Chapter 22: Irak'Adad

A couple of days had gone past and Anders had never been so thankful for the company of good friends and family.

Had it not been for Jane and Sean, Den would have struggled with the pub and her personal time without him.

Since Sean had proven himself trustworthy, Den had given permission for him to be 'promoted' and he'd actually successfully stepped up as Jane's assistant whilst Den recovered upstairs. She felt mentally ready to go down and help out, but with her face still bruised, she knew it wouldn't look good to the customers.

Luckily, Jane had come up to the apartment on the fifth day and given Den a quick makeover, teaching her how to hide her bruises under a thick layer of make-up. Whilst she thought she looked a bit weird, she was thankful that her face didn't look like she'd gone three rounds with Mike Tyson.

And as for Anders' business, Mike (who really was the only one capable of helping out), took what info he could back and forth for the new secretary and Anders, passing messages.

Anders was very grateful to the inventor of email.

The only downside was the newspaper article.

Den had gone down to collect it one morning and when Anders had arrived, found her in a sobbing heap on her bed.

Apparently, the newspapers were claiming it was a 'Drug bust gone wrong!' and pinned the blame on a rival drug gang, but that didn't really make Den feel any less guilty.

Still, the feeling was beginning to slowly pass with Anders presence and reassurance.

And then, on the seventh day, the knock on the door came.

They'd been resting on her couch, just holding one another with a film on in the background when someone knocked.

"Strange," Den shifted slightly to look through the cloudy glass on her door, "I wasn't expecting anyone and Jane would have filtered them away."

She got up to answer it and when she saw a stranger in a suit on the other side, she tentatively hugged her door.

"Can I help you?"

"Denny Ari Nilsen?" When Den nodded, he pulled out a small wallet and flipped it open to reveal a shiny badge and ID pass, "I'm Richard Bell. Chief Inspector with Auckland police. Do you have a moment? I'd like to discuss-"

"Manny," Den interrupted and let go of the door in shock, taking a step back, "you're here about Manny."

Richard furrowed his brow in surprise and nodded.

"That is correct. I'm not sure if you are aware, but...Miss Nilsen?"

Den had not only gone quiet, but very pale.

It had been too good to be true.

Her crime had caught up with her.

And the worse thing was, as her heart began to beat rapidly and her stomach began to turn, she couldn't help but think...she knew this man.

This smartly dressed, brunette man with serious but warm blue eyes stared at her with such concern.

'I know him.'

Strong arms came about her waist and she actually jumped in shock, forgetting who she had been with only a few moments before.

"I got you," Anders whispered before addressing Richard, "we heard about the news in the papers a few days ago. You can see it's been a bit of a shock to her."

"I understand that, but there are a few things I wish to discuss," Richard reached inside his pocket and pulled out a small phone.

One that both Den and Anders recognised as Manny's.

"We found this on your ex-partner's person and the IT team managed to open it today. We found your number and a few messages of correspondence between you two. Can I come in?"

Den nodded, though her hand gripped onto Anders shirt, unsure if she could speak.

She felt sick.

Richard came in and shut the door behind him, Anders moving Den back towards the couch. He sat her down and turned off the movie.

"Take a seat," he signalled to the detective and immediately sat himself down by Den.

"Thanks," Richard sat opposite her and clasped his hands together, "I'm not going to beat around the bush. Miss. Nilsen, the last message Manny sent was addressed to you and asked you to meet him. The last message he received was from you. Agreeing to it. The time is about twenty minutes before it is estimated your ex died."

Den listened, feeling a little numb, but Anders gripped her hand in his, trying to make her feel safe.

"Miss Nilsen, I believe you went there to talk to him. Maybe confront him-"

"Hang on a second," Anders had had enough and shook his head, "you can't just come in here and accuse her-"

"Anders."

He turned to look at her when she said his name and saw the tears streaming down her face.

Shaking her head, her eyes were filled resignation.

"It's alright," she sniffed and looked back at Richard, "you were saying?"

"I believe," Richard did seem a little shameful at seeing her cry and looked down at Anders and Den's joined hands, "that you went to confront him about the images and videos he had of you. On this phone."

