~4~

"Then Lee went to give his fudge to Sonya, and you should've seen the blush on their faces when Harvey pointed out they were under the mistletoe," Rachel laughed as she walked down the street with Henry. "They just look so cute together. I think everyone thinks so."

The angel boy munched away on another cookie, but with less vigor this time. "Sounds interesting."

Rachel had just departed from her brother's group not too long ago. Once the fudge had been eaten, and two operatives had been tricked under the kissing plant, Harvey had said that they needed to return to the treehouse to handle one last bit of business before they could go home. With him gone, Henry had decided to reappear from where ever he wandered off to and joined her on the walk. Rachel didn't know where they were heading, Henry never said where, but she didn't mind this time. She was too caught up with all she had been through.

"I just can't believe this night," She spoke out after fixing her hair. "First I find out I'm not Supreme Leader. After I got over that, I got to meet with my old team again, have fun actually fighting adult tyranny again, and now Harvey."

"Heh," Henry lightly uttered. "And here you were thinking everything was going to be all bad."

"It was just all so surprising." Rachel reasoned. "Like Harvey. What was up with him? I know he's normally not…the best person to be around," She grimly admitted remembering his title of Most Hated Operative. "But now it's like he takes his job more seriously, he's fair and less of a jerk. How did that happen?"

"You happened." Henry went into explain. "You get to spend a lot more time at home now. The more you were around your brother, the more you tried to make him a better person. Let's just say it's been working well so far."

"I guess I could understand that." Rachel said to herself. "But what about Tommy? How in the world does me not being Supreme Leader mean he's still in the Kids Next Door? He took his booger out of the Code Module to stop Father's plan."

"Just a simple change of who went in to do what. You sent a sector in to deal with the problem, and the other Supreme Leader did the same. He just picked a different sector then you did." That was Henry all revealed and it was really all he intended to. "Since Tommy wasn't apart of the sector to go in the raid, that meant he didn't stop Father. Fate altered events so someone else did."

"Huh." Rachel muttered out as she glanced to the ground. All that because the Supreme Leader who took her placed choose a different sector. "Well, Father was still defeated and Tommy got to keep his operative status. That's good for him, now he doesn't have to parade around as 'The Tommy'."

"I would have preferred The Tommy to Numbuh T, personally." Henry muttered as he took one more bite of his current cookie. "While he lost his operative status, he gained a life lesson about sacrifice. You've seen the way he acts here."

The blonde frowned as the angel said that. Some of it was true, Tommy did seem to act a bit more self-centered here. In a way, it was like he and Harvey had exchanged mannerisms and attitudes. But she didn't really pay it any mind. He was still young and had a lot to learn. "Well what do you expect? He's a kid. We all are."

"Yes," Henry uttered as he looked in her direction. "You've certainly proven that tonight."

"Something you want to say?"

"It's what you wished for right? No more Rachel, the Supreme Leader. Only Rachel, the operative kid. It's what I gave you. Aren't you enjoying it?"

It took a moment for the girl to fully form her answer. "Yes. I really have." She turned to look at Henry with a smile. "Thank you."

"Hm," The boy responded as he closed his eyes. "Don't go thanking me just yet."

"Why wouldn't I? You've given me the chance to be an actual kid again. You don't understand how much that means to me." She began trying to explain, but then she looked at Henry a bit closer this time. How his smugness he carried seem to be thinning, how his mood seemed to less humorous as the night went on. Something wasn't right. "Hey, are you feeling alright? You don't seem as…you just seem different now."

"I'm not much longer for this world." He opened his eyes, and shook his head at Rachel's serious expression. "Oh don't be thinking that way. I'm already dead. I mean I don't have much time left before I have to go back, my work tonight is almost done."

"I know what you meant."

"Then why did you looked so freaked out about it?"

"It's just…" Rachel tried to choose her words carefully, but couldn't think of any without coming off completely selfish. "When you…go back, that means everything will go back to normal. Everything will be like it used to be, me being Supreme Leader. Isn't that right?"

"That's how these things work out I suppose."

"But…" Rachel stopped, not really knowing how to put it. After everything she had experienced, after finally getting her childhood back, she…she wasn't quite sure she wanted to give it back. "What if I don't want it too?"

Henry frowned as her processed her words. "You don't want to go back to your old life?"

"I…n-no. No I don't." She shamefully admitted. "I mean, I know it's a selfish thing to ask, but I have everything I could want here. I have friends, time to spend with my family."

"You could easily choose all that with your old life. I thought we've seen that the Kids Next Door can survive if you wanted to go away for a little while."

"But they're doing even better without me. Everyone is." She uttered lowly as she looked away. They didn't need her as Supreme Leader. "Patton knows how to command. He'll do a fine job, and Fanny will be up there with him. They even each other out. I know I'm not their friends here, and probably never will, but it seems to work out better that way. It's like you said, since I'm not here, I.T didn't happen. All of my mistakes never happened. They're all spared of my foul-ups."

