Chapter 1 - Part One

A Heart's Promise
By Evilevergreen

Summary: He told her a heart doesn't forget, even when the mind does. He promised her he would always have her back, like he always had, even if he couldn't remember. Needless to say, she didn't believe him, but it didn't matter, because in the end, she wouldn't remember a silly, little promise. . . or him. (Wally & Abby)

[/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b]Chapter One: Shattered[/b][/b]
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It was too much, it was all too much and Numbah Five just couldn't handle it anymore as she curled herself up into a ball in her bedroom in the KND Treehouse. Salty, wet tears ran down her face and stained her pillow as she sobbed into it. Slowly she rose to a sitting position as she wiped away her tears. ``Get a hold of yourself, Numbah Five. It's not that bad,'' she sighed, knowing she was lying to herself.

She then glanced up at the digital clock on the wall which read 12:37 am. Knowing she wouldn't be able to sleep anytime soon, she got out of bed and found her housecoat which she had discarded on the floor earlier that night.

She made her way down the hall to the kitchen navigating her way through the night. She had made this trip often in the last several weeks and now knew the root quite well. She was soon standing in front of an open refrigerator being blinded by its light. She groaned at the slight discomfort to her eyes as she reached for the jug of milk. Leaving the refrigerator open she put the jug on the counter and reached up to the cupboard to find a mug. She then moved to the next cupboard and took out a packet of cocoa. As she mixed her drink she sung a little tune she didn't like, but for some reason couldn't get out of her head.

A moment later she put the milk jug back into the refrigerator and was once again emerged into the darkness. Making her way to the yellow picnic table, with her mug in hand, she didn't realize that one of the benches had been moved around earlier that day; that is not until her toe banged into the end of the bench. ``Ow!'' she yelled out as her mug went flying out of her hand and flew across the air, spilling her drink all over the floor. It was then followed by the sound of shattering glass as her mug followed. Numbah Five immediately fell on her butt and cradled her foot in her hands. ``Aw, man.'' she said under her breath, knowing she would have a mess to clean up as soon as her toe stopped throbbing.

The pain she was feeling plus everything she was going through proved to be to much and she softly began to cry, on the floor, all alone, in the dark. ``Hello?'' She heard a voice call in the night. She furiously wiped away her tears before the light could be turned on.

She was Numbah Five for crying out loud; she was suppose to be the collective one, the calm and rational one, and here she was crying over a stubbed toe and spilled milk. ``Numbah Five?'' The voice called again when the light was turned on. ``Crud! Look at this mess.'' Numbah Four walked towards her.

``Thanks for pointing it out, I'm sure I would have missed it.'' She rolled her eyes.

``Well, `course yah would of, yah were sittin' in da dark,'' her sarcasm going over his head.

``Yeah, okay,'' she drawled. ``So, what are you doing up so late?'' she asked as he walked behind her, out of her line of sight.

``Thought ah heard somethin'.'' He then grunted for a reason Numbah Five couldn't see. ``Apparently, it was yah.''

``Four syllable word. Congratulations.'' She tossed over her shoulder. He must of actually done his spelling homework correctly this week. She thought.

He came back around in front of her with a smile on his face. ``Thanks,'' he beamed. Numbah Five couldn't help but smile at the boy.

That's when she noticed the trashcan in one of his hands and a mop in the other. ``What are you doing?'' she asked as she watched him pick up the bigger pieces of the broken mug.

``Ah'm cleanin' up da mess,'' he said matter-of-factly.

``Why?''

``Why not?'' he asked in return.

``Well. . . because it's my mess.''

``Ah know.'' He started mopping up the mess. ``But yah seem a lil' preoccupied.'' He gestured, with his head, towards her foot which Numbah Five was still cradling.

``Another four, niiiice.'' Numbah Five commented on the word `preoccupied.'

``Ah know.'' He beamed once again as he looked down, but then his smile faded.

``What is it?'' Numbah Five asked.

Numbah Four had peered into the trashcan where all the broken pieces had been collected. ``Is that Numbah One's mug?''

Numbah Five laughed nervously. ``Maybe.'' Her shoulders then dropped. ``It was the only one I could see in the dark.'' She then added solemnly, ``I misplaced mine.''

``Yah know exactly where your mug is and so do ah,'' Numbah Four said with his back to her as he continued to mop. ``Yah didn't misplace it.''

