This one came out of the blue. I'm guessing right now, I'm more in the mood to write drama to angst-ish fics. Kinda like a warm up for the next fics I write. But yeah, going back, as stated this is within the g:KND timeline. Kinda post 'Reinventing Your Exit' if you guys remember that piece? (Although I do have mistakes there. Like forgetting Rachel's a teenager by that timeline.) Not too much of a big comeback (lol self, comeback, what) but it's something.

Also whaddup, I'm back. I swear, how long was I in writer's block mode? Not so sure but really, I'm just glad I was finally able to write (and finish) something. And with 274/362 stories I've been following and getting updated, I feel this is pretty timely. (:

The evening runs steadily at a deathly slow pace. Almost reaching a denouement of stillness in his opinion. But one can never really tell how much time has been lost to be wasted in the never-ending blankness of space that he swears, he should have been used to by then.

Yet he isn't, and the jaded longing takes a steady path in his veins.

His eyes remain planted on the blue planet from the view of the picture window almost entirely consuming the expanse of the wall by one of the headquarters' many winding halls.

It sits unperturbed in the quietness, as if minutes by then it wasn't in any danger of becoming reduced into nothing but the harrowing remnants of man with the omnipotent command of total annihilation coming from the Supreme Leader of the g:KND. One of whom he's yet to see but has come to hate far more than he's ever had in his meager years.

He could still taste what remains of the blood that had gushed in his mouth, suddenly hyperaware of the metallic properties embedded within the mixture's properties. Perhaps it was simply because it was a common flavor on his taste buds from the aftermath of his many escape attempts and the eventual shuddering consequences of each one.

Perhaps, because he had finally been successful, and this would probably be the last he would taste it within the cavern of his mouth in all its rawness.

"Have you decided what to do now, Numbuh 274?"

The boy who's only turned 14 a few days ago turns away from the window in acknowledgement to the presence addressing him.

Lizzie observers him from a couple of feet away, noting the silence that is yet to pass as he wordlessly urges her to continue speaking. Something that doesn't surprise her in any way as he is in all entirety, a prodigy operative from the very beginning. Sensing something as simple as an incomplete thought must come naturally to him, she surmises in her head.

"We've gained complete control of the base for now and several of allied teams coming from different galaxies are on their way to Earth for backup as we speak. You can either take it easy, get yourself treated and come home with the Infiltration Sector about to land here in a few minutes, or continue fighting. What would it be?"

Chad turns his attention back onto the swallowing view, considering the plant-like alien's words with a thought that merely seemed to float in mid-air. That blow to his head from one of Numbuh Infinity's henchmen must've drilled more damage in his skull than he would've liked, and his eyes wandered in a strain to focus. His gaze then lands on a considerably smaller object hundreds of kilometers away from the Earth and millions farther more from his current location. It gleamed so vividly and distinctly, reflecting luminously white against his ocean-like eyes. The moon sat like a prized gem against the encompassing void of space.

There was once a time where he'd thought lowly of the said celestial body despite establishing an incomparable empire of his own on its dusty proclaimed surface. The moon after all, had not a speck of light in its own. All its brilliance—what is admirable of the spherical object was borrowed and is therefore, a fallacy in its embodiment and held little significance.

Yet he'd found the moon to shine in ways most unconventional. It glowed in subtlety he had always found so inviting and relaxing, circling the Earth in a fine-tuned pace and keeping all things in amiable balance with its steady pull. The way it calmed, and both brought tides to frighteningly beautiful heights was a scientific fascination he'd come to develop and had held endearment for it since.

Then again, maybe the fascination had not stemmed from a mere change of heart for the space rock alone. The first time his eyes landed on hers was one of instant attraction, finding himself reeled in by a compelling force of gravity which kept him in place, not finding himself very willing to move. That was when he'd found out, that moons can reside within a person. And that girl with the most hardened face yet with eyes akin to lucidly burnished moonstones was all the proof he needed to believe in its beautiful existence.

"Would she be there?"

Lizzie was dumbfounded, unsure which girl the blonde boy was referring to given the many strings of girlfriends she'd heard he'd become acquainted with back on Earth, outside and inside the KND.

"Uhh…who exactly?"

"Numbuh 362. Scary girl with a bob cut but with a really cute face."

"Oh, you mean the former Supreme Leader? She was up for consideration given her skills and teen operative status but Numbuh 5 saw it fit to put her in Earth's Defense Sector."

A smirk slithered up his lips at that knowledge and he'd pivoted on his heels to give his answer.

"Then I 'aint going. Set me up a pod headed for Earth, pronto. That's where I need to be." His body glowed a pinkish neon blue for a moment, sending his messy golden locks fluttering about as icy temperatures began to envelop his form before visibly freezing any apparent wounds from bleeding any further.

Lizzie had crinkled her non-existent nose in her extra-terrestrial form and had set a lanky vine of an arm to rest on the many tendrils of her torso. "Uhh, can you be more a lovesick teenager, 274? I swear, Numbuh 9 would have none of this when he gets here. He's part of the Infiltration Sector to come pick your heinie up, you know."

His stupefying abilities were no foreign fact to her, yet using this trick in his state that she was certain, required a massive amount of energy just to be fit enough to fire a 2x4 technology or two in wherever exact place Rachel was stationed at, brought more than enough understanding to her.

She had noticed long before their close relationship which was strongly backed up by dating rumors on Moonbase during her visits. Seeing him now and the uncharacteristic warmth and softening in his eyes she'd never seen before since his transition into an undercover operative, it was one of utter mystery and awe for Lizzie. Yet, something she'd rather mask with her signature haughtiness as it hit too close to home.

Chad paced by her, simply closing his eyes with the upturn of his lips yet to fade from his expression and raised a hand with his back turned as he motioned to leave set on finding all the ammo and proper gear he could get his hands on before leaving.

"Yeah yeah, so I love Mckenzie. Tell Mau I've got something urgent to attend to. Oh, and worry more about your own troublesome relationship with Uno, will you?"

He'd heard her shriek back in an obviously flustered and unstable tone about 'prioritizing responsibilities', a reaction he'd triumphantly gotten with amusement.

But most of all, his own fluid admittance regarding such a deeply personal and entombed part of his life that he swore, never to allow to surface given its implications was more of a source of amusement in his opinion.

It's funny how he was captivated by the gentle luminosity of her emerald brown eyes alone.

It's funny how the clarity keeps him from coming undone.

And he'd keep up with his once broken childhood promises for sure, with the KND and all that he's left behind, with her comforting gravity as his most prized guiding force.