The next day I had decided my next move. I needed to speak to her again. I needed to be sure that she wasn't here anymore, I needed to know that it wasn't really her. Eddie wanted to do some research so I took my opportunity to leave and go to the coffee shop where I met her the day before. I just hoped she would come there today too. I didn't know where else to find her. I strolled over to the shop and was there an hour earlier than the previous day. Thinking that I might be sat by a table for a long time, I went and bought a cup of coffee. I sat myself down at the same table as the day before and sipped on my coffee while my mind wandered. What would I do if she didn't show up? Would I continue looking for her or just sit her in this coffee shop for another day? What would I even ask her when I saw her? Would she even stay and chat with me or would she run away scared? So many questions, so little answers. My mind kept on going in those directions and after a while I felt drowned in different emotions. Hope. Fear. Sadness. Regret. Everything was messed up, but I was pretty used to things being messed up. Everything seemed to go wrong in my life. I seemed to have a talent for breaking everything I touched. Myself, I was a broken wreck of a person. I was an alcoholic and a smoker, while I had a string of broken hearts behind me. I wasn't the ideal person in any kind of aspect of my life, and when I finally collected myself and thought I was doing progress, even fell in love, everything went downhill again. I had the feeling that this was my life. This was how my life would end up like. A broken mess. I would never get the perfect life or the happy ending, I would screw up everything over and over again. Maybe I didn't deserve Sage. Maybe this was the universe's way of telling me that it was time to give up on her, to set her free. I hoped not. While I sat there in my own thoughts, someone snapped their fingers in front of my face. Returning to the world, I caught a glimpse of a gleaming golden tattoo before I focused and saw who the intruder of my thoughts were. Sage.

"I said; Hello there pal. Still sitting here I see?", This new Sage was a lot braver and out going than the usual one. I plastered on a smirk even though all I wanted was to break down in tears.

"Hello there Sydney.", It didn't feel right to call her that. Not now anyway. "I was waiting for you actually.", I stated truthfully. I was going to get as many answers as possible.

"And how did you know I would be here?", She raised an eyebrow and looked at me challenging.

"Lucky guess.", I teased and she rolled her eyes. "The Sage I know is a big caffeine freak. Just figured you would be the same.", I didn't feel like lying today.

"Okay, So you're still going strong with the belief that I'm this 'Sage' person?", She asked, a humorous tone in her voice.

"I'm certain that you are my Sage. You just don't know it.", I smirked once again. It was better than crying and making a fool of myself.

"You know, I have to say that there's something familiar about you.", She put a finger tapping against her lip as if she was deep in thought. "Yep, definitely something familiar about you. But I'm totally sure I'm not this 'Sydney Sage' though so you can give up right there pal.", She flashed a teasing smile. She was so different from the girl I was used to.

"Then who are you?", I dived right into my questions.

"I'm not sure I should tell a possibly crazy guy in a coffee shop who I am.", She teased. "You know, the whole 'don't talk to strangers' thing?", she was completely different from my Sage.

"Yeah yeah, you did say I looked familiar. That means I'm not a stranger.", I smiled this time. Even though my smiles wasn't real, they still managed to create an illusion inside me that everything was normal.

"Slow down there crazy guy, I said you looked familiar. Not like I knew you. Familiar.", She emphasized. "You know, like when you see an actor in a movie and you just know that you have seen them in some other movie or TV-series or whatever, but you just can't put your finger on where. That's the feeling I get from you.", She suddenly looked triumphant. Like she had solved a riddle long before anyone else.

"Oh so now I'm a b-list celebrity. Nice.", I said sarcastically. "What a lovely comparison."

"I meant it in a good way.", She had her hands on the table and was leaning on her arms. Her hair was hanging like a drape, covering the right half of her face from the people around us. She was so beautiful.

"I know you did. Just you recognizing me is positive.", I spoke. It really was.

