A/N: So, this is my first KND fanfic, so be a bit leniant please. This chapter is right before Kuki Sanban's (Number 3's) decommissioning. I know Number 5 (Abigail Lincoln) is the oldest on the team, but I needed her to be in these chapter since she really is like the older sister to the whole group and I couldn't imagine a decommissioning chapter without Number 5 talking to some of the kids.

This chapter is going to focus on Number 4's (Wally Beatles) anxiety about Kuki's decommisioning. I know in the show they're kids, but please remember for right now they're 12 and practically teenagers, so they've figured a lot of stuff out. I want them to be a little grown up, but not too grown up because they are still kids.

Stay Close

Chapter 1

Cruddy time… cruddy, cruddy time. Why did time even have to exist? Wolly thought to himself as he tossed and turned in bed. Sure, time had allowed him to gain 3 inches in height over the past three years… but that was the problem. Three years had gone by. In the blink of an eye, his kidhood was gone. Pretty soon he was gonna be a cruddy teenager.

He growled and turned over in his bed again, then sighed, and curled into a ball. He would give up his added height for those three years back. That added up right? Three years for three inches… he was pretty sure that added up. Suddenly three seemed like the worst number ever. The number thirteen had a 3 in it. He had gained 3 inches over 3 years. 3 was just a cruddy number... but then he sighed again… Numbuh 3 was the only reason he was even thinking about this.

In 3 days, Kuki Sanban would be 13 years old… and that would be that. No more of her singing the cruddy rainbow monkey theme song… no more of her overreacting… no more of her girly girl giggle fits… no more forced tea parties… no more hugs… no more of her careless smile… no more sweet comments… no more of kuki's kukiness to brighten up the treehouse.

The thought was enough to force Numbuh 4 to kick his covers off of his bed and trudge over to the wrestling ring in the middle of his room. Sure, he couldn't stop time. He couldn't stop that third day from coming… but he could kick the crud out of the half-destroyed dummy in the middle of his room. He was good at that… he still remembered first designing this room. He remembered putting it together. He remembered when the dummy was still brand-new. The first time he punched the thing it cracked most of his knuckles. He then angrily kicked it, hurting a few of his toes. That was 3 years ago. At the time, he never thought he could do much damage to it, ever. It would just be a decoration.

Wally hated to admit it, but he had noticed himself getting stronger as time went by. He hadn't thought about it being connected to his age before, he thought he was just getting better because he was… well… the awesomest guy alive. But over the last few months, he noticed he was changing a little bit. He wasn't short and a bit pudgy anymore. He was leaner, and he was getting muscle. His face was getting longer and his features were coming out too. And then he was taller… yeah. He was still kinda short, but it was an improvement. He had flaunted it at first, showing off his new skills and strength, spending more time with a few of the guys playing whatever game. Taking up any chance he could to show off. He noticed beating up adults was getting easier too. He could throw the Toiletnator through a wall now no problem. He even juggled him once. Even Mr. Boss was easier to kick out of the way despite how fat he was. Time really was changing everything, wasn't it?

Wally gave one good kick to the dummy's "head" and knocked the helmet off angrily. Funny, he wasn't able to reach the helmet before…

"I thought a heard a racket," Abby said from the door.

Wally looked over at her and frowned, not happy about her seeing him lose his cool. "Can't-chuh knock?"

Numbuh 5 just smiled softly from under her cap and walked over to his bed, patting a spot next to her so he would sit down. Number 4 stuck his hands in his pockets and trudged over to her side, grumbling. But Numbuh 5 didn't seem to mind at all. "What's buggin' yuh?"

"Nuttin…" Numbuh 4 snapped, but refused to look her in the eye.

He felt Abby's weight shift the bed a bit as she lay back a little. "I know man… Numbuh 5's a little scared too."

This caught Wally's attention. He'd known Abigail since forever, and had rarely seen her scared. He usually saw her determined and strong. But once he saw her expression, he understood. She and Kuki were close too. He wasn't the only one losing… a friend. Even worse, Abigail was going soon after.

"This sucks," Wally said simply, making Abby laugh.

"Yeah… growin up stanks… Numbuh 5's gonna miss this… having all of us together. Goin around beatin up bad guys and such… but we all knew we was gonna get older. It's nature. It happens to the best of us."

Number 4 immediately turned his head away, an angry expression on his face. "Yeah? Well nature stinks!" He crossed his arms over his legs and let his head hang for a bit, sitting in a comfortable silence with Numbuh 5. "I'm gonna miss 'er…" he said without thinking. He deflated a little more bit at the admission.

"I know man… we're all gonna miss her," Numbuh 5 said sadly, placing a soothing hand on his shoulder. If it had been almost anyone else, he would have shaken the hand off and walked away, but this was Abigail. They'd been through a lot together, and he was comfortable with her.

But it only dulled the anxious feeling growing in his stomach. He only had days… days. And yet he had to act like everything was normal. "…what are we gonna do Abby? Just act like nothing's wrong?"

"Ain't it better than moping around and remindin' her what's comin'? Honestly, Numbuh 5's gotten rid of her calendar. I don't need no reminders. I just wanna enjoy my time with my team. I'm sure Kuki just wants the same thing."

And with that, Number 5 got up and left Number 4 to his own thoughts. He supposed she was right… he didn't want to depress Kuki… but he started to feel her slip away already. "Hey Numbuh 4?" she called before leaving. Wally looked up from his fidgety fingers. "You should tell 'er man. Before she leaves."

The blood shot to Number 4's cheeks and he turned away, hoping the darkness would hide it. "I- I don't know what you're talking about," he forced out. But from Number 5's chuckle, she knew exactly what she was talking about.

"Hehe. Sure you don't," she teased as she walked out, trying to end on a light note.

Once Abigail was out of sight, Wally hoped off his bed and kicked the ground, irritated.

He knew he liked Number 3, despite all of her annoying tendencies. Despite forcing him to dress like a stupid stuffed animal. Despite forcing him to play tea party. Despite turning into a feral animal when she was angry… he decided he like liked her. But the weird thing was, he still mostly saw her as a friend. He still thought girls were icky and weird –other than Number 5, she was cool and all-… but Kuki wasn't bad despite the girliest of the girls.

But what was the point of saying anything now? She would forget it all in a few days. And then she'd be a cruddy teenager. And then he might even have to fight her one day… so what would it matter?

He looked up and realized he had walked around the treehouse. Next, he realized he had gravitated towards Number 3's room. He took a few tentative steps back, thinking that this was the last place he wanted to be. He immediately ran back to his room, jumped onto his bed and hid beneath his blanket, like his anxiety was a monster he could hide from.