A/N: LOL!!! The Triplets strike again. 3 OMG's for chapter 23. Have I said lately that I love you guys?? Well - just so you know - I absolutely do!!! Yep. Poor Alison. She feels so useless and she's really ticked off. Of course -eventually-they'll make up - you know they will. She's not happy w/Abby either - as you will see. :(

Bethany - LOL! Jack does need to calm down - and he needs to date someone without dark hair (or dark roots - like Reese - for that matter. ;) Will he or won't he?? Hmm, We'll see. ;)

PCGirl - Yes. Abby's visions have all pretty much come true - but you're right - it's not really Livvie's fault - it's that they've reacted to her before they even really knew what was going on. And don't you worry about the chapters - you may just catch up to me yet!!!

Melody - I hope they make up soon - b/c Rafe just might starve to death - judging from how much hand holding he needs to make a meal. LOL! ;)

Until 26! - xox -G

Chapter Twenty-five

"Hi!" Abby said brightly as Alison opened the door. Her face fell as she saw Alison was still in her robe. "I guess you're not ready to go."

Alison had forgotten that she had made plans with Abby today. She obviously didn't feel like going, She didn't want to spend time with anyone - including her sister. She was so still incredibly hurt and angry.

Abby wasn't at all surprised as she heard her answer. "No. I'm not. I don't think I'll be joining you this morning." She replied as she turned and walked into the living room.

"OK." Abby said, her voice full of concern.

"Besides." Alison continued sadly. "I really should just stay put. Who knows what kind of evil lurks out the door? I of course - would have no idea - since no one cares enough to clue me in."

Abby realized her mistake now. She wondered why Rafe had been so quiet this morning. It seemed that Alison wasn't happy with either of them.

"Alison I - " Abby started to try to explain.

Alison shook her head and cut off her sister sharply. "Never mind - Abby. I know why you all left me out of it."

"That's not it." Abby protested.

"I don't care why it is - Abby. Really - I don't. Everyone has to go tiptoeing around me. The fact is that when push comes to shove - the reason everyone puts themselves in danger turns out to be me. And it's because - it seems - I can't be trusted to defend myself or do anything on my own." She laughed bitterly. "In fact - I'm willing to bet my daughter is better equipped to fight evil than I am. She's at least half-slayer."

"Alison. Please." Abby pleaded. She never meant to hurt her. Every day she learned her lesson again. Keeping the people she loved in the dark seemed to hurt them more than whatever it was she was trying to protect them from.

The sound of Kate crying pierced the air, giving Alison the excuse she was searching for. "Just go - Abby. I'm going to do the only thing I'm good at - apparently. I need to take care of my daughter."

With those words hanging in the air she turned and walked upstairs to do just that.

************

"Thanks Luce." Rafe said as he hung up the phone.

"What's up?" Cam asked.

"Lucy met Kevin for breakfast this morning." As Rafe said the words he wondered why his cousin was spending so much time with him lately anyway. Lucy and Ian seemed so happy - but maybe she was truly meant to be with Kevin after all. He shook his head as if to clear it to stick to the topic at hand. He had enough of his own problems to deal with. "Livvie's moving in with him. She should be checking out of her hotel this morning. I'm going to go over there and see what I can get out of her."

He went to grab his keys, still feeling horrible about his fight with Alison that morning. He needed to find a way to make it up to her.

As he bid Cam goodbye and moved towards the door, Abby walked in, her face full of sadness.

"Hey. I thought you were meeting Alison." Cam called out.

Rafe knew the reason she was back so soon. "So. She's mad at you too?" He asked.

"Furious." Abby sighed as she wiped a tear from her cheek. She moved towards Cam and he took her in his arms. Sniffling she continued. "We should have told her. She's not so much angry as hurt. She feels like we don't want her help."

"That's not true." Rafe insisted.

"I know that and you know that." Abby replied. Her heart was close to breaking as she remembered the look on Alison's face. "But it's clear to me now. She certainly doesn't."

She looked up at Cam and warned him. "Don't you dare say 'I told you so'."

It took a lot to control himself - but Cam decided not to press his luck.

Rafe sighed as he got ready to leave. "I'll make sure I stop by on my way back from talking to Livvie. Maybe Alison will be speaking to me by then."

"That bad huh?" Cam said as he winced slightly.

"Worse." Rafe said sadly as he walked out the door.

**************

Livvie was in the parking lot - loading the last of her luggage in the car when Rafe drove up. "Great." She muttered to herself. "Just GREAT."

"What Rafe? WHAT!" She said by way of greeting.

"Hello to you too Livvie." Rafe replied as he leaned up against the door of her car and gazed at her. "Going somewhere?"

"No. Actually staying somewhere. I'm moving into my Dad's."

"Really? And where's your batty boyfriend?"

"Husband." She spat back.