``What are you talking about?'' she asked. He said nothing as he finished cleaning up the mess. ``Numbah Four?'' he still said nothing as he put away the mop and the trashcan. He then sat in front of her, giving her a look of concern she thought was only reserved for Numbah Three. ``What?''

He then said softly, not making eye contact with her, ``Yah cry, when yah think no one's around.''

Numbah Five's brow furrowed. ``Numbah Five doesn't know what you're talking about.''

``Yeah, yah do,'' he continued slowly. ``Do yah forget your room is next to mine? For hours on end, all ah can hear is your cryin'.'' Numbah Five cast her eyes downward as she released her foot. ``Yah threw your mug out your window about a week ago. Ah cleaned that up too.''

``Be quiet,'' she told him.

``Abby,'' he said her name tenderly. ``Ah know yah're afraid. . .''

``Stop talking.'' She closed her eyes.

``. . . we're all afraid. . .''

``Don't say it,'' she said sternly.

``. . . about your thirteenth birthday.''

``Shut up!'' she yelled. ``Just shut up! I don't want to talk about it.''

``Doesn't mean it won't happen.'' He watched as tears ran down her face. ``Yah can't throw it away.''

``Why are you still talking?'' she said angrily as she opened her eyes.

``Fine. Ah'm not gonna make yah talk.'' He stood, but then stretched down his hand. ``Now come on, ah ain't got all night.''

``I don't need you, you know. I don't need any of you guys,'' she said calmly.

He smiled sadly, ``Ah know.'' His hand was still out to help her up. She then reached out and took it. ``Ah just want yah to know, even if yah don't need me, that ah've got your back. Yah can always count on me.''

Numbah Five pulled away her hand as soon as she was on her own two feet. ``I won't even remember you and soon you won't remember me either. None of us will remember each other after this year.'' She stated upset.

``My mind may not, but my heart will always remember our team. Yah'll see.''

Numbah Five crossed her arms as she shook her head, she never knew Numbah Four to be such a dreamer. ``I'm heading in. Good-night, Numbah Four.''

Numbah Four watched as she walked away. He then called after her, as if determined to make her understand. ``Yah'll see Numbah Five-- a heart doesn't forget.'' More tears slid down Numbah Five's face as she heard his call. . . wishing she could believe him.

[/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b]Chapter Two: Someone New[/b][/b]
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[/b]Abigail Lincoln was a twenty-one year old junior in college. She was on the school's female hockey team and loved the sport very much. And though the off-season had just begun, she tried to keep in shaped all year round.

Her favorite place to go was a gym that was located about a mile from her dormitory. It had a track field she simply enjoyed running around. It was a lazy afternoon as she stretched on the field before a run as she turned on her mp3 player. When she had it programmed just the way she liked it she began her run. As she ran she listened to one of her favorite songs, though she couldn't quite remember why she liked it.

Maybe because it was a song about friendship and how you feel when you can't go on, yet know there's always someone there you can lean on. And that was the very reason she didn't like the song. Abby, as she called herself, had friends but not many, she had learned long ago if you were going to depend on someone, it should be yourself.

Despite her thoughts, Abby was a popular person, everyone seemed to know her name, but then again, she was one of the school's leading goal scorers. People would often ask her to hang out and join them for parties, but she had never really been up to those sort of things and would politely decline each time.

As she ran, she noticed a boy about her age exited out the gym and come towards the track. She had seen him before around campus during the semester. He was a transfer student from Australia or something, she wasn't quite sure. She watched him, as she passed, as he stretched and got ready for his own run.

Breathing heavily, Abby slowed down to a stop and then went to gather her things. "You're not leaving on my account are you?" the boy spoke with a faint accent.

"No, not at all," she smiled as she tossed the strap of her duffel bag over her shoulder. The boy said nothing in reply as he just smiled at her before beginning his run.

Later that night, Abby was in her dorm room studying for a test she had coming up in a few days. "Geez, Abby," spoke her roommate Kristen, better know as Kris, as she snatched Abby's book. "How much of a nerd can you be?" She asked. "It's Friday, for crying out loud. You need to get out and have some fun sometimes," she continued. "You know what they say about all work and no play."

