"I don't think this is a good idea." Alexis said for about the fifth time since Luke had told her where they were going.
"I may not be a great father, but even I know she should here about this marriage from me, not some reporter or friend at school." Luke explained. Alexis sat silently, knowing he was right. The press coverage of the case had been huge, even though the trial had yet to start. It was only a matter of time before they found out about this latest development.
"I agree you should tell her. That doesn't mean I need to be there."
"You don't think she might want to meet her stepmother?"
"I'm not, well I mean not really..."
Suddenly Luke pulled the car over to the side of the road and cut the engine.
"Look Alexis I realise being married to me isn't your idea of fun. You want to call this off, go right ahead. I won't willingly testify against you but if Scott pulls out the big guns there might not be a whole hell of a lot I can do. You need to decide right now, stay married to me for a few months or face a possible life sentence. Well?" He pressed when she didn't answer.
"I'm thinking."
"Alexis!"
"Okay fine, I guess you're better than prison."
"Thanks a lot."
"I really do appreciate everything you have done for me Luke."
"Care to show me how much? I think I've got a blanket in the back seat, we could..." He began with a suggestive grin.
"See this is why I don't like you, you take a perfectly nice moment and turn it into something..."
"Sexual?"
"Gross."
"Don't knock it till you try it."
"On some rare occasions ignorance is bliss becomes more than a cliché, your sex life would be one of those instances."
They rode in silence for the next several minutes until at last Luke pulled into the driveway.
"Ready?"
"No."
"I can't believe you're afraid of an eight year old." He admonished clearly amused.
"I'm not, I'm just not good with children."
"You're a mother."
"I mean other people's children." She told him, remembering the disaster of Brooke Lynn.
Luke took her hand in his and gave a squeeze.
"Relax, you'll be fine." Oddly enough she actually felt comforted by his words, again they were a united front, only this time it was for real. Luke opened the front door and led Alexis into the house, Laura's house. He would always think of it that way. That was the reason he spent as little time as possible there, too many memories.
"Hello, anybody home?" He called out. An instant later a pair of little feet could be heard running upstairs. Lesley Lu ran down the stairs and leapt into her father's waiting arms.
"Daddy you're home." She squealed in obvious delight.
"Hello sweetheart."
"I missed you Daddy." The little girl confided softly.
"I missed you too darlin."
"Hello Luke," Lesley greeted coming out of the kitchen. "Oh hello Alexis." She said obviously surprised to see her.
"Hi."
"Were you planning on staying?" Lesley asked and saw the guilt in Luke's eyes. "I just meant, I was hoping to run out for a bit." She explained hastily.
"Sure, we're fine here." Luke replied. Once Lesley was gone Luke turned to his daughter. "Why don't we sit down?" He asked leading her to the sofa.
"Am I in trouble?"
"No, not at all. I just wanted to introduce you to my ... um my friend Alexis."
"Daddy I know who Alexis is, she's Nicky's aunt." Lesley Lu reminded him in a tone which implied he was being silly.
"Hello, Lesley Lu, it's, nice to see you." Alexis greeted formally.
"Hi." She replied friendly but wary, something was going on and she wasn't sure she liked it.
"Sweetie, there's something Alexis and I need to tell you. We got married this morning." He told her not knowing what else to say.
Lesley Lu looked up at her father, and then at Alexis. Without a word she jumped of the sofa and ran up the stairs. Luke stood there wondering if he could possibly handled the situation worse. He just didn't know what to do where his daughter was concerned. Alexis soon realised Luke was not going upstairs, so she went herself. She saw the door and smiled, Lesley Lu's name had been painted on it, surrounded by stars. She knocked softly and then called.
"Can I come in?"
"Okay." The little girl called back and she opened the door.
Alexis looked at the little girl with sad eyes and felt a connection. She had been the same age when her whole world had been torn apart. She wouldn't do that to another child, not if she could help it.
"Lesley Lu you know that your Dad is a great guy," she began as the little girl nodded solemnly. "Well I got into a little bit of trouble and your Dad is helping me out. The thing is in order to help me we had to get married. It doesn't change anything, I'm not trying to take your mother's place or take your Daddy away from you, I would like to be your friend though."
"Does this mean my Mom isn't coming back?" Lesley Lu asked.
Alexis looked at the girl and felt her heart break in two.
"Honestly sweetheart I don't know. I do know that your Mom loves you and she's trying to get well so she can come back to you, and your Daddy."
"But what if she comes back and sees you and thinks that we don't need her anymore?" She asked.
"Can you keep a secret?" Alexis asked. She was risking everything but she couldn't help it. There was no other way.
"Yes."
"Okay. The truth is your Daddy married me so he could help protect me from a bad man. As soon as the bad man is stopped your Daddy and I are going to not be married anymore."
"So it's sort of like pretend?"
"Exactly. Your Dad and I are just friends, he loves your Mommy. So is it okay if me and my daughter join you and your Dad for a bit?"
"You have a daughter? How old is she?"
"Kristina is just a baby."
"Really, would I be able to hold her?"
"Sure, I'm going to the hospital to see her, you can come with me?"
"Alexis?"
"Yes?"
"If you and Daddy are married does that mean Kristina is kind of like my sister?"
Alexis looked at the little girl unsure which answer she wanted to hear. Then she remembered when she was that age how thrilled she had been to find out about Kristina. She took a chance that Lesley Lu would feel the same.
"Yes, that would make you a big sister." Seeing the little girls smile she knew she had said the right thing.
"Can I ask you another question?" Lesley Lu asked nervously.
"You can ask me anything."
"Are you and Kristina going to move into our house?"
"Um, I'm not sure." Alexis answered honestly. She and Luke hadn't got around to discussing living arrangements.
"I wish you would."
"Why?"
"Cause then maybe Daddy would come home too."
Luke stood just out of view, listening to Alexis and his daughter. He couldn't believe how blind he had been to his own child. Alexis was jumping through hoops to keep Kristina and he had just let his daughter go.