CHAPTER TWELVE
Pawns
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-Abigail-
Around midnight the packs started to leave with Sam saying that La Push had been unprotected long enough. He gave her a quick hug as they headed out the door with another, "Sorry again for scaring you." That was the third time that night and once again she waved him off. He didn't hurt her and didn't mean to scare her, so she couldn't be upset with him for doing so. She still felt safe with them, and she didn't see that changing anytime soon.
But Edward's words haunted her the closer it got to being her left alone with the Cullens. It was just Jacob and Seth left—she still couldn't believe little Seth was in the pack—but they had to leave to look around Forks and make sure none of their lines got interrupted. Jacob said their five were focused on Forks and Sam's pack took La Push; there was more than enough for them all to patrols.
Jacob stood there the longest hugging her and pulled back with his hands on her shoulders, frowning. "You're not leaving now." It wasn't a question, but rather a surprised statement. Slowly she shook her head. "Be careful going home, okay? I know you've got your car, but humor me."
Abigail opened her mouth to respond, but Alice beat her to it. "Don't worry, she'll be spending the night here, we won't let anything happen to her." The girls cool arm—the same temperature as the outside and Edward—came around her shoulders and Abigail glanced up at Jacob who had his eyebrow raised.
"Sure," she said, a bit uneasily, but she surprisingly felt as safe there as she did with Jacob. She meant what she said to Edward, she trusted him and by extension his family, but that didn't mean she didn't feel uneasy being there. She finally met Rosalie and Carlie, and they all seemed nice enough—though she couldn't tell if Rosalie's look had been jealousy, anger, or sadness; maybe it was a combination—so she knew she wasn't in any real danger.
"Alright," Jacob said, sounding a bit more satisfied that she would be there and not alone, so he gave her one more hug before heading out to his Rabbit. After that it was silent there in the great room and she slowly turned to look at Alice who stood next to her, smiling happily.
"I didn't know I was staying. I don't have clothes—"
"Well, good thing we do," Alice interrupted before she could go on.
"I can't take your clothes," Abigail argued.
Alice waved a hand. "Please, it's nothing. Now come, let's go get changed and we can chat." The pixie left no room for argument as she gripped her arm and tugged her for the stairs. Abigail glanced back at Edward who smiled and she sighed, following Alice back into the room she had stayed in the night she was plucked off the road by Alice and Emmett.
Once again she was given some silk number, but this time it was mid-thigh length shorts and a camisole. She shook her hair out of the clips and tugged it back into a loose braid, feeling it swing to the middle of her back. She scrubbed off the little makeup she had on and for a moment wished she could soak her feet because they ached from the heels, but she had a feeling Alice had more plans for her than being lazy. She felt better after she became a bit more casual and gave a smile to Alice who had changed into something similar to her own, but it was a nightgown. She sat on the bed so perfectly that Abigail felt frumpy for a moment, but she didn't let it stop her from falling next to her on the soft mattress.
"Thank you so much for the pajamas. They're so comfy."
Alice grinned. "You don't have to thank me, silly. Tonight will be a lot of fun."
"Hopefully not too much, girl's still gotta work for a living."
"Call off."
"I can't do that."
"I'll give you the money; you can do it."
"I'm not taking your money."
"Then you can take Carlisle's. But you can stay here tonight and we can hang out all day tomorrow." She grinned and actually bounced a little, clapping. "Think of the fun!"
Abigail stared at her for a moment longer before she smiled softly and let out a light giggle. Alice looked very proud of herself for that. "Okay, okay. I'll stay and call off tomorrow. But I'm still not taking anyone's money."
"Yes!" Alice cheered, satisfied. She grabbed Abigail's hand and yanked her back downstairs. Edward was there with Bella, Emmett, and Carlisle. All of them changed into more comfortable clothes as well and Abigail was glad because as she had felt overdressed before, she didn't want to feel underdressed now. She actually blushed a little as Alice forced her into the couch where she sat between Emmett and Carlisle. Edward sat at the piano playing with Bella at his side. The air around was actually quite comfortable, and her tense body slowly relaxed even as her fingers twisted in her lap. It seemed they turned the heat on with the lack of Quileute heat because she didn't shiver once from coolness, though she could feel Emmett and Carlisle were both as cool as Edward and Alice were.
"Ever play chess?"
Abigail looked at Emmett in surprise when he spoke and took in his goofy grin, which she couldn't help but mimic. While he hadn't been cold to her before, he had been rather silent so she just assumed that he didn't care for her either, like Carlisle. But apparently she was wrong.
Does that mean I'm wrong about everything? she wondered, glancing at Edward who had made a small snort, and of course like all his usual quirks she let it go.
Turning her attention back to Emmett, she slowly shook her head as she pulled up a lip to bite quickly in nervous contemplation. "Never," she said. "Well, my dad tried to teach me, but I didn't understand."
