Name: I Love Her
Patton's Age: 9
Rachel's Age: 8 ¾
Grade: 3rd
Patton dropped onto the bed behind him. Numbuh 100 had been decommissioned today and numbuh 274 had accepted the position of Soopreme Leaduh. Chad's first act had been tracking Patton and Rachel down to ask them if they would like to be promoted to Drill Sergeant and Secret Moonbase Agent. They had both told numbuh 274 that they needed to think about it. Patton was now laying on his bed, turning over his dad's old dog-tags in his hand. A cold, November breeze blew through the window, knocking some of Patton's drawings off his dresser.
He wanted to go, he really did. Being Drill Sergeant sounded like a perfect position for him. He knew Fanny didn't see it the same way. Rachel didn't have this problem, they already knew she was going to get offered the job; she'd been doing a lot of intelligence work already.
The door opened and Rachel peaked around the corner "Knock knock."
"Hey." Patton said, not looking at her
"Your mom just dropped Natalie off outside." Rachel said, Natalie wasn't exactly unwelcome at the treehouse; she could come in whenever she wanted, if it wasn't at the bottom of a cliff.
Patton chuckled "Nat's fine on her own, we're tough. We're criminals, you learn to walk, talk, and next thing you know your aunt is teaching you to steal a steak and there's cow blood dripping down your back, also for some reason you have to pee but that might just have been bad timing on Cece's part."
Rachel laughed and sat down next to Patton "Have you considered it?"
"Have you?" Patton asked, sitting up straight
Rachel shrugged "I really want to accept the position but I don't want to leave Bartie and Fanny, or you if you don't take your position."
Patton stood up and started to gather up the drawings that had fallen, Rachel stood up and picked one up near her feet, it was a boy with hair slightly longer than Patton's sitting in a tree, he was smiling down at someone below him. Rachel figured it was Patton, Harvey had mentioned Natalie remembering things about him from last time they had talked that even Paddy, his best friend, didn't remember. Sometimes Rachel thought the siblings had selective photographic memories. Patton came around her and looked at the drawing "That's Reid."
"Who?" Rachel asked looking at him
"My cousin, he's the oldest of my Uncle Peter's kids."
Rachel tilted her head to look at the picture "How old is he?"
"13."
"Oh, he's a teenager."
"Yeah, but he's a pretty cool one, think of me but older, smarter, nicer, and hot…..well, not hotter." Patton beamed with self-pride
Rachel set the drawing down on the dresser and turned to the tall boy in front of her "Patton, are you going to accept the position or not?"
Patton frowned "I probably won't."
Rachel gasped "Why not? You're perfect for the job Patton. Your family has been in the military for generations, your dad was a Drill Sergeant." Patton seemed to find his boots rather interesting at this point "She'd want you to take it, even if she doesn't act like it. She wants you to take it."
Patton looked up, he had a quizzical look on his face "Who? Fanny?"
"Duh! I know why you two aren't talking and frankly I like it better when you fight."
Patton laughed "That's cute Rachel, you think I care what numbuh 86 thinks."
"I know you like her Patton; you don't really make an effort to hide it. Of course that just seems to be you getting a bit full of yourself because all you have to do is look at a girl and she's yours."
Patton laughed again "To śmieszne Rach."
"English Pat, your mommy didn't teach it to you just because."
"I said that's insane. I don't like Fanny, at least not like that. Nie z jej czerwone włosy i niebieskie oczy i piegi i jej silnym akcentem, że przywykli."
Rachel stared for a second with an eyebrow raised „I have no clue what you just said. If you don't like Fanny, then tell me why you would rather stay in a sector instead of being in charge of a base?"
"Uh…my friends are all here."
Rachel sighed "Numbuh 274 wants Bartie to be the new Communications Officer and the Head of Decommissioning was asking me questions about Fanny being on the squad because apparently he's getting decommissioned next year."
Patton smiled "Really? That's nice; Bartie and Fan will like that."
"And if I….when I accept this surveillance position, you'll be the only one left in the sector."
"No one said Fanny and Bartie would accept the offer Rach."
"Why shouldn't they?"
Patton groaned "You ain't making me feel any better Rach. If I accept, Fanny gets angry about me abandoning her. If I decline, Fanny could possibly find out I refused because of her and get angry. It's a lose/lose situation."
Rachel just grinned at the Polish boy "You aren't leaving because of Fanny?"
Patton raised his hands in front of him "You are impossible okay!"
Rachel sighed and looked Patton in the eyes "Just admit it already! You like Fanny!"
Patton rolled his eyes "I don't like her! I don't care what she thinks! I don't care if she becomes a decommissioning officer and I hardly ever see her! I don't care if one day she meets some guy and….." Patton stopped and took a sharp breath, Rachel's eyes opened wide.
"You don't just like her…."
"No…I lo-" Patton started before there was a knock at the door and Fanny poked her head around the corner.
"Hey."
Rachel threw her hands in the air "Really?! Perfect timing 86!" she then stomped out of the room, leaving the two operatives with each other.
Fanny looked at Patton with a questioning look "What?"
Patton shrugged and flopped on his bed "Forget about it."
Fanny opened her mouth but thought better of it and laid down next to Patton "Are you going to accept it?" Patton just looked at her "Because I don't want you to turn this down just because of me. I can take care of myself."
Patton chuckled and grabbed her hand "I know."
So cute right!? He almost said he loved her! He won't say that again for a while though. Sorry it took so long to update, our laptop broke and we had to send it halfway across the country to get fixed and then Fanfiction wouldn't load and it was just really difficult. Review!