Author's Notes: Well everyone, here we are. Yet another reboot. Been rebooting so much I feel like a junky out-of-date laptop or something. I know a lot of you were telling me how awesome the first go was, and I appreciate it. I really do. But as I said in the update post, I feel like it could've been better. It was too focused on the Edd/Marie aspect, and mainly had the other characters around only to REACT to the Edd/Marie moments. Didn't really give anyone else much room to grow, issues got resolved too quickly and simply felt rushed and unclean and out-of-character at some times. So much more could've been done whilst still giving the whole Edd/Marie some focus. Mainly I just want to make it MORE than what it is, and widen the view on everyone in the story and not just two of them. Believe me when I say this second go will give you what the last attempt had PLUS more. So, without further ado, let's get things rolling.

(Also! If you want a good illustration of how all the new redesigns of all the characters, go to DeviantArt and look up Freyamustdie for visuals! Currently have Ed, Edd and Eddy drawn and are currently working on the Kankers!)

Hope you all enjoy.

Chapter 1: Time Moves Forward

It was a quiet October afternoon in the small suburban town of Peach Creak and Double D sat at his desk in his fully labeled room, finishing up the homework given to him over the weekend. "Now let's see here," he mumbled to himself, fidgeting with the pencil between his fingers. " Carry the four. Subtract 16. Multiply by the difference. Factor in pi and…" As he worked out the problem, a pleasant smile began to form. "And there lies the answer," he finished, scribbling down the rest of the equation. "There. Another assignment completed."

Eddward "Double D" had changed quite a bit over the years leading up to his senior year of high school. He was still very much the bookworm and scholar of the Ed trio, being the highest achieving Honor Student of Peach Creak High's senior class. He even tutors other students who were having difficulties in the classes he excelled at. Throughout all of high school up until this point, Double D had managed to keep his grade point average at around 3.8, with the 0.2 points being directed to his struggling performance in gym class.

Physically, Double D had also underwent some changes. First was his height. Double D was never the shortest of the cal-de-sac kids by any means, but now he was almost as tall as Ed. He wasn't only tall, he was lanky as well, still proving to be the least athletic of the cal-de-sac gang next to Jimmy. Another major change was that now long black hair cascaded down the length of his back from underneath his new dark green cap. When asked why he decided to grow it out, Double D would lie and say it was because his mother always thought he'd look handsome with it.

In truth, however, it was to assist in hiding the secret he still keeps from all besides Ed and Eddy.

His attire had became more formal since his jr. high days as well. He now wore a white short sleeved dress shirt. His long since signature black hat had also been replaced by a smaller grey one. And finally, he had on a pair a purple cargo pants.

Double D reached down and picked up the thermos that he had set next to his desk. Unscrewing the lid and pouring himself a cup of warm green tea, he glanced out his window. It was late October. The wind was brink but not unpleasant, only strong enough to slightly rustle the trees and spray the fallen autumn leaves about. Halloween was just around the corner, only a little more than a week away, something that became obvious if you so much as glanced at the cul-de-sac. Decorations were everywhere, be it jack-o-lanterns, plastic skeletons, or paper ghosts and witches adorning the walls and doors of the houses.

Letting out a pleasant sigh, Double D leaned back in his chair and let out a long yawn. He looked as his clock.

4:23PM

"Oh my. This assignment certainly dragged on longer than I though it would," he yawned. But, as he was about to put his now completed worksheet into his backpack, his pocket suddenly started vibrating. Curious, he pulled out his cellphone and saw he had gotten a text from Eddy.

'Oh, that's right,' Double D thought happily. 'Ed and Eddy both had interviews today at the Peach Creak Mall.'

Opening up his phone, he read the message:

- Hey Double D. Me and Mono-Brow got the jobs at the food court. Guess these guys must be really desperate for help or something. Whatever. They want us to start Tuesday after school. T _ T

"That's wonderful news Eddy," Double D replied, talking into his cellphone using the voice-to-text feature. "I'm really proud of both of you. Truly I am. You two have finally pulled yourselves up by your bootstraps and entered the world of employment. It may only be a part-time position, but I'm sure if you and Ed try your hardest, you two can become full-time employees in a matter of months, maybe even less."

It was about 30 seconds before Eddy replied.

- Oh spare me, Sockhead. The only reason me and Lumpy are even doing this is because our folks are practically FORCING us and you know it. Dad was saying if I didn't get a job and start helping with the bills I'd be living in my van and walking when the gas eventually ran out. Working at a hole in the wall burger joint sucks, but living is a van doesn't sound any better. At least with the burger joint I get paid.

Double D sighed. "Be that as it may," he said into his phone, "I'm still happy for the both of will you. This will be your first taste of independence. I swear that first paycheck with make everything worth it. What positions did you two get?"

