Alex yawned, rolled over, arm reaching out and groping around on the side of the bed and finding it empty. "Jayje?" she mumbled sleepily. When no response came, she sat up, glanced about the empty bedroom. "JJ?"

The door suddenly swung open and JJ burst into the room along with a swell of noise. Flopping back against the door as it closed, she spent a moment catching her breath, then looked up at Alex, eyes full of apology. "Okay, before you say anything, I didn't know this would happen and I'm so sorry!"

"What exactly is it that's happened?" Alex asked, brow raised.

JJ winced. "Will came down with the stomach flu, so he brought the boys over because obviously he doesn't know I'm seeing someone, so..." She shrugged helplessly.

Alex's brows leapt up her forehead. "Are you suggesting that I have to sneak out like some clandestine teenage affair?"

"No!" JJ yelped.

Alex didn't seem to believe that, though.

Plastering on an almost pleading look, JJ meekly suggested, "I know we haven't really discussed when you'd meet the boys...but how about now?"

"Now?"

She nodded.

"Won't that be an incredibly jarring experience for them to suddenly meet their mother's girlfriend?" Alex asked, clearly uncertain. "I mean, it hasn't been that long since you and Will split up..."

"It's been over a year," JJ reminded.

Alex persisted, "And they're so young – I don't want to upset them or..."

JJ cut her off, holding up one hand to stem the verbal tide. "Alex, they're much more resilient than you think. What's the real issue here? Do you not want to meet them?"

Alex sighed, mumbled something, ashamed. When she glanced up and caught JJ's questioning expression, she sighed again, admitted louder, "I'm afraid they won't like me..."

"Oh, Alex..." she whispered.

Alex felt her cheeks heat up with embarrassment. "It's stupid, I know, but...if they hate me, we can't be together." She stared down at her hands where they twisted a loose thread on the comforter around her fingers. "I don't want to lose you, but your kids need to come first."

Smiling fondly at her girlfriend, JJ crossed the room, settling in Alex's lap. "The boys are going to love you," she insisted. "How could they not?"

She didn't seem convinced.

"Please?" JJ said with a cute little pout. "For me?"

With a dramatic sigh, Alex conceded, "Fine. But you owe me."

JJ laughed, shook her head fondly. "Get dressed, my love."

Settling her sons on the couch, JJ offered them a smile. "I've got a surprise for you today..." she said, attempting to coax excitement into them.

"A puppy?" Michael guessed. (A puppy was all he ever talked about lately...much to JJ's chagrin.)

"Not a puppy," she said on a groan. "There's someone really special that I want you to meet. Alex is a friend of Mommy's..."

Henry studied JJ with intensity, then asked, "You mean a boyfriend?"

She sighed, nodded. Henry had always been rather precocious. "Not quite, kiddo. Alex is my girlfriend."

Taking that as her cue, Alex joined the trio, attempting to hide the way her hands trembled by stuffing them in the pockets of the robe she'd borrowed from JJ.

JJ offered her a reassuring smile. Turning back to the boys, she said, "Do you have any questions?"

"Do you have a puppy?" Michael asked.

At the same moment, Henry asked, "Are you in love?"

For several moments, Alex blinked in stunned surprise. "Oh, umm..." She glanced over at JJ, smiled shyly. "Yes, Henry," she murmured, "I love your mother. Very much."

JJ smiled back at her with so much tenderness, reached for her hand, squeezing it tightly.

"But I don't have a puppy," Alex added.

"Oh," Michael said. He thought for a moment. "When you and Mommy get married, can we get a puppy?"

Alex cleared her throat, struggled for a response.

JJ just laughed though. "Alex and I aren't getting married. Yet. Maybe someday, though." She squeezed Alex's hand in a silent show that she meant that. "And you're not getting a puppy," she added.

Laughing softly, Alex leaned in, stealing a kiss from JJ.

"Gross!" both boys squealed at once as they kissed.