AN- IT'S WEDNESDAY!

…

...sick joke? Sorry. Well, as I have told Mobilisinmobili (sorry. I cheated. I copy and pasted your name and then copied it), I was completely bombarded with work these past weeks, and getting out a chapter was impossible.

Like.

Impossible.

For once, I make no exaggerations. Anywho, here's the chapter. So...here you are! Enjoy and stuff! And, as always, to those who reviewed, I thank 'ee very much, like! Twas a pleasure to read all of ye comments an' the like!

"We've got this!" Wolf shouted, and turned to nod sharply at Snake.

They exploded into action.

Alex slowed his run to a stop, gun held loosely in his hands as he watched.

The guards didn't even have a chance to raise their weapons before Wolf and Snake bore down on them.

The fight was clean (fights could be...clean?), efficient, and brutal to a catastrophic degree.

And it was over in less than three minutes.

"Whoa," Jack murmured from ahead of Alex, her head twisted to watch with wide and apprehensive eyes as the two men stopped down to retrieve the weapons from off of the fallen and unconscious men. "That was..." her mouth must have ran dry, because she wetted her lips with a nervous swipe of her tongue. "Just wow."

"Come on," Wolf pressed forward, his face hard and dark through the shadows that crawled and crept through the halls. Warily, Alex watched him pass by. "We haven't got long. Cub," he barked, and Alex twitched to attention, his chin rising and eyes pinning on his retreating back. "Stay next to one of us."

One of...

His eyes trailed over to Jack.

A hand clapped onto his arm.

He tore it away.

Hands held up, showing palms (as if he was- was some sort of- some sort of-) Eagle joint frowned and smiled, his mouth tight. "Stay next to me, Cub,"

"I'll walk with Jack, thanks," his fingers curled around the weapon in his hand, following after Wolf who had gotten in front of him, Snake behind and Jack next to Snake, Fox just slightly behind Eagle and Alex. And she was away from him. Away when he needed her- needed her- His breath snagged in his throat and he took a wilting step forward. "I'll walk-"

The hand caught his arm again.

He tried to tug it loose.

(There was a hand on him, holding him down, pushing him-)

"Let go, Eagle," he forced his voice to calm, still pulling, still tugging. His heart was speeding up, blood rushing into his ears-

-and still the hand wrapped around his arm. "Wolf said one of us," the low voice spoke harsh but pleading into his ear. "That means one of K-Unit, yeah?"

His hands were shaking. The hand- the hand needed- "I get it," he blurted out. Desperate to- desperate for- "Just- just, please,"

The hand released his arm and Alex staggered back and away, struggling to get his breaths under control, his back stinging, eyes burning, mouth opening and closing to-

Well, that was pathetic, (?) sighed in disappointment.

You're pathetic, he shot back savagely, shaking his fears and anxieties off- all things crowding and murmuring and prickly and sore.

Weak, (?) retorted. After all, I am-

"More up ahead!" Wolf snarled, and Alex's eyes swung down at the sound of a safety being clicked off. "Cub," again, he was being addressed. "Do you know any more ways to get to the exit?"

Alex watched them all, K-Unit pressed so stealthily into the shadows that they could quite easily pass for one; a lethal shadow lurking liquid and graceful in the dusty shadows and dark. Absently, he wondered whether he himself merged so seamlessly with the patterns against the walls and floors- whether he melted into the darkness, too.

"No matter where we go everywhere will be guarded. The route we're taking is the easiest, anyway," he added, seeing the dawning look of frustration passing over Wolf's face.

"Great," Wolf muttered, and flashed a small and dangerous smile- like the depth of the sea, rolling and vicious. "I suppose we're just going to have to fight our way out. Jack," he snapped, making the lady jump (my Jack. My Jack). "You stay behind Fox at all times, understand?"

"I can-"

"I said," Alex twitched at the odd sound to Wolf's voice. It didn't sound like it was protective or commanding or anything. It sounded...almost...wary. Like he was trying to guard her.

His eyes drifted to Eagle stood cold and sharp by his side.

They didn't...

They didn't trust her.

Why?

