Anonymous reviews:

Melody: Thank you ^^ Here is the third, and final chapter! As for romantic attachments… all will be revealed!

Angry Pagan Chick of Doom: First off wonderful name! Secondly, I know, that was my first reaction to hearing their name. Idiots, but ah well, that's why they got to be the ones whose asses got kicked! ^^ Thanks for the rant; those are always fun to hear!

Yassen let out a sigh as the trio neared the house; of course Blunt and Jones would be there. Irene obviously caught the sigh, and gave him a puzzled look.

"Company."

"The stick in the mud and potato woman again?"

Alex chuckled weakly, "Would it be immoral to just let Irene deal with them?"

Yassen managed a weak smile, "All things considered probably."

"Damn," Irene muttered. "Do we have to be moral?"

"Yes." It sounded as if this was an old argument.

"But-"

"No buts Irene, and don't EVEN comment."

"But I though you liked my ass."

Yassen barely resisted the urge to either comment or slam his head into the nearest solid object.

Alex just sighed, "What ass? All that running means you don't have one."

"Exactly." Irene chirruped.

Knowing this was a bad idea, Yassen asked, "Did that actually make sense?"

Irene grinned, glad someone had taken the bait, "Yup, see, Alex prefers the toned ass to the actually there ass."

"I would love to know how you know that," Alex put in.

"Simple, but then I'd be giving away a bigger secret," Irene's grin could only be called maniacal.

"Would it be immoral to lock her up with Blunt and Jones?" Yassen asked, wondering where the girl got the energy.

"Definitely, although it'd be a big score for Scorpia."

"Oh good, let's do it."

Irene laughed, slinging one arm around Alex's shoulders and one around Yassen's waist. Alex tensed, expecting the assassin to object, but to everyone's surprise, including Yassen's, he just wrapped an arm around her waist in turn. Irene grinned.

"So, if I break one of them, it won't be a problem right?"

"Babe, if you have the balls to break the head of MI6 go right ahead."

Irene smirked, "Sweetheart, one thing I have never lacked is balls."

Alex smirked and raised an eyebrow, "Did you forget to tell me something?"

"Yes Alex my dear, I'm really a man, the boobs are fake."

Yassen laughed, "Really, care to prove it?"

Alex groaned, "Oh god, don't get her started."

"Oh Alex, you know you've wanted to touch."

"Jesus-"

"Nope sorry not him, his younger better looking twin sister, but I can take a message."

Yassen actually laughed. Irene shot Alex a wink. It suddenly dawned on Alex exactly what was happening; Irene, for some odd reason, was flirting with Yassen. The change from her normal behavior with him was subtle, with Alex and one of Alex's friends she approved of she generally included them as much as she did Alex, but with Yassen she was using Alex as a means to tease. Alex shot his oldest friend a look, Irene smiled at him. Alex mentally hit himself, that look was the one Irene got when she was planning either a really big prank, or some other meddlesome business.

"Anyway, off of your blasphemous language, I have seen you in a bikini I know those boobs are real."

Irene muttered, "You've also been there when the top of the bikini came off."

Alex and Irene both blushed remembering the incident. One of Irene's female friends swam over to help re-tie the damn thing, while Irene used her knees, hunching over in the middle of the raft.

Yassen found himself torn between smirking at the image, and being jealous, though he seemed to be jealous of both teens, so he went with smirking, and lightly tickling Irene's side. Said girl immediately screeched and hunched into Alex.

"That's right, you're ticklish!"

Alex and Yassen shared a grin before going after the younger girl. Irene let out a little giggle and ran a few steps ahead, up the stairs, and burst back into the house laughing.

Alan Blunt had seen and heard of a lot of things in his life. That very day he'd seen a fifteen year old stare down his deputy director. He'd also heard that the same girl, one SAS unit, one teenage spy, and the world's best assassin foil the plot of a biker gang and Scorpia. So surprising Mr. Blunt is pretty hard. He was as shocked as they come when Irene came bursting through the door laughing, closely followed by Alex Rider and Yassen Gregorovich, who appeared to be trying to tickle her.

Irene ran into the kitchen, skidded to a stop by sweeping around the table in a remarkably controlled movement, and raised one eyebrow at Blunt and Jones, "Why are you two back?" she panted.

