Alec's POV

Alec groaned as a constant buzzing woke him deep into the night. Lilah shifted against him, rolling away from the offensive noise and burrowing deeper into the covers. Alec contemplated rolling over too and ignoring the call until Lilah started kicking him.

"Answer the goddamn phone Alec!"

He grimaced as he leaned to where his phone was throwing a shit fit. Just as he picked it up, the buzzing stopped, and he and Lilah groaned. He squinted at the harsh light of his lock screen. Three missed calls from Cody, several messages from Cody too…

CODY: Alec call me back!

CODY: Alec!

CODY: SON OF A BITCH ANSWER THE GODDAMN PHONE YOU PIECE OF SHIT

While he was wondering what the hell could be so important at nearly one a.m. Alec's phone pinged with another message.

CODY: Please! Something happened to Issy!

Those five words slowly sunk into Alec's mind… Something had – Realisation struck him harder than a kick to the nuts and shot up immediately, making Lilah hiss as the covers were shoved back. Alec jumped, nearly throwing the phone when it started ringing again. He fiddled with it in haste, accidently ending the call before ringing Cody back.

"What happened?" Alec nearly shouted when Cody picked up the phone. "Is Issy okay?" Lilah sat up, nearly falling off the bed in the process, and stared up at Alec with wide, dark eyes. She shuffled closer when Cody started speaking and Alec put the call on speaker.

"I'm sorry Alec! We didn't realise what was happening until it was too late – I –"

"CODY! What happened to my sister?!"

"You remember that guy from Erudite? The one a year above us – Emerson or some shit?"

"Emmett."

Cody swallowed. "He assaulted Issy… I'm so sorry Alec, we're so short staffed in here that Four didn't realise who it was or what was happening until Eric got there and –" Cody paused, his voice turned quiet and meek. "Alec, if Eric didn't get there, Emmett would have raped her."

Horror washed through his body and Alec closed his eyes as Lilah gasped next to him. "Is she with Eric now?"

"Yeah, Issy was pretty much unconscious but he carried her to his apartment."

Alec opened his eyes. Golden eyes stared straight ahead, and he didn't realise he was shaking until Lilah prised open his fist and laced their fingers together. "And Emmett?"

"Um, Eric disposed of him…"

"Good."

Cody apologized again before ending the call, promising to call again at a reasonable time. Alec sat there absolutely furious, with Lilah gazing at him cautiously.

"Alec?"

He pushed the covers off, quickly pulling on some joggers and a tank. "I'm fine." He said as he pulled on a chest holster, clipping a gun in place and an extra box of ammo just in case. Alec picked up his headphones and phone before leaning over and placing his lips to Lilah's forehead. "I just need to run for a bit okay?" He didn't see Lilah nod her head as she pulled the covers higher as he walked out of their apartment. Alec locked the door of his new living arrangement behind him before walking off.

His eyes were down on the ground while he connected his headphones to his phone before placing them on his head, his golden eyes glazing in thought. Alec, Lilah, Kayden and Flare were aware that each of the couples wanted to live with each other and they had come to an agreement that Flare moves in with Kayden and Alec moves in with Lilah, moving out of his and Cody's shared apartment. It seemed easier than going up to Winnie and requesting an apartment when this way, neither couple had a deadline for when all their stuff had to be moved. It hadn't been long since Alec had moved in with Lilah and they were still in the process of moving everything around.

When Alec hit the ground floor, he hadn't even realised he took the stairs while stuck in his head. There were a few stragglers still in the Pit as Alec jogged past on his way to the training room. Almost by habit, he took the familiar route to the transfer's training room and started running laps once he was inside.

Alec remembers the day that he and Issy first met Emmett. It was a couple of months after Hugo had transferred and the twins had some kind of ingenious trick in the planning, but they needed the professional opinion of someone with experience in that field. Alec hardly remembers what it was now, but he does remember going up to their favourite professor's classroom. Their timing hadn't been great as Douglas had a class the year above the twins. When the class finally finished, Emmett stayed behind to ask Douglas about something and Issy – being as impatient as she is – barged into the room and interrupted the conversation so that she could show Douglas their notes. Alec doesn't know what Emmett saw in her that day to lock his attention on her, but Emmett shot her a look when she barged in. Positively amused was the best way Alec could describe it back then… Now, it reminded Alec awful like the look that Eric gives to rowdy initiates when they've done something Eric can punish them for. It wasn't a positive look at all, but on the edge of being gleefully cruel.

