At age 14, he thought he just had to fulfill the missions until they didn't want him anymore. Then he thought that he was too curious for his own good, especially with the whole Cray deal.

You would think that coming to America to start over would let him get that new lease on life. And it did, for a while at least.

Alex hated the words "destiny" or "fate" because honestly, he'd cheated them a lot. Also, it's kind of depressing to think Jack's death was inevitable.

The agent interviewing him just opened the interview with the cheesiest fucking line about cheating fate, which immediately raised Alex's hackles. He didn't even want to be there; he was only here because Jones said to do it while he "found himself" again.

As if that wasn't what his time at uni was for.

He didn't know the agent, but his file was pretty classified, so he guessed he wouldn't see this man again. He called himself an agent, but you never know with the CIA.

"I don't see proper weapons' credentials, so we'll put you in the lower class of training and see how you progress."

Of course I don't fucking have a weapons qualification, Alex internally grumbled. Memories of Smithers running with Alex played silently as he awaited the next stupid word out of this man's mouth. Alex had asked for a simple job. One that did not entail him escaping squid, jumping off cliffs, or killing his clone.

"One of the things we look for is that you've killed someone."

Alex was here for a short contract, not a lifetime; not if he had a say in it. Who care if he killed someone?

"Hey!" the agent barked in a loud, deep, and authoritative voice. That actually got Alex's attention.

"I don't need your British ego and entitlement. You're only making your own life harder."

Alex gave a nod and sat up a bit. He looked at the agent, weighing his options. He has killed people, directly and indirectly. But wouldn't everything except the Dr. Grief clone be in his file?

"I guess you'll just have to ask MI-6."

One thing he knew how to do well by now was to see through agents' words, unfortunately. Not like he was out of practice, with the buggers poking their large noses into his life far too often for his liking. He made a mental note to tell Jones about this at their next "company luncheon". He loved how the CIA would always foot the bill; pretty handy for anything in San Francisco.

"And then, I decided to fuck with him by talking like Aussie."

"What did you sound like? Is it good?"

"Honestly, I sound like a drunk Australian trying to talk to a police officer," Alex snickered, trying to conjure up his "accent".

"I should have done an accent on the annoying kids I had to TA."

"I should have done it at the bank! I would have loved to see Blunt's face. Jack would've loved it" Alex said chuckling and looking on along the shoreline.

Sabrina and Alex sat on a bench by appear near home. It was there last spring break, so they decided to come back home to spend more time with Sabina's parents before they both started their "internships".

"Oh, by the way, you're probably sitting next to "cyber security intern recruiter," Alex said, turning his eyes back to Sabina. His generous air quotes earned a smirk on Sabina's face.

"really that's what they're calling it these days?"

"I don't know, it's definitely something that they want me to do though."

"well it only took four years of soul searching to come around. I'm sure they paid you a handsome $5 for that."

"well Speaking of that..." Alex said quietly trailing off. He looked back out to the shore. There were families dotting the beach, some walking to the pier. He dug his foot deeper into the sand, soaking in the noise of the road behind them, the people along the concrete walkway in front, and the shoreline not too far away from that.

"they want me to formally train me in Quantico."

"well, that's to be expected, right?" at

Alex shrugged, putting his hands in the pockets of his khaki pants. "yes, yeah..." he said quietly. "do you know it feels weird period to live here, I mean," Alex said, pointing at the beach with his hands still in his pockets.

"it's expected I guess but drafting for them is going to feel weird."

"will miss you, you know." Sabina later head on his shoulder. Alex slipped his hand around her waist.

"I don't know how long they want me there."

"I wonder which branch they'll chuck you into next," Sabina deadpanned. Alex snorted and gave a quick appreciative squeeze.

Sabina sat up straight and turn slightly turned toward Alex. "Well, we'll be here. I'll be here," she said, smiling while giving a playful nudge.

"You know, I wouldn't blame you if you did it 'Bright Lights, Big City'."

"Ever the glum one, aren't you?"

"wow, you sounded exceptionally English there."

"you don't get work or boys by being a Valley girl, now do you," she reciprocated, pretending to do her makeup.

Alex chuckled in response. The Valley Girl invasion in London was often the sore spot for Tom and him. "How long do you think you could cover UK grime or XCX before they found out you've never done MDMA."

"I give it 3 days."

Images of Sabina comically trying to blend in at a London warehouse party flashing his head.

"Alex, we all wonder how long you'll be there for, but you know... it'll end and I'm sure you'll have a say in what you'll do Afterwards," Sabina finished in a reassuring tone.

"yeah, but my whole time in America has been with you around. Who am I going to confusedly cuddle with now?" Alex said dryly common throwing off Sabina.

College had a lot of confusing, gratifying, and interesting moments for the both of them.

"well, we're together now, and will figure out what to do once they tell you more." Sabina put a hand around his far shoulder in the other rubbing his leg in comfort. "Meanwhile you could sign up for some drama classes because it seems that you have a knack for that."

Alex snorted, smiled, and laid his head against hers.