Chapter 3

The next two weeks went by relatively normally. Tony set Jarvis to keep an eye on Alex at night. By the end of the week Tony (with Steve's enthusiastic help) had managed to get Alex sleeping nightly, something which he had been adamant about not doing when he first arrived.

It was pretty ironic taking it wasn't uncommon for Tony to stay up 72 hours straight until one of the group found him collapsed on the floor of his workshop.

The others probably would have been trying to help if they knew the situation, they just assumed when they saw Tony (or Steve) walking through the corridors with Alex slung over their shoulder complaining that sleep was unnecessary, that they were just trying to deal with a grumpy teenager.

Alex got well with the others, he would joke round with Thor. Tony still hadn't replaced the table they'd destroyed when Alex had dropped from the vents (which Clint had shown him how to get into much to Tony's irritation) onto Thor's shoulders. Causing them both to stumble laughing onto the table.

Clint taught him everything that irritated Tony, all the hiding places that only he and Natasha knew, how to get into the vents. Also he started training Alex in the firing range. Which wouldn't be so bad but they could spend hours in there and it was right above Tony's workshop (well, garage).

Bruce would spend hours teaching Alex studies after discovering a gap in his education. Alex complained about it but didn't really seem to mind. Usually they went off topic and ended up constructing some weird study which used Tony's robots.

Steve was probably the most casual with Alex, occasionally taking him out in the city for food or just to see the city. Tony didn't really know where they went but reckoned Steve would take him to the quieter areas.

He could barely leave the tower without being noticed. Tony had grown up with the recognition being a son of the 'great Howard Stark' constantly in the public eye. The others (excluding Thor who had grown up in a similar situation to Tony publicity wise) were, although famous, less recognisable. Steve had been a public figure since 1940, and was really bad at dealing with being noticed, he got shy and clamed up, when Tony was with him he instantly took over talking. Steve also had become something of a sex figure. And on more than one occasion had randomly being kissed or groped by inconsiderate women or men. Part of the issue of looking like Steve. He'd got better at being inconspicuous recently.

When they were at the tower Alex helped Steve catch up on pop culture. So far they'd had movie marathons of star wars, twilight (Steve said it couldn't be that bad, Alex needed to prove him wrong), and Harry Potter (that took up an entire day). Also Steve taught Alex self-defence, not that Alex needed it that badly but they both enjoyed it.

Tony himself only saw Alex in the mornings and evenings, or if he needed to try out a device on someone else. Nothing lethal. And if it worked and probably wouldn't cause any issues he gave it to Alex. Currently he'd given Alex a ring which fired enough volts to paralyse someone for a week (it could be lessened), a thing which could melt a fire door in 30 seconds, and a glove that delivered the toxins to knock someone out for 12 hours. That he had been much chastised for using on Alex. In other words Clint punched him in the face, very hard. To be fair Alex had allowed him to use it on him, and had found it funny when he woke up.

The only person in the tower who seemed to have an issue with Alex was Natasha, who avoided the kid at all costs. Alex didn't really notice, but the others did, and when they did talk Natasha was very cold. On asking Clint he had simply said Natasha recognised him from somewhere. But that was no reason for the coldness.

Tony had also set Jarvis to notify either him or Steve if Alex got too destressed, they hadn't had one of those alarms yet, which he was glad about. Alex had nightmares, every night, but calmed down quick enough after he woke up so Jarvis didn't contact them, just told Tony in the morning.

It was all going well.

Alex was eating toast when Steve got down into the kitchen carrying his shield after a session in the fighting stimulator Tony had built, it was about 6 and not much of the room was lit.

"I was under the impression that teenagers were supposed to sleep in" he laughed at the groggy looking teenager.

"Yeah well, you guys eat all the food, I like to eat in the mornings" answered Alex through a mouthful of toast. "Plus I get to see Natasha beat up Clint if I'm up this early. Which is funny."

"Oh really, were are they then?"

As if on cue Clint dropped out of a vent and Natasha walked into the room nodding at the pair standing by the breakfast bar.

"Morning Steve." Smiled Clint. "Alex, as usual."

"When else would I get to see you get your ass whipped"

"Aren't you brit's charmers" said Clint sarcastically

"He has a point, and it's fun how you keep coming back for more" smirked Nat

"I'm going to keep coming back till I beat you"

"Well, we all have dreams" smiled Nat

Alex jumped onto the breakfast bar as Clint and Nat started circling each other.

Over the next 30 minutes Steve watched with a grin as Natasha continuously pinned Clint. Not that they weren't evenly matched, in fact if it really came down to a fight between the two it would last for hours probably. They were just sparring, and when Clint didn't have his life in danger his skill decreased massively.

Finally they got serious after about 9 rounds. This one lasted the longest, about 15 minutes. It was brutal, Alex and Steve both found themselves wincing at some of the kicks and hits. Clint got Natasha in a headlock and began dragging her down to the floor. It looked like he had finally won. But right as he was about to pin her she suddenly flipped him over so she was on top of him rather than him on her.

