Sorry for the delay, folks! This chapter kept getting longer and longer until I finally had to stop. Major angst and emotion H/C here, but also lots of family feels. The third chapter will have more action. I hope you enjoy the latest installment and thank you for stopping by. :)
2. Neither Man nor Machine
Fortunately for Penny and Brain when Gadget discovered that they did not, in fact, have liver and onions (or applesauce) on hand he decided that simple eggs and toast would do just fine. He even managed not to set the fire alarm off this time while he was cooking.
They were just finishing breakfast when there was a knock at the door.
"Now who could that be, and on a Sunday?" grumbled the inspector. Penny started to get up but stopped when her uncle waved at her to stay seated.
"No, finish your breakfast, Penny. You're too pale. Eat! he said firmly, wagging a finger at the girl before going to answer the door.
"Chief Quimby!" Gadget exclaimed upon opening the door to see his somewhat haggard and rumpled-looking boss standing on his doorstep.
"Good morning, Gadget. Sorry to drop by so early - may I come in?"
"What are you doing here? I thought you were still in Boston," said Gadget, waving Quimby in before shutting the door.
"I left shortly after you did - the FBI said they could take care of the rest. Hello, Penny," Quimby added, flashing a smile at Penny as Gadget led him back into the kitchen.
"Hi, Chief Quimby," said the girl, giving Quimby a genuine smile but secretly praying that he wasn't here to call her uncle back to work already.
"But that still doesn't explain why you're here," said Gadget, rubbing his chin. His expression brightened suddenly. "Do you have a new assignment for me? I'm always on duty, you know!"
Quimby caught Penny's crestfallen expression out of the corner of his eye and quickly spoke.
"Relax, Gadget. I'm not here on business. I just wanted to stop by to check in on you and Penny. And to tell you to check out the six o'clock news on Channel Five tonight."
"What's happening on the news tonight, Chief Quimby?" said Penny, rubbing her chin in a gesture that was so reminiscent of her uncle that the older man chuckled. "It's a surprise, but you definitely don't want to miss it," he broke off with a yawn. "Excuse me."
"Do you want some coffee, Chief Quimby?" said Penny, gesturing towards the pot. "There's still plenty left."
"Sure, thanks" he said, smiling as Penny handed him a mug. He poured a cup and settled against the counter as Gadget and Penny returned to their seats at the table. As he sipped his coffee he watched the pair, suddenly feeling a bit awkward. He had never really seen Gadget as a parent despite being Penny's legal guardian. It was so bizarre, he realized, to see Gadget outside of work and in his own home. He couldn't help but smile a bit as he watched Penny update her uncle about school (apparently a bad strain of the flu was going around) and what she had been doing during his absence. Gadget listened attentively, asking a few questions but letting his niece do most of the talking. At some point Brain meandered over and rested his head in Gadget's lap, closing his eyes blissfully as the inspector stroked his head.
Watching the three of them together made Quimby even more certain that sending Gadget home early had been the right thing to do. When Quimby had last checked in on Penny before heading down to Boston the girl had seemed quiet and not at all like her vivacious, cheerful self. Quimby had chalked her demeanor up to nerves about starting junior high and likely missing her uncle more than she was willing to show.
But then, Penny was what - thirteen now? Mood swings were common for her age. Quimby hid a smirk in his mug as he thought about Gadget suddenly realizing that he had a teenaged girl under his roof. As a father himself Quimby was all too familiar with that experience, although it had been with his son and not a girl.
Quimby sighed wistfully as he poured some more coffee, not wanting to intrude on the peaceful scene before him. He was quite certain the three had forgotten he was even there but that was alright. He bit back a chuckle as Gadget insisted on Penny eating more and how he was planning several healthy recipes (something involving purple foods only) to try now that he was home.
He had certainly never seen Gadget look so...domestic, was the only word he could think of. Without his usual coat and suit he looked like any other parent on a day off, especially given that he was wearing only his robe, sweatpants, and slippers. Even his gloves were gone, Quimby noticed with some surprise.
Quimby was also startled to see that without his hat there were a few streaks of grey in Gadget's dark hair (there was a running bet among the Metro PD on whether or not Gadget was bald under his ever-present hat but clearly he wasn't) as well as lines around his eyes and mouth.
The slight signs aging momentarily threw Quimby. When had he started thinking of Gadget as just a machine and not a man? And for that matter, a fellow officer - a parent - who was responsible for a young girl?
"Chief? You alright?"
Quimby blinked and shook himself, a bit unnerved. He gave a short nod to Gadget and straightened. "Yes, fine, just tired from the flight. I'd better be getting home," he added, setting his empty mug down and tugging his jacket straight.
"Good bye, Penny," he waved to the girl, who chirped back a cheerful reply as she went to rinse the dishes.
As Gadget followed Quimby to the door the older man paused in the open doorway.
"Chief?" said Gadget, raising his brows in confusion.
"I'm giving you and the rest of the task force members two weeks off," he said a bit gruffly. "Make the most of it."
Gadget nodded and saluted him. "Will do, sir."
Quimby was stopped at a red light on his way home when his work phone began to ring. Frowning but knowing he couldn't ignore a call - even if it was on a Sunday morning - he punched the "answer" button as he waited for the light to change.
"Quimby here," he barked as he activated the hands-free radio.
"Chief, I know you're off today but we have a situation here." It was the on-duty sergeant at the central station.
"What sort of situation?" said Quimby shortly, glaring at the light. He was tired and wanted to go home, blast it.
"You'd better come down to the station sir."
"That's not an answer, sergeant," barked Quimby as the light changed and he drove towards his home.
"I know, sir, but it's a sensitive issue." The sergeant paused and then added. "It's about Gadget...there's been an official complaint filed."
