Alexis returned home that night to her room mates crowded in the living room munchig on chicken alfredo. She threw her keys at the fixture and sighed, "Guys, I have to talk to you..."

"Oh boy, story time!" Leena said stretching her legs upward on the sofa in her yoga pants and leotard, "Is it about Derek, becasue we haven't seen you the past couple of days and I can only assume...."

She narrowed her eyes, "Yes, it is." She sunk into the Lay-Z-Boy recliner in the corner of the room. "He was injured and needes to take it easy for a while. They're going to discharge him from the hospital and he has no where to go, so... seeing as we're kinda... sorta... you know... Well, I am the only person he knows around her and well, I thought it would be nice to take care of him..." She looked at their faces.

"This is the guy you yelled at a couple months ago?" Siran asked with her brows raised.

"The very same." Lexi nodded.

Lucella shrugged, "As long as he puts the seat down and chips in for rent and stuff, I'm down."

Siran nodded.

Alexis smiled, "You guys are the best."

Derek had a hard time sleeping that night. Every so often nurses came in to double even triple check things and quite honestly it annoyed him. The last time a nurse came in to check on him he had finally had it.

"Nurse, may I please have something put in my IV for me to sleep?" The nurse looked down at him with a soft smile.

"The doctor said you should try to sleep on your own because of all the excitement Marshall stirred up today. We also want to make sure that we can wake you up if need be. I'm sorry soldier." Derek sighed and muttered some phrases in Spanish before turning over, painfully, and closing his eyes the images of Lexi filling his mind and dreams.

The next morning, Alexis came to the hospital. She was dressed professionaly, in dark jeans and a loose fitting blouse under a black peacoat with military style buttons. She even had a messenger bag slung across her shoulder. Although, she still had dark makeup around her eyes, her cheeks had a little more color than in days past. She pursed her lips, approaching the nurses' station. As they gave her wearied looks, Alexis turned the corner and went to Derek's room.

Derek tried to open his eyes, but immediately squinted at the rays of light that shone throughout the room. At first he was confused, where was he? how did he get here? As he became more fully awake it all came rushing back to him like something heavy had hit him square in the chest. He sprung up clutching his chest and immediately regretted it as pain seemed to shoot from his head all the way to his last toe. "Damnit!!!" He grunted as he tried to fully sit up. A nurse came in a few minutes later upon hearing the commotion.

"Specialist, glad to see you are awake, but what in earth are you doing? You know if Miss Burns catches you like this she'll have your ass." So much for formality in uniform, Derek thought with a slight smile. The nurse must of sensed his thoughts because she smiled back and replied. "The scene between Specialist Marshall and yourself, a long with Miss Burns really stirred things up, General Langston has ordered we take it easy where the situation is concerned but, we have uniformed officers posted as well as "under-cover civilians" Derek looked up at the nurse for a moment to get his bearings before replying.

"Is he treating this like some type of op?" The nurse shook her head, a few strands coming undone from her semi-tight bun.

"No, he is just being careful. He could tell Miss Burns wasn't at all happy upon hearing what happened and doesn't want her going through on her threat." The nurse's mouth curved upward slightly. "All in all Specialist I truly believe he may be a bit scared of the woman...though I doubt he'll ever admit it and you did NOT hear it from me understood?" Derek couldn't help laughing as he nodded.

"Understood, and yes Lexi---I mean Miss Burns can leave quite an impression when she wants to...trust me." The nurse, whom Derek finally saw her name tag at a brief glance was named Anna, looked at him as she came beside his bed to begin changing his bandages and checking on the machines.

"You really care for this woman? Miss Burns I mean...You seem quite taken with her as if she hadn't only arrived yesterday." Derek eased his way back onto his pillows.

"We have a history, a very unique but common one, but a history all the same." He felt his chest tighten as memories overcame him.

"Derek what the hell are you doing man? We have done our job now let's go!" hissed his friend Aaron as he tried to pull on his friend's sleeve trying to get him to move before they got caught. Derek shook his head and glared at the younger boy.

