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Post by MEREDITH FELL on Mar 19, 2022 21:31:31 GMT
IMPROMPTU FAMILY REUNION (WITH GABRIEL)
Meredith saw the look on the charge nurse's face. She leaned in, a smile playing on the edges of her mouth "Don't say it!" she commanded, giving her co-worker a knowing look. "If you say it this place will get flooded with cases. We don't need that." She knew that sometimes it slipped out but she would have thought that most knew not to mention how quiet the emergency department was at the moment.
She left the nurse to contemplate the near miss and wandered closer to the vending machine. None of it looked appetizing to her. If she were smart she would come to work with sometime prepared to store in the fridge. But that required effort and an actual talent in the kitchen. So, a bag of popcorn it was. She slid in the coins, grabbed her prize and walked the halls of the hospital.
When she turned the corner, chewing on a few pieces of her supper, she was surprised to see Gabriel down at the other end of the hall. She quickly swallowed, letting the bag with the popcorn fall to her side forgotten for now. Her knew focus was on her cousin. She hadn't seen him in awhile and usually when one ran into someone inside of this building it was never good. Because she was who she was (nosy and protective of family), Meredith was quick to walk down the hall towards him.
"Gabriel!" she called, the look on her face telegraphing her concern no doubt. "Please tell me you came here just to visit me and not because you have done something that requires my professional opinion." If he was hurt, he was dealing with her of course. She wouldn't pass off her family to just any doctor. She would take care of it herself.
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GABRIEL WEST
Angel
REMIEL
Posts: 207
Age:
36
Occupation:
Owner of the Courier
Status:
It's Complicated
Partner:
Lamia
Played by:
ANGE
Last seen Mar 24, 2024 18:35:15 GMT
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Post by GABRIEL WEST on May 4, 2022 18:37:43 GMT
Stepping out of the hospital room, Gabriel shuddered. The sister had looked so hopefully when he’d walked in twenty minutes before. It was desperation, he supposed, hunching his shoulders against the invisible wave of grief that seemed to roll out of that open door behind him. That vicious bite of hope that someone was going to give her good news. The wounds were magically gonna heal, the damage done to her in the woods last night was going to just vanish. No scars, no PTSD, no memory at all of the thing that had attacked her.
Gabriel swallowed hard, ignoring the whispered werecoyote rolling up in the back of his mind. Thank you, but no thanks, Remiel. He didn’t have to mutter the words to himself to get the angel to hear them, had learned fairly rapidly that talking to the ancient being in your head out loud was a sure fire way to end up in a padded room upstairs.
A nurse at the station in front of the elevator looked up at him, friendly enough but her expression was underscored with anxiety too. ”All done?” She tipped her head towards the room and had him forcing the smile he’d turned on her a little brighter.
”For now. If there’s any change, could you call me?” He’d given the sister one of his cards, had told her to call him, night or day, if she needed anything. It wasn’t always that easy though, not when your world was laying there in a hospital bed with tubes and wires sprouting from their broken body.
It made him glad the angel hadn’t left him to come around on his own in the alleyway that night. Remiel had taken two days to hand him back over so to speak – the blackout terrifying but compared to knowing about all of this, it had been almost child’s play. Perhaps the agreement that had come after over a year of those flashes in and out had been foolish. At least now though he had some clue of what was out there, and how to try and shield people in this town from it, try being the operative word.
Gabriel stepped onto the elevator, throat tight with the nurse’s promise that she would. He lifted his hand to her, offered up another flicker of a smile. He grew steadier on the way down to the first floor, the influence of the angel in him slowly eroding the edges of his anxiety. His family had been here since the town was founded, some had to have known about what hid here and they’d muddled through. He could do the same, protect the town his family had helped to found.
By the time the doors pinged open and he was heading back through the hospital towards the ER and the parking space he’d commandeered as close to it as possible. Chances were he’d find a parking ticket on the windshield when he approached but it had been worth it to be able to tell the teenager’s story – sympathetically – on the front page of the Courier tomorrow.
Half way there his name echoed behind him. Gabriel spun immediately, brows hitching in curiosity until he caught sight of Meredith barrelling towards him. They dropped and he chuckled lightly, shaking his head at her in what he hoped was reassurance. ”Worried you’re going to be piecing me back together like a jigsaw puzzle?” he asked. Stepping in for a hug, he wiggled all ten digits at her before he gave her squeeze and a brush of a kiss on her cheek – perhaps not the wisest move given all the germs floating around in here, but undoubtedly Remiel would sort any of that out. ”All in one piece, I promise. I didn’t know you were on shift or I might’ve stopped in first. Dinnertime?” Catching sight of the back of popcorn, he shot her a disappointed look but he knew how it was, in a job like this, like his, there wasn’t always time to stop for a little more filling self-care.
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Post by MEREDITH FELL on Jun 25, 2022 23:34:42 GMT
IMPROMPTU FAMILY REUNION (WITH GABRIEL)
He looked in one piece but appearances could be deceiving (the theme of this town, when one thought about it closely enough). Meredith couldn't drop her doctor persona fully if she tried. She was always on duty, worrying when she should be relaxing. Honestly, if someone forced her to take a vacation she wouldn't know what to do with herself. She knew she should actually talk to someone about that but she took her last name seriously. The Fells had always looked out for the people of Mystic Falls since choosing to make their home here. She would continue with that tradition (even if it meant little sleep and popcorn dinners).
