#Kabby fic

[paigelovelight]

The Kabby ending we deserved to see 🥹🎨❤️

[quasicat100]

Beautifully written, tragically Kabby. My heart ❤️

Kabby + things you said when we were 18

Pre-canon by about 20 years // this is the first time I’ve tried to write this perspective at this era and WOW I apparently have thoughts. Sorta taking a break from writing these babes gives new perspective or something, idk. PG-ish (I don’t think there’s even any legit swear words, how is this even me) and also on ao3.

Against the grand fate of humanity, their little lives are insignificant.

Marcus has always found a strange sort of comfort in that, a livable fatalism he doesn’t want to push away. His life does not matter. If he is the end of his bloodlines, as he suspects will be the case even now, it will not be a loss to the future of their species. Better to accept fate than try to convince himself otherwise. He will live well and die alone and it will be enough.

These are the sort of thoughts that keep him focused on the evening patrols he volunteers for – he would be stuck with the worse shifts anyways regardless, but it looks better if he puts his own name down. It is understood enough why he is what he is, why test scores gave him options but he chose the relative isolation of the guard. Crazy mother, dead asshole father, no wonder he’s a little broody. The guard self-selects for damaged, and in time it will provide a cover against his aversion to marriage. Few girls have the patience for that, and-

He takes the evening patrols, walks the public spaces where other people around his age seek privacy to become acquainted with each other, and tries to convince himself he isn’t actually missing anything.

The usual route covers the main observation decks and lesser social spaces, with a few additions of his own. Each generation has their preferred places for questionable activity, and Marcus is of his era as much as he tries to deny it and there are things he knows that his supervisor does not. Under different leadership the guard could be very effective at imposing some kind of morality, he thinks sometimes, but at present that is not the point and-

On one of the decks he finds a lone figure, and so much for thinking this would be a routine night.

They’ve been avoiding each other, or at least that would be a polite way of putting it. Dynamics change when people fall in love, and they are at the age where whatever damage not done by career placements starts to be done by choice of mate. Objectively, Abby chose well. Jake is one of the warmest people on this cold hunk of metal, one of the few who made any effort with Marcus at certain low points and that’s the sort of kindness even he cannot ignore or forget. He ought to be delighted that two of the best people he knows are seeing each other with some intent, and yet-

He knows her too well, how observant she is and how damningly predictable he is, and he realizes all too late that he’s just wandered into a conversation.

Abby is particularly beautiful in starlight, moving closer in a way that would make a less experienced person forget how small she actually is, deep eyes looking at him like he’s the only thing in the world. If he were capable of love, he would love her; as it is-

“You’re avoiding me.”

Not with intent, he wants to say. Not his fault. But even now he knows this is a pivot, even now he knows that he will not be able to say those words again for a long time.

“Avoidance takes two people.”

She’s got her hand on her hip and that try-me look on her face and in a different world he would kiss her and in this one he never could. Already they are too late, already-

“I’m not hard to find.”

“Neither am I, apparently.”

She answers this with an eyeroll. “You shouldn’t be so predictable.”

“I’m not-“

“You are. And you shouldn’t be.”

He’s in no mood to spar, as easy as that would be, as much as that used to be their baseline. That may be how they end, he thinks, the only thing they keep when everything else they once had fades away.

“What do you want?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think you’re capable of it anymore.”

He’s not even sure what he did, not sure what moment ruined them. They were good once, both ambitious and refusing to be damned by their origins, and then… recently, he supposes, they fell apart and he’s not even sure how. Irreparable, though, he knows that much and-

“You don’t need to be so icy.”

She laughs and it’s the cruelest thing he’s ever heard. “You telling me not to be icy. That’s something.”

“Abby-“

“Just say it. Say I don’t matter.”

He can’t. He won’t. He should. It’s never that simple. It’s completely that simple.

It would be right to detach as thoroughly as possible, to make a clean break before he pivots towards self-destruction. This is the moment to do it, while they are still young enough that she will heal – her resilience is her most admirable trait, he thinks, and if given the time she will have this will become a strange memory when they see each other in hallways. They will not be more than that again. He will be respectfully quiet at her wedding in a year or two and that will be the end and-

“No.”

“You can’t do anything. Can’t make up your mind, can’t develop a spine, can’t-“

“What do you want?” Marcus says again, because the more they talk the less he’s sure of anything at all and-

“Closure. And I was stupid to think I’d ever get it.”

She walks past him before he can find a way to make the situation worse, and this is closure, this is some kind of ending they will not process for years if not decades and-

He hears a door close behind him – the stars themselves are not being subtle with symbolism tonight – and he stands alone motionless on an empty observation deck that isn’t considered a good view or a good place to make out at this time of night. He is twenty, and he has damned himself. He is twenty, and already there is nothing left.

[dakotaawolven]

For my The 100 readers, a little snippet from Chapter 43 of "Taim kom hod in au te kos(when love becomes the reason)" as a teaser.

“Bellamy, come to bed,” he looks up sharply in surprise from where he's been staring out the window down at Earth. His brow furrows as he takes in Harper leaning against the wall with Monty beside her. Wells is asleep on the couch. 

“Yeah come on, bud. Get some sleep,” Monty adds. It's been two days since Harper and Raven dragged him to bed with the rest of them. Also two days since Lexa told them that Clarke left for Azgeda with Roan and Echo. He's not looking forward to two weeks without one of the only people on the ground that talks to him. O talks to him sometimes now at least, but usually only if someone else starts the conversation. 

“Did you just call me bud?” Bellamy lifts a brow at Monty's words, amusement bringing a small smile to his face as his friend’s face darkens. 

"Habit," Monty shrugs with a grin.

“It's been almost a month,” he points out as he steps towards them, keeping his voice low so as to not wake Wells. 

“Don't talk back to your grandfather, mister,” Monty shoots back, and Bellamy rolls his eyes as he laughs quietly. 

“Sure thing, Gramps,” Bellamy grins as they all step into the bedroom.

Up to Chapter 12 can be found on AO3 with weekly updates:

For more sneak peaks, early access to chapters, and chatter about fics and WIPs, join my multi-fandom fanfiction discord server!

[sundayinthcpark]

Unconditionally Cared For

pairing: Marcus Kane/Abby Griffin

ao3: Unconditionally Cared For

for: @stormkpr (cc @johnmurphyisqueer @hyperion-moonbabe-art3mis)

notes: hi !! i have not written fic for the 100 in ages and i don’t think i have ever written any that was set even close to in canon, so this was very new for me. i’ve also never written kabby before, even though i absolutely adore them. also, this idea came to me at about 11 pm christmas eve, so it probably is not as good as i’m telling myself it is. but here !!! merry christmas/happy holidays <3

For once, Marcus was glad to be awake before Abby.

Their room had a little window that showed the center of the camp- Arkadia, as they’d wound up calling it- and through that window came a harsh, cool light. It wasn’t Marcus’s first time seeing snow- they’d been down here, what, just over a year now?- but it was his first time being with Abby in the snow, and he couldn’t wait for her to see it. She always lit up whenever she saw something beautiful, and he was sure this would be no exception.

Slowly, carefully disentangling himself from Abby’s body- she let out a soft sigh when his arms moved from around her ribs- he crawled out of the bed, being sure to tuck the blankets around her as he went. He smiled softly, then made his way to the window.

The kids- most of them damn near adults, if he actually thought about it- seemed to have discovered the snow already- Miller was building a fort, Harper appeared to be attempting a snowman, Jasper was making snow angels, and Bellamy had a quickly growing pile of snowballs sitting between him and Clarke. Kane’s smile grew as he watched them. He knew things had been difficult lately, for all of them, but especially for the kids, and he was glad to see them enjoying themselves.

Drawing away from the window, Marcus grabbed two tin mugs from a cupboard in the room and set about heating up water, dropping some tea bags that Jackson had made into the water, then set about getting ready for the day.

He was halfway through putting on his jacket when he heard movement from the bed. Abby was blinking awake, giving him a soft smile as she opened her eyes.

“Good morning,” he said, giving her a soft smile in return. “Come and see.”

He held out her mug of tea and nodded toward the window. Abby’s face screwed up in confusion for just a second, before she fought a glimpse of the outdoors and practically leaped out of bed, hurrying over to stand next to him. “It snowed!”

Marcus had been right. Abby’s entire face had lit up, her eyes shining as she gratefully accepted the tea. Standing there in his t-shirt and the sweatpants she’d slept in, watching Octavia pelt Clarke with her brother’s snowballs and Raven laughing at her girlfriends, Marcus realized that this was something that was never going to go away. He was in love, and there was nothing to do about it now.

The realization didn’t scare him. He just smiled, and wrapped an arm around Abby’s waist as the two of them watched their kids play in the snow.

[genderflu1dwh0r]

NCIS Abby and Caitlin

Hot drinks during winter

(I didn't proof read this)

It was December 3rd, it was snowing. Abby and Caitlin were walking down the sidewalk, arms linked. Caitlin shivered, she didn't think it would have been that cold, so she wasn't wearing her big puffy coat. Abby nuzzled into her side more. "Cold?" She asked.

Caitlin scoff-laughed, she nodded. "Well, you could say that. I forgot my coat." She said, looking at her lovingly. Abby smiled. "We could go get some coffee or hot chocolate?" She said, removing her scarf and wrapping it around them both with one hand. It was sloppy cause of her only using one hand, but it worked.

Kate blushed a little, feeling a little bit more warmth. "I'd like that." She mumbled, fiddling with her Zippo lighter in her right pocket. She genuinely loved Abby and how they worked so well together. They would banter so well and were almost always around each other.

