Chapter Twenty-nine
Rafe ran into Lucy's nearly ripping the door off the frame in the process.
"Lucy." he said, his eyes wild with rage and fear.
Still more than a little concerned about Abby, who continued to sit dumbfounded on the couch, Lucy said softly, "Cousin, hi."
"He's got her. He's got Alison." Rafe said desperately.
Abby's eyes went wide with shock and filled with a new set of tears.
"NO." she nearly shouted.
Rafe noticed for the first time the woman on the couch. There was something about her. Familiar, yet not really, like an acquaintance he met a long time ago.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" he asked.
"No. No. I'm."
"Wait. You're Abby."
"Y-y-yes."
"You." Rafe said, crossing the room in seconds, pointing his finger at her. "You told Ian where he could find us. You met Livvie."
"Yes."
Rafe pulled Abby off the couch. He held her arms tightly, nearly shook her as he begged for her help.
"Can you see her? Can you tell me where she is? Please, please, tell me. I need to find her."
Tears filled Abby's eyes as she spoke "I'm sorry. It doesn't work that way."
He loosened his grip on Abby and nearly pushed her to sit back down. "Then you're no help to me."
"Rafe, wait. Hold on. Your head, it's bleeding. Sit down for a second." Lucy said, placing her hand on his arm to try and calm him a bit.
"Lucy. Stop. I don't have time. I have to find her." He said as he shrugged Lucy off and moved back toward the door.
"I know. I know. I know. But Rafe, honestly, you obviously don't know where to look right now. You need to take a second and think. Where is Ian? Wasn't he supposed to bring you both here?"
What was left of Rafe's patience was almost gone.
"I was on my way to meet him when they took her. He went to see if he could find Frank. Look - I'll explain it all later - I don't have time - Lucy - he's got her. Joshua has her. You know what that means."
Lucy tried to reason with him again. In the state he was in, Rafe could do more harm than good to Alison. He needed to focus.
"I know, cousin. I know. Just take a deep breath. Remember, that's how you found her when the plane crashed - remember?"
Rafe stopped but his gaze didn't meet her eyes. "That was different."
"Was it? I don't think so? You thought Caleb had her and you were desperate to find her. It's the same thing."
"Lucy. I have to." Rafe finally sat down on the couch, his breath ragged. He sat down, but he could barely sit still.
His eyes darted around the room, and fell once again on Abby. Her eyes met his.
Rafe knew then what was so familiar about her. She had Alison's eyes. They were a bit darker and bit hidden behind the heavy frames of her glasses. But when he looked into them he knew.
"It's you." He almost whispered.
"Rafe." Lucy warned.
"Your eyes. You have her eyes." Rafe nearly wept at the thought of Alison's eyes, full of the fear she must be feeling, being held captive by that madman.
"I can tell. It's you." Rafe continued as he stared closer at Abby "You're the one she's been looking for. You're her sister."
"Yeah. I guess I am." Abby said softly, tears falling from those familiar eyes. Her fingers reached to the chain on her neck once again.
Lucy sat down next to Rafe and turned him to face her. She made him look her in the eye before she took his hand and spoke.
"Rafe. I know you want to find Alison and I know that Abby can help - but she just found out that she and Alison are sisters like.15 minutes ago. Give her a minute."
"What?" Rafe asked, confused. "Isn't that why she's here - because she was looking for Alison?"
"No." Abby answered instead. "I didn't know anything about that. Not until just now."
"Then why are you here?" Rafe turned to face Abby.
"I came here to help you - you and Alison. I've always had a connection with her. I saw her, most of my life. I've seen all that's happened to her here, especially since she met you. I could see what would happen and wanted to help you stop it. I didn't know - I didn't know until now who she was to me. I didn't know." Abby was once again overwhelmed at the thought.
Lucy spoke to her cousin again to explain further. "Elizabeth was here earlier. She met Abby and then just let it spill in her oh so subtle way.Abby had no idea who her father was until today."
"Elizabeth always said she didn't know who Alison's sister was. I can't believe she would keep this from her." Rafe said, his voice full of anger and hurt, and Lucy could tell it was on Alison's behalf
Lucy couldn't help but smile at that. She remembered Elizabeth's comment that Rafe acted like a pit bull when it concerned Alison. It was perfect description.
Abby continued on as Rafe and Lucy listened intently. "I've tried to save the people I loved before. I have to tell you, you need to know. I've always failed before. I don't want you to think I can perform miracles because I can't. If I could, my mother would still be here." Tears fell from Abby's eyes but she didn't even notice. Her hand involuntarily went to touch the ring she wore on the chain around her neck as she continued. "And, Cameron, he would still be here too. Instead, they're gone. I couldn't save them."
