Only Human

[Selina Taylor]

    Things had changed so much in such a short time, Selina was sometimes still amazed at it all. She glanced at the man next to her and smiled warmly, as Alistair Holmes had been one of the few constants in these past years. She still remembered how, even the first time they'd met, he'd been willing to help train her. Selina had learned so much from him through the years and she valued her friendship with him as highly as she did the relationships she'd formed with the classmates she'd kept in touch with.

    Selina wasn't one to form relationships of any nature lightly, but she'd connected well with Alistair, to a degree that surprised even herself. Selina couldn't help but feel incredibly lucky to have gotten her job, not only for the fact that it paid far more than she'd ever dreamed it would, but also because of the people she was able to work with. She liked and respected both of the Conners, and Alistair had ended up being a good friend and highly skilled mentor. 

    Selina grinned as she took a sip of her drink, "How's Isaac been?" she asked in curiosity as she never really saw the child if she could help it. It wasn't because of any personal dislike for the boy, it was merely because she'd always been awkward around children. There were reasons for that she didn't care to analyze right now, so instead she focused her attention on the handsome man next to her. Some things never truly changed, she supposed.

    As attractive as Alistair was though, she'd never made a move on him in these three years. Selina kept her business relationships purely professional, and though she'd definitely been tempted, she'd never been anything more than friendly. He was a respected colleague and she would never risk her friendship with him, or the Conners, for the sake of a mere physical fling.

[Alistair Holmes]

The past three years had held significant changes, from personal to world shifting. The inevitable reveal of mutants had sent a violent rip through society, and mirroring the effects of trauma, it was fair to assume the world was very much on uneven ground.
The majority strived to continue with their day to day lives, under the falsehood that the existence of the evolved would merely become a settled part of the world, an aspect of their lives they could ignore or embrace; It was clear to Alistair however, that such an idealised outcome was mere fantasy.
Human behavior rarely allowed for the calm existence of the unusual minority... This was the calm before the storm, and with the steadily growing unrest at the hands of anti mutants, that violent turn in the world's dispossession felt all too close.

Alistair tapped a finger against the cool cut glass, the amber toned liquid it held already half drained. It was a poor selection, but given the establishment's general state he hadn't expected the alcohol to be of the same standard he usually chose to drink. That being said, it was decent enough to leave the searing pleasant heat down the back of his throat, so by all intents and purposes it would do.
The dull lighting and drawling country tones of Matt's Hole In The Wall were not aspects of atmosphere that the bodyguard held in particularly high regard, so the bar was not somewhere he would frequent by personal choice; He looked distinctly out of place, a well cut suit finely fitted to his form, a sharp difference to the general casual attire of every other patron. Yet it was clear that despite this, despite the occasional uncertain glances cast in the direction of the suited man, Alistair was far from uncomfortable. It was an important aspect to remaining the dominate factor in a place you did not find overly familiar; Act as though you are supposed to be there, and everyone else will accept that you are. It also was a rare occurrence that the bodyguard found himself in a situation that felt him rattled; And some honky tonk country bar was far from anything to unnerve him. He did have it easily within his skillset to have entered the bar with little attention brought to himself, but since there was no need to currently, he had remained in his usual choice of attire despite the awkward stares. 

He slowly leaned back in his chair, folding one leg over the other as he cast his hazel gaze to the reason for him being there, his companion, offering her a small smile. Selina Taylor... It had surprised even Alistair how much he'd taken to the young woman; He'd opted to bring her under his wing, teaching and training her into the highly skilled and formidable force she'd grown into. She had earned his respect, not an easy feat, and one of the few people the bodyguard enjoyed keeping company with, finding himself looking forward to their training sessions and time spent out of work.
"Issac's doin' just fine," He replied, bringing his glass to his lips. "Grownin' up fast. Smart kid, too." By Drew's request, Alistair had become his son's personal bodyguard, and despite Alistair's generally cold demeanor, he'd taken to the role seamlessly; The New Yorker had younger siblings, two sisters, that he'd help raise following the sudden and violent deaths of his Father and brother...
So catering to the needs of children was something he was fairly well schooled in. He took a further intake of the whiskey, the pleasant burn warming as he placed the glass back down on the table. With a light smirk tugging at the corners of his lips, he quirked an eyebrow at his dark haired companion.
"You should join me next time I take him out. I ain't sayin' you need to read the kid a bedtime story every night, but bondin' a little more might be good for ya." He knew of Selina's uncomfortable nature around the young Conner, and while he knew that dealing with children wasn't something not everyone wanted to cope with, Alistair was fond of pushing Selina out of her comfort zone, in an effort to further strengthen her. It may seem like an unimportant factor to get hung up on, and while the bodyguard trusted the young woman, helping her to bond with her clients was to him significantly necessary... Especially if anything ever happened to him.

