Last chapter! :D I have enjoyed writing for Alpha. It's been grand! Oh and thanks for the surnames!

"awww…" Li said in a small squeal.

"Li turn around and sit down." Hex said to her. She looked at him and rolled her eyes.

"You should take notes from Alex, Hex," She said scathingly before turning back around and sitting down. Paulo, who was sitting next to her, glanced back at Hex.

"She's right; the only action you get is with that palmtop." He laughed. Hex grimaced and looked sideways at Alex and Lily, wondering what Li thought was so cute; they were asleep! They were all sat in a seven seater car; one which Paulo had marvelled at on approach but soon found he was too tired to care. Alex, Lily and Hex sat right at the back, Li and Paulo sat in the middle and the unknown driver kept quite during the journey. Hex wondered if Alex would be true to his word; he'd said before that he and Lily were two worlds apart, would he leave her? Somehow Hex doubted it. The car came to a stop suddenly.

"Oi, you two!" Paulo shouted back at them, Alex woke up instantly and they laughed at how flustered he became when he looked down to find Lily.

"Ah…" he gasped, evidently he'd forgotten about her. "Lily," he whispered sleepily, "wake up." She opened her eyes and looked around.

"Where are we?" She leant across Alex to look out of the window.

"Hotel Navas." The young DEA representative, who had eventually introduced himself as Nick, opened the door. Everyone filed out of the car, staring around the empty, darkened street around them. Li shivered, the evening brought a chill with it today, and Paulo put an arm around her. "You'll all have rooms on the third floor; there are six rooms there, one for each of you and then one for me. I'll be taking care of you all for nine days-"

"Nine days?!" They shouted at him.

"I thought you wanted to wait for Amber to get better? She's not flying out in her condition." His comment was met with many shouts and murmurs of approval. "Now let's all go and get some sleep, you can visit the hospital in the morning." They all trooped in to the hotel, they walked straight past the reception desk and up to their rooms; leaving Nick to deal with the startled lady at the desk.

Once everyone had reached the 3rd floor they stood in the corridor, looking blankly at one another; a shared sense of relief went through the group and they eventually smiled at one another.

"Good night guys," Lily said quietly and went to open her door.

"Night." They all said and there was an awkward moment when Lily debated something with a quick glance at Alex. Evidently she changed her mind and opened the door to her room; she glanced back, smiled and went into the room.

"See you in the morning." Alex said quickly to the other three and opened the door after lily and walked in.

"See ya," the other three shouted at him before turning around and opening the doors to their rooms. "Hang on," Paulo said and all of them turned back to the hallway, "did Alex just go into Lily's room?" There was a moment of stunned silence before Paulo let out a low whistle, "who would've though Alex would be the first of us to get-"

"No, no, no!" Li shouted and put her hands to her ears, "I don't want to hear stuff like that!" She said in offence before slamming her bedroom door shut with her foot.

"Everyone was thinking it!" Paulo protested but Hex put a hand on his shoulder.

"Dude, whenever crap like that comes into your head, please, keep it to yourself." Hex patted him on the shoulder before retiring to his own room. Paulo shook his head and walked to Li's room-

"Don't even think about it." He heard her shout before he'd even gone to the door handle. He smiled and went back to his room.

"Don't change the subject." Amber heard Hex say.

"No, change the subject Alex!" She whispered urgently but sighed as she heard Hex talk again.

"This is about you and Lily. I see Amber loads; you might never see Lily again-"

"Perhaps that's best." Alex said and Hex was shocked. "Lily and I come from completely different worlds. Anyway, how the heck can I be with Lily and hang out with you guys? She doesn't know what we do Hex…she wouldn't want to hang around, waiting for me to get back." Amber shook her head as much as she could; the shock of watching this had, for some unknown reason, tired her.

"Idiot." She whispered; the Lily she knew wouldn't give a damn about waiting. Hex and Alex began to talk about Lily and Amber found her thoughts going back to what Alex had said; when exactly is Amber going to find out how you feel about her? How did Hex feel? And why, when she thought about it did the flutterbies (A/N: valentine's language for "butterflies") in her stomach squirm?

"At least I have a vaguely credible reason not to say anything to her! You've got no good reason not to tell Amber!" Alex's shout brought Amber back to the conversation. Tell Amber what? She thought, even though she knew.