Thankfully, Gabriel hit her back with a joke and her shoulders relaxed into something more suitable for the conversation. "I could do --- put you back together. I would just rather not. I like you better in one piece," she told him. She couldn't quite remember when the last time she laid eyes on him was but she would take what she could get. "So if you're not here to ensure that your internal organs remain internal, than...what?" She was being nosy but she figured she would get the family pass.
Meredith then glanced down at her meager attempt at a meal and brought the bag up between them. She grabbed a few pieces of popcorn, sliding them into her mouth to chew on while she tilted the bag towards him. Sharing was caring and all that. Once she could not be accused of talking with her mouth full, Meredith simply shrugged her shoulders. "You know I can't cook. Or won't cook. I think they are the same things at this point." It was not a skill that she had truly mastered --- and while usually that would be enough to push her to correct that (because she was competitive enough to want to win at anything in front of her), there were enough take out opportunities in Mystic Falls to keep her happy. "Don't judge. It's not nice. Or if you are going to judge, next time show up with an offering to help me do better." She grinned at him, clearly kidding.
"How have you been by the way?" Just because he looked well, didn't mean that everything was okay. Or maybe it was and she just always tended to look at things in a glass half full frame of mind. "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever."
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GABRIEL WEST
Angel
REMIEL
Posts: 207
Age:
36
Occupation:
Owner of the Courier
Status:
It's Complicated
Partner:
Lamia
Played by:
ANGE
Last seen Mar 24, 2024 18:35:15 GMT
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Post by GABRIEL WEST on Jul 29, 2022 19:56:15 GMT
The knowledge that Remiel had tried to provide him in regards to the ‘wildlife’ attack out in the woods last night had to be just a patch on what Meredith knew could go on within a human body. His cousin saw people step through the doors of the hospital every day, she knew not every wound was visible on the surface, was probably sure that people didn’t come here unless they were looking for help of some sort.
Gabriel was glad to see his question wasn’t met with that emotional crumble he’d seen in the victim’s sister upstairs. Like that single joke had been a hammer swung into a wall already shot through with cracks. He had slipped through as the slim exception to what people came here seeking – not, probably preferable in Meredith’s mind, just looking to talk a cousin he hadn’t seen in a while into lunch, but to probe into another pair of broken lives. That near admission had him wincing faintly as he gave his cousin the expected greeting.
He hummed lightly, looking down at himself – whole thanks to the angel. Looking up, Gabriel shook his head. ”I’d rather you didn’t have to either. It might be the family trade, but I’d still rather avoid putting you to work.” If he hadn’t bartered with the angel to share he might not’ve been able to say the same. The head wound and seemingly resulting blackouts were what had convinced Remiel to speak up in the first place. Thankfully there had been no repeats since, at least none he had come to hear about later.
Oh, that wince was back.
Lifting a hand, Gabriel rubbed lightly at the back of his neck, the grimace working its way up towards his eyes. He wouldn’t lie, not when the truth was tragic enough that he couldn’t be blamed for trying to support the family. ”A visit to one of your patients,” he offered up tightly. ”Brought in from the woods last night. A rather … unpleasant encounter out there. Was she one of yours?” The surgery had probably been performed by a trauma surgeon and not his ER doctor cousin, but he knew exactly what his mother had been like with the people who’d passed through her ER. It didn’t matter where they ended up afterwards, they were still yours.
A long night patching people up would certainly explain Meredith’s lack of decent nutrition – not that he could talk given his usual delivery. Gabriel clucked his tongue lightly but snagged a few kernels out of the bag to chew on. ”It’s the family curse,” he said lightly, smiling around them. ”I’d have suggested I avoid judging by dragging you out for something a little more substantial somewhere, but I have a feeling the furthest I’d be able to talk you into is the cafeteria and I’m not sure mystery meat is any better than this.” That considering hum slipped out of Gabriel as he narrowed his eyes at her. Now the glove had been thrown down who would he be not to pick it up.
He slipped his fingers back into the bag to steal a little more of her makeshift lunch. Sandy brows rose as he popped it into his mouth, his shoulders slumping slightly as he tilted his head back and forth. ”Decent I suppose. It’s been busy at the newspaper, all the action going down in town makes for some late nights.” Grumbling under his breath, he nudged her upper arm with his knuckles. ”That’s what happens when being a workaholic runs in the blood. How have you been, other than hungry that is?” If this wasn’t a kick in the pants to spend a little more time focused on his family and not other people’s, Gabriel wasn’t sure what was.
