Well, here it is. The next awaited chapter. I'm very very sorry it's taken so long to upload. I've decided, since the third book is basically out in America now, and nearly out here in the UK, that i'm going to finish this story on the next chapter. I would have liked to keep it longer, but alas, my imagination has forsaken me. xD Enjoy, and thankyou SO much for all the reviews so far. You guys ROCK! xx

Please review xxx

Chapter 14

"Are you seriously going to be like this? Cos if you are, i'm going to petition for a room of my own."

Luce lay on her bed, a wet towel on her forehead. She seemed to be channeling Shelby-isms as she dramatically sighs. Her eyes felt bloodshot from all the crying she'd been doing since she realised she was losing hope. It wasn't like she wanted to be crying. But since that morning at breakfast, it was like something inside of her snapped. A dam broke loose. God help her, she barely contained her tears on her way back to her room.

In a small voice, Luce said, "I'm sorry if my misery is distracting you from painting your toenails," each word covered in sarcasm. Shelby snorted where she sat on her bed.

"Honey, i love you and all, but you gotta snap out of it. How can we retrieve Daniel's memory if you're on your bed snivelling like an idiot?"

Luce sat up suddenly, her towel falling to the floor. "We?"

"Course. You didn't expect to succeed on your own?" she gestured to her tear stained clothes. "Not in that state anyway," she cringed.

Luce scowled, "Thanks. I hadn't noticed."

"No problem." smiled Shelby and then leaned forward on her bed, "Now let me paint these pinkies, and i'll be right with you,"

Luce rolled her eyes.

Twenty minutes later, Luce had on a clean tshirt and combats and marched out of her room, Shelby in tow.

"First things first, we need Miles." Shelby said with decision.

Luce grimaced, remembering the last time she'd spoken to him. "That might be easier said than done." she said as they headed towards the headmasters office.

"Why's that?"

"I kinda.. i don't know. Had a bad conversation with him, and i promised myself i wouldn't involve the guys in this problem anymore. It's too hard on them."

Shelby snorted again, trying to cover her derisive laughter. "Those guys think it's all about them. Self-centred jerks."

"They're not self-centred though. They've been helping for me."

"Wow, you should feel honoured."

Luce glared, "That's not fair. If it wasn't for Miles, we'd have never figured out how to regain Daniel's memory," she pointed out.

Shelby rolled her eyes, "Yeah, and we're no closer to getting it done than we were with Miles. Face it, Luce, we can do this job perfectly just you and I," She hit her with a beaming smile. So proud of herself.

Luce started biting her nails subconsciously, "Is it bad that i feel like giving up?" she asked guiltily.

Her friend stopped in her tracks and cast a unforgiving eye at her, "You better not be meaning that,"

Luce shook her head, "No, i don't mean it. But this feel so out of our depth..."

"We'll manage," Shelby replied satisfactorily.

"Francesca!" Their headmistress had left her office and apparently not seen them as she turned the other way.

She stopped and turned to face them, her expression pensive.

"What's wrong, girls?" she said suspiciously. She eyed Luce with a hint of contempt, as though she'd already caused the school enough trouble. Truthfully, Luce didn't much blame her.

Shelby held her head high as she said, "We want to speak to you, um, in private, if possible?"

Their tutor's eyes shifted. "I would be glad to, but i've got things to be getting on, i'm sorr-"

Shelby caught her arm as she tried to leave, "I'm sorry, but i can't accept that. See, we know you know more than you're giving off. You might be an Angel, but you're not behaving very angelic at the moment." Her eyes cast over their tutor carefully. Francesca nodded slowly, a little deflated and defeated with the prospect of what was to come.

"You better come in. Steven probably knows more than myself anyway,"

Steven was in fact sitting in his swivel chair behind his own desk opposite her own. He sat up, paper laid in front of him and smiled at the girls as they walked in.

"Well, what a pleasant surprise we have," a glint in his eye that gave Luce the creeps was very visible. His smile faltered when he saw Francesca's expression. "Oh dear, what's going on?"

"I'm sorry, Simon. They want to know how to fix Daniel's situation, and i told them you'd know more,"

He frowned not pleasantly, "You did, did you?" his eyes crossed over Luce and Shelby like they were something disgusting.

"Sir, we mean you no disrespect, but we really want to help Daniel, and we can't do it alone."

Luce had the urge to quip Shelby on her early rant about how they didn't need any other help, but felt it wasn't exactly the right time or place. She nodded in agreement to Shelby's reasoning.

