Once again, sorry for the lateness of the chapter.

This one's a bit filler-y, but now that I'm less busy, I might be able to get the next one up soonish.

I also tried to focus a bit more on the other characters too as it is quite dominant towards a certain two….sorry about that!

I also attempted to make it a bit shorter and thus more manageable…though I'm not sure if it is!

Either way, I hope you enjoy it, and sorry again for the lateness but I've been more busy than I could possibly explain (exams, exams, exams, exams, exams…birthdays, summer, exams etc)

Loonatics Unleashed © Warner Bros.

[Sorry for the lameness of the chapter name, but I really wasn't sure what to call it...]

Also, there is some mild swearing and some minor suggestiveness in this chapter, but nothing you wouldn't hear on a standard sitcom!

DISCLAIMER- I DO NOT OWN LOONATICS UNLEASHED, IT IS LEGALLY OWNED AND COPYRIGHTED BY WARNER BROS. HOWEVER, ANY CHARACTERS THAT APPEAR IN THIS STORY THAT ARE NOT MENTIONED IN LOONATICS UNLEASHED, ARE OF MY CREATION!

SONG LYRICS AND ARTSTS, AS WELL AS LOCATIONS EITHER IN THE USA, OR INTERNATIONALLY ARE REAL AND ARE NOT IN ANYWAY SHAPE OR FORM THE RESULT OF MY IMAGINATION.

"I have successfully procured beverages from your weird kitchen stuff" Sam announced as she walked into Ace and Lexi's room, holding two mugs in one hand and a glass in the other, she watched them as she slowly walked, attempting not to spill any of the contents on the carpet as she moved from the door to the bed where Lexi and Leah sat waiting.

"What do you mean 'weird'?" Lexi asked as Sam approached.

"It's normal to you, but your weird gadgets for making tea and coffee, it took me forever to work them. Rev? I think his name is, had to help me." Sam passed the glass to Lexi and handed one of the mugs to Leah and sat down on the edge of the bed, leaving a gap between where Leah had also perched herself on the edge, whilst Lexi sat cross-legged near the centre so they created a semi-circle in which to talk.

"Anyway," Leah spoke, clutching her mug and adjusting her seating slightly, "You and Ace, eh?"

Sam raised one eyebrow, "And sharing a room too, this is not the Lexi I remember."

Lexi blushed at their comments and took a sip from her water, "I only said I'd wait until I was married because I had never been in a relationship before. People change."

Leah smiled, "So what's he like? He seems nice. I imagine he has to be good to you; otherwise you wouldn't be with him. I have to admit, he's pretty good looking."

Lexi grinned and looked down momentarily, smiling to herself, "He's amazing. More than I could describe." Leah and Sam looked to her to elaborate. Lexi leaned forwards and placed her glass on the bedside table and then sat back how she had been. "I guess he's just the stereotypical boyfriend. I wouldn't know." She shrugged, "He's just really cool and funny, he makes me laugh, makes me feel safe."

"Is he good in bed?" Sam smirked and raised an eyebrow at Lexi.

Lexi's eyes widened, "Sam!" She paused and bit her lip, thinking, "I guess? I wouldn't know." She giggled.

Sam took a sip from her drink and looked knowingly at the wall, "that's a yes." Lexi gave her an unimpressed look.

Leah was eager to hear more, "So how long have you two been going out?"

Lexi paused for a moment and gave her pre-rehearsed, ambiguous, reply, "A while." She shrugged.

Leah smiled back and looked down at the bed for a moment, "So what happened to start everything out?"

"Well," Truthfully, Lexi wasn't too sure. Ace had asked her out, she said yes. It didn't exactly sound like the romance it had felt to her, and it would sound silly saying that's all it was. She knew it was more and she knew Ace felt the same. There had been an unspoken connection between them for years. She never wanted to say anything to him, not wanting to upset their friendship or risk being turned down – she also liked the tradition of the man asking. Ace wanted to be professional and also didn't want to risk their friendship. It had been a sudden leap of faith when he asked her out so suddenly; he had postulated the idea for weeks but couldn't find an appropriate time to ask, walking back from the mission after saving her, when they were somewhat secluded, seemed like the perfect time. Neither of them wanted to admit the rashness of their decision to spend the night together on their first ever official date. The two had discussed it recently in the darkness of their room when they cuddled together. They wouldn't have wanted to take it back, but neither could understand why they did it – both had their morals, and their actions that night did not represent them in the slightest. It had been a sudden act of passion between two friends who mutually knew they were more than that; they just had a confidence block shielding them from the realisation. They knew their decision was rash and immature, but they had been on so many 'dates' to the movies, shopping, dinners; that it was as though they had been in a form of relationship, it just wasn't official.