"There are SO many reasons not to tell her Alex," Hex replied. No there aren't! She thought and gripped tightly to the remote control in her hands.

"Yeah, reasons as in: I don't think she'll like me back? That's ridiculous." Alex said and Amber nodded in agreement.

"It's not!" Hex said, suddenly angry, "there are more reasons!" name one. "what if she didn't; then how awkward will our friendship be? It'd ruin everything cause…for one stupid moment I thought she could like me." The video camera turned off; she had seen the low battery sign on the screen. But she'd seen enough. She realised her breathing was faster than normal; she switched the television off and grabbed the oxygen mask next to her bed. She inhaled deeply and slumped back onto the pillows. She removed the mask and put it back before lying back and staring at the white washed ceiling.

"Idiot." She gasped.

"Lily?" Alex walked into her room and saw that she had opened the doors to her balcony and was sat on the railing. She wiped her eyes hurriedly.

"Not sleepy?" She asked and Alex shook his head. He walked up to her and wiped a tear from her cheek, she smiled guiltily; she had tried her hardest not to cry but it had all came a bit too much. Being on her own again meant she wasn't doing anything, it meant she could think and thinking just made it worse. Thinking just brought back memories she didn't want to know about. Alex stood next to her and stared up at the starless sky.

"We need to talk," he said quietly and she nodded apprehensively, he found he couldn't really speak when he looked at her and so addressed the moon instead; looking to a place behind her. "I really like you Lily," he felt stupid saying it but he didn't want to upset her too much.

"But…?" Lily said before he had the chance, he looked at her quizzically and she rolled her eyes, "that's what you were going to say." It was true, "you're a really bad liar Alex," also true.

"I don't think…we should…" he faltered.

"Oh thank God," she said with a sigh of relief, "I'm glad you said it; I didn't want to be mean." She grimaced at her phrasing but smiled at a dumbfounded Alex.

"You know what I was going to say?" she nodded.

"We should perhaps wait…until my life isn't so crazy?" She said uncertainly and avoided his eyes. She did know what he was going to say. "Don't feel bad about it," she added as she saw him frown, "I think its best." She smiled and he was glad she'd said it.

"But also," Alex took a breath, "I'm not going to be there for you anyway." Lily's eyes widened as she looked at him in surprise, he lost his patience, and mainly he was angry at himself for leading her on. "I live up north, you're in London and Peru, and the distance wouldn't work. And…I'm going to be doing…missions, with Alpha Force so you'll just be hanging around." She nodded and looked away. Then there was a moment of awkward silence in which they both searched for something to say. Lily jumped off the railing and walked back into her room.

"Well it seems we have nine days left here," Alex said as he followed her, he laughed as she collapsed onto the bed and curled up.

"hmm," she closed her eyes and buried her head into her pillow. Alex walked to the door, "goodnight Alex."

"Goodnight." He left. As he walked out of her room he finally realised how tired he was and paid not attention to where he was going; consequently he bumped into Paulo who had just come out of his room. "Oh, sorry." He mumbled but was surprised when Paulo grinned at him.

"That was quick," Paulo winked at a confused Alex and walked back into his room.

-Two days later-

"That's not a Jack, it's a queen!" Li shouted in offence and hit Paulo's arm.

"Oh!" he put on a face of exaggerated distress, "I didn't realise," he smirked and hid his face from her by holding his cards in front of his face.

"Well I give up with both of you!" Alex threw his cards onto Amber's bed and stood up. Li and Paulo shouted at him disapprovingly but he took no heed, he walked out into the hospital's hall. They had come here yesterday but were unable to see Amber as they had been running too many tests on her; overexertion meant she was unresponsive to their calls. When they had turned up this morning she had not been in her room; although she was wheelchair bound for a few days they couldn't find her anywhere. Hex sat outside her room, he looked up from his palmtop's screen as Alex approached him.

"What's up?" Hex asked and Alex shrugged. "When's Lily coming back?" Hex placed his palmtop carefully back into its case. Again Alex shrugged again and glanced at his watch.

"She said around two-"

"How's she coping?" Hex asked suddenly and Alex looked at him.

"She says she's fine-"

"She says?"

"She is!" Alex said with a bit more confidence; "Lily's not the type of person to say something she's not feeling." At least he hoped he was right.

