Disclaimer: None of this belongs to me and I make no money with it.

Summary: There must have been some quite imaginative rumours going around in order for these inquiries to become necessary.

Author's Notes: Just some little snapshot of what Alex regularly has to deal with at school.

Date: Dec. 18th, between Misfortune and Seeking Solace (Timeline: http :/ shiruy. livejournal. com/ 3602. html)

Edited: 29.11.10

16. Questioning

"I understand that this must seem strange to you," the headmaster said and Alex silently agreed. "But after our last meeting with your guarding certain... questions were asked and we have to make sure that, well, that nothing untoward is going on."

Alex raised an eyebrow and said, "You think Jack is abusing me?"

The headmaster looked embarrassed. "It is possible and the school has to make sure that you are safe at home."

He was safe at home. It was everywhere else that was the problem.

"Okay," Alex nodded. "Ask your questions."

The headmaster coughed and fidgeted around with a few papers. Finally he got out a form that probably had to be filled out from the looks of it. "How would you describe your relationship with your guardian? Do you fight often?" If possible, the man looked even more uncomfortable than before. Alex wondered what this man thought he and Jack got up to at home.

"We're friends. She takes care of the house and everything and I trust her to have my best interests at heart. We rarely get into fights."

The headmaster glanced up from where he was busily scribbling on his paper. "But you do have fights?"

Alex gave him a dubious look. "I'm fourteen and she's my guardian. Of course we have a few arguments every now and then."

"Does she ever get... rough during your fights? Verbally or physically?"

The teen did his best to give the man a disbelieving look. "No."

The headmaster cleared his throat. "Good, good." He checked the next question on his paper and grimaced a little. "Did she ever make you do something that you didn't want to?"

"She's made me clean my room a couple of times," Alex said with a wry smile. He was starting to feel kind of sorry for the poor man.

"No, I mean..." The headmaster gestured helplessly.

Alex smiled pleasantly and waited.

The older man gave a defeated sigh and said quickly, "Has there ever been any sexual harassment and or abuse towards you initiated or aided by her?"

The teen grimaced. Expecting the question didn't make hearing it any better. There must have been some quite imaginative rumours going around in order for these inquiries to become necessary. "No," he answered seriously. "Nothing like that has ever happened. Jack is like my older sister. She's family. I trust her."

The headmaster was visibly relieved at that. "Good. Is there anyone else you get into fights with? Or who habitually hits you? Abuses you?"

Alex thought of MI6, of the new set of scars he brought home every time they sent him out, of the many men and women who had tried and failed to kill him over the last few months.

"No." He rarely got into a fight with someone more than once these days.

"Good," the man nodded again. "You know that you can always tell us if something is wrong, right? We will do our best to help you," he said seriously. "You are a bright boy, Alex, if only you attended school more often you could go very far."

Unfortunately, their best was not enough and Alex had already gone farther than he'd ever wanted to. He smiled. "Thank you, sir. I'll try to do better."