A/N: Hi all-I must have caught something this weekend because I've felt
crummy all day. So enjoy this chapter-maybe next time I'll have more to
say in this part. Until next time-PCGirl.
~~~~~~~~
Alison walked into Lucy's with Rafe, "Hey, anyone home?" she asked, then seeing the blonde sitting on the couch. "Oh, sorry we didn't know Lucy had company," she said as they turned back around.
"Alison," said Kate in a jokingly-hurtful voice.
"Kate!" she said as she ran to the couch and the two embraced. "How are you? What are you doing here?"
"I am here on a somewhat business matter. Frank needs my help with Neil."
"What happened with Neil?" asked Rafe as Ian walked into the living room. He walked over and handed the key to Ian.
"Frank said he would meet you at the Recovery Room in an hour, Kate," said Ian taking the key and putting it back on his key ring, playing with it for a second before putting it in his pocket.
"Well, I better be going. I promise we will get together soon, I've got so much catching up to do," she said giving Alison a hug before leaving.
--------
"Hi," said Lucy as Kevin opened the door and picked up Christina.
"Hi Lucy," he said as he walked back to the living room and Lucy shut the door. "And how are you doing today sweetie?"
"Mommy and I are going to see Santa later. Yesterday Frank came and visited us."
"Really?" he said looking at Lucy who mouthed the word Courtney. He just nodded and looked back at his daughter, "Well, I've got a surprise for you. I'm going out of town in a few days, and won't be back for Christmas so I was going to let you open your presents yourself. How does that sound?"
"Yay!" she said as she jumped up and down.
-------
Karissa sat in her hotel room in Silverhill Alabama with Jamal's cell phone in her hand. This was too easy, she thought to herself. If she had known this was all she was going to have to do she would have just bypassed the whole trying to seduce Rafe thing long ago. She found his cell phone number listed and began to dial, happy when she heard the voice mail pick up. She took a breath, and left the message-her voice practically matching that of Jamal's. Once she hung up she laid back on the bed, grinning at her plan that she had set in motion.
------
"Frank," smiled Kate as she stood up and shook his hand. "I know this is strange-to be meeting with me at the Pizza Shack, but when I went by the Recovery Room--."
"Yeah, uhm, don't ask about that," he chuckled. "I'm so glad you are willing to meet with me."
"Anything for my favorite residents. It's nice being back in this town, but it seems different now."
"Yeah, it is. A lot has changed and it's really hard to explain. Anyways, about Neil-I don't know how strong of a case I have really. She's raised him his whole life, but then a month ago he shows up on my doorstep. We called her, and she said she had some stuff that was going on and for me to take care of him. Yesterday she comes by and takes him back. It's not fair to him."
"No, it's not at all fair. Did Neil want to go with her yesterday?"
"He wanted to stay with me. Since Karen's death," he said as a look of surprise came across her face, "I've been really down. Then when Neil showed up it showed that I had another reason to keep living. Something else he said-he mentioned he's been in a lot of school's since he left here at the end of 2000."
"Alright, here's where we will start-I'm going to take a look and see how many school's he has been in. If it's more than 3 then that will definitely be something to bring up. Now Frank, there is one big thing against your part. Ian told me you aren't working anymore-not as a paramedic or at the," she said looking at her notes, "Elixir. You need to have a good steady job. Try and get your job back as a paramedic and fast. I'll call you later with any news I have."
"Thanks Kate," he said as she walked off and he decided what he had to do about a job.
------
"Alright pumpkinhead, we're just going to go out here for a bit. You go play with your toys, ok?" said Lucy as her and Kevin went out on the balcony, closing the door behind them. "Thanks for doing that, Kevin."
"It's no problem, I just wanted her to be able to enjoy a little bit of Christmas with her family-even if it is early."
"So where are you headed off to?"
"Nowhere special, just a meeting in Atlanta. I'll be back probably the 27th or so. If you need me back earlier than that just call-I'll have my cell phone on."
"Well, I hope you get to enjoy yourself some also."
"I plan on it Lucy."
---------
"Hey Frank," said Jack as he saw him walk in the door. "What can I get you today?"
"A soda will be fine. So how has business been lately?" he said looking around and not seeing many customers.
"It's been slowing down a lot."
"Well, I've got a business proposition to make, Ramsey. How would you feel about turning this place back into the Recovery Room? You would get the older customers back, those that may be intimidated by the vampire lifestyle. Give me twenty-five percent of the business, that way we can both work with each other to, you know, make it into what it was in its heyday. You'll still have final say in all workings though, as you own most of the business."