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina had never liked Matt's Bar but it was one of the few places in town where the music wasn't blaring so loudly that she couldn't hear herself think. She knew she wasn't one of the bar's intended patrons, particularly for the strange looks she got. Not being pale in the country bar was an oddity, but she didn't much care. The place had semi decent food and the alcohol wasn't awful. Besides, as much as she liked and respected the Conners, she was still far more comfortable around people who weren't earning millions. The girl who'd grown up poor and wondering if they'd be able to afford food for the month was still very much a part of her, even despite the fact that she could now easily be considered wealthy.

    She nodded to Alistair with a half smile, "Hmm, like his parents then," she replied as she took a sip of her own drink. It was no surprise to hear that their child was a fast learner, and she didn't doubt that he would grow up to be a force to be reckoned with. Selina glanced at Alistair with a wry smirk and shook her head, "I suppose you're right..." so long as she wasn't left alone with the boy, she would be fine... probably. It wasn't her first choice, that was for certain, but Alistair knew that. It was likely why he'd suggested it. Selina sighed and took a long drink, allowing the clear vodka to burn its way down.

    Children were innocent and fragile... two things that Selina had no idea what to do with. She could stand in the background and guard the child from a distance, but actually trying to connect with the child on some level wasn't something she had any experience with. Selina was almost afraid she'd accidentally break or somehow irrevocably taint the boy. She hadn't been allowed innocence in her youth as it had been stripped from her at an early age, and she had no idea what to do around a child who hadn't yet dealt with the type of harsh reality she'd grown up with. Alistait seemed fine around the boy, even though she was well aware that his life hadn't exactly been a dreamscape, and she almost asked him how he did it, how he managed to function around the child...

    Selina merely took another drink as a wry grin crossed her features, "But bonding... You make it seem so easy," she admitted with a dry laugh. Selina had grown closer with those she considered friends over the past three years, but outside of that, she'd basically shut everyone else out. She only had the capacity to care for a limited few, and of course she would protect the boy, as it was her job, but she had no idea how to react to him past that. The Conners, Alistair, her family, and a few friends form school were the only people she had allowed herself to care for. Due to the fact that she genuinely liked and cared for the family she worked for, of course she would do anything to keep the boy safe... but on a personal level? She had no clue as to what it was she should do with him.

[Alistair Holmes]

With Isaac's breeding, it was to no surprise that he was developing rapidly. Even at his young age, the heir to the Conners was showing significant intelligence. With the sheer amount of people striving for the boy to succeed, willing to provide him with every aspect he would need... And although there was no telling so early in the child's development, it was a fair assumption that the boy would share the mutant gene of his parents... It was obvious that Isaac Conner was going to be a prominent, powerful world figure.

A heavy burden on such small shoulders.

Alistair quirked an eyebrow slightly as his steely gaze noted the wry smirk, the soft sigh. His expression then softened, a rare show of concern he offered to very few; He knew of his prodigy's unease towards children, and had seen prior that this uncomfortable notion extended to the young Conner. Alistair had every faith that Selina would lay down her life for the boy, as she would their employers... But the world was an uneasy place.
The assassination attempt on Drew had shaken him... Although there was no fatal causalities, a handful of the public had been sent to hospital by bullet wounds; The bodyguard had been there, and he had seen the same fear in his friend's eyes the night Drew had instructed Alistair to deal with a man whom had almost hurt Erika. It had riled the bodyguard's usually dormant anger, that someone could draw such a look from Drew Conner. The young CEO needed those he held within his inner circle to support each aspect of his life; If any thing was to happen to Alistair, Drew would need Selina to a far greater extent.

