I was never able to finish this story, but some demand for it has continued to pop up every now and then over the years. I've lost all connection with it now.

The following is an unedited copy of the original plot summary, from way back in the early planning stages. It's shoddy, and was being altered gradually as the story progressed, but this is for anyone who was curious about the fate of Alex Sinclair.

Alex turns up for first day at school. Asks Kaidoh at random for directions to classroom, glares back at him when he hisses at her. Turns out she's in his class so she says she'll follow him to class. Eiji comes, teases Kaidoh for talking to a girl, Oishi drags him off as the bell for class rings.

Somehow, being unaffected by Kaidoh's 'viper' act and not caring enough to fawn over him like other girls, they become tentative acquaintances. Kaidoh's fangirls become jealous because Kaidoh will occasionally acknowledge her existence, and respond with covert viciousness. She becomes friends with Kaidoh. Things finally come to a head when a particularly psychotic fangirl puts a scorpion in her schoolbag to freak her out and she gets stung and has to go to hospital.

Kaidoh, aware that the scorpion was the doing of some of his fangirls, somehow feels responsible and visits her in hospital to apologize. Seigaku regulars follow out of curiosity (not Tezuka), wondering where Kaidoh has gone. More teasing from Eiji ensues.

Alex recovers and returns to school. She is surprised when Tezuka comes to her house requesting that she sever her connection with Kaidoh as his tennis has been suffering and Inui says there is a _% chance that she is the cause. Disbelieving Inui's data, she nevertheless eventually agrees to try Tezuka's request, but only after a very logical argument from the buchou and a promise that if the plan fails Tezuka will personally explain to Kaidoh.

On no change in Kaidoh's tennis, Inui suggests that she flirt covertly with Momo. Protesting that she does not flirt, Alex is nevertheless convinced to at least avoid Kaidoh for Momo.

When it becomes apparent that it's still not working, and Kaidoh's tennis is getting worse, Kaidoh is informed of the cause of the change in Alex's behaviour. Kaidoh confesses he has developed feelings for her and she agrees to give dating him a try.

For their first date he takes her to a fancy restaurant and when a pushy customer demands that she serve him, it becomes apparent that for some reason she holds a job as a waitress there.

Said customer turns out to be Atobe, who 'asks' that she attend a 'rich person's' function with him, because he's taken a liking to her. Apparently not hearing her protest that she has a boyfriend, Atobe presumes that she'll go with 'the great ore-sama'.

Eventually Kaidoh gets fed up with listening to the egoist's bullshit and signals for Alex to just say she'll go so they can get out of there. Taking her home, it becomes apparent that the nosy Seigaku regulars have been following them when Eiji, thinking that Kaidoh is about to give Alex a goodnight kiss, begins cheering.

Seeing that Kaidoh is embarrassed, Alex invites him inside and directs him through the apartment so he can leave via the fire-escape.

Opening her front door an hour later, she is surprised to see the regulars still camped on her doorstep waiting for Kaidoh to come out to his interrogation. Not believing her when she informs them that he left an hour ago, the regulars enthusiastically begin an unwelcome search of her house. Alex gradually gets more and more flustered, telling them to leave. When Inui goes to open a certain door, she panics and punches him in the face, almost breaking his jaw. Inui finally heeds her order to leave, but as the regulars turn to go, the acrobatic Eiji bound around her and has just enough time to open the door handles before she pulls him back hard, cracking his head against the wall and lunging to pull the door, which had swung open, shut. The regulars get a brief glimpse of a very dark room during the chaos.

An unconscious Eiji is carried out by angry, and in Inui's case, speculative, regulars.

At school, Eiji's and Inui's fangirls take a particularly vicious course of action against the person who hurt their idols, and her school life becomes a living hell. When Kaidoh tries to intervene, she orders him to stay out of it because if one of Inui's or Eiji's fangirls hurt him in an effort to get to her, there would probably be all-out war in the school. Nobody would be safe.

After a few days, Eiji, witnessing a particularly vicious fangirl attack, bound to her aid and tells the fangirls to stop tormenting 'poor Alex-chan', calling them 'hidoi nya!'. Inui, who hadn't interfered previously because of the 'ii data' the situation presented, backs him up and the attacks diminish somewhat, though occasionally mysterious bruises still appear on Alex's body.

