Slow Dancing in the Darkness

“Are you sure that you want to do this?” Lionel posed, resting against the kitchen counter as he watched Gabriela prepare tea. He didn’t like it, the idea of Elena and Elliot in his home or speaking to Gabriela, but he knew that there was little he could do to stop it. Whether he adored the idea or not, Elliot was the reason that Gabriela had Noah and they did need to talk.

“I want to talk to him, Leo” Gabriela replied softly “He’s missed out on over a month of his son’s life and I am not OK with that. Noah needs him and I don’t want Elliot thinking that he can pick and choose when he shows up just because I have you” she explained as she placed the tea onto a tray “I may not love him, Leo, but Noah needs his papa and I want Elliot to see that” she added before she stepped back into the living room, placing the tray down on the table ahead of Elliot and Elena.

“Thanks” Elliot mused “You didn’t have to, Gabby” he added.

Gabriela shook her head. “Can we skip the pleasantries, Eli?” she murmured “I just want this over with” she added.

Elliot nodded his head. “I get that” he noted “I want to talk about the custody arrangement” he added.

“I know that” Gabriela replied.

“Then can we do it in private?” Elliot posed, his eyes glancing at Lionel who stood behind Gabriela’s seat.

“If he goes, she goes” Gabriela returned with a look towards Elena.

Elliot sighed. “Fine” he murmured “I have something to tell you. A few weeks ago, just after I found out about you and him, Elena informed me that she was carrying our baby” he revealed gently.

“And that affects me how?” Gabriela retorted, trying not to show how much the idea hurt her. She hated that they had got their happy ending, to her mind, Elena and Elliot weren’t deserving of it, but she didn’t want them to see how much it got at her. She knew it would only lead to accusations of her still having feelings for Elliot, something she knew she didn’t.

Elliot shook his head. “It doesn’t” he mused “But the fact that I am marrying Elena does. I know you said when we got divorced that you didn’t want her near Noah…”

“No” Gabriela murmured.

“Ela” Elliot noted “He lives with Lionel and I don’t see how you can have one rule for him and another for the woman I am going to marry” he protested.

“Because he’s not a lying bitch” Gabriela muttered before she pushed herself out of her seat, leaving the room.

“Ela” Elliot quipped as he tried to follow her, but Lionel was quicker, placing his hand against Elliot’s chest.

“I’ll talk to her” the argentine quipped.

“Lionel…”

“She’s upset” Lionel interrupted “But I think I can talk her around” he added.

“You’d do that?” Elliot posed, slightly dubious.

“You have a point” Lionel noted “And as much as I hate the way you use your son and the way you treat Gabriela, Noah needs you and I am not going to be so petty as to stop you from seeing him. I might not like the way that you treat Noah, but you’re still his father and I have little intention of stopping you being that. I’d hate it if that happened to me” he insisted before he stepped away, following after Gabriela who had made her way towards their bedroom.

“Gabby?” he posed gently as he pushed the door open.

Gabriela sat up a little and sighed, pushing her hair out of her eyes. “I should have seen it coming” she muttered.

Lionel shrugged and stepped towards her, sitting next to her.

“I figured that he would end up with her somehow. It’s what Elena’s always wanted” she rambled.

“Gabriela, it’s OK not to be OK about this” Lionel murmured gently “I know I hated it when Antonella started seeing Joseph, but now look at them. They’ve got a new baby and I know Thiago loves it there with them. It worked out for the best, she got to be happy and I got to be with you” he smiled gently.

Gabriela nodded. “I get that, I do, but I hate it, Leo” she murmured.

“You still love him” Lionel noted.

“Leo…”

“You’re not in love with him” Lionel clarified softly, his hand gently squeezing hers “But you’ll never be OK with the idea of him moving on with his life. I get it, Gabby, I know the feeling” he insisted.

Gabriela sighed. “I hate that he gets to be happy after the stunts he pulled on me” she murmured “And I hate the idea of that woman spending time with my baby boy” she added.

“But you know that he has a point” Lionel argued gently “Noah does spend a lot of time with me and you know that you have to afford the same courtesy to him and Elena because otherwise you look like a petty witch who can’t get over her ex-husband” he explained.

Gabriela nodded. “You’re right” she mused.

“It will suck for a while, Gabby” he murmured, placing a kiss on the back of her hand “But it beats having Elliot drag you through the courts again” he added.

Gabriela nodded her head softly and turned to face him, offering him a tentative smile. “You’re amazing, you know” she mused softly.

“I want the best for you and for Noah” Lionel replied with a small nonchalant shrug “And the best thing for Noah is his papa, something I am not” he insisted gently.

Gabriela smiled gently. “I’ll talk to Eli” she noted gently “I’ll agree that Elena can spend time with Noah” she added.

Lionel smiled and pulled her back to her feet, carefully leading her out into the living room where Elena and Elliot sat. “You want to talk?” she posed gently.

Elliot nodded his head. “I want to amend the agreement, I have the paperwork here. It says that I will take Noah on alternate weekends, Friday night to Sunday morning, and that he will be allowed to spend time with Elena and the baby brother or sister that we will give to him in 5 months’ time” he explained, pulling a pile of papers out of his briefcase.

“I want to read them over” Gabriela noted.

“I understand” Elliot replied.

Gabriela took the papers from his hand before she peeked up at him. “Congratulations” she murmured gently “Both on the engagement and the pregnancy. I hope you do a better job of it this time around” she noted politely.

Elliot nodded and placed his arm around Elena’s waist, pulling her a little closer. “I will do” he noted.

Gabriela eyed the way his arm sat around Elena’s waist, remembering for a moment how she’d always felt safe in the same embrace, before she felt Lionel’s hand squeeze hers, causing her to smile a little. She might have still had some depth of feeling for Elliot, he was the father of her son and the first man she’d ever fallen for, but what she and Lionel had was better. She loved him more than she had probably ever loved Elliot.