Wow, fast update, yet not reviews... Hint hint.
"Ma'am?" Ben and Alex lowered themselves into huge seats on the private jet waiting for them. Silently he handed over two manilla folders, both men sat back and started to read.
Six months ago June Gideon had been tortured and killed by Zeke, the terrorist organisation that was trying its hardest to replace SCORPIA, based on recent intel gained from a warehouse search they discovered that the group were after 17 year old Adenine Gideon her cousin. Alex was to go in and guard the teen, without her knowledge, under the pretence of searching for another Zeke base, as Ben was going to do.
"So I help in Langley with finding Zeke and Al is an incognito body guard." Ben summarised.
"Yes, but Miss Gideon cannot know. Her parents have requested this, and have space to house Alex while he is needed but you will be staying elsewhere Ben, with Adenine's brother, Harry. Jack lives with his SEAL unit, Charlie is staying with Harry while the threat is on her sister and William is in France at the moment, but will be returning back to stay with Harry as well. They will spend most their time at their parents, for safety." Jones confirmed then stood to speak with the captain. Ben turned to Alex who was ashen.
"Alex." Ben glanced across the plane and noted they were alone. He wrapped his arms around the blondes shaking frame tightly worried for his mental state.
"Why?" Alex breathed. "Why them?"
"It's fine," Ben was stopped by an announcement from the captain announcing their arrival in Virginia.
Two hours later they were sitting in a CIA provided car heading to the small town the Gideon's lived in nearly an hour away. When they stopped for dinner Ben quickly pulled his phone out, as he watched Alex's form disappear into the bathrooms he dialled Snake's number,
"Hey Ben, what's up?" Snake's voice carried over the phone.
"It's Alex and this mission." He said quietly. "He's guarding a teen, his age, who's entire family is in some intelligence agency of some sort, her parents, her three brothers and sister, her aunts and uncles, the works."
"Ah. So what he would have had had his parents not left England." Snake realised the issue immediately.
"Pretty much. I'm worried what will happen if they bring the wrong subjects up." Ben admitted.
"Cub can take care of himself Ben, you know that, if he is struggling there are people he knows are there for him, be it he has no family. He knows he can call us and Yassen will be more than happy to talk to him no matter how much we dislike their relationship." The medic sighed, Ben could see him running a hand through his hair in exasperation. "Look, I need to go, sorry Sarge is yelling. I'm sure he'll be fine and if it makes you feel any better I will call him in a few days, once he's had time to adjust." Ben could hear the bellows on the other side and that Snake was running.
"Thanks. It does, go. Don't want mess duty again." Ben chuckled,
"Too right. See you around Fox. Don't be a stranger." Snake hung up. Ben ran a hand through his hair and headed towards the food counter.
The woman was tall and beautiful with long blonde hair that was put up to keep out the way, she had a welcoming face that was always smiling. When she shook Alex's hand he could tell she could hold her own perfectly fine on her own. She was Grace Gideon.
The man was taller and muscular, his short brown hair was cropped in a way similar to his son, army style. He had a gruff gentleness and obviously loved his family with all his heart. He was Harold Gideon.
The two sons that were there were also tall, both blonde like their mother, but built like their father, the daughter was a scary lookalike of her mother, but with dark hair. Their children, Jack, Harry and Charlie Gideon.
All of them looked happy to see the British spies. All barr one.
The youngest girl was tall and slender like her mother but had shockingly red hair, like Jack, Alex thought before he stopped himself. But a permanent scowl on her face. She shot one last glare at the newcomers and stormed out the room, Charlie sighed and followed her. Alex bit back a smirk at her antics.
"Sorry, she's just grumpy because she couldn't go to Florida with her friend." Grace apologised. "Would you like a drink, you must be exhausted, you look it."
"That would lovely ma'am." Ben smiled as they moved into the kitchen,
"Grace is fine honey, no ma'am here." She laughed lightly,
"So, you been to the states before?" Jack asked sitting back and putting his feet up on the table.
"Feet." Grace hit them as she put out a plate of biscuits.
"Coffee?" She asked the room.
"YES!" Three voices exclaimed,
"Me too mum." Charlie entered the room rolling her eyes.
"You two?" Grace asked the Brits.
"You'll laugh, but do you have any tea?" Alex asked smirking. He was right, laughter ran around the room.
"Sure thing sweetie. Earl Grey, or these I can't remember." She handed out six new boxes of tea bags.
