A/N: It's always darkest before the dawn. Just keep that in mind my Awians and others. I have to get everyone to a certain point and I know it's not a happy one... Please bear with me, watch Secrets on SN to get your happy Rali fix and trust that we are almost there. :).

I have a vague idea of how many of you are reading along or who have been reading along since I began this crazy obsession I've seemed to have acquired. I wanted to give you a little warning, because I keep having to repeat it to myself to believe it's actually true.

You might suspect that the title of this story denotes finality – and it does. Basically that's my flowery way of saying; this will be the end of my little series. :( I've taken Rafe and Alison as far as I think I can – and I don't know about you – but writing about them in a retirement home doesn't thrill me in the least. LOL!

I'm not done yet – but I just wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to all of you for taking this little trip with me. Especially as always my little crew that have been with me this whole way, my dear darling Aw Triplets (aka The Awians) – my precious PCGirl (my pseudo beta reader, fellow ice cream fanatic and the girl who makes me laugh so hard late at night that I'm sleep deprived), the heavenly Melody (who better let Ali have that baby soon) ;) and the long, long lost Nat (where are you sweetie??? I miss ya!) :(

Thanks bunches also to Bethany and Terri whose reviews never cease to make me smile.

(OMG Katie – doesn't that sound like a Swordy acceptance speech?? LOL!)

To everyone else that's dropped by to send a review for any of my stories – I appreciate and treasure each and every one of them. I'm never happier than when I've got a little review alert in my mailbox. It never fails to make my day – unless you're a shiver Cali lover and want to tell me Rafe and Alison make you sick. That stuff just makes me mad – but strangely also inspires me to write more. :)

OK. sniff sniff enough babbling. Let's get to it shall we? Until 69 - enjoy! xox-G

Chapter Sixty-eight

He sat in the villa alone. Livvie had finally decided to go and visit her father. The idea made him nervous, as it always did when she mingled with mortals. He knew there was a part of her that still craved that life. He, long ago, found it easier to deal with immortality. His powers gave him the strength he never possessed when he was human.

One of those powers was the ability to hear the slayer calling out to him. Screaming was more like it. He had plans to meet with that sweet Gwendolyn shortly anyway. If he wasn't so in love with Olivia, he'd be tempted to see what lurked behind the girl's serious expression. He guessed there was some spark lying beneath. She was – after all – Abigail's daughter. With a sigh and a bored expression he suddenly appeared at the Overlook.

"What if I was busy?" Caleb gave Rafe an exasperated look.

Rafe shrugged back at him. "I couldn't care less. I'm hear to make a deal with you. This ends now, Vampire."

Caleb walked casually over to a large rock and took a seat. "Seems I've heard that before. Trouble is - I don't see this ending any time soon."

Rafe took a deep breath. The image of Becky's sweet face was burned in his mind. He couldn't let her grow up being terrified of what was to come next. He had to make Caleb understand.

His earlier plan was to find a way to trick Caleb into doing what he wanted. He and Cameron had been plotting the whole week to do just that. But there was no more time for games. His family was too important to gamble with.

"I know you're looking for revenge Caleb and you can have it. Just tell me what you want to do here. Do you want to start up a band? You have my blessing. Looking to open a nightclub? Feel free. I'll agree to anything if you promise one thing."

"Why do I have the feeling I'm not going to like this?" Caleb said with a smirk.

Rafe would have begged. He'd gotten to the point where he simply would have. No one was safe while Caleb hunted vengefully. He needed to make some sort of compromise to keep them safe. There was no other option.

Instead he stared Caleb dead in the eye and said, "Stay away from my wife and children. Keep away from our family and friends. You can live here, just find someone else to terrorize. As long as they stay safe I'll let it go on. I've made my peace with this." Rafe's face softened as he spoke this last. "I just need you to make peace with me."

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Lynnie wiped the counter and stared into space for a moment. Her visions had virtually stopped in the past week. She had no idea why and she should be enjoying the well needed break. But she couldn't sit still. There seemed to be something she was forgetting. Something important.

A voice broke through her haze. "Lynnie?"

She shook her head to clear it and gave Chloe a smile. "Hi Clo."

She looked so pale, Chloe thought. "Hi. Are you OK?"

"I'm fine." Lynnie promised. "What can I get you?"

"Iced skim vanilla with an extra shot, thanks." She watched as Lynnie went to work. "Can I ask you something? You can tell me no."

