A/N: Here I am again. Rewriting this story for the second time after a long hiatus. There have been some changes so make sure to familiarize yourself with those changes if you are a returning reader. I really would like to take the time to thank all the people who sent me PMs and reviews pertaining to the continuation of the story. Without you guys I wouldn't be posting this chapter tonight. One quick thing I should tell you all is I haven't read the third or the fourth books in the series so this story is an AU.
The usual disclaimer applies here, I'm not Ally Carter and I don't own the rights to the Gallagher Girls Series.
You know that feeling you get when you forget something? Oh you know what I'm talking about. One minute you know exactly where you are, what you want, and how you're going to get it and then snap! It's gone, and you're never quite sure how it happened. Then there's that small moment of frustration and confusion, then you remember again and everything is okay. Well just take the time real quick to imagine you've just forgotten something. You feel the frustration and confusion except nothings coming back. And when I say nothing… I literally mean nothing.
I'd like to think I was had a pretty good life before my… accident I guess you could say. The first few weeks after waking up I loved spending countless hours in my bed wondering who I had once been. Imagining myself living a glamorous life somewhere far away from this dreary hospital was a fun way to pass the time at first but it lost its charm quick when I realized something that crushed any hopes of returning to any sense of a normal life after I was 'better'.
If my life had been so 'glamorous' how come I was found abandoned on the side of a rarely travelled road in the English countryside? The gaping wound on the back of my head didn't really scream 'accident', it sounded more like murder to me. Even stranger was my lack of an English accent and any personal affects. No I.D., drivers license, wallet, pictures, nothing. I guess it's safe to say that nothing was ever going to be the same as it was before.
December 29th, 2012
Waking up in an unfamiliar place is always somewhat unsettling. When I woke up, my first reaction was to lie completely still. Cautiously, I opened my eyes and cringed as a bright light assaulted my senses. Blinking a couple times didn't seem to help so I gently brought my hands up to my face to clear my vision.
The first thing I noticed was the plastic bracelet around my wrist. Who the hell is 'Jane Doe'? I silently questioned myself. Unsure of the answer I glanced around the room hoping to find any sort of hint as to where I was.
A few seconds later a strong sterile smell assaulted my nose and I winced involuntarily at the stench. A little voice in the back of my head sighed and suddenly a word popped into my head. Hospital. True enough, after a once over of the room my suspicions proved correct. Right next to my bed sat a large piece of machinery that beeped at a steady pace. Another corner of the small room housed a few armchairs and a small coffee table. The walls and door were white and there were no windows. A hospital indeed. The Voice mused.
I slowly sat up and the starch white sheets rustled enough to alert hospital personnel I was awake. A middle-aged woman wearing the standard scrubs walked briskly into the room holding a clipboard making her look somewhat official. "It's nice to see you've finally woken up" she said brightly as she snapped on a pair of rubber gloves. Though it seemed she was speaking more to herself than to me she looked up as if waiting for some sort of reply. Meanwhile all I could really do was sit there with this unintelligent expression on my face. Way to make a great first impression. Voice sighed, somewhat frustrated. If there was an imaginary brick wall in my head Voice was probably smashing her imaginary head on it. Say something already!
"What do you mean finally?" I tried to sound confident or maybe even intimidating but all that came out of my mouth was a weak scratchy voice.
The woman took a second to pause while writing something on her clipboard. As if reading my mind she retrieved a glass of water from the tap in the sink. I downed the drink in a few seconds though it didn't really help the dryness in my throat. She set the clipboard aside on the table and took a deep breath. "You've been asleep for four days," she began gently as she sat down at the edge of my bed. "You weren't exactly in great condition when you arrived here. In fact you caused quite a scene when they wheeled you in. All bloody and broken," At those words my head started spinning. None of this is real. It's all just a dream. Realizing her words had upset me the nurse paused for a few seconds to allow me to digest this new information.
"Go on." I tried to sound brave but my arms where shaking and I was trying hard not to cry. Sighing sadly the nurse continued. "But no worries! That wound on your head is going to heal up nice and quick." she smiled at me. I stared blankly at her before instinctively bringing my hand up to the back of my head to see if her words rang true. I gasped when I came across a spot patched up with bandages.
"We had to shave some of your hair off so it wouldn't get in the way during surgery. You had quite a nasty bump back there." Something told me that my wound was a little more serious than a 'bump' but I appreciated the woman's attempt to sugarcoat my situation.
