Archive of Our Own

"Uhh, Alex?" Something in Michael's voice puts all of the tension Alex had worked out during their little afternoon delight right back into his shoulders. He pauses in putting his leg back on to look over at Michael, who's peering furtively out of the living room window. "Any ideas why Leah's brother seems to be casing our house?"

Alex frowns, thinking - and then blinks, expression going slack. "Probably because I've been ignoring his emails," he says slowly. "He asked to meet again, and I didn't answer."

"And you're only telling me now?" Michael demands. "He's old enough for me to kick his ass, right?"

"Technically, yes," Alex says, suppressing a smile, "but why don't we try words first. You know we have that security system for a reason; let's at least give him a warning before you beat the snot out of him."

"He's coming up the path," Michael grumbles. "Looks like he's going to knock on the door. That security system have tasers built in?"

"No," Alex says, shaking his head before grabbing his shirt. "Come on, let's see what he wants."

The kid has had time to knock twice by the time they make it to the front door, not that either of them care about keeping him waiting. Michael gets there first and pulls it open, looking truly unimpressed. "Can we help you?"

Adam looks a little different from what Alex remembers - a couple years older, sure, his hair is longer, but he doesn't seem to be squaring up for a fight. Of course, appearances can be deceiving. He clears his throat. "Hi," he says, his gaze sliding from Michael to Alex. "Mr Guerin, I don't know if you remember me, but I've been trying to get in touch with you."

"We remember you," Alex says evenly. "And what happened the last time we talked."

Adam shifts awkwardly on his feet. "Last time was... I was a dick," he says bluntly. "And I'm sorry. I get why you haven't emailed me back, but I just want to talk, I swear."

Alex exchanges a silent glance with Michael. You buy this?

Michael's eyebrows twitch. Not a chance.

Sensing their doubt, Adam tries again. "I swear. I haven't contacted Leah even, you can ask her."

That, at least, Alex does believe. "She would've told us if you'd tried," he informs Adam, eyeing him carefully. "So why are you here?"

To his credit, Adam holds his gaze unflinchingly. "I want to take you up on your offer."

Alex lifts a brow. "Really?" he asks, not quite able to keep the skepticism from his tone. "Leah said she's heard that story before."

"I'm not here to ask for money," Adam says. "I'm here to ask for your help. I'm working in a convenience store and I'm staying with a friend, but I want to clean up my act, get a real job so I can get my own place." His demeanour changes then, but rather than become combative or defensive like Alex expects, he just seems unsure. "You said if I was ever serious about that, you would help me."

"I did say that," Alex concedes, tilting his head in acknowledgement. "But I'm sure you can understand why we're hesitant to believe this time is different."

"How do you want me to prove it?"

Alex considers him for a moment. "What kind of help are you asking for?"

"I'm not asking for money," Adam says again, hands raised. "If you can help me to find a job, like you said, then great. If not, I'll stay at the convenience store and just save as much as I can. But at the end of the day, what I want more than anything is a relationship with my sister."

Adam seems genuine; he meets Alex's gaze, and Alex doesn't see the belligerent, demanding boy he and Michael met with in the park. Alex hesitates, glancing at Michael before looking back to Adam. "We'll talk with Leah," he says, "but anything else will have to wait until after that."

At this, Adam winces. "Is there any way this could go where you don't tell Leah?" he asks. "At least not yet."

"Why?" Alex asks, suspicious.

"Because I don't want to let her down," Adam says. "I don't want to see her until I've got my shit together, so I can prove to her that I mean it this time."

Well, Alex can respect that, and it's certainly a change from last time. "Alright," he says. "We won't tell Leah for now. Obviously we weren't expecting you to come back, so Michael and I will need to talk, but. I'll be in touch."

"Thank you," Adam says. He gives them both a wry smile. "You have my email address."

Michael clears his throat. "We do," he says. "So please don't come back by the house unless you're invited. We came out here to protect our family's privacy."

Alex nods agreement. "I'll let you know when we've talked," he says.

"Yeah, of course," Adam says, already backing away. "Thanks again."

They watch him get all the way down the driveway and into his car before Michael closes the door, and then he keeps an eye on him through the glass until he's pulled off. "Well. Someone's had a personality transplant."

"Maybe," Alex says slowly, frowning in thought. "Or maybe something happened to put him straight."

"You think you can dig something up?" Michael asks.

Alex shrugs. "Potentially. But what does your gut think?"

Michael takes a long, deep breath, and lets it out slow. "I think there’s a possibility he's legit," he admits. "I want to believe he means it, that he wants to do better and make it up to Leah. All I needed when I was his age was someone to take a chance on me. But I also think it's our kid on the line. Do we want to take the risk?"

Alex reaches out to take Michael's hand. "I think I want to," he says. "I'll do some research, see what I can find about what he's been up to, but. He seemed genuine."

Michael reels Alex in, his free hand falling to his waist. "That's all I ask," he says. "Make sure he's not wasting our time, and then we'll help him."

"Sounds like a plan," Alex agrees. "And we can always chase him off again if he is wasting our - and Leah's - time."

They've only got about an hour and a half before Leah gets home, and while Michael spends it picking up around the house, keeping himself busy until he leaves to pick Teddy up from school, Alex spends it in his office. He focuses on putting together a plan for looking into Adam and what he's been up to since the last time they talked. He gets lost in the work, and doesn't realize Leah's come in until she actually knocks on the office door, jumping in surprise. Leah snickers, and Alex relaxes. "Sorry; I got lost in work," he says sheepishly, grinning when Leah outright laughs.

"What else is new?" she teases, craning her neck for a peek at Alex's screen. "Working on anything exciting?"

"Checking up on some past issues," Alex says vaguely; nothing on his screen right now gives away what issues he's investigating. "Making sure they're not gonna come back to bite us. Anything exciting on your end, today?"

Leah hesitates. "Maybe, actually," she says. "But maybe I should wait until Michael gets home?"

Alex raises a brow. "That big, huh?"

"I don't know," Leah admits, blowing out a breath. "That's kind of what I'm hoping you guys can tell me."

"Well, why don't we go get a snack ready, because you know Teddy is gonna be starving, and you can tell me about the rest of your day," Alex decides, pushing himself to his feet. "Michael should be home any minute."

They're halfway through making the snack when the front door opens. Michael's voice says, "Wait a second, buddy, shoes!", before pounding feet herald the arrival of Teddy, who immediately throws himself at Leah.

Michael appears in the kitchen a moment later, laughing, Teddy's backpack dangling from one hand. "He saw your car and I just couldn't contain him."

Teddy wraps his arms around Leah's neck when she picks him up, and Alex grins. "It's not like you don't see her every day, buddy," he teases, laughing when Teddy scowls at him.

"But I missed you," Teddy insists, hugging Leah tighter.

"I missed you too," Leah laughs, "but you're still wearing your shoes, dude. Let's take them off before you get the new house all dirty."

She takes him from the room, and Michael takes the opportunity to steal a kiss from Alex. "All good here?" he asks.

Alex hums, reeling Michael in for another kiss. "Leah's got something to talk to us about; she says she isn't sure if it's big news or not."

Michael frowns. "School related?"

"Dunno; she didn't say." Alex shrugs, grinning when he hears Teddy's chatter getting closer again. "Let's get the hungry hungry hippo fed, then see what's going on."

