Alex held the door open for Carter as she stepped out of the Royal & General Bank, inhaling deeply then making one of the ugliest faces ever as she smelled the foul scent of a car desperately needing an oil change.

"Who farted? God!" she clapped her hand over her nose.

Alex laughed, "You would be the one to say that!" he told her.

"Well!" she laughed, "It stinks!

"So how are we getting to your apartment?" she asked, entwining her arm into his. He placed his hand over her small one and walked down the sidewalk with her by his side.

"Taxi sound okay?" he suggested.

"Sounds fine. But can we get a hot dog? All I've eaten since day one in Hell Hole, or the proper way to say it"--she did her best with her fake English accent--"MI6 is absolute tofu crap."

He smiled at her and laughed, "Hot dog it is." he could already see the small hot dog stand that she'd obviously been hinting at and took out his wallet, straightening his dark brown v-neck and keeping his arm around Carter, who didn't reject his moves. She embraced them with as much care and longing as he had to give them.

They'd both been waiting to be in each other's arms for so long. Now nothing could separate them.

It'd been three days since they were at MI6. Today was the day they were allowed to leave. While they'd been there though, Mrs. Jones and the surgeons had both estimated to them that it would take about a week or so before Carter was able to be released. The surgery had taken 3 long hours and it'd been difficult disabling the device, to not touch her nerves or ligament while destroying it took precision the head surgeon, Dr. Hugo Montepris, himself had said, "It took such precise coordination, I myself was overly nervous of hurting her. No medical book teaches how to disable a nerve-connected tracking device!"

Another reason it had taken so long was because Carter's body still retained the Invincible Soldier chemical from ten years ago, and it seemed to have gotten stronger. Scorpia had designed the chemical to where the body would absorb it and it would flow into the blood system and also into the skin cells; once absorbed the body would take the chemical as a self repair system. Whenever the body was damaged it would do just that, repair itself. The chemical was still in Carter so they were constantly cutting away from her side.

But also the chemical helped her heal, she healed in less than half the time they gave her to. Alex still remembered Mrs. Jones face that day when they were asked to leave, she hadn't been thrilled about the idea of them leaving so soon.


Alex sat by Carter's bed like the past two days before. Not once had he left her side unless it was absolutely necessary, he had to go to the bathroom every once and a while, and Carter couldn't stand it when his stomach started screaming at him "food!". He didn't feel safe leaving her alone in this cold, unpretentious "bank". Another reason was because she asked him to stay, every night to not leave her alone. Every time he went to get up she would squeeze his hand harder or wake up when she was asleep. In her eyes he saw nothing but undesired fear. She never wanted to be alone, but he could see if she had to she would.

He was talking to her at the side of her bed, tracing circles on her soft hand as the hours passed by--he didn't know what time it was or what day it was, MI6 for some reason had refused to tell them. They both jumped when they heard Mrs. Jones come in, her face less than welcoming and "happy". In her hands was the usual tablet that she always scribbled in; this time she looked like she was going to snap it in half.

Like a sixth sense, Alex turned and shifted to a stance that was between them. He didn't realize his protective nature for his loved ones against MI6 until right then.

Mrs. Jones did her best from rolling her eyes at the movement.

"So," she pulled the stool at the corner of the room to where she stood, sat on it, and crossed her legs, "completely ignoring my words, Blunt has been talking with the doctors and since Carter has healed so well"--she squeezed the tablet harder--"they've decided you both can leave tomorrow at noon."

That explained the anger management problem.

"Tomorrow?" Carter sounded impatient and unsatisfied. Alex could tell she wanted to leave now.

"Yes. No Sooner. No later." Mrs. Jones' voice was stern and upset.

"I suppose that'll do." she gave a wicked half-hearted smile that made Alex want to laugh at Mrs. Jones' reaction to it.

"It will do." she told her, "I told them it wasn't the best or most intelligent thing to do, releasing you two after only two days here. Absolute stupidity!"

"You're calling dear Mr. Blunt stupid, Mrs. Jones?" Carter asked sarcastically, her voice taking on a little girl tone.'

"Of course not!" she jumped off the stool, knocking it backwards, "I just believe it is beyond ridiculous to let the one"--she raised the tablet at Carter like a pointing finger--"who backstabbed us and almost killed one of our best agents to be trusted enough to be let go to wreak whatever havoc is evolving in your weak little mind!"

