Enter Stage Left……

After escaping Joshua's cell, the unlikely foursome go on the run, desperately looking for a hideout to rest and plan their next move, including trying to find a way to relieve Livvie's hunger....Joshua, to further amuse himself, fixed it so that Livvie could not feed off of Caleb. So she must find another source for her feedings, or she must seek relief from the slayer....both options ruled out by Rafe.

Running through the endless woods, the two couples stumble upon a long forgotten refuge....the barn. Alison is at once repelled and drawn to the place that gave her so much comfort and love, and also pain, thanks to her new companion Livvie. Rafe realizes that this place is unknown to Joshua so he suggests they stay there at least for one night. Caleb agrees and looks to Livvie for her response. But she has already found a pile of hay in the far corner of the barn and fallen asleep, exhausted from hunger and pain. Caleb walks over to her and lays his body close to hers, wrapping his arms around her slight form. He does not sleep; rather his eyes remain open, heart broiling in hatred for Joshua and despair for Olivia's fate.

Rafe and Alison look around the familiar cavernous building. Alison remembers where she hid a few quilts, above and behind some rafters and goes to retrieve them. Rafe walks around looking for the lantern when he comes upon the wooden beam bearing their declaration of love.

"Alison, come here", he whispers to her as she walks over to Caleb and hands him a quilt. Caleb looks up at Alison as he reaches for the quilt and nods gratefully. Alison gives him a slight smile and turns toward Rafe.

"Look here", Rafe says as he takes her hand. Alison's eyes well up as she reaches her hand to the carvings and traces the letters with her fingers.

"It seems so long ago when you carved this heart Rafe". She says softly.

"Which time?” Rafe replies, with a smile on his face. He takes her face into both hands and leans into give her a soft kiss, finally. Alison slides both arms around his waist and they slide down to the hay strewn floor. Rafe sits up, leaning against the beam with Alison upon his chest, her arms around his wide torso. Rafe holds her tightly in his arms and breathes in her hair. How he wants her now, in the place where they first made love. Alison is right; it was a long time ago. And now he is back, with both his memories of his love for Alison and his betrayal from Livvie. Returned, to the same place with them both, into the same nightmare.

Night slowly creeps into the barn as both women settle into the arms of their respective lovers, unaware of the fear and hatred that keeps their protectors awake and on guard. The soft glow of the lantern illuminates the middle of the vast room, throwing shadows against the corners where the two couples lie wrapped in blankets. Rafe holds Alison's head against his chest, her hair soft between his fingers, her breath warm and even against his shirt. In the opposite corner, Livvie lies with her head in Caleb's lap, the antithesis of Alison's comfort. Caleb tries to sooth her cold face and irregular breathing. Soon her discomfort becomes audible, as she lets out a low painful moan. Caleb bends his head down and whispers into her ear. "Shhhhh, Olivia. It will be ok, just try to hold on.” Livvie is writhing in pain, clutching her abdomen. "Caleb...it hurts so much". Tears stream down her face as she looks up at him, her pain too much for him to bear. The unthinkable is once again entering his head, forcing him to face his new mortality, his new fragility. He must beg his enemy to help him. Caleb kisses her face gently and looks into her eyes. "It will be alright Olivia, you will be alright. I won't let you die". He turns slowly towards his enemy. Rafe is already standing next to them, looking down at the anguished couple. He crouches down and reaches his hand out to Livvie’s face.

"She's dying, isn't she Caleb". Caleb nods. Rafe covers his face with his hands and lets out a frustrated sigh. "Can't you feed her again like you did in the cell?” he asks in desperation.

"Sure, and that will only last a few hours. She'll be hungry again, and it will get worse each time, and each time she'll be in more pain. She needs to feed from someone completely, Rafe".

"No. This has to end now! And besides…who would she use? Not me, not you.....god, not Alison!"

"Then don't make me beg, Slayer. Help her."

Rafe is paralyzed, caught in a moment where his previous lives have now intersected. At once he remembers his childhood in training as a slayer, and then his untimely death at the hands of the man now lying in front of him pleading for his intervention. Rafe looks up and recounts his time as a heavenly guardian, protecting the weak and helpless, upholding goodness in mankind. And he smiles as he realizes that all those things brought him to his present incarnation....to be with Alison. It was his fate to be with her. Then he remembers what his father told him when he released his son back to this mortal world. "Trust your instincts".