"If you say so. Now, if you'll excuse me, this was a lovely chat crazy guy, but I have to get going now.", She started stretching and I was suddenly in the cold grip of my old friend panic.

"It's Adrian. Not crazy guy.", I quickly said. "And you can't leave, I have a lot of questions that needs answers.", I didn't want her to leave.

"Sorry, I really have too. I'm a busy girl Adrian.", She made a big deal of pronouncing my name before she rolled her eyes. "I'm sure I can answer them some other time."

"That's the thing, you can't. I need my answer now. Preferably yesterday but since that is long gone, I want them ASAP.", I rushed out the words, and for a second, I could feel spirit pushing the words faster.

"Slow down there crazy guy.", She looked like she paused to think. "I can make you a deal. I'll meet you here this afternoon at around five, and I'll answer as many questions as possible.", She smiled.

"Great, great, but what's in this 'deal' for you?", I asked skeptically. Something was fishy.

"Oh I don't know, the pleasure of your company? Something like that.", I raised one eyebrow questioning and she laughed. Oh how I had longed to hear that laugh. "Okay, okay, calm down crazy guy. I need some answers of my own, happy now?", She put her hands on her hips and looked amused.

"Deal.", I simply stated and stretched out my hand for her to shake it. She took it and we shook.

"It's still Adrian.", I said while looking her dead in the eyes. Something about her shifted and she looked a bit hazy for a second before a big smile appeared on her face.

"Okay A-dri-an.", She made a big deal out of pronouncing every part of my name before she rolled her eyes, waved and walked out the door with a take away mug of coffee in her left hand. I watched her back until she disappeared and when she was out of sight, I got the feeling of loneliness. I had met her, talked to her, even touched her, but it still wasn't her. I still had a hole in my heart and I still missed her. It was strange how the mind worked. My mind had seen, touched and heard her but it still separated her from the Sage I wanted to meet. My mind could tell the difference and refused to acknowledge this girl I had just sensed as Sage. It was strange, but still relieving. It meant that my mind was me, and that I wasn't on a trip away from myself and sanity. Suddenly I was lunged back into reality and I decided to use this time window I had until my meeting with Sydney to go and get some blood. I mean, come on, a guy's gotta eat. I had gone for far too long without blood, I was starting to feel tired and weak. It wasn't really healthy.

I was at the shop early. Waiting. When the clock on the wall was five, Sage walked in through the door. She looked kind of relaxed, but through the cloak on her aura, I saw anxiety lurk. Whatever she wanted answered, It was something she was nervous about asking. This time I sat in a booth by the left side of the room. She strolled over to the counter and bought a cup of coffee before sitting down on the opposite side of me. She stared at me for a second with a new interest. I didn't know what it was, but something about me made the rip in the cloak that coated her aura a bit bigger. More light streamed out of the small crack and it filled me with warmth. Progress.

"So, are you ready for question time?", I asked with a teasing tone to my voice. She just sighed and nodded once. "Okay, here we go; What's your name?", I asked. She just rolled her eyes.

"We've been through this, why would I tell a strange guy my name?", She tried to look serious but a small smile played on her lips.

"Because you don't think I'm a stranger. You recognize me.", I answered, my voice was as steady as ever, even though my nerves were threatening to make my hands shake.

"Fair enough, My name is Sydney Andrews.", She looked down in her cup while talking but as soon as her sentence reached its end, she looked up straight into my eyes. I tasted her name in my mouth. Sydney Andrews. Didn't feel too bad, it just felt wrong since she wasn't Andrews. She was Sage.

"Okay. Next question; How long have you been here in San Francisco?", That was an obvious question that needed an answer.

"I don't know.", She wrinkled her forehead, deep in thought. "Maybe.. Six months? Five? Something like that.", She seemed pleased by her answer but my warning bells started ringing. Six months. Six months she had just been her in San Francisco, living like a different person.