Caitlin was jolted out of thought by Abby letting go of her and moving towards a door and opening it. She had let Kate have the scarf. Right, they were getting drinks. "Ladies first." Abby said winking. Kate laughed and kissed her cheek. "Thank you, milady." She said walking in, Abby following behind.

Caitlin took a look at the menu, thinking about what she wanted. She didn't like coffee, so she was going to go for a hot chocolate. She picked something and looked at Abby, who was staring at her. "What?" She asked. Abby smiled. "You're cute." She said reaching over and holding her hand.

Kate blushed more and giggled. She held her hand and brought it up and kissed it. "You're cuter." She said, wanting to go home with their drinks and cuddle and watch a movie. She loved cuddling Abby, she felt so safe in her arms. Abby smiled wide. "No, you're cuter. I don't make the rules, except I do." She said looking at the barista, who was staring at them. They looked like they didn't get paid enough for this.

Abby looked back at Kate. "Do you know what you want?" She asked. Caitlin nodded. "Yeah, I just want a hot chocolate with whipped cream." She said looking up at her. Abby nodded. "Alright, go find a seat, I'll order." She said letting go of her hand and kissing her forehead.

Kate blushed more and nodded. She walked off and found a seat near a window. She sat down in one of the chairs and looked out of the window. The windows were a bit foggy from it being so cold outside and warm inside. She saw the snow, the crowds of people walking by, buildings.

As she spaced out, she thought of all the things she wanted to do with Abby once they got home. She was cold and needed Abby's warmth. She cuddled the scarf more and sniffed it, it smelled like Abby. So comforting, so safe. She closed her eyes and got lost in the scent.

Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and something get set on the table in front of her. She opened her eyes to see Abby. "You ok?" She asked. Kate nodded. "Oh, uh, yeah. Just cold." She said letting the scarf rest on her instead of holding it to her face. Abby nodded, taking her coffee out of the holder and setting it to the side, she then took out Kate's hot chocolate and set it in front of her.

"It is cold, but I'm glad we are cold together." She said smiling, taking out two chocolate chip cookies. "I also got us cookies." She said unwrapping hers and taking a bite out of it. Caitlin smiled, staring at the cookie and hot chocolate, then at her. "I love you so much." She said reaching over and holding her hand.

Abby chuckled before bringing Kates hand up and kissing it, like how she did to her hand earlier. "I wuv you mowr, Katie." She said, trying to speak with cookie in her mouth. Kate smiled as she rolled her eyes. "Swallow before taking, how many times do I have to say this?" She said lovingly.

Abby raised an eyebrow, smirking. She swallowed before speaking. "Oh, you know I swallow." She purred. Caitlin went wide eyed before going red. She scoffed playfully, trying not to show she was flustered, but failing miserably. "Abigail." She said, looking at her.

Abby cocked her eyebrow again. "What? You of all people would know, I make sure you see me do it." She purred, clearly loving this a little too much. Caitlin tried to hide her face in the scarf. "Abigail Sciuto!" She said flustered, a little muffled from the scarf. Abby loved it.

She tugged the scarf down and smiled softly. "We can go home and I can show you all I can do, but first, hot drinks and cookies." She said taking her coffee and sipping it, making eye contact with Kate. Caitlin shook her head in disbelief and laughed, embarrassed. "I can't believe you are saying that." She said taking her hot chocolate in her hand.

[fea-the-grinch]

I have/used to have a few straigth ships, and I want to make a list of them:

~~~~ Straigth ships that impacted me the most:

- Tsunade x Jiraya (Jiratsu): my first ship ever. As they say, you never forget your first ;) no, really, I loved them for 5 years, but now, I just cannot read fanfiction about them anymore. However, they still hold a special place in my memory. I used to create so many stories about them, in my head, everywhere I went... I didn't know the term at the time, but I had so many AUs with them. It was truly one of the best thing in my life back then. One of the happiest I would say. I used my imagination to create diverse scenario, just for myself, and it was so fun. They shaped my taste in ships, in trope and everything. I grew up with them.

- Abby Griffin x Marcus Kane (Kabby): I loved them so much. The Angst. The Affection. The Warmth. The Trust. Yeah, I used to really like them. I never finished the series though, so I didn't see the part where everyone and everything turn crazy. In my version, they're just in love and happy. You best believe that I will never watch the rest of the 100. It's one of the only ships that I have where I often prefered the AUs to the fanfictions that happened in the real world of the 100.

- Nymphadora Tonks x Remus Lupin (Remadora): They were like my second big ship after Jiratsuna. I didn't realize at the time that I was so into ships that always ended up with one of the two people dying. I've always loved angst, and I didn't even know the word at the time x) Anyway, coming back to them: what I really like at the time was the angst and the fact that they were canon. The latter is a very rare occurence in my ships, and I knew it even at that time, so I truly enjoyed it.

Skip x Crystal: They're from the anime Carole and Tuesday. I love, love, love, love them so much. In this ship, there are angst, love, nostalgia, affection, caring, history, potential for more, talent, and so much more. They're both incredible people, and I would want nothing more than a 40 minutes episode, or a animated movie, about those two, their story together and then their stories when they fell apart and after. And then, maybe at the end, a little scene between the two of them, after this concert at the sort of opera, once Skip gets out of jail. They would talk about their feelings, their desires and their future. Whether they want to spend it together or not. Whether they want to give another chance to their love or not. Crystal and Skip are both so down to earth, they wouldn't let any drama happens between them now (don't know how it was before, when they were younger). They lived, and they learned. Now, I believe they're ready for each other.

~~~~ Random straigth ships that I like/liked:

Jake Peralta x Amy Santiago (Peraltiago): I've never read a fanfic that was only about them, but they're a couple goal. They're so good and adorable together.

Cisco Ramon x Caitlin Snow (Killervibe): I don't really ship them anymore but damn, I always had something for 'best friends who become so much more' ;^; For this type of ship, I'm always like "But if there had been a click… There would have been something amazing, sweet and beautiful between them". At the time, maybe two years ago, I think I read pretty much every fic there was about them.

Nia Nal x Brainy (Brainia): Yeah, you can probably tell that I watched DC superheroes shows. Nia and Brainy are super cute, at least in season 4 and 5, and I will ignore anyone who disagrees. I didn't catch up with the end of Supergirl, but I hope everything went well for them.

I think that's about it. I had a few others, but I realize that I didn't like them as much as I love /loved the ones here.

Creating this list makes me want to do the same for my sapphic ships...

[awkwardspontaneity]

All I Want for Christmas is Peace

For: @sundayinthcpark ( @hyperion-moonbabe-art3mis @johnmurphyisqueer ) HMA Secret Santa 2022, here is a Christmas and slightly new years ish fic!!! Happy to be participating yet again, enjoy the holiday friendships!

Ships: Clexa, Kabby, Murphamy (somehow this one became the most obvious one??) still mostly platonic fluff with friends!! Peace, love, and friendship in these trying times!!! And some fatherly Kane because those children are his problem children your honor

Summary: In hopes of finding something to finally unite the grounders and the people from the sky, the old time tradition of Christmas is brought up. 

Welcome to the happy delusions of everyone being alive and happy together :D 

------

Chaos seemed to reign supreme when it came to the people of earth. Now, one might look around and see the crowds of people, shouting out requests and carting around supplies for their various tasks completely ordinary, but it was the people themselves that made this situation special. 

