Disclaimer: I own nothing. Taylor Braydon belongs to Aline Riva.

Author's Note: This one-shot takes place after "Rise of the Lazarus" so there might be slight spoilers. You have been warned!

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"Fishing Trip"

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"Alright, fishies! You're all mine!" cried out Taylor Braydon triumphantly as he sat at on the boat in the middle of the lake and prepared to cast off his first line for the day.

Chief Quimby had given both Deputy Taylor Braydon and Inspector Gadget the day off, for reasons that probably involved Taylor's recent slip up at the County Fair, and since the girls still had to work, it gave them the perfect excuse to go fishing.

Gadget chuckled at Taylor's antics as he got his own finishing pole ready. He was wearing gray shorts and a white T-shirt instead of his usual trench coat, though his hat was still in place to keep the sun from getting in his eyes. Taylor was wearing something very similar.

"I honestly can't remember the last time I've gone fishing…" reminisced Gadget with a sigh, looking over the waters at the lake outside of Riverton. He mused about it for several minutes as he managed to get his worm on his hook. "I'll bet I haven't been finishing since….since before the explosion…"

Taylor glanced back at his friend, who was sitting on the other side of the decent sized motor boat. "Really? I took Delia fishing once…." He paused and thought about it for a minute. "She didn't like it very much…." His tone was light and carefree, though usually Delia was a topic that made him depressed.

"I can't imagine she did…" mumbled Gadget, having a tough time trying to imagine the late Delia Braydon out on a boat fishing.

The two of them sat there and worked with their fishing poles, getting it prepared for all the fishing they were planning on doing. They had gone out to the lake early in the morning, for the forecast had said there would be thunder storms later on in the day. Plus they wanted to beat the crowds, if any, and the sun's heat. Taylor had also wanted to get out to the lake early, insisting that they get to the fish before they had their breakfast and would be tempted to bite at their worms. Gadget had tried to explain that fish didn't really eat breakfast at a certain time like humans did, but the deputy wouldn't hear it.

Gadget was the first one to get his pole ready and once they were in a good spot, he cast it out. Gadget, of course, had been the one to drive the boat out into the lake, after much complaining on Taylor's part. Frankly, Gadget didn't trust Taylor behind the wheel of the boat.

Taylor finished getting his own pole ready and copied Gadget, making sure not to throw his line too close to Gadget's. With each man on a separate end of the boat, the morning started out quietly. Occasionally Taylor would comment about a tree or a large rock sticking out of the water like a kid might do, but the morning progressed smoothly.

It wasn't until they had been fishing for about forty-five minutes did it occur to Taylor just how quiet his friend had been the whole morning. The blonde haired deputy glanced over at Gadget, concern written all over his features. "Hey, Gadget" he called over.

"Hmm?"

"Why are you so quiet today? Is something bothering you?"

Gadget blinked at his question, reeling in his line and noting that his worm had gone unbitten once again. "Oh….uh…no. I'm fine.." he muttered unconvincingly.

Taylor frowned, not buying it. "Come on, you can tell me. Is it something between you and Penny?"

Gadget quickly shook his head. "No, nothing like that." He pressed down on the little motor control that allowed him to move the boat where he needed to without turning on the actual motor. He guided the boat away from the trees and logs they was slowly inching towards and moved them further downstream/. "I…uh….Did want to talk to you about something…."

"Oh?" Taylor pulled up his worm, only to see that it wasn't there. "Hey! They stole my worm!" he pouted, looking down into the water as though he was expecting to actually see the fish in the murky water. He sat up a bit from his chair, making the boat shift ever so slightly, before sitting back in his chair. He pouted for a moment. Gadget reached into the tackle box in the middle of the boat and grabbed another live worm for his friend. Taylor accepted it and started placing the wiggling critter onto the hook. "What did you want to talk about?"

Gadget took in a deep breath. This had been one of the main reasons he had wanted to go on this fishing trip to begin with. It had been three months since the near death experience Taylor had gone through and Gadget still couldn't ignore the pain he had felt when he had thought he had lost his closest friend. He knew that the only way he could settle his feelings over what had taken place was to simply talk to Taylor about it. He didn't wish to; but he knew it was the only thing that would help.

"Taylor….Remember….when you woke up in the hospital….after…the war..?" began Gadget slowly.

"You mean after Lula fixed me all up?" he replied in a question, getting the worm to stick to the hook. "Yeah. What about it?"

"Well, you had….almost died that day…." Continued Gadget, casting off his line, though having no intentions of reeling it back in. It wasn't the full truth, but he knew he couldn't let Taylor know what truly happened. Taylor wouldn't believe him; nor would he be able to understand it. Taylor was perfectly content believing Lula had just been able to 'fix him up'. "Well, I can't really get it out of my head….and it really bothers me that you almost died that day….and….it was then that…."