Yassen and Alex careened into the kitchen saw the tableau, and Alex burst out laughing.

"Wasn't he the sane one?" Yassen asked Irene.

Irene nodded, "Alex baby, want to share the joke?"

"Veteran's day" The spy chocked out.

Irene stared at him for a minute, then burst out laughing. Yassen sighed, Blunt stared, and Mrs. Jones eyed Irene like a wild animal, which of course just sent the two teens into new peals of laughter.

"I'm going to go take a shower, try not to break them."

"Alex, we need to talk about what happened tonight." Mrs. Jones adopted a slight motherly tone; she did actually like Alex after all.

"Irene is perfectly capable of talking to you, and you aren't keeping any of her family hostage, so she shouldn't have a problem dealing with you without blackmail coming into play."

While everyone was gaping Alex disappeared up the stairs, leaving Yassen to fold his arms across his chest and lean back against the door jam.

Irene sighed and sat down across from the two MI6 agents. "What exactly do you need to know that you don't already?"

"Who ARE you?" Mrs. Jones asked.

"Irene."

"What is your last name, why do you have so many connections, and where did you spring from?"

"OH, I see," Irene laughed, "You guys really haven't figured it out yet?"

Alan Blunt glared across the table at Irene. They'd spent the better part of the evening trying to figure out just who this girl was, with little success.

"I'm the idiot page."

It took a moment for the reference to click into Blunt's mind, but when it did his mouth dropped open in shock. "You're Irene Brizendine?"

"That's what I said." Irene leaned back in her chair, eyeing the man across from her.

Yassen frowned, not getting the reference, and apparently Mrs. Jones didn't either.

"You're longtime friends with Alex?"

Irene nodded, "My dad knew Ian and John Rider, thus Alex and I grew up together, sort of. Ian always made sure the two of us hung out together, we've been friends ever since the first time I almost got us killed."

Alan Blunt sat back, "Irene Brizendine, the idiot page, better known for 'accidentally' creating a hostage situation in the white house, then negotiating the conclusion of the situation by masquerading as the Secretary of State who then nearly got herself shot stepping in front of a snipers bullet and is said to have one of the most precocious political minds this century, is friends with Alex Rider and just so happens to have been in the country staying with him during what amounts to a terrorist attack."

Mrs. Jones' mouth dropped open as the name and face fell into place. "You mean, that you, crazy girl, are the one that-" the woman trailed off as Irene smiled.

"Yes, I did all of that, and yes I happened to be in the country, good timing on my part, but unintentional I assure you. I'm here because Alex is my friend and I was worried about his sudden silence. Speaking of Mr. Blunt, allow me to be Blunt with you: stop blackmailing my friend. Spying is in his blood, and he's got the taste for it now, work with him to let him work with you, but don't you ever blackmail him into working for you again."

"Are you threatening me?"

Irene's smile was cold. "That was not a threat, but this is a promise, if you ever coerce Alex into working for you again I will make sure everyone that reads English knows about Britain's teenage spy, I'll make sure that U.S. Britain relations go down the drain, and then I'll set the Mongols loose on you."

Leaning against the door jam, Yassen watched the proceedings wide eyed, he hadn't heard of Irene by name, but the idiot page was fast becoming a legend. The change between the frivolous, joking crazy girl from just fifteen minutes before and the cold eyed politician now in front of him was stunning.

"Anything else?" When no one moved Irene nodded and stood, "then I think we're done here, show yourselves out."

As they walked out the door, Jones turned to her boss and said, "How badly did we just get screwed over?"

"She can make good on those promises."

"Pretty badly then."

Irene leaned against the counter a moment, sighing.

"What happened on Veteran's day to send you and Alex off?" Yassen asked, wondering if he could bring back the laughter.

"Oh just some prank I played back in middle school." Irene smiled at him, and he saw the lines already engraving themselves around her mouth and eyes. "I'm going to go see if Alex is done so I can shower after him, you gonna want one?"

"No."

"You staying?"

"I'm not sure."

Somewhere in his mind Yassen realized that between Alex and the girl in front of him he'd been more open today than he had been for a long time. Before it could get awkward, or either party could reflect on how intimate that conversation had sounded, Alex came back downstairs.

"They found out who you are didn't they?"

