Gabby was watching Luke inhale some Doritos while typing on his laptop. He said he was designing a new security system. She didn't understand how he could still be working. Gabby never remembered him working like this in the past. They had dated after she broke up with Officer Dean Winters. Luke was fun and a few years younger than her. They fought a lot but that was probably because they were so much alike. He was handsome and successful but he was very immature. He was no Dr. Chace Ryder, that's for sure.

"Boom shakala laka boom," Luke was chanting under his breath.

"Luke," Gabby called out to him.

He didn't respond. Instead he kept chanting, "Boom shakalaka laka boom."

"Luke!" Gabby said in a sharper voice, almost yelling.

"What's wrong, babe?" Luke pulled himself away from his laptop and glanced at Gabby who was scowling.

"I've been trying to think and I can't because you keep mumbling."

Luke chuckled, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was doing it."

"Well stop. It's annoying."

Luke shook his head, "I know you're upset because your friend passed away but you need to watch the attitude."

Gabby frowned, "She didn't pass away Luke. She was murdered. Killed! How can you be so insensitive?"

Luke shrugged, "I didn't know her. Besides, I offered to go with you to the funeral tomorrow but you said no. What else do you want from me?"

"I've told you what I wanted."

Luke rolled his eyes, "Gabby, you're older than me but you need to grow up."

"Me? I need to grow up? What's that supposed to mean?"

Luke sighed, "I'm tired of playing these games with you."

"What games?" Gabby asked.

"You know what games. You need to stop being such a downer all the time."

"If I'm such a downer, why did you ask me to go out with you again? Didn't you break up with another girl to date me again? We were apart for three months. Why ask me out again?"

Luke shut off his laptop, "Honestly, I'm asking myself the same thing."

"What did you say?" Gabby asked, shocked.

"You heard me. I'm sick and tired of you always nagging at me. I can't even hum to myself or you get all bent out of shape. You still won't let me introduce you to my friends. You're always putting me down. I don't get it. If you're so ashamed of me then why go out with me?"

Gabby was breathing heavily, "Luke, I'm going through a tough time right now."

"Yeah? Name someone who isn't."

Gabby took a step back, Luke had never gotten upset with her before. "Why are you being a jerk to me right now?"

"I'm not being a jerk Gabby. I just want an answer. Are you ashamed of me?"

Gabby took a second too long to answer. Luke cursed under his breath, "You know what I don't understand Gabby?" He didn't wait for her to respond, "You act like I'm not good enough for you but the truth is, you're not all that."

"Excuse me?" she said, offended.

"Did I stutter? You're not that great a catch. You're older than me. I make more money than you. Even my friend Nicholas' sister, Alexis, is better looking than you."

It was a direct hit, and Luke knew it. He knew how Gabby was secretly jealous of Alexis Reyna.

"I'm way prettier than her!" Gabby shouted.

Luke shrugged, "Maybe in your eyes."

Gabby was sputtering in anger.

"I never understood why you didn't want to meet my best friend Nicholas. You and I dated for four months, broke up for three, and even now you still don't want to meet him. The only thing I can think of is that you're embarrassed."

"Get out!"

"This is my apartment too. You get out!" Luke yelled at her.

Gabby ran towards him and tried shoving him out the door. He held his ground, making it difficult for her. She wouldn't be able to open the door and push him out. Gabby threw her hands up and attempted to scratch his face. Luke cursed and pushed her up against a wall, holding her arms above her head, "What the hell's the matter with you?"

"Let go of me!"

"You need to calm down," Luke muttered.

"Let me go!" she shouted, trying to kick her leg up to hit him in the groin. Luke threw his weight against her and said in a deep voice, "I'll leave, but I'm getting my stuff first. If I were you, I wouldn't piss me off anymore right now."

Gabby was frozen in fear and anger. She wasn't afraid of Luke but this was the angriest she had ever seen him. She rubbed her wrists where he had held her and whispered, "Hurry up. Get your stuff and get out Luke."

