A/N: Yes, I know you've already read the beginning, but this will be the last chapter before I delete this story. I'll explain more on the bottom author's note. By the way, I am using a reviewer's idea because, well, she's a very faithful reviewer and I'd like to give her what she wants considering this is the end of whatever the hell you'd like to call this.
Disclaimer: I actually own quite a few characters…
On with the story…
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Chapter 2: Library In Hiding
After around ten minutes, Peter still hadn't come back with Rosie. Abby was starting to worry herself and just as she was about to get up and search for Rosie herself, Doug's phone rang.
"Hello?" He said absentmindedly into the phone.
"Hey, I can't find Rosie anywhere. Ask Abby where she might be besides the cafeteria," Peter replied.
Doug moved the phone so that the mouth piece was covered, "Abs, do you know where Rosie would be besides the cafeteria?"
Abby rolled her eyes to the ceiling, "You guys are idiots," she stated and promptly pulled back from Tanner, who had no clue what was going on, and got up from the table. Mercy smiled apologetically at them and followed her best friend as she left the cafeteria and headed towards the library.
"Hello? Anyone there? I'm still on the phone!" Peter said into his cell phone, checking to see if they got disconnected or not, "HELLO!?"
Doug hung up the phone and sat at the table astounded. Girls were SO confusing.
Library
"Lorelai Rose!" Abby whispered-yelled as she walked around the library.
This whole day was not going well for her.
Abby continued to walk the aisles and aisles of books until she heard faint whispers and a small groan. She sighed and stopped in her tracks. She didn't have time to deal with this.
"Lorelai Rosalyn Gilmore Mariano!" Abby whispered fiercely. Now, while Abby knows that Rosie's actual name is Lorelai Rose Mariano, she always felt that the name was too short to yell, so she always lengthened it when she was mad at her.
"Eek!"
After this little outburst, Abby heard lots of rustling and slamming around until she finally continued walking and turned down the next aisle to find Rosie sitting on the ground, buttoning her blouse back up as Brad Hutching finished returning his hoodie to it's correct position.
Rosie's face burned with embarrassment as she looked at her sister's furious face, "Hi Abby," she squeaked.
Abby put a hand on her forehead and took a deep breath, "Rose," another name used in anger, "I…I don't even know what to say to you." After Abby opened her eyes again, her fury was replaced with disappointment as she sighed again and turned away and walked out of the library, leaving Rosie to sit on the ground next to stupid Brad Hutching.
--
"So where was she?" Doug asks as Abby walks back into the cafeteria and slams back into her seat.
"Library," Abby replied shortly with a flip of her hair and Mercy slid more gracefully into her seat.
"What's going on?" Doug asked as he looked between Mercy and Abby. Mercy shrugged her shoulders as Abby rolled her eyes.
Tanner and Doug exchanged looks as Tanner gripped Abby's hip and pulled her to him. He whispered something in her ear and then kissed her temple, waiting for her to respond. She whispered something back and Tanner nodded so Abby leaned back in and told him something else to which he clenched his fist and slowly closed his eyes. Mercy bit her lip in worry as Doug raised his eyebrows questioningly.
Tanner was about to get up, but Abby forced him back into his seat, "Don't you dare," she hissed.
"You're okay with this?" He hissed back, veins popping from his neck.
"Okay with what? What's going on?" Doug asked suspiciously.
"Nothing," Abby answered quickly, eyes narrowed angrily at Tanner.
"Don't look at me like that, Abigail! You're just as pissed as I am, but you won't do shit because you know that if it was you, you'd tell us to fuck off!" Tanner exclaims.
Abby stood up and then leaned down and got in Tanner's face, "Fuck you," she whispered coldly and walked off. Mercy didn't budge from her seat as Tanner ran both of his hands threw his hair in frustration. He looked to Mercy with a look saying that she should probably go after Abby.
"You made this, you clean it up you ass," Mercy stated firmly, something that rarely happened so Tanner got up and ran after Abby.
