Chapter 22

Sitting in the car was tense. Well for me at least since Gabriel decided to continuously throw me dark gazes. He was angry, I get that but then so was I. I was beyond pissed but right now I had to deal with finding Shelly before I did any thing else.

I had tried insisting on driving my own car but Fabio and Finn both objected and Gabriel had wisely kept his lying mouth shut.

So someone was driving my car and I was riding with Gabriel, Fabio, and Finn in one of the Jeeps. Cedric had been rushed home way ahead of us.

"Where you find this?" Fabio asked after he finished reading the papers I had stolen from Dad's office. From what I had understood Nana was at some institution in Mexico but that was as far as my understanding went. I had told everyone this and now we were waiting anxiously for Fabio to finish decrypting the Spanish documents.

"In Dad's office. " I replied.

"What does it say?" Finn, who was sitting in the front with Gabriel, who was driving, asked looking back at us.

"It's an agreement of sale." He said with a frown.

"An agreement of sale? Of a... person?" I asked with a frown of my own.

"Si. Looks like she was sold to some underground institution with name Grace Helen." He confirmed looking down at the paper.

"That's illegal. People can't be sold." Finn put in glancing at Gabriel.

"An underground institution in Mexico?" Gabriel quizzed without taking his eyes off the road.

"Yes."

"Is the name Wide Gates ?" He asked the follow up question.

"Yes. You know it?" I asked surprised.

"Yes. I had a run in with them a while back." He replied curtly his tone telling me not to pursue it. But of course I was going to.

"What kind of run in?" I asked and his eyes met my challenging gaze over the rearview mirror for a brief second before returning to the road.

"The bad kind. Are you sure it's her under the pseudonym?" He abruptly changed the subject thus effectively rousing my curiosity.

"There a photo. Its small and black and white but it's Shelly." Fabio replied matter of factly.

"Look at the date." I suggested.

He did. "Thats three months ago!"

"Exactly." I stated. "She was moved from somewhere else. Gabriel, what kind of an establishment is this Wild Gates ?"

"An organization that buys people? I'm guessing an illegal establishment." Finn put in.

"It is."Gabriel confirmed. "They are involved in every illegal trade you can think of. They offer any type of services to people for a price."

"So you think Dad paid them to hide Shelly?" Finn asked.

"Seems that's way." Fabio whispered fingering one of the papers.

We were all silent for a moment considering this new information.

"So what do we do?" I asked breaking the silence. As tired as I was, I wanted to get Nana before Dad found out I took the papers.

"Proceed with caution. The Wild Gaters are dangerous criminals. " Gabriel said glancing at me through the rearview mirror.

"Oh they haven't seen a dangerous criminal yet." I sassed much to Finn's amusement.

"They are dangerous, Santana. I don't want you doing anything stupid." Gabriel chastised me immediately.

"What you call stupid, I call-"

"Genius, yes I know but look where that landed you and Cedric. Especially Cedric." He interrupted me.

I pursed my lips. "Yes but at least I was doing something! You are so afraid of literally everything." I snapped at him.

His hard gaze meet mine again in the rearview mirror. "Don't push me, Santana." His voice laced with threat.

I was beyond that. "Oh please! What are you gonna do? 'proceed with caution'? " I laughed mockingly.

"Santana, stop." Fabio warned gently taking my arm but I shook his grip off.

"No! You see? That's the problem! You have everyone in your grip and because of it you think you are a god. Well, guess what? You are just a coward!" I ranted allowing anger to get the better of me. I wasn't going to sit here and let the man who tried to kill me talk down to me. If there was ever going to be a stand against Gabriel, this was going to be it.

There was silence after my outburst. Painful silence. I could only imagine what was going to everyone's head. Oh! I wished I could take back what I said as colour flooded my face.

"We might have to sedate her." Finn lightly broke the silence.

Fabio chuckled, I even grudgingly smiled but of course the iron king remained stoic. Let him be, because I wasn't nearly done with his lying ass.

