FORTUNATE • E. CULLEN

- 26 -

"Emmett told me that you had an easy time?" Abigail's head snaps towards Carlisle as she had been to caught up in her own world to hear him coming. Which says something about her new skills.

"What does he define by easy?"

Emmett, Jasper and Lukas had gone hunting. Male bonding time as they had called it. Though Abigail had wanted to go with Alice and Rosalie, she couldn't. She was too new. They had offered to stay at home but Abigail resented that thought. It wasn't their fault that she was a new born, it wasn't even her fault. It was no one's fault.

"He told me that you didn't leave the cabin." Abigail nods slowly. "That everything was still intact."

"Well," she sighs and Carlisle notices the to much to be real smile. "I found a lot of literature. Caught my interest." Carlisle nods and Abigail takes a deep breath as he turns around to leave her behind. "I found your diary." She quickly utters and Carlisle stops midwalk, sensing the tension in her voice and body.

"Was it a good read?" He chuckles. "I mostly wrote about Esme and my life so I can't really imagine-.."

"You wrote about everyone turning."

"Ah yes," Carlisle smiles at her. "And how everyone behaved the following year." Realisation dawns on him as he remembers what he had written about her. "Abigail I-.."

"You are going to run tests on me?!" Carlisle holds up his hands, trying to show her that he meant no harm to her.

"That wasn't what I meant."

"That's how you wrote it."

Abigail had been so caught up in her anger that she didn't notice Esme walking into the room behind her, trying to see if she could help her husband.

"You're different." Carlisle sighs and he lets his arms fall down beside him. "It's strange to see someone so new to this and being able to control so much of yourself." Abigail narrows her eyes. "It took the others a year.. no, years to come to terms with what they were, with the bloodlust," Abigail's eyes darken for a second as she feels the hunger in her throat, before they turn to their usual red as the hunger passes. "With the speed, the anger, everything." Carlisle's voice had risen as he tried to defend his written words and Esme looked confused at the situation. Almost never had he risen his voice.

"I didn't mean to be like that." Abigail whispers. "I don't know what to do about it."

"That's exactly what I'm talking about." Carlisle says, his voice still risen and his hand waving towards her. Esme walks up to her husband and wraps a soothing arm around him.

"Darling," she says and smiles at the two. "Why don't you use your words." Carlisle sighs deeply and he folds his hands together before his mouth. Abigail notices how he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before looking towards her.

"How is it that you're so calm." He asks the newly turned vampire and Abigail frowns. "How is it that you're so in control that you think about the rules we set up, about our stuff."

"I could break something if you want?" Abigail says and all three of them chuckle, making the youngster sigh in relief. The tension had gone.

"I'm sorry." Carlisle says as he takes a step forward. "I've seen all of my children struggle and to you it seems to come so easy. I'm just wondering how that could be." Abigail nods.

"Maybe it was my carefree lifestyle." She jokes and Carlisle laughs. Both of them wondering if it was true. If the fact that she said yes to everything was why she didn't question this new beginning for her.

"Maybe." Abigail sighs and shakes her head.

"If it's okay, I'd like to be alone for a little while." The couple nods and Carlisle leaves the room. Esme following him but not before gently rubbing Abigail's arm, making the latter feel loved as a child should.

To make matters worse, Emmett came back smelling like home. The home that Linda had made for her. The place where she could be herself, where she could feel the pain and not feel the burden of having to hide it from someone.

The scent hits her like a wall of brick as he walks up to her and reaches out his arms to hug her. Abigail puts up her hands to keep him from coming any closer and staggers back.

"You went to Linda." Emmett's smile falters as he curses inwardly, of course the newborn abilities had somehow slipped his mind. She seemed to be a natural, almost no different than she had been before.

"Yes." He simply says and awaits the follow up question.

"How is she?" Abigail's voice was soft and filled with pain, something that made Emmett want to do anything to take it away. Most of the vampires forgot a large part of their human lives after the first year and though he knew that would happen for Abigail too, he hoped she would remember the presence of her loving aunt.

"As good as can be expected." He sighs as they sit down, Emmett's arm around her. "She's.. she's just as she was. Busy, making sure her guests are taking care of. The house is clean. Everything seems right."

"Seems." Emmett nods slowly.

"I know she's hurting, I don't need Jasper for that." He chuckles softly. "She really misses you Abs." He whispers into her hair before kissing it softly.

"I miss her too."