Let the Protector be Protected.

Disclaimer: No own.

oOo

"Valkyrie patted Fletcher's arm. "Don't worry," she said. "If the bad man comes, I'll protect you."
"If the bad man comes," Fletcher responded, "I'll bravely give out a high-pitched scream to distract him. I may even bravely faint, to give him a false sense of security. That will be your signal to strike."
"We make a great team."
"Just don't forget to stand in front of me the whole time," he said."
― Derek Landy, Death Bringer

oOo

Honestly, Alex thought that these people needed a silencing charm.

Wolf was blasting the television while Eagle was howling to the sounds the animals were making on the television. Apparently, it was airing animal planet- dangerous animals. Fox, or usually named Ben, was nursing his fractured arm on the sofa, which was being looked at by Snake. The introvert Rhino is standing at the corner, listening to music.

Rhino was the new addition to the team, after Fox (or Ben) had left SAS to join Special Operations. Rhino was an introvert. He likes being alone. He enjoys being alone but does not mind talking to the team, just not about himself. He was a burly man, perhaps the reason for the code name, buff and looked as if could tackle a real Rhino himself.

Eagle turned around while jumping like a frog on the couch and pointed at Alex, "THE BOY IS AWAKE!"

The effect was instantaneous. Wolf immediately grabbed the remote control and switched off the television. Ben had jumped up from where he sat and was already halfway across the room, with Snake closely behind. Rhino, on the other hand, simply looked up and stopped his music. His brown orbs glazing into Alex's.

Alex was leaning against the staircase in bananas in pajamas PJ which was most probably a sick joke of Eagle's. Alex's face was still pale but was absolutely calm.

Eerily calm. Even though he was clad in bananas in pajamas PJ.

Ben was the first to reach the boy and reached a palm out to the forehead of said boy. His hand was touching the boy's forehead for a few seconds before putting the other palm onto his own forehead, as though measuring and comparing both temperatures.

"At least a slight fever. Are you sure you are still feeling fine?"

Alex nodded and did not much say anything else. He merely stared pointedly at Eagle, who shrunk behind Wolf. The short man rolled his eyes and pushed the guilty man to the front.

There was an awkward silence where Alex was staring right into Eagle's eyes while the other was looking everywhere except for Alex's face. Anything except at Alex. Alex sighed before stretching his leg forward and 'accidentally' kicking the man's crotch.

"That's for bananas," Alex said with a straight face.

Wolf and Ben starting laughing hysterically at the scene, where Eagle was rolling on the group (with Snake reluctantly trying to 'unroll' him) and Rhino was gave a faint rare smile (most probably at the pun).

Alex smiled at the scene in front of him. It had been a long time since he had felt so relaxed. After Jack's death, he was a zombie. He shut himself down but knew enough to not take his own life, yet, he was killing himself in some ways. Mr. and Mrs. Pleasure took him to America and he had felt truly happy, in the first time in a year because he was going to be staying with Sabina forever. That's what he thought.

Until Sabina was kidnapped and was scarred on her face.

Sabina had rejected to see him, thinking Alex would not like her anymore. It was then that Alex knew that his presence was the one that was causing problems and had decided to disappear.

Blame it on Lady Luck.

The day he had tried to leave the Pleasures, was the day he met Ben in America. Alex remembered the day, and knew he would never forget it.

He was under the parasol with the bulging bag that stood out like an eye sore against the dull colours of the wall. He was waiting for… He did not know what.

Alex glanced at the silver watch he wore on his right wrist. It was something Sabina had given to him when they first met in America. It was a watch that he had always kept it with him. On the back of the silver watch, it engraved words:

Ti Amo Per Sempre

Alex mouthed the words as his finger ran over the small detailed words on the back of the silver watch. A single tear escaped his eye and ran down the contours of his face. He wiped the lone tear away angrily, muttering curses of himself under his breath as he turned the watch to its face and stared as the minute and hour hand.

Four thirty-five.

That was the time Sabina was held with a knife at her face. A knife that was covered with concentrated hydrochloric acid. The man was laughing manically while Alex could only watch as he sliced Sabina's face open.

Sabina's eyes were full of fear before she fell unconscious.

Alex shuddered before he felt the drizzle slowly hitting his face. The parasol he was waiting under was kept by the ice-cream man. The man had made no notion to inform him about the keeping of the parasol and Alex laughed bitterly.

Even the ice-cream man hates you.

He sank to the ground as the wind picked up and the water droplets grew heavier with each drop. His tears were mixed with the rain as water streaked his pale, gaunt face. His fists rasped hard on the cold, unforgiving cement floor and he gave out a blood-curling scream. A scream of pure agony.

The rain was heavy and no one was on the streets.

