The next day things needed to get done, despite the fact that the temperature had dropped and gloomy clouds covered every inch of the sky. Richard and Clare has taken a portal (provided by Rafe) back to the rental house to gather some clothes and the boxes of random possessions they had stockpiled. Gabriel was left to watch the children and decided to leave them to their own devices, going to explore the library to find books on swordplay and battle strategy that would assist him in training Emma.
As for the children themselves, they spent the morning getting bundled up and going to explore the area around the waterfall. It truly was a lovely view (as Wilamena loudly exclaimed) and it was nice to sit beside it listening to Emma and Michael shout over the roaring water as they told Wilamena the story of their very first adventure. Kate found it soothing, though she couldn't help but notice that Rafe seemed distracted.
When she asked him what was wrong, he had said he was just a little tired. Kate knew that wasn't the case and that she would have to ask him again later. But for now she just let it go.
When afternoon rolled in, the clouds turned darker and temperature dropped even further. Between that and the spray of the waterfall, they had to retreat inside to warm up. It was there that Kate was asked by Wilamena to help her find some spare clothes - Wilamena had been hit hard by the water that splashed up from the falls and was both wet and cold, a miserable state. While the two did that, Michael and Emma went to rummage through the kitchen, only to find Rafe there, sitting by the back door, face twisted with apprehension.
Remembering the tension that seemed to weigh him down earlier and how worried Kate had been, Michael asked, "what's wrong?"
"And don't say nothing," Emma added, "because there's obviously something."
Rafe looked at them both, at their stubborn, concerned faces, and knew he could not lie to them. He sighed, "I'm stressed because I don't know where to go from here. I suppose I could join Abigail in New York, help her out some, but that's not really what I wan-"
He was cut off by Michael asking with evident confusion, "what do you mean, leaving for New York? I thought you were going to stay with us here."
Emma reacted a bit more temperamentally, "you can't just leave without talking to Kate!"
"I didn't plan to, Emma.I'm just still figuring out how to have that conversation. And to answer your question, Michael, I want to stay here, but I also don't want to intrude. I know your parents don't like me, and well, where we stand, I'm not certain. I want to stay with Kate, but not if it causes a rift between her and the rest of you. I know how much she loves you all and I would never want to damage that. I'm just trying to consider what to do about it," Rafe explained, his voice full of guilt and sorrow with a hint of awkward embarrassment.
Michael frowned in a sympathetic way. Trying to navigate this life after battle was challenging enough, adding in a resurrection must have made it even harder. He tried to think of something reassuring to say. But he was cut off when his little sister rolled her eyes and sighed, "ok, I'm gonna give you some advice to help solve your stupid little problem."
"Which is?" Rafe asked warily.
"Don't be an idiot. Stay here, with the person that you're obviously madly in love with and who loves you back. Simple," Emma declared, to the boys great surprise.
"But-"
"You're welcome here," Emma blurted out, "yes, it may be awkward and full of tension and mistrust. But, I got news for you, it's already like that in my family. We're a mess. Kate spends a lot of her time trying to hold us together and at least if she has you by her side she has someone looking out for her and making her happy. So I don't care if mom and dad aren't too pleased with this, as long as my big sister doesn't have to suffer a broken heart anymore."
Rafe opened his mouth once, then closed it, then opened it again, stunned, "I.. wow."
Then Emma sighed, and fiddled a bit awkwardly, but for once, didn't turn away, "besides, Michael and I would be cool with you staying here too. Right?"
"Of course," Michael exclaimed, "I'm coming to trust and get along with you, Rafe. But Emma, I thought you-"
"Yeah, I was mad. And I'm still working on extending forgiveness. But if Kate trusts you, Rafe, that's good enough for me. Besides, I think we could actually be friends," Emma admitted.
Rafe smiled, feeling a mix of happy emotions as he realized that they truly did have his back, "I hope so. Thanks for talking some sense into me."
"Sure thing," Emma said, "do you have any other dumb problems you need solved?"
"Not at the moment, no," Rafe said in amusement.
They were forgiving him, after everything. They were trusting him and befriending him and teasing him. It was wondrous. And maybe if they could forgive him then he could learn to forgive himself. Maybe staying with them would teach him how. Maybe this was where he was meant to be.
He hoped so. He would do everything he could to make it so.
.....................
