Disclaimer: I do not own Harper's Island. That is all.

Author's Note: Some Abby/Jimmy plz, I'm not the biggest fan of these two but I am trying to make this fic stand in with the show and not my own dark pleasures. Haha! I think it went ok =D


His furious face said it all as Abby confessed to everything, as though she had done something wrong! He just stared at her, jaw clenched in displeasure and disappointment. Her mind screamed at him for it but she just spoke quietly and shakily.

Couldn't he understand? It wasn't as though she was doing something she shouldn't be, this was her life and if Abby wanted to sit in her own apartment and go through Henry's things that were now hers? Well she damn well was going to do that!

"Say something." She was fed up of watching him stand there like a statue, mouth set firmly with a glazed look. He let those blue eyes finally focus on her and they seemed to say it all. Hurt.

"What do you want me to say Abby? I can't just be happy to find you here with his personal things, that man still has you by the belt and he's dead!" She visibly flinched at that, looking away from him. This caused Jimmy to say more, it was as though a dam had broken and all his anger was rushing forth to claim her. "How can you just sit there looking through memories of 'dear Henry' after everything he did to you? Everyone is DEAD Abby!"

Abby stood up and faced him, tears in her eyes, but she was mad and they wouldn't stop her from arguing her side. Nothing ever stopped Abby from saying her piece.

"Yes, that's right Jimmy, Henry is dead! They all are, and I'm here with you and there's no one else left except for Shea and Madison! Shea won't even talk to me! I have to get closure somehow; I need to get through this!" Tears began to fall and she felt so tired all of a sudden. "All I think about is how this could of happened to me, and then I think of all you lost and feel even more guilty because I was the cause of it. So many died and it was all in my name..." Abby couldn't speak anymore and she sobbed openly as she had done many times before.

It was the warmth that shocked her as Jimmy put his arms around her small body and held her there to him. "Shhh, I know, I'm sorry. I just wish you'd trusted me to be here for you, it feels like you keep this part locked up so much. He still keeps a part of you away from me...Abby-" She kissed him, letting his words sink in before pulling back to look into his eyes.

"Henry will always be part of me I know and I am sorry about that, but he left such a mark I can't dig it out even if I wanted to. We grew up together, built lives and friends together! And then, he ripped them out from under me. I can't ever promise you more than me, broken."

Jimmy tightened his hold around her, and she let her head fall onto his shoulder, closing her eyes. She shouldn't have kept it a secret, but some part of her felt shame and it was confusing. If Henry were here now she'd be screaming at him and not Jimmy, she would be telling him how wrong he was, how messed up it all was!

She would be holding him close and saying goodbye too, because really no matter how mad and upset this all made her, the closure she needed would never come. He'd died by her hand alone with the words of love given freely before he fell, and she hadn't had time to say 'I love you too.'

Abby let herself cry once more as images from that very moment flashed through her mind, his face so full of hurt that she had caused.

Now she was causing Jimmy pain too and that wasn't her intention at all, all she wanted was to find a way to move on from it all. It seemed no matter what course of action she took, it was never going to completely be enough. For months he'd been saying to her 'You won't let me in; open up more.' Abby wanted to, she really did.

But how?

Jimmy pulled Abby back over to the seat she'd been occupying before and sat down next to her, one hand rubbing her back while the other passed the forgotten Coffee mug. "I know that there is no possible way I can understand how you feel and what you're going through, but I understand you need to go through it Abbs. I just wish you would let me help."

She let the drink calm her down before turning red and puffy eyes to her boyfriend. "If you could help me I'd let you. There isn't a thing you can do to make this easier Jimmy; you can't just make it all go away."

Those words were true to any situation, no one could make another's feelings and thoughts just disappear. Why couldn't he accept that? It was up to her to find the solution, no one else. She watched as he ran a hand through his short hair and then wipe it down his face, sighing heavily.

"Alright. I want to compromise Abby, just let me finish" Jimmy held up a hand when she opened her mouth, ready to argue once more. "I get that this is a personal thing, really I do! All I want is for you to be honest about how you're coping or feeling. If you can't-" he shook his head "well then I'm not sure what else I can say."

If only it were that easy for her, she'd learned to just get on with things a long time ago and now after all that had happened...Abby found she lacked trust in anyone. "I will try at least, will you give me that?"

He looked to be in pain with an internal conflict for a few seconds, before sighing loudly and bringing his face close to her, kissing the top of Abby's head. "I love you Abbs but you drive me insane.." Jimmy's lips quirked upward wryly, and she stiffened.

Love.

There was that word again, the one she tried not to think about yet couldn't quite ignore. He loved her! He knew he loved her, said it so openly she felt sick in the pit of her stomach thinking about the doubts within her own mind. She considered telling him of her confused feelings on the matter, after all she had just promised to try and let him in more. However Abby just couldn't bring herself to put more pain on his handsome face.

No, she would keep that one hidden for now and wait. Wait for the time when she knew undoubtedly of her own feelings.

"Let's put these things away and spend tonight relaxing, you can even choose the activity!" Jimmy winked, and Abby knew he was trying to help distract her and move away from the conversation. She nodded and he got up. "Great, you put the box away and I'll go order a Pizza."

Standing up on shaky legs, she stared blankly at the picture of ten year old Henry smiling proudly, holding his large prize and shoved it into the confines of cardboard. 'If only I could still confide in you.' She returned it to the closet and closed the door, putting all thoughts of this away once more with the memories and ready for a hopefully relaxing evening.

