"Stop you Mad agent!"

Brain glanced behind him to see that Gadget was still chasing him. Holding his wig down, he ran faster and turned a corner. He jumped behind a bin and sat still. He heard Gadget run on past the corner when he gave a sigh. "Brain?"

Out of his hidden collar three of the studs popped out. One microphone, one headphone and one that was a video linkage. "Claw's agents are waiting for Uncle Gadget near the bank. Where is he?"

Brain frantically began to sign and speak out that he was just being chased by Gadget and then Gadget ran ahead when he hid. "Brain! Go divert Uncle Gadget, they are going get him!"

Brain nodded, and ran from his hiding space. He looked around trying to spot Gadget. "Now where did he go?"

Brain saw him, watching him being unaware of the agents advancing behind him. "Hmm? Go-go-gadget legs."

His legs extended just as the agents jumped. They all landed in a pile around his legs causing him to wobble. He looked down and frowned. "Wowzers, where did they come from?"

He stepped out of the pile and then let his legs retract. Chief Quimby ran past Brain with Penny following behind him. "Gadget!"

"Chief Quimby?"

"I don't know how you did it Gadget – but you did it."

Inspector Gadget looked around, confused, before smiling. "Thanks chief. Penny, Brain! When did you get here?"

Penny went to open her mouth when her Uncle decided to explain it to himself. "No, let me guess. Chief Quimby brought you again, didn't he?"

"Erm, yeah."

Brain nodded at Gadget while the Chiefs face began to frown. He shook his head, "well Gadget, we'll take it from here."

"Right Chief. Come on Penny."

He took her hand, and began to lead her to where he had left the Gadget Mobile. As they reached the Gadget Mobile, he turned to Penny and Brain. "I just remembered... one other Mad Agent got away."

Penny glanced at Brain before saying, "I'm sure you'll get them next time Uncle Gadget."

Gadget pulled open the car door, "oh I dunno Penny, that agent always seems to get away. He's about this big," he indicated with his hands, "and always changes costumes to fool me."

The door slammed shut catching Gadget's coat. He looked down at it and tried to pull it out the door. Penny ran round to help her uncle by opening the door. He fell backwards as his coat was released and he landed on the floor, his hat at an angle. "Uncle, how do you know it's the same person?"

Gadget stood up and brushed himself down. "Trust me, I know."

He glanced at Brain before smiling at Penny. Penny looked at her uncle, before running back round to the other side of the door and climbing in. Brain jumped in before she closed the door. Gadget moved the lever in between the two seats to make the Gadget Mobile change from being a police car to a van.

Once the change had happened, Brain jumped from Penny's lap to the back. Pulling the van out, Gadget looked at Brain smiling slyly. Penny frowned, thinking that her uncle knew that both Brain and herself came secretly on his missions. But then the smile faded away and the usually look of her uncle appeared. Humming to himself, Gadget thought that perhaps he just gave the game he'd being playing for the past three years away.

--xXx--

"That's the second time it's happened."

Penny looked up from her book. "What happened?"

Her uncle sat down in the chair opposite and began to pull his gloves off. "Someone's being following me while I've being on cases. I don't mean they've being hiding away – I mean they are running above me on walls or watching from afar."

He let the gloves drop and then pulled his hat off. Instantly his hair changed shape and his eyes were covered. "Someone's being following you? Have you told the Chief?"

Gadget looked across at his niece, "I would but... they don't interfere so they aren't trying to disrupt me. They just watch me before running off as I make the arrest."

He began to spin the hat around on his index finger. "So they just watch what you're doing?"

Gadget made agreeing noises and caught the hat with his left hand with a small clunk from the gadgets strapped inside. "I won't tell anyone. They never cause any harm. Besides, what can I say? 'Excuse me Chief, someone's being following me but I don't know what they look like or who they are.'"

Penny giggled at her uncle's joke, "I see what you mean."

Gadget nodded then threw he hat across to the small table. "Perhaps they will go away soon, get bored of watching me," he spoke in a bored voice.

Penny took the hat of the table, looking inside it first to see some of the gadget's that lived inside, then awkwardly due to weight lifted the hat up and placed on her head. Her bunches were pushed down and her eyes were lost to her fringe. "Penny, what have I told you about wearing my hat."

"A lot of things," she said adjusting it slightly.

"Hmm... go-go-gadget-copter."

