An Random Coffee Shop in Paris
Collab with
@Lexisheeps
Sitting in the coffee house near Thierry's place, Sabrina sat near the window with a cappuccino. She wore casual khaki slacks and a soft brown cashmere sweater that sat off her shoulders. Her long dark chocolate locks were twisted back into a fishtail braid with a few loose pieces to frame her face. She completed the casual attire with faux leather slip-on flats that matched her sweater.
Swirling spoon around and round in her coffee cup, Sabrina's mind wouldn't calm down. It couldn't calm down. The monotonous action of stirring the hot liquid helped. After seven years of throwing herself into her job and every possible lead to find the girls, the mother of three found herself at a standstill. She stared out the window and began to wonder how she let her life end up this way. Sabrina had every intention of solving some of history's biggest mysteries. Why did the Mayans seemingly disappear? Where was Cleopatra's true tomb? The location of Alexandria's Library of Scrolls.
Twenty years ago, Sabrina had been paired with Thierry as a part of her internship. Sure, he was only a year older than her, but he quickly rose through the ranks of the Louvre. He was the lead investigator on the dig in Panama. There were a few other interns and staff in the group besides Sabrina, but Thierry seemed to gravitate towards her. Sabrina had told Thierry jokingly that she never missed a shot when she found a gun among his things in a drunken stupor after discovering a major missing village. She remembered a man who wanted to desperately pound Thierry to a pulp for an artifact he had found on the dig in the middle of the night almost a week later after finding the village. The man had Thierry by the throat with a knife, and she saw how trusting he was of her. Sabrina took Thierry's gun, aimed, and put a bullet through the brows of the man. She remembered how much she shook after that. It was her first time shooting a person, much less killing someone. Sabrina had only shot at targets on gun ranges up until that point.
After that, Sabrina was told the truth about the Louvre, and higher-ups themselves commissioned her to become an agent after Thierry's report. Ever since then, it was high-stakes digs with Thierry or going after him when he got himself in trouble on more than one account.
Sabrina wondered if her ex had ever truly loved her as he claimed those years ago when he proposed after they returned from Peru. By that point, they had grown to know each other over those few years, and a relationship had formed, but the Louvre was funny about agents being together. So, they had hidden it for a while until Sabrina agreed to be a support agent. The one behind the computer, the one to pick him up and bandage his wounds when he returned; and the one who was truly an archaeologist aside from knowing the truth about the secret jobs of the Louvre.
Sabrina thought that Thierry was happy. He never brought anything up to her if he wasn't, and then they found out about Auri right before their wedding. She accepted that girl like she was her blood; those blonde curls and warm eyes stole Sabrina's heart. Sabrina thought that they were passionate enough when they were together. It didn't take them long after getting married, and she was pregnant with Theo. That was when she supposed the signs of hesitancy showed when Thierry came home. It was even more evident after they got pregnant with Cosette after a celebration of their anniversary night. Thierry slowly stopped any physical contact aside from a chaste kiss on the cheek or a pat on the shoulder.
Tears welled up in Sabrina's honied eyes. Of course, she knew Thierry didn't love her at that point. She forced herself to be blind to it all, hoping for the best that he was just focused on work. She honestly thought Thierry was seeing another woman with how late he'd work sometimes. When he brought Nick home for the first time, it hit Sabrina like a ton of bricks. She kept calm through it all, even when she saw how her ex looked at the young man.
The girls disappearing was the tipping point for their relationship. Sabrina couldn't remember when exactly they officially divorced. Thierry had been living in Paris for a long while before papers from his lawyer appeared on Sabrina's front step. It didn't surprise her, but it hurt all the same. She had still loved him at that point, and if Sabrina was honest, she did love her ex. He was a caring father, and when he was her husband, she supposed that he loved her. It was hard to tell now.
Sabrina glanced from the window when she heard the jingle of the bell on the coffee shop door. Damn him, how does he manage to still make me feel like this? She thought, meeting Thierry's gaze with her stoic expression. Sabrina had loved him for so long it was going to take a while for those feelings to subside, she knew that.
