1Well after a few more days of waiting, here comes the second to last chapter, as well as the continuation from last weeks cliffhanger. I don't really know what else to say except expect some 60/362 fluff towards the end and enjoy!

Chap. 10: Courage and Cowardice Part 2

Traumatized, she fearfully closed her eyes as she awaited her death, not even attempting to resist any longer. But what confused her afterwards, was that she only heard the blade come down, she never actually felt it pierce into her body. Surprised by this, the young blonde opened her eyes to find herself being held in the strong arms of Patton, who looked down to smile at her.

"Well if it isn't Numbuh 60", Numbuh 48 Flavors remarked amusingly. "Come to save you're precious

princess?"

"You're right on the money", the raven haired boy replied in a low, angered tone.

"P...Patton...Wha-What are you doing here", Rachel asked in a shocked tone.

"Well...remember when we were saying our goodbyes, and you told me to follow you in secret in case you needed back-up", he asked.

"I never told you to follow me in secret in case I needed back-up", she yelled at him as she clenched her fists in annoyance.

"Well you didn't tell me not to", he said as a wide smirk appeared on his handsome face, annoying her even more.

"I can't believe you disobeyed me again! How many times do I have to say it before it gets through your thick headed skull that I didn't want you to get involved", she yelled.

"I'm sorry", hew said. "ut I refuse to believe that there's nothing I can do to help you, or the Kids Next

Door."

And with that, he gently put the still shocked Rachel onto the ground. He then turned to face his smirking foe and pulled out a GUMZOOKA, aiming it at his opponent as a look of pure hatred became clear on the young Drill Sergeant's face.

"Numbuh 48 Flavors/Alpha, for terrorizing the Kids Next Door and threatening Numbuh 362, I hear by order you under ar-", he fiercely began before he stopped to clutch his side, wincing in pain as he did. Worried that he might he hurt, Rachel quickly rushed over to the side he was clutching, only to see a deep, bloody gash there as he removed his hand from the wound. But as Patton continued to hold up his gun towards his foe, all the young blonde could do was stand there in horror as she watched blood drip from the wound, unsure of what to do.

"Patton...", she whispered as she covered her mouth with her hands in shock, all the while Numbuh 48 Flavors stared at this sight in amusement.

"Wow, what a gash, and to think you wouldn't have that if it weren't for her" the redhead remarked. "But then again, it only makes sense that someone as stupid as you would love and be loyal to a worthless, pathetic, wretched leader like her."

"Shut up", the young Drill Sergeant replied in a low, angered tone.

"Why should I ? It's your fault for choosing to follow a leader with no charisma", he continued on.

"I said shut-up", Patton yelled. "Don't insult her in front of me, unless you want the shit beaten out of you!
"Oh, how threatening", he mocked. "I'd be really scared, if you were able to hold yourself up straight! You might as well just give up."

"Never", Patton replied in a low tone.

"Never", Numbuh 48 Flavors asked.

"Never", the young Drill Sergeant yelled. "I know I'm irresponsible, I know I'm impulsive...but I'm not worthless. I will protect the Kids Next Door from threats like you."

"I will protect my beliefs, the beliefs and lives of innocent bystanders, and the lives of those I love, even if it kills me", he stated in a determined tone, one that caused Rachel to go into shock once more.

"You really are a fool", the redhead boy snidely remarked. "It's no wonder Grandfather tricked you so easily into joining him."

Upon hearing that sentence, anger and hatred overtook the young Drill Sergeant as he ran over to Numbuh 48 Flavors to deliver a punch, ignoring the pain in his side. Numbuh 48 Flavors however, stopped the punch with his own hand as he went to deliver a kick to his opponent head. Patton however dodged the kick as the two boys began their own brawl of fist and feet. As their brawl fest continued, all Rachel could do was stand there as she gazed in horror at the scene unfolding. Patton was risking everything for her, he had even been hurt trying to save her. And for that, she knew his life could not end in vain. 'I have to do something' was the thought that ran through her head as she ran back to her ROADSTAR. As she did, the battle continued on until Patton went to deliver a punch to his opponents head, only to stop and wince in pain from the gash wound. Seizing this as the right opportunity, the redhead boy throughly kicked his opponent right in the side where his gash was, causing him to collapse to the ground in more pain. But before he could get up, Numbuh 48 Flavors pined him to the ground and began to advance on him with his switchblade.