"I...have to talk to Alison. Then take Alison, and go into the woods awhile. I will come to find you when.... when Livvie is better".

Rafe turns around and walks toward Alison. Caleb watches as Rafe's heavy boots crunch the strewn hay. He looks down at Olivia, her face now a grayish hue, deep black shadows encircling her eyes. "No, Caleb, no." She shakes her head weakly, her voice now a harsh whisper. Caleb smiles at her. "I will love you for all eternity Olivia. But I will not let you die".

Alison is sitting up, eyes downcast and mouth tight. She did not hear their conversation, but she knows what has transpired. Her heart is at once broken and cold, unable to force this, this knowledge into her being. Rafe falls to his knees and takes her hands into his, brings her fingers up to his lips and kisses them.

"I love you so much Alison. Only you, it will always be only you. Everything I was, everything I am and will be is because I was meant to be with you. You know I cannot let her die. If there was another way I would. Please understand this Alison. Please". Alison lets out a sob and takes her hands away from Rafe. She gets up and wraps a quilt around her bare shoulders and takes the lantern. She does not look back as she opens the heavy barn door and walks out. Rafe looks over to Caleb and nods at him. Caleb stands up and walks after Alison, stopping to look one more time at Livvie. He does not look at Rafe, instead turns and closes the door behind him.

Rafe stands still, arms down at his side, eyes closed shut. Livvie lets out another cry, her heartache now more painful than her hunger. Then she is quiet. Her breathing slows and her body is still. Rafe quickly walks over to her and leans over her face. Her skin is so cold, her breath shallow. "Livvie, Livvie...” Rafe strokes her face, trying to open her eyes. "Hold on, dammit, just hold on." Quickly he pulls off his shirt and rolls it into a ball, placing it under her head. He brushes her hair away from her face, pausing for a second to touch her lips, now dry and brittle. "Alison, forgive me", he whispers, as he bends down to kiss Livvie's lips, forcing his warm moist mouth onto hers. Gently he lets his mouth brush her upper lip and then her lower, as if trying to breathe into her some newfound life. His hands brush her hair away from her eyes, move down over her face, her cheekbones, to her neck. He caresses her shoulders, lightly touching her skin. His mouth instinctively follows his hands, moving away from her mouth to her chin, licking her neck and letting his tongue taste her skin. Finally Livvie moves beneath him, pulling her head back, lifting her arms and hands to Rafe's head. Rafe stops and looks into Livvie's face, sad and pleading. "Let me help you Livvie, let me take the pain away." She nods. Rafe kisses her cheek, her eyes, her nose. He could feel her breath returning, hot little gasps against his face. Her mouth finds his, lips tasting each other's, finding some familiar memory between them. Their mouths open wider with each kiss. Livvie wraps her arms around his back and Rafe lets his hands follow the curve of her neck, down her shoulders and over her breasts. It is true, there is no denying this. The unspoken fear and regret is upon him.

What his mind and heart did so gratefully forget, his body did not. Those moments with his accidental wife will always remain with him, like a soldier trying desperately to forget some battle, now replaying, so accurately and so passionately. The only difference was whose body was using whose. Where last time Livvie was the aggressor, the manipulator, this time it is Rafe who is masterfully working his body to her advantage, to heal her pain and perhaps redeem her tortured soul. Although her weakened state would not allow her to work her sexual prowess that at one time kept Rafe under her spell, her own body betrayed her resistance to his mercy....and reacted to him as she had before. Because unknown to anyone, even to her own prideful, hateful heart, was the fact that her previous seduction of Rafe had only resulted in her intoxication of him, his body and what it did to her. The circle was complete; was it because he was a slayer or because it was Rafe that she was feeling her recovery? Right now she only knew he was in her, healing her, giving her life.

