Adrika's POV

Life has been a scrambled egg was an understatement. Meeting Juro was much more confusing than I bargained for. I had this feeling this wasn't end of him. He had something to do with all these. There was no reason for it but I could not shake this feeling off. He was just too weird. Emma was finding out about him but as we knew it wasn't going to be easy. It was going to be too damn hard. In the meantime I engaged myself reading this doctor's notes. I could say it was quite interesting. He did get a lot of facts correct. That meant he was worth visiting. I took out my phone to call Sky to let him know. He didn't pick up my call. Maybe in a meeting or something. I called his office number.

"Hello.. Who is this?" A woman's voice said.

"It's Adrika. Can I talk to Sky?" I said.

"Ohh.. Sorry Mam. Mr. Herbert is quite busy now. If there is a message I can take?" She said in a syrupy sweet voice. Uh.. I hate this PA types.

"No. It's ok. I'll just drop by. Is Emma there?" I asked.

"Miss.Swan is not here. Mr. Herbert is with people of Family. It's better for you that you don't interfere." She said. So she wasn't just PA.

"I'm family. And if there is some matter that I should stay away I would hear that from my husband, thank you. And I don't appreciate my own employee telling me this. " I said.

"Madam Herbert! Are you threatening me? Clearly family won't appreciate your tone either." She said.

"Tell Sky, HIS WIFE called. Thank you."

I put down the phone. That wasn't normal. I got my coat and went towards my car. On my way I called Emma. She was in fact in a meeting but she left early.

"Who is she? I don't think she was any good news." I said.

"That's Bethany. And you are right. She is a bitch. She had been trying to set her fangs on Sky for so long. But you don't have to worry Ree. Sky doesn't pay her any attention." She said.

"She threatened me. Clearly he is paying some attention. I know Sky's family don't like our marriage but this never happened. I wasn't threatened so directly before." I said. "Anyway I'm reaching office. Meet me at the lobby."

I said before putting down the phone. I pulled at the empty parking lot. Suddenly I felt like I was being watched. I stopped and looked around. There wasn't anyone around. And I had bigger fish to fry that time so I just left. Emma was waiting for me. We both walked towards Sky's office. There were a man and woman with him. They were laughing and talking. The man looked like a typical businessman. Woman had blond straight hair. Always the sign of trouble. I walked in.

"Sorry to interrupt. Sky can I talk to for a minute." I said. They all looked at me.

"I thought I made it clear in the phone." The woman said. I ignored her.

"Adrika... Dear sister in law. What are you doing here?" The man said.

"Last time I checked this was my office Marcus. What are you doing here? Still doing mummy's dirty work I see." I said. I had no idea where these information coming from.

"Let's talk outside." Sky said holding my arm. We walked out.

"What the hell is your problem?" He asked me.

"My problem is your letting your good for nothing brother talking to your wife like that." I said.

"He is my brother. Its my family. They are already pissed at the situation here. If I want relations to heal, you want to stay away from them." He said.

"She threatened me." I said.

"She didn't. She just said not to come here. Still you are here. You are not my family. Stay away from the things that doesn't concern you." He said. I composed myself. That's true. It didn't concern me.

"Understood. Emma. Let's go. We have places to be." I said. Sky was holding my arm. I looked at it and he left it.

"As you made it so clear, I also want one thing to be very much clear. Lay your hands on me once again and I will break it off." I said.

Aarya, he isn't you. I said towards my husband. God I missed him. He was my peace. We didn't lived together for long but he was with me. Now I'm in a universe without his love. It's hards my love. I wish you were here. I was driving. Towards home. Emma wasn't saying anything. She is just sitting quietly. After a while she said.

"Hy Ree.. How did you know the way to office? You never been to there."

"I.. I don't know.. I just wanted to go there, I really wasn't thinking about the ways.. How did I know the way?" I said.

"I'm no expert but I think her memories are coming back..." She said. "Which is another proof that her and you are same. In so many different ways."

"Maybe.. That's why we need to see Dr. Yen as fast as possible. He had his facts true. He may be the real deal." I said.

"This is why you wanted to talk to Sky?" She asked.

"Yah. But as he has nothing to do with me. I don't think I want to bother him anymore. He is right its his life. I should just solve this thing and get out of this universe." I said. It was so weird to say.

"Great. Let's go now. I will call Leo and Maddy to join us there." She said. I looked at the rear view mirror.

"Umm.. Emms. We are being tailed." I said looking at the a black Impala that has been behind me for a long time.

"What?" She said turning around. "You sure."