"Nobody's perfect." Henry spoke up. "You can't avoid not making mistakes. You think you're the only one who has?"

"I know what you're trying to say, but I'm sure that this," She motioned to the world around her. The one without her leading the Kids Next Door. "This is the better choice. The better life for me and everyone. Harvey's becoming a better operative, a more decent person, and even Tommy gets to stay with the KND just like he wanted. Everything is better." She then lowered her hands, and sighed trying to clear any remaining doubts. "Everything is better without me as Supreme Leader."

Henry said nothing after that, only closed his eyes in deep thought. Rachel was unnerved by his silence, and was about to speak once more, but she was shushed when he opened his lids, revealing his violet pupils. He hummed to himself, then looked at her. He peered into her very essence for what seemed like an eternity, then finally spoke. "Are sure you know what you're asking for?"

Rachel was taken aback by his sudden inquiry, but then gathered face and nodded. "I wouldn't be asking if I wasn't."

"This is a one time deal Rachel. No money-back-guarantee. Everything you've seen is so short term. If this doesn't satisfy you in the long run, then you're stuck with it."

The blonde held strong, confident that this was the better option. This was her chance. "I'm ready to accept the consequences."

"Are you really?" Henry questioned, a wry smirk appearing. "Have you thought about every possible outcome? Have you went over you could gain, and everything that you'll lose?"

"I know what I'll gain. I'll get my childhood back. And I know what I'll lose to get it." She stated, trying not to waver under the pressure. This was it. She was certain of it. She was, really. "I'll lose my chance at leading the Kids Next Door to a better future, I'll lose friends, friends like Fanny and Patton. But everything else, everything I've ever wanted will be here."

Henry laughed a humorless laugh at those words. "I can't give you everything you want Rachel. That would be unfair. I would have to take something to make it all an even transaction. Business is business, sad to say." The angel then shook his head. "But then again, if it isn't even coming to mind for you, then it really never meant anything to you to begin with."

Rachel frowned at that. What happened to that joking, jerky like angel who went crazy over Christmas cookies? This Henry seemed so serious, like all this really was a job to him. He was starting to sound like some business man. Like an adult. "Just what are you saying? What is it that you really want from me?"

"I just want you to be happy, Rachel. If giving you this life is what it takes, then I guess my job is done." Was all he said. He then lifted his hand to take a peek at his watch, and after gauging the time and looking towards the sky, he nodded. "Ten forty-five."

"What?"

"Ten forty-five is when my tick will run out of tock. At ten forty-five, this will be your life. The 'what-if' will become reality. And after ten forty-five, there will be no going back."

"Ten forty-five?" She asked confused. "Why not something more even like say, midnight?"

"Geez, who do you think I am? The fairy godmother?" Henry grumbled before shaking his head. "But all joking aside, this is serious. Once time is up, you're stuck here for good. If you want to go back to the way things were, then call me up before it's too late."

Rachel absorbed the information she had been presented, and could only nod when all was said and done. "I will think about it…but I think it's better this way."

"After ten forty-five, it won't matter. I only hope you know what you're doing, Rachel. I hope you haven't forgot about something." He turned away, walking off in the opposite direction before disappearing. "Or someone." Suddenly the wind blew in a flurry of snow, and once it died down, Henry was gone. Only his exit was much more somber then before.

The blonde lowered her arms as the wind died down, staring at Henry used to be. It was unbelievable. She had spent all that time thinking out all her options and finally able to come to a firm conclusion on what she wanted. Yet in a few short seconds, he was able to shake her resolve to the core and make her second guess herself. He shouldn't been able to do that. He didn't have permission to do that! Only one other person was allowed to do that and Henry wasn't that person. But then Rachel froze.

She didn't really forget about anything, did she?

She stayed focused on the spot where her angel just was, but then flinched when something cold landed on her nose. Twitching it off, she looked up to see more tiny crystal flakes beginning to shower down. Shivering a bit, Rachel tucked her arms into her sleeves, forcing them to go as far as they would allow before turning and walking down the street. Where was she going? She still didn't know, and thanks to her decision, Henry wasn't here to guide her. He was gone and left her to fend for herself.

Now that was funny. This whole thing started with her being alone, and now even after wishing she wasn't and getting her wish, she ended up just as she started. Maybe she should just head home. That way she wouldn't be on her lonesome. It was Christmas Eve right? She shouldn't have to be alone, Supreme Leader or otherwise. Why did that sound familiar? Like she's heard it before. Someone didn't want her to be alone, yet she had ignored it or was too busy to listen.

Darn it, now she was actually afraid she was forgetting something.

