During lockdown last spring I started watching some of my favorite cartoons from the 80s and 90s, including 'Inspector Gadget'. I loved the series as a kid and I think out of the entire franchise the original version is still the best (the 2nd season not so much), particularly for the way Gadget and Penny's relationship is portrayed. I feel like more recent of variations of the 'Inspector Gadget' canon have lost the original warmth and familial love that Gadget, Penny and Brain shared in the original cartoon so this is a shameless nostalgic fic for happier times before the world went mad.
No major archive warnings apply but I did want to caution that there are some discussions of CPS and the failings of an imperfect system if any readers may be sensitive to that subject. I'm a teacher and I know several CPS workers and they're all wonderful people who are doing the best they can within the system.
Also, I'm just going to put this out there - this is a gen/family-centered fic focusing on Gadget and Penny's relationship and there is no slash or incest involved here. I've been trying to find some family-centered fics featuring Gadget and Penny and there aren't many out there, so here's my contribution to this awesome franchise.
Season 1-based, because I just can't reconcile the second season (especially Capeman *shudders*) as canon with the first season. So I'm just completely ignoring Season 2 here. :)
1. Missing You
Metro City Preparatory Academy, Ontario, Canada
14 February 1986
"Miss Brown, are you paying attention?"
Penny jumped and turned her attention away from the rain-splashed window of her classroom and back to her teacher. "I'm sorry Mrs. Johnson," she said, sitting up straighter in her chair. "Please, can you repeat the question?"
The substitute teacher for her algebra class, a harried-looking middle-aged woman, sighed impatiently. "I said, what is incorrect about the equation your classmate wrote on the board?"
Penny shifted uneasily in her seat. Math was her best subject but she hated being called on in class to correct others. Her innate sense of fairness and natural empathy balked at such a display but she couldn't ignore a directive from a teacher.
Fighting back a sigh, the thirteen year-old quickly spotted the error. "He forgot to change the sign on the 'h' value when converting to vertex form. It should be a negative five, not positive."
She shot an apologetic glance at the boy whose equation she had corrected, who merely shrugged and gave her reassuring look that he wasn't upset before returning his bored gaze to the ceiling.
"Very good, Miss Brown. At least one of you has been paying attention this week."
A few of her classmates shot Penny annoyed looks but she ignored them, resolutely keeping her eyes on her paper as she quietly worked ahead of the class. She was having trouble staying focused but she refused to give the teacher any reason to call on her again. Their regular algebra teacher had been out all week due to the flu and the harried substitute was rapidly reaching the end of her tether with the restless class.
The first few weeks of February had begun with almost non-stop rain, fog and snow after a long, brutally cold January. Penny couldn't help but feel as restless as her classmates now that it was Friday and despite her best effort to stay focused she found her eyes straying to the clock on the wall again and again.
One more week, she thought. One more week until her uncle came home.
When two boys began throwing a paper ball back and forth during the last five minutes of class the substitute teacher finally snapped.
"Since you all seem unwilling to work in class you can do so at home over the weekend," she barked as the class groaned. "You have thirty problems due Monday. Good day."
Penny dropped her face into her hands.
"Ugh, I hate Mrs. Johnson! I can't believe she gave us homework over the weekend!" Penny's classmate Meg complained as she and Penny walked towards the bus station after school. "I mean, it's just not fair, right Penny?"
Penny shrugged, her thoughts elsewhere as she wondered how her uncle was doing in Boston. Chief Quimby had asked Gadget to assist in a long-term undercover operation with the U.S. FBI and he had been gone for seven weeks now.
Seven weeks. Seven long, quiet, lonely weeks without her uncle, Penny thought as Meg continued to chatter as they trudged through the slushy snow towards the bus stop.
Penny had briefly thought about sneaking after her uncle but she knew it was too risky. Tailing her uncle when he was assigned to solo cases was one thing, but she knew there was no way she could have avoided so many FBI agents. Gadget had been required to leave immediately after Christmas and had been informed the operation would take at least two months. It would have been impossible for Penny to miss so much school without her teachers contacting Gadget.
And besides, Penny thought with a small smile, her uncle had been thrilled to have been selected to assist with the operation. She would never want to jeopardize his standing with the American authorities, or the Metro City PD, if she had somehow been caught.
Not to mention that since she had started junior high she had twice as much homework as she had last year.
No, it was better that she and Brain stay home and hope and pray that her uncle would manage on his own. He was an inspector after - a senior rank among the Ontario police - and surely he would be alright on his own.
At least, Penny hoped and prayed he would be. She hadn't been sleeping well from worrying about her uncle and it was beginning to wear on her. Fortunately her lack of sleep hadn't begun to impact her schoolwork, at least not yet.
"Penny? You okay?"
The girl blinked and gave Meg a small smile. "I'm sorry, Meg," she said. "My head's been up in the clouds."
To her bafflement Meg giggled as they sat on the bench to wait for their bus. "Up in the clouds, huh? Dreaming about Matthew?"
"Who?"
"Matthew, you silly goose!" said Meg, giving Penny a playful shove. "The boy whose equation you corrected in class today! Ugh, he's so handsome! And he likes you and you don't even know it!" Meg added but without any meanness - she was too good-natured for that.
