A/N: FYI - my math skills are comparable with Alison's.

Until 51 – the end of the torture I PROMISE - enjoy! xox - G

Chapter Fifty

"Where's Becky?" Rafe asked as he walked through the kitchen, pausing briefly to press a kiss to his wife's cheek.

"Out." Alison replied with a smile.

"With Kyle?"

"I think so." Alison slapped his hand away from the vegetables she was busy chopping as she said. "She just called; she's not going to be home for dinner."

"You think so?" Rafe blinked at her in disbelief as he chomped on the carrot he had managed to snatch. "You don't know?"

Alison sighed. "Rafe – she's nearly eighteen. I don't ask her where she goes every time she leaves the house."

"You say that number like its magic or something. Like the day she turns eighteen she grows up immediately." He grumbled as he gave her a warning look. "You should keep closer tabs on her. The world is not as safe as you pretend it is."

She didn't want to remind him that in the eyes of the law she most certainly was an adult at that age. Instead she put down her knife and walked over to him pulling him to face her.

"What?" He asked.

She leaned close until her lips were a breath away from his. "Stop it." She whispered before pulling away, just when he thought she would kiss him.

"Alison…" He sighed and tired to glare at her. Noticing the look in her eye he quickly relented. "OK…"

"Promise?" She asked as she went back to chopping.

"Promise." He replied, smiling when he saw Ella walk in.

"Hey." She called out as she scrambled up onto a stool near the counter.

"Ella Bella Cinderella." Rafe said with a huge grin. "What's up?"

"Not much." Ella replied with a shrug. She turned her attention to her mother. "Is it time for dinner yet?" She asked hopefully.

"In a little bit." Alison nodded towards the table. "Why don't you help your father set the table? It'll be ready by the time you finish."

Rafe gave Alison a look. He loathed setting the table but wouldn't dare set that example for Ella. "OK kiddo. Let's go."

"OK. But remember, its forks on the left Daddy." Ella instructed, rolling her eyes as she hopped off and headed towards the table.

"Forks on the left." Rafe repeated with a laugh. "Don't worry - I got it."

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Becky froze in place as she saw the door to the bookshop open. She had just been about to leave. Kyle felt her give his hand a squeeze and gazed down at her. "Becky?" He said softly.

"Maggie's here." She replied, her voice a mere whisper.

He looked towards the door. Maggie and Tim stood on line at the counter, waiting for coffee it seemed. Kyle decided that enough was enough. "Go talk to her." Kyle nudged as he let go of her hand.

"NO." She turned to stare at him with terror in her eyes. "I can't…"

His cell phone rang as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Oh God. It's Alaina…" He sighed as he saw the number. "I have to get this. Go talk to her. You need to put this behind you, one way or the other."

As Becky watched him walk away she stood wringing her hands. She stared down at her feet for a moment and when she looked up again, Maggie was standing right in front of her.

"Hi." She whispered as she inched closer to Tim. His arm wound around her waist to steady her. He could feel her shaking.

"Hi." Becky replied, clearing her throat a bit. "Are you here for coffee?" She asked nervously.

"Yeah it's better than the coffee shop." Maggie replied.

"I know." Becky nodded.

Tim looked from one girl to the other and thought they needed some time to chat alone. He bent his head and kissed Maggie's hair before he whispered. "I'll be right back."

"He really cares about you." Becky said softly as she watched him walk away.

"Is that so surprising?" Maggie snapped back, her defensed up already.

"No. Maggie. God." Becky said with a sigh. Her voice was choked with tears as she continued. "What's wrong with us? We used to call each other the minute we woke in the morning and then again the minute we got home from school. It used to drive my dad crazy. I don't have a memory from my childhood that doesn't have you in it and now it's like I don't even know you."

"You got busy." Maggie shrugged, hurt creeping in again as she watched Becky blink back tears.

"OK. I admit it. After I met Kyle I was wrong. I know I didn't spend as much time with you as I used to. But us growing apart – it's not all my fault. You have to admit that you moved on too." Becky replied. "You moved on months before I did."

"Rub it in my face why don't you?" Maggie struggled to keep her voice steady.

"That's not what I'm doing Maggie." Becky sighed again, louder this time. Anger overrode her tears as she swiped her hands over her cheeks. "Look. I didn't keep track of how many times you blew me off to be with Pete – or how many times you left me stranded somewhere because you were drunk out of your mind…"

Maggie opened her mouth but the truth smacked her in the face. "OK Becky. Please. Stop."

