Alex's eyes fluttered open at last and he blinked twice to get his vision adjusted. His surroundings were dark and blurred perhaps as an after effect of the painkillers he had been given. The medic had just left and Helena was sitting on a chair beside the bed, her hand gently entwined through his own.

His fingers twitched upon realizing that someone was holding his hand and he tried to tilt his head sideways but a wave of pain shot up through his skull and he stayed still instead, not wanting to bear any more pain.

However, his companion had sensed the slight movement and soon enough Helena's face swam into his view that was still a little blurred.

"Alexander?"

His lips parted to speak but her fingers lingered over his mouth, silencing him.

"It's okay, don't say anything. Just rest."

His vision adjusted gradually and he saw that he was in a room much similar to the one where Helena had given him first aid earlier. Realizing that, he tried to get up immediately but her hand on his shoulder kept him down.

"Stay put or I will knock you out," her voice reached him and despite the pain he tilted his head slightly, honey colored irises locking with her grey ones, "Alexander, just stay here. No one is going to beat you up again and I won't let you leave until you get better."

"Helena..."

"If only you could see your face right now. You're a perfect representation of black and blue all over."

"Is it that bad?" Worry flickered upon his face as he thought of Dora and how on earth could he possibly explain the situation to her. He knew she would refuse him to ever go to the Iceberg Lounge again if she saw him like that.

"Really bad," she nodded, "but that's what happens when squirrels don't follow the rules. They get torn to shreds and you're lucky I was there to prevent that."

"I did nothing..."

"I know," she nodded, her hand gently stroking his cheek but careful to not hurt him, "you're just much more easily readable as compared to others. You must learn to be discreet. Don't give anyone the impression that you're listening to their conversation."

"I was not..."

"I wasn't there so I can't be sure. But I took your side because if I didn't these wolves wouldn't have left you alive. Killing people is no big deal here, you must have realized that by now."

His hand reached up gently resting on hers which did take her by surprise, "thank you."

Helena's sharp calculative gaze softened and she leaned closer to him, "you're welcome. But be very cautious in future and don't get yourself killed. I can't be here to save your ass all the time."

"Sometimes I wish I never worked here," he mumbled though he hadn't retrieved his hand from hers and she gently interlaced their fingers together.

"Trust me it would have been much better for you if you didn't," she replied, eyes focused on him, "I think you've never been this injured in your entire life before working here."

He nodded, "you're right. But then I wouldn't have met you."

Helena's brow furrowed skeptically and she looked at him closely as if judging whether he knew what he was saying or not. She had a vague idea that painkillers sometimes made people act differently and made their thoughts a lot more vulnerable but she had never seen that before personally.

"I see now what people mean when they say painkillers mess up with the head," she remarked lightly, "quite a similar situation with anesthesia."

"I'm dead serious," he replied, eyes dilating a little, "and you're taking it as a joke."

She laughed, "I might never get to hear this from you again so go on, I'm all ears."

"I'm not saying anything."

"Why? I want to hear it all, everything which you would normally never say to me. I'm hoping for some compliments but maybe I'm pressurizing you a little too much. And then you are injured and it would be cruel so... Take all the time you need, I'm not going anywhere."

"I really appreciate all that you've done for me," he resumed, "and I don't care whether you're trustworthy or not but the truth is... I... I am unable to stop thinking about you."

Her smile widened, "really?"

"Really."

"This might be the worst decision you've ever made."

"I already have a bucketful of bad decisions in my record, this one won't be the first."

"But you're dizzy right now," she spoke in a soft voice, her hand gently running through his light brown hair, "and you won't remember this tomorrow."

"Did you remember that you had once kissed me on the cheek? Probably under the influence of the bourbon you had consumed?"

Her grey eyes twinkled in amusement, "if I really was under the influence of alcohol, I wouldn't have gone for the cheek."

A short laugh burst forth from her upon noticing the much familiar blush creeping up on his face, somewhat mingling with the bruises.

"And I do want to kiss you right now," she admitted truthfully, her index finger cautiously tracing the curve of his lips, "but you're injured and not in your right senses and I don't want to be unfair to you."

"You're the Huntress, you take what you want."

"But sometimes, I walk off knowing the other person deserves better," she mumbled in a low voice and leaned forward placing a delicate kiss on his cheek cautiously, "and you, Alexander, deserve so much better than this."

He was silent for a short while as if pondering over her words but his fingers closed on to her wrist when she was about to get up, refusing her to leave just then, "life's too short, Helena. What if something happens to either of us? What if we live in regret for not taking the chance?"

Her grey eyes flickered with an unfathomable expression, "I can't believe you're the one saying this."

