Natalie awoke in a cold lonely cell. She rubbed her eyes, forcing herself to wake up. She couldn't see the clock from her cell, but she knew by the weak sunlight scattered on the cool grey floor that it was morning. She wiped her runny nose on her sleeve. Seeing the orange jumpsuit brought back her frustration at the current situation, so she kicked the cell wall with a cry of anger.

"Natalie?" A familiar voice called. It was the kind that made her blood boil.

"What do you want?" She crossed her arms, slowly turning around. Upon seeing the voice's companion, she shouted, "And what the hell are YOU doing here?"

"We wanted to talk to you," Jack spoke gently. Britney stood close to him, feeling somewhat awkward.

"Oh yeah? About what," Natalie rolled her eyes.

"About why you did it," Britney stepped away from Jack and stared sternly into the cell. "Why did you kidnap Ashley and your own daughter?"

Natalie held her head in disbelief. "I didn't do ANYTHING to my angel! I'd never hurt a hair on my Annabella's little head." She stepped closer to the bars, narrowing her eyes back at Britney and Jack. "Like I said, I dropped her off at my house. After that, I went back to chain up Naomi."

"Natalie, you still haven't answered why."

"Jack, you of all people should know!"

"Well, I don't. Please enlighten me."

Natalie sighed. "Do you remember that night back in highschool? The one where I took you out of your prom dance?"

"Who could ever forget that?" Britney sneered.

Ignoring her comment, Natalie continued. "Jack, you blew my breath away. I thought you felt the same way, so that's why I kissed you that night. I lost any connection with you after that, and I realized there was only one way to bring you to me. Someone had said that there was a new officer by the name of Jack Saber. I HAD to take my chances."

"Alright, so you were looking for Jack to appear in your life again. What I don't understand is.. why did Ashley and Naomi have to pay the price?"

Natalie held a hand up to shush her. "Chill, it's not like I did anything to those kids. Except ya know, chain them up."

Britney wondered how she could say that so nonchalantly. Her anger rose to a new level as she gripped the cell bars. "Then why did you write all those horrible ransom notes?!"

Jack was taken aback. He held her shoulders and pulled her away, afraid of the danger their interaction might bring them. "Babe, please calm down."

Britney let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm sorry."

Natalie chuckled. "Babe, you don't know much about crime, do you?" She laughed a little harder at their worried expressions. "I just picked some random girl at the mall. She was all alone in there.. most of the time. I checked her phone and one of the most contacted contacts was Naomi."

Unable to contain her pride over her genius scheme, an evil smile spread across her lips. "So I figured, why not scare her as well? There you go," she pounded a fist into her palm, "First ransom note right there. I didn't actually expect her to go through with it, but she did. And she got help from Brianna- Britney, which made me even MORE infuriated."

"But it was ok!" Her voice became lighter and shrill. "Ashley was there to pay the price- for all those memories you guys ruined!!"

Jack gulped and held tighter onto Britney.

"You guys better watch out!" Natalie threatened while cackling loudly. She made a pretend scared face as she gripped onto the bars and warned, "When I get out, I WILL find you! HAHAHA!"

Her fingers and palms turned white from the pressure of holding on, until her body grew weak and she slipped to the ground. Even then, she continued to cackle so loud that her maniacal laughter echoed through the prison hall.

Jack's face contortioned into one of utter horror, feeling somewhat to blame for his old friend's loss of sanity.

"Jack.. can we go now?" Britney requested in a quiet voice, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone anymore.

"You leave. I'll meet you outside," he spoke sternly.

Britney nodded and Jack waited until she walked out.

"Natalie. I'll tell you one last time. We never WERE anything. We never WILL be. I've said it clearly now. I'm going to leave and please don't ever look for me or any of my companions again."

"Jack wait," Natalie called after Jack's back and lifted herself up weakly. "Where... where is my daughter?"

"Why, are you going to go hunt her down or what?"

"No," Natalie shook her head and hugged herself. "I just need to know if she's ok."

"Yeah..." Jack paused, deep in thought. "Yeah, she's fine. She's with Luna right now."

"Luna..?" The name sounded familiar. Her mind drifted back to the weather reports she would watch on tv. Luna... Annabella would be fine. "Ok, thanks."

"You're welcome," Jack shrugged and turned around, staring glumly at the ground, waiting another few seconds followed by silence before finally walking away.

***

"Mary, I'm so glad we can hang out this summer!" Maya said enthusiastically as she looked around Ted's apartment. She and Mary were sitting side by side on the comfy living room sofa. "This fruit drink is delicious."