"We've gotten at least half a dozen complaints on Gadget - mostly claims for damage to property - every month for the past four years, sergeant. What makes this so urgent?"
"Sir, the complaint involves both Gadget and his niece. It's from CAS."
Quimby slammed on his breaks and performed a sharp u-turn that only a seasoned police officer could have managed on the wet, icy streets.
He sighed as he called his wife. Home would have to wait.
Late that evening Gadget called Professor Von Slickstein on the specialized camera and voice recorder the professor had given him years ago. Penny had suggested that he contact the professor to see if anything could be done about his damaged nerve receptors and his inability to fully recognize touch.
It had taken some convincing, but Penny had also managed to cajole Gadget into letting her put some ointment on his wounds before bandaging them so he would at least be more comfortable.
"Feeling better, Uncle?" asked Penny as Gadget set the computer up in the study.
"Much, thank you, Penny," said Gadget, giving his niece a smile as he dialed the number and waited for the connection to appear.
The screen went black for a moment as the dial tone rang, and then Professor Von Slickstein's worn but caring face appeared on the screen.
"Inspector Gadget! What a surprise - and Penny!" he said as the girl appeared over Gadget's shoulder.
"Evening Professor," said Gadget. "I hope I'm not calling too late."
"No, no, not at all. I was just doing some light reading. Hello Brain," the professor added as a familiar pink nose appeared in front of the screen.
Brain barked and licked the screen, tagging wagging excitedly.
"Hi, Professor," said Penny, gently tugging Brain away from the screen.
The elderly professor chuckled at the dog's antics before turning his attention back to the humans. "It's been nearly a year since I last saw you," he added with a kind smile at Penny. "Last time, you were all elbows and knees. Now I see a lovely young lady before me. Your uncle must be very proud."
Penny blushed and mumbled a "thank you", ducking her head shyly. Gadget gave his niece a fond look before looking back at the screen. He briefly explained the problem with his nerve receptors and how they had become damaged.
"It sounds to me like that electrical burst short-circuited the receptors, Gadget," said Von Slickstein. "I can walk you through the steps to reset them - that should do the trick."
"Ah, that should be easy enough," said Gadget. He pushed up the sleeve of his bathrobe and held out his left forearm, where a panel was blended seamlessly into his skin. He flexed his arm and the panel suddenly opened to review a small, digital switchboard. Gadget started to follow Von Slickstein's instructions but it was difficult as the wires were very small.
"Here, Uncle," said Penny after watching for a few moments. "Let me try - my fingers are smaller."
Gadget blinked in surprise but nodded. Penny carefully followed the professor's instructions and her light touch and slender fingers made quick work of the repairs. Once she was done Gadget pressed the panel closed.
"Well done, Penny," said Von Slickstein, impressed. "You have a skillful touch - you'd make a fine doctor someday."
"Thanks, Professor," said Penny, smiling at the elderly gentleman before turning back to her uncle. "Uncle Gadget? How's the pain now? Is it any better?
Gadget frowned in thought for a moment before nodding. "Much. I don't even feel it anymore," he added with a relieved smile.
His words suddenly reminded Penny of her earlier revelation and she turned back towards the screen.
"Professor, I'm glad my uncle's not in pain anymore but is it true he can't feel anything? Not even…" she faltered, not wanting to embarrass her uncle but still deeply unnerved that Gadget couldn't experience touch the same way other people could.
Von Slickstein blinked in surprise, his snowy white brows climbing above his glasses.
"You can feel things, Gadget. I made certain of that during your, er...recovery," he said, casting a quick glance at Penny. "The gloves were only meant to help you recover your full sense of touch and assist with coordination until you were back on your feet. Tell me, Gadget - how often do you wear those gloves?"
"Well, all the time, I suppose."
"I see. Then that certainly explains a lot. You haven't allowed yourself to experience touch in so long that the receptors have forgotten, as it were, how to connect the sensations to your central nervous system."
Gadget leaned back in his chair, surprised. "Wowsers, I never thought of it like that."
"So you mean he would be able to feel, Professor?" said Penny hopefully. Von Slickstein nodded with a fond smile. "That's correct, my dear. It will take some time - several weeks most likely - but I assure you, Gadget, that you can still experience touch just like any other person. You just need to practice feeling those sensations."
"Right, thanks Professor. Say, Penny - it's almost six o'clock."
"Oh, that's right! Chief Quimby said we should watch the news. I'll make us some popcorn. Good night, Professor. It was good seeing you again."
"Good bye, my dear," Von Slickstein said, watching with a fond smile as Penny and Brain disappeared into the kitchen.
"Thank you for your help, Professor. Good night," said Gadget. He reached over to shut off the screen but Von Slickstein stopped him.
"Just a moment, John," he said.
Gadget paused, a bit startled to hear his given name. Hardly anyone ever used it anymore - he was simply "Gadget" to everyone, even his niece.
"How are you, really? It's been some time since we've talked."
Gadget shrugged. "In perfect working order as usual, Professor."
"I see," said Von Slickstein. His green eyes, faded with age but still sharp, peered at Gadget for a long moment. "Remember this, John. You are still a man, no matter how many 'gadgets' run through your body. That is the best part of you. Everything else - the wires, receptors, transmitters, cooling fluid - is all secondary."
Gadget nodded, unsure of what to say. Sometimes he worried that he was starting to feel more like a machine than a man. As if sensing his thoughts Von Slickstein continued, more firmly this time. "I saved your life so that you could go on with your work, and so that you could stay with your niece. Not because I wanted to create the world's first cyborg. You're still John Brown and your heart - even if it now beats because of the electricity that runs through your body - is still human. Don't forget that."
"I won't, Professor. And thank you again, for everything."
The elderly professor chuckled. "I'll leave you in your niece's good hands then. She's quite a remarkable child."
Gadget smiled. "Yes, she is."