"Told you they'd drink tea." Adi had reappeared smirking to herself.
"What are they Al?" Ben asked helping Grace with the mugs.
"Earl Grey, Assam, Breakfast, Builders, Chai or Green." Alex read out the names, opening the box of Chai and Breakfast.
"You mix them?" Charlie sounded incredulous.
"Nope. Wait." Alex pointed at Ben,
"Breakfast." At Ben's statement Alex waved a tea bag.
"Damn you're good." Jack laughed.
"Do any of you like those teas? We have never drunk it so take what you like. Split them between the two houses if you want." Harold told them, Alex grinned at threw the box of Earl Grey at Ben.
"All yours." He made a face.
"What's not to like?" Ben sighed.
"Bergamot." Alex shot back.
"You're strange, you like Chai." Ben pointed out.
"What's not to like? It's like Christmas in a mug!" Alex exclaimed. "Besides, Snakes the strange one." Ben nodded thoughtfully.
"Green tea." He made a face. "Sacrilege."
"Are you seriously having an argument about tea?" Jack had a slow smile growing.
"You should see Wolf and Snake when they get going." Ben chuckled.
"Strange names." Harold chuckled.
"SAS." Ben replied passing the coffee's around.
"Sacrilege." Jack breathed watching his brother pour milk into his coffee.
"You put sugar in yours!" Harry exclaimed.
"Charlie puts both." They both spun on their sister.
"Dad put cream." Charlie shot back.
"Welcome to the Gideon house hold." Adi whispered into Alex's ear, he looked on smiling sadly.
"You know what? I love it." He whispered back.
"So, have you been to the states before?" Harold repeated the question that had never been answered.
"Yeah, lived here briefly." Alex nodded, "The odd holiday. Nothing much really."
"Just holidays." Ben put in when they looked at him.
"Where did you live?" Grace asked.
"San Francisco." Alex replied with a small smile. Ben sat they praying they wouldn't ask any more questions, noting Ben's worried and slightly alarmed expression Harold tactfully changed the subject.
"Ever been to France? William's there at the moment." He asked, Ben wanted to hit his head repeatedly against the wall. First they were paired with a spy family, then they talked about San Francisco and now France. The life Alex could have had.
"Lived there as well. Almost moved there permanently once, but," Alex shrugged.
My family was blown up. Ben substituted mentally.
"Is there anywhere you haven't lived?" Jack asked amused. Alex seemed to think about it.
"In Europe... I haven't lived in most of Eastern Europe but the main one is Russia I have been to every country though." Alex shrugged as though this was normal. To him it was.
"You Ben?" Jack asked, "Lived anywhere else?"
"Nope, just Liverpool and London." Ben sighed, Alex shot him a grin.
"And Brecon." He grinned.
"That doesn't count." Ben sighed.
"Brecon Beacons? Wales?" Jack asked sitting straighter.
"Yeah, why?" Ben replied slowly.
"We're doing an 'exchange' of sorts with a unit there." Jack grinned. "Don't know which yet but you can meet them when they arrive. If we're allowed off base. My unit has been paired with them. They say it's because we're the best unit not on tour, but we say it's a punishment. And the fact that we are the only complete unit not on leave or on tour. But it does mean that we get to go out to Brecon with them when they return, a switch as it was."
"You're going to hell." Alex laughed.
"Most special forces training camps aren't sunshine and daisies." Jack grinned.
"No, it's called hell." Ben reiterated. "It's hell with rain, mud, rain, mud, mud, a little more mud and a bit more rain."
"I thought you just came off a training stint, why aren't you covered in mud." Harry asked, they had talked on the drive over.
"That training wasn't in Wales." Ben smirked.
"Somewhere cold, otherwise you wouldn't be in tops and jeans, whereas we are all here in jumpers." Charlie put in.
"Yeah, you could say it was cold." Ben laughed.
"Where was it?" Jack asked curious,
"Eastern Russia." Ben chuckled as Jack paled,
"They won't do that to us will they?" He gulped.
"Nice strong man aren't you. Scared of a bit of cold." Adi laughed.
"It was cold and that was under two base layers, two fleeces, an Arctic coat, three pairs of gloves, two hats, three pairs of trousers, thermal heated socks and three neck warmers." Ben informed them.
"That's only because your snow guard wasn't up." Alex tutted.
"You shoved snow down the back of my coat!" Ben complained.