"It ain't easy," The bodyguard chuckled, mirroring the young woman's wry smirk with a slight tilt of his head. "I ain't exactly a natural, kid. You adapt. I had to, it weren't exactly a choice."
Not that Alistair would change looking after his sisters for the world, but it didn't change the fact he was far from anyone's usual selection for a child's bodyguard; His older brother had been the warmer of the Holmes sons. He reached out, taking hold of the glass, dropping his eyeline a moment to the remains of the whiskey, before bringing his eyeline back to Selina. "Adaptation is important. Bringin' up a wall when you're faced with somethin' out of your comfort zone ain't ganna help you." He drained the glass before he spoke again. "Trust me... It's easier then ya think."

Alistair pulled the end of his jacket back, his gaze scanning the ticking hands of his watch; It wasn't that late. The tail end of a long, jagged scar which ran the length of his forearm was just about visible from his cuff, starkly white against his skin. Beneath Alistair's well fitted suit, his body was a canvas of lines; nicks from bullets, the violent slash across his stomach, cuts long healed from his training. The bodyguard pulled his sleeve back over his watch. "... It's my turn for the next round. Same again? Or do you trust me in choosin' for ya?"

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina picked up on his concern and wished she wasn't so easy to read sometimes, but she'd always been straightforward, if less so when regarding her weaknesses. Children brought out her worst insecurities though, and whenever she was around them Selina couldn't help but wonder if the people who'd called her 'dirty', 'damaged goods', etc., had the truth of it. What if they were right and she was a bad influence? What if her own bitterness somehow affected the child?... The questions that plagued her were endless. Selina wasn't one for being noble or charitable or whatever else, but she also wasn't one who enjoyed inflicting pain on others unless she had a reason to. And she could never find any reason to harm a child.

    Selina listened to him, smiling as he admitted it wasn't easy and nodded. What he said made perfect sense, and adaptation: she was generally good at that... but her fears were still there, as potent as ever. Selina shoved them down as she almost always did and supposed that she'd just have to manage as best she could. "Adult, what if the child is harmed while I'm adapting?" she asked, the first part teasing, but the question serious in nature.

    She knew well by now that Alistair calling her kid was just a part of his natural lexicon, but part of her couldn't help but react to it. Selina had a hypersensitivity to such things ever since the incident with the teacher when she was younger and anything that could be conceived of as being patronizing set her on edge. She'd never told Alistair that it affected or bothered her as it was something minor and she knew there was no malicious intent behind it. Selina tended to pick her battles to regard things that actually mattered, but she couldn't help teasing him every once in a while for calling her 'kid'.  

    As he mentioned building walls though, Selina bit back a wry laugh. She was rather good at building walls, and had depended on them to survive quite a few times. She also knew that he had a point though. Survival tactics weren't the tactics she needed to be able to truly live. Selina then glanced down at her glass not meeting his eyes as her thoughts became words, "I think I'm just... afraid, Alistair," she admitted quietly. The vodka helping loosen her tongue enough for the words to escape her, even if she almost immediately regretted them.

    Selina's smile was genuine though when he mentioned another round and she met his eyes once more, a slight warmth there that was reserved for a rare few, "You know I trust you, Alistair," she replied easily, letting him choose. Selinsa's trust was extremely difficult to come by, particularly in regards to men, but Alistair had earned her respect and more over the past three years. 

[Alistair Holmes]

Alistair's smile turned to one of amusement at the young woman's play; He was used to her teasing, and he would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it; Few could hit back at the bodyguard like she could verbally, and he found it refreshing. He was well aware that the young woman knew his remark was simply a manner of his speech, a word used to refer to anyone younger then himself; It lacked any patronising intent. Past that though... It was clear her jest masked a serious query.
Selina had not been gifted with what so many took for granted, an innocent childhood; The bodyguard had rarely raised the issue, and frankly had no intention of doing so. What Selina had suffered undeniably was the reason for the metaphorical walls, the defenses she sought to build around her insecurities... But musing on the past did nothing to aid anyone, did nothing but harm the now. Alistair did not ignore his own scars, but accepted them, adapted; He supposed he had more of a nature for it then most, given his cold, resilient attitude, but that did not mean it had been easy. "What ya ganna do? Take him mountain bikin'? Sky divin'?" He replied with a small gesture of his hand and a chuckle. "Heck, if I can do it, he'll take to you."

