Alison walked into the room and smiled through her tears. He had done
it. All of the couples were together and happy. Except, of course, her
and Jamal. She still loved Jamal, but found herself thinking of Rafe more
and more. Only now he was gone. Holding back tears, she spoke to him. ''Look
at them, Rafe. Can you see? You did it. You really did it.''
A part of her felt as if he was still standing next to her, watching
and smiling. She could almost feel his hand on the small of her back. She
knew that part of him still was there, at least lingering in her memory,
in her heart.
Who can say for certain
Maybe you’re still here
I feel you all around me
Your memory’s so clear
She pulled on a jacket and stepped outside. It was a brisk night out,
but she needed some time to just walk and be alone. ''I wish you didn’t
have to leave, Rafe,'' she said in the dark. Normally at nearly one in
the morning, Alison would not want to be out walking home, but it was Christmas
day, and she still felt as if she had an angel looking over her.
Deep within the stillness
I can hear you speak
You’re still an inspiration
Can it be?
Walking in her apartment and hanging up her coat, she glanced at the
answering machine, which was blinking. ''It must be Jamal,'' she told herself,
reaching over and pressing the play button.
''Hey baby girl,'' Jamal said through the machine. ''I just wanted
to be the first one to tell you Merry Christmas. Wish you were here. I
love you.''
Alison immediately felt guilty. Here she was, thinking of Rafe, while
Jamal was calling to wish her a merry Christmas. She picked up the phone
to call him back, but then saw the clock. ''It’s almost midnight there
and he’s been up all day. I’d hate to wake him.'' She fell back on the
couch and closed her eyes. ''I guess I’ll just spend Christmas alone.''
''Nobody should be alone on Christmas!'' he shouted. ''Just one day.
That’s all I’m asking right now. One day.''
Ed lowered his chin and looked at him. ''Who are you asking for? Her…or
you?''
Rafe ran his hand over his head and chuckled. He certainly could not
hide his feelings for Alison. From himself or anyone else.
Alison sat up and got off the couch. It was now three in the morning
and she still could not sleep. Rafe was invading her every thought. If
she did not know better, she would think she had fallen in love with him.
She laughed it off. Her, in love with an angel. Suddenly, the thought of
him up in heaven looking down on her gave her a warm feeling all over.
Almost as though she wished she could be with him.
That you are mine
Forever love
And you are watching over me
From up above
''I’m not in love with Rafe,'' Alison laughed to herself. ''He was just
a friend, an angel.'' Still, she could not persuade herself to stop thinking
about him. She fixed herself a cup of hot chocolate and walked over to
the window, looking up to the stars.
''I heard you tell Lucy that if she ever needed to talk to you, to
just look up to the stars and talk, and you would hear her. I hope you
can hear me now.'' She sighed. She did not know what to say. He had only
been gone for a couple of hours, but she missed him more than she had ever
missed anyone her entire life. ''I miss you down here, Rafe. Things won’t
be the same without your smiling face around. I wish I knew you were hearing
this,'' she choked out, wiping away a tear. ''I wish I could see you again.''
Fly me up to where you are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile
If only for a while
To know you’re there
A breath away’s not far
To where you are
Rafe looked down on her, crying and talking to him. He would have to
convince Ed to let him go. Sure, his boss was right that he wanted to go
down there partly for himself, but he wanted to be there for Alison also.
''Come on, boss,'' he pleaded. ''All I’m asking for is one more day
down there. I know it’s against the rules. I’ve known from the beginning
that I had to leave on Christmas Eve at midnight, but I didn’t expect to
get so attached. Don’t you understand?''
Ed shook his head. The kid just would not give up.
Alison finished her hot chocolate and suddenly felt tired. She rinsed
the mug out in the sink and lay back down on the couch, quickly falling
asleep. She dreamt that Rafe was there again, doing more light shows for
Daniel, and now for Christina as well. They were together in the park,
talking and laughing. Everyone was happy—they all had faith. Faith in themselves,
just as she had faith in Rafe. She smiled in her sleep.
