While that kind of pronouncement of love does pull at the heart strings, Maria would like to think that Alex would draw a line in the sand as to how far a person would go to protect him. And now she isn't sure if Bass would toe that line.

(But then again, maybe she's wrong. She and Alex don't talk about his tours of duty. She's there, but a part of her purposefully tries to keep things light so that they don't have to go there. Maybe Bass' brand of loyalty is what he expects in dire circumstances such as these.)

She nods a little, squeezes his knee gently before taking her hand back and reaching for her coffee.

"I'm glad to hear that. All that matters to me is that Alex is happy, too." Says the woman who broke up with her boyfriend so that he could be with Alex.