Note: As always, I can't take credit for Cyberchase. But I can claim every inch of this fic for myself! Booyah!

FYI: I might have rushed through this one just a teensy bit, so don't be surprised if I have to edit some of it.

My One and Only: A Cyberspace Story

By LaurenShort-DisneyFan

Chapter 11: When Time Runs Out…

"I can not believe we're doing this."

These were the fist words to be spoken for a good while between the group of teens. Each of them had been going through so many different emotions it was difficult to express exactly how any of them truly felt about the day's events.

Matt looks up from his driving to see Jackie's reflection slouched in the backseat, shaking her head at the window, her face worry stricken. "Whatta mean, Jacks?"

"This!" She throws her arms up in frustration. "All of it! Think about it guys," she explains, beginning to count on her fingers. "We find some random little girl at the Northern Frontier, find out she's Hacker's daughter of all things, then the Doc tells us she doesn't have much time left, and the only way to save her is some kind of transplant, or whatever, from the only person she shares a genetic connection with." Jackie slumps in her seat. "So here we are, going back to the Northern Frontier, in hopes that one person will actually do the right thing for once in his miserable life and help someone else for a change!" She then shrugs. "But hey, that's just my opinion…I mean if you guys think Hacker's gotten a little more generous since last we saw him, then I'll shut up."

After a moment of silent thought, Inez finally looks over at Matt uneasily. "I hate to say it, but…she does make a good point."

Matt whips his head around in surprise, almost forgetting he's piloting a cyber craft. "Woah, seriously? But you guys were the ones who felt bad for the kid in the first place!"

"It's not that I don't wanna help Ivy," Jackie defends. "But asking The Hacker for help?"

"Plus," Inez adds. "We barely know this girl…and what if Doctor Marbles is right; there's a really good chance that we're supposed to go after Hacker for help. Just another of his plans to take over Cyberspace. "

"Well, hang on a sec!" The red-head keeps his steering steady as he turns to each of the girls, not too thrilled about their sudden change of heart. "I thought we agreed this was our best shot? You were the ones that felt so bad for her!"

"We still do, Matt," says Inez, sharing a concerned glance with Jackie. "It's just that, well…you can't really blame us for our having doubts, can you?"

Matt blinks at them. "Doubts? You can't be serious!" He gestures through the bubble of glass surrounding the three. "This is the second flight this coupe's had to take all the way to the Northern Frontier then back to Control Central! Not to mention I've already been pushing it by using the hyper-drive function."

"We didn't tell you to engage that," Jackie lectures. "You were the one that wanted to be all heroic and stuff."

"I wasn't using it to be heroic!" Matt came back with in defense. "We're in a hurry, aren't we? So why wouldn't I use it!"

Jackie rolls her. "Gee, I don't know. Probably because all guys have this weird obsession with anything that remotely resembles something out of Star Wars, or have this urge to drive as fast as possible!"

"Come on guys, now isn't the time to fight." Inez's attempts at preventing an argument go unheard as Matt quickly comes back with his own response.

"Look, I wasn't hearing any objections when we first left. In fact, I believe your exact words were, 'Come on you guys! There's no time to lose,'" he says, voice layered with sarcasm. " 'The faster we find Hacker, the faster Ivy gets the help she needs.' Sound familiar?"

"Wow, really, Matt?" Jackie forces an offended scoff. "That's really mature. Taking something totally out of context from what I said, and turning it into something that works to your advantage."

"Guys, seriously. We can't afford to-"

She's interrupted by an alarming buzzer pulsating, as well a yellow light flashing repeatedly on the dash. Instinctively their hands fly up and over their ears.

"What the heck is that!" Jackie calls over the shrill noise.

"Something must be malfunctioning!"

"Figure that out all by yourself, eh, Matt!"

Matt glares back at the African-American. "Now who's being immature!"

"It's the ship's engine!" Inez states, pointing at one of the many meters in front of her. "It might be overheated!"

Matt lets go of his head to readjust the controls, as well as flip a few switches and press a button or two for good measure. Due to his limited knowledge on vehicles in general, this was the best he could think to do. Unfortunately, it was more pointless than useful.

He shakes his head frantically. "I, think we may have overdone it when we engaged that hyper drive when we first left!" He then shrugs. "Oops."

"Yeah, we." Jackie rolls her eyes, still covering her ears. "Because we're all behind the controls right now!"

Matt ignores her, his eyes not leaving the digital numbers displaying the ship's elevation. He swallows the lump in his throat at seeing the numbers getting lower.

Inez also sees this, her voice almost inaudible when she states, "uh oh."

"Uh oh!" Jackie looks to her friend in alarm. "What uh oh? You know I hate it when anyone says uh oh!"

She scans the outside of the dome in alarm. "The coupe is losing altitude. Fast!" Her head whips around to see a still panicked Mathew scrambling over the controls. "Matt, you need to get us back on track, we're going down!"

"Down where!" Jackie's arms fling about. "We're floating in the middle of cyberspace, where could we possibly fall down to!"

Matt now jerks back on the steering mechanism, not too thrilled with the results. "Dammit! The controls are locked up!" He looks over at the frightened girls as their stares turn from hopeful to dreading. "I couldn't steer this thing even if it was still working right!"

With wide eyes, the three now stare out into the blackness of space around them, not looking forward to finally catching site of a cyber site looming beneath their doomed craft, finally putting an end to its drifting. The sound of the alarm is forgotten for the time being, having much more important things to deal with at the moment-

As if on cue, a violent jerk suddenly shakes the small craft, feeling as though they'd actually hit something solid. The buzzing and flashing light also subside, giving the ship an eerie silence. It takes them all a moment to adjust to the drastic change, each of them slowly poking their heads up, squinting through clenched eyes.

Jackie, breathing somewhat heavily, looks about her, an agitated look now on her face. She furrows her brow, finally coming out with, "well, that was a bit overdramatic."

Inez nods, adjusting her glasses. "Yeah…good thing we were right above a cyber site, otherwise who knows how much speed we would've picked up the longer we fell." She pauses, also having to catch her breath from all the excitement. "How do the controls look, Matt?"

Matt doesn't respond, having gone quiet as he stares out his side of the dome.

Inez blinks. "Matt, what is it?"

Jackie cranes her neck to see out the same direction. "Yeah, what site did we hit, anyway?"

After a moment, Matt's response finally comes. But it's not an answer they would've anticipated.

"We, uh," the red-head began, slowly shaking his head. "Didn't, land on a site…" He looks upward, not blinking.

"Say what? Well, then what'd we hit?" Jackie asked, joining Inez in confusion.

He shook his head again, but just once. "We didn't hit anything…" His voice is more annoyed than what was to be expected as he glares. He extends a finger upward. "Pretty sure this is more like hitchhiking."

They follow his gesture, looking out and up through his side of the ship. Rather than appear shocked, or even surprised, they share Matt's irritation towards the reason behind preventing the coupe's freefall into cyberspace.

"Oh, great," Jackie grumbles, giving the much larger craft now hovering next to their smaller one a fierce look. "What're the odds of this not being who I think it is?"

Inez groans, still staring. "Not good…not good at all."

They're far from thrilled at the site of the all too familiar Grim Wreaker and the immense robotic claw protruding from its underbelly, clasped tightly around the tail end of the coupe. Too many encounters with their worst enemy had involved situations exactly like this. Unfortunately, this time, it was a good thing that Hacker constantly took them into his custody to use as bargaining chips with Motherboard or Doctor Marbles.

This time around, the tables were turned. Hopefully they could use it to their advantage.

A light beep illustrates up from the console, flashing in unison to a small green square just below it. The three teens stare at it before one of them, Matt, finally reaches out and presses it. But not without exchanging looks with the girls first. Almost immediately a small display screen comes to life, showing an all too familiar face leering up at them. Though it wasn't the one they were expecting.

"Alright you darn kids!" came Delete's high, whiney tone. "Where is she?"

"Yeah!" Delete is abruptly pushed aside to reveal a much shorter Buzz, just as heated as his counterpart. "Who do ya think you are? Comin' in an' just takin' our Ivy like that!" He shakes a small fist. "Give 'er back! Now!"

"Ivy doesn't belong to you," Inez states. "Or the Hacker."

"Speaking of that grease ball," Jackie chimed in. "Where is that no good boss of yours, anyway?"

"None uh' your business, Girlie!" snapped Buzz, jamming a stubby finger into the screen. "And we'll ask the questions here! Where's duh girl?"

"A lot safer now," Inez says defiantly. "No thanks to any of you."

Jackie nods. "Yeah, what kind of sicko makes a clone of himself, and then doesn't even bother to save her from dying."

"Hey," shouts Delete. "She is not a clone! So don't you-"

"Waitwaitwait!" Buzz pushes him out of the way again, looking through the monitor in alarm. "What'd you just say? D-Did, something happen tuh Ivy!"

Delete gasps. "Ivy's hurt!" He then bares his teeth, more angry at hearing this. "What'd you do to Hacker's little girl? She'd better be okay-"

"Little girl?" Matt murmurs to himself.

"We didn't do anything!" Jackie came back with. "Your Boss is the one that could care less what happens to an innocent child!"

"You brats don't know what yer talkin' about," said Buzz. "Now mind yer own business and hand over the kid, if ya know what's good for ya!"

"You better not have harmed a hair on our Ivy's head, or there's gonna be some serious trouble."

Jackie rolls her eyes at Delete's threat. "Mkay, we're wasting a lot of time here. Either tell us where Hacker is or we bust into that hunkuh junk and find him ourselves."

"Guys, seriously," Matt intervenes, stopping Jackie from adding anything else she would definitely regret later. "We're losing sight of what's important here." He pauses, looking to the image of the two robots earnestly. "Listen; we're not here to start trouble. If anything, we wanna fix things."

Buzz and Delete exchange suspicious glances before the shorter of the two ask, "Whadda ya mean by 'fix' tings?"

"Buzz, Delete," Inez offers. "Ivy is in real trouble…and the only way to help her is if we talk to Hacker. You have to believe that we only want what's best for Ivy. We're only trying to help."

Again, the two bots look to one another. After a moment of silence, Delete is the first to speak, worry lining his small voice. "So…she really is sick, then?"

"Very," Jackie nods once, attempting to use a more sympathetic tone this time. "And the only one who can do anything about it is Hack-I mean, her dad."

"It's difficult to explain," adds Inez. "But without his DNA, Ivy doesn't have much time left."

"Come on, guys." Matt almost pleads. "Just let us talk to him…you owe the kid that much."

It's quiet again as they appear to consider this. From the looks of it, both Buzz and Delete had developed enough of a soft spot for Ivy to take her safety into serious consideration. The teens could only hope that the cyborg in question felt the same way. Someone's life depended on it.

A few minutes later, the long metallic claw gripping onto their cyber coupe begins to retract back into the Grim Wreaker, bringing the Cyber Squad with it.

Ivy hums to herself quietly as she sits cross-legged on the bed, scribbling pictures with many varieties of colorful crayons that Digit had provided her with. It was the only thing that kept her mind off of everything that had happened the day before, and later into the night.

Rather than stay up and wait for her new friends the Earth kids to return, the good Doctor Marbles had insisted that she get some rest. At first, she wasn't very keen to the idea. But after meeting and speaking with the one known as Motherboard, she'd felt a wave of exhaustion flood over her. She couldn't remember ever being so tired before that. Then again, she did have a rather long and stressful day. Once she'd agreed to get some rest, Doctor Marbles, as well as the purple cybernetic bird Digit, seemed all too relieved at hearing this, seeming to waste no time in setting up a room for the little green girl. Though she was very grateful, she couldn't help but feel out of place in the comfortable, yet strange space, that had been provided to her;

The room was spacious, with a few pieces of furniture up against one wall, two cushioned chairs, as well as a high square table next to a blinded window located to her right. To her left was a large mirror, taking up almost the entire wall, save for the now closed door just next to it. She thought it funny that such an enormous mirror would be meant for someone as small as her. After all, there wasn't really much to see.

It's quiet as she continues to color a rather shrewd picture of Buzz. This was her second attempt, having a hard time imagining his odd bulbous shape and trying to make him look just as happy as his counterpart Delete drawn next to him. Out of everything happening to her, she found that as long as she could remember things how they'd been before that horrible afternoon, it seemed to make everything a little better. If only for a moment.

Ivy feels stress on her arm, grunting as she lifts it to once again readjust the various cables that the doctor had connected to her with various sizes of suction cups. Some protruded from her forehead and parts of her arm, and even one on the back of her neck. It seemed that no matter how many different positions she tried to find, not one of them ever escaped the disconcerting reminder that the cords were there. However pestering they may have been, the most inconvenient out of Marbles' medical devices was the small metal thimble-like cover that had been slid over her left index finger and secured with a strip of white tape, making her art project all the more difficult.

She didn't entirely understand why, but Digit had reassured her that the wires, all hooked up to pieces of strange machinery at her bedside, were only there to help her. It seemed strange the way he'd tried explaining what their full purpose was. Almost uncomfortable at her curious questioning. Basically, from what she'd managed to gather, it was for a very good reason. What that reason actually was, though…no one seemed to have a straight answer for that one.

Ivy hadn't noticed that she'd stopped coloring, instead starring down at what she'd started to draw with her green crayon. Yet another attempt at what she'd always considered a family portrait, never getting anyone's appearance just right. But despite her lack of talent, she'd always managed to get one person drawn exactly how she'd meant to. Exactly how she saw him, everyday. From the first day he'd introduced himself to her.

She gazes unblinking at the top half of The Hacker taking shape next to what she'd drawn to be herself next to Buzz. Out of pure habit she'd started drawing the first person she'd always seen when she woke up in the morning, to the one who tucked her in at night. Though the only way she would ever get to sleep, was knowing he was there, keeping away whatever if was that she thought she heard moving around under her bed or the darkness of her closet. The only explanation she'd gotten was from Delete; something about a "Boogie Man". Despite her father's reassuring that there was no such thing, he would stay…his voice being the last thing she'd heard before drifting off to sleep.

Ivy sniffs, wiping away at a tear about to fall from her check, following the first two that she'd failed to notice before they'd dripped onto her picture, running over the colored sketch of herself. It pained her how much she missed him, despite everything that she'd learned from the ones that she hoped really were friends. She'd only ever been lied to once…hopefully it would stay that way.

Ivy pushes her papers and art supplies to the side, laying back on her propped up pillow, fidgeting with the hem of the blue blanket draped over her. She hated being alone. Especially at bedtime. It just didn't feel right. Though despite her discomfort towards her unfamiliar surroundings and lack of protection from something that might go "bump in the night", she felt unbelievably tired. Like she hadn't slept in days, suddenly drained of any vigor she'd had before.

This strange loss of energy frightened her, more than anything she'd seen or done since the months after her creation. It was a horrible feeling to be alone, especially now. Despite any hatred she might've held for him before hand, all she could think of to make everything better…make the pain and tears go away…was one man;

Daddy…Her daddy.

She tries to will herself to stay conscious…unsure of what might happen if she goes to sleep now. With no one there to watch over her. To keep her safe. Despite her fear, she begins to slip away, no longer in control. The few pieces of furniture begin to go blurry, before becoming dark shapes. In the distance, she can hear a faint beeping noise, its pulsating slowly increasing the darker the room around her becomes.

One last tear rolls down her cheek and onto her pillow before her eyes become too heavy to keep open, finally closing. Her last thoughts are of the day before, wanting more than anything to go back and change the decision she'd made…running away. She didn't want to run, not anymore.

"Daddy…Daddy, please…" She quietly calls for him. "Daddy…"

Her sobs go quiet after a moment, drowned out by the beeping as it switches up to just one straight high pitched sound, calling out to anyone that will hear it. Answering the call to come to her side.

"please…m'scared…m'…s-sorry…dad-"

Her small voice finds deaf ears, just before her world goes black, not noticing the sudden movement rushing into the room, coming to her aid.

Doctor Marbles runs a finger over his blue mustache, staring intently through the large window before him. He watches the small girl on the other side as she continues coloring innocently. He sighs through his nose, grateful for the one-way mirror. The last thing the child needed was to see the look of worry set upon his face. She was confused enough as it was.

Attempting to explain her condition had proved to be too difficult for words. He wasn't used to conversing with someone so young and innocent. Especially when it came to dealing with Hacker. The best he could do was have Digit speak to her, knowing the bird felt more sympathetic towards her situation than anyone. Despite Hacker's nature, he was still their creator, and the closest thing to a parent they would ever have. The only difference between them was that Digit had never developed the same bond that Ivy had managed to. The thought of a possibility that Hacker felt as strongly towards his latest creation was unimaginable. The naivety of her age had to be the only explanation for her odd affection towards the malicious cyborg. He also found it entirely believable that Hacker would use this to his own sick advantages.

His neglect to help the girl with her condition only fueled the doctor's anger.

Doctor Marbles had been keeping a close eye on Ivy for several reasons; her illness not exactly at the top of the list. True, he felt remorse for someone so young and new to the world having their very life taken from them so quickly. But when it came to his former assistant, he never took chances. He couldn't help but feel that this sweet little girl before him was yet again just another ploy for The Hacker to gain control of a situation, no matter who was hurt in the process.

Pity seemed to be his primary sentiment, as it was also Motherboard's. He'd always trusted her judgment in the past when it came to the citizens of Cyberspace, Hacker being the only exception. His main objective was to see that, despite how he felt, they would all be looked after accordingly…no matter how disbelieving the appearance. It was not his job to question, but to assist in any way he can.

Ivy's condition also baffled him. Regardless of her current state, she had shown no signs of physical decay whatsoever. The only thing remotely resembling her illness was a lack of energy, though that may have been from sleep deprivation. It was impossible to tell, making it all the more intriguing. The sympathetic part of him wanted nothing more than to do everything in his power to see her safely through this, especially if her own "father" wasn't going to. But his true intentions were clouded by his apprehensive side, having difficulty ignoring the warning signs that seemed to jump out at him.

He wasn't used to being torn between decisions such as this. Therefore, it only made sense to leave the deciding up to the one who always knew best. He would do just that…though his guard would never drop. Not when Hacker was involved somehow-

His thoughts are interrupted by a faint beeping now illustrating from the other side of the one-way mirror. He trains his eyes on the equipment he'd installed at her bedside, glimpsing one of the graphs displayed on a small screen, not liking the way the lines suddenly spiking much higher than before. He then watches Ivy as she huddles up underneath her blanket, an entirely new expression on her small face; fear, maybe?

He'd just noticed the tears beginning to form in her green eyes, her small mouth moving slightly while she lays back on her pillow. Before he can make out what she might be saying, a shrill noise fills the air in the room, one that a doctor never wants to hear, causing his heart to race.

Doctor Marbles acts on impulse, pressing with full force on a button on the wall next to him, barking, "Digit! I need you in here, it's happening! Bring the electro-root serum we prepared. Hurry!" He doesn't wait for a response, going over to open the sliding door to Ivy's room. He gives a side glance through the window, knowing there was really nothing he could do for her at this point, not yet…

Not without Hacker.

Holy crap that was sad! I actually teared up a little when I read through this for the first time. Poor kid…

Don't worry, things will be okay…I think…

Stay tuned to find out what happens next!