"I know the saying, Kris." Abby took back her book and readjusted her glasses. She usually wore contacts, but they had been bothering her all day and she finally just gave up on them and took them out. "I just really need to study for this test, I can't afford another 'D'. I just can't." She stressed.

Kris sat on Abby's bed. "Look, the reason you didn't do well on that last test was because you put too much pressure on yourself. You studied I know you did, but I'm telling you-- you're brain," she knocked on Abby's head, "needs a break. You hear me, sistah girl?"

"Look, I think-" She was cut off.

"Hello!" Kris waved her hand in front of Abby's face. "Brain. Burnt. Out." She stood up and Abby watched her walk over to her closet. "So I tell you what. Tonight, we're going out." Abby opened her mouth to protest. "And don't say you can't, because 'no' is no longer an option." She reached in Abby's closet and pulled out a black leather mini-shirt. "Girl, I didn't even know you owned something like this." She tossed it over her shoulder. "Put it on," she told her as she found her roommate a top.

Kris couldn't find anything she liked in Abby's closet so she moved on to her own. "I'm letting you borrow this, so I expect it back." Kris handed her a sleeveless sequin midriff top. "Blue always looks good on you," she commented.

Abby sighed as she put the clothes on and check herself out in the mirror. "I don't know, Kris." Abby put her hands on her breasts. "It's kind of tight."

Kris huffed and moved Abby's hands. "It's supposed to be." Kris then looked into the mirror as she applied her ruby red lipstick that matched the little dress she wore.

"You look like a ho," Abby told her playfully.

"Girl, I don't know what you're talking about." Kris made a little circle, flaring her dress, and then shook her hips from side to side. "That's what I'm talking about, baby girl!" she laughed. "Now come on," Kris grabbed her purse and then Abby's hand as she finished putting in her new contacts. "We're going dancin' tonight."

Abby shook her head as she was pulled out the dorm by Kris thinking, What have I gotten myself into?

OoOoO

It had taken them forty-five minutes to get to the club Kris wanted to go to; mostly because she had to pick up the rest of her girls, which included: Anita, the self-proclaimed best dancer of the group; Dana, little miss know-it-all; and Spirit, who's really name was Rebecca.

"doges, get out my car!" Kris yelled as soon as they parked in the lot of the club called, Daylite.

"Kris, you need to stop cursing," stated Dana.

"Yeah," agreed Anita, "you need like Jesus in your life." Everyone stopped and looked at her. "What?"

"Like you've ever gone to church," said Spirit.

"I have gone to church," Anita said as they walked towards the club.

"When?" asked Spirit.

Anita started counting on her fingers, but then just resolved with giving Spirit the bird.

"Oh, that's real mature." Spirit slapped her hand down.

"These are your friends?" Abby quietly asked Kris.

"Don't worry, they'll grow on you." She smiled as the five of them entered the club.

The club was packed, so the girls had to maneuver their way across the room until they found a table in the corner and stole a few chairs. "I need a drink," Dana announced before asking. "You girls want something?" When they all declined she made her way to the bar.

The others were talking and getting to know Abby when Usher's 'Yeah' blasted through the speakers of the club. "Girl, that's my song!" Yelled Spirit. "Come on!" She grabbed Anita and the two practically ran to the dance floor.

"Thanks Kris, I really needed this," Abby turned to her and said.

Kris smiled mischievously. "Don't thank me yet," she leaned in and lowered her voice. "Okay, don't look now, but that fine-@$$ white boy at the bar has been checking you out since we got in here."

"What?" Abby dark cheeks blushed.

"Yeah, girl." Kris looked over Abby's shoulder. "Okay, hold on. . . wait for it . . ." she said slowly. She then began rapidly hitting her hand on the table. "Look now, look now!" Abby softly laughed at her roommate as she looked over her shoulder to see whose eye she had caught. "You see him? The blonde?"

"Yeah, I see him." Abby recognized the boy. "He's a runner I believe. I saw him earlier at the track," she explained.

"Uh-huh, you go girl. So what's his name?" Kris inquired.

Abby turned back to her. "I don't know, we didn't say much."

"Well, he's cute, you should go say something."

Abby shook her head. "No, I don't think so."

"Oh, come on, I'm not telling you to marry the boy, just go talk to him."

"No," Abby stated firmly, but it didn't deter Kris.

