A/N: See? I said I'd update on Friday and I'm updating on Friday! Aren't you proud of me?

Anyway... enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: Still, sadly, not mine. *pout*

***

It was light when he woke again. The grogginess he had successfully ignored last time had gone, as had the IV, he noted, leaving just a small bruise on his arm. Cautiously he swung his legs out of bed and crossed to the door.

There was noise coming from somewhere within the house, some kind of metallic banging and clashing mixed with rumours of laughter. Ever curious, Alex slipped out of the door and headed towards the commotion. The house was large and rambling, though none of the rooms were of an immense size. Instead they were small and cosy, with the perfect blend of modern and antique that somehow seemed completely accidental. It was a house that had grown rather than been built or designed. It displayed an incredible clash of personalities that had moulded together seamlessly to form a house that was not only warm and inviting but also beautiful and ordered, despite the mess. Alex thought he could recognise a touch of Wolf in the rooms he walked through: a comfy, faded burnt-orange sofa in a sunny room, a simple coffee table, its surface unvarnished, just waxed enough to bring out the wood's own beauty. His aspect was functional and useable, and somehow provided the backbone of a room. Alex didn't know Sebastian very well, but he was willing to bet that the many vibrant throws and rugs that littered the house were his doing. They added disorder and warmth and a sparkling personality to each of the rooms, building on the functionality and turning a house into a home that one could sink into and feel comfortable in. Wolf on his own could never have achieved that, and Sebastian could never have survived here without the structure that was Wolf.

It was amazing, mused Alex, how much insight a house can give into its occupants.

He arrived at the top of a flight of old wooden stairs that had been carefully covered with a loose fitted deep red carpet and polished until they shone at the edges. He descended slowly, not noticing how he trod at the very edge of the steps by the wall, not realising he was trying to avoid creaking and be as silent as possible.

A few steps from the bottom, his injured leg suddenly gave out. Alex landed with a loud thump in a heap at the bottom of the stairs.

He swore violently and tried to push his now bruised and aching body into a sitting position.

There was a gentle, quiet laugh behind him. He twisted his neck around and saw a woman standing in a doorway a little to the left of the stairs.

"You must be Alex," she smiled. She had the same smile as Sebastian, but somehow warmer and more comforting. She had the same skin and the dancing brown eyes, though the keen intelligence Alex had noted in Sebastian's was tempered here with the same motherly warmth as in her smile and her hair was blond, unlike Sebastian's and Wolf's dark brown. She held a batter-covered ladle in one hand while the other rested gently on her hip. "I'm Maria, James' sister. You had us all worried, taking so long to wake up. I can't tell you how relieved I was when Sebastian said you had last night."

Alex slowly clambered to his feet, wincing as he put pressure on the cut on his leg. He eyed her warily. He had never met her before, and yet she was treating him like a member of the family or close friend. He didn't think he had ever had anyone react to him like that. Sure, Jack fussed over him, but she was so close to him in age that she was more like a sister to him. Maria was treating him more like a- a... Well, he didn't quite know what, but not the same way Jack treated him.

If anything Maria's smile only widened at his close scrutiny.

"Sebastian said you were like James, always taking in the details. Come on, I'm making pancakes and there is definitely enough for you as well."

Alex followed her cautiously through to the kitchen. It was a surprisingly sunny room, with one wall given over to windows allowing the sun to stream through. At the table sat Sebastian and two small children. The girl was sitting on his knee, her fly-away dark hair occasionally tickling his nose, causing it to twitch. The boy, clinging avidly to his knee obviously found this hilarious as he was giggling uncontrollably.

"Uncle 'Bastian?" said the boy, he trailed off at the end of 'Bastian, dropping the N entirely in his childish whine. "Why can't you come and visit us more often?"

"Don't be silly, Jaime," said the girl bossily. "You know Uncle is studying in Oxford. He's going to be a doctor!"

"Sorry, tyke," grinned Sebastian, "but your sister's right. I'll get kicked out if I spend all my time with you, and anyway, you would get bored of me after a few weeks!"

Both the children erupted into emphatic denials and Alex smiled at their antics.

"Alex!" exclaimed Sebastian, when he finally spotted him. "Have you met my niece and nephew?"

Alex shook his head then paused as both of the children's heads turned towards him.

"You're Alex?" asked Jaime, his eyes shining with excitement. Alex was suddenly reminded of Sebastian and his eyes widened in horror. He was exceptionally glad that Jaime was so young right now. Two of Sebastian would surely spell disaster.

"I'm Jaime and I'm five. That is Emma. She's my sister and she's eight. She's taller than me and it's not fair because she can run faster than I can and-"

Maria interrupted his babbling with a well timed call that pancakes were ready. Alex turned and had five plates shoved into his hand. He placed them on the table and sat down as Maria, complete with batter on her cheek, brought over a large stack of pancakes. The others all dug in enthusiastically and Alex took one as well. He tried not to notice that he waited until Maria took a bite to start his. He hoped no-one else had seen.

"Daddy said that Uncle Jamie found you in the woods. Why were you in the woods?" Alex started slightly at being addressed by the eight-year-old and tried to work out a safe answer to the question. Because he was running away so he couldn't hurt anyone? Probably not a good idea. He was rational enough to realise that to others it would seem completely irrational.

"I felt like a walk," he said. Only Sebastian and Maria realised that he was obviously lying, but they didn't push him on it.

"And Dad said you were hurt. How did you get hurt?"It was Jaime this time. Alex was surprised by how closely their questions mirrored each other. Again, the truth was out of the question. Wolf would definitely call MI6 then, deal or no deal.

"I fell over."

Sebastian choked a bit on the pancake he had just bitten into, but no comment was forthcoming.

"How old are you?" Alex rolled his eyes. The kids were insatiable.

"Fourteen."

"You're what?" said Wolf's low, flat voice behind him.

***

A/N: so how do you think Wolf will react to finding out Alex's age? Will Alex manage to cut him off?

Anyways... REVIEW! FEED THE HUNGRY AUTHOR!