"Seriously Soph! How the hell are you surviving?" Alicia asked me incredulously after gym.

"Survive what?" I asked, reaching for my jeans.

"Run that so fast! It was such a long course!" She was still panting.

I gave her a strange look, slightly laughing. "It was only a mile, Alice."

"More like a marathon." She scoffed.

We finished dressing, making our way out of the locker room.

"SOPH! Sophie!" I heard someone calling me frantically. I quickly turned around, my eyes searching around the hallway.

I heard Alicia's breath catch as Alex ran into view. Yeah he's Alex Rider, Alicia's—and just about the majority of the girls in the school's—dream guy, also known as my childhood friend.

He stopped in front of me, breathless. "Sophie! And, um, Alicia?"

Aw, Alicia is blushing. From him saying her name.

"Yeah," she breathed softly. I shake my head.

"Hey, Alex. You, uh, wanted something?" he looked at me, biting his lip.

"Uh, yeah, can I speak to Sophie? Alone?"

Alicia smiled, "Sure." Then I heard her mutter, "Of course he wants to talk to you."

I stifled a laugh as sure walked away, grumbling. Then I turned my attention back to Alex. I inclined my head towards him, implying that he should talk.

His lip trembled slightly and I knew something bad had happened. I swept him into a hug. "What's wrong?"

"It's Uncle Ian. He-he-he was in a car crash. It-it was fatal…he's…dead."

I felt my eyes widen but I didn't say anything. I just stayed frozen in his arms. Ian Rider was dead…

Okay, let me explain: Alex Rider is basically my brother. I live with him because my parents had disappeared when I was very little. And Ian Rider was our caretaker and his uncle. We were very close to him…and well now, he's not exactly anywhere close, huh?

"Soph?" I heard Alex's voice shake.

"Yeah?" I whispered. The news was was too devastating to do anything but.

"People are staring. Let's go home. Then we could cry it out there."

Blushing slightly, I pulled away only to find that people were indeed staring. It was a strange sight. To see me, of all people, hugging the popular Alex. Alex didn't seem to care, his mind was focused on the current dilemma, and honestly, I didn't care what people would say either.

Finally we were home—we had to walk. Usually, Ian picks us up but now…well, you know. We sat silently, side by side on the couch, our hearts aching for the lost family member—yes, he is family to me too.

"Alex?" I ventured to ask.

"Yeah?" he answered, not looking at me.

"Who-Who's going to take care of us now?" I shut my eyes. It was a brutal question and I knew it.

"Me." He said, voice breaking. My heart went out to him, though I was still feeling the same as him. I hesitatingly pulled into my embrace.

He seemed startled but gave in quickly. "You can cry if you want. It's only me." I whispered softly into his ear. Any resolve he had, anything keeping him from losing it was gone and he cried openly in my shoulder. I lay his head on my lap and stroked his hair soothingly. In this manner, we both fell asleep together but only after a few long hours.

~Alex POV~

I woke up to a soft pillow. No even softer. I pondered on what it was until memories of last night hit me. I was in Sophie's lap. And Uncle had died. My last living relative had died.

And funnily enough, Sophie hadn't cried, not once. Did she even care? I turned around in her lap until I was looking up at her. Peering up at her face, I felt guilt for thinking that she didn't care stab me sharply. She was crying. In her sleep.

She had stayed so strong to help me through the night. And by the look of it, she had been crying in her sleep about it all night. And it wasn't stopping now. Tears were still streaming down her cheeks endlessly.

And despite the situation, I thought she looked beautiful, even with the tears and shambled hair. Wait, beautiful? Did I really think that?

I couldn't have. Sophie was my sister and was always going to be…right?

Okay this is my fave book series so I wanted to try a fanfic for it with an OC. So review if you like and seriously! I want more reviews on the other story or I wont update.

As for this one, five reviews. Next one'll be 6 and the next, seven…you get it. SO make me happy!