Livvie ran to the front door in a hurry at the sound of someone knocking relentlessly on it. "I'm coming! I'm coming!" she shouted. Finally, Livvie opened the door. "Jamal-"

"Where's Ali?" Jamal said, walking into the house.

"Alison's not here."

Jamal gave her a look of disbelief. "Look, Livvie, I really need to talk to her. It's important. I know you're just covering for her. Now where is she?"

"I told you, Jamal, she's not here."

"Ali!" Jamal called out. "Baby girl, please, I need to talk to you!"

"Jamal…" Livvie said quietly, but on deaf ears. She stood with her arms crossed and tapped her foot on the floor while Jamal searched every room in the house until he was positive that Alison was in fact, not there.

"Okay, when did she leave? Where did she go?" Jamal persisted.

"Jamal, I haven't seen Alison."

"What do you mean you haven't seen Alison?"

"I mean I haven't seen her!" Livvie repeated.

"You mean she didn't come here last night?"

"No. Jamal, hey, what's going on?"

"I gotta go!" Jamal said in a hurry and rushed out the door.

"Jamal, wait!" Livvie said as she stood at the front door and watched Jamal rush off. "What happened with you and Alison?" Livvie asked to no one but herself.

Rafe woke up to the smell of something very sweet. It smelled like cinnamon, yes, it was definitely cinnamon. The scent wafted into the living room. It was coming from the kitchen.

It took Rafe a few moments to realize where he was. His neck and back felt stiff from sleeping in the chair. Rafe quickly glanced over at the couch. No sign of Alison, only the blanket she had left behind.

Rafe stood up and walked slowly to the kitchen. He stopped at the doorway and watched Alison unnoticed for a few moments. She stood in front of the stove and was making something in a frying pan. Her blonde hair was still pulled back, and she was still wearing that light blue robe. It was such a pretty color on her…it brought out the color in her eyes, Rafe thought.

It was then that Alison turned around and smiled. Rafe was caught. "Good morning, sleepyhead," she said all cheerfully and bubbly.

Rafe smiled and scratched his head. "Uh, Alison, what are you doing?"

Alison laughed. "What do you think I'm doing? I'm making you breakfast. Come on, I have to pay you back somehow for letting me cry on your shoulder last night."

"You're making me breakfast?"

"Well, us actually. I hope you like French toast. I also made some scrambled eggs and some bacon."

"Where did you get all this? Did you go to the store this morning?"

"No, this is just stuff that Lucy still had in the fridge."

"Lucy eats bacon? Lucy doesn't strike me as a bacon-eater."

Alison laughed. "Maybe she keeps it for Serena. Okay, now why don't you go get all cleaned up and then come back here and I will have breakfast on the table."

Rafe laughed. "Okay."

Alison set out two plates and put the food on the table. Then, she poured some orange juice and got out eating utensils. After the table was set, she looked in the cabinet for the most important thing…the syrup.

Rafe came back into the kitchen to find Alison already seated at the table.

"Wow, you've thought of everything," Rafe said as he saw breakfast set before him and joined Alison at the table. "And it smells delicious."

"Just wait until you taste it," Alison said with a smile.

Rafe smiled back at her as he took his plate and began to pile it up with food. Alison watched him and smiled.

"Syrup?" Alison asked.

"Yes, please," Rafe replied.

Rafe poured his syrup on and then took his fork out. Alison was still grinning at him.

"What?" Rafe asked.

"I'm waiting for you to try it!"

"Okay, okay!" Rafe laughed. Rafe cut up a piece of French toast with his fork and took a bite. He smiled in satisfaction and just made little mumbling food noises. "Mmm, mmm, oh yeah…"

"You like it?"

Rafe shook his head yes. "Alison, this is the best French toast I've ever tasted!"

"Really? You're not just saying that?"

"I'm not just saying that. It's really good. You got a secret recipe or something?"

Alison grinned. "Well, you wanna know the real secret to the best French toast in the world?"

"Sure."

"Well, it's a lot of cinnamon, and a dash of vanilla."

"Mmm."

"And…." Alison picked up the bottle of syrup. "Lots of syrup!" Alison licked her lips in anticipation and began to pour it on her toast.

"I see you like to drown yours," Rafe laughed, noticing that Alison had covered every inch of her toast with the sweet liquid.

Alison shrugged her shoulders. "Can't help it. Guess I just have a sweet tooth."

You're definitely sweet, Rafe wanted to say.

"So, does your neck hurt?" Alison asked.

"Well, it's just a little stiff. What…how did you know…"

"Rafe, you didn't have to sleep in the chair. I would have been okay by myself in the living room, you know."

But I wanted to watch you sleep.

"Oh, well yeah I know, but uh…well I just wanted to make sure that you didn't have any nightmares or anything. And I guess I wanted to be there in case you woke up. But then I fell asleep too so…"

Alison smiled. "You're so sweet, Rafe."

Rafe blushed.

Rafe and Alison were finishing up with their breakfast.

"Well, Alison, I have to say, I can't remember the last time I had a breakfast that wonderful before. My compliments to the chef."

Alison laughed. "Thanks. I'm just doing my part, helping you experience the joys of life! That's why you're here, Rafe, and you haven't lived until you've ate a breakfast like that."

I'm here because of you.

Rafe smiled at Alison. God, she was so beautiful. He didn't realize he had been staring at her.

"Rafe?" Alison caught his eye.

"What?"

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"What? Oh, oh…you, you just have a little syrup…on your mouth."

"Oh."

Rafe slowly moved his finger to Alison's mouth and ran it gently across her bottom lip. Her lip was soft and rosy, and he felt a tingle at the touch of it. He lightly wiped the syrup off and brought his finger to his own mouth. He licked the excess syrup. He kept his eyes locked with Alison's.

Alison held her breath. She had felt a tingle too at Rafe's touch. The way he just brushed the syrup off and licked it was just so…so sensual. She noticed the way Rafe kept staring at her.

Rafe saw the look in Alison's eyes. She felt it too, whatever that tingle was, she felt it too, he knew it. It was some kind of impulse reaction. Rafe suddenly leaned forward and placed his lips on hers.

He hadn't intended on kissing her, but he couldn't control his urges, and Alison apparently wasn't fighting it either, despite the way she had abruptly stopped their kissing the night before.

Alison moaned, being lost in the sweetness of Rafe's kiss. His kisses were so urgent, so passionate. It was nothing like how it was with Jamal. Rafe was a fabulous kisser!

Alison felt Rafe's tongue explore the inside of her warm mouth, and she wondered if he could taste the leftover syrup on her tongue.

"RAFE, OPEN UP!" a man bellowed and pounded on the front door, putting an abrupt halt to Rafe and Alison's kiss.

"That's Jamal," Alison said.

"We don't have to let him in," Rafe said.

"No, no, I should talk to him," Alison said.

"Are you sure you want me to let him in?"

"Yeah," Alison said softly.

Rafe got up from the table and walked to the front door. The moment he opened it, Jamal barged in.

"Jamal, so nice to see you," Rafe said, although he could tell that Jamal was definitely not in the mood for pleasantries.

"Where's Ali?" Jamal demanded.

"I'm right here, Jamal," Alison said softly.

Jamal turned around to see Alison standing at the doorway to the kitchen. And why was she wearing a robe?