"Of course! And thanks. I've been known to make the best drinks," she bragged as she sipped her homemade mango smoothie.

Maya giggled. Tossing her head back happily, she smiled. "Everything's so peaceful now. Naomi found Ashley, their kidnapper's locked away, Britney's back with Jack, you have Ted, and I reunited with my childhood friend... I feel like our worst problems are out of the way."

"It sure feels that way, haha," Mary mused softly before taking another sip.

"Hey, what do you think our boyfriends are up to right now?"

"Ted said he was going to the bar with Edward today," Mary remembered.

"Oh really?"

"Mhm!"

***

Edward and Ted crossed a bustling city street just in time before the pedestrian light turned red.

Panting, Edward slowed down and said, "Dude, our girls are so chill for letting us hang out at the bar."

Ted was not nearly as excited as Edward was and scratched the back of his neck. If anything, he was worried. He had heard about the rumors of strippers at this specific bar and did not want to be disloyal to Mary. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Come on man, it's about time you lose your innocence," Edward taunted.

"What?!"

"Yeah, you need to stop being such a good-" he stopped midway seeing the shocked expression on Ted's face, almost as if he'd uncovered some secret. "Wait- What did you think I meant?!"

"Umm.." Ted looked away embarrassed.

"Dude! That's none of my business! What I meant was," he scratched an eyebrow, regaining his composure, "you need to loosen up a little. Be a rebel. So what do say? Are you in or nah?"

Ted looked around. They were so close to the entrance, it felt too late to turn around. "Ok fine."

Edward pumped a fist. "That's my boy! Don't worry, I'll be your guide." Narrowing his eyes and grinning sideways as a typical bad boy expression, he said, "Welcome to the dark side."

Ted couldn't resist laughing as Edward took a bow.

"I, Edward, will be your guide on how to be a bad boy."

Suddenly, a crazed and shocked look passed over Ted's face.

"What?! Is something in my teeth?" Edward's hand immediately went to cover his mouth.

"No, I see someone. Go on in, I'll be right back!" Ted patted Edward's back and dashed away.

"Uh ok," Edward furrowed his brows in confusion.

***

"Hello, Naomi. This is Susan. I just wanted to inform you that we've hired a bodyguard for Ashley in the hospital."

Naomi covered one ear to block out the noise of  the city traffic next to her as she walked. "You did? Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome. The guard will arrive tomorrow. Your sister will be safer in her condition."

"Alright thanks again," Naomi smiled and hung up. I wonder why they barely hired a bodyguard now.

"Naomi!" A voice and running footsteps interrupted her thoughts.

She turned around and stopped to see none other than Ted himself.

"Naomi," he finally caught up to her and was out of breath. "I haven't seen you since they arrested the kidnapper. I really wanted to check on you."

He smiled so earnestly, that Naomi's heart broke all over again and confusion muddled her head. No, not now. She couldn't face him yet.

"Naomi? Wait- where are you going!"

Ted sprinted after her but she ran too fast. Only a few seconds of running and she was nowhere to be seen between the crowds of people walking through the city.

"I lost her..."

He walked back to the bar entrance feeling glum. Why wouldn't she talk to him? Could it really be he lost a good friend?

Edward almost didn't notice Ted's arrival due to his gloomy silence. "Aye Ted! You're back!" He knew exactly how to cheer him up, so he leaned in close to be heard over the loud music with a mischievous glint in his eyes and disclosed, "Did you know they're going to have strippers here soon? Hm hm, maybe Maya could work here."

"Dude!" Ted finally snapped out of it.

Edward laughed and ordered some rounds. "Have a shot, looks like you could use one."

"We're too young to be drinking..."

"Chill. I know the people who work here," he winked at a mysterious yet attractive bartender woman who rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Ok, but just one."

"Here."

Ted sipped the shot hesitantly and carefully, a forlorn and lost expression on his face.

"Ted, did something happen?"

Suddenly, Ted downed the whole shot and another and another.

"Whoa easy there." Edward held a shot back.

"You wanna know what happened?" Ted wiped his lips with the back of his hand.

"Ye-"

"The girl I liked ran away from me," Ted raised his voice and pushed back the hair on his head.

"Girl you liked... You mean Mary? Your girlfriend?"

Ted slouched over and laid an arm on the table to balance himself. "Nah man, I'm talkin' about the badass one."

