A/N : Hello wonderful Awians and readers! :) I've been really bad... I know. Please forgive me! I had huge writers block... but just to make sure that the next update won't be months from now, I have my next 2 chapters uploaded already. I hope you aren't too disappointed. Enjoy. REVIEW! Thanks. ~ Evil Nat (LOL)

Chapter Five

{A knock at the door}

"Let me get that." Rafe untangled himself from under her and bounded towards the door. Opening it, his face fell in displeasure.

"Rafe," Livvie snapped, inviting herself in and taking a seat on an arm of the huge armchair. "Hey Ali."

"Oh God. What are you doing here?" Alison looked up and sighed, exasperated.

"You two look so disappointed to see me. Just wanted to give you a big congrats on the marriage, and wish you a Merry Christmas."

"Excuse me?"

"Look, in the spirit of the holidays I just wanted to prove that I'm really over whatever happened in the past. I forgive you, Rafe, for lying to me. I thought that our marriage and our baby really meant something to you, but it the end your little slut was the one you chose. Alison, I forgive you for trying to steal every man I ever cared about."

"Oh NO. You cannot be serious. If anyone is guilty of lying, stealing, cheating it's YOU! And you should be the LAST one calling anybody a slut."

"Alison – just don't listen to her, alright? Livvie, you need to go. Now."

"Oh comon Rafe, we used to be really close once. And your dear Alison and me used to be the best of friends." It figured. So she was just here to stir something up again. Bring back all the horrible memories. Alison was trying to keep a brave face, but Rafe could see in her eyes that she was blinking back tears.

Willing herself not to cry, Alison's voice shook. "Please. We both know that every word out of your mouth is about as contrived and twisted as your pathetic excuse for a life. LEAVE, and don't ever come back here again."

"Let me help you out," Rafe offered, before the situation got even worse.

"Fine. I have to meet with my dad soon, anyway. But Alison, I'm not done with you yet." She picked her purse up and walked toward the door with Rafe right behind her.

"You leave her alone. I don't want to see you come anywhere near Alison again, you hear me?" He whispered fiercely in Livvie's ear.

"That won't be a problem with you as her bodyguard. Goodbye." She barked back at him. Shutting the door behind her, he took a deep breath before he turned and faced Alison.

"I'm so sorry."

"Rafe, it's okay. We both know what she's like. I just... well, I kind of thought that this whole thing between us was over. Or at least I had hoped."

"Alison..."

"No, she always does this."

Rafe was helpless as her tears started to fall. Once they started it was like they couldn't stop.

"Don't. Don't cry, please."

She couldn't manage to say much between sobs. "Everything was going so perfectly, I guess I was so wrapped up in us and Christmas, that I totally forget about all the bad stuff. And, I guess I kind of miss Livvie."

"You...miss...her?"

"No...not this Livvie. The old one I used to know, before Caleb. I know that seems like forever ago but I've never had a friend who I could talk to about girl stuff. She was it, Rafe."

He didn't know how to help, but he hated to see her sad. Cradling her face, he kissed her softly on her trembling lips. "I'll tell you what. If you ever want to talk about anything, I'm here for you. You know what."

He is so sweet, she though, looking deeply into his eyes. Right now, the last thing she wanted to think about was girl stuff. All she could think about was him, and what he was doing t her. He was kissing her neck and driving her insane. "Rafe, I have to admit – the last thing I want to do with you is talk."

"Oh. What else did you have in mind?" Smiling, he gently wiped the tears from her cheek and bent down to kissed her passionately.

**********

"Hey Frank." At the Recovery Room, Jack found a stool at the bar and slid a five dollar bill across the counter.

"Jack. What'll it be? Oh. Don't tell me! Jack and Coke?"

"Yep." Mixing up his drink, Frank slid a small glass back across the counter and put a little umbrella in the glass.

"Why the long face tonight?"

"It's not too long until Christmas. It's always a really hard time for me. Thinking about all the things I've lost. Chris is here...but other than that, I'm alone."

"Oh no. Not still hung up on Livvie, are ya?"

"NO. That viper and I are ancient history."

"Well if I didn't know better, I'd think that you really missed her right now."

Slamming his glass down on the counter, Jack grabbed his coat from behind the stool. "Why don't you worry about your own relationship, and I'll worry about mine! KEEP THE CHANGE."

**********

We see a young woman with two suitcases struggling to carry them into the Recovery Room. Jack, not looking where he's going storms out of the bar and bumps right into her – sending all her luggage and their contents flying everywhere. Clothes and toiletries lay in the snow. He's completely embarrassed and speechless.

"Oh my God. I'm – I'm so sorry."

"No, it's okay." She responded quietly, frantically trying to get all her things back into the bags.

"Let me help you, please. I swear, I usually don't just walk into people without looking where I'm going," he muttered, blushing as he picked up her pink lacy bra with two of his fingers.

"Um, let me get that please. I think you've helped plenty." The woman snatched her bra back and stuffed it into her suitcase. For the first time, their eyes met and they got a good look at each other. She had the most stunning hazel eyes.

"Umm... Uh. WOW."

"What? Do I have something in my teeth?"

"No. I just...nothing."

"Could you hand me my socks?" she asked.

"Of course. So, could I buy you a drink? And apologize like 90 times?"

"I don't even know you yet!" she laughed. He was such a dork – but something about him really grabbed her.

"I'm Jack. Jack Ramsey."

"Hi Jack. My name is Audrey. I guess we're not strangers anymore." Giggling, she put her hand out and shook his hand.