"Say goodbye", he snidely replied as he threw the blade towards his weak opponent, Patton closing his eyes tight as he prepared for more pain. But upon hearing metal clash, the young Drill Sergeant opened his eyes to witness Rachel struggling to hold back the blade with her Yield Staff.

"Leave him alone", Rachel said in a struggling tone. "He's done nothing to you."

"True", he calmly replied. "But his death will prove to be the final nail in your coffin."

"What", she asked.

"You see, I was aware that you were in love with someone because of the look of love in your eyes, the only question that remained was who was it that had captured your heart", he said.

"At first I thought it might be Nigel Uno, but then I remembered your relationship with spiky over there and pieced it together. And now that I know your true soft spot, I can finally terminate you properly", he replied in a dark tone. One that although surprised Rachel, also gave her determination as she used her staff to throw him across the platform.

"You're not terminating anyone today", she screamed at him.

"Well we'll just have to see about that, won't we", he said in a cocky, confident tone.

Running towards each other until they collided, the two opponents continued their brawl of fists and feet, her staff and his switchblade clashing with each other every now and then. Still determined to help her though, Patton clutched his side and began to crawl over towards the fight, continuing to ignore the pain in his side as he did. Noticing this, the young Supreme Leader Shooed Numbuh 48 Flavors's switchblade away with her staff and turned to face him, a concerned look clear in her eyes as she did.
"Patton, stay back", she yelled out of desperation as the redhead slashed her right cheek, causing her to scream in pain and the raven haired boy to stare in shock and horror at this sight. He then kicked her to the ground and pinned, surprising Rachel and fueling Patton's determination to help her once more.

"Looks like it's the end of the line for you", Numbuh 48 Flavors said a cocky tone as he continued to sneer at her.

"Actually...I wouldn't count on it", she replied as she began to sneer at him, confusing her opponent.

"Let him have it", she replied in a stern tone that confused him once more. But before he could ask, the redhead boy found himself being picked up by the collar and pulled up. Upon realizing what was going on, he became shocked to find himself face to face with an almost smirking Nigel Uno.

"Hello Numbuh 48 Flavors. Here's a little something courtesy of the Kids Next Door", the British bald boy calmly said as he punched his fellow operative in the gut, sending him flying across the platform screaming as he did.

He flew over towards a grinning Hoagie, who attacked him in the back with his SPLANKER. This sent Numbuh 48 Flavors flying towards an angry looking Kuki, who caught him in her long sleeve covered

hands.

"Take this you big meanie", she screamed as she violently threw him into the air and down towards Wally, who swung him with a baseball bat over towards a stern looking Abby.

"He's all your girl", the spunky African American screamed out as she brutally kicked him over towards Alex, who caught him with her telekinesis as her eyes began to glow a menacing shade of pink.

"My friends went easy on you...but just because they did, doesn't mean I will", she replied in a low, angered tone as she violently flung him into one of the buildings. She then proceeded to violently fling him across the platform into another building and then finally telekinetically flung him to the ground in a violent rage. As he winced in pain on the ground, the mutant brunette aimed a ball of pink telekinetic energy at him in case he should attempt something, the rest of her team doing the same as they pulled out their 2x4 weapons as they circled him. At the same time, a now eye bandaged Fanny appeared to complete the circle, a wide smirk on her freckled face as she aimed her trusty MUSKET at him.

"Well, well, well, Numbuh 48 Flavors, I should have guessed", the Irish redhead replied in a snarly tone as she sneered at the rather surprised operative.

"But...But that's impossible", he replied. "How did-"

"Let's just say I decided to take my friends advice and decided to call them for help while you and Numbuh 60 were ducking it out", replied a voice that cut him off. Turning around, the surprised redhead turned around to see a cocky looking Rachel staring down at him. "Numbuh 86, you know what to do."