"HEY!" Alex slapped down the tablet and stood up, Carter stood on the bed and tried to climb over Alex as he tried to hold her back. It wasn't that hard, she was still at 5' 2" but she was strong for her height!

Mrs. Jones was fuming, any madder Alex could've sworn steam would blow from her ears like a train.

"You know something?!" she wagged her finger like a dagger, "you little b--"

"Stop it!" Alex moved his left leg forward, a sign that although he wasn't doing anything but holding back Carter he would do something to Jones, "Back off!!"

Mrs. Jones face was still wrapped in anger, but as Alex snapped it faded into something of hurt. It was like to disappoint Alex was the worst for her.

She bent down and picked up the notebook, straightening her gray suit jacket and saying calmly, "You are allowed to leave when you please. Priscilla has clothes for you to wear when you leave." she gave a final angry-slash-hurt glance then went to the door, "Good day." she left.

With that choice they chose now. Priscilla brought them their clothes and they went separate ways to shower and change. By ten that morning they were out of the Royal & General Bank's doors.


Alex dug his nose into Carter's hair as they waited for the hot dogs, his arms around her and her body swaying side to side. Several different, exotic smells entered his nose as he did which was odd since the shampoo and conditioner given to them was blander than a rock. He smelled mango, lilac, some kind of perfume that was gentle but strong. Maybe it was just him fooling himself because Carter could've been covered in mud and smelled horrid, she still would've smelled perfect to him.

"Here you go, pretty lady." the vender handed her the hot dog, fully loaded with relish, mustard, ketchup, onion, and cheese drowning the small dog. Her appetite was the same for sure. "And you, sir." he handed the Alex his hot dog. Relish, ketchup, hot dog, bun. Carter was more of the guy-eater right now than him.

As he handed the vender the money, the man closed his hand and pushed it back, "It's on me." he told him with a smile.

Alex stuttered, "But sir--?"

"Listen, from a total stranger, that girl is absolutely gorgeous. Don't lose her. If you do someone's going to take the chance and take her."

Alex chuckled at the man's words as he remember Tyler and Jake from their mission, both trying to win Carter's heart once Alex had told her and them he was going with the wicked-witch Amy Diputs to the ball and she was "for grabs."

"I will." he put the money into the empty tip jar.

"Thank you."

Alex went back to Carter's side, who was somehow eating the monster-hot-dog in her hand.

"Mmm,?" she smiled as she took another bite, "It's been so long since I've had a good piece of food to eat."

"What've you been eating?" Alex asked, "Do tell." he took his first bite.

"Tofu…rice cakes…vegetables." she gave a shudder as she said "vegetables."

Alex laughed, "There is nothing wrong with vegetables."

"There Is everything wrong with vegetables!" she took another bite, chewed and swallowed, "I'll tell you what food has absolutely no flaw to it."

"Please do."

"Sugar cookies." she smiled dumbly at the thought.

Alex couldn't help but laugh, "Fattie! You're going to die with a cookie in you hand!"

"Hey! Don't be hating on the cookie, mmm-hmmm." she did her best ghetto-black-girl impression by twirling her hip, snapping her finger and pooching her lips.

"Well, cookie-monster, you are going to be living with me for no telling how long and so you will eat vegetables."

She rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue at him. He smiled and laughed at her, eating anther piece of the hot dog.

This was awesome! It had been nine years since Carter had "died", yet when she came back it was like she'd never even left. But the evidence that she had was there, the empty hole inside him that had burned and tortured him so much throughout the day wasn't flaming anymore. He didn't feel the dark, black thorns that raked his heart weren't hurting him at the moment; he felt light, free…happy. He'd missed that feeling for so long. The empty feeling was gone, the burn was gone, the thorns were gone, the torture--gone. The final, vital piece to the puzzle of his life that had been lost was finally found and he actually felt complete.

Carter ate the last piece of her hotdog then crumbled the paper and threw it in a basket full of cardboard by a store window, her aim was perfect. It bounced off the window and hit one of the cardboard flaps, landing in the bow perfectly. Alex tried to do the same. He got the box but his was sloppier. It hit window, balanced on the rim then fell into the box.

"Glad to see you still got it." Carter teased.