Michael grins, settling into place beside Alex, and they finish prepping the snack in well-practiced synchronicity. Teddy, as expected, claims to be starving after school and demolishes his snack within moments before barreling out of the kitchen and into the living room. This leaves Alex, Michael, and Leah in the kitchen by themselves, and Alex busies himself with the dishes he's been putting off all day. "So," he says, running some water into a pot and grabbing the brush. "You said something happened at school today, Leah?"

"You're not suspended again, are you?" Michael asks with a grin.

Leah rolls her eyes. "That was one time, and Alex talked the principal out of it."

"The asshole," Alex grumbles; the memory of that incident still irritates the hell out of him. "So if you're not suspended..."

Interestingly, this makes Leah turn a curious shade of red. "I might be... going on a date?"

Alex goes still, barely keeping his grip on the plate in his hand as he turns, looking from Leah to Michael and back. "'Might'?"

Leah blows out a breath. "Am," she says. "I am going on a date. I said yes."

Alex sets the plate down, grabbing a towel to wipe his hands on. "Okay," he says, glancing at Michael. "Who with?"

Leah hesitates, shifting from foot to foot. "Lucas."

"Ha!" Alex looks sharply at Michael, who doesn't even have the grace to look sheepish. "I knew it."

If Michael was closer, Alex would splash him. "We had a suspicion," he says diplomatically when Leah looks at him. "You definitely spend a lot of time together."

If anything, Leah gets redder. "I wasn't sure yet, and I guess he wasn't either," she says. "I think I'm still not sure."

"But you said yes?" Alex prompts.

"Yeah." Leah sighs. "I like him, I really like him - but don't you think it's dumb?"

"That you like him?" Michael asks, frowning.

"That we like each other. We're seventeen, we're seniors who are literally going to college next year. And he's my best friend. Starting something now - it can't last, can it? Aren't we just going to ruin everything?"

Michael laughs, but it's softer this time, more fond than anything. "Kid, you're asking the wrong people."

Alex laughs, coming you sit next to Michael. "It might be a mistake," he says, reaching for Michael's hand. "Or maybe it'll end up with you two deciding you work better as friends and moving on. Or maybe you'll end up with the love of your life."

Michael smiles at him, squeezes his hand. "It's your decision," he tells Leah. "If you don't want to do this, then you should probably be honest now."

Leah squirms in her seat. "What if I do want to?"

"Then you give it a shot." Michael shrugs. "You're seventeen. You don't have to have it all figured out right now. Lucas is a good kid - even if it doesn't work out, you won't lose him forever."

Alex nods agreement. "I think you've been friends long enough that you'll make it through this if things don't work out. But you can't live in fear of 'what if' all your life. Sometimes, you just gotta go for it."

"Is that what you did?" Leah asks.

"Eventually," Alex says, shrugging. "It took us a while to get to where we could do that."

"We tried to 'just go for it' when we were your age, too," Michael says, with a sweet smile for Alex. "If it weren't for a lot of shit that was outside of our control, I like to think it would have worked out sooner."

"It might've," Alex says, returning Michael's smile with one of his own. "But we found our way eventually. And like Michael said - you're seventeen. There's no rush for you to have it all figured out. Hell, we don't even have everything figured out yet."

"You're married with two kids and a huge new house," Leah points out, laughing. "Seems like you're doing pretty well to me."

"Yeah, well, right about the time you think you've got it figured out, life kicks you in the teeth," Alex laughs. "So, where are you two thinking of going?"

They listen while Leah tells them their plan for the date, a pretty standard dinner and a movie with the possibility of ice cream afterwards. Honestly, it's not new territory for them, which Leah seems comforted by - but Alex can also tell how excited she is at the prospect of adding this new facet to her friendship with Lucas.

After dinner, they all go their separate ways, Michael to bathing Teddy and putting him to bed, Leah to do her homework, and Alex to his research. He kind of loses himself to it, coming up for air only to kiss Teddy goodnight, but he doesn't realise just how much time has passed until Michael raps gently on the office doorframe and says softly, "Hey, you planning on sleeping tonight or what?"

Alex sits back, blinking, and only now realizes he's got that ache between his eyes that means he's been staring at his computer screen for too long. He rubs at his face, turning away from the computer. "Sorry, I just - got distracted. What time is it?"

"Late," Michael says softly. "I thought we could remind Leah it's a school night on our way to bed?"

Alex nods. "Sounds good," he says, then has to smother a yawn. "Bet she's still texting Lucas."

Michael smiles. "What else is new?" He holds out a hand, wiggling his fingers. "Come on. That'll still be there tomorrow."

Alex smiles, turning the computer off before he gets to his feet, reaching out to take Michael's hand. "Let's go, then. Now that I'm thinking about something else, I really need the bathroom."

Michael laughs and draws him into a kiss. "You do that, I'll say goodnight to Leah."

Alex indulges them both in another kiss before letting Michael go. Once he's done in the bathroom, Alex calls a good night through Leah's bedroom door, making his way down the hall to his and Michael's room, where Michael is already in bed. It only takes a few moments for Alex to crawl in beside him, winding an arm around Michael's waist and stealing a kiss as he settles in. "Everything good with Leah?"

"She seemed to still be working on that history paper," Michael says, "but her phone was on the desk, so we'll never know. She said she's going to bed now, anyway."

"We'll have to see how grumpy she is in the morning," Alex laughs. "Teddy go down okay?"

"Like a dream," Michael says. "He had a good day today, and he seemed really tired, so hopefully he'll sleep through." The frequency of his night terrors have really decreased in the last year or so, but the change in environment since they moved has caused a bit of a relapse. "He's been down for a few hours now, so I guess we'll find out soon."

"Guess so," Alex sighs, yawning. "I'm still waiting to hear from some contacts, but I've got some more information about Adam."

Michael hums, stroking a warm hand up and down Alex's arm. "Wanna share with the class?"

"Well, he definitely wasn't lying about having a job," Alex starts. "Convenience store, just like he said."

"Nearby?"

"Not in Roswell," Alex clarifies. "In Dexter. Looks like the friend he's staying with lives there."

"So the friend thing checks out, too," Michael says. "All right. Anything to explain the sudden change of heart?"

"Not yet," Alex says. "Still waiting to hear back from some people on that."

Michael sighs. "I really hope for Leah's sake that he's being honest with us. If he's not..."

"Then we'll handle it," Alex says firmly. "One way or another. But right now... I think he's genuine."

Michael kisses him softly. "If he is, he's lucky to have you," he says. "We all are."

Alex melts into his husband's arms. "I'm lucky to have you all," he sighs, stealing another kiss.

Michael is working at the junkyard the next day, and Alex is still waiting to hear from a couple of contacts. However, he can't get Adam's visit out of his head, so by midmorning he's on the road after confirming - through some mild hacking - that Adam is currently on shift. It only takes half an hour to drive to the store Adam's working at, and Alex pulls into a parking spot in the corner of the small lot, studying the place.

It looks like the average convenience store; there are four gas pumps, one diesel, and the store is a decent size. Probably doesn't function as a mini-mart selling some basic groceries, but it'll have the usual gas station fare of junk food and microwave hot dogs and burgers. Sure enough, when Alex walks through the doors, it feels like walking into any other gas station he's ever been in. There are a few other customers wandering around, and there's a girl running the till. A quick glance reveals Adam restocking one of the shelves of chips, and Alex makes his way over, feigning casualness until he's in earshot of Adam. "So, this is legit."

