Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Bloodlines or Fullmetal Alchemist

The plane ride back to Palm Springs was rather uneventful. Keith was quiet the entire time, glaring at me every time I even attempted to get a question out. He didn't seem all that friendly so far, making me wonder if it was just a hatred of me or deeper issues that made him this way. Perhaps it was a combination of both, but without any other knowledge of him, I couldn't really say which it was.

I was expecting to be greeted by my friends when I returned, since Adrian had been informed of this trip and how long it would take. I wondered how they would react to Keith's presence, and if I could actually convince them to stay quiet about how he got here. Based on the fact that he had to destroy that underground bunker to get out, I'd say he wasn't on good terms with the Alchemists. Using Tom's words for a basis, I actually had something to do with that, though I wasn't entirely sure what it was.

"Sage, you're back! Thank god, the cavalry has arrived." Adrian stated, walking forward and actually looking relieved. I wondered just what he meant when I noticed the others behind him, another dhampir and a moroi that I had yet to meet.

I wondered why he was so eager to get away from them, but decided it was rather unimportant at the moment. I walked over to Adrian with a grin, eager to see my friend again. "Indeed it has. This time, I brought back-up too." I told him, watching his gaze glance behind me and notice Keith.

He blinked in surprise, turning back towards me with a look of confusion. "I hate to break it to you, Sage, but he isn't back-up. He's a goddam disaster waiting to happen." Adrian told me, confirming my suspicion that he was not well-liked by me or the group of vampires in the area.

Keith didn't seem too offended by Adrian's comment, looking uncomfortable in the presence of vampires. It didn't surprise me, considering the lectures I received on what vampires were in Virginia. All Alchemists probably had a deep-rooted dislike of any vampire, making their job that much harder. After all, it forced us to work with vampires at times, something that would be easier if we could learn to have at least some trust in their race.

"It is good to see that the research team got here fine, I was informed they'd be coming soon." I stated, moving on and ignoring Adrian's comment. I didn't want to discuss Keith's presence, not when he needed to be unmemorable.

Adrian seemed to notice my avoidance of the subject, raising an eyebrow at me but not saying anything. "So, you knew the Russian warlord would be coming and didn't tell me? That hurts, Sage, it really does." he commented, making me wonder just who he was talking about. Based on appearances alone, it seemed more likely to be the male.

"Leave her alone, Adrian, she doesn't need your commentary." the female moroi stated, chastising him for no reason. I noticed how Adrian seemed to pout at her insistence on keeping his distance, but there was something more going on here that I was missing.

The moroi turned to look at me, a smile on her face at first before she let out a gasp, dropping the hand she had held out to shake my own. "Sydney…what happened to you?" she asked, making me wonder just what it was she was asking about.

"I beg your pardon? Nothing too significant, beyond my memory loss, which I assume Adrian has informed you about." I told her, but she still seemed to scrutinize me. Adrian glanced over at me sympathetically, looking like he understood the reason for her actions.

"Not a clue on this one, her aura's been off since she lost her memory." he told the girl, making me realize what I was missing. This girl was a spirit user, just like Adrian. It was why he seemed to get along with her so well, beyond simply being friends. All spirit users had a natural charisma to them, though Adrian seemed to think it was much stronger than it actually was.

I really didn't want to get into this subject now, not with Keith standing behind me. I moved on quickly, changing the subject to something else as the dhampir moved to grab my bags. I moved to stop him, but he insisted on helping me after my long flight back. "So, what are the arrangements for your research? I'm afraid I left in a bit of a hurry, I didn't get to hear the finalized plans for your stay." I told them, watching as the moroi nodded.

"The Alchemists wanted me on board with it too, and they asked me what it would take to get my cooperation. I was rather surprised that they complied without a fight, considering how much you insisted on it being impossible to get me out of Clarence's before." Adrian commented, shrugging as we began walking to the car. The dhampir seemed to be the one driving, probably the one who gave Adrian a ride in the first place.

"Wait, the Alchemists gave you a house?" I demanded, stunned that they would go to such lengths for this research. Even Keith looked surprised, staring over at Adrian in silence.

He nodded, a grin on his face as he pulled out a cigarette, beginning to smoke in front of us. The smell bothered me, making me wrinkle my nose in disgust. I understood the principle of addiction, but that didn't mean I was a fan of the smell of cigarettes. "Yep. They gave me your swanky bachelor pad, furniture included. Now, it is research central for us. Such a shame that my art couldn't decorate the halls for long." Adrian commented, looking a bit wistful as he got in the car.

Keith seemed to freeze, his gaze looking over at me when he heard this news. "So…you've all been living at my house? Please tell me you had more backing to your threat than this, Sydney." Keith asked, not bothering to hide the tension between us right now. Adrian looked intrigued by what he heard, while the other moroi looked stunned.

"Sydney threatened you? That doesn't sound like her." she commented, while Adrian gave her an amused smile.

"Nah, Sage is a changed women now that she's lost her memories. She's no longer held back by that stupid superstitious nonsense Alchemists all seem to believe. Oh, before I forget, Sydney, this is Sonya and our Russian driver is Dimitri." he stated, seeming to remember that I had yet to learn either of their names.