Confused now, he had to pass a hand against the wall to steady himself, and as soon as the movement was made, he regretted it.

Five pairs of eyes snapped onto him.

Defensively, he pulled his arm back and straightened challengingly.

"You're to stay out of this fight, Cub," Wolf demanded roughly, jerking his head to the side with a tough movement.

Heat bubbled up in his insides and he pulled his lips down into a strained and angry expression. "No," he snapped, managing to bite the tone in his voice down to a quiet bite. "I can help out," his back protested as if in sullen argument.

Wolf pressed his lips tight together, eyes obviously holding back some storm like retort. "You are to stay behind," his voice was low and deadly, Alex felt a first shiver of doubt. "If you go against my order there will be consequences. If I hear one more argument against me, there will be consequences. Do I make myself clear?" his voice raised on the final part of his statement.

Alex curled his fingers around his arms. "Yes," he managed to choke out, mouth pressing shut and glaring at a wall. "I understand."

"Good," without further ado, Wolf flicked four hand signs and miserably, Alex watched the four men snap into action, melting into the shadows and creeping forward to press against the walls.

Wolf flicked one more hand sign.

Suddenly, they all shot round the corner.

There was shouting and yelling, and, ignoring Jack's warning look, he moved forward (just to see) and watched in fascination and fear at what the SOD men were capable of.

It was...terrifying.

They moved with practised ease, slipping around the men and disabling them with such neatness and brutality that it almost seemed to lack violence. Like...like watching a pack of lions descend onto a herd of gazelles- the elegance of the fight so flawless and silky that it was hard to remember that what he was witnessing was indeed violence.

"To the left!" Wolf snapped.

Fox rapidly ducked to the side and swung an effortless fist. It connected with the attacking man's stomach with such force that he was knocked out cold. "Under, Snake," he called out.

The blond man twisted away from the feet that were used to try and knock his feet out from under him, and delivered a stunning blow to the man's head that had him toppling away and landing unconscious at Snake's feet. "Eagle."

"I know," the man grumbled and lashed out with one heel, connecting it solidly to the attackers stomach.

A tingle of excitement raced through Alex.

He gripped his gun harder.

If he could be taught to fight like this...so flawlessly and dangerously...

...then maybe he'd be able to protect people better.

"Alex," Jack murmured.

His hand slid out to curl around her wrist.

He wouldn't need to lose anyone any more.

He could...he could keep.

Just...keep.

"You two!" Wolf jerked one wrist and gestured them forward. "Clear!"

Gingerly stepping around the bodies of the floor, they made their way over to K-Unit who, as soon as they were close enough began to move out.

"Keep to the walls," Wolf instructed in a low voice.

Alex bit back a sarcastic retort and instead focussed on the warmth of Jack's hand underneath his own. His fingers wriggled their way in between hers, relaxing only as hers wound around his own. It was disconcerting, his fear of one moment being touched and the next desiring it.

But it wasn't a problem, per-se.

It was just...a worry. A niggling doubt that perhaps...perhaps it wasn't normal. Perhaps it wasn't...ordinary.

("You're anything but ordinary, my dear boy,")

"Clear upfront," Fox murmured.

"Cub, how are you holding up?" Snake asked softy, shadows brushing against his face and revealing the worry in his eyes.

Like death warmed over. "Alright," he muttered instead, tightening his grip around Jack's hand.

"Alex..." she protested gently. Something in her voice that bespoke-

-his hand trembled in her grip.

No.

No. He couldn't focus on a tone like that. Not from Jack. Never from Jack. Not when he'd spent so many skeletal nights alone, eyes like lamplights staring emptily off into the distance, blankets wrapped around his shoulders, huddled in thoughts of Jack? Where are you, Jack? Jack? Not now. Not ever.

He tightened his grip around Jack's hand.

Beside him, she winced.

"Sorry," he tried to loosen his shaking grip, cursed the tremors and the sudden tightness in his chest. "Sorry."

"It's OK," she managed a smile (a brave smile. A fake smile) and tried to dislodge his grip. "Just let go for a while, Alex, I think it's safer that way."

