"No no no." Alex protested.

"Yes." Hank replied as Kara walked in and asked.

"What's wrong?"

"Senator Crane has invited Hank to the big fund raising party tonight." Alex said.

"The one I'm going to?"

"That's the one." Alex confirmed.

"Awww, that's so sweet." Kara grinned as Hank glared and explained.

"It's a professional arrangement."

"Is that what it is called this days?" Kara asked before looking at Alex and asking. "Wait, why is that bad? Isn't it good that Hank has a date?"

"It's not a date." Hank growled.

"The Hank date part is good." Alex said ignoring him. "But apparently Maxwell Lord and the Senator are good friends and he has convinced her he is in danger and that he needs personal protection tonight."

"Personal protection? From you? So you are Lord's date?" Kara asked wide eyed before looking at Hank and asking. "You're allowing this?"

"The Senator was insistent." Hank said.

"You not even dating her yet and you're bending to her will." Kara said outraged that Alex was having to babysit Max.

"This is a professional request from someone who can help the DEO." Hank said calmly. "Besides Alex is more than capable of taking care of herself and we'll both be there to ensure that Max behaves."

-00-

"You've got to admit this is nice." Max said as he danced with Alex.

"I really don't." Alex commented.

"Women would kill to be you right now." Max pointed out.

"Oh, I'm ready to kill." Alex said.

"I love it when you get your dangerous edge, especially in that dress. You really do look stunning."

"Do you mind?" Adam said as he tried to cut into Alex and Max's dance.

"Yes I do. And I think you have the wrong sister." Max said.

"Looks like the right sister to me." Adam replied cooly.

"Really, you've got bored of aliens have you?" Max asked smiling.

"The only thing I have got bored of is you walking round this city." Adam smiled back.

"Is that a threat?"

"No, just a statement. Now if you'll excuse us, Alex owes me several dances."

"I'm afraid Alex is my date tonight." Max replied causing Adam to look at Alex who explained.

"I've been ordered to be his bodyguard."

"So you see she can't leave my side." Max said smugly. "Where I go, she goes."

"And where she goes I go." Adam said.

"How sweet, does the arrangement extend to home as well?" Max asked turning to Alex and commenting. "I mean I know you and your sister are close but that is taking it a bit far."

Before Adam could reply a familiar voice broke up the conversation.

"Maxwell Lord." Cat said from behind Adam.

"Cat Grant." Max smiled.

"Are you making more un-forfilable promises?" Cat asked.

"Not at all. In fact I was just explaining to your son that he couldn't cut in with my date."

"I hope you don't mind but Max owes me a dance." Cat said to Alex, taking Max's hand and leading him off.

"What just happened?" Adam asked as he watched his mother dance with Max.

"You tried to save me then got saved by your mother." Alex said as she led Adam off the dance floor.

"Do they have history together?" Adam asked.

"No idea." Alex said before asking. "You okay?"

"Sure, I guess." Adam said as he watched Cat and Max dance. "How about you?"

"I'm fine, thanks for the attempted save. Did Kara send you over?"

"No, I've not seen Kara. She was with my mom. So what did he want?" Adam asked.

"Just to annoy me." Alex shrugged as Kara rushed over.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Alex said. "I have two people running interference." She said nodding towards Cat. "But I am really regretting giving up drinking."

"Seeing you're working you couldn't drink anyway." Kara pointed out before noticing Hank and Senator Crane dancing. "At least someone is having fun tonight." She commented as she took a photo. Seeing Alex's question stare she explained. "For Vasquez, there's a bet on whether or not the boss can dance."

"You know you two don't have to stay and look after me." Alex said. "You could go dance."

"Actually I have to go and find Cat's next dance partner. Are you going to be okay?"

"I'm fine. If Max really annoys me I'll just taser him." Alex shrugged.

"Good." Kara said before looking at Adam. "Are you okay? I should only be another hour."

"I'm fine." Adam said before she kissed him and ran off.

-00-

"Are you really going to follow us round all evening?" Max asked bemused as Adam sat next to him and Alex.

"Yeah. Unless Alex asks me to leave."

"Which I'm not planning on doing." Alex added.

"Have you been dumped? Is that it? Or is it you want me to reminisce about your mother?" Max questioned. Any answer was cut off by a loud shattering sound. Looking round Alex saw a giant flying creature break through the glass ceiling as the crowd screamed and scattered. Immediately alert to danger Alex ushered Adam and Max to one side.

As the creature swooped towards the trio Alex threw herself on top of Max and Adam sending all three to the ground.

"You okay?" She asked looking at Adam.

"Fine." He replied as Max asked.

"Shouldn't you be focused on saving me?"

"If you die Senator Crane is upset. If Adam dies my sister is upset. Guess which one worries me."

"And there I was thinking you were warming to me." Max commented as Alex helped him to his feet and tried to move him and Adam to another room.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere safe, hopefully." Alex said as they ran through a room with glass walls. "Preferably without windows."

Before they made it to the next room the creature flew through the glass and knocked the trio to the ground.