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Post by MEREDITH FELL on Aug 6, 2022 23:00:11 GMT
IMPROMPTU FAMILY REUNION (WITH GABRIEL)
"Here's the thing, if it comes to that, I want you to put me to work. I would rather it be me than anyone else. No offense to the rest of the staff but I would feel much better that way..." She would have a hard time sitting out if it was family. That much was obvious to her. She knew that some would think it would make her more emotional, more liable to make a mistake but she didn't see it that way. She knew how much she loved her family so she would be hyper focused to ensure that she didn't lose one of them. She was a damn good doctor and she would be the best one under those circumstances. "But like I said, I would rather avoid it coming to that." She gave him a smile, figuring he would understand what she was trying to tell him.
When she mentioned the patient she had sent upstairs with some hope that she could be put back together, Meredith nodded her head. "Yeah, was on the floor when she came in. That...animal did a number on her." She never had a problem calling what did this an animal. She knew why they wanted her to write it on the paper; it saved many from having a chaotic reaction that might cause more harm than good but she also knew that they were what she said. Animals --- because only animals could treat a person like that. "I did what I could to stabilize her enough to make it to the OR and honestly, I have been afraid to check in with the outcome ever sense. But you're visiting her so that tells me something..." She let out a long breath, her hands falling naturally to her hips. She usually was a ball of energy, fueled by coffee and adrenaline but in moments like this she found herself remembering just how much she didn't sleep.
She managed to give him a smile. "You'd be right in your assertion. And your statement about the nutritional value of what you'd find there. Next time come with take out will you?" she teased. She could very well order take out of her own; she just never thought of it until it was too late. Or she picked it up on her way home, which meant she either ate her meals in the middle of the afternoon or the middle of the night. One of these days she and her body clock would have a long conversation and she wasn't looking forward to it.
It didn't surprise her that he had his head buried in the paper the same way she had hers buried in patient charts. They were alike in that way. "The Fell Family curse --- we don't know any speed but full speed ahead I think. But I am doing all right. I mean I don't have much of a social life because we're often short staffed --- don't even ask me the last time I thought about dating but hey, I'm alive. So that counts for something."
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GABRIEL WEST
Angel
REMIEL
Posts: 207
Age:
36
Occupation:
Owner of the Courier
Status:
It's Complicated
Partner:
Lamia
Played by:
ANGE
Last seen Mar 24, 2024 18:35:15 GMT
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Post by GABRIEL WEST on Aug 17, 2022 18:25:34 GMT
Screwing his face up at the thought of being rolled through the doors just like that girl upstairs, Gabriel made a sound of discomfort. He rubbed at his chest for a moment, imagining the feel of claws slicing through his flesh. He felt Remiel puff up within him like he was about to argue that it would happen in the first place. With an angel around all those niggling little aches and pains were a thing of the past – as long as Remiel remembered there was a soul attached to this body. It wasn’t just a flesh suit to slip on and off, the damage to it hurt. ”Ignoring the conflict of interest to save your cousin’s behind?” he asked, a thin, grim thread of humour to his voice. ”That makes two of us.” Gabriel returned her smile, knowing that under the circumstances family was always going to trump the job. The rules were good for as long as they didn’t get in the way of blood.
That was true in more ways than one for the girl upstairs. His hand moved restlessly, nails scraping sharply over the nape of his neck, dragging down over his shoulder to press against his chest again. There was no settling that hollow in his chest with touch alone. The way Meredith emphasised animal had him stilling, the taste of bile rising in the back of his throat. His parents certainly hadn’t known what was rampant in this town, despite his mother being a Fell, it had taken Remiel to fill him in. Perhaps Meredith hadn’t needed that though. ”You guys did one putting her back together,” he said tightly. She was still hanging on though, she wouldn’t have been able to do that without Meredith’s help. Gabriel tried to swallow the foul taste back. ”She’s hanging in there. Her sister’s terrified, but I’m guessing if she’s hung on this long, she has a good chance?” He reached out, his brow furrowing with concern, touching his cousin’s arm lightly in reassurance.
His own fear for the girl would have him checking his phone more than usual – and it practically lived in his hand as it was. It was a tie to a job that had practically become his entire existence outside those hours when he wasn’t in control. This town was filled with stories, most of the sort he wanted to tell. Gabriel laughed, brushing his fingers off against the hip of his jeans. ”If I’d known you were slaving away in here I would’ve done. Covering all the food groups, of course. We can’t have you wasting away in here.” Gabriel pursed his lips for a moment before he snorted. ”Is that a part of the masochistic streak you all have? Preach healthy practices and then eat everything that’s the complete opposite?” The hospital was either missing a trick there or the management of the place was cannier than he was ready to give them credit for – make people sick with the food and you had more to treat. It was a vicious and profitable cycle.
Gabriel’s thumb made its way past his lips to lick the last of the popcorn flavouring from his skin. He rubbed his fingers together as it dropped away. At the very least he had the decency to look a little chagrined. ”Indeed it does, although there’s gotta be a gradient there.” Alive sounded pretty good considering how many people were lost in this town, but the fact that it was the best that could be asked for gave him a pang in the pit of his stomach. ”What does it take to convince someone to cover for you around here? Just for an evening. We could call it the physician healing thyself with a little family dinner if it helps?” Blue eyes scanned her all the same, looking for the same signs of overwork and strain that had marked his own reflection in those months between Remiel taking up residence in him again and the angel actually coming clean about it. Dark shadows under the eyes, pale skin, those lines carved deeper than usual. All the hallmarks of someone burning the candle at both ends and right through the middle.
