Chapter Thirty-six
She could hear someone nearby. It had taken her so long to fall asleep - she didn't want to wake up. She was completely disoriented and unbelievably hungry.
"Cameron?" she whispered, nearly delusional.
"No. Not Cameron. But whoever he is - I take it you'd rather see him." Caleb replied.
Abby moved to sit up. She had to try hard to focus in the state she was in. Plus, she had taken off her glasses. "Where am I?"
"Someplace safe." He assured her. He placed a brown paper bag next to her. "Here, I brought you something to eat."
"I don't want anything you serve me. You've probably drugged it." Abby said, her voice becoming stronger.
"So skeptical. You're much like your brother in law. Are you sure you aren't related to him too?" Caleb chuckled.
"Caleb." Abby glared at him. "I don't find you at all charming or amusing. Don't try and think you can befriend me. Friends like you - I certainly don't need."
"And I here I thought we'd be best friends forever." He laughed again.
"You thought wrong."
Caleb sighed. Everyone was so serious lately. "Abigail. If you don't enjoy my company - all you need to do is give me what is rightfully mine and I'll send you off on your merry way."
Abby laughed bitterly. "Like I believe that."
"Why do you have any reason to doubt me?" He asked mockingly.
Abby stood up and stared at him - her words sounded much stronger than she felt. "Are you serious? Caleb. Please. I know what you are capable of and sorry to disappoint you - but I'm not at all scared. You can destroy me - that's fine. I almost wish you will. Because then that will mean that this whole thing will FINALLY end with me. You are really so sad, Caleb. I feel so sorry for you."
Caleb didn't like her perception of him one bit. "You keep saying that. It's amazing how wrong you are."
She really didn't have much to lose. Even if he turned her - she was sure he would never control her like he did so many others. She would sacrifice herself to save them all. She'd already almost decided to do just that when she agreed to meet him in the park. She looked deeply into his eyes. Her intense stare unnerved him. She began to speak and despite his reaction she didn't slow down or even think of stopping. "I think I'm right. I think what you really want is a normal life. I think you are jealous because that's the life Rafe is trying to lead. I think you wish that Livvie was more like Alison - that she didn't drive you crazy every waking moment. I think that's why you are so hell bent on getting that ring back. I think you want to wish for you have all that yourself."
Caleb was dumbfounded. There was truth in Abby's words. He hadn't decided to take any action, but he wanted the option to. That was part of the reason he wanted back what was his. That was one option he was seriously considering. The other scenario was far more menacing.
"You have no idea what you are talking about." He stated as he got up and moved away from her.
"I think I do. I think I'm right. Sorry Caleb. Unless you can guarantee me that you'll wish to be fangless - that you'll wish to live peacefully here in Port Charles the whereabouts of that ring will go to the grave with me. Kill me. Turn me. Do whatever you want." She continued to stare at him, her voice strong and serious. "I already died four years ago, I am not at all afraid of doing it again.
*****************
Rafe had looked everywhere he could think of. After his altercation with Caleb he searched as much of the park as he could. Abby had virtually vanished. He'd been up most of the night and for a good part of the morning. All he wanted at the moment was a hot shower and to be back with Alison. He approached the door to the gym and was surprised to see the lights on. He turned the knob and the door opened.
A few members were working out, lively music filled he air. A few seconds later he saw her, carrying a stack of towels from the back room. At that moment, Alison glanced at the door, giving Rafe a weak smile. She put the towels onto the shelf and nearly ran to him. He caught her in his arms.
"Hey." He said softly, running his hand down the length of her hair.
She didn't reply, just held him closer.
Rafe eased away slightly and looked down at her. "What are you doing? Why did you open today?"
Alison sighed. "I've been up half the night anyway and I needed to do something. I couldn't bear just sitting there waiting," She blinked back tears when she realized for the first time he had come home alone. "You didn't find her huh?" she asked, sounding lost.
Rafe kissed her forehead. He hated that he had failed her. "No. I'm sorry, but I promise you. I will."
Alison sighed and inched closer to him, holding him tighter. "I know. I thought we were done with this."
The sadness he heard in her voice made him unbelievably angry. Just after he had that thought, Alison's knees gave out a bit and she sank into him.
"Whoa, Alison. That's it. C'mon. I'm taking you upstairs." He was more than a bit worried about her.
"I'm OK. I need to keep busy." She insisted.
He eased away from her and took her face in his hands. She looked exhausted. "Alison, I'm worried enough about your sister. Don't make me worry about you. Please. Go back to bed."
"But - I." She began to protest, but soon realized he'd badger her until she did just that.
"Are you going to make me carry you up there and put you to bed myself?" He warned.
Under any other circumstances she'd tell him to. She'd tease him until she persuaded him that it wasn't sleep she needed. But she saw he was completely serious.
"No." she answered. "But Rafe. Look at you." Alison gently touched his cheek and looked into his eyes that were slightly bloodshot. "You've been looking all night. You should rest."
"I'm fine."
She knew that was a lie - but she also knew he wouldn't budge. "OK." She reluctantly agreed. "I'll go upstairs on one condition."
He was so upset about not succeeding in bringing Abby home that he'd promise her anything.
"What?" He asked.
"You have to agree to close early and come up soon." She said, her tone definite.
"I can't.." He started to protest.
"Then neither am I." She shot back.
"Alison." He said, exasperated.
She just stared at him, stubborn as ever. He knew he didn't stand a chance.
Pulling her back into his arms he kissed her softly. "OK. I promise."
"Good." She replied.
She held him tighter for a moment and then kissed him again, pulling away slowly. She made her way toward the stairs.
As Rafe watched her go he couldn't help but wonder if he'd be able to rest, knowing that Caleb had the power to hurt her yet again and not knowing if he'd actually be able to stop him this time.
