A/N: So, I'm hoping to update and finish this story soon...but you probably know by now not to take my word for that. ;) Love you, mean it. Always, Cassie

"Alright, kid, let's hear it."

Jamie looked up to see Danny approaching the spot in the Reagan's backyard where Jamie was sitting. Danny sat down next to him.

"Hear what?" Jamie asked.

"What you're thinking," he answered. Jamie grinned.

"For all you know, my mind right now is as blank as yours is the majority of the time," he quipped.

"Ha-Ha," Danny replied dryly. Jamie just smiled as Danny shoved him halfheartedly.

"Seriously, though," Danny tried again. "What's on your mind, little brother?"

"Alexis," Jamie confessed.

"And?"

"Well, you know," he said. "I really like her, Danny. Like, really, really like her."

"I can tell. She must really be something, huh?"

"Yeah," Jamie confirmed. "She is. She's...she's smart, and she's strong and beautiful and fierce. I like the way she challenges me, the way she...almost forces me to be myself, without ever saying a word." Danny whistled lowly.

"You've got it bad, kid," he said.

"I feel like I could spend every day with this girl and never run out of things to say. I feel like she's one of those people that could just never fail to surprise me. And I want to protect her and support her and be there for her. You ever feel like that?" Danny met his brother's eyes.

"Once," he admitted.

"When?"

"When I met Linda."

"Dad, stop it," Alexis laughed.

"But Alexiiiiiis," he whined. "I'm bored!" Alexis shook her head, unfolding her legs as she stood from the bed.

"Well, you're going to have to take that up with Kate," she said.

"Wait, where are you going?" he asked. She smiled as she leaned down to kiss his cheek.

"Out with Jamie," she replied.

"Oh." Alexis smiled again.

"Love you," she called as she left the room. The sound of his returning sentiment faded behind her as she hurried through the loft.

"Bye, Kate!" she called as she grabbed her bag and went to leave. Kate laughed.

"See you later, Alexis," she called in reply.

Alexis was meeting Jamie at the carousel again, at his request. She could feel the familiar fluttering heartbeat in her chest at the sight of him standing there, leaning against the rail just as he had been the day of their first date. He looked up and smiled when he saw her, and Alexis had to strongly fight the urge to speed up in the last few yards to meet him. They hugged when she got to him, and he lingered longer than usual, not that she minded.

"Hey," she said when they broke apart, a little breathlessly. Jamie couldn't help but smile at the bright happiness in her clear blue eyes.

"Hey," he replied. "It's good to see you." She smiled at his sincerity.

"It's good to see you, too, Jamie," she replied. He took a breath and then turned to her, his heart pounding steadily in his chest.

"I have a question for you," he said. Alexis nodded.

"Okay."

"I want you to come to my family dinner," he said, and then paused for a second. As Alexis opened her mouth to answer him, he started talking again. "I know it's still a little soon, I mean, it's not how we-or I at least- imagined this working out, but I did meet your family, albeit not in the best of circumstances, but I did meet them and my family is-they're intimidating and completely insane but I promise they don't mean anything by it and they do take some getting used to but they're harmless, really, and-" Alexis' clear laughter interrupted his rambling.

"Jamie, take a breath," she said. He stopped and looked at her. She smiled at him.

"I would love to meet your family," she said gently.

"Really?" he looked undeniably surprised by her willingness to submit herself to the insanity of the Reagan family.

"Yes, really. Why wouldn't I?" she asked. He shrugged.

"I don't know, they're...crazy." She smiled.

"Whose family isn't?" she asked. He laughed, nodding in agreement. She hesitated, and then decided to act on her impulse, reaching out to cup his face in her hands, rising up to kiss him softly. When they broke apart, both were smiling.

Jamie looked at Alexis and realized that maybe, if anyone could do okay with his family, she would be the one.