Chapter 18 (Timeline 2): Meeting Alex for the first time
"That's the kitchen, that's the toilet. Over there is my room," Alex barked. "I take it you'll be staying in with dad. That's his room over there."
"What gave you that idea?!" Dawn shrieked.
Alex looked her up and down.
"Just a hunch."
"Look, I helped your dad escape. That's it. End of story."
"So how did you end up here?"
"Your dad led me here."
"You didn't want to go back to your people?"
"After seeing what they did to your father? No, I didn't," Dawn replied firmly.
"How bad is he?" Alex frowned.
"He's been beaten and tortured. His shoulder is infected. I'm not sure how he's standing to be honest but he is."
"Sounds like dad," Alex smiled wryly.
An hour later Ben walked through the door, his arm in a fresh white sling.
"Dad! What the hell?" Alex cried when she saw him.
"Nice to see you too, Alex."
She stopped in front of him, her hands on her hips.
"I told you to leave those people alone! I told you not to go spying on them but you wouldn't listen! And what the hell happened to your face?"
"I guess I paid the price for not listening," he said, poker-faced. "You've grown again."
She rolled her eyes before giving him a fleeting hug.
"I trust you've been entertaining our guest?"
"You mean the beautiful woman sitting in the living room who insists she's not your girlfriend?"
"I'm not his girlfriend" came Dawn's voice from the living room, at the same time as Ben firmly said,
"She's not my girlfriend."
"Well, whoever she is, she's not getting my room!"