Fabian:

He knew her many plans. He knew what she was planning to do. And he knew that Isis' only target was for her to have no memory of him. He didn't know if he was supposed to be grateful towards the goddess or if he was supposed to be angry with her for using him as a threat, a pawn.

He didn't like being used. He never liked being used. But due to how he acted, it came rather often when he was human. And now that he seemed more superior to those who used to tease him, he was the one who was using them.

Fabian knew it was wrong but he wanted Nina to forget her. He thinks that it would be easier for everyone if one of them forgets the other. And since the gods couldn't really help him with that, then they would do her instead. He was manipulating Patricia this way, being totally against every rational decision that the group has made without her even realizing it. He acted as her conscience, the little voice inside her head who was supposed to always push her to do good things. And of course, this was for the good of everyone he knows and for this relationship. One has to forget the other. Nina has to forget Fabian.

"Are you sure about this, Nina?" Eddie asked urgently towards the girl. Due to his oversensitive hearing, he managed to hear the conversation as clearly as actually being there, even when he was fifty feet away from them. "You won't be able to take it back."

"Don't worry. Gran would want me to be happy. Maybe it would only be right if I finally let her go."

The young vampire froze as a statue, concentrating hard on Patricia to keep arguing with the obviously final decision. He was already a hundred percent sure that he wanted this and Edward will be totally supportive on whatever he chooses to do, as long as it has nothing to do with feeding on human beings.

"No. I still think that it should be Fabian. After all, don't you think that you should finally move on from him? I'm sick of hearing you whine about him all the time."

Fabian smiled triumphantly when Nina hesitated, her mind in complete disarray at the redhead's words. She was considering all the possibilities but never once did she think that maybe this was his doing, that he was taking advantage of his gifts and used it to get what he wants and what the world needed. "Maybe Patricia's right." She finally said with a small sigh of uncertainty.

He glanced curiously towards his brother who managed to smile. He knew well that Jasper was influencing her emotions, made her doubt the possibilities almost as easily as Edward could read thoughts and he almost jumped for joy when he realized that it finally worked, that her decision to sacrifice her memory of him was finally going to happen.

The changes happened pretty quickly. No one in his family, or in his extended family, has been affected with Isis' spell. Only Nina, after about three seconds, has completely been modified for the better. She didn't remember who he was or everything that he said to her, which meant that his family's secret was more secure. Amber would continuously ask about Fabian but never once did she show any sign that she might remember him. And he was glad for that.

"You really don't know who he is?" Alfie asked exasperatedly, shaking Nina for effect.

Fabian was watching from a distance, smiling widely and smugly as he reached her mind. Even the little things in her memory were gone so Alfie's desperate attempts were useless. "I'm sorry, I really don't. But should I?"

"Yes! He's the love of your life, the guy of your dreams, your best friend! You don't remember who he is?"

"No, I don't. I'm really sorry, Alfie, but I don't."

And he laughed out loud, making Emmett and Jacob chuckle with him and his enjoyment. Alice didn't think it was a good idea but the future was pretty clearer now in Nina's case so she was grateful. She imagines that when the time comes and everything returns to her, she would start searching. But they would be long gone when that happens. "You really like what you see, don't you?" Tanya looked truly happy for the first time he's seen her. And he smiled back, shaking his head.

"Well, maybe there are times when I would like watching her but this is just really good TV."

When Alfie gave up, Emmett roared with laughter and all those people who wanted her to remember who she is gave up before they could even try. And he was actually pretty happy for it.

Right at this very moment, he made the right decision.

Nina:

As hard as she try, she could never pinpoint where she heard the name Fabian before. It seemed very familiar and whenever the world leaves her lips, she feels her heart flutter widely in her chest so it means that he means something to her, that he is someone important. And Nina was so frustrated with herself whenever she thinks back to the holes in her memory. She remembers everyone else but that man.

Her friends gave up on helping her try to recall and she spotted the Cullens talking quietly amongst themselves. She could name them all easily until she caught a glimpse of a dark haired man with beautiful red eyes that seemed to compliment his perfect face. His hair color contrasted with the paleness of his skin, making him even more irresistible. He was absolutely to die for, the man every single girl wanted. And he belonged to the family of the gorgeous people, not one looking any more different than the other.

She never actually seen him before but something about how he looks made her feel as if she should know him. But she ignores the feeling and asks Amber who he was, knowing well that her best friend can easily say the name.

