Eh- one more day and it would have made it three weeks. I sincerely apologize- school has been, well, school.

As this K-Unit bonding week is drawing to a close, I want to thank- *taking a deep breath, preparing to copy and paste names*: Ren O'neil, MusicalG23, 3326freespirit , ColourPages, 19sweetgirl96, Guest (Chapter 16, Mar 16), and silver-eyedLadyofDarkness for all your awesome ideas! If you haven't seen your idea yet, or some form of your idea, it means it's coming later; or if it doesn't quite fit into this story dynamic, it's going to be written into a separate oneshot(s) later.

And thanks for all the other reviewers! You guys rock!

Guest Review/NonPM replies- go to my profile.

Signed reviews- check your inbox.

Feel free to PM me anytime.

Disclaimer: I do not own Alex Rider.

01000001-01010010

The days were passing quickly.

Too quickly, Snake thought bitterly.

Cub had rested- hell, they had all been relaxing.

It had been the third day when Wolf had started grumbling to them about needing to go to a gym before they became too lazy.

All four of the soldiers had been in awe when Cub had wordlessly led them to a branched-off room in the basement.

It had been the largest and well-stocked home gym that they had ever seen. There were a few machines- but they weren't impressed with that- more like the large variety in weights and the freakin' genuine sparring mat.

Snake had strictly forbidden Cub in participating in their workouts- and he was forced to sulk in the outskirts of the home gym, but still watched them. Rather creepily, in fact- having a teenager critique every move the soldiers made.

Except they didn't know that Alex had felt the same way every day of his life until his uncle died.

O-o-O-o-O

"So what's the deal with this house?" Eagle casually asked, relaxing on one of the living room couches.

Snake held his breath- hoping Cub wouldn't react to the question too drastically. He glared as the soldier continued.

"I mean, did MI6 kick you out or anything?"

"You could say that," the teenager replied bitterly. "I told MI6 to sell it after I moved to America. They told me they did- and that it wasn't available anymore."

"And I'm assuming you didn't get any money for it," Fox said quietly.

Cub looked down. "MI6 are my legal guardians. Anything my uncle owned... well, Blunt controls."

"That's messed up," Eagle muttered. "I mean, selling themselves the house and using it as a safehouse."

"Yeah..." Alex said distantly, a vacant look in his face.

Wolf agreed. It was sick. Taking advantage of something like that- destroying a person's life in that way. There would be no guarantee that the money would still be there when Alex came of age, and he doubted Blunt would let go of his toy agent so easily.

To save him without breaking him would be...

Impossible?

No.

Extremely difficult, considering the amount of power they currently had?

Yes.

But not impossible- and that was what counted.

O-o-O-o-O

As well as MI6 had stocked the pantry, they would still need to make a quick shopping trip- there were, of course, three and one ex-soldiers; and Cub, well... he had been eating more than he had started out- but he got full all too quickly. Snake had made sure he hadn't been overwhelmed with all the food... but he was still worried. If Blunt had given them a few more weeks, Cub might to gain the weight he had lost- and desperately needed. Except all their work would be lost when he was sent back into the field.

Cub had briefly described the dynamic to them, albeit somewhat reluctantly.

Back-to-back missions, he called them.

It had been his punishment for running away.

Not one or two in a row, but four. And even then, they had ended because he had run.

But... even the regular missions- the amount of rest was... well, it was no wonder Cub had been barely conscious when he had stumbled into Fox's house, nearly two weeks ago.

Snake frowned. Had it really been only a few weeks?

It had seemed like a lifetime ago, when they had all been ignorant of Cub's situation.

It was interesting, really: how different Cub's missions had been, before and after Jack had died. From what Cub had said to them, his first - missions had consisted of his age being an important advantage/ factor. Now, he was mainly doing the assignments that regular agents would, not necessarily easy, but were certainly able to do.

Snake suspected there was more to it- he knew Blunt was specifically showing Cub that he wasn't needed- not really- and yet he pushed him harder than any adults. He was showing him that... it wouldn't end; even when he turned eighteen.

It wouldn't stop.

Snake smiled grimly. Not if they could help it.

01000001-01010010

"Can I see your shoulder?"

The spy's gaze flickered to the medic. "Why?" he asked flatly- defensively, Snake noticed with a grimace.

"I know a couple microsurgeons," Snake explained. "We could- you know, try to take it out..." he awkwardly trailed off.

Any normal person in the same situation would have allowed a small hope to blossom.

Alex didn't- too many people had let him down in the past.

The teen merely hunched over, head bent low. "Blunt would just put another one in."

Snake frowned. There was no emotion in his tone- merely a cold, hard fact. But perhaps that non-emotion was an emotion- or maybe covering one up?

"Please?" The soldier tried tentatively.