"Earth to Lexi?" Sam raised a hand to Lexi's face and waved it, bringing Lexi back from what had apparently become a day dream.

"Huh?" Lexi shook her head, "Oh." She readjusted how she was sitting and answered, "We had both liked each other for a long time. We just didn't know it. We might as well have been going out anyway with the amount of time we spent together – he was like my best friend…"

Leah and Sam gasped, appalled.

Lexi raised an eyebrow at them and sighed, "Sam, you're my sister – that's different."

"Twin sister." Sam stressed, "That surpasses the bond of mere 'sisters' – we shared a womb for nine months, nothing makes you closer than that." She crossed her arms.

Lexi conceded, "of course" and turned to Leah, "and Leah, you might as well be related. But guys, can you just not nit-pick, it's how it was and how we felt and that's that. He was like my best friend." She paused, "…and then he asked me out and suddenly we were more than that. And have been ever since." She smiled to herself and placed her hands in her lap, "As cheesy as it sounds, I already know he's 'the one'." Lexi was interrupted by a resounding 'aww' from Leah, and an 'eww – dude, that's a huge cheese-fest' from Sam. Nonetheless, she continued, "I have for a long time. As weird as it sounds, I want things to go further, you know."

"Like…marriage?"

Lexi smiled at Leah, "Yeah. We're too close for anything not to happen. I think it will. It's just a question of when."

Leah and Sam exchanged glances.

Lexi swept her hand over the duvet in front of her to remove the creases and looked up at Sam, "So how's stuff with you and Josh?"

Sam shrugged, "Normal. Same as usual. Nothing's changed since we last talked. Same antics as when you were still back home." She sat back, resting her hands behind her back to support her, "though we've discussed maybe moving to Phoenix. Not sure when. We just want to, maybe get an apartment somewhere."

"What are you waiting for?" Leah asked

"Thanks for encouraging me to stay." Same responded, dryly and then smiled, "I don't know. It's not financial reasons if that's what you're wondering." As a composer who had created scores and soundtracks for many films and TV shows despite her young age, Sam had a reliable income of a considerable sum. Most of which she gave to her parents for all they had done for her. She also had been saving some of her money to help Lexi through college – though Lexi didn't stay for long and so didn't require it. Sam donated much of it to charities or local shops and schools since she didn't need so much. She considered she had too much than she knew what to do with and would only spend it on 'pointless junk' if she kept it available. She was planning to aid her brothers when they moved on with their training, to support them, as their current salaries meant it was better if they stayed at the family home for the time being. "I don't know. We're both putting it off I think. Maybe when we turn twenty-one? I don't think we want to leave. It's just an idea we've thrown around. You know," she directed her comment at Lexi, "Lethargic musings."

Leah looked between the two as Lexi smiled knowingly at the comment. "What?"

Lexi responded, "We invented it. Ironically, during it. Basically, it's when you get so tired you start considering everything that pops into your head is possible and you declare it doable. Like when you're drunk and think you can jump off a roof and not get hurt…" The three chuckled at the comment.

"A mistake even a drunken Jeremy will never make again…" Sam smiled whilst looking upwards, remembering the circumstance.

Lexi continued, "…or when you make New Year's resolutions: you know, when you state whole-heartedly you can do something and make it your mission to get it done. Though it rarely happens."

Leah picked up her mug and took a sip from in coolly, "That's what I said about being a surgeon."

The girls' head turned at the sound of the pneumatic doors opening and Ace appeared from the small corridor which separated his bedroom door from the main room. He looked tired and surprised to see them, "Oh, hey girls." He smiled.

Leah and Sam exchanged intrigued glances as Ace walked over to Lexi. "I'm gonna take a shower if dat's alright." He spoke quietly, his face close to Lexi's as he leant over the bed to place his head near her shoulder. Lexi smiled and nodded. Ace raised his head slightly to address all three females, "I didn't interrupt anyt'in' did I?"

Lexi shook her head, "No. You're fine." She smiled at him and leaned forwards as Ace lowered his head to kiss her, they held it for a few more moments than they might have in front of other company before Ace pulled away and gave the others a small smile. He kept eye contact with Lexi as he walked across the room until he disappeared into the bathroom.