Except Alex Rider.

Then, he felt that no more rain water was hitting his face and a shadow fell over him. Alex laughed coldly, another man pitying on me, how pathetic.

"Stop this… Alex."

Alex knew the voice and he looked up, his tears were evident on his face, "Ben?"

Ben's eyes were soft and dropped the blue umbrella on the floor. Rain started hitting the two of them and Alex only stared. Ben… might get injured.

"Go away, Daniels."

Ben did not utter a single word and simply knelt beside Alex.

"You might get injured. Sabina is injured. Jack is dead. All because of me."

Alex felt more tears prickling his eyes, "so please go away."

SLAP.

Alex held his cheek indignantly, staring at Ben with his eyes wide. Ben was crying but had no regret in the slap he had just gave the boy. Alex stared on the floor, not protesting about the slap like he would have used to or would have retaliated, giving the man a punch or what's not, instead had guilty looks as if he deserved it.

And was inviting more of it.

Ben could feel that Alex was breaking. Or had even broken apart. The boy in front of him was scarred more than physically.

Much much more.

"It's time to step down from playing hero, Alex." Ben whispered as he reached over the young boy who had tears streaming down his face. His arms rounded on the blonde and pressed Alex near his own body.

"Now, let me protect you…"

Alex bit his lips and hugged the other man back. He was a SAS soldier. He is a SO member. He can fight. He is older. He is better. Alex had never felt safer in the arms of warmth.

"Ben… Thank you…"

A tear ran down Ben's face as he choked back a sob. Ben raised the back of his hand and wiped at the tear angrily.

"Damn, Alex."

Alex made a soft 'hmm' as he hugged the man even tighter while in the middle of the plaza of the pouring rain.

"I can't laugh at Snake for being too emotional anymore…"

A cool hand pressed against the forehead of Alex, which brought him back to reality.

"Are you sure you are feeling alright? You kinda spaced out there, young'in," Snake asked, eyes full of concern.

"Check on Eagle, please," Alex laughed as he saw Eagle still grabbing his crotch, hiding behind the sofa.

It has been three days since Alex had fainted in school, Brookland. It was pretty shocking, altogether when Alex actually did found he was going back there but… that was not the point. Alex was just feeling slightly off after going back to Brookland after America...

"Hey Al, you sure you are fine?" Tom asked Alex once again, trying to make sure he was fine. Alex's complexion was pale and he was sweating a lot even when they had only climbed up one flight of stairs.

"I'm…"

"Don't lie; I'm warning you."

Alex sighed. He shook his head and as if in shock, his eyes widened slightly before he cupped his hand over his mouth. He staggered to the side of the corridor and Tom followed Alex, landing his hand on the other's shoulder, unsure of what to do.

Alex started coughing. The sound had been disgustingly wet. After which, Alex dry heaved, over and over. Tears pricked in his eyes and before he knew it, the feeling of nausea disappeared, leaving behind a disorientated Alex.

"Sure you're fine, Al," Tom said acidly. His palm was rubbing circles on Alex's back, soothing the other.

"I did shake my head," Alex pouted, wiping off sweat from his brow.

"Yeah, totally, Al."

Alex rolled his head, earning himself another bout of the throbbing headache, staggering towards Tom.

"Holla Al!" Tom grabbed the blonde by his arms before the other could skid off the stairs.

Alex could feel his eyes closing. Someone was calling his name… Something was close…

Darkness.

"Earth to Cub!" Ben yelled, shocking Alex, making him jump. Something got stuck in Alex's throat and he coughed, harshly, earning worried glances from the SAS men and ex-SAS man. The feeling of nausea settled in and he rushed off to the toilet, just three doors away and squatted in front of the toilet bowl, dry heaving.

He felt a warm hand drawing circles on his cold and sweaty back. He was glad for the hand being there. This way, he knew someone was there for him. He was not alone.

"Dammit, kid. You alright?" A gruff voice asked with concern. Alex knew it had been Wolf that was rubbing his back just moment ago. He wondered to himself why it was not Ben, although he would not have minded either way.

Alex shook his head slowly, afraid to initiate another attack or dizzy spell.

"Come on, kiddo, I'll carry you back to your room."

Alex shook his head once more; he did not want to appear weak in front of the SAS men.

"Let hell be damned, man! You're sick! There's no way you're caring about your pride now!" Wolf grunted at Alex.

Alex used all his energy to glare back Wolf, whispering the words for he had no strength left, "I care. Help me up."

Wolf grunted before pulling Alex up roughly, hurting his arm. Alex was pretty sure the area Wolf grabbed has a bruise now. A nasty one, at that.

"Ow."

