"Lexi. I'm making a late night ice cream run. If you want I can pick you up-" Annie didn't finish her sentence as she opened the bedroom door and saw that it was empty. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" Annie yelled in frustration. "The second Jeff's gone she completely takes advantage-fine, that's it, I give up. I don't care anymore. If she wants to sneak around and ruin her life then that's her business."

Annie went to the fridge and got a slice of pizza. She sat down on the couch and turned on the TV, settling on a Jennifer Lopez romantic comedy on TNT. She ate the pepper loaded slice as she watched the movie (now that she knew she was pregnant she felt really stupid for not picking up on something when she first started liking peppers), trying to ignore the feeling of unease in the pit of her stomach.

I don't care, she can do what she wants, Annie thought as she tapped her foot nervously on the carpet. She tried to watch the movie, but she just couldn't focus. She quickly changed channels, hoping something else would take her mind off the growing dread she felt, but that didn't help either.

I don't care, she kept repeating. I don't care, I don't care, I don't-.

Annie finally yelled in frustration, turning off the TV. She couldn't just sit here while Lexi was out there. She had to find her and drag her back home. She had to do that because…

Annie froze in her seat, momentarily forgetting her frustration as she realized why she had to find Lexi. It wasn't just because she was Jeff's daughter. In spite of everything, Annie had to find Lexi because she cared about her. She may infuriate Annie to no end, but Annie still loved her. And when she loved someone, she would go to the ends of the earth for them, whether they were an overzealous Christian who'd love to convert her, a sexist racist who couldn't help being insensitive, or a teenage girl who was lashing out in pain due to losing her mother.

Annie shook her head, knowing this wasn't the time to have a deep personal revelation. She had to find Lexi and bring her home. Then she would hug the girl, and then rip her a new one for sneaking out like that.

Annie went into her bedroom and pulled out Lexi's phone from the closet. If she had to guess she figured Lexi would be with Cassidy. And even if she wasn't, the girl might still know where Lexi was.

The phone only ran once before it was answered. "Hello?"

"Cassidy?" Annie asked, hearing loud music on the other line.

"Yeah, who is this?"

"It's Annie."

"Oh thank god! I was just about to call an ambulance."

"Why, what's going on? Is Lexi with you?"

"Yeah, she's right here. I think something's really wrong with her. She slurring her words and is really out of it. I think someone might have slipped her something."

Annie felt icy fear flow through her as she heard that. "I'm coming to get her. Where are you two?"

"We're at this club called VERITAS on Bleaker Street."

"Okay, stay there, I'm leaving right now." Annie hung up and pulled up directions to the club on the phone. She grabbed a few things and threw them in her purse before tearing out into the night.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"I'm here, where are you two," Annie yelled into the phone as she stepped into the club.

"On one of the couches, on the opposite side of the bar," Cassidy said.

Annie made her way through the crowd until she spotted Cassidy frantically waving from the velvet couch. Annie raced over, fear flowing through her as she saw Lexi. The girl was babbling incoherently and could barely support herself. "What happened?" she asked Cassidy as she took out a penlight and shinned it in the girl's eyes.

"We were dancing when she started acting really loopy. I brought her over to sit down and she just kept getting worse."

"How much did you two drink?"

"We just had one cosmo each. They weren't even that strong."

Annie put the pen light away and snapped her fingers in Lexi's face as Cassidy looked on in fear. "She was definitely given something. She's barely responsive."

"What should we do? Should we take her to the hospital?"

Normally, that's exactly what Annie would do. But she knew if she took Lexi to the hospital she would have to call Jeff. And he would probably race back here in the middle of the night. She sighed with uncertainty as she made her decision. "Let's get Lexi home. I'll watch over her and if she gets worse I'll take her to the hospital."

The two of them took hold of Lexi and managed to get the taller girl out of the club. "Wait here while I get the car." Annie ran to her car and pulled it up to the front. She jumped out when she saw a creepy looking guy push Cassidy aside and kneel in front of Lexi. "Get away from her," Annie snarled with the intensity of a lioness.

"Hey, I was just-" The men never finished his sentence as Annie jabbed her fingers in his neck. He gagged and hunched over as Cassidy looked on in amazement. "Wow, that was…"

"Come on, let's get you both home." They loaded Lexi into the back seat before getting in the car and driving off. "Where do you live again?"

"Cherry Creek," Cassidy said. They drove in relative silence, with Cassidy periodically giving Annie directions, until they got to her house. "Thank you for getting us. Can you let me know when Lexi wakes up and if she's alright?"

