Abigail changed her outfit for the millionth time. This was the fourth thing she had tried on to wear to Will and Sonny's engagement party. A party, she thought, that was very impromptu, having just received an e-vite last night. Abby had assumed that was the reason for EJ's message, saying they needed to talk. He probably wanted to warn her about the party, but she didn't get a chance to call him back and when the e-vite came, she didn't think she needed to anymore. Leave it to Sami Brady to pull a stunt like this and expect everyone to change their plans to accommodate hers. Sighing, she took off her dress and dug in her closet again, looking for the perfect outfit. She had long ago admitted to herself why this was so important. She wanted to look stunning. She needed all the armor she could get because it was going to be unbearable, watching Sami and EJ swan around the party as the happy couple, so in love. Abby did not want to face that on her own. That was the main reason that she had accepted Chad's offer to be his date at the party. And, if she were being totally honest, the look on EJ's face, seeing her with Chad, wouldn't hurt, either. Finally settling on a strapless, body-hugging cobalt blue dress, she added the finishing touches and headed downstairs to meet her mom and JJ. The only reason her mom had agreed to go was for Will and Sonny, since they were both her nephews. Her mom hated the DiMeras, especially EJ for the things he'd done to her. At that memory, Abigail realized just how hurt her mother would be if she ever found out about what was going on between her and EJ. Squaring her shoulders, she promised herself that wouldn't happen and she headed out her door with her family.

Chad was waiting just outside the mansion as they pulled up to the door and, with slightly awkward hellos from her mom and JJ, he took her arm and led her into the garden where the party was being held. It seemed to be already in full swing and she had to give it to Sami, for such short notice the place looked amazing. There were little cloth draped tables set across the lawn and there were Chinese lanterns hanging down, casting soft light on to the party goers mingling below. To the left of her, she saw different food stations, filled with food. Yes, Sami had outdone herself, but who wouldn't with the full weight of the DiMera fortune behind them.

"Abigail, Chad," she heard Sami call as she came barreling towards them with EJ in tow behind her.

"Chad. Hello, Abigail," EJ greeted them with a dark look in his eyes as they moved back and forth between her and Chad.

"Hello, EJ, Sami."

At her nervous greeting, EJ gave her one of his curling smiles and just looking at it made the hair on the back of Abby's neck stand up. Could no one sense that? That charge that heated the air when they were together. Could no one else feel the electricity and the tension that was beneath every word and glance they exchanged? She looked around amazed that the world went on with no one the wiser, except her and EJ. Oh, yes, he felt it, too. It was clear in the way he was watching her. Shuddering a little, she turned away from his look and spotting Will, Gabby and Sonny, excused herself and headed over to join them.

"So, what do you think?" Will asked her. "It's a little over the top, but that's my mom."

"Everything looks great."

"Soo, you and Chad?" Will asked as Gabby and Sonny stood, waiting interestedly for her answer.

Abby loved her friends, but she wasn't in the mood to discuss Chad. She couldn't very well admit that Chad was her buffer against EJ and to help distract her from any sadness that would come from seeing EJ with Sami. She was there to celebrate Will and Sonny and she was determined to let nothing ruin that.

Shrugging her shoulders, she simply stated, "We're just friends. Nothing more. We can't ever go back to the way we were."

"I'm going to go say hello to everyone and get some food so I'll see you later, "she said as she dashed off, leaving behind three very puzzled friends.

Will knew something was up with her, but so far, she had refused to talk to him about it. He would get it out of her, though. Abby was his favorite cousin and he didn't like seeing her so troubled and unhappy. He watched as she said hello to his dad and Hope and then veered off in the direction of the darker path of the garden heading towards the gazebo.

…

Will wasn't the only person watching Abigail as she wandered away from the lights of the party. EJ had been keeping an eye on her since the minute she walked away from him, Sami and Chad. He noticed that Chad had been watching her, too, and it reminded him of the conversation they'd had when Chad had first arrived home. Even though, he had been prepared for it when Stefano had told him his brother was back, it had still been a shock when Chad had more or less stated that Abigail was one of the main reasons he'd come back to Salem. Hearing him say that had filled EJ with a raw, uncontrollable rage that he'd had to turn away before he did something he'd regret. Now, seeing her come in with Chad and observing Chad as he stared at Abby, that rage came back and he stalked off in the direction she had taken. He was going to remind her that Chad was no longer an option for her. No man was. He didn't even stop to analyze why that was so important to him that she know she was off limits to every guy, but him. It just was.