But the blonde looked pained, his name falling as a plea on her lips. "He's Fabian Rutter but he's mostly known as Fabian Cullen. He was adopted by Carlisle a few years ago, when his parents died when he was twelve. They treated him like family ever since."

"Fabian?" Alfie was trying to make her remember that name, that he would answer all those questions she had of why her memory felt so incomplete. "Am I supposed to know him?"

"Not that I know off." Her face was as nonchalant as her tone, shrugging as if it was an ordinary question. "But I think it would be best if you stay away from him."

"Why?" she was curious yet a little cautious. She needed a reason to distance herself from something. A very reasonable reason.

Amber hesitated, thinking. "He's dangerous." She finally settled, "His entire family is keeping a very big secret that only the Senior Counselors know and they would never say anything to us even when we bribe them or blackmail them. Trust me, Jerome and Alfie tried to force the secret out of Travis and Connor and all they ended up with was being punished to clean the stables for the entire month."

"Do you know what it is?"

"I told you, only Piper and the others know and even they seem a little shaken. Whatever it is, it's really important." Nina was surprised at this one. Amber was always one of those people who find out about things that started. She knows absolutely everything related to people and the gossip almost always starts with her.

"He doesn't look dangerous to me." She told her boldly, "I'm going to talk to him."

From the distance, she saw the smile on his face fade and a very urgent look was pointed directly at Edward, both of them looking at her direction. And she blushed when she realized what was happening. Fabian was looking at her. Fabian and Edward Cullen, the two most attractive men in the family. Nina bit her bottom lip to keep herself from screaming as she turned to Amber.

"No, I told you, it's only for the best. Plus, you have a boyfriend, remember? We don't want my brother getting the wrong assumptions now do we?"

"I guess you're right." She muttered hesitantly, taking one last glance at the man at the verge of the forest, surrounded by many trees to keep them shaded in the warm afternoon. And she caught him smiling for a reason unknown to her.

Of course, Nina wanted to know more about him. After Amber told her to stay away from him, her curiosity was ignited and she was itching to get to know the angel better. What's the harm of making new friends? That's the only thing they're going to be right? Friends? And she smiled when she realized that nothing was impossible and that whatever her best friend told her, she was going to find her way around it.

Brian was pretty glad that she didn't forget about him and he teased her about hitting her head and losing something unimportant. She laughed then, even when she didn't get the joke.

What did she have that made her boyfriend so nervous?

Fabian:

He was going to have to talk to Amber when he gets the chance. He could already feel Nina formulating one of the most ingenious plans he has ever seen. But that would only get her hurt, physically more than mentally or emotionally. He made her forget about him for that specific situation not to happen and now, here she goes again trying to get her way.

He sighed, shaking his head at how Nina it truly was.

Amber did have a pretty good argument herself. She said, and he quotes, That if you weren't standing like a god right in front of her, she would have ignored you. He wanted to laugh at that but he found nothing funny. He thought that he was doing what's best for the world, for her, for him. He didn't know that it would make things even more complicated. Fabian was just glad that Lou Ellen's birthday was already in a week so they would be able to leave sooner. That idea was the only reason why he keeps going every day, because he would finally be able to leave her alone and continue his existence with Tanya.

Fabian was actually quite happy with her. She was different from most women he saw when he was still mortal. For one thing, she was absolutely beautiful; her long strawberry blonde hair almost reached her waist, her amber eyes shining even without the sunlight. When he first saw her, he already mentally complimented her for her appearance, and now that he knows her a little bit better, he can also compliment her about her humor, her attitude, her growing fondness for the arts. After all, if you have forever, you have all the time you needed to learn.

"Do you think it would be right if we would be together, like Jasper and Alice or Edward and Bella or Emmett and Rose?" he asked her as they sat together under the shadows.

"I don't know. You're more of a brother to me than anything, really, and finding someone has always been a challenge. Maybe we should take it slowly, you know, step by step. So when you change your mind, it wouldn't hurt as much."

"You always understood me."

She laughed lightly, You are pretty easy to predict. She told him.

Her thought made him think about his ability, his special power. Edward always said that it was more powerful than his or Renesmee's because it wasn't limited to only hearing thoughts or sharing thoughts but both. Fabian can easily make people see what he saw, and think what he's thinking. The input and the output was very visible and as he practiced it even more, he learned that he can actually create a mental conversation as he did before, choosing who would hear and who would be heard easily. Bella was a different case altogether. Her mind was locked so there would be nothing to escape it but with a slight push, he learned that he can enter it. He still couldn't hear her thoughts but it was a good a progress as any.

