Alexa glared at Lane, trying to look so much braver than she felt. Lane was a monster of a guy. He towered over Sawyer for goodness sakes, probably had at least twenty pounds on him too, maybe more. 

He was in a red v-neck long sleeved shirt and a pair of track pants. A pair of red Supra's were on his feet. Even in his grunge clothes, Lane was dressed better than most of the people Alexa knew. 

Rachel let a nervous laugh escape, "well, this is uncomfortably awkward." 

Lane stuck his hands in his pockets and looked up, probably hoping Rachel would leave. 

Alexa turned to her friend. "It's okay. I'll be okay." 

Rachel scowled and brought two fingers to her eyes, sweeping them to Lane. "I'm watching you," she said.  

Lane tried to suppress a laugh, which resulted in a prominent snicker. He caught his bottom lip in his teeth before he slipped any further and stood. 

"Rachel," Alexa said. "Honestly, it'll be fine, right Lane?" 

He nodded. 

Rachel shrugged her bag up her shoulder. "Alexa, I'm going to your room, but I'm taking note of them time," she looked at a watch Alexa was sure she didn't have on. "If you aren't home in an hour, I'm calling the cops." 

"That's a bit drastic," Lane finally spoke. "I assure you, there's no need to call the cops, but you're a good friend." 

Rachel stuck her nose in the air and pivoted on her heel. "That makes one of us." 

"Wow," Lane muttered. "That burns." 

Alexa didn't have an ounce of sympathy. She stared at him, silent. 

He shifted his weight from foot to foot, his hands still buried deep in his pockets. "Uh, can I buy you a coffee?" 

She crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "Why?" 

Lane took a slow, deliberate breath in through his nose and exhaled it from his mouth, as if he was hoping the action could produce patience he did not possess. At least toward her. "Because you care about Sawyer. Same as me. I was an ass for expecting him to choose between the two of us. That's why." 

Exactly the same as you, she thought. 

She cringed at the idea that someone, anyone could possibly feel the same way she did about Sawyer but Lane did have a point. Her arms unfolded, her stance becoming less defensive. "I guess." 

Lane made a gesture to indicate she should go first. She saw his truck. The same one she'd been in the day her and Sawyer got together 'officially.' It was both the worst day and best night of her life. She walked around to the passenger side door, but Lane had veered across the front of the vehicle and politely held her door open. 

"Thanks," she muttered. 

Sober, Lane's truck was different than she'd remembered. Not that she remembered much. The inside was immaculate, like a vehicle that might be taken for a test drive. The distinct 'new car' smell lingered in the air and Alexa wondered how long he'd owned it. 

She folded her hands in her lap and observed Lane settling in his seat, noting that they were far from the dashboard to accommodate for his extra long legs. He looked over at her and offered a warm smile, even if it was contrived just for her. "The Human Bean okay with you?" 

"I've never been there," she said. "But sure." 

He nodded again and put the truck in gear. 

Alexa sensed small talk wasn't really his thing but the silence in the truck was horrific. Sitting beside someone she knew full well loathed the fact that she existed without uttering a single word was torturous. She cleared her throat. "So how long have you played the bass?" She'd start with the most random, inconsequential question she could think of. 

Lane looked at her, the ice in his blue eyes warming ever so slightly. "I started playing when I was just a kid. Five years old, maybe. My dad played bass in a garage band with his buddies." 

"That's cool," she said. "My dad is an investment banker, I think he'd have a heart attack if someone suggested he play in a rock band." 

Lane turned the car into a parking lot. "Do you play anything?" 

Alexa shook her head no. "I wish I could but I've never been creative. Always wanted to learn how to play the piano, though," she added. 

Lane put the gearshift into park and hopped out of the truck. While Alexa fumbled with the lock, his body was already outside her window, opening the door. There was no denying when Lane wanted to, he had manners. 

"Piano huh?" he said, continuing their conversation. "You should ask Sawyer to teach you. He's really good." 

She chewed on her lip. "I asked him once," she offered. "But he kind of didn't like me then." 

Lane once again held the door to the coffee shop open. He was so tall, Alexa simply walked underneath his extended arm. "Sawyer likes you now. Ask him again. He probably forgot." 

She turned back to face him, "Do you think he forgot?" 

Lane arched a brow. "He'll teach you if you ask. I guarantee it. Chances are, he got too caught up in--" he paused, "in you." 

"About that," she started. 

Lane held up a finger just as a small group of girls rushed him, giggling. 

"Oh my God!" the first girl said, "I saw on Twitter that you guys were home, but I've kept my eyes open all summer. Haven't seen any of you out and about. It's like you disappeared." 

Lane smiled at her and warmth that was undoubtedly genuine touched his eyes. "We're reclusive," he joked. "But we'll all be out tomorrow. You guys coming to the Solstice concert?" 

