Chapter Info

Title: Complete

Number: 21/36

Warnings: Angst

Author's Note: I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint everyone! It's one of my favorites, though I don't know particularly why, but I love it. Thanks for reading! I would love to hear your reviews, thoughts, comments, and questions on this story!

AHealingRenaissance: I'm glad you liked it! :D That's the smallest comment you left. xD Which isn't an issue at all, I welcome the smallest of comments, I just find it amusing. I think it's because lack of Edward LOL but you're right, he could be useful. But I don't know if he could read dreams like that? Like I don't consider dreams as thoughts, like he only saw her previous ones when she thought about them consciously, so I think that's why I didn't add him. Unless I'm wrong and he can lol but I honestly never checked. Anyway, thanks for reading and commenting!

Guest: Wow, thank you so much! I really appreciate that, you have no idea! :D Thanks for reading and commenting!

EclipseRosen: So, you do want a sequel then? ;) I'm so thrilled that you're so excited about that! I really need to flesh it out and I'll probably have a friend of mine help me, but I like the basic premise. I just don't want it to be slow in any place because I haven't thought it through. And oh my gosh, you like the Baby Boy part as much as I do? Honestly, other than Carlisle, I think her relationship with Emmett is one of my favorites. :D Though Jacob is as well... I don't know LOL but I just love her relationship with Emmett, and her calling him Baby Boy is just precious. I love it, honestly, so much. Thanks for reading and commenting!

Goldielover: All of those questions will definitely be discussed in upcoming chapters! There's lots more to see with Brett and with their reactions to each other and whatnot. I want to just post them all at once, but I want to space at least twenty-four hours between them, both so I don't overwhelm everyone and because it gives me time to finished chapter thirty-six. :) ANYWAY, yeah I thought Edward was a bit creepy for doing that, too... It would be one thing if they were together, but he did it before then and just...creepy, lol. But everything should be fairly soon, and thanks for reading and commenting!

Don'tBelieveInFear: Definitely will! This chapter should help. ;) Thanks so much, and thanks for reading and commenting!

PaulineT: (Your review isn't showing up even though I approved it? I did another one at the same time for another story that isn't showing up either so I don't even know. :( I'm sorry! But I remember what it said.) I'm a native English speaker, yes. Are you able to show me some examples of the wrong grammar? I've had these chapters written for months (other than chapters thirty-five and thirty-six) and have read most of them through 3-4 times and corrected stuff (edited, changed stuff, etc) so if I missed something, I would love to know where. Unfortunately, I'm just human and accidents happen, but I can easily fix them. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. :) And I hope that didn't sound harsh! I'm jus wondering what you caught and I didn't lol so I'm curious to see. But I'll read them all over—the ones I haven't posted yet—one more time to make sure. As for more of her and Carlisle, I think chapter will satisfy that. :D I'm hoping anyway, lol. Thank you for reading and commenting! :)

-Abigail-

She winced as the moonlight from the window hurt her eyes. She blinked away the hazy cloud of sleep that had covered her and grew confused as the room darkened. It took her a second to realize the drapes were being closed and she let out a shaky breath, trying to get her eyes to focus. Everything in her mind was all jumbled as she worked out what happened in the past and what made her wind up laying where she was.

I was posing for a painting... No, that's not right. I was looking at it, here in 2007. It was painted in 1873 by Josef Almond. She allowed that puzzle piece to fall into place and she blinked again as she stared up at the white ceiling above her. She remembered seeing the painting and passing out as all her dreams and nightmares and suspicions became reality. It seemed she was out for awhile because it had been daylight when she had fainted and she felt ridiculous that she couldn't even stay conscious for a few memories. Of course, there were a lot of them, nearly two hundred years worth, and she supposed she understood. But that didn't mean she liked it.

And after that, after remembering what it was like to be a vampire, the ache in her lungs and the pounding in her chest confused and frustrated her. Just go away, she thought irritably to them.

"Abigail."

Oh. The voice had been speaking this whole time, and her hand searched out before she even told it to move. Fingers found silky strands of hair and she heard a sharp intake of breath as she slowly looked to the source.

The man literally of her dreams, her creator and savior, lover and partner, sat there with a ragged madness in his deep black eyes. The look on his face matched that of the night she died and she frowned, fingers running slowly down the side of his head to cup his cheek. He let out a breath and brought up a hand to hold her there, eyes falling shut as if he were given a precious gift.

"Abigail..." he breathed, voice cracking and he nuzzled into her palm.

"Didn't I always tell you that I would never leave you, love?"

His eyes snapped open and up to hers so fast her human mind didn't comprehend it, but she knew then that the speed of a vampire was unlike any other. She also knew how strong they were, and she knew how they were created.

But that barely connected as a thought in her mind as she stared at the wonder and agony on his face, his eyes desperately searching hers and she slowly gulped as her lips parted to let out a shallow, shaky breath. Her heart was picking up and she knew he could hear both rather easily, which frankly now made her a bit embarrassed and her cheeks fanned red.

