"Well, it's official," said Ellie, unchaining the prisoners. "You're released." She stood and held her arms out for a moment, glowing brightly, then lowered her arms. "All your powers should be returned to you."

"Thanks!" said Rai, playing with a bit of air.

"Welcome," said Ellie, turning around.

"Does this mean you're not all powerful anymore?" asked Jack. Ellie shot him a filthy look and he began to crow like a rooster.

"Any more stupid questions?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"No," said Jack, massaging his throat. They both headed back inside.

"I'm not sure how much I like the idea of her and another guy living together," said Clay suspiciously.

"Oh, calm down," said Rai. "Like she and Jack are going to do anything."

"It's not Jack I'm worried about," said Clay, casting a dark look over his shoulder.

Meanwhile, with Ellie…

"Lady," said Chase. "I don't believe you and Clay should be together."

"Why would you say that, Chase?" asked Ellie.

"I spoke to Master Fung," said Chase sleekly. "And he said where you come from, we are merely figments of the imagination, merely drawings." He grinned evilly. "Is it really natural to be seeing a figment of your imagination?"

This sent Ellie reeling. She'd never thought of it that way. What was she doing? But she was so happy! She backed up a few paces, then turned and ran up the stairs.

Chase still had that wicked smile on his face. He'd done his part. He sat in her vacant throne to wait until her love came too late.

Back with the dragons…

"Somethin's wrong," said Clay abruptly, stopping in his tracks. "Somethin's wrong."

"What?" asked Omi.

Clay held a look of utmost horror on his face. "Ellie," he croaked, dropping his things and running back to the castle.

Back at the castle…

Clay, Omi, Kimiko, and Rai burst in and ran into Jack. He had a wild look on his face. "I haven't seen Ellie all day, and Chase is sitting in her throne, and I'm worried!"

Kimiko grabbed his hand and they all ran into the throne room. Sure enough, there was Chase, sitting on Ellie's rightful throne, looking for all the world like the cat who killed the canary. "Well, well, well," he said neatly. "What do we have here?"

"Where's Ellie?" asked Clay fiercely, staring Chase down.

"Now, now," said Chase. "Don't get 'strung out.'"

Clay ran forward, lunging with his arm in front of him and pinning Chase to the throne. "Where's Ellie?" he demanded with a snarl.

"On the roof," Chase said with a smirk, "killing herself."

All of the breath seemed to leave Clay's body at that instant. "No," he whispered. Chase's smirk still remained.

"We have to save her," said Jack, spinning around and running up the stairs to the roof. Clay barreled ahead of him. She'd confessed to him, she'd kissed him, what was she doing – ? Jack quickly matched him in speed. Could she never have seen that he didn't simply want the power, he cared about her as well?

They reached the roof. As they banged through the door to the roof, they saw Ellie. She stood on the turret of one of her walls, hair tied back in a black ribbon, one black-booted foot already off the wall. She turned and saw them. Her eyes widened and she prepared to take her final, last step.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!?!" screamed Jack, careening for Ellie as she leaped off the turret. He just barely caught her, grabbing her by the waist out of thin air and tackled her onto the stone floor, hard. She screamed in pain, throwing him off and clutching her ankle.

"To answer your question," said Ellie through clenched teeth, trying to stand up and failing miserably, "killing myself."

"Why?!" demanded Jack, confused and upset and not understanding and a plethora of other emotions.

"I'm tired of life," spat Ellie.

"Tired of life?!" challenged Jack. "Why don't you add some more salt to the wound?"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"We already think you're psychotic! This doesn't help matters at all!"

"You, who were so quick to join my team, think me psychotic?" asked Ellie, firing up.

"Yeah, actually," said Jack in a mock-thoughtful voice. "Yeah, I do."

"Well why don't you just get it over with and break another bone?!" she demanded. Her breathing had indeed become very light and blood soaked her ankle.

"Ellie," said Clay hoarsely.

"What?" she snapped. However, the look on his face stopped her. He looked…very tired, and very sad, and very…vacant. He looked like a man who'd lost all reason to live. He looked like she did when she'd looked in the mirror earlier that day, right after Chase had talked to her. "What?" she asked again, her voice softer and kinder.

"Why?" he rasped.

"I told you all," she said, turning away. "I'm tired of life."

He sank down next to her, lifting her up and pulling her into his lap. She still wouldn't look at him, so he gently turned her face towards him. "Why?" he repeated.

She began to cry. "I love you," she sobbed, "so much." She kept sobbing. "But I can't. And if I can't be with you, I don't see what the point of living anymore is."

"Why can't you be with me?" asked Clay. Was she…breaking up with him?

"It's not the way things are done where I come from," murmured Ellie.

"Listen to me," said Clay sternly. "Do you have any intention of goin' back where you came from?"

"No," said Ellie.

"Then why's there any problem?" he asked gently.

"There isn't any," she muttered. "Being stupid. It's just…where I come from, this would be regarded as insane, or impossible."

"Is this where you come from?" Clay asked.

"No," said Ellie.

"Then don't be worrying," said Clay, bundling her into his arms and picking her up. "I love you. Isn't that all that matters?" He smiled at her softly. "Come on, let's get that ankle fixed." So, the group trekked off, back towards the temple.