A/N: Here we go - AGAIN!!! Bad, bad computer goblins!!! :-x GRR! OK I think I'm OK now. PCGirl - you've been sooo good - this one's for you. ;) Nat - shut your eyes!!! I have ways of finding out if you're peeking!! Melody - you're safe for now - but you better start writing. LOL! I actually changed this once I lost it - and you know what? I think I like this version better - so maybe it was good after all. Wherever you're reading this - whether on ff.net or otherwise I hope you enjoy!!! ;) Until 42! xox-G

Chapter Forty-one

"Rafe - I swear - she got bigger since we were gone." Alison commented as she looked Katrina over from head to toe.

He smiled and shook his head at her. "You're nuts."

"I'm not nuts - Rafe - look at her - I'm serious. And oh my God. Her eyes - they're changing color."

Since she wasn't giving up - Rafe walked over to get a look himself. They did seem a little less blue to him.

"I knew it. Rafe, she's going to have your eyes." Alison said as her own began to mist over.

The image those words put in his mind stunned him. Imagine. Another person running around, resembling him in some way. For the first time he realized that Kate was truly a part of him. He'd felt it the minute she was born - but seeing it for himself just staggered him.

"C'mon. Come to bed." He said as he ran a hand over Kate's head. "It's OK - you can let her go. She won't grow too much over night"

He just loved teasing her didn't he? She thought with a sigh. "It's OK. I'm fine." Alison replied sighing again as she rocked in the chair. Kate was sleeping soundly in her arms.

"Alison…." He knew what she was up to.

She smiled back at him as she held Katrina closer, placing a kiss on her nose. "I slept plenty the other day. You go. I'll come later."

He stared at her, his voice concerned. "You will not. I know you. I'll find you right here tomorrow morning."

"So?" She asked

He was about to protest some more - but honestly - what did he care? If sleeping in that chair all night made her happy - who was he to stop her? Rafe leaned in and kissed her softly. "OK. You win. But do me a favor - come to bed eventually." He kissed her again and whispered. "I don't like sleeping without you."

"I'll try." She replied, with a grin, knowing for sure she'd be lying if she promised to do what he asked.

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

Kevin's heart ached as he watched his daughter.

"Livvie?"

"Hi Dad." She replied, not turning around.

The sound of her voice killed him. She sounded so sad, and he didn't know how to help her. She'd been walking around in a daze since she got here.

"Livvie - talk to me please. I want to help you."

"I don't know exactly what you can do. I thought coming back here was a good idea , that it would be best for the baby - but I'm not sure anymore."


She finally turned to face him. "I miss him - Dad. I know how you feel about him - but I don't know if I'll ever stop loving him. And now, being here, seeing how no one wants me here - I can't help thinking I should just go back to him. As much as he ignored me - he doesn't hate me. I know that."

Kevin took Livvie's hands and led her to the couch. "Sweetheart. Nothing good comes from him. You have to remember that the reason why your welcome has been less than warm really stems from the fact that you became involved with him in the first place."

"There is no way anyone but you will forgive me. I apparently hurt all the people I used to call my friends so badly that they won't even speak to me anymore."

"I think you will find people can be very forgiving - Livvie - you just need to make a sincere effort."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean - stop lashing out at everyone. They have a right to be angry with you. You did some terrible - terrible things to them."

Livvie stood up and stormed away in a huff. "They weren't exactly kind to me either."

"And there's your problem - Livvie." Kevin didn't know if he could ever get through to her, but he knew he needed to try. "This is it. Stop blaming everyone else for how they treated you. There was absolutely no excuse for what you did. I truly believe Caleb is to blame for all this - but I know how this works. Telling you to stay away from him will make you run straight into his arms again."

Livvie's head was spinning. Why did this have to be so hard? She didn't know what to do. The thought of trying to make amends scared her to death. What if she put herself out there and they shot her down? The pain would be too much to bear. "Dad…" She said with a sigh.

"Try Livvie. It's the only way you'll be able to survive here. And if you do - you might just be surprised."


He placed a kiss on her forehead and left her to her thoughts.

