CHAPTER 81

"I'M OKAY"

December 12, 2010

3:49am

Carthis, Scotland

The New Centre

"You should get some more sleep," Bane told Alex.

"I will in a moment. I just need to talk to my brothers and sisters first," Alex yawned. Bane frowned he knew that Alex needed her rest but when it came to her brother's there was no arguing.

"Fine, but only for a while and then you truly do need to rest," Bane told her running his knuckles gently down the side of her face. Alex closed her eyes. Bane wasn't sure if Alex closed her eyes because of his touch or if she was concentrating on contacting her family. Bane liked to believed that it was the former.

'Air. Andy. Jer,' Alex called out concentrating on her brothers and the others with whom she shared a bond with.

'Alex.'

'Katie.'

'Thank God.'

Spoke several relieved voiced in Alex's head. She could feel their pain and guilt as well as their relief that Alex was alright.

'Hey,' Alex smiled at the sound of their voices.

'How you feeling baby sister?' Greg asked Alex.

'A bit worse for the wear. But I'm healing, slowly but surely,' Alex replied.

'You've had us really scared, Katie,' Andros said softly.

'I had myself scared. For a while there I wasn't sure if I'd get to see any of you again,' Alex admitted.

'I promise you Katie, well all be together again,' Jeremiah told her.

'I know big brother, you've never lie to me,' Alex said. 'So what's going on?'

'We've gotten Bobby out. He's here with us at the summer house. We don't have much planed just yet. For that we need to hold a conference between you, Pete, Bane, and our group over here,' Aaron informed his sister.

'And Jacky?' Alex asked hesitantly.

'He's not any better. But as far as we know he's no worse. Right now it's like he has a semi-bad cold,' Maddie answered. She and Mike were back at the house in Charlottesville, keeping an eye on Amy and the boys making sure that they steered clear of Kaine.

'How's your hand Alex?' Mike questioned, rubbing his own phantom pain that existed in his left hand.

'Pete made the doc patch me up. He did a good job, not as good as one of us of course,' Alex said making light of the situation.

'If I ask you a question Alexandra will you tell me the truth?' Aaron asked his tone of voice very serious.

'What's the question?' Alex retorted.

'Promise me you'll tell the truth first,' Aaron pressed.

'I promise,' Alex said reluctantly, knowing exactly what Aaron would ask.

'How bad did the hurt you?' Aaron asked.

'My hand was the worst. He hit me but nothing worse than what they did to us at the Centre,' Alex said honestly. Aaron let out a sigh, relieved that his sister had been honest with him.

'Thank you,' Aaron replied.

'I don't want to lie to you,' Alex whispered. 'Any of you.'

'You should get some rest soon,' Mike told Alex.

'I will,' Alex promised.

'But first if you can, call Mom, Dad, and everyone. Let them know that you're all right,' Andros suggested to Alex.

'I will. Maybe I'll do it now, I'm getting tired again. Pete and Midas have me hooked up to a morphine drip,' Alex muttered.

'My God you mean this guy is actually getting you to take a pain killer?' Greg jested. 'I can't wait to meet him.'

'Oh, shove it, Greg,' Alex replied, yet smiling all the same.

'I love you too Katie,' Greg said cheekily.

'We all do,' Aaron added.

'I know. I love you all too. I've got to go now,' Alex said reluctantly. He brothers and cousins bided her goodbye and Alex opened her eyes, and let go -but not completely- of her connection between her brothers and cousins.

Bane was still by Alex's side and Peter had arrived during the time Alex had been talking with the others. "Is everything alright?" Peter questioned his sister.

"Yes , I just wanted to talk to Air, Andy and the others," Alex replied sniffling a yawn.

"You should rest," Bane said, concern etched on his face over Alex's health.

"Don't worry Midas, I will. But first I need to call my parents," Alex told him. "Tiger, can you get me a phone?"

"Of course," Peter told her. The boy walked over to his desk and pulled out a cell phone from one of the many drawers. He then handed it over to his sister.

"Thank's Tiger," Alex said dialing the number for home wanting nothing more than to hear her parents voices. She got her wish.

"Hello," Morgan answered the phone.

"Momma," Alex smiled. On the other end of then line Morgan gasped. Silence ensued for a moment only interrupted when Morgan called for Jarod.

"Katie?" Morgan asked hesitantly.

"It's me Momma," Alex replied.

"Thank God," Jaord sighed. "Are you alright?" You aren't in too much pain and being stubborn and not taking anything for the pain are you?"

"You mean like you Daddy?" Alex retorted, a ghost of a smile on her face.

"Yes, I mean like me," Jaord smiled relieved to know that his little girl couldn't be too bad off if she was making jokes. "But seriously Alex, are you alright?"

"I'm going to need a few months to mend, but in the end I'll be good as new," Alex replied partly lying. At that point in time she had no intentions of informing her parents that her, chances of ever having children were slim to none. "Oh, it should delight the two of you to no end that Peter and Midas have me hooked up to a morphine drip. Those two are like a pair of mothering hens, making sure I eat; that I sleep; that I'm not in any pain; and such. What about you two, are you alright?"

