Chapter Nine
God bless Lucy, she was trying hard, really - but it was such a beautiful day that Alison just wanted to get outside of some fresh air for like five minutes. It was no use. She had promised Rafe, she wouldn't leave here without him.
Sometime, in the middle of the night, she had thought she felt him in the room with her, could almost feel him place a soft kiss on her cheek. Remembering now, she had tried to wake up, and fought desperately to open her eyes, but she was too far under.
When she woke, she thought it must have been a dream.
A few minutes later, she knew for sure that he'd actually been there. On the floor near the edge of the bed, she found a bag packed full of her favorite things. She smiled as she began to unpack and was happier still when she found his sweet note inside, saying, as only he could, just how much he loved her.
She still held the note in her hands now, reading the words over and over as she paced back and forth in the living room. She was completely bored out of her mind. That was never a good thing, because when she was bored, she started to worry.
Where was he? Her mind started racing, her imagination running wild. The possibilities scared her to death. Was he at the hospital - guarding Caleb? Or had he gone after Joshua? She just hoped Ian was with him. Because, if he was trying to do this all alone..
The doorbell rang - pushing the thoughts away for a moment. Her heart soared. Maybe -- maybe it was Rafe. The mere possibility had Alison rushing to go to answer it. But Lucy was already there, and wouldn't let her anywhere close to the door.
"Don't you dare, little missy. If that's someone who's here to get at you, my darling cousin will have my head."
She peered through the peephole and turned back to Alison, making a strange face.
"Well, I guess it's safe. It's your mother."
"Oh God. Let her in" Alison sighed.
"Are you sure?" Lucy asked, with a wicked smile.
"No - but do it anyway." Alison laughed, then. At least she'd be a distraction. Or the bearer of more bad news. You never knew with Elizabeth.
Rafe really must love me - Alison thought with a smile - if he's willing to put up with my mother too.
Elizabeth breezed in - waltzing past Lucy without even a glance. "Alison! Sweetheart, where have you been?"
"I've been right here, Mother. At Lucy's. You know, Lucy, who you just rudely ignored as she opened the door for you?'
"Well, I've been so worried. I'm so glad I finally found you" Elizabeth continued, pulling Alison into a quick hug.
Lucy looked at them from the doorway. It was clear, Elizabeth really did love Alison. That much she could see. But, it often got lost in the woman's horrible self-centeredness.
Lucy sighed and began to walk back into the room. As she did, she felt the need to lift a hand to the bandage on her head again. She knew that explosion had knocked her out, but how could she still be so dizzy? It was really starting to concern her. If this kept up, she really would need to tell Ian. Not wanting to believe what she already suspected, she shook it off and walked over to the couch, where Elizabeth continued to babble on.
"---- and so I needed to find you - because, well. I can't believe he can still get to me like that." Elizabeth was saying to Alison, who looked a bit confused.
"Mother, who in the world are you talking about? Not.Oh my God. Not Caleb!"
"Of course I'm talking about Caleb. Who else?"
"Please. No. What did you do?" Alison stared at her mother in disgust.
"Well, he was being so sweet, he said he only ever wanted be with me. He promised me that if I helped him we'd go away together." she said sheepishly. "So I did it, I helped him get out of there. And he just went ahead and left me. God, I'm such an idiot!"
"Well, you finally got something right." Lucy shot back at her. "Elizabeth, my God! How could you do that? After all we've been trying to do to fix this."
"Please - stop, no you can't be serious. Are you trying to ruin everything?" Alison said, her voice full of disappointment and anger.
"Please - both of you -- don't attack me! I'm so sorry. I just, he just, well, he can be so incredibly seductive. I thought I'd be able to resist him now that he's just a man, but well..it seems that even now he's not much different."
