A/N: I don't own Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero

On the outside, Penn always showed a strong face to those around him. No matter how dire the situation became, he always faced whatever the multiverse with a smile and a list of taunts he had already planned to mock Rippin with. But today Penn felt nothing like a hero, for had put his own need to save his parents before those who had entrusted him with their safety. His ambitions had nearly blinded him some from his duties as a hero had it not been for Sashi steeping in and forcing him to focus on the task at hand. Of course, Penn's need to rescue his parents override his common sense, leading him into a conflict with his friend and nearly failing the mission entirely.

Though the part-time hero narrowly managed to pull victory from the jaws of defeat, Penn was still broken up about his letting his personally feelings get in the way of protecting the multiverse from being thrown out of balance. He had apologized to Phyllis and more importantly, Sashi, for what he had done. The part-time sidekick accepted his apology and his boss even recovered the shard he had jeopardized everything for so that he could be one step closer to reuniting with his parents.

However, despite being forgiven, Penn still felt a deep sense of guilt over what he had done. He nearly allowed his own personally feelings get in the way of completing a mission that in hindsight should've been a simple win, and the fact that Phyllis said that she wouldn't have let the shard get away regardless made him all the more bitter toward himself. he put the lives of those he cared about and those of he was supposed to protect below his own needs, if he was anything like a real hero, he would've carried out the mission and then inform Phyllis so that either she could give him enough time to retrieve the shard himself or allow the Slavic woman to go get it for him.

Now here he was, laying on his bed and staying off into the ceiling above him. The guilt he felt continued to eat away at his conscious like a parasite, draining him of any sense of optimism that he had left within him. how could he be so foolish? How could he risk everyone's lives for his own goal? He felt as though he had disrespected his family's name through his selfish actions. As Penn drowned his own sorrow, he heard a sudden tap on his window and made him nearly jump out of his own skin. He leaned up from his bed to see Sashi hanging from outside his windowsill. She pointed at the window lock, silently telling him to unlock it for her. confused by her sudden appearance, Penn undid the latch and opened the window to allow the part-time sidekick access into his room.

"Do you not have any concept of time?" he asked low tone, yet sharper then he intended for to it to be "It's like two in the morning!"

"Says the guys whose staring off into space while wallowing in self-pity for past seven hours" his partner retorted

"seven hou—how long have you been spying on me?!" Penn demanded

"Long enough to see that you're not acting like yourself" Sashi replied before taking on a lighter tone in her voice "are you still upset about what happen on that mission?"

"Now why would I be upset?" the part-time hero asked in his trademark sarcastic voice "It's not like I endangered all those deer-people and the very multiverse itself just so I could get some stupid shard that Phyllis could've gotten after the mission regardless—why would be upset about that!"

In a fit of anger, Penn whirled around and slammed his fist into his punching bag before delivering several more hits to let out his frustration, growling and cursing as he did. It was so strange for the violent teen to be in this position. Normally, she'd be the one in a state of blind anger and it would be Penn trying to get her to calm down. Sashi walked over to her friend and gently placed a hand on his shoulder to ease him out of the rage he was feeling toward himself.

"You know I forgave you for what you said back there" she reminded him softly "and Phyllis is…well Phyllis"

"Yeah, yeah I know…" the part-time hero admitted "It's just…I put some many people in danger today all for myself"

"It's not wrong to miss your parents, PZ" Sashi replied "I can't imagine what it's like for you day in and day out doing all of this while thinking out your mom and dad"

"It's not just that, Sash" her friend furthered "I feel like I let my family down. I mean we're supposed to be heroes, and heroes are supposed to put everything aside for the greater good"

"But heroes are also allowed to feel" his sidekick informed him "their allowed to be care about those they love"

As she spoke, Penn noticed how Sashi's eyes looked away from him as she said those words, as if she hesitant of looking at him directly as she spoke—a very un-Sashi like thing to do. He thought about the hug they shared after they had patched things up and who long it lasted between them. He thought about who warm her skin her was on his body and how her sweet scent filled his nose. Penn hadn't that about his teammate and friend, well, like that before, but after that mission and how she was going out of her way to save him from himself was telling him that maybe there something between them that neither of them fully understood, at least, not yet anyway.

"Why don't you get some sleep?" she finally suggested "You need your strength for tomorrow's mission"

"I don't think can sleep, honestly" the ginger admitted

"I know, which is way I'm staying with you for the night" his sidekick informed him "now get in the bed"

"Are you nuts? You can't— "

"Get in the bed, Zero"

"Yes ma'am"

As ordered, Penn returned to his bed and laid back down. Sashi then suddenly did he was not expecting: she climbed into the bed with him. before he could open his mouth to protest, she gave him a sharp glower that silently told him that this was happening regardless of how he felt about it. on the inside however, he kind happy about this sudden turn of events, he didn't really trust himself to be left alone right now and having Sashi here with him would be comforting. Neither of them removed any clothing, since they were to shy do such a thing in front of one another. However, the part-time sidekick then put her arms around his waist and nuzzled her face into his chest. In return, Penn put his arms around his around her as well and held her close to him. as they held onto each other like a lifeline, they slowly slipped into sleep. But just before Sashi did, she leaned up and gave the boy small peck on the cheek to wish him goodnight before she to fell asleep.

It was true that Penn had fallen down hard and would no doubt do so again in the future. but no matter how many times he fell, Sashi would be right there to catch him when he fell.