CHAPTER 12
I lie awake
I drive myself crazy
Drive myself crazy
Thinking of you
-'N Sync, "Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)"
Sighing, Rafe flopped down on the family room couch. Rubbing his tired eyes with his fingertips, he reflected back on his day.
It had all started with an innocent quest for some exercise and a bit of fresh air, but his walk led him to Alison, the possible key to unlocking his past.
She shared a bit of good information with him - He had a home and a family in Port Charles - and then left to give him some space and time to investigate his new surroundings and collect his thoughts.
Next he'd called Livvie, who he though would share in his joy. She didn't, though. He couldn't understand why. Wasn't this what she'd wanted, him to remember everything? Her pessimistic reaction and emphatic denials made no sense. Rafe knew she was keeping something from him.
He might have lost his memory, but his slayer senses were not completely gone. He still had his wits, and he knew that they would eventually lead him to the truth, the truth about everything.
Suddenly, Rafe had an idea...
***
"Okay," Rafe told himself. "This is it, the moment of truth."
The framed photos from the mantelpiece lay facedown on the coffee table before him, laid out in a row.
"Alright, Alison said that these pictures were of my cousins: Lucy, Kevin, Christina, and Serena. Livvie said, though..."
Rafe scratched his head.
"...that they were just models used to sell frames. The question now is: Who was right?"
Rafe silently unscrewed the black felt backing of each frame. Then, taking a deep breath, he lifted them, one-by-one.
"My God, Alison was right," he murmured, staring down in amazement.
The backs of three photographs sat before him.
Were they simply factory-issued standards, designed to sell picture frames?
No, they were not. They were his family!
'Serena, age 8, 2001,' read the leftmost one in blue ink.
'Christina, age 1, 1999,' was scrawled across the one on the right.
The most enlightening photo, however, rested in between the other two.
'My dearest Lucy,
Here's hoping we're this happy together forever.
Love always,
Doc.'
"Doc?" Rafe asked himself quizzically, unconsciously rubbing the hair on his chin.
Replacing the soft black backing, Rafe flipped over the photo. The smiling photo of Lucy and her husband, Kevin, that he'd admired earlier greeted him again.
"Kevin, Lucy's husband, he must be some sort of doctor. Maybe he can help me," he mused. "I mean, anything's worth a shot, right?"
Rafe stood, eager to contact his new relatives. He grabbed his coat, which he'd draped over the leather desk chair by the door, and headed to the front door. Moments before he arrived there, though, he rethought his plan.
Reaching into his pants pocket, he pulled out an old fashioned pocket watch. Rafe pushed a tiny button, releasing the watch's golden faceplate.
What time was it? 11:45 PM.
"Lucy and Kevin have those little kids," he realized. "They're probably already asleep, and she and her husband probably want some time alone, or maybe they're asleep, too."
Rafe shrugged.
"I should probably wait 'til the morning to visit them, like Alison told me. That way they'll be expecting me. It's just- I'm so excited!"
It was true. Rafe could barely contain himself. His body was exhausted, but his mind wouldn't dare let him rest. There was no possible way he was going to sleep anytime soon...
I lie awake
I drive myself crazy
Drive myself crazy
Thinking of you
-'N Sync, "Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)"
Sighing, Rafe flopped down on the family room couch. Rubbing his tired eyes with his fingertips, he reflected back on his day.
It had all started with an innocent quest for some exercise and a bit of fresh air, but his walk led him to Alison, the possible key to unlocking his past.
She shared a bit of good information with him - He had a home and a family in Port Charles - and then left to give him some space and time to investigate his new surroundings and collect his thoughts.
Next he'd called Livvie, who he though would share in his joy. She didn't, though. He couldn't understand why. Wasn't this what she'd wanted, him to remember everything? Her pessimistic reaction and emphatic denials made no sense. Rafe knew she was keeping something from him.
He might have lost his memory, but his slayer senses were not completely gone. He still had his wits, and he knew that they would eventually lead him to the truth, the truth about everything.
Suddenly, Rafe had an idea...
***
"Okay," Rafe told himself. "This is it, the moment of truth."
The framed photos from the mantelpiece lay facedown on the coffee table before him, laid out in a row.
"Alright, Alison said that these pictures were of my cousins: Lucy, Kevin, Christina, and Serena. Livvie said, though..."
Rafe scratched his head.
"...that they were just models used to sell frames. The question now is: Who was right?"
Rafe silently unscrewed the black felt backing of each frame. Then, taking a deep breath, he lifted them, one-by-one.
"My God, Alison was right," he murmured, staring down in amazement.
The backs of three photographs sat before him.
Were they simply factory-issued standards, designed to sell picture frames?
No, they were not. They were his family!
'Serena, age 8, 2001,' read the leftmost one in blue ink.
'Christina, age 1, 1999,' was scrawled across the one on the right.
The most enlightening photo, however, rested in between the other two.
'My dearest Lucy,
Here's hoping we're this happy together forever.
Love always,
Doc.'
"Doc?" Rafe asked himself quizzically, unconsciously rubbing the hair on his chin.
Replacing the soft black backing, Rafe flipped over the photo. The smiling photo of Lucy and her husband, Kevin, that he'd admired earlier greeted him again.
"Kevin, Lucy's husband, he must be some sort of doctor. Maybe he can help me," he mused. "I mean, anything's worth a shot, right?"
Rafe stood, eager to contact his new relatives. He grabbed his coat, which he'd draped over the leather desk chair by the door, and headed to the front door. Moments before he arrived there, though, he rethought his plan.
Reaching into his pants pocket, he pulled out an old fashioned pocket watch. Rafe pushed a tiny button, releasing the watch's golden faceplate.
What time was it? 11:45 PM.
"Lucy and Kevin have those little kids," he realized. "They're probably already asleep, and she and her husband probably want some time alone, or maybe they're asleep, too."
Rafe shrugged.
"I should probably wait 'til the morning to visit them, like Alison told me. That way they'll be expecting me. It's just- I'm so excited!"
It was true. Rafe could barely contain himself. His body was exhausted, but his mind wouldn't dare let him rest. There was no possible way he was going to sleep anytime soon...