Kyle XY {The absolution}

Disclaimer: By Popular demand and to stop the confusion I put in front of every change of POV the character of Kyle XY.

Prologue: {Kyle}

"You're my brother." He said to me as I had my hand on his throat and strangely I could tell he wasn't lying, but then again maybe he was. He was a great liar; he had lied to Jessi before and it's almost impossible to fool our kind.

"You're lying" I felt like I was repeating myself. I knew something inside of me told me that this wasn't right or fair that I wasn't doing the right thing. My hand was still clutching his throat and I just felt the weirdest sensation of being out of control like a spinning top that couldn't be stopped.

"I'm…not" he said, he was turning purple which meant he wasn't getting enough oxygen into his brain therefore the obvious color change. "I am your brother and Grace Kingsley is your mother."

I let him down, I couldn't do this to my…No, I wasn't ready to accept that even if it was real. Even if he could scientifically prove this to me, I still wouldn't know how to cope with that. He sighed as he breathed in and out his lungs working as he returned to his full normal color.

He looked at me with those dark chocolate brown eyes, that stare that never got me to fully trust him. But at this moment I looked at his eyes and they looked full of secrets rather than a terrible person…a killer, the killer that he was… the person I could never be.

He opened his mouth so he could begin to explain himself and then I felt a full terrible shock enter my body and I couldn't control this high voltage even after the third time. How could he do this to me once again? Why?

**

Chapter 1: {Jessi}

"Then we'd have to access the main memory frame and delete all his files. You burned the papers, right?" I said to Amanda after she'd pour out her intentions with Kyle. I mean, I was still a bit agitated but it sucked. I knew Kyle had feelings for her.

Kyle.

"No, I, uh, didn't." Amanda said shuffling through some papers in the desk.

That shock and bright light...

"Ahhh!" I couldn't help myself screaming.

"What? What's wrong?" Amanda asked me. Her aqua blue eyes shifted from side to side. I felt even more agitated, my pulse went up.

"It's Kyle…" I said, the blinding white light shocked me again." Something's wrong."

"What? What is it?" Amanda said her eyes teary. She put her hand on my shoulder and just as I was about to ask her to back off. I felt another shock rush through my body. "Jessi, please tell me what's going on."

"I don't know!" I wanted to know desperately what had happened to Kyle, my other self, my best half, my second pea in my pod…

Amanda fell down and yelled as loudly as she could. Her scream was terribly pitchy. I sighed. Nate had grabbed her and had been about to smack her pretty face, now any other day this would've been fine, but with Kyle in danger and so many things to be done I really wasn't in the mood. I kicked Nate hard in his groin…he groaned harshly. I took him by the neck again ( my signature move) and was about to put his unconscious body in the floor when the light blinded me again.

"Ahhh!" I couldn't help myself from yelling. Was I about to faint?

Apparently so, because Amanda helped me get up…

"Isn't there a faster way to deal with this?" she asked me in her stupid girly voice, nodding her head at the laptop. I groaned, I didn't like being disoriented and that's what it felt like not having Kyle by my side. The most important and best thing that had ever happened to me, the only person that believed in me when no one else did; he was in trouble and I was with her and couldn't save him.

I put my hand through the laptop and crushed it. Amanda screamed in horror or surprise…whatever.

"Let's go." I said harshly.

Chapter 2: {Kyle}

I awoke in a dark dank room. I didn't know where I was and I hated the idea of being here all alone with my family in danger. The Tragers were all that mattered to me…and Amanda… and Jessi.

I was in a machine similar to the one in Madacorp (the one that wanted to erase my whole memories) only this one had my head basically glued into its weird gear. I wondered how it worked and how I could get out of here, but straining my mind seemed like a burn through my whole body. Not just a minor burn, but a real burn that pulsed through my veins and even the air I breathed. I wanted to contact the only person I could contact, at least to know they were safe. At least to know that my reckless ways to find out the truth had put them all in miserable trouble.

I concentrated but that only seemed to make things worse. I tried to put a mental block on the bursting burning pain but I couldn't. It always got worse.

I closed my eyes.

Jessi…Jessi I called out to her. The only person like me in this world, the most vivacious, wonderful, most complicated beautiful being I've ever met.

Not even those thoughts could erase the burning searing pain I was going through. I screamed, even though I knew I shouldn't. He knew I'd be awake. I could feel him walking to my room, but that just made everything even worse.

The door opened.

"Kyle, Kyle, Kyle…little brother" he said in his mocking English accent. His hair was messier than usual; his bags under his eyes were profound and shallow. As I concentrated in these facts the searing pain slowly went away.

"Cassidy" I looked at him carefully, wondering what he would do next. I wanted to levitate, I was concentrating to do it but the pain suddenly got into my mind.

"Right, right…" he said moving around and touching some buttons. The sounds were C, Dm…the pain got worse. I wanted to yell as loud as I could. "You see, little brother, every time you use over 10 % of your brain you will get these weird shocks rushing through your whole body, which has to be why you're screaming." He looked at me and rushed on to keep pressing things. He pulled out some bottled water….where was I? "I may not be this whole complete intelligent person, Kyle, but I know what I'm doing and you thought I didn't, right?"

"I never thought that." Thinking like this gave me a mental strain, how confusing was it to adapt to this restrained self. He kept on going about the whole room, never looking at me twice. "Cassidy, why do you have me here? Where is my family?"

"I thought you'd ask, well Kyle, I really don't know." Cassidy said simply and looked away.

"You're lying." I said this calmly as I was stuck in the stupid force metal thingies… I couldn't believe I couldn't give those metal things a proper name because I'd be using more than ten percent of my brain which used a lot more I knew.

"It didn't hurt?" Cassidy asked with concern.

"No."

He went up and about to the place he had clicked some buttons and jumbled with them again.

"That should do it, up to seven percent only, little brother."

He said that and left…he left!

Chapter 3: {Jessi}

"Amanda, I would really appreciate it if you gave me some space." I said as I felt her skinny body on my left side. I shoved her softly." Come on, get out!"

"Ow! You didn't have to push me, you know" She touched my shoulder, I could totally sense her angriness which pleased me, but really I had more important things to worry about rather than getting Amanda pissed off.

"Fine, then just give me my space so I can concentrate and see if Kyle's in our house." I could feel her jaw tighten as I said that. I'm sure she knew she couldn't compete with that…at least just that.

Where was Kyle? He wasn't in the house; my vision didn't see him, why couldn't I see him? I groaned and put myself miserably on the floor. I concentrated hardly on sensing him, but it felt like his senses were off. Like when he was having those weird Viz Allati hallucinations. Was he having brain hiccups and why?

"Jessi, what are you doing?" Her voice had to be the most annoying sound in the world.

"I am trying to concentrate so I can know where Kyle is."

"How—how can you do that?" Amanda said her eyes darting all over the place. I knew she would figure it out. "You're exactly like Kyle, right? Well, not exactly…but I just know you can do the same things he can. That's the special connection you guys have."

"Of course it is, what else would it be?" I wanted to concentrate and I couldn't with her around. "Amanda, I think you should head home. Let's go I'll walk you."

"I want to come with you." She said defiantly. I pulled myself up and stared at her aqua blue eyes in the darkness. I intensified my vision. I wanted to see through her, but I wasn't that accomplished.

"Amanda, you can't come with me. I want to concentrate on finding Kyle and having you around me doesn't make that easy. Plus, if anything happens to you that would make Kyle unhappy and that would just…"

"You really like him, huh?" Amanda stated to me, it wasn't a question.

"Of course I do, but it's more I'm sure…" I said. I could feel her squirm, that was too much.

"Jessi, I get how everything with you and Kyle is but…"

"No, you don't know Amanda. I get you have this brave façade over you but you don't know anything about me. In fact, you don't know anything about Kyle."

And that was way, way too much…God, pleasing this girl was hard. How could Kyle ever put up with this? My head was already in circles and I wanted the lightening to end. I groaned.

"Urgh….!" I put my hands over my head. I wanted this to end.

Kyle…Kyle!

"Jessi, are you okay?"

"Please, just let me walk you home. I can fix this."

Great, now I'm Jessi the handywoman. Helping everyone in sight, but I liked this. I liked helping people out, even if it was Amanda. I specially liked this because it made me even closer to Kyle.

"If I leave will it help you find Kyle?"

"Yes" I said.

"Fine, let's go home."

Chapter 4: {Kyle}

I have never felt this way before. It was not only a disorienting feeling but a restriction to whom I was. What I hated most of being tied to this strange machine was that I did not know how my family was…the most important, most significant thing in my life. Without them I wouldn't be the person I was, even if lately I have stopped being that kind, generous person.

I tried to figure out a way to escape this without expanding a lot of my brain usage. I tried to keep it to a low minimum, but it was hard and my body felt tired and miserable. I wanted to find out how my family was even if I was dying even if I couldn't handle this machine and most importantly even if I never got out.

I wanted to get some sort of adrenaline rush people got in different horrible situations and salvaged the day. I couldn't quite remember much, because this restriction was terrible. I groaned at my lack of assistant to the Tragers. I had caused so much danger to them and I had brought them the distraught they didn't deserve because they were the best, kindest people in the world.

And then I felt it…a huge burn through my blood, through my heart, through every inch of my body.

I felt her calling me, and I wanted to pay attention so much but it hurt so badly I couldn't even deal with the pain. I groaned at her.

Everything felt silent again.

I heard Cassidy's footsteps.

"Why, hello, little brother" I hated the way he said this, with such ego and confidence that he had done his job. I hated him…I never thought I would hate somebody…but I did. I hated…him.

"Now, there's someone special I want you to meet." I looked at him. "Now, now, she doesn't bite. " I probably gave him a death stare. "Now, I want you to look at her and respect her, or I'll put your brain usage so low, you'll be having convulsions until you die!"

"I will" I said, refusing to let this hatred be the only chance of getting out. "Where are the Tragers?"

"Now, Kyle, you don't want them to get fussed up about you." He cocked his eyebrow." Though, they probably already are."

And then I saw her…it was like a blinding light. It was like all emotions ran through and everything in my body ached and ached. I wanted out. I wanted to be free. I couldn't be and I despised that. I truly did. But she….she was mystifying and it opened up curiosity in the midst of my pain.

Chapter 5: {Jessi}

I was in front of The Rack and I felt someone beside me. The person's heartbeat was beating crazily fast. He wasn't nervous he was more…anxious. I knew it was a man, it had to be the steps he took were not cautious by any means and he was breathing loudly too.

I didn't want to go inside because the Trager's were there and I didn't want to get them in trouble. I walked swiftly towards the dark alley were I had beaten up Lori…I never wanted to do that. To this day, I couldn't put into words or thoughts the reason why I had done that. I knew better now, but that day still haunted me the same way I was haunted by the day I was "born".

I was already in the alley…his heartbeat was way too fast.

"Okay, what do you want from me?" I waited for his appearance. " tell me now!"

I was getting infuriated. I moved around some trash on the floor and made a lot of noise.

"Come out!"

I waited.

"Mark?"

"How did you do that?" He said out of breath." How can Kyle do things like that too?"

"What do you know about Kyle?" I said angrily. His eyes shifted from side to side. "What did you do to him?"

I was too angry, I was too infuriated. I wanted to know where Kyle was, I wanted to know what they had done to him. Was he…? No I couldn't think that way. I had to be stronger than that.

"Jessi!" I heard someone say.

"Jessi, put him down." Nicole said to me. I had Mark by the neck; he was slowly turning an embarrassing shade of plum. I put him down, what had I been about to do?

He groaned as his body hit the cold harsh floor. Lori ran to his side and asked if he was okay.

I fell apart. What had I been doing? Why must I insist on being this way? I wanted to leave.

"Jessi, wait!" I heard Nicole tell me. I was about to run away but Josh and Stephen held me. I cried.

I guess I cried because I had been about to do another miserable horrific thing, but I cried mostly for Kyle, for not being able to save him or to help him.

Another light invaded my head. I yelled.

"Jessi, what's wrong?" Nicole asked me, her figure shifted towards me, holding me the way a mother would. The way Sarah never could do because Cassidy killed him.

Cassidy…

It was him, he took Kyle!

"Why were you doing that to Mark?" Lori asked me. Declan suddenly appeared behind her and Mark. "Tell me."

"Why don't you ask you boyfriend?"

"Ask him what?"

"Ask him were Kyle is! He knows everything. He betrayed you and everyone here." I screamed this at him. Mark kept his puzzled look.

"I don't know where Kyle is. " He wasn't lying. "Last time I saw him was in that weird place Cassidy assigned Latnok members to go."

"Then, why were you following me?" I wanted Kyle near me, I wanted that the most. I needed him by my side. I looked at Nicole's kind eyes and cried into her shoulder.

"I was just going to meet Lori and then I saw you and I thought I would ask you about Kyle. I just—"Mark didn't know how to express himself, and I guess I understood him a bit. Our kind, Kyle's and mine, was very different than the human race.