"I am fine." Lily said as she approached them and they both looked away, slightly embarrassed they'd been discussing how truthful she was. "Where's Amber?" She asked and they shrugged.

"When we came here she wasn't in her room, she went for a ride in her new wheelchair." Alex sniggered at the thought; Amber would hate the restrictions of a wheelchair. "How was it?" Alex asked her, suddenly turning serious. Lily shrugged.

"Dad's going to prison, mum's coming home, I'm going back to England." She smiled in relief; for the past two days Lily had been going back and forth to continuous meetings with Lawyers and other people in suits who she was meant to know but had no clue who they were. She was glad that her part in the paperwork was over; she just had seven days to spend with Alpha force now. "In the end it was all a bit too simple," she muttered. "Anyway, have you guys got your flight details for Sunday then?" She asked and looked at Hex who nodded.

"We leave in the evening; 8 o'clock." She nodded; everything was going according to plan and now there seemed some stability in her life. "I was thinking-"

"Amber!" Alex shouted and ran to hold the door open as she was pushed through by a nurse, Hex stood up to see her. "How're you feeling-"

"I am fine!" She said loudly; hoping a nurse or doctor would hear her. "That's why I do NOT need this to get me places; I have legs to-" She stopped short, staring at something behind Alex, he turned and found she was staring at Hex. He blushed under her stare and was about to say something when she cut across him. "Hi guys!" She shouted as Li and Paulo walked out of her room and into the hallway. She looked around at them all and grinned before they ran to her and embraced her. Alex got caught in the middle of the struggle and was forced between Li and Amber. Paulo and Hex moved away relatively quickly; laughing at an embarrassed Alex, trying to get himself out of their grasp. "OI, lily!" Amber shouted to her and she jumped, "get here." Lily hesitated.

"You would deny a partially disabled person a hug lily?" Paulo shook his head and Hex hit him on the shoulder.

"Thank you Hex," Amber said and she narrowed her eyes at Paulo, "say that again and I'll kick you myself." She grinned as Lily came and hugged her. "How're you holding up?" She asked as Li and Lily let go of her and Alex ran free of their arms.

"Thank you!" He said in exasperation.

"Fine," Lily said, still giggling at Alex. "Everything's sort of getting back to normal." She sighed. "I'll be going back to England in about two weeks." Everyone smiled in respite; she did sound as though everything was going to be OK. They all walked through to Amber's room, wondering to one another how they were going to spend their last seven days together in Peru. Everyone silently dreading the goodbyes to come at the end. Hex turned to Amber before they entered the room, Amber gulped, suddenly very nervous.

"Did you watch the video?" He asked and she gulped; he sounded as though he didn't know what was on the tape, it was an innocent question.

"Yes Hex, I watched the whole thing." She said pointedly and he just raised an eyebrow.

"OK, that's nice." He said slowly as though English was not her first language.

"Hex why're you talking to Amber like that?" Paulo popped his head out of the door, "her brain's fine remember."

"That's debateable!" Li shouted from inside the room, Paulo shook his head and went back inside. Hex was about to follow him but Amber's hand caught his arm.

"Hex," she faltered as he turned to her, "wheel me outside please, I need fresh air." He nodded, blushing slightly that she held his arm but he obliged. He wheeled her to a veranda that was placed not far from her room, it overlooked the hospital gardens. Hex soon began to worry, Amber was not the type to stay quiet, he fidgeted and she just sat there.

"Ok this is too weird-"

"Is it? I'm sorry-"

"Why're you sorry?" He laughed at her as she looked so lost, she shook her head and he was concerned that she seemed so upset. "Why're you so quiet?" She paused before taking a deep breath and replying.

"I suppose it's not saying anything that's got us here isn't it?" She said to herself and as Hex looked at her he began to realise what she'd been thinking, but it couldn't be that. Could it? "That tape you gave me…you left the camera recording when you and Alex were in that room in the basement of the hotel." She looked at him for some sign of recognition but none came.

"What're you-" but he stopped, realisation came over him and he stared at her, open mouthed. Before he shook his head, "no, Amber, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Why're you such an idiot?!" She asked and hit his wrist which was the highest point she could reach. "Why were you quiet about it all this time?" He shook his head in disbelief; just what was she trying to say? He took a step back and she looked him in the eye. "Hex," she had no idea how to say what she wanted to. She laughed and he drew further away in confusion, "why is it so difficult to say?!" She was angry with herself; she couldn't say it. Hex knelt down next to her and put his hand on hers.

