Once on the rooftop, Theo came up followed by Ember and Wade. The view up here was good, but he and Ember both knew they had to be higher.

"Ember, the smoke cap."

Ember got to work on the smoke cap on top of the chimney while Theo rushed to get a large tarp of another part of the roof while Wade observed. After Ember melted off the smoke cap off and Theo had used electro-magnetism to slowly and carefully set it down, they started tying the tarp to some of the cap's edges.

"You might want to stand back.", Theo said to Wade as Ember got into the center of the upside-down smoke cap.

Wade did so and after Theo gave Ember a nod, she flared up and caused heat to rise into the tarp. Slowly but surely the tarp lifted and now the makeshift hot-air balloon was slowly rising off the roof. Wade was in total awe.

"Holy dewdrop!"

"Shh!", Theo hissed hoping Bernie wouldn't hear.

"What are you two waiting for?", Ember asked, "Get in."

Wade made his way into the smoke cap basket of the "balloon" while Theo just used his electromagnetism to float beside it grabbing Wade's attention.

"How did you do that?", he asked.

"What?", Theo asked, "Creating electromagnetic fields that allow me to hover near metal? It's simple."

As the balloon floated out into the canals, the view was a lot better. Theo noticed Wade looking Ember's way in wonder. She was glowing again and he was so close that Theo could tell he felt her heat by the way his arm was boiling. Wade reluctantly leaned back, but Theo had a hunch that he was enjoying it.

"Okay Inspector.", Theo said hoping to get this show on the road, "Which direction are we going?"

Wade looked down and recognized where he got sucked into the pipes and noticed one of more puddles leading up the canal.

"More water. Go that way!"

Theo felt Ember steer the balloon while he floated alongside it. As they passed a taller building, Ember's light illuminated a couple of Earth elements picking each other's fruit before they froze and looked out to the trio passing by nervously.

"Nothing weird going on here.", one said.

"Uh, just a little pruning.", the other added.

Theo looked a bit awkward.

"Okay."

As soon as they were a good distance away, the trio then shared a laugh before settling into an awkward silence. Theo felt that this was getting a little too quiet so he decided to break the ice.

"Quite a view huh?"

/

Wade and Ember didn't answer him, but Theo knew that Wade wanted to talk to Ember.

"So, uh, what do you do in your dad's shop?", he asked her.

"My dad's retiring.", Ember answered, "I'll be taking over. Someday, when I'm ready."

Theo could tell that Ember was not comfortable talking about her issues, but chose not to say anything while she and Wade continued.

"It must be nice knowing what you're going to do with your life.", Wade said to her, "When my dad died, I got all "What's the point". Now I just go from one job to the next."

Theo felt a pang of guilt of hearing about Wade's dad passing.

"Oh, my deepest sympathy Wade."

Ember looked out into the darkness.

"There's a word in Firish.", she said to Wade before saying a word Theo had trouble hearing, "It means embrace the light while it burns, cause it won't always last forever."

"Tee-shook….", Wade said carefully trying to pronounce the word correctly.

Theo looked impressed while Ember hid a smile.

"Not bad for your first time.", Theo commented.

"Something like that.", Ember added.

As the balloon passed around some more tall buildings, the main part of Element City came into view. Ember's shoulders slumped while Theo looked a bit haunted.

"You both okay?", Wade asked.

"Yeah.", Ember fibbed.

Theo looked her way firmly then to Wade apologetically.

"We kind of had a rough experience there.", he said pointing to a building in the distance.

Before Wade could ask, Ember spoke up.

"See that building? That's Garden Central Station.", she said as a childhood memory came to her mind, "When I was a kid, my dad and Theo took me there cause they had a Vivisteria tree. I always wanted to see one. It's the only flower that could thrive in any environment. Fire included."

Theo recalled the memory too. Ember had been so excited and Theo had agreed to take her there so Bernie wouldn't have to worry, but he came along anyway.

"We were both excited, but unfortunately they wouldn't let us in cause Ember's fire and my sparks were too dangerous.", Theo added seeing that Ember needed support. "Mr. Lumen and I tried to object though I was more along the lines of diplomacy."

