Author's Note: Oh God! Oh God, oh man! I HAVE RETURNED!

Basic Stuff: Thoughts/Emphasis/Lyrics in italics. Telling them apart should be easy.

Disclaimer: Codename: Kids Next Door and all its trademarks, logos, etc., belong to Mr. Warburton and his creative team. The song "Eric's Song" belongs to Vienna Teng as well as her record label.

After everyone's laughter had (for the most part) ceased, everyone urged Abby to do karaoke next - and saying they urged her was putting it lightly. "Aight, aight! Chill out!" she yelled. "I'm goin' already! Sheesh!"

She hit the button on the machine, and smiled softly as an extremely familiar piano melody came through the speakers. The dark girl picked up the microphone, closed her eyes, and began to sing.

"Strange how you know inside me - I measure the time and I stand, amazed. Strange how I know inside you - my hand is outstretched toward the damp of the haze..."

As he heard the first six words, Nigel gasped; this song had been theirs since Vienna Teng's music had made its way into their life and into their hearts. Abby continued, unaware of anything outside the music and outside her memories. "And of course I forgive, I've seen how you live - like a phoenix, you rise from the ashes. You pick up the pieces, and the ghosts in the attic, they never quite leave..."

Here her thoughts wandered into the night her teammates had been turned into spank-happy vampires, "And of course I forgive, you've seen how I live - I've got darkness and fears to appease. My voices and analogies, ambitions like ribbons worn bright on my sleeve... Strange how we know each other. Strange how I fit into you - there's a distance erased with the greatest of ease," Abby opened her eyes to find that Nigel was staring into them, heart wide open. Her grin turned affectionate. "Strange how you fit into me - a gentle warmth filling the deepest of needs."

"With each passing day, the stories we say draw us tighter into our addiction. Confirm our conviction, that some kind of miracle passed on our heads. And how I am sure, like never before, of my reasons for defying reason. Embracing the seasons, we dance through the colors both followed and led..." Her voice changed octaves, and each pitch was like a wave of peace washing over the treehouse - and for Nigel, it was a wave of compassion for his closest friend.

During the piano solo, Abby danced around the stage en pointe, hair flowing around her - the movement cleared her head and expressed feelings that couldn't be let out otherwise.

"Strange how we fit each other - strange how certain the journey. Time unfolds the petals for our eyes to see. Strange how this journey's hurting in ways we accept as part of fate's decree," when these lines were sung, each child felt that friendships lasted forever, decommissioning or not. "So we just hold on fast, acknowledge the past, as lessons exquisitely crafted - painstakingly drafted - to carve us as instruments that play the music of life."

"For we don't realize our faith in the prize unless it's been somehow elusive - how swiftly we choose it, the sacred simplicity," Abby held out the word 'simplicity', "Of you at my side."

The rest of the song was foreign chanting, and with it, Abby danced again, only this time she concentrated upon the lighting of the room and her belief in her friends and the Kids Next Door. Eventually, the piano faded away, and the silence following it lasted for two or three minutes before the second-in-command was rewarded with thunderous applause. She was surprised to see that each one of her friends - even Wally - had tears in their eyes.

Kuki ran to her. "Oh Abby! That was beautiful!" she squealed as the others joined in on what could only be described as a dogpile hug.

The group fell to the floor, which led to a fit of giggles. "Guys, get offa me! Abby needs to breathe!" she choked out.

Hastily, they got up, snickering and bickering about who was going to sing next. While they were at it, Abby still laid on the floor, lost in thought as she heard her best friend's voice. When she looked at him, Nigel stood over her, body bent from the waist up, and smiled. "That really was lovely, Abby," he told her. "Now, would you like some help getting on your feet?"

She chuckled. "Yes, please," she answered, appreciating the feeling of his hand in hers. "Thanks, Nigel."

All he could do was grin at her and grab themselves more soda. He couldn't help but laugh as the argument over who got to sing next continued.

"Oh Nigel!" several voices called out, "You're going next!"

The British boy turned, shocked at the fact that all his friends were looking at him. "Me? Oh, nonono, I can't - "

"Go on, Nigel," Abby whispered. "You'll be fine. I believe in you."

Fighting a blush, he sighed and went to the stage. "All right, guys... It's your funeral!"

Just as Abby and Hoagie had done before him, he pressed the button on the machine, unable to take in what he saw on the screen. He stumbled, took off his sunglasses, and blinked at the screen - the words seemed to etch themselves into his brain, and no matter how much he tried to deny it, they wouldn't go away. Returning his shades to their rightful place, he groaned.

What have I gotten myself into?