A/N: Hi everybody, welcome to my second Dylex story. I wanted to do a progression story spanning over years this time, it kind of happened. I broke this into 3 parts just to make it a bit easier to read. I haven't had an opportunity to watch Modern Family in sometime so if it's completely off canon then so be it, this is an Alex and Dylan story so I'm not really interested in what anyone else was doing, though Claire does make her presence known further into the story. Hope you enjoy, and as always I do not own these characters or profit monetarily from this story.

-Slow and Steady-

Part 1

It started innocently, innocuous even. It started with a compliment. A family BBQ at Jay and Gloria's, the whole family was there, and really wasn't Dylan like family after all this time, like a distant third or forth cousin that used to make out with… bad example. But his being there wasn't weird, just normal, he talked with Manny and Luke, played with Joe, helped with the food and table and stayed away from the grill which Jay had commandeered for the afternoon. Alex was complaining, she had homework, projects in Chemistry and History, one due next week, one the week after. Claire was trying to convince her that one evening with her family would not wreck her grade point average, and reminding her that she had already been accepted into her two top schools and three backups. Claire forced a plate into her daughter's hands and pointed her to a table with the order to 'have fun' and 'relax'. Alex groaned.

"Wow, you really are smart aren't you." Dylan sat down next to her. "You must really like school too, doing all that extra work."

Alex was almost certain they weren't questions, she couldn't resist answering them anyways. "That 'extra work' is just my regular assignments, and yes I try to stay in the top score, it looks good to colleges."

Dylan thought about her words for a moment. "But you didn't say if you 'liked' school."

Alex stopped eating and looked at him. "It's a means to an end, survive it and I get to leave."

"So you don't like it."

"No, it's not an enjoyable experience."

"Well it doesn't sound like you're having the right experiences then, I had a blast at school, still do."

Alex starred at him, unsure what to say, should she try explaining how few friends she really had, and that most of them were probably working on their own chemistry and history projects right now?

You should try to have some fun Alex, it's good for you."

"Being smart is fun."

"You think that's fun, you should try skinny dipping in the ocean, that's fun." Dylan noticed the dark shade of pink she was turning and decided she might not be ready for that kind of fun just yet. "Being smart could be fun too, I guess. Anyways it's cool that you're smart, smart people fix the worlds problems."

Alex thought about it, Dylan gave her a compliment, one that was worth having, and before she could say 'thank you' Phil was calling him away to help set up a water slide that Alex decided wasn't the sturdiest looking structure her father had ever had his hands on. That was the longest they spoke to each other for the rest of the day, but she couldn't help but smile every time he came into her vision, and his worlds lulled her into a peaceful sleep that night and nights after when she would question what was it all for. 'Smart people fix the world's problems.'

-.-.-.-

A few months later Alex had escaped her family for the afternoon, for a secret trip to the mall. She didn't really want to go to her senior prom but her friends were going, in a group not dates. She had been convinced it was the only sociable thing to do, even though a few days before she had talked about it's uselessness and frivolity in front of her family and even though she still believed the same she didn't want to seem weak and have them knowing she had caved into pressure from her friends. So here she was, window shopping for a dress, hopefully one she could wear at some other point in her life and not just prom, the money was coming from her own funds after all, no need to be frivolous.

She heard the screeching before she could see the person it was coming from. It was a leggy blonde berating a man by the fountain, his head dropped down, 'Probably from embarrassment' thought Alex. She started making out the words coming from the blonde's pink lips as she walked by.

"So childish! I can't believe you! You'll never get anywhere playing in a band! I told everyone that you're going to be a doctor! I can't handle this anymore, go play your stupid music to a bunch of highschoolers! Such a LOSER!" Alex watched as the blonde turned and stormed away thinking that it was her that was acting childish, making such a scene is so public a place. Poor guy he was still just sitting there with his head down. The crowd that had gathered was breaking apart and becoming one with the flow of the mall once again. Alex lingered, she couldn't really figure out why her feet weren't moving and why she was still looking at the guy, he seemed familiar somehow. She was in front of him before she thought about it.

"Nurses are important." He whispered.

"Of course they are, that's why there are more of them than doctors, and no doctor could do their job properly without a competent nurse to help them." Alex answered the question that wasn't asked and without thinking was hugging him. "Don't worry about her Dylan, you're an awesome musician and you're going to be an excellent nurse."

A half hour later, after a big cookie and Icee, Alex was trying on dresses as Dylan was explaining how a former band mate had booked a gig for a the High school Prom just to have their lead guitarist quit a few days later and he was just doing his friend a favor. The leggy blonde was his girlfriend, ex-girlfriend, who had the idea that he was going to become a doctor. He had told her over and over again that that wasn't his plan, but she held on to the idea anyways. The night of the prom she had arranged for them to have dinner with her parents, after he had told her about helping his friend and saying that it was a one time thing, she had apparently hoped he would change his plans and he had no intention to. It hadn't been the best relationship he'd ever had, and it was kind of a relief it was over.

