Chapter 1: The Beginning

When Nigel Uno dies, he is eighty years old.

His wife is clasping his hand as tightly as his old bones can handle. His three children are surrounding him, speaking words he can no longer hear. At the foot of his bed, he can see all his beloved grandchildren, watching with sad eyes. They are too young for this, he thinks, but he cannot bear to keep them away in his last moments.

It is a peaceful death. He can't think of one better than that.

Nigel expected a lot of things when he awoke again. Fluffy clouds, glowing babies with wings, golden gates – and hopefully not fire and brimstone and Grim.

He certainly did not expect to wake up as a five-year-old again.

It took all his self-control not to scream when he saw himself in the mirror. He was short, painfully short, and he had hair. On his head. Nigel had been bald for over seventy years, so the sight of the brown follicles on his cranium, arranged in an appealing shape, was foreign and wrong. His hair fell over his eyes, obstructing his sight in a way it hadn't been obstructed for a long time. He was almost tempted to have it shaved but realized that would alarm his parents. He'd just have to settle for a shorter hairstyle at his next trip to the barber.

As he went downstairs for breakfast, he peaked at the calendar next to the stairs. The last week of August. If Nigel was correct, then he would be attending his first day of kindergarten in a week. One more week until he met Hoagie and Abby. Kuki and Wally, they'd be in the other class – but maybe…

The memories were starker, clearer than they had been in years. Now that he was no longer in a decaying body, he could remember his childhood, or at least all the major events. The KND was prominent in all of them, and every emotion that came with it. Nigel did not know how to feel about that; while he had been almost fanatically devoted to the KND for the latter half of his childhood, as he entered adolescence his views on the organization had become more nuanced, which was perhaps for the best. It was that fanatic devotion that had won him the GKND promotion and, well…the less said about that, the better.

But no matter. He could think about that when he reunited with his future friends. Now, it was time to figure out how to act like a five-year-old again.

When he arrived to Gallagher Elementary, Nigel realized there was one critical flaw in his plan.

How the bloody hell am I going to befriend a bunch of five-year-olds?

He was an adult stuck in a kid's body, and that was trial enough. Befriending his lifelong friends when they were considerable less mature was a beast that he didn't even know how to begin to tackle, especially when they would have considerably different personalities. Wally was, well, a moron at this age, as well as a bully (even if he was a relatively noble one); Kuki was a hyperactive ditz whose raging obsession with Rainbow Monkeys was outward rather than inward; and Hoagie was a glut with bad jokes and self-deluded "smoothness." The only one he didn't foresee having problems with was Abby, and she had always been the most well-adjusted and, well, sanest out of all of them. Some candy and snark and she'd be at least interested, if nothing else.

Not for the first time, he had realized that he had bitten off more than he could chew. But what choice did he have? His entire childhood had revolved around them and the Kids Next Door in its entirety, and it was their steady presence that had stabilized him when he returned to Earth. He needed his friends, if only for the familiarity they provided, because they were some of the only constants he had in his ever-changing life.

He'd just have to wing it. Not an all too foreign concept.

Nigel broke away from his thoughts as he entered the classroom, internally wincing at the sight of the childish aesthetics of the room. Everything was bright and colorful, perhaps too much so. But children never were one to see the appeal more muted colors, so Nigel would just have to get used to it for the next eight years. He moved to the side and looked around the room, spotting a number of faces he recognized. Off in the corner was Fanny Fulbright, staring lovingly at a boy talking to another girl in the front. Another boy – Herbie? – was tapping his fingers nervously against his leg.

He looked and looked and finally – pay dirt.

Abby was sitting in the middle of the throng, twiddling her thumbs. Without her distinctive red hat (most likely still in the possession of Cree), she had been harder to pick out of the crowd, considering how short they all were. But it was undeniably her; he'd know her anywhere.

Just as he was about to go to her, he spotted the other person he'd been looking for. Hoagie was much easier to find than Abby, his beloved aviator's cap having been with him since toddlerhood and helping him stand out. Unlike Abby, he looked considerably more nervous, eyes darting to and from every inch of the room.