"They aren't safe until they are back at headquarters..we have to make sure they get there!" As he looked up again he stared at a younger version of Lexi. She was beyond beautiful to him. She took his breath away. He shook his head again and tried to focus on the task at hand. How could someone as beautiful as her be a killer? Is she part of the group the killed his father? It occured to him that it didn't matter, not anymore, all that mattered to him was making sure that beautiful young girl and all those with her got back to headquaters without getting caught and it was up to him and Aaron to make sure no trail was left behind.

Derek shook his head as he came out of his thoughts. "A very unique history indeed."

Alexis knocked on the door, and slipped into his room shortly after arriving. The stray pieces that hung around her face, were clipped back in a small black bow. She seemed far more comfortable in the hospital room than any other visitors the hospital had probably seen. Her boots clicked as they connected with the tile floors in a very authorative way, and her presence was known almost as soon as she entered the room.

"Hey, stranger," She smiled out of the corner of her mouth, tired, as though she had not slept well, "How are you feeling today?" Alexis watched him carefully, trying not to think of the last time they were in a hospital, or the last time she was. Instead she chose to think about her sister's children. That was how she liked to think of hospitals now, instead of waiting rooms filled with people covered in tattoos, and people covered in bloody bandages. She pursed her lips at the memories.

Derek smiled as the nurse finished up and slipped out the room. He then turned at the sound of Lexi's voice still smiling, maybe even a bit wider now. "I'm good..wishing someone would kill the sunshine when I first woke up, but all in all I'm good." He tried to avoid looking at the circles around her eyes, knowing instantly she stepped foot in the room she hadn't slept well. Frankly neither had he, but that's what you get when your body was recovering from an explosion. An explosion of memories, pain, and heartache. He thought. This wasn't going to be easy he knew, but he desperately wanted to try. He knew Lexi wouldn't understand how he felt, not now anyway, but hopefully soon. He shook his head slightly, grimacing with the pain, knowing full well it would be a long road.

He then looked up into her eyes. "I'm glad you came back." He half wondered what she thought upon entering the room this morning but decided it was best he not know, for the fear the answer might make her run away again.

"Well, in these stupid hospital rooms with no color, the light just reflects off the walls and blinds you," She chuckled quietly, "You're going to be a bum for pretty much the next couple weeks, AT LEAST, so you'll be getting enough sleep." She nodded in silence, knowing that he had every right to worry about her not coming back. After all, that's what they were famous for. Running away from each other.

"Yeah, well, I made a promise to your General guy, and I'm not really in the habit of going back on promises anymore." She stated, approaching his bed, and stopping close to the edge, "Do you think they'll let you go today? Do you feel well enough?" She rubbed her hand to her face and tried to smile for him. She could tell he was just as tired as she was.

"I'm going to get better Asap then I won't be much of a burden to you and your friends..I hope" He looked into her tired face, knowing his expression nearly mirrors hers. "Gen. Langston would have understand if you backed out...I can be a real pain the ass so they say." He shrugged then grimaced. "No one has told me the full extent of anything, not even Nurse Anna, who was the nurse that walked out as you came in so I have no idea. I feel better, a little sore in places, but that's nothing new." He wasn't about to say his emotional state was more of a problem then his physical. "I'll be fine Lex, you'll barely know I'm there."

"Lulu says you have to leave the toilet seat down," She teased, fighting back a smile, but letting her expression win. She nodded, "I know, I know, I'm sure it'll all work out fine. You'll be back on your feet and out of our apartment in no time." She smirked, "life will be back as it should be."

"But, uh, maybe I should go check and find the doctor?" Alexis asked moving toward the door.

Derek rolled his eyes "oh come on..you guys are seriously worried about the toilet seat?" He sighed and shook his head chuckling. "Fine I'll leave the seat down." His expression then became serious again. "I won't impose longer than I have to. I was told that one of the guys I share the apartment with, Joseph may get leave soon." He smiled. "I'm sure he'll be thrilled about that." He shook his head again. "We'll be able to keep the place going until Miller and Alexander come back from the tour. Did you know Miller will be going back in a few days?" His eyes darkened at the thought."I worry about my army brothers every day that I'm here...I don't even know if anyone else was injured in the explosion"

"No stay with me...I can call the Lieutenant or Nurse Anna, which ever way you want to think of her as." He then blushed slightly thinking about how that sounded. "I'm sorry, I haven't gotten completely out of Army mode yet. I still call people by ranks, not by their real names." He shrugged quite painfully as he pushed the help button then waited to be answered.