He called her a few curse words as he gathered some clothes in an overnight bag. His parting words to her were the same ones he gave to her the last time, "You'll regret this."

Alexis was making some hot cocoa and her brother Nicholas was standing next to her holding a bag of tiny marshmallows.

"Remind me again why we're making hot cocoa when it's hot outside?" Nicholas asked.

"Because it's delicious."

"Does your boyfriend know what a weirdo you are?" Nicholas asked.

"He's not my boyfriend," Alexis said softly.

"Really? You could've fooled me. He comes over all the time now," Nicholas said while eating a handful of marshmallows.

Alexis slapped his hand, "Stop or we won't have any for the cocoa!"

"Marshmallow Nazi!" Nicholas cried after she took the bag away.

"Before I was adopted, we used to make hot cocoa in my foster home. I used to love drinking it. Even in hot weather, I'd drink it," Alexis smiled.

Nicholas nodded, "Yeah yeah...I've heard this story before Alexis."

"So rude," she laughed.

"You're lucky though. You had a good foster home and mom and dad adopted you."

"They adopted you too Nicholas," Alexis reminded him.

He gave a thin smile, "Yeah but I still had to see some rough parts of life before they adopted me."

Alexis pulled out two mugs and placed them on the counter. She stayed quiet to let Nicholas continue talking. It was very rare for him to discuss his life before the adoption. Alexis had only really known him as her obnoxious but lovable little brother. She couldn't imagine him suffering as a young child. The thought made her heart ache.

When he didn't continue, she asked, "What was it like Nicholas?"

He started outlining the rim of one of the mugs with a finger, "I don't know."

"I only ask because mom and dad never really told me and you never told me. It's weird to think there's this entire chunk of your life that I don't know about. I'm your sister. I should know everything about you."

Nicholas smirked, "Is that so?"

"Yes. No secrets between siblings."

Nicholas shook his head, "I don't think so Alexis."

"Nicholas you're an adult now. It's okay to talk to me about it."

"I thought psychologists weren't supposed to be pushy about getting people to open up," Nicholas jested.

"I'm not talking to you as a psychologist. I'm talking to you as a sister. A big sister that's tired of not knowing everything about you."

"I think it's best that you don't know Alexis."

"Really? Do you mean that?" Alexis asked, a little hurt.

Nicholas sighed, "Oh and she's pulling the big sister puppy eyes card on me."

"No I'm not. I'm just surprised. You know everything about me."

Nicholas shook his head, "No I don't and honestly, I find it hard to believe that you don't know everything about my biological parents."

Alexis turned away, "I know some stuff."

"Like what?"

Alexis cleared her throat and began pouring the cocoa into one of the mugs, "That your parents were addicted to drugs."

"True, and what else?" Nicholas knew his sister well enough to know that she always knew more than she let on.

"That they were arrested and put in jail," she mumbled.

"And what else?"

"That there were allegations of abuse."

She wasn't facing him, but she could hear him inhaling a gasp.

"How did you know all that Alexis?"

"A couple of years ago, I looked into some old records of mom and dad and then followed up with police reports."

"All that just to find out about my childhood?" Nicholas mocked.

"You're my brother Nicholas. Of course I did that. I wanted to know more about you."

"Why?"

"Why not?" she asked.

Nicholas rubbed a hand over his face, "Alexis, I'm an adult. I know you mean well but sometimes you treat me like a kid and it really bothers me."

Alexis knew she went overboard sometimes, "I'm sorry Nicholas. I shouldn't have snooped. It's nothing to be ashamed of though."

"I know that!" Nicholas raised his voice more than he intended to. There was a moment of awkward silence. "I'm sorry Alexis. It's just not something I ever wanted to talk about."

"I understand Nicholas. It must be tough to have been exposed to that."

"Alexis, I know you're a shrink and all that but could you spare me the understanding BS. You have no idea what I went through."

