This is set after Scorpia Rising, just to warn those out there who are afraid of spoilers.

A/N: This fanfic will be updated whether you like it or not, but reviews increase speed. :P

Disclaimer: I do not own Alex Rider, and if I did, this wouldn't be a fanfic.

What did you think of my last chapter guys? Liked it? Hated it?

Sorry for the long time I took to post this. My computer got screwed so my mode of internet access became my ipad and you all know that I can't post from that.

Here's chapter 3 where the Pleasures' succeed in making our favorite spy normal again.

Chapter 3

Three months… Alex had survived three months with the Pleasures' without a single crazy incident. Quite a good record for him, actually.

After the plane ride, which Alex spent most of in silence, and Edward watching several reviews of famous movies, personalities, books, they had landed at San Francisco, and taken a black car to the Pleasure' residence.

Sabina and Lizzy, Sabina's mom were waiting their. Sabina had rushed and hugged Alex, and Alex hugged back. He missed her.

They had briefly started a relationship, which didn't work out so well, in the end, they both realized they were better at being best friends' than anything else.

But Sabina sensed there was something different about Alex, he hardly ever spoke, and when he did his eyes looked as if they were seeing things that were far away.

And when he was sleeping, he would begin screaming and crying – nightmares from re-visiting the day Jack had died.

Alex was broken.

But he was fixing.

The nightmares soon stopped, along with the screaming and crying.

But he still seemed weak, and Alex would hardly talk. When anyone asked him anything, he would reply with short monosyllabic answers.

Something had changed.

Sabina had tried everything she could, but nothing could shake Alex out of his reverie.

And the Pleasures' began despairing of Alex ever becoming better.

Alex was climbing the main staircase of the Pleasure' residence, when he heard sobbing from Sabinas' room.

He entered quietly.

'What's the matter?' he asked.

'When I heard you were coming over, not for a visit, to actually live here, I was full of freakin' excitement, but now that you're here, it's like you aren't even'

'What do you mean, Sab?'

'You could be anybody, ANYBODY, and there wouldn't have been a difference.' She looked at him. 'I don't even know you anymore.'

'So what do you want me to – '

'I want the old Alex back.' 'The one I used to hang out with.'

'Mum and Dad are so worried. They think you'll never get better.'

'I'm sorry, Sab' Alex said.

'Please, please, please come down to dinner for once, it'll make dad and mum happy'

'I'll try.'

She hugged him. 'Thanks.'

A few hours later Alex climbed down from the staircase outside his room, and slowly entered the living room.

They were laughing at some joke when they suddenly started staring.

'Alex – You, You've come downstairs for d-d-dinner?' Lizzy asked.

'Umm… Yes.'

'That's great, Alex' she said. 'Come over and get yourself something. Why don't we start with mushroom soup? Or tomato, what do you think, Alex?'

'Umm… Anything's great'

'Oh, you have to have favorites, Alex' she complained. It was more of a joke, though.

'Mushroom, thanks.'

'Kay, mushroom, and for the main course, authentic Chinese noodles.'

'Top Ramen is generally not considered authentic Chinese.' Edward laughed.

Alex liked how they all ways spent mealtimes together, and rarely got cross or argued.

He thought again, that if he had parents he would like them to be like Sabs'.

'After dinner, I was planning on teaching Sab Hold 'em Poker' Edward said.

'Texas or Omaha?' Alex asked.

'Texas No Limits.' Edward said. 'Care to watch?'

'Sure'.

'This'll be fun, watching Sab actually play a game that doesn't revolve on you running away from zombie monkeys' Lizzy said while Alex laughed.

'Alex when the school year starts, you're going to join Sabs' school' Edward told him.

'I'm going to be truthful here Alex, your grades are quite high, and Brookland seems to be quite advanced, compared to the syllabi here, so they've agreed to move you a year up. You'll be in Sabs' class now. The main reason I've allowed this, is so that Sab can keep an eye on you. Any objections?'

'Other than the fact nearly everyone will be older than me, yes.'

'Good.'

They finished the rest of dinner in silence and they gathered around a large table covered with a green cloth.

'This is quite a fun game, Sab, the most famous type of Poker.' Edward said.

'I thought only cowboys in old west movies play poker' Sabina said as Alex and Lizzy giggled.

