Carmen Sandiego Mama AU

By: FunahoMisaki

(A/N: I own nothing and what if there was a reason that Carmen always made sure that Zack and Ivy weren't hurt? What if there was a reason for her soft spot for the two, one that was hidden from them for their own protection? What happens when they begin to piece it together? AU OOC)

"Zack…Ivy…if you're both hearing this then as I said earlier I'm either in jail in which case you won't know the truth…or I'm dead and you know now. I'm so sorry you two. I never meant for you to find out like this. I…I hope the Chief let you know why I did what I did and I hope you both understand. I…I can understand if you're both mad at me or don't understand it. I probably deserve your anger actually. But I promise you both I was there!" The prerecorded message Carmen had left attached to her file was staring at them both with something they'd never thought they'd see in Carmen's eyes. It was affection, care, worry, sadness, anger, and a slight bit of hope. And it was all aimed at the two of them. Why? And what was the Chief supposed to tell them?

"Every school thing, every training session, every important part of your lives whether you remember it or not I was there I promise you both that! I hate that I had to do this all to you both, hate that I couldn't be there for you both the way I should have been but I promise I still love you both. I never stopped." Carmen had to pause there to wipe the tears from her eyes as she gave a soft smile to the camera. The two teens were stunned. They had never heard of or seen Carmen cry before. And why would she have been there for every important part of their lives?

"The Chief should have told you as soon as I died, if I'm just put in a jail cell then…you probably don't know yet but you're both smart. You're just like your mother after all, or at least that's what the Chief keeps telling me whenever I ask about you two which is at least once a day. I…I'm not really sure why I recorded all of this if I know I might just be in jail instead of dead because…if I am in jail I have a feeling you both are going to be asking some pretty awkward questions of me soon that I'm not sure I know how to answer. Not without putting you both in more danger…" Carmen said choking slightly on her words now as she gave the two teens a watery smile.

"If I'm dead though…well…the Chief should have told you like we agreed upon and hopefully…most likely none of my enemies will ever figure it out and you two will be safe. That's all I want is you both to be safe. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry you both had to find out about this if I'm dead. I'm so sorry." Carmen broke down in sobs apologizing to the two who were staring at her shocked and sad and confused but felt themselves tearing up as well. They didn't know why but they had always felt a connection to Carmen and they had so much fun chasing her. She was always a smart, strong, confidant woman who led them all over the world and made sure they never got seriously hurt even if it had almost made the thief get caught more than once.

Seeing the kind thief sobbing like this made them both want to cry and help her somehow.

"I need to go now before I completely break down but I'm so sorry I had to do this to you two. I never wanted to, please believe me when I say that. And if nothing else then please…know and believe one thing is the absolute truth." Carmen tried to regain her composure as she wiped at her eyes roughly. Carmen looked at the camera, seeming to look straight at the two siblings, with such care and, dare they say it but… love, that the two almost instinctively reached out for her before remembering that this was just a pre-recorded message and that Carmen was… She was gone.

"I love the both of you with all of my heart, you're the only good things that ever happened to me…and I never have and never will stop loving you two even from beyond the grave." Carmen said her voice soft and gentle, even motherly, but still very firm. This was obviously the complete and utter truth and it left the two detectives closed to tears and confused and shocked. Carmen loved them both so much and yet they didn't know why.

"Goodbye Ivory, Zachary. I love you." Carmen said one last time making Ivy's eyes widen as the thief's video closed.

"How? How did she know my real name? That's not even on my drivers license or ACME ID!" Ivy asked her voice cracking hard as she stared shocked at the screen. The only people who knew that name was Zack and their parents!

Just a little while earlier with the V.I.L.E. henchmen

"There was one last part of Carmen's will that she specified I said slowly and clearly to everyone." Lee Ga Lize, Carmen's lawyer, said clearing his throat as he remembered something just before he signed off.

"She must have had a bad feeling that something like this would happen because she added this less than a year ago. She looked real strange about it when she did so and actually threatened to beat me within an inch of my life if I made any mention of this to anyone else before her demise." Lee said paling a bit and making the henchmen gathered gape. Carmen actually threatened someone like that? She hated brute force though!

"In the event of my death, while the leadership of V.I.L.E. goes to whoever solves the puzzles… any money, properties, inventions, and other artifacts that I have left behind that belong solely to me do not go to any V.I.L.E. operative. The aforementioned things go to my two children. I shall not say who they are in case one of you decides to 'eliminate the competition' as it were but there is one last rule for all of V.I.L.E. that will be upheld forcibly if need be, a last request with punishment if denied you could say. Any V.I.L.E. employee who harms either of my children will be stripped of any right to inherit leadership, be detained by the ones enforcing this, and then handed over to whichever country has the strictest punishments for the list of crimes that will be handed over upon moment of arrest… and remember I knew of all of your crimes. Harm my children and V.I.L.E. will be the least of your worries." Lee read this off in a much slower, easier to understand manner than he had the rest of the will.

"That was all. Now have a good day and if not, consider suing." Lee said signing off as the henchmen stared at the screen in complete and utter shock.

Sara was the one to breath out what most of them were thinking.

"Carmen had kids?"

Al's words were very blunt and uncensored and earned him a beating from Dara and a less than happy Hannah as he voiced what the rest were thinking.

"You mean someone actually tamed the hard ass bitch enough to knock her up more than once?"