Hello everybody.
As promised I present you the chapter where Abby and Caleb finally meet. It was such a hard chapter to write because I have zero experience with children and I wanted it to be as real as possible. I want to thank you all for bearing with me all this time. I promise the next few chapters will definitely pick up the pace explaining waht happened when Hanna escaped. Also I have a lot of surprises in store for a lot of the characters. I think you guys will love them but I also hope that I continue to surprise you and keep you on your toes. That being said have fun reading this chapter and let me know what you guys think about it.
Kisses, N.
Aria's hand hit Hanna's face making everyone stop in their tracks. "Aria, calm down. What the hell?" Spencer and Ezra dragged her away while Caleb slipped in front of Hanna's body. Toby and Paige tensed, watching them while Alison remained silent. Sure, Aria and Hanna had argued about stuff before but Aria never got to the point of physically attacking one of her friends before.
-"How could you? How could you leave us to rot in that hell for all of this time? Did you enjoy moving on with your life peacefully while A tortured us on a daily basis? How could you betray us like that? A made us believe that you were dead and you were just living your life like nothing ever happened." Aria's voice broke as she screamed at Hanna.
-"Hanna, hey there you are." Aria came over to Hanna in the schoolyard. She was holding her phone, looking down at it. "You won't believe what this sick freak did now."
-"What are you talking about?" Hanna smiled watching Caleb's departing figure over Aria's shoulder. Her smile fell off her face quickly as Aria showed Hanna her phone.
-"Look."
"Almost got busted. Wanna know how? Ask Hanna!. -A"
-"I have to say A is smart trying to pit us against each other." Aria put down her phone while Hanna avoided looking at her. "I mean it's relentless."
-"Yeah Aria, I..."
-"Every time we shut a door, A kicks open a window." Aria softly spoke while Hanna squirmed under her gaze.
-"Aria. I gave your mom the museum ticket." Hanna decided it was better to come clean with the truth since A was clearly hell bent on making it happen.
-"What? Why would you do that?" Aria watched her, shocked. Hanna took a deep breathe before answering her.
-"A made me do it. A has something on me." Hanna felt hurt by the sudden turn of events. Especially when she heard Aria's cold voice answering her.
-"A has something on all of us, Hanna. There's nothing A would threaten me with to make me do that to you. You're supposed to be my best friend."
Hanna felt tears start to form at the memory. She closed her eyes as a snippet of another hurtful memory started to come to her.
-"This is so messed up. You! You're the problem, Hanna! You're always the problem!" Aria's voice came as a slap to the already crying Hanna. "The rest of us are getting ulcers trying not to say the wrong thing and you're getting hammered in front of Emily's mom and blabbering to a stranger!"
-"Aria, calm down already. What happened to you wasn't Hanna's fault. She has amnesia and doesn't remember who she is." Toby spoke softly, his voice cutting through Aria's fit of rage. The girls stared at Hanna while he continued speaking softly, trying to defuse the situation. "Hanna found out who she is about 36 hours ago and has spent all of her time ever since trying to help us find you and stop A."
-"Han?" Spencer studied her friend and made a step to hug her but Hanna took a step back behind Caleb. "I'm not going to hurt you. I swear." Spencer felt relief fill her as she took in the news about the amnesia.
She also felt guilty knowing exactly what happened the night Hanna managed to escape the dollhouse. She didn't waste time thinking about it though. She now had a chance to make it up to Hanna and she would use it. She would earn her friend's trust and forgiveness right back.
-"I actually have a confession to make. Ever since I saw Caleb at the police station yesterday I started to get my memories back. It just felt safer not to say a word about it. I apologize. I don't have my memories back completely but I'm getting there."
-"Can we talk about this later? I'm hungry, I need a shower and I want to get to the hospital and see my mom as soon as possible. We can all yell and kill each other later." Mona's tired voice proved to be the voice of reason.
A police officer then came over and let Toby know that the girls would be taken to the hospital where their families were waiting for them. As the four girls were taken inside ambulances Alison placed a hand on Hanna's shoulder, making her jump a little as she turned around. "You saved them no matter what the cost. They are safe Hanna and it's all thanks to you. Let's go home now."
Hanna nodded her head, heading to Caleb's car quietly. Alison gave Caleb a short nod before going over to Lorenzo's car. Ezra got inside Mike's car while Paige headed over to Toby's. They all soon left the premises, leaving behind only the policemen investigating the dollhouse.
Caleb and Hanna didn't bother going over to the hospital. They headed over to the police station where Lindsay Monroe and Don Flack had just arrived with Abby. Once they were at the police station they headed to Mac's temporary office. The sight that they saw made them both stop in their tracks.
