alex-caldwell

[alex-caldwell]

Alex was quick to take Reina up on her offer to take a seat, face-splitting grin already settling in. "Gonna have to pull a Whitney Houston here, because I've got nothing." He tried not to laugh at his own joke, but couldn't help it. Maybe he was too young for dad jokes, but the proverbial milk was spilled now. No use trying to take it back.

"No, really, my only experience is my own life in which I found out I had a kid and her mother surrendered her to me in the same day by casually leaving her on my doorstep when she was only a few months old." It certainly was unprofessional for all of it to come tumbling out like that, but the knowledge that Sana was back, despite all his searching for her, had Alex fucking rattled. "Sorry. Overshare. Back to my original answer. No experience."

Something about the way he spoke to her caused her curiosity to peak. Most of the other guys avoided her, either because they feared her due to her reputation or because family law always seemed too much. At least that's how it was for her in Chicago—plenty of men she worked with in other sectors made sure to never cross her path or they'd constantly ask her how she handled dealing with the cases she got. True and honest, she wasn't sure how she managed half the time either, each one taking an emotional toll she had to bear by herself.

"Well, take a seat then," she nodded at the open chair, fingernails tapping her desk. "What's your experience so far here with family cases?"

[alex-caldwell]

Alex let out a quiet breath, relieved that Val seemed to trust him enough to lean into the moment. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before his fingers lingered there for just a second longer, as if making sure she knew he was there. He didn't mind the quiet, not here, not with her beside him.

He watched her settle, her exhaustion catching up with her, and as she spoke, he could hear the fatigue in her voice. He knew she had a lot on her mind, more than she was likely willing to admit. And still, it struck him how much she'd let her guard down with him, how she trusted him, even in moments like these when it felt like the whole world was pressing in.

"Sure, we’ll take shifts," Alex said quietly, his voice soft, though there was a hint of amusement in the way he said it. Like he knew that wasn't going to happen, but didn't want the matter to keep her awake any longer. His eyes briefly met hers before they shifted away, knowing that sometimes silence was all either of them needed. "I’ll wake you up if anything happens," he added, though he was sure the worst of it was already behind them.

There was a pause before he spoke again, his voice low. "In case you didn't know, I'm here because I care about you, Val." His gaze flickered down, his hand still gently holding hers. "I just... I wanted you to know that."

With that, Alex settled into a position that would allow her to be comfortable at his side, his body relaxing just enough to stay alert, but not so stiff that it would keep him from feeling like he was there—with her, in the quiet, watching over things until they were both able to truly rest.

END.

Val didn’t pull her hand away when Alex reached for it. For a moment, she stared down at their hands—at the contrast, the way his grip felt steady when everything else around her felt like it was falling apart.

She wanted to tell him it wasn’t just the hurricane announcement, or the music festival cutting through her head like a knife when her implant failed. It wasn’t just the exhaustion or the weight of feeling untethered in her own body. Yes, that was all playing a big role. But despite all that, she also couldn't get him- them- out of her head. The way finding out his ex was in town and the fear that maybe Alex wanted to get back with her made her feel like she'd been a placeholder for someone else.

But as exhaustion tugged at her, she chose to take what he had said at face value, to disregard her scrambled thoughts and feelings. His offer felt like a life boat in the midst of a storm and she was too tired to not take it. She couldn't begin to express how grateful she felt to have someone she felt safe enough to take them up on this kind of offer

Squeezing his hand once, she scooted closer, leaning her head on his shoulder and letting out a grateful sigh. "You don't have to stay awake the whole time," she paused to try and stifle a yawn, eyes already drifting shut. "We can take shifts."

[alex-caldwell]

Alex groaned dramatically, leaning his head back against the seat with the kind of exaggerated flair only someone as tipsy as he was could pull off. "No Taco Bell?" he whined, barely concealing his frustration, exhaustion, or... drunkenness. "This town... This town! It's a food desert in disguise!"

But the mention of Vim's, and perhaps the intoxicating waft of her car's air freshener, perked him up almost instantly. "Vim's! Ohhh, the spring rolls! Leyla, you genius, you're saving my life right now. You're my hero. Like, if I was Spiderman, you'd be... you know, uh... my Aunt May. Wait, no, that’s weird. Gwen? MJ? Look, you're important, okay? A legend."

