When Alec chose to sit down in one of the leather chairs in M's office, Bond realised the seriousness of their situation. He remained standing in the middle of the room. It had been less than three days since they had returned from their mission. A succes as far as the information gathered was concerned. But the dressing around Alec's shoulder was a stark reminder of their almost failure. His blood loss had been servere and paired with Alec's far too pessimistic approach to life, Bond knew it would take more than just a few weeks to get him back in the field.
"This cannot continue, gentlemen," M's voice was knifelike and her stern look even made Bond's skin crawl.
Alec just seemed to deflate further in the chair.
"You both have an appointment with Psych."
When Bond started to protest, M lifted her hand and cut him off.
"No discussion, 007! I want a thorough assessment of both of you—"
"To find a proper guide for each of us!"
Bond's voice was louder, sharper than he had intended. This was what Alec had been babbling on about in his half conscious state on the plane, while Bond held his hand, hoping the blood would stop flowing, that they would make it back in time. He had felt Alec's fear, felt the life drain from him through their bond. This bond which had kept them alive for so many years, giving them an advantage over their enemies. They always knew where the other was, had an almost telepathic connection. Now, it was this very bond, which would tear them apart.
M's look would have killed a lesser man, but Bond stood his ground, fighting down the panic he felt crashing into his body. Alec had turned his head away, unable to look at Bond or M. His face was ashen and his left hand was pressed against his right shoulder. Bond wanted to reach out for him but M stopped him with a lifted eyebrow. With gritted teeth, Bond crossed his arms in front of him, staring directly at M.
"Take the tests, separately," M added. "You will not be allowed to reenter active service without them."
Looking from Alec to Bond, M pinched her nose and sighed.
"Bond, you're sentinels. I have a bunch of scientists who would love to get their hands on both of you to turn you into lab rats, because this," she waved a hand between the two of them, "this thing you have with each other."
She leaned back in her chair, her stern features softening briefly.
"It had worked for you. But you knew how this would end. In the history of MI6—hell, in the history of mankind—no sentinel has ever made it past their thirties before being paired with a guide. And with good reason."
M sat up and her look became grim once more.
"I won't risk another mission because of this."
She considered both of them.
"You know the effects a prolonged zoning has on your brain. What happened to Trevelyan might already have done some damage. Another incident like this, and Trevelyan—well. I won't risk it."
Bond huffed and earned another reproachful look.
"As if that ever had stopped you, Ma'm."
The last word added as if an afterthought. He knew they had to do the tests. He himself was nervous about Alec having suffered damage to his brain. It was the inevitability of it all which had his hackles rising. He wanted to fight against it, hit something, scream, anything but this inability to prevent them from being ripped away from each other.
When nothing more was forthcoming, Bond stood and helped Alec up. He looked utterly defeated and the panic from before had been replaced with a numbness, Bond knew too well. Alec had been betrayed and left behind by so many people and institutions throughout his childhood and younger years, no wonder this felt like a continuation of a far too wellknown pattern by now.
Bond had a hard time convincing himself of a solution which would keep Alec and him together as a unit. A bond between a sentinel and their guide was far deeper than any connection other people would be able to form between them. And it would override any other kind of relationship a person had encountered before.
Thus, like two broken soldiers they limped out of the office and passed Moneypenny without even an acknowledging nod. Bond just wanted to get home, to take care of Alec while he still could.