Meanwhile, she goes to Atobe's function, discovers there's dancing (which she enjoys), makes an enemy of a rich Atobe-fangirl and when Atobe asks her to go with him again, agrees, but makes it clear that she's only going because he's a good dancer.

At one such event the rich girl convinces one of her male followers to corner Alex and molest her. Atobe, wondering why she's been gone so long, goes looking for her and finds her just in time to stop her being raped, beating up the guy who had tried it. Or at least, Atobe causes internal bleeding in the bastard, but not before Alex breaks his nose.

Alex confronts the rich girl, who attacks her. Alex hits back and breaks the bitch's jaw. Rich girl passes out and Alex and Atobe dump the two casualties at the nearest hospital. Atobe escorts her home and gets to meet the snake.

Alex runs into Akutsu tormenting Sakuno on the way home from school one day (she doesn't know who Sakuno is). Alex steps in and tells Sakuno to run. Sakuno obeys and Akutsu hits her for butting in. When she bites him hart on a sensitive nerve in his neck, he gets really angry and beats her properly, but she's so stupidly stubborn she won't give up and stay down, and so she actually manages to inflict some damage on Akutsu, though not nearly as much as she's suffered at his hands. Sakuno comes back with Tezuka and Oishi to help. Thinking she's finally given up, Akutsu turns on Tezuka but before he can attack she stops him and says his fight is with her now. Bored with her, he finishes the fight, knocking her out just as Taka and Mrs. Akutsu arrive.

She wakes up in hospital, the regulars are there, even Tezuka this time, and Akutsu's mother, Sakuno, Ryuuzaki-sensei, and Atobe, who somehow heard about the incident while she was unconscious.

Akutsu's mother apologizes for her son's actions. Tezuka orders the regulars to leave, with the exception of Kaidoh and this part isn't really important, I suppose…

A couple of days later Akutsu rocks up at her door, forces his way inside her flat and tries to molest her. The snake wraps itself around him and squeezes. At first he is confident that she will stop it before it kills him, but doubt begins to grow as she stares, unmoved, down at him as he is squeezed into unconsciousness

When he wakes up he thinks for a second that he's dead, but of course he's not. She serves him tea, managing to completely unnerve him in the process, and tells him that next time he comes, he should leave his aggression in the genkan. He assures her there will be no next time.

Kaidoh asks why her parents are never around. Alex tells him they died and shows him the rather gruesome set of pictures taken by their murderer, though he's still not allowed in the mysterious room.

Some troublesome fangirls decide to pretend to be her friends. Alex isn't fooled but allows them to visit her home, hoping she can cause a reluctance to mess with her. Alex deliberately leaves the rather gruesome pictures lying around and cooks a very, very spicy meal, hoping to intimidate. She likes spice, and while she doesn't usually eat things with quite so much chilli in it, she will genuinely enjoy it (she hates wasabi though…). On a knock at the door, she opens it and is surprised to find Akutsu.

She greets him and apologizes that she will be having other visitors, saying it might be best to hold onto his aggression around them. She also says it would work to her advantage if they tell the visiting girls that he is in fact her older brother. He, somewhat reluctantly, agrees to the request.

Waiting until the fangirls notice the pictures 'carelessly' left lying around, she contrives to mention pleasantly how irritating it is when people think they can mess with you. Leaving her 'brother', 'Jin-chan' to entertain her guests while she makes more tea, he takes the opportunity to make a not-so-veiled threat regarding what will happen to them if they hurt his 'sister'.

The fangirls leave rather hurriedly and do not return. Akutsu allowed her to call him 'Jin-chan' in private later on.

Enlisted by Inui to help find a missing Kaidoh, Alex comes across him making out with a girl from another school. Implying that she is merely a friend of Kaidoh's, she says that Inui was looking for him and goes home.