"Numbuh 48 Flavors", Fanny began in her shrill voice. "For threatening our leader and attackin' the Kids Next Door, I hear by sentence ye' ta' be scheduled for immediate decomissionin!"

"Immediate decommissioning", he screeched in disbelief.

"Take him away boys", fanny shouted as two Decommissioning Squad operatives ran out of her ship.

"No. no", Numbuh 48 Flavors screeched as the two operatives cuffed him, beginning to squirm and struggle as they began to take him towards the Irish redheads ship.

"You think it's over", he screeched at Rachel as he was hauled away. "You think you've won?! Well you haven't, because I'll be back!
"And if not me, then someone else! Because son enough you'll be exposed for the wretched leader you are! No one will bow to you, no one will love you, no one will save you! You'll be disposed of and forgotten, just like every other incompetent leader in history", he screamed as Rachel stood there with a stern look on her face, taking in his hurtful words as he was hauled in the vehicle, never to be seen again. Shrugging off what he hd said to her, the young blonde then turned to face her friends with a reassuring look on her beautiful face.

"Thanks for coming just in time guys. I can't believe I'm saying this after refusing all your offers, but I couldn't have done it without you guys", the yung blonde happily replied.

"It's okay Rachel. Besides, we're always ready to be of service to you", Nigel genuinely replied as the rest of his sector nodded their heads in agreement.

"True. Although don't be expecting' us ta' come racin' te' help ya' at the last minute again anytime soon", the Irish redhead teased.

"I'll try to keep that in mind", Rachel playfully teased back. "How's your eye doing by the way?"

"Oh...the doctors said I need to keep the patch on for about another week", she began in a slightly melancholy tone. "But other than me' depth perception bein' a little wonky, my vision in this eye'll be fine.

"I'm glad to hear that", the young blonde replied in a sincere tone as her eyes glazed over. "Still though...I'm sorry you got hurt because of me...that all of you got hurt because of me..."

"Ah don't worry about it. Besides, we'd rather be the attacked while you're the target...ye' selfless dunce", Fanny replied in a very sincere tone. Touched by her friends words, Rachel immediately hugged her friend as a way of saying thank you. Although taken aback by this, the Irish redhead hugged her friend back as a gesture of saying you're welcome.

"Hey, where's Kuki", Wally asked in a concerned tone that alerted the rest of Sector V and their two superiors. After a panicky moment of looking around, the small group sighed in relief upon seeing Kuki happily cleaning and bandaging up Patton's wound.

"there, that should keep it nice and clean until we get you up to Global Command", the little Asian girl happily chirped.

"Thanks Numbuh 3", the raven haired boy replied as he flashed her a small smile at her.

"Oh, don't mention it", Kuki gleefully said as she blushed a light shade of pink, causing Wally to become slightly jealous as he watched this little scene.

"So Numbuh 362, do you want us to take Numbuh 60 back to MoonBase with us", Hoagie asked in a helpful tone.

"Thank Numbuh 2, but I'd rather take Patton up there myself", Rachel replied. "He and I have a lot to talk about..."

"Alright then, we understand. Come on guys, let's go", the sector leader ordered as he and his teammates began to walk back to the SCAMPER, devious grins plastered on their faces, for they all had a hunch as to what their leader meant.

"See ya' later", Fanny said to her friend.

"You too", the young blonde replied as she watched her friend walk back to her own ship. Once they were all inside, the two vehicles immediately took off and began to head straight for Global Command.

Once they were gone, the young blonde quickly ran over towards Patton. Collapsing to her knees, she took him into her arms and cradled him. Knowing she couldn't hold them back any longer, she allowed salty, hot tears to flow down from her beautiful chocolate brown eyes. Feeling his heart break as he continued to listen to her sobbing, the young Drill Sergeant wrapped his arms around her body in an attempt to comfort her.

"Shh...it's okay...", he whispered in a soothing tone. "It's all over...he can't harm you now..."

But even as she listened to his comforting words, tears ceased to fall from the young Supreme Leaders eyes as she continued to cry, her feelings towards the situation now mixed and confused.

End chap. 10