"It's the Impala 1967. How can I be wrong about it?" I said trying to go faster.

"It's an Impala 1917 actually. According to our world. Who drives such an old car? Classic. I give you that. But too old." She said. I just shook my head.

"Do we have guns in car?" I asked. As my powers aren't working I would need to go old school on this one.

"Just try to loose them will ya? We don't have to kill them." She said.

"Call Mads. Put him on speaker." I said.

"Hi Mads.. You are on speaker. Someone is following us. It's an old Impala." Emma said.

"Adrika can you see their plates?" Mads said.

"I think so. Not so clear. But yah." I said.

"Ok tell me. I'll run it to see who they are." He said.

"Ok. Its KAZ 2Y5." I said.

"They aren't on list." Mads said. "Girls. This is shady. Get out of there now. Emma where are you?"

"Crossing fifth Avenue. Are you around?" Emma said while I was trying to loose them.

"Take the third left. I'll meet you there." He said.

"Ok. Thanks Maddy." I said before hitting acceleration.

When we reached Maddy was there pacing up and down the lane. He saw us coming and ran to us. As soon as I got out of the car he hugged me. Then he did to Emma as well.

"Are you girls alright?" He asked.

"Yah.. We are fine. We lost them around second crossing or something. Ree did a good job loosing them." Emma said.

"Why were you alone at the first place?" Mads asked.

"She came to the office for Sky." Emma said. Mads's eyes went wide. "Yah.. She remembered. Also she remembered Marcus the moron."

"Marcus the Moron is here?" Mads asked.

"Apparently. As usual... Sky.. You know freak out to see Ree." Emma said.

"If he has a evil family then why don't he wants to deal with it like he should have." I said. I didn't completely remembered his family but I knew they weren't good news.

"Because it's his family. People do stupid stuffs when it comes to family. You did." Mads said. He was right.

"Yah.. I would do that again. I get his point. Seriously guys. It's his family. I would let him do his business. And I don't want him in anything I am doing now. Emms if you think it's too much for you then I won't drag you into it." I said.

"Screw that. I'm in it with you. You said I'm like Subhadra. Will she leave you alone?" She asked. I smiled at her.

"Why did you went to Sky?" Mads asked.

"We need to meet Dr. Yen. I studied his paper and it is pretty promising." I said.

"Emma go to 'Bubbling Cauldron' and bring Leo. I'm going to take Adrika home. Meet us there. We will plan accordingly."

Mads said to Emma. She nodded and looked at me. I threw the keys to her. We came home in silence. When we reached home I realized I was hungry. It was lunch time so I went straight to Kitchen. When I cooked he made me a tangy ice tea. Bless his heart, the guy knows precisely what I need and when. We were casually talking about what I read from the files. When we heard Emma and Leo coming.

"In here guise." I yelled. They both came in as I was cooking. Mads was sitting near a big glass window.

"Told you Ree must be making lunch." Emma said.

"Yah. Sorry. What are you making Ree?" Leo asked coming to my side and giving a side hug.

"Caprese chicken. I know it's your favourite. Get me the bread." I said.

"I got it." Emma said while going to the bread cabinet.

We started our lunch. The chicken was good. For someone who doesn't cook Adrika did have some amazing ingredients. I get spices and herbs for all kinds of cuisine in the kitchen.

"Chicken's good Ree!" Emma said. "God I wish I didn't had coffee before."

"Yah. Me too." Leo said.

"Don't stress eat. I will make it again sometime." I said to them.

"Hi how did it go with Juro? I heard you got a creep alarm." Leo asked.

"No.. I think I judged him a bit harshly. He is a genius with rusty social skills. I bet I was that at some point of my life. He isn't that bad." I said thinking about him.

"Yah I think so too. He is a sweet guy. Maybe he was just a little nervous as his first encounter with someone who is also a genius and easily the most beautiful woman anyone ever seen. In order to make a good impression, he must have done a little extra." Emma said. I smiled at her. She was such a sweetheart.

"Guys totally do that. Don't you remember my first meeting with you?" Leo asked.

"You stutter for five minutes then spill hot coffee on me and gave me a second degree burn. Yes I remember." I said. Wow.. Her memories were hitting me hard.

"Wohh.. How do you know?" Leo asked.

"Second big hit of the day. Her memories are coming back." Emma said.

"Yah. Its not like I remember things. It just burst out unconsciously." I said.

"That's great. It will solve a lot of problems. How much do you remember?" Leo asked excitedly.

"Let's stick to the first hit of the day, Adrika you really wanna meet this guy?" Mads asked.

