Chapter 1-Memories

"You can close your eyes to the things you don't want to see. But you can't close your heart to the things you don't want to feel." ~Johnny Depp

When I opened my eyes, all I felt was pain. Horrible, sickening pain. I closed my eyes, trying to ignore it. It was a horrid sensation. I felt like I had been run over by a car. No, that would've been generous, an understatement, compared to how I felt. I forced my eyes open again and saw blurry shapes move around me. I gasped as I saw the silhouettes travel around me in a dizzying circle. Or maybe it wasn't a circle. I was too much in pain to tell. But I could smell smoke. It was suffocating. So I called the name I hadn't called in ages. "Zac."

Zac, he had been my best friend from so long ago. I hadn't seen him in years yet I was calling his name. He was still my hope, after all of these years. "Zac," I called again, my voice plaintive and pleading. I forced my eyes opened, and the blurry shapes stilled into visible, decipherable faces. I frowned as I saw unfamiliar people.

"Who's she calling out for?"

"Someone named Zac?"

"Just get her to the hospital. She's injured." This voice was brisk and strong. The voice of a leader. It reminded me exceedingly of Zac's, but it wasn't. This was a woman's voice. She sounded young, youthful. Her voice sent calming sensations all over my injured body. Her voice sounded again. "Get her to safety I say!"

And I'm pretty sure I blacked out after that because I didn't remember a thing.

I opened my eyes and gasped. Dizzying pain slammed into my body the second I regained an ounce of consciousness. It didn't seem very fair, that after all that I had suffered, I had to suffer more. I forced my eyes open again and gritted my teeth through the pain. I could see the sun setting in the sky, casting gold and red to thread the sky. It was very beautiful, but I wasn't paying attention to the beauty. Right now, all I could concentrate on the pain that was screaming at me.

I turned as I heard the door swing open and footsteps approaching me. Someone had entered the room. It was a woman. She was very pretty, with long dark hair complemented with gray eyes. She was watching me in an emotion only called pity. I hated being pitied. I didn't like feeling weak, didn't like being a victim, even if I technically was one.

"Who are you?" Those were the first words that popped out of my mouth. Yeah, real smooth. I made a face at my impoliteness, but there was no need for niceties right now. All my life I had been trained to be alert, conscious, of everything around me. She didn't seem to mind. She had a kind face, but it sparked with some sort of amusement at my demand.

"My name is Rita Santos," she spoke after a few long moments. "And who might you be?"

"Who wants to know?" I responded coyly.

"Careful, sarcastic," Rita mused. "You remind me of my apprentice."

"Apprentice?" I frowned now. "Where am I?"

"I'll tell you that when you tell me your name," she responded. And she accused me of being sarcastic and careful.

"My name is Lyla," I answered briskly. I tried to move, but the pain proved to much. I grimaced but still sat up. I ignored my sore muscles and damaged body. "What is this place? How did I get here? I..." I recalled the distinct aroma of smoke... and the pain. So much pain. I grimaced again, glancing for the first time at the bandages wrapped securely around my arms and legs. Was I really that injured? No, I didn't think so. Then, I remembered the aching pain... pretty much everywhere. I swallowed hard. "How badly was I injured?" I inquired quietly.

"I think..." Rita grimaced. "I'll get to that later. Now, you asked me where you were. This is MIR," she responded. "Mir means peace in Russian, thus resulting to the name." Rita paused for a long moment. "We took you here after we saw your injuries. They are quite severe. I think you should stay here for a while. It would prove to be most sufficient."

"I don't understand," I said, frowning. "I don't remember much... just, just the smell of smoke... That means there was a fire, right?" My frown deepened. "And I felt pain. The worse pain I had ever felt. It was sickening... excruciating." I shuddered before turning to her. "So, when will I get better?"

She bit her lip. "I'll send in my apprentice," she said flatly, leaving the room.

