Chapter Forty-nine

Colin threw another glass toward the door. Destroying things wasn't making him feel as good as he thought they might.

How could he have been so stupid?

"Ariel." He said the name bitterly under his breath. He stood in the middle of the room and shouted. "Cheap trick - Caleb!!!" He refused to call him his father. "Really cheap. You honestly thought I'd fall for that? Tell me you're not that stupid."

He looked around the room and his eyes fell on a sweater thrown over the couch. He reached out to pick it up with trembling hands and brought it to his face, inhaling deeply. As he caught the scent of her perfume it was as if she was right there in the room with him. He lowered his voice and sighed. "That bimbo you sent to me can't possibly hold a candle to Katrina. You'd be wise to learn quickly that there's no one who can."

There was a knock at the door and his heart skipped a beat. It was her. He was so sure that he ran to the door, surprised to see who stood on the other side.

"Colin…" Livvie whispered as she stepped inside, carefully trying to avoid the shattered glass.

"Mom." Colin tried to hide his disappointment.

"Were you expecting someone else?" She asked.

"Yes. No. I mean, hi." He said as he gave her a hug.

Livvie sighed as she held him close. "Hi honey. I missed you."

"I missed you too." Colin said softly. "I should have known it was you."

She looked on sadly as he eased away from her. After all this time - she only had him close for a moment.

"I got his message by the way. Tell him nice try." Colin said, his voice tinged with hatred.

"What?" Livvie was completely confused.

Colin stared at his mother and explained. "His little trick. That cheap imitation of Katrina. Trying to make me fall for her and take the bait. I should have known better."

"Katrina?" Livvie gasped. "Alison's Katrina?"

"I didn't know you knew who she was." Colin said, surprised.

"I didn't know you knew who she was." Livvie replied.

Colin was done hiding his feelings, especially to his mother. He shrugged as he said. "I didn't. Not until after I fell in love with her."

"Colin…" She sighed. This was certainly news to her. Her mind spun. Seemed Caleb knew and didn't tell her. She began to get angry.

Colin was so wrapped up in thoughts of Kate he didn't notice. "Don't. OK? It's over anyway - she made a choice." He didn't realize saying the words would be so hard. He should have - but he didn't. Colin realized he was still holding her sweater. He hugged it to himself and his voice broke as he whispered. "She walked away. She chose her family over me."

Livvie could have told her son that. She was a Kovich. Rafe and Alison were so incredibly bound by those things. They lived and breathed it. Home, family. The familiar pang of jealousy filled her again. She was able to have a child but she'd never had a family. Not like that. Rafe and Alison would cling to that as long as they were able to walk this earth. Livvie knew she never would have it - and she had an eternity to live.

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Kate went home and took her mother's advice. She took a shower and a short nap and then dressed with care. She chose the same dress she wore the first time they'd spent the night together. As she got ready she couldn't help but remember that night. She didn't want to recreate it - it was too special - but she knew that she wanted to try to match it for the rest of her life.

It was odd the sense of calm that washed over her. Just the night before she had felt lost and hopeless but today - today she was back to her old self. Everything seemed like it couldn't get worse, but Kate figured that's just how things were - right before they got better again. It looked like her mom and the baby would be OK. Grant finally gave in and he was now with Chloe where he belonged. Everything was back to the way it should be. Actually - it was getting even better.

Smiling all the while, Katrina stopped at the market to get a few things. She'd show up on his doorstep and beg him to let her in. She'd promise him dinner. Armed with a German recipe and her love for Colin she made her way back to her car. She knew that would be all she'd need to make her dreams a reality.

She'd gotten about a half a mile away from the cabin when she realized the car was acting funny. She pulled to the side of the road and sighed. Being careful not to stain her dress, she looked under the hood and then laughed at herself. She could change a tire and use jumper cables but she was clueless as to what else could be wrong. She grabbed her phone and realized she had no service.

Cursing herself for the fact that she had chosen to wear heels, Kate grabbed the groceries and started to walk. Nothing was going to keep her from Colin. She had turned off the main road and up the path to the cabin when she suddenly felt something. She dropped the bag and whirled around.

There was no one behind her.

As she picked up the bag she turned back around and he stood there, facing her.

"They called your mother a witch, once upon a time." Caleb said softly. "Some of it must had rubbed off on you - since it seems you've cast a spell on my son."

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Despite the torrent of emotion swirling inside her, Livvie fought it back to try and comfort her son. "Colin. Maybe it's for the best."

He didn't want to hear it. "Don't say that. Don't. OK? Enough. I'm glad to see you Mom. I'm happy you're doing OK - but don't do this. Don't you dare come in here and tell me what's best for me alright? Because you have NO idea. You don't know me. You don't know what I need."

He stared into Livvie's eyes. "This is the life I want. You want to live with him and continue to tear people apart - that's your choice. I've made my own."

Colin suddenly realized what he was saying. If Katrina thought she could simply walk away from him she had another thing coming.

Still clutching her sweater he gave Livvie a parting glance. "I gotta go." He said as he ran out the door.

Time and again, he pushed her away. How had she made such a mess of this. Desperate to bring him back to her she called out after him. "Colin!? COLIN!!"

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Kate slowly placed the bag on the ground beside her and stared into Caleb's eyes.

"You are so full of tricks. You can't just have a normal conversation. You have to mess with my car to get me alone?" Anger overran her fear. Her father had trained her for this moment. She knew exactly what she needed to do. "Once a coward - always a coward aren't you, Caleb?"

"Livvie and I should have had more kids. All these puny slayers running around. There's a tiny one too I hear - isn't there?"

Kate's eyes nearly glowed with rage. "You come within ten feet of Becky…."

Caleb interrupted her with a wicked laugh. "Is there some script you all carry? I swear you all feel the need to use that same line. "If you come within ten feet of insert name here I'll…." He rolled his eyes a bit. "With your father it's Alison. Your brother? I'm sure he'd say Jack's little Chloe. So you're your little sister's champion huh? Interesting. I thought you had a taste for darkness."

She took a deep breath and spoke slowly, clenching her fists and straightening her back as she faced him. "The only taste I have for darkness is a bad one."

"I beg to differ. You seemed to like it enough to take my son to bed." Caleb gave her a smirk.

He was trying to bait her. He thought to embarrass her she guessed, but she was now completely livid. He was trying to get her infuriated enough to be careless. She knew it, but couldn't help telling him off a bit. "Your son? Please Caleb. Who are you kidding. You didn't want a son you wanted a puppet. You expected to be able to pull his strings or make him follow you like a rabid puppy dog. You've already got one of those, don't you? I think you call her your wife…."

"For such a prim and proper princess you've got quite a mouth on you." Caleb said, undeterred.

Kate ignored his comment. "Colin will never be like you." She promised him then.

"He could be. I've always thought he had potential." Caleb walked towards a nearby tree stump and gave her a look. "You see if he'd just focus all this wasted energy on joining me - he could surpass me eventually. You see, Slayerette. Our gift - it gains power through the ages."

"And ours is now fourfold." Kate stared into his eyes. "You don't stand a chance, Caleb. You might as well go now."

"How many slayers do I see?" Caleb mocked her as regarded his hand, pretending to count. He held up his index finger and grinned. "One. One little girl slayer. Face it sweetheart. You are no match for me."