"Now, I know this is a little scary but I just need to ask you a few questions. You didn't have any identification on you when you were found so I'm going to need your full name and birthday so we can access your medical records. I also need to contact a family member or maybe a close friend…" She drabbled on explaining the hospital protocol.
Her questions hit me like a ton of bricks. I stared at the wall for a few seconds in silence, unsure whether or not to reply. Don't worry. Voice said, making another appearance. We can trust her.
"Excuse me, sweetheart I really need to know your name." The woman repeated.
I turned to look at her and cleared my sore throat. It killed me to say these words but at the moment I didn't have much of a choice.
"I…I can't remember my name."
The nurse paused as I said those words. The room was silently except for the constant beep of the monitor. The nurse's brown eyes furrowed in concentration and for a second I saw a flash in her eyes, like she was planning something. "Well then, I guess we'll just have to change that."
Before I could ask her what her cryptic words had meant a spectacled man strolled into the room carrying a steaming mug of coffee, completely unaware of the conversation that just took place.
"Ok Lena, how's our patient here? I trust she's doing well?" What happened next quickly became a blur. I barely remember Lena explaining to the doctor I was her estranged niece from the states who had come home for a visit. In fact, her performance had been so wonderfully deceiving that even I had believed her story. Despite the stellar lying skills Lena displayed the doctor still wasn't totally convinced, that is, until he took a sip of his coffee. After one sip his eyes glazed over and his mouth went slack. Without another word the slightly confused doctor left the room on Lena's command. She quickly turned to address me.
"I'm sorry about that." She apologized quietly. "He was really testing my patience there." She mumbled to herself but then her face broke out into a smile. "But no worries! Now we can check you out in a few days hassle free!"
"Why did you do that?" I had asked, curious to know why she had devised such an elaborate story for my sake.
"I did it because you need me." She replied and suddenly the illusion of the kind, English countryside woman evaporated, leaving an entirely different person in her wake, one whose aura exuded confidence and a hint of danger.
Trust her. The Voice insisted again, despite Lena's lethal appearance.
"Alright." I managed to say after some time. "But aren't you a bit worried about that doctor? What did you do to him?"
She smirked and then slid her mask of the polite tender-hearted nurse back on. "Nothing he will remember." She replied innocently.
Again, it seemed I had little choice but to go along with what Lena wanted. Sighing, I asked her, "So what's your plan now?"
"Now we find you a name."
December 31st, 2012
Althea, Altsoba… god were these actual names?
"Have you found one yet?" Lena asked as she leaned over my shoulder, curious to see how much progress I had made.
"No." I sighed as I set the rather heavy book down on my lap, feeling a little defeated.
"Gosh kiddo, don't be so hard on yourself. Going through that book is the best bet we've got so far so make sure to take your time. You might come across one that sounds familiar. Besides you haven't even finished the A section yet." Lena reassured me.
It had been barely a day since I had woken up at the West Suffolk County Hospital. In that scant amount of time I had managed to make a friend and become a part of a plot to get me out of the hospital.
I picked the book back up and continued reading aloud the names. "Alva, Alvera, Alvina-"
"Who in their right mind would name their child Alvina?" I giggled at Lena's interruption.
"Oh come on it's not that bad." I scolded Lena even though the name did sound pretty absurd.
"Okay… whatever you say." Lena huffed, sounding unconvinced. "However I forbid you to name yourself Alvina." I burst out laughing at Lena's command.
"Don't worry Lena. I had no intentions whatsoever of giving myself that name." I flipped the page and continued skimming down the rather long list. I giggled as I read some of the more…creative names.
When I turned the next page I stopped short and stared at one name. A name that seemed awfully familiar but one I couldn't place.
"What about Alyssa?" I questioned Lena. She froze for a second and her brow furrowed in concentration, something I noticed she did a lot when she was thinking hard.
"Does it sound… familiar?" she asked, her eyes boring into mine as if she was trying to read my mind.
"A little…" I answered, though I still wasn't certain.
"Well, why don't you stick to that one for now." She said grabbing the book and turning off the room lights.
I settled down for bed, preparing myself for a well deserved night of sleep. "Don't you want me to read the rest of the book?" I questioned, fighting the urge to yawn.
"No. That's enough for now."
January 2nd, 2013
The black limo glistened in the evening sunset as it pulled up the paved driveway. After turning a corner a large mansion came into sight. Zach sighed as he leaned his forehead against the window. Even after all these years the Gallagher Academy still maintained is mysterious aura. Though he had only lived there once for a semester of his sophomore year, Gallagher's ancient walls still felt like home.
