"What... WHO do you think?" She whispered and laughed at his unbalance. "The water will not hurt you." She said and took his hand and pulled it around herself. "Help me sleep." She said quietly, letting the tears slide across her face, but she turned away from him, laying on her side. "Don't worry about it, I just... Maybe I do have too much on my hands. Maybe I shouldn't try and defend this place. Maybe I should forget about it, save what people I can and just let the water and fire wielders have it. Really, it's just a house..." She whispered.

Jason laid down with her, holding her gently. "I should have expected a waterbed, and I'm not sure why I didn't," he said. He let her get comfortable. "You should protect what you care about," he said when she mused about giving up the building. "Don't give up just because your brother is being more of an asshole than me. If you love this place, then you should do what you can to protect it."

"I just want him to stop. You don't deserve for someone to hate you. And he's not going to stop... I need him to train you for this all to..." She yawned and turned to look at him. "work right." She whispered and blushed, staring at his lips, then looked away. "I'm not sure what I want. I don't want to hate my brother, and I don't want to lose this place, and i don't want anyone else to die even though I have to kill some to do it. So how do I get everything I want... Or what's most important?" She whispered, enjoying his warmth.

"There's not much you can do about your brother, except wait for him to pull the stick out of his ass," Jason replied. "I'm sure he'll get over himself eventually." He let her get comfortable. He could tell she was starting to fall asleep, which was good. She looked like she needed the rest. "As for everything else... Unfortunately, I'm not a seer, so I don't have all the answers. Maybe you should talk to one of them."

"Id rather not, I much prefer talking to you. Seers bother me they think they know me because they see me in my previously bad years and in the future and everything... Im tired." She whispered and put her arms around the males and rested her face on his chest. "Shh." She whispered and her eyes drifted shut.

Jason held her as she drifted off to sleep. He knew better than to try anything with her, she'd probably drown him for real if he did, and he didn't really want to think about what her brother would do. It took a while, but eventually he dozed off as well, drifting in and out of sleep.

Two hours later Tomi woke and nearly jumped at the feeling of someone beside her in bed. "Good afternoon" She whispered and looked at his stomach which his shirt had risen to shown. She bit her lip and splayed her hand on his warm skin and then called water to surround them and she smiled. "Now would be a great time to give me my fake first kiss." Her voice even sounded a little tired but he was so cute with his hair ruffled that she couldnt help herself.

"As my lady commands," Jason teased softly. Pulling her close, he kissed her softly. He wasn't all that experienced in kissing, but really, it wasn't so hard, and he was sure they'd both get better at it. He tried to make sure the kiss stayed soft and innocent. He'd let her move things along on her terms.

"Kind sir." She whispered against his lips and kissed him back softly, and when she pulled away she touched his lips. "Softer than I thought..." She mused and kissed him again lightly. "Uhmmm..." She muttered and looked up, spotting her brother but knew it was onlly a projection. He couldnt see them but they could hear him. "Done with your nap, swimming lessons started an hour ago." And then he disappeared.

"Great," Jason deadpanned. "Let's hope he doesn't try to drown me himself..." He gave Tomiko one more kiss. "It's up to you if we go or not. Swimming isn't all that different than running, it's just a different set of movements. It won't take too long for me to catch up to the others, as long as they're still working."

"I really dont want to go, but we should..." She said and lifted him and walked across the water and laughed. "There, you walked on water jesus." She said and dropped the water wall to see her brother. "Hi Miko." She said and kissed her brothers cheek. "Swimming practice, what are you doing just standing around." She teased and then spotted her. "Mom." She whispered and glanced at Jason. "Go do laps." She said and bit her lip. "What are you doing here?"

"I got a call saying you were becoming reckless. Appears I was informed correctly." She rolled her eyes and then glared at her brother.

"Tomiko, you have Americans in my home."

"MY home mom. You havent been here in months!"

"AMERICANS TOMI!!!"

"I like him! And Im not marrying Miko and Im guarding this castle and I am doing everything and you will be the one to come in and ruin everything Ive built." Water rose and her mother glared.

"Tomi, you know better! Water down!" It splashed on the floors. "I dont want them here."

"I dont want YOU here!" She said and her mother smirked.

"Then leave and take them with you."

"Fine, I will. And I will let the river fall with me." She said and then turned, walking away from her family walking to the pool.

Jason hesitated for a moment, and then nodded, leaving to go start his laps. Best not to get anyone else angry at him... The water was cool, and the pool was empty. The others must have already finished their laps, which was fine with him. He didn't want to have to deal with them. Robert already knew something was up, he was sure, and he had no idea what was up with Alexander. He worked on his laps for a while, not bothering to count them after he hit five or six.

"Jason..." She said and moved to sit at the edge of the pool. "We have... We have got to go... Get Robert and Alexander and pack. Im moving in with the villagers, Im not going to leave them. Ill call you a plane to take you back to headquarters." She said and bit the inside of her lip.