Flushing, her mouth gaping, Penny struggled to think of a response but before she could another voice spoke up.
"Don't act coy, Penny. It may work on those boys, but not me."
Both Penny and Meg turned to see another girl, tall and dark-haired, glaring haughtily at them.
Meg rolled her eyes. "No one asked you, Lauren. Go away - like, now."
Lauren scowled at Meg but kept her sharp eyes fixed on Penny. "Really cute in class today, Penelope," she spat. "If you want to try to hide how freakishly weird you are, why not at least try to pretend that you're not good at math?"
Penny stared in absolute bafflement at the other girl. "Pretend to not be good in math?" she repeated, stunned. "Why would I do that? I love math!"
"Ignore her, Penny," said Meg, glaring at Lauren. "She's just jealous."
"No one asked you, brat," snapped Lauren before returning her attention to Penny.
"No normal girl gets good grades in math, or straight As at all," hissed Lauren as she began to walk away. "Remember that, freak!"
Penny scowled but refused to give Lauren the satisfaction of a response, or reveal how much the other girl's words had hurt her. This wasn't the first time she had dealt with bullies but for whatever reason she felt stung by the words in a way she hadn't in previous years.
Swallowing back a sudden tightness in her throat, Penny pulled her French textbook out of her bag. She tried to put Lauren's taunts out of her mind but couldn't focus, and to her shame a few tear drops landed on the page. She quickly blotted them away before they could stain the pages.
"Penny? Are you okay?" said Meg, placing a hand on Penny's shaking shoulder.
Taking a deep breath, Penny hastily wiped her face away before giving her friend a smile. "I'm fine, really," she insisted when Meg gave her a skeptical look. "I was just thinking about my uncle. I guess I just miss him."
Meg nodded. She privately thought that it was so cool that Penny's uncle was both an inspector and a cyborg, but decided to keep that to herself.
"He's been gone for what, two months?"
"Seven weeks," corrected Penny.
"He'll be home soon, right?" said Meg, standing as she saw their bus pull up.
Penny nodded. "Yes, one more week and he'll be home."
She stood, stuffing her book back into her bag as she started to follow Meg onto the bus, but a teacher quickly stopped her.
"Just a moment, Miss Brown. You're wanted back at school for a meeting," said the teacher, quickly giving Penny a note before hurrying off, anxious to get back inside the warm building.
Penny took the note and opened it, not even bothering to hide her annoyance. Mrs. Johnson wanted to see her.
"Go ahead, Meg," said Penny, gesturing towards the impatient bus driver. "Mrs. Johnson is asking for me."
"You're not in trouble, right? Want me to go with you?"
"No thanks," said Penny with a smile. "I'll see you on Monday. Have a good weekend."
"OK. Bye Penny!"
Penny watched the bus pull away before slowly trudging back up the steps to the school's main entrance. She was cold and tired and very much wanted to go home and see Brain, but that would have to wait a bit.
Squaring her shoulders, Penny stepped back into the building.
Mrs. Johnson studied the slender girl as she sat down by her desk. She was dressed in her school uniform (clean and pressed, she noted - one of the signs that book had told her to watch out for was lack of clean clothing), long hair neatly tied back in a braid. Like most girls her age Penny was at the awkward stage of being all limbs but she seemed healthy, if perhaps a bit tired if the shadows under her eyes were any indication.
"You wanted to see me, Mrs. Johnson?" said Penny politely, hiding the exhaustion in her voice.
"Yes, dear," said Mrs. Johnson, smiling. "You're not in trouble. I just wanted to check in with you. You've seemed awfully quiet this week, and a bit distracted," she added. "Your teacher left some notes for me before he went on leave - he says you're his best pupil."
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Johnson," said the girl. "I've just been busy with schoolwork and stuff at home."
"Yes, you have quite the class load," the teacher said, glancing at the copy of Penny's schedule on her desk. "Honors algebra and geometry, biology, English, French, and history...quite the schedule for your grade level."
Penny shrugged. "I like school," she said. "I'm sorry if I've been distracted - I'm just worried about my uncle. He's been gone for a while now for work."
Mrs. Johnson's eyes widened. "You've been left at home alone?"
"Oh no, there's Brain - that's my dog -" she added on seeing the teacher's confused expression. "And someone from the Metro PD has been stopping by every night just to make sure I'm home and I don't need anything. And Uncle Gadget has called me almost every night."
Penny paused for a moment, suddenly uncomfortable. She wasn't sure why she felt as though she needed to defend her uncle but something about Mrs. Johnson's demeanor was unnerving her. It was almost as if the older woman was waiting for Penny to say something wrong.
"I see," said Mrs. Johnson, unsure of whether to continue her questioning. She had heard rumors about this uncle of hers - this cyborg, she thought with an internal grimace - and shuddered at the thought of a sweet girl like Penny being left alone with such a creature. It simply wasn't done, she thought.
After another awkward minute of silence Mrs. Johnson decided to try a different approach. "Penny, my dear, it's just you and your uncle at home, correct?"
"And Brain," added Penny with a frown.
