Don's thoughts were racing, what the hell was going on. He wasn't like this ... He wasn't emotional ... He was a "go with the flow kind of guy"... Hey don't take it personal ... One hand washes the other ... Don't rock the boat ... You can't make an Omelet without breaking a few eggs ... Now wait a minute that is not me ... That's friggin Lenin ... Who the hell is Lenin ... Just what the hell is going on.

What is a memory?
How do you know if you've forgotten something?
Why can't I remember the Children?
Haunted, Violated, Angry, Happy, Sad, and Scared … oh yeah really scared!
Don's mind was racing, what did they do, what have I done, what do I do …
and always returning to, and for some reason he senses this is the key… Why can't I remember the Children.

What is memory? (a biochemical recording of the past)
How do you know if you've forgotten something? (You can remember a piece)
Why can't I remember the Children? (if I never saw a child, how did I know what one was)( If I never saw a child, how did I immediately recognize one)(if I never saw a child, why do I feel such sadness and such joy when I see one now)
Why am I so scared? (I've lived under the combine, I lived each day with the daily expectation of misery, loss, pain, and death but I've never been as scared as I am right now and don't know why)

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Danni smiled, "Hey, don't sweat it. Let me buy you a beer and a brat. Afterwards, if you're up to it, maybe you can join me down in the sewers for some exercise."
Danni shouldered her way by him, and strode out the door. The moment they got outside, Don was assaulted by an assortment of wonderful smells and sounds.

If Don wasn't so confused, if his mind wasn't racing so fast, he knew he would have found Danni's last statement provocative. Even though he sensed how really innocent and possibly naïve it was. What was happening to him, was all this just a result of the past week's events, too much stress? If that was the case he would have gone overboard long ago. The world was not an easy going place anymore. Emotional side effects, he didn't buy into that crap. I remember back when ... when ... when what?... now what was he thinking about... the stress, you know it had been a while since he's done some introspection ... come to think of it he couldn't remember the last time he's done any introspection ... well, I don't believe in that crap anyway ... now wait a second, that doesn't seem right ... it's just the stress of the last week ... next week it will be okay ... as soon as I get this straightened out ... get what straightened out ... now what had he been thinking about again ... oh yeah ... next week it'll all be okay, it'll get straightened out ... Now that was a load of crap! The combine is here nothing is gonna get straightened out next week ... what the hell am I doing here ... why did we leave the safety of City 7 ... the windy city ... Heck windy, the place reeks ... the stinkin friggin city ... and what's that windy city crap anyway... man when I get back to work ... wait a minute I don't work ... in fact they had been on the road for what seemed like ages because of something ... Coming that close to death, should have some emotional side effects ... But then again, he had been living under the Combine where life expectancy was be measured in days, sometimes hours and many, too many times just minutes, and where death was not the worst thing that could happen to you. So no, this really wasn't much more than life as usual.

Slowly Don's mind began to clear a little and his thought's slowed. This thought process seemed familiar ... Now what was he thinking about again ... He looked up just in time to see Danni walk out the door and got his butt in gear. Don hurried to catch up; but her strides were every bit as long as his own. Her long legs carried her body with the grace of a dancer. The long pony tail swung from side to side bouncing from one hip to the other like a metronome, in perfect time with her gait. And that's when the scents hit him.

His senses had been under attack for as long as he could remember. The stench of death and decay permeated every street and alley of City 7, winds blowing off of the crater that used to be Lake Michigan pushed a constant stream of toxic chemicals and poisonous gases through the city streets, yet even with the constant caustic wind, smoke and ruin hung in the air, a constant reminder to the violence that could and would erupt at any second. Not a good place to raise kids. But thanks to the Suppression Field that had ceased to be a concern years ago.

