A pre-series AU (I had to mess with some ages and timelines). Nikita and Alex are foster sisters.

Always sleep with a knife under your pillow. If you cannot get a knife, scissors are fine.

Be mindful of everything. Know who or what is around you. Know what you are doing and when. Be aware of what others want from you; don't go against that. If you want to go against orders, plan ahead of time and do not get caught.

Don't rat anyone out. It's better to play dumb. If they don't know how smart you really are, they won't expect as much from you.

Keep your true self locked away. They can't know your thoughts; they can't know your feelings. Protect who you really are at all costs. Once they know it, they'll destroy it.

And lastly, never- ever- let anyone know how hurt you are. You'll only wind up in a worse situation.

Those were the rules of survival Nikita taught Alex the very first night she spent in that house. She was so scared, so confused, and so young. The other's words didn't make it any better. But that wasn't Nikita's fault. She was just as frightened. And she was also so young. Her fear had only festered longer. It turned her jaded. She had to be tough and mean, or else she wouldn't have survived.

Alex would learn that soon enough. Yet her first night in that house, she had no idea what was going on. It was all so much. She couldn't help but cry. Nikita only stared at her for a second. She didn't know what to do, until Alex's small shrill voice cried out, "Я хочу домой!"

She wasn't supposed to be there. Even at her young age, she knew she shouldn't have been in that house. It felt so wrong. The house, the people, the situation, it wasn't right. She didn't want to be there. She wanted to go home. Why couldn't she go back home to Mama and Papa. She already had a family; she didn't need a new one.

The lady with the big curly hair had already told her why she couldn't go home, however. There was no home for Alex to return to. Her parents were dead. They died that terrible, horrible night at the hotel. The lady was only able to save her. While Alex screamed for her parents, she was pulled out of the fire. No one came to get her. Instead, she was taken to an entirely new and strange place. The lady claimed she would be safe from then on. Yet the fire had destroyed her life. She couldn't even call herself Alexandra Udinov anymore.

Over and over again, the lady made Alex repeat a new name. She fed the little girl, bought her new clothes, gave her a new stuffed bear, and kept her nice and warm. But constantly, the lady told Alex to repeat after her. Her parents were dead. They died in the hotel fire downtown. They were Russian immigrants. She, however, was not. She was born in the United States. She had no ties to Moscow or the businesses out there. She couldn't even speak Russian. Her father was not a rich and powerful man. She was a normal five year old girl. She only survived the fire because a fireman found her and rescued her.

It was a lie. Alex knew it and argued about it. She was Alexandra Udinov. Her papa was Nikolai Udinov, the head of Zetrov. Her family was only visiting America for one of his work trips. Alex had to go home to Russia. She didn't belong there without her parents. The lady told her that wasn't possible, though. She'd be dead like her parents if she went home. She was supposed to die in that fire too. But the lady saved her. If Alex really wanted to live forever, like her parents would've wanted, then she had to lie and remain in America.

Alex didn't like the rules, but she had no choice but to follow them. The whole week had been awful, and she just wanted it to stop. Except, her mama and papa never came to get her. She had to be brought somewhere else. The lady dropped her off at one building with a file she had made. And from there, people in the building brought her to a house. They kept saying it was the best they could do on short notice. After all, the house had an extra bed and another girl.

None of Alex's questions were answered. A woman took her to the new house, but she never looked at the five year old. Her eyes were always on the file, or the people she brought the girl to. Alex just clutched her bear and her papa's watch. The lady said she had to get rid of anything that was her parents'. Yet Alex held onto the watch. Her papa gave it to her before he died. She'd keep it hidden if she had to, but she'd never give it up.

"Alexandra Bennet, meet Caroline and Gary Mears. They're going to take care of you from now on. This is your new home," Once inside the weird house, the woman with the file finally spoke to Alex. She smiled at her too, but it wasn't a nice one. What the woman had said was terrible. No one else should be taking care of her. Who cared what the lady said. Alex should be home with her family. She held her papa's watch ever so tightly in her little fists.

"Hi, Sweetie. I'm Caroline. You don't have to call me 'mom' yet. But I'll take care of you just like she did," Ignoring her discomfort, Caroline squatted down on Alex's level and attempted to comfort her. As her untamed hair was tucked behind her ear, the little girl remained stiff. She didn't know that woman. She didn't know if she'd be like Mama. In fact, Alex highly doubted it was possible. That man, Gary, scoffing at Caroline's words solidified Alex's feelings. She shouldn't trust anything that was occurring.

Standing straight, Caroline sighed. She looked as though she was going to say something to Gary, but he was pulled away by the woman with the file. She had to talk to him about Alex- about how she arrived on their doorstep. The little girl was frightened about what could be revealed in that conversation. She didn't want the lady to be right about the danger she faced.