"Whatever." Rafe shrugged. "I'm sure he's got you on a leash. I can't imagine it's that long."

"Are you calling me a dog, Rafe?!" Livvie asked - furious.

Rafe gave her a little smirk. "If the shoe fits "Olivia"."

The sound of Rafe saying her full name made her unbelievably sad and even more irate. "Rafe. Seriously. Get out of my way."'

He stared her down. "In a second. I heard you ran into Alison yesterday."

Livvie stared at him with her hands on her hips. "No. She - literally - ran into me"

Rafe was undeterred. "What'd you say to her?"

"Why are you asking me? Didn't you see her last night? Didn't you go riding home in your suit of armor on your white horse to your fairy tale castle and ask her yourself?"

"Livvie. Cut it out. I'm not joking. Just tell me what you said." Rafe's patience was wearing thin.

"You're never joking. Rafe - it must be so awful to be so damn serious all the time. Seriously - do you ever crack a smile?"

"Around you?" He asked as he narrowed his eyes at her. "No. I know better."

Livvie's eyes were wide with shock. She was sure that Alison would spill their whole conversation the minute she got home. "She really didn't tell you?"

He wasn't going to answer her. "Livvie. Enough. I just want you to give me a straight answer."

Livvie shook back her hair and glared at him. "I have to tell you - I barely got a word in. All she told me was how wonderful life is when she's with you. That she basically can't stand me and didn't want to fight with me anymore."

Sounded just like what Alison would say. He still was determined to find out what she was up to. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Rafe. Oh my God. I forgot that you are so annoying. Seriously - move out of my way. Get it through your thick skull. I LIVE here. My father LIVES here. Unlike you - I didn't just come flying into town with my halo in a twist looking for trouble. You want to know what I'm doing here? I simply came home to visit with him. So if you'll excuse me - that's exactly what I'm going to do."

Rafe could see he was getting no where fast. Livvie wasn't going to tell him anymore than that. He was suddenly exhausted. Being at odds with Alison sent him completely off balance. He wanted nothing more at that moment to go to her and try and fix what he'd broken.

He stared at Livvie and decided to leave her with a warning. "Livvie. Trust me. Either you stay away from us - "

"I know." Livvie rolled her eyes. "I got the message. Alison already told me. I touch your kid - you'll stake me - vampire or no. Unless she kills me first. I got it. Now - let me leave."

Knowing that was as much as he'd get today - Rafe stepped away from the car . Livvie got in and he watched her speed off - her tires squealing.

He didn't have much more information than he had before. If he could make up with Alison - maybe he'd be able to find out what he needed to know.

*************

Clutching a dozen pink roses in his hand - Rafe took a deep breath and opened the door. He could hear Kate screeching as he did.

She sounded really unhappy. It figured. She was probably sympathizing with her mother.

Sighing, Rafe followed the noise - walking upstairs until he reached the nursery. As he did he cell phone began to ring.

Alison stood just inside - frantic - cradling Kate in her arms, the cordless phone resting on her shoulder. As she saw him come in the room she let the phone slip to the ground.

"RAFE! Oh my God." She said with a sob as she ran towards him.

Panic filled him as he saw her face. He held her by the arms and stared in her eyes. "Alison. What's wrong?"

Tears flowed uncontrollably from Alison's eyes. Her voice was broken as she tried to tell him. "Katrina - she's - she was fussy all day but now - Oh God - Rafe. Feel her forehead - she's - I think she's really sick. I just checked. She's got a fever.

He touched his hand to Kate's head and was shocked at how warm she felt. They needed to go to the hospital and fast.

"OK. Shh. Alison. It's going to be OK." Rafe took every ounce of courage he possessed to keep himself calm. His mind was racing and he knew he was thisclose to losing it himself. "Let's go. We'll take her to the hospital. C'mon."

"Rafe." She said, hysterical. "This isn't supposed to happen. It's really serious. Oh my God. Rafe. She's so little. What's wrong with her? If something happens to her - Rafe - I can't - "

He needed her to stay calm. Or as calm as she could given the circumstances. The images her words were putting in his mind scared him to death. "Alison. C'mon. Let's get her to the hospital. The sooner she's there the sooner they can work on getting her better - OK? C'mon. Let's hurry."

Alison was so scared she couldn't move. She rocked back and forth and continued to cry.

Everything that happened this morning vanished. Rafe dropped the flowers he was still clutching to the floor and took her hand. It was amazing what became important. Nothing else but Katrina mattered now. "Alison. Look at me." It was useless. She wouldn't take her eyes off of the baby. He grabbed her chin and forced her to meet his gaze. "Look at me - Alison. She's going to be alright. We just have to get her to the doctor OK?"

He leaned in and kissed her quickly on the forehead before he took her hand. "C'mon. We have to go."

Alison nodded and let him lead them both down the stairs. She prayed with each step she took what he said was true.