As 'A Thousand Miles' floated through the car, Alex swayed with the music, humming terribly off-key but with all the enthusiasm in the world. "This song," he slurred, "this song is iconic. Like, every time it plays, I feel like I should be on a road trip with purpose. Like Harold and Kumar, but instead of White Castle, it's Vim's."

He paused, his face suddenly serious as he turned his head to look at her. "What was I saying? Oh, right! The thing I was going to say before. It's... it's nothing, really." He waved his hand, his confidence faltering as his words slurred together. "Just, y'know, people are so complicated, Leyla. Like, one minute, they're your... friend, and the next... you don’t even know where you stand anymore. And you think, 'Oh, maybe I should just let it go.' But then... you can’t. 'Cause you miss them. And it sucks, right? Missing people. Missing... things."

He trailed off, staring without necessarily seeing out the window as though the blurring landscape outside might offer him answers. Then, just as quickly as the serious mood had overtaken him, Alex perked up again. "Anyway, spring rolls, let’s go! And maybe a milkshake. Do they do milkshakes? God, I hope so."

It was classic Alex — barely masking his feelings, hoping Leyla wouldn’t press him, but secretly wishing she might.

Boy, was she in for an entertaining night tonight, at the very least. She'd not seen Alex in this state in, well, ever. But as long as he was safe and happy, she truly didn't mind. "Do you even know what it means?" Something of a snicker escapes her lips as she watches him somehow climb into the car and verbal diarrhoea's all his thoughts and feelings out before she could even process them properly. "First of all, seatbelt on. Safety first. Second of all, I'm glad you're safe. Looks like the only woman you're going home with tonight, is me. Sorry, bud.." As soon as his seatbelt was on, she pulled out from the curb, heading down the street instantly. "Taco Bell? Alex, honey, I might need to hold your hand when I say this, but.. I think you're forgetting that we live in Briar Ridge now, not New York. There are no Taco Bells nearby. But, there's something even better. Vim's is open late, if you're down? Just thinking about a late night feed there is making my mouth water." A Thousand Miles started playing along, and Leyla couldn't help but hum along. "So, what was that thing you were going to say before you went on about taco bell?"

[alex-caldwell]

Alex grinned, watching Emmy peer out from behind his leg with wide, curious eyes. “You hear that, Em? She thinks you’re adorable. Don’t let it go to your head, though. You’re already impossible to deal with after one compliment.” He chuckled softly, giving her curls another gentle ruffle, which earned him a muffled giggle.

“You're not wrong about the luck part, though. Got real lucky with this one. Even if she never finishes her candy,” he added with a playful roll of his eyes.

As Kira jotted down her notes, Alex raised an eyebrow. “Oh, you’re taking me seriously? Dangerous move. But hey, if you really whip up that flavor, we’ll be your most loyal customers. Frequent flyer perks or not.”

When Kira motioned to her friend and mentioned leaving, Alex nodded in understanding. “Thanks for the chat. And if you do end up with a Three Musketeers flavor on the menu, you better save me a scoop, alright? Emmy’ll take care of the KitKat flavor Maybe.” He crouched slightly to Emmy’s level, giving her a little nudge. “Say bye-bye, kiddo.” Emmy peeked out shyly, lifting a tiny hand to wave at Kira before quickly retreating again.

Alex laughed softly as he stood, a fond smile playing on his lips. “That’s about as social as she gets with new people. Guess that means she likes you.” He offered Kira a final wave, his tone light and easy. “See you at the shop. Don’t forget us when that frequent flyer program has you swimming in dough, instead of ice cream.”

END.

Smiling down at the little girl, Kira held a hand against her chest as she looked back to Alex. "She's adorable, truly. You lucked out there." Glancing back down at Emmy, Kira smiled again as she saw her peek out from behind Alex and Kira quickly poked her tongue out at her.

"Three musketeers isn't one I've tried before, so I'm definitely going to take that idea and run with it, for sure." Pulling her phone out of her purse, she made a quick note of both chocolate bars in her notes app, knowing that after a few more beers, she'd definitely have forgotten it. "We're actually working on that right now, so at least it'll have one fan." Catching the eye of one of her friends over Alex's shoulder, she nodded before raising her hand to ask them to hold on. "I'd better get going, I've monopolised enough of your time today, but thank you again." Waving down to Emmy, Kira smiled at the both of them. "I hope to see you both at the shop, I might even have the musketeers flavour the next time."

