Chapter Thirty-three
Abby turned and began to walk to find a place to wait. The woods were creeping her out. It was getting dark.
She heard footsteps behind her, coming closer. Moving faster - she began to run.
She stopped to catch her breath, and heard a voice behind her.
"See anything lately, Abby?"
Abby turned at the sound of Livvie's voice, and saw her walk towards her. If that wasn't bad enough news, Abby soon saw that Caleb was following right behind.
Abby saw some sort of kindness in his eyes, but knew the evil and cruelty he was capable of. Her heart began to pound. For the first time since she got here she was scared almost to death.
She silently prayed for Cameron and her mother to keep her safe. She took a deep breath and looked Livvie in the eye.
"What can I do for you, Livvie?" she asked, struggling to keep her voice steady.
"Funny you should ask. I want you to help us. We need to know where Joshua is hiding something."
"Well, Livvie. I have news for you. I am not part of a carnival act. I'm not here for your personal entertainment. The things I see are random. I can't just see what you want me to."
"Well, are you sure the carnival's left town? You've acted like a freak since I've met you." Livvie began.
"Olivia!" Caleb finally spoke, cutting off the line of insults Livvie was ready to spew at Abby. He turned his attention to the stranger before him.
"Abby, is it?" he said as he looked at her, his head tilted slightly sideways.
Abby was captivated by the intense stare he gave her. His blue eyes were nearly hypnotic. She shook her head to focus, before she answered. "Yes."
"Is that short for Abigail?"
Abby was a bit taken aback at the sound of his voice saying her full name. "Yes, yes it is."
"That's a lovely name." Caleb continued.
Livvie looked on, fury bubbling inside her. Was Caleb actually flirting with this plain Jane - goody-two shoes? What the hell was wrong with him?
"Caleb." Abby figured out what he was up to. She wasn't falling for it. "I've known of you for a long time. If you think you can charm me into helping you. You're sadly mistaken."
"Who? Me? Try and charm you? I'm just being polite." He said with a wicked grin.
"You may be fangless, but I'm quite sure you can still draw blood." Abby continued, tilting her chin up in defiance. "and I know for a fact that your girlfriend wants nothing more than to take a bite out of me. I'm sorry to disappoint you both. But, I can't help you."
"Can't or won't?" Livvie asked then.
"Either one is appropriate. You choose." Abby replied, anger overpowering her fear more and more each second.
"Watch yourself, dear Abby. I have some advice you should take. Don't try and take me on, because you'll lose. You know, it's been a while since my last meal. I'm suddenly famished." Livvie started towards Abby, who began to back away in fear.
"Olivia! That's enough!!" He grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
"You were just here with the slayer, weren't you? Let me guess. Does Joshua have Alison again?" Caleb asked, his mind spinning. He may have lost his powers, but he could still see what was going on now.
Abby was suddenly torn. She didn't know what she should reveal. Would they be able to help or hinder Rafe in his quest to save Alison? She thought back to the vision of Rafe turning away and Alison leaving. I'm sure that he's not going to save her on the first try anyway, she thought to herself. As unbelievable as it seemed, maybe, Caleb could help him. Her instincts said that she should.
"Yes." She said softly, turning away.
"And Rafe's trying to save her from him now?" Caleb continued.
"Yes." Abby answered again, this time turning back to stare Caleb in the face.
"Not at the villa."
"No. He's moved her."
"It's there." Caleb said, turning to Livvie. "Wherever that is, the answer we need is there."
Abby looked at the two of them. She felt their love for each other. It was so much different than any other love she'd ever seen, but it was love just the same. She knew there were things about the two of them together that would be dangerous to those around them. But the fact still remained.
Joshua was far more evil. He had absolutely no conscience, and he had Alison in his clutches.
Rafe had trusted Caleb to free them from the villa. Abby decided to trust them to help save Alison.
Abby scolded herself as she spoke. "I may be making a huge mistake."
Both Caleb and Livvie turned to her.
Abby went on, "Saving Alison is the most important thing to me, for reasons that are clear to me now. I think you can help do that, but I'm sure you understand why I can't fully trust either of you."
Livvie first instinct was to lash out at Abby, but the feel of Caleb's arm sliding around her waist and tightening caused her to keep silent.
"We understand." Caleb said.
"I never would have believed I'd be here. I never believed I'd be talking to and fighting against vampires," The absurdness of the situation still amazed her. "but it seems I am."
Abby was worried and as she spoke she began to pace. Here was another trait she shared with her sister.
"You both have hurt them immensely. But Caleb, the fact is, without you, they wouldn't be together now. Rafe would never have died, and he'd never met Lucy and he'd never have come to Port Charles."
"Hmmm. That's true." Caleb said with a grin. "I wonder if he'd ever admit that."