As Rafe entered her, his tongue found the familiar places on her neck that made her moan, felt the wetness of her as he drowned in her, felt the hotness of her skin as he held her hips tightly, until they both gasped for air. Rafe stopped for one moment, cupped his hand upon her face. Gently he kissed her...then let his tongue taste her mouth where just moments ago he was pleasured. "Rafe....Rafe...” Livvie begged into his mouth, pushing his tongue out of hers. Rafe pulled away from her face and out of her, his tongue tracing a path down her chin, and her neck, his long silver chain following his descent down her body, the heavy Fleur de Lys medallion dragging over her heavy breasts. He continued down her concave stomach, stopping to taste the saltiness of her navel. As he playfully nipped at her belly, Livvie grabbed his head with both hands, pulling him downward impatiently. He smiled at her, knowing what she wanted and how much she wanted it. Like a long forgotten dream, all this came back to him, every move every smell every taste. So different than before, when he struggled to feel some artificial memory, now he was consumed with a need to relive every sensual moment he and Livvie shared. It was too much for both of them, but they could not get enough. They both rolled on their sides, the sweat mixed with hay sticking to their bodies. Wrapping her legs around his hips, she pulled him into her again until she screamed, eye lids fluttering, mouth gasping.  Rafe, breathing hard now, his sweat flowing freely down his neck and shoulders, leaned in and pushed his tongue into her mouth. As his chain bounced furiously against his thick chest, he unleashes his own torrent of mind numbing explosions. "Oh my god", he moaned as he fell onto her. Rafe let his body go limp on top of Livvie's, his face buried in her neck. Her legs remained locked around his hips, her hands caressing his sides and back. It was done. Rafe had healed her hunger. What was once pain had been replaced with pleasure, agony with sensuality, death with life. She felt not only satisfied and fed, but fulfilled.

Rafe closed his eyes and lay still, holding Livvie in his arms and seeing Alison in his mind. Darkness filled his soul like he had never felt before. He now realized the true power of this slayer secret. He could feed Livvie's hunger....by making it his own.

Not far in a clearing in the woods, Alison sat on a large boulder, arms wrapped around her curled up legs. The lantern sat on the ground, keeping watch with Caleb as he leaned, arms folded, against a large oak. An awkward silence hung heavy between them. Olivia's fate tormented Caleb's thoughts, the vision of her sickly face haunted him. But for Alison, there was no selfless concern for another's life that tortured her. Her own heartbreak and anguish consumed her, a simple but overwhelming jealousy clouded her usual brightness. She put her head between her knees and rocked back and forth on the rock. "Rafe please come back to me...please say you couldn't do it", she whispered.

Caleb straightened himself and walked over to Alison. "Hey", he said softly. He bent down to move her hair out of her face, but she defiantly jerked her head away. Alison glared at Caleb, her eyes pointed slits, her mouth a hard slash of red smeared lipstick.

"Don't touch me Caleb. I don't want your sympathy. As far as I'm concerned, this is all your doing. All of it. You brought this evil here". The hate Caleb witnessed in her face was one that even he had never seen.

"Alison, you are not the only one suffering here. My enemy, my family's sworn enemy since the beginning of time, is with my heart and soul right now....I had to give her over to a slayer. And for what reason? Not to be killed....no. Worse. For him to be with her in a way that is only my right. And if I didn't, she would die. She would die....”

"Oh spare me your your heartbreaking lover's lament. This isn't some tragic Shakespearean play Caleb. You don't know what your "heart and soul" put me, us, through last year. You weren't here to watch as she stole the love of my life from me, tricked him, married him, and killed him....all out of spite and revenge for me. So excuse me if I don't express the least bit of heart rendering sympathy for Livvie's unfortunate condition. Because as far as I'm concerned, Rafe should have walked away from her and let her die".

Caleb pursed his lips and let a deep breath out his nostrils. "Well, well well. So much for little Miss Sweetness and Goodness. You are capable of spouting a few fangs yourself aren't you? Listen, I wasn't there when Livvie played with you and Rafe. But I do know that Livvie wasn't herself, just like Rafe wasn't himself. But you both weathered that little storm called Livvie Locke and found each other. What is meant to be is meant to be. Just like my Olivia and me."

