It took everything that Gabriel had in him to keep from crying when Noah hugged him. He had been so afraid that his son was going to pull away, be afraid of him like everyone else had been. This was more than he could have ever asked for, hoped for. The statement, however, derailed his relief with anxiety and uncertainty.
He didn't know how much good they could actually do. It had been an advantageous mix of things that had lead to him becoming as redeemed as he had been. Until Noah had been born, there had always been the possibility of him tumbling right back over that edge. In the end, it had finally been his son that had solidified it in his mind that he couldn't allow himself to go down that road ever again. He wasn't going to be what his father (adoptive father) had been to him.
"We can try, champ," Gabriel said, curling his arms back around his son and holding him close. "We can try, but I want you to promise me that you won't go near him unless I'm with you. All right?"