Lots of thanks to my beta reader Witch isit for all the help!


It was a large ballroom so it was not the sort of place where Hex usually felt comfortable. He was here because the Doctor had told him to come, and Hex did what the Doctor said. It helped that Ace was here also. Hex looked to where she was standing across the room and smiled.

The tall man standing in front of him looked in the same direction. "Do you know that woman?" he asked.

"Oh yeah," Hex said carelessly. "That's my wife over there, Mrs Smith you know."

"That's logical," laughed Mr Trent, "after all you yourself are Mr Smith."

Hex laughed too. He felt bolder than usual here in this room where no one knew who he truly was. No one except the Doctor and Ace of course. The Doctor was using the time to perform a diplomatic mission. Ace and Hex were circulating amongst the guests to try to keep the peace on their own.

Hex had decided to tell Mr Trent that his name was Mr Thomas Smith, the same alias he used when he and Ace were in Monte Carlo helping the Doctor with the crystal that contained the genetic information for a whole planet. Ace wasn't around to hear him and he got bold and decided to say she was his wife. She had given him the idea herself during their hunt for the crystal. Hex liked the idea enough to use it again. If Ace asked him about it he could just say Mr Trent saw them come in together and got curious. He just hoped Ace hadn't been giving a different story to other people in the room.

Hex started to worry a little. Before they came in, the Doctor had told them what to do and Ace had mumbled something. Hex didn't remember what it was. It might have been something about what names they were supposed to use. "Excuse me," he told Mr Trent. "I really need to speak with my wife right away."

He walked away quickly and looked around for Ace. There she was talking to a teenage boy who was staring at Ace's dress rather rudely. Hex walked faster. "Hi, dear," he said when he got up to Ace. "Who is that?" He stared at the boy just as rudely as the boy had been looking at Ace.

"What are you talking about?" Ace started to say to him.

"Excuse us," Hex told the boy and took Ace's elbow and pulled her away. She pulled back and they stopped in a corner away from other people.

"What was all that about?" Ace demanded.

Hex fidgeted. He wished Ace would let him hold her arm again. "What was what about?" he said innocently.

Ace rolled her eyes. "You calling me dear is what," she said.

"Oh yeah," said Hex. "I thought I might call my wife that."

"Wife!" yelled Ace so loudly people turned to stare.

"Shh," Hex whispered, worried she would blow their cover.

"Wife," Ace repeated more quietly, giving him a stunned look.

"Like in Monte Carlo," Hex reminded her. "That's our story, isn't it," he bluffed.

Ace didn't say anything right away. Hex fidgeted and began to feel really nervous. He opened his mouth to say something, anything that would make Ace forget what a fool he'd been. He couldn't thin of anything brilliant to say and just stared at her. He was saved by the Doctor walking up just then. He rubbed his hands together "Mission acomplished. We can leave anytime."

"Great," said Hex, still staring at Ace. The Doctor turned and walked away, smiling and nodding on his way to the door as if he knew everyone in the room. He received many smiles and nods in return from people who must assume he was someone famous.

"Shall we?" said Hex, holding out his arm to Ace. He felt very nervous about what she would do.

She looked at him, and then she smiled and took his arm.