Kyle pulled Jill up from the chair where she was sitting and hugged her. "Sport, I didn't expect to see you."

"It was sort of a spur of the moment trip, Daddy." Jill said, giving him a hug back. "So I thought I'd surprise you."

"Well, you're always the best kind of surprise." Kyle said giving him a hug. "Who's this?" He asked, pulling away from Jill. "You have a boyfriend?"

Jill beamed. "Daddy, this is Charles."

A door slam cut off the words that Kyle was about to say. "Iz? Izzy?" He cried, heading towards the kitchen.

"MOM?" Robin and Tara cried, following their Dad. "Are you ok?"

Alex reached up and grabbed Jill's hand. "She saw me. Jill, she saw me."

"You are in disguise. She couldn't see you."

"Then why did she look like that? I know Isabel. I know how she looks at me and I know that she was looking at me."

"That's ridiculous."

"No. It's not."

Jill sighed and headed towards the kitchen. Robin and Tara were standing outside. "What's going on?"

Tara pulled her head away from the door. "Arguing. Which means in about an hour, they'll be making up like rabbits. I'm out of here."

"Tara. Don't compare our parents to overzealous breeding rodents." Robin slugged her sister in the arm. "It's not nice."

"Yeah, but it's true. The last really major argument they had resulted in Max Alexander."

The sisters exchanged a look. "If they emerge without being lip locked, Jill, tell them that we went out."

Alex turned to her. "Is that true?"

Jill laughed. "Somewhat. But Aunt Maria and Uncle Mike are way worse."

"Why am I not surprised?" Alex muttered.

"Shhh." Jill said, holding her head to the door. "I'm trying to listen."

***

Rob emerged from Michael's study, beaming with his thumbs up.

"It went well?" Casey squeaked.

"We have our issues worked out." Michael said, coming up behind Rob. "However, if he breaks your heart, I'll break every single bone in his body."

"Now that sounds familiar." Maria laughed. "My husband is turning into my mother."

Michael rolled his eyes. "If I didn't love you, it would be impossible to put up with you, you know that?"

"Lucky for us, the feeling is mutual." Maria snorted. "So this is Max's son?" Casey had a long heartfelt talk with her mother while Rob was facing Michael's interrogation. "I see him in you."

"Really?" Rob beamed.

"Yup. And do I have some stories to tell you…" Maria laughed. "But after dinner. It's time to feed the maddening hoard."

Rob shot Casey a look. "Should I be afraid?"

She chuckled. "With my siblings, you probably should."

***

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing…I'm tired…"

"Isabel, that's a lie. I can see through that."

"Kyle, just because I don't feel like baring my soul to you…"

"I know your soul, ok? I know what each and every one of your usual facial movements mean. I know the underlying words that go unspoken when you talk. I know when you're happy, and I know when you're sad. You don't have to bare your soul to me, because your soul is part of mine. We're joined together, Isabel, and that's forever."

"You're insecure." She said a hint of wonder coming to her voice. "After all these years you still aren't sure about us."

"Isabel.."

"You know that I love you, don't you?"

"Of course I do." He said, his voice growing warmer. "But that still doesn't stop me from being scared."

"Scared?"

"Scared that I'll loose you like every other woman that's ever mattered in my life. My mother, who I can barely remember, Tess, and I just can't loose you, Is. I can't."

"You'll never loose me. I'll never be farther away than your heart. I love you."

"They're on their way to making up." Jill whispered. "Looks like the love fest forecast was correct."

Alex groaned. Too much information.

"Tell me what's wrong."

"I…it's really nothing…"

"You ran in here from the front door and slammed the door. That's something."

"I…I'm just imagining things, going crazy. It's nothing."

"Tell me."

"Charles…for a second, I swore I saw Alex sitting there."

"Oh."

"I must be going crazy or something. Alex has been dead for years, Kyle. Why am I seeing him?"

"Oh, Iz." Kyle said, walking over and embracing her. "He looks somewhat familiar, but I didn't think he looked like Alex. You've been stressed lately at work, and upset about Jill moving away. Plus you know that Robin's in a serious relationship, and Tara's going off to college. Things are changing rapidly- which reminds you of when Alex died."

"So you don't think I'm crazy?"

"No, but I'm crazy for you."

Jill moved away from the door and pulled Alex. "They'll be heading towards the bedroom soon. Head for the couch—NOW!"

Certainly enough, just after Jill and Alex sat down and turned on the TV, the kitchen door opened. Kyle carried his giggling wife down the hall.

Alex rolled his eyes. There were some things he really didn't want to see.

***

They were all seated calmly at the table, 4 pairs of eyes staring directly at him. Casey's siblings. They looked like a pack of vultures, awaiting the kill.

Maria walked out from the kitchen, with Michael following closely behind. "Go on, sit down, Rob."

He took a deep breath and sat down in the chair by Casey.

"WHOOA!" he yelled, feeling something sharp on his behind.

The siblings giggled.

Rob turned around and saw the offending object- a pine cone was lying on his chair.

Casey looked over and laughed. "Todd…"

"What?" A ten year old boy with spiky blond hair said, looking up from his plate.

"No more tricks."

"Whatever." The boy rolled his eyes.

"Drinks. I forgot drinks!" Maria said, starting to get up from the table.

"No." The tall sixteen year old, almost a mirror image of his father at the same age, said. "I'll get them for you, Mom."

Maria beamed. "Why, thanks, Noah."

" 'Taint no thing." He smiled. A few moments later he returned with a tray full of drinks.

Rob took his and nodded graciously. Just a plain coke. It should be ok.

He took a single sip, and his vision blurred.

***

He couldn't sleep.

Jill could, however. She was sleeping up a storm. Being home seemed to agree with her, and she'd fallen asleep while watching Allie and Buggs get in a catfight over Jason on "Sydney".

Alex was still up, hours later, catching the episode where Bonnie got drunk. Drunk Bonnie was funny, but her antics dragging Zan behind her weren't exactly sleep inspiring.

He sighed and got up. Some ancient game show was coming on, and he needed to strech.

Jill moaned and reached out for him, as if he were still there. It melted his heart. Jill was beautiful, both inside and out. Alex considered himself lucky for getting to spend each and every moment with her that he did. He treasured them. A woman like Jill was a luxury that few men got in their lives, and a need that they spent years looking for.

Milk. Amy De Luca had sworn up and down that a simple glass of cold milk would help anybody get to sleep.

He headed out to the kitchen and looked into the refrigerator. "Soy Milk?" He muttered. "Where's the real stuff that comes from the cow? And when did they become such health food nuts?"

Alex turned to the cupboards, searching for a cup. He couldn't be rude and just drink out of the carton, like he always did at home. He was company. But where in the heck did they hide their cups?

"Can I help you?"

Alex jumped at the sound. He turned around slowly.

Isabel stood there, clad in a long white nightgown and a terrycloth robe. "Is there something that you need?"