Sweet Tooth

She'd always had a sweet tooth.

She'd admit, it got her into trouble sometimes, even ruined one of her closest friendships, but it had always been there. Not really much of a point in fighting it now.

It was how she'd discovered the fabled Fourth Flavor. It was how she'd saved Hienrich from the candy pirate Black John Licorice, even if he still blamed her for everything that went wrong in his life. (She didn't care what he said, one of these days he was just gonna have to get over Guatemala!) It had even gotten her recognition as the greatest candy hunter alive. Funny, she'd never really wanted the title, just the candy. Maybe that was why Hienrich was always so worked up…

She was known for it. She was proud of it. So how had she fallen for someone so…bitter?

He was the greatest traitor they'd ever had. His betrayal had really thrown everyone in the organization, herself included. He hadn't just run on his thirteenth birthday like so many others; he'd tried to destroy them all! First he'd elaborately set up her entire sector for decommissioning, and completed by setting the MOONBASE on a collision course with the sun. Each step was so perfectly executed that it couldn't have been a spur of the moment idea; he'd had to have been planning it out for weeks. And he'd never once shown a hint of remorse for his actions.

So why was she sneaking away from her teammates, her friends, in the in the middle of the night to go see him?

Because there's more to him than that. And Numbah Five doesn't care if she's the only one who knows it.

But that wasn't entirely true. Sometimes, when her fellow operatives got on the subject, she just wanted to scream. To tell them about all his better qualities even though she knew there was nothing about him that could make up for what he'd done. So she forced herself to sit quietly, eyes hidden under her red hat, as she listened to them release their own bitterness caused by his. She often had to literally bite her tongue because she knew him and they didn't.

She wasn't even sure when it had happened, but somewhere along the line the taunts and teasing had gone from insulting and degrading to playful and flirtatious. Compliments went from sarcastic to sincere. Fights during battle became playful sparing matches where he'd even ended up teaching her a thing or two. Somehow he'd started a game, and she wasn't sure she wanted to play. But…she'd never been one to back down from a challenge.

So they played. And as they played, she learned more about Chad. Not Numbah Two-Seventy-Four, not the traitor, just Chad. The teen who had once dedicated his life to the very thing he'd tried to destroy. The boy who was terrified of decommissioning. The person who was nearly crushed by the pressure his family and friends put on him, and finished off by t he pressure he put on himself.

She'd nearly cried when she'd seen the scars. Her hat had blown off, and when he'd reached down to pick it up for her, his sleeve rode up a little. He'd quickly pulled it back down, but she'd already seen one of the pearly white lines that decorated his wrist.

She'd grabbed his hand and rolled his sleeve back up, practically choking on air as the long healed wounds were revealed. Unable to form words, she'd let her eyes ask her questions.

He'd quickly reassured her that it had been nothing more than a few weak moments a long time ago. It had never become a habit, let alone an addiction, and he was over it. The fact that there were only three marks, all of which were old and fading, seemed to attest to his story. Still, the fact that he even had such scars at all broke her heart. And the way he'd explained it, so emotionlessly, like it was nothing, made her eyes cloud over.

Before she knew it, she'd thrown her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly as she buried his face in his chest. Her eyes watered, but she never let one tear fall. Surprised, he'd held her with equal fierceness, repeatedly apologizing for letting her see that.

These thoughts chased themselves through her mind even as she saw him waiting for her under the street lamp three blocks from her house, wearing just jeans and a football jersey. No armor because he'd quit working for the teens. She never asked him to, but he did.

He smiled in greeting as she walked up to him. The boy who'd been the best there was. The teen who resented everything she stood for. The one that she loved in spite of everything. Still, she was completely shocked when he leaned down and kissed her.

Taking her freeze as a negative reaction, he quickly pulled away, apologizing profusely. He was surprised and pleased when she roughly pulled his lips back don to hers and kissed him deeply.

After all, she'd always had a sweet tooth.

Just a couple things I'd like to make known here. One being, yes, they are terribly OOC. I am ok with this.

Two, yes, the Abby/Chad pairing is very unpopular as well as unlikely. Again I am ok with this. Unfortunately for anyone who really cares, I am absolutely fascinated by this couple, possibly simply because of the sheer impossibility of it.

It's the classic opposites attract cliché. Abby is possibly the most loyal operative the KND has ever had, Chad turned and ran the first chance he got. It just seems so unlikely that it just has to happen.

Plus I really think there's a little depth to Chad…somewhere. I mean, for a while he was the best KND operative they'd had, and he just completely turned his back on an organization he'd dedicated himself to; there has to be a reason he thinks like that. It seems like he always has to be the best; when he couldn't be the best anymore, he got violent.

I think a big part of that is that he's selfish; he was the one who wanted a dollar for an autograph. He'd never had to care, really care, about anyone but himself. I don't think he did any of those great things for the KND; I think he did them because he wanted the recognition. When he couldn't have that anymore, he went somewhere that he could. Not to mention his betrayal was elaborately set up and will defiantly go down in KND history. Again, he was the best.

So, yes, I think he's selfish. Cue Abby, who is not. I think she really cares about the KND and would do anything for said organization. But I don't think she would ever walk away from someone she really cared about despite the rules. Like I said, I think there's more to Chad's personality than meets the eye, and if Abby ever found that out…

Also there is the sheer lack of interest in anything outside of adult fighting from Abby. From my point of view, Chad would be drawn to her simply because he couldn't have her. And once he found someone to care about…well, stories change.

Anyway, leave a review. Tell me what you thought.