It Only Hurts When He Goes

Sammy paced from the throne room, to the grand hall, to the window, to the ballroom and back again. Three 'o clock in the morning, and her eldest son Gabriel was nowhere to be found. He'd had a habit of staying out past his midnight curfew into the wee hours of the morning, and it was driving his mother crazy with worry. Ever since Gabriel was a baby, Sammy had always been very cautious with him. When Gabriel was eighteen months old, the infant became very ill, and his parents almost lost him. Since then, Sammy had been terrified of losing her son. She monitored not only his, but his father, and his two younger brother's health as closely as she could. She started pacing the halls again, giving an exasperated sigh. "Gabriel Dalton Lewis, where in heaven's name are you?"

A few minutes later two guards came into the room, dragging Gabriel with them, who looked almost amused by the whole thing.

"We found him your majesty." One of the guards said to get Sammy's attention.

"You know, as much as I appreciate being brought home guys, you didn't have to drag me..." Gabriel said, stumbling as he tried to stand up and laughing over it. "Oh, hello mother." He said with a smile when he noticed Sammy.

Sammy nodded to the guards, trying not to roll her eyes at her son. "Thank you gentlemen, I'm pretty sure I can handle him from here."

The guards nodded and let Gabriel go, who almost fell over before standing up straight, rubbing an arm where one of the guards had been holding him, frowning as he watched them leave the room. "You could at least be a little more gentle next time!" He called after them before turning to Sammy.

Sammy shook her head before trying to keep her voice low as she spoke, so not to wake the others. "Gabriel Dalton Lewis, what in heaven's name were you thinking?" she asked. "It's three in the morning, I'm sitting here counting the way you could've been killed!"

"What was I thinking?" Gabriel repeated, shaking his head. "I'm fine. You shouldn't worry so much; all I did was had fun..." He said, taking a step closer and stumbling, obviously having been drinking.

"Again, I repeat, it is three in the morning Gabriel Dalton," said Sammy. "You, along with the rest of the teenagers around here, have a strict midnight curfew, you could've been arrested had anyone else found you."

"Thought that's what the guards were doing?" Gabriel laughed, ignoring most of what Sammy said. "I mean, why else would they have been so rough, they could have messed up my clothes...or my hair..."

Sammy shook her head, taking Gabriel's arm. "C'mon, let's go, up to bed with you, before you wake your father," she said. "You know if he finds out you've been drinking he isn't going to be very happy with you."

"Of course he isn't, why would he be?" Gabriel said, unnecessarily loud, thanks to the alcohol. "Is he ever though?"

"Gabriel, hush," said Sammy, leading her drunken son up the stairs.

"Why shou-" Gabriel started, stopping as he tripped up one of the stairs, swearing as he did so.

"You're drunk, that's why," said Sammy. "Now, hush."

"I am not." Gabriel said stubbornly. "I had a little yes, but I-I'm not drunk..."

"Gabriel, I won't tell you again, be quiet you're going to wake your father," said Sammy. "You wake him up, I'm not saving your ass this time."

"Sure you aren't..." Gabriel muttered, rolling his eyes. He froze when he heard someone coming.

"I told you to be quiet," said Sammy.

Gabriel made a nervous sound, moving to hide behind Sammy.

"Sammy? What are you still doing up?" Adam asked when he saw her.

"Oh I don't think so mister," said Sammy, pulling Gabriel from behind her. "That answer your question?" she asked Adam.

Adam sighed and shook his head when he saw Gabriel. "What did he do this time?" He asked, folding his arms and frowning as he looked at Gabriel.

"Guards found him a few minutes ago," said Sammy. "He's apparently been drinking again."

Adam muttered something and rolled his eyes. "Why can't you be more like the other two? At least they're quiet...and they never get in trouble."

"Maybe because I'm not them..." Gabriel said, folding his arms as well.

"Can we not do this right now?" said Sammy. "It's three in the morning, I'd like to sleep."

"Sorry." Adam said, nodding before turning back to Gabriel. "Bed. Now." He said to Gabriel, shoving him to get him moving; Gabriel stumbling before regaining his balance and slowly heading towards his room.

Sammy moved over to Adam, wrapping an arm around him.