Safer? She'd been gone for months and she thought anything could be safer? His brow lowered, grip tightening. "You might get lost." he challenged, Paranoia murmuring yes, yes, she'll get lost and never return.

"Alex," the smile she shot him then was bemused at best. At worst, well- "I promise you, kiddo, I'm not suddenly going to disappear."

His mouth moved.

Disappear.

"Promise?" he whispered, sharp and desperate, foggy and dogged in desperation- like old lace and withering branches. "Promise?"

Jack looked shocked for a moment or two, her green eyes wide and lips parted to let out some inaudible gasp or sigh or laugh or cry or wail or- "Alex, you shouldn't need to ask something like that." finally, she managed to disentangle their fingers, and she moved away.

Desperate, Alex surged after her, but a restraining hand was placed on his shoulder.

He twisted his head to glare at whoever stopped him.

Snake stared calmly down at him. "Giver her some space, Cub."

Space?

But they'd...they'd had months of empty space. And she was...she was saying that she needed more than that?

A choke caught in his throat.

That wasn't- that couldn't-

"Come on, Cub," Snake glided alongside him, and picked up his wrist. The one that had once occupied Jack's (warm. Alive) hand. "As soon as we're out of here, things will look up, I promise."

Out of here.

He straightened, attempted to focus his foggy, distant gaze. "That's right." he said, wondering whether the voice was his. "You promise."

"Run!" Wolf's bellow spurred everyone into action.

Typical, Alex thought, growling deep in his chest and readying to fight. Just when the door was in sight, then the plethora of guards decided to attack. They'd let them roam the corridors relatively freely until now.

He looked at the horde of guards warily. This wouldn't be easy.

Snake, Eagle and Fox had already dived into the fray, and were twisting and ducking, attacking and defending with that emotionless fighting that spoke of training and training and training.

"Stay back, Jack," he instructed, and stepped-

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Wolf snarled, a hand pushing him back, eyes savage. "You! Stay there!"

"But I can-"

Pointedly, Wolf glowered at the slight tremor to his hands. "Back," he hissed, and then joined his men in the battle.

Near trembling with rage, Alex clenched his jaw together.

Jack eyed him warily, a touch concerned. "Alex."

"Stay back, Jack," he repeated, low and tight, and then turned quickly, just to check she was still there.

"But Wolf said-"

"I know." he shot back. "But I'm not- I'm not staying here weak and alone like a damsel in-" he paused, considered his words and then fought down the rise of heat in his cheeks, avoiding looking at Jack. "Sorry."

"I can hold my own just like any of you," she snapped, not seeming appeased by his apology at all.

Quickly, Alex turned round, scanning her tight and angry face quickly. "Jack," he called, stepping forward, feeling a lurch in his heart as she stepped back. "Jack, I'm sorry! I didn't-"

A hand grabbed his arm and suddenly they were running.

"Fox?" he called, breathless and twisting his head around to look for Jack. "What are you doing?"

"We're running!" the man explained, clear and harsh. "We're outnumbered. Need a place to evade them for now- a new exit- Cub?"

Desperate to try and catch a glimpse of Jack (who he'd argued with. Fought with. Made angry.) he barely heard what Fox had said until the grip around his arm tightened.

"Concentrate, Cub," Fox's voice was tense.

"Exit..." his head was swirling. "This left!" he said suddenly, trying not to groan as the sudden jerk to the left pulled on his wounds. They couldn't afford to slow down, he knew- he could hear the sounds of pursuers hot on their heels. "We can hide-"

"Not enough time for hiding! Exits!" Fox called, still running ahead of everyone else.

His mind spun. Jack? Where was- "Then the windows. There are windows that we can-"

"Up ahead!" Fox bellowed over his shoulder, and then put on a quicker burst of speed.

Alex struggled to keep up, but his arm was still tight in Fox's grip, and his pride was still tight in his own personality and wouldn't allow him to let out any noises of discomfort or pain- so he ran.

Reaching the windows, Fox made no hesitation to dive towards them, reaching out to-

-Alex's head snapped around.

There was a movement-

He ducked and lashed out.

