Hello, all! Umm... it seems like I 'forgot' to put an author's note in the first chapter, but seeing as it's my first story and I really didn't know how, I think it's okay. Anywho, I meant for this story to be a collection of reflections from many of the Cahills, thinking back to their times together in the past three series'. But the first chapter ended up being a kind of preface. I don't plan out my writings or anything, and my mind was kind of wandering when I wrote this, so sorry if it seems kind of off-track. So the reflections start from now. There really isn't much plot, and yes, there will be some romance (I'm not telling who)! :-) PLEASE take time to review, I would really appreciate knowing that someone reads this. Even if it's a quick one. Thanks.

Dan

Unknown Location

Dan woke up groggily, trying to blink away the seemingly harsh light that he thought was being shined in his eyes. When he was actually able to see something other than after-images, he trashed the idea of a light, seeing as there was none. But then how could he see? And why was his head pounding so hard? It felt like his head was going to explode anytime now.

It was all too confusing.

And why did it feel like he was rocking?

He remembered his training and sat still for a couple minutes, trying to regain his senses, even though his instincts were telling him to jump up and run around in panic, or smash through the wall to stop his head from hurting.

That last thought brought him to his first useful question since he woke up.

Where was he?

He took a few calming breaths and looked around in the now not-so-blinding light. It appeared as if he was in a... box? What? Why in the world would he be in a box? And again, why did he feel that rocking sensation? And was he smelling the briny smell of the beach?

And then, all of a sudden, it felt like a switch was thrown in his brain and he knew exactly where he was, though why was still a mystery. He could see where the light was coming from: he was indeed in a crate, and there was weak light filtering through the gaps between the slats of the wooden crate. And he was sure that what he was smelling really was the sea.

But how could any of this be possible?

Last he knew, he had been running away from Pierce's goons in the forest in Tikal, Guatemala. And he was pretty sure there weren't any seas near Tikal. That meant that either he wasn't in the sea, or he was in big trouble. Or, more likely, both.

Wait a second...

Hold on, did I just think Pierce's goons? Yes, yes I did! There must be some connection between them and me stuck in this box in the middle of an ocean that I don't even know where it is and that I am probably very in danger in and how am I going to get out of here and why haven't I asked myself why I'm even in a box yet and why AM I in a box and WOW I'm not making any sense.

He paused on his mental ramblings for a second to chuckle and think, Wow, if Amy was here, she would've made some dweeby comment on how that was the longest run-on sentence she had ever heard and thus was the most grammatically incorrect sentence ever. Or something like that.

And then came his most horrifying thought yet.

Amy?

Amy...

Amy!

Amy?! This isn't funny.

For a second, in his panic at losing his sister, he forgot his current location and thought that he and his sister were still in the forest, looking for the book.

Oh, no! The book! And what happened to Pony? Did he survive? And did they get the antidote? Is Amy still... dying?!

It killed him not to know, which led him to ask himself, what time is it? How long have I been sitting in this box in the middle of the sea? WHAT IS HAPPENING?

He wanted to rip his hair out in frustration.

How much time is left... let's see... 1, 2, 3... 3 days have passed since Amy- Amy took the serum. That means she only has... 4 DAYS LEFT!?

The thought almost sent him spinning out of control again. He couldn't help anyone, sitting here in this box in the middle of the ocean, could he?

He was all but screaming obscenities in his head. He allowed the small, almost-old-Dan part of himself a dry chuckle that meant at least Amy's not here to scold me for saying bad words!

But both he and his almost-old-Dan self knew that they didn't mean it.

He considered shouting for help, but decided against it, considering that if this really was an ocean, the chances of someone hearing a screaming crate would be a whopping low. And if he tried to break the crate, he could swim, but again, he wasn't sure how far he would be able to make it if he didn't even know where he was or how close land would be. Though he knew time was a-ticking, he settled for sitting quietly and thinking, hopefully until something happened...

He had nothing better to do, and he had meant to do something for quite some time now, but had not gotten the chance, what with everyone running around trying to stop Pierce.

He wanted to think, to remember everything he could about everyone dear to him, about Amy, about Grace, about... his parents. And others. He trusted his photographic memory more than any photo album, and he had vowed that, should something happen in the near future, he would have memories of all of the people close to him. He did not want to make the mistake of forgetting anyone else. So he sat there...

Just thinking...