Robin des Bois ✓

thirty-four. Reunion

Gabe parked his car in front of the apartment complex. His eyes scanned the façade, partially hidden behind a metal framework. The building was clearly being renovated. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, exactly. Realistically, he knew Isis wouldn't be just sitting at one of the windows, waiting for him to show up.

He got out of his car, his face grim. He felt the reassuring weight of his revolver tucked underneath the waistband of his pants. He would tear down every door in the building if he needed to.

The apartments seemed vacant, all the windows bare, no curtains in sight, no plants sitting on the windowsills.

That would make his job a lot easier. He was prepared to kick down every door in the building if it meant getting to her in time. He hadn't prayed in years, but he muttered a prayer in Portuguese under his breath now, begging whatever power was above to not be too late.

He couldn't be too late.

He crossed the street and climbed the few stairs that led to the entrance, his eyes fixed on the glass door and the dingy little hall beyond. He grasped the metal handle and pulled –it was open. He got inside and shot a cursory glance at the intercom, with the list of all the apartments. There were fifty of them.

He swore quietly and tried the door that would let him into the complex –it was locked, but the lock looked rudimentary. He'd picked more complex ones with his eyes closed.

He bent down and pulled his tools out of the back pocket of his pants.

It took him all of fifteen seconds.

He slipped inside, silent as a panther, his steps making no noise on the linoleum of the hallway. Pulling his gun from his waistband, he went to the first door, marked with a 1 in plain black sharpie and pressed his ear to it –no sound came from within.

He waited for a few seconds, and then looked down at the ground. It was covered in a thick layer of dust and grime. He could see his own footsteps coming from the front door and a couple more tracks, all leading the same way –to the very back of the corridor, where a panel hung above a metal door, indicating a stairway. He made his way towards it as fast as he could.

He heard a commotion somewhere above and he froze, listening intently. Just a couple seconds later, he heard rushed footsteps coming down the stairs. He pressed his back to the adjacent wall, making sure to be out of the way and waited, barely daring to breath, his gun clenched in one hand. After another excruciating moment, someone exploded out of the door.

Isis.

The flash of coppery caramel curls was impossible to mistake. She was barefoot and dressed in nothing but a white t-shirt and she ran down the hallway as though the hounds of hell were at her heels.

He felt his heart stop. "Isis!" he called out.

She skidded to a halt, and looked at him over her shoulder, wild fear evident on her tear-streaked face. Her eyes widened when he saw him.

Throwing all caution to the wind, he went to her and wrapped her in his arms, realizing he still held his gun in one hand.

She was heaven in his arms.

~~

I collapsed into him, and a first sob tore free from me, racking my whole body.

His arms wrapped around me, holding me so tight it almost felt as though he wanted to pull me right inside of him and never let go.

My hands curled into fists as I grasped at his clothes, my breaths ragged as I cried into his chest.

He let me go all too fast.

Gabe pulled away and held me at arm's length. He appraised me from head to toe, his eyes pausing at the red lines etched into my wrists and ankles.

He then pressed a set of car keys into my hand.

"The black sedan across the street," he murmured, his hands smoothing my hair with infinite gentleness. "Get in, and don't get out, no matter what. If I'm not out in ten minutes, I want you to drive away. Help is on the way."

"It's Dominic," I managed between two sobs. "Be careful, he has a gun."

He pressed a quick kiss to my forehead and let me go, and it was as though all warmth was drained from me.

He disappeared inside the stairway and I didn't waste any time getting out of that miserable hellhole. I darted across the street, opened the doors and climbed into the passenger's side.

It was only once I locked the doors from the inside that I allowed myself to relax. I nearly melted into the cream leather seat, my legs curled up and pressed to my chest, watching the entrance of the building with baited breath.

A couple of minutes later, two more cars pulled up next to the apartment complex. I recognised Johnny by his bald head and the tattoos creeping up his neck. He had a gun in his hand, not even trying to disguise it and he leapt up the stairs to the entrance, disappearing inside.

Another guy followed soon after, but I didn't recognize him –I was fairly sure I had never seen him in my life before this moment.

The next few minutes passed in an agonizing silence, but I was glad for the absence of gunfire. It meant that Gabriel was safe.

It was the only thing that mattered.

When I saw his familiar silhouette emerging in the entrance hall, my body moved on its own, as if I wasn't even in command. I got out of the car and I rushed to him –he had an almost magnetic pull.

I jumped into his arms, my legs wrapping around his waist, and he held me tight, nearly squeezing all the air from my lungs.

We stood there for what could have been seconds, minutes or hours, my temple resting on his shoulder, my nose pressed against his neck, breathing him in.

Sobs racked through me once more, sorrowful and yet elated, grateful, blissful.

He had come for me.