That same night at Damon and Cassidy's home, Cass went back up to her bedroom after talking with her sister. When she walked back upstairs the lights were on in the room and her husband was awake, sitting on the bed. "Why are you up?" he asked while yawning. She came and sat on the bed and said, "Well Abigail just came over to the house crying because father had just told her that George Lockwood would be courting her tomorrow." Damon laughed a little but had a confused look on his face. "Do continue," he said.
"She then proceeded to tell me that she's in love with Stefan and that she's completely distraught because she doesn't know what to do." After she said that Damon fully sat up and smiled, "Stefan and Abby… in love?" Cass smiled, "I know, we always had a feeling that they were interested in each other but I guess they've been in a relationship behind all of our backs." Cass laid back on the bed and Damon followed in suit. "Damon, Abby was so distraught, I can tell that she really loves Stefan and that he must love her too. If my father forces this courtship on her, Abby and Stefan may never be able to be together."
Damon wrapped Cass in his arms before she could rant any longer. "I'm sure everything will be figured out, nothing is set in stone yet with the courtship. If they really do love each other then they'll find a way to be together." Cass looked up into Damon's eyes, "I can't imagine ever being without you. What if you were in Stefan's position?" "My goodness, I can't even try to think like that, it hurts my heart too much." Damon ran his hand through Cass' hair and smiled, "Cass, you shouldn't worry about Abby and Stefan. We'll see how things go for a while and if the courtship gets to be serious, which I doubt because I bet Abigail will do everything in her power to make sure of that, then we can start to think about ways we can make the courting void."
Cass just nodded then asked, "When do you have to go back to the confederacy?" she asked solemnly. "I have to leave some time at the end of the year but I'll come back a few months after that, then I can be home for good. I'm done trying to please my father, for god sake, I'm a grown man. Plus, it hurts me so much to be away from you. The only reason why I push myself through the war is because of you. Cass, I love you with all my heart, and I can't wait to be home for good."
She smiled and kissed his lips softly. "My heart aches every time you're away," she sat up once more and looked at the bed nervously. She continued, "Damon, once you're back in Mystic Falls for good, do you think we can start a family?" She looked up into his eyes and at first, she couldn't see what he was feeling. He sat up once more and took her hand in his, "Cassidy Salvatore, I would want nothing more than to start a family with you." She smiled and kissed him then wrapped her arms around his neck, "I love you, Damon Salvatore."
The next day Abigail woke up completely distraught. She stared at her ceiling for a good ten minutes thinking of what was going to become of this mess. There was no way in hell she would end up marrying George Lockwood. She barely knew him. She couldn't let herself stress out over the future any longer because her head started to really hurt.
Right, when she finally sat up in bed one of her maids came into her room. "Miss Abigail, your father asked me to come in and tell you that George Lockwood will be here at 10 am to take you into town. He also instructed me to tell you that you must wear this," she said, presenting a dress box to Abby. She just smiled as best as she could and replied, "Thank you."
Her maid gave her the box then left the room. After she was left alone Abby sighed and looked at herself in her mirror. The sadness was apparent in her eyes but she knew she would have to do her best to act okay in front of George. At the thought of spending all day with another man, not Stefan her heart started to ache. Reluctantly, she pulled out the beautiful dress from the box and started to get dressed.
Once she was dressed the same maid came into her room and fixed up her hair, letting some of her hair be pinned back while her blonde curls flowed freely upon her shoulders. Once she was ready she went downstairs. She drank some tea but she couldn't manage to get any food down. She wanted to gag at the thought of being separated from Stefan.
She waited downstairs until her father came into the kitchen and said, "The Lockwoods have arrived, come outside and greet them." Abby looked at the floor then at her father's face, but she couldn't manage to look him in the eyes. She just stood up from the table and followed her dad outside.
They waited on the steps and saw George Lockwood with his father step out of a carriage. The two men walked up to them and Mr. Gilbert said, "Abigail, you know Mr. Lockwood and his son George." She smiled a little and curtsied. "Well, we ought to do some business John," Mr. Lockwood said as he grabbed his shoulder, walking them inside.
That left George and Abigail on her front steps. He looked at her and smiled, grabbing her hand in his leading her down to the carriage. Once he helped her in, he said, "Would you like to go into town?" She just smiled and nodded trying her best not to jump out of the carriage.
Once they were in town they walked up and down the small streets making small talk. Abigail tried her best to smile and softly giggle at times but it was forced. Her mind was always lingering on Stefan, wondering when she was going to see him again.
The couple hours they spent together were not completely horrible like she had expected but she didn't enjoy being in another man's company at all. Not when there was a romantic intention. After a while, they got back into the carriage making their way to the Gilbert estate. "I had a lovely day with you Miss Abigail, you are a very intriguing woman." She smiled and replied, "Thank you, I had a pleasant day as well. Do you know when we are to meet again?" As soon as she said that she bit her tongue not realizing how eager it sounded like she wanted to see him again soon. He just smiled and said, "I'm not sure but I hope soon." She just nodded and looked down.
They arrived at her home and stepped out of the carriage. Right at that moment, their fathers were making their way down the steps. George turned to her and lightly grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips. She cringed inside but forced a small smile on her face, "Until we see each other again, Miss Abigail." She kept the forced smile on her face and curtsied, walking up the steps and into her home.
After saying goodbye to the Lockwoods, her father came back into the house. "Abigail I want to remind you to be on your best behavior during this courtship." She just looked at him and nodded. "I also want to tell you that you're not allowed to see Stefan Salvatore alone, but only in a group setting." She closed her eyes, "Father I love him, how can you expect me to follow any of these rules?" She exclaimed. Her father walked towards her, "Abigail I love you but you need to understand that I am your father and what I say goes. You are going to pursue this courtship with George Lockwood and you are not to think about the possibility of you being with Salvatore."