If possible, the smile on his face got even larger and he jumped up for a second, heading to get the board usually laid out on a small table across the room, but had been removed for the dinner party. He brought it back and set it on the table between them and she shook her head again, quicker this time.
"I'm gonna lose," she said in an admittedly slightly whiny voice. Abigail was a bit of a sore loser.
"No you won't," Emmett said. He began to put the pieces—large red and white wooden figures—around the board where they are supposed to go, the red on their side and the white on the other. "I'll teach you."
"How can you teach me and play yourself?"
He scoffed. "I'm not. We'll play red, Carlisle will be the white."
Her heart did a somersault and she peaked with her peripherals over to Carlisle who had moved without her noticing closer to the board...and closer to her. Her breath stuttered to a stop for a moment before she looked back at Emmett who was smirking. Her eyes narrowed and she bit her lip once again before giving a small nod.
"You won't let me fail, right?" she wondered, her voice doubtful. Emmett's face changed just for a split second, from smirking to warm, and she blinked in surprise.
"Never." His voice was quiet then, but full of...well, she didn't know. But she found her cheeks heating as she gulped and Emmett went back to smirking, finishing up with the pieces. "Now you should really be at a different angle, but you can see all the pieces, right?" Abigail nodded. "Good, that's what's important." He plopped himself into the floor at the head of the coffee table with his legs crossed. Alice soon joined them, mimicking his stance as she sat across from Abigail. Emmett looked at her with narrow, serious eyes. "Don't be helping him."
Alice waved a hand. "Please, I'm on your side." She winked at Abigail and Abigail blushed again, but she didn't know why. She peaked at Carlisle again and...oh my god, is he smiling? She had never seen it before and it was barely there, but it was a smile and it was absolutely beautiful. Her heart stuttered again as butterflies filled her belly, and she had to force herself to look away because it was like the sun: so bright and beautiful you couldn't help but look no matter how much it hurt you. When have you turned into a philosopher? she scolded herself, shaking her head for a second as she turned her attention back to Emmett.
"Now, do you know what the pieces are called?" Emmett asked and she smiled as she realized he had dropped into teacher mode. He was no longer smirking and was looking at her expectedly, but he still seemed calm and at ease. It made her feel good. Maybe they didn't not want me after all... she thought slowly, afraid of something happening as soon as she thought it. Something else must've happened. But Edward, Alice, Emmett... They all care, I can tell. They want me here. And I want to be here. Why do I never want to leave? She bit her lip and Emmett frowned, and she realized he was waving her hand in front of her face and Edward was no longer playing. "Abi? You okay?"
She blinked quickly, pulling herself out of her daze and her cheeks colored when she realized she had been fantasizing about being a Cullen. Never having to go back to the other house, being a part of this wonderful family, waking up next to Carlisle... She shook her head again and blushed deeper, biting her lip as she nodded. "Sorry, I was trying to remember what my dad told me," she fibbed easily. Edward snorted and she shot him a quick, confused glance, but didn't say anything. "These are pawns." She picked up the smaller pieces in the front. "You don't really have to worry about them, they're expendable?" Like me, she thought quickly, wryly, but Emmett nodded eagerly and gestured for her to go on. Next she showed him the rook, bishop, knight, king, and queen. She told him what she thought she remembered about how to move them and he corrected her gently when she got something wrong, and explained how to win and what moves to absolutely not do no matter what. Her head actually spun a little, but the grin on Emmett's almost child-like face had her easing and she grinned back, which seemed to make him light up.
"Ladies first," Carlisle said softly, fingers laying over her own that sat on the couch between them. At that moment her eyes flickered over and...oh! He was so close, she could see every speck of his brilliant ochre eyes as they looked back at her without blinking. She embarrassingly gulped heavily, her heart racing to almost the speed of a hummingbird's, and she was lost there in the depths of those eyes. While she had looked at him before, never had he looked back, at least not like this.
Her newest dream flashed through her mind quickly and it was with a start that the way his hand felt on hers there felt the same it did in her dream when he shook her hand after meeting for the first time. It was startling and alarming and she felt like she was going crazy, but it oddly made sense to her. What she had told Edward, she didn't even realize she felt it or thought it until the words were falling out of her mouth. But she meant it, she knew there was something more to her dreams, even though that was silly, and she had a deep feeling that this man was the key to unlocking all of it. But that meant getting close to him, and he'll never love me like that, not like he did in my dreams, not like I do him. The music, that she didn't even notice had started again, had changed to a melancholy melody and that's what snapped her out of her thoughts.
With a jolt, she realized she was still staring at Carlisle like some stalker freak and if she weren't blushing before, she sure as hell as then as a wave of mortification hit her. Quickly her eyes flickered away from him like they should've done long before then. Well, this is the last time you'll be invited over here, she thought before she quickly glanced to Emmett who hadn't lost his smirk and Alice just looked at her knowingly and winked. Abigail cleared her throat and she nodded, twisting her hands together in her lap.