Adam turns towards him, eyes widening when he realises who Alex is. "Mr Guerin," he says. "Uhh, yeah, it is. Been here for about six months now."

That lines up with what Alex has been able to find out so far. "And you only just came to see us yesterday?"

Adam shrugs. "I wanted to prove to myself that I could get this far before I brought it to you."

"Hm." Alex considers Adam for a moment. "If I help you get a job - what kind of job would you be interested in?"

Adam hesitates. "I don't know, exactly," he admits, looking embarrassed. "But I learn fast and I'm willing to try anything. I'm pretty good with computers, but I don't have any kind of qualification."

"Did you finish high school?"

"Barely," Adam says. "Scraped through by the skin of my teeth, but I graduated."

Alex nods. "I might have something," he says after a moment. "I know some people in the tech field, they could get you a paid internship, help you get the qualifications to move forward if you like the work."

Adam blinks. "What, seriously?"

"It's not a sure thing," Alex warns him. "But it could be a start."

"Thank you," Adam says, eyes wide and earnest. "Seriously, Mr Guerin, that sounds--"

"Adam," a sharp voice says, and when Alex looks up he sees an imposing-looking woman glaring at them from the end of the aisle. "Please show your friend where to find whatever he needs and get back to work."

Adam goes bright red. "Fuck," he hisses. "I mean-- I'm sorry. I'm on break in an hour if you still want to talk?"

Alex chuckles. "I'll see you then," he says, giving Alex's boss a friendly nod that doesn't seem to move her. "Sorry for distracting you."

Adam smiles. "Thanks, Mr Guerin."

"He did pretty well," Alex tells Michael later that afternoon, curled up against his husband's side on the couch. "Was able to dig up some basic information on the sites I pointed him to, and he knows his way around computers from a technical point. Ran him through some basic troubleshooting, the sort of thing you'd do as IT support."

"On his lunch break?" Michael asks, amused.

Alex nods. "Yeah."

"And, what, you think he's good enough that you could get him a job?"

Alex shrugs. "I think he's got enough potential to start," he says honestly. "If he's serious about doing better, applies himself, he could go far."

"And what about how he even developed those skills in the first place?" Michael asks. "I thought you said he barely graduated high school."

"Not because he isn't smart," Alex points out.

"Come on, Alex," Michael sighs. "You can't tell me you think he learned everything he knows legally."

"Neither did I," Alex reminds Michael.

Michael's expression twists. "Sure," he says. "But it'd be a different story if he was selling copper wire, right?"

Alex has to bite back his first retort, taking a deep breath and twisting so he can face Michael more fully, reaching up to cup Michael's cheek in his hand. "I never should've doubted you then," he says, quiet but firm. "I'm sorry for the things I said. But I'm trying to do better now."

Michael holds himself still for a long moment, but then he blows out a breath of his own, and turns his head to kiss Alex's palm. "I know," he says. "I'm sorry. And I know it makes me a hypocrite, I just..." He shrugs. "She's our girl. I don't want her to get hurt."

That makes Alex smile. "I get that," he promises Michael. "I want the same thing."

"Which is why I know you're going to make sure this guy's on the level," Michael says. "I'm sorry I'm an asshole."

Just as Alex is about to respond, the front door slams shut, and a moment later Leah appears in the doorway. She takes in their position, sprawled together on the couch with Alex's hand still on Michael's face, and wrinkles her nose. "Are you two being gross?"

Alex has to fight to keep his expression even. "Yes," he says. "Michael's being self-deprecating again."

"Hey," Michael protests. "I was being an asshole, so I said sorry."

Leah rolls her eyes. "What did he do?"

Alex waves her off. "It had to do with something from years ago," he says. "How was school?"

"It was good," Leah says. "I got an A on that physics test."

Michael holds a hand out for a high-five, and Leah slaps his palm. "That's my girl."

Alex grins, just as proud. "That studying paid off. You get a grade on your English paper, yet?"

Leah shakes her head. "I should get that tomorrow," she says - and then hesitates, shifting her weight from foot to foot. "You guys haven't been fighting, have you?"

”No,” Michael assures her. “Just bickering like the old married couple we are.”

Alex gives him an affronted, “Hey!”, but Leah just grins. “Okay,” she says. “That tracks. I’m going to get started on my homework, let me know if you need help with dinner.”

Michael waves her off. “We will.”

"All right," Michael says, as soon as Maria and Dallas have taken their seats around Max's dining table. They're the last to arrive following an emergency summoning of the Pod Squad, and while Liz's poker face is giving nothing away, sadly the same cannot be said for his brother. "Max, we all know I keep myself the hell out of your head, but even I can feel the anxiety coming off of you. Whatever alien apocalypse has got your panties in a twist now, we'll deal with it, just please tell me I have time to get Alex and the kids out of the state."

Alex rolls his eyes. "Let's figure out if it is an apocalypse first," he says dryly.

"It's not," Liz says. "This isn't a Round Table situation, we just invited you all over to have some food and share some news."

That gets some raised eyebrows. "Good news, for once?" Kyle asks, clearly faking the dubious tone, since he can't keep the corner of his mouth from twitching.

Liz finally breaks, and a huge grin spreads across her face. "Yes," she says, reaching for Max's hand. "We're pregnant!"

"Holy shit," Alex breathes. "Finally?"

"Yeah," Max says, lifting Liz's hand so he can press a kiss to her knuckles, his expression absolutely besotted. "Finally."

"Oh my god," Michael says, and Isobel is still so stunned that he's the first out of his seat, though he only beats her by a second. He bounds around the table and drags them both up into a bear hug. "Congratulations, guys, holy shit!"

Leah is grinning beside him, and Alex is laughing as he gets to his feet. "You're lucky Teddy’s playing and not paying attention," he laughs to Michael, moving closer so he can pull Liz into a tight hug. He gives Liz another squeeze, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Congratulations, Liz. It's been a long time coming."

Liz rolls her eyes, laughing as she squeezes him back. "Don't act like he's never heard Mikey swear. I know for a fact he's heard you swear - but you can get your own back on us soon enough, when our little one is tattling to you behind our backs."

"Count on it," Alex laughs, giving Liz one more hug for good measure before standing aside, letting Kyle have his own hug so Alex can offer Max congratulations as well. "Any idea how far along?"

"Twelve weeks," Max says, visibly bursting with pride. "We found out a little over a month ago. It's been so hard to keep it to ourselves."

"Have you started planning for a nursery and everything?" Alex asks curiously.

"Rosa's coming up next week to help paint," Liz says, pulling back from her hug with Maria. "We told her, Papi and Max's parents last night."

"Oh, God," Isobel says. "Mom is going to be insufferable."

Kyle winces, Alex mirroring the movement in sympathy. "She's gonna start making comments about you two, isn't she?"

"That, or become one of those overbearing grandmas," Kyle sighs. "And then start making comments."

"Definitely both," Isobel sighs. "But she'll be thrilled to be a grandma. Expect her to invade your home and try to micromanage everything, Liz."

Liz just shrugs. "I can handle her."

She glares when Michael barks a laugh.

