The end is nigh, folks
But the reviews just keep on rollin' in!
So thank you to all the following:
britgirl2003, starbright, Carby-Always, Mrs. Rhett Butler, carbytothecore, Dracula5555, striker20, Angel Dust, hyperpiper91, Emily, mandi, iloveleo15 and gotluka'scookies (also thanks for bothering to catch up with All I Ever Needed! Appreciate it!)
This chapter is fairly short
In fact, the way things are going, this intro will probably turn out longer
But I hope it gets the point across, better than this
Which is basically just thank-you's
And my constant reminder for you to, if nothing else:
Enjoy! Love LJ xXx
Beyond All Of Everything. Chapter Twenty-One. Something New Everyday
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o SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 20: Carter tells Eric about Richard and Abby but guilt hits him and he goes to Abby to confess. (Susan and Eric kiss).
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"I really don't know where to start but I think you need to know about this…"
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"Eric," Carter admits. Abby pulls him into the apartment and shuts the door behind him.
"What the hell were you thinking?" she breathes.
"He's your brother – he has a right to know," Carter replies.
"Yes but surely I should be the one to tell him," she snaps, despairingly.
"I'm sorry," Carter whispers.
"What good is 'sorry' now? Did you explain to him or is he dialling 911 as we speak?"
"I told him everything you told me – he said he wasn't going to say anything."
"Yeah well that's exactly what you said, too." Abby says bitterly and turns away from him. He says nothing; he shouldn't have said anything.
"But Abby…" Carter begins. "Abby, this has to stop. How long can you keep this up? How much more of this can you take?"
"As much as it takes to keep my son safe," she answers without hesitation. "And maybe now it's going to take a lot more."
"I only want to help you –"
"I know that. But this is not helping. Eric is just another person who I'll have to have all these arguments with," Abby sighs. "Nobody understands this, they just can't see."
"But do you think that this is helping Ollie? He has to see and hear you getting attacked every night. He has to wake up to find you knocked unconscious on the floor. And all for him – how do you think that makes him feel?"
"He doesn't know, John. He doesn't know that his dad would happily kill him just to see the look on my face. He doesn't know that the only reason I put up with all of Richard's crap is to keep him safe. Of course it'd mess him up to know that I've been taking this for six years just so he won't get hurt. What, do you think I'd tell him this? It'd mess up any six-year old to know that their mother is getting the crap kicked out of her just for them."
Abby didn't realise she was yelling until she stops. They stand in the ringing silence and Carter thrusts his hands into his pockets.
"So what now?" he asks. Abby looks at him.
"Same as ever," she replies.
"I'm sorry," he murmurs. "I couldn't watch you get hurt anymore when there's nothing I can do to stop it."
"There's nothing anyone can do to stop it and that's okay," she assures him. "Everyone is a spectator; the only choice you have is whether or not you watch. If it's tearing you up, John – don't watch. You shouldn't have to be ruined by something that you're not involved in."
"It's too late," he shrugs. "I can't just stop caring about you."
Carter smiles slightly with pained eyes and then turns and leaves. Abby sighs and disappears into her own bedroom to fall asleep.
Minutes earlier, a small boy was reaching for a glass of water in the kitchen but now he's not so thirsty. It'd mess up any six-year old to know that their mother is getting the crap kicked out of her just for them and Oliver Elliot Lockhart was certainly stunned.
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