Rachel quickly strode down the sidewalk in attempt to get home quicker. To put this out of her mind once and for all. Maybe find a way to defy Henry by waking up tomorrow and saying everything was just another blissful dream. But she couldn't even call it a dream anymore, not after she had just accepted it and made a deal to make it real. None of it made sense. Henry kept saying he was giving her what she wanted. And she wanted this life. This life of not having to worry about it all. But every time she opened up to it, Henry acted like he was trying to dissuade her from choosing it and only to finally give in at the end.

Maybe that's why he seemed so different. Maybe that's why he appeared to lose his zealous appeal. He walked in her office wearing his Sunday best all smug and confident, like he knew that no matter what happened, he would be right. But now that she was going along with it, he didn't seem to put up much effort anymore. Perhaps he thought she would hate this life. Maybe he wasn't trying to give her what she wanted, but ended up unintentionally doing so by mistake. Maybe. So many maybes, and she wasn't even sure if that was right. It made sense, but then again, Henry was supposed to be angel, and they weren't suppose to make rational sense. Was that his game plan? To confuse her? Because it was working. Or maybe she was confusing herself.

Or maybe she had the right idea in the first place and really did end up going crazy. That, again, was always a possibility.

'Stop thinking about that stupid angel and his motives. I'm supposed to be thinking about this thing I'm obviously forgetting.' At first, she thought it was her family, but now after spending time with Harvey, she now knew that wasn't the case. Because even her family wasn't able to ease away this incomplete feeling. Something was missing, but she didn't know what. What else could have changed?

Or rather, what didn't change? Maybe that was the answer. Something didn't change, but that was impossible. Everything connected to her own life had changed. But maybe instead of changing, or not changing, perhaps the thing she was forgetting wasn't even here anymore.

"In that case, what is it?" She mumbled to herself, now going over a list of everything worth while to her. Not anybody else, just her.

Fanny and Patton. Both up on the Moonbase, one Supreme Leader, the other Head of Decommissioning and both fine. Harvey and her family? Her brother was out with his sector, and according to what he said at the ice cream shop, mom and dad were both at home getting ready for all the relatives they were expecting. Anything she had as Supreme Leader could be marked off her list, but what else was there then? What was that one thing she was…wait a minute. One.

Sweet mother of all Rainbow Monkeys. One!

"Where's Nigel?" She snapped up sounding a bit distressed. She stopped in the middle of the street as she tried to think of where the British leader of Sector V would be. Was he alright? How had the change affected him? Why the heck did it take her this long to think about him? During he mental rant, she felt something tap against her heel and she jumped up in surprise.

"Geez! What was…that?" She noticed something at her foot, and she bent over to pick it up. The cold metal of the object tingled the tips of her fingers, but she just held it to her face and inspected it. After twisting it around and looking closely at it, she came to the decision that object was just some, "A screw?"

Indeed it was. Just some screw. Slighter bigger then what she was used to seeing, but a metal screw nevertheless. It was probably just some random occurrence, but after everything she had been through so far, she wasn't ready to just label it off like that. So now the question was, "Where did it come from?"

"For Pete's sake! Where'd that stupid bolt go?"

Looking up at the disgruntled voice, Rachel looked up the driveway from where the screw rolled down to see an open garage. But there was no car inside the garage. Inside was what seemed like half of an old broken down C.O.O.L.B.U.S. It appeared as if someone cut the large 2x4 ship in half systematically, and it was being suspended from the roof of the garage by metal chains. Several plates of its armor were scattered around the floor, and the hood was propped up revealing an engine so sophisticated that she couldn't even begin to describe it. Beside the C.O.O.L.B.U.S was a table littered to the brim was oily tools, and a chilli dog with only a single bite into it. Someone was obviously working on the device, question was who.

Then Rachel's unasked question would be answered as some clangs caught her attention. Looking towards the open engine, she now noticed some mass moving around the other side of it. A kid; boy if she wasn't mistaken. The boy dug around in the engine, moving around bits of machinery looking for something. The blonde looked down in her hand and wondered if it was the screw that was giving him so much trouble. Deciding to ease his woes, she began walking up to offer a helping hand. At least someone's problems would be solved tonight.

"Why is it always the small things?" She heard the boy mumbling as she got closer. She walked along the side of the C.O.O.L.B.U.S and made out his legs sticking out of the hood. With each twist and turn of his body, something moved or he grumbled. "Why can't the monkey wrench or power drill ever go missing? At least I wouldn't have to use a magnifying glass to find those!"

After some more cruses and grumbling, Rachel coughed into her hand and made herself known. "Excuse me?"

"Huh?" The boy stopped moving as he heard her voice, his legs moved around and she somehow knew he was scratching his head under there. "Um, I'm kinda busy here."

"I can see that."

"Look, if you're the kid who wanted me to replace the lens in your S.C.A.M.P.P, it's on the table near the door. If you're not, then I'm sorry but I got my hands tied and I'm closing up shop for the holidays."

