AN: Hi, sorry for the wait. Just a warning, there will be one more chapter after this and then that's the end. I won't be here for awhile to make updates so I thought it was time to wrap this story up and move on to other prospects. So enjoy, review and tell your friends!

The entire night seemed like some surreal adventure. The ninja had been less than completely stealthy breaking into the research lab since they wanted to draw out Storm Shadow without appearing too obvious. The red ninja had attacked first, their skills deplorable and nowhere near as experienced as an Arashikage ninja.

Snake Eyes' plan had gone well, almost too well. The red ninja had fallen and Storm Shadow had entered the fight before any of the G.I. Joe ninja could recover.

Fire Storm, according to plan, had held back during most of the fighting and had stayed out of sight once Storm Shadow had appeared.

Watching Snake Eyes, Jinx, Kamakura and Tiger Claw fight Storm Shadow had been terrifying. The speed and ferocity with which Storm Shadow had dealt his blows had allowed the white clad ninja to overpower his four opponents; of course he did not know that that was Snake Eyes' plan. Knowing that his sword brother would not lower his guard unless he thought that the threat had been neutralized, Snake Eyes had instructed the others to fake being knocked out or hurt in order to remove them from the equation. However, knowing the plan did not make it any easier for Fire Storm to watch his brothers fight and actually spill blood(Storm Shadow would not have believed anything less).

Fire Storm actually had to turn away when he saw Snake Eyes finally fall. Drawing in a deep breath Fire Storm stood up and ran the half-mile from where he had been hiding to where the fight had taken place. Storm Shadow heard him coming and stopped his sword's descent on Snake Eyes.

Fire Storm stopped a few feet from Storm Shadow and drew his swords.

"Who are you?" Storm Shadow asked, snarling each of its words. "Another one of my brother's apprentices?" He waved a hand at the fallen bodies of Kamakura and Tiger Claw, "You see how well they fared?"

Fire Storm looked around at the fallen ninjas. With startling clarity Fire Storm realized that he had seen this scene before: in his nightmares. Eyes wide he turned back to Storm Shadow, knowing what he had to do.

Storm Shadow's eyebrows disappeared up into his mask as he watched the bluish gray clad ninja drop his swords onto the pavement. "I'm not here to fight you."

Fire Storm then slowly raised his hands and pulled his mask off. He faced Storm Shadow square on, letting his brother see his face completely.

Please recognize me, please recognize me, pleaserecognizeme! Fire Storm screamed in his head, hoping by will alone to get through to his brother.

"I know you," Storm Shadow whispered, stepping forward and reaching out a hand. "Your face. Why does your face look familiar?"

Fire Storm said nothing, for once taking a page out of Snake Eyes' book and relying on silence to convey the proper words.

Storm Shadow was before Fire Storm now, his black eyes seeking to pierce the boy's soul. "No headache. When I look at you, trying to remember who you are, there is no pain." Fire Storm breathed an inner sigh of relief, thankful that they had figured rightly. "Fire Storm."

"Hello brother," Fire Storm said with a little smile.

"What are you doing here? Are you with the G.I. Joe?"

"I walk my own path," Fire Storm answered. "And I came to help you."

"Help me?"

Fire Storm nodded, "Once you helped start me on the path to ease my pain, I wish, in turn, to help me get rid of the pain that has been pressing on your mind."

"You know of it?"

Fire Storm nodded again and pointed to his cheeks, "Do you see the mark I bear, brother? The person responsible for this mark and your pain is the same. You are confused at times; your head pounds with pain and you remember little of your past. I can help you get rid of the pain and find your missing memories."

"How?"
"Mental link."

Storm Shadow looked both uncertain and eager, "Will it hurt?"
"You once told me that we must first feel pain in order to ease it. Recalling your memories will hurt, but it will not face."

"I do not fear pain," Storm Shadow said. "It is the feeling of knowing I have lost something, without knowing what was lost, that I fear."

"Then," Fire Storm said, feeling calmness and confidence spread throughout his body, "let us find your memories in order to erase your fear."

Storm Shadow nodded and Fire Storm raised his hand to his brother's temple, placing his fingers as Snake Eyes had instructed.

"Those who have wronged you," Fire Storm whispered, as he and Storm Shadow closed their eyes, " will feel our wrath of the Hard Master's sons when you are free of their control."