Rafe left the Recovery Room in a hurry and went back home. He had to leave, get out of Port Charles. Just for a few days anyway. He needed to give Alison some space, that's what he needed to do. He came back to patch things up between Alison and Jamal, and just hanging around her all the time wasn't getting them back together any faster. In fact, it appeared to be doing just the opposite.

Rafe picked up his duffel bag, threw some things in it, and headed out the door. The cold wind bit his face, but Rafe didn't care. He kept warm with thoughts of Alison. Her warm breath on his face, her warm skin under his mouth. He could still taste her on his lips.

The snow crunched under Rafe's boots as he walked though the park. The same park where he and Alison drank hot chocolate and made snow angels. He walked past the very spot they had been at earlier, kissing in the snow.

"Stop it, Rafe," he told himself. "You're just making things harder on yourself."

As Rafe continued passing through the park, he stopped. Something was off. He heard a strange sound, like someone was crying....

Alison gave up wiping her tears a long time ago. She just let the salt burn her eyes and let the cold, bitter wind dry them on her face.

She just couldn't believe it. How could he? How could Jamal just go to that woman while she was walking out the door?! Didn't he see that she was tearing up inside? That she was reaching out to him, trying to pull him back to her and make things right again? No, apparently not. Instead, he just invited Valerie into their home, into her bed without any consideration of her feelings! He should have consulted her on this matter before he welcomed her into what was once their happy home.

It wasn't happy anymore. That was what was tearing up Alison inside. Something was changing. It was like her life was in the driver's seat of a car with faulty brakes. She was unable to stop it, and the ramifications of what would happen next weighed heavily on her mind.

Rafe followed the sounds of soft crying until he found her. Rafe's heart broke at the sight of Alison sitting on the park bench, crying to herself.

"Alison?" he said softly.

Alison looked up with surprised eyes, obviously not knowing she had an audience. She smiled half-heartedly when she realized it was Rafe.

"Oh, Rafe..." she cried as fresh tears suddenly came flooding out.

Rafe rushed over to the bench and put his arms around her. Alison buried her face into his shoulder and she cried for a few minutes. Rafe continued to hold her close and he softly stroked her blonde locks of hair.

"It's okay, I'm here, Alison," Rafe soothed.

Alison looked up at Rafe and wiped the corner of her eye. "No, it's not okay, Rafe."

"What's wrong? Is it Jamal?"

Alison quietly shook her head yes.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Rafe offered. "It might help."

"Valerie's staying with us again. And I just…I just got really upset because Jamal never took my feelings into consideration, and he just like, ran to her when she was crying out while I was walking out the door! I had to leave. I had to get out of that apartment. I can't stand to see Jamal right now."

An icy wind picked up a strand of Alison's hair, and she shivered as she pulled her coat closer to her.

"Alison, you're freezing!" Rafe said as he rubbed her arms in an attempt to warm her up. "How long have you been out here?"

Alison shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. A while…"

"Alison, you shouldn't be hanging around the park by yourself at this hour. It's dangerous and I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

"I just came here to think…it's quiet here."

"You weren't going to stay out here all night, were you?"

"No, I…I was going to go to Jack and Livvie's. I just came here first."

"Well why don't I walk with you to Jack and Livvie's, okay? I don't want you to be by yourself."

"You know, Rafe, actually, I didn't realize how late it was. Jack and Livvie have probably gone to bed now. I wouldn't want to wake them up or anything."

"Oh, well I'm sure they wouldn't mind…"

"Can I just stay with you tonight?"

"Well…"

"Please?" Alison asked hopefully.

Rafe smiled. "Of course. Anything for a friend."

Alison smiled. "Oh, thank you, Rafe." She threw her arms around him and gave him a hug.

"Okay, well come on, let's go," Rafe said.

Alison picked up the bag she had packed in haste, and Rafe took it.

"I'll carry that for you."

"Thanks." Alison then noticed the bag Rafe was holding. "Rafe? What's with that bag? You…you weren't leaving town were you?"

