Enjoy and reply guys. Sorry it took so long.
-d-d-d-d-
"I can do this by myself," Kevin offered when he and Alexis walked towards Martha's studio. "You can go to your place, and I'll meet you there."
"No," she shook her head, "Gram always told me to face my fears."
Kevin let go of her hand and put his arm around her shoulders, placing a kiss to her forehead as they walked, "You're one of the bravest women I know."
"Not always. I still won't watch Blair Witch Project alone."
"Neither will I," he snorted.
Alexis smiled at him, "Thanks for coming with me. I know this place probably isn't your favorite after what happened."
"We had some good times too," he kissed her forehead a second time.
"Yeah," Alexis smiled.
When they arrived, Kevin unlocked the door and saw the hesitation on Alexis's face, "I can get the boxes by myself."
"No," Alexis shook her head. "I'll be okay."
"We don't have to do this," Kevin reminded her, "Your father said he could do it."
"Dad hasn't been inside this place since Gram died. I can't make him come here just because I want to avoid it."
"We could hire someone to do this," he replied.
"No," Alexis shook her head. "I am not running away from this."
"Then after you," he motioned her inside.
"Thanks," she entered the lobby and walked towards the auditorium door.
She took a deep breath while pushing the door open.
The police tape was gone, the bullet holes repaired, and the skylight had been replaced, but the couch Alexis had been sitting on before the rescue was still tipped over from when she dove off during the gunfire. She stopped just short of the front row of seats.
"You okay?" he nudged her gently.
"Yeah," she looked around. "Gram loved this place."
"I'm kinda fond of it myself," Kevin smiled.
"Really?" she looked at him doubtfully.
"Hey, some pretty important moments in our lives happened here."
"Name two where sex wasn't involved," she challenged him.
"You telling me face-to-face you loved me for the first time," Kevin reminded her.
"And then we had sex," she stated, "Next."
"Not here," Kevin shook his head. She was obviously recalling a different memory. "All we did that day was kiss. It was also the first place I told you I loved you."
"Then I ran for my life," Alexis said. "If you only knew how close I was to turning around and saying it back."
"I wish you had, but that's all in the past," he smiled while brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.
Alexis crossed the space to stand at the edge of the stage. She ran her hand along the wood and smiled a little as she looked over her shoulder, "Second time. You remember?"
"How about a refresher?" he gave her a flirtatious wink.
She put her hand out for his. He took it and she pulled him closer, "Right on the edge of the stage. Half-clothed. Do you realize anyone could have walked in on us?"
"It was worth the risk," he laughed.
"Even if it had been my dad?"
"I would've died very happy," Kevin smiled.
"I would have died of mortification," she replied.
"I am still amazed you let me that close to you," Kevin confessed.
"It was always worth it."
"Even the time I had to hide in your closet?"
"Beckett would have shot you," Alexis laughed.
"Probably should have," he grinned.
Alexis pulled herself up on stage, and Kevin stood between her legs, hands on her calves, "I keep trying to pinpoint the moment we conceived Hunter. I think it was the time we got stuck on the roof of my dad's building."
"I thought we were going to get soaked. Those rain clouds were moving in fast."
Alexis's eyes turned sad while she played with Kevin's hand, "Gram was gone a month later. Two days after her funeral, I was halfway through dialing your number when Jenny knocked on my door."
"That was the day," he tensed at his estranged wife's name.
"That was the day she told me to get the hell away from you or she'd take Sarah Grace from you."
"I wish you'd told me about her threat," he kissed her palm softly.
"If she didn't seem so completely serious, I would have. If I'd thought for even a second she wouldn't go through with it, I would've finished dialing your number and asked you to come over."
"Since she contested the divorce I've gone the contested route, but with a little luckā¦" he trailed off. He didn't want to tell Alexis about the divorce until he had a chance to talk to his daughter. Fortunately Alexis picked up on the conversation all on her own.
"She's in jail," Alexis raised an eyebrow. "Why is she fighting this?"
"Because she wants to make my life miserable," he sighed, "Because I already ruined her life."
