A/N: welcome back, three years later... lol

Alexa

It was that prick she sent after us. I was standing in his headlights, squinting into the windshield trying to make sure.

"Ms. Lane," he said as he rolled down his window. "Why don't you join me? You'll have to face this at some point."

I scoffed. "Like I would get into a car with a strange man? Why are you stalking me? I told you I don't want to see her. Fuck off."

He chuckled. "You sound like your sister now."

I was starting to panic. I knew that legally he had no ground to stand on, but what he was doing seemed less than legal. Sending me pictures of myself to creep me out? That's more than the usual lawyer gig, I imagined.

I flipped him off and went back inside the lobby of my dorm to wait. He idled there for another couple of minutes before driving off. My hands were trembling so much that I almost dropped my phone when Meredith texted me "here".

I searched all around in the dark as I walked to her car, afraid that he might emerge from the bushes and drag me to wherever she was.

"Hi, Alexa," Meredith said as I hopped in and locked my door. She paused for a second. "Let's get you home."

We were silent for the entire ride, save for me sobbing and trying to stifle it. A thousand thoughts were running through my mind at once that I felt myself slipping in underneath them. By the time we got home, my breath was hitching.

Meredith walked around the front of the car, and when I got out, she put her arm around my shoulder. I finally let myself break and cried into her chest for a minute, until she pulled back and guided me into the house.

Kaleigh, Owen and Amelia were all sitting at the counter, and Amelia ran over to me when Meredith and I opened the door. She threw her arms around my shoulders and I started to cry again. I made eye contact with Kaleigh, and she welled up too.

"Girls…" Owen started, but he couldn't even think of what to ask.

"What is spooking you?" Meredith asked bluntly. "You were shaking when you got into my car, looking over your shoulder."

I looked to Kaleigh again, but I could tell she wasn't going to say anything. I had to be strong for her. I had to ask them for the help we needed. But, I didn't want to hurt them. My adoptive mother being back meant trouble, and it almost certainly meant some stirred up feelings for everyone involved.

"I was approached by some guy. A paralegal or something. Said he works for the offices of…"

"Ronald Ferrara," Kaleigh finished for me.

"Right. He said… he said that my mother, well, that she hired them. That she wanted to see us. That legal actions would be taken against us if we didn't go."

Owen slammed his hands down on the counter, as Kaleigh muttered "It's bullshit."

Meredith looked disgusted. "What legal actions? He can't be serious."

"That's what I said!" Kaleigh shouted.

"He approached you, too?" Amelia asked. Kaleigh nodded in response.

"He said the same thing. Like I told Lex, there's nothing they can do." Kaleigh looked like she was ready to roll her eyes at me. She would always save face rather than be vulnerable.

I started to hyperventilate a little bit. "I know, it's just… he… there were… my email. These pictures! Just look." With a shaky hand I held out my phone to Amelia, Owen peering over her shoulder.

"Oh my god…"

"Hey, hey…" I felt Meredith's grasp on my arm, the only thing I could ground myself with.

"We need to find this bastard! What she is doing, this is just going too far!" Owen escalated quickly.

"Owen, please stop, this is probably why Kaleigh didn't say anything…" Amelia interjected.

"Lex thinks she wants to appeal the custody decision… I didn't think she could do that. Can she?" Kaleigh was finally started to show the toll this was taking on her. I knew she was upset too, no matter how cool she played it.

"I'm not sure, Kaleigh. I'll have to talk to someone…" Amelia reasoned.

"What we need to be doing is going after this guy for the blatant stalking and harassment!" Owen yelled.

I don't think he realized just how triggering hearing angry shouting was to me. I felt the panic set back in, as my vision blurred along the edges and I felt like I was about to fall.

"You guys," Meredith said, still holding my arm. "Everybody needs to calm down. Now."

"Lex?" Kaleigh hopped off the counter stool to be near me. Tears were swimming in her eyes again. I couldn't get a read on her. I think she's on my side one second, and then I get the feeling she's mad at me the next. "We're fine. It's okay."

"It's not okay!" I sobbed. I took a step back from her. "This is not okay! I don't care if she can do anything or not! I am sick to my stomach at the thought of her! And this man, this- this- this- investigator has been following me! Probably both of us! How the hell are you so okay?"

'

Kaleigh

I wasn't okay. I hadn't been okay since we got here. She knew that. I was not okay. But I could tell that me not being okay would make her even less okay.

