A/N: Another snippy short. Set after "Heroes United" (which was the greatest episode ever).

Disclaimer: No, I don't own. And yeah, bad chapter title. My brain just went to mush this time…

Taking Sides

"Do you think he's watching out for me?"

Six rolled over on his cot, looking across the small room that they shared to the EVO teen on his own cot on the other side of the room, a mere five feet away. The new accommodations weren't ideal and there were many rooms left to clear out, leaving very little living space. A kitchen had been established as well as a lab and other necessities, where as bedrooms had been divided by men, women, and Bobo. "Who?" asked the ninja quietly, brown eyes barely making out the shape of the teen under the blankets in the dark room.

"Cesar." There was the rustling of blankets and the groaning of the cot as Rex shifted to see his mentor better. "I know he's fighting on the wrong side, but he doesn't seem too dedicated to working with Black Knight. I mean, he ditched Providence to come help us with Alpha."

Holiday had caught Six up on the basics and given the initial rundown of Alpha's powers and what all Cesar had done in the time that Six was trapped in his coma. He knew the basics of what Cesar had done and wished that he had been awake to see more. Of course, he was just glad to be awake...

"Rex, you have to keep in mind that that may have been more of a personal matter than focusing on you versus Black Knight. He does need to take care of his own skin by dealing with Alpha before anyone else. It could've been just covering his own bases."

More shifting. And a shaft of moonlight caught Rex's tanned face, which was now twisted with a bit of pain, a bit of longing. Six could easily read this; he'd known the kid far too long.

Six continued quietly, trying not to break the gentle silence. "But just the same, he did get the Omega-1 out of Alpha before taking him down and sending him off to the parallel universe."

The corners of Rex's lips bent downwards, a frown crossing his already sad face. He moved his head towards the wall, looking away from his mentor. "Yeah, but he was looking for the Omega-1 instead of me when he got back, remember? That could've been because he wanted to keep the Omega-1 safe instead of giving it to me." His words sounded bitter and cold.

"If you want to believe in him, go ahead." Six wasn't about to crush the teen's hopes of having a normal family and keeping his brother. "He may still care about you underneath all the crazy."

A brief snort cut through the quiet. "Because that explains why he tried to collar me like any other EVO. He zapped me with his gun thing and tried to control me, Six."

"So I heard." There were many people on Six's hit list right now, but Cesar was easily at the top. Killing Cesar would make the war between Providence and this new agency fade away because he was the only tension left. Once the controlling machines were toasted and Cesar was gone, things could go back to the way they once were.

"I always wanted a brother." Rex swallowed hard and rolled over, completely facing the wall now. "You wouldn't remember all the times I asked if I had a brother and you never answered me because you didn't know. It sucked, but now I know. And I have so many things I want to know, but I don't know what's truth and what's his general spew of crazy."

Six wished he could remember... He'd practically raises this kid and suddenly they were strangers in a dark room, the child talking, the man offering empty words. "He does seem eccentric." What else was there to say? Six didn't know what all was going on or exactly what Rex was getting at. He only wanted to help, to become the man that he'd been before.

"He's my brother, and yet he's tried to kill me twice now." There was a slight growl. He shifted some more, the cot groaning. "Figures. I finally get something that I want, and then it turns out evil. But hey, this time it's my own brother, my only family left. Just great." Sarcasm hung in his words.

"He helped you with Alpha." Comfort was all he was trying to offer. He wasn't the happiest sort of person, but he could at least offer some help.

"Only after trying to kill me." Rex's cot made no more noise. The blankets didn't rustle. A long, heavy sigh escaped his lips and he said, "But then again, he always could've been under Black Knight's orders and afraid of losing his position..." An angry groan came from him. "I just wish I knew who to trust. That's why I'm so glad to have you, Six."

Trust was key. It was something earned, not given. And somehow, the past Six had earned this boy's trust, but the post-amnesia Six felt like he was taking advantage of something sacred between his old self and this poor teen. But he was still the same person...

"I know I can always trust you, Six," continued the EVO. "I've known you my whole life, or at least what little of it I can remember. I may have known Cesar for longer, but I can't remember any of it. You're more important to me than he'll ever be." There was a slight pause and a hitch in his breathing, just barely loud enough for Six to hear, before he added, "That's why I'm so scared to lose you."

His eyes closed for a long moment. He hadn't earned this trust, this bond, this friendship. Whatever he'd done to deserve this, he wished I knew what he'd done to become such an idol in this boy's life.

The room was quiet for a long moment, and finally Rex said, "If Cesar died tomorrow, I'd be alone, but I'd still have you." There was a pause again. "And I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you."

Six watched Rex's chest rising and falling for a long moment and could faintly make out the outline of his spiky black hair in the all-encompassing darkness. He was guilty; he was taking advantage of his past life, of years he couldn't remember. He wanted so badly to learn why Rex looked up to him so much.

Through the darkness came the teen's words. "Night, Six."

"Goodnight, Rex."

A/N: Review?

~Sky