AN: Well here is my long postponed return to Wheeler and Linka. This story has been inspired by love in the face of impossible circumstances. Please enjoy and I'll update when I have the slightest clue where I'm going with it. :D

Promise?

This was the beginning of the end. A routine mission had turned into a living nightmare for the Planeteers. They had been lured into a trap and the Eco Villains had only one thing on their mind; revenge. Their rings had been taken and the villains were armed with guns. Bullets were flying in every direction and Kwame cried out as one grazed his chest. He dove for cover and Gi and Ma-Ti scrambled to help him. Kwame had landed by the door so Gi and Ma-Ti helped him onto their shoulders and made a break for it. Gi quickly tried to look for Wheeler and Linka but knew it was hopeless. Ma-Ti snapped her back into reality when he reminded her "We can't help them Gi, we have to get Kwame out."

She nodded and the three of them began to make their way down the next hallway.

Linka was hiding beneath a large desk. She could see Wheeler across the room and the two of them never broke eye contact. Wheeler could see she was terrified, they had to get out, but they both knew the moment Linka gave up her position they'd be dead. She could hear footsteps and knew she was being closed in on. Verminous Skumm came in from the right and Dr Blight from the left. She knew this was it and tried to hold the tears. Skumm grabbed her in the next moment pulling her up by the hair. Wheeler made sure he stayed out of sight.

"Got her!" Skumm said with a grin.

"At long last, I'm going to rid the world of each one of you eco brats." Blight said as she stood in front of Linka. "Where's the firebug? He's not coming to rescue you? I know how very fond of you he is. Where is he hiding?"

Linka spat in her face. "I'll never tell you anything."

Skumm jerked her head back making Linka cry out. Blight called out "I'm about to kill your little girlfriend Wheeler, show yourself now and I might let her live long enough for you to say goodbye, I always loved a good romance."

"Wheeler don't do it! Just run!" Linka cried out; tears streaking the dust on her face.

"No matter." Blight said as she raised her gun at Linka. "I'll get to him as soon as I'm done with you."

Wheeler prayed his distraction would be good enough. He pulled a cigarette lighter from his jacket pocket, clicked it on and threw it at an explosive barrel that was at the other end of the room. As the explosion hit; Skumm, Blight and Linka were thrown to the ground. Wheeler ran to her and pulled her up. In all of the confusion they made a run for it; never looking back as bullets began to fly past them. The two Planeteers made it outside and onto the Geo-Cruiser just in time. Gi was at the controls and Ma-Ti tried to help Kwame. Linka was still crying as she and Wheeler collapsed into a seat, his arms locked around her. He never wanted to let her go.

"Wheeler you are mad, you could have been killed! You should have left me."

He hugged her tighter. "Babe you think I could leave you to die? I'll never leave you."

"Promise?" She whispered.

He kissed the top of her head. "I promise."

As the team arrived back safely to Hope Island they immediately went to the Crystal Chamber. Kwame was going to be alright; the bullet had only grazed him.

Gaia approached them, she looked grim. "Planeteers, it's a miracle you all made it back here alive. I'ts brought me to make the hardest decision I've had to make in a long time. Being a Planeteer is no longer safe for any of you, it is evident that the Eco Villains will stop at nothing to take revenge for the many times they've been thwarted."

The five teenagers looked at each other, they were hardly teenagers anymore. "Gaia what are you saying?" Gi asked her.

"I'm sending you all back to your homelands. I'm sorry to say that the five of you are going to have to start your lives over."

"But the Earth, Gaia we are Planeteers." Kwame protested.

Gaia wouldn't hear it. "Kwame your lives are too much of a price to pay. You all have done wonderful things for the Earth and it won't be forgotten. But now it must come to an end, for your own safety. I'm afraid I must enforce that you can't have contact with each other again. You must blend in and disappear, if the Eco Villians get hold of your whereabouts it could be deadly."

"No!" Wheeler said; he still had his arms wrapped around Linka.

"I'm sorry Wheeler, truly." Gaia was deeply saddened; it had brought her great joy when two of her Planeteers had found love under the most difficult of circumstances.

"We have no time to waste, I will give you all a few minutes to say your goodbyes."

The five of them were lost. What do you say to your best friends who you would never see again? They shared a group hug and promised not to forget their years together. They broke apart and Wheeler pulled Linka to one side. This was it.

"Babe, I don't even know where to start." His voice was wavering and his eyes were glistening.

"Shhh my Yankee;" Linka put her finger to his lips to silence him. "I know. There's so much I've never said, and now that I may never get the chance I have to find the words. Although I think there are three that should suffice."

"Three?" Wheeler stammered. There were tears running down his cheeks now and he didn't care who saw.

"I love you Wheeler." Linka pulled his jacket collar downward and crushed his lips to hers. Her arms wrapped around his neck and his were around her waist. When their kiss ended they stayed entwined, hugging, trying to make each minute last forever.

"You don't know how long I've been waiting to hear you say that Linka." He whispered in her ear.

"I have a fairly good idea. I'm sorry that we wasted so much time." She was crying now too.

"Don't be sorry Babe, no regrets ok? I promise that one day we'll find each other."

"But Gaia said…"

"I don't care what Gaia said, I can't lose you now that I've just got you." Wheeler cut off.

"But Lubyov, you've always had me."

Gaia spoke up, "I'm sorry Planeteers, it's time."

Wheeler and Linka slowly broke apart. He kissed her hand before releasing it for what could possibly be the very last time. The two of them maintained eye contact until Gaia sent them to opposite ends of the world and both Wheeler and Linka still had tears falling as they opened their eyes to see the very different skies of Brooklyn and Russia.