I ended up getting a semi-decent night's sleep, and woke up at 6am as usual. I was also feeling lazy as usual, so I hired the 59 sprites I had rescued to do my work for me for a whole 3 days (I couldn't afford more) and set off to the dig site to dig stuff and get cash.

When I arrived there lugging my hammer, I was confronted by Flora and Carter immediately. They both looked worried and angry.

Did I do something wrong my last time here...? I wondered nervously.

Flora took a deep breath of relief and said... "You came here at the perfect time, Jill!" She waved a piece of paper, and somehow, I knew where this was going. "A note came from Phantom Skye."

"Here's what it says,"started Carter, "At midnight, I'll be helping myself to the valuables in your tent. ~Phantom Skye" Angrily, he contorted his face in the scariest way possible. "That two-bit, good-for-nothing snake-in-the-grass of a thief!" he growled.

At that moment, it was as if something inside me flared up and started clawing in Carter's direction, wanting to attack Carter for saying that... NO! Who cares? He is a thief! A THIEF! There's no way I could feel that way. I just...I just don't feel that way about him.

"We'll be set back for days if he takes our artifacts!" added Flora, who seemed to be the only girl who could resist his girly-boy charms (urk).

"I have a great idea! Why don't you help us catch that evil thief, Jill? What do you say?" asked Carter, beaming.

"Of course I'll help!" I said automatically.

"Thanks! Can you be here around 11 or 12 tonight?"said Flora. I nodded.

"Glad to hear it! We'll be waiting in the tent." finished Carter.

"Okay. See you then." I said. I continued over to the mines and swung my hammer once. BAM! A ba-dink sound rattled my eardrums and suddenly, a flash of rainbow swirls surrounded me. There in front of me, stood my 60th sprite. I had rescued the Harvest Goddess.

"Dum-da-da-DAA!" cried a cheery voice, and there stood the Harvest Goddess herself. "Oh, Jill! You've rescued me! Thanks a bunch! Feel free to stop by anytime!" Then she vanished with a twinkling music and a wave of sparkles. Soon, I was alone in the mines once more.

"Yessss!" I yeled, and began to do my "happy dance" (jumping up and down and clapping). I grabbed my jewels and ran back home to celebrate, when there came a knock on my door.

Standing there was.... Rock? Weird. What could he want here? Oh-oh no... Does he want to... Crap! Well, you see, before the Harvest Goddess disappeared, I used to date Rock, and then a few years later, he bought a Blue Feather, and I was so scared of marriage, I broke up with him...

"Hello... How can I help you?" I asked nervously.

"Ummm... Well, I came back to say I'm sorry about last time and I was wondering if you could at least give me one more chance...?" he asked, his eyes begging.

"With... what?" I asked, and prepared myself for him to ask me to go out with him again...

But never in a million years did I expect him to take out a Blue Feather!

"OH!" I began hyperventilating and almost fell over! "Wha-wha-wha-----"

"C'mon... Let's give this love one more chance..." he pleaded. "So... Jill," he got down on one knee, "Will you marry me?"

"EHHHH?!!" I gasped and felt my heart beats speed up uncontrollably.

"Please?" he pleaded and took my hand. "I've been waiting for the Harvest Goddess to return... And..." he broke off, staring, well, more like gazing at me.

"I...I..." I was at a total loss for words. I... I didn't love him anymore... I felt nothing... Not a single flare of the past...

He continued to hold out the feather, apparently not giving up.

"I'm... really sorry..." I felt the words coming out, but it didn't feel like I had moved. "I... don't feel... that way... So-sorry..." I whispered, and began to retreat back into my house, when he tugged back on my hand.

"Wait! Will you at least do something for me?" he begged.

I sat in silence, waiting for-

"Will you at least let me kiss you?" he asked.

"EH?!" I shouted, shocked.

"Come on! You've just broken my heart, the least you could do for my poor, shattered soul is treat me to something like this!" he said, already beginning to lean in.

Oh please! He was still the rotten pervert he was five years ago! I stopped feeling bad for him and smacked him right on the face, then bolted back in my house, locking the door behind me.

I groaned again when I saw the clock: how could it be 10:30 already?! I grabbed my backpack and my flashlight and made a mad dash to the excavation site.

I made it just as the clock from the city was stricking 11pm.

"Thanks for coming! The scoundrel isn't here yet. We'll have to wait a bit." said Carter, checking his watch when I burst into the tent.

"Maybe he forgot about that letter he sent us." suggested Flora.

"That dirty thief! He could be stealing our artifacts from the dig site right now! Let's move, Flora! You stay here, Jill, just in case." said Carter, grabbing Flora and leaving the tent.

A few minutes after they stormed off, who else but Phantom Skye entered the tent confidently.

"Hehe. I had a feeling we would cross paths again tonight." he said.

"R-really?" I stalled, bracing myself for his "chick-beam".

"Don't worry your pretty little head. I won't be using my magic spell tonight. I sent a note, but I'm off stealing for the day. I actually came here to see you, Jill."

"M-me?!" I stuttered, not expecting this.

"Yes, you. And I was hoping you'd like a walk down by the beach." he said, his eyes sparkling.

"Well..." I paused. His eyes stared me down and I caught myself being lost to his charms again. "I'd love to." I answered, swallowed up by the overall beauty of those bright blue penetrating eyes...

"Hehe. Thanks." He stood by the tent flap and motioned for me to follow. "Ladies first." he whispered in my ear as I passed him. Oh my god, I think you're falling for him! I thought crazily as we sat down on two large boulders down by the starlit beach.

"The ocean is especially beautiful, tonight, isn't it?" he asked me, gesturing to the gently rolling waves.

"Mm-hm." I murmured, becoming lost in the scenery.

"Maybe it's because... you're with me, Jill." he continued.

My cheeks flared up again, and I looked down to hide my red face. Curse my pale skin!

"You know, I really do enjoy thieving. It allows me to meet lots of different people. And... If I wasn't a thief..." he paused and turned to stare at me, "I never would have met you."

I looked up at him, at loss for words once more. This... thief had just... he just... he did...

"Hehe. Thanks for spending time with me. I'd like to walk you back, but a nice girl like you shouldn't be caught out with a thief. Good night, Jill." he said, then left the beach, leaving me in utter shock.

I fled the beach in record time, arriving just in time for them to return.

"Did that thief come by?" asked Carter, searching the tent for lost items.

"Erm..."

"Hmph. There's nothing missing at the dig site." said Carter dismissively.

"Well, case closed then. He did forget about the note. Thanks for your help, Jill." said Flora.

"No prob..." I was deep in thought as I walked, but it seemed like floated, back home. I... I can't be in love... Not with him! But I was. There was no doubting that. I now knew whose face I would see when I opened my mother's locket...

Author's Note: Whew! I finally got it down! So, what do you guys think? Should I change anything? I am at your command!