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

"Ahhh. Silence." Cam said with a laugh as he walked into the apartment. He put his keys down on the table near the door and dropped the luggage.

"I didn't realize how noisy she could be." Abby said as she followed behind, stretching and yawning a bit.

Cam went to the kitchen to grab a beer and poured Abby a glass of wine. She sighed as he handed her the glass and clinked it against his. He always toasted her - it made her smile. She took a sip and then spoke again. "Cam. I don't know what's happening to me. I keep going back and forth on this. I said I wasn't ready - but watching Alison with Katrina - it must be so amazing to love someone like that."

"Abby. Remember what I said. Let's just see what happens. They'll know when it's time."

"How does it work up there anyway?" Abby asked him, completely curious. "Do they keep a big calendar? Is it like the lottery?"

"I have no idea. I worked in admissions for the most part." He said as he clicked on the TV.

Abby wasn't done talking. "You worked up there?"

"Yeah - I worked. How do you think everything stays up and running down here?" Cam asked as he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him.

Abby sighed as she curled up and rested her head on his shoulder. "Well that's disappointing. I thought that by the time I got there I'd be retired."

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

Caleb threw the book across the room. Weeks, months of searching and he'd come up empty.

"Olivia." He whispered. If you asked him, he'd deny it - but he was hoping she could hear.

He thought that he'd gain what he'd lost. He thought that it would just take some time. But as every day passed - it was all too clear. He had nothing now - not even her.

The realization had him lashing out some more. His gaze raced around the room until he found something suitable. He picked up a vase and threw it across the room, the sound of the crystal breaking giving him a few seconds of satisfaction. This was all so wrong. Being mortal infuriated him. As a vampire power coursed through his veins, all his senses were heightened - smell, taste, touch in particular. But in many ways being mortal made his pulse race even faster. When he was like this he felt too much, wanted too much, needed too much. The most infuriating thing of all is that it both repulsed and attracted him.

"I need answers!!" He called out - but no one was there to reply. He was in his home - but even here there was nothing for him it seemed. Every place he looked - all he found were more questions.

His mind spun as he glanced around the room, surveying the mess he'd just made. He used to think that mortals were weak and powerless - but it was clear to him now. They had this insane thing called faith, this capacity for trust and love. Those things were more powerful than he'd ever imagined.

Caleb knew he could do without it all. He had always been sure of it. As the days went on - he was less and less convinced.

There was only one place left to turn. He wondered now, stripped of his powers, if he could survive the journey.

There was only one way to find out for sure.

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

She could hear his call, but didn't dare hope. Her father's words rang in her ears but she knew in her heart what she really wanted. As much as she craved acceptance - there was something that she craved even more.

She wanted him to come for her.

Once again she whispered into the night, hoping and praying he'd hear her. "Please - Caleb. Come to me…."

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

Rafe woke with a start. He scrambled from the bed and ran to the nursery, his heart beating out of his chest. He sighed as he caught sight of them - the two things more precious to him than his own life. He walked over and kissed Kate's forehead, taking her gently from Alison's arms and placing her in her crib. Alison sighed as he picked her up in much the same way. As he carried her to their bed, he took another steadying breath, willing his heart to stop pounding.

With Alison and Katrina safe at home, everything seemed fine - but he was scared to death.

Something bad was coming. Something was wrong. He was sure of it.

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

"NO!" She screamed, sitting bolt upright in bed.

"Abby?" Cam woke as soon as he heard her and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight.

She was shaking violently. "No!" She said over and over again.

His heart was breaking as he watched her. The worst was that he could see she was so scared. It clearly radiated from her.

Cam held her tighter, doing everything he could do to help her get through it. "Abby? Honey? C'mon - focus. Please. Look at me. What is it?"

The vision faded and she was finally able to stare into his eyes. She brought her hands to frame his face, tears running down her own.

"Yeah." He said as he tried to calm her down. "It's OK. I'm here. What's wrong? Tell me. What is it?"

Having to say the words made her sob. She wished she was wrong, but she knew the truth. "He's coming - Cam. Oh God help us. I can see it. He's on his way back."