Nigel frowned at that. Even at this age, Hoagie had never been lacking in confidence. Granted, his confidence was often used to support a false bravado of sophistication and charm, but still – it was rare to see Hoagie like this, jittery, almost afraid. The sight of it caused him to change direction in his plans. He originally planned on making contact with Abby first, get her support and then reach for Hoagie and then, during one cross-class exercises, Wally and Kuki, but switching the first two wouldn't change much.

Mind made up, Nigel walked up to the boy who, in another life, was his best friend. As he approached, Hoagie finally caught sight of him, and the other boy's eyes widened. There was a hint of something in his gaze, something Nigel couldn't quite place. Idly noting it and then shoving it to the side, Nigel spoke.

"Hi there, I'm Nigel!" He smiled brightly.

Hoagie tilted his head and returned the smile with a small grin of his own. "I'm Hoagie. Wanna go sit with me?"

"Sure!"

As he and Hoagie looked for an open spot on the carpet, Nigel briefly made eye contact with Abby. She was staring at them – both of them – but for a moment, he could've sworn her eyes were lingering on Hoagie.

Huh.

He's careful to act like the small child he's supposed to be, only speaking when asked and doing as the teacher says. He catches himself before he uses too many big words, forces incorrect grammar into his sentences, and he likes to think he's successful. It's become automatic, putting on this mask for the rest of the world to see, but it is also stifling. He misses his friends, his family, and the ones he'll have now – they won't quite be the same. Just like him.

Eventually, after an hour and a half of mindless introductions and icebreakers, it's finally time for recess. When he and Hoagie get outside, he feels a wave of nostalgia wash over him. The last he saw of this school, the old concrete playground of Gallagher Elementary had been torn down and replaced with fake grass and newer, safer equipment. While he couldn't quite condone the inherent danger of this place, the sight of it did comfort him – and saddened him. It was just a reminder that he really was stuck in the past.

He and Hoagie are, oddly enough, both content not to run around for once. They find an untouched corner where a pair of unused swings are, and instead play with those. Nigel is just happy they're getting along so well, so when Hoagie offers him the first run of it, Nigel agrees. The rush of wind, the cold chains clasped in his hands, the feeling of freedom…how long ago has it been since he's felt this? The joy of no responsibilities weighing him down? Even as he entered retirement age, the world was never quite able to let him go, imposition up imposition on him and his family and his friends.

He shouldn't be here. He shouldn't be here at all, but he could not deny that it wasn't all that terrible. A second chance at a childhood, at life, could never be an entirely dreadful thing.

After riding the swings for fifteen or so minutes, he and Hoagie sat down on one of the benches near the outskirts of the old jungle gym, thoroughly out of breath and laughing. Their young bodies, untrained and untested, did not have the stamina to keep up constant activity for a long time. Jubilant in a way he hadn't been a long time, it could only be forgiven that Nigel let something slip.

"Lucky we didn't break the concrete. Last thing we need is a well of salad oil to spring out and ruin recess for us."

The moment the words left his lips, his eyes widened, and he immediately slapped both his hands over his mouth before he said anymore. He looked to Hoagie, expecting confusion and bewilderment.

But no.

Hoagie's own eyes were wide behind his aviator's helmet, and, to Nigel's own confusion, his lip began to quiver, before taking a deep breath and making his own reply.

"Or prune juice. Prune juice would suck too."

Nigel dropped his hands from his face, shocked. Hoagie was staring at him hopefully, and Nigel felt himself smiling, brighter than he had ever since he had awoken back in this long-gone time.

"You two better keep your voices quiet. If the principal figures this out, we'll be working our butts off until middle school."

Startled, they looked up – and saw Abby standing and looking down on them, a knowing and wistful expression on her face. At the sight of her, Nigel felt his heart swell with the kind of elation that only a child could feel.

He wasn't alone.

Once recess was over, they were lined up and walked back to the classroom. The three of them had clustered together, too relieved to see each other to separate just yet. As they entered the room, they noticed the number of occupants had doubled in size; it appeared that the other kindergarten class had been brought in, so they could meet their year mates.

Looking over the mass of screaming kids, a gesture from Abby had their eyes landing on the two people they wanted to see the most. Wallabee Beatles and Kuki Sanban were huddled together like two partners-in-crime, whispering to each other, a little too close for two kids who had just met today. The pair spot the trio at the same moment, and it's like lightning, an electric and heady and floaty feeling afterwards.

They meet somewhere in the middle, and never let each other go.

