Status: DONE

The Challenge He'd Been Waiting For

I Can Feel My Lungs Collapse on Me

Alex sat her down on the seat in the back lounge, not feeling completely safe about letting a toddler sit in a moving vehicle without some type of restraint. He couldn't do much about it but sit on her one side, Jack on her other, in the tour-rented taxi that was bringing them to Maria's mother's house.

Jack had been a little iffy about going with his boyfriend, being as he ex-girlfriend could still be living with her parents. It would be awkward for them to be around each other, especially since she had no idea about him and Alex; he didn't want to think about how she reacted, since she was completely anti-homosexual, and since she knew how hard he'd worked to get her.

As he thought about Mia, he looked down at the little one next to him, wondering how she would take the news once she was old enough to ask and understand that he father was with another man -- he was sure Alex has thought of the same thing, he just didn't know if he'd come up with an answer.

The taxi came to a halt, the lanky boy got out of the car and walked around to the side where his boyfriend was getting out, turning around to grab Alexis. They shared a look as the little one's face lit up.

"Gam-ma," she cooed running to the door and struggling to reach the door bell.

Jack pushed it for her, smiling again at her spunk. When he looked at Alex, he instantly felt his sorrow, knowing that the little girl wouldn't be able to see someone she really seemed to love; he couldn't help but wonder if she even realized that she wouldn't be seeing her mother again.

"Hello Alexis," the woman's aging eyes set on the two tall boys, "Come in, Alex and Jack."

"Thank you," they replied in unison watching Alexis run into the house.

"Cookies?" she asked as they reached the kitchen, the dark haired boy took one and smiled.

"I've missed you."

"No Jack, you've missed her cooking skills."

The grandmother glanced into the living room where Alexis played before turning back to the boys and lowering her tone, "So, what did Maria say?"

"She said that this was to be the last time I'd see you, that I should just get her stuff and never talk to you guys again. All because her stupid boyfriend won't marry her until she gives up our kid."

"That's not true, do you think her so shallow?"

"I don't know, a lot has changed and I've never saw her with our baby."

"The truth is, Alex, that she's sick, Alexis not Maria. It breaks Maria and Eric's hearts to give her up, but they cannot afford to take care of her anymore, they know that you'll be able to."

"What's wrong with her?"

The woman shrugged, staring at her cookies in disgust, "The doctors don't know, we've went to the most expensive doctors we can afford. Maybe you boys could get her somewhere better and find out?"

"Why couldn't Maria just tell me that in the first place, I wouldn't have gotten mad, I would've been willing to help. I still am, I just don't want to tug little Alexis away from you and Maria."

"She doesn't want to see her go."

"What do you mean?"

"If the doctors can't figure it out, she isn't going to be around much longer. I'm sorry that you got brought in at this point, but she's still your blood."

"I'm going to do everything I can," Alex said honestly, his eyes feeling puffy at the thought of losing the child he'd just found out about. He felt Jack's hand slip around him again, he leaned back and accepted the warmth.

"I see you boys are doing well," the voice came from the hall, it was Mia.

"Hi Mia," Jack stuttered as he looked at her, "I-I'm sorry about how we left things."

She waved her hand to dismiss it, "I'm not holding a grudge, I'm just upset that you two were going behind our backs."

"I wasn't trying to take him from you," Alex told her.

"You're going to help Alexis?" she asked changing the subject to avoid the awkwardness she felt rising.

"Of course."

"Good, I don't want to lose my little dolly."

Alex looked at the time on the clock above the sink, "We need to get back to the venue before the gates are locked, I apologize."

"Leave her here while you finish tour, it won't be good for her to be out there with you guys, I don't care what Maria says about it," the grandmother spoke with authority. "Give me your numbers, I will contact you if anything is to happen to her."

Alex pulled out a credit card and handed to the older woman, "Anything you need on Alexis' be-half, put it on there, don't even think twice about it."

"Thank you," she replied as she took the card delicately into her hands.

The boys started to walk out the door when they felt a hand tug at their shirts, Alex turned around to see his daughter. She looked up at him with wide eyes and grabbed onto him as he bent to do be eye-level with her.

"Don't leave me, daddy."

"I'll be back, I promise. When Jack and I pick you up, we'll go to the aquarium and pet the penguins."

She grinned and let go of him, holding onto Jack's leg for a moment before stepping back and looking up at them, "I'll miss you."
♠ ♠ ♠
A little sad, I know. But I was given an idea, and what this leads to is what I took from it.