[alex-caldwell]

Alex clutched his chest in mock despair, leaning dramatically against a nearby lamppost for a moment. "Herc? That’s what’s stopping you? A dog? I mean, I knew I wasn’t enough, but hearing it out loud is just... devastating." His lips twitched, beginnings of a grin breaking through. He straightened, hands momentarily rested on his hips. "Fine, fine. I’ll just—" he gestured vaguely toward the park, "—find someone else to run away with. But don’t think for a second they’ll love me like you do. Our kind of bond? Rare."

Though he laughed, Alex's grin faltered slightly, and he ran a hand through his hair, the mask slipping just enough for Emil to notice. "But, uh, yeah. No major revelations outta you today. Please and thank you. I’m already one existential crisis away from needing a nap." He toyed with his coffee cup, eyes briefly flicking toward Emil’s before glancing back down.

He let out another laugh, this one nearer sounding to a sigh, before he ventured to speak again. "But, like... hypothetically, if there was some sort of minor, moderately complicated potentially major update in my life, would that still count? Or would that be breaking the ‘no big news’ pact? Because, I mean, technically only you are bound by that pact."

He glanced at his friend directly, the teasing tone a little weaker this time. "Safe word or not, you tell me if I’m about to push us both over the edge, yeah?"

A broad mile-wide smile danced into place, and Emil met the other's theatrics with his own. "Oh Alex!" A hand fell to his chest, "You have no idea how long I've waited to hear you say that." He bit back a laugh, jumping at the chance for a bit of light-hearted banter. "But... I can't. I'm sorry. I love you but, I can't leave my life behind for you. Who'd take care of Herc?" A chuckle caught in his throat. "Besides our long-awaited confession of love, of course." Emil teased, but offered a grave understanding nod of his head. He was equally done with life's curveballs as of late. "No life-altering revelations. Deal." Curiosity reared its head, but by the sounds of it, Alex probably wasn't looking to be the one relaying major news either. Emil wasn't one to pry. He miserably failed to fight back a smirk, brow raised as he side-eyed his company. "Do we need a safe word?"

[alex-caldwell]

Alex stared into his glass for a moment while Gen spoke, turning it slowly between his hands as her words settled over him. His jaw tensed, but not in anger — it was the kind of tension that came with trying to keep from unraveling entirely. He hadn’t expected this, her unraveling before him.

He glanced up, catching the tear tracing its way down her cheek, and something in him shifted. For years, he’d clung to his anger — it was easier to be angry than hurt; the feeling was easier to sustain, to manage, to live with — but now, seeing the genuine pain in her eyes, it didn’t feel right. He could still feel the sting of her leaving, but now it sat alongside something he hadn’t let himself feel where Genesis was concerned: understanding.

"Gen," he said quietly, his voice steadier than he expected, "I didn’t know. I didn’t know it was like that for you." He took a sip of his wine, mostly for something to do, but it settled bitterly on his tongue; bringing none of the promised relief a glass of wine usually did. "I was so caught up in my own head, thinking I’d done something wrong or there was something wrong with me, like.. I don't know I wasn’t enough and I deserved to be left behind, again — hell, I still think that sometimes." Alex paused then, shaking his head and letting out a sharp breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"But if your mom did that, if she pulled you away like that—" He cut himself off, looking at her again, green eyes softening. "You were seventeen. You didn’t have control over any of that." His tone was gentler than he'd ever heard it in his head, when he played out this conversation a million times. "I wish I’d known." His voice was almost a whisper. "I wish I could’ve... I don’t know. Fought for you? Tried harder to keep us together?"

The words felt clumsy, too little too late, but they were all he had. He ran a hand over his face before glancing sideways at her. "You don’t have to tell me everything right now, okay?" He wanted to reach a hand out, to touch her, to comfort her, or something. But he was lingering in this unsure space; unsure of himself, and what would come of their conversation. "But if there’s more I don’t know, if there’s something else you’ve been carrying," He hesitated, the vulnerability of the moment making his voice falter slightly. "I’m here. I want to hear it. Whatever it is."

Happy that the man had entertained her offering, Genesis poured a suitable amount of wine into one of the glasses before handing it off to Alex. Truthfully, this conversation would have been a hell of a lot easier to have if she were drunk, but all Gen could hope was that it would be enough to loosen her up.

With a glass of her own, the brunette sunk down onto the couch beside him, meeting her ex's eyes with a vulnerability that grew as he spoke. It was difficult to hear how much she'd hurt him, and even harder to have her fears confirmed. She had only been seventeen at the time, but maybe she could have fought harder to reach him. Maybe the suffering shouldn't have been hers to bear alone.

