A/N: Melody - hehehe. Thanks for the idea. :) Until 49! xox-G

Chapter Forty-eight

Grant didn't have hold of Caleb for long. Seconds after he'd cornered him, Caleb vanished. Grant expected nothing less of such a cretin. He took a deep breath and walked back to the waiting room.

"Grant…" Chloe breathed as she ran into his arms.

"Hey." He whispered as he held her close.

"That man. He was so…" Chloe shivered and moved closer. "It was Caleb, wasn't it?"

"Yes. It's OK. He's gone now." Grant said as he placed a kiss on her temple, running his hands up and down her back. He realized all at once that they were alone again. He smiled as Chloe tilted her face up to his. His lips moved to take hers, kissing her slowly.

Rafe turned the corner, a bit shocked at the sight in front of him. He had felt..something. He thought it was Caleb. He was not expecting this at all.

"Ahem. Grant!?" He said a little too loudly.

Chloe jumped back at the sound, blushing crimson. "Hi Mr. Kovich." She said softly, completely and totally mortified.

"Chloe." Rafe said with a nod. "Grant? Could I talk to you for a second?"

"Yeah Dad." He said as he pulled away, giving Chloe a smile. He turned to look at his father. "Sure."

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Kate felt awful. She knew she looked awful. Despite the fact she'd gotten to sleep some, she looked an absolute mess. She walked into her mother's room and pulled a chair over to the bed, careful not to make any noise.

"Hey Mom." Kate said softly.

"Hi sweetheart." Alison whispered. She had heard from Ian that Katie was distraught beyond belief. "Honey. You need to take care of yourself."

"I need to take care of you. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have acted like I did. But I'm going to fix it - I promise - I will. I wanted to tell you I'm not going to school in the fall. I'm going to take some time off so that I can do that."

"Kate." Alison sighed. "I need some time to rest and I won't be back to my old self for awhile, but I'll be fine months before you have to go to school." She reached for her daughter's hand. "Unless there's another reason you don't want to go away right now."

"Like what?" Kate asked, her voice barely audible.

"Like Colin."

The sound of his name pierced her heart and caused her to bleed. How long would it be before she could hear it and not want to die?

"That's over." Kate replied, tears already threatening to fall.

"Oh it is?" Alison asked as she moved to sit up, feeling much stronger today than she had the day before.

"Yes." Kate promised as she stared at her lap.

"Wow. I'm surprised. The way you were acting - I thought it was more serious than that." Alison gave her hand a squeeze. "It was just a crush or something?"

The look in Kate's eyes told her it was the exact opposite.

Alison sighed, her voice gently pleading. "Katie. Talk to me. Tell me what's going on in that pretty head of yours."

She knew lying was useless. " I won't deny that I love him. I always will." She began.

"OK." Alison said, urging her to go on.

"But the minute I chose him - everyone else I loved got hurt. Especially you, Mom." Kate looked up at her mother, her face full of sorrow. "It's a choice I had to make."

"So you're giving him up for me?" Alison asked.

Kate couldn't speak anymore. She fought to catch her breath as she nodded.

"Don't be ridiculous." Alison admonished her daughter. She reached over and took her hand. "They told me for months to give up on your father and I wanted to. Oh God Katie. Every morning when I woke up I wondered how I'd ever make it through another day. But I got through one, and then another and in the end I not only had him back - I had him back and we were able to have all of you. It's a miracle and it only happened because I didn't give up."

"I can't…" Kate insisted.

Alison was getting angrier by the second. "Then you're not the daughter I thought I had. Maybe there was a switch at the hospital."

She wasn't making any sense. Kate wiped at her eyes as she gasped. "What?"

"My daughter is one of the bravest people I know. She's fiercely loyal and sometimes has a bit too much of a temper but she's a fighter. You look like her but you must be an imposter."

Kate rolled her eyes a bit, feeling more like herself than she had in days. "Mom. Cut it out."

"Not until you stop feeling sorry for yourself and go fight for what you want. This girl who sits here and cries is someone I don't even recognize. Where's my tough little Katie?"

Kate knew what her mother was trying to do. She shook her head at her. "Mom. This won't work. Dad will never accept him…"

"You leave your father to me. This is your life we're talking about. Do you want to spend it with Colin?"

Kate didn't even have to speak. The answer was clear as day and written all over her face. "I do."

"There's my girl." Alison leaned close and kissed Kate's cheek. "Then go get him." She whispered.

"Mom…"

"Don't argue with me go." Alison pushed her towards the door a bit. "I love you."

"I love you too, Mom." Kate smiled as she hugged her tight, "I'm sorry."

Alison wasn't about to let her start with that. God, she was just like Rafe when it came to holding herself responsible for things. "Stop. Katie please. Stop apologizing. All I want is for you to be happy. If he makes you happy - then that's what I want for you."

Kate suddenly was full of energy. She nearly sprinted out the door.

"Katie?" Alison called out after her. "You might want to stop at the house and fix yourself up a bit."

Kate looked down at her rumpled clothes and then smiled. "Just can't help yourself, can you Mom?"

"No." Alison said with a laugh. "Go get him sweetie."

"Oh trust me." Kate flashed her a huge grin. "He doesn't stand a chance."

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"He was here, wasn't he?" Rafe asked his son.

"Yeah." Grant nodded, knowing exactly the "he" his father was referring to. "He threatened Chloe. I told him to back off."

"Did you?" Rafe said with a slight grin.

"I did." Grant smiled back. "Of course, he disappeared as soon as I cornered him."

Rafe couldn't help feeling proud, but he was also incredibly worried. "Watch yourself, Grant. Do not underestimate him."

"I know Dad. I won't." Grant promised. "He has no idea what he's up against though."

It was amazing to think his son handled himself so well. Still Rafe hoped he'd be closer when Caleb crossed Grant's path again.

Sighing, Rafe paused for a moment, wondering how to bring up the next subject. He was clearly uncomfortable. "So. You and Chloe?"

The question took Grant by surprise "What?!" Then he remembered what he'd been doing right before he'd started this conversation. He smiled dreamily. "Oh, yeah. Me and Chloe."

"Grant." Rafe began, wondering how to actually get his point across. "I know that right now you think that nothing can go wrong. You think that everything's so perfect but you need to be responsible…"

His son looked at him and burst into laughter. "Oh God, Dad…"

"What?" Rafe asked, trying to keep his composure.

Grant laughed harder. "You're not seriously trying to give me this talk in the middle of a corridor at the hospital are you?"

"What?" Rafe began to blush a bit. "No. I was just saying…"

Grant cut him off. "I know what you were saying and let me tell you - you're one to talk. Seriously, Dad. Please. Don't think we all don't know that Katie was born like six months after you and Mom got married."

God, it was torture having kids who were so smart. Rafe took a deep breath as he insisted. "That's not the point - Grant."

His son decided to let him off the hook. Grant placed his hands on Rafe's shoulders and stared into his eyes. "Dad. Relax. That was like the third time I ever kissed her. But I promise. I'm not stupid."

"No. You're not." Rafe said with a grin. Grant smiled back and turned to go.

Rafe looked after him proudly and then it dawned on him. "Hey. Are you saying I'm stupid?"

"Am I?" Grant fought to reign in his laughter as he walked away. He shook his head and grinned. "No. Dad. I'm just saying that maybe I'll be more careful than you were."