Carmen Sandiego Oneshots

The Red Crackle scene we needed at the end of Season 4

   A/N: This scene is MAJOR SPOILERS for my full "Season 5" fanfic which I promise I'm working on. It's literally the very last scene. However, if you want, you're welcome to go ahead.

   A/N for people who are willing to go ahead and have spoilers: This is basically the scene all us Red Crackle-ers wanted at the end of "The Dark Red Caper". I've tried to remove as many spoilers for my fic as possible until I post the rest, but the very premise of this scene is a spoiler. A lot of angst and soul-searching happens before this scene, but all that's necessary to know for this is that Carmen and Gray found each other and are at a café in Paris.

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   "Have a 'cuppa' with me?" Carmen asked.

    Graham glanced sideways at her. "Promise you won't disappear on me this time?"

   She'd have to leave at some point, but this time he wanted the chance to say goodbye.

   Her eyes were sad, but she nodded. "I promise."

   They sat down and stared out at the city. "It really is beautiful," Carmen sighed. "Last time we were in Paris--"

   She cut off and they sat in awkward silence. He'd tried to turn her lights out; she'd left him for the police. Neither felt like reliving that train ride.

   Graham gave a dry laugh. "Well, you've gotten your memory back, at least." He looked down and fiddled with his cup. "What was it like for you?"

   Carmen stared into her own cup. "It was... scary at first. And confusing. Trying to fit these pieces together of what I thought I knew and what I was remembering. Trying to figure out who I was."

   "Yeah." He knew that all too well. "At least you got to remember you were a good guy."

   She looked at him, her eyes large and sad. "The worst part was realizing all the things I'd done while my mind was messed up. What I thought I did to you."

   "Ah, no worries. I'm an electrician, remember? I'm used to those kinds of jolts." He gave her a smile, but couldn't make himself look at her for long. His heart ached. He stared out across the river. "I'm just glad you're back to yourself again."

   "I wouldn't be without you." Carmen sighed. "I should've been there for you in the hospital."

   "You were still recovering yourself."

   "Yes, but after that..." She sighed. "I tried to call you, but you'd already been released. I should've been there sooner. I finally got information about my mother, but that could have waited--"

   "You found your mum?"

   She smiled. "I've been staying with her for the past few months. We run a orphanage in Buenos Aires."

   Graham chuckled. "Of course you do. You just can't help caring for people, can you?" She was obviously living a full life. Without him. But that's what he wanted for her, right? "Good on ya. I'm happy for you."

   "And you made that happen."

   "It was all that memory brain gizmo the hologram lady had. The one they used on me." Graham sighed. "I almost wished they hadn't. Made it a whole lot easier to be good."

   "I don't want some fake version of you who was programmed to be good. That's not what being 'good' is about. I want the real you, who's fighting to be good even when it's hard." Carmen laid a hand on his shoulder. "Even if you fail sometimes."

   He looked off into the distance. He knew he should leave. She didn't need him cluttering up her life. Because she was right; he had failed. And he'd probably continue to. But he also knew how much he needed her. And that was why he had to take a risk. He turned to her.

   "That orphanage of yours... does it have an age limit?"

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*A week later*

   Carmen sat behind the desk in the orphanage's office. "Everyone's finally in bed."

   Her mom walked in carrying two plates. "How about a snack before we get to sleep ourselves, mija? I have leftover empanadas."

   "Mmm. Sounds great."

   Her mom looked over her shoulder into the other room. "And what about you, Graham?"

   Graham climbed down from the stepladder where he'd just finished fixing the flickery light in the main room. "You bet." He brushed his hands off on his shirt and pulled a chair next to Carmen.

   Her mom ruffled his hair. "I worry about you. You don't eat enough."

   Graham grinned. He'd been eating more since he got here than he ever had in his life. Still, it was nice to be worried about. "At some point I gotta teach you guys some true blue Aussie recipes. I'm not a bad cook myself."

   "I'll hold you to that," Carmen said with a smile.

   Her mom handed each of them a plate. "Eat up. I'm going to go check on everyone." She left the room with a knowing smile.

   Carmen dug into her empanada de pollo. Graham took a bite of his, but chewed slowly, staring into the distance. She put a hand on his arm. "You okay?"

   He looked at her and smiled. "Yeah. I was just thinking..."

   She sat, waiting for him to finish.

   "You know, I've spent a lot of time frustrated about fancy rich people. People who 'have it all'. But... maybe I was chasing the wrong 'all'." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I think I'm the one who has everything."

   Carmen looked over at her photo wall. In a prominent place hung the picture of her as a baby with her father, right next to a new one of her hugging the mom she'd been searching for for so long. There were old photos from capers and hanging out at the Carmen Brand Outerwear building, the closest thing she'd had to a home for a while. Photos of her oldest friend, Player; photos of Zack and Ivy in their new ACME suits posing with with "Lydia" and the Rouge Vendetta car; photos of Shadow-san in Japan with his brother. Photos of all the orphans. Even a photo of her former adversaries Chase and Jules.

   And now photos with Graham.

   She sighed with contentment and rested her head on his shoulder.

   "Everything."