Hello. I was just reading Alex Rider and I realised the special bond between these two. So, enjoy the short story.


An eight-year-old Alex Rider was sitting in the principal's office while Ian Rider spoke to the principal. Alex was quietly sitting in the chair and looking at his hands on his lap. Earlier in the day, Alex had beaten up some other students who were three years older than him. Alex didn't have a single scratch on him. The same couldn't be said of the other students involved.

"Yes, I'm sorry. He's never been this way at home. I'll see to it that he doesn't repeat his mistakes," Ian Rider was saying. After a few more minutes of conversation, the Riders left. They drove in silence, and when they arrived home, they entered wordlessly. Jack was on vacation, so there were only the two of them.

Alex slipped into his room and changed while Ian got himself a glass of water. By the time Alex came down in a t-shirt and a pair of shorts, Ian was seated at the dinner table waiting for him.

Alex quietly sat down opposite his uncle. For a while, they sat in silence.

It was Ian who broke the silence first, saying, "Why did you hurt them, Alex?"

"They were laughing at me," he replied, not looking at his uncle's eyes. Ian Rider sighed and looked at his nephew.

"You know, Alex… that's not what the karate lessons were for," Ian said. Alex was suddenly very guilty, hearing his uncle speaking in such a tired tone. He looked down and said nothing.

There was silence for a little while more. "Please, Alex, don't cause any trouble anymore," Ian told his nephew.

In a soft voice, Alex replied, "Alright…"

"I suppose I have to ask you this. What were they laughing at you for?" Ian asked, looking at the young boy.

"They called me an orphan. They called my father bad things," he said. His eyes were getting damp. Ian was shocked by this. Was that how kids these days spent their time? How could they say those things?

"Alex… Your father was a great man. He was both my brother and my best friend. Don't believe anything else," Ian said, looking straight into Alex's eyes.

"After I beat them up, I told them…" Alex said, "I told them I did have a father. I told them that I have you."

Ian just sat in silence for a while. Then he went over to Alex and hugged him. "Oh, Alex…" he said, ruffling his hair. Alex hugged back, smiling. And perhaps he didn't need a father, because this was all the family he needed now.


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