Disclaimer: I do now own the Alex Rider series of books.

Very short chapter to kick us off. Hope you read. And I'd love to read a review from you. Whoever you are.

"Ian, Ian, there's a hairy monster under my bed!".

Ian Rider cracked an eye open and looked at his nephew. Alex bounded across the room and gripped his uncle's fingers determinedly. He tugged them and Ian frowned. His head was pounding painfully and his ribs were stinging from the fight the day before. Ian refused to think about his last mission. Work and home, in his opinion, were to be kept separate at all costs.

"Come see!" Alex said excitedly. Ian rolled onto his other side and rubbed his eyes blearily. He wanted to just curl up and sleep for six months. He knew he had to get up the next day and he should send Alex back to bed but he also knew Alex wouldn't stay there.

"Al, you can sleep in here tonight. Just don't wriggle around during the night, okay?"

Alex pulled himself up into the double bed and grinned. All thoughts of the hairy monster were pushed aside as he pulled the blanket up to his chin. He loved Ian's bed. It always seemed cosier and warmer than his own.

Ian smiled to himself. Objective achieved. Now Alex is quiet, I can get some sleep.

Alex squirmed slightly. The hairy monster was swimming back into his thoughts. The eyes had shocked him. They were a kind of cloudy blue colour. But they were so alert Alex could still see them focusing sharply on his as he remembered peeking under his bed.

"Ian, the monster said I had to come get you" Alex whispered gently.

Ian grunted. He'd had enough of that stupid hairy monster stuff. But he knew from past experience that Alex wouldn't let this drop. The boy had Helen's stubborn streak. Sometimes it was a blessing. Other times like these, Ian just wanted to cry. Why did Alex have to be so damn determined to see things through?

"Al, there's no monster under your bed. You were probably just dreaming" Ian replied softly. He prayed silently that Alex would accept that and just drop off into a dream.

"But I wasn't Ian! Please. He said to get you. And he was real nice. He said please. I think he has an tummy ache. And he needs a bath too. He's really dirty Ian. Maybe he forgotted how to wash. Or maybe he doesn't like the bath. I'll give him my rubber ducky so he can have a friend in the bath, 'kay?" Alex rambled.

Ian groaned loudly into his pillow. When would the chatter stop so that he could get some sleep? The best thing to do would be to check under Alex's bed and see what he was talking about.

"Fine, Al. I'll take a look under your bed. Alright?" Ian said, sighing in defeat.

Ian rolled out of bed, leaving Alex curled up under the blanket and walked slowly into his nephew's bedroom. Ian paused and leaned against the wall. Alex raced into the room and held onto his uncle's hand tightly.

Ian sighed again. What would this accomplish? He rubbed Alex's hair gently and then crossed from the wall to the bed in two steps. Slowly he crouched. His ribs flared in pain. He swore inwardly. What the hell was he doing, looking under Alex's bed for things that went bump in the night?

Ian looked under and nearly screamed. Sharp blue eyes stared up at him. A hand reached out weakly from under the bed and clasped Ian's. Ian ignored Alex, who was shrieking 'I told you so!' at the top of his voice and gently pulled the hand.

An arm emerged from under the bed. Alex was right. It was filthy. But powerful looking. Strong. In degrees, a man slipped out from uinder the bed. Ian helped him to his feet. Alex was silent. The boy sensed something was wrong.

Ian turned his gaze to the man. His whole body was streaked with dirt. He wore a pair of grey tracksuit bottoms and a light blue t-shirt. Both items of clothing were caked in mud. But Ian didn't care. He had eyes only for the man.

His hair was muddy as well, but Ian caught flashes of blond under the dirt. There was a circle of clean on his face and Ian could see a strong profile. His eyes were sharp blue, watchful and calm. Stubble had grown on his chin. It suited him. It was the eyes though. Ian couldn't stop looking at them.

"Ian...help...me" the man rasped.

The voice wafted into Ian's ear and Ian frowned.

"John?" he asked.

The man nodded. Ian clasped his brother in a rib breaking hug. He hadn't noticed the tears flowing from his eyes. John hugged him back. Alex cocked his head slightly. He was curious.

Who was the hairy monster? And why was Ian hugging him?

To be continued.