Alan Blunt wasn't all that excited when he heard Alex had joined the handicap list, but Alex defended himself fairly well. However, Blunt did refuse to pay for Alex's passage home, leaving Alex and Jack alone in America, with no cash and no place to stay. Jack had foced herself back to her sister's house.

Alex was sitting at the dining room table, staring off into space, ignoring the cold eggs and pancakes that inhabited his plate. He hated Jack's sister. Sure, she was an excellent cook, and she loved to spend all of her time primarily on cooking, but that left little time for her to spend on her personality. She was dull, rude and abnoxious. There was no wonder Jack left the country to escape her sister, Alex would do the exact same thing. "Alex?"

Alex jerked his head up, annoyed with himself for letting someone like Agatha (Jack's sister) to sneak up on him like that. "What?" Alex snapped a little ruder than he had intended. Agatha appearantly gave him a harsh look because his features soon softened. "I mean...what?" he said a little kinder.

"Is something wrong, child?" Agatha asked, the dismay evident in her firm tone. She was only a year and a few months older than Jack but she looked centuries older. Alex wasn't sure if it was Jack who looked younger than her age, or Agatha who looked far older than her age. Agatha's skin clung to her bones forceably, seeming to make it impossible for her to smile. Not that she wanted to. She was a very pessimistic lady, always positive that something dreadful would happen to someone close to her, as though she wished it to be so. But Alex followed Jack's example and just swept the predictions away like they'd never been said in the first place.

"No," Alex mumbled quietly. "I'm fine," he added.

"Well you don't seem very fine," Agatha pointed out bluntly. Alex's eyes narrowed. Agatha was really the type to point out things you knew they knew, but just wished they'd let it be. "Why, you haven't even touched my delicious food! Something must be wrong!" Agatha went on. "Tell me, what is it?"

Alex stared at her quietly for a moment. To be honest, despite how often she cooked, her food wasn't all that great. But he didn't bother to point that bit out. "You wouldn't understand it," he mumbled after a moment.

By the look Agatha gave him, one would suspect he had slapped her. "Excuse me?" She snapped. "I? Won't understand? No such words should ever be used in such a sorrowful sentence! I understand all!"

"Then you won't have a problem understanding why I want you to go away and leave me be?" Alex asked quickly. He knew it was mean and rude, this woman had opened up her house for him and Jack, but he just wanted her to go away. Afterall, it was easier to like someone you don't know. Someone who doesn't talk.

"Jack taught you how to talk like that, didn't she?" Agatha accused. Alex shook his head and opened his mouth to deny it, but Agatha never gave him the chance. "That is so like her. She really always was the failure of the family, running away with some boy to a foriegn country, befriending those who would kill us Americans in a second. She always talked so negative, like she didn't care if she flunked out of school, if she never got married. If the family always thought her to be a disgrace. And now she's passed it onto you!"

Alex stared at her dumbfoundedly. "She's not a failure," he finally got out. "She has a good life in England, not that you'd understand that. You know nothing of her life, so I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't speak of her like that. She's not failure. She's needed. Which is more than I can say about you." Alex finally threw down his fork and rose from his chair, storming off before Agatha could stop him.