Monty Uno hummed as he waited right outside the front of Gallagher Elementary for the tell-tale sound of the half-day bell. Beside him, his wife Agatha was grabbing his arm firmly, and only the slightest tremble betrayed her nerves. It was their son Nigel's first day of school, and they were waiting to take him home and – hopefully – meet some of the friends he made.

He could hardly believe his son was already five years old. It seemed like it was just yesterday when he and Agatha had welcomed their boy into the world. Life had gone by in a blur since – before they knew it, they had moved to America to start a new life in a new country, in an odd house with a large tree sticking out of it. Nigel had seemed to have adapted well enough to his new circumstances, though his accent meant he didn't mesh well with some of the kids that lived nearby. Perhaps at school, he'd meet some friends who wouldn't mind the odd sound of his voice.

Both he and Agatha couldn't help but worry for their son. Lately, Nigel had seemed to act a bit differently. He was careful with his words, he acted a bit more maturely and independently than a child his age should, and most of all, he was far more respectful of them than he previously was. Sometimes, he would look at them as if he really couldn't believe they were here. It was both heartening and distressing, seeing their son act like this, but he seemed to be better lately, so they had let it go. They hoped that was the right choice.

BRRRRRRIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNG!

At the sound of the bell, all the parents perked up. Led by their teachers, the kindergarteners walked outside in a line; once they spotted their guardians, however, they all sprinted down the stairs to the familiar weights of their parents. Monty and Agatha looked around for the familiar brunette hair of their son, but the mass of children chattering and running about was making it difficult.

"Mom! Dad!"

Nigel's familiar voice called out to them, and they whipped their heads towards his direction. Nigel was jogging towards them with an uncharacteristically wide grin on his face. Behind him, a gaggle of children – two boys and two girls – were keeping pace with him, laughing.

The couple shared a smile. Looks like their worries were for nothing.

The next few weeks followed by in a daze of playdates and childhood wonder. The five friends were thick as thieves straight from the beginning, much to the astonishment and amusement of their respective parents. It wasn't hard to act their physical age around each other; their entire lives, they had been tied together, no matter where or when they were.

However, one day on a normal weekend, they had been jolted from their illusion and reminded of their true situation while on a trip to the park. Abby's parents had elected to bring with them a couple of tagalongs with them: to be more specific, the current Sector V – including a nine-year-old Cree Lincoln.

Cree had never found out about the Teens Next Door in the previous timeline, as far as they were aware; if she ever had, it was wiped away from her mind when she had finally been captured and decommissioned. The members of Sector V had made peace with their second-in-command's sister as a result of that, and she became a good, if not particularly close, friend – one they had all mourned for when she passed a scant few years before her sister.

Cree's presence – and Maurice's for that matter – was a reminder of the reality they were in. They weren't five-year-olds, at least not in mind, and they still had a future fraught with danger to deal with. A future that had been passed and was now theirs again.

A future they couldn't avoid, no matter what they did.

Thankfully, Sector V had ulterior motives for joining in on Abby's play date. There were reports of villainous activity around the park, and Global Command had sent them in to investigate, allowing the future Sector V to stay away on their lonesome, in sight but away from prying ears.

"Should we go back?"

The question had come from Wally's mouth. He was swinging his legs from a low tree branch, next to Kuki. Hoagie and Abby were sitting together on another branch on the same tree, while Nigel was leaning against the trunk, watching their predecessors scour for any enemies.

"We're not kids anymore. Not really." He continued, contemplative.

"The Kids Next Door might be for kids." Nigel said, nostalgic. "But it's not exactly a kid organization. They're paramilitary – with all the trappings that come with it. It wouldn't be hard for us to fall back into those roles."

"But still, it's been years since we've been a part of that world. And while a lot of it was good –"

"–A lot of it was bad, too." Abby finished Wally's statement, a little wistful. "Abby understands what you mean, Wally, but we've really don't have a choice. Or, at least I don't – Cree will definitely ask if I want to join in the next two years, and there's no way I'll be able to tell her no. I want these last few years with my sister and me on good terms before…" …she grows up.