Are you gently sleeping
Here inside my dream?
And isn’t faith believing?
All power can’t be seen
Rafe watched her sleeping. She was so beautiful. He
knew that she felt everything he had given her and their friends, but she
had given him so much more. Until now, he had never loved. Even though
it was against the rules to fall in love with a mortal, he had. Love could
not be controlled, even for an angel. He felt it now more than ever.
As my heart holds you
Just one beat away
I cherish all you gave me
Every day
She stirred under the ray of sunlight that was coming
through the window. Stretching, she kept her eyes closed, enjoying the
warmth of the sun. Suddenly, her eyes shot open. She was covered with a
blanket, and there was a tree in the corner of the room that had not been
there when she fell asleep.
She climbed off the couch and tiptoed over to the tree, looking at
the decorations. It was covered with nearly every kind of angel you could
imagine. She grinned, thinking of Rafe, her ''own'' personal angel, she
liked to think. He must have done this somehow, to remind her that he was
still around, even if not on earth. ''Thank you, Rafe,'' she said towards
the sky.
''You’re welcome.''
She turned around, nearly falling into the tree. There he was, in the
flesh. Without another thought, she shot across the room and hugged him.
''You’re here! You’re really here!''
''Merry Christmas, Alison.''
''Merry Christmas, my angel.''
‘Cause you are mine
Forever love
Watching me
From up above
''How did you manage to come back? How long are you going to stay? Do
you have a new assignment?''
Rafe laughed. ''Slow down, Alison. One at a time.''
She grinned. ''I’m sorry. I’m just so excited that you’re back. So,
how did you get to come back?''
''I begged and pleaded. I couldn’t let you spend Christmas alone, now
could I?''
Alison smacked his arm. ''Aww…so you came back just for me? How long
do you get to stick around this time?''
Rafe shied away from her for a second. ''You know how there was something
else I was going to tell you last night?''
''Yeah?''
He took in a deep breath. ''Well, I was about to say that I wished
I was alive, because sometime along the way, I…''
She arched her eyebrows. ''You what?''
''I fell in love with you,'' he blurted out. ''I never meant for it
to happen. I know you’re with Jamal. I just couldn’t control it. It just
happened.''
She bit her lip. How do you react to an angel who has just told you
he is in love with you? Especially when you can’t say that you love him
back, but you also can’t say that you don’t. The silence echoed in her
ears.
''Alison?''
She forced a grin. ''Hmm?''
''There’s something else.''
She let out the breath she’d apparently been holding. She was not sure
that she could handle something else. ''Go ahead.'' There was no stopping
it now.
''Angels aren’t allowed to fall in love.''
She cringed. ''Does that mean you’re going to hell?''
He laughed. ''No, nothing bad. Actually, it’s kind of good. I think
so, anyway.''
''Oh?''
''You know that saying, ‘Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his
wings?’'' he asked.
She laughed. ''Of course.''
''Well, when an angel falls in love, if that love is found to be returned
deep in the other person’s heart, then the angel…umm…how do I say this?
I’m a real boy, Alison,'' he said with a chuckle.
''You’re real? Really real? So that means you know? I do? I’m the reason
you’re alive?''
He nodded. ''I get another chance thanks to you, Alison. I never meant
to come between you and Jamal. It was never my plan. I never knew the love
clause until earlier this morning when Ed was watching you.''
''Ed?''
''He’s my boss.''
''And he just said ‘Go ahead, kid, you’re alive again?’''
Rafe laughed. ''Exactly.''
''So, where do we go from here?'' ''
Who knows?''
And I believe
That angels breathe
And that love will live on
And never leave
''I guess we’ll just have to find out together,'' Alison said, hugging
him again. ''Just never leave again like you did last night.''
He chuckled. ''I promise. I’m here for good now.''
I know you’re there
A breath away’s not far
To where you are
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