"I can't pass up a business proposition, but first tell me why you want to do this all of a sudden."
"It's all about Neil. Courtney took him back, and I'm going to fight for him this time. I let Lucy and Kevin raise my girl without a fight, and now he's all I have to fight for. Kate says I need a good job-what more than being partial owner in a business, but still have the ability to be there for him with school activities and such."
"Let me get back to you, Frank," said Jack as he went to go help another customer.
--------
"Wow, I feel so bad for Frank," said Alison as Ian finished telling what he knew.
"Yeah, I mean he's finally feeling like he's getting his life together and another blow hits him."
"Everything is going to be fine though, Kate is going to find a way to make it all work out-she always does," she said as she looked at Rafe who had a puzzled look on his face. "Rafe?"
"Oh, sorry. I just noticed I had a message on my cell phone. I never heard it ring," he said as he listened to it.
"Hey man, it's Jamal. Listen, I need some help in Alabama with a werewolf. Can you meet me here? Jack knows the directions to the Café. Thanks."
"Well, who was it?" she asked looking at him.
"It sounded like Jamal with a cold."
"That boy never gets sick. What did he want?"
"Help with a werewolf. But you know what, he can take care of himself I'm sure. Who knows when that message was left anyways," he said putting the phone back in his pocket.
"No, Rafe. It's Jamal and he's our friend. Just like Ian here-we don't abandon our friends when they need us," said a possessive Alison.
"Fine, I guess I'm going to Alabama."
---------
"Give your Daddy a big hug," said Lucy as she finished putting the gifts in the car.
Christina went over and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, "I'll miss you, Daddy," she said.
"I'll miss you too, but I'll be home soon. And then I'll get to see what all Santa brought you."
"Take care Lucy."
"You too, Kevin," she said as she got Christina and went to see Santa again.
------
After the talk with Jack he had gone for a walk. He kept walking until he ended up in front of Karen's grave. Kneeling down he began to speak, "I know you are watching over me right now. And I'm trying to do what is right Karen. You always saw the good in me, and if I can just get Neil back from Courtney-which I know you would like as you two never did care for each other-I'll promise to raise him the best I can. I always thought you brought out the best in me, and you always did, but now I don't have you-I have my son. Please just let someone up there help me keep my son-he's all I have and all I'll ever need," he said closing his eyes, trying to think of what she would say.
~~~~~~~~
Alison walked into Lucy's with Rafe, "Hey, anyone home?" she asked, then seeing the blonde sitting on the couch. "Oh, sorry we didn't know Lucy had company," she said as they turned back around.
"Alison," said Kate in a jokingly-hurtful voice.
"Kate!" she said as she ran to the couch and the two embraced. "How are you? What are you doing here?"
"I am here on a somewhat business matter. Frank needs my help with Neil."
"What happened with Neil?" asked Rafe as Ian walked into the living room. He walked over and handed the key to Ian.
"Frank said he would meet you at the Recovery Room in an hour, Kate," said Ian taking the key and putting it back on his key ring, playing with it for a second before putting it in his pocket.
"Well, I better be going. I promise we will get together soon, I've got so much catching up to do," she said giving Alison a hug before leaving.
--------
"Hi," said Lucy as Kevin opened the door and picked up Christina.
"Hi Lucy," he said as he walked back to the living room and Lucy shut the door. "And how are you doing today sweetie?"
"Mommy and I are going to see Santa later. Yesterday Frank came and visited us."
"Really?" he said looking at Lucy who mouthed the word Courtney. He just nodded and looked back at his daughter, "Well, I've got a surprise for you. I'm going out of town in a few days, and won't be back for Christmas so I was going to let you open your presents yourself. How does that sound?"
"Yay!" she said as she jumped up and down.
-------
Karissa sat in her hotel room in Silverhill Alabama with Jamal's cell phone in her hand. This was too easy, she thought to herself. If she had known this was all she was going to have to do she would have just bypassed the whole trying to seduce Rafe thing long ago. She found his cell phone number listed and began to dial, happy when she heard the voice mail pick up. She took a breath, and left the message-her voice practically matching that of Jamal's. Once she hung up she laid back on the bed, grinning at her plan that she had set in motion.
------
"Frank," smiled Kate as she stood up and shook his hand. "I know this is strange-to be meeting with me at the Pizza Shack, but when I went by the Recovery Room--."
"Yeah, uhm, don't ask about that," he chuckled. "I'm so glad you are willing to meet with me."
"Anything for my favorite residents. It's nice being back in this town, but it seems different now."