"Hey," Alexis framed his face with her hands, "Don't listen to her, okay? You and I made a choice. It wasn't the brightest move either of us made, but you didn't ruin her life. You sacrificed a lot of years and probably a good part of your soul staying with her so your daughter could have a whole family. When you decided to divorce her, she's the one who took the homicidal route. She ruined her own life."
"I'm not apologizing for what we did, not to you."
"Good," Alexis leaned back on her elbows and smiled at him, "Because I'm not sorry."
Kevin smirked, "Oh really?"
"Really," Alexis nodded.
Kevin's hands ran up her legs to rest on her hips, "Is this an invitation, Dr. LaSalle?"
"More of a come on, Detective Ryan," Alexis smiled.
"Oh really?" Kevin smiled.
"Yes, you were on the bottom last time," Alexis smiled. "Wanna take the top?"
"Are you keeping track now?" he chuckled while pulling her off the stage.
"Just of the more memorable times," Alexis admitted. "Going at it on the stage, definitely memorable."
"So you like to perform, huh," he swept her into his arms and carried her up the stairs.
"Only for certain audiences," Alexis smiled before she noticed Kevin was going backstage. "Where are you going?"
"I'm searching out a comfortable surface," he replied, "If memory serves, there is a very comfy bed backstage."
"I think you're right," Alexis nodded. "Looking to reinvent a certain night?"
"We're not as young as we once were," he laughed, "I'm looking more for a place which will hurt less if I fall asleep."
Alexis burst out laughing.
"Besides," Kevin placed her gently on the bed, "I really want to have you on this bed."
"Yeah, me too," Alexis began to unbutton his shirt.
"Maybe we can keep it somewhere," Kevin smiled as he slipped his hands under Alexis's shirt.
"My storage unit still has space," she pushed his shirt off his shoulders before aiding him in removing hers.
"In that case, I'll call the movers," Kevin smiled as Alexis lay down and moved over her.
"Deal," she smiled. "Now kiss me."
"Deal," Kevin smiled.
Alexis sighed happily when Kevin kissed her thoroughly.
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"Wow," Alexis looked at the ceiling after she and Kevin came back to themselves.
"I hope that's a good wow," Kevin kissed her shoulder.
"It is," Alexis nodded. "Why didn't we ever do that here before?"
"Because we were young and stupid," he laughed.
"Speak for yourself, Detective," she scoffed, "I was just young."
"Funny," Kevin lay on his side and picked up her hand. "Are you feeling better about this place?"
"Yeah, to put it mildly."
"Still okay with your dad selling it?"
"I don't know," Alexis looked around them. "This place may hold some good memories, but the bad memories are really bad."
"Yeah, I know, but the good memories are really good," he nodded.
"Yeah," Alexis rolled onto her side to face him and lightly traced his chin with her fingertips.
Kevin dove in for a kiss which left them both breathless. "I love you, Alexis."
"I love you, too," she said as she pushed him onto his back. "Shall I prove it?"
"I don't think we have anything to prove anymore, but perhaps we should remind each other," he willingly allowed her to pin him to the bed.
Alexis pulled the sheet away and pressed her body to his again.
Kevin groaned at the contact.
"Are you slowing down on me, Detective?" she grinned.
"Not on your life," he said.
"Now I think there is something to prove," she challenged him.
"In that case," Kevin rolled her over, "Allow me."
-d-d-d-
Alexis was pulling on her jeans when Kevin kissed her shoulder.
"Don't even start," she smiled. "We have to go, and you know it."
"We don't have to," he chuckled.
"Yes, we do," Alexis nodded. "We're having dinner with our parents, all of them."
"Whose fault is that?" Kevin glared at her while pulling his shirt back on.
"You try saying no to your mother," Alexis frowned.
"I have," he replied, "Very successfully, in fact."
"You're the one who said yes to Kate," Alexis pointed out.
"Fair enough," Kevin sighed, "We'd better grab a couple of these boxes."
"Yeah," Alexis looked around them and ran her hand along the edge of the bed.
"We'll get the bed another time," Kevin vowed.
Alexis laughed, "I'm just thinking of other beds and other times."
"Care to revisit those?"
"Dinner. My dad, Kate, your mother, and Jim," Alexis reminded him.
