Things only progressed with Alexis and Alexandra over the next few days. Joy was had.

Alexis and Alexandra texted all day. Every day. About everything under the sun. They already knew each other, but it was as if the hospital encounter had unclogged something. Now each had total trust in the other. And it was wonderful.

But... Whenever very communication was had, it was always done over a video call. Mostly because Lilibet had started asking to say good night to her new friend.

This last part soon became ritual. It felt beautiful to be in.

They were were slowly becoming a family. Even in little ways.

But they worked hard to made the moments count.

A few mornings later...

Half past ten. The loft was quiet. Kate was gone to work, and Castle had gone with her. Martha? Acting studio.

But Alexis? She had nowhere to be. And nothing to do. She was ready for the day. But bored.

Alexis Harper Castle was not a person who did well without a task to do.

Maybe Alexandra was free.

The ringing of her cell phone brought Alexis back to the present. She even had a small chuckle when she saw whose name was on the screen.

"Hey!" Alexis chirped merrily. "I was just thinking about you!"

Alexandra's tone bore one of amusement. "Is that so? Just what's on your mind?"

"I felt like asking if you'd like to hang out."

"Funny thing: Bette has been asking all morning to be with you, Alexis."

"You sure you aren't just using her as an excuse to see me again?" Alexis gently teased her. "Either way, I'm extremely flattered."

"Bette does want to see you. She's watching me like a baby hawk." the other woman began to fluster adorably. "Our invitation to the park still stand and we're about to go. Wanna come?"

Alexis rose from her chair at the breakfast nook immediately. "I would love to go with you two!"

Alexandra gave Lilibet Alexis' confirmation. Her squeals of delight were extremely palpable.

"They heard that in Cincinnati." Alexandra joked when she put her phone back to her ear. "Our favorite stomping grounds is The Adventure Playground in Central Park."

"I know that one—my dad took me there all the time when I was little because it was my favorite."

"Tell Bette. It will make her year." Alexandra glanced at her timepiece. "Can we meet you in your building lobby? Our bus has a stop ten feet from your door. We can all walk to Central Park."

This last part was one of Alexis' favorite things about her neighborhood.

"I am looking forward to seeing you both." she told Alexandra. "When should I expect you?"

Alexandra checked her timepiece again. "Twenty minutes."

"Excellent. Hug Bette for me. I'll see you both very soon!"

Alexis gathered what she needed for the day. Left a text to her father about where she would be going. Locked up. Took the lift down. Everything took exactly twenty minutes. It made her glad.

Less time to worry about another topic—figuring out how to go about her upcoming college year. Not a delightful narrative.

But she was lifted from her thoughts in moments.

A familiar tiny voice cried out, "LEXIE!"

She looked around just in time to see the Ryans emerging into the lobby. Pleased. Excited.

Lilibet made a beeline for her, arms wide open.

She called out again when she got closer. "LEXIE, WE'RE HERE!"

"Yes, you are!" Alexis took Lilibet into her arms. "I'm so happy to see you!"

Alexis hugged Lilibet. Her heart performed cartwheels when Lilibet hugged her harder and longer. This child really did miss her when she wasn't there.

"How are you?" Alexis pressed a kiss to Lilibet's crown. "I missed you."

Lilibet looked at her like she was the only person in the world. "I'm happy!"

"Oh, so am I, big girl." Alexis told her. "And you know something?"

"What?" Lilibet said curiously.

"The playground we're off to is one I played at when I was a kid!"

Alexis' bombshell of a life-revelation seemed to be enough to stun Lilibet. She fell quiet as she contemplated what she'd been told.

Alexis redhead looked over to the other member of the trio.

"Hey." she pulled Alexandra into a one-armed hug. "How are you?"

Alexandra hugged her with both arms. "Just as happy as Bette. What about Bean?"

Lilibet didn't know her mother's friend was creating a playmate. Not yet. So it didn't occur to her that the adults were speaking in code.

"Bean is quite content." noticing that Lilibet was looking away, Alexis touched Alexandra's hand to her lower middle. "It feels really surreal to m…"

Her words trailed off when Alexandra stroked her middle with one thumb. It surprised her. But she liked it.