"Hey! Stop nibbling and actually take a bite so that I can CATCH you!" shouted Taylor in frustration. He reeled in his line in and cast it off again, annoyed that the fish were teasing him by simply nibbling instead biting at his worm. He glanced over at Gadget. "Oh, sorry….you were saying?"

Gadget nodded, trying to ignore the interruption. This was bad enough without Taylor ruining it with his childishness. He moved a bit in his seat, feeling himself get uncomfortable with nerves. "It's okay….What I was saying was that…..it was then that I realized…." He paused, looking up at Taylor to see the blonde intently watching his pole. He sighed and reeled in his own line and put his pole aside, getting up and moving closer to Taylor. "Taylor, I really need you to listen…"

Taylor turned to him with a look of surprise in his blue eyes, yet nodded. He set his pole in his lap without reeling it in and listened to his friend.

Gadget took in a deep breath before finally managing to say, "It was then…that I realized…You will always be more than just a friend to me…."

There was silence for a few minutes as Taylor processed that information. Gadget just sat there and waited for his reaction. A frog croaked loudly nearby as they slowly drifted down the side of the lake.

After what seemed like an eternity for Gadget, Taylor finally whispered, "Wow, Gadget….I—That's so nice…."

Gadget shrugged. "You don't have to take it any further than that—"

"I mean—Obviously we are a bit more than friends, right? I mean, I've noticed it too" continued Taylor, not letting Gadget finish.

Gadget gawked at him slightly. "You've noticed too?"

Taylor shrugged. "We've had our moments…" He glanced over to see the little frog sitting on a tree stump that was sticking out of the water. Gadget followed his gaze and they both watched as the frog stuck out its tongue and caught a fly. "I've never had a friend like you before, Gadget."

"Same for me…."

The two men sat there, both deep in their own thoughts. Death was a strange thing; when one gets too close to it, it has a way of making one see things they had never noticed before. The very thought of never again getting to go into work and hanging out with Deputy Taylor Braydon again really pulled at Gadget's heart strings far more than he would ever be able to understand. Over the past year he had just grown so close to the other man that he knew that he had to talk to him about all this; all that was going on in his mind; especially after what had happened.

"Gadget?"

"Hmm?"

"I was so excited when the Chief told me I got the job and that I would be working beside you every day…."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah…."

The two of them continued to stare at each other, neither of them knowing what to say next. Just as Taylor was about to lean closer, he felt a jerk in his pole. His hands went straight to it; his full attention now on the pole. "Hey! I got a bite!" he cried out happily.

Gadget moved back a bit, a large grin on his face as he was thrilled his friend had caught a fish. He watched as Taylor started trying to pull him in, only a moment later though, he saw that his friend was having some difficulty. He frowned. "Do you need some help?"

Taylor shook his head, clearly struggling and breaking into a slight sweat with all the effort he was using to keep the fish on the line. It was miracle the line didn't snap since he was no longer able to reel it in. "It's a strong fish!" he gasped out. "I must've…..caught the biggest one in the lake!"

He pulled back, arching his back backwards, when suddenly the fish jerked forward, causing Taylor to shout out in fear as he was suddenly sent flying forwards; having no way to stop himself. Gadget cried out in alarm, jumping into action and just barely able to grab Taylor around the middle before Taylor flew off the edge of the boat.

The boat tipped dangerously by the sudden movements going on and both men's eyes were wide with fright as they struggled. "What the hell did you catch, Taylor!"

"I don't know!" squealed Taylor in alarm, his voice higher than usual. "A dinosaur, maybe!"

Gadget shook his head at the idea of a dinosaur, once again amazed by Taylor's imagination, but whatever was at the other end of the line gave them another jerk and Gadget found himself at the edge of the boat, his feet the only thing keeping them in the boat now that he was on the edge. Taylor was now inches above the water, his arms stretched out as he kept hold on the pole.

It was then that with a faint click, Gadget's robotic arms kicked in and started stretching out. "Taylor, just let go of the pole!" he shouted at his friend. His robotic arms continued to get longer and longer as the creature at the end of the pole continued to swim onward. Taylor's feet dangled slightly in the water since Gadget was holding him around his chest.

"I can't! I'll fall in!" he wailed.

"It's okay! It's just water! I'll pull you back in!"

"You don't know what's in there! Mutants from an unknown world are probably spawning in this place! How else do you explain this massive fi—" Taylor stopped in mid-sentence as the 'fish' sudden broke above the water's surface. "….fish…" Taylor and Gadget's eyes were wide as saucers as an alligator continued to pull on the line, the hook having caught itself deep in the skin around its mouth.