"I don't know why she even let you go, you know. You are very kind, Fabian, and incredibly smart. She didn't know what she had until she lost it."

He didn't speak. Instead, he let his mind talk to her instead. She has always been so ungrateful.

"You are very different from all those newborns that I have encountered. You're probably more tamed than Bella is. If it wasn't for the early preparation, she would have been as bad as those normal ones but you didn't expect this to happen at all?"

"No. I didn't even know that this kind existed. Of course, before I had my doubts but actually being part of the supernatural is pretty intriguing."

She nodded once but there was no question answered in her mind. She decided that she would just let it be and she'll find out for herself sooner or later. "So, you never get to tell me how you met them. Edward said that he knew you before you were changed but it wasn't from school."

"That's a very easy story to tell, actually." He smiled to himself at the memory. "I was in the town library and searching for books to read when I met Bella and we talked. She introduced me to Edward eventually and then it was a chain reaction. Ed introduced me to Em and Rose who introduced me to Jazz and Alice and finally to Carlisle and Esme. We became really close friends but they never really talked about themselves much. Of course, back then, it would grow a lot of suspicions but never once did I question them, which was only smart for me."

Tanya nudged him lightly on the shoulder, making a small laugh escape his lips. He never laughed this much with his old friends, mainly because of all the worries he had of his life and Nina's life and everyone else's lives. But now that he was free from that, he can laugh without worrying about his life ending. And for that he was glad.

Nina:

Patricia forced her to follow Amber's advice. She said that it would be better if Nina didn't know him and that she acted as if he never existed. It would be a better life for everyone if she were to ignore the godlike creature hidden in the shadows. But this is the first time she actually liked someone like this, that she could feel that he would make her better, change her and mold her to be the person she was supposed to be.

"Nina!" her best friend scolded, grabbing her by the arm. "Don't do this. You'd get hurt."

"Why can't I be friends with him when you can?" She whined like a child when she doesn't get what she wanted. She always did and she always will.

Amber raised an eyebrow. "We're not friends."

"Yes you are! You just act like you're not because I'm close."

She didn't say anything but gave a painful tug to her wrist, making her stumble to her direction. From the corner of her eye, she swore she saw Amber look at Fabian helplessly even when they were at least fifty feet away from his family. Of course, she wasn't quite sure so she couldn't accuse Amber of something like that.

Nina had many plans in her head and the direct approach would never work anymore, now that the blonde daughter of Aphrodite knows about it. So she gave up on that and preceded to the other, the much more complicated one. She was going to do everything just to have a proper conversation with him and she swears that she wouldn't rest until she does. She didn't care if he was way out of her league. She just wanted to be friends with her, and maybe when they got to know each other better, they would finally be together.

"Don't even think about it, Nins!" her best friend screeched before she could even go beyond the door of her cabin. "I told you, you can't talk to him. It's for your own good."

"Why are you so serious on keeping me away from him?" she finally questioned, her voice high and frustrated. "What if he wants to talk to me too?"

Amber just shook her head, letting her blonde hair cover her face almost completely. "He told me," Nina heard her mutter, "He told me that you couldn't. That something really bad will happen to you if you become friends with him." She said a word too soft for her to hear but she didn't push her any further. She never saw Ambs this broken, that she was so close to tears, scared of the outcome when she finally would let go of Nina's wrist. "I'm so sorry. I can't let you get hurt."

Suddenly, all of those plans, and back-up plans, and back-up plans for the back-up plans felt useless. They were meant to be apart. She was stupid to not realize that earlier. Plus, Nina was happy with Brian now. Someday, they might even go beyond every expectation and get married. She was glad that she doesn't have to worry about her love life now that it was only revolving around one person. But it also felt that it wasn't exciting enough. Thinking of being with Fabian made her curious, intrigued, and very anxious. She wanted to know how a kiss with him would feel like. How he would sound when he would laugh. How he would pull her to the most intimate of embraces whenever she needed the comforting.

"Amber, are he and Tanya together?" Nina asked, her throat suddenly feeling dry.

"I don't really know. They act as if they are but whenever I ask Alice, she says that they still aren't so it is pretty confusing. Plus, they don't have that romantic tension like what most couples do. It feels like a brother and sister relationship."

