Chapter 46 – 34 Weeks

Rick helped Alexis pack her bag for their trip while Kate packed theirs, she had talked to her doctor that morning and he gave her the okay to fly. Alexis had been on cloud 9 ever since Rick woke her up and told her that she didn't have to go to school but instead that they were flying to Los Angeles to see her mother. Maybe the visit would help Alexis and maybe things would calm down for her once they got back.

"Rick, Lex, come on we're gonna be late for our flight." Kate yelled up the stairs at the two of them.

"Coming!" Alexis yelled back as she pulled her suitcase around the corner.

"Here Lex, let me carry it, you go get Elmo so we can drop him off across the hall at the Flannerys."

"Mrs. Flannery is gonna take care of Elmo?" Alexis asked, raising a brow at her dad.

"Yes, now hurry up so we aren't late."

The little girl rushed off to gather her dog and a few of his toys as Rick met Kate at the bottom of the stairs.

"You sure you want to go?"

"Oh, like I'm gonna leave you alone with your ex-wife. Don't get me wrong I trust you, it's her I don't trust."

"Kate, I would never…"

She nodded her head as a smile broke across her face, "I know you wouldn't, but I want to be there for Lex, well for the both of you."

He leaned in and gave her a kiss, his tongue sweeping her bottom lip as she allowed him to kiss her deeper.

"That's gross you two."

"Sorry Lex." Kate said as she pulled away from Rick.

"Okay, everyone ready, lets go!" Rick said as he opened the door and let Kate and Alexis exit before himself.

Xx

They made it to the airport on time, Kate of course had to stop twice for treats just while walking through the terminal, but they eventually made it to their flight.

A few people recognized them on their plane, Rick signed a few books but refused pictures since he had his family with him.

They landed around 3 in the afternoon, which gave them enough time to check in to their hotel and get ready for dinner. Castle had sent Meredith a text invite to join them, assuming that dinner would be the perfect icebreaker for everyone.

Meredith beat them to the restaurant and was seated in the bar when they arrived, Castle slid his fingers between Kates as they walked towards her, giving her a reassuring squeeze to calm her nerves.

Alexis spotted Meredith first and ran towards her, drawing her attention quickly as she stood up. Alexis threw her arms around the older womans legs and Meredith was less than accepting of the affection.

"Hey Lexie," Meredith said as her eyes connected with Rick and Kate.

"Hi mom, I missed you."

"Yeah, me too kiddo."

Kate placed a smile on her face, faking her enthusiasm over the situation. Of course she wasn't ecstatic about this dinner, but she knew that it was necessary for Alexis and she wanted to do anything and everything to help Alexis get through her funk.

"Rick, I see you don't waste any time." Meredith said as she eyed Kate up and down.

"Yeah, well what can I say, life is pretty perfect." He said as he looked over at Kate, placing a soft kiss on her cheek, which settled her nerves even more.

"Hi Meredith, I'm Kate." She said, extending her hand to Meredith.

Meredith shook her hand and gave her fake smile. "So you're my ex husbands latest conquest."

"Mere" Rick warned her.

"Meredith, her name is Meredith." Kate warned him.

"Ohh and she's territorial."

"Sorry, not trying to be rude, but we are here for Alexis."

"Right," Meredith responded, looking down at Alexis who was observing the adults interaction, "So Lexie, lets eat."

"I don't like to be called Lexie, Mom. Lex, or Alexis."

"Okay, sweetie, whatever you want."

The host led them to their table and they all had a seat. Rick and Kate on one side of the booth and Alexis and Meredith on the other.

"Kate we can ask for a table if you cant fit."

"Meredith, I'll be fine in the booth. I'm a pretty thin girl, just have a small basketball stuffed in my shirt."

Rick gave Meredith a dirty look, one that he had given her on many occasions before. One she recognized as annoyed and angry.

"Oh I didn't mean anything by it, I just wanted her to be comfortable."

"I'll worry about my fiancé's comfort, you worry about Alexis please."

They all had a seat and placed their orders, everything had calmed down, the tension beginning to leave the situation. Meredith spent most of the time listening to Alexis' stories about what she had done over the summer.

When the food came and everyone started to eat Meredith decided it was time to bring up real conversation. She knew that they had to be there for a reason but she wasn't sure what that reason was quite yet.