**

It was a week until she was able to settle in for another round with the box and its contents. Jimmy monopolized a lot of attention talking and trying to cheer her up. And when he wasn't doing that, Abby was cleaning, shopping and trying to come up with ideas for a book. By nature her writing was investigative journalist, she had written articles for newspapers as a freelance work and also once a more concrete placement.

If she were completely honest the thing she loved most was to delve into facts and rumour, dig out the truth and then write it up to conclude for the newspaper that hired her. The book idea was something that came to her one night while staring into the dark ceiling on one of her brief insomniac weeks. When the murder's had been fresh on her mind.

The book of course was an outlet for her brain, some way to express her feelings and everything on what had happened. She might never publish it or even burn the remains later. Still, it was a place Abby needed to go.

It was in these thoughts that Abby found herself staring at an article of her very first written work in a newspaper with her name plainly on the page for all to see. Henry had kept it for all these years it seemed, cut out perfectly.

She remembered the day plainly in her head as if it'd only happened last week, and this irritated Abby somewhat. How could she not rip the seared memories of Henry from her mind? Yes he was important and such a huge part, but Abby longed to let him go. Yet with every day, week, month...the memories seemed more persistent. Especially now with his belongings in her apartment.

Abby fingered some of the words on the page which was worn with age, years since they were printed. He'd come to her from Seattle, to visit and congratulate! They'd drank wine and laughed, Henry had pursued a similar job as her and become the owner of Hometown Press. Or had she followed in his steps? Unsure was the course but together they had conquered that world so easily with each other as support.

Eyes focused on nothing she replayed that moment.

Three quick knocks let Abby know that she had a visitor, and her brown eyes raised from the newspaper curiously. Who could be coming over now? It was about 10pm in LA and she had told anyone who'd asked of her plans that she intended to relax that evening. Her first published article and people wanted to celebrate, but Abby was reluctant.

Standing, she pulled the door open to reveal one tall dark and handsome man leaning against the door frame and grinning in that way he always did. "Well? Am I invited in?" He laughed, holding up a bottle of expensive wine "I come bearing gifts."

Abby smiled at him while raising an eyebrow "you never said that you were coming over, and it's late." Henry looked at her innocently while picking up his travel bag.

"Is that the welcome I get? You too famous to greet us small-time publishers now?" Henry's lips twitched in amusement as she glared at him while closing the door, before letting her own smile come into place.

"Well if you insist on being here you might as well open the wine." She laughed, and he wrapped his arms around her smaller frame easily.

"Congrats Abby." He whispered, before pulling her back and setting the bottle down. Henry picked the newspaper up and started to read the article himself. Abby grabbed some glasses and set them down, before flopping onto a seat.

"It isn't much really but I guess it's a start." Abby tucked a hair behind her ear and pulled her legs up to sit more comfortably as Henry continued to read. He glanced at her then and winked.

"Please, not everyone makes it in the business and I know, I make that my business!" He chuckled lightly and put the paper down on to the table, before pouring the drinks out and handing Abby hers.

She took it with a thanks, and then watched his face as he in return watched her. "Sometimes I wonder if it's what I want for myself, I like to write and I also love to get to the bottom of things...but" she sighed.

Henry's mouth tightened before he spoke quietly and thoughtfully, hoping not to speak out of turn. "I can't answer that Abbs, but you've always been fascinated by this ever since Wakefield.."

She winced at the mention of the name, and also for his perceptive view on her. Abby liked to keep those thoughts and feelings locked up tight. The only person she would talk to about them sitting right there in front of her, yet it remained an uncomfortable topic.

"If I can help people at all by figuring things out, maybe buffer from those vultures who call themselves reporters!" She looked like a mad pussy cat, and rightly so. Still it caused Henry to laugh out loud once more, he never tired of her amusing presence.

"Hey now, they're just doing their jobs. You can't stick to the moral centre forever, it'll hinder you." He knew she wouldn't listen to that, but it didn't matter. He enjoyed the banter. In fact, sometimes Henry would just say something and watch her reaction.

The brunette huffed, but let it go. She was too tired for anything more than amiable company tonight and he let her move the conversation elsewhere. "You're planning on crashing here tonight then." She said, nodding to the overnight bag.

"Well its just for tonight, I have a plane booked tomorrow afternoon. Just wanted to be here to celebrate with you." His expression was unreadable back then, but Abby was glad he'd come.

"We should make this night count then." She smirked and held up her glass to him "to the future." She said, laughing at his expression. Henry shook his head and lifted his up too, "may your career take you to new places."

They both drank, and Henry added. "Course if you want to come work for me, I'd make a spot for you!" He grinned, and she stuck her tongue out in his direction.

Abby missed him, that was clear now that she'd put the anger and hurt to one side. Going through his belongings was a good thing after all for her. She wanted to say goodbye and move forward, but she'd have to settle for a different kind of 'goodbye' for her best friend. She had one thing left to do now and that was to read his letter.

'Soon, not yet.' She would need to figure out how best to do this, how to say her goodbyes just right and move on with her life. Taking a deep breath, Abby pulled out the letter and placed it the coffee table. It would sit there for a while as she built up to reading what was inside.

Letting go will be the hardest thing Abby had ever done.


Well people, that is the end of this chapter and the next one will be the last! The letter will be read, lots of emotions! I'd love more reviews as feedback of course but you don't have to. I'm just thinking if I got their interactions ok, I might even write an Abby/Henry story next, bwahaha!

For this one I want to try and cement her relationship with Jimmy, I'll try and get them sorted for the last chapter.

See ya!