At Selina's next comment however, Alistair's playful smirk wavered; It would have irritated him, had the cause not been someone the bodyguard honestly cared for, that she could stir concern from him with little effort. She was in some ways far more troubled then she would allow herself to be... He knew as much as she tried not to let the opinions of the common dregs of society effect her, her walls couldn't block out every cruel comment the world dealt.
She wasn't tainted... She was scarred, that much was true, but so was he; The key was not to allow that part of you to define everything else.

"... Selina." His voice was different, his tone softer, yet it held the same absolute stern resolve. He kept his calm, hazel eyes on the young woman, who so rarely allowed the flickers of the trials she'd faced raise to her surface. "... You're stronger then ya let yourself think..." He trailed off, shifting his gaze from her. "... You've been through a lot, and that's a damn testament to ya. That doesn't mean you're tainted." He slowly brought his gaze back to her, a small smile on his lips as he leaned forward closer to her, placing his forearms on the table. His eyes were stern, unwavering. " ... Neither of us are made up of what has happened to us. because you've been through hell doesn't mean you're some kinda monster." He then reached forward, placing a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "... I'll be right there with ya." He then removed his hand in order to take hold of the empty glasses, his rare smile falling to the bodyguard's typically playful smirk. "You trust me? Well, we'll see if you end up regretting that," He teased, before taking his leave of the table, heading to the bar.

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina laughed at his questions, "Wait, sky diving and mountain biking were options?" she asked playfully, "If I'd have known that, I would've joined you guys a long time ago," she teased. Selina had a wry grin on her face as Alistair claimed that if he could do this, so could she. She'd been a single child and had had zero experience with young children... but inexperience wasn't really an excuse she'd ever accepted as a reason not to try something. The only reason it came to mind now was because there was a lot more behind her reluctance than mere ignorance. 

    Selina finally looked up at him again as he said her name... and she stayed silent as she took in every word he had to say. Her eyes never leaving his until he looked away, and even then he had her full focus and attention. When he said she wasn't tainted, she felt her throat close as emotions overwhelmed her that she had thought she'd gotten over a long time ago... but chief among them was relief. She respected Alistair, partially because he wasn't one to sugar coat anything but also because she knew he'd been through a hell of his own.

    Selina knew she shouldn't look to others for validation, yet hearing the words from him held a lot more weight than when she'd tried to tell herself something similar. She trusted him, believed him, and for the first time she felt like her past wasn't only a massive suffocating restraint. Selina felt his words hit her chest with the force of a punch and took a slow breath to steady her nerves. She met his eyes, her own perhaps slightly more watery than they should be, but she would never cry in a goddamn country bar.

    Selina let his hand rest on her shoulder without the faintest sign of a flinch, and with a small smile to match his own. The fact that she could actually draw comfort from the strength and solidity of his touch was a testament to just how far she'd come from three years ago. It used to be that she couldn't be in the presence of an older male without her fight or flight response kicking in and heaven forbid if any of them ever tried touching her. Alistair had felt different to her from the start though. She hadn't exactly been relaxed around him, but she had never been on such a tense edge with him as she had with most other men. From the beginning, she'd had a good rapport with him.

    At his last words, she nodded, "I know," she replied quietly, her voice a bit rougher than it had been previously, but surprisingly steady. She couldn't help but feel reassured at his words, and she knew she definitely didn't feel quite as anxious about the thought of being around the young Conner. It would still be nerve-wracking and out of her comfort zone, but it didn't feel terrifying anymore. She didn't feel paralyzed by her history, and part of her felt like instead of dreading and constantly trying to escape or forget her past... she could start attempting to learn and grow from it instead. 

    As he pulled back, Selina took a shaky breath and found herself smirking as he spoke of regrets, "I doubt it," she retorted with a mischievous glint in her eye. 

