“No, not quite end of conversation.” Alex shifted on the railing, his arms folded over his chest. “How long have you known you’re half-angel?”

Seb’s eyebrows rose. “Is that any of your business?”

“You’re training my girlfriend how to disguise her aura? Yeah, it’s my business.”

Seb regarded him for a moment. The look on his face wasn’t amused, exactly, but it was heading in that direction. “You’re big on the girlfriend thing, aren’t you?” he observed. “She’s not your property, you know.”

The comment brought Alex up short; irritatingly, he knew Seb was right, and that Willow would say the same thing if she’d heard him. “No, she’s not,” he said at last. “But as the leader of this team, I need for you to answer my question.”

Seb stretched across to the railing to tap ash off his cigarette. “You know, I’m trying my best to think of the possible relevance here...fine, whatever. I’ve known I was half-angel since I was five.”

“So, that’s what – around thirteen years?”

“Yeah, I just turned eighteen.”

“Okay. You’ve known for thirteen years. Willow has known for about three months. When she first found out—” He broke off, remembering Willow’s despair, her struggle to deal with all of this. “It was really hard for her,” he finished. “So what I’m getting at is – I think she probably needs you, okay? She needs someone who can help her with this.”

Seb went silent, his hazel eyes thoughtful as he smoked. “I understand,” he said. “I’ll do whatever I can.”

For some reason, the two-by-two thing flickered into Alex’s head again; he shoved it away with a mental grimace. “I’d like you to start training her tomorrow,” he said. “The sooner she can learn to hide her aura, the better.”

“I agree; it’s no good that she doesn’t know how.” Seb studied him. “Seriously, man, how do you even sleep at night, knowing she’s so exposed all the time?”

“She’s not that exposed – I’d die before I ever let anything hurt her, either,” said Alex dryly. “But yeah, it’s not easy sometimes.”

“I believe you,” said Seb. “Because I won’t be sleeping well now myself, until she learns.” His cigarette was almost gone by then; he took a final puff, seeming to savour it.

It was childish, but Alex couldn’t resist: “Oh, and she hates cigarette smoke, by the way.”

The look Seb shot him was now definitely amused. Breathing out a last plume of smoke, he twisted the butt out on the metal railing. “You know what? I had a feeling she did. Good thing I just quit, isn’t it?”

Alex could tell he was serious. “So, that would be because you’re not after her in the slightest.”