"Yup, to give credit, they didn't break automatically. OH and you and Jack should be safe, I told them to play nice."

Alex nodded, "Go shower, you take forever."

Irene disappeared upstairs, and Alex flopped down on the couch in the next room. "Sit down Yassen, or are you leaving?"

"Staying for a little while, wouldn't want you two to get into trouble."

Alex grinned, "What kind of trouble could we get into?"

Yassen raised an eyebrow, "A teenage spy and a teen politician who both have connections to biker gangs, not to mention the usual problems that arise when you leave a teenage boy and girl together alone."

Alex managed a weak grin, "There's nothing like that between us."

Yassen hmm'ed. "You told Scorpia that you couldn't kill."

Alex's eyes snapped to the assassin, "I can't."

"If it were for Irene, you'd kill in an instant."

Alex stopped and thought about that for a second. "You're right. I would kill for her. She'd do the same for me, only it means less to her. To Irene, killing is just a necessary part of life, she hasn't done it, yet, but no doubt she's aware and accepts that if she follows the path she's on she will end up with blood on her hands. She's fine with that."

"Then why do you trust her so much?"

"Because she's human, and she trusts me enough to show it. Because she's absolutely insane, but I know how much of it's an act and how much is real. Because I've read what she writes, and if anyone is ever going to understand it will be her and you."

Blue eyes met brown for a long moment. Yassen leaned over, and slowly brought his hand up, brushing it across Alex's cheek. Lids closed over brown eyes, before they opened again, revealing confusion and interest. Yassen's free hand clenched and his whole body tensed with the need to be away. "I'm going to go check-" he trailed off, just leaving.

Alex looked after him a moment, confused, then slipped back upstairs. He knocked on the shower door, receiving no answer he went in. The front half of the bathroom was deserted accept for clothes, and the door to the shower room was closed, water noise coming from behind it. Alex knocked on that door.

"Yeah?"

"Irene can I come in?"

Okay so walking in on your best female friend isn't normal, but who said Alex was normal?

"Yeah, light's off."

Alex walked into the darkened room, closing the door behind him. He could just make out the outline of Irene in the shower. "What's wrong?"

"Earlier, you made a comment about taping me and Yassen, you've been flirting with him all night, what's going on."

Irene sighed, "You've got a thing for him."

"I do not!"

"Yes you do. You eye his ass whenever no one is looking, you looked to him for approval of me, and to me for approval of him."

Alex slumped back against the wall. "Great."

Irene hmmed.

Alex closed his eyes for a while, just listening to Irene move around in the shower. It was peaceful and calming, the fact that his best friend he almost had a crush on was naked a few feet away didn't actually register.

They'd started doing this one time when it was Irene walking in on him. Since Irene had a habit of showering without lights on anyway, the awkwardness kind of faded over time.

"I'm getting out Alex."

"I'll be downstairs then."

Irene shook her head as Alex left; those two had it bad for each other. Something in the general vicinity of her heart constricted. It had been just her and Alex for forever, now, one way or another, she was going to have to share him.

The teen finished drying off, and put on her walk around night clothes. All she really wanted right now was her bed, while Alex, hopefully, did something with Yassen, she could video them some other time.

Yassen heard Alex walk in on Irene's shower. It was odd after he'd just insisted that nothing sexual was going on between them. Yassen glared up at the walls, jealous. The thing was he was jealous of Alex for walking in on Irene, and of Irene for making Alex wants to. That was confusing. Alex came back down stairs, but Yassen avoided him and went upstairs to the bedroom Irene was occupying.

Irene threw he clothes into the dirty laundry pile and pulled out her sleep pants. Her night shirt was over her head before she realized that Yassen was in the room.

"Yassen."

"Irene."

"Don't you have better things to do than spy on teenage girls?"

"That is a damn good question."

Irene looked over at the other man, still shirtless.

"Oh?"

"Indeed, see you would think, that being older than you, I would be able to deal rationally with… this."

Irene turned to face him, slowly. "Older doesn't always mean better, but I'll bite, what is this?"

"This is being jealous of you and Alex."

Irene blinked. Yassen was supposed to like Alex, so that he and Alex could get together. She was not to factor into it.

"You like Alex."

"Yes, I like Alex, I'm attracted to Alex, let's not play around."

