p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Gene and Gadget spoke of many things as they ran through training exercises, in both interior and exterior courses, for hours. As physically tired as he was, Gadget trained hard like usual, but thankfully his gadgets eased much of the physical effort. It took energy to control them, especially when they went haywire, which was an accepted part of his life by now. Gene took it upon herself to help him with that whenever she could, and was even able to help him reset the main system later in the afternoon, after a series of accidents./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"They were sitting in the bleachers, with Gadget in Gene's lap, his coat and outer shirt resting beside him, and was holding his undershirt up to give Gene access to a panel on his back. She gently held him more or less still with her thighs as she made microscopic adjustments with expertise-driven care./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""So," she said as she worked. "Did you have a good time with Damien last night?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Gadget was about to answer, when he felt a harsh jolt tear through him. Gene apologized with worry, but he laughed gently. "It's fine, happens all the time. Just be careful of the green wires. Ahhh...there you go...aahhh WOWZERS! GREEN WIRE!" he shouted, and Gene had to grab him about the waist to keep him from leaping and possibly hurting himself more./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Should I stop?" Gene asked, holding him./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""No, no," Gadget said, his breathing calming down. "Really, it's ok. I'll be glitching all day if you don't finish. You can do it, Genie…" he winced, but before long he was putty in her hands. "There you go," he sighed, and he even fell asleep for a few minutes while she worked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"She patted his shoulder when she was done and helped him get dressed. He then got up and held his hand out for her to grab. She miscalculated the bleacher step getting up and fell against him. They looked at each other a moment, strangely tense, achingly silent, and then laughed. Gadget kissed her forehead and they walked back inside with their arms draped around each other./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"When they got back inside, the Chief was waiting for them. "Gadget," he said, clipped, serious. "Gene. Change of plans. I want Gene on the case tonight, and Gadget, I want you to take the night off."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"The agents looked at each other with palpable concern, a frown especially deep set on Gene's face. Gadget looked back at Quimby and practically begged, "Chief, I'm sorry about last night, I should have called earlier…"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yes, you should have," Quimby interrupted harshly. "But that's not important right now. You haven't had a night off in months and this is too important to tackle with anything less than full strength and energy, understood?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yes, Chief..." Gadget answered dutifully but reluctantly. "But what about…?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Gene will be just fine alone," he said, looking at her. "Won't you?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yes, sir," she answered confidently. "And I will call in if I need any help whatsoever."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Exactly right," Quimby approved. "Gadget, take Gene to the warehouse and bring her up to speed. Don't take too long, I want you officially off duty within the hour." He stormed off, calling from over his shoulder, "And get some sleep, dammit! You look like death!"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"The two of them waited for Quimby to leave before clearing the air with giggles. "Are you angry with me?" she abruptly asked with a mild smile./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Angry?" Gadget was taken aback. "With you?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""For being assigned to your case."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Ohhhh!" Gadget intoned. He gave her his arm and they walked out of the station together, close. "Come now, Gene. No case is mine, or yours, or anyone's. We're all in this together. It's about time you did some investigating on your own, anyway. You'll never learn anything hanging around with me." He grinned ironically, and she smiled./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"They went in separate cars, passing through the streets of their beloved city into the outskirts, until the battered old warehouse grew from a point in the distance to looming over their heads. Gadget showed her a relatively safe way inside and began leading her around where he'd already covered, and was complaining that in all this time, he found nothing encouraging./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Gene went a little ways on her own while Gadget said he'd scan the area, and also commented over his shoulder, "This is where Damien and I had our second date."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Gene looked up, ready with follow up questions, but as Gadget was poking around in the debris in front of them, they both knelt down for a closer view. They moved bits of rubble; Gadget's hand passed over a piece of dark purple fabric./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""You found something!" Gene exclaimed, pointing./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"When he noticed the cloth, he rotated it in his hand. "Hmm...so I have...but what?" Gene let him think. It showed in his face when he came to realization. "Someone's been here!" he declared, getting up. "We're going to have to secure this area from civilians," he instructed Gene, walking away from the debris, rag in hand. "Kids coming in here, unsupervised." he shook his head, frowning at the rag. "Whoever ripped their shirt probably got injured too. I don't see any blood…"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Gene frowned. She came over to him, hand out. "Let me see that, please."