Title: Life in Providence

Author: InvisibleBrunette

Rating: K

Summary: A series of one-shots Any and all flames will be used to set Edward Cullen on fire. (I may set him on fire anyways *grins*)

Feedback: Pretty please with sugar on top?

Disclaimer: Sadly, no matter how much I want them, they're not mine.

A/N: Wow. Never figured I'd do the series of one-shot thing. But lookit! Here I am! lol. These won't be in chronological order, so if I jump from Rex's age being ten, then the next time fifteen, then twelve after that, don't be surprised. lol. R&R will be appreciated, and I already said what I'd do with any flames.

Agent Six didn't get hurt. Period. Or, at least that's what twelve year old Rex had thought. And boy, had he been wrong.

The young E.V.O. knew that it was silly to think that way, but in the whole two and a half years that he had been with Providence, Six hadn't gotten so much as a scrape. At least, he didn't think he had.

When he had been training in the Petting Zoo an E.V.O. plant had managed to get the better of him, the agent had stepped in and received a long gash on his arm. Rex's face had taken a look of horror at the cut, and he had run out of the training area as fast as his legs could take him, desperately trying to keep the tears stinging at his eyes at bay.

The twelve year old had run into his tiny room and used his nanites to lock the door behind him. And no matter how much Doctor Holiday pleaded from the other side of the door, he was not coming out.

It had been a while since he had to step in. Rex's training had been going accordingly, and not that he'd say it out loud, he was pleased with the boy's progress.

However, when his charge had taken off running after the E.V.O. had been taken care of surprised him. Six had followed after Rex, only to be stopped by Holiday.

"Go get that arm looked at. I'll talk to Rex" she had said. So, he had gone to the medlab, and gotten his would stitched up. And when he was released he had run into Bobo Haha.

"Green bean! You gotta get the kid to open up."

Six raised an eyebrow, silently signaling for the simian to elaborate.

"The kid's locked himself in the room! He won't let anyone in, and I'm in desperate need of a beauty nap."

The agent considered pointing out that no amount of sleep would improve his looks, but chose to hold his tongue. He needed to see what was going on with his charge. Besides, there was always time to insult the monkey later.

When he arrived, he found his partner right when the simian had said she would be. Outside Rex's door.

"Rex, come on. You can't stay in there forever. Please come out" Doctor Holiday pleaded.

"No! Go away!" the childish voice was muffled, but there was no doubt in Six's mind it was Rex.

The staff had apparently heard about the misadventure in the Petting Zoo, and the good doctor outside of the boy's room had drawn a few gawkers. Great.

"Doctor"

Holiday nearly jumped at her partner's sudden appearance. Instead, she blew out a sigh of relief, and turned to the agent.

"I just don't know what to do, he's never done anything like this before" the doctor smoothed out her hair anxiously. "Maybe you can get through to him" she said, hopefully.

"Why is that?"

Holiday turned her sharp gaze to the agent, almost him making regret asking. Almost. She turned her glare to their audience, who quickly scattered, before addressing him.

"You don't get it do you?" she let out a single laugh, that contained no humor what-so-ever. "Let me ask you this. How many times have you gotten injured in front of Rex?"

Six thought back over the course of Rex's time at Providence. "None"

"Exactly." the doctor said knowingly.

Call him slow, but what on earth was she getting at?

Holiday let out a sigh. Why did men have to be so.. so... dense? Sheesh. "Rex adores you Six." she explained gently. "When you got hurt, well, that affected him more then you can imagine." she stared him right in the eye. "You have to talk to him. Now"

"Alright." Agent Six went up to the mechanical door, and knocked. "Open up."

At first, neither thought that their charge was listening, then slowly but surely, the door opened letting Six into the tiny room.

"Good luck" Holiday said, right before the door slid shut behind the agent. "You're going to need it..."

Agent Six found his charge sitting on the floor in front of the bunk beds, with his arms tightly wrapped around his knees. His normally stoic face softened a fraction. Rex was really upset. More upset then he was after those particularly nasty nightmares he seemed to get from time to time.

"Rex" the boy seemed to hug his legs closer to himself.

"Hi Six" the agent couldn't help but notice how Rex refused to look at him.

Six seemed to contemplate something, then sat down next to his charge, looking at the same wall the boy's eyes seemed to be glued to. And they stayed like that for a long while.

"Talk"

That seemed to be the only prompting he needed. Rex turned suspiciously bright brown eyes to the agent. "My fault" It was then, that the normally detached agent felt his heart break for his charge.

"Rex-"

"No it is!" the twelve year old rose to his feet and stormed a few paces away, it was quite obvious the boy was angry at himself. "If I had been paying more attention..." he trailed off, his small shoulders slumping in defeat. "You got hurt 'cause of me"

"Rex." The agent stood, and walked to his charge, stopping in front of the twelve year old. Six then rested a hand on Rex's shoulder. "Listen kid." he waited until the boy returned his gaze before plowing on. "Getting hurt is an occupational hazard. I'm here to make sure you don't get hurt. Do you understand?"

The boy looked downwards then nodded, biting his trembling lip.

Six was surprised at what happened next. Rex threw his arms around the agent's waist, hugging the man tight.

And for the first time in a long time, the man who just didn't do physical contact, found that he didn't mind one bit that his charge was hugging him.

A/N: I just love writing Rex as a little kid :D I need ideas for the next few one-shots. Got any suggestions? Anything you want to see?

"Every now and then I have the feeling that I've totally lost my mind. It's a great feeling" -Nightwing