Wolf looked down at Alex and immediately flinched when he realised he had grabbed Alex too tightly. The skin around the part he was grabbing had turned white and Alex's face was scrunched up. Although Wolf was not sure whether it was because of the grip or the illness.

"Both." Alex replied softly, totally anticipating Wolf's thoughts.

Wolf bit his lips and would have slapped the kid on the head if not for the damn illness. How could the kid even read his mind? Wolf will find out. After this thing, though.

"Let's get you to bed, kiddo," Wolf grabbed Alex and half-dragged him back to his own room.

"Uhh.. I can walk by myself, Wolf," Alex's voice barely a whisper. Even though Alex said that, he leaned his weight majority on Wolf. Wolf could only sigh. Alex stumbled on the step again and Wolf got pissed.

"Hang on, kiddo."

Wolf knelt down and inserted his arms between Alex's legs and lifted the boy up onto his shoulder, much to the boy's protest ("LET ME DOWN!"). Wolf shushed the boy and went up the stairs and into the boy's room. He threw the boy down onto the bed, perhaps a bit too harshly. The boy immediately sat up and coughed harshly into his own hands. After he calmed down, he placed his head in between his knees and breathed heavily.

"Kid, calm down. Breathe through your nose."

Alex nodded weakly and looked up at Wolf, his face fresh with dried tears. He whispered softly that he wanted to sleep and lied back down, plonking into his pillow.

Wolf sighed as he sat at the edge of the bed, patting the kid to sleep. The kid snored softly; His throat hurting from all the coughing had caused him to breathe a little too harshly through his nose. The kid had been asleep too fast for Wolf's liking. Usually, it takes the kid ages to fall asleep.

It took exactly 7 hours 34 minutes and 26 seconds.

Ben ran. It was a short distance but by the time he reached Alex's room, the kid was already sitting up and panting. His face was pale and clammy. His eyes were red and swollen. It looked as if he wanted to cry. It looked as if he had cried and his tears are now dried up.

Ben took a small step forward, not wanting to alarm the kid in his most vulnerable state. The kid flinched and turned his red, swollen eyes towards Ben. The reds in the whites of the eye shocked Ben but he managed to keep himself calm.

"Hey kiddo."

"Please... Ben..." Alex pleaded.

Ben took another step forward. Alex flinched. Ben reached out his hand towards Alex and their skin touched each other.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Alex screamed, hitting hard onto the head rest. He was gasping hard, eyes widened in the process. He was staring right into the eyes of Ben and Ben could see fear. Fear and loneliness.

"Don't... touch me..." Alex's eyes closed and he slumped forward, straight into Ben's arms.

Still breathing hard but somewhat at peace, Alex slept. Ben sighed loudly. It was the third nightmare Alex had in that week, ever since the last 'mission' (which was what Alex has seemed to deem it as).

Ben was sitting beside Alex's bed, reading a book. He has always been focused on reading, regardless on the location. There was one occasion where he was reading in a small hut and war was happening right outside of the door.

But not that day.

Ben placed his book down for the umpteenth time and rubbed his temple. He glanced sideways at the boy who was sleeping on the bed. He seemed to be so at peace, despite the injuries that marred his face.

As quickly as it had came, it had gone.

Ben saw Alex cringe before relaxing. There was something wrong, definitely, but what was it?

There, another cringe.

Ben stood up; his book left unattended. He approached Alex's bed with soft footsteps and sat gently down on the edge of the bed. Alex cringed once more, and this time, his eyebrows continued to furrow and not relax.

Ben pursed his lips and thought it was the injuries acting up. Ben reached over and caressed the boy's hair as he ran his fingers through his locks.

Alex liked the action of someone caressing his hair, although he has never voiced it out before. Yet, at that moment, the action of caressing his hair was seemingly causing more pain.

"Stop…"

Ben froze, "Alex?"

"Stop… please…"

"Alex?" Ben's voice was more anxious and louder this time.

Alex shot up, eyes red and gasping for air. He seemed disorientated, "Be—Ben?"

"Yeah, it's me, kiddo."

"Thank—thank god," Alex reached over and pulled Ben into a hug. That was one of the very few times Ben has seen Alex initiating body contact.

"What was it about?" Ben ran his fingers through Alex's locks.

"Its—its," Alex stammered; his voice almost breaking.

Ben continued to run his fingers through Alex's hair, "It's okay. Don't say it if it gets painful. Just know it is just a nightmare. Silly images that runs through your mind."

"Mmm…"

"Come on kiddo. You gotta sleep off that rain-induced fever of yours," Ben reached his hand to his forehead, "Hmm… your fever's at the lowest, almost breaking already. If it breaks in the morning, I'll allow you to go to school, how's that?"

Alex was already falling asleep, "Sounds… mmm… great…"

"Sleep tight, kid."

