Authors Note: Sorry for taking so long to update. I've been writing my essay for the Holocaust for my honors writing class, and really haven't had time to do much else. Hope you all enjoy Chapter 14!

I know there was a lot of confusion and issues with the poll I set up, but it's been fixed, and now the poll on my profile is open and ready for your votes to be submitted!

Zinnia99: I am better; I have to go through a ton of follow-up appointments though. They're making me miss a ton of school , and homework is piling up fast -_- Glad you liked the last chapter, hopefully you'll like this one too!

Special thanks to SamXDanny for revising this chapter for me! Couldn't have done it without you!

Chapter 14: Appearances

Welcome home . . . son.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, bewildered.

"Perhaps this is a discussion for a later date?" Leonidas, the long, silvery blue-haired withered elder, suggested.

"Or maybe it's a discussion for now," I demanded, looking straight at the man's face.

"You will do well to hold your tongue!" Phaedra, the dark-haired woman, exclaimed.

"No, he needs to be told now," the raven haired, blue-eyed man that claimed to be my father said. "Well, stay seated," he told me as I tried to rise from my chair. He raised a hand parallel to the floor, looked at me, and then began lowering his hand. My body reacted to his hand movements, pushing me back into my chair with an unseen force.

"It will only be fair to give you your memories back before I begin filling your head with more information," the man said. Leonidas snapped his fingers – the sound reverberating off the walls, making the sound louder than ordinary – and a flask of a peculiar liquid appeared, levitating near my right hand.

I looked behind me over to the bench where Arella was seated. She gave me a reassuring nod, then I reached out to grasp the now smoking flat-bottomed vial.

While the vial couldn't be taller than an orange, or wider than a grape, it weighed more than a brick. Maybe it was just because of the state of fatigue I was in, but I don't think so. I took a deep breath and rose the tube to my lips.

"Hold on," I said lowering the vial, "what do you mean give me my memories back?"

Leonidas, Phaedra, Adelaine, and Calysta all shot the raven haired man annoyed glances. Immediately Calysta, the red-haired Princess with emerald-like eyes, snapped something at the man in a different language. Latin, maybe? The thought sent a shiver down my spine for an odd reason. That was getting so annoying, I was ready to chug the color-changing liquid down my throat, but I still didn't understand what my "father" had said. Did that mean he took away my memories?

I looked at the blue-eyed man and Calysta arguing in the foreign language. It was like watching a tennis match; if the ball could go faster than 200 miles per hour. It was basically the same effect when two people are speaking fluent Spanish at the same time.

Calysta was snapping at him and at first "Father" replied calmly. Then Calysta said something quietly, and he turned his head towards her faster than lightening and shouted something that made Calysta droop her head and fall silent.

Arching an eyebrow, I said, "I don't know what you guys' problem is, but I just want to get my memories back."

"Of course you do," Adelaine said, twirling her long purple hair absentmindedly. "As you can see, we aren't exactly . . . professionals." She cast a glance over at Leonidas and Phaedra. "With a couple exceptions," she grinned. "But we all have our different opinions and views on matters. Sometimes we fail to contain ourselves, but everyone has their faults."

"I am sorry, Danny. Normally when our posterity comes back to us, it is not on such terms as these," the raven haired man said, grimacing. "But then again this is a special case, is it not?"

"Okay, you're confusing me more and more by the second. Did you take away my memories or not?"

"Yes and no."

"Another straight answer. Thanks."

"Sorry," he said sincerely. "I had to take away your memories as a precaution. If Magnus were to get a hold of you . . . I shudder to even think about it. You are too precious for filth of Magnus's kind to hold hostage. . . ." Then he actually looked down at me and smiled. Oddly enough, it seemed genuine. For the first time, I could actually believe this person was my father. I found myself smiling back at him before I shook my head to clear my jumbled thoughts.

"So if I drink this," I said raising the vial I was holding in my right hand, "all my memories will come back to me?"

"They will, son."

I looked at all the Princes and Princesses. They were all smiling. I still didn't quite understand everything, but I trusted my father. If he said this was the first step to understanding, I believed him.

I hesitantly brought the liquid to my lips, trembling a little, then took it like a shot. It was warm and creamy, like hot chocolate. But it tasted like something I had never had before. A mix of pomegranate and coconut? Almond? All I know is that it tasted amazing. It smoothed down my throat and I felt a warm, pleasant feeling spread across me.

Then it was pain like no other. My skull was splitting open, my brain was being exposed to acid, and I suddenly knew what it felt like to die.

Screaming.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!"

That voice sounded so very familiar. . . .

"Calm down. The potion has some side affects –"

"SIDE AFFECTS?! YOU NEARLY KILLED HIM!"

I felt the presence of someone near my arm. At least I know I'm not dead. . . .

"GET AWAY! I'M NOT LETTING ANY OF YOU TOUCH HIM!"

Is that who I think that is?

"He is in an extremely fragile state and if we bother him, his memory's may come back altered."

"I don't care, Adelaine! I'm. Not. Moving."

I tried to raise a hand, open my eyes, move a leg, do something. Nothing worked. I couldn't feel a single thing in my body now; only listen.

"Danny, can you hear me?"

I was struggling to get to my visitor. I tried replying, but my mouth wouldn't budge.

Crying.

"We need to leave him alone," Adelaine said soothingly.

"No."

"Very well. I have other duties to attend to. Don't touch him, unless you wish to worsen his condition."

Silence . . . except for the crying.

Then the sound of someone phasing through a wall.

"Danny, if you can hear me . . . I'm sorry I left you. I don't know who these people are, but they did something to you. But they are all halfa's . . . well, kind of. They're a little different from you and me. They each have these weird powers like telepathy and telekinesis . . . I even saw one women who could change her appearance at will. Adelaine found Jazz and I after we escaped Magnus. She's alright with Jazz, but doesn't like me very much. Jazz is somewhere getting food; she's really tired because she was tortured by that monster of a ghost Magnus. I don't know where anyone else is, but . . . I'm here."

Then I began to have feeling in my face again. A warm drop of liquid fell on my cheek. Suddenly, I regained feeling all over my body, and I wasn't tired, hungry, or sore. My shoulder felt completely new and rejuvenated. I felt better than I had in . . . ever. My eyes fluttered open, to find a beautiful girl staring at me. Shoulder length black hair, pale and flawless skin, lavender colored lips, and eyes of amethyst surrounded by tears. One of which I realized had fell on me. How had Sam's tear revived me?

"Sam," I whispered. I paid no attention to my surroundings, only to my true love right next to me.

"Danny!" she exclaimed – quietly for my sake – and she flung her arms around me and hugged me tight. I hadn't realized how much I missed her. Of course, I wouldn't have, having no memory that she was my girlfriend. I held her at arms length for a few seconds then kissed her, wishing this moment could last forever, holding her in my arms, feeling her soft skin and lush hair. Nothing could ruin this moment.

Except for one thing.

Suddenly, Sam went rigid in my arms and I opened my eyes to find myself looking at her. But her sweet, sparkling violet eyes had been replaced with gleaming ones of blood-red, matching the twisted smile on her ghostly white face.

I love cliffhangers, how about you guys? ;)Remember to look at the pole I have up on my profile! I really hope that I'll be able to update next weekend, and I hope you guys liked this chapter. Until next time. . . .

-Aurora Marie Williams