"Okay, you are attracted to Alex, good for the two of you, he's attracted back."

"I want you to."

Irene swallowed, "I- what?"

Yassen sighed, "I want Alex, but I want you to."

Irene started to blink, "Okay-"

"Irene-" Alex walked in the door and stopped at the tableau.

"Well fuck," Irene breathed, and looked between the two men now in her room.

Alex was just taller than she was, gorgeous blonde locks she'd always loved to pet, brown eyes that always looked out for her. He was someone that had always been there, someone she'd always loved. She'd considered trying a relationship with him, but then Ian died, and well here they were.

Yassen, well, Yassen was beyond belief. He was dangerous, and Irene didn't even try to deny all things her mind had supplied her with. Images of things to do with him, to him.

She looked between the two of them and asked herself a question. Finding the answer she moved next to Alex, wrapping and arm around his shoulders.

"Alex, look at me."

Alex glanced over at Yassen quickly, then into those eyes that were always intense. "Yes?"

"Remember what I told you just now?"

"About Yassen?"

"Yeah, see lucky you he's attracted back, now you two can go off and shag like bunnies, except for one little thing."

"And what would that be?" Yassen asked.

"Me."

Alex turned puzzled eyes back to Irene, they'd wandered over to Yassen at some point.

"What do you mean?"

Irene shook her head, "Silly boy, this is what I mean." And then she kissed Alex. It was soft, just a meeting of lips, but in it Irene asked a question, and Alex answered.

"So that's it then? The two of you are now a thing?" Yassen asked, voice rawer than usual.

"Of course not." Irene drew a finger down Alex's cheek, "I like him, you're attracted to him, we can share, I share well."

"I thought you didn't play well with others."

"I play very well with others when it involves two people I want to have sex with."

Alex choked, "So what are you proposing Irene?"

"The three of us, a relationship, give it a shot."

Yassen looked between the two teens. He'd seem their history, seen how they'd worked together, did he want to get in the middle of that? Then he remembered seeing Alex on the job, he remembered the way Irene manipulated Blunt and Jones into the corner, and he gave his answer.

Alex's breath hitched as Yassen crossed to the two teens and picked Irene up, pinned her against the wall and kissed her.

Irene's breath caught in her throat and heat shot through her as Yassen picked her up off the ground and slammed her against the wall. He wasn't gentle with his lips, and Irene met him halfway. Yassen had been worried that he'd been too rough, but the response made him file away the thought that Irene liked it rough.

Alex was half hard just watching his best friend and once enemy snog each other senseless. The two broke the kiss, and Irene grabbed him. Yassen's lips found his as Irene watched smirking. An unspoken agreement passed between the two males, and Alex maneuvered himself to be behind Irene as Yassen kissed her again.

Alex moved aside her still wet hair and kissed her neck, sliding his tongue over the smooth skin before lightly scraping his teeth over it. Yassen felt Irene jerk in his arms. Alex grinned, and bit down harder. Irene moaned, one hand winding its way into his hair, the other pulling Yassen closer.

The three moved over towards the bed, where Yassen moved to the other side of Irene's neck, nibbling on the skin there. Irene's eyes fell to half lidded as she twisted to kiss Alex. Yassen upped the ante by brushing a hand over her stomach, where before she'd been ticklish. A shiver went up Irene's spine, and her eyes met his. Grinning into the kiss, she slid one hand down Yassen's chest and to the hardness in his pants.

Alex broke away, watching as Yassen hissed, grabbing Irene's wrist and guiding her heavier against himself. He smiled and kissed a trail down the girl's neck to her shoulder, nipping here and there, making Irene falter a moment, before carefully unhooking her bra.

Blushing, Irene let it slide off her arms to be thrown elsewhere. At some point Alex had lost his shirt, probably Irene's fault. Yassen eyed the picture those two made, shirtless, leaned back against each other.

Irene moved to cross her arms over her breast, but Yassen caught her arms. "Don't hide." He breathed. Alone among the group Irene's skin was unscarred, and Yassen couldn't reconcile the brazen girl he'd met to the blushing teen on the bed.

Alex kissed Irene's shoulder, "You're beautiful, and don't argue."

Irene opened her mouth, whether to argue or not remains unknown, because just then Yassen's mouth closed over her nipple, and whatever she was going to say was but off by a gasp.

