(Sheepishly shuffles into view) ...Um, hi. Please don't kill me! I know it's been awhile, but you would not believe all the drama I have been through. There's something I wanted to address, it's about a review I read for my story a little while ago. I was going to update that day, but then I saw that I had received another review. Basically, the review said "Come back when you learn how to write stories". Needless to say I became depressed by the nasty review and didn't update because everything built up and I felt like shit. Notice people, I said that I was a beginner at writing and put this story up to get CONSTRUTIVE feed back. NOT reviews that just tell me how crappy my writing skills are. I know I'm not good at writing, that's why I posted this story, to get advice on how to improve. I digress. I apologize for the delay.

Disclaimer: I do not own Freakazoid.

That day I decided to take a walk in the park in an attempt to clear my mind. I walked to the park, deep in thought.

I slowed my pace as I neared the grassy area. I heard the laughter of many children and the voice of someone familiar.

I watched the scene that was taking place in the center of the park in amusement. Despite my best effort, I couldn't help but smile.

Freakazoid was playing with a group of children, running around to avoid being tagged by them. He began laughing, having been tackled and pinned to the ground by a few of the children.

"I guess there's more to you than meets the eye, huh, Freakazoid?" I thought, smiling at the heart-warming scene.

I sat down on a nearby bench, watching them play tag. A little girl jumped up on Freakazoid when he stood up, causing him to fall back down in a fit of laughter.

"I caught you, Freakazoid!" the little girl exclaimed, grinning.

"Yeah, you caught me." he managed between laughs.

He looked up, noticing me. He grinned and gave me a small wave. I rolled my eyes, unable to rid myself of my smile, and waved back.

He pushed himself up off the ground, carefully setting the little girl down, he made his way over to me.

"Hiya!"

"Hello, Freakazoid." I greeted pleasantly, "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged, grinning, "I promised to play tag with the kids for awhile."

I smiled up at him, "You really aren't like other superheroes, are you?"

"You're not like other girls, so we're even."

I grinned as he used my words from a few nights ago.

"Freakazoid, we have to go now." one of the little girls said sadly.

Freakazoid knelt down to ruffle her hair, smiling, "It's okay, kids. Be careful."

"We will!" they chimed before running off to their parents.

Freakazoid slumped down on the bench next to me, sighing with a grin on his face.

"Tired?" I asked, a smile of my own tugging at the corner of my lips.

"Yeah, but I just can't say no to them, you know?" His grin faded into a soft smile as he watched the retreating forms of the children.

"That's really sweet of you. I respect that."

He looked at me wide eyed for a moment, then turned his head away.

"Weird..."

He turned back to me after a few minutes, grinning his stupid grin. "So, what are you doing here?"

I sighed, my dream, coming back to me in a rush. "An old memory resurfaced last night and I decided to take a walk to clear my mind." I let out a snort of amusement, "Or, what's left of it anyway. I wanted to talk to my friend about it, but he's busy today and I don't want to bother him."

"Are you doing anything today?"

I looked up at him, surprised at his sudden question. "No, why?" I asked slowly.

"Do you like snow cones?"

I shrugged, "Don't know, never had one before."

The way he looked at me you'd think that I had just grown a second head. "You've never had a snow cone?" he asked astounded.

"I believe I just said that, didn't I?"

He stared a moment longer, like he was absorbing the information. "You have to come get one with me. They're delicious, you have to try one! Please?"

I shook my head, smiling. "You're hopeless." I sighed as I pretended to think about it. "Gee,I guess so. Not like I had anything better to do today."

Grinning, Freakazoid stood, took my hand, and led me to the snow cone place.

Freakazoid and I sat in the Snow Cone Palace, enjoying our frozen treats.

"So where'd you learn to fight like that? You really did a number on those robbers."

I sighed in exasperation, "What is it with you and constantly asking me things? What is this, twenty questions?"

My only response from him was a sheepish grin. I sighed, turning my gaze to the window.

"Let's just say that no one escapes this world unscathed. I've been through the fire many times and I've found myself drowning in a sea of problems that I created. I had to walk on the burning embers and fight to keep my head above water, all to survive." A bitter laugh passed through my lips as I thought about all I had been through. "I never want to go through that shit ever again."

"Sounds like you've been through a lot."

"Yeah,but things are going to get better. Soon, I'm going to be singing." I grinned at that thought.

"At your uncles' cafe?"

"Yeah, I start-" I froze, replaying Freakazoid's sentence in my head. "Wait a minute..."