After their first encounter with Emmett, the twins didn't see him for another couple of months – then he was everywhere. He frequently passed them in hallways, popped up in the labs or libraries during free time. For an observant person, Issy didn't notice but Alec did. Alec watched Emmett with curious confusion as Emmett watched Issy. On more than one occasion, Emmett and Alec's eyes would connect and every time Emmett would make a gesture for Alec to leave.

He didn't.

Whatever Emmett was up to, Alec didn't trust it.

Alec didn't trust him.

So, for a few more months Alec watched as Emmett's façade cracked with anger every time Alec refused to move. Issy stayed blissfully ignorant to it all and he honestly worried for her. Sometimes Alec would raise his eyebrow in Emmett's direction, other's he would just ignore him.

But one day Alec was feeling awfully cocky. Emmett made the usual gesture for him to move away and Alec smirked, lifting his chin in challenge. The next day as Alec joined Issy for lunch, he was shocked to see Emmett sat beside her and when Emmett's eyes met Alec's, he smirked back, lifting his chin much like Alec did the day before.

Then Emmett suddenly become a part of their group. He sat with the twins and Cody at school, walked with them to the libraries or labs or even classes. He didn't leave. The only time that it was back to being the twins and Cody was during class and the odd times they planned pranks – and both Cody and Alec could tell Emmett wasn't happy not being a part of the latter.

To say that Alec wasn't hurt to find out from the gossip circling Erudite that his sister and Emmett were together would be a lie. He was very hurt and while Alec nursed his wound, Emmett grinned like he had won. As their relationship progressed, Emmett became more and more abrasive and pushy with what he wanted out of it and Issy was just…void… Like she wasn't emotionally invested into the relationship. Though Alec was glad that Issy didn't let him walk all over her. The relationship ended three months before Emmett's aptitude test and this time Issy told Alec that she was breaking up with Emmett.

While Emmett was stewing silently with anger afterwards, Issy didn't seem to act any different than she did before Emmett had become a part of her life. From their mum and Cara, Alec knew that breakups weren't meant to be that easy, that indifferent. He hadn't understood what it meant to dedicate yourself to another but now Alec knows that he'd be absolutely heartbroken if he and Lilah had to break it off…

A hard grip on his shoulder made Alec lose his footing. His lingering fear for his sister sent Alec's nerves alight and Alec reacted. Even as he stumbled over his own feet, Alec threw out a fist when more hands grabbed at his arms.

"– Alec! Snap out of it buddy – oof!" As Alec's ass hit the ground, he watched as Hugo tumbled over too, clutching at his stomach while Josh held him up. "Fucking hell Alec, what's got you all worked up?"

Alec stared at them. "What are you both doing up at half one?"

Josh opened his mouth and frowned at Hugo. "It's nearly five a.m. Alec… We thought we'd get an early work out in before the day starts."

"What?" Alec ran his fingers through his hair. He must have been so lost in his memories that he wasn't aware of time slipping by. He shakes his head, looking up to them desperately. "Do you know?" Alec accepted Hugo's outstretched arm to pull him to his feet.

"Know what?" Hugo edged closer to Josh and Alec didn't miss how Hugo's hand dropped down to grip Josh's. By the confused expressions on their faces, they didn't, and Alec's heart broke a little at having to be the one to tell them.

"Issy got attacked by Emmett last night." Alec's eyes dropped down to stare at his boots, not wanting to see their reactions. "I got a call from Cody around about one. Eric's dealt with Emmett and taken Issy to his apartment."

"Fuck!" Hugo swore. "I knew that bastard was bad news… Does Dec know?"

Alec shrugs, glancing up to Hugo. "Can you come with me?" For the first time in a couple of years, Alec feels like a little boy, needing to have his older brother there for support and encouragement.

Hugo wraps an arm around Alec's shoulder and pulls him closer. "Of course." Hugo smiles as Josh comes to Alec's other side and slips his arm over Alec's shoulder too. "We'll go and see him now, okay?"

