Disclaimer: The situation hasn't changed since the last time I told you that I don't own Cyborg 009.

= : Thoughts

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Chapter twelve: Back.

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The fifth body sharing day arrived with the sun coming in through the rounded windows of the Dolphin. The ship continued traveling by sea, their occupants not really having any hurry to get home.

003 yawned and rubbed her eyes, then stretched her arms and moved her fingers tentatively.

Good. She had the control.

=Good morning 003,= a cheery voice sounded in her head.

"Oh, Hi Joe. How long have you been awake?"

=Just a couple of minutes before you did,= the cheery voice answered.

"My! why are you so happy this morning?"

=No special reason. Did you have a good sleep? Any special dream?=

"Uhm... n-no, no. I didn't. Uhm, listen, it will be better if we get ready," she said a little nervous, it was obvious she didn't want to discuss the matter any further. And so the morning talk was over.

After all the --for 009-- horrible morning ritual, and breakfast, 003/009 decided to go to the infirmary to see if Dr. Gilmore had advanced on something with that damned mind transferer. He hadn't showed up in the kitchen. No doubt that when he got his hands on a project, he would not rest until he could complete it.

003 opened the door and stepped inside, the soft squeak startling Dr. Gilmore; he looked up fast, his glasses almost hanging from the tip of his big nose. He had this satisfied grin plastered on his face. 003 observed he had some weird looking little instruments in his hands; the sphere was over his desk and it appeared he was working on it.

"Great great you are here! Tell me, who's in control of the body right now?" Dr. Gilmore spoke somewhat excited.

"It's me Dr. Gilmore, 003."

"Good, that's good. It will only work if the owner of the host body is in control of it. Now we have to end this up before anything happens and you both change the control again."

Dr. Gilmore got up and ran to 003, taking her hand and leading her in. 003 noticed in mild horror that he was clutching the device under his free arm.

"Dr. Gilmore! You are touching the sphere!" She said in an alarmed voice.

"Of course I am. It is turned off 003. Don't you think I'd know how to operate this thing by now?"

Dr. Gilmore pulled a movable bed right next to the left where the body of 009 rested, he then placed the sphere in the little gap between them and started manipulating it with those weird little instruments he had brought with him. Yellow and blue sparks started coming out of it.

009 noticed his body was not dressed in some hospital gown but jeans and a plain white shirt. Surely Dr. Gilmore had prepared it so he could go back to it in a comfortable way. In that moment 009 appreciated even more the old man who had become the closest thing he had to a father now.

"Well 003, 009, here is the moment of truth. 003, lie down in that bed please."

003 did as told. She was very nervous and it reflected on the way she was chewing at her lower lip, she could feel 009 nervousness as well, so she spoke to him mentally, "We'll be fine."

But any way she decided to ask, "Dr. Gilmore, eh… is there any chance of something going wrong?"

"Well child, of course, there's always some risk in every experiment; you two can end up trapped on 009's body now, or you can switch bodies too, you'd be in his and he in yours. OR your minds would end up mixed up. But no need to worry. I have studied those possibilities and they are highly remote."

003 Gulped and repeated her mantra. --We'll be fine. We'll be fine.-- Dr. Gilmore proceeded then to disconnect 009 from all the wires that supported him.

"Well, let us begin."

The scientific placed 009´s hand over the sphere, careful of not touching it himself. The artifact started glowing.

"003, now is the moment. Touch 009 and don't remove your hand for anything in the world. You may feel some discomfort but nothing to worry about."

Yeah right, he didn't feel it the last time or he wouldn't call it just some discomfort.

Those were the thoughts of 003 as she tried to calm herself. 009 spoke to her in a soothing tone, just like she had done before in that very same infirmary a couple of days ago.

=It's ok Francoise, we will make it. Everything will be alright.=

003 nodded and placed a trembling hand over Joe's. Almost immediately blue energy came out of the sphere and it engulfed them into it. A terrible pain swirled through her body and she started watching images she didn't recognize. Before losing consciousness, she felt her brain being liberated and then, like something very far, a thumb holding strongly to her fingers. Joe's thumb. Then darkness took her.

The light coming from the sphere was so bright that Dr. Gilmore had to cover his face with his arms, and then, it was over. He opened his eyes and went to them, checking on their vital signs. Both were strong and steady. This time there was no smoke coming out of them, which was always a good sign.

The sphere wasn't glowing any more. In fact, it was damaged beyond repair, he decided. He separated the hands of the two unconscious cyborgs and took the device. With a last look at it and a knit on the brows, he tossed it into the garbage bin.

When he looked back he noticed that some how, the youths had joined hands again. His goat moved up and down as he chuckled amused. The Dr. decided to let them rest. They'd wake up eventually.

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009 woke up. His head felt like blowing up, but he was back in his body. He could feel it.

He looked to his left and saw 003 sleeping. Her chest rose and fell in deep breaths, her face was serene and some of her hair had fallen over her cheek. He had an impulse and reached out to put her hair behind her ears. 003 reacted at his soft touch and slowly opened her eyes.

"Hi." She said smiling.

"Hi there." 009 answered, smiling as well.

"How do you feel?"

"Ok... what about you?"

003 closed her eyelids and after some moments she opened them. "Like a hard disk that has been cleaned of several useless programs."

"Are you telling me I was being useless?" 009 pretended to be hurt, but he was grinning.

"More like a saturated slave hard disk, I'd say."

They laughed.

The door opened then and Dr. Gilmore appeared behind it. "003, 009, how do you feel? Are you back in your own bodies? Each mind in the correct head? Oh I see you are still holding hands, but that is not necessary, the procedure is over."

They looked at their joined hands and let go of the other. Blush coming to their faces. Dr. Gilmore couldn't help but grin. He went next to them and checked on their eyes with a penlight.

After this, 009 sat. His body felt numb for being laid down for so long, his mouth was dry and his eyes itched a little.

"We are OK Dr. Gilmore. Each mind in the correct head," he said.

"Now that's good. Why don't you come to join us when you two feel ready? I told 006 to make a special meal to celebrate. If you feel strong enough."

"We are ready," they both answered at the same time, then looked at each other and laughed. Dr. Gilmore looked at them perplexed. Maybe there would be some collateral effects after all. Maybe not. He'd see that later.

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Alright! I finally returned Joe to his body, but fun isn't over ;) …Well there will be more fluff and less humor now, but I think you'll like what's coming.

I am so thankful for all you reviews! Really! Writing this fic has been very enjoyable, and I would have finished even if I had had 5 reviews, but knowing that there are other people enjoying this story with me really makes me feel very happy.