Thanks to those of you who are tuning in. Buckle up, you're in for quite the ride

-o-

Prologue: Rupture

"No I don't believe you; when you say don't come around anymore. I won't remind you; you said we wouldn't be apart… ~I Don't Believe You – P!nk

-o-

Acmetropolis - 2775

"Alright 'chief!' Care to explain what that was all about?"

"Duck, don't…"

"Don't even!" Duck rounded on the female hare. "You're so blind! You always stick up for him even when you know in your gut what he's doing is wrong! I mean, did you see what he just did?" The mallard was steaming as he turned back to his leader.

"Speaking of blind –"

"All right Duck," barked Tech E. Coyote as he got joined the others in the commons of their headquarters after parking their dragon shaped space ship in his garage. Tech looked beyond tired and, quite frankly, pissed.

"Not you too! Why can't you all get it through your thick skulls that our great leader isn't perfect?"

"Duck we're all quite aware that Ace's actions weren't… the wisest," he glanced at Ace before continuing, "But don't you think you're overreacting a bit?" The team had just gotten back from possibly their most grueling mission yet. All of them had almost died and it was all because of a call Ace had made, and he was well aware of this.

Throughout this whole argument, Ace had stayed silent. He feared that if he spoke, his angry thoughts would transfer to his mouth the last thing he needed was to make this whole situation worse. It was the first time the team had ever lost. Ever.

The defeat probably got to the bunny more than the rest of the team, he was their leader after all, but it got to him even more that he was the one who caused it. He knew that he probably deserved each word escaping Duck's bill, but with each word, anger at Duck boiled inside him, hating the mallard for trying to find flaws in everything he did.

"Duck, please calm down," Lexi said, pleading in her voice but he paid her no mind. Looking desperately around her for help, Lexi couldn't help but realize that Slam and Rev had been silent this whole time, though she couldn't say she blamed them for wanting to keep out of the argument. She could feel the atmosphere growing thicker with every passing second. She could also tell from the look on Ace's face that he was about to blow any second.

"Me? Overreact?" Duck asked, sounding exasperated. "Are you kidding me, Ace almost killed us all! It's just like the Deuce incident, he trusted the wrong person and it cost us the entire mission."

That so did it.

"So this whole thing is my fault just because I trust people easily? You're crazy, Duck." Ace was glaring at the mallard to intently that they were afraid for a moment that Duck might be a victim to Ace's laser vision.

"No, this whole thing is your fault because you were so blinded by trust that you failed to see the signs that this guy was going to turn on us. We even warned you."

Ace was completely at loss for words, everyone was against him here. There was just no way to win… "How was I supposed to know he was gonna…? I don't – I just…"

Duck sneered. "You can't even find an excuse for that," he laughed once without humor. "You're despicable."

Ace just stood there like a furious deer in the headlights and for a moment they all, even Ace, thought he was going to deck the mallard in the face. Instead, he just took a step back, the king of witty comebacks silenced, and glared. "If that's how you feel then I'm outta here."

Without another word, Ace smacked the button that opened the door and strutted out into the cold, and just to top it off it was beginning to rain. How cliché he thought bitterly as the headquarters disappeared from sight.

And he didn't look back once.

-o-

Back at HQ, a deafening silence consumed the room before Lexi bit her lip; shot Duck a look that screamed how could you and disappeared out the door after Ace. The silence continued until Duck broke it again with a sigh. "I'm going home," he mumbled.

"News-flash-Duck," Rev said, speaking for one of the first times that night. "You-are-home. You-live-here."

Duck stared at Rev for a few seconds after the roadrunner had finished speaking. Whether it was because of his abnormally short sentence or if he was just choosing his words was unknown but finally Duck opened his mouth for a moment and then spoke. "Home is a place where you're supposed to feel like you belong. You're supposed to be supported at home." He said this slowly as if he wasn't sure how to put his thoughts into words.

