A/N: Of course – the day I tell y'all that I'm stuck is the day I un-stick myself. Such is life!

Sorry I've been MIA. I was off sunning myself in a tropical locale. But now I am back - tan and toasty and apparently - ready to write. (btw- I read lots of trashy beachy books so get ready for some semi-steaminess shortly. Say that 5x fast. LOL!)

As I might have mentioned, this chapter is a belated b-day gift for one of my beloved Awians. Without you, darling Melody, I truly would not be where I am today.

Which would be - still obsessively writing about a cancelled soap opera. LOL!

Nothing like stealing quotes from a communist dictator. ;) The thing about vengeance was originally said by Joseph Stalin.

Translations (such that they are – sorry Romania!)

Do you want to play a game?

It is your turn now my dearest.

Do not worry yourself over me. You should kiss your pretty wife hello.

She loves you. Very much.

I love her too.

My dearest one.

Sooooooooo. Until 65! xox-G

Chapter Sixty-four

The scenery flew by, such that it was. On this stretch of highway they were lucky if they caught sight of a cow or two in the pasture.

Becky slept soundly in the backseat, leaving Rafe and Kyle silently sitting up front.

Finally Rafe spoke. "You sure you're OK with this?"

"Hmmm?" Kyle replied.

"Walking away? Are you sure it's what you want?"

Honestly, Kyle wasn't sure, but he knew that he needed some distance. The constant disappointment of not being able to locate them was wearing on him. He took a deep breath and replied. "I want to find them. Alaina especially, but it doesn't seem to be the right time."

"If you never find them – will you be able to deal with that?" Rafe asked him then. "It's not easy. The feeling – it never goes away."

Kyle was surprised at how lost Rafe sounded. He was usually so intimidating. "You sound like you're speaking from experience."

"You could say that." Rafe replied softly. "My mother…" He paused for a moment, not really sure why he was confiding in the kid. "A long time ago, something happened to her and I was going to try and find out exactly what. But then, things happened and when I had a chance again to try and find her…" Rafe shook his head and carefully changed lanes. "Things got in the way."

"Things like what?" Kyle asked, curious.

Rafe smiled in spite of his mood as he answered. "Becky's mother."

"Oh. Well. That would do it." Kyle smiled back at him.

Rafe took another steadying breath. They were treading on dangerous territory. A quick glance in the mirror let him know that Becky was still fast asleep. "Is that why you're coming back with us?"

Kyle looked at Rafe sideways. "Do you really want me to answer that question?"

His voice was slightly annoyed as he replied. "I asked didn't I?"

"I'm just checking – you usually don't like me to talk about that stuff." Kyle chuckled a bit. "OK. If you really want to know. Yeah. Becky's definitely part of it."

Kyle twisted in his seat and gazed over at her. She looked so peaceful with her legs curled up and her cheek resting on her hand. She looked every inch the pretty angel he sometimes called her.

Kyle continued to talk, almost as if he forgot who was listening. "I have a life now. My own life. I have a job that I really like, a place to live. I'm starting to save some money. I'm thinking maybe I'll go back to school. I was pretty close to graduating when everything started to go downhill. I'd have to take some loans but it'll be a good kind of debt you know?" He took a deep breath and looked over at Rafe. "I know you have plans for her, sir. I know she's supposed to go to college in the fall. I don't want to take that away from her. I can wait." He said, wondering how long he really could. It wasn't something he wanted to admit to her father though. He sighed as he finished. "I think you already know, but just so we're clear. I want to share that life with her but it'll keep. Right now it's enough just to be near her."

His words took Rafe back some thirty odd years, to when he was pleading with his father for five more days, five more hours, five more minutes with Alison. He knew that as much as it broke his heart to let Becky go, at least he was handing her over to someone who loved her as much as he did – maybe – if he was being honest - more.

"If that's your reason..." Rafe replied softly. "…then who am I to argue."

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As they walked towards the door Caleb tried to ignore the pit in his stomach. All these human emotions were wreaking havoc with his system. It made him feel weak and weakness was not something he wore well.

Colin gazed over at his mother, wondering how much longer she would keep herself together. Throughout his childhood he was always taken aback at how she would be influenced by his father. But there she was - her head high and her face set with a determined look. For the first time in his life he thought that she might be able to face whatever awaited them on the other side of the door.

Caleb reached out and pounded on the door, pausing to see if he could hear someone stirring inside. The sharpness of his senses was waning every day. He knew if he didn't find a solution soon he'd lose everything.

Colin noticed something stuck in the door jam. "Dad…" He whispered.

Before Caleb could react Livvie snatched the note, tore open the envelope and threw it carelessly to the floor. Caleb watched it fall, a wave of nausea crashing over him as he saw the blood red sealing wax. In an instant he knew he had made a grave mistake.

As he looked on helplessly Caleb saw tears swimming in Livvie's eyes. Moments later she began to tremble. With shaky hands Colin placed a hand on his mother's back and gently lifted the note from her fingers. What he saw written there made his blood run cold.

To choose one's victims, to prepare one's plan minutely, to slake an implacable vengeance, and then to go to bed ... there is nothing sweeter in the world.

Sleep tight Caleb…

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Becky yawned and stretched as she forced her eyes to open. The glaring sunlight had finally woken her.

"Oh. We're home." She said surprised.

"Practically." Rafe answered. "You slept straight through."

"I was so tired." As she began to focus she noticed they were in the car alone. "What happened? Did you leave Kyle at a rest stop along the way?" She said, hoping that her joke was not a reality.