Alex listened to it all intently, she was ashamed to admit to herself that he was smarter and much more competent than she had ever given him credit for. And far too nice for a doctor chaser. She tried to say encouraging things, hoping he would get over his ex quickly.

"Too pink." Dylan looked at her critically, "And too many sequins, the only other place you'd wear that is to another prom." Alex looked at herself in the mirror and sighed, she never really had an eye for this sort of thing. She had just grabbed the least gaudiest dresses off the rack and hoped for a miracle. "You should try black, you can wear black anywhere, anytime, nothing puffy. Don't look at me like that, I've dated a lot of girls who talk about clothes." Dylan scanned the dresses she had yet to try on shaking his head, he then turned and looked out at the sea of fabric and teenage girls in the store. "I don't think you're going to find anything in here, but I do know a store a few miles away that has some really nice stuff."

"How nice? I can't spend a fortune you know."

"I know, go on and change, you won't regret it."

-.-.-.-

As Alex stood in front of the mirror in her room, pinning her hair in place, she had to admit that she did not regret it. A simple black dress, cut just below her knees, she knew this was something she could wear over and over for almost any occasion. She checked her reflection again, making sure everything was in place, her gaze lingering on her red lips. It wasn't a color she normally wore but she was pleased with the effect, it was senior prom after all, a little fun couldn't hurt too much. She tried to be nonchalant going downstairs, she still hadn't told anyone she was going but the limo carrying her friends was only a few minutes away, best get it over with.

"Alex, honey, we're going to Grandpa's for dinner are you about ready?" Claire didn't look up on her way from living room to kitchen.

"Actually I'm going to have to skip tonight mom, I've already made plans with some friends." Just a few more steps to the door and she could get out without anyone seeing her.

"Good golly Miss Molly, Alex you look amazing, where are you going looking to amazing?" Phil was coming down the stairs, staring at his youngest daughter, trying to remember when she grew up.

"Some friends and I are just going to hang out, that's really all there is to it." Alex was checking her purse and backing toward the door.

"Some friends, are any of these friends boys that I should be meeting?" His voice hitched a bit on 'boys'.

"What? Dad no, it's not like that, a few of us decided that it wouldn't be so bad going to prom after all. That's all, just girls, no boys, no dates, just a group of girls." She tried not to feel the slight sting she go when she realized she hadn't even been asked to prom. Making it seem like she had helped think up the scheme was slightly bitter, realizing she had been pressured and cajoled into this. At least the music would be decent, she prepared herself for enjoyment.

"Oh honey, I'm so happy you chose to go, you should of told us though we would of done something special. Wait here, I'll get the camera. Does your mother know?" Phil started down the hallway toward the kitchen.

"That's okay dad, we don't need pictures, besides I think I hear the limo, love you, I won't be out all night." She almost ran out the door before her father could say anything else and certainly before he could alert her mother. It was luck that the limo actually was just pulling to a stop in front of her house, she cursed under breath as she realized she had left her wrap inside and there was no way she going back in there right now.

-.-.-.-

Dylan was enthralled, it had been awhile since he had performed in front of any sort of audience, he had forgotten how much he missed it. He would have to do something about that. It was an incredible experience to look out and see all the bodies moving to the sound he was making, it was healing the wounds of the previous week. He smiled when he saw Alex dancing in a group of girls, she had started the healing, he hoped she was really having a good as time as it seemed. He couldn't help but notice that she was checking the time, and that she didn't stay on the floor when they would play a slower song, but she was smiling so he didn't let it distract him for too long.

Alex was not having a great night. Her friends had criticized her dress, 'who wore black to the prom?. And her style was entirely too mature, sure she looked good, but not for a prom'. She gritted her teeth, she had escaped to go to prom and to prom she would go. She was right about the music, it possessed the crowed, rising and falling, spinning, and surging forward and falling back like the tide. Alex marveled at all, and Dylan on the stage controlling them all. But then the tempo changed and groups turned into pairs and she stood looking at everyone who were only looking at their partners. It was the first time she checked the time.

She wanted to have more fun, she really did, but she couldn't figure out how, no one asked her to dance, and she didn't see anyone she wanted to dance with. The food wasn't really filling but she didn't want to look like a lonely pig sitting at a table with a plate full of food by herself. The longer she was there the more she realized what a bad idea it all was and hated herself more for giving into the pressure that brought her here. Then the music sped up and she put on her smile and joined her group once again on the floor. The bass vibrated through her blood, the drums set her heart beat, and the guitar moved her limbs, as long as they played fast she was able to push it all out of her mind. Then the tempo would slow and she would check the time. Around the time the band took a break and a prerecorded mix of pop and classic prom songs was put on the speakers Alex's group were talking about leaving and going to a room party in a hotel that some guys were throwing. While Alex had no problem with leaving, she wasn't about to go to a hotel with 'who again?' No one could give a clear answer. Her frustration was getting the better of her and she was taking deep breaths trying to calm down when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around to find Dylan smiling at her. All talking had ceased behind her, they had talked about the sexy guitarist earlier, she didn't mention that she knew him.