It had taken serious work from all sides, but with a lot of tense meetings and more than one rocky Romeo and Juliet romance, they finally had achieved a semi stable peace. And how did they choose to commemorate this new territory? By bringing back an old tradition of the people, long before the world had come near its end. It might not be what the history books described, a gathering in a neutral clearing somewhere in the middle, but it really was beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

~~~

Raven watched over as people found common ground in the tasks they were given from her position of fixing metal hangers into decorations. The table was shared with some of the grounder children who were whittling away at blocks of wood to make their own decorations. She had gotten distracted by the loudest group of people, including Jasper and Monty who were ‘testing’ out their holiday batch of alcohol. Every delinquent there was positive that the two hadn’t done much of anything different in terms of flavor but, as they shared smirks and eye rolls every time another burst of guffaws would escape the crowd of grounders testing out the batch, everyone shared in the unspoken agreement that nobody would say anything.

Of course booze would be the thing to really bring people together.

One of the young girls nudged Raven, holding a star out to her. The mechanic smiled as she took the star and began placing the metal hook into the wood. She turned her eyes to the rest of the children, sitting around Finn as he showed them how to carve snowflakes. He stumbled through the instructions in Trigedasleng, flushing every time the kids would giggle at the wrong words. The little girls working with Raven snorted at another mistake and Raven met her eyes with a wink. There was no need to tell Finn just yet that they could understand their language.

Meanwhile, Bellamy was helping with hanging decorations. They had been mindful when picking their location to have trees to hang their decorations from while also having open space for the people to mingle. He stood beside Lincoln as they watched Murphy, Octavia, and two other Grounders take turns chopping down a tree for the center of the clearing.  Wiping sweat from his brow Murphy turned to look at the taller boy. “You planning on helping out, or are you just gonna sit back and watch?”

Bellamy laughed, pulling the sweater from over his shoulder and tossing it into Murphy’s face. “I am enjoying the show, but I could give you some audience participation.”

He slipped the axe from Murphy’s fingertips before taking his place to deliver a blow of his own into the tree. The sweater slipped into Murphy’s arms, but he held it up against his face to hide the smirk. (and maybe the blush too). He was quick to yank it over his head the moment he caught the teasing glint in Octavia’s eyes. 

The snapping of wood mixed with the group's cheers as they watched the tree crash to the ground. They made quick work of wrapping it in ropes and dragging it back to the clearing. If Octavia had to kick Murphy in the back of the legs for stopping to stare at someone else’s muscles, that was their business.

Cheers broke out from the people as they watched the giant tree come into the clearing- the loudest by far being from the group mingling around the brewing tent. There were definitely more people in that group than there were before they left. Clarke seemed to think the same, because she appeared with her signature mom stance. “Maybe we can take a break from the drinks and put our energy to use pulling the tree up?”

It was phrased as a question, but with the Commander standing behind her nobody had anything to say otherwise. Jasper raised a glass to the duo with a goofy grin. “Drinks on the house for our lovely ladies in charge.” 

Clarke would have been embarrassed by the tipsy teen had it not been for the smile on Lexa’s face. She sighed, grabbing her by the hand as she dragged her over to supervise the raising of the tree. This was the most relaxed she had seen the Commander, and she couldn’t squash the warmth in her chest if she wanted to. 

Everyone came to gather as the tree was secured, people passing around different ornaments and garlands made of various coloured fabrics. They worked together to space out the numerous decorations, Murphy even going as far as putting a kid on his shoulders so they could reach higher up. It wasn’t long before it became something of a competition between the children to find the tallest person to help them get their bobble the highest on the tree. Soon enough the branches within reach were decorated with wooden decorations and reflective metal disks that had been made before by Raven and a group of grounders that specialized in weaponry. It had been a close enough comparison for the team to work well together, even if they needed supervision from Kane to keep the young mechanic on track rather than try to teach the grounders advanced weaponry. Abby had to come in and reason that such topics could be discussed after the party, before she dragged away the exasperated man with her. Clarke was sure she had seen him with Monty and Jasper testing out their early batches of booze, and giving them advice on flavoring.

Finally they came to the realization that the tree was far taller than they were capable of reaching. Raven muttered how they should’ve brought ladders and, when Murphy made a retort about how lucky she was to have such good hindsight, she threw her garland at him. Everyone seemed to see the lightbulb above Clarke’s head which was met with loving eyerolls from her friends and a squeeze around her waist from Lexa. Picking up the garland, Clarke heaved it as high above the tree as she could and watched it fall to the other side. Seeming to pick up on the idea, Kane grabbed the other end and, with matching grins they walked around the tree, twirling the decorations around the branches. And this began the awkward dance of people tossing the fluffy ropes over the tree and twisting with a partner. In another bout of excellent hindsight, they realized they should have established a direction for people to walk around the tree… But maybe the laughter as people crossed paths and bumped into each other was for the better. 

As twilight fell over the clearing, Raven and her group set up flood lights around the tree. Drinks were passed around- not that many needed the reminder- and with a loud countdown together, the lights came on. Gasps fluttered over the crowd as the lights hit the metal discs in the tree making it shimmer as they spun on their hooks. Cheers erupted across the clearing as cups were raised and embraces shared. 

Music sounded out and within minutes, an area became something of a dance floor when Kane managed to convince Indra to join him, even smiling herself as she took the lead. Kane was spun into Abby’s arms with a laugh where he stayed swaying. They watched as the crowd became bigger and people began teaching each other dance moves to match the rhythm. Those on the side cheered on the newest person to enter the fray with a new dance until it became difficult to distinguish who came from where and they were all one crowd. 

As he watched the people mingling, eyes easily picking out his group in the crowd, Kane finally felt a sense of calm. Maybe one day he would have a comment about the amount of alcohol they consumed, but he wouldn’t interrupt as they let loose, dancing and reaching out past the confines of their circles to embrace new people. It had seemed like something they would never see, but if anyone could bring them to a better future- a peaceful life- it would be his kids. 

He couldn’t be more proud.

[afaimscorner]

Meine „The 100“-Fics:

Die Legende von Skaikru

Vor Staffel 3 geschrieben, basierend auf den Trailer f��r diese Staffel. Es handelt sich hier um Mythen und Legenden, die Darstellung gewisser Charaktere und Ereignisse ist nicht unbedingt zutreffend.  Flarke, Clexa, Bellarke-Endgame, Finn/Raven, Kabby, Minty, Linctavia, Wicken, Japser/Maya sind alle Teil hiervon, aber es ist keine Shipping-Fic. Trigedasleng-Schreibweise der Namen und Missbrauch der Sprache.

Yu gonplei ste odon

Fix-It, It, aber trotzdem ist im Grunde alles passiert, was im Canon passiert ist, , setzt stattdessen sozusagen das Ende fort. Impliziertes Bellarke, ansonsten Canon Pairings Becho Levtavia, Memori, Miller/Jackson, und Hope/Jordan. Bellamys Reise ist nicht mit 7x13 zu Ende, und ich habe hier ein wenig mehr Sinn in ein paar Dinge hinein getretconned. Er schlug die Augen auf. Zumindest dachte er, dass es das war, was er tun würde. Aber … Moment, das ist alles … falsch. Clarke hatte auf ihn geschossen, nein, falsch, sie hatte nicht nur auf ihn geschossen, sie hatte ihn erschossen.

[ao3feed-the100]

Do We Deserve to Survive?

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/MXelKvA

by PinkBananaPrincessWitch

Faced with the possibility of having to cull his people again, Kane makes a difficult decision to keep them all alive. Abby, despite her wishes, finds herself inside the bunker alive and struggling mentally. The two of them drift apart. Will they find a way back together? Post-season 4. Rewrite fic because the bunker thing could go so many different ways. Canon divergent. No pill addiction. Angst, Hurt/Comfort, and Romance (later on).

Words: 2705, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: The 100

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/M

Characters: Abby Griffin, Marcus Kane, Thelonious Jaha, Eric Jackson (The 100)

Relationships: Abby Griffin/Marcus Kane, Abby Griffin & Marcus Kane

Additional Tags: Second Dawn Bunker (The 100), Canon Divergence, rewrite fic, Post-Season/Series 04, Sulking, Hurt/Comfort, Kabby, Canon Divergent, Eventual Romance, Angst, Mutual Pining, some original characters but they're not major

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/MXelKvA

[paigelovelight]

KABBY ❤️

[electricbluebutterflies]

Kabby + get inside before you freeze to death.”

This is what I get for thinking that writing them couldn't hit the intense internal places anymore. WRONG. Post-s2 grayspace, PG-ish, and also on ao3.

This is just not her day.

To be fair, Abby has thought that… most days for the past few months, and the exceptions were usually worse but at least too much going on for her to process how bad it all was. The calm of winter was supposed to fix that, but winter on the ground hasn’t exactly been…

Mundane frustrations, she’s starting to think, are somehow worse than the possible end of the goddamn world. She’s not sure how that works, but it does.

Today, as usual, the primary cause of her anger and anxiety is the same person who’s reliably given her those emotions for close to thirty years. If she remembers right, the first thought she ever had about Marcus was that he was going to be a problem, and the judgment of twelve-year-olds is rarely so accurate but in this case…

The nature of the problem has changed a bit, but the problem remains. And today, apparently, the problem is passive-aggressively trying to kill himself. Again.

The power hierarchy is more fluid than it’s ever been in Abby’s lifetime, and while she’s functionally running things, she’s decided there are some areas she can delegate. Like anything involving the Guard – not her world, not her interest, not her problem now that Marcus has made it multiple months without even accidentally trying to kill her. In a functional world, she would not have to make suggestions about, say, more frequent rotations for outdoor shifts. In this one, apparently…