Den let out a quick sob. And before she could stop herself, another came out.

And another until she was whimpering.

"I just wanted him to leave me alone," her other hand came up to rub against her eye as tears fell, "he told me he would leave everyone alone if I just came to him."

As she rubbed at her wet face, she didn't realise she was wiping off her foundation.

Not until Richard got up, pulled a tissue from his pocket and offered it to her.

"Did he attack you?" He stood over her and whilst his tone was gentle, she knew he was still very much being a police officer.

She rubbed the tissue against her eye and nodded.

"Was their a fight? Did you-"

"I was there," Anders suddenly swooped in, unable to keep quiet and let her take the blame, "I was there. She'd gone there before me and-and I went there to see if she was ok and found him trying to hurt her. We fought...we fought and I-"

"Anders, please!" She whimpered and sat forward trying to get him to stop, but he was only shaking his head.

"I killed him. With the knife. I killed him because he tried to rape and kill her and kill me. It was self-defence."

"And what about the other man? The employee who had been shot?" Richard looked at Anders with a calm resolution, almost as if he'd been expecting the sudden confession.

"It was me!" Den shouted out before Anders could take the fall for her, her hysterics growing, "I shot him! He-he tried to kill Anders and I shot him! Oh, God!"

Den, overcome with guilt again, broke down and would have slid off of the couch, had it not been for Anders grabbing her again and pulling her close.

He couldn't let this happen. Not when they'd just got one another.

"Please," he held out his hand for Richard to listen and tried to stay as calm as he could, "there is so much more to it but it's complicated. She's not at fault and-and she's been through enough, please."

Richard shook his head and for a moment, he looked a little sad. But then his hands came out of his pockets and in one of them, there was clasped a set of handcuffs.

"I am sorry, but you will both have to come with me to make a statement. I'm-" As soon as Richard's hand made contact with Anders, he felt it.

They all felt it.

The pull. The strange, dizzying, almost sickening pull into the darkness that had become second nature to Den and Anders.

The sudden flash!

"Fili, don't be a fool, you belong with the company!" Thorin's strong hand around Fili's arm brokered no argument, but Fili shrugged him off.

"I belong with my brother!"

He had felt so much regret that day. Leaving his nephew behind because he was sick. And then losing the other. But didn't they see?! He had to find the door, he just had to?! Or all their journeying would have been for nought...

Anders pulled away with a gasp and looked up into the man's eyes and sure enough, he saw the brief recognition there.

His own confession without words.

"Uncle?" He asked him quietly and Richard, almost afraid to touch him again, shook his head.

"I don't-"

"Thorin?" Den, having stopped crying, looked up into his eyes and Richard suddenly went very pale himself.

"How do you know that name?"

Without hesitating, Den's hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. She would force a vision if she had to, but there was no need.

It came for her just as easily as it did Anders.

"Uncle Thorin...I want you to stay safe, alright?" Dru's arms wrapped around her Uncle's neck as she fought tears and pressed a kiss to the side of his head, "Please come home. I just...I want you to come home."

Thorin made no promise to return home. This journey was perilous and his niece knew that.

But...it still hurt him to know that he may never see her again. Or his beloved sister.

Richard pulled his hand back and stumbled backward.

"What did you do?!" He lost his composure and looked at both of them as if they were aliens, "Jesus Christ, what the fuck was that?!"

Den was suddenly feeling a lot braver and despite her shaky legs, managed to push herself up.

"You know me! Us!" She waved her hand between her and Anders, "Dru and Fili! You know those names and that is us! Please, try to remember! We were a family and you-you were our Uncle. You had a sister named Dis and a nephew named Kili! You left on a journey and-and you died!"

Richard looked utterly confused.

And then, he looked very pale again.

Which wasn't a surprise, considering he suddenly fainted on the floor.

"This may take a while," Fili sighed and Anders was in full agreement there.

A short while later...

After rousing him, getting him water, and hurriedly sitting him back down, they'd finally managed to explain to Richard (the best they could) about all they knew of their past lives.