Okay, so she might still have a chance with him when she wasn't restricted to having a babysitter with her all the time. Maybe, she could distract Amber and she'd sneak off to talk to him, or maybe share a wonderful conversation with the people closest to him. Once, she saw him talking to Alfie and Jerome, his tone a little intimidating. Those were the only times where she would hear him talk, when he was with someone else. And his voice was just as perfect as his face.

"Nina?" the girl beside her asked, "What are you planning to do now?"

"You said that I would get hurt if I ever become friends with him, am I right?"

"Yes…" she didn't seem to get where she was heading but Nina was patient with her. After all, Amber wasn't the smartest person she knew. But she also learned that she wasn't the dumbest. She has her moments where she would blind them with her intelligence.

"Then I'm not going to be friends with him."

Fabian:

He was afraid of hearing that statement from her, especially when he already thought of that a million times before. "She's very witty when she wants to be." His brother observed easily. "But are you going to let her through this time?"

"I don't even know if she's supposed to be planning the impossible. I won't let her ten feet from me if it would keep her safe. Isis has thought this thoroughly, knowing well that the state of our relationship wasn't at its strongest. She might have doubted more than the goddess expected but she eventually followed her plan. Isis wants her dead."

"Do you think we should leave? I could tell Carlisle…?"

"No, it's only right for Lou to have her birthday first. She already did agree with what Seth told her but I only wish that it would be sooner than it really is."

Edward laughed. "I think Emmett wants a change of scenery, especially when he can't really go too far away to hunt. But we can go earlier than planned, leaving Seth and Leah here with Lou Ellen, and then they're just going to come back on their own."

That is actually a very useful suggestion. Fabian thought honestly with a smile, and I'd rather go now. I don't want anything to happen to her. Plus, there isn't much for me to do here anyways. I learn faster than my siblings so my training would have to be cut short.

Bella approached them quietly and placed a hand on her husband's shoulder. "Do you really want to go?"

"I don't really know but Fabian does and we can't let him leave alone. Plus, I think Rose and Em would be grateful to leave early. And if it would make Eleazar relax, even a little, then it would be nice. And I miss our home."

Fabian didn't even think twice. He was already saying his goodbyes to his friends and his siblings, talking to Amber longer than usual because he has to explain to her the reason why. And it ended up with her hugging him with tears in her eyes as if to say that she really would miss him, that Sibuna wouldn't be the same without him. He wanted to laugh because their old club seemed so distant now. It was his hobby in his other life. But that was the past. "I really am going to miss you, Fabian." She told him, her head pressed lightly on his chest.

"Don't worry. I'll keep in touch. But I may be travelling too much for you to actually hunt me down." He pressed his cold lips on the crown of her head, a reminder of their long lasting friendship. "Thank you, Amber, for everything. Take care of her, would you?"

She managed a small smile, "Of course. After all, she is my best friend." She paused, thinking. "I know it's pretty useless but I want you to be careful. If I am going to see you again, I want you to be whole and exactly the same person. Well, I may be older but…"

They shared one last laugh for good measure before he finally let her go, holding her in arm's length as he brushed the hair from her face. "Thank you." He repeated.

He knew that his family was waiting for him. Apparently, the only people who would stay were Seth and Leah, just as planned. Chiron promised that he was going to keep them alive before they go and Carlisle thanked him endlessly for the many things he did for them. Leaving Percy and Annabeth was pretty hard for the rest of the family for they have grown pretty attached to the couple.

He noticed that they really did want to keep them there and they would try to communicate through Iris Messaging. Honestly, Esme was pretty excited to try that out but theirs were pretty limited so if there would be no more drachmas for them to use, they would just call them and ask them on how life is.

It was Patricia who wouldn't let them leave. He didn't like leaving her because of all the times they had together but it was for the best. She did know that he wouldn't stay with them permanently, that he had to go someday. But he did promise to her that they would see each other again, maybe after two decades or so. This made Trixie smile but her tears weren't that easily taken away. In the end, Fabian pulled her into an embrace tight enough for her to know how much he really did care for her.

You'll always be in here. He tapped his temple lightly, making her smile. I'll talk to you and Amber so don't be surprised when you hear voices in your head.

Patricia took a deep breath and pressed her lips to his cheek, Don't ignore me. She demanded, I will always be willing to talk to you.

They left the moment he was done, never once bidding farewell to the one girl he wanted so bad to talk to again. He wanted her to wake up one day and just forget about him, to have a life with Brian without him to make her doubt if she ever did do the right thing.

After all, he was all out of goodbyes.