If the rumors are true, and anything four separate people report back to her tends to at least be worth checking out, he’s decided to give himself all the dangerous postings. Like overnight in the middle of a snowstorm. Alone.

In another life – two months ago, even – she might’ve thought about ignoring this particular bad life choice. He’s comfortably in her age bracket, aka more than old enough for fuck-around-and-find-out, and she might enjoy watching whatever goes wrong. Unfortunately…

Adequate damage control means going out in said nighttime snowstorm herself, in the thickest oversized coat she could find and armed with a flashlight the width of her lower arm, and reminding herself that this bullshit rescue mission is going to be easier than whatever frostbite might be acquired if someone were left unsupervised, because that would also end up her problem, because that man is living proof the universe hates her and-

“Are you out of what’s left of your fucking mind?” she says in greeting once she’s close enough to… well, not yell yet, but…

“Do I want to know what emergency brought you out here?”

“I’m looking at it,” she replies. “You’re out here in the middle of this and-“

“Someone has to-“

“No. Not today. Anything that might be an actual threat to us presumably also has the sense to stay in some kind of shelter in this weather. Now get inside before you freeze to death.”

Marcus looks her up and down like he’s more worried about her than himself, and of course he is, too many of his failed attempts at whatever he’s even doing have looked like an atonement tour, and she’s starting to wonder if-

“Someone-“

“Not. Today. And not you.”

She can’t lose him, she thinks and can’t say under these circumstances. Too much of her identity has gotten tangled up in their complications to a point where he’s almost the only thing she has left and-

“Like you actually give a damn.”

The fucking nerve of him.

“Would I be out here in this lovely weather, halfway up into a questionably stable uninsulated watchtower, if I didn’t care about you? Has it at any point occurred to you that maybe I don’t-“

“You shouldn’t.”

Oh, like she needs reminding. His recent behavior is actually tolerable, the personality shift seems to have stuck well enough, but… this is still new and dangerous, and fascinating out of that, and-

“You don’t get to die on me and leave me like that, understand? You want to go out there and die tragic somehow, fine, but you don’t get to intentionally do that without a succession plan and-“

“I wasn’t aware-“

“Of course you weren’t,” she hisses. “You don’t think about anything but yourself. Even now. And no amount of moralistic-“

“You would be better on your own.”

“Maybe. But I’d be lonely.”

That makes him quiet, brings him closer to her. She sees that quiet pain in his eyes, all the things she thinks may be hers alone because she’s the only person left who’d think to look for them, and maybe…

“I will escort you back inside,” he says after adequate silence and time. “As is within my responsibilities.”

“You’ve done too much to me to be that formal right now.”

“Can you believe I am trying to do better?”

Maybe not in words, she thinks, but actions have shown her enough. Whatever quest he’s on for absolution, it seems to start with doing right by her, and he… has, lately. They’ve made it multiple days in a row, primarily working in the same space, without sparring. The last time she felt threatened by him was… the last time. They are in a new era now, and-

“I want to,” she breathes. “I am trying to.”

He joins her on the ground, and it’s easy enough to entwine their gloved hands, to stay that close as they walk back towards warmth. There are snowflakes in his beard and she has the fleeting thought that she should brush them out with her free hand, and she does, and-

“What was that for?”

It has been, Abby thinks, far too long since she’s given that kind of touch, and it awakens something in her that she knows now is not the time for and-

“I wanted to,” she replies, recoiling just as quickly before anything else can happen. “I-“

She realizes she probably worsened the issue, and she’d offer to deal with it again when they’re indoors but skin on skin might be a problem and-

“You always have to take care of people. Whether they ask for it or-“

“Better than trying to become a sacrifice at every opportunity,” she counters. “And you leaned into that, you weren’t exactly-“

“You of all people should know a biological reaction isn’t-“

“I am trying to respond to you! And I would love to know what you get out of saying you want to do right by me and at the same time pushing me away every time I-“

“It’s complicated.”

“Try me.”

“You deserve better.”

“I don’t think we’re in a situation where that matters. I have you. Fuck me for wanting to make that functional.”

She expects him to fight back, but he’s been doing that less and less lately and instead they slip back into comfortable silence until they’re indoors, hands still entwined as he walks with her to her room and-

“If you go right back outside…”

In this part of the building she’s taken up residence in, they can hear the howling winter wind. Nothing is out in that. Any living thing, regardless of intentions, is too cold to be a threat.

“I could claim that you had requested my presence.”

“Don’t make this weirder than it has to be.”

It isn’t, though. In the haze of everything that had happened when logistics were worked out, and her own immobility at the time, someone had appropriated a bed suited for two people and… it had been a nice week of knowing there was another presence near her, as cautious as he was not to touch her. Nothing happened, no matter what anyone else thinks, and-

“You heard something and you asked for me,” he decides. “Plausible enough.”

“You realize too many people think we’re screwing each other every chance we get,” she counters. “We don’t need a story, realistic or otherwise. Just… stay, okay? Stay where I can see you and let me sleep.”

There’s no real need for talk after that. They’ve done this before, this fakeout domesticity, and… it’s a little different with neither of them wounded, but still familiar enough. Still perfectly safe for her to strip down to minimal layers and slip under blankets that will be shared and-

“You’re a terror,” he mutters, letting her get comfortable before he joins her.

“You wouldn’t have me any other way.”

[100foreverfiles]

Hi Kabby fandom. Anyone still out there? I just rewatched some of The 100. Does anyone else still need Abby and Kane to live happily ever after? Well, I did.

But wouldn't the afterlife be awkward with Jake there? Maybe! Who would Abby choose? Would Marcus and Abby be allowed to find peace?

Let's find out.

-----

Title: May We Meet Again

Chapter 1: The Arrival

When Abby woke up, she was laying on her back on the ground with a bright light shining on her face. She groans, blinks as her pupils adjust. Shades her eyes with her hand and looks up. Is that the sun? Where I am?, she wonders. The ground is uncomfortable, uneven and bumpy. Something is poking at her back. She reaches underneath her to feel for it. A stick? Am I outside?

Her memory is hazy as things come into focus. 

With a gasp, Abby remembers she had just been attacked. She bolts upright. Looks around, adrenaline pumping. But her attacker isn’t there. No one is there. She’s alone.

And she’s safe for the moment, apparently. 

Abby takes a breath and starts to analyze her unfamiliar surroundings. This place looks like earth. Trees. A blue sky. The sun. But this is not a part of earth she has seen before -- it’s a dense green forest and the trees are taller than the ones she remembers from before. They’re massive.

She looks up at the treetops towering above her and, for a moment, allows herself to be awed by the sheer majesty and beauty of this forest.

Then she looks back to the ground and finds she’s sitting in the middle of a path that runs through these woods. It’s quiet here. The only sounds she hears are those of the occasional birdsong and of a gentle wind passing through the leaves, causing them to rustle. 

Where am I? 

Slowly, she stands up, trying to account for any injuries, and finding none. She passes a hand across her neck where she remembers the needle being jabbed into her but finds no indication of where that injection may have been. 

What’s even odder is that she feels well. Really well, in fact -- like having just woken from a long, deep sleep, rested and healthy. There’s no headache, no hunger, no weakness and...no longing for her pills, Abby notices. That was a pain that had never fully gone away...until now. She feels like she did years ago, on the Ark, but somehow even better than that. 

What the hell was going on? 

---

Chapter 2: The request

2 hours earlier 

Jake rides into the village, taking quick stock of who’s out and about today -- he’s looking for one person in particular. His eyes scan the people he sees. People are milling about, hauling supplies, heading back from the fields. This village looks much like his own. Though he’s only been here a couple of times over the years, it feels familiar in that way -- a similar layout but different buildings and structures. If things had been different, he might’ve ended up here, he thinks.

He pulls on his horse’s reigns, slowing things down to a walk, then stops and dismounts, leading the horse to the center square where it can be tied up while Jake continues his mission.

He’s here to find Marcus Kane. Today is important. And time is of the essence. 

But Kane has found him instead. From the corner of his eye, Jake sees the shape of his old friend approaching as he finishes up with the horse. 

“Jake,” says Marcus Kane, walking up to Abby’s husband. Or former husband might be more correct, Marcus thinks to himself. “I was expecting you.”

“Hi Marcus,” Jake says, sizing up the man who apparently won the heart of his long-lost wife years ago. Though the two had lived alongside each other in neighboring villages ever since they each came to this place -- Marcus, more recently, of course -- they had not yet met up. 

Neither had any real interest in rekindling their friendship from the days of the Ark, not with the matter of Abby now in the way. Marcus naturally imagined Jake would resent him for the relationship. And Jake, truth be told, sort of did when he first heard about it. It was hard enough to live with what Abby had done, but that she had found love with the enemy? That would take time to get over.

As it turned out, all they had here was time. Jake created a life for himself. And found his way to forgiveness. But not so much that he wanted to be friends with Kane again. 

“You heard? She’s coming,” Marcus said, skipping the formalities.

Jake was here -- which Marcus knew meant he wanted to meet his wife again when she arrived. Abby was due in a matter of hours. Too soon, they both knew. She must have not left the last world by natural means. Marcus hoped her exit had at least been quick and painless.

“Yes,” said Jake. “That’s why I want to talk to you.” 

Marcus stared back at Jake, a dark expression on his face. He knew this day would come. 