Alison slid off the rock and walked up to Caleb, her face not less than a few inches from his. "Is that all you have to say? Livvie was just the beginning. YOU have done nothing but try and tear Rafe and I apart since you returned from hell. YOU pretended to be some rock star to win me over, turned my mother in a vampire and married her....probably had something to do with my father's murder and then played that horrible trick on Rafe and I before our wedding.....why? WHY? For some stupid ancient misunderstanding that nobody even remembers?" Alison is now pounding her fists into Caleb's chest, her tears spraying his face. He turns away and pulls her hands off his shirt. As he walks away wiping her tears off his face, he shoves his other hands into his pockets and stops, choosing his words carefully.

"This is more than a simple family feud Alison...The Morleys are Vampires and the Kovichs are Slayers....."

Alison snarls. "Oh I am so sick of this Vampire and Slayer crap. Get over it!"

Caleb smiles and rolls his eyes. The Barrington Diva has spoken. He sighs and then tries to explain patiently. "Listen to me Alison. I didn't ask to be born into my family. And I didn't ask to come back either. That was your slayer's doing. I had no say in that, some heavenly, or in my case hellish rule about the balance of good and evil. But believe me I wasn't going to argue with them. Because just like Rafe came back to be with you, all I could think about was being with Olivia again. And really, I was perfectly happy to come back as Stephen Clay, Rock Star. I admit it, it was fun. I was digging it. I figured I could have the fame, my glory, my power. No one would get hurt, only the ones who were willing to join my little band. And maybe, just maybe Olivia and I could have a second chance. But Rafe wouldn't leave well enough alone". He laughs. "Damn Slayers, so freakin' stubborn and persistent. He's just like his mother was. Katrina could annoy you to death, she didn't need a stake".

At the mention of Rafe's mother, Alison's eyes opened wide. "You knew Rafe's mother?”

In an old abandoned barn, a vampire and her slayer lay exhausted on a bed of hay. Rafe tries to slide himself underneath the sleeping Livvie, her body heavy with deep slumber. As he starts to sit up, Livvie stirs, opens her eyes and looks up at Rafe.

"Livvie, I'm sorry...I didn't mean to wake you....”

"That's ok Rafe," she yawns and runs her hand through her disheveled hair. Livvie sits up and stretches her naked body, arching her back and raising her arms over her head.

Rafe catches himself staring and turns his back to her. "So, how are you feeling?”

Livvie lets herself smile and replies, "I feel.....great. Actually I haven't felt this normal...uhm, this good in awhile."

"Good." Rafe looks down, embarrassed. "Well, then...”

Livvie takes her hand and runs her fingers tenderly down his back...

"Thank you, Rafe."

Rafe moves away, surprised at his shyness. "Um, listen....if you don't mind, I'm going to go find Alison. Why don't you try and fall back to sleep. You could use more rest, ok?”

Livvie pulls her hand away and laughs. "Don't worry Rafe. I'll be fine - now. Can you do me a favor and when you find your Alison, please tell Caleb I want to see him?”

"Of course". Rafe reaches for his clothes and wraps a blanket around his waist. He stands and carries his things to the other side of the barn to dress. Livvie lies back down and pretends to sleep, but keeps her eyes open just enough to watch Rafe as he steps into his pants. She drifts off again, the image of Rafe's long blond body walking away from her the last thing she sees.

Rafe fully dressed now heads toward the barn door. He opens it and takes a step outside. One last time he looks over to Livvie, sleeping peacefully in the corner. How he wished he could feel that peace inside of him too. He closes the heavy door and runs into the woods, possessed and determined to forget what he left behind in the barn. As he rushes through the woods, pushing aside tree limbs and brush he cries out Alison, Alison.

Sunlight filters through the wooded canopy. A new day is beginning, pushing away the darkness of the previous night. Alison repeats her question to a suddenly silent Caleb. "Tell me about Rafe's mother...did you know her Caleb?"

"Let's just say I knew OF her. From stories my father told of her. But I never met her. She had already died before I was born." Caleb regretted mentioning Katrina Kovich's name and quickly switched the subject to Alison's mother. "And as far as your mother goes Alison, I know this is going to sound trite, but Elizabeth was an accident. It started out as some distraction, and then her neediness touched something in me".

