"The restaurant's not open anymore at this time! Dang! I'm so hungry I can eat a cow… make that a cow, an elephant and a leg of giraffe." Joe clutched his growling stomach- he knew he should not have skipped dinner. In his excitement over the case, he had neglected to grab a bite. Frank, in the office drawing his doodles, surfing the internet and database of the resort, also had forgotten about dinner. His face was turning green, Joe noticed, but he was still feigning coolness.

"You won't die if you miss a meal."

"Argh. No. I won't die. You look like you're going to faint." Joe pointed out helpfully. "Your face's like a broccoli… I have to stop thinking about food."

"Hmm…" Frank rested a hand on Joe's shoulder as he walked. "How about cup noodles?"

"I usually need two cups to begin to feel full and we only have one more serving left." Joe reminded his brother.

"Guess who gets it?" Frank arched a brow and before Joe could register what his dorky brother was going to do, Frank shoved him into the sand and sprinted away in the direction of their hut. Joe rubbed his tailbone which he landed pretty heavily on, peeved that he should fall for a ruse which originator was him! It was unacceptable! He knew Frank was the better marathon runner but he, Joe Hardy, was the track and field darling in the hundred and two hundred meters dash. However, Frank had already gained too much ground on him and with the detestable sand compromising his speed; Joe reached their hut to find that Frank was already pouring hot water into the Styrofoam cup.

"No fair!"

"We'll share…" Frank smiled kindly. "You'll get a strand. I'll get the rest."

Joe rolled his eyes. Sometimes, not that he was complaining, Frank could be so childish. "I'll rather go fish. Who knows? I may catch a tuna and make myself a sandwich." He spun around, knowing that it was no use foraging for food in their hut unless he had a taste for stale potato chips crumbs.

"Go ahead…" Frank called out behind him. The spicy smell of the Tom Yum flavored instant noodles wafted to Joe's nose, stopping Joe dead in his tracks. "My offer still stands…"

"Uh huh. I'll go get my Strand…" Joe threw a glance over his shoulder at Frank, grinning mischievously. "I'll tell Holly that you said I can ask her out on a date."

"Hey!" Frank stood up immediately and charged towards him but Joe had already run off in the direction of the girls' huts. Maybe they would have some tidbits he could share in. After a while, sensing that he was left alone, he turned around and saw that Frank wasn't following- either Frank was too hungry to care about Joe's threat or he knew Joe was only joking. Most likely, it was the latter.

Sticking his hands into the pocket of his board shorts, Joe slowed his run into a leisurely walk along the beach. Enjoying the scenery and solitude, his hunger forgotten for a moment, he realized that he had never experienced the beach alone. Always he was with his brother or engaged in a game of beach volleyball or sand soccer and it definitely felt a little different to be by himself for a moment. A peaceful silence that was not borne out of noiselessness but of heightened senses and the quiet state of the mind and heart descended upon him. A campfire blazed somewhere in the distance and gradually, Joe became aware of the different side of the main beach during night-time. People were not as active. They sat around- singing campy songs, strumming guitars and shared their innermost thoughts with one another. Their voices, faintly melodious, blended with the night sounds and crashing waves in perfect harmony. Joe knew at once that this was the beach's theme song- laidback and yet, deeply personal. Together with the powdery sand tickling his feet and the slight breeze that caressed him gently, a perfect mood was set for Joe to fall hopelessly in love.

He stood still for a moment and stretched his hands out, desiring to embrace everything-tangible and intangible, good and bad, spontaneous and routine- in his life but he just could not get enough. A sense of urgency tightened his chest as he breathed in deeply- an impulse for life itself pounded his heart. Life- he was living it everyday and only aware of it occasionally. Now that he was, he was once again filled with the wish, no, need, to live it to the fullest- to sing to its simple truths which came to all via complex paths that only made Life so interesting and challenging. A question came to him then, the question that Clown asked of him in the first place. It was only a few days ago- it seemed like an eternity- like he was born with that question in his mind.

Where am I going to?

Knowing that the answer would come to him soon in time, Joe inhaled in deeply again, bloating up his being with a piece of wonderland. And it was then he realized that the Wonderland was probably not this place- not Um. It was most likely what Um signified. Wide, ocean blue eyes shot open- he recognized why he loved this beach so much.

This beach was full of life- the entire world is bursting with life.

And he came here probably wishing to find a private spot somewhere but the spot was really within him- within each and every heart. The spot that was the pure, unadulterated him.

"Joe!"

