The Book of Sad

Chapter 7: I've Always Wanted It This Way

Disclaimer: I do not own Alex Rider and crew. They belong to Anthony Horowitz. The only thing mine is some of the plot and the OCs. Enjoy!

Also, I tried my best with the medical stuff in this chapter, but it may not be perfect. Comment with any edits.

Chapter 7: I've Always Wanted It This Way

December 21st, 1986

I was away on another mission, this time in Russia. It's the Cold War, and no one entirely trusts them, so I was out there, gathering intelligence.

Blunt is full of praise. Well, full of praise for Blunt, anyway.

"Thank you, Agent Rider," he says when I had him the information and my mission report, "You have done a very competent job recently."

"Thank you," I say, taking his compliment for what it was.

"Anyways, Agent Rider, I need your advice."

Blunt? Needing my help? This should be interesting. "What's up?" I ask my boss.

"I'm losing him. John. At first, I thought there'd be a chance of him coming back, but the more time he spends with his family, the more he wants out."

"Out of Scorpia?" I want to know.

"Out of the field. He says that he'd be happy for a desk job, but because he is about to be a father, he wants out of the field, for good."

I am shocked by this. John loves his job, loves England. I never thought he'd quit MI6. "He was really thinking about coming back to his mission. He felt terrible about wasting so much time and money, and so many lives," I admit, "But in the end, he chose his family."

"This is why spies should never marry. They get attached." Blunt sighs.

"Um, aren't you married, boss?" I ask, eyeing his wedding ring.

Blunt groaned. "Dismissed, Agent Rider."

January 3rd, 1987

The holidays brought happier times. Helen and John are better now, closer than they've ever been. Helen is just over a month away from her due date, and John is so excited. Any doubts he had about becoming a father were gone with 1986. It's a new year, a better year. 1987 would be a year full of hope and new beginnings. A year of baby boys and new parents. A year of desk jobs, and love, and young families. Helen is so joyous to be around John, and he is more in love than ever. It's relieving to see them together and happy again, after months of stress and agony.

John and I meet for a drink, to celebrate the new year.

"How's Ash doing?" I ask, not because I care, just because, well, I don't know why I ask. I just do.

"He's still in the hospital recovering. He's missing most of his stomach. He won't eat normally anymore, but he'll live." I nod. I don't like Ash, but it would hurt John and Helen if he died.

"How about Helen?" I ask, this time about someone I care about, "I haven't seen her in ages."

John cracked a smile. "She's doing great. She's getting so big, and she's in her third trimester now. We are both so excited to meet Alex."

"Alex?"

"Oh yeah, that's what we're naming him, Alexander."

"It's a great name," I say, truly meaning it. "Ya know, John, Blunt is pretty pissed at you for wanting a desk job. Maybe you should name your son Alan instead to make up for it." I laugh.