Hey peoples! Sorry the update is later than usual, this chapter was difficult to write. But nevertheless here it is, so enjoy :)- Red

Chapter 5

Maybe I was too quick to assume so much about him she thought. Maybe there's more to Alex Rider than meets the eye. Though with just how Alex responded to the pictures and the fact that he seems to live alone proves he's keeping secrets. He's defiantly hiding something, something big and I'm gonna figure out what it is. Even if it-

"AHHHH! NO, NO PLEASE NO! HELP, HELP ME!" Alex's screams brought Fiona out of her thoughts. Quicker than you could blink she grabbed her gun and bolted out her door heading for the stairs.

Rushing up the stairs Fiona turned down the hallway towards Alex's screams. Without any hesitation Fiona kicked down Alex's door holding her gun at the ready. The moonlight from the window flooded into the room. Looking around in the pale light Fiona stopped dead in her tracks and lowered her gun.

"NOOO, PLEASE NOO!" Alex screamed again.

Fiona stood there staring at Alex in shock. Walking closer to his writhing form she could see he was drenched in sweat and a grimace was plastered on his face.

"Alex?" Fiona whispered.

Alex just continued to thrash in his sleep, caught in whatever terror that held him prisoner.

"Alex?" Fiona said louder trying to wake him, starting to get concerned.

"Mmmm, ahhh." Alex just mumbled back pain clearly etched on his face.

"Alex? Alex!" Fiona shouted shaking him, worry overtaking her.

As soon as Fiona's hand touched his shoulder Alex reacted on instinct. He grabbed her hand and in one fluid motion got up, flipped Fiona onto the floor and jumped on top of her.

"Alex?" Fiona asked in fear.

As if in a trance Alex grabbed Fiona's neck in a death grip and started to choke her to death.

"Alex! ALEX!" Fiona gasped while hitting him, trying to get him to stop.

All of a sudden Alex's eyes filled with recognition and then fear. Looking down at what he was doing he quickly got off Fiona and backed as far away from her as possible.

Fiona slowly got off the floor and looked at him. Alex was sitting in a dark corner of the room, hugging his knees. He just sat there as if trying to be hidden by the shadows. Slowly she started to walk towards him to see if he was ok.

"Alex?" Fiona questioned while kneeling down next him.

Alex's only response was a muffled, "Sorry, sorry, I'm so sorry."

"Alex it's ok. I'm ok. Look at me I'm fine." Fiona said gently, trying to free Alex from what ever thoughts that held him captive.

Alex's gave no response, instead he just continued to keep his head down on his knees and ignore her.

"Alex I'm serious look at me, I'm ok." Fiona said while gently placing her hand on his shoulder.

As soon as Fiona's hand touched him Alex flinched away from her, "Don't touch me."

"Alex it's ok-"

"No. No it's not ok. I-I almost killed you, you almost died because of me. You're not safe around me. No one is... Just, just get out."

"But Al-"

"Get out! Just get out!" He yelled back at her, tears streaming down his face.

Without arguing Fiona got off her knees and with one look back at Alex hiding in the shadows of his room she left.

Mrs. Jones is going to get it Fiona thought as she walked into the guest room and changed back into her own clothes.

What did she think she was doing sending me to protect a kid that doesn't want or even seem to need protection. And she doesn't even give me any information about him, like the fact he has some serious PTSD. Fiona thought getting angry just thinking about Mrs. Jones.

Once changed back into her cloths Fiona grabbed her gun and stormed out the house heading towards the Royal and General Bank, not caring that it was already after 11:00.

After about a twenty minute walk which consisted of Fiona thinking of everything she was going to yell at Jones for she arrived. Walking into the bare lobby Fiona headed straight for the elevator.

"Excuse me miss, but the bank is now closed to customers. If you come back at 9:00 to-"

"Oh shut up." Fiona shot back at the receptionist. "I'm going to see Mrs. Jones so feel free to tell her that I'm coming up."

With that said Fiona walked into the waiting elevator, her last view was of the receptionist's frustrated face before the doors closed.

Existing the elevator Fiona walked straight into Mrs. jones office, not even bothering to knock.

Mrs. Jones upon hearing the door slam shut looked up from some files on her desk, "Fiona please take a seat." Mrs. Jones said while putting the files away.

"I'll admit I didn't expect to see you until tomorrow after school. But tell me what can I do for you." Jones said while putting a fresh peppermint into her mouth.

"What can you do for me? How about you get me off the dam assignment. Alex doesn't want protection, in fact he doesn't even seem to need protection. All he wants to do is be left alone. He doesn't want me there and frankly I don't want to be there either. I mean I didn't sign up to babysit some teenage spy with major PTSD." Fiona yelled at her, ignoring her offer to sit down and instead letting out all her frustration, worry, and any other emotions she had bottled up that day.

"First, how about you calm down and take a seat so I can clarify somethings you." Mrs. Jones replied calmly as if she expected this would happen.

