Operation: WITNESS

Wandering
Innocent pre-
Teens
Never
Even
Shared
Seeking friendship

By ahhelga

Chapter 3: Explanations

Author's Note: Hello! So sorry people, I thought I told you before that it wasn't going to be as original as you think! But I am still amazed that people seem to actually like this story! Wow! That's a miracle! Hope you like this chapter...

Rated for: violence, cussing, and kissing scenes.

Disclaimer: I don't own KND... now leave me alone!

Abby sighed. It was a long time since she had actually thought of the story.

"Well, Numbuh 3 was one o' the best KND members, and one of Abby's best friends. The day she became a membuh, it was obvious she was this bright ole girl. The little thang was the youngest of the group, and I was the oldest, so at first Abby took her in as a little sister. Y'know, so I could be someone unlike Cree - that's my older sister. And everythin' goes splendid for years uh'course, but, one night when we were still ten, she suddenly disappeared along with 'er family... We searched and searched for her, but could not find anything to even 'elp...

"We eventually had to trust the adults and tell 'em the news o' that missin' family. And just as we suspected, they didn't even do a thang about it... It was such a sad time for everybody... 'Specially Numbuh 4, 'cause he really cared about 'er...

"Well, then we had to get a new member, but, with Numbuh 4's temper, he just wouldn't allow it. He hated her replacement, this 'prodigy' or somethin' like that... It was a bit of a fight, but they didn't want to anger Sector V, so Headquarters had the replacement was transferred to a new team. Now we're here, just the four of us in the tree house, with no clue as to where Numbuh 3 went..."

Tears burned the back Keiko's eyes; it was a struggle to hold them back. Abby's story revealed so much to her. They cared for her... they all cared for her. Wally cared for her. Suddenly, streaks of wetness finally appeared on her cheeks with that revelation. She didn't like the idea that they all were so worried when they shouldn't meddle or dig too deep into her story, but the idea that Wally liked her as much as she did with him overruled every other thought.

Sniffling slightly, she said lamely, "That's... that's sad."

"It is..." Abby whispered, putting a comforting arm around Keiko. It should have been the other way around, the Asian thought. But Abby's voice was even more tender, "Well, it ain't polite to worry guests like this. It's just somethin' that happened a long time ago... As for now, Numbuh 5's curious. What were you doing in the park at this time?"

"I was r-running away from home..." Keiko admitted quietly. "I didn't - don't want to go back to..." She let her sentence hang.

"Oh, Numbuh 5 is here fer ya..." she whispered back, now sitting to wrap an arm around the girl. Curiously, Keiko didn't want to push away. "Tell me all about it..."

The tears were now running down Keiko's reddened face fiercely. She couldn't hold back, it seemed. Harsh sounding sobs and hiccups erupted, and Abby had to flinch. Kuki, she thought. Kuki used to cry so hard like this. They stayed like that, with Abby's arm around Keiko, until the sobs quieted.

Once she did stop, she rasped, "It... was hard..." Her eyes drifted into space, but her voice was sounded restrained, as if she was forcing the words out. Keiko couldn't help but do so; she wanted with all her being for Abby to know, but this was the first time she was going to reveal something like this. "I was... home-schooled, along with my sister; I had no friends what-so-ever, except my neighbor Alana, though usually she was out working..."

"Working?" Abby was confused as her arm slipped off of Keiko's shoulders and went back to look at her leg.

"Alana was an adult..."

"How did ya trust a grown-up so easily?"

"It just came naturally with Alana... Sometimes, an adult is not just oblivious or evil. There are those that are decent... good even," Keiko finished her thought, but it drifted onto another one. "We may have been good friends, but... she was the only friend I had, who was not family. I was lonely, constantly. Then came... yesterday... My mom and my sister, and my only other friend, were out while I waited for my tutor. There was an accident, and they died. Died..." Her breath whooshed out of her. She paused, taking it in again, horrified at the thought. She hurriedly finished, "I had to run away." Had it really been only yesterday? Keiko was pretty sure, but it seemed to long ago; it felt like ages.

Abby interrupted her thoughts, "You said that there was a time that you were happy, when was that?"

Keiko rubbed her temples, trying to numb her aching head. How was she going to put this? Should she talk about that time? Will she even tell Abby the secret that she has kept for a year, who she actually was? If so, would she talk about the times even while she was in the KND where there was such turmoil in the family?

"I... can't..." Keiko said softly.

"What happened to your dad? You haven't mentioned him once..." Abby decided to skate around the subject that was so obviously hard for the small girl.

Keiko didn't catch on, and paused for a moment. "He died," she said simply with a blank face. It didn't matter to her. It was a simple lie, but one she had told herself many, many times before. It was the best way to believe he was truly out of her life.