"You couldn't tell from our little dispute?" he pointed at his cheek and smiled. For some reason it didn't feel like something horrible to talk about. More like a game she had almost beaten him at.

She put on a sweet smile and held her arms behind her, swaying like a little girl and saying, "My bad."

("Gotta Be Somebody" by Nickelback)

He shook his head and shoved her lightly, she stumbled into an old man and Alex laughed as the man accidentally spilled some of the water he was drinking on her maroon shirt.

Carter apologized to him then looked at herself, "Alex!"

Alex ran down the sidewalk and she chased after him, her quick legs moving fast as she dodged the people on the sidewalk. He turned a sharp corner, almost tripping and was out of sight.

Carter ran all the way to the corner and couldn't find him. She wasn't out of breath but she knew Alex probably was. He may've been buff upper body wise but she was sure he wasn't so much on his cardio.

"Alex?" she walked around the corner he'd disappeared at. She looked around and couldn't see him.

"Boo." the quiet whisper came right beside her ear and scared her, but she still recognized the voice and the fear left before it had even a chance to bubble up.

Alex wrapped his arms around her again and she turned around in them, hugging his waist and pressing herself against him. He kissed the top of her head.

"Come on," he took her hand, "let's go to the penthouse."

"Penthouse?" she asked, as he tugged at her hand and she walked with him.

"You didn't know that?" he asked, shortening his strides to walk right beside her.

"I guess I just didn't realize it." she ran her hand on his long arm from his wrist to his elbow. His hands were so big and warm they felt so safe. She smiled at his touch.

Alex felt like a protector beside Carter. She was so small and petite. He guessed she was at least 112 pounds. Although she hadn't changed so much attitude wise and appetite wise he saw the change in her physically.

Her stark black hair was longer, almost to the small of her back, her legs were longer and more built, her arms longer. Her chest was fuller, her lips were fuller and darker, and her eyes seemed so pale gray they were almost white. Her eyelashes almost reached her eyebrows and her small nose seemed cute on her gorgeous face. She was longer in her torso but he could feel the muscle in her every time he hugged her or tugged on her. She was definitely more beautiful than when he had last seen her. She'd definitely grown up.

One thing that had barely changed though was her height. When she was fourteen he remembered she was five foot exact. Small and surprising everyone every time she beat someone to the ground. Now, he guessed she was probably 5' 2". Still short. But that made her a curious little thing, short and absolutely gorgeous.

He could feel the glances as they walked down the sidewalk, men of every age seemed to take a second glance back at her. It actually made him uncomfortable.

"Let's go ahead and get a taxi." he said to her.

"Do we have to?" she asked, "I mean, is it that far to walk?"

He looked at her then he looked ahead. The Silver Wing was about five miles from where they were.

"Well…" he looked down at her.

Her face was neither pleading or agreeing. It seemed like she would agree with whatever he said. But she'd been gone so long, he didn't want to disappoint her…

"I guess we can walk." he smiled.

She smiled back and opened up her arms, "I mean come on, Rider, it's absolutely gorgeous out here!" she twirled on the sidewalk, her black waves twirling with her. As she did he ran towards her and swooped her up, taking her by surprise and slinging her on his shoulder.

"Alex!" she laughed, she beat gently at his back not able to stop laughing, "Alex, put me down!"

He began running down the sidewalk, he knew a place she would love to go to right then. The day was beautiful and he decided they should enjoy whatever they had left of it to enjoy.

"Where are we going?" she asked from her place on his shoulder.

"A surprise." he told her.

"You're a surprise." she told him, dangling idly on his shoulder. She could see everyone staring at them. Not chastising with their glances but rather admiring. She didn't feel egotistic about it, but she knew one thing: they couldn't find what her and Alex had as fast as they had.

Carter and Alex were meant for each other. The fact that the nine-year void between them that had happened seemed to immediately disappear as they were together right then proved it ecstatically. She smiled to herself as she felt Alex's strides on the sidewalk.

Alex smiled as he carried Carter on his left shoulder, her legs kicking at him every once in a while but never to hurt him.

He saw the place he wanted to take her just ahead. It was a small park in the middle of London, it had a fountain, a wide lawn and a few benches. It was like a small island in the middle of the busy business world around them. He knew she'd like it.

Carter sighed, "Are we there yet?"