"Abigail—"

She smiled softly, slow and tender and full of a devotion like no other to her mate, the man she wanted to marry as soon as possible. The thought of not being his wife anymore, of not having him as her husband... She couldn't bear it and her heart constricted with pain.

"I remember it all," she whispered. "I felt like I relived it." She sighed. "The painting was made by Josef Almond in England in 1873. We hung it in our cottage and made love underneath it. In 1918, in Chicago, I remember you coming home to me, concerned and pained when you told me of Elizabeth Masen who wanted you to save her son Edward. In 1933, you told me of Rosalie who was dying in the streets of Rochester and you had to save her. In 1935, Rosalie brought Emmett to us after he was mauled nearly to death by a bear. In 1950, Alice and Jasper joined us after she saw us as a coven." She paused and her eyes grew misty as she took in his ever changing expressions. "In 1776, we married two months after you changed me, and it was difficult because I wanted to drink the priest, but your touch grounded me. I remember every kiss you bestowed upon me, every moment of making love to you." She paused again and sniffed. "And in 1955, I remember being killed by a nomad in an alley in Minneapolis. I remember your face, I remember burning—"

"Stop!" he begged through a hoarse moan and he stood, turning away from her and she saw his shoulders trembling and knew that if he could cry, he would be. She slowly sat up, feeling her body more at ease and stronger than she ever had before. Only a tug and a sharp pain on her arm made her hiss and pause, looking down to see an IV in her vein. Carlisle was there in an instant as soon as he heard her pain and made a quick work of the needle before his anguished eyes found hers.

"You needed fluids," he murmured as way of explanation. She frowned and he looked down. "You were asleep so long, we thought we were going to lose you."

"How long?" she whispered.

He sighed raggedly and reached up to tug at his unruly hair, and she moved his hand to replace it with hers. Immediately his body relaxed.

"A week."

Her eyes widened and she paused, stunned. "A week?" she squeaked, causing him to look up at her. She shook her head. "Couldn't be. I was just in your study—"

"A week ago." His face became pained again. "You fainted after you saw the painting. But everything was normal, your vitals... Everything. I knew the hospital couldn't help, so I kept you here with me." He growled softly. "Safe."

Her fingers moved in his hair again. She glanced down and saw she had on some pajamas she definitely didn't remember being in, and went a little red as she realized someone changed her, and she could only hope it was Carlisle or Alice. Not that he would've let anyone see her like that, of course.

"I know I'm safe," she whispered. "I'm with you."

"I let you die." His face fell and he pressed against her shoulder where she continued to stroke his hair soothingly, but it didn't seem to do the trick as he whimpered. "I watched that nomad tear your head off and burn you. I didn't save you."

"You tried," she whispered. "I remember you begging." She paused. "I remember thinking that I hoped the nomad didn't give in. The world needed you, not me."

He moaned in agony. "Please don't say that, Abigail. If you know what that did to me..."

"I do," she whispered. "I can feel it." And she did, the sharp pain that she felt everywhere in her body, infecting her to her soul. It twisted and gnawed and choked her until she could barely breathe and she felt like she wanted to die a hundred times over. He felt this for fifty years, she thought sadly.

"It's me who should be apologizing." His head snapped up and his eyes blazed, fully ready to argue to his fullest extent, but her finger fell over his lips. "Hush, love. I promised that you would never lose me. But you did, and I'm so sorry that I broke my promise."

"Don't you dare apologize for that," he growled around her finger. He stood and for a horrible moment she thought he was going to walk out, but instead he climbed into bed with her and she eagerly clambered onto his lap where she snuggled into his chest, clutching at the cotton of his shirt. "That will never be your fault. I don't want to ever hear another apology from you."

Her lips parted, but she slowly nodded and pressed against him again. She would always blame herself, but if he didn't want to hear her words, she wouldn't say them.

"I love you," she murmured. She heard him sigh shakily.

"I love you, too, sweetheart."

They stayed like that for another hour, neither talking, but just content with being there together. But then the humanness of her current situation made itself known as she realized she had to use the bathroom, and her stomach growled in hunger. She peaked up at him sheepishly and he was simply smiling at her. She realized then that hint of something in his eyes, the glimmer she had seen before, was gone. Perhaps it was the ghosts haunting him from keeping this a secret. Part of her knew she should be angry—it was a huge secret to keep—but she couldn't bring herself to it. She was starved for him. She ached in growing agony as she was feeling every one of those fifty years they were apart. And she never planned on letting him go again.

He reached over and shut off the IV drip, unhooking the tube from her arm. His eyes flickered to hers and she nodded, hissing as the needle was pulled from her vein. He hissed, too, and brought her arm up to kiss and soothe, tongue flickering over it and a wave of heat crashed into her, but she ignored it as he put a bandage over the small puncture in hopes to flow the small pinprick of blood that rose to the surface. He kissed it gently and another swell of heat hit her, and she screamed at herself to get it together. But she couldn't help it; she remembered turning simple touches like that into day-long sessions where it was the two of them worshipping each other in bed. It made her realize why she was repulsed by other men, why she never gave away her virginity. It belonged to Carlisle, just as it had back in 1776. He was her husband, official or not anymore, and he was the only one she wanted to touch her in such a manner. It also have her great satisfaction to remember she took his on their wedding night of 1776 as well.