"Mother, I can't even believe this. I asked you, I begged you, to stay away from him. And you wondered why I would ever lock you up in the bathroom!! Sometimes, my God, I seriously have doubts that I'm actually your child. It seems much more like it's the other way around." Alison's voice began to shake as she continued, " I have to go call Rafe, and I have to tell him that because of you - on top of everything else he's worried about - that he's got to find Caleb now too. Do you not realize how much danger you've just put him in - and really - come to think of it - not just him - but all of us?"
Thinking of having to tell Rafe this latest news brought her nearly to tears. Alison got up from the couch and ran out of the living room.
"Elizabeth, I think it'd be best if you go now." Lucy walked over and opened the door, surprised find someone was already standing on the other side, his hand poised to knock.
"Oh, Frank. Hi!" Lucy said with a smile.
"Am I interrupting something?" Frank asked.
"No, not at all. Elizabeth was just leaving."
Elizabeth glared at Lucy and grabbing her purse, stormed out the door.
"Ta!" Lucy said happily as she flew past.
Frank watched it all transpire with definite interest. His job just got so much easier.
"C'mon in. It's nice to see you. You haven't been around much." Lucy said as she gestured for Frank to sit down.
"Well, I've been really busy lately." He said as he remained standing.
Lucy crossed in front of him and turned to face him, her voice cheery and light. "Well, that's good, I guess. What can I do for you?
His next words were the last she expected to hear.
"Well. I'm actually looking for Alison. She's here, isn't she?"
Lucy looked at him, at first puzzled and then with eyes full of fear.
"N-n-no. She's not. Why would you think that?"
"Don't lie to me Lucy. Now, I don't want to hurt you. I'm just here for Alison." His eyes began to take on an eerie glow.
The truth hit her nearly with the force of a runaway train.
"Oh my God, Frank. No. I can't believe it. They've gotten to you." Lucy said sadly.
"Where's Alison?" Frank asked again, his voice sounding nearly like a hiss.
And as if her timing couldn't be worse, at just that moment, Alison walked back into the room. She was staring at the cell phone she held in her hand.
"I called him, twice. He's not picking up the phone." Alison said with a worried voice as she looked up to see Frank and Lucy standing there.
"Hi, Frank! Oh, you know what? I'm so glad you're here. Maybe you can take a look at Lucy. She's been feeling faint all day."
"What? No, Alison, please, don't be silly, I'm OK. Really. You know what? Why don't you go into the kitchen and get Frank a drink of water." Lucy said, her voice nearly shaking.
Alison looked at Lucy strangely. "No - it Lucy, you're obviously not fine." She stepped in between the two of them then, turning to smile up at Frank. "Just check her out quickly won't you? I'm really worried about her."
I can't let this happen, Lucy thought desperately, as she moved to try and push Alison behind her back, a belated attempt to keep her safe. As she tried, Alison stumbled slightly, and wound up pushing Lucy into Frank, instead. Lucy's last thought was how in the world he had gotten past her in the first place. None of her slayer instincts had kicked in until it was far too late. As she bumped into him, Frank promptly took Lucy by the shoulders and threw her crashing to the ground.
Alison found her balance and turned around in shock. "Oh my God, Frank, how could you do that to her---" His hand reached out and caught and tightened around her wrist, carelessly bruising her flesh. Her voice trailed off in horror as she saw him bare his fangs. No, she thought, nearly paralyzed with fear. Her worst nightmare was threatening to come true before her eyes. She began to cry softly, "Oh my God.Oh God.Rafe, please, no!!" She twisted herself sharply and pulled her arm from him with all her might. She had to break free and get away. Alison struck out at Frank blindly, almost every blow she tried to give him missing completely. She finally stomped as hard as she could on his foot, stunning him, but just briefly. She nearly got past him, but despite her best efforts, she was not quite quick enough. Frank managed to grab a hold of her again, this time placing a hand across her mouth to stifle her pleas for him to let her go. As he pulled her to him roughly, both the phone and the note from Rafe, finally broke free of her grasp and fell softly to the floor below.
The last of her hope fell with them as she heard Frank's voice speak harshly in her ear.
"Alison, just stop fighting and be quiet. You're coming with me."