Then Alexandra stopped as reason caught up with her.

She sputtered in haste, "I-I'm sorry... Didn't event think..."

Alexis kept Alexandra's hand where it was. "Don't worry. This is okay. And I like it."

"You do? Really?" Alexandra lifted her eyebrows.

"Mhm." Alexis caressed Alexandra's hand with her own thumb. "I really do."

Alexandra had turn to putty from Alexis' affirming touch but still managed to say, "Good to know."

Alexis batted her eyelashes at her. "Now can you please remind Bette she needs to walk?"

"Of course. One moment…"

Lilibet had been watching the traffic flow outside. She would wait while the grown-ups talked. For a little while.

But she turned around when Alexandra gave her a back rub. "Hi, mama."

Alexandra asked, "Ready to go now?"

Lilibet challenged, "Are you?"

"I am." Alexandra pointed downward. "Feet first."

Giggling and understanding what Alexandra had meant, Lilibet slid out of Alexis' hold. She then positioned herself between the adults. Holding their hands. Waiting for permission to start moving. Adventure? Straight on the horizon.

But Alexis had noticed that the Ryans were not communicating in English. Again.

She spoke once they headed out. "Allie, what language is it that you and Bette keep using? Can't figure it out."

Alexandra laughed softly. "Gaelic. It's one of the primary languages our family speaks. Bette learned has been learning since she was a baby. I'm just not sure if she knows what 'bilingual' or 'fluent' mean."

"Wow." Alexis marveled. "Maybe you guys can teach Bean."

"Just give the word. Jenny learned from us. My family will pounce when you say go. But don't say you weren't warned." Alexandra then tacked on an afterthought. "You will pick up a thing or ten at Sunday dinner. Including just how much my parents love to cook."

Alexis' heart burst with both joy and curiosity, just at always did when she thought of going to the House Of Ryan.

But then she remembered Alexandra was waiting for answer. "It sounds like an amazing time. And..."

"Yes?" Alexandra prompted when Alexis' words trailed away.

Blushing, Alexis' words came out in a rush. "I've always wanted a big family."

Alexandra's heart skipped a beat. Having a big family (in some fashion) was also a life goal for her. The fact that Alexis wanted the same just made her love her more.

"Please tell me about what you want for yours and Bean's future."

So Alexis happily told her about the things she had always envisioned. No one had ever asked her before. Just the fact that Alexandra wanted to know made her love her more.

It also ensured what she'd known since they'd first met: this was her future wife.

Lilibet was positively over the moon when Alexis played with her for awhile.

In her eyes, Alexis fit right in. Perfect was the word. She had a new mother.

Lilibet also made no fuss when Alexis went to sit with Alexandra. She just occupied herself with trying out a nearby toddler-sized balance beam.

"You're so good with her." Alexandra mused when Alexis joined her on the bench.

"Bette is easy to love. And she is a love." Alexis gave a shrug. "Does Bette have any friends her age?"

"Yes. Bette's got two best friends in her Gymboree playgroup. There are also cousins close to her age." Alexandra responded. "Bette likes people, but is equally content to play by herself because it's what she knows. That can be a bummer sometimes."

Alexis heard Alexandra's long-suffering tone and laughed. "Now I totally want to know."

"The Ryan clan is huge. And noisy. Weird, too." Alexandra gestured to Alexis' middle. "I bet the baby is going to be your carbon copy."

Alexis grinned at the prospect. "Oh, that would be my dad's longest trip down Memory Lane. Do any of your siblings look like a copy of one of your parents?"

"Joelle. Not even a question. She looks just like my mom to the point where Bette gets confused... which is funny because she can differentiate between Emilie and Bellamy."

Her words grabbed Alexis' interest even more because she could tell there was a story. "Are Emilie and Bellamy twins?"

"Identical." elaborated Alexandra. "For some reason, Bette can tell who is who at first glance when they're together without their children or spouses. We don't get it. Genetics are odd."

Alexis nodded slowly. "Absolutely correct. My dad is like an overgrown child most of the time, but I know he would do anything for me."