"Good night, Gadget. You know how to reach me if you ever need anything, or just wish to talk."
"Good night, Professor."
Metro City PD Central Station
16 February 1986
"Investigation by Children's Aid Society? Gadget? For what?" Quimby demanded after he had recovered from his initial shock. He was standing in his office, where the sergeant on duty briefly explained how his brother, who worked for CAS, had gotten wind of the complaint and had brought it to the sergeant's attention.
"I don't know, sir, but we wanted to let you know what was going on."
"You know that technically you and your brother violated confidentiality, right? We don't have any authority over CAS."
The sergeant fidgeted a bit before straightening. "I know, sir, and I recognize that. But the thing is...well, we're all fond of Penny. And as much as Gadget drives us crazy on a daily basis, we know he's got a lot of enemies. Something about this just doesn't smell right."
"That I'll agree with," said Quimby as he rubbed his eyes, desperately wishing he had his pipe on hand.
"Maybe there's just some big misunderstanding?" the sergeant offered helpfully.
"Maybe," growled Quimby. "Thank you," he said shortly. "Keep this under wraps as much as you can. Understood?"
"Yes, sir." His assistant saluted Quimby before leaving the office.
Quimby sat back in his desk chair, the familiar leather creaking. He rubbed tiredly at his eyes.
Gadget, suspected of child endangerment? It was utterly absurd. No matter how infuriating Gadget could be, he was devoted to his niece - that was as clear as day to anyone who saw the two together. And Penny clearly adored her uncle. Quimby had known Penny since she had been very small and had first come into Gadget's care - she was a smart and independent girl and surely would have spoken up if she was unhappy.
Or would she?
No, Quimby thought. That was absurd. He had known Gadget for years, ever since he had joined the Metro PD as a promising young patrolman. Inspector John Brown had been one of his finest and most promising officers.
And then there had been the "Accident".
As far as Quimby was concerned John Brown had died on that operating table, leaving behind a half-wrecked man that he could only bring to call "Gadget."
Damn, Quimby thought. Damn damn damn.
"So much for some down time," he grumbled, leaning forwards to grab his phone.
It was time for him to call in some favors he was owed.
"This is Channel Five news, bringing you the latest events. Coming up, members of the Metro City PD were involved in a joint task force with the United States FBI in Boston, Massachusetts. Among them were Inspector Gadget…"
Gadget and Penny were sitting on the sofa in the den, watching the news anchor describe the weeks-long operation. A small bowl of popcorn was on the table between them, Brain curled up contentedly by their feet.
"I'm really proud of you, Uncle Gadget," said Penny. "Did you know you were going to be on the news?"
Gadget sat up a bit straighter at his niece's praise. "Not at all, Penny. Chief Quimby was right - it certainly was a surprise!"
As they continued watching the news Penny glanced at Gadget's arm that was stretched across the back of the sofa. She thought back to what Professor Von Slickstein had said and gently tugged Gadget's arm down and pulled his hand, still gloveless, towards her.
"Penny?" Gadget asked in confusion as his niece wrapped her hands around his own.
"Is it any better, Uncle?" asked Penny, looking up at Gadget in concern. "Can you feel this?"
Gadget looked down at their hands. Penny's small, slender hands looked even smaller against his own hand. He suddenly remembered how he had accidentally crushed the steel safety bar in the shower and fought the urge to pull away.
"Uncle Gadget?"
"Er, yes, I can feel that," he said. It was true - he could slowly feel touch seeping back into his fingers - it reminded him of a limb waking up with pins and needles after having fallen asleep.
Penny, perceptive as always, noticed Gadget's uneasiness and smiled up at him. "It's okay, Uncle. You won't hurt me. See?"
Gadget hesitated for another moment and then turned his hand over so his palm was resting against Penny's. He carefully laced his long fingers through Penny's tiny ones and gave a very gentle squeeze.
Penny beamed at him before turning back to the television, resting her head against Gadget's shoulder.
Feeling his tension ease somewhat, they watched TV for another hour before Penny reluctantly got up.
"I need to finish some homework before tomorrow. Good night, Uncle Gadget." She gently held Gadget's head still so that she could kiss his brow just as her uncle had done earlier.
"I really do think you're amazing," she said gently.
Gadget blushed and spluttered a bit even as he attempted to appear unaffected. "Well, I always get my man in the end."
Laughing, Penny kissed his forehead again. Gadget was tall enough that even with him sitting and her standing they were still at eye level with each other.
"I know you do, Uncle," she said. "Good night."
"Good night, Penny."
20 February 1986
The following week was busy despite Gadget having two weeks off. He had quite a lot of paperwork to catch up on as well as several errands around the house, including getting the Gadgetmobile serviced.
Penny was just as busy; her school work wasn't getting any lighter and the high number of teachers out with the flu meant that she and the other students were given even more homework each night to make up for the teachers' absences. The weather continued to be wet, icy, and miserable and she was glad to come home each evening and curl up with a mug of hot chocolate that her uncle had ready for her.
Thursday morning was particularly nasty. Rain and sleet pelted the windows and Gadget frowned as he eyed the weather critically through their kitchen window. "I'll drop you off at school today, Penny," he said. "I need to go into the station to finish some paperwork and I don't want you out in this weather too long."
Penny nodded as she rinsed her dishes before placing them in the dishwasher. "Okay, Uncle. I'm ready to go when you are."
"Excellent! Let's go, then. Bye, Brain!"
After dropping his niece off Gadget had just pulled into the parking lot of the Metro PD central station when his cell phone rang. He turned off the car and pressed the answer key. "Hello?"
"Inspector Gadget?"
"Speaking."
"Inspector, this is Principal Strazinsky. Would you be free to stop by after classes today for a brief meeting?"
"Of course," said Gadget. "What time? Is anything wrong? Is Penny alright?"
