A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the delay! Hope you guys like the new addition :)

"Hi, Kahl."

Kyle gaped in surprise. "Ca-Cartman?" And it was, indeed, Eric Theodore Cartman, sitting criss-cross in his brand new empty closet, frozen in his nine year old body, smiling sinisterly at him.

"You look surprised to see me, Kahl. What's up with that?"

"But, your, your..." Kyle looked around to ensure nobody came into the room..."dead..."

"Dead!" Eric said abruptly, standing up. "Do i look fucken dead to you, Kyle?" Kyle took a step back, alarmed. "No, it's just, well, i remember that day and..."

"And what, Kyle? Did you want me to die? Are you unhappy to see me, you filthy fucking Jew!" Cartman turned bright red and was glaring harshly at the other boy.

"No!" Kyle insisted, and he was telling the truth. Cartman didn't know just how guilty he was over his death...

"Well, Kyle, don't worry," Eric said, his voice softening a little. "I don't ever have to leave you again. I know I've treated you like shit for our whole friendship but..." and he started to tear up..."I think we're pretty much even now, don't you think? What with that...that day...ya know?" He wiped the tears from his eyes. Kyle nodded sadly. He remember that day all too well. How could he not? It was May 26, his birthday after all. What a shitty birthday it had been, and Kyle always figured turning ten would be the best birthday of his life.

"I'm sorry, Cartman," Kyle said.

"Don't worry, Kyle. I don't EVER have to leave you again. Friends?" Eric smiled and held out his hand. Kyle shook it hesitantly (he felt real but completely weightless) and returned the smile.

"Friends."

Suddenly his bedroom door banged open, and there was his mother with a box labeled "Kyle's shit". Cartman disappeared before she could catch a glimpse of him.

"This the room you picked out, Kyle?" She asked, setting the box down on the floor. Although the answer was obvious, Kyle nodded.

"I'm just checking out the closet. It's pretty big, isn't it?"

"Yeah, sure," his Mother replied, barely looking at it. "Kyle, i do not appreciate how you branded this box. Wouldn't "Kyle's stuff" have been more appropriate?"

"Sorry Ma," Kyle said to shut her up. Sheila nodded and left. Kyle sighed in relief.

"Okay, all clear Cartman. She's gone." Kyle waited a moment, then tried again. "Cartman! Come back, it's alright." Still, Eric failed to arrive.

Kyle's green eye's lit up with tears and he sat down on his new floor, defeated. 'Eric hadn't really come back, he thought to himself. I just felt guilty so my mind made an apparition, that's all.' Although the explanation comforted him, Kyle still felt saddened that Cartman hadn't really talked to him. Maybe they could have become friends. Maybe.

Kyle stood up and opened up his box of shit. He started rooted through the miscellaneous items until he found a picture of him standing with all his friends, him in the middle. Stan was on his left with his arm around him, and Butters was standing beside Stan. To his right was Kenny, giving him bunny ears, and beside Kenny was Cartman.

The photo was taken right after dinner, so around 7:00 PM on his tenth birthday. By 8:00 Eric would be dead, and (Kyle observed) the look on his face in the moment the picture was taken reflected nothing of the sort.

Kyle wiped a tear from his eye.

To be continued

A/N: Well you guys, I'm not too sure how well this one turned out to be. Reviews? I would appreciate any feedback :)