Later that afternoon, following the sunset but before Richard and Clare returned for dinner, the younger children had gone off to play an old board game Michael had unearthed from a closet, leaving Kate and Rafe alone.
They sat on Kate's bed, in comfortable silence as they leaned against each other. Kate noticed that Rafe was a lot more content now, and so asked, "what was going on with you earlier?"
"Just a lot of feelings of guilt and confusion. Wondering what's going to happen. I was losing my head a little, to be honest. But I got some good advice to help me figure things out," Rafe answered.
"Good advice? From who?" Kate inquired.
"Emma."
"Emma as in my sister? You're kidding," Kate exclaimed.
Rafe laughed, "it surprised me too. But she was smart and honest."
"I guess that's good then," Kate said, "usually she's not one for giving advice. Or following it."
Rafe responded, "yeah, I figured."
"Well anyways, I'm glad you're figuring it out," Kate finished, lacing her fingers with his. Their eyes met, and that magic spark of love that existed between them flared to life.
"I am too," Rafe whispered, even as he studied Kate's face. He loved every little detail about her, from the way her waves of hair curled slightly into her face, to the way her lashes fluttered around her kind and confident eyes. She left him awestruck.
Kate blushed as she noticed him staring, "what?"
"You're so beautiful," Rafe said quietly, "and even more incredible, that's the least amazing thing about you. Because the real beauty is your soul and your heart, and all the bravery you have, all the wisdom you've gained, all your kindness and fire and love. You amaze me and I adore you so much."
Kate opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. What did one say to such a profound declaration of love?
Fortunately, she didn't have to say anything, because Rafe was continuing to speak, "I love everything about you. I love you for your strength and selflessness and compassion, but also for your ruthlessness, your determination, your passion. I love you for all the good moments we share together and all the ones where we're flawed or less than perfect.I love the way you fight for what you believe in. I love the way you make me feel and I love every second with you. I love you, Kate Wibberly."
Kate's eyes shone with tears at his beautiful words, "I love you too. I love you for how much you care, I love you for how brave you are and how you never give up. I love the way you always make sure others are taken care of and the loyalty you show when you fight by my side. I love the fact that for all our disaster and tragedy, you never falter in love."
Those words had echoed around their minds many times. But while they had said bits and pieces of it all, they had never said everything allowed, for fear that they would never truly be together and that it would just make the eventual tragedy they seemed destined to end in harder. But now things had changed, for Kate had conquered her enemies, and Rafe was learning to conquer his demons, and they were both here, alive, and finally without fear.
Rafe reached out a hand and gently grabbed her locket, turning it over between two fingers. It brought back memories of the moments before they said goodbye for what they thought would be forever. How tragic that moment had been, and how glad they were to know that the forever apart they had been so afraid of had been defeated.
"You're my everything," Rafe said, as firmly as a fact. Because for him, it was a fact. She was the center of his universe, the one he would die for, the one he would live for. He felt endlessly lucky to have her here with him.
A single tear of pure emotion rolled down Kate's cheek as she took Rafe's face in her hands. Her gentle fingers caressed his cheeks for a moment before she took hold of him and pulled him in for a kiss.
Rafe's lips met her petal soft ones, and her hands moved from his face to twining around the back of his neck. He deepened the kiss and she leaned into it, both of their hearts pounding with life and the love that made it worth living.
They broke apart, their breath mingling as they chuckled softly, Kate's hands sliding down to Rafe's shoulders. Hazel eyes met emerald green ones as they pulled away. This was all so new and exhilarating and so very beautiful for them to experience.
Kate's gaze dickered away, and when she looked out the window, she realized that the storm they had guessed was coming from the clouds above had begun. But it was not hard rain that pounded against the ground.
"It's snowing," Kate whispered.
Indeed, the temperature had become so cold that white flakes drifted to the ground and some even stuck there. It probably would only be a light dusting, but it was the first snow Kate had seen since she had traveled back in time and met Rafe in the first place. It felt like a good sign.
A grin growing on her face, Kate pulled Rafe to his feet and over to the window. Together they looked out at the swirls of crystalline perfection, even as their breath frosted the cold glass.
"Hopefully that's a good omen," Rafe mumbled.
"It is," Kate said firmly, "we'll make sure of it."
A/N: A double feature of very good things! First, Michael and Emma helping Rafe manage his guilt and them all becoming friends. And second, pure romance between Kate and Rafe because they are my OTP and I love them.