I Like it Stirred

By Half an Inch

Sabina inwardly groaned as all her hard work was put to a waste. She had spent over an hour and a half fixing her boyfriends hair with this expensive hair gel she had bought especially for the occasion.

Now, Alex's hair got restored back to its original messy mop of golden curls. Sabina growled a curse word as their lips came crashing together for the third time that evening.

"This is gonna be so much fun," She muttered into the teens hair. Sabina had planned for them to spend their spring break going to a charity ball that had cost a crazy amount of money near the Bay Area.

Edward hadn't hesitated in the slightest and had immediately whipped out his wallet. He was still a little worried due to his previous experience with charity balls, but Alex had reassured him that he had everything under control.

Edward had believed him and allowed the seventeen year old to drive down to Los Angeles where the gala was being held.

"We leave in a few minutes," Alex whispered seductively in Sabina's ear. "I know," she sighed,"Let me fix your hair first."

Alex's protests fell on deaf ears as Sabina attempted to rake his hair with her fingers.

Alex hissed as Sabina's fingers found a particularly nasty gash on his forehead, courtesy of his last suicidal mission.

Sabina muttered an apology and brushed the hair back, covering the angry laceration from view.

"Let's go." Alex told her, giving her a quick peck of the lips before picking up his car keys and making his way downstairs.

Sabina followed as fast as her shiny, teal, evening gown would allow her. Her hair was put up in a bun with brown ringlets preferring to frame her face, and her lips were painted a deep red color.

Alex was dressed in similar attire with a suit and an expensive watch that rested comfortably on his wrist. Despite Sabina's complaints, Alex had ditched the tie and left the first few buttons open. And no matter how hard Sabina tried, she just couldn't get his hair to stay.

He looks better this way, she thought, as Alex opened the door for her. Sabina smiled at him and carefully settled herself down. The journey from Taft to Los Angeles took approximately two hours, give or take a few minutes.

They had to stop a few times when Alex's still-healing leg worked up, but Alex insisted he was fine and continued driving.

Sabina understood that they shouldn't be going to gala's so soon after Alex's missions, but she knew that as soon as Alex could walk without a limp, MI-bloody-6 would pick him up faster than an ant picks up food at a picnic.

By the time they had reached their destination, it was already six o' clock. They rushed inside. Sabina decided to socialize with another eighteen year old as Alex informed the security of their presence.

As he approached them with the tickets in hand, the couple that Sabina had just met smiled at him.

"Is he your date?" The girl, Clarissa, asked Sabina. Sabina balanced on tip-toes to peck Alex on the cheek in anwser.

"Day I met her was probably the best day ever" He said solemnly. Sabina blushed.

'He's British?' Clarissa mouthed to Sabina. Sabina nodded, fully aware, but ignoring the amused look on Alex's face. It would be disappointing if he didn't know how to read lips. He was a spy after all.

After exchanging a few words, Alex gently nudged Sabina. She nodded, and told Alex that she would 'be right there in a second'. However Sabina's version of a second apparently meant something close to forty-five minutes.

Finally, Sabina noticed her inpatient boyfriend. "Go make some friends. Have fun, you know, loosen up." She told him, and went back to chatting amicably with Clarissa.

Alex rolled his eyes and wandered off, looking for something to keep him entertained. Surprisingly, he met a young man, around his age. They talked about everything and nothing.

While the man, Jason, went to go get the two of them something to drink, Alex let his eyes scan the room.

It was large and Victorian themed. Tables of refreshments aligned the wide walls. He spotted Sabina chatting amiably with even more people she most likely just met. They made eye contact, and Sabina blew Alex a kiss.

Alex smiled. He was broken out of his stupor by Jason returning and placing a martini in front of him.

"Bon Appetite. Shaken, not stirred."

Alex smiled and took a sip of the drink. He ignored the way the Bond comment made a ghost of pain flare up in his leg.

They talked some more, mindlessly chatting like old friends. A few minutes later, Alex's stomach gave a churning flop. Must be something I ate, he thought.

"Excuse me a moment," he told his newly found friend. Jason nodded understanding and smiled at him. "Take your time."

It might have been Alex's imagination, but he could have sworn the smile had a cruel lining to it.

He stood, ignoring the way the world tilted dangerously. Maybe he had too much. Forcing himself to walk calmly, despite his pounding head, he made his way to the men's public bathroom.

It was deserted, and for that, Alex was grateful. He leaned his hot, clammy, skin on the cool stone of the wall. Despite him burning up, Alex's body was wracked with shivers.

Alex looked at himself in the mirror. His lips were blue, and...was it just him or were there two of him?

His breathing was becoming difficult and Alex felt sick. He leaned over the sink. Fever?

Then, it came to his blurry, confused mind like a ton of bricks.

Poison.

Who would want to poison him? Someone from his last mission?

He weakly tried to stand up, but his injured leg gave away with a painful throb.

'I have to get to Sabina', he thought. If his enemy's came after him, who said they wouldn't go after Sabina?

He vaguely heard the door to the bathroom opening. Help! Alex's brain supplied. He tried to get their attention, but no sound except for a weak cough was omitted from his hoarse throat.

Alex had to take a shaky breath when he saw who had entered. Jason. He had a cruel, smug look on his face as he crouched down near Alex.

"My fathers revenge was well awaiting." He said.

Alex coughed.

"No one is coming to save you now. This bathroom is out of order."

The spy's eyes widened. Sabina wouldn't come in here now.

"I guess we're all alone in the end."

Jason chuckled and stood, kicking him swiftly in the ribs. "Have fun," he said, as he left the room.

The last thought Alex's half-dead mind could conjure before he slipped into fever induced unconsciousness was, 'I should've told him I liked it stirred.'