"I—I'm sorry, Mark" I sniffed and looked at him. " I just…want to know where Kyle is. I need him, I—"

I sobbed once again into Nicole.

"Jessi, it'll be fine." She said with notable concern for me. I wanted to leave.

"It's okay, Jessi…I mean you won't do it again." I could feel Lori's blue eyes on me. I nodded. Lori and Mark said their goodbyes and went inside The Rack. I saw…blood.

"Blood." I said. They both turned around and I could feel all their stares on me.

"What?" Nicole, Josh, Stephen and Declan asked me at the same time.

"Mark has blood in his jacket." I said." I used my ultraviolet vision and he does. It spells out numbers."

"What?" He said taking off his leather jacket. Then he saw the red drops on his jacket.

"781227" Lori read and looked at me.

"It's Kyle." I said having trouble with my breathing.

"You can't be sure it's his blood." Josh said to me.

"Yeah, Josh's right it probably is some sort of stupid joke." Stephen said joking around. All their faces stared at me in disbelief, but I knew that their words were more fear than they were disbelief.

I could separate the different substances than held blood: the plasma, the proteins, the red-blood cells…and the DNA. I didn't know I could enhance my vision this much, but remembering Nate's computer data. I knew that the blood belonged to Kyle.

I groaned and cried even harder.

"It's Kyle's."

Chapter 6: {Jessi}

"Jessi, Jessi…wake up!" My vision was blurry. I tried to focus on Nicole. "Jessi, I'm so glad you woke up."

Her voice, her eyes, her face…everything about Nicole was concerned. She had her hand around my face. I didn't want to remember but everything came flashing in my mind, but this time it didn't evoke pain through a blinding flash…it evoked emptiness.

"Jessi, I…uh, need to tell you something but I need to make sure that you…that you can handle it. I mean—"

"Of course I can handle it." I looked at her kind eyes. "Tell me!"

"Jessi, this is really important and…you'll have a choice to make." Nicole said this haltingly as if she were to regret saying it.

"Tell me, Nicole!" I demanded this from her, and of course I did. I would demand this, I would demand anything that involved Kyle.

"Jessi, I—the…blood on the back of Mark's jacket, it was written in droplets of blood."

"Kyle's blood."

"Yes, but…it had a certain way it had been written sort of like Morse code," she said and looked at how I was going to react. "I sort of figured it out and wrote it down here.'

"Give it to me…" I took the note and read it. "Grace Kingsley"

"Does that mean anything to you?" Nicole asked me. I tried to remember.

"Yes, Kyle mentioned it to me. She was in Adam Baylin's notebook." I looked at the paper and then looked at her. "Thank you for…figuring this out, Nicole, I guess I don't really appreciate you that much…or at least tell you."

"Oh, Jessi…" she pulled me in for a hug and looked me in the eyes." I—I know this is hard for you, having the possibility of losing Kyle and…"

"Wait! Kyle's alive?" I asked her. That fact opened up so many hopes.

"He might be, honey, I wasn't sure to tell you but I got a call from—"

"Cassidy?" I said furiously.

"Yes, and I know how you feel about him, but he said that he need or wanted something."

"In exchange of?" I asked her.

"If we give him the information we might get Kyle back, but if we do we might be putting the world at a huge risk." Nicole said to me carefully.

"I get it, Nicole, but don't you think the world would be a lesser place without Kyle in it?" I said this, my breath thickening. I wanted to cry again.

"I know it would, but if we do give Cassidy the information that he wants…"

"I need him, Nicole. The world needs him." I said to her. She gave me her phone, giving in. I knew she needed Kyle, who was her son, one of the best things that had happened to her.

"Track his cellphone and meet him. Don't search for Kyle. You know, he's in danger. I don't want you in danger too." She hugged me as I headed off to Kyle's room and plugged her phone into his laptop.

Then I heard a tap on the window.

It was Amanda.

"What?!" I asked her furiously after I opened the window.

"I was just wondering if you knew anything about Kyle." She told me in her wispy voice. She was fussing around with her hair and had bags in her eyes.

"You haven't slept, have you?" I asked her. It wouldn't seem fair to her if I lied, especially after she'd help me so much with erasing the information from Nate's laptop.

"I just want to know, Jessi."

"I promise you he'll be here soon. " I said to her, starting to close the window. "I hope."

I said this to myself as much as I had said it to her. I couldn't tell anyone about what I would do. It was so selfish. Nicole, herself, would have to keep the secret. Afterwards, Kyle must never find out.

Chapter 7: {Kyle}

I woke up and I had the strangest sensation like I had been lost. My head hurt in such a way. I was getting some flashbacks of what had happened. I groaned and got out of my tub.

"Hey…"It was Jessi, her kind and warm smile lit my heart up.

"I'm so glad you're here and better, Kyle." She hugged me tenderly. I smelled her scent and felt the electricity I had felt once before around her.

"What happened?" That question threw off the moment…her kind green eyes turned into a sea of remorse and concern.

"I'm so sorry, Kyle…I—I never meant for…for that to happen to you. I just—I sensed it too late and couldn't do anything about it. It killed me not doing anything about it." She looked at the floor completely full of concern and then smiled at me." I'm so glad you're here again with us, with your family."

She walked away from my tub and grinned at me, almost crying.

"I think Nicole wants to see you." She smiled at me in such a way…like she'd never seen me before, like she would've been glad to be with me even if it were for just a moment.

Nicole entered my room. Her kind eyes looked tired and lonesome. I smiled at her and I just hugged her.

"Kyle—I am so glad you're back home with us.'" she said this with her eyes tearing up. I was never sorrier than causing my mother so much distraught.

My mother …

My head ached and lightning flashed through my eyes.

"Kyle, are you okay?" she asked me concerned.

"I—I felt different for a moment. I can't remember much of what…happened." I said slowly to her. She hesitated…

"I want to help you remember, Kyle so you can get back to normal" Nicole said." I already scheduled plenty therapy sessions and we'll all help you with whatever we can help you with."

Help…

I groaned and fell down in my tub again.

"KYLE!" I heard Jessi's voice. She went and sat down next to me. She messed with my hair. "I'll do anything to fix you, I promise you."

I felt Nicole's angst at our endearing moment. Jessi didn't seem to mind, but I did.

"Can I rest for a bit?"

"Of course…" Nicole said pointing Jessi out of the room. "Amanda called; she said she wanted to see how you were."

"I'll see her tomorrow." I said. I wouldn't want to bother with my feelings yet. It seemed unfair. I still didn't remember much…what I did remember was her face.

She was mesmerizing. I remember her dark hair, her strong female features around her face, her deep dark eyes…Grace Kingsley.

Chapter 8: {Josh}

"So Kyle's basically to alien mode again, right?" I asked my parents ever so sweetly.

Right

Well, I needed to get busy; I was going crazy with Andy far away from me. God, I missed Andy—this stupid camera thing wasn't getting me enough time with her. They all looked at me with their faces shouting "Shut up, Josh!"

"Hey, I'm just telling the truth…" They all stared with the identical looks. Mom with her…I-can't-believe-you-just-said-that look and my dad with the…Josh-stop-it's embarrassing one, yep, they both stared. "I mean, Kyle just happened to be kidnapped and that's just impossible and then I don't know how he ends up here again. No one knows how. This is crazy; I am so starting a Kyle file again."

"You know, little freak of a brother, maybe you could back off Kyle." Lori said to me in her sarcastic little cynic voice. She reached for some orange juice as mom finished off the pancakes…ignoring me.

Time for a smart-ass remark.

"Well, my big skanky of a sister, what I can say is that you're little boyfriend is to blame." I said and then mom and dad really gave me dirty looks. Lori just sighed, put her glass of OJ down and left the kitchen.

"What? What did I say?!"

"Josh, you need to understand that this is difficult for Kyle, and you making jokes about it isn't really helpful." Mom said in her boring psychological voice.

"Yeah, son, why don't you go ask Kyle if he wants to play some ball?" Dad said in the voice that pushed me into doing something I didn't want to.

I mean, did they really have to talk to me like I was this ten-year-old boy?

"I think I need to go to my room and leave." I said. They Kyle situation was complicated enough without me getting involved. I began to walk away, then I smirked and turned around. "Oh, but if alien man does anything fun. Give me a call!"

I laughed at my lame joke and was about to leave the kitchen…

"J-Jessi…hi!" I said awkwardly to my parent's other guest.

She glared at me with her dark green eyes. God, was her look intense!

"I can't believe you're making fun of Kyle." She said in her weird, halted, raspy voice,

God, was she intense!

"I wasn't making fun of him." I said…or at least tried to say relaxed. "I was just…"

"Just making fun of a person that's been through a lot only to protect you and your family…"she said this in a manner that reminded me when girls cried." Kyle has done nothing else but protect you guys and this is how you repay him. You think that's funny, Kyle? Oh, I bet you do."

"I didn't mean it like that, Jessi" I said all serious and I was serious, I mean I cared about Kyle a lot. He was like a big brother to me.

"No, then what did you mean?"

I was about to answer her but the door rang.

**

{Amanda}

Come on, Amanda, just knock on the darn door.

No, just ring the bell!

Ugh, I couldn't believe I couldn't just do this. Maybe it was because I hadn't like really spoken to Kyle in almost a month and what would happen now? Where was his head at? Did I matter to him the way he had always claimed he did…or was his head…elsewhere?

I rang the bell.

"Well, hello, Miss Bloom" Josh joked and let me in.

I walked in and waved at the Trager's, but an unexpected yet expected person walked in.

"Hey…"Jessi said to me calmly. She didn't look angered or anything, maybe…and this was by a long shot…maybe we could be friends or were already in some weird, twisted way?

"Oh, hi Jessi." I said to her smiling. The Trager's seemed very surprised at this. I was too.

"Well, well…guess the Kyle-Jessi-Amanda triangle of hell is over." Josh remarked before going upstairs.

"Umm, Amanda, I'm glad you're here. We were about to have some breakfast, maybe you can talk to Kyle afterwards." She said inviting me with her arm into their dining room.

I swear Jessi just sneered at me, but she smiled at me and walked behind me.

I sat at the table next to Jessi. She looked weird and…friendly. She passed me the pancakes and orange juice.

I heard a door, a grumble and steps toward the table.

Kyle…

Chapter 9: {Kyle}

They were already at the table…my calculations were wrong. I had determined that the making of breakfast would take 45 minutes and 33 seconds—it had only taken 30 minutes. Perhaps I thought she started earlier.

I sighed as I saw my family sitting around the table waiting for me…but there was the addition of Jessi and Amanda.

My sigh was in frustration, I couldn't—I didn't know how to handle this situation. I didn't even know where to sit. There was an extra chair and I could put it either between Josh and Lori or Amanda and Jessi. Nicole made the choice for me and put it in the middle of Amanda and Jessi.

"Good morning," I said smiling and serving a few pancakes in my plate.

Everyone answered me and proceeded eating. Our breakfast got the most awkward when Jessi and Amanda both decided to pour me orange juice at the same time. It was…embarrassing and unfortunately, I think I was the only one who noticed.

After we all finished eating, I was about to offer myself to do the dishes but Jessi offered to help. I was…surprised at this, even more surprised that she did it happily. The Trager's all left. Amanda thanked Nicole for the meal and Nicole left with Stephen to the mall or something. Josh went to see Andy(in the computer) and Lori mumbled something about going to see Mark.

"Hey…"Amanda said awkwardly to me, her smile still shined like always. Her face made the butterflies in my stomach go wild. "How—how are you?"

"I'm fine." I sounded like a robot. I wasn't really sure how I felt and I wasn't really sure why I still lied to Amanda, even though she already knew somewhat of the truth.

"I—I just wanted to see how you were and since you never called back." She said this too rapid. I could hear her heartbeat far away like I had never been able to do that before. I concentrated and my mind and body just hurt. "I mean, we just left things…"

"Kyle, Kyle?" She asked as she put her hand on my chest as I lay there helplessly on the floor. "Are you okay?"

"Kyle?!"

That voice belonged to Jessi. I knew it in my heart that she had felt me….she had known that I was in trouble. She put her hand on my chest and concentrated to help me remember, but the images she threw into my mind were harsh and loud.

I begged her not to show me more.

"I'm sorry…" she said as she helped me up. Amanda stood there sideways not sure of what to do. I got up, embarrassed, not knowing what to do. I once again felt lost and alone. I felt as if I had been torn apart but somehow was completed by…I didn't really know by whom I was completed.

"Kyle, I—I didn't mean…" Amanda said to me as if she were to cry. I hated seeing her like that.

"This isn't your fault, Amanda" I said to her, but that confused her more.

"I—Amanda, I think you should just talk to him when his mind is fully restored. I'm sure he'll explain everything to you." Jessi said this so calmly. It was as if she was one of the best people I've met.

Before leaving, Amanda said to me:" No matter what, I'll be here, no matter whom you are or what you do." She hugged me and left.

I sensed something I had seen before. My mind was full of darkness and pain…

I still wanted to know who Grace Kingsley was and so I began to question Jessi.