The path to the gazebo was dimly lit and deserted since this wasn't a designated party area. He stalked her as she walked ahead of him, completely unaware that he was following her. She walked down a brick-paved path that twisted away from the garden as the music and voices from the party grew softer and softer. Finally, she came to the gazebo and going in, sat down and stared up into the sky. He stood back and watched her for a moment. She looked so incredibly beautiful and young, sitting there staring up at the stars. She also looked like sin in that dress and it was that last thought that renewed his anger and spurred in him on to the gazebo.

"What the hell was that, Abigail?" he asked as he pulled her up to stand facing him, keeping her arm in a tight grip.

"What was what?"

"That! You and Chad," he yelled as he let go of her arm and waved his hands wildly in the air. "And what the hell are you wearing?"

"It's a dress and what I do with anyone is my own business EJ. You don't get to ask me that or did you forget about your fiancee?"

"You think not?" he said as he reached for her and pushed her up against the wall with his face bearing down on hers.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the gazebo changed between them as their gazes locked. He grabbed her face and pulled her to him in a hot kiss. He licked at the seam of her lips, nibbling at the corners of her mouth as she eagerly began to kiss him back. This was what mattered. He forgot Sami, Chad, her mother and all the other people who were only a few yards away from them. Just as long as he could touch her and feel her, the rest of the world didn't matter. He had to be inside her. Right this very minute. He pulled up her dress while trailing bruising kisses down her neck and to the tops of her breasts.

Abigail gasped as EJ continued his assault on her neck and her breasts, now exposed as he took turns licking each nipple. She was in a fever, wanting to taste him and to feel him in her again. She unbuckled EJ's belt, unzipped his pants and freed him as he moved his hands down between her thighs, pushing her panties to the side. She ran her hands up and down him as he did the same to her, driving her beyond the limit before finally entering her. He lifted her against the wall and, hiking her legs around his waist, Abby began to go up and down his length. He turned his head and took her earlobes between his teeth while he teasingly circled her folds down below before finally relenting and touching her clit. Abby jerked hard at that and bit down on her lips as he thrust in and out of her in short, relentless strokes. She wanted to scream. She wanted to stop. She wanted to continue. It was too much. The energy was too much for her and she couldn't go on. She was going to fall apart and she wanted him with her when she did. She bit down gently on his earlobe, like he had done to her, and he jerked once, twice before thrusting hard one last time inside of her as both of them came together.

EJ's breathing was loud and fast in her ears as he rested his head on her neck. They stayed like that for a few seconds before he unwrapped her legs from around his waist and gently lowered her against the floor. She leaned against the wall catching her breath, watching him as he drew out a napkin that was shoved in his pocket and cleaned them both up. He pulled down her skirt, buttoned up his pants and rested his head on hers before giving her a slow, lingering kiss.

"You should go before it's obvious to everyone that we're both gone at the same time."

"Abigail," he called as she stopped before turning back and facing him. "You can be friends with my brother, if you so choose, but don't test me by taking it further. You wouldn't like my reaction, sweetheart."

Abigail nodded her head shakily in response to his menacing statement. She wasn't scared of EJ, but she knew he meant what he'd said to her: she wouldn't like his reaction. Besides, she had no interest in being anything other than friends with Chad so there was no reason to be intimidated by his warning.

He watched her walk off on shaky legs before following in her wake a short while later. Both of them oblivious to the fact that it was already to late for subterfuge. Their absence had been noticed by a few and one, in particular, had seen everything that had gone on in the gazebo and watched, enraged, as they disappeared from view.

