"Want me to come in with you?" Trisha asked before quickly adding "In case you need help I mean. I suppose you won't be needing too much but…"

Alex didn't argue and even opened the car door for her, which had never happened before. As He led her up to the Flat she looked around, struck by a wave of nostalgia, nothing had changed in the two years she had been gone, it was as if time had stood still.

Alex pulled his old house key from the brown paper parcel and opened the flat door but allowed her to enter first. If he was polite before Prison, he was a proper gentleman now, and it was one that Patricia couldn't complain about.

"You're being very gentlemanly Alex, did you go to Prison or Etiquette classes?"

"I suppose a few years without female company has made me appreciate it a bit more." Alex shrugged.

The music playing was loudly and it didn't seem that anyone heard them come in.

"I still think you should have let me tell your parents about the treatment." Trisha said pointedly

"And ruin the surprise?"

"I think Shock is the word you're looking"

She grabbed his shoulder, "Alex, maybe I should go in first. I've been keeping in touch with them for a while, maybe it will be better if we don't spring too much on them at once."

She hated to spoil his enthusiasm so soon, however she did get a very bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Alex thought on it a moment before nodding reluctantly but he didn't let it spoil his sunny outlook, however he did seem put off as they passed his old room and found it obviously lived in but completely different.

"They just took in a lodger, for the extra money" she took his hand, "your stuff is probably just packed away someplace."

Alex nodded and allowed her to slip in front of him as she crept down the hall way. "Just wait right here okay?" she held him off and popped her head in the room.

Sure enough there was Mr and Mrs. DeLarge and the lodger Joe, drinking tea and reading the morning paper which told about Alex's new freedom.

"Mr. DeLarge, Mrs. DeLarge." she announced herself and they looked up.

"Patricia, what a surprise seeing you here dear." Mrs. DeLarge set her paper aside, "Have you seen the papers?"

Patricia bit her lip, "Uh yeah, yeah I have…" she smiled a little. "I actually have a bit of a surprise for you all." She looked at Alex in the hall and motioned for him to enter, which he did almost sheepishly.

Mr. DeLarge almost spilled his tea and Mrs. DeLarge stared in shock.

"Surprise" Trisha smiled nervously. Alex grinned at the shock.

"Hi, hi, hi there my P and Em" He stepped forward to his mother, "Hello Love, How are you" He kissed her cheek lovingly and she accepted it in surprise.

Mr. DeLarge had stood up looking pale as Alex shook his hand, "Nice to see you, Dad."

"H-Hello Lad, nice to see you to." He sputtered and Trisha sighed, she was afraid this would happen.

"Keeping fit?" Alex mimed punching his arm jestingly but Mr. DeLarge jumped about a foot in the air.

"Fine, fine" he trembled and Alex laughed,

"So how are you then?"

"Fine, fine, keeping out of trouble you know."

"Well." Alex smiled, "I out"

"Aye." Mr. DeLarge sat back down and turned off the Radio.

Patricia stepped in, "We actually came by to pick up some of Alex's things." She explained, "Also so Alex could see you two again."

"You've found a place to stay then?" Mr. DeLarge looked like a giant weight had been taken off him.

"Yeah, Trisha and I govereeted about me lodging at her domy for a while." Alex explained. Mrs. DeLarge stood up.

"Why didn't you let us know what was happening son?" she asked and Alex scratched the back of his neck.

"Sorry Em, I just wanted it to be like…a surprise for you and P."

"Well it is a surprise, a bit bewildering to."

"We've all only just read about it in the morning paper."

Trisha sighed, "I wanted to let you know but your headstrong son insisted."

"Aye, you should have let us know lad." His father was still a nervous as a mouse. "Not that we're not very glad to see you. And all Cured to?"

"That's right dad." Alex confirmed, "They did a great job on my Gulliver, I'm completely reformed!"

"For better or for worse I don't know." Trisha muttered under her breath and Alex glanced at her, "say something love?"

"I said you haven't met Joe." She covered it up and motioned to the tense stranger on the couch. "Your uh, your parents took him in."

"Joe," she eyed the lodger she had only met a handful of times but still wasn't all that fond of. "This is Alex."

Alex stood before the lodge and Trisha felt the air change, Alex's temperament had shifted slightly back to his old self and she held her breath.

"How do you do Joe? Find the room comfortable do you? No, complaints?"

Joe stared up at Alex, "I've heard about you." He said coldly, "I know what you've done." He stood up so that Alex and He were face to face and Trisha took a step back slowly.

"Breaking the heart of your poor grieving parents. So you're back ay? Back to make life a misery for your loving parents once more it that it?"

"Joe please." Trisha tried to break in but Mr. DeLarge grabbed her wrist, "best not dear."

Joe continued, "Well over my dead corpse you will because you see, they've let me be more like a son to them than a lodger."

Alex moved to strike him but froze mid punch as Mrs. DeLarge pulled Joe down on the couch. And Alex stumbled back, gagging.

"Alex!" Patricia shot forward and grabbed his shoulders as he backed into the bar

"Well do put your hand over your mouth please, it's bloody revolting. "

Trisha glared at him, "Oh sod off Joe!"

"What's the matter Lad, are you feeling alright?" Mr. DeLarge asked and the Mrs leaned forward. "Dad, it's the treatment" she pointed at the paper on her knee.

"Well it's disgusting" Joe muttered as Trisha led Alex to a red chair gently. "It's enough to put you off your food."

Trisha growled as she got Alex in the seat, "Joe I swear to God…"

"Oh leave him be Joe, it's the treatment." Mrs. DeLarge scolded him.

