Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't updated this in a while……Mi Mi can attest to the fact that I had 3 HUGE oral reports due today, and another HUGE book report. I should be studying for exams right now…but I'd rather update for you people.

On a personal note, I just got accepted to Guilford College on a very nice scholarship. I sent the deposit in the mail this morning, and am now officially a "college girl." YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Random Fact: The Tobacco industry spends $15,000 a minute on advertising and special promotions. Don't fall for their crap.

Chapter 5!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Three months later…

Wilbur had found that making the time scanner the second time around was a lot easier. In three months he had completely redone the blueprints and had started to rebuild the scanner itself, with Emily's help. Emily had been lending a hand the past month or so, and things had been moving along quite nicely since she started helping out.

She'd been such a huge help. And she always knew when to tell him to stop working at three in the morning and go to bed. He smiled. She did always keep him grounded.

Wilbur wheeled himself out from underneath his scanner and wiped the sweat from his forehead, unknowingly wiping a streak of soot from his hand across his face.

"Knock, knock." said a voice from the open door of his student lab. Wilbur looked up from his blueprints to see Mi Mi standing over him. "Hey Mi Mi. What's shakin'?"

She crosses her arms. "Don't you know what today is, you dork?" She looked upset, but her playful smile gave her away.

"No," he said truthfully. "What is today?"

"You dummy! It's your anniversary! You've been dating Emy for a whole year! Emy's back in our room right now getting ready. For a formal dinner! Honestly, I still don't know what she sees in you." Mi Mi grinned.

Wilbur glanced at his watch. 5:53. their reservation was for 7:30. He had less than two hours to get ready. "Oh crap! Mi Mi, what would I do without you?"

She grinned again. "Not much, because Emy sure wouldn't have anything to do with you. Look at you Wil. You're a mess! Please promise me you'll wash your face before you go out."

"I promise. Soot again?"

"You have no idea. Don't forget Wil, be at our room to pick her up at seven sharp!"

"Yes, mother…" he said, grinning. Mi Mi always looked after him, and made sure he never missed a date.

One hour later, he picked Emily up at her door and walked her to the limo he's called at the last minute to take them to the fancy French restaurant where they were going to have dinner. Wilbur had spent the first ten minutes stuttering. Emily looked so good in her floor-length dark green satin dress he'd thrown grammar out the window.

The appetizers were wonderful, the salads were perfect, the drinks were fantastic, and the main course was delicious.

At dessert, it all went wrong.

Wilbur and Emily were exchanging playful banter over the tiramisu when several smoke bombs were thrown in the restaurant through the windows. Thick green acrid smoke filled the room, blocking everyone from view. Choas erupted.

"Emily! Em, where are you?" yelled Wilbur, trying to be heard over the other diners, also yelling to find their friends and families.

"Keep talking, Wil! I can't see anything! I'll come to you!" A voice behind her said, "You're not going anywhere, beautiful." Before she could do or say anything, a hand crushed a cube in front of her face, allowing sleeping gas to seep from its corners. She blacked out.

After the smoke had cleared, Wilbur looked frantically around him for Emily, bur she was nowhere to be found. At her seat, he saw her purse and its contents spilled over the chair. He knew Emily was never that careless. He started to put everything back inside, but stopped when he saw a crumpled piece of paper. He smoothed it out and read it with trembling hands.

I told you to give up on your stupid project.

I told you your pretty girlfriend would be in trouble if you didn't.

I told you.

You didn't listen.

Too bad, so sad. Now you'll never see her again.

She's mine.

Wilbur fell to his knees on the restaurant floor. His chest was shaking with sobs. No, this couldn't be happening. She couldn't be gone. She just couldn't be! But she was.

No, she wasn't. He's search for her himself, if he had to comb every inch of the city, the whole world if he had to. He loved her, and this person, whoever he was, was never going to take her way that easily.

R&R peeps!!!