"She's no one, Kyle." She said to me smiling so tenderly I knew she couldn't be lying. "I guess you saw her on your father's notebooks, but she's no one."

"No one?" I asked confused.

"No one that's worth it." She said calmly as she put her hand over mine. " I want to help you, Kyle, I want you to return to normal…to become like you were. I am not as good and as pure and as great as you are. I mean, sure, I may be faster, stronger and smarter, but you, Kyle…you're more than that combined."

"You're a great person, Jessi, whether you realize it or not."

"No, I'm a great person because of you." She said to me.

I smiled and said: "You are smarter than me."

"Stop it!" she said as she playfully punched me.

Chapter 10: {Lori}

"Mark?" I asked him tentatively. I bit my lip and walked around the table nervously. We were both at The Rack and he had already ordered me a yummy brownie with a Quad-choco Mocha latte. I loved that he already thought of me enough to order food for me, but I was in a rush.

"Yes, Lori?" He said to me with his smooth sexy voice that always had me going. God, he was irresistible…especially with that sexy hair. I brushed my hair and sighed. I had to ask him. Sure, maybe I had let all the Josh nonsense get in my head, but hey! He was abnormally right, or could be…maybe Mark had to do a lot with Kyle's disappearance.

"I—I wanted to ask you, God, this isn't really easy." I said as I took a sip of my coffee. His deep eyes just looked at me and passed through as if I were naked in thoughts in front of him.

"Ask me what?"

"Ask you what happened that night…with the whole Jessi/Kyle thing." I finally said, maybe this would be it.

He sighed angrily and punched the table, but only slightly. Sure, he wasn't really muscular. He looked down at the table and then back at me, he repeated that numerous times.

"I was just wondering what happened, plus now that Kyle is back I want to help him remember and you have to help him, please!" I begged him because that was one of the only things I could do. I just crossed my arms until I waited for his answer.

"Lori, you have to understand that what I do in Latnok—"

"So you won't tell me?" I replied him angrily. I mean, how couldn't he not tell me?!

He just stared at me, mouth open…and nothing came out of his mouth! NOTHING…

This angered me more.

"Fine, Mark, keep your stupid Latnok secrets that put me in risk and, you know what? I'm not really that important on this matter…what's important is my family and Kyle and you won't even have the decency to tell me what the hell happened that day…so fine! Keep your darn secrets!" I said as I left in a huff.

I couldn't believe Mark, I heard his stupid, sexy voice calling after me.

I couldn't handle him.

**

{Declan}

"Oh, come on, Hillary, you know you so wanted me." I said to her playfully. I was really glad things were back to normal now that she and Lori had fixed things up, things I had screwed up between them. It was just that now playing around with Hillary was fun…she was fun!

"Stop it!" she said as she playfully punched my arm. Hillary proceeded to shove my shoulder. She was really pretty when she was angry.

We were about to enter The Rack when Lori pushed its crystal shiny doors open. She looked more upset than ever. I had known that at least I hadn't caused this terrible face upon her beautiful one. Hillary gave me a look and then chased after our friend.

"Lori!" I called after her, Hillary too.

"What?!" She said furiously…Whoa, she had never been this furious and I knew Lori like the back of my hand.

"Lori, what's wrong?" Hillary asked her so full of concern. It caused me even more guilt to know I had separated these two fantastic friends.

"I think I just broke up with Mark." She said seriously.

"But why?!" Hillary asked her. "You two were great together!"

"Well, apparently we weren't." She said scrubbing her tearful eyes clean. "But whatever, it's fine."

She looked at me in the eyes and I sensed that it had to do with something we couldn't speak of, at least not in front of Hillary.

"Hillary, why don't you get Lori a banana-and-peach smoothie?" I asked her nicely and she happily skipped off to buy her friend one.

"Lori, what's up?" I asked her. I needed to know anything that could be helpful so I could help Kyle.

"He won't tell me anything, Declan, not a thing!" She said crying. "I'm just so frustrated because I—I trusted him and he can't trust me. He was there that night Kyle disappeared. Jessi wanted to get some information out of him and…and he—he's just a miserable son of a—"

"Lori" I looked into her eyes and hugged her. I kissed her head. "I'll find out whatever I can, okay?"

"Yes…"

"Do you trust me?" I asked her. I needed to know.

"Of course I do, Declan, with all my heart."

I sensed that she said this truthfully and I trusted her the same way too.

Chapter 11: {Jessi}

I know I was pushing him and I shouldn't have, after all, his head must still be at Nicole's psyche session when he opened up his mind a bit and that only made him more afraid of knowing what really had happened. I could sense it. His usually brilliant blue eyes looked opaque and tired. He was having trouble with breathing and opening up his mind. He did open it up to me, but it was so rare that when he did…I sensed Cassidy inside his head and I sensed that he was afraid of that…of him.

"Kyle, take a break." I said to him after having pushed him into full exercise mode, both physically and mentally, through the last hour.

He sat down next to me taking a huge gulp out of his glass of water.

"Jessi, I know you think that I'm not trying.—"

What?!

"Is that what you think, Kyle?" I said as I put my hand on his chest. I…loved touching him, I couldn't deny that. "I actually think you're trying so hard. I want to help you, but it's as if your mind has some sort of trauma locked in it that won't let me or you get in."

"You make a lot of sense, Jessi, but I just feel so helpless." He put his hand over mine." I need you to help me through this, tell me how you found me, please!"

"That's not important right now." I said to him, I still didn't know what lie to tell him, I knew I had to lie to him now because if I lied to him later on…he would know…

"It is important! How do you think I feel?" he was yelling now, I could sense the fury, frustration and confusion in his voice. "I don't know anything of what happened that night and the day before. I need you to help me, to be with me every step of the moment so I can know what happened. Please, Jessi.."

"I…"

He was so close to me now, my mind just sort of shut down. I could hear his heartbeat and mine beat at the same time. In the midst of his confusion and everything that had happened I wanted us to work everything out and be together once and for all. No Amanda. No Cassidy. No Grace Kingsley. No Nicole…Just us.

"Jessi, Kyle!"

"Tom!!!" I went over to him and hugged him tight. He was one of the best people I knew and he had always been there to help Kyle so that's why I called him.

"Foss…"Kyle said and shook his hand like a true gentleman, but I knew he was…ashamed?

"Kyle…?" I asked him seriously. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…"

"What is it Jessi?" Foss said to me, he wanted to know what I meant by my question but I didn't know myself yet.

"Kyle, what is it?" I said to him, comforting him as well as I could.

"I just didn't know we had to resort to this…"Kyle started saying. His eyes went into this intense blue haze. He was going to cry…I hated seeing him like this. "Just…going back to the beginning, why? What has happened to me? How—How could everything turn out this way?"

He fell down and yelled. I saw the blinding light again. My head ached with pain…pain even worse than that night with Amanda. I fell down next to him and yelled…We both begged it to stop.

"Jessi, Kyle!" Foss said trying to bring us back to reality…away from pain and suffering.

"I'm sorry, Foss…" Kyle said, out of breath and seriously.

"Kyle, you're going to have to trust me. You need to get back in shape." He said seriously and then with all the will power he had left in him, he slowly said what Kyle had been dreading to find out. "You're going to have to forget that night. In fact, forget it. Put no more thinking into it."

Kyle ignored him; I knew he still searched inside his mind for answers he couldn't get.

"Kyle, listen to me!" Foss shouted to him. "Forget that night, forget all that! Remember what you had before. The Trager's and Adam and Amanda…" I frowned. " …and Jessi and….me."

"That's what matters, Kyle." I nodded at Foss. "That's all that should matter. If you continue to put this up, I—I'm afraid that I might lose you and that can't happen, Kyle. Please don't make it happen."

I begged him to stop and he did. He looked into my eyes. He knew Foss and I were right. He nodded and started training with Foss. I watched how Foss was so controlling, yet protective over Kyle as if all the malice in the world would face because Kyle had such an important person in his life like Tom.

I wanted him to be well, but I started crying because I knew it was for the most selfish reason of all.

Because I loved him—and I wanted him to love me back.

Chapter 12: {Kyle}

My mind felt so replenished, so full of life…and best of all, back to normal. I wandered through the Trager's house, walking through it and sensing it with all my senses. I wanted to be with them every moment. Tom Foss had been so helpful, and Jessi had been so supportive of everything. She had been there through every step and every moment.

It had barely been two weeks since my disappearance and I hadn't been able to think about it, as a promise I made to Jessi. I wanted to keep it, but as much as I did I also wanted to find out what had happened. I knew it could set me back in my progress but I had to try.

"Kyle?" It was Amanda, she was in Lori's bedroom, tuning Lori's guitar.

"Hello, Amanda…" I said to her, every time I saw her I couldn't help but to smile.

"Hey Kyle" She smiled to me in the most beautiful, most loving way.

"I'm sorry I haven't talked to you since that day, but…"

"Oh, don't worry about it Kyle. I'm completely fine with it." She said as she put the guitar on Lori's bed.

"You are?"

"Well, no I'm not, but I'm trying to be supportive of you. "She said smiling at me. I probably looked confused. It was quiet for a minute, but I heard her beautiful, musical heartbeat and smiled at her.

"Thank you for that." I said to her.

"Oh, no worries, I figured that's what you wanted me to do." She said gleefully. Her hair had grown out a bit; I wanted to touch it with my fingers and just hug her and be with her.

"Thank you" I said to her. She got up from the bed and out her shoes on.

"I'm going to leave, I already tuned Lori's guitar because she asked me to do it, but she wasn't here and Nicole said I could just do it and leave so…" She was right in front of me and she was exactly 7.43 inches away from me. I could just brush my fingers against her cheek.

"Oh, that's all right."

"So, about what we were talking about last time. "She said pulling away from my gaze. "I didn't mean to work you up on it. I know that you have something to rely on, with Jessi, I mean…but I just wanted you to know that it's okay and, you know, I love you but I just want you to be happy."

"I'm not with Jessi…"

"So you're saying you don't have any feelings for her?" She asked me seriously, cocking her eyebrow. The smile on her face had washed away plenty of time before this question and I already missed it.

"I…" I bit my lip. I couldn't deny that, but I still didn't know how to deal with the situation or how to make sense of both my feelings towards Jessi and Amanda.

"It's fine, really…as long as you're—"

I kissed her. I didn't stop myself…I couldn't help myself. I was beginning to feel so confused. So I emerged myself in Amanda, and her scent and her musical heartbeat.

She pulled away. She looked at me, eyes watering, and said:" Kyle, if it were any other way I'd have you again, but I can't be with you knowing that you have her under the same roof and you two just have such a strong connection that everyone notices. It isn't just me. But if you do make up your mind, for real, I'd like to have you back. But I want you back, not a whole package that includes superpeople."

She left Lori's room, rushing past me. I sighed as I was so frustrated over this matter that I felt no one could help me.

"Hey Kyle." Jessi said to me as I felt I was going to cry…"It'll be okay, I promise."

Chapter 13: {Jessi}

I was tired of having him moping around and not getting around what he was meant to do. He was meant to be a great person, like the Gandhi of the 21st century, except he was more intelligent, developed, handsome…I pushed those thoughts away from my head. I knew what I needed to do in order for Kyle to become the best person he could be, the best person he was.

I loved him and as Amanda had once told me, when you love someone you put your feelings aside…and I would.

"Kyle!" I called him as he was practicing the movement of solid objects. His face was in full concentration mode. I interrupted him because I knew he wouldn't move it and I knew what he needed to relax. It was good that Foss wasn't there because if he had been he would have certainly reprimanded me.

"What's wrong, Jessi?" He scrunched his full, thick eyebrows together. He sensed what I had to tell him, but still didn't know how to handle that kind of…energy. The glass he was working on fell on the floor and shattered. I reconstructed it with my mind. "How did you do that? Can you teach it to me?"

"I will, Kyle, but…" I sighed. I really didn't want to give him up to Amanda so easily. She should work harder for him and I should just let him and her be. "there's something you need to know."

"What is it?" He said brushing his hand against my shoulder. I felt safe…I felt loved, but I was only fooling myself. Stop it, Jessi!

"You need to be with Amanda, Kyle." I pulled my shoulder away from his warm hand. He didn't seem to notice. He was way involved with his thoughts trying to place them together. He knew this was harder than any mathematical equation or anything he had ever tried, but he loved Amanda, and I knew it. He needed to stop pretending that I was for him or that I could be…I knew I wasn't…maybe he knew too. That hurt a lot. "You need to tell her how you feel so you can continue growing stronger and better, so you can help the world as the great, kind person you are."

"Jessi, I—"

"Kyle, stop!" I interrupted him; I had to interrupt him, before I interrupted myself. " You need to be with Amanda, I need you to be the best Kyle I know and unfortunately you're failing at that."

Oh no, tears were coming!

