"I don't want you to do this" Alex whispered to me. It was the morning of the attack, the day Natasha said would be the best to go after Vladimir. Two days ago we had made plans that created the perfect strategy. Once a final plan was made, everyone had been put to work training. Alex and I had worked together most of the time, strengthening my control, but occasionally Nate and I would spar as well. Every day we trained and every night Alex and I lay in each other's company, talking about things we did not know about each other. He had learned that my greatest fear was of spiders and I had learned that he was immensely ticklish. He had also found out that I was no where near as clean and orderly as he was. It didn't seem to bother him, but it actually bugged me that his usually organized room was littered with my things. Also, Alex was generally awake and out of bed before I even thought about getting up, however today, he had remained in bed with me.

"What?" I asked, shocked.

"I don't want you to do this" he repeated.

"Why?" I asked in confusion, rolling over so I could prop my head on my arms that were resting on his bare chest.

"Because if you got hurt, I would be lost" he said, tucking my wild hair behind my ear.

I smiled softly.

"I'm not going to get hurt" I answered.

"You better not" he said gruffly, "I also know that even though I don't want you to do this, you have to. And not just for you... but for Natasha and everyone else these people have hurt" he continued.

I felt the sting of tears touch my eyes as I realized that Alex just said a truly heartfelt, unselfish thing.

"I've thought about carrying out the plan but leaving you here too. Probably knock you out or something" he added.

"What?!" I yelled, knowing he was joking but still shocked he would think of that. I smacked him on the chest.

"Ouch" he cried out over dramatically and rubbed his chest, "I said I thought about it! But then I realized that if I tried to, you'd make me regret it till the day I died and you'd find a way to go anyways. Pointless really" he said with a sad smile.

"I can do this" I said reassuringly.

"I know... doesn't mean I should let you throw yourself into harms way" he said, touching my nose.

"Let me?" I questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Sorry, 'help' you" he said, throwing up finger quotation marks.

"That's right. Help. You're my trusty sidekick" I teased.

"Not even close. I trained you. You're Robin, I'm Batman" he jested back.

I sighed with a smile but let the subject drop.

We sat in comfortable silence until I felt Alex's stomach heave with a sigh.

"What now?" My tone full of exaggerated frustration.

"What was Nate telling you earlier?"

"During the meeting?"

"Yeah" Alex answered. He sounded more curious than jealous but I decided to test him.

"Why? Are you jealous?"
I asked, biting my lip with a smile.

"Don't be ridiculous, I don't have to be, you're mine" he said and flicked me on the nose with his finger.

"I'm not anyone's mister, correct yourself" I poked him in the side, causing him to flinch.

"You are- never mind. What was he telling you, you just looked upset, I don't like that" he forfeited that pretty easily... he's too easy.

"He was telling me that I have to do this right because if something happened to me he would be pissed. He doesn't want to have to avenge me... again... and he said 'I don't want to put up with Alex's grouchy butt for life'. Apparently you too have a begrudging respect for each other, must be because you have telling me not to die in common" I gave him a bland look at the end.

"This is true. You need a good chastising every... Two hours"

"You are so full of it... What about you two?! I don't want anything to happen to you either. If you guys die, I'll set America on fire. The end." I said, panic filling my heart at the idea.

"Nothing will happen to me. I'm too stubborn" Alex replied.

"A complex like that will get you killed"

"Hasn't yet" he quickly retorted.

"You are infuriating" I yelled, knowing he wasn't going to heed my warning.

"But that's not all he said, is it?" Alex pushed.

"No... he asked if I was completely ready because this battle will inevitably fall to me in the end... and that the lives of everyone I love will be in my hands" I continued after a hesitation.

"I hate to admit it, but sometimes I like that bear. But don't worry, you are ready" he finished with a ruffle to my hair.

"Thank you" I whispered.

"I need to go talk to my grandparents" I said quietly after a few seconds.

"You do" he agreed.

I felt sad at the thought that if something bad did happen, I would be leaving my grandparents child and grandchild-less.

"Don't look so sad. You just said nothing was going to happen, you shouldn't be sad to talk to your family" he said, calling my bluff. He gently ran his hand on the underside of my chin.

"You're right" I smiled and slowly crawled out of bed.

***

"There's a reason you were blessed with such abilities. If this is one of the great things you're supposed to do with your life, then we support you" my grandfather told me with a hug.

"It is sad though" my grandmother added, "that you won't be going into this fight with your mate by your side. That would give you added strength" she finished, but the quirk of her eyebrow and the tone of her voice let me know that she already knew about Alex. She just wanted ME to tell her.

"Well actually... Alex-uhh Alpha Alex is my mate" I said, looking away in embarrassment.

"Oh goodness! Congratulations!" my grandmother yelled in fake surprise. She hugged me and then passed me off to my grandfather.

"It's a good thing we knew, imagine her reaction if you really had surprised her" he whispered in my ear.

I laughed and hugged him tightly.

"Go, do what you need to do, and be back in time for breakfast tomorrow" he said. I nodded and left their private room.

I made my way to the backyard, hoping to get some alone time. I sat in the grass and stared at the scene before me. I thought back to everything that had happened here. I had trained here, yelled at Alex here, had my first family barbecue here, and hated Alex here. I had fought battles with my friends and fallen for Alex here. Interesting how things can change in a few months.

"We haven't had a pack barbecue since I arrived here" I said to myself. "I'll have to make sure Alex continues those when we come back".

"What are you doing?" a quiet voice came from behind me.

I turned around and found Sophie standing behind me.

"Reminiscing" I said with a smile and patted the ground next to me. She quickly bustled and plopped down next to me.

"You're not reminiscing because you think you're going to die right?!" she yelled.

"Ouch. No" I said with a laugh, "I'm just thinking about how different everything is."

"You're right. Everything is different" Sophie muttered.
"I haven't spoken to you in quite a while."

"I know... I'm sorry. My life has been...complicated..." I gave a small laugh.

"I noticed!" Sophie yelled, suddenly coming back to life. She sat up on her knees and grabbed my arm. "You two are together?! As in not fighting?! As in not hating each other?!"

"Yes yes!" I yelled, toppled over with her weight. We both busted out laughing.

"How? I honestly thought it wasn't possible" Sophie asked.

"Like you said... he really isn't that bad after all" I answered, feeling a flush touch my cheeks.

Sophie stared at me open mouthed for a few seconds before she grabbed me into hug and yelled "You two are so adorable!!!"

"Oh geez" I sighed with a smile.

"Well I'm going to go find Jason. We leave in an hour" she said. She left me sitting in the setting sun alone.

"One hour" I repeated. I held my left hand in front of my face and set it on fire.