As much as Marcus wanted to see Abby again, he knew he may also have to lose her as soon as he got her back -- to Jake. After all, this was the man Abby had married, the father of her child. The man who’s ring she wore around her neck for years. And who was he, Marcus Kane? A bond she made amid a torturous existence. Something to hold onto as a matter of survival. Was that enough, now that fighting for survival would not be her future here? Maybe? But probably not. 

“Marcus,” Jake began. “Look, I know we haven’t spoken about this.”

Marcus didn’t respond, just shrugged and gave a small nod. It is what it is.  

“You know I’ve heard that you and Abby were together. And...” he paused, trying to put together his words. This was awkward. “I mean, I don’t quite get it -- she didn’t even like you!”

To that, Marcus gave the slightest of smiles. A nearly imperceptible lift of his lip was all that gave it away. He remembered Abby yelling at him on the ark. Breaking the law to keep you from becoming Chancellor was the easiest decision I've ever made! 

Abby had been so fierce then. How he loved her for it.

How her opinion had changed over the years. He remembers her later placing the Chancellor pin in his hand. This should be yours, she said. She had believed in him then.

Their love and trust took time, and it had been worth it. Despite everything else, it was his last life’s saving grace. 

But now Jake was here to make sure Marcus and Abby didn’t get another chance, it seems. He would turn this place of paradise into Marcus’ own personal hell.

Because Jake was obviously here greet Abby on arrival and lead her away. He wanted a do-over, too.

Or at least that’s what Marcus believed.

“That was a long time ago,” Marcus said to Jake, responding to his comment as to how Abby would have ever chosen him, a man she had disliked. “Things changed. We changed.” 

“I guess you did,” Jake concluded, looking at him and wondering what Abby saw. Did she like the scruffy beard? Was it just a sexual thing? He put the thought out of his mind.

“Anyway, listen, I need to see Abby today. And I need to see her first. Before you and everyone else.”

“That’s not how it’s done,” Marcus responded calmly. “You know that. Everyone goes together. They need to see everyone when they arrive here to make it real.”

“No one greeted me and I was fine,” Jake pointed out.

Marcus didn’t know that. Was that common knowledge around here? Jake had said it like he assumed Marcus knew. He knew Jake arrived somewhere else before he came to the village, but never gave it much thought. Actually, Marcus tried very hard to not think about Jake at all, if truth be told.

“Abby will get that it’s real when she sees me,” Jake stressed. “I need to talk to her. It’s important.”

“We all have important things to say to her, Jake,” Marcus replied. He had much to say, too. He had rehearsed it.

“I know but, look, I need to do this now. For her. And for me...I need to forgive her for floating me so she can move on and find her peace. And I need to ask for her forgiveness as well. I know I put her in that position -- where she had to make a choice -- and I allowed Clarke to be dragged into it, too,” said Jake.

Marcus didn’t argue. He agreed with Jake’s assessment of the matter. Though he never said as much to Abby, Clarke was on that drop ship because of her father’s actions. But he let Abby blame him instead. After all, he was sending the kids to the ground. You got your extra air, Abby had growled at him after Clarke was hauled away. It was easier for Abby if he was the bad guy so she didn’t have to hate Jake for what he did. And it’s not like sending kids to a possibly unsurvivable earth was a good thing, so it seemed like a fitting role for him anyway.

Marcus continued listening to Jake’s pleas.

“My death wasn’t all on her -- or you, or Jaha. Or the Ark’s laws. It’s also on me. And she needs to know that,” Jake said. “She needs that information.”

That’s true, Marcus thought. And he’s glad Abby will finally get the chance to hear it.

“You can tell her that, Jake. When she gets here. But you don’t need to go first,” Marcus rebutted, still trying to stay calm and rational as his anxiety over the Jake and Abby reunion intensified.

He knew Jake would come today. But Marcus hoped that Abby would at least give him a chance. Her relationship with Jake was years ago. But she only just lost Marcus. Maybe she’d choose him? He knew it was implausible when Jake was her other option — but it was that last thread of hope he was hanging on to. And he wasn’t going to let it go because Jake was asking nicely for a head start.

“Listen, Marcus,” said Jake. “I am not here to rekindle anything with Abby, if that’s what you’re thinking. She moved on,” he gave Marcus a pointed look. “But I did as well.”

Marcus’ eyes widened. Jake saw the glimmer of hope they contained.

Jake paused, wondering how much he wanted to share with Marcus about the person who’s now become the most precious thing to him in this new world. 

He decided to keep it high level.

“I can’t be with Abby. I’m with…someone else. There was someone here for me -- someone now special to me in a way that I can’t even explain,” Jake said, his voice filling with emotion, thinking of his new love. “I’m not leaving her for Abby. But… I do need to do this for Abby. I need to have this moment and we need to say goodbye. We both need closure.” 

Marcus’ heart skipped a beat. If Jake was now in love with someone else...maybe he would have a chance after all?

But quickly his realist and pessimistic nature took over again. 

Oh c’mon, it’s Abby!, Marcus chided himself. Whatever Jake feels now could still change. He will see Abby again and…that will be it. He’ll want her back and she’ll feel the same. How could they not? How could anyone give up on Abby? He never would.

Could a love like Abby’s and Jake’s even ever die?, he wondered. It had been very real. Marcus knew that. He had been there to watch it bloom and grow on the Ark. He remembered them together, glowing, happy, holding their new baby -- Clarke. He remembered them always touching, laughing. They had been the ideal couple.

Meanwhile, he and Abby never really had a chance to sustain happiness -- there was always something stopping them…some new challenge to overcome. And then Abby took the pills and things got even worse. He tried to save her from herself and failed. She tried to save his life and failed, resorting to the atrocity of stealing a new body he could not accept. He left her then. He floated himself. And would she ever forgive him for that?

There was a time on the Ark when Abby and him had been friends. Childhood friends. But they went their separate ways. Abby didn’t choose him all those years ago when Jake entered the picture and it’s doubtful she’d do so now, not with Jake here again , Marcus told himself. After all, she would have remained happy with Jake if her husband hadn’t gotten it into his head to create chaos on the Ark by telling everyone the truth, threatening their future. Or what they thought at the time was the future of the human race.

That was a forgivable offense in terms of the heart. It just wasn’t forgivable by Ark law. Abby and Jake would get past it. All it would take is one apology, one conversation —the conversation Jake was asking permission to have now, before anyone else got a chance to say anything. Before Abby even saw anyone else. Before she saw him.

“Jake,” Marcus began. “Whatever you need to say to Abby can be done today. I promise. And while you may think you love...uhh...”, he paused, realizing he didn’t know Jake’s new lover’s name. 

“Emily,” Jake supplied.

“And while you may love Emily now, Abby was your wife. There’s always a chance that you’ll feel differently when you see her again. But what’s more, this just isn’t how it’s done. We all go together. So she’s not alone. There’s a purpose in that.” 

“Marcus, please,” Jake begged. “I don’t want to do this in the crowd -- I’m just asking for a few minutes alone with Abby before everyone gets together. Then you can all greet her. I’m not staying here for that. I’m not doing the whole ‘welcome home’ party thing you all do here, either. I told Emily this is something I just need to do -- and she understands. But I’m coming home to her.”

“Marcus, you know this is right. Abby deserves my forgiveness. It took me awhile to get there. But I’m there. And I know she can’t move forward in peace here without it,” he added.

Marcus thought for a moment then spoke. He didn’t trust Jake. He had always thought him a stable guy, devoted to the greater good of saving humanity. But his last actions were those of a radical. Of someone not willing to think things through. Or even discuss it. He knew he’d die, abandoning his wife and child. Marcus couldn’t imagine it. He only left Abby because he was already dead. He saw his body. He wasn’t really Marcus anymore.

“Jake, we knew each other a long time ago,” Marcus began. “But you betrayed us with your mission of truth at the end -- so I’m now not sure I ever really knew you at all. Because I would have never guessed you would have done something like that. Without considering the consequences of your actions. And I don’t know if you’re considering them now,” he paused, adding, “…and I also don’t know if I believe you when you say that’s all you want today — just a chance to talk with Abby. Maybe you you want to believe that, I don’t know,” Marcus said. “But if you really loved Emily, you wouldn’t risk being the first person Abby sees today You don’t know what that may do to her or to you.”

Jake sighed. He was not getting through. He changed tactics.

“Regardless of whether you believe me or not -- don’t you want this to be Abby’s choice?,” Jake pushed, becoming more insistent. “Really, what’s your plan, Marcus? If I’m here for what you think I am here for, do you think it’s actually better for her see both of us at once, and have her choose in front of everyone? Break your heart or mine in front of a crowd?!,” Jake said, raising his voice in frustration.

“Or maybe you think I should just go away, so she’ll only see you?,” Jake asked. “So you can live your happily ever ever until ... until what? Until she finds out a few weeks later I’m only a couple of miles away and you didn’t even tell her? And that’s going to be better for her? Or for you?” 

Jake had a point. The other options weren’t great either. There was no easy or good way to do this. This was complicated. They were both here. There would always be someone Abby loved more. And if it was Jake, maybe it would be better if they just saw each alone and left together…alone. 

Plus, the humiliation of losing Abby to Jake might be the kind of thing he’d rather not have done in front of the whole town, Marcus guessed.

“Okay,” Marcus said at last, giving in. He didn’t want this, but Jake’s arguments made sense. “You can go first.” He exhaled. Abby should have a chance to decide. A choice. She should have Jake’s forgiveness. And yes, this plan of Jake’s might see her finding love with her former husband again.

It was a risk but one he owed it to Abby to take. For her happiness. Even if it means he lost. Even if it means he lost her.

Marcus turned away from Jake and spoke his last words, not meeting Jake’s eyes.

“I loved her, too, you know.” Marcus said quietly, then walked away.

Jake didn’t know what to say to that. He just stood there and watched Marcus go — a man looking defeated and broken.

