Chapter Info

Title: Blind Date

Number: 15/36

Warnings: Angst, sickness, slight sexual content

Author's Note: Hello, all! As you can see from the warnings, there will be some slight sexual content in this chapter. It's not too involved, but if you want to skip it, I have marked it .x.x.x.x. before and after it so you know where it is. It's nothing that will reveal any hugely plot defining, so you should be fine. And it's nothing worth changing the rating as of yet, though that probably will happen later, just as a warning. But, of course, I'll let you know beforehand the chapters you could skip if you don't want to read that content, or the sections of chapters. Also, I believe this is the longest chapter as of yet. :D I think chapter thirty-five will be longer (in terms of the actual content and not including all this beginning stuff)—yes, I have finished chapter thirty-five! Onto finishing chapter thirty-six, which as you all know *sob* is the last one—but so far this one is the longest. As always, thanks for reading! I would love to hear your reviews, thoughts, comments, and questions about this story!

twibe: You posted your review on chapter one, so I'm not sure if you'll see this. But eventually you do find out how they know each other, so no worries. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!

Goldielover: I believe this chapter will help out on that aspect! :D I won't say anymore, lol. Thanks for reading and commenting!

AHealingRenaissance: Lol! This is very true, I like that! But like I said above, this chapter should help. :D Thanks for reading and commenting!

smuttyspeedster: I think he thinks he's doing the best thing for her, so his intensions are good, he's just going about it the wrong way. But hopefully this chapter helps. :) Thanks for reading and commenting! Side note: I love your profile picture. The Flash is a wonderful show! :)

Don'tBelieveInFear: Thank you so much! And thanks for reading and commenting!

EclipseRosen: I think you should, the whole "being in a room together" thing is something I think they both avoid even if they don't admit it, because the feelings are too strong when they're trying to be apart. But hopefully this chapter helps. :D Thanks for reading and commenting!

-Abigail-

Rick was the one who drove with Abraham next to him. Beth and Abigail took the backseat, and while Abigail hadn't spoken much to the men other than to introduce herself, Beth spoke with them, laughing over funny stories until they got to the restaurant. It was in Port Angeles and part of her wished they could've stayed in Forks—she wanted to be closer to home, and she didn't know why, but she wasn't quite sure she meant the house she grew up in—but there was only the diner there in town and that wasn't all that romantic.

The restaurant Rick picked was La Bella Italia and it made Abigail smile at the name. She looked up in shock as her door opened and Abraham held out a hand to her. She paused only for a moment before smiling and letting him pull her out of the car. He didn't hold her hand into the restaurant, which she was thankful for as the idea made her incredibly uncomfortable, but she was seated next to him at the table with Rick and Beth across from them.

"So what do you do?" Abigail wondered, eyes flickering to Abraham.

He put down the beer he was drinking and turned to her slightly with an easy smile. He had opened up more as they had sat there and she found he was actually hilarious. She had giggled a lot as his comments and she found herself leaning closer the more she had to drink.

"Well, I was in the army for a long time, almost ready to make it my career when my knee was shot out. Had it replaced, but it wasn't good enough to join back up. I decided to start my own construction company, but that went belly up about six months ago. That's when Rick got me a job at the hospital."

"Are you also a lab tech?"

Abraham shook his head. "Nah, I do repairs for all the equipment around the hospital."

Abigail's eyes widened. "Does stuff really break down that much?"

"You'd be surprised," he said with a short laugh. "But you're a nurse, too, right?"

Abigail took another sip of wine as she nodded. "Down in the ER."

"Must be stressful."

"It can be, definitely. Especially the traumas." She shook her head. "But we've got some really good doctors there so it's not as bad as it could be."

That brought up unwanted thoughts of both Dr. Jones and Carlisle. Brett had made her uncomfortable all day, spending far too much time by her side making sure she "had gotten over the bug," while those feelings for Carlisle she had tried to ignore rose to the surface and she had to look away from Abraham.

