Chapter 23: A 'Shift' In Story
A/N - Surprise chapter for today! 2.6k + words. Please donate power stones, I'm feeling weak right now. I'd hate to make Gabriel start sparkling in the sunlight. ;)
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Gabriel was sitting in his biology class. Mr. Banner, their regular teacher, was away because of illness, so they had a substitute teacher. The substitute teacher loosely defined the term 'teach' by playing a documentary on cancer research on the TV at the front of the class.
Rosalie was absentmindedly staring out the window, her thoughts an enigma to Gabriel.
Leaning over, Gabriel stared at her side profile as a warm feeling bubbled up deep within him. "What's got you so moody today, miss?" he whispered, careful not to draw attention.
Pulled out of her thoughts, Rosalie brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and smiled.
"Just wondering what the future holds for me," she said, her eyes quickly darting across Gabriel's face. Though deep within her mind, she replaced the word 'me' with 'us,' still apprehensive about burdening Gabriel with her years of loneliness. After all, he was truly 17, whereas she was much older.
Nodding in understanding, Gabriel faced the TV screen.
"Who knows? But isn't that the beauty of having a long life? You can do anything you want. We're not limited to the brief passage of time most people fear."
Listening to his words, Rosalie seemed to contemplate a deeper meaning. Their relationship had only just begun, but he didn't show apprehension at her chosen words. She knew he had reservations about being close with people, especially after she had accidentally overheard a conversation he had in secret.
"Sometimes you really sound like an old man," Rosalie laughed quietly.
"Hey, you didn't use some magic to turn some people into your parents, right?" she joked.
"Seriously, years of being around Emmett have melted your brain." Gabriel rolled his eyes at her question.
Slapping his arm, she scowled at his insult.
It had been minutes since Rosalie's joke, and both of them had spent their time idly spacing out in boredom. The substitute teacher had fallen asleep, so the class was in pandemonium, though they all kept quiet so as not to wake the teacher.
"Do you want to stay at mine tonight?" Gabriel inquired out of nowhere.
Rosalie hummed while nodding her head. "I was going to come anyway, unless you're a bastard who would ditch me after getting to second base?"
Gulping, Gabriel crossed his arms over his chest in an 'X.' "No, ma'am, I would never. I still need to get some of that inheritance money you have!" he said sarcastically.
Rosalie deadpanned at his words before huffing and turning her head to the side. Though Gabriel couldn't see her face, he knew she had an enormous smile.
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In the cafeteria, Emmett, Jasmine, Rosalie, and Gabriel took their seats. It had become the norm for them to all meet together to 'eat' lunch. Their day had been quite boring, as they couldn't sit there and watch Edward and Bella have their staring contests, or listen to the gossip from Bella's friends.
"I sort of miss them," Emmett said, his eyes scanning the tables to find any semblance of entertainment.
Watching her boyfriend act like an abandoned puppy, Jasmine squeezed his arm tighter. "You're just sad you can't make fun of anyone. Rosalie would kick your ass, and Gabriel…" Her eyes shifted towards him as he smiled back at her. "Gabriel would join you." A deep sigh escaped her lips at the trouble the two of them caused the group daily.
Faking a gasp, Gabriel leaned back. "How dare you! I only make astute observations and comment on them. Blame Emmett for corrupting me. I was an innocent boy before he ruined me!"
"Oi, fuck off! That sounds like I did something worse to you!" Emmett said as he threw a piece of lettuce at Gabriel's face. Watching it fly towards him, Gabriel opened his mouth wide and ate the piece in mid-air.
"And now he's trying to bribe my silence with food!"
His theatrics were causing some heads to turn, as some students were curious about the yelling.
Rosalie, noticing it, quickly slapped the back of Gabriel's head to silence him. "Stop it!"
Noticing the attention, Gabriel grinned while scratching the back of his head. "My bad," he said sheepishly.
'I should see Sam today. I really have no reason to help, but I am growing to like this town. The shifters don't even understand what is happening to them. I bet it's a scary time,' Gabriel thought.
He had a plan to help them, as he really didn't wish to see them deal with the uncontrollable pain of becoming a wolf.
Deciding, Gabriel turned to Rosalie. "I have something I need to do before you come around. Let's meet at mine at 6?"
Rosalie simply nodded, not questioning Gabriel. She knew that if he was going to explain, he would do it when they were together in privacy.
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The last bell of the day rang as Gabriel made his way to his car.