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Post by MEREDITH FELL on Oct 26, 2022 23:20:56 GMT
IMPROMPTU FAMILY REUNION (WITH GABRIEL)
"Hey, we're a small town. You take whatever doctor you get when you come through those doors," she pointed out with a casual shrug of her shoulders. She knew damn well it wouldn't matter who was on the floor --- if family came in, she was being involved. Try to stop her. She trusted who she was as a doctor and she wanted to be sure that in the end, she didn't lose anyone else. She had already done that enough. The Fell family, while not always close, looked out for one another in the ways they knew how. For Meredith, it was medicine.
Hanging in there. Good. Meredith would make sure that after tonight the girl upstairs would recover in leaps and bounds. She hadn't been able to give her vampire blood in the moments following her being admitted. She had been too far gone and the last thing Meredith wanted to do was unintentionally sire a vampire. Instead she had worked with the rest of the team to give her a fighting chance. If she made it through the night, Meredith would ensure that she made it through the rest of them.
She didn't say any of this aloud of course. She couldn't. Her secret to ensuring survival was just that --- a secret. She knew what she was risking every time she gave someone vampire blood but there was no way in hell she was just going to let people be ripped into without fighting back. She couldn't kill the vampires who did it but she could damn well make sure that the wounded people came back from it. Call it evening the score.
"She has a great chance," Meredith confirmed with a nod of her head. A slow smile crossed her face. "I was hopeful that when I did finally work up the nerve to check in she would still be among the living. The fact that she is? Well, I like her odds very much." She knew that she was a bit blunt in her statement but that came from years of dealing with near death experiences and the confidence she had in her own methods. The sister, Gabriel, the girl --- all of them soon wouldn't have a thing to worry about.
When she left this conversation, she would head back to her office to get what she needed. Then she would visit her patient and ensure that true healing begun. Her mood was lifted now. Score one for the good guys. "You're right, Gabriel. You have caught on to the horrible truth of being a doctor --- we rarely practice what we preach. We make terrible patients too." There was no exaggeration in the last part. They often fought tooth and nail at the idea of being in the hospital.
She was pushing herself too hard though. She knew that. She was trying to do it all (and there was some arrogance in that). "You're right. I need to tag out and let someone else take charge sooner rather than later." Her head tilted to the side. "How about we do it together? Because you look like you could use a night off as well."
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GABRIEL WEST
Angel
REMIEL
Posts: 207
Age:
36
Occupation:
Owner of the Courier
Status:
It's Complicated
Partner:
Lamia
Played by:
ANGE
Last seen Mar 24, 2024 18:35:15 GMT
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Post by GABRIEL WEST on Nov 9, 2022 19:45:17 GMT
In every career you were going to have your superstars, your middling just-here-for-the-check-ers, your absolute disasters. He’d cleared most of the latter out when he’d taken over the courier – the majority of whom had rejected the idea of a rich boy (one from the founding families, no less) taking over the newspaper. It’d been a relief to let them go, if he was being honest with himself. The thought of them being in a place like the hospital though, where – as his cousin so adroitly pointed out – you took whatever doctor was available when you came through the door, left Gabriel shuddering. It was for show, mostly, at least. He grimaced, resisting the urge to cross himself. ”Maybe I should make sure you are on duty then.” Conflict of interest or not, he’d rather have someone who had a clue what they were doing, if he was in a state the angel wouldn’t have been able to deal with. Or he was gone.
That was a frightening thought on both ends of the equation. Life with Remiel occupying his body and mind had not been easy, especially to start with, and there were still moments when he would hide away within himself when the angel took charge, but the thought of dealing with all that he now knew without the angel. That was another shudder right there. Would the girl upstairs feel the same when she woke up? Knowing what she would likely know after the attack? Perhaps. It was sobering.
He tried to give Meredith hope about the girl’s condition all the same. Gabriel was glad to see the smile filter across her face, and squeezed her arm before he let go. ”Makes me glad to hear I’m not gonna be wrong – especially since the entirety of my medical knowledge would likely fit in a paper bag.” He chuckled lightly, ruefully. The son of a doctor, from a long line of medical professionals, and he’d patently ignored all attempts to teach him something of it at least.
The load of his own speciality – selling the truth – was burden enough for him. He knew where the lines were when it came to reporting, knew exactly which ones he could dance over, and it appeared that his cousin was the same when it came to medicine. One sandy brow hitched, amusement tugging at the corners of his mouth. ”Just enough knowledge to damn yourself?” he suggested. ”Makes it all the easier to bury your head in the sand and pretend what it is isn’t what it actually is.” Or worse, was something you could try and heal yourself without involving anybody. Reminded of the angel’s approach to that, Gabriel dragged a hand through his hair, finding the line of the small scar he’d been left with after Remiel had returned his body in rather a shabby state. Back then all memory of what he’d ended up witnessing had been wiped, all the safer for him apparently.
