I DO NOT OWN ALEX RIDER, IF I DID I WOULD BE WRITING THE NEXT BOOK AND NOT WASTING MY TIME ON FAN FICTION. Oh, and because I have taken so long to update..for all you fans of Wolf/Cub moments, this is a chapter dedicated to them.

WOLF POV

Jesus Christ. My head was throbbing like mad. It felt like I had been hit by a train. Since I can't remember why it hurts, who knows, maybe I did. Either way, my head hurt. I blinked slowly and openened my eyes, closing them quickly when the sudden, intense light became too much.

After a few more tries, I slowly sat up and looked around. The infirmary. Of course. But how the hell had I ended up here. Then, as if I was watching a slide-show behind my eye-lids, images flashed and I realised what had happened. The smoke, the fire, the explosion, going in after Cub, his lifeless, staring, vacant eyes, getting outside, people coming to us, then..nothing. Blackness. An empty hole.

I looked around but there was no sign of Cub. I didn't know how long I had been here. I didn't even know if Cub was still alive, he was in a bad way when I found him.

Slowly and painfully, I got up and took a few test steps. A bit shaky but I was still standing. I slowly began to walk around, looking for Cub. I thought I heard someone call my name, but it barely registered in my mind, all that mattered was finding out if Cub was okay.

After about 20 mins of failure though, I was beginning to believe I couldn't find him because he was gone, dead. I was truly starting to believe this, when someone ran up behind me and tapped me on the shoulder. Turning around I saw it was Fox, and his face was grim. Assuming the worst I mustered up the courage to ask him what was wrong.

"Cub, wat happened, how long was I out, please tell me Cub is okay," I almost pleaded to Fox, something I knew he mst have been surprised at.

"Sounds like you really care about him. Well you have been out for about an hour and Cub..isn't too good," Fox said looking at his feet.

"What do you mean, he isn't too good. Jeez Fox just give me some bloody fucking answers. I am the one who ran inside a burning building to get to the kid while everyone else stood around like stuffed chickens so give me some fucking answers or I will fucking beat them out at you!" I yelled, generally pissed off that he was obviously avoiding telling me.

"Well, he is alive if that is any consolation. When the building exploded, the windows shattered sending glass splinters got a lot of cuts and bruises, but one bit of glass sliced just between his ribs, not enough to be fatal but to cause some more damage," Fox rattled off quickly, obviously scared of me, and for that I did feel kind of bad.

"What! Crap, where is he, is he okay, oh god," I began mumbling to myself.

"Calm down, he just got out of surgeory and that's why I was coming to see you," Fox said in a soothing tone.

"He isn't awake or anything yet?" I asked slowly.

"Nope, doctor reckons he'll be out for another 45 minutes or so..why?" Fox asked.

"Oh nothing, well, I'll just go take a look, I wanna make sure I didn't almost kill myself for nothing,"I said as a half-hearted joke, when really I wasn't in a laughing mood. All I really wanted to do was go and check on Cub. Not because I wanted to make sure I didn't risk my life for nothing- I could never think that way about Cub, he has proven himself beyond what I could have ever imagined and I would run into a burining building as many times as necessary to save his sorry ass- no I wanted to make sure he was okay.

I wanted to make sure, when he woke up, there would be someone there with him. Not someone like Blunt or Jones waiting for a de-briefing, but someone who actually cared about Cub. Because, I realise only now, I really do care about Cub, and will go to any length to protect him.

"Okay, well follow the path for another 100 metres, turn left and then right and go to the end of the hall and that's where you'll find Cub," he told me, pointing in the directions as he spoke. He then gave me an odd look which I pretended not to notice, then shrugged his shoulers and left.

I watched his retreating figure till it turned around a corner and then went, following his instructions. When I came to the room he described, I peeked in through the window. Cub was lying on an army bed, an IV in his arm. He had bandages around most of his body, presumably from the burns he must have gotten, and some of his hair was black instead of his usual blonde. He looked an out-right mess.

I carefully and quietly opened the door. I tip-toed in and sat on the hard plastic chair next to the bed. As I sat there, looking at the steady rise and fall of Cub's chest, I couldn't help thinking, he doesn't deserve this. And though I understand why his guardian left him, that she couldn't deal with it anymore, I still blame her.

After all, was it really such a big deal, was it really so hard. All she had to do was watxh the kid in between missions. She cooked and cleaned and fed him. That's it. What's so rough about that. Its not veen like she needed to care about him, she just had to make sure he had somewhere to go IF he came back from his mission. Really, was it it so hard.

And then I got it. She did care. Too much. She couldn't bear waiting. Not knowing if he would be coming back. God, that must have been hard. Seeing him shipped off to wherever MI6 thought fit.0 Then seeing him come back, beaten, bruised, shot, stabbed, gutted..and to see those eyes every day. Well I think that would be the worst of it.

I was startled by from my thoguht by a barely- audible moan.

"Wolf?" Cub said when he had opened his eyes and noticed me here. "How did I get here, the last thing I remember is knocking my head against something hard when we were trying to get away from the fire. I was trapped between two tables, and then…nothing. Wolf what happened, you look awful," Cub said to me and his voice was so sad I couldn't help but answer. Jeez he must think its his fault or something.

"Well everyone else made it out," Cub groaned when I said that like he was the world's biggest git," but the chef was already dead so he was the only casualty. We were counting our units and we thought we had everyone then we noticed you weren't there. Ben turned around straight away to go rescue you but then the right side of the building exploded. We stood around for a bit, unsure of what to do, then the Seargant came. He said no-one was going to risk their lives for someone who was probably already did. But.. I didn't listen to him. I ran inside and I looked for you. When I saw you wedged between two tables I pulled you out. You opened your eyes but it was like you weren't seeing what was happening. I carried you out, and then I think I collapsed. Probably why I look so crummy," I said.

Cub's eyes widened at the tale.

"You," he excaimed in a shocked gasp.

"Yeah, I woke up about an hour ago. You have some pretty bad burns. When the building exploded glass flew everywhere. You got some bits in your arms and legs but a large piece go just between your ribs. It wasn't deep enough to be fatal but it has caused some damage. I reckon it will be a bit longer till your training again," I finished.

"I don't know what to say Wolf," Cub said staring up at him in wonder.

"You don't have to say anything Cub, it was my choice. Though I hate to admit it you have really grown on me. I am seriously glad I saved you Cub, I would hate to have anything happen to you. Your life sucks as it is, and dying would just be the icing on the cake. Seriously Cub, I am just happy you are safe," I finished. Wow. This was turning into a soap opera.

"I thought you hated me," Cub said quietly.

"No, it was more like I didn't understand. I though you were the brat of some rich guy who was getting shown life in the military. I thought you were gonna get us sacked. But hell you proved me wrong. I have sort of come to respect..hell even as far as admire you kid, and that's why I'd save you 10 times over again if I had to," I said.

"I-I didn't r-realise yout t-thought abo-o-out me that way," Cub said words slurring as he yawned.

"Oh jee sorry Cub, you just wake up from an opearion and here I am keeping you awake. God you must be in pain, I am so sorry I will just go and get the nurse okay, get you some pain killers," I said jumping up and frantically rushing out the room. Just as I was leaving I heard Cub say in a mumbled voice that he was stronger than that and didn't want any medication.

I chose to ignore that and went to get the nurse for when he woke up again.

Omg guys. Am so happy I finally finished this chapter. I know its not my longest but I am still enjying writing this and am proud of my effort. Thanks to all of those who have reviewed/alerted and all other things you can do.

Love Mad