"All right. Perhaps soon then." Arthur walked out leaving her to her work. He had lost her and he knew it. How had he managed to loose control of everything?

"Arthur? Is everything all right?" Abigail asked him as he walked out of the Library.

"Yes, yes it is my dear."

Two hours later Blayne walked out into the gardens from the Library. She needed to find something to hold onto. Why had she suddenly lost control of herself? Blayne Samantha Anberville had always been her own self-sufficient world. She had loved people but never really needed them. And now someone had appeared out of nowhere and somehow in a matter of hours, because if she was honest with herself, Blayne had to admit that she had been under Gabriella's control after that first moment that they had breathed the same air. And that realization more than anything else in her life made her tremble. Her world was dependent on another human being and she didn't want it to be.

Blayne walked in silence thinking and regretting every step she had taken ever since she had met Gabriella Matheson.

She suddenly became aware of voices and walked tentatively towards them. Blayne came upon Chaz and Gabriella sitting in a nearby bench. She couldn't exactly hear what was being said but when she saw Gabriella quickly rise and Chaz grabbing her by the arm and pulling her towards him nothing else seemed to matter. Blayne felt an unfamiliar heat fill her body and an anger that began to take over her senses.

Why should I do anything? She asked herself. This worked until she realized that Gabriella was not welcoming the attentions that Chaz seemed to be intent on giving her. When Gabriella pushed him away and he refused to release her, Blayne's resolve disappeared and her feet could not get her there fast enough.

Chaz felt the impact of her before he actually saw her coming. He landed hard on his back as Blayne grabbed Gabriella and pulled her to her so that she would not fall as well.

"Are you all right?" Blayne asked as she looked deeply into her eyes. "Did he hurt you?"

Before Gabriella could answer Chaz blurted out the inevitable. "Oh, so that's how it is isn't it? Now it's quite obvious," he said as he started getting up, dusting the dirt from his clothes.

"Shut up, Chaz!" Blayne threatened.

"Or you'll what? Throw me down again? I don't think so. This time you are the one that's going to hit the ground after I take you out, you sick fucking dyke!"

Blayne was about to strike him when Gabriella's hold on her tightened. "Don't let him goad you. Leave it be Blayne, please! Leave it be."

"Hiding behind your dyke friend?" He taunted her.

Gabriella could not hold her as Blayne threw her whole self into Chaz. They both landed on the ground. She managed to hit him hard on the face before he threw her off. Blayne landed hard on her back and for a moment the wind seemed to be knocked out of her.

"Chaz! No!" Gabriella screamed.

Chaz was suddenly above Blayne and about to hit her when his fist stopped in mid air as he heard the anger in Arthur's voice behind him.

"Don't you dare strike her!" Arthur demanded.

Chaz turned at that moment and Blayne hit him hard on the chest. "You son of a bitch!"

Arthur pulled her off Chaz and Gabriella went over to her and held her back.

"Enough!" Gabriella said to Blayne.

"Chaz, go inside. I will talk to you later." Arthur left no room for argument.

Chaz looked towards Blayne. "Sick bitch!"

"Chaz! Go!" Arthur insisted.

As Arthur watched Chaz walking away Gabriella directed her attention to Blayne.

"Are you all right? Did he hurt you?" She caressed Blayne's face softly.

Blayne pulled away from her. She hated herself for what she had just done. She had brawled like an animal over a woman! She ran her fingers through her hair as she walked over to the bench and sat down.

"Blayne?" Gabriella sat next to her and slowly tried touching her again. Blayne moved away slightly.

"Leave me alone," Blayne said softly as she closed her eyes and tried to disappear.

"Did he hurt you?" Gabriella asked again softly.

"No," Blayne finally answered as her eyes opened and turned to the woman sitting next to her. They both just looked at each other as Arthur watched the scene in front of him unfold.

Gabriella's hand again went out and this time Blayne did not stop her. Her eyes closed as Gabriella's hand caressed her face softly.

Suddenly, Blayne got up and looked down at the woman sitting on the bench. "I have to go…"

"I will walk her back." Arthur finally spoke.