"I apologize, you guys shouldn't be caught up in this." I whispered to Fabio.

He gave me a sympathetic look. "Don't do anything you will regret, cara. " He said looking deep into my eyes. I felt like he understood my pain but now wasnt the place to discuss it so I merely nodded in understanding.

"Can we go to Mexico? Today?" I asked.

"It's almost nightfall, Santana." Finn said but the silence from Gabriel and Fabio made me think they were considering it.

"We should go today." Gabriel finally spoke up. "Before Brute finds out that his documents are missing."

"You speak the truth." Fabio agreed.

I grinned broadly. "How do we go? By helicopter?"

"Noo, we were thinking of walking there." Finn sarcastically muttered.

I swatted him on the arm.

"Yes, that is quickest way at this time." Fabio agreed.

"But what are we going to do? Fight them?" I asked with a frown.

"No that's definitely a losing battle. They are humans, humans never fight fair." Gabriel muttered almost bitterly.

"Can we buy her then?" I asked.

"And indulge those fools? No, I don't think so." Gabriel scoffed.

"Well do you have any suggestions?" I snapped at him annoyed at how he shot down all my ideas.

"I have a plan." He replied simply.

I waited for him to elaborate but nothing came. I glanced at Fabio but he was deep in thought and Finn was just watching me.

"Well, do you mind sharing this plan?" I asked exasperated.

"No." He replied.

"Why the hell not?" I practically screamed. Gabriel was so frustrating.

"Santana." Fabio warned.

"Why is he being like this?" I whispered loudly to Fabio.

"Let's just say I have something the leader, Schwartz wants." Gabriel supplied.

"Schwartz? As in Damien Schwartz?" Finn asked his eyes wide.

Gabriel glanced at him and nodded. "You've heard of him." He stated.

"Er...dah! Only someone living under a rock would not know Damien Schwartz." He exclaimed glancing at us.

"I don't know him. Who is he?" I asked confused. Why did my little brother seem to know more than I did.

"Only the best software developer the world has seen yet, you ignorant idiot." He scrowled viciously at me.

"Fascinating." I said flatly I had zero interest in that. "So what is this thing you have Schmidt wants?" I intentionally messed up the name.

Finn sighed dramatically then started banging his head against the dashboard while muttering. "Never hit a girl...never hit a girl...never hit a girl..."

Fabio chuckled softly. I rolled my eyes then fixed my gaze expectantly on Gabriel.

"I am not at liberty discuss it." He replied simply. We were very close to the base now.

I sighed. That's what I thought he would say. "Okay. But do you think it will work?"

"Absolutely." His eyes met mine in the rearview mirror for a brief second.

"Hmm... What do you think, Fabio?" I asked.

"I trust Gabriel. If anyone can bring Shelly home, it's him." He said.

Why did everyone have so much faith in him? What would they do if they found out what he tried to kill me and had inadvertently caused the 'death' of Shelly?

""Okay." I said then laid back in my sit. We sat in silence as Gabriel eased the car into the long driveway.

The car that had delivered Cedric was still at the front door. I could hardly wait to run and see him. We drove around it and parked next to the garage. The minute the car stopped I unbuckled my seat and jumped out and ran towards the house.

"Well well, the prodigal child is back." Gisele's voice drawled as she was standing at the entrance of the house.

"Gisele, where did they take Cedric?" I asked urgently.

She smirked then rolled her eyes. "First floor, second door to the left."

I ran up into the house, up the stairs and in a few short minutes I was standing at the door breathlessly. I took a deep breath then I opened the door.

A doctor was inside laying down a syringe to the table next to the bed.

He turned when he heard me and smiled kindly. "Only for a few minutes, he needs to rest." He said.

I nodded moving slowly towards the bed.

Cedric was laying on his back, eyes closed. The blackened shirt had been cut open and the bullet wound cleaned but there was still black blood stuck on his belly.

I felt tears sting my eyes as I watched his pale face. I had done this to him. "I'm sorry, Ced." I whispered then dropped a light kiss on his forehead.

