HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope you had a good Christmas too, though mine was real boring, TBH.

Anyway, a lot of you liked and even loved the previous chapter and the sex scene in it. (told you so!) I'm literally shocked to see the rise of reviews again. Guess, these vacations are going really good for me.

I would like to welcome *ownlingo*, my new reader who left reviews on each and every chapter of The Cinder as we went by. (I love readers like you. LOL!)

Next, I got an awesome song suggestion by GoldenBrownEyes. I'll just post the last few lines from the review - My choice of song for the heat this chapter had and the angst between Christi-Ana from past few chapters, I couldn't help but recommend "I don't wanna like forever". If you're a true fifty shades fan, I wouldn't need to mention anything more than the song name itself. You'll know the artists and album.

Ofcooooouuuurrrsssee, I know the song. What type of Fifty Shades fan wouldn't? Have you guys heard this wonderful song in amazing voices of Zayn Malik and Taylor Swift from Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack? If you haven't... READ MY STORY LATER FIRST GO ANDBLODDY LISTEN TO THE SONG!

Enjoy reading, xoxo

Chapter Dedication: keeeeeez

Part - II

THE SEARCH

"This world owes us nothing. Existence is not indebted to us. Humanity lives under this misconception that we deserve life's blessings, that we deserve happiness. But in truth, life owes us nothing"

― Kelseyleigh Reber, If I Resist

12.

Christian

It was late in the evening by the time we had reached Marie Grolich Park.

Anastasia had borrowed my phone to communicate with Mia the moment we sat back in the car.

Apparently, Mia and Emily had reunited in the park and were waiting for to meet us.

Since it was near the mental health center they had broken through, I told them to stay put in Mia's car until we meet them.

The plan was to lead them to Chicago and book few rooms for a motel night where Brandon and Jose would be joining us within four more hours.

From there we could decide what had to be done.

I really wanted Ana to stay away from this but if that wasn't happening then I was going to do the next best thing- stay beside her and keep her safe.

The smile that had been plastered on her face from the past ten minutes was affecting me in indescribable ways.

It had been a while since I saw a smile like that on her beautiful face. Last time was on our trip to New Orleans when we were both high from our after-sex-marathon glow.

If that was what it took to put a look like that on her face, with her infectious grin and shimmery gray eyes, I had no complaints regarding the methods.

We passed through the hospital, crossing the DO NOT PICK UP HITCHHIKERS sign when a laugh bubbled up from Anastasia.

"What?" I asked her curiously.

She pointed a finger at the sign board then at herself, trying to stifle a giggle.

"You do realize you picked up a hitchhiker, don't you?"

I flashed my best panty-dropping smile with a heated look in my eyes as I whispered seductively to her.

"Oh, I think I did more than just pick her up."

Anastasia flushed visibly under my gaze making it harder for me breathe.

That lovely pink blush caressed her cheeks, traveling to her forehead and spreading across her neck.

My mouth watered to taste that pinkish flush as it crawled deeper under her skin.

Jerking my eyes back to the road, I fought to keep them there.

"Why had Jose and Brandon stayed behind?"

I was trying to avoid the news led to that question but it seemed impossible.

Twisting and turning, Anastasia would ask something that would come to a dead-end answer of telling her about Troy.

For some miraculous reason, she was happy right now. I didn't want to ruin that.

Though I knew we had to discuss much more than Troy's suicide, didn't mean I wouldn't try to prolong it.

What would happen when I told her everything? Would she me as I saw myself? A coward? Would she feel disgusted by me? Would she hate me?

I couldn't bear it.

Just imagining her hateful gaze with my face reflecting off her eyes had my insides shriveled up.
There was no winning here. If I didn't tell her, didn't let her in, she'd grow tire of my shit and leave me. She'd already warn me off.

And if I did tell her, there were ninety-nine point nine nine nine percent chances she'd still leave me.

"Christian?"

I realized I still haven't answered her question.

"Yeah, um, they're packing stuff. For the night."

She narrowed her eyes at me with a knowing look. "And you I am a terrible liar. You should look at yourself."

I bit my tongue. Not bothering to reply her.

But this was Anastasia we were talking about. She saw right through me and she never gave up.

Her hand entangled in mine, I reflexively squeezed it tighter. My fears were too raw to be spoken out loud so instead I tried communicating with her this way.

I'm sorry.

I don't want to let you go.

I'm crazy about you.

Please don't leave me. Ever.

Electric waves zapped through me, humming where our bare skin touched.

A connection so strong and vital roared to life. It was almost palpable.

What was stranger was how I felt her fingers conversing with mine. Replying to me as if she'd sensed me fears.

I'm crazy about you too.

I'm here, not going anywhere.

I won't leave you. Ever.

Must be my own imagination. I was becoming desperate to gain some kind of reassurance with her that now I was being so delusional?

