Chapter Text
The young man in front of the entrance to the tavern shuddered. This was a horrible horrible place. The sad thing was he worked there. And the even sadder thing was that he lived just above it. Gabriel called it Mordor. Yes, it was a direct reference to Lord of The Rings but that was what it was.
He sighed. He wasn’t looking forward to work tonight. Another night of hoping the tape on his glasses held together. Another night of rude comments and having his bum pinched. And one more night until his day off, hopefully the cook would have some leftover food he could eat without having to pay. There was nothing left in his kitchen other than pot noodles.
Gabriel squared his shoulders and opened the door to the bar. There was the same sour smell of cheap, spilled alcohol and stale smoke that always assaulted his senses. He put the kettle to boil before he went and hung his tattered cardigan on a hook.
"Agh... Q... Finally here! Took you a while even tho you are the one who lives the closest!" The old guy behind the counter greeted the young man with a leer. "Get ready for work! There will be a game tonight so better be quick. Chop chop! Time's money!" He threw a stinky apron towards Gabriel and returned to cleaning the bar tabletop with an ugly cloth.
Gabriel sighed. Game nights were the most terrible ones. It meant that even after the tavern closed all the drunkards just moved to the hostel above the very same place and he barely got any rest. Renting the room was a very terrible idea but being an orphan and living in London, this was the only place he could afford. Some people would call it a bonus living so close to one's work but he was getting desperate. He was almost to the point where he was thinking of selling his kidney off so he could afford going to some school just to get away from this hellhole.
The game nights always brought out the older drunk ladies with their bad pickup lines and blue eyeliner. They always wanted to touch him, or offered to take him home. Never left a tip, just their phone number, once they were so drunk he couldn’t read their handwriting. Not that he had plans to use them anyway.
There was an older lady tonight, with white hair. She was too nicely dressed to be in this bar, and instead of wine, like women usually ordered, she asked for Macallan.
“I’m afraid we don’t have that, Ma’am,” he apologized. “I have Jameson?”
“Never mind,” she sighed. “Just give me a double Bombay.”
“Ma’am?”
“The gin! You do have that, I hope,” she sniffed.
“Yes Ma’am, it's just not a popular order,” Gabriel replied.
“I can see the sort of people you have here,” she sighed. “You seem smart, you could do better than here.”
“I needed a place to stay in a hurry, and I haven’t been able to save money to move-”
“Q, get to work!” the owner yelled.
“Sorry, Ma’am,” Gabriel handed her the drink and hurried off.
Doors opened and closed. It was a busy night indeed and he paid little to no attention to people out and about the bar area. For one glimpsing moment he saw a man joining the older woman. She was frowning at the man and when she saw Gabriel looking into their direction, she waved him towards.
"Yes, Ma'am.."
"Q, give this idiot your cheapest drink. He haven't deserved anything else!" She glared at the man again.
"M... I told you it's impossible to find one single orphan in London. I know we have resources but the time is ticking and finding man only by last name Shaw and initial G. is impossible!" He glared down at the glass Gabriel put in front of him and didn't miss the hand shaking. Bloody barman's getting drunk or high at their workplace or both.
“Mallory, stop trying to feed me lies. I know what you are capable of doing. And finding a single young 25 year old male going by the name Gabriel Shaw is certainly not so hard…” A crash could be heard close by. The barman dropped a glass he was preparing for M. “Why did you ask me to come to this shady bar? My driver thought I am going senile when I asked him to drive me here.”
“He told me we might find it useful to come here. I swear I can’t even stand being close to the man for longer than half an hour at most.” He looked at the glass with weirdly looking drink barman put in front of the woman. “What in the name of god are you drinking?”
The corner’s of woman’s mouth raised slightly.
“I think he gave you yet another clue and you had no idea. And still don’t. He told me that we are supposed to look for the young man with curly hair, lanky frame and glasses. I swear to god you are as thick as they go sometimes, Gareth!”