"Kyle, go and be with her and be happy and sure of what you want so you can be the best. Please, Kyle, don't hesitate with false ideas and intentions of—of what we could be, but we aren't and we probably never will, after all, why would someone as good and as kind and as handsome as you fall for a girl like me?" I took a breath. He sensed my sadness. "Anyways, I don't have any feelings for you…I don't…I—"

"Jessi, I need you to know something. " Kyle said. He put his hands on both my shoulders and my heartbeat quickened. I looked down because I was crying I couldn't look at him because if I did he would know I was lying." Jessi, look at me."

I did what he asked of me.

"Jessi, I want you to know that you are kind and good…" He hesitated. "…and beautiful and any person that knows you, and I mean really knows who you truly are will come to care and nurture and love you."

"Kyle, please do as I say!" I pulled away from him. I turned my back to him. "Go and be with her."

"I can't…"Kyle said, his lips quivered, I was hurting him.

"Why not, Kyle?" He tried to hold me, but I didn't dare let him. Then, he would know the truth.

"Because…"

"Why not?! Just go!"

It all happened in a millisecond. It was so fulfilling even after the third time, it did for me what it had done the first time he did it willfully. What I felt for him, what we felt for each other I knew was pure, intense and real. No one could change that and that's what changed inside that kiss. It felt as if the world slipped away and there was only one pod, the pod that contained me and him—together and forever.

Chapter 14: {Kyle}

It was a forbidden thing to do, but how could I dare be away from my other half? I knew that I was lying and deceiving my family, but it had to be this way.

"Hey, "I heard her voice and I knew it only spoke to me. Her once harsh heartbeat was now soft, caring and melodious. A melody that only played for me…

"Hi, Jessi…" I was being careful around her.

She pulled me in her room and kissed me in a way I had never been kissed before. In a way I never imagined kisses were. I was drawn into the bliss these kisses caused on me. They were always sneaked kisses, but great kisses they were. We were both on her bed, the same bed we had slept together. The first bed I ever slept in.

"Jessi," I said to her. She kissed my neck and chest. I had never felt this…hot. "Jessi!"

"What?" She stopped and smiled at me. She pulled her body to my side and laid there for a second. She probably felt regretful, but I looked at her and saw hope and belief in us.

"I'm glad we're together." I said to her as I carefully touched her cheek. She looked up and down and then into my eyes. Her dark green eyes were the brightest shade I had ever seen them and the both of us…together, we were unstoppable. I loved feeling her around. I loved touching and having her touch me. In many ways, I was frightened but in others I was finally…safe. "This moment is so perfect, so pure and so…fulfilling. I've never felt so…"

"Whole?" I grinned at her. She smiled coyly at me. Her perfect eyes looked straight to me and my eyes looked right through her as if she were crystalline water. "I feel so…"

"I know, it's a rush of emotions, I feel them too."

I felt it all the time, lately.

In a moment, I felt guilt and remorse, but those weren't my feelings? They were…Jessi's?

"Jessi…" I spoke her name softly as I kissed her hands.

"Kyle, it's just…"

"Kyle! Jessi! If you don't eat breakfast now! You'll be late for school!" I heard Nicole's distant voice break into our wall of infiltrated emotions.

Jessi groaned and fell from her bed taking her red comforter down with her.

We both laughed. She hushed me and then put her hands around my chest. I leaned in and kissed her soft lips kindly and she answered me hungrily. I looked her in the eyes and rushed her to the dining room.

How could something so wrong, so forbidden feel so right?

Chapter 15: {Declan}

I was running, even if my ankle hurt like hell…I ran! I ran towards answers and towards the more questions that would come from said answers. I wondered what had happened to Kyle every day he was gone. It was obsessive and I needed to know, I needed to help him.

I saw his truck…I saw him.

Foss.

I followed him and entered the place he was staying. I knew that he was always nearby Kyle even if he didn't show himself; he always took care of him, especially since Adam Baylin's death. Kyle is very devastated by the news, but with so many things on his mind now he is barely on grief.

I was inside. I was getting so good at this spying thing; I should get a medal for it…or even better a scholarship! Maybe they could make a sport out of this.

"Declan!"

His voice was harsh, as always…his face strict and full of his strong features…he was a strong man, a man any kind of person would desire being.

"Foss…"

"What are you doing or better yet what do you intend to do?" He had his guard on. He was restricting himself from me. He's never fully trusted me.

"I had to talk to you." I looked at him seriously; he noted it and asked me to sit down. I explained what had happened with Lori and Mark. I was about to explain the whole Cassidy issue, but he knew about the whole thing. Of course he knew, if anyone was to get a medal with the whole spying thing it would be Foss, not me…

"Declan, I think you need to get your busybody self out of this." Foss said strictly and overall seriously.

"I think I might be able to help, Tom" I replied acidly to him. He didn't get that I could offer the same protection or at least one as good as the one he provided to Kyle and the Trager's.

"Well, Declan, everyone's already in too deep." He said getting up from his chair and walking away from me. Why didn't he get that I could help him?

"I know, Tom, that's why I can help!"

"No, you can't" this time he yelled at me. "You can't keep getting involved in this! Besides, Kyle had some sort of traumatic experience with what happened…he won't open up to us!!"

"That's why I can help! I can spy, I can—"

"No, you can't!" Tom said to me, he hesitated and then sat on the chair next to me. "Here's what you need to do, go to high school, lead a normal life, marry the girl of you dreams and stop intruding in my job!"

I got so frustrated I left running, but that was after I kicked my chair down. I was so angry at Foss for not listening to me! I wanted to yell, I wanted to—

My cellphone rang…it was Jackie!

Even if Foss didn't want me involved I would be…I would get to the bottom of this.

Chapter 16: {Lori}

Aha! I did it; I finished my post-breakup Mark song! I think it rocks, maybe it's even better than Declan's one! Yeah, maybe…in fact, probably is! Especially since Mark is such a music snob! God!! It's so frustrating how I always wind up getting involved with relationships that don't work out. I mean, even with Mike Suby who was kind of sweet but he had those…ugh! I'm not even going to think about that!!

"Hey Trager!" I heard someone call me by tapping the window. What was Declan doing on my window? Was he spying on me??!!

"Declan, what are you doing?!" I replied to him, in full shock!

"I have something to tell you…" He was out of breath and sweaty…I unfortunately couldn't help but check him out, I mean I have since the beginning of Declan & Lori…oh, those were the sucky days! What am I thinking??!!

He got in and asked me for a towel. I handed him one and he started taking off his shirt.

"What's wrong? Does it bother you?"

I guess I must have done some weird noise I wouldn't want to recall…ever!

"No, uhh…don't be stupid!"

That's right, Lori Trager, collect yourself and be all cool. I crossed my legs and smiled at him. Hillary would be so proud!

"So, yes, I wanted to find out more about what happened to Kyle and I followed that crazy Foss guy and he's all like, 'don't intrude' and whatnot…whatever…so, Jackie called and I totally have an in with Latnok." He had a cute, proud grin on. I was proud of him…too bad I lost my Latnok connection.

"Well, I think we can help Kyle find out."

"Yes!!"

"But, Declan, I can help you find out…but if Kyle doesn't want to remember what happened. We can't help him." It was true…Kyle was all weird lately, even more than usual.

"Yes, but we can still help! I mean, he's busy with Foss Army Training and Jessi's weird…whatever they do." He said to me as if that made the whole spying thing right…

"Yes, but…"

"Come on, Lori, " He took my hand and stroked my back looking into my eyes. God, he had such an intense gaze. " we have to help Kyle, it's the only way we can figure out this whole Latnok thing!"

"All right, what did Tracie say?"

"Umm, it's Jackie and…"

This could really be interesting…if only we knew what was going on in Kyle's mind.

Chapter 17: {Kyle}

What with me and Jessi sneaking around and my training into becoming the person I once was…I had forgotten how things should be, silly things went by me, like time and family and friends. I was getting a bit frustrated with this and when I tried to explain this to either Jessi or Foss none of them were much help…

"Kyle, you have to focus! You have to finish Adam Baylin's legacy and help the world become a better place, so can you please try to balance the plate and jump all over the bridge I built?!"

That was Foss…

Of course, I knew he meant well….but I needed help with the rest of my life too.

"Kyle…I know…that…it's hard….for you…to understand…but…you need…to do this…for your sake…and the rest of the world…including the Tragers….I know…that you love them…but think of…what good…this…training does to you."

That was Jessi…

Although, I knew she meant well…the only training we were getting on that day was…well, kissing. She said that between kisses…I knew she cared for the Trager's but, frankly, she wanted me for herself. But that was Jessi.

Kissing Jessi and sneaking around with her and touching her and being with her was a mission. A mission I was gladly to fulfill, surely…but sometimes it made me…uncomfortable. Especially since most of the time we were sneaking around under Nicole's watchful eyes. Jessi didn't seem to mind at all.

She would say;" Kyle, don't you want to be with me? Don't you care for me?'

This always made me do "the speech". "The speech" was what I did feel for Jessi, but she was always so doubtful about us. I knew she was insecure, but I did care for her immensely.

I started hanging out more with Josh, I wanted to help Lori with her music but she never was around. I wondered about her, but instead found myself helping Stephen with the car or Nicole with dinner. I was with all my friends…except Amanda.

Jessi was very…jealous of her. I mean, she didn't restrict me from seeing her, but I knew it hurt her and I guess I was being a bad friend for it, but…I couldn't hurt Jessi like that.

There were other things that bothered me.

Sometimes I felt like both Foss and Jessi were hiding some things from me. I didn't know for sure and I couldn't really doubt Jessi, since she and I were one. My thoughts were her thoughts and her thoughts were mine. We both shared that…strange feeling…the same one I felt the day before I disappeared.

I saw a blinding light.

"Kyle, what's wrong?!" Jessi rushed into my room, leaving the door open. "What is it? Are you remembering?"

I don't know why this made her sound anxious as if…she didn't want me to remember.

"Nothing" I lied, but I had to. "I'm going for a walk."

I knew she knew I had lied to her, but she let me go just the same. She was frustrated. I started by hearing Amanda's beautiful music and then hearing just the sounds of different people fighting. I heard dogs fighting, I heard couples fight…the world seemed at war.

One fight caught my attention; it was strangely loud in my ears as if I were in the fight. The voices kept straggling me until I found out what I could make of them..

"But why would you care, I'm you brother aren't I? I'm your damn lousy brother?!" A grizzly man's voice exploded in my ears.

"No, you're not! You're not!!" A light woman's voice rang in my ears!

I was blinded by a light; I was detained by my senses. My hearing was all wrong I heard only a few words. I felt so weak…I've never felt that weak or…

It all went black.

Chapter 18: {Kyle}

I was back in my tub. The lightning in my room was peculiarly lit and I had the strangest feeling as if I were in a dream.

"Kyle…"

I turned my head to face the familiar voice that had called me.

It was Adam Baylin, he was sitting in my desk in his usual attire( a blue sweater with tan dockers). He was looking at me as if he could see through me.

"Adam"

"Hello, Kyle, nice to see you again." He said as he walked around my room. I stared at him and he kept walking and stopped into a drawing Jessi and I had made of the two of us. It was different…it looked exactly like the picture Adam and Sara had taken in front of that café. "That's such a nice picture, I remember the day. In fact, I remember the precise moment, the hour, the minutes, the seconds…milliseconds."

He smiled at me.

"That isn't a picture of Sara and you…it's a drawing of Jessi and I." I told him in all seriousness.

"Oh, is it? Oh, well, look at that…you guys are growing up fast. You both make a beautiful couple."

"No, uh..we're just—"

"Friends? Oh, my dear Kyle, it never quite is that way." He took it out of the bulletin board and took a good glance at it and then sat on a nearby chair.

I was quite shocked by his remark. In fact, I was quite shocked by his appearance. All these old feelings rushed by me. His sudden death…I was expecting it, but I was so frustrated I hadn't had a chance to see him one more time. My father.

"Are you alive?" He looked at me conspicuously.

"Am I?"

My reasoning told me that he wasn't, after all I did feel it in my soul…like he was missing, just gone. The grief I had once been entitled to enter me again. My father was dead and there was nothing I could do to change those facts.

"You're not…" I knew that he was dead, and I knew that if there was an afterlife, which was scientifically impossible, he would be with Sara. "Why did Cassidy kill Sara?"

"Why do you think that?" Adam asked me again, this was some sort of mind game. I was getting agitated and most of all frustrated…but then I realized.

"Your death wasn't an accident. Cassidy… Cassidy found you and killed you." I put my analysis in his hands.

"Of course not."

'No?" I was getting downed by him…what had happened?

"Do you really doubt Foss' protection over me, over us?" He asked daringly.

"Of course not, he's the best man for that job." I started thinking in my mind all the patterns that could fulfill this possibility.

My head ached.

"Grace Kingsley." I stated to him. He just looked at me and then continued to stare at the drawing of Jessi and I.

"Who was she?" I demanded knowing.

"How would I know?" He asked rhetorically.

"Aren't you a figment of my mind?"

"Of course I am, but that means you should know."

"I know?"

"Look deep inside you, Kyle, you're better than this!"

