A/N: Wow you're really catching on to my plot Eli. I'm not giving away any major hints though! But I have something in mind for Trudy that I know and yes, younger brother will meet the girl…again. gasp

Chapter 14 – Karma and Welcome Notes

The next week was almost as stressful for Sheia. Raven would drop by making random visits to tell Sheia of his progress with gathering citizens for his little propaganda. At one point, Gene almost had to literally throw him out of the house. School was catching up with the Mallrats as well.

"Oh my god Salene." May came running to Salene in the common room after a day at school. "You won't believe who talked to me today."

"Who might that person be?" She wondered.

"Remember the lead singer in that one band at the festival?" said May. Salene nodded. "He's actually in my Math class and surprisingly, I had a conversation with him."

"Really?" Salene was intrigued. "So what's next? Walks on the beach?"

May blushed. "I don't know about I hope this goes somewhere. What about you and Reed? You never told me about your weekend with him."

"Could you be any louder?" she scolded, but later she smiled. "He's great. I could talk for hours with him, and I think I might be getting a job soon."

"At least you're having a good day at school." Gel came in and threw her bag on the couch. "These girls were picking on me about my makeup. I think they're just jealous."

"I think they speak the truth." Ruby smirked as she took a seat next to Salene.

Meanwhile, Ebony knocked on the Sheia's office door.

"Ebony." Said Sheia. "Is something wrong?"

Ebony looked worried. "Did you find anything out on Slade?"

"Yes I did. Have a seat." Sheia got her notepad and turned to one of the pages. "Nowadays I really have to write everything down. Anyways, I did get a call about ten minutes ago. I was gonna talk to everybody once you were all back from school, but hey you have the right to know."

Ebony smiled. "Is he okay?"

"He's more than okay actually." She smiled. "He'll be coming home in a few hours. Turns out he had severe brain illness, that's what the doctor told me after scanning his whole body. The doctor believes it either could be stress or heredity. But he did say it was only a temporary thing."

"Wow." Ebony took a deep breath and thought about the lie that Ram made up back in Liberty to keep Ruby from being nosy. A lie turned out to bite him back in the ass. "Well, at least he's okay, and he's finally coming home. Thank you, really. You do too much."

Sheia thought about Raven's scheme once again. "Yeah well, I try."

"Well, I'll leave you to it." Ebony smiled.

"Oh yes Ebony, could you tell Jay to see me?" asked Sheia.

"Sure." Ebony left her office and caught Jay walking to the common room. "Jay, Sheia wants to see you."

Jay nodded. He always looked forward to seeing Sheia. He always noticed that whatever she wore, from overalls to colorful shoes and clothes, couldn't turn him away from her natural beauty. He knocked on her door and came in. During her usual greeting, he couldn't help but look at her as she looked for folders in her filing cabinet. She wore hipster olive green pants, a maroon halter-top, a white net cover-up over her top, and denim blue shoes. Jay liked days like these, especially because she looked prettier than usual when her dark brown hair was curled. Eventually Jay stopped admiring and snapped back to reality.

"Jay, are you listening?" She turned around and looked at him.

"I'm so sorry. I'm out of it." Jay said nervously.

Sheia shook her head. "Slade's coming back home today. Ebony's definitely happy about it since she wasn't able to visit him with school in the way. And we have a newcomer, AGAIN."

"Newcomer?" He wondered.

"Yeah, found a girl drifting in the beach a couple of weeks ago. She was in the hospital and if I'm not mistaken, she's coming to live here as well. So Lilah's getting the room ready." Said Sheia. "And weird enough, she's had an identity crisis. She remembers her name but nothing else."

"Ouch." Said Jay. "She alright?"

"Oh yeah." Sheia sat back down on her chair putting three folders on her desk. "It's a good thing we had some college students that were almost on their way to being doctors. After they offered to run the hospital, it all worked out."

"Seems so perfect doesn't it?" said Jay.

Sheia sighed. "Almost." She stopped writing. "Do you think I go out there just to please people?"

"No." said Jay. "I think you have the natural ability to please people, that's why a lot of people like you." Jay always found loopholes to compliment her without saying it directly.

She gave a faint smile. "I used to think that everything is perfect. Nowadays, it's perfect them, in some ways."

"I would definitely help you out." Said Jay. "But I'm starting work tomorrow at the station."

"Well thanks anyways." She said. Her communicator started beeping, but unusually it wasn't attached to her pants, rather it was back on the filing cabinet. She got up from her chair and tripped off one of the legs of the rolling chair. "Ouch."

Jay got up and found her laying on her stomach beside her chair. He helped her up from the floor. "Guess a Princess has her days huh?" He handed her the communicator.

Sheia blushed in embarrassment. "Thanks." She put on her headset. "Yes Reed. Oh you're on your way? Oh yes, that would be great. Okay see you in a bit." Sheia was still red from her little accident with the chair.

