Okay so here it is...I somehow fell asleep before I got around to finishing this but i'm all refreshed. I did my best because I was a little unsure about where to go but I hope I do a good job. On a brighter note Happy Castle Day everyone :) Not long until we get to watch out favorite duo back in action :) Little talk over enjoy the chapter and please let me know what you thought because it helps me improve on my idea and writing.

Kate was sat waiting for Alexis to appear with the rest of the other passengers that were coming from L.A.

She looked around there was a few kids running around with parents trying to tell them to calm down, a man was standing holding flowers probably for his girlfriend Kate had guessed, a few people stood with cards that had people's last names on. She checked the flight board again noticing that Alexis should be coming to see her any second from arrivals. There was a group of people who were hurrying to catch their plane and a few couples who were hugging goodbye.

As she sat there waiting for Alexis to turn up she couldn't help but worry about Alexis wondering what on earth could have happened that would have made Alexis want to come home. Then she got scared what if Meredith's new husband had treated her terribly? Or maybe Meredith had said something to her. As all this went through her head she hadn't noticed the announcement that the passengers were getting off the plane.

Just like that there was a rush of passengers and Kate looked through the crowd she couldn't help but let her eyes scan the crowd looking for any sign of Alexis. When most of the energetic people had gone who was in a rush it left everyone else. As she watched them all come through the crowd and seeing no sign of Alexis she started to worry again. What if she hadn't caught the plane? What if Meredith had talked her into staying? But then she calmed thinking again, no Alexis would have let them know if anything was wrong. So she stood there again eyes scanning the crowd. That's when she saw what seemed to be the lost little girl trailing behind everyone, her head down slowly walking towards everyone.

Kate stood up and began to make her way towards her. "Alexis?" She said once she was close enough for her to hear.

Alexis looked up, her eyes seemed to be red from what Kate could only imagine as crying. She saw what she thought was a tiny smile as Alexis rushed over and wrapped her arms the best she could around her. Kate placed her arms around Alexis and whispered soothing words into her ear. After a couple of minutes like this Alexis looked up at Kate.

"Are you ready to go home?"

Alexis nodded her head she didn't want to speak in fear that she might start crying again, so they both made their way towards the baggage claim. Kate was silent as much as it was killing her to want to know what was going on she knew that Alexis would tell her in her own time. So with that she wrapped her arms around the girls shoulder and they walked in silence to collect Alexis' suitcase.

"Your dad has gone to help out at the Haunt tonight so it's just going to be you and me for a while." Kate said attempting to start a conversation.

Alexis nodded her head unable to speak.

"So if you wanted we could order in or I could make something, that's if you're hungry of course."

"Can we have Chinese?" Alexis asked her voice quiet.

"Sure we can." Kate smiled a little at that.

Since Alexis was almost the last person on the plane it meant that they didn't have the rush of people trying to find the correct suitcase, unfortunately that same couldn't be said for the traffic on the way out. Alexis got into the front passenger seat of the car and Kate put her suitcase in the back of her car., just then her phone started to vibrate. She took it from out of her pocket.

"Beckett." She answered not looking at the caller I.D.

"Hey is she there?" Of course it was Rick he had some sort of telepathy.

"Yeah we just got to the car."

"How is she?" He sounded worried and she hated that, but he was her father and that's what they did.

"She hasn't really spoken so I've decided to let her tell me in her own time. We're going to go and stop for some Chinese if you want me to pick you something up along the way for you tonight."

"Sure that would be great." He breathed a sigh of relief. "Look's like they're calling me back I'll let you know when I'm on my way home it shouldn't be late."

"Okay." Kate said quietly.

"I love you."

"I love you too." She smiled.

"Tell Alexis I love her."

"I will see you tonight."

She hung the phone up and got into the driver's side putting the key into the ignition and reversing out of the space she was in.

"Your father sends you his love and say's he won't be home late."

"Okay." Alexis said quietly. Finding nothing to do she started to play with her hair and hands unsure of what to say. She knew that she didn't want to talk to Kate in the car but she didn't want her to worry about her which is probably what she was doing. It hurt to know that Kate was more of a mother to her than her actual one, she didn't realize what it felt like to have someone care for you and protect you until Kate came into their lives. Sure her dad was there but you couldn't talk about boys in front of him because he became uncomfortable. She was grateful for everything over the years that her dad had done, she was upset a little that he had tried to be both parents to Alexis and that meant he hadn't had much time for himself. Then there was Martha, she had been the typical doting grandmother towards her and helped her keep her dad in line.

Alexis looked at Kate who had kept quiet still concentrating on weaving her way in and out of traffic but not really paying attention. "Thank you." Alexis said quietly.

Kate looked at her a little confused, she hadn't done anything had she? "What for?"

"For not pushing me to say anything, I know you're worrying about me though."

Kate smiled a little. "I am, but I know if and when you want to you'll tell me. Well me and your dad hopefully."

Alexis rested her head on the glass window and watched as cars passed them by, it wasn't going to be a long drive but with the silence in the car it was certainly going to drag. She looked again at Kate and remember something that her mom's friends had said to her she quickly pushed the thought out of her head though because if she didn't she was going to start crying again.

