So… here I was… walking into a huge alien spacecraft. Not by my own free will, mind you, but forced by the futuristic-looking weapon being pressed to the side of my head in a very threatening manner.

Interesting…

However, it would probably be far more interesting if I knew how I had gotten into this situation in the first place. Did it have anything to do with the gap in my memories, perhaps? I couldn't recall anything from the past two weeks, and this predicament was beginning to get quite unnerving without the memories that were likely the key to what was happening.

I reached the craft and was led inside by the surprisingly human-looking alien, when I was immediately whisked away to a stark white room before I could examine my surroundings properly. The door I came through slid shut and fused with the rest of the spotless wall, leaving me without an exit.

Three hours.

That's how long I was confined in that small, pristine space. My eyes kept darting back and forth from my watch to the space of the wall where the door used to be, willing it to open up for me to escape. Right when my normally rational mental resolve was about to snap, a shrill voice that sounded neither male nor female came from nowhere, cutting through the intense atmosphere I had created.

"Deidara Iwa, report to the Central Chamber immediately."

The aliens spoke English? More importantly, they knew my name? Unexpectedly, the part of the wall I had stared at for the better part of my time spent here wasn't the one that opened, and instead I heard a sound like a vacuum seal opening behind me. I turned to see another alien guard carrying a very intimidating spear motion for me to follow him into another, more brightly lit white corridor. It was a straight shot to a set of large double-doors that automatically opened when we approached them.

The room they revealed was magnificent and round, with a huge, luminescent pillar standing in the middle. At the base of the pillar were two more aliens, a male and a female, but they were dressed quite differently from the guards I had encountered so far. The clothes they wore almost resembled those that a noble from Earth might wear, the shiny material flowing over their lithe forms hypnotically. I was so transfixed that I didn't notice the third figure standing near them.

His hands and arms were bound, and had two guards looming over him with the same spears mine had. His head was hung low in defeat as he looked down at the floor, blood red hair obscuring my view of his face. At the sound of my entrance, his head snapped up, bright red eyes holding conflicting emotions.

Those eyes… they looked so familiar. Something flickered in the back of my mind, something important. I concentrated on the lost memory and was rewarded with a flash of the same brilliant crimson eyes darkened with something akin to regret and pain. I tried to dig deeper into the memory, but the boy in front of me struggled against his bindings in an attempt to lunge out, anger written across the pale features of his face.

"Deidara? Deidara! What have they done to you?" he managed to shout before he was restrained by the guards who held their spears against his neck in warning.

"Silence, Sasori. Control yourself," the female noble said. Unlike most of the other aliens in the room, her face was riddled with wrinkles, giving her an older and wiser appearance. She stood and walked up to me with a serene grace not of this world. I noticed she had the same bright eyes as Sasori, as did the male noble. Were they… related?

"Wh-where am I? Why are you doing that to him?" I ventured to ask, trying and failing to keep the nervousness out of my voice. The woman smiled warmly at me and placed her hand on my head.

"Child, you are aboard the Sunagakuen, a vehicle your people call a variety of names including spaceship, UFO, and flying saucer. As for my grandson…" she spared a glance in his direction and then back to me. "He has done the unforgivable and is here to pay the price." All this was said with that same warm smile. I felt a chill go down my spine as the meaning of the words sank in.

"What did he do?" I asked, and this time the woman's smile turned to a hard line, brows furrowing.

"He fell in love with a human. Such a shameful thing is neither permitted nor tolerated in our utopian society."

"Oh." was all I could say.

"Deidara, do you know anything about this man? Be honest." the noble said. My attention was brought away from the woman and to the boy I now knew as Sasori. The name sounded so familiar, my mind was trying to uncover something so important, and I almost had it, almost remembered.

"No." I replied solemnly. The woman tried to respond, but I continued. "That's not fair, you know."

The noble looked absolutely shocked at my statement. "Excuse me?" she said, bewildered.

"Deidara, don't—!" Sasori tried to stop me, but he was silenced again by the guards.

"Nobody should be restricted when it comes to love. I don't know what kind of society you're running here, but one without choice over who to love doesn't seem very utopian to me. Besides, you guys look exactly like the human race." I spoke more confidently now, flashes of my memory becoming clearer with each passing second.

The noble's gaze turned cold and she hissed in an icy tone, "While our physical anatomies are quite similar, our technological and intellectual advances are far superior to yours. Don't you dare compare your pathetic species with mine."

I had to fight back the urge to flinch at her voice, and stood my ground. "See, that's where you're wrong. We're really not that different at all, and I want you to understand that, please." I pleaded. For an agonizing minute, the woman seemed to actually contemplate my words. A glimmer of hope… maybe I really could save him and myself.

Eventually, an amused look came over the noble's face, and she shook with silent laughter. "You are such a naïve child. You seem to care a lot about this boy, even without your memories, for you to defy me and my people. I'll make an agreement with you," she said, scarlet eyes glinting with mischief. "I will let you both survive if you manage to recover your memories without my aid… however, if you fail, you will be sentenced to death. Do we have a deal?"

