A/N: Aw! LOL! Thanks you guys. Clearly I've been Secrets inspired. Nothing like some classic Rali to get the imagination working – and seeing Kevin painting Paige just sparked the idea for Ali's present. But, if you can remember – things are not as happy as they seem. Not too much longer folks! :( All I have to say is that y'all better get writing. I'm going to have a lot of time on my hands soon and I want something to read!! Until 74 – enjoy! xox-G
Chapter Seventy-three
"Lia. We have to do something." Lynnie said desperately. "Kate's going after him."
Lia's voice sounded calm but Danny knew better. She clutched his hand tightly as she replied. "She's not going to get far – look at this weather."
"Julia…" Lynnie scolded. "It looks like it's letting up and you know what will happen if she leaves here. Uncle Rafe's going to go ballistic. I'm telling you I can see it. If we don't stop this nothing will ever be the same again."
Lia moved away from Danny and folded her arms in front of herself, her voice scolding. "Speaking of seeing things – what the hell are you thinking? Who were you with the other night – when you left us? It was Caleb wasn't it?"
Startled, Lynnie took a step back. Her voice was soft as she answered. "I don't…I don't remember."
"Don't lie to me Gwendolyn." Lia snapped.
"Lia, take it easy." Danny placed a hand on her shoulder.
Lia whirled on him. "Thornhart, you might be a good kisser but you are still a royal pain in the ass. BACK OFF."
Upon hearing her sister's words Lynnie smiled in spite of it all. "You kissed him huh?"
Lia blushed a deep shade of pink. "Yes. No. He –" She stammered. Shaking her head to clear it she continued. "Never mind Lynnie, we're talking about you now."
"I'll say again for the hundredth time - I don't know what happened!!!!" Desperate to make Lia understand she kept on, her voice frantic. "I'm so confused and I haven't been able to see anything lately – well at least not until today and now I'm telling you. Lia please listen to me." Lynnie placed her hands on Lia's shoulders and held her still. "We have to stop her."
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"Clo?" Grant whispered as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"mmm. Yeah?" She replied, snuggling closer to him.
"It's stopped raining. C'mon. We have to go." He eased away from her and pulled his jeans on.
She yawned and stretched like a cat. "I don't want to." Chloe said with grin.
She sounded so cute he laughed at her. He leaned down and gave her another kiss, making her sigh when he pulled away.
"Me neither but you know that we'll already have a ton of explaining to do. Let's not make it worse." Grant moved to stand and shrugged his shirt on.
Her eyes went wide as she watched him. "You can't wear that shirt - Grant. Look at it. It's all torn and it's covered in blood." Chloe shivered thinking how close he'd come to leaving her. "Not to mention that you have that scratch on your face." She looked up at him with worry in her eyes. "How will you explain all that?"
"I won't have to - really." He said with a smile, kneeling down to kiss her again. He gently smoothed her hair off her face."We'll stop at the gym so I can change."
She wasn't at all ready to leave. Her arms moved to circle his neck and she held him still, keeping his lips on hers. "Chloe…" He sighed. "We have to go."
"Is it my fault you're so irresistible?" She giggled at him, her eyes still closed.
"No." He smiled against her mouth. Though it was one of the most difficult things he'd ever done Grant reluctantly eased away from her. "C'mon. We've got to get going."
Resigned to what she knew she had to do, Chloe stood and pulled the blanket around her, shaking clothes free of the hay that was sticking to them. Grant discreetly turned his back while she got dressed, making her smile. Like he hadn't just seen her without them on. She thought, not for the first time that he was so incredibly sweet. Giggling to herself, she moved to pick up her sneakers which were resting near the post in the center of the barn. As she straightened, she noticed something new.
"Grant…" She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "When did you…
He moved over to her and took her hand in his. He'd acted impulsively and was now worried it was too much too soon. "While you were sleeping. I thought – I mean – is it OK?"
She ran her free hand over their names, which were now carved right below his parents. "I think it's perfect." Chloe smiled up at him. "You're perfect."