"Then we'll cook a big breakfast for the whole family and tell them together." Josh smiles softly. "Hopefully someone there will stop Dec from having a panic attack."

Alec laughs softly as Hugo and Josh steer him out of the training room.

xXx

As the days went on, Alec received updates on his sister's condition from Marlene and snippets from Declan from his conversations with Eric. Alec was surprised that it took so long for the Leaders to set up the announcement of Emmett's crimes. He would have preferred if it was a day or two before Issy had gone back to work because it wasn't something he wanted his sister to watch.

Alec had gotten to their usual spot on the ledge overlooking the Pit a little early with Lilah. Flare and Kayden had joined the couple soon after and they shared grim looks. When the family met up for breakfast so Alec, Hugo and Josh could break the news, everyone had been distraught by it. Kayden had been walking at the back of the group with Issy and Luke when Issy waved them off as she went down to retie her boot. Alec could still see the guilt brimming like waves in his eyes as Kayden held Flare tighter to him. more and more of their family turned up in small groups. Dec turned up with Hugo and Zeke. Four stood slightly away from the Vince brothers, mumbling something to Zeke. Bree and Noah joined Alec and the others from their initiation class as the ground floor of the Pit filled up.

He eyed the ground floor, frowning slightly when he spotted his twin standing in the middle of the crowd by herself. Alec almost jumped down to join her on the ground floor but paused when he saw Eric making his way towards her. Eric glanced up and Alec nodded to the Leader when their eyes connected. Alec settled against the wall next to Lilah as Max appeared wounded while he apologized to the victims of Emmett for only just giving them justice.

After Max dismisses the faction, Bree immediately took off, pushing past family, friends and members of the faction as she ran down the steps to the ground floor. Alec smiles when he sees Bree collide with Issy and he glances down at Lilah and holds out his hand. Lilah smiles back lacing her finger with his as they follow the group down the stairs.

When he and Lilah get to where Issy stands with Bree, Zeke is running off to catch up with Four. He frowns, still unsure of what to feel about Four… Alec understands that the control room was understaffed and the stress over watching so many screens can give one a migraine but surely it would have been better to be safe than sorry?

Alec lets go of Lilah's hand as she moves forward to hug Issy. Everyone crowds, but they still manage to keep their distance from Issy. Declan walks up from behind her and Alec isn't surprised when Issy flinches away from him. Hugo moves to Alec's side and grips Alec's wrist like he's stupid enough to crowd her when there's already enough males surrounding her.

"Issy…" Declan sounds pained as he tears his hand away from her. Even with Issy's hyper alertness, she didn't sense someone creeping up behind her and what did Declan really expect after what she's been through?

"Dec," Hugo says quietly. "Give her some space."

"I'm fine." Issy says firmly, standing straighter as Hugo shakes his head. "He just caught me by surprise, is all."

Bree frowns in Alec's direction at the mild stupidity of Dec and Hugo. Just because they're her brothers doesn't mean they're exempt from Issy's cautiousness around males. Alec rolls his eyes back to Bree at his sister's attempt to pretend that nothing is wrong.

Bree steps in between Issy and Dec, suggesting they go to one of the pubs in the Pit for late dinner. Everyone shifts closer at the offer of food and Issy smiles as others join in on the idea. The conversation shifts none too subtly back onto Emmett, people reassure Issy constantly that everything will be okay. Voices blur as Alec's eyes narrow on his twin and she just smiles and smiles and smiles until Alec gets sick of it. The smile doesn't reach her eyes – blueish hues filled with pleading as they settle on Alec and he cocks his head to the side. You want to escape? Issy bites her lip and nods slowly, looking almost guilty at wanting to get away from the people, their family, crowding around her.

Alec steps towards her, squeezing past friends and brother slowly, watching as Issy watches him. He looks for any sign that Alec's added presence to the crowd around her is stressing her out and when he doesn't find one, Alec stands shoulder to shoulder with her. Alec's always been that little bit taller than Issy and it had been what Alec had snapped back whenever Issy used the I'm older card. Now, as Alec looked over the stop of Issy's head, he saw the hurt expression on Dec's face when Alec slipped his arm around her shoulders and Issy didn't flinch away.

