"You can definitely bug me for it," the girl with the spear and magic helmet among her things says congenially. "Now let's find out if I'm comfortable with doing it."

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Alex doesn't censor himself often, but he considers that doing so is probably a better idea right now than commenting on how comfortable she might be with doing it, even if he thinks it might be funny to see Abby blush.

"I want to take you to dinner, and maybe dancing afterward. What do you say?" he asks.

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Brilliant though she is, Abby has a slight gutter-learning-disability on occasion.

Abby smiles. "I'm intrigued. Should I be listening for the other shoe?"

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"Other shoe? Abbs, you /wound/ me. Do you not believe that I'd like to see you in a pretty dress and take you out and show you off all over Star City? Because that's where we'd be going. Star City. I'm supposed to be at one of these Queen Industries things that Uncle Ollie doesn't want to bother with and you know how that goes." Alex says with a smile.

"Hey, if we're lucky, we might even get to be up some bad guys." he says, trying to cajole her with the promise of heroics.

"And I will be a perfect gentleman, in case it needed to be said."

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Abby smiles at him, laughing just slightly, and pulls out her calendar. "Well, if you're going to be so adamant, and since I know a Queen Industries event wouldn't endorse any causes or practices against my religion, give me a when."

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"What are you doing in three hours?" he asks with a very bright, "You Walked Right Into That" smile on his face.

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"...Casting a warding spell and hurrying to not be late, I assume." Her own expression acquiesces that she did, indeed, walk right into that one.

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"That whole Order Magic Preparedness thing you've got going is pretty hot, Abby. Just in case no one's ever mentioned that." Alex grins.

"I'll be back in an hour with a car and flowers, ready to go." he says.

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"I'll see you then."

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True to his word, Alex returns just over an hour later with his car, dressed in a jet black suit with a crimson shirt and jet-black tie. He brings white roses for Abby, hoping she'll like them. If she doesn't, she can always turn him into a goat.

He knocks on her door and hopes she hasn't changed her mind.

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Abby opened the door. She'd had a feelingred was going to work tonight. "Hello."

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Alex's jaw might have audibly hit the floor if he hadn't caught himself. Still, he does look Abby over appreciatively.

"You look amazing. Wow. I should go home and get one of my swords, because it looks like fending off other guys is in my future." Alex says, handing over the roses.

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Abby laughed cheerfully a little. "Thank you. And who let it slip that I'm a sucker for white roses?" she added as she accepted and cradled them slightly.

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"Would you believe it was a good guess? I tried to find roses that might make you smile." Alex says.

"Good to see I got that right." he smiles.

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"Nice guesswork." And she'll walk with him towards the car. "So how's the family?"

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"Oh, they're good. I finally tricked Donna into dating and I think she's happy. Not that she'll ever say it out loud, because that would be admitting I was right, and Fearless Leader will /never/ admit I was right out loud." Alex smiles, going to open her door for her.

Once she's seated, he'll go and get in himself. They have a good forty-five minutes of drive time before they get to Star City. Alex decides to create some conversation of his own.

"How are your parents? They doing okay?" he asks.

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"Of course not," she says as she sits with an appreciative smile.

"They're doing well. Between the littles and sermons and pastoral stuff and making ends meet, they're always keeping busy."

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"Younger siblings are always a joy, aren't they? Fish-Face says hi, by the way." Alex says.

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"The storied tradition of the little sister is rich and fraught with Helpful Apperances -- lucky thing I'm not still at home, or the littles wouldn't have let us out the door. Mom says it runs in the family. So do tell. How, exactly, did you manage to get Donna on a date?"

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"Like I said, I tricked her. I found a guy I thought would like and told him that she wanted to date him. I told Donna the same thing...a few hours before he was supposed to show up. I did this about two or three times until she started smiling when he called." Alex says.

"I'm pretty good at getting people to see things my way, eventually." he says.

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"So who's the lucky guy?"

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"Scott Stewart. He's a good guy and a Blue Lantern." he says.

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"Aww, that's sweet. It should be good for her."