A gentle hand was laid on my shoulder. "It's time. Please." The doctor said.

I nodded. I gave him one last look then turned towards the door and left the room.

I stood outside the door with my head rested against the cool door. I wiped the tears that were running down my face with my sleeve then sighed.

Soft footsteps were coming up the stairs so i turned to head to my room which was at the end of the corridor. I didn't want anyone to see me cry.

As I walked, the footsteps became louder and I turned only to bump into Gabriel's chest.

"Aww! What's the matter with you?" Why was he following so close.

"We need to talk." He stated. He did not look happy at all.

"I have nothing to say to you." I spat.

"Good. Then I'll talk." Without warning he lifted me and tossed me on his shoulder.

I screamed. "Put me down, you big bully!" I screamed kicking violently.

He used his free hand to firmly grip my legs so I would stop kicking then walked towards my room. And when he got there, he kicked the door open with his foot.

Then he entered, closed the door and deposited me on the floor.

"You! Of all the..." I walked to him and started slapping his stupid chest repeatedly. "Don't you ever do that again!" I screamed angrily slapping him.

He finally got hold of my small hands and held them away from his chest. "Stop that."

"You are such a jerk!" I tried to kick him but of course I missed.

"I said stop otherwise i will bind and gag you." He warned.

I gasped. "You wouldn't dare." I whispered menacingly.

"Try me." He whispered back.

I relaxed my arms so he would release my hands. He did. And I stepped away from him. "What do you want, Gabriel?" I asked him crossing my arms over my chest.

"To talk." He replied. "Are you still angry?"

"Oh, I am furious." I said narrowing my eyes.

He nodded. "I hope you realize that your recklessness cost us alot and it almost cost us Cedric's life."

That was a low blow. I was already feeling all kinds of bad about that and he knew it. "So you are here to gloat?"

"No. I'm here to ask you not to take matters your own hands. We are a team, remember?" He spoke gently as he leaned against my vanity table. "I want you to trust me."

I scoffed. "Trust you?"

"All I want to do is to protect you." He frowned at my tone.

"Why? So you can just fatten me for the slaughter?" I spat and i watched as colour slowly drained from his face. "Yeah that's right! I know about how you tried to kill me." I said my voice suddenly picking up emotion towards the end of my statement.

"Santana -" he stood up and took a step towards me it was only until then that I was sure that it was true so I held my hands up and he stopped.

"Let me stop you right there." I said. "I don't want to hear anything you have to say."

"Let me explain." He demanded with a frown.

"You lost the right to explain the minute you decided to lie to me." I said in a choked voice.

He didn't deny it. So it was true.

Gabriel tried to kill me.

And probably still wanted to.

I suddenly couldn't breathe.

Why was the Gabriel spinning?

He was also becoming taller or was I becoming shorter?

"Whoa!" Strong steady hands gripped my back and one of my arms.

His face was blurry but he was still the handsome devil.

My feet were off the ground and we were moving.

Cold duvet made contact with my back. I drifted a little bit as I tried desperately to hang on to consciousness.

It worked. I was slowly resurfacing and I could see Gabriel's concerned face hovering over me. He was saying something. My name? I furrowed my brows trying to focus enough to hear him.

He reached over and brushed my hair off my face and cupped my pale cheek. His hand felt good. Tears gathered in my eyes. Why was he pretending to be nice to me? Why was he making me want him?

"Hey." He whispered softly catching a tear drop from the corner of my eye with the tip of his thumb. "Don't cry." He whispered.

That just brought on a fresh wave of tears . "Why are you pretending?" I asked in a hoarse whisper.

"Pretending?"

"Pretending to care about me?" My tears were now flowing steadily down the side of my face into my pillow.

"I do care about you. More than you know. The thought that something might have happened to you at Eastlea, I..." he trailed off.