Gabriel was sure Meredith would’ve disagreed about that, but thankfully Meredith was still very much in the dark about that side of things. His cousin had enough on her plate as it was, living on a diet of vending machine snacks and adrenalin. The moment she caved on easing up on it, Gabriel was aiming a finger at her, skewering her in place at her suggestion of taking a little time off together. He slipped a hand into his pocket, extracting the phone on which he meticulously planned his entire day – until Remiel swept in and the entire lot was thrown up in the air like a falling house of cards.
”I won’t deny that. It’s been months of incredibly long days. I can be your excuse to take a night out, and you can be mine. How about …. “ He clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. ”…next Thursday evening? I’ve got meetings all afternoon, but I’d say dinner with family would make a decent excuse to run from them at five. You’ll save me from awful dive bar with wings that’ll burn through the pit of my stomach like lava.” Meetings likely didn’t end up that way when you worked in a hospital, but in his line of work cheap bars filled with blue collar masochists were all too common an occurrence.
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Post by MEREDITH FELL on Dec 11, 2022 21:19:40 GMT
IMPROMPTU FAMILY REUNION (WITH GABRIEL)
"Or you could just give me a head's up and I will be." One of the perks of being her, a Fell and someone with a reputation of working their ass off. She could walk in when she wanted to and slip into a lab coat. She would not deny that she had used that perk a time or two, mostly to ensure that her family was okay. Which meant that would apply to him as well. "I have no life like that." It was a casual joke with a hell of a lot of truth to it. Her friends were mostly coworkers and they saw enough of one another between the four walls of this place --- and let's not even talk about her dating history (or lack there of).
"Don't sell yourself short," she advised with a small smile. "You've got great instincts. That's something." He also seemed to take things in stride, choosing to hold onto the positivity. She liked to think of herself as a realist, someone who did not go looking for the good or the bad in things. She simply saw it as it presented itself. But she had a feeling if she really pushed that particular thought any further she would find that she strayed to the negative side far more often than than not. She could try her best to explain it away as being the state of the world but she was no doubt just lying to herself.
Just like she lied to herself the moment she showed any sign of illness. She grinned at his assessment of the situation. "Bang on. But hey, I can also use my knowledge to get ahead of the game. At the first tickle in my throat, you can bet I am working through all the methods of warding off sickness that I know. If only to avoid having one of my coworkers pretend they know better than me." That was probably the crux of the whole probably when it came to doctors. Each wanted to pretend that they were the best and refused to concede to the others around them. It was a never ending pissing match.
She could see those long days on his face. She felt for him, knowing him well enough to know that he put his all into what he did. It was a family trait, she mused. If only she knew the true extent to everything that he did and just how far his body was pushed to the limit. No doubt she would have plenty to say to him on that regard but she couldn't speak to what she didn't know.
"I like our mutually agreed plan of excuses. Next Thursday sounds perfect." She knew her schedule well enough to know that she could make it work, even if it meant she switched around a shift or two. Spending time with family suddenly seemed important to her when it had been a bit of an afterthought beforehand. Maybe she was finally reaching that level of burnout when she realized that if she didn't take a step back, she would be a patient in this hospital whether she wanted to or not. She made a face at his usual plans. "Uh you don't do that to yourself do you? Really? That is like a one way street to heartburn and acid reflux. I am taking you somewhere where the food doesn't fry your taste buds on the way down."
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GABRIEL WEST
Angel
REMIEL
Posts: 207
Age:
36
Occupation:
Owner of the Courier
Status:
It's Complicated
Partner:
Lamia
Played by:
ANGE
Last seen Mar 24, 2024 18:35:15 GMT
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Post by GABRIEL WEST on Jan 8, 2023 17:53:22 GMT
Gabriel made another small disgruntled sound, not liking the way the angel seemed to perk up inside of him at the thought of another set of hands to deal with the damage that wasn’t going to happen again any time soon. ”If I can predict that far ahead that I’m in trouble, I’d hope I could get myself out of it,” he admitted, humour lacing her words. What he couldn’t predict was what Remiel would do while it was his will controlling the pair of them. The angel had been better since they had come to their agreement, but who knew when it would change, especially since that thing had appeared. ”And there,” Gabriel said lightly, leaning in an inch towards his cousin, ”lies your problem. You’re married to the job.” And that made him hypocritical. It wasn’t as though he ever willingly cut that tether, these days it was the angel that did all of that.
Back home his parents’ social schedule would have seen him out two or three nights a week. Benefits, charity galas, dinners with the extensive connections they’d both built. His siblings had revelled in what would’ve left him exhausted now, they’d always been more at home in their parents’ worlds though. Gabriel gave a groaning laugh, clutching a hand to his chest. ”If that’s as complimentary as it gets, I’ll take it. I guess I didn’t get the medical expertise gene in the mix. Or the cast iron stomach.” The sight of blood – albeit coming far more frequently these days – still left him faintly queasy. Remiel seemed far less bothered by it all, especially when it was demon blood staining the sword he’d almost used on the women. Demon the voice in his head hissed, leaving him twitching slightly. He still could not see her that way.
