Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)

Chapter 2

Alex woke late that morning a bit worse for wear as he would describe it. The adrenaline and whisky were long worn off and he hurt. His head throbbed painfully with each movement he made, and his arm ached hanging uselessly at his side. The pain that coursed through every nerve with even the slightest flex of his fingers was enough for him to accept the fact of having only one usable arm for the next few days.

Alex paused leaning his head back against the headboard and closed his eyes in an attempt to block out the sunlight pouring through the closed blinds of the window next to him. Low humming and sounds of life seeping in through the crack under the closed door quickly piqued his curiosity, pushing the pain into the back of his mind, exactly where it belonged.

Sure, he remembered how he got here, remembered where he was. It hadn't made much sense to him last night but now, without the adrenaline, without the whisky. He couldn't stop the multiple questions and possibilities flowing through his head. He got up carefully and made his way to the shower before pulling on his dirty joggers and t-shirt from the day before.

The house was just as he remembered it. Straight out of an interior design catalog. It reminded him of the few other operatives' flats he had seen back in London. Decorated to look lived in, barely good enough to fool the neighbors but nothing personal, no way to give any information about the owners to any nosey houseguests or possible intruders.

"Good morning," Holly smiled from her place across the living room. She was holding a watering can, touching up the few plants in the room. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Fine, thank you," Alex responded immediately.

There was something about seeing her in the daylight, she looked older, tired. Frown lines in between her brows marring her otherwise perfect skin. Her blond hair was either natural or she just had it touched up, the brightness staying through her roots. The familiar feeling was still there, and he was half tempted to hang around for the day. The thought alone was unsettling.

He had to get out of this house.

"It's about time for lunch but if you need to stay longer I can make you something?"

The sweet smile drew him in and for a moment he considered saying yes.

"Thank you, but I really should get going," Alex said instead.

"Of course. Well, you are always welcome here, even just for a place to crash. We can take the sutures out in two weeks, keep them dry and try to keep the activity to a minimum. You think getting them hurt? Try tearing them back open." She chuckled, almost to herself.

"Yes, ma'am" Alex nodded along, letting her lead the way to the front door and onto the street.

Alex pulled the door closed behind him before she could try to walk him the ten steps home, before hurrying down the steps and around the corner to where the Pleasures front door stood invitingly.

The house was quiet, stepping carefully through the front door he expected to run into someone, be bombarded with questions he didn't know the answers to. Instead, he was greeted only by the family dog who wagged her tail excitedly and nudged his hand with her nose.

He patted her head gently before making his way up the stairs to his room, moving as quietly as possible to not notify anyone of his presence.

Falling gracelessly onto his bed, Alex took a breath, then another. He wasn't sure where to go from here. Joe Byrne had said he would be in touch so Alex supposed he would just have to wait for that.

Alex was not a patient person.

XxXx

Joe Byrne had contacted Alex a few days later with no information. He had no idea who the kidnappers were, let alone what they wanted with Alex. He offered nothing on their current whereabouts and though Alex knew he should ask, he didn't want to.

The next two weeks passed in relative silence, Jake and Holly seemed to be at the Pleasure's house more and more with each passing day, forcing Alex to busy himself outside of the house to avoid any interactions with them whenever possible.

Exactly two weeks after waking up in the high rise saw Alex cutting the sutures out of his arm sitting on the floor in his shared bathroom before dinner. He moved slowly, savoring the feeling of each stitch slipping out of his skin. Finally satisfying the deep itch that he could never seem to reach.

Liz liked to have a family dinner at least once a week that everyone was required to attend. It was her way of keeping track of everything. School, friends, extracurriculars. It was always just the four of them.

Alex was surprised to come downstairs and find Jake and Holly who were, unfortunately, staying for dinner. The one night Liz would not let him easily ditch out.

"Alex - perfect timing," Liz was pulling out a pan from the oven that contained suspiciously symmetrical biscuits. "We've invited Jake and Holly to stay for dinner."

"I can see that-" Alex started.

"Any chance you can help me with my calculus homework?" Sabina interrupted, effectively excusing Alex from any uncomfortable conversation. "And, maybe also look over my chemistry paper? I really didn't understand the assignment at all."

Dinner went by surprisingly smoothly, Alex was sat comfortably across from Jake. He was determined not to show the couple how much they unnerved him - and so, with that he sat tall, keeping his posture open, it would have been inviting if not for the recurring accidental eye contact - Alex refusing to look away first. Give any indication of the unease the couple forced over him.

Jake and Holly were the perfect dinner guests, they were the perfect combination of chatty and polite - easily keeping the light conversation going. They asked questions about everyone as if they were long-lost relatives trying to catch up on what they missed all while smoothly answering questions about themselves.

The answers they gave made sense, their timelines matched and fit perfectly with Alex's estimation of their ages. The picture they painted of their lives - married young, no kids, moving often due to Jake's job - really did fit.

