Author's Note: Well, it's been a while. Lol. I apologize for the long wait. I had to rewrite this entire chapter because I was unhappy with the original. I think this revised version is much better and much longer, so this fic will have one more chapter after this, lol. The old one was just so. . .lame. Lol! I had written it in 2005, so. . .yeah. Lol.

Anyway, enjoy it!

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Part IV: Contrition

Valentine's Day was by far the worst day of Cindy's life. After leaving the restaurant, she went to Jimmy' s and that didn't go well, so she went home, her body shaking from her emotions and her eyes spilling over with tears.

No one called the following day to see if she had made it home all right, no one came by. She was like the plague, no one wanted to catch her and that only made her want to cry more, but it was to be expected considering everything that had happened.

She sighed as she walked down the hall to her next class. No one spoke to her at school either. It had been three whole days and no one so much as looked at her. Nick stayed away, Libby looked the other way when Cindy was in her line of sight, Jimmy avoided her, and Sheen. . .well, Sheen was Sheen. He'd smile sadly at her, but then looked away. That was all she would get from him. He may be a little slow at times, but he was not stupid. He knew what was going on and he was not happy with her either, but at least he didn't completely shut her out. She was thankful for that. Carl wouldn't look at her, which made her realize just how badly she messed up.

Cindy just wanted someone to listen. She knew what she did was wrong and she was sorry, truly and deeply sorry and she wanted everyone to know, but who would listen to her now?

A girl coughed, "-Slut-" and coughed again, trying to cover up the obvious insult.

Another girl looked at her in disgust and turned her head.

Cindy looked down and walked faster down the hall. She had been dealing with this for three days. Word spread quickly in high school. These girls were nice compared to some of the others.

Right now all she wanted was to get to class safely.

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"Hey," Carl said, "Did you know that Miss Fowl is retiring? This is her last year"

Jimmy sighed. This information had been repeated throughout the day. "Yeah," Jimmy said. "You mentioned that earlier, Carl."

They were at his locker again. Carl stood beside Jimmy as he watched his friend shove book after book in his back pack. Jimmy wasn't going to need half of it, but Carl wouldn't stop talking! It was driving Jimmy insane and stuffing all this stuff in his bag kept him from turning on his friend.

Carl meant well, Jimmy knew it, but he had been sticking rather close since he found out what happened with Cindy on Valentine's Day.

As Jimmy continued to shove stuff in his bag, Carl talked a mile a minute about nothing at all. It wasn't long before Jimmy realized he put everything in his backpack. He had barely turned around when something his him in the side of the head. He heard Carl scream as his sight went black.

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Nick honestly didn't know how angry he was until he saw Neutron's face. It was the first time Nick had seen him since Valentine's Day.

Up until now, Nick had been walking the halls like a zombie. He moved to get from one class to the next, unresponsive to the talk around him.

Something about seeing Neutron made something inside him snap and then he saw nothing but red.

Nick moved with lightening speed across the hall and threw one hard punch that hit Neutron's temple. The boy genius lost his balance and fell awkwardly into his locker. Nick didn't even wait for Neutron to stand, he hit him again and again. He couldn't even hear Carl's screaming. He couldn't hear anything. His whole mind (and even his body) was focused on one task. He couldn't even see well. His eyes were clouded with red splotches mixed with hazy, tiny gray clouds and small dark shadows, but he knew it was Jimmy he was hitting. He didn't even realize when he shoved Carl aside.

Someone jumped on him and held him back long enough for Carl to help Jimmy sit up. Carl shook his friend, tears in his eyes, shouting at him to open his eyes, but Neutron lay limp in his arms.

Nick struggled against the arms that held him so fiercely and he almost broke free, but he felt more hands on him before he could fully pull himself free.

Neutron's eyes fluttered open and that was enough. With a strength he wasn't even aware he possessed, Nick tore himself away from the hands that held him back and lunged for the boy genius again. Carl screamed as he protectively fell over his friend's body.

"Stop!"

The voice startled Nick. It made him freeze, whoever was behind him, seized the opportunity and tackled him to the floor, pinning him down. Nick fought against the pressure on his body, but whoever these people were, they weren't taking any chances. They leaned all their weight on him.

Nick looked up, still struggling, to see Cindy rushing towards the battered boy just three feet away from him. Had he really done that? He shook his head and watched Cindy.

"Jimmy," she said, panic in her voice. "Are you alright?"

"He just got beat up," came Libby's angry voice above him, "what do you think?"

Cindy looked embarrassed, but she didn't turn away from Neutron. Tears slipped down her cheeks as her fingertips traced his swollen eye. Her gentleness made Nick's heart ache and his fingers curl. The scene before him was not something he wanted to see. He felt something in his throat as his legs moved him. His lips curled in a snarl and he could feel the low rumble in his throat before he heard it.