"Maybe you're right. I normally wouldn't say stuff like that," his voice had lowered too and he retrieved his gaze from her, looking up at the ceiling instead aimlessly.

Her hand cupped his face, gently turning it back towards her, "Alexander, please don't get yourself beat up again like this. Be on your guard and as soon as this contract finishes, don't ever come back here again."

"Will that mean I won't even see you again either?"

"Perhaps," she mumbled with a heavy heart.

"Then I don't want this contract to end so soon."

For the first time in her life, Helena felt conflicted. She was gazing deep into his honey colored eyes and found sincerity written clearly across his features. But the fact was that he was too good for her, too sweet and out of reach.

***

Dora woke up to the sounds of muffled noises and sat up immediately, rubbing her eyes as she looked around. Her room was dark and it was two after midnight so there was no way Alex could have come back by then. Thinking it was probably Red Robin outside or some other intruder, she got alert, coming out of the room cautiously.

The lights to Al's room were flickered on and two different voices could be heard, one of which belonged to a woman. Not certain of the situation, she grabbed the floor mop and her cell phone, ready to call Selina just in case.

Someone stepped out of the room but the flash of black leather jacket indicated clearly that he wasn't Alexander and seeing her standing in the corridor holding the floor mop at him, the person burst out laughing.

"Aw come on Dora, do you really think a floor mop is going to scare me?"

She recognized the voice then, "Jason?"

"Yup," he replied, switching on the lights so that she could clearly see him.

"Don't underestimate me, I have broken ribs with this," she remarked, "but what are you doing here?"

"Well... We brought Alex back home so..."

"We? Is there someone else here too?" Her brow furrowed in surprise and as she stepped inside the room she saw Helena as well. But her surprise turned into shock upon seeing her brother and the floor mop dropped with a clatter to the ground, "what the hell has happened to him?"

"Another bar fight," Helena remarked, "your brother was unfortunately the center of it this time."

Her eyes flickered in concern as she sat down beside Alex taking in his bruised features, "I told him not to work there... I'm not going to let him go there ever again."

"Sadly he has a contract so you can't pull him off before that."

Her brown eyes locked with Helena's grey irises, "and who are you?"

"Let's just say I am a friend of your brother's," she replied cautiously.

"Soon to be girlfriend," Jason quipped but Helena threw a pillow at him to shut him up, hoping Dora hadn't heard it.

But Dora was too busy in checking Alexander over for injuries, her wide eyes welling up with tears, "Al, I warned you not to apply for such a risky job, didn't I? Now look what you've gotten yourself into."

Alex gently clasped her hand in his own and squeezed it as if to assure her that he would be fine.

"He needs rest," Helena spoke up, "I will see to it that Oswald gives him off for a few days. But I can't do anything about the contract. There's still a month or two left."

She looked up at her, "but you'll see to it that he gets an off, right? Because he can't go back like this."

"Sure."

"Thank you," she nodded then turning to look at Alex, she remarked, "and Al, you are not leaving this bed anytime soon. I will see to it that you get a lot of rest and recover quickly."

"But the shop and my shifts..."

She silenced him, "I'll manage."

Jason spoke up, "don't worry Alex, I'll send Tim and Steph for help too. And you, Dora, don't hesitate to make Tim work his ass off at the shop. He totally deserves it."

She hadn't gotten the meaning behind his sentence but nodded nevertheless.

Helena smiled politely at them and handed a note to Isadora before stepping out, "Bye Dora, take care of Alexander and if you need any help whatsoever, just call."

After she had left, Dora asked Jason, "what were you saying about her earlier?"

"What? I didn't say anything," he replied, noticing the warning look Alex had given him.

She seemed to have observed the silent exchange between the two as she stood up, "Alex, I'll be right back. And Jason, don't you have to leave now? I also have to lock the door after you go so hurry up."

He smiled though his eyes glinted in mischief as he stepped out with Dora following close behind.

"Who was she?"

"Helena. Your brother's sole friend at the Iceberg Lounge."

"Just friend?"

Jason nodded as if impressed, "you are way too observant. But I'll let you know this; she's just a friend for now but could be more if only your brother picked up the guts to ask her out."

"So he's being a Tim to her?"

He burst out laughing, "that's a strange way of putting it but kinda."

"Is she trouble?"

"A little, yes. But if I am ever to play Cupid I would totally set the two together," he stepped out of the door at last, touching his head slightly in a farewell gesture, "but right now you have other things to worry about such as persuading Alex to rest so best of luck for that. As for Helena and Al, we'll see what we can do later on."

"Right. And thanks for bringing him back."

"No problem."

***