Alex snickers. "My money's on you," he assures Liz.

Liz looks to Max, who quickly throws his hands up, backing towards the kitchen. "I think dinner's almost ready, so I'm gonna go deal with that."

Isobel rolls her eyes. "Let's sit down, we need to talk about my little niece or nephew. Have you thought of any names?"

It's late when they get home, so Alex puts Teddy to bed while Michael picks up a little around the living room. Leah goes straight to bed, too, so she can get up early for a study date planned with Lucas - not the real date, which has been delayed by some drama with Lucas’ family. Teddy fell asleep at Max's, and then again in the car, so he goes down easily enough, and Alex is hopeful that tonight will be a good night. He's still standing in the doorway watching him sleep when Michael comes ambling down the hall.

"Caught you," Michael whispers, smiling softly. "He's okay, you know. He knows he's safe."

Alex snorts, but steps back, closing the door to Teddy's room. "Like you don't do the same thing," he says. "We're never gonna stop worrying about him."

"I know," Michael says. "But he's settling into the house now, and he knows where to find us if he needs us." He leans in to press a kiss to the corner of Alex's mouth. "Let's go to bed."

Alex lets Michael lead him down the hall to their bedroom, where they get ready for bed in a well-practiced routine. Once they're in bed, however, Alex finally broaches the subject that's been lingering in the back of his mind for hours. "So, you've got a plan for the next alien apocalypse?"

Michael frowns, settling more comfortably on his side. "What do you mean?"

"You asked if you had time to get me and the kids out of the state."

"Oh, yeah." Michael shrugs, the covers rustling with the motion. "I mean, that's pretty much as far as the plan goes, but if things start going off the rails again, that's the priority."

"Right." Alex takes a breath, makes himself think through what he's going to say. "Well, I agree - getting the kids out should be the first priority. But I'm not leaving you behind."

"Alex, I kind of have to stay behind," Michael says. "If it's an alien problem, as an alien it's my responsibility. I can't just leave Max and Isobel to deal with it, especially now that Max has a baby on the way, too."

"I get that," Alex says. "What I don't get is why you think I'd just leave, with no plan to come back and fight with you."

Michael sighs. "I don't think that," he says. "But we can't just get them the hell out of Dodge and then abandon them. Someone needs to stay with them, protect them if it comes to that. And even if it doesn't, I don't want them to lose both of their parents at the same time."

"I know, but..." Alex sighs. "This is something we need to talk about more, make sure we're on the same page. I guess it just caught me off-guard."

"I'm sorry," Michael says, reaching out to rest a hand on Alex's arm. "I didn't mean to upset you. There's just no one else I'd trust our kids with - and I know you can handle yourself, but the fact that it would also keep you out of harm's way is a bonus."

"I feel the same, I just... also don't like the thought of you alone, in harm's way," Alex sighs.

Michael gives him a small smile. "Well, with a bit of luck, it won't ever come to that."

”Yeah,” Alex agrees, letting himself relax just a little. “Let’s hope so."

Alex all but throws the doors to the police station open, striding to the desk without hesitation. "I'm here for Adam Ostwick. I'm Captain Alex Guerin, he called and told me he was being held here."

"Oh yes," the officer behind the desk says, clacking on her keyboard. "He hasn't been here for long. Can I ask your relationship to Mr Ostwick?"

"Sponsor," Alex says. "And legal guardian of his biological sister. He's family."

The officer nods, clacking some more. "All right. He's currently waiting to be interviewed, so I can take you through to see him."

"Thank you," Alex says, remembering his manners. He follows the officer down a long hallway to one of the interrogation rooms. When he opens the door, he spots Adam sitting on one side of the table, shoulders hunched and hands clasped. He thanks the officer once more, then steps inside, the door falling shut behind him as he studies Adam.

Adam almost jumps out of his chair, but when he looks up at Alex he goes very pale, and drops his face into his hands. Good. After getting himself arrested not even a week into the internship Alex pulled a lot of strings to get him into, he should be scared. "Oh, God, I didn’t think you’d come."

"Not gonna lie, I wasn't thrilled to get the call," Alex says, moving closer and settling into the chair across from Adam. "What happened?"

"Brad screwed me over," Adam groans, face still hidden. "The guy I'm living with. He said he'd had a couple drinks but needed something from the store, asked me to drive." He looks up, eyes wide and desperate. "I swear I didn't know he was going to rob the place."

Alex keeps his face impassive with an effort. He wants to believe Adam, but... "Brad has a record," he points out.

Adam blinks. "What? How do you know that?"

Alex raises a brow. "You think I didn't look into the guy you were staying with when you swore to me you were going straight?"

"He swore he was going straight, too!"

Alex sighs. "This really doesn't look good, Adam," he says lowly.

"I know," Adam says, and he sounds defeated. "I know. I don't expect you to help me, I just... didn't have anyone else. You can go, it's fine, I'll deal - just please don't tell Leah. Please."

Alex studies him for a long moment, taking in the slump of his shoulders, the way he doesn't even look at Alex. "You swear you had no idea he was planning this?" he asks after a long, uncomfortable silence.

"I swear," Adam says, voice tight. "I didn't realise what he'd done until we were already driving away. That asshole."

Alex nods. "Alright. I've got a lawyer on the way - she should be here any minute."

Adam blinks at him like a deer in headlights. "You-- You called a lawyer?"

"Yes," Alex says. "And neither of us should say anything else until she's here."

"Right," Adam says. "Of course. But, Mr Guerin - thank you."

Alex gives him a tight smile. “Don’t thank me yet.”

"We ate without you," is the first thing Michael says when Alex walks through the door. He's hovering in the hallway, tense and agitated as he watches Alex peel off his jacket. "The kids were starving, and your phone was off, so I didn't know when you'd be home." He so clearly wants to ask Alex where he was, probably wants to chastise him for worrying him, but they've been better these last few years about giving each other space to open up on their own time.

"Sorry," Alex sighs. "I really didn't think I'd be gone so long." He finishes getting his stuff settled, and turns to Michael. "Don't suppose there were any leftovers?"

"Of course there were," Michael says, softening only a fraction. "Come on, I'll heat it up."

Alex follows him into the kitchen, feet dragging, and he barely makes it into a chair before he's reaching for his pants, rolling the leg up on the left. His stump is killing him. "Have you seen my crutches?"

"They're in the bedroom," Michael says, putting the oven on to preheat. "I'll grab them." The fact that he leaves the room to do so speaks volumes.

Alex's stomach twists, but he focuses on getting his prosthetic off, distracting himself with the familiar movements for the time it takes Michael to return with his crutches. "Thanks," Alex says, holding out a hand to take them from Michael.

"No problem." This time Michael does use his powers, whisking Alex's prosthetic out of the room, and Alex knows it's settling into place beside their bed a moment later. Michael searches his face for a second longer before he turns away and pulls open the fridge. "You want a drink or anything?"

"Water's fine, thanks," Alex says. He hesitates for a moment, then says, "I had to go down to Dexter."

Michael slams the dish with Alex's dinner in it down onto the counter a little harder than Alex thinks he means to. "Dexter? Why?"

"Adam called," he answers, striving to keep his tone even. "He needed help."

"What kind of help?"

Alex braces himself. "Legal kind. He'd been arrested."