"Er, yes, of course," said Mrs. Johnson with a simpering smile. "Penny," she continued, "do you feel safe at home?"
"Of course! Why wouldn't I?" exclaimed Penny, shocked at the question. She suddenly wanted to flee the room but good manners had been something her uncle had always been firm about.
"Now, my dear, it's just us," said Mrs. Johnson, smiling in a way that Penny couldn't help think was false. "You know you can be honest with me."
"I am being honest with you, ma'am," said Penny firmly. She had heard enough. Taking a deep breath, she made a show of glancing at her watch. "I'm very sorry, Mrs. Johnson, but I need to leave or I'll miss my bus and have to walk home. In the dark," she added.
"Oh!" said Mrs. Johnson, frazzled. She hadn't expected the girl to so quickly take command of the conversation. "Of course, my dear. Have a good weekend."
After the girl had gone Mrs. Johnson sat at her desk, twisting her fingers together anxiously. She pulled out the book she had been reading ever since she had learned that Penny Brown was the niece of the famed "Inspector Gadget" of Metro City, running through the checklist she had bookmarked.
Withdrawn, distracted, defensive...she saw all the warning signs and felt a thrill that she might be able to rescue the poor child from her clearly neglectful uncle.
But what to do? Call CAS? She didn't think she had enough evidence to do that, but maybe she could get some evidence?
Her sister-in-law was a secretary to a big law firm – one of the best – in Metro City. Maybe she knew someone who could help.
Mrs. Johnson smiled grimly and began to make some phone calls.
Penny flung her pencil down in an uncharacteristic show of frustration. The equations in front of her blurred before her eyes before she rested her face in her hands. Brain, who had been curled up on the rug next to her desk, raised his head with an inquisitive whine.
He watched as Penny's shoulders shook slightly and sat up, worried that his girl was pushing herself too hard. Not only did she have thirty problems to work through (with all work shown) but her history teacher had also assigned them an essay to complete over the weekend. And on top of that she had three chapters to read for her English class. All due by Monday.
Penny was a self-composed and brilliant girl who was accustomed to taking care of both herself and others.
But she was still only thirteen years old. And suddenly she felt very lonely and miserable and desperately wanted to see her uncle.
She heard Brain whine and then a cold, wet nose nudged her arm. Penny lifted her head and gave her friend a small smile.
"Oh Brain, I'm fine - I'm just being silly," said the girl, wiping at her eyes. "I guess I just really miss Uncle Gadget."
The dog whined again and laid his head on her lap in sympathy, his expression doleful. Clearly he was also missing the inspector.
Deciding to leave her homework for tomorrow - it was Friday night, after all - Penny went into the kitchen to make herself some hot chocolate. Brain followed closely at her heels, once again wishing that he had been able to accompany the inspector incognito so that at least Penny wouldn't worry as much as she clearly had been the past few weeks.
As Penny was stirring her mug the phone rang. She glanced at the clock, confused as to who would be calling at almost nine o'clock at night.
She went into the den and picked up the phone. "Brown residence, may I ask who's calling please?"
"Penny!" Her uncle's voice answered, warm and cheerful as always. "I'm glad you're still awake. I'm sorry I haven't been able to call sooner. I wanted to check on you and Brain."
The girl grinned and mouthed 'it's Uncle' to Brain before switching the phone to speaker so Brain could listen too.
"We're fine, Uncle Gadget. Brain's here too - I've put you on speaker."
"Hi Brain!"
Their dog barked excitedly, standing up on his hind legs to be nearer to the phone.
"How's Boston, Uncle?"
"Cold and wet. Do you know, Penny, that there's not one Greek building in this city? I mean, it's ridiculous that they call it the 'Athens of America'!"
Penny shared an amused grin with Brain before turning her attention back to the phone.
"That is pretty strange," she agreed. "So everything's going well over there?"
"Yes, we should be wrapping things up in another week or two. And what about you? How's school going? Have you been doing your homework, and brushing your teeth, and taking your vitamins? Do you have enough food in the house? And bus fare? If you need me to wire some more-"
"Yes to everything, Uncle Gadget," said Penny with a laugh, tucking her feet under her as she curled up on the sofa.
"School's fine. Junior high is different - I have a lot of homework - but it's...fine," she added, still unsettled by her earlier conversation with Mrs. Johnson. "And no, I have plenty of bus fare to last me through this month, but thank you."
Something in her tone must have given herself away because when her uncle next spoke there was a hint of concern in his voice.
"Are you sure you're alright by yourself, Penny? Has someone from the Met been stopping by to check on you? Chief Quimby said he would take care of it-"
"Yes, Uncle," Penny quickly reassured him. "There's been someone here every evening - Chief Quimby even stopped by a few times to see if I needed anything."
"Excellent! Well, it's almost your bedtime so don't stay up too late. I'll see you soon," he added.
"OK," said Penny softly, and then added "be careful, Uncle Gadget."
"I'm always on duty, Penny! Nothing gets past me!"
"I know. Good night, Uncle. I love you," said Penny, hoping she conveyed a cheerful tone. The last thing she wanted was her uncle to be distracted on a dangerous assignment because he was worried about her.
"Good night, Penny. And I love you too. Good night, Brain,"said Gadget before ending the call.