He took a deep breath before continuing. "But you know, not one of you supported me just now. So, I'm going back home." He copied the actions of his rabbit teammates by turning on his heal and leaving the headquarters.

-o-

The tension let up a bit after Duck had left but it didn't change the sheer awkwardness of what had just occurred. None of the three that were left spoke though Slam kept looking anxiously towards the door and scooting closer to it when he thought the other two weren't looking. Finally Tech sighed and met the Tasmanian devil's crimson eyes and said, "You can leave whenever you want to, you know."

Slam acknowledged with a low grunt but some uncertainty still showed in his eyes. "It's-okay," Rev assured him. "Really." Slam smiled and grunted again in thanks before walking out into the rain.

Over the next few hours, Tech and Rev made small talk, tried to act like everything was normal and that the others were just out for a stroll, but to no avail. Their thoughts kept trailing back to the argument and the fact that half of their team was pissed and the other half was caught in the middle and Tech began to wonder if Ace, Duck, Lexi and Slam were even coming back. His common sense doubted it but there was a small spot in his mind that hoped and prayed that they would show up tomorrow and things would be business as usual. But the realistic side of his brain shot the hope down every time.

When Rev declared at one in the morning that he was going to bed he took three steps in the general direction of his room before stopping and turning back to his best friend. "Tech… you-know-as-well-as-I-do-the-chances-of-them-coming-back-are-"

"They'll be back," Tech responded firmly, trying to sound calm, cutting the roadrunner off. Rev merely stared at him for a long moment before bidding him goodnight again and while Rev went to bed Tech just wandered into his lab hoping to be preoccupied by his creations.

-o-

After ten minutes of stumbling around in the rain, Lexi's sopping clothes clung to her body, she was cold, she felt as if she'd just climbed out of a swimming pool, and was just mad. Mad at Duck for blowing up at Ace, mad at Ace for losing his cool (not something he did often), mad at Rev and Slam for not helping her, and mad at herself for following Ace not knowing where in the world he'd gone.

Deciding it was a lost cause to look for Ace in the dark and in the rain, she slumped into the safety of a lawn chair on a coffee shop's covered patio. By now, it was raining so hard she could barely see the outline of the store across the street; she was surprised she could even see her hand in front of her face while out there. Sighing, Lexi leaned back in the chair, cringing as her cold, wet clothing pressed against her back, and closing her eyes so that her hearing and smell were the only senses the rain infiltrated.

Where could Ace have gone? Revision: Where would she have gone had she been in Ace's position? Well she would probably have run crying home to her parents. Although, she distinctly remembered Ace telling her once that his parents had died in a traffic accident when he was fifteen; this left only the 'home' part of her theory still good to go.

She remembered where Ace had lived before the meteor crash three years before, he'd shown it to her once and she was almost certain she remembered the location… not far from HQ, she remembered that much. She should be able to find it from where she was now.

Slowly, Lexi lifted her body from the lawn chair and started to walk toward the street when one of the signs caught her attention. Naturally, she stepped back to get a better view and it said: "Have a nice day!" in big yellow against red lettering with a big smiley face below. She scoffed at it and started into the rain. "Too late," she muttered bitterly.

It couldn't have been five minutes later that Lexi came across the set of apartments that Ace had shown her about a year back.

They were run down and several things including the locks to the front doors, and the air conditioning no longer worked. The buildings had to be about 150 years old. Then again, with the salary Ace had, he was lucky to have gotten a place at all.

She crossed to the building Ace had shown her and opened the always unlocked door.

He was here all right, she could tell from the moment she stepped inside the door. Lexi heard a loud crash, a moan and the creak of aged springs as Ace sank onto a bed or couch or something of that nature.

As Lexi headed into the main room, she couldn't help but take in how dusty everything was, it was more than likely that no one had been here since Ace was last present. She took cautious steps and once she walked into the main room, her eyes widened as she looked around herself at his apartment.

