A/N: Hey everyone. Yup Val and jordans girl is teaming up again. Hope you like it, and please don't forget to review.

Disclaim: Don't owe the IAHB peoples, Disney and everyone else does. Don't sue.

Have To Be Close, But I'm So Far Away


"Tyler..." Val Lanier whispered into her boyfriends ear. The station was quiet, aside from the light sound of the television coming from across
the room.

"Yes, Val?" He whispered back.

"Tyler, I don't think I can do this." A tear slid down her face.

"Do what, Val. Don't cry. Please." His voice turned shaky. He hated to see his girlfriend cry. It made him feel like he couldn't do anything to
make her feel any better.

"Tyler... don't you understand? We won't be together anymore. My college is so far away from yours. We won't... be able to hold hands every
day, I won't be able to kiss you every day, or even hug you."

"I'll see you once a month."

"Yeah, Tyler. Once a month. How can our relationship do that?"

"I'll make it work, Val. I will. Be strong." He put his finger under her chin and tilted it up. "Kiss me." She smiled lightly and tilted her whole body
up towards his to meet his lips. Just as she did, the alarming bell of the station notification when off.

Tyler could hear Val sighed,, he knew she hated spending time away from him. At night when there shift ended, she would make up excuses to
be with him at night, and fall asleep at his house, or call him right away just to talk to him. Tyler kinda thought something was wrong but just
thought that Val didn't want to be away from him more than what she had to.

"VAL..." Hank called her name for the fifth time. "Val, I need the iv..."

Tyler looked over at Val, she was starting off in space. He went over to her and could see something in her eyes. "Val?"

"Huh??"

"Are you ok? Hank has been calling your name for like the past 5 minutes."

"Yea I'm fine...what do you want Hank?"

"Never mind, I got it already."

They went on about there business. After that call they got off there shift. Walking out the station, Val turns to Tyler and says, "Tyler? Do
you think it would be ok if I stayed at your house tonight? My mom and sister went out of town and I really don't want to stay by my self."

"Sure. But what about your dad?"

"Oh..um..he went with them."

Tyler could tell in her eyes that she was lying, something she didn't want him to know, "Sure."

"Thanks...I love you."

"Love ya, too." Tyler replied. His heart sunk as he realized he and Val couldn't last without seeing eachother everyday, but he wouldn't tell her
that, he'd hide it from her.

Val took Tyler's hand in hers. "I can't believe this... this is terrible. I have to be with you Tyler. Really... I don't think I could... live without you."

"No, Val. What are you saying?" He said looking straight into her eyes. "Live?"

"You know what I mean. I mean, I don't mean I'm gonna commit suicide or nothing." Val explained, slowly. Tyler took a deep breath.

"Good." He said, and she went on.

"I have to be around you, Tyler. I DO love you." Val explained to him. This made Tyler smile. He was definitely in love. It was such a nice
feeling to him. Val laid her head on Tyler's lap. She soon fell asleep.

After a while Tyler had soon fell asleep to. And his mom and William came home. William was upset. Thinking something had happened and
went over to wake Tyler up so he could 'explain.'

"What.." Tyler groaned, he hated being woken up.

"Follow me. We need to talk." William told him. His voice was all serious and Tyler could tell he had something on his mind.

"Fine. Just let me get up." Tyler got up, slow and steady so he wouldn't wake up Val. And luck was on his side, she didn't move.

Once they were out of the living room and in the kitchen William spoke up, "What is that all about?"

"What?" Tyler was to tired to play any games.

"You and...and...HER."

"You mean Val?"

"Ya. Why is SHE is?" William was getting mad.

"No one is home at her house and she didn't want to be alone. I don't blame her."

"And did anything happen?" William decided to get straight to the point.

"GOD NO"

Tyler just turned and walked away. Agree of what William had been thinking. He sat back down on the couch. Thinking how he and Val really
could manage the long-distance relationship. He wanted it to work more than anything in the world. But no matter how he tired his mind keep
going back to Val and why she really don't want to go home. 'Maybe her parents had a fight.' He thought. Her family had been though so much
the last couple of years with her dad's heartattack. 'Maybe they are getting a divorce'.