However, her fear was completely forgotten once she saw another girl in the house. She was standing in the corner of the room, arms crossed and expression angry. Alex was too distracted by her to be worried about all the things the lady had said. She was a strange girl. Although she was clearly older and taller, she was somehow smaller than the five year old. She was the smallest ten year old Alex had ever seen. She was also the angriest.

Gary noticed her just standing there and barked at her to get him a beer- she could at least make herself useful. When the girl passed by Alex, she studied her with hollow brown eyes. She didn't say anything, but the five year old took a step back regardless.

Before the girl reached the kitchen, Caroline pulled her over. Despite the soothing hand she kept on Alex's back, her grip on the other girl was fierce. Her smile was tight, barely reaching her eyes and coming across as mean. Whereas Alex tried to run from it, the older girl didn't even flinch. She seemed as empty as ever, "Nikita, meet Alex. She's going to be staying with us for a while. Alex, just like how Gary and I are your foster parents, Nikita's your foster sister. She'll take care of you too."

Nikita regarded Alex with those hollow eyes again. She also didn't speak to her again. She ripped her arm from Caroline's grip and stomped away. She was rough as she grabbed a beer from the fridge and shoved it at Gary. After doing so, however, Alex noticed that she practically ran to her bedroom. The door wasn't slammed; instead, the quietest click was heard as it closed. Alex had no idea what just happened, which made the house even worse.

She spent the rest of the day with Caroline. The lady with the file left without a word or a smile. Gary was too busy drinking and yelling at the TV to interact with her. And Nikita hid in her room. Alex was left all alone with Caroline and all her questions about her life. She was very sweet to the five year old, giving her treats and another new toy. But Alex was so terrified of saying the wrong thing. She just kept repeating what the lady told her to say, never saying anything else. Eventually, Caroline grew tired of the responses and sent her to bed. Maybe if the little girl wasn't so tired, she wouldn't be so difficult.

Nikita went to bed later than Alex. While the five year old was bathed, given soft and warm pajamas, and tucked gently into the extra bed with the best blankets, Nikita was shoved into the bedroom. She kicked the closed door in retaliation, then instantly regretted it. Hastily, she retreated further into the dark room. Her small hands balled into shaking fists. But nothing happened. Long minutes passed without any movement at the door. Finally, Nikita relaxed.

"What was that?" Quietly, Alex wondered. The ten year old startled at her voice. She hadn't expected her to still be awake. Yet the way she clutched her blanket was evidence enough as to why. She was too scared by her surroundings to close her eyes.

"Apparently, I was rude when your case manager was here. I should've just let Gary yell at me about it. Arguing is always more dangerous. That's always when he hits," Nikita didn't squash Alex's fear in any way. Except, she didn't care. Her ribs hurt too much. She also felt so stupid. She knew being a brat would hurt her. She shouldn't have done that, and she shouldn't have argued. Nikita knew better. But she couldn't learn her lesson. Besides, even when she did nothing, she gained a new bruise. She might as well blame herself than be constantly confused.

Alarmed, Alex stared helplessly at Nikita. She didn't understand what she was telling her. How could it be dangerous living at home. Home was the safest place she could be. Her mama and papa were there. No one could hurt her, especially not them, "Gary hit you? Why?"

"Cause that's what parents do," Nikita regarded Alex as though she was stupid. Of course parents hit their kids. How else were children punished when they did something adults didn't like. Teachers yelled, and parents hit. That was just the nature of the universe. If Alex couldn't understand that, there was no way she'd survive.

Alex remained confused, however. She didn't believe her. Why should she, though. Her mama and papa never hit her. But maybe she just never experienced it. Nikita was older, after all. She'd know what was coming as Alex grew up. The little girl was going to be hit eventually. Her new foster sister would simply make certain the damage didn't last, "Alright. Obviously, you need my help. I can't let you walk around clueless. That's how we all get hurt. But, don't worry, I have some rules you can follow. You listen to me, and you'll live forever."

Helping Alex was an easy decision for Nikita to make. The more the little girl understood, the less likely she'd be hurt- and Nikita wouldn't get hurt in the crossfire. It was always easier to survive whatever house she was in when she had a foster sibling. Usually, she was the youngest. But she was used to standing up for the others. Alex wouldn't be an exception. Actually, with all the knowledge she had gained over the years, Nikita could teach Alex to be just like her. They could be an indomitable team against Gary. No one would get hurt again.

As she changed into her patched pajamas and climbed into her squeaky and worn bed, Nikita kept the room dark and her voice low. They couldn't disturb Gary and Caroline with their conversation, yet she could tell Alex everything. Nikita informed her that since she had been in foster care her whole life (though, with different families), she knew how to help Alex survive the house. Caroline was fine at times. Who they really had to watch out for was Gary. It didn't matter that Alex was only five years old. She had to be careful, or else.