Gabriel dropped the glass he was about to bring to the man, and it exploded on the floor with a crash. He fumbled to pour another.
“Dammit Q, the bar only has so many glasses!” the owner yelled, snapping a towel at him. “That’s going to come out of your pay!”
M looked up to see what the commotion was, and grabbed Mallory’s arm.
“That’s him! The bartender.”
Gabriel heard her, and started to run.
“Get him Gareth, He can barely stand as it is. We don’t have much time.”
The man was off his seat in a heartbeat and running after Gabriel, dashing past the mumbling owner who was only whining about the glasses broken and drinks not paid for.
Running past the kitchen and old man with chef's hat, past stoves and shelves with plates full of food was not Gabriel's idea of leaving his workplace. But being a stupid hacker back when he was 18 was catching up with him. The man looked dangerous, same with the woman. They surely had a secret and he was sure the idea was to try and catch him unaware and then... Maybe then force him to do some dirty job. Gabriel shuddered. He is not going to get caught. Not again. Not after what happened last time. He reached the back door of the bar and threw it open only to come face to face with a barrel of the gun pointed to his face. The older woman was standing between him and the dirty street. Also he felt a steely grip on his forearm.
"Mr. Shaw," the woman cocked the safety back on and lowered the gun. "It would be wise if you cease resisting and come back with us to have a friendly chat. I certainly don't want to hurt you but I will if there will be a need for it!"
"I don't know you. Please, I have nothing of worth for you..." Green eyes almost had tears spilling over.
“I’m not trying to rob you, Mr. Shaw, goodness,” M sighed. The boy was certainly dramatic. “I need you to come with me. Apparently you are related to someone, and mentioned in their will. We have been looking for you for months now. I think you will want to read this letter.”
“Inheriting a mansion?” Gabriel’s eyes were wide. “Why is this funny to you, to tease me like this?”
“We really don’t have time for this, Mr. Shaw,” Mallory interrupted. “We have a deadline to get you back so you can claim the properties.”
“Properties? Plural?”
“Yes, there are apartments in London, Paris, New York, and other major cities,” M took his arm. “Hurry along Mr. Shaw, we don’t have time for this.”
"But I am nobody. An orphan. Is this some kind of TV show? Is there a camera hidden somewhere in your clothes? Filming all this? Is it..." Gabriel's voice broke at the end of the sentence. "Please, leave me be." He wrapped his arms around himself.
Mallory thought M was going to have an aneurysm over this kid.
"M, I am just going to haul him over into a car. I am sure no one is going to miss him. Certainly not his boss!" The man in the suit gripped Gabriel's forearm even tighter and started dragging him towards a Rolls Royce that appeared out of nowhere.
"Help... Please... Anyone... Please HELP!!!!!"
M pinched her nose. Getting one Mr. Shaw was certainly as difficult as late Miss Shaw!
“Mr. Shaw!” M sighed. “I am losing patience. If someone showed up and told me that I was going to be a millionaire, I would at least hear them out. Now, shall we go?”
Gabriel tried to hide the shaking of his hands. He took off his apron and pulled his cardigan sleeves over his fingers, looking like a lost child.
“I’m Gareth Mallory, I handle the Shaw Estate,” the man introduced himself and stuck out his hand.
“The Shaw ESTATE?” Gabriel was incredulous. “My parents gave me up because they couldn’t afford me. What the hell are you on about? You all are certifiable!”
“Mr. Shaw! Focus, please,” M sighed. “You may call me M. I handle the daily running of the estate. If you need anything, I am your point of contact.” She escorted him to the car and opened the door. She and Mallory got in on either side of Gabriel so he couldn’t make a run for it. “Home please, Mr. Bond,” she requested to the driver.
“Yes, M,” the blond man in the seat nodded. He looked in the mirror and got suddenly pale. “Master Shaw, what a relief they finally found you, Sir.”
“Just in time, too,” M sniffed. “You aren’t looking well, Mr. Bond.”
