A/N: OK. Here goes. By way of explanation - I listened to the lyrics of Fallen (by Sarah McLachlan) and I thought of Rali - more specifically, the situation any Rali fan was left with at the end. Since NE I've had a BIG problem w/Ali's willingness to trust Caleb in any way, and I especially had a problem with that whole sibling fiasco. So. Here's my inspiration. I'd say enjoy but you (my Triplets in particular) better wait till the ending. ;) xox-G
Chapter One
She was numb. Feeling anything had become so painful that she'd rather feel nothing at all. If it weren't for the child she carried she was sure she'd take something to make it all go away.
She paced the room where she lived now – in the mansion with her grandmother. Though surrounded by luxury it all meant nothing. Without him she could barely breathe – watching his face as he learned the truth made her heart shatter in a million pieces. He was angry at her – unbelievably angry and she knew that she deserved it.
When Rafe learned the truth – the impossible happened. He unleashed his anger at her.
His words were uncharacteristically vicious. The things he accused her of were unthinkable. He said that she had planned it all along – to destroy him. Nothing could be further from the truth but there was no reasoning with him.
Sitting there alone she remembered, the sound of his words still ringing in her ears, the look in his eyes burned on her brain. She shivered as the scene played out again in her mind.
"Tell me this isn't true." He said, his eyes pleading with her.
"I…" She sobbed.
Rafe crossed the room and couldn't quite bring himself to hold her in his arms, his mind racing, his blood boiling. "Alison. Please. Tell me you didn't. Tell me that this is a trick - a plan he has just to make me go crazy. Tell me."
He keep talking, his voice shaking with hurt and rage, "Because, what I just saw - that couldn't have happened. Right? Because - you love me. You would never let him anywhere near you."
"Rafe - please. It was Livvie's wish…" She tried to speak.
"Let me understand this. You are saying that this actually happened? You're telling me you were with Caleb - in our place. You made love with him. That's what you are telling me."
She shook her head, "No - I didn't."
"So what I saw was a trick?" He asked, still suspicious.
She was through trying to hide the truth, "No. I was with him Rafe - it's true - but I did not make love to him Rafe. I - we - it wasn't like that."
He grabbed her by the arms and started to shake her. He was beside himself, "What was it like - Alison? Huh? Tell me - what was it like? Did you enjoy it?"
She brought her hand to touch his face, "Rafe - no. Stop please. I only want you. I only ever wanted you."
He swatted her hand away, "Except when I'm away and then any old vampire will do."
Stunned, she tried to make him understand, "You're not being fair. I never meant for it to happen. It's not like I wanted it to happen - I was under a spell - I couldn't stop it."
Rafe looked at her - his face full of realization. "And Joshua drugged you so you tried to stab me to death. It's all making sense now. This really started a year ago. When that bastard first came back. He tried to be your friend, turned and married your mother. He told you we were related. You chose him over me then too. I should have seen this coming."
Alison shook her head no and tried again to grab hold of him. This can't happen. She thought desperately. "Rafe…"
"I let myself fall in love with you - I let my guard down and you became my weakness. I let him kill me once and now he's done it again."
He stared at her with hatred in those eyes that once only looked at her with love. "This time - I'm not so lucky. I don't get to die. I get to walk around here - watching you - watching him with you - because you know he won't leave you alone - not now that you're carrying his child." Rafe chuckled bitterly, "This was brilliant. He worked really hard on this one."
"Rafe - just listen to yourself. You can't mean what you're saying. This baby belongs to us. To you and to me." As she spoke she had to fight the uneasiness she felt in the pit of her stomach as she tried to convince him what she said was true. "Do you honestly believe that I was planning this? That Caleb and I teamed up to get to you?"
"You mean you didn't?" He asked, sarcastically.
"No." She was stunned by his reaction. He didn't really believe what he was saying. He was hurt - that was all. She didn't blame him - but she never expected this.
"C'mon - Alison. Let's be honest with each other. You remember honesty - don't you?" She staggered backwards, his words stinging like a slap to the face. "You wanted to believe in him. You let yourself be taken over by him and he used you - just like he uses Livvie. Except - Livvie couldn't give him a child - so he chose you. And there I was - falling into the trap - believing when you said you loved me…"
"Rafe. Stop. Please. I do - I love you."
"You loved me enough to sleep with my sworn enemy." He stared at her, his gaze icy. "Love like that - I don't need."
"You don't mean that." Alison said, her voice choked with tears. "Rafe, please." She grabbed at his hands.
He pulled them from her grip and turned away.
She remembered how she'd left him that night, packing up what she could carry and slipping away quietly, leaving a note telling him where he could find her - not knowing if he'd even want to.
He lived alone now – above the gym – his days spent venting his anger but punching the bag for hours – his nights spent sleepless – because even though she'd wounded him in every way possible – the memories of his life with her still haunted him.
After she left he sought him out, desperate to fight. Caleb just stood there calmly, relishing in the fact that he'd gotten to him, chuckling when Rafe tried to throw punches, desperate to inflict pain, trying in vain to somehow make someone else feel the same way he did.
Afterward, he didn't feel any better. He was bruised and battered as well as broken hearted.
He remembered the day when she'd told him she was pregnant. They had both been ecstatic, staying up all night, spinning dreams of the future. Even now there were times that he'd get a flash of what it had been like being with her. He'd see clearly the moment he first fell in love with her, remember their first kiss, the look on her face when he finally remembered. Every time he did, for a few brief moments he wanted to go to her. And then, before he could, he'd see an image of her with his enemy, in that very same place and of how he'd taunted him when he'd told him the child Alison carried belonged to him instead.
The one person who knew both their stories was Lucy. She gently meddled enough to keep an eye on both of them. It made her so sad to see them both in the states they were in. Rafe was too hurt to see straight and Alison felt too guilty to come anywhere near him. She checked in as often as she could – but it had been far too long. They'd been apart for months and if something wasn't done soon – they might never be together again.