Grudgingly Fiona took a seat in the chair in front of her, and with her legs crossed waited for Jones's explanation.

"To answer your question, no I will not reassign you-"

"What, why?" Fiona burst out at her standing up in protest.

"Sit down Fiona." Jones replied sternly. "As I was saying I will not reassign you because Alex does need protection. Though it's not the protection you were expecting, instead of keeping Alex safe from criminal organizations or assassins; which you may need to, the main threat you must protect Alex from is himself. You see besides his friend Tom Alex has no one. His parents were murdered by his Godfather when he was just an infant. From then on Alex was raised by his Uncle Ian, who was an agent himself. Since he was frequently absent in Alex's life due to work he hired a caregiver, a young American named Jack to look after Alex. When Alex turned fourteen his uncle was killed on a mission and from that point on Alex has been with us, but the things he has seen and experienced no one should every have to go through. What he's gone through has changed him, shaped him into a true spy or as he sees himself a weapon. He considered himself such a danger to other than he has distanced himself from everyone. He believes he is such a threat to others that he bargained with us to take away Jack's visa so she would have to move back to America, just so she would be safe from him. He is living life alone, with no family, friends, or loved ones."

Fiona just sat there in shock. She had sworn to discover more about Alex but she never thought this is what he'd been hiding. He had always seemed so strong and composed, but now Fiona could tell that he was slowly crumbling on the inside.

"So, what do you expect me to do?" Fiona asked.

"I expect you to be a confidant to Alex. He stuffs all his emotions and we believe he has therefore become a danger to himself. There's been reports that he has carelessly endanger his life, and we think this is due to not having anyone to trust or share his experiences. We have always expected this would happen one day so we have kept our eyes out for someone we could give this assignment to, and after personally looking at the candidates files I chose you."

"Why did you choose me?" Fiona asked. "There where plenty of other girls who had the exact same training as me. So why me?"

"I didn't choose you because of your skills. I chose you because of your personality. Your personality is full of strength and determination, much like Alex's. I needed someone who wouldn't give up on him and someone who wouldn't be intimidated by him. Which is where your stubbornness and pride became valuable. Besides those factors you two have history, and according to Mr. Smithers chemistry. There was no one else we could trust with this mission." Mrs. Jones explained.

Fiona's checks blushed a little, but she quickly dismissed her thoughts and asked a question she'd been wanting to ask this whole time, "Why are you only now telling me this? Couldn't you have just told me this straight up from the beginning?"

"No, if I would have told you all the facts you would have gone into the assignment with a completely different motive. You would have tried to get Alex to open up right away so you could be done and move on. But this would have only caused him to distrust you and the mission would have been over even before if began. I needed you to be yourself, because that's the only way for you to gain Alex's trust. You can't treat him as if he's damaged or a bomb that's going to explode, you need to treat him normally, like he's human since no one else does. His classmates treat him like trash, Tom despite trying not to has pity for Alex, and well we need to consider him as just another agent because it's part of our job. You are the only one that can truly reach Alex and save him from himself." Mrs. Jones answered.

"No pressure there." Fiona said.

"Don't worry, you can handle it." Mrs. Jones said with a hint of a smile on her face. "Now you best be going you do have school tomorrow."

"Crap." Fiona said while getting up. " Wait, what about my cloths, you said-"

"They will be in your room waiting for you back at Alex's house, now if you'll please" Mrs. Jones said while motioning to the door.

"Right, thank you." Fiona said while walking out the door.

"Oh and Fiona, just a reminder that everything we discussed is strictly classified. As is anything Alex may one day share with you, which you do have clearance to hear." Mrs. Jones said just as Fiona was closing the door.

"Yes mam, thank you." Fiona replied while closing the door and walking towards the elevator to head home.

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Alex just sat in the corner of his room after Fiona left and cried. Stupid, he thought, I should have never let her stay the night. I should have known I would hurt her. I'm a danger to everyone around me. Images of what could have been started attacking his mind and Alex's hands started to shake with fear and guilt, while tears continued to streak down his face.

I can't risk hurting her again, Alex thought. Wiping his tears Alex got up and went into the bathroom locking the door behind him. There, now I can't hurt her he thought.

Just wanting to forget the night Alex curled up in the bathtub and fell into a restless sleep with the cold dead face of Fiona haunting his dreams.

Just below the sleeping teenage spy sat Fiona in bed thoughts of her own swarming her head.

How am I supposed to do this. Jones can't expect me to really be able to befriend Alex and help him, especially when no one else has been able to. How can I act myself around him and treat him normally after all I know about him, I can't do this. Fiona thought, doubt starting to fill her mind.

Ugh, this day just need to be over. I can't handle anything else today. And with those final thoughts Fiona turned off her lamp and fell into a restless sleep, doubt of herself on the mission haunting her dreams.

Done! Sorry if the chapter was rough, as I said it was difficult to write. Anyway I would LOVE to hear any thoughts, opinions, or suggestions you may have so feel free to leave a review. But until next time keep the jellyfish happy- Red