When Kaidoh visits to explain his actions, Akutsu is there, and is sent to wait outside while Alex and Kaidoh talk. Kaidoh admits that he wants to be with the other girl. Alex states calmly that she would not try to stop him, and he should do what he thinks will make him happy, but she would like to indulge in the selfishness of claiming his friendship. Kaidoh agrees and leaves.

Akutsu, when asking what their discussion was about, is informed that they broke up by mutual agreement and that Kaidoh 'found someone else'. Alex then asks him to leave.

Akutsu accurately surmising that Kaidoh cheated on her, reasons that she must be upset and decides to call Atobe to see if he might know how to help. Atobe admits that he doesn't, but says he's heard Tezuka's fuku-buchou is good with this sort of thing.

Tezuka therefore receives a call from Atobe, requesting Oishi's number. Tezuka, not curious enough to ask what he wants it for, gives it to him and Oishi is called.

Alex is meditating in her mysterious room when the three of them arrive. Opening the door to her room, they are subjected to a snake-wrap.

Alex confronts them, saying she is not upset and does not require their help. They only get a glimpse of candle-light through the door this time.

Oishi asks why she won't let anyone see the room. As the snake constricts, he stubbornly refuses to take back his question. Something in his eyes as he is snake-squeezed makes Alex stop the constriction, letting him into the room and leaving Akutsu and Atobe tied together by the snake, waiting outside the door. Turning the lights on, she allows Oishi to stare at the pictures, obviously of her family's happy times, which paper the wall, and goes instead to a small table and opens a box on it, removing and unwrapping its contents.

Handing Oishi the photos, she watches as he grows paler and paler as he sees each one. Finally reaching the last one he turns them around and asks hesitantly if the stains on the backs of the photographs are blood, upon confirmation of his suspicions he retches, covering his mouth, and Alex quickly takes the pictures from him and leaving them in the room, drags him to the bathroom where he vomits repeatedly in the sink.

When he recovers, she says quietly that now he knows why she does not mourn for Kaidoh.

Getting him something sweet to drink, she puts the room in order and then releases Akutsu and Atobe from their reptilian bonds.

Eventually Oishi asks her what the sword he saw on the table in the room was for. On discovering that it was 'just in case', he immediately gets up and announces that he is confiscating it.

Fire flashing in her eyes, Alex orders him to sit back down. Only after he reluctantly obeys, does she elaborate, saying that she held onto life out of sheer morbid curiosity to see what torment it would throw at her next, and that if it weren't for the knowledge that these was an escape route anytime she needed it, she would not still be around.

Accepting her admittedly rather twisted logic, Oishi lets the sword be.

Next day after school, Eiji announces that he and Oishi would walk her home. Ignoring her protests that she had to work, Eiji did just that, with Oishi apologizing for his doubles partner's presumptions.

Arriving at her flat, Eiji spotted a cage of cute mice and bounded over play with them. Drawing Oishi aside, she asks him if there is a way to distract Eiji, as she needs to feed the snake. Upon questioning, she is forced to admit that the cage Eiji is currently playing in is in fact the snake's larder.

Distracting Eiji finally with tea and a mouse to keep, Alex quickly feeds the snake and gets ready for work, the place's swamped with red roses and a particularly gaudy Atobe asks her if she'll go out with him. Eyeing the roses, she asks archly if such a show of wealth were meant to interest her. Atobe admits that he didn't think she'd be impressed, that was why he'd bought chocolate. Alex laughingly admits that NOW she's interested.

Eiji running around playing with the flowers, is distracted when he notices Atobe kissing Alex. Hyperactively spurting something about 'why is he kissing her?! She's going to marry Oishi and have eight kids and live happily ever after, nyaaah!' he whines. A furiously blushing Oishi mutters something about the last time his doubles partner tried to set him up with some girl and drags a distraught Eiji away.

Eiji comes scampering back 5 mins later for the roses since Alex didn't want them. Alex's co-workers watch the whole whacked episode bemusedly.

Kaidoh informs Alex that his new girlfriend is suspicious of their relationship and asked Kaidoh not to talk to her anymore. Alex requests to meet with Kaidoh's girlfriend to contest the order, and a meeting is arranged.

Assuring the girl she is nothing more than friends with Kaidoh, she receives permission to continue the friendship and gains a new friend in the process.