As her chest tightened, Gen's voice caught at the back of her throat, unable to find the words to begin. How did she rip off a bandaid quite this big? "Believe me when I say it was a big deal. I never wanted to leave you like that, I never wanted to leave you period and it destroyed me for years. It was... It was my mom. She wouldn't even let me say goodbye and.." As her hands began to tremble, Genesis took a long sip from her glass, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. But despite her best efforts, it wasn't enough to prevent one from rolling down the apple of her cheek as she turned to look away. Genesis had spent so many years attempting to bury the memories of Alex and their son that it was difficult not to feel overwhelmed. She was no longer a teenage girl writing him letters in her diary, she was talking to the man aloud.

"I'm sorry, this probably seems so dramatic, but you've had a profound impact on my life and there is so much you don't know. It's hard for me to even know where I should begin."

[alex-caldwell]

Alex was relieved that Reina wasn't left feeling like she was stuck the last kid picked for kickball at recess. He knew he was a competent attorney, but venturing into a new territory had him remembering those earlier days of his career when he was timid and gun-shy. He needed to find his rhythm again, and in a town littered with more familial disputes than criminal cases, this was his way to do it.

Though, the list of topics reminded Alex of why he'd avoided the idea so far. It felt a little too close to home. Still, he pasted on a smile and gave a curt nod. "How about d. all of the above?"

Reina stopped her working as he entered her office, turning her chair so she could face him and cross one leg over the other. "Oh, little ole me?" she teased, before placing her hands together in her lap and nodding her head along to what he was saying. She knew it was in due time he would be sent her way, having been told by one of the others at the firm that Alex had been wanting to branch out and that it was right around the time she had gotten hired.

"So, why haven't you brought your stuff over here so we can chat? I can run down plenty of cases with you, but which would you want to learn first? You want rough custody battles, messy divorces with custody and support issues, or the mild?" She questioned, leaning back in her chair. "What got you wanting to come to family law, anyways?"

[alex-caldwell]

Is it still overwhelming being a single dad down here?

The question, while innocent enough, would open a can of worms neither of them would really be able to handle. But the appeal of opening up to a stranger felt almost too good to pass up. He cast a gaze around, just on the off chance anyone who knew him was around. After a beat, he divulged some truth, anyway.

"Actually, yes. It's not even so much being a single dad, really. Emmy is the easiest part of my life, and that's saying a lot." He paused for a second, considering his words carefully. "I'm having to contend with some of the ghosts of my past in ways I wouldn't have otherwise dreamed of, and probably could've avoided in a place as big as New York. But... I guess that's a good thing?"

Despite how vague his answer had been, Alex still felt like he'd been too vulnerable; like he'd said too much. What if he was talking about someone she knew?

"So, yep, um... That's me. I need you to spill an equally embarrassing and vague half-story about your life now, otherwise I'll feel really, really bad about this for at least the next 3-5 days," Alex tried to laugh, but wasn't really sure if he was selling it right about now. Especially not as his face reddened and his smile turned sheepish.

Nodding, Lia glanced back up at Alex as they walked along the quiet corridors. "No, you're fine, it's nothing most people don't know already." Brushing a hand through her hair to get it out of her face, she simply shrugged. "I moved to Nashville after high school, I'd have stayed there but my boyfriend at the time wanted to move to LA, so once my album had taken off, I went with him." Then he cheated on me with one of my best friends and I came running home. She kept the last bit quiet, not quite ready to divulge that if someone didn't know the trials and tribulations of her love life. "It's a cosy town, you know? I could never fully get it out of my mind and when I needed to leave LA, it was the only place I could dream of being in."

She'd spent her fair share of time in New York but when she could, she had always avoided in the winter months, never having faired well in the cold. "It's a nice place to raise kids. Not that I have any, but growing up here.. I wouldn't change it, honestly. It's not the fastest pace for adults but it's special." Nudging the door to the library open, Lia held it open for him as she felt along the wall for a light switch. "Is it still overwhelming being a single dad down here? I can't imagine the pace of New York helped that."

[alex-caldwell]

As Alex listened to Val's explanation and watched the motion of her hands, he studied her body language; every inch of her seemed exhausted. Or, maybe the right word was defeated. And while he could've lingered on wondering if he caused or contributed to that, he made a judgement call. It was a risky one, but he was never known for playing it safe.

