A/N: Maybe... 9X7, 5XOC maybe.

Disclaimer: I Own nothing! 9 is property of Focus Film.

Chapter 21

It began to rain.

Not the normal rain the stitchpunks were used to but a cold burning rain that went through there fabrics and right to the gear. Sleet…the twins had called it and in just a few minutes ice was beginning to form on the remnants of humanity, the junk of the emptiness. 7 moved the family to a empty blue plastic box for shelter.

"I have to go find 9." She said addressing no one in particular. Worry for him flooding her voice box.

There were mummers for her to stay but 7 ignored them…at the edge of the box she turned, looking back at the faces behind her. All were a mix of worry and fear…all but one. 1 had a face like this was a moment he was waiting for. 7 stopped still. If she left, 1 could bully the family again. Possibly take control? 8 seemed to have changed but how much she wasn't sure. She had to stay to protect them but…9. She…she loved him. 7 knew that now. Seeing 5 and 10 together had finally explain those strange feelings she had been having. 7 dropped her head to her chest, defeated….9 was on his own for now.

"0!" 9 called over the song of ice falling, tinkling, like thousand of little bells. Where had 0 gone? He couldn't have gotten too far ahead, certainly not in this weather. 9 shielded his optics with a hand, starting to feel like he was icing over as well. The icy was getting on his optics, blocking his vision so 9 didn't see the object laying there before he tripped over it. He turned to see what he had fallen over…it was an arm….

0's arm….

"Oh creator! 0!" 0 main body was nearby, fabric torn and limp. His left leg was severed and his right arm was torn off at the joint laying on the ground near 9. 9 crawled over to 0's still form, ice starting to cover the ground. What could have happened?

"0?" 9 touched his shoulder. What could have done this so fast? 9 hadn't seen any beasts or even signs of a beast. Other then the tinkle of icy filled rain it had been quiet. 9 let out a yelp as 0's optics opened.

"R-run…." 0 spoke his voice box sounding a lot like 9's first had before 2 fixed it. 0 reached for 9 his body sparking. "R…run.." his voice wavered as he collapsed back into unconsciousness.

9 continued to look at 0, not fully comprehending.

"Didn't you hear him? He said run." A cold voice rang out through the slowing sleet storm.

-9 was here.

"Who are you?" 9 asked, standing up. He had only brought his light staff with him. Not much in the way of fighting weaponry.

"I'm the one who did that." -9 gestured towards 0's still and silent form. "I'm the one who tortured your friends…5 and …10? Yes, that was her name. Not a lot of females in your group are there?" -9 smirked perversely.

"Answer my question…who are you?" 9 asked again.

His opposite smiled cruelly.

"-9… BRAIN created me, I suppose that why I look a bit like you. BRAIN hates… hated you…so I hate you…and I'm going to destroy you." 9 watched in horror as -9 unwound the bard wire whip from his chest, the barbs still holding bit of 0's fabric.

In a instant -9 lunged at 9, he blocked with his light staff but the shaft of the staff made a slight cracking sound. They pushed away, both slipping on the ice.

Glaring -9 came at 9 again, striking wildly again and again. 9 blocked over and over but seemed to be weakening against the tenacity of -9 attacks. He show no signs of slowing down.

9 wished 7 was there, as another blow put him off guard and -9 punched him sending 9 across the frozen ground into a pile of icy junk. Bits of ice pierced his fabric.

9 grabbed at his side, a sharp clean cut visible.

This was not a battle front either had taken into account. Ice was new and difficult to maneuver on. -9 calculated the odds. He had the upper hand right now but there was too much risk his opposite would get the upper hand.

"Let's save this for another time shall we? Tick tock Tick tock….times running out for your large friend there." -9 smiled "And I think I would like to play with you some more later eh? Perhaps play with those cute twins? They were adorable and I didn't get a chance to intero…."

One word too many as -9 found himself sent backwards by a punch to the face from 9.

"You won't touch them! Any of them! It ends now…" 9 spoke, his voice like steel, his optics burning like black embers. -9 had hit a nerve, 9 never cared if he died but the others…oh creator he wouldn't put it past the evil opposite to harm the twins or 5 or 10 again or anyone else…

-9 smiled…knowing now exactly how to hurt 9 the deepest.

"You will lose them all 9…one by one…you will be the last standing…until our next fight."

"No! finish this!" 9 screamed at -9 but he was already disappearing into the glassy frozen emptiness. 9 wanted to chase him but…0 was still alive. He had to get help.

And he had to warn the others….

9 got 8 and 5 to help bring 0's body back…and the pieces. 7 stayed watching over the others. 3 and 4 began to cataloging the ice as soon as the storm passed but 7 shooed them back inside the plastic blue box.

9 returned with 8 and 5 and…what was left of 0. 2 and 5 began to work on 0's body quickly. It was badly damaged. After about an hour. 2 shook his head sadly at the others and 10 burst out into dry sobs. Wishing for the first time in her life that she could cry real tears like humans could. 3 and 4 held her tenderly and 6 and 8 came to cuddle as well. 0 was in what 2 had described as a coma. From what he could tell 0 was alive….just barley and it could go either way very soon.

"The next two days are critical." 2 spoke softly, placing a hand on 10 shoulder. 2 felt pity of her, for all of them. They had seen and suffered so much in such a short time. The entire family felt numb, cuddling close to draw strength from each other. 10 soon passed out from emotional overload, 3 and 4 soon followed in their own rest cycle and last but not least the little mopped haired stitchpunk slept. 8 stayed close to them. Rubbing ones head then the others. 7 felt bad she had ever doubted 8 for a moment. There he was comforting and cuddling all of them even in their sleep. She knew he was making sure they were warm and undisturbed.

She shook her head slightly…8 was chasing off nightmares, she was sure of it.

But as the remaining punks gathered close the question became apparent.

What now?

A/N: Thanks so much to everyone for your reviews and ideas and just everything. : )