Even though Princesscherokee was joking I thought I would comment on her review just in case others had the same thought. She said that Ben wasn't big enough to be a bodygaurd. I don't know how tall Nicolas Cage is so I can't tell you how tall Ben Gates is so she might be right. I felt him being a bodyguard wasn't to far of a stretch because if you watch the first movie, during the part were the FBI is investigating his house, they say that he's had training in the Naval ROTC amongst other things. With that background Tetalia's father would have been more likely to accept him.

Tetalia woke up to the sun streaming in on her face. This had been the most restful sleep she had gotten in a while. Something was different. Was she actually happy? That was a new feeling and she couldn't imagine why she'd be feeling that way now of all times. Usually the only time she felt like this was when she was singing. Singing. She hadn't done that as recently as she'd like to have either. Ben feeling her stir roused himself, blinking from the bright sun.

"Sleep well?" He asked her.

"Yes. Surprisingly. I was asleep before I knew what was happening. I don't normally go to sleep that fast or sleep that well in circumstances where I'm stressed."

"I used to hold you like that whenever you were upset. It seemed to be the only thing that would make you go to sleep."

"When would you have to do that? I mean what was going on that would make you have to do that?"

"Various things. Sometimes you'd have a nightmare. If your mom was worried about something you wouldn't go to sleep."

"Oh. Did you sleep well?"

"I've had better nights but I can't complain." Ben stretched as he said this. "You're so light my legs didn't even fall asleep." Will heard their voices and woke up.

"I knew I was light but wow. How did you sleep Will?" Tetalia asked him.

"Fine." He was surprised she was talking to him. "I assume this means I've been forgiven?" Tetalia hadn't even thought about the fact that she wasn't speaking to him.

"I guess that's what it means. I feel like singing."

"I haven't heard you sing since you were a small child."

"I liked it even then?"

"Yes, you said you wanted to go to America and become a famous singer rather than be the princess your father wanted you to be."

She was almost afraid to ask her next question. "What did my mom want?" Ben could see in her eyes that she hung onto every word he said about her mother.

"She wanted you to be whatever you wanted to be. As long as you didn't go out and waste your life by doing drugs or something." Tetalia half smiled at this.

"I'm glad that's what she thought."

"So, will you grace us with your voice?" She smiled playfully.

"I suppose I can do that."

"If it wouldn't be to much trouble your highness." Ben said playfully but with a straight face.

"I think I can squeeze it into my schedule now." Ben just smiled at her. Now he was missing Abigail.

"I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house. That don't bother me." She began.

Abigail Chase had slept restlessly the night before. Ben was gone and she was worried about him. "He'd kill himself if it accomplished his goal." rang loud and clear in her ears. Ben went to face that man alone. She understood why. He wanted to know that those he cared about were safe. Ian and Mitch had been more than willing to use those he cared about against him. Why would this man be any different? That's why he had set off alone. Still, it didn't feel right to be the helpless girl back home. She wanted to be there with him, to help him and know that he was alright. With those thoughts in mind she made her determination.

She was interrupted in her packing by the door bell. "Who could that be?" She wondered aloud. When she opened the door she was pleasantly surprised to see Riley standing there with his bag in hand. "You too, huh."

"We've got a plane to catch."

"I'll grab my bags." As soon as she came back they both hopped into Riley's Ferrari and sped off down the driveway. "How are we going to find him?"

"I was able to hack into Ben's phone records and found the location of this Charles Elton. It was a mansion so I figured we'd start there."

"Since we're all awake why don't we talk about the first clue. I don't know when he plans on coming back but I want to have it figured out before he does." Ben suggested to the group.

"What do you think will happen if we don't?" Tetalia's interest had been peeked by the note of urgency in his voice. Ben knew better than to scare her with the truth but he wasn't about to lie either.

"You don't want to know."

"Yes I do." He looked at her for a minute. She saw his eyes searching hers. She felt as if he were reading her soul. She shivered at the thought that she could be read so easily.

"I'll only tell you this. He doesn't care about you. You or anyone else. It's wise not to cross his path." His words flowed lightly on the air but when she looked in his eyes she saw an intensity she had only seen once before. Her mothers eyes had been that way before she had passed away. It was the only real memory she had of her mother. The rest were just feelings or a knowledge that something had happened a certain way. A knowledge that no one had told her.