"Of course I don't. You won't tell me."

Nicholas cursed, "You want to know? Fine! I was raised by the two most selfish people I know. They didn't care about me one bit. All they cared about was their next fix. If I bugged them and told them I was hungry, I'd get a whipping. And not with a hand or even a sandal Alexis. They'd beat me with whatever was close to them. You ever been spanked with a bottle of beer before, Alexis? It hurts like hell."

Alexis was shocked but Nicholas continued, "Still, being bruised by a bottle was nothing compared to when they made me get in a bath full of water and hit me Alexis. I don't know if you know this, but the water makes it hurt more."

Alexis could feel tears forcing themselves out of her eyes as she watched her brother's face crumple in the sadness of his memories. "I hated them Alexis! I really hated them. I was glad when the cops busted them for drugs. I never wanted to see them again. All they ever taught me was pain. The ins and outs of it. I know it well. I practically have a doctorates in it. You treat me like I'm some kind of kid and it bugs the hell out of me Alexis because I haven't been a kid since I was old enough to walk."

Alexis heard him take a deep breath, "I'm sorry Nicholas."

He raised his head and looked at her, "For what? It wasn't you that made me go hungry or kneel on broken beer bottles because I asked for a cake on my seventh birthday."

Alexis wanted to hug Nicholas but she knew if she did, he would reject her affection. Instead she said, "It must have been very different coming from that world to being adopted here. Mom and dad were amazing and loving."

Nicholas gave a bitter laugh, "Different? Try alien. I used to wonder when they were going to show their true colors. It took me two years to finally trust them."

Alexis nodded quietly, "Nicholas?"

"What?"

"I love you. You know that right?"

Nicholas nodded, "I know that Alexis. Deep in my heart I know it. I know I joke around a lot Alexis but please don't ask about my past anymore. It's not something I like to think about."

"I understand, Nicholas."

"Would you stop saying that? You don't understand Alexis. You could have a million psychology degrees but unless you've lived through what I've been through, No amount of empathy is going to make you understand. I'm scarred for life! Can you get that through your head?" Nicholas took a deep breath and cursed. "I'm sorry Alexis. I'm sorry."

Alexis could see the tears he was trying to wipe away, "It's okay. I know that was difficult for you but you shared it anyway. Thank you Nicholas."

He didn't respond so she grabbed his mug and poured some cocoa in it. She then put a small mountain of marshmallows in his cocoa. "Cheer up brother. I'm here for you."

Nicholas was about to speak when the doorbell rang.

"Was your boyfriend coming by?" Nicholas asked, his voice gruff with left-over emotion.

"No," Alexis murmured.

"Ah ha! You didn't deny it so you admit he's your boyfriend!" Nicholas was trying to lighten the atmosphere and Alexis went along with it.

She laughed, "I plead the fifth."

"You can't plead the fifth!" Nichols cried.

Alexis stuck her tongue at him and replied, "Says who?"

She walked over to the front door and opened it. Outside was not one but two handsome men. "Chace! Luke!" Alexis said in surprise.

Nicholas walked up from behind and greeted his friend. They all stared down at the overnight bag, "What's going on Luke?"

"My girlfriend and I broke up again. Do you mind if I spend a few nights here?"

Nicholas looked at Alexis who gave a slight smile, "Not at all. Mi casa es su casa."

"Thanks guys," Luke stepped forward and followed Nicholas to the living room.

Chace waited in the doorway, "How are you doing?"

"I'm holding up," Alexis answered.

"Your eyes are all red. Have you been crying?" Chace asked.

Alexis nodded, "Yes but not for the reason you're thinking."

"What reason am I thinking?" Chace asked playfully.

"That I'm crying because I lost another friend."

"Actually," Chace corrected her, "I was thinking your eyes were red because of allergies."

Alexis genuinely laughed and allowed him to come in. Neither of them noticed Nicholas and Luke, quietly watching them from the kitchen. Both were wearing a frown.