'Safe with Rafe' Y/N x Rafe Cameron

Chapter CXVI

Rafe drove back with you beside him and he felt like he couldn't stop smiling the entire time. Not only did he find you, but you were safe. Making up was just a bonus.

His hand rests on your thigh while his other on the steering wheel, driving in a straight line on a long road with a content heart and mind. Looking over to you, he sees you just as content as he was. Your head rests in the nook of the open window as you smile softly into the wind rushing past.
Rafe squeezes at your thigh, "You wanna come back to mine?"
As tempting as it was, you only wonder.
"Won't I worry people even more?" You ask.
"Sarah's home too, I'm sure she'll open her big mouth to the pogues once she sees you're safe and with me." He jests.
"What about the police? My parents?"
Rafes hopeful smile fades, his expression starts to look sad or discouraged. He realises he's being selfish, but he just wants to make up for lost time after missing you for what felt like a life time to him.
He looks down into his lap when he feels your hand place itself on his knee, sliding up into his inner thigh and rubbing his leg up and down, making him flash the smallest of smiles.
"I'll just have to make some phone calls then." You say, "-so let's get to yours."

When Rafe parks up front of his house, he rushes to your side to help you out and it only made you laugh and roll your eyes. His concern for you wasn't irrational though, no matter how silly it might've seemed.
"Rafe-" You giggle as he helps you out of the truck, carefully as if you were the most fragile thing to ever grace his skin.
"Maybe I should take you to the hospital, just in case." He says, cluelessly.
"Rafe, really, I'm fine...look."
You push his body away from yours, taking a few shaky steps away from him like a newborn fawn before twirling around in a circle. You smile confidently and he returns it.
"Alright, don't get ahead of yourself." He says with an impressed huff, "What're you? Super human?"
"Whatever do you mean Mr.Cameron?" You joke back delightfully, "It's a pogue super power."
"Is that so?" He smirks.
"All the drugs in the world couldn't take me down." You laugh in a heroic stance. He hunches over in laughter as well, one of the most genuine and carefree smiles you'd ever seen Rafe Cameron manage.

His own laugh tones down into a simple smile when he hears that little giggle that he missed so much. He comes to a stand still just to admire the sound of it against the wind.

"Y/N?!"
You turn your head towards the balcony to see Sarah standing against the railing and in her morning robes. You shield your eyes from the sun to then see her face in shock so you only wave back, causing her to turn around fast and run back inside.
"Well, might as well head inside now that the cats outta the bag." Rafe says.

Rafe holds the door open for you as you walk inside, still nobody seemed to be awake yet judging by how silent the house was. Nobody except Sarah who was now running down the stairs in such a hurry, her footsteps echoed through the front corridor like a stampede.
"Shh! Sarah-"
Sarah jumps into your arms before quickly retracting herself again.
"Sorry! Are you okay? How are you feeling? What happened?-"
"Sarah, come on." Rafe says with an impatient face.
"What? She was mine first so I'm allowed to be worried." Sarah says back with a bothered expression to match his.
"Yeah, well leave your annoying questions for another time, alright? She's gotta get some rest." Rafe says as he places his hands on your hips from behind and motions you towards the staircase.
"Yeah, 'rest', is that what people are calling it these days?" Sarah huffs.

As you laugh your way up the steps at their sibling quarrel, Rafes hands never leave your hips.

"You couldn't be anymore obvious, you know!" Sarah shouts up from the bottom of the stairs, her words echoing through the hallway made Rafe cringe. He didn't want to wake anybody up and especially not Ward.
"Oh- Good morning Mr.Cameron." You greet cheerfully, making Rafe sigh just behind you.
"Morning Y/N, glad to see you're safe."
Rafes face is still hidden by the shape of your body but what neither you or Ward know, is that Rafes face had started to grow with suspicion at Wards strange use of words.
"What?" Rafe asks as he finally makes eye contact with his father.
"Hm?"
"You know about this morning? Already?..."
Wards face flashes a quick smile but something in his eyes didn't quite back it up. "Doesn't everyone? I mean, a kidnapping is pretty rare on an island like this."
"She was at Barry's."
"Oh?" Ward looks into Rafes eyes, deeper now more than just moments ago as he keeps up that inconsistent smile of his, "Thats good news then."

The atmosphere between the two men falls silent, awkward now as you look to Ward and then to Rafe, still nothing from the both of them but it was barely anything from indifferent than any other day so you didn't understand why Rafe suddenly stopped moving.

He never did see eye to eye with his father so why did now feel so different?

His face looked like he had questions but for whatever reason, he held his tongue.
"Rafe?..."
"Hm?"
"Are you...coming?..." You ask between pauses as you begin to tug at his hand now.
Finally, he cuts his gaze off from Wards.
"Yeah? I mean, yeah." Rafe flashes you a smile, not nearly as genuine as the one he had outside but you put it past you.
"Okay..."

As you start to move up the remainder of the stairs again, you subtly glance at Ward one last time to see him smiling down at the floorboards.