I got up from my tub and paced around the room. Adam just continued to stare at the drawing. I was sure he saw himself and Sara. Why was that so important?

"Jessi told me that Grace Kingsley was no one important."

He looked up from the picture.

"Oh, she's not? Huh…" He walked to the bulletin board and put two things in it. The drawing of me and Jessi and a paper I couldn't quite decipher. He sat on my desk again. I walked up to my bulletin board and saw what was written in it. It was a list of numerous people. The first name listed was…Grace Kingsley.

"Why is she so important then? And why would Jessi lie to me about her?"

"Oh, I don't know…to protect you?" he said to me. "To endanger you?"

"She wouldn't!"

"No, she wouldn't, but who could?" He asked me.

"Cassidy would…"

Cassidy…a million pictures rushed by me like an internal film of memories that had been taped with a heavy glued band-aid. I also remembered what had happened before I ended up here. Brothers…mothers…

"Mm…I think you're starting to make a lot of sense now, Kyle." Adam said to me slowly.

"Cassidy's my brother…" I stated to him.

"Oh yes, he is."

"And that Grace Kingsley woman is my…" I looked at the bulletin board again and that disappeared. "No, she can't be…what happened to me? What did Cassidy do to me?"

"How would I know? I'm dead, aren't I?" Adam said unplugging my computer and then plugging it again. I saw the screen of the computer and it showed the history of everything that had been manifested in it.

"It can't be…"

Chapter 19: {Declan}

"Kyle, Kyle!!" I knocked in Kyle's bedroom door. He didn't answer. Lori was even more impatient with him not answering.

"Kyle, come on! We need to use your computer!" She knocked at the door again and then kicked it open.

"What are you doing?" A woman's hoarse voice said. Her shadow appeared behind us and then the door closed without her even touching it. Jessi was too powerful for her own good.

"We just wanted to use Kyle's computer." Lori said to her.

"Use my laptop." She said handing her laptop to us.

"Thanks." I said to her.

"Next time have more consideration for Kyle. He is resting and has plenty on his mind! …so next time, well…let there not be a next time when you two lovebirds stop kicking on Kyle's bedroom door."

"Sorry, Jessi, but we were just—"

"Whatever…" she said as she rushed by us and yelled to Mr. and Mrs. Trager that she was heading out for a walk.

"What is with her?" Lori asked out loud. "I mean, she's just even more unusual than normal."

"I don't know, maybe she's bugged about what happened to Kyle too." I said to Lori, trying to calm her down.

"Of course she would…" Lori said under her breath.

"What?!" I asked her as I headed upstairs into her room.

"Well…"she whispered to me." Kyle and Jessi…had a bit of a moment."

"Moment?!" I asked Trager confused. Was she talking Girl Talk? I really hated when she talked Girl Talk!

"Kyle kissed Jessi…" Lori told me rolling her eyes.

"He did?!" I asked in shocked, as I closed Lori's door. "Wow, he's the man!"

Lori gave me the evil eye.

"Well, what's wrong with them being together?" I asked Lori.

"First of all, Amanda, second of all, they live together and third of all isn't it weird? Aren't they both like brother and sister?"

"Lori, of course they're not!" I said to her basically yelling and she hushed me. I mean, whatever Josh was probably playing G-Force with Andy and Mr and Mrs. Trager were probably making dinner. " Do you know about Jessi's mother and Kyle's father?"

"Of course I do, they're their genetic parents! That's why it's so weird!!"

"No…you see, Adam was in love with Sara, and Jessi and Kyle are basically their clones, which would mean that this was all like pre-destined or something…"

"Whatever, Declan, let's just do this." Lori said turning on Jessi's laptop. "Oh, this wasn't even the computer we wanted. We needed Kyle's!"

"Shh, I can totally hack into Kyle's computer." I told her devilishly, dating a super genius definitely had its pros.

"You can? How?"

"Jackie…"

'This Jackie person has definitely taught you a lot." Lori stated sarcastically. She typed in Jessi's password.

"How did you know that?" I asked her.

"Oh, I totally bribed it out of Josh who totally figured it out."

"What is it?"

"Kessi…"she muttered angrily.

"Oh…" I said as I started the hacking of Kyle's computer. It was simple really I just entered the IP address of Kyle's computer into Jessi's and then since the Trager's used a wireless server I slowly hacked into Kyle's computer, which unfortunately was locked by a password. "Do you know Kyle's password?"

"Nope…" Lori said." We're screwed…that one is definitely a hard one to figure out."

"Uh…maybe it's this one." I said as I typed it in the computer.

"Huh, it was!!" Lori said happily. Thank Jackie for all of this! "So what was it?"

"She could be you…no spaces."

"Uhu, what's that?" She asked me.

"It's a song…" I told her as I started to enter Kyle's history which had another password, which I figured out too. It was Noah (his "real" name) and then the other one was harder but it was Hollander (the surname of whom Jessi "was") and then (XYXX) I was pretty good at this and then Viz Allati.

"How do you know all those passwords?" Lori said outraged.

"It helps knowing him well." I said casually as if I were answering 2+2=4.

"What do they have to do with?" Lori asked me noisily, stretching her legs.

"Him…and Jessi..."

"Huh, gross!"

"Plus, the hints he leaves are not that hard to figure out."

"Whatever…" She said as I typed away only to find something unusually shocking.

"What?!" Lori and I both asked ourselves.

"It…can't be!" I said in full shock.

"But…why?!"

Nicole and Jessi were in this, there were videos of them entering a building which I knew to be the place were they had the "Kyle clones". They were entering Latnok, right after Kyle disappeared.

"Why wouldn't they tell Kyle?" Lori asked out loud and then we heard the door bust open.

It was Jessi…a full angry, frustrated Jessi.

Chapter 20: {Kyle}

"But why would they be entering that place? What is it?!" I asked Adam.

He looked at the file and the coding of the video. Adam turned around and stared at me then.

"Cool, how come you missed that?!" Adam told me happily.

"I didn't…I mean I just haven't been using my mind to my full potential."

"Why not?"

"If you're me, aren't you supposed to know the answer?" I told him repugnantly.

"Yes, but you haven't quite figured it out yet, you need to figure it out yourself…"he said and then he sat on my desk again. I stared at the computer coding and saw the picture in my mind.

"I haven't been using my full potential because…"

"Because you had been restricted from it, because you were adapted to a new type of mind usage…"

"Usage…" I said deep in thoughts, all he did was stare at me. It was a bit disturbing, even worse when he went to the drawing of me and Jessi again. "I was restricted from my full mind usage….that's why I haven't been well adapted yet…"

"That's what I said!" Adam chuckled away as he stared tenderly at the drawing.

"Cassidy did that to me, he put me in a machine that did that." I sighed frustrated. "But I still don't know what Jessi and Nicole have to do with this. "

"Jessi looks so much like Sarah…" he said tenderly stroking the drawing. "She looks so happy in the picture…that seems like such a disguise…she's temperamental, driven, competitive, and smart… and volatile."

He sighed loudly and strangely as he said that last characteristic that entitled both Jessi and Sarah. He put the drawing on my desk again and looked at me with sorrow in his eyes.

"Why do you keep bringing up Jessi?"

"Why do you?!"

"Is she important?!" I replied.

"For you she is…"

"Why was she with Nicole at Latnok?"

"Now, Cassidy kidnapped you, right?" He said thoughtfully.

"Yes, that's how he got me in there…" I replied, deep in thoughts.

"And wouldn't Jessi do anything for your sake?"

"Jessi…"

Chapter 21: {Lori}

"What are you guys doing?" Jessi asked us…and was she terrifying…uh, yeah!

Declan was all smiley with her and closed her laptop after typing a few things down.

"Uh, thanks for the laptop, Jessi…!" Declan said pretending that nothing had happened. He handed the laptop to Jessi and kept on smiling.

God, what kind of drug was he using?!

Jessi put the laptop on top of my drawer and looked at us angrily. I knew she was hesitating at what she had to say…but she was going to say it anyway…I knew it!

"What you guys saw is none of your business!" She said shutting the door, without even looking at it or touching it.

Jessi was too creepy for her own good.

"Hey, we saw nothing…" He said waving Jessi away, but that angered me.

"Nothing?!"

"Trager, come on!" He said putting his hand on my arm.

Jessi looked at me; her stare was so damn fierce!

"No, no come on! We saw something…" I said hitting Declan." And at least I want to know what happened!"

Jessi didn't look like she wanted to tell us.

"Trager, that was just nothing…" Declan told me…he was really infuriating!

"Of course it was! Spill it, Jessi!" I demanded crossly.

"Spill what?" Josh said entering my room. "Hey, Declan! Why's the party here and why wasn't the Joshinator invited?"

I groaned and fell back on my bed. Jessi sat on the edge of it, looking sad instead of angry. Josh and Declan looked at her in concern.

She started to cry…or whine, however you want to put it. Declan looked at me as if I should give her a good sister-to-sister talk. Please…

Josh put his skinny arms around her full body uncomfortably. She started crying and hugging him back, but he just couldn't handle it. It was sad I guess, but I wanted to laugh.

"Okay, I am so leaving…feel better, Jessi!" He said and before he closed the door he said." No good gossip is ever worth that.."

Declan smirked and hugged Jessi, while I tried to understand her.

"Jessi, what happened?" I asked her, in concern of her but mostly of Kyle." Please help us understand…"

"I just wanted to make things better…" she said gasping for air as she bellowed. "I wanted—I wanted…"

"Shh, Jessi…shh!' Declan said hugging her tight in his arms…I was totally having a Jeclan flashback….and eek! Now that made me want to puke! "You can tell us later, just put your thoughts together and relax."

She cried and cried…and I just couldn't help but to think that she had done something terminally wrong, something that we, or maybe Kyle, probably won't accept.

Chapter 22: {Kyle}

"So, Jessi betrayed you…" Adam said to me as I shut down my computer. I knew I was in this eerie dream, speaking to Adam (myself) because he was the person that comforted me the most. I didn't know what to believe, I was too distraught in my own thoughts.

"Did Sara betray you this way, Adam?" I asked him, wanting to know the answer even though…

"How would I know? I'm you?" He asked holding up a drawing of a beautiful dark-haired woman with stunning almond eyes.

"Who's she?"

"You know who she is, son…" Adam said to Kyle as he stuck the picture up on the wall and then gave me that serene, kind smile he always had.

"Grace Kingsley…"

I remembered everything that had happened. I remembered how Cassidy had shown her to me and I remember how she spoke to me about how she was my mother the same way that Brian Taylor was Jessi's father. They used the eggs of her and drained out her DNA genetic information that was how I was made. That was why Brian's paternity test with Jessi had turned out positive in a simple manner; it was beyond crazy to know that I had a mother that was like that…she was mystifying and looked supernatural even though she wasn't.

"Adam, how can I find this out?" I said to him desperately. He just looked at me. I couldn't search for answers in him, no matter how much I wanted to, it just wasn't possible to speak to a dead person. It…wasn't. I resigned into finding out more with him. I had known enough, I needed to trust my instincts about this and face Jessi.

{Jessi}

I was feeling scared, lost and alone, as if no one could understand how I could let this happen. I had brought Kyle back home as I had followed him in his walk and he had collapsed. I was hurt by that, I was hurt for what was to come. I was simply hurting. I needed someone who cared about me and there wasn't anyone who could understand.

Not Sarah, my mother, that had been killed by Michael Cassidy ( Kyle's….brother). Not my father, Brian Taylor, even though I had taken his last name as mine I wouldn't have accepted this, but Sarah had told me how important and significant he was, because even though he had created me in his own terms for his own vanity and jealousy of Adam Baylin—she still told me how much he had cared about Sarah and therefore somewhere in his mind he would have to accept and acknowledge…and maybe someday love his own daughter.

As I was wrapped in Declan's arms, feeling Lori's intent and nosy ways as she stared at me. I felt…drained, like I had been lying to myself, and I was. I had lied to Kyle and therefore I had lied to myself. I was such a good liar; I sometimes wished that I wasn't.

"Jessi, Jessi…come on, tell us!" Lori said pulling on my shirt. Declan gave her the can-it stare.

"I—"

"Jessi…"

I heard his voice and my heartbeat sped up. It couldn't be stopped. I heard the resentment in his voice. I got up and saw as he avoided my eyes and our bodies pulled together by our own gravity. It was now normal, the way we were pulled in together. It was like we were unstoppable and we did. I didn't even feel when Declan let me go or Lori scoff as I pulled myself close to Kyle, to my other half…to my soulmate.

"I'm sorry, Lori…" He spoke softly, still avoiding my eyes. "I have to talk to Jessi."

As we walked down to his room and he took my hand in his guiding my blind senses to our destination. I felt most awkward; I had never felt this betrayed, this hurt. I knew what was to happen and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

"Jessi…" He said pulling me inside his room and shutting the door close. He seemed to look around for his desk. Why couldn't he even look me in the eye? I wanted to cry…

"Kyle…" I said brushing my fingers against his. He pulled his hand away from me. He looked me in the eyes. There was hurt in his eyes, there was betrayal and…pain.