Abby was sitting at Tanner's desk drawing while Don had the biggest smile on his face. He always loved it when Abby found new people to torture with her questions. Lindsay was nowhere to be seen, while Mac and Jesse were talking. Hanna was surprised the most to see the soft look on Tanner's face. The woman seemed to be completely enthralled by Abby.
Caleb forgot to breathe when Abby raised he head and spotted Hanna standing beside him. His eyes were glued to the small girl who had clearly inherited his own dark hair and Hanna's gorgeous blue eyes. He felt a pang of sadness hit him as he realized he had missed so much of her life: her birth, her first steps, her first word, and it was all because of A. Determination filled his entire being as he decided that he would never again miss another event in Abby's life. A would pay for it all.
-"Mommy!" She squealed, jumping from the seat and running over to Hanna's open arms. Hanna got to her knees, picking her up in an embrace. Abby's small hands went around her neck hugging her. "Aunt Lindsay and Uncle Don brought me on a trip. And yesterday uncle Don and Aunt Stella took me to the zoo. Uncle Don won me a new teddy bear, mommy."
-"Sounds like you had fun. Abby, there's someone here I want you to meet. This is Caleb Rivers, he's your daddy. Caleb, this is Abigail Miranda Taylor, our daughter." Hanna put Abby down and waited for both of them to react. Caleb watched the small human in front of him in awe. For the first time since he met Hanna he felt genuinely at a loss of words.
-"Does he love us mommy? Is he going to come and stay with us? Will I get more birthday presents from now on?" Abigail babbled while Caleb suddenly started laughing. Hanna smiled at them, her nerves leaving her, she watched Abby hold her small hands to Caleb asking silently for a hug. Caleb picked her up carefully with one arm. He then extended his other one to Hanna. He placed a small kiss on her forehead. "Thank you for making me happier than I ever thought was possible."
Lindsay drove across Rosewood's streets. She had told Mac she would take a ride to clear her head. When she and Don arrived at the police station Mac told them about Hanna and Alison's escape from police protection. Luckily for everyone the two women had managed to not only find their friends but to save them as well.
She stopped her car once she was in front of a house. She had avoided this place for years. Finally gathering her courage, she walked to the porch and knocked on the front door, wondering if she wasn't making a mistake by going there.
-"I swear to God if this is another reporter or another police officer I will lose my freaking mind." Kenneth DiLaurentis opened the door and looked at her, shocked. "Lindsay? What are you doing here? It's so good to see you. Come on in. Jason's in the living room." Ken's features softened as he led her inside the house. "Jason, you have a guest. I'm going to make some calls. I'll be in my office if you need me."
Jason had his back towards his dad. He had just finished talking to Alison, who informed him the girls had been rescued. When he turned his head he nearly dropped the phone. "Hey, Jay." Lindsay soon found herself wrapped in his arms while Kenneth left the room quietly.
They remained like that for a good while until the front door opened and a tired Alison walked inside the house. She stopped once she saw the pair hugging. "Hello. What's going on here, Jason? Who is our guest?" Jason reluctantly released Lindsay and was about to introduce them when her phone rang.
-"Monroe, here. What is it Mac?" The moment she said the name Lindsay noticed Alison closed herself to her, while Jason tensed a little. "I'll be on my way to the police station in a few minutes. See you soon."
-"You're a cop?" Alison watched her, amazed. Jason threw his sister a "shut the fuck up look" before escorting Lindsay out of the house. She felt her head spin. Not only was the woman close to Jason, but she clearly knew the man in charge of the A investigation as well. And if she did know Mac Taylor then she probably knew Hanna as well which made Alison even more curious as to how and when her and Jason met.
Jason watched Lindsay drive away. Her sudden appearance back in his life brought back memories and feelings Jason thought he had buried deep inside years ago. Walking back inside the house, he noticed Kenneth had returned to the living room.
-"What is she doing here, Jason?" Kenneth watched Jason and the look on his face told him a lot about what was going on with him. He had yet to be able to let her go completely and forget her.
-"Got no fucking clue. But I'm guessing it's work related. She's now a CSI detective." Jason answered, looking at his dad. "I'm going to bed. You can chew on Ali's head in peace now."
-"Will do. Jason?" Kenneth placed a hand on his shoulder surprising them both. "I hope things work out between you and her. She's an exceptional woman and you are a great man, despite all the wounds and scars your mom and I gave you growing up."
-"Thanks dad." Jason nodded his head, heading up the stairs. "You can stop eavesdropping now, Ali. Dad wants to see you." He said, passing Alison who was waiting for him in the hallway. She looked at him nodding her head before she headed inside the room.