Hello to you all:)

First of all I want to make some apologies!
- For taking so long on updating, I've had a very busy time, but also had some very lazy days, were I just did nothing, I should have updated a lot sooner...
- For any grammer mistakes, my native language isn't english, so please point them out to me so I can adjust it in my story!
- To ObsessivelyOdd, I promised to send her this chapter like uh, months ago, but I didn't :$

Disclaimer: If I really was Anthony Horowitz, I would have been rich by now, wich I'm clearly not.....

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After five minutes of hesitation, he rang the bell.

And after another twenty seconds, the door opened.

"Hello.." he said, with a grin on his face.

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Six hours earlier

That morning, in a school about a mile away from his house, Alex Rider sighed. God, he hated chemistry, what could be the purpose of learning all these things…

"Rider, what's the right reaction equation of burning carbon?" the teacher, Mr. Pouwels asked, after noticing that Alex wasn't really paying attention – again.

Alex slowly walked up to the front of the class and took the chalk the teacher handed him.

"And don't tell me you don't know, because you've already had to learn this three years ago!" The teacher added.

C(s) + O2(g)  CO2(g) "I believe this is right, Sir" Alex said, grinning. The teacher was right, this indeed was something he had to learn years – wich now felt like centuries – ago.

"Seems like you did learn something in my class after all Rider, sit down now"

Alex started walking towards his table, and grinned back at Tom, who was subtly pointing his thumbs up at him.

He turned when the teacher spoke again. "And Rider…. Make sure to pay attention next time, or you might just have to pay a visit to your principal."

"Will do sir." Alex answered.

Today was not his day.

He had been back at Brookland's for three months now, and after a enormous drop, his grades were now steadily rising again, his classmates slowly started talking to him and slowly, even more slowly, he'd felt more like the teenager he used to be, although he knew he'd never be that boy again, not even close.

Of course, when he'd just gotten back, he'd heard the rumors, they weren't new to him. But after his latest mission, Alex had looked even more beaten. Not even physically, he knew there were missions he'd come back from being much more bruised. This time, the change he mentally went through, was noticed by almost all of his classmates. Even Jack had thrown him various worried looks, though he tried to behave as much 'normal' as he could when he was with her ,since he didn't want her to worry about him. At least not more then she already did.

After a few weeks, he noticed Jack had stopped throwing those looks at him. First he thought she just stopped – seeing him as an unbeatable subject, on case of letting emotions slip through - but after another week, he noticed it was himself that went through a change. He'd behaved more and more like a normal teenager. He got himself in the soccer team again and hung out more with Tom and a couple of other guys. But where ever he was – even when he was just on soccer training, or taking a walk through the park with Jack – Alex always felt tense, he always kept an eye on his surroundings, looking for anything suspicious.

Tom, on the other hand, was really working on his nerves. At first, he'd expected Alex to tell him all about his latest mission, but after about a week, and finally noticing Alex wasn't going to say anything, the interrogation truly began. Not a day went past, without Tom asking Alex about what had happened. But more than a "that's confidential", he didn't get loose.

Alex had known it was a crappy answer, of course it was confidential, but he had told Tom about it before, hadn't he?! But he wasn't planning on telling Tom, things were far to personal for him to do so, he hadn't quite managed to get his emotions concerning Ash totally under control, and he certainly wasn't planning on showing any of those to Tom.

So the next time while dressing for PE, Alex took of his t-shirt, while taking his undershirt on purpose a bit with it, until he hastily shove it back down, making it look like an accident, like he hadn't really wanted Tom to see his stomach. It had the desired effect. His undershirt was up enough for Tom to see a bunch of his scars, but at the same time was he standing in one of the corners of the changing room, turned away from the rest of his classmates.

The boy looked terrified, and did not speak to Alex for the rest of the hour. Wich was perfectly fine with him.

When walking home after their last hour of biology, Tom brought up the subject.

"Uhm… listen Alex… I understand you don't want to talk about it…"

"No you don't, you think being a spy is just some sort of job from heaven, you just don't get it do you? Do you think I'm doing this just for fun? Don't you think I'd rather have a normal school life just like you and any of our classmates…." Alex snapped, and sighed after seeing Tom's hurt face. But he wasn't going to apologize. Yes, he felt sorry for snapping at the boy. But Tom just didn't get it when he was supposed to shut up.

