Family Ties 2: Forever

Chapter 8


Harry found Alex at the back of the building in the chilly evening air. He caught him lighting up a cigarette and quickly took it from his hands.

"Al, you don't smoke. It's bad for you anyway." Harry told him and snapped the cigarette in half and dropped it on the floor. Alex fired up the Zippo lighter and was gazing solemnly into the small orange flame as it danced slightly in the fair breeze.

"David smokes." Alex told him quietly, without losing focus of the flame.

"I know he does. He's been smoking for years now."

"He says it keeps him calm."

"Yeah. Perhaps it does, but you don't need to it to keep calm Al. You're a calm person anyway. What's bothering you?"

"This whole Scorpia thing. MI6 blamed them for the death of my guardian, how was I supposed to react."

"I told you that you need to go and see someone."

"I can't, they'll say I'm not fit for duty and I'll be discharged from here, won't even be RTU'd."

"I see what you mean." Harry leant against the wall next to Alex and crossed his arms.

"God, I sound like a kid, don't I?" Alex said and chuckled slightly.

"A little, yeah." The both laughed at that and the dark feeling that clouded Alex's mind cleared a little.

"Do you get nightmares?"

"Sometimes. I went out to Afghan when I was eighteen. Our section was clearing out a building. There was so much death, it seemed so surreal at the time it didn't seem to bother me. Until after. They're all kids out there, I swear. One of the guys behind me shot a boy holding a dead man's trigger. He hadn't seen it so when he was killed the bomb went off right behind us. The guy behind me who had shot the kid had died instantly and I was thrown by the blast and suffered some burns to my back." Harry told him.

"Can I trust you Harry?" Alex said, it was almost as if he'd totally ignored what Harry had just told him, but he hadn't. He knew Harry didn't want pity for what happened, that's what makes the nightmares worse.

"Of course you can."

"Can you keep me from my vengeance for Scorpia? They killed my guardian, my mind is telling me to take this chance to get revenge, but that won't help anyone." Alex asked him.

He snapped the lid of the Zippo shut and read what had been engraved on it.

Jaguar. It said on the lid.

Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway. He had got it for Christmas from the Unit last year. They all got one, personally engraved with their code names and something funny to cheer them up in bad times. Alex smiled suddenly and caught Harry's eye.

"What so funny? Have you gone mad Alex?" Harry laughed.

"Nah, just remembering Christmas. Lynx, when I die bury me face down so the whole world can kiss my arse!" Alex quoted, remembering what he'd had engraved on Harry's lighter.

"Yeah, alright, whatever."

"I will bury face down myself if it ever comes to the matter." Alex dodged out of the way quickly before he could receive a bash to the shoulder from his friend. Alex clouted his friend round the back of the head and then retreated indoors where he acted as if nothing happened save from the paranoid turn of his head to check that Harry wasn't going to sneak up behind him and get him back.

"Rider!" A shout belonging to Major Duncan echoed through the building.

"Looks like someone is in trouble. See you later, I'm hitting the pit." Harry told him, opening the door to where the stairs were and dashing up them. Alex jogged off to find Major Duncan to ask him what he wanted.

"Yes, sir." He said, standing in front of the tall, brown haired officer.

"I received a call from..."

"Yeah, not here," Alex pulled a folded piece of paper from the map pocket of his combat trousers and produced it to the officer. "Please, sir, you need to sign this, before we go any further."

"Fine, but be careful in future Rider, remember who you are talking to. Ok?"

"Sir." Alex moved off to Major Duncan temporary office that was next to the one that belonged to the colonel while they were on this operation.


Okay, so I am currently writing chapter 13! I am not with holding chapters, just updating every Friday...

I've had an epiphany! I had an idea a while back for a fic, but I can incorporate it into this one... you will see it at the end of chapter 13... and then it can get (hopefully) really juicy :)

Please Review! If I get lots of reviews I might update early ^_^