Alexandra moved closer to her. "You mean Paris..."

"I do. And you saw my dad's mom: she's where he gets most of his battiness from, but she loves people with her whole heart."

"Then what happens if Martha encounters a person she does not like?"

Alexis turned coy. "Oh, ask her about Oona Marconi. I dare you."

Alexandra saluted playfully. "Challenge accepted. New question: do you remember life before your parents' divorce?"

"No." Alexis was willing to tell her friend what she wanted to know because she trusted her. "Up until the other day, I believed my mom meant well. She did say she loves me. I want to believe her. Kind of."

"You have as much time as you want to work those feelings out." Alexandra said seriously. "I will personally fend off anyone who tries to make you hurry."

Alexis gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you so much. Now... The biggest thing I want to know about Meredith is, where the hell did her flakiness come from?"

"Hm. That is a good question. Are you you glad you aren't like her?"

"Immensely so..."

Quiet tears fell down Alexis' face now as she thought of what she would say next. But she cleaned herself up. Made no mention of them.

Alexandra followed her example.

She also continued to let Alexis have the floor.

"But I still wonder," Alexis tried again. "How did I come from those three and still become an academic overachiever? Never have I ever been able to get it."

Alexandra became sympathetic. "I know that the person you've become is really wonderful. Unique, too. Plus the whole damn bottle of enjoyable."

Alexis' heart lifted as her mood shifted to hopeful. "Really?"

Alexis looked at her. Searching for confirmation.

But Alexandra just found herself getting lost in Alexis' eyes for a moment. They were like two big blue orbs of water. Endless. Beautiful.

She wanted to kiss Alexis' tears away. But refrained. They still needed to talk about where they completely stood on attraction. To each other.

Alexandra pulled her into a very warm hug, instead.

Alexis responded by leaning into her hold. And holding Alexandra's hand to her middle again. She trusted her. In a big way.

"Yes." Alexandra finally said. "I mean what I told you. Even in the time we've been friends, I've noticed you blossomed into a great person. One that everybody loves. I dare say that you've even flourished, thanks to your post-Paris therapy."

Alexandra was the only person from outside the loft family that knew Alexis had even seen a shrink.

"My favorite part? Our bond has become what it is now. I wouldn't change the way we got here."

"Same."

Alexis then moved herself back into a sitting idea had popped into her head. One that Alexandra would like. Very much.

"What are you looking for?" Alexandra watched Alexis dig for something in her purse. "Lost gold?"

"Not lost." Alexis chuckled. "But the treasure is priceless. Here you are."

She gave pressed what she had been looking for into Alexandra's hands.

It was the set of sonogram images that Jenny had given her at appointment. Alexis wanted to frame them. But not before Alexandra had finally had a look.

As for Alexandra, her heart swelled in great affection. This was the child Alexis had already fought for. Looking upon the little one when they were tiny was a tremendous privilege.

"I'm already going down Memory Lane for myself." Alexandra handed the pictures back to Alexis for safekeeping. "Bean is lucky to have you as a mom. And I can't wait to meet her."

Those words caused Alexis' heart to fly back into the stratosphere. With joy.

She had found her person. Already. The very best part?

Alexandra J. Ryan had been in front of her all along.

"Bean's world debut will be a fun, but very crazy day." Alexis moved back into Alexandra's hold when it was offered. "I just don't want to think about it. Not yet."

"Then let's not." Alexandra bobbed her chin in Lilibet's direction. "Sunshine can't get enough."

Having long abandoned the balance beam, Lilibet was now in line to get on a slide. It was very small to an adult. But just high enough to give her a thrill.

Alexis and Alexandra would know. Lilibet had had a few goes on it the moment they'd arrived. It took some time for Alexis to coax her towards a bigger one that they could do. Together.

Lilibet clearly had her priorities in order today.

Both mothers watch Lilibet climb the stairs. Go down the slide. Get back in line. She was having fun.

But Alexis and Alexandra pondered the same thing. Quietly.

Their friendship had suddenly gotten on a fast track.

For something better. They had no idea what it was. But each felt excited.

After all… half the adventure was in getting there.