"It's OK. Ask away."

"Do you see something happening to Grant? I'm so afraid for him Lynnie. He thinks he needs to protect all of us and I'm so scared that he'll get hurt."

This was why they called it a gift. Her mother always reminded her. When you could help ease the mind of someone you loved it was always welcome. But Lynnie hadn't seen a thing since the day she ran out on them at the coffee shop.

"I would tell you if I had." She said softly. "I haven't seen anything lately. The only thing I can really say is that you need to remember that Uncle Rafe gave Grant the best training in the world. He is very good at what he's been trained to do. He'll be careful, Clo. He won't risk what he and you have."

"You really think so?" Chloe's voice brimmed with hope.

Lynnie nodded. "I really do." She handed Chloe her drink and said, almost too softly. "It must be amazing for someone to love you like that."

"Like what?" She asked as she took a sip.

Tears welled in Lynnie's eyes. "The way Grant loves you. The way he's always loved you."

Chloe blinked at her friends words. "Always?"

Lynnie nodded and took a deep breath. "He's loved you forever. Since before he even knew what it meant. I'm so happy for both of you."

Chloe suddenly felt guilty. She gave Lynnie a smile. "Lynn – there's someone for you too."

A tear escaped and Lynnie dragged a hand over her cheek to erase the trail it left down her face. "No. Not me."

"Sure there is. I may not be able to have visions like you but I can see that. You are so amazing Lynnie that most guys are scared. They like to feel like they protect you and the fact that you can see trouble first puts them off balance. But there's someone who gets it Lynnie. And he'll be the luckiest guy in the world when he gets you too."

"That's sweet Clo, thanks." She said, not believing a word.

Chloe knew Lynnie didn't believe her but at the same time she somehow knew it was absolutely true. "I'll make you a deal OK?"

"OK."

"If I'm wrong - if in the next year you don't meet someone who fits that description – I'll break up with Grant and live alone with a cat in the apartment above the gym for the rest of my life."

Lynnie laughed then. "Chloe. You and Grant will get married the minute you finish college – who are you kidding?"

"I'm telling you – I'll do it. That's how sure I am I'm right."

Lynnie didn't want to hope, but she somehow found herself daydreaming instead. She gave Chloe a grin. "OK. It's a deal."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I don't want to start a band or a club – so it's no deal." Caleb replied.

Rafe couldn't let go. He'd fight as long and as hard as he had to to make this happen. "Caleb. Tell me what it is you want then and I won't stand in your way."

Feeling he had nothing to lose, Caleb took a deep breath and said softly. "I want my son back."

"OK…" Rafe began.

Caleb cut him off. "I want him to join me - completely. And he won't do that if he's mixed up with your daughter."

Rafe shook his head at him. "I can't break them up, Caleb. God knows I've wanted to but it just doesn't work."

Caleb gave a little pout. "Oh c'mon. Just try. For me?"

Rafe's blood began to simmer. No one could infuriate him more than Caleb, only Livvie even came close. "He and Kate are destined to be together, as crazy as it seems. If you're worried, you don't have to be. He'll be happy. We'll take care of him."

Caleb could not believe what he was hearing. "What?"

"He'll be part of the family…" Rafe started again only to realize a moment too late how that sounded.

His enemy turned on him and approached, making Rafe back up nearly to the edge. "Your family is complete as it is. You are very insistent that I leave them alone. But I won't ever leave them alone if he dares to choose that brat of yours over his legacy. His destiny is to be with Olivia and me, to share the power that we have. He's been blinded by what you mortals call love but I will make him change his mind. Trust this. I'll do anything I have to."

"Define anything." Rafe pushed Caleb back and took a few long strides to safer ground.

"Do I look like Webster's dictionary to you?" Caleb spat back.

Rafe titled his head and regarded him closely. "No you look desperate. In fact, you're clinging to the edge here. I was so concerned before that I didn't see it – but its crystal clear now." Rafe walked and sat down on the stone Caleb had vacated a few minutes before. "We have some things to work out it seems."

Emotions he thought he'd buried swirled around him. Caleb wasn't at his strongest and he was sure Rafe knew it. "I don't have time for this." He said as he began to walk away.

He was stopped dead in his tracks. Rafe drew him back and made him face him. Somehow, seeing Caleb weak and vulnerable only made Rafe stronger.

His voice was confident as he promised. "Too bad, because you aren't going anywhere until we figure this out."