What's wrong with me? she thought as her stomach twisted in the wrong way. There she was sitting next to an attractive, nice man. And she had been fine all night, managed to keep her thoughts off the beautiful doctor, but then one simple mention of the ER had her eating guilt, heart clenching, stomach twisting. She heard her name and she shook her head, quickly patting Abraham's arm.

"I need to use the restroom," she mumbled, and he quickly stood up. She didn't wait for anyone as she got up and fled, flinging herself inside the single person room and locking the door. She had barely anything to eat, but she had plenty of wine and all of that was emptied into the bowl. Her throat began to hurt and tears fell down her face.

I can't do this, she thought as she sobbed softly into the porcelain, feeling very much like a loser. One thought of the man had her sick and so guilty she could barely stand it. It's like something cold gripped her heart and wouldn't let go. As a nurse, that should've been a concern, but she knew it wasn't something medical pressing against her, it was the cold reality of her situation. It made her wonder if she ever would be able to go out with a man without thinking of Carlisle and winding up in the bathroom getting sick. It was then she realized she didn't want to. The idea of someone else touching her or kissing her in ways that it mattered, in intimate ways only a lover should, had her dry heaving into the pocelain again. It was a disgusting thought, and she didn't understand it. It scared her, terrified her because if she didn't get over this aversion and if she didn't get over this unrequited love, she would spend the rest of her life alone.

Slowly she cleaned herself up, wishing she had a toothbrush and toothpaste, or at least a mint, but she swished water through her mouth and straightened her clothes. She made her way out, not surprised to see Beth right outside, who insisted they go home. While Abigail hated herself for ruining the night, she nodded because now that the wine was gone and she understood her feelings, the thought of pushing into a booth with Abraham again made her want to run back in the bathroom.

He was a good man, a kind man. Smart and funny, strong and generous. He would make a good husband to some woman someday... But that woman wasn't Abigail. Her heart was taken. It was broken and bleeding, fragile and full of pain, but it was taken and she couldn't give it to someone else because it was no longer hers.

Her heart belonged to Carlisle.

It was that understanding that had her completely silent the rest of the way back to Forks even though the others tried to talk to her, even Abraham who looked worried despite her embarrassing him. She just shook her head and leaned her feverish head against the glass.

"Maybe we should take you to the hospital," Beth said uneasily. Abigail knew Carlisle wasn't working and that Brett was. The thought of Brett touching her again, even as a medical professional, made her gag. She couldn't go there without Carlisle being there. So she shook her head as they slowed down at city limits.

"I'm fine."

"It can't be the wine. You didn't have that much."

Abigail shook her head again. "It's nothing. I'm fine. It'll pass. I just need sleep." She paused. "I'm sorry, guys." All three vehemently disagreed with her apology, but it didn't make her feel better. She just stayed quiet until they pulled up outside her house.

It wasn't until she saw the figure at the door that she realized the others weren't moving. "Who's that?" Rick asked, his voice on edge and his hands tight on the wheel as if he were going to pull away. Abigail squinted, her eyes widening a second later, and she quickly opened the door and made a stumbling dart out of the car.

Warm hands caught her almost immediately, and she quickly leapt into his arms; of course, he caught her.

"Jake," she breathed against him, feeling herself get picked up as she began to tremble.

Part of her noted the fact that Jake was able to touch her, and she knew Edward and Emmett had, and she didn't get sick. Perhaps it was the familial bond with Jacob that pushed those feelings away. With Emmett and Edward, they were happily taken. Jacob wasn't, but he was like her brother. Abraham was a stranger and one who had intentions to try and date her. That's the difference, she realized. She knew with every instinct that Emmett, Edward, and Jacob weren't a threat to her feelings for Carlisle. They had no intentions of dating her. Abraham was. He was a great man, but she just...she couldn't. It's then she realized why it was so hard to get passed Brett's brushes of hand; her body was physically rejecting the touch of a man who wasn't Carlisle and who was trying to be romantically with her. (Not that she knew for sure with Brett, but she had her suspicions.)