For a long as either Alec or Issy could remember, they had been able to comfort and understand each other better than anyone else. They had been each other's preinstalled best friend for so long and nothing had got in between them. Well, apart from the one time that the twins had gotten into a screaming match when they were ten and Alec said some awful things fuelled by fear and sadness… Even now in Dauntless, Alec doesn't think there's people who can truly comfort and support them, but there's a few people that Alec can think of that come close.

Alec smiles at those standing around them, but with one glance at his eyes they all take a step back from the twins and give them some space. He pulls Issy towards the stairs to the first level of the Pit. While he guides her up to the pub Bree suggested, Alec notices Issy frowning out of the corner of his eye. He tucks her closer into his body and squeezes her shoulder. Issy smiles up at him. For just a small moment, its Alec and Issy against the world again, and Alec smiles back.

xXx

Alec stood with Lilah and Cody at the tracks near the back door of Dauntless. With the stress of their jobs and the constant reminder of the Factionless, he had noticed it was hard to relax. Even in the deepest lounges of the Pit, the threats of the possible war still edged into any moment the younger members tried to have fun. So Alec had pulled those from his initiation class aside and planned a day away from the compound.

Noah walked out of the compound with Bree and grinned when they joined Alec, Lilah and Cody. "Who are we waiting for?" Noah asked, adjusting the rucksack on his shoulders. Alec and Cody had similar rucksacks but while Noah's held food, Alec's held blankets, sheets and even some cushions, and Cody's held drinks and a few other things they thought they would need.

"Flare's waiting for Kayden to get off for the day. Sam is meeting the parents and Luke's got a family event or something, so they said they'd rain check." Alec checked his phone. "Issy said she'd message once Harrison's announcement was over and she and Hec would be over soon after."

Bree's nose scrunched up and she frowned. "In their patrol gear?"

"I've got them a change of clothes too if they want them." Cody grinned and lightly kicked the rucksack, making it slump to the ground.

Noah shoots Cody a glare. "Please be careful with that, I don't want the drinks going everywhere."

"So domestic…" Cody tuts mockingly as Lilah and Bree giggle. "You're only nineteen, some of us twenty, live a little. We're in Dauntless baby."

Alec bites back a smirk when Noah slowly slipped his rucksack to the ground next to Bree. Cody eyed it carefully before his eyes flickered back up to see Noah launching himself at Cody, tackling them both to the ground. While Noah and Cody roll around the ground, each trying to get the upper hand in their mock fight, Alec, Lilah and Bree laugh and egg them on until the others joined them.

xXx

When they jumped off the train on the outskirts of Erudite, his friends turned to Alec.

"What we doing in Erudite Alec?" Bree asked as he shifted the rucksack on his shoulders. "I thought you said we'd be just lounging?"

"Yeah!" Flare added. "I thought we would be going to Amity."

Alec laughed as he led them through the ruined streets. While he loved Flare like a sister, it was obvious that she wasn't fully aware of the dangers located in each of the Factions. "Amity is too far away from Dauntless, plus there's been reports of Factionless activity almost at a constant now." He takes a left down one of the small streets and starts mentally counting the alleys as he passes them. "Out of all of the Factions, apart from Dauntless of course, Erudite has the lowest amount of activity. Ah!" Alec stops at the eleventh alleyway climbs over the debris blocking it. When they don't follow him, Alec turns back to see them standing at the mouth of the alley, staring at him with varying looks of worry and confusion. He laughs, motioning them forward with a jerk of his head. "Come on! I've scouted our location out this past week, its safe." When Bree looks to Issy with a look that Alec can only describe as questioning his sanity, Alec laughs again. "Trust me."

Lilah is the first one to climb over the debris and Alec offers his hand to help her down. Issy and Kayden follow slowly after her, but Cody still looks unsure.

"This isn't where you kill us in the alley and frame the Factionless for it, is it?"

"You've known me for almost fifteen years Cody, do you really think I'd not only tell Max we're going out, but also take a route where the cameras can follow us?"

Cody opens his mouth and pauses. "Don't be mean." He walks forward, grumbling under his breath while Kayden laughs at him. "I haven't been out in the field since this uprising shit started, I'm sorry if I'm a little glitchy."

