Erikstrulove-I myself was rather fond of the last chapter. Kaine and Benny have evolved beyond what I ever intended for their characters to be. Even now they keep growing. As for the Centre ghost, you'll get to see them shortly. And as for Alex, being rescued before anything else happens to her...do you honestly want me to give it away.

CHAPTER 68

LOVE

December 11, 2010

9:31am

Carthis, Scotland

The New Centre

"You can certainly pack away food," Bane said looking over at Alex, who was currently on her second Belgium waffle.

"What can I say? I like waffles. Are you going to eat that bacon?" Alex asked eyeing Bane's plate.

"Help yourself," Bane said shoveling the two strips of bacon on Alex's plate. "I thought you were on an all liquid diet?"

"Quid pro quo. I told Johnny about my Mom and Uncle Sam last night. Thus real food," Alex grinned triumphantly. "Speaking of Johnny why isn't he joining us for breakfast?"

"He's in a meeting. You put the Centre in quite a bind, blowing up the genetics lab."

"Damn," Alex said snapping her fingers, grinning. "Now I feel kinda guilty."

"I bet."

"So Midas, what am I doing today. You may not be aware of this but I get restless pretty easily. So looks like it's up to you to keep me entertained until Johnny gets back," Alex told him.

"I'll figure something out," Bane promised. The lock to Alex's room disengaged and Bane looked up from his plate mildly shocked. "John must have gotten out of his meeting sooner than expected," Bane commented standing up.

"So...the rumors...are true," Wheezed a voice. Alex began to shake uncontrollably as the devil himself entered her room.

"No," Alex whispered hoarsely, Bane muttered a string of curses under his breath."Now, now, Bane that it's the type of language to use around a young lady," Cox said entering the room behind Raines. Not allowing herself to show anymore fear, Alex forced herself stilled her tremors.

"Dr. Cox, Mr. Raines, neither of you have been given permission by Master Parker to visit Miss Russell," Bane said hand on the butt of his gun.

"I'm sure John, won't mind us paying a visit to an old...friend," Cox purred.

"Get out," Alex said between gritted teeth, her eyes blazing red. She looked fierce but Bane noticed that the grip she had on the sides of her bed gave away her fright.

"She's...pyro...kinetic," Raines noted looking at Alex's eyes.

"I wonder Alexandra, what other rare gifts you possess," Cox said steeping closer to Alex.

"Dr. Cox, I'm going to ask you to back up," Bane spoke up.

"Ah, it would seem you also possess the gift of making your sweepers loyal to you. And you always luck out with having sweepers with powerful connections. Sam had an aunt on the Triumvirate, and young Bane here is the personal sweeper to the future Centre chairman," Cox said, stepping back from Alex. Cox was no fool, even without his gun, Bane would be able kill him.

"Leave...now boy...this...girl is not...worth...your life," Raines told Bane.

"I was commanded by Master Parker to watch over Miss Russell. He has made it clear to me that if anything should happen to her I will be killed," Bane replied.

"She's not that important," Cox commented.

"Then why the hell are you here?" Alex asked.

"You destroyed Shadow, Alexandra, along with Phoenix Redux. We now have to start from scratch. But as luck would have it, it would seem that a Black File, one of the most powerful of all of the Black Files had decided to drop in for a visit. Did you miss being home Alexandra?" Cox taunted.

"The Centre was never my home, dip shit. And when Will comes to rescue me he's going to fry your ass," Alex hissed.

"You are...your...mother's...daughter," Raines sneered.

"You bet your smoke filled lungs I am. And I hope my Mom comes with Will, 'cause when she finds out you're alive baldy you're a dead man," Alex threatened.

"When your family comes to rescue you they will be captured, and all of you will be kept on the lowest sub-level. You will be breed like livestock, and once you outgrow your use you will be killed," Cox said.

"Only one who's going to be dying is you and Raines," Alex snapped.

"Get...the girl's...blood...and let's go," Raines commanded Cox. Bane pulled out his gun clicking off the safety.

"Come back with a directive from Master Parker and then we'll see about you getting a sample of Miss Russell's blood. Now why don't you gentlemen leave. After all Miss Russell needs her rest if you expect her back in the sim lab," Bane said in a conversational tone. Raines and Cox glared at the teen, but left knowing that there was no way Bane would allow then to get a sample of Alex's blood.

The door closed behind them, and Alex let out a choked sob. Bane holstered his gun and sat on the bed next to Alex. She was trebling, tears clouding her eyes.

"Hey it's okay. They're gone now," Bane told her. "They can't hurt you. Not while I'm here."

Alex shook her head, her hair falling in her eyes. Bane reached up and brushed Alex's hair behind her ears. "They'll come back. They always come back," Alex whispered, tears freely falling.

"I won't let them. John won't let them," Bane swore.

"You don't know them Midas. When it comes to me, my brothers and sisters they will stop at nothing to get what they want. Especially me" Alex said.

"Hey listen to me. I promised you that I would protect you. And I always keep my promises," Bane said wiping away Alex's tears with the pads of his thumbs.

"Bet you say that to all the girls,"Alex chuckled.

"Only the beautiful ones," Bane said before he could stop himself. Alex's blue eyes bored into Bane's golden ones. He had the feeling that Alex was looking into his soul again and Bane got lost in her eyes. It was in those moments that Bane realized just how beautiful Alex was. Her blue almond shaped eyes, porcelain like skin, long curly red hair -dyed recently from her natural black-, the little mole just under her right eye, perfect nose and lips.

