A/N: hey guys sorry its been so long. Wanted to give you all a heads up this has some language and adult situations, nothing you wouldn't see at a PG-13 movie. Anyway, I'm planning a few more chapters before I wind this up around Christmas. I have a sequel of sorts in mind...but nothing concrete. Thanks for reading, and the feedback. It means a lot.

"So did you have a nice Thanksgiving?" Lainey opens with a cliché.

"It was nice thanks, yours?" I'm not supposed to do that. This is supposed to be a strictly one way conversation, but Lainey answers anyway.

"Mine was good, I got a chance to catch up with my parents and sister. My nephew has grown quite a bit since the last time I'd seen him." She pauses. "How is physical therapy?"

She's got me there, no turning that one around. "The PT's are a bunch of sadists. I think they like hurting people."

"There might be some truth to that. Are you regaining any movement?"

"Yes." I admit. "But I'm also getting to be a one handed typing bandit. I wonder if there's a career in that?"

"School's going well?"

"Yeah, I had a little catching up to do, and taking notes is really hard, so I've been recording the lectures. I actually like that better, I feel like I can actually participate more."

"That's a great way to look at it. So how are things at home?"

Right back to home. The last place I want to talk about. "Well I'm not sure, but I think I'm grounded."

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, Cwuz we's gots to be quiet." I jiggled the lock and pushed into Wyndemere.

Cruz chuckled "Who are you, Elmer Fudd?" He grabbed my waist and lifted me to him. I reached around his neck and attacked his mouth. He backed us through to the living room, never coming up for air.

"How's that for Elma Fudd?" I asked with a pout. I held on for dear life trying to kiss every last inch of his face, we fell onto the sofa and I moaned a little. "God Cwuz." I cursed my bandaged hand as I pushed his jacket away from him clumsily.

"Oh Sam, oh my god." He hissed in my ear. "Jesus girl slow down."

"You don't weally mean that." God, I sounded stupid when I was drunk. Maybe I just am stupid when I'm drunk. My ability to form the 'r' sound left me somewhere between Jake's and the docks. However the way things were headed, I didn't think my poor use of language would be problematic. "So shut it. No…no shutting." I wanted his mouth open.

Cruz laughed again, God he was cute. His hands started wandering down past my shoulders and were just about to reach the promise land and the lights came on.

"The hell?" I shouted squinting against the light.

Cruz was off me in a flash. "Uh, uh Sam."

I forced myself up cursing the brightness.

"Uh, Alexis, I mean Mrs…, DA Davis…"

Dear god. He was acting like he'd been caught with his pants down. Like a teenager who'd been caught by his date's…

"Mother?"

"You'd been drinking?" Lainey asks with an arch of her brow.

"Not you too, it was a couple of beers Lainey." I avoid her eyes. I don't need this lecture again.

"I was just seeing her home. I'll be going now." Alexis still hadn't said a word. She was sitting, legs crossed, jaw set, eyes raging, but she was silent. I should have realized that wouldn't last.

"No, Cwuz, I don't want you to go. Sorry to bother you Lexis, we'll take it up stairs."

"Good Evening Cruz, it was lovely to see you. Oh, by the way, there was a problem at the station, you'll need to be there at 6. Thank you for seeing Sam home."

"Yeah, sure thing…You have a nice Thanksgiving, Ale…D.A. Davis."

"Fine, if you going to leave, I go wif you."

"Um, Sam…I don't think so. I'll call you." Cruz backed all the way out of the house, clutching his jacket at an awkward angle so it covered the front of his jeans.

"So Cruz is afraid of your mother?"

"Oh please Lainey, who isn't afraid of my mother."

"Are you?"

"No…I was too angry to be afraid…I probably should have been."

"Oh my fweaking Gawd ALEXIS!!! I'm twenty-six. If I want to have sex wif someone, it's none of you business." Having control of English might have come in handy there.

"Oh Sam have sex all you want. I'll spring for the birth control patch and a case of condoms, and you can have sex with the whole damn town."

Okay, hadn't anticipated that reaction.

"I'm your legal guardian until Lainey decides otherwise. You know damn well you are not to drink while you are taking these meds. What did you tell Cruz? That you were done with the pain pills, that a couple of beers were okay? I have news for you a couple of beers, a beer, isn't okay. "

"Give it a west Alexis, this concern motha woutine is getting old." I tried to exit in a huff, but I tripped over my own two feet instead. Dumb-ass.

"Oh, you have no idea how old it feels." Alexis made no effort to help me up.

"This is widiculous. I should have gone to Woselawn…I'da had mowe fweedom. I'm so moving out." I pushed myself back onto my feet and waved a finger at her. "Goodnight Lexis."

"Go ahead, I won't stop you. Your sisters and Spencer don't need to be exposed to your constant self-destructive tendencies." She turned and started to leave. "And you know something. I'm sick and tired of this emotional blackmail. If you are scared, happy or upset I'm Mom. When you are angry or spiteful I'm Alexis. I'm either your mother or I'm not, make up your mind and stick with it. Goodnight, Sam."

"So you're moving out?" Lainey asks.

I close my eyes. "I might." It comes out smaller than I expected.

"You think she wants you to?"

"Yeah." Damn it, I don't want to cry.

"I bet she doesn't."