The principal hesitated before speaking. "Er, no. Penny's just fine. I just thought it best that I speak with you in person. How does four thirty sound?"
"That's fine. I'll be there."
"Thank you, Inspector. Good day."
After ending the call Gadget frowned at the phone, suddenly feeling uneasy. The principal had said that Penny was fine, so why would he want to see him in person?
Shrugging, Gadget got out of the car and headed inside to confront a mountain of paperwork.
Principal Strazinsky was accustomed to dealing with all sorts of parents, but he had to admit that one parent was particularly stress-inducing.
Ironically enough, said parent was also the guardian of one of the school's best pupils.
As he waited in his office with his assistant principal a commotion in the hallway outside of his office made them both wince. There was a sudden crash followed by a cheerful voice shouting out, "sorry about that, didn't see you there!" and he exchanged a weary look with his assistant principal. They really should move any and all breakable items out of the hallways if Inspector John "Gadget" Brown was going to keep visiting.
Fortunately the man's job kept him at bay for most of the school year, but this particular meeting couldn't be avoided.
There was a knock at his door and his harried-looking secretary came in. "Inspector Gadget, sir," she said. The woman glared as Gadget walked past her, blissfully unaware of the woman's ire. Strazinsky could see a large coffee stain on the front of her shirt and guessed the earlier crash had caused it.
"Thank you, Ms. Spencer," he told his secretary. The woman shot Gadget one last glare before shutting the door a bit harder than necessary.
"Hello again, Inspector Gadget," said Strazinsky as he extended, wincing at the enthusiastic handshake. "You remember Mrs. Devereaux, my assistant principal?"
"Ma'am," said Gadget, tipping his hat to the woman before turning back to Strazinsky.
"Please, have a seat, Inspector. I wanted to meet with you about your niece, Penny. Has she talked to you about school lately?"
"Well, not really. She did mention that she has quite a bit of homework of late, but that's all. Why do you ask?"
Mrs. Devereaux exchanged a look with her boss before clearing her throat. "One of Penny's teachers has expressed some concerns that we think you should be aware of."
"Concerns? She's not in trouble, I hope?"
"No, nothing like that," she said. "All of her teachers note that Penny is respectful and hard-working in class. But this specific teacher - who must remain anonymous, you understand - brought some concerns to light."
"Like what?"
"She's seemed distracted these past few weeks, as well as much quieter. And well…" Mrs. Devereaux looked at Strazinsky, who smoothly took over.
"We must notify you that, as Penny's legal guardian, our school district has received a complaint from CAS. Concerns have been expressed about Penny's welfare at home."
Gadget scoffed, clearly unconcerned. "Welfare? Don't be ridiculous - Penny's just fine."
"Inspector, with respect, I don't think you recognize the seriousness of this matter," Strazinsky continued. "Our school is legally required to cooperate with CAS' inquiries. We wanted to see you in person so that you were aware of these allegations and could respond accordingly."
The principal's grave tone finally seemed to get through to Gadget, who leaned back in his chair, for once completely lost for words.
"Does Penny know about this?" he asked after a moment of uncomfortable silence, for once sounding completely serious.
"Not yet," Mrs. Devereaux responded. "That's another reason we wanted to speak with you, sir. Penny is an excellent student and well-liked by all her teachers. We'd hate for her to find out about this through gossip or rumors. You might want to talk to her."
"Yes, of course, you're right," said Gadget. "Thank you for letting me know. Please, try to keep this from spreading in the school. Penny doesn't need to worry about this - she's been busy enough with all of her homework."
"Of course, Inspector," said Strasinsky, standing to see Gadget out. "We'll do everything we can. Goodbye."
After the inspector had gone Strazinsky turned to Mrs. Devereaux. "What do you think, Julia? Is this something we need to worry about?"
His assistant principal bit her lip before shaking her head. "No," she said slowly. "I know Inspector Gadget is a bit…er, unusual, but all he seemed concerned about was Penny. He didn't even seem bothered how this could affect his reputation. That's a true parent right there - putting their children first."
Strazinsky nodded. "I hope you're right, Julia, because if the media gets wind of this, it'll be an absolute nightmare."
Earlier that week…
17 February 1986
Mrs. Johnson shifted uncomfortably in the thick leather seat in the lawyer's office. She had notified the school authorities of her concerns regarding Penny Brown's home environment but they didn't seem inclined to do much.
Calling CAS had been her next step. She was determined to get Penny away from her uncle - if no one else would speak up for the girl, then she would. Her sister-in-law had managed to get her in to see the city's best private lawyer and she had spent the past hour detailing her concerns to the man, Dave Bernardino.
"Anything else?" said Bernardino after she had finished speaking. Mrs. Johnson resisted the urge to fidget again. She had the distinct impression that she was being laughed at.
"Well, she mentioned that she was left alone for several weeks, and an unsafe living environment. I've already notified CAS," she added after a moment, "but you know how these things go. They have such a high case load and, well...your firm specializes in family law, and…" she trailed off.
"I see. Thank you, Mrs. Johnson. It was very brave of you to come forward with these concerns," the lawyer said with a smile. She was suddenly reminded of a snake.
"Er, yes, of course - just doing my due diligence," she added, trying to sound officious.
"Indeed. I'll be in touch. Good day, Mrs. Johnson."
Recognizing that she had been dismissed, Mrs. Johnson nodded, gathered up her purse, and walked out.
Once out of the building she took a deep breath, suddenly feeling proud of herself. Her whole life she had been looked down on for being a substitute and not a "real" teacher, but all that was about to change.
She'd show Metro City the truth about their local "hero" and how she had been the only one brave enough to speak up in defense of a poor, helpless girl. Maybe, she thought giddily, they'd even put her on the news. They did specials like that all the time, didn't they?