Abby refused to let him gloat, so she added, "Of course, they probably would have found each other another way eventually, since they are truly destined to be together."
Despite Caleb's silent pleas for her to behave, Livvie had finally had enough. "Ugh! Please. Spare me the fairytales. Are you going to help us or not?"
"Livvie. Do you even remember being her friend? Do you?" Abby stopped pacing and turned to look at her then, seriously reconsidering letting them in on what she knew.
"It was a long time ago." Livvie replied.
"Well. Try and think back. You lost something."
"Yeah. I lost a friend. I lost Alison." Livvie's voice was almost sad.
"And your conscience. Thanks to your batty boyfriend." Abby was angry now.
"Now, now, now. Abby. I'm hurt. There's no need for insults." Caleb broke in. "Let's get back to the subject. I think I see where you're going with this. Joshua's got something I want, and something that Rafe wants."
Here it was, Abby thought, the moment of truth. "Right. I want you to work together."
"You're insane." Livvie said in disbelief.
"No. She's right." Caleb said softly.
"What?!" Livvie broke away from Caleb and stared at him.
"She's right. We can't defeat Joshua while he has the ring. Rafe can. As unbelievable as it seems, we need him."
Caleb focused his attention back to Abby. As he spoke, he stroked the finger that used to wear the ring Joshua now possessed. All that mattered was returning to his former self, and regaining his family's legacy. "Rafe. Did he actually agree to this?"
"No. I haven't asked him yet."
"What makes you think he will?"
"If it will save Alison he'll agree. You know that already." Abby answered.
"This plan of yours has merit - and I'm willing to give it a try. On one condition, I need the antidote for what Joshua has given me. Do you know where that is?"
Abby remembered a vision of Joshua. He hid a vial in an urn on the fireplace. That could be it.
"I might. I almost certain I know where it is."
"Tell me." Caleb said, placing his hands on Abby's shoulders and staring intently into her eyes.
"You'll help save Alison?" Abby asked.
"Yes." Caleb promised.
"You'll leave them alone after you do? You'll let them be happy?" Abby directed these questions more to Livvie than Caleb.
"If they do the same." Livvie replied.
It may not ever end. The war between Rafe and Caleb and Alison and Livvie may continue forever. But Joshua needed to be stopped. That was something they all agreed on. The consequences of this alliance could be dealt with later.
"OK." Abby said with a sigh, still not sure she wasn't sabotaging it all, but having little choice. "Here's what I know."
Abby turned and began to walk to find a place to wait. The woods were creeping her out. It was getting dark.
She heard footsteps behind her, coming closer. Moving faster - she began to run.
She stopped to catch her breath, and heard a voice behind her.
"See anything lately, Abby?"
Abby turned at the sound of Livvie's voice, and saw her walk towards her. If that wasn't bad enough news, Abby soon saw that Caleb was following right behind.
Abby saw some sort of kindness in his eyes, but knew the evil and cruelty he was capable of. Her heart began to pound. For the first time since she got here she was scared almost to death.
She silently prayed for Cameron and her mother to keep her safe. She took a deep breath and looked Livvie in the eye.
"What can I do for you, Livvie?" she asked, struggling to keep her voice steady.
"Funny you should ask. I want you to help us. We need to know where Joshua is hiding something."
"Well, Livvie. I have news for you. I am not part of a carnival act. I'm not here for your personal entertainment. The things I see are random. I can't just see what you want me to."
"Well, are you sure the carnival's left town? You've acted like a freak since I've met you." Livvie began.
"Olivia!" Caleb finally spoke, cutting off the line of insults Livvie was ready to spew at Abby. He turned his attention to the stranger before him.
"Abby, is it?" he said as he looked at her, his head tilted slightly sideways.
Abby was captivated by the intense stare he gave her. His blue eyes were nearly hypnotic. She shook her head to focus, before she answered. "Yes."
"Is that short for Abigail?"
Abby was a bit taken aback at the sound of his voice saying her full name. "Yes, yes it is."
"That's a lovely name." Caleb continued.
Livvie looked on, fury bubbling inside her. Was Caleb actually flirting with this plain Jane - goody-two shoes? What the hell was wrong with him?
"Caleb." Abby figured out what he was up to. She wasn't falling for it. "I've known of you for a long time. If you think you can charm me into helping you. You're sadly mistaken."
"Who? Me? Try and charm you? I'm just being polite." He said with a wicked grin.
"You may be fangless, but I'm quite sure you can still draw blood." Abby continued, tilting her chin up in defiance. "and I know for a fact that your girlfriend wants nothing more than to take a bite out of me. I'm sorry to disappoint you both. But, I can't help you."
"Can't or won't?" Livvie asked then.
"Either one is appropriate. You choose." Abby replied, anger overpowering her fear more and more each second.