Michael spins around. "What?"

"His roommate asked him to drive out to a store to pick up some things, and robbed the place. Turned Adam into the getaway driver," Alex explains. "Adam had no idea until the police pulled him over."

"Yeah right," Michael scoffs. "Tell me you didn't fall for that bullshit."

Alex tamps down the annoyance that flares at Michael's tone. "I got him a lawyer, one of Deep Sky's, who'd take his case pro bono."

"You got your work involved?" Michael rolls his eyes, all courtesy forgotten. "Look, I know I have a record, I get that this makes me a hypocrite - but come on, Alex. He's clearly using you."

"I don't think he is," Alex says, rapidly losing his patience. "I believe him."

Michael stares at him like he's lost his damn mind. "Why?"

"Because he's done everything we've asked, Michael!" Alex snaps. "And he hasn't asked for money, he asked us to keep this from Leah until he was sure it was going to work out, and Tara has had nothing but good things to say about him since that interview. So yeah, I believe him, enough to get my work involved and get him a good lawyer, not some public defender, who'll make sure the truth comes out."

"And what if it's not money he's after this time?" Michael demands. "How do you know he doesn't just want you to keep him out of jail?"

"That's what the lawyer's for," Alex says. "Caroline is a paranoid bitch; she'll find the truth, one way or another. And if he's lying this time, then that's it. No more chances, and we let him go down for this."

"And what do we tell Leah?"

"The truth, whatever that ends up being," Alex sighs. "She's old enough to know, and she deserves to know, because it's her brother."

"What are you talking about?"

Michael and Alex both jump, and turn to see Leah standing in the kitchen doorway. "Leah," Michael croaks. "Hey, we were just..."

"Whose brother?" Leah demands. "My brother?"

Alex glances at Michael, who has a distinct ‘deer in headlights’ look, and grimaces. “Yes,” he says. “Adam called me earlier today; that’s where I went.”

"What did he want?" Leah asks.

He debates with himself for a moment, and then decides it's probably best to just rip the band-aid off. "He'd been arrested."

"Are you shitting me?"

"Whoa," Michael says.

Leah holds her hand out to Alex. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to swear at you. I just-- Why? What has he done now?"

"The friend he's staying with asked him to drive out to run an errand, and robbed the place while he was there," Alex says. "He claims he had no idea what the guy was planning until the cops pulled them over." He glances at Michael. "I believe him."

"So he was the getaway driver," Leah says. "And he just happened to call you?"

Alex winces. "He called me because we'd been in touch before," he admits. "He's been staying in Dexter for a few months, trying to go straight."

"And you didn't tell me?!"

"Look," Michael says, "we wanted to give him a chance to prove himself first, that he's pulled his head out of his ass and really wants to try this time. We didn't want you to get hurt again if it all turned out to be bullshit."

"Which it did, didn't it? He's just as bad as he's always been."

"He asked us not to tell you," Alex points out. "And I checked everything out, even drove out to Dexter to visit him at work after he showed up here again. I don't think it was bullshit, Leah."

"And yet he's literally in jail."

Michael sighs. "Maybe Alex is right," he says. "Maybe he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Yeah, right," Leah scoffs, though Alex can see that she's tearing up. "He's just an asshole."

Alex reaches for his crutch, getting up so he can move towards Leah, reaching out to put a hand on her arm. "I made sure he got a good lawyer," he says. "One who'll make sure he doesn't get convicted if he's innocent, and if he is guilty, she'll make sure he gets a fair trial and sentence. Either way, it's out of our hands for right now. I'm sorry for keeping it from you, but he asked us to. Said he didn't want to disappoint you if it didn't work out."

"But he screwed it up anyway, right?" Leah huffs. "God, my brother's a criminal."

The oven slamming shut makes them both jump, and Michael straightens up to look over at them. "Hey," he says. "Innocent until proven guilty, right? Maybe he deserves the benefit of the doubt."

Alex nods. "We can't do anything else right now, either way," he says.

"I've given him the benefit of the doubt plenty," Leah sniffs. "Please don't ask me to see him."

"I won't," Alex assures her. "That's entirely up to you."

Leah sniffles again, and accepts the hug Alex offers her.

"I think I should cancel," Leah sighs, not for the first time today.

She'd had a good cry in the kitchen last night, but had opted to stay and sit with them while Alex ate his dinner instead of going back to her room. Still, it had taken her until after she'd helped put Teddy to bed to tell them the news she'd been putting off for when Alex came home - that she and Lucas have finally set a day for their date. Unfortunately, that day happens to be the day after she found out her brother was in trouble with the law. Again.

"No, you shouldn't," Michael says, also not for the first time today. "You deserve this. Between school and Lucas' family stuff, you've been waiting long enough."

Leah sighs again, deep and mournful. "But I feel like shit," she says. "How am I supposed to enjoy myself now?"

"By taking a night off," Alex says, resting a hand on her back and rubbing gently. "We're not saying this is going to fix everything, but you're allowed to set it aside for a few hours, you know?"

Leah scrubs a hand over her face, something she's definitely picked up from Michael, but leans into Alex a little. "I haven't even told him," she admits. "I don't know how to."

"You don't have to," Alex points out, not unkindly. "You can tell him you've got some things on your mind but you're not ready to talk and just want to have a good time. He's your friend; he'll respect that." Alex glances at Michael, smirking a little. "Or I suspect Michael will have something to say about it."

"Damn right I will," Michael growls, and that finally gets a smile out of Leah.

"You really think I should go?" she asks, twisting to look at him.

Michael softens immediately. "I do," he says. "I think you'll regret it if you don't."

Alex nods agreement. "Take a few hours to just have fun," he advises. "You can go back to worrying about this later, but you've both been looking forward to this."

"Yeah," Leah says, "you're right. Okay. I'll go." Her eyes widen. "Shit, I need to get ready."

At that, Alex holds both hands up. "I'm sure Isobel already talked you through what to wear," he laughs. "Go on, we'll stall Lucas if he shows up before you're ready."

"You guys are the best," Leah tells them, leaning up to give Alex a kiss on the cheek. She gets out of her seat to give Michael the same treatment, and then practically bounces out of the room.

Once she's gone, Michael meets Alex's wide-eyed look with one of his own. "Well," he says. "I mean, she's not wrong."

"That we're the best?" Alex asks, striving for teasing confidence and falling short; Leah hasn't been this openly affectionate towards them before. "We kind of are."

Michael gives him a gentle smile. "I don't think we're doing a bad job, in any case. In fact, I'd say we're killing it."

"Leah, he's outside!" Michael yells. "Teddy, come say bye to your sister!"

Surprisingly, it's Leah who reaches them first, practically vibrating with nervous energy. "Where is he, did you let him in? You can't just leave him standing on the porch!"

Michael laughs. "His car is here, he hasn't gotten out yet. You look beautiful."

"Thank you," Leah says, fussing with her hair. "Oh God, I think I'm going to be sick."

"You won't be sick," Alex says confidently, smiling as he scoops up Teddy, who just came careening around the corner. "You'll be fine."

"Yeah!" Teddy agrees - then frowns. "Where you going?"

"She's going on a date," Michael says, chucking Teddy under the chin. "With Lucas."

Teddy clearly has no idea what that actually means, but he gasps nonetheless. "Really?"

