Disclaimer: If I owned Alex Rider, I'd be writing that, not this.

A/N: Woot! First Alex Rider fan fiction dance At last! Somehow, I got past the writers block. And… I have no idea where this came from. Well, actually, I do – somewhere in the deep depth of sadistic morbidity in my mind. I hope I don't get too many flames for killing him, but really, I don't care. I only kill the characters I love, really!

Murky Grey

Pitter patter pitter patter thump thump thump.

"Hang in there, Cub!"

He couldn't believe it – Cub, little Cub? Was that really him, slung in his arms, lifelessly limp? All that blood – that was too much, surely, and far more than such a small body – a child! Just a kid! – should carry.

Ash and rain and smog mixed and diluted in the skies above them, thundering down in a murky grey sheet.

Pitter patter pitter patter thump thump thump.

They had far too much space left to travel. There was no way Wolf would make it in time. No way to get Cub the necessary medical attention. He still couldn't believe it, seeing that blonde boy, rendered helpless, sleek metal pressed against his skull, with eyes far, far too old that just didn't care anymore. Didn't have the strength, the will to keep on fighting.

Broken, bloody, bleeding, limp.

Pitter patter pitter patter thump thump… thump.

Wolf faltered, mid-step, blood draining from his face. God no. No, no, no! Not yet!

"Cub – don't you give up! Don't you dare! You keep breathing, you hear me?"

Pitter patter pitter patter thump… thump… thump.

"Cub – Alex! Hang on! We'll – we're almost there, see? Just a little bit longer!"

Pitter patter pitter patter thump… thump…

"Shit! Breathe, goddamn it!" Thump tha-thump… Thump… "Alex!"

… Thump… Thump… Thu-………….

"ALEX!"

Pitter patter pitter patter.