With every question they answered Alex became more and more suspicious, he knew they were lying. The answers were perfect, they were exactly what you would expect.

But still, they just felt wrong.

Alex had a few theories about them but was unable to narrow it down any more based on anything they were saying. No one was asking the prying questions that would possibly give him something to work with.

"So Alex," Jake smiled, "do you have any plans for when you finish school?"

"I haven't really thought about it," Alex answered simply, not planning on elaborating any.

"You still have a while to figure it out, just don't do what I did. The second I turned eighteen I enlisted," Jake shrugged, before adding with a discrete but pointed look. "Wasted a lot of good years there."

Alex frowned fighting the urge to bite at his fingernails. There it was. He must have known Alex wasn't buying a word, so he gave a hint - the only hint Alex needed.

"Alex has a lot of options," Edward cut in gracefully, "I'm sure he will excel in whatever it is that he chooses."

And with that, they slid back into an easy conversation with Alex, thankfully, no longer at the center of it.

XxXx

Alex woke early the next morning, wanting to beat the heat as well as the crowds for his run that morning. Though turning the corner he immediately regretted not going the other direction away from the house.

"Alex," Jake said almost to himself before breaking out in a wide grin, "I didn't expect to see you up so early, aren't teenagers supposed to sleep all day?"

"I'm not much for the heat," Alex responded passing without so much as a sideways glance not slowing his pace, hoping not to start a conversation.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Jake started, swiftly matching Alex's pace.

"I prefer to run alone."

"Oh, I completely understand but you know how it is moving somewhere new and trying to find a good route."

Alex kept his eyes forward, speeding up a bit before switching his one headphone to the ear closest to Jake.

They had just made it to the edge of the city when Alex turned the corner to cut through a random alley avoiding the sunny street half of a step ahead of Jake before stopping completely.

Jake stopped as well, giving Alex a curious look before following his gaze to the man leaning against the wall just ahead.

Alex recognized the man, he had seen him outside his school a couple of times but had thought nothing of it at the time, just another of many passing by on their way to work every morning.

He took a step back and felt the barrel of a gun press against his spine. How could he have been so careless? He was so focused on ignoring Jake he hadn't noticed the man behind them, effectively boxing them in.

"No need to get shy now Alex, though I do wish you would have told us you were bringing a friend." The man muttered in his ear before nudging him forward with a single jab of the gun. "Try anything and your friend here will pay the consequences." He finished, casually aiming the gun at Jake.

Alex sighed before taking a step forward, there wasn't much else to do at this point. As they approached the man ahead his attention seemed to be focused not on Alex but on Jake. Risking a glance at Jake he seemed to be quite calm, walking towards the man as if they were old friends.

"John Rider," The man smiled, his gaze drifting to Alex for a brief moment before landing back on Jake. "It's been quite a while since anyone last saw you."

Jake, or John shrugged, "I figured it was time to come out of retirement."

"For him?" The man asked nodding towards Alex without breaking eye contact, "You do know that's a death sentence, don't you? I don't believe anyone can save our dear Alex anymore."

John hummed noncommittally before shifting uncomfortably against the gun still pressed into his lower back.

"Put your gun away Duran," The man said, "Can't you see we're old friends?"

Alex watched as the man - Duran neatly tucked his gun away before pulling out a pack of cigarettes, he tipped them towards Alex, a silent offering. Alex stepped closer before taking one. Alex wasn't much of a smoker but was also not arrogant enough to refuse a possible peace offering. Duran held up a lighter but didn't move it any closer to Alex, clearly wanting him to lean in.

Alex moved a step closer and pressed the cigarette between his lips, eyes moving slowly from Duran's face to his hand holding the lighter just far enough from his chest to not risk burning his jean jacket.

"Watch your back," Duran whispered so quietly Alex could just make out the words, "This is bigger than you."

Alex met his eyes as he flicked on the lighter and lit the cigarette between Alex's lips. From the corner of his eye, Alex could see John look over at the sound of the lighter, a slight frown creasing his brows, though Alex guessed it was from the cigarette as there was no way he could have heard Duran's warning.

"You must know none of this will end well, not for anyone involved." The man said to John, "We can take him now as planned and you can go on with your life."

"You know that's not going to happen, Leroy," John stated.

"I won't fight you, I think we both know how that would end." Leroy said after a long pause, gazing up towards the sky as if contemplating something, "There are more coming for him. They won't stop until he has him."

"I am well aware," John stated.

Leroy pushed off the wall and began walking in the direction Alex and John had entered the Alley from, Duran following close behind his shoulder bumping Alex's as he passed. Alex felt something fall into his hoodie pocket but was careful not to react with John watching them so closely.

"We should get drinks," Leroy said over his shoulder, to Alex this time, "If all this blows over - I'm sure we will have much to talk about."

