A / n: Hey there guys, so glad you're enjoying the story! I'm for sure enjoying the reviews, thank you soo much! I can't express how thankful I am, other than to give you another update xD I know I was kinda slacking off for a couple days, but I just felt in the video game playing mood so I had to satisfy that urge XD Anyway! Here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy it!

Let It Burn

VIII

Grace sighed as she carried a tray of the delicious 'lasagna stew' that Abbey requested for dinner, the past four nights in a row. She adored the dish but personally couldn't make it as well as her grandmother could, but Abbey seemed to really enjoy it regardless. "Abbey, are we going to talk today?" She sighed, stopping at the teenager's bedroom door, tray in her hands. For the past few days, it's been nothing but leaving the dinner tray outside the door, and the refusal to talk. Hopefully things would be different this time around.

Abbey opened the door, "About what?" thanking Grace for the dinner tray, bringing it into the bedroom.

"About Heath. And you. Scrambled eggs… all of it Abbey, we have to talk." She invited herself into the adolescent's room, shutting the door behind her. "This is bullshit. Yes, I swore. It's utter crap, I know you don't want this Abbey. You wish that it were Heath standing here right now instead of me, I can see it in your eyes."

Abbey should've known that she couldn't fool someone more aged than she, even though she tried to anyway, she knew she had to eventually admit defeat, especially with the way she had cried herself to sleep the past few nights. "I am sorry, I am." She sat down on the bed, cold tears beginning to stream down her face. "I do not want to stay away, but he hurt baby."

Grace sighed, "Let's go over this again. You were getting intimate in the back seat of his car…" she chuckled to herself, "let's not tell your parents that part of it…" clearing her throat, she continued onward. "and he placed his hand on your stomach, and that upset you?"

Abbey nodded, arms folded neatly over her chest. "Yes, he tried to hurt little one."

Grace then nodded, now she knew what was wrong! "Abbey, sweetheart, did you tell Heath that you're pregnant? Then did he place his hand on your stomach in a not – so – friendly way?"

Abbey shook her head, her ponytail following her brisk movements. "No, I did not tell Heath I am carrying baby. But he put his hand on my stomach anyway, should… Abbey not be mad?"

Grace gave a deep sigh, sitting on Abbey's bed. "Well, no. I don't think so Abbey. Heath didn't mean to hurt you. He knows that usually you enjoy your stomach being caressed; he wasn't trying to harm you or your baby. And you have to understand Abbey, whether you want Heath to be in your life or not – this child is half his too. He does deserve a say in the decision y'know." She hoped that her logic would get through to Abbey, but there was a reason to be doubtful. Abbey Bominable was a very stubborn ghoul.

Grace watched as Abbey's facial expression softened just slightly. "Well… I do not, know. Abbey will think about it."

Grace gave a curt nod, "Yes, alright fine. But while you do… here's your list of things to think about: whether or not you want to keep the baby, telling your parents and preparing yourself to tell Heath. You're not getting out of it Abbey, he needs to know."

She nodded, "Alright fine. I need isolation to sift through thoughts."

Grace took that as her cue to leave the young woman's room. "Okay, but remember – keeping yourself in isolation, will not fix anything."

Abbey nodded, "You're right. But for now, it fixes everything." She truly needed to be alone to think and sort through everything. 'Is my mind blinding my heart?' She thought to herself, watching as the woman who'd been looking after her, left the room. She suddenly felt so alone and she didn't like it, not one bit.

::~*~::

It wasn't too bad traffic wise, Grace had made it to the cemetery just outside of town to visit her late husband's grave. She tried to come out here as often as her working life would let her, just to talk to him about anything and everything – as they did when he was living.

She walked the paved trail; she knew exactly where he was and even the people's stones around him too. That's how often she came here. It was quiet, peaceful. Cemeteries always were though. She remembered the joke her husband would always crack whenever they drove past one. He'd lean over to her and say, 'Did you hear about this cemetery?' and of course, Grace, being quite gullible, fell for it. She'd inquire more, to which he'd tell her, 'Everyone's dying to get in!' and she'd smack his arm, telling him how horrible he was for joking like that.

It was ironic how life worked, because now – he was in one. She heaved a heavy sigh, approaching his tombstone. "Good evening, darling." She greeted in a somewhat cheery tone, but taking no time at all to just, sit right down on the grass as another sigh escaped her lips. "I have even more to share with you than I did last time and wait until you hear it."

She looked down at the stone, her slender fingers caressing it. It feeling smooth, but very cold to the touch. "Alright, well… I've told you so much about Abbey and Heath, I know I have. And well, she's now pregnant." She gave a small smile, "And why can I hear you so vividly saying, 'I told you so' to me, hmm?" She giggled lightly, but sighed. "Well, long story short… Abbey's come across a bridge of stubbornness and Heath's paying for it. I suppose that's the problem with him having such a kind, caring, beating human heart. I've done all I can do with Abbey. I've talked until I was blue in the face about how breaking up with Heath was the complete, utter wrong way to go about it and the like, I gave her advice… but it's all I can do. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink, right?"

She moved her position into a lying down one, her elbow propping herself up. "I love you, Sean. So much, I'll never stop. But right now, what I would really appreciate would be for you to show Abbey a hint that how she's acting, is wrong – especially towards Heath. She needs to open up her mind and her heart, I know you'd help me if you could dear, I know that…" She winced slightly, feeling the stinging sensation of tears behind her eyes. "I just wish you were still here." She told him, a small tear trailing down her cheek, hitting the cold tombstone.

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