"I want you to know why you did this." He said turning on his computer to a video of me and Nicole entering Latnok headquarters. "I want you to tell me why you did this. Answer me, Jessi,"

His voice was so stern, so un-like Kyle. He was hurting me more than he knew, and he couldn't even sense it because he was being stubborn and close-minded with me. As if—as if he didn't care.

"I—" I said getting close to him. He pulled away. He was running away from me. This hurt…this was…too much. I started to cry." I saved you, Kyle. I saved you from Cassidy and Latnok and Grace Kingsley and everyone that wanted to hurt you."

"I need to know how and I need to know why…" He got closer to me, wishfully hoping to understand the mistakes of my actions.

"I gave Cassidy the information he needed…the information that Madacorp wanted from me and you." I told him…it was the truth. His face looked as if he had tasted sour grapes. He looked at me in denial and disappointment.

"And you dragged Nicole into that?" Kyle said frustratingly searching for the black box Adam Baylin had left him in Zzyx. He found it and looked at me hatefully. "Do you have any idea how this can hurt humanity and mankind? Do you have any idea how this changes the course of everything? Because of your actions!"

He was so angry…he had never been this angry before. He continued to yell and expose his dark feelings towards me.

"Kyle…" I tried to interrupt his sermon.

"No, Jessi, you just stay away from me from now on."

I…couldn't even think that was possible. Nothing could set us apart, not even if he wanted to.

"Fine!" I yelled at him angrily, tears streaming down my cheeks. "I'll leave you and your family alone…!"

I ran so far away and detached myself from Kyle. My senses were off and I was free from Kyle and free from everything. He gave up on me the same way that Adam had given up on Sara…it was hard to believe but harshly true. Maybe Sarah was right…you did end up resenting the happy moments….even if they happened at great times and with the best person you know…or knew.

Chapter 23: {Kyle}

"Nicole, Nicole!" I called out for her frustrated by Jessi's actions. I found her chopping some onions and then she looked confused when I chopped them all for her and threw them in the pan.

"Oh, thank you, Kyle." She said cleaning up her hands. She smiled at me with her serene, beautiful, motherly smile.

"Nicole, I have to talk to you about something and I need you to be truthful about this." I told her…or tried to tell her calmly.

"Of course Kyle, what do you need to know?" I heard her heartbeat skip a beat. She was lying to me about something.

"Nicole, how did I get here?" I asked her directly. I could sense her lie now….I remembered how she had told me that it was nothing, how she lied to me. "You lied to me, Nicole, you and Jessi both."

"Kyle, we did that to protect you and your family." She said to me, but I wasn't listening anymore. She grasped my arm strongly and looked me in the eyes. "Don't you care about your family, Kyle? Don't you care what you were doing to us?"

"You don't understand the kind of trouble you put the world in, Nicole, you don't!"

I left her and went for a walk the same route I had taken before finding out this terrible news and lies and treason and ruse that came to me from the people that mattered the most to me.

Suddenly I heard someone calling my name.

"Amanda?"

"Kyle, what's wrong?" she asked me. I could hear her beautiful musical heartbeat. I saw the beauty in her eyes…and the care for me in the tone of her voice. "I've been calling for you for about half a block…I didn't know you could run that fast, but then again you can do anything."

"Mm…" I said under my breath. Her voice spoke to me; I could feel her sheen, soft skin without even touching her. I could sense that she wanted me with her. "What is it?"

"Oh, I just saw you so worried and…I wanted to know how you were." She said carefully. "I mean, you haven't called or anything and I just assumed you were angry at me."

"Angry?"

"Yes"

"I could never be angry with you, Amanda." I told her meekly. She smiled at me and I returned her smile.

"I just…"

I just kissed her…I couldn't believe what I had been doing, but the way she cared for me seemed the way I would always want someone to care for me. The way she put her arms around my neck and I in her soft, warm cheeks felt so right. We had never kissed this way, so passionately and strongly. I made this happen and now there was no turning back. This was done and I would be with her now…

Chapter 24: {Lori}

"Where's Jessi, Kyle?" Declan asked him accusingly. Kyle ignored Declan's question and I couldn't believe he was behaving so immaturely.

"Kyle, come on, she's missing and mom's all worried." I told him in all seriousness.

"I don't know…"

"Of course you know, Kyle! You were the last person that spoke to her!" I demanded to know where she was and he didn't answer. Mom was going to have a fit when she found out the way Kyle was behaving.

"Lori, come on! Stop!" Declan told me, punching me lightly in the shoulder. I gave him a death stare.

"Fine Lori, she ran away. I don't know where she is!" Kyle answered me in such a terrible manner. I detested seeing him this way. This wasn't the Kyle with the pure and beautiful soul everyone knew and loved. This was a person full of hatred for anyone around him.

"Kyle, you need to find Jessi and bring her back, man." Declan told her.

I mean, it's one thing if I ask for Jessi, since she's my sort-of-sister and all, but for Declan to be asking about her? Was he into her again? I couldn't believe so…he was such a damn a—

"Kyle!" Declan yelled at him as Kyle ignored him and went to pick up his cellphone. This was all so unlike him…I didn't even want to nourish the thought of why he didn't care about Jessi. I knew how much she liked him and if he had hurt her…

"Kyle, if you told Jessi something terrible you need to look for her. You need to find her and take it all back." He kept talking in the phone lightheartedly, without a care in the world.

"Bye Amanda…" He spoke slowly and sweetly into the phone. "I love you too."

He hung up…

I LOVE YOU TOO???

"What is wrong with you?" I asked him and just looked at him in disgust and anger.

"Trager, calm down, let him explain this to us."

"Are you back with Amanda and with Jessi at the same time?" I told him angrily and walked towards the door so I could leave. "I don't even know who's worse….Charlie or you!"

I shut the door of his bedroom close. I lingered near, but not enough so he could sense me.

"Kyle, man…we really need to know where Jessi is." Declan told him in a hushed voice.

"Why is that so important? Why is she so important to you?" Kyle demanded to know from Declan.

"Because if she ran away and if she's lost in this world they'll find her…" I heard a thump in the floor. Maybe Kyle sat down into his tub.

"Who will find her, Declan, who?" I could sense the desperation in his voice. I could sense he was angry at her.

"Latnok…" Declan finally said.

"Without you and the Trager's under her protection, they'll find her and kill her, man. You have to help her." I knew Declan put his hands on Kyle's shoulder. Those two really shared the Keclan romance. "I found out that information when I was at Latnok with Jackie. I overheard Cassidy tell that to a woman name Daisy or something…"

"Grace…Grace Kingsley." He spoke softly…his anger had washed away. His voice was now full of concern.

"So you see, you need to go and look for her and bring her back here, man. You got to do it."

"I…can't…she just…"

"Man, I know you care for her and I know that you think she did the wrong thing by saving you, but…"Declan started to say but Kyle didn't let him finish.

"That's enough!" Kyle said angrily. "I don't need you giving an opinion about this and that. I don't need you expressing things that you don't know about. Just go…"

Declan came out of the room and found me listening in.

"Declan…" I spoke his name softly and he pulled me into his arms.

"I can make this all better; I'll try to, Trager…"

Chapter 25: {Kyle}

I was on my way to my room; in my bathrobe getting ready for my date with Amanda…we were going to go see the new Star Trek movie. I wanted to fully understand this character…Spock—he seemed a lot like me. I heard a door open as I was about to open mine.

"Jessi?" I asked confused. Wasn't she gone? Wasn't that what Declan said? Had she been all this time here?

"Oh, hello Kyle…" I was confused. Wouldn't I have felt her presence here? Wouldn't I have heard her heartbeat? Feel her near me? What is wrong? Was my mind…off again?

"What are you doing here?" That was rude and standoff-ish, but I was still angry at her for betraying me that way…for betraying the world that way, for using Nicole, for giving Latnok what they needed.

"I…live here?" She answered me, cocking her eyebrow in her own Jessi face. I smiled kindly, but then remembered my anger towards her. "Umm, I'm just going to eat…Nicole made lasagna."

She walked away from me and helped Nicole set up the table. I changed quickly into the clothes I had picked out to impress Amanda. Was I missing something?

When I went out, Lori and Josh were on the table and Jessi was finishing up frosting a chocolate cake. She smiled at the Trager's and then looked at me…and smiled at me too. Lori looked at our smile exchange and gave me the beady eye. She was very angry at me. The heat in her cheeks warmed up.

"Hi…" I told the Trager's. They all smiled at me." I, uh…I'm going out."

"Yes, of course Kyle…you told me about your date." I thought I would feel Jessi's jealousy burst out and clash her feelings with mine….but I didn't. She just gave everyone two pieces of lasagna.

"Don't worry; we'll save you some…" Steven said smiling at me.

Josh poured the drinks and…looked at me. He looked at his family and then back at me.

"Uh…Kyle? Are you normal?" Josh said to me." Well, of course you're never normal, my alien friend! Oh, you're gonna see Star Trek, right? I see you as such a Trekkie!! Maybe you'll find Spock is just like you!"

"Josh!" Nicole gave him her stern mother look.

"So-rry!"

I left the Trager's house even more confused than ever. Wasn't Jessi missing and if she was and then came back wouldn't my family have bothered to tell me? And why didn't I feel her coming or just there? It had been three days since Lori and Declan had demanded to know where Jessi was and then…what happened? When did she come back?

"Hey, I'm here" Amanda said frightening me. "Oh, I'm sorry…"

"It's okay…" I heard her heartbeat…but why couldn't I hear Jessi's? What was going on and why were the Trager's leaving me out of it?

Chapter 26: {Josh}

I was just so fussed about all of this. I was keeping myself busy with extra shifts at The Rack, but it wasn't enough to keep me busy. I played G-force even more, but that made it worse. I kept seeing Andy through webcam, but that left me lingering for her to be by my side. This was just the worse…not even two-dimensional gorgeous honey bunnies did it for me.

I just sat there on my bed, staring at the wall ignoring the video call from Andy.

"Josh?" It was Jessi. She always came to my room without knocking. I felt it was so nosy…it just angered me, but now it didn't quite anger me as much. I really was entering depression. "Are you okay?"

"I just…want to be alone." I told her. She gave me a concerned look and looked the other way.

"It's okay if you miss Andy…"she stated the obvious to me.

"Of course it is! She was my girlfriend!"

"And you love her." That wasn't a question…

"I do…" I said and looked at her. She seemed like a good person to talk to, I mean she didn't speak a lot and well, I didn't really have any friends anymore because I basically had lost them since I started hanging out with Andy…God, Andy! I wanted to cry, but I didn't know if that was…normal."…but I miss her so much and I want to be with her every second of the day and she just moved and now I'm all alone here and…I just—"

"It's fine, Josh…" She said stroking my back in a very sisterly way…" You just need to be strong for you and for her because that may be all you two have and that may be the string that holds you both together. So…do it, if not for you…for her."

"Thank you…"

{Lori}

"Tell me how…tonight I'll be your love…" I sang and played G, D and Am. Did it sound any good? It was frustrating and now I didn't even have Mark. Hillary and Declan were all great awesome friends who could stand my music, but…I needed a strong, truthful opinion from someone that could help me.

"Hey…" Jessi said entering my room. She smiled at me and then said." That was pretty."

"Was it really or are you just being 'nice'?" I said as I put my guitar down and gave her our confrontational stare. She stared back at me, but her stare wasn't there. I needed someone…like Jessi? "What did you really think about it?"

"I…uh…" She said looking around and getting up from my bed. "I love that shirt."

She said pointing at an emerald green taffeta blouse that would look great on her. It would completely bring out her eyes.

"How about a deal?" I told her. This was a really good idea!

"What?"

"A trade…" she still looked confused. " The blouse for your bluntness."

"Umm…I can be harsh." She told me.

"Oh, I know…" I said brushing my hair with my fingers. It was really tangled!

"Well, okay…" she said gleefully sitting on the edge of my bed. "Go ahead…let's hear it."

Was it just me or were we having a total sister-to-sister moment?

Chapter 27: {Josh}

We were driving for hours and hours…what was with Jessi and that place? What was so special about JP's diner? I mean, I swear I saw it about an hour ago. God, the stupid radio was only picking up country music! Urgh!!

"Jessi, where are we? Are we there yet?" She just drove on Declan's car, just looking out on the road and nothing else. How could Declan trust his car with anyone? Well, I would borrow mine to these superhuman freaks too. "When are we getting there? Jessi!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Calm down, we're just about there…" She said sternly.

"You said that an hour ago…" I scoffed and crossed my arms like an angry kid. "And you're totally getting me whatever I want off the menu! …and you're getting me into a bar too, I need a drink."

"Nicole said no drinking!" She rolled her eyes.

"So?"

"So, she trusted me with you…"

"So?"

"Whatever, we're already here." She told me parking the car in the only parking left. She must've peeved off plenty people!

