• “Seriously Jack, you’ve gone for the past three years! I don’t see why you can’t go now as well.” Ian Rider groaned, very much out of his usual stoic character.

    It was a first for Jack but it didn’t waver opinion her in the heated argument. “He’s growing up Ian! I think he’d like it if you decided to go for once in your life.” She yelled.

    If there was one thing she had learned with her 2 years with the Riders, it was that Ian Rider was most definitely not as tough as he looked. And that a few scoldings were enough to set him straight when it came to all of their well being.

    “For crying out loud Ian. Would you rather take the boy out to the park?” Jack glared.

    “Yes!”

    “Well that’s a first considering you’ve never done it!” Jack yelled getting completely out of topic on purpose. She knew him very well and the one thing that would change his mind at a time like this was guilt.

    “I have too…..” Ian huffed.

    “Oh yeah?” Jack raised a brow, a sharp edge on her voice “let’s try not abandoning him 5 minutes after you get there.”

    Ian looked down, he knew there was no point in doing this anymore…..still……
    “But seriously Jack why me? You can do it so much better!” he grumbled “And besides I have a flight to Beijing in 2 hours! I think my bank meetings are a bit more important than this!”
    Lies.
    Lies. Lies. Lies. But he was used to lying about his job like that.

    “Are you trying to say your job is more important than your nephew Ian? Are you trying to say you don’t love him?” Jack said putting a rather pout-ish look on her face.

    “No...it’s not that…” Ian began to dust non-existent dirt off of his black leather jacket. Then looked slowly back up at the red haired woman that was glaring a hole through him “I do love him but…….”

    I just love keeping the country intact so we don’t all get blown up too….

    “But what?” Jack sighed “You know what Ian James Rider? I don’t care what you say, you’re going to Alex’s parent teacher conference, whether you like it or not.” At that Jack stormed out of the kitchen. She went to the foot of the stairs leading upstairs then called “Alex, honey! Come downstairs!”

    In less than a second 8 year old Alex Rider raced down. He screeched to a stop in front of Jack then said in a hushed tone “Is he coming Jack?”

    Jack opened her mouth to say something but was cut of as Ian slowly entered the room “Yes I am Alex” he said returning to his stoic mode. Jack almost rolled her eyes.

    Alex grinned. “Thanks Ian! Now come on!” he grabbed his uncle by the sleeve and began to drag him out of the house.

    “Jack, I’ll be heading to the airport right after Alex’s meeting so when I call pick him up alright?” Ian was jerked out into the bright autumn day before he got a reply.

    Jack sighed. Ian Rider was one man that she would never fully understand. Shaking her head she walked back into the kitchen. There was dinner to be made.
    ______________________________________________________________

    1302
    1303
    1304
    1305…and done…..again.

    Ian groaned as he finished counting the number of tiles on the wall in front of him……for the 15th time.

    In the past hour he had learned that his nephew attended a rather boring school.
    Very…..Plain.
    Other than the door to the classroom, there was nothing on the wall in front of Ian but ugly brown tiles. And to make things worse, he had to be the last person that had shown up to the afternoon appointments, so the hallways where deserted as well.

    He glanced over to his side and saw Alex leaning against the wall, similarly to the way he was. Arms and legs both crossed.
    His dirty blond hair streaked just above his eyes.

    Just like his father’s

    Ian thought smiling. The boy was too much like his father all together.

    He was pulled out of his musings by his nephew’s voice “Sorry Ian….”

    Ian looked down and raised a brow but before he could speak Alex continued “You didn’t wanna come did you?”
    The boy looked up. Ian met his midnight blue eyes “No of course I wanted-““I heard you arguing with Jack about it.”

    Ian looked carefully at the boy. The boy that was his older brother’s son. And suddenly he felt very bad.

    “Jack and I weren’t arguing Alex. I simply wished she came instead of me, because I have a very important event to attend to for the bank.”
    More lies.
    Ian hated lying to his beloved nephew, but it just had to be done. For both of their sake.

