A/N- Thanks to the most recent reviewer, Janhavi22. I agree with you about the Syndrian hangover- that's why I wrote this! Hope you guys enjoy!

Adrian

I had spent the last two months drunk.

It wasn't a long period of time by my history, but felt like forever. Every moment without Sydney was a kind of hell but I hated myself for feeling that way. She truly was in hell and I haven't been helping her. In my rare sober moments, I'd look for her in dreams, but I got nothing but a wall. I hadn't had any company aside from Aunt Tatiana in who knows how long. Which is why I stayed drunk- it shut her up. I stared at the cheap vodka in my hand. Was this the depth that I'd sunk to?

Suddenly, Marcus was in my apartment, courtesy of the key I gave him for if he needed it.

"Adrian," he snapped, "Didn't she have a sister who was passed over for Alchemyst duties?" I looked up blearily and nodded.

"Carly," I rasped, voice hurting from not having used it for much the past while.

"I found Carly," Marcus said, "She might be able to help us. If you sober up, you can come with me to see her." I stared at the bottle again. Suddenly, filled with disgust, I got up and poured its contents down the drain. Marcus looked approving. "Now go shower," he said, "You'll scare her away."

When I stepped into the bathroom, I realized Marcus was right. I doubtlessly smelled like cheap liquor, my hair was… well it wasn't attractively rumpled, that's for sure. I also needed to shave. I looked like a once-rich hobo. You need a haircut came from Jill in a text. I smiled slightly before showering.

The hot shower, clean hair, and shave went a long way towards helping me feel better. I emerged with my hair in better repair to find Marcus on the phone.

"Now that I'm capable of charming eldest Sage" I attempted, "Shall we?" Marcus looked relieved to see me seeming normal. How often had he checked in and seen me drunk and stupid these past two months? I was still broken and empty inside, but with this new lead, I had a purpose, I had hope. I could find her.

Several hours later, we were pulling up to a college dorm. The whole way there, Marcus and I had been talking about how to approach Carly Sage. we hadn't come up with much, but he hoped that mentioning that Sydney was in trouble would help. We knocked and she answered the door, similar enough to Sydney to make my heart ache. Her eyes flashed.

"No, I want no part of the alchemyst crap. I gave that up years ago." She went to close the door and I took the plunge

"Please," I begged shamelessly, "We have to help Sydney!" She opened the door again partially, still suspicious.

"Help her with what?" her eyes were guarded.

"She was sent to Reeducation," I said miserably, knowing the inevitable next question.

"Why?" Carly demanded. Then she thought better of it. "Maybe you better come in," she sighed. Marcus winked at her.

"Who are you two?" she asked after we had settled down in her room with sodas. Not diet like Sydney preferred.

"I'm Marcus," Marcus said, grinning at her.

"That's a suspicious tattoo," she said, testing him.

"Just a little something to kill compulsion in Alchemyst tattoos and keep it from ever working on me again," he said, "I gave up 'that alchemyst crap' too." he added. She smiled a little more warmly at him before turning to me.

"And you?" she said, "Why does a Moroi care about my sister's safety?"

"Because I care about her," I said, staring at the table, "I'm Adrian, I'm the reason she's in this mess in the first place," I added bitterly. I looked up at them again to see a mixture of shock and sympathy on Carly's face.

"How can I help?" she said finally, "I can't just find this place." Marcus started to speak.

"I'm not sure-"

"Wait," I said, a few pieces of information coming together, "You're Carly."

"We established that," she said, "You came looking for me, remember?"

"You could put us in contact with someone who's been in reeducation," She and Marcus looked confused.

"Um.. No, I really can't," she said, "Sorry."

"When Sydney first came to Palm Springs, the local Alchemyst tried to get rid of her because he was running an illegal moroi blood and venom tattoo place to get money from humans. She busted his operation open, and then he was sent to Reeducation."

"So?" she asked, Marcus still looking confused. I hesitated.

"Before I tell you this, even if you can get in touch with this person, you don't have to. If you could just give us contact info, it would be amazing." Carly's eyes flashed in recognition and.. Fear?

"Keith?" she asked. I nodded. Her face was full of fear.

"I'm sorry-" I began.

"No," she said, "Keith came to me a while back begging me for forgiveness, and begging me to turn him in to the human police. He was destroyed. He felt that prison was the only place safe from the Alchemysts. That's who has Sydney?" she asked incredulous. I nodded at the table. I felt awful, this whole mess was my fault. If I hadn't lost the stupid phone..

"Um.. If I might ask, what is your connection to Keith Darnell?" Marcus asked Carly.

"He raped me after taking me on a date when I was a teenager. I only told Sydney and made her promise not to tell," Marcus looked floored. Carly simply shrugged, then looked at me with a critical eye.

"Sydney always made her own decisions fully informed," Carly said a bit more gently, this to me, "whatever happened, she knew the risks. And she chose you anyway." I half smiled at her as she turned to Marcus. "You want me to contact Keith?"

"Just put us in contact," Marcus assured her, "It wouldn't be fair to ask you to do that."

"I don't care," she said fiercely, looking more like Sydney than I could have imagined, "I'll have an easier time getting information from him. I'll do anything to help Sydney."

"Any details on his location would be excellent," Marcus suggested.

I put my head on the table, missing Sydney more than ever.

"Yo, Adrian was it?" I nodded at Carly, "You're alright for an evil creature of the night." I know she was trying to joke, but it was the last straw. She reminded me so much of Sydney making jokes like Sydney would make. Something in me shattered a little more. I put my head in my hands and tried to keep my body from shaking with the sobs I wanted to let out. I couldn't be weak, Sydney needed me.