Cub eyed him warily- trying to sense any ulterior motives, he guessed.

After a moment-

"Alright," Cub finally relented. Without another word, he shrugged the shirt off.

Snake didn't gasp in horror- he wasn't even surprised- he had seen too many 'war wounds'; anyway, even so, Cub studied his reaction carefully- and was satisfied when it was genuine.

The medic came closer, peering at the right shoulder carefully. After a quick glance, it was obvious that it would be difficult to take out- it was dangerously close to his neck- nestled right under the caracoid process.

"How bad is it?"

The medic pursed his lips. "I'm not an expert in microsurgery," he admitted, a bit hesitant. "But... from what I can tell- it's bad. I would need to find an expert in microsurgery, at the very least."

"Yeah." Cub quickly hitched his shirt back on.

Snake was about to say more, when Fox entered the kitchen.

"Come on, it's time to go," he beckoned them. "Shopping, remember?"

Alex clenched his jaw, tensing.

The boy brushed past him- Fox's eyes widening in surprise as Cub casually put his forefinger in ju-jitsu finger hold.

A pause.

"You're lucky I didn't break it," Cub muttered- a low yet dangerous voice, before releasing it.

Without another word, he stalked out of the room.

0100001-01000101

Ben frowned, moving his finger carefully- Cub was right; he hadn't broken it. "Is he OK?"

Snake raised an eyebrow. "Are you?"

Fox scowled. "I'll be fine, he didn't do anything."

"I was just looking at his shoulder." Snake hesitated. "But I thought he was doing alright, considering what he's been through."

The door was carelessly thrown open, and Eagle entered hastily. "Wolf says to get over here before-" he noticed the subdued atmosphere. "What's wrong? And where's Cub?"

"I don't think he's in the mood right now," Ben replied smoothly, shutting up Snake's snort and a sarcastic "You think?" with a glare. "You and Wolf go right ahead, Snake and I will stay with him."

"Okay..." he agreed slowly, eyeing them carefully. "You sure?"

Snake nodded. "Yes, I think it would be best."

After Eagle had left, Fox exchanged glances with Snake. They needed to figure out what this was about.

0100001-01000101

Cub didn't come out of his room- at all- for the rest of the day.

Whenever Fox made his hourly-routine checks on the spy, he was always in the same place- the darkest corner of the room, staring vacantly at the floor; nor did he respond to him.

"-and that's all I did. Seriously, I just told them it was time to go get groceries."

Snake chewed thoughtfully on his lip, while Wolf and Eagle absorbed the new information. "Do you remember what your body language was?"

"Nonthreatening- I was near the door," Fox began, demonstrating with the hall doorway. "I was just-" he cut off, realization dawning.

"Well? What is it?" Wolf asked gruffly- and impatiently.

"I was-" he was already searching for answers on Cub's reaction to-

"-beckoning him," Snake finished quietly.

Eagle raised an eyebrow. "That's it?"

"It has to mean something," Wolf pointed out. "At least, to Cub it does."

"Yes, but..." Fox brightened up suddenly, plucking his laptop from the coffee table.

The other three soldiers moved closer to the screen.

"Cub's a spy- he's been immersed in many different cultures," Fox explained. "And now I'm wondering if I somehow insulted or offended him."

Snake nodded, agreeing. "That makes sense- he's extremely perceptive. And in his... current mental state- it wouldn't be far-fetched to say that he would pick up on it, and take it literally."

It didn't take long.

"Shit," Fox hissed.

Eagle winced. "That bad, huh?"

"He really thought you...?" Wolf massaged his forehead. This was a mess.

"What are you doing?"

The harsh voice made the soldiers turn guiltily around.

Fox rubbed the back of his neck, hyperaware of his current body language- and how Alex would analyze it. "About earlier- I'm sorry, Cub- I didn't mean to..."

Cub glared darkly, daring him to finish the sentence.

And he did, anyway. "I didn't mean it like- I wasn't calling you a dog."

Cub's expression didn't change.

Fox sighed, continuing. "And- I'm sorry."

"It's fine," he said tightly, joining them on the chair opposite them.

Eagle broke the silence with a question.

"When did you go to the Philippines?"

Alex shrugged. "I dunno... a couple months ago? I'm not sure... they all blur together."

Fox nodded sympathetically- still, that wasn't necessarily comforting. "Where was the favourite place you went with Ian?"

The boy's lips twitched into a small smile. "France, probably. We had a lot of fun- he took me to all the best spots, and..."

Later, that night, Snake was glad they were able to have a casual- and even pleasant conversation- even after that day's dramatic fiasco.

Still... all of that was quickly shattered the next morning.

The last day had just ended... two days early.

O-o-O-o-O

For a spy, peace does not and cannot exist. Even when feeling some form of this 'peace'... it will not last. Prepare yourself for what lies to come.