"D'you think we should do something?" Mr. DeLarge asked as Trisha rubbed Alex's shoulders.

"No, he'll be just fine. It passes after a few minutes I think" She shook her head and ran her fingers through Alex's fair hair.

"Would you like me to make you a nice cup of tea son?" Mrs. DeLarge asked and Alex shook his head. "No Thanks mum, it'll pass in a minute. Like she said." He gasped and struggled to steady his breathing.

Trisha stepped forward after patting his shoulder, the sickness seemed to have passed but he still clung to the paper parcel pressed to his chest.

"What have you done with his things? I'll take them out to the car."

"Well, that was all took away by the police. New regulation about compensation for the victim."

Trisha nodded, "No matter… No matter, that's alright. What about Basil?" she glanced at them.

"The Snake?" she clarified.

"Well he…" the father stuttered, "He met with, with like an accident. He…He passed away."

Trisha sighed and stroked Alex's hair. "I'm sorry Alex." She whispered, "But It'll be alright I promise."

"Serves him right" Joe muttered and Trisha froze before standing up.

"Pardon?"

"You heard me" Joe stood up as well. "I've heard all that he's done, sitting here around the family table it was real shocking to listen to. Made me real sick some of it. It's only fair that he should suffer proper!" They squared up nose to nose as Trisha listened to him in quiet fury.

"You leave him be." She growled and Joe scoffed.

"Or what? Well look he's weeping now, but that's all his craft and artfulness!" Joe went on "Do yourself a favor and let him find a room someplace else, don't let the others in that fine neighborhood of yours be put at risk because you're too stupid to see past his game"

Trisha snapped, she couldn't remember the last time she raised a hand to a person but Joe had pushed enough of her buttons to earn a sharp hand across his cheek.

It was either harder than she thought it would be or he was completely unprepared for it because he's head snapped to the side like it was on a swivel.

She didn't have the time to revel in the strike however as Alex began to gag and retch once more. She looked at him before realizing the act of violence must have set off the treatment and she covered her mouth.

"Alex!" she stepped forward but he stumbled back and shook his head, before stumbling down the hall and out the door, gagging and contorting the whole time.

"Huh" Joe chuckled, "maybe that treatment does work"

Trisha glared up at him in hate, "you go straight to hell"

She ran after Alex out the door and found he had made it to the river side.

"Alex!" she ran after him. "Alex, I'm sorry I…" she grabbed his arm, "I wasn't thinking, I'm so sorry."

It seemed like he was ignoring her and she let go of his arm but still jogged to keep up with him until they made it to the bridge. Alex slowed, then stopped and stared into the water.

"Alex?" she brushed his arm but he didn't react as he didn't break his gaze with the rippling river.

"Can you spare some cutter me brother?" A bum approached Alex but he was met with silence.

"Can you spare some cutter…me brother?" the bum pleaded and Trisha sighed before pulling out her pocket book.

"Here" she pressed some money into the Bum palm.

"Thanks little sister" The bum nodded and began to turn before catching a good look At Alex's Face, an expression of recognition spreading over his face. Alex noticed the look and began to back away.

"Jamey Mack! Be the hokey fly! Holy Mother of God! All the Holy Angels and blessed saints in Heaven preserve us!" The tramp put up his fists and Trisha began to back up to as Alex broke away and made for the bridge tunnel.

"I never forget a face!" the tramp ran alongside him, arms grabbing at his suit, "I never forget any face, by God!"

"Let me go Brother, I've never seen you before" Alex insisted as the Tramp grabbed him and dragged him under the bridge to the other bums.

"This is the poisonous young swine who near done me in!" The bum Announced and Trisha instantly recognized the man, the tramp from two years earlier who Alex and the Droogs so viciously assaulted while Trisha watched on, laughing and cheering.

She around after them, "Stop! Let him be!" She grabbed at the Bum's hands that gripped Alex but was brushed off as if she were an annoying fly instead of a human being.

The hoard of tramps began to attack Alex, kicking and hitting and yelling as Alex went to the ground and covered his head.

Trisha did the only thing she could do, but never thought she would.

She called for the police, she yelled and ran up and down the street until a pair of Bobbies noticed her and harkened her cries for aid. They followed her to the scene and began to push through the crowd of rabid bums.

"Alex!" she made for him as soon as the crowd began to scatter, "Are you alright?"

Alex nodded but looked up at the cops, a look of terror spread over his face. "Oh no!"

She looked up and felt all blood drain from her body.

"Well! Well, Well, Well!" Dim, now assumedly Officer Dim, laughed. "If it isn't little Alex. Long time no viddy Droog."

"It impossible, I don't believe it." Alex sputtered as Trisha stood up, "Nor do I." she said coldly, putting herself between Alex and the officers.

"Evidence of the old glazzies" George said coolly, "nothing up our sleeves. No Magic little Alex. A job for two, who are now Job age. The Police." He turned to Patricia with a cruel smile.

"You've done real horrorshow Trisha, I thank you. Now step aside."

She frowned and planted her feet. "No."

George smirked. "I believe we has ourselves a civilian in distress. Officer, if you will." Dim chuckled in his familiar, heavy way and gripped Trisha by the arm and pulled her out of the way roughly as George grabbed Alex.

"Let me go! Dim! I said let me go" she struggled and Shoved him off of her, making him stumble back.

"That's assault of an officer miss, you'll have to come with us." He snatched her arm and twisted it behind her as she cried out and was dragged along with Alex to a large Police Landrover and thrown in the back like a sack of potatoes…