Apparently in an uncontrollable fir of rage, Ace had overturned several chairs and had tossed his collapsed Guardian Strike Sword against the wall and into a pile of CDs, probably causing the crash she'd heard.

Ace was lying on the couch breathing heavily with one leg lazily dangling off the side and Lexi came to the conclusion that the worst was probably over and walked toward the male rabbit's still figure. "Ace?"

He jumped a mile into the air and shot into a sitting position, his eyes then fixed on her and narrowed. "Ya know Lex, there's this new, great thing. It's knocking."

Lexi smiled shyly. "You wouldn't have answered the door if I had." She walked over and sat on the couch at his feet, placing a hand carefully on his leg just above his knee. "Sorry though."

Grunting he lay back down heavily. "You're probably right," he murmured, a matter of fact tone to his voice and he spoke so softly that Lexi wasn't sure id he meant for her to hear.

Nonetheless, she scooted the tinniest bit closer and rubbed his leg softly where her hand lay. In a whisper she asked, "Are you all right?" The question was almost rhetorical, the answer was so obvious. He was so not all right.

Ace didn't answer right away. Instead, he brought his hands to his face and groaned before letting his palms crash onto the couch next to him. "I've been better."

There was a small stretch of silence before Ace took a breath that sounded far too loud in the quiet and said, "I'd feel even better if you got your hand out from between my legs." Lexi was stunned a little by the comment but then she realized her hand had traveled from the top of his leg to the inside of Ace's knee.

"Ah," she said a little louder that she intended and immediately shifted her hand to the top of his leg again, a blush beginning to decorate her cheeks. Ace just chuckled and sat up so that his eyes could meet hers. Lexi could see a light smirk on his lips that didn't quite reach his eyes. Those were still filled with anguish.

Almost without comprehending she was doing it, she scooted over closer to him still, so that she was almost sitting on Ace's feet. The male bunny looked down, realizing this, and then met her jade green eyes. "Whatcha doin' Lex?" There was slight amusement in Ace's voice.

She looked down. What was she doing? It wasn't as if she was attracted to him or anything. Ace was her best friend. Her talented, funny, handsome best friend, yes but still her best friend. She looked back up at him and realized that he wanted an answer. "I – erm… I don't know… I just –"

Ace smiled at her apparent inability to answer and leaned forward so that his face was mere inches from hers. "Are you sure about that?" His voice was barely a whisper.

Lexi swallowed and opened her mouth to answer. Though before she could speak, Ace's smirk widened and he pressed his mouth suddenly against hers.

She couldn't think, she couldn't breathe; she could only feel Ace's body pressed against hers and his mouth caressing her own. For one moment, nothing else mattered, nothing was wrong. For that one moment, everything was perfect.

-o-

Oh God.

Duck smacked his head against the hard, brick wall of the alleyway. He groaned and took a swig of beer from the brown glass bottle in his hand. While observing the liquid in his hand, he sang slowly and under his breath: "Happy birthday to me… happy birthday to me…"

Quite the way to spend your twenty-first birthday, eh? Duck snorted in disgust and threw his head against the wall once again. This had to officially be the crappiest birthday ever, because nothing screams happy birthday like fighting with your boss and possibly losing your career.

He absolutely hated what had just gone down. Him… Ace… the team… the loss. It killed him and he didn't like what happened anymore than the rest of them. In fact, it probably hit him harder than a large portion of the team, probably because he felt like part of it was his fault.

Duck forced a snort and tilted the bottle toward his mouth. Your fault? Seriously man. Ace's doing ten times more than it was yours… that guy shouldn't be so quick to trust people and give them second chances, it was him that started the whole thing so don't go blaming yourself.

Duck had been forcing himself to think this way. He didn't want to feel worse about the whole thing than he actually did… but something lingered in the back of the mallard's mind while he was thinking this: If that's how Ace really was, I'd have been out of the team long ago…

A grunt caused Duck to raise his head and see a large figure approaching. He squinted and as the figure came into view, he could see the silhouette of his best Tasmanian devil friend in the darkness. "Hey, Slam. How're things?" It was a stupid question, he knew.

