A Light That Won't Fade, an alex rider fanfic

A/N: This is a song-fic ! I do not own 'Gold Forever' or The Wanted. They belong to the relevant parties. I highly recommend listening to the song whilst reading, or at least after, and buying it as it is all for a good cause (Comic Relief), but it isn't necessary.

Warning: I wrote this with Alex/Ben in mind (yes, a slash pairing) but I suppose if you want you can read as simply a very close friendship, or even as another pairing. It's open to your interpretation, but it probably works better if you keep this pairing in mind. Also, I know Alex may seem a bit OOC, but it becomes clear in the end (I think) and in those circumstances I think that's how anyone would react…..

This is my first attempt at anything vaguely angsty, and is a very different style to how I normally write, so yeah, please R&R to let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I do not own Alex Rider. Anthony Horowitz does. I don't own this song either. Or the band. Sadly.

See the end for the dedication.

A Light That Won't Fade

Say my name like it's the last time,
Live today like it's your last night,
We want to cry but we know it's alright,
'Cause I'm with you and you're with me.

Someone's calling your name. Ignore it. Breathe in. Deeper than that. Now breathe out. And do it again. Don't panic. It's OK. It's over. No more deaths. No more drama. For now. It's over. Keep it together. There's a hand on your shoulder. Keep breathing. It's OK. It's over. He's there. You're not on your own.

Butterflies, butterflies, we were meant to fly,
You and I, you and I, colours in the sky,
We could rule the world someday, somehow but we'll never be as bright as we are now.

You see a gold head. You call his name. He ignores it. Nerves flutter. It's OK. Ignore it. Keep breathing. Well done. Now go to him. It's OK. You did it. Together. He's shaking. Fighting to stay in control. Your hand is on his shoulder. Keeping him there. You're not alone.

We're standing in a light that won't fade,
Tomorrow's coming but this won't change,
'Cause some days stay gold forever.
The memory of being here with you,
Is one I'm gonna take my life through,
'Cause some days stay gold forever.

You're not alone. His hand stays where it is. A trivial gesture. A crucial contact. The sun is rising. You're breathing easier. Calmness surrounds you. He's keeping you there. It should feel insignificant. It helps you feel lighter. You feel him smile with you. You want to stay this way forever.

Promise me you'll stay the way you are,
Keep the fire alive and stay young at heart,
When the storm feels like it could blow you out, remember you got me and I got you,

You want him to stay this way forever. He is surrounded by gold. There is a small smile on his face. His smile makes him look his age. It should be irrelevant. But you're addicted to it. You're the reason it's there. You stop his fire from extinguishing.

'Cause we are butterflies, butterflies, we were meant to fly,
You and I, you and I, colours in the sky,
When the innocence is dead and gone,
These will be the times we look back on.

You feel the coldness wash away. You're light enough to fly. You'll only fly if he's beside you. Together. You've forgotten how innocence feels. He looks at you and smiles as if to show you. It's inexplicably essential to you. It reminds you of happier times. It makes you imagine a happier time. He stops you from freezing.

We're standing in a light that won't fade,
Tomorrow's coming but this won't change,
Cause some days stay gold forever.
The memory of being here with you,
Is one I'm gonna take my life through,
'Cause some days stay gold forever.

He is bathed in gold light. The sun is slowly rising. It's a new day. It's a beautiful golden sunrise. You grab his other shoulder. It stops him from collapsing with his sudden exhaustion. It reminds you that you're both still here. You both need it. It feels like time has momentarily frozen. You're both standing in gold light.

I won't, I won't let your memory go 'cause your colours, they burn so bright,
Who knows, who knows what tomorrow will hold, but I know that we'll be alright

He's holding you up now. You turn to face him. You're turning your back on the destruction behind you. Together. His eyes burn into yours. Brown meets brown. You can see yourself in them. His head is in front of the low sun. It's a new day. You don't need to know what will happen. You know he'll keep you standing through it all.

Cause we're butterflies, butterflies, we were made to fly,
You and I, you and I, colours in the sky,
We could rule the world someday, somehow but we'll never be as bright as we are now.

His face is strangely open. The look in his eyes makes you feel like you're flying. Together. He seems to draw strength from you the way you do from him. It's a new start. You know he needs this life to feel satisfied. You know you need him to feel complete. He turns you both to face the sun head on. The golden light surrounds you both. You are unaware you released his shoulders until his hand is in yours. You look at each other. You stay that way for hours ignoring the arrival of emergency services. The moment is a bright, brilliant gold.

Wolf turns briefly from the scene behind him. He looks for the two spies he knows witnessed it all. The sudden attack. The innocent, unnecessary deaths. The trauma of taking a life, no matter if they deserved it. He knows how it feels to kill for the first time. He looks toward the sunlight. There are two figures glowing in the golden rays staring, at one another. Wolf smiles to himself, though he will later deny ever looking at Cub with anything but a glare. Even after the darkest of nights, there are days which will shine a bright, brilliant gold. Forever.

'Cause some days stay gold forever

Dedicated to Japan.

This is for anyone and everyone who knows someone affected in any small way by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan. My thoughts are with you. I can only pray that after this darkest of days for you, there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

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