"Why not?" Kris asked. "I know it isn't because he's a white boy. Because you're ex-"

"Don't," Abby looked at her swiftly. "I don't like talking about him," she told her firmly.

Kris sighed. "Look, I don't know what happened between you two, but you can't keep yourself closed off from the rest of the male population, Abby," she explained. When she got no response from her, Kris cocked an eyebrow curiously. "You haven't gone and changed teams on me, have you?" she asked carefully.

"Kris!" Abby looked at her in disbelief as a light laugh escaped her.

"What? You can't blame a sistah for asking," she said. "But if that's not it, you have no reason not to go talk to him."

"You're going to bug me about this all night aren't you?" Abby asked and Kris just smiled. "Fine." Abby rose from her seat. "I don't now how you talk me into these things?"

"It's my charming personally!" Kris yelled as Abby began walking to the bar.

"Hey!" Abby got the attention of the bartender. "Can I get a Banana Daiquiri with no lime juice, please?"

"Coming right up." And the bartender went to fix her drink.

Abby then turned to the boy beside her. "Hey there, you were at the track earlier, right?"

"Yeah, I was." He smiled. "How are you?"

"I'm good, thanks."

He looked her over. "Are you having fun?"

"Now I am, yeah." She nodded.

"That's good to hear." He softly bobbed his head to the music and after a moment spoke again. "So, you waiting for your boyfriend?"

Well, he sure isn't subtle, is he? Abby thought before answering him. "No," she told him. "I don't have one. I came with a few of my girls."

"That's good to hear," he flirted with her, "but it's a shame someone as pretty as you doesn't have a boyfriend."

"Thank you." Abby stuck out her hand. "I'm Abigail, by the way."

The Aussie took her hand and slowly brought it up to his lips. His sparkling green eyes never left hers as he gently kissed her knuckles. "Lawrence. Gavin Lawrence."

"Gavin," she said softly as the bartender arrived with her drink. He told her the price and Abby went to hand him the money she had in her other hand.

"Don't worry, I got this." Gavin paid for her drink and Abby thanked him once again. "If you really want to thank me, you can pleasure me with a dance when you're finished."

"You're on," she said after taking a sip of her Banana Daiquiri.

A few minutes later, the two were on the dance floor moving to the sounds of Jay-Z and Linkin Park's Numb/Encore. Abby sung along with music as she danced, which made Gavin laughed as she made up the parts of the song she didn't know.

As the song died down, the next cued up; it was one Abby didn't recognized. It was a slow song and all of a sudden, Abby felt a bit shy. "Would you care to sit this one out?" Gavin asked as he saw the expression on her face.

"No," she said quickly. "I mean, I feel up to it, if you are." She told him and he nodded his head. Abby shrived a bit as his cool fingers made contact with bare waist as he slid his hands around her and pulled her closer to him. Abby then proceeded to raise her arms and warp them about his neck and they swayed back and forth to the music. Abby felt as if she were floating on air as she was held in Gavin's arms. "This is nice," she whispered.

"I agree," he said in a voice that matched her own. "So, are you doing anything after this?"
Abby nervously chuckled. "I'm not that kind of girl, Gavin."

"Huh?" He didn't quite understand before he it came to him. "Oh!" He smiled and blushed. "No, no, that's not what I meant."

Abby pulled slightly away and looked into his green eyes. "Really? Then what did you mean?"

"I meant after the song. You don't have to go right back to your friends do you?"

"No, not really." She shook her head. "What? Are you trying to get to know me or something?" she asked playfully.
"Yeah, if you allow me to," Gavin told her. Abby felt stupid, she had never smiled so much in her life.

"Look at that," Kris said to the rest of the girls who had came back to the table. "First night out and my girl Abby has already caught herself a man."

"Kris, they're just dancing, it doesn't mean she's caught a man," Dana said before sipping down the last of her drink.

"Why must you always bust my bubble?" Kris asked her in agitation.

"Cuz' it's what I do," Dana stated. "Now I'm hitting the dance floor, you doges coming?"

"Ha! Look who's cursing now," Kris teased, Dana just stuck out her tongue before heading to the floor. "Hey, wait up." Kris followed.

"We need new friends," Spirit stated as she sat alone at the table with Anita.

Then at the same time they both went, "Nah." And then followed Kris and Dana out onto the dance floor.

Transmission Interrupted. . .

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