- I'll be working up front as a cashier and Ed will be manning the grill and deep fryer. At least the lump is excited. Dad said he'd be taking a portion of my first few checks as "back-payment" for all the trouble we got into over the years. Another part goes to my "Post-School" funds and the rest goes toward gas. Lucky me, huh?

Double D couldn't help but let out a snicker. Of course Eddy would get a job as a cashier, the employee who handles the transfer of money. It's actually quite poetic, really.

"Saving up your money for after graduation is actually really smart and responsible Eddy," Double D assured. "Most apartments don't come cheap, you know. At least not the respectable apartments, anyway. I don't know about you, but the idea of living paycheck from paycheck doesn't sound all that appealing to me, personally."

- Fine. Sure. Whatever you say, Sockhead. Me and Mono-Brow are gonna be hanging around the mall for a while. Hurry up and head on down here, will ya? You can help us with our homework, Mr. Honor Roll.

Double D cocked an eyebrow. "And by "help" I'm assuming you mean "copy" right Eddy?"

- Pretty sure it's the same thing, Einstein.

"It is most certainly NOT the same thing, Eddy," Double D sighed. "It's cheating, and you of all people should know I absolutely abhor cheating of any kind. It's not honest."

- Relax there, boy scout . Me and Lumpy will just throw in some wrong answers so that it doesn't look suspicious. Plus we'll both get different answers wrong, just in case. Don't worry… Besides, I'll also throw in some free rides to and from school. Deal?

Double D rolled his eyes as he drank more of his green tea. Same old Eddy. Always looking for an easy way out and bargaining for what he wants. "Fine, I'm on my way," Double D sighed, against his better judgment. "I'll be there shortly. Where will you and Ed be waiting for me?" He knows he really shouldn't encourage or indulge him. He knows he should make both Ed and Eddy do their own work, especially the work that actually challenges them to improve themselves academically.

But, alas, one thing that remained the same after all these years is Double D's habit to always gravitate towards being the group's pushover/nice-guy.

- Ha! Knew you'd come around. Me and Ed'll be at or around the food court. See ya there, Double D.

With that said, Double D finished off the rest of his tea. "Remember. Small steps Eddward," he told himself, as he screwed the lid/cup back onto his thermos. "I'll get through to them eventually." Slinging his backpack over his shoulders, he pushed his chair into his desk and made his way out the door.

(Ten Minutes Later)

Double D entered the Peach Creak Mall with one hand in his pocket, a mathematics textbook in the other, and his nose buried in said textbook.

Luckily for him he arrived at the opportune time of day when there weren't so many people shopping, so he was able to grab a good parking space near the front of the mall. Coincidently, he ended up parking his preowned silver 1999 Saturn right next to Eddy's vehicle; the repaired and refurbished retro van they discovered all those years back in the Peach Creak Junkyard. It was two summers ago when Eddy had the idea to fix up the rusted and battered van. He said it had character. It almost took the entirety of the summer vacation to get the van to it's former glory. There was so much cleaning, fixing and replacing that went into getting it to run properly again. But with his dad's and Ed's help, they were able to bring the junked van back to life.

'Ah, the memories,' Double D thought to himself, turning the page of the textbook as he passed through the automatic sliding doors of the mall. 'I can't believe it's been so long. Hard to believe we were able to make that old van drivable again. I've got to admit it. When Eddy wants something, he'll do whatever it takes to get it.' Tucking the textbook underneath his arm, Double D glanced around the massive sales-floor of the Peach Creak Mall, seeing a couple of familiar faces.

The first familiar face he spotted belonged to Nazz.

She was seen perusing through one of many teen magazines in the mall's bookstore. Nazz hadn't changed all that much over the years. She was still the kind-hearted and sometimes ditzy cheerleader she had always been. Her blonde hair was the same, though only slightly longer and adorned with various colorful hair clips. She was in her normal attire, which consisted a loose-fitting white cotton top, a light blue jacket wrapped around her waist with a pair of blue-jeans with holes overtop the knees and a pair white slip-on shoe.

Beside her, leaning against a bookshelf lazily thumbing through a motorcycle magazine stood Kevin.

Another pleasant development over the years was that Kevin, who once served as sort of a bully towards the Eds were now on relatively good terms with the boys. And although the jock still called them dorks from time to time, that was simply an old habit he never tried to be rid of. He had become slightly more muscular, which served him well seeing as how he was now Peach Creak High's football captain. He had grown out his hair a bit as well, which was now a fiery red mullet brushed back and held down with his trademark cap. Kevin also wore a black muscle-shirt, baggy camouflage cargo shorts and brown hiking boots.

