"Hey, Tom, can you throw me an apple?" Jordan asked as he lounged back in his chair.

"When you use your manners maybe." The advanced creeper replied, dusting off his suit.

Jordan groaned exagguratetdly before replying.

"Pleeeeeeeaaaaase?"

"Well, since you asked nicely." He replied and plucked a bright red apple from the chest, tossing it over his shoulder and in the direction of Jordan without even looking.

Jordan caught it with ease and took a huge chunk out of it. Then quickly took another.

"You'll choke eating like that ya know?" Sonja asked as she walked in, followed by Tucker who was fixing his hat atop his head.

Jordan shook his head indecisiveley and attempted to speak with his mouth still full, only to begin coughing and spluttering as he choked on half-eaten apple. As his face grew red and then slightly blue, only then did anyone notice that he was actually choking. Tom came skidding over and slapped him with tremendous force on the back, earning Jordan's apple to exit his throat and crumble all over the floor. Jordan heaved heavy gasps as his eye's watered and drool fell over his chin. Sonja and Tucker stayed silent and watched with concerned expressions and Tom rubbed Jordan's back soothingly.

"Thanks...Tom..." Jordan managed to gasp out.

Tom didn't say anything but continued to rub his back as Jordan layed his arm on the table and his head in his arm, eventually being able to control his breathing. After a few moments of silence, broken only by Jordan's slightly raspy breaths, the group began to hear a ticking sound.

"Uh, guys?" Tucker started. "Anybody wearing a watch or bought a clock or something?" He asked.

"Nope."

"Not me."

"Nu-uh."

"Well then what's making that ticking sound?"

"Come on." Said Sonja. "We'll go look around." She suggested.

Tucker nodded and followed her as they headed off to the hallway. Tom began searching around the kitchen and Jordan went off to scout the sitting room. Once Jordan was there, he began searching through and under the couches, behind the shelves and all the appliances. But to no avail, he couldn't find the source of the ticking. In fact, he couldn't hear it at all anymore, so he rushed back over to the kitchen just as Sonja and Tucker entered also.

"You guys find it?" He asked.

"No, it's strange." Sonja admitted.

"Yeah, and annoying too! Because we went out there, didn't hear a thing, but now we're back in here, the stupid noise is back!" Tucker huffed in annoyance.

"Same." Jordan admitted. "I couldn't hear a thing until I came back in here. Tom?"

"The ticking hasn't stopped for me, it must be in the kitchen somewhere."

"Well let's find it so we can shut it up!" Tucker complained.

The whole group then went in search of the ticking, checking under the tables, chairs, behind the stoves, cauldrons and chests. But nobody could find it. Tucker huffed irritably and span around, only to crash into Tom and send them tumbling to the ground, Tucker's head on Tom's chest. Sonja giggled whilst Jordan blushed with crimson jealousy, but Tucker narrowed his eye's in confusion before lifting up off of Tom. Tom hauled himself up and brushed himself of the dust, looking up to be met with the astonished eye's of Tucker.

"What?" He asked.

"It's you. You're the ticking."

"Yeah, sure, whatever Tucker."

"No, I'm serious, it's in your chest, like a bomb or something."

"Tucker, stop scaring him." Sonja ordered gently.

"But I'm serious! It's like his heart is clockwork!"

"Yeah, that's very poetic and all, but I'm sure it's not true." Jordan piped in.

"Oh yeah? Well you go listen to it then." Tucker suggested.

"What!? I can't do that, we're guys, it wouldn't fit right!" Jordan exclaimed, blushing the palest shade while Tom narrowed his eye's, almost invisibly, in hurt.

"Oh, I'll do it!" Sonja said, and put her head against Tom's chest. "He's right!" She pulled away, shocked. "Tom, you really are the source of the ticking! Jordan you have to listen and believe us!"

"I...I..."

"Just do it!" Sonja ordered as she pushed him towards Tom. Tom just standing confused and powerless against Sonja's wrath.

Jordan sighed and did not look at Tom before placing his ear against his chest and listening closely. He tried to ignore the warmth that Tom was radiating and his soft breath on the back of his neck, and concentrated on listening for the ticking. Sure enough, just like Tucker and Sonja said, it sounded as if his heartbeat was a countdown. And as strangely beautiful as it sounded, it scared Jordan.

"Guys, what if this is bad?" Tucker asked.

Jordan pulled away from Tom as Sonja answered Tucker and looked at him, his eye's filled with fear and maybe something that was affectionate, but Tom couldn't be sure.

"That's ridiculous Tucker, he's probably just...umm...what have you probably just done Tom?"

"I dunno, maybe I've just realised that I may well have just turned into a time bomb!" He exclaimed, getting louder with ever word.

"Woah! Calm your blocks man!" Sonja warned.

"He's kinda right though, in a way." Jordan claimed. "We may need a better insight on this. It could mean something important."

"So what do you suggest we do?" Tucker asked.

"We need somebody else to take a look."

"And who do you suppose that will be?" Sonja enquired.

"A very, very powerful being that has more of...everything, than we do."

"Jordan." Tom said as he walked closer, his eye's burning with what seemed like fear for his own life. "Who's going to help us?"

Jordan smiled knowingly and layed a hand on Tom's shoulder, using his other hand to prop up his glasses.

"We're gonna pay a visit to our very own Lady Ianite."