A/N: Nothing belongs to me except Birchwood, Numbuh 178, and Numbuh 563. The KND belongs to Mr. Warburton and Holly belongs to Eoin Colfer. :)
Chapter 5: A Date?
Numbuhs 2 and 86 were silently walking back to the tree house. It was quite late and Numbuh 2 had to admit that the party wasn't that bad.
"Hey Numbuh 86?" Numbuh 2 asked interrupting the silence.
"If this has anything to do with what my cousin said, then forget it. I'm not telling you." Numbuh 86 growled.
"It doesn't." Numbuh 2 said. "Though I would like to know what that was about."
A glare from Numbuh 86 made him go back to the original conversation.
"Anyway. I was wondering about this switching thing. How did we switch?" He asked softly.
"I don't know. You're the inventive genius. You tell me." Numbuh 86 retorted.
A hurt look crossed Numbuh 2's face and Numbuh 86 immediately felt bad.
"Sorry. It's just this is so frustrating. I'm a boy! My own family is threatening me and..."
Numbuh 2 looked up as he heard a strangled sob.
"Are you crying?" He asked, surprised.
"No! It's just, daddy threatened me." Numbuh 86 said sadly. "And my favorite cousin said, you're not part of the family."
Numbuh 2 frowned. "Well they're technically talking to me, not you. You're dad was threatening me, not you. Heck he adores you! You're just like him...oh wait that's not what I meant." He said as Numbuh 86 looked at him reproachfully.
"I mean, you two get along so well." Numbuh 2 said carefully.
Numbuh 86 sighed. "I know, lots of people say I'm like him. Those are the people who don't know that he's a super villain. I fight super villains for Pete's sake!"
"Luckily Numbuh 1 has excused you from fighting Mr. Boss. That would be odd." Numbuh 2 said gently.
"Yeah, but what if daddy attacks somewhere while we're switched? You'd stay home and I'd have to fight him. I can't fight my own father Numbuh 2."
"You heard Numbuh 3. She and Numbuh 4 switched back after 2 days. That means we'll probably switch back tomorrow night." Numbuh 2 said.
With that done the teenagers continued in silence. They got to the tree house and took the elevator up to the living room. They were surprised to find Numbuhs 178 and 563 waiting for them.
"How'd it go?" Numbuh 178 asked.
"Numbuh 4 filled us in on your um problem." Numbuh 563 added.
"How do you know about the switchings?" Numbuh 86 asked.
"I caught Numbuhs 3 and 4 talking about it when they were switched so they told me. Later they told Numbuh 563. They didn't tell you guys or Numbuhs 1 and 5 because they were convinced that you wouldn't believe them." Numbuh 178 offered helpfully.
"I probably wouldn't." Numbuh 2 muttered. "Anyway. I'm tired, I gonna go to bed. Night, Numbuh 178, 563 and 86." He said sleepily before walking to the door.
He stopped as he got the doorway to the hallway.
"Numbuh 86?"
She looked at him.
"Don't jump out of bed when you wake up. I'd prefer my body back in one piece." He then hurried to his 'new' room.
Numbuh 86 shook her head, said goodnight to Numbuhs 178 and 563 and went to her 'new' room.
"Do you think they'll confess soon?" Numbuh 178 asked.
"No idea." Numbuh 563 said before getting up to go to bed.
Above them 3 fairies were wondering the same thing.
The next morning Numbuh 86 sat up cautiously. She looked over the side of the bed, shuddered and shakily started climbing down the long ladder. How Hoagie could stand sleeping while suspended in mid-air she'd never know.
She froze halfway down.
"Hoagie?" She asked herself. "Since when do I call Numbuh 2 'Hoagie?"
She shook her head lightly and climbed the rest of the way to the ground. She skipped over to Numbuh 2's dresser and peered in. She stifled a laugh. All there was, was blue shirts, khaki brown pants and white t-shirts. Hadn't Hoagie ever heard of variety? She froze again in the middle of pulling on a white t-shirt.
"There you go again." She muttered. "Get a grip!"
She finished getting dressed and hurried to the kitchen. On the way she bumped into someone very familiar.
Numbuh 2 woke up peacefully. No screams from Numbuh 86, no mission alerts, just beautiful silence. He yawned and sat up, rubbing his eyes. He sleepily got up, made the bed and dragged his feet to the closet.
"Pink, pink, pink." He mumbled before stumbling upon a nice, simple navy blue t-shirt and black capris.
