As Tony watched his son pile the aubergine on the side of his plate, knowing it gave Alex heartburn; he asked the question that had been bugging him for days. "Darling, you have not mentioned CC since Chicago. Is there a problem?"

Alex ceased his tower building and put his fork down carefully and then took a sip of water, as if considering his words carefully. Finally after half a glass had been drunk he spoke "We are taking a break. She and I are not together at the moment and will reassess our situation when I get back to Cambridge. I'm not a possessive type of guy, its always been open. She is a free spirit. Its not a thing… its just a breathing space. Understandable since I scared the crap out of her. Completely mutual decision. I'm here and she's there." Alex then started to eat his dinner, leaving the three other guests stunned.

Tony then turned to Harry "I take it this is news to you?"

The man looked uncomfortable "They must have come to that decision before I arrived as CC was perfectly civil to me and had left for her two day first aid course before I went to take Alex to the airport."

Alex then clarified his position. "Look its not a dear john moment. Just step back take a breath and maybe, if its all OK when I get back, we might discuss making things official. I had already mentioned getting hitched after I get my doctorate. So, 2012 autumn at the earliest. Small… very small… just immediate family… well, maybe not her family. They aren't talking at the moment, again." Alex picked out another piece of aubergine. "She's not convinced about marriage. CC has a million reasons not to. Number one her being 34 and me being 22; well 37 and 25 by then. Not that I'm bothered by the age difference. You aren't are you?"

"No, I've always thought you were an excellent match. She's quirky, outspoken and I would love her to be my daughter, officially. I am already inordinately fond of her. So, is Gerard and Dylan. I wish she'd chosen to stay here for Christmas."

"She's on tour… temping teaching dance on a cruise…. not back until 15th of January. Good money. Our separation has been on the cards before my little mishap. Its just slightly more of a break than I anticipated." The youngest diner then proceeded to clear his plate, except for the aubergine and then burped. "Pardon… that was really nice. Liked the apricots and pistachios in the rice a lot." Alex then decided not to talk about the weather. It was California and there were only so many times you could say warm and sunny and begin to go crazy. "So, are Harry and I still on the permanent sleepover or does he get his own room here?"

"We'll see how your check-up goes on Monday. Yes, lovely its a full one, three specialists and maybe testing as well. We need to know if your allergies have spread to something else and then we'll see if a change of living arrangements is possible. OK?" Tony hoped that was hopeful enough.

"Well, sharing a cell is starting to drag."

Harry had finished his food and was on his second glass of the $500 bottle of wine. "I am surprised, Alex. I was expecting a comment about being your bitch."

"Look nursie dearest, if anyone is the bitch in this relationship its me. I take after Papa in that sense fully," Alex smirked. "Finish your wine, baby. Cause its bath time." Alex then realised there was no bath downstairs only the adapted shower in his room. "You get to carry me upstairs to the main bathroom as I want a bath not a shower."

…

Paul Roscoe could fully agree with Alex's description of Gerard's PA, Missy would have gone far as a Gestapo heavy. The bitch had somehow got his private Facetime address. He would bet that she had hacked Tony's private computer settings, as there was no way she could get past Alex's firewall.

"So, Missy. You realise you will hit a brick wall trying to find out info about Alex's nurse."

"Why is that, Mr. Roscoe?"

"He was SAS, an instructor at Brecon and Credenhill. Worked with Tony's late partner and Alex's birth father. Full medic as well, took his two year top up to make full nurse after retiring. I found out a little about Harry's service record from the man himself… officially Kuwait and then instructor. Dieter Sprintz might know more, Joe's dad definitely will. Then there's Alex's dear departed daddy. John Rider was British Army, SAS and then a full deep cover spook, one that never appeared officially on the books, you know blackest of black ops. That can of worms has been buried under a million tons of concrete, baby. He was completely disavowed by everyone. So, leave it alone. Harry is possibly the only person I would trust Alex with. Cause lets face it, Lexie would have pushed himself into an early grave rather than listen to any agency nurse."

"He's a trained killer?" Missy tried to get her head around that fact, she had just thought him a bit creepy. Alex acted so docile around him.

"Yeah and he trained the trained killers for 20 years. Not a man I would diss. Alex respects him and would not cross him. Do not be fooled by the banter between them. Its just that nothing more. If you must know Harry re-evaluated my personal security a year ago. I offered him a full time post, but he said the best he could do was random checks. Last one had him eating cereal in my bedroom when I woke up, having got past the supposed five star door and elevator screening service and the 24/7 surveillance on my apartment. Came in through the balcony after washing my windows. I live on the 22nd floor penthouse. Bastard was like fucking spiderman to climb up here and he's nearly fifty. Fit enough to out run the recruits on Pen y Fan. Look that one up sugar. Don't call me again. This account won't work for you honey, because in five minutes it won't exist."

…..

Sunday and Alex went down to the kitchen early. "You going to mass, Connie?"

"You want to join me?"

"Yeah, some prayers might help. I told Harry where we were headed. I got my inhalers and Epipen, just in case. Its been a while, as I have not attended since my accident. I love the advent services and I've missed the first three. Don't worry I can walk fine, we won't need the wheelchair."

Her dark red Toyota Prius pulled into the disabled bay and Alex moved to get out to be faced by an irate local. When Connie put up the red placard on her rear view mirror.

"You don't look disabled." said the short and fat busybody.

Alex was wearing jeans and pulled up the left leg to show off matt black prosthetics. "Double amputee, lost my legs below the knee in August 2001. I still have horrific nightmares about it. I have ID from college, Paralympic association and my ID for my Disability Pension from the Department of Defence."

"Oh, you're British. You served?"

"Special Operations SNAFU. You know shit happens. Three of my team died. I was lucky." Alex smiled, misdirection rather than lying. The pension meant people assumed he was older. None of his cards had his date of birth on them.

"Go to the VA or whatever in England?"

"No… see my team mates occasionally, well one of them is staying over for the Holidays. Sergeant Dixon made it to proper retirement age with his sense of humour intact."

…

Alex was sat on the drive, in his wheelchair, basketball in his hand after spending 20 minutes shooting baskets. The Sergeant acting as guard dog and retriever. That had been deemed an acceptable form of exercise. No dribbling, no actual play, it was boring repetition. He was out of the house, away from the caterers, the florists and stylists.

He pulled out his phone, put it on speaker and took the shot again. "Hey Cass, have you and your mom been invited over tonight?"

"Yeah, Mom wants to mother you. How you been?"

"How do you think? T-minus six days until open heart surgery. I feel like I'm on death row."

"You need to relax, love. We'll have a nice chill session. I'll bring my portable deck and we can mix a few tracks. Forget about gawkers or networking. Rave for three in your bedroom as I take it your shadow will be by your side?"

"Yeah, but he's cool. Can play guitar and drums. Was in a band in Huddersfield. Just looks like a granddad. Could be in the Who." In the background Harry murmured "I'm not that old!"

"See you later, then. I'll bring tequila. You can drink?"

"Err, no. I'm on antibiotics. Not allowed any fun. Not even allowed to fuck. You know that makes me think of the Shining. All work and no play turns Alex-baby into a fucking psycho."

"Shit man, my mom heard that. Sums up us, complete mommy's boys. Love to Tony. See you later."