1863
In 1862, Cassie and Damon had gotten married in August, but shortly after Stefan's birthday in November Damon had to leave once more, returning before his birthday in June 1863.
"Are you sure I'm allowed to be in your room?" Abby said looking back at Stefan who was sitting on his bed reading one of the many books he had. In Stefan's room, he had a collection of poetry and novels, some new but some that he has read over and over. People always thought of him as quite the scholar. "Aren't you supposed to be the adventurous, sometimes crazy one in this relationship?" He said smirking into his book. She smiled and rolled her eyes strolling over to him and sitting on his bed.
"What are you reading now?" She said, peering over his shoulder. "This one; is new; it was published only a few years ago. It's called, "Great Expectations by Charles Dickens." She smiled looking at the happiness his books brought to his face. He closed the book and looked at her, "I think I'm going to have to add this one to my personal favorite collection." She laughed, she heard about his famed collection. He's very particular about what novels he lets in. "If this book is worthy enough to be an eligible candidate for your famed collection," she said, making her words overly dramatic, he laughed as she continued, "Then I will have to read it, seeing as I've read almost all your favorite books."
He walked over to his bookshelf and placed the novel on the top shelf, where his collection lies. She walked over and read all the titles, "So now your collection consists of Wuthering Heights, Oliver Twist, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, The Scarlet Letter, and now, Great Expectations." He nodded and smiled at her once again. "What are these?" She questioned the smaller collection of books stacked on top of the shelf. "Just some poetry I've been reading," he said as he looked to the ground, his face growing red. She brought the pieces of poetry over to his bed and sat down. Stefan just leaned against his wall and looked at her. "Let's see what we have here, works by Lord Byron and John Clare."
She started to recite one of the pieces,
"She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron:
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies,"
Stefan cut her off and continued, just in a trance staring lovingly at her,
"And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies."
His soft and velvet voice made all of her thoughts disappear. Her thumping heart was beating in her ears as she heard him recite this poem in front of her, he obviously had read it many times. With every word, there was meaning and eloquence hidden behind it. He continued,
"One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express,
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place."
He walked over to her and sat down next to her. Their eyes met and they kept their gaze on each other until he finished,
"And on that cheek," he said, gliding his knuckles softly over her face, "and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent."
He cupped her face and kissed her gently, his lips feeling like satin against hers. Her heart melted and she felt her nerves being heightened by the sensitivity her lips started to have. She's kissed him many times before but this kiss, electric pulses were running through her lips. Right then at the moment, she couldn't bear to even think about being apart from him. She loved him. It was simple yet ever so complicated. Her heart swelled with love as she opened her eyes and looked into his, seeing the same forest green eyes as her own.
That same night it was getting late and Abigail had to leave and return to her house before her father worried. As she walked through her door she couldn't wipe the smile off of her face. She was officially head over heels, completely and utterly in love with Stefan Salvatore.
"Ah Abigail, you're home," her father said walking into the threshold. He continued, "I have something to discuss with you, Abigail." She thought nothing could bring her down from her high, but the tone in her father's voice sure did the trick. "What is it father?" she asked suddenly, a little concerned. They walked into his office and he sat down at his desk with her sitting across from him. "I have arranged for you to be courted by George Lockwood, starting tomorrow."
It's like her father's words didn't register in her mind. She didn't want to comprehend what he was telling her. She stood up and started to get worked up, "How could you do that? Cassidy got to choose whom she wanted to be with! Father, this isn't fair!" He stood up from behind his desk, "Why are you getting so worked up, Abigail?" He asked worriedly. She let out a shaky breath and tears spilled out of her eyes, "Dad you can't do this! I, I love," She let another shaky breath past her lips before she tried to pull herself together. "Dad, I love Stefan Salvatore. We want to be together."
Her dad furrowed his eyebrows together, "What's the meaning of this? You two aren't in a relationship." Abby stared at her father, she looked him in the eyes as she said, "Dad we've been waiting until the right time, to tell you and . But Stefan and I have feelings for each other, I love him, I can't be courted by George Lockwood."
He walked over in front of her and shook his head, "You're going to have to. I've talked with Benjamin Lockwood, and we've come to an agreement. You will be courted by George Lockwood. It's going to be good for this family; he's the mayor's son. I won't tell Guiseppe about this but you're going to have to tell Stefan that you two can not at all be together."
"But why not father!" She exclaimed. "Cassidy is with Damon, why can't I be with Stefan?" She was crying uncontrollably but trying to hold herself together as best as possible. "A relationship with Stefan won't benefit this family anymore. The Salvatore's and the Gilbert's are already tied together through Cassidy and Damon."
"What you're saying is that I can't be with Stefan, the man I love, because it won't benefit you! That's selfish and horrible. The only reason you want me to be courted by George Lockwood is in hopes that we'll get married and you'll just get more power and money. You don't care about my happiness at all!" She said running up to her room.
