"I came in peace!" Alice exclaimed. "I came to see you, check in on how you were doing, and you're yelling at me!"

"Yelling?" Lara repeated.

"Fine, talking really sarcastically." Alice corrected herself. "Sentiment stands."

"What do you want from me?" Lara demanded. "I left, and for months now none of you have bothered to check in. I used to call, on occasion even you, but since nobody returns them, I stopped. So what are you doing here, Alice? What have I done to merit this visit?"

"I needed to see you." Alice blurted out, giving in to the immense pressure of Lara's anger.

"You saw. Congratulations." Lara said shortly.

"That's it?" Alice exclaimed, grabbing her arm. "You leave all of a sudden, and now you're just cutting me off?"

"This is my fault?" Lara exclaimed incredulously. "I asked you if I had any reason why I should stay and you didn't exactly tell me any. In fact, if I remember correctly, your exact words were that you couldn't think of any reason why I should stay in LA."

"Oh, so it's my fault?" Alice exclaimed. "You kissed me first!"

"Fine. It's my fault. Leave."

Alice glared at her, and turned on her heel. She suddenly stopped, and turned back to the redhead. "Wait, isn't that your job? You're the one who leaves, right?"

"I work here." Lara reminded.

"Oh, everything's all about you, isn't it?" Alice retorted.

"Go back to LA, Alice. I'm sure you have a girlfriend waiting for you." Lara said spitefully.

"Yeah, and she's warm and friendly, and she loves me!" Alice yelled at her.

Lara suddenly retreated from the argument, the fight seeming to leave her. In a voice and tone that was more familiar and one Alice recognized, Lara spoke softly. "Just go, Alice."

"I came here for a reason." Alice said cautiously.

"How long did it take you?" Lara asked flatly, her expression giving away nothing. "To fall for her. One day? Two days? A whole week?"

"That's not fair, Lara."

"No, Alice. What's not fair is for you to come all this way and remind me of why I left in the first place." Lara stated.

"I wanted to ask you something."

"Fine. Ask." Lara glanced at her watch.

Alice frowned. "Lara---"

"Tick-tock, Alice. I have a job to get to."

Alice levelled her with a look. "Did you love me?"

Lara faltered a little, her gruff exterior crumbling slightly, before she regained her composure. "No."

"Oh." Alice deflated. Well. There goes that theory. She nodded half-heartedly. "Okay. I'll see you."

Lara watched Alice retreat into herself, and was dismayed to realize that not only did she feel satisfied at this reaction, she also felt her heart ache to comfort Alice. Not to mention that part of her that demanded she take back her little white lie. Now. Before it was too late.

Yet the words did not come.

Alice smiled weakly at Lara. "I'll tell Kit and the gang you said hi."

Lara loathed herself. Why was she so good at pushing people away? Why couldn't she just tell Alice the truth?

Where's the harm, right? Alice had a girlfriend. Alice had a wonderful girlfriend who was warm and friendly and who loved her. Nothing Lara said now would change all that.

"Alice." The voice sounded alien to her, somehow. It sounded as it felt, a desperate plea crying to get out.

Alice turned back to her.

Lara choked on her words, partly meaning them, partly knowing she hated the reasons why. "I'm happy for you."