I glared over at Keith, not liking how open he was about our arrangement here. "Yes, I did threaten him, and if he is smart, he'll stay quiet about this matter. Considering the fact that you are homeless and on the run from the Alchemists, I would think you would do better to stay on good terms with me." I told him, watching him shake his head in annoyance.

"So, care to explain why this idiot is back?" Adrian asked, not bothering to hide his dislike of Keith. Once again, Keith did nothing to correct him, choosing to ignore the vampires as much as possible.

Glancing over at Keith, I decided that there was little I could say about what was going on. "He's….helping me with some research." I stated hesitantly, while Keith simply shrugged. He had changed since leaving Virginia, now wearing a long-sleeved button down shirt and khaki pants. It covered his arm, leaving me with no way of even hinting at how Keith was helping me.

Sonya seemed to be frowning as we spoke, shaking her head at both of us. "Honestly, you are all being ridiculous. We're almost at your house, Adrian, so you might as well let the girl keep her secrets." she stated, making me smile gratefully at her. Adrian didn't look pleased at my secrecy, but at least he didn't force me to respond. It was part of why I didn't mind being around him; he was so easy-going and willing to give me time to trust him. Others seemed to expect me to be friendly right off the bat, even though I could not remember ever meeting them. Julia and Kristen were two that seemed to push for this, always trying to eat lunch with me and give me dating advice that was not wanted.

"Adrian, do you mind if I come inside for a moment? There is something I'd like to look at, if you don't mind." I asked, watching Adrian shrug, his gaze flickering to Keith once more.

"Sure thing, let's see if Keith has enough nerve to make it through the front doors of the scary vampire's house again." he commented, while Keith scowled in irritation. Apparently, Adrian could get on Keith's nerves, even if the Alchemist was not one to show his irritation.

Contrary to Adrian's belief, Keith had no qualms about entering his old home, immediately moving towards the wall where the circle was hidden. "I thought you said you'd been inside." he stated, glancing at me with narrowed eyes. Adrian blinked a few seconds before chuckling softly, shaking his head.

"Ah, so that's what this is about. A little magical research party, mind if I invite myself along?" Adrian asked, making me roll my eyes this time. I certainly didn't mind his presence, but Keith glared at him as if it was the worst possible suggestion he could have made.

"This isn't magic, and it isn't any of your business." Keith insisted, making Adrian glance over at me.

"Sage said the same thing, but I'm not buying it. You can't do things like that without magic." Adrian commented, making Keith stare at me for a few moments with narrowed eyes.

"Things like what?" he asked, his gaze not leaving my face. I realized my deception was over at this point, making me sigh and step closer to the wall. Clapping my hands together, I quickly remade the door that I had used to show Lee and Adrian what was within this room.

Keith's eyes widened, actually stepping back before I even opened the door. "You used it….you've seen what lies beyond the Gate." he whispered, sounding stunned. Adrian glanced at both of us, looking confused over this sudden turn in the conversation.

I nodded at Keith, not even bothering to ask how he knew of the Gate of Truth. It must not be a well-guarded secret among the few that still practiced alchemy. "Care to explain what this gate is?" Adrian asked after a few moments, noticing that both Keith and I were remaining silent and motionless.

"It's the reason I lost my memories, an equivalent exchange for the knowledge I gained." I told him, watching Keith's expression turn into one of understanding. He had seemed confused for a moment, probably wondering what the price had been for me, and now he had his answer.

"If you've been through the Gate, why do you need my knowledge of alchemy? You already know far more than I do." Keith argued, while Adrian seemed to be a bit startled by this news of what happened to me. I wished I had more time to explain it to him properly, but right now I had a goal to focus on.

"I need to know if it is possible to regain my memories. I don't know what I should do at this point…if I should try and get them back, or simply move forward with my life." I told Keith, watching him nod, staring at the door behind me.

"It is possible….in fact, my ancestors went through the Gate themselves, and they found a way to get back what they had lost." Keith stated, walking into the room. "Well, most of what they lost at least. They were still left with one reminder of their mistake." he corrected, looking a bit upset at the mess of this place.

"I needed to prevent others from using it." I explained, while Keith simply nodded, stepping over the destroyed circle and debris from what I had done. He made his way over to the bookcase, pulling out one book in particular to glance within. He seemed to look relieved as he did so, pulling something out from within and holding it tightly in his hands.

From what little I could see, it was a smooth stone, a deep red color with streaks of gold randomly spread throughout. Adrian gasped at the sight, his jaw dropping as he stared at the stone. There was something more to it than just a rock, based on both of their reactions. "How the heck does a rock have an aura? That has got to be the creepiest thing I've ever seen." Adrian commented, while Keith glanced up at us, tossing the rock to me.

I caught it, watching Keith as he observed me with a focused look in his eyes. His earlier attitude seemed to have vanished now that the rock was in my hands, and he seemed to be far more serious than I had seen him before. "Careful with it, as you just heard, that rock is alive. This is my life's research, my goal that has been passed on through generations. Most people know me as Keith Darnell, an Alchemist focused on keeping humans safe from vampires, but that is not the case. My true name, the one that my family has struggled to keep hidden, is Keith Elric, descendant of the fullmetal alchemist."

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