Title: Sunset

Rated K+

Summary: Arguments and fights grow and then fade away like a sunset but love will stay in a heart forever AbbyxNigel

Disclaimer: I don't own KND

A/N here's another one shot for you guys. If you are a reader/reviewer of CAPTIVE I'll be updating chapter 8 ASAP so watch out for it! I still need to update some other stuff (see profile) so SHADOW ch2 might take a little while. . .anyway I hope you enjoy this, it was just something I had to write to get out of my mind. . .it might not be that good. Don't forget to review!

"Numbuh 5 can't take it anymore!"
"Look! It's not your problem!"
"Yes it is Numbuh 1! It's been Numbuh 5's problem since you began dating her!"

"No it hasn't!"

"Yes it has!"

"No it hasn't!"

"Yes it has!"

Hoagie sighed as he listened to the argument that had been going on for awhile now and continued working on a new 2x4 technology weapon that the team could use. Wally and Kuki had gone out to the candy shop as an excuse to not be in the tree house for a while during the argument and now Hoagie was starting to wish that he would have gone with them. The two leaders were fighting about Lizzie again. It had started earlier when Lizzie had interrupted their 3rd mission that day and dragged Nigel away on a date. Nigel had made Abby leader without realizing that the girl was extra tired that day and wasn't particularly up to leading the rest of the mission. They managed a near victory against the Delightful Children from Down the Lane but that still didn't stop Abby from ranting at her leader later on that evening.

"Numbuh 5 is sick of being leader when she doesn't have to be!" Abby argued wearily. She didn't like fighting with Nigel at all but she really couldn't stand it any longer. It was bad enough with all of the fights at home and her life didn't need any more drama or pressure. Her grades were in the toilet, her sister really hated her now and her parents were on the verge of their second divorce. It just wasn't her day.

"Numbuh 5, it couldn't be helped! Don't blame this on Lizzie. . ."

"I wasn't blaming it on Lizzie!" Abby snapped, her chocolate eyes narrowing.

"It was my fault, I told Lizzie I'd take her out today. . ."

"Wasn't it you that said KND always comes first?'

"Why are you so angry at me anyway? It's your job to be leader when I can't. . ."

"That's just it Numbuh 1! You should have been there for us today! I don't want to be leader for half of a mission because you had to go on some date!"
'He better chill out. . .' Hoagie thought bitterly, the sound of the fighting was getting on his nerves. He knew Abby was ticked off when she started talking in first person.

"I don't see why you're so angry anyway! We won the fight! You're just making a big deal over nothing!" Nigel shouted.

"No I'm not!"

Abby felt as if that was the last straw, as if she were about to burst into tears. She couldn't stay there any longer, she wouldn't let her leader see her cry. She wouldn't let him see her crack under all the stress that was slowly building on top of her. Abby quickly cloaked her eyes with the rim of her red cap and ran out of the room. Silence hung in the air for a moment as guilt began to slowly fill Nigel's heart.

"You shouldn't have yelled at her. . ."

He turned to see Hoagie looking at him with disappointment in his eyes. The round pilot sighed.

"Numbuh 1, you should give her a break," he advised. "She's going through a lot more than you know. . ."
Nigel blinked.

"I didn't mean to argue with her. She's right, I should have been there for you guys today. . ."
"Yeah, you really should have. . ." Numbuh 2 retorted bitterly without realizing it. He immediately regretted it.

"I hope she can forgive me . . ."
"Give her time to talk and I know she will," Hoagie reassured him.

Nigel didn't stop to think and ran in the direction that Abby had run earlier. He had a feeling that he knew exactly where she was.

The warm September air greeted him. Winds gracefully floated against the sky, a perfect temperature of lukewarm and cold. Out in the west, the brilliant sun was preparing to sleep, inviting the moon to take it's place in the sky.

Nigel slowed his pace as he rounded a corner. Kids in the neighborhood were called inside to eat dinner as he passed. He knew he shouldn't have yelled at Abby after she had to deal with leading a mission but he couldn't help it. He and Abby always seemed to be getting into fights about missions lately and about Lizzie interfering. He knew that she didn't hate Lizzie, like his other teammates did. He knew that Lizzie got on her nerves often but she never acted hostile towards her. He knew that it was him she was mad with and he needed to set things right.
He knew her too well actually. They had known each other for years now, since they were both in first grade. They were always able to talk to each other about everything and Nigel was a little nervous about how Abby would react when she discovered that he and Lizzie were a couple. He didn't want her to feel as though she was replaced.

No one could take her place though. Abby was his best friend and he knew her better than anyone else. He knew that if she bit her lip and crossed her arms against her chest that she was sad. He knew that if she was smirking or laughing she was happy. He knew that when she pulled the rim of her cap over her chocolate eyes she was crying. . .

She hated it when anyone saw her cry.

"No mommy, I don't want to leave just yet!"

"Come on honey, we'll come back tomorrow. . ."
The park was every kids favorite place in town, well one of them anyway. It was so huge some one could get lost in the trail that it had. Nigel knew Abby was here though and sure enough there she was, sitting silently on the swing.

He had found her.

The sun was beginning to set, a beautiful mixture of orange, pink and gold could be seen painted across the spacious sky. Abby didn't notice him as he walked up to her. She had been crying and was now wiping her tears away with her sleeve.

"I'm sorry," Nigel said sadly as he walked up to the swing next to her. He expected her to be a bit startled but all she did was ignore him as though he was invisible and began to swing.

"Please listen to me," he started as Abby pushed her self even higher, her long braid trailing behind.

"Abby I don't want to fight with you," he waited for her to say something. When she didn't he began to push himself on the swing also and continued.