Rachel rose her brow as she looked around the garage. To her surprise it didn't even look like a normal garage anymore. It looked like some 2x4 chop shop. Weapons ranging from broken M.U.S.K.E.T.'s to cracked opened M.A.R.B.L.E.'s were stacked on the back shelves. G.U.N.K.E.R.'s waiting to be refueled weren't too far form common, and even near the back door on the table in trays were finished goods waiting to be picked up. Like a newly polished B.O.O.M.A.B.A.N.G or even the repaired S.C.A.M.P.P the boy mentioned. It was an endless wonderland of broken down junk, and the boy was apparently in charge of fixing it all.

As her thoughts jumped back to the boy, she shook her head as she spoke again. "I'm not here for the S.C.A.M.P.P, I'm here to try and help." She then held up her hand holding the screw as if he could actually see it from the undercarriage. "You see I found this screw outside…"

"Ya don't say?" The boy muttered as he stopped his rapid movement for a minute. "Does it have a dent in the second curve?"

"Um," Rachel paused as she looked down, squinting and seeing a small crick in the second indention. "Yes?"

"Really? Well aren't you a lifesaver." He then stopped fooling around completely and jiggled her left foot around. "Now pull my leg."

Rachel gave him a dry look. "No, I really do have a screw. I'm not kidding."

"Neither am I, lady. Now pull my leg!"

"Why?"

"You've never seen someone stuck before?"

"You're stuck?"

"No, I just like sweet talking to the engine up close and personal." He grumbled sarcastically. "Help me outta here!"

"Okay, okay. Why didn't you just say so?" Rachel mumbled as she set the screw down on the messy table and gripped around his ankle and pulled.

"I thought it was obvi – OUUUUSSSS!" He screamed in surprise when Rachel tugged harder then she meant to and pulled him out when he wasn't ready. Rachel fell to the ground, and the boy rolled off until he hit the shelf. The tech scattered among it rattled until most of it toppled all over him. The boy groaned once the metal avalanche had ended. "You know, you should try out for professional tug of war." One more invention fell on top of him after that. "Ow."

"I'm so sorry!" Rachel quickly got out as she dug around until she found a hand. She pulled, but a bit more gently this time. "I got ahead of myself there."

"No sweat," The boy mumbled out as he got to his feet. He dusted his shirt off, then reached into his pocket for something. "I'm used to being buried under a lot more metal and grease then that."

"Hold on a minute…" Rachel paused as the portly boy pulled out a handkerchief and began wiping his hands and face off. Once it was all clear and she could make out the yellow lens of his goggles, she smiled, thinking she had found the answers to all her worries. "Numbuh 2!"

"Who'd you expect to be down here?" Hoagie mildly asked as he took off his goggles and began scrubbing them clean. "Considering you found that dang screw and got me out of a tight spot, I suppose that guy can wait for his C.O.O.L.B.U.S to get modded. What can I do for ya?"

"Numbuh 2, it's me. Numbuh 362?" She asked before palming her face. "Oh wait, you probably don't know me."

"No no, give me a second. If you've ever wanted something fixed, or otherwise, I'll remember ya." The boy muttered out as he placed his goggles back on. He narrowed his eyes at the blonde before snapping his finger. "Wait, Numbuh 362? That girl who used to be the best spy, right?"

Rachel sighed. "Yeah, guess that's me."

"I think we've met before. That mission into Father's mansion that one time, that was you wasn't it?" Hoagie questioned as he made his way back over to the table near the C.O.O.L.B.U.S. Taking the missing screw into his fingers, he expertly flicked it into the proper hole, and flipped his screwdriver in his opposite hand before twisting the screw in with amazing speed. "Or was it that 206 guy? You both dressed the same that day. Or was that some cover and you were actually both the same person?" He muttered as he placed the screwdriver down. Seeing something out of place, he banged against and hummed as it fell into the correct slot. "I was never good with keeping up with mission details. That was Abby's job."

"It wasn't that important." Rachel mumbled as she watched the boy work. She looked around his garage once more. She had heard Numbuh 2 was a techno wizard but she never imagined anything like this. "Quite the set up you got here."

"Eh, it works." Was all he said as he inspected the C.O.O.L.B.U.S engine once more. His hand hovered over his tools, and after making up his mind, he stopped over something that looked like a cross between a hammer and a wrench. He picked it up and stuck it in somewhere, and it surprisingly never made a single sound as he twisted it. "Mom's cool with it as long as the grease stays in here. The bro is kept out on his bad days, and let in on the good ones. Though I can never tell which is which anymore."

Rachel could only nod as she listened, though some of it felt a bit off. Not once had Hoagie attempted to make some joke or pun. Maybe it was just her. "I've seen your brother earlier. My brother is the leader of his sector."

