A/N: To the greedy, but not sneaky ;) PCGirl, that sweet angel Melody and Terri, who's given me a lot to live up to.
Note to Nat – Is this your worried face? =-S LOL!! Please - don't be mad at Rafe. He's choosing Ali and Kate over Caleb. That should count for something. Will he succeed?? Hmm – only time will tell!! Until 55! Enjoy! xox –Sam LOL! :-)
Chapter Fifty-four
"OK - Alison. I've had enough. You can run - but you can't hide from me." Abby took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.
Alison walked slowly from the kitchen, staring at her feet. Whoever it was - she wanted them to go away.
In the past few days she'd become somewhat of a recluse, the idea of having to give up her home making her reluctant to leave it for even a minute.
"ALISON BARRINGTON KOVICH!!" She heard her sister call out, her voice angry. "Open this door!!! I know you're in there and I promise you I'm not leaving until you talk to me."
She knew Abby was serious. Alison sighed and pulled the door open.
Abby's eyes were bright with annoyance behind the heavy frames of her glasses. "What the hell is going on?" She asked cutting right to the chase.
Alison felt incredibly guilty and her heart began to ache. It was unbelievable. A little less than a year ago she knew she had a sister, but didn't truly know her. How could she ever say goodbye to her? Her eyes shone with tears. "Abby. I meant to call you…"
Abby wasn't hearing it. She strode into the house and whirled around to face her. "Save it, Alison. You've been ignoring me for days."
Closing the door gently, Alison turned around. "I'm sorry. It's just - I don't know how to tell you this…"
"That you're leaving? I already know. You forget - I get a preview occasionally." Abby was still so mad she could barely see.
She hadn't spoken to her sister for days and was about to make up for it. She tucked Kate into her seat as her words came out in a flood. "I don't want to leave - Abby. Oh God - believe me - I don't. If I do, I won't just lose this house, but a hundred dreams I had for my life here. I was so excited about the possibility of living here, close to you and my friends and our families and having our kids grow up together. I was so excited about your plans for us - your bookshop…." Alison's voice broke and she sank into the cushions of the couch.
Abby suddenly felt horrible about attacking her. "Ali…"
Tears began to fall down Alison's cheeks. "I might have to go - Abby. I might have to because I can't ask him to live here and deal with this anymore. It's not fair. He deserves a life of his own, a life that's peaceful, a life where he doesn't have to fight from the moment he wakes up. One way - or another - I'm determined to give it to him."
She wiped her tears away a little too forcefully. "And GOD! I am so tired of crying over this!! I want us to be happy - Abby. I don't know why we ever even supposed we could do that here."
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Caleb threw the door nearly off its hinges, startling Livvie.
He glanced around the room - looking to take his anger and frustration out on something - or someone.
"Caleb?" She said softly, placing a hand on his arm.
He took a steadying breath as he turned to face her.
"What is it, my love?" His words were gentle - but his tone far from it.
"I am warning you. Don't you dare do this to me again." She said as she turned her back and began to walk away.
"Do what?" He snapped at her.
"This - Caleb." Livvie spun back around and stared into his eyes, her own glittering with anger. "I can't take it anymore. Either you want to be with me or you don't - but I'm through with letting you shut me out like this."
Caleb rolled his eyes and sighed. "Olivia…"
She had started and she was determined to finish. "I stood by, I gave you space because I knew you needed it. I waited for you to finally tell me what your plans were and instead you left me alone for hours on end. Then - I left you and you took your own sweet time trying to find me."
Caleb wasn't in the mood for a lecture. He needed to form a plan and he didn't need Livvie getting all emotional now. He needed her to focus. He moved to take her in his arms. "Olivia…"
She pushed him away, her voice shaking with fury, "I've been known to be irrational Caleb but trust me - you haven't seen anything yet. I'm four months pregnant and I'm short on patience."
She was so incredibly passionate about everything, even as a mortal. He couldn't help but grin. "Then I guess I better let you talk. If I know what's good for me."
Livvie subconsciously ran a hand over her belly and stared up at him. "You need to decide - Caleb. I'll have you know - just before you came back to me - I was trying to figure out a way to live without you. I'd want you every day for the rest of my life - but you gave me so much time that I know now that I could try to move on."
She looked at him and asked with her eyes, "So you tell me. It's all up to you. What kind of life do you want Caleb? And whatever life you chose, I need to know the truth. Do you want to share it with me?"
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"So - stop crying." Abby said with a grin as she picked Kate up and bounced her on her knees.. "Alison you know exactly why you've stayed. You have been happy here. This is the place where you met Rafe. You fell in love here and this is where Katie was born. This place is your home. Despite everything –you know you've been happy here."
"I know that. I do. But this is also where I was kidnapped and toyed with by vampires. I must be insane." She said with a laugh.
"Oh my God! A vampire kidnapped you? What a coincidence. Me too!!" Abby giggled. "Ali, c'mon. Seriously. We must all be crazy to want to live here.. I need you to tell me, though. Where else could you two possibly live? Where could you go? How would you two explain yourselves to the new neighbors? I can see it now." Abby grinned widely. "People will ask what your husband's hobbies are and you can say – Oh the usual – he kick boxes, fights evil, slays vampires."
Alison started to laugh harder. "I haven't thought that far ahead. And Abby!! Stop it!! God. Seriously. What an ice breaker. I'd at least be interesting. I could tell some really good stories at PTA meetings like "Hey did I ever tell you about the time my mom was a vampire herself? Put a lot of tension in our relationship – especially when she married his enemy and then tried to seduce him to ease the symptoms. Or did I mention that time when a psycho lunatic vampire from Hell took me hostage and wanted to make me his bride? Those were some good times."