The bus that had taken Bella and Edward was just arriving as he entered his car. Gabriel wished to speak to Bella about how she was after the accident, but he had more pressing matters to attend to.
Quickly speeding off, he followed his memories of the road he had traveled, taking him 20 minutes to arrive at the boundaries of the Rez. Taking a left turn, he followed the road for an additional 5 minutes before arriving at La Push once again.
'Sam and Paul told me they spend most of their time around here. Hopefully, I can find them.' Exiting the car, Gabriel made his way down the sand.
He had switched his pants to board shorts, while still wearing the hooded jumper he wore to school. Looking around, he was unsure which direction to go, so he hastened back to the last place they had met.
The cold ocean air licked his skin as he walked in silence. The sound of waves crashing nearby brought a sense of peace he didn't quite understand, but reveled in.
Lost in his thoughts, Gabriel couldn't help but feel nervous about what he was about to do. Not that revealing the power scared him. No, he was more worried about revealing himself to someone apart from the Cullens.
But he knew it was only a matter of time before others found out. It appeared most of the supernatural in this town couldn't hold secrets for the life of them.
Pulled from his musings, Gabriel heard the distinct laughter of the two boys. Raising his head, he peered further ahead, seeing Sam and Paul throwing rocks into the ocean. It seemed it was a contest to see who could throw further.
Softly jogging towards the duo, Gabriel shouted out, "Hey guys!" as he neared them. Turning their heads, both boys laughed out before waving back.
"Gabe! We didn't think we'd see you for a while," Sam said.
"I was bored after class, so I came to get some fresh air. If I'm being honest, ocean wind always relaxes me." He smiled as he stood near the duo.
It had only been a week since he had seen them, but the distinct changes of the shifters were apparent to him. Both had gained more muscle, leaning out even more. That childlike look they held was slowly disappearing as their facial shapes changed slightly.
"Didn't know steroid use was a pastime, boys," Gabriel snickered as he looked at them.
Sam and Paul paused momentarily as they looked at one another, an unmistakable glint passing through their eyes as they held some type of mental conversation. Watching them, Gabriel took a seat on the cold and damp sand before patting it.
"Come, sit down. I wanted to have a chat, if you're okay with that?"
They were 'friends' in a way. Boys bonded over the most mundane things, like cliff diving, after a random meeting. But he still wanted to err on the side of caution with touchy subjects, especially since they had really only spoken for a couple of hours.
"Sure," Sam said, pulling Paul along with him as the duo sat down facing Gabriel. "What's up?"
Thinking about how to phrase the question, Gabriel looked out at the ocean. The tension in his chest was bursting at the seams as he quickly ripped the bandaid off.
"Have you two shifted yet?"
Sam's and Paul's mouths gaped at the words Gabriel uttered. Their bodies shook slightly, confusion clear at his question. It had only been a couple of days since Sam had shifted, Paul following closely after.
The duo were still unsure of the changes happening to themselves, but at least they had one another to rely on. Now hearing the question from Gabriel threw them through a loop.
"Shifted? What do you mean?" Sam asked, his voice tinged with caution.
Sighing, Gabriel stared at the two. "I get it. Hiding it from an outsider, especially when you don't understand what's going on." His voice was gentle, as he hoped to convey some type of trust between them.
"I understand what's happening, to an extent. Losing control of your emotions, then BAM, you're somehow something impossible to comprehend."
Gabriel paused, allowing the two boys to absorb the words he was saying. Their eyes shook with each of his sentences. He understood them? What did he mean? Had he seen something like this before, or, in the worst case, was he here to stop them?
Sensing their emotions turning, Gabriel raised his hand quickly. "Don't overthink it, guys. I come in peace, and maybe I could even help." A gentle smile spread across his face.
Paul was the first to come out of his stupor, his face laced with anxiety. "W-what's going on with us, man?"
"Paul!" Sam shouted out, their secret being revealed so easily, shocking him.
"What? We can barely sleep! We isolate ourselves from our friends because we fear hurting them, Sam! I can't keep doing this. I'm scared of myself." His voice shaking as tears welled up in his eyes.
They had been living in their own personal hell for almost a week now.
Seeing his friend's reaction, Sam could do nothing but slump his shoulders in defeat. Paul was right; they were scared of the changes.
At first, the freeing feeling of being able to run at supernatural speeds, strength that could move boulders, the telepathic talking—all seemed amazing. But they soon realized it all came with a price, a price they couldn't control.