Penny stared at the phone for a long moment, suddenly feeling miserable. 'Don't be such a cry-baby, Penny,' she scolded herself as she clicked on the TV, hoping to distract herself from her morose thoughts. 'You're thirteen and Uncle Gadget will be home in a few weeks at the most.'
Somehow, the thought didn't comfort her. Brain leapt onto the sofa as she found an old black-and-white film to watch, curling up against her side. Penny patted the dog's head and within moments she had fallen into an exhausted sleep, the remote slipping from her hand to clatter onto the floor.
Brain nimbly leapt down, placed the remote on the table, and clicked off the TV before curling back up against Penny's side.
The dog sighed morosely. He really hoped his master came home soon.
Boston, U.S.A.
14 February 1986
Gadget set the phone back down with a sigh, staring at it for a moment. He had been away from his niece and dog before but never this long. At thirteen Penny was certainly old enough to take care of herself but he found himself missing them both more and more every day.
And he couldn't help but feel that there had been something...different in Penny's voice. She had sounded a bit tired and hoped she wasn't staying up too late.
One of the task force members, a young FBI agent, walked in just as Gadget finished his phone call. He smirked at the wistful expression on Gadget's face.
"Dreamin' about someone back home, Inspector?" the agent said jokingly. He had at first been annoyed at having been partnered with the freak cyborg but after Gadget had inadvertently saved him and two other agents from being run over by a truck (only to end up electrocuted for his efforts), Donovan's opinion had swiftly changed.
Besides, he reasoned, they were all officers of the law. They all bled blue - cyborg or not.
"Hmm? Oh, I was just thinking about my niece. I was calling to check on her."
The younger man's mouth fell open. "You're responsible for a kid?" he choked out.
"Of course I am! I'm her legal guardian - she doesn't have anyone else," said Gadget as if this was the most obvious fact in the world. He began rummaging in his pockets as he spoke. A hand emerged from his hat (much to Donovan's fascinated horror) and helped search for whatever the inspector was looking for.
"Ah, thank you!" Gadget said when the hand finally pulled a photo from a pocket before disappearing back into his hat.
"This is Penny, my niece," said Gadget proudly, holding out the photo. Donovan took it and couldn't help but smile at the image.
It was a photo of Penny and Brain that had been taken only a few months ago during a beautiful fall day at the park. The girl had her arms wrapped around Brain's neck and they were both covered in fall leaves.
"Cute kid," said Donovan, handing back the photo. He paused, then added. "I've got a nephew - he's just turned two," he added, a bit gruffly. It had never occurred to him, or any of his coworkers, that Gadget had a family that he was responsible for.
Not that they had time to discuss domestic bliss, Donovan thought as he sat down at the desk opposite from Gadget. They had been working non-stop for nearly two months now and everyone was exhausted, including Gadget if the dark circles under his eyes were any indication.
But that was the job, Donovan thought. And their hard work had paid off - they had managed to round up the international smuggling ring they had been watching for months and had arrested the major players just yesterday. Chief Quimby from Metro PD had arrived only a few hours ago to help the FBI oversee the extradition of any Canadian citizens while the Americans dealt with the rest.
It was now just past four in the morning - they had worked straight through Friday night and into Saturday waiting for the extradition orders to be approved - and Quimby and the lead FBI supervisor called the task force into the conference room they had been holed up in for weeks now.
"Well done, everyone," said the FBI supervisor. "I've got some good news - we're finishing up early here so you all can go home tonight if you're not too tired to travel."
There were happy murmurs of relief and surprise from the tired agents. Once they had quieted Quimby added. "For those of you heading back to Ontario, there's a nonstop flight waiting for you, if you can get packed quickly enough. You'll be driven to the airport."
Quimby's weathered blue eyes drifted over the men and women he was proud to serve with, finally landing on Gadget. The inspector had worked just as hard (if not harder) as everyone else and the exhaustion on his face was matched by the bloodied and burned clothing from their earlier shoot-out with the smugglers. Quimby had asked if Gadget had wanted to go to the hospital after having been electrocuted with enough live wires to put down an elephant (the confrontation had been in an abandoned factory of all places) but Gadget had insisted that he was fine.
"Go home everyone, and good job," said the FBI supervisor.
As the group began to disperse, Quimby approached Gadget and slapped his shoulder (he winced at the contact - it was like hitting a steel wall). "Good work, Gadget," he said gruffly.
The inspector smiled but with far less enthusiasm than he normally did. "Thanks, Chief."
"Now go home to your niece," Quimby added, holding up a warning finger when it looked as though the inspector was going to protest. "That's an order, Gadget."
This time Gadget did smile. "Yes, sir!"
Metro City, Ontario, Canada
15 February 1986
It was nearly eleven o'clock later that night when Gadget, swaying with exhaustion, stumbled through the front door of his home. He tried to be as quiet as possible, not wanting to disturb Penny who was sleeping upstairs.
"Wowsers, that was a long flight," he muttered, setting his bag down with a soft thump, followed by his hat. He switched on the hallway light before wearily making his way into the den, tugging off his coat and tie with slow, heavy movements. He hadn't had time to shower or change his clothes before heading to the airport and wasn't sure if he had enough energy to make it up the stairs, let alone shower.