“No Ma’am, but I’m starting to feel better now,” he smiled at Gabriel in the rear view mirror. “You’re going to be very happy at Skyfall, Master Shaw. We’ve been expecting you. M has been searching for you for quite some time.”
“Thank you, Mr.”
“Bond, James Bond.”
“Thank you, Mr. Bond,” Gabriel smiled. “It’s all a bit overwhelming. I was just thinking about how much I didn’t want to eat more pot noodles before my shift. I’m still waiting for it to be a joke, to be honest.”
“I think you will find Skyfall will treat you quite a bit better than you are used to, Master Shaw. You should try to rest. Its a long drive.”
***00Q***
“Master Shaw,” Bond shook his shoulder lightly. “Welcome to Skyfall, Sir. We have been serving here since the estate was built. I guard it with my life.”
“OH!” Gabriel’s eyes grew wide. They were far from the city, judging by the quiet, and the clear sky. “Mr. Bond, I can’t live here! You could house a whole orphanage here.”
“I knew we had the right Gabriel Shaw,” Bond guided him to the door. “Skyfall belongs to you now, Master Shaw. You can invite whomever you wish to live here. And when you pass on, the property will go to your descendant of choice. Your great aunt was sad that she never met you. She did look, but your mother changed her name and no one was able to find her.”
Gabriel frowned. He didn’t know much of his family and it seemed that this man with something mysterious about himself knew more than he ever did.
They got out of the car and Gabriel breathed a sigh. This was so not happening. This estate as M referred to it, reminded him of a bloody big castle. A castle that surely didn’t belong to the likes of him. The man in the bespoke suit (the driver, his mind supplied) closed the doors and gave the keys to a bellboy that appeared out of the blue. What kind of people had a bellboy for their car? This was beyond mad.
“Mr. Shaw, if you would, this way, please!” Bond showed him to a brightly light entrance. It was dark already and M and Mallory were weirdly not with them even tho Gabriel couldn’t remember them exiting the car at one point or another.
A doorman opened the door, straight like a military man. Not even blinking. And when Gabriel stepped inside he almost staggered. Red carpet covered the floors and you could see the cannons on both right and left side of the door. And the stairs. Oh god, the stairs had armour and horses. Gabriel grabbed the closest thing to him from fainting which appeared to be Bond’s arm. The man grabbed him gently around his shoulders.
“Do not worry, we will fix this over. The armour needs renovating and we haven’t managed to renew the carpeting, for which I greatly apologize Mr. Shaw!” he frowned, feeling insulted over the silly carpeting while Gabriel was gasping at all the grand things surrounding him. “I am so glad we will be able to use the breakfast room again.”
“BREAKFAST ROOM?” you could hear Gabriel’s voice echoing all through the halls of the castle.
***00Q***
“These are your private rooms.” Bond opened the double doors that were embroidered in Gabriel could swear gold. When he passed the doors he was glad the blond man was close by to grab him by his arm to stop him from fainting yet again. “This is Emerald room. If you pass those doors you will end up in your bedroom.”
“But… but… Mr. Bond… you said this is my bedroom.” Gabriel blinked owlishly.
“Yes.” Bond replied without hesitation. “It’s the antechamber to your bedroom. Were you expecting just a plain bed and a night table?” He smiled
“I… no… Could I… Could I get a glass of water? I am suddenly feeling dizzy?” Gabriel told the very first thing that came across his mind to get rid of the man at least for five minutes.
The man nodded and was gone in a blink of an eye. It was all so bloody bizarre that Gabriel thought he was going to wake up at any given moment. The room which was even bigger than the whole tavern back in London. It was all done in shades of dark green and gold, starting with ceiling and ending with walls and even chairs and armchairs. He saw another door and slowly opened it. It finally ended up being the bedroom. It even had a tent bed with curtains and an actual night table Bond was speaking about. It had quite a few bookshelves. He started reading the covers and realized that most of the books were in Latin or either French than English.