"I thought about it." Rafe smiled. "But my conscience got the better of me. I dropped him off at home. He said he'd call you later."

Smiling Becky stretched again. "Good."

Moments later they were turning into the driveway. A sense of peace flooded over him as he helped Becky with her bag. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and she beamed up at him before they slowly made their way to the house.

As they opened the door they heard the sound of laughter, quickly followed by Ella's voice.

"A face tu nevoie la spre joc un joc?" She said with a giggle.

Impressed, Becky turned to Rafe and gave him a smile. "She's getting good. I don't remember her knowing more than how to say how are you. When did you teach her that?"

"I…didn't." Rafe replied, puzzled.

Hearing the commotion in the foyer, Alison timidly emerged from the kitchen. "You're home." She whispered, trying to contain her nervousness.

"Yes. We're home." He sighed at the sight of her. Before he could, Becky ran ahead and hugged Alison tightly.

"Uncle J says hi." She whispered as she snuggled in.

"Are you OK sweetie?" Alison asked as she pulled away and took Becky's face in her hands, staring deeply into her eyes.

"I'm good. Oh my God. I have to tell you." She said excitedly. "I know where Kyle and I are going to get married."

Alison peered over her daughter's head and caught Rafe's eye. She could tell he was doing his best to bite his tongue.

"That's wonderful honey." She replied, trying to stifle a laugh. "Listen. Your father looks like he's had a rough day, let's give him a little break huh?"

"OK." Becky replied, her mother's words barely registering. "Ugh. I need to take a shower." She said with a little shiver, wedding plans forgotten for a moment." She kissed Alison on the cheek and bounded up the stairs.

He noticed right away there was uneasiness in her eyes. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing." She replied as she slowly made her way towards him. "Nothing's the matter Rafe. I-I-I just have something to tell you..."

Rafe was just about to ask what was making her so nervous when he heard another shout of laughter followed by a sound he hadn't heard in decades. The sound of his mother's voice.

"Acesta este al tău nap acum meu Dragă deget mic unul." Katrina said, her voice full of love.

It took a full minute for Rafe to find his own. "What's going on here?" He said, a bit too loudly. He was so unsteady on his feet he backed up and leaned against the wall.

"Rafe." Alison moved to him and held him at arms length. "It's OK. Just listen to me for a second…"

"I let this go. Didn't I tell you I let this go?" The shock of it all had the room spinning. He tried to step away from her. He stared at her blankly, memories flooding over him and stealing his breath. "What are you trying to do?"

She had never seen him so unraveled. She fought to bring him back. "Rafe. Look at me." She waited until he met her eyes, but even as she did she was unconvinced that he could even see her. "I didn't want to tell you because I didn't know if I could do it. But I did." She whispered as she ran a hand over his cheek. "I found your mother."

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"Where would she take her?" Livvie asked, her voice dangerously calm. They had searched the house top to bottom and came up empty.

Caleb fought to find his voice. "Olivia…"

"WHERE WOULD SHE TAKE HER?" She screamed. Colin reached out to touch on her shoulder and she violently shrugged him off. She fought to reign herself in as she turned her attention back to the situation at hand. "Think Caleb. PLEASE. You know her. Where would they go?"

"I miscalculated. I underestimated. I don't do that." He replied, his voice desperate.

"OK. Listen to me." Livvie's eyes began to glow as moved towards him. Her fingers dug into his forearms as she made him focus on her. "There will be time enough to analyze what went wrong later. Right now we need to find her. Caleb please. Think. Where would they go?"

He eased away and slumped into a chair. "I don't know…"

For the first time in forever Colin felt sympathy for his father. He wondered how he'd react if it had been Alex. A desperate need to call Katrina came over him and he slipped into the hallway, knowing his parents could use a bit of privacy anyway.

Livvie knelt at Caleb's feet, her hands seeking his. She gripped them tightly as she pleaded with him. "I know that you didn't do this purposely Caleb. I know that. But I need you now. Help me bring her back."

Caleb looked down at her, feeling completely and utterly helpless as she kept on. "Only you can, Caleb." She murmured as he pulled her into his arms. "Only you…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He took a careful step back. "Where is she?" He asked when he could finally speak.

"I'm right here." Katrina replied as she suddenly stood in the doorway of the living room, clutching Ella's hand.

"DADDY!" Ella squealed as she scrambled towards him, throwing her arms around his waist and hugging tight. "Look who's come to see us!"

He shifted his gaze for a moment and ran a hand over Ella's curls. "Hi honey."

Excitement could be heard in the little girl's voice as it came bubbling up in a torrent. "It's Gramma Trina. She's so cool. She taught me more 'Manian words so now I can count up to twenty instead of just ten. Mom sent the plane and she flew over here. She wasn't with Grandpa Ed – she was over in Transylvania all this time. Isn't that great? She's not gone. You thought she was but you were just being silly."

"I guess I was." He replied, his eyes finally catching sight of his mother.

She looked the same, was all he could think. Just the same as she had the day he'd left her all those years ago.

"A face nu nelinişte tu însuţi încă o dată eu." She whispered. "Tu trebiue sărut al tău drăguţ soţie hallo."

"I meant to find you myself…" He replied, ignoring her scolding. "I was going to try…"

"Ea dragoste tu." Katrina said then moving closer to him. "Foarte mult."

"I dragoste ei de asemenea." Rafe replied, hanging his head as Alison whispered to Ella and they both eased out of the room.

A smile lit up her whole face as Katrina hooked a finger under his chin and made him meet her eyes. "That, meu Dragă unul, is obvious."