"Where are we?" I said noticing that the sign didn't say JP's diner, instead it said the port of Seattle.

"Well, you can read." She stated sarcastically to me. "And we weren't even driving around for an hour."

"Well…it felt longer!" I scoffed. I saw a green minivan comer around the corner driving way too fast for a normal family. Jessi got out of the car and I did too. She locked it and kept the keys in her hand.

The people in the car parked in an outer parking. They stayed in for a really long time in the car and I wondered what Jessi was looking for. Then came a beautiful gorgeous, light-brown haired girl come out of the car. She had a light blue dress that hugged her body. I just couldn't believe it.

"Josh!" She said coming over to me to hug me tight! She was so happy, so in joy…but not as much as me.

"Andy?" I said looking her in the eyes, just to double-check it was her. I couldn't believe it! "What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean?" She asked me, keeping me close to him. "I'm here with you…"

"I know that..." I said keeping her close and kissing her softly. I had missed her way too much.

"I'm moving back…" She said smiling and looking at me deeply. " My moms found jobs here, at the Seattle Times…plus, they're totally setting up a cruise line here in the port."

"You're…what?" I couldn't believe it. I just held her close to me. This was the happiest thing that had happened to me ever! I was so glad I had her back with me in less that the four months that had gone by since she left. I loved her so much. "I love you so much, Andy."

"I thought you'd never say that…" She said kissing me passionately. As I pulled away to go and thank Jessi for the best gift my super-sister had given me. She was gone.

"Where is she?"

"Oh, she just said she'd go after dropping you here. " Andy told me in all seriousness. "Now, do you want to go to my new house to play G-force?"

"You bet I do…" I told her as I took her hand and put my other one in my pocket. It was a piece of paper. How had that gotten in there?

{Lori}

"Jessi, you're not going to do a sequel on the whole bitch-slapping thing right?" I asked to no one in particular. I was just so full of terror by this alley. I knew Jessi hadn't meant to do that to me…but that moment still haunted me.

Then I heard my song. It was beautiful. It had a gorgeous piano melody and my guitar played. My voice burst out beautifully. Had Jessi done this?

"Jessi?" I said smiling joyously.

"Hey…" It was a man's voice.

"Declan?"

"Trager." He said telling me and then giving me his Declan grin. There were flowers and just one table on The Rack. I couldn't believe that. Everything was just so…perfect.

"Where's Jessi?" I asked him.

"Look, I know you probably don't think this is a good idea." She said, her voice coming from the table as she fixed up one of the table arrangements. Hillary was bringing in the meals.

"You're right…" I told her. "Keep talking."

"But…" Hillary intervened for Jessi. "…you know you and Declan are meant to be."

"Hillary!" I stopped her. They had no right. Now I was mad.

"Trager, stop…" Declan said as he pulled me close to him and then his face was just inches away from me…I could see the few freckles he had around his nose. I pulled away. " Don't tell me that didn't feel how it has always felt. That that didn't feel like it was so right, Lori"

"No…" I said leaving to the room where he had stuck me in with Hillary so we could make up. He could be so sweet. I saw Hillary coming towards me, but then Jessi stopped her and came in.

"Lori…" She said as she lowered the volume to my song. This one was "Will You Remember Me?"…the song when Declan had walked out from me and had made out with her. "You just have to trust me, Hillary and Declan on this. You both are meant to be. He loves you so much and I know you love him too."

"I don't, Jessi!" I replied angrily.

"I thought you might say that…" She said handing me a paper. "Give a look at that and then tell me if you really don't love him."

"What's this?" I asked her as I grabbed it from her hand and started reading it.

"It's the lyrics to your new song." She said softly. She took my hand in a very sisterly way. "It's about him, Lori, I felt how you watch him intently. I felt the jealousy you felt when he held me in his arms. You love him."

Before I knew it I was crying. I was crying a lot. Jessi hugged me and kept me close to her.

"What about Tracy?"

"Jackie…if he came over here so fast just to be with you…don't you think he loves you too?" She stated to me.

I went over and walked towards Declan and hugged him and kissed him. I wanted to thank Jessi, because no matter how much despair she had brought into my life…it was more the beauty she had brought in. I loved her like a sister and friend and I always wanted to have her near me.

"Where's Jessi?" I asked Hillary that had her proud face on.

"She said she had to go somewhere." She said bringing us sparkling juice, as Declan pulled the chair from me and I sat down. I felt a piece of paper in the napkin for our laps. I kept it there, so I would read it later…Now…this moment. It just belonged to me and Declan. Always and forever.

Chapter 28: {Kyle}

I was at The Rack with Amanda and she was busy handling smoothies. I watched her as she haughtily served others. The thing about me and her was our special musical connection. I had never imagined meeting anyone as her, anyone as smart and pretty. She was a person I could never forget and will always have in my heart.

As I drank my kiwi smoothie, I was deep in thought as I remembered my dream with Adam Baylin. I remembered how infatuated he looked as he saw that picture of me and Jessi. After recalling that Adam was myself, I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind. I was with Amanda and I loved Amanda and Amanda was the one for me. She was the only one for me.

Amanda came rushing to me on her break as I was helping her with a Geometry assignment. She was still having trouble with conditional statements. I helped her through as she smiled to me, with all the beauty that exuded from the person she was. I pushed a piece of hair that had fallen in her eyes. She had cut her hair a bit and it made her face look longer and even more beautiful than before. I kissed her on the lips as sweetly as I could. She returned the kiss to me, hungrily and passionately. Then, I felt a presence near and we suddenly came back to the world we had forgotten of.

"Kyle" It was Josh. He didn't even make a pervert joke. His face looked urgent and his heartbeat was sped up by 2.5 seconds. I looked at him as I noticed the trouble behind his eyes.

"Josh, what are you doing here?" Amanda asked him, trying to hide her embarrassment. Much to her chagrin it was deeply noticeable in her red cheeks.

"I—just need to talk to Kyle." Josh urged me. I felt him urging me but Amanda didn't seem to retract from my side.

"Josh.."she grinned." Anything you want to say to Kyle you can say to me…even if it's some pervy joke."

Josh looked at me, as if he shouldn't say whatever he needed to say in front of Amanda. He sighed loudly.

"Fine…" He said sitting down. If it was that imperative why didn't he hurry up? I wondered.

Amanda looked at him and then back at me.

"What is it, Josh?" I had never seen this side of Amanda, or maybe I had…this…side.

"Kyle," Josh slurped what was left of my smoothie, as if for strength. "Jessi's missing."

"What?" I asked him simultaneously with Amanda.

"She's just gone." He informed us, but specially to me.

"It can't be…not again. " I told him a bit angry. I didn't even look over to Amanda. I didn't want so see her upset over this. "Declan and Lori told me she was missing a few days ago and then she wasn't."

"I know, but she was just out." Josh told me in all seriousness. He glanced over to Amanda and then looked at me. I noticed an impatient Andy by the door. I was glad she was back in town. Her being away made my brother very unhappy. "At least that's what mom told us. Anyway, now she's gone again and I think it's for good this time."

"What makes you think that?" I asked him seriously. No matter how angry I was…there was still some inevitable part of me that cared for Jessi's well-being.

"Because…"

"Because?"

"Because she left me this…" It was a piece of paper from the stationary that Nicole had gifted Jessi. She always used to write me codes in there from when we used to sneak around. I shoved those thoughts and read the letter about how she expressed the deep regret of having to leave a family she loved. She expressed the deep feelings she had towards the Trager's and how glad she was that they had accepted her as a part of her family.

I looked at Josh and this time I wasn't worried. I was…somewhere in my mind was scared…was empty. There was a void I couldn't fill not matter how hard I tried.

"She left another one to Lori too…and I think mom and dad too." He said. He was so worried like he would miss this person so much that…it already hurt being apart from his new older sister. "What are you going to do, Kyle?"

"Nothing, Josh" I told him harshly." She always does this…I—I'm so sick of her disappearing. Her little hide-and-seek game has tired."

He looked at me as if I had said something harsh, something unusal. His face was contorted into shock and disappointment.

"Whatever, Kyle." He said ripping the letters off my hand and looking at me in discontent. "I'll figure it out myself!"

He walked over to Andy and said:" Let's get out of here, Andy."

"Josh, wait!" She yelled after him.

I gathered my thoughts so I could turn to face Amanda. Her face wasn't frustrated, nor in a jealous manner. I looked at her confused.

"When you care about someone you put their feelings first." She muttered to herself. I was even more confused now.

"What is it Amanda?"

She looked at me, her clear aqua eyes glistening.

"When you care about someone you put their feelings first."

Chapter 29: {Kyle}

As I ran through the cold, damp forest I tried to put my thoughts together and not just the words that Amanda had told me…but my every thought since I was out of the pod. I realized my life was completely out of normalcy. No matter how much I was inclined to it, I couldn't ever have a normal life. My life that had been rampant, dangerous and undisclosed since the moment I could breathe on my own…it was disturbing not to know what was normal or to think that what I had was normal. I just ran searching…searching for thoughts as well as words of wisdom. If there was ever a moment I would need Adam Baylin this definitely would be it.

You're just so attuned…you can't escape who you are, Kyle, you just can't…I brushed those thoughts off my head. It was terrible. It was dreadful. I couldn't believe how…how things were. There was such an uncertainty. I needed to find so many things I had lost, things I had let go and things I just could not place in my life. The greenery surrounded me, the brown blurred through me as I passed through. I needed so many things.

I finally arrived where I had wanted to…I arrived at the place where...where it all began? No, that wasn't accurate. The place where I couldn't deny her.

I was standing on the ledge where she had been about to take her life. The place that haunted her because she didn't understand who she was, it was a scary place. What scared me the most is that it was identical. I mean, I knew that flora took a long time to change, but it was exactly the same. There was still the uncertainty of my trust for her…my trust for Jessi.

I saw her on top of the waterfall, or at least a little to the left over the hill. She was just sitting down looking thoughtful and…hopeful? I didn't know anymore…I didn't feel her near me…that frustrated me. She gazed at the end of the dam….she saw the water fall…the particles of it smearing down the drain. I wondered what she was thinking of.

I climbed up, wanting to talk to her and mostly wanting to understand her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked me.

I didn't know what was her mood, or her current emotion. I couldn't even perceive that through the sound of her voice. I couldn't even hear her heartbeat. I just smelled her scent and drowned in it, hoping it will give me the answers I wanted.

"I came to find you." I told her sitting next to her, staring at the water fall. I wondered what she was thinking of.

"You know when I—I jumped off the cliff?" She asked me serenely, or at least she looked serene.

I nodded. I didn't know where this conversation was headed.

"When I did that…my mind was in such a critical state. I—I just couldn't control it. I couldn't face it. I didn't know how to live. I didn't know anything about life. What was the point of being so smart and so…developed when I didn't even know anything about life?" She didn't look at me. She never gazed at me and I just looked at her, trying to see through her. " I was so lost. I didn't know any way out, but that one. But after…after you came for me, after…" she chose her words carefully"…after Adam Baylin. I jumped."

I gulped not sure of what was to come next. What if she jumped now? She would survive, but what would happen?

"When I jumped, Kyle, I had never felt so free in my life." She sighed and twirled Sara's Latnok ring in her finger. "I had never felt like that. I felt as if the whole world washed beside me and I didn't even care…It was just so liberating and amazing."

She then looked at me. I saw her pretty green eyes, but saw nothing but color. No emotion was left there. I was so speechless, so unsure of what to say.

"I want to feel like that again, "she said as I gulped loudly trying to process that fact. "I want to be free from anyone and anything. I want to be free from you."

And then she jumped and landed on the patch of land where she had jumped herself off. She looked at me one last time, smirking and ran.

{Declan}

"Lori, come on!" I urged her to hurry up. I opened the door to exit the house.

"Declan." It was Foss. He looked urgent and weird. What was up?

"Come on in man." I said inviting him to a house that wasn't my own.

"No, I'd rather talk somewhere else." He whispered, looking shady as always. Foss was beginning to feel like the second Bond…only less cooler.

"Okay, fine…"I told him." Where should we meet?"

"Here's the address." He handed me a piece of paper and ran out of the house. "Come alone."

I was surprised by this and I wondered what he wanted. Maybe it was help with something…but if he asked for my help it must mean that it was something important, something out of his hand. I remembered how he had urged me to warn Kyle about Jessi's well-being because of Latnok.

"Hey…" Lori said coming down the stairs, looking radiant in green. "Are you okay?"

"I am…"

I sighed and headed outside.

Chapter 30: {Kyle}

I followed her as we ran through the words. If the greenery and brown was blurry before, now it was just blinding and even more confusing than ever. She ran haughtily to the end, I wasn't sure but I knew so, I couldn't find her. I tried to scream her name, but she just ignored me.

I stopped and saw her enter the wooden cabin where Adam Baylin had stayed during his comatose state. She entered and locked it. I ran. The combination was musical…and I knew it was She Could be You. I knew she couldn't just have let go of me the same way no matter how hard I tried I couldn't let go of her.