A man grunted and staggered back from where he'd been waiting to attack them.

Fox had been torn away from where he'd been battling at opening the window and was defending himself from someone else, snarling savagely as he fought, realising that their time was quickly running out.

Alex slipped to the side again as the man lunged at him.

There was a gun in Alex's hand.

There was a gun in Alex's hand.

It burnt around his fingertips.

Use me, it whispered, harsh and demanding. Use me and then blame me and then hate me.

He flung it towards the window.

The window shattered.

Glass exploded everywhere.

The man, as unlucky as he was, had been standing straight in front of the window. He screamed as it exploded and toppled onto the floor, his hands pathetically over his head.

"Through the window!" Wolf bellowed, fighting against the men that had caught up.

Breaths tight in his chest, chaos and yelling everywhere, Alex tried to spot Jack through the haze of mania that surrounded him. "Jack?" he found himself rasping. "Jack?"

He may've imagined it, but he was sure he saw her taking out one of the BirdcagE workers, her movements fluid-

-and then someone was in his way.

Eagle was hoisting him towards the window.

Alex panicked.

"No!" he shouted, bracing his hands against the wall.

"There's no time to be silly, Cub!" Eagle snapped, grabbing him underneath his arms and lifting.

Alex still struggled. "No!" he pressed his feet against the wall now, pushing back. "I can't leave!"

Eagle paused, and Alex could hear his heavy breaths behind him. "What do you-"

"The deal!" he gasped, and Fox was there, tired but still burning. Alex tried to push free again. "The deal was that I stay and you go! That was the- that was the bargain!"

Fox just stared at him.

Alex was breathing heavily now, the strain of trying to keep his weight away from the window taxing. "My freedom for yours," he managed to gasp out, sucking in a groaning breath. "My freedom for yours."

Eagle's hands tightened around his arms and Alex tried not to wince. "You think we care?" he hissed.

And suddenly, there was sharp and cold wind on his face.

"Wolf! Me and Eagle have got Cub!" Fox yelled past the sounds of fighting.

And amazingly, Wolf seemed to be able to hear him. "Good!" he roared back. "We'll be following as soon as we see a break in the men!"

"See you down there!"

"No-" Alex tried to climb back again, dizzy at the height he was at.

"Cub," Eagle snapped. "If you say one more word then-"

"Men on the balcony! Climbing out of the windows!" Came a sudden bellow.

Alex snapped his head to the side and watched in cold dread and fascination as men clambered out of windows and began scaling down to meet them where they hung so precariously, morning staining the sky like alcohol ink on glass, hair whipping in the wind from where they stood perched dangerously on the fourth floor balcony ledge.

"Coming through!" Snake called, and hopped out of the window they'd just exited through.

"Come to join the party?" Eagle asked from behind Alex, still clutching him tight as they watched the progress of the men scaling towards them.

Snake paused and then let out an airy laugh. "You know me. Never one to miss a party."

"Oh man." Jack whispered as she climbed down.

Jack.

Jack who he'd had an argument with.

He turned to try and face her.

Eagle roughly tugged him away and dangled him in front of him over the ledge.

Alex's stomach dropped at the height.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jack snapped, trying to surge forward but failing from the thin ledge they were on.

"We're getting down," Eagle answered with a snarl.

"Don't be rash, Eagle," Wolf growled.

"He's not well, don't be rough," Snake added sharply.

Fox just watched them all calculatingly, something hard in his eyes.

But Alex had had quite enough of being parcelled around.

He took a deep breath-

-twisted once in Eagle's arms-

-waited for the grip to loosen-

-his shirt to slip off-

-and slipped out-

-free-falling.

He left the shouts of horror and shock behind him, his arms stretched outwards, wind in his hair, on his face, soothing his whole body with rapid but loving kisses, his bandages winding off, wind smothering his back-

-and before he could get too lost in the euphoric feeling of just falling, he stretched out his fingertips and aimed for what he was reaching for all along. His fingers snagged on the balcony bannister, yanking roughly at his muscles, but he twisted mid air, pushing his feet over the bannisters before gravity could fully pull him down again, and then landed slid through the open window, ending up tangled and breathless within the red curtains.

