Author's Note: Re: Chapter 42 - If you read this chapter before 7/16 -
Please re-read - I moved some things around since the last update. Only 2
chapters left - just want to make the ending completely worth it. I've also
started the "sequel" and I decided to make it very light. With the
cancellation and the real end to PC looming - that's enough to take. :-(.
Please let me know what you think. I truly appreciate all your input.
Enjoy! XOX - Gracie
Chapter Forty-two
From her vantage point in the woods, Abby saw Alison lying on the ground, her body lifeless.
She was too late. Again.
I never should have tried; Abby scolded herself. I have never been able to save anyone that mattered to me and I never will.
She watched Rafe move towards Alison. As he did, he cried out - the sound primal, like a wounded animal. Abby watched him lift a hand to touch her face, tears forming in his eyes.
"Alison. Angel. Please. No. Don't leave me. Don't leave me. Please." Rafe cradled Alison's head in his lap, smoothing her hair, asking her over and over to stay with him.
Abby began to cry. She was wracked with guilt, knowing that this was all her fault. She gained their trust, she promised she'd help and she'd failed, just as she always did.
She turned and ran as fast as she could, not able to take anymore.
This was her fault. She should have walked away. She should have gone when he asked her to. Look how it ended. Look how it always ended. She was cursed. She had been given a gift that was empty and worthless. It wasn't even a gift at all. It was like a present that was wrapped so beautifully that you didn't want to open it. Once you ripped the wrapping away the beauty was lost, and you could never get it back.
She should just keep her visions to herself. She should just let them go. She'd done nothing to help anyone - again. All she had done was make them see what horrible things would occur before they actually did.
She'd changed nothing.
Tears blurring her vision, making running any further impossible, Abby sank down on the ground and began to sob.
**********
Abby had no idea that Alison stirred minutes later. When she spoke, her voice barely a whisper.
"Rafe."
"Oh my God. Alison."
She was alive. She could have been killed. If Rafe hadn't seen it with his own eyes he would not have believed that she had tried to take Joshua down alone.
It didn't matter now. Alison was safe. She was here. She was his again.
He helped her to sit up. Rafe's eyes began to roam over her face and then every inch of her, double - triple checking that she was OK with each glance. He heard her speak to him while he did.
"Rafe. I didn't mean it. I didn't mean a word." Alison was beginning to cry.
"Shh, shh.." Rafe tried to soothe her, the meaning of her words not registering. He had her in his arms. He couldn't think of anything else.
"Rafe. You have to believe me."
"It's OK. Just rest now."
"I had no choice. I had to make you go - I had to. What he said he'd do to you." Remembering Joshua's threats, she began to sob.
Rafe began to understand. She was admitting what Abby had made him realize. She was telling him that she put her life in danger for him.
She barely took a breath, the words flooding out uncontrollably.
She needed to make him hear her. She tried to stand up but he held her still. "I did it because I love you. I'm sorry. I know you can never forgive me. It's OK. I can't forgive myself either."
"Alison.stop." He ran his hand gently through her hair.
He couldn't believe what she was saying. What had she been thinking? The thought of her shutting him out like that began to make him so angry - he could barely contain himself.
"No. You have to know. I lied. I do love you. I do. I always have, I always will. I never wanted to push you away, but I needed to keep you safe. Please. Try and understand. What he said he'd do.I couldn't let him..."
Rafe stared at her in disbelief. How dare she take such a chance - what the hell was she thinking trying to do this all by herself. He was furious now.
Alison continued to babble on, hoping that she could eventually change his mind. "I know you hate me now, but I hope.I hope that maybe someday - maybe someday, you'll be able to love me again. I can wait. I can wait forever if you just say that you might."
"Alison. Stop. Just stop. I don't want to hear it." Rafe said quietly. To her, it sounded more like a threat.
"OK. OK." Despite feeling weak and wanting nothing more than to stay in his arms, Alison moved to stand up again. She understood. He was concerned about her, most likely, out of habit. He'd believed her when she said she was done with him and now he was done with her. She was too tired to fight anymore. She just needed to get away. She couldn't stay knowing what she was sure was true.
When she lied to him to save his life - she had done too good a job. Rafe didn't want her anymore.
**********
Abby couldn't catch her breath, she continued to cry for what seemed like hours, until suddenly heard a familiar voice behind her.
"Shh - Abby. There's nothing to cry about."
She was hearing things. It couldn't be Cameron. She must have passed out and was dreaming.
