A Childhood in Need
by Kiamii
"Comfort"
Alex has a nightmare in the middle of the night, while all are asleep (requested by myself!!)
"Come now, Rider. Surely you can keep up." Sneered Doctor Circe. Alex stood before him, shivering in fear. Yes, fear. He actually was afraid. Afraid for himself. No others to worry about, Jack was dead. No others to save, he was useless and kidnapped. The victim. Already days had passed. He'd never be able to escape, not with this child body.
"No!" Alex Rider whispered into the dark, a near shout. He blinked at the darkness around him and slowly sat up. He looked around his bedroom, it had been a nightmare. Just a nightmare. Well, it was actually a memory. Alex shuddered and crawled to the end of his bed. He scooted off it, ignoring the step stool on the other side, and walked over to his mirror. He placed a small hand of his own and pressed against the cold glass. The reflection copied him. Alex rubbed his eye with his free hand and he felt tears ready to leak from his eyes. He was just a kid! He had failed Jack! He had let Circe torture him. He had let himself get kidnapped twice now. He was worthless, stupid. He didn't deserve Ben as his adopted father. He didn't deserve being taken care of. Alex's lower lip trembled. He hated it, he cried so easily now. It had been months since he had been put under the care ship of K-Unit; Eagle, Fox, Wolf, and Snake. Each of them were different.
Alex looked around his room and spotted his teddy bear lying innocently on the floor. Probably from when Alex had tossed and turned in his fitful sleep. Alex frowned, feeling how sweaty he was. He was soaked. It was almost as if someone had dumped him in a pool, how wet he was. Ugh, he didn't like being sweaty. Knowing he couldn't go back to sleep now, Alex found his bed moist from the sweat and grabbed a hoodie, green shirt, and blue shorts. He peeked through the door to see the long dark hallway. He had always hated that when he was younger. He hated it even as a fourteen-year-old, seeing the cold and blackened hallway at night. Alex slowly made his way down the hallway. He heard the snores of Eagle from his room, the murmurs of sleep talk from Wolf, and the tosses from Snake. Ben? He was always so quiet when he slept. That he remembered from Brecon Beacons when he couldn't sleep. He had studied their habits of how they slept. Ben moved very silently when he was asleep.
Entering the bathroom, he put his dry and fresh clothes on the counter (standing on his toes) before he turned on the taps. He plugged the drain and waited for it to fill up. He shed himself of his clothes and climbed into the tub. The minute he was in the water, he felt slightly better. He leaned against the wall of the bathtub, thinking. This was something he had always done when he was growing up, when Ian wasn't here. Jack never heard his nightmares much, and he had already had this habit before her. Snake and Ben had been tucking him in every night and this had been the first nightmare that had started in the middle of the night, in awhile. He hadn't realized how much his guardians had done for him until now. Sure, they embarrassed him as much as they could but... they had given up their other homes to live here. They took care of him, really. Ben (with his overprotective habits of a father) said bits and pieces of random things, such as brushing his teeth and things. Alex chuckled to himself quietly before he nuzzled himself deeper under the water. It was very comforting.
"Alex?" a voice came from behind the door, it was his adopted father. Alex looked up, startled, before saying a very quiet 'enter' and Ben Daniels turned the knob, revealing his presence to the child. Alex rested his crossed arms on the edge and looked at Ben.
"Why on earth are you taking a bath this late at night?" Ben asked, amused. Alex looked downward, feeling embarrassed. He didn't move or say anything as Ben knelt down in front of him and tilted his head up to look at him. His eyes stung for a moment and he was about to let it pass before Ben gave him the look.
The look that, no matter how hard he tried, Alex always ended up in tears because of it. The look was filled with love and concern and it was something Alex couldn't fathom why he cried when Ben did that. Ben let Alex silently tear up before he took hold of a towel and gently wiped his eyes until they dried again.
"I had another nightmare, in the middle of the night." Alex told him quietly. Ben chewed his bottom lip before he ruffled Alex's soaked hair and raised an eyebrow.
"That still doesn't explain why you are taking a bath." Ben said softly. Alex looked away from him for a minute or two before looking back.
"I was really sweaty," Alex told him as he removed his arms from the edge and let them stay at his side. Ben nodded and sat down on the ground, leaning against the wall.
"You know, I was married... when I was about 23." Ben said in a sort of dazed moment. Alex looked at him.
"You were?" Alex asked, astonished. Ben nodded, a small sad smile on his face.