Lexi narrowed her eyes, "It's an all-female apartment. We never leave the seat up." She stuck her tongue out at him, "Whenever you need to," She shrugged, "There's four of us, and they don't mind helping out." Alexis touched her chin as she thought, "Although, you will have to put up with our study habits starting next week, because you know Spring Semester starts..." She stopped and looked at him, "I'm sure everyone's fine," She dismissed, "Think about it, if anyone was going to get seriously hurt, it would inevitably be you," She pointed at him.

"I can understand you wanting to stay with them though, they would know you better," She agreed with a nod.

She timidly reapproached his side, "If you say so," and looked anxiously at the door, "It's quite alright. It doesn't really matter that much to me." She avoided his eyes for a few moments.

"like I said before, you'll hardly know I'm there...soldiers honor." He cracked a smile. "I can picture you being the study type now...that will be interesting to see." He then looked at her again. "yeah that's right rag on the hurt guy..because it's so much fun!" He rolled his eyes biting another smile. "None the less, at least I have you to help me for awhile. For the record, I'd choose you over the guys anyway" He quickly broke contact at his confession, his face turning pinkish-red againist his now tannish skin knowing he was giving too much of his emotions away. The sun from being overseas had done a wonder for his tone. Damnit Delore keep it together!

He looked back at her to see her look away. His heart finally cracked as the words came out. "Does it really hurt that much to look at me? Am I in that bad of shape?" He then cracked a small smile. "Should I be glad no one has given me a mirror?"

She raised her eyebrows, "Hey now, I've gotten A LOT better since high school!" She glared at him, with those cold blue-gray eyes, "I do pretty well in my classes, alright? You know, since I don't have any distractions like family or friends, or a gang." Alexis stopped herself from being spiteful and shook off the old memories of trying to do her homework in Nigi's house while the otherse were doing business. Memories she hadn't visited in a long time.

Alexis's pale cheeks took on a rose color when blushing also at the compliment, looking back at him again, "Well, I'm not maternal at all. You can ask my niece and nephews. I don't really do the compassion thing either, my room mates will attest to that. So, I might not be much better than the guys," She smirked, "Except maybe to look at." She chuckled at herself. At least college had taught her self esteem and confidence to make those sorts of jokes.

She shook her head, "Oh, oh, no, I've seen much worse," her voice was not as strong as she would have liked it to be as she looked back at him, "I was just, thinking of some other things." She rolled her eyes at him, "I'm sure you look in the mirror and appraise yourself enough which is why no one has given you one." She chuckled at the witty verbal shot she took at him.

He smiled a real smile. "I can tell you've gotten better..you are doing something with yourself..that says it all right there." He then laughed again. "Girl, trust me you are WAY better to look at then them crazy idiots...all they good for is keeping all of us alive and making sure we don't crack under the pressure. It seems that college has done you some real good Alexis." He then lowered his eyes, trying to block out the negitative thoughts which told him he wasn't good enough for the girl in front of him. He shook his head furiously trying to clear his head. He grabbed the sheets to steady himself as he tried to bypass a dizzy spell.

"Hey I know I'm not THAT good looking. I'm well aware that the Army has taken its toll." He cracked a small smile. "I wasn't much of a looker back then either."

Alexis shrugged a shoulder, looking away from him again. She didn't really think much of the future or how far she had come, mostly because she spent a lot of time and effort trying to erase the memories and emotions of the past. With a deep breath she looked at him again, and just like the first time she'd seen him a couple months ago, she looked at him while simultaneously looking at her past. Who she was. The way he spoke about his army brothers was strangely, and sickeningly familiar to the way she would have described living in the gang life to an outsider. She had gone to them with her sister, for refuge, but not for comfort. It was a survival thing. Living with her room mates now, was an entirely different relationship. Even Nigi and Reign had grown into a family, one that they could be proud of.

She nodded again, still lost in her own thoughts, "Sometimes," she said quietly, "sometimes it just takes you removing yourself from a situation, or a place," she looked at him again, "... to, you know, figure out who you are," She bit her bottom lip, "Without anyone else telling you who you should be, or what you should do. Here, I'm nobody, I'm invisible. I was able to change, although not completely as it seems," She raised her brows to herself, "OR rather, I was able to be the person I always wanted to be. I didn't have to worry about just surviving anymore. I could worry about studying and becoming someone. I actually have a future; I know, I know that I'm going to make it past my twenties. It's terrifying but exciting at the same time."