That tender-heartedness certainly hadn’t come from his father’s side of things. The Fells had been doctors for generations, that had to have left the caring streak in them a mile wide – although Logan might have bucked that trend a time or two. Their big issue, it seemed, was in taking care of themselves. Although, it seemed, Meredith was prepared to do it just say she could say I told you so when her self-care was questioned. Laughing, Gabriel tapped a fingertip against his temple before he aimed it at her. ”How often does it avoid the full blown thing?” he asked. ”It’s smart though. Put the fire out when it’s small and you don’t have to call in the cavalry. I’m definitely gonna have to call you when the alarm bells start to ring.” The angel seemed to bristle at that, not liking the idea that anybody else would be required. Fortunately family had come first and now that he was in town permanently, Gabriel wasn’t about to let those old connections go.
Falling back on others wasn’t a weakness, he doubted it was particularly human either. There was a leader amongst the angels gathering in Mystic Falls, someone that he knew Remiel respected. They attempted to function in the same way, even if there had been an internal battle between them all. If Remiel needed help, he’d fall back on him, just as he would his own family if need be. Gabriel imagined Meredith wouldn’t resist telling him how to take better care of himself either. This was a two way street though. Their deal would guarantee that.
Gabriel clapped his hands together, rubbing his palms like he was warming them. There, an excuse in place for both of them. A break, one that the angel was going to respect. ”I’ll put it in my diary, and if you don’t show, I’ll know where to come and drag you from. Consider yourself warned, hmm?” He grinned at her as he tugged his phone from his pocket to thumb the dinner into his calendar before something else popped up to claim the spot. Looking up from the screen, Gabe attempted to look innocent for a moment, but hummed and nodded. ”You don’t? It’s one of life’s joys to feet yourself sweat from every pore. You’re going to be missing out on an experience. So, my Mystic Falls guru, where do you suggest for your superior gastronomic experience?” In Mystic Falls there had to be limited options, most of which Meredith had already judged over the years.
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Post by MEREDITH FELL on May 6, 2023 17:32:35 GMT
IMPROMPTU FAMILY REUNION (WITH GABRIEL)
"I would hope the same but I am also a realist --- sometimes we choose to steer into the mess instead of trying to avoid it. So if you get that urge to do something stupid at least let me come and be your wing woman. I can make stupid decisions like the best of them." Just look at her predilection for taking vampire blood. It had many benefits, it saved lives (especially important when you considered those lives wouldn't even be in limbo if it weren't for vampires). But still, when considering her own longevity, it was hardly the smartest decision. She had put a bit of a target on her and one day she worried that someone was going to come to practice their aim. She would rather avoid and the best way was to stop what she was doing all together. But then people would die.
Talk about a rock and a hard place.
"You say married to the job like it is a bad thing, Gabriel. It's better than an actual marriage. I would suck at that," she pointed out. She had no idea if she would of course. No practice in that regard and no prospects on the horizon. She was basing it all on her hideous relationship track record. Having her teenage boyfriend break up with on prom night was the beginning. Since then she had done well dancing from relationship to relationship without any real substance. She was good at protecting herself from that moment again. Maybe too good considering that she would rather be run off her feet at work than spinning around the dance floor with a date. Oh well, she didn't see that changing any time soon. She was too far in to course correct now (or so she believed).
"And you got the journalist gene by the way. We only go one of two ways in this family, it seems. You're a damn good one by the way. I've read your stuff." She wasn't just blowing smoke up his ass either. He was more subtle than Logan, who when he was rooting out the stories, tended to smack the reader in the face with a shovel. She actually liked reading Gabriel's writing. "You ever think about putting that talent to use to write a book? I think you could do it." She grinned at him.
She leaned against the counter, snorting a little when he promised to come drag her from this place if she missed their dinner. "Promise me you will. Because if I am still here I deserve it. I may not be great at the whole work/personal life divide but I make time for family." She meant that too, especially since the Fell family had taken some hits over the past few years. She wanted to hold onto the ones they had left. "And we are going to the little hole in the wall place just off the square. It doesn't look like much from the outside but I swear to God they make the best pasta you have ever eaten. All from scratch. It's a hidden gem so far so if you like it, maybe give them a shout out or something."
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GABRIEL WEST
Angel
REMIEL
Posts: 207
Age:
36
Occupation:
Owner of the Courier
Status:
It's Complicated
Partner:
Lamia
Played by:
ANGE
Last seen Mar 24, 2024 18:35:15 GMT
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Post by GABRIEL WEST on May 13, 2023 20:35:29 GMT
His cousin wasn’t underplaying herself as a realist. She had their families tendencies described down to a tee. Others might decide to run from the mess, even when they were already ankle deep in it. The Fells were the other sort. They could have all the time in the world to decide whether or not to wade in to what they could see up ahead and nine times out of ten they’d hitch up their pants, grit their teeth and dive straight in because they believed there was something they could do about it. Gabriel would’ve said that Remiel was much the same, but that was a bit of a painful truth considering how many times the angel had left him confused and bearing the scars of those attempts to help before he’d revealed his presence and they’d started to work together instead of in opposing shifts.
