A/N: This is what you get when the power is out for 4 and 1/2 hours because of an ice storm. :) I don't even know how many people other than the Awians are still reading this—it's going too slow and I have nothing to blame it on other than myself. So bad self—hehehe. Enjoy! Until next time—I WANNA BE IN CALIFORNIA!!!—PCGirl.


"So why do you think he really came here?" asked Lizzie as she came back from getting a soda and sat down on her sleeping bag in the middle of a now empty and freshly painted apartment. Their parents had agreed to let Lizzie spend the night with Kate and she'd jumped at the chance to grill her sister about the newest person in their lives—Andrew.

Kate shrugged at the question while snacking on popcorn, "He probably just wanted a break from being a full time Vampire Slayer."

She rolled her eyes at the response and threw in her two cents in the process, "I think it's because he likes you."

She laughed now—laughter coming easier with each passing day of talking to Tara and knowing she was getting stronger, "Leave it to you to turn a simple visit into something more."

"Oh come on—like you didn't think the same. You run into a dashing young man in London—then he saves your life and then he travels thousands of miles away—you can't say there's something more to the story."

"Yeah--it was to return a sweater. And that's so what movies are about--returning lost articles of clothing," she laughed harder and then stopped—her head looking at the door. "Did you hear that?"

"No," she said as she waited a moment and then heard the same thing, "What was that?"

"It's probably our big brother trying to scare us," said Kate as she walked up to the door quietly and quickly pulled it open, grabbing the person in the hallway and throwing them off balance so before they knew it, both her and the other person were on the floor together.

He lost his breath for a moment when she did that and when he caught it again he noticed that he was now somehow pinned under Katrina, "Get off of me!"

"Andrew?" gasped Kate as Lizzie ran over and turned on the lights.

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Alison walked out of the bathroom and saw Rafe sitting on the seat at the end of the bed putting his shoes on. "Rafe—are you going somewhere?"

"Hmmm?" he said as he looked up to see his wife standing there in her bathrobe, ready for bed. "I—I was just going to run to the store and get some milk for breakfast in the morning—we're out of it."

She couldn't help but grin—too bad the truth was they were out of milk, but Rafe was never one to go get it without being asked first, "Right. And I'm sure you are going to the store right down the street—not the one over by the gym?"

Busted. He could see the look in her eyes that she'd caught him, "I just wanted to make sure the girls had everything they needed."

"Rafe—if they needed anything they would call. And besides—they do have Eddie right next door if they really do need anything."

"Right. Eddie."

"This is about Andrew—isn't it? You're upset that Eddie offered Andrew to stay with him tonight and now you are not trusting him anymore."

"It's not that--."

"Then what is it? He's a good boy, you've said so yourself—the man he shares DNA with and the man that raised him are two men you trust as much as you trust Ian. Can you seriously stand here and say because Danny was away for sixteen years that you can't trust him?"

"This has nothing to do with Danny or Ian—this has to do with Andrew."

"But Danny and Ian are in the same category as Andrew and his two fathers."

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Caleb turned from the fire at the sound of the bedroom door opening and Livvie slipping in, "Is everything ok, Olivia?"

"Yes, she's sound asleep—it's been so long since I've done this, but I can remember when she was an infant that I always snuck into her room right before I went to bed to make sure she was sleeping soundly. And then after we lost Amelia I began doing it again until Alex came along. I guess it's just a part of me."

"It's your maternal instinct to keep your children safe," he said as he walked towards her and slipped his arms around her waist.

"Is everything ok with you, Caleb?"

"I received word today that Marius is on the move."

Livvie's eyes went huge as she whipped around to stare at Caleb directly, "You don't think he's going to come here, do you? I'll die before I let that hellish monster lay eyes on our daughter again."

"Hey—hey. I don't know if he's headed here, but if he does decide to show up here you can bet me he's going to regret ever stepping foot in Daia. Tara is my daughter too, and I will protect her until the day I die—just like I know you will too."

-------------------

Andrew wheezed, trying to ignore the fact that a girl he'd been trying not to fantasize about was now laying on top of him--even if it were in a less than romantical way, "Yes—now will you please remove your elbow from my diaphragm—it's making it a little hard to breathe."

"Sorry," she said as she got off of Andrew and stood up, helping him up afterwards. "You want to tell us what you were doing sneaking around in the hall?"

He couldn't help but grin—he'd only been here for a day and could already tell that Kate's mannerisms were very similar to her father's, "Edward and myself ordered pizza and they are outside—I was taking him his money."

"You ordered pizza? Can I have some?" grinned Lizzie.

"Yeah, here's the money," he said as he handed over the money and waited for her to be down the hall. "You do that to all your company?"

"I guess I'm on edge a little bit—excuse me," she said as she stormed out of her apartment and across the hall to Eddie's.

"Hey—Kate, wait a second. I'm sorry—I know you are on edge and I understand that. You want to talk about it?"

"What is there to talk about? I mean I know Tara is safe now, but I keep wondering if this Marius guy is going to come after her or me again."

"First of all—you are right, Tara is safe. I think I was wrong about Caleb before—I mean I don't know the guy, but I believe he loves his daughter very much. Second—Marius isn't going to come anywhere near you or your family—not as long as there is me, Eddie, and your father looking after you. So stop pouting with that pretty face of yours and live like you are used to Katrina."

She couldn't help but smile at what he had just said—it was as if he could make a dreary rainy, icy-cold day turn into the warmest day of the year just by reminding her of what she already knew. "Thanks, Andrew—now how about we join my siblings for pizza before they eat all of it."

Andrew smiled at seeing her smile—how she did that to him he hadn't figured out yet, but he was glad she had this effect on him, "Ok—let's go."

-----------------------

"Alison, Angel—I know you think you know what you are talking about, but I think you are stretching this just a bit," laughed Rafe as he stood up and went into the closet to get a light jacket.

"Really? Let's see—did you ever entrust Ian with your life?"

"You know that answer."

"Just go along with the inquisition, Mr. Kovich."

"Yes, many times."

"And what about Grayson and Claus?"

"Yes—and I still do with Grayson, just like Ian."

"So you can easily say this—and you can say the same about we now trust Danny around Christina and all the other kids—even though he's been gone for years. So why is it so hard to trust Andrew with the same group of kids?"

"I—I guess I just remember it wasn't too long ago that Daniel came back and instantly him and Christina fit, and well if the same goes for Andrew—him and Katrina are going to fit just as easily."

"Oh Rafe," giggled Alison as she walked over to him and slid his jacket off his arms. "First of all—no matter what, Kate's going to be your little girl, and second of all—you have way too many clothes on right now."

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"I know you will protect, Tara—I've never doubted that Caleb. It's just—that life has suddenly given us a hand that I never saw coming. I mean how did he know where the girls were going to be? How did he hunt them down with none of us knowing?

"I think I feel worse for Jasmine—she must be beating herself up about all of this now. To think he somehow came up with a way to block her visions. I bet he's in cahoots with Myra—this is her revenge for tricking her from starting the war again."

Caleb sighed at listening to Livvie—she was getting way to close to the truth and he had just moments to react before she realized the truth, a truth that he knew could easily start up the war again. He tried to put calmness and reassurance in his voice as he pulled her towards him, "Hey—let's put all these crazy things to rest for the night. All that matters is our daughter is safe, Jasmine has her visions back, and me and you—are alone."

"But—Caleb—."

"Shhh, my love. Just—fall—into—my—movements," he said kissing her neck with each word as he began to slowly waltz her around the room—pulling her into a trance that he hoped would make her forget about the thoughts that had just been in her head.