AN: Hey guys! So... this is my first ever fanfic. First ALPHA Force as well then. Short one-shot of a member of ALPHA Force dying. Hope you like it. In the flashbacks, the first one was from Hostage, the second one from Rat-Catcher, and the third one from Desert Pursuit.

Disclaimer: I don't own ALPHA Force... Unfortunately. I only own the plot

Amber sat on her hotel bed, hugging her knees and wordless. She was thinking of Hex. How could she even think of anything else? She thought of everything he had done for her. How much he had trusted her. How much she cared for him. And how, in what seemed like a long time ago, she hadn't even dared to imagine life without him.

"I'll have to now…" she thought bitterly.

And as Hex's face appeared her mind, the memories flooded her.

Amber frowned and opened her eyes. Hex was sitting right next to her head, tapping away at his palmtop keyboard.

"Whassalla noise about? She mumbled.

Hex stopped tapping and turn to her with a huge and delighted smile on his face. "Hey, Amber," he said softly. "Welcome back."

Amber scowled, which seemed to delight Hex even more.

"That close, was I?" she said, watching his face.

***Break

Paulo hit the accelerator and the off-roader took off down the track in a cloud of dust. Alex stared back at the silent group of men standing by the track until they disappeared from view.

A few minute later they all heard the dreadful baying of the dogs start up again.

The general had made his choice.

Amber shuddered and moved closer to Hex in the back of the off-roader. He put an arm around her.

***Break

"You like him?" repeated Khalid teasingly, in the broken English he had picked up from the foreign aid workers in the refugee camp. Like most Arabs living in Algeria, French was his second language, but he preferred to practice his English when he had the chance.

"Hex? Are you kidding? Perlease…"

"I think the answer is yes," grinned Khalid.

Amber could feel a blush spreading across her face and searched frantically for something to say. Alex, Paulo and Li were already listening with amused interest. She had to change the subject before Hex tuned into the conversation.

****Break

Daniel Usher smiled at Amber from behind his gun. They were alone, Usher on one side and Amber on another, Hex next to her, silently clutching her hand.

"Why did you do all this?" Amber asked, her voice filled with venom.

Daniel Usher chuckled.

"Because I wanted to see you suffer, Miss Middleton. Suffer for those years that I spent in jail because of YOU."

"You deserved it. You killed my parents!" Amber spat back.

Usher merely smiled and aimed the gun at her. Hex's eyes widened, his brain working at full speed trying to find a solution.

Daniel Usher pressed the trigger. In a split-second, Hex was standing in front of Amber, shielding her. The bullet entered his body, just under the lungs.

"NO!" Amber screamed.

Hex hiccupped in surprised and fell backwards. Amber caught him and set him gently on the floor.

Usher smiled. "I think you suffer more than if you had received that bullet yourself." He chuckled and walked away.

Resisting the urge to sand up and strangle him, Amber knelt by Hex's side, tears menacing to fall down her face.

Hex looked at her, his face full of pain. "Didn't know it would... hurt that much."

Amber choked on her tears. "Why did you do it?" she sobbed. "You idiot! Why did you take that bullet? Why did you protect me?" A tear slid down her face.

Hex reached out to wipe it away.

"For the same reason that I care for you…so much. I never even dared to say it. But…Amber?" he said quietly. She looked him in the eyes, those green eyes she loved so much, those eyes that sparkled and were so full of life. "I love you"

Amber sobbed and clutched his other hand.

"I… I love you too Hex…" She choked on her tears.

Hex's face lit up and, putting his arm around her neck, pulled her into a long kiss. After a while she pulled away and looked at him, tears menacing to fall once more.

He smiled painfully.

"I love you," he whispered. His eyes grew out of focus. "I lo-"

The light faded from his emerald eyes, his lips still formed in a word that he would never say.

"No." Amber said. "Hex! No!" she screamed. "NO!"

Amber sobbed, holding his now limp body, clutching it like a lifeline.

"Hex…" she whispered. She closed his eyes. "I love you…"

And now… Amber felt empty. There was nothing. No tears. No happiness. Her world was a black void, sucking her in. In the room everything was white. Luminous. In her head, everything was black. Darkness threatening to overwhelm her. Threatening to drown her. And she was giving in.

There was a small knock on the door. Amber didn't answer. Li poked her head in, not even trying to look upbeat. At the sight of Amber, she froze. Was this really Amber? She was hugging her knees, no longer looking like the tough, sarcastic girl Li knew. And her eyes… they were empty. Hollow. Void of emotions. But the tear tracks on her cheek showed that she had been crying. Li sat down. Amber didn't move.

They sat there in silence for what seemed like forever. Li wanted to talk. To say something. To make Amber react. She wanted to scream and cry and throw a fit. But she did none of those.

Amber was barely conscious of Li sitting next to her.

"Amber." Li said softly. "Amber, talk to me." Amber didn't move. "Amber, please…" Li pleaded.

Amber looked at her. Their eyes met and they held a silent conversation until Amber's eyes filled with tears and she looked away. She put her head on Li's shoulder and let out a shaky sigh

"I just miss him so much…" she whispered.

And that was all it took. She burst into tears and Li hugged her tightly. She sobbed onto Li's shoulder. She gave in. She gave up. She lost herself. She drowned. And a wave of darkness engulfed her heart.

So yeah. Thanks for taking the time to read! Please review I need to know if it's good or not :) I accept anything ^-^

See you soon hopefully for more!

Wave ~