Going to work, she finds Akutsu waiting there. He asks if he can stay with her for a while because his grandparents are in town and they make their disapproval of him VERY clear.

She allows him to stay at her house and has Atobe entertain him until she finishes work.

After work they go to Akutsu's house, collect what they need because he left in rather a hurry, and she checks that the arrangements are ok with his mother. The whole time, the grandparents criticise Akutsu and imply he'll rape her. She says it ain't gonna happen and lectures the grandparents.

She has to buy a spare futon and a new set of house keys because she quite often works late.

Akutsu's grandparents apparently considered what she told them and turn up on the day before they are to leave and makes their peace with Akutsu.

After dating Atobe for about six months, he realises that she's not really happy with him although she did try to love him. They decide to go back to being friends like they were before.

She then agrees to give Akutsu a chance.

Akutsu takes her to (a sort of underworld street racing group?/a private race-course that belongs to a rich mate?/ WORK ON IT). He takes her driving in a race car (belonging to someone else, of course). Then they are offered a motorbike to ride. Akutsu reluctantly admits he does not know how, but Alex unexpectedly reveals that she does, and takes Akutsu for a spin on the bike (her dad taught her to ride when he was still alive)

Akutsu, Atobe, Seigaku regulars (with exception of Tezuka), Sakuno, and Tomo and An (who followed Sakuno) find out her birthday and surprise her on it – she thought none of them knew when it was, and would've preferred to keep it that way, but Atobe had other ideas.

Atobe had somehow found out about the motorbike ride and gifted her with a brand new motorbike (red of course ^^). She refused to accept it until everyone told her that since it was a birthday present she should shut up and take it.

Momo suggests that she take everyone for a ride. She protests that she only has one helmet, the one Akutsu gave her (Akutsu, Atobe and Kaidoh somehow managed to work together for long enough to collaborate on the motorbike thing, it seemed). Atobe says that he took the liberty of putting a spare helmet in one of the saddle-bags.

Asking Sakuno if she'd like a turn, Sakuno says she can't because she's wearing a skirt. Alex asks pointedly if anybody has pants that would fit Sakuno, her eyes fall pointedly on Ryoma. Ryoma refuses to give up his pants, and Alex mutter that it's a pity, he would've looked so cute in Sakuno's skirt, too.

Eventually Tomo comes back from wherever she disappeared to and switches clothes with Sakuno. Problem solved.

That night when Akutsu says he wants to have sex with her, she doesn't care enough to stop him.

Alex breaks up with Akutsu after the four months she felt obligated to give him because though she tried, she does not love him either.

Some time later, she begins to feel ill.

When Eiji somehow causes Oishi to fall on top of her (he's matchmaking ^^), she throws up repeatedly, the first time on Oishi. Insisting that she's fine, she hurries away from the worried Golden Pair.

That evening Inui, Eiji and Oishi show up at her door. Once inside, Inui gets right to the point, asking her straight out if she will get an abortion.

Ignoring the sharp question from Oishi did Akutsu get her pregnant (Inui hadn't briefed them before hand, so the golden pair were a little shocked), she replies that even if she could afford it she would not get an abortion, and that it is none of senpais' business.

Oishi, the mother of Seigaku, is worried about her and Eiji is upset, but she says tersely that she will manage and asks them not to tell anyone.

Oishi points out that they will find out eventually, and Alex points out that 'eventually' tends to mean 'not right now'.

They agree not to tell.

Some time later, Atobe, Kaidoh and Akutsu are at her house when Atobe drawls that she has let herself go. Kaidoh hisses at him, and Atobe points out that her clothes are drab and baggy and her belly seems to stick out slightly.

Akutsu knows immediately what this means and demands to know why she did not tell him and if this was the reason she broke up with him.

She says that she did not want him to know and that it had nothing to do with their break-up.

Atobe asks if anybody else knows and Alex admits that Oishi, Eiji and Inui know, but emphasises the fact that she did not tell them, and made them promise not to tell anybody else.

Atobe offers to pay for an abortion. Alex says he's misjudged her if he truly thinks she'd want an abortion, and adds vaguely that she thinks it might be too late now anyway.

