Abby was sitting with the people she knew for which she was glad. The two friends of Stiles from Beacon Hills were sitting at the table with them but so far Abby liked them. They were friends of Stiles' after all.
When Isaac started to talk about the puppies and kittens they had at the vet clinic and how he'd first tricked Stiles and then Derek into adopting one of them, he'd won Haley's heart, that was for sure. Abby was just glad that those puppies and kittens were on the other side of the country otherwise she would have a hard time, explaining to Haley why she could not have one. At the moment they were still squatting at Lydia's place so that might be an argument but Abby would rather not risk it.
After dinner, people started to mingle. Scott and Isaac moved over to talk to Derek's sister and the kids huddled together in a corner. They were quite apart in age but still closer to each other than to the adults so Abby guessed that it made sense. At first, she was worried that the smaller kids would mock Haley but in the end, Lucy was patiently waiting for Justin to read out Haley's messages. The conversation was slow that way but nobody seemed to mind.
"Abby?" Justin approached her while Haley stayed back with Lucy at her side. "We have some toys in Stiles' car. Can we get them? Haley says we have to ask you first." He shifted from one foot to the other while he threw a glance at the girls behind him.
Abby's mind immediately jumped to Rick and she was about to say no or that she would go with them but one look at Haley's face changed her mind. The car was just outside in the well-lit parking lot and Haley wouldn't be out there alone or for long.
The bright smile she got from Haley when Abby reluctantly gave her okay was totally worth it.
Abby held her breath until they were safely back inside, though.
Justin and Haley were each carrying a box. From the distance, Abby couldn't make out details but she spotted coloring books in the mix. Those were for babies according to Haley but Abby had no doubt that she would have fun coloring with the younger kids around as an alibi.
"You're worried about her," Laura observed. She had been chatting with Lydia but now she was looking over to where the kids were spreading out the toys.
"I have reasons," Abby said, not in the mood to explain herself to her. This was not the place and Laura was a stranger.
"The same reasons why she's not talking?" Laura asked.
"No."
Laura opened her mouth for another question but Lydia jumped in by asking how old Lucy was. Abby used the chance to excuse herself and fled to the restroom.
Abby locked the door and took a deep breath. People asked questions, by now she was used to that. A lot where pushier than Laura but right now even that was too much.
"Get a grip," Abby told her reflection in the mirror. This was a party, she was here to have fun. But the encounter with Rick earlier was still lingering in the back of her mind.
When she came out of the bathroom a few minutes later Abby had collected herself and was determined to have fun tonight.
"I didn't have the chance to congratulate you earlier." Derek's uncle approached her. "There are not many people who can render my sister speechless."
She needed a moment to remember the incident with Derek's mother but then she couldn't help a chuckle.
"Her face was priceless," she had to admit.
"Usually it's Stiles who does that to her," Peter said. He was looking at where Stiles and Derek were still sitting at the main table, flanked by their parents.
"Is that the reason why she doesn't like him?" Abby dared to ask. She had heard rumors and she'd gotten an impression of Talia first hand but she was missing out on a lot of backstory.
"That's just the sprinkle on top." Peter shook his head. "She wants the best for all her children and Laura and Cora happen to want what she considers best for them, a nice coincidence. Derek however." He clicked his tongue. "Derek's different. He doesn't want to follow the path she has carved out for him. He didn't choose the majors she wanted, he didn't have the relationships she wanted and for sure he didn't have the job she wanted for him. Before Stiles came into his life, he was working in retail." He mocked his sister with a fake gasp. "Without Stiles, Derek would never have dared to pursue his dreams." He raised his glass at the pictures.
"He's good and he loves what he does," Abby said. She didn't know the Derek from before but she knew him now. He was happy and he loved his work.
"It's not the stable life Talia wants for him," Peter reminded her. "And Stiles is not the abled girl to give him the one point five children."
Abby didn't know what to say to that.
"And then it turned out that they don't have just a vanilla relationship either." Peter was grinning now. "You should have been at the gallery, it was marvelous."
Abby had seen the photos he was talking about and yes, they didn't leave a doubt about what kind of relationship Derek and Stiles were having.
"Why are you telling me all this?" Abby wondered. This was rather personal.
"Because I want to hear your story. Quid pro quo." He gave her a toothy smile. "Stiles mentioned you a few times, you and your daughter. I'm curious."
"What makes you think that I'm just going to tell you my story?"
"I might be able to help you with your little stalker problem," Peter said and finished his glass.
"What could you possibly do?" Abby was not buying it. The police were looking for Rick but until he was stupid enough to stick around when she called, there was not much the police could do. At least that was what they were telling her. They had questioned his wife but according to her he hadn't been home in weeks and Rick himself had said that there was no going back to Lisa.
"I have my ways," Peter said. He was watching the main table where the two sets of parents were now sitting together. From here it looked like they were getting along just fine. "But it looks like the fun part is about to start, let's talk later."