"Thank you," she croaked, trying to stop her fingers from trembling as she shifted closer to take a look at the board. Clearly she had to move pawns first, send them to their certain death, and she realized rather quickly that as a pawn, that's what happened everytime she arrived there. This amazing family were the ones that needed protection, and she was merely there to throw herself on a sword to save them. It felt like she died after every visit, after everytime she left and was forced to go back to a house that, sitting there with them, felt like it wasn't her home anymore. It was there, amongst these people, and she knew that no matter if they wanted her or not, that feeling would never go away.
Carefully she moved the pawn forward, putting it out there, knowing it could be killed and knowing eventually it would, but it's what had to be done to keep the others alive. It's just how the game was played.
Emmett and Abigail wound up winning, and though Emmett was currently running around the house like he won the lottery, Abigail had a feeling that Carlisle let them win. Apparently only Alice and Edward could ever beat him, so Emmett was more thrilled to win and didn't take a closer look.
"You're my good luck charm. Whenever I'm challenged, you better be ready to come over here."
After the game he had sat back up on the couch next to her and swung his arm over her shoulder. She giggled as she leaned into him and nodded, her eyes twinkling. He wants me here, I can come back! It was a wonderful feeling after having so long of thinking they didn't want anything to do with her. Alice and Emmett—and she thinks Edward—wanted her there, and that was more than enough for her. It meant so much, and she felt her heart swell up with emotion. She loved her parents, but these people felt like her family, her true family, the one that belonged in those dreams and to that other Abigail she was trying to find like a needle in a haystack. It made no sense that she belonged with them, a quick glance and anyone could see that, but that didn't mean she didn't desperately want it. And at least two of them wanted her in return, so it felt like she was inches closer to finding out what everything meant.
"I promise to come over here whenever you need me, as long as you go make me popcorn," she teased as her stomach grumbled a little. Since it had been in knots during the party, she hadn't eaten much, but now that she was more at ease and her body was winding down, she felt the hunger hit her. But she wasn't about to ask for more and put them out; popcorn would do until she got up in the morning and could grab some quick cereal.
Alice's mouth twisted and she shook her head at Emmett as he moved to get up, hands falling to her hips. "Can't you tell she needs more than that?"
Abigail quickly shook her head. "I'm fine, popcorn is..." But the look on Alice's face shut her up and for the thousandth time that night, she blushed. "...maybe a sandwich?" she said timidly.
Alice looked satisfied. "Better." She went to yank Abigail to her feet and Emmett followed quickly. Alice pulled cold cuts, cheese, veggies, and a bunch of condiments from the fridge and bread from the cupboard. Abigail's stomach growled again and she was glad she gave in. She eagerly went for the ham and turkey, piling that on after spreading on mayo and mustard, followed by some provolone cheese, lettuce, onion, and tomato with a couple pickle slices. Her mouth was already watering and she hummed as she ate. Glancing at the others, she realized they weren't eating and she frowned, swallowing quickly.
"Don't you guys want any?" she wondered, gesturing to the spread in front of her.
Alice shook her head. "We ate earlier, we're fine." Abigail frowned because she realized she hadn't seen any of them eat, but she hadn't exactly been paying all her attention to them. Most of her night was spent shoved between a couple of rather large wolves, so she shrugged it off, assuming they ate when her attention was elsewhere. She nodded and finished up her sandwich, slowly eyeing everything before Alice shoved it at her and she quickly made another one.
"Didn't you eat anything earlier?" Emmett asked with a frown.
Abigail thought about nodding, but found herself shaking her head. "I wasn't too hungry so Jake ate most of it." Alice and Emmett frowned deeper.
"You have to eat," Alice said as if she were talking to a small child. It was the voice she used the night she and Emmett found Abigail walking along the road and just like then, Abigail felt scolded, and she looked down at the table.
"I will, I'm sorry," she mumbled, filling her mouth with more food. Alice sighed, but didn't say anything else and Abigail quickly finished with that sandwich. When she was done, the smile had come back to Alice and Emmett so she relaxed and stood to clean off her plate. But the look on Alice's face had her sitting back down quietly as the girl took it to wash.
"Tired yet?" Emmett asked.
"A little," she admitted. "I've been awake since eight this morning."
"You should sleep," Alice said, dancing back to the table. "And remember tomorrow is ours. Call off when you wake up." Abigail smiled and nodded, getting a quick glass of water, before following Alice into the other room. She said goodnight to Edward, Bella, and then Emmett. Carlisle still sat in the couch where he had before and Abigail turned a shy, soft smile in his direction.
"Goodnight, Carlisle," she whispered.
He looked rather shocked, but gave her that amazingly beautiful smile he had before and nodded once. "Goodnight, Abigail."
Oh my gosh, the way he sounds saying my name... She practically floated as a grinning Alice showed her upstairs to the same room she slept in before, bid her goodnight, and left her alone to sleep.