Title: She Remembers
Author: Katie
Story Summary: Abby can remember when things were different, and she's not sure that'll she ever be able to reconcile her past with her present. Post-finale fic with pre-series flashbacks. Please R/R.
Spoilers: Sigh
Ratings: PG (if you're old enough to watch Harper's Island, you're old enough to read this)
Pairing: All chapters include Abby/Jimmy romance.
Authors Note: Could probably be read as a series of one-shots as much as a continuous story. I don't know how much older Henry is than Abby, or how much older Abby is than JD, so I took artistic license. From the episode where JD goes to Abby I think that they had a good relationship – took artistic license with their past as well.
Authors Note 2: This is my very first Harper's Island fiction, so please be kind. This did not turn out anything like I though it would, hope you like it anyway – I had fun writing it.
Distribution: Please! Just let me know.
Feedback: Please!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything…at all…
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Chapter One: A New Normal
Abby stepped out of the shower in the third floor room of the small hotel, about four blocks from the police station in Seattle where she was staying until the police and FBI and Coast Guard and who ever decided they had heard the story enough and her statement was complete and she could finally just go home. She dried off and dressed in a tank top and yoga pants from the small store across the street. She pulled a hairbrush through her hair while watching her reflection in the mirror. She sighed at little and put the brush back down when the noise outside her window started to overpower the waves crashing against the coast line and her trance was broken.
She walked into the bed room and smiled a little when she saw Jimmy. He was lying on his back in the center of the bed, which occupied the center of the small room. A nightstand on either side held the random things that they had accumulated since they were brought back to Seattle by the Coast Guard, papers from the police mostly. And Abby's suite case, retrieved by the FBI and cleared from evidence just the day before sat, unopened, by the window.
His eyes were closed, but she knew he wasn't sleeping. She walked over to the bed and paused a moment before sitting down. She moved closer to Jimmy, tucking her legs under herself when she was right next to him. Her knees brushed his hip and without opening his eyes he found her hand and pulled it to his chest where his fingers could play over hers idly.
She leaned down to kiss him and smiled into it when she felt one of his hands slide easily into her still-damp hair, his other hand still holding hers on his chest. He pulled back a little, pulling her forehead to his and opening his eyes to find hers, "I love you" he told her quietly and she smiled a little before sitting up and squeezing her eyes tightly shut.
They hadn't spoken much about what happened yet. A kind of silent agreement had been made when they stepped off the Coast Guard boat and into the hospital where they were looked at by doctors and questioned by agents. It was all a little too much, a little too soon and they hadn't talked about much of anything real yet, not what happened on the island seven days ago or seven years ago.
She opens here eyes again when she feels his heart rate start to increase under her hand on his chest. She looks out the small window for a moment before looking back at Jimmy, "You're not just trying to break my heart…are you?" She asked her voice hitching a little.
Jimmy's eye brows furrow together for a moment before he props himself up on his elbows and uses one hand to tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear. He sighs softly and pulls her down to kiss her forehead, "Never." he whispers as she sits back up.
Abby sighs as she smiles and looks slightly to the left of Jimmy, like she's preparing for something. Jimmy stays propped up on his elbows, and takes one of her hands, his thumb running back and forth over her knuckles while he waits for her to collect her thoughts.
She takes a deep breath and, "I meant what I said, you know, in that boat house. I mean, I though that Henry might kill us, but that's not why I said it. I really am sorry I left, and especially that I did it without even telling you. And I really did think about calling you all the time. At first I didn't because I thought you'd hate me, and I didn't know what to say, and then I thought I'd waited too long, or that you would have all ready moved on anyway…"
She trails off when Jimmy squeezes her hand lightly, "You don't have to -" he starts but she cuts him off.
"I have this box in the bottom of my closet, of half written letters to you. The first one is from a few days after I left, and they most recent is from a few months ago when Henry told me he was getting married on the island. Some of them are less than a sentence and some are finished and in addressed envelopes, but I never…" she shakes her head, hard, like she trying to physically force herself back on track to the point she was trying to make, "I know that it's lame and kind of cliché to have a box of half written letters, but I do." She stops and shakes her head again, "The point, I guess, is that I said what I said because I meant it, not 'cause I thought we might die," she sighs, "I love you, Jimmy" she finishes in a whisper.
Jimmy pulls on her hand softly until she's close enough for him to kiss her. She lies down on her back and he's on his side, leaning over her and in some ways, she feels like she's 17 again…making out with Jimmy Mance, and she feels, for the first time since leaving Harper's Island that maybe her life could be, if not normal, okay…good even. Like maybe she and Jimmy could make some new kind of normal and she knows…just knows…that they could be happy together.
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Author's Note 3: I have the first couple of chapters mostly written, I just wanted to put this out there and get a feel for what people think/where people thought it should go. The next chapter will be the first to include a flashback. Please review!!!