[Alistair Holmes]

Sentiment did not come to the bodyguard naturally, so as Alistair crossed the short distance to the bar he was surprised by how readily the words had came to him, and how much of a necessity he'd felt they were to say.
He usually saw little need in voicing reassurance, generally as he rarely came across someone he felt not only needed it but deserved it. There was no point in overindulging another with overprotection... Mollycoddling served little purpose other then to stunt growth. Despite that being Alistair's usual stance on the issue, he could not help but feel the need to provide a gentle hand of support to those that he cared for; That, and he saw a part of himself in the young woman. 
Facing what cruelty the world dealt you and coming out of it scarred but fighting was a true show of strength; Both he and Selina were products of their pasts, but Alistair had never allowed it to make him a prisoner. Focusing on the past was a dangerous thing... It brought about an unrest. It was clear Selina had been thinking on her memories too often as of late, and the more she did that, the more regrets she would cut herself on. She needed to forgive herself. Not allow her past to trap her, and know that she was more then worthy of a future.

He casually took up a position with his forearms leaning against the bar, ordering the next set of drinks. As the bartender proceeded to clink glasses in preparation, the bodyguard slowly looked to where his companion sat. She'd come so far in three years... When he had first met the young woman with curled dark hair Alistair had been evaluating her skillset, calculating if she was of use to the Conners... If she had potential. He had little care of what her history was up until that moment, and he had even less care now. Alistair had come to value her greatly just as she was, past and all... And she deserved a future where she was certain of herself. So if she needed his reassurance, for her sake and the sake of their employers, he would give it. He would remain a steady force in building her strength, and lead her in confronting what ghosts she needed to face.

Of course that didn't mean he would abandon the poor female to an afternoon playing nanny. She was going to need a steady hand at her back, if only for the comfort that it was there. For now, he would distract her... Try and keep the glossy sting of tears from her eyes until at the very least they were in a more reserved environment.
Alistair noted movement in he corner of his eye, and with a snapped gaze watched as two glasses filled with a dazzling red were placed on the bar. 
A small mischievous smirk tugged at the edges of his lips as he took the drinks in hand, a nod of thanks tossed to the barman before making his return to his companion. He placed one glass in front of her firmly, a statement of a challenge, before sliding effortlessly into his own seat.
"... You wanna rethink that trustin' me statement yet?" He spoke teasingly, before nodding towards the thick, scarlet contents. He took his own glass in hand with a small chuckle. "Fireball, Miss.Taylor. It'll help ya fight off the Montana cold."

 Fireball cinnamon whiskey. Tabasco. It would certainly send the cold screaming from your bones... And likely feel as though it was scalding your throat while it was at it.

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina watched him go and her natural composed and neutral expression returned relatively quickly. By the time he had returned, the expression she wore spoke nothing of the emotionally charged talk they'd had moments before. The masks she wore on a daily basis were so familiar to her that she didn't even really notice them at this point. But more than that... her inner turmoil had calmed somewhat at his words. She would need time later to process what he'd said, and to think on the full ramifications of what accepting her past would really mean, but she also knew that she would. Healing took time, and it couldn't all be done in a night's conversation. 

    Selina was so grateful to Alistair though, in more ways than she could ever begin to say. He'd given her the words she hadn't truly known that she'd needed to hear, and she could almost feel a shift within her. It would take a long time to unlearn all of the hatred and cruelty she'd internalized over the years, but she felt like she was finally ready to start trying. 


    Selina could compartmentalize her own emotions with the skill born of necessity and she found it incredibly easy to fall into the laid back and playful persona that she'd worn for years. It was as real a part of her personality as any other, and yet it could hide so much so easily. She glanced at the bright red drinks and smirked, yes she recognized these, and she couldn't help the light that danced in her eyes as she glanced up at Alistair, "If anything, I trust you more than ever now," she replied easily, genuine amusement lining her features.  

    "After all, how could I dislike a man who has such good taste?" she offered with a smug grin of her own as she raised her glass in a form of a toast. If he thought a bit of spice intimidated her, he had another thing coming. She'd grown up in Chile, and the warmth of the local peppers had been a comfort from her youth. At one point she may or may not have gotten slightly drunk and had a hot sauce drinking contest with her friends... but that was beside the point. She so won though. Selina grinned as she took a drink from her glass, the contents blazing a trail of heat through her. She couldn't help a small cough as some of the spice got caught in the back of her throat but she didn't mind in the slightest. 

    "Besides, I've never been one to shy away from the heat," she added with a wicked grin as she took another sip, this one going down easier now that she was more used to it. 

