Disclaimer: I do not own Danger Mouse (2015) or any canon characters featured within. They are the property of Brian Cosgrove, Mark Hall, Fremantle Media, CBBC and Boulder Media. I do own Emma White, Dr. Kirkland, Ms. Anderson and Jonathan Baker, among other OCs.

DMEP

London, and the starry sky is not quite as visible. We make our way to a building shaped like a pillar-box to see our heroes returning from a mission, fatigued but satisfied.

DMEP

Ernest Penfold let out a loud yawn and stretched as he entered the flat. "Crumbs, DM, I feel ready to nod off any second now," he murmured.

"I'm right buggered myself, Penfold. Go on ahead and change into your onesie, I'll be there shortly," Danger Mouse responded. He watched his partner, in more than one sense of the word, make his way to the bedroom they shared. He was making his way to the kitchen to get a drink when his iPatch let out a ringtone. "I swear, I will change that," he muttered as he pressed the button. "Danger Moth?"

On the screen of the iPatch, only seen in Danger Mouse's point of view, Danger Moth appeared quite concerned. She also appeared to be flying at a high speed. "DM, I'm glad I could reach you!"

"What's the trouble?"

"It's Emma."

At the mention of that name, his blood started going cold. Something had to be wrong with the orphan he and Penfold had come to love. If they could've, they would've adopted her as their own. "What happened?"

"I found her unconscious on the road. She's in a dreadful state, DM. I'm taking her to our hospital, a public one would not be safe for her right now."

"Good call. Penfold and I will be right there. Thanks for letting me know, Danger Moth."

"Meet you there." The screen went blank, aside from the usual bioscans.

"Penfold, we must be off right now! Forget about changing out of your onesie, let's go!"

Penfold emerged from the bedroom. "What's going on, Chief? Where are we off to in such a hurry?"

He approached the hamster, wrapping his arms around him, knowing Penfold would not take the news well. "Danger Moth just called, she found Emma unconscious and is taking her to our hospital."

"Wh-What? Emma...? What happened?!"

"Only Emma can tell us. Let's be off."

"Right."

The embrace was broken and the pair hurried to the garage.

DMEP

Danger Moth was standing outside a room with a large, glass window. The medical team had taken the kitten from her upon arrival and were proceeding to carry out examinations and prepare treatments.

"Danger Moth!"

She turned at the familiar voice and let out a sigh. "DM, Penfold, thank goodness you've arrived! Emma's in there, but she's unable to have visitors."

"As long as she has Lucy with her, she'll be alright. So, it's as you told me?"

"I saw her running along the road and was about to call out to her, but she collapsed. She wasn't rising, so I quickly swooped to her side. The last word I heard from her was help. She was in such a dreadful state, DM, I assure you must be prepared before you see her!"

Penfold gripped Danger Mouse's paw tightly, feeling it returned in earnest. He'd never seen Danger Moth so shaken before, Emma must've been in a terrible way to elicit such a reaction.

"How bad?" Danger Mouse whispered.

Danger Moth sighed. "Her clothes were torn in many places, they were also filthy and pungent, as if she'd worn the same for months on end. She looked as if she'd had barely a bite to eat, she was so thin and...so light. I felt horrified when I picked her up, she was lighter than Danger Bug. Her cheeks had sunken, her eyes had dark circles under them, her fur was so dry and brittle...oh, DM, she did not look healthy at all!"

A doctor emerged from the room. He recognised the trio and understood there had to be a reason why they all stood there. He'd understand if it was just Danger Moth, but why the other two? Still, he decided not to question their presence. "I am afraid she isn't in a good condition at all. Young Emma is severely malnutritioned, her blood tests will likely show anaemia and numerous other deficiencies. Her heart rate has grown weak and she has many healing wounds." He looked to Danger Moth. "Needless to say, Danger Moth, if you hadn't found her...I doubt she'd seen morning."

Penfold clung to Danger Mouse and fought back a fierce onslaught of tears. He felt the embrace being returned.

"I don't know how she ended up this way, but one thing is for sure...someone was behind it."

Danger Mouse was fuming. How dare anybody hurt poor Emma? He looked to the moth. "Please look after Penfold for me." He then turned to the doctor. "Which way to the Rage Room?"

The doctor pointed down a long hallway. "Fourth on the left. It's soundproof so feel free to yell."

"Thank you." He passed Penfold to Danger Moth, trusting him to her care, and made his way to the room.

"These two knew Emma months ago and had become close to her," Danger Moth explained to the bewildered doctor.

"I see. She is still unable to have visitors at this time, but you can observe her from out here. We'll do everything we can to help her."

"When will she wake up?" Penfold asked in a broken voice.

"It's hard to say. She fell into a coma."

