Alrighty then! I had to take a step back from this story for a little bit because I wasn't in the right mind to really give it the sort of attention it needed, but now I'm back and we're so close to the end you can almost smell it! For better or worse : ) Buckle up, friends, things look like they're about to get a little... sad.

Thanks for the feedback to hiding-in-the-dreamscape, xheychikabumpbumpx, meirelle, godoflaundrybaskets, Yin, ElZacharie, Beawolfs_Pen, StopHelping, and eyebrow kid on AO3 and tumblr!

Caboose Alone
Chapter Nine: Little Friends

Agent Carolina was not so bad.

Caboose never understood the others being scared of her. Not really. He was never scared of Tex the same way either, but Carolina seemed so nice. And Blue. It didn't really surprise him so much that she was always ready to take him to make his new friends feel better.

AI were some of the best friends in the whole universe, which Caboose knew because he made friends with robots all the time. Like Church. And Freckles. And Sheila.

He liked Agent Washington, but Agent Washington wasn't even allowed to know about the new little friends like Delta and Theta and Eta and Iota. And Sigma. He definitely didn't know about Sigma.

That was between Caboose and Carolina.

Also Andersmith, because Caboose could tell Smith anything.

Which was exactly what Caboose was planning to do that day, with Carolina off with Miss Kimball and Washington looking carefully at the clock every few minutes waiting for his check up.

It was the perfect surprise plan. He just had to wait.

Caboose mashed the puzzle piece in the spot he knew it was supposed to go then frowned as it didn't fit. He lifted his hand away and looked to Washington.

Wash looked at the piece for only a second before turning it and letting it snap in place.

"You're so good at fixing things, Agent Washington," Caboose complimented.

Wash let out a small huff and smirked. "I wish I was better."

"You're already the best," Caboose said before looking back to Andersmith then to Washington. "But Smith's good. Very good. He'll take your spot while you go see Mean Doctor Lady Grey. Yes. We'll do just fine with Smith. Right, Smith?"

"I will do anything you need me to, Captain Caboose!" Andersmith responded with a salute, ignoring the roll of eyes he got from the nearby other lieutenants.

Wash frowned, looking to the clock again before sighing. "Actually, Caboose, since Carolina is busy today I thought you and I could-"

"Nope!" Caboose responded hurriedly.

The former Freelancer blinked and tilted his head to the side. "Nope?" he repeated.

"Nope," Caboose said. "Go to the doctor, Agent Washington! It's important."

Had it been any of the weeks before, with Caboose fresh from surgery and Carolina still early in spending her time with him, Agent Washington would have never left. But right then, he was considering it. He actually stood up to begin to leave, chewing on his lip all the time. He gave a cautious glance to Andersmith before sighing and nodding.

"You're right, Caboose," he said softly. "I'll set a good example."

Caboose watched eagerly as Agent Washington headed out into the hall and began on his way toward the hospital for Doctor Grey. Then he immediately leapt up, slightly off balance with his bad arm still in a sling, and took off toward the opposite hall. He hardly paid attention to Andersmith running behind him to keep in pace.

"I'm still not sure about all of this, Captain Caboose," Andersmith said warily.

"Okay," Caboose responded with a shrug before continuing. "You stay."

"Not going to happen," Andersmith responded in a grunt as they made their ways through the twists and turns of the building. He knew the path as well as Caboose by that point, though he said nothing else until they arrived at the special door. He merely watched as Caboose punched the numbers in.

"Captain Caboose," the lieutenant said warily.

"Yes, Smith!" Caboose said cheerfully.

The younger man looked to the door then back to Caboose before taking a hesitant breath as it opened. "I just wanted you to know that... I'm glad you've found something that makes you so happy, Sir," he explained.

Caboose frowned a moment at that. He tried to think over the words but decided instead to ignore them.

He wasn't very happy. Not yet.

Andersmith didn't understand that. Carolina didn't either. Washington got it too much.

His new little friends - they got it just right.

"Hello."
"Hello."
"Greetings."
"Hello!"
"Hello-Hello."

The AI greeted him all at once as Caboose and Andersmith entered the door and let it shut again behind them.

As always, Sigma appeared by his shoulder, his burning eyes looking curiously into Caboose's own. "Caboose... I don't wish to discourage your ambition... but I do believe Agent Carolina said for us not to interact while she was gone. I would hate to disappoint her... Wouldn't you?"

"She's a fine lady," Caboose shrugged as he walked over to the workbench. "Yup. I think... She'll get over it!"

"Indeed," Sigma said, flickering out like a light.

When Caboose took his usual seat again, Delta projected by the bench, looking over the heap of parts that Caboose had been tirelessly stringing back together since the first day Carolina had brought him to the room.

"Are we picking up where we last left off, Caboose?" the green AI asked helpfully.

"Yup!" Caboose said cheekily, looking over the bits of brown armor that were left to be connected.

Just like the puzzle, they all snapped into place, Delta only needing to correct the orientation once or twice before, finally, after weeks and two small fires, Caboose sat back and looked at the body laid out across the table.

There was a certain glee that came across him as he reached for the head and readied to put it atop the shoulders.

"I'm gonna do it!" he shouted excitedly. "I'm gonna fix Lopez and then-"

The head clicked on and Caboose rose to his feet so fast the chair spun out behind him. He looked over Lopez's face and screamed, "Welcome back, Spanish Buddy!"

Behind them, Andersmith moved forward, looking a little hesitant.

Caboose kept his eyes locked on Lopez, waiting excitedly before pushing him slightly with his good hand. "Lopez! Say something I don't understand!" he yelled happily again.

He watched, his heart pounding with excitement.

Lopez didn't move.

After a few moments, Caboose dropped his head, glaring at the workbench. He didn't even look up as Andersmith's strong hand fell onto his shoulder.

"It's not fair," Caboose said.

"I know, Sir," Andersmith responded.

Delta flickered back over the bench and looked in Caboose's direction. "It was a large possibility that, once fully functional, the AI designated Lopez would turn on automatically. However, for reasons I cannot explain it would seem... the AI hardwired to this unit is self-deleted. I am sorry that I did not foresee this outcome, Caboose."

Sniffing, Caboose rubbed at his face and shook his head.

"If you still wish to, I have the directions for how to recover the AI designated Freckles, whose habitat the MA5D Individual Combat Weapon System is stored nearby," Delta offered.

Caboose wiped at his eyes again and nodded. Delta disappeared to gather the information, leaving Caboose to plop back down in his seat. He sniffed again.

"I thought it was like a puzzle," Caboose mumbled.

"I know, Sir," Andersmith said softly. "For what it's worth, you did an excellent job of putting the pieces together." He shifted feet for a moment, scratching at his neck before looking worriedly to Caboose again. "Would you like for me to get Freckles?"

Nodding, Caboose watched as Andersmith went deeper into the lab, looking for the gun in storage. His eyes continued to water no matter how much he wiped.

Which was when Sigma appeared at his shoulder again, looking concerned.

"It seems lately that so many of your friends are in pieces," Sigma said sympathetically. "Even the ones who are not robotic in nature."

Caboose looked at Sigma for a moment then returned to watching Andersmith. "My little friends aren't," he replied softly. "Like you. And Delta. And Theta."

"That's because we are already pieces of a whole," Sigma explained.

"You're a puzzle?" Caboose asked in confusion. "I didn't know that."

"We are," Sigma agreed.

"What do you look like all together?" Caboose continued.

"Caboose, you know the answer to that," the flaming AI said before disappearing again.

Looking to where Sigma once stood, Caboose frowned. His head cocked to the side. "A... bigger friend?"