Jenny returned before long.

Alexis' family was in the hallway. But she wanted to check on her glucose drip first. And her morale. What Jenny did not expect was to recognize her patient's company.

"Alexandra Joy!" she sputtered. "What are you doing here?"

Alexandra shrugged. "I made sure Alexis got here."

Jenny put her hands on her hips. "Why are you being a knuckleh—"

Alexis quickly arranged her hands into a timeout position. "How do you two know each other?"

"Jenny is my sister-in-law." Alexandra chirped. "Her husband is my big brother."

"I never knew that Detective Ryan had siblings…"

"There are four of us, for the record: Joelle, Bellamy, Emilie, and then me, at the bottom."

"Enough about our family now." Jenny intervened by giving her sister-in-law gentle nudge. "Time to check on Alexis' vitals."

"Okay, okay…"

Alexandra removed herself and Lilibet off the bed while Jenny bustled around.

Alexis discreetly caught Alexandra's eye.

Stay here please, she mouthed.

Alexandra just smiled to herself as she and and Lilibet sat on a nearby chair. They were wanted. Alexis had requested they stay.

She had liked Alexis. For years now. Maybe her friend felt the same way. Somewhere. Deep down.

To Alexis' relief, Jenny reported that her vitals were with acceptable limits. The baby's, too. Her IV was even slated to be done within the hour.

Lilibet called out when Jenny was done, "Lexie?"

She looked over to her. "Yes, angel?"

"I can come back?" Lilibet pointed to the bed.

"You bet. Mama can probably give you a lift."

Acting as the middleman, Alexandra deposited Lilibet on the bed. Her daughter immediately curled up against Alexis. For comfort. She could sense her sadness and was doing what she could to help. Even though she was only three.

Alexandra looked on them in fondness.

Jenny did, too. She already knew that her family members had kind hearts. But... She had a feeling that if this kept up, she would be seeing a lot more of Alexis Castle around.

It made her sad to break up the moment. "Alexis, your family is in the hallway. Ready?"

Alexis felt solemn. "Yes."

When Alexis' family did enter, the first thing they noticed was all the machinery she was hooked up to. But second was her tiny companion.

"Alexis," Kate said as she indicated the toddler. "Who's this?"

"My friend Lilibet." the teenager answered, pulling the child close. "I like her. She is very sweet. And protective."

"Where's her mom?"

"Just over ther—"

Alexis' words were cut off by an interjection from Castle.

"You're pregnant?" he blurted.

"I am." Alexis confirmed. "Are you angry?"

Castle shrugged. "Angry? No. Surprised? For sure. But you're an adult, and you've grown up a little faster today. I just want to know…"

He looked around the crowded room.

Kate read her fiancé's thoughts. "You want to know where Pi is."

Alexis heaved a sigh. "He probably went back to the loft to move his things. I dumped him. He has no interest in sticking around. At all."

Castle promptly slipped into 'protective dad' mode. "I am going to go clean his clock."

And he exited. Fast.

Alexis looked to Kate. "What do you think? You are going to be my stepmother…"

Kate's heart cartwheeled. This was the first time Alexis had even uttered this to her face. She had always been fond of the girl. But her goal was to just love her. And not force anything.

But she kept it together. "I am also not angry. That is a promise. You're an adult who made an adult choice. A baby is the outcome."

Kate hugged Alexis. And kissed her on the top of her head.

"I love you, Alexis." Kate looked her in the eyes. "You're going to be okay. So is your baby. And you know something?"

"Please tell me." Alexis hung on to her affection.

Kate offered Alexis a smile. "I'm already looking forward to meeting your kid."

Now Alexis felt surprised. "Even though so many things are happening out of order?"

"Uh-huh." Kate arched an eyebrow. "But what about this family has ever been remotely normal?"

"Nothing. But thank you, Kate. I mean it."

"You can ask me for anything. I'll do everything I can to help." Kate was very sincere. "Any time."

The detective looked out to the hallway. She could see Castle in the distance. Yet fuming about Pi.

"Now if you'll excuse me," she said. "I'm going to catch up with Rick."

"Good call. And good luck."

Kate gave Alexis one last hug before hurrying out.

Dazed, Alexis looked to Martha now. She was the only remaining family visitor.

Martha drew closer to the bed. "How are you doing?"

"I'm catching my breath," was all Alexis could say.

"Doctor Ryan also mentioned that you've been extra ill. Why didn't you tell anyone?"

Alexis didn't have the willpower to make anything up. "I was trying to figure out how to initiate a break-up. That alone zapped so much energy. And..."

