Mark pulled into the driveway and parked his car. He seen Abby's car parked in front of him. He got out and by passed the house and walked to the back yard. He knew where she would be. He came up to the little cemetery and seen her sitting on the ground in front of her family's grave. Mark went in and set down behind her and pulled her back against him and wrapped his big arms around her.
"Mark what are you doing here?" Abby asked.
Mark kissed her on top of the head.
"Ya aint got to be so tough girl, I'm here for you now." Mark said.
Abby leaned back against him.
"How did you know where I would be?" Abby asked.
"I know ya got a lot of stuff to let go of, I figured this is where you would come." Mark answered.
It scared Abby that Mark knew her so well, when did this connection between them take place?
"Abby ya need to let go, let go of the pain, I know ya got it all bottled up inside, ya had to be strong for so long, but ya don't know more, not with me, you can trust me girl, I'll catch ya if ya fall." Mark said.
Mark words chipped away what was left of her armor. The tears that she had held in for so long fell from her eyes.
"Why did my daddy have to go away and leave me all alone Mark, it wasn't fair?" Abby sobbed.
Mark turned her around and held her against him while she cried.
"I don't know baby, your right it's not fair." Mark said.
"I'm mad at them for leaving me Mark; they left me all alone, with no one to take care of me!" Abby cried.
"I know baby." Mark said gently rubbing her back while sobs wracked her body.
"I miss them so bad Mark, sometimes I wish I had died to so I could be with them." Abby said.
Mark lifted her chin so she would look at him.
"Abby you're here for a reason, think how many lives you've saved. Don't ever wish you had died." Mark said kissing her gently.
She leaned back into his chest and cried. She let out everything she had held in for years. Mark held her through it all, just stroking her and holding her while she let her pain go. Finally her sobs subsided and her tears slowed. Mark still held her and rubbed her back.
Abby lifted her head.
"I got your shirt all wet." Abby said looking up at him shyly.
"You bad girl." Mark said grinning.
Abby smiled back and lay back against him again.
They sit there in silence for a while.
"Abby I'm going to wait for you in the drive way when you're ready, I'll be there." Mark said.
Abby stood up and turned and kissed Mark.
"Thanks." Abby said.
"Anytime baby, just don't run off from me no more." Mark said.
Abby looked at him and grinned.
"We'll see." She said.
"Girl I have a feeling you're going to keep me on my toes." Mark said grinning.
"You bet." Abby replied.
Mark kissed her and headed back down to the drive way.
Abby sighed and turned back to her family's graves.
"Daddy I thought you should know, I took care of it. The men who did this are dead now, you can be at peace now and maybe I can too. I'm really sorry I yelled at you that day, I probably regret that more than anything that our last words were angry. I love you daddy and you too Mama. I love all of you. Pete I really miss you not being here to catch me when I do all this dumb stuff. I wish I could see you one last time, but that can't be. I love you guys, I'll be back from time to time." Abby said and she turned and walked away.
"She'll be okay now" a voice on the wind said.
"Yes honey, she'll be okay now" a voice answered.
If Abby would have turned around she would have seen her smiling family standing there, love shining in there eyes.
"We love you to baby." Jason said.
"So where are we going?" Abby asked when she got to the driveway.
"First we're going to turn in your rental and then we're going to find a room and have a long talk." Mark said.
"Sounds kind of ominous." Abby joked.
Mark raised his brow at her.
"We're going to get some things straight." Mark said.
Mark got in his car.
"I follow you to turn in your car." Mark said.
"Okay Cave man." Abby said grinning.
Mark smiled.
"Get a move on." He said.
Abby smiled and got in her car. She couldn't wait to see what Mark had to say.