She cried harder. How much worse could it get? She'd killed her own sister. Now, the love of her life, who was also dead, by the way, was coming to her in a dream trying to comfort her. Thinking of him always saddened her - not that she wasn't upset enough already.
She shook her head to clear it and nearly jumped out of her skin as he stood before her.
"Cameron?" her eyes were wide with shock.
"Yes?" he said with a grin.
"I'm dreaming." She couldn't believe anything more than that.
"Could be. I don't think so though." He moved towards her and took her hands to help her to stand.
"Oh, Cam." Abby said as she looked up at him. "This can't be real. Are you really here?"
"Yes. I'm here. For a little while anyway." He said, unable to believe it himself.
"For how long?" Abby asked him still shocked.
"I don't know. I'm not sure. But let's make the best of it." He grinned as he took her in his arms and pulled her close.
He couldn't believe he was getting this chance. He had waited so long to feel her in his arms again. He looked down at her then, love shining in his eyes as he realized, she was still crying.
As amazing as it felt to be held by him again, Abby knew she needed to say something. Despite what she'd heard Cam say, despite the fact that she could feel him there with her, she was sure that she was actually dreaming. On the off chance he was really here, there was something she needed to say. She'd waited so long.
"Cam. I'm so sorry." Abby began.
"For what?" he asked as his arms tightened around her.
"I didn't - I couldn't save you."
"Stop." Cameron said as he gently wiped away her tears.
"But Cameron - I." she wanted him to understand.
"Don't do that. Don't you dare blame yourself." His voice was becoming angry.
"But I.."
"Abby. Don't. It's not your fault."
"Of course it is. Cameron, of course it is. I saw what would happen."
"From a mile away!" he held her face in his hands so she would focus on what he was saying.
"Yes. It was only a mile." Abby said sadly as she looked into those eyes she loved.
"OK. That's it. Stop. I mean it. Abby. It was an accident."
He watched as she opened her mouth to protest, so sure of her next words he didn't wait to hear them before he continued.
"Yeah, you saw it before it happened. The fact that you can see the future does not make you responsible for what you see."
The way he cut her off while they argued almost made her smile. But it was too important for him to understand.
"It should. I didn't save you. I didn't save my mother. And now, I didn't save Alison."
"Sweetheart, please. Listen to me!" Cameron held her face in his hands, his thumbs gently stroking her cheeks as he did. "There was nothing you could have done to save either of us - but don't be too sure about Alison."
"What?" she asked sniffling back tears.
"I know that Alison's going to be OK. You have nothing to worry about. You helped save her."
"But I saw her."
"Abby. Trust me, OK? You may be able to see the future, but I've got some connections of my own now."
Abby blinked back tears as she said, her voice still doubtful. "She's really OK?"
Cameron stared into her eyes. "Yes. She is. You did it. You helped save her."
He watched her face finally relax. He hadn't seen her look that way since right before he'd had t o leave her. It made him so happy to see her finally let go.
He decided to get to the reason he'd really been looking forward to seeing her again. He said with a smile, "Now. I don't know, but I thought that when I got down here you'd be focused on me and not your sister."
"Cameron." Abby said then, her voice dreamy. Her hands ran up and down his arms, still not believing that she could actually feel him. He felt warm and strong and alive. "You're here? You're real?"
Cameron leaned in to kiss her - savoring this moment. It had been so long.
"Does that answer your question?"
Abby still did not believe it was true. Cameron was here. He was with her again.
"How? How are you here?" she said her voice filled with awe.
"I don't really know. I wasn't paying attention. All I kept thinking is that I needed to be here, I wanted to be here with you and when they told me where I was going I barely listened."
"You've always had that problem."
"You know what? Here I was thinking that you'd be happier than anything to have me back, and the minute I'm here you give me a hard time."
Abby gazed up at him and sighed, "Did you expect anything less?"
His face broke out into a wide grin as he lifted her up and spun her around in a circle. His lips found hers again.
"God. I missed you." Cameron whispered against them.
"I can't believe you're here."
"Believe it."
"Really - Cameron are you here to stay?"
"Abby. Now it's you who's not paying attention. I told you - I don't really know. But let's not think about that now." He tightened his arms around her and stared into her eyes.
She moved closer to him, her heart pounding as it always had when he looked at her that way.
He kissed her and it was like she went back in time, to the time when she was happiest, to when she was with him. It was as if he'd never left her, the feel of his lips on hers so familiar yet making her heart pound, her pulse race, her head spin.
His mind was filled of thoughts of how good it felt to have her in his arms, the way she smelled, the softness of her skin. He savored each kiss, not knowing how long he had to be with her - knowing it would hurt more than anything to let her go again.