"Girls, girls, girls. What makes you think we can help you even if we wanted to?" He smiled with a hint of something sinister. Well, Luce thought, he was on the dark side. That made her laugh to herself. Simon caught her. "Something funny, Miss Price?"

"No, sir. Sorry. I guess i'm still slightly traumatic," she said as sincerely as she could muster. He didn't seem impressed.

Looking back to the issue he said, "Well, you know by now the ways to retract how Mr Grigori's condition, correct?"

"Yes," Luce said with worry.

"And those ways are not exactly easy to come by. I presume Daniel doesn't really want to die, am i correct?"

She swallowed hard, "I assume not, sir." Shelby was casting worried glances to her.

"Perhaps it would be best if you left this problem to us, don't you think?" his smile turning even more creepy as his reasoning seemed to be taking effect. Both Shelby and Luce gave each other a knowing look.

"Sorry, sir, we can't allow that. See, we believe we can help him ourselves, with just a hint of guidance."

"Shelby, exactly what is your part in this?" Francesca asked sincerely.

"As a good friend, Ms."

"No benefits at all?"

Shelby seemed shocked, "What could i possibly gain from this?" she replied sharply.

"Very well," Francesca replied smoothly. "In that case, we'll do this one exception. There is, i believe, a third way, but it is very hard to come by. A special medicine that is only available via Steven's contacts," she looked over to him and he responded most unwillingly.

"Darling, why should i be the one to divulge? It's not like i'm very well liked up there,"

"No, perhaps not, but you can do this, can you not?" her eyes shining bright into his. He cursed and then fixed a smile, but Luce had spotted a snarl before then.

"I shall give it my best shot," he shot back calmly. A little too calmly. "I know a few warlocks that could help. One of them should have some idea," he grunted.

"Great," Shelby said cheerfully, despite the heavy atmosphere.

"On the contrary, trying to contact a warlock, in the first place, is almost nigh impossible. They don't like to be found, you see," he said sombrely.

"So basically you're going to do the other way, find the guy who did this to Daniel, but you're gonna use contacts, is that what you're saying?" she replied a little confused. Luce was looking back between them like a tennis match. Her head hurt.

He looked up from a file of papers he was rummaging through, "Yes, that is precisely what i am doing. Now, would you mind leaving for a moment? I feel my head cramped,"

You're not the only one, Luce thought sourly.

xxx

"Daniel, what's going on?" Luce was dreaming, but not the average dreams she used to have. No scary monsters here.

She stood in a field of red flowers, the colour of blood. She strolled slowly along a path made out by others having strolled the same way. Her hands, at either side, felt the flowers, leaving a mark on her hands, liquified red. It streaked the sides of her white nightgown and her bare feet caught thorns spiking up through the uneven ground.

Daniel stood several feet in front of her, whom she was walking to. He wore plain white trousers, flaring open at the ends and a blue tunic top, the collar turned over untidily. His face still looked the same way as it always did - had - but his expression sad and bittersweet.

"I can't reach you in person. This seems to be the only way." he said seriously.

She frowned to herself. It didn't matter how many raw steps she took, she got no closer. He still stood out of reach, looking at her with a longing she wished to calm. "But why wait so long? I miss you." she didn't think she could cry in dream, but she did, and the tears flowed smoothly, hitting the ground like little drops of pain.

"You know i wish i could, but i only have this one time."

"Why can't i get near you?" she whined, then berating herself for it.

He smiled sadly, "This isn't my doing. This is your conscious. Obviously you're feeling like you can't get through to the real me, so your dream is symbolising that.

"How do i get you back?" she whispered the air. He seemed to hear that because he said,

"You need to trust Cam. I know you don't like him, but he'll know. Don't trust Steven or Francesca."

She tilted her head curiously, "How did you know i went to them?"

He smiled knowingly, "I know you, Luce." She blushed. "Besides, Steven never liked me. He will do anything to send me to hell," he grimaced, "literally."

"Okay," she said slowly, thinking it through best she could. "So, Cam, what can he do?"

"Just trust him, Luce. No matter what," he started to fade, she reached out but all she got were bloody hands. "I haven't got long, darling, but please, whatever happens, Cam can help you."

She felt tears streak her face deeper, tears of sorrow, tears of happiness at seeing him even in dream, tears of regret.

"I'm sorry," she said to the air as he faded to nothing. She felt herself jerked awake.