In times of need.... (Sweetlysable x Sweets.)

[Sweets]

Leah sat down on her couch, staring at the piles of bills on her coffee table. There were things that she could live without. Cable, cell phone, internet--but heating? Water? Electric? She sighed. There was nothing she could do. No one hires you when you are pregnant. Plus even if someone did it wasn't like she had any means to get to work.

She hadn't even seen a doctor yet.

She guessed she was about four, possibly five months along. Her baby bump wasn't exactly large though it was pronounced on her skinny frame. Her breasts were swollen as well, growing more sore every day. Even if she wore baggy clothes it wasn't like she could hide it. She was officially past the point of being able to hide.

But she couldn't run either with a bank account of -$600.

She wrapped a blanket around herself, placing a hand on her bump.

"It will be okay. We'll get through this with or without your daddy. We don't need him."

And as the bruises on her arms could attest, Justin wouldn't have made a very good father anyway. She rubbed her belly wondering what she should eat (not that there was much food in the kitchen beyond ramen and pickles) trying to forget about the fact of her impending eviction. It had been nearly three months since Justin paid the rent, and should he decide to talk to the landlord he would easily be able to evict her simply by virtue of not being anywhere on the lease.

"It'll be okay," She whispered, partially to her belly, "We'll...we'll get through this."

 

[sweetlysable]

Gabriel sighed, he hated having to throw people out. Everyone always promises to keep up rent then there is always those ones who tests his patients. He had given the young couple three months to pay their back rent but their time was officially up. The couple had come to him and he was reluctant to allow them to stay anyway, he should always trust his instincts.

Walking down the long apartment walk way he noticed the car was no where to be seen. "Damn it they better be here." He cussed his anger was starting to boil over. They probably skipped out and trashed the apartment to leave him to clean it. Gabriel was surprised to hear soft.. almost scared murmurings coming from inside, his fist knocked on the door his anger dissipating and being replaced by curiosity. He stood and waited wearing dark wash jeans, a black leather sweater and rich looking leather shoes.

 

[Sweets]

Leah's heart dropped. There was no way that could be good news. She sat up, with some difficulty, and straightened her clothes best she could. If there was one thing she was proud of it was the fact that she kept everything from her body, to her clothes, to her home, as orderly as possible even if she was freaking out on the inside. "One moment please" she called to the door, fingers frantically running through her hair.

It'll be okay...maybe it's just someone looking for Justin. That's probably it.

Answering the door she felt the color drain from her and she grew so nervous her hands were shaky. Gabriel was likely the kindest landlord she had ever met, let alone rented from, and it was incredibly unfair that she was in a position where she was the asshole. She wondered numbly if he would be kind enough to at least let her pack some of her things before he demanded she leave. Granted, with how upset his eyes looked at that first moment it might border on unreasonable to expect that.

"H-hello," she offered meekly, going from nervous to ashamed. "I uhh..." she wondered if it was worth a lie. She could tell him that she would pay him back, she could promise it up and down but the truth of the matter was that there was no way she could pay him anytime soon. With Justin gone, and no job, her options were seriously limited.

 

[sweetlysable]

Gabriel looked at the woman as she opened the door, she had always been gorgeous but now she seemed to have... carried a glow. But no matter how glowy she was Leah couldn't hide the desperation on her face. "Hello Leah where is Justin?" He asked idly ah ha that's why she is glowing, his eyes glided over her noticeable baby belly. The reason the car wasn't parked outside.. it was because he had left her, in her time of need.

Oh hell. His compassion was rising inside of him and he took in the details of the apartment, it was bare and there was a stack of papers on the coffee table that looked oddly like bills. What could he do? He couldn't let her live here rent free that wouldn't be plausible, besides she needed other things, she needed food and baby things.

"He isn't here is he? He hasn't been here." Gabriel looked her in the eyes "You know you can't stay here don't you? Do you have any place to go? No you would have went." He was just playing a question game with himself, he knew all the answers.

A sudden realization came to him as he searched her nervous blue eyes for an idea of what he could do with her.

 

[Sweets]

"I... He..." She trailed off trying to figure out what to say. She bit her lip moving behind the door slightly as a gust of wind washed over them giving her a slight chill. "Would...you like to come inside? To talk?" She offered. It seemed strange, but talking out here like this, in full view of everyone just was so embarrassing. She moved aside to give him room to come inside if he wanted hoping that he wouldn't tell her everything she already knew. Of course she was stupid for staying with him for so long. Justin refused to wear a condom, and when she tried to go on the pill he called her a whore and nearly put her in the hospital.

