Ayame Andreas didn't like to feel out of control. Alex made her feel like a teenager again. All the feelings had come rushing headlong back. She had tried so hard to suppress all of her feelings for the man. He had broken her heart five years earlier, and she had never really forgiven him. Now he was standing in her clinic, trying to diagnose her comatose patients.

"This has me stumped," Alex admitted. Ayame was surprised to hear him admit something like that. Much like herself, Alex didn't like to admit when he didn't know something. Ayame simply nodded. There was too much emotion caught in her throat to respond. She felt like she was failing the people of the Twin Towns. It was her job to take care of them.

"Yes," she forced out. "It is a puzzle." Alex stared down at her. He sat in the chair opposite her at her desk.

"You want to just let it out?" Alex asked.

"What?" Ayame asked.

"The elephant in the room," Alex replied lazily. Ayame's eyes narrowed slightly. "Come on Ami, I can see it in your eyes. You're still hurt that I left you at the altar. I'm not stupid. Did you bring me here to ask me why?"

"Don't call me that!" Ayame insisted. "The only reason you're here is because of your expertise. I don't care why you left, the fact is you did." She abruptly stood up. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go check on my patients now." She walked out of her office. Truth was deep down inside she wanted to know the reason why, but she was too proud to admit it. Admitting that would be admitting that she still cared. She shook her head, she would hold her resolve and not give in to her curiosity.

Eve sauntered up to the counter with the twins' mother Alaina. Rutger was standing going through some paperwork.

"I demand to know where my son is!" Alaina shouted. Rutger looked up surprised. He hadn't expected such an outburst.

"I wish I knew," Rutger sighed.

"Listen to me, I have a lot of resources and friends," Alaina warned. "If anything has happened to my son as a result of his foolish rebellion living here, you will be sorry."

"Ma'am with all due respect your son is an adult. He is free to go where he wishes," Rutger defended. He was not about to let this woman waltz back into his town and cause more trouble.

"Look here!" Alaina shouted. "I will-"

"Calm down," Eve interjected, touching her arm. The woman looked lovingly at Eve.

"I'm sorry, I'm just worried about him," Alaina sighed. "Hopefully when we find him he'll get over his foolishness and come home and marry you." Eve smiled. She would love nothing more than that.

"Yes," Eve replied. "I hope so too."

"I'm sorry sir," Alaina purred. "Do you know where we might find him?"

"Lillian and Laney went looking for him," Rutger informed.

"That hussy he was with?" Alaina gasped.

"Now listen here, I will not have you insulting my citizens tgat way!" Rutger scolded. "I'm not sure how things work in the city, but around here we don't take too kindly to that kind of stuff." Rutger's face was screwed up angrily. He could take a lot of things, but that was one thing he wouldn't stand for. The woman tossed her head and walked away. Rutger sighed, things seemed to be going from bad to worse.

Gombe Stalton was a simple man, who enjoyed simple pleasures. He loved farming, and cultivating seeds. He adored his granddaughter Nori. He also enjoyed afternoon tea on his days off with Yun, the owner of the Tea House. Both had long ago lost their spouses, and they kept each other company. Yun was a beautiful woman with a kind heart. Gombe' feelings were growing more and more by the day. Today, he decided would be the day he asked her over for dinner. Today while they drank tea. He looked at himself in the mirror, adjusting his clothes.

"Hiya grandpa!" Nori called out. He smiled at her. She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Reina and I are going to the cafe tonight," Nori informed.

"Have fun," Gombe replied. He left the house, and headed for the Tea House.

When he arrived he saw Yun sitting with Ayame. They were deep in conversation. He was a bit irritated, but hoped their conversation would be over soon. Yun smiled at him, and excused herself. She brought over his tea, but instead of sitting down with him, she returned to Ayame. Gombe grew angry as he watched the two women converse. He sat for an hour watching them his anger growing. Finally he couldn't take it anymore. He marched up and pulled Ayame up from the chair.

"This is my time with Yun! You're stealing my time!" He shouted. Ayame quickly moved away from him. His eyes were bloodshot and his breathing erratic.

"Gombe please calm down," Ayame soothed. He heard nothing he lunged for her, but fell over a chair. He suddenly screamed loudly, causing both women to jump, then he was silent.

Laney watched the strange woman who called herself Oracle. She was wearing clothes that looked three sizes too big for her, and she was mixing some kind of concoction in her large kettle. The part that bothered her the most was that Phillip had planned on using a potion to make her fall back in love with him. As if she'd ever fallen out of love with him. Her conflicting feelings of worry and anger volleyed back and forth inside her head.

"Don't just stand there! Help me stir this!" Oracle demanded. Laney gingerly walked over. Lillian was already stirring. Oracle retreated to another room.

"This feels a bit too much like Hocus Pocus for me," Laney whispered.

"Yeah," Lillian agreed. Their dislike for one another had almost dissolved. Right now they were each other's sanity. Each girl relying on the other for strength.

"Was he going to use that potion on me?" Laney asked.

"I told him not to," Lillian said, not really answering her question. At that moment Oracle entered the room again.

"Last ingredient," she said almost cryptically. She added a few drops of a black gooey liquid substance, and started to help the stir. A thick cloud of blue smoke rose from her cauldron. Both Laney and Lillian started coughing.

"I can't breath!" Laney gasped.

"Keep stirring!" Oracle shouted. Both girls continued stirring till their arms grew weak, and lungs felt like they were going to explode. Finally Oracle instructed them to stop. The blue smoke settled down.

"Now what?" Laney asked. She looked in the cauldron it appeared to be a lotion type substance in it.

"Now we apply this to his chest and head," Oracle replied.

"Is it safe?" Lillian asked.

"It has its risks," Oracle answered. "But it's the only way to get him out of this state." Lillian and Laney looked at each other and silently agreed.

"Let's do it," Laney stated. The three got to work liberally applying the substance. When finished, they sat back watching Phillip. He continued to writhe in agony. Suddenly he sat up and screamed. His eyes flew open and he looked at the three of them. His eyes locked on Laney's. He started to get up towards her, but fell back to the ground. Laney dropped down beside him.

"Phillip!" She shouted. There was no response. Tears formed in her eyes. "Phillip!"