This was inspired by an Alpha/Whiskey fanvid I saw, but I decided to go ahead and write it for Whiskey's Original Personality's challenge.

Chapter Songs

Bad Romance- Lady Gaga, Monster- Lady Gaga, A Dangerous Mind- Within Temptation (fits Alpha really well).

Disclaimer: I do not own Dollhouse...unfortunately Joss has yet to put it on Ebay or Craig's List.

Chapter One

Claire Saunders (or Whiskey, which was her active name) drove through the busy streets of L.A., not quite sure what to do with herself. She had never been this far from the Dollhouse since she began working there, or at least according to her memory she hadn't.

Boyd had suggested she get out and she had initially rejected the idea, but then she started to think over what he said. She never did go outside the Dollhouse. She never even had the urge. That's when Claire started to realize that she had been programmed not to want to go out. Wanting to prove to herself that she really was her own person, Claire ventured out into the real world thinking that if she could come to hate Topher on her own then she could certainly go out for a drive.

Just a simple drive proved more difficult than she initially thought, though. The farther she drove the more anxious she became. After almost being sideswiped because she wasn't paying attention Claire knew she had to pull over.

She decided to stop at one of the many outdoor cafés. Perhaps maybe a cup of coffee could help clear her head and ebb away the anxiety eating at the inside of her stomach.

After ordering herself a cup of coffee Claire settled down at a table, feeling slightly more relaxed as she sipped her drink, at least until...

"Enjoying your coffee," came a voice she knew all too well. It appeared often enough in her nightmares. Claire gripped her coffee cup so tightly that she thought it might burst as she turned around, already knowing who she would see.

Alpha stood behind her, smirking, clearly enjoying the look of fear and horror on her face. He was dressed nicer than Claire would have expected of a man who was being hunted down by the Dollhouse. He wore a dark pair of Levi jeans with a navy blue shirt that brought out his eyes nicely, and a black leather jacket.

"Mind if I sit down," he asked in mock politeness.

Claire swallowed hard, trying to keep herself from becoming hysterical. Just calm down, she told herself. Alpha wouldn't attack you in broad daylight surrounded in a public place.

He can hurt you in other ways than just physically, a voice in her head said, and Claire couldn't help but think back to the conversation they previously had when Alpha had alluded to her being an active.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded curtly to the chair across from her.

"So," Alpha said, sitting down, "still playing the good doctor?"

"I'm not playing anything," she said in a quiet voice, unable to look him in the eyes.

"Really," he asked amusement evident in his voice.

Claire heaved a deep sigh. "I know the truth, Alpha." She wasn't going to let him toy with her like he did last time. "I know I'm a doll."

Alpha's smirk widened as he reclined in his chair perfectly at ease. "Well, so little Whiskey knows the truth. You're smarter than I originally gave you credit for."

Claire felt a wave of anger at the superior tone in his voice. Feeling a surge of confidence, she looked up from her coffee cup and looked him straight in the eyes. "I'm sure there are a lot of things about me that would surprise you,"

A look of surprise briefly crossed Alpha's features, and then his smirk turned into a grin. He quirked an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"I'm here outside the Dollhouse aren't I?" She gestured toward the cafe and the rest of the outside world in general.

"That's not too difficult. Technically you are an employee. You could do that on your lunch break."

"Not when it's against your programming," she told him quietly. "I want to be my own person, not just Topher Brink's creation. That's why I didn't open the file about my original personality." Claire's eyes had wandered away from Alpha and she was now staring off into the distance, caught up in her own words.

When she flicked her eyes back to him she thought she saw a flash of respect in his eyes before it was replaced by something else. He stared at her intently, and she could almost see the gears turning in his head.

She felt her confidence fade away until it was once again replaced by fear and apprehension. Alpha planning was something to be wary of, especially when she was usually caught in the middle of his plans.

"I have a place not far from here," he said after a few minutes of silence.

Claire blinked a few times in surprise. "What?" She asked, taken aback, then warily, "Are you trying to pick me up?"

Alpha chuckled. "Not unless you're offering."

She bristled at his words. "Of course not, don't make me sick."

Alpha stopped laughing, though he was still grinning. "Now, now, Whiskey," he chided. "There's no need to be rude, especially to the person offering you a place to stay."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, unless you want to go back to the Dollhouse."

She scoffed, not believing what she was hearing. "So that's my choice? Being doctor for a bunch of high class pimps or lice with a schizophrenic, sociopath, serial killer?"

He shrugged. "At least with me you could be your own person."

"But with them I wouldn't have to worry about waking up with a knife at my throat."

"Adelle can do worse," he informed her calmly. "There's always the attic. Speaking of which, does Mrs. DeWitt know about your little lunch break?"

Claire felt a chill go down her spine at the mention of the attic, but she refused to let Alpha get to her. "I could always just leave on my own. I wouldn't need you to do it."

"No, but it would be a hell of a lot easier with me. Remember, I've had much more practice than you, not to mention the necessary skills for evading the Dollhouse."

When Claire didn't say anything he stood up from his chair with a sigh. "Fine. Have it your way."

Claire bit her lip as he walked away. On the one hand she could go with him and escape all the painful reminders at the Dollhouse that she was just another one of Topher's creations. But, then, on the other hand Alpha was the same monster that had brutally slashed her face, not to mention Victor's.

She stood from her chair knowing, despite everything, what she wanted.

"Wait." She ran after Alpha who was already halfway down the sidewalk. He turned at the sound of her voice.

"Change your mind," he asked with a grin, as she approached him.

"I'll give it a try," she said folding her arms.

"Well, then," he, grinning. "Shall we?" He offered her his arm in a gentlemanly fashion.

Claire looked at it for a moment, then turned and began walking. Behind her she heard Alpha chuckle as he took the lead, directing her where to go.

Despite his calm behavior, she was still wary of him, though. With Alpha you never knew.

So, this is going to be a very short story. There will probably be, about, two more chapters.

P.S. For those who read my other Dollhouse fic, Evolution, I'm almost done with the next chapter, then I have to send it to my beta. So it'll probably be up by the end of this week, depending on my beta.