Alex shuddered, palming his own erection, only to have his hand shoved away by both of Irene's as she rid him of his jeans.

It was awkward at parts, with two virgins, but when Alex slid into Irene, Yassen was behind her, sucking at her neck as she stifled the cry of pain into Alex's neck. When Yassen moved behind Alex, Irene drew his fingers to her mouth, sucking on them. Alex stilled as the first finger entered him.

"Relax Alex." Irene murmured, running her hands through his hair. Irene sucked Yassen off for a moment to lubricate his cock, and when the rhythm was set, Yassen and Irene both lavished attention onto Alex's neck.

When it was over, the three collapsed onto the bed, Irene in the middle. Alex smiled when she managed to snuggle closer to both of them at the same time.

Before he fell asleep, Yassen mused on the day. He'd come expecting a battle and had ended up with this, whatever this was. And he thought it was a bad day.

The next morning Irene woke to soreness and two hard on's pressed against her. Smirking she rolled over to the wall side pushing Alex into Yassen. The two men moaned and Irene sat back to watch.

Alex woke slowly, warmed by the arm around his waist. Wait, since when did he have another person in bed with him when he slept? If Irene had crawled into bed with him again he was going to kill her. Then he remembered yesterday, specifically the night.

Yassen smiled, amused as Alex woke, watching the expressions on the teen's face. First there was annoyance, then shock, then a beautiful blush. Yassen leaned down to breathe in the boy's ear, "Alex."

Alex shuddered, blinking awake to see blue eyes inches from his own. His breathing caught in his throat. "Yassen."

And then they were kissing, tongues leisurely exploring each other's mouths. Yassen's calloused hands drew a path down Alex's side. When Yassen's hand closed over his erection, Alex remembered the other person in the bed. Irene lay back against the wall, when Alex's eye turned to her with a question, she just smiled and shook her head, this time she just wanted to watch.

Alex gave her a grateful smile, then broke the kiss with Yassen, brushing his lips down the older man's neck. Yassen arched his neck, sliding his hand faster down Alex's stiff cock. Alex murmured a protest when a finger intruded into him, but a twist of Yassen's wrist convinced him that he really didn't mind. Yassen grinned as Alex arched his back, throwing his head back, a light blush staining the boy's face. Their lips crashed together again as Yassen lifted Alex onto his cock.

Alex shuddered, he'd been thinking about other things (Irene) last night, but the feeling of being filled by Yassen so totally sent shivers down his spine and waves of heat everywhere the Russian was touching him.

Irene watched the two with a fond grin, no outward sign telling exactly who erotic she found the show. Alex rode Yassen with lithe undulations that were entirely to seductive, and Yassen's muscles were taunt as he jerked his hips up to meet Alex's. They both grunted as they came, collapsing back onto the bed, which was by now thoroughly soiled.

Alex stretched, feeling the sticky liquid seeping down the backs of his thighs, "We need showers."

Irene laughed, "Romantic Alex, really now."

"Hush you." Alex stood, "I'm going to go start the shower."

Yassen's and Irene's eyes followed him out, then the assassin turned to her, "That was generous of you."

Irene shrugged, moving to climb over the man, but Yassen wrapped an arm around her waist, flipping her onto her back on the bed.

"Yassen?"

"Hush."

Yassen bent his head to kiss her softly, before moving down the column of her throat, tongue and teeth marking it. He continued down, stopping briefly on her breasts, making her arch, moving down her abs, lightly toned, the sprinkling of hair. Irene looks at him wide eyed as his fingers slip between her legs.

Yassen noticed last night how Irene tries to be quiet, now she's biting her lips. His eyes flash when a tooth breaks the skin and a drop of blood wells to the surface. Suddenly he's kissing her, fingers inside her and Irene moans into his mouth. Yassen licks away the blood, then moves back down, replacing his fingers with his mouth.

Irene arches off of the bed, hand trying to find a grip in Yassen's short hair. Just fuck he's talented with his tongue.

Alex walked back into the bedroom to round up the other two, not expecting to come in to see Irene on the bed, arched every muscle humming with tension, and Yassen with his head between her legs. He knows his face is on fire, but a smile also pulls at his lips. Irene needs human touch, but doesn't trust easily, so for most of her life, only Alex was close enough to touch.

