- Miracles Happen -

*Chapter Two*

...And Everything Changes

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"Oh my god.. I can't believe this. It's really you, your.. your really here!" Alison cried happily in his arms, while thinking about how this could've happened-- she couldn't help but think to herself, 'Is this a dream?' Releasing herself from the embrace, she stepped away from him, wipping the wet tears from her face. "Is this a dream?" she asked, hesitantly. Not so sure of herself.

He ran his fingers through his thick blonde hair in silence. He was at a complete loss for words, as it always was when it came to Alison. "No, this isn't a dream..." he whispered softly. 'But if it were.. I wouldn't mind.' he thought.

Without hesitation, she ran into his open arms once again. "I missed you so much, Rafe!" she cried in his arms.

Holding her tight in his embrace, Rafe rested his chin on her small shoulder; moving both arms around her waist, and slowly moving his hands up her back. A smile slowly formed at the corners of his lips, as he sighed softly.. he hugged her tightly to him before replying, "I missed you too..." as the two stood silent, a silent tear escaped from the corner of Rafe's eye. Slowly breaking away from the embrace, Rafe wipped away at the tear, "Look Alison, it's getting a bit chilly out here.. I think, maybe, it's time I get you home, okay?"

Alison smiled softly, "Actually, that's probably not such a good idea.. since I'm living with Jack and Livvie now, and, well, ..you remember the last time, what happened with them when they thought we had something going on, right? Well, I don't want to relive that moment, if you know what I mean. So maybe, we could, go to.. The Recovery Room and get a little something to eat, hmmm?"

"Well," he began slowly, "maybe that would be best.. the last thing I need right now is to run into any trouble..." his voice slowly trailed off, and Alison's facial expression revealed confusion at what he was saying. "Alright, let's go." he grabbed her hand, looking up into her sparkling saphires.. which revealed a smile on his angelic face. The two soon headed in the direction of The Recovery Room.



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Twenty minutes later, as Rafe and Alison were catching up with each other's lives and finishing their lunch, the subject finally came up of why Rafe had really come back to Port Charles. As much as Rafe had wanted to dodge the subject, he knew there was absolutely no way of escaping this one.. especially after he looked up into Alison's bright blues, he wasn't able to tell a lie from that point.

"My reasons for coming back," he repeated cautiously. "Um, well..." he began slowly, before being cut off by the sound of Alison's voice.

"Oh, come on Rafe! The both of us, we've never kept anything from each other.. and well, I for one.. I definitely don't want to start now. My relationship with Jamal was filled with lies, and that's why it didn't work out between us. But with you.. it's different, your my best friend; I feel like.. I could tell you anything," she paused for a moment, then smiled, "in fact, I know that I can tell you anything.. that's what makes our relationship so special."

"You make everything sound so simple..." he chuckled lightly. After a few moments of silence and cautious hesitation, Rafe continued on, "but anyway, after I went back.. I watched for months on while you suffered. I hated it. In fact, I had wished that it was me going through what you went through, but hey, that's just me. After the incident with Jamal and Valerie, it felt like a knife stabbing through my heart, just seeing you in so much pain.. it hurt Alison, more than you know." he added, looking into her tear-bound eyes, and once again, he could feel her pain. "Anyhow, I thought about everything I was feeling from that point, and that's when I realized that I couldn't let you go through this alone. So then, I had a nice, long talk with the boss.. and now, here I am. I'm with you, and I'm not going anywhere. At least not for awhile."

The table was silent for moments on.. with Alison's emotions taking a toll on her, and Rafe not knowing what to say next. How could he, this was something he was definitely not use to.. feeling such a wave of emotions for his best friend that was. The following moments afterwards, he took advantage of the silence by laying out the plan in his mind-- his main, if only reason for being in Port Charles; he'd stay with Alison for as long as she needed to get through this difficult time, and once he knew that she'd be able to get on with her life, he'd go back to where he belongs. The last thing he needed at this point was falling even more deeply in love with Alison, or even worse.. her falling in love with him... which he knew he wouldn't have to worry too much about; since the possibility of her falling in love with him, was pretty much a slim-to-none chance.