"Wouldn't miss it for anything," she proclaimed. 

"I love your shoes," the second girl said. 

"Thanks." 

"Hey," the first one spoke again. "Can you sign our coffee cups?" 

"Can we take a picture with you?"  

"Yeah," Lane said. "Sure thing. Just let me order my coffee, and I'll come and sign your stuff and get a picture." 

"You're so cool," another girl squealed. "I'm so glad we didn't go to Starbucks," she turned to her friend. "See, Hilary, I told you The Human Bean was better." 

Lane laughed as his fingertips pushed into Alexa's lower back, steering her in the direction of the order counter. His touch was unexpected, soft and very strong. She pretended it to ignore the fact that he could probably snap her spine with a flick of his wrist and fumbled in her purse for her wallet. 

"I got it," Lane said, finally letting his hand drop. "Just order." 

"I can pay," she said. 

"I got it," his hand was on hers, trying to intercept her wallet. "Please. After how I treated you, the least I can do is buy you a cup of coffee." 

She wasn't sure she should accept something from Lane but she shrugged. "Alright. I'd like just a black coffee." 

"You don't want some fancy latte?" 

"No thanks. I'm more of a black coffee kind of girl. The caffeine is more effective this way, I swear," she said. 

Lane turned to the counter to order, mumbling, "no wonder Sawyer likes you."

Defuse the Gabby\/Lex situation. That was his mission. He'd ditched Devin in Sadie's room and was still marveling how he was getting away with it. Sadie had changed a lot. It was like he'd always hoped for her but now that it was happening, it was a hard pill to swallow. He was so used to her being one way that watching her change like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon screwed with his head. His memories consisted of one meltdown followed by another. He couldn't recall Sadie ever not being a total case...until now. Whether that was thanks to Sawyer, Sebastian, or Paper Planes, he didn't know.  

He weaved through the corridor, and stopped when he saw Babs. 

"Well hello, Sawyer." 

Sawyer winked. "Beautiful Babs." 

Color flushed her cheeks. He had that affect on females. Didn't matter how young or old they were. "Where you been, Mr. West? I haven't been graced with your presence for a few days now." 

"Working. The job that pays the bills. We have a big gig tomorrow." He wasn't sure Babs had a clue who he was, or what he did for a living. His suspicions were confirmed when she stared at him blankly. "Never mind. Doctor M knows about it. How is the air conditioner holding up?" 

"It's perfect! It's so much easier to work in a hot kitchen." 

Sawyer tipped her a pretend hat. "I aim to please."  

Babs had a bag of flour in her hand. She shifted its weight from one side to the other. "Judging from Alexa's permanent smile, it would appear that you do." 

At the mention of her name, Sawyer's heart picked up pace. He was itching to see her but dealing with Devin had been priority and now he'd find himself here preparing to do battle with the dragon lady who hated him. He reached out and removed the flour from her hands. "Don't believe anything you hear," he teased. "It's isn't true. Where to? The kitchen?" 

"I can carry that. I'm old, Sawyer, not useless."  

"Like hell you're carrying it." 

She smiled and walked in front of him. He put the flour away, wiping extra white stuff from the outside of the bag along his pants. He stretched his arm across his waist and offered Babs a gentleman-like bow. 

"Bye Sawyer," she said. "Thank you and behave yourself." 

"Wouldn't dream of anything else."  

After he'd dealt with Gabby he was getting Devin, bidding Sadie goodbye and making a beeline toward wherever Alexa was. As he made his way back to Gabby's office, he checked his phone to see if Lex had responded to his earlier text, but there was nothing.  

Gabby's door was closed so he knocked. "Come in," she said in a clipped voice.  

Sawyer opened the door and nodded. "Doctor Montgomery."  

The Doctor was hunched over several file folders. She wore wire-rimmed glasses that were slipping to the base of her nose. She slowly brought her head up and he almost took a step back. She didn't look well.  

Black circles around her eyes told him she was tired, her lips were pursed shut in a thin, unwavering line. She rubbed her temples with her index fingers. Victim of a headache, maybe.  

"You alright, Doctor M?"  

She exhaled a loud sigh as her face softened. "I'm fine Mr. West, thank you. What can I help you with?"  

Sawyer gestured to the armchair across from her desk. "Mind if I sit down?"  

"Not at all." She closed the file folder her face had been closest to and linked her hands together, leaning across her desk. "I assume you didn't stop by for the hell of it," she said.  

He nervously reached inside his pocket for his pint sized Rubik's Cube and began to twist it in his hands. "I was hoping I could talk to you about Alexa."  

"Oh good," she said. "I was hoping we could discuss her as well."  

He arched a brow. "You were?"  

She nodded.  

"Oh."  

"I'd like it if you would refrain from seeing my niece any longer," she stated.  

