A review: In Chapter 13, after the 2nd elimination round, the date box is passed around. The groups are: 1) Katherine, Jessica, Shirley 2) Sharon, Mara, Jade and 3) the individual date is Ahn. The objects in the date box are a horseshoe, a rudder, and a scented candle.

Chapter 14

"The important question is, will you be able to do it in time?" The voice on the line was tense with frustration.

The woman chuckled softly. "You are underestimating my abilities once again. Do not worry. It will be done."

--

Jessica pondered the possibilities. A horseshoe, a rudder, and a scented candle. She walked over to inspect her large wardrobe. She figured the location did not really matter as long as she wore something stunning, and delivered. She smiled as she put on her lip-gloss. Wally would love the outfit she would wear; she absolutely knew it!

While she was putting on the finishing touches to her outfit, she chanced to look out the window and saw a violet-haired girl walking across a lawn, with her nose buried in a book. From the opposite direction, two guys walked toward her, one had green hair, and the other had no hair.

Jessica thought the two males looked odd together as one was tall and gangly, while the other was tall, built, and much better proportioned to his height. His figure was imposing, and when with a heaving of shoulders, he turned around, Jessica squealed in shock. It was the actor, Victor Stone!

She started to run down the stairs to get his autograph, when she realized that she had a date with the bachelor. Well… Jessica shifted on her feet as she tried to decide if flirting with the actor was worse than risking her spot on The Bachelor. She decided she had a better chance with Wally.

--

"Turn around, Vic. It's a surprise." Shoulders heaving from his sigh, he turned, and started walking backwards.

"Man, BB, you know I hate surprises." Exasperated, he shook his head. "You know what, I'm just going to turn around."

"No!" Gar frantically waved his arms in front of his eyes. "Otherwise, it won't be a surprise!" And, you'll run off before I reintroduce you to Rachel. Gar gulped. He was pretty sure Vic would kill him twice over back in the privacy of the bachelor pad, but he felt that enough was enough. Time to face the past, and meet all your old friends again. Right? Right?

As Vic agreed not to turn around, not without a good barrage of complaints though, Gar ran his fingers through his hair in relief. He sure hoped that everything would turn out well. Seeing Rachel out in the lawn reading, not paying attention to her surroundings, he had jumped at the chance to introduce her to Vic. She had already seen the rest of the old team, so…he didn't really think it through when Vic announced his return from his trip. He grabbed him, told him it was a surprise, and headed out to the lawn.

He stubbornly refused to see how it would be bad. He was not introducing Vic to Jade. It was just Rachel after all. He breathed deeply as they approached Rachel. He turned Vic around.

"Surprise…" Gar said weakly.

There was dead silence. Then afterwards, there was a period of time when Gar was the lucky receiver of two venomous glares that assured him he was going to be tarred and feathered, then ripped to shreds if he was caught by one of them, alone, at night, when no one else was watching. Finally, he held up a hand.

"Stop it!" he pleaded, more for his life, than for his two friends to reconcile. "Stop, you guys are friends, friends…" he trailed off, watching the expressions on Vic and Rachel stiffen on hearing the word, friends.

"Gar, you are still an idiot." Rachel turned on her heel, her nose buried in her book, and started to walk away. She was making it apparent that she wanted to ignore their chance meeting.

"Rachel, you are the idiot if you're going to just walk away and leave this friendship that you guys have had for so long, permanently."

"You don't understand," Rachel's eyes began to glow red, "Victor hurt Jade, he played with her feelings for him. It is cruel when a guy does that to a girl." Gar felt disappointed when he realized that what Rachel said had a double meaning. She was remembering Malchior, still after all this time.

Vic's eyes hardened. "I liked Jade, a lot. But one day, you meet that one person who changes your entire life, who changes how you see things and challenges what you've always believed." Rachel gave him a cold stare, but Vic ignored it. He had believed he and Jade would never break up, until Sarah Sims had entered his world. She had been…the one.

Then in a slightly harsher tone, he continued, "I didn't care that everyone thought I was a heartless jerk for breaking up with Jade. All that mattered to me was Sarah."

