Elise Moore

Claire found Gabriel on the side of the building as he lit up a cigarette. He leaned against the wall. There was something truly ghastly about him. His words still rung in Claire's ears.

Claire walked up cautiously but hasn't said the word. Instead she leaned against the wall beside him and then slid until she was squatting beside him.

"You're picked up smoking again." Claire noted after a few moments of silence.

"I've tried not to. I keep it to when I'm struggling to cope." Gabriel explained without looking at Claire. "Don't judge me."

"I am not." Claire said honestly. "I-…" she hesitated. "I've picked up drinking." Gabriel looked at her as she looked at a blank wall ahead. "I was more drunk than sober in the last few weeks. There wasn't a day I went to work without a hangover. If you ever think that it was easy for me, know that it wasn't. I've watched every single bit of news to just see the glimpse of you. I watched the trial on the tv. I saw how you were changing. I saw it from afar and I couldn't come back and make it better. I was warned by Pierre against coming back now but I couldn't stand it. I needed to see you. I needed to do something." Claire smiled. "I think Pierre was checking up on me because he knew how close I was to ending everything. He very reluctantly let me come back for the last court hearing. He didn't like the risk. And I suppose he was right?"

"I cannot bare losing you again, Claire." Gabriel said quietly.

"I know. But I cannot leave you again."

"I suppose that it is a stalemate after all." Gabriel sneered before he drew another breath filled with nicotine and smoke. "Also, Jacque?"

"I know, right?" Claire looked at him in equal surprise. Gabriel looked at her and they started laughing.

"Fuck. That is one hell of a trip."

"I am convinced that I am lucid dreaming or I have truly lost my mind." The silence befell again as they both tried to carefully string the words to say next. "I am glad that I haven't listened to Pierre."

"Huh?"

"If you truly thought of ending your life, I'm glad I came back earlier, because now I won't let you."

"I'm glad that you came back." Gabriel slid down himself and squatted beside her, putting the cigarette out. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I am sorry."

"You know, I did my share of questionable things in the past few months."

"Oh." Claire looked at his profile.

"I was arrested and detained for trying to dig up your grave. Although, now I feel like it wasn't as insane as I was right but in retrospective, probably not the best decision I have made. I wrote a really crap eulogy and then had a meltdown in front of everyone during your funeral."

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad. I still didn't get myself to watching it."

"Watching it?" Gabriel asked in surprise.

"Pierre recorded it and brought it to me. It's kind of weird to think about it."

"You and Pierre…?" Gabriel fidgeted uncomfortably.

"Nah, he didn't want to be my rebound guy." Claire chuckled as she said it. Gabriel looked at her curiously. "I've mumbled something whilst very drunk one night. He would never use that vulnerability…"

"You've considered it?" Gabriel asked quietly.

"I didn't consider it. I was spitting out words, one after another after seeing you and Francesca, after having one of the worst drinking nights."

"I was trying to piss you off. I didn't think it would get you to want to jump into another man's arms instead."

"It didn't."

"What about Samuel?"

"Are you seriously that jealous? If so, shall I ask you about Francesca?"

Gabriel scoffed at first at a reminder of his own stupidity. Then he smiled warmly and grabbed Claire's hand.

"As I've said, I did a lot of stupid while you were away."

"As if you were much better when I was around." Claire rolled her eyes and then gently placed her head on his shoulder. "What now?"

"I do not know. I guess we should go back inside and find out what another brilliant plant Pierre has in store. I may have a go at Jacque at one point." Gabriel went silent. "As for us… I don't know."

"The contract…"

"Fuck the contract, Claire." Gabriel mumbled with annoyance. "It's just a fucking piece of paper that caused us more sorrows than good." Claire looked up at him with worry.

"I don't think it is even valid anymore. Anything associated with my old identity is gone. Claire Thompson or Claire Moore is dead."

"Who do you want to be?"

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe being Elise isn't so bad?"

"Elise Cooper?" Claire asked no one in particular.

"Elise Moore?" Gabriel suggested. "Now the contract is out of the window, we can do things right."

"And what is right?"

"Fighting your father-in-law?" Gabriel chuckled. "I guess it's taking the in-laws horror story to an extreme?" Gabriel sighed. "We can get married one day, again, if you wish? Start anew?"

"A part of me is unsure whether I should leave Claire completely behind." Claire admitted.

"Why?"

"Because Claire is who you married first. Claire is who fell madly in love with you first. Claire is what started it all. I'm not sure whether I can leave that part of me behind."

Gabriel nodded before he smiled.

"I thought about leaving my family name behind."

"I was wondering… who is going to take over Moore Pharmaceuticals?"

"I don't know. I don't think I gave it any thought."

"Even with everything that Michael Moore did, the company might remain afloat."

"But with all that was done behind its name?"

"It can still do a lot of good."

"What are you proposing?"

"Rebuild the family name from the ground. Ask Eva for help and take over the company. Give most profits to the charity and really make it something that can change the world into a better place."

"I will need a good think about it. For now, he is still out there, waiting to hurt us."

"You're at more risk than I am. He still doesn't know I am alive. Or at least he shouldn't. I haven't showed it off that much." Claire reminded Gabriel.

"I love you. And I am sorry." Gabriel placed his head on top of Claire's.