Author's Note-Thirty three reviews is immense so thank you for that, even if some of them were less than kind. I'd like to thank my last guest reviewer though. After I read your review I re read forty six and realised there were places I may have pushed them a little far, but honestly, that's where they wanted to go. But anyway. I hope this at least starts to make up for some of that. We have a way to go yet but I'll get them there. So thank you for such a fantastic response and I hope this does nearly as well. Also to my spanish reviewer kr, I'm putting your reviews into google translate so I'm getting the jist of what you're saying haha :D. NYLF xx

The front door opened just as Kate exited the office. Martha took one look at Kate, her ragged breathing, the tears on her face, the continual clenching and flexing of her red right hand and she turned to leave again, it all too clear they need space. They could come get Monkey-Bunkey later.

Kate ran to catch up, grabbing Martha's elbow before she could leave. The elder woman stopped and watched as Kate knelt before Alexis, taking her hand from her grandmother's and holding it in her own.

"Kate?" Alexis asked softly, worried about the look on her face.

"Hey Sweetie." Kate rasped, trying desperately to keep the tears from her voice.

The five year old tipped into her chest, gripping her shirt tight in her fists. "What's wrong?"

Kate shook her head, kissing the girl's cheek before leaning away to look at her. "Nothing Angel." She gave her what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Alexis, Baby, I love you, you know that right?"

Alexis nodded slowly, watching the woman carefully. "I love you too."

Kate gently tucked a strand of hair behind Alexis' ear before sighing and cupping her cheek. "I need you to always remember that I love you. Okay? No matter what happens between daddy and I, I will always love you, and I will always be here for you."

Martha gasped.

The little girl's lip trembled gently as she looked from her grandmother back to Kate. "Kate, what's going on?" She mumbled.

Kate shook her head again before pressing a desperate kiss to her forehead. "Nothing Alexis, everything is gonna be okay. As long as you remember that, Honey, everything will be okay. Alexis, you never forget that okay?" She begged.

Alexis nodded. "I won't, I promise Kate."

Kate held her tightly, breathing her in slowly, trying to memorise her smell. "Good girl. Now can you do me a favour, and go tell daddy that I'm going out for a bit?"

Alexis looked apprehensive. "You're coming back though, right?"

Kate smiled sadly, failing to keep the tears at bay as she grabbed her jacket and left the loft, not allowing Martha's hand on her shoulder to stop her.

Alexis stormed like only a five year old can, into her dad's office, knowing her grandmother was hot on her heels.

"What did you do?" She asked, red-faced and angry.

Rick turned in shock at his placid little girl. His gaze flashed up to his mother in questioning but he saw nothing but disappointment in her eyes.

"What do you mean Pumpkin?" He asked, trying to piece things together. They hadn't been her while they had argued so what...

Alexis pointed to the door. "Kate left. She kept saying she loved me and then she left. What did you do?"

Rick put his head in his hands.

"Richard, what happened?" His mother asked sharply. "You and that girl are head over heels for each other."

Rick shrugged. "Just... a misunderstanding." I hope, he added in his own head. "I, I screwed up pretty badly mother but I'm gonna fix it." He said determinedly. "Come on." He murmured to his daughter, walking out of the study.

"Daddy?" Alexis asked an adorable combination of indignation at being ignored and curiosity mixing in the word.

"Mother, thank you for today but you can get off now; I think I'll require my daughter. I have a lot of explaining and apologising to do if this doesn't work, Alexis deserves a proper goodbye."

Martha nodded.

"Come on Lex, we're gonna go find her."

"Hey, Kate, if you could call me when you get this, I'd really appreciate it. Please Kate? I know you're angry with me, but I have Alexis and I don't know where you'd go when you're like this, which I probably should, so I'm heading to your dad's. But you took the car, which I don't mind, but I can't take Alexis in the Ferrari, and I'm worried if I get a cab I'll miss you, so we're walking. We're fine, but if we could just meet you and we'll talk, you and me, and then if you don't wanna come back, god Kate I wouldn't blame you, but could you at least say goodbye to Alexis yourself? I think, I think she deserves that much. Don't...don't let this ruin everything we've had, Kate, please." Rick begged into her voicemail for what must have been the twentieth time.