"Oh spare me the details Caleb. I know my mother is the definition of dysfunction, but she WAS my mother and you can't tell me you didn't target her as part of your big bad scheme to destroy Rafe and I. Just like that phony sibling trick you set up. All that trouble to tear us apart and it didn't work, did it?"

"Well it almost did". Caleb replied with a smirk. "You almost bought the whole thing. For a minute there I thought that whole soul mate thing was really just a fairytale after all. Thank god, er whatever, for Rafe's famous stubbornness or Joshua's little prank would have worked."

Alison's head snapped back at this revelation. "Wait a minute. Did you say Joshua's?"

"Yes, Joshua's. I could have cared less if you two tinker belles wanted to fly off to Disneyland and make more little blond fairies. But for some reason Joshua found it amusing to throw a little spice into your fairytale and stand back and wait. For some reason watching the two of you suffer kept him entertained - ".

Alison shook her head in disbelief. "Oh my god, are you saying Joshua has been planning this for awhile, that this, this little game he is playing has been going on for months?”

Caleb rubbed his eyes and looked away. "Yes, it all makes sense now. His obsession with the two of you, his part in your father's disappearance, which by the way I also had nothing to do with. Joshua was involved with that long before I returned.”

Alison could not believe her eyes. All this time Rafe struggled to battle against the wrong enemy. No wonder his slayer powers were "off", why he was so frustrated in his attempts to fight this new evil. No training in the world could prepare him for this unknown adversary. "Caleb, how did you become involved with Joshua in the first place. Did he seek you out?"

Caleb chuckled. "Well, I sort of "inherited" the bastard. He was the last remaining member of the Richfields, a family who served the Morley's for generations. As a matter of fact, he is the younger brother of my original manservant, James. Even as a child Joshua was a freak, always shadowing James, trying to one up him, conniving his way into my family's favors. He always coveted my family's power and his older brother's role as my personal confident".

Caleb closed his eyes and tilted his head back as he recalled his loyal assistant and his regrettable demise. "Obviously, the wrong brother was called back to hell."

By now Alison can not contain her grief. Great heaving sobs overtake her as she gives into her pain. Caleb rushes over to her and takes her by her shoulders.

"Sshhhhhhh....sh.sh everything will be alright. Rafe and I will get Joshua, we will. Then this nightmare will be over".

Alison grabs at Caleb's shirt, her face soaked with tears. "No it won't...don't you see....it's too late...too much has been destroyed. Why did he have do this? Why?”

Thinking she was speaking of Joshua, Caleb pulls her into a comforting embrace. "Damn you, Joshua", he whispered into her hair.

Alison looks up at Caleb and replies, "No, not Joshua. Rafe...why does he have to.....”

Caleb hooks a finger under her chin and lifts her face up to his. "Listen Alison....hate me, not Rafe. “

Alison's eyes look deep into Caleb's, trying to transfer her hatred into his. She cannot. Suddenly her mouth is upon Caleb's. Before he could react, her arms are around his neck, pulling him closer, imprisoning him in a revengeful kiss. Caleb's arms slowly encircle her waist, lifting her feet off the ground.

At this moment, the sound of cracking tree limbs and rustling brush became louder....and out of the tree line emerges a breathless, panting figure.

"Alison?” Rafe asks.

On the next Port Charles, Desire

Rafe kicks open the barn door violently. Livvie is still lying on the floor, her blanket barely covering her. "I knew you would be back Rafe."

*****************

Caleb grabs Alison's hand. "Come ON. We have to follow him!"

Alison doesn't move. "No. Wait".

by Angelique Bouchard

...until we muse again Port Charles Fans

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Time to have some fun.  Welcome to the first ever Soaptown USA PORT CHARLES Readers Fantasy.  Since PORT CHARLES couldn’t be a part of ABC’s Fan Fantasy we decided to hold our own for you, the readers and fans.  Here’s your chance to conjure up your own fantasy scene, episode, storyline, whatever YOU want. And remember we’re not bound by censors and rules so be ah, as creative and unbridled as you like.  Each week I’ll post a Reader’s Fantasy or two in my PC Musings column.  Your feedback will determine the top fantasies and Soaptown USA will hold a poll to pick your favorite.  Who knows, it might even make its way over to ABC.