Note: this is a "filler" chapter which means it kinda sucks :-( But it's an important chapter b/c it sets the stage up for future things :-) Oh, and one more thing, I hope the mention of Livvie's name in my fanfic doesn't make you cringe lol. Just remember, she's really NICE in my story!

Rafe awoke to the feeling of Alison climbing on top of him. He opened his eyes and saw her face inches from his.

"Good morning," she grinned and kissed him before he even had a chance to get the sleep out of his eyes.

"Mmm, yes it is," Rafe said.

"I love this."

"Love what?"

"Rafe, do you realize that every morning for the rest of our lives is going to start out like this? Exactly like this."

Rafe responded by putting his arms around her and kissing her.

"How about some breakfast?" Alison asked.

"That sounds wonderful."

"Okay, I'll go get that started then." Alison started to get up but Rafe pulled her back, wanting to kiss her just one last time before he would let her go. Alison laughed and walked out of the room.

As Alison got some coffee started, she looked out the kitchen window and smiled at how the early morning sun lit up the sky in beautiful hues of orange and purple. It was so weird, Alison thought to herself, that she now noticed little things like how beautiful the sky looked in the morning. She never had thoughts like that before she met Rafe. He made her appreciate so many things in life, especially the little things. And it was just in that moment that she felt him. Rafe wrapped his strong arms around her and kissed her neck. It sent shivers up Alison's spine. She had never felt happier.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked her.

Alison turned her head around. "You of course. I just can't get you out of my mind. Not that I would want to or anything."

Rafe smiled and gave her a kiss. "Oh yeah, I could definitely get used to every morning being like this."

~*~*~*~

[Later that morning at the bakery…]

Livvie stared at Alison with her jaw dropped. "Wow, so that's how Rafe got to come back to you?" Alison had told her the incredible story about Rafe coming back to earth. "You know, Alison, if we hadn't have dealt with a vampire first-hand last year, I probably wouldn't have believed a story like that."

"Yeah, I know. It's pretty amazing, isn't it? Rafe was right; there really is a plan for everything."

"If I didn't believe in soulmates before, I certainly do now. If it hadn't have been for Rafe, Jack and I would have never got back together. I have him to thank for that, because Jack is the love of my life and I don't know what I would do without him."

"Well that's because you two were never meant to be apart. Rafe was just making sure it stayed that way."

Livvie suddenly seemed preoccupied with straightening things on the counter. "Livvie?"

"Hmm?"

"What is it?"

"It's nothing, Alison."

"Livvie, we've been friends for a long time, so I know when you're holding back."

"Okay, it's Jamal."

"What about Jamal?"

"Well, now please don't take this the wrong way, I couldn't be happier for you and Rafe, and after the story you told me, well I don't have a doubt in my mind that you belong together."

"But?"

"If you're not Jamal's soulmate, then who is?"

"Jamal and I…well we just weren't meant to be, as much as we had thought we were. But I have a feeling that there's someone out there for Jamal, he just hasn't found her yet."

"Because there's a plan for everything," Livvie smiled.

"Exactly. And she'll be a very lucky girl because Jamal is a great guy."

"Did I just hear my name?" Jamal said.

Alison and Livvie looked up to see Jamal and Jack walk in.

"Ali and I were just talking about how you two are such nice guys and all."

"Oh, I see," Jack said and kissed Livvie on the cheek. "Well this nice guy is gonna go head back there and see what's cooking."

Livvie frowned. "I better go make sure he doesn't eat everything." She followed him.

"Well hello, stranger." Alison grinned at Jamal.

"Stranger?"

"Yeah. How come I haven't seen you around lately? You've been MIA."

"Me a stranger? Nah, nah, you're the one's who's been MIA. I came here the other day and you were no where in sight and Livvie was acting pretty weird. What was going on?"

"Oh, nothing. Things just uh, well they got sorta crazy for a while there but everything is perfect now."

Jamal gave her a look, knowing there was something more she wasn't telling him, but he decided to let it go. "Well you are right about something. I haven't been here as often as I should have."

"And why is that?"

"Well things got pretty hectic at the bikeshop."

"Oh yeah, sure!" Alison teased.

"Okay, so they weren't really that busy. The truth is…I wasn't sure how awkward it would be if I came here and, you know…"

"And see me with Rafe."

"Yeah."

"Jamal…"

"No, no, you don't have to say anything, Ali. We already had this conversation. You know all I want for you is to be happy."

"I was just going to say that I think of you as one of my best friends, and I don't ever want you to feel like things have changed, because they haven't really. I mean, we're not together like we used to be, but the friendship, well nothing can break that bond."

"I know, you're right."

"So don't feel weird," Alison said with a smile. Jamal smiled back.

"You know, you've really done a lot to this place since I last saw it. If anyone knows how excellent of a cook you are, it's me. Now all of Port Charles knows it. I'm really proud of you, Ali."

"Thank you."

Jamal smiled. "Why don't you ring up a couple of those blueberry muffins for me? I've really missed them."

Alison smiled and gave him the muffins. "No charge."

"Ali, you've got to start charging your customers! You can't just let your friends eat for free."

Alison laughed. "Oh don't worry, I don't intend to do that! A couple of muffins, I don't care about. But when Jack tries to sneak off with a tray full of those chocolate chip cookies that I have to sell, that's a problem."

Jamal laughed. "Well you should probably go check on him now."

"Why? You think he's already ate half my baked goods?"

"No, I think you should check on him because he's all up in that batter or whatever." Jamal pointed to Jack.

"Oh lord." Alison rushed over to the back. "Jack, what are you doing?"

"I just couldn't resist a little taste."

"Well don't put your fingers in it! I have to serve that to customers!"

Livvie walked over with an apron and put it around Jack's neck.

"Whoa, what are you doing?"

"If you keep insisting on eating everything that Alison and I have baked then you're just going to have to help replace it."

"Oh, no, this isn't fair! What, Jamal gets free food but I have to help cook?"

"Well Jamal didn't try to take a full tray of cookies last week now did he?" Livvie asked.

Alison laughed. "You look kinda cute in an apron, Jack."

Jack just shot the women a look and Jamal just stood there laughing.

~*~*~*~

Rafe found himself at the church again. It seemed like he was always ending up here somehow or another. Alison was still at the bakery, and Rafe was counting the hours until she would close shop and they could spend the evening together.

Rafe was more into his journal writing again. He hadn't wrote in it in a while because why write when he could spend that time with Alison? But now that he knew he was here to stay, he wanted to make sure that he would remember every single moment.

"Hello, again," a friendly voice said.

Rafe looked up and recognized the reverend from before. "Hello."

"I hope I'm not interrupting, but I remember we talked before and I wanted to see how you were doing."

Rafe smiled. "No, you're not interrupting. I'm actually glad I ran into you."

The reverend sat down and introduced himself. "I'm Reverend Lovejoy."

"Rafe Kovich." Rafe shook the reverend's hand.

"I have to say, you seem to be in much better spirits than before."

"I am. A few weeks back, my girlfriend and I thought we were going to be separated, but it turns out, things worked out and we can stay together."

"That's wonderful."

"What you said to us that night, it actually helped. Thank you."

"Well I'm glad I could help. If you ever need to talk to someone again, I'm always here to listen."

"Thank you."

The reverend and Rafe talked for a few more minutes, and then he left Rafe to himself in the church again.

Rafe finished his journal entry and stood up with a grin on his face. And suddenly, he started to understand why he was always so drawn to the church, and it wasn't just because he had been an angel.