But it had felt so real. The intensity of the connection- if there was any vivid connection between us- had been too strong to be ignored.

I think she felt it too.

The sudden low sounds of her breathing gradually changing, the flush spreading deeper into her were the signs that confirmed it.

It made her bolder in her approach. More confident, more perceptive.

"C, no more hiding. You promised."

I closed my eyes, preparing to address one of the big elephants.

"They stayed back, Jose and Brandon, to take care... to take care of the body."

Her fingers stiffened under mine, her posture going from relaxed to rigid in a blink. "What body? Whose body?"

"Troy's." His name felt heavy at the back of my throat.

"You killed him?" There was no accusation in her tone. No contempt, no disgust. No judgment.

Either she thought I wasn't capable of killing, where she'd be horribly wrong, or she didn't care if I did really kill him.

However, there was fear present in her voice.

But I knew what kind it was. It wasn't fear of me. It was fear for me.

Tightness erupted from somewhere in my chest, threatening to make my body soar.

Why was I feeling happy thinking she was scared for me when according to her I'd killed someone?

That was just so sick.

"I didn't. Though I wanted to. But he killed himself."

"But why would he do that?"

"We… uh, we tortured some very valuable information from him. He must have felt threatened and hopeless against the Brooke."

Please don't ask me about the torture.

As if she had sensed my pleading, her eyes narrowed at me.

Ana sighed dejectedly. "What information?"

A released my own sigh of relief. Smart girl. "He told us how to destroy the Brooke. Apparently, that dimension shit came to be true."

"I never believed otherwise. So he told you how to end the Brooke and then killed himself?"

"I thought about it. The whole way driving here when I wasn't thinking about spanking you." At my crooked smile, she shook her head mockingly.

I continued. "The only reason he could've killed himself was that now we had the knowledge for and he was the responsible one to give us, he might've feared The Brooke will come after him."

Ana nodded. "It makes sense. He was scared being sent to Pinnacle Race by them for already failing. This might have been the last knot. So you believe him? Whatever he told you?"

"If he had lied, I'm pretty sure he would've ditched us somehow and gone into hiding. Safe from us. Safe from them."

"But I didn't get one thing. Two actually. How could no one remember them after they vanished? Like, Jack? And why did only you have a backup and not me or Emily?"

I shared with her what Troy had told me in those two hours of torture.

"He said that whenever someone travels unnatural from the three-dimension world we live in another dimensional world, it manipulates the time. So no one would remember they ever existed."

"But when we went there, our families did remember us. I talked to my aunt."

I shook my head. "We didn't go there by any unnatural means. We were driven into that town. But it did affect our existence, we went missing. That time machine brought me back home, changed the time structure to bring us back in time. But my family still thinks Christopher is missing."

"But what about the phone call?"

"I think that was faked. Christopher and I didn't get one. We were told phone wires had some problem. So I couldn't know for sure."

"And the backup attackers?"

"You had one. It was Troy. That was why attacking me was his last chance. He had already fucked up by not hurting you when Jack failed. Emily probably had one too, but the first one got successful I guess."

"Yes. His name was Gary. He was in her high school."

She told me all about Emily while I filled her up with the gemstones and everything Troy had told us.

When we reached the park, Mia's Saab was waiting for us at the parking.

Anastasia got out of the car and quickly ran to the passenger side. The door opened and a pretty girl with dark hair and brown skin emerged, jumping into Ana's arms.

Mia got out and strode in my direction. "You're welcome." She smiled extra sweetly.

"Yeah, fine. Thank you." I said unenthusiastically.

"Aww. Aren't you warm? Anyway, what's with the delay? Where did you bang her?"

I cleared my throat. "What are you talking about?"

"She ain't wearing a bra. As far as I know Ana, she never steps out of the bed without wearing a bra. Also, when we came here she was wearing one."

My brows furrowed. "Do you make it a habit of looking at your friends' tits?"

"Oh come on. Even a partially blind man would notice her braless tits with the tight top she is wearing."

That was true. Her top was really tight. Giving me a lovely preview. But she wasn't with me in the car anymore. That meant anyone could see what Mia saw.

And I sure as hell didn't like that.

"Whoa! Slow your thoughts macho man. It's dark. No one would really notice. Plus, she's got her bag in my car. She could wear as many bras as you like and do a fashion show for you."

Hmmm. I liked that thought.

Our conversation broke when another vehicle came to a halt beside us.

Jose's van.

What were they doing here? I had informed them about our plans of picking the girls up from the park but we were to meet in Chicago.

Anastasia had wanted to surprise Emily and Brandon. None of them knew the other one has been founded.

The doors opened and both of them came out.

"How are you here?"

"We started out earlier. Just two hours after you left." Jose replied.

"What about...?"

"Took care of it." Brandon gave me a reassuring hard look.