"Care to dance?" He offered his hand, she was shocked enough to take it and have him lead her onto the floor before she realized it was a slow song. His hands rested above her hips and she tried to not think that the only guy to ask her to dance was her sisters ex and almost ten years older than her. She supposed she was lucky that the teachers recognized him and remembered her sister, she felt that was the only reason they didn't stop this, that would be embarrassing.

"Are you okay Alex? You don't seem like you're really having a good time."

"Oh, I was hoping it wasn't showing. I really did try, but I didn't even want to be here in the first place. And now they're trying to convince me to go to a room party, that I really don't want to do." Dylan's smile turned into a grimace as he looked behind her.

"You shouldn't go with those guys if you don't want to."

"Yeah, but how else am I going to get home? I can't call my parents, and I made such a scene about not going to prom." Alex trailed off not focusing her attention anywhere, but thinking it was odd that Dylan wasn't turning around and had something like a scowl on his face.

"You shouldn't go with those guys, I'll take you home if you wait around till the end." Alex noticed the song changing, speeding up, but Dylan didn't release her, he pulled her to his side with one arm around her waist, they were facing her friends and the guys throwing the party, one of them was holding her cup and stirring the liquid inside with his pinkie. She knew it was her cup, she had marked it with a big 'A', and some guy she barely recognized was stirring it for reasons she could only guess at, none of them comforting. And her 'friends' were just letting him. She shivered and clutched at Dylan. He took a step back, letting the dancers on the edge block Alex's view of what was happening. She turned into him, she didn't cry or scream, just stared at the button on his jacket. She felt his hand on her shoulder tighten. One of the girls had found them and was saying that they were leaving now. Alex shook her head at her, she wouldn't go. The girl eyed Dylan, Alex gave him credit, he had a dazzling smile.

"One of those guys is really into you Alex, you should come with us, it'll be fun." Alex could guess which guy.

"It's okay, Dylan's going to take me home." Alex tried to sound calm, smile, breathe.

"And people don't think you're any fun, girl do you keep it hidden." She winked at Alex and walked back to the group. The guy holding Alex's drink glared at Dylan.

-.-.-.-

His scent wrapped around her as she stared out the window. Alex wrapped Dylan's jacket tighter around her and breathed deeply. Too much had happened tonight to think about what she was doing. She thought about the boy holding her drink, she thought about sitting by herself by the stage for the rest of the night. Thought about the whispers and stares and glares she received when Dylan took off his jacket and wrapped it around her. The raised eyebrows of his friends when he told then he was giving her a ride home. Then the doors closed and she turned off her mind.

"I miss the ocean, isn't strange, living so close to the beach and never going there? I wish I could just go there."

Dylan didn't respond, she didn't expect him to, didn't want him to. Sometimes you just want to speak and pretend that someone is listening.

He smelled a little like the ocean, the salt and wind mixed with his sweat and a lite cologne, it was a good scent. It was all she focused on, breathe in, salt and wind, breathe out, breathe in, cologne and sweat, breathe out. She didn't notice the distancing street lamps, the houses spreading further apart. Alex began to come around when she spotted moonlight on water, when salt and fresh air were all she smelled.

"Where are we?"

"The ocean, I learned a long time ago you have to go where your heart tells you to. Yours wanted the ocean, so here we are." He pulled off the road to an overlook and trail.

"Dylan, what time is it? We can't be here the beach is closed." Dylan opened her door for her and held out his hand.

"The ocean is never closed."

Alex did cartwheels in the receding tide. The sound of waves crashing was even more releasing than music. All of the tension she had been carrying for weeks was draining out of her system. Her own laughter almost startled her, she couldn't remember the last time she had honestly laughed. She collapsed onto her knees by the waters edge and just looked out, letting the healing abilities of the ocean take over. When her legs started tingling with the warning of going to sleep and she could feel every grain of sand pressed into her knees did she stand and walk back to the shadow that was Dylan, who had stretched out where grass met sand. She sat down in front of him and smiled.

"Thank you. No one's ever done anything like this for me."

"Take you to the beach?" He smile at her, sea spray and sand in her hair, hair that had escaped it's pins with each flip.

"No, just let me be me. No conditions, no restraints, just let me heal." She smiled softly at him, her voice calm.

"And are you healed?" He looked at her seriously.