His brief reverie and rare appreciation for a miracle which was an every day part of him was interrupted by Nicole. With hands limply falling to his side, he turned in the direction of her voice and smiled widely. She jogged the last few steps up to him and gestured vaguely to the wide, open sea.

"So, trying to suck in the whole beach?"

"Hah. No… I just… I just…" Joe wobbled his head slightly as he tried to knock the right phrase in its head, "Uhm… became high with life?"

"Much, much healthier than becoming high on drugs…" Nicole drawled, giving him a sexy, half-smile. She flicked her midnight hair behind her back and stretched her hands up for a deep breath. "This place does this to you. I'm addicted to the beach."

"I can see that…" Joe commented good-naturedly, knowing how bronzed Nicole's skin was. "Say… do you have any food in your hut?"

"Food?" Nicole spun to her side and gazed at him in bafflement. "Why? Are you hungry?"

Joe rubbed his flat stomach which he swore was already collapsing in. "Yah… I skipped dinner."

"You'll get gastric that way!" Nicole chided him as she grabbed his hand gently. "Come, Celeste, Holly and me always bring hordes of edible goodies when we come. I'm more than willing to share... in exchange for some company…"

"Just you and me?"

"Yup. Celeste… well, she's with Gavin… having a talk with him. He's either raging or crying. He's using tears now and despite my best efforts, she still left with him." Nicole shrugged.

"Will he hurt her?" Joe asked, suddenly anxious. Nicole smiled slightly and shook her head.

"No. They have a complicated relationship- right now, they are making up. Breaking up, making up, breaking up etc… the cycle continues. It's unhealthy but…" She let out a frustrated sigh. "Celeste does love him. Each break-up seemed final and the last one lasted quite long… I'm here to make sure she doesn't fall into the trap of going back to the relationship. But… she doesn't listen."

Joe bit his lower lip, not liking the nature of Celeste's relationship with Gavin one bit. He knew of friends who were in such emotional draining relationships before and they were usually sucked back into the concentric currents when they tried to get out. And the saddest part was, once out for good, most of them would hook up with someone else and the process would start all over again.

"Are you hungry?" Nicole shook his hand. The sudden movement jolted him out of his thoughts and he nodded.

"Yes… of course. Lead me to the food!"

***

"Help me!" Joe thrashed in the water, turning his head behind and saw the shark closing in on him. Its black, white-less eyes gazed intently on him, seeing him perhaps deliciously topped with soggy seaweed. Frank was reaching out for him from a small, dingy boat but he was drifting farther and farther away. Joe closed his eyes and started bawling. He didn't want to be the mean shark's dinner!

"Joe!"

"NO!!!!" His eyes shot open and he saw the shark shaking with laughter. Shaking with laughter? Baffled, he treaded the waters for a while, trying to understand why an animal would have human expressions…

When suddenly the shark descended on him, its jaws yawning wide open to snap him up. Joe stared into the hollowness of the sharp-toothed cavern that was its mouth and screamed…

"Joe!"

"NO! Don't eat me!! I'm not tasty!!!! Don't eat me!"

"Joe!!!! Wake up!!!!"

"Not tasty! I haven't bathed in three weeks! I stink! Don't eat me!!!!"

"Mom's making waffles."

"What? Where?" Joe's eyes fluttered open and he saw Frank's disapproving face hovering above his. Scratching his hair as he struggled up, he surveyed his surroundings and realized that he was not in his room.

And there were no waffles!

"We have to go work now. I think you should try talking to Ted again… and I'll work on Robert further. Ask Ted about the diving accident if you can…"

"Breakfast first?" Joe rubbed his eyes and his spirits were lifted up when he saw, on the dressing table, a Styrofoam cup with hot tea in them and some sandwiches. Frank whacked the back of his head lightly.

"That's to make up for last night. I had breakfast with Holly an hour ago. Eat and freshen up. You don't need to hurry though, we still have an hour."

Joe glanced at the radio alarm clock. "It's so early still… why don't you let me sleep longer?"

"I wanted to… but you look like you were throwing a fit. Nightmare?" Frank casually commented as he sat down on a rattan chair and beat his slippers together to clear it of sand. Joe noticed that Frank's hair was wet.

"Yah… guess I have to thank you then. Morning swim with Holly?"

"Yup. We swam while the sun was rising… it's like… I don't know… indescribable… did some snorkeling and the sun rays that perforated through the waters… I…" Frank smiled dreamily. "And the company was lovely."