They made quick time of making it from the airport and back to the loft after a quick stop at one of the Chinese restaurants located close to the loft. They headed inside saying a quick hello to the doorman. Kate took of her coat and hung it up onto the rack taking the food carton's into the kitchen leaving Alexis to go into the living room picking out a DVD to watch. She poured out two glasses of water and carried them into the living room placing them on the coffee table along with the carton's of food and taking a seat on the couch. Alexis mindlessly picked out a movie and put it in pressing play on the title screen. She knew it wouldn't matter which movie she put in since they probably wouldn't have ended up watching it anyway. She took her seat and took a deep breath knowing she needed to tell Kate why she wanted to come home.

"Kate?" She began quietly getting her attention.

Kate turned to look at her knowing that she was going to talk. She turned her whole body to face her and nodded to Alexis to say she had her undivided attention.

"Why do you try so hard?" She asked.

Not knowing where this conversation was going she looked at her. "With what?" There were so many things she tried hard at that she need to know which one.

"With me?" She asked looking at her hands and then looking to meet Kate's eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"You try so hard to get me to like you or to include me in your life. Why?"

Kate was confused to say the least. Was this why she had wanted to come home? Or had she heard something? So she told her. "Well in a way it makes your dad happy, but most importantly it makes you happy and that's what I care about. Doing my best to make you happy."

"Okay."

"Why?" She asked.

Alexis sat there unable to talk there was so much she wanted to say but she didn't know where to begin. Now she knew what it meant when her dad said things were complicated. She stared at Kate.

"I…It's just…" She really didn't know what to say. "It's complicated." She said.

"Well how about you start from the beginning?" Kate said.

Alexis nodded but she didn't know where that was. Kate saw her struggle with trying to find out where that was but she knew she couldn't help her, because she didn't know where it was either.

"My mom," Alexis began. "She was telling everyone how she's done such a great job of raising me, but it wasn't her it was dad and grams that did that. I didn't like what she was saying because all of her friends then got talking about how bad dad was. That he didn't deserve me and that I should be with her."

Kate listened to her as she explained it.

"I went outside to get some fresh air and there was a group of them out there, they didn't notice me." She looked at her hands again knowing that she was going to cry. "They were saying how you didn't really care about me and that you were just being nice to me so you could be with dad."

Kate moved closer to Alexis and wrapped her arms around her. "Oh Lex." She said stroking her hair.

"I didn't believe them but when I went and told mom what she was saying she didn't believe me and said that I was making it up. She didn't care that I was there she just cared about showing me off, because I'm so amazing as her friends put it." She put her head on Kate's shoulder and a few tears fell loose, she wrapped her arm around her and continued her story. "I don't want to go see her again Kate."

Kate sat there speechless all she could do was hold Alexis close and hope that was enough. "Okay." She said softly.

"So I don't have to go back?" She asked softly.

"Honey we can't force you to go, we can only hope you make the right decisions in life." She continued to stroke her hair.

Alexis sat there silent in Kate's arms, she felt safe in them just like when her dad held her. She tried to tell her the next part.

"She's having another baby." She said softly. "She's already so attached and loving and it's make me mad. Why couldn't she be like that with me?" Alexis looked at Kate now, her tears unable to stop. "What's so wrong with me? All I wanted was for my mom to love me and show me she cares"

"Nothing is wrong with you." Kate said looking at her. "Your mom is the one missing out on your life."

"She wanted me to move there, be closer to her you know? She asked me but I said no. She's waited to long to show me that she can be a mom to me, she's been more of a sister my whole life."

They sat there in silent a little while longer before they heard a key in the door. Both looking up at it they saw Rick walk through the door and he looked at them both. Alexis looked tired out and Kate looked as if she was going to cry at any given moment. Unsure as to whether it was actual concern which he knew it was or whether it was hormones he walked towards them. He sat down and Alexis moved to give him a hug.

"Hey there pumpkin." He whispered into her hair.

Alexis sniffled a little and looked at him. "I'm sorry I didn't stay longer there."

"Hey I'm sure you had a good reason." He said to her. "I'm sorry I made you go."

"Regardless of whether I want her to be or not she's my mom I had to."

"No you didn't." He looked at her and moved a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "Now have you eaten?"

Alexis shook her head and he looked to where the cartons of food lay untouched on the table. He picked them both up and moved into the kitchen to warm them up. Kate stood up to follow him.

"We'll be back in a minute sweetie." She told Alexis who had lay down. She nodded her head slowly.

Kate moved into the kitchen as Rick began to warm up the food he turned around to look at her she had a few tears streaming down her cheek. He moved towards her and moved his hand to her cheek wiping them away.

"I can't do it Rick." She whispered.

He looked at her. "Do what?"

"I can't sit there and see her in pain like that."

He pulled her into his arms and she wrapped her arms around him tightly needing to feel him close to her. "I know it's hard but it'll get better." He placed a kiss on her forehead and leaned his cheek onto the top of her head.

"So how bad was it?" He asked.

"I'm still not sure I'm still trying to process everything." Kate said quietly. "But it's bad."

He moved his hand up and down her back "Don't worry we'll get it sorted."