Sure, I was skeeved out. I was real upset that our mother wanted to rip this wound right open again. I was sorry that Alexa got so freaked out and that this guy was totally crossing the line. But I wasn't planning to bring any of this up until I knew for sure what was going on. Lex was totally hysterical now.

I couldn't do anything to help her. I could tell it was beyond my control by the way she was digging her fingernails into her palms, knuckles white with vigor. Her eyes darted around the room. Her shoulders shook heavily and she took another step away from me.

"Okay, okay…" Amelia walked over to Lex and took Meredith's place, both of her hands on Lex's upper arms. "Let's take a break. Let's go upstairs. Okay?" Lex nodded and gave me one last tearful glance. I smiled subtly. I wanted her to know that we were in this together. Even though our responses were drastically different.

I sat back down again at the counter, as we all registered the newfound silence in the room.

"Kaleigh, I wish you would have said something. I just mean, I wish you felt comfortable enough to say something when I asked you earlier," Owen said, much more calm now.

"I do feel comfortable enough. But I just didn't think it was that big of a deal yet. Of course, I didn't know he was going to try with Lex again. After everything that's happened this week alone, I guess I just didn't have the mental capacity to think this through."

"I understand," he said. "It has been a lot. Too much. I think we should find somebody for you both to talk to."

"Like, therapy?" I asked. No way in hell was I going to spill my guts to some sack of bones who smelled like mothballs for $150 an hour.

Owen shrugged. He didn't seem completely sold on the idea himself.

"I agree," Meredith stated. "Legal counsel and therapeutic counsel. That's our way forward." I looked at Meredith and started to giggle uncontrollably. Owen looked confused, but Meredith chuckled right back. "What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, I just… I just barely know you but we know such intricate details of each others lives. Weird, don't you think?" I started to giggle again, which turned into a full on laughing fit.

Meredith started to laugh with me. "I guess so!" We shared another moment with Owen adding his deep-bellied snigger, until the silence settled in again.

Owen broke it again. "It's going to be okay, Kaleigh. It's got to be."

Amelia

Alexa collapsed onto her bed as we entered her room, instinctively curling up and turning away from me.

"Hey, hey, hey…" I sat down on her bed next to her. "I'm right here. It's okay."

"It's not," she sobbed. "No, it's not."

Maybe not the best choice of words on my part. She didn't seem to want to talk about it, so I sat there with her, rubbing her back, and let my mind wander. There was so much going on, it seemed impossible to do it all. I was going to be one of those mothers who completely drops the ball.

I remembered Owen, Kaleigh, and Meredith downstairs and let out a little sigh of relief. I didn't want to admit it, but Derek would be a big help too. And Lexie, once we all got over the shock of having her around again.

Alexas shoulders slowed, and she seemed to be breathing a little bit more evenly. "Honey, let's get some pajamas for you. I'll make some hot chocolate for you, bring up some of the soup…"

I stood to head downstairs, but she grabbed my hand and stopped me. "Please don't go," she cried.

"Okay, okay. I'm not going. I'm right here. I'll stay here."

I opened her drawers and tossed a big tee shirt and some pajama pants onto her bed. She wordlessly changed and laid back down, this time on the pillows at the head of her bed.

"Did you eat anything? You will feel much better with something in your stomach." I asked. She shook her head no, and I texted Mer to bring up some of the soup after all.

Alexa stared at her wall, silently. Tears were still running from her eyes but I was relieved to see that she had calmed down quite a bit. I climbed into bed next to her, spreading the covers over both of us. I flipped her TV on from the remote on her nightstand and found a movie on cable. She turned from the wall and laid on her back, looking at the TV but not really. I was engrossed in the movie if not for the fact that I was still unsure of what to say. I counted down the seconds until Meredith knocked on her door.

Alexa ate a bit of soup and then put it on her nightstand, still without saying a word. She settled back into bed, close to me, and laid her head on my shoulder. We watched the movie for a bit, until someone started yelling in one of the scenes, and Alexa started to cry a little bit again. I lowered the volume and clasped her hand into mine. She squeezed and took a deep breath. "I'm scared," she whispered.

"I know you are. It's okay to be scared. But that guy isn't going to do anything to you. Not with me here. I'm right here. And everyone else is downstairs. The doors are locked. The alarm is set. We're all right here with you, honey. Okay?" I rested my head on top of hers. "It has been a rough go. Let's try to get some rest. We don't have to worry about it anymore."

She nodded wordlessly and closed her eyes. We fell asleep like that, with the light on, so close we could feel each other's heart beats.