A/N: I can't believe it!! Seriously - you guys are just too sweet to me! I
swear that I keep writing b/c no one has been this nice to me in ages (&
that includes my friends and family LOL!). I am completely humbled but I
must say - thrilled you like what I'm writing. SO - anyway - I need you to
tell me b/c I'm torn (haha!). I wrote Chapter 2 that way b/c part of me
wants Rali to be the only ones who get to be that lucky - but the other
part cried when I sent Cam back - so please - R&R and tell me which way you
think I should go. My biggest problem is - I don't think there's anyone on
PC right now who I can pair Abby with and don't know how I like having to
bring in someone new. I would truly, truly appreciate it & so it's fair -
the majority will rule!! - Until Chap 4 - xox-G
Chapter Three
They looked for Frank - but found it was a dead end. He couldn't have gotten the ring. The sad news of Karen's death made them sure - he had been preoccupied.
As they slowly walked along the docks, Livvie knew that the reason they needed to look for the ring was her fault - but they had been searching all night. She was tired and she was hungry. She wanted to go home.
Caleb stood across from her. She could actually feel the frustration humming around him even though she was a few feet away.
He was angry, most likely at her. It was her fault. If she'd just paid closer attention, they would still have what they had just spent hours looking for.
"Caleb?"
"What?" he snapped at her.
Livvie moved closer and gently placed her hand on his arm. "Caleb. We're not getting anywhere. Why don't we get some rest and try again tomorrow."
"Tomorrow, Olivia?" he asked, his voice bitter.
Livvie knew he was angry but she hadn't realized he was this furious.
"Tomorrow's here!" He nearly yelled. "Perhaps it escaped your notice - we've been searching all night."
Livvie sighed before she answered him, "And as I said, we're not getting anywhere. Please, Caleb. We need to rest, we've been running around like crazy for hours."
"I need that ring - Olivia." He replied, his voice definite.
Livvie was once again overwhelmed with guilt. "I'm sorry. I know. It's my fault. I lost it."
"Olivia - please." Caleb held her face in his hands. "I can't go over this with you right now. No. It's not your fault. But we need to find the ring, we need to find it because we can't risk someone else controlling its power - not after what Joshua did once he had it."
Caleb took Livvie into his arms and continued. "Joshua had no idea what he was really capable of. If he had - if he had - no one would have survived tonight. Not me, not Rafe and certainly not Alison."
Livvie couldn't care less about anyone else but Caleb. She pulled back and looked into his eyes as she said, "You're back now. You have your powers. If we just go and rest for a while maybe you can see where it is now." She was so desperate for him to hear her, eyes almost pleaded with his.
Caleb didn't want to rest until the ring was once again in his possession but he knew, deep down, Livvie was right. His mind was racing; he'd been searching nearly aimlessly for hours. He had just been restored and the truth of that fact was taking its toll. As hard as it was to admit, he did need a moment to take it all in.
It killed him to stop searching but he turned to Livvie and sighed. "OK. You're right. Let's go home."
*********
There were those who spent the night at Elixir, just trying to make some sort of sense of it all. Jack kept their glasses full, but no amount of alcohol could numb the pain of knowing they'd be stuck like this forever.
Jamal seemed to be taking this news worst of all. He was so sure it would work out in the end. Alison was safe, Joshua was gone and he was still cursed with a lifestyle he didn't want, didn't ask for and frankly didn't completely understand.
There were people he could talk to - but truthfully, he just wanted to forget - for just a while. Things may never be back to normal - but surely they could figure it all out. He could talk to Ian he had been dealing with this much longer than he had. That's what he'd do. He do that tomorrow.
It dawned on him that tomorrow was nearly here, but he didn't want to deal right now. He turned back toward the bar and pushed the thoughts away.
*********
Abby sat for what seemed like hours. She didn't even cry, she had shed too many tears already. She just sat there, feeling so incredibly empty. She had no idea what to do. If she hadn't felt him right there with her, if she didn't know for sure he had just been there, she would never have believed it was real.
She realized she had been there most of the night. For the first time in hours Abby's thoughts returned to the events that had occurred earlier. Cameron assured her Alison was safe and in her heart she knew now that it was true.
It was a tremendous relief, to know that finally she had saved someone who mattered to her. It was unbelievable - almost as unbelievable as the fact that she had just sat here with Cameron.
She decided to go back to Lucy's - though she had seen earlier that Lucy was resting in the hospital. She suddenly felt incredibly tired. She was just beginning to walk away when something caught her eye. The early morning light glinted off of an object nestled in the grass. Abby crouched down and picked it up, holding it gently in the palm of her hand. She was holding Caleb's ring.
She knew this was really what he wanted. This was why he had agreed to help her save Alison. In his mind, it had been part of their deal. The only thing Caleb wanted more than the ring was to have his powers restored. He'd gotten his fangs back - but obviously - he hadn't found this.