It was wrong to hide a body without informing the authorities but the last thing we wanted was the cops behind our asses chasing us.

Especially in a crucial time like now, when all the mysteries were being unveiled.

"Brandon?" Emily's timid voice called out from behind Anastasia. Shock and longing ringing through it.

Brandon turned around in her direction at the same time Anastasia stepped aside, not wanting to block their view.

The moment they saw each other, it was like the world had stopped.

None of us dared to breathe, not wanting to interrupt their moment.

Emily's gaze filled with yearning and relief. A painful smile gracing her face while Brandon became all pale and white.

His breath came faster as he clenched his fist, tremors shaking whole of his body. Sweat gathered around his face, he seems unable to speak or pinch out a sound.

Holy shit! He was remembering.

I went to him and grabbed both his shoulders. "It's okay, man. Easy. Just take deep breaths."

He didn't appear to be listening, lost in his own world. Into the dystopia, he had survived from.

Reviling those memories was a bitch. I had witnessed it with Anastasia. She had almost crumpled into my arms, screaming as each on tormented her.

"C, make him sit down." Anastasia's urgent voice bellowed. I pushed him until he was settled at the nearest bench.

Emily came hovering over him, all panicked. "What's wrong with him?"

Anastasia answered her. "He's remembering Em."

"Remembering what?"

"His time in the Brooke. Like you did. He saw you and it triggered his memories. You're his trigger."

I let Anastasia explain her everything as she kept asking her queries, turning my full attention on Brandon.

His eyes were fixed on one spot, unfocused and unseeing. Shivers ripped through his body, wrenching a series of groan from him.

It was painful to watch. I wondered if I had been like this when my memories had been triggered.

Watching him struggling to hold onto the reality, watching Emily burst into tears with desperation to help him set me at a painful edge.

I recounted seeing a similar scene, with me on a chair and Anastasia on her knees. Grabbing both my hands, looking at me with her tearful eyes.

My eyes instinctively swayed in her way. She was looking not at Brandon, but at the sobbing Emily begging him to look at her, listen to her voice.

Her heartache echoed through Anastasia's eyes. A single teardrop fell from her eyes, landing on her cheek like a bead of pearl.

In a flash I was next to her, letting Emily comfort Brandon in any way she could. I needed to be with my cinder, provide her my solace.

Anastasia's arms came around me just as eagerly as I embraced her. My mouth seeking hers in the dark.

When her soft warm lips finally found me, I entered with my tongue inside her.

Giving her the strength with my kiss to fight this nightmare just as she gave me her spirit.

My thumb gently captured the fallen pearl from her eyes as I brought her closer, both my hands caging her face to mine.

I kissed her softly, gently, soothingly. Wanting to erase all her pain, doubts, and fears with just that single touch.

"We're going to be okay." She said when we finally came up for the air. My forehead rested on hers. Blue eyes met steely gray. "Promise me, C."

"I do. I promise we're going to be okay." That was one promise I'd sacrifice my life for if it came to that.

"Help meeeee!" A loud female voice screamed from somewhere deep in the dark park.

It had been almost an hour since Brandon's memories were triggered.

We all were alternating between comforting him and giving him some free space when Anastasia had suggested for Emily and Brandon to take a walk in the park.

They had been gone for hardly five minutes when the scream erupted.

I was instantly on my feet, running for them. The voice hadn't been familiar but it made me suddenly want to search for them.

I felt other running behind me when another shriek reached up. This one belonged to Emily. "Brandon lookout!"

"Emily!" Ana screamed running behind me.

From what I knew she could outrun me any second now but she was holding back.

She wasn't sprinting at her full speed like a professional runner. I'd never seen her running like that since we met in Georgia either.

It was because of the Brooke. She was scared of running. I was sure even jogging at the speed she was, was difficult for her.

Hell, I couldn't bear going near any water bodies. Even the pools. "Anastasia. Stay back, I'll check." I told her as we ran.

"Go to hell, Christian."

I knew she hadn't really meant it. She was just worried for our friends, so I let it go past us.

Shaking my head I increased my speed, yelling for Brandon and Emily.

"Here!" Brandon's shout came from the east.

He was stooping down at the ground, with a faint Emily lying on his lap.

"Oh, my god! What's wrong with her?" Anastasia bent next to her, checking for injuries.

Brandon gritted his teeth. "She's fine. Just in shock." His sight never leaving Emily's.

"What happened here?" Jose questioned.

"A woman cried out for help. We ran to help her. She was faking an injury, she was a bloody implant."

Fuck!

Why hadn't I thought of it? Brandon had recovered his memories, meaning there would be an attack on him.

"What happened to her? The implant?"

"She disappeared. Emily passed out."

"We should get out of here fast. There will be back-up lurking around for sure."

Anastasia looked at me with worry and fear shining in her eyes. But there was also determination.