"Thierry. Nick didn't want to tag along this time? Such a shame, he's a good kid," Sabrina managed to not sound not like a bitch, just a neutral displeasure. She figured that he'd meet them in New York at Voidlight's private hospital to see Cosette, but no, he again chose work over his children...again.
"He..." Thierry sighed while placing his hands together on the table. It was complicated to explain the inner workings of his emotionally distressed husband, "He's very apologetic for his comments at the harbor. And to Aurélie as well. I'm not here to make excuses for him, nor will he not take responsibility when he talks to you later, but he decided to sit this one out." Thierry fidgeted with his thumbs a moment, looking away from his ex-wife, "Due to the nature of what's been going on between us."
Truth of the matter, Thierry was incredibly anxious. Here he was, a grown ass man in his mid forties, but still managed to feel like a school boy who was talking to a girl for the first time. Not really afraid of what others would think, but of what she'd think. He'd spent over twenty years with this woman pretending to be interested in women. He used her like a brick wall to hide behind, whenever his militant father came around. But then between the girls being abducted and his father's sudden passing, that wall was no longer needed. He shoved down some harder feelings towards himself as he continued, "I... I-" Jesus Thierry, get a grip on yourself, "I wanted to go to Cosette first, but the papers I signed. Everything is bigger than just the two of us and the girls now. I had no real choice."
Thierry looked from the window back to Sabrina, "If I picked Aurélie or Cosette the first time, Cosette would have been lost without Aurélie. Theo made the most sense. If... he had become an agent like I had, he could have helped look for them. And as far as picking Nick, I... my reasons are similar to picking Theo. Not the only reasons, of course." Thierry fumbled over his words as a lump formed high in his throat, his voice low but steady, "I have failed. As your husband, a parent and..."
Honestly? At this point, Thierry wished Nick had of tagged along. What he'd give to just sink and hide behind Nick's I don't give a shit persona, even if it was a facade, "I'm..." His vulnerability hit peak as he sank back in the seat. He looked to his trembling hands as he tried to steady them, avoiding Sabrina's gaze as he spoke, "I'm so sorry for using you." He looked back up, then promptly back at his hands, "I don't deserve you, the girls, Theo, not even..."
His voice faltered as he collapsed into his folded arms. Surely by now Sabrina saw how he'd looked at Nick whenever the dirty blonde was around. Whenever the young man was near, he felt ageless, invincible almost. He was playing with fire while working for The Louvre and Nick was a constant source of kerosene. As he'd been an administrator for the agents, he'd been given the ability to hand pick different jobs for the young restless man. Acting as a mentor of sorts. It started off innocent enough, but turned into a guilty pleasure. Purposely picking and choosing jobs he'd like to have done, had his left knee allowed it.
Things were changing. Both within the larger societal view of openly gay men and within himself. Thierry looked up as he pulled a handkerchief out to dry his face, "Why didn't you leave me and take Theo? To protect him the way I can't."
Sabrina believed that Nick felt bad. She could see that the young man was growing into himself like Theo. From what Sabrina understood, Nick didn't have the easiest childhood and she tried to show as much grace as she could when Thierry had first brought him home. It was right before they officially broke off their marriage. She hadn't expected that Thierry and Nick would end up together but that was Thierry's specialty. Expect the unexpected.
An eyebrow arched as Thierry's nervous ticks showed. The tapping of his foot, the twirling of thumbs, and Sabrina had to resist the urge to reach across with a calm hand and tell him it was okay. Part of her was glad that her ex-husband was this nervous, as he should be. Sabrina was trained just as much as he was, Thierry trained her himself. The much larger part of her couldn't help but feel for her ex-partner.
When Thierry spoke of wanting to go to Cosette but what he signed over was bigger than just their family, Sabrina sat up a bit more and narrowed her glaze a bit. Then he admitted that he chose not to pick their daughters in the past because Theo could help him. That was when her eyes closed and she pinched the bridge of her nose. With every word Thierry spoke, the more her slap on the beach felt better and made her feel less guilty. It was when Thierry spoke of failing that Sabrina opened her eyes again and gazed at him. Thierry had never admitted failure in the past about being a father and husband. Her gold eyes widened a fraction as she hadn't expected him to apologize for using her as a shield.