Some time later she is in class when she starts to get contractions a month early. (20 months since start of story). Kaidoh notices and gets her out of class. They call Atobe and Akutsu, give Oishi the keys to the bike (she taught him to ride it ) so he can drive it to the hospital. Yep, they'd planned it all thoroughly ^^. Atobe picks up Akutsu, Kaidoh and Alex in the limo and get to the hospital. They meet Oishi there.

She has the baby. Akutsu/Atobe asks what she'll name it. She asks exhaustedly if this is her cue to think of a name or if she should ask him to do the honours. He says: choose a name. She says she likes 'Sean'.

She sleeps for a while then demands to go home as soon as she wakes up. They take her and Sean home and then leave. She gets something to eat, feeds Sean and puts him to sleep, and starts cleaning the apartment, which is a little dusty after her absence (two days, dude! She must be a neat freak…)

Some time later, the Seigaku regulars show up on her doorstep, even Tezuka, who had basically been dragged along by Fuji. They want to see the baby. She says Sean is asleep and serves tea while they wait for him to wake up (Kaidoh and Oishi have already seen it, but they are there nonetheless). She notices that Fuji seems attracted to Tezuka.

Sean wakes, rather loudly. She goes to get him, and Fuji follows her with the excuse of going to the bathroom. As soon as they are out of earshot of the others, Fuji confronts her, saying she 'sees too much'. She returns calmly that he, also, sees much. Except, apparently, the fact that Tezuka has the hots for him too. She turns to go to the still crying baby.

Fuji's eyes open. Stopping her, he tells her to go on, because he senses a 'but' in her words.

Alex says that she thinks Tezuka might be in denial, and goes to the baby. Fuji does not stop her this time – he has something to think about.

After he stops crying, Sean gets passed around and admired. Tezuka finally orders his regulars to leave when Ryoma accidentally makes the baby cry again and Momo and Eiji start panicking and blaming Ryoma and just generally making the situation worse.

Fuji somehow manages to stick around with Tezuka when everyone else is scared off with the threat of laps. Out of the blue, Fuji kisses Tezuka. Tezuka is shocked, and takes a few seconds to react, then pushes Fuji off him and tells him harshly to stop. He goes to leave but Alex stops him and says he may want to fix up his appearance before he leaves the house, as Fuji has made him rather rumpled. Saying there's a mirror he can use in the bathroom, she waits until he's gone before informing Fuji quietly that that must have been the dumbest thing she'd ever seen him do. He agrees with her and leaves regretfully, knowing there's nothing he can do right now to fix his mistake – following Tezuka would only make it worse.

Alex goes to check on Tezuka and finds him in the hallway, eyes closed, massaging his temples wearily. Without a word, she gives him the baby to calm his nerves – because she noticed that he seemed to have a soft spot for the child – and begins to fix up his appearance for him. He doesn't resist, doesn't, except for opening his eyes for a second, even seem to notice.

When she's done, she leads the frazzled buchou to the table, sits him down and serves him tea, just generally mothering him. The tea seems to soothe him and when he's done, he leaves. Barely a word is spoken between them the whole time.

Next day, Fuji accosts her in front of the school. He wants to know what she said to Tezuka. She replies that all she said to him was something along the lines of 'have a cup of tea'. Fuji is about to question her more when he spots Tezuka. Bowing, he apologizes for his actions the previous night.

Tezuka wearily tells him to stand up. Eiji overhears and wants to know why Fuji is apologizing to Tezuka. Fuji tells Eiji that he kissed Tezuka. Needless to say, half the regulars hear this and are totally shocked.

That afternoon, Alex gets accosted by some random bitch who starts hurting Sean. Alex somehow manages to hold off attacking the bitch until Oishi comes. She gives the baby to Oishi and launches herself at the girl. Halfway through the catfight, the other girl screams something about Alex using Tezuka to have his baby. Alex is so shocked that the other girl thinks the baby is Tezuka's that she stops fighting. She tells the other girl that the baby is not Tezuka's. When the other girl demands that Alex give her one reason to believe her, Alex admits that she has no such reason. She is still adamant that the most intimate experience she's ever had with Tezuka is polite conversation, and little enough of that. She tells the other girl that if she doesn't believe her she should go ask Tezuka, but leave her and her baby alone.