My God, this poor girl carried around so much guilt, Lucy thought sadly. "Abby. It's OK." she put her arm around Abby's shoulder in an effort to comfort her.
"No. It's not OK." Abby looked at Rafe now. "Cameron was my life, and I couldn't save his. I saw what was going on here and I thought I could help. If I can keep you two steps in front of Joshua, maybe I can finally save someone. Now that I know who Alison is, it matters even more. All I can do is try. But you can tell me if you don't want me to help you. I'll understand."
As she spoke these last words, Abby shook her head to try and clear it. She could see something. A house, a new house - not the villa. Alison dressed in all in white - bravely fighting Joshua all alone. Jamal was there too, trying to help her.
"Abby?" Rafe watched Abby's eyes glaze over. She was almost in a trance.
"Rafe. Lucy." Minutes later, Abby finally spoke.
Rafe looked at Abby again. He grabbed her hand and gave it a quick squeeze. Abby barely felt it - the visions were still coming.
Alison talking to Joshua - her eyes full of tears. Alison watching Rafe as he left her.
"Abby.what's going on?" Rafe asked. It took everything he had to keep his voice calm.
Alison - preparing for a wedding, not the one of her dreams - but a nightmare. Rafe looking on in horror as Joshua threatened to turn her before his eyes.
Tears once again pouring down her cheeks - Abby turned to look at both Rafe and Lucy.
"She's so frightened." Abby said finally.
Rafe looked at her with tears in his own eyes. He was nearly coming out of his skin. Oh God, he thought again, desperately. I have to find her.
Lucy could see Rafe was losing his patience again. She went over and knelt next to where Abby sat on the couch. "Abby.do you see where she is?"
"It's not the villa."
Rafe sighed, exasperated. "I know that. I already looked there."
Abby continued - still caught up in what she could see. "It's someplace new, just outside of town."
Grasping this first ray of hope as tightly as he held her hand, Rafe asked. "Can you show me?"
"Yes. I think so".
Pulling her off the couch - Rafe practically dragged Abby to the door. She looked back at Lucy with fear in her eyes.
"Be careful." Lucy called after them. "Oh God. Please be careful."
Rafe ran into Lucy's nearly ripping the door off the frame in the process.
"Lucy." he said, his eyes wild with rage and fear.
Still more than a little concerned about Abby, who continued to sit dumbfounded on the couch, Lucy said softly, "Cousin, hi."
"He's got her. He's got Alison." Rafe said desperately.
Abby's eyes went wide with shock and filled with a new set of tears.
"NO." she nearly shouted.
Rafe noticed for the first time the woman on the couch. There was something about her. Familiar, yet not really, like an acquaintance he met a long time ago.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" he asked.
"No. No. I'm."
"Wait. You're Abby."
"Y-y-yes."
"You." Rafe said, crossing the room in seconds, pointing his finger at her. "You told Ian where he could find us. You met Livvie."
"Yes."
Rafe pulled Abby off the couch. He held her arms tightly, nearly shook her as he begged for her help.
"Can you see her? Can you tell me where she is? Please, please, tell me. I need to find her."
Tears filled Abby's eyes as she spoke "I'm sorry. It doesn't work that way."
He loosened his grip on Abby and nearly pushed her to sit back down. "Then you're no help to me."
"Rafe, wait. Hold on. Your head, it's bleeding. Sit down for a second." Lucy said, placing her hand on his arm to try and calm him a bit.
"Lucy. Stop. I don't have time. I have to find her." He said as he shrugged Lucy off and moved back toward the door.
"I know. I know. I know. But Rafe, honestly, you obviously don't know where to look right now. You need to take a second and think. Where is Ian? Wasn't he supposed to bring you both here?"
What was left of Rafe's patience was almost gone.
"I was on my way to meet him when they took her. He went to see if he could find Frank. Look - I'll explain it all later - I don't have time - Lucy - he's got her. Joshua has her. You know what that means."
Lucy tried to reason with him again. In the state he was in, Rafe could do more harm than good to Alison. He needed to focus.
"I know, cousin. I know. Just take a deep breath. Remember, that's how you found her when the plane crashed - remember?"
Rafe stopped but his gaze didn't meet her eyes. "That was different."
"Was it? I don't think so? You thought Caleb had her and you were desperate to find her. It's the same thing."
"Lucy. I have to." Rafe finally sat down on the couch, his breath ragged. He sat down, but he could barely sit still.