Yes, she'd show them all, Mrs. Johnson thought to herself.
Quimby Residence
19 February 1986
Mrs. George Quimby, or "Edith" to her family and friends, had learned many things over the years from being the wife of a police officer. One of them was the ability to discern when to let sleeping dogs lie, and when to encourage her husband to share some of the burden of being a policeman.
"Alright, what is it?" Edith said, setting down her book and gazing calmly at her husband.
Quimby frowned over the edge of his paper, cold pipe clenched between his teeth. "What's what?"
"Don't give me that look, George. I know you – you've been staring at the same page for an hour now. What's wrong?" She paused for a moment and then added in a softer tone, "Did something happen with work?"
"Yes…no, oh hell…" Quimby threw his paper down in frustration as nearly a week's worth of stress and worry suddenly boiled over.
He told his wife everything – the investigation by CAS, his own doubts about Gadget's ability to be a parent, his guilt over forgetting that Gadget was still a man, his own sense of helplessness at the situation - everything.
"It's a ugly business and about to blow up in our faces, Edie," said Quimby after he had finished. He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his forehead. "I've been calling in every favor I can think of to keep this from leaking to the news but I can't keep CAS from investigating a legitimate concern."
Edith had listened in silence the whole time and finally spoke. "George, you've seen so many horrible things over the years, and you know I trust your judgement, but ask yourself…do you truly believe Gadget isn't suited to be Penny's guardian?"
"I don't know, Edie," said Quimby. He sighed and rested his elbows on his knees, hands clasped between them. "If you had asked me if John Brown would be a suitable guardian for his niece, I would have said 'yes' in a heartbeat. But Gadget...well, that's a different story."
"They're still the same man, George," his wife admonished gently.
"Are they?" said Quimby. "Sometimes I wonder…" he shook his head. "I don't know what to do. And damn it all…Gadget's a good man. Don't ever tell him I said so," he added, wagging a finger at his wife. "Otherwise the fool will never let me hear the end of it."
Edie reached forward and covered her husband's hand with her own. Her dark eyes were gentle as she gave her husband an encouraging smile. "Maybe he needs to hear that, George."
21 February 1986
Penny was utterly relieved that it was Friday. She had been fighting back a nasty headache all day and had felt exhausted all week no matter how much sleep she got, or tried to get.
And to make matters worse, Mrs. Johnson would not leave her alone. Even though her regular algebra teacher was back from sick leave the woman seemed to be following Penny around school, almost as if she were spying on Penny. It was starting to deeply unnerve the girl. She had done her best to avoid Mrs. Johnson all week but finally the teacher managed to catch Penny at the end of her last period.
"Ah, Penny! I've been meaning to speak with you all week. You're quite hard to catch," said the woman. Before Penny could protest Mrs. Johnson had herded Penny back into a classroom, closing the door behind them.
Penny suddenly felt trapped and fought the urge to dash out the door. Her headache was getting worse and she shivered, suddenly desperately wishing she were home.
"Mrs. Johnson, I'm very sorry but I can't talk right now. I need to catch the bus before it leaves."
The older woman smiled and stepped forward to put an arm around Penny's shoulders, unaware of how the girl tensed up at the gesture. "It's all going to be fine now, Penny dear."
"What do you mean? What are you talking about?"
"My dear, I know this is a difficult subject but I decided to do the right thing since no one else seems to be willing to do so."
When Penny continued to stare in confusion at her Mrs. Johnson continued. "CAS knows the truth about your home situation with your uncle. They're taking care of it."
"You contacted CAS?" Penny exclaimed as she recoiled away from Mrs. Johnson, barely able to keep her voice down. "Why would you do that?"
"Penny, dear, you're clearly living in an unsuitable environment…" Mrs. Johnson stepped forward again but stopped when Penny backed away.
"Stay away from me," she said, her voice trembling with anger. "You don't know anything about me, or my uncle. Nothing," she added, keeping her tone low and calm but inwardly shaking with fury.
"I know that having a machine raise a young girl by himself is inappropriate. It's not natural, Penny-"
"My uncle is a good man - the best - and I'm not going to stand here and listen to you say these ugly things. Now please, excuse me."
Mouth gaping open, Mrs. Johnson numbly stepped aside as Penny pushed past her and dashed out the door.
Penny hurried out of the classroom, nearly running down the hall and not stopping until she reached the girl's bathroom. Fighting back tears, she leaned against the wall, her face buried in her arms.
Why was everyone suddenly trying to take away the only family she had left?
She felt a hand on her shoulder followed by a voice. "Penny, are you okay…" and she reeled backwards.
"Go away-!"
"Woah, hey, it's just me, Penny!" Meg's concerned, freckled face came into view.
"Oh...gosh, I'm sorry Meg," said Penny, straightening and wiping quickly at her face. She had knocked Meg's books and papers out of her arms but her friend didn't seem to care.
"I didn't see you at the bus stop so I came back to look for you. I've been looking everywhere...whoa, you don't look okay. You're really pale - like you've seen a ghost."
"I'm fine," said Penny, unwilling to explain what had just happened.
She bent to help pick up the papers but suddenly the room was spinning...she felt hot and freezing cold all at once….she swayed and stretched out a hand to steady herself, leaning heavily against the wall.
"...Penny? Hey, Penny! Are you okay-Penny!" Meg's panicked voice seemed to be coming from very far away.
Penny didn't get a chance to answer as her vision went black and she slid from the wall to the floor.
Metro City PD Central Station
21 February 1986
The police force of Metro City had long ago decided that "bull in a china shop" was an understatement when it came to Inspector Gadget.
The more seasoned officers had grown accustomed to dodging extended bionic arms, legs, and even Gadget's neck as they moved about the central room. Gadget didn't often spend much time at the station but when he did it was like having a miniature obstacle course in the central workroom.