He grabbed one of the thinner French books and realized it was folk tales of the French. His French was more than rusty but why not do something ridiculous and read it. Gingerly half sitting half laying on the corner of the grand bed he started reading it and it was only a moment of time before the book slipped from his hands and he fell asleep.
Gabriel awoke to the strange sensation of feeling like there was someone else in the room. Sure enough, when he found his glasses, there was Bond, sleeping on a bench at the foot of his bed.
“What in the name of God are you doing in my room?” he shouted.
“Protecting you, Master Shaw,” Bond seemed to think this was normal. “Its my head if something happens to you.”
“Protect me from what?” Gabriel’s voice was incredulous. “The armour in the hall, or the dust bunnies in the basement?”
“There are other things you need to know about the estate, Master Shaw,” Bond sighed. “I hoped we would have more time. But I think it's best that you know, for your protection.”
“Like what? I knew there was a bloody catch! Now you kill me?” Gabriel yelled.
“I have served the Shaw family for centuries,” Bond explained. “Since the beginning. And in exchange, they keep me safe. But there was a gap between Miss Shaw dying, and M finding you. So the ones that are after me were able to track me.”
“Centuries?” Gabriel backed up against the headboard. “Have you lost your bloody mind?”
“I know it's hard for you to understand,” Bond frowned. “Usually the next heir is raised here, and knows about their responsibilities from a young age. But since your mother passed away, and we couldn’t find you, we couldn’t bring you here. We have been searching for you since you became an adult.”
“I don’t think I can have this conversation before tea,” Gabriel rubbed at his eyes.
“Why don’t you shower, and I will bring you tea?” Bond suggested. “And then I can take you to the breakfast room to eat.” Bond went off to fetch tea, and gestured Q to the bathroom.
***00Q***
When Gabriel came out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, Bond was waiting for him with a mug of Earl Grey.
“I didn’t know how you take it, so there is cream and sugar on the dresser,” Bond smiled hesitantly. “I’m sorry, I know this is a lot to take in all at once. I brought you a clean set of my clothes, and we can have the tailor come this afternoon to measure you.”
“Measure me?” Gabriel accepted the mug with a wary nod. “Measure me for what?”
“For a new wardrobe, Master Shaw,” Bond handed him a clean set of clothes. “We can’t have you wearing dirty clothes from the bar as master of the Manor.”
“Master of that Manor? Oh bother,” Gabriel went back into the bathroom and slammed the door. “I can’t imagine what you get out of teasing me like this,” came a muffled voice from behind the door. “I’m sure someone thinks this is all some great elaborate practical joke, but why me?”
“Breakfast is ready when you are, Master Shaw,” Bond said as he opened the door. “I let cook know you would be down in a bit.”
“Cook? There’s a cook too? Bloody hell,” Gabriel swallowed the rest of his tea and shook his head. “When is it going to end?”
“Well, you can do whatever you like for the rest of the day,” Bond sighed as he led him down to the breakfast room. “But M thought you might like to see the rest of the house, and at least hear about the other buildings on the property.”
“I’m beginning to feel like an echo, but… other buildings?”
“Well there is the stable, the winery, the servant’s quarters-”
“Just forget I asked,” Gabriel waved him off. “Maybe later? This is all a bit much to handle after having broken glasses for the last year.”
"About that. We can go back to London after your measurements are taken and get you a new pair of glasses. Or a few if you'd like. Besides, you need to sign the papers at the Bank of England and check over the family jewels." Bond went on and on and on like he was reading a weather chart while Gabriel was feeling faint again.
They reached a set of doors and went into another grand room. The walls were deep red and were covered in ancient looking paintings of old and young men and women to whom Gabriel thought he saw some resemblance to himself.
"Is this..." He started.
"Yes, these are the paintings of your ancestors dating from 1600s to 1700s only. Cruel times those were. They were dying like flies. Good thing about that time is that they kept more offspring than was necessary so the line continued." He shown Gabriel to a chair at wooden table with silverware already set.