    Alex opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a man and a woman walking out of the room and then the call of his teacher from inside the classroom:
    “Alex Rider!”

    Alex looked up his uncle who crouched down to his height. Ian put his hands on the boy’s shoulders.
    “Stay right here Alex, I’ll be right back……..And I did want to come by the way.” He whispered.
    It wasn’t a complete lie. He wished he could come without getting fired…or killed…..or having to race to the airport at the last second……

    Ian ruffled the boy’s hair, drew to his full height, and began to walk away. “And no eavesdropping.” He warned before he disappeared through the door.

    “So Jack- oh hello” the young blond teacher said from behind her desk, a bit surprised that it was not Jack that had shown up, but someone she was completely unfamiliar with “you must be Alex’s father….” She ventured.
    A dark look flickered across Ian’s face, but disappeared as fast as it came. “I’m his uncle….not his father.”
    He took a seat in front of the teacher’s desk and glared up at the teacher. “Oh…..I’m sorry…..Mr. Rider” The teacher said carefully. When Ian made no reaction she concluded she had used an appropriate title. She gave him a look as though to say “He’s the banker uncle that Alex keeps talking about?” Ian completely ignored it. He was used to people giving him that look.

    “Welcome to Chelsea Elementary Mr. Rider. I’m Ms. Fien, Alex’s teacher.” Ms. Fien held a hand, and after a moment’s hesitation Ian took it and shook.
    “Well what can I say? Alex is a wonderful student. He lacks as bit of participation and always has his work done” Ms. Fien smiled.
    Ian resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

    So he doesn’t participate much eh?

    He wasn’t surprised. He remembered his parents scolding both him and John, because they too had been told they lacked participation in school. Once again the boy showed similarity to his father and link to the Rider blood.

    Ms. Fien was about to continue when Ian’s phone rang. She barely held back the giggle that threatened her when the James Bond theme song sounded.

    “Excuse me” Ian mumbled as he reached into his jacket and pulled his cell phone. He thumbed a button on the sleek black cell and pressed it to his ear. “Hello?”
    Ms. Fien almost raised a brow at the reply she heard from Ian’s phone.

    “Ian where are you? Your flight leaves in less than 3 minutes!”
    “I’ll be right there…….Yes I’m sure.” Ian replied.
    “Good you better be. Mr. Blunt is gonna murder you if you miss this.”
    Ian sighed and hung up the phone. He shoved it roughly inside his pocket then stood up. “I’m sorry Ms. Fien, but I have a flight to catch and I must be going now.”
    “Wait, Mr. Rider before you leave there’s one more thing I must show you.” Ms. Fien said beginning to go through a folder in front of her “It’s about Alex’s work” she added hoping it would get his attention.
    And thankfully it did.

    Slowly Ian sat back down. He tapped his foot impatiently but Ms. Fien ignored it.
    Finally after what seemed like hours to Ian she took out three pieces of loose leaf that where stapled together. “It’s his best work of the year. It’s a truly incredible piece” she said handing him the papers.
    Ian took them, and straightened them out against the desk.
    On the top right corner was written Alex Rider. Ian’s eyes moved towards the title at the center of the page.
    But before he could read it that familiar James Bond theme song went off.
    He gave an irritated sigh, reached into the pocket and answered the call “Hel-“ Before he even got into completing his greeting, a voice roared on the other end “WHERE IN THE NAME OF GOD ARE YOU RIDER?!”

    Ms. Fien’s eyes widened a bit at the intensity of the voice. It was definitely not the same person that had called last time.

    Ian opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by another thundering roar “I DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU’RE DOING, AND FRANKLY I DON’T EVEN CARE. JUST GET YOUR DAMN SORRY a** DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW BEFORE YOU MISS THE NEXT FLIGHT TOO!”