She smiled again, abandoning her serious reflections, "I seem to remember a rather fine looking young gentleman, with a terribly thick Mississippi accent and a death wish on the race track. WHO was in a band." Alexis couldn't help but grin, "If that wasn't attractive, I don't know what is."

"I have some years left as an Army man, but I swear to you Lex this isn't who I want to be forever..I just..I know I need another plan, but right now I'm blank...It's almost like I have no clue who I am, the only thing I know is my past and what I've been through now..." He blinked quickly, realizing his eyes had gotten blurry from unshed tears. "I just sometimes wish my dad hadn't died, but I know if he hadn't I wouldn't have met you... and I won't say I regret that because I don't." He looked deeply into her eyes. "I guess the roles are reversed now...you are here to help me instead of me trying to help you." The truth is though Lex I'm a lost cause...you'd be better off walking away. He shook his head at the thought as soon it entered his head.

He cracked a small smile. "What can I say? I was born in Mississippi and raised there until my dad got a new job as a cop here. We were struggling. We needed the money. I raced and played in the band for money. K.D tried to help, our families had been torn apart because of how just deep in debt we were. He moved here with us..." Derek shook his head as he tried hard not to think about his cousin's move back to MS. "Just trust me...I was screwed up when you met me too and falling for you as hard as I did...losing you was the worst thing that ever happened to me, yes even worse than my father's death."

"I can understand feeling like that," Alexis agreed. She frowned slightly at the mention of his father. She smiled at him, stepping closer against her better judgement, "Well, you definitely saved my life in high school, so it's the least I can do to let you crash at my place until you get better."

"We both did things that we probably shouldn't have growing up, and quite honestly, I still have a hard time talking about it," She shook her head at the memories. She bit her bottom lip, they'd never talked about the family problems. It had always been about who they were and what they were going through. "Well, Derek, I think we both need the opportunity to get reacquainted with each other. We definitely aren't who we used to be, and I'd atually like to know a bit more about who you were... Since, well, you seem to know just about everythign about me."

"Saved you or not, people would tell you your putting your life on the line taking in the middle Delore boy.." He shook his head."We don't have to talk about anything you don't want to. The ball is in your court now though, it's all up to you."He sat up with a wince every now and then. "Alright, What is it you want to know? There are no boundaries. I'll answer whatever you want to know to the best of my ability. Go for it."

She crossed her arms defiantly, "Stop being such a pain,a nd before you say it, I know you warned me." Alexis said leaning over, the metal buttons on her jacket catching the light of the sun streaming in through the window that had just blinded derek. The light really illuminated just how blue her eyes were, "We'll talk about it once I get you all settled into the apartment." Alexis drew closer to the side of the bed, "I mean, like, we were 16, and 17 and you just came out of nowhere and gave a shit about me, Derek. That sort of thing doesn't happen to girls in my situation. You're still here and you're still pretty screwed up, so nowhere is somewhere, and I'd like to... really get to know you. Not just, take you for what you are."

Her hair bounced a bit as she looked over her shoulder, "Where's the Nurse or the General?" She looked back at Derek, "I thought you pressed that stupid button?"

Derek's lip formed slowly into a grin. "Just because I warned you doesn't mean you'll listen does it?" He couldn't speak for a moment after catching the look in her eyes then sighed. "Alright, if you really insist on getting to know me again that's fine. I can handle that and I'm hoping you can too. Things have changed since you left." He stared at her for a moment hoping the shadows that haunt him weren't seeping through in his eyes and expression. He pressed the button again and not even 5 minutes later Nurse Anna walked in looking ruffled and tired.

"Sorry about that Specialist, it's been a tough night and day so far...We have found the other soldiers from your unit who were injured in the explosion." Derek's eyes shot straight to Nurse Anna, his expression turned morrified.