"Master Shaw," another man suddenly popped up close to his left. He had a mustache and was guiding a trolley with plates that were covered.
“Yes…” Gabriel was so not used to people addressing him as master.
“For your first breakfast, I allowed myself a courtesy of making queen’s breakfast.”
Gabriel thought gaping like a fish was going to be his new permanent expression. The under plate had ornate edge that reminded him of feathers and when the man put a plate in front of him, he saw crown and some sort of emblem drawn on it. The silverware had the same ornate crown and emblem on it. Gabriel was sure it was either gold or silver. The napkin on the left was embroidered with a golden thread matching the color of the spoon and fork and knife and had a napkin ring on it. Which had the same coat of arms as everything on the table so far.
Gabriel paid no attention as to what was put afterwards on the plates. He was barely holding himself together. He suddenly stood up and ran to the ceiling to floor window. He heard the cook asking Bond what was happening and what had he done wrong. Bond shushed the cook and told him to leave.
Gabriel covered his mouth with his hand. Tears were falling down his cheeks.
“Master Shaw?” He felt Bond’s hand on his shoulder.
“I am sorry… This is just… If this is a prank… If this is… A joke…” He started gasping. Tears started choking him. “I am… So… sorry…”
The arms wrapped around his waist and he ended up in a tight hug.
“Now now… Master Shaw… I can swear, that is no joke and no one is going to take anything away from you. Deep breaths now. Deep breaths.” They were standing in front of the window and neither saw M quietly closing the doors to the breakfast room.
Gabriel relaxed into the arms around him. “Jewels at the Bank of England? Gold plates? Why couldn’t I have had a family instead? I would have been happy with that. I have everything money could buy now, and I’m still alone.”
Bond wiped the tears off of Gabriel’s cheeks.
“You aren’t alone, you have all of us to protect you.”
“Yes, but…” he sniffled. “No one wants a skinny, gay little boffin. You are all paid to do your jobs here.”
“Remember what I told you, about how I have served here for centuries?” Bond asked gently. “They told me that someday there would be a master who would love me as much as I loved them. I have been waiting a long time. But so far, everyone has just been looking for a servant, or a bed warmer, and a way to spend the jewels. I’m getting tired.”
“Is loving you a stipulation for the jewels then?” Q turned suspicious.
“No, not at all,” Bond smiled wearily at Gabriel. “There’s only one benefit to loving me. But I don’t know what it is. The person who loves me will find out at the right time. But the money is there to do with as you will, there have been a great number of Shaw Masters over the centuries who haven’t been able to begin to spend it.”
Someone coughed behind them and Bond reluctantly let go of Gabriel. M was standing at the entrance to the room looking smug.
"As much as I think you are enjoying the scenery, there are some things young master Shaw needs to attend to." She stepped into the room and pulled out a tablet which she looked at and started reading. "After an appointment with the optometrist and a visit to Savile Row your presence will be needed at the Bank of England, to check over the family jewels. And then a meeting with attorney will be in tow."
"Can you make arrangement with Eyes Optometry in Edinburgh?" Bond was all business like at once, all closeness forgotten and Gabriel was left standing alone.
"Yes, of course." M tapped some things around. "Appointment is set in two hours time. Then a plane will fly you over to London to the tailors'. I will send a memo later."
Gabriel was starting to feel faint again. The last thing he heard was Bond's shouts to M to stop rattling like an old bind about business.
***
"This is getting rather tedious. With him fainting at bare mentioning of the wealth he is bestowed with." M was standing in the antechamber which was connected to Gabriel's bedroom.
"If you weren't so interested in managing to overwhelm him in everything, I am sure we would be much more better off." Bond snapped back.
"James, do you think he is..."
"I don't know." Bond interrupted her. "Nor I want to have it looming over his head as well as everything else. I think it would be best if I did everything on my own concerning his well being for the time being."
M frowned but relented. "Very well. Call me when you think he is ready for more people than only you." She turned on her heel and marched out of the room.