They became so wrapped up in each other than neither noticed that on the ground nearby, a heavy gold ring glittered in the moonlight.
Chapter Forty-two
From her vantage point in the woods, Abby saw Alison lying on the ground, her body lifeless.
She was too late. Again.
I never should have tried; Abby scolded herself. I have never been able to save anyone that mattered to me and I never will.
She watched Rafe move towards Alison. As he did, he cried out - the sound primal, like a wounded animal. Abby watched him lift a hand to touch her face, tears forming in his eyes.
"Alison. Angel. Please. No. Don't leave me. Don't leave me. Please." Rafe cradled Alison's head in his lap, smoothing her hair, asking her over and over to stay with him.
Abby began to cry. She was wracked with guilt, knowing that this was all her fault. She gained their trust, she promised she'd help and she'd failed, just as she always did.
She turned and ran as fast as she could, not able to take anymore.
This was her fault. She should have walked away. She should have gone when he asked her to. Look how it ended. Look how it always ended. She was cursed. She had been given a gift that was empty and worthless. It wasn't even a gift at all. It was like a present that was wrapped so beautifully that you didn't want to open it. Once you ripped the wrapping away the beauty was lost, and you could never get it back.
She should just keep her visions to herself. She should just let them go. She'd done nothing to help anyone - again. All she had done was make them see what horrible things would occur before they actually did.
She'd changed nothing.
Tears blurring her vision, making running any further impossible, Abby sank down on the ground and began to sob.
**********
Abby had no idea that Alison stirred minutes later. When she spoke, her voice barely a whisper.
"Rafe."
"Oh my God. Alison."
She was alive. She could have been killed. If Rafe hadn't seen it with his own eyes he would not have believed that she had tried to take Joshua down alone.
It didn't matter now. Alison was safe. She was here. She was his again.
He helped her to sit up. Rafe's eyes began to roam over her face and then every inch of her, double - triple checking that she was OK with each glance. He heard her speak to him while he did.
"Rafe. I didn't mean it. I didn't mean a word." Alison was beginning to cry.
"Shh, shh.." Rafe tried to soothe her, the meaning of her words not registering. He had her in his arms. He couldn't think of anything else.
"Rafe. You have to believe me."
"It's OK. Just rest now."
"I had no choice. I had to make you go - I had to. What he said he'd do to you." Remembering Joshua's threats, she began to sob.
Rafe began to understand. She was admitting what Abby had made him realize. She was telling him that she put her life in danger for him.
She barely took a breath, the words flooding out uncontrollably.
She needed to make him hear her. She tried to stand up but he held her still. "I did it because I love you. I'm sorry. I know you can never forgive me. It's OK. I can't forgive myself either."
"Alison.stop." He ran his hand gently through her hair.
He couldn't believe what she was saying. What had she been thinking? The thought of her shutting him out like that began to make him so angry - he could barely contain himself.
"No. You have to know. I lied. I do love you. I do. I always have, I always will. I never wanted to push you away, but I needed to keep you safe. Please. Try and understand. What he said he'd do.I couldn't let him..."
Rafe stared at her in disbelief. How dare she take such a chance - what the hell was she thinking trying to do this all by herself. He was furious now.
Alison continued to babble on, hoping that she could eventually change his mind. "I know you hate me now, but I hope.I hope that maybe someday - maybe someday, you'll be able to love me again. I can wait. I can wait forever if you just say that you might."
"Alison. Stop. Just stop. I don't want to hear it." Rafe said quietly. To her, it sounded more like a threat.
"OK. OK." Despite feeling weak and wanting nothing more than to stay in his arms, Alison moved to stand up again. She understood. He was concerned about her, most likely, out of habit. He'd believed her when she said she was done with him and now he was done with her. She was too tired to fight anymore. She just needed to get away. She couldn't stay knowing what she was sure was true.
When she lied to him to save his life - she had done too good a job. Rafe didn't want her anymore.
**********
Abby couldn't catch her breath, she continued to cry for what seemed like hours, until suddenly heard a familiar voice behind her.
"Shh - Abby. There's nothing to cry about."
She was hearing things. It couldn't be Cameron. She must have passed out and was dreaming.
She cried harder. How much worse could it get? She'd killed her own sister. Now, the love of her life, who was also dead, by the way, was coming to her in a dream trying to comfort her. Thinking of him always saddened her - not that she wasn't upset enough already.
She shook her head to clear it and nearly jumped out of her skin as he stood before her.