"You met Tommy, huh? He's a good operative when he wants to be." Hoagie muttered as he shook his head. "Needs to appreciate his team more though. Never know when they all could be up and gone one day." The kid stopped fooling around with his tool, as he said that. He lowered his working hand to the side side of the hood and dragged his other hand across his face. He looked back to Rachel, and arched a brow when he saw she was still there. "Do I owe you lunch money or something?"

"No, nothing like that." Rachel replied softly as she looked at the boy once more. His face didn't carry that trademark joviality. He didn't seem to throw around his weight of mirth like he used to. Hoagie didn't seem like that wisecracking, cocky pilot she had heard so much about. He seemed a bit more guarded and tired. It was written all over his expression. She found herself not liking it one bit. "I guess you could say I'm an old friend stopping by for a visit."

"One mission and we're friends? You girls like to move fast, dontcha?" He responded, only there was not a single trace of humor in his voice. Hoagie only went to tolerating her presence at best as he worked to finish with the C.O.O.L.B.U.S when it was clear she didn't want anything. "Look, I'm not really into the whole awkward, one-sided conversation thing, so if ya don't want something or need something fixed, then you're probably better off heading on home." He sighed as he placed the tool aside, not really up to tending to the broken down piece of scrap anymore. "I feel like heading inside and getting some grub myself."

Rachel frowned as she twiddled her fingers. "I just wanted to see how everyone's doing."

"In that case, mom's in the kitchen finishing up supper. Grandma is…well, as long as she isn't hounding on me I really don't care what she's doing, but she's fine. And you've met Tommy. He'll be back shortly." Hoagie answered as he turned to the table of tools, searching for the right one. "And me? I'm doing what I'm always doing."

Rachel's frown only intensified as Hoagie went on, telling her about everything except what she really wanted to know. She watched him pick up a normal wrench, which then had all sorts of other small tools spring out when he pressed a button, and groaned. "It meant the guys. I wanted to know how Sector V is doing."

"Go ask them then."

"That's why I'm asking you." Rachel grumbled as she crossed her arms. "What about Nigel? Is he alright at least?"

CLANG!

The blonde jumped as the metallic clang echoed through the garage, causing her to cringe. She slowly opened her clenched eyes, and looked over to see Hoagie had dropped the wrench he was holding. The round boy seemed frozen on the spot, as if she paralyzed him with some magic word. Then suddenly, he sucked in a deep breath then glared at her as he bent over to pick up the very item he had dropped.

"Oh, she thinks she's funny." She heard him grumbled heatedly as he picked up the wrench. "Well listen here, toots, I don't do funny anymore. But I do know not funny, and trust me," He grounded out as he shook the wrench lightly at her. "You are NOT being funny."

Rachel stuttered absurdly as the inventor sharply turned on her and went back to work, putting heavy pressure on whatever he was twisting to vent frustration. Not feeling like dealing with his attitude, Rachel snapped at him. "What the heck? I just asked about Nigel!"

"If you're gonna keep going on about that, then leave." Hoagie lowly grumbled out as he used his free hand to motion to the door. "I'm not in the mood for it!"

"What's the matter with you? I just asked about your team!"

"What team are you talking about? Cause I sure don't."

"YOUR team, wiseguy!" Rachel snarled as she clenched her fists. "I'm talking about Sector V!"

As if her words stirred something in him, Hoagie slowly stopped to a halt and looked over his shoulder, confused at the girl. "What are you talking about? I'm not part of Sector V." He then turned back to his tuning, then decided to add something as an afterthought. "Well, not anymore."

"Wha? Not part of …are you…" She trailed off as her eyes widened in fear. "O-Oh no." She muttered out, the events of tonight catching up in her memory. "What else changed?"

"You alright kid?" She looked up to see Hoagie looking back at her again. "You slip off a snow back or something?"

Rachel was about to say no. Say no and demand the boy tell her everything he knew. But then, she was struck by the most insane, idiotic, brilliant tactic she had thought of in all her career. She would just take Henry's advice.

She would just play along with it.

"Y-Yes!" Rachel suddenly agreed as she vigorously nodded her head. "I-I hit my head! Got it banged against a brick wall like a bazillion times! I can't remember jack! H-Hey, is that my name?"

"Okay." Hoagie slowly dragged out as he looked at the girl with a new eye. Just what he needed. Some crazy sneaking into his workshop. His head slowly trailed along the table trying to find his G.U.M.Z.O.O.K.A sidearm. "Why does my house attract all the looney town escapees?"

"No! Please, I'm serious." Rachel cried out, not believing she was almost begging. "I really can't remember anything. Honest. I was on the Moonbase over a few hours ago and thought I was the Supreme Leader." She tried to persuade. When Hoagie blinked and doubled his efforts to find his weapon she panicked. "Look! I just want some information! That's all! Tell me what I want to know and I'll leave. I won't bother you anymore!"

