June 4th, 2003

1:33PM

Megan O'Brien was an extremely sickly woman, she had MS, she almost died when she was twelve from a fever and she was starting to depend on crutches to walk.

But all of those negative aspects of her life were forgotten once she held her daughter in her arms. And with her brother, Walter, by her side, there was nothing Megan could feel but bliss. She watched the way he looked at her baby, so lovingly and caring. She almost rolled her eyes, her twenty-one-year-old baby brother stated he couldn't feel emotions, and obviously, he was wrong.

Alexandria had only been born an hour ago, she was a healthy baby born with 20.16 inches and 7.50 pounds. Megan couldn't stop patting her daughter's dark hair, and she was so tiny that she had to touch her like she was a precious feather.

"Has Derek contacted you?" Walter asked suddenly, his tone was distant but his gaze upon his sister was calm.

Megan sighed with a tired smile; he had to ruin the moment. "I did. He told me he couldn't make it because he was having a 'crucial' party at his sorority house." She chuckled, making her tired lines pop around her eyes. "It's fine."

"It's not fine," Walter barked.

"Walter please…" she held Alexandria closer to her chest and gave him a look, he took a deep breath and settled down instantly. "It's fine because it was only a one night stand, he's twenty years old, he's young and he needs to enjoy his younger years. I can handle being a single mom, I was actually prepared for it," she gave chimed as she drew a line on her daughter's chubby cheeks with her thumb. "Isn't you that is always that Derek is only the 'sperm donator'?" she gave him a playful smirk.

"Yes," he nodded, with an eye roll. "And in this case, he is. If he doesn't want to participate in his daughter's life and be a father, then I'll step in as him then. I will be more than elated to be your child's father figure, and it'll be my honor to raise her by your side." His tone of voice was deep and determined.

Megan chuckled amusedly and warmly, her brother sometimes could still impress her after all these years. "Good thing, because I was afraid that the extra bedroom you built in your loft would be for a new working space, and not actually Alexandria's bedroom." Her grin widened when he flushed embarrassedly. "And of course, since I can't leave the hospital much, I'll need someone to show her the outside world… I can't raise my daughter in a hospital…" she added with a sad smile. "And I don't want her to see me sick…"

Walter almost chocked as he cut her. "Megan I-I promise you that I'll be always there for Alexandria and you," he reached for Megan's hand and pursed his lips seriously. "She's my niece, and you're my sister and my confidante. I'll cure you, I promise, my research is going to work."

Megan's wrinkles popped out as she gave him a forced, but firm smile. "I'm sure you're doing your best Walter. But… I already talked to my lawyer. If anything happens to me, you'll be the designated guardian for my daughter."

"Not… Derek?"

She blew a quiet raspberry, not to startle her sleeping angel. "Of course not, like I told you, he's still a kid in my eyes."

"Then why did you even slept with him?" he deadpanned gruffly.

Megan shrugged and gave him a sheepish smile. "He was cute, and he didn't care about my crutches and I was a little tipsy. And it had been a while, being in the hospital doesn't exactly let me meet hot guys—I mean Dr. Stein is cute—but I was out, without you, and well the rest is history."

Walter had a pained expression. "Please let's change the subject." He almost begged as he glanced back at his niece.

She laughed heartedly, "Sure."

"So why Alexandria?" he asked curiously.

"Well, I always like the paired name Alexander and Alexandra. Remember? I told you once when I was—"

"—Sixteen,"

She smiled knowingly. "Exactly, so when I found out that I was having a baby girl I decided Alexandra would be her name. But when she was placed on my chest, crying her eyes out, the name Alexandria was the chosen one." She explained contentedly.

Walter hummed as he stared at Alexandria, she was sleeping peacefully, and that relaxed him. "It's a beautiful name."

"Alexandria Louise O'Brien," Megan stated proudly.

"Yes, not Tanner," Walter expressed distastefully.

"Yep, he won't get that privilege." She agreed. Megan could comprehend Derek's situation, but she wasn't going to put his last name on her daughter.