There was no hesitation in my answer. "Yes. We have a deal." How was I supposed to remember everything, though? I started to panic, frozen on the spot. "Can Sasori help me?"

"It's futile boy, but… guard, release him. Let him go to the prince." The menacing weapon along with its wielder disappeared, and I walked up to the redheaded boy.

"Deidara… do you know who I am?" he asked. I shook my head no, and Sasori pleaded with his eyes. "Please, Deidara, you have to remember me, remember us. I erased your memory just so that this wouldn't happen. I made such a huge mistake, please forgive me, but right now I need you to remember!"

He was near tears, and I found myself gravitating closer to him. I wasn't aware of how close I had gotten until our faces were inches apart. "Deidara… please…" he said, desperate, eyes closing in defeat with a single tear leaking out. I couldn't stand it anymore, his suffering. It was all my fault. I would do anything to keep him from hurting. With this in mind, I stooped down, and my lips brushed against his for just an instant. The contact portrayed everything Sasori was trying to say to me with such emotions it made my head spin.

Remember me…

That was all it took for everything to rush back to me like a huge wave, crashing over my senses. Every touch, every kiss, and every whispered sweet nothing suddenly overwhelmed me. I stood back and let the previous weeks envelop and fill me with a sense of completeness.

I stood in wonder, letting the sight of my lover truly sink in. "…Sasori no Danna?" I managed to whisper, this time in complete understanding. Sasori must have noticed the change in my voice because he seemed to know exactly what had happened.

"Dei? Do you remember?" he asked, concerned. I smiled at my nickname and hugged my face into his chest, ignoring the guards that tensed up behind him.

"Yes. I remember… everything." Happy tears prickled at my eyes, but… something was spoiling this moment. Oh, yes! The bindings on his arms that prevented him from hugging me back. I sent a pointed glare in Lady Chiyo's direction. "I believe we had a deal…" I said, tone venomous.

Xaine sighed. "That's my Dei…"

Chiyo looked absolutely dumbstruck, and stood there with her mouth opening and closing trying to imitate a fish. She finally composed herself and closed her eyes in acceptance. "Well, it appears as though you have regained your memories. As I promised, you will both be allowed to live. Now, if you would please leave and never come back, that would be greatly appreciated."

It was my turn to look dumbstruck at her response. "What? We had a deal!"

"Yes, and our deal was that if you remembered you would both be allowed to live, and you will. However, Sasori still has a role to play in our society, and that is to be the next lord of our people. It does not matter what you do, his path is set as long as he is a part of this family."

"What if I don't want to be part of this family?" Sasori piped in. All eyes turned to him, causing him to shrink away slightly, but he kept firm. "I mean, life would suck if I had to be apart from Dei, so I wouldn't be very happy at all. And if I was sad all the time while ruling, I might misjudge and bring the colony down with me…" he threatened, trailing off. Chiyo cocked her head to one side.

"Life would… suck?" she echoed, as though she didn't recognize the terminology.

"He means life would be terrible if he didn't-"

"I know what it means, human! Don't mock me! Sasori… are you willing to uphold your threat? You may never return."

Sasori stood confident in his decision. "I am prepared to disband from this family, society, and way of life. I wish to stay with Deidara on Earth." He stared down Chiyo, and I could feel her resolve breaking. After the longest two minutes of my life, she spoke.

"Sasori Akasuna, I hereby sever all ties you have with this family and colony. You will remain on Earth with Deidara for the rest of your life, never to return. If you ever come back, you will be killed without hesitation. Do you understand?"

"Yes." With that word the tension in the chamber dissipated, and Chiyo gave a sharp nod at the guards behind Sasori to release him. He fell into my arms and rubbed at his wrists and biceps, finally free.

"Be gone, Sasori, and never return. You know the consequences if you should." He nodded, and took my hand to leave, but I stayed put. Sasori turned around, confused.

"Dei? Aren't you coming?" he asked. I just couldn't believe this was happening…

"Are you sure you want to leave your home just for me?" Sasori's features softened before he answered.

"There is no home here, only a cold, lifeless ship. My home is on Earth with you. I love you, Deidara Iwa."

And he kissed me. Right then and there, in front of his grandmother and great uncle. I was near tears, and I kissed him back. Chiyo made a sound of disgust, but that was easy to ignore. For once, everything felt right. For once, I could lead my life happily with the one I loved. For once, I could go back home.

For once, I remembered. And I remembered you.

A/N: CHEESY ENDING IS CHEESY. Yes, I've posted two whole stories within the three days I've had my laptop! Well, actually this one was already typed up because i used it in a contest... DON'T JUDGE ME! Eheh, well, expect more stories, because I have a lot written that I just need to get typed. The next one I post will be a multi-chapter fic, so please read it! (shameless advertising. Meh.)

Well, please R&R! I will let you hug my spaztic friend sitting next to me right now if you do!

Namitha: ADVERTISIN MAH STORY! READ HOW THE WORLD TURNS IN THREE SECONDS OR IMA KILL U!

... Remind me to never let her have input on another author's note again. Ever.

~Jel