"This is hardly out in the field." Hec snorts, nudging Issy with a wink. "If we were out in the field, believe me, you'd know."

"I don't want to know." Cody grabbed Alec's hand and lowered himself on the other side. "I like sitting in the control room and watching at for dodgy dealings."

Alec snorted and led them further down before pushing one of the doors open. He holds it open for them to enter. "Up to the tenth floor. The lift doesn't work."

"That's fucking rude." Cody said as he passes Alec.

"You know Cody –" Flare started only to have Cody cut her off.

"Don't say it!"

"– I think you've became a little too comfortable in the control room –"

"Please!"

"– why don't you join me between your shifts, and we'll go done to the training room for a bit?"

Cody stopped climbing the stairs and turned to Flare. "I don't have a choice in this, do I?

"Not really, no."

There was no more conversation as they climbed the stairs to the tenth floor. On some of the landings, Kayden paused with Flare or Issy as his leg became a problem. Each time they stopped; Alec apologised but their location was the only relatively intact one in the whole building.

On the tenth floor, Alec led them through two more doors before finally stopping in what Alec guessed was once a stylish staff room. It suited Erudite well enough with the ageless leather couches and chairs, the low metal tables and floor to ceiling steel framed windows that overlooked Erudites' territory with the main building of Erudite's compound in the distance.

"Oh damn." Kayden walks up to the windows as the others inspect the room. "How'd you find this?"

Alec smiles softly when he stops in the middle of the room, dropping his pack to the floor. "I, uh, I got some horrible news when I was little, and I just ran away." He glances at Issy before looking away. "Eventually I found myself in the building and calmed down. After that, I came back some nights when everyone else was asleep and I didn't find this room until a few months later. Not long after, I permanently attached myself to Iss, and spent more time with my family and friends." Alec nodded to Cody with a smile. "I forgot about this place until Bree was talking about somewhere away from Dauntless."

"It's certainly handy." Bree grinned. "Is there anyway we could put a lock on the doors so only we could access it?"

Cody glanced out of the window in the direction of Erudite's main building. "Its on Erudite territory so I'm sure there's a rule against it."

"That's a shame."

Alec smiles and nods his head. "Issy, Hec, we have a change of clothes for you guys in one of the packs, I – I forget which one…"

Cody opened his pack and started throwing clothes out at random. "I got 'em!"

Hector was hit I the chest with a small top. It was made of tight material and he grimaced as he threw it to Issy. "I think that's yours love."

Issy laughed. "Don't think it would suit you?"

"I don't think it would fit." Hec shot back.

Alec watched as the squaddies looked around for a moment before shrugging at each other and proceeded to strip. The others busied themselves with the food and drink while Kayden snorted as he moved to one of the packs and pulled out the cushions and blankets. "You gotten fitter since initiation Iss," Kayden winked at her, passing some of the blankets to Flare and Bree. They covered the chairs and couches and placed the cushions on them. "Ya reckon I could still take you?"

Issy laughed as she pulled a dark jumper over her top. "You'll have to find out for yourself Amity." She pulled her phone out of her jean pocket and placed it on the table before pulling off her jeans. Her phone lights up, buzzing against the table, and everyone's eyes turn to watch it. Everyone can see Eric's name clearly on the screen as it rings. Issy lets loose a shaky breath before returning to get changed. Bree eyes the phone and looks up to Alec, who shrugs in response. Neither of them were aware anything was wrong between the squad captain and the Leader but clearly, they were wrong. The call ends and a message pops up on the screen before Issy flips the phone over.

"I told Max we were all heading out." Alec said, eyes switching from the phone to him. "I thought he would have passed the news along."

"Apparently not." Issy mumbled before Bree pulled her down to sit between herself and Alec on the couch.

The others spread themselves around and Noah passed the food out. It was nothing fancy just a couple of sandwiches each, slices of cake and brownies. It was more of a picnic than anything, but Alec was happy to see his family laughing without the added weight of their jobs on their shoulders.