She could hear someone nearby. It had taken her so long to fall asleep - she didn't want to wake up. She was completely disoriented and unbelievably hungry.
"Cameron?" she whispered, nearly delusional.
"No. Not Cameron. But whoever he is - I take it you'd rather see him." Caleb replied.
Abby moved to sit up. She had to try hard to focus in the state she was in. Plus, she had taken off her glasses. "Where am I?"
"Someplace safe." He assured her. He placed a brown paper bag next to her. "Here, I brought you something to eat."
"I don't want anything you serve me. You've probably drugged it." Abby said, her voice becoming stronger.
"So skeptical. You're much like your brother in law. Are you sure you aren't related to him too?" Caleb chuckled.
"Caleb." Abby glared at him. "I don't find you at all charming or amusing. Don't try and think you can befriend me. Friends like you - I certainly don't need."
"And I here I thought we'd be best friends forever." He laughed again.
"You thought wrong."
Caleb sighed. Everyone was so serious lately. "Abigail. If you don't enjoy my company - all you need to do is give me what is rightfully mine and I'll send you off on your merry way."
Abby laughed bitterly. "Like I believe that."
"Why do you have any reason to doubt me?" He asked mockingly.
Abby stood up and stared at him - her words sounded much stronger than she felt. "Are you serious? Caleb. Please. I know what you are capable of and sorry to disappoint you - but I'm not at all scared. You can destroy me - that's fine. I almost wish you will. Because then that will mean that this whole thing will FINALLY end with me. You are really so sad, Caleb. I feel so sorry for you."
Caleb didn't like her perception of him one bit. "You keep saying that. It's amazing how wrong you are."
She really didn't have much to lose. Even if he turned her - she was sure he would never control her like he did so many others. She would sacrifice herself to save them all. She'd already almost decided to do just that when she agreed to meet him in the park. She looked deeply into his eyes. Her intense stare unnerved him. She began to speak and despite his reaction she didn't slow down or even think of stopping. "I think I'm right. I think what you really want is a normal life. I think you are jealous because that's the life Rafe is trying to lead. I think you wish that Livvie was more like Alison - that she didn't drive you crazy every waking moment. I think that's why you are so hell bent on getting that ring back. I think you want to wish for you have all that yourself."
Caleb was dumbfounded. There was truth in Abby's words. He hadn't decided to take any action, but he wanted the option to. That was part of the reason he wanted back what was his. That was one option he was seriously considering. The other scenario was far more menacing.
"You have no idea what you are talking about." He stated as he got up and moved away from her.
"I think I do. I think I'm right. Sorry Caleb. Unless you can guarantee me that you'll wish to be fangless - that you'll wish to live peacefully here in Port Charles the whereabouts of that ring will go to the grave with me. Kill me. Turn me. Do whatever you want." She continued to stare at him, her voice strong and serious. "I already died four years ago, I am not at all afraid of doing it again.
*****************
Rafe had looked everywhere he could think of. After his altercation with Caleb he searched as much of the park as he could. Abby had virtually vanished. He'd been up most of the night and for a good part of the morning. All he wanted at the moment was a hot shower and to be back with Alison. He approached the door to the gym and was surprised to see the lights on. He turned the knob and the door opened.
A few members were working out, lively music filled he air. A few seconds later he saw her, carrying a stack of towels from the back room. At that moment, Alison glanced at the door, giving Rafe a weak smile. She put the towels onto the shelf and nearly ran to him. He caught her in his arms.
"Hey." He said softly, running his hand down the length of her hair.
She didn't reply, just held him closer.
Rafe eased away slightly and looked down at her. "What are you doing? Why did you open today?"
Alison sighed. "I've been up half the night anyway and I needed to do something. I couldn't bear just sitting there waiting," She blinked back tears when she realized for the first time he had come home alone. "You didn't find her huh?" she asked, sounding lost.
Rafe kissed her forehead. He hated that he had failed her. "No. I'm sorry, but I promise you. I will."
Alison sighed and inched closer to him, holding him tighter. "I know. I thought we were done with this."
The sadness he heard in her voice made him unbelievably angry. Just after he had that thought, Alison's knees gave out a bit and she sank into him.
"Whoa, Alison. That's it. C'mon. I'm taking you upstairs." He was more than a bit worried about her.
"I'm OK. I need to keep busy." She insisted.
He eased away from her and took her face in his hands. She looked exhausted. "Alison, I'm worried enough about your sister. Don't make me worry about you. Please. Go back to bed."
"But - I." She began to protest, but soon realized he'd badger her until she did just that.
"Are you going to make me carry you up there and put you to bed myself?" He warned.
Under any other circumstances she'd tell him to. She'd tease him until she persuaded him that it wasn't sleep she needed. But she saw he was completely serious.
"No." she answered. "But Rafe. Look at you." Alison gently touched his cheek and looked into his eyes that were slightly bloodshot. "You've been looking all night. You should rest."
"I'm fine."
She knew that was a lie - but she also knew he wouldn't budge. "OK." She reluctantly agreed. "I'll go upstairs on one condition."
He was so upset about not succeeding in bringing Abby home that he'd promise her anything.
"What?" He asked.
"You have to agree to close early and come up soon." She said, her tone definite.
"I can't.." He started to protest.
"Then neither am I." She shot back.
"Alison." He said, exasperated.
She just stared at him, stubborn as ever. He knew he didn't stand a chance.
Pulling her back into his arms he kissed her softly. "OK. I promise."
"Good." She replied.
She held him tighter for a moment and then kissed him again, pulling away slowly. She made her way toward the stairs.
As Rafe watched her go he couldn't help but wonder if he'd be able to rest, knowing that Caleb had the power to hurt her yet again and not knowing if he'd actually be able to stop him this time.