"Yes. His theory seem concrete. And anyways I don't have any other option. Only thing I got is I found a lead and I follow it." I said.

"Ok. I will dig him up after lunch. Maddy did you find anything on that car?" Emma said.

"What car?" Leo asked.

"Someone was following us in an old Impala. I could see at least two people in there. The car was old model but looked great." I said.

"No. I think the plate's a bogus. I found nothing on it. But yah the car was seen two three times in city in last week." Maddy said.

"Emms what's your best guess?" I asked.

"Hunters. They usually have these kind of old model rides. Seeing the fact that you were attacked by them, I believe these are bunch of others that are trying to finish the job." She said. Reasonable.

"Great. This is what I wanted. I don't have enough on my plate already? Now I have a Hunter's target on my back? Sweet." I said sarcastically.

"I won't let anything happen to you." Maddy said.

"I know. Guess we just have to deal with it." I said.

"Ree don't worry to much. We will figure something out." Emma said.

We finished lunch chattering. After that Emma started researching on the scientist. We just sat there helping them. After an hour or two she got an address. And off we go to meet him. Retro. The place was like a slum. Like a high-tech slum. Dark and neon lights were seem to be in a love hate relationship. Homeless people. Children. Cheap motels. Bars. It was just came out of a video game.

"There my contact says he will meet you there." Emma said.

"Only me?" I asked.

"Yah. He wants to meet you alone first." She said.

"Ok. Stay here. I'll call you." I said.

I walked to the place Emma pointed out. It was a cafe. As I walked towards it I felt a watchful eye on me. I wasn't sure who it was. I thought it was the man Emma was talking about, suddenly a girl came in front of me. She was wearing Gothic make up. Ripped black clothes. I would not deny that she startled me.

"Hi girl.. Nice necklace.. Mind if I take it.. The ring too.."

She said and was about to snatch the chain but stopped. I saw a katana blade was on her throat. The attacker was in shadow so I couldn't see him. It was definitely a man.

"Leave her alone." He said.

She nodded vigorously. He let her go and she ran away. It happened so suddenly that I couldn't even think of saying anything. And before I could gather my thoughts he was gone. Just like a wisp of wind.

"Thank you..." I said to the thin air.

"Miss Adrika!" I heard someone from behind. I turned around to face a scrawny little man.

"Yes. Are you Emma's friend?" I asked.

"I work for her. In a way. I wanted to meet you first to make a bargain with you." He said.

"Sure. Name your price." I said.

"I want no money. My son. I want you to treat my son." He said.

"Sure. You could have asked it to Emma as well." I said.

"No I want you to treat him. No one else. She could have gotten him to your hospitals. Not you." He said. So just a desperate father.

"Ok. Take me to him." I said.

"He lives down in.." He thought I was talking about the scientist.

"No. To your son. The reasons I have with the scientist can wait." I said.

He looked at me with disbelief. Then he nodded. I called Mads. They all joined us. Going towards the man's home whom I later known as Shully I explained everything to them. We went inside his home and he took us to his son's room. He was a young guy may be 18 or 19 years old. His eyes were red. Like a burn around his eyes. Someone definitely wanted him to be blind.

"Dad.. Is that you?" The guy asked. He was blind. Hopefully temporary.

"Yes son. I have someone who can help." Shully said. I sat near him on his bed Leo on my toe.

"What's your name?" I asked. He looked towards me.

"Ethan, mam." He said.

"Hi Ethan, I'm Adrika. I'm going to examine your eyes now. Do not panic." I said. He nodded. I looked into his eyes, holding his face.

"I've never seen anything like this." Leo said.

"I have. It's not normal. Ethan when did this happened?" I asked.

"Yesterday night." He said.

"Mr. Shully why didn't you taken him to the hospital yet? And don't try to lie because I know why?" I said to his father. He just broke down crying.

"Adrika what happened to the kid?" Leo asked.

"He has been poisoned by a kind of tropical snake. They spit poison to your eyes. They have a kind of germs in their body that affected the eye sight and these are now growing in his eyes. In very little time he will loose his eyes for ever. And I'm not saying it figuratively either. He will loose his eyes as in it will fall down." I said.

"I'll explain why I haven't taken him to hospital but please save him now." Shully said.

"Ok.. Get me that table lamp. Bright light will help these germs to slow down. I need some herbs and potions. How far is 'Bubbling Cauldron' from here?" I asked. Mads help the table lamp to Ethan's face. "Ethan look directly into it."

"We have herbs and potions." Ethan said.

"There are some specific ones. That I invented. You got them?" I asked.