"Really," Alex confirms, unable to keep from grinning. "He's getting out of the car now, by the way."

"Oh God," Leah says again. "How do I look?"

"Like a girl panicking about her first date," Alex says dryly. "And still beautiful."

”You mean it?” she asks.

"Yes, we mean it," Michael says, fond and indulgent. "What do you think, Teddy? Doesn't she look pretty?"

"Yeah!" Teddy cheers, giving Leah an adoring look.

"Then you're good to go," Michael says, right as there's a knock on the door.

Leah looks like a deer in headlights, so Alex takes pity on her. "Come in," he calls, pitching his voice to carry through the door.

It opens a moment later, revealing Lucas, clearly dressed up for the night in a smart button down and slacks. "Hey, Mr Guerin," he says, and then stops with his mouth open when he clocks Leah.

Leah seems similarly affected, just staring at Lucas in apparent shock. Michael gives her a nudge, and she stumbles forward to give him a hug. "Lucas, hi. You look..."

Lucas laughs. "You should've seen the penguin suit Mom tried to talk me into," he jokes. "You look great."

Leah hides her grin in his shoulder. "Let's save the tux for prom," she says - and then freezes. "I mean."

Lucas goes bright red, but he's still smiling. "We can talk about that later," he says. "But we've got dinner to get to."

"Go on," Michael says, "get out of here. Make sure you're home by eleven."

Leah rolls her eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

"Have fun, and be safe," Alex adds.

"We will," Lucas promises.

And just like that, they're gone. Michael waits until Lucas has started his car before closing the door, he turns to give Alex a smile that's slightly bemused. "When did she grow up, huh?"

"I don't know," Alex says wistfully. The difference between the girl who just walked out that door and the one who walked into their old house with Dallas is too big to really put into words. Alex gives Teddy a little jostle, making him giggle. "Don't you grow up that fast, baby."

Teddy just gives him a huge smile. "I won't, Papa."

Alex melts at the name, the way he always does. It had been a hell of a shock the first time he’d called them ‘Daddy’ and ‘Papa’, and had taken them both a while to get used to, but hearing just how comfortable Teddy's become with them is something he'll never get tired of. He pulls Teddy in for a hug, and then turns away from the door; Leah will be fine, and standing by the door fretting won't change anything.

He manages to get Teddy distracted with some toys in the living room, and finds Michael in the kitchen. From here, they can hear Teddy playing - something that appears to involve dinosaurs driving racecars - and Alex winds an arm around Michael's waist. "Doing okay?" he asks in a murmur.

"Yeah," Michael says, turning his head to give Alex a kiss. "Are you?"

"Working on it," Alex admits ruefully, chuckling.

Michael smiles. "This has really thrown you for a loop, hasn't it?"

"Yes," Alex groans. "I knew it was coming, I guess I just... didn't think about what it really meant."

"She's not our little girl anymore," Michael says, fond. "Well, not that she ever was, really. But she's come a long way since she came to live with us."

"She has," Alex sighs. "I'm just... so damn proud of her."

Michael nods. "Me too. And of us." He gives Alex a playful nudge. "Who'd have thought we could parent two kids without completely screwing them up?"

That gets a more genuine smile. "So far, at least," he laughs. "Although we came close with this thing with Adam."

"She'll be okay," Michael says softly. "Whatever comes out of it, we'll make sure she's okay."

"I know we will," Alex hums, leaning into Michael. "But, you know. She's a senior. Gonna be graduating soon."

"And then off to college," Michael agrees. "What's your point?"

"Well... It might get kinda lonely around here, with just Teddy."

Michael smirks. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," Alex says. "I mean, we made this house big for a reason."

"That's true," Michael concedes. He turns to face Alex fully, hands falling to his hips as he searches his face. "You think we're ready?"

"I think we will be," Alex says, lifting his arms to draw over Michael's shoulders. "And I want to help more kids like Leah and Teddy."

Michael smiles, and leans in to kiss Alex softly. "So do I," he murmurs. "We'll talk to the kids, and if they're on board, we can get the ball rolling."

"After we sort out this thing with Adam," Alex says. "I want that taken care of."

"Oh, trust me - me too," Michael sighs. "Have you heard anything more from the lawyer?"

"She's making progress," Alex says. "Still no court date, but she’s pulling all the evidence together."

"She think he's guilty?"

Alex shakes his head. "She thinks he's telling the truth, but with his record, she says it's gonna be an uphill battle to convince a judge."

Michael's eyes widen. "Fuck. I don't know how Leah will cope if it goes to court."

"I know," Alex sighs, grimacing. "Caroline's said she's going to do all she can to keep it from going that far."

"This sucks," Michael says, with great feeling. "I'm sorry if I overreacted last night, I just... I don't want her to be disappointed again, and I don't want him to take advantage."

Alex shakes his head. "I get it; I want the same thing. But all I could do was get him someone actually qualified to take on the legal system. I can bully high school principals, not court judges."

"I know," Michael says. "And I also know you won't let him take you for a ride, even if you do want to see the best in him."

Alex smiles, leaning in for a kiss. "Thank you. Come on, let's go find a distraction until Leah gets home."

They manage to pass the time somehow, though Alex knows neither of them stop looking at the clock for more than a few minutes. Eventually, however, Leah texts that they're on their way back after Teddy has been put to bed. Within half an hour, Lucas' car is pulling into the driveway. Alex doesn't even bother pretending he hasn't been waiting for this, watching through the living room window as Leah and Lucas get out of the car and approach the front door together, hand in hand.

"Damn, that's adorable," Alex sighs, sneaking a quick picture.

"You're going to get in trouble if she finds out you took that," Michael says, like he's not also watching them over Alex's shoulder. "Come on, come away. We don't need to know if she gets a goodnight kiss."

"Spoilsport," Alex teases. "Like you don't want to go intimidate Lucas some more, you great big Papa Bear."

"On this one occasion, what I don't know can't hurt me," Michael says wisely. He curls a hand around Alex's elbow and draws him away from the window. "Let's sit down so that she doesn't think we've been creeping"

Alex rolls his eyes but allows Michael to lead him back to the living room proper. "Do you think they had a good time?"

"I think we're about to find out," Michael says, just as the front door opens.

Leah takes her sweet time taking off her shoes and jacket, but finally she appears in the living room, beaming from ear to ear. "Hey guys. You haven't just been sitting around waiting for me, have you?"

"Obviously not," Michael scoffs. "We have lives."

Leah glances pointedly to the TV, which has not been switched on all night. "Sure."

"We were playing with Teddy," Alex tries. "He only just went down."

"Yeah, yeah," Leah says, grinning, as she flops down onto the loveseat and kicks her feet up. "Go on, then. Ask."

Michael grins back. "How did it go?"

Leah melts into the cushions, her smile softening into something sweeter. "It was really nice, actually. Not that different to when we hang out as friends. But it was nice."

Alex exchanges a soft look with Michael. "Are you going to do it again?" he asks.

Leah ducks her head, and says, "Yeah. I think so. Lucas said he wanted to."

"Do you want to?" Alex presses.

Leah nods. "Yeah," she says. "I was worried that doing something like this would make me realise that I don't actually like him like that, but... I do. I really like him."

Michael smiles. "It's been a long time coming," he says gently. "We noticed last year, I think."