"Christian is right," She said. "We should get out of here. And stick close to each other. Especially Brandon."

In a fluid motion, he picked up Emily and carried her across the park with all of us walking around him.

Mia, who was on the other side of Bandon with Jose at her foot step dropped her phone.

"Ah shoot!" She muttered as she bent to pick it up.

We walked slower, waiting for her to catch up when all of sudden she let out her lungs screaming "BEHIND YOUUU!"

Anastasia was the fastest to react, she twisted and kicked at the shins on the intruder who had come out of nowhere with a rod in his hands.

She jumped at him and tackled as they hit the floor, both of them fighting for control of the red.

I slammed my kick into his armpit, making his effectively release his hold on the weapon as he cried out.

He rolled violently, making Anastasia lose her balance and hit the ground. I proceeded with another kick but his hand grabbed around my ankle, tripping me to eat grass.

I spun to see him going behind his back and producing a shiny sharp glint of steel.

Fucking hell! The faggot was carrying a knife. And he rushed to where Ana was standing.

All thoughts cleared from my mind except for one: to protect her.

Pushing myself from the ground I flew in their direction, my hands circling around her waist as I planted myself between Ana and the fuckface.

A sharp protruding agony ripped through my back, feeling like it was on fire.

"Christian." Ana gasped out.

Oh, fuck in the fucking hell.

My lungs tried to expand but seemed to get stuck.

I lifted myself off her, tried to stand, but my brain didn't seem to be connected to my legs.

I went down, on one hand, feeling the warm wetness traveling down my stomach. My arm gave out and I landed on my side.

Anastasia was suddenly above me. "Oh my God, C! You're hurt. You're bleeding." Her petrified eyes went to the cut where I was bleeding from.

The man came behind her once again, raising his arm with the knife shining against the lamp post in the dark.

My arms wrapped around Ana, pulling her closer, ready to roll around and shield her with my body again.

Before I could blink, he slumped down on the land. His grip loosening on the knife.

As he crumpled down, behind him stood Mia with her shaking hands still Ana in the air, holding the rod he was supposed to attack Brandon with.

Her face white like ash, hey eyes fixed on the injured man.

Jose came around quickly, limping his way around Mia. He gently pulled her away, prying the rod slowly out of her hand before she harmed herself.

"Holy Jesus Christ, I hit someone." She murmured repeatedly, on the verge of a freakout.

The man moaned, before moving his lump hand and disappear into thin air.

Maybe we shouldn't have let him go, but I felt truly relieved as he left.

Now he would have to answer to the Brooke along with his female partner. I wish they'd throw both of them into Pinnacle Race and let them burn in the fire of hell.

"Holy shit. He vanished. He became invisible!" Mia started to freak out while Jose tried to calm her down.

Moving my eyes away from his, I glanced at Brandon with Emily still limp in his arms. He stared at us open mouthed.

Everything had happened so quickly, I bet all he was capable was of holding onto his girl.

"C, are you okay?" Ana diverted my attention back to her. Her eyes wide with fear.

I cupped my hands around her face. "Hey, it's fine. It's over. You're safe."

"Christian, you're bleeding." She flinched as she said it.

Next thing I knew, she had my shirt pulled up and rolling me on my uninjured side. Her eyes scanned my wound and she cringed.

"It's bad, huh?"

She shook her head. Her hands came bloody from my injury. "The bleeding has slowed down. We just need to get you to ER quickly."

She dug her fingers in my front pocket and brought out my keys. Quickly she went to Mia and hugged her, whispering comforting words to her.

Jose limped along with Brandon towards his van.

"You doing okay, Howard?"

He nodded with a twitch in his jaw. His eyes blazing with anger and pain. "Motherfucker kicked me in the balls."

Anastasia came behind me trying to suppress her laughter. Jose shot her a look.

"Sorry. I know it's not funny."

Jose rolled his eyes. "But you're still gonna laugh at my pain, right?"

Anastasia giggled. Followed by Mia. My lips twitched as well.

Mia followed Jose and Brandon, leaving Anastasia and me.

"Okay, so Jose and Mia are taking your Jetta. Brandon and Emily are taking the van. They are going to meet us directly in Chicago and I'm taking you to ER first in the Saab."

"Why you had to exchange the cars?"

She flushed. "Uh, I thought while you'll be in the ER, I could get my...wear some of my missing clothes."

Oh right! Her missing bra.

I smirked at her.

P.S - Another good news... I got my second university acceptance! This time it's from ASU (Arizona State University) any Arizona residents out there? Could you tell me about it a bit?

Don't forget to review. Don't forget to give me good songs for the chapter/scene/story.

HAVE A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR ALL OF YOU!

HAPPY 2017. HOPE IT BRINGS LOADS OF CHARM AND PROSPER INTO YOUR LIVES!

Love ya all,

Kaishi Spings xoxo