This one starts on Friday morning, the day Meredith arrives.

Alexis Castle (ACPOV)

I was extremely excited to go out with Kate, although sometimes she would be extremely distant for a few seconds, she was always extremely nice with me, something that I was glad. Although I knew my father made me his priority, I sometimes felt that I was holding him back and if I wasn't there he probably would have found a nice girl to marry and have kids. So, I was glad when Kate came around since she never treated me as someone who was a stone in her shoe.

I was very nervous when I asked her about the lady's day, but she was so excited to it that I felt better, I was so excited that I woke up earlier than needed so I spent a lot of time in my bed thinking if my mother would come to my birthday; I knew that she loved me but why couldn't she make an appearance at least once a month? Her lack of interest in me was something that a few years ago I made peace with, I spent a lot time of my childhood sad, thinking that my mother didn't love me, but with time I realized that wasn't that she didn't love me, it was because she wasn't cut out for it and she didn't want to learn how to be a mother since my dad was pretty good at being a parent.

Dad was someone who I was extremely grateful for, he always made the possible and the impossible to be sure that I was happy and didn't notice that my mother was missing in a lot of important events in my life. Although sometimes was impossible to not notice.

When Kate came to my bedroom to wake me up I was already up and probably with a not so happy face, since she asked me what was wrong.

"It is nothing Kate, please don't worry!" I said with a smile.

"Hey, please tell me what is the problem." She said walking towards me.

"It is just something stupid; I am not your child to burden you with problems of my own."

"I know that you are not my child, and I don't even want to have kids but you are my friend and you talk to our friends about our problems." She said hugging me but I was thinking of what she said of not wanting kids.

"Don't you want kids?" I asked.

"No, I don't. If kids would come the age you are now or a little younger I would want but I am not cut out to be a mother of a toddler and I love my job way too much to give up a part of it to raise kids, especially when they are new born."

"Does my father know about it?" I said knowing that sometimes my father wished he had more kids.

"Yes, it was something that I made very clear from the beginning. I am not the girl to marry and have kids Alexis; I think I would make a nice step-mom for you because you are almost an adult but with you were little, I wouldn't know what to do with you."

"But when my dad met you, you were engaged!" I said trying to understand.

"Yes, and we saw how that turned out!" She said laughing. "On a more serious note, I was engaged but I wasn't really engaged. I was wearing the ring, I said yes when Peter proposed but when I imagined myself married, I knew that I couldn't marry. If you father didn't appear in my life, I would discover that I couldn't marry Peter the day of our wedding."

"It is nice to know that my dad didn't break your engagement." I said with a small smile.

"Okay, now let's get back to why you were sad when I arrived, I thought that you wanted to spend the day with me doing lady's stuff."

"I want, it is just that… I wished my mom would care more you know, show up more, call me more and I was thinking if she would show up this birthday."

"Look, something that I learned is that you shouldn't waste time thinking about the 'what ifs' of life. I know it's hard not to think about your mom on your birthday but if she doesn't come, she is the one that is missing! Get dressed so we can have fun!" Kate said kissing my cheek, giving me one last kiss and walking out of my bedroom so I could get dressed.

When I was almost ready I heard a commotion downstairs, worried that my father and Kate was fighting and she wouldn't go out with me anymore, I finished getting dressed and went downstairs, when I arrived I saw the last person that I thought that would appeared. My mother, I didn't know if I was happy that she really showed up and if I was sad that she would probably make my day with Kate hell or probably Kate wouldn't came with us.

I glad happy when Kate suggested that we all go together but I was still worried that my mother would treat Kate badly.

During all day I am happy to say that my mother was extremely cordial towards Kate, never made a snarky comment and even thanked Kate for everything, but I still could feel the tension in the air.

When we arrived at the hotel to leave my mother, Kate entered the hotel with her, I was extremely curious to hear and see why had she went with my mother, after they got out of the car, I got out too and followed them trying to keep a good distance so they wouldn't see me, I heard Kate asking my mother if she could talk with her.

"You better talk fast, because you have just one minute." My mother said to Kate with a voice of someone who was obviously annoyed.

"I wanted to thank you for playing nice today; I know that you are not pleased with my presence, but you have nothing to worry about. I am not trying to steal Alexis from you, I don't want to be her mother, I just want to her friend while you are away, you will always be her mother. And Castle, well, we are in a serious relationship, and you had your chance but you screwed it up, let me have my chance." Kate said serious and I felt a little bit of pride thinking that she wasn't lying when she said to me earlier that she just wanted to be my friend and that she thought that her and my father were in a serious relationship; I knew my father loved her but I never knew how she felt.

"I don't know who you think you are, but I am sure that soon enough Richard will dump your sorry ass… and Alexis is needy, just because you gave her attention she thinks she loves you. Don't think so highly of yourself. Now let me go to my room since you made Castle and Alexis not let me sleep in my own house!"My mother said and I got red of embarrassment and anger, how could my mother say that about me? I felt tears trying to fall but I took a deep breath and held them in, when I was trying to calm myself I saw my mother scream at Kate. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" She screamed and I heard Kate answer my mother:

"Look Meredith, you don't want to be my enemy, I don't play fair. I am a bitch just like you… the only difference between us is that when I found the right guy, I discovered that I had to stop being a slut when you didn't and consequently lost him. You don't want to play this game with the person who invented it. This is a warning, try to hurt me, or Castle, or Alexis and I will show you how dirty I can play, and trust me, you don't want to discover it." Kate said with a voice that made me scared of her; imagine my mother who was the person who she was speaking too! When I saw that she was starting to leave, I run and entered the car, a minute after me she entered the car. The ride home was in silence; me thinking about what Kate said and what my mother said and Kate probably trying to calm her nerves.

When we arrived home, I forgot the conversation Kate had with my mother and started telling my father about my day and Kate said a quickly "hello" and rushed to the bedroom

A few hours later, I made peace of what my mother said, she was never present in my life, and she didn't know who I really was. I loved Kate not because I was needy, but because she was always sweet and nice with me, and for that, I was grateful.

Sorry that I am late! After this one we have one more or two more chapters and then the epilogue. This weekend I have another important test, I am not sure if I will post, but I will do my best!

Please, if you can, review!