"What is the first clue?" Tetalia asked after she broke herself lose of his gaze.

"Jasmine, the fortune that you seek can be found with the jewel that lies within." Ben stated.

"The jewel that lies within." Tetalia repeated. "What does that mean?"

"That's what we have to figure out. You're not wearing a necklace?"

"I don't normally wear them."

"I see." They all sat lost in thought for a moment. Each tried to figure out what that could mean. Ben had a suspicion but he couldn't investigate it without a certain necklace. He thought she'd be wearing it because her mother had given it to her. Bored, Will brought out a shiney object that Ben didn't pay any attention to. Will twirled the object in his hand but it wasn't until it reflected light into his eyes that Ben even bothered to look at it. He squinted his eyes from the bright light.

"Hey, watch it. You're shining it in my eyes."

"Oh, sorry."

"What is that anyway?" Will held it up for him to see. Ben instantly recognized it as her necklace. He chided himself for not having been more observant. "Can I see that?" Will handed him the delicate necklace and Ben took it gently in his hands. It was made of the finest quality silver that money could buy. The chain of the necklace was thin and delicate. He was amazed at how it held the clear blue stone that dangled from it. The stone was a rare, tear shaped sapphire. It was held to the chain by silver all around the point of the gem. Tetalia leaned closer to him to look at the necklace.

"It's beautiful." She whispered.

"You don't recognize it?"

"No. Should I?" Ben looked at Will with a puzzled look.

"That necklace along with anything else having to do with it were packed away in a chest in her room."

"I can't say I'm surprised. I believe our next clue can be found with this necklace."

"How could anything be hidden there? It's so small." Tetalia said with a perplexed look on her face.

"Even the smallest things can contain clues."

"Where did the necklace come from?"

"I'm not permitted to tell you that and I'm not going to do it even though no one has to know." Tetalia was angered by his words.

"Do you realize that once we get out of here I could have you imprisoned for life just because I say so?"

"Is that a threat?" He knew she'd do it if she were mad enough. One look at her face told him that.

"Tell me." She crossed her arms and gave him an evil look. He took advantage of the fact that he could easily look her in the eyes and did so before he began speaking.

"Tetalia perhaps you can get away with that in the palace but we're not there right now. If we three don't cooperate as a team we will all lose." His piercing gaze began to unarm her. She began to feel fear that what he said was true and she wasn't in charge of every one like she wanted to believe. "I need you to forget you are of royal decent and follow my lead. If you don't and you are the weak link in the team we will all go down. Am I understood?" She nodded in response. No one, not even her father had ever pointed out the consequences of her actions in that way. Her father had always reasoned that she had an image to keep up. This time she couldn't deny the truth that her actions did have consequences. Seeing that the best course of action was to move on he began examining the details of the necklace.

"Notice anything?" Will asked.

"No."

"May I take a look?" Tetalia asked.

"Sure." He handed her the necklace. His eyes had grown tired of studying the intricate details of the stone and silver that it was set in because of the dim light. Tetalia began by examining the stone. She felt that it would be the best spot to hide a clue. That's when it hit her. "Hold the necklace into the light." She though. When she stuck it into the sunlight streaming through the window a short sentence appeared on the wall.

"Look!"

"Just in the library." Will read aloud.

"Let me see that." She gave Ben the necklace and he began to look at the stone.

"It's an ancient trick. See the cracks on the inside? You see them better when the light reflects off of them."

"What is it?" Ben asked.

"My ancestors figured out how to make those cracks with out chipping the outside. Once they had that figured out they made it where when you put it in the sunlight words are formed."

"Interesting." Ben said while still looking at the stone.

"Tetalia what's wrong?" Will asked her. He happened to glance over at her and she had the look on her face that she normally had when something was really bothering her.

"Ben?" He looked over at her. "Can you tell me about my mom?" The honest pleading in her eyes won him over. It was the request of a young girl who wanted to know the parent she would never see again.

"Well, she was beautiful. She knew her husband well and acted accordingly. She loved you. She was a woman who knew what she wanted and was capable of attaining it."

"From what I hear she must have lived life with passion."

"Yes, she did do that. You're a lot like her you know." Tetalia smiled at his words.