"Yes. They are expensive and specific so I don't give them away. I test them for ingredients, so that I can duplicate it for retro people." He said shyly because technically it was stealing. I smiled at him as his father ran away to fetch them.

"You like herbalogy and alchemy?" I asked.

"I do. I tried to follow your work. Here in Retro, we cannot afford your potions and drugs. I try to make similar to those. Someday I will get to Bubbling Cauldron." He said.

"I bet you would. You were collecting herbs while this happen, weren't you?" I said.

"We aren't allowed to go deeper into woods. It's against truce. I didn't notice." He said.

"Don't worry I won't say anything." I assured him. His father came back and gave me a box of potions. "Good collection. When you are ready I will like to teach you some tricks about these Ethan." He smiled.

"Lee.. Mix these with these herbs and make the paste. I will prepare the potion. Ethan you have a flask and Bunsen burner right?" I asked.

"Yah.. It's over there."

He said pointing to one direction. And I started doing my job. It was prepared in a minute. I put the pasted herbs and potions on a cloth to wrap around his eyes. I sat with him.

"Ethan I am going to put this blindfold on. Ok? Let me warn you with will hurt. A lot. But if I do this right then with in 15 minute it will work." I said.

"I'm ready Miss Adrika. You can't be wrong." He said.

I put the blindfold on him. And he screamed. Shully went to him and hold him tight. I went to the door. I could not see him like that. I felt Maddy came up to me. We stand there for a long time before,

"Why you are doing this? Why wasting time here?" He asked.

"Because I'm a healer Mads. That's what I do. In any situation I'm a healer. That kid almost got blind. How can you be so heartless?" I said not looking into his eyes.

"It's true but not completely true. You could have send him to 'Bubbling Cauldron' for treatment. I believe older Alchemists could make this potions. I'm not heartless. Just there are logical way to deal with it." He said.

"It was Shully's agreement for his help. He wanted me to do it." I said.

"Really? Do you wanna try again because that lie wasn't convincing enough for me." He said again. I turned to him.

"My sons were of his age when I last saw them. My Aadi... Abhi.. Shree.. Som.. Sani...My Prithvi.. They were in their late teens like him. Yes.. You are right. This is personal." I said then turned to the darkness. I felt him holding me by my shoulder in a hug. I turned to hug him.

"I miss my kids Mads.. I miss my boys.. I miss my Vriti.." I said.

"I know Princess.." He said softly. Suddenly I felt like someone ran in the shadows. We left each other.

"There was someone right?" I said.

"Yes.. I can smell him." Mads said sniffing the air.

"Adrika.. Come up here." I heard Emma. As we reach them. Ethan was sitting straight.

"The pain. I don't feel any." He said.

"That means it worked. Good God.. Ethan are you sure there is no pain. Not even an itch?" I asked.

"No Miss Adrika. Nothing at all. Just the wetness of the cloth." He said.

"Ok." I said before opening his blindfold. His eyes were looking normal. There wasn't any redness or burns. He blinked two three times.

"Miss Adrika... What is happening? Why can't I still don't see anything? You said it worked right.. Miss Adrika.. I cannot.." He started panicking. I hold his both arm to calm him.

"Shh.. Shhh... Calm down buddy.. The treatment isn't over yet. The germs in your eyes are dead but the damage they have done to your eyes needed to be healed." I said. He stopped.

"So there is a potion.. I will do anything for you..anything.. Please..." Shully said.

"Only one thing can heal this kind of damage. And I have it right here." I said.

"What is it?" Ethan asked.

I smiled and stood up. I made Ethan to sat on the edge of this bed so I could tower over him. I hold his face and rised it. I places my face directly over his. My eyes were on his level.

"Don't close your eyes Kid.."

I said and closed mine to let my tears flow. I felt him shudder. I knew drops of my tears are falling into his eyes. I opened my eyes to see his eyes were glowing blue. Similar color lines were on his face as my tears running in his veins. I left his face.

"Tears of nature. The most powerful potion in this world." Leo said.

"It's cold. Like mint extract. But not painful." Ethan said. He blinked his eyes and looked at me. I smiled. "Wow... You are pretty."

"Congratulations on getting your sight back." I said.

"You cried for me?" He asked confused.

"Yes.. You reminded me of someone I could die for. Someone I did died for."

An

Hi.. Guys.. It's finally here. Do tell me how it was.

Please please please vote and comment.

Words bucket:

Bigger fish to fry : an urban slang meaning bigger problem in hand.

Bogus: an urban slang used for when something isn't legit. Fake.