Becky kept on, oblivious to Maggie's protests. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she continued. "I was so worried about you – for so long Maggie but you didn't seem to care. And I got tired. Tired of having my dad have to pick me up because you were throwing up in a squad car – tired of watching you let Pete treat you like garbage, tired of worrying that one day something really bad would happen to you."

"Becky…" Maggie tried again. It had never occurred to her that Becky would be so upset.

"It was easier." Becky said softly. "It was easier to let you go that to have to worry like that."

A long moment of silence hung between them.

"It was that bad huh?" Maggie asked.

"It was worse." Becky replied her voice defeated. She took a deep breath and decided it was time to apologize. "I'm sorry Maggie…"

"No." Maggie shook her head. "I'm sorry. I was awful. I don't know what was wrong with me back then." She sniffled, her voice catching on a sob as she continued. "I was a horrible friend…"

"It's OK. I know I sort of just bailed once I fell in love with Kyle…" Becky sniffled back at her.

"Kyle - he's the one isn't he?" Maggie said with a knowing grin. "You know - the one you always knew was out there for you."

Becky's eyes were dreamy as she replied. "Yeah. He is." She said with a smile. "What about Tim?"

"He's still afraid of you." Maggie laughed, beyond happy that it seemed she had her friend back at last. "He still gets teased by his brother because you broke his nose."

"He totally deserved it." Becky said with a wink. "I tried to warn him…"

"Yes he did and I'm sure you gave him a chance to get out of it." Maggie nodded laughing harder.

"He really cares about you." Becky whispered as she caught a glimpse of Tim, trying to pretend he wasn't lurking nearby.

"Yes he does." Maggie said as she blushed a deep shade of pink.

"I'm happy for you Mags." Becky said with a smile, relief flooding over her. After months of silence she was so glad that it seemed they were back on track again. She reached out and pulled her into a hug.

Maggie sighed as she gave her best friend in the world a squeeze. She beamed as she replied. "For the first time, in a long while, I'm happy for me too."

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Alison sat on the couch in the den and pretended to read. When dinner was over Rafe and Ella cleared the table and did all the dishes. Then they both sat back down to tackle Ella's math homework.

Their little girl might have her father's personality but she did not inherit his math skills. It always amazed her how Rafe could calculate stuff in his head. Just like Ella, Alison needed both hands, both feet and a calculator.

"All finished?" She smiled as he came into the room.

"Yeah and she went straight to bed. She's out like a light." Rafe smiled. He sighed as he sat down beside her. "She's having trouble with fractions."

Alison's eyes lit up. "Really? See. Fractions I can do…"

"Really?" He smirked at her and gave her a look.

"Yes. They're easy." She replied.

Rafe took the book from her hands and set it aside. "Alison…" He said with a laugh.

"I can do fractions." She pouted at him and crossed her arms in front of her chest, squirming when he tried to hold her.

"OK. You can do fractions." He surrendered, throwing his hands in the air.

"You don't believe me." Alison looked appalled at the thought.

Rafe could tell by the sound of her voice that he was in trouble. Desperately he tried to backtrack. He inched closer to her and whispered. "Angel – you're not good in math. It's okay…"

"I can so do fractions." She insisted, her eyes glittering with anger as she scrambled off the couch and out of his reach.

Alison sifted through a pile of newspapers, pulling out a colorful add. She shook it in front of his face as her voice rose. "See? Look at this sale. Half off this coat is fifty dollars. One third off is…" She trailed off as she did the math in her head. "…like thirty three."

Rafe bit his lip as he watched her. He should have known. Anything involving shopping Alison was an expert in. "OK…"

Alison was not nearly finished. She cut him off and continued to glare at him. "I know fractions. I bake. It's like chemistry. And in every recipe it's a quarter cup this and an eighth of a teaspoon of that. Sometimes I have to double the recipe so I know what's what." She put her hands on her hips as she finished."So there - Mr. Math Genius – you're not the only one in this house who knows fractions."

Rafe had to fight the urge to laugh. She was really angry, he could tell. He decided the best tactic was the one that never failed.

"I still think I might have one over you." He said, treading carefully as he moved to stand before her.

"I sincerely doubt it." She stared into his eyes and shook back her hair as she snapped at him.

His voice was low and sweet as he snagged her hands in his and brought them to his lips, kissing each of her fingers in turn. "I bet I love you one sixteenth more that you love me."

Alison had been ready for a fight but her heart melted as he pulled her closer. "That's not fair." She said with a giggle. "I was good and mad at you and now you're going to make me prove you wrong."

"That was the idea." Rafe replied with a laugh as he kissed her breathless. Alison kissed him right back. This was one argument that they were both determined to win.