He sensed someone tense behind him, unsure of whether to back away or pin him down harder, but then Neutron moved away from Cindy's touch and Nick's anger eased. He watched as the beaten boy genius rolled onto his side and coughed, struggling to get up.

Cindy quickly made a move to help him, but he cringed away from her and said something that made Cindy freeze. To Nick it sounded like "Get lost" and for a moment he thought she was getting what she deserved.

She sat there as Carl quickly put his arms around Neutron again to help him up. Libby was fast, too. She was there in seconds, putting Neutron's left arm around her shoulders.

Some weight lifted from Nick's back and he knew someone got up. He saw Sheen rushing to get to Libby and the others before his eyes shifted to Cindy.

She sat on her knees tightly holding her right hand in her left as though it were contaminated and she was trying to keep from poisoning those around her. The look in her eyes sent tiny needles through Nick's heart, each one more painful than the last. She was hurting and that hurt more than anything.

"What is going on here?!" came a booming male voice.

He could feel the people pinning him down scrambling to their feet as the other students scurried away.

A large man stood above Nick as he got to his feet. The man looked at Neutron and then at Cindy on her knees and then back at Nick, eyes angry and suspicious.

"I fell," came Neutron's pale voice.

"You what?" the man asked. He obviously did not buy the story. He folded his arms over his chest, waiting for another response.

"I fell," Neutron repeated a little more forcefully this time. "I hit my head on my locker and the skin tore when I fell."

The man sighed. He still didn't believe it, but he wasn't going to argue. "Take him to the nurse."

He turned to the remaining students and growled, "The rest of you get back to class before I get generous with the detention slips."

The rest of the students scurried away, but Nick remained on his knees, watching Cindy. Did she really care about him that much?

"Both of you better get up and get to class before I assign you detention," he said. He looked at them warningly and then turned to walk away.

Nick stood and took a deep breath before he made his way to her. He held out his hand, looking away. He wouldn't be able to look at her without wanting to hold her, but he didn't feel her hand in his. He was about to let his hand slip to his side and walk away, but a gentle warmth slipped into his hand. He curled his fingers around Cindy's and helped her to her feet without a word or a glance her way.

They walked side by side in silence towards Cindy's class in an unspoken agreement.

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A few days later. . .

"Hey, Carl," Libby said, "thanks again for letting us spend Valentine's day with you."

Sheen rolled his eyes. How many times did she have to say it before she realized that Carl knew how much she was really thankful?

Carl nodded. "Of course," he said happily. "I was happy to have the company. I was feeling lonely in that house by myself." This was no lie. He wasn't expecting them to come by, so he was surprised but so grateful even after he found out why they were there. It made him feel a little guilty for being so happy, but he was thankful none-the-less. His parents had gone out and he had been stuck at home. Dateless and alone.

"You could have just come out with us," Sheen insisted for what seemed like the hundredth time as he chewed on his sandwich. "And Libby you've been thanking him every day since Valentine's Day. I think that's enough. Carl gets it already."

Libby made a face, but Carl shook his head. "I don't mind it," he said, "and anyway, I didn't want to be a third wheel on your date."

Sheen threw his hand in the air as though to shoo the comment away.

"It wouldn't have been right," Carl said.

"Whatever, dude," Sheen said, dismissing him.

"It wouldn't have been an intrusion, you know," Libby said. "You're our friend and we love you. That's what Valentine's Day is really about. Love." She smiled at him. It might have actually turned out for the best if they'd all just decided to go together. Maybe then it really wouldn't have been so bad. The night might have actually been fun.

She thought about their Valentine's Day. The sadness that consumed that night and ruined the day for them was incredible. She was still awed at how easily Carl was able to convince Jimmy to come to his house. They met him half way and then led him back to Carl's house. It was terrible! Jimmy could hardly stand on his own when he reached them. It was like he had just given up. He collapsed on the couch as soon as it was within his reach. Libby never felt so helpess before. Nothing she said seemed to help Jimmy's disposition at all.

Her thoughts came to an abrupt stop when Nick sat down beside Sheen, just across from her and for a while everything was silent.

"Get Neutron to open up to Cindy again," he said, lifting the silence for only a moment.

Every jaw at the table dropped.

"No!" Libby blurted.

"Are you serious?!" Sheen asked with genuine surprised curiosity.

Nick didn't look at either of them. He turned his face. "It hurts to say this, but-"

"Then why say it?!" Libby interrupted, standing now. She had also caught the attention of almost the entire cafeteria. Even the lunch ladies who were serving today's special were glancing in her direction.

Nick slammed his hand on the table, scaring the people around him and capturing the attention of the remaining students who had yet to know what was going on in the cafeteria and said, "Because you didn't see the look in her eyes the day I beat Neutron's face in!"

He looked away, but not before Libby caught the conflicting emotions in his eyes. Guilt and anger wrestled each other while love and pain waged war as sadness loomed over all of it.