Sam and Leah smiled as Lexi looked over to him and held her gaze at the bathroom even after Ace had disappeared from view. "You two are so having a child together." Leah remarked.

"What?" At this comment, Lexi's head whipped round and she stared, shocked and startled at Leah who looked on at her innocently. "How do you know that?" She tried to keep her voice from shaking and sound innocent, but she feared Leah at least knew.

"I can tell by the way you two look at each other. I don't know, I can just see it happening."

Lexi breathed a silent sigh of relief and smiled, though not sure what to say. She simply nodded.

/

Leah and Sam left a few minutes before Ace left the bathroom, deciding it was late and they should discontinue their conversation, having made plans for the next day.

Lexi perched herself on the edge of her and Ace's bed, hearing him about to leave, she fiddled with the vest of her pyjama top (she had changed after her sister and Leah had left the room). Ace poked his head out of the doorway before fully exiting the bathroom, not wanting to interrupt anything. He noticed Lexi's thoughtful look and, from his position on the other side of the room, jumped onto the bed so he lay on his stomach, his head at her side and looked up at her. "What's up, Lex?" He rested his head on one hand and placed the other on her leg and rubbed it softly.

"I don't know." Lexi sighed, turning herself to look down at him, "It's just hard to lie to them. It's getting difficult, and I hate imagining how hurt they'll be when they find out." She frowned. "Part of me was so tempted to tell Leah and Sam earlier. It felt like the right time."

Ace furrowed his eyebrows and stared down at the bed under him for a moment, "Tell dem. If ya want. If it takes it off ya mind," he shrugged, "if it makes ya feel better, tell dem. Dose two seem like dey could help ya out wit' it, maybe keep it quiet until ya decide to tell everyone else."

Lexi shook her head and swallowed, "It's not just that, though." Ace sat up and took her hand, "I'm just worried they'll all hate me or something. And you. Sam…I'm closer to her than anyone I think," she paused and glanced at Ace, "I think" she stressed, "you two might be on a tie right now". I'd hate to lose her. I'm already worried they all think I've changed too much…"

"Do ya t'ink ya have?" Ace rubbed her hand with his thumb and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

She thought for a moment, "I don't think so. Obviously I've changed since…what happened. But comparing myself now to how I was before that happened, I don't think so. I'm fairly confident; I'm still interested in the same type of music and that kind of stuff. Obviously I've grown up, and can handle myself better, what with the job and all."

Ace gave her a soft smile, "den don't worry about it. Ya don't know for sure dat dey t'ink you're different, ya don't know if dat would be a bad t'ing anyway. Don't worry about somet'in' dat hasn't happened." He leaned forward and she moved closer to him as he wrapped his arms around her, "just be happy dey're all here, and spend some quality time wit' them. Let loose and have fun, ya don't have ta go on any missions, you're on a break. So enjoy yourself." He leaned back to ensure the message had been understood by her.

Lexi half-smiled and nodded before nestling into him again. "Lex," Ace spoke again, and Lexi looked up at him, "I mean it." He looked at her seriously for a few moments and then gave her a soft smile, pulling her closer to him, "ya need ta stop gettin' yourself all worked up. T'ings will work out. Dey always do."

/

When Slam awoke, he could smell heaven.

The largest member of the team pulled on his uniform faster than he believed Rev could accomplish the same feat and, following his nose, exited his room and turned left. Walking almost as though in a trance along the corridor, Slam arrived at the main room and turned into the kitchen and beheld a sight he had not come across since joining the team.

"Morning, Slam" Duck spoke happily, looking to the devil for a moment and then back to the source of the smell before suddenly bolting out of his chair, "SLAM?"

Tech, with his cup of coffee in hand, was busy reading the newspaper during this occurrence but glanced up at what he could only assume was an impending scuffle. He gave Duck a stern look before gesturing to his left with his head and eyes.

Duck gasped in disbelief, "Hey, I ain't the one causing trouble. You don't have to be a genius to know what Slam's like," he gestured to Slam with his thumb, "I should know." He stated proudly.

Tech shook his head and turned back to his newspaper before the sound of Lexi's mother's voice made him turn again to his left.

"Is everything alright?" Angela bunny looked round at the three Loonatics with concern as she continued to stir the bowl she had resting on her hip with a wooden spoon.