Gabriel grimaced faintly at his cousin, as though he could pat away the suggestion that he was going to get an urge to go finding trouble. Remiel perhaps, but he’d be dragged along for the ride all the same. ”Deal,” he said on a sigh. ”If you’ll do the same. You go darting into a stupid decision, you give me a call. We can be stupid together.” And at least then he’d have a doctor on hand to patch him up if need be – it was a little difficult to have the celestial being inside of you snap his fingers and have every paper cut, every bruise that marked out where you’d stubbed your toe that morning, every skull fracture you’d just suffered, melting away.
Perhaps he’d have trusted just about any doctor to do that for him, but Meredith was more than just a random ER doctor. She was his cousin and he was aware of just how much work she’d put in since she’d qualified. It was a vocation, one that sucked up all of her spare time, the same way the newspaper had to him. His smile wasn’t smug per se, at her agreement, but it was certainly heading that way. He plastered a hand to his chest, tilting his head. ”I’d beg to differ. At the very least this marriage doesn’t come with someone waiting for you when you get home. That’s an empty bed and I’m betting empty cupboards too.” Which was probably part of the ‘sucking at it’ side of things. There wasn’t room in your head to think about those little luxuries, or how lonely it could be when the job was everything. The memory of the demon trying to seduce him had him wincing at the thought. Which was worse – nobody at all or a literal demon in your bed?
In comparison to dallying with the demon being devoted to the job didn’t seem bad at all – perhaps Meredith did have it right. She was certainly buttering him up about it now, twisting observations about the family into praise. A trace of heat rose in Gabriel’s cheeks as he gave a half bow. His chuckle was turning rueful. ”I’ll certainly take the compliment. I’m not on Logan’s level yet, but there’s still time.” He’d have to puff his ego up to at least twice its current size for that. Logan wasn’t exactly known for his modesty. Instead of blushing he’d have been peacocking around the place, probably shoving a camera in the face of the girl’s family upstairs. Gabriel’s expression shifted as Meredith suggested writing a book, looking vaguely pained. ”Fiction? Oh, God no. Maybe a tell all about Mystic Falls, nothing could possibly be wilder that that.” He laughed at the suggestion, but it wasn’t that far off the truth. The town was filled with the sort of dark secrets that would both sell and horrify.
Pulling his hands apart, Gabriel swiped a finger in a cross over his heart. ”Promise.” The date was locked into his calendar. It might raise his assistant’s brows, but as Meredith agreed, you made time for family. ”Oh, don’t worry, I’ll make sure it’s kicking and screaming out the front door of this place if it comes down to it.” She’d already sold him on the meal, but her description was ringing bells. Freyja might have spent a good chunk of the last couple of years on maternity leave, but when she had been in the office he’d heard plenty about her family. Coffee breaks and meetings peppered with talk of her kids – the eldest one had certainly made an impression with her teeth – and her husband. How they’d met on campus, their first date at an Italian restaurant in town. ”You don’t mean Di Marco’s do you? If it is I might just have an in there already. I’m sure they’d be grateful for a double page spread in the weekend edition, singing their praises. You want to book us a table there?” He probably wouldn’t even have to worry about that if he mentioned it to Freyja, but then there was a chance she’d poke her nose further into just what he was up to in his spare time.
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Post by MEREDITH FELL on Jul 4, 2023 19:31:16 GMT
IMPROMPTU FAMILY REUNION (WITH GABRIEL)
It felt good to reconnect with family. The Fells were an odd bunch, spread out based on profession and ideals. There were polarizing ends to their family tree and it was hard to navigate sometimes. She liked to think of herself as being in the middle. Understanding the realities of this town but also choosing to have an open mind about it. But even that position put her at odds with others. Meredith had long ago learned when and where to speak on such things for fear of starting another round of infighting. Things seemed to be calm enough now but it always felt like something was just below the surface, waiting to bubble up and spill over.
"Ah, you want to be in on my stupid decisions?" She chuckled. "I don't know, Gabriel. They usually involve alcohol and lack of sleep. It's a lethal combination for me. I screwed up my circadian rhythm long ago. Now I just hope for the best when I crawl in bed." She liked to think she got enough sleep but she knew she was woefully lacking overall. She just knew how to function in a state of perpetual exhaustion. It was a skill and her years of shift work had allowed her to master it. "So if you don't mind being woken at godawful o'clock, I'll keep you in mind the next time I am headed down the wrong path." She gave him a smile at that. It might do her good to have a partner in crime.
She leaned against the counter, her features relaxed. Another chuckle spilled out when he defined her marriage. "True. When I leave this place at the end of the day, I never have to worry about it missing me. Or course, it's needy though. I can't count the times it has called when I am trying to hang out with my friends. On my days off too." Meredith made a face as if she wouldn't come calling the moment she was needed.
She wasn't surprised that he immediately bulked at the idea of a novel. He seemed to deal in facts --- or the way he wrote seemed to indicate such a thing. She got that. Still, she bet he could tackle just about anything. "I would love to see your take on our history --- the good, the bad and the down right creepy. Or maybe a tourist guide: 10 Places to Avoid in Mystic Falls if You Want to Live. I would be running out for a copy of that." Even though she had a good handle on how to keep herself safe given Mystic Falls' particular happenings.
