Alfred took a quick and instinctive step back as the other man approached, bracing himself for an attack that never came. Honestly, at this point it might almost have been a relief if Mr. Fisk had decided to punch him or hex him. He certainly hadn't had get into a brawl with Zelda Fisk's brother on his to-do list that morning when he'd set out for the hospital, but at least if things devolved that far he would have known what to do. Physically, he could handle himself in a fight - his early career as a sailor and then the years spent living in the wilds of South America had given him ample practice. Magically, he was less confident, but unless Ari Fisk resorted to some particularly cruel spells he could at least endure whatever was thrown his way, he thought. Verbally - well. Words had never been his forte.

It didn't particularly help that he agreed with everything the other man was saying. Not that anyone would believe that now, given what had happened (except Zelda, but Zelda was young and impressionable and liked him quite a bit and was giving him far more of the benefit of the doubt than his actions deserved in that respect). Still, he hadn't been planning on seducing her. His own memories of the series of events that night leading up to the incident itself were hazy at best, a testimony to how impaired his judgement had been (as if that mattered; Ari Fisk was unlikely to accept I was drunk as any kind of excuse whatsoever). Even with his somewhat piecemeal recollections, though, he knew that it had been Zelda who had sought him out, who had started the conversation, who had kissed him. Whatever his feelings on the matter were — whatever his feelings towards her were — he had no intention of acting on anything, because he knew that what Mr. Fisk was saying now was right. Whatever had happened, he couldn't have just up and left in the middle of the expedition, not when he was the captain, and he wouldn't have been here in a timely fashion if she had needed him. He was hardly insensitive to the uncertainties involved when he left for any length of time, and he'd done his best (up until that night on the boat) to keep her at arm's length, for her sake, so that she wouldn't be spending months of the summer sitting around and wondering whether or not he was coming back.

(Ari Fisk would not have heard, Alfred assumed, about the time that Zelda had propositioned him in his office, months before the incident — not that it mattered. Having done the right and respectable thing once did not excuse his later conduct, particularly when his actions had placed her very much in jeopardy).

"I can't go back and undo it," he pointed out quietly. This conversation had the feeling of one which could easily escalate into a shouting match, but if voices were going to be raised Alfred wasn't going to be the first to do so. "What do you want me to say?" Alfred thought the fact that he regretted it and had no intention of repeating the incident went without saying, but realized on only the briefest of reflection that Ari Fisk didn't know him — and even if he did, he would have no reason to trust in the strength of his character, given recent events. With that in mind, he added hastily, "It wasn't — I don't do things like this. It's not going to — happen again."