A/N: I'm having trouble moving forward. Every day that I watch The Gift I
want to scream. I had originally planned to keep other characters more
involved with the story but I'm desperate for Rali happiness. So here you
go, if I have to write them happy every other chapter so be it. Wedding's
coming soon - it's all written and not the stupid one TIIC give us either.
Until 21 - Enjoy! xox - G
Chapter Twenty
Caleb was more than content to just wait it out. He wondered how long it would take. Abby clearly was terrified of him.
Good, he thought with a wicked grin. Even though she amused him with her serious face and her headstrong ways, people who take what does not belong to them deserve what they get in return.
This is what he had been seeking, the power, the way he could control all around him, with or without the ring. He enjoyed every minute of this; he was back to his old self again. He thought again of Abby. Her defiance, then her shock and the fear he could feel hum around her as he stood nearby. How and when he would get back what was his was the only mystery now. There was nothing else to worry about.
Livvie couldn't believe Caleb still hadn't told her a thing about where he was. She wanted to ask him - but was sure he wouldn't tell her. He barely spoke to her at all today.
She stood across the room and watched him work, scribbling lyrics on a legal pad, strumming his guitar. She'd never known of his love for music before, or his talent. He constantly surprised her.
Some surprises she enjoyed, others made her crazy.
What was going on in his mind? The fact that she had no idea made her more furious by the second. They were supposed to be partners. What was he thinking about - or could it be who? Could he be seeing someone else?
Just the suggestion made her insane.
She had asked him point blank if he had found the ring and he had said no. Since he wasn't wearing it she believed him. The best way - the only way she could currently think of to prove to him that she would not ever betray him again was to find the ring herself.
She could do it. She knew she could.
***********
"Alison." Rafe began, trying to untangle himself from her. It was not easy to do - specifically because he wanted nothing more than to stay here forever.
She ignored him and snuggled closer.
He kissed her temple and again tried to move. Her arms tightened around him.
"Alison."
"Don't go." She said as she kissed the side of his neck and pressed herself closer to him.
"umm. Oh. Ok, Alison." She was making this so difficult. "You know I don't want to leave." He promised as he moved to sit up.
"Then don't." she said, trying to pull him back.
"We have a business to run, you know." He said, leaning in to kiss her
"Whose idea was that?" she said pouting as he pulled away.
"Mine. I guess" he said laughing.
"Did I agree to that?" she asked with a smile.
"I think you did."
"Well, I'm reconsidering." Alison stated as she pulled him towards her again.
"Are you going to try and trick me again?" He asked.
"What?" Alison's voice was full of innocence.
His eyes squinted as he looked at her, daring her to tell him the truth. "You know. Are you going to pretend to be mad again so I'll try and make up with you?"
"I have no idea what you could be talking about, Rafe Kovich." She said, averting her eyes from his. Whoops. He caught her. "I would never do such a thing."
"Never?" he asked grinning from ear to ear.
"Never, ever, never in a million years." She said, kissing him between each word to make sure he got her point.
"That's too bad." Rafe laughed. "That's one of the things I love most about you."
"That you think that I might possibly trick you into making up with me?"
"Yes," He laughed again "That and making up with you." He took her face in his hands and placed his mouth on hers.
Alison sighed. "Rafe, if you are trying to get me to let you leave this bed and go to work, I have to tell you - you are going about it all the wrong way." She ran her hands up his arms to his shoulders, pulling him closer.
"Alison."
"OK." Alison reluctantly pulled away. "I'll let you go on one condition."
"OK." He agreed as he kissed her again.
"Tell me about Cameron."
"What?"
"Why is he here, how long can he stay?"
"I have no idea." He answered honestly.
"Rafe - you just spent like 15 minutes talking to him - what on earth did you talk about?"
Rafe laughed at himself as he answered, "Clothes."
Alison thought she must have heard him wrong. "Excuse me?"
"Never mind. Alison, really. I have no idea what's going on. He's here to help her. That's all I know."
"She's in trouble?" Alison asked, her voice full of worry.
"Yeah. But that's all he said."
"What kind of trouble? Who would ever try and hurt her? Rafe, I just found her." Alison began to panic. "I can't let something happen to her."
"I know - I know." Rafe tried to calm her, "Whatever it is, we'll figure it out and keep her safe."
