A/N: So you guys are quite amazing I must say :) And I'm still torn on the Bug/Tasha issue coz half of you say yes and half say no. That said, I'll decide soon...

Jeremy Shane, nope no word on season 2 yet but we'll know on May 20th when upfronts come out :)

Chapter 14- Close I've Come

Lux sat on Cate's bed, watching her mom in fascination. Cate had spent the past hour freaking out over what to wear while Lux told her about her second day at school and they waited for Baze to arrive.

"You look pretty, mommy."

Cate smiled lovingly at Lux through the mirror, turning around and signaling Lux over. Lux climbed off the bed and rushed to her side. "What do you think daddy would like more? My hair up or down?"

Lux giggled as Cate demonstrated each. "Down."

"Down it is." Cate confirmed, wrapping Lux in a bear hug as the blonde laughed.

They both looked up as the doorbell rang, Lux running out to answer it. "Aunt Alice is here!" She yelled as she ran down the hallway, Cate following close behind.

"Hey dimples." Lux laughed as Alice greeted her. "Wow." Alice smirked at Cate, raising an eyebrow. "Not a date, huh?"

Cate blushed furiously, squatting down beside Lux. "Sweetie, how about you show Aunt Alice what you made at school today while I finish getting ready?"

Lux nodded furiously, taking Alice's hand and leading her into the kitchen where Cate had put her paintings on the fridge.

Cate checked and rechecked her outfit, freaking out when the doorbell rang once again and Lux's voice flowed through the house. "Daddy!"

"Hey, kiddo." Baze smiled, picking Lux up.

Lux looked at him in awe, taking in his outfit. He wore a casual yet dressy shirt over dark jeans and Lux giggled, sniffing his cologne. "You smell pretty."

"Thanks, babe." Baze laughed. "Is your mom ready yet?"

Lux nodded, smiling. "She's been ready for a long time! But she keeps changing her clothes coz she says she wants to look pretty but I think she already does."

Baze laughed, his laughter stopping when Cate emerged from her room and walked down the hallway nervously, blushing slightly when she noticed Baze starring. "Hi."

Baze didn't greet her and continued to stare. "Wow." He finally acknowledged and Cate blushed furiously, earning smirks from both Alice and Lux.

Lux turned to Baze, whispering in his ear. "Told you she looked pretty."

Baze pulled back and nodded, smiling. "You know what, kid, I have to agree."

Lux giggled, wiggling out of Baze's arms and walking over to Alice as a signal for her parents to leave. Cate laughed, bending down in front of Lux. "Listen to what Aunt Alice says, okay? And if you want me or daddy, just ask her to call us and we'll be home straight away."

It was clear to everyone that Cate was nervous about leaving Lux, so the blonde nodded, smiling reassuringly and wrapping her arms around her mom's neck. "Bye mommy."

Cate held her tightly, kissing her cheek as she pulled back. "Love you."

"Love you too." Lux smiled, laughing when Baze scooped her up and held her bridal style.

"You going to be okay, kiddo?" Lux nodded furiously, giggling. "You think mommy and I should go now?"

Again, Lux nodded and laughed, Baze placing her back on the ground. Lux and Alice watched them leave from the front door, though Lux quieted almost instantly after watching Cate's car drive away.

"So where are we going?" Cate couldn't help but be excited. She hadn't been on a date in so long, and the fact that it was with Baze just made it all the better.

"It's a surprise." Baze smiled at her, pulling into the car park of a small restaurant ten minutes later.

Baze walked around to the passenger's side, opening Cate's door and holding out a hand. Cate took it, smiling at him as they walked towards the front of the restaurant.

Cate stopped in her tracks, recognizing it instantly. Baze smiled and Cate turned to him surprised, smiling widely. "You remembered?"

"Of course." Baze smiled, leading her towards the door. "How could I forget the restaurant where I found out I was going to be a dad?"

Cate smirked at him as they were seated, slightly amused. "I seem to remember you weren't too fond of this place back then."

"Things change." Baze smiled sincerely. "People change."

Cate smiled back at him before the waiter came over and they flipped through the menus, placing their orders.

"Thank you." Cate said as the waiter walked away. She picked up her bag and rummaged through it, pulling out her phone.

"What are you doing?" Baze asked, though he already knew the answer.

Cate smiled sheepishly, dialing the number. "I just want to check in real quick."

Baze smirked, taking the phone from Cate's hand despite her protests. "She's fine, Cate. I'm sure Alice is perfectly able to take care of a four year old for a few hours."

Cate raised an eyebrow, looking at him reluctantly before agreeing. They ate fast, falling into comfortable conversation.

"What do you think about adopting her?" Cate asked suddenly. Baze frowned confused, not knowing what Cate was talking about. "Lux. I mean, making it official."

