A/N: Hello new readers and old readers! This is actually my fourth piece for Darkest Powers, but I love this fandom so much that I plan to do a lot more in the future. In my last fanfic, Never Alone, I had posted up a poll on my profile and asked for suggestions on fanfic genre. The majority of the votes went for an "Alternate Reality/Universe fanfic with powers", so this is what this fanfic is going to be. I actually had an idea for an AU without powers, but I'll save that for another time. :) I haven't completely figured out every little detail of this story, but I got enough down to start it. As for the rest, I'll figure it out when the time comes. As for an estimate on the length of this fanfic, I would probably say about 20-25 chapters averaging 3000-5000 words per chapter. Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this one.

Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers

Amnesia

(A Darkest Powers Fanfic)

Prologue – 13 years earlier...

It was finally the day.

The day that I was going to live with my new mommy and daddy. Before today, I had seen them a few times in the house, each time bringing presents and candy for everyone. But I didn't think they would choose me. After all, I was the only one who couldn't remember her real mommy and daddy. Nor anything before I woke up in an unfamiliar bed and was brought to this place. Every time I try to remember, I couldn't see anything but darkness. It made my head hurt.

The other kids whisper about me. About how I don't remember anything. Everybody here knows who they are. Everybody except me. But that's not why they stay away.

I can see and hear things no one else can.

The grownups pat my head and tell the other kids that having "imaginary friends" was normal. But I knew that they didn't understand. The people that only I could see weren't "imaginary". They wouldn't laugh at me like the other kids. Instead, they would ask me things I didn't understand. Things that I couldn't do. But even then, they don't get mad. So I like them better than the kids who make fun of me. All the kids do. Except him.

Even if he can't see or hear them, he believes me when I say they are real. He is a little older than me, but he is much bigger. He is also smarter than everyone. But the other kids don't like him because he's different. Like me.

He is quiet like midnight, so I call him "Night" in my head. He doesn't say a lot to the others but he talks to me. And to the boy who comes to visit. But that other boy doesn't live here like we do. So I am his only friend here. He is also my only friend.

He is also why I can't leave.

I hide behind the shed in the backyard and make myself as small as I can. It is easy because I am smallest kid here. I had slipped out while Mrs. Talbot was talking to the lady and her husband. Both the woman and the man had been kind to me and I liked them. I liked the way the lady's eyes softened when she brushed my hair away from my face. I liked the way the man's voice was low and how his hands were rough but gentle. Whenever he talked to me, he would bend down so that I didn't have to look up.

I couldn't remember who my real mommy and daddy were, but I would have liked to think that they were like this couple. That was why it came as a surprise when Mrs. Talbot told me that they were here to take me away from this place. Away from Lyle House. Away from Night.

I can't leave. I can't leave. I can't leave.

Maybe if I was quiet enough, they wouldn't find me. Maybe they would forget. Maybe they would choose a different kid instead. The last thought made my tummy hurt. I liked the couple and watching them leave would make me hurt. But leaving him would hurt more. So I have to stay hidden. I closed my eyes. If I couldn't see, maybe no one could see me.

As long as no one finds me. As long as no one finds me. As long as-

"There you are," a voice whispers.

I opened my eyes to see Night peering at me, his face shadowed by the shed. "How d-did you find me?" I asked as he slipped in beside me.

He shrugged as he sat down. "I just knew," he answered as he squirmed to find a comfortable position.

I turned to look at him, his larger body barely fitting the space between the shed and the fence. It wasn't the first time he found me hiding. Whenever we played hide and seek, he always knew where I was hiding. No matter how good the place was. But whenever I tried to find him, it was impossible. I had asked him if he was cheating, but he had always said that he could hear me coming. Every time, I tried being quieter, but Night always won. He was the king of hide and seek. So it wasn't strange that he found me now.

"What are you doing here? Everyone is looking for you," Night whispered, bringing me out of my thoughts.

I hugged my knees and place my chin on top of them. "I don't wanna go," I whispered back.

A pause. Then, "Why not? You like them, don't you?"

I nodded as I thought about the couple. "Then why?" Night prodded.

Slowly, I released my legs and watched them slide down until they touched the grass. My feet couldn't even touch the fence. Not like his. "I don't want to..." I trailed off.

"'Don't want to' what?"

"...leave you."

A snort. "That's the reason why you won't go?" he said, disbelief colouring his tone.

I scowled at him. "You're my best friend. You're not supposed to make fun of me," I muttered crossly.

He raised an eyebrow at me, something that I could never do. "I'm not. I'm just saying that that's a stupid reason."

"Is not."

"Is too."

I crossed my arms. "I don't care. I don't wanna go," I stated stubbornly.

I expected another quick comeback, but Night was silent for a long time. His face grew thoughtful as I thought he suddenly looked a lot older than 8 years old. Visitors always thought he was older due to his size but I don't think that's the only reason. Night was more mature than any other kid here. He took life seriously and I think that was because he had lost his entire family in a car accident. He didn't talk about them a lot, but I knew he missed them.