Kane really thinks I’m trying to take Abby back, Jake thought.

And he gave up his own shot at happiness so Abby could decide. Even if her choice was not Marcus Kane.

I guess he really did love her, Jake said to himself, wondering if he would have done the same thing had he had been in Marcus’ shoes. Probably not. 

---

Chapter 3 The apology

Abby surveyed the path. There were no markers, no signs. No sounds from either direction. She had no idea which way to go, but figured she should pick one and try it. Surely it had to go somewhere?

But just as she started walking, she heard a noise. Footsteps. Someone was approaching her! She whirled around -- the noise had come from behind her. She watched as a figure emerged from around the bend in the path, behind the trees.

“Oh my god!” Abby exclaimed, frozen in her tracks as the man approached.

“Jake?” The figure had become her husband. A man who she last saw floating out into space. 

The man stopped, seemingly taken aback himself even though he knew he would see her here. It was a wonder to see Abby again after all this time. Marcus was right about that.

“Hi Abby,” Jake said. 

Abby took a step backwards, confused. Frightened. This wasn’t real. What was happening?

“No, no! You’re dead!,” she shouted. “I saw you get floated! You’re dead!”

“Abby,” Jake said quietly, taking a tentative step closer. “So are you. So are you.”

“What?! No!,” Abby stumbled, taking another step away from her husband who couldn’t really be her husband. “No!”

“What is this? Some trick? A dream?,” Abby said. She was panicking. “Drugs? I’m hallucinating?”

Jake now realized that maybe there was a reason why everyone greeted the new arrival as a group. Maybe this had been a bad idea.

“What’s the last thing you remember Abby?” he prompted, hoping to ground in her in this new reality. He stopped approaching her.

Abby thought about the needle jabbing into her neck. Seeing Jackson’s face, twisted in horror as she fell. Him shouting “no!” The floor coming into contact with her face. Then nothing. 

“A needle…in my neck.” She tried to find any memories of what came next. But there were none. Just darkness.

“You died,” Jake said.

“No….I…I’m dead?” Abby repeated, processing the words. She took a breath. “I’m dead?,” she said again, as she toyed with the idea, realizing it felt right. It felt true. She grew quiet. I’m dead, she thought. But she felt alive. How?

“How are you here? Why are you here?,” she asked the man. “Jake…is that really you?”

“It’s really me, Abby,” Jake said, smiling. Jake’s face lit up. The dazzling smile that had made her fall for him years ago. It seemed real, too. It was him, wasn’t it?

“Jake?” Abby stepped towards him, hesitantly. Could this be real? He reached for her and pulled her into his arms.

It felt real. If this was him…

“I’m sorry Jake,” Abby began to sob as he held her. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry, I’m sorry!,” she breathed the words in between gasps and cries, her head buried into his chest. It was all she could say. The feel of his arms around her was familiar, but after all those years with Marcus, it also felt wrong. 

Still, she had needed to say this for so long. She needed him to hear her.

“I know, I know,” Jake said, comforting her. 

They spent a few minutes like that until Abby regained her composure enough to say more than just two words.

Finally, she spoke.  

“What’s happening, Jake? Why I am here? Where is here? Why are you here?”

There were too many questions for Jake to respond to them all. He started with the most important one. 

“Abby, I came here today to say this-- I forgive you and...”

“No,” Abby protested, cutting him off. “I should have never...it’s my fault.” The tears rolled down her cheeks.

“I put you in a terrible position, Abby,” Jake said “I thought I was doing the right thing. But so did you. You thought you were saving everyone. You didn’t believe Jaha would float me -- you thought he’d convince me to stop. This wasn’t your fault Abby.”

“No, it was. It was!,” she cried. 

“No. Abby. It was not,” he said a bit more forcefully. “It was mine. There was another way -- and you found it after my death, didn’t you?” 

“No! I did it your way, Jake. I broke the rules. Just like you did! You were right all along!”

“And Kane didn’t float you for it?” Jake asked, somewhat incredulously.

Kane. Abby’s mind went to Marcus at the mention of his name. Is he here too? She forced herself to refocus on Jake’s words.

“He…,” Abby paused, remembering. “He argued against it,” she said softly, recalling Jaha’s gesture towards Marcus as he explained how the council had been convinced to spare her life. It wasn’t me, Jaha told her. Apparently Jake’s message awoke their better angels as well. Jaha looked at Kane when he said “their,” conveying with his eyes who had fought to save her.

Abby was confused then, but she understood it now.

“It doesn’t matter,” Abby said, trying again to push thoughts of Marcus out of her mind. “I’m the reason you’re dead,” Abby stated.

“No, Abby. Even if my plan went through, I’d still have been floated. I was going to be floated no matter what... I did that. I chose that. I chose that... that plan, that cause, over you. Over Clarke. Over our family. It was my fault, and getting Clarke involved -- risking her life too!! -- it’s I who needs your forgiveness, Abby. Can you see that?” 

Abby shook her head, unwilling to unload this burden she had carried around for so many years. Her guilt was not easy to let go of.

“No,” she said, looking at the ground. She pulled away from him. “No.”  

“I was going to die, Abby. I knew that. You know that. No matter what. I believed it was something worth dying for. But I should have stayed. For you. For Clarke. I chose the wrong thing. I’m the one who’s sorry.”

He lifted her chin up. Forcing her to look into his eyes.

Abby frowned, considering his words. Jake apologizing to her was so unexpected.

“Forgive me, Abby.” 

There was a long silence. She allowed herself to feel a touch of the anger she had back when Jake had first told her of what he meant to do. She had been wrong — but maybe they had both been wrong. Maybe there was no right way.

She realized she could allow Jake to take some of the blame.

“I suppose we could forgive each other,” Abby ventured. It was the best she could do. Jake needed this, apparently. Admittedly, she did too.

Jake smiled again, a bit more wistfully this time. How could I have not chosen her back then?, he wondered to himself.

“It’s done,” he said. “We’re forgiven.” 

He pulled Abby close again. And for a moment, they just stood there, awash in the mutual release of their respective pains…In the solitude of their own thoughts of what could have been, what they had lost.

Abby pulled back from Jake again. There was more she needed to know.  Like where Marcus was! — but she knew she couldn’t lead with that.

“Jake, what is this place?” 

“That’s a loaded question,” he said, with a laugh.  

She looked at him, waiting for him to continue. 

“It’s hard to explain it all right now. In simple terms, it’s another world, one where your life continues. And it’s an easier life, without so much suffering. But there’s more to it than that.” 

“It’s...the afterlife?,” Abby asked. 

“I’m not sure it fits in the definition we understand of what the afterlife is. It’s not a heavenly world, and no god or gods have appeared to us, in case you’re wondering.. It’s a very real place. But a transitional one.” 

“Transitional? So it’s temporary?”

“No, Abby. As in, a resolution to this life before the next.” 

“I don’t understand,” she said, shaking her head.

“It takes time to understand. And no one fully does,” Jake admitted. “But you will be here and then one day, a long time from now, you will go.”

“What about right now? Do I go somewhere...do I go with you?,” Abby asked. 

“Well,” Jake paused. He’d have to tell her about Emily. Marcus was wrong on this, as it turned out. He had loved Abby, that was true. He still did, but not like he loved Emily. He loved Emily in a way that surpassed all his memories of Abby. In a way that felt destined. And maybe it was.

“I guess that’s up to you,” Jake said, slowly. He knew he had made his choice, but he wanted to know what Abby would choose. Would she want to be with him, or did she really love Marcus Kane?

“What?,” asked Abby. 

“I guess the question of what you want to do next is up to you,” Jake replied. He pointed down the path ahead of them. “Down that way is a village filled with your family and friends. And I live a bit down that way,” he said pointing in the other direction -- the way he had come. “There are more people in my village from the Ark, too. And others who I met here,” he said, a vague reference to Emily. “They are both good places. But there’s also a wide world out there beyond this valley, if you want to be alone.”

“You’re not with my family and friends?,” Abby asked, confused. “Wouldn’t they be your friends, too? Do you not even see them? That doesn’t make sense.” 

“Well, I do see them. We meet up every so often. And they come to visit me,” Jake explained. “Jaha and I even hashed it out, too. We’re good now.” 

“Jaha’s here?” Abby exclaimed, and then wondered again about Marcus. “And you forgave him?!”

“Yes,” Jake answered. “I needed to. But I don’t go to his village much. There’s, well, there’s a particular ‘friend’ in his village who.... uh, let’s just say it would have been a bit awkward for us to hang out...you know, considering...”, Jake fumbled for the words. 

“I guess what I’m saying is...Abby, I know about Marcus,” he said at last. “I mean you and Marcus. And he’s there. In Jaha’s village.”

Abby’s heart soared again at Marcus’s name. He was here? Could this be true? Was he just steps away from her, looking and feeling as real as Jake does, standing before her now?

“Marcus is here?” she asked hopefully. Jake nodded.

More tears sprang to her eyes. She would see him again!

“Oh my god,” she breathed. A cry escaped her throat. She felt herself beginning to break down. He’s here!

But quickly, Abby realized who she was reacting in front of, and how this must feel to him. She reigned in her emotions as best she could.

“Jake, I’m sorry -- I just...I never forgot you but I just...,” Abby tried to explain. How can she tell him this truth? That Marcus is the only one she wants to be with in this new life -- or whatever it is? All she wants is him.

“It’s okay Abby,” Jake replied, looking less upset than she would have expected. “I mean, I had trouble believing it. Kane of all people!” He laughed at this. 

Abby smiled, but started her defense. 

“You don’t understand. After the Ark...we went to the ground....our lives…They were hard. Terrible even. There was so much suffering and pain.”

“But what Marcus and I had together was special, hard-won -- one of the only things, besides Clarke, worth living for. He was a good man, Jake. Different from the one you knew. He tried to do right. He became my ally. My partner. He took care of me. We fought for each other. We survived because of each other. We loved each other.”

“I love him,” she corrected herself, realizing he may not be gone anymore. 

Jake’s face was stoic as her heard her out.