God bless Lucy, she was trying hard, really - but it was such a beautiful day that Alison just wanted to get outside of some fresh air for like five minutes. It was no use. She had promised Rafe, she wouldn't leave here without him.
Sometime, in the middle of the night, she had thought she felt him in the room with her, could almost feel him place a soft kiss on her cheek. Remembering now, she had tried to wake up, and fought desperately to open her eyes, but she was too far under.
When she woke, she thought it must have been a dream.
A few minutes later, she knew for sure that he'd actually been there. On the floor near the edge of the bed, she found a bag packed full of her favorite things. She smiled as she began to unpack and was happier still when she found his sweet note inside, saying, as only he could, just how much he loved her.
She still held the note in her hands now, reading the words over and over as she paced back and forth in the living room. She was completely bored out of her mind. That was never a good thing, because when she was bored, she started to worry.
Where was he? Her mind started racing, her imagination running wild. The possibilities scared her to death. Was he at the hospital - guarding Caleb? Or had he gone after Joshua? She just hoped Ian was with him. Because, if he was trying to do this all alone..
The doorbell rang - pushing the thoughts away for a moment. Her heart soared. Maybe -- maybe it was Rafe. The mere possibility had Alison rushing to go to answer it. But Lucy was already there, and wouldn't let her anywhere close to the door.
"Don't you dare, little missy. If that's someone who's here to get at you, my darling cousin will have my head."
She peered through the peephole and turned back to Alison, making a strange face.
"Well, I guess it's safe. It's your mother."
"Oh God. Let her in" Alison sighed.
"Are you sure?" Lucy asked, with a wicked smile.
"No - but do it anyway." Alison laughed, then. At least she'd be a distraction. Or the bearer of more bad news. You never knew with Elizabeth.
Rafe really must love me - Alison thought with a smile - if he's willing to put up with my mother too.
Elizabeth breezed in - waltzing past Lucy without even a glance. "Alison! Sweetheart, where have you been?"
"I've been right here, Mother. At Lucy's. You know, Lucy, who you just rudely ignored as she opened the door for you?'
"Well, I've been so worried. I'm so glad I finally found you" Elizabeth continued, pulling Alison into a quick hug.
Lucy looked at them from the doorway. It was clear, Elizabeth really did love Alison. That much she could see. But, it often got lost in the woman's horrible self-centeredness.
Lucy sighed and began to walk back into the room. As she did, she felt the need to lift a hand to the bandage on her head again. She knew that explosion had knocked her out, but how could she still be so dizzy? It was really starting to concern her. If this kept up, she really would need to tell Ian. Not wanting to believe what she already suspected, she shook it off and walked over to the couch, where Elizabeth continued to babble on.
"---- and so I needed to find you - because, well. I can't believe he can still get to me like that." Elizabeth was saying to Alison, who looked a bit confused.
"Mother, who in the world are you talking about? Not.Oh my God. Not Caleb!"
"Of course I'm talking about Caleb. Who else?"
"Please. No. What did you do?" Alison stared at her mother in disgust.
"Well, he was being so sweet, he said he only ever wanted be with me. He promised me that if I helped him we'd go away together." she said sheepishly. "So I did it, I helped him get out of there. And he just went ahead and left me. God, I'm such an idiot!"
"Well, you finally got something right." Lucy shot back at her. "Elizabeth, my God! How could you do that? After all we've been trying to do to fix this."
"Please - stop, no you can't be serious. Are you trying to ruin everything?" Alison said, her voice full of disappointment and anger.
"Please - both of you -- don't attack me! I'm so sorry. I just, he just, well, he can be so incredibly seductive. I thought I'd be able to resist him now that he's just a man, but well..it seems that even now he's not much different."