"Gabriel," Bond caressed his cheek gently. "I think I will have to be more careful with you."
“Hmmm?” He blinked up a Bond with a fuzzy expression. “What happened to breakfast?”
“You fainted,” Bond looked worried. “We are concerned.”
“Well I haven’t eaten in awhile, and family jewels, honestly, that just sounds like a vulgar innuendo,” Gabriel sat up.
“Do you think you can manage some tea and toast?” Bond was worried. “We can always postpone the appointments, but I would like you to at least eat something.”
“I usually only eat at night after work when I get tips, but last night I didn’t get a chance to, I’m sorry,” Gabriel apologized. “It all got away from me. It was quite overwhelming.”
“You didn’t eat yesterday at all?” Bond was horrified. “Well from now on, there’s food whenever you are hungry.”
“I don’t eat much-” Gabriel protested.
“That doesn’t mean you don’t need to eat at all!” Bond retorted. “Its my job to make sure you are looked after, and it's a good thing I’m here to do it! Now, toast! And we have an appointment to get you new glasses.”
“Ok,” He looked scared.
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be angry at you,” Bond apologized. “I’m just sorry it took us this long to find you, no one should have to live like that.”
“A lot of people live like that, Mr. Bond,” Gabriel looked sad. “Its not just me.”
“Well, from now on it's my responsibility to make sure that you don’t,” Bond frowned. “And I’m sure there’s a way for you to use the estate investments to help others as well.”
**00Q***
“So we take a plane to see the optometrist?” Gabriel was incredulous. “Isn’t that a bit excessive?”
“Its faster, Master Shaw,” the pilot explained. “And this way you have time to do all those other things that a young master has to do.”
“Like what? I don’t have to work anymore. Feels bloody weird too, let me tell you.”
“He worked, James?” the pilot asked Bond.
“Yes, very hard,” Bond waved Gabriel onto the plane ahead of them. “He was an orphan.”
“He might be the first real Shaw we have had in centuries,” the pilot whispered.
“Don’t get your hopes up, Alec,” Bond shook his head. “Remember what happened last time we did that.”
“They can’t all die young, James, let’s hope for the best.”
***
Gabriel looked so lost when they entered the optometrist shop. He looked like he didn't belong here and when a bespectacled man in a suit saw him, a deep thrown settled on his face.
"Leave our premises, we don't give charity. Shoo shoo!!"
"But... I... Have..."
"Haven't you heard? We have no need for the likes..." The man suddenly shut his mouth when he saw Bond standing behind the man. "Agh Mister Bond. What can I do for you?" He brushed Gabriel out of his way to come closer to the blond man.
"First of all, get Mortimer. Second of all, get into that thick skull of yours that appearance is not all there is to a man."
The man fled as soon as Bond finished scolding him and while they waited for the owner to show up.
"James?" Gabriel suddenly asked.
"Master Shaw?" Bond was surprised the man remembered or bothered to use his name instead of the last name.
"I don't think this is really a place for me. I.. I don't think they will.. Take me seriously or even... Service me." Gabriel squinted his eyes at one of the frames in the showcase and almost dropped it when he saw the price tag. "James!!!! I can't buy glasses from this place!"
"Why not? Are they not to your liking?" The man was confused. It had the finest selection of eye-wear in all of Scotland but then, maybe the man had even more of exquisite taste.
"No..." Gabriel grabbed his hair and started tugging. "I like more than one but I am not sure it is decent to spend 2000£ on a pair eyeglass frames!"
James closed the distance between them and gently tugged the hand from the hair into his own grasp. Gently holding them he felt the fingers twitching.
"Gabriel," it was a first time in a long while when he addressed one of Master Shaws by their given name but he was sure the man needed as much reassurance as possible. "Trust me, when I say you deserve it. It's a mere glimpse of what you will have when the time comes. So there is no need to worry about it. Besides, I am sure you want to see properly without trying to not tense at every moment you turn your head quickly one way or another."
