A/N: I feel terrible about not updating! Honestly! So, I figured I would post a songfic... I have end of the year exams to take; I will update faster after that. Today is the 14th and I have to test for five more days all together. However, I will try to update on Saturday or Sunday. I'm only fifteen, so school work comes first! After all, I really want to grow up to be somebody, not just another citizen of the United States... Wish me luck on my exams! Thank you all for being patient with me during these past few weeks; it means a lot! You are all the best!

I ran through the woods while holding my side as blood streamed through my fingers. Breathing became a difficult task; one I was not sure I could continue. I stumbled constantly and attempted to grab tree limbs, anything, for support. I could hear my pursuers behind me a few minutes away; they would catch me at any moment, then kill me.

Sound the bugle now,

Play it just for me.

The sky became dark with storm clouds and, in the shadows of the trees and newfound darkness, I found myself stumbling with each step. I desperately wanted to give up, but I also wanted to live to fight another day. How one heart feel two different things is a question every human being asks at one point during his/her life. My throat was as dry as a desert, my head beat like a drum... how much longer can I go on?

As the seasons change,

Remember how I used to be.

I thought of my friends and family members: Ian with his eyes gleaming in amusement when I asked him stupid questions. Jack being overprotective of my safety and threatening MI6 with each breath she took. Tom with his way of understanding me when others did not attempt to. Ben, the one that had become a brother to me. Sabina, the girl I once loved and may even still do... They all ran through my head as I continued to run. The memories of them was the only peace I could find in a situation like this. My weak legs finally surrendered and I collapsed to the ground.

Now I can't go on,

I can't even start.

I desperately desired to crawl back to my feet and continue the perilous journey, however, my strength was completely gone. The sound of my pursuers drew nearer with each passing second, each passing moment, each passing heartbeat... I closed my eyes in defeat and begged for everything to be over with quickly; I just wanted to die. Then, I thought of my friends and family and decided to try again. I crawled to my feet, walked a few feet, then fell to the dirt covered ground; I gave up.

I've got nothing left,

Just an empty heart.

The feeling of defeat was one I felt often, but never really experianced. I waited patiently for my death as the blood seeped onto the ground, forming a puddle of red liquid. If my pursuers did not find me soon, I would die from blood loss. Either way, I knew I was going to die; my luck had finally dissipated.

I'm a soldier,

Wounded so I must give up the fight.

I never believed I could give up, but here I was doing what I thought was impossible. My life was steadily draining away, my time on Earth was on the last few seconds of the great timer that was created for me when I was first born. I glanced down at my watch 2:43 P.M. I watched as the seconds ticked by, valuable time wasted.

There's nothing more for me,

Lead me away.

I was alone for now, a feeling I never wanted to experiance. I was alone on the brink of death, which made me feel hollow inside... abandoned...

Or leave me lying here.

I thought back to my life before I was blackmailed into being a spy. My name, Alex Rider, age fourteen. I lived with my housekeeper, Jack Starbright, and my best friend was Tom Harris. I played football with my numerous friends and was one of the best. I could speak different languages other than English. I was excelling in my studies and life seemed perfect... normal... Now, it was perfectly normal for me to be chased by lunatics with guns.

Sound the bugle now,

Tell them I don't care.

I realized I no longer cared about MI6 or what they told my friends after I died; they were no longer apart of me, apart of my death. If anything, I should hold a grudge against them for recruiting me at such a young age. However, I told myself I shoul not have been shot by the shotgun in the first place. I should not have discovered the true secret behind my uncle months ago. Everything was my fault.

There's not a road I know,

That leads to anywhere.

I was stuck between life and death, hanging on by a thread as more blood covered the once green leaves. I was blocked by a fork in the road, one path leading to life, the other death. I wanted to live, but I did not want to live as Alex Rider, best teenage spy MI6 has. I knew, after I died, I would be replaced.

Without a light I fear that I will stumble in the dark,

Lay right down, decide not to go on.

Black spots danced in front of my eyes, my breathing became slow and shallow, my limbs grew weak... It was finally my time to die. The rain began to fall and I watched the storm clouds above me pass like the rest of the world would after I died.

Then from on high, somewhere in the distance,

There's a voice that calls 'Remember who you are'.

I wondered who I really was; a teenager, or a killer. Both I guessed. I was a teenage killer... a teenage protector... Both were complete opposites, yet I managed to acquire both titles. How was that possible?

If you loose yourself, your courage soon will follow.

So be strong tonight, Remember who you are.

In that moment, I knew who I was. It was quite simple really, but it didn't really give a complete answer: I was me. I was Alex Rider...

Yeah you're a soldier now, fighting in a battle.

To be free once more, yeah that's worth fighting for!

I smiled. I was not an assasain, I was not MI6's slave, I was not apart of Scorpia... I was Alex Rider, I was me. I held the smile at the thought even as the veil of darkness covered my eyes and my heart stopped. I had finally defeated the internal conflict in my heart. Now, I am looking at my bloody and bruised body lying motionless on the ground. My enemies surrounded me, then left me lying there. A few minutes later, a helicopter hovered over the trees and four men, K-Unit, lifted my body into the helicopter and left seconds later. A bright light appeared behind me and I started walking toward it, then decided not to; I began walking in the opposite direction.

A light shone in my face and I opened my eyes. On my face was a oxygen mask, a loud, incessant beeping sounded from the heart monitor. My comrades had worried expressions. I smiled at them, "Hey, guys. I was wondering when you would show up." It was difficult for me to speak.

They all sighed, then said in unison, "Welcome back, Cub."

THE END! Good or bad ending?