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The door to Andrew's office banged open by a hard push from the other side. There wasn't the decency of knocking or even a question for permission. Lukas stormed into the room, dragging a reluctant Alec with him by the arm.

The boy had a developing black eye on his face and his clothes were scuffed and torn. It wasn't too much of a loss, at ten, he was starting his growth spurt and would likely out grow them within a few months.

He let Alec go and he stumbled a few feet.

"What," Lukas snapped, as always in Russian, "Have you been teaching the boy?"

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"Do you really think people never challenge me?"

"Of course there are people who challenge you. But has there anyone really been a direct threat to you and your empire?"

"A gentleman never kisses and tells."

In romance, or in business, needless to say. Even if there had been, he wouldn't tell anyone.

"I thought it was a lady," Alec says. "And there was that blonde lady last week who came by with the photographs."

Lukas glances at him, confused.

Andrew raises an eyebrow at Alec, equally confused. "What are you talking about?" he asks, hoping Alec isn't going to find some way to embarrass him, but assuming that he probably is.

"Um. This blonde lady came by last week... with photographs... of you. At least, she said they were of you. They were in an envelope and it was sealed. You weren't home yet. And she said I should give them to you but I forgot."

Suddenly Alec wishes he never brought this up.

"Did she? And you didn't see fit to give them to me immediately? Where are they?"

Andrew doesn't like it when people forget to give him things. It makes him feel paranoid. Alec is not exempt from this paranoia.

"I forgot. I had to work on my reading and that's hard and so I got busy and then I got tired and went to bed. And you still weren't home." He says this snipishly.

"They're in my room."

Which isn't saying too much because Alec's room is a mess.

"In your room could mean literally anywhere, buried underneath a mountain of clothing and toys. Go and find them, please."

At least he says please sometimes. Sometimes.

Indeed.

He sighs. "Yes, sir."

Alec runs out of the room to go and find them.

"I don't think I will ever live to see Sasha organized," Lukas murmurs. "I don't think I will be around at all much longer."

He gives Andrew a sharp look as he says it. He's not mentioned it at all to Alec.

Edited 2012-09-08 05:43 (UTC)

"Your sickness is serious, then?" Andrew asks, having suspected as much, but not wanting to say it in front of Alec. The last thing Alec needed was to lose another family member.

He nods sharply.

Lukas doesn't want to die either, if only because he doesn't want to leave Alec alone with Andrew.

"Then I seriously encourage you to speak to one of my doctors. They're very good, and could prove useful."

He's about to say something but Alec comes back in at that moment holding the envelope.

He looks at the two adults uncertainly.

Andrew holds his hand out for the envelope, offering Alec a slight smile of reassurance.

Alec hands the envelope over, still looking at both Andrew and Lukas.

His godfather coughs, but doesn't say anything.

Andrew opens it curiously, not at all sure what he'll find within it. Alec hadn't given him much information on that front.

Mostly because Alec doesn't have much information on it. The nice lady gave him the envelope and said he should give it to Andrew. Which he's doing, if a bit on the late side.

But the contents are probably not going to help any of Andrew's paranoid tendencies because they're photographs of Alec taken at a sniper's angle while he's out at school.

Andrew tenses immediately as he looks through the photos, holding them in a way that neither Alec nor Lukas can see them. He knows exactly what they're implying, and he doesn't like it.

"Alec, I need you to go to your room."

He won't be accepting any protests.

Alec opens his mouth to protest and then shuts it.

"Yes, sir," he says.

After he's gone Lukas looks at Andrew for an explanation.

"I understand that, given our previous conversation, this could seem an imposition, but I may need Alec to stay with you for several days while I attempt to... work something out."

"Sasha is never an imposition in my life, but what is wrong?"

"It has come to my attention that someone may be... interested in threatening myself, the child, or both. Until I get to the bottom of it, I'd like him to stay with you. Keeping him safe is my priority."

He doesn't usually reveal himself to care quite so much, but this is not a time to hide things.

It's quite obvious that Lukas wants to say something along the lines of this is what Andrew isn't good for Alec, but it is perhaps a measure of respect for the man and his godson that he doesn't.

"I see. Then of course I will take him. His safety is of the highest concern. What will you tell him?"

"I'll tell him that I need to take a business trip. He doesn't need to be unnecessarily scared."