Lin fidgeted again. The night air was still pleasantly warm. The bench wasn't really that uncomfortable. It was late enough that few of the denizens of New LA were still out. She was just waiting for a friend. Why should she be anxious?

Because she was waiting for her friend. Because she had tried setting up a meeting in the dead of night. There was no use waiting to talk in the morning. All the questions she had would keep her up again.

It had been a week since Elma and her expedition team had discovered what had really happened to the Lifehold's central computer. The actual truth hadn't been officially released to the public. It was supposed to hold the digitized minds of twenty million people, and as far as the population of NLA knew, that was the case.

There was nothing there. The computer had been destroyed months ago, and all data on it was lost. Elma hadn't been careful enough talking about it in the barracks.

Lin had barely slept in the last week. She hadn't eaten much. Hadn't even done much. There was a maelstrom of questions in her mind, and they simply didn't allow room for anything else. And the list of people she could talk about it with was rather short.

She turned her gaze to the roughed-up piece of photo paper in her hand. It was a small print of an old painting, showing a winged man in armor stomping on some demon, poised to strike with a spear. And then, in her mind's eye, she could see when the print was new.

Team Elma had leave that day. She'd been on her way out of the barracks and to the hanger, when she noticed her amnesiac teammate, Michael, sitting at the table, contemplating the picture. She'd been overcome by curiosity, coming over and looking over his shoulder.

"What's up?" He turned to look at her, calmly. She was a little disappointed that she hadn't startled him. "Never knew you were such an art enthusiast."

He shook his head. "I'm just thinking. This, "he said, indicating the picture. "is Saint Michael the Archangel. Protector of Israel, Kiev, and other places that no longer exist."

She wasn't too surprised he knew that. He'd seemed like the spiritual type back during the incident with Faise. "So, why so intent? Want to improve your stomping technique? Or is it just because he has your name?"

"I was thinking about what an angel does if he loses a job. Does he get reassigned? Was he upset? Could he get upset? Is he trying to make up for it?" He held the card out to Lin. "Maybe you should keep this."

She stared at him. "Why?"

"Think of it as a little reminder to carry. Michael is out there, watching over you."

She had taken it without a word and kept it in her pocket.

"There you are." Lin looked up to see Michael approaching her. "You said you wanted to talk, right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. That works out just fine. I have something to tell you when you're done." He took a seat on the bench next to her.

"Heh. Why so mysterious?"

Michael gave a smirk, but didn't answer.

"I guess I don't need to ask if you can keep a secret." Lin said, savoring a moment of normality. "Have Elma or the others told you what they found in the Lifehold?"

"I haven't heard of anything noteworthy. What'd they find?"

"Nothing."

"So-"

"I mean that the data they were looking for- our minds- weren't there."

"Hmm." Michael gave a small nod.

"That's it? That's all you have to say?"

"Well what do you think it means?"

"What does it mean!?" Lin threw herself to her feet. "It means they're dead! All of them! Lao is dead! Marcus is dead! Lin is dead!"

For once, Michael did seem confused. "What do you mean?"

"Her body burned up on earth. Her mind was destroyed when the White Whale crashed. Everything about her is gone. I'm just… a copy. Just a robot with her face."

"So?"

Lin had no words. She just looked at him, stunned.

"Maybe the Lin on earth and you are different people. I don't think that changes anything. You're still the same girl I've been fighting side-by-side with. We've still laughed together. And cried. I've watched you grow up so much."

Michael looked her directly in the eye.

"You're still my daughter."

"Heh. Thanks, Dad." Lin tried to make it sound sarcastic, but her sniffling made it hard.

"And is being human really that important? Elma and Tatsu aren't human, but they're still our family."

"It's not that. It's… Have you ever had to think that maybe things aren't what you thought they were?"

"I have, actually. That's what I wanted to tell you about."

"What do you mean?"

"I remember."

"Remember what?"

"Everything. I remember my life before I woke up in Starfall Basin. I remember the earth. I remember who I used to be-who I am."

"That's great!" Despite that, Michael did not see joyful at all. "Or… not? Who were you? You'd better not be giving my that whole 'Don't Worry' bit while you're getting all angsty."

Michael shook his head. "That's not it. I'm not ashamed of anything. I have no reason to."

"So what's the problem? You're a hero here, you were a hero back on earth."

"I wouldn't say hero. I'm just a servant. And my task here was just completed. I remember everything- because now I have to go."

Lin frowned. "Go? Go where? What is there other than NLA? Where you a spy for the Wrothians?"

"No. I was a spy for the Nopon." It got a chuckle out of Lin, at least. "You're a great girl, Lin. You're going to do great things in your life. I'm sorry I have to leave now. I'll see you again, someday."

"When's 'someday'?"

Michael gave a sad smile. "Goodbye."

"No. No! Tell me what's going on! You're not making any sense! You can't just…"

"Do you remember that question I was wondering about the other day?"

"Yeah?"

"I remember the answer now."

"Wait-"

"Lin? Are you okay?"

Lin blinked. Hope was standing over her, looking concerned. She was sideways, probably lying on a bench from the uneven pressure on her body. She could see the reddish tint of dawn in the sky.

"What's going on?" Lin asked.

"You left the barrack and stayed out all night. Everybody's been looking." Lin didn't need to ask who 'everybody' was. Michael's circle of friends among BLADE were all familiar faces. "And we've been worried sick." She added with a not of scolding.

"I'm sorry but… Michael. Where's Michael? Last night, he was- he-"

"Lin, what's that on your wrist?" Hope asked, with more concern than confusion.

"What's what?" Lin looked at her wrist, and her eyes widened. She ran her fingers through it. It was warm to the touch, and sticky.

"Oh. My. God."

It was blood. Red blood, welling up fro a small, cross-shaped cut on her wrist.

Author's Note: Wow. This one has been sitting in my hard drive, unfinished for years. I was always torn between thinking it was interesting and worried that it was too weird. But, here it is.