"Inspector Gadget?" said a young patrolman, poking his head into the main work area.
"Yes?" Gadget looked up from where he had been waging a silent battle with his printer, which had jammed when he had attempted to print a report.
"Telephone for you, sir," said the patrolman.
"Take a message for me, will you?" the inspector grunted, still preoccupied with trying to free his half-printed report.
"Sir, it's your niece's school. They want you to come down immediately." The young man paused and then added, "Your niece is ill - they said she collapsed in the hallway after her last class."
It was like a switch had been flipped. Gadget stood up so quickly that his desk chair flew back into the wall with enough force that it cracked the plaster.
"What? Where is she? Is she alright?"
"I don't know, Inspector," gulped the young man. "They just asked that you come down immediately."
Gadget didn't answer. Moving faster than anyone had ever seen him, the inspector rushed out the door. Several of his coworkers exchanged worried glances with each other. While many of them found Gadget exasperating on the best of days, they were all very fond of Penny and hoped she was alright.
"Heard the flu's bad this year," one of the detectives muttered after a moment of uneasy silence. "Poor kid - hope she's okay," he added gruffly before returning to his typing.
Quimby turned to his secretary. "I'm going with Gadget - I'd better drive to make sure the fool doesn't kill himself trying to get to the hospital."
Metro City Central Hospital
21 February 1986
Quimby watched as Gadget paced restlessly outside of Penny's room. The on-duty nurse had assured both men that Penny wasn't in any danger - she had the flu, most likely - and that the doctor would be down as soon as he had finished his rounds. They couldn't go in just yet, she explained, but they were welcome to wait outside her room.
They had been waiting nearly an hour and Penny was still asleep. And Gadget...the poor man looked so distraught that Quimby was seriously considering asking the nursing staff to sedate him. Seeing Penny hooked up to an IV drip had shaken the resolute chief more than he cared to admit; he couldn't imagine how Gadget must be feeling.
Finally they heard quick footsteps and looked up to see a harried young man walking towards them. Judging from the kid's age Quimby guessed this was the resident on-call.
"I'm Dr. Wyatt," the young man said without preamble. He pulled out a clipboard and squinted at it. "You're family, I'm assuming?" he asked shortly as he jotted down some notes.
"Yes, I'm her uncle," said Gadget, his eyes never leaving Penny.
The doctor looked up from his clipboard, eyebrows raised over his glasses as he eyed Gadget skeptically. "Huh," he muttered, scribbling something on his clipboard.
Quimby scowled. "Well, how is she?"
"Who?" said Dr. Wyatt, a bit impatiently as he continued to write.
"For the love of...Penny! How is she?"
Something in Quimby's tone clearly caught the young man's attention because he jumped (Quimby smirked, he still had it in him to make young whippersnappers pay attention) and finally lowered his clipboard.
"Oh! Er, right, yes - sorry. Ah, yes, Penny Brown," he said, casting an apprehensive glance at Quimby before turning to Gadget.
"Her test came back positive for influenza. There's a lot of that going around right now - the weather isn't helping either."
He paused and when Gadget didn't say anything Dr. Wyatt continued. "She most likely collapsed due to dehydration. That's why we have her on a drip right now."
"Will she be alright?" said Gadget, speaking for the first time since entering the hospital and finally looking at the doctor.
Wyatt nodded. "I know it's alarming to see your niece like this, Inspector," he said in a much gentler tone than before. "Kids her age tend to fall quick and hard with viruses like the flu, but they also bounce back much faster than adults."
"Can I take her home?"
"Not right now, but perhaps tomorrow or even tonight once we've gotten some fluids into her," he said. "She doesn't really need to stay here and we'd actually prefer that she recover at home so as to avoid spreading the flu in the hospital. Plus we don't have a dedicated pediatric wing here. If she can eat something and finish off that IV bag then she can go home with you tonight."
Gadget nodded. "Can I…?" he asked, nodding towards Penny's bed.
Dr. Wyatt's expression softened. "Yes, of course. You can stay with her and see if she'll eat something. I'm going to put in some prescriptions that should help with the fever and coughing."
"Thank you," said Quimby, his opinion of the young doctor growing somewhat. Wyatt nodded and scribbled some more notes on his clipboard.
"I'll write a note for her school - a week at home with plenty of rest, fluid, and hot food and she'll be good as new, you'll see."
The doctor's words didn't seem to reassure Gadget. He simply nodded again and went to sit in the chair by Penny's bedside.
Quimby watched as Gadget dropped his face into his hand and stepped into the room. He clapped Gadget on the shoulder and kept his hand there.
"She's going to be fine, Gadget," he said firmly. "Kids get sick but she'll bounce back just like the doctor said."
"I didn't know she was ill," said Gadget, finally raising his head to look at Quimby, his normally confident expression gone. "Her principal called me yesterday - he said CAS was investigating some sort of complaint against me."
Quimby nodded. "I heard," he said simply. "Listen, Gadget...John…we'll fix this. Just focus on your niece. That's an order."
Gadget nodded and then snapped his head back towards the bed when Penny began stirring.
"Penny?" he said anxiously, leaning forward in the chair. "Sweetheart, can you hear me?"
"I'll grab some coffee," said Quimby, stepping out to give them some privacy.
After Quimby had gone Gadget got out of the too-small chair and carefully sat next to Penny on the bed.
"Penny?" he tried again, leaning forward to brush her mussed hair out of her face.
"Uncle…?" the girl rasped hoarsely, blinking her eyes open.
"I'm right here, Penny."
"Uncle...they're going to take you away…" Penny said, looking more aware but still horribly pale.
"How did you…"
"A teacher at school...she told me she called CAS...they're going to take me away…"
Gadget stiffened and then fought back a rush of anger at whoever had told Penny about the CAS investigation. But that could wait - he had more important things to worry about.