"Why don't you.. Why don't you rest, Val?" he released a small sigh, gaze averted for a moment before he switched over to signing. "I'll be awake, I'll stay awake. I'll tell you if there's anything you need to know. Just rest."

He paused then, and the hesitancy that settled over him was... new. At least with Val, it was. But he reached for her hand anyway, and gave it a squeeze. He wanted to tell her that she could lean on him, literally and figuratively; that he was just all turned around earlier; that he hadn't meant to make things weird. But it all felt too soon, like the dust hadn't settled enough, and the words would come out all wrong, so he settled on: "I'm sorry you went through that alone."

Her lips quirked upwards as she watched him struggle with how to sign the word. The effort he was putting in didn’t go unnoticed, and she appreciated it immensely. “That’s good.” she signed, nodding her head, feeling immense relief that at least Alex didn’t have to worry about where his daughter was or her safety in that moment, like she knew so many other people were. 

Letting him guide her towards the cot, she took a seat, wondering if she should be doing better job of disentangling herself from him. Their interaction at the festival earlier had really shaken her up, and she wasn’t so sure she knew where they stood anymore. That uncertainty had her questioning if she needed to put up more walls to protect herself. 

But at the clear worry in his gaze, her attempts to do so melted away and she couldn’t help the explanation that rushed out of her, relief at finally being able to talk to someone about it evident on her features. “My implant’s batteries died right before the announcement was made and I think I was a little traumatized by seeing everyone around me panic and fall into chaos but not having a clue what was going on.” she explained verbally, since it was a longer explanation. “I don’t want to go to sleep and miss another announcement like that.” she signed, shoulders slumping in a little bit. The thought of not only missing another critical announcement, but being left behind, completely unaware of the danger, was terrifying. She was already down one key survival skill because of her implant not working, she wasn’t going to take away her sight too. 

[alex-caldwell]

"Thanks, bestie!" Alex practically shouted in response, the bright and beaming smile on his face persisting at the sight of his friend. "I heard that on TikTok. Bestie. It's such a fun word, isn't it?" He reached, at least twice unsuccessfully at first, for the handle of the passenger's side door, giving it a gentle tug before thudding gracelessly down onto the plush seat. "It smells good in here. What's this air freshener?"

The mention of just how much he'd had to drink was sobering for maybe a moment, but then he was dissolving into a decidedly unmanly fit of giggles. "Well, we had a few beers. Then we advanced to tequila, and ended the night with gin. And I say we because this very nice young lady bought me a lot of alcohol. I think she thought I was gonna go home with her. Normally, I would have but then there's... Never mind. Can we go to Taco Bell?"

She'd been surprised to receive a text from him and, truthfully, she'd've thought Val would be the one to be called, but she was happy to be called nonetheless. There wasn't a chance in hell she'd ever leave a friend stranded, not even if it was the middle of the night and she had an early start. None of that mattered when it came to the safety of people she cared about.

Leyla's smile widened at Alex's enthusiasm as he leaned against her car, a chuckle escaping her lips. It was amusing to see him like this — in all honesty, he deserved to enjoy himself. Being a parent was no easy feat, and so often it was easy to forget to do things for yourself. "You know I can't leave my favourite disaster stranded, especially when you look like you're about to fall over," she teased, glancing at him with mock concern. "How much have you had to drink, exactly? It's hard to tell with that goofy grin." She wasn't judging him whatsoever; she'd had her fair share of fun nights out. "Come on, get in, before I change my mind."

[alex-caldwell]

Suddenly shy, Emmy took to hiding behind her father's leg, earning a chuckle from Alex. "All of a sudden we're too shy, hm? We've been putting on a show all day, and now..." He trailed off with a laugh, lowering a newly freed hand to gently trail his fingers through the little girl's curls.

"We really love three musketeers. Or I do, at least. This one loves the noise a KitKat makes when she breaks it apart, but I've never actually seen her finish one," once more trailing off, he peeked down at the little girl, now giggling, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Anyway, no need to go out of your way for us. We'll be there no matter what. Though, maybe you should consider a rewards program for frequent flyers like yours truly."

"You don't have any other options it's true, but don't worry, I'm not easily offended." With a warm smile on her face, Kira glanced back down at the little girl. "It's kind of an occupational hazard of having to make flavours you don't like. I have a cherry flavour that pretty much sells out every day but I just don't get it." Glancing back to Alex, Kira shrugged the one shoulder where he wasn't fixing her strap, looking back down at the little girl introduced herself. "Well it's lovely to meet you, Emmy. Are you having a good time today?"