I could feel the sincerity in his voice. I wanted to pull his face down to mine and kiss him. But he hurt me in an unimaginable way. I never thought I'd fall for the guy who tried to kill me.

"I find it so hard to believe you when you lied to me. And I don't know if you still..." his finger covered my lips.

"Don't say it." He said his eyes darkening. "I was young and stupid. And I believed the stupid legends. My grandfather was a paranoid seer and he... manipulated me into believing you would bring about my downfall.

You see, he was older than Shelly so when she came and changed the long standing rule that female Guardians should die, the elders were not happy. So I got caught in their battle to retain power and he tried to get me to get you killed."

"So you approached the hunters." I put in for him.

"Yes. I asked them to take care of the 'problem'. And they tricked me. While I waited for their decision, they 'killed' Shelly and of course they tried to kill me. I'm not very proud of this moment of my life but it wasn't my lowest point. My lowest point was when i realised Shelly was gone and it was my fault.

Fabio took me in and nurtured me and taught me to deal with this. He's the only other person who knows about this." He paused looking me square the eye. "When news surfaced that she was alive I knew I had to make this right, so I searched and searched and found nothing so I knew I couldn't do it alone. I needed the other piece of the puzzle: you. So I came to get you."

I sighed. "So why didn't you tell me?"

"I couldn't. You would have run the opposite direction." His eyes got sad for a moment.

"I still would have preferred to hear it from you because it's...scary thinking someone you've trusted could so easily hurt you." I said keeping my eyes his. "Physically I mean." I added quickly.

"Santana." He put both his hands at either side of my face. "I would never hurt you. I..." words failed him.

I had never seen this side of Gabriel before. A side that was tender, allowed emotion to show and a side that was so sincere, words failed him. I had no experience dealing with this Gabriel. Oh but he made my heart feel things. He was tugging at my heart string in a way he hadn't tugged since I got here.

...but he was still the man who tried to kill me.

"Gabriel..." I whispered.

"Wait. I need to to say this, Santana." He sighed and ran his hands over his hair. When he fixed his eyes on me next they where frustrated and...i don't know... scared?

"I'm sorry for my foolishness in my youth and I'm even more sorry I didn't tell you. You deserved to know the truth."

Once again tears gathered in my eyes. Could I forgive him and go back to that place of trust again? Was he really really sincere or was this another act? Should I let him worm his way into my heart only to be hurt again? Hurt in a way he only knew how.

How did this happen? How did I get to this place where Gabriel was like a huge chunk of my heart? How the hell did I let this happen? When I met him he had all the makings of a heartbreaker so how did I let him in?

I tried to sit up and Gabriel helped me up.

"I don't know what to think, Gabriel. Right now I think I just want to get my grandmother and take it from there." I whispered trying to fight away the tears.

His eyes got even sadder. "After we do that are you going to leave?"

I hadn't thought of that yet. "I don't know."

Taking his eyes of mine he nodded. "I understand. Maybe I can give you a reason to stay?"

I frowned. "What?"

He leaned in closer to me as he cupped my cheek in his large hand. He came closer still and just for a tantalizing split second he paused just inches from my lips as if waiting for me to pull away.

I didn't.

He closed the distance and his lips were on mine. I melted against him immediately and he was kissing me like he was drinking from water after a year in the desert. Like a desperate man and I was kissing him back like a desperate woman. When his tongue dove into my mouth I groaned, grabbed fistfuls of his shirt and pulled him closer. It hardly seemed close enough. Clearly the feeling was mutual because he snaked his arm around my waist and pulled me closer.

If this wasn't heaven, this was as close as I needed to be.

When he pulled away, we were both super breathless. His eyes were darker than usual when he gazed into my eyes, his arms still around me and mine on his chest.

My mind could barely form a coherent thought. All my mind could think to say was: "Gabriel..."

"You are ridiculously beautiful, Santana. I hope you stay." He whispered his thumb drawing tantalizing circles on my back.

We remained like that for a few more seconds just studying each other then he suddenly released me and left my room.

A reason to stay indeed!