It was summer 1996; five friends were playing at the local park. Four eight-year boys Caleb Danvers, Pouge Parry, Tyler Sims, and Reid Garwin and eight-year-old Shawn Walker. Caleb, Pouge, Tyler and Reid all came from rich families. Shawn, however, was a military child. Her father was in the Army.

Shawn's father moved her and her mother to Ipswich when Shawn was five. She met the boys in kindergarten and they had been friends every since. All that changed when a drunk driver killed her mother when she was seven. Now it her last day with her friends. Her father got a job Virginia running a recruiting office.

"Lets make a pact" Caleb said as he and his friends laid on the warm grass "that when we grow up, no matter where we live, we'll always be friends."

All the kids looked at Caleb in awe.

"That's a great idea man." Pouge agreeing with his best friend.

"My dad gave me these necklaces. The symbol means "eternal friendship" Caleb said as he passed around the necklaces. They were round with heart and a pair of hands on each side. The middle of a heart was a small gem. Pouge's gem was yellow, Reid's was black, Tyler's blue, Caleb's silver and Shawn's red.

"The stones are a way so we'll always remember who's had which stone."

By 12:00, it was time for final goodbyes. Shawn hugged the guys and began the walk toward her house. That was the last they saw her.

11 YEARS LATER:

Caleb and guys, along with Kate, were hanging out at Nicky's, as they always did on a Friday night. Caleb and Sarah had broken up about two weeks after Caleb had beaten Chase and went back to New York.

Reid and Tyler were playing pool when they saw a girl about their age with dark brown eyes and hair walk into Nicky's. She scanned the room as if she was looking for something. She made her way to the bar where Nicky was. Nicky looked surprised to see her and the two embraced. They talked for a few minuets before she spotted the boys at their table.

The girl walked toward the table with a confident stride. Her father always told her "the way you walk will show others what you're made of". She touched her father dogtags that were around her neck. Her father died two weeks ago of Leukemia after fighting it for 3 years. Her father told her he wanted to be buried with her mother in Ipswich, so she and her fathers' body returned to her childhood home.

Caleb was the first to see the girl. He thought she looked familiar but he could not think where he had seen before.

"Excuse me; I was wondering if you were Caleb Danvers?" The girl said as she stood at the head of the table.

"Yeah I'm Caleb," he said standing up.

"Jeeze Caleb, you sure grew in the last few years. Guys, why didn't you tell me he got cute." She said punching Reid on the arm.

The boys looked at the girl and each other with confusion.

"I'm sorry, do we know you?" Reid asked.

The girl said nothing but removed a necklace from her neck. The guys' eyes grew wide as they saw a heart with hands on each side and a small red gem in the middle of the heart."

"Holy shit! Shawn? Damn girl how have you been?" Pouge said as he put his arms around her and lifted her off the ground, both laughing. Reid and Tyler did the same. Caleb just sat there in shock that the girl laughing the guys was the skinny girl he was best friends with years ago.

Shawn saw Kate give her an evil eye. "You must be Kate. You're all Pouge talks about in our letters and e-mail. I'm an old friend of Pouge's from a while back." Shawn said as she held out her hand for Kate to shake. Pouge gave Shawn an "I'm gonna kill you" look. Kate gave Shawn a friendly handshake and softened her look.

Caleb finally snapped out of trace he was, got up and walked over to Shawn. He tapped her softly on the shoulder and when she turned around, he hugged her tightly.

After five minuets of greeting, everyone sat down. Shawn ended up sitting between Caleb and Pogue.

"So Shawn, how do you know the guys?" Kate asked curiously.

"Well, my dad got transferred here when I five. I met the guys on the playground the first day of kindergarten and we've all been best friends since. When I was seven, my mom died in a car accident. Drunk driver" she explained, wiping her tears. Caleb took hold of her from under the table and gave a reassuring squeeze. "The guys were really there for me and my dad. When I was eight, dad and I moved to Virginia. Now I'm back in the only place that really seems like home"

"So, how is old Colonel John Walker? Tyler asked.

Shawn's face saddens at the mention of her dad. "He died not that long ago. He got Leukemia about three years ago and he fought for along time before he decided he couldn't fight any more. We were able to take care of all the legal stuff, like what would happen to his personal effects, whether to have a military funeral or not, and what would happen to me."

"So what happens to you?" Caleb asked, still holding her hand.

"I'm transferring to Spencer and staying with Uncle Nicky"

Reid and Tyler, who taking a sip of soda spited their soda out at the words "Uncle Nicky"

"Nicky's your uncle?" Kate asked as surprised as the others "he never mentioned he had a niece"

"Biologically he's not my uncle. He and dad were battle buddies in boot camp when they joined the Army way back when. They've been best friends ever since. Nicky saved dad's life in Desert Storm. Pushed him out of the way of an RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade). He got some shrapnel in his leg."

Everyone looked at her with his or her mouth open at the story she just told.

By 11:30, Nicky was closing up the place. Shawn got up and helped him take plates and soda glasses to the kitchen. After saying good night to everyone, the gang went back to his or her cars.

Caleb got home about 11:45. He went up to his room and looked at a photo album his mom made him after Shawn moved. In it were pages and pages of Caleb, Pouge, Reid, Tyler and Shawn when they were kids. He looked through the book, pausing to remember the fun they had together. He stopped at one picture of the boys dumping water balloons on Shawn and Caleb's heads when their backs were turned. The incident turned out into a water balloon war. Pouge said that Shawn and Caleb had a unfair advantage, since she was an Army brat.

He was about to close the book when he came to picture of just him and Shawn. They were just looking at each other.

FLASHBACK:

"Shawn? Promise me something," a seven-year-old Caleb asked

"What, Caleb" Shawn replied.

"When we're all grown up and not married, will you marry me?" Producing a small ring that was won from a gumball machine.

"Okay" she said happily, accepting the ring and placing it on her left ring finger.

END FLASHBACK

Caleb smiled at the funny memory, placed the book on his desk, turned out the light and fell asleep.

At that same time, Shawn sat on her bed, looked at the fake diamond ring on her left finger, smiled, and then went to bed.

Well, that's the first chapter. Hope you guys thought it was cute. If you have any ideas for me on what the other chapters should contain, please tell me. Let if this idea is good for another story. I was thinking of doing a Van Helsing/Covenant crossover. Caleb is in college and is attacked by some creature and a descendent of Van Helsing's saves him. You can guess what's goin to happen next. Let me if it is a good idea.