Lex woke up slowly. She loved the days when she could take her time waking up. When no alarm or Nikko woke her. She stretched out on the bed and a small groan escaped her lips. She was surprised to find the space beside her was empty, but she wasn't complaining.

"Good morning, babe. Didn't mean to wake you. You can go back to sleep." Nikko said as he stepped out of the bathroom.

"Hey Nikko." She stretched a bit more and then sat up on the bed. "Where you going?"

"I need to go out for a while"

"Alone?" Lex asked. Nikko rarely went anywhere without her, and now he was doing it for the second day in a row.

"I just have some little things to take care of. Nothing worth dragging you around for. You stay home and relax." He walked over to the bed and pulled her up into his arms.

Lex knew there was more to it, Nikko wasn't the type to take her into consideration, but she wasn't about to waste this chance. "Okay. Actually, I think I'll go out for a while."

Nikko eyed her suspiciously. "Where?"

"I just want to do some shopping, and maybe go to the spa for a while. You haven't forgotten what next month is, right?" She asked with a pout.

"Um, next month?" Nikko gave her a priceless look of confusion and panic. He knew he'd forgotten something, obviously, but not what.

Lex continued to pout. (This is perfect.) She tried to put as much disappointment as she could into her next words. "Oh, nothing, don't worry about it. It's no big deal."

Nikko gently lifted her chin so that she was looking at him. "I'm sorry babe, you know I have a lot of my mind. What did I forget?"

"It's okay, Nikko. It's just my birthday. I never really celebrate it anyway."

"Shit, your birthday. I'm sorry, baby. Of course, go out and buy yourself whatever you want. And you get the best package they have at that spa. Tonight we'll have a special dinner together and we'll plan a big birthday celebration. How'd you like that?" He pulled her in and kissed her.

"Thank you, Nikko!" She replied, a big smile on her face as she hugged him.

"Great, great. I'll let Mike know to get the car ready and he'll take you wherever you want to go." Nikko was walking away already.

"I don't need Mike to drive me around, Nikko." That was the last thing she needed. She wanted to meet up with the Major, and having Mike around would make that difficult.

"I know you don't, but I would feel better if he did. I'll see you tonight." Nikko didn't wait for a reply. As far as he was concerned the decision had been made.

Lex waited until she heard the front door close and then pulled up her Omni-tool. For the first time, Lex was grateful for Nikko's need to look respectable, which had led him to buy them both membership at the most renowned golf club in the city. She figured, if the Major was really as rich as Lizzy had said, he'd either already be a member, or could get membership rather quickly. She set up reservations for a massage at the club spa, followed by a table for lunch. Then she sent the Major a message to meet her there. The best part would be that Mike could drive her there, but he wouldn't be allowed inside.

Steven almost didn't recognize his daughter when she walked up to the table. He'd been on the lookout for some outrages outfit that was not appropriate for her age, like the one she'd worn the night before. Instead she was dressed in jeans and a blouse, and was looking exactly what he imagined a girl her age should look like. He was relieved.

He stood up, as the waiter that had escorted her over helped her into a chair. "Good afternoon, Alexandra."

"Major." Lex replied as she took her seat. She couldn't help but notice the look of surprise on the Major's face when he saw her. Apparently, he'd been expecting her to look more like she had the night before. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but this is what I normally look like."

"Not disappointed at all, in fact, I think this look rather suits you. You look lovely, Alexandra."

"Well, thank you, Major." Lex replied. The complement felt odd to her. She wasn't use to one from someone who wasn't trying to get into her pants. But that didn't mean he wasn't trying to get something from her. "Okay, Major. Here I am. What did you want to talk about?"

"Alexandra, your mother…"

Lex interrupted him. "Lizzy. Don't call her my mother, she never was."

He frowned. "Of course, you're right. Lizzy, told me everything, although I'm sure she left out the worst of it to protect herself. But she told me enough to leave me worried about you. I am so sorry that you have had to endure what you have. Trust me, that if I would have known about you, I would have never allowed it."

"Look Major, my life is what it is. Maybe it would have been different if you'd had known about me, and maybe not. But you didn't and nothing can change that now. I appreciate that you feel some sort of guilt over something you had no control over, but it's not necessary. I'm okay, I've taken pretty good care of myself so far."