Her eyes moved to her strap and after adjusting the position of it slightly, she gave it a little wiggle to make sure it was tight enough. "Thank you so much, you've really saved me an embarrassing moment there." Handing the child rein back over to him, Kira quickly readjusted her hair over her shoulders. "So now you've officially helped me, you two really are going to have think of the dessert or candy bar you want me to recreate into an ice cream for the store."

[alex-caldwell]

It really was his own fault, really. Alex had opened his big, stupid mouth, and mentioned he wanted to take on more family law cases, so that meant being assigned to work more cases alongside another, more experienced lawyer in that particular area. And, surely, there were worse companions than Reina; in fact, working with her wasn't the problem at all. It was all the extra time required to read through all those additional cases.

At the sound of his name, from just the other side of the wall in the office next to his, the man welcomed a reason to stand to his feet, then strolling around to lean on the doorframe of Reina's office. "You, actually. I'm supposed to start assisting on your cases soon, and I was advised aka told to start looking back at some of your other cases to get an understanding of your strategy."

who: reina & @alex-caldwell where: Hawthorne, Clark & Associates @ 8:30pm

Having washed away (finally) all of the sparkles from her costume over the previous weekend—along with wiping away any remembrance of what might have or might not have happened—the petite was back to work. The day, surprisingly, had been pretty long, filled with paperwork and researching a few new cases that had happened into her lap. Though long it was nothing compared to how stacked she would have been if she was still in Chicago, but Reina was counting her blessings in that regard.

After a few goodbyes to some of the others who occupied the building Reina sat in her office, light dimmed as she finished one last piece of paperwork. "Oh, Caaaaldwellllll!" she sang out, a small smile on her face as she assumed that he was still there, right along with her, working later than everyone else. "What's got you working late this time?"

[alex-caldwell]

Alex has noticed his friend's absentmindedness, but took no offense to it; sometimes, just being in the presence of another adult, and not having to be fully focused was a nice 'brain break' as he called it. That didn't mean he wasn't going to give Emil shit.

"I was saying Emil, I'm madly in love with you and I think we should run away together." Alex paused, batting long eyelashes, before the urge to laugh won out. "Kidding, kidding... Unless? No, I'm kidding."

He took another healthy sip from his coffee, second one today, before responding with what had actually been on his mind. "I was saying it's nice to get out of the house and not have an awkward and-or life-shattering conversation. So, please, for the love of all that is holy, don't have any major news to share. I'm not sure I can take much more of it." While the last sentence was muttered, Alex was sure Emil heard him.

@alex-caldwell Location: Birdsong Park. The warm inviting aroma of one of his favorite food trucks wafting through the park was one of the few things keeping Emil on his toes that Saturday afternoon. The promise of a Cuban with freshly melted Swiss cheese and mustard was a small solace in the chaos of his recent personal life. "Shit, sorry—" Emil swore and glanced sideways towards his company. "I spaced for a second, my sleep schedule has been a joke." He absently walked the familiar pathway through the park to one of the popular parking spots for local curbside cuisine. "What were you saying?" Alright, sleep deprivation might've not been the only reason Emil was distracted, but certain things weren't his secrets to disclose. So any stirring thoughts about Gen were swatted away in favor of his current company. Another faithful added to the slow-growing local Dad Club. "I'm buying. As a heads up." Emiliano offered a bright easy grin, "Least I can do for being a space cadet today." His argument with Alara was still fresh, and Emil was fighting tooth and nail to see his daughter. The recent emergency had done little to soften his ex-wife's inevitable fury regarding being served. "Gotta be useful somehow," he tacked on with a laugh and a wink.

[alex-caldwell]

Alex felt like he was staring at Val too intensely, but he was almost afraid that if he looked away, she'd disappear before his very eyes. The moment had evaporated just as soon as it had begun, and now he felt like he was floundering.

"Um, yeah," he confessed, expression as confused as it was sheepish. "It is... a lot. A lot of change."

He hesitated, when Val told him to go ahead. Like, he knew it was what she was saying, but was it what she actually wanted? His eyes searched her expression for some glimmer of something, some clue, but it was neutral. And now he felt acutely aware of how empty his hand felt, where hers had once been.

"Okay..." The single syllable, muttered slowly, was almost a test. He let it hang in there for just a moment too long, like he was daring her to stop him, to tell him to wait, to say... something concrete, something he could grasp onto.