Forget holding back the tears.

Danger Moth patted his back compassionately as she heard him let out heartwrenching sobs.

DMEP

Inside the Rage Room, Danger Mouse had already destroyed half of what stood in there. He screamed words that will not be written. He punched and kicked wherever appropriate and simply did not care how far he went. He was absolutely furious! How could it be that Emma, a child who had already suffered so but still lived with a smile on her face, had found herself in circumstances so utterly vile? He had to get to the bottom of it! He would derive great pleasure from seeing the sick person or persons responsible locked behind bars for life.

He had finally worn out all of the anger. Instead, he felt deep sorrow and fierce determination. The investigation would not start until morning, it wouldn't be able to start by then anyway, but as soon as it started, he was going to give his all. There would be no tomfoolery, no in the nick of time, no grandstanding. No, the investigation was going to be all business. He already knew Penfold would feel the same.

"We owe it to Emma," he muttered, scrubbing at his face and emerging from the room. He found a nurse. "Terribly sorry, I got a bit carried away in there. I'm afraid it will all have to be replaced."

"Thanks for letting me know, Danger Mouse," the doe responded.

He nodded then made his way back to where his good friend and his partner were waiting for his return.

DMEP

Danger Moth looked up. "I'm glad you're back. Penfold just calmed down."

"Danger Moth, I need to tell you something. Whether the Colonel approves or not, I am going to investigate what led to this. Emma was supposed to be safe, she shouldn't be here fighting for her life."

She nodded. "Then, this means you may be considered going rogue."

"Right. If it comes to that and you are sent to arrest us..."

"I'll refuse! I know she means a lot to both of you, I would do as you are."

"No. Don't refuse. I only ask that if it happens that you don't begrudge me for whatever I may have to do."

"I wouldn't. Not in these circumstances."

"Thank you. I'd better get Penfold home, we need to get as much rest as possible before tomorrow."

"I'll stay a little longer. If anything comes up, I'll let you know. You'll be focused on your mission to find the horrific being responsible for this, so I'll serve as her emergency contact."

"Thank you for everything, Danger Moth. You truly are a good friend."

She picked up Penfold and handed him to the mouse. "Just don't push yourself too hard. If you wind up in here, it would do no good."

"I know." With a fond bid of good evening, Danger Mouse carried Penfold out of the hospital.

Danger Moth sighed and returned her gaze to inside the room. "Be careful, DM..."

DMEP

The pair returned home and went right to bed. "I don't know if I will be able to sleep tonight. Not while...Emma..." He felt tears in his eyes again.

Danger Mouse leaned in and kissed Penfold's closed eyelids, just where the tears were blooming. "I don't know if I can either, but we must rest up so we can begin our investigation."

"I know..." He opened his eyes again. His vision was awful without his spectacles, but at such a close range, he could see the sorrow on Danger Mouse's features.

"We must get to the bottom of it. We owe it to her. I...I should've agreed with your suggestion."

"Hm?"

"To adopt her."

"But...but you said we wouldn't really be raising her, that was your main objection."

"Her being raised by a trustworthy nanny would be far preferable to what has befallen her."

He understood. Penfold shook his head. "You have no reason to feel even the slightest bit responsible for what has happened."

"Why not? If I had said yes, we can adopt her, she wouldn't have needed to go to the children's home. She wouldn't have needed to be adopted by someone else who didn't treat her with the love she deserves. But, I said no, we can't, and look at what happened to her! In hospital, fighting for her life! And all because I said no! Penfold, I am every bit as responsible for what happened as whoever had done it to her!"

He shook his head again. "The only one responsible for hurting her is the one who did it. Not you. Not me. Not Ms. Anderson. Just the one who hurt her!"

"Penfold..."

"When we'd been abducted by Stiletto, did you blame me in the slightest? After all, I was to protect her."

"No, I didn't. But, this is different."

"How?"

"She wasn't alone. You were there, you tried to help her but Stiletto was too quick. This time, she was alone and vulnerable, open to danger. If I'd only said yes, she would've been kept safe..."

He heard the mouse's voice breaking. He hadn't doubted what had happened also caused him some upset, but it was still alarming to hear Danger Mouse blame himself.

"I should've...she shouldn't have...and now she's..."

He snuggled against him, kissing his cheek. "We will find out who did this and they will pay dearly for it." The tears were returning to his eyes; he had no doubt, judging by the hitched breaths he felt from the mouse's chest, that there were tears in his partner's eye too.

He held Penfold tight as they both shed tears for the little girl they loved so much.

DMEP

The tears had been spent and so were they. They fell into a deep slumber, it seemed to be the only way they would rest that night. Their sleep wasn't restful, not by a long shot, but it would be enough to give them the fuel they needed to carry out their investigation.