The metal prongs popped out from the hat across the room making Penny jump and sink with the sudden movement. Once the change had finished, Penny sat still clutching the edge of the couch. Gadget smiled across at her, knowing what she was waiting for. But he wasn't going to let it go that far. He stood up and walked over to her while the copter folded away again. When he reached her he tilted his body and lifted the hat slightly so he could see her eyes. "Let me guess, that's changed your opinion on stealing my hat?"

Penny smiled, "maybe."

He took it off her head and placed it on his own. Forgetting to swipe the fringe to the side, he became blinded by the flattening of his fringe. "How can you even wear it, it's really heavy."

Trying to move his fringe by puffing at it, he sat down beside her. "If you want heavy, you try lifting me. But, I suppose its cause I'm use to it. I'm surprised you can lift it- you've picked it up before haven't you?"

He puffed at his fringe once more before giving up and taking the hat off. "Maybe once or twice," Penny said with a cheeky grin.

"Yeah well, it's time for bed. Have you done all your homework?"

"Yes Uncle."

"Good, I'll be up in a minute to make sure you go to bed."

Penny stood up and began to run to the door. She paused at the door and looked back. "Uncle."

Gadget leant back and let his neck stretch so he could see her upside down. His hair flopped down towards the ground and seemed to grow in length. "Yeah?"

"I think your hair needs cutting – it's getting too long."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Have you only noticed, or are you trying to stay up for longer?"

"A bit of both – but you do need it cutting. When you don't have your hat on you look like a drowned rat."

Her uncle's head snapped back to its normal position and she quickly ran out the room laughing as he sat up and threw one of his gloves at her for the insult.

He listened to her laughter die as she ran up the stairs before he smiled. He didn't know if it was because he was getting older or if she was, but he seemed to decided to be more playful over the past few months. Maybe it was because she had become a series asset to him when it came to physical care.

He stood up slowly and stretched. He guesses it was the latter as she seemed closer to him knowing more about how he worked and how important every small detail was.

Reaching for his gloves and hat, his grin grew. He had given her the basic copy of his guide last Christmas. And for her eleventh birthday he had given her the more advanced version. Just as treats as he knew how much she loved computers, but the way she took it; learning every word of the book and practical basics had shocked him. In a good way though.

Hat and one glove in hand he reached with his already extending hand to collect the other. Once the leather was in his grasp he began to head to the door, his hand winding back to its normal position. When he heard the small snap of the metal joints sealing the hand in place he ran towards the stairs saying, "Penny I can tell you're not sleeping – I can tell you aren't."

--xXx--

The bank doors exploded outwards, sending glass and wood flying into the street. Inspector Gadget was also blown through the doors and he landed on his back. He looked up, shifting his hat back into place and watched as the culprits he had being about to apprehend walk out through the smoke holding, rather amusingly, 'SWAG' bags.

"Quick, run!"

The three of them began to run off down the street, forgetting Gadget on the ground. As they ran off, Gadget sat up listening to the alarm bells ring to warn everyone within the area of the robbery. He stood up and looked at his feet, "go-go-gadget-skates."

From his soles in his shoes, four wheels appeared causing him to lose his footing and frantically trying to get his legs to stay still. When he finally got his footing he began to skate after Claws men.

He saw them turn into an alley away shortly in front of him. They were still yelling about trying to get away and that Gadget was coming after them still. Grabbing a near lamppost, he propelled himself down the small alley. On the right side of the chase, was the start of a row of houses. The brick wall was low and only just taller then himself.

Jumping, the wheels in his feet retracted letting him finish the chase on his feet. "Go-go-gadget-cuffs."

The cuffs popped from his sleeve and he began to close in the space, reaching forward to stop them. Just as he went to grab one of them, they ran faster and ended up being further ahead. They then turned down another part of the alley giving them a further lead.

Something then blocked the moonlight from his eyes, causing him to look up. Above them running on the wall was someone in a black coat wearing a hat with similar shape to his. Gadget couldn't make much more out as they were silhouetted against the moon.

He turned the corner not looking where he was going, distracted by the person. "Watch where you're going, Gadget!"

The inspector spun his head to look forward when a fist came out and slammed into his face. He reeled backwards and fell to the floor, clutching his nose. Blood streamed down his face to the ground, and his vision became blurry. Above and in front of him, the minions of Doctor Claw began to laugh at how seemingly easy it had been to take him down after all the trouble. The one who had punched him was clutching his hand in pain. "That hurt!"