I unlocked it and called out for her.

"Jessi?"

"Kyle" She was behind me. I turned around to face her. She looked angry and no longer serene. "I thought that you would figure out that all that I meant was for you to not follow me."

"Don't you dare put this on me, Jessi!" I said to her angrily. Her face looked like she had been whiplashed. "You were the one who betrayed me. You exchanged humanity for me…I've never known anyone so…selfish! Why couldn't you…why couldn't you be more like—?

"Like Amanda?" She answered me and then laughed…sarcasm was the main component of that laugh. "I betrayed you, Kyle? You betrayed me!"

"I betrayed you?" I was outraged. How could she say such a silly thing like that? How could I have betrayed her? Hadn't I been so loyal to our feelings? So loyal to us…? Had I?

"Of course you did." She said seriously. The cabin was very different than the last time I had been here. There weren't walls, just bookcases filled with journals or books. I resisted the temptation of opening them up.

"Jessi, I am quite sure that I did not betray you, that I did not do anything to…" And then I stopped talking because she took one of the journals in the bookcases and threw it at me.

"I…" she threw numerous ones." Betrayed you!?"

I tried to not get hit by the journals but she was good at this.

"I would never betray you." She stated to me, still angrily throwing the books. "If I betrayed you why did I go save you with your mother and gave them only half the information so you could have a normal life, so they wouldn't bother you for more than 25 years, because that's exactly how long it might've taken Latnok to find out the truth, Kyle! If I betrayed you so much, why is it Foss approved of my choice for this? If I betrayed you so much, why is it you went running back to your precious Amanda? Why, Kyle?"

I stopped…the whole world stopped. I didn't know how to respond to this…this wasn't what I had imagined at all. This was out of my reality context. I couldn't believe this. She stopped throwing books out me and was out of breath. She looked like she was going to cry.

"Why don't you look at it from my point of view, Kyle?" She said taking my hands, brushing her fingers against them. Her eyes were full of tears. "You betrayed me, Kyle. You betrayed me because you mistrusted me. You let me go, Kyle. You went back to her when all I ever did was love you with my whole heart and soul and you couldn't even accept the fact that we were always meant to be. That both of us had that special connection you broke. "

I sat down in a leather sofa, actually I fell. I fell through the shock entering my body and mind. Everything seemed so stimulated.

"I'm so sorry, Jessi."

"I wish that would cover it, Kyle, I really do…" she said to me holding her tears. She didn't want to cry, but I knew she would soon have to. "it just doesn't. You broke us off, now you need to leave. I want to be free. I wasn't kidding about that. I need to be liberated"

"Can I just ask you a few questions?" she nodded. "Why haven't I been able to hear you, or sense you, or feel you? Why did Foss agree to that? Why is Latnok after you, Jessi?"

She stood up and went to the kitchen and as she made some tea. I could feel her falling apart…I could feel her…why now? She cried and fell to the floor. She cried so much. I had caused that upon her. I went to the small kitchen and hugged her close to me. She was tentative at first but obliged…I brushed her short black hair softly and kissed her forehead.

"I just need to know…" After a while she realized that she was with me…that it felt as if we were one once again. She let go of me quickly and hurried up to finish the tea. "Please…"

"Sit over there." She pointed out a chair on the barstool. She picked up the leaves to the chamomile tea. And she began to tell me the story…of why it all had happened. The truth…

All I had to do was convince her to be by my side…everyday…I needed her and I know she needed me too.

Chapter 31: {Jessi}

I finished making the tea. I couldn't bare to look at Kyle, not even to open up myself to him for a bit, because I know that if I did—I would be caught again and I didn't want that. I wanted to fulfill the destiny my mother would've wanted upon me. I know he was staring at me. I know he was waiting for me to talk. But I just couldn't bring myself to do so.

I poured the tea and I put an assortment of scones in a plate and handed it to him and then stood by the kitchen's stove. I had to be as far away from him as possible. He was curious about things…but definitely not as curious as I was about what happened to make him change his mind to come look for me.

"So, can you answer me?" He took a small sip and a bite of the blueberry scone.

"I can." I spoke softly. "The reason that you weren't able to sense me was because I learned how to shut myself away from you."

"But why?" He asked me hurtful. I didn't even check his heart rate. "Why would you do that?"

"I—I want to be from you, Kyle, what part of that don't you understand?" I wanted to—but with him here. I was beginning to doubt what I actually wanted to do.

He looked sadly at his tea cup and then back at me. "Continue, please…"

"It took a lot of my strength to do that but I accomplished it without breaking a sweat."

"Breaking a sweat?" he asked confused. I giggled…I couldn't really help it.

"It's a figure of…" I stopped and we both continued saying the same thing at the same time. "…speech."

"I knew that" he said chuckling. Had he gotten more physically gorgeous than ever? I tried to push those thoughts away and smiled shyly.

"That's why you couldn't feel, hear, or sense anything about me." I finished telling him. I guess he looked aghast, because this thing worked both ways. I couldn't read him and he couldn't read me.

"Can you please tell me about Latnok?" He asked me softly. "And why Foss approved of this?"

"Okay…I felt how you were so hurt while I was at Nate's with Amanda." I said quickly. "Now don't kill me because I took a risk of her precious life, but…"

"Go on, Jessi"

I told him about everything from Mark and the numbers and the call from Cassidy. He looked so attentive as he let his tea get cold.

"I tracked Cassidy's call and I went to Latnok headquarters with Nicole because she wanted to. I didn't make her, in fact I almost locked her inside her own house….but she's a mother, your mother and she cares so much about you, you don't even realize it. I know it was a selfish thing to do, Kyle, but the world would be terrible and cold without you. Just try to understand, please."

For a long time he sat there just staring at his tea. He didn't look at me. He didn't show any emotion and as curious as I was I wasn't about to open myself up to him again. Then he walked up to me getting way too close. He looked me in the eyes and I searched for something in his blue eyes.

"I understand…" he said taking my hand in his. I couldn't tear apart from his gaze. I couldn't rupture it, but I needed to. I needed to break away from him before…before.

"Now, Cassidy asked me for the information." I continued as I broke away from him. "He said if I didn't give it to him he would kill you in the most terrible way ever. That's when I met Grace Kingsley. She's terrifying, Kyle, she doesn't care about you. I don't think there's a maternal bone in her body."

"There are no maternal bones." Kyle stated to me confused.

"I'm sorry; I've just been watching too many trashy tv shows." I told him. He smirked at me and then sat on the couch. I walked over to sit in the bar stool.

"I'm sorry…" he said his blue eyes crashing with my green ones. It was mystical this attraction he still held with me.

"Uhh…" I said crossing my eyes. I had a great memory. I had no attention span deficit and I had forgotten what I was talking about. " Both Cassidy and Kingsley threatened me and Nicole. They said that I should give them that because it was the answer to everything and anything. Of course I knew that and it's not as if I stole the information from you. I just remembered those dark days and got it. I am very physically stable. I gave them the erroneous information."

"I'm glad you did that…" He smiled at me. "but why did Declan tell me that Latnok would be after you if you weren't in the Trager care?"

"Because Sara was no friend of Latnok and my father was no friend of them either. Grace Kingsley hated Sara…there's a story behind that I plan to figure out." I sighed. "Of course I would be in danger…of course I am, but I'm stronger, smarter…"

"…and faster" he said grinning at me. I couldn't help but to grin back. "I get that, but that's still no…"

"No good reason, but it still is one." I told him." Now you need to go…I'll be leaving and you won't find me, okay?"

"Jessi, we need to defeat Latnok."

"I'll do it myself" I told him angrily punching the wall. "Don't worry about that, you just go ahead and live your normal life."

"No, Jessi." He said getting close to me grabbing my arms.

"Don't you understand that this hurts, Kyle?" I yelled at him." That this hurts me so much?"

He looked sad, tired…

"I am so sorry, but don't you know how I found you?"

"Of course not." I told him sternly.

"I found you because I got some visions. There are some holes in your craft." He said cupping my face with his right hand. I looked away from his eyes…he couldn't hold my freedom away from me…no way! "Jessi, you wanted me with you after all I did to you. You can't break us apart!"

"Of course I can and I did!" I screamed very loudly, thank God that I soundproofed this cabin. "You need to go, Kyle."

I let go from him. I didn't want this…he hurt me so much…why couldn't he just let me go?

Chapter 32: {Declan}

Foss hadn't arrived yet and I hadn't told Lori, which meant she knew I was hiding something from her and that she was pissed at me…I'll deal with that later…

As curious as I was to find out…I hated when people were late. I wanted to help with the whole Latnok thing. I knew we were a step closer, but what Jessi had told us—about why she had been with Nicole—and that wasn't really so helpful.

"Declan…make yourself helpful!" Foss told me as he threw a big file on me. It was pretty darn heavy. It fell on the floor.

"Be careful with those!" He yelled at me. He brought in more files and then I saw the Trager's come in.

"What?!" I asked him concerned. "You brought them?!"

"Well, McDonough, they know everything about Kyle and Jessi and Latnok. I basically just need more sources and help." He said and then Stephen entered the room, followed by Josh. "I specially need people that are good with computers, like ."

"I'm good with computers too" And I was…I had after all dated a supergenius girl…two super geniuses actually, but Jessi doesn't really count…I think.

Oh, boy…was Lori mad!

"This wasn't what you couldn't tell me?"

"Yes, but you knew too…" I responded to her.

"Yes, Declan, but I knew you knew…I was waiting to see if you trust me." She said to me disappointed. "And, obviously, you don't."

"Trager, wait…" I called out for her but she was looking in some papers.

"Okay, Tragers, here's the deal!" Foss began to speak loudly. "You have been called here to help out. There is a threat against both Jessi and Kyle. Sarah's death was not an accident. Your lives are threatened too, but I can protect you. I'll always protect you guys. I just need your—this is hard for me. I don't like being around many people and I rarely need…"

"Help…" I finished the sentence for him.

"Whatever you need, Mr. Foss…we'll help you." Nicole said kindly.

"I had hoped you'd say that..."

And now we were on a search to discover what Latnok was after. But I also wondered how I was gonna get Trager to believe in me.

Chapter 33:{Kyle}

I wondered how I was going to win Jessi's trust back, but throughout the time I had been alive I had learned that trust wasn't something you could win. It was something you had to gain by being a good person. I hadn't been that to Jessi in a while.

"I can't go, Jessi…"

"Why not?" She demanded avoiding my eyes.

"Because we're in this together, because the both of us…together…we're unstoppable." I explained to her, hoping she'd just listen, hoping she'd break through. "I'm sure you need me, Jessi…the same way I need you."

"Kyle…"She started saying to me.

"Just for this…just so we can find out what Latnok wants…" I told her and gulped. "…what Grace Kingsley wants."

She looked deep in thoughts as she cleaned our tea cups with her mind. She didn't move but made everything move. This…person…the amazing person standing before me, even in stillness I couldn't help but feel the ache of my mistakes. The ones I hoped to take back.

"One condition…"she said, after she finished the dishes.

"Tell me, please…" I begged. "Anything…"

I was an inch apart from her. Her breath was my breath…her scent surrounded me. I had missed her.

"You stay away from me and nothing physical." She stated. I pulled away. "No sweetness…if you want all of that, look for your precious Amanda! This is strictly business!"

"Deal…" I sighed and shook her hand.

"Good…" She smiled at me and then started to explain the plan to me.

No matter what plan was made…how much I wanted to respect her wishes. How very much important the truth about Grace Kingsley was. I couldn't part from Jessi…at least not yet.

Chapter 34: {Cassidy}

"Michael, come over here please…" Her voice frightened me, and this was a person that had carried me in her womb.

"Yes, your grace…" She wanted to be called that…I hated calling her that, some lads in good old England would've settled for Mum, but nooo…my mum had to be called your grace…oh, and kneel before her presence.

"I feel you tense, Michael, is there something wrong?" I look at her face, but never her eyes…she reads mine like the back of her palm.

"Of course not, your grace…"

She gets up from her throne, like a queen and paces to the humble servants of Latnok. She thinks she's a queen, although she is clearly not. Sometimes I wish Adam would've been my father instead of the poor lad that ran from me. Sometimes I wish he would've loved my mother the way she had loved him—the way she stills love him.

"Have they taken my orders in about the brand new news?" She asked as she poured herself a glass of cucumber-infused water. I looked at the poor men standing by the sidelines awkwardly staring at her…they were so scared of her, but scared for me too.

I nodded.

"Very good…" She nodded taking a sip and savoring the water. "My son and his little girlfriend will be in for a great surprise."

She laughed evilly. I hated when she was this way. I sometimes, almost always, hated myself for permitting her get through her evil ways. But I couldn't do anything, except…I had found a loophole in her mind…I could use it…I would use it!

"Anything else you'd like?"

"Something is missing?" She asked pompously of me as she sat down on her throne.

"Your grace…"

She scoffed and nodded me off..

I had to help them if it was the last thing I would ever do.