“I’m sorry, I know this must be hard to hear,” Abby continued. “And it’s not because I didn’t love you,” Abby said, placing her hand on Jake’s arm. “I wore your ring around my neck for years. In many ways, I’ll always love you. You were my husband and Clarke’s father. We will always be a family. We had something special, too. But with Marcus..I love him in a different way, Jake. We worked for what we had, if that makes sense. We earned it.”

Jake nodded. It had been hard to hear how much Abby loved someone else, actually. But he was also happy for her because he knew what she meant. 

He and Emily had earned their love, too. They hadn’t arrived to a crowd of loved ones when they got here. They had each arrived here alone, with only the other one -- a stranger -- to greet them. Together they had to find their way through the wilderness of this world. Survive off the land, find a path forward, overcome obstacles. It took them a long time to find this place, their village, this part of the world.

Like Abby and Marcus, Emily had fought for Jake’s survival and he hers. This world didn’t have unusual suffering, but you could still die here -- of hunger, of dehydration, of cold, of injury. In the village, those things were impossible because there was plenty of everything to be had. And no one fought.

By the time Jake and Emily finally made it to the village, they knew the truth -- they were destined for each other, and their journey was designed to create that bond — a bond that was also different from what he and Abby had.

He and Abby had been a young love. A first love. It was precious in its own way. But it was not the same. 

“Abby,” Jake began. “If I asked you to come back to me now, you’d say no, right?” 

“I’m sorry, Jake,” Abby said softly. “But I would say no. Wherever Marcus is, that’s where I need to be.”

“That makes this easier then,” Jake admitted. “The truth is, I am with someone else, too. I couldn’t have asked you anyway.”

Abby looked up. “Oh?”

“Her name is Emily. And I met her here, unbelievably.”  Jake said, smiling as he pictured her in his mind’s eye. 

“And you’re happy?,” Abby asked, though the answer was written on his face. 

“Yes,” said Jake. 

“Then I’m happy for you.” She smiled back.

Ch 4: Jaha’s council

“You’re just letting her go?,” Jaha asked with surprise. 

Marcus had caught him up -- explained why the village — Abby’s friends and family — wouldn’t immediately greet her today. Her parents were concerned, of course, but Marcus easily convinced them it was for the best. He was still a good negotiator, as it turned out.

“I’m not letting her go, I’m giving her a choice,” Marcus said.

“Marcus, that’s crazy. In the next few minutes, she’ll arrive, find out she’s dead and see her dead husband standing in front of her,” Jaha argued. “She won’t even be in her right mind to make this kind of choice -- she’s going to be overwhelmed.”

“And besides,” Jaha continued. “We’re all supposed to be there -- it’s calming for the new arrivals. Thats how they understand they’ve left their old life and are in a better place. But Jake is not her ‘better place’ -- he’s a pain she’s carried for years.”

“I know but...,” Marcus said, his sentence drifting off, as doubt seeped in. 

“You should be there,” Jaha said forcefully. “At the very least. If not all of us. Allow her that comfort. She needs to see someone she loves.” 

“I’m allowing her to choose Jake if that’s what will make her happy,” Marcus said with a resigned sigh.

“You’re an idiot,” huffed Jaha. 

Marcus didn’t respond. Maybe he was. 

“Look, you agreed to let Jake go first,” Jaha said after a moment, clearly not giving up on this. 

“So fine, he sees her first. Gets to apologize or whatever it is he wants to do,” Jaha continued. “But you didn’t say you wouldn’t come at all. You didn’t say you wouldn’t interrupt them. And you do not have to let her leave with him -- you can go there and offer her another option.”

Marcus thought about this, but didn’t respond.

“Marcus, I mean, really…if Jake decides he wants her back, will he even let her know you’re here?,” Jaha asked. “That her parents are here? And you don’t get to make a case for yourself? Is that really a solid plan?”

Marcus considered what Jaha was saying. 

Jake would tell Abby she had options, right? If Jake decided Abby was more important to him than Emily, that is -- and how could she not be? it’s Abby! — surely he’d still tell Abby who else was here? That he, a man she had also loved, was here, too? It’s not like he could hide it, right?

“I don’t know,” Marcus admitted. 

“Marcus, it’s not that hard,” Jaha said. He had become quite the romantic himself after meeting up again with his own soulmate, his wife, here. “You love Abby. You love her and she’s coming here. You should go to her because…because she’s here,” he paused, as they both sensed that unexplained feeling that comes alongside a new arrival. “She’s here right now.”

“Right there,” Jaha said pointing towards the woods outside the town. 

Marcus stood up. He felt her presence. He realized was going to be impossible to resist going to her. It was impossible not to fight for her. To run to her. To hope against all hope that she loved him more than Jake, somehow, still. He had to try.

“I just wanted her to have a choice,” Marcus said, dejectedly, looking down at Jaha from where he stood. “But I guess I do need to be there when she makes it, for better or worse.” 

Marcus walked away from the table where they were sitting and towards the town’s gates. Within a few minutes, he had disappeared into the woods.

Chapter 5 Is this goodbye?

By the time Marcus heard the distant sounds of voices, Abby and Jake had forgiven each other, embraced again, and were saying their goodbyes. 

Marcus couldn’t make out their words. He stepped slower, as the sound of their the voices became clearer. He caught a glimpse of them from behind the trees. 

The sounds crystalized into words.

“Really, I’m happy how this worked out,” Abby was saying. “To know that you have another chance at love...That we both do,” she added, thinking of Marcus.

“Yes,” said Jake, hugging her tightly. “It was meant to be, I think.”

Marcus drew in a breath at their words, looking at them from his hidden position. He saw Jake and Abby in each other’s arms, expressing their love. His throat tightened and tears sprung up into his eyes. He knew it! He knew this would happen! How could Jake see Abby again and not want to hold her like that? How could he not love her? 

Marcus turned to walk away. He didn’t hear Jake and Abby’s final words. He didn’t hear their goodbyes. He didn’t see Jake turn and walk away or Abby start making her way down the path towards him. 

He saw nothing but the ground in front of him, through his watery eyes. His chest felt tight. He had to stop and try to catch his breath so he wouldn’t cry out loud and give away his position as an eavesdropper. He wanted to scream. Yell. Fall to the ground. All those days of hoping to see Abby again -- and this what he got. Nothing. Another loss.

Maybe this is his hell -- maybe he’s being punished -- maybe he’s being rightfully punished -- for everything he had done. Nothing could hurt like this. Nothing. Maybe this is what he deserved, he thought. 

Lost in self hatred and despair, he didn’t hear Abby’s approach.

He jumped at the voice behind him. Quiet, raspy, but hopeful, it asked:

“Marcus? Is that you?”

Chapter 6 Redemption

“Abby?” Marcus turned, in confusion. Wasn’t she just leaving with Jake? How is she here? 

Abby’s hand flew to her mouth as she gasped, once again, at seeing a lost loved one before her. And not just any loved one: Marcus. Marcus Kane. He was here. Alive again! 

Her face crumpled. But these were happy tears. She ran to him as fast as she could, barreling into him, and threw her arms around his neck. And he, still shocked, hugged her back, while trying to work out what was happening. She changed her mind?

“Marcus, oh my god,” Abby was crying. “I can’t believe this is real. That you’re here.” Abby looked up into his eyes, her hands on his face. 

“Abby,” he breathed. He couldn’t form any other words. His carefully rehearsed speech was lost. “Abby.”

“I love you so much, I thought I lost you. I did lose you! Oh my god,” Abby cried. She leaned forward and kissed him. He responded, forgetting all his confusion because nothing mattered but the fact that she was here, in his arms, kissing him. 

Her hands were in his hair. He tasted her tears on his lips. She pulled him closer. They didn’t need words. They were together. But Marcus was still confused. Abby noticed.

She paused and analyzed his face. 

“Why do you look so surprised to see me? Shouldn’t I be the one in shock?” she said, laughing. “I mean, I just found out I died. And you look like I’m the most unexpected thing you’ve ever seen!” 

“You knew I was coming, right?,” she asked.

“I...” Marcus said, wondering how to explain. 

The truth, he realized, was the best plan. 

“I thought you’d left with Jake. I came to see you and...you were embracing. Talking about a second chance for love. So I left. I thought you had made your choice.” 

“Marcus,” Abby sighed, with a touch of frustration. “I was talking about you. And he has a second chance, too -- someone named Emily, I guess? We were happy for each other. But we were saying goodbye.”

She contemplated how Marcus could have misinterpreted the scene. Understandable. Still, how could he doubt their love? She voiced the concern out loud.

“Marcus, how could you think that I wouldn’t choose you?,” Abby asked, a touch of hurt in her voice.

The tears of pain that had been in Marcus’s eyes just moments ago were pushed out now by tears of joy.

“I didn’t know...I didn’t know for sure. I’m sorry,” he said, responding to the worry he saw in her eyes. He never wanted to cause her more suffering. Never again. “I didn’t think I deserved this happiness.”

“You never really understood how much I loved you, did you?,” Abby asked, rhetorically. 

“I left you, didn’t I? Those damned pills I took. I loved you but it wasn’t enough to save me, and you thought that meant you were not enough, right?” She caressed his face, as she spoke. If only she could take back what she had done to him, too. 

“But Marcus, I did stop them, remember? Because I couldn’t lose you. Please understand, I will always choose you with my heart and with my soul. I love you…more than anything…In all our lives, apparently.”

“I love you, too,” Marcus said, his heart aching for her after that explanation.

He pulled her back to him, and kissed again this time without the pang of doubt he felt before. She responded, wordlessly confirming the truth she had spoken. The depth of her feelings.

Marcus’ thoughts cleared as they took a breath. He realized he still had something to say to Abby, too. Something he needed to make right.

“I’m sorry. I left you too,” Marcus said, remembering his last look at her face, the pain he had caused, as he floated into space and took his final breath. He hadn’t wanted her to see him leave. I can’t do this again, she had once told him. He wanted to spare her that sight.

“No, you were right -- I shouldn’t have done what I did to save you,” Abby said. “You were doing what needed to be done. I would have never let you go, no matter what lines I had to cross,” she confessed. “You made it right. But it was unbearable for me. Your loss was unbearable.”

Marcus pulled her closer, running his hand across her back. Was it possible to never let her go now? He aimed to try.

“If I had know I could follow you here, I would have floated myself,” Abby admitted. 

