Chapter Fifty-eight

Lucy had called earlier to give him a warning. Seems Livvie and Caleb were back together again. What that meant exactly, Rafe wasn't sure, but he was determined to find out.

He pounded on the door.

"No one's home." He heard Caleb call from the other side.

Undeterred, Rafe continued to pound.

Caleb opened the door with a sigh. "Selling Girl Scout cookies, Slayer? I'll take a box of Thin Mints if it'll make you go away."

"What do I have to do to make you go away?" He replied, ignoring the joke.

Caleb sighed as he watched Rafe storm into the apartment. "There's nothing you can do that influences me. How long is it going to take you to get that?" He shook his head. "I actually shouldn't be surprised. You always were slow."

Rafe took a deep breath. "Caleb. Stop. I'm trying to be reasonable here…"

"If this is you reasonable than I'd hate to see you when you were irrational. Oh wait. I've seen that too." He replied with a smirk. He kept his hand on the door and gave him a look. "Thanks for the visit - but didn't you tell me you were done with me?"

Rafe couldn't leave. Not until he had some sort of handle on what Caleb had planned. The safety of his family depended on it. "You're up to something. I can tell."

Caleb thought for a moment. It wasn't really giving anything away to tell him at least a portion of the plan. "I'm taking Olivia home with me."

"Home?" Rafe asked, suspicious.

Caleb began to speak very slowly. "Yes, home. Trans-syl-vania. You remember it don't you?"

"I remember it well." Rafe stared him down, "And I know what you're hoping to do there."

"Do you? Good for you." Caleb walked back into the room, leaving the door open in hopes that Rafe would leave soon. "Look, Slayer. If you're so smart and already know everything - I don't understand why you're here harassing me."

Rafe remembered the time a few months ago when he and Caleb worked together. So much had happened since then. He took a deep breath before he spoke. He didn't expect Caleb to care but he needed to say the words. "I'm just trying to protect my family."

Caleb's voice was strong as he countered. "And I'm protecting mine."

Rafe couldn't believe the fact that Caleb actually had a family to speak of now. "You would really turn your own child?"

Caleb was through talking. "That's none of your concern."

Rafe wasn't done - not by a long shot. His eyes lit with anger as he continued. "Oh - but it is. I've been fighting you my whole life Caleb. I've let you get the better of me more times than I care to admit. But I don't want my children to have to take up where I left off - or even worse, their children. I want it to end with us, Caleb."

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

"So that's your decision?" Alison asked. She and Livvie sat on the porch, with Kate sleeping soundly beside her in the sunshine.

"It's his decision really, but I think it's best. He wants us to go back there to live. He wants me to have the baby there." Livvie replied, running a hand over her stomach gently.

"What about your Dad?" Alison prompted.

Livvie shuddered at the thought. It was tearing her up inside but her choice was made. "That's the hardest part. He's been so good to me, but I can't live without Caleb, Ali."

"I understand." She said with a nod. "If I had to choose, Rafe would win every time."

"I guess we are more alike than I realized." Livvie said with a laugh.

Alison blinked back tears and hugged her arms around herself. "Yeah. I guess that's why we were such good friends."

Livvie reached out and tentatively grabbed Alison's hand. "Ali - thank you."

"For what?" She asked, a bit taken aback as she stared at her.

Suddenly embarrassed, Livvie let go. "For even speaking to me anymore. For all the advice you've given me lately. I know all of this hasn't been easy for you."

"Not at all, actually." Alison admitted. She gave Livvie a small smile. "It's OK. It doesn't matter anymore."

"What?"

"It doesn't matter, Livvie. I have everything I need."

It must be amazing to be so sure, Livvie thought as she stared at her. "You really do - don't you?"

"I do." Alison said with a nod. "And now you do too."

Maybe, for the first time, she was beginning to believe it. Livvie moved to get up, still a bit anxious around her former friend. "Thanks again, Ali."

"You're welcome." She watched as Livvie began to walk away. "Livvie?"

"Yeah?" She replied as she turned around.

"Do me a favor - OK?"

"Sure." It was the least she thought she could do.

As she began to speak Kate stirred. Alison picked her up and held her close. "Take care of yourself, alright? And take care of your child. When you start to think everything's going wrong, just think about what a wonderful chance you've been given. Promise me you'll try to remember that."

Livvie's eyes filled with tears. She knew it was good advice, but she also knew herself. When things were going well, most times, all she wanted was more.

"I promise I'll try, Ali." She replied as she turned and walked away.

Alison held Kate tighter and whispered. "That's all I ask."

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

"It won't end - Slayer. Don't you remember? You can't get me - I can't get you."

"I know, and I've finally made peace with that - but my daughter - Caleb." He couldn't believe he was even trying. "My daughter. I look at her and I just can't…" Rafe trailed off. This was pointless. He moved towards the door. "Never mind." He said with a sigh. "Good luck. Good riddance. Bon voyage."

He was nearly out the door when Caleb called him back. "What about her?"

"What?" Rafe asked as he turned around.

"Your daughter. What about her?" Caleb repeated.

It was probably giving him more ammunition, but Rafe was too caught up in his thoughts to realize what he was actually saying. "I want a better life for her - Caleb. I want her to feel safe and as long as you and I are at odds, she won't be."

"So. Why don't you just ignore me?" Caleb suggested.

"Ignore you?" Rafe replied, his voice full of disbelief. "I would. I've tried. But then you get bored and decide to set me up - in the most elaborate and twisted way possible. When you're like this - when you're mortal it's easy. When you are out of your element, things calm down." Rafe's fists clenched and his voice began to rise. "But when you're back to your old self - all hell will break loose and I CAN'T HAVE THAT. Trying to protect Alison was hard enough. Keeping both her and Katrina safe?" Rafe shook his head. "It's something I'll fight to do with my last breath. I promise you that."

Caleb began to laugh at him. "You think too much of yourself, Slayer. Trust me - you're hardly in my thoughts at all."

"I don't buy it." Rafe replied. "The last time we talked you threatened their safety. I want it to end - Caleb. I don't know what I have to do to make that happen - but I'm willing to try."

"What more do you want from me? I said I'm leaving. Isn't that enough? You'll have your little dream. You, Betty Crocker and your blond babies can live your life out in snore inducing suburbia till you're old and gray."

"When will you come back?" Rafe asked, his voice shaking.

Caleb shrugged. "Maybe soon. Maybe never. I haven't decided yet."

That wasn't a good enough answer. "Decide now." Rafe demanded.

"When it's time." Caleb said softly.

His first instinct was always the best. He should never have come here. Defeated, Rafe walked towards the door. Before he walked out he turned to face Caleb again. His voice was full of emotion when as he spoke.. "You have a chance here, Caleb. A chance to start over. A chance to fix everything that went wrong the first time around. If you were as smart as you think you are you'd take it - because if you go back there and return to your old life it'll end the same. You'll win some, you'll lose some. If you have Livvie and your child there with you - there'll be so much more at stake."

Rafe eased out into the hallway and gave Caleb one parting thought. "I'm not your only enemy, Caleb. Your biggest one is yourself."