"Oh... Sorry..."

"Don't be. I can't remember him, and I don't care. My mom said he was a bad man anyway."

Abby's eyebrows rose. "Hm..." She figured she could now get to her previous question. "And I guess he wasn't there during your 'good times'?"

"I told you I don't want to talk about it!" she snapped. Abby was shocked to see how quick to anger she was; blood already pooled her cheeks, her fists and teeth were clenched and she trembled violently. It was obvious she was trying to hold back, but it wasn't working very well.

Abby clearly saw this rage coming, so she merely patted Keiko's knees softly, and just as quietly said, "Alright... there. Yeh cut is healed."

Keiko, coming down from her sudden anger, distracted herself by looking at her newly bandaged knees. They looked nicely patched, so she attempted to stand. However, her balance gave out, and she immediately realized she couldn't keep herself standing upward. In fact, it was near painful. Instantly, Abby came to her aid by grabbing her arm, but Keiko was stubborn to allow that. It was obvious that she needed Abby's help still when her legs wobbled and she fell.

A smile crept onto Abby's face as she realized the success in helping Keiko, but the delicate frown was evident on the smaller girl. Keiko found that this moment with Abby brought her to a fresh new bout of guilty thoughts. She knew if she stayed here, in the tree house, she'd be risking simply too much. The turmoil was evident on her face.

"Keiko, Numbuh 5 knows that you've had one 'orrible life..." Abigail started. "So... Numbuh 5 thinks that you should stay here! We can, you know... give you shelter and food and stuff... and ya'll can actually have a place to stay... I mean that… you could rest yourself, since it looks like you're a little unsteady. So what do ya say?"

Something in her stirred and she exclaimed, "Yes!" However, she immediately brought her hands up to her mouth. She completely froze after she realized what she had just said... Her natural absentmindedness got in the way, yet again!

"Really? Yes!" Abby grinned. "Finally!"

"No! That's not what I meant!" Keiko was now frantic. "I was just…No!"

"Too bad! You said yes!" Abby smirked at her.

Keiko leaned on the medic bench, simply staring at the smug, grinning Abigail. And for the first time in a year, she felt... happy... She let out a big smile; she tried to hold back the tears. "You know… I feel happy."

"Well, so is Numbuh 5, baby!" Abby said coolly. "C'mon, let's tell the others." And with that, Abby took Keiko by the shoulders and rushed down the hall, still holding onto Keiko.

"Hey! Be careful!" Keiko half-shrieked, half-laughed. Abby didn't bother to stop, only gave her another smirk, until the boys were running their way.

"What's the matter, Numbuh 5?" Nigel asked urgently when he closed in on them.

"We gots a new roommate!" Abby said proudly.

"What do you mean?" Hoagie said confused.

"Keiko, tell 'em!" Abby said, cheerfully, Keiko noted. She only shook her head apprehensively, and quietly. "Fine... She's stayin' here!"

Abby was taking this uncharacteristically well. Nigel rubbed his chin in response. "Are you sure about this, Numbuh 5? She could be very well a spy for the Delightful Children..." Nigel was observing Keiko, who raised an eyebrow. Abby only shook her head adamantly at him; her instincts and Keiko's story was much more reliable than Nigel's paranoia.

"Eh, where is Keiko gonna stay?" Hoagie logically thought. "She can't stay in any one of our rooms, after all..."

"Well... I was thinkin' that Keiko can stay in Kuki's room," Abby said honestly. Keiko's jaw clenched. That wasn't what she was hoping for at all...

In the back of the group, Wally's eyes bugged out, and made himself known, "What! What makes her good enuff to stay in Numbuh 3's room!" He pounded the wall beside him, making his knuckles red and bloody. He didn't even notice the pain.

"Numbuh 4, calm down!" Nigel yelled at him. "This girl is staying and—Numbuh 5, may I ask why you want her here?"

As Abby took in a breath, thinking of how to explain, Keiko bit back tears. The more she was here, the harder and harder it was to hold her sobs back. And on impulse, she ran to her room, or, rather her ex-room, without even thinking. It was a better option than to face them, after all.

The rest of the group stared dumbly at her as she ran off in the other direction.

Abby turned to Nigel to answer him, "She has problems, and I want to be the one to help her." Abby whispered determinedly.

When Keiko was out of sight, Wally noticed that she had dropped something. As he walked up to pick it up, he somehow knew it was the keychain that was on Keiko's backpack.

Well, that is the end of Chapter 3! Hope you liked it! Please R&R!

That's me
Ahhelga
AKA Pauline