Hoagie paused for a second, wondering if he should take that chance. "I don't know –"

"You like Doctor Time-Space right?" She asked as she reached around her backside. She then produced the DVD box set Numbuh 359 had given her, then passed it across the floor. "There! First original season! It's yours if you tell me what I NEED to know!"

Curious, Hoagie stepped down towards the box set, keeping his eye on Rachel. The blonde didn't dare move as he picked up the present and inspected it. He tore the wrapping away and looked inside, smirking a bit once he found it to be legit. "Well, you drive a hard bargain."

"So you'll help me?"

"Sure, why not?" Hoagie shrugged as he placed his new Christmas bonus on the table. "What can this washed up flyboy talk your ear off about?"

"Sector V." Rachel calmly started as she composed herself. "You…you were the pilot, and Chief Scientist for the whole team."

"Wow, you go for the hard stuff and do your homework." Hoagie muttered as he began polishing another tool, deciding to use Rachel as a little break. "Yeah, I used to be in Sector V. Real good team. Real good friends. Thought we'd be handling missions for a long time. Be troublemakers together till we hit thirteen. Thought a lot of things back then." He then sighed, letting old memories wash over him. "Guess I thought wrong."

"What happened?"

"A lot of things." Hoagie muttered. "Teenagers making plans to get rid of us, a new backstabbing traitor wanting to get rid of us when we got in his way. But we stuck through it together. We got through a lot of crud…only to be broken up in the aftermath without a fight." The boy shook his head as he laid down the now clean tool. "Long story short, Sector V just really wasn't a sector anymore after Nigel left to become Supreme Leader."

"WHAT?" Rachel screamed out shocked. "When did…N-Nigel? Numbuh 1 was the Supreme Leader?"

"Uh, yeah." Hoagie slowly responded to Rachel. How hard did she hit her head exactly? "After Chad betrayed us, he left us without a leader, not to mention everyone was still freaking out about almost being barbequed by the sun. There was panic for a while, because no one wanted to Supreme Leader. A game of Tag was almost called."

Rachel looked down. Feeling guilty that here, she never stepped up to spare them all that chaos. "Tag never ends well."

"Tell me about it. You never know who you could end up with. Some idiot could even tag somebody like Father." He mused a bit while Rachel coughed into her hand. "But anyway, nobody wanted to play Tag, but we were running out of options. That's when Nigel stepped up. He…he did it so we wouldn't have to play."

"He…he did that, huh?" Rachel mumbled with tiny smile. It seemed like something he would do. But then any trace of a smile vanished as Hoagie's story didn't seem to add up with what she already knew. "But wait…Patton is the Supreme Leader. Not Nigel."

"You mean Numbuh 60? Yeah he's Supreme Leader now." Hoagie answered as he dragged his hand across his table. "He's…Nigel's successor."

Rachel filled with dread at those words, but she wouldn't let her mind wander to such dark place. No. That didn't mean he was…he probably quit like she almost did. Or maybe did something else that…she wouldn't even dare consider that possibility. She looked up to Hoagie through her bangs, preparing another question. "What…what happened to the rest of the team?" She asked to distract herself some the other worry.

"Well sad to say, we really couldn't function like a team after Nigel had to leave. He was like our focus, our glue. Kept us working hard and made sure we didn't slack off. But he didn't have time to lead just us, he had to lead everybody. We thought we could handle without him, but ended up getting our butts handed to us more often then not. We just slowly fell apart after that." He mumbled as he picked up a hammer before placing it back down. "Abby still didn't want to handle being sector leader, felt like she wasn't ready. I'm more useful sitting at the wheel then in a captain's chair. And if you knew anything about Numbuh 3 and 4, then you already know they couldn't handle something as big as that."

"So what happened?"

"We all had to be reassigned. Had to be useful somewhere, even if it wasn't together." Hoagie answered. "Numbuh 4 got shipped back to Australia to be part of the sector down under. And last I heard, Numbuh 3's family moved back to Japan and she was training to became part of the secret Japanese sector. But that was a long time ago. I haven't seen or heard from either of 'em since."

"What about you and Numbuh 5?"

"We had a bit more experience tucked under our belts. We got lucky enough to snag some promotions that got us on the Moonbase a bit closer to Nigel." The portly boy then smiled for the first time since she had arrived. "Then it was just us three again. Like back before Numbuh 3 and 4 joined Sector V. Sure, there were tons of other operatives around, a lot more paperwork, but we still got time in. Abby kept Nigel grounded from his crazy theories, and I was there to lighten the mood. Just like old times. For a while, times weren't so bad. But they all gotta end sometime." His face then blanked again, and he didn't feel like saying much on the matter anymore. "Story time's over. You better be getting home before you're snowed in over here."

Rachel snapped up at how Hoagie just so suddenly ended his tail. She wasn't stupid. She knew there was more to it. He wasn't telling her what she really wanted to know. He was avoiding telling her about what happened to Nigel. The blonde didn't know what to think. If Hoagie was really avoiding it, then she really didn't want to know. But, she had to know. Needed to know what became of the boy. So after steeling her nerves away, she stood from her sitting position and stood strong.