When Nikita gave Alex even more rules she had to follow or else she'd die, the little girl couldn't help but burst into tears. Everyone kept saying she would be safe, but that was as untrue as her name. She just wanted to go home. She wanted Mama and Papa.

"Shhh. Shhh. Please be quiet. You have to be quiet," Nikita launched out of her bed and joined Alex in hers. She held the little girl tensely in her arms, tucking her head into her shoulder to muffle the sobs. The ten year old eyed the door to their shared bedroom frightfully. Footsteps began to approach, the floorboards creaking. Nikita held Alex tighter, her breath halting completely. Fortunately, the heavy footsteps soon faded back into the abyss. Nikita sighed.

Alex absolutely hated where she was. She hated the people. She hated the house. And she hated why she was there. She wanted to go back to how things were the week before. She didn't want a new home with a new mom and dad. She wanted her family back. Why were they even gone, "Я хочу, чтобы мои мама и папа!"

"Is that Russian? Is that where your parents are? Did they get sent back to Russia, but you had to stay?" Nikita kept Alex in an embrace, mostly to keep her quiet. She whispered her questions, ever conscious of potential footsteps outside the door. The older girl had overheard some of what the case manager had said about Alex when she dropped her off. Apparently, Alex's parents were immigrants, but she was born in the States. She had nowhere else to go then, so she was brought to the Mears'. Poor girl.

"No. We were on a trip. Papa had business. Our hotel caught on fire. A lady saved me. She said Mama and Papa are dead. I have to lie about my name. If I go back home, I'll die too. I don't want to die. I want to go home," Alex clung to Nikita as she choked out her confession. She kept her voice low like she had said. But she wasn't able to follow the lady's rules. Alex tried, she really did. It was just so hard. She didn't know what to do or how to do it.

"What lady? Your case manager?" Bewildered, Nikita asked. That was the weirdest story she had ever heard; though, she believed Alex. Gary and Caroline had been watching a news story the other day about a hotel in downtown Detroit that was set on fire. A lot of people died. Alex's parents were probably some of them. Their deaths left her all alone.

"I don't know. Я не знаю," Alex continued to sob. She made it silent, which caused Nikita to squeeze her tighter. That conversation was only for them. They'd make sure of it.

"Okay. Then you have to stop speaking Russian. You need to lie about what happened to your parents. And you gotta stop crying," Nikita decided. She had already intended to help Alex deal with Gary and Caroline. She could help with that too. After all, neither knew exactly what was occurring. It was better if they just moved on completely and forgot about it.

Pulling away from Nikita, Alex searched her eyes. They weren't hollow anymore. Fierce determination flashed brightly. Alex really wanted to believe her. There were so many rules she had to follow, yet she didn't know what they meant. She didn't know what she was supposed to do. But maybe the ten year old did, "How?"

"You don't know anything. Do you?" Sighing, Nikita asked. Alex just shook her head. The older girl had heard Alex's case manager mention the weird circumstance in which child services found her; the five year old and her information were practically dropped in their laps. Nikita believed that lined up with what Alex had told her. The little girl was abandoned in a foreign country, left all alone, and passed around by people who didn't care about her. Nikita would have to change that. Someone had to care, "Okay. Well, then, I'll have to teach you."

Wide-eyed, Alex stared at Nikita. The ten year old simply nodded in all seriousness. She had no idea what was going on either. However, she'd help Alex. No adult had given her the time to answer her burning questions, but the older girl would. Alex was awestruck, "Really?"

"Да. That's 'yes' in Russian, right? Hey! Maybe you can teach me Russian. Then, we can have secret conversations and be like a team. But that'd be the only time you speak it. Okay?" Excitedly, Nikita rambled. Alex nodded enthusiastically, her tears finally vanishing. Both girls smiled brightly at each other. Though, when Alex moved for a hug, Nikita tucked her back into bed. She returned to her own bed across the room and softly informed her to go to sleep.

Although she didn't want to sleep- the unfamiliar house continued to scare her- Alex was soon overcome with exhaustion. Her eyes couldn't stay open. Nikita remained wide awake, on the other hand, staring at the door. She grabbed something under her pillow. When she spotted Alex watching her with bleary blue eyes, though, she smiled. The five year old beamed. Her situation remained horrible, but she found comfort in Nikita. Despite everyone else she had met, Alex knew the ten year old would actually take care of her, "Nikita, are we best friends now?"

"We live in the same foster home, Alex. That means we're sisters. And that means I'll protect you for the rest of my life."