"Cameron?" her eyes were wide with shock.
"Yes?" he said with a grin.
"I'm dreaming." She couldn't believe anything more than that.
"Could be. I don't think so though." He moved towards her and took her hands to help her to stand.
"Oh, Cam." Abby said as she looked up at him. "This can't be real. Are you really here?"
"Yes. I'm here. For a little while anyway." He said, unable to believe it himself.
"For how long?" Abby asked him still shocked.
"I don't know. I'm not sure. But let's make the best of it." He grinned as he took her in his arms and pulled her close.
He couldn't believe he was getting this chance. He had waited so long to feel her in his arms again. He looked down at her then, love shining in his eyes as he realized, she was still crying.
As amazing as it felt to be held by him again, Abby knew she needed to say something. Despite what she'd heard Cam say, despite the fact that she could feel him there with her, she was sure that she was actually dreaming. On the off chance he was really here, there was something she needed to say. She'd waited so long.
"Cam. I'm so sorry." Abby began.
"For what?" he asked as his arms tightened around her.
"I didn't - I couldn't save you."
"Stop." Cameron said as he gently wiped away her tears.
"But Cameron - I." she wanted him to understand.
"Don't do that. Don't you dare blame yourself." His voice was becoming angry.
"But I.."
"Abby. Don't. It's not your fault."
"Of course it is. Cameron, of course it is. I saw what would happen."
"From a mile away!" he held her face in his hands so she would focus on what he was saying.
"Yes. It was only a mile." Abby said sadly as she looked into those eyes she loved.
"OK. That's it. Stop. I mean it. Abby. It was an accident."
He watched as she opened her mouth to protest, so sure of her next words he didn't wait to hear them before he continued.
"Yeah, you saw it before it happened. The fact that you can see the future does not make you responsible for what you see."
The way he cut her off while they argued almost made her smile. But it was too important for him to understand.
"It should. I didn't save you. I didn't save my mother. And now, I didn't save Alison."
"Sweetheart, please. Listen to me!" Cameron held her face in his hands, his thumbs gently stroking her cheeks as he did. "There was nothing you could have done to save either of us - but don't be too sure about Alison."
"What?" she asked sniffling back tears.
"I know that Alison's going to be OK. You have nothing to worry about. You helped save her."
"But I saw her."
"Abby. Trust me, OK? You may be able to see the future, but I've got some connections of my own now."
Abby blinked back tears as she said, her voice still doubtful. "She's really OK?"
Cameron stared into her eyes. "Yes. She is. You did it. You helped save her."
He watched her face finally relax. He hadn't seen her look that way since right before he'd had t o leave her. It made him so happy to see her finally let go.
He decided to get to the reason he'd really been looking forward to seeing her again. He said with a smile, "Now. I don't know, but I thought that when I got down here you'd be focused on me and not your sister."
"Cameron." Abby said then, her voice dreamy. Her hands ran up and down his arms, still not believing that she could actually feel him. He felt warm and strong and alive. "You're here? You're real?"
Cameron leaned in to kiss her - savoring this moment. It had been so long.
"Does that answer your question?"
Abby still did not believe it was true. Cameron was here. He was with her again.
"How? How are you here?" she said her voice filled with awe.
"I don't really know. I wasn't paying attention. All I kept thinking is that I needed to be here, I wanted to be here with you and when they told me where I was going I barely listened."
"You've always had that problem."
"You know what? Here I was thinking that you'd be happier than anything to have me back, and the minute I'm here you give me a hard time."
Abby gazed up at him and sighed, "Did you expect anything less?"
His face broke out into a wide grin as he lifted her up and spun her around in a circle. His lips found hers again.
"God. I missed you." Cameron whispered against them.
"I can't believe you're here."
"Believe it."
"Really - Cameron are you here to stay?"
"Abby. Now it's you who's not paying attention. I told you - I don't really know. But let's not think about that now." He tightened his arms around her and stared into her eyes.
She moved closer to him, her heart pounding as it always had when he looked at her that way.
He kissed her and it was like she went back in time, to the time when she was happiest, to when she was with him. It was as if he'd never left her, the feel of his lips on hers so familiar yet making her heart pound, her pulse race, her head spin.
His mind was filled of thoughts of how good it felt to have her in his arms, the way she smelled, the softness of her skin. He savored each kiss, not knowing how long he had to be with her - knowing it would hurt more than anything to let her go again.
They became so wrapped up in each other than neither noticed that on the ground nearby, a heavy gold ring glittered in the moonlight.