"Still not over that are we?" Alex grinned,
"Bed time, all of you!" Grace had just seen the time.
"See you soon Al." Ben waved and left the house with the two brothers and sister leaving only the parents and two teens behind.
"Come on, grab your gear and I'll show you your room." Adi stated, they headed upstairs, "Parents." She pointed to the first door on the left, "Bathroom, Jack's, Harry's, Williams old rooms." She pointed to four more doors, then headed up another flight of stairs, "Me and Charlie's old rooms. Bathroom's broken in there." They went up to the fourth floor. "You. Shared bathroom." She pointed to two doors. "Make yourself at home."
"Thanks, what-" Alex broke off. Adi was gone. "This is going well." Alex muttered before walking into his room and gaping at the double bed, a slow grin spread and he dumped his belongings on the bed, he quickly grabbed his pyjama trousers and underwear then threw the suitcases on the floor. He changed and in seconds was asleep.
"Come on sweetie." Grace woke her daughter. "School in half an hour." Adi's eyes flew open and she sprinted upstairs to the bathroom throwing the door open then stopping dead. In her hurry she had forgotten they had another person in the house and that the door didn't lock. Before her brain could process how nice Alex looked shirtless he had vanished into his bedroom. She blinked, shook herself and walked into his bedroom meaning to apologise, only to find he was still shirtless, this time with jeans on.
"Huh." She looked him up and down appreciatively, he quickly pulled on a t shirt and slipped past her.
"Bathroom's free." He called laughter in his tone.
"Wait." Adi breathed she spun around. "Where did your scars come from?" Her words met air as Alex was already gone. "And when and how the fuck did you get shot. In the heart." She muttered slipping into the shower.
She stormed into the kitchen later fully meaning to question Alex only to find that he was gone. Fuming she ate her breakfast before storming towards Alex who had just appeared at the bottom of the stairs,
"Come on, there is a Gaby at the door, aparently you are friends. And she knows who I am." Alex grabbed her wrist and pulled her out the house,
"Who put you in a bad mood?" Gaby her friend asked amused.
"She overslept." Grace called as she headed to the car. "Have fun at schools girls. And you Alex." She added as an afterthought.
"So looking forward to life an an exchange student? Adi has told me all about how you were coming. Apparently you're English but she never said how cute you were. I almost fainted when you opened the door just now." Gaby giggled as Alex blushed, then without waiting for Alex to respond her questions went on. Twenty minutes later as they reached the school Adi looked over her shoulder at Alex and grimaced.
"Sorry." She whispered then they were inside the building. "This way, I'll take him to the principal and reception. See you later Gabs." They parted. "You have a lot of explaining to do Alex." She growled.
"Do I? About what?" He managed to time it perfectly so they just reached the reception as Adi was about to reply.
"Arsehole." She muttered before smiling at the receptionist. "Hi miss Dell. This is Alexander Rider, he is the exchange student from England."
"Ah, Mr Rider this way. Miss Gideon stay there." The receptionist led him to an office and knocked. There was a quiet enter and Alex slipped inside.
He emerged an hour later ears ringing from the introductions and stories about the teachers times in England.
"Hey, that bad huh." Adi was still waiting grimacing as she noted Alex's expression, her previous anger having left her during the course of the day.
"Yeah. Does he ever shut up?" He asked pulling out his timetable. Adi snatched it from him and glanced at the lessons.
"Almost the same as me." Adi grinned and led him to the next lesson, French. She noticed the glances Alex kept shooting around, most wouldn't but she hadn't been trained for three years for nothing. "Overwhelming?" She guessed.
"More... reminiscent." Alex admitted. Adi laughed,
"Good or bad?" Alex thought back to the family he had had for three weeks with the Pleasures.
"Bad." He frowned, Adi sensed a bad area so tactfully changed it. She had done this a lot since he had arrived a week ago.
"So, you speak French?" She asked.
"Yes." He seemed to be smirking at something.
"Well?" She tried to understand.
"You'll find out." He replied cryptically.
Ten minutes later she did. After the class had been set their work Madame Pierre had approached Alex and thus started an hour long conversation in fluent French, one that had most of the classes jaws dropping. At the end of the lesson Alex turned to Adi.
"So? Answer your question?" Adi had stalked off muttering about arrogant English boys.
If it is so bad it doesn't deserve reviews please tell me and I shall stop.
