'What's wrong with this guy?' Winter asked herself mentally while looking up at him.

"Do you really want me to go?" Gabriel asked her again. This time, he sounded serious and was patiently waiting for her answer.

She stood up from his bed and helped him sit instead. She didn't want to keep looking at his discomfort. She knew that he didn't like using the crutches but he did it this time.

She inhaled and exhaled a couple of times before facing him. "Gabriel, that isn't a decision that I should make for you. Your life is your own. I don't own you and I won't impose anything on you."

"Do you really want me to go?"

"Oh my god! Why are you so stubborn?!" Winter stomped her feet on the floor from frustration but Gabriel didn't waver at all.

He kept looking at her with that same serious facial expression. However, he was smiling deep inside. As the seconds went by without an answer from her, he can tell that she didn't want him to go which was why he asked her again and again.

"You once told me that you don't want to see me anymore and I still keep that in mind. I know it's really annoying to see the people you hated so much and I felt guilty that you'd have to endure it because of what happened." she forced herself to smile at him. "I don't blame you for anything. You have the right to hate me. So Gabriel, I want you to go. Don't imprison yourself here, okay? I am not your obligation. What happened was due to unforeseen circumstances and it wasn't your fault."

She maybe hurting inside but she didn't want to be selfish anymore. Forcing someone to love you back won't bring you happiness. You will always worry and fear that someone would come and steal that person away. In that case, why not set them free? It won't be a big loss when someone take him away since he wasn't yours in the first place.

Gabriel looked at her, dejected and regretful. He did say a lot of hurtful words to her. He almost cause her death. That was something he couldn't deny.

"Is there really no chance for us?" Gabriel asked him directly.

"What are you talking about?"

"I know that I was being rude and mean to you when you came to find me. I know you didn't fall in the river on your own accord but because I startled you that night. I know I hurled out so many hurtful words. I am sorry for venting out on you. I was just afraid that what I feel was all one-sided. You've loved your fiancee after all and you refused to remember your past which means you didn't want to remember me either. When I decided to give up, you came and messed up my plan again. And now that I wanted to give it a second try, you decided to give up as well. It's funny to think that we'd never met in between."

"You can't be serious." Winter mumbled, watching him with wide eyes. "It's not a good joke Gabriel."

"Do you think I'm joking?"

Winter sat back on the space next to him. Her heart was racing and she felt weak on her knees. One part of her wanted to believe him and the other part was doubting him.

She had trust issues and trusting him again after all that happened was asking her to take a big leap of faith. She was afraid to do that.

"I.." she swallowed her fear and faced him head on. "I don't know if I should be happy or if I should be worried." she started with trembling voice while looking at him. "This isn't your way of taking revenge on me, right?"

"What makes you think it that way?" Gabriel didn't know where she got that idea but he knew about her insecurities. "After what happened with your previous relationship, you are afraid, aren't you?"

Winter nodded her head in silence.

"Winter, I don't want to leave you again. Perhaps it is a blessing in disguise that I lost my leg, in that way I can't run away from you. I want to give us a chance. The years that we lost, I want to make up for that. But I can only make it happen when I'm with you."

Winter's tears fell on her face as she tried to organize her thoughts. "You don't hate me?"

"No."

"You didn't mean what you say back in Pantar?"

"No."

"Then, what if I died when I left back then, what would you do?"

Human brain is the most complex existence. Our way of thinking differs and it could make the situation worse or lighten.

Winter was thinking about the time that she fell on a cliff, hanging on to her dear life. If he didn't mean what he said, then she could've lost her life for nothing. And Gabriel would live his life in guilt.

"If you died, then I will have to follow you." Gabriel answered immediately. "I became a soldier to protect you. While trying to achieve that goal, someone was already taking my place and you always hated me. I thought it would be great to let you see the places we've been to, but you always refuse it. Thus, I decided to give it one more try before I gave up." He reached out his hand and wiped her tears away.

"If I find out that this is just some kind of a joke, I will ask someone to cut off your other leg." she mumbled in symphony with her sniffs and hiccups. "I will lock you up." she hiccuped and sniffed again. "I will torture you. I will feed you off to the sharks. I tie you up in a rocket ship and send you out into space."

Amidst her series of threats, Gabriel laughed faintly at her. He knew she wouldn't do any of that because he won't give her the reason to.

"Does this mean, we are staring over?" Gabriel asked in anticipation.

"Hn. I won't let you go. If you go, don't let me see your face or even your shadow or else I will tear you apart and give you to my dogs."

"You don't even have a dog." Gabriel retorted, reaching out his arms and pulled her in a hug.

"I will buy one." Winter stubbornly insisted as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "I finally get to do this with you." she cried again. She was so happy and relieved at the same time. She never thought that this day would come. She prepared herself to part ways with him but she got a surprise gift instead.

"I'm happy. Thank you for being brave and for taking this step with me." his sincere words warmed her heart. "I know this is not easy for you and I will make sure that you won't regret your decision today."

Winter just nodded her head. She couldn't find any words to say at the moment. All she wanted to do was to bask in his warmth and let her heart settle down.