"Better than pink." He mumbled sleepily slipping on the clothes.
If he awakened on his own, it could take up to a half hour to wake up completely. He dragged his feet down a hallway heading for the kitchen. His eyes were half closed and he wasn't really paying attention where he was going. So there are no doubts to why he found himself on the ground in 2 seconds.
"OW!" Numbuh 86 said holding her head. "Can't you watch where you're going, Numbuh 2?" She asked crabbily.
Numbuh 2, who was now wide-awake scrambled to his feet and held out his hand.
"Sorry Numbuh 86. I was sleeping."
"Oh right. You were sleep-walking were you?" Numbuh 86 asked taking his hand and getting hoisted to her feet.
"No I mean I haven't really woken up yet." Numbuh 2 said blushing a bit.
Numbuh 86 sighed. "Ok then. Let's go to breakfast."
He nodded and followed her to the kitchen where Numbuhs 1, 3, 4, 5, 178 and 563 were already sitting.
"Morning, Numbuhs 2 and 86." Numbuh 1 said as the two came in.
They grunted in reply and went over to the cupboard.
"How was the party last night?" Numbuh 5 asked.
"Could have been worse." Numbuh 2 mumbled knowing that the question was directed to him, or rather Numbuh 86.
The two sat down and started eating.
"I didn't know that you were left-handed, Numbuh 2." Numbuh 1 said suddenly. "And I didn't know you were right-handed Numbuh 86."
The two said operatives froze.
Numbuh 2 looked annoyed but switched his spoon into his left hand. It felt extremely weird.
Numbuh 86 sighed. "Oh come on! Now on top of everything else we have to..." The rest trailed off into incoherent mumbling as she switched her spoon to her right hand.
A slightly awkward silence fell over the table until...
"Oh yeah. Numbuh 60 called this morning Numbuh 86. He said to call you when you woke up. Or talk to him at school." Numbuh 178 said looking amused.
Numbuh 2 let his head drop into his hands. Numbuh 86 shoved him and he sat up.
"I'll call him now then." He said scowling and left the room.
Numbuh 86 frowned after him.
"Excuse me." She said running after Numbuh 2.
She had to make sure he didn't say anything stupid.
"Jealousy!" Numbuh 3 sang after they left.
The others merely continued with their meals.
Numbuh 2 was silently fuming as he lifted the phone. So Numbuh 60 called, did he? Well he'd call him back alright, he'd...
"Numbuh 2!" Numbuh 86 called.
He sighed as he looked at her. "What? I'm calling Numbuh 60 back."
"Don't you dare say anything mean." Numbuh 86 warned. "Numbuh 60 is a nice guy."
"Ok I won't." Numbuh 2 muttered as he dialed the number.
"Hello?" Came the voice of Numbuh 60.
"Hello Numbuh 60." Numbuh 2 said trying to be civil. He didn't even know why he was so annoyed with Numbuh 60.
"It's Numbuh 86. You wanted to ask me something?"
"Hi Numbuh 86! Yeah I was wondering if you wanted to get together after school today. You know go to the candy store or something?"
Numbuh 2's hand tightened on the phone.
"I don't know I... Wait a second." He covered the receiver with his hand and looked at Numbuh 86.
"What?" He asked as she had been trying to get his attention for a while now.
"What does he want?" She asked.
"He wants to go to the candy store with you after school." Numbuh 2 said.
"Well tell him yes!" She said.
"I don't want to go." Numbuh 2 said. "He's your friend, I barely know the guy."
"Please, Numbuh 2? Just do this for me? Numbuh 60's a really nice guy and besides I skip out on him a lot. You're not supposed to do that to a friend." Numbuh 86 said.
Numbuh 2 rolled his eyes and said, "Numbuh 60? I..I'll go."
"Great! I'll pick you up at 7:00, 'k?"
"Great." Numbuh 2 said trying to be enthusiastic.
He hung up and looked at Numbuh 86.
"First I wear a dress for you, then I get hugged by Mr. Boss and now this. What won't I do for you?" He groaned not exactly realizing what he was saying.
Numbuh 86 smirked.
"Obviously not much." She said before flouncing out the door.
"You got that right." Numbuh 2 muttered before following her.
A/N: Review!! Please. Oh and btw this is what the next chapter is called, 'Chapter 6: School. I will say that Numbuhs 2 and 86 have an interesting day at school. To know what happens next, you have to review so I'll get motivated and update. ;)