"How did you know my uncles own a cafe? Better yet, how did you know that I have relatives in Washington?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. "It's like that day with that snake lady. He knows more than he's been told."

"Uhh..." His eyes shifted frantically, no doubt trying to find an excuse.

And then it hit me. The reason he knew who I was looking for the first day I got here, how he found me and the robbers so quickly, how he knew my nick-name, and about my uncles and their cafe, it all clicked into place. My eyes widened when I realized it. "It's because..."

"You're friends with Dexter, aren't you? That's why you know so much about me, isn't it?"

He looked surprised by my accusation at first, then he sighed with a sheepish and almost relieved smile. "That's right. But you can't tell anyone!"

"I won't." I told him, unable to keep the pleased tone out of my voice. "I completely figured him out! I'm so awesome!" I thought in a moment of conceitedness.

"He talks about you a lot." he grinned.

"Oh? And what does he say?"

"He says you're talented, kind, strong, loyal, and beautiful." he replied, leaning back in his chair.

I felt my face heat up, and I knew that I was grinning like an idiot. I felt extremely happy to know that Dexter thought so highly of me. Closing my eyes I thought to myself, "If only I deserved your praise."

"What do you think of Dexter?" Freakazoid disrupted my thoughts with his question.

I hummed in thought, playfully. "Hmmm.. Do I feel like telling you that? Um, no. I think I'll keep that to myself a little while longer."

I laughed as he pouted. "He's so childish!"

"So, when are you going to be singing?"

"Saturday. This Saturday at the Crimson Moon Cafe. I start working there tomorrow, though."

"Maybe I'll come see you sing." he suggested.

"I'd like that."

"HEEEEEEEEEEEELP!"

"Oh, gotta go! Nice talking to you!" Freakazoid said just before speeding out of the shop.

I just shook my head, smiling still, watching as he ran off with his arms up in the air making "Swoosh"ing sounds.

"Childish indeed, but his company is refreshing."

.:IAMALINE:.

A school bell rings and dozens of young children run out of the school and onto the playground for recess. A little girl with long fiery orange curls and vibrant green eyes grins a gap-toothed grin as she exited the building. Humming a happy tune, she skipped over to the sandbox. When she got there she was upset with what she found. There sat a small boy sitting in the sandbox, sand being kicked in his face by a bigger boy.

The small boy had short brown hair, onyx eyes, and glasses that looked too big for his small face.

"Hey, cut it out!" the smaller boy sputtered.

The bigger boy laughed, "What are you going to do about it?"

Without warning, the little girl charged at the boy and knocked him face first into the sandbox. Lifting his head up, he spat out a mouthful of sand, and snarled, "Who did that?" He turned his head to see the girl glaring at him right before she stomped on the back of his head, allowing his face to become reacquainted with the sand.

"I did! You got a problem with that?" she demanded. She felt him shake his head from beneath her foot. "Good." She freed his head and kicked him in the ass, his face digging deeper into the ground. "Now get out of here and don't even think of telling the teacher!" The red head huffed as the boy fled. "AND DON'T COME BACK, EITHER!"

Finally, she turned to the small boy, grinning. She knelt in front of him and began brushing the sand out of his hair. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah, but why did you do that?"

She looked at him in disbelief before smiling sweetly, "You should never need a reason to want to help someone." Glancing around the red head noticed that there was no one else with the boy. "Where are your friends?"

He dropped his gaze to the ground, "I don't have any."

The girl was shocked. "No friends," she thought to herself, "How terribly lonely."

She then nodded her head, as though making a decision, and grinned. "It's settled then! I'll be your friend!"

It was the boys turn to look shocked. "Really?" he asked, daring to be hopeful.

The red head nodded, "Yup! My name's Charlotte Hightopp. What's yours?" she asked, extending her hand.

He stared at her hand and eventually took it in his own. "Dexter. Dexter Douglas." he replied, finally smiling.

Charlotte grinned wider, if possible, "Okay Dexter. From now on, we're going to be best friends!"

.:IAMALINE:.

I laughed when I woke up that morning. "It figures that I'd remember that now that I'm back in Washimgton."

Subduing my amusement I ran a hand through my hair, sighing.

"I need to call Dexter."

Sorry if it's short. I'll start typing up the next chapter tomorrow. I kinda wanted Charlotte to have one of those moments when you think a character has figured something out and then you want to smack them because of how stupid their answer is. I think Freakazoid would be good with kids. I don't know, I just got that feeling. I figure that I'd show you a little bit of when they were kids. I'm experimenting with a few things in an attempt to make it easier to read. Tell mewhat you think. Reviews are lovely and they make me happy.