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"I hope so. She needs this like the Sahara Desert needs a monsoon. That's to say, badly." Alex grins.

"So, what else do you like to do besides magic, Abby-Kadabara?" Alex asks, seeking conversational topics.

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"Anthropology," she says, smiling. "Occasional church volunteering with Mom when I can find the time."

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"Ah, church. The place that bursts into flames when I get too near." Alex chuckles. He's mostly joking.

Although, the last time he stood near a church, it /did/ explode...because someone tried to kill him with a rocket launcher and missed. Thankfully, there was no service at the time. When he told Donna, they both agreed not to consider the fact that this happened because they were the children of the Demon's Head. The irony was just too much.

"Anthropology is one of my hobbies, actually." Alex says.

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"Hey, UU, not Catholic or anything," she says in an amusedly cautionary tone. "All our flames are on the altar."

"So what's your favorite? Forensic, biological, linguistic, cultural?"

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"Okay, I wasn't being completely honest. I know /nothing/ about Anthropology. I was hoping to impress you and I failed miserably." Alex admits.

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Abby chuckles slightly. "I can lend you a few books if you want to give it a try some time. Just don't trust anything by those nutty Von Daeniken fans... unless you want to hear about how Superman was worshipped in ancient Sumeria."

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"I'd like that. Maybe you can tutor me?" Alex suggests. "I'm a very good teacher's pet."

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"I'll take you up in the literal sense. In the innuendo-filled sense, we shall wait and see."

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"Innuendo? Me? I think you have me confused with...some other Alex Harper." he says, trying to fight down a smile. Though, Abby's words encouraged him a little.

Maybe she'd even consent to another date, one where he wasn't simply trying to prove that he could be a normal guy hanging out with a normal girl.

A bit later, they arrive at the Star City Garden Club and Alex drives the car to the valet area. Both doors are opened for them, and soon, Alex is offering Abby his arm.

"So, I just looked around and it's official. You are the most beautiful woman here. I'm glad you said yes, Abby." he smiles.

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Abby takes it with a smile. "Very sweet, thank you. I'm glad, too. It's a lovely night."

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He walks her inside and the pair are instantly lead to a private booth in the back of the restaurant. There were certainly times it paid to be a member of a Star City's most well-known family.

"So, how are things with the helmet going?" he asks.

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"This probably sounds ridiculous, but sometimes, it's like talking to my Aunt Clara. Nabu's more opinionated than people give him credit for, and sometimes I just have to make it clear that with all due respect, I have boundaries."

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"What, does he insist that you only speak Latin when you do spells, rather than...whatever other language you might use?" Alex teases.

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"He needs to be constantly reminded that my legs are mine and no means no. I object to somnambulating."

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Even for one whose mind is /constantly/ in the gutter, Alex isn't quite sure he wants clarification of what Abby meant by that statement.

Then again, Alex is not the type to let caution or shame be an issue.

"The helmet doesn't try to control you, does it?" he asks.

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"He's certainly not above trying. Ancient cosmic entities have such an entitlement complex sometimes. Fortunately, it was in the warning booklet Mark gave me when I took up the mantle, and I've laid down the law as best I could."

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"If I was Nabu, I wouldn't cross you, Abby-Kadabara. It could get ugly...for him." Alex laughs.

The waitress comes by and takes their orders, smiling at Alex the whole time. He seems to be trying to not pay attention to her, ordering his lobster without looking up.

Abby is a girl that deserves his Complete Attention. If she were anyone else, he'd act differently, maybe.

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"Thank you, Alex." And she'll have the fish.

"So how did you find yourself being so last minute about whom to go with tonight?"

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"Well, I wasn't going to go, but I drew the short straw on coming to this event. I realized I needed a date and your came to mind." Alex tells her.

Then he decides on honesty as a course of action.

"It's been suggested that I can go on a date with a nice, normal girl, because I thrive on abnormal. I don't feel that's true, so I asked a nice, normal girl on a date and she said yes.

She's having the fish." Alex grins.

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