He took her back to the tree house, where Hoagie and Abby were sat on the couch, Abby reading a magazine, Hoagie playing some game.

"What's happened now?" Abby asked in an aggravated, yet concerned voice.

"Nothing…She's fine." Wally replied as he brought Kuki in and took her through the room towards the corridor leading to the bedrooms.

"Numbuh 2, could you make her a cocoa?" Wally looked over his shoulder, Hoagie nodded and stood up glancing at Wally and Kuki in concern as he walked into the kitchen.

He led her into her room and got her to sit on her bed and then sat down next to her.

"Shh, it's okay. You're safe here!" He whispered to her.

"Thanks Wally." She sniffed, wiping her teary eyes. Still sobbing slightly.

He rubbed her arm gently. They heard a knock at the doorway. Hoagie was stood next to the curtain with the cup of cocoa that Wally had requested.

Wally stood up and met with Hoagie at the door, taking the mug from him.

"Thanks man." Wally smiled vaguely.

"Is she okay?" Hoagie asked.

"Tough day." Wally replied, turning to walk back to Kuki.

"Hey." Hoagie thought aloud, looking at his watch. "I thought you weren't coming back for another hour and a half! Shouldn't you be at boxing?"

Wally sighed and continued walking to Kuki, choosing not to answer Hoagie's question.

Kuki had obviously heard their chatter and questioned him as he handed her the drink and sat next to her again.

"I forgot you were boxing, sorry…I wouldn't have called you but..."

"It's okay." Wally shrugged.

"So did they let you out early?" Kuki asked.

"Something like that." Wally replied, looking away in sorrow.

"What?" Kuki asked.

"Nothing." Wally looked up at her.

"Tell me! What's wrong?"

He sighed and looked down at his hands which were in his lap.

"I was kicked out. My trainer said that if I left, that was it, my contract was over. So I just walked out."

Kuki looked at him in sympathy.

"Wally, I'm so sorry!" She looked away in guilt. "If it wasn't for me you'd still be…"

"It's okay!" Wally assured her, he placed his fingers under her chin and turned her head to face him. He smiled at her and wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb.

"But…You were so happy when you got that contract and it's ruined because of me." She sobbed.

"Kuki…Look at me." He sighed at her misery. "You are way more important than some cruddy boxing contract!"

She smiled at him and hugged him. He breathed in her scent as he held her close and sighed in euphoria.

"Well, I'm pretty tired. I'm going to get some sleep now." Kuki said with a yawn.

"Okay." Wally whispered, he pushed one of her bangs behind her ear and smiled gently before walking out of the room.

"Wally!" Kuki called as he reached the doorway. Wally tilted his head to show her that he was listening.

"Thank you."

He turned and smiled at her.

"Night Kuki." He said gently, then walked out.

"How is she?" Abby asked as he came in and sat down.

"She's alright now." Wally replied quietly.

"What happened." Hoagie asked, pausing his game to turn to Wally.

"Numbuh 30c decided to go to her house and he tried to hurt her again." Wally explained, then began to laugh. "She flipped out and smashed him across the head with a vase!"

The other two operatives chuckled.

"About time someone hit him." Hoagie stated.

"Yeah, I'm pretty pleased it was Numbuh 3 who did it too." Abby laughed.

"I don't know, it affected her pretty bad. She was real worked up about it." Wally replied.

"Well, I just hope it teaches that boy a lesson." Abby said.

"Nah, even Kuki knows he won't give up that easily." Wally shrugged.

After a pretty long conversation, Wally decided to go to bed, the amount of work he had done that day must have worn him out as he was asleep in almost no time.

He had the strangest dream that night.

He and Kuki were alone in the tree house and were sat on the couch together watching TV.

Kuki was curled up to him and he was running a hand through her hair as they relaxed in each others company.

Kuki looked up at him and smiled.

"I love you." She told him.

"I love you too." He replied, neither said any more. Neither of them had to.

They simply leaned towards one another and kissed passionately.

"Can I borrow one of your hoodies? I'm cold." Kuki asked, Wally simply nodded. Kuki beamed at him, kissing him once more as she stood up and walked out.

'Oh my days, she's perfect! How did I get such an angel?' He thought to himself.

As he heard her coming back he turned and smiled, only to be greeted by Kuki's across his forehead.

"Ow! What was that for?" He asked in total confusion.

"I just found this on your hoodie!" Kuki snapped, holding up a single strand of black hair.

Wally stared at her in disbelief and utter bewilderment.