I frowned. She left me with a lot of questions. The world spun, and I shook my head, to clear my vision. It was a mistake. If anything, it made things worse. I ignored the sickening pain, trying to obscure how I felt. Then, I got up. My body screamed abominable insults at me for getting up, something I blatantly ignored. I felt so broken inside. I sat on the bed, legs dangling from the side.

"You must be Lyla."

I whirled around and leapt up immediately, muscles tense. This was the maneuver I was used to: attack first and find out who you attack later. At least, until I remembered myself. My aching body... the fact that I was in a place of peace. "Are you Rita's apprentice?" I inquired, examining the girl. She had dark hair and piercing blue eyes. Her expression was cold and calculating. I admired her fierceness. I could see it in her unfaltering stance.

"My name is Nixie, and yes, to answer your question, I am Rita's apprentice. Well, one of her apprentices." Nixie rolled her eyes. "Sirena is her other apprentice." Disgust and scorn dripped off the word Sirena. She noticed my expression and crossed her arms. "Rita's too nice to deliver the bluntest of news."

"I'm guessing you don't like Sirena very well," I observed.

"That's understating it a bit," she growled.

I nodded, hiding a smile. I winced as Nixie headed towards me. Her fingers trailed across the bandages on my arm. I grimaced, ignoring the pain running through me. She seemed to approve me obscuring my distress. I glanced at her wearily. "What do you do around here?"

She frowned and glanced at me. Our gazes locked briefly. "How much did Rita tell you?" she asked me quietly.

"The basics," I answered. "She told me that I'm at MIR, and I'm severely injured. She didn't tell me to what degree, though." I paused, wondering what the severity of the situation was. I glanced away. "Am I going to get any better?"

"Yeah..." Nixie's gaze faltered, and I knew it was something bad. "And then some."

"What does that mean?" I demanded.

"Look, Rita doesn't want me to make you worry," Nixie said almost hesitantly. "You'll get better... eventually, but..." She looked uneasy and averted her eyes away from mine. I watched her with a dangerous expression. "Look, you need to rest now," Nixie said, ignoring my question in a not-so-subtle way.

"I—"

"Don't protest," Nixie warned. "I'm not telling you anything. I'll send in Sirena later. You need to rest now."

I shook my head, starting to feel a little fear. "I need to know what's going on."

"I'll tell you... eventually. Come on, don't look at me like that," Nixie said, sighing. "I don't want to keep you in the dark, but really... I really don't know what's going on with you. I know the severity of the situation, but that's pretty much it."

"Tell me something, anything," I said.

"I'm sorry," she said. Then, she left.

I took a deep breath and sighed. I honestly didn't feel like resting, despite the pain slamming into me. MIR... I had never heard of the place. Maybe... maybe Sirena would give me some answers. When she came, that is. But... exactly how injured was I? I swallowed back my unease. Faint memories, already distant, of Zac floating through my head. His tanned complexion, handsome face, dark hair, and equally dark eyes. Then, I wondered why I was thinking of him. Then, it hit me.

I had called his name before I had blacked out.

Again, the question surfaced into my head: why? I felt a pang of sadness. I knew why. I remembered... the day he had to leave...

"Why do you have to leave?" I asked him desperately.

His beautiful eyes watched me mournfully. "I'm so sorry, Lyla. If I could, I would've stayed. You know that."

I felt his strong arms encircle me, and I was sure that my breathing had stopped along with my heart. Okay, maybe my heart didn't stop. Maybe it was just pounding harder than I thought possible. I watched him watch me with that adoration. I swallowed back tears as I watched him, utterly destroyed. "I know," I choked out.

Time froze as he touched my face. Our lips met in a powerful kiss. My first kiss. And it was with Zac. When we pulled back, he looked slightly sheepish. I smiled a little, looking down bashfully. He tilted my face upwards, to meet his gaze. I gasped, both from the aftermath of the kiss and the fact that his eyes were filled with emotions. "I love you, Lyla," he murmured. "And I don't want anything to stop us from spending eternity together... but after all this craziness is over... I'll come back for you."