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Carrying dessert, Alison came back into the living room and grinned. Rafe was standing by the mantle, adjusting the picture for what seemed like the thousandth time.
"I think it looks good right there, don't you?" Rafe said, his voice soft.
She placed the plate on the coffee table and moved to stand behind him, pressing herself into his back and sliding her hands up his chest. "It does." She replied with a smile.
"It's been so long since I've seen her, sometimes I start to forget. Now I'll always be able to remember." He said as he turned to face her, curling his arms around her waist.
"How long has it been? Didn't you see her when you were up there?" Alison asked as she ran a hand over his cheek.
Rafe shook his head at her. "No. I always thought it was odd, but now I think it was so that I could spend time with my dad – you know? I never knew him at all when he was here."
Alison nodded and gave him a smile. "I guess. He's great – your dad."
"How do you know?" He chuckled at her. "You've never met him."
"No. I have." She insisted. "Back when I fell – he and I had a talk."
Rafe's back stiffened as she said the words. He realized how close he had come to losing her. "You were with him?"
"For a few minutes – yes I was." She saw the worry in his eyes and rushed to comfort him.
"No, Rafe. It was really nice. We talked about a lot of things, about the kids and about you." She took her hand and pushed the hair off his forehead as she finished. "He loves you so much, Rafe and he knows you so well."
"Alison…" Rafe whispered as he pulled her close and held her tight.
She pulled back and stared into his eyes. Smiling she said, "To put your mind at ease – he specifically told me I wasn't slated to come up there for years and years."
He finally let out the breath he was holding and leaned down to give her a kiss. "You'd better not be. I can't be here without you."
"I'm not going anywhere." She said with a sigh. This was her least favorite subject and she was determined to change it. Alison eased away and linked her fingers with his. She tugged him gently over to the couch and whispered. "C'mon. Dessert's ready."
"Dessert huh?" Rafe smiled as he took a seat.
"Chocolate covered strawberries." She took one off the plate and brought it to his lips.
Rafe took a bite and closed his eyes, savoring the taste of it. "Very sweet." He said as he took the berry from her hand and returned the favor.
Alison's face lit up with a smile as she finished it off, licking her lips to get every last taste. "Very." She agreed.
His heart beat faster as he watched her. Smiling he took her hand in his. "I know of something much sweeter, though." He said as he moved nearer to her.
Somehow, in the span of mere seconds, she found herself settled in his lap. She wound her arms around his neck and grinned. "What's that?" She asked, already knowing his answer.
"You." He replied as he leaned close and kissed her breathless.
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Kate sat and fidgeted nervously, wondering if her instincts were right. Colin must have gone to Romania. His parents couldn't turn him, Marcus and Ariel were both no longer here. His best chance to do this horrible thing was back where his family originated.
She thought she might be able to catch him at the airport, but with the storm it had taken her so long to get to there. It took longer to buy a ticket, and then the flight was delayed hours before she could actually leave. But now, finally she was sitting on the plane, her seat belt tightened – ready to go.
She hoped she could get there in time. She had gotten the first flight she could, but it wasn't a direct flight. She prayed she wouldn't be too late.
Kate closed her eyes and tried to relax, but her head was swimming with worry.
"You won't do this." She promised Colin in her mind. "I won't let you throw your life away for me."
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Parking the car in record time, the three of them raced toward the entrance to the terminal. Huffing and puffing, they stopped just short of the security checkpoint.
"We won't be able to get through there without a ticket." Danny said with a sigh.
"Gee thanks, prophet of doom." Lia snapped at him. "What great insight."
"Why did I say I wanted to be with you?" He replied with a grin.
Her face softened as she looked towards him. "You enjoy torture?"
"That must be it." He laughed and quickly kissed her, happy that she let him.
Lia eased away and grabbed his hand. "C'mon. Let's go buy the cheapest ticket we can, then one of us can get through."
"We're too late." Lynnie said then, placing a hand on Lia's arm to stop her from rushing off.
"What?" They both replied at once.
Lynnie looked at them with sadness in her eyes. "She's already gone."