A/N: Another chapter up. Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: Characters property of ABC. Story all mine. No infringement intended.

Chapter 38

Matt looked out the window and could see light in the distance as the sun was just rising. After the vigorous activities of the night before, he'd slept well, but had woken early in hopes that it hadn't been a fabulous dream. He glanced down at the blonde head lying on his chest and took a deep breath at his reality. As he felt her begin to awaken and shift against him, he stroked a finger up and down her spine.

Seeing her eyes open, Matt pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. Not having enough of her, he tilted her head back and pressed a kiss to her lips. She moved so that she was leaning over him. When she pulled back, looking up at her Matt asked softly, "Did you mean what you said last night?" He knew he didn't need to explain what he was talking about. Her words cried at the moment they'd reached their climax had heightened their release. He'd felt it, but not wanting to dampen the mood, he'd let it go at the time, but he needed to know her feelings this morning.

Averting her eyes, Maxie didn't answer. Matt, pretty sure that she'd meant what she said, continued, "I was just wondering, because I love you . . . in a way I've never loved anyone."

Maxie looked down at him and he read the tentativeness in her blue eyes.

"I do love you, Maxie," he said stroking her cheek. "It's been happening for a long time and I think I've known for a while, but I was afraid I'd get hurt. I'm still afraid of that. . .," his voice trailed off.

"Me, too," she replied with a tremulous smile. "I didn't want to love you, but you got past my defenses and then I couldn't stay away from you. It was just a short leap to falling in love with you."

"I'm glad. I can't imagine my life without you in it." Matt smiled and moved his hand to cup her neck and pull her into his kiss.

"Me, either," Maxie said just as Matt's lips took hers. Moments later, they were caught up in their passion once again.

"Do you know when Maxie is coming home?" Felicia asked when Mac joined her in the kitchen, where she was turning bacon.

"I haven't talked to her, but I'm sure she has to stop by soon, if only to get a change of clothes," he replied pouring himself a cup of coffee. As he added some cream, Mac said, "Felicia you've got to give her some time. She just has to get used to the idea of you being here."

"I know. That doesn't make it any easier," Felicia whispered, placing a plate laden with scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast in front of Mac at the table.

"I know you want a relationship with your daughter, but it's not going to happen over night. Maxie has never been one to just go along with the program. She's going to test you and it's up to you whether you pass or fail." Looking down at the plate, then up at Felicia where she stood. Mac was confused as to Felicia's actions and knew it was obvious, so he asked, "Why are you cooking for me? And cleaning around the house? Doing laundry? What is this?"

"I told you I'm not leaving. I'm just doing my share around here. I'm not a guest," she replied, emphatically, determination clear in her eyes. "I'm home."

"Have you talked to Matt? Is he still picking Emma up today?" Robin asked as she made up a bottle for the baby.

"I talked to him yesterday, but we didn't talk about that." Patrick tossed more diapers in the baby bag, before he added a bottle of formula.

"Can you find out for me? I'd like to be able to tell them when we drop her off."

"Sure," he replied, retrieving his phone and pressing the number '4'. He continued packing as the phone rang.

"Hello?" he finally heard on the other end, but it wasn't the voice he was expecting.

"Maxie? Where's Matt?" he asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"In the shower. I heard his phone and thought it might be an emergency, so I looked at the caller ID and saw it was you. Thought it still might be an emergency and decided to answer. What's up?"

Patrick shook his head for a moment. "I was trying to find out if Matt is going to pick Emma up today from the nursery."

"Hold on just a second and I'll ask." In the background, he could hear Maxie asking the question, before he heard his brother's voice in the distance. "Okay, I'll tell him," Maxie replied to whatever his brother has said, then to him she added, "Patrick, he said he was planning on it. He has a consult early today, but he was planning on picking her up and bringing her here to his place."

"Okay, that's fine. Robin or I will drop by and get her when we leave the hospital tonight."

"I'll let Matt know. Talk to you later," Maxie said effectively ending the conversation, but Patrick wasn't quite finished.

"Maxie?"

"Yeah."

"This is none of my business, but are you and my brother getting serious?"

Patrick heard her soft laughter. "Yeah Patrick, I think we are."

"Well, I must say, it's about time." Peals of laughter met his words and his soft 'goodbye' was lost within them.

"What was all that about?" Robin asked from behind Patrick where she held little Emma in her arms.

"I think Matt and Maxie are falling in love."

"Oh, is that all?" she replied with a roll of her brown eyes. Though her husband was a brilliant surgeon, she often thought he was relationship challenged. "That's been happening for months. It's written all over their faces."

"So, what did Patrick say?" Matt asked as Maxie joined him in the bathroom as he stepped out of the shower.

"Just that he or Robin will come here to pick Emma up after work," she answered, waving her hands to clear the steam in the room.

"Cool," Matt replied catching a certain look on Maxie's face that he couldn't decipher that had him asking, "What else?"

She tossed a saucy smile his way. "Nothing really . . . he just asked me if we were getting serious?"

"What did you tell him?"

"That I think we are."

Matt moved behind her in the mirror and slid his hands around her waist pulling her back into the hollow of his body. Pressing soft kisses to her neck that had her moaning and arching to give him better access, he asked, "You just think we are?"

Knowing the effect he had on her, he didn't know whether she'd answer or not, but was pleased when she whispered, "I know."

"Good," he replied turning her around to take her lips with his. When he pulled back, he added, "I don't ever want you in doubt of what we're doing here. I want a life with you."

She stilled in his arms. "What are you saying?"

Tilting her head, so his forehead rested against hers, he answered, "I'm saying I love you and I don't expect that to change. I want you with me. We just have to decide what that looks like."

"Matt? I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything. We'll talk about what we both want later and we'll figure it out. As long as we're together, the rest will work itself out."

"Matt isn't going to like this at all. I should have told him a long time ago," Noah said as he buttoned his shirt.

Anna stood just inside the closet door and retrieved a red blouse to wear with a black trousers lying on the bed. She turned to Noah with a hand firmly on her hip and said, "I told you that weeks ago, but you were to afraid of how he would react. You had just better hope you get to him before he gets the letter."

Anna moved to the dresser and got a belt for her slacks before opening another drawer and selecting a tie she preferred for Noah.

"I know. You were right. I should have listened to you," Noah admitted, which had Anna turning on a dime.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"I said I should have listened," he replied absently, tucking his shirt into his pants.

"No, the other part," she insisted, moving closer to Noah so she could hear him repeat himself.

"You were right?" He looked up with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, that. I don't think I've ever heard that before from a man," she answered moving even closer to Noah and pressing a kiss to his lips. "You are a keeper."

"I keep telling you that," he replied.