Taking Sean from Oishi, Oishi asks if she's ok. She initially says she's fine, but is forced to ask Oishi's help getting home when she nearly passes out as she was about to get on her motorbike – the other girl had been very vicious and Alex hadn't quite recovered from giving birth. Oishi drives her home, treats her injuries (first-aid) then leaves.

Next day, Oishi & Eiji show up to check on her. Oishi insists on changing the dressings on her injuries, even though she protests that they're only minor scratches (they're not ^^). Meanwhile, Eiji plays with the snake until he returns to Alex.

Somehow, when Oishi has just finished the last injury, the snake quickly twines itself around the two, trapping them together. Alex tells him to let go, but for the first time, he ignores her. Eiji, giggling evilly, tells them that they have to stay like that until they admit their love for each other. Alex tells him calmly that that is not something that can be forced. They're stuck like that for hours until Tezuka shows up for some unknown reason. Taking in the situation at a glance, Tezuka orders Eiji and Monty to do 40 laps. When Eiji complains, he makes it 50. Both Eiji and the snake leave the house immediately.

When Oishi excuses himself to go to the bathroom, Tezuka comes to the point of his visit, asking Alex sternly if she believes in love. She is taken aback by the OOC question, but says she doesn't.

When he seems to be waiting for her to elaborate, she continues, saying that love is everywhere – believing in love would be like believing in cheese.

Tezuka says 'you would compare love to cheese?'. Before she can reply, Oishi, unnoticed until now, interrupts. "What about true love?' he wants to know, 'do you believe in that?'

Alex points out that she can hardly believe in something she isn't sure exists. Silence greets her words.

Alex says quietly to Tezuka that if true love does exist, she hopes he's found it. Eiji and Monty conveniently choose that moment to return, Eiji screaming that scary Akutsu is gonna hurt them (he's not). Akutsu follows close behind.

Eiji's original plan foiled, he goes to see Fuji, who, satisfied finally with his relationship with Tezuka, agrees to help meddle in Alex's love life. They decide to lock them in a room together and see what happens. The two conspirators are in the process of luring their victims to the chosen room – which incidentally is all set up for a romantic candle-lit dinner – when they are interrupted by a man who informs Alex that she's gonna take a message to her family. Eiji promptly scold the guy for being so rude, insisting that he should ask if Alex wants to carry the message, while Fuji wonders why Oishi has suddenly gone pale. Alex thinks quick and drapes herself over Fuji, dismissing the guy and at the same time deliberately giving the impression that she's canoodling with her boyfriend. Leaning in close, she whispers in Fuji's ear, asking how close is the room he'd planned to lock them up in. Fuji is shocked that she knows their plan, but senses something serious is going on, so he goes along with the rather obvious charade (obvious to everyone except the strange guy, that is…). Wrapping his arms around her, he chuckles as though she'd just made a rather amusing joke, then whispers that it's just around the corner. Alex asks for the key to the room and Fuji tells her it's in his back pocket. Pretending to grope his butt ^^, she slips the key out. Eiji threatens to puke if they don't stop the touchy-feely stuff. They ignore him. Alex instructs Fuji to run for the room and make sure the others follow. She sounds so serious that he obeys and starts running as soon as she steps away from him, dragging the other two with him.

Alex runs along behind then and has just enough time to lock them safely in the room and slide the key under the door before the guy grabs her.

She fights back, yelling for Fuji to call Jin and Atobe. Oishi bangs on the door and screams Alex's name repeatedly, panicking, while Fuji obeys instructions. Eiji spies the feast and helps himself, reasoning that it would be a shame to let such cute strawberries to go to waste. Alex gets knocked unconscious and taken away.

Jin and Atobe arrive in a helicopter along with three squads of private police. They let the three of them out of the room and start looking for Alex.

Alex wakes up with her arms tied above her head. Most of her clothes are gone – they'd obviously been cut off her after she'd been tied up, disposed of so as not to get in the way of the torture that awaits.