Though he understood what she meant, the thought terrified him.

“I didn’t want you to die -- I wanted you to live a long and healthy life. With Clarke.” said Marcus. “You were strong. A survivor. I knew you could do it.” 

“I guess you were wrong,” Abby said. “I was promptly murdered.” She wondered what happened to everyone left behind. To Clarke.

“I hope Clarke is okay,” she said, thinking of her daughter and what she would have to face now. But she drew comfort from the fact that whatever life it turned out to be would not be the end.

“I guess, one day, I’ll see her again?,” Abby asked.

“You will,” Marcus replied. “We all do meet again.” 

Abby was quiet.

“Why?,” Abby wondered. “Why we were gifted this, Marcus?” She didn’t have to live years without him, she didn’t have to suffer anymore. He was here. Did they deserve this?

“We did terrible things, Marcus…and this is,” she paused, looking up into his eyes, relishing in their warmth. His absolute and total devotion so clearly displayed across his features. "A blessing."

“I don’t know, Abby,” Marcus replied. “But I like to think this is a chance to be who we were supposed to be…Maybe we’re forgiven?”

“I wonder if my death was so close to yours because…,” Abby said. “Because the universe wanted us to finally have peace?”

Marcus nodded.

“Is that what this place is, then? A place to have peace?,” Abby asked. But standing there, being held by the man she never wanted to part from, she already knew the answer.

“Yes. And love,” Marcus said. 

“And happiness,” Abby added.

He leaned in and kissed her again. Deeply, passionately. Reverently. This was salvation, he knew. Salvation at last.

[oricya]

“Arkadia Falls” is sadly over and you should definitely read it! This was my healing escape lately and I loved every moment of this story! Thank you to @ StealingFire309 on twitter for doing such a good job. ♥

[blizzaurus]

Artwork of young Marcus and Abby for my Jane Austen-esque kabby fic Ardent. Chapter 11 was just posted! (I am so sorry it took THIS long)

Read here

What happened 20 years ago.

[kane-and-griffin]

Chapters: 2/3 Fandom: The 100 (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Abby Griffin/Marcus Kane Characters: Abby Griffin, Marcus Kane, Thelonious Jaha, A.L.I.E. (The 100), Charmaine Diyoza, Charles Pike, Jacapo Sinclair Additional Tags: Friends to Lovers, Best Friends, Semi-Public Sex, Outdoor Sex, Angst with a Happy Ending, Weddings, Domestic Fluff Summary: There's a lot more than just shitty hangovers at stake for Abby and Marcus, after they go wild on champagne and tequila the night before Jaha's wedding. A game of Truth or Dare, a drunk kiss, and a night spent in the same bed accidentally rip open decades-old wounds, and threaten to shatter thirty years of friendship completely.

[restrainedubiquity]

What Feels Good

“I’m fine,” she assures him, tossing her jacket and medical bag into the corner of his room.  They’d spent the day patching people up and trying to find order in the chaos of ALIE’s aftermath.

“You’re clearly not,” he argues, taking off his jacket and hanging it on the wall. “ Let me help you.”

“Marcus, I’m fine,” she tosses her hands up in frustration and blanches from sharp pain that sears across her back.  She shouldn’t have done that.

“And yet, you make that face every time you move, but you won’t stop moving!”  He marches past, hangs her coat up and levels her with his I-know-when-you’re-lying look that has her crossing her arms in frustration.

“I tweaked my back.  It’s nothing.”  Its slightly more than nothing, but all things considering its nothing she can’t handle if she doesn’t bend or twist or raise her arms for a few days.

“Sit,” he turns the chair toward her.  “Let me see.”

“There’s nothing to see.  I’m fine.”  She doesn’t move.  And if she doesn’t move then it doesn’t hurt and she can show him just how ‘fine’ she is.

“Abby.”

That tone.  She hates when he says her name in that tone.  That tone means ‘Abby, I’m about to sacrifice myself so you can get to the ground.  Abby, I’m about to go into enemy territory unarmed to save your daughter.  Abby, I’d rather die myself than watch you get hurt.  Abby, as long as they don’t hurt you I’ll let them...’

“You were nailed to a cross, Marcus!  I pulled a muscle.  I’m FINE!” she turns to go.  She doesn’t know where she’s going, but she can’t be here, can’t look at him right now after everything she’s done.  

He grabs her arm before she makes it to the door.  “You pulled a muscle while you were hanging from a noose,” he says so matter-of-factly that it should be absurd if it weren’t true.  “I don’t think we need to compare injuries courtesy of ALIE.  You sewed up my wrists, let me rub your back.”

Her breath hitches again, she winces again.  He moves his hand from her arm to her side.  She covers it with her own, having every intention of shoving him off but the softness in his eyes has her guiding him up and left until he’s covering the strained muscle.

He can feel it through layers of fabric.  Stubborn, stubborn woman. “Sit,” he tells her in his Chancellor voice.  It earns him an eye roll and a sigh as she straddles the only chair in the room.  “Can this come off?” his hand moves firmly up across her back, but he’s bunching up blood-caked fabric more than massaging tense muscle.  She nods, leaning away from the back of the chair and lifting her arms to help him as best she can. She shifts her bra back down and leans forward into the chair as he folds her filthy shirts and lays them on the table.  She’d as soon as burn them, but can’t help but be touched my his reverence for her things and his compulsion to keep things orderly.

Marcus places his hand on her waist, steps back, then forward.  He’s bent awkwardly over her, trying to find a place to stand where he can reach her without causing his own back to seize up.  He could kneel behind her, but his knees are protesting at just the thought of spending that much time on the concrete floor.  He laughs against her shoulder when he realizes there is no way this is going to work.  “You’re too short,” he comes around to the front of her, holds his hand out to help her to her feet.  “Go lay down so I can reach you.”

“Marcus, I’m really…” she starts to protest.

“If you tell me you’re fine one more time…”

She holds his gaze until she realizes her glares are becoming much less effective on him, removes her necklace, lays it on her shirts before she takes his hand and lets him help her up.  She keeps ahold of him as he walks them toward dresser on the other side of the room, biting back the smart comment that the bed is in the other direction, and choosing to watch him curiously as he uncorks the small clear vials set out on the dresser, chuckling softly as his nose wrinkles at the first before quickly recorking it and grabbing the next.  His face is much more pleased as he holds it out for her to inspect.  “Lavender?” he asks for her confirmation.  Abby nods as the familiar scent fills her.  “Might as well do this properly,” he leads her to the bed.  She doesn’t release his hand until she sinks into the mattress, turns her face from him, and mutters a quiet “thank you” into her pillow.

He Mmmhmm’s as the mattress dips with is weight and he pulls her hair to the side.  The cool oil trickles down her spine causing her to shiver before strong hands that shouldn’t be capable of being so gentle set to work on her back.

They don’t talk.  They haven’t really talked at all.  Not about the torture, her forced deception, his almost execution, that kiss…  It’s too much.  There’s no where to start and no time to finish so they don’t even try.  The silence is comfortable, the bed beneath her more so and he’s just about lulled her into a much needed sleep before he presses a little too hard. She flinches under him, whimpers before she’s able to hold it back, and his whispered “sorry,” finally breaks the silence.  

“Its okay,” she hisses out, because it hurts like hell but, there’s no other way out than through.  His hands move lower after a few more seconds of torture and the breath Abby’s been holding wooshes out of her.  He’s not done, the knot’s still there, but he’s giving her a break while he kneads his knuckles into the small of her back.  

“Does this still hurt?” his fingers trace over barely there scars scattered over her skin.

“Feels good,” she mumbles, falling back into that space between wake a sleep.

“No, Abby.  I meant…”

“I know what you meant,” she cuts him off.  Out of all the conversations they need to have, this is not one of them.  “Water under the bridge, Marcus.  You did what you had to do.”

“If feels like a lifetime ago,” he pours more oil over the scars, wishing he could simply massage them away.

“It was.”

A few more silent moments pass before he moves back up to the spot she wishes he’d avoid, pushing firmly, rubbing quickly, trying to work it out as quickly as possible.  She focuses on her breathing: in and out, slow and steady, moans deeply and unexpectedly as the tension suddenly releases and her entire body loosens under his touch.  She expects him to stop, but his hands move up between her shoulder blades, thumbs press into her neck, move across her shoulders, down her arms, back up to her neck.  Over and over.  She doesn’t realize she’s started crying until she hears herself sniffle.    

“Am I hurting you?” his hands still on her biceps as he looks away from her body to see the tears streaming down her face.  She shakes her head, wipes roughly at her cheeks before turning her face into the pillow.  It’s pointless, she knows.  She can hardly hide from him.  Appreciates the fact that he never lets her.

“Talk to me,” he leans forward one hand braced between her shoulder blades, the other stroking her hair, gently urging her face to turn to him.

“It feels good,” her breath hitches as warm tears continue to streak down her face.  He wipes them away, continuing to run his fingers through her hair.  “It’s been...It’s been a really long time since anyone has touched me and...and if feels good.”  She stares up at him, red-eyed, but relaxed as his hands continue to move aimlessly against her.

He hears what she can’t say, what she’s never said to anyone.  She had a marriage of convenience, of friendship, of fulfilling the role she was meant to play in their generations survival.  Jake Griffin was a good man, one that Marcus had once called a friend, and to that end he was one of the few people that knew he and Abby’s perfect union wasn’t as perfect as it appeared.  He’d never hurt her (he wouldn’t have lived as long as he had if he did), but he never loved her like she deserved to be loved.  It was the main reason Marcus had distanced himself from them both: he couldn’t forgive Jake for not letting her go, he couldn’t understand why Abby never fought for her own happiness.

“Lie with me?” she reaches for him, gets a hand full of shirt and gathers up the fabric in her hand until her palm can press against his ribs. His skin is warm and smooth as she stretches further so that she can pull him to her.  They’re fluid, practiced, as if it hadn’t been ages since either of them had been this close to another person.  Marcus leans over her as Abby rolls to her back.  He kisses her.  Slowly this time, softly, as clothes come off and bodies touch and for the first time in longer than either can remember everything just feels good.