It was a largely known open secret that Nazz and Kevin had finally gotten together during the course of the previous summer. It was now considered odd if you ever saw one without the other close by. Though, if pressed for an answer, the two would either deflect the question elsewhere or dodge it all together.

"Hello there Double D Ed-Boy!"

Right before Double D was about to step onto the escalator leading up to the food court on the second floor, the voice of an all too familiar "son of a shepherd" called out to him from behind.

Rolf, who was now the president of the Peach Creak High's Agriculture Club, is one of the cul-de-sac kids who have changed the most drastically. All those years of cultivating and toiling with his family's farm work (with Ed assisting him on numerous occasions) left Rolf with well-toned arm and leg muscles. He now towered over all the rest of the cal-de-sac residents and, if he wasn't mistaking, was also the tallest student in the entire school. His long blue hair remained more of less the same, but now the farm-boy now sported a bushy blue soul patch. His attire consisted of a tattered and dirt-stained white t-shirt, a pair of denim overalls and brown leather work boots.

"Oh, greetings there Rolf," Double D chimed happily, giving the farmer a polite wave. "What a pleasant surprise. How are you doing this evening?"

"Rolf is doing well, Brainy Ed-Boy," Rolf answered happily, hands buried in his overall pockets. "Rolf just wanted to thank you for all the after school teachings you have given me. Nana and Papa were very please with the improvement in Rolf's classes. They were so thrilled about Rolf's grades, they gave Rolf the day-of-sater off from chores," he said, flashing Double D a mile long grin. "Rolf can not remember the last time he had a day off from chores. "

"That is wonderful news, Rolf. But thanks aren't necessary, I assure you," Double D said reassuringly, waving off the thanks. "Just the fact you are excelling at classes you once struggled with is thanks enough for me. As a tutor, helping my fellow students succeed academically is my duty, one which I take great pride and enjoyment in."

"Poppycock!" Before Double D could react, Rolf had him in a bear hug and hoisted him off the ground. "Rolf insists you join Rolf's family for dinner on two moons from now! Nana is making her famous swine, goat-cheese and cabbage stew with pickled and roasted radishes. It is Rolf's favorite and Nana only prepares it when she is pleased with Rolf, so you are invited to join us in the feast!"

Double D paused before answering. He gazed upon the overjoyed smile Rolf had plastered on his face and couldn't help but grin and sigh. Even after all this time, Rolf retained his sincere earnestness, his folksy old time mannerisms and way of speech. It was quite charming, in a way, watching someone from a completely different way of life assimilate into one's society. "I would be honored, Rolf," Double D answered reluctantly, though keeping a convincing smile.

Rolf's smile grew. "Splendid! I shall go inform Papa and Nana immediately," he said, dropping the honor student on the ground before abruptly running off. "Prepare your scrawny belly, Head in Sock Ed-Boy," Rolf called over his shoulder.

"Dusty dusty dusty," Double D muttered to himself, as he franticly started to dust himself off. "Still hasn't grasped the concept of inappropriate physical contact and personal space, as it seems," he continues, stepping onto the escalator. "It certainly is a good thing Mother and Father are out of town on business, I suppose. Surely they wouldn't mind me having dinner at another house…." After seeing he was now as cleans as was before his encounter with Rolf, the boy let out a soft sigh. "Maybe it might be a good idea to skip lunch that day, just in case."

Finally reaching the top, it was then that Double D finally saw his friends, both sitting at one of the many tables in front of their new place of employment, Jono's Burgeria. Eddy was messing around on his phone, while Ed laid atop a table with his nose buried in a comic.

Eddy, without a doubt, had changed even more drastically than Double D and Rolf had. During his second year of high school Eddy had underwent a frightening growth spurt, much to his pleasure. Once the shortest of all the cal-de-sac kids, he was now even taller than Ed and almost as tall as Rolf. Not only that, but now he was even bulkier as his brother. His hair had also grown out. Now Eddy had a full head of jet black hair which was both combed back slightly and spiked, as well as a small fuzzy soul patch. He wore a light lavender short sleeved V-neck, baggy jeans and a pair of shabby blue sneakers.

Ed had also went through a few changes over the years. He had grown slightly taller, but not in the same proportions as the rest of the cal-de-sac kids, though still being slightly taller than Double D, while not quite being as tall as Eddy. He had also grown out his hair as well, almost resembling a messy red mullet if it were only slightly longer in the back. Ed was also now sporting a very light fuzzy goatee. Ed wore a light red overskirt with the sleeves messily torn off at the elbow and a black shirt underneath with a green cartoonish cthulhu on it. And finally, Ed had on a pair of navy green cargo pants and a pair on black boots.

As Double D approached the two friends, he started to overhear their conversation.

