Warning: This is more than likely be a one-shot. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Disclaimer: I am not Anthony Horowitz. If I were Alex would not be having the "perfect" life he's running right now.

Mugged

Jack Starbright POV

I was sitting on the couch in our Chelsea home living room, when I heard the doorbell. I ran to the door and as soon as the door was open, Sabina Pleasure came in.

"Jack," she said breathlessly. That's when I noticed the signature light hair of the Rider males.

"Sabina, what happened?" I asked.

"I'll tell you after we get Alex patched up." she replied.

I went to Alex's other side and together, Sabina and I got him over to the couch. "Okay, Sabina. What happened?" I said, remembering the deal.

"Alex and I were walking home and some men in black jumped us. One of the men grabbed me and took my purse. The other two got a hold of Alex. All the men wanted was money, but Alex being Alex, he wouldn't go down without a fight. One of the men knocked Alex unconscious, took his wallet and left us there. It's a miracle we were so close here." Sabina explained.

"Okay. Now we'll start patching Alex up." I said.

For the next few hours, Sabina and I wrapped Alex's arms, put disinfectant on his smaller cuts, and put bandages on the bigger ones. I was putting away the First Aid kit when I heard a call of "Jack!" coming from the living room. I came back and found Alex's face flushed from an unknown fever. I went into the kitchen, filled a bowl with ice cold water, a tower, and went back out to help Sabina with Alex. Back in the living room, Alex was caught in the throes of a fever induced nightmare. I knelt down beside him and gently shook him awake.

"Jack?" he asked.

My heart nearly broke when I heard his piteous croak of my name. I almost heard Sabina's heart break at that.

"It's me, Alex." I said, taking his hand.

As I said that, a small smile made its way onto his face as his eyes drifted shut.

"Hey, Alex, you can't go to sleep yet." I snapped my fingers, nearly hesitating when I saw the pleading look in his brown eyes. "Why didn't you tell anyone you were sick and how long have you been sick?"

"Couple of days." he replied, exhaustion clear.

"You didn't think to tell me?!" I exclaimed.

Alex flinched and winced as his ribs protested the movement. "I. . .I don't know. I'm sorry, Jack." he finished.

He laid back on the couch.

After I heard Alex's breathing settle into his sleep pattern, I pulled Sabina into the hallway. "Did you know he was sick, Sabina?" I questioned. She shook her head indicating that Alex hid his sickness from both of us. "Did he tell you about MI6 too?" I finished, because it took Alex a while after his Stormbreaker mission for him to tell me.

"Yes. Why do you need to know that?" Sabina said.

"The people he trusts most, like me and Tom, have been told." I replied.

As Sabina opened her mouth to reply, I heard a yell coming from the living room. I hurried back into the living room and saw an empty couch. I heard whimpers from behind me. I spun around and saw Alex huddled in a corner under his blanket. I walked closer to him and knelt down next to him.

"Jack?" he gasped out. "I need help."

"What is it, Alex?" I asked, taking his hand, relaxing when he took it as a sign of comfort.

"Julius, He's torturing me." he said, still in the border of hyperventilating. "He's hurting me, Jack!" He suddenly cries out as he fell forward into my arms.

"Alex!" I exclaimed.

With the young Rider against my skin, I could feel the heat seeping through his shirt to mine, soaking my blouse with sweat as well, as his body tried to cool itself down.

"Jack?" Sabina called from the doorway. "I. . . I heard a noise." I had never heard her voice sound so broken before. "Is Alex alright?"

"He's fine, Sab. Just something we're going to be seeing a lot of for the next few days." I said, lifting Alex up and bringing the lithe fifteen year old back to the couch. A I was walking away, I heard Alex whine.

"Don't worry, Jack." Sabina said. "Go! I can deal with Alex." she finished, making a shooing motion with her hands.

I nodded my head and went to my room to get some well-deserved rest.

Sabina Pleasure POV

After Jack went upstairs, I went into the kitchen to get some soup and tea ready for Alex. When he stayed at our home, he didn't eat much which I thought was really weird. I was pulled out of my mind and into reality when the kettle starting whistling. Not wanting to wake Alex, I quickly took the kettle off the stove and started to make some tea.

As I walked back into the living room, I noticed that Alex was nowhere to be seen. I looked around the room for any hint of where Alex had run off to. I then made my way into Jack's room. As much as she needed her sleep, Alex's own health and well-being was more important.

I went up the stairs and opened Jack's bedroom door. I looked inside and saw that Jack was already awake, running her fingers through Alex's soft, blonde hair.

Jack looked up. "Alex had a nightmare, came in here, and woke me up." she explained.

"Is he better then?" I asked.

Jack put her hand on his forehead. "He's still a little warm, but he's not having hallucinations anymore, or anything else to indicate that he still has a high fever."

"That's good." I said. "Do you need any help with Alex? Because I need to go home."

"That's fine, Sab. Just go home." Jack said, wrapping an arm around Ale and closing her eyes.

I walked to the bedroom door, and turned around. Jack and Alex were fast asleep in each other's embrace. I smiled, and made my way home, waiting for the next time I would be seeing the two again.