"Don't-worry-Mrs.-Bunny, everything's-alright. You-see-Slam-gets-excited-when-nice-food-is-around-because-we-rarely-get-nice-home-cooked-stuff-because-there's-never-anyone-willing-to-make-it. Not-to-mention-we-can-never-be-sure-when-we're-gonna-have-to-drop-everything-to-go-and-save-the-world. And-Lexi's-not-too-great-at-cooking, though-I'm-sure-you-know-that. Not-that-I'm-insulting-her-or-anything, She's-a-lovely-person, but-sometimes-a-fact-is-a-fact. And-I'm-not-trying-to-be-sexist, but-none-of-us-guys-would-really-ever-get-in-the-mood-to-cook-this-sort-of-thing. Lexi's-tried-but-it-didn't-work-out-well. Tech-had-to-run-in-with-a-fire-extinguisher-once-and-burnt-himself-trying-to-put-out-a-fire-in-the-oven-that-started-accidentally-when-Lexi-had-the-oven-temperature-up-too-high-because-she-had-the-temperature-set-as-though-it-were-Celsius-not-Fahrenheit –because-the-recipe-she-was-using-was-actually-British. But-don't-worry, Tech-was-okay. He-can-regenerate-so-everything-was-fine-and-so-was-Lexi. She-was-a-bit-disappointed-naturally-that-the-cake-she-had-tried-to-bake-was-burnt, but-the-main-thing-was-she-tried, which, let's-face-it, is-all-you-can-do-sometimes. And-Slam-still-ate-it, so-it-wasn't-a-wasted-effort. Though-it-was-the-time-when, on-Pancake-Day,-Tech-had-to-"

"Rev." Tech spoke sternly, and looked to Angela, who looked thoroughly confused.

"Sorry." Rev blushed.

Angela smiled and laughed, "Don't worry, dear. I understood the gist." She set down the bowl she had been mixing on the counter and looked over her shoulder to Slam, who, during Rev's talking, had sat down at the table in the kitchen opposite to the oven, and waited for the cookies Rev and Angela were baking, to be done. "Once I've put these on a tray, I'll let you lick the bowl if you'd like." She smiled at Slam.

Slam, who was so delighted by how his morning was going so far that he couldn't form a single word, simply nodded, his eyes fixed on the bowl with the same hypnotic look to them as they had had previously.

"What? No fair. That's one of the whole reasons I was in here!" Duck crossed his arms and pouted, slumping in his chair while Slam stuck his tongue out at him. "You're despicable" he muttered at the Devil, who smiled cheekily.

"There'll be plenty for you too, Duck; don't worry." Duck smiled at the response from Lexi's mother and stuck his tongue out at Slam in return. Tech sighed and returned to his newspaper.

"Oh, Rev, honey, those will be done now." Mrs. Bunny pointed down at the oven, "Could you take them out for me, please, my hands are covered in dough." She smiled as she kneaded the cookie dough under her palms, ready to separate it into pieces to place on the baking tray for their next batch.

"Sure-thing!" Rev said excitedly as he put on the oven mitts and opened the oven and took out two trays of cookies arranged four-by-four on each tray. He placed them on one of the counters near him and eyed Duck and Slam wearily. "These-will-still-be-too-hot, guys. Wait-a-minute-or-two." He smiled at Angela and Tech did also from behind the newspaper. They had already made a previous batch which they had already put in jars and hidden up in a cupboard. Rev had advised Angela when she postulated the idea of baking, that their team alone would go through one batch of cookies and so she had decided to make three batches to satisfy everyone's hunger and to ensure everyone got some. She and Rev had been up at 08:00 making them, the smell that had attracted Slam and Duck was the smell from the first batch, but they failed to realise that as a sign that some were already ready to be eaten. Now at 09:00, Rev and Angela were working well as a team making the cookies together; Rev had excitedly asked to help when Angela had mentioned how she had thought of making something nice for the team to thank them for their hospitality and kindness towards her family, as well as Lexi when she joined the team.

Tech had been up at 07:00 and had already had breakfast when Robert and Angela got up and arrived in the Kitchen, and Rev was up at 07:20 and had happily run to the store to pick up the necessary ingredients to make so many cookies. Robert had taken Teresa out to see the sights in the meantime, and Pete and Mitchell had gone to visit a friend of theirs who lived in the suburbs of Acmetropolis. Michael and Spencer had also gotten up early to visit a museum where they would later meet Teresa and Robert.

There had been no sight of Ace, Lexi, Sam or Leah; though Teresa had said that Leah was in the shower when she had gone back into the room they had been sharing to retrieve her bag before her and her father left.

