Disclaimer: Alex Rider is not mine. I'm merely borrowing

A/N: Sad, implied/referenced suicide, ambiguous ending.

Alex looked as fit as ever – lean body, blond hair but there was something about the set of his shoulders that just wasn't right, and the fact that Alex hadn't looked at him or spoken yet.

There were also two glasses and a wine bottle on the side table.

A sudden suspicion settled in Tom's gut.

"Alex?" Tom asked softly, pulling a chair to sit across the couch.

"Tom." Alex sounded calm, eerily calm.

This was not looking good.

"How are you? Been far too long, mate"

Alex slumped further, if possible, "It has. I'm sorry."

Silence reigned, and Tom swallowed. Something was wrong, he just hoped it wasn't that.

"Here, to stay for a bit then?" he asked lightly.

"No, I'm… here on business," There was a twang of regret in Alex's voice

"Business." Tom repeated stiffly. He bit his lip and gave Alex a small smile before gesturing to the glasses, "May I?"

His friend returned it with a rueful one, "No- let me." he said, clearing his throat.

"Paranoid bastard" Tom muttered before sinking into the opposite couch, running his fingers through his hair, "Did you visit Jack yet?" he asked delicately.

Alex rubbed the nape of his neck. "Yes. I- I spoke to her. She's doing fine, don't worry."

Tom let out a breath, "Good- that's -. Told her you wouldn't be coming back anytime soon, did you?" he asked hesitantly.

Alex stared for a moment as though caught off guard and his mouth twitched into a bitter smile, "Yeah. I did."

"How's work?" Tom wondered why he was even asking, when he was sure that was where something was wrong.

"I'm getting promoted." Alex answered, pinching his nose.

"Promoted." he repeated woodenly.

"Yes." said Alex lifting one shoulder in an elegant shrug.

"Is that why you're here? To have a drink for old times' sake before you can't spend time with me for it again?" Tom said curtly, curling his lip and wishing he had something warm on.

"No, and yes." said Alex, carefully handing him a glass.

Tom stared at his friend and then at the glass for a second before setting it down.

"Not in the mood to drink?" Alex asked.

"Shut up. As if you'd be in the mood to drink when – you-you're here for business, Alex."

"Tom?" said Alex slowly, "Drink it, I'm not going to drug you and kidnap you away for vacation like last time."

Tom leaned back, "There won't be a next time, will there?" he asked, swallowing against the nausea.

"No, " said Alex, rubbing his eyes.

Tom's heart sank to his feet. This couldn't be happening.

"No- I'm- " Alex shook his head slowly, even as his grip on the glass tightened, "I'm leaving my job, permanently."

What.

"Permanently? I thought you couldn't leave SCORPIA unless you-"

Alex finally looked him in the eyes, and Tom shivered as he realised, "Alex – why?"

"I am not killing you, Tom." said Alex coldly, stabbing a finger in his direction, "Neither you- nor Jack. Being a member of the board is worthless compared to you both"

Tom stared, he'd been right, and dead wrong.

He put his head in his hands, "I wish you'd never run off in Venice."

"I wish I'd never spoken to Yassen Gregorovich but we can't have everything."

"Alex-" Tom wondered if his friend would accept a hug, and was startled to be pulled into one.

"What about SCORPIA?" he asked quietly into Alex's ear.

Alex leaned back, his hands still on his shoulders, and gave him an inscrutable smile, his eyes glinting darkly, "They won't survive another week. Don't leave the house, don't open the doors to any strangers – nothing. I've already told Jack to be careful this next week."

Tom nodded, numbly. He didn't know what to do.

"Is there no other way?" he rasped, a lump in his throat.

"No, Tom. I've checked everything. The other board members have me under too much scrutiny right now. I had to tell you- I couldn't, I couldn't go to- to Jack. Be with her, won't you?"

Alex's voice had never been so pleading, or so swathed in guilt and other bundles of emotions.

Tom let out a strangled sob, as Alex stared back at him with anguished eyes.

He didn't know how long they'd sat in silence, or when he'd slept, but he must have, because when he woke, Alex was gone. And the glasses and bottle had been put away.

His doorbell rang at five in the evening a week later.

"Alright, wait up," Tom groaned, he did not want to talk to anyone right now. He was sure he looked horrible, and the week staying in, had been hell. "Oh-Jack?"

Jack looked as though she hadn't slept in days. She collapsed onto the couch, "They told me. Put on the news." She said, exhaustion evident in every syllable.

Tom swallowed back against the sudden nausea roiling in his stomach and switched on the TV, quickly flicking to the news.

Jack splayed her fingers over her eyes and let out a sob.

And Tom watched the headlines announcing the collapse of various corporations and the death of his friend.

A few miles away, Tulip Jones stared out of the window, sucking a peppermint and looking strangely forlorn, even as reports of SCORPIA's disintegration made its way to her desk.

An ocean away, Yassen Gregorovich stared at the picture of a blond- haired boy and wondered if it would have been better if he had died in that fateful air crash instead.

And somewhere Alex Rider was finally at peace.

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