Disclaimer: I do not own Codename: Kids Next Door and I never will.

Another update! I'm so grateful that my grandma has no internet access. That means no distractions!

Oh, and please vote on the poll. Melissa, Celeste, Kellie and Thomas are all on a four way tie for first place, Harry in second and Truman last.

Chapter 15: Butterflies to Cockroaches

The Moonbase was stirred up more than Sector V imagined.

"What happened?" asked a young operative.

"Nothing," Harry replied sternly. "Besides, you'll probably pick up little bits from rumours."

And that wasn't the worst of it. Scientists followed them to the medical wards and demanded to know how to make the time machine. When they didn't answer, they trailed them before Melissa smacked them. The museum's caretaker asked if he could show off the time machine in the museum, but was quickly discouraged. Some cadets asked for their autographs, which they scribbled before running for the Soopreme Leader's office.

"Can't you keep your cruddy mouth shut?" Thomas yelled once they were safely inside.

Numbuh 679 tugged at his ear, something he did when he was nervous. "Sorry. I needed a lot of operatives for search parties and reinforcements if you needed it."

Thomas was a little calmer, but his eyebrows were still scrunched together. Harry tugged his arm and pulled him back.

"Numbuh 679, sir," Harry began. "What do you want to know?"

"Start from the beginning," Numbuh 679 replied. "I want to know everything from everyone."

In turn, each person shared their experience. Harry left out Anne-Marie's "riddle", while Thomas and Kellie left out what had happened in the maze and the tunnel. The Soopreme Leader nodded his head from time to time, but didn't interrupt.

When Celeste finished her side of the story, the leader stood up. He walked around his desk and stopped in front of it. He breathed in and looked as if he was wondering what to say.

"Well, we should proceed with caution for the time being," he decided. "We don't know whether they're dead or in some kind of limbo."

"What's limbo?" Truman questioned.

"I'm not exactly sure what it looks like, but I'd say you just float around doing nothing unless you somehow get out," Numbuh 679 explained.

"Well, let's hope it stays that way," said Melissa. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Is there anything else?" asked Harry.

Numbuh 679 shook his head. "No. But I would like you guys to stay here tonight. You've had a long day. A story has already been prepared for your parents."

The area they were staying in was beautiful. The wall with the doorway was straight while the roof and other wall were curved. The curved part was clear so they had an excellent view of the stars. On one side were three bunk beds while the other had a television and some of their possessions from the tree-house.

Kellie dove straight for her Smashing and Crashing Rainbow Monkey. Thomas and Truman started playing a car video game and Melissa grabbed a magazine with her iPod on full blast.

Celeste and Harry remained at the door, staring at the stars. Harry tugged on Celeste's shirt and brought them closer to the window. It made the sight even more beautiful.

After a few minutes of silence between them, Harry spoke up. "You were great when you were fighting Anne-Marie, you know."

"I know. You weren't so bad," she complimented. "Well, for a lovesick teenager anyway."

"I wasn't that bad."

"Yes, you were. And she was an arrogant brat."

"Well, I didn't think so at the time."

"But she's a bit-"

"Numbuh 58!"

"Oh, shush."

Another silence. Harry sighed inwardly. He knew he'd have to be the one to break it. Celeste was just that stubborn.

"So, what about Mitchell?"

Celeste's eyes widened. "Oh, I totally forgot about him."

On the outside, Harry remained calm, but on the inside he was jumping for joy. "What are you going to do about him then?"

"I still wanna see how it goes," she answered. "I mean, he's so funny and sweet. Plus, he likes me and I like him."

Harry's excited butterflies suddenly felt like squirming cockroaches. It wasn't just the fact that she's decided to stay with Mitchell, but the way she said it. It wasn't awkward, which was probably a good thing, but it meant she was comfortable with talking to him about this. That meant she only saw them as friends.

The confidence in her words also made him uneasy. How had she made up her mind that quickly? She hadn't even known the guy that long.

'Not like you,' he thought, but he tried not to think that way.

"Then I'm happy for you," he lied.

"Cool. I'm sorry for shouting at you," Celeste apologised.

"Likewise." Harry smiled, happy to be off the previous subject.

"Hey, what are you gonna do for your drama play?" asked Celeste. "Anne-Marie can't be in it anymore, obviously."

Harry shrugged. "Hopefully I won't have to do it. I can't believe I almost had to do the kissing scene with that creep. Wait, the school doesn't even know she's gone!"

This time it was Celeste's turn to shrug. "Whatever. Let the teachers believe she's still enrolled. I don't know about you, but I can't be stuffed doing anything."

"Yeah, or we could tell them she went missing. Just make the adults more confused," Harry laughed. "We don't want to give them an easy time."

"Hey, what are you guys talking about?"

The two turned and beamed when the others ran over to them. They were as happy as they were.

"Oh, you know, just KND stuff," said Celeste, winking at Harry.

Melissa suddenly looked uneasy. "Speaking of that... Isn't it almost your birthday, Numbuh 361?"

Harry's stomach felt strange again. He would be thirteen very soon. Two months, to be exact. He would turn thirteen then, which meant he wouldn't be in the Kids Next Door anymore. No more missions or adventures. All his memories would be gone, just like when he had to decommission everyone's parents. He wouldn't remember why his friends were his friends and the bonds they shared. Worst of all, he'd be the very thing they fought.

A teenager.

Kellie sniffled. "I don't want to talk about this."

"So, who's gonna lead us?" Thomas asked, pulling out a crumpled tissue from his pocket.

"Numbuh 52," Harry replied.

"I don't want to talk about this," Kellie repeated.

"So you're technically gonna be our enemy?" asked Truman.

Harry hesitated. "...Yeah, probably."

"I really don't want to talk about this..."

"Will we get a new member?" Celeste inquired.

"No idea," answered Harry. "That's up to Numbuh 679."

"Will you guys shut up?"

Everyone focused on Kellie, who could no longer control her tears. She wiped her eyes on her sleeve and continued. "Why do we need to talk about this now? It's two months away! Why can't we just have lots of fun like we did when we were just new to the KND? Why should it change just because someone's gonna get decommissioned? We all are in the end so we might as well enjoy the time we have left together!"

No one spoke because they were too stunned. Kellie hadn't said much since their parents' decommissioning and she normally wasn't this sensitive. However, they knew how she felt.

"She's right," Thomas stated finally.

Celeste smirked. "Oh yeah, of course you'd agree with her.

"Oh shut up!"

Kellie stopped dabbing her eyes and said, "Huh?"

Melissa laughed. "So oblivious."

The mood was uplifting and it was like the good old days for them, even if it was only temporarily.

This is the last full chapter! Next is the epilogue. Then it's on to the third and last story in the trilogy. Review!