"Daddy? Daddy, wake up."
Rick grunted as the tiny voice woke him up, accompanied by a finger poking his shoulder. "Five minutes, Lex."
"Daddy, please wake up."
This time he opened his eyes, sitting up when he made out his daughter's tear stained face. He clicked on the light next to the bed, picking up the five year old red head so she was on the bed next to him. "What's wrong, sweetie? Did you have a bad dream?"
Alexis nodded. "I dreamt that you left too."
Rick sighed, hugging his daughter tight against him. "I'll never leave."
Meredith had left unceremoniously in the middle of the night and gone to Malibu a month before, claiming it would be easier on them all if they didn't have to deal with the tearful goodbyes. Rick knew she would be leaving but neither knew how to break the news to Alexis, so Meredith decided to just leave it to him.
She'd called once to talk to Alexis, but it was a quick phone call and ended with Alexis hiding in her room the rest of the day. Rick had no idea what Meredith had said to her but a couple of days later Alexis began asking him when her mother was coming home and he was left with the difficult task of explaining that she wouldn't be.
The little girl sniffled, hugging her father tight and sniffling against his shirt. "Promise?"
"I promise, honey. I love you too much to ever leave."
"Why doesn't Mommy love me?"
Rick kissed Alexis' forehead softly, stroking her hair. "Mommy loves you. She loves you so much, she just…" he trailed off, trying to find a way to explain what had happened so a five year old would understand. "Mommy has a new friend and she… she's staying with him for a while."
"Why can't her and her friend stay here?"
"Because… they um… they're on vacation. Like how Mommy and I went on vacation and left you with Grandma."
"Oh. How long are they on vacation?"
He fell silent for a moment. "A while," he said again. "You know, Pumpkin, it's late and you have your first day of kindergarten in the morning. Why don't I read you a bedtime story and tuck you in?"
She clung to him when he started to move off the bed to take her back to her bedroom. "No! Can I stay with you?"
He looked at her, her tiny bottom lip quivering as she fought back more tears. "Of course." He laid down, holding Alexis as she curled up on his chest. "Just try to go to sleep, baby," he whispered, rubbing her back softly.