As much as Alex likes this woman (and she does, even if she doesn't seem to be aware of what a fairy godmother is!) Paul is Paul and Paul is her friend. More than that, Paul is the only friend that she's had for as long as Alex can remember. A world without Paul, one where he leaves or is chased away by this woman isn't a world that Alex Reagan can even consider living in so, she immediately just glares at the woman, her arms crossed over her chest as she draws herself up to every bit of her diminutive height.

"Don't talk to Paul like that!" Her voice is a shout, threaded through with angry tears that well up without Alex meaning them to. She doesn't want to make this woman upset (because upset adults are bad and Alex knows it) but she can't let Paul go undefended, especially when he would never do that to her.

"He's my friend and he protects me! He keeps the bad people away! He just doesn't know you!"

And then Paul does a particularly good (especially for a child like Alex who so desperately wants to believe) show of slinking back and looking hurt and contrite behind her.