Touch the Sky

By: A. Kiwi

The KND save a young girl named Jerk from her slovenly father with a strange past she can't remember. Rated for language and other things.

A/n: Before you read, I think you should know that Minnesota is nothing like this, trust me. Also you should know that Ninasville is a made-up place. All the poems used in here are from Lovepoemsandquotes.com. Anyway……… on with my story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Codename: Kids Next Door or related characters.

Guide (for those of you who don't already know)

Nigel = Numbuh One

Hoagie = Numbuh Two

Kuki = Numbuh Three

Wallabee = Numbuh Four

Abigail = Numbuh Five

Jerk = Original Character (OC)

Prologue: The First Move Made

She lived in the suburbs of Minnesota in a desolate area known as the city Ninasville. Her house, along with the few that lined the cracked cement sidewalks, had peeling paint and was half falling apart. She wore only a size XLL sweater, a pair of brown underwear, which were prior to date white, and a pair of shiny black capris, which she had saved up all of the summer for. It was one of those days where it was neither to hot or to cold, and Jerk sat perched on the porch railing of her mobile home, not feeling the breeze as it came and went.

It was true, her parents hadn't taken their time to supply her with a good name at birth, but it was better than her sister's was, that was. Her sister's name was Asslie. Her father had been in a real pissed off mood when he named her. Her name was originally going to be Ashlie, after her mother, but something happened, that no one knew the true story behind, that caused the father of the babe to dement the name of his and Ashlie's first child. Everyone knew that Ermal had forced Ashlie to have sex with him the second time to have Jerk. What Ermal had really wanted was a male child.

Her father sat in a drunken state in front of the TV, super pissed off at the world today because his favorite football teams, the Vikings, were losing. "Damn that Randy Moss," he growled. Jerk heard him from her perch on the railing and slid off, looking sadly at the sky. Her mother had run away a few years ago with Asslie, leaving Jerk behind with her father. Jerk knew she should run away, but if she was caught and brought back home, her life would be even more hell than it already was. She already had a chain with a ball on it shackled to her foot from her last escape attempt.

No……… she sat down miserably. There was no escaping.

~

A siren went off at Kids Next Door headquarters, followed by a red light flashing. "Kids Next Door! Battlestations!" Nigel Uno called from the front room. The rest of the KND trudged out of their rooms sleepily, rubbing their eyelids and only half-awake, typical morning behavior. Numbuh One was not pleased. "Kids Next Door, kids all around the world depend on us, if you can't………" then launched into a lecture so boring, that Numbuh Four and Numbuh Three dozed off to sleep and collapsed on top of each other. Numbuh One raised an eyebrow behind his dark glasses.

"Nigel, can ya quit mouthing and tell us the mission?" Said Numbuh Five, with Hoagie nodding in agreement. "That's Numbuh One, to you, Numbuh Five," said Nigel. There was a looming silence after this, only penetrated by the snoring of Numbuh Three on the floor. "Numbuh Two, what two by four technology do you have prepared for us this time?" Asked Numbuh One.

"It's called the S.H.A.R.P.L., shiny handheld attacking red pen laser." Hoagie announced proudly, pulling his prototype out of his pocket. Numbuh Five leaned against the wall, her arms crossed, and pulling on the brim of her precious red hat so her eyes would not show. "And exactly what will we be traveling in?" She asked, giving Numbuh Four a kick so he would wake up. "Ah, so glad you asked Numbuh Five." Said Numbuh Two. It's waiting just outside the window. And it's called the L.A.C.K., the levitating amber-colored konvertible." "Um, Numbuh Two, convertible is spelled c-o-n, not k-o-n." Said Numbuh Five, obviously having a good time taunting Hoagie.

"Well, then it's the L.A.C.C.," said Numbuh Two, blushing furiously at his simple mistake. Down on the ground Kuki Sanban had awoken to find Wallabee Beatles sleeping on top of her. "GAHHHH!" she screamed, instantly awakening Wallabee. "EW EW EW EW EW EW EW EW EW!" She screamed pushing Wallabee off her while he went red as a tomato under his bangs.

"C'mon!" said Numbuh Five, already climbing into the L.A.C.C. and holding the S.H.A.R.P.L. in her dark hand. "All rig't," said Numbuh Four, who was still beet red, running to the window and leaping out, landing in the middle back seat. Numbuhs One and Two were in the front, with Hoagie driving. Next came Numbuh Three, who poked her head out of the window hesitantly, and lowered herself into the backseat next to Numbuh Four. "Buckle up, it's going to be a wild ride," said Numbuh Two. As everyone else buckled in and tested their seatbelts, Numbuh Four sat with his arms crossed across his chest. "Ga', w'o needs seatbelts? Seatbelts are for wimps, like Numba' T'ree." He said in his Australian accent, immediately receiving a punch from his Japanese teammate beside him.