"What happened?" Jake's voice was calm, but barely so and she realized the doors behind her were opening.

"I'm fine," she mumbled and shook her head. She wanted to talk to Jacob about this, she really did, but she needed sleep and she definitely couldn't do this in front of the others. "Inside. I need to sleep."

"Who are you?" Beth demanded.

Abigail slowly peaked over and saw Beth just a couple feet away with her hands on her hips. Rick and Abraham stood behind her, both very confused, and Abraham looked a little pissed off. The last thing she wanted to do was anger or hurt him, but she couldn't help her reactions.

"Jacob Black," he answered.

"He's my brother," Abigail mumbled. While shock registered over Beth's face, the other two look a bit relieved.

"Wait, Billy Black's son?"

Abigail had told him about the wedding so he didn't question how Beth knew that.

"Yeah. I'm gonna take Abi up to sleep." Clearly he wasn't happy with the others, she could hear it in his voice. She was his sister and she came back incomplete and so the others were naturally to blame. But he didn't get wolfy on them so at least that was a start. Still, Abigail could feel him begin to shake so she wiggled down, but didn't let go, and pressed him for the house.

"Let's go, Jake." She paused and turned back to the others, face apologetic. "Sorry again, guys. Really."

Beth looked at her softly and shook her head, hand reaching to squeeze her shoulder since Abigail's arms and hands are still locked firmly around Jacob. "Don't worry about it. Feel better." She paused. "Since Jacob's here, we're going to go back out, is that okay?"

Abigail nodded wordlessly and shooed then away. Once they pulled away, Jacob swept her up into his arms and headed for the house.

She laid her head on his shoulder, yawning softly and didn't even notice when they got upstairs until she was being set back down. She kicked off her shoes and pulled off her cardigan. Jacob held her steady while she wordlessly, barely noticing her surroundings, as she shucked off her shirt and pants and pulled on some pajamas. Jacob helped her into bed and she would out like a light the moment her head hit the pillow.

.x.x.x.x.

This time it was sunny, and for some reason she wasn't feeling the coolness of the breeze or the warmth of the sun on her face. A gentle smile pulled up at her lips and she hummed as she laid back letting the peace wash over her. It was perfect being there, just what she needed after having a day like she had. Nothing to bother her, no sickness, no darkness.

Only she wasn't alone, she realized a moment later. And she wasn't wearing anything. No clothes, not even bra and panties, or a bathing suit. Her skin shone, no sparkled in the sunlight like diamonds, and she was astonished as she looked down at her naked body. Long and lean, she looked better than she ever thought she did, including the way her dark hair curled over her shoulders flawlessly.

Fingers touched her shoulders and yet she didn't jump, even though she hadn't been expecting it. But she knew that touch, knew who it was without even looking at him. She knew that touch better than she knew her own body, and she knew that this man knew her body better than she ever could. A smile shone on her lips as the corners tugged up, and her head fell back against solid muscle.

The growl that came from his lips as she did so caused her body to heat up in ways she couldn't even imagine, her body squirming slightly as a leg lifted and bent her knee into the air.

"Do you know how utterly exquisite you are, my love?" His voice was merely a purr, though she realized then that he might actually be purring. A sound left her throat that matched his and she slowly shook her head so dark curls floating in the breeze around them and tickled his chest, earning her another lovely growl.

"I am sure you will enlighten me, darling." Had she ever spoken in her dreams before? She didn't remember. And she hated that even as his fingers traced down her arms, she knew this was a dream.

"You are utter, unadulterated perfection. There is no part of you that I can resist. Of course, I have never really tried either."

She laughed, just a high tinkling of the softest bell. "Have you been looking in the mirror again, my husband?"

Husband?

"Only if you're standing next to me." She laughed again and soon found herself on her back, staring up into the beautiful butterscotch eyes of her beloved.