"You can't help how you feel," Gar said in Victor's defense. Rachel gave them both a curt nod, the crimson in her eyes fading into purple, and then blue.

"You hurt her a lot, Victor." Her anger was replaced by an unwanted weariness. She didn't want to deal with this, she wanted things to be like they always were back then, before Sarah had come, before the public began suing, before the heroes went into hiding, back when they had all been happy.

"I'm sorry I hurt her, but…" Victor paused for a long time. "I don't regret it." His blatant honesty shocked his friends into silence. There was a slight break in the conversation.

"How's Sarah?" Rachel finally asked reluctantly. She felt she was betraying Jade by asking, but she was a little curious. A smile lighted his face.

"She's great. She's absolutely great."

Rachel turned and walked away, leaving Gar and Vic standing in the middle of lawn. She heard Victor call out, "It was good seeing you again." Rachel hesitated, wondering if she truly wanted to end this friendship. No, she knew that she wanted to restore their relationship again; she had wanted to for some time.

"Yeah. It was." They were rewarded with the presence of one of her rare smiles. As she turned her back to return to the bachelorette house, her smile quickly disappeared. Her mind was struggling to make a choice. Victor was back. To tell Jade…to not.

--

The first group date, Katherine, Jessica, and Shirley left with Wally for their boat ride. It was a yacht, really. It floated by the dock, a giant among the other ships.

Katherine squealed. "Oh Wally!"

Shirley sighed, "Ohhh Wally." She latched onto his arm.

Jessica latched onto his other arm, and sighed dreamily. Wally sighed dreamily too as he remembered the last date with Jessica. Katherine pouted since she didn't have one of his arms and followed the trio up to the deck. It had polished wooden floors, leather black couches, and an appetizer bar full of cheeses imported from all over Europe.

From the beginning, Jessica took over the date. Leading Wally, and consequently Shirley, over to one of the couches, she sat down, and to the chagrin of the other girls, began to make out with him. Although surprised by her forwardness, Wally did not complain, and instead, concentrated on kissing her back.

Of course, this didn't last too long, before one of the girls had enough. Katherine stomped over in her petite heels, and viciously grabbed Jessica's hair, forcibly pulling her away from Wally. Shirley pounced on the opportunity to drape herself over the bachelor.

"Hello, Wally," she said as seductively as she could.

"Hello," he answered with his signature grin. She was pulled back by both Katherine and Jessica, and the three proceeded into a rapidly escalating catfight. Wally, although initially shocked by how quickly it had happened, soon began to watch in fascinated delight.

A shriek rang out. "Winner gets Wally!" Oh boy! His childish side took over and his eyes shined with undisguised amusement.

All he needed was the popcorn, and it would be better than going to the movies.

--

Jade felt sick to her stomach. "He's here?" She groaned, leaning over the side of her bed. She lifted her head slowly. "What did he say?" Rachel hesitated. "Spit it out!" Her eyes blazed furiously.

"He said he doesn't regret breaking up with you."

"Oh." Jade's head slumped over the side of the bed again. "Is he still with…?"

"Yeah."

"Oh." Did she really sound that pathetic?

"Jade." Rachel's eyes were sad. "Get over him."

"I am over him," she snapped, but she didn't convince either herself or Rachel. They both knew that she was not over him at all.

Ahn waltzed in the room, only to stop suddenly. "What's wrong?"

"She can't get over her ex-boyfriend." Rachel said bluntly, ignoring Jade's irritated glare.

"What?" Ahn was taken aback. "But what about Wally?" Then with more indignation, "But what about Wally!"

"Wally is dating seven girls at the same time," Jade said wryly. "Believe me when I say that this is not a situation I willingly put myself into. Vic was special…he was until he broke up with me, the jerk!" Hot, angry tears threatened to spill over, but she blinked them back furiously.

"Jade, get over him," said Rachel for the fiftieth time.

"As soon as you get over Malchior." Rachel's eyes sparked dangerously, and started to turn from blue into the unwelcome purple.