After walking for another five minutes with Alex just looking straight forward, and Tom looking continuously at his feet, they separated.

For one and a half week, they didn't have one normal conversation. Questions to/from each other just answered with "yes, no, don't know"

After another three days, on a Sunday morning, around 9 am, he was awoken by Jack.

"Dress yourself and meet me downstairs." Was all she said, before banging his door.

Worried – but also very curious – he got dressed. When walking down the stairs, he heard Jack talking. A muffled voice answered, but unfortunately, Alex wasn't able to hear a word. And before he even had the chance of deciding wether or not he would first go eavesdropping, Jack threw open the kitchen door.

"Please Alex, don't say a word and just listen to me." She said with an almost sad voice.

Puzzled, Alex walked into the kitchen, just behind Jack. All – well, at least the most of it – became clear when he saw Tom sitting at their table. He didn't look at Alex as said person went to sit on the opposite side of the table. He felt tempted to ask a question, but then remembered Jack's words. He decided to keep quiet.

"Listen Alex, I called Tom"

"Why…?" Was all Alex muttered, looking at Jack.

"Alex, come on, it was rather clear something was wrong. I just figured out it had to be something with Tom, since I haven't seen him around anymore since you began to start being moody…"

"I wasn't mo-"

"Yes you were, don't try to deny it, so… I….called Tom. And although he wasn't willing to tell me, I got it out of him." She said, with a smug look on her face.

At this, Alex grinned a bit, looking at his friend, and receiving a careful grin back. He knew what Jack was like. If she wanted information, she almost certainly had a way of getting it out of you, it was almost like torture, and he couldn't help but feel sorry for his friend.

"Listen Al, I didn't realize, I shouldn't have…" Tom started

"Yeah, you shouldn't" Alex snapped quickly.

A silence followed. Neither said something, and even Jack looked very uncomfortable as well.

"But I was responsible for it as well, I guess I kinda… uhm… took off my frustrations on you.."

Alex started, realizing that the snapping was kinda rude, and totally unnecessary. After all, Tom had shown up to talk to him.

"No Alex, I should just have listened to you…"

"Listen, things happened on my latest mission, things I don't quite know myself what to think of, so I really needed to sort things out of my own, and I guessed I couldn't use anyone with it. Maby, thinking back at it, it was a wrong decision…"

They both fell silent.

Alex looked at Jack, she cast a – and there it was again – worried, and almost relieved glance at him. Relieved that he finally opened up a little.

But after seven nerve-breaking minutes, they both spoke – at the same time -.

"Alex"

"Tom"

They looked at each other. Suddenly cracking out in an enormous laugh, but suddenly stopped when they heard an even more enormous sigh. They both hadn't realized Jack was still there.

She looked at them with a smile on her face. "See, I always manage to sort out your fights… just when you were little, you member that time when you were nine? Alex you-.."

She was cut off by Alex.

"Jack we'd rather not be remembered of that…"

He said with a grin on his face. When little, he had a lot of squabbles with Tom. Not serious though, there were enough times he'd been fighting with Tom in one minute, and the next one playing peacefully with some lego.

But there were some that made you laugh hysterically once you would hear them. Not to mention they were plain embarrassing for Tom and Alex. (Just mention the words naked-9-year-olds, pink and Ian's suit to them, and they both turn red immediately!) So it was obvious they'd rather keep them to themselves. Jack had already used them as a some sort of bribery. Alex already had a lot of experience with it, and had –laughingly- once made the comparison between Jack and Blunt. The only difference being that it was Blunt that got him in life threatening situations, while Jack just made him do some jobs around the house.

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When the bell rang, Alex came aware of the fact that he'd again slipped into the world of his memories. Avoiding the glare his teacher was unmistakingly sending him, he was one of the first to leave the classroom…..

…..Only to bump into the principal. Alex winced. The man wasn't really easy to get around with, and he was sure that bumping into the man wouldn't help.

"And what exactly do you think you're doing, Rider?"