"So what happened?" Doug asked.
Mercy sighed and put her head in her hands.
--
"Abby wait!" Tanner called to her as she stomped down the hall in her stiletto boots as her hair swayed behind her and her arms stayed crossed firmly across her stomach.
Abby kept walking and ignored Tanner completely until she reached her locker. She turned around to face him as he trapped her in with his arms.
"I'm sorry," he said, kind of out of breath from running after her.
Abby simply rolled her eyes and looked away from him.
Tanner took her face in his hands and turned her face so that she was looking directly into his eyes. He could see the tears welling in her beautiful green eyes and tentatively glided his thumb across her cheek, "I'm sorry. I was pissed off and I know that's not a good reason, but I just worry about you guys. You know that." He wiped her stubborn tears away with the pads of his thumbs and kissed her forehead before pulling her tightly against his muscular chest.
She was doing a lot of crying today and that pissed her off so she pulled away and wiped furiously at her face until she was sure that all her tears were gone and her make-up didn't look too bad. "I'm fine," she proclaimed and tried to walk away.
But Tanner was too quick for her and reeled her back in, "You are not and you're not yourself today either. I mean, I've known you forever and you've never been this much of a bitch without a reason so what's up?"
"Nothing, just, one of my moods," she shrugged, "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I promise." At this she smiled at him and while he knew that she wasn't exactly fine, he also knew that Abby was being Abby and there was no way to get through to her without pissing her off even more so he pulled her against him, wrapped his arms around her and repeatedly kissed her hair until the lunch bell rang and Mercy met them at her locker. She swore under her breath in some different language that her grandmother spoke and watched as they pulled apart and simply went their separate ways.
--
Eventually, word got around about Rosie and Brad and that meant that it got to Tony, and Tony being Tony immediately went to kick Brad's ass with Tanner and the rest of the guys right behind him. This was also accompanied with begging and pleading from Rosie, Mercy, and even Abby for them not to do this because it wasn't like he forced her to do anything. But nothing they said mattered because Tony had fire blazing in his eyes.
It was one thing to mess with Abby, hit on Abby, hook up with Abby; it was another to even look at this fourteen-year-old baby sister Rosie. He. Was. Pissed.
He slammed through school with a purpose and everyone parted to allow him through to wherever it was he was going. Of course, Brad knew Tony was coming, but didn't know what to do about it so he simply stood by his locker anxiously waiting.
Tony walked right up to him and said one thing before punching him in the face, "You're an idiot."
Five Hours Later; Mariano Residence
"Dad?" Abby asked quietly as she entered his office.
"Yeah, sweetheart?" Jess looked up from his manuscript to address his oldest daughter.
"I have a problem," she confided as she bit her lower lip in apprehension.
"Tell me," Jess ordered gently as Abby slid into his lap as if she was ten again.
"Well there's this boy…"
"And?"
"And I don't think I'm really supposed to like him, but I do and I just can't help it, you know?" Abby babbled.
Jess chuckled at his daughter, "While I'm sure your mom can very well relate to this, I can, too. I wasn't supposed to like your mom back in high school. She was too good for me, still is, and she had this boyfriend, Dean. And well, look where we ended up sweetheart. If your mother and I hadn't taken that jump to get together in the first place, we wouldn't have ended up here."
Abby's face twisted into confusion, "But didn't you and mom have to go through years of hurting each other and not talking to actually get together and married?"
Jess nodded his head and shrugged, "I look at it this way: if we hadn't gone through what we did, we wouldn't be where we are today. Your mother and I had a lot of unresolved issues after I left during our senior year. A lot of things left unsaid and every time I came back to try and get everything off my chest, it backfired and we ended up worse off then where we started. Until…"
"Until the second time Mom came to you at your bookstore in Philly and you guys screamed everything out, twice and made up," Abby smiled; proud that she remembered her parents' tragically amazing love story.