"Of course." Annie waited a few moments as the girl got out of the car before saying, "Cassidy. Thank you for making sure Lexi was safe until I arrived."

"She's my friend Ms. Edison. I'd do anything for her. Goodnight." She took a deep breath as she walked up the stoop steps and readied herself to face the music. Annie waited until Cassidy was inside before driving off.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Lexi moaned as she slowly opened her eyes. She had a splitting headache and her skin felt like it didn't fit right. She slowly lifted her head, seeing that she was in her bedroom. She glanced at her clock, seeing it was not long after nine in the morning.

How did I get here, she asked herself. The last thing she remembered was finishing her drink and going on the dance floor. After that it was all a complete blank. She remembered once blacking out when she had too much to drink, but she was sure she only had one drink last night. That shouldn't have caused memory loss.

Lexi flung the covers off, seeing she was in a t-shirt and pajama pants instead of her dress. Fear formed as she wondered why she was in different clothes. With shaking hands she pulled her pants down and looked at herself in the mirror. There didn't seem to be any bruises or blood on her inner thighs or anywhere else. And she didn't feel sore (at least anywhere below the waist.) She breathed a great sigh of relief. While she couldn't be 100% sure, the evidence seemed to suggest she hadn't been…

Lexi shook her head, not wanting to think about it. Instead she pulled her pants up and slowly opened her bedroom door. She crept out and quickly made her way to the refrigerator to get a glass of ice water.

"Good morning."

She gasped as she turned around, seeing Annie sitting on the couch. "You scared me."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to do that." Annie put her book down and walked over to Lexi. "I know you snuck out last night and went clubbing."

Lexi stammered, trying desperately to think of some way to lie her way out of it. "I, I didn't…how did you know?"

"I called Cassidy to try and find you and she told me where you were. And I'm lucky she did. Someone slipped something in your drink last night. When I think about what could have happened…" Annie paused, swallowing down the disgust at that very thought. "I'm just grateful you got home in one piece."

Lexi rapidly gulped air as she realized what had happened to her, and what could have happened. "Oh God." She placed a hand on her stomach as she felt nausea course through her. "How…how did I get home? What happened? I don't remember anything."

"I'm not surprised, considering. After I found out where you were I drove there and Cassidy and I brought you home. I will say, I'm glad you have her in your life. She watched over you and made sure you were safe until I got there. I'm extremely grateful for that."

Lexi looked at Annie, confused by her calm demeanor. She kept expected Annie to start yelling or lecturing her. But instead the older woman just seemed grateful to have her here. "So…you came to get me?"

"Uh huh. I put you to bed and watched over you until I figured you weren't in any danger." Annie paused to yawn, which Lexi wondered if it was for dramatic effect or just a coincidence. "I don't know if you're hungry or not, but I was going to make pancakes for breakfast."

Lexi frowned, not able to take anymore calm kindness. "Why are you being so nice to me? I snuck out and went to a club, while I was grounded. And I drank and had to be dragged home because I was drugged. Why aren't you yelling me?"

Annie sighed deeply, having thought about the matter a great deal. "Lexi, last night you were drugged against your will, and could have been raped or worse. I'm not yelling because I'm grateful nothing happened to you, and am willing to look past all that other stuff because having you here safe means more to me then the fact that you snuck out while you were punished."

Lexi looked down at the floor, not able to look at Annie as she readied herself to ask her next question. "Why did you come for me last night?" she softly asked. "We're not related, I'm just your fiancé's daughter. I've treated you like shit ever since we've met. My dad isn't even here for you to try and impress him. After all that why did you come get me?"

"Because I care about you Lexi." Annie gently picked Lexi's head up, making the girl look at her as she spoke. "Despite what you might think, you being Jeff's daughter had nothing to do with coming to get you. I came because I genuinely care about you. You may make me want to pull my hair out, but I love you. And when I love someone, I don't give up on them."

Whether it was an effect of being drugged or because of guilt associated with Annie's kindness, a wave of nausea hit Lexi like a punch in the gut. She quickly raced to the bathroom, just able to slam the door shut.

Annie got a glass of water and went over to the couch to wait until the girl emerged.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Lexi shakily pulled her hand from the porcelain and managed to flush the toilet. As she brought her hand back down she accidently knocked the wastebasket over. She started putting the contents back in the basket when she picked up a small plastic strip. Her eyes widened as she realized what exactly she was holding. She slowly got up from the floor, her shock temporarily keeping her sickness at bay as she walked out of the bathroom. "How long?"

