"Ian?"

Yes Alex?"

The elder man asked as he finished nailing the last board over the last open window before grabbing several planks of two by twos to reinforce the barricade.

"Why do we barricade the house every year?"

For a brief moment the man paused before putting down the hammer choosing instead to pick up his seven year old nephew up and making them comfortable on the couch.

"Well I suppose you could say its habit. Your father had a few nutcases that made a habit of storming our home every year on this day."

Of course Ian had his own far share of crazies but compared to those John had drawn to him, Ian's were just misguided fluffy kittens throwing a fit.

"My Father..."

The Lad had a look on his face as he mumbled softly in slight surprise Ian was even mentioning the man. Don't get Ian wrong, he loved and adored his older brother but it was hard enough raising Alex without having the man's ghost constantly haunting him.

But maybe, just today he could tell his nephew a little about the man.

"Yes Alex, your father. His name was John; John Rider and your mother was named Helen Becket before they married and had you."

"...Do I look like them?"

He hated how soft Alex's voice got, as if he expected Ian to just snap from only mentioning them.

"You do. Upon first glance you look like a clone of John with Helen's eyes but when you look closer there's more subtle traits belonging to Helen then John. "

Standing, Ian made his way over to a nearby bookshelf and removed a few books off the top shelf before pulling down a worn picture frame that was behind it. Placing the books back on the shelf, the spy made his way to his nephew and handed him the photo.

"Its their wedding photo. Why don't you keep that one so you never forget what they looked like. "

A small hand slowly moved over the glass, tracing the image below before Alex clung it close to his chest.

Ian was tempted to say more before the sound of breaking glass and the banging on the widows barricade. Quickly he picked up Alex and headed for his office.

"Ian?"

The boy sounded nervous as his warm brown eyes flickered towards the source of noise.

"It's nothing Alex. Why don't me and you go spend the day in my office. You can pay with my time machine."

Thankfully the Lad was too energetic and pleased to ask too many question as for time machine- well, Ian had always did well when it come to arts and crafts so designing a closet to look like a highly advanced machine wasn't that hard and Alex's imagination did the rest.

Locking his Study, Ian opened said walk in closet before setting Alex down before both bolting and locking the bullet proof steel door from the inside.

Hopefully this year they wouldn't get this far in.

They got in that far.

With a soft sigh Ian stared at his destroyed office and the bullet ridden door he and Alex had been behind. He hadn't been lying completely when he told Alex his father drew in the crazies- especially those from Scorpia. Ian could still recall the first year it had started and Ash -of all people -had locked him and the year old Alex in that damn closet.

The bastard- yes Ian still held a grudge even if the traitor been trapped between MI6 and Scorpia. He had killed John and Helen, leaving Alex orphaned with him as a guardian.

Closing his eyes, Ian opened them before heading back inside the closet and carried out a sleeping Alex who was still clutching that photo.

He and Alex needed a new routine, maybe next year he'd take the younger to the Alps- teach him to snowboard or something- but for now he would tuck Alex into bed and get to work on cleaning up his home.

Damn it.

That had been his favorite glass kettle.

Mentally grumbling to himself, Ian continued to pick up the shattered pieces, only freezing for a moment at the soft crunch of feet on broken glass behind were he was crouched. Slowly his hand closed on the cool handle of a knocked over steel knife.

Continuing to pick up the glass shards, Ian forced himself to remain lax until the intruders hand all but hovered over his shoulder. Then he acted; spinning on heel he slashed the knife for the person's throat but was forcibly stopped as a hand gripped his wrist rather painfully.

So Ian did what anyone would do; he threw that glass shards into the intruder's face while yanking his wrist free and jumping back to give him some distance. Instantly the intruder's arm flew up to defend his face as an annoyed voice spoke.

"Its nice to know I can always count on you for a warm welcome, Rider."

God damn it. Not him again.

"You only have yourself to blame, Gregorovich"

The Damn Russian needed a new hobby besides breaking into his house.

"Seeing as every door and widow in this house has been broken I wouldn't say I broke in."

"I didn't say you did."

"You were thinking it."

And he needed to figure out how the other kept knowing what he was thinking before he said it.

"What are you doing here?"

The assassin sighed softly in a mixture of annoyance and 'Really? Isn't it obvious?' before holding up his other hand from behind his back to show a bag of Chinese take out.

"Seeing as they blacked out the widow of your stove and microwave, both probably have another light sensitive bomb inside them so I decided to bring you and Alex some dinner. And no, before you ask, I didn't poison it and Yes, I will be willing to taste test everything. "

For a moment Ian just stood there feeling extremely awkward. He really hated it when Gregorovich seemed to read his mind before he could say a word and then proceeded to make him feel like a World Class Arse.

Sighing softly the spy pocketed his knife- better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it- before heading for the doorway.

"Let me wake up Alex."

Though he was young, Alex Rider could tell there was something strange between his Uncle Ian and Uncle Yassen.

For one; they were really awkward around each other, even though they both were boys and neither had cooties. The Second was how they kept looking after each other whenever the other was looking away- it was so well timed, almost like they had done this before.

Then there was their smiles, sharp and utterly dangerous yet neither seemed afraid of the other.

Yes, there was something partially strange between his two Uncles- one which he had only meet a few hours earlier- something that reminded him a lot of Tom's parents before Mrs. Harris would jab at Mr. Harris' with her rather sharp butcher's knife that she hide in her apron.

With a slight frown, Alex took another bite of his meal, staring closely at his two Uncles.

Ian had what looked to be a blade's handle just barely showing from his pocket and Uncle Yassen had a small knife gleaming from inside his sleeve.

Yep. Just like Mr. and Mrs. Harris but these two seemed rather obvious to their attraction to each other. For example, no one had excused him yet and there was no loud noises of a gun going off. Nor would Ian be wearing Uncle Yassen's shirt when he came back- face it; even he could tell Uncle Ian would obviously be the girl, he's too slim and small to be the guy in that relationship.

With a small pout, Alex observed his two rather obvious Uncle's glare at each other but otherwise remain polite and calm throughout the meal.

Tomorrow he would have to ask Tom how he got his parents together. And then with Tom's help he'd have both a Mum and a Dad.

Grinning proudly at his childish reason, Alex excused himself from the table to go wash up for bed.

"He's planning something."

"I know."

"It probably involves us."

"I know."

Would Yassen just get to the point already, Ian could feel his annoyance growing with each spoken world.

Those Icy blue eyes locked on him and Ian could feel what felt like a minor headache beginning to form, closing his eyes, the spy rubbed the bridge of his noise trying to drive it off- never quite catching the surprised glance the Russian man gave him.

Though he soon opened them when heaving a chair silently being pushed back.

"I should probably leave before he gets he chance to put it into action. "

"Of course," Ian couldn't wait to shove the man out but his conscious decided to speak. There was supposed to be a blizzard tonight, "But you can do that in the morning. For tonight you can crash here. Second floor, third door on the right."

He ignored the surprise look that briefly flashed over the assassin's favor, choosing instead to job at his food and quietly waited until he could no longer hear footsteps moving about upstairs before sighing softly.

Well since he had just given away his room and had no were to sleep, Ian would just spend the night repairing his home.