"Agh... Mister Bond and, I presume, Master Shaw!" There was an old man behind the counter now. "Welcome welcome, to my meager shop. I hope we will manage to satisfy all your needs!"
***
“We’re here to see the bank Governor, please,” Bond asked the guard at the door of the Bank of England, which was their final stop in London. Bond had insisted on a sandwich at a cafe before their appointment at Anderson and Sheppard. Gabriel had been vastly uncomfortable at the Savile Row shop. but Bond had insisted that he pick out new clothes, and a few other items, to wear until his suits were ready.
“Can I say who is waiting, Sirs?” the guard asked politely.
“Master Shaw and Mister Bond to view the Shaw vaults, please,” Bond smiled.
“Of course,” the guard nodded and went to the offices to find the Governor.
“Master Shaw, what a pleasure to meet you!” An older man in a grey suit came out and nervously shook Gabriel’s hand. “I’m Mark Carney, I’m the Governor here at the Bank of England. On behalf of the Bank, please let me welcome you. We are so pleased that you do your business with us.”
“Thank you?” Gabriel looked at Bond for help, his eyes wide.
“Master Shaw was just introduced to his inheritance for the first time, Governor Carney,” James smiled reassuringly. “He comes from rather humble beginnings, and we need to give him an idea of the estate. He is wanting to do some charity work with the local orphanages, and we need to set up a fund for him to do that as well.”
“Well, the Shaw vaults are legendary, Sir,” Carney stuttered and turned pale. “Are you wanting to see the gold vault, and the jewelry vault?”
“Yes, please,” James nodded. “We are relieved that there is a Master Shaw who is going to be doing some good with the money, but first we want to show him that it’s okay for him to spend the money on things that he needs. He is used to working and going without, so we want him to first get what he needs, and then we can go do things for others.
“Right this way, Master Shaw, Mr. Bond,” Governor Carney ushered them back to his office and offered them tea. “Let’s get Master Shaw’s signature and fingerprints, and then we can tour the vaults.”
***00Q***
“Master Shaw, welcome to the Shaw vaults,” Governor Carney spun the door lock that allowed them to access the vault. “I will let you peruse the contents yourselves.” He walked back down the corridor, leaving them alone.
“Now Gabriel,” Bond put his hand on the young man’s shoulder. “I don’t want you to panic when you see this. There is a great deal of gold and jewelry in these vaults, but we can’t have you passing out again, ok? Just take a deep breath and think of all the good you can do with this wealth.”
“Ok?” Gabriel’s eyes were wide as Bond took his hand and led him inside. “Mr. Bond! Are they-are they all really gold?” From floor to ceiling, were stacked bars of gold- too many to count.
“There’s more, Gabriel,” Bond took his hand and led him into the next room of the vault. There were stands of jewelry, large stones set in gold. There were necklaces, rings, even ornamental suits of armor inlaid with bright stones. Some of the pieces were obviously old, but everything was well maintained and displayed to be seen at its best advantage.
“I don’t understand,” Gabriel shook his head, and squeezed Bond’s hand. "I didn’t know things like this existed, I thought it was all in the movies.”
“How about if I go get the paperwork taken care of, and you can look around?” Bond suggested. “And you can decide what sounds good for dinner.”
“I think- it's all a lot,” Gabriel whispered. “Can I go to that bookstore we passed?”
“Of course,” Bond handed him a wallet. “You can get whatever you’d like. I will meet you there as soon as I can.”
***00Q***
Gabriel couldn’t get out of the bank fast enough. He walked back to the bookstore and collapsed into a leather chair. He let the panic fade for a minute before he went to their cafe counter and ordered a tea. He looked around the shop, and took his tea over to the poetry section.
Then Bond came to find him more than an hour later, he was absently sipping his second mug of tea, and sitting on the floor surrounded by books.
Bond scooped them up and held out his hand for the one Gabriel was still reading.