"But what about the Supreme Leader?" She asked, not stopping even when Hoagie did. "What happened to Numbuh 1?"

Hoagie stood stiff for a moment before trying to get back to work. "I'm busy."

"What happened to him?"

"I said I'm busy."

"I'll leave once you tell me."

"Just how hard did you hit your head? What do you think happened?"

"I don't know. That's why I'm asking."

"Why don't you –"

"Hoagie!" Rachel snapped. "What happened to Nigel?"

"GRANDFATHER HAPPENED!" The boy suddenly snapped himself as he turned and threw the wrench he was holding. Rachel actually to sidestep to avoid getting hit by the object and she just watched as Hoagie heaved heavy breaths with a furious snarl.

"Grandfather got recommissioned because that STOOPID Fanny couldn't destroy that device like she should have! I kept it secret! I thought nobody would find out! Well someone DID find out! And MY friend paid for it!" Hoagie shouted out, his form trembling. "Nigel had to be some s-stupid hero! Had to s-send us away from the Moonbase so he could do his stupid plan to save us. H-He…he…" His voice crackled a bit, he slumped down against the C.O.O.L.B.U.S. His hands clutching around his head as he took a moment to regain himself.

Rachel stood paralyzed as well. Found herself fearful at what Hoagie was implying. She slowly stepped back, not knowing if she wanted to hear anymore. But whether she wanted to or not, Hoagie found that he had to finish since he had already started.

"We were getting overwhelmed. Left and right treehouses were being turned into those tapioca factories and every minute a hundred more Citizombies popped up. The Moonbase was the only real safe place left. Operatives who went down didn't come back up, and every ship was barred from entering. We couldn't risk them infecting the last safe haven." Hoagie explained. "But it wasn't safe. Nothing was. We were all waiting up there. Just waiting for Grandfather to win. We knew he was laughing at us. We could hear him. Hear him laughing when we were forced to shoot down some ship that got too close…we could hear him laughing at our fear."

Rachel couldn't grasp what she was hearing. She didn't even want to. "B-But…what about Numbuh Zero?"

"You believe in that myth too, huh?" Hoagie dryly chuckled, ignoring Rachel's confused look. "I don't think even the fairytale of Numbuh Zero could of saved us. Nigel did for some reason. He really thought the guy was real. He wanted to find him or her. But he couldn't leave the Moonbase. Because he's Supreme Leader, right? He had to lead us during that crisis."

"But he did find…" Rachel couldn't finish as logic clogged up her throat once more. When she was Supreme Leader, Nigel took off after Numbuh Zero and found him. They were able to stop Grandfather. But here was different. Nigel was the Supreme Leader during the time. If he couldn't leave the Moonbase, that meant he couldn't have found Numbuh Zero. The one operative who knew the key to beating Grandfather was never reawakened, which meant Grandfather wasn't stopped the way she remembered it. But then,

"How did you stop him?" Rachel asked. Hoagie and the rest of the Kids Next Door being here meant they had to of won somehow. "How did we win?"

"Man, you must have some serious brain damage." Hoagie uttered out quietly. "How did we win? That's a good one."

"How!"

Hoagie closed his eyes as he sighed. "Grandfather was looking for something. Some book. We got reports saying of how his 'victory wasn't assured until he brunt that book'. We had no idea what he was talking about, but he was fully convinced we had whatever it was."

"The Book of KND."

"Was that what it was called?" Hoagie asked, but didn't care for the answer. "But that's when Nigel came up with his plan. All he told us was that he was going to give Grandfather what he wanted. He was gonna give him that book."

"But…I thought you guys didn't have it?"

"We didn't. Nigel just wanted the old man to think he did."

"Why?"

Hoagie was suddenly silent again as he built up to his answer. "He came out of nowhere. Just up and ordered us, ordered anyone still on the Moonbase to go planet-side. Said he had some plan and that we needed to help out any survivors. Me and Abby tried to get him to come with us, but he just told us to trust him. And like idiots, we did." He paused again. "We haven't even got through the atmosphere before panic attacks over radio came in. Everyone was freaking out because Grandfather had snuck by us and was on the Moonbase. On the Moonbase with Nigel. The bald idiot actually told the guy he had the book. Can you believe that?"

"He lured Grandfather to the Moonbase?" The girl only took the boy's silence as a affirmation. "Why?"

Hoagie held his face in his hand as he let out a shakey sigh. "We were about to turn around. I can still remember every word Abby shouted in my ear, yelling at me to go faster. I tried. I really did. But I wasn't fast enough. I was supposed to be the best. I was the ace. So why wasn't I fast enough?" He mumbled, more to himself then Rachel. "Then some recorded message started playing. Nigel giving one last speech to every operative still out there. Heh, he…he was never good at goodbyes. Heh heh." He chuckled again.