Sometimes when everyone else is asleep, I think that Night is lucky to have known his family. At least he knew he had a younger brother. I couldn't remember anything. I had woken up in an unfamiliar bed with nothing but a necklace. Whoever gave it to me must have loved me.

So why was I alone?

But at the same time, I wasn't completely alone. Night was with me. I didn't know anything about families, but I like to think that he was part of my family. That is why I'm scared to leave him behind. Because it meant that I would be by myself again.

When Night finally spoke, his voice was softer than I had ever heard it. "You know..." he started as I leaned in closer to hear him better. "... I think you should go with them."

My heart thumped so hard that it hurt. It felt worse than when the other kids made me bleed. "Y-you want me to go?" I questioned, my voice sounding small.

Night sighed. "I don't want you to go. But you should. You'll live a better life with those grownups," he said as he looked towards the house. "There's nothing for you here. You got a chance to get outta here, so I want you to take it."

I felt the tears prickle at my eyes and sniffled. I didn't want to be a baby, but I couldn't help it. "What about you?"

He turned back to look at me. "I'll be okay. I'll find a way to get outta here too. Just not right now."

At this point, I didn't care that I was crying. "But I don't know them!"

Night placed a gentle hand on my hair as he made soft shush noises. "You will. They'll take good care of you. So please stop crying, Chloe."

Through my tears, I looked into his piercing eyes and saw that he really did want this for me. To get out of this place. To be with a family. To be loved. I rubbed my sleeve across my face and sniffled, trying to hold back my tears. "Is t-that what you want?"

Night's expression was torn between sadness and determination. After a long moment, he exhaled deeply and nodded once. "Yes."

I swallowed thickly as I pictured myself with the man and woman. I didn't know what it would be like and I was scared. But then I looked at Night. I could see that he really wanted me to get a better life. And he believed that the couple could give it to me. So for him, I had to be brave. "Okay," I whispered at last. "I'll-" I took a deep shuddering breath and expelled the last words. "-I'll go."

Night said nothing as he nodded again. His shoulders slumped as he slid his hands into his pockets. I knew that even though he was the one who convinced me to leave, there was a part of him that was sad. I wanted to make him feel better, but I didn't know how. So I just said, "I'll miss you."

I watched as his jaw twitched, his dark brows knitting together. I couldn't read the whirl of emotion on his face as he pulled his hands out of his pockets. He held his closed fist out towards me. Wordlessly, I cupped my hands together and he dropped a light papery object into the palm of my hand. I glanced down and blinked.

It was a piece of a puzzle.

I gave him a questioning look. Night looked down at the puzzle piece before meeting my eyes. "I want you to keep this. It's part of a puzzle that I'm working on," he said.

I frowned in confusion. Why did he give it to me? "But you can't finish your puzzle without it," I pointed out and he nodded.

"That's exactly why I'm giving it to you."

"Huh?"

Night took a deep breath as he folded my hands until my fingers were closed over the object. "One day, we'll meet again. When I get out of here, I won't stop looking for you. It might take a few years. Or a few decades. But I will find you," he said softly. "And then, we can finally finish the puzzle. Together."

I glanced down at my hands, feeling the puzzle piece against my skin. Before, it had seemed like an ordinary thing, but now it was something important.

I had to keep it safe.

"Do you promise?" I asked.

A small smile tugged on his lips. "I promise. I've always found you, haven't I?"

I smiled back at him, thinking back to our countless games of hide and seek. He was right; he had always found me. And he would this time too. We sat there in silence for a moment longer before a low voice was heard calling my name.

"Chloe? Where are you kiddo?"

It was the man. The man that was going to be my daddy. I glanced up at Night who nodded, signalling for me to go. I took another second to look at him, to remember his face, his kindness and his warmth.

Then without another word, I stepped out from behind the shed and ran towards the man.

A/N: Well, that ended up a lot longer than I had originally planned for the prologue, but it gives a fairly good view into Chloe's past and keeping things mysterious at the same time. I apologize for the word repetition and simple language, but given that Chloe is a young child here, I tried to keep it plausible. As you most likely deduced, Night is Derek, but the reason why I named him "Night" instead of calling him "Derek" is because this is a hazy memory for Chloe and due to that reason, she doesn't remember his real name, only a nickname she had given him. Does she actually remember this event in full detail? The answer is no, but as you'll see in the next chapter, Chloe knows enough to get the general idea of this memory.

And in case you missed it the first time: Do the characters have powers in this fanfic? The answer is "Yes".

With only one class this semester, I hope to update this fanfic a lot more frequently than I did with Never Alone. Anyway, I hope that you'll stick around. Please look forward to the next chapter!

-posted: April 27, 2013