Chapter 11: Confessions Under The Moonlight

Chip steered the Rangerwing away from the tree and through the park for a while until he landed on the broad edge of an illuminated fountain. "I wonder when they've fixed it." He rather jumped than climbed out of the aircraft, went over to the other side, and offered Gadget his hand. His heart ran like the Rangerwing's motors did one minute ago.

Gadget took both his offer and his hand and left the aircraft, too. He led her a few feet away. And there they came to stand, face to face, eye to eye. Chip started searching for words to say as he stared at the slightly taller mouse.

"Gadget..." he rather stammered than spoke, "there's something I'd like... I need to tell you. We've been teammates for... quite a long time now... and... and we've been... we've been dating for... for a not so long time..." He barely managed to take her other hand. He went on talking while his mouth dried out. "And I'd like to tell you... why I took you on this date... and on all the other dates, of course..." Gadget's face was not only breath-takingly pretty, but even more looking back at him in expectation. 'Help. If someone out there can read my thoughts, help me.'

Suddenly, Gadget looked up from Chip and to the sky. It seemed as if an old quirk of hers broke through in what appeared to be a most inappropriate moment. "Isn't the moon beautiful tonight?"

Was that the Chip had requested? He took a look at the moon, too, and unconsciously pulled her a bit closer. "Yes..." Somehow he felt relieved. Relieved enough to finish what he had started, and to do so elegantly. "But not half as beautiful as you, Gadget." He turned back, looked right into her eyes, and took all that was left of his courage to say what he had wanted to say for so long.

"I love you."

He had said it. He had finally said it. Revealed his very feelings to her with these three words. It was to him as if all the world around them came to a halt. It was just the two of them. Now he needed to hear the same words from her. He was certain that she wouldn't want to hide herself from him.

He loved her. This was what Gadget had so wished for to hear him say all through the evening. Now it was her turn. But it proved not to be easy. Chip's behavior had already given her a hint about that, and now she felt it herself. She had to say it, though. She couldn't escape anymore. Even if a part of her wanted to. She couldn't make herself move, run to the Rangerwing or elsewhere. No, she had to go through this, and once she was through this, she would be rid of another grief. But if she quit now, another night wet of tears would most likely await her. This was the chance of her life.

"Chip..."

She gave her otherwise dominant mind the boot to turn loose all the thoughts running around in her head and let herself lead by her emotions. And her emotions had her say it.

"I love you, too."

Slowly, her hands moved up his arms and around his shoulders until she and he were engaged in their very first tender embrace after their mutual love confession. A burden had been taken from both of them. They didn't have to play anymore, they didn't have to struggle for each other anymore, they had reached their ultimate destination. At least, so they felt. Feeling the warmth of the chipmunk in her arms and on her cheek made Gadget repeat her words. "I love you, too, Chip."

After the embrace which seemed to go on forever and yet to be much too short, they still held each other and looked into each other's eyes. As they were so close, they felt the same longing they had felt twice after the nightly rescue of Gadget's mother. The main difference, however, was that they were now a lot more aware of what was going on and why it was going on. What their love needed now was a proof and a seal at the same time. They allowed their feelings to guide them. Bit by bit, their faces approached each other, they closed their eyes, they wrapped their arms a bit tighter around each other, their lips met halfway between them...

And the full moon above New York City cast its magical light onto Chip Maplewood and Gadget Beatrice Hackwrench as they were standing on the rim of a fountain and sharing their very first great kiss.

Nothing and nobody was there to disturb them as they lived their love for the first time, as they proved their love to each other. After the kiss, they shared another tender hug.

"Eighteen years..." Chip said. "I've waited eighteen years for this day. For this moment. For this kiss. Gadget, this is the most wonderful day in my life."

"Yes, it's almost the same for me," Gadget replied. "Only the day when Dad came back can beat it."

"I fully understand you. After all, it was Dale and me who rejoined you and Geegaw."

"Thank you, Chip. Thank you for... for all the time we spent together. For tonight. For the kiss. For being the wonderful guy that you are. For helping me gather my family together. For helping so many others in need of help. For... for everything." She pressed him closer to her as all the thankfulness and all the overwhelming emotions started floating out of her in two streams of tears.

"It's okay, Gadget," Chip whispered and softly stroked her back. "It's okay. You're always welcome... my love..."

As all had been said and done, as this date had fulfilled its original purpose for Chip and Gadget, they flew back to the Headquarters. Like on the flight before, Chip was the pilot. After their landing on the platform in front of the hangar, he offered Gadget his help at getting out of the Rangerwing again. But this time, he stretched out two hands, and she laid herself into his hands and let him carry her down onto the floor where, as they held each other in their arms, they shared another kiss.

