A/N: Here's a fic I wrote awhile ago and recently found. It's a scene from Behemoth where Deryn almost tells Alek her secret, rewritten so that she actually does. Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Basic Summary: During Behemoth, Deryn tells Alek she's a girl in his hotel room while they're getting his scroll.

Dylan stopped pacing in the middle of the room, his fist clenched, as if struggling with some secret of his own.

"Thank you for trusting me, Alek." The boy looked at the floor. "I haven't always trusted you. Not with everything."

Alek pulled himself up from the chair and walked closer, resting his hands on the boy's shoulders. "You know you can, Dylan."

"Aye, I suppose. And there's something I should tell you. But you have to swear not to tell anyone else- not Lilit, not the Committee. No one."

"I'll always keep your secrets, Dylan."

The boy nodded slowly. "This one's a bit trickier than most."

He fell silent again, the pause stretching out.

"It's about your mission here, isn't it?"

Dylan let out a slow sigh, a sound of relief and exhaustion. "Aye, I suppose it is." He paused, then sighed again. "Actually, no. It's not. It's about something else."

Alek frowned. "What, then?"

"Do you remember when I told you about my da's death?" Dylan began.

The extremeness of the topic change startled Alek and he sat in his chair again before replying, "Yes, of course."

"Well... I became a midshipman because of him," Dylan said.

"Yes, I supposed that." Alek was still confused.

"But technically... it's illegal. For me to be a middy."

Alek was now very confused. "Why? Because you're only fifteen?"

Dylan snorted. "Oh no, boys break that rule all the time." His face fell, no longer laughing. "It's because... I'm not a boy."

Alek blinked. Twice. Then a third time. "I'm sorry, Dylan," he then said. "I think I must have heard you wrong. It sounded like you said that you're not a boy."

Dylan nodded. "I did." Suddenly his voice became higher and sweeter, more feminine. "I'm a girl."

Alek stared at him- no, her- for a moment. Then he leaned back in his chair, studying her.

"I'm really sorry, Alek," she said, her girl voice more pronounced now. "I didn't want to lie to you, but-"

"No, no, I understand," Alek interrupted. "You had to fly to honor your father; and if this was the only way to do it, then this was the only way to do it." He leaned forward, one hand on his chin. "But what I don't get is how I never figured this out."

"Well, no one did," Dylan awkwardly pointed out.

"Yes, but I'm your best friend," Alek returned. "How could I never figure out that my best friend was a girl? How could I never figure out that my only friend was a girl?! I mean what is wrong with me? I'm such a dummkopf!"

"Don't hate yourself, Alek," Dylan pleaded. "I lied to everyone about it, not just you!"

"Oh, I know," Alek assured her. "And actually, now that I think about it, there were a couple times when I thought you looked like a girl."

Dylan rolled her eyes. "Oh, get stuffed."

"Okay, you're right, that was a lie," Alek admitted. "And, by the way, I still won't tell anyone, of course. I promise. Although... you might want to tell Lilit because of the whole 'liking you' thing."

"Aye, you see why I wasn't happy about it," Dylan groaned.

Alek laughed; then said, "Anyway, we should get going. Lilit's waiting."

"Right," Dylan agreed.

Alek stood, his scroll case in hand, and followed Dylan to the balcony.

"Oh, and uh... one more thing, Dylan."

The girl turned to him. "Aye? And, it's, uh... Deryn, actually."

Alek grinned. "Deryn." Very pretty... "Anyway, we're still friends, right?"

Deryn looked surprised by the question. "Aye, of course! Alek, just because I'm... you know, doesn't mean anything changed!"

"Good," Alek said. "I was just making sure."

Deryn smiled and held out her hand. "Friends."

Alek shook it, smiling too. "Friends," he agreed.

"Forever."

Lilit opened her door wearing a frown.

"Took you two long enough. I thought you'd gotten yourselves into trouble."

Alek turned and grinned at Deryn. "We were having a bit of a... discussion."

A/N: Please review!