Tyler looked over at Val, who was still sleeping. And had a sad look on her face. He turned away.

"Daddy, NO! Don't leave us." Val screamed in her sleep.

Tyler's head turned around to Val. Was she having a nightmare?

What was happening to her? He took a deep breath and held her wrist down. She was thrashing and tossing. "Val! Please, Val! Wake up!" Val's
eyes opened and she stopped screaming. Tyler's parents walked into the room.

"What's wrong with her?" His mother yelled.

"I don't know." Tyler said, letting go of her hands. "Val? Baby? Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine." She was filled with humiliation. "I'm okay, really. I should leave." She ran out of the house. Tyler went after her.

"What was that about?" The sun filled his eyes. He blocked it. The morning was cool, yet sunny.

"Nothing, I'll see you later." She began to walk down the street.

"At least let me walk you home!" He said desperately.

"Fine, walk me home." She replied, still walking briskly.

"Good. All right then. Tell me what happened." He said, he jogged to catch up to her. She couldn't take it anymore. She faced him, it surprised
him that she stop walking. She didn't talk, not at all. She looked up at him.

"I have to tell you something."

"No kidding." He murmured, catching his breath.

"But, you have to promise not to tell anybody..." She finally was going to tell him.

"I won't.. I promise." He hugged her tight. "Val, you're trembling... calm down."

Val sat down on the curb, and looked up at Tyler. Tyler took a seat next to her, "Val, come on you can tell me."

Val just looked at him for a few minutes, "Ok... my parents have been fighting for like everynight now. Even when me and Brooke are there. I
heard them say that they were going to get a divorcee, and than they were fighting over who was going to get us. I'm going to collage so they
can't fight over me, but Brooke they are. My dad wants to move to Florida, and my mum wants to stay here. Tyler, I really don't know what's
going to happen, my family is falling apart and I don't know h ow I am going to beable to handle this. They don't even think about us kids, they
decided it already."

After a couple of seconds she finished Tyler took her hand is his, "Val, your strong. You'll get though this. Brooke is way old enough to decide
who she wants to stay with. You will still be able to see your dad and your mom. I know how hard this is Val, I went though it to. I blamed it all
on me. That my parents had gotten a divorce because of me. But it's not my fault, they didn't love eachother anymore. And it would just make
things worse if your parents stayed together for you and Brooke. Val everything will be ok. When is your dad leaving?"

"I don't know. They wanted to talk to us tonight, but that's why I didn't want to go home, I don't want to face this."

"But Val, you're going to have to face it sooner or later, it's better sooner. If you want, I'll come with you. They may not want me to stay but if I
can I will. Come on, let's just go." Tyler told her. He got up and waited for her to get up.

"This means a lot to me, Tyler. Thank you." She smiled up at him and he pushed a lock of blonde hair behind her ear. He hugged her and they
began to walk slowly to Val's house.

When they arrived outside of the small, cozy house. Val turned away from it. "I can't." She said, crying.

"Val, look at me." Tyler turned her toward him and looked deep into her blue eyes, into her soul. Seeing a terrified girl, just wanting to be happy.
"You're so amazing. You have to trust me. Trust me that you'll be all right. If worst comes to worst, you can come stay with me while your
parents work something out." She saw the trust in his eyes. She nodded slowly and they walked into the house.

"Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad. Brooke, hey." Val said. She saw the looks on her parents faces and noted that it didn't look good.

"Val, sit down. We all need to talk." Her mother said. "Hello Tyler." Her mother didn't know what to say about Tyler being there."

"I'll just, wait outside." Tyler said, knowing he was breaking his promise to Val by not staying, but knew it would be wrong to intrude on there
conversation. "I'm driving Val down to the station." Tyler opened the front door and waited on the front steps. He heard a few sobs inside and
Val soon came out with her eyes puffy and red. She sat next to Tyler and didn't say a word. "Go ahead. Cry. Get it out." Tyler said.