Joe sniggered. Frank was rarely so overcome with reminiscing that he would actually be speechless. He staggered out of bed, plopped himself down on the other chair and pushed it right in front of the dressing table. Frank noticed him about to start digging in when he suddenly adopted that annoying big-brother, reproaching tone.

"Aren't you going to brush your teeth first?"

"No. Hungry."

"Where did you go last night?"

Joe threw his head back and rolled his eyes at Frank. "Stop interrogating me…"

Frank arched a brow before shaking his head. "You have a guilty look on your face. Fine, if you don't want to tell me… after all… you should have nothing to hide…right?"

"Ok, ok. I bumped into Nicole and she offered me some food. We sat outside her hut and chatted."

"That's all?" Frank narrowed his eyes shrewdly at Joe. Joe returned back to his breakfast, feeling more than a little guilty as the contents of last night's conversation drifted back into his cobwebbed mind.

"You're sure funny… so… did you take so many pictures of us because you find us attractive? Maybe find me attractive?"

"Heh… well… yes. You're a very attractive girl."

"I'm older than you by a year! So… do you have a girlfriend back in States?"

"Yah… that's all." Joe mumbled. "Just talked about life in general… you know… stuff you like to talk about too."

"Hmm…" Frank did not sound convinced but Joe was, in a reasonable sense, truthful. He really only chatted with Nicole. Maybe they flirted around but that was still done verbally. And maybe he kissed her, or she kissed him, or they kissed each other…

A sinking feeling hurtled into his stomach. Kiss.

"No…" Joe dragged his answer. Technically speaking, he and Vanessa were in a limbo stage so, he did not have a girlfriend. He probably had half a girlfriend but Nicole specifically asked, "A girlfriend."

Nicole smiled a little too widely and he could tell that she was happy with that answer. What was a little harmless fun? Draping an arm around her shoulders as his legs kicked against the ledge they were sitting on, he drew her closer to him.

"You interested in stars?" He asked her softly and she nodded.

"Yup. I love stars… but I can never figure out those constellations…"

"You're lucky for I'm here…" Joe pointed out at the heavens with his free hand. It was indeed a clear night and the lack of lights on the island resort brought out the startling brilliance of the jewels of the night sky.

"See those three bright stars in a line?" Joe extricated his arm away from her shoulders and then held her hand up to trace the twinkling dots with him. "That's Orion's belt. With it you can figure the rest of the hunter… and there? Those clusters there just next to Orion? They make up Canis Major. Canis Minor is right above… and… the two brightest stars… oh… strange…"

"Why?" Nicole gazed up at him, puzzled at the worried tone in his voice. "What's wrong? Where're the two brightest stars?"

"Stolen…" Joe turned to her and stared intently at her. The romantic tension and chemistry between the both of them grew denser- harder to resist. "Your father took them and put them in your eyes…"

She blushed and pulled her hand away, blushing furiously under the kerosene lamp next to them. "You're so cliché!"

"But it's true… your eyes are like the night sky… dark… but dazzling with the radiance of the stars…"

Nicole planted a quick kiss on his lips, shutting him up. Her lips were so soft. He encircled her waist and drew her close to him, returning the kiss.

Dang! We kissed!

That means…

I've cheated.

"I'm going to go out for a while, going to ask Holly about the regulars in the resort…" Joe heard the squeaking sounds of a chair being pushed against the floor. "Enjoy your breakfast… I'll come back later."

"Ok." Joe muttered, his appetite had all but diminished. Sipping the hot tea, he glared at himself in the mirror. Stupid Joe! Now Vanessa has one up against you!

Of course you can always… keep it a secret… and…

Do you even love Vanessa that exclusively? You have to be fair to her.

"Why are you making funny faces into the mirror?"

"Huh?" Joe turned around and raked a hand through his hair. "Oh… ahm… practicing… hmm… for drama class."

Frank furrowed his brows, not believing him one bit but not wanting to pursue it either. Joe watched his brother open the door and was almost hit on the chin by Nicole's fist.

"Oh… sorry…"

"Hey, Nicole… good morning… are you all right?" Frank stood aside and Nicole shook her head.

"No… I… Joe…" Nicole peered into their room. Joe caught her eyes and noticed the anxiety bubbling behind. Standing up, he walked over to her and placed hand calming hand on her shoulder.

"Yes?"

Nicole bit her lips, breathing in deeply. "Celeste missing. She didn't come home last night. I knocked hard on Gavin's door and… and nobody's answering… Joe… ." Nicole tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I think something happened to her."