Alex watched as they rounded the corner and disappeared out of sight, taking one last drag of the cigarette before putting it out against the brick and dropping it into the dumpster.

"Well, that was pretty weird." Alex shrugged pushing his hands into his pocket, carefully thumbing what felt like a mobile phone that Duran had slipped him.

John was standing awkwardly, looking as though he wanted to say something but didn't know where to start.

Alex took that as an out, putting his headphone back in and turning to continue his jog as though nothing had happened.

"We should talk about this," John said, grabbing his arm.

"I'd rather not."

"You had to have known Alex, you're not that dense."

"I had my suspicions," Alex said, finally pulling his arm from John's grip.

"That can't be all you have to say."

"Holly is my Mum, I'm guessing?" Alex asked, glancing behind John at the rapidly busying street just outside the Alley.

"Yes," John paused, "she is so excited to get to know you, we both are."

"Why did you lie at all?" Alex questioned, finally looking John in the eye "You wanted me to know, why not just tell me? Save yourselves the trouble?"

John hesitated, as though trying to think of an answer that didn't make them look bad.

"You're not what I imagined," Alex said letting the disappointment show in his tone and holding eye contact for a moment longer.

He was just taller than John, but in this conversation, Alex seemed to be towering over him and he was glad for that - anything to make the man feel even a bit of the unease Alex had felt since meeting him was a win.

John had shrunk with Alex's last comment, and he really couldn't bring himself to feel sorry for the man. Any long-lost guilt Alex brought up was of the man's own doing and Alex was just petty enough to strike every last nerve he had.

"I'll come to chat eventually," Alex finally said, before turning to finish his run "When I feel like it." He threw over his shoulder, not waiting for John to follow.

XxXx

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Alex asked, he had found himself next door late the next night. Unable to sleep through his questions.

"You were already so shaken up Alex, we wanted to give you time to process it," Holly-Helen answered softly.

"Right, and the last sixteen years?" Alex leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers softly against the kitchen table.

"You were safer with Ian, we didn't want to disrupt your life," Helen responded

"And you couldn't have visited? Contacted me at all?"

"What would we have said Alex? 'Surprise, we're your parents, were alive but you can't come with us" John cut in. "Not to mention the target that would have put on your back."

"What makes now any different?" Alex shot back

"Ian died," John said simply.

"Two years ago."

"You've adapted to your new life well," John started

At that, Alex paused, "Adapted well," he muttered almost to himself, "I can not be the only one that hears how ridiculous that sounds."

John sighed as he stood and made his way to the freezer, Alex watched as he pulled out the same bottle of whisky from the last time, as well as three glasses.

"What are you doing?" Alex asked as he placed a glass in front of each of them, filling them midway before setting the bottle to the side.

The round table had helped Alex to feel as though he was just having a conversation with old acquaintances, with Helen to his side and John straight across. It hadn't felt like an interrogation until now.

"Do you think if you can get me drunk maybe I'll take all of this a little better?" Alex frowned.

"I'm not trying to get you drunk Alex, I just prefer to have talks like this over a drink," John said simply, taking a sip from his glass.

Alex sighed, rolling the glass between his hands he watched the ripples on the surface of the whisky slowly smooth out until it was just nearly still before taking a sip for himself. It was just as bad as he had remembered it, maybe worse as the taste seemed to linger on his tongue.

"How did you find me?" Alex asked.

"Luck, I suppose." John said, "We went to your house, in Chelsea once we heard of Ian's passing but you had already gone. One of my old contacts tipped me off about your relationship with the Pleasures, they were easy enough to find."

Alex fought the urge to frown, why would an old contact of John's be keeping tabs on Alex?

"Who are they?" Alex asked.

"It's nothing to worry about, he's been retired for a few years now," John answered reassuringly.

"How did you get in touch with a contact from over sixteen years ago?" Alex questioned focusing on keeping his tone casual.

"It was quite the coincidence actually, we were staying at the same hotel, bumped into each other at the bar one night."

"Right," Alex responded, not buying a word of John's story. "Why did you move in? Why didn't you just see I was fine and then go back to your lives."

"You seem to be very good at getting yourself into some sticky situations." Helen smiled, "We figured we could help you out of them if we stayed close."

"Have you been watching me? Is that how you found me, in the city the other night?"

"We haven't been following you if that's what you mean, Liz mentioned something about you not coming home and I asked John to keep an eye out on his drive from the office," Helen said amused.

"How much do you know?" Alex asked slowly, "I would have thought you would have more questions for me."

"We are aware of your involvement with MI6 if that's what you're asking." John frowned, adding a sort of anger to the words that didn't quite seem genuine.

Alex paused, toying with his glass. Helen hadn't learned to hide her emotions, she was an open book to anyone who paid the slightest bit of attention. Her thoughts were written on her face. She responded to the easy questions only, the questions where they would lose nothing by telling the truth.