"That was uncalled for."

--

Ding-dong. Ding-dong. Ding-dong.

"Can you get the door, Tara? I am making this fantastically…"

"Yeah, yeah, okay." Tara laughed, and went to the door. "Hey Gar! You're finally back! Where were you?" She peered around him. "Where's Rachel anyhow?"

Click. Tara looked at him, and found herself facing a gun. An actual gun. "Kor-!" Tara was shot before she could warn her. She slowly crumpled to the ground.

Kory was covered in brownie batter in the kitchen as she diligently tried to follow the Best Recipe for Brownies in the Entire World! that she found on the internet. She couldn't wait until she was done so that Tara could taste the best-brownies-in-the-entire-world!, made right in their own kitchen!

Kory looked happily into her mixing bowl. Its contents were bubbling up and releasing black grainy…she looked closer. Hmm. It looked exactly like the absolutely wonderful schnorfuklog back on Tameran!

Her eyes glowed in happiness. "Kor-!" She heard Tara calling her name. She ran to the door. "Tara, you and our guest must try my…" As Kory rounded the corner she was hit directly by the gun.

She fell onto her knees heavily, and then with a concentrated effort, raised her head to look at Gar. Her eyes did not understand the unprecedented betrayal. "Why, friend?" She had to drop her head again, and she panted hard as her body began to shut down. She looked at herself. No blood. She looked at Tara. The same.

Gar reloaded the gun again. "You are conscious, and able to remain in your elevated position. It must be your Tameranian DNA. Your body is more resilient to the effects of this paralysis ray than your friend's."

"But," Kory said, "You are our friend, Gar!" Her arms began to tremble as she fought to continue supporting her weight.

Gar smiled. "I was never your friend." A clay-like substance seemed to smear over his features, removing them, and producing new ones. The clay was deforming his nose and reforming another, redefining his mouth and remaking it into another's. A woman's. Kory gasped. It was…

"So you recognize me," she smiled. "I was your enemy then; I am your enemy now," her hands played with the trigger, "Nobody can resist the second shot." She aimed; she fired. Kory fell to the ground.

--

"Wally," Jessica glanced back triumphantly at the losers of the catfight, "is there someplace private on the ship…" She looked at Katherine and Shirley pointedly. They quickly looked somewhere else. "Away from some…disturbances?"

"There's a cabin at the other end." He held out his arm.

She smiled. "Okay." She giggled as they began to walk toward the cabin. "You never knew how vicious I could be, am I right?"

"Admittedly, I was scared." Wally laughed. They walked into the cabin. It was small, cozy, and comfortable.

Jessica pouted, "I did it for you. I must like you so much to fight over you."

"I'll thank you," he kissed her.

"You're welcome," she kissed him back.

Back at the other end of the ship, Katherine and Shirley destroyed the appetizer bar. With their mouths stuffed with cheeses, and their mascara running down in black rivulets down their cheeks, they sobbed out insults.

"That conniving…"

"That evil…"

They stopped crying only when Jessica and Wally returned. "I'm sorry, Katherine, Shirley." Wally kissed their foreheads, but walked off with Jessica on his arm. The other two forlornly followed.

--

"I don't normally play peacemaker, but cool it, you guys." Ahn stood as a barrier between her two, anger-charged friends." The only way to get over a guy is to fall for a new one." She turned to Jade. "You have a golden opportunity. I don't know exactly why you're on this show since you don't like it, but use this chance to get over your ex-boyfriend. It's perfect how it's all working out, so perfect I can't believe you didn't see it yet." Jade was silent.

"They're back! They're back!" Sharon's cry penetrated the moody atmosphere of the room.

"Jade?" Ahn approached her immobile figure cautiously. Maybe I was too harsh?

"Wish me luck on my date." Ahn grinned as she heard the reply. From Jade, it was the same as saying 'thanks for the advice.'

--

Jessica entered first; her face was shining and radiant. "Hello girls!" She called out to Sharon, Mara, Jade, and Ahn. "I had so much fun!" Mara's eyes narrowed slightly. Her eyes shifted over to the dejected forms of Katherine and Shirley. They walked past everybody's curious stares, and toward their rooms.