He'd screwed up. He knew that. But if she could just pick up her goddamn phone.

"Daddy, I'm cold." Alexis murmured, burying her freezing nose into his neck from her place on his hip.

Rick sighed. "I know, Angel. Just a few more minutes okay, Pumpkin? Just a few more minutes and then we'll head home."

"Wanna see Kate." Alexis whispered tearfully.

"Oh Baby." Rick sighed, stopping to hold her tighter. "Me too Kiddo." He squeezed her. "It'll be okay Lex. We'll be okay." He took a deep breath, really hoping he wasn't lying to her before he set off again.

The car horn made him jump violently, causing Alexis to squeak.

"Rick! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Kate's voice, no matter how mad at him, was music to his ears.

She pulled the car over and jumped out with the engine still running.

"Kate, I, I called you..."

"I know, I was screening your calls." Kate answered matter-of-factly without taking her eyes from Alexis. "Hey Baby." She murmured. "You okay Little Red?"

"Cold." Alexis murmured quietly. "Wanted to see you."

Kate sighed and the street lights illuminated the tears in her eyes, the silvery streaks running across her cheeks. "Come here Lexi." Kate gently pulled her out of his arms and held her into her chest.

"Scared me." The five year old whispered into her neck.

"Oh Baby, I'm sorry Angel. I'm here Alexis, I'm here. You gonna sit in the car for a minute? Get warmed up?"

Alexis nodded.

Kate kissed her cheek gently. "Good girl." She opened the driver's door and sat Alexis in the seat before turning on the cassette in the player. "You get warm okay and try not to listen to us okay, Pretty? It'll be alright." She kissed her again before closing the door and turning back on Rick.

"Kate..." he sighed.

"What the hell Rick? Do you have something against kids today or what? You want me to get rid of ours and then you try and freeze her? It's like three degrees out here." She hissed.

"I needed to find you. I, I needed to explain, to apologise."

Kate shook her head. "I get it Rick, okay? You don't want to have kids with me. There's not much to explain really. I wished you'd have let me keep it, even though I couldn't keep you, but..."

"You actually wanted this baby, huh?" The awe in his tone stopped her rant in its tracks.

"Why wouldn't I Rick? I love Alexis, and, for my sins, I love you and being a family with you for the past months has been the safest and most content I've felt in a long time."

Rick's throat closed up. He reached for her hand but she withdrew it.

He sighed.

"Did I hurt you?" He murmured.

"I would have thought that would have been obvious by my leaving."

"I know I hurt you, I , I meant physically."

Kate softened just slightly. "No Rick. You shocked me, but, it didn't hurt."

He nodded slowly.

"Did, did I?" She asked quietly, staring down at her hand.

"Yeah, but I deserved it."

"Well yeah..." she muttered.

Rick chuckled. "My face hurt your hand?"

Kate smiled. "Yeah actually."

Rick smiled and ever so slowly, reached for her hand and brought it up to his face. He gently manipulated her fingers, wincing at the lingering redness.

Kate watched him curiously, feeling tears prick the back of her eyes again when he kissed her palm with reverence. "I'm sorry Kate."

"For me slapping you and hurting myself?" Kate asked incredulously.

Rick shook his head. "No, Kate. Although that too." He shrugged. "Kate I hurt you. I promised you I would never hurt you and I instead broke you in my office and let you leave. I, I can never apologise enough for that, I know that. But I'd like to try, if I may?"

Kate sighed. "I'd settle for an explanation Rick. I, I thought we were pretty serious but we never talked about what we wanted from this and I was so scared of your reaction but I'd mostly convinced myself it was worth telling you because you would be happy but then you go and have the reaction I was most afraid of." She rambled a little, tears coating her voice.

Rick dropped his head. "Can I start by fixing one mistake?"

It took Kate a second to realise he was actually asking her permission before she nodded hesitantly.

"I do love you Kate." He promised quietly. "I love you so much that it scares me on a pretty regular basis. I love you so much and that makes the fact I hurt you a hundred times worse. We are, were?, pretty serious Kate. I wanted to buy you a diamond someday Kate, someday pretty soon actually. But you're right, we never talk. But Kate, Angel, I love you with all my heart and nothing that has happened, or will happen, tonight will change that. Even if you walk away now and I never see you again, I will still love you."