Undone by a Broken Angel

35.) Sparks

“For I see that you are full of bitter envy and are a prisoner of sin.”

-Acts 8:23

Abraham:

“Here,” says Dianna, handing him the letter that arrived that morning.  “He must have sent it the moment you left.”

He takes the letter and reads it.  “Abraham, you must know by now why I allowed her to go with you.  Tomorrow evening you will tell her goodbye and come back to the village.  You have a new mission.  Don’t expect to see her again.  Nathanael.”  He rolls the letter up again and ties it with the silver ribbon it came with.  He expected this.  He knew he'd have to say goodbye to her after helping his family back to health.  And by what just happened in the queen’s secret room, it’s for the best.  Him leaving would solve the problem he just created.  “How are the others?” he asks Dianna.  He can’t leave until he knows his brother will be okay.

“The music healed them,” she replies.

He nods, “It affected me too.”

“Did she cure you?’

“Nothing can cure me, Dianna.  The voice still haunts me.  Quietly,” he says, staring at his feet.

She looks as disappointed as he feels.  “David is looking at her hands now.  They should be done by now.”

“Is he okay?  He was just cured.”

“He’s fine.  They all are.”

“Will we be meeting them tonight for dinner?”

She nods.  “I suppose so.  What do you think?”

Dinner is in about two hours from now.  She’ll have plenty of time.

“I never expected them to be healed so quickly.  I’ll have to bake a good meal for you all,” she says leaving the room.

Not knowing what to do with himself now that everything seems to have fallen into place in the matter of a few hours, he decides to go find Abby.  Once her hands are healed, she’ll want to get some rest before dinner.  She’ll also need a new dress, one that’s not covered in blood.  Are there any dresses left in the bunker?  Most of the women who lived here packed up to go back to Eden or to find the bodies of their husbands.  One idea does strike him, and he alters his path.

He happens to pass through a hall filled with exam rooms and hears a voice ahead, a light flickering underneath the door.  He hears Abby’s voice: “Thank you!  My fingers work!”  She sounds elated.  Her words put him at ease, a wave of relief washes over him and his knees buckle with the stress suddenly leaving his body.  Even though he cannot be with her, he knows that David will always be around to protect her.

David’s laugh meets his ears.  “No problem.  Looks like you need a bath though.  Need some help?”

Jack’s hands ball up.

“No.  I can take care of myself,” she replies with a sharp voice, a serrated edge to it that even he reels back from.

“I’ll take you back to your room, then.”

Abe pushes the door open and enters, his feet carry him on their own accord.  He finds her sitting on a cot with her feet dangling off the side.  He sees a mirror image of himself, though maybe a little more mature, stand over Abigail provocative and his hands ball up with rage.  Is this what jealousy feels like?   David is standing in front of her, his hands on either side of  her knees.  He looks like a doctor, but he can see his posture, the way he has his face level with hers, his face angled down so his eyes look up at her through his lashes.  His arms are around her, caging her in.

“No need.  I’ll do it,” he says, his voice taking on an angry tone he hadn’t expected.

“Ah, brother, it’s wonderful to see you!” he exclaims, standing up and clapping him on the back.

“It’s good to see you healthy,” he responds.

 “Please don’t take her away from me.  You’ve been with her far longer than the rest of us.”  David has always been able to see through him, but Abe doesn’t intend to back down this time, no matter how many years he has on him.

“You need your rest,” he objects.  “Dianna is making us dinner, so you have a couple of hours to sleep.”

“I’ve been sleeping for days.  I feel like I could take on a whole pack of reapers on my own,” he protests, gyrating his hands vigorously as if to prove his point.

“Abraham, take me back,” she says jumping down from her perch, speaking with an authoritative voice.  “And get your rest, David.  Your health is as important as mine.”

“Yes, princess,” David says bowing.

Both brothers smile in amusement at her, but when Abe notices the look on his brother's face and the tilt of his head as she walks out the door, he glowers at him.