Jess nodded with a small smile, "That's right. And after that we made it work. We haven't split up since then."
"So what's your point in telling me this again?"
"You can't help who you like or love Abigail, you can't control that with your mind and your heart doesn't exactly ask your permission," Jess explained, "or Tony's," he added in a whisper. Abby smiled a sad, half smile.
She kissed his cheek quickly and stood, brushing imaginary dust off her jeans, "Thanks Daddy. I'll try and follow my heart."
Jess nodded silently and then, "You do what's best for you sweetheart. I know Tony means a lot to you, but you can't let him monopolize your relationships with other people. You think that might be why you guys fight so frequently?"
Abby looked down at her shoes, threading her fingers together in front of her, "Maybe."
Jess stood and wrapped Abby in his arms as he kissed her hair, "You'll figure it out."
Abby returned his hug and breathed in the familiar scent of her father, "I know."
"Alright, get out of here," Jess ordered playfully as he pulled away from the hug and shooed her from the room.
Abby smiled and walked out of the office, closing the door behind her. Jess sat back down in his desk chair sighing as he shook his head. His babies were growing up.
--
Tony's Room
Abby walked into Tony's room and saw Tony sitting at his computer desk, fiddling on the computer while Tanner sat up against the bed, and Doug laid on top the bed. She knocked on the doorframe to get their attention. Tony turned his head towards her and smiled.
"Hey Abs, what's up?" He asked.
"Can I talk to you…privately?" Abby asked, somewhat shyly. This caught the guys' attention and they looked up from what they were doing to stare at Abby in confusion. Under their scrutinizing stares, her cheeks flushed a light pink tint and she bit her bottom lip.
"Abigail?" Tony questioned.
"Please, Tony?"
Tony nodded and stood up from his desk chair to leave the room with her. He followed her out of his room with his hand on the small of her back, shutting the door behind him.
"What's going on?" Tony asked as soon as they were safely standing in her room across the hall.
Abby stood wringing her hands together. She licked her lips and looked Tony in the eye, "I like a boy," she confessed with more confidence than she had.
"Who?"
Silence.
"Abigail Elizabeth," Tony said sternly.
She mumbled something incoherently, her eyes downcast on her pink carpet.
"Abigail Elizabeth Mariano, what is your problem? Just tell me!" Tony cried in frustration.
"I can't!" Abby yelled back.
"Why not!?" Tony roared, "You tell me everything else!"
"Because I'm not supposed to like him, okay!" Abby screeched out her explanation.
"Jesus Christ, Abby! What, do you like some old guy or something? It can't possibly be that bad!" Tony exclaimed while exhaling an annoyed breath and grabbing his hair.
"It's just…it's one of the guys, okay!? I'm sorry, but I can't help who I like! I hate fighting with you, Tony! But sometimes you try to control too much of my life! I love you and I wouldn't trade you in for the world, but I need space too, okay?" Her voice got softer by the end of her tirade and she fell to her bed, her head falling into her hands, "I'm sorry," she shook her head, pawing at her face with her hands.
Tony was silent as he let what she had said sink and settle in his mind. He couldn't believe her…
"Abigail…"
She shook her head frantically, stubborn tears falling down her face, "No, just don't, Tony. I don't want to hear it."
"Abs…Abby," he took one quick stride towards her and gathered her in his arms, "Lizzie, oh my God I can't believe I did this to you," he whispered in disbelief, using his very old pet name for her.
"Tony, don't feel so bad, okay? That's not why I brought this up. I brought this up because I absolutely hate fighting with you about stupid things that I can handle on my own. You are the best big brother around, but I'm going to be sixteen soon. I can handle some of the jerks in that Godforsaken school. You need to accept the fact that I'm growing up. Daddy has. If he can do it, so can you," she smiled lightly and kissed his cheek.
Tony took a deep breath and nodded, "I understand, I do, really. It's just hard to see or hear about guys trying to hit on you or get with you. You're my sister Liz; I can't help but feel protective over you. Now tell me which one the guys you've fallen for," he smiled at her and tickled her sides a little.