"Nice try" she whispered breathlessly with a smile. Getting up she pulled him to his feet.

"Nearly had you though" he laughed breathlessly

"That's what you think!" she laughed

Steve and Alex couldn't help but grin, the assassins were the most childish people sometimes.

A slow clapping interrupted the happy mood. Instantly the assassins had pulled guns out of somewhere and were pointing them at the dark part of the room. Steve grabbed his shield.

"Alex get behind me. Now"

Alex slid behind him crouching down, sensing the seriousness of Steve's voice.

"Guy's there's someone… oh you know" Tony rushed in wearing the arms of his suit in combination with some pyjama pants.

"Show yourself" demanded Natasha

A figure moved into the light. He was blonde with pale skin and pale blue eyes, he was obviously good looking with distinctly chiselled lips and almost feminine eyelashes. He looked late twenties early thirties. There was a long straight and distinctive scar along his neck that could have been drawn with a ruler. His body was in perfect physical condition. He carried a smirk and had his hands held up.

"I must say, you have defiantly become more human since I last saw you Miss Romanova" (for those who don't known this was Natasha's original surname before she used Romanoff) the man's voice had a thick Russian accent.

He felt Alex shift behind him. "Stay down Alex" he murmured.

"Heard you were dead Gregorovich" said Clint threating. Alex shifted again, Steve nudged him"

"Ah, Barton, the archer. Shame how rumours start up so quickly."

"Well we can make it a truth" spat Clint

Gregorovich threw back his head in a laugh. "I do hope those gun shots have healed" he grinned

"Same for you"

"Yassen?" questioned Alex loudly stepping out from behind Steve.

"Dear Alex Rider, it is nice to see you in good health after your recent ordeal" smiled Yassen.

Natasha was confused. How the hell was Gregorovich alive? Sometimes rumours get spread, but Yassen had been gone too long for just some basic rumour. And how did he know Alex?

"Why are you here Yassen?" hissed Alex

"To wish you a happy birthday"

"What?"

"Would you believe it that today, 16 years ago, your father called me to say that you had been born?" smiled Yassen

"What?"

"We got on well, and this was at a point he was acting under SCORPIA, he knew already that I had seen your mother pregnant"

Alex looked shocked.

"I'm sure this is all very important but how do you know Alex, and how do you know his father?" interrupted Natasha.

Yassen looked at her confused but entertained. "My, you have lost your touch. He is practically the mirror image of his father. You had rather a lot of close calls with him if I remember correctly, stared down his barrel" He studied her face to see if there was any connection. "My, Natalia. You really are lost" he laughed.

"Who's his father Gregorovich!?" demanded Clint, hating this game Yassen was playing.

"One moment archer" hissed Yassen "I was going to give her a rather obvious clue" he turned back to her "he gave me this" Yassen motioned to the scar on his neck. Instantly all the pieces clicked.

"Hunter" she whispered.

"Otherwise known as John Rider, from MI6"

"Hunter was…" she looked at Yassen for conformation

"A double agent, not that I knew at the time I was told of Alex's existence. I did eventually find out. That was a very complicated set of events."

"This whole time you've been alive?" stammered Alex. "And you never even thought to contact me?" he sounded hurt.

"Alex…" murmured Yassen

"After sending me to SCORPIA? You're the reason I'm in this whole mess!" Alex stormed up to Yassen, Natasha watched warily as did Clint, who had thrown a look at Steve and Tony not to interfere. "Sab… she's dead because of you!" Alex went to punch Yassen, but Yassen caught his arm.

Clint moved to intervene but Natasha grabbed him.

"Alex, you must understand I had absolutely no intention of the events of the last year and a half, when I told you to find SCORPIA I genuinely believed myself dying. I did not intends for you to discover them how you did, I did not intend for you to be manipulated how you were, I did not intend for them to come after you. I am so sorry about your friend. I did not know she was there. I would have created a way to stop them doing what they did if I had." He studied Alex's face as he talked, gripping his arm, "I am sorry"

"Let go of my arm" choked Alex, who was on the verge of tears.

"You need to calm down" said Yassen softly

"No I don't, I need …" Alex broke down, Yassen instantly gripped the crying teen close to his chest, one hand wrapped round the teen, the other stroking his hair.

Natasha motioned for the others to leave. Clint and Tony did so grudgingly, as Clint did she told him not to call Fury. Natasha had to glare down Steve before he too left.

Silently she turned back to the pair Yassen had placed a sleeping Alex on the sofa, sitting on the arm and stroking the teen's hair. He held his finger to his lips motioning for quiet.

"No, you're not getting off that easily." She whispered

"He needs sleep, he's exhausted" hissed Yassen

"Tough, now tell me everything. Quietly. And convince me why I shouldn't yell for Clint to call Fury right now."

Yassen scowled, then explained everything from killing Ian Rider, to setting off the chain of events which allowed Alex to escape SCORPIA and for MI6 to know his location.