Gadget carefully pulled Penny into his arms, one arm wrapped around her back, his other hand stroking the girl's sweat-dampened hair. He could feel heat radiating off of her slender frame, and the fact that he could so easily discern how hot she was made his gut clench with worry.
"Nonsense, Penny, no one's going to take you away," he said, his voice full of his usual confidence.
Penny nodded and rested her head in the crook of his shoulder and neck. "Promise?" she murmured.
Cool lips pressed against her brow and she closed her eyes at the comforting touch. "I promise. And you know Inspector Gadget never breaks a promise!"
Penny nodded, fighting to keep her eyes open. She felt her uncle's fingers carefully smooth her mussed hair.
"Go to sleep," Gadget murmured against her temple. She felt him rest his cheek against her head and finally allowed herself to drift off.
He continued to hold Penny long after she had fallen asleep again.
Later that evening…
Penny felt awful. Her uncle had been given two weeks off and now he was stuck at home because she had caught the flu. She was utterly embarrassed that she had fainted in school and had worried her uncle so badly. It was a bit ironic, really - she had survived M.A.D. agents for years only to have the flu take her down.
Dr. Wyatt had agreed to release Penny earlier that night and it was nearly nine o'clock by the time they got home. Gadget had run by the pharmacy earlier and carefully guided Penny through the foyer and towards the den.
"Hi, Brain," the girl said with a tired smile as their faithful dog came skidding to a stop in front of them, whining anxiously. When Penny and Gadget hadn't come home at their usual times Brain had been half-mad with worry.
"I'm fine, Brain, really," said Penny, stroking the dog's head.
"Go lie down, Penny," said Gadget as he hung up his hat and coat, setting the pharmacy bag on the kitchen counter. "I'll make you some tea."
She nodded and made it halfway towards the den (she didn't think she could manage the stairs just yet) before the room began to spin.
"Penny!" Gadget's hands caught Penny's shoulders as the girl leaned against the wall, her face growing paler.
"I'm fine," she murmured, swaying and then closing her eyes against a sudden wave of nausea.
"No, you're not," said Gadget with uncharacteristic firmness. Penny suddenly felt her feet leave the floor as Gadget scooped her up into his arms, holding her as though she weighed nothing. Penny let out a muffled squeak of surprise at the sudden movement. Sometimes she forgot just how strong her uncle was - he had lifted her with such easy strength that she barely felt jostled.
"Uncle, I can walk," she protested even as she instinctively relaxed in Gadget' arms, her head resting against his shoulder. "You don't have to…"
"Yes, I do," said Gadget as he carried her towards the den, stopping next to the sofa. He didn't set her down immediately though and Penny tipped her head back against his shoulder to better see his face.
Gadget looked tired and haggard and Penny felt a fresh surge of guilt for making him worry.
"Uncle Gadget, are you okay?"
To her surprise her uncle winced and looked away for a moment before looking back at his niece. He suddenly looked uncertain and hesitant and almost...vulnerable.
"Yes, I mean no, I mean..." said Gadget, struggling to find words. "Penny, I…" he sighed as he struggled to find the words.
"You shouldn't worry so much about me," he finally said. Penny looked as though she were about to speak but Gadget's hat hand suddenly emerged and pressed a finger against her lips, silencing her. "Let me finish. I mean, that's my job - taking care of you. So you just worry about getting better."
Penny gazed at him in confusion, her normally bright blue-green eyes hazy with fever. She was also shivering slightly - her fever was climbing back up - and Gadget held her closer, suddenly hating that his bionic frame was cooler than that of a regular human body.
"Kay," Penny murmured after a moment, closing her eyes.
Gadget carefully settled his niece onto the sofa, covering her with several blankets when he noticed that she was shivering in earnest now.
Penny quickly fell into a restless sleep and Gadget sat by her side, hoping she would settle. He gazed at his niece's face for a long time, suddenly feeling as uncertain and lost as he had when Penny had first come into his care.
Gadget knew, deep in the part of his mind that was still whole and untouched from the intensive reconstructive surgeries that had turned him into the world's first cyborg, that he wasn't the same man he was before the accident.
Penny had never once complained or showed any signs that she was unhappy in his care, but now Gadget was wondering if his kind-hearted niece had simply been trying to spare his feelings all these years.
He didn't truly think that was the case (or maybe he just didn't want to), but now he wasn't so sure. And he was very rarely unsure about anything. He had thought he was doing a rather good job of being a parent to such a remarkable, lovely girl but now he wasn't so certain.
One thing was certain in Gadget's mind - Penny's happiness and safety were paramount. From the moment she had first come into his care after losing her parents in a car crash Gadget had silently promised himself that nothing would hurt her ever again.
He had thought that keeping a bit of distance between them was for the best - that if he always appeared to be perfect that his less...human attributes wouldn't be as noticeable. Gadget remembered with a pang Penny's question about why he had never held her and the guilt was tearing him up inside. He couldn't bear the thought of inadvertently hurting his niece but it seemed he had done so anyway.
Penny stirred a bit and Gadget stroked her forehead until she settled again. He began to draw his hand back but paused, glancing at his glove. He hesitated for a moment before slipping the leather off, followed by his other one.
Von Slickstein had suggested that Gadget practice experiencing touch to allow the nerve sensors to "relearn" how to feel. And his niece had said as much as well.
The inspector hesitated for another moment before carefully resting his fingertips against Penny's warm cheek.
For a second he felt nothing and then there was the sensation of warmth (a bit too much warmth - Penny's fever was still too high) and softness under his fingers.
Gadget carefully cupped his niece's face, stroking his thumb across a bright fever spot on her cheekbone. Penny murmured something and leaned into his touch but didn't wake.