What should she do now? Abby was completely confused. Though she had only known him for a few days - she was more than certain that Rafe would be extremely interested to know she had found this. She saw an image in her mind just then and realized that nothing good could come from either Caleb or Rafe knowing where this ring was. Caleb - she was sure would ultimately use whatever powers it possessed for some sort of evil and Rafe - Rafe would see the need to fight him as he tried - keeping him from starting the life he'd dreamed of with Alison.
She decided right then. Neither one of them would have it. It was safer with her.
Chapter Three
They looked for Frank - but found it was a dead end. He couldn't have gotten the ring. The sad news of Karen's death made them sure - he had been preoccupied.
As they slowly walked along the docks, Livvie knew that the reason they needed to look for the ring was her fault - but they had been searching all night. She was tired and she was hungry. She wanted to go home.
Caleb stood across from her. She could actually feel the frustration humming around him even though she was a few feet away.
He was angry, most likely at her. It was her fault. If she'd just paid closer attention, they would still have what they had just spent hours looking for.
"Caleb?"
"What?" he snapped at her.
Livvie moved closer and gently placed her hand on his arm. "Caleb. We're not getting anywhere. Why don't we get some rest and try again tomorrow."
"Tomorrow, Olivia?" he asked, his voice bitter.
Livvie knew he was angry but she hadn't realized he was this furious.
"Tomorrow's here!" He nearly yelled. "Perhaps it escaped your notice - we've been searching all night."
Livvie sighed before she answered him, "And as I said, we're not getting anywhere. Please, Caleb. We need to rest, we've been running around like crazy for hours."
"I need that ring - Olivia." He replied, his voice definite.
Livvie was once again overwhelmed with guilt. "I'm sorry. I know. It's my fault. I lost it."
"Olivia - please." Caleb held her face in his hands. "I can't go over this with you right now. No. It's not your fault. But we need to find the ring, we need to find it because we can't risk someone else controlling its power - not after what Joshua did once he had it."
Caleb took Livvie into his arms and continued. "Joshua had no idea what he was really capable of. If he had - if he had - no one would have survived tonight. Not me, not Rafe and certainly not Alison."
Livvie couldn't care less about anyone else but Caleb. She pulled back and looked into his eyes as she said, "You're back now. You have your powers. If we just go and rest for a while maybe you can see where it is now." She was so desperate for him to hear her, eyes almost pleaded with his.
Caleb didn't want to rest until the ring was once again in his possession but he knew, deep down, Livvie was right. His mind was racing; he'd been searching nearly aimlessly for hours. He had just been restored and the truth of that fact was taking its toll. As hard as it was to admit, he did need a moment to take it all in.
It killed him to stop searching but he turned to Livvie and sighed. "OK. You're right. Let's go home."
*********
There were those who spent the night at Elixir, just trying to make some sort of sense of it all. Jack kept their glasses full, but no amount of alcohol could numb the pain of knowing they'd be stuck like this forever.
Jamal seemed to be taking this news worst of all. He was so sure it would work out in the end. Alison was safe, Joshua was gone and he was still cursed with a lifestyle he didn't want, didn't ask for and frankly didn't completely understand.
There were people he could talk to - but truthfully, he just wanted to forget - for just a while. Things may never be back to normal - but surely they could figure it all out. He could talk to Ian he had been dealing with this much longer than he had. That's what he'd do. He do that tomorrow.
It dawned on him that tomorrow was nearly here, but he didn't want to deal right now. He turned back toward the bar and pushed the thoughts away.
*********
Abby sat for what seemed like hours. She didn't even cry, she had shed too many tears already. She just sat there, feeling so incredibly empty. She had no idea what to do. If she hadn't felt him right there with her, if she didn't know for sure he had just been there, she would never have believed it was real.
She realized she had been there most of the night. For the first time in hours Abby's thoughts returned to the events that had occurred earlier. Cameron assured her Alison was safe and in her heart she knew now that it was true.
It was a tremendous relief, to know that finally she had saved someone who mattered to her. It was unbelievable - almost as unbelievable as the fact that she had just sat here with Cameron.
She decided to go back to Lucy's - though she had seen earlier that Lucy was resting in the hospital. She suddenly felt incredibly tired. She was just beginning to walk away when something caught her eye. The early morning light glinted off of an object nestled in the grass. Abby crouched down and picked it up, holding it gently in the palm of her hand. She was holding Caleb's ring.
She knew this was really what he wanted. This was why he had agreed to help her save Alison. In his mind, it had been part of their deal. The only thing Caleb wanted more than the ring was to have his powers restored. He'd gotten his fangs back - but obviously - he hadn't found this.
What should she do now? Abby was completely confused. Though she had only known him for a few days - she was more than certain that Rafe would be extremely interested to know she had found this. She saw an image in her mind just then and realized that nothing good could come from either Caleb or Rafe knowing where this ring was. Caleb - she was sure would ultimately use whatever powers it possessed for some sort of evil and Rafe - Rafe would see the need to fight him as he tried - keeping him from starting the life he'd dreamed of with Alison.
She decided right then. Neither one of them would have it. It was safer with her.