"I keep telling ya, Mono-Brow," Eddy said, "you need to stand up to Sarah at least once in you're no-chin having life. I mean, look at ya! You're a goddamn high school senior and you still take orders from your tween sister and her froufrou boyfriend. Do you have any idea how sad that is?"

"But Eddy," Ed whined, not taking his eyes from the comic, "you know how Sarah gets when I don't do as she says." He turns a page. "Sarah gets louder, meaner, stronger and bite-ier. She must be half she-devil or something, I tells ya…" He then sighs. "I'm just not yet strong enough to defeat this evil, Eddy."

"Evil-shmevil, Lumpy. She's nothing but a spoiled little brat and you know it. All you need to do is grow a damn backbone," Eddy challenged. "If all you ever do is roll over whenever she starts bossing you around, nothing will EVER change. You're the OLDER brother, remember? As in higher up on the hierarchy? Higher up on the totem pole? The alpha? Geez!" He was about to continue until he saw Double D. "There you are, Sockhead. Took you long enough."

Ed sat up and looked over the top of his comic. "Hiya Double D," he exclaimed, franticly waving the hand that held the comic at Double D. "Me and Eddy got jobs! Now I'll be able to buy my own chickens instead of always going over to Rolf's to play with his!"

"So I heard," Double D chuckled, slipping his backpack from his shoulders and plopping it on the table, before pulling out the math homework, "and I'm very proud of you, Ed. It's nice to see you excited about diving into the world of employment. If only Eddy shared your enthusiasm." Eddy shot Double D a tired/annoyed look as he snatched the assignment from his know-it-all friend's hands. "…. Though, I feel as if buying the proper accommodations for a possible pet chicken would be the wiser decision. Like a roomy cage and quality straw for roosting. Wouldn't you agree?"

"…." Ed stared blankly at Double D for a moment. "… But I already have a washing machine, Double D… And lots of sponges."

"… Ed, you can't honestly be thinking about using your washing machine as a home for a pet," Double D stated, massaging the bridge of his nose. "First of all, your washing machine isn't big enough to house a chicken comfortably. Secondly, it is used for washing clothes, and nothing more."

"Ha," Eddy laughed, scribbling down answers from Double D's completed sheet. "You think Ed actually uses that thing? I would've thought him using it to store his camera would've proved you otherwise."

"Regardless," Double D droned, "you can't use your washing machine as a chicken coop, Ed. No matter how little you use it for it's intended function…. Or use your collection of damp, moldy sponges as a substitute for straw…. Honestly Ed, I'm more than certain Rolf would happily help you build a chicken coop and lend you some of his straw if you'd just ask him."

"You really think so?" Ed asked, scratching the back of his neck.

"Most certainly, Ed," Double D replied, sitting next to Eddy who was just about finished with his copying. Leaning back against the table, Double D let out a loud yawn and glanced down at his wrist watch.

4:45PM

"Aaaaaaaaand there," Eddy snickered, handing Double D back his math homework. "That atta be enough to convince Mr. Murphy. I'll get four answers wrong and Ed will get eight wrong. Can't have Mono-Brow getting to many right, now can we?"

Double D sighed and shook his head in disappointment as Eddy walked over to Ed and handed him his filled-out worksheet. Once again, Double D has put his integrity as both an honor student and an advocate of not shortcutting and cheating aside so that his friends could keep their C- grade average. He has lost count of all the times he had insisted on them putting an effort into trying to do the work themselves. And yet, every time when it comes down to a particularly difficult class assignment, Double D finds himself doing the work for both his lazier friends….

Though, he doesn't know why this still bothers him. It wasn't like this was something new. Every since middle school this had been the pattern when it came to homework or class assignments. Sure, it wasn't the case for every assignment. But still, that had been the case for far more times than he cares to admit. 'I suppose there isn't any use in changing things now,' Double D thought, as he closed his eyes and stretching out overtop the table, his arms folded behind his head. 'What would be the point? I've already gone this long helping them along, after all. Besides, it's not like Ed or Eddy don't any work by themselves. Just not the hard stuff. Ed has been getting better at concentrating during class to a noticeable extent. And Eddy…. Why do I smell motor oil and ketchup?'

"HEY SOCKHEAD!"

"DOUBLE D! LOOK OUT!"

The terror Double D heard in his friends' voices was a tone he was all too familiar with. His body tensed up. A chill immediately shot up and down his spine. A cold sweat quickly formed on his forehead.

Motor oil and ketchup.

Now he remembered what those smells were accompanied to.

It had been a long time since he had smelt those particular aromas alongside one another.

It could only mean one thing.

Slowly, Double D slowly cracked open his eyes… Only to be met with the mischievous grin of Marie Kanker, her long cobalt blue hair cascading down around either side of his head. "Hey there, Dreamboat…"

To Be Continued….