She looks up, surprised. "You did?"

Alex snorts, but he's smiling. "We did," he agrees. "Lucas wasn't exactly subtle."

"Seriously? Why didn't I notice?"

Alex shrugs, but he's smiling, soft and fond. "Maybe the same reason Liz never noticed Max's giant crush on her in high school," he says. "Including the time he literally caused a blackout because she touched his hand during a lab."

Leah snorts. "What? You're kidding."

"I can't believe you remember that," Michael laughs.

"We got to leave school early because your brother had the alien equivalent of a coming-in-his-pants moment," Alex says dryly. "Of course I remember that."

"Yeah, but you didn't know that at the time," Michael points out, at the same time as Leah wrinkles her nose and says:

"Please don't talk about Uncle Max coming in his pants."

Alex blinks, immediately distracted. "'Uncle Max'?"

Leah shrugs, gaze skittering away from them. "I'm just trying it out."

Alex glances at Michael, feeling like they're suddenly on shaky ground. "And... how does it feel?" he asks, careful.

Leah shrugs again. "It was okay, I guess."

Another glance at Michael, and Alex decides to leave it be. "Well, okay then. And just let us know whenever you and Lucas decide on your next date."

That brings the smile back to Leah's face. "Yeah, I will."

Despite the success of Leah's date, the next couple of weeks are tense while they wait for news about Adam. Alex gets daily updates from Caroline, but she doesn't really have anything to report, and although Leah pointedly doesn't ask, she's quiet and withdrawn at home. Teddy picks up on it and becomes clingier than usual, both to Leah and to Michael, who's doing his best to keep both kids upbeat. Alex spends hours on the computer, looking for anything that might help - the security footage from the convenience store Adam's roommate robbed, dirt on Adam's friends, dirt on Adam. He can't find anything useful, but that won't stop him from trying.

And then he gets a call. Isobel has taken the kids out for ice cream after school, and Michael is working late at the junkyard, so it's just Alex at home, for which he's grateful. If it's bad news, he wants the time to compose himself and figure out the best course of action before he tells his family.

"Hey, Alex," Caroline says when he answers. "I hope this isn't a bad time. It's about Adam."

Alex doesn't suck in a sharp breath, but he does steel himself. "Finally got a court date?"

"Yeah, in a couple of months," Caroline says. "But that's not why I'm calling. They're dropping the charges."

Alex blinks. "Are you serious?" he demands, half-laughing.

"Yeah," Caroline says. "The other guys involved have finally started talking, and they confirmed that Adam wasn't knowingly involved. Adam has agreed to be a witness, and I pulled some strings, so he's free to go."

"Oh, thank God," Alex sighs, slumping as he scrubs a hand across his face. "Leah was really torn up about this."

"Well, I'm glad it's good news," Caroline says. "I don't suppose you know of anywhere he can stay? I don't think it's a good idea for him to go back to the place he was living before this."

"No, I agree," Alex hums. "I'm willing to pay for a short term motel stay; I don't want to offer to let him stay with us without talking to Leah about it."

"I'll let him know," Caroline says. "Do you want to be here when he gets out?"

Alex considers that, worrying his lip. "Tell him to call me," he settles on. "I need to talk to Michael and Leah first."

"All right. I'll find a reasonable motel and send you the invoice. And Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"As your friend, not your lawyer - he's not a bad kid, but you need to put your family first."

Alex takes in a deep breath, has to fight back the urge to bristle like a damn porcupine. "I know," he says. "I'm not using family money to pay for the motel, and I'm calling Michael as soon as we hang up. We'll figure something out."

"I know you will," Caroline says, a smile in her voice. "Look after yourself, Guerin. I'll call you later."

"Thanks again, Caroline," Alex says before they hang up. He takes a moment to breathe, centering himself before he dials a well-known number.

"Hello, Mr Guerin," Michael says when he answers. "Missing me already?"

"Always," Alex says easily; it's his usual response. "I've got news."

That gets Michael's attention; Alex hears him put down whatever he's working on. "Everything okay?"

"It's about Adam," Alex says, and doesn't waste any time. "He's being released - no charges pressed."

"You're kidding."

"I'm not," Alex says. "He's getting out, and decided not to go back to that apartment. I offered to pay for a - short - motel stay, give him a chance to get his bearings. I'll pay for it out of my account."

The line crackles as Michael blows out a breath. "Take it out of the joint account," he says. "Most of the money in there is yours anyway, and we still have some savings. He is family, I guess." This last is said begrudgingly. "It's not your responsibility, but we can't see him on the streets."

Alex can't help but smile at Michael's tone. "Okay," he says. "But speaking of family... What about Leah?"

"We need to tell her," Michael says. "Let her decide how she wants us to handle it."

"That's what I was thinking," Alex hums, shifting in his chair. "Tonight, maybe?"

"Yeah," Michael agrees. "Do you need me to come home?"

"Not right now," Alex decides. "It can wait; you know she's a bit of a night owl, anyway."

"All right," Michael says. "I should be finishing up in about an hour, so I'll grab dinner on the way home. I love you."

"I love you, too," Alex says, smiling as his chest warms the way it always does when Michael says that, even years later. "I'm feeling Chinese takeout, I think."

"You got it," Michael promises. "I'll see you at home."

Michael gets home shortly after Leah does, and neither he nor Alex brings up the matter of Adam while they eat. Instead, they listen to Teddy’s and Leah's stories about their days, chiming in with alternating teasing and genuine questions to keep the conversation going. Eventually, Teddy carefully puts his plate in the sink with the help of his little stool, and then scampers out to the living room, where Alex can hear him rummaging through his toy box. Alex smiles, sharing a look with Michael and Leah. "Ah, the energy of youth," he sighs, overly dramatic as he slumps against Michael's shoulder.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Michael laughs, pressing a kiss to his hair. "I've still got plenty of energy."

Leah widens her eyes. "Okay. If you guys are going to be gross, I'm going to my room."

Alex sits upright, though he doesn't move away from Michael. "Wait, before you go - I got a call today. From Caroline."

Leah freezes halfway to standing. "That's your lawyer friend from work, right?"

Alex nods. "She's been working on Adam's case," he says, watching Leah carefully. "She had an update."

Leah slowly lowers herself back into her seat. "Okay," she says. "Hit me."

Alex doesn't make her wait. "Caroline says the others who were involved have started talking, and Adam's been cleared. No charges."

"No charges?" Leah repeats sharply - and then, much softer, "So he's not going to prison?"

Alex shakes his head, a gentle smile curving his lips. "No," he says. "No charges, no prison." He glances at Michael, then back to Leah. "He doesn't want to go back to the apartment that he was staying at, so I offered to help pay for him to stay at a motel while he gets his bearings and figures something out."

"That sounds expensive," Leah says, frowning.

"Don't worry about it," Michael tells her. "He's not staying in a nice motel, and it won't be long term. We can cover it for a week or two."

Alex nods in agreement. "Like I said, just long enough for him to find somewhere else to stay. But moving forward... Well, I wanted to let you know what was going on first. You're our daughter, and you're our priority."

Leah takes a moment to let that settle, and nods. "Thank you," she says. "So what happens now?"

"I might see him when he's released," Alex says slowly. "But anything else is up to you; whether you want to meet him somewhere or let him come here. He knows it's your call."