Irene becomes impossibly tense, Alex wonders when she got flexible enough to make that angle, then collapses back down. Languidly her head turns towards him.

Alex coughs and shuffles his feet, still blushing. Irene laughs tiredly, sitting up, "Are you really still blushing precious?"

Yassen shakes his head, standing up behind Irene and gather his clothes from the floor. The two teenagers continued talking, about god knew what, as Irene gathered her own clothes.

"I just realized we didn't use condoms."

Irene stared at Alex with what looked like horror on her face, Yassen looked between the two, Alex looked like a guilty puppy. Then Irene seemed to think of something and shrugged, "Its fine Yassen can go buy Plan B."

Yassen groaned, "Why me?"

"You're the only over age person here."

"Great now we can add statutory rape to his other crimes," Alex said glumly, looking to Irene, 'Unless you have some wonderful technicality he can get out on?"

Irene shook her head, "Nope, anyway you look at it it's statutory, unless he's suddenly 17, which I somehow doubt."

Yassen shook his head, sure they were minors, and sure it was against the law, but laws had never stopped any of them, though Irene was on the fast track to make some, the two were worth it.

"Why do you two shower with the lights off?" he asked.

Alex shrugged and looked to Irene, "Its calming, I spend all day dealing with people, in the light having to look at things and think about them and the darkness is nice, then I don't have to look at myself, I can just have my thoughts."

"We need to get you over that, you are beautiful."

"Whatever you say precious."

Sometime between Alex learning to give a blow job and Irene displaying more flexibility than anyone knew she possessed, two pairs of blue eyes met. Irene loved Alex, Yassen loved Alex, but Irene and Yassen didn't love each other. For those two it was still about the sex. For Alex they'd learn to love.

"What happens now?"

Irene and Alex were stripping the bed and Yassen was just back from buying the impromptu birth control.

"Well, I guess me and Alex keep on as we have been, long distance and all that, you and Alex will probably see each other often, though that depends what you do about your job." Irene shrugged, dismissing the problem.

"Wait, what about you and Yassen?" Alex asked, frowning.

Irene shrugged, 'I'm tied down, and we'd have to sneak around rather a lot, being seen with a contract killer could ruin me."

Yassen put his arms around her waist from behind, "We'll figure it out, I'll do something about Scorpia, but do try not to get yourself a target?"

"Any more than I already am?"

She had a point, the idiot page was well known, and it wouldn't take long for Scorpia to realize the implications for the idiot page and the teen spy to be in a relationship of any kind.

Irene tilted her head back to look Yassen in the eye. It wouldn't be easy to learn to love him, but he could give her something she needed, she could give him something as well.

With Yassen and Irene it would always be rough, they were two dominate personalities, always competing, but they both loved Alex, and there was no competition in that.

21 years later:

Irene looked in the mirror, hiding her nerves behind smooth blue eyes. She tugged her suit one last time to see that it set straight and stepped outside. The roar from the crowd was deafening, and Irene smiled, waving.

From the crowd of men in black suits Alex Rider watched as the first female president was sworn in. Irene looked beautiful and in control, her eyes found his and she gave him a quick smile. Alex would let no one else guard her, not today. Scorpia wouldn't move today, they had learned to coexist with Irene, but it never paid to be careful.

The Mongols and Hells Angels were out in force, everyone knew that the new president had connections with the gangs.

From a quiet doorway in the crowd, Yassen Gregorovich, now the world's leading expert on Scorpia and free-lance consultant smiled to himself.

That night, the first in the white house, two guards were posted outside President Brizendine's door. Two men came down the hallway, the guards nodded to them. The two men knocked on the door in a pattern, then entered. The guards recognized the two, they were discreet men, not given to talking to the press, if they were they would have been able to satisfy all the rumors about who the new president was sleeping with.

That night it was a celebration of Irene, but also of what the three had built together. Alex now headed MI6 and worked for the CIA and Secret service whenever Irene asked, Yassen was free of Scorpia, able to take what jobs he wanted, on whichever side of the law he chose.

There had been times when it was Alex who was celebrated, worshipped by the other two, and often the two youngest members had thanked Yassen, but always they'd held off appreciating Irene until today, today Irene marked the height of her political career, and today she marked the beginning of a new hope.