patching me up. You did so much more than that though. Jesus, thinking about it pisses me off even more.”
“I’m sorry, I’m confused. What exactly are we talking about?” Rachel asked.
“Your honesty. It made me realize what a fool I have been. How much of my life I have already wasted. My hiding doesn’t change anything. If I am here, all alone, but alive, what kind of life is that? I might as well be dead. My hiding doesn’t seem to help the people in my life; they are still being hunted and murdered.” Gabe explained.
“I get what you’re saying, but I don’t think it is something you need to thank me for.” Rachel rebutted.
“Even if you can’t see what you have done for me, I can. It’s rare to have someone be so brutally honest with you. I guess it felt like a wakeup call for me. I mean it when I say thanks.” Gabe insisted.
“Umm— okay. You’re welcome, I guess.” Rachel replied, uncomfortable by the conversation. “So what happened to you? What did you call them, Wintoks?”
Gabe took a drink from the glass of water Rachel handed him. He retold his story, blow by blow, Rachel hanging on every word. A new beginning for their friendship, bathed in the bloody tale of his recent battle. He didn’t know a lot of girls who would be so engaged in war stories, but he was thrilled she was.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Gabe watched in silence as Rachel prepared their evening meals. He marveled at the way she had filled the role of caretaker so easily, clearly she instinctively was a nurturer. Though Gabe healed more quickly than most, and his recovery was progressing nicely, he still needed a lot of mundane tasks completed for him. He had been embarrassed when his arm was too weak to lift and feed himself that first night. Now that he was able to handle the responsibility himself, he missed the closeness of those moments when she would lean in with the fork or blot his mouth with the napkin.
Rachel had cared for Gabe during the three days he was unconscious and he imagined things were even harder for her during the three days he had been awake. Six days of doing all of the cooking, cleaning, and chores, not to mention waiting on him hand and foot, yet in all that time not a complaint ever escaped her lips.
While Rachel could be quite tender, she took her nursing duties seriously. She demanded Gabe go on several daily walks with her in order to strengthen his muscles. The first day he only managed to stand and walk around the cabin briefly. After the bitter disappointment, Gabe decided on day two he would skip the exercising. Rachel wouldn’t hear of it, instead they went outside and walked to the garden