Yes, passing out on the sofa was sounding pretty good right now, he thought. He smiled as he thought how surprised Penny and Brain would be to see that he was home early.
Gadget clicked on another lamp and then froze as he entered the den.
His niece was not upstairs in her bed, safe and warm where she should be, but fast asleep on the sofa. Gadget draped his coat and tie over the back of a chair before kneeling in front of the sofa, his eyes soft as he gazed at Penny's face.
Brain started awake at the sudden brightness from the lamp and let out a happy yelp that was quickly stifled by Gadget's hand across his muzzle.
"Shh, don't wake her," said Gadget. Brain nodded and quietly jumped from the sofa as he went into the kitchen for a snack.
Penny stirred but didn't wake as Gadget clicked the lamp off again, keeping only the light from his miniature built-in flashlight on so that he could loosen his collar and roll up his sleeves.
Once he had done that Gadget turned back towards the sofa. He hated to wake his niece but he also didn't think he had the energy to carry her up to her room. So he decided on the next best option. He kicked off his shoes and carefully lifted Penny enough so that he could stretch out his lanky frame along the sofa before settling his niece again.
Penny mumbled something and curled closer into Gadget's side, her head resting against his chest. Gadget stretched out his mechanical arm to grab a blanket and pull it over Penny.
He then lightly draped his arm around the girl's shoulders, pressing a kiss into her hair. He was asleep within minutes, comforted by the familiar weight and warmth of his niece.
Brain poked his head back into the den some time later, happy to see his mistress safe in her uncle's arms. Satisfied, Brain yawned and padded into the hallway, determined to keep a vigil near the front door so his two favorite humans could rest easy.
16 February 1986
Penny woke slowly, confused as to why she wasn't in her bed. Gradually she became aware that there was something cold and hard - like a wall or metal - under her chin.
Metal...the girl's eyes opened and widened in delighted surprise to see her uncle fast asleep next to her, snoring loudly.
The girl's smile grew when she realized that Gadget had pulled a blanket over her sometime during the night. Reluctantly drawing back a bit, Penny propped herself up on one arm to take stock of her uncle and reassure herself that he was still hale and hearty. She didn't like what she saw.
Gadget looked completely exhausted. He was sprawled on his back, mouth slightly open as he snored softly. His left arm and leg dangled over the edge of the sofa, his right arm flung over the sofa's back. Penny was alarmed to see that not only had he fallen asleep in his clothes, but that he looked nothing like his usual pristine self.
His hat and coat were flung haphazardly over a chair along with his tie. His shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, sleeves messily rolled up. At least he had taken off his shoes, thought Penny. But what disturbed her the most were the grime and rust-colored stains on Gadget's shirt. She was almost certain the latter were bloodstains. But she couldn't see any noticeable injuries on her uncle.
Brain whined softly and Penny looked over Gadget's slowly rising and falling chest at the dog. "He must be exhausted, Brain. I wonder what happened in Boston," she said, keeping her voice low.
Brain whined in agreement, nudging Gadget's hand with his nose.
Penny didn't want to wake her uncle but she knew he would be more comfortable once he got cleaned up.
"Uncle Gadget?" she said softly, giving his shoulder a slight shake.
No answer, just another snore.
"Uncle Gadget, wake up," she whispered, stretching up a bit to press a kiss to her uncle's rough cheek. The fact that he hadn't shaved in several days was another sign of how busy he must have been during his undercover assignment. Gadget snorted and shifted at the soft touch but otherwise remained dead to the world.
Suddenly feeling mischievous, Penny placed a hand on Gadget's shoulder for balance and began to brush soft, light kisses against his face. "Uncle Gadget, it's morning," she murmured against his temple.
"Mphm...Claw...n't gonna 'scape…" Gadget mumbled in his sleep, making Penny giggle again. She placed a slender, delicate hand against Gadget's cheek and turned his face back towards her, kissing his cheek in much the same way she had when they had visited the race track three years ago.
Brain, picking up on Penny's idea, let out a happy "whuff" and began to lick playfully at Gadget's hand in an effort to wake his master.
"Uncle, it's time to get up," Penny said, a bit louder this time as she pressed more gentle kisses against his brow, hair, and cheeks. She brushed his unkempt hair out of his face before kissing his brow again and then the bridge of his Roman-shaped nose.
That finally got a reaction. Gadget woke with a start, sitting upright so quickly that he nearly fell off the sofa completely.
"Who-wha-where…" he mumbled, flailing a bit before remembering where he was.
"Wowsers, I must have been tired if I fell asleep out here, and in my clothes too," he added. He yawned and cracked his neck (at an angle that would have killed a normal human) before turning towards Penny.
"Hello, Penny," he said, the exhaustion seeping from his expression as he gazed at his niece with unfettered affection.
Brain, not to be forgotten, gave a short bark.
"Hi there, Brain," said Gadget, patting the dog's head. "Well, did you two miss me?" he said to Penny with a smile.
The words had barely left Gadget's mouth before the inspector found himself with an armful of both niece and dog.