Rachel felt her heart stopping. "No…h-he didn't –"

"I wasn't really listening. I was trying to will the ship to go faster. Try to get there in time you know? And we did. We did get there in time." He lowered his hands, and no smile was on his face. Just a blank expression, and hints of wetness behind his goggles. "We got there just in time to see the old Moonbase drifting into the sun, with Nigel and Grandfather trapped on broad."

Rachel found herself losing her step and stumbling a bit, barely catching herself on the nearby table. She couldn't handle all that at once. She closed her eyes and tried to push the information out of her head. She didn't want to hear it. She didn't want hear that Nigel was –

"Some story, huh?" She snapped her head up to see Hoagie back on his feet. Fiddling with his screwdriver. The boy inspected it, then went back to work again. "I may have skipped a few parts. Like how Abby blamed herself as she tends to do and quit. Like how she's mindlessly sipping coca with her sister right now. Cree stopped bothering the KND some time after she did, isn't that odd?" He muttered as he kept twisting his screwdriver. "I may have skipped how I really didn't see the point in flying anymore, or how I opened up shop down here to fix old junk that needs to be fixed. I didn't mention any of that, but it got the point across didn't it?"

Rachel found her leaping away from Hoagie, almost as if she was afraid of him. This wasn't right. Numbuh 2 wasn't supposed to be some morbid, retired old blacksmith. Numbuh 3 and 4 weren't supposed to worlds away, having their own separate lives away from each other. Numbuh 5 wasn't supposed to quit and fade away from memory. And Numbuh 1, Nigel wasn't supposed to be – "No!"

"Don't know why I didn't fully move on like the others." Hoagie continued. "It would be easier. Signing up for early decommissioning, or going to some other sector and make new friends. Just forget I was ever part of it." He stopped for a moment, really looking at the C.O.O.L.B.U.S he was repairing. It reminded him a lot of his old one. The old one that carried his team everywhere. All five of them. Him joking at the wheel, Abby leafing through some magazine at the radar, Wally pretending to blast away bad-guys at the cannons, Kuki having some tea party with the targeting system, and Nigel. Nigel sitting in his captain's chair trying to convince them that rainbows could brainwash them while they all laughed. Such good memories. His memories.

"But maybe that's it. Maybe I don't want to forget." He spoke as he lowered his tool for a second. "Maybe I don't want to be like all the rest and forget. Maybe I want to be the one who remembers. Be Numbuh 2, the last man standing of the real Sector V. Maybe this is my way of moving on. Remembering all the bad times, and good times. Maybe that makes me happy. Remembering everything when no one else does. Because if I'm the only one who remembers, that…that makes it more unique and special, doesn't it?" He then shrugged, getting back to work. "Yeah. They're my special memories. My life. All mine. No one's gonna take it away from me." Another twist, it was almost done. "No one will."

This was wrong. This was all so wrong. Rachel shook her head wildly trying to get a grip, close her eyes and wish it all away. But Hoagie was still there, still working away. But that couldn't be Hoagie. Just like how Nigel couldn't be…

"Where's Nigel?" Rachel growled, sick and tried of all these cruel tricks. "I'm done playing this game, Henry! Where is he?"

"Heh, you're starting to forget too." Hoagie uttered out. "There's nothing left of Nigel, remember? It's not like we could go to the sun and –"

CL-CLICK!

Hoagie stopped mid sentence as he felt the barrel of a loaded S.C.A.M.P.P being pressed into the back of his skull. If she grabbed the one he fixed, then it would hurt a lot if she fired it point blank. But he could feel the weapon shaking, which meant she was shaking. And if his hearing was in order, then Rachel had some pretty labored breathing going on back there. He only rolled his eyes. The first original season of Doctor Time-Space better tell him the darn secrets of the universe for this crud.

"Where is he?" Rachel growled out again, ready to blow this thing in front of her away. It wasn't the real Hoagie. Just one of Henry's twisted knock offs. "Where's Nigel?"

"If you wanna pay your respects, go visit our old treehouse." Hoagie directed as he went back to work. As he expected, the pressure of the S.C.A.M.P.P slowly eased off. "Numbuh 101 had it remodeled into a memorial and it's on the other end of the neighborhood. If they haven't torn it down yet." After a few more seconds, he peered up to see Rachel running out into the snow with S.C.A.M.P.P in hand, still denying the truth in front of her, When she disappeared, he only shook his head.

"Wow Nigel, Lizzie would have been jealous." Hoagie muttered thinking about the Brit's old girlfriend. But even she had moved on too. He could only wonder how that Hispanic flyboy was handling her. The portly boy paused in his tuning, an old joke coming to mind. He smiled a bit, beginning to speak to first of it. "It's sorta like a …no." He frowned again, losing feel for it.

"That's not funny."