"I know Lizzie can be a pain sometimes and I know you might not like her once in a while but I want you to know that I'm going to talk to her about interrupting missions. . ."
Abby slowed her pace down on the swing a bit but continued to push her self a bit as she listened.

"I was just tired today Numbuh 1, that's all. I didn't want to lead a mission, I wasn't up to it,"
"I know, Hoagie told me you were having some trouble today, do you want to talk about it?"

Nigel watched as she suddenly stopped swinging and followed her, waiting for her to speak.

"It's just crazy right now Nigel, just crazy. Cree isn't speaking to me anymore, we don't even fight like we used to. Mom went away because my dad wasn't paying attention to her or our family that much. He was so obsessed with work. When Cree turned thirteen mom couldn't take it anymore and left. Cree and I missed her a lot and we showed it in our fights. Dad finally convinced her to come back to us. She agreed if he wouldn't let his work come before his family. He told her that he would and they remarried, but Dad didn't keep his promise. At first Cree and I tried to make it seem like we were getting along but Mom saw through it and now since we're not talking to each other she might leave us again,"

Once again Abby tilted the rim of her red cap so that Nigel couldn't see the single tear that had fallen down her face.

"Why do adults have to act like kids and why do we have to suffer, it's just not fair," she spat out angrily.

Above them a group of crows flew below the sky, cawing as they made their way towards their homes.

"I'm not mad at you any more by the way," she added quietly.

Nigel blinked behind his dark sunglasses. He wasn't expecting her to be the first to say that.

"I'm not mad at you or Lizzie. I never was mad at Lizzie. I know she likes you a lot and she wants to be with you a lot too and I can't blame her for that. I mean, she is your girlfriend but can you at least tell her to try and not interrupt missions anymore? I don't like being leader for only half of the mission. . ."

"Yeah, I'll let her know that. I was sure I told her I'd take her out later today but I guess she mistranslated and thought I was taking her out during the afternoon. I'm glad you're not mad at me anymore Abby, I don't like it when we fight," he told her.

"Me neither, I hate fighting with people for pointless reasons. It's just I get so mad sometimes I just. . ."
"Completely lose it?" Nigel asked finishing her sentence. She smiled at him.

"Hey, look, the sun is setting,"

They both looked out towards the horizon and sure enough the sun was making it's last peak at the world before falling into slumber. Soon night began to fall over them as stars appeared in the midnight blue sky.

"So are you okay? Do you want to head back in or is there something else on your mind?" Nigel asked as they just looked up at the sea of stars that spread out like a celestial blanket.

Abby twiddled her thumbs in her lap and automatically Nigel knew; she was nervous about something.

"Nigel, do you think that it's possible to love something you can never have?" she asked timidly.

He turned to look at her.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked her with a raised eyebrow. Abby sighed.

"Nothing, just. . .forget it, it's silly,"
"No really, you've gotten my attention now tell me," he prodded.

Abby avoided his eyes.

"Well, is it possible to love something you can never have? I mean, you love it right, but your love can never be returned and now matter how hard you try to forget, no matter how hard you try to stop loving it the love won't fade away,"

Nigel looked at her for a moment and studied the serious look upon her face.

"Are you trying to say that you think your love for someone won't be returned to you? Are you saying that you think he might never love you back?"
"I know he'll never love me back, he already has a girlfriend. Why would he want me? I'm sorry. . .this is just stupid, lets go home. . ."

As Abby began to get up Nigel grabbed her arm causing her to look into his hidden eyes.

"Abby, are you talking about me?"

She gasped and then wondered how many different shades of red could be seen on her face at the moment.

"If you're talking about me then you don't have to worry," Nigel continued, seriously. "If you're talking about me you don't have to worry about your love never being returned because I love you,"

A cold breeze entered the air as she stood in shock. She shook her head.

"No Nigel, you can't love me you love Lizzie,"
"I thought I loved Lizzie but you made me see differently. You made me see that my true love was standing in front of me the whole entire time. I love you Abigail Lincoln I don't want you to forget that,"

He meant it.

Abby could tell, the sincere sound in his voice. Even though he was wearing sunglasses she could feel his soft brown eyes peering at her. He really did love her.

"Nigel , I. . ."

Her stutter was broken off by the pressure of Nigel's lips against hers. They were soft and she leaned into the kiss. She felt his arms wrap around her thin waste and she wrapped her own arms around his neck. Abby was always dreaming about this day. . .but never in her life did she think that her dream would come true.

It was Nigel who broke the kiss even though Abby wanted it to last until she had to breathe. The night air danced around them as Nigel took her hand gently in his.

"Don't worry about Lizzie, I was planning on breaking up with her anyway. . ."

Abby blinked.

"But why Nigel? Why? She's your girlfriend and. . ."
"And I didn't love her, she'll understand. I think she was beginning to feel the same way. I didn't pay enough attention to her and we lost that spark I thought we had when we began dating. I don't want her love someone who will never love her back," Nigel smiled softly and kissed her forehead, trying not to laugh at the noticeable blush that was forming across her cheeks. Abby looked into his hidden eyes. Her eyes whispered a silent thank you.

"Come on, I think Numbuh's 3 and 4 are back from the candy store by now," he said taking Abby's hand in his.

Abby nodded. She didn't have to say it, Nigel already figured it out. After all, he did know her the best. He was just happy that she loved him back. Words didn't have to explain it at all.

Together they walked hand in hand out of the park. Their silence spoke words as they walked underneath the moon, which seemed to be watching over them. The stars giggled amongst one another joyfully as the silent words floated towards their ears.

'I love you'

A/N thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it! I'm not too happy with it myself (it wasn't my best work) but oh well, you guys might have different opinions so don't forget to review them to me! Until next time!

Never forget the one you truly love

-BlackDecember-