Mine, she snarled to herself.

Pushing those thoughts away for now, she let him help her to the bathroom. Her legs, surprisingly, didn't feel the least bit wobbly, but she knew he wouldn't be letting her by herself for a very long time. The time for her to use the bathroom and shower quickly was enough, and after she dressed, she was in his arms once more. She paused only long enough to pull her hair up into a messy, damp bun before he led her downstairs.

She was actually nervous as he stepped with her into the great room and their family appeared. Tears pressed her eyes and fell silently as she flickered her gaze to each one, and she could tell they knew. Her smile was shaky and she gripped Carlisle's hand tightly. It's as if she were finding them again, even though she saw them a week ago. Really, a week?

At the edge of the group, over between Jacob and Rosalie, was Emmett. Her heart fluttered and she remembered that his own mother had died when he was six during childbirth with his sister. He had always been close to her and was devastated when she died. Apparently Abigail had reminded him of her and he clung to her, even after he was no longer considered a newborn, and she took him in and guided him like he was her actual son. She loved them all, but that bond she had with him was something she never felt before, something different than the one she had with Carlisle; it was the bond of a mother and her child.

Her eyes grew tender and she tilted her head to the side as she reached up to wipe away her tears. "Hi, Baby Boy."

His lips parted in shock and she heard the breath punch out of him. If any of them had doubts, they surely didn't now. Emmett was next to her a second later and he swept her up into a hug, her feet dangling like always, and her arms tightened as much as they could around his shoulders. She felt Carlisle's hand still on her back which meant he needed her to be there as much as she needed him, but she welcomed this hug from Emmett with her whole heart as she buried her face in his neck.

"Hi, Mom," he croaked and she smiled adoringly into his shoulder.

She was going to apologize for leaving, but remembered Carlisle's words, so instead she said, "I missed you."

He let out a noise cross between a growl and a whimper. "I missed you, too."

She rubbed his back lovingly and whispered some more words to him before he slowly put her back down. She was glad Carlisle didn't try and interfere; she had no idea how much she needed that, and she had to wipe some more tears away before she reached up to cup Emmett's cheeks. He, too, looked like he would cry if he could, but desperately wanted to stop it. Her heart clenched as she looked at her youngest child, tears prickling his eyes, and she desperately held them back as she smiled.

"I'm so proud of you," she whispered, her thumb running over his cheek bone. He softly smiled, his eyes lighting up, and she leaned up to kiss his cheek.

After that she was passed around from one to the other, even getting kind words from Bella, who of course she had never met in her previous life. At the end was Jacob and she froze as she saw the way his eyes narrowed.

"What?" she asked self-consciously.

"Are you still...you? I mean...is my Bunny still in there?"

She heard a warning noise from Carlisle at the "my" term, but she and Jacob ignored it.

Instead she scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Don't be stupid."

His eyes lit up and he broke into a grin, lifting her up and spinning her as she giggled. "There's my Bunny!" Another warning sound from Carlisle and Jacob rolled his eyes.

"I didn't forget who I am now, Hulk, I just remembered who I was before. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."

"Yeah, but—" He was stopped by a shove from Edward who apparently caught his thoughts and didn't look happy. Jacob simply glared and then muttered, "Never mind."

Abigail frowned. "Would you all stop treating me like I'm going to break? I'm fine."

"Says the girl that spent a week in a coma," Emmett said and her glare made him shut up and grin.

"Don't think I can't find a way to put you in a coma."

Emmett roared with laughter. "Oh, Mom's back alright." He jumped over the back of the couch to lay on it and she gave him an aggravated glare.

"Doesn't give you an excuse to act like a heathen," she muttered which simply caused more laughter and a sigh from her.

Carlisle took the opportunity then to take her back and she willingly went into his arms, curling against his chest with a happy, content sigh and felt like she was floating as she was pulled to a chair and settled in Carlisle's lap.

She watched everyone for a few minutes, her smile never leaving as she put her head back against his shoulder. My family, she thought with a sigh, and it was the happy beat of her heart that had her smile falling. She was human now, she wouldn't be able to be with them for very long before she left them again. What would happen to them then? She knew Carlisle couldn't survive it a second time. Frankly she was surprised he did before. Not because she didn't think he was strong, but because she knew she would never have survived if he had been the one killed. She knew what losing a mate felt like. She could feel it in him even then while they were together, in each other's arms with her memories back.

Once things settled down a bit, she took a breath and sat up, a smile back on her face as she tried to keep the mood light.

"So," she started, voice raising above the noise which quickly dissipated. "About this pesky human business... What should we do about that? Because I'm kind of over it."

Author's Note: I just remembered to remind everyone, something I had been forgetting for the past few chapters, but if you want to see her outfits head over to Polyvore and search alysalvatore and they're all listed! Thanks for reading and comments are love!