Martha guessed what she was thinking. "Has Pi actively chosen to walk away?"

"That is exactly what happened. And Pi wants a wife who also wants the nomadic lifestyle." Alexis caressed her middle with her knuckles. "I could never do it. That lifestyle is not for me. I know it isn't."

"You're quite right." Martha said sagely. "One man's loss is another person's treasure."

Nearby, Lilibet had been watching the conversation unfold. Mostly because she recognized Martha from a recent production of Cinderella that her mother had taken her to.

And... Martha had played an iconic role.

The fairy godmother.

"Hello, little one." Martha greeted her when she saw her watching. "You are Lilibet?"

Still beside Alexis, the toddler pointed to herself. "Bette. Are you the fairy godmama?"

Immediately, Martha realized how her new acquaintance had made this leap. "Yes. I am. Would it be alright if I talked with Alexis?"

"Okay." Lilibet yawned and then turned over so was burrowed back against Alexis again.

Martha crossed the room to where Alexandra had been watching. She seemed startled to be noticed at all.

Martha said to her, "And you're Bette's mother?"

"Uh-uh. I'm Alexandra Ryan. Alexis has been my classmate at Columbia." she stood out of respect. "Bette and I saw you in your stage production the other day. Seems you made an impression on her."

"That is lovely." Martha grinned. "Were you with Alexis at the café?"

"Yes. She bumped into Bette, but I made sure Alexis made it here." explained Alexandra. "Doing so just came naturally."

"Thank you for taking care of my family." Martha now glanced at her watch. "Please excuse me, dear. I have to go check on the rest of my family."

"Good luck." Alexandra was only half-joking. "It was nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

Martha gave a final round of good-byes before she also made her exit.

Jenny said in amusement when they were alone again, "Alexis, is your family always like that?"

"Mhm. It's a learning process. Kate can testify to that." Alexis laid back on her bed. "How much longer until the glucose drip is done?"

Jenny checked and did some math. "Forty-five minutes. I'll be back before you know it."

The other two Ryans kept Alexis from losing her mind in the interim. She was grateful.

Lilibet met her with love. Alexandra, too.

It was as if they were meant to be there all along.

When Jenny came back, she came bearing a chocolate pudding cup and a plastic spoon.

Alexis eyed it warily before saying to Jenny, "Okay. What's the plan?"

"It has been the baby making you ill, but everything should be leveling out soon." Jenny explained. "The last goal before we get you discharged is to at least get semi-solid food in your system."

"Pudding, though."

Jenny winked. "I seem to recall a Halloween tale about how you've been skeeved out by Jello because Rick went overboard with making an absurd quantity of a certain fl—"

"We hadn't even met you yet!" Alexis protested as the memory came rushing back. "How…?"

"Kevin talks. Javier, too." the doctor held the items out to her. "Come on."

Alexis peeled back the foil on the top of the pudding cup before hesitating. "What if I puke again?"

"I'm on standby with a bucket." she held one up.

"Oh. Thank you."

Jenny bobbed her head before casting a glance in Alexandra's direction. She stood nearby. Lilibet was in her arms. But Alexandra almost took an entire step back. Her sister-in-law had a very stern gaze.

"You'll help, too," Jenny said in a pointed no-nonsense way. "Right?"

Alexandra gave an emphatic nod. "Totally."

Feeling reassured, Alexis finally delved in to the pudding. It felt like a lot of work. How she longed for actual food again.

But Alexis made it through a whole pudding cup without vomiting. She almost cried in relief. 'Overtired' greatly described her mood. But she was beyond grateful to have support.

Alexis had a moment of pause after signing the discharge papers and changing back into her street clothes.

Why?

Alexandra and Lilibet were sitting together on a rocking chair by the window. Each seemed very content. The sight was pleasant.

"Thank you for staying with me today." Alexis told her friend. "You didn't have to do it."

"I wanted to." Alexandra said fondly as she rubbed Lilibet's back. "Like I said earlier: you are my friend. I care about your well-being."

Alexis' heart swelled with affection, but she kept herself in check. "Don't you have someone to go home to? Like a boyfriend? Or a husband?"

"I don't. Bette's dad has been out of the picture since early on." Alexandra said truthfully. "I want Bette and I to be able to come home to someone. But she has to be the right girl. Otherwise, no dice."

But the redhead had only heard one part of Alexandra's words. "Did you say 'the right girl?' just now?"

"Yes." Alexandra was beginning to find Alexis' behavior endearing. "I haven't had a boyfriend since Bette's dad left. Does it bother you that I also like girls?"

"No. I do, too." Alexis felt her cheeks turn red. "I'm just... figuring it out."