Carlisle's naked body was outlined by the sun, shimmering in the same way hers did, and she realized she had never seen a more beautiful sight in all of her existence. He was smiling at her, a look of such love and tenderness and adoration, that tears pressed her eyes. Or rather she thought they should've, but nothing came, though she had no time to think of how that could be now.

His eyes sparkled and he began to rock against her, making her whimper as white hot flames kissed the inside of her lower belly. "I want you," she said suddenly, her voice intense and coming out in a growl just like his did. A second later, before even thinking about it, she flipped him over on his back and he was looking up at her, ochre eyes suddenly black and full of hunger.

"Take me, my dearest Abigail."

A smile lifted her lips again and she shifted her hips, pulling them up, and slamming then down into his hard body.

.x.x.x.x.

The shaking of her body is what brought her out of her slumber, a gasp leaving her lips as she sat up, damp and covered in cold sweat, shivering as she looked around the room blindly. No more beach, no more Carlisle, no more shimmery beautiful bodies... She felt like sobbing.

Carefully she peaked at Jacob who looked pained, his large hand coming up to smooth down her hair.

"God, I thought you weren't gonna wake up. I was about to call 911. Were you having a nightmare? What happened? Are you okay?"

She frowned at him in confusion and she looked over at the window, startled to see it was daytime. A glance to the clock told her it was eleven AM and she was seriously late for work. But not only that, she had slept for over twleve hours.

Her eyes went wide and she jumped up, nearly falling over as her body trembled, and quickly reached for her closet knowing she had no time to shower.

"I have to work, I need to go. God, I'm so late..."

But Jacob grabbed her, pulling the scrubs from her hand and shaking his head. "No, Bunny, I called off for you. You were sweaty and shaky and would barely wake up to say you were fine, so I called them and told them you weren't coming in."

She stared at him in confused horror and slowly let go, allowing him to toss her scrubs aside and pull her against him. As soon as he did, she started sobbing, burying her face in his shoulder.

"What's happening to me?" she mumbled, feeling herself start to tremble even more violently.

"I don't know," he said, voice soft but full of worry.

It was then she decided to tell him everything, and she was grateful that he stayed silent. She went over everything: the dreams and the nightmare, her feelings, the run-ins with the Cullens, them ignoring her for a week, and finally with this past week and her breakdown last night. He didn't say a word and she was afraid to look at him, so afraid, and she felt sick again.

She darted into the bathroom, dry heaving into the bowl, and was a bit shocked that she felt him hold her hair out of the way. She expected him to run away in disgust. Slowly she looked up at him once she was done gagging and only saw fear in his eyes.

After that he helped her clean up and took her into the other room to sit with her on his lap.

"I don't think the hospital can help," he murmured. She slowly shook her head in agreement, and startled when he suddenly stood, his face resolved. "I think we need to get you to Carlisle."

The name made more tears fall down her face and slowly she shook her head even as he set her down, wrapped her in her discarded cardigan and a blanket, shoved some Ugg boots on her feet, and picked her up again.

"How can he help if the hospital can't?" she wondered. Actually, he would help a lot, she thought. She craved to be near him, but she didn't say that out loud, and Jacob didn't answer her.

She wasn't surprised when Jacob headed for the woods, falling into an easy jog that luckily didn't jostle her body at all. She knew it was quicker to get there through the woods, especially for him, so she just leaned her head against his chest to listen to his heartbeat as he ran. She faded in and out of sleep, and it wasn't until she heard a growl that she jerked out of her sleep again.

It sounded similar to the one she thought she heard on the phone the previous night, but not quite the same. She expected to see a wolf there, but it was just the Cullens and Jacob. She hadn't even felt herself being carried up the front steps, and she looked around in confusion.

"What—" she began to ask, but her head suddenly spun and she shook her head, pressing it against Jacob's chest. She realized his body heat was only making her sweat more, yet the shivers didn't go away, so she stayed wrapped up there and tried to listen to the voices around her and make sense of them.

