Angry

Claire knew something was wrong the second he walked into her apartment. He had knocked politely but he wasn't smirking confidently as she opened the door, just moving past her and sitting on her couch in a slumped position. Normally he'd be all over her for his first kiss of the day but when she sat next to him he just slumped over against her and buried his head between her neck and her shoulder.

"Okay," she started after ten minutes of silence. "What's wrong?"

"I'm pissed at the moment," he said quietly.

"Why? Did something happen?" she asked smoothing some of his hair back, he was letting it grow out a little and the front got in his eyes now.

"Let me count the ways," he quietly joked. "I saw your dad today again."

"Oh no, did he try shooting you?" she asked.

"It's not the attempted killing that pisses me off. It's the consistency of them; he must have a fucking GPS on me or something because he knows where I am and if I'm within ten miles of you at the time. I was coming out of a watch shop in New York and he's on the roof across from me with a sniper rifle equipped with a silencer. He has a freaking list Claire, with possible spots to try and random picks that he's checking off slowly. Did you know he shot me twice while I was coming home last week from Peter's? Please, if he doesn't stop this soon I'm going to tie him up and leave him in a padded room with Barney singing I love you all day long till he goes crazy," he said groaning against her shoulder as time went on.

Claire sighed, she had tried talking to her dad but he just kept saying she was his little girl and he wouldn't have her consorting with a monster. She'd tried having her mom intervene and even talked to Lauren about restraining her father but both of them assured her the only person that would convince her father that she wasn't making a mistake was her.

"I'll think of something, just hide out, have Micah check you out for bugs and your apartment. My dad's not that tech savvy but ask him to hack into his computer as well and see what's up, he doesn't have superpowers Gabriel, he's just an old man worried about his daughter. He just handles the problem with manipulation and guns most of the time," she said running her hand through his hair before pecking him on lips once. "Cheer up, just know that one day he won't be able to deny this, even if he's senile."

"You won't get mad at me if I deck him next time he shots me?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes I will get mad, have more control than that. Just freeze time and steal his gun next time, even with the black market and all his back up stores it will take him time to get another one," she said reasonably. "Now get up and make me dinner, I cooked for you yesterday.

"Alright," he grumbled getting up and stretching. "You know I love you right?"

"Yes, but if you think of doing what I think your doing I'll track you down and kick your sorry behind for leaving me. Forcing a separation till he's gone will only make me mad at you."

"Yes dear, what do you want me to cook tonight?" he asked finally smiling.

"Puttanesca and go easy on those chili flakes, it was hot last time," she said pulling her backpack toward her so she could pull out a piece of paper and a pen.

In forty minutes her apartment was smelling delicious and she had a list of her father's characteristics. Good characteristics; loving (when he wanted to be), loyal (to his family and friends), intelligent, diligent in protecting family and friends, and controlled (most of the time). Bad characteristics; Grudge holding, good aim, liar (I know he's hiding something still!), focused, angry (at the moment), and controlling (he couldn't make her give up Gabriel!).

"I think you missed delusional because he believes that once I die some nice young man who's perfectly good will come along and sweep you off your feet from me," he said peeking over the back of the sofa to her list. She stopped a laugh from bursting forth but that gave her an idea.

"You have the ability to make things beside yourself invisible right?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said leaning his chin on his fist to look at her askew. "What's happening in that cheerleader mind of yours?"

"I have a plan."

Two days later Gabriel sighed as he left his apartment building at a slow pace with his hands stuffed in his pockets as he scowled. He sensed Bennet not too far behind in a car, just waiting for his chance. He veered off into an alley and waited at the dead end silently. Soon enough Bennet was there with a nine millimeter aimed at his hip region. Before he said a word or either of them made a move the gun was yanked out of his hand.

"What the f-," Noah started when Claire was suddenly standing next to him looking pissed. If anything Noah paled a little at the sight of Claire holding the gun loosely in her hand.

"I never thought you could be this stubborn Dad," she said shaking her head with a disappointed look on her face. "I told you I love him and your first reaction is to find your sniper rifle? What were your thinking? That I'd move on if you managed to kill him? I won't, he's the only man on Earth I want to spend eternity with and your trying to kill him! Are you thinking of my happiness or yours?" she said clicking on the safety before throwing the gun down the alley away from him. She grabbed Gabriels hand and stood in front of her father holding him close. "I don't want to pick between you, but if you make me; I'll choose him."

"You'd choose that murderer over me!" he shouted before looking around warily if his outburst was noticed.

"Yes! And do you know what he does all day every day before he comes home to me? Or do you just follow him around when you feel that nervous tick saying 'he's wrong for her' go off?" she asked.

"I don't give a rat's ass what he does all day, he's no good for you!" he hissed.

"Well I'll tell you even though you're not interested, he's making amends. He finds the family members and loved ones of the people he's killed and begging for forgiveness. He does anything he has to too be forgiven. What have you done for the family's that you've destroyed beside your own? Make them forget they had a child or a husband or mother that's gone now, what are you doing?" she asked angrily.

"Asking for forgiveness isn't equal to the lives he's taken," he said turning red the longer the conversation went on.

"No, and you're not there when he wakes up screaming at night either when he's forced to relive it. I've made my decision, if you keep this up and don't stop trying to kill him we'll disappear. As long as it takes for you to hunt us down we'll keep running," she said squeezing Gabriel closer to herself.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Noah demanded of Gabriel.

"Would you actually listen to me? I've let her defend me because I don't believe you would ever listen to me and actually think about what I'm saying. I could hack into every news station and scream I love her all over the world in every language possible and make everyone else believe it but you still wouldn't see past that I've killed people before," Gabriel said calmly. "I'm letting her decide what happens because my solution would only make you happy and us miserable."

"What solution is that?" Noah asked.

"Leaving her, I would do that so that she still has you but she doesn't want that and it's the only thing holding me here against your hate for me," Gabriel said.

Noah looked between both of them and saw the tight hold they had on each other. They were holding hands so tight he could see the blood oozing from small cuts on Gabriel's hand as she clutched it. They looked like they were ready to face the world together for each other and damn the consequences. He closed his eyes and sighed as he felt the first crack in his wall appear at the realization that they were united against him and anyone else that didn't approve.

"Are you sure Claire-bear?" he asked. "Would you choose him above anyone else?"

"Completely," she said seeing the telltale signs of him giving in.

"You'd protect her?" he asked Gabriel.

"From everything," he said without hesitation.

"Fine then, I give in. Damit, all I want is her to be happy and if that's you then fuck it," Noah said throwing his arms up in the air in defeat. Claire let go of Gabriel to hug her dad.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Your welcome, but if he does anything-" he started.

"I'll deal with it, his ass is mine to take out if I choose," she said seriously. He nodded and looked at Gabriel before grudgingly holding out his hand to him.

"I want both of you over for dinner once a month," he said. "And notice of where your spending holidays."

"Yes sir," Gabriel said shaking his hand firmly. Noah looked at both of them once more before turning and heading back down the alley (picking up his gun on the way) and leaving both of them in the alley alone.

"Phew," she said when he was out of sight. "I need ice cream."

"A gallon of chocolate chip cookie dough for milady?" he asked. She nodded enthusiastically and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and started walking with her towards the store. "Good because I want whipped cream for desert tonight."

"On what?" she asked confusedly.

"You of course, I need a treat after that encounter," he said as she smacked his arm for saying it. Unknown to both of them Noah was watching them from his car before driving off to cancel the surveillance he installed in Gabriel's apartment.

AN: Anyone there? If you are please review and say if you want a lemon or not, I need a break in my writers' block.