"I think I just walked into you, sir…"

"Don't get smart on me, now get out of my sight or I'll might give you a week's worth of detention." The man threatened.

Alex didn't even bother to answer, but – together with Tom – hurried away from school.

Soon they found themselves laughing so loud, that everyone in their surroundings looked at them, frowning or either laughing at the two boys, that seemed to have lost their minds.

After another minute, they split up.

Alex quickly walked home, and met up with Jack in the kitchen.

"You sure are one hell of a kid!" Jack said laughingly after hearing Alex' story of the 'confrontation' with the principal. "Jack, I'm no kid!" Alex said mock-angry. And soon they found themselves laughing even harder.

They drank some tea and after that Alex decided that he might as well make some homework.

A few weeks ago, he had finally caught up with the rest of the class. So he decided that for the time being that MI6 left him alone, he might as well stay focused on his work, after all, he never knew when the next time would be when they needed him. Not that he would say 'yes' to Blunt immediately, but he too knew the man had some tricky ways of putting things to his hand.

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Alex found himself making his chemistry homework – how ironically – when he heard the doorbell ring.

'Jack'll get it', he thought, and went on with his work. He really hated chemistry, most things just looked to him like giant puzzles he couldn't figure out.

But than suddenly, he heard a terrified scream, 'Jack!' he thought immediately while he jumped from his chair and started running towards the sound. He wondered who it could be. 'Scorpia? No, they would just kick the door in, why in hell would Scorpia ring the doorbell? MI6? No, they would just ask for him, no need to scream for Jack there. '

The first thing he saw when he entered the hallway was Jack laying on the ground. A man kneeling over her. "Get away from her!" he screamed angrily. He ran towards the man and pulled him away from Jack. The man didn't object.

"Alex, she fainted…" The man warily said. Not looking up to Alex.

Alex stood in front of the man, Jack lay behind him. He made sure the man was as far away from Jack as possible. He quickly glanced at her, being relieved at seeing her chest going up and down, before he directed his full attention at the man.

"What do you know about it, leave us alone, get the hell out of here!

Than the man looked up. Alex suddenly felt himself gasping for air. 'This can't be true… I buried him, he's dead!'

"Hi Alex" was all the man said, looking just as puzzled as Alex probably felt.

"Ian, what.. what..? You're dead, aren't you? What's happening? No, you can't be Ian, are you trying to get me to the bank, have they sent you?" While his sentence began shaky and uncontrollably, he let his anger take over.

"It's really me…"Was all Ian answered.

"And how do you want to clarify the fact that there actually is a stone with your name on it on that cemetery?"

"Alex, let me explain I…"

"Explain?! You bloody hell need to explain, first some men come and tell me that you're dead. Ian, for gods sake, I've buried you! Than they tell me you're no normal banker. And than.. than.. they…" Alex winced, his voice was louder than he'd intented to.

"You know… about…me?"

"You bet I do, I needed to finish your job, do you know that?"

"What?! You? But how is that possible, you were fourteen?! Just a kid…" His voice was very weak, Alex noticed, and suddenly he felt bad for the guy.

"Well, it doesn't matter, let's get Jack to a seat, and then you owe me one hell of an explaination!"

Alex, who had kneeled down. Started talking to Jack, while Ian went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. She soon 'woke up' again. Looking very puzzled. "Alex? I must have had a nightmare, I saw Ian, yes definitely a nightmare." She muttered more to herself than to Alex.

"Here, drink some water." Ian said while he walked into the hallway where she was now sitting against the wall.

"So far for being a nightmare…" She muttered, while taking the glass, and Alex started laughing.

He helped Jack to the kitchen, where they sat down at the table.

Ian looked around, so much, and yet so little had changed. He had those thoughts a lot lately.

The kitchen was practically the same, it had the same cabinets, table and chairs. But some details had changed. Before, the teapot used to be simple black. Now it was a bright pink and purple. He wondered where the old one went. It were just details, but he noticed how much it bothered him. It made him feel out of place, a stranger in his house. But could he still call it his house? He was torn away from his thoughts when Jack started speaking.

"Ian, is it really you? I mean, how?"