"I thought that's what happened the day she was born..."

Cate smirked, hitting Baze playfully. "I'm being serious."

"I know." Baze smiled at her before turning serious himself. "But I don't know how you can ask me when you already know the answer."

"Is that a yes?" Cate smiled widely.

Baze nodded, his own smile matching hers. "Of course."

Cate stood up, Baze doing the same as she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly as he hugged her back.

After a few minutes, Baze pulled back and held his hand out to Cate, smiling. "Dance with me."

Cate shook her head no, laughing. "I don't dance."

"If I remember correctly, you used to be a great dancer."

Again, Cate shook her head and laughed. "Yeah, used to be. As in, past tense."

Baze grabbed her hand nonetheless and pulled her into the middle of the dance floor. Cate laughed, going along with it and assuming a partner stance.

Though she would've usually been embarrassed, Cate couldn't help but feel more relaxed as Baze spun her around. There were a few other couples dancing beside them, but it felt as if they were the only ones there.

A slow song started and Cate slowly leaned her head on Baze's shoulder, both lost in the moment. She pulled back slightly after a few minutes, looking up at him, her own eyes lost in his.

Cate's phone rang, tearing them out of the moment, and both pulled apart, embarrassed. Cate fumbled through her bag, pulling it out and panicking when she saw the number.

"Alice? Is Lux okay?" Cate rushed the second she answered the phone.

"She's fine, but she had a nightmare and I can't calm her down. She refuses to go back to sleep until you and Baze get home."

Cate breathed a small sigh of relief, nodding to Baze to ask for the check. "Can you put her on?" Cate turned her attention back to Alice.

"Sure. Hold on." Cate could hear Alice handing the phone to Lux.

Lux's voice flowed through the phone seconds later, her voice thick with tears. "Mommy?" She sniffled.

"Hey, baby." Cate stood up with Baze, allowing him to help her put her coat on. "Are you okay?"

"I had a bad dream." Again Lux sniffled on the other end and Cate could tell she was crying. "I want you and daddy to come home."

Cate's heart broke as they climbed into her car, pulling into the traffic seconds later. "We're on our way, sweetie. We'll be there soon. Will you be okay with Aunty Alice until we get there?"

Cate could practically hear Lux nodding and she couldn't help but smile slightly. "We'll be there as soon as we can, baby. I promise."

Lux handed the phone back to Alice. "Hey, it's me."

"Hey." Cate breathed a sigh of relief. "We'll be there in about five minutes. Can you just make sure she has her penguin toy, turn on all the lights and sit with her on the couch until we get there?"

"Of course." Alice replied and Cate could tell that Lux's nightmare must have scared her a little too. To be honest, they petrified Cate. "See you soon."

Cate hung up the phone without replying and she looked at Baze who looked back at her concerned. "She had a nightmare."

Cate was out of the car before Baze could properly park, and she rushed inside, Baze following close behind. "Hi, sweetie." Cate smiled gently, squatting down in front of Lux and Alice as the blonde tried to stop crying.

"Mommy!" Lux threw herself into Cate's arms, gripping her tightly as Cate stood back up slowly.

"It's okay." Cate whispered, rubbing Lux's back as her daughter cried into her shoulder. "Shh... it's okay. I'm right here, baby. You're okay."

Lux calmed after a few minutes though she made no movement to let go of Cate. Cate and Baze turned to Alice, thanking her and saying goodnight before sitting on the couch, Lux now half-asleep in Cate's lap.

They waited until she was almost asleep before moving her into Cate's bed, both parents needing the reassurance just as much as Lux did.

Lux gripped onto Cate's dress when she tried to move and Cate smiled slightly. "I'll be right back, baby. I'm just going to go say goodnight to daddy, okay?"

Lux gripped her dress tighter, shaking her head no though her eyes remained closed. "I want daddy to stay here too." She whispered.

Cate looked up at Baze who looked just as surprised. "I've got to go home to my house, babe." Baze tried, brushing back Lux's hair.

Lux shook her head, waking up as she grew more upset. "I want you both to stay." She was on the verge of tears again, and Cate and Baze looked at each other questionably.

Cate turned back to Lux, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear. "Okay." She nodded, pausing. "Daddy can stay."

Baze looked surprised but Cate acted as if it was nothing, and both slowly took off their shoes, backs turned to each other.

Cate went to the bathroom and got changed into her pajamas while Baze took off his jeans, glad to be wearing boxers.

She came back minutes later, and the two shared an awkward glance before turning off the lights and climbing into bed on either side of Lux.

The awkwardness was instantly forgotten when Lux grabbed onto both of them, snuggling close as both Baze and Cate wrapped an arm around her, all three drifting to sleep.