"Alexandra, I know that you live with a gang leader. That he basically owns you and keeps you as his property. That is not okay." Steven had been furious when Lizzy had finally told him the truth. The thought of this child, his child, being someone's property was disgusting. He'd almost gone straight to where she lived and taken her out of that place last night, but his better judgment had won out. She seemed safe enough at the moment, and rushing in could have put her in danger. But he was determined to get her away from that man. "I want you to come with me. I can get you far away from here, where he'll never find you."

"Major, I don't even know you. What makes you think I'm going to take a chance with an unknown? I know what to expect here, and I know what's expected of me. You are a stranger, asking me to trust him. I'm sorry, but I can't do that."

"Alexandra…"

"Lex." She interrupted him again.

"I'm sorry?"

"Lex, that's my name. No one calls me Alexandra." She replied.

"Well, I like Alexandra, I think it suits you. Look, I'm not asking you to put all your trust in me, right away. I'm not even asking you to come live with me. I know I'm a total stranger. Plus, I'm a military man, and my life is no place for a child."

"I'm not a child, Major."

"Of course not, you're right." Steven sighed. He knew he wasn't doing this right. He didn't know what to say to her. She was right. They were strangers, but the fact was she was his daughter and he had a responsibility to make sure she was safe. "I'd like you to go to my old school. It's a boarding school, so you'd live on campus there and this Nikko wouldn't be able to get anywhere near you. And they have a biotics program there as well. Once you graduate you could enlist in the Alliance, we're always looking for bright, capable biotics."

"Of course you are. Wow, you almost had me, Major. Well done." Lex didn't know why, but her chest felt tight and she felt on the verge of tears. She stood up. "Look, I'm not interested in your fancy school, and I'm certainly not interested in trading one master for another. I've done well enough on my own so far, and I think I'll keep it that way. Good bye, Major."

Steven grabbed her arm as she turned to walk away from the table. "Alexandra, I don't know what I said to upset you, but please don't go. Sit down, and let's work this out. Please."

"Major, let go of my arm." Lex kept her voice low and under control, not wanting to cause a scene in the middle of the club that could get back to Nikko.

Steven let go of her arm. "I'm sorry, but please, sit down." He waited as she sat back down, relieved she had decided not to leave. "I don't understand what you're so upset about. Is it the school? We can find something else, maybe an early entrance training program."

"Major, I have no interest in joining the Alliance. How is becoming one of your military pawns an improvement to what I am now? Is that the only reason you're here? God, I should have known that anyone that would hook up with Lizzy would have to be just as bad as she is. You just managed to avoid being a druggie as well. I've heard about what your Alliance has done to us biotics, and I know that you all just want us so that you can keep tabs on us. Well, I'm not interested."

"Alexandra, that's not it at all. I didn't come here because of that, I am worried about you. If you don't want to join the Alliance, that's fine, we'll figure something else out. But please, you cannot stay where you are." Steven couldn't believe how badly this was going.

"Major, I'm going to get up from this table in a minute, and you are going to let me go. I'm going to go back to my home and my life, and you are going to let me go. You are not going to come looking for me, or send anyone after me, because that is not what I want and I will not go quietly. If you truly want to keep me safe, then you will leave me alone. I've managed to take care of myself for most of my life and I do not need you to come into it now trying to play hero." Lex was upset, and she just wanted to leave. For some reason she'd let herself almost believe he'd been interested in her because she was his daughter, but of course, once again it was the biotics. He just wanted her for his precious Alliance. Sure now he was trying to back track it, but sooner or later if she went with him, he'd just try again.

"Alexandra, if you won't leave him then at least let me keep in contact with you. Let me know you're okay and give me a chance to prove to you that I only want what's best for you. Will you do that, please?" Steven hated to let her go, but he feared what would happen if he tried to force her to come with him. He'd seen the power of biotics first hand, and he had a feeling she would put up a big fight. If that happened, she could get hurt or worse, she could hurt someone else.

"Major, you know how to reach me, if you want to keep in contact, I won't stop you." Lex stood up again.

"But will you answer?"

"Maybe. Good bye, Major." Lex turned around and left.