A/N: Something (or is that someone- LOL!?) put this thought in my head. Apparently Rali needs a weekend alone. I wonder how they'll spend it. Hmmmm. :) Tune in tomorrow to find out!! xox-G

Chapter Twenty-seven

"What are you trying to do to me?" Alison said with a sigh.

"I'm trying to take you away for the weekend." Rafe said with a chuckle. He leaned close and whispered in her ear, kissing the space right near it. "C'mon. Let me take you away from all this."

"Becky has a game tomorrow." She started to protest.

"We've gone to all the others - Alison, be honest with me. You know she'll barely notice." He ran a hand up and down her spine as he gazed into her eyes. "And I already called Ian and Aisling. They said they'd be happy to take her. You know she'll be trilled to sleep over Maggie's."

He definitely had a point. Becky barely glanced at them when she played soccer. Alison decided to break out the big guns. If she turned his attention to their older children he'd change his mind. "We can't - Rafe. Grant and Katie…"

"…are 18 and nearly 17." Rafe interjected. "They're perfectly capable of taking care of themselves."

She pulled back sharply and stared at him. "Who are you and what have you done with my husband?"

The look on her face made him laugh. He pressed his lips to hers. "Now you know how much I want some time alone with you. Just remember, pretty soon we won't have much at all." He whispered against her lips. "Please, Angel."

The sound of his voice was pulling her under. Alison pressed herself closer to him, helpless. She knew she'd lost the fight. "Rafe…"

He ran his hand through her hair, his fingers gently tangling in the silken strands. He watched her eyes flutter closed and he smiled. "Alison. I love you. Come with me and I'll show you how much."

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"I can't keep doing this Katie." Lia said with a sigh.

"I'd do it for you." Kate promised. "Lia - c'mon."

"I'm sorry but truthfully? I feel like a traitor. Lynnie and my mom are all freaked out and from what I can get them to tell me - it's all about you."

Kate knew what was wrong. She felt awful. "Lia."

Julia was clearly distraught. "I hate when Lynnie is upset. I feel so useless. I can't help her."

Kate touched her hand on Lia's arm. "I'm sorry."

She was so overwhelmed she lashed out. It wasn't right - but it was how she usually handled things like this. "But don't worry about Lynnie or me for that matter. Have fun with your boyfriend Kate."

"Julia…"

Lia looked over at Kate and knew she should apologize. "I'm sorry. I'm worried and tired and most of all I'm completely annoyed and I'm pissed off that I've got to go to the prom with Warren."

Kate stared to laugh. "Oh Lia. Warren is so sweet."

"You're kidding me - right? Katie, Warren's about as fun as driving nails into your eye sockets."

Kate about lost her breath she was laughing so hard. "LIA! If you don't like him why'd you say yes?"

"If he would just keep his mouth shut he'd be kinda cute. Plus, Jeremy asked Lynnie and you know that he and Warren don't go anywhere without each other."

Kate smiled wider as they pulled up to Colin's. She gave her cousin a kiss on the cheek and slipped out of the car as she said, "You're a good person, Julia Alison Donovan."

"Yeah. Whatever." Lia grumbled. "Don't let the word get out. My reputation will be shot."

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"Did I just hear you say yes?" Rafe asked with a smile as he moved his mouth to place soft kisses on her neck.

Alison's hands clutched the fabric of his shirt. She shifted closer to him. "Yes." She breathed, desperate to feel his lips on hers again. She moved her hands to frame his face and bring him back. "Yes." She repeated. She couldn't believe what he could still do to her, after all this time. "Where are you taking me?"

"I made reservations at the Inn." He whispered as he took her mouth again.

"Really?" She asked her eyes beginning to sparkle.

"Yes. Really." Rafe replied. "There's a lot to celebrate this month. It's Becky's birthday." He said as he kissed her to make his point. "…it's Mother's Day..."

She got a worried look in her eyes. "I know but us going away, that's too much."

"I thought you just said yes?" Rafe said with a laugh.

"I did - didn't I?" She laughed back.

"And I'm not letting you back out of it." He kissed her one last time and gently shoved her away. "Get out of here. Go pack."


The last thing she wanted to do was back out. "OK." Alison said with a grin as she moved to walk upstairs.

"Alison…" Rafe called out after her.

"Yeah?" She yelled back.

He laughed as he yelled up to her. "We're going for two days not two weeks. Pack light."

"I always pack light." She replied innocently.

Rafe shook his head and continued to chuckle. "You only think so because I always carry your bags. Trust me. There's nothing light about how you pack."

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


"Hi." She breathed as he opened the door.

Colin pulled Kate inside and kissed her softly. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." She said as she pulled his face back to hers to kiss him again.

"This is crazy." He said as he pulled away and pressed his forehead to hers. "I can't stand having to sneak around like this."

"I know. But we can't just run around Port Charles together. My father…"

"I know." He nodded before kissing her again. "It's going to be OK."

"How?" She asked, completely unsure as to how it ever could be.

Colin gave her a huge smile as he took her hand and led her to the couch. "I haven't figured it all out quite yet."

"Well. Tell me when you do and then I can stop being so paranoid." She laughed as she sank into the cushions.

Colin loved the sound of her laugh. As he gazed at her he still couldn't believe his luck. She knew the truth and she was still here with him.

"Do you think he suspects anything?"

Kate laughed louder. "My father? Colin, oh my God. He was born suspicious. I bet you ten dollars right now he's asking my mom what's going on with me because I haven't been paying enough attention to him."

"I haven't been able to play all week. I don't know if I have ten dollars." He grinned at her. "I'll have to take your word for it."

She leaned over and placed a kiss on his bandaged wrist. "Well. I'll give you ten dollars because it's my fault you can't play."

Colin ran a hand over her hair as she did. "I don't know about that. I think I brought this on myself. I made you mad, remember?"

"Come to think of it - that's right. You did. You know what? You're really good at that." She said with a smile.

"At playing guitar? Thanks for the compliment." He chuckled.

"No." She said as she inched closer to him. "Making me mad."

"I haven't done that in a while." He said as his fingers tangled in her hair and brought her closer. He kissed her gently and then smiled as he pulled away.

"No - you haven't. I'm sure you will again soon. But the truth is lately, you've only made me happy." She leaned in and kissed him again.

"How did that happen?" Colin said, still not believing she was here with him. He kissed her again.

She knew the way he kissed had something to do with it, but Kate heard herself answer. "I'm not sure."

"I can't believe it." Colin said. "You're still with me."

Kate smiled though her heart was heavy. "It's getting harder to sneak away, Colin. We have to figure something else out."

"We will." He promised as he held her tight. "We will."