Chapter 9

The next morning was... Different... To say the least.

When I woke, I quickly sat up, looking around fearfully, before everything from last night came rushing back to me.


Damn.


At least everyone was still asleep.

Or so I thought.


"Jaguar" someone snapped quietly and I mentally cursed my entire existence before slowly turning to face Wolf who was currently looking over at me from his top bunk, an unreadable expression on his face.

He stared at me for a minute before averting his gaze, "... What the fuck happened last night?".

"... Flashback" I muttered and he glanced back at me again, "About?".

"... Remember those bad guys I messed with?" I asked quietly and he nodded.

"Well... About them" I admitted and he tensed up, "So it's true then? They DID give you those... Scars?".

I nodded slowly, "Yea... Well... Some of them anyway".

Thankfully, he didn't press on the matter.

"And Fox? How do you know him?" Wolf asked again and I sighed, "I don't... We were just talking on the way over here yesterday".

He stared at me unbelievingly, "And you somehow know each other's names from that?".

I glanced over at Ben, "Well Fox? Is that how it happened?".

He grumbled something under his breath and rolled over to face us, "Yes, Wolf, that's exactly how it happened".

Wolf actually jumped, staring at me, then Ben, then back to me again, "... How the hell did you know he was awake?".

I grinned, "I've got my methods".


That's when both Eagle, AND Snake, decide to wake up.


"Dudes... Who the hell was yelling last night?" Eagle grumbled, yawning as he tiredly looked up at us.

I smirked, "Who do you think?".

Eagle frowned, immediately turning to Wolf, "Why were you yelling last night?".

He rolled his eyes, "Because I had a little... Fight... With Jaguar here".

"... About?" Eagle asked confused, and Wolf glanced up at me but I quickly shook my head.

He glared at me, "Jaguar".

"No" I replied firmly and he growled under his breath, "They have to know".

"No. That don't. And you're not going to tell them" I shot back.

He stared at me for another minute before turning to Ben, "Fox?".


"Not yours to tell" the Spy replied, "... Though yea, the others deserve to know".

I shot a glare at him, "What happened to having my back? Traitor".

He frowned, "They DO need to know Al, wether you like it or not".

I shook my head, "No. They don't. How Wolf found out was... Was a mistake. I shouldn't have let it happen".


Then suddenly, Ben turned angry.

Or rather,

Furious.


"YOU COULDN'T HAVE FUCKING STOPPED IT IF YOU WANTED TO ALEX. YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THESE THINGS".


I resisted the urge to flinch.


Instead, I focused all my attention on remaining calm and neutralised.

"I know I can't control it" I replied quietly, "Which is why I don't know want anyone else to know".

Wolf swore under his breath, "You can't just fucking well ignore this!".

I turned sharply to him, "Ignore this? Ignore THEM? And how the FUCK do you think I've managed to survive this long only to IGNORE THEM?".

He forced himself to calm down, "Look kid. You've got issues. Problems. Who hasn't? But you can't just expect to continue like this for the rest of your fucking life!".

"It's worked before" I muttered, and that's, when Ben lost it.


"WELL 'BEFORE' DIDNT INVOLVE YOU GETTING KIDNAPPED AND SPENDING THREE MONTHS WITH SCORPIA".


Everyone in the room froze.

All heads snapped toward me.

All eyes now stared at me, unreadable gazes flickering through each one.


Damn.


Ben immediately backed down, "Jeasus Christ... Alex, I'm... You know I didn't mean it...".

He trailed off.

"You... You were kidnapped by... By... By Scorpia?" Snake choked out.

"Oh my fucking god..." Eagle whispered.

"... Is that where you got those scars?" Wolf asked quietly and I silently nodded.

He swore, running a hand through his hair, "Jeasus Christ kid... You're only 19 years old for fucks sake... What the hell got you involved with them?".

I remained silent.

Ben stared at me, "... They've seen the scars then?".

I nodded again and he slowly nodded back, before abruptly standing up and walking over to me, sitting down on the bunk next to me "Come here moron".


I didn't even try to protest as he pulled me into a tight hug.


"You really got to relax a little" he muttered and I laughed slightly, "Relax? Ben, we both know how impossible that is, a fact you so kindly proved not so long ago".

He grinned, "Yea... I never should've tried that, should've I?".

I smirked, "No. You shouldn't. And I'll never forgive you for it".

He pulled back at stared at me, "Alex? It's been 3 years. Surely you can find it in your heart to forgive me after all this time?".

"Ben? It's been three and a half years. Surely you can find it in your heart to realise I'll never forgive you after all this time" I replied, matching his tone, and he narrowed his eyes at me, before grinning again, "I taught you well".

I grinned back, "I learned from the best".


Which, unforcently, included Scorpia.