"I love you, too," I breathed. I really did. Love wasn't roses, chocolates, or compliments. Love was the perfect understanding with one another. Love was that feeling you got, when you were left breathless and wanting more. It was an indescribable feeling, and you just know when you're in love. When you're really in love. "And... and I'll wait for you. As long as it takes."

"I promise to come back to you." He looked me right in the eye. "If you're ever in trouble, just call my name. I'll be by your side. I'll be by your side in a heartbeat."

But he hadn't come. Not when I needed him most.

I surfaced out of the lingering remains of the memory, feeling cold and sad all over. If you're ever in trouble, just call my name. I'll be by your side in a heartbeat. I didn't doubt his words. I remembered the way he had said it, and I remembered the look in his eyes when he had said it all too well. It was fair to say that I was in love. I had never felt more alone than I did now. Zac hadn't come... The words sunk in. Hard.

I missed him everyday, but... this time, it was much worse.

"Hey, stranger."

I looked up to see the face of a girl. She wasn't much older than me. She was probably the same age as me. Sixteen. She had pale, platinum-blonde hair and twinkly blue eyes that seemed to light up. I nodded at her. "You must be Rita's other apprentice. Sirena, was it?"

"That's me!" Wow, her optimism was contagious. I couldn't help but smile. She turned to me, gaze tender and pitiful, much to my annoyance. But, somehow, I felt less annoyed, probably thanks to her lighthearted attitude. "How are you feeling?" she asked, with a considerable amount of genuine concern injected into her sweet, soothing voice. Her voice sounded almost musical, and I wondered if she sang.

"I..." I stopped, feeling a horrible ache in my chest that could only be described as loneliness. I shook my head. "Not really good," I admitted. Silently, I added, Physically, emotionally, and mentally. I shifted tentatively. "I... I hurt less, I guess." That was true. A little. I did hurt less. But it was only a little. My body was still screaming at me, but it was easier to ignore now.

Sirena nodded. "I think you're lying."

"I didn't think you would believe me," I answered.

"After you heal more, we're going to put you into some training," Sirena said. "It'll be to help build your strength back, but... this is a major setback. You... you'll..." Sirena bit her lip as I gazed at her expectantly. I scowled when she didn't elaborate. "I'm sorry, Lyla," she apologized. "It's better that you don't know this yet."

"Why is everyone so tempted to keep me in the dark?" I exclaimed bitterly, groaning. I buried my face in my hands and immediately grimaced at the pain. "I need to know the truth. It's how I live. It's better to know the truth, no matter how blunt or terrible it is." I stared plaintively at her. "Please."

"I'm sorry," she repeated. "I can't."

I nodded dejectedly.

Then, Sirena watched me curiously. "You were calling a name when we saw you. Before we brought you here. It was Zac, wasn't it?" She shot me a curious look accompanied with a genuine smile. "Who's Zac?" Her question was innocent, one born out of curiosity, but it sent shivers coursing down my spine. She seemed to notice that something was wrong. "Are you okay?"

I took a deep breath. "Zac was my best friend. He... he told me that whenever I was in trouble, I should call his name." I shook my head and winced. The small movement sent pain crackling through my body. "He said that he would be there in a heartbeat. I don't think he was lying... I remember the look in his eyes... but... I just feel foolish, you know? To have hope that he'd actually come."

"He's special to you." Her comment wasn't an inquiry. It was a statement.

"He is," I agreed. I turned to her wearily. "Do you have someone special in your life? Like, you know, romantically?" She blushed, and I could see the answer in her eyes. I sat in a crisscross position. I smiled at her, ignoring my body's many screams of protest. "Who's the lucky guy?"

"His name is David," Sirena said with a small smile. "He works here at MIR, and he's the sweetest. Sometimes, when it's dark, and everyone's asleep, he meets me in the gardens with his guitar. And I sing... The moonlight just makes the place more ethereal, you know?"

"So you can sing," I said, smiling. "I suspected as much. Your voice is musical."

"Thank you," Sirena said, grinning. She flushed at my praise. She handed be a glass of water. "Drink this."

