‘I’m not asking you because I feel sorry for you.  I’m asking you because I like you and I don’t have any friends here but if you don’t want to I understand, you have your whole life going on here.’

Alexa smiled.  ‘My busy social schedule can fit in a lunch.  Where and when?’

‘Alexa’ said Rachel tentatively from the doorway to Alexa’s horror as she wondered just how much she’d heard.

‘Rachel, hey’ said Alexa edgily, ‘I was just showing Helena the marvellous view of our grey city.’

Rachel smiled and Alexa knew her well enough to know she hadn’t heard anything.  ‘Alexa I’m not feeling too good, I’m going to have to skip dinner but you can stay if you like.’

Alexa glanced at Helena she wanted to speak to her more but her head was also spinning.  ‘No Rachel I’ll come with you.’

‘You sure?’ asked Rachel but she seemed pleased.

‘Of course’ said Alexa, letting a friend go home ill alone wasn’t her style no matter how much she was enjoying an evening.  Helena walked over to Rachel.

‘I’ll get my driver to take you both home right away.  It’s been nice to meet you Rachel’ she said.

‘And you Ms Peabody, I’m sorry I had to cut the night short.’

‘Will has induced many an illness in a young girl in his time, I’m just sorry it happened in such pleasant company,’ said Helena and Rachel blushed, realising her fake illness was fooling no-one.

Helena held out a hand to Alexa and she took it, shaking it lightly.  ‘Take care Alexa,’ she said.  ‘Keep working hard at your studies,’ she told her, taking the role of mentor doctor suddenly.  Alexa looked at Helena confused but a second later she nodded in understanding as she felt the weight of a curled piece of paper in her hand.

Alexa realised Helena was protecting her.  Now that Rachel knew of Helena’s sexuality, any sort of further meeting, for a friendly lunch or otherwise would require answering a lot of questions that Alexa wasn’t prepared for.  It shouldn’t matter that Helena was gay, they shouldn’t think it strange that Alexa would enjoy her company, that they could become friends but it did, that was the way the world worked.  The first thing Rachel would announce when they got home that night to her house was that Helena was gay and they both knew it.