    Ian looked down, and just when he was about to apologize and agree with the man on the other end, something on the paper caught his eye. He looked at the paper more carefully.
    Then read what had caught his eye.
    The title.
    The title which read in large neat print “My Uncle Ian Rider”
    Ian’s jaw physically hung open.
    On his phone the other person spoke again, but this time in a growl “Rider…..Rider? Are you there boy? Rider I’m gonna-“
    “Sorry….I-I can’t come.” Ian mumbled then hung up. He didn’t even put the phone back in his pocket. He simply dropped it on the desk and began to read his nephew’s paper:

    I live with my uncle, Ian Rider. Ian’s a banker and he doesn’t talk much but he’s the coolest guy I know. Even though he’s not home too often because of his job, when he is home he takes me to a lot of awesome place to do a lot of awesome stuff. But when he is out on business trips I miss him a lot and I wish he would come home……….

    The phone rang again but Ian thumbed a button and turned it off.

    He carefully read through each and every sentence. He wondered vaguely how his eight year old nephew, whom he spent very little time with, could write so much about him. He was in utter shock with every word he read. Everything to know about him was there (except his real job of course.) Everything, from his eye color to his hobbies.

    Finally after what seemed like and eternity, Ian reached the end of the paper. Tears threatened him at the sight of the last line:

    But no matter where he is, and no matter what he’s doing, he’s always gonna be my uncle. And I love my uncle, Ian Rider

    He let out a deep breath “I…..” Truth be told Ian never knew the Alex could display so much emotion towards the man that constantly abandoned him for “bank” meetings, and flights to foreign countries every other day. “Can-Can I keep this?” he stuttered gesturing nervously at the pages he had a death grip on.
    Ms. Fien nodded and smiled warmly “Of course.”

    “Th-thanks” Ian muttered, he stood up roughly and began to stride out of the room. Just as he was about to walk out Ms. Fien cleared her throat rather loudly.
    Ian spun around and saw the teacher holding up a familiar black cell phone.
    “Oh….right” he whispered, and walked slowly back to retrieve his phone. Once he did he walked out of the room, head bowed to his chest.

    Seeing how much his nephew cared for him so suddenly made him feel horrible as to how obvious he had been making it that he would rather be at work. So obvious that Alex even apologized for it……

    “Ian…is everything ok?” that small familiar voice came to his ears. Ian looked up, almost as though surprised Alex was still waiting for him outside the door.
    He quickly tucked the papers inside his jacket.

    Alex noticed but didn’t care much. What mattered to him was that his uncle just walked out of the classroom looking like a storm hit him.
    Bad sign.
    He was sure he had done well enough in class to impress the teacher….

    Alex became all the more nervous when Ian failed to reply to his question “Ian…..you…ok?” he said tugging the black leather sleeves.
    “Hn?” Ian looked up suddenly as though he had been hit across the face.
    “Ian! Are you alright?!” Alex said a bit louder. “Huh? Oh yes….I uh I’m alright…..I think…….” Ian didn’t know what to do. He wanted to start treating his nephew better….but where to start…….
    After a while he crouched down to the boy’s height and once again put his hands on the small shoulders “You teacher said wonderful things about you Alex.”
    A smile broke out on Alex’s face, but was fast to fade when he realized if it wasn’t him then something else was bothering his uncle.

    “Something’s bothering you Ian….” He mumbled.
    Ian, whose gaze had drifted upward, looked back down and gave his nephew a warm smile, and what seemed like for the first in a long time, he wrapped the boy in a warm embrace.
    Alex’s eyes immediately widened but he soon realized Ian Rider, his uncle, the same man that was barely ever around…..was hugging him. His muscles relaxed and finally accepting the situation, Alex wrapped his arms around his uncle’s (rather muscular, far too fit for a banker’s Alex thought) torso.

    After a long while Ian pulled slowly away from Alex and gave him a playful smile. He decided that he had already accomplished far too many firsts today to stop now.

    “Let’s go to the park” he grinned
    “….Okay…….but no abandoning me after 5 minutes”
    “Sure little guy….no abandoning you after 5 minutes.”
    -
    “Why are you taking me to the park anyway Ian?”
    “Because I love you too Alex.”

    ~fin