She giggled and sighed, "Tanner," she confessed quietly.
Tony nodded and pulled completely away from Abby, biting down on his bottom lip as he joined his hands together in front of him. "Tanner," he repeated, processing the information. "Have you—"
"No, I would never do that behind your back, Tony," Abby immediately assured.
"Well, who am I to stop you from pursuing what you want? I'm just warning you now, if he hurts you, his ass is mine. I don't care how long I've known him or how close we are, you are my sister and I won't hesitate to kick his ass if he hurts you. Do you understand?" Tony explained seriously.
"Of course," Abby nodded swiftly, also serious.
Tony stood and Abby stood with him. He pulled her into his chest and kissed her hair.
"Be careful," he whispered.
"I will," she whispered back.
She pulled away from him completely and looked up into his eyes, silently asking him permission. He nodded and jerked his head toward her door.
She smiled brightly and bolted out of her door and into Tony's room where Tanner had moved to sit on the end of the bed which was facing the door directly. She smiled brightly at him and he gave her a confused smile back and stood up.
"Abby?" He questioned, eyebrow quirked up curiously.
Her smile widened and she slowly walked up to him, the smile slowly drifting off her face, replaced by a face of complete seriousness. She cupped his face in her hands and brought it down to meet her own. She cautiously touched her lips to his; looking for any sign that he was going to reject this, reject her. Tanner didn't kiss back at first, unsure what this meant, what would happen he did indeed kiss her back.
He debated the consequences in his mind quickly before leaning into the kiss more and securing his hands on her hips, pulling her closer to him. He then took full control of the kiss and took her small gasp as an opportunity to slip his tongue into the sweet warmness of her mouth. She hesitantly began to battle back with her tongue as well. Abby moved her hands from his face to run her fingers through his hair, gripping it once in awhile.
As this was going on, Doug sat by looking on the scene as if they had gone crazy. I mean seriously, what the hell? No one told him anything anymore. He was just about to say something when Tony appeared in the doorway. Doug stopped mid-word, his mouth hanging open as he watched Tony observe the situation.
Tony then banged on the wall and they separated quickly, splitting apart like shrapnel. Tanner quickly ran a hand through his hair and then swiftly jammed his hands in his pockets while Abby stood on the other side of the room biting her lip and wringing her hands.
"Not in my room please," Tony requested, "Matter-of-fact, not in any bedroom. Are we clear?"
"Uh, yeah," Tanner sputtered out in surprise.
Abby nodded and smiled at her brother before leaving the room with a wink thrown in Tanner's direction. Tony calmly sat back down at his computer chair as both Tanner and Doug look dumbfounded in their respective positions.
"Tony?" Doug finally got out.
"Yeah?" Tony replied plainly.
"What the hell was that?" Tanner asked finally.
Tony shrugged, "You tell me," he responded as a sly smile slid across his lips.
"But—," Doug started
"She just—and then you…" Tanner rambled off.
"Go talk to her," Tony directed towards Tanner and Tanner nodded as he left the room.
"What the fuck, dude?" Doug asked as Tanner closed the door behind him.
Tony shrugged, "It was bound to happen eventually. She grew up with them, knows all of you guys so well, it's normal that she developed feelings for one of you. She picked Tanner and I already warned her that if he hurt her, that I'd have his ass," Tony finished his explanation without taking his eyes off his computer monitor.
Doug lay back on the bed, accepting this explanation as he went back to reading his English book.
Meanwhile; Downstairs; Living Room
Abby sat on the couch contentedly checking her Myspace on her laptop while Tanner rushed downstairs to ask her what the hell was going on. When Tanner reached the bottom of the stairs, Abby looked up with her eyebrows raised.
"What was that?" Tanner asked.
Abby's face contorted into one of confusion, "What was what?"
"That—upstairs. What was that?"