Sabrina watched while Thierry folded into himself, talking as if he didn't deserve anything. She reached halfway across the table to comfort Thierry but gripped her hand and pulled her arm back.
'He needs to admit this more than I need the confession, she realized as her stoic expression broke with Thierry's question.
"Why didn't you leave me and take Theo? To protect him the way I can't."Sabrina shook her head.
"Damn it, Thierry. I'm trying to not love you," she sighed and smiled softly at her ex. She reached across the table and gently placed her right hand on his left wrist.
"We didn't leave because I knew you needed us just as much as we needed you. I wasn't going to abandon you when we were both at our lowest," Sabrina answered his question as she let go and brought her hand back to herself. Her expression softened as she thought about Theo.
"We owe more to our son than we will ever realize." She took a sip of her drink and closed her eyes briefly, remembering Theo hugging her tight and calling emergency services after she had tried to end herself. It was after the girls disappeared and Thierry moved out to his penthouse flat. Sabrina had never been more embarrassed in her life since. Her son shouldn't have to worry about his parents the way he does. The mother and son agreed not to tell Thierry about it as long as Sabrina sought help.
Sabrina looked back at Thierry, her smile easy and gentle.
"We were both trying to fool ourselves, Thierry. I thought I could hope and love enough that you wouldn't go. But you weren't meant to be mine, that I know for a fact with the way Nick looks at you," she spoke honestly, followed by a smirk and a shrug.
"Now, don't be getting jealous of the men I date from here on out, Thierry. That wouldn't be very nice. I can't stay by myself forever, you know." She teased with a wink and a light laugh.
The Lennox heiress sighed and sat her cup down on its saucer.
"You know that you and Nick are always welcome to come to the estate and see the girls. Theo has stayed since the girls have been home. It has been nice to hear their voices fill the halls again," Sabrina offered to Thierry.
The cold metal of his golden cuff links hit his skin as Sabrina wrapped her well manicured fingers around his wrist. Was this a loving touch of forgiveness for his past behavior? He hoped so. Thierry listened intently to her words as he desperately tried to figure out exactly how upset with him she truly was. Her voice stayed calm and he hated it. He didn't feel he deserved her restraint. He swallowed hard when Sabrina uttered Nick's name. So she had noticed after all. But it was a bit of a relief that Sabrina understood that they'd both been fooling themselves over the years. That she'd hoped he'd love her just as much as he'd hoped he could love her truly. But it just wasn't meant to be, almost as if by default.
"Now, don't be getting jealous of the men I date from here on out, Thierry..."
He couldn't help but chuckle with his charming smile, "I would never! I'm not as young as I once was." Thierry joked about his husband with a wink, "Besides, I've got enough problems dealing with just one man in particular."
The tone of the conversation seemed to change with just that single line from Sabrina. It was like a comfort to him. A realization had come over Thierry, one of forgiveness for himself. He looked a bit surprised at the suggestion of being able to visit with Nick and nodded, "Of course."
But with the idea of bringing Nick along to visit the kids, Thierry felt Sabrina needed to know a few things. Things he hadn't openly discussed with her before, "About Nick visiting. He is very..." He hesitated to think about his wording, "Cautious. And due to this he, um," It was honestly hard to explain his husband in only a few short sentences, "Pushes people away. I'm sure Theo has had a few choice words. I would be honestly surprised if he didn't. But... that's not what my husband wants out of life. He's just," Thierry sighed, "Scared."
Sabrina smiled softly as Thierry flashed his signature smile and teased back. She took another sip of her coffee as her ex explained how his husband handled situations when it came to being personal with people. She raised her eyebrows in a mix of unsurprising and disbelief. Thierry was known for fixing problems that tended to carry over into fixing people. Sabrina wasn't shocked that Nick was cautious and scared about others. The way Nick carried himself and spoke screamed trauma from his past.
"Well, you should know that Theo is less hateful of Nick and more jealous," Sabrina murmured as she gazed out the window thinking about how Theo seemed to turn into a wonderful young man overnight.