The Headquarters were strangely quiet as they walked inside. Not only quiet, but also surprisingly empty. The lights in the main room were on, but as they discovered when they stepped into it, nobody was there but a very excited housefly sitting on the couch. As he saw the two dressed-up Rangers enter, he lifted off and dashed right towards them.

"Zipper, what's up?" Chip asked the fly gone wild, and he told him what had happened to the other Rangers.

"Fat Cat got them?" Gadget did the opposite of blushing, she went pale. "Golly, I knew it, whenever I wear a dress, the Rangers get into trouble!"

"Calm down, Gadget. That's what being a Ranger is all about, we constantly get into some trouble, no matter what you wear. Now let's change into something more casual and go rescue them."

Zipper wondered why they wanted to waste that much time instead of leaving immediately.

Gadget explained, "I don't want to ruin this dress. It means too much for me. Besides, I can move better when I'm wearing overalls, and I expect that to be necessary."

They left their winged teammate alone to peel themselves out of tuxedo, dress and jewelry, and to change into bomber jacket, fedora hat, white shirt, overalls, and goggles. Only a few minutes later, Chip's head peeked into the main room. "C'mon, Zipper, let's go! Rescue Rangers, away!"

For yet another time on that day, the Rangerwing soared through the park and the surrounding parts of the city. Zipper sat in the middle of the backseat and noticed that Chip and Gadget both held the throttle levers, or rather that Gadget, being the pilot, had her hand on the throttles, and Chip had his hand half on and half in hers. Of course, he knew what that meant.

The Happy Tom cat food factory was dark, but the cat figure on its roof was where the action was at night. The Rangerwing landed behind it so that the casino visitors didn't see it, and the three still free Rangers entered the structure through a back door not to have to pass through the casino. Zipper flew ahead to see if there were any obstacles on their way, such as Fat Cat's goons. But there was none of them, so they proceeded to the chubby villain's office. Weird noises were sounding through the door. Always expecting a trap or an ambush, Zipper opened the door, and neither he nor Chip nor Gadget could believe their eyes.

Fat Cat was there. And so where his henchmen. All of them were tied up and gagged. Fat Cat's fur was even standing off here and there as if he had come into contact with a considerable dose of electricity. And the six Rangers were standing or sitting and waiting.

"Yeah, try an' call fer yer goons," Monty snarled at Fat Cat. "They won't be able ta come, not only 'cause they're already 'ere."

"Hey Monty," Dale tried to catch his attention, "look who's come!"

Everyone turned towards the door and saw Zipper hovering in front of Chip and Gadget—who had laid their arms around each other.

"You're still here?" Chip wondered. "Why haven't you gone home?"

"It's so far to walk," Tammy complained.

"Yes," LaWahini said, "we were waiting for you to pick up."

"I 'ope y've come with both aircraft," Monty said.

Gadget looked to the ground. "Um... no... we've kind of forgotten that in all the excitement."

Dale finally noticed that there was something between her and Chip. "Wait. Are you two... have you..."

"Yes, Dale," Gadget answered, "Chip and I love each other." And Chip added, "We're now officially a loving couple. And we've made it without your help." He gave the matchmakers a wink.

"Yay!" Foxglove pounced Dale and gave him a bat hug. "Do you know what that means, cute stuff? We can finally marry!" Dale lost his balance and fell over onto his back, and as he lay there, unable to escape, Foxglove kissed him all over his face.

LaWahini was totally confused now. "Wait. What does the one have to do with the other?"

Dale turned his head to the side, allowing Foxglove to peck and snuggle his cheek only, and explained, "Soon after Foxy and I became a couple, we got engaged. I asked her if she wanted to marry me." He chuckled. "You can imagine her reaction. But we agreed to wait with our wedding until Chip and Gadget made it. Well, and that's the case now." He turned back to the bat. "Aww, Foxy, it's okay, we wanna go now."

"Okay, let's go," Tammy agreed, "but how shall we all fit into the Rangerwing? Gadget, do you think it can carry all of us?"

"Sure it can," Gadget approved. "It's designed to carry greater payloads if necessary. Achally, it can carry more weight than the Rangerplane."

"But it still has only five seats. Where shall we all sit?"

A few minutes later, the Rangerwing took off from the roof of the cat food factory and headed back to the Rescue Rangers Headquarters. This time, Monterey Jack was the pilot, Zipper sitting on his shoulder. Tammy had found a place in the middle of the backseat, and to her sides, Chip and Dale held Gadget and Foxglove respectively on their laps. And due to the lack of space, Sparky sat next to Monty on the co-pilot's seat with LaWahini on his lap and his arms wrapped around her as makeshift safety-belts.

And for some reason, she wasn't all unhappy about it.

The End