“Don’t lose your place, but let’s pay and go to dinner.”
“Oh!” Gabriel looked up in surprise. “I wasn’t going to buy them, I was just looking.”
“Will you read them?”
“Well yes, but its not necessary-”
Bond shushed him with a finger to Gabriel’s lips.
“You are supposed to enjoy, ok?”
Gabriel nodded, dazed.
Bond paid, and led him out to the waiting car.
“I wasn’t sure what kind of food you like,” Bond held his door open. “There are lots of five star restaurants in London,” he smiled as Gabriel winced. “However, I thought you might like something quiet.”
He took Q to La Bonne Heure, a French bistro.
“Would you like to look at the menu, or should I order?” he asked the overwhelmed young man.
“Maybe you should order,” Q saw the escargot on the menu and shuddered. “Just, no snails please?”
“Of course,” Bond nodded. “Let’s have the Charcuterie Platter, ratatouille and stew for both of us, and then we can look at the dessert menu after, please?” He asked the waiter.
Gabriel was thrilled with the platter, slices of duck and bread, pickles. He exclaimed over the stew, and attacked the ratatouille.
“I never get vegetables that aren’t in a tin, this is wonderful!” He told Bond, mouth full of sliced vegetables.
Bond leaned forward to wipe a spot of sauce of his chin. “I’m glad you liked it. Waiter, may we get the chocolate mousse and fruit and cheese platter for dessert?”
“So, tell me about yourself, Gabriel,” he said. “What made you interested in poetry?”
Bond proceeded to feed the mousse to him spoon by spoon, and hand feed him the fruit as well.
“I have always written, and poetry was the thing I enjoyed in school that it seemed no one else did,” he was thoughtful. “Oh, my journal is at my old apartment above the bar!”
“Don’t worry, I sent several men to get your personal things,” Bond assured him. “If you are done, there is a rather nice stationery store nearby where they have journals and pens.”
“Oh, that would be lovely!” Gabriel’s smile lit up his face.
***00Q***
By the time they got back to the helicopter pad, Gabriel was asleep in the passenger seat. Bond led the sleepy boy aboard, and flew them home, London sparkling beneath them. He tucked Gabriel into bed, new pajamas buttoned around him, and laid in his own cot at the foot.
When Gabriel opened his eyes the next morning, Bond was still asleep. Ht tucked the extra blanket from the bed around the man, and went to brush his teeth. He came back and settled in at the foot of the bed next to Bond, and grabbed a book from the stack the man left on the night stand.
He picked back up where he had left off in the bookstore, the large leather volume of poetry on his lap. He didn’t know how long he read, but when he looked up, Bond’s eyes were open and the man was smiling at him.
“You look happy, Gabriel,” the man commented.
“I am,” he smiled back. “I was waiting for you to get up to go to breakfast. And I can shower after. I think I need you to show me how to tie a bow tie.”
“We can do that,” Bond got up. “You should have woken me.”
“Oh, I was enjoying reading,” he smiled. “Can I bring my book to breakfast?”
“You can do as you like, its your house, Gabriel,” he wrapped a robe around the boy. “But the halls are cold, don’t get a chill in your pajamas. And after your bow tie lesson, we can go see the stables. Do you ride?”
“No, but I have always wanted to,” he admitted.
“We will see if we can find you a pair of boots and a helmet then,” Bond slipped on his suit coat. “After we get some tea and breakfast into you.”
***00Q***
The weeks passed quickly. Gabriel worked his way through the stack of poetry books from London, and then through some of the library. James taught him to ride, and they spent mornings planning how to run the school that Gabriel was planning at the Estate.
It started with James laying a rose by his plate one night at dinner. A sweet gesture that made Gabriel blush. Then one morning James brought him tea in bed. On a rainy afternoon that wasn’t fit for riding, James got out the old record player, and taught him to waltz. The rain beat down on the skylights of the attic, but he didn’t notice because of the brilliance of Gabriel’s smile.