"How many were injured? Have you gotten any idea on body count yet?" All of a sudden he felt like he couldn't breath. Breathe Delore..just breathe He started coughing after realizing he'd been holding his breathe dreading the result. You have been through worse Delore SUCK IT UP! He leaned back into his bed all o a sudden feeling drained and tired. "Nurse Anna, please just tell me. How many were injured?" He snuck a look at Lexi hoping to hell his expression didn't show the fear of hearing the results.

"Absolutely not." Alexis said with a grin, "I'm just as hard headed as ever, in case you hadn't noticed." She studied his expression which had darkened momentarily, "It's okay, we'll see. And if I can't, well, there's always the girls and school to distract me." She giggled a little bit. Her dark brows raised as the Nurse entered the room, and she immediantly looked at Derek's face when she announced the news. Biting down on her lip, she watched him. Unfortunately, his panic and hysteria were not as well guarded as he would have hoped. Much against her better judgement, she extended her hand out to him for comfort if he should need it.

"Before I begin I must tell you there was more to the story Delore." Anna took a breath then looked directly in Derek's eyes as she began, never once breaking eye contact praying and hoping that her news would not break the soldier emotionally. "After the explosion, there was a fight of sorts. The people who planted the explosive must have come back to see what their work had done, you were already knocked out, but there were several of your unit that had been barely to not affected at all. They saw you were in a vulnerable position and came to try and get you to safety when they were ambushed. They broke off into two teams, one covering you trying to drag you out and the other fought back. It didn't well for either side." Derek just stared at her.

"Who was injured?" It came out weak and barely audible, but the nurse understood. She shook her head slightly.

"So far the confirmed are Dean Kendall, Carter Anderson and Jayson Alexander. They are not wounded as bad, but we are keeping them here for observation." Derek felt like crying at hearing Jayson's name. He was only wounded. He's not dead! The feeling of celebration only lasted a minute before a chill shot down his spine. What about Joseph?

"What of Joseph Michaels? He was with me when we went across the hill! He was the one who told me about the others in trouble. What happened to Joseph?" The nurse's face immediately darkened as she sighed.

"I'm sorry", she began softly, "Joseph Michaels was brought in DOA..dead on arrival. He had a bullet to the head and heart, not to mention a bit burnt up from the explosion, but we were able to identify him by his tags as well as other records." Derek's face went pale-white and he began shaking. Derek laid back in his bed trying to control himself, but he was losing that battle rapidly.

"How do we know this? Where did the intell come from?" His voice was now so quiet he could barely be heard.

"Another soldier saw everything from across the hill. He was the one who called in the emergency back up and rescue." Derek's eyes leered up at Anna.

"Who was the soldier?" Anna gave a ghost of a smile.

"Private Alan Miller. He's the reason you are just learning this now. He made us all promise we would not say anything until everything was confirmed as of right now, especially Michaels' death. He told me that he came back on the plane to watch over you and to make sure you were OK. He said it was what Michaels would have wanted him to do. I am so sorry Specialist, from what I was told you and Michaels were very close. I'm going to go check on a few things, but if you need me don't hesitate to call." Anna walked over and squeezed his hand gently before looking at Alexis and mouthing "take care of him" before walking out and closing the door behind her quietly. Derek was silently for a few long minutes before he looked up at Lexi, his face pale white and his expression haunted and dark.

"Joseph saved my life...I may not have been conscious, but I feel it in my gut. Joseph gave his life for mine."

Alexis grabbed Derek's hand, in acknowledgement of what the Nurse was saying. She bit her lip watching his face. She wanted to utter some words of comfort, something to break the tension, to help him take the blow, but she couldn't. Her fingers grasped his wrist, they were cold to the touch and contrasted against his skin. She could feel his heart beating, the adrenaline pumping, the anxiety building. "Derek," She managed to whisper in a hoarse voice.

Her face was ashen, and she felt sick to her stomach. Alexis didn't know if she could do this again. She couldn't look at him looking at her yet, "Those things... you just know," She said quietly, staring at the window, "I'm so sorry," Her hoarse voice was almost inaudible, "I-I'm sorry," Alexis closed the clear blue eyes, and swallowed her tears. She took a few long deep breaths, and then exhaled. She then looked down at him with such a hurt expression, "I know, I know that I can't begin to understand what you must be feeling right now, but, but, I'm here," She leaned over and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and pressed her cool lips to his forehead, "I'm here... for you." She murmured into his hair, pressing her chin to the top of his head.