But City 7 was nothing compared to this onslaught! Wow! The cacophony of scent that hit him was almost overwhelming. He had forgotten how good something could smell. Someone was cooking, he smelled roasting meat, smacked his lips in anticipation and wiped his mouth in case he had any drool. Was that cinnamon he smelled, my God yes! He could not remember when he had last smelled cinnamon. And just like that he was transported to his Grandmother's kitchen; she was bent over pulling something hot and sweet from the oven. And flowers by God, he could smell flowers! His mind began racing again, but this time Don just picked up his pace a little to the catch Danni. And with what seemed the most natural act in the world Don reached out and took her hand, and then smiled as he felt her long fingers respond and wrap around his.

Don's eyes scanned the area. They were in a small meadow at the entrance to a large canyon. He immediately saw Chiyo yucking it up with that monstrous horseman with the shaggy mane of red hair that had accompanied Danni earlier that day. Jack was there too, currently doubled over hands clenching his stomach, but he wasn't sick, he was laughing. Don heard someone holler, turned his head that direction and saw Gordon pushing Jeff in a wheelchair across the meadow. How in the hell … just hours before Jeff had been on death's door. And then he froze, all color washing out of his face, his hand automatically slid to the small of his back and drew the pistol it found there.

Suddenly, he was back in Chicago, sprinting down the hallway to Kameryn's room, her screams of panic and calls for help pounded through the house, his head, everywhere! I'm coming, Don't worry, I'm Coming! There was a crackle of electricity, sparks flew and bolts of lightning shot from the floor to the ceiling and back to the floor. And then it was there, it appeared out nothing. One second empty hallway and the next second it was there. He'd never seen anything like it. The creature was mottled green and though there was no clothing to speak of, there was a collar around its neck and what looked to be shackles on its arms. It seemed to be clutching something to its chest. There was a large elliptical red eye that stretched across it's forehead, and several smaller eyes around it. Don was stunned, he froze and stared at the creature and realized as different as it was, it was intelligent and there was something else too...

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Don had this terrier a few years back, he's picked it up at the pound. It was a great dog with a lot of personality that wormed it's way into his heart. It used to crack him up to watch her sit in front of the the glass patio doors staring at the squirrels; her attention was so intent and muscles so tense her body would vibrate like a tuning fork. She got a growth on her bottom lip. The vet first described it as a cyst and said it couldn't be removed. Later on he had explained that it was a benign cancer in the lower jaw bone, and the only way to remove it was to remove the lower jaw. And that was unacceptable. It was benign because the cancer wouldn't spread but the growth would get larger, eventually becoming an open sore that would cause both the dog and us problems. He warned Don about this early on and explained in great detail that they should not feel guilty about putting the dog down. But Charlie was part of the family and besides that it wasn't that big of a deal. But over the following year it did grow and eventually did become a problem for both of us. And so finally the day came, and despite the love and guilt Don took her to the vet. He stayed with her till the very end, till the last breath, stroking her fur and talking to her because she deserved no less.

And somehow Don also saw that in this creature standing in front of him, He saw the collar and shackles in a different light. The creature wasn't evil by nature, it had no choice. It was not here because it wanted to be, but because it had to be, because it had a job to do, and it would do the job. He also understood that it clutched a weapon to it's chest and it had appeared directly in front of him, blocking the route to his daughter. Damnit move... But it was too late. The creature had 2 more arms at it's side which it was now raising, there was the crackling sound of electricity and then the world went black.

Don was overcome with fear and self loathing; he fell to his knees and covered his head in shame. And then from all around him, from the very molecules of air, he heard or actually felt a calming voice, only it wasn't just one voice but a chorus of voices that spoke to him as one. "Human, You have nothing to fear. We will not harm you or yours. We have served the same harsh masters. We are sorry for our part, for we serve the same dark mystery. But fear not, the time has come. The time has come to reclaim what was taken. The time has come to take back what was yours. She lives, and it's time for her to return home." And then like lightning or a tornado hitting a barn, the doors to his memories exploded off the hinges and Don remembered everything.

