Samantha and Alexis were sitting at school the morning after they had gotten the news that their brother was cancer free. That was still something that Alexis was having a hard time wrapping her mind around. Sure, it had been almost a year since they had found out that they shared a brother, but with everything that had happened in between, it hadn't really sunk in. At least not until now.

Samantha looked at her friend and asked, "Are you listening to me?"

Alexis shook her head, "Not really. What did you say?"

Samantha sighed and shook her head. Then she said, "Never mind."

"What?"

"Just forget it."

Samantha stood up and grabbed her trash and headed towards the trash can. She shook her head the entire way. She and Alexis had been drifting further and further away from each other. She decided that maybe their friendship was over for good.

Alexis was running along behind her and she kept asking, "Where are you going Sam? What's wrong? What did I do?"

Sam shook her head, "Nothing! You didn't do anything. Look, lets just forget about all of this. Getting our parents together? A big mistake. Lets just choke it up to a big mistake."

Alexis shook her head, "Sam! I don't think it is. Look, they were together way back when. Noah is proof of that and.."

"Yeah and it didn't last. Look, they've been together right now because they have to be for the sake of our brother. They don't talk unless it's about him and his cancer. Lets face it Lex, they aren't meant to be."

"Sam I.."

"Forget it Lex. Just forget the whole damn thing..."

With that, Samantha stormed off before her friend could see the tears in her eyes. She was frustrated with their parents lack of progress in the dating front. Sure, she wanted her mother to be happy, but at what price? All that had happened since Alexis' father had come back into their life was that her brother got sick and her mother cried all the time. Sure, she tried to hide it from her, but she could hear her in her bedroom late at night. She heard her crying and Sam wanted to do something to help her mom, but she was afraid to ask her what was wrong.

Alexis watched as her friend stormed off and wondered what she had done wrong. She had only wanted to talk to her and ask her if she wanted to spend the night at her house this weekend. Well forget it. If Samantha didn't want to be friends anymore, that was fine with her.

Alexis stormed into the loft and slammed the door loudly. She didn't know that her dad and Kate were sitting in the living room talking. At least not until she heard Kate say, "Are you sure that your mother will be able to do it?"

"Positive. After everything we've been through in the past few months we need a vacation. This will be perfect. Do you think Sam and Noah will enjoy it? He they ever been to Disney World?"

Kate shook her head and smiled at Rick, "I know they will. It will be fun after the stress of the past few months and..."

That was when Alexis stormed out of the living room and stomped upstairs. It was obvious to her what was going on. Obviously, her dad was planning on dumping her with her Grandmother while he and Kate took Samantha and Noah on a trip to Disney. She was probably going to be left home alone. Fine. She didn't want to go on some stupid trip anyway.

She threw herself on the bed and noticed that her computer was signaling that she had a message. She stood up and went over to it and saw that it was from Alexis. She was so upset over everything that had happened that day that she didn't bother to answer her friend. She simply turned off the program and went back to lay down on her bed. Stupid Alexis. Stupid parents. Stupid everything.

Alexis heard her father knock on her bedroom door, but she didn't answer when he asked, "You okay Alexis?"

She heard him knock again and then she heard him say, obviously to Kate, "She probably fell asleep. Did you want to go pick up Samantha and Noah and then bring them back here? We can tell them about it together."

Kate smiled and put her arms around Rick's neck. Then she whispered, "I'd love that. I think that sounds like an amazing idea. Especially after everything that's happened lately. We all need this Rick."

With that, she leaned forward and kissed him so very softly. She pulled away and whispered to him softly, "I love you Rick. So, very much. Are we really going to give this a shot?"

Nodding, Rick told her, "Yes, yes we are." Rick saw the look on her face and asked, "That's what you want. Right?"

Nodding, Kate whispered, "I've never wanted anything more Rick. I think we stand a shot at being a real family."

Alexis heard most of the conversation, but she still thought that they meant to exclude her, she thought to herself, "They will probably send me to live with Meredith in California. Figures. I should just save them the trouble and leave..."

Alexis got out of her bed and pulled out her suitcase. She put some of her clothes in and threw her stuffed animal inside. She was half packed when she heard the bedroom door open. Her father came inside and asked, "What are you doing Alexis?"

She didn't look at her father and whispered, "I'm leaving."

Rick sat down on her bed and patted the spot beside him. Alexis looked at him and shook her head, "No."

Rick would have laughed, but he knew that the last few weeks had been hard on everyone. So, he asked, "Are you okay?"

Alexis sighed, "Do I look okay dad?"

Rick shook his head, "No. Do you want to tell me what's wrong?"

"No. I'm going to live with mom. It's what's going to happen anyway. Especially now that you have Noah and he's all better. You and Kate don't need me anymore."

That was when they both heard Kate say, "That's not true Alexis. Noah needs his big sister."

Alexis didn't look at Kate, she simply shrugged, "He has his big sister. He has Samantha."

Kate walked over and knelt in front of Alexis. Then she made Alexis look her in the eyes and she whispered, "He needs both of his big sister. You and Sam."

Alexis sighed, "I've never been a big sister before."

Kate smiled, "Well, Samantha has been. She can teach you a lot about what it takes to be a big sister. She can tell you how he likes it when she reads to him after he has a bath. How he loves his stuffed bunny rabbit. And then there are the things that only you can do."

"Like what?"

Kate thought for a moment and then smiled and told her, "Well, once he starts school, he will need someone to help him with his homework. And he will need someone to protect him from all the mean kids."

Alexis took a deep breath and told Kate, "I could...I could do that."

"And no one, and I mean no one can love him like his big sister does."

"He is kinda cute. I guess I could be a big sister to him. If Samantha doesn't mind."

"I think Sam would like that. She needs a break every now and then."

Her dad smiled softly and whispered, "And we are going to take everyone to Disney World. We need a break after everything that's went on in the past several months. We are going to have a wonderful trip."

"You want me to go with you?"

Kate and Rick both nodded and then Alexis threw her arms around her fathers neck and hugged him tightly. Then, before she could second guess herself, she hugged Kate tightly. Kate had to swallow hard to keep the emotions from her voice when she said, "I'm going to go get Sam and Noah. Want me to bring back dinner?"

Rick shook his head, "I'll call for delivery. Is Chinese okay?"

Kate smiled at him, "That's sound perfect Rick. See you in an hour?"

"You can count on it."

With that, Kate left Alexis' bedroom and headed downstairs. Smiling the entire time. She was falling more and more in love with Rick and his family as time went by. She knew that she had always loved him, but she'd been afraid of that love. Now they were slowly finding their way back to each other. One day and one step at a time.

She knew that this trip was going to be amazing. A trip with both of their families to the happiest place on earth. She couldn't think of anything better to bring them some happiness. There had been too many tears during the past elven months. Now it was time for happiness. She smiled as she thought about how her children would react to the news. What she couldn't have expected was how it would cement their relationship even further...