[Alistair Holmes]

Alistair fully expected the young woman to have composed herself by the time he returned to the table, and from the curve of her playful smirk to the reinforced gleam of her eyes, it was clear she'd managed to get a firm grip on her emotions. Although the bodyguard was relatively impressed with how quickly she once again took command of her emotional state, it was extremely unlikely that those few words he'd given her were all she'd needed; Deep rooted issues like the ones Selina bore it not merely fade with one conversation, although he was aware his words had calmed her somewhat. Alistair was certain however that she'd fight that fragile side to prevent it from breaking through her usual guard again, but the bodyguard didn't need her voice breaking to know it was still below her surface; He would do what he could in order to support her, but this wasn't going to leave his friend overnight.

Alistair folded her arms across his chest, the delight in her own eyes mirroring his own amusement. He raised an eyebrow at her comment on his taste, a genuine chuckle escaping his throat. "I'm so glad ya noticed," He smirked, reaching out to take hold of his own glass. The liquid was a vivd scarlet, and as he held it up in order to provide his side of the toast, the heat imitating from the drink was already enough to feel as though it was singeing the inside of his nose. He then tilted the glass in her direction with a polite nod, before taking a significant intake of the hellfire. It raked a searing trail down his throat, a welcome burn. Alistair had a strong stomach for alcohol; He wasn't overly a drinker, but with high quality whiskey his usual drink of choice, he was more then used to heat.
He took a soft breath, moving the glass from his lips and casting his companion an amused smile. "Well ain't ya a woman after my own heart," He teased. He glanced to her glass, which was already significantly drained more then he had expected. "Heh... You're full of surprises, kid."

Although frankly, Alistair expected nothing less. He took another sip of the scarlet liquid before sighing, leaning back in his chair. "After this, what's say I take you home? I was never one for lettin' a young woman walk home alone." Alistair knew Selina was more then capable of defending herself, but this was more for the company and general politeness; The bodyguard took genuine enjoyment out of spending time with only a few, but Selina was very much one of those few.

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina nodded to him, “But of course. It’s impossible not to,” she replied easily, a hint of mischief in her tone. Anyone could tell merely by glancing at Alistair that he was more than used to the finer things in life. Surprisingly, it hadn’t bothered her all that much, except for a bit at the beginning. She thought it might be due to the fact that in comparison to the Conners, Alistair was practically a regular blue collar worker.

    Selina still got uncomfortable being around the gratuitous wealth of the Conners, but she didn’t often feel like that around Alistair. Perhaps he merely wore it better, or perhaps it was because she felt like she had a chance of understanding him on some level. The disparity between her and the Conners was so great a chasm Selina felt like she was always on the outside looking in even after three years of being in the middle of it. She could never truly be a part of their world. She’d known that from the start… and part of her was very glad for it. As appealing as the grandeur of it all was, she far preferred the simplicity of her own life.

    Selina smirked at that, “Perhaps,” she agreed with a half laugh. The idea of her being after anybody’s heart was amusing. There were so many reasons to keep relationships shallow and physical or distant and platonic. Letting people close wasn’t an option… yet she’d allowed it in the past three years with a very select few. Selina still wasn’t entirely sure why… it had almost felt more natural than anything else, and maybe she’d gotten tired of constantly pushing people away, keeping them at arms length. Or maybe she was less fond of isolation than she’d originally thought. It could easily be a combination of things as well, but she was still bemused by it all.

    Full of surprises? “Hmm, you have no idea,” she teased, the suggestion thick in her words. The alcohol had certainly seemed to be effective in some ways. She had a high tolerance for the liquid, but Alistair was an incredibly attractive man. Besides, it wasn’t like he was unaware of her reputation. She never really talked about it, but she knew Alistair wasn’t careless about information regarding anyone who served the Conners.

    Selina sobered up slightly at the mention of heading home and nodded to Alistair, “Alright. I suppose I could handle that,” she offered playfully, easily slipping back to how she'd always been with him in the past.