Her father clenched his fists as she ran up the stairs crying. She threw herself onto her bed and held at her sides crying uncontrollably. It was the most horrible feeling she had ever felt. She had just been at an absolute high with her happiness but this news shot her down to rock bottom. She must have been crying for hours because her voice was hoarse and her throat was scratchy. She went outside her room and made sure her dad was sleeping before she walked out the front door.
She stopped at Cassidy and Damon's house before heading over to Stefan. She couldn't wait until morning to tell him, because tomorrow everything would change and she would have to be with George Lockwood.
She knocked repeatedly on her sister's door until she came to the door, looking as if she had been asleep for hours. It was around 1 am. "Abby, what is it? What happened?" Her sister said scared out of her mind looking at the state her sister was in. She pulled her baby sister into her arms and took her inside. "Now tell me what happened," she said walking up to her room.
Abigail explained to her sister everything. About how things began with her and Stefan and how she'd grown to love him. She then told Cassidy what their father had told her about her newfound courtship with George Lockwood.
After everything was said and done, Cass consoled her sister and told her to go to Stefan. At the door, Abby hugged Cassie, "Thank you so much." She looked to the floor before she continued, "I just want what you and Damon have." She sounded beaten and as if she had already lost all hope. Cassie pulled her in for one more hug and replied, "Everything will work itself out. You and Stefan are supposed to be together. Damon and I had a feeling." Abigail smiled then started to walk towards the Salvatore Estate.
There were no lights on in the house when she got to the Salvatore estate. She walked around the vast house and to the backyard. She saw Stefan's bedroom window on the second story, well I can't go through the front door she thought to herself. She grabbed a few small rocks and pebbles from the ground beneath her and started to toss them at Stefan's window.
A few minutes later Stefan opened his window and peered outside only to see Abby standing below with a handful of rocks. He laughed and said, "Isn't this supposed to be the other way around?" She forced out a laugh but he could tell that it was strained. "What's wrong?" He said; his voice powered with concern. "Come down," she said simply. He nodded before she saw him disappear back into the darkness of his room.
She walked back around to the front of the house and sat on the steps. When he came and sat down next to her he asked, "What's going on?" He had brought a lantern with him and placed it next to him. He could see her tear-stained face through the shadows that surrounded them. She looked down to the ground, not being able to bear to see the look on his face when she told him. Tears started to stream down her face once again and all Stefan could do was put an arm around her and rub her back in a soothing manner.
She rested her head on his shoulder and she choked out the words, "My father told me that he's arranged for George Lockwood to start courting me tomorrow." Silence surrounded the two for what seemed to be the longest moment ever. They broke away and Abigail finally looked Stefan in the face. His eyebrows were furrowed in confusion, "What does this mean?" he asked, tears threatening their way to the surface. "We got into this huge argument and I told him," words got stuck in her throat because she feared how Stefan would react.
She looked to the ground then back at Stefan and continued, "I told him that I wanted to be with you because I love you."
He looked into Abby's eyes that were like green reflecting pools, glossed with tears, and told her, "I love you too Abby. I love you so much." Relief washed through her body but also brought more anxiety. Them loving each other would make this arrangement with George Lockwood much worse.
Stefan embraced Abigail into his arms, she cried into his chest, hyperventilating she tried to make out sentences, "Stefan, the thought of not being able to be with you kills me… I love you so much and… I don't know what to do… none of this is fair," she started to choke on her own words. Stefan kissed her forehead and rubbed her back trying to make her calm down. He was lost and didn't know what to do, but he couldn't let her lose hope. He closed his eyes and rested his head on top of hers letting a few tears trickle out his eyes. They separated and he cupped her face softly.
She touched one of his hands as he continued to speak, "Listen to me, Abigail I love you and in time this is going to be all figured out. I can talk with my father or even yours. Just because George Lockwood is going to start courting you doesn't mean anything is definite yet. A courtship can become void because of many things. Don't lose hope okay? For me, for us." She smiled and let out a breath, "How come you have the uncanny ability to make a bad situation like this seem alright? You have this way with words that's very reassuring." He smiled and she returned one too.
Putting his hands on her waist he pulled her closer and leaned his head down to her, kissing her. She gasped at the sudden urgency she felt with his lips pressed against hers. She ran her hands through his hair and rested them at the back of his neck. Everyone in town knew they were best friends, so if they were seen together usually it would be okay. But because tomorrow she would be officially courted by George Lockwood, she might not get alone time with Stefan for a while, let alone kiss him.
They separated but he kissed her one more time, savoring the moment. That kiss left her dazed but she managed to open her eyes and look at him. They both stood up and Stefan hugged her once more, "Everything is going to be okay, just don't lose hope," he whispered in her ear. She nodded and backed away, not letting go of his hand. She took a few more backward steps before she had to feel his fingertips leave hers.
She didn't know what words to leave him with so she let her eyes do the talking. He turned around and started to walk up the steps to his door but she ran up to him and turned him around, pulling him into a kiss. She tried to let out every emotion she was feeling and put it into that kiss. The fear, the angst, the urgency but most importantly the love. She placed her hands on his shoulders and looked him in the eyes, "I will never give up hope Stefan. I love you." He could only manage to whisper, "I love you too," before she turned around and started her journey back to her house.