Ian sighed, he was tired, needed a bed and some decent food, but he owed them a proper explanation.

"Well… You probably know I didn't just work for a normal bank… In fact, I was a spy, I worked with MI6."

"Yes we know, we know all about them" Alex spat out, still being angry, confused, puzzled, sad, and all of those emotions at the same time.

"They've used Alex enough times to get to know them…" Jack continued wearily.

"What, they've used Alex?" Ian said weakly, clearly staggered.

"Never mind" Alex said, he just wanted to hear about his uncle's story, and didn't feel like talking about his. This was still his uncle. The man who he loved so much, but was mad at for not telling him the truth. In the back of his mind, Alex asked himself why he exactly was mad at him, but decided that that question had to wait until later.

"My last mission brought me to Cornwall." Ian continued.

"I acted like a security officer, but apparently I got find out. While on my way back home, I got shot."

"By Yassen Gregorovich" Alex added.
"How do you know?" Ian scowled

"never mind, I'll tell you later" Alex said quickly, to get off of the subject. The last person – well except from Ash maby – he wanted to talk about right now, was Yassen.

"Okay… After I got shot, I got in a coma, I awoke about a month ago."

"But why didn't they tell us you were alive?" Jack asked

"I don't know…"came the answer

"I do" Alex said quickly, suddenly everything was clear. Seeing the confused faces of Jack and Ian, he said.

"If they did, they wouldn't have anything to blackmail me with.."

"Well… they could have still said my visa expired…"

"Yes, but they couldn't have used it the way they did know."

"They blackmailed you into working for them?" Ian scowled at Alex. But before Alex could even answer to that question, Jack went furious.

"They freakin did it every time! Every time they've got some sort of excuse for Alex to work for them. He's been away seven times now, every time coming back more hurt, he isn't the Alex he used to be, Ian. They say you trained him before your death… Did you? Did you really think this was his future? The same future as his father and uncle, because yes, Ian, we know everything about them as well, we even know about Ash, why didn't you tell us?" Jack

Suddenly Ian looked more tired than he'd already been, all this was coming as new information. He didn't suspect Alex to know about his parents, and totally not about Ash. How did he find out?

Even the training thing got him. He knew Jack well enough that if he would ask her, she wouldn't confirm it, but he knew that deep in her hart she did blame Ian for what had happened to Alex. But was he really training the kid? Of course he had seen the potential the kid had, but he hadn't wanted Alex to get into that world involuntarily. He had always been thinking that maby if he would have told Alex about his father and him when he was sixteen or so, he could have thought about a job in that direction to.

"I'm so sorry Alex, I… I…" He looked up at the boy, giving him a confused look.

But what he saw confused him even more, Alex' face was blank, void of emotion. He winced, only very good spies could put their facial expression like that. It was no way like the Alex, the happy, cheerful boy he knew.

'Maby things did change very much…' He thought, and sighed.

Jack noticed both men to be deep into their own thoughts, she wondered if she should offer Ian a room for the night. Was it necessary to do so? Wasn't it still his own house? She decided to play safe, assuming he asked himself the same question: 'Is it still my house?'

"Ian, if you would like to sleep over?!" Jack started. "But I'm afraid you won't really recognize your own room, we've kinda changed it." "It doesn't matter, I didn't expect another thing, but thank you for the offer, I'd love to accept it."

"You've got a suitcase or something like that?"

"No, not really."

"I guess Alex still got some of your clothing in his closet….. Alex, would you mind getting them…?"

"I'll drop them in your room" Alex answered

"Why don't you bring them over here?" Jack asked

"Homework and stuff, really need to get that going now" And with that he walked off, his head buzzing with all the new information.

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What do you think? Please tell me!
Next chapter should be up soon! At least before I leave for my holiday to Mallorca(don't know what the english name for the island is, Majorca?) No people from here being there somewhere between the 26th of August and the 03th of September???

Few questions for you people :)
- Should I bring K-unit or Yassen back into the story? Scorpia is definitely coming back, at least I think ;)
- on the 20th of August I'm going to London for a day (thank god for cheap Ryanair tickets (A)... )
Does anybody from you here know a place where I can buy the Alex Rider books?

I hope you'll review!