Alex Rider: Back in Beacons with the SEALS

Chapter 18

"Aww. He's a softie."
"Hush Winchester before I punch your throat out."
"Nah you love me."
"I love my sanity more." Alex hissed back, not in anger but in the softest tone he could muster. She turned grinning at him, pulling herself up onto branches and leaping from tree to tree. Alex watched her, to make sure that if she falls he could make it in time to break the fall. "Are you sure you're still sane?" Alex seem to consider the question.
"I haven't murdered anyone without a reason yet... I hope? Did I actually? Oh dear, now I have amnesia don't I? I can't remember if I have killed someone without reasons before." He joked and she paused in one of the trees, thinking.
"Julia Rothman?"
"You kidding? She was the head of Scorpia."
"Tell me again how she died."
"Got crushed. It probably wasn't her lucky day as her hopes were crushed too." Alex answered, shrugging. He heard Winchester cackle a little from somewhere above him. "You gotta admit though. Your sergeant is a softie."
"That wasn't even the topic."
"It was before you said you loved your sanity more!" She argued. Alex sighed and looked around at the rest. They were trying very hard to pretend they weren't interested in the conversation. Winchester swung down from the tree, hopping around in front of him and twirling around the group of men. "You have a lot of energy." Alex noted.
"Well, I've got no one to fight with yet. You seemed tired."
"I did just get back from a mission and then there is all this... Drama. I'm surprised I'm still standing."
"You are surprised? You can literally stay awake for days and be like 'hmm I can still fight 40 men no problem'."
"Are you still on about that? That was one time! You were going to die don't you try. I saved your little ass." Alex said, glaring playfully at her. She poked her tongue out at him. "You can have just gone 'bye bye witch! Have fun!'." She tried impersonating Alex and waving her fingers in a goodbye motion. Alex looked at her in exasperation. "I'm not that cruel."
"... Oh yeah. You don't leave anyone worth saving behind. Aww thank you~." She cooed, blowing a kiss. "And since you're still standing..." She trailed off, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Alex glared at her. "Don't you dare."
"I dare!" She declared as her fist swung towards him, connecting with his palm with a resounding clap. "You can help me burn off this energy."
"Running around the woods would help." Alex suggested but she wouldn't listen. Another punch, a kick, a jab, another kick from Winchester later. "Noooo. I lost again!!" She whined, twisting around on the ground trying to get free from Alex pinning her down.
"You do realise you can throw me off easily?"
"What? Oh... Oh! You're so light geez!" She was about to but he got up before she could shove him away. She glared playfully at him, crossing her arms over her chest with a huff. Alex pretended he didn't notice the expression, looking up in a somewhat obnoxious manner at the trees. "How dare you."
"I dare." Mocking her from before their little spar. The others had slowed a little, unsure whether to break it up but the spar ended before they could even reach the pair.
"Why you?!"
"Why not?" Alex broke into a smile when she made an exasperated noise, shaking her fist to the sky. She turned one round on the spot, as if deciding what to do before pointing at Alex and making some sort of choked half-as noises before flashing him the middle finger when she couldn't decide what to say. "That's unladylike."
"I don't care about being treated like one! I want bloody respect for who I am, not for how I bloody act! I can curse all f*ing day if I f*ing want." She declared. Alex wasn't sure if he was thankful they reached the end of the tour or if he was worried she might start fighting with the others again.
The president left soon after the tour ended, having had a small talk with Alex in private and seemed satisfied with their talk. "So now what?" Winchester asked as there was only the two of them and the sergeant left.
"Go home." Alex muttered.
"Actually... Now that you brought it up, I don't have any where to go." Winchester said softly, twiddling her thumbs - a nervous habit of hers. Alex looked at her then at the sergeant, sharing a look before the older man nodded. "You can stay here with us for now. Until you find a place to stay. But you are to follow all rules, there is no need to participate in the activities. You may not leave as you please unless you get special permission."
"Special permission?"
"Cub of course!" Sergeant said, almost sounding proud. Alex looked somewhat startled by the answer. "Huh?"
"Responsibility, boy. You have to learn to be a responsible person by making sure she stays in line and can only leave when you say she can, she will report back to you no matter what." Sergeant joked about the responsibility and learning to be responsible bit but the rest was said in total seriousness. Despite the sergeant being monotonous and somewhat serious, Winchester wanted to laugh. Alex nodded, saluting to the sergeant before tugging the woman along to walk around. He didn't feel like going back yet.