"Promise?" she asked, just the thought of him looking out for her sister making her start to relax .
"Promise." He said, as he, most reluctantly, got out of bed to start the day.
Chapter Twenty
Caleb was more than content to just wait it out. He wondered how long it would take. Abby clearly was terrified of him.
Good, he thought with a wicked grin. Even though she amused him with her serious face and her headstrong ways, people who take what does not belong to them deserve what they get in return.
This is what he had been seeking, the power, the way he could control all around him, with or without the ring. He enjoyed every minute of this; he was back to his old self again. He thought again of Abby. Her defiance, then her shock and the fear he could feel hum around her as he stood nearby. How and when he would get back what was his was the only mystery now. There was nothing else to worry about.
Livvie couldn't believe Caleb still hadn't told her a thing about where he was. She wanted to ask him - but was sure he wouldn't tell her. He barely spoke to her at all today.
She stood across the room and watched him work, scribbling lyrics on a legal pad, strumming his guitar. She'd never known of his love for music before, or his talent. He constantly surprised her.
Some surprises she enjoyed, others made her crazy.
What was going on in his mind? The fact that she had no idea made her more furious by the second. They were supposed to be partners. What was he thinking about - or could it be who? Could he be seeing someone else?
Just the suggestion made her insane.
She had asked him point blank if he had found the ring and he had said no. Since he wasn't wearing it she believed him. The best way - the only way she could currently think of to prove to him that she would not ever betray him again was to find the ring herself.
She could do it. She knew she could.
***********
"Alison." Rafe began, trying to untangle himself from her. It was not easy to do - specifically because he wanted nothing more than to stay here forever.
She ignored him and snuggled closer.
He kissed her temple and again tried to move. Her arms tightened around him.
"Alison."
"Don't go." She said as she kissed the side of his neck and pressed herself closer to him.
"umm. Oh. Ok, Alison." She was making this so difficult. "You know I don't want to leave." He promised as he moved to sit up.
"Then don't." she said, trying to pull him back.
"We have a business to run, you know." He said, leaning in to kiss her
"Whose idea was that?" she said pouting as he pulled away.
"Mine. I guess" he said laughing.
"Did I agree to that?" she asked with a smile.
"I think you did."
"Well, I'm reconsidering." Alison stated as she pulled him towards her again.
"Are you going to try and trick me again?" He asked.
"What?" Alison's voice was full of innocence.
His eyes squinted as he looked at her, daring her to tell him the truth. "You know. Are you going to pretend to be mad again so I'll try and make up with you?"
"I have no idea what you could be talking about, Rafe Kovich." She said, averting her eyes from his. Whoops. He caught her. "I would never do such a thing."
"Never?" he asked grinning from ear to ear.
"Never, ever, never in a million years." She said, kissing him between each word to make sure he got her point.
"That's too bad." Rafe laughed. "That's one of the things I love most about you."
"That you think that I might possibly trick you into making up with me?"
"Yes," He laughed again "That and making up with you." He took her face in his hands and placed his mouth on hers.
Alison sighed. "Rafe, if you are trying to get me to let you leave this bed and go to work, I have to tell you - you are going about it all the wrong way." She ran her hands up his arms to his shoulders, pulling him closer.
"Alison."
"OK." Alison reluctantly pulled away. "I'll let you go on one condition."
"OK." He agreed as he kissed her again.
"Tell me about Cameron."
"What?"
"Why is he here, how long can he stay?"
"I have no idea." He answered honestly.
"Rafe - you just spent like 15 minutes talking to him - what on earth did you talk about?"
Rafe laughed at himself as he answered, "Clothes."
Alison thought she must have heard him wrong. "Excuse me?"
"Never mind. Alison, really. I have no idea what's going on. He's here to help her. That's all I know."
"She's in trouble?" Alison asked, her voice full of worry.
"Yeah. But that's all he said."
"What kind of trouble? Who would ever try and hurt her? Rafe, I just found her." Alison began to panic. "I can't let something happen to her."
"I know - I know." Rafe tried to calm her, "Whatever it is, we'll figure it out and keep her safe."
"Promise?" she asked, just the thought of him looking out for her sister making her start to relax .
"Promise." He said, as he, most reluctantly, got out of bed to start the day.