Desirable Discourse Round Robin Round Two: Chapter Nine

2. "When do you have to go home?"
It was a question he had avoided until now. At first, he decided to just enjoy the time he had with her without worrying about when it would end. He
noticed she never brought it up, either. He assumed they were both on the same page in that regard; both just enjoying each others company, no
pressure, no strings. Now he wanted that to change.
He loved her. He wanted her in his life; he couldn't live without her. He wanted to raise a family with her and grow old with her. The first step was to
go home with her to Riverview, to leave Champs Les Sims. She was his home now.
He watched her fidget with the hem of her skirt as the silence dragged on between them. Here was the fear again, 'But why?' he wondered.

3. "Dawn?"
She looked up at him, her eyes pleading with him not to start this subject, but he persisted.
"When do you have to go home?"
"Soon" she gave in to his questioning, remembering her doctor wanted to see her at her 20th week for an ultrasound.
He could see she wasn't going to give him anymore details, he decided to just put it out there; continue with his plan.
"I would like to come home with you." he said simply.
Dawn's head jerked up; their eyes met.
"With me... to Riverview?"
"That is your home, is it not?"
"But this is your home."
He ignored the small pain in his heart. 'She is just surprised' he thought, though he could still see the panic in her eyes.
"I have no family here, Dawn. I want to be with you, where you are."

4. Dawn got up from the blanket and began to pace.
"Your job..."
"I hate my job Dawn, you know that."
She had to tell him now. He had backed her into a corner. It was no longer possible to go on as if they lived in this blissful bubble. This conversation
had two possible outcomes. One, he openly accepts her and the baby and they live happily ever after, or two... she didn't want to think about the other
option.

5. Gabe got up and went to her, gently turning her to him, his hands on either side of her face so that they were looking right at each other.
"I love you Dawn. I want to go home with you because for me, nowhere is home without you there.
The small, anguished sound that escaped her had him immediately on the defensive. This wasn't going the way he planned it would go. He was sure
she felt the same way he did, so why was she resisting?
"I don't think it's a surprise that I love you" he said noticing the tears beginning to form in her eyes. "Can you stand there and say you don't feel the
same?"
"I feel the same." she said.
A huge gush of relief filled him
"Then why can't you say you love me, too?"

6. "I have to tell you something," she said. She could feel the bile coming up, stinging her throat as the first of the tears streamed down her face.
"What is it?" he said, bringing her into his arms. "No matter what you say, it won't change the way I feel."
She swallowed hard and looked right into his eyes.
"I'm pregnant!" she exclaimed. For a moment she felt a huge weight lift off her chest, but it was short lived when Gabe started to laugh.
"This isn't a joke."
"I'm sorry my love but you can't be pregnant we haven't..."
She could see the second he finally understood. His hands dropped to his side. They were only standing inches from each other, but it might as well
been a mile.
"It's his?"
"Yes"

7. "How long?"
"I'm almost four months along" she said, standing there watching her happy ending float away.
"Four months" he whispered. "Why didn't you tell me? Didn't you think it was important for me to know?"
"Not at first! You were close to a stranger Gabe. I didn't know what was going to happen between us.
"What about now Dawn? Am I still a stranger?" A thought suddenly occurred to him. "Does Elliot know?"
"Yes"
He knew he was being irrational, but he was hurt and thoroughly pissed off. Now he was the one pacing and she could hear the stream of French
curses that spewed from his mouth.
"I knew you would react this way" she said, becoming immediately defensive.
"What way?" he said rounding on her. It bruised his ego that she had told Elliot but obviously didn't trust him enough to let him know. He was hurt
and angry that she waited so long to tell him, that she would even think it would matter to him in the first place. 'Does she even know me at all?'

8. "I think it is reasonable for me to be upset that my girlfriend, who I have grown to love and respect, doesn't show me the same love and respect and
keeps her pregnancy hidden from me. Maybe you should have slept with me that first day. Then you could have passed the baby off as mine!"
As soon as he said it he knew it was a mistake, but the emotions that rushed through him prevented him from taking it back. He wasn't even sure he
could.

9. Dawn's fear turned to anger. She couldn't believe he would think so little of her, that he thought she was capable of such deception.
"I was afraid you would be angry!" she shouted at him as she watched her whole world fall apart again. "I was obviously right!"
They stood in front of each other like soldiers preparing to duel; neither of them willing to give an inch
"This was a mistake" she said finally.
A new emotion swept through Gabe. "What are you talking about?"
"You and me, it was a mistake. I'll make it easy on you Gabe. I'll be the bad guy. It's over...Good Bye."

10. She started to walk away and he suddenly pulled her back by her arm.
"We can talk through his Dawn!" he exclaimed. "I shouldn’t have said – “
"You've said enough!" she cut him off running towards town.

11. "Fine! Run away Dawn! Just like you always do when things get hard."
She didn't stop and he was too upset to follow her.
"Just remember" he called out one last time, "There are some things you can't run away from."