Here's the next chapter. A little sooner than i expected. I truly hope i've done it okay as i lack being able to justify a character's background when it's not my own. Anyway, self-cristism aside, this was intended to be two chapters. But, since i found the first half to be a bit short, i added the other half to it. Please review, and if i've put anything that confuses you, please let me know and i'll try to answer. It wasn't the most thought-through of backgrounds, i must admit. Never the less... Review... love you all 3

A big thanks to LaughingTwiGirl for helping me with a small description area. Even though it was only a small bit, it helped add a bit of... class to the scene. I hope so anyway.

Enjoy xx

Chapter 10

"I first met you in 1940, if i remember correctly. Memory's a fickle thing." started Cam, his lips curving into a wry smile. "It was a sunny day in London and you were wearing a sunflower patterned sundress. Back when you were called Luciana. You weren't with Daniel then, or so i thought. He had his way of creeping up. I worked as a blacksmith. When i first saw you, you were shopping with your mother in Harrods, just a few yards away where i was working outside while i sorted a few things out. Your hair flowed beautifully down your back and the sun made tiny strands look almost blonde against the natural dark. Being a mere ten feet from you caused goosebumps to rise as i took in your beauty." Cam winked at Luce, "You haven't changed much, either."

After a pause, he swallowed before continuing. "Anyway, so you came over to the shop that was next to me. A material market i think it was. You were two steps away from the entrance when i caught your eye. Or something did, because next thing i know you're casually walking towards me with a ghost of a smile on your rosy face, along with curiosity. I couldn't understand why such a beauty would be interested in talking to me; a dirty, sweaty looking young man who had barely anything to his name. You had the good life. I didn't. So when you asked me my name, i was lost for words. I think it took a moment of awkward silence before I could say it was Cameron, which it was then. Most of us who have been reincarnated over the years, have kept our names. You were always Luce, just in different variations. Anyway, so i said my name and you actually smiled. It was the most amazing sight i'd ever seen. A man of my work didn't often see such sights. You introduced yourself as Luciana and i said what a beautiful name it was. You blushed. I remember the way your eyelashes would flutter like a butterfly's wings when you were nervous. You stood there with your small wicker basket of goods you'd already purchased, and glanced back to find your mother waiting on the doorstep of the shop, staring disapprovingly at you. I tried to act like i was working innocently, but it was difficult. You said your goodbyes, and twirled back towards your mother. From then on i couldn't stop grinning for the whole day. You had truly lightened up my life." he paused.

"Until Daniel," Luce said under her breath. Cam nodded.

"Well, it wasn't instant. It never was. Every time you two met in different life times, you'd meet at different places. The only difference was, this time, i would crop up. When i next saw you, which was only a few years later, you were in Paris, hand in hand with him. You both strolled down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées like you owned the city. You wore a pewter blue sun dress - with capped sleeves, ruffled v neck and red fitted bow at the mid drift - the dress skimmed your body to mid thigh level. Small printed flowers of - purple, pink, red, green and white - filled the bottom of the skirting and lightly dotted up towards the capped sleeves and neck line.

I had to admit, from where i stood – at least 30 yards away- you looked breath-taking. I was still a blacksmith, but we'd been asked to ship out to France for the Second World War." he shook his head, "Lord knows why. Personally i would much rather have stayed in London, but given my father's family heritage, we weren't, well, you could say 'allowed'."

Luce lay sideways on her bed as she listened intently.

"You know Daniel wasn't completely faithful to you, right?" Cam said with as afterthought.

"Don't say that." she said in a low-tone. He smirked.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to say anything bad. Yet. There's only one person we both have in common."

"Me." said Luce thoughtfully. He carried on.

"Well, you and Daniel looked so good together. I didn't expect you to remember me when you walked my way. My father was on his lunch break, and it was so hot he decided to go off and grab an ice cold drink from the small pub near by. I was left to man the desk – so to speak. When you stopped to say hello, i eyed Daniel behind you and wondered what a lovely girl like you was doing with someone like him. It wasn't until a couple of lifetimes later that i realised what he was. Or rather, who he was.

In the next life time, i met you when you were 15. I was 16 and working as a painter with my cousin. Nineteen fifty six, New York. It was the year of great music, which is how i remember the year. You came into our art gallery and requested one of our finest paintings. It was your mother's birthday. You said you and your father were going to design her a study room in your new home. She was a writer back then, i vaguely remember you showing me some pages when i visited your place once. You hadn't met Daniel yet, and although you didn't remember me from your life before, i did. Come's with the pain of loving someone who will never be yours."

Luce turned her ahead away as he looked at her with an almost intimate stare.

"We went on one date. Since we went to the same school, you saw me on the quad and happened to ask me to the movies. I was.. well... astounded."

"And the rest is history?" Luce said quizzically.

"Well... yes and no. You know full well both Daniel and I have our own mini battle for you. It's been going on quite a while, even if it's not obvious. Sure, we allied up to help you with the Outcasts, but that truce won't last forever." He stood up and walked towards her, kneeling down he said, "You know i'll always be here. Even if you don't truly trust me yet, i'll be here. When you find out all you can about who Daniel really is, then you will choose." he grasped her hand in his. She sat up slowly, letting his hand drop.

"It'll always be Daniel. I might not know our whole history together, but i know what i feel now. I'm not running away from Daniel, Cam. I'm running away from myself."

Some smile seemed to creep up on Cam as she herself also made the realisation of what she had just said.

He stood up, clasping his hands in an almost amazed feeling. "Hurray. You're not such the hard puzzle you try to make yourself to be, after all. So if you're only running from yourself – which, you know you can never do, - why haven't you told Daniel, i wonder?"

