A.N.: Ok I'm very glad everyone liked my last chapter. And I'm also happy you are hooked GoldenAngel2. I've heard a lot about you and your stories and they are amazingly good. Now on with the show! ...story...thing...he he

Black Ghost leaned back in his thrown-like chair. A soldier was standing in front of the stair case leading up to where B.G. was sitting.

"Pierre is a fool, and yet I need him." The soldier was sweating and shaking, trying to think of what to say. He knew all too well what Black Ghost did to those who displeased him.

"Ye...yes s-sir"

"I must admit he has become far better than he was 80 years ago. His desire for 003 sometimes clouds his mind. That is his weakness."

"Yes sir." Black Ghost looked down at the terrified soldier, seeming to just realize he was there.

"Ah, yes. You. I want you to send an... assistant to track Pierre to make sure he doesn't get carried away. If he does then I will shut his probe off."

"Yes sir." B.G. sighed.

"Is that all you can say?" The soldier wrung his hands.

"No, no sir. I mean, yes, no wait, I..."

"STOP YOUR STUTTERING AND GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" He made a faint squeak noise and saluted before sprinting out of the chamber. B.G. rubbed that back of his neck, where his own life probe had been implanted. He had made sure his generator would never be found. 'The first thing I'm going to do, once I have 003, is shut off that obsessed Frenchman's life source. Then I'll never have to listen to his ranting excuses again.'

"Dr. Gilmore?" 003 walked in the study where he was reading at his desk.

"Yes dear?"

"May I ask you something?"

"Of course. What is your question?" She sat down in a chair across from the desk.

"Well, um. I was wondering how it is possible for Pierre to be here. I met him a very long time ago, before I was even captured. He should be dead by now and he isn't."

"I'm afraid I don't have an answer." She sighed and frowned.

"I was hoping you would. You worked for Black Ghost before."

"He kept a lot of technology even from me."

"I see." They sat in silence for a moment. "That's all I wanted to ask." She rose and left leaving Dr. Gilmore swimming in thought.

She strode down the hallway towards the living room and over heard some of her team mates talking.

"This Pierre guy sounds like a pretty boy know-nothing." 002 said matter-of-factly.

"Well he does know something." 004 said.

"What?" 008 asked.

"He knows about and where 003 is." They all were silent for a moment.

"Well all I know is that he better not come with in 10 feet of this house or I'll kill him." 002 said menacingly. 003 walked in the room then. They all stopped their conversation short and looked at her.

"I would like to go outside. Could one of you go with me if it's not too much trouble?"

"I'll take you." She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked around to see 009.

"Thanks." The other three's eyes followed them until the door closing hid them from their view.

"So where would you like to go?" 009 asked, smiling.

"Well I never did get that sugar for 006."

"I got it."

"When?"

"After you fell asleep after being attacked by Pierre."

"We don't know it was him." He raised an eyebrow at her indicating that it was the obvious answer.

"We could go down to the ocean." he suggested. She smiled and nodded. They both knelt down to take off their shoes. They looked at each other and 003 turned away blushing. 009 stood up first and extended his hand to help her up. They began their walk to the beach in silence, taking in the serenity before them.

"009?"

"Mmm hmm?"

"What did you think of Pierre when you first met him?" 009's facial expression turned to that of hate, but then changed back to calm again.

"I didn't like him the moment I saw him. He was arrogant, and rude. Treated us all like servants, and how he treated you!" He looked enraged again. "I would have killed him if it wasn't for 004." He said ruefully. 003 put her hand on the protective cyborg's shoulder.

"It's alright. Pierre won't be back for a while."

"I don't care about Pierre! I care about you!" 009 exclaimed, and turned a bit pink afterwards. 003 couldn't help but giggle. "What is so funny?" he asked, confused.

"I have never seen you blush before!" he turned a bit darker, cursing himself silently.

"He he well um. There's a first time for everything I guess!" 'First time for everything? Oh yeah Joe that was really tough, and leader like' he thought. To his surprise she nodded. They were on the beach now, walking near the water. 003 stooped down to dip her fingers in the water. 009 looked out at the seemingly never ending horizon.

"Pierre never liked the fact that I danced." 003 said randomly. 009 looked down at her.

"Why?" she sighed.

"He said he didn't like all of those people looking at me while I was on stage." she said sadly. "I danced anyway, and one night after a recital he came back stage, grabbed me by the arm and threw me to the ground outside." she watched 009 as he tensed up with anger. "I was still in my costume." she continued, "He said if I wanted to dance, I could dance for him only right then and there. When I refused he kicked me. My brother came back stage and heard me cry out and pushed him away." 009 sat down next to her, and put his arm around her.

"Was that the first time he ever hurt you?" she shook her head.

"No. I had bruises on my face before and some on my arms where he grabbed me. My brother asked what had happened and I said I tripped or fell out of bed and hit my head. I don't think he believed me though." 009 embraced her gently.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I was scared. He said not to or he'll do worse when he sees me alone again, but I got captured by Black Ghost and forgot about him, until now..." He held her close and stroked her hair. They drank in the moment, and she leaned over so he could hold her closer. Her hand brushed the water next to them, and she couldn't pass up this opportunity. She extended her arm further out over the water.

"You know what Pierre also didn't like?"

"What?"

"Playing around!!" she swept her arm through the water and up splashing him.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, letting go of her. "You know. That wasn't very nice of you. And bad girls need to be disciplined." With that he picked her up and held her over the ocean.

"Joe!!! Put me down!" 003 laughed. She kicked a thrashed about but no amount of squirming could free her from his grasp.

"Alright, If you insist!" He dropped her in the water. She snatched his arm while falling and he fell in too. They both came up laughing hysterically. 009 started a water war, and the air was filled with their jokes, jeers and laughs. 009 sent wave after wave of water at her. Finally having enough she tackled him, pinning him down on the immersed sand. Her eyes being closed, she didn't notice how close their faces were. 009 flipped her over so she was the one pinned. She opened her eyes, her giggles subsiding. 009 looked into her eyes and kissed her lightly. 003 smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his neck, and he kissed her again, deeper and longer. They were in their own little world where no one else existed.

"I love you Françoise. Don't be afraid to tell me anything." 009 whispered softly.

"I won't be, because I know you will look after me. I love you too." His lips enveloped hers, as a small wave fell gently on top of them both, and they didn't seem to notice, completely lost in each other.

You want fluff; I give you fluff! lol. I tried to make this one longer. I just get so anxious to post what I write as soon as I write it! Anyways I'm glad you all really like this story. Ok I'm going to sound stupid but I don't know what a beta reader is RedLion2. (it must be my blondeness...coughs) Anyways, I let her go out alone in the last chapter, because I wanted the saving scene more than the protective scene. I thought it was cooler to have her call out his name. I can write another chapter with him going with her I guess, if you really want the scene to go that way. I need more feedback for that option though. Anyways, off to write the next chapter! I love you all reviewers!