"What did you do?" The voice was a barely contained hiss full of rage and fury. Emmett? she thought in confusion. She never heard him sound like that before, so angry and ferocious, but oddly enough it soothed rather than scared her.

"What makes you think I did this?" Jacob demanded with an indignant huff. "How in the hell can I make her sick?" She felt him shake his head. "She came to me like this. She was out with her roommate and some friends," Another hiss from Emmett, "and when she got back she was like this. I heard them coming home so I met them at the door."

"What caused it?"

Jacob paused. "I have no idea. Food poisoning maybe? She got sick at a restaurant in Port Angeles."

"It's not food poisoning." That was Alice. "It has to be something with—" But her voice stopped and Abigail heard nothing else until Jacob scoffed.

"That's stupid."

"It's the only thing that makes sense. Which means he needs to come home. I'll call him. Emmett will go with you to put her in bed."

"I'll take her up," Emmett growled and Abigail frowned. Where was that possessive coming from?

"Fine," Jacob relented, though didn't sound happy about it. "But I'm going with you."

"She'll be fine."

"She's my sister; I'm not going anywhere." It warmed Abigail to know Jacob returned her sentiment, and knew that would be their titles for each other from now on even though they weren't blood related.

"Whatever," Emmett huffed. She felt herself being moved and whimpered softly, causing the motions to stop and she just buried herself in the blanket more. Finally she was settled again, though the chest was wider and colder, she felt just as comfortable and safe there as she did in Jacob's arms.

She must've blacked out for a second because the next thing she knew she was gently being laid down, the blankets extracted so she could be placed beneath a large comforter, and her blanket was spread out on top.

"Nice. She's delirious, but not stupid." What did Jacob mean? Emmett simply scoffed.

With being laid down, she felt herself drift again, back and forth between waking and sleeping, feeling deep darkness swirling around her, only to jolt out of it by the front door slamming open downstairs.

"Where is she?!" a booming voice echoed out, fury barely hidden within it, and she whimpered again. But not of fear or of illness, but because she knew that voice and wanted to be closer to it. It warmed her up, made her entire body tingle and feel alive again for the first time in what felt like ages, her cheeks growing pink as her dream from the night before surfaced. She wiggled in her little cocoon, trying to get out of it, even as she heard a murmur and then swift feet carrying the owner up the stairs.

The door opened roughly and the next moment there was a cool hand on her forehead and she sighed in absolute completion. She was home, finally and truly home. Deep down a part of her told her not to get used to it, she would be losing it very soon, as soon as she was better. But that didn't mean she would forget this feeling, what it felt like to be so whole and...god, she felt loved, just by that simple touch. So even though she was rational deep down, the part of her that was awake was leaning into the hand, whimpering and struggling to be free. It was the other her, the part of her she told Edward about, and it was that woman that wanted to cling to this man and never let go.

Her Carlisle.

Yes, hers. Completely, irrevocably hers. She knew that even if it was unrequited, she knew he was hers. He had to be. The possessiveness swelled in her like a tsunami and broke over the dam holding it back. It wanted to hiss and growl at anyone who dared come near him, pull him away and make him hers and only hers. He was a beautiful man, he could have anybody, so there was no question he would never want her, but that feeling was overwhelming and soon she was trembling again, aching as she slumped back in bed and let the darkness overcome her again.

.x.x.x.x.

-Alice-

The small vampire stayed silent in the doorway as Carlisle sat next to his mate and checked her out. For a moment she seemed fine, strong and wanting to break from her blanket prison. But she soon stopped, breathing even and heart erratic, giving into unconsciousness. The worry and agony and fear in Carlisle's face made it so nobody could look at him too long, especially because every single one of them felt guilty for this even though they knew none of them could have prevented it.

Only once Alice knew Abigail was unable to hear them anymore, did she take a step forward. Edward arrived behind her, an unpleasant look twisting his face, but she held up a hand to stop him.

"It's not food poisoning," Alice said gently just like she had told Jacob before.