Nodding, Gabriel recognized Sam's resignation as he just stared at Gabriel in a defeated way. "I can understand you… to an extent."
Gabriel raised his arm, peering at it, before moving it forward. It slowly shifted; tufts of hair sprouted from his arm, as the muscles inside developed to a higher degree. His fingers elongated as his nails extended into sharp claws.
Sam and Paul watched in fascination; this wasn't how they shifted, but seeing it happen at such a slow speed bewildered them. Gabriel flexed his fingers, each one glittering in the sunlight as it reflected off his sharp claws.
"You see? Similar." Gabriel smiled at the duo, before his hand shifted back to its original look. "Though you guys differ from me, I can do the same thing."
"I came to you today to let you know I can help you control that side of you. The one that shifts when your anger spikes. I know you can't trust me; let's be real, I'm still a stranger." He paused, looking into their eyes. "But I don't want to see you harm someone you care about."
Gabriel's eyes lingered on Sam for a moment longer, though the boy didn't realize.
They sat in silence, Gabriel looking out towards the water once more as he waited for the boys to decide. He knew they were currently engaged in conversation, their eyes betraying them as each conveyed some movement within their gaze, their voices almost inaudible.
He smiled at the two; they weren't bad guys, just lost.
The wait was brief. Sam stood up and walked over to Gabriel. He extended his hand, his eyes showing confidence. "If you can help us, we'd be stupid to say no. Though I'm worried about what's going to happen... it's better than living in fear." Grasping his hand, Sam hoisted Gabriel up as they shared a quick hug.
"Glad you made the right choice." Stepping back, Gabriel dusted off the sand on his clothes. "What I'm about to do may seem weird, and you might see something confusing, but it's for your own good."
Sam simply nodded as he waited for Gabriel to make his next move.
Closing his eyes, Gabriel took a deep breath, willing his mind to calm down before he abruptly opened his eyes once more. Sam was startled as Gabriel's eyes shifted from their honey color to a dark crimson. Before he could move, Gabriel extended his hand and placed it atop Sam's head.
Gabriel peered deep into Sam's mind, avoiding anything to do with memories.
He maneuvered his way through Sam's emotions until he felt a slight tug, akin to a fishing line being pulled. As he followed the line, he perceived it shifting colors from simple transparency to a deep red. Focusing on that emotion, he followed it to the root, where he found himself in front of a seething fire of red, a deep and primal hatred that was foreign to him.
Willing his powers, Gabriel essentially placed a mental switch on the line. He didn't wish to take the heightened anger that Sam had away, but gave him the option to mentally command himself to switch if he chose to.
Pulling his mind out of Sam's deep psyche, Gabriel blinked his eyes as he removed his hand from Sam's head.
"Done."
"What do you mean done? It hasn't even been a second," Sam inquired, turning his head slightly in confusion.
Instead of speaking, Gabriel did the next best thing, in his opinion.
He slapped Sam across the face, not gently, but hard enough to spin him in his standing position. Sam, feeling the painful force behind the slap, grunted in pain and anger. His body began shivering as he felt the hatred he feared boiling over.
He looked at Gabriel with such anger, confused why he had hit him. He braced himself for the incoming pain of shifting. Unfortunately, or fortunately, nothing happened. He stood there in silence as the anger subsided.
Looking at his hands, he realized he hadn't shifted.
"How?!" Sam yelled out.
"Simple. You can now control your shift when you're angry." Gabriel smiled before placing his hand on Sam's shoulder. "Also, sorry for the slap. But it was easier to show you." A shit-eating grin spread across his face as he said the words.
Quickly stepping back, Gabriel explained the situation to Sam and Paul about their freedom to switch when their anger spiked.
A look of sheer relief spread across their faces, their terrifying thoughts about their powers like a distant memory.
Gabriel then placed the same switch within Paul, the boy letting out a sigh of relief once he knew he was safe.
Clapping his hands, Gabriel hugged the duo before stepping back. "Well, my job here is done. Take my phone number. If something happens, or someone else gets into the same situation as you, call me."
The boys each took Gabriel's number, smiling at him with happiness and respect. He was now a brother to them, having helped them in their time of need.
"Alright boys, have a good afternoon. I have someone waiting for me at home." At those words, Gabriel turned back around, leaving for his car, as he heard the two boys shout out their thanks once again.
'This is nice,' he thought.
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