The muses struck at eleven last night. So here you go. I'm not sure about it, so tell me what you think. Please.

When the doorbell rings at the three in the morning, it's never good news.

Jack knew that. Alex would know that too, it he wasn't on a mission. As she lay in bed, wriggling her toes as she always did before she got out of bed, she thought of the similarities between this night and that night.

She threw the covers off and slipped into her slippers, reaching out for her dressing gown.

One: A member of the Rider household is away.

She knew that if she went to Alex's room she would be able to see the visitors from the window. She didn't bother. She could already see the lights coming through the front door window and reflecting on the walls of the hall.

Two: Policemen ringing at three in the morning.

Jack knew that if she stopped to think for a moment, it would sink in. She would understand what had happened. But no. This had happened before, there had been a misunderstanding before. It would just be someone from the 'bank', come to tell her that Alex was in hospital - again - that it was a close call, but he was still fighting. That was what had happened before.

She ran a hand through her hair, then took a deep breath and opened the door.

Three: The same two people to deliver the news.

A year before, not that Jack knew, it had been the people's voices that had alerted Alex to the news they had come to bring. Now, Jack didn't even need them to open their mouths.

For a moment her hand twitched as she debated whether to just shut the door and save herself the trouble. She kept it open out of courtesy and the need to know, to be told that it was true, even though she already knew.

"Mrs. Rider?"

"No, I'm the housekeeper. What is it? What's happened?"

Words, so achingly familiar to the night all those months ago. Her eyes drifted past the two to the sky above.

Four: It was a full moon.

"This is the home of Alex Rider?"

They knew. They knew, they were here to tell her, they had told her before, but they still asked.

"Yes."

"I was wondering if we could come in."

Jack froze.

Could they come in? Would she let them? She didn't want to. But she would be deviating from the trodden path.

"No."

The policeman frowned. "Miss Starbright," he began.

There. He knew her name, he hadn't needed to ask the questions earlier.

"It's important-"

"I know. But I don't want to know. Okay? Just go back and do whatever you do normally, and don't come back. Not until it's light, until the suns come out and I can laugh and tell you, you suck at pranks."

"Miss Starbright-"

"Just go away! Leave me alone. Leave Alex alone."

Five: The shock, anger and pain set in quickly.

"Alex Rider is-"

"No. I don't want to know."

The second person, the policewoman, stepped forwards. She reached out reassuringly but Jack shook her off.

"Jack-"

"Miss Starbright."

"Miss Starbright." The woman paused. "I understand this must be difficult, but if we could please come in…"

Jack clutched tighter at the door, sagging slightly. Her eyes were bright and her voice cracked as she spoke. "No, not again. If you- if you hadn't come last time, he'd never have known, he'd never have found out, and he still be a-a- here."

She paused.

"He's coming back. Tomorrow. He'll come and he'll laugh at you and it'll be fine."

"Miss Starbright, I'm afraid that's not going to happen."

The policeman stepped forwards.

"Alex Rider is dead."

Jack stumbled back, a tear trickling down her cheek. "No." She whispered. "No."
She slammed the door shut.

Six: The day began with hope and ended with tragedy.