Chad stepped out from behind the tree where he had hidden himself as he watched EJ and Abby in the gazebo. He had been on his way over to join her, Will, Sonny and Gabby when he saw her walk off and take the path that headed to the gazebo. She had looked a little troubled as she left the little group and he wondered if he should go after her or give her a little space. Chad had just decided on the latter when he saw EJ trailing along in Abigail's wake a few minutes later. He had a determined look on his face and Chad, knowing that look, decided to follow after all. It's not that he was concerned about Abby because EJ wouldn't do anything to her, but, after the talk they'd had earlier, he wanted to make sure EJ wouldn't try to manipulate Abby. EJ had a way of getting into people's heads and he didn't want him trying to figure out how Abby felt about Chad's reentry into her life.

He got to the gazebo in time to see EJ yank Abby up and say something to her. He walked forward, intending to help Abby as he saw the quiet fury and defiance on her face as she responded to EJ. Whatever she said made EJ push her against the wall and before Chad could enter the gazebo, EJ grabbed Abby and kissed her. He was so unprepared for what just happened that shock held him in place as his eyes and mind tried to understand what he was seeing. He ducked behind a tree and watched them as they made love. Chad felt like a sick voyeur, watching them like this, but he couldn't make himself turn away. What was it that people always say about shocking things? Oh yes, you don't want to watch, but you can't turn away either. Watching them together, he realized that this wasn't the first time for them. There was an intimacy between them as well as an electricity that he had failed to notice before. So that was why EJ had tried to shoot down his plans for Abby. Chad flash-backed to the conversation they'd had earlier that day.

"Hey, big brother," he had said as he came into the den.

EJ, who had been standing staring out the french doors that led to the terrace, whirled around with a strained smile on his face. At the time, Chad had put it off to the demands of being a DiMera and Sami Brady's fiancee. Now, he realized it had to have been about Abigail, considering the rest of their talk.

"Chad, Father said that you were home," EJ said as he gave his brother a hug. "I guess I must have missed you last night."

"Yeah, I went to meet up with Gabby, T and Abby at TBD to help plan Will and Sonny's bachelor party and then I met up with Sonny to talk TBD business. I came home really late."

"So you saw Abigail," EJ asked with a slight edge to his voice which puzzled Chad. "How was that?"

"She says she isn't mad anymore which gives me hope."

"Hope for what?" EJ asked his voice becoming even deeper. "Are you thinking of taking up where you left off with Abigail because you can get that thought out of your head now."

"Why do you-" Chad asked before being interuppted by EJ.

"I love you, Chad and I want you to be happy, but I've gotten to know Abigail a little better since you've been gone and she may not say it, but she was enormously hurt by what you did. She may have forgiven you, but I think, you should start out by just being her friend."

"Well, at least, that's just my opinion," EJ said as Chad began to look at him strangely.

"Okay. I'll do it your way. I'm going to talk to the kids. I haven't seen them as yet, either."

"Oh, I think it's nice," Chad said with big smile on his face as he turned to leave.

"You think what's nice?" EJ asked with a confused frown.

"That you've gotten closer to Abby and you're looking out for her."

Thinking back on it now, Chad was filled with a blazing anger and humiliation. Of course, EJ wanted him to be Abby's friend. Of course, he was looking out for Abby. It was all because of what he had been doing with Abby. EJ must have had a good laugh when he told him that it was nice he and Abby had become friends and that he was concerned about her. He watched them, enraged at their betrayal, as first Abby and then EJ left the gazebo and headed back to the party. His first reaction had been to confront them, but, at the last minute, he decided against that. It was time to embrace who he was. He was a DiMera. He may not have grown up as one, but he had DiMera blood flowing in his veins. There were two things that DiMeras understood: revenge and getting what they wanted, no matter the cost. He would make them both suffer a little before he let the rest of Salem in on their dirty little secret. And it would be worth everything to watch EJ tear himself up with jealousy while he watched his little brother go after Abby. Yes, he would show them both, he thought, as he strolled back to the party, smiling at the fallout and payback that would come their way. He had to do it in such a way that no one would ever think of him as having had anything to do with the secret coming out. In that way, he would be there to pick up Abigail when she fell apart because, despite her betrayal, he still intended to have Abby. And there wasn't anything EJ could do about it because he would be to busy battling it out with Sami once she learned what he had done. It was perfect