If I Never Knew You

Chapter 9: New Found Friend

If I Never Knew You

Chapter 9

New Found Friend

"Have you eaten, Gadget?" Quimby asked as the poor sleep deprived man walked into the Head Quarters just as soon as the sun came up. His hands circled around the mug that the chief had held out for him.

"No." Gadget said simply, his own eyes threatened to close on their own. He looked up at Ren who sat down at the CB, she was personally spearheading the search for the young girl. She was by far not a police officer. She was just an inventor with a desire to find the young girl.

To be honest it kind of bothered Gadget that she had gotten as close to Penny as she had. Just what was this woman's interest in his niece?

He picked up the donut offered to him before he just stuffed it into his mouth and downed the coffee. He needed to get back out there. He turned to leave, only to feel the hand in his. He subconsciously held onto it before looking down at Ren. he pulled his hand back and walked back out the door.

What the hell was that? That wasn't normal of her really it wasn't. Climbing into the driver's seat he looked around as the passenger door opened and closed. Ren pulled on the seat belt and patiently waited.

"No...nonono you are not coming." Ren looked up, almost shocked.

"What do you mean I'm not going? You're obviously going to wreck yourself again...AGAIN!" Ren pointed at him and narrowed her eyes.

"No, go back inside, you were doing great as a..."

"Oh you think I'm just some useless biddy don't you?!" Okay her hair was getting a little greyer. "Geez Gadget I have more experience in the field than you ever have." She crossed her arms and then jumped up again pointing back in his face gritting her teeth as she spoke. "If it weren't for my imbalanced emotional structure Penny would have been in MY care instead of yours. She's MY Goddaughter!"

She realized her mistake as soon as she said it. At first Gadget bristled, he wanted to throw her bodily out of the car. But then he noticed the hurt she had caused herself. She had lost everything that day. Her husband, her kids, her best friend...and her goddaughter because she didn't think she was emotionally capable of doing it. So she was the one who trusted Gadget with Penny. It was she who had given her away.

"I was the one who added the unnecessary weapons to your cache of gadgets. To protect her, and you haven't used a single one to protect her." She turned and looked at Gadget.

"We need to find her before we worry about any sort of weapons that would be needed." Gadget pushed the ignition button and the car pulled away from the curb.

"You know I almost put an AI into this car." She told him, he looked baffled and chuckled.

"Why not?" He asked, looking at her.

"I didn't want to take the chance of the fact that it would go apeshit." Someone had been watching too many Saturday morning cartoons.

"What would you have named her?" Gadget turned to look at her. Ren burst out laughing.

"Sir, I am terrible with names. I didn't even name mine, I left that up to my hubby." She burst out laughing. "I did have an idea to name one Mary, but they were both boys so..." She chuckled, but her smile disappeared as she thought of it and shook her head.

"I had every intention of including you in raising her if I did take her. Mary loved you so much, John. How could I not?" She looked up at the man. Gadget stopped at a red light and pulled out a handkerchief and held it out for her.

"Odd parents we are."

"Odd parents?...you're the parent. I'm just the weird aunt that shows up from time to time." She cleaned up her tear stained face.