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Good idea," said Gadget. "We should find out who this belongs to-" Gene's eyes lit up in agreement, "-and make sure they're ok." Her face fell, but Gadget didn't notice as he gave her the scrap of fabric. She might have pressed the issue, but figured there was little point if she was going to take over the investigation for the night. And besides, she didn't want Gadget to be tempted to disobey the Chief and stay on./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"She put it away in a compartment in her belt. "I'll do that," she said, leading Gadget out of the crumbling building and back to his car. "While you go find your boyfriend and have some fun." She smiled. "That's an order."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Gadget looked at her in all seriousness. "Are you sure you don't want me to stick around? I could just sit in the car and you could-"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Go!" she shouted with a laugh./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"He grinned at her ruefully and kissed her cheek. "Fine." He made it to the car door, and stopped, hand on the handle looking at her. "But if you need anything..." he formed his hand into the universal sign of "call me," which so happened to be exactly how he got some calls./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I will! Now, go!"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"He grinned to himself as he obeyed her, but his smile faded as he drove into the city. Just thinking about Damien and the night they shared made him so nervous, so keyed up, he stopped the car several times, about to throw up. At one point he was at the side of the road, head in hands, groaning, fingers scratching across his scalp beneath the hat. He loved him! He knew this already, he always knew. He barely knew this man, and he couldn't stop thinking about the contrast between that dirty, unappealing apartment and the elegantly clothing and expensive looking car. He just found it incredible to imagine Damien harming anyone./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"He reminded himself he had no reason to believe anything nefarious about the man. So what if his apartment looked like a safe house? Maybe he was in witness protection, maybe he was a divorcee, maybe, maybe, maybe! He could only make assumptions right now and he hated where his mind kept going. He longed for another embrace, to feel those lips again so much, to confirm his good heart./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"With relief he remembered their plan to meet again and checked the time. Close. He made himself breathe in deeply a while, and relaxed, and thought about the night before. The way Damien held back, afraid to lose him. The way his hand felt through his hair. Whatever was in Damien's past, he decided, emboldening himself to get back on the road, was in the past. He deserved a chance./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"They were sitting in the bleachers, with Gadget in Gene's lap, his coat and outer shirt resting beside him, and was holding his undershirt up to give Gene access to a panel on his back. She gently held him more or less still with her thighs as she made microscopic adjustments with expertise-driven care./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""So," she said as she worked. "Did you have a good time with Damien last night?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Gadget was about to answer, when he felt a harsh jolt tear through him. Gene apologized with worry, but he laughed gently. "It's fine, happens all the time. Just be careful of the green wires. Ahhh...there you go...aahhh WOWZERS! GREEN WIRE!" he shouted, and Gene had to grab him about the waist to keep him from leaping and possibly hurting himself more./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Should I stop?" Gene asked, holding him./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""No, no," Gadget said, his breathing calming down. "Really, it's ok. I'll be glitching all day if you don't finish. You can do it, Genie…" he winced, but before long he was putty in her hands. "There you go," he sighed, and he even fell asleep for a few minutes while she worked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"She patted his shoulder when she was done and helped him get dressed. He then got up and held his hand out for her to grab. She miscalculated the bleacher step getting up and fell against him. They looked at each other a moment, strangely tense, achingly silent, and then laughed. Gadget kissed her forehead and they walked back inside with their arms draped around each other./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"When they got back inside, the Chief was waiting for them. "Gadget," he said, clipped, serious. "Gene. Change of plans. I want Gene on the case tonight, and Gadget, I want you to take the night off."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"The agents looked at each other with palpable concern, a frown especially deep set on Gene's face. Gadget looked back at Quimby and practically begged, "Chief, I'm sorry about last night, I should have called earlier…"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yes, you should have," Quimby interrupted harshly. "But that's not important right now. You haven't had a night off in months and this is too important to tackle with anything less than full strength and energy, understood?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yes, Chief..." Gadget answered dutifully but reluctantly. "But what about…?