"A kiss?" She answered him, her face displaying that she was obviously weirded out by the fact that he was asking such an obvious question.
"What did it mean?" Tanner questioned. Having known each other for so long, they didn't really pussy-foot around anything. They were pretty blunt with each other.
"That I like you, obviously," Abby replied as she scoffed and went back to her computer screen.
"Well…," Tanner started, "I like you, too," he confessed as his eyes downcast and he shifted his weight form one foot to the other.
Abby looked up at him, head tilted, smiling, "Good."
He went over and sat next to her, pulling her between his legs on the couch. She turned her head towards him and he leaned in to give her a quick, sweet kiss. She grinned when he pulled away and leaned back on his chest, once again returning to her computer screen.
Gazebo; Town Square
Rosie sat sprawled on one of the white benches in the gazebo, reading her most recent book. Just as she was about to read onto the tenth chapter, someone plopped down on the bench across from her. She briefly looked up from her book to find that it was none other than her Uncle Will. He was six years older than her, that being said, she and her siblings called him Will. She ignored him and continued reading, but he kept staring at her, so she finally looked up.
"Can I help you?" She asked, only slightly annoyed.
"Why aren't you at home reading? Dad's worried about you," he explained.
"I'm scared to go home," Rosie answered simply and opened her book back up to continue reading.
Will chuckled and reached over to pull the book down from her face, "Why? What did you do this time?"
While Rosie was the most avid reader, she followed her father's footsteps exactly when it came to getting in trouble. She often got caught doing things and was reprimanded accordingly. Granted, she did nothing major, but she most definitely was no angel.
Rosie shrugged, "Made out with this kid in the library." She was modest, too. Ha.
"Who caught you?" Will asked with a little sneer.
"Abby," Rosie smirked, "Lucky she did though because Peter was already looking for me.
"You're a piece of work Lorelai Rose," Will conceded with a shake of his head.
"I try," she replied, her smirk widening.
"You better get home though. I'm sure your parents want to know where you are and you know Tony and Abby aren't going to tell them what happened," Will told her, admonishing his older side towards her.
Rosie sighed, "Alright, I'm going."
"Good," Will stated and pulled Rosie into a hug as she stood to walk back to her house and Will retreated back to the diner.
They parted ways and as Rosie walked back to her house, clutching her book to her chest, she thought about her family. Sometimes she just really felt like she was a part of it. Like, Tony and Abby were so close and so were her parents. She was the odd one out. Normally that'd be the middle child, but Abby was so close in age to Tony (not that she wasn't herself) that they just bonded easily. Just as these thoughts surfaced in her mind, her phone vibrated in her pocket.
"Hello?"
"Oh my God! Where are you?! I have so much to tell you! Get your ass home as soon as possible!" Abby screeched into the phone and promptly hung up.
And then her sister did something like that, and those thoughts flooded form her mind. Their family may be dysfunctional at times and a little kooky, but they were a family nonetheless. And even after everything, they remained as strong as they started, even stronger actually. She thanked God everyday that she was blessed with the luxury of having such a strong, dependable, close family.
And After Everything…
No one could break them apart.
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A/N: It's over. Finally. You could not possibly imagine how long it took to write this. And it ended up being like eleven pages long or something. I'm sure it's not my best, but it's as good as you're going to get right now. I really want to work on my writing skills because I feel as if they're not as good as before or something. I was also thinking and realized that I'm better at writing prose, like teenage fiction, not GG fiction because I absolutely love making up new characters. I have part of a chapter of the other fic idea I had, but I plan to take my time on posting it and really making it good. Reviews fuel me so if I don't get them, I don't have as much motivation. If I do end up posting that new story, updates won't be my normal quick because I want it to be good. But that won't be for awhile because I am officially on a temporary hiatus from writing on here besides the occasional requested or attack-of-the-plot-bunny ONESHOTS. Although I don't think I'm going to delete this as I said in my earlier author's note. So, please press the pretty little button and leave me some reviews!
Red