Fading Away [A Next to Normal fanfic]

Chapter 3: Didn't I See This Movie?

Didn't I see this movie, and didn't I cry? Didn't I cry?

Jasper High School, Rose POV, The autumn morning of September 9th, 2009, 10:07 A.M.

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"Rose?"

"It's going to be okay...."

"How can you say that! I'm dead!"

I cry out as I look into his eyes, tears falling down my cheeks. He seemed to understand,

How could he understand-

Wait..

It couldn't be..

Is it him?

"Gabriel.....you're their son....the one that died sixteen years ago... the one who died on my birthday. " I gasp out.  He nodded and I sighed, Okay, he might understand what I'm going through.

Oh, right. I didn't tell you. My mom gave birth to me on the day that Gabe died, the minute after they pronounced him dead actually. That's why his family liked mine and how we we're so close. Of course, I heard about him but I didn't know that Gabe was the Gabe in front of me. My mother was best friends with his mom and when they found out that I was a girl, they started planning our wedding. I wasn't born and when I was born, he was gone. So, its safe to say all plans were cancelled.

When Gabe died, his mother began her spiral into depression, but then they had Natalie but of course Diana was still depressed and Dan, her husband, tried everything to get her better. Still is actually. So when I first met Gabe..I should have noticed in more detail that he said he was with his mother, "Diana".

"She can see you?" I asked softly, he nodded and bent down to my level, brushing his thumbs across my cheeks to dry my tears, "She can see me, only one who can. They think she's crazy." I blushed at his touch and sniffled, "So you grew up beside her to help her?" He nodded and I smiled slightly, "That was nice..to let her see you grow up.." he smiled "Glad you think so..they can't see me and I wish I could tell them that I'm not some hallucination or that she's crazy." I nodded understanding.

"So you watched over your family..", "Still do..and you...well I guess I'm still watching over you." With a raised eyebrow, I looked at him curiously, "What do you mean, Gabriel?", "Just Gabe, Rose," he smiled "I'm kind of your guardian angel." What? Hold on mom, that wedding might happen after all. "What?", "You we're born a minute after I died, I was told to be the guardian angel of a soul closest to mine.. that was you."

Okay, hold on

So Gabriel is my guardian angel.

I'm dead.

Diana's not crazy

and this day gets more and more complicated.

Great, you following along to this?

"Remember your imaginary friend when you we're little Rosie?", My eyes widen, "His name was Gabe." He nodded, "You didn't have an 'imaginary' friend..you had me. That's how they came up with my nickname because you had an 'imaginary' friend name Gabe.", "Then how come you vanished like every other imaginary friend?" I asked, he frowned, "Your parents sat you down and told you that I wasn't real and then you slowly began to forget about me so you couldn't see me anymore, but I was still there. I remember the day you couldn't see me again, I was a young like you were and I was upset for a bit, wondering where did Rosie go and if we we're going to play ring around the Rosie" He chuckled. "I remember you said that we we're going to play ring around the rosie and then get married." I blushed and giggled, "Well our mothers' certainly thought so." He nodded.

"Do you want to go back in?" He asked softly and I sighed, "I don't know.." he nodded, "Come with me.." he held out his hand and I took it shyly, feeling the not so strange feeling of being safe again. He knew me, he obviously wouldn't hurt me. He helped me out of my seat and lead me down the halls. For a strange reason I felt like a giddy schoolgirl on her first date again and feeling his hand in mine brought back the thought of how easily our hands fit together.

He led me out the back of the school and down the street a bit to the park. "I remember this place very well.." he said softly and I nodded. He led us over to the swings and sat down and pointed to the swing next to him. "So, what are we doing here, Gabe?" I said as I sat down. "Well..I knew you didn't know if you wanted too go back into to see everyone...you know..upset and everything.", "Well funerals are a sad thing to some and a great thing to others..what I mean is that they think its a joyous occasion..rather than sad." I blushed and he chuckled, "I knew what you meant."

We swung on the swings for a moment, "Hey, Rosie..thank you.", I looked at him confused, "For what?", "Being best friends with Nat..she needed you." I nodded, "Of course." he smiled softly. "Hey Rosie..?" I smiled "Yes, Gabe..?"

"Bet I can swing higher!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Oh it's on!"

"Bring it, ghost boy!"

"Whatever, ghost girl!"