"Her name was Samantha Greggers. She was beautiful and so kind. We got married privately."
"What happened to her?" Alex couldn't help but ask. Ben continued though, noticing how much it was distracting Alex from his own terrors. That was good.
"She got hit with cancer. She died a month after we were husband and w-wife." Ben told his adopted son quietly. Alex winced. He had heard about how bad cancer could be, growing up. Ben began to talk again. He started telling Alex about his life. K-Unit's lives were pretty tight-lipped. Except for Eric's now because of the Apple Picking day. Ben Daniels was born and raised in Liverpool, United Kingdom which explained the Liverpudlian accent. He was the only child to Briana and Johnathon Daniels who died in a drive by shooting when he was 18. Ben lived by himself, using his parent's money to help. He joined the army that same year. He had done it because he vowed to keep his country safe. Thus he was soon apart of the Secret Air Service. He never went to college and had always been training himself and working. He had met Samantha when he was 20 and fell for her at a tour of a military base. Samantha had an air about her, Ben has said, that drew him in. Alex absently concluded that Kayla had that same air for Ben. Samantha had discovered she had cancer while he was 22 and she died, July 16. 2 days before Ben's birthday. He was only 25 years old now. It had been 2 years ago.
"You've been in that tub for an hour, kiddo." Ben stated finally, looking amused. Alex looked down and noticed his fingers were wrinkly. Yep, he was in the tub too long. Alex made to get out but, Ben simply drained the tub and lifted out Alex himself with a wooly towel. He noticed the clothes finally and frowned before telling Alex to stay, took the clothes and returned with a warmer comfier set of pajamas. Alex looked at him.
"It's only about 4 AM. No one else but us are usually up till noon anyways. It's Saturday, go back to sleep, alright?" Ben said comfortably. Alex sighed and dressed in the pajamas. They were rather comfy and Alex did like them. They were long sleeved and teal-colored. Alex, to his surprise, was lifted up and held in Ben's arms, and was carried to Ben's bedroom. Ben sat Alex on his bed, in the middle of it before sitting down next to Alex. The five-year-old felt his eyelids droop and was becoming too drowsy to be alert as Ben laid him down on his side and covered the two of them up. Ben wrapped an arm around Alex's midriff before pulling him close and rubbing Alex's back soothingly.
Alex felt different. The touch was warm and gentle, yet firm.
"I dreamed about Circe again. When he first kidnapped me." Alex yawned. Ben listed quietly. Alex took a breath before he sleepily told him of his nightmares, and coincidentally, his fears and feelings. His thoughts on it all. Alex let slip how he thought he didn't deserve to be care for like this. Ben frowned at the child he held as Alex slipped away into sleep. That was always something that worried Ben. Alex always thought he didn't deserve their care of him. It was just so odd. Ben silently vowed to fix the boy's self-esteem issues. Really!
Ben went to sleep himself after he heard Alex's gentle breathing. He smiled slightly as he felt Alex scoot himself closer to Ben's chest. The boy was (for lack of better words) adorable when he was like this. Of course, Alex's thumb was locked firmly in Alex's mouth as soon as he was passed out. Never had they caught him doing it awake. All well... Ben absently noted the boy's other hand was grasping Ben's shirt, as if afraid Ben would release him from his arms.
I'd like to see someone try to pull me away Ben scoffed to himself. He closed his eyes and drew Alex to him even more, yawning and letting darkness claim him.
Alex slept peacefully that night. Wolf had actually been the first one up the next day and had looked for them until he found them sleeping in Ben's bed. Wolf quirked an eyebrow but, never mentioned it to the two. He had found the moment sweet (which he would deny every even thinking that). For now, Alex had a father. For now, Ben had a son. They had peace.
Author's Note: These are multi-Oneshots! So naturally, I won't care about the number of words really. Yes, I know it was short. It was a scene. I felt I had to explain Ben's history in this chapter like I did Snake. Wolf and Eagle's will come out eventually. I have dozens of requested scenes still being written, so be patient? Silent Spy has ended and there is only a short story "Matchmaking Agent" to work on when I get time. Until then, you have only A Childhood in Need to read for the series, huh? No correcting me on any character information like telling me when Ben's real birthday is, or something of the like. I created the background history, so don't. It's frustrating me lately how much people want to tell me I'm doing something completely wrong. I won't mind the suggestions or if you know something that you want to tell me (such as the distance and time it takes from London to Brecon Beacons. Thank you for the people who told me!). Anyways, I hope you liked this scene!!!