"Almost," Alex told her, slapping the back of her leg.

She slapped his back and began wriggling when he started tickling her knees.

Just like that island of peace in the middle of the busy streets of London, Alex felt like he'd finally found his small island in Carter. He was so happy now. He had who he'd wanted. Life was good.

….for now.


("Hard" by Rihanna feat. Young Jeezy)

The computer screens in the small room flashed red and black, white letters spelled out "DISABLED" across it. They flashed rhythmically in the large man that sat in front of them in the eyes; like his iris was a different color every second.

This was Jared "Big Man" Grohl. At 6' 9", he was the largest in his position. His position: head of assignments for Scorpia.

His slick bald head shined with the flashing lights like a gloss. His small eyes stared at the screens, increasingly angering him and increasingly testing his patience. He held his hands behind him, holding the long, smooth, black cane in his hands. His thumbs rubbed against the spherical top on it, tracing along the silver imprinted scorpion on it. He wore his white suit prideful and held his head up sophisticated like.

At 235 pounds and the size of a football player he seemed like a large walking threat among the employees around him. Everyone feared him. He knew this.

Grohl tapped his foot impatiently.

"Kellan!" he bellowed, his deep voice like the bass of a low-rider car.

A small young man came out to his side, his blonde hair spiked and his small business suit, a cheap comparison to Grohl's.

"Yes, sir?" he tried to keep his voice steady at the presence of his employer although he felt like utter mush beside him, his insides squirming oddly.

"Is there absolutely no trace for the device on Luving?" he asked slowly, his bass-like voice menacing.

"No, sir. It's completely disabled. It appears that whoever destroyed it did their job very well." he chuckled lightly, then cleared his throat to a cough as Grohl stared down at him.

"Mmm," the giant groaned, "get me Anita."

"Anita, sir?" Kellan was shocked.

"Yes, Anita. Is there a problem with that?"

"No, sir! Not at all! I'll, uhm, I'll have her sent up."

"Good." Grohl sat down in the large chair in front of the screens, his back to the flashing menaces, "I need to have a chat with the little Russian."

Kellan nodded and scurried off.

Why would the Big Man be wanting to talk to Anita? Sure maybe she was Luving's back up but still the girl was raw. Very raw. He shook off the questions in his head and went to find her.

Whatever the reason, he was sure that if Luving wasn't dead by now she would be after whatever the Big Man was planning.

…But Anita? There had to be some kind of mistake. There just had to be. Sure the Russian was good at the gun, being able to curve the bullet and all that jazz but Luving was still better than her by a high, high, high percentage. Her defense and hand skills weren't even close to equal…they were on the other side of equal.

The only thing Anita probably had equal to Luving was her ability of seduction, even then Luving could mesmerize every man in a room with her olive tone, stark black hair and gray diamond eyes while Anita simply got their second or third looks at her white-blonde hair, dark blue eyes and pale skin. Anita was simply the complete opposite of Luving. Beautiful yes, but an opposite beauty. Anita could blend in; Luving could try her best but would never be able to blend in. No matter what.

So what was Grohl wanting with the second-best? What were his plans for her? It didn't make any sense at all!

He shook the questions, comparisons and inside thoughts out of his head again. Whatever Grohl was planning, he was sure it had some twisted ending. He was almost completely positive the ending was as bright as Luving eyes. He knew he wanted that ex-agent, Alex Rider dead just like every other CEO of Scorpia had, but had failed at. Maybe that's what his plan was. Seduce Rider with Anita and kill him. He had a way with beautiful women. But even then, rumor was spread around the corporation that Luving and he had had young love as teenagers. Would that mean she was with him now?

"Stop it, stop it, stop it!" Kellan snapped at himself, popping his neck and continuing down the white hall to the elevator.

He needed to stop thinking.

Look at the obvious.

Grohl wanted Anita, he wanted Luving, and he wanted Rider dead.

What would putting an extremely raw assassin in training do with two of the greatest agents in history?

He didn't question it any more. He just went to the elevator and headed toward Anita's room. Silent. But the questions still burning in his head.


Reviews appreciated!!!!

Sorry I didn't put more songs on the play list for this chapter. But I've been having to update my playlist and I'm finding some really good ones! Hope you liked the chapter, I'll update as soon as possible JJJ

Xoxo, Millie