"Pack?" Jason asked, stopping his laps. He went over to the edge of the pool. "Tomiko, what's going on?" He wasn't stupid, he knew their assignment wasn't finished yet. "Why are you going to the village? Better yet, where did you get the idea that we weren't going with you?" He knew he was taking a gamble, volunteering Robert and Alexander as well, but they were a team, and he knew them well enough to know that they wouldn't leave without finishing their jobs.

"Ivebeen exiled. Traditionally I have 12 hours to leave my home. But I cant leave so i have to let them think i did. This is my home and i have to save it. If you all stay, youre breaking laws. A member of government has exiled us. We must leave." She whispered and then pulled his hand closer, drawing him in. "Ill call the plane. You pack." She said and kissed him gently.

"Exiled?" Jason asked after her returned her kiss, bewildered. "Why?" It didn't make any sense. Bracing himself on the edge of the pool, he pulled himself out. His mind was spinning. He didn't want to leave her, but at the same time, he might not have a choice, and the thought of being shipped out without her actually hurt.

"Don't worry about it. Just, get packed." She said and touched his hand. "Give me your address and phone number? Maybe if I do what needs to be done I'll find a phone and call you..." She whispered and bit her lip, still holding it all in. She refused to break in front of anybody. She had to save her people then do the right thing and disappear. "I've got a phone call to make." She said and then smiled happily, glad she got to kiss him before they left.

She walked to her room, refusing to be told no by anyone that day after what had happened. She then pulled out a phone and called headquarters. "Exiled. Plane needs to be here now. 4 seats, I've got to be dropped off." She said and the man on the other line agreed and hung up. She started grabbing clothes, or what she had of them that weren't bikinis. She had a few pairs of jeans and about 5 tank tops. She packed them along with bras and underwear, and zipped up the backpack after getting a toothbrush, hairbrush and toothpaste. She had plenty of money in the bank and she got a chance at the airport to withdrawal what she needed money-wise. Other than that she didn't have all that much. She already heard the plane as it came closer. She took her bags, and checked to make sure she had her passport and other necessities for out in the world, although she was sure she would have to buy the stuff she was sure to have forgotten. She climbed up to the helipad and the man bowed and she returned the grace and he took her bags and helped her in.

Jason rushed back to the room he shared with Alexander and Robert.

"What's the rush?" Alexander asked as Jason started to cram his few belongings into his bag.

"We're being shipped out again," Jason said shortly.

"What?"

"When did this happen?" Robert added.

"About five minutes ago, give or take," Jason replied as he put on proper clothes and dug around for something to write with. "Tomiko said she got exiled, and as we belong to her, so have we."

"Can they do that?" Alexander asked as he packed.

"Obviously they can," Robert pointed out. He discretely rubbed his chest directly over his heart. He didn't like what he was feeling from Jason. "Jae, you have to cool it." Jason looked over at him and then nodded.

"Sorry, man," he mumbled, trying to calm down. It wasn't easy. "Come on, hurry up."

"We don't all move at the speed of light," Alexander pointed out.

"I don't like leaving when we haven't finished what we were sent to do," Robert murmured.

"Neither do I," Alexander said, "but it's not like we have a choice."

As soon as the three were packed, they went out to where they heard the chopper landing.

"I need to be taken to Jaeyu?" She asked quietly and slid sunglasses over her face, drying her tears by pulling the water away from her face. She looked out the window and sighed when she saw the boys. And Miko following. "Tomiko!" He yelled and she stood, going to the first step as her brother came near her. He touched her face and sighed. "Marry me and you won't have to go. They still do, but you don't."

"No. Miko, go and have your celebratory tea party, I'm going to America." She said and then rolled her eyes. "Come on boys." She said, making room for them to crawl in. "Good bye, Miko." She said and shut the doors, sitting on the seat, touching Jacobs hand cautiously. She glanced at her territory. How could they ever actually expect them to leave?

((forgive me if I'm slow or misspelling things... i managed to burn my hand making dinner, and my finger is wrapped in ice and paper towel))

Jason took her hand softly.

"You can really go to America, you know," he murmured to her. "I'm sure my family will let you stay with them, and I'll get back there eventually." Before she could protest, he added, "if not, just remember what I suggested about flooding the village. It might come to that."

"I threatened to flood the entire territory. No, you go to America, you go home. You shouldn't miss your neice growing up." She said and kissed his cheek. "I'm going to solve this. Don't worry about me." She said and when the plane landed she bit her lip. "I'll call you?" She whispered and touched his cheek. "Tell Nathaniel I said you were as awesome as he told me you were. And he was right, you are a crucial part of my war." She kissed him again and kissed the other two's cheeks. "Stay off that hip for another 12 hours, you hear?" She said and grinned. "Now go. Tokyo to the airport." She told the... driver in Japanese. She slid out and immediately called Nathaniel.