Derek wanted so desperately to cling to Lexi and sob his heart out, but he was a man and real men didn't cry. He was in the army for God sakes! He slowly reached up and wrapped his arms around her. His resolve was slowly crumbling, tears spilled like a river down his face. Everything seemed to speed up, his breathing and heart rate spiked dangerously. He pulled away slowly, his head spinning, eyes blurred. He laid back and stared up at a blurred vision of Lexi. "I-I-I can't..please don't g-go. I n-n--need you h-h-e-ere." and finally he passed out due to exhaustion and pain.

Miller watched the scene from the door, his heart breaking for his friend. He stepped out of the shadows and cleared his throat. "I've already alerted Anna, she'll be in soon to give him a sedative to help him sleep. Please Miss Burns, I hope you meant what you said. He really does love you and needs you more than he'll admit. He won't make it through this alone."

She pressed her lips to his forehead again, and closed her eyes, "Shhh, shh," Alexis stroked the back of his head gently, "Shhhh," she smiled at him, holding back tears of her own as he pulled away from her, "I'm here, I'm not going anywhere, Derek." As he fell asleep, she watched him thoughtfully, Was she really ready for this? Could she handle his emotions without resurfacing her own? "Oh God,"she murmured putting her face in her hands, letting her tears, now streaming, fall freely. After a moment she wiped her eyes daintily and jumped slightly when Miller cleared his throat.

"Oh, oh, excuse," She managed, containing herself again, "I'm, that is to say, I'll try my best. I have to be honest with you," Her voice faltered, so she stopped a moment. After a few deep breaths she recollected herself, "I have to be honest, I don't know if I'm ready for all of this. I don't know if I can do this alone." She bit her rosy bottom lip.

Miller looked past her to his sleeping friend and replied softly "You have no idea how hard it was for him after you left. He only told Michaels and I because we literally bugged the shit out of him for a week straight and even then it was beyond difficult for a man like him,a military man no less to confess that the loss of love, a girl had driven him to want to get away...to end it. The only reason he didn't was because I was convinced, and I convinced him that you still loved him. You were confused yes, aren't we all when it comes to love? but I believed you hadn't forgotten about him. Hell you took the poor guy's jeep!" He then looked back at her. "You love him...it's plain as day. Otherwise why would you have flown here when you first heard about him being injured huh? You aren't weak and neither is he. You aren't teenagers anymore Alexis. Yes, love is still as scary as it was back then I get it, but from what Derek has told me you have never backed down from anything that has frightened you and that included him. Only reason you ran was because you didn't want him getting tangled up in your life, well let me ask you something...is the life he's in now any better?" He walked over to stand beside her and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "You aren't alone Alexis, you have friends that will help you and don't forget about Derek's family. I spoke to Derek's sister Izzy a little awhile ago, she and his older brother Miguel are on their way here. Izzy is so excited to meet you it's not even funny...and trying to understand her excited Spanish is even more unbelievable." He smiled softly before continuing "also don't forget I'm not an enemy either...I am an ally. I will help you any way I can. Just please don't give up on Derek...be patient..he needs your love and support to help him through."

"I don't guess I do." She said quietly, looking at Miller, "We went through a lot of stuff, and I'm... I'm a very complex person, and I'm sorry to have put him through everything that I have, but... it's kinda crazy the things you'll do for someone..." Alexis laughed a little at the comment about the jeep, "I don't know if he's told you, but I still drive that stupid old thing around." She laughed a little harder, tears running down her cheeks, "I know why, I know why I flew here, you don't have to tell me."

Her cool eyes aimed down at the floor, she spoke in a low voice, "Love is terrifying, and I am well aware of my age, Mister Miller," she fully enunciated his last name, "He knows me, he knew me very well. He was very right when he told you that i didn't back down from anything. Did he tell you what I was doing when he met me? Did he tell you all the terrible things I did?" She shook her head, pieces of her well groomed hair falling into her face now, "I have to admit, the way he talks about all of you scare mes. It reminds me of the way I used to live. Of my past, and I'm scared of falling back into it." She sighed.