"I don't think you have to."

-four months later-

"I thought you were more comfortable in the world of cyberspace?" Alex asked as he and Hex walked down a small cobbled street in London.

"Yeah but you like the outdoors," he shrugged and picked up the pace, Alex almost had to run to keep up with him, they turned a corner and came to a larger, open street with townhouses lined up opposite a park.

"What did you want to talk about?" Alex asked but Hex seemed not to hear.

"When was the last time you heard from Lily?" He asked and Alex stopped walking, confused by such a question from Hex. He shivered in the cold; it was nearing the end of November and already that year snow had fallen to the ground in London.

"At the airport in August-"

"What?!" Hex looked shocked, "you didn't bother to contact her at all?"

"I expected her to call me whenever she felt her life was ordered again." Alex said in his defence, Hex carried on walking and Alex caught up with him.

"Did you know there are fifteen prep schools in this area of London?" He asked and Alex was too confused to question him so just shook his head. "Did you know their systems all use the same format to make a password?"

"Hex what the hell-"

"First four letters are the last four letters of the school's name, next four is the year the school was founded," he turned a corner and Alex paused before following. "And the last letters are the initials of the current head teacher. Pretty simple eh?" Only you could ever find it that simple Hex. Alex thought but kept his mouth shut; he could tell Hex was trying to make a point. "Yeah and their systems are so basic it's laughable." He actually laughed and Alex was seriously worried by now. "I could do anything with them. For example…" They stopped and Alex bumped into him. He glanced across the road and saw a huge building before them, hidden by gates; Alex could tell it was one of the schools Hex had talked about earlier. "I could change the information that says a student is boarding at the school." He pointed across the road and Alex saw someone in a short black coat walk out and lean against the gates in front of them. "Or I could change the information where a Peruvian Court of Law says a student is disallowed to be outside the school after hours." Alex had stopped listening; he looked with more scrutiny at the figure that was a little way off.

"Hex," Alex asked and Hex grinned, "is this…? You didn't?!" Alex's grey eyes narrowed on his friend and Hex's smile broadened. "That isn't…?" Hex nodded and pushed Alex forwards.

"Will you just go already?"

"Hex…"

"I owed you one anyway-"

"How?"

"You made me realise where I was going wrong." Hex said simply.

"What did I do? Realise what?" Alex was so confused Hex almost laughed.

"You're one to talk, not telling a girl about how you feel...remember that?" Hex repeated the words Alex had said many months ago, it was difficult now to recollect exactly what he had said. "Just go. Now," Hex pushed him again and Alex walked away from him, he turned back and smiled at Hex who let out an airy laugh before turning and walking away.

Alex approached the figure at the gates cautiously; she wore a beret which Alex guessed was part of the school uniform as it had a badge with the school's crest on it. He walked up to her until they were at least a meter away; he looked closely at her face. She looked the same, brown eyes and coffee coloured skin, but she had cut her long brown hair. She looked back at him with the same polite interest; she hadn't realised how pale his skin was when the sun wasn't around. For now they were just illuminated by street lamps that were turning on and the sun drifted on the horizon.

"Lily," he began, still finding it difficult to believe Hex had managed to organise this. "I thought I told you; you're going to be waiting around for a long time for me." She rolled her eyes.

"And yet, I'm still standing here. Isn't that odd?" They laughed and embraced. "Alex?" She whispered softly into his jacket.

"Yeah?" He replied.

"I'm freezing!" She moved away, grabbed his hand and began to walk away; dragging him with her. "Let's get out of here." Alex nodded and squeezed her hand. He looked up to the first stars of the evening and stopped walking for a moment. "What?" He looked at her and then back at the stars with a confused look. In Peru he admitted that the stars had some beauty there that they didn't have in London. But looking at them now he could see they were just as beautiful, perhaps more so, than they were that night. He looked back at Lily, noticing there was something about her too that was more wonderful than he remembered. Perhaps it was just the fact that was there again, that made the stars seemed brighter. He couldn't really put it into words; he was always bad at stuff like that. He shook his head, lent forwards and kissed her. After a few moments she pushed him away with an embarrassed smile. "What is it?"

"Nothing."

The end.

it always becomes a bit too cheesy-pie in the end guys!

Thanks for your reviews!