Raph called her in the morning, just like she asked, but she didn't answer. Her phone just rang and rang. Maybe she needed more time. Or so he thought. When she didn't answer the next day, he went to check on her. Only he found the window she usually left open for him locked, along with all the other windows and the door.
Everyday Raph went to her apartment at night to see if she was there. On the fifth day, as he peered into the rooms, he found all the furniture to be gone. None of her stuff remained. Crushed, Raph believed she left. That she didn't love him enough to stay.
And for years he never knew what really became of Alice.
Until the fateful night that Raph met his match, a bullet. He wasn't fast enough. The man pulled the gun out and had fired before Raph even realized what had happened. The bullet hit his chest, breaking right through his shell and lodging probably somewhere near a lung.
He stumbled across streets, unsure exactly where he was going. It never accrued to him to call his brothers for help. Instead he found himself collapsing on soft grass. With what little strength he had left, he lifted his head up and found he was in a graveyard. The name on the tombstone in front of him caught his eye.
It read, "Alice Greene." And the date it held took his breath away, because it was the date of the last day Raph had seen her. She never ran away after all. With a smile on his face, Raph let go. He found his love once more.