After Christmas Eve, it would be several more weeks before James and Alastair got a chance together. Once again, James invited Alastair over and this time he said yes, not bothering to try and get Lily there either. For a while after the talk with his mother, Alastair had felt slightly uncomfortable around James yet despite any odd requests he made, James was always willing to help. It made it somewhat easier and eventually the conversation with his mother slipped away.

At first, James brought up Alastair's family, mainly the mother, and tried to get a discussion going about how he'd treated him and the rest of the family. However, as it became clearer and clearer that Alastair wouldn't budge, all talk of his family disappeared from their conversations, except for Roxy.

As James had promised, he did let her show him more of her moves one day when Alastair had to take care of her and she'd begun writing letters to him about what she was doing which she would send to Alastair. James would then send one right back which Alastair would get to Roxy.

James thought it was adorable, especially the little pictures she would draw with some of the events.

On the day that Alastair came over to James' place, there was another letter from Roxy and as he read it, he couldn't help but laugh.

"Sometimes I worry about what you two talk about," Alastair said with a roll of his eyes.

"Mostly you."

"Please tell me you're joking."

"Partially," James said with a grin. "Half the time it's what she's up to. The other half is you. In here she told me about your birthday."

Letting out a small curse, Alastair muttered, "It was a mistake to let you both meet."

"What? Don't like people knowing your birthday?"

"No, I could care less about that. It's the fact that I know you two are probably planning something outrageous. I should stop giving her those letters."

"Ah, but she'd be crushed. We've both finally found someone that we can openly complain to about you."

Alastair, who had been rubbing his face tiredly, peaked between his fingers. "You both are horrid."

Grinning in response, James plopped onto the couch and asked, "Soooo, what do you want for your birthday?"

"It's eight months away!"

"I'm talking about the last one I missed."

"What-nothing! You don't have to get me anything," Alastair replied with a wave of his hand.

James let out a small snort. "Says you. Now I'm just going to have to ask Roxy for advice."

"Oh god, please no!" Alastair groaned. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but release a small smile as James laughed and grinned.

"You smiled! Oh god, hold it I have to take a picture!"

"Don't be such an ass. I've smiled before you know."

"Yeah and you either looked like a little shit when doing so or it was gone in a flash. This one was genuine and lasted and-see it's coming back! Don't hide it from me. I see it!"

Alastair dropped his hand but ducked his head instead. He didn't fully understand why his lips kept quirking up and his lungs pushed air out in half laughs. It was almost painful and yet he kept doing it and an odd sense of elation filtered through him.

"I don't know what you're bloody well talking about," he finally got out.

James just laughed in response. "Want a beer?"

Nodding, Alastair watched James bounce up and go to his fridge. He hurried back and after he had plopped back down onto the couch, Alastair asked, "Would you be able to take Roxy to a play?"

"Of course! But why me?" asked James curiously.

"She's just finished Hamlet and there's a showing of it in one week. I've convinced my mother to let her go but she refuses to see it and I promised I would take her."

"But you'll be in The Czech Republic," James supplied, already knowing most of Alastair's work for the foreseeable future. "I'm surprised your mother won't take her though. Shakespeare not refined enough for her?"

"He is but…she considers Hamlet a waste of time and that his comedies are better suited for a young girl. If she had to choose a tragedy my mother would probably only approve of Romeo & Juliet."

"You've got to be joking."

"Funny, that's basically what Roxy said," Alastair replied with a small snort. "Mother tried to argue that at least the romance in it was true and inspiring where as Hamlet was just senseless death. Of course, Roxy reminded her that something like five people died without any reason which shut her up fairly quickly."

"I can imagine it now, Roxy with her hands on her hips, lecturing about Shakespeare," James said with a grin as he moved his hands in over expressive movements. "But how the hell are you going to explain as to why I'm picking her up?"

"I won't have to. She's spending the night at my place for five days. I should be back in time to take her home."

James, who had always thought of Alastair as one of the most logical people he'd ever met, now stared at him more dumbfounded than when he'd found out the other had never had ice cream. "You're going to let an eight year old stay at your flat, alone, for five days?"

"I've had her there for nearly a week alone and she's been fine. Besides, I'll be there for the first day and like I said, I should be back by the last so that's really only three days."

"But she's eight! I mean hell Alastair she's smart and mature for her age but you can't just—"

"It's better than the fucking alternative."

The words cut through the easygoing atmosphere and had every hair on James skin standing straight up. All his warning signals were going off as he carefully asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Silence followed until finally—

"Nothing, I shouldn't have said anything."

"Alastair, you can't just say something like that and then shut off! I mean is she being—"

"No!" He didn't even have to wait to see where that was going. He knew what James was about to say. "No," Alastair repeated more softly. "I would never allow something like that. There's just…it's better if she has time away from home, alright?"

"But why? I mean, I haven't known Roxy for that long but she's a great kid and you're honestly scaring me."

Twitching, Alastair took a deep swig of beer and then quietly said, "She's strong. Fucking stronger than I am at times, but that household will only suck your imagination and spirits dry. Kenton did the right thing when he went into the service. Got as far away as possible."

"But no abuse?" asked James.

"No, nothing that would be categorized as such to a judge at least. She's just a kid who needs to be able to fucking breath once in a while and do her own thing," muttered Alastair.

"Then let me take care of her."

"I couldn't possibly—"

"Hey, you may want her to be away from home but being alone can get pretty boring too. Let me take care of her instead for those few days. I might as well since I'm take her to the play."

"You'll still take her?"

Letting out a small huff, James muttered, "Why wouldn't I?" He stood up and moved over to where Alastair sat. The other didn't even notice him, to lost in thought, and therefore jumped at the sudden touch when James began threading his fingers through the other's hair. Nevertheless, Alastair immediately eased and the tension slowly slipped away. "If you ever need anything, I'll always help, alright? I'll drop everything on a moment's notice if need be."

"Even Kingsman?"

"Even Kingsman."

"I think Arthur might have just a slight problem with that."

"Oh who cares! Just promise me you'll come to me when you need help?"

Alastair shook his head causing James to pause in the soothing movements. "I can't promise that," he said slowly. "But I can try."

"Then that's all I ask," James responded. "Just bring Roxy over whenever you get her."

"And if you're not here?"

Moving away, James went over to a draw in the kitchen and started messing around with the objects in it. Finally, he produced a grin and a key, walking back over to Alastair and handing the key to him.

"Here, just in case."

"Are you sure?"

"Out of everyone in this world, I'm pretty sure you're the most trustworthy when it comes to something like handing over a key," James said with a soft grin. "Now, let's move on to lighter topics. Kay? Like you're birthday."

Alastair let out a small groan and with it, dispelled all other anger and discomfort. "Can we not?"

"Come on. I have to get you something."

"No you don't!"

"Yeah right. And what kind of friend would I be if I didn't?" James grinned, a now familiar and comforting scene. "Come on, what do you want?"

The starting sentence of what would soon become constant nagging for the evening did the exact opposite of what it had once did to Alastair. On the outside he still argued and shook his head in exasperation but from within the entire back and forth was a common setting that had Alastair feeling more comfortable by the minute.