"Watch yourself, dear Abby. I have some advice you should take. Don't try and take me on, because you'll lose. You know, it's been a while since my last meal. I'm suddenly famished." Livvie started towards Abby, who began to back away in fear.
"Olivia! That's enough!!" He grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
"You were just here with the slayer, weren't you? Let me guess. Does Joshua have Alison again?" Caleb asked, his mind spinning. He may have lost his powers, but he could still see what was going on now.
Abby was suddenly torn. She didn't know what she should reveal. Would they be able to help or hinder Rafe in his quest to save Alison? She thought back to the vision of Rafe turning away and Alison leaving. I'm sure that he's not going to save her on the first try anyway, she thought to herself. As unbelievable as it seemed, maybe, Caleb could help him. Her instincts said that she should.
"Yes." She said softly, turning away.
"And Rafe's trying to save her from him now?" Caleb continued.
"Yes." Abby answered again, this time turning back to stare Caleb in the face.
"Not at the villa."
"No. He's moved her."
"It's there." Caleb said, turning to Livvie. "Wherever that is, the answer we need is there."
Abby looked at the two of them. She felt their love for each other. It was so much different than any other love she'd ever seen, but it was love just the same. She knew there were things about the two of them together that would be dangerous to those around them. But the fact still remained.
Joshua was far more evil. He had absolutely no conscience, and he had Alison in his clutches.
Rafe had trusted Caleb to free them from the villa. Abby decided to trust them to help save Alison.
Abby scolded herself as she spoke. "I may be making a huge mistake."
Both Caleb and Livvie turned to her.
Abby went on, "Saving Alison is the most important thing to me, for reasons that are clear to me now. I think you can help do that, but I'm sure you understand why I can't fully trust either of you."
Livvie first instinct was to lash out at Abby, but the feel of Caleb's arm sliding around her waist and tightening caused her to keep silent.
"We understand." Caleb said.
"I never would have believed I'd be here. I never believed I'd be talking to and fighting against vampires," The absurdness of the situation still amazed her. "but it seems I am."
Abby was worried and as she spoke she began to pace. Here was another trait she shared with her sister.
"You both have hurt them immensely. But Caleb, the fact is, without you, they wouldn't be together now. Rafe would never have died, and he'd never met Lucy and he'd never have come to Port Charles."
"Hmmm. That's true." Caleb said with a grin. "I wonder if he'd ever admit that."
Abby refused to let him gloat, so she added, "Of course, they probably would have found each other another way eventually, since they are truly destined to be together."
Despite Caleb's silent pleas for her to behave, Livvie had finally had enough. "Ugh! Please. Spare me the fairytales. Are you going to help us or not?"
"Livvie. Do you even remember being her friend? Do you?" Abby stopped pacing and turned to look at her then, seriously reconsidering letting them in on what she knew.
"It was a long time ago." Livvie replied.
"Well. Try and think back. You lost something."
"Yeah. I lost a friend. I lost Alison." Livvie's voice was almost sad.
"And your conscience. Thanks to your batty boyfriend." Abby was angry now.
"Now, now, now. Abby. I'm hurt. There's no need for insults." Caleb broke in. "Let's get back to the subject. I think I see where you're going with this. Joshua's got something I want, and something that Rafe wants."
Here it was, Abby thought, the moment of truth. "Right. I want you to work together."
"You're insane." Livvie said in disbelief.
"No. She's right." Caleb said softly.
"What?!" Livvie broke away from Caleb and stared at him.
"She's right. We can't defeat Joshua while he has the ring. Rafe can. As unbelievable as it seems, we need him."
Caleb focused his attention back to Abby. As he spoke, he stroked the finger that used to wear the ring Joshua now possessed. All that mattered was returning to his former self, and regaining his family's legacy. "Rafe. Did he actually agree to this?"
"No. I haven't asked him yet."
"What makes you think he will?"
"If it will save Alison he'll agree. You know that already." Abby answered.
"This plan of yours has merit - and I'm willing to give it a try. On one condition, I need the antidote for what Joshua has given me. Do you know where that is?"
Abby remembered a vision of Joshua. He hid a vial in an urn on the fireplace. That could be it.
"I might. I almost certain I know where it is."
"Tell me." Caleb said, placing his hands on Abby's shoulders and staring intently into her eyes.
"You'll help save Alison?" Abby asked.
"Yes." Caleb promised.
"You'll leave them alone after you do? You'll let them be happy?" Abby directed these questions more to Livvie than Caleb.
"If they do the same." Livvie replied.
It may not ever end. The war between Rafe and Caleb and Alison and Livvie may continue forever. But Joshua needed to be stopped. That was something they all agreed on. The consequences of this alliance could be dealt with later.
"OK." Abby said with a sigh, still not sure she wasn't sabotaging it all, but having little choice. "Here's what I know."