Sighing, Gadget reluctantly went into the kitchen to make himself some coffee and sort through the medicine. After he had finished those tasks he returned to the den, sitting at his desk to sort through the mail. Sure enough there was a letter from CAS in the stack and he resisted the urge to burn it outright.
A whine made him look over towards the sofa. Brain was curled up on the rug by the sofa, his forlorn gaze locked on Penny. His niece slept restlessly for another hour before she woke again, groaning as she coughed harshly.
"Well, look who's up!" said Gadget, attempting to keep a cheerful tone as he sat on the sofa's edge. Penny's face was very pale except for the twin fever stripes standing high on her cheek bones.
"Wha...what time is it?" she croaked.
Wincing at the sound, Gadget handed his niece a glass of water he had fetched earlier just in case she wanted it. "About eleven," he said. "Are you hungry?"
Penny shook her head and Gadget smiled and patted her hand, hiding his growing worry. If Penny's fever didn't go down soon he'd have to take her back to the hospital.
"No matter," he said. "Try to get some more sleep." He squeezed Penny's warm, sweaty hand and his niece didn't seem inclined to let go so he didn't either.
"Hate being sick," the girl mumbled, clearly miserable as she tossed and turned restlessly.
"I know," Gadget said, wincing in sympathy as Penny coughed and groaned at the pain in her chest. He squeezed Penny's hand again and when he saw moisture in her eyes from coughing Gadget lifted her hand, kissing the back of it.
"It's alright," he murmured as the fit continued, once again forgetting about his own aversion towards physical affection in the face of his niece's pain. When the coughing finally stopped Penny's face was wet with tears that she simply didn't have the strength to hide.
Gadget couldn't stand it anymore. He slid onto the sofa behind Penny, pulling the girl to rest back against his chest so that she could breathe easier. "It's okay," he murmured, stroking her hair in the same way he had done on his first morning back home. "Just take deep breaths now...that's it."
Penny didn't have breath to answer - she simply nodded and sagged against the solid support behind her. Gadget kept stroking her hair with one hand, his other arm wrapped lightly but securely around Penny's shoulders so that she didn't have to worry about holding herself up.
"Sorry, I'm being such a baby," she whispered hoarsely, pressing her face into Gadget's chest. Part of her felt embarrassed about being held like a small child, and yet another part of her was desperate for the comforting touch.
The inspector rocked her slightly, resting his chin on top of Penny's head. "Nonsense, you're sick. Everyone's allowed to be miserable when they're sick!"
Penny managed a smile. "Even the world's greatest inspector?"
"Even him."
Penny managed a weak laugh that faded into a few short coughs, though not nearly as bad as before. She felt herself start to slip down the couch a bit but she had barely begun to move when strong hands carefully tugged at her shoulders, pulling her back up so that her back was flush with Gadget's chest.
"Try to get some more sleep," Gadget said after a few minutes of comfortable silence. Penny nodded, watching through heavy eyes as Gadget clicked the TV on, keeping the sound low. He shifted a bit, trying to stretch his long legs out without jostling Penny, and she was able to move enough to give him some room.
Once settled Gadget leaned back against the arm of the sofa, keeping his niece safely elevated against his chest so she could breathe easier. He brought his knees up a bit to give Penny some additional support so she wouldn't roll too close to the sofa's edge in her sleep.
Safely bracketed by her uncle's protective embrace, Penny let the tension she had been carrying for weeks seep out of her muscles. They stayed like that for a long time and eventually Penny's breathing segued into the deep, even breaths of near-sleep.
"Uncle Gadget?" she asked softly.
"Yes, Penny?" said the inspector, looking down at his niece. His eyes shone in the dim light with a faint artificial light - part of the implants for his binocular vision - but the warmth never left them.
"CAS...the complaint...what's going to happen?"
"That? Why, nothing, Penny. It's all a big misunderstanding, you'll see."
"But…"
"No 'buts'," Gadget said firmly. "Everything will be fine." As he spoke he took hold of her hand again, emphasizing each word with a kiss against the backs of her fingers with such tender gentleness that it brought fresh tears to her eyes. How could anyone think her uncle was dangerous, or just a machine with no human feelings?
She nodded and smiled, determined not to cry and worry her uncle any further. Gadget squeezed her hand gently before continuing, "I promise everything will be fine, Penny," he repeated.
"All you need -" a kiss to her knuckles - "to worry about-" he brushed his lips against Penny's fingertips, making her giggle at the tickling sensation, "is getting better," he finished with a kiss to her forehead.
"Okay," said Penny, this time falling into a much deeper, dreamless sleep.
Metro City PD Central Station
22 February 1986
It was yet another miserable, wet Saturday - would winter never end? - and Quimby had holed himself up in his office, resolutely trying to find a (legal) way to convince CAS that the complaint against Gadget was completely baseless.
His phone rang and he snatched it up.
"Quimby here."
"Chief Quimby?" said a voice with a distinct Bostonian accent.
Quimby straightened; he recognized that voice. "This is Chief Quimby speaking. Who's this?"
"Sir, this is Agent Donovan - I was on the task force in Boston."
"Yes, what can I do for you?"
"One of the men from the smuggling ring is missing," Donovan said without preamble. "My supervisor asked that I notify you immediately."
Quimby dropped his pen onto his desk, ignoring how ink splattered across his shirt. "What do you mean missing?"
"He's escaped, sir. It happened en route from Boston to Ontario. We're still investigating what went wrong during the transport but that's not why I'm calling."
"Go on," said Quimby, his policeman's instincts starting to scream internally.
"We've had some tips from the public come in. The suspect was last sighted near the Canadian border…"
"And you think he's going after Gadget?"
"Got it in one, sir."
"Right, thanks. I'll be in touch."
Quimby hung up the phone. "Damn," he said.