Like Sean, he remained quiet and stoic the entire way through, only moving to brush the long hair out of his eyes or rub at his face as he just to absorb ALL the information.

From their lives together in a place far away, to distorted images and stories about their travels and finally...culminating in his death.

An Orc called Azog, stabbing him in the chest.

A fatal wound.

And then, they explained that the Orc, Azog was actually Manny. That he had found Den and Anders and tormented them. Had forced Den to stay in an abusive relationship because he knew who she was.

How that had been a sordid part of his revenge.

As she cried and explained all that had happened to her, Richard couldn't take it anymore.

He stood up, looked between the two of them, and then without a word of goodbye, practically ran out of her home and shut the door behind him.

They didn't have to wait long for him to come back.

It was in fact, an hour later when he returned.

He didn't even knock that time.

He just opened the door and walked straight back into her apartment.

Into their life.

They'd all stood, silently squaring one another up when Den, emboldened by his presence and that he was NOT there to automatically arrest them, walked towards him.

Fresh tears sprung to her eyes when she finally came close enough to reach out and gently touch his cheek.

"Uncle Thorin?"

He gasped lightly and she practically threw herself at him, her arms slipping around his back to hold him close.

"I missed you!" She cried out and refused to let him go.

Whilst a little thrown off balance, Richard did not push her away.

No, he actually allowed her to hug him and then...placed one hand on her shoulder and the other on top of her head.

He did remember.

"This can't be happening," he said quietly, still in shock, "I came here to question you and arrest you for murder, and now-"

"Please. Please, you know what we have said to you is true," Anders stepped closer and wouldn't break eye contact with Richard, "and you know you can trust us. There's something in there TELLING you to trust us. A little voice. It sounds like you, but not quite. That's him."

He nodded, knowing everything...everything was true.

"I know you. Both of you," he seemed to marvel and hold Den tighter to him, feeling Thorin's own strong desire to hold her.

Anders realised that whilst they'd told him about his past and family and friends...they hadn't actually told him that there were more. Others.

"There's another. Wait here, please."

Anders left Den and Richard in her apartment for about a minute before he came back.

And this time, not alone.

Sean had been a little confused and concerned at being called up to his boss's apartment, but luckily it was not busy downstairs.

Den allowed Richard to slip from her embrace and took his hand.

"Trust us," she whispered and gently pulled him towards Sean.

"Sean. This is Richard Bell, he's with the police," Anders stepped to the side to watch them and wasn't disappointed.

Both of them recognised the other.

"Hey," Sean put out his hand tentatively, squinting up at Richard, "have we met?"

Richard shook his head and put his hand out. But he was a lot slower to take Sean's hand when he knew what was going to happen.

"It's alright," Den stood right behind him, her hand placed reassuringly on his arm, "it gets easier."

Urged on by her statement, Richard broke the distance and took Sean's hand.

Anders had not viewed these flashbacks from the outside, but not much really changed between the two.

They just stood still and stared at one another as they shared their memories. The moment's that Thorin and Kili knew.

It seemed to last for only a few seconds, but obviously, it was sufficient evidence to convince Richard everything was real.

As though cold water had suddenly been poured over them, both men jolted and took deep, shuddering breaths.

Then, quickly getting over his shock, Sean smiled up at the man.

"Uncle? Uncle Thorin!" He laughed giddily and without warning, suddenly put his arms around Richard.

Momentarily taken aback by the sudden show of affection, Richard had to catch himself when he nearly lost balance.

But then, after a minute, his own arms came about Sean and he even managed to let out a laugh.

"This is perhaps...the most unusual day I've ever had," he turned his head to look at Anders, "and I have a feeling it's about to get weirder."

"Trust me," Den sighed and finally felt the weight that was surrounding her lift away, "you haven't seen anything yet."

A few days later...

"So, how do you feel?" Ingrid leaned forward casually, her hands are her teacup and her legs crossed over as though she was having lunch with friends.

Den blinked at her a couple of times before slowly turning to Anders.

"Yeah," he nodded and looked at Ingrid, "could you...run that by us again...a bit slower?"