It was then Duck noticed the package Slam was carrying. "Aw man, you didn't!" A shy smile crept up Slam's face as he handed the cardboard box over to Duck.

Upon lifting the lid, Duck's eyes met a half eaten cake that had once said "Happy Birthday!" but only half of each word was available now that the cake was, in fact, half eaten. Slam looked sheepish but Duck only grinned. "Thanks buddy," he managed before wrapping his friend in as good a hug as he could give the large creature, not something he normally did. Holy crap, this alcohol is finally going to my head.

Slam simply smiled and returned the embrace, nearly crushing the mallard. When he finally let go what had simply been a drizzle before was quickly turning into a downpour.

"Let's go," a gasping Duck managed. "All this rain and humidity can't be good for my feathers." Smiling, he tossed the nearly finished beer into a nearby dumpster, grabbed the half-eaten cake and set off onto the street with his best friend.

-o-

When Rev got up the next morning he found Tech tinkering with various creations in his lab. Tech hadn't gone to bed all night, waiting for one of their other teammates to show up, but no dice. Tech had spent the whole night finishing or modifying random inventions of his that had been used once and never touched again.

"Hey-Tech?" Rev was nervously playing with his hands as he spoke. Tech acknowledged him with a smile and slid a stool the roadrunner's way. Instead of taking a seat on the stool though, Rev just placed his jittery hands on its surface.

"I-hate-to-bring-this-up-because-I-know-you'll-hate-it-just-as-much-as-I-do-but-you-know-it-is-the-truth-and-I-feel-I-really-should-mention-it-just-because-it-seems-like-the-right-thing-to-do-not-because-I-want-to-talk-about-it-so-please-don't-think-that-"

"Rev," the coyote said, snapping his beak closed with his hand. "Just get to the point."

Rev's face suddenly filled with regret. "Gee-Tech…I'm-really-really-really-really-really-really-really-really-really-really-really-really-sorry-but-I-just-don't-see-the-point-in-staying-here-if-they're-not-coming… back."

Tech put down the screwdriver he was holding and looked down. "You're probably right, Rev."

"So… You'll-come-with-me?"

Forcing a smile, Tech lifted his head to meet his friend's jade green eyes. "Sure thing, Rev. You go on ahead, I'll just stay put and clean some things out a little."

"Yeah-'cause-we-won't-be-out-long-will-we-Tech?"

"I hope not."

Silence ensured before Rev spoke again. "You-need-help?"

"No, I think I'm fine, it won't take long."

"Thanks-Tech-see-ya-'round!" The coyote blinked and when he opened his eyes the roadrunner had vanished. Sighing, Tech reached into a drawer next to him and pulled out a picture.

This picture was of the team three years ago when they'd just met. No matter when it was, the picture always caused him to smile, just at how different everyone was now, Ace with the biggest noticeable difference.

In the picture Ace looked like a laid back slacker who did nothing but lounge around and make sexual jokes. The fitting t-shirt advertising some sports company, the baggy jeans, and bulky tennis shoes. Tech remembered taking one look at him and thinking, you're kidding, that's our leader? Oh no… we're dead. Ace had just matured and become so much more sophisticated just over the course of three years. It was weird to think about how he was back then, nowadays.

Something about the photo caught Tech's eye and he squinted to try and make out what it was, but rolled his eyes when he figured out that Ace's hand was the object at Lexi's waist. When the team had first gotten together, Ace and Lexi had flirted so much the immaturity had made him sick to watch at times. Over time, though, Ace had backed off dramatically and the two actually became best friends. Lexi never stopped being a kiss up though…

Tech took a moment to observe himself in the photograph; standing on Ace's other side, grinning ear to ear.

His whole life he's been the little nerdy kid in the back. To young to fit in socially due to the fact he'd skipped more than a couple grades, going from kindergarten straight into the second grade and whenever something was far too easy to him, they moved right on up. He had his seventh birthday in fifth grade.