Dizzy, back throbbing and screaming, he stared up at the ceiling, spread eagled amongst the mounds of rich fabric and netting, his hair blown from his forehead, eyes wide and lace netting wrapped around his torso.

He breathed out a nonsensical laugh, tipping his head back further into the material, his eyes fluttering shut.

That was only slightly crazy, Reason muttered, no doubt ruffled from Alex very cleverly (he thought) ignoring it's screeching demands for him to stop!

That was brilliant, Alex amended, struggling to sit up straight as his wounds reminded him of their presence.

Now to wait and see if the rest of them would pull off the same move.

"Did you drop him?" Jack screeched, shoving forward this time, not caring if she pushed anyone off of the thin edge they were standing on. Her red hair was blowing wildly through the air, green eyes wide and frenzied and furious. "Did you drop him?!"

"No!" Eagle shouted back, even though his rugged face was pale hands still hanging limply in front of him, holding the shirt where he had once dangled Cub. Pointedly, Snake gave a little cough and he pulled them back in again, screwing the shirt up in one fist. "No!" he repeated, running one hand over his face. "He just-" he waved one hand to try and indicate what he'd just done.

Completely bewildered, Wolf stared at where they'd just seen Cub disappear into.

Cub.

Cub who had twisted out of his shirt and then dropped, arms outstretched and bandages unfurling white and spotted from his back, the rising sun behind him, catching in his golden hair, and then his back, bloodied but with wings on them.

It had looked like he had been flying.

Flying to his death.

But still flying.

Then they had watched, jaws slack as he seemed to just twist mid-air, delicate and effortless, and then- like an acrobat- latch onto a bannister, lift, twist again, and slip into an open window.

What. The. Heck.

"Guys..." Snake muttered, seeing the approaching enemies even as they stood gaping at where Cub had once been.

"Right," Wolf shook himself. "Now wasn't the time to gawp like a girl at a concert. He had to get everyone in order.

Warily, he looked down at the route Cub had taken.

Lowly, he cursed.

Damn you, Cub!

Alex looked up from where he had been sitting at a table to see Wolf crash roaring into the room, tangling in the curtains, and flailing to try and get free.

Something that felt like amusement bubbled up in Alex's chest.

Howling like Tarzan, Eagle flew in and crashed into Wolf, who had just managed to stagger up, still entombed within all the masses of curtain. They both spat and cursed at each other struggling with the tangling curtain.

"Heads up," Alex called.

Snake, yowling, crashed in too.

Followed by Jack.

And then Fox.

"For goodness sake!" Wolf roared, his voice muffled by curtains and a Fox's foot that was stuck in his mouth. He struggled upwards and away from them, shoving all the groaning soldiers and woman out of the way. "I said a ten second gap! Ten seconds!"

"That's alright for you to say!" Fox grumbled, staggering up. "You weren't the one with dozens of crazies rushing towards you!"
Alex watched them all, and even though his back was bloody, for the first time in a long time...

...he felt free.

He watched them bicker and argue and couldn't help but smile- slow and small, his eyes creasing.

Smile.

Because...he knew in his heart for the first time, that this was where he belonged.

This was home.

He laughed once.

Wolf tore the curtains from his face finally and glared, livid, at Alex.

His smile fell.

Wolf snarled and paced forward.

Slowly, Alex stood up, hands raising in defence.

"You-" Wolf began, near trembling in rage.

"You can't kill me," Alex said quickly, backing away. "I know the exit."

Wolf dived at him.

Alex ran.

Bursting through the doors, he sprinted down the corridors, running through a mental map of just where he was, where he needed to be, how to get there-

-he darted round a corner, knowing that they were all following him, trusting in him.

His heart swelled with something he was too tentative to call l-

Lo-

He'd stick with warmth.

"Cub!"

"It's down here!" he yelled, trying to ignore the pain in his back for now, and just breathe. Breathe and know that he was alive.

He could see the doors- thick and heavy and -thank you- unguarded.

Hands stretched out, he raced towards them-

-and pushed-

-they broke open.