"We're fine baby. Just worried about you and your brothers," Morgan replied.

"That's not fine Momma," Alex sated. "Don't go worrying you're self sick about me and Tiger. We've got Midas and the others keeping an eye on us. Jack's the only one you need to worry about."

"I worry about all of my children," Morgan replied.

"I know you do. Just don't worry about me and Peter too much," Alex told her mother.

"That's like telling you to wear a pink floral dress Katherine. It's not going to happen," Jarod chuckled.

"Oh well it was worth a shot. So tell me how are my niece and nephew?" Alex asked.

"Matty and AJ are fine sweetheart, they're also spoiled beyond all belief. Alex, no matter how mad I am at you for not telling us what you were doing, I'm proud of you," Morgan said. Alex -in one of those extremely rare moments of her life- was struck speechless. She tried to stumble for the right words but was unable to find them . So she settled on five other words instead.

"I wish I was home."

"Soon Katie-girl," Jarod promised. "Listen I know you need to get some rest but someone wants to talk to you first."

"Who?" Alex asked. Jarod did not reply instead he handed the phone over.

"I thought it was you that called," Came the warm timber of Will's voice. "Good Katie you have no idea how much I miss you."

"I miss you too big brother," Alex admitted.

"Alley would be talking to you too but she's over at the lab, she left out seconds before you called," Will informed his baby sister.

"Tell her I send my love," Alex said slightly disappointed she wouldn't be talking to her sister.

"I will...Alex, listen, I'm so sor-,"

"Don't," Alex cut Will off. "I don't blame you, okay You don't have to shoulder all the blame Will. So you didn't believe me. Was I pissed about that? Yes. But here's the thing, I should have tried harder to convince you. Or I should have trusted Air and Andy enough to tell them the truth. So don't you blame yourself for this one."

"Yes ma'am," Will said not wanting to argue with his baby sister. "Oh and Alex, Thank you for saving my son."

"Like I had any other choice. There was no way I was going to leave Matty and AJ here, to grow up like we did. 'Sides you would have done the same," Alex told her brother. "So tell me what do my niece and nephew look like?" Alex inquired.

"They're beautiful, what else do you need to know?" Will replied and Alex knew that a goofy grin had crossed her brother's face. "But God, Katie, they have my and Alley's eyes and hair. But they're going to have Jamie and Jeff's facial features. Alex I can't wait for you to meet them, to see them. I don't know if Mom and you but we made you and Jer, AJ and Matty's God parents." Alex felt both pride and a bit of embarrassment at Will's words.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"No, thank you," Will replied. "Hey, Katie?"

"Yeah," Alex spoke sniffling a yawn.

"I love you, no matter how much you infuriate me or scare the shit out of me," Will told her.

"Same here big brother. Look I need to go, Pete and Midas are getting that worried look on their faces that you and Daddy wear so well," Alex teased. "But first can I talk to my boys and Amy?"

"Of course let me go give them the phone," Will said and raced up the stairs to the black files room where Jason, Jack, Amy and Keegan were. He put Alex on speaker phone allowing all four children to talk to Alex at once. He then told them not to keep their caller -Will did not reveal that it was Alex- on the phone for too long because she needed her rest.

"You're on Katie," Will said sitting down on her bed and pulling Jack in to his lap. The four children's faces lit up at the mention of Alex's name.

"Hey guys, how are you?" Alex asked.

"We miss you Katie," Jack spoke and Alex winced at Jack's congested voice, a painful reminder that Jack was in deed sick and the only think any one knew was that Jason was key to the cure.

"I miss you four too. Are you lot being good for everyone?" Alex questioned knowing that the children were never any problem.

"Always," Keegan confirmed. "But you knew that."

"You know me too well baby brother," Alex replied causing Keegan to smile.

"Alex when ya coming home?" Amy inquired.

"Soon, big girl," Alex told Amy "Within the week, I hope."

"Oh it will be sooner than that," Will spoke up in attempt to reassure Alex and the four little one's moral.

"Katie you need to get some rest. Momma and the others said that the bad people hurt you," Jason reprimanded his sister.

"I just need to hear your voices before I went to bed baby," Alex told Jason.

"Well you heard all of ours now go and get some rest," Amy demanded causing both Will and Alex to chuckle.

"Hey who's the big sister here?" Alex asked trying to sound offended but Will could hear the laughter in her voice.

"Doesn't matter you need rest," Jack stated from his perch in Will's lap.

"Fine, fine," Alex sighed theatrically. "You four be safe, look after each other and remember that I love you," Alex said growing serious.

"We will," They promised.

"I'll see you four very soon," Alex promised.

"Bye, Alex. Love you," Jack called out.

"I love you lot too. Bye," Alex said and reluctantly hung up the phone.

Up Next: Bobby arrives at the Russell Manor, and has a talk with Sydney. Meanwhile Mike gets a bit angry and tries to kill Kaine.

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