Anyone would look at him and he could practically hear them think 'Look at that little squirt.' Tech had always been second guessed. Misunderstood. Underestimated. The first time he'd ever felt appreciated was when he first shown the team his creations. The looks on their faces… Pure awe… His heart swelled. With the team, he felt whole, himself, elated.

And now… it was all gone. Bam! Just like that. Last night… he'd lost everything.

Tech stayed at HQ for a good three days, gradually cleaning up the place and packing things away. It was only when he'd stripped the place practically bare that he stood back and groaned. "What am I still doing here?"

The forlorn coyote dressed in a casual button up shirt and jeans, slinging a windbreaker over his shoulders and opened the front door, took one last look at the commons and turned toward the street after locking their headquarters' door possibly for good.

As he stepped onto the street, Tech pressed a button on his watch and the screen let off an electric blue glow. The dark, straight edged numbers on the face read 9:30. He sighed then stopped dead when it dawned on him that he had nowhere to go. Before the meteor crash, he'd been living in a dorm at Acme Tech University and quit school when he was offered a job with the Loonatics.

A droplet of water on his muzzle brought the coyote back to the real world and he realized it was beginning to drizzle.

C'mon, Tech. Remember, April showers bring May flowers!

…Right.

All Tech knew was that he was feeling absolutely depressed and miserable

-o-

…What he did not know was how he ended up in a bar.

Tech inspected his glass carefully, softly swirling the liquid inside, before downing it in a single shot.

His eyes drifted out of focus for a few seconds before she realigned them. Nope, he hadn't reached his goal yet.

"Bartender, another one."

The higher the percentage of alcohol in a drink, the smaller the servings it's given in. So Tech was forced to order shot after shot to achieve her goal of drowning himself in 200-proof antidepressant. It wasn't working.

He'd arranged a small pyramid of used shot glasses. The bartender carefully took the pyramid down, flipped one of the glasses, filled it, and handed it to Tech, he grabbed it and downed it in one gulp.

No, still not there.

He was still thinking about the team... how his life had just as well ended a few days ago

So he wasn't drunk enough.

A slim hooded figure sat down at the bar next to him, anxiously glancing over her shoulder. She signaled to the bartender and he nodded her way, tossing her a shot. The hooded girl raised her glass slightly to no one in particular before draining it with a grin. She then gathered her hood further around her face.

"What exactly is with the hood?" She practically jumped out of her skin and glanced sideways at him, it felt as though her jade green eyes were penetrating is soul. It felt sort of… eerie.

After taking a long look at him, the girl took a quick look behind her. Tech followed her gaze and saw a group of men maybe in their 20s who were clearly not sober. Dancing around, bumping into and grinning stupidly at every cute girl who walked that way. Tech snorted. "Don't worry, I'm not that drunk."

Chuckling, the girl cautiously dropped her hood. "Believe me; no one is happier than I." Tech hardly paid attention to her words though, the moment she dropped her hood he couldn't focus on anything but her face.

Seriously Tech, what are you doing? You've never really been attracted to any girl before! She is, after all, just another girl. Keep it together.

But it was true. Tech had never been interested in women. Ever. It was just that simple. They were all the same: Look pretty, act dim, hope some guy will find you alluring. That was really all girls ever worried about. Yet… something told him she was different.

She giggled. "I'm Alex," she said with a smile.

"Tech," he said grinning back and before long he found himself talking to her… all night. And when she finally stood up, there was something in her eyes that said she had no intention of leaving alone and Tech didn't find himself arguing, just staring into her eyes and forgetting all his problems.

-o-

So, how did Spud do? If you feel like it, drop me a review and let me know. If you have something to say that doesn't involve cutting my kidneys out with sharp words, I'm all ears! ;)

This will certainly exercise its T rating. You have been warned.

Once again, thank you all!

~Spud13