"Plus, there's still the timeline to consider." Hoagie chimed in. At everyone's quizzical looks, he sighed. "The more changes we make, the more unpredictable our future becomes. While some of the changes we make are good, they could also lead to unintended consequences – things we set in motion because we weren't careful enough with our meddling. Not joining the KND, for example, might result in the organization's actual destruction – because we all know how many times we've had to save the day before it all fell to pieces. And that will not be a good thing, not as long as we're under the age of thirteen."

"We've already changed the timeline though, haven't we?" Kuki pointed out. "I mean, we weren't all friends yet at this age, at least not this close. It wasn't until the KND that we became as tight as we are now. How much more damage can we do?"

As the debate continued, Nigel continued to watch the current Sector V, thinking. He had been silent ever since his initial statement, lost in his memories. And while his friends might have been conflicting over whether or not to repeat their childhoods as they were, his mind was already made up.

"I'm rejoining the KND."

His announcement caught everyone's attention.

"It's the only way I can find Rachel again." He explained. "We met thanks to the KND. I can't stand the idea of her not being in my life."

Everyone else shared a look. Abby, always the biggest one of them all, was the one to speak. "Nigel…she might not have come back with us." She spoke gently, carefully.

Nigel shrugged. "I know. I don't care. It'll be enough, just to be her friend."

Another exchange of looks, and then a collective sigh. "Well, I guess we're all going then." Abby concluded.

"Should we join now? Or later?" Kuki wondered.

"Chad's the current commander of the Arctic Base, isn't he?" Hoagie noted. Nigel visibly winced at the sound of Chad's name. Even into adulthood, the tension in their relationship had remained, which had made things more awkward when Chad married Nigel's cousin, Eva. While they could be civil with each other, everyone, including their wives, knew better than to leave them alone in the same room together.

Wally nodded. "He should be. But that doesn't matter – Kuki's right. Should we join now?"

Abby leaned against the trunk of the tree, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "I don't know. Technically, at this age an operative can only get into the cadet program with a recommendation from an entire Sector, opposed to a single recommendation for ages seven and above. Even then, operatives that young have to go through frequent training periods at the Arctic Base, so they can handle the more difficult missions when they get older, or so they can take on higher-ranked posts as they get closer to their twilight years."

Kuki and Hoagie blinked. Having never held leadership positions pertaining to the cadet program, they were not familiar with the workings of recruitment. "Why is that?" Hoagie asked his future wife, perplexed.

Nigel was the one who answered. "It's because children recommended below the age of seven tend to be the cream of the crop, the best of the best. The most dedicated of all Kids Next Door. The vast majority of Soopreme Leaduhs were operatives who were recommended below the age of seven, including Numbuh 100, Chad, and Rachel. It's actually very rare to find operatives as good as them that were recommended over that age."

Wally nodded. "He's right. When I was Commander of the Arctic Base, my best students were all below the age of seven. Not a single one of them went traitor, and most joined the Teens Next Door after their decommissioning ceremonies. At least two of them were also Soopreme Leaduhs."

"So, if we join now, we'll have more eyes on us." Kuki concluded, thinking. "…Do we want that?"

"It depends. On one hand, we'll be taken more seriously from the get-go and get more training, which allows us to reach our previous levels faster – or at least as much as our current bodies can handle. On the other hand, we'll be watched closely, and people might be suspicious to how fast we take to things. Not to mention, it'll be another massive divergence to the timeline, and the consequences we won't see for several years."

As Nigel narrated the two possible choices, the four kindergartners immediately started thinking of what they'd choose. But before they could voice their thoughts out loud, a crash caught all their attentions.

Cree groaned and rubbed the back of her head, sitting up from her prone position on the ground. Of all the villains in town, why was Potty Mouth of all people at the park?

"Hehehehe! Ya dumb Kids Next Door! Did ya think a bunch of brats like you could stop me, the winner of the best toilet-based villain of the year award!?" Potty Mouth shouted to the high heavens, using a pair of scrubbers to block Maurice's chili-shots.

8a blinked from where he was hanging from a tree, tied up with toilet paper. "Isn't he the only toilet-based villain in America? And the rest of the world, for that matter?"

His brother, 8b, also tied up on an opposite branch, shrugged. "I think so. Though there's rumors about this new guy in the game that's been terrorizing Sector W. Calls himself the Termi-toilet or something like that…"

"A LITTLE HELP HERE!" Maurice cut into the conversation, still trying to fend off the villain with everything he had.