Glorious morning light streamed into his view, candy-floss and honey suckle, lavender and peaches.

Air hit his face, he sucked in a breath.

Kept running.

Heard K-Unit's and Jack's voices behind him. Feet crushing the gravel like a thousand nightmares- destroyed under their feet.

As they ran, passing through the gates, a bell chimed, loose and unravelling into the air.

Wind soothed his back.

Free.

He grinned.

"We'll stop here for the time being," Wolf determined, peering around him with a contemplative look on his face.

They had walked long into the day.

Walked even when Snake had concluded that Cub should be flagging by then.

He didn't flag once.

He strode ahead of them, his wings on proud parade and head directly forward.

Unless he needed to check up on Jack.

Wolf glanced at the woman by his side uncertainly. Cub's obsession (because what else could it be, really?) with Jack was becoming unhealthy.

But the problem was, how did you tell someone who had gone months without the other person that their attachment was getting a little bit much?

"Cub," he repeated again, louder this time. "We'll stop here." they'd only had minimal breaks, and even now, the sun was dropping in the sky- a new day. He glanced over at Eagle who seemed certain that if they kept heading this way, they'd reach some form of civilization soon. Then it was only a matter of transport, a bed, and then home.

And MI6.

His mouth tightened.

MI6.

He didn't know what he was going to do about that.

Or...he didn't know what they were going to do about them- K-Unit.

Surely what they'd been told had been a secret?

He decided to think about it for another time.

"Come over here, Cub," Snake ushered the boy towards him.

"And put on your shirt!" Eagle complained. "I'm tired of carrying it!"

Cub looked utterly worn as he swayed towards them, settling next to Snake and only wandering away after Snake had pursed his lips, grumbled something about supplies and helped him tug on his shirt finally. Then he moved off to sit next to Jack who leaned against a tree, her head tipped back and resting.

Wolf had to admit, he was impressed by how much Jack had managed to keep up. Held in that place for who-knew how long, she had matched them stride for stride, even pulling off the tricky manoeuvre through the window with minimal difficulty. Cub had never told them that Jack was so clean cut in her acrobatics.

He frowned. Not that Cub ever talked about Jack beforehand.

But still, he was impressed.

He watched Eagle watch Jack with his narrowed hazel eyes, his lips tight.

(suspicious)

Wolf then watched Snake and Fox watch Eagle. Snake's face was twisted, the face he pulled when he was thinking about something that he didn't want to think about, and Fox just looked thoughtful, his eyes glancing back from Eagle to Jack to Eagle again. Fox's cryptic glances were becoming frustrating. He always kept things to himself and only divulged what he had learnt when the event was going to happen very soon.

He wished he'd tell them a little earlier instead of being so suspicious.

Sighing, Wolf turned his attention back to Jack and Cub and stilled at what he was watching.

Cub reached out to lean against Jack but she moved away stiffly. Cub tried again, shuffling around the tree to try and rest his head against her shoulder. Again, she moved away. Cub reached out with one hand, but before it could even brush against her, she had stood up and strode towards another tree to rest against where she lay back and closed her eyes with a finality that was almost harsh.

Cub stared back at her, a lost look clouding his eyes, fingers curling back to pull towards his chest instead. Slowly, he moved to stand up, but Jack's eyes snapped open.

"Alex," her voice was sharp, sad, almost thick. Cub froze. "I am going to sit here and think. You need to sit there and relax. OK?"

It was obvious that Cub was floundering, still half way to standing up. "I-"

"No, Alex," Jack sighed, her eyes narrowing slightly. "OK?"

He looked as if he was struggling to get the word out, but finally he managed to choke out some garbled form of agreement.

Her eyes shut again.

Cub sat down again. Sat and just gazed wide eyed and wounded back at Jack who had her eyes closed, blocking him out.

Which was both cruel but not unanticipated.

Someone could only take someone clinging to them for so long.

But still, that was no way to tell someone to let them go. For Cub, who had been without for so long, Jack's telling him to leave her alone may have as well been her telling him to leave her and never come back.