Such is the way of an alcoholic.

Yet when she told him she was pregnant it was like it was surprising news. He smacked her, called her names, and left. And that was two months ago. "I...I will leave, I promise I was just hoping that maybe you would let me pack a few things first. Everything is in Justin's name be he.." she sighed biting her lip, fighting tears. "I got kicked out when I was sixteen." She admitted, finding his eyes. "I worked while I was in high school to make sure I could eat as I floated between friends. If you had any work you needed done, old apartments needing cleaned or maybe just some booking keeping--I am really good at math--I could...I could..." She didn't know what was going on with herself but she felt like she was falling apart. Tears started to run down her face and she hid behind her hands her body shaking, "I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stay here so long." She choked out, heartbroken.

 

[sweetlysable]

"Shh shh it's okay." he chanted and wrapped his arms around her protectively her baby bump pressed against him and it made everything clearer to him. "I have plenty of extra room at my home for you, I will care for you and your baby and in return you could maybe clean and cook? a fair trade. I have plenty of room." He stroked her back softly feeling horrible for helping cause her tears.

Not even waiting for an answer, because he knew there was no choice for her, he began to speak. "Come on sit down I'll get you an over night back and well move the rest of your things tomorrow. " He went into the bedroom and found a suit case and stuffed it full of things she might need unsure of what to get but he didn't want the crying woman to stress anymore.

"Let's go" Gabriel smiled encouragingly at her.

 

[Sweets]

In that hug she she felt the warmth she had pined for, for well, most of her life, and then the tears just couldn't stop. She was glad he thought ahead enough to guide her back to the sofa before he ran off to do, something. She wasn't quite sure. Her mind was racing there was no way he was just going to let her stay with him. Cooking and cleaning and that's it? That's all he wanted? She owed him so much money though and then there was Justin. What was going to happen if he came back?

Her mind was pulled from those thoughts quickly however when he came back, her suitcase in hand. She pulled herself up, albeit it a little slowly as she followed him out trying to keep her sniffling to a minimum. "Are you sure?" she asked softly not certain if she wanted to believe the miracle or not that was happening. "Most of the stuff is Justin's he uhh, wouldn't like me taking his things. I won't take up more of your room than necessary, I'll just be out of your hair as soon as possible." Words were pouring from her mouth, excuses, promises, anything to try to curb her shame and make since of the situation.

 

[sweetlysable]

He put her stuff in the trunk and closed it then opened the door for her before climbing in the other side of his car. "I am very sure. And Since it's his things I'll just bring them anyway since he owes me some money." He smirked at her trying to cheer her up as he drove the short distance to his house.

" I don't want you to be in any hurry because we both know that you can't afford health insurance on your own. I bet your bills are outrageous from going to the doctor..." Gabriel's eyes widened at her look, "You haven't been have you? We will go tomorrow." He said and turned off into a cobble stone drive way and a beautiful house sat in the center of the piece of land."

He got out and helped her out of the car and got her bag. An odd protectiveness was rising inside of him as he guided the beautiful pregnant woman into his home. "Now what should I make you to eat? I know you must be starving." Gabriel sat her bag on a glass coffee table as they entered a lavish living room, "If you would like you could relax with a bath while I cook."

 

[Sweets]

"I uhh..." It was moving so fast, she almost felt dizzy. The house was beautiful and certainly the largest and most luxurious she had ever been in. It took her a whole five seconds of just standing at the door before she was able to register what he said, and ended up just standing there slack jawed in amazement until she realized he was looking for an answer. "A-anything sounds fine. Please don't inconvenience yourself. A bath sounds...lovely," she admitted, finding herself blushing. Her arms fell over her belly protectively as she stood there in nothing but a simple green dress and some sandals. And for the first time since she found out about this pregnancy, she smiled.

She slipped of her shoes delicately, leaving them close to the door and off the carpet before she met his eyes again. "Which way is the bathroom?"

 

[sweetlysable]

He packed her bag into one of his spare rooms which was big and had furniture in it, there was a bathroom connected on to it. "You'll be in here is this okay? There is a bathroom connected to it." Gabriel pointed in the direction and set her things on the bed. "Take your time, if you are finished before I am done cooking feel free to explore." He smiled at her and left her to her privacy.

In the kitchen Gabriel started on some steak, potatoes with steamed vegetables. While he cooked he looked up things about pregnancy since he was a fish out of water. Gabriel wanted to help her in anyway he could.