"We'd love to help you, Numbuh 9, but we're kinda TIED UP RIGHT NOW!" The Numbuhs 8 shouted in unison at their teammate.

"I've got you guys!" Cree yelled back, climbing up the tree as fast as she possibly could. Just as she was about to reach them, however, a scream pierced through all the chaos. Potty Mouth had found an opening and had thrown a portable vial of toilet water into Maurice's face. The stricken operative collapsed to his back, coughing and sputtering, trying to get the rancid taste out of his mouth.

"MAURICE!" His three teammates shouted worriedly.

"Hehehehe!" Potty Mouth laughed. "Now to finish you doody heads off!" He picked up a hose, which was connected to the deep reservoir of sewage down the street (part of his evil plan to flood the park with waste and turn it into a toilet-based haven) and aimed it straight at Cree.

But before he could act on his threat, a loud, high-pitched yell caught everyone's attention – or more specifically, the collective battle cries of five righteous kindergartners. Shocked at the sight, Potty Mouth did nothing as Kuki used her hair pin to cut the hose so pivotal to his plans. By the time he had the mind to react, he was unable to block Wally's flying kick. He stumbled back, tripping over Hoagie's couched form, into the waiting fists of Nigel and Abby.

The barrage was too much. While their bodies may have been smaller and not as strong, the five friends had enough experience to make their hits count. Potty Mouth collapsed onto the ground, muttering to himself in a daze of near unconsciousness.

Sector V, stunned, blinked in disbelief as the five kindergartners celebrated their victory.

Cree was the first to break out of her trance, and with a scream of "ABBY!" she dropped to the ground and ran to her sister, quickly pulling her into a hug and checking her over for injuries.

The twin 8s, knowing they had been abandoned, shouted a loud "HEY!" and were summarily ignored.

Once the chaos died down and a sheepish Cree finally cut down her teammates, the current Sector V met their saviors with stern looks on their faces.

"What were you thinking!?" Cree scolded the five of them. The group of friends had the decency to look slightly abashed, even if they hadn't regretted their actions. "Do you realize how dangerous that was?"

"He was gonna hurt you, Cree!" Abby explained, her friends nodding along. "We couldn't let that happen!"

With a groan, Cree pinched the bridge of her nose. "Abby, it's my job to protect you, not the other way around. It's my job, as your big sister. Sometimes I'm gonna get hurt, sis, and there's not much you can do about it."

Abby crossed her arms. "Well, that's not gonna stop me from trying."

"Or us." Nigel stepped forward, mirroring his friend. The others followed suit, forming a united front. Sector V blinked at the sight. "You're our friend's sister, and that makes you our friend too. And we'll always protect our friends, no matter what."

Cree sighed at the declaration. Maurice eyed them with a contemplative look, before tapping his Sector Leader on the shoulder, whispering into her ear. Ignoring the five younger children for a few minutes, Sector V huddled up together, whispering furiously. Eventually, they seemed to reach an agreement over whatever they were arguing over, turning their attentions back at the other group.

"Alright then." Cree said, smirking. "If you're that determined, then I guess I can't stop you. But that doesn't mean I can't help you."

"…What exactly do you mean by that?" Nigel asked, suspicion creeping up at him. If she was saying what he thought, she was saying…

"I've already told Abby about this, and since you're her friends, it wouldn't hurt to tell you. Tell me, have you four ever heard of the Kids Next Door?"

The kindergartners blinked and shared a collective look. It seemed the choice they were debating over had already been made for them.

A new fic? Yeah. I've hit a writer's block regarding To Hell and Back, partially because I've gotten back into the Kids Next Door fandom. So, the best way to get it all out is to write out my ideas, and this is one of them.

Don't worry, people – I am never abandoning THAB. But I'm scrambling for inspiration and drive, and I think the best way to deal with that is to just wait and take my mind off it for a while.

As for this story – this is a first for the Kids Next Door fandom. An actual peggy sue story with canon divergences. The main pairings are 1/362, 2/5, 3/4, and a hint of 274/10. It will be at least 5 chapters long (at most 10-15), but the length of the chapters will usually be pretty lengthier than my usual fare. I've already started on Chapter 2, so if you Arrowverse fans also like this old cartoon, and go ahead and read away.

Special thanks to my new beta, Kara Smoak, for proofreading this!