Chapter 9- Truth- Taker.

Kane had told me his decision; it was a hard one yet Kane is his father, he knows what is best. "I don't want to lose a son… but I do want to regain a friend" he said to me. He felt it was unfair to let Owen suffer like this, so the choice was made.

We were at the arena once more where he saw Owen looking about; he followed him to the wrestling ring being set up. Owen froze to the sight of it. "Why… why is that familiar to me?" he asked himself.

I stood next to Kane as his hand began to glow, the moment he touched Owen, his memories would either return… or vanish. He was just about to reach out and grab his shoulder when Kratos came from behind and grabbed Owen. Pulling him away from Kane. "NO! You won't do this father! I WON'T LET YOU!" he screamed.

"What's going on? Kratos let me go!"

"Kratos, let go of Owen right now!" I ordered him.

"Why so he can remember everything? I heard you last night on the roof father, I heard you! You were going to do it weren't you? You were going to let him remember it all? The accident? his mortal family? He's not the same guy you knew father, uncle. He's not your friend…HE'S MY BROTHER!" Kratos began to cry as he held Owen tightly to him. "He's my brother, he's mine…"

Owen hugged him back but begged Kratos to let Kane do what he was going to do. "I have memories in my mind… I… I need to know what they mean. Please brother, allow father let me remember?" he asked.

Kratos was very reluctant, however he eventually let go of Owen. Kane used his powers and Owen's eyes became aglow. The memories flooded back into his mind, as he let them soak in. Falling silent for what felt like hours, Owen opened his eyes. "I… I died in the ring," he whispered.

"Yes" Kane muttered. "I figured that was why you were scared of heights. That past memory haunted you"

Owen's head nodded. "Martha remembered me, Oji… they… they all remembered me because of my eyes! Glen I have to go…" he stopped himself, realizing he just called his father by his first name. "I'm sorry…"

"It's ok Owen, I figured this would happen…" Kane sighed. "Go to them"

Owen was about to leave until he saw Kratos hanging his head; he turned to Kane bitterly saying. "You took my only little brother away" and stormed out.

Kane left soon afterwards, as it was now only Owen and I. He looked to me oddly, and was about to call me uncle, but my real name came through his lips. "Mark… can we talk… like before?" he asked.

I nodded to him as we took a seat in the stands. He kept staring at his hands before looking back at me, he sighed aloud not knowing want to make of it. "It's me on the inside, but not the outside…" he began to say. "How can I claim to be who I was when it's not who I am now!"

"You aren't claiming anything," I told him. "You're just trying to find your place now. Owen Hart has passed on. But Owen Jacobs… is here right now"

"I know… but… does Martha know? Would she understand? Would she and I be the same even though… I'm not the same man she married?"

"You could be in a different body, with different skin… but it's still you. Different yes, but she still knew it was you"

We fell silent. Owen began to get frustrated. "I want to go back to them… but… they have grown so much without me. I have a family here, I'm close to them… they don't want me to leave…"

"Everyone leaves, they will learn that. When they find that special someone. Kratos will get over it; he needs to understand that not everything can stay the way it is. It all changes… hell I would be the first to tell you that! Same with Kane and anyone who's been a dragon" I smirked. Owen smiled as well. "Do what you want to, you dad gave you that choice, if he hadn't he could have easily have whipped the memory clear from your head"

I left Owen to think if over, he sat in the stands wondering where to go. It's his life; he needs to decide what to do with it.

Not traveling far I saw Kratos, his shoulders to the wall as he sat alone. No doubt Kane has tried to talk sense into his son, but none would get through. I sat next to Kratos who gave me the cold shoulder as well. "Go away uncle, you're on father's side, you wanted Owen to be gone!" he growled at me.

"Quite the opposite actually" I said. "I miss my friend, I will never fully get him back, and you still have a brother. You will always have a little brother that flesh and blood doesn't change. People change… but that bond never will," I told him.

Kratos slowly began to look at me. "Why did dad let him remember?" he growled.

"Owen wanted to find out what the images were, they would have returned eventually, think of it as this… If you had a chance to remember past loved ones… would you want it? Say you forgot about your mother and father, and were born again into a different family. Would you want to remember your past parents, for everything they did for you?" I asked.

Kratos didn't answer at first. "Perhaps… but… it doesn't have to do with me, it's Owen, and these aren't parents he's trying to remember"

"True, it's his wife and the children that grew up without a father…"

Kratos stared at me oddly. "Without a father?" he whispered.

Before I could continue, Owen walked by us, announcing he wasn't going to go back. "I can's hurt her like that again… I need to stay with the family I have now… and… move on," I could tell by his voice he didn't mean it… he didn't want to make this choice.

Kratos shot to his feet. "Why brother?"

"It's not right I try and rebuild my life! I have a new one and need to make the most of it."

Kratos watched as his younger brother turned from him, he looked down at me and then to Owen. "Not right, it's not right" he growled and gave chase.

I sat wondering if we did the right thing. I wasn't certain. I just hope we did…