Ember shot Theo a look, but softened since she reminded herself that he was just trying to support her as she finished.

"My dad was so angry and embarrassed. Then the building flooded a few years later so I missed my chance to see a Vivisteria."

She turned to Wade to see he was teary eyed again.

"You must have been so scared."

Ember sighed.

"I was.", she said softly.

"People often judge what they don't understand.", Theo put in, "But in time, that difference in views can change."

/

Ember then chose to change the subject.

"How do you do it?", she asked Wade.

"Do what?", Wade asked.

"Draw people in.", Ember told him, "You can get a whole stadium to connect with you. I can't even connect with one customer. My stupid temper always kicks in."

She slumped to the side of the basket while Theo looked understanding.

"I guess I just say what I feel.", Wade told her, "I don't think a temper is so bad. When I lose my temper, I think it's just me trying to tell myself something I don't want to hear."

Theo could tell that Ember didn't fully agree, but the way she lifted her head showed she at least listened.

"That's ridiculous."

Wade shrugged.

"Maybe.", he said to her before looking down and pointing, "Hey, there! Put us down there!"

Ember steered the balloon into a culvert with Theo helping. Soon, they had landed outside a couple of giant wooden doors that had a hole near the bottom of where the doors would connect when shut.

"That doesn't look right.", Theo commented as Wade and Ember got out and he put himself down.

Wade took a moment to dip his finger into a small puddle near the doors and taste it.

"Motor oil.", he confirmed, "Yep, this is the source!"

Theo felt relieved to hear that. Then the trio headed past the breach and into the main canal.

"Why is there no water?", Ember asked.

"Because the doors are broken.", Wade answered, "This is supposed to catch spillwater from those main canals, and-"

He was cut off cause that was when a huge cruise ship passed. Its wake triggered a small tsunami over the canal walls and it was heading…right for them!

"Run for your lives!", Wade screamed.

Theo and Ember didn't need to be told twice as they bolted back through the hole in the wall. Ember and Theo managed to get back through and get above where the water wouldn't splash them, but Wade wasn't so lucky and got caught up in the wave. Luckily, he managed to hold on to the other side and clinging for dear life.

"Ahh!", he screamed, "Help! Ahh!"

Theo looked around a bit, but Ember acted right away. She grabbed a piece of the protruding rebar and managed to melt it off before holding it out to Wade, but it was a bit short. Theo then steadied himself and conjured an electromagnetic field to keep Ember aloft while she got close enough so that the rebar was close enough for Wade to grab on to.

"Grab on.", Ember told him.

Wade did so and Theo pulled them to safety while Ember noticed the water heading down the canal towards the steaming tops of the Firetown buildings in the distance.

"Firetown!", she gasped.

Theo was now the one who acted immediately as he got to the top of the edge of the canal and started using a field to block the water though it almost made him fall back in.

"If you guys have a plan, better do it now!", he called out.

Ember's eyes darted around til she saw some sandbags not far from them. She quickly got to them and hoisted one towards Wade.

"Catch!", she yelled.

/

Wade caught it and though it splattered him for a moment, he got back up and saw that Theo couldn't hold much longer so he knew he had to move it! Although Theo held back most of the wave, it was still pretty rough. He held out his hand and tried to make his way to the hole. He carried the sandbag in one hand and used his free hand to press against the flow of water. With gritted teeth, Wade pushed through as his body was undulated from the pressure. Finally, he set the sandbag he had at the base of the hole before turning to Ember.

"Ember!", he called up, "Throw me more!"

Ember did so and Theo helped out when they got a good pile going. Slowly but surely, the hole filled up until the water stopped flowing. Theo took a moment to catch his breath as he had strained himself from holding back that water. Ember had come down when the water was mostly stopped and helped Wade place the last bag into place.

"So, will this hold?", she asked as she caught her breath and studied the bags.

Wade pressed against the bags a couple times as Theo had regained enough of himself to come down also.

"Yep, that should hold.", Wade answered.