“And don’t call me that.  I’m your equal,” she throws over her shoulder.

Abe feels the electricity pass between them and decides that maybe he doesn’t have a whole lot to worry about.  However, his prediction seems to be on point.  They’re butting heads already.  A chuckle escapes his lips as he follows her out the door.  Soon David will learn how incredibly stubborn she is.  They all will, but David is just as bad as she is.  The more they are together, the more dangerous they will become.  “Come on then, let’s get you a bath.”  He says looking at his brother square in the eyes and receives a pointed look in reply.  Abe smirks.

She follows him, her skirt swaying with each step that she takes.  He can’t help but watch her walk.  It’s intoxicating and with the voice being near to silent, he takes in the moment knowing that nothing serious will occur. They make it to her room several turns later and he pushes open the door, holding it for her as she passes through it..

“I’ll start with the bathwater,” he says going into her bathroom.  

  ---

Abigail:

I hear the water running so I disrobe, my dress falling into a heap around my feet.  I pull  a blanket over my bare skeleton figure, trying to chase away the chill that permeates this room.  Abe comes out just when I’m pulling it closed and he averts his eyes with a blush.

“Oh, sorry.  I didn’t know you were…” he blush deepens, coloring is neck in red.  It’s good to know that he gets just as embarrassed as I do about my nakedness.  “Your hands are healed now, so go right ahead.”

I walk past him and shut the door behind me.  Alone again, thankfully.  I take the robe off and hang it on the door, then I step in front of the full length mirror that’s positioned on the wall to my left.  In it, I look too thin.  I’ve always been thin, but now I can see my bones poke out in strange directions.  I have bruises in various places, and my hair- my god my hair- is all knotted up into a giant frizz ball.  I comb my fingers through it, but give up before my pride is damaged any further.  I sigh and go for the tub, eyeing the clear water within, and then test it before easing into it.  The steaming water feels good on my dirt covered skin, my muscles relax as the chill leaves my body.  I submerge my head, feeling the water slowly make its way to my scalp.  I wash every inch of myself and loosen all the knots in my hair until I am satisfied.  Then, relaxed, I lay back and close my eyes.  I breathe slowly and try to remember every moment, every touch, of what passed between Abe and I in the piano room.

I feel a tickle on my neck.  I reach up in my half sleep to discover what it is, and I feel hair.  I feel more and find a head, nose, eyes.  The lips are on my neck, kissing me sweetly.  I know that creeping shadow.  I know that this is Abe.

“Are you awake yet?” he asks.

 “Yes," I reply, sleep still lingering in my voice.  I should feel embarrassed, shameful in front of his gaze, but he’s seen me before and I don’t shy away from his eyes.  I don’t pull away from him or his tender kisses either, his face buried into the damp skin at my neck.  My hands are in his hair now and I pull on his roots instinctively and he moans in response.  My heart quickens and I shift my position to give him more access to my neck.  Right now he’s purely Abraham, all mine and it feels so right, so perfect, so...inadequate.  I need more.  I sigh when his lips find a tender spot behind my ear that sends a shiver down to my core, goose pimples breaking out on my skin.  It drives me crazy. 

“Does it bother you?”  he wonders, asking for my content.

“Hm?”

“Me being this close?  Me seeing you nude?”

“No.”  I don’t want him to stop.  I want him to see all of me now what he’s here, making my insides burn.

I feel his breath escape his lungs as he sighs.  “You can’t choose me.”

“I know.”  I twist his hair around my fingers.  A shiver passes over me one more time,  the water has gone cold.  I must have been sleeping for a while, and he came in to check on me.

“Let’s get you out before you catch a cold,” he tells me, his voice taking on a serious note and I assume that our moment has passed, much to my disappointment.

“It’ll be cold in there too,” I whine, for more reason than one.

He reaches into the water and picks me up and out, putting me down on my feet.  He hands me a towel and I dry myself off, now feeling confident with my undress.

“Come, I have a present for you.”