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Gene will be just fine alone," he said, looking at her. "Won't you?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yes, sir," she answered confidently. "And I will call in if I need any help whatsoever."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Exactly right," Quimby approved. "Gadget, take Gene to the warehouse and bring her up to speed. Don't take too long, I want you officially off duty within the hour." He stormed off, calling from over his shoulder, "And get some sleep, dammit! You look like death!"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"The two of them waited for Quimby to leave before clearing the air with giggles. "Are you angry with me?" she abruptly asked with a mild smile./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Angry?" Gadget was taken aback. "With you?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""For being assigned to your case."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Ohhhh!" Gadget intoned. He gave her his arm and they walked out of the station together, close. "Come now, Gene. No case is mine, or yours, or anyone's. We're all in this together. It's about time you did some investigating on your own, anyway. You'll never learn anything hanging around with me." He grinned ironically, and she smiled./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"They went in separate cars, passing through the streets of their beloved city into the outskirts, until the battered old warehouse grew from a point in the distance to looming over their heads. Gadget showed her a relatively safe way inside and began leading her around where he'd already covered, and was complaining that in all this time, he found nothing encouraging./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Gene went a little ways on her own while Gadget said he'd scan the area, and also commented over his shoulder, "This is where Damien and I had our second date."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Gene looked up, ready with follow up questions, but as Gadget was poking around in the debris in front of them, they both knelt down for a closer view. They moved bits of rubble; Gadget's hand passed over a piece of dark purple fabric./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""You found something!" Gene exclaimed, pointing./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"When he noticed the cloth, he rotated it in his hand. "Hmm...so I have...but what?" Gene let him think. It showed in his face when he came to realization. "Someone's been here!" he declared, getting up. "We're going to have to secure this area from civilians," he instructed Gene, walking away from the debris, rag in hand. "Kids coming in here, unsupervised." he shook his head, frowning at the rag. "Whoever ripped their shirt probably got injured too. I don't see any blood…"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Gene frowned. She came over to him, hand out. "Let me see that, please."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Good idea," said Gadget. "We should find out who this belongs to-" Gene's eyes lit up in agreement, "-and make sure they're ok." Her face fell, but Gadget didn't notice as he gave her the scrap of fabric. She might have pressed the issue, but figured there was little point if she was going to take over the investigation for the night. And besides, she didn't want Gadget to be tempted to disobey the Chief and stay on./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"She put it away in a compartment in her belt. "I'll do that," she said, leading Gadget out of the crumbling building and back to his car. "While you go find your boyfriend and have some fun." She smiled. "That's an order."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Gadget looked at her in all seriousness. "Are you sure you don't want me to stick around? I could just sit in the car and you could-"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Go!" she shouted with a laugh./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"He grinned at her ruefully and kissed her cheek. "Fine." He made it to the car door, and stopped, hand on the handle looking at her. "But if you need anything..." he formed his hand into the universal sign of "call me," which so happened to be exactly how he got some calls./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I will! Now, go!"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"He grinned to himself as he obeyed her, but his smile faded as he drove into the city. Just thinking about Damien and the night they shared made him so nervous, so keyed up, he stopped the car several times, about to throw up. At one point he was at the side of the road, head in hands, groaning, fingers scratching across his scalp beneath the hat. He loved him! He knew this already, he always knew. He barely knew this man, and he couldn't stop thinking about the contrast between that dirty, unappealing apartment and the elegantly clothing and expensive looking car. He just found it incredible to imagine Damien harming anyone./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"He reminded himself he had no reason to believe anything nefarious about the man. So what if his apartment looked like a safe house? Maybe he was in witness protection, maybe he was a divorcee, maybe, maybe, maybe! He could only make assumptions right now and he hated where his mind kept going. He longed for another embrace, to feel those lips again so much, to confirm his good heart./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"With relief he remembered their plan to meet again and checked the time. Close. He made himself breathe in deeply a while, and relaxed, and thought about the night before. The way Damien held back, afraid to lose him. The way his hand felt through his hair. Whatever was in Damien's past, he decided, emboldening himself to get back on the road, was in the past. He deserved a chance./p