Title: Tabula Rasa

Author: Kristen

Rating: PG-13 (to be safe)

Disclaimer: Don't own Ali/Rafe or anything to do with Port Charles...

Distribution: If you want it take it...just tell me first!

Spoilers: Up to the end of "Secrets"

Authors Note: I love the phrase Tabula Rasa and for those that don't know it means "clean slate"...many Ali/Rafe fans on Just Heavenly Message Board have been speculating on what possibly could be in store for our fave couple and thus this fic was born...Enjoy...Feedback Please I'm a feedback junkie!!



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Chapter 1:

Alison curled up in a ball on her bed. It had been a week since she had to say goodbye to Rafe and she had never felt more lost and alone than she did now. Livvie tried to help, but to no avail. Alison knew that she never liked Rafe and just wasn't helping. Alison just needed to be left alone. She had spent the whole week holed up in her room thinking about the Angel who had captured her heart and saved her in more ways then one. She closed her eyes and smiled as images flooded her mind. Their first kiss, the first time they made love, the moment they finally realized that they were in love. Then as quickly as they came they were gone, he was gone and it felt as if she lost him all over again. She went over to her window and watched the rainfall lightly on the windowpane. She glanced up to the sky and could swear she saw a little hole with light emitting through it. She couldn't help, but hope that it was Rafe looking down on her as he promised.

"I love you Rafe." She whispered to the sky, hoping against hope he could hear her.

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"I love you Alison." Rafe muttered to himself as he watched from a little hole. He could see her and feel her heartbreaking at the loss of him and he wanted so much to hold her and let her know everything was going to be ok.

"Rafe?" A gentle voice came from behind him.

"Hey Paige." He said not looking away from his view of his beloved.

"You really miss her don't you?"

"More than anything, man I knew it was wrong to get attached to her, but I couldn't help it."

"Do you mean to tell me that you would give up your time with Alison if you could, take it all back?"

"Not for anything in this world, it hurts being away from her, but I wouldn't give up my memories of her for anything."

"Not even another chance with her, a chance to be with her forever?"

"What?"

"Rafe, they want to make you an offer, for everything you did for those on earth, a reward of sorts."

"Why? I jeopardized you mission and mine by falling for Alison, why would they give me any sort of reward."

"Because, you brought happiness to all those around you, you brought joy to Alison and that I can never repay you for."

"I'm so sorry I kept her away from you, I just didn't want to see her in the 5th chair, I couldn't do that to her. She belongs down their alive, like I belong here, dead."

"Rafe, you're wrong, just listen, I'm offering you another chance, a chance to be with Alison."

"You're serious?"

"Of course."

"What anything, I just want to be with Alison."

"All you have to do is forget your time in Port Charles. We'll send you down to look for Lucy again. We want to test your love see if it is pure, see if even if you forgot each other that you could somehow find your way back.

"Forget Alison, to get her back? That's some messed up logic."

"Once your love is renewed then all the memories will come back and you can begin again, start your lives together."

"Yeah till I have to come back."

"No, Rafe, at that moment, when your memory is restored you will become human."

"What? I think I have something in my ears, I thought you just said I'd become human again?"

"I did, now are you willing, just say the word." Rafe turned back to his view of Alison.

"Will she remember me?"

"No." Rafe looked down sadly.

"We promised never to forget each other."

"It will only be for a little while."

"There's gotta be a catch, a time frame of some sort."

"Well, yes, you get as long as you guys had before and if at the end of that time you don't fall back in love you will be sent back never having known the love of Alison."

"Of course."

"Well what do you say, it's now or never."

"Let me have one minute to look at her again and remember." Paige nodded.

"Alone."

"Oh yes, I'll be back in one minute." She backed away and Rafe looked down in awe at Alison.

"I love you and I always will. I have to take the chance. I believe in us and our love. I know we can be together again and if this is the only way, so be it. Goodbye, Alison, I'll see you soon." He blew a kiss to her and watched as she smiled suddenly feeling warm all over.

"So are you ready?"

"Yeah, lets do it, I'm all for getting Alison back by any means necessary."

"Treat her right, I'll be watching over you, both of you. I'll help you any way I can without getting into trouble. I want for this to work, I want Alison happy."

"I know you do." Paige smiled and suddenly a white light lit up the sky, the rain stopped down on earth as everything was encased in the glow. Rafe closed his eyes trying to remember everything about Alison, but finding it harder and harder to recall the most meaningful facts. Everything became hazy. Finally he opened his eyes again to find himself on a park bench, the light gone and the rain falling once again.

"Good luck Rafe." Paige whispered to herself.