His eyes darted around the room, and fell once again on Abby. Her eyes met his.
Rafe knew then what was so familiar about her. She had Alison's eyes. They were a bit darker and bit hidden behind the heavy frames of her glasses. But when he looked into them he knew.
"It's you." He almost whispered.
"Rafe." Lucy warned.
"Your eyes. You have her eyes." Rafe nearly wept at the thought of Alison's eyes, full of the fear she must be feeling, being held captive by that madman.
"I can tell. It's you." Rafe continued as he stared closer at Abby "You're the one she's been looking for. You're her sister."
"Yeah. I guess I am." Abby said softly, tears falling from those familiar eyes. Her fingers reached to the chain on her neck once again.
Lucy sat down next to Rafe and turned him to face her. She made him look her in the eye before she took his hand and spoke.
"Rafe. I know you want to find Alison and I know that Abby can help - but she just found out that she and Alison are sisters like.15 minutes ago. Give her a minute."
"What?" Rafe asked, confused. "Isn't that why she's here - because she was looking for Alison?"
"No." Abby answered instead. "I didn't know anything about that. Not until just now."
"Then why are you here?" Rafe turned to face Abby.
"I came here to help you - you and Alison. I've always had a connection with her. I saw her, most of my life. I've seen all that's happened to her here, especially since she met you. I could see what would happen and wanted to help you stop it. I didn't know - I didn't know until now who she was to me. I didn't know." Abby was once again overwhelmed at the thought.
Lucy spoke to her cousin again to explain further. "Elizabeth was here earlier. She met Abby and then just let it spill in her oh so subtle way.Abby had no idea who her father was until today."
"Elizabeth always said she didn't know who Alison's sister was. I can't believe she would keep this from her." Rafe said, his voice full of anger and hurt, and Lucy could tell it was on Alison's behalf
Lucy couldn't help but smile at that. She remembered Elizabeth's comment that Rafe acted like a pit bull when it concerned Alison. It was perfect description.
Abby continued on as Rafe and Lucy listened intently. "I've tried to save the people I loved before. I have to tell you, you need to know. I've always failed before. I don't want you to think I can perform miracles because I can't. If I could, my mother would still be here." Tears fell from Abby's eyes but she didn't even notice. Her hand involuntarily went to touch the ring she wore on the chain around her neck as she continued. "And, Cameron, he would still be here too. Instead, they're gone. I couldn't save them."
My God, this poor girl carried around so much guilt, Lucy thought sadly. "Abby. It's OK." she put her arm around Abby's shoulder in an effort to comfort her.
"No. It's not OK." Abby looked at Rafe now. "Cameron was my life, and I couldn't save his. I saw what was going on here and I thought I could help. If I can keep you two steps in front of Joshua, maybe I can finally save someone. Now that I know who Alison is, it matters even more. All I can do is try. But you can tell me if you don't want me to help you. I'll understand."
As she spoke these last words, Abby shook her head to try and clear it. She could see something. A house, a new house - not the villa. Alison dressed in all in white - bravely fighting Joshua all alone. Jamal was there too, trying to help her.
"Abby?" Rafe watched Abby's eyes glaze over. She was almost in a trance.
"Rafe. Lucy." Minutes later, Abby finally spoke.
Rafe looked at Abby again. He grabbed her hand and gave it a quick squeeze. Abby barely felt it - the visions were still coming.
Alison talking to Joshua - her eyes full of tears. Alison watching Rafe as he left her.
"Abby.what's going on?" Rafe asked. It took everything he had to keep his voice calm.
Alison - preparing for a wedding, not the one of her dreams - but a nightmare. Rafe looking on in horror as Joshua threatened to turn her before his eyes.
Tears once again pouring down her cheeks - Abby turned to look at both Rafe and Lucy.
"She's so frightened." Abby said finally.
Rafe looked at her with tears in his own eyes. He was nearly coming out of his skin. Oh God, he thought again, desperately. I have to find her.
Lucy could see Rafe was losing his patience again. She went over and knelt next to where Abby sat on the couch. "Abby.do you see where she is?"
"It's not the villa."
Rafe sighed, exasperated. "I know that. I already looked there."
Abby continued - still caught up in what she could see. "It's someplace new, just outside of town."
Grasping this first ray of hope as tightly as he held her hand, Rafe asked. "Can you show me?"
"Yes. I think so".
Pulling her off the couch - Rafe practically dragged Abby to the door. She looked back at Lucy with fear in her eyes.
"Be careful." Lucy called after them. "Oh God. Please be careful."