But it never came. He turned, only halfway, to walk back toward whereabouts he thought he saw Farrah and Emmy earlier, when he left to use the facilities. Val didn't stop him, so he kept going. Then, Alex couldn't help it, he took a glance back. He just couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed between them just now. And it wasn't for the better.

END.

The second she felt his fingers loosening their grip on hers, Val's fears were confirmed. There was something going on with Alex, something he wasn’t exactly coming all the way out and saying. Maybe he was just too nice to say it to her face, but as his hand slipped away, she felt a chill settle over her. At her big age, she was misinterpreting things, letting her own feelings slip into territory the very nature of their... dynamic said neither of them would go. But now, with this weird distance between them, it was painfully clear that she wasn’t reading the signs as well as she thought she had been.

"Wow, that must be a big change for you... and Emmy." she said finally, forcing herself to keep her tone light. Her gaze flicked down to where their hands had just been, and she tried not to flinch at the empty space he’d left.

"You go ahead, I'm sure you guys have lots to catch up on." The lighthearted urging felt heavy as it slipped past her lips, taking so much more from her than she cared to admit. She just hoped it would at least ease some of his nerves, even if it left her standing alone, painfully aware of how much she’d started caring.

[alex-caldwell]

Coming to Briar Ridge hadn't exactly been easy on Alex by any means, but he thought it would all sort of... level out. Instead, things had more so reached a fever pitch. So, when Farrah had suggested she spend a weekend with Emmy, Alex was grateful for the time 'off,' even if he missed his little mini-me the second she was out of his sight.

It was sad, really, that he'd ended up at the bar alone, especially considering he had enough friends to not be, but... Callum was also Gen's friend, so he felt weird calling him, considering where things stood between himself and Gen. He'd somehow royally messed things up with Val and hadn't the faintest idea how to fix it, so she was out. Farrah wasn't ever really an option considering she'd probably cuss him out and then hang up on him under normal circumstances, but considering how thoroughly he'd pissed her off the last time they'd spoken, it was a miracle she hadn't blocked his number, broken his nose, or both. He had no idea what to say to Cam, or Gen, for that matter. Marco was definitely working.

He hadn't wanted to bother Leyla in the first place. considering she probably had Billie and also a life of her own that didn't involve bailing him out of something stupid, but then by the time last call came, he ended up texting her anyway. She knew he was drunk right away; maybe it was the extra letters at the end of his 'heyyyujyyy.'

In any event... "Leyla to the rescue!" He exclaimed as his friend came to a stop beside him and he greeted her with a big smile, both hands braced on her passenger's side door through the open window. "Hi. Thanks for coming. You're so nice to me."

WHO — closed starter for @alex-caldwell WHERE — outside golden hour WHEN — late saturday night

Leyla pulled up outside the bar, the familiar neon lights flickering in the dark like a beacon of chaos — one she knew all too well. The sound of laughter and clinking glasses filtered through the late evening air, but her attention was fixed on Alex, who was swaying slightly on the sidewalk. A goofy grin was plastered across his face, and she could tell he was definitely in no state to drive. She rolled her eyes with a smile, and rolled down the passenger window. Picking him up at this hour was practically a rite of passage. When Alex texted, she'd just about gotten in her pyjamas, but she didn't mind being designated driver if it meant keeping her friends safe—especially for Alex. Leaning toward said window, she called out with a playful smirk, "Get in, loser! We're going shopping!" She couldn't help but chuckle at how fitting that phrase felt in this moment. "Come on, get in. Stop making me feel like a creep. Your uber's here."

[alex-caldwell]

Alex glanced at Lia, almost impressed by how easily she'd just offered up so much information about herself. He was always trying to tell people as little about himself as possible; it was refreshing. "Oh, so you moved away and came back? What's the story there?" A beat later, he realized just how intrusive the question sounded. "Sorry, feel free to tell me to shut up. I was just curious. That seems to be a common theme around here. The leaving and coming back, I mean."

Just the mention of Emmy brought a smile to Alex's lips, but he was always trying not to be that dad, who was always yapping about his kid; so he kept it to a minimum. "She's 2 now, and really not so terrible, for the record."

He laughed quietly, but allowed the conversation to naturally move on. "Out West, like California? I've never been further than Vegas. Dyed in the wool east cost dweller, I guess. Manhattan, actually. My aunt was retiring, asked me if I wanted a bit of a quieter place to raise a kid, and I jumped at the opportunity. New York was a good place for a bachelor, less so for an overwhelmed single dad."