Derek and Stiles were heading towards the dance floor. Stiles had said that he wanted to dance tonight but Abby had no clue how that was supposed to work. She followed Peter to watch the spectacle. And a spectacle it was. Dancing in a wheelchair was different but Stiles and Derek got lost in each other, their movements a fluent back and forth that made it look easy and effortless. Derek was swirling Stiles around who brought in his chair for pirouettes and the occasional tilt to his back wheels.
Then the song ended and quiet fell over them. Like they were waking up from a daze, Stiles and Derek stood awkwardly in the middle while the crowd around them erupted in cheers. They were saved by Scott who was dragging Isaac to the floor for the next dance. Other couples followed.
"Do you want to dance?" Lydia was at her side and when Abby looked around, she had lost sight of Peter.
"Sure." She let Lydia lead her to the floor but her mind was still on Peter. She would definitely find a moment to talk to him later. But now Lydia had her arm around her hip and she was just looking gorgeous in her purple dress, Abby allowed herself to enjoy the moment. She danced with Lydia and later with Derek and Boyd. She had fun. She took breaks to check on Haley and to rest her feet for a moment, new high heels were hell, but she had fun.
Even Haley got dragged to the dance floor. First by Lydia but she had a dance with Scott as well, however that happened.
And in the middle was Stiles who true to his word was dancing almost the whole time. Most dances he had with Derek but he had other partners as well. His mom, with her it worked out well, and then with Laura who just couldn't get the hang of dancing with a wheelchair. That dance ended in a fit of laughter.
Later that evening, the kids were sleeping curled together on the couch Derek had in one corner and people had switched mostly from dancing to quiet conversations. Except for Stiles who was dancing alone if he had to. Abby sat with her head on Lydia's shoulder and her high heels forgotten under her chair. They were sipping wine while Erica was telling them about a rude customer she had the other day.
Abby hadn't gotten a chance to talk to Peter but when she spotted him now at the other side of the room, he locked eyes with her and with a tilt of his head he indicated that now was a good time to talk. Abby wasn't sure if she wanted to move, she would have to put her shoes back on but in the end, curiosity won.
"Excuse me," she said to Lydia who was too engrossed in the conversation to even notice when Abby toed for her shoes. Looked like nobody would miss her anyway.
"I think I need some fresh air," Peter said when she approached him. "Would you like to join me?"
"Sure, why not."
On their way out Peter grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses, making Abby wonder if he had ulterior motives here, but she followed him outside nevertheless. But she made sure that the pepper spray was still in her purse. The night was surprisingly warm and they sat down on a low wall around the corner of the building. Peter handed her a glass of wine.
"Start at the beginning," Peter said and stretched out his legs. "Don't leave out anything."
Abby thought about it for a moment, not sure where to start. What had been the beginning? When Rick had called her to fly in for the inheritance thing? That was what had gotten everything in motion but it hadn't been the beginning, not really. It didn't seem relevant for her current problem but when she opened her mouth, the first words coming out were: "It began with the accident."
There were very few people she had told about the accident and most didn't get the details she was giving Peter now but it felt right to tell him. Maybe she needed to tell somebody, she didn't know. The fact that Peter was a stranger made it easier in a way. He wasn't involved, he hadn't known Marvin, he didn't know Haley or Rick.
For the most part, Peter listened and when he interrupted her it was to ask a question or to clarify a point. When she came to the part where Rick had started to stalk her, she had to fight the tears. She didn't dare to go out alone any longer, somebody had to pick up Haley every day, by now she was living in constant fear of running into him. And when she ran into him, or rather he into her, all she could do was to call the cops who were completely useless. They hadn't done a damn thing to find him.
"What about the incident today?" Peter prompted when she'd fallen quiet, too overwhelmed with her emotions. "That was the first time he spoke to you, right?"
Abby nodded and tried to remember his exact words. She didn't know what Peter hoped to find out that way but she tried her best to remember what Rick had said.
"So." She was kneading her hands. Bringing all this up again had taken a toll on her. "That's my sad life story."
"Thank you for telling me," Peter said and he sounded sincere.
"You said you can help me." Abby put aside her glass to which she had been clinging while she'd been talking. "Can you?"
"I might," Peter said. "I can't promise anything but I'll see what I can do."
She didn't know what he might be able to do but she doubted that it was something legal so she didn't ask.
"What will it cost me?" She asked the more pressuring question.
"Nothing." Peter threw her a glance. "I don't like people like Rick."
"Something like this doesn't come without a price."
"Something like what?" Peter stood and gathered the glasses and the bottle. "We're just two guests at a wedding, making small talk." He offered her his arm.
After a second she took it and let him walk her back inside.
Naturally, the first thing Abby did was to check on Haley. She'd been sleeping with Lucy and Justin on the couch when she'd left but now only the smaller kids were lying there, both still fast asleep.
"Where's Haley?"