"So, Where were you before you came here?", She couldn't have any memories of a time before this place since the time before this obviously was wiped from her memory.

"Um.. Let me see.. Right before San Francisco I was in my hometown.", She paused to think. "Palm Springs. That's were I grew up and lived until recently.", I was taken aback by shock. So she did remember Palm Springs, just not the important parts.

"Why did you move?", I quickly asked. I needed to know more.

"Um, Personal reasons. Or, really, it was my aunt. She wanted to move so I came along.", She wasn't sharing anymore details. Maybe because she didn't remember any more of them.

"Okay, So what's your aunt's name?", I didn't really have any more questions that needed answers right now but I really didn't want our conversation to end.

"Okay buddy, that's crossing a line. Too personal, not answering.", She leaned back and crossed her arms on her chest. I was disappointed. If she wouldn't even tell me the name of her so called 'aunt' then she would most likely not even answer the rest of my questions. Too bad.

"Okay, sorry. Then I'm sadly all out of questions.", I stated and mirrored her by leaning back and crossing my own arms on my chest.

"Too bad, this was getting fun.", She looked disappointment for a second before her expression changed to look like excitement. "Time for my questions.", She practically jumped up and down in her seat, she was thrilled.

"Shoot. I got nothing to hide.", I said simply and smirked.

"Okay, number one; What's your name?", I laughed softly to hide the fact that I got a lump in my throat as soon as those words crossed her lips. I missed the real Sage.

"Sure you want to know?", I teased. She just rolled her eyes and nodded. "Adrian Ivashkov.", I stared straight into her eyes to see if I could fuel any reaction, and I sure did. When she heard my name her aura became brighter under the cloak. It was as if it tried to break free.

"Pretty name.", She said casually, even though I could see the surprise play in her face. I didn't know why she was surprised, maybe she recognized my name, maybe she just thought it was weird. "Why are you in San Francisco? I assume you're not from a round here, you're too much of a pale face to be that.", She mocked. I took it easy.

"I'm here with my friend. We're kind of on a job.", I chose not to comment the fact that she called me pale face.

"And yet you have time to hang out in a coffee shop all day?", She raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Obviously.", I spoke casually even though every word I said to her made my heart twist and turn. I missed her event though she sat in front of me. My comment made her laugh and look at the clock. All color drained form her face while she looked at it and she was suddenly in a hurry.

"I'm sorry Adrian, I'm late to this thing and I really need to go. Like now.", She rose to her feet and started going towards the door.

"You can't just leave. Can't your thing wait?", I pushed her to stay. I didn't want her to leave even though it hurt to watch her.

"No it can't. Bye crazy guy. Maybe I'll see you around?", She called over her shoulder while she power walked to the door. I ran up to her and stood myself in front of the door, blocking her way.

"Yes you will most likely see me around. Just, are you sure you can't stay?", I pleaded.

"Yes I am. Now move.", She was growing impatient and angry.

"Promise me one thing first.", I milked this situation.

"I don't have time for this! Move!", She was nearly shouting by now and the few other customers in the shop was looking at us.

"Promise me one little thing.", I held my ground.

"Fine, what?!", She was really angry and kept looking at the clock.

"That you will come back here tomorrow.", I said calmly, looking into her eyes.

"Fine. I promise to come back here tomorrow, now can you just step aside crazy guy?", Poor impatient Sage.

"If you stop calling me crazy guy.", Suddenly, it was like she had had enough. She raised a hand and opened her mouth to say something, but she changed her mind in the last second. Her hand dropped and she looked at me.

"I like to call you crazy guy. It suits you somehow.", After that, she pushed me aside and ran out the door.

A/N: I would just like to tell you that I am aiming to have published all chapters of this story before The indigo spell is released. Just so you know. By the looks of it now, it will be about 14 chapters, but it might be longer or shorter. We'll see. I would also like to thank you all again for reading this and reviewing and everything, you guys inspire me to work faster and become better at my writing!