"Of course we missed you, Uncle!" said Penny, laughing as she hugged him tightly. "You're back early! But I thought you'd be gone at least another week. Did something happen? Are you okay? What happened to your clothes?"
Gadget held up a hand to pause his niece's questions. "I'll tell you all about it, but first let me up. I'd like to clean up first," he added with another smile.
Penny nodded and leapt to her feet, suddenly feeling more energized than she had in days. "Okay. I'll start breakfast," she chirped as she darted up the stairs to get dressed.
Smiling, Gadget stood and started to stretch but stopped when he felt the aches and pains in his body flare.
He felt a paw worry at his leg and looked down to see Brain looking up at him, tag wagging. The inspector smiled and patted his faithful dog's head. "Thanks for looking after Penny for me while I was away, Brain. Sorry I was gone so long, but I'm glad you were here."
The dog barked and sat up straighter, chest puffed out proudly as if to say, 'it was nothing'. Gadget smiled and gave Brain one last pat. "Good man."
Brain nudged his head against Gadget's knee but backed quickly away again, shaking his head. Gadget glanced down at his clothes that were still covered in grime and frowned. "You're right Brain - a shower is definitely in order."
The dog huffed in agreement before turning towards the kitchen to hunt for breakfast.
Smiling, Gadget headed upstairs to grab some clothes from his bedroom before going into the bathroom. Once inside he quickly yanked off his dirty clothes - he wasn't sure even dry cleaning would save them - and turned on the water as hot as he could stand it.
He sighed - it was good to be home. Being away from his family for so long had been more difficult than he would have thought.
"Hmm, I must be getting old," he mused before stepping into the shower.
As soon as the hot water hit the burns on his skin pain exploded through his body, nearly punching the air from his lungs. Biting back a shout of pain, Gadget grabbed onto the safety bar installed on the shower wall to steady himself.
"Wowsers," he muttered once he had regained his breath and his vision cleared. He slowly released his grip on the bar, wincing as he realized that he had crushed the steel in his grip. He'd have to get that replaced, and hopefully without his niece noticing. He was just thankful that they had two bathrooms.
It seemed that when he had been electrocuted it had damaged his nerve receptors, he realized with dismay. But there wasn't much to be done about it - no hospital had the technology to repair those. He'd have to contact Von Slickstein and see what the elderly professor could do.
Grimacing, Gadget resolutely finished his shower.
"Ouch!"
Penny paused on her way towards the kitchen at Gadget's pained yelp that came through the bathroom door. She frowned worriedly - he had been in there for nearly an hour. Hoping her uncle hadn't accidentally broken the tile again (the last time he had slipped in the shower he had made a huge crack in the floor where he had fallen - it had cost a small fortune to have the tile replaced), Penny knocked on the closed bathroom door.
"Uncle Gadget, are you okay in there?"
"Yes, fine," said Gadget through the door. "Just a moment, Penny."
The girl waited a moment before the door opened, followed by a rush of warm steam. Waving her hand to clear away the condensation, Penny cautiously peeked into the bathroom and was both relieved and puzzled to see that there were no signs of damage.
Gadget was standing in front of the sink, dressed in sweatpants but barefoot and without his shirt. His thick hair, still wet from the shower, clung messily to his forehead and neck and the lower half of his face was covered in shaving cream.
Penny had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at the sight. It was rare to see her uncle, who was always so careful to look impeccable at all times ("I'm always on duty, Penny!") look so...normal. Not that she had ever thought her uncle was a "freak" (she heard the ugly names some of the Metro officers called Gadget when the inspector wasn't around). But still, she thought, it was nice to see him relaxing a bit and doing something as ordinary as shaving.
Her amusement quickly faded to shock as she caught sight of the ugly bruises running along the broad sweep of Gadget's ribcage and back as he turned slightly to reach a spot he had missed. But even worse than that were the ugly, vivid red burns spread across his chest, back, and shoulders.
They reminded Penny of something she had seen in a science book - Lichtenberg figures - she remembered. Those marks could have only been made by extremely powerful electric currents.
"Uncle, you're hurt!" she exclaimed, stepping further into the bathroom. Brain, who had come to see what the fuss was about, whined in distress from the doorway.
"Hurt? This?" scoffed Gadget. "Don't be silly Penny, it's just a razor cut," he added, pointing to his cheek where he had nicked the skin and was bleeding slightly. He bent over the sink to rinse his razor and wash his face clean.
"No, not…" Penny swallowed, unable to speak as the injuries suddenly made her deepest, darkest fear become real with shocking brutality.
Her uncle was incredibly strong and resilient (he had once been run over by a train, after all), but he was as much flesh and blood as machine. And he wasn't invincible.
"Not that," she managed after a moment. "Those burns...Uncle Gadget, what happened?"
"Oh, those?" Gadget said, looking down at his torso. He grimaced slightly before shrugging one broad shoulder, wincing a bit. "Ah, got into a bit of trouble during the last night of my assignment. Nearly got run over by the suspect's truck but luckily I was faster," he added with a familiar proud grin. "Getting hit by a truck wasn't nearly as bad as getting electrocuted," he added with an afterthought.
"You were electrocuted?" Penny gasped, her hands flying to her face in shock. "Are you in any pain?"