"I'm. . . better, it'll take a lot more ocean, more standing up for myself and not giving in to others to really get there."

"The ocean isn't a problem, I'll bring you everyday if you want. But yeah, you have to stand up for yourself, no one else will do it for you." The image of that tablet being stirred into Alex's drink flashed before his eyes.

"Everyday?"

"Everyday."

"I just may take you up on that."

The sun was coming up when Alex got home. She tiptoed up the stairs, shoes in hand, and collapsed on her bed. She went to sleep with a smile on her face.

When she woke up and cleaned up and faced her family all she would say about the night was that she had fun.

-.-.-.-

Alex was tan, that's what Haley noticed as she walked across the stage. And Dylan hadn't even asked to make-out all day, and Dylan was there, invitation and ticket in hand, at Alex's Graduation. No one really knew what to think about that so they didn't say anything. Then they were all back at the Dunphy's having a cookout, and while a few members of the family raised their eyebrows at how easily Dylan and Alex talked to each other and got along, the most anyone saw was a good-bye hug at the end of the night. They didn't ask where her friends were, she must of hung out with them after school though she never missed curfew and she hadn't spent a whole weekend at home since prom. They just thought her social life had improved, she had been calmer after all.

It broke Phil's heart and worried Claire to no end when Alex informed them that she was going to New York for college, but would not be in the early summer classes, she wanted to spend one last summer in California. Her parents assured her that it wouldn't be her last, she merely smiled back.

It was a good summer, Alex would get up every morning, find out if anyone had plans that involved her, then either go with them for how ever long she was needed, or go out to not be seen or heard from again until that night. And there were many times she would come back with different clothes on altogether. She would always justify it by saying that her plans had changed and she needed something more appropriate. Claire added it up to one new outfit bought that day, the rest were her daughter's own clothes, which no one had seen her come back for. Haley did spot her car at the beach one time but never found her. Only Dylan, who was stretched out beside a woman who was wearing a black two piece and a large hat. That was the moment she realized Dylan couldn't be her backup plan forever.

But as the days were getting shorter, and all the back-to-school sales were starting, Alex started coming home later and later until one night she didn't come home at all. There was yelling on all sides the next day when she came through the door.

"I'm a grown woman, where I go and what I do is none of your business!"

"As long as you live under this roof and we pay your bills, everything you do is our business!"

"It's not like you ever cared before! Hell, on prom night you were happy I stayed out all night!"

"Is this about a boy? Who is he, do we know him, were you safe?"

"Oh my God! First you want me to have friends and get out of the house, and now that I do you think I'm sleeping around! Unbelievable!"

Alex thought it was the longest hour she had ever spent in that house, with the screaming, the storming upstairs, slamming of doors, and quick change of clothes while holding back tears of anger and pain. It was with shaking hands that she pressed speed-dial. And she didn't care how loud she was going down the stairs and ignoring her parents calls slammed the door behind her. They opened it to see a car they didn't quite recognize pulling away from the curb. Claire thought she saw the drivers arm wrapped around her daughter's shoulder. Her girl had grown up.

After the first three hours of Alex not responding to her phone her parents started to calm down, this is Alex, smart Alex, good Alex. Even if she was. . . And there was no guarantee, she would be smart, safe. She wouldn't be doing anything dangerous. She was almost the top of her class, she was going completely across the country in a few days. She wouldn't jeopardize that. Claire sent one more text before setting her phone down and trying her hardest to trust her daughter.

-Honey, I love you and trust you to make the best decisions for you. Be safe, come home soon.-

It was past ten that evening when Claire's phone rang. "Alex, Honey?"

"Yeah mom, I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am for making you and dad worry about me, I should of called last night."

"Yeah Honey you should have. You know your father and I trust you to make good decisions, so when we don't hear from you we worry. You could have been hurt somewhere, or worse and we wouldn't know."

"Yeah I realize that now, everything just happened so quickly by the time I remembered to call it was already really late, I just didn't want to wake you."

"Are you safe Honey?"

"I'm fine mom, I'm the best I've ever been. But mom, I did want you to know that I'm not coming home tonight. I'm at a friend's and it's okay mom, nothing bad is going to happen."

"Are you sure that's the right thing to do Honey? It's not too late, I could come and get you."

"Mom, you can't stop me from growing up. I love you, and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Just tell me who you're with." But Alex had already hung up before Claire asked. She took several deep breaths before telling Phil that Alex wouldn't be home that night and did her best to ignore his questions and tried to go to sleep without thing of what her youngest daughter was doing and with who.

The rest of that week Alex stayed home for the most part, packing. She would never answer her mothers questions about where she was or who she was with but did inform her that if she didn't stop asking that her last night home would not be spent there. Alex was gone for most of the last day anyways and Claire would later swear that she smelled like wind and salt.

-to be continued-