She just looked at him, not knowing who he was anymore. She just passed him quietly, walking upstairs to her bedroom. As soon as she closed her door she took off her dress and changed into a nightgown, crawling back into bed. She promised Stefan that she wouldn't give up on hope. It had only been one day and this proved to be one of the greatest challenges she has ever faced. But for the sake of her love for Stefan, she would never give up hope.
Later that day, at around sunset Stefan made his way over to his brother's home. Once he got there he knocked on the door waiting for someone to answer. Cass opened the door and when she looked at Stefan, she couldn't begin to think about how bad he was hurting; his eyes said it all. She quickly brought him into a hug and said, "Oh Stefan, Abby came over last night and explained everything. I promise we're going to get everything figured out," she said, leading him into her home.
Stefan sat across from Cassidy in her living room and right as they took their seats, Damon came downstairs. Once he saw that his brother was there, his visage filled with sorrow. He brought his younger brother into a hug and said, "I'm sure Cass already told you this but I promise we'll get everything figured out." They took their seats once more and Cass spoke up, "Well my father told me that George and Abby went into town today for a couple of hours. When she got home he told her that she couldn't see you alone but only in a group setting," she said looking at Stefan.
She continued, "He told her that she has to give up on this idea of being with you because it's his will that she does so. I went over to the house and after my dad and I had the conversation all of the housemaids told me that Abby was refusing to eat or drink anything or come out of her room for that matter. They all feel so terribly for her because all day she's been laying in bed either weeping or making no sound at all."
Stefan didn't know what to say or what to feel, he just looked up at his sister-in-law and his brother with solemn eyes. Cass pouted and walked over to Stefan taking his hands in his, "I just don't know what we can do," he said. "How about I ask my father if Abby can come over for tea tomorrow. I can say that it'll be my try for her to cheer up and I'll even tell him that I'll start swaying her into agreeing with the courtship." Stefan looked up at her seeing where she would go with this.
"But I'm thinking that you can be here, and Damon and I can leave you two to talk and we can go into town for a little while." Stefan smiled a bit and said, "You'll think that'll work?" She smiled, "Of course, just come over tomorrow around 2." He nodded and looked over at his brother, "That's a good plan Cass, we just need to make sure that your father doesn't find out." She nodded and turned to Stefan, "Does your father know anything about this?" Stefan just furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head, "Not that I know of." She just nodded and smiled, "Cheer up Stefan, tomorrow you're going to see Abby." He smiled and turned to the both of them saying, "Thanks," before he stood up and left, making the small journey back to his home.
The next morning Cass went over to her father's house telling him all that she promised Stefan she'd tell him. He thought it was a great idea of hers for her and her sister to spend some quality time together. So Cass went up to Abby's room and told her to get ready and to come over to her house around two, not telling her that Stefan was going to be there.
Around two in the afternoon Abigail made her way over to her sister's house, kind of happy she'd be able to see her and spend time with her. When she got there she opened the door, "Cass, I'm here," she hollered upstairs.
She looked down at her feet and walked into the parlor and when she looked up she saw Stefan standing there. It took her a second to register the sight of him, her eyes grew wide and a huge smile appeared on her face. There was a grin stretching from ear to ear on his face as she ran over to him. She threw her arms around him and squeezed him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her waist, missing the way she felt in his arms.
Once they separated he cupped her face and crashed his lips onto hers. She slinked her arms around his neck, letting them rest there as she asked, "What are you doing here?" He just smiled and said, "This was all your sister's plan. She and Damon went into town." She smiled and kissed him ever so softly on the lips. "Stefan, what are we going to do?" She said quietly. He took her hand and they sat down on the couch, "I'm not sure but you can't lose hope because," he paused for a moment and looked at her, "I know we're going to be together, we're going to get through this."
She looked down at her hands, which were being held in his, and said, "Stefan it's only been a short while and it's killing me being away for you. God, I don't know how Cass does this for months at a time." She looked into his green eyes and smiled, "Stefan, I love you so much," tears started to stream down her face as she continued, "I don't know if I can do this much longer, being away from you. I'm so scared that we're not going to be able to find a way out of this. It's killing me, the thought of not being able to be with you."
He turned to her and held her face in his hands. "Abby, it breaks my heart to see you like this. And I don't know what else to say that'll give you some kind of hope. I promise that if there's a way to break off a courtship, I'll find it. But for now, you just have to know that I love you and I'll do everything I can to be with you." She smiled a little and he wiped the tears from her face, "Have you finished the book you were reading?"
He smiled and replied, "Well I had to do something to occupy my thoughts, when we're apart you're always on my mind." She took in a small and shaky breath, suddenly forgetting how to breathe. "I don't think I'll ever be able to properly breathe after you say things like that," she said in a small voice. He just laughed a little bit. After that, they talked for a short while longer, mostly just taking in every second they were together.
About an hour or so later both Stefan and Abby had to leave and go to their separate homes. "When do you think we'll see each other again?" Abigail asked him at the front door. "Hopefully soon," he said, pulling her into his embrace. She just smiled into his chest before she looked up and pecked him on the lips. "Remember Salvatore, that I love you and you're the one I want to be with. This courtship with George Lockwood is being forced on me and I don't like it one bit. And once we find a way out of it, we'll be together." He just nodded a little in response before he kissed her once more before them departing.
