"Similarities create friendship's while differences hold them together." -Anonymous

Hope

My eyes opened to the dark surrounded, green numbers of the alarm clock next to my pillow. 4 a.m.

I sighed and realized I would never get to sleep with everything that was racing in my mind. The recent events of our "vacation" had my thoughts spinning. So quietly, with out waking Biff, I got out from under the covers and headed to the bathroom.

The farmhouse that Chet had sold to us had seen better days, but Biff and I were working hard on renovations.

After Chet's parents moved to Colorado, they had given their farm to their son. But the old house hadn't been lived in for over three years until Chet moved to England and sold it to us. He sold it cheep, "an early wedding present" he said. But no matter how cheep it had started out, the "farmhouse project" as it were, was a huge venture on our part.

But we were slowly making headway and knew our investment would eventually pay off. At the moment however, the house was a mess. With the exception of our bedroom and bathroom, the house was in complete disarray. At the moment we were in the middle of remodeling the kitchen and living room, but thankfully, Biff's father had experience in construction so he was a huge help.

Thankfully the water was still running to our bathroom, because it wasn't anywhere else in the house. I pulled my hair up into a messy pony tail and ran some warm water across my face. I decided that it was too early for contacts so I slipped on my black framed, rectangular glasses. When I was dressed in yoga pants a long sleeve white t-shirt, and my Nike's, and my appearance was acceptable for four o'clock in the morning, I headed downstairs, carefully avoiding the construction everywhere and managed to find a sticky pad to leave Biff a note on.

Grabbing my keys, and Bayport U sweatshirt I hopped into my purple Subaru Baja, and headed for the gym. And that is simply what it was called too, The Gym. Biff had spent a lot of money and time fixing it up after he purchased it from his old neighbor, Keith Brent. For the moment I helped out there part time, as well as working on the farmhouse, our wedding plans, and my few amateur paintings. What can I say? I'm a multi-tasker.

About twenty minutes later I pulled into the parking lot. It was four thirty a.m. and I knew no one would be out and about yet. It was nice, so quiet out. It gave me time to think.

I opened the gym doors and was sure to lock them behind me. Throwing my bag down I went straight to the treadmills that looked out over the city, you could just make out the cliffs that hung over Barmet Bay, where Vanessa's mom, Andrea, lived. Running was an amazing way to clear my head. I had never been to the gym this early before, but it was nice, I could watch the sunrise in an hour or so.

I ran for about twenty minutes straight, but then decided it best to give myself a break. Brushing my golden bangs from my eyes I searched my bag for my Nalgene water bottle. The ice cold liquid felt good on my throat, but then I heard something that made my heart jump.

The front door. I know I locked it.

I slipped to the front of the gym, ready to attack if need be, but to my surprise the face I met was that of Phil Cohen.

Phil was Frank Hardy's best friend, and had long been a good friend of mine and Biff's as well. He was the smartest guy I knew and was a computer wiz. No matter how many times I crashed my computer, on accident of course, he had always been able to fix it. However Phil was never one to take part in the sports that the rest of his friends played. This is why it struck me odd that he was at The Gym, and at five in the morning.

"Phil? What are you doing here?" I exclaimed, my voice more shocked than I had intended it to be.

"I could ask you the same thing?" he said with a smile.

"My fiancee owns this place. Remember?" I said tapping my pointer finger to my head, in a sarcastic manner, "How'd you get in?"

He responded by holding up a key in front of my face.

"Oh, where'd you get that?" I said, still a little shocked to see Phil here.

"Biff gave me a key so I could come here early," he replied, staring at me with a funny look on his face, "Why are you here so early?"

"Couldn't sleep," I said with a sigh. He nodded understandingly, but kept staring at me.

"I didn't know that you wore glasses," he said casually as he walked past me and set his bag down next to mine.

"I don't usually, but I didn't feel like putting in my contacts this morning," I answered him with a little laugh, "I guess we have something in common, blind as bats." That made him laugh.

"You got that right," he said, his hazel eyes twinkling behind his wire frames. Out of all of Biff's friends, Phil had to be the most genial.

"So," I said walking over to my usual punching bag and adorning my purple boxing gloves Biff had given me for my birthday, "you come here...often...in the early...morning," I said between punches and a roundhouse kick.

"All the time. I like it better when I'm alone, more time to think," Phil said glancing at me before I objected, "But I do like the company of good friends from time to time," he redeemed himself with a crooked smile. I just laughed and went back to my workout. But it surprised me even more when Phil pulled on some gloves himself and started punching the bag next to mine.

"You're into kickboxing?" I asked in astonishment. Phil was definitely the last person I thought would be into boxing. Running sure, even lifting weights, but kickboxing? Just didn't fit his personality.

"Another thing we have in common I guess," he smiled warmly again. For the next hour we boxed together and even sparred a little. Finally I decide I had better get home before Biff had much chance to miss me. Phil was going to work off a little more of his thoughts on the treadmill, and I decided we had more in common than I ever thought. Just over the course of an hours time I had gained even more respect for Phil as a friend. He was a really great guy and I was glad to know him, especially when I needed computer help, I thought with a smile.

After I showered and said my good bye to Phil I headed out and he offered to open up, as he often did for Biff. I knew he would only have to wait a little while before our receptionist and good friend, Eve Becket showed up for work.

I walked out to my car and an icy blast of March air hit me. I was zipping up my sweatshirt when I saw another familiar face coming towards me. It was Akacia Heart, Tony's friend, or girlfriend, but he didn't like to call her that, just yet anyways. I thought it odd that she was here, and especially at this hour in the morning, since I had just seen her the day before. I couldn't possibly be the reason she was out this early. None the less I was happy to see her.

"Hi there Akacia, how's life treating you?" I asked in a chipper voice.

"Fine, fine. But I'm afraid today is not going to be your luckiest," she said her smile vanishing and a wicked look flashed about her face.

Before I could react to what she had just said I felt a strong arm snake around my waist and I was pulled up against a hard body behind me. A small gasp escaped my lips as the wind was knocked out of me and a cloth was thrown over my nose and mouth. I struggled for a few seconds but I was helpless to fall prey to the sickly sweet smell of chloroform. The last thing I remember seeing before blackness over took me was the devilishly happy face of Akacia Heart.

A/N: This just came to me and it sort of wrote itself. Some of it's random, but a necessary chapter! Hope you liked it! Oh and I'll post the next chapter soon, I know this one's a bit of a cliff hanger. Thanks for all your support and reviews!