A/N: Aw!! You girls – I swear. If I could find you all I'd have the whole gang over to my teeny tiny apartment and we could all sit around and chat. I'm a pretty good cook – but I have no table where we could all fit – so hors d'oeuvres only. ;) Then we could all roam around the streets of Manhattan and you can help me on my quest to hunt down ME and yell at him for the things he did when he was Caleb. J/K. He's totally safe from me. I'm really kind of a coward and despite appearances - not nearly delusional enough to think the character and the actor are one and the same. ;)
That being said, I now need to say that I completely disagree with what Caleb says about Rafe and Alison in this chapter. Not that I haven't already made that abundantly clear. And I have no idea why I'm writing Livvie this way. I've always thought of her as a psycho.
PCGirl & Ali – Glad I was able to surprise you. CAGirl – OK. I'm not stopping. :) Melody – you poor tired thing. I'm sorry those kiddies have worn you out. Go get some sleep!
Again – my apologies to the Romanian community. Blame InterTran for the mussed up grammar – not me. ;)
Until 50! xox-G
Chapter Forty-nine
Rachel's voice rang out as soon as the door opened. "Papa!! De ce făcut tu plecare fără bun la spre eu? Tu made eu foarte a tulbura!!" The little girl's hands were planted on her hips as she looked at her father furiously.
Caleb sighed as he walked inside behind Rafe and Alison. He saw Livvie sitting quietly on the couch, but knew it was all an act.
Oblivious to what was about to occur, Alison went directly upstairs to check on Kate. Taking care of her daughter was the only thing on her mind.
Rafe nodded at Livvie as he made his way through the kitchen out to the back porch. He had a ton of questions he needed answers to. Now that he knew Caleb was headed to New Orleans, the fact Kyle was here more than piqued his interest.
Caleb could see that Rachel was angry but she was nothing compared to her mother. Dealing with her would just be a warm up for the real thing.
"I'm sorry, little love." He said as he bent down to scoop his daughter up in his arms. He kissed the top of her head as he continued to apologize. "I thought I'd be back before you woke up. I should have said goodbye. I didn't mean to make you mad."
Her voice continued to scold him. "You shouldn't. You should know better. Mama – she cried when she saw you had left us."
"Yes I should. You are right." He said as he held her close. He couldn't help but smile at the way she called him on his actions.
Rachel squirmed until Caleb set her down. "I am going to go outside to play." She announced. "You be nice and say you are sorry to Mama." Her little voice ordered him with her blue eyes sparkling and her little mouth pursed in a pout.
"Yes ma'am." Caleb chuckled as she watched her curls bounce as she pranced out the door.
The laughter left his voice as he turned towards his wife. "Olivia…" Caleb began.
"Don't." She said as she stood to face him. Her eyes glowed yellow. "DON'T."
"OK. Olivia, I can see you're angry and you have a right to be." He desperately wanted to keep this as quiet as possible. The last thing he wanted the slayer to hear was an argument between him and his wife.
Her voice was shaky as she continued to glare at him. "You swore to me you wouldn't do that. You promised me that you were done trying to manipulate me to get me to do what you want – but it's never going to end – is it Caleb? When something comes along that you want me to stay out of you just go to your bag of tricks and play one on me."
"That's not what I was doing." He protested.
"That's exactly what you were doing. I know what it is. You don't trust me. You've never trusted me." Livvie's eyes filled with angry tears. "You've never forgiven me. Not really."
"Olivia…" Caleb began again. Despite his intention to keep things quiet his voice began to rise. "How does me leaving you without saying goodbye turn into me never forgiving you?? Trust me sweetheart, if I didn't trust you we wouldn't be together now."
"No. I don't buy it. I think we're together because you think you can control me." She moved to the mantle and picked up a small vase. She poised it over her head and got ready to hurl it at him. "Well guess what buddy? You're wrong!"
In an instant, without really moving at all he captured his hand in hers. He applied pressure until she let the vase go. "We are not doing this here." He hissed in her ear.
"Of no. Of course not." She said, rolling her eyes, her voice still dripping with anger. "Can't have any arguments or unpleasantness in Alison's little Love Shack."
Caleb gave her a look and moved towards the door. "C'mon. Get your things. We'll go to the villa and discuss this there."
"I am not going anywhere with you." Livvie replied, sitting back on the couch.
"Fine. Stay here – if that's what you want to do Olivia. If you want to be a child be a child." He said as he walked towards the door again.
"Don't you dare walk away from me!!!!!!!" She yelled after him.
"Olivia. Lower your voice." Caleb whispered, his voice dangerous as he crossed to her and grabbed her by the shoulders.
"I WILL NOT!" She screamed defiantly as she shook her head at him.
That was all he would take. In the next instant she found herself at the villa.
"You want to have this out – we'll have it out." Caleb said as he let her go and glared at her. "But there is no way in hell it was going to happen there."
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Rafe stood by the door and watched them together. Becky's head rested on Kyle's shoulder, his arm gently draped around the back of the chair she sat in. For the first time he realized just how much things had changed.
"Rebecca…" He called out softly.
"Dad." Becky replied as she stood and ran into his arms. She clung to him and buried her face in his neck. "Oh God. Daddy. This is just awful."