And Don remembered … The sky was really strange that summer evening. Don and Betsy, his wife had sat outside and drank lemonade, while Kameryn had danced around the yard collecting fireflies in a jar. They watched what they assumed to heat lightning or maybe St. Elmoe' Fires as it sparkled and flashed throughout their neighborhood.

And Don remembered … Kameryn's screams of panic and fear late in the night. How he raced down the hallway to her room only to have his way blocked when the Vortigaunt teleported into the hallway.

And Don remembered … Waking up on the hallway floor covered with ash all hair burned from his body. Running to Kameryn's room only to find it empty. Running throughout the house calling her name with only silence as a reply. Running to the bedroom only to find a burnt shell of a corpse where just minutes before he had lain with his wife.

And Don remembered … The days and nights of anguish afterword, the Portal storms, the headcrabs, the zombies, the houndeyes and the bullsquids. The searching, the running, the hiding and the shame of still being alive.

And Don remembered … The coming of the Combine, the 7 hour war, the Overwatch, the building of the Citadel

And lastly, Don remembered forgetting, and at this he began to weep.

Danni knelt down and took Don's hand, ''Don are you okay?"
Don stood up, and glanced at the Vortigaunt. He flinched unconsciously, "Okay?" He picked up the automatic from where he dropped it seconds before, and tucked it under his belt at the small of his back. "Yeah, I'm okay." Looked the Vortigaunt in the eye, gave it a "tip of the hat" gesture "Yeah, I think I am... In fact thanks to your Vortigaunt friend, I think I'm better than I've been since this whole mess began at Black Mesa. Can't say I'm too happy." And as the revelations of the last few moments started to sink in, he felt his anger start to rise. "But I'm friggin pissed. I get it now. Yeah … I really get it! You know... what you were ranting about a few minutes ago."

"You knew, you were telling me, and like an idiot I smiled and nodded my head, when in fact I was clueless. But you already knew that too, and told me so." Danni started to say something, but Don raised his hand, and said, "Please, let me finish. And when I'm done saying what I need to say, I hope you won't ask me to leave."

"Now, please don't take this the wrong way. But a just a few minutes ago, I was seriously questioning your sanity."And at this the Red Haired giant, let out a bellow that could have raised the dead. From his size, and bearing, he reminded Don of a Viking or maybe a character from the movie "Braveheart." But it would come out later, after everything settled down and introductions were finally made; that his name wasn't Sven or Bjorne, Jorgenson or even Macintosh as Don had imagined. The guys name was Bob Sanders, and he was just another guy, he wasn't a super hero, he was a welder.

"I did think you were the most beautiful woman I'd ever laid eyes on." At this she had blushed deeply;
(Don caught it and had immediately fallen in love with her. She really didn't know how beautiful she was. Personal or physical attributes weren't something measured and compared, and that made her even more beautiful.)

"But I was really wondering if your might have been in the outback here just little too long." And once again Ole Bob gave out a belly laugh to rattle the china. "But Damnit, it was me." Don looked at his feet and was shaking his head from side to side. "You can't know it when your there. You don't even realize what has been taken. And Chiyo, your wondering about those moves dear… Really, wait till you see this girl, she's Michelle Yeoh on steroids." To which Ole Bob gave another guffaw, and almost knocked Chiyo to the floor with a hearty pat on the back. "But Chiyo, Jack, Jeff it's coming guys, I don't envy you for what's coming your way, but you got to let it come, whatever it is."

Don paused, took a deep breath looked up at everyone present, "The bastards took my daughter." He choked and his eyes filled with tears. "In fact they took her from me twice. First they came and stole her from our home, and then raped my mind and stole her from my memory." Don paused, took another deep breath, But the Vortsigaunts say she's alive, and well … I'm gonna get her." And then under his breath Don muttered, "And somebody's gonna pay."

"Danni is that sandwich and beer offer still open, cause I'm starving." And this time she came over and grabbed Don's hand.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Well there you have it. The end of Chapter 2

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