"Reed?" Jay wondered.

"Yeah, he's coming over to drop off Slade and that girl that Gene found." She said fixing her hair that was messed up when she tripped. "You think you can get everyone to go to lobby? I'm sure she's gonna need some friends now that she's in a new place." Jay nodded and called everyone from the common room and upstairs in the rooms.

"So Slade's alright?" asked Jack.

"That's what Ebony's saying." Said Ellie. "I wonder who's this new girl."

"Slade!" Ebony yelled as she saw Slade walk in with a hospital tag on his wrist. She hugged him tightly.

"Whoa Ebony, cutting my circulation." Slade joked. Sheia and Jay came from the kitchen and welcomed Slade back. The next person that came in was an obvious Xegian troop, and Sheia recognized the bleach blonde hair, the only troop in Reed's station with that hair.

"Ved." Sheia froze as Jay stood beside her. It was almost a month since Sheia last saw Ved, and the last time wasn't the best moment they had. He kept his word about not seeing each other, and the tension built up in a matter of seconds. "Been a long time."

Ved looked at her as if he hasn't seen her in a decade. Jay stood there watching the two exchange stares. "Hi. Um, how's everything?"

Sheia took a deep breath. "Getting through things. You?"

"Work as usual. And school, that's almost out of the way." Ved replied. "Jay…first day of work tomorrow!"

"Of course." Said Jay. "Working together again brother. You haven't been stopping by for the longest time. What's up?"

Ved looked into Sheia's anxious hazel eyes. "Um, I just had so much…"

"VED!" a girl with dark skin, purple streaks on her hair, and wearing a purple jacket, and a green skirt over black pants ran in and grabbed Ved's arm. "What's the rush? You said you'd come in with me so it won't be awkward!"

"Sorry…" Ved apologized quietly.

"It's okay." She smiled and kissed Ved on the cheek. She's eyes widened and stood there speechless.

"Cloe…" said Jay. He noticed the tension becoming worst.

"Cloe?" said Ellie. "Hey!" Cloe was bombarded with hugs and invitations to hang out.

"Hold on guys, don't want to be rude." Said Cloe. "But seriously, where's the Princess? I was told I get to meet her, so exciting!"

Sheia snapped out of her frozen state. "Oh wow, I'm so sorry."

"Cloe, this is Princess Sheia." Ved bit his lip.

"Hi Cloe, welcome." Sheia shook her hand nervously. Cloe looked at her weird.

"Wow, I never really…never mind." Said Cloe as she smiled. "So nice to meet you, Princess I mean."

"Oh that's okay, everyone calls me Sheia around here." Sheia smiled.

"So um," Cloe looked at Jay. "Jay bothering you? Because he's had a million girlfriends." Jay stood there shocked at the words coming out of her mouth.

"You assume too much." Said Jay.

"Sorry, really." Said Cloe. "All my memories are coming back so fast it's crazy. Come on Ved, let's go meet up with everyone else."

"I'll catch up." Ved replied. He winced as she hugged him tight and left.

"I guess I better see what everyone's up to." Jay left the two alone, knowing it was something he didn't want to get involved with.

"I'm sorry." Ved apologized.

"Were you gonna tell me if she didn't give you hugs and kisses?" Sheia wondered.

"Eventually." He said. "Come on Sheia it's not easy."

"Nothing is Ved." Her voice cracked. "So what, you two were together? I mean, together again I should say."

"We were, and ever since she saw me for the first time at the hospital," Ved explained. "She instantly remembered me and she wanted to pick up where we left off."

"Did you tell her about me?" Sheia wondered.

Ved sighed. "I have yet to tell her."

"I see." Sheia took a deep breath. "I don't even know why I worry anymore. I mean, I am moving on just like you. Just not ready to tie down."

"I heard about that situation." He said.

"Really? You must be relieved." She laughed. "If we were still together you'd have to be my Prince. As stressed as I am now, you'd probably hate it."

Ved didn't know what to say. "I hope you do find someone."

Sheia tried to fight a breakdown with the thought of the situation, let alone she was having this conversation in front of her ex. "Yeah. I guess you better run to the kitchen then, Cloe's waiting. I guess I'll see you later." Her eyes were watery but ran upstairs before her tears came down.

Ved stood there saddened. He felt guilty she had to find out that way. Little did she know, that he was hurting in his own way, but he was fighting through it to move on.

"Ved…come on!" Cloe called.

Ved smiled and walked with her to the common room.

With all the talk downstairs in the common room, Jay went upstairs to get his jacket. Right when he got upstairs, he heard cries at the end of the West Wing. He knew what it was and instead of going to his room, he nervously went to the opposite end, finding Sheia sitting outside her room crying.