The elder woman sighed and gave them one of her 'you really should be listening' looks.

"The awakening ceremony is an ancient ritual that is performed to help people connect with the past lives that inhabit them," Ingrid said it so clearly and straightforward that Anders and Den just KNEW she had it memorised from whatever book she had found it in, "it strengthens the bond between the current living resident and the past one. Or ones, depending on how many are in there."

"Basically," Olaf interrupted, finishing off the brownie that he had shoveled into his mouth, "it's perfectly safe after you connect with them. You'll remember everything that happened before as if it was your life. Like...getting amnesia, living a few years, and then suddenly getting your memory back. You'll still be you, just with the added benefit of a new you."

Den sighed and shut her eyes.

"You know, I don't know if it's because I've been spending a lot of time with you guys, but I actually understood that," she opened them again and squinted when she remembered what Olaf had said, "what did you mean it's safe AFTER you connect?"

Olaf shrugged but Ingrid put out a calming hand.

"The ceremony WILL be difficult. There have been stories about people experiencing great pain or reliving how they died," she then said the last bit quickly, but both of them heard it anyway, "some even did die."

"Are you sure this is the only way we'll fully remember?" Anders reached out and took Den's hand in his own, his fingers locking in between hers.

"I'm afraid so. There are a few other ceremonies we could try, but those seem to be less...effective. More for show than actual awakening."

"Ingrid...are you confident you and Olaf can perform this?"

"Oh yes," Ingrid smiled at Den, "I've never done anything like this before and I wrote everything down to the last note AND I've gone over it for weeks practising! I've pretty much nailed it!"

Den didn't bother to point out the 'pretty much' part. Truth be told, even if Ingrid had said no, they wouldn't have been able to find someone else.

"Ok," Den nodded and turned to Anders, "I think...I think we should try it."

"Are you sure?" He lowered his voice and nodded his head towards his friends, "I'm not saying I don't have confidence in them, but this is pretty much a 'no going back' deal."

"I know. But Dru has a lot to say," Den smiled as she recalled the many monologues Dru would give to her to say to Anders (to give to Fili), "and I want to remember. I love you now but...I have a feeling it's just going to get better once I know 100% what happened. Every moment is important."

Anders couldn't agree more. Whilst he was worried, there was so much he wanted to know. He still knew there were more moments with Dru that he couldn't remember. Such as the moment they expressed their love. AND whether or not she was previously 'biologically' his sister. That one he didn't want to voice so much.

"Alright," he turned back to Olaf and Ingrid and nodded, "we'll do it. When can we-"

"Today," Ingrid said a little TOO happily and smiled wildly at both of them, "it's all set up for you. Just let us know when you're ready to go and we'll do it."

"...did you know we were going to say yes?" Den couldn't help but laugh but Olaf just winked at her.

"A former Oracle never reveals their secrets."

"Look at it this way," Ingrid pointed out helpfully, "if all goes well, that means it can work for Sean, Jane, and Richard! They'll all remember."

"I'm choosing to ignore the 'if' part of that and think optimistically. Right," Den stood up and gave Anders' hand a tug, "I'm ready. You?"

"As I'll ever be," he stood with her and Ingrid clapped her hands together eagerly.

"You guys are going to LOVE this!"

A few minutes later...

"I don't know about 'love'," Den whispered as she took in the back room's new 'aesthetic' and frowned at the scenario that came to her mind, "this reminds me more of a cult room. Like in that one Dracula movie."

"The one with Chris Lee and the cult?" Anders muttered back and she snorted.

"Bingo."

The room itself had been 'decorated' in the appropriate attire. Black drapes now lined the walls, the windows had been covered up and all the furniture was covered in black sheets as well.

The floor had a 'painted' circle of white and a little splattering of salt around the edges (for protection) and odd...implements and items that Den couldn't quite fathom their purpose or symbolism.

There seemed to be various flowers, a small collection of shiny pebbles, a bag of what appeared to be meat, a tied bundle of sticks, and a tiny mouse in a cage.