I quirked an eyebrow and inhaled the distinct aroma of water... but there was something else in it. "It smells like... vanilla." I frowned and sniffed it again. "With a hint of jasmine and rosemary." I smiled coyly. "Is it for some sort of soothing sleep or something?" I inquired. "A soothing brew of sweet aromas laced with a sleeping concoction?" She froze at my words, and I laughed. "You know, I've been at this game for a long time. I know when someone laces my drink with poison or sleeping powder."

"When you wake up, you should go to the gardens," Sirena murmuring. "It's rather relaxing."

"Tranquil?"

"Definitely," Sirena said, beaming.

I paused before lifting the drink to my lips. "Thanks, Sirena." She nodded, and I glanced once at the clear liquid. I breathed in its sweet scent before tilting the drink. The contents spilled into my lips, and I felt sleepy at once. I set the glass down and sank into the bed. I closed my eyes, feeling my thoughts get hazy. Yeah, the potion got to work really fast.

"Sleep well," Sirena whispered.

And those were my last conscious thoughts before I sank into a deep sleep.

Dark shapes flitted around my vision, and I frowned. I ran into a dark building, and I found myself racing through the stairs. I gasped as I saw someone in the room I had just entered. I saw a tall, looming figure, but as I got closer, I saw that he wasn't as tall as I had first suspected. His face was covered by shadows, but I could make out eyes. Dark eyes. Save for that, the rest of the features were concealed. Those eyes were familiar. I knew them from somewhere. If only I could remember.

I frowned as I saw the match in the guy's hand. "Get out of here!" I yelled.

He smiled bitterly and struck the match. A flame burned on the match, and he dropped it. The flames licked the floor quickly. He ran out of the room as I gazed in horror at the flames. They were quickly consuming everything. My eyes were wide. I couldn't do anything for this room. I ran out of the door, following the guy in pursuit. Then, he stopped and turned. I saw a deep fire in his eyes, and I gasped. Then, I realized that his dark gaze was reflecting the flames—which were right behind me.

He frowned and slammed me into the wall. I recognized those eyes from somewhere. Again, something burned in my memory... but I didn't know where I had seen those eyes before. His gaze widened as the fire began to spread, faster and faster. I don't think he thought that it would spread that fast. It was consuming and intoxicating. My lungs ached from the smoke.

I needed to escape from the room—I needed to save myself from the fire.

The smoke billowed as the guy opened a window. I coughed, fighting for breath. I could barely see a thing through the toxic clouds of smoke...

My heart was pounding as I opened my eyes. I turned towards the window. It was night, and I could see moonlight pouring out of the window. My heart was hammering, and I slowly got up. My wounds stopped aching. I realized that the drink must've held something to help cope with the pain. I took a deep breath as I gazed at my the white bandages on my arms and legs. Just a dream, I thought. Then, I realized something.

The dream I had was the key to how I got my injuries.

Of course, the dream hadn't finished... because when I had opened my eyes... I was outside. I was inside in the vision. And I hadn't felt any pain. I frowned, trying to summon more memories of the vision. But... it was gone. Frustrated, I sat up. If only the dream had finished. Oh well. There was nothing I could do. I got up. I looked myself in the mirror.

My long, golden-blonde hair had the slightest of natural curliness to it, and my ocean-colored eyes stared pitifully back at me. I surprised to see that my face wasn't damaged that much. There were only a few minor scratches that were already healing. I glanced ruefully at the bandages on my arms and legs. I winced. I would probably end up with a lot of scars from all of the burns. But if you ignored the bandages on my arms and legs, I could've looked like I had just came back from an extra intense game of soccer.

Sighing, I wobbled a little as I strode over to the door. I stepped through and peered at the corridor I was in. No one was in it, but I could spot a few cameras. They weren't badly concealed. I just had a lot of experience with scanning a room for all sorts of things. I frowned. What had Sirena said? When you wake up, you should go to the gardens. It's rather relaxing. Taking a deep breath, I scanned the map on the wall.