One of them looked across at him, "what do you expect? He's metal!"

"Then how's he bleeding."

"Idiot, he's meant to be like humans. So he has blood in his bod-"

"Shut up, both of you! Let's finish him for Claw and get out of here."

Gadget tried to stand up, to regain some of his balance. He stood on his feet for a moment, before he collapsed down to his knees again. "Go-go-gadget-"

Something collided with his face again cutting him off. "Nothing!"

The cry had been taunting, and after a few seconds of him trying to sitting up they began to laugh at him. Gadget grasped out at the ground before he went still and half curled up to try and protect himself.

The sound of guns being crocked came, and Gadget stayed laid on the floor waiting till his senses came back to him which were leaving him defenceless. "Let him have it."

They pulled the trigger back on the guns.

From above someone jumped down in front of the bionic inspector and shielded him from the gun fire with a small flat shield that was being held somehow with her right hand. The bullets clanged off the metal, and landed on the floor rendered useless.

The firing stopped, giving Gadget's saviour time to stand up properly. They still had the shield raised above their face. After a moment, they dropped their arm down to the side of their body and let Claw's men take a look at them.

Suddenly, the three men turned and began to run away. The person that had them running smiled at them, before running after them, raising the shield-holding arm up. They ran until they were ahead of them and raised the shield in their path. All three of them crashed into the metal, falling to the floor dazed. Their bags dropped down beside them, exploding on the ground to reveal all the money.

Their capture stood back, looking at them before bending down and tying them up. Back at where the fight had taken place, Gadget watched as they worked and finished. He felt slightly jealous of what they had just done, but it was their fault he had been hit. He watched as they stood back, seemingly looked his way before running off again and leaving him alone in the dark.

"Who is it?"

--xXx--

"Ow, Penny be careful!"

"Sorry Uncle, but this will hurt."

Penny gently dabbed some of the liquid over a cut on Gadget's face, trying not to hurt him or poke him in the eye as he squirmed. Over the past year, Penny had learnt more about her Uncle's body and how it worked. Although she couldn't fix him mechanically, she could help him on the outside. No matter how painful it was going to be for him.

Her uncle, who at the moment was acting younger then she was, moved out of her reach again. Penny looked at him before moving further up the couch and pinning him down by sitting on his lap. "Hold still."

Penny tilted his head slightly in an attempt to try and stop him moving. He sat still for a moment, before closing his eyes and letting her finish. She trailed the cloth over the last cut, before climbing off his lap. "See, if you sat still it wouldn't have taken as long."

He resisted the urge to rub the now healing side of his face and said, "I never remember it been as painful."

Penny placed the bottle back inside the green medical kit and looked at him. "When was the last time you used it?"

Gadget paused to think about it before coming to a conclusion. "Years ago."

Penny placed the box back where it belonged in the small floor standing cupboard and looked at him in the blurry reflection in the polished wood. "Too long to remember what it feels like to use it."

"I guess that was the reason I was more careful so I didn't have to use that stuff."

Careful? Penny smiled to herself and closed the cupboard door. "Is it alright to let Brain back in?"

"Of course Penny."

Penny jumped to her feet and ran towards the backdoor where Brain was sat waiting. "Come on boy, it's safe to come in now."

Brain barked at her happily, before he bounded in tail wagging. Penny shut the door, and walked after him. When she entered the living room again, she saw her uncle sat with Brain lying next to him, eyes turned towards him protectively. He had taken his hat off, letting his hair fall uncharacteristically straight with a fringe that was usually hidden hiding his eyes. His brown gloves were thrown on the small table in front of the couch. Past the fringe, his eyes were closed as felt the full effects of his days work.

Penny walked over to him, and sat down on the opposite side of Brain. Opening one eye, Gadget moved his arm to go around her shoulders and pull her closer, his other hand rested on Brain's head. "I sometimes think you're the one looking after me. Not the other way round."

"I care for you, that's all."

Brain barked his reply of yes, making the inspector smile. He shut his eyes again, gently stroking Brain until he drifted to sleep. Penny only noticed once his hand slipped down from her shoulder. "Uncle?"

She looked up and smiled. One of rarer things she saw, other than a full day without anything going wrong. Leaning closer to her Uncle, Penny placed one arm over his chest and closed her eyes. Faintly she could hear his heart beat, and ticking of his cogs and hissing of pistons. Although it was a strange sound, it was soothing and lulling. Penny soon found herself drifting to sleep herself.