As if on cue, Leah walked into the room dressed and ready for the day, "It smells great in here" she smiled as she sat down beside Duck. She smiled at Duck, Slam and Tech seated at the table and looked to Tech's coffee, "where would I be able to get one of those?"

"I'll do it." Tech got up and poured her out a coffee, "How do you take it?"

"Any way's fine, black will do." Tech handed her the cup, "thanks."

"Err, bread and cereal is over in that cupboard." Tech pointed behind Leah who smiled.

"Thanks, but don't worry. I ate earlier."

"When?"

Leah looked up and took a sip from her coffee, "Must have been…five thirty?"

The Loonatics in the room looked surprised, "Why on earth would you do that?" Duck looked to her.

Leah half-smiled, "My body clock's completely out of whack, courtesy of eighteen hour shifts at who knows what time and very, very little sleep. My hours suck right now since I might as well been seen as a newbie since I've just made surgeon. And they've needed extra staff in the ICU anyway, so I've been doctoring even more." She spoke dryly and took another sip, "these hours are a bitch."

Duck raised an eyebrow, "You sound just like Tech." Both Leah and Tech turned to Duck, "Well, not just like him. He's up all the time too, at odd hours." He glanced at Tech.

Leah nodded, "Interesting." She turned to Tech and smiled, "guess I know who to talk to when I'm bored because I can't sleep."

Tech gave a small chuckle, "You'd be surprised how many of them have done that." It was true. A general rule of thumb within the tower had been that if anyone was ever awake because they couldn't sleep, they tended to go and talk to Tech. The hidden reason was that sometimes, after asking 'what'cha doin'?', the explanation was enough to bore them into fatigue. Tech didn't' always appreciate the midnight chats, but sometimes having someone make his coffee for him gave him some more time to get work done. And occasionally, company was nice.

Leah smiled and then glanced at her watch, "I should probably wake Sam. Though sometimes I envy her ability to sleep all day, it's rude to do that at someone else's place." She got up and left the room, leaving her coffee behind to return to.

Tech gave Duck an unimpressed look after she had left, and spoke quietly so as to not let Angela (or Rev) hear, "what was that about, Duck? What are you playing at?"

"Nothing, jeez. You guys have stuff in common, I'm pointing it out, where's the harm in that?" He sat back in his chair and shrugged.

"But to what end? Why are you pointing it out?" Tech pressed.

"Perhaps I want to see you be happy for a change? So you could bond with someone who kinda likes science and could probably understand all your babble so you could have a conversation with someone who understands you."

Tech looked annoyed for a moment, and then touched, somewhat, by the Duck's honesty and kindness. "Oh. Wow, thanks, Du-"

"But I can't stress this enough," Duck interrupted him, standing up, and talking at a normal volume again, "It's also because that way, if you can talk and have a conversation with someone who can understand all your science crap, you'll stop telling me about it." And with that, Duck took a cookie off the bench and left the room. As he turned the corner and took a bite out of his cookie, though, those in the vicinity heard a resounding, "YEEEEEOW!"

Tech smiled to himself and picked up his newspaper again. Maybe there was such a thing as karma.

/

"Okay, I'm up!"

Lexi shot up in bed, Ace, slightly dazed, sat up slowly beside her, "What? Are you okay – did ya have anoder nightmare?" His fatigue turned into concern as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What?" Lexi looked at him, confused, "No…I thought you said something?"

Ace shook his head, "I didn't say anyt'in'."

Lexi furrowed her eyebrows, "Must've heard something then." She moved her legs to the side of the bed, intending to get out.

"Probably." Ace lay back down and yawned, noticing Lexi moving, he wrapped an arm around her waist, "Where are ya goin'?"

Lexi looked back to him, "I think I want to get up now."

Ace frowned, "Ya t'ink? Why don't ya stay for a bit?" He smiled at her and she smirked back.

"Not now. It's too late." She looked at how much light was streaming through the gaps in their curtains and Ace sighed. "Actually, it's way too late." Lexi worriedly looked to him and back at the alarm clock; Ace sat up and read it, sighing. "This would seem suspicious. I'm sorry, Ace." She leaned down and kissed him and then stood up, "I don't want to risk anything. And I have plans with Leah and Sam today." She walked round the bed, grabbing some clothes from the chest of draws.

"Dat's nice." Ace smiled and sat up, "I might try ta do some trainin', maybe see if I can get to know your brothers a bit better."

Lexi smiled at him and from the doorway into their bathroom, walked over to him and gave him a long kiss, "Sounds like a plan."