Not much shocked Sawyer. He'd seen shit that would make a person's skin want to crawl off of their body so there wasn't a lot that might render him speechless. Doctor M was pretty damned close. "What?" he said.  

Gabby gave him a tight smile. "I'm sure you heard me, Mr. West. I would like it if you no longer saw Alexa."  

"I'd like Sadie not to be schizophrenic, but that ain't going to happen either."  

"You're a bad influence, Mr. West. Alexa is a bright young girl with a future, don't take that away from her."  

"I'm not a bad influence." He wasn't. He loved Alexa exactly the way she was. He didn't want a single thing to change about her. Not her looks. Not her mind. Not her heart. And most definitely not the future she deserved. 

"If that were the case, perhaps you can explain to me why Alexa snuck your sister and another patient out for a joyride. Did you put that idea in her head?"  

Sawyer thought about the location of the cameras in the building in the vicinity to Sadie's room. Had Alexa managed to escape without being recorded? It was not only possible but rather likely. Sadie was a lot of things but a snitch wasn't one of them. He was unsure about her little friend but he doubted it. Sadie wouldn't befriend a big-mouth. Was it Liam who sold her out? He wasn't certain, but he was going to find out. 

In a split second decision, he said, "Alexa didn't do anything. I'm the one who broke Sadie out of here."  

The Doctor looked just as shocked as Sawyer had a few minutes prior. "I beg your pardon?"  

"You heard me. Alexa was with Devin and Charlie. I am the one who busted Sadie out."  

Doctor M pulled her glasses off and rubbed at the bridge of her nose. "Somehow I doubt that, but for arguments sake, let us assume you are not trying to cover up for my niece and actually are the guilty party. Why?"  

"I'm her brother. Why not? She wanted a sandwich," he added.  

"You don't seriously expect me to believe this?"  

He was enjoying himself. Placing a boot covered foot over his knee, he leaned forward and gave her an exaggerated smile. "Do you have any other choice? I hear the security around here can be pretty shifty."  

Gabby sat back in her chair, studying him so closely, it was all he could manage not to squirm under her beady, doctor-like, orbs. "Unfortunately I do not have any other choice, Mr. West but let me assure you, if what you say is true, you could be in far more trouble than my niece."  

Fine. He could deal with that. "I don't know if you got my file," he said dryly, "but trouble isn't anything new. And please, stop calling me Mr. West, we've been through this."  

"Right," Gabby said. "Unfortunately Mr. West, your little stunt has sabotaged my program. I have to report this incident to the board. We are a privately funded organization. Once word gets out about this little escapade, I expect funding for not only the program you're in, but many others may be revoked."  

"For going for a sandwich? Can't anyone lighten up a little?"  

Gabby's fist's clenched and her jaw ticked. "Lighten. Up." She repeated his words as if he were an idiot. "Sawyer, you've got to be kidding. Taking your sister from the facility unsupervised could have had dire consequences."  

"Dire?" he had a hard time not laughing, "I was with Sadie the whole time," he lied. "I know her better than you do, Doc. I wouldn't let her hurt herself or anyone else for that matter. Sadie's been here a year. Who do you think took care of her before that? It wasn't your board."  

"That may be so, but it doesn't change the fact they are looking for a reason to shut some very important programs down. I'll take this opportunity to commend you, Mr. West, on giving them a reason."  

"Your precious board will only know if you tell them," he pointed out. "Besides, how much money do you really need for a couple of programs?"  

"A hundred thousand dollars," she said without hesitation. "For the year."  

"Christ. That's a bit much." 

"Yes well the kind of things we have in place help people like Sadie learn to integrate themselves into society. Programs that help people like Sadie face their fears and feel like they can be a valuable member of the community. This stuff does not come cheap."  

He nodded. He didn't know the specifics. He didn't care. Whatever Doctor M was doing, regardless of whether she pissed him off as the dragon lady, protector of Alexa, he knew first-hand that her programs had some real results. His sister was living proof.  

"I'll get your money. Forget the board. You don't have to tell them."  

Gabby laughed. "I hardly think even though you're a semi-famous, you're going to fork over a hundred thousand. I know what you pay per year to have Sadie reside here, remember?"  

"I didn't say I'll give you the money," he corrected her, "I said I'll get it."  

She crossed her arms over her chest, seemingly interested. "How exactly do you propose to do that?"  

"I have my ways," he said. "But there is a condition."  

"You're offering me an ultimatum?"  

"Not an ultimatum, a condition," he corrected again. "I get your money; you get off my back about Alexa." 

Her eyes narrowed. "She is my niece, my responsibility."  

"And I'm not arguing that," Sawyer said. "But she's my girlfriend. You don't have to like it but it is what it is, yeah?"  

"I admire your tenacity," she said. "But I'm not convinced it will be effective."  

Sawyer stood, "Good thing one of us is certain."