I know you know who I am...

[alwaysbeenhere]

Gabe had just been talking to his father, forcing him to come to terms with Gabe's existence. That he wasn't going to go away, no matter how much therapy they had or how many times Dan wished him away

Comments

[fckingperfect]

Natalie's been walking about, sort of lonely recently, when she stumbles--literally--over some...really upset guy.

"Ow! Um, sorry! Are you okay?"

[alwaysbeenhere]

Gabe falls back onto his elbows, startled more than actually hurt. "Natalie -- Jesus Christ. You -- you can see me?" He knew about his mom and dad, but he'd never really thought about Natalie. Just that his sister was pissed off at him most of the time.

[fckingperfect]

"...Do I know you?" She tilts her head at him, confused. "How do you know my name?"

[alwaysbeenhere]

Fuck. Fucking -- fuck. There is no way this won't be awkward or painful. "It's me -- Gabe. Gabriel. I'm your brother. Is this the first time you've seen me?" It's possible that Natalie, like Dan, had simply denied that she could see him.

[fckingperfect]

"...What. What?! Oh shit. Oh, holy fucking shit. Oh my god oh my god oh my god. I'm crazy. I'm--fuck!" She screams, shaking and backing away from him. Natalie knew it all along--she would end up crazy just like her mother, and have to take all those meds and get shocked just like her. Shit. Shitshitshit.

[alwaysbeenhere]

"No -- Nat, you're not crazy." Gabe hauls himself to his feet, taking a tentative step towards her. "Seeing me doesn't make you crazy. Dad sees me, too. I'm real, I promise. You can touch me, see for yourself." He holds out his hand, trying to smile reassuringly.

[fckingperfect]

"Nonono! I don't want to! Mom is--no, Dad doesn't see you! Only Mom does!" She backs away more, hitting a wall. "Oh God, why? Why do I have to see you?!"

This is absolutely terrifying.

[alwaysbeenhere]

"Dad sees me too -- just ask him. Is he here? Can I talk to him? Is mom here?" All he wants to do right now is curl up in his mother's lap and never leave. He feels safe there, and he knows that she loves him. "Please Nat, don't freak out on me, here."

[fckingperfect]

"No, she's not! And you're not real!" She screams the last part, shaking severely. "God, what did I do to deserve this?!" She's sobbing now, hot tears streaming down her face. If only Henry were here, she thinks. He'd make everything better.

[alwaysbeenhere]

"What did you do to deserve this? I'm the one that died, Natalie. I'm the one who's lived my whole life invisible. Mom and Dad love you, they care about you. Dad spent sixteen years pretending I didn't exist. Mom was the only one who believed in me, the rest of the world put me off as a hallucination. What did I do to deserve that?"

[fckingperfect]

"No, they love you! At least Mom does. She's obsessed with you. She couldn't give two shits about me!"