Hey Guys!!! I am boiling hot today so if I begin to write about absurd heat please don't blame me. I am really sorry for not updating I have beeen hanging out and enjoying my holiday before I satrt school again on Thursday.

Disclaimer: Not mine, never has been and probably never will

ALEX POV

It was still raining when I got outside. Okay, that was an understatement. It was pouring rain. It felt like rock were falling from the sky. But I showed none of my discomfort and neither did Ben. We started towards the forest and Ben, seeming to think better of it, led us back to camp as unobviously as he could.

I didn't miss what he was doing though. Just trying to make sure he can see me if I make a runner again. Well I wouldn't, I would show no emotion.

Ever since Jack left, I felt empty. It wasn't like I lost my housekeeper or guardian. It felt like I'd lost part of my family. Jack was like a sister to me and now she's gone. No, I wouldn't think of that. All that does in bring on painful memories. Memories that threaten to boil over and come gushing out at me. I can't help when it appens in my sleep and that's what happened with Ben. I wouldn't let him see me like that again tonight- or ever for that matter.

Ben seemed as quiet and deep in thought as me and I was content to keep it that way. We continued walking like this, in the pouring rain for another ten minutes before Ben sighed and led us over to the varanda of the mess hall because the intensity of the rain never lessened- not once.

I was secretly grateful because I was feeling weighed down with the et clothes and this made walking even harder causing my bullet wound to twinge uncomfortably. We sat down on the wood and continued our silence. The sound of the rain the only noise.

Finally Ben spoke.

"Cub, I know what you are thinking. I know you think you are weak, both because of your bullet wound and because of you're nightmares. Quite frankly I think you should be weak. I thought you would be the exact opposite of what you were when we first met. Yes you have been shot once before but I met you long after." Ben started.

"But you are not. .. You continue to keep going even when you know you should stop. You haven't once complained but you have been weak about te nightmares."

"So I have nightmares, so I wish Jack would come back, so I wish none of this hadn't happened so I wouldn't have nightmares. I am not weak!" Cub said not shouting, not even raising his voice. Instead he said it in a low, deep and menacing voice, once that sent shivers up Ben's spine.

"Why don't you try doing what I have done. I am 15, 14 when I started. MI6 bulled me out of school, blackmailed me and sent me into impossible situations. I have seen people killed, kill thmesleves and I have killed people."

" So why don't you try doing what I do. My life is over, ruined. I will never go back to school, never be normal. I will be with SAS soldiers twice my age for the rest of my childhood, and I am not even sure that's what you can call it anymore." Cub said in that same, dark monotone. His voice sounded dead.

I thought you were 14, MI6 said you were 14, when did you turn 15?" Ben asked obviously trying to avoid what Alex said.

"Well, as a matter of fact, today," Cub said in the most noncholant way that shocked Ben. Weren't kids his age supposed to be excited about their birthdays.

"What! Why didn't you say something, happy birthday! " Ben exclaimed." We have to find a way to celebrate somehow, maybe after training we could have a aprty, but that would be hard considering we have nothing to make a party with" Ben scrambled on about.

"Why do you care, I am some weak kid who has nightmares," Cub said and made a move to leave, before Ben reached out and pulled him down.

"Cub, you didn't let me explain. You are not weak because of your bullet wound OR you're nightmares. You are weak because of what you do about them. Bottling up your emotions and feeling like you do, it IS weak, it's even cowardly. "

"With all that you have been through, and I cannot begin to tell you I am so sorry and wish I could change it, you have to let the emotions out, otherwise they will explode like they did today and next time, a major consequence might happen."

"If you talk to soemone, it doesn't have to be a shrink, I wont think you are weak, which I don't really think you are anyway, but I will know the extent of your courage because you were able to accept that you did need help. If you want I can be the one you talk to, I am not sure how you feel about me Cub, but I know how I feel about you, and I just want what's best for you. "

"Oh look, here I am talking, God we must have been here for ages. How about I let you think and we'll go get some slush to eat- can't get enough slush at this place." Ben said hopping up and extending his hand to help Cub stand up. He accepted it but was silent all the way to the cafeteria, if you could cal it that, more like the SAS international house of slush."

They ate their meal in silence and soon K-unit came to join them. They looked at Cub and Ben sitting there but made no move to break the silence. When they finished K-unit went to begin their day and Cub went back to the bunk because he still had 36hrs more to rest.

BEN POV

We finished breakfast and went outside to begin our day. Today it was filled up with assesmnet, first was stamina, then speed, then the obstacle course, shooting and hand-to-hand combat last.

All in all, a bad day. However my spirits were lifted when I thought about earkier. I think I have really gotten through to him, I hope I have.

With a resigned sigh, I followed the rest of my unit towards field 3 to have our stamina tests. A stamina test was simple, we would have to do many excercises, with little to no break in betweena nd we would keep doing it till we simply could do no more. Some people were known to pass out before they stopped.

With another sigh I thought about the day ahead and found myself wishing I were in Cub's place. As soon as I had that thought I scolded my self. Cub is resting because he was shot in the heart. Again. I do not want to have to have experienced something like that, I also wished Cub didn't have to either.

I stopped thinking when the instructor called s over to do our exams. First we had to do push up non-stop for 5 mins. If there was a gap of 20 seconds or more in between each push-up we automatically were pulled out and our result would probably be an f.

Then we had to do sit up and crunches, jogging, sprinting different types of jumps and then start all over again. When we'd finished we all were breathless and on the ground. Surprisingly Eagle was the one who lasted longest on the stamina test. We were given half an hour break and then we would have our speed tests.

Speed tests were both on land and in the water. We had to swim 1km and then sprint up to the starting line on land where we had to run 400 metres as fast as we could. I was dreading it because running wasn't my strong point.

We lined up on the bank and waited for the whistle that would signal the beginning of this test. Once it was blown we all dived into the water. 1km was to the far side of the lake and back. I was relatively good at swimming and kept up just behind Wolf who was good at swimming. We got to the bank and sprinted ot of the water, this was where Snake caught me up but I was still in front of Eagle.

At the end of the test Wolf finished first, Snake finished second, I came third and Eagle, who had perfomed best in the stamina test came last in the speed test. I was proud of how I had done.

We now had an hour break to eat and rest before we did the obstacle course, shooting and hand-to-hand combat.

We walked down to the obstacle course dreading it. We all completed it in the time limit and we headed off straight after for shooting. Eagle once again excelled in this.

However in hand-to-hand combat Wolf and I outstood the other two. Guess MI6 came through since Eagle used to be better at this than me.

Finally, bone weary, we headed back to the bunks ready for a night of sleep. When we got there we saw Cub was asleep as well so we all dropped on our bunks, forgetting dinner and slept till the next morning.

Sorry I know this is short and not very exciting but I am a sucker for Ben/Alex bonding moments and I wanted Ben to talk to Alex like he did because I think its sweet and Alex needs someone he can trust and Ben wants him to know that he can be that person. Any other Alex/someone bonding moments you want review and tell me and any other suggestions or comments please review and share with me as well.

Love Mad