"Theo hasn't told me that but every time he returns from staying at your place or running into the two of you at work, I can see it in his eyes. He's jealous of the time Nick gets to spend with you," she explained further with an apologetic smile as she gazed back at Thierry.
"I wish I could help you with that, however, I believe that I'd be overstepping boundaries that are no longer allowed for me to cross," Sabrina stated as she couldn't cover for Thierry anymore. She was the ex-wife, and while she was the mother of Thierry's children, two of the three were adults and could decide for their relationship with their father on their own.
Thierry adjusted himself uncomfortably at Sabrina's words, "Jealous?" He cupped his hands together and shook his head. There seemed to be some things he hadn't realized were going on in Theo's mind, "I've always tried..."
There really was a lot going on, but not just for Thierry, it seemed. He sighed and fidgeted with his hands as he realized he hadn't adequately done his job as a father, "I could never protect Nick from The Louvre, but I felt like I could..."
It took a lot of vitality and mental gymnastics for Thierry to not break down again, "Protect Theo. There are things that Nick has seen as an agent." His bottom lip trembled as he twitched a foot, "Things that he's flat out refused to write reports for after getting back." He looked down at his hands to avoid Sabrina's gaze and his voice lowered, "Things he won't even tell me."
"He was so," Thierry continued, looking out the window as he thought about his husband, "Angry with... life when we first met. A lot has changed since then, but... There is nothing to be jealous of. That time we've spent together is numbered. Many of the jobs he's chosen over the years are the ones other agents have failed to come back from."
Thierry finally looked back to Sabrina and spoke sternly, "Suicide missions. And that is not worth being jealous over. But I guess I never realized that he felt this way."
He shook his head with a nervous laugh, "Oddly enough, there have been times when Nick's been jealous of Theo. I guess I should have realized it worked the other way around too. And while I don't believe that there's anything to be jealous of, that's not to say that Theo's feelings are invalid. I should have... been a better father to help ease some of these emotions. I should have been there."
There was another twitch of his foot and wringing of his hands before the silence was broken again, "I haven't talked to him in a while, but I don't know if he'll want to talk to me. I wouldn't blame him if he didn't."
Sabrina knew it was hard for Thierry to understand where Theo's feelings came from, her ex was just trying to protect their son. She smiled softly as Thierry continued to explain why he protected Theo from the Louvre. It stemmed from Nick not telling him anything when he was sent out on assignments. Sabrina was surprised that Thierry even divulged a little information about the start of Nick's career. Her eyes widened and her eyebrows raised when her ex explained that his husband was even sent on suicide missions. She didn't disagree that there was nothing for Theo to be jealous of job-wise concerning Nick, but it was the time Thierry spent with Nick that their son coveted above all else.
Sabrina reached over and gently touched Thierry's wrist.
"You are a good father, Thierry. The most present? That is debatable," the mother of the de Viller children teased and shot him a wink,
"however, you are there for our children in the times that they need you the most," she spoke with a softening of her eyes.
Her heart felt like it was breaking as Thierry was breaking down in front of her again.
"You are one hundred times better than your father, Thierry. At least, Theo will answer the phone if you call him, that wouldn't have happened with you and your father. Theo loves you. He wants to be like his papa so much that he's an actual archaeologist, not like us. He's following the right path." Sabrina hoped that her last sentence was correct. She had heard rumors that the higher-ups were looking for fresh blood to join the ranks of agents. She prayed that Theo wouldn't take the bait.
"I want things to be different between him and I." Thierry stated pointedly while rubbing at his eyes. They had threatened to mist over again, but he continued, "I've got all the time in the world, now that I'm no longer employed by The Louvre." He looked at her and fidgeted with his hands a bit, "And with you as well. I don't want to to lose you, Sabrina..."
Thierry's voice cracked as he spoke, "As a friend. It's the least I can do, after all that I've put you through." He swallowed hard, "If you'll have me, that is."
