Buh, buh, buh! Change in couples! It is now a different scenario. Mwah-ha!

I was running through the stocks when my assistant ran in.

"Dr. Solace?" she asked hesitantly clutching her clipboard. Her hair was frazzled and and her glasses were a strew. It was an unusual sight for her.

"Yes, Darlene," I prompted her continuing to count the ingredients for the medicine.

"Well... Michael Smith just stormed out of here in a fiery rage saying he was no longer going to supply for you," she said in her squeaky voice preparing for her boss to yell at her. Instead, I sighed and hung my head.

"That's all right, Darlene." I straightened up. "Thank you."

She seemed cautious, "Are you sure, Dr. Solace?"

"Yes," I reassured her. "I just need a new supplier now." I paused realizing something. "Why exactly did he turn away?"

"Oh!" Darlene though for a moment. "He was angry because he said that you lowered his intake."

"It's been the same as it always has," I replied. Darlene nodded making her bun bounce up and down.

"That's what I told him, but he would not listen." Darlene sighed grumpily. I smiled. "Don't worry Dr. Solace. I will get you a new supplier."

"Thank you so much, Darlene."

My assistant smiled and scurried out.

Going back to work I realized that she reminded me of my old friends from camp, Tessa. Oh, how I missed camp. I remembered splitting my arrows in archery because all I got were a bull's eyes, tripping over Miranda Gardiner's vines in basketball, and most importantly battling the evil Titan army.

Nothing could beat camp.

Since then, I had gone to medical school and gotten a PhD in pharmacy and emergency care. Now, I run a local drug store in new York City. It was located near the Empire State Building. Layla, my sister, had become a famous Broadway performer. Our lives had very big differences, yet we both showed signs of being Apollo's kids.

The Titan and Monster wars had been over for a couple of years now, and everyone was trying to return their lives back to normal. The new prophecy had come, and some spent time trying to figure out what it meant.

I mostly tried to forget about it and live to be twenty-five.

In my mind of wandering, Darlene got on the phone with about five local herbalists and planters before coming back with a suitable scenario.

"Okay," she said checking off her list, "they can come by every week to restock they shelves, and grows everything you need surprisingly. Also, they were very polite, and were more than happy to take only a twenty-five percentage of the total sells. I asked them why, and they just said that they also ran a flower store, so I told them that I would get back to them. Your verdict?"

"When will they be able to bring in a new supply?"

"Today," Darlene said. "The store isn't very far from here."

I thought for a moment. This preparation was very generous and not easy to come by. Plus, they probably didn't argue as much as Smith did. I told Darlene it would be a yes.

Her eyes lit up, and she said "I'll send the message."

I went back to work for another hour or two filing papers and sorting supplies and making medicines. It wasn't long until Darlene came back telling me it was her lunch break.

"Oh, okay," I said waking back up to reality. I always got too sucked into my work. "When will the supplier be coming by again?"

Darlene pursed her lips, "I think soon. I'm not completely sure."

"Okay, thanks."

Exit Darlene.

I went to the very back to the refrigerator for some water when the front door chimed.

"Hello?" a voice called. I stooped and something in the back of my mind was triggered. I had heard that voice before. I started to walk back to the front.

"Is anyone here?" it called again. It was a woman's voice for sure. Maybe I heard a southern drawl.

"Coming," I called. I came out behind the curtain and stopped dead with shock.

I new that face. Those eyes and that hair. It was all too familiar to me. Considering I had a huge cruch on it for all of my life. In front of me was:

"Katie?" I asked incredulously. She raised her eyebrows.

"Will?" she asked. "Will Solace? Fancy seeing you here."

"Seeing me here; I work here. What are you doing?" I said playfully as I leaned up against the frame.

"I thought you guys needed a supplier," she said innocently making her hazel eyes shine. Man, they were pretty.

"Yeah, Darlene, my assistant, just got a hold of one earlier." Katie raised one eyebrow now. "Wait, you're my new supplier?"

"Apparently," she laughed.

I should have seen that coming.

I sighed still not comfortable around that girl. Well, I guess I could call her a woman now.

"It's been so many years since I've you," I said. She nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, with you going off to Med School and me taking a botany and organic sciences, I guess there was no time to hang out." I just nodded. Katie stuffed her hands in her shorts pockets looking down. There was a little awkward silence until Katie broke it.

"Well, I better go get the plants and stuff." Oh made a move toward her.

"I'll help you," I said taking off my coat. It was getting a little hot in there.

Katie smiled and showed be to the small cart she brought over. Little by little, we brought in the ingredients and along the way we caught up with each other.

Katie told me she lived in a space above her store and frequently visited camp from time to time. She had a Beagle named Bobby and leaves to go see her family for the holidays.

And it turns out, Katie had broken up with Jake Mason and was currently single.

"Oh, really?" I asked intrigued. She nodded.

"Yeah, we started to fight a lot and we just decided to end it."

"Aw, c'mon. No breakup is ever mutual." She scoffed and bumped me on the arm playfully.

"Okay, so maybe he broke up with me. I think he was waiting for me to end it anyway." She set the last box down on the counter.

"Why?" I asked confused setting mine down too. Why anyone would want to dump Katie Gardner was beyond me.

She just shrugged and said, "I guess he liked someone else. It did sometimes feel like he was just using me, you know?" I nodded reluctantly. Drew had used me once. Katie sighed. "Yeah, well, too late for that, and you probably don't want me venting my relationship drama towards you."

"No, it's okay," I said. "Right now, I want to go smack Jake."

"If you do, can you kick him for me?" she laughed, and I joined in as well.

"Yeah, sure." She smiled at me. I returned it.

"It's been nice seeing you again, Will," she said. "I'm really glad Darlene called."

"Me, too," I replied truthfully. Katie gave a very big sigh before continuing.

"Well, I gotta run. Make sure some of those get refrigerated," she said sternly. I waved it off.

"Don't worry," I said. Katie turned around, when I thought Will, dude, you just found your biggest crush again, and you're letting her get away? I reached out and stopped her. I guess my body was getting ahead of my mind.

"Hey, wait a minute," I said. Katie looked at me and I got lost in her eyes. I tried to fugire out a good way to say this...

"Hey, uh... this Saturday is...I mean, would you...there's this movie and... no, what I'm trying to ask it..." I was almost at a breaking point in my garbling when Katie rose on her toes and gave me a quick peck on the cheek.
"Pick me up at seven?" she asked. I nodded.

"Sure, seven...I can do that," I said flustered. She smiled and turned to the door.

Right as she exited she waved and said, "Bye, Will."

I gave a small wave goodbye and Katie Gardner disappeared in a sea of people.

I stood there for at least ten minutes smiling and touching my cheek that I didn't even notice when Darlene returned. She had to say my name five times before I came back to reality.

"Dr. Solace? Are you okay?" she asked nervously. I threw my arms around my assistant giving her a fright.

"Oh, Darlene," I said. "Thank you for calling that number. I will never be able to repay you."

"Okay," Darlene aid still scared. She was very stiff in the my hug of gratitude.

"It there any way I can thank you?" I asked.

Darlene thought for a moment before continuing:

"Well, a raise wouldn't be half bad."

Ah, Wiltie. .. That's my pairing I would use if Travis didn't exist on this Earth, but her DOES! Yay! Travis is like, my favorite. I'm starting to get obsessive (starting, Brooke? More like you are at the never ending climax).

Eh, oh well.

Brooke