 

[Sweets]

She stripped as the tub filled with water. The entire bathroom seemed to be as big as a regular sized bedroom. It was all marble tile with a colored mosaic on the floor of blue and green fish. A mirror spanned the left side wall, interrupted by only a sink and a low but long expanse of counter space. White fluffy towels hung by the bath in a silver designer rack that in it's simplicity made the whole room seem more elegant. As steam filled the room she admired her new body in the mirror before she stepped into the water. Her creamy skin was spotted playfully across her face, but everywhere else she found herself a glowing pink. Her breasts now were so much larger than what they used to be, nearing on C cup when they had once barely been a B, and in their tenderness she realize they could easily have swell even larger by the time she had her baby. Although she was petite at 5'4" she had a somewhat curvaceous body when she was eating actual food. It was strange seeing herself so large already when she had lost so much weight in her arms and legs by comparison. Without seeing herself in the mirror she couldn't even see the triangle of scarlet curls between her legs.

She got into the water after a while, enjoying the feeling of letting go even if it was just for a moment. "We might not be out of the woods yet," she murmured to her belly, rubbing the top of her bump slightly, "But I think we are on our way." She closed her eyes resting for a long while before she moved to slowly rinse her hair in the hot water, the long fiery locks turning crimson in the water. When she was finished she forced herself to get out. Drying off slowly but thoroughly. She dressed herself in the first thing she saw in her suitcase, a simple white cotton dress that fit her a little snugly.

Walking out to the kitchen she glowed radiantly and looked nearly ecstatic at the sight of all the food. "My goodness. All of this?" she questioned, moving to sit at the breakfast bar where the food was laid out.

 

[sweetlysable]

He blushed grinning at her. "Well I did a little research and it said it was bad for the baby if you have an empty stomach so I figured we would solve that." Gabriel chuckled and sat near her and ate slowly. "You look like you feel a lot better Leah, I am very glad."

Watching her eat hungrily he silently wished he would have gotten to her quicker. Tomorrow he would take her and get everything checked out and maybe even surprise her with baby shopping to award her for being so strong.

Smiling in thought he brought his drink to his mouth.

 

[Sweets]

She chuckled warmly, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks. "Well. Umm. Thank you." She mumbled before digging into the food. It was beyond delicious and in her current state it was even better. She savored every bite of her steak and only continued to speak once it was finished. "Your house is lovely, anyone else here?" She found it hard to believe that he would choose to live in such a huge empty space. Then again she knew next to nothing about him other than the fact he liked to rescue girls in a really bad situation.

"It's a big place to be alone in, I almost feel like you just invited me here for company," she joked her eyes meeting his, as she took a sip of water.

 

[sweetlysable]

He laughed softly, "No I live alone, I bought such a house in case I was to have a family." Gabriel started to clear up as they finished and washed the dishes. "I figured it would be easier to buy the house now so I wouldn't have to then, It's a little silly isn't it?" His smile widened at her comment.

"Maybe that's only half the reason." He teased and turned back to the dishes. "I'm usually in arms reach so if you need anything just ask. This is your home now too so get comfortable."

After everything was cleaned in the living room he picked up the house phone and made a call to his family doctor and scheduled an appointment.

 

[Sweets]

Thanking him once more she moved back to her room to unpack. Surprisingly he got her the vast majority of her clothing, and it was simple to put things away in the tall oak dresser and wardrobe. She left her door open, as she was not a fan of demanding privacy all the time. However it was apparent as to how much she would need. As her stomach grew bigger a large chunk of her clothing would be useless to her. She bit her lip and decided to just tough it out, perhaps he could loan her bus fare to the pregnancy center tomorrow to see if they could help her get some clothes.

When she was finished she went back out to the living room, deciding to ask some more questions about her job.
"So, uh, is there anything I should know about as I clean up here? Do you have a study or something I shouldn't go into or anything like that? What foods do you like to eat?" Considering she spent the last couple months almost entirely alone she was desperate for company and simply just wanted to get a conversation going.

 

[sweetlysable]

He smiled at her and the desperation was back in her eyes. She wanted some company. " Well we will worry about that tomorrow after your doctors appointment, it's just like a normal house just clean the areas we use like my room, your room, the living room and kitchen... and the babies room unless you would like the crib in your room, there is an empty room next to it that can be used for it."

Gabriel was afraid how much he was offering her would frighten her into leaving but truth was.. It was nice feeling protective over her, and she was a lovely woman. "want to come sit with me, you can watch the Tv I was going to read a little. " He patted the couch and gave her his 1000 watt smile. "Ask me any other questions you have."