"What?" Rafe realized Alison had noticed his duffel bag. "Oh, oh that, right. No, I'm not going out of town."

"Well were you? I mean, why else would you have a small bag packed?"

Rafe tried not to be nervous when he spoke. "Oh, well, yeah, I was sorta going somewhere, angel duty stuff you know, but, no, that's actually not important anymore."

"Rafe, if there's somewhere you have to be…"

"No, no, I don't need to be anywhere. Not anymore."

"Oh," Alison said, not really understanding what Rafe was talking about. "Well, you like, weren't going to leave town without saying goodbye to me, were you?"

"I wouldn't leave without saying goodbye, Alison."

Alison smiled.

"Okay, so come on, let's get you out of this cold. Your lips are already starting to turn blue."

"Okay," Alison said, and followed Rafe back to his place.

Rafe opened the door and allowed Alison to walk in first. "You can just put your things wherever," Rafe said.

Alison put her bag down and took off her coat. "Rafe, thanks for letting me crash here."

"It's no problem, Alison. I don't mind having you here. You're my friend."

"Rafe, look, I really hope that you're not mad at me. You know, about earlier in the park. I'm sorry that…."

"No apologies necessary," Rafe said with a smile. "Look, I understand you were upset. Maybe you and Jamal just need some time to cool down, and then you can call him in the morning and work things out…"

"No!" Alison spat out. "I mean, no. I shouldn't have to call and work things out. If he wants to come to me and apologize, then he'll do it. I shouldn't have to do anything."

"Alison, I'm sure that you and Jamal…"

"Rafe," Alison said, cutting him off gently, "not to be a pain or anything but, can we not talk about Jamal anymore?"

Rafe smiled. "Jamal who?"

Alison smiled back.

"Well, it's getting pretty late," Rafe said. "And you still look pretty cold."

"I am," Alison said. "You know, I'm really tired. I think maybe I'll just take a hot shower and call it a night. I'm really tired."

"Okay," Rafe said. "There are some clean towels there in the bathroom and Lucy has some robes and night things…brand new and she hasn't even worn them yet."

Alison laughed. "That doesn't surprise me."

"Oh, and don't worry, I won't like, peek in or anything. I'll just stay out here," Rafe said, making an attempt at a joke.

Alison laughed softly, knowing he was still probably a little embarrassed about that whole incident from a few weeks ago.

"All right, I'm just gonna, just go now," she said and pointed to the bathroom.

Alison attempted a smile, but Rafe could still see pain in her eyes.

"Alison?"

Alison turned around "What?"

"I uh…I wish that I still had my magic powers. I'd…I'd make your tears go away."

Alison smiled. "You don't need magic powers to do that, Rafe." Alison walked over to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You're an angel, Rafe, in more ways than one." Then she left the room, and Rafe sighed and sat down on the couch.

Rafe looked up. "Is this some kind of test you're giving me, Ed? Do you enjoy torturing me? Well, thanks a lot!" a frustrated Rafe said.

When Alison stepped out of the bathroom, a mist of hot steam floated out. It smelled like tropical flowers.

Rafe looked at her. She was so beautiful. She had her wet hair pulled back and was wearing a light blue robe. "You look more relaxed."

"I feel more relaxed." She yawned. "A little tired though." Alison walked over to the couch and sat down beside Rafe. She laid down, resting her head on the couch cushion. "Tell me about growing up Transylvania, Rafe."

Rafe laughed. "Are you sure about that? Because most people prefer not to have nightmares before they go to sleep."

Alison laughed softly.

"Well, I will say that I had a very unusual childhood. Being a vampire slayer wasn't exactly something I had a choice in. It was decided for me. Sometimes though, I would try to escape, just for a little while anyway. There was this spot in the woods that no one but me knew about, and I would go there a lot. I played there a lot as a child. As I got older, I would go there to just think about things…"

Rafe happened to look down at Alison. She was fast asleep. Rafe grabbed a blanket and covered Alison with it. He knelt down beside her and watched her sleep. Then, Rafe placed a little kiss on her head. He couldn't stop thinking about how beautiful she was…