"I know," Carlisle whispered. As a doctor and her mate, of course he knew. Usually mates couldn't feel the other until the bond was consummated, but this was a different sort of circumstance. They had been mated in 1776, so perhaps that clung on even through her death and rebirth.

"You're both denying your mate. Vampires have never mated with humans before, at least not without being turned immediately after. When Edward left, Bella became a zombie. When Abigail died, you didn't move for nearly thirty years. It's the feeling of being away from your mate. So perhaps this is how it's showing itself in her, as a physical illness instead of emotional pain."

"She's in pain," Carlisle whispered and Alice nodded slowly.

"Jacob, do you know how it happened?"

He shifted. "Not exactly. I mean, I wasn't there. She told me some, but...not a lot of it made sense. Maybe it was the illness." He shrugged. "She was in Port Angeles—"

Carlisle hissed, dark eyes flashing up even as his fingers tenderly stroked his mate's forehead. "They took her out of Forks?"

Taking his mate so far away without his knowledge? Not the best idea, Alice thought wryly.

Jacob shrugged. "I guess. But they were eating and she was drinking," Another hiss form Carlisle, "and I guess they were talking about their jobs. Then she just feels sick and runs to throw up." He paused. "Thing is, she said that it made it worse when she thought of or was touched by someone. Well, the dude she was on a date with. Beth touched her, I touched her, Emmett did..."

"It has to be her instincts rejecting the intentions of romance from another male. Her body only wants her mate even if her mind doesn't know it, and—"

"Actually," Edward cut in, looking a bit pained. "I think she does." All eyes whipped to him. "Well, not in the correct terms, but close enough. When she got here, she was still conscious, if a bit out of it. But besides trying to figure out what was happening, all she could think about was Carlisle."

The look on his face changed so suddenly, from anguish to deep wonder. They all knew how hard he wanted to fight it, but they all saw where that was getting them.

"And...she had another dream." Eyes whipped to him again. "A beach. Not...not clothed." If he could've blushed, they knew he would, and Carlisle's face fell back into anger as a possessive growl left his lips. "Calm down, I didn't look at her. I just wanted to know what she was thinking and it just popped up. But it was a beach and she was definitely a vampire by then. She was sitting alone and then you showed up, Carlisle. Lots of nice words and then..." He trailed off looking rather uncomfortable, but they l got his drift. "Is this a memory?"

Carlisle's face became pained again and slowly he nodded. "Turn of the century. We were in France. We moved around a lot more then because it was just the two of us, and we hadn't decided where we wanted to settle. Well it was our anniversary—I will never forget the day she became mine," His face turned bittersweet, "—and I took her to an island still uncharted at the time by humans. Since we were alone, we could go out in the sunlight without worrying of revealing our true identities. We spent a year there before we went back inland. It was just two months later we came back to America." He sighed. "She'll always be getting these dreams, won't she?"

Edward hesitated, but nodded. "They're getting more and more real." He winced. "Even the nightmare, which is changing as well. You're there still, but you're screaming and she's burning."

"Enough!" Carlisle spat in agony and stood, beginning to pace quickly.

"Carlisle, you can't keep denying her or yourself for much longer. Nobody says you have to change her if you give in. She can still have a human life."

"But she'll die."

Alice nodded solemnly. "Yes. Humans always do."

Carlisle sighed raggedly and quickly went back to her when she started to whimper again. His hand on her forehead stopped her and she fell back into a slumber, Carlisle's face twisting in resolved agony.

"I can't change her," he whispered hollowly. "But I can't keep away from her. Not any longer."

The rest of them all breathed out a sigh of relief. Alice sorted quickly through her visions and frowned when she realized she still couldn't see if Abigail changed or not, but at least she didn't see her dying of old age. Edward look just as frustrated, but he accepted it with a quick nod.

They all grew silent then, eyes on Abigail as she slumbered, bodies tense as they waited for her to wake up, to heal and find out what was in store for her next.