He silently thanked the driver, a rather cold and distant ex-CIA agent who had retired quite some time ago. He also happened to be one of the few who knew the truth of what happened within the walls of the academy.
"Hey thanks for the ride Frank." Zach gave him a small waved to him and Frank grunted in response. Alright, I'll take that as a goodbye. Thought Zach as he ascended the front steps of the elite spy school.
He was granted permission to enter after going through the academy's intense security checkpoint. One of the guards beckoned him to follow.
"Ah, Mr. Goode," Said the guard as Zach approached him. "We've been expecting you, although you're a bit early." Zach was a bit taken back at the comment.
"I was expected?" He questioned the man. The security guard ignored his comment and blew a large pink bubble with the piece of gum he was chewing.
"Sure, the summons were sent out about a day or so ago." Zach managed to mask his confusion while he pondered on what the guard had meant. He had left one of his temporary homes in Seattle a day ago to travel to West Virginia. He must have missed the call by a few hours. Not that it mattered, he was here now.
"How many people were summoned?" He asked curiously.
The guard shrugged his shoulders and continued chewing. "Can't be sure of the exact number but I'd say a lot more than usual. It seems to be the entire graduating classes of 2010."
"Of both Blackthorne and Gallagher?" Zach couldn't deny the fact that he was interested now. A summons that large had to mean something important had happened. However, it also meant that she would be there.
Zach took a deep breath as he tried to sort the jumble of thoughts rushing through his mind. He really hadn't meant to yell at her, it was just a simple misunderstanding. He hadn't even registered what had happened until she slammed the door in his face and drove off. What had started as a little disagreement had turned into her leaving him. What a shitty way to start off the new year. He thought miserably.
He quickly brought himself back to reality as he approached the double doors that led to the great hall. Even though Zach was the grandmaster of making entrances he only managed to turn a few heads as he opened the doors to the hall.
"Zach, you're here!" An excited Tina Walters cried out as she came to hug him. Zach allowed Tina to briefly hug him. 1, 2, annndd 3.
"OK Tina… time to let go now." He said as he tried to pry Tina's arms off him.
Tina pouted and crossed her arms. "Come on Zach, how about you come sit over here with us." Tina pointed towards a few girls in another corner who blushed madly when he glanced at them. Great… fangirls.
Tina grabbed his arm and started to drag him over to her friends.
"No need to be shy Zachy, we're all friends her." Zach ripped his arm from Tina's surprisingly strong grasp.
"Look Tina, that sounds really nice and all but I'm going to go catch up with Grant." Zach nearly sprinted towards Grant's direction in an effort to get away from Tina and her little posse.
Zach collapsed in an armchair next to Grant who was busy reading a book.
"I see you're still quite popular with the ladies." Zach glared at Grant who was smirking behind the pages of his book.
"And I see you're still quite an asshole." Zach retorted. Grant swiftly knocked him in the head with his book.
"That's for being such a jerk and not returning my phone calls." He crossed his arms and turned away angrily.
"Stop being such a girl Grant… Besides I was going to call you soon."
Grant turned his head slightly to look back at his best friend. "Really?" Grant asked suspiciously.
"I swear. The only reason I hadn't called you before was because… I had a lot on my mind."
Grant's lips turned up into his signature smirk again. "Ah, I see. Would any of these thoughts of yours happen to be centered on a certain Gallagher Girl you will undoubtedly be seeing tonight?"
Zach sighed as he leaned against the back of the chair. "Yes." He replied softly.
Grant, being ever so cheerful clapped his friend on the back. "Don't worry! You still have time to prepare yourself seeing as she hasn't even arrived yet. There's still time to get out of here and escape the wrath of your oh-so-charming ex-girlfr-." Zach swiftly covered Grant's big mouth.
"Keep it quite idiot. No one knows that Cammie and I broke up yet, so don't go blabbing it to the world." Zach whispered in his friend's ear before retracting his hand quickly.
"Oh come on Grant that was so immature." He hissed as he wiped his slobbery hand on his jeans.
"You know I hate it when you cover my mouth like that!" Grant replied sticking out his tongue playfully. "It's as if you don't want to listen to the sound of my beautiful voice."
"Yeah I get it Grant, but you didn't need to lick me." Zach shivered in disgust. Even after all those years Grant still acted as if he hadn't aged since he was fifteen.
"Ok, it might have been a bit unnecessary but you really didn't need to cover my mouth, I wasn't being that loud…" Grant protested.
Both friends soon went back to sitting silently. They only spoke briefly when the third wheel of their group, Jonas showed up. Like them, he didn't have the slightest clue about what was going on.