The bastard notices that she's awake and begins to torture her. He starts off slow drawing a knife slowly straight down the middle of her torso. When she stubbornly refuses to make a sound, he complains that she's no fun and stabs her suddenly in the thigh. She screams.

Alex's rescue party hear her scream and come running towards the sound.

The torturer methodically slices along the inside of one of her arms, and carves a Celtic knot into one of her hips. He's obviously savouring the moment. She's in too much pain to conceal it. He's about to carve into her shoulder when the rescue force arrives. A furious Akutsu commences operation beat up the bastard to a pulp.

In the first punch the knife flies out of his hand and slices along Alex's cheek, just missing her eye.

Oishi rushes over to Alex and cuts her bonds with the bloody knife. The exhausted, bruised and pain-wracked girl collapses onto him. Eiji throws up everything he just ate in a corner because of all the blood. He then proceeds to mourn over the remnants of the poor little strawberries.

Oishi blushes furiously and quickly removes his jacket and puts it on a barely conscious Alex.

The private police stand around feeling utterly useless as a manic Jin beats the hell out of the torturer. Eventually one of them courageously intervenes before Jin manages to kill the guy.

Alex wakes up in hospital. Oishi is next to her and it looks like he hasn't left her side since she was brought in. his face is pale, there are huge shadows under his eyes, and it looks like he's been crying.

He's not looking at her face, but at their joined hands.

Alex shifts slightly to reach over and touch his cheek. He starts and looks at her, then basically throws himself on top of her in his relief, then scolds her for locking herself out of the room like that. She doesn't contradict him because they both know if it had been anyone else outside they would've been killed, and the torturer at least let her live. Oishi finally reaches the end of his rant, tells her not to do it again, and confesses his love for her all in one sentence. They are then interrupted by the arrival of others, who had gone for a walk.

Oishi visits Alex several times, but seems embarrassed by his confession and avoids being alone with her. However when he comes with Eiji the acrobat takes the first chance to leave the two alone – he's still determined to succeed at matchmaking.

Alex confronts him, saying that she's confused. He said he loved her, but now he is avoiding her. She wants to know which is it. Poor Oishi can't get out of it and he miserably tells her he's sorry, but he's fallen in love with her. She says she's glad/happy, which is not the reaction he was expecting. Once he's recovered from the shock, he asks her out and she accepts.

On the day of Oishi's, Eiji's, Tezuka's, etc… graduation she gets out of hospital.

Tezuka's parents and grandfather come to his Graduation assembly. Tezuka's parents go to talk to a teacher, while his grandfather hunts him down.

Tezuka is waiting in the foyer with Alex, holding Sean. The grandfather finds him and makes some comment along the lines of Tezuka's finally finding a lady friend. He asks if the baby is his grandson's. Alex says she doubts he'll ever get a girl pregnant. Old man agrees, saying it was his misfortune to get a grandson with a tennis ball for a brain. Tezuka interrupts tensely that he thinks that isn't what she meant. Old man says of course that's what she meant (looks to Alex for confirmation). Alex simply bows out of the conversation without answering his query and goes to find Fuji, who's with his family. Informs Fuji that Tezuka is coming out to his grandfather. Fuji asks to be shown where Tezuka is. They reach Tezuka. His grandfather is screaming something about it not being true. He refuses to believe it. He notices Alex, disregarding Fuji, and demands for her to tell him it isn't true.

Alex says calmly that it is true. Old man starts screaming about dishonour to the family, the end of the Tezuka line, etc…

Alex drags the grandfather away. Fuji comes to stand behind Tezuka, a hand resting on his shoulder. It's clear that he and Tezuka are together. Old man is confronted with a warped translation of the 'nuclear family' he'd hoped for from his grandson, and what's worse, Tezuka is in the 'woman's' position – holding the baby.

Old man breaks away from Alex and screams at Fuji before she manages to get him away. She tries to talk him round but fails. Old man screams at her, vows Tezuka is no grandson of his, and stalks out of the building, dragging Tezuka's parents with him. Tezuka has officially been disowned.

TBC…..