"Garden, garden, garden," I muttered. Then, I saw it. It was in the corridor that I was in. I strode down the hall and opened the doors to the garden. It was very beautiful, filled with lush plants and flowers and life. There were roses, lavenders, jasmine, Azalea flowers, and well, pretty much everything. I smelled something that smelled exceedingly like mint, but I couldn't exactly identify where. It was all so beautiful and green.

No wonder Sirena loved it.

I took a seat and looked up to see a brilliant moon. It must've been a few days until full moon, judging by the size of the moon. Its silver light bathed my face, and I remembered that once, when Zac and I had snuck out in the middle of the night, it was a full moon. I could recall his words: The light of the moon makes your eyes look almost silver. Very beautiful. I had blushed at the comment and changed the subject. But now... it just made me feel sad. I couldn't help what I felt.

"I thought I'd find you here."

I spun around, eyes wide. Then, I relaxed as the figure stepped out. The features materialized before me as the moonlight illuminated their features. I grinned. Long, platinum-blonde hair, azure eyes, soft, angel-like smile. Who else could it be? "Hey, Sirena."

"Hey," she said, taking a seat by me.

"I'm guessing you found out that I left my room because of the cameras?"

"Actually, I was just checking to see if you were awake," she said, grinning. "But I'm not surprised that you noticed the cameras. You have the eyesight of a hawk. Or an eagle." Sirena shrugged, brushing some strands of her pale hair out of her eyes. She seemed happy enough, not that I was surprised. The girl always seemed to be optimistic or ecstatic. "So, is it as serene as I said it was?"

"Just as tranquil," I mused. "Maybe even more so."

"So... tell me about yourself," she said. "I really don't know much about you."

"Well... I'm a hard worker, and I don't like being weak." I paused, pondering about it. "I guess you could say that I have this sort of carefulness to me. Maybe it's recklessness, though. Whatever... I'm stubborn, very stubborn." I grinned. "I'm cautious, and I don't trust a lot of people."

"Tell me about Zac." Sirena's interest looked piqued.

"Well, Zac was the most amazing guy I've ever met," I said, folding my hands to still the shaking that I just noticed. "He has dark hair and equally dark eyes complemented with a tanned complexion. He could make a joke out of anything and everything, but he had so many shades, so many facets, to him. He could be the goofball. He could be the serious one. He could be the passionate one. He teased me a lot, and there were times when he was almost shy. When he was so sweet and gentle. He said that..." I swallowed hard, remembering the vague memory. "He said that only I could bring that out of him."

"Wow..." Sirena murmured. I sensed that she wanted to tell me something.

"What's on your mind?"

"How do you know I have something on my mind?"

I laughed. "I'm a psychic. I'm kidding. I just have an uncanny ability to read people."

"Would you want to see Zac again?" Sirena asked me.

"Of course," I responded automatically. I envisioned his sweet, handsome face and those smoky, dark eyes. "Though just a moment would be painful if I couldn't have anymore. I would always crave time with him... He was my best friend... We couldn't exactly develop into something more because he had to leave. It was hard."

"It sounds hard," Sirena said. She shook her head. "You have a hard life."

"Nothing I can't handle."

"Nothing you can't handle," Sirena murmured. She laughed a little. "Nothing you can't handle," she echoed. She smiled at me, and I returned the gesture. She touched my arm softly. "How're you feeling? Are you in any pain?"

I shook my head. "Thanks for giving me painkillers through the drink, anyway."

"Of course," Sirena said, smiling ruefully.

Again, I sensed that there was something she wanted to tell me. She had changed the subject so subtly, but I could still sense it. There was something on my mind, but... she wasn't telling me. I didn't want to push her... I took a deep breath and pursued another subject. "How're you and David?"

"He's really amazing," Sirena murmured, sighing contentedly. She turned to me and smiled. "You should come to the common rooms sometime. Sometimes, David and I perform there. For the patients, you know?" I nodded, and Sirena smiled again. "David is very nice."

"Like you?"

Sirena smiled at the compliment. "Yeah. He's very helpful."