"Mother, I can't even believe this. I asked you, I begged you, to stay away from him. And you wondered why I would ever lock you up in the bathroom!! Sometimes, my God, I seriously have doubts that I'm actually your child. It seems much more like it's the other way around." Alison's voice began to shake as she continued, " I have to go call Rafe, and I have to tell him that because of you - on top of everything else he's worried about - that he's got to find Caleb now too. Do you not realize how much danger you've just put him in - and really - come to think of it - not just him - but all of us?"
Thinking of having to tell Rafe this latest news brought her nearly to tears. Alison got up from the couch and ran out of the living room.
"Elizabeth, I think it'd be best if you go now." Lucy walked over and opened the door, surprised find someone was already standing on the other side, his hand poised to knock.
"Oh, Frank. Hi!" Lucy said with a smile.
"Am I interrupting something?" Frank asked.
"No, not at all. Elizabeth was just leaving."
Elizabeth glared at Lucy and grabbing her purse, stormed out the door.
"Ta!" Lucy said happily as she flew past.
Frank watched it all transpire with definite interest. His job just got so much easier.
"C'mon in. It's nice to see you. You haven't been around much." Lucy said as she gestured for Frank to sit down.
"Well, I've been really busy lately." He said as he remained standing.
Lucy crossed in front of him and turned to face him, her voice cheery and light. "Well, that's good, I guess. What can I do for you?
His next words were the last she expected to hear.
"Well. I'm actually looking for Alison. She's here, isn't she?"
Lucy looked at him, at first puzzled and then with eyes full of fear.
"N-n-no. She's not. Why would you think that?"
"Don't lie to me Lucy. Now, I don't want to hurt you. I'm just here for Alison." His eyes began to take on an eerie glow.
The truth hit her nearly with the force of a runaway train.
"Oh my God, Frank. No. I can't believe it. They've gotten to you." Lucy said sadly.
"Where's Alison?" Frank asked again, his voice sounding nearly like a hiss.
And as if her timing couldn't be worse, at just that moment, Alison walked back into the room. She was staring at the cell phone she held in her hand.
"I called him, twice. He's not picking up the phone." Alison said with a worried voice as she looked up to see Frank and Lucy standing there.
"Hi, Frank! Oh, you know what? I'm so glad you're here. Maybe you can take a look at Lucy. She's been feeling faint all day."
"What? No, Alison, please, don't be silly, I'm OK. Really. You know what? Why don't you go into the kitchen and get Frank a drink of water." Lucy said, her voice nearly shaking.
Alison looked at Lucy strangely. "No - it Lucy, you're obviously not fine." She stepped in between the two of them then, turning to smile up at Frank. "Just check her out quickly won't you? I'm really worried about her."
I can't let this happen, Lucy thought desperately, as she moved to try and push Alison behind her back, a belated attempt to keep her safe. As she tried, Alison stumbled slightly, and wound up pushing Lucy into Frank, instead. Lucy's last thought was how in the world he had gotten past her in the first place. None of her slayer instincts had kicked in until it was far too late. As she bumped into him, Frank promptly took Lucy by the shoulders and threw her crashing to the ground.
Alison found her balance and turned around in shock. "Oh my God, Frank, how could you do that to her---" His hand reached out and caught and tightened around her wrist, carelessly bruising her flesh. Her voice trailed off in horror as she saw him bare his fangs. No, she thought, nearly paralyzed with fear. Her worst nightmare was threatening to come true before her eyes. She began to cry softly, "Oh my God.Oh God.Rafe, please, no!!" She twisted herself sharply and pulled her arm from him with all her might. She had to break free and get away. Alison struck out at Frank blindly, almost every blow she tried to give him missing completely. She finally stomped as hard as she could on his foot, stunning him, but just briefly. She nearly got past him, but despite her best efforts, she was not quite quick enough. Frank managed to grab a hold of her again, this time placing a hand across her mouth to stifle her pleas for him to let her go. As he pulled her to him roughly, both the phone and the note from Rafe, finally broke free of her grasp and fell softly to the floor below.
The last of her hope fell with them as she heard Frank's voice speak harshly in her ear.
"Alison, just stop fighting and be quiet. You're coming with me."