"Well, it was certainly unpleasant but as you can see I'm just fine." As he spoke he twisted a bit and Penny saw a grimace of pain on his face before he quickly hid it.
When Penny just continued to stare at him in horrified silence Gadget took a bit of shaving cream and plopped it on the girl's nose.
"No need for alarm, Penny," said Gadget as he tugged her hands away from her face, briefly caressing the red marks on Penny's cheeks where her nails had dug into her skin. "I'll be just fine!"
It was several moments before Penny could speak. She wiped the bit of shaving cream off of her nose before taking in a deep, shuddering breath. "Uncle, did you go to the hospital and at least have them cleaned?"
"No," said Gadget as he stepped out of the bathroom, grabbing his robe from the hook on the door as he did so. "I'm quite alright, Penny, really. No need to fuss."
Penny didn't believe a word of that as she and Brain followed the inspector downstairs and into the kitchen.
"But...the pain...Uncle…" Penny trailed off. "How can you stand it?"
"Well, I can't feel it - not really," said Gadget, unaware of his niece's growing distress. "At least, not all of it. The nerve receptors are really handy like that," he added as he took down a mug. As he spoke Penny noticed that he hadn't put on his robe, which confirmed her suspicions that he was in more pain than he was willing to admit but didn't want to show it.
Penny's eyes widened as Gadget's last comment made her think of something that had never occurred to her before. For as long as she could remember her uncle had never seemed bothered by the weather, whether it was scorching hot or freezing cold outside. There were other things too - how he always took very hot showers, the fact that he always wore gloves, that he never seemed bothered with injuries….she had never connected the dots until now.
"Uncle Gadget," she said slowly, struggling to remain calm. "Do you mean you can't feel anything? Nothing at all?"
"Well, not quite nothing," said Gadget as he went to pour some coffee. "It just takes a lot. I definitely felt that electric bolt, let me tell you!" he added with a laugh.
When Penny continued to stare in horrified shock Gadget's expression shifted. "No need for that long face, Penny," he said. "I can still feel, just not a lot, at least through my hands," he amended quickly.
He gave Penny a reassuring smile and turned back to the coffee pot but froze when he suddenly felt slender arms wrap around his waist. Hastily setting down his full mug, Gadget turned to see his niece embracing him tightly.
"Penny?" he asked, trying half-heartedly to pull free but quickly stopping when it became apparent that Penny wasn't about to let go. He could have easily freed himself but didn't dare for fear of hurting his niece.
"Oh, Uncle," was all Penny could say through the tightness in her throat.
She pressed her face against the hard, cool expanse of Gadget's chest, tears squeezing past her closed eyes. How could she not have noticed this, she cursed herself silently. All these years and he had never once hinted that he couldn't feel the way a normal person could. Penny wondered what else her uncle had kept from her. The thought made her shudder.
"You really can't feel this?" she whispered, giving him another squeeze with her arms (careful to avoid the burns) as she finally managed to look up at her uncle.
Gadget shifted a bit, suddenly feeling awkward and rather vulnerable. He had never once minded his niece showing him physical affection, but he had always had the protective barrier of clothing to disguise the parts of him that were more machine than man. He wasn't even dressed properly, for pity's sake!
"Uncle?"
The inspector sighed and considered telling his niece a white lie, but as soon as he looked back at Penny's stricken expression he knew he couldn't. "I can a little," he admitted. "But it takes longer for the nerve receptors to recognize touch. That's why I wear the gloves - they help with reception."
Penny nodded slowly, resting her cheek against Gadget's chest. His skin was cool but not as cold as it normally was, probably due to the scorching hot shower he had just taken, she thought sadly.
"Is that why you've never held me?" she blurted out before she had time to think.
The more she thought about it, she realized that while her uncle was always good to her and never hesitated to show his affection, his touches were always restricted to a pat on the head or a touch to her shoulder, or sometimes a brief one-armed embrace. But never a real, proper embrace, she thought with a rush of pain so sharp that her eyes welled with fresh tears.
She felt Gadget's chest expand as he sucked in a breath. "Penny, I…"
"I'm sorry! I didn't think...I didn't mean…"
"It's alright, Penny," said Gadget, patting her head with one large hand. He still hadn't made any move to embrace her even though he rested one hand on her shoulder.
"You can, you know," the girl murmured, giving her uncle another reassuring squeeze. "Hold me I mean. I promise you won't hurt me, Uncle. You never could," she added earnestly.
Gadget hesitated before slowly bringing his arms up to wrap around Penny's shoulders. He glanced down at his niece again and when she gave him an encouraging smile he dared to tighten his embrace just a bit and pull her closer to him.
"I'll stay here as long as it takes," she said, giving her uncle another reassuring smile. "Until you can feel this."
Gadget didn't answer but he did rest his chin on top of Penny's head. He felt something brush against his sweats and looked down to see Brain leaning into his leg. The canine looked up at his master, whining softly and Gadget stroked the dog's head.
They stood there for a few moments before Gadget gradually became aware of several things. He could feel warmth seeping into his artificial skin from where Penny's cheek pressed against his chest, as well as the silky softness of her hair underneath his chin. Underneath his hands her back rose and fell in slow, steady breaths.