"Yeah. It is Angel Face. It certainly is." He said as he hugged her tightly. He leaned back and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I need to talk to Kyle a minute alone. Why don't you go up and help your mom? Maybe you could sit with Ella for a bit."
Kyle's eyes flew opened wide as he heard Rafe's words. He should have expected this.
Becky looked from Rafe to Kyle and back again. "Daddy. Please don't…"
"Kyle and I have some things we need to discuss. I promise. It's OK." Rafe assured her.
She nodded as she turned towards Kyle and held her hand out to him. Tentatively, Kyle touched his fingers to hers. She gave his hand a quick squeeze before she went into the house.
Kyle began to speak frantically as he watched Becky go. "Mr. Kovich? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. We were just sitting here - talking. I wasn't trying…" He took short breath and continued. His eyes filled with sadness. "I care about her – I'm not going to lie. But if you really are that against me seeing her, sir I won't."
Rafe finally held up his hand to try and make him stop. "Kyle. Relax. That's not why I want to talk to you."
"Oh." Kyle said, completely embarrassed. "OK."
Rafe looked out on the yard and tried to focus. Half of him was out here talking to Kyle, the other upstairs with his wife and daughter. "Tell me. Who are you here to warn her about?"
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"Don't touch me." Livvie spat as she pulled her arm from his grasp.
"What exactly are you so angry about?" Caleb asked with a sigh.
"You left me." She said, her voice full of hurt.
He spoke to her slowly. "I told you there was something I had to do. And Olivia – it's not like you didn't know where I was going."
"It's just a symptom of something more going on…" She said then, swiping the tears from her eyes.
"A what?" Caleb stared at her openmouthed. "Olivia. I'm trying to understand but honestly you've lost me. Are you watching those TV talk shows again? Where is this coming from?"
"You want it back – don't you?" She said with a sob. Defeated she sank down onto the couch.
"Want what back?" He gave her a confused look.
"Everything." She said, sobbing louder. She looked at him accusingly. "You've never been satisfied with the life we had. It's not like Alison and Rafe…"
He cut her off sharply. "Stop with the comparisons Olivia – you are trying my patience." He crossed to her and dragged her to him, holding her tightly in his arms. "We are not Alison and Rafe. Contrary to the fairy tale crap they spew constantly, they'll never even come close to us. Our love is timeless, my love. They can't even compare."
"You say that but it's not true. You want to keep everything under your control – you don't include me in anything…" She whispered her voice full of tears.
He held her tighter and tried to console her. "I need to keep control because without it Olivia – the world is a far too dangerous place for us."
"You can't keep doing this Caleb. You can't." She begged him. "Why don't we make you happy?"
"OK. Stop it. I love you. I'm sorry. I'll never keep anything from you ever again. Stop crying please. Look. I'm happy. You make me incredibly happy." He pulled away and gave her a goofy grin. "Look at me. I'm ecstatic."
"Caleb…" She stared at him, trying to hold back a laugh.
"Olivia." He sighed. "If you're done screaming at me I'll tell you what's going on."
"That's all I wanted." She replied, her voice leveling. The tears on her cheeks began to dry.
"What!?!"
"I really just wanted you to tell me what's going on." She replied as she took another deep breath and sat on the couch.
He couldn't believe the change in her so quickly. "Are you kidding me? What was all that? The screaming, the nearly destroying all of Alison's knickknacks?"
"It was a really ugly vase and I just wanted you to grovel." She said with a shrug. "And it's been a while since we had a good fight."
"You are incredible." He said as he shook his head at her and sat down beside her. He fisted a hand in her hair and dragged her towards him.
"I am." She said with a smile as his lips sought hers. "And don't you forget it."
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Rafe nodded thoughtfully as Kyle finished his story. "You've seen him then?"
"Yes sir." He nodded. "I don't know nearly as much as all of you do but I know that he's dangerous. I sensed it right away. And I couldn't just sit there without letting you know. More than that, I want to be able to help you fight him. That's it. That's the reason I came here."
Rafe's voice was soft as he looked over at the younger man. "It's admirable of you Kyle. I'm sorry I've given you such a hard time. You didn't deserve it."
Kyle smiled, laughter shining in his eyes. "Thank you sir. And - I'm sorry I gave you a heart attack. You didn't deserve that either."
Rafe sighed. He couldn't believe it. This kid was going to make him like him wasn't he? "I am very protective of my daughters." He stated honestly.
"Sorry to say it – but sir, that much is obvious." Kyle replied.
Rafe laughed, as much at himself as at Kyle. "OK. You'll work with Grant and I and we'll train you. If I think you've got what it takes, you can help us fight." Rafe promised him. He turned to walk back into the house.
"Sir?" Kyle called out after him. Things went so well, he couldn't keep himself from asking.
"Yeah?"
"Am I – sir? Is it OK?" He inhaled sharply and tried to finish his sentence.
"Spit it out Kyle." Rafe sighed as he turned back around.
Kyle looked him straight in the eye and finally asked. "Am I still allowed to spend time with Becky?"
"Sure." Rafe replied with a nod as he moved towards the door again.
Kyle grinned from ear to ear. His face fell when her heard Rafe add. "As long as I get to be your chaperone."