As they eat and joke about the silly things, Alec realises how much they had all grown since initiation. Noah was more comfortable in speaking up for himself in front of people he didn't know, Bree took feelings into account before she spoke – the couples' origin factions reflecting them beautifully. Hector and Flare's need to constantly prove that they were Dauntless had faded once they both knew they didn't have to constantly remind those around them, calming Flare's attitude to others and stopping Hector from making other people's decisions for them. In contrast, Lilah had become bolder as a Leader of Dauntless and had finally taken herself out of her dad's shadow. Kayden had learned what Alec though was the greatest quality someone could have – he had learnt to trust the people around him and open up his heart to those that wanted nothing but good fortune for him. Once Alec had thought Kayden an enemy, and now he could never unsee Kayden as anything but a brother and friend.

Alec looked at Issy and Cody next and smiled. Out of all of them – minus his brothers and his twin – Alec had known Cody for almost all his life. Cody, Issy and Alec were all in the same classes, their parents were friends, and after his family had moved closer to the Erudite compound, they lived close together. They had been, and still are thick as thieves, but now they had more people to rely on than each other – their little self-made family had grown. It was easier to see how the three of them had changed since they had known each other from the very start.

In Erudite, they all lacked something. Cody was easily distracted, jumping to one subject to the next and it often meant that he had so many projects left started that he swamped himself with them. Alec often let Issy lead discussions and projects, finding it easier to let her go off on one as they would be more often than not be thinking on the same track anyway and Issy was more skilled than Alec at bullshitting in front of an authoritative figure. Issy didn't have faith in herself or her actions, she often worried that if the time came up to proving herself, she wouldn't be able to do anything – all talk and no action.

Dauntless had been a great decision for all of them. Cody had found his passion and he stayed focused on his job, enjoying all it had to offer. Alec had found his confidence and was able to speak for himself, separating himself from the package deal he was in Erudite. In Dauntless he could just be Alec, instead of Issy and Alec constantly. Issy had found her strength and could readily prove herself in a fight if necessary. Issy would be able to listen to how the Dauntless Leaders want to protect the city and she'd do her damned best to enforce it.

Just as Alec opened his mouth to ask Issy and Hec about how training was going, Issy's phone started buzzing again.

"Oh, for fucks sake." Bree hissed as she snatched the phone up and answered the call. In the quiet lull of the room, everyone could hear Eric start shouting before Bree cut him off. "Eric, darling, Issy is fine and safe. Bunch of us decided to take a day out from the compound, didn't Max tell you?" Eric was silent on the other end and Alec wasn't surprised in the slightest. Bree's tone right now was a little bit scary and the Leader was smart for not interrupting her. "Take a fucking chill pill, she's allowed to go out of the compound. If I hear that you threw a shit fit at her afterwards, I'll come for you and there'll be a Leadership spot that needs filling. Do I make myself clear?" There's a mumble of a reply and Bree grins wickedly. "Great! Bye Eric!" Bree hangs up and puts it back on the table. Alec rubs his sister's shoulders as Issy covers her face with her hands.

"He hardly says more than a couple of words to me around Dauntless and now when I'm out of the compound he can't seem to shut up."

"I thought you guys were okay after – after that…"

"We were but he won't touch me… he doesn't lean on me like he used too or hold me close – gentle or possessive. Eric avoids it, me, and I don't know what to do."

Bree looks to Noah quickly, who throws his hands up in response. "I'll talk to him for you."

Noah rubbed his temples and tried to hide a smile. "Bree no –"

"Bree yes."

The couple stared at each other, silently conversing until Noah rolled his eyes and Bree sits with a small smug smirk.

"Ya know," Cody starts. "I remember when you were this quiet little thing that was more like background support…"

Alec snorted. "I think we're remembering initiation differently. Bree acted out when members looked at her funny."

"But that was just to members, right? Not to people she knew, certainly not to Eric of all people."

Issy's eyes twinkled as they shifted from light blue to gold, throwing her arm around Bree's shoulder. "Our girl's a fighter, she doesn't take shit from anyone."

"We don't take shit from anyone." Bree corrected, nudging Issy. "Us girls have to be loud and vicious if we want to be heard over the guys that constantly have pissing contests with each other." As the girls all laugh, Alec and the other lads squawk their protests before laughing along with them.

Hec raises his cup up and the others raise theirs too. Flare snickers a bit but quietens down when Hec shoots her a light glare. "I'm aware my glass is empty but it's the thought that counts. To family and better days!"

"To family!"