'I'd prefer if you don't insult my favorite card game, Sab.' Edward tried to say seriously, but failed and began laughing 'It has a slightly higher maturity level than Temple Run, Sab.'

Sabina flushed. 'With the low maturity level comes high fun levels, higher than Poker at any rate.'

'What do you chose, Alex?' Lizzy asked.

'Poker.' Alex smiled.

'Fine,' Sabina said. 'But I still maintain that only cowboys play this.'

'Ok, let's begin.'

'Each person is given two cards which are called the hole cards.' Edward began. 'These cards are the ones' that set you apart from other players.' 'If they're good you bet, if not you fold.'

'There are five community cards, care to explain them Alex?'

'All right. Before the middle three cards are revealed incidentally, when they're revealed its called to flop-'

'This game sure is gonna be a flop.' Sabina muttered.

'So before that we bet on the strength of our hands, starting with the dealer who places any amount he wants, followed by the ante - compulsory bets, which the person next to him – the small blind and the person next to the small blind – the big blind must pay.'

'The small blind pays ½ the amount the dealer puts in and the big blind puts equal to the dealer.'

'These people next to the dealer are always to the dealers' left, remember Sab.' Edward warned. 'I just had a premonition of you sitting on the dealers' right and paying the small blind.' Edward began chortling.

'As usual, you and Alex are the only people who understand these cowboy games.'

Alex smiled.

'I'll continue' Alex said. 'After the Ante the person to the left of the big blind puts any amount he wants, even lower than that of the big blind, even lesser than the small blind, and from then on, there are four things you can do-'

'Check, Fold, Raise, Call' Edward interrupted.

'Check is when you like, ask them to skip you, well not ask, they have to accept, you do that when you're not sure if your cards are good.' Alex explained.

'Fold is when you're absolutely sure your cards are crap.'

'Raise is when you know your cards are good, and you're increasing the money you put in, so that other people will put equal amounts in or fold.'

'Call means you put the same amount in as the guy to your left.'

'Let's play a small round' Edward suggested.'20 chips each, each is worth a dollar. So the winner goes to sleep with $80.'

'Fork up everyone.' Lizzy said.

Alex dug out a worn 20 dollar note from his back pocket, and exchanged it for 20 $1 chips.

'We're playing with a collective Ante, where everyone will have to fork a dollar as Ante, but the small blind has to pay nil, and the big blind equal to the dealer.'

'I'll deal first' Alex said.

'Be my guest.' Edward replied.

Alex shuffled the deck, and then passed two cards to everyone, he made sure to notice everyone's faces, but Edward kept his face completely blank, Lizzys' face was too blank, she was probably bluffing, and Sabs' face couldn't conceal emotion. She had gotten good cards.

Alex looked at his cards. K diamonds, A diamonds.

Alex placed his bet $2.

Lizzy was to his left, according to their unofficial ante rule; she didn't have to pay anything.

Edward paid $2.

Sabina placed $10.

Half of her money.

Alex surveyed her.

Alex checked.

Lizzy folded.

Edward called Sabinas' bet.

She paid $10 in again. All-in before the flop!

The flop.

Q Diamonds J Diamonds, 10 Hearts

'Oh shit.' Sabina swore.

Alex placed $5 in.

Edward looked at Alex.

'Call.'

Sabina had placed all in, now all she could was 'Check.'

'Call.'

'Check.'

'Reveal: Turn'

The fourth card is called the Turn.

9 Diamonds

'Check.'

'Check.'

'Check.'

'Reveal: River' Lizzy provided Dealer voice effects. It was funny hearing her try to match the dark, serious voice dealers have in the movies.

10 Diamonds

'All-in' Alex said.

'All-in' Edward said.

'Check.' Sabina said.

'Alex, you first, reveal your cards'

Alex tossed his Ace of Diamonds, and King of Diamonds on the table, and smiled.

Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10.

Royal Flush. The only thing that beat it was Royalty, also called court, where all your cards are Aces or Royal cards like Kings, Queens, Jacks.

Edward revealed his 9 Hearts, and 8 Clovers.

He had a Straight Flush. Good, but not better than a Royal Flush.

Sabina had an Ace of Hearts, and 8 of diamonds.

Alex had won $60.

'I donate my money to Sab,' Lizzy said. 'Heaven knows she'll lose more soon with you both out there.' She nodded at Alex and Edward.