"So I know that you didn't fly 3,000 miles for dinner or even for Alexis to see me so what do I owe the pleasure?" Meredith asked, her eyes switching back between her ex- husband and his fiancé.

"Well Lex has been having a hard time at school and we thought she could use a break, we thought some time away from Manhattan and a visit to her mom might help a little."

"I'm flattered that you think I can help the situation but I'm not sure what you're wanting me to do."

Rick smiled at Alexis, making sure that she was okay with the conversation before continuing.

"Well Meredith just having some time with you might help more than you think. You know you missed her birthday this year."

"Yeah, I know and I'm really sorry Rick. I was filming and indie film and I just got confused on the days."

"You don't owe me an apology, you owe her one, and maybe you could set a reminder on your phone so that it doesn't happen again."

Meredith shot him a glare across the table. He was embarrassing her in front of Kate and Alexis which she didn't appreciate. She was deserving of the hostility but that's not something that she would ever admit to herself. She didn't think of herself as a bad parent, in fact she didn't think of herself as a parent at all which was apparent to everyone.

"Rick, you know I tried."

"Well it's not something you get to try and give up on Mere."

"Meredith." Kate interjected and Rick shot his eyes over at her angrily.

"Kate, could you just lay off for a while." He spat out at her, he was agitated and that was apparent but Kate wasn't putting up with it.

"I'm not trying to argue, but stop calling her that. I'm sitting right here, have a little respect." She shot back at him.

"I'm sorr…."

"End of discussion, moving on." Kate smiled and looked back at Alexis.

"Could everyone just stop arguing." Alexis said, sitting up straight. "and since everyone is avoiding the topic can I tell her why we are really here?"

Both Rick and Kate looked to Meredith who looked shocked and a little confused.

"Mom, I want you to let Kate adopt me."

"WHAT?" Meredith stood up in anger, "I knew that you just wanted something from me. No, Kate, you cant have my daughter."

"Whoa, wait a minute, lets be clear about one thing, this was not my idea in any way. Alexis is the one that came to us about it and we both warned her that this was something we thought you wouldn't be comfortable with."

"So you don't even want her." Meredith shot back.

"Excuse me, that's not true either and could you sit down and stop making a scene."

Meredith sat back down in the booth, huffing and puffing as she looked between the two other adults at the table and then over to Alexis.

"Mom, Kate loves me, and she loves taking me to do things. We play together and watch movies together."

"So that doesn't make her your mother."

"Yes it does. So what if she didn't have me, she cares about me more than you do."

"That's not true Alexis."

"Yes it is Mom, you never come see me, you don't even ask for me to come visit you. You didn't send me a gift on my birthday or even call me. You don't care about me. Kate cares about me, Kate wants me to be her daughter."

"Alexis.."

"No, either you agree to let Kate adopt me or I wanna go home now. Dad, can we go home now?"

"Lex, we haven't even finished dinner."

"I don't care, I'm not hungry and I didn't come to California for dinner, I was excited to come just so I could ask her to let Kate adopt me."

The tears started to roll down Merediths face as she watched the exchange between Alexis and Rick, The realization hit her that this was in fact all Alexis' idea. She was the one that wanted Kate to adopt her.

"I need time." Meredith asked. "Give me a few days to think about it. I need time."

And then she was gone, she just up and left, without even saying goodbye to Alexis.

They all sat in silence for a few minutes before Alexis finally decided to speak up.

"It's the truth dad, it's the only reason I wanted to come here. I knew that you wouldn't ask her, I knew that you were scared of how she might act, but I'm not scared."

"Lex, it's just not that easy, she's your mom." Kate said.

"No she isn't. Kate is my mom, Kate is who I want to call mom."

"Lex, baby that is so sweet but you need to take your real moms feelings in to account."

"No I don't. She doesn't act like my mom, she only cares about herself and that's not what moms are suppose to do. I don't want to talk about it anymore, can we just finish and go back to the hotel."

Rick nodded in agreement, deciding it would be easier to allow the little girl to do things her way for the time being. She had already been through enough this week and he didn't want to make things worse for her, so he decided that she was allowed to cope however she wanted.

This chapter was a struggle for me to write. I re-wrote it three times and I'm still not 100% satisfied with it.

Hope you enjoy.

Another 20 reviews and I'll post tomorrow.