And the next morning, the fever broke. Only to come back in the afternoon, hitting Alex even harder.

Ben ran his fingers through the hair of Alex's. He pecked gently on the forehead of Alex and settled into the beanbag beside the bed. The beanbag was the SAS soldiers' chair. The preferred the soft and beany texture of the bag than to the hard, cold chairs.

An angry tear slid down the cheek of Ben.

"Damn it, Alex." Ben bit his lips and bent over, resting his forehead on his forearm. His forearm was right beside Alex's forehand.

And he cried.

Wolf woke up to the sounds of rustling.

Eagle.

"Wolf, where is that black pants of yours?"

Right, Eagle.

"What?" Wolf asked, trying to sound as annoyed as he could (although it was not hard at all).

"Black pants."

"Cupboard. Why?"

"Nidda bring Alex to the docs. His fever is skyrocketing."

"WHAT?" Wolf jumped out from his (very) comfortable bed and began pulling on clothes, "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?"

"Yo, dude, chill. I did. You were just too engrossed with sleeping." Eagle pulled out a single black pants from the messy cupboard and grimaced, "Eww."

"Is already on the way there? Where's Ben?"

"Rhino carried him there this morning when he was checking up on Ben." A small smile played on Eagle's lips, "Although I think he was checking up on Alex. He discovered that Alex was perspiring like mad and was pale and chilly and all sorts of nonsense. He woke Snake and Ben and they decided to carry the boy to the docs, without informing us because we looked like—" Eagle gestured with open quotation marks—"sleeping too soundly to be shaken awake."

"What's the latest news?"

"Kid's not doing that great." Eagle frowned.

Alex woke up to a room of white.

White walls. Antiseptic smell.

You would think he would have been accustomed to it by now.

"Heck, why isn't this familiar?"

"And… that's the first thing ya say, huh, kid," someone with a deep voice drawled.

"Rhino." The man was standing at the door with his arms akimbo. One of his legs was bent and the soles of the foot was on the wall. Alex was about to sit up to greet the man but was held down by the beefy hands.

"Nah, kid. Snake will have my head if ya sat up."

"Where's Ben?" Alex asked, turning around to search for the man.

"Canteen. The man was here for hours on end, eating almost nothing, just guarding ya."

Alex's eyes widened slightly, "What happened?"

Rhino sighed and took a comfortable seat beside the bed. "Well, ya had a nightmare, I guess. I heard Ben sniffling and went over to ya room to take a look. I saw that ya looked really uncomfortable—perspiring like mad and pale and chilly and all—then I kinda touched ya forehead. Bingo, ya fever rose and I woke Snake up. Snake said that we hatda bring ya to the hospital. Dead in the night and all, I hatda carry ya to the hospital. Snake and Ben were running behind and were worried sick. Waited outside the ER for hours and finally the doc said ya condition was stabilised. Ben broke and cried and refused to leave ya side even for a second. Wolf and Eagle came in da morn and dragged—literally drag—Ben outta this room to da canteen for food."

"I… see…" Alex bit his own lips. He had caused trouble for people again… maybe he should just…

"No."

"Huh?" Alex looked up.

"I said no."

Alex cocked his head (as much as he could with his head lying on the pillow).

"They—We are SAS, or ex-SAS, doesn't matter. The thing is, you gotta let people care for you, kid."

"I—" Alex chewed on his lip.

"I know what ya are thinking. Ya ain't making their life more diff, kid. Their life is more colorful 'cause of ya, kid. I just know Ben, so perhaps I might not know what he is thinking. But I know the others. We are a team. They love ya. Without ya, their life might be less troubling but no colour. You're their colour, kid."

Alex looked down. Somehow, Rhino was right. He knew, somewhere, that he belonged here. They are the SAS, or ex-SAS. They knew their stuff. It is not about Alex protecting them and trying to get them out of trouble. Perhaps, they will be getting Alex into trouble. Perhaps, they are doing the protecting now. Protecting Alex from their enemies.

"It's all gunna work out, kid," Rhino patted his head and smiled sincerely.

The door opened and in came stumbling an Eagle.

"WOAH, KID IS NOT DEAD!"

Ben smacked Eagle and Snake kicked the man in the shin. Wolf kneed the man and Eagle went down almost immediately, squealing about the uncaring people he was with. (And complaining about life and whatsnot.)

"Alex, are you okay?"

Maybe… he is worrying too much.

Maybe… it's time to let it go.

Maybe… it's time to let the protector be protected.

.

.

.

.

.

"Yeah, Ben… But I still feel kinda…"…

.

.

.

oOo

"The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned."
― Maya Angelou, All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes

oOo

Fin.

(c) Joliesme