"Uncle Gadget, are you okay?"
Suddenly overcome with emotion and not trusting himself to speak, Gadget simply gave Penny a very gentle squeeze and nodded.
Penny shifted a bit closer, hoping some of her own natural warmth could warm her uncle. She smiled when she felt Gadget's embrace tighten ever so slightly. No matter how strange and unpredictable her life was, she had always felt safe in her uncle's arms. That was one fixed point in her otherwise crazy life and she wouldn't trade it for anything.
And he was feeling a bit warmer, she realized with a small smile. She shifted a bit to rest her head over the steady thrum of Gadget's heart beat, comforted by the familiar scents of his soap and the warm, woodsy-smelling cologne he sometimes wore.
He shifted a bit to rest his weight against the counter (he weighed twice as much as a normal man), Penny and Brain leaning against his tall frame, both confident that Gadget wouldn't let them fall.
Penny was more than happy to stay that way for as long as her uncle needed. It felt so good to just be together like this, she thought, quiet and peaceful and just being together as a family.
And she could have lost that - nearly had lost her uncle and she never would have known. The thought suddenly hit her with brutal force and suddenly she was fighting back sobs as she imagined her uncle dying alone and in a strange city without her. Then she'd be truly alone...it was too much for her exhausted state.
"Penny!" Gadget exclaimed, shocked to see his normally composed niece so distraught. The last time he had seen Penny cry like this was when she had been very small - barely four - and still missing her parents. "What is it? What's wrong?" A horrible though suddenly sprang to his mind and he began to pull away. "Did I hurt you?"
Penny shook her head, unable to voice all of the emotions she was feeling. "N-no," she managed to say between sobs. "P-please...just hold me?"
The heartfelt plea banished any remaining awkwardness Gadget felt. He may not have been Penny's biological father but he was still a parent. Before he even realized it he was cradling Penny close, arms wrapped firmly (but carefully) around her shaking frame.
He didn't know what to say so instead he just held onto Penny as she cried, stroking her long hair. She had stopped wearing it in pigtails about a year ago and while Gadget missed the familiar style it was nice to be able to run his fingers through the long strands. The gesture seemed to comfort his niece as she gradually calmed under the gentle touch.
When her sobs had slowed somewhat Gadget, acting on pure instinct, started pressing gentle kisses against her golden head. "Shh, shh," he murmured, swaying slightly. Desperate to comfort his niece, he cupped her face in both large hands and tilted her head up to press a gentle kiss to her brow, something he had never done before.
Penny gave her uncle a surprised look but she was smiling, the tears on her face quickly drying.
"Aha! There's a smile," said Gadget as Penny laughed. Next to them Brain let out a happy bark, relieved to see his girl happier than she had been in weeks.
Feeling more confident Gadget pressed another kiss to Penny's brow, letting his lips linger for a moment against her smooth, warm skin. He had almost forgotten what human touch felt like. He knew Penny wasn't afraid of him and it felt good to finally be able to show her at least some of the affection his sweet niece had never hesitated to show him.
"I missed you," he murmured against her skin. "Both of you," Gadget added, smiling down at Brain when the dog gave him an affronted look.
"No more tears," he added, pushing Penny's hair away from her face before kissing her damp cheeks. "I'm just fine. Right, Brain?" he said, smiling down at their dog.
Brain whuffed in agreement.
"I know, Uncle," said Penny, wiping at her face. "I'm sorry, I just…" she trailed off, embarrassed. What was wrong with her? She was never this emotional.
"And no more apologies either," Gadget chided, emphasizing his words with more gentle kisses against her hair. For all of his usual clumsiness he held his niece's face as though she were made of spun glass rather than flesh and bone.
"I should be the one apologizing," continued Gadget, wiping a few tear tracks away with his thumbs. "I never thought about…well, that is…" he sputtered a bit, struggling to find words.
"It's okay, Uncle," said Penny. "How about no more apologizing for both of us?"
The inspector laughed. "Alright." He kissed Penny's forehead again but didn't release her immediately. He frowned as he studied the beloved face he knew so well; he was certain Penny hadn't been as pale as she was now. And now that he thought about it, she felt a bit thinner in his arms.
Penny's stomach growled suddenly. The girl blushed and Gadget smiled. "Breakfast," he said, unable to resist pressing one last kiss against her brow. "And I want to see you eat every bite - no arguments, young lady!" he added sternly before giving her a gentle push towards the table.
"Do you want some help, Uncle?" Penny asked as she sat down. She watched as her uncle began pulling out all sorts of pots and pans. "Er, what are you making, by the way?"
"No, you just relax, Penny," said Gadget cheerfully as he began tossing all sorts of ingredients into a bowl. "I'm making liver and onions with eggs and applesauce dressing. It's very healthy!"
Brain and Penny exchanged a smile. It was good to have their inspector back home.
I always felt that Gadget was slightly more competent in the original series (especially in Season 1 episodes such as 'Haunted Castle'), so that's how I've written him here. Plus I don't think Gadget would have ever made the rank of Inspector without being competent and skilled as a police officer, especially if he earned that rank before becoming a cyborg.