Cub finally stopped gazing at Jack to stare confused and hurt down at his hands.

Snake moved over to him and began speaking to him low and soft.

Eagle began to march towards Jack until Fox put a restraining hand on his shoulder and nodded to Wolf who had already started making his way over to Jack.

Just one second, Wolf thought tiredly. One second with no drama. That's all I ask.

Alex didn't feel like talking to anyone at the moment.

Not when Jack...

...not when Jack was- had just- had just left him.

Left him.

"Talk to me, Cub."

Bitterly, Alex stared numbly down at his hands. Talk to him? What did Snake want him to say? What did he have to say? Nothing. He- he didn't have anything to say. That was what he had to say. Nothing.

"Come on, Cub," Snake was murmuring now. It wouldn't be long until that hint of pleading crept into his voice, that note of I want to help you so please...slipped into his tone like fading ambers and bronzes.

"I think she's angry with me." it sounded stupid out loud. The words did nothing to show the tangled mess of confusion he felt inside.

Snake urged him on in a low voice. "What would make you think that?"

He turned his hands over and over again in his lap and shrugged helplessly, throat clogging. "I called her weak," he mumbled. "But it was an accident. I didn't- but when I tried to apologise I didn't have a chance because we were running and now, I think she's mad at me." ("Are you angry at me, Jack?" he asked, small and quiet. She had turned, lips tight but eyes forgiving and sighed).

"I doubt it, Cub," Snake seemed to be smiling, but Alex didn't want to look up just yet. "We're all tired, it's been a hectic few days, and you need to rest, yeah? Don't think about it too much."

Don't think about it too much. "OK." he lied faintly. "I won't."

Snake paused; seemed to sense the lie but didn't say anything else. "OK," he breathed, and reached out to squeeze his shoulder, saw Alex stiffen and then held back. "Try and get some sleep, OK?"

He would try.

He slept.

Before he knew it, they were walking again, sleep drifting from their shoulders as they paced onwards, Alex trying to shrug off the comments that inquired over his health and keeping one eye on Jack, wanting to go over to her and speak to her, but afraid that doing so might shatter something fragile between them.

So he dithered, glancing at her continuously until Eagle swept him up in chatter and talk, obviously trying to distract him from Jack and keep him talking instead.

It was only a few hours later that they reached a town, and Eagle crowed triumphantly, declaring how they should all trust him more. Alex listened with half an ear, watching Jack who was looking at the town ahead of her, relief in her eyes.

His hands trembled by his sides.

He took a hesitant few steps towards her and froze when she turned to look at him.

Her eyes ran over his face and something flash through them.

Alex took a wary step back, conscious of the fact that K-Unit had gone silent again, no doubt watching them with sharp eyes that missed nothing.

Jack's eyes fluttered shut once before she opened them and smiled softly.

Alex paused, wondering at the sudden change in expression, his hand swaying uncertainly by his side, wondering whether he should-

She reached out one hand.

He took it immediately. "Jack," he breathed, curling his fingers around hers. "Jack, Jack, Jack," he leaned forward, resting his chin on her shoulder; squeezing her fingers tighter. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry-" (you're babbling! You're-) "-sorry-"

"Hey, Alex," she laughed, did the sound sound strained? Did it sound-? "It's OK, yeah? Take it easy!" her fingers curled around his.

Relieved, (forgiven? Relieved?) he only pulled away when she eased out of his grip. "Jack?"

"Come on," she nodded drily towards K-Unit. "they're waiting for us."

And she had forgiven him again. She wasn't angry at him any more. Wasn't angry and he had so much to tell her, so much to tell her and so much to show her and- and- and they were free and they could start again and he would never take another mission from MI6 again; never let them control his life like that again and they could- they could run or stay or do anything because they were free. They were free, they were-

- "Alex?"

He looked up, shaking his head to clear his dizzying thoughts.

There was a seatbelt around him; the sound of an engine in his ears.

He tried to get up.

Jack's fingers tightened around his own, worried green eyes peered into his. "It's OK," she said slowly. "We're going home." she hesitated, screwed up her nose thoughtfully. "Well, we're going back to your place."