"Shirley! Tell me about your date!" Shirley shrugged her twin off, and shut the door to their room. She didn't come out. Neither did Katherine. Everybody looked back at Jessica, who in turn looked at them innocently.

"All I have to say is," she patted her hair, "I am almost jealous that you guys get to go on the next date with Wally." She paused, slyly.

Mara, Jade, and Ahn looked at her with stony faces. Sharon broke down quickly.

"What? What do you mean by almost?"

"I absolutely hate horseback riding!" Jessica giggled, "Wally told me to tell you girls, so that you don't come on the date in dresses and stilettos. Toodle-loo!" She disappeared down the hallway, and into her room.

Ahn turned to Jade, and caught the delight that danced in her eyes. "At any rate, no matter what she thinks, you're excited, aren't you?" Jade only grinned.

Sharon moaned. "I'm terrified of horses - I hate this!"

"I'm excited too, Jade." Mara's velvety voice startled everyone. "I haven't gone horseback riding since I was a little girl. It should be a very interesting experience."

--

Jade appeared first by the entrance with Ahn. Although Ahn disapproved of her outfit, she thought it fitting for the occasion. Black jeans, pink turtleneck, and black jacket, topped off with her black combat boots. Obviously.

"Tacky."

"I like it."

Mara appeared next, wearing professional riding gear as naturally as if she wore it every day. Sharon wore a sequined halter-top, jeans, boots, and a cowboy hat. She came down last. She noticed that Jade and Ahn were in a deep conversation about their different clothing tastes. She slid closer to Mara. "So, all I have to do is keep Wally occupied?"

Mara nodded, glancing over at Jade.

"Are you sure this will work?" Mara just smiled. Sharon shivered unintentionally, did she really want a part in this? She reassured herself quickly. I want to win; I need to win. Jade should have never crossed me.

--

"Hello ladies!" He paused, and he was greeted by three very different women. All three of them were smiling. His eyebrows lifted, Jade was smiling at him? At the realization, his own grin grew broader. "Ladies, we are going horseback riding on a dude ranch. I don't know what you think about that, but," he smiled, "there is going to be a scavenger hunt. We will split into groups. Jessica will take the north end, Jade the east, Mara the south, and I, the west."

"But, isn't this supposed to be a date with you?" asked Sharon, her face was twisted in slight annoyance.

"Don't worry, the winner who finds the most ribbons - and they will be attached to posts, so that you won't need to get off your horse - will get to have a dinner date with me, and if I win, I'll be the one to pick." He charmingly smiled.

"How long is the scavenger hunt?" Mara placed a hand on his arm. "I never want to be away from you for too long." Her mascara-covered lashes fluttered. Sharon fumed.

"Only an hour," he looked out the window of the jet plane, "And I do believe we have arrived." The girls looked out the window and were greeted by a landscape of sandy dirt and cactus.

Sharon got off the plane cautiously, looking around in distaste. A line of horses caught her eye. "Are those…"

"Yes," Wally smiled down at her, "Pick one. Snowball is the nicest." Sharon glanced at the white, plump horse with the saddle engraved with its name.

"It's cute." She said. Carefully, she placed her foot on the stirrup, and was about to mount, when Snowball shifted her weight to the other foot. Sharon shrieked, and landed on the saddle disgracefully. "Nice Snowball," her voice sounded strained.

Mara picked a towering mount that stood at seventeen hands at the very least, while Jade brooded over a selection of fiery horses, before choosing a black one.

"The questionnaire you took before signing up for The Bachelor told me that you all are talented riders." Wally looked toward Sharon quickly, her face was pale, and her breathing was shallow. "Um…Sharon?"

"I used to ride well, I just, I fell off my horse one day, and I…I didn't think we would actually ride!" she wailed loudly. The noise made Snowball's ears flick back nervously.