Abby was on a roll. "I'm sure eventually you'd blend in. Hey. You know. Rafe could maybe teach woodshop at the high school. He could teach them how to make stakes."
"And you know - you'd be very popular on Halloween." Abby continued. "All the kids will want to go to the house –since pictures sometimes come to life and speak to you. Kids love that. It's very Harry Potter. "
Alison was now doubled over. It all seemed funny now, though it had been far from it at the time. "You know – laugh all you want – but you're no better. Want to explain your little talent – or how your husband came back from the dead?"
Abby's voice was choked with giggles as she tried to answer. "Sweetie – I may be psychic, but at least my husband only died and came back once. That's a lot easier to explain."
Alison tried but could not stop laughing. She was laughing so hard her stomach hurt and she could barely breathe. "You're right. Oh - Abby. I don't want to go." She said with a sigh.
Abby was in pretty much the same state. They were both in hysterics. She tried to steer the conversation to more serious subjects. "And I don't want you to. But I understand - Ali. I really do."
"I'm sorry Abs. I was avoiding you because I knew you'd be disappointed and that wasn't fair. You have all these plans for us." Alison said through her giggles. Tears of laughter began to fall. That kind of crying was OK with her.
Just then, Rafe walked in. After he left Caleb he went and taught his class at the gym. His students cursed him as they left – he was particularly brutal today. Caleb had gotten to him – but working out had done wonders. He thought of a way to cheer Alison up too. Jack was at the gym, joined at the hip with Melissa it seemed. Her matchmaking looked like it had really paid off. As he drove to the house one thought overpowered all the rest. Though he was pleased with the way his conversation with Caleb ended, for his own peace of mind, most of all – he just wanted to be home.
The sound of Alison's laughter melted his heart. She was laughing. That was a good sign. "Hey Angel." He called out softly
"Hi sweetie." She said, wiping her eyes again. "How was class?"
"Great." He looked at her strangely. "What's going on?"
Abby fought to keep a straight face but burst out laughing again. Rafe was going to have a talk with Alison about this. It seemed to him that she and her sister spent way too much time laughing at his expense.
"Nothing. Just chatting." She said unconvincingly, still laughing.
"Alison…" His voice held a warning.
"Seriously – Rafe. We were just talking" Abby fought to keep her voice steady as she tried to persuade him. "But. I'm going to go now. Ali. Please, just think about what I said. "
"I will. Thanks. Love you Abs." She whispered as she pulled her sister close.
"Love you too." She whispered back as she hugged her tight.
Abby glanced at Rafe and giggled before she hugged him too. "And you too. You're not so bad either." She said as she slipped out the door.
*********************
"I haven't decided yet what I'll do just yet." Caleb said softly. "But I want you there with me. I thought I made that clear."
"Not nearly – Caleb. Are you ever going to ask me what I want to do?" She was getting so angry – all the fear and sadness she felt in those months he'd left her alone boiling and brimming over.
"Olivia." He moved to caress her face in hopes to calm her.
She leaned into his touch, but her voice was still full of frustration. "Caleb. I need you to tell me and tell me now. What means more to you? Me and the family we'll have or what we've lost."
"Can't both be equally important?" He suggested.
"They can. If you make it clear that you want me with you. You keep far too much to yourself and I'm not a mind reader."
Caleb dragged her to him, running a hand possessively down her back. He took her mouth in an intoxicating kiss.
As he pulled away briefly he whispered. "Now. Is that clear enough?"
**********************
"What?" Rafe said as he stared at her.
"Nothing – Rafe." Alison said, finally able to control herself.
"Nothing huh? You know Alison – I don't appreciate this." He said softly as he glanced at Kate, who'd drifted off to sleep, her little lips forming a small O. She was so beautiful and he was again disappointed. He'd really missed her today.
"What?" She asked, confused.
"You and Abby. You spend way too much time making fun of me." He said as he stared at his feet.
Oh my God. She thought with a smile. He means it. He's really annoyed. "Rafe." She said softly. "I love you."
"I love you too. Just – c'mon – stop." He said with a frown.
She moved closer to him and took him in her arms. "I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to hurt your feelings, and honestly we were mostly laughing at ourselves. I promise."
His own arms closed around her but he didn't speak.
"She was trying to cheer me up. I was feeling sorry for myself." Alison said as she thought to herself – Kind of like you. "Please Rafe. Tell me what to do to make it better." She said with a sexy smile.
Rafe would get to that, but first he wanted to hear her say what he knew had been troubling her. "So. She was here to talk to you about wanting to leave?"
She pulled back and stared at him. "How did you know that?"
"Cam mentioned something and then I guessed. Alison. You don't have to worry. I saw Caleb today and told him I'm done. We don't need to leave. It'll be OK."
She wanted to hope, but she was so afraid she'd be disappointed. "I know you'll try – but …"
Rafe took her chin in his hands and kissed her softly, wanting to convince her. "No. It will. I promise you." He said as he kissed her again. It was time to get onto happier subjects. "Now. There's something we need to get back to. I think I found a way for you to make up for teasing me."
"Really?" She murmured as his mouth claimed hers again. Her head began to spin.
"It might take a while." He said as his lips slid down her throat, teasing her neck with gentle kisses.
Checking to make sure Kate was still out, she wound her fingers in his hair and pressed herself closer to him. "Well. Lucky you. I think I've got time."
