Knock knock knock
"Come in." Lexi said as she pulled her hair back into a braid. Lexi was going for a surf, it was still early and the sun had not fully appeared in the was first light.
Brings walked in and sat on the bed, his hands hanging from his lap. Lexi noticed he had his shoes on and she saw his car keys hanging out of his right jean pocket.
"Going somewhere?" Lexi said, gesturing to his keys and shoes.
"Yeah. Got a lead on Mike's case." Briggs said.
He looked like he wanted to say more so Lexi waited.
"Listen.. I've been thinking a lot lately... and I wanna start earning your trust back.. if I can." Briggs said.
Lexi thought long and hard before answering. "Then you need to start making things right."
"I've been doing that. I'm following the rules and-"
"That's not what I mean." Lexi said. "You hurt this family when you did what you did.. and you didn't care. That kind of hate and vengeance.. it takes everything you are and have.. trust me I know.. my father was that way. And so now you need to make it right. Make it up to the people you hurt, especially Charlie. I want to trust you Briggs, I really do.. but I think until I see that you care about this family again and that you really have our backs... I'm not willing to put my life in your hands."
Briggs nodded and said, "ok."
Lexi sat at the Kitchen table with Mike, Bates, Paige, and Johnny. Charlie hadn't come down yet and Jakes was in the living room watching the news. Mike was giving a debriefing. Everyone was going back and forth, spitballing ideas when Charlie walked in asking if anyone had seen Briggs. Everyone shook their heads no. Charlie shouted Briggs's name down the hall before returning back to the table where Mike told her that she might want to sit down.
"I'm not sitting down!" Charlie snapped.
Lexi turned to look at Mike.
"Briggs is in Mexico." Mike said.
That's when the arguing started. Charlie got so mad she smashed a glass. One of the shards broke off and hit Lexi in the cheek. Lexi winced and put her hand to her cheek. Charlie got upset and stormed off.
"Ok.. I think a bit of a break is in order." Mike said, shuffling some papers.
"Lexi, lets take a look at that cut." Paige said, and Lexi nodded.
"It's not that bad, it's just a little scratch." Lexi said as Paige examined her cheek in the bathroom.
"I know, I just want to make sure there's not glass in it." Paige said as she reached for a tweezers before pulling out a tinny sliver of glass from the cut. "There. Just clean that up and you'll be good as new."
"Thanks Paige." Lexi said.
"You're welcome kiddo." Paige replied before leaving.
Lexi was washing out the little cut when she saw Charlie in the mirror. Lexi turned around to face her.
"Oh baby, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-"
Lexi shook her head and smile at Charlie to show that there were no hard feelings. Charlie nodded and then hung her head and that's when Lexi stepped forwarded and hugged her.
"I love you Charlie." Lexi said.
"Right back at ya." Charlie said.
Lexi skipped down the hallway toward the stairs. She was heading to the basement to collect her last batch of laundry from the dryer when she heard voices coming from Jakes's room.
"Ah dude, you really gonna leave?!" Johhny said.
He and Jakes were talking about Jakes moving out. Lexi slid down the wall until she was in a sitting position on the floor with her ear to the wall.
"Just keep your trap shut until I'm out.. no one needs to know." Jakes said. Mean while, the little girl listening in the hallway shed a silent tear.
Lexi lay on her back on Paige's bed, while Paige argued with her supervisor on the phone. Mike came to the door and Paige held up one finger. Lexi sat up and waved at Mike. Mike returned her wave. Mike took a look at Paige's Gas station video and they talked for a bit before he left.
Lexi hummed the tune of Paige and Mike sitting in a tree.
"You are just glut'n for punishment." Paige said, still looking at her computer screen.
"Maybe" Lexi said with a giggle as she continued to hum.
"I will tickle you, you know I will." Paige said turning to look over her shoulder with a little smirk.
Lexi raised her hands in the air in surrender.
"I still think you guys should give it a shot." Lexi said.
"I'm still not the answer-"
"If everyone waited for answers and to have all their shit together before being together, then I don't think anybody would be together. I think it's all about connections and being loved and home. Besides.. going through shit and finding the answers is better with someone by your side." Lexi said.
Paige smiled. "When did you get so wise?"
Lexi returned her smile and shrugged. Then the two of them went back to work.
Jakes got up and went to open the front door of his new apartment. He had just moved in about an hour ago and was just getting Daniel's room put together. He opened the door.
"Lexi?"
"Hey Jakes." Lexi said.
"How did you?"
"I put a tracker on your car before you left. May I come in?" Lexi said.
"Um.. yeah sure." Jakes said, still a little taken back and shocked to see her standing here.
"Nice place." Lexi said sincerely, eye balling the place.
"Thanks." Jakes said.
"Want a hand setting up?" Lexi said, gesturing to what was to be Daniel's room.
"I would." Jakes said.
After a few minutes of silence Jakes spoke up. "Hey Lex, you ever wish you had a normal family? Like a foster mom and dad.. maybe a sibling or a dog?"
Lexi hung the last poster on the wall before sitting down on the bed. "Mmm sometimes, yeah.. you know it I might be nice having a mom and dad but.. I'm more than happy here. This is where I'm meant to be. Family isn't always black and white."
"You know I'll alway be your family. Even when I not there." Jakes said meaningfully.
"I know. I just wanted a goodbye..you should have said goodbye." Lexi said.
Jakes nodded and beckoned Lexi to come to him. Lexi hoped off the bed and Jakes embraced her. "I'm sorry I left without saying goodbye to you."
"It's okay." Lexi said. "I'm proud of you Jakes.. and I'm happy for you. I really hope everything works out."
"Thanks Lex." Jakes said, before bidding her farewell.
Later that day
"Briggs? What are you doing here?" Jakes asked.
"Don't you know by now I'm the only one you can't hide from? Also, Lexi told me." Briggs said.
Jakes chuckled and invited him in.
Later that night Lexi was getting ready for bed and was about to call and say goodnight to Lauren and Donnie when she realized she had left her phone downstairs. Lexi skipped down the steps and found her phone on the living room table. She grabbed it and headed upstairs when she saw Mike walk into Paige's bedroom and close the door.
Lexi smiled, walked into her room, and called Lauren and Donnie.
R&R! R&R! R&R! :) Thanks so much to everyone that reads this! See you next week.