"What do you think I should do?"

"We can't make that decision for you," Alex reminds her. "But... I think, when you're ready, you should see him at least once. See if there's any chance to reconcile - or even just take the chance to yell at him, if that's what you need. Some sort of closure."

Leah sniffs. "Yelling at him sounds good. But what if we can reconcile? Is that... allowed?"

Michael's expression softens. "Sweetheart, of course it's allowed. He's your brother. It's also fine if you decide you can't reconcile. Whatever you want to do, we're in your corner and we'll back you all the way."

Alex nods. "You come first, always," he says, reaching out to put a hand on Leah's shoulder, squeezing gently. "Whatever you decide, we're with you."

She smiles. "Thanks," she says. "Okay. I'll see him - but only once he's got his own place lined up. I don't want you guys to still be giving him money when I talk to him."

"Makes sense," Alex says, getting up to drop a kiss to the top of Leah's head. "I don't say this enough, but - I'm proud of you, honey."

"We both are," Michael agrees.

Leah's smile doesn't waver, but there's a suspicious shine to her eyes now. "Thanks, guys."

It takes a couple of weeks for Adam to find an apartment; luckily, his boss is understanding enough to give him his job back, considering all charges had been dropped, so after the first week, Adam pays for the motel room himself. Adam decides to move closer, though he doesn't move to Roswell proper. Alex doesn't ask, but he knows Leah's a little relieved about that.

It's only once Adam has actually moved in that Leah agrees to meet with him. After some back and forth, they decide on lunch; Leah and Adam will sit inside and eat, while Alex and Michael wait in the car. Liz takes Teddy for the day - 'for practice,' she claims. While Alex is honored that Leah wants them for backup, he doesn't feel the least bit bad about hacking into the little restaurant's limited CCTV to keep an eye on them.

"I don't get how you're so calm," he mutters once he has everything set up on his laptop, Leah and Adam in their booth, the tension between them obvious even through the screen. He gives Michael a pointed look. "What happened to all your skepticism?"

"I'm still sceptical," Michael says. "But Leah needs this either way." He clears his throat. "And I might have spoken to Isobel about it."

Alex raises a brow. "Really?"

"She may have pointed out that Leah's not an idiot, and neither are you."

That gets a laugh. "Remind me to get her a nice Christmas present this year," Alex chuckles.

Michael rolls his eyes, grinning. "I'm still not convinced that he's not going to let her down, but I trust you way more than I trust him, so. Play on."

"I think at this point, if he lets her down, Leah will take care of him all by herself," Alex muses, tilting his laptop so Michael can see the screen. "I think she's already laid into him a bit."

Michael grins at the grainy image. "That's my girl."

Leah is currently sitting with her arms over her chest, looking at Adam with a dubious expression, clear even at the distance from the camera. Adam is leaning forward, though he doesn't reach out for Leah as he talks. "I think he's changed for good," Alex says, watching them.

Michael hums. "I don't know if anyone ever really changes," he muses. "But people will do a lot of things, become a lot of things, to survive. I know I did."

Alex reaches out, takes Michael's hand in his and squeezes. They lapse into silence, both watching the two siblings reunion slowly progress on the screen before them. Leah's body language remains tense, a little closed-off, but gradually, she starts to relax. She isn't throwing herself at Adam, isn't as open and carefree as she is at home or with their family, but it's a start.

Alex strokes his thumb over Michael's knuckles, an absent, familiar motion. "Think they'll keep talking?" he wonders aloud, glancing from the laptop to Michael.

"Maybe," Michael says. "It looks like things are going well now." He raises his eyebrows pointedly at Alex. "Maybe we should give them some privacy."

Alex rolls his eyes, but shuts the laptop. "Better?"

"Much better," Michael agrees, grinning. "And no, we're not going in there to sit a few tables over and eavesdrop, either. She's your daughter, she will definitely notice."

Alex sighs, put-upon, but his lips twitch nonetheless. "Well, I guess we'll just have to entertain ourselves, then," he says. "Maybe have a conversation."

"Oh no," Michael deadpans. "How will I manage a conversation with my husband?"

That gets a snicker, and Alex lifts Michael's hand to his lips, brushing a kiss against his knuckles. "Well, I've been thinking about what comes next," he says. "When Leah goes to college."

"Oh, shit, this is a serious conversation." The mirth fades from Michael's eyes, and he shifts so that he's facing Alex better, instantly attentive. "Okay, lay it on me. What have you been thinking?"

Alex doesn't see any point in beating around the bush. "Do you still want to take in more kids?"

Michael is nodding before he's even finished asking the question. "Yeah, but I thought we were asking the kids first. Unless." He hesitates. "Have you changed your mind?"

"No! No, I haven't," Alex hastens to reassure him. "I just... wanted to make sure we were still on the same page, maybe figure out when we should talk to the kids."

Michael relaxes a fraction, and gives Alex's hand a squeeze. "We can do it soon, if you want. We've still got a while until Leah is off to college, so they've got time to get used to the idea."

"Let's see how this goes," Alex chuckles. "Should probably see if there's gonna be a fire to put out after this before we go possibly starting another one."

Michael nods. "Do you think she'll take it okay, when we do ask her?"

"I hope so," Alex sighs. "I hope she trusts us enough to not think we're replacing her."

"We'll make sure she knows it," Michael says. "We're not giving her room away or anything, and she's welcome to live with us for as long as she likes, during or after college. There's always going to be room for all of our kids under our roof - right?"

"Always," Alex says, feeling more settled.

Leah and Adam spend almost two hours in the restaurant. Alex goes next door at one point to get something for himself and Michael to eat, but they eat in the car. When Leah and Adam finally emerge, Adam sticks around long enough to say hi to Michael and Alex before leaving, Leah climbing into the back seat.

Alex twists to look at her as Michael starts the car, pulling away from the restaurant. "Everything okay?"

"Uh, yeah," Leah says. "I think so. He seemed... different, I guess?"

"Good different?" Alex asks; Leah would know, after all.

Leah nods. "Yeah. He didn't make me any bullshit promises about me coming to live with him or ask me for money. He just... told me about his job, and his new place - and he said he was sorry."

Alex exchanges a quick glance with Michael before turning back to Leah. "How are you feeling about that?"

"Pretty good," she says. "I yelled at him - quietly, I didn't want to get kicked out. But I told him how much he's hurt me, and how I don't trust him and I think he's an asshole. And he just, he just took it. He agreed with me."

"Well, good," Alex says, satisfied. "Any... future plans?"

Leah takes a breath. "I gave him my new number, and we're going to text some. I said I'd see him again next month if he manages to stay out of jail."

That makes Michael laugh. "You tell him."

"You don't think I was too harsh?" Leah asks, but she's grinning. Michael just shakes his head.

"Nah. It sounds like you said exactly what you needed to." He gives Leah a serious look in the rearview mirror. "If you don't think he got the message, though, I can always reinforce it."

Leah rolls her eyes, her expression fond. "I think I'm good, but thanks. Just take me home, Dad."

Alex sucks in a breath, and he knows that it's only Michael's iron control that keeps them steady on the road. It takes a moment for Alex to find his voice, and he has to roughly clear his throat before he can speak. "Are you... trying that out, too?"

Leah gives him a tentative smile. "No, Pa," she says. "I'm sure."