The avoidance was real, as Sabrina brought up his father. His gaze sank beyond just his hands. But leveled back out as she stated he was nothing like that terrible man. Was this true? She'd met the strict pretentiously prestigious war vet, but Thierry still had his hesitation. The idolization that Theodore had given him, Thierry had not granted towards his own. The military wasn't exactly something Thierry had wanted to join, but still somehow ended up in a job similar in nature. Thierry loathed his father for this and even now, after his passing a few years ago, there was no forgiveness to be had, "I never told him that I'm..."
His voice had abruptly fumbled with words, "I stopped calling him shortly after the girls were taken." Even now, after being married to a man, Thierry had issues coming out verbally to Sabrina. As if afraid her opinion of him would shrivel.
The muscles of Thierry's face contorted to show the disapproval towards the dead man, "I didn't want to listen to him rant about how useless I was. For being a linguist archeologist." He looked back to Sabrina which caused his expression to soften a bit, "That's all I ever wanted. To have a lovely man and transcribe ancient texts. But that's not nearly as flashy as being a decorated war hero. When I took on being an agent, I thought he'd be proud. Guns were involved, after all."
Thierry laughed and shook his head with a sigh, "Silly me." His tone turned more serious, "So much has changed since then with his passing. I was stunned when parliament started acknowledging same-sex marriage. Never thought I'd..." He paused a moment, "I am sorry for using you, Sabrina. I don't think it's fair of me to ask for your forgiveness, so I'm not going to. Whether I deserve such mercy, isn't really up for debate."
Sounds of a parallel parking car caused Thierry to look out of the window. The apple red 1984 C4 Corvette's engine came to a stop, "I do hope you'll find someone who cares about you romantically." Had it been that long already? He paused long enough to watch for a certain fiery blonde, but nobody stepped out, "You deserve to be given the moon and back."
The father looked back to his ex-wife, "So, about the girls. I'll take them the rest of this week, then you can have them back during the gala? Admittedly, my current abode is small, but I do believe Nick's apartment is more than enough. He certainly enjoys his space. It's nothing fancy, of course, but the view is amazing." Thierry's charming smile graced his expression once more as the bell over the glass door chimed, "Of course, I'm sure Aurélie still hates me from my lack of attentiveness at the harbor. But I would at least like to have Cosette with me for a few days."
There was absolutely no hurry, as he casually walked up to the barista. He wasn't much of a coffee drinker but figured he'd order something while he waited. It seemed Sabrina and Thierry were still figuring out where the girls were going to be and for how long. The menu his blue eyes glazed over, was difficult to read, to say the least. Despite all the years working for The Louvre and living in the heart of France, Nick still wasn't confident with his French and opted to use the pictures as a guide. His sweet tooth had kicked in.
"You come to a coffee house and order... " Fight me. Thierry giggled as Nick endearingly booped coffee buttercream on the tip of his nose. It was nice to hear his husband's laugh. Earlier that week, Nick wasn't sure if he'd ever hear it again. But Nick shied away slightly. He was worried. He didn't want to upset Sabrina with his affectionate antics towards her ex-husband. Nick was fully aware of the many years Thierry had romantically stagnated her.
There was a slight nod of acknowledgment, as Nick looked to Sabrina. With an almost inaudible, "Hey." It seemed their conversation was over, but Nick was still heavily embarrassed by his behavioral issues back at the harbor. Sabrina might have slapped Thierry and taken her words to him personally, but Nick still felt he failed to exercise restraint as he should have. So the focus on his frosting was real. Maybe the next time he saw her, he'd sit and chat for a while. Once everything calmed down, "Maybe we can talk sometime." He mumbled softly.
Sabrina smiled gently as Thierry spoke his peace about his father. Her eyebrows rose when he mentioned that he was no longer employed by the Louvre. What did he do down in that HiveMind facility? She knew that Thierry gambled big on something but enough to lose his tenure over? Then he mentioned how he didn't want to lose her and she laid a tender hand on top of his fidgeting ones to reassure him.
"Thierry...I'm not going anywhere. Weirdly, I will always love you, regardless of our relationship status. Just not in the same way as before. I don't know if I ever truly loved you like I thought I had. I wanted to be blind to it as well. Caring for you hasn't changed since we are friends instead of a married couple. We were never meant to be together in the end. We just didn't know it. Well, I should say I didn't know it," Sabrina murmured as she brought her hand back to herself.