At the sight of the alligator, Gadget began to panic. "TAYLOR! LET GO OUT OF IT NOOOOOWWWW!"

"AND GET EATEN BY THE ALLIGATOR WHEN I FALL IN? NO THANK YOU!"

"TAYLOR, I CAN'T HOLD ON MUCH LONGER!" screamed Gadget. Just as he said those words, the alligator gave one final tug before Gadget lost his footing and the two men went flying over the edge of the boat. The collapsed into the water with a large splash. They both gasped for air when they came to the surface, now both soaking wet. Gadget's hat had come off and was now floating in the water, but neither of them noticed this, nor had time to think, for the alligator was now aware that it was free to move about and started swimming rapidly, taking the two men along for the ride.

They both screamed, Taylor holding onto the pole while Gadget held onto Taylor's midsection. Gadget's robotic arms retracted back to normal as they were sent for a ride, the alligator taking them along with it.

"Gadget!"

"WHAT?"

"I can't let go!"

"WHAT?"

"I CAN'T LET GO!"

"WHY NOT?"

"MY SHIRT IS CAUGHT ON THE POLE!"

Taylor spoke the truth; at some point during the struggle, his shirt had gotten caught onto the pole where the lever pulled in the line. Water splashed all around them, which was the reason for their yelling. It was hard for them to hear each other over the splashing. The alligator seemed agitated that they were connected to him and tried its best to fling them away and get the hook out of its mouth. It flung its large tail back and forth and thrashed around in the water angrily, leaving the two men to be forced to tag along. The alligator tried going further underwater, but found it couldn't with them clinging onto it.

Taylor tried pulling his shirt out of the pole, but with all the water and how fast they were going, it was not an easy task.

"Go Go Gadget skis!" cried out Gadget. Roller blades suddenly came out from Gadget's shoes. "Not roller blades! SKIS" The roller blades disapeared and Gadget tried again. "GO GO GADGET, SKIS!"

Ice skates were the next to come out of his shoes. Gadget cried out in fury. "You want gadgets, Taylor?" he shouted angrily to his friend. "THIS is what happens when you have gadgets! GLITCHES!" Taylor looked back at his friend the best way he could, his hair slightly in his face from the water and breeze. They both winced for so much water had now gotten in their eyes. "GO GO GADGET SKIS!"

Skis suddenly popped out from Gadget's shoes and the skis allowed them to now be on top of the water. Gadget held tightly to Taylor and the deputy placed his feet on the skis as well so that he could focus more on getting free.

As the alligator continued to take them for a ride all over the lake, Taylor grunted and pulled harder and harder at his shirt to get it away from the pole. Just as Taylor thought he was starting to tear the shirt and be free, Gadget happened to glance up and note the direction the alligator had turned.

"Ugh, Taylor?" he called to his friend. Taylor didn't listen, just continued to pull. "Taylor?" Still, the blonde was too busy trying to get free. "TAYLOR! Don't get free yet!"

"Why not?" asked Taylor as he gave a final tug. His shirt tore and he was able to finally let go of the pole, the alligator making a sharp left turn and swimming away. With the momentum they were now going; especially on skis, Taylor and Gadget continued to go straight.

Taylor noticed a moment too late why Gadget hadn't wanted him to let go just yet.

They both screamed as they crashed hard into a buoy, which stated the speed limit motor boats were allowed to go in the area. With a sickening thud, they crashed hard into the buoy, both groaning as they sank into the water and Gadget's skis disappeared back into his shoes.

"Ugh….That's why…." Groaned Gadget before they sank into the water, entirely wiped out of the crash and the experience. Adrenaline and nerves shot; they now felt exhausted.

Both men kept their faces above the water and stayed there for a moment, moving their bodies to keep themselves up. "See, it WAS a dinosaur….And now we're swimming in dinosaur spawn…"

Gadget shook his head, tired from the experience. "That wasn't a dinosaur…..It was an alligator…"

Taylor groaned, frustrated. "Close enough….What kind of lake is this: having alligators in it?"

Gadget ignored that last comment, not knowing the answer himself. "Well, I know one thing….this isn't dinosaur spawn we're swimming in…"

"It isn't?"

"No…" he paused. "If anything….it's fish spawn…"

"Ewww…."

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Author's Note: Oh, dear! I had so much fun writing that last bit! It had a serious start, but a hilarious ending. This idea came from the recent fishing trip I took with my dad. It does take place after Lazarus, unlike the other one-shots. Dinosaur spawn lol