'Your uncle taught you well, Alex' Edward said.

'Thanks.'

'We're going to watch Revenge of the Sith, Alex, you interested?'

'No, thank you' Alex said. 'I'm sleepy; I think I'll go to sleep,'

'Okay,'

'Night, dad.'

Alex climbed back up to bed.

Edward smiled. He had taught Sab something and Alex was going back to his original self. He was going to enjoy this movie.

'Today's are first day of school, Alex' Sabina shouted, waking Alex up.

'What?'

'Today's gonna be great fun.'

'You're gonna meet Jennifer, Isabella, George, James and Mark, today!' she was bouncing with excitement 'Please, Don't scare them.'

'That's not my job, your hyperactivity is probably gonna give them a heart attack.'

Sabina smiled.

Alex managed to survive Sabs' hyperactivity long enough to get to school.

'We have all our classes together Alex, Dads' idea again.'

'Okay.'

Alex was nervous because he hadn't been to a new school in ages.

And when he went to the ones in Point Blanc, and Cairo he knew the MI6 could easily pull him out if he asked.

Suddenly, a girl came rushing and hugged Sabina, and then gave Alex a kiss on the cheek.

Alex blushed.

'Hi, you must be Alex.'

'Sabs' talked about me, I guess.' Alex said.

'Oh yes, a lot.'

'It's been ages since I last saw you' Sabina told her.

'I know, I know.' She said.

'All right, I need to find the other. Ciao' she rushed breakneck speed towards the front gate of the school, crashing into no less than three people on the way.

'Is she always so hyperactive' Alex asked.

'Generally more.' Sabina replied.

'You pale in comparison.'

'Thank you.'

'Wait, she didn't say her name.'

Sabina laughed.

'When she first joined school, we spent almost a month not knowing her name, because she keeps on forgetting to tell anyone.'

'Jennifer.'

Alex saw a group of three boys and a girl. 'And, who are they?'

'Ah, I was looking for them' she rushed towards them.

Alex walked slowly but reached hardly a few seconds after Sabina.

'Hey Sab' Mark said.

'Hey Mark' she surveyed them. 'Hiding from Jennifer?'

'She's had two bottles of pepsi.'

'Two?' Sabina said in surprise. 'Oh shit.'

'Pepsi' Alex asked.

'She goes crazy whenever she drinks sugar.' Mark told him.

'She might offer to buy pepsi from you, and we're laying a rule now, that YOU WILL NOT sell any to her, no matter the prices she offers.' George said.

'We'll admit it the prices are tempting though. $50 for Pepsi, c'mon.' Mark complained.

'So you're Alex, right? James asked.

'Yes.'

'Alex Pleasure.'

'Alex Rider.'

'Welcome to Ridgeview.'

'Thank You.'

'Hi Alex, I'm Isabella.'

'Hi.'

'You're British, right?'

'Yes, why?'

'Just a question, Sab said she met you in Wimbledon, so I'm'

'Checking the accuracy?' Alex suggested.

'Bingo.'

Jennifer had come rushing, while they were talking. 'Ah, there you are, I've been looking everywhere.'

'Technically not everywhere, seeing as you didn't finds us here' Alex said.

Everyone laughed.

'What do we have today?' Alex asked.

1st hour: Chemistry

2nd hour: History

3rd hour: Physics

4th hour: Math

Lunch

5th hour: Computers

6th hour: English

7th hour: P.E.

'Oh, wait, Alex hasn't filled in his form.' Jennifer said.

'Oh right.' Sabina said. 'I can't believe I forgot.'

'I'll go get it.' Jennifer said and she rushed breakneck speed down the corridor, crashing into four people this time.

She came back within a minute.

'Woah, it's hardly been a minute' George said.

'I'm fast.' She replied.

'Ok, Alex, an afterschool sport.'

'Football.'

'Wait do you mean, like you know regular football, or soccer?'

'Sorry, soccer.' Alex said.

'Soccer.'

'Club?'

'Politics' Alex said.

'Age 16'

'No, 15' Alex said.

He looked at Alex.

'K, 15.' He said.

'Height?'

'5' 11" '

'K, I'll fill the rest myself, and hand it in for you.'

'Thanks.' Alex said.

Other than James who was quiet, the rest were really helpful and kind.