Alexandra didn't miss a beat. "I'll be here waiting. Especially if you have any questions. Of any kind."

Alexis cleared her throat before her heart could take a nosedive of surprise. "Hey… Don't you have schoolwork?"

"About that—I can't afford to keep Lilibet in daycare and commute up to school every day. It isn't feasible. So I'm staying down here to complete online courses."

"What a great solution. I'm impressed. Are you working anywhere?"

"Mhm. I work in my parents' bakery. Had you not fainted on me, I would have told you."

Lilibet chose this moment to remind them she was there. In a funny way.

"Mama!" she sat up and framed Alexandra's face with her hands. "Mama!"

"Right here." Alexandra laughed. "Use your quiet voice. We're in a hospital, Bette."

The toddler schooled herself. And then she spoke haltingly to her mother in a foreign language. Alexis didn't understand it. But Alexandra did. She responded in kind before handing her a gift bag from her purse.

Emboldened, Lilibet crossed over to Alexis. It felt like a quest.

"Here is for you!" she offered up the bag to her friend. "Open it?"

"Why, thank you!" Alexis gushed. "You are so kind."

Lilibet responded by hugging Alexis around the waist. And leaning against her. She trusted Alexis. Deeply.

Alexis was quite surprised to pull a stuffed toy lion from the bag. It was made of the softest brown velvet, with its mane and tail-hairs being pumpkin orange in color. Its eyes were embroidered on. Big and wide. Cute was the best word to describe the toy.

Alexis immediately scooped Lilibet up. "Thank you so much! I love it! And you know something?"

"What?" Lilibet settled herself on Alexis' hip.

"I love lions. A lot." this was actually true.

Lilibet regarded Alexis with astonishment. "Really?"

Alexis hugged her. "Yep! Did you pick it out by yourself? I love it!"

Completely overjoyed from the praise, Lilibet gave her friend the biggest hug she could. Alexis returned it. She was only just aware of Alexandra snapping a picture of them on her phone.

After a moment, Lilibet posed a new question. "You gon' come home?"

"No, angel." Alexis felt sad to say the words aloud. "I have to go to my house."

Lilibet gave such a sigh of dejection that Alexis found herself scrambling for something to tell her.

"But I'll call mama later, and maybe I see you two in a few more sleeps!"

"Oh!" Lilibet brightened. "Okay!"

But then she yawned. It was nap time. But she kept getting interrupted. Maybe dozing would work. This time.

Lilibet laid her head on Alexis' shoulder. Even patted her on the back. She was asleep in moments.

"Oh, my God." Alexis murmured to Alexandra. "She trusts me."

"Without a doubt." Alexandra tucked the lion into Alexis' purse for her. "I'm sure you've noticed how affectionate my kid is, but she is like that with no one outside the family."

"Wow. Is this because I helped her out earlier?"

Alexandra stowed Alexis' discharge papers in the purse, too. She even draped the Alexis' jacket across her shoulders. But she made a point to carry Alexis' bag.

"Yes. But Bette is also doing her part to cement herself in your life because she's picked up that you and I are friends."

"Wow. That is clever." Alexis laughed. "My heart is also doing jumping jacks."

Alexandra wanted to kiss her but held back. "Those'll be your hormones in high gear. I will happily help you battle them. And I'll help you out with cravings, too. I promise."

Alexis' heart wobbled. "Thank you."

"Will you let me bring you home? For my own peace of mind?"

"I would love that." Alexis eased Lilibet into Alexandra's arms. "And I was going to ask. I don't think I should be traveling alone right now."

"You aren't wrong." Alexandra watched Alexis fix her jacket. "My car is out in the main lot."

Alexis and her friends left. The elevators weren't far off.

"Do you know what you're going to do about school yet?" Alexandra said as they disembarked the elevator and trekked across the lobby.

"No." Alexis' tone was a tad bland. "Not yet."

"I was just wondering because my online courses don't start for awhile yet. Do you want to go to the park with us, or something, next time?"

Next time.

Those words echoed in Alexis' ears very loudly. Her very next thought was that she wanted to kiss Alexandra. But she refrained.

"Yes." she finally said. "I would love that. Perhaps… You could call me?"

Alexandra answered, "I sure will. Maybe even sooner. Who knows?"

Alexandra continued on through the doors to the parking lot.

Alexis followed her. It felt like she was floating on clouds.

And if she had been a mind-reader, Alexis would have seen Alexandra's feelings were mutual.

Neither of them had been expecting the day to go like this. But they were glad it had.

Because… Both were jumping for joy.

On the inside.