"This is strange, right?" Den turned to Anders and gestured around her, "I mean, have you ever done anything THIS odd before?"

"You know, this is my first 'awakening ceremony'. I did do something like this when I joined the rugby team one year," Anders smirked and winked, "but it involved a blindfold and a few paddles."

"You'll have to tell me about that later," Den was suddenly VERY interested in that conversation but was quickly distracted when Ingrid insisted they both remove their clothes.

"You need to feel closer to nature. Closer to a newborn baby. But since I know most people don't like to get EVERYTHING out - for some strange reason - you can keep your undies on. Come on, chop-chop," Ingrid clapped and urged them on.

Seeing there was no point in arguing and it was just the four of them in the room, Den found she didn't really mind so much.

Once they had both stripped down to their bare necessities and were made to stand inside the circle, Olaf and Ingrid began to slowly instruct them.

They made them kneel on the floor, shut their eyes, and 'disconnect'. It was simply a matter of clearing their mind and thinking of something relaxing.

For Den, it was thinking of cuddling up to Anders.

For Anders, it was thinking of what he was going to do to Den once he remembered everything.

Ingrid and Olaf lit all the candles in the room and shut off the electricity.

And then...the strange words flowed around them.

They didn't know what they meant or even what language, but...everything was shifting around them.

Pulling.

And then the pain rocked through Den and as she screamed in agony, she passed out, her body crashing to the floor.

Her insides felt like they were on fire, but it only lasted for a moment before her being was plunged into cool, calming waters.

When she opened her eyes...she didn't know where she was.

She was floating in a dark lake, staring up at the black sky, the stars being the only light.

And then...she was standing on the lake.

But she was not alone.

Her eyes widened as she looked at her mirror image, slowly approaching her.

"Dru," she whispered and took in the woman's appearance. She had the same hair, eyes, and body, but Anders had been right about the differences. The bushy beard was a definite surprise for her.

As Dru came to stop in front of her, she smiled.

"Hi."

"Hi," Den replied and smiled back. Knowing this was the only time she and Dru would be standing together like this.

"Are you ready to remember?"

Den nodded and Dru took another step closer, her arms coming around Den. She hugged her back and shut her eyes at the warm, comforting feeling.

And then...it almost felt like she could feel Dru fade into her arms. But she also felt the warmth spreading through her being also.

And like a tidal wave hitting her, every memory suddenly flooded back into her mind.

The force was so powerful, she fell backward and she took a deep breath in.

She expected the water to break beneath her, but instead, her back impacted with something hard.

And when she opened her eyes, she realises she was still holding her breath.

With a deep, shuddering breath out and in again, Den came to, back in the room.

And despite the soft lighting, the pain in her head was almost overwhelming.

She shut her eyes again and tried to force herself up.

"Oh, Bloody Hell!" She gripped at the side of her head and grimaced, "Oh, I feel like I've had Tequila."

"Fuck me," a familiar groan caught her attention as someone moved in front of her, "that makes two of us."

When Den finally managed to open her eyes and look at Anders, another wave seemed to hit her.

She stared at him and for the first time...she knew everything.

It was like double vision. She could see him AND Fili.

And when he looked back at her, she knew he saw the same thing.

It had worked. They were Anders and Den, but they were also Fili and Dru.

They could remember everything from their previous life.

They knew who they both were.

"Fi'?" Den whispered and since she was still on the floor, slowly began to crawl over to him.

Tears came to her eyes as she gazed into his beautiful blue ones. And he knew her.

He nodded his head and suddenly, quicker than they had ever moved, they were against one another and holding onto the other tightly.

"My Dru!" He cried out and began to cry and laugh, "I'm here. I'm right here! I've got so much to say to you!"

Den let out a loud and happy sob. She pulled back and pressed kisses against his jawline and cheek, before finally kissing him firmly on the mouth.

"I knew you'd come back to me," she sniffed and reached up to wipe his own tears, "I knew I'd see you! My Fili!"

Anders couldn't stop himself crying. He finally felt whole again. That gaping void that had been in the back of his mind was now full of memories of his life. Of her.

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Irak'Adad = Uncle