Blayne looked in his direction as if suddenly remembering that he was there. She looked down then at Gabriella again. She was about to say something then seemed to think better of it.

Blayne walked away without looking back.

Gabriella watched her as she saw the distance once again growing and growing between them.

"What happened?" Arthur brought her back to the present.

Gabriella turned towards him. "Chaz…he tried to bestow affections that I didn't want. Blayne must have seen him from somewhere and stopped him. They…I thought he was going to really hurt her." Gabriella looked away.

"I will deal with Chaz, don't you worry. Are you all right?" Arthur took a few steps closer to her.

"Yes…No, I …everything seems to be…" Gabriella trailed off.

"You've had a lot of shocks lately. It's understandable. And Blayne's behavior of late hasn't helped."

"Why do you automatically assume that she is to blame for everything?" Gabriella sounded angry.

Arthur surprised her by saying. "Because she is too much like me."

"But, she's not you."

"You're right, of course. Maybe I don't want her to make the same mistakes." Arthur finally admitted.

"She said you two had talked about me. What about?" Gabriella wanted to know exactly what had been discussed and this was the perfect opportunity.

"I told her to stay away from you. Blayne…Blayne is confused right now," Arthur said vaguely.

"Confused?"

"Yes, she is experiencing feelings she shouldn't," Arthur looked at his daughter.

"What feelings?"

"To do with you" Arthur seemed embarrassed.

"Anger is understandable."

"It's not anger."

"Then what?"

"Inappropriate feelings."

"She told you this?" Gabriella stood up.

"It wasn't exactly like that."

"What was it then?"

"Gabriella, I don't think…"

"You started this. What did she say to you?" Gabriella was really angry now. She felt betrayed by Blayne and furious at the audacity of the man in front of her for interfering and making decisions about her life.

"Gabriella, this is not something that I think…"

"You started this. You seem to think you have a right to interfere in my life. You have obviously done so. I don't need you to run interference for me. I am used to looking after myself." Gabriella was furious.

"Blayne had no right to push herself on you. She clearly told me that you did not welcome her advances. She can be very insistent." Arthur tried to explain.

"How dare you assume that I can't defend myself! I have news for you, I have been defending myself without you my whole life. It's too late now, father. Now, I don't need you." Gabriella's eyes challenged him.

"I just wanted to protect you…" Arthur said softly.

"What makes you think I want protecting." Arthur's eyes quickly came up to meet his daughters. Clearly, he had misread all the signs. Gabriella was not a victim, rather it would seem she was an active participant. He had been wrong about this as well. He had naturally assumed that Blayne had been the aggressor, and to some extent maybe she had been but now looking at his daughter it was all too clear. Gabriella was the strong one here. She was more his daughter than even she knew. And Blayne… Blayne would be the one who would be hurt.

"I think it's time I went home," Gabriella suddenly said as she walked away leaving Arthur alone in the garden with yet another realization.

Arthur sat down on the bench. He seemed quite old as he sat there; an incredible sadness began to show on his face. Now he knew what would happen. He knew exactly what would happen.



* * *

Gabriella left that night. The cab pulled up to the house and her bags were placed in the trunk. She walked up to the door that the cab driver was holding open for her then suddenly stopped before getting in. She turned and met a set of eyes that held her own for a moment before she turned and entered the cab.

Arthur had stood by the front door and turned to see Blayne standing by the window that Gabriella had looked towards before getting into the cab. She had not bothered to look towards Arthur to say goodbye.



* * *

"Vivian?" Gabriella opened the door wider to allow her cousin to come in.

"Hi," Vivian said as she passed Gabriella.

"Did we have plans for today?" Gabriella asked as she closed the door and followed her cousin into the living room.

"No," she answered as she sat down.

Gabriella sat on the other end of the same sofa her cousin sat on.

"Well, it's nice to see you Viv."

"How did it go? And why didn't you tell me?" Vivian waited for an answer. "And when were you going to tell me? You've been back over 48 hours."

"How?"

"Tia Elena was besides herself."

Gabriella ran her fingers through her hair.