Edward was about to sip his shot when he did a double take and raised his brows. What was he on about?

Tes shook his head and shifted. "Don't get me wrong— Mary is pretty, but she's not a badass like this girl." Seeing that Edward was still holding his cup without drinking it, he took it from him and drank it in one sip. "And you know ehst yhe wuitf yjinh id? And you know what the weird thing is?"

Edward was getting worried now. "Hey, you're starting to slur..."

"She likes me!" Ted pounded the table aggressively and Edward jumped. "I know she does! Cuz I'm hella cute, man! Every girl be trippin' for me. YEE HAW!"

"Oh god..." Edward drew a hand over his face in second hand embarrassment as Ted spun an imaginary lasso and bumped into the table.

"Auh- I'm ready for another round over here!"

"No way man. Snap out of it!"

"I'm like you now!" Ted copied his earlier expression, doing the signature bad boy angry-flirty-smile which quickly broke into a happy grin. "Aren't you proud of me, daddy?"

"I am NOT your daddy!" Edward whispered loudly. "Ok, that's it. We're leaving right now."

***

"Wow, it's really pouring out there isn't it?" A surprised Doctor Holly commented when Naomi entered the hospital.

"Yeah, it kinda came out of nowhere," Naomi replied as she pulled off her hood.

"So, who are you here to see?" Doctor Holly asked pleasantly.

"Ashley- Patient 246."

"Alright..," Doctor Holly looked through some files and handed Naomi a labeled sticker. "Here's your pass."

"Thanks."

"Yep!"

As the elevator doors closed behind her, Naomi felt a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. Something doesn't feel right. She hugged the brown leather jacket around her. It must be because of that dang Ted. Why did he have to come back into her life? She never wanted to see him again.

Finally the doors opened on Ashley's floor. She stepped out and found her way to the room, taking a deep breath before opening the door.

"Hey Ash? Someone wanted me to drop off more presents for you." She waited for a reply as she arranged the gifts on a nearby table.

"Ash?" She waited. Still not hearing a reply, she walked over to the bed. "Ash..? Are you asleep?"

"Excuse me? Miss?" Nurse Nora appeared in the doorway.

"I'm sorry, I can come another time," Naomi quickly turned around.

"Wait. I was meaning to tell you something."

"Yes?"

Naomi could sense the young nurse's hesitance as she shifted her weight nervously and changed her posture.

"It is with much sadness that I inform you..."

The blood immediately drained from Naomi's face. "Oh my god, is she dead?"

"No, nothing of the sort! Your sister is in a coma," she looked away from Naomi's face.

Naomi felt her body go numb as she tried to process the information.

"Wh- Are you kidding me? How could you guys let this happen!" Naomi yelled.

"Miss, please calm down!"

Naomi took a deep breath. It didn't feel right to take out her anger on this nurse.

"After further analysis, we discovered that her kidnapper had her heavily sedated. A coma, unfortunately, is one of the serious side effects."

Naomi rubbed her eyes and tried to listen. The world suddenly felt colder and lonelier than before. Her knees felt weak, and the young nurse's voice was drowning out.

***

"Enjoy your meal!" Britney smiled as she served a young highschool couple steak at the Harlequin Restaurant.

"Thank you," Kei grinned back.

Ah, young love.

She sighed deeply when she walked back into the kitchen.

"Hey Britney, what's the matter?" Lena questioned upon seeing her friend's sad face.

"Nothing is going the way I wanted."

"What do you mean?"

"With Jack," Britney looked up and shrugged. "Nothing exciting is happening."

"That's because he's working," Lena deadpanned.

"Yeah, but we're never really alone together."

Lena paused for a bit, unsure of what the problem was. Suddenly, it all became clear. She poked Britney playfully and sang, "OH, I see what you mean!"

"What are you talking about?" Britney spoke through gritted teeth and looked around to make sure no one else was listening in. "Get back to work, Lena."

"Teehehe!"

Britney sighed. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom. Be right back."

Lena giggled to herself as Britney walked away. A perfect plan was beginning to form. She stepped away from the kitchen and dialed a number.

"Hello? Sis?"

"Hey Jack," she spoke playfully. "I heard you're not spending enough time with my BFF."

"Uh, yeah, work kinda has me tied up here.

"Ooh I know! Why don't you ask for a break? Come on, you don't want to lose Britney now do you?"

A slight pause was followed by a convinced sigh. "OK fine."

"I have the perfect plan teehee."

"Um, what's with that evil laugh?"

"You'll see."