She looked at his hand and then up at him, those clear blue eyes studying him, "Here, I only have my room mates, and you guys," she swallowed, "My family, what's left of them, are all out on the East Coast, I just..." She took a breath, and froze, "I-I-I never met his family." She trembled a little, "They're on their way now?"She took another breath, "You promise to help out? I don't know him anymore like you do, I don't know him the way you guys do. He's like your brother. He needs you just as much as he needs me."

Miller couldn't help but laugh softly as he took pulled up a chair next her and looked her straight in the face. "He told me everything and you want to know what I said? I laughed and said well damn Delore you just can't get out of this life can you? and then when I met up with him in Iraq he told me how he met up with you again and how everything has changed. You made him believe it was possible he could get out, but I'll be honest with you, he was afraid if he got out that you would not want him and he'd have nothing. He wants to get out. He wants to be a better man FOR YOU!" Miller shook his head at what she said about him and the guys. "We're brothers and we'll always be brothers that's a fact that will not change, but that does not mean you will fall back into your old life. Derek would die before he let that happen. " Miller took another long look at Derek before he spoke again.

"Yes, his family is on their way here. Sad to say though his mother will not be joining them due to her failing health, though you wouldn't know that from her rapid Spanish and her suspicious eyes." He shivered slightly. "Don't worry Izzy and Miguel are amazing. Izzy is a beautiful girl." Miller's face immediately turned red, but he chose to not comment on it. "All three siblings have a sharp resemblance to one another. It's scary." He sighed before turning to face her again. "You know him a lot more than you think you do. You know his heart. THAT has not changed. It still beats for you...and your love." He grinned before adding "and all he needs me for is to kick his ass every once and awhile for being a whiny little bitch."

She shined when she smiled back, "I can't say I'm ashamed of who I use to be, because I'm proud that I was strong enough to do it." Alexis took off her jacket, realizing she'd be staying a while. The blouse was three quarter lengths, and the tattoo showed clearly on her wrist; she pointed to it, "I will never remove this, because that is erasing my past. I don't believe in that. I will cover, I will lie, and I will kick ass." She looked away, crossing her arms betwixt her chest, "I'm not just trying to survive anymore; I want to be a better person. I want to... Have a normal family, and have 9-5." Her smile lit her face up.

"He should get out. It's dangeous. It makes me a nervous wreck." Alexis's face dropped, "What, because he wasn't risking his life anymore? God, I was so happy to hear he was looking at schools when I first saw him a couple months ago at that party... Although, that was after I got over being mortified that I'd crossed paths with him again." She nodded at his comment about the brothers, "I don't know that I'd let myself fall back into it, but rather, miss it. I don't want to miss it."

"Well, I'd prefer not to encounter them all at once. I'm just trying to stay together as it is." She shuddered, dropping her bag beside his bed, "Well, I hope I don't disappoint them. Everyone in my life knows little to nothing." Alexis smiled softly, "That's good to know. I love him because I know I do, but... I don't know, I don't think I'm ready to... fully engage in a relationship with him, you know?" She busted out laughed, placing a hand over her mouth, "Cause you know I'll do it. I have no qualms with kicking ass." She winked at Miller.

"He wouldn't ask you to try and erase your past...no one would. They all know that's impossible. The only thing not impossible is for you to be normal with a job, kids and a husband. Shit, my money is definitely riding on Derek." He grinned. "He'll get out one of these days and yes he was in fact looking at schools I can ouch for that because he dragged me on a few tours one time while we were home." He reached over and gently touched her arm. "It's ok to miss your past or rather people in it." He winked then added, "but they can easily become your future if you let them."

"The only one you have to worry about bombarding you with questions is Izzy...and I'll try to make sure she speaks English." He grinned again "Isabella is very fond of Derek. When he started in the gang life she did not give him grief about it, but rather she let him figure his own way, always keeping a close eye on him mind you, but none the less. There is no one sweeter than Isabella Marie Delore. Miguel is the quiet one of the three if you can believe that. After their father died he tried to help out as best he could, it was a very hard time for them. There is nothing that will phase the other two Delore siblings I can assure you, plus I can bet they will be grateful, you kept their brother alive. You don't have to be ready for a relationship yet, neither is he, all he wants is a chance to prove himself again." His eyes twinkled when she commented about kicking ass. "I don't doubt you could keep him in line"

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