"I don't have to tell him everything, you know." she retorted with a stubborn edge, before sighing with grief. For herself and everyone she loved.

He sat down next to her, "Luce," he said. Luce stood up away from him and he raised both hands in surrender. "Okay, i get it. I'll back off. I've told you mostly everything, anyway. No point in turning the tables completely, eh?" he let a sly wink emerge on his face.

She turned back to him, her bare feet sticking a little on the wooden floor. "What you do you mean 'turn the tables'"?

He rolled his eyes and casually walked to face the window. "Oh, you know."

"No," she said heavily, "I don't know. If you're trying to make me feel guilty for something i did or didn't do in my past life, stop. Nothing you say will ever make me trust you."

With a pause, he turned to face her. Narrowing eyes. "I'm gathering that."

"Good." she slipped on her sneakers that were at the end of her bed and left the room.

"Luce! We've been looking for you everywhere. Are you okay?" Francesca came around the corner towards Luce's room just as she closed the door. She hadn't had time to get her features under control so her teacher knew something was wrong.

"Who's 'we'?" Luce asked, wondering if there was supposed to be someone with her teacher. Francesca looked behind her and then laughed as she turned back to Luce. "Oh, i meant me. Just myself, dear. I'm sorry i didn't get to see you when you arrived yesterday. Total shocker, i must admit. We all thought... well, we didn't expect it." she fiddled with her hands awkwardly. Luce began walking the way her teacher had just come from. The cafeteria room was pretty much empty except a couple of other non-angels. And Daniel. What the hell?

"Ms? Do you know what Daniel is doing here? I didn't think- Well, forgive me if i'm a little confused. But the whole situation between myself and him..." she drifted off as she took in her teachers aghast expression as though she'd said something she shouldn't have.

After a pause Francesca said – a little too high to be natural, "Daniel's here? Oh Luce, I- I didn't know he was here. Sorry, i can't help you." She hastily left Luce and headed up the stairs next to the cafeteria doors to her office.

Shelby appeared in the doorway as Luce stared up in a daze. "What was all that about?" she said with a bemused tone as she took in the flailing skirt of their teacher.

"I asked her about Daniel."

Shelby faced her, eagerly awaiting the verdict. "And?"

Luce frowned, confused. "She went all weird. She said she didn't even know he was in the school. Then..." she looked back up the stairs as she remembered the hurry her teacher had appeared in.

"Weird." Shelby agreed.

xxx

"Daniel, why are you doing this to me? I miss you so... much." I said between tears.

He stood so close. My heart beat so loudly it was only a matter of time before it would explode. His intensity...

"You know why, my love. I'm always here, though. Just a foot step away."

I tried to wrap my head around it. "But he says you're not who you claim to be." i blurted. He immediately frowned with concern and stepped away.

"Cam? Is that who's been tainting your mind. He knows not to go messing with things he has no-"

"Daniel, please. Don't take it out on him. Sure, he's a manipulating asshole," i grinned for a split second, "but he's only saying what i need to hear."

He looked hurt. "You believe him?" It wasn't a question, although it sure sounded like it. I could tell by his face.

I opened my mouth to speak but soon he changed. Daniel wasn't there anymore. Miles was.

"Luce, what are you doing to me?" he spoke with a pleading tone. I stepped back, taking in the image before me and gasped. "What?"

My breath caught. This is a dream, i know it. Please let it be a dream.

"Miles, you know i love Daniel." i said. Who was i trying to convince, though?

"Really? Then why are you dreaming about-"

His body changed before he managed to finish – someone else ended the sentence. Someone who i would never have thought. Hell, who was i kidding. It's a dream.

"-me?" said Cam, a cocky grin on his handsome face.

Luce snapped wide away. Her eyes took in the cabin and the reassuring sleeping image of Shelby in the bed opposite. She glanced up at the window and wished that the first part of the dream had been real. The dream seemed so real. So...

If she was to be honest, it seemed almost like her subconscious was trying to play with her mind.

"Luce?" shelby said under a groggy state. Luce looked over at her friend who was busy rubbing her eyes of sleep and glanced at the early dawn light emerging through the small roof window.

"It's okay. Go back to sleep," Luce tried to calm her friend but Shelby didn't seem able to relax. She looked far too concerned for Luce.

"Bad dream?" she asked, coming over to sit next to her.

Luce looked away, trying to hide emotions. "No."

Shelby laughed throatily, "Oh come on. Who are you trying to kid? Me or you?"

"Myself. Everyone. I don't know.."

"Was it about you-know-who?"

Luce laughed a little manically. "Which one?"

"Oh, dear." Shelby rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, tell me about it."

"So what you gonna do?" her friend asked with honest worry. Luce stood up and swung her hands together with a clap in resignation.

"Nothing." When Shelby looked up at her with a raised eyebrow she added, "Well what can i do? This whole thing has just been screwed up to high heaven." she grimaced at the last word.

"When you say both of them, you mean-"

"-Daniel and Cam, oh and let's not forget Miles." she replied with a slight bitterness.

Shelby laid a hand over her mouth. Luce wasn't totally convinced it was a yawn.

"Miles?" she said with alarm, "Honey, it's just a dream. Nothing real can come out of it."

Luce looked back at her friend. "Tell that to my conscious. It's already making me feel guilty over Cam."

"Cam, what's he got to- Nooooo, no. He's not trying to- But i thought he and Daniel had a truce?"

Luce rolled her eyes in disbelief. "Yeah, i thought so too."

Shelby wide awake now, seemed determined. "So we find Daniel and figure out his deal. It's not like we've actually tried to ask him why he's here, anyway.."

With a grimace and head hung, "Hate to say you're right..."

Smiling, Shelby said, "But i'm right."