Zach surveyed the room every few minutes to see if she had arrived yet, however there was no sign of either Cammie or her mother, the esteemed headmistress Rachel Morgan.
An hour after Jonas's arrival everyone in the room was anxious to hear of the cause behind the summons. Their answers were soon given when Joe Solomon entered the room.
Even though Zach hadn't talked to or seen his old teacher for years he could tell the man had changed. The faint dark circles around his eyes suggested he hadn't been properly sleeping and the way his mouth seemed to be set on a permanent frown showed that he was not the same person Zach had learnt from years ago.
"Hello everyone." Solomon said as he addressed his former students. Immediately the room's occupants had ceased their separate conversations and had turned their attention to Solomon.
"I'd first like to take the time to thank you all for coming here. Though there are some people who aren't currently present I'm sure they'll get the message soon enough." Everyone glanced at each other slightly confused at Solomon's words.
"So what's the message?" Someone said breaking the silence that had fallen upon the crowd of agents.
Solomon sighed as he seemed to be working up the courage to reveal the message. At this time the three friends all looked at each other somewhat worried about the current events. This had to be something big if it had Solomon worked up about it.
"What do you think it is?" Grant whispered to his friends but they both shrugged their shoulders.
"I've no idea." Jonas replied.
Grant snorted "Well most honored smart one, there is a first for everything." Jonas was about to retort but Zach shushed them both when Solomon was ready to continue.
"At Gallagher and Blackthorne there are … traditions that take place when certain events happen. One of these traditions is called The Reminiscence…" Solomon trailed off leaving everyone just as confused as before.
"What the hell is he talking about?" Grant groaned.
Jonas appeared to be deep in thought when suddenly realization dawned on his face which attracted the attention of his comrades.
"Guys, check the room to see if anyone we know isn't here." Zach and Grant looked at Jonas obviously puzzled by his request though they didn't refuse.
After briefly scanning the room Grant reported back. "Shane Rinson, Macy McHenry, and-."
"Cammie…" Zach said, cutting off Grant. Jonas's eyes widened slightly but before he could explain Solomon started his speech again.
"As I was saying, The Reminiscence tradition brings both graduating classes of our two schools together for a time span of three nights and two days. During this tradition we take the time to… remember our moments together." Solomon said giving a little smile which disappeared shortly after.
"As spies you will never be certain of the events to take place in the future, this tradition will hopefully help you realize the risks you are taking everyday." He paused for a few moments letting his words sink in before continuing.
"However, though this tradition may bring up the happy memories of your pasts it will also make you recognize the hardships to come." Whispers swept across the room and Solomon raised his hands to silence the young agents. He reached into his jacket pocket and brought out an envelope. He fingered the seal for a few moments and seemed to be toying with the idea of opening it.
"For the next few days I would like you all to remember your times that you shared with your first comrade to have fallen in the line of duty."
There were a few gasps from the crowd then suddenly the room burst into an uproar.
"What do you mean? Someone died!"
"Who was it?"
"How could this have happened?"
Through all the commotion Zach, Grant, and Jonas remained silent. Grant nearly jumped when Bex laid her hand on his shoulder. Her normally beautiful face was stained with trails of tears. Liz appeared behind her friend, the news apparently hadn't hit her yet seeing as she hadn't reacted to the news at all.
"Do you know who it was?" Jonas asked quietly, breaking the silence between the friends. More tears poured down from Bex's eyes and she buried her head in Grant's shoulder. Grant wrapped his arms around her slim frame in an awkward embrace, trying without much success to calm her down. Liz then chose that moment to speak out.
"Macy is still on vacation in Vermont, there are bound to be a bunch of secret service agents with her family. It couldn't have been her; it would have been in the news because her father is still a senator."
Jonas cleared his throat. "I used to work at the lab with Rinson sometimes. He just got transferred to a secret base out in the Mid-West; he probably didn't receive the summons on time." Everyone turned towards Zach looking for an explanation on why Cammie wasn't present.
"Zach… You know where Cammie is… right?" Bex nervously prodded him for an answer but he remained silent in a state of shock. No.
Surprisingly, Grant was the first to put the pieces together after Zach's prolonged silence.
"Oh God no, this can't be happening." He whispered, burying his face in his hands. Tears finally emerged from Liz's eyes and she gave out a soft cry as if she were trying to bottle up all of her feelings.
"This wasn't supposed to happen." And with those words Liz broke down into a flood of tears.
It wasn't until everyone heard the loud slam of the door to the grand hall that Jonas realized Zach was gone.