4

The next day Alex left early. She'd been summoned to Derek's office for some reason or another. He smiled as she entered introducing her to the others in the room and asking for a moment of privacy.

He closed the door behind them.

"I can't be long Derek, I have an appointment at 9-" Alex started, sitting down and looking at her watch.

He put his hands on her waist and smiled sympathetically. "How are you holding up?"

She shifted awkwardly, giving her head a quick shake "What do you mean?"

"Well you ran off pretty quickly last night…"

"Oh… you noticed." She bit her tongue. Her old sarcasm had moments of peeking through.

"Now Alexis… I know this is going to be difficult, but you can't have a breakdown every time something comes up. The press would have a field day."

"I know. I'm sorry…" She shook her head, pushing herself away from him and moving over to the window, her eyes beginning to fill with tears.

"We have a deal Alexis. Don't go soft on me now." He moved up behind her, running his hands up her arms, stopping on her shoulders. He kissed her on the neck; the feel of his warm breath on her flesh caused her to stiffen. "Relax a little. We need to look authentic you know."

"I know Derek." She said softly. Before she could say anything else, his phone rang.

"Sorry… I have to take this call." He flipped it open before greeting the person on the other end. He covered the mouthpiece and whispered to her "I'll call you later."

She nodded and left quietly.

She'd agreed to one year of this?

Only one year. For financial security… it was worth it. She breathed easily and smoothed out her expensive outfit before making her way down the hall.

Derek's secretary stopped typing and looked up. "Is everything alright Ms. P-"

Alex put her head down as the older woman stood.

"Everything is fine Grace."

"Are you sure?"

Alex nodded as she put the sunglasses on. "Yes I'm sure. Just a little stressed out." She wiped the tears out of her eyes.

She nodded. "Of course."

As Alexis walked to her car she let out a frustrated breath, adjusting the pair of stylish sunglasses on her nose. She could hardly see a thing with the sunglasses on due to the storm clouds rolling in, but the last thing she wanted was someone getting a picture of her crying as she left Derek's office.

---

Johnny stood outside, hiding his bad habit to the best of his ability from his sister. He flicked the cigarette after the last puff and ground it out. Being a bad boy had certain expectations. At least that's what he'd told her at first. Now he was just addicted.

He was about to head back inside when he heard a car screech around the corner into the institute parking lot. The music was absolutely cranked.

The song was familiar. He'd heard it before.

Johnny squinted at the blue car. It couldn't be. He took a few steps forward to hear a little better. He shook his head.

There was no doubt about it. That was the song; and that was her. He continued towards the car. She smacked her steering wheel a few times before resting her head against it.

"Has someone taken your faith, it's real. The pain you feel, the trust you must confess. Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you? Ohhhhhh…"

After the drum solo, she shut the ignition off and climbed out of the car.

Johnny was leaning on the side, scaring her with his greeting.

There was no way she would have heard him coming.

She let out a breath, one hand on her chest, the other on her sunglasses. "You startled me."

"I thought you didn't do that anymore."

She closed her door "Who told you that?"

He shrugged.

"So. Is someone getting the best of you?" he asked, his arms crossed on his chest.

"That's not funny." She pressed her lips together and started towards the institute.

"And what's with the sunglasses." Johnny smirked as he followed her. "It's not even remotely sunny. You weren't crying were you?"

"Even if I had been, I can't see how that would be any of your business." She said as she bumped into a pole. It was obvious she could barely see anything with the shades on.

"Alex stop."

"I told you, its Alexis now." She grumbled.

"Stop." He put his hand on her arm. He felt her flinch slightly, but she stopped. "Talk to me."

She bristled. "I don't want to."

"Of course you do."

She looked away and sighed before taking her sunglasses off and looking back at him.

He narrowed his eyes "What's up?"

"Nothing Johnny." She gritted her teeth "I'm just… having a bad day."

"That's it?"

"God!" She huffed before heading towards the institute. "What's with the twenty questions?! Anyways, I should be the one asking you the questions… firstly, smoking?!"

Johnny followed her, running a hand through his hair with an awkward laugh. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh please. I can smell Johnny. That's a nasty habit." She shook her head; grateful that the conversation had took a turn away from her. "Besides, I can't imagine the ladies enjoy it too much either."

"The ladies enjoy everything Johnny Storm does." He said with a very cocky look on his face.

Alex stopped and looked at him over her shoulder. "Of course they do." She said dryly before continuing into the institution. This was going to be a very difficult few weeks for her.

Hope y'like it!

xoxo

-Kinetically Charmed-