"As for your father, I don't blame you. He was hard on you and I can understand why you did what you did. I forgave you a while ago for leaving our marriage. But harboring that frustration was the only motivation to keep me going after the girls disappeared," she took her final sip of her coffee as her gaze caught the bright red Corvette of her ex's partner.
Sabrina smiled faintly and shook her head as Thierry wished for a romantic partner in her life.
"Taking care of you and our children for almost three decades is enough for me. Plus, one of us has to keep tabs on Theo at work now that you're no longer there," she explained and nodded when Thierry began to discuss the girls staying the week with them.
"Cosette is...distant, Thierry. Although, she has mentioned wanting to talk with Nick several times. I told her it was best to settle in first. As for Auri, she doesn't hate you. She's been tortured relentlessly for the last seven years. Cosette was used as a carrot to be dangled in front of her. She's healing, Thier, like all of us. It will just take time," she finished as she glanced at Nick while she stood up from her seat.
Sabrina smirked at Thierry booping Nick's nose with cream from his coffee. She didn't mind it. The two men were romantic partners. They deserved to be happy. She nodded back to Nick with a completely neutral expression as a reply to his 'hey'. In all honesty, Sabrina just liked to tease the poor kid.
Sabrina arched an eyebrow as Nick suggested talking to her sometime.
"Sure, whenever you're comfortable and ready to talk. I already told Thierry that you and he are always welcome to the Estate," she replied as she placed a gentle hand on Nick's shoulder and leaned in to whisper into his right ear so only Nick could hear her.
"His eyes sparkle and he gets a faint blush on his cheeks every time he talks about you. He loves you, Nick. Don't ever doubt that. My guess is if you pop his personal bubble and tease him a bit, you'll see what I've seen too," the dark-haired beauty pulled back and smirked at her ex.
"Have fun you two. I'll see you at the gala," she waved as she walked away and left the coffee shop.
The Louvre Gala
@Estylwen@Days@Lexisheeps
"Everything will be okay, Auri. The moment you want to leave, you may. I know this isn't easy for you, especially with returning home. But Cosette is excited to see you, at least that is what your father says," Sabrina spoke gently, her hand rested softly on Aurelie's knee reassuringly as they took the Lennox Family limo to the gala event in representation of the Lennox Family as major donators to the Louvre. She was dressed in a full-length red satin
dress with a deep v-neckline and an open back with crystals that embroidered the edges and hung down from delicate chains at the top. Her stilettos matched her dress in color. Her long dark locks were twisted up in an elegant updo.
"Plus, Theo is pretty proud of his displays. It will mean a lot to him that we have come to see his work," the mother of three added as she brought her hand back to her own lap. It was hard to believe Auri was a grown woman, experienced more than what most her age would have, and unfortunately, still healing from that growing process. All the de Villers were.
Undiscovered Location
@Estylwen
Stella lay on her left side on the mattress that rested two feet off the floor, knees curled up towards her chest, as her dull, icy gaze stared at the cement wall. The right side of her head from her temple to the base of her skull had been shaved. The two-inch wide strip had just barely grown back after the surgery. The scar was healed more or less, well hidden with the short fuzz of her snow-white hair.
Pain. That was all Stella knew of the constant poking and prodding of surgery tools. The dull feeling of a scalpel slicing her skin over and until the part of her body that Von Galloes was after was revealed. Stella heard the robotic female voice announce Von Galloes' presence. She sat up and sighed softly in relief as the dull humming of the shock collar around her neck was silenced with her biological father's typing on the computer keyboard. This collar was a bit different. Instead of the clunky model that Nick and #3 had, Stella's was thinner, more necklace-like, and it was more accurate.
Obey. That had been evident from the beginning of her time here. Obey to be rewarded. Refuse to comply, and punishment with enforcement will be expected. Stella blinked her eyes and nodded.
"Yes, Father. I understand. I will behave," she replied with no joy. Not even a hint of sarcasm was in her voice. She was too broken at this point to refuse.
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