-00-

"Where are we?" Adam asked as he sat up. "And what the hell are we in?" He questioned aware he was lying in a layer of slime.

"No idea." Alex replied standing a few feet away. "When I woke up we were already here."

"And the slime?"

"We probably don't want to know." Alex said. "Just don't sniff it."

"Why? Is it toxic?"

"No, it just doesn't smell very nice." Alex replied as she wrapped her arms round her torso trying to keep warm.

"Do you know what took us?" Adam asked, carefully getting to his feet and moving over to Alex.

"A giant fly." Alex shrugged.

Seeing Alex was shivering Adam slipped off his jacket and wrapped it round her.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, just cold. This dress isn't the best choice of clothing to get kidnapped in."

"Well I personally think you look very fetching in it. Especially with the way the slime makes it hug your body." Max said as he sat up. "But you really need to work on your protection skills. I just hope your escape skills are better. So what's the plan?"

"Well we are sealed in, so we wait for the DEO to rescue us." Alex stated simply.

"That's the plan?" Max asked in disbelief as he stood. "Once again it falls on me then." He said approaching the entrance to the cell. As he reached it he held out his hand before being repelled backwards and landing in a heap.

"Everything above knee height seems to be electrified." Alex explained.

"And you couldn't mention that before I touched it?" Max asked grimacing.

"I could. I just didn't want to." Alex said as Adam smiled.

"Nice Alex." Max commented as he gingerly got to his feet and walked towards her.

"Well you do tell me you are a genius, I figured you'd work it out." She said.

"So back to waiting then?" Max said.

"Unless you want to touch the side again." Adam suggested.

"I get the feeling you don't like me." Max said to Adam.

"May be you are a genius with that insight." Adam replied.

"Not liking me could make Christmas awkward. I mean your mother and I are very close. We have history together."

"Max, shut up." Alex said.

"I'm just filling him in on all the years he missed." Max said.

"You think we could kill him and blame it on the alien?" Adam asked Alex. "No one need ever know."

"Tempting, but we'd know and Kara would figure it out and wouldn't forgive us." Alex said.

"So once again it is the alien he hates that saves him." Adam commented. "You'd think he'd be a little more grateful."

"I am not the enemy. My interests like in protecting the Earth and protecting humanity. You are too close to your pet alien to see the danger she poses." Max explained.

"The only time Kara has ever been a danger to anyone was when you poisoned her." Alex pointed out.

"That was unintentional, but it did reveal her true personality. I pity you for not being able to see that."

"You are unbelievable." Adam said stepping up to Max.

"Alex? Adam?" Kara called as she approached the cell.

"Stay back." Alex said moving towards the door.

"Why?" Hank asked.

"Firstly there is current running through the walls. Secondly we are covered in slime, it could be a contagion. We need to set up isolation protocols."

"I knew you wanted to spend some quality time with me." Max said smiling at Alex.

"Are any of you hurt?" Hank asked.

"Not yet." Alex said staring at Max.

"We'll get you out of there soon."

-00-

"So what now?" Adam asked as he sat in the isolation lab at the DEO next to Alex. Both had showered and were in DEO issued track pants and t-shirts.

"Forty-eight hours of observation to make sure we are not a danger to ourselves or others."

"How come Lord escaped this?"

"He didn't. He has his own isolation cell. Hank thought it would be better that way." Alex said. "Apparently it would look bad if Max was assaulted by his protection detail or of his protection detail did not actually protect him whilst being assaulted a few feet away."

"Are we likely to become a danger?" Adam asked.

"Probably not. So far the tests on the slime have not revealed anything worrying. It was probably just some sort of digestive enzyme." Alex said. "I'm sure we'll be fine."

"So how do we kill the time?" Adam asked.

"Why are you asking me?"

"Well you have experience with this. I mean, you're the prison expert." Adam said standing.

"You just can't let that go." Alex commented.

"Let what go? Your criminal past? Of course I can't let it go. Maybe in ten years I'll get bored of it but probably not." Adam shrugged as he subtly backed away from Alex.

"Do you want to make it out alive?" Alex asked as they heard a bang on the window. Looking over they saw Kara.

Hopping down from her bed Alex went to the window and activated the intercom.

"Are you two okay?" Kara asked.

"We're fine." Alex promised her. "And if your boyfriend learns to grow up he may make it out alive."

"What did he do?" Kara asked looking at Adam.

"I just asked Alex for advice about how to kill time." Adam said trying to look innocent.

"What's wrong with that?" Kara asked looking at Alex. "But if you are bored and need something to do I have a suggestion."

"What?" Alex asked.

"First you need to know that Adam does not know about this."

"Know about what?" Alex questioned as Adam asked.

"What have you done?"

"I may have signed you up to a dating website. I uploaded your profile and you have had lots of hits. Everything is on that iPad." Kara said pointing to the device sitting on a table in the isolation lab. "I figured you could use the time to find a date?"

"Kara!" Alex snapped.

"Anyway I'm going home now so have fun." She said walking off as Alex glared at her back.

-TBC...


A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing.