I don't own Loonatics Unleashed

Enjoy!


Ace was relieved the moment that him and his teammates stepped into HQ. Even though Lexi was safe and the witch was defeated, he wanted that moment to himself. "I'll catch up with you guys later," he said as he glanced quickly at the team and walked away from them. He couldn't find it in his will to look at any of them after what he had just done.

The rest of the team assumed that Ace was probably feeling just as exhausted as they were. Tech decided to retreat to his laboratory to build some more devices as a preparation for any future missions. Rev decided to go ahead and follow him in case he needed any assistance. Slam was feeling very tired and decided to retire for the remainder of the night.

As for Duck, he was checking for any cuts or bruises that she may have suffered through the fight. When he made sure that she was fine, he suggested that they both go to bed for the night. "And let's hope that we don't have any missions from the Boss Lady in the middle of the night."

"I'll join in a bit," Miranda said to him, much to Duck's displeasure. "Don't look at me that way, I'm not sleepy yet."

Duck let out a sigh. Sometimes, it was difficult getting through her especially when her mind was already set on something. "Fine," he said, "I'll be waiting for you." He took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before letting go and retiring for the night.

Even though the rest of the team had retired for the night, Lexi was concerned about Ace. The moment that they arrived at HQ, she sensed that there was something wrong with him and she wanted to speak to him about it.

"Are you doing okay, Lexi?" Miranda asked as she approached the female rabbit and sat next to her. "That witch didn't hurt you, did she?" Oh my God I'm starting to sound like Duck she thought as she shook her head.

"Yeah I'm fine," Lexi answered her. "I'm just a little bit worried about Ace."

Miranda tilted her head as she looked at Lexi. "Why?" she asked her, "he didn't look hurt when we came back to HQ."

Lexi shook her head. "No, it's not that," she answered her as she got up to her feet, "it was like something was bothering him."

Lexi had quite the intuition because Miranda hadn't sensed anything off with Ace. "Want to check up on him?" she suggested.

"I want to," Lexi answered her, "but I think he just wants to be by himself for now."

Miranda knew that the suggestion that she was going to make next was going to go against the superhero code, but it was going to be for a good cause. "Who says we have to be with him?" she asked her, "we can tap into his thoughts."

Lexi eyes widened what Miranda suggested that. "No," she shook her head, "absolutely not. You know Ace is not going to like that."

Miranda shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "It's not like he's going to find out," she said to her, "it's kind of like how you brain blast Duck's tail feathers."

Lexi frowned upon that comparison. "That's different because Duck deserved it…sorry."

"Hey, I didn't say that he didn't deserve it," Miranda said to her with a smirk upon her beak. "But you also deserve to know what is going on with him, just like he deserves to have a friend by his side."

The way she said it, made it seem like Lexi had expressed her fondness for Ace. Had she made it that obvious? She hoped that wasn't the case. She wanted to strictly remain professional in this line of work, even if it meant working closely with Ace. However, she couldn't deny the feelings that she had felt for him when they met by the theatre building and now that they worked together. Miranda was right about something and it was that Ace did need somebody by his side, but how was she going to be by his side if Miranda was to get into his mind.

"I have a better idea," Lexi said, "I'm gonna go and see if he wants to talk first. If not, then...and I hate suggesting this, you can tap into his mind."

Miranda gave her a nod of her head. She watched as Lexi proceeded to head towards Ace's door. Lexi raised her fist and gave it a gentle knock and waited for Ace to answer. When he didn't come to the door, she raised her fist again and her ears picked up the sound of feet coming towards the door.

Ace swung the door open and his features changed the moment that he saw Lexi by the door. "Lexi it's you," he said. "What's going on?"

Lexi took a deep breath as she looked at him. He looked exhausted. "Are you doing okay?" she asked him. "After the mission, I couldn't help but think that something is going on with you."

Ace smiled gently upon Lexi's concern that she had for him. "You think you're up for my explanation?"

"I'm up for anything," Lexi answered him, relieved that he was going to allow for her to listen to him. Ace stepped to the side of the door and she entered inside, waiting to hear what he had to say.

Miranda watched as Lexi walked inside the room and her shoulder's dropped. She was just as curious as Lexi was to know what was going on with Ace, but she guessed that she was going to have to hear about it some other day. Still not feeling the exhaustion, she decided to sit by the television and flip through the channels. There was a sports game that was playing, a wrestling match, which she knew that Slam would love to see, a Looney Tunes cartoon playing, and then a cheesy rom/com. After a mission like today, she could go for something light and funny.

She didn't know how much time had passed when she felt Duck's presence behind the couch. "Couldn't sleep Duck?" she asked as she turned around and looked at him.

"How did you know it was me?" Duck asked her.

Miranda adjusted her knees on the couch and turned around to face him. "Because you're the one who thinks she's still up, I'm going to give her a piece of my mind." She knew that he didn't mean it seriously. She didn't know why he was trying to sound like such a tough guy in everyone else's eyes when she knew that his personality wasn't like that. "Jokes on you, you already did."

"How many times do I have to tell you not to get inside my head?" Duck snapped at her.

Miranda slowly shook her head as she looked at him. These missions, even though it had been two that Duck had partaken in, were starting to make him coarsened. Even though it came with the job, Miranda feared that she may lose part of Duck, which had grown to love for the time that they were together. She bought both of her hands towards Duck and gentle pulled him close to her. "I just can't get you outta my head," she said to him with a light smile upon her lips.

His features changed from disapproval to one that she had always been familiar with.

Come on Miranda thought as if he was the one that could read her thoughts. Show me the Duck that I know. She smiled some more when he snaked his arms around her for a hug and then she let out a yelp when he tipped her over and held her in his arms. "You sneak," she said as she lightly slapped his shoulder, "I'm not sleepy yet."

"That's too bad, you need your rest," Duck said as he carried her to her room and lied her on the bed. "I'm just glad that you're alright after this mission."

"Of course, I would be," Miranda said as she sat up in her bed and Duck sat next to her. "Even if something was to happen, I have a duck in shining armor to help me." It was a concept that Miranda didn't like, but she knew that she would appreciate Duck's chivalry whenever it would come.


Lexi stood next to Ace. He was sitting down on his bed and explained the whole situation to Lexi. How angry he had been with the witch for keeping Lexi hostage and how he had fought with her to the point where it led to her demise.

"I ain't a killer!" Ace stood up on his feet and paced away from Lexi. "it's not like I meant to kill the broad. She just lost her balance and fell in the creek…after I flung my foot towards her."

Lexi remained silent for a moment as she took in all this information. Of course, Ace was not a killer! But she just couldn't believe how much of a mild manner rabbit that he was, he had let his nerves get the best of him. "You've been very good with controlling your nerves. What happened tonight?" she asked him.

Because she had you Ace thought. I couldn't have her take you away from the team…from me. It was something that he didn't think he could ever admit to this rabbit in front of him. It would be too much on the team and on them. There were moments where he envied how Duck and Miranda were able to be part of the same team and yet maintain a relationship with one another. Why couldn't he have the same with Lexi? Ace let out a puff of air and looked over at Lexi. "I guess I was just worried," he said to her, "it was going to be too much for Acmetropolis that I overthought."

Having Miranda here would have been a better choice Lexi thought to herself for she didn't expect such an answer from Ace. She rubbed her arm with her hand and took a deep breath. "I agree," she nodded her head to him, "but you what you had to do. I believe you in not wanting her to fall in the creek, but it was her fate and that's something that can't always be avoided."

Even if he had not gone after her, would she still have fallen in the creek? Ace didn't want to overanalyze it. It was already too much for him to consume in just one night. He knew that by tomorrow, he was going to have to debrief Zadavia about this and face the consequences on what she had to say. "I guess so," Ace sighed.

"You're being hard on yourself," Lexi said as she instinctively placed a hand on his shoulder, "what you did does not make you the bad guy, Ace. Sometimes we must take action that we don't want to. Remember Tech? He sacrificed his friend to save the city and you sacrificed a villain for the same mission."

Ace was aware that being a superhero would not always have a happy ending on these missions, but he had hoped that he would never be part of a situation like this. "You're right Lexi," he finally said to her after a long moment of silence. "Who would've thought a mission would make me feel like this."

"Some couple hours of sleep would do you…well, all of us good," Lexi said to him as tried to muster a smile for him. "I will see you tomorrow morning?"

"You got it partner," Ace smiled to her as she retreated out of his room. Letting out another sigh, Ace changed out of his suit and into his nightwear. She was right, sometimes fate could not always be avoided.