She smiled, warmed by the idea of him crossing his heart and making a promise. Now that she doubted him. It was just a nice gesture that she had demanded in jest but now was grateful for. "That is the place! Oh," she began, practically hearing her stomach growl already. "And the garlic loaf. Fresh out of the oven?" She made a chef's kiss motion. "So it's set. We'll actually spend time together as a family, while eating carbs. I'll book the table. You just show up."
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GABRIEL WEST
Angel
REMIEL
Posts: 207
Age:
36
Occupation:
Owner of the Courier
Status:
It's Complicated
Partner:
Lamia
Played by:
ANGE
Last seen Mar 24, 2024 18:35:15 GMT
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Post by GABRIEL WEST on Aug 7, 2023 21:17:26 GMT
As a kid he’d have snagged Meredith’s pinky with one of his own to shake on their little deal. It was easier when you were that young, the dares and promises never as serious as they were now – the consequences far less scary, although you didn’t know it at the time. When you had to wring a promise out of a celestial being that was using your body like a puppet on earth, it got serious and terrifying real fast. Gabriel wasn’t sure he should’ve been opening himself up to more potentially dangerous deals, but this was Meredith.
He snorted as she tried to give him an out. Gabriel shook his head, offering that pinky to her all the same. ”That just means you need someone to help even more. You don’t think I wouldn’t get out of bed in the middle of the night o swoop in and rescue my favourite cousin? Please.” He chuckled the plea out, flattening his other hand against his chest. ”You’re talking to a man who bolts out of the house in the middle of the night when a story comes up – and that’s every other day in this town. Honestly, Mere, I don’t mind. I’d rather drag you out of trouble than be the one turning up after.” There was no way on earth he was going to let family be one of those stories he published all too often about stupid decisions made in a town where they were deadly all too often.
A lot sound rolled out of him. Gabriel wished he could argue that the newspaper wasn’t the same, but that would’ve been a lie. He’d signed on for never having guaranteed free time when he’d bought the place. Some owners left the day to day working to their underlings, but that had never been him. He was first through the door most of the time, showing up at scenes in town when word got out that the sheriff’s office had found something. Leaning in slightly, Gabriel mock checked Meredith’s neck, as though he was looking for a leash. ”That sounds dysfunctional to me,” he told her with a tut. ”I’d say make room for something more, but I know neither one of us would. We’re both chained to our jobs and just have to admit that it’s sad, don’t we?” Sad, lonely and certainly depressing at times, but you weren’t a Fell if you didn’t put in your years chained to job that could practically suck the soul out of you if you weren’t careful.
The shudder that ran through him at the thought couldn’t be entirely squashed. That was practically what demons did after all. They left shells behind like broken dolls, amongst all the other bodies that were dropped here. Gabriel felt faintly sick at the thought. It felt like they were reporting on a new one every day. He made a dubious noise before he chuckled at her. ”You don’t see enough at work? You really are a sucker for punishment.” So was every teenager who went against the warnings the sheriff gave. ”You’d probably be the only one to buy it.” Everybody else would continue to bury their head in the sand until they turned up here. Thanks to the angel that was no longer an option for him.
Take the good where it was possible, don’t lose touch with the ones you loved, make the most of what you had – they were the lessons you had to live by and Gabriel planned to. If he could’ve absolutely sworn Meredith to the promise of dinner, he would’ve done so. They were going to have to take each other’s word for it. Reminded of hours spent upstairs at the girl’s bedside, and the tiny snack he’d had out of Meredith’s lunch since, Gabriel found his mouth watering at Meredith’s commentary. ”Now I’m starving,” he chided, shooting her a grin all the same. ”Sounds like a plan to me. First thing we’re getting there is the garlic loaf.” Freyja would probably have a dozen recommendations too. ”I should get back to the office … you make that booking though. I’ll get the date pencilled in and then if need be I come and break you out of this place. It was good seeing you.” Stepping close, Gabriel pulled his cousin into a hug, patting her back before he stepped back.
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Post by MEREDITH FELL on Nov 12, 2023 19:31:50 GMT
IMPROMPTU FAMILY REUNION (WITH GABRIEL)
Meredith's entire frame showed her gratitude had hearing how he would come out in aid of her. She didn't know how badly she needed hear something like that until it had been said. She knew that she had built up a hell of a reputation at being independent but there was only so much that she could take. "I appreciate you saying that --- and being my potential landing spot if things go sideways. You're a good egg, Gabriel." And she meant that in the nicest way.
He had a point about the pair of them being a sad lot that were chained to their work. She refused to give in entirely to it though. "Come on --- we both know that the town would fall to pieces without us," she joked. She wasn't crowning herself queen or anything but she knew that both she and Gabriel gave back to the town in important ways. "Also, I would not be the only one buying your book. But just in case, I would buy multiple copies and give them to all my friends. I am morbid like that." She gave him a wink.
This entire moment had been a needed one and it made her happy to know that they would be crossing paths soon enough again. "Considering the booking made," she promised as she gave him a hug in return. She pulled back and went for her clipboard, ready to file her chart and move onto the next patient. Her brief respite from the chaos of the ER was over. "See you soon!" With that they parted ways.
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