"Well," Alison began shortly. "as much as I hate the circumstances it took to get you back here, in Port Charles-- with me, I'm nothing but happy to have you back." she smiled tearfully. "So.. how long are you going to be here for this time?" she questioned, almost hesitant.

"The boss gave me exactly thirteen weeks down here. Exactly as it was the last time, when I-" he immediately cut himself off, sinking back in his chair, and hoping Alison wouldn't question him on what he was going to say next.

"Rafe," she began softly. Her voice revealing such a calm, cool tone as she motioned across the table, placing her hand softly atop his. "I know exactly what you were going to say, and.. it's okay, really.. it is. The thing is, Jamal and I-- we just weren't meant to be."

"I tried so hard Ali... to get you and Jamal back together, that is-- just as I did with Kevin and Lucy.. Ian and Eve.. and even your best friends', Jack and Livvie; but the harder I tried, the more impossible it got. But I guess it's like you said, you and Jamal just weren't meant to be-" he paused for a moment, looking deep into her beautiful, blue eyes and at that very moment, he could feel her pain. "...and for that, I'm sorry." he added sincerely, reaching across the table soon thereafter, and placing a finger under her chin, lifting her head up, as their eyes met. "For you, I would do anything. You know that.. but as far as getting back the love of your life, that is definitely one thing I am incapable of doing- - it just isn't possible."

Reaching over, and taking his hand in hers once again, tears fell silently from Alison's eyes-- not tears for her loss of Jamal, but tears that she just couldn't explain. Then, she prepared to tell Rafe exactly what she was feeling at that point in time, "I know that you would do anything for me Rafe, as I would for you.. and that's why your my, well.. your my angel." she smiled tearfully. "But you see, the thing is, as much as this hurts right now, I don't want Jamal back. I know what your probably thinking.. that I'm just saying that in spite of my hatered for him, but you know what?" she smiled shortly, taken in by the distant, awkward vibe she got from Rafe. "I've had more than enough time to think about everything that happened from the point I fell in love with Jamal, to meeting you.. and Jamal's betrayl, and what I had come to realize was.."

Rafe couldn't help but feel awkward by Alison's touch; it sent off such a wave of emotions inside of him that he never knew were possible.. as much as he wanted to act on them, he knew that wasn't possible. So he continusly reminded him of the most important fact, 'Your an angel, Rafe.. and she's a mortal. Remember that.' "Um, yeah?" he questioned her, awkwardly.

"I come from a family of unlimited power and wealth, and along with that comes baggage, you know? Growing up as an only child, I experienced first hand what it was like to be alone.. and I hated it. So, when I met Jamal, I believed I had found the one person I could spend the rest of my life with. I believed that he was that one person that wanted to share his life with me; I believed that we were one in the same, you know? That we shared the same passion for life, love and our dreams.. but once he committed the ultimate betrayl, I realized that I never knew the real Jamal.. all I knew, is that he was a dream. Something I made myself believe he could be, but wasn't? At this point, it's hard for me to explain everything, when I'm still figuring it all out myself.. but the one thing that I DO know is that Jamal wasn't that special someone for me.. my soulmate-- in fact, Rafe, that someone is you."



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Just outside of The Recovery Room stood a man, clad in all black. He peaked through the open window, looking in on an unsuspecting Rafe and Alison. He snickered slyly to himself, while thinking of the ultimate plan for revenge on not only Rafe, the angel that destroyed his life, but his beautiful friend, Alison Barrington.. and her friends, Jack Ramsey and the all too beautiful, Livvie Locke.

"You stole everything from me, Rafe.. my life, my love. I'm back, and like hell I'm going to let any of you live your happily ever afters!" he sneered, turning around and walking down a dark ally. "It'll take some time, and alot of thought, and possibly even.. my own little personal helper along the way, but once the my revenge is set into motion, you'll know-- you will all know all too well what hell is really like.. because soon, soon my dears, you'll be living in your own little personal version of it!"