"I'm sorry, what?" Annie asked.

"How long have you known you're pregnant?" Lexi asked as she held out the pregnancy test.

"Where did you find that?"

"I knocked the wastebasket over and found it. How long?"

Annie waited a moment before answering, since this wasn't when she had planned on telling Lexi the news. "I found out Thursday afternoon, not long before Jeff came home."

"Wait, does my dad know about this?"

"No he doesn't. And I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell him-"

"No!" Lexi yelled as fear and anger crashed through her. "You are not keeping this from him. You are not just going to run off without even telling him he has a kid. I am not going to have that happen again!"

To her complete surprise Annie actually let out a laugh. "Why are you laughing?!"

"I'm sorry. It's just, you remind me of myself, jumping to conclusions when emotions are high. That's all. Please sit down." She scooted over as Lexi sat next to her. "I understand why you might fear that happening, considering what happened with your mom. But I'm not going to keep this from your dad, and I'm certainly not going anywhere. The only reason I didn't tell him on Thursday was because he was heading to Boston and this wasn't news to just spring on him right before he left. But as soon as he gets home I'm going to tell him."

Lexi sat there, mulling over what she had accidently overheard the other day. "Wait, was this why you were crying before he came home?"

"How did you know about that?"

"I may have overheard you," she said guiltily. "I thought it might have been because of me."

"It…was because of a lot of reasons. The stress of the wedding and this stupid merger and just a lot of things."

"So it had nothing to do with me?"

Annie sighed deeply, running her palms over her head. "Lexi, I meant what I said. I really do love you. But I can't lie and say it hasn't been difficult since you came here."

As Lexi looked at Annie she truly saw her as she actually was. Not as an enemy who would usurp her father's love and mother's memory, but as a caring person who had put up with way more cruelty then many people would have. And she felt incredibly guilty for it taking this long for the message to get across. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For everything I've done to you. How I've treated you and talking back to you and just…everything."

"Thank you for saying that," Annie said with complete sincerity.

"I just…" Lexi shivered as she forced herself to finally say to Annie what she always feared. "Ever since I met you I've been afraid that you were trying to replace my mother or something."

"Lexi, that could never happen. Your mother raised you and loved you deeply, and I could never compete with her, nor would I even want to. All I've ever wanted was for us to hopefully grow close and have some kind of relationship."

"You still want that, even after everything?" Lexi asked

"Yes, I do."

Lexi smiled before shivering as she thought over what last night had cost her. "My dad is going to kill me when he finds out what happened. Do we have to tell him?"

"Lexi, we can't keep something like this from Jeff."

Lexi nodded her head, not really expecting Annie to agree to keep it a secret. "You're right. I'll tell him what I did when he gets home."

"That's admirable of you. But I think it's better if I talk to him about it first. If he hears it from me first he might not be as mad when he talks to you. And I might be able to get him to lessen your punishment if he decides to punish you."

Lexi nodded her head upon hearing that. "Thanks. You're…actually kind of cool."

"I have my moments," Annie said.

"No, you really are. And not just for going to bat for me. Not everyone stands by someone who works to push their buttons like I did."

Annie smiled as she decided to reveal something that might lighten the mood. "Well, it's not like you're the only person I care about who's driven me crazy. I once got into an oil wrestling match with Britta because she hated that I was better at fundraising then her."

"Wait, what?" Lexi gasped in surprise. "How did that happened?

"It was back when we were both at Greendale. We were fundraising to raise money for an oil spill. And she thought I was flirting to get more money and accused me of selling out our gender, and then badly imitated me to try and prove her point. That led to a screaming match that caused a vat of oil to spill on us, which led to us rolling around in oil while guys threw money at us." She chuckled at the absurdity of the whole thing. "Not one of my proudest moments, that's for sure."

Lexi laughed along with her at that image. "I can't imagine you wrestling someone in oil. It just doesn't sound like you."

"Oh, there's a lot of weird stuff I've done that most people wouldn't believe. Kind of a hazard of going to Greendale and being friends with a group of lovable misfits. I'm sure you'll hear all kind of stories when you meet everyone at the wedding."

Lexi looked at Annie in surprise at what she heard. "You still want me to go to the wedding and be a bridesmaid?"

"Of course."

Lexi smiled before frowning worryingly. "I don't even have a dress yet. I still have to go get one."

"Well…how about we go dress shopping today. Unless you'd rather wait until you're feeling better."

"No, I'd really like that."

"Good," Annie said, glad that an opportunity finally came up where they could do something together.