Especially one who was coming off a high-profile affair and ensuing divorce but, really, who was keeping track?

"I never even thought of that, hopefully we can find a couple at least." It had been a while since she'd walked the halls of her old high school, but it didn't look like it had changed much. "God, it's so weird being back here. I left town so soon after I graduated, this is the first time I've been back since. Almost feel like I should be in my cheer uniform again, moaning about my GPA." Glancing up at Alex, she offered a small smile before she gestured for them to take a left at the end of the corridor. "Oh really? How old is she?"

Crossing her arms as they walked, her hand gently rubbed against her arm to try and take some of the chill away. "I've been away for a while, but it's really not a rare occurrence. Generally, you'd just stay home and hunker down or you leave town if there's an evacuation if it's really bad, being right on the ocean makes it worse for us generally." Reaching for a door handle, she was grateful when the staffroom door opened and she could step inside. "I'm more used to earthquakes after living out west for so long, but you'll get used to it, just always be prepared." Grabbing a rogue sweater from one of the hooks, Lia tugged it on before stepping back out of the room. "Right, library and raiding vending machines, let's do this."

Rolling up the sleeves a little, she led them back down the corridor. "So where are you from originally? What made you move down south?"

[alex-caldwell]

Arguing with Farrah had been fun and sexy when it was playful, and when it ended... other ways than this. But now? Now, he was just pissed off. It was just like her to disappear and then think she could just pop off like they were still on the sort of terms where he would take it from her. "You can drop the bullshit nonchalant act, Farrah. You wouldn't be here if you didn't care. I think you're forgetting that I know exactly where to look to find all those weak spots you try so hard to hide." Despite the low pitch of his voice, it was all venom, as if every sound had clawed its own way out through his gritted teeth.

When he'd clumsily sort of fallen into their affair, it had never occurred to him they'd fall out like this — this badly, or this publicly — but if it had, he might've taken a little more precautions. Now, they were inextricably linked, in the form of the little girl who bore exactly fifty percent of each of their DNA. And they could only really agree on the fact that she deserved the moon, sun, and every star in existence. Go figure.

I had an entire child that I didn't think you needed to meet at all. Okay, ouch? "Emerie is as much my kid as she is yours, so I would've found out eventually. Or did you think you were so much smarter than everyone else that you could hide the existence of entire human being from me, when at least 3 people in this restaurant have recognized you since you walked in here?" He leaned forward, desperate to scratch that itch for confrontation, and knowing the perfect sparring partner was sitting right across from him. Alex could sense the urge for a fight practically rolling off of Farrah in waves, and he wasn't above giving in. Not right now. "Tell me, did it bother you when you looked into her eyes and all you could see was me? Is that what tipped the scales in favor of just leaving her behind?"

farrah fights the growing urge to roll her eyes at alex's teasing, but she can't help the way a dark brow arches sharply and she also she can't help but feel a twinge of regret for allowing him to get to know her well enough to understand which buttons to push. and that annoys the shit out of farrah because that was all on her. ❛ okay, and? if you want a cookie, you're in the right spot to get one. ❜ farrah settles herself more comfortably into her seat, a bit of relief as alex made the decision to abandon the pleasantries and dive straight into it. thank god for that; the last thing she wanted to do was dance around the issue, trading niceties that felt entirely pointless in the current context. she'd much preferred to tackle the core of this mess. after all, there was something undeniably fun about arguing with alex. they're both great at it.

❛ i had an entire child that i didn’t think you needed to meet at all. ❜ she retorts, her tone laced with blunt venom, the words whip out like harsh reality. ❛ i carried her for ten months, i cared for her for another year and loved her every minute of every day. don't make it sound like it was an easy decision. ❜ there was so much more farrah could articulate, an entire torrent of words and feelings bubbling just beneath the surface, eager to escape her lips. however, as she clamped down on her inner cheek with her teeth, the sharp pain served as a reminder to hold her tongue. a part of her was acutely aware that the actions she had taken that flipped alex's life upside down were anything but fair; farrah recognized the unfairness of her decisions and how they had impacted him.

yet, unfortunately, the other side of farrah — her more combative nature — was rising to the occasion. it thrived on conflict, and relished the adrenaline that came from confrontation. this combative spirit seemed to whisper in her ear, encouraging her to defend herself, to push back against any feelings of guilt or regret, and to rationalize her behaviour. ❛ keep that in mind going forward. ❜