"Yeah?" He said, trying to make sense of the whole scenario.

"Why is one of Numbuh 5's hairs on your hoodie!?! Huh? Have you been cheating on me?" She screamed.

"What?" Wally asked, being hit again, this time, across his face.

"You and Abby have similar hair you know that? You sure it's not just yours?"

"How Dare You!" Kuki yelled, grabbing the closest abject to her, (which was the remote), and throwing it at him, comically making it bounce from his eye, making him fall backwards. It was like the Tom and Jerry cartoon on the TV.

"Don't you make me the enemy here Wally!" She continued to scream.

"What? I didn't even…"

"Shut up! You Pathetic…Worthless…Stupid…No good…Low lived…" She'd continually insult him as she'd deliver a thump against his chest or a slap against his face.

He exited the tree house with a huge black eye. What seemed like the whole town was standing in front of him staring. Some people looked at him suspiciously. Others gave a look of sympathy. The rest just sniggled and chuckled harshly as he walked past them.

He tried to ignore them as he walked through them.

A million voices entered his head.

"Well, he should have known that she was no good!"

"We did warn him."

"She's far too good for him anyway."

"It's his own fault for being so careless."

Everybody was talking about him. He hid back the anger and sorrow as he continued to walk through the crowd.

The voices of other people began to repeat what Kuki had said to him.

"Pathetic!"

"Worthless!"

"Stupid!"

"No good!"

He winced and grunted through bared teeth as he felt pain over his body. He looked at his arm, where the word 'worthless' was being carved into his skin.

He looked at his stomach, 'pathetic' was written in blood.

Words of insults and put downs were being carved and scarred into his entire body.

The voices in his head continued to repeat the harsh words.

"No good!"

"Pathetic!"

"Stupid!"

"Worthless!"

He covered his ears with his hands in attempt to block the voices, he could feel the many eyes on him as his world spun around him. His body was hurt all over from the cuts and bruises.

"I trusted you!" He shouted.

He woke up panting and sweating in fright, quickly checking his body for any marks of writing on them, he got up and walked into the bathroom.

Turning on the cold tap, he cupped his hand and caught some of the water, bringing it to his lips and slurping it down. He then cupped both hands together and threw the water on his damp face.

As he dried his face with the towel he looked in the mirror.

"Thank crud it was just a dream!" He sighed to himself.

He couldn't get back to sleep, so despite it being 4:00am, he walked through towards the kitchen to get something to eat.

Nigel was already sat at the table in the kitchen when Wally walked in, he had a cup of coffee in his hands and he looked like death warmed up. He nodded sleepily at Wally as Wally sat and joined him.

"You okay Numbuh 1?" He asked in concern.

"Yes, I'm fine thank you. Just having a restless night." Nigel replied, pushing up his sunglasses as he rubbed his eyes .

What was it with that guy and his sunglasses, there was only a dim light turned on for crud's sake. Maybe it was as a sense of authority or something.

"What are you doing up so early anyway Numbuh 4?" Nigel asked.

"Well, I had this real weird dream…well, nightmare!" Wally started.

He told Nigel about all that had happened in the dream and Nigel sat and listened intently.

He must have been talking for a while as it was now 6:30am and beginning to get light.

"Certainly a peculiar dream." Nigel agreed, his chin in his hand as he thought about it.

"Maybe it means that you're scared of loving her after what's happened?"

Wally usually hated it when Nigel tried to interpret dreams as Wally didn't think they had a purpose or meaning. It was just the brain getting bored of lack of TV and games, so creating it's own.

This time however, Wally was certain it meant something, and he wanted to know what.

He shook his head. "I'm not scared of loving her, especially after what's happened, if anything it's made me love her more, 'cause I feel like I have to protect her"

"What about it maybe, just showing your fear about telling her."

"No, don't see anything relevant to that." Wally shrugged. "It sure started off as a great dream though."

A bright light bulb then flashed above Nigel's head, making the top of his bald head glisten and shine (metaphorically speaking of course).

"That's it!" He stated. As he thought aloud. "That's how Numbuh 3 feels. It started off great with Numbuh 30c… Then of course he began hitting her, accusing her of minor things that weren't even real…Now…She must be scared that people are talking about her…She's lost trust in other people now after what he's done to her…And the marks on your body must simply mean that his words have scarred her."

"Wow! Numbuh 1! Even when you're running on caffeine you are a genius!" Wally smiled, clicking his finger in realization.

"It must be my job to help her get through it!"