I nodded at Sirena. "Well, I won't take up more of your time." I stood up. Then, I paused and gazed at her curiously. "Nixie said that you two didn't get along very well." I paused. "Is it anything personal, or..?" I stopped, feeling sheepish. "I mean—"

"No, it's alright to be curious," Sirena said. Her ocean-colored eyes locked onto mine. "We don't get along. She was Rita's first apprentice, but Rita took an instant like to me. She asked me to be her other apprentice whereas Nixie... she begged and begged for the job. She's bitter and hostile towards me, but I don't mind. There are enough nice people in the world, and it's the rough, bitter people that shape us into stronger people."

"That's true..." I mumbled.

I turned and smiled at Sirena. "I'll see you around, alright?"

"Alright," she murmured, smiling as moonlight bathed her face.

I headed back inside, feeling a smile spreading across my lips. I crossed the corridor and headed inside my room. I closed the door behind me and sank into my bed. I looked up at the blank, white ceiling. I could smell a vanilla fragrance in the room. And I went to sleep...

All the thoughts about Sirena not telling me something slipped from my mind...

I opened my azure eyes and immediately closed them as a flash of bright sunlight hit my peripheral vision. I shifted slightly, so I was no longer directly facing the window, and opened my eyes, which immediately adjusted to the brightness of the room, so very different from the dim of yesterday. I felt weirdly energetic, but I felt sore. I guess the painkillers were fading.

I took a deep breath and stretched. My body screamed insults at me for doing that, and I winced. The pain was returning. I gritted my teeth. Oh well. At least I had a few hours of peace. I turned towards the door as it opened. Rita entered. I smiled at the older woman. "How are you feeling?" she asked me, striding towards me. I sat up in the bed now, wincing as I did so.

"Better," I said. She quirked an eyebrow, and I sighed. "I do feel better," I insisted. "I just... don't feel good. I feel fragile. And it still hurts. A lot. Just not as worse as it did yesterday," I explained. I looked upwards to meet her gaze. I could see sympathy in her gaze, and I sighed.

"Apparently you were feeling well enough to go for a leisurely midnight walk," Rita said with a small smile.

I shrugged. "Sirena gave me painkillers."

"She's a good girl, Sirena," Rita said, smiling a little. "She has a magnificent voice. You should hear it sometimes."

"So I've heard," I muttered.

"Lyla, I know you aren't going to like this, but..." Rita paused, hesitant, as I shifted to look at her properly. She looked decidedly worried, and I wondered if I should be worried. "But you're going to have a guardian. Like, a bodyguard if you will."

"A what?" The words didn't process through my brain.

"A guardian—"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you," I said, scoffing. I crossed my arms defiantly across my chest, insulted at the thought of having a guardian. "But I don't need a guardian. I'm perfectly fine." If fine was feeling like you were in so much pain you wanted to die, yeah.

"Yes, you do," Rita said sternly but not without kindness. "I'm afraid you sustained a little more than just 'a little' injury."

"W-what do you mean?"

"I mean what I say, Lyla."

I was about to come up with a snappy retort, but something about her words and her tone stopped me. I met her eyes, starting to feel a little fear. I shifted uneasily and glanced consciously at my bandaged arms. "Am I going to get better or not?" I demanded.

It was at that point when my "guardian" decided to enter the room, saving Rita from having to answer. My eyes widened as I took in the all-too familiar features. Tanned face, dark hair, dark eyes that were so deep that I could've sank into them all day. Or, forever. Those eyes were bottomless, and I remembered sinking into them for so long. The eyes that haunted my dreams and my nightmares.

My heart stopped.

Zac.

A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed that first chapter of Always in my Heart! This is all-human, so there aren't any merfolk or anything. They are all regular people. Anyways, you just found out that Zac, Lyla's long ago best friend, is her new "guardian." You probably hate me for the cliffhanger if you got stuck up in the story, but yeah... You'll have to find out in the next chapter how Lyla will react! Anyway, reviews are appreciated (criticism and praise) though not necessary. ;)