Disclaimer:
I always wondered while watching the movie, "wow, 5 just kinda excepts the fact that his mentor is dead doesn't he?" Okay, maybe not quite that way, but you get my point. I wanted to see the scene right after escaping the fabrication machine followed up on, so I wrote this brief story. While it's nice to get away from the AU works from time to time, this one does losley follow the movie, only that the time line is a bit changed, making it a week that the movie takes place and not two days.

9, 5 and "9" rightfully belong to Shane Acker, not me.

"I knew we shouldn't have come. Why, why did you do that!"

"I didn't know. I'm sorry…"

9 adjusted the bulb on his staff anxiously. There was no reason to tweak with it he just had the urge to do so. He was stuck feeling awfully guilty since that morning, where he had awoken a mechanical monster and unintentionally killed the first person he ever met: 2. As if feeling responsible for one's death wasn't enough, his only company was 2's very long-time comrades and friends, thus the guilt still lingered. Before continuing on into the city the three stopped to rest. 7-sat perched on the edge of a plank right above 9. Her skull helmet made her shadow look like a vulture preying on its lifeless meal. 9 looked up at her and she barely moved.

"Do you need anything?" he asked compassionately. "Cause I can keep watch for you."

"No," 7 said, "I have lookout taken care of."

9 stood up and walked onto the plank. He was ready to sit and talk when 7 suddenly interrupted.

"I like being alone," she said, almost rudely to him.

"Alright…" 9 said backing away respectfully but shot down all the same. He couldn't explain it, but for some reason he wanted her approval over everyone else. 9 had yet to meet any one so headstrong and skillful. It hurt knowing she held a grudge towards him.

He'd find 5. That'd make him feel better. Grabbing his light staff he went off to see where 5 was and if he was asleep or not. It didn't take long, 5 was sitting in a slouched posture with his face between his legs.

"There you are," 9 said. He turned on the light staff and sat beside 5. "Need some light?"

The one-eyed stitchpunk reacted with an annoyed grumble. He stood up and walked about four feet away from him.

"5?" 9 asked, "don't tell me your still angry at me too."

"Am I still angry?" 5 snapped, turning around.

That was the wrong thing to say, 9 thought.

"You have the nerve to even ask me if I'm still angry?" 5 repeated. "You're using his hat for a light! You don't even think about 7 and I and how we feel about this whole thing. You got us into all this in the first place!"

"I said I was sorry."

"Oh yeah, that's gonna make up for what you did?"

9 tried to get closer to his friend, "look 5, I know 2 meant a lot to-"

"No you don't know!" 5 said, his voice quickly turning into his average stutter. "You don't know anything. You weren't even around a few days back, how can you possibly know any of us? Why did I listen to you? Why couldn't I just stay back where it was safe? Now that thing's after us, and I'm stuck out in the emptiness, and 1's going to be so mad when we come back and…2…and…" 5 stopped to cover his face in grief.

9 was new to the world. Incredibly new. Essentially he was a newborn, especially in comparison to the other stitchpunks, who were at least a few years old each. He had no comprehension of just how close the rest of the clan was with one another. He knew 2 was friendly and he knew 5 and him were close, but barely anything else.

"Your right 5, I don't really know you. But I won't make the same mistake again."

"How can I be sure?" 5 said, "you're just saying that because you think it. When I was first created I did the same sort of things. I should have never have listened to you."

"Then why did you?" 9 asked firmly.

5 took a few second to respond. "Because…" he started, "you seemed like you knew what you were doing. At least…more then I did."

The silence lasted for a long time between the two dolls. As always 9 came up and gave 5 the usual pat on the shoulder. "Why is that?"

"I don't know," 9 said. "I just want everyone to be safe. We're all together in this aren't we?" 5 didn't say anything so 9 decided to continue. "I awoke that thing. As long as I'm still here, I'm making sure no one else gets taken by it."

9 held out his hand, hoping for the obvious outcome. 5 looked at it for a good ten seconds before shaking it lightly, all while a smile spread across his face.

"Alright," he said, "2 probably would've wanted it this way any how."