[Alistair Holmes]

While his family had always been wealthy enough, what they held in terms of wealth was nothing compared to the extensive accumulation of the Conners. His preference for fine taste however did not come from his time spent with the twins, but was a trait he picked up from his Father. Clients were naturally going to feel closer to those who showed similar opinions and tastes, as well as the general reaction such traits brought from the general populace; People are usually intimated by shows of extensive knowledge, class or quality, since it eluded to an educated, "high ranked" member of society. Now Alistair didn't see himself in such a position, and neither did his Father, but that wasn't the point; It was another bullet in your arsenal. People are less likely to cause trouble for those they're intimated by.
But that wasn't the only reason... Victor Holmes had been a gentleman, a man of class, a man who wore a finely crafted suit foremost out of a sense of professionalism and respect; And it was only natural for Alistair to hold that close to his heart... That, and there was a timeless elegance to so many aspects of fine taste, and elegance was a distinctly attractive trait; At least to Alistair.

Alistair noted the manner in which Selina brushed off his playful comment with a half laugh, clearly thinking his idea of her being after anyone's heart was a ridiculous notion, weather spoken in jest or not. Alistair knew his companion's opinion on romance, and had made it clear that she saw little need for it. Affairs of the heart were messy, and so often became more of a hindrance then a pleasure... But Alistair was unsure if Selina's stance on the issue was birthed from the ghosts that still plagued her, or from a personal choice. "You never know, some day some guy could just come along un' sweep ya off of your feet," He teased, taking in another sip of the liquid fire, it's touch leaving a warming sting on his lips. He was then about to finish his glass when she brought about a laugh from him, followed by a knowingly wicked smile. "Hmm. I'm sure I don't, Miss.Taylor."
Alistair made it his duty to know as much as was relevant to the Conners about those that worked closely to them; something he was frankly rather good at. At first he'd only learnt what he needed to about Selina Taylor in terms of her work and her skillset,
and once he was satisfied she had potential and would prove to be a loyal employee, he saw little need in delving further. As both he and the Conners grew closer to the young woman, Alistair had taken the time to examine her even more closely; he knew about her reputation... But as long as she didn't let it effect her work, didn't risk the Conners or herself... he could not care less how she led the personal side to her life. It was her choice to make, and he had no right to judge her for it. Her attempt at flirting however had amused him; He supposed the alcohol was taking it's toll on her. Still, it was an intriguing slip from the usual playful banter.

He then gave a firm nod, before downing the remains of his drink, giving a deep sigh as he placed the glass down on the table. "Take your time though, Selina. Ain't no rush," He nodded towards her currently unfinished glass.

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina glanced up at Alistair, "I'd much rather him sweep me off to his bed. It would be far more practical all things considered," she replied with a wry grin. "Besides, I'd rather keep my feet on the ground. Easier to beat their ass when they try to fuck with me," she added with a mildly bitter laugh as she took another drink. She was good with the physical aspects of a relationship, all of the rest wasn't exactly her cup of tea. She was never one for letting people too close and for damn good reason. Tough lessons learned at an early age stayed well engraved in her memory.

    Regardless of ghosts, Selina had never been fond of the traditional ideal of romance anyway. It wasn't something she found herself ever wanting. The very idea of marriage and kids made her nauseous to say the least. No, if she ever engaged in anything similar, it would likely be more of an intimate friendship than anything else... with lots of sex. She still was who she was. 

    Speaking of sex, at his remark, Selina felt a slight heat coil within her, "Something very easily remedied, Mr. Holmes," she replied with a sensual smirk. It was such a very simple transition for her to slip into this role. The act was like a second skin that she could don at will. The alcohol was only part of it, in truth. Her physical attraction to him was also secondary. Selina wasn't quite that innocent and she knew exactly what she was doing. 

    Selina nodded to him in turn, playfully lifting her drink in a half toast to him before downing the rest, grimacing slightly as the alcohol burned it's way down. She sighed happily afterwards, the drink having warmed her from the inside out. Liquid courage, some called it. She wondered if she'd need more later, but for now, she was alright. Besides, as she'd said before, she'd never been one to shy away from heat. Whether it was the the heat of violence, passion, or spicy peppers, she could more than handle it... usually. Sometimes even she got burned. 

    "Ready when you are," she offered with an enigmatic smile that let him interpret those words any way he wanted to. 