Alex enjoyed hanging out with them.

Alex quickly settled into school.

He made it into the school Soccer Team. He received commendations for his laid back policies in model U.N., and he easily completed the courses in P.E.

He remembered the first P.E. lesson he had.

'All right, boys.' Their coach said. 'This obstacle course, I designed it myself. The school says I can pass ya only if by the end of the year you do it in 3 and a half minutes, so lets' see who'll go first. Ah, the new kid, it'll be fun to watch him try out our school P.E. drills.'

Alex looked at him.

'What kid, this aint London anymore.'

Alex walked slowly and deliberately to the ladder which began the course.

It began with climbing up a ladder, than rushing between three tyres suspended by ropes, which try to knock you down. Then you climb up a slide, a staircase, without individual stairs, technically, a slide.

On top of that were two metal bars, covered in old clothes, to weaken the impact, which slowly move together, and then apart. After that another staircase, where you have to jump over a pit. Then carry a cloth bag filled with flour, while being shot at by nerf guns until you reach the finish line.

Alex had devised the shortest possible route; it would probably take a minute.

The P.E. teacher saw this as an opportunity to brag to his students. He pushed Alex out of the way, Alex rolled a little out of the way, so he didn't break his hand.

He then attempted to complete the course, in 3.24.

To have done that without training was tough.

'I went to the military, lad.' He said. 'We did this night and day.'

With military training 3.24 was kind of pathetic.

Alex signaled to him to start the clock, and he did.

Alex climbed up the staircase. He dodged the first two tires, and after the second completed a revolution he climbed on top of it, and jumped and reached the third. He then got onto the second floor, without going on the slide, which would have wasted time.

Alex then ran, timing his run to uses the bars to hoist himself above than in a giant leap, Alex then landed in the middle of the second slide, he used the previous force that affected him, to quickly climb the slide. He grabbed the bag of flour, which was heavy, but still carryable, and he dodged all the bullets, easily. He then reached the finish line, crossed it and dropped the bag.

'1.34 seconds.' He said in shock.

Everyone was staring at Alex. More from admiration of his speed and maneuverability, than anger at his unorthodox method of climbing.

'How? H-h-h?' the teacher asked him.

'Simply, cause we aren't in London anymore.'

Alex had become the talk of the school.

Alex sat with Sabina and her friends at lunch.

None of them showed any open hostility towards him, save James.

Alex found that Jennifer had normal motor abilities, when she wasn't under influence of sugar.

She was normal.

Alex had almost completely healed. It had taken two months of school, to come this far, but it worked.

Alex seemed normal, happy.

But one thing still worried Edward. Alex never brought any friends over.

Edward asked Sabina about it and she said she would ask him, but when she did she was met with a simple 'No.'

Finally Lizzy decided to take matters into her own hands.

She barged into Alexs' room and point blank told him to invite friends over.

Alex tried to refuse but failed.

'Honey, Edwards' going nuts. Anyway who are your friends?' she asked.

'Sabs' friends.' Alex said.

'Isabella, Mark, George, James, Jennifer?' she asked.

'Yes.'

'K, I'm calling them for a night over.'

'Mom.' Alex said exasperated.

'Don't worry, Alex. We've had them over before.'

She left his room, and came back in half an hour.

'They'll be here tomorrow at 9 in the morn.' She told him.

'All right.'

'I hope you're not angry with me, Alex?' she asked.

'No, Mom.' Alex replied.

Guests over. Oh shit, guests' are coming over, Alex thought.

For some reason Alex didn't think it would be a good idea to bring his friends over, but now his will had been taken from him. He had to play the gracious host, whether he wanted to or not.

Lizzy stormed into Edwards' office, where Edward and Sabina were playing chess.

'I got Alex to call some friends over.' She announced pleased with herself.

'No way.' Edward said.

'Way.' She replied.

Edward looked up and he smiled.

This was a kind of filler chapter. An extremely long one.

Next chapter – the sleepover Alex has been avoiding for over two months.

What will happen? Stay tuned.

Liked it? Hated it?

Feel free to comment in a review. I'm open ears.

By the way, I recommend Linkin Parks' new album Living Things.

We in India have gotten it before those of you in the U.S. so - ha.

I'm going to somehow incorporate the album as part of this. Chapter names or something.

Just an afterthought.