"No problem. Just ride double with me." Sharon perked up. "Is that all right with you, Mara? Jade?" Mara nodded tersely. A vein threatened to pop out, but she calmed herself, it's all working out, it's all working out. Jade shrugged, it was unfair, but she wouldn't allow herself to whine. Wally helped Jessica onto his blood bay stallion. "I guess we'll go toward the west end, but I won't help you find the ribbons okay?" Sharon nodded happily, her arms circled Wally's waist tightly, and she pressed herself as close to him as possible. This was her chance. They started riding off.

"Thank you, Wally," she purred, "You're so sweet." She kissed the back of his neck, and rested her head on his shoulder. Wally began to get very distracted.

--

Mara had begun the scavenger hunt. She had found two ribbons already, but enough was enough. She only had an hour, and she had to finish what she had set out to do. She began riding toward the east.

Jade felt like she was flying. She patted the shoulders of her mount, Blackie. What a stupid name, but, she whispered, "Blackie," anyway, and strengthened the pressure of her legs. He threw himself into a faster speed. Ribbons or no ribbons, she was in heaven.

"Jade!" Annoyed, she nevertheless, pulled back on the reins, to slow her mount. She looked back to see Mara trying to catch up with her. She had Blackie slow down even more. Mara had now caught up and was riding head to head with Jade.

"What's with you? I'm supposed to cover the east." Mara smiled, reached over, and before she fully realized it, Jade was falling off her horse.

--

Back at the bachelorette house, Ahn was poring over the lists that contained the name of the mystery man she met back at the baseball stadium.

"Well, Robin's out." Rachel commented dryly.

"I know." Ahn crumpled the lists in frustration, before smoothing them out again, as she had been doing for the past five minutes. After five more minutes of fidgeting, She wailed in despair. "This is impossible! I'll never find out who it was!"

"Really." At the tone of her voice, Ahn looked up quickly, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Do you know something?" Rachel merely smirked as she watched Ahn's slow realization that Rachel had known this entire time. "I can't believe you didn't tell me… and I can't believe that you still aren't telling me!" The aggravation in her voice was reaching a dangerous level.

"Speedy." Ahn froze as Rachel went on. "Also known as Roy Harper."

--

Jade slammed onto the ground awkwardly, and not for the first time since she had entered The Bachelor. However, this time, the landing was much more painful. She groaned as she sat up. How ten years had made a difference. Back then, she would have flipped in the air, and landed like a cat, on its feet. The humiliation!

Jade gritted her teeth as white-hot anger began to take priority over her other emotions. I let my guard down, once!She growled to herself. Once! And this is what happens! Mara had reached over, then whack! her arm had extended itself unnaturally, and knocked her off her horse.

"What was that?" Jade spat out, referring to the push; her anger knew no bounds. She glared up at Mara furiously, hands on her hips, her stance defiant, her clothes dusty and rumpled. On the other hand, Mara looked calm, collected, but most of all, Jade noticed uneasily, unrepentant.

"An accident," she said coolly.

"An accident," Jade repeated in disbelief. She crossed her arms, silently demanding an explanation.

Mara rode over to Jade slowly. "Your skills are obviously not as good as they used to be, and what a shame. I was looking forward to this match." What? Jade's uneasiness that had started with spotting Mara in her area, exploded into full-blown suspiciousness.

"What's going on, Mara?" She asked sharply. Her voice didn't reveal anything, but she could feel the danger in the air. Her horse was gone, and she was out in the middle of nowhere, alone, except for her. She didn't trust her.

"Right now, I am Gemini." Gemini? Jade thought frantically, but she didn't recognize the name."You don't remember?" Mara pouted, but her eyes showed that she was not at all surprised. Instead, she seemed rather pleased. "But you must remember my mother, Madame Rouge?" Jade's eyes widened. Madame Rouge's daughter? That explained the unnatural reach of her arm; she must have inherited her mother's elasticity. The unnatural arm swung toward her direction again, but this time Jade managed to avoid it, narrowly.

"What are you doing!" The voice that replied sent shivers down Jade's spine.

"Destroying you."

Who attacked Kory and Tara? -grins- although I think the answer is pretty obvious by now.