"Five, four, three, two, one, BLASTOFF!" counted down Numbuh Two and Three, shouting the word blastoff so loudly that all the rest of the operatives had to plug their ears. The L.A.C.C. took off and rose steadily into the air, breaking the cloud cover and sailing above them. "Numbuh Two, can you turn the car more eastward? Thanks." Said Numbuh One, checking his tracking device and noting that the house they were looking for was located a good hundred miles away. "Numbuh Two, is there any way to make this thing go faster?" Asked Numbuh One. "We won't arrive at our destination in time otherwise."

"Sure thing boss, I mean, Numbuh One," said Hoagie, pressing a red button on the dashboard and flipped a switch. The car shot forward and Numbuh Four smashed into the windshield. "Oi, that 'urts………" he moaned, returning to his seat. Numbuh Three patted his shoulder. "There, there Wallabee." She said. "'Et your 'ands off me!" Numbuh Four jerked away, but had the grace to blush.

They drove for another hundred miles in silence, a silence sure to drive anyone to sleep. Numbuh Four's head were drooping slightly, Numbuh Two had turned on the radio while Kuki sat in silence listening to it. Numbuh Five seemed lost in a world of her own. Numbuh One, the KND's never-changing leader, was sitting in silence, staring out the front of the dash.

"Approaching destination," said Numbuh One, breaking the silence finally. Numbuh Three shook with the cold as the floating convertible sank beneath the cloud cover and exposed it to anyone staring up at the starless sky. Numbuh Four noticed his partner shaking and wrapped his arms around her, receiving a gracious smile in return.

~

Jerk sat on the porch of her house, oblivious to anything but the peeling paint of the porch railing as she played with it, the most entertaining thing she'd done all day. A crystal tear slid down her face and hit the ground silently. Her father was yet to awaken from his drunken stupor, so she was alone for now. The heard the buzzing of an airplane going by overhead. She figured she might as well look at it, since there was nothing better to do, but kept her head lowed as more and more tears fell.

~ Flashback ~

"Amanita, the world around us is alive, listen, and you can hear its heart beating." She would sometimes press her ear to the ground to see if she could hear it. Her grandfather would chuckle and pat her back. "For now, finish your job." He said, gesturing to a large pile of oranges beside him. "Grandfather, how is this supposed to train me how to fight again?" She inquired, flashing a puppy dog face in his direction. "Why, Amanita, this teaches you patience, the most important quality of a fighter."

~ End Flashback ~

Jerk laid her head to the ground, but she wasn't sure why. In her dream, she had seen lush gardens, trees heavy laden with fruit, and she had been called Amanita twice. Who was Amanita? That single thought passed through her head as she played with a strand of her dark brown hair, wrapping it around her finger, then letting it uncurl slowly on its own, over and over again.

~

Numbuh Five woke up, her back ached and she stretched lazily to the sky. (A/n: They're still in the car.) "Hey, Numbuh Two, where is the rest of our team?" "On the mission," Numbuh Two said. They sat in more silence, waiting for a signal from the team or perhaps just waiting.

"Your words are my food, your breath is my wine. You are everything to me." Numbuh Two burst out suddenly. "What?" asked Numbuh Five. Numbuh Two blushed a deep lavender color. "It's a poem I heard somewhere. It's by Sarah Bernhardt." "Do you know any more?" said Numbuh Five suddenly. "Um……… one." said Numbuh Two, amazed at her interest. "Well, say it! C'mon! Numbuh Five wants to hear."

Numbuh Two took a deep breath. "Your lips speak soft sweetness, your touch a cool caress, I am lost in your magic, my heart beats within your chest." He paused as if uncertain, then looked into Numbuh Five's glowing amber eyes, melting. "I think of you each morning, and I dream of you each night, I think of your arms being around me, and cannot express my delight. Neither have I fallen, But I am quickly on my way, you hold a heart in your hands, that has never been given away." Numbuh Five had lowered her gaze and was crying softly into her hands.

"Numbuh Five, what's wrong?" Asked Numbuh Two, scrambling over his seat and falling with a thump onto the unoccupied part of the back seat. "I'm sorry………" she said softly. "It's just……… that poem was so beautiful."

"Lizzie thought so too you know," said Numbuh Two softly. He placed his lips on hers, and Numbah Five barely had time to react before she was swept into a kiss. Then it was over. Abigail noted on the softness of his lips. They pulled apart like two guilty children caught eating sweets before dinner.

Numbuh Two returned to his seat in the front, like nothing had happened, although he was breathing very heavily. "Um……… what station would you like to listen to Numbuh Five?" He asked. Numbuh Five's mind was racing, trying to figure out what Hoagie's favorite station. "Radio Disney?" "That's exactly what I had in mind," said Hoagie, changing the station and flashing Abigail a friendly smile, a twinkle in his eye. She melted into it like he had melted into her eyes.

~

A/n: That has got to be the sappiest thing I've ever written. I hope you like it for the first chapter. Any suggestions what pair to do for the next? Please review ^.^