[Alistair Holmes]

Selina's reply came quickly, and was exactly what Alistair had expected. "Beat their ass, eh? I pity anyone who gets on that side of ya." Her wry smile caught on his own lips, and he allowed a low chuckle to slip through. It was a poor fool who attempted to take on Selina Taylor, that much was certain; The bodyguard had trained with her, and had witnessed on more then one occasion her distinct ability to defend herself. She was a force to be reckoned with... A human hurricane. "That bein' said, kid, you must be keepin' pretty poor company to think every person ya take to your bed is goin' to fuck you over." He tilted his head to one side, keeping his gaze locked with her own, before giving an offhand shrug of his shoulders.
Selina had every reason to think so little of others... She held a number of dark memories associated with the so called "joys" of romance carved painfully into her mind. Alistair's own memories of the field were relatively unscathed, yet it simply wasn't something he wanted at this stage. He knew he wasn't incapable of love... But it wasn't something he currently desired. Love was messy... A complication. It made you off kilter... Emotions by their nature are generally unpredictable.

The bodyguard raised an eyebrow slightly at the young woman's shift in expression, a sultry smile crossing over her usual one. While Alistair had long known about Selina Taylor's reputation, she hadn't offered him a smile of that heat before; He could see why so many fell at the woman's feet... She was a master at stirring primal emotions. A wicked smirk crossed his expression. "Is it, now? And here I thought a woman liked ta keep some of her mysteries," He teased, impish playfulness in his voice. It was a pleasant change, to have someone who could meet him blow for blow so effortlessly, who seemed to take as much delight as he did in their banter. The only other he'd engaged with in such a manner had been Evelyn Conner.

The bodyguard took hold of his winter coat, which had been draped over the back of his chair, standing up and sweeping it over his shoulders as he pulled it on. The long, black formal coat was finely cut to his frame, an extension of the formal elegance of his suit.
He slipped his gloves on, which he had pulled out from his pocket, as he approached the door to the bar; He cast a glance at his companion, smirking slightly. "Well, ya braced for the Montana night, Miss.Taylor?" He questioned, before opening the door for the young woman, gesturing to the late evening beyond. The cold swarmed in in one fell rush, causing those nearest the door to shiver and cast the bodyguard icy glares.

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina smirked slightly, "I don't." No, she'd never wasted her energy feeling anything for them. Besides, there were plenty of other things to feel pity for... like that one time she dropped her ice cream in the park... damn, that was a sad day. Selina easily kept eye contact with Alistair when he commented on the company she kept, "Well, not everyone can be as charming a gentleman as yourself," she offered, teasing him just a little. “Besides, it’s a hell of a lot better company than I used to keep,” she admitted easily.

    Selina almost shuddered to think of the first men she’d been with… some of those memories were nastier than her encounter with Reyes, maybe even more so because she’d allowed them to happen. She’d never been in a romantic relationship, but she’d certainly been scarred enough by other types of connections that she held no desire for getting close to anyone regardless. There was a lot she’d done in the first months after her encounter with the man, in attempts to cope and figure things out, that she now regretted. Some were habits that remained to this day… and she really didn’t want to think about that right now.

    Alistair might’ve been right, but her self-destructive tendencies weren’t something Selina admitted even to herself. The fact that she sometimes enjoyed hating the ones who turned on her and wanted the pain they inflicted... wasn't quite something she was ready to talk about. Alistair was one of the rare few she trusted on any level, and she hadn't yet regretted that, but she also wasn’t going to let all of her demons come out to play in a country bar.

    "Well, you certainly won’t figure out all of my secrets in just one night, Mr. Holmes," she purred. She was almost surprised at how easily she fell into this type of back and forth with him. She’d done it many times with others, but she’d kept her relationship with Alistair strictly professional up to this point for reasons of her own. Selina was now definitely interested in seeing where this would go. She’d held herself back before, but now she saw next to no reason to.

    As he got up to leave, she followed him, donning her own warm jacket over her low cut black sweater. Some things didn't change, even in December. Selina nodded to Alistair with a playful smirk, "Of course... Besides, I'll warm up quickly enough once we get to my place," she added, a wicked lilt to every word. She'd never been accused of being shy. She stepped out into the bitter winds with ease, the past three years having done plenty in preparing her for Montana winters. Besides, she'd always liked the cold.