"At least until we can get a construction crew to fix it before Friday.", Theo put in.

Ember didn't hear much of what Theo said cause she was staring at something and Theo came around and noticed a patch of sand on Wade's face.

"What?", Wade asked as he noticed that Ember and Theo were staring.

"You've got a little…sand.", Ember said pointing.

"Oh.", Wade said shyly as he touched around his face feeling, "Here? Here?"

Ember reached towards his cheek nearly touching it.

"It's right there.", she told him before she noticed the area near her hand was boiling and quickly withdrew her hand, "Um…"

Theo pulled his mirror out and held it up to Wade's face to clarify where Ember was aiming at and Wade smiled shyly.

"Oh.", he said reaching into his head and pulling the sand out while not taking his eyes off Ember, "Thanks."

Theo put his mirror back into his sweatshirt as the two were silent for a while.

"Somebody say something.", Theo quietly thought to himself.

Finally, Ember did so.

"Well…let us know when it's done, I guess."

"I'll make sure there's a city crew here by Friday.", Wade assured her.

"Okay.", Ember said before she turned and started walking away, "See ya."

Theo followed her, but they paused when Wade's voice caught their ears.

"Wait!"

They turned back to him to see he was nervous as his eyes lowered, but he then took a breath.

"Any chance you guys are free tomorrow?", he asked, "To hang out with a Water guy?"

Theo looked interested, but Ember rolled her eyes comically.

"With a Water guy?", she asked, "My dad would boil you alive."

"He doesn't have to know.", Wade insisted, "We can meet in the city. I promise nothing weird."

"Not even a little pruning?", Theo joked.

Ember laughed for a moment, then caught herself.

"Sorry, not going to happen.", she said turning away.

"You smiled!", Wade called after her, "I saw it. Tomorrow? I'll be at the Alkali Theater. Three o' clock!"

Ember didn't show it, but Theo could tell she was smiling as Wade was.

/

Theo then turned to Wade.

"So, you mind showing me your place?", he asked, "Maybe we can have a talk ourselves?"

Wade looked on board right away.

"Sure thing Theo."

As they headed back to Wade's place, they were already in conversations.

"So how come there aren't any more of you around Element City?", Wade asked Theo.

"We plasma elements kind of prefer to keep to ourselves.", Theo answered, "With what we can do, we believe it was best if we settled in secret until the world grows more understanding. Not that the elders of my community would think so."

Wade didn't catch all of it, but he remembered what he asked Ember.

"Theo? You think Ember will meet me tomorrow?"

Theo gave a friendly smile.

"I do.", he said to Wade making the Water guy smile too, "Ember can be a little temperamental at times, but she's just trying to make her parents proud of her. I hope that's not too much for you."

"No.", Wade said, "Not at all."

By then they had gotten into the Water District where a large apartment complex stood among the other tall buildings.

"Wow, you own one of these luxury apartments?", Theo asked in awe.

"It's my mom's actually.", Wade admitted, "Guess I'll see you around?"

"Sure Wade.", Theo said, "Til we meet again."

He headed off and after getting a good distance away, he then smiled to himself before he felt a vibration in his shirt and pulled out his mirror which was sparkling.

"What?", he asked.

As if to answer him, an image of the book back in Subspace showed up to reveal two remaining parts of the gem on it's cover needing to be lit up and Theo rolled his eyes comically.

"Yes, I know I have those to get to, but right now I'm needed here."

The mirror then went back to normal and Theo placed it back into his sweatshirt and hurried back to the Fireplace shop just as Ember had shown up to there.

"Theo?", Ember asked, "Where'd you go?"

Theo thought fast.

"Oh, uh. . . long story.", he answered before yawning, "Well, I better go hit the hay."

Ember looked his way a little funny, but then dropped it as they both headed inside with the events of the day still in their mind. Theo saw Ember's smile and wondered. Was she really going to go see Wade at the theater tomorrow? Maybe she would, but if she didn't then he didn't see any harm in going there himself. Something happened between Ember and wade back in the canal, and Theo had a good feeling Ember knew what it was even if she didn't.