"Yeah, it is. A lot has changed and it's really hard to explain. Anyways, about Neil-I don't know how strong of a case I have really. She's raised him his whole life, but then a month ago he shows up on my doorstep. We called her, and she said she had some stuff that was going on and for me to take care of him. Yesterday she comes by and takes him back. It's not fair to him."
"No, it's not at all fair. Did Neil want to go with her yesterday?"
"He wanted to stay with me. Since Karen's death," he said as a look of surprise came across her face, "I've been really down. Then when Neil showed up it showed that I had another reason to keep living. Something else he said-he mentioned he's been in a lot of school's since he left here at the end of 2000."
"Alright, here's where we will start-I'm going to take a look and see how many school's he has been in. If it's more than 3 then that will definitely be something to bring up. Now Frank, there is one big thing against your part. Ian told me you aren't working anymore-not as a paramedic or at the," she said looking at her notes, "Elixir. You need to have a good steady job. Try and get your job back as a paramedic and fast. I'll call you later with any news I have."
"Thanks Kate," he said as she walked off and he decided what he had to do about a job.
------
"Alright pumpkinhead, we're just going to go out here for a bit. You go play with your toys, ok?" said Lucy as her and Kevin went out on the balcony, closing the door behind them. "Thanks for doing that, Kevin."
"It's no problem, I just wanted her to be able to enjoy a little bit of Christmas with her family-even if it is early."
"So where are you headed off to?"
"Nowhere special, just a meeting in Atlanta. I'll be back probably the 27th or so. If you need me back earlier than that just call-I'll have my cell phone on."
"Well, I hope you get to enjoy yourself some also."
"I plan on it Lucy."
---------
"Hey Frank," said Jack as he saw him walk in the door. "What can I get you today?"
"A soda will be fine. So how has business been lately?" he said looking around and not seeing many customers.
"It's been slowing down a lot."
"Well, I've got a business proposition to make, Ramsey. How would you feel about turning this place back into the Recovery Room? You would get the older customers back, those that may be intimidated by the vampire lifestyle. Give me twenty-five percent of the business, that way we can both work with each other to, you know, make it into what it was in its heyday. You'll still have final say in all workings though, as you own most of the business."
"I can't pass up a business proposition, but first tell me why you want to do this all of a sudden."
"It's all about Neil. Courtney took him back, and I'm going to fight for him this time. I let Lucy and Kevin raise my girl without a fight, and now he's all I have to fight for. Kate says I need a good job-what more than being partial owner in a business, but still have the ability to be there for him with school activities and such."
"Let me get back to you, Frank," said Jack as he went to go help another customer.
--------
"Wow, I feel so bad for Frank," said Alison as Ian finished telling what he knew.
"Yeah, I mean he's finally feeling like he's getting his life together and another blow hits him."
"Everything is going to be fine though, Kate is going to find a way to make it all work out-she always does," she said as she looked at Rafe who had a puzzled look on his face. "Rafe?"
"Oh, sorry. I just noticed I had a message on my cell phone. I never heard it ring," he said as he listened to it.
"Hey man, it's Jamal. Listen, I need some help in Alabama with a werewolf. Can you meet me here? Jack knows the directions to the Café. Thanks."
"Well, who was it?" she asked looking at him.
"It sounded like Jamal with a cold."
"That boy never gets sick. What did he want?"
"Help with a werewolf. But you know what, he can take care of himself I'm sure. Who knows when that message was left anyways," he said putting the phone back in his pocket.
"No, Rafe. It's Jamal and he's our friend. Just like Ian here-we don't abandon our friends when they need us," said a possessive Alison.
"Fine, I guess I'm going to Alabama."
---------
"Give your Daddy a big hug," said Lucy as she finished putting the gifts in the car.
Christina went over and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, "I'll miss you, Daddy," she said.
"I'll miss you too, but I'll be home soon. And then I'll get to see what all Santa brought you."
"Take care Lucy."
"You too, Kevin," she said as she got Christina and went to see Santa again.
------
After the talk with Jack he had gone for a walk. He kept walking until he ended up in front of Karen's grave. Kneeling down he began to speak, "I know you are watching over me right now. And I'm trying to do what is right Karen. You always saw the good in me, and if I can just get Neil back from Courtney-which I know you would like as you two never did care for each other-I'll promise to raise him the best I can. I always thought you brought out the best in me, and you always did, but now I don't have you-I have my son. Please just let someone up there help me keep my son-he's all I have and all I'll ever need," he said closing his eyes, trying to think of what she would say.