"He's on his way home. I can't really talk, but hopefully I'll be able to see Riley soon."

Nathaniel frowned on his side of the line as she hung up. He hadn't even had time to say hello. What was going on? He didn't see this in his visions. "Sweety, I think your brothers coming home." He called and bounced his son gently in his arms, confused.

Jason returned the kiss, feeling helpless. He didn't want to leave her behind to deal with everything herself... Before he could make the decision to get out of the car, though, the driver sped off.

"Damn it..." Then a thought occurred to him. If her family didn't know she wasn't leaving... Maybe he could stick around, too. Not the whole team, though, just him.

"What are you plotting, Jason?" Robert asked.

"I'm done plotting," Jason replied. "I have a plan." Quietly, he explained what he was about to do.

As soon as the car dropped them off at the airport, he turned and ran. If he really pushed himself, he would be able to make it to the village by nightfall, and he'd be moving fast enough that nobody would really be able to see him, as long as he kept to the outskirts of town. He didn't care if the higher-ups got mad at him, he was doing what he thought was right.

Andy looked at Nathaniel curiously when he got off the phone.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "He's not due home for a while, I thought."

"I dunno, just got a strange call from Tomiko, the princess? It sounded bad, but, she said he was coming home and... that means... Oh your brother is about to do something really REALLY stupid and completely like me!" He muttered and then grabbed a diaper bag. "Come on sweety, We've got to go to headquarters." He said and kissed her temple. "Just grab an overnight bag for both of us and I'll get Riley's." He said and then groaned. The chief was going to need some talking down, and nobody better to do that then a confused, angry woman!

**

Tomiko sat with the villagers quietly. They all sang songs of hope and she showed them who she was but asked them all to keep it a secret then told them her story. They didn't hate her even though some of them had been killed or taken. "I promise, the night time fires will be ending soon." She said and then grinned at a family of 4. They were cute. She then saw it. Just a flash. "Jason?" She asked, amazed she'd seen anything in the setting sun's alignment.

Jason couldn't remember ever running so hard for so long, but he eventually made it to the village. He skidded a bit as he stopped, but he dug his heels in and managed not to fall onto his face.

"I probably just made a lot of people mad, but that's okay," he said. His whole body trembled with fatigue, but it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be.

---

Andy packed an overnight bag, wondering exactly what her idiot brother got himself into this time. From the sound of things, it wasn't going to be pretty.

"Idiot boy," she grumbled. "Sometimes I wonder if he even has a brain..."

"Did you just run from Tokyo?" She asked and stood, running to him and throwing her arms around him. "You're so STUPID!" She said and hit his shoulder and laughed, tears in her eyes. "You escaped for me." She whispered and kissed her cheek. People then greeted with a bow. She didn't deny what they all thought. That he was courting her, meaning he was of nobility from her choices. "Welcome, Prince Jason.... that's what they're saying. Nod your head, then say 'danya'. It's a different language than Japenese. These people have lived here longer than the language has, they still have a form of their own language." She said and then smiled. "They also believe women are better than men, until the man finds a woman to love him." She smiled and then heard it, the first beginnings of a crackle.

She slid around and nodded. "Move towards the castle, I give you permission to enter our grounds." She yelled and the people of the village quietly (or as quiet as 20 families can be) disappeared into the night. Leaving three fire wielders, Tomi and Jason. "Maya! No, you need to go with the others." The little boy, maybe 6 or 7, grinned, two front teeth missing. He was at that stage...

"I fight." He said and then smiled, taking her hand. She nodded and looked at Jason. "Don't go towards the castle. Remember how to find the one controlling. Give no hint as to who I am, okay?" She put her sunglasses on, even though it was nighttime, the others had their own, the smoke could really hurt. "Water, rise!" She yelled and then bit her lip. She was going to flood the area other than the m and the people behind her. Hopefully. She moved to her knees and concentrated. "Water fall!" She yelled and nodded to Jason. Any attempts. Stop them." This wouldn't end in a night, she knew it, he knew it, they all knew it." She heard the water and screams. "THEYVE GOT WATER WIELDERS! 100's OF THEM! THEY'RE CONTROLLING THE ENTIRE RIVER!" She heard yells not 300 feet in front of them. She felt her powers shift as others fought with her power, pushing it away from them. "No, Water drown." She said and heard screams. It was just small pack of men. "Go forth Maya. Agy. Jason and... Jason." She said and kept her head bowed. She couldn't afford looking at them. She had to focus on keeping their feet dry.

**

Nathaniel smiled and kissed his lover's cheek. "I have a feeling he's being braver than he is. No matter, you've got to console the rage of his chief. Before he lets him get killed." He bought the plane tickets and sighed. "We've got ten minutes before the plane even is ready to start boarding. Don't worry too much about him, he'll be okay, as long as the force doesn't show up. You have to start an uproar sweetie. Hopefully that's not too much pressure on you."