"Cindy wants to be with him," he said. He looked as though the words he spoke were tearing him apart. Tears brimmed at the edges of his eyes, but he desperately held them back.

His hand came down on the table again, earning a wince from Sheen. "After she told me I wasn't sure how to react," he confessed. "I was a zombie or something and then in the hallway I saw him and something clicked and I. . .lost control. All I wanted was to beat him till there was nothing left of him.

"But when I saw her run to him and touch his face-" he balled his hands. He took a deep breath and began again, "When he told her to get lost and she pulled away, I thought, 'yeah, you deserve that', but then I saw her face and the look in her eyes. . ." He unclenched his fists and stared into his hands. "It was heartbreaking."

He took a deep breath and put his elbows on the table and let his head rest in his open palms. "Part of me still wants her to get he heart torn out for what she did, but then I see those eyes and I feel guilty."

After a moment of silence, Libby replied, "So, you really did love her."

Nick nodded without looking up. "Of course," he said. "I just didn't show it enough."

Libby sat down and after a moment, she said, "I'll do what I can."

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Cindy entered the room and she could feel all eyes on her, following her as she walked to her seat. One girl stuck her foot out as Cindy walked by, tripping her and making everyone laugh. Without turning to look at the girl she picked up her books and continued to her seat. She slid in her chair beside Libby without looking at her. She found it easier that way. She couldn't handle Libby's cold eyes.

The lecture soon began, but Cindy could not pay attention. She had more important matters to attend to. She opened her notebook to the back page and looked at the lame apology letter she had written in her previous class. She pulled it out with little noise and crumpled it up without bringing to much attention to herself and then tried again.

Jimmy,

I made a horrible

No, no, she thought.

terrible

No. She sighed. Again.

an unthinkable mistake and. . .

She stopped, shook her head, crossed out the whole thing, and tried again.

Jimmy-

Don't be mad. I was stupid. Really stupid and if you give me just one more chance I promise you that I can make things right.

She read it over. It sounded better. The second half, anyway. With a sigh she crossed it out again and began anew, but Libby's voice stopped her.

"Just talk to him," Libby said. She sat with her elbow on the desk, her check resting on her palm as she looked at Cindy.

Was Libby really speaking to her right now?

"Talk to him," Libby repeated. "And if he doesn't listen-" she shrugged "-make him."

Libby looked over her apology letter disapprovingly. Cindy looked at her friend and her heart filled with relief and her eyes filled with the warm welcome of tears.

And just like that she had hope.

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"Just hear her out," Libby said, keeping in time with Jimmy's step. One class left and still Libby was no where near convincing him it was okay to listen to Cindy.

"What brought this on?" he asked, eyeing her with his good eye. She wanted to say something about it, but she didn't. For the past few days she, Carl, and Sheen had all agreed to keep talk about Jimmy's face to a minimum and to keep from staring, so that he didn't feel self conscience. He looked pretty bad. Nick had kept it close to the face.

"I thought you were on my side," he said as his face fell. He was hurt.

"Oh, I am," she assured. "But where's the harm in listening?" She looked at him and he looked back at her questioningly. She shrugged."And what do you have to lose?"

Without missing a beat he said, "My sanity."

She nudged him. "Come on, be serious. What do you have to lose?"

"What do I stand to gain?" he asked and waited for a reply, but Libby had none. "Exactly," he said. "You're not even completely convinced."

He was right, of course. She wasn't completely convinced, but Nick asked for help and Cindy was (had always been) her friend as well as Jimmy and she just wanted to see the two happy again that would really set the peace and then a light clicked on in her head.

"Peace of mind," she said finally. He looked at her as they walked. That caught his attention. "You might finally be able to get passed this."

He thought about this and Libby almost jumped.

"Okay," he said and inside Libby was celebrating like it was New Years Eve and the ball just dropped, bringing on the new year.

"But I'm not seeking her out," he said. "She has to come to me. I can't guarantee anything else."

Libby tried to contain her triumphant joy. She settled for a nod, not trusting herself to open her mouth. This was turning out better than she hoped. Now if Cindy could wait till after school then Libby could-

Libby began to panic. She could see Cindy standing by Jimmy's last class, waiting outside for Jimmy, no doubt. Too soon, too soon!

Jimmy noticed Cindy by the door and immediately turned to Libby and glared at her. "You could have mentioned that this was going to happen now," he said angrily.

She shook her head, but Jimmy looked away. "A little warning would have been nice."

Libby sighed. Like ripping off a band-aide, she thought. Fast. Just get it over with.

Just before Jimmy approached the door, Libby said her goodbye and reminded him to just listen. She could see Cindy straighten up in the corner of her eye.

Libby smiled weakly at Cindy. "Just listen," she whispered to Jimmy before she continued to her own class.

She breathed a sigh. This could be disatrous, she thought, peeking over her shoulder. Jimmy was definitly not ready just yet. She just hoped her listened to everything she had to say.