"If you want to kiss me Midas than kiss me," Alex said. Bane looked at the girl in shock, she had known what he wanted to do before he did. But the shock wasn't enough to stop Bane from leaning in and kissing her.

December 11, 2010

10:45am

Carthis, Scotland

The New Centre

Alex fell asleep a short while later, her hearty breakfast, followed by Cox and Raines's visit, and a rather passionate kiss from Bane had left her exhausted. As Alex slept Bane came to a frightening self discovery, he was falling in love and he rather liked it. He'd never been in love before, in fact he'd never even kissed a girl before. He hadn't been as isolated as the majority of Centre subjects so he had been around girls before. But never a girl like Alex.

Bane had never been accused of being a romantic but he supposed that he was fast becoming one. He had read plenty of fantasy stories growing up, many involving love at first sight. Bane had never believed in such a notion, but as he sat watching Alex's sleeping form, he tried to figure out just when it was he had fallen for her.

It was before she showed how vulnerable she was. Before she had stood up to Cox and Raines. Before breakfast that morning. The day before after lunch, Bane had realized he liked Alex. But he thought that he liked her the way he liked John, as a friend. Yet as he contemplated it, Bane came to the conclusion that he had already fallen for Alex even then.

So maybe it was love at first sight for him. When he had entered her room just over twenty four hours ago, he had been awed by her conviction and strength. He still was. Alex, though, in a great amount of pain and had been for over a day, refused to take anything to put a stop to her pain. Not even a Tylenol. And she knew without a doubt that she would get out of the Centre, with her brother.

She would leave, but Bane would stay. He had no place else to go, his family was dead. Bane just didn't know what he would do once she was gone. But he didn't matter, Alex did. Bane would have to get her out soon, before Raines and Cox found a way to get what they wanted.

Alex wasn't asleep as Bane had believed, but she was resting. She needed to in order to sort out her feelings and the thoughts that were buzzing about in her head. She had just complicated matters. Alex was suppose to be rescuing her brother not falling in love.

'Is that what is happing? Am I falling in love?' Alex asked herself. It was and she knew it. 'Damn.' she cursed. 'Why couldn't I fall in love when my family wasn't in danger? Why couldn't Midas have been in Blue Cove when the Centre fell instead of in Carthis? I could have met him then, like Alley and Will met Jeff and Jamie.'

But Alex knew she couldn't change the past, and that if wishes were horses than everyone would be up to their knees in shit. Alex also knew that there was no way she was leaving without Bane. Her life would not come to mirror her parents's past in which Alex would be the hunted and Bane the hunter. She would not play a six year game of cat and mouse and let the Centre toy with her feelings concerning the person she was falling in love with.

'The things we do for love,' Alex thought, as sleep over came her.

December 11, 2010

5:45am

Charlottesville, Virginia

Russell Family Home

Andros woke up a small body sleeping next to him. Not wanting to wake Jack, Andros laid still. Something he hadn't done in over twenty four hours. Lying still was bad, it forced you to think about what was going on. It was easier to work on an escape plan for Alex and Pete than to confront the fact that your baby sister had been shot and was in the hands of your enemy who just so happened to be your brother. Not to mention that your baby brother was extremely ill, and if a cure was not found he would die

Jack was a trooper though, he understood what was going on and took the news better than anyone else. He had faith in his family, that they would find a cure for him. The little boy had said so himself when Jarod and Morgan had broken the news.

Amy and the boy's are sitting in Adam and Pete's room all huddled together on Adam's bed. They ware scared for Alex, she has been captured, and not only that she has been shot. Aaron, Andros, Mike and Maddie had reassured the four children that Alex would be alright.

"She's tough," Were Aaron's words, but his eyes had betrayed his worry, and fear.

So the four children sit side by side, all thinking that they could have somehow prevented Alex from being hurt. There was a knock at the door and the children look up to see Jarod and Morgan. Jack notices the look of distrait on his parents faces and his thoughts turn back to his big sister.

"Momma, Daddy what's wrong?" Jason asks his parents.

"Zane, Keegan, Amy, we need to talk to Gabriel alone for a moment," Jarod tells the three children. Jack fells his heart leap into his chest as his brother and cousins get up.

"No," Jack whispers. "Let them stay, please." His parents exchange a questioning look and Morgan nods her head.

"Okay," Morgan says. Jack isn't the only person who knows that something is wrong, Jason and Amy reach out for Jack's hands, scared.

"Gabriel baby...Peter...Kaine told your brothers and sisters that he knows what is wrong with you...he knows why you are...sick," Morgan stumbles for words, Jack adverts his eyes from his mother's gaze and sees that she had a death grip on Jarod's hands.

"There's more," Keegan says softly looking at his aunt and uncle. Morgan closes her eyes in attempt to hold back tears.

"Daddy, why am I sick?" Jack asks.

"Pe-...Kaine, he poisoned you," Jarod answers with difficulty.

"I'll die won't I? If you can't find a cure," Jack says matter-of-factly, Amy's grip tightens on his hand. But surprisingly Jack isn't frightened, he knows now that there are worse things than death. How many times had he set in his cell on SL-27 wanting to die?

"It's going to be okay," Jack tells them all. "You're going to find me a cure."

"How do you know that baby?" Morgan asks them.

"Because I have faith in my family."

Little Jack was definitely a trooper. Andros just hoped that he and the rest of the family would not fail Jack.

Alex and Bane argue over her taking medication for pain. John learns the truth of his biological mother's death and glimpses at the truth of his origins.

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