Confused, he looked around him, trying to figure out how and when they had gotten a van that Wolf was currently in the process of driving, grumbling something to Fox who chuckled lightly at whatever was said, Snake and Eagle sat in front of them murmuring between themselves.

Heart thumping, Alex tried to settle down. He was losing focus. He had to calm down. Calm down.

"We're going home?" he croaked.

"Yea-"

"Correction," Fox called back cheerily. "We are home."

It's OK, it's OK. You only lost focus once. It's not going to happen again. It's not going to happen-

Jack's fingers were so warm around his.

"Cub?"

Alex tore his hand out of Jack's.

K-Unit and Jack turned to stare at him, surprised.

His face twisted, toes curling within carpet.

"Cub?" Fox repeated slowly.

They were inside. Inside and Alex was sat on a sofa next to Jack who was clutching a cup of coffee in her one free hand, the rest of K-Unit sprawled about as they usually did after anything arduous or tense.

But Alex couldn't even remember getting in there.

His eyes strayed over to Jack who watched him in confusion.

Something fluttering and panicky grew in his chest.

He was free...

...right?

"Cu-"

"What next?" he blurted out. Anything to- anything to direct the attention away from what he- what he was thinking. From what he was thinking. Anything. "What next, then?"

Wolf was watching him carefully, eyes half narrowed, but still he answered. "What do you mean, what next?" he asked slowly.

His mouth ran dry, and blindly, he wished that he hadn't been the one to have to bring this up first. He wished that he could just allow them all to bask in glorious (was it, though?) freedom. He dabbed at his dry lips with an equally as dry tongue, felt the panic grow as he realized there were clean bandages around his torso. "MI- MI6," he breathed out. "They have- they've still-"

K-Unit's eyes darkened.

"Cub," Snake said slowly. "We were just discussing that."

They were? His mind spun, desperately trying to recall the conversation. "You...you were?" he hated the lost quality to his voice, weak and fragile and so-

"Yes," Wolf's eyes narrowed. "Are you feeling OK? We told you to go to bed." he snapped, glaring at the ceiling as if it would tell Alex off itself and save Wolf the effort.

"I'm not-"

"Come on, Cub," Eagle said cheerily, standing up.

"Eagle," Fox snapped.

Eagle shot him a dark glower. "Be quiet, Fox," he hissed, and then turned to Alex, smiling and bright again. "Come on!"

"Where are we-?"

"Come on." it was less of an offer this time, more serious and heavy.

Glancing around him sharply, slowly, Alex stood, wondering when his body had decided to ache so much. The trek up the stairs felt longer than usual, too, and Alex found himself leaning on Eagle heavily, his breaths rasping and sharp, fingers digging around the bannisters and struggling to suck in full breaths.

"What were you talking about then?" Alex asked, trying not to show how much being led up the stairs was wounding his pride.

If by the look Eagle sent him, bemused and weary, then he wasn't doing that good of a job hiding it. "What next, like you asked. We want to sort things out from here, but Jack," there was something about the way he said her name, something harsh and cold. "wants us to go to MI6, get the box and figure out if what Exodus was saying was true. And if it was, she said she wanted to have a strong word with the heads."

That sounds like Jack, he thought, wondering why a smile seemed to draining to appear.

"What're we doing, then?" he mumbled, suddenly tired.

Eagle looked at him and frowned. "You agreed with Jack, Cub. We'll go confront MI6 tomorrow."

AN- OH! TENSION! So, there you are and stuff! It would be nice if EVERYONE REVIEWED WHO READ THIS STORY but then I know that SOME OF YOU won't. *mutters * Slackers...

JOKING!

(not)

WHO SAID THAT? *looks wildly around, ready to slip out Wooden Spoon of Doom * That's what I thought...

Anyways! Please do leave a comment if your fingers aren't broken! It would be wonderful to hear from you and just...I suppose hang in there for the next chapter! It will come my dears, it will come...

NEXT CHAPTER! Meeting with MI6! Was Exodus telling the truth or lying? And why really did he let them escape...?

Review, and maybe you'll find out!