John was lying, skirting around the truth by giving answers that were close to reality, only sharing half of the story. He was playing a part, and so far Alex was disappointed with his performance. None of it fit the stories he had heard about the man. John Rider was world-renowned in the intelligence community, the best of the best - but this man sitting in front of him was at best, mediocre.

"It's all a game, Alex" Ian had told him once during a chess match, "you need to understand your opponent, get in their head, anticipate their next 3 moves if you want any chance of beating them. It's easy to get your opponent to do what you want them to do, but only if you truly know how they think."

It all clicked in an instant. John was dragging Alex in - well, he was trying to anyways. John must know that Alex's curiosity gets the better of him, it has ever since he was small - but where was he getting his information from?

"Did Ian tell you about me?" Alex asked being sure to sound hopeful, as well as adjusting his body language subtly to mimic the boy he was when Ian was alive, and sprinkling in a bit of Tom's insecurity into his expression.

"He told us a bit." Helen seemed to light up at the question. "He told us how you are athletic, he joked that you skipped crawling altogether and went straight to running. He said that you are too curious for your own good, that you are very social but can be shy at times, you are headstrong, that you do decently in school as long as you put in the effort. He also assured us multiple times that you do know your manners you just refuse to bow down to authority so sometimes the manners get ignored."

Alex wanted to laugh but settled for a small smile instead, she seemed to be reciting Ian word for word, he could almost hear the man, it was the same things he told everyone who asked about Alex. Most of it was true, though he always added that Alex was a bit shy and did fairly average in school. It never made sense to Alex growing up. Ian wouldn't put up with anything less than unshakable confidence in Alex, no matter where he was or who he was talking to.

He couldn't be more grateful for it now, underestimating someone's intelligence as well as their confidence was a massive miscalculation.

John's intel was laughably outdated and in some parts completely untrue. He knew Alex had worked for MI6, but Alex wouldn't be surprised if that was the full extent of his knowledge on the matter. Which brought back the question of who is this contact that conveniently left out every key detail that would have put Alex at a disadvantage in this odd game he had found himself in the middle of.

The contact was giving Alex one hell of a fighting chance.

"We were only able to contact him a handful of times but, he loved to brag about you. He was very proud." Helen added

Alex smiled again, before swallowing down the rest of his whisky.

"Another?" John asked, already pouring more into Alex's glass.

"You do know it's illegal to give a minor alcohol right?" Alex questioned pulling the glass towards him.

Alex was relaxing his body language more and more with each drink he took, and he could feel the tension seeping from the air. In reality, it would take quite a bit more alcohol than he has had tonight to have any sort of effect on Alex, but they didn't need to know that.

"It's honestly the last thing I am worried about," John laughed, the tension in his shoulders webbing away with each sip Alex took.

"Where have you guys been living all this time?" Alex asked distractedly, running his finger around the rim of his glass.

"We move around a lot," John shrugged, "it gets boring, staying somewhere for too long."

"How long is too long?" Alex focused back on the man.

"Depends on the place, we've stayed anywhere from a few weeks to a few years," John explained, sounding as though the whole subject of them bored him.

Alex supposed it made sense - if you squinted.

"How did you find out about my-" Alex paused thinking back to the word John had used,

"involvement with MI6?"

"My old contact mentioned it, something about doing a couple of missions for them but it didn't go anywhere," John responded as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

Alex hummed noncommittally, "Who are you working for then?"

If the question caught John off guard at all he didn't show it. He huffed out a laugh before responding cooly "I told you before, I'm a compliance officer at a private financial institution."

Alex sighed finishing the rest of his drink before forcing a yawn, it didn't seem like he would be getting any more out of tonight's conversation, and he was ready to get out of the unsettling confines of the house.

"You can stay in the guest room again if you would like?" Helen offered gently.

"No, thank you," Alex smiled at her, standing from the table and pulling his jumper over him. "I really should get home."

"I can walk you if you need?" John asked following Alex, who was slowly making his way to the front door.

"No need," Alex shrugged pulling the front door open, "It's just around the corner." Alex shut the door behind him, leaving no room for even a 'goodbye'.

Stepping out into the crisp night air, he couldn't quite help the smirk that passed his face.

Game on.

XxXx

A/N: I have really no excuse for how long this chapter took for me to post, I just could not get it right and I'm honestly STILL not happy with it. I could continue to edit this chapter for the next few months or just post it and move on, so I'm posting it and will probably continue to slightly edit it until the day I die.

I'm warning you now the next chapter will probably take just as long as I have an extremely busy next few months with State Boards, school graduation, and attempting to figure out what I plan on doing next. Don't give up on me guys! I will finish this story if it kills me!

Reviews are extremely appreciated! I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on what the hell is going on!