Alex knows that Brian hasn't slept in at least two days, and he suspects that the true number is something more than that even if he can't prove it.

"I can't," Brian protests when Alex tries to convince him to get some sleep, after Alex finds him staring out a second-story window, writing rapidly on a notepad, "I need to keep watch. The Guard has been moving troops around outside the gates, and if we're going to win this battle we're going to need intel on every move the enemy is making."

Alex decides that it's probably against his current interests to point out that, if they've gotten to the point where they're classifying the National Guard as an 'enemy', they're probably already screwed. "Let someone else spy on the gates," he says instead, "You need to be alert and ready if something actually starts to go down; you'll be no use to anyone if you're too tired to lead your troops." Alex feels a bit sick calling referring to the younger students that way, but it seems to hit Brian as he'd intended.

"I don't know who I would trust to do that job, and do it right." Brian holds up his notepad, covered in small, precise notes that Alex is sure detail everything from new machinery moving in right down to what time the news reporter took a smoke break.

"Don't you trust me?" Alex asks softly, reaching out one hand to wrap around the coil of the notepad..

"I-," Brian stops, turning to face Alex with poorly concealed surprise written across his features. "You didn't want any of this," Brian says after a moment, "Why would you…" Brian trails off, softening his grip on the notepad, but not yet letting go.

"You're right, I don't want this," Alex says, glancing out the window at the armored trucks parked outside their school, "But what I want even less is for something to go wrong, something even worse than what's already gone wrong, because our leader wasn't functioning at full capacity."

Brian still watching him, seemingly frozen in place, hand loosely around the notepad.

"Please, Brian," Alex adds, letting more of his worry show in his voice.

After a moment, Brian nods, and his hand slides off of the notepad, leaving it in Alex's care.

"I'll wake you if anything happens," Alex says, settling into the window and pulling out his own pen as Brian stands to leave.

Just as he's writing his first notes, he hears Brian's footsteps stop at the doorway.

"Alex?" Brian says, and Alex tilts his head to show he's listening.

"Thank you," Brian says after a moment, quiet enough that Alex can barely hear him. "You're a good advisor, and a great friend. I'm glad you're here with me."

Alex turns back quickly, flashing a soft smile at Brian before turning back to the window. "I'm glad I'm here too, Brian. Now go get some sleep; I'll still be here when you get up."