"Excellent," Walter rose from his seat and kissed Megan's head. "I have to go now," he muttered as he pecked Alexandria's head as well, only gentler. "I have to meet someone."

She smiled lovingly as she watched him make sure everything was in order before he actually left. "Still thinking about finding geniuses for you Scorpion thing?"

"It's not a thing, well, not yet but it will be!" he stated. "I'll be back tomorrow to see you two, promise."

"Same time?"

He smiled. "Always,"

Eleven Years Later…

September 22nd, 2014

Eleven-year-old Alexandria O'Brien sighed boredly for the tenth time since she walked inside Kovalsky's diner. She was sitting at the counter, drinking a mint chocolate milkshake, while she waited for her uncle to end another relationship… while on his job.

She glanced at the woman, what was her name again? She didn't remember and she's been dating her uncle for three months. She wasn't around the warehouse much. That meant that Walter probably lost interest in her and was just trying to get dumped instead of doing the dumping himself. He disliked doing that. It meant that he had to try to console her… emphasis on try.

"Hey I pay you to fix wireless, not talk." The owner of the diner barked at Walter, interrupting whatever awkward conversation he was having with his now ex-girlfriend. She looked upset now, after realizing that her uncle had schedule a break-up on a job. But if Alexandria knew her uncle, he'd reply with a 'it's more efficient'.

This, at least, was amusing.

Like the boy sitting a stool next to her, he was playing chess with condiments. The reason why Alexandria knew that the boy was playing chess by himself was because Sylvester taught her how to play – she'd lost but at least she knew how to give a good challenge.

"Hey kid, you're making a mess!" the owner complained. "Paige! Again your boy's all over with the shakers!"

Paige, the diner waitress that had been busy talking with the costumers and serving them at the same time, sighed and glanced between her boss and son. "I know, he knows, I know. He's just having a bad time adjusting to school. He'll be back next week. Promise."

Her boss only sighs gruffly and walks away to greet other costumers.

Alexandria watched the two talk quietly. They seem so different, how can they be related?

"Hey honey. It's okay. Mr. Gianakos just likes to keep things neat. Remember we talked about that kind of thing before? Doesn't mean there's something wrong with you, okay?" she comforts him as she leans down to his sitting level at the counter.

And Alexandria follows her eyes as Paige sends a look at her now working uncle, she didn't even noticed when passed by her.

She smiles, Paige seems to be a good mom. Alexandria finished her shake sighs in delight. When Paige moves to the back of the counter to start cleaning on a few glasses and prepare the next orders, she notices the little girl with the empty glass.

"Would you like something else, sweetie?" she asks with a friendly smile.

Alexandria shakes her head and places a ten-dollar bill on the counter. "Keep the change,"

Paige chuckled. "That's too much."

"It's fine, really," she insisted. It's because you're a good mom.

Paige gave up and took the money, taking the shake glass as well. As soon as she went to deliver the rest of the orders for the costumers, Walter waltzed straight towards the boy.

"Uncle Walt, what are you doing?" Alexandria hissed between her teeth with a nervous smile.

He was playing a makeshift chess with a stranger's son. She knew he was thinking about something more logical but this would be enough to set an alarm over Paige's head.

"Uhm…" Walter was paying attention to the game, it was a fast one. The boy was engaged as well, and he matched the same thinking speed as Walter, and that impressed Alexandria. "Uhm…" And Walter won in less than five moves, still… that was really amazing.

Alexandria grinned at the boy. "Dude, you're a—"

"Excuse me, can I help you?" Paige interrupted as she approached her son in a protective stance.

Walter nodded at Alexandria and she chuckled while hopping out of the stool, as she walked towards the door she heard her uncle talking with the waitress.

"No, but you should help him." He told her as he walked pass by her, Alexandria smiled sheepishly as she watched Paige scowl offended. "Wireless is up. Don't yell at that boy." He managed to warn the owner before leaving the diner with his niece.