Kevin groaned in disappointment while grabbing a nearby box.
"We'll get around to those," she assured him.
"Promise?"
"Yes. In fact, if my bed was still in the loft, I'd suggest we sneak up there tonight."
0=0=0=0=0=0
"Who would have thought Kate's dad was so funny?" Bridget spoke when Kevin let them into her apartment. "She always seems so straight laced and serious."
"Kate can actually be very funny," Kevin said.
"I like Mr. Beckett," Sarah Grace said. "He's nice."
"Yes, he is," Kevin confirmed, "It's almost bedtime Sarah Grace. I'll be right in to tuck you in."
"Okay," Sarah Grace nodded and hugged her grandmother, whispering something that made Bridget giggle.
"What's that all about?" Kevin looked to his mother curiously.
"A little girl talk," Bridget waved her son off.
"Not buying it."
"Sarah Grace may have overheard Jim ask me to a movie," Bridget admitted. "She was just telling me to have fun."
"A movie, huh," Kevin frowned. "New information to me. Am I expected to be okay with this?"
Bridget patted her son's face, "You're expected to not pass judgment on my choices as I am a grown woman."
"I need to tell Sarah Grace about my trip this week, but I don't know how she's going to take it," Kevin decided to change the subject.
"It'll be okay," Bridget patted his shoulder. "Go on. No sense in putting off the inevitable."
"Do I bribe her with chocolate?" he asked.
"Not if you want her to sleep tonight," Bridget laughed.
"Right," Kevin nodded. "Night, Mom."
"Good night, Son," Bridget kissed his cheek and then disappeared into her bedroom.
Kevin took a deep breath and walked to Sarah Grace's room. He knocked and then poked his head in, "Hey, Sweetie. You ready for bed?"
"Yeah," she was just climbing into bed, "I'm looking forward to our trip this weekend."
"Me, too," Kevin nodded as he sat down on her bed. "Sweetie, I need to tell you something."
"Okay," Sarah Grace scooted over a bit to make more room for him on the bed.
"I went away this week to take care of something important, and I'm not sure how you're going to feel about it."
"I won't know until you tell me," Sarah Grace replied.
"You know your mom isn't being cooperative about the divorce, right?"
"Yeah, she was being stubborn...at least that's what Grandma says," Sarah Grace nodded.
"Right," Kevin nodded. "I decided I was tired of waiting and decided to take matters into my own hands. I went to the Dominican and divorced your mom."
"Where is that?" Sarah Grace asked.
"It's an island in the Caribbean," Kevin explained, "I went there because they have certain laws which allow a divorce to happen even if one person doesn't agree."
"So, you and Mom aren't married anymore?"
"No," he shook his head, "I still have to give her the papers, but we're no longer married. I know that's a lot to process for you, but I wanted you to be the first person I told."
"You didn't tell Alexis yet?" Sarah Grace looked surprised.
"No, not yet," Kevin shook his head.
"How come?" she asked.
"Well, I wanted you to know first because I thought you deserved to know."
"Oh," Sarah Grace replied, "So what happens now? Now that you're not married to mom, does that mean you'll be getting married to Alexis?"
"Not yet," Kevin shook his head. "We want to make sure you guys are ready to live together first."
"Does that mean we're all moving in together now?" Sarah Grace asked.
"We're gonna talk about it first."
"If we're moving, do I have to change schools?" she asked.
"Alexis wants to move to Brooklyn. She wants a neighborhood and a house for her kids. She also wants you to stay in your school."
"Am I going to have to share a room with Maggie?"
"We haven't worked out all the details yet, but we're going to try to make this as easy a transition as possible for all of you," Kevin kissed her forehead, "Now it's bedtime. I can answer all your questions at dinner tomorrow night. Remember it's just the two of us because Grandma is going out."
Sarah Grace smiled happily and snuggled down into bed, "Daddy?"
"Yeah?"
"Be happy for Grandma," she said.
"I'm trying," he gave her a smile and then bent down to kiss her once more after making sure she was tucked in nice and tight.
"Night," she said as Kevin turned off the lights.
"Sleep well, Sweetheart," Kevin closed the door.
