Chapter Three: Forgetting and Revealing

"No!" Fabian found himself screaming at the photo frames in his flat. "This is not happening to me!"

It had been a week since he was released from the hospital and things were not going well for the professor. The world was slowly ridding itself of Nina Martin and any solid proof that she has existed and that includes memories.

"What do you mean, Fabian?" Mara Clarke scowled as she looked at the frame. There wasn't anything wrong with the pictures he was holding.

Mara and her husband offered to help Fabian settle down in his flat after the gang agreed that he wasn't stable to live on his own. After all, spouting nonsense about a girl no one ever heard of isn't a sign of sanity.

"She's gone," Fabian said as he glared at the photos. There used to be a brunette smiling in the photo with him but now, it was as if she never existed. "She's not here anymore."

"Who are you talking about, mate?" Jerome frowned, thinking that his former housemate was slowly losing it.

"Nina," Fabian looked at his friends as if they were the ones crazy. "I'm talking about Nina Marti-"

The ring of the phone cut him off and Mara hurried to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Mara, oh thank goodness!" Joy Campbell sighed in relief. "Is Fabian there?"

Mara glanced at the frazzled man and hesitated. "He's here."

"Good. Can I talk to him?"

"He's not very… sensible right now."

Joy gave a sigh. She knew what was happening to the man. He was afraid. He's scared of losing Nina again. He's already lost her physically and he doesn't want to lose any more of her.

"It's alright. Put him on," Joy said to her doctor friend. "I think I can talk some sense into him."

Mara handed the phone to Fabian who confusedly gave a greeting to whoever was calling.

"Fabes, it's Joy," Joy started.

"Oh, hey, Joy," he said in an almost hopeless voice.

"Listen, Mick lost his memories too," Joy hesitated before continuing, "I think we might be next."

"I just don't get it," Fabian ran a hand through his hair. "What's the order of these things?"

"Patricia has a theory," Joy said. "She thinks that whoever knew Nina the longest would most likely be the last to lose the memories."

"But, Amber lost hers days ago," Fabian said trying to hide the panic in his voice.

"The longest, Fabian," Joy repeated. "Amber knew her best but we knew her longer."

"She was introduced to us at the same time," Fabian argued.

"But she bumped Patricia that morning. We technically knew her before she was introduced to us… well, you guys."

"You lost me there."

"We knew that she existed," Joy explained. "We knew that there was this American girl in the school."

"So, that means that if we lose our memories, we lose it at the same time?"

"That's basically it."

"But isn't there a way that could reverse all these?"

"I have no idea, Fabes," Joy sighed. "But if Patricia's theory is true, then I think that also works for objects."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, look at our graduation photo," Joy said.

Fabian scrambled to look at the photo he and Nina hanged by the fireplace, ignoring the concerned looks of his friends.

"She's still there," Fabian sighed in relief.

"I think that it's going on reverse which means the older it is, the longer it'll last."

"Hey, Fabian, what are you looking at?" Jerome glanced at the picture. "Hey, that's Nina-"

Fabian dropped the phone in shock. "You remember her?!"

"Well, sure, I mean, she's your girlfriend, right?"

"Hon, what are you talking about? Fabian has no girlfriend," Mara interrupted.

"Oh yeah," Jerome agreed with his wife before going back to sit with her on the couch.

Fabian glanced at the photo and saw that Nina was gone again.

"Fabes? Fabes?"

Fabian realized that Joy was still on the line and grabbed the phone lying on the floor. "Sorry about that."

"Hey, are you alright?" Joy sounded panicked as soon as she realized that her best friend dropped the phone.

"Yeah," Fabian almost smiled. "I just had found something out."

Fabian relayed what had just happened with Jerome and the picture.

"That still doesn't make things permanent," Joy said.

"But it can buy me time," Fabian grinned. "And I know where the oldest things reside."

"Where?" Joy was almost afraid to ask.

"Anubis House."

"Oh no, Fabes, you aren't going back there," Joy argued.

"There's no other place, Joy," Fabian sighed. "I have to buy time if I'm going to find a way to fix this."

"Is there any way to stop you at all?" Joy asked, already know what the answer is.

"No," Fabian said firmly.

"Oh alright. But, be careful about it. I have a feeling that the house still has secrets yet to be revealed."

"And that's what I'm hoping for," Fabian smiled a bit. "So, I'll have to pack up. Will talk to you later."

Joy heard the line being cut off and gave a small sigh of relief. It was good to hear Fabian smile again. It was good to see him have life once more and that's why she isn't risking having him lose it.

Pressing speed dial, she waited for someone to answer the phone. "Hello, Patricia…"

Eric held the locket against the light, almost willing it to spill out its secrets.

It had been two weeks since his former student turned up in his doorway, with nothing but bruises, wound and torn clothes on her. She knocked thrice before he opened the door. The girl gave him the necklace and begged him to keep her safe.

He tried questioning the her but Nina Martin kept her mum before saying that she will soon lose her memories and asks him not to divulge anything of the past to her. The girl made him promise, which he did out of confusion. When he gave his word, the girl fainted on doorway almost immediately and that was when Susan saw her and the rest was a blur to him. He kept his distance from the girl but he knew Susan would figure out his connection and she did. Now, it was only a matter of time before Edison knew. He was ever a bright boy.

"Dad," his son's familiar voice broke him from his reverie. "I need to talk to you."

Eric looked at his son who carried a familiar frame and he knew. Eric Sweet knew that his son had discovered the link.

"Yes, Edison?" Eric stuffed the locket in his pocket before motioning to his son to enter his office.

Eddie flinched at the name but he tried his best not to comment on it. He was on a mission, a mission to find out the truth.

"Who is she?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Eric tried to play it dumb.

"Let me rephrase that. Who is the girl downstairs with Mom masquerading as Brielle Miller?" Eddie gritted his teeth, trying not to reprimand his father for lying.

"She is who you think she is," Eric sighed as he gave a quick glance at the photo.

"You mean, she is Nina Martin?" Eddie said as he sat in front of his father.

"Not anymore," Eric sighed. "It is complicated, son."

Eric recalled the phone call he received from Victor Rodenmaar Jr. a few days ago. The former caretaker of the house couldn't recall what occurred eleven years ago. When Eric mentioned Nina Martin, the man said that he didn't know such a person. It was then that Eric realised what was happening.

"Then un-complicate it," Eddie said.

"You wouldn't believe me."

"Try me."

And he did. He told him everything.

Eddie couldn't believe what his father had told him but somehow, he does.

"Why can you remember, then?" Eddie asked his father.

Eric got the locket and showed his son. "This is the Eye of Horus. It is a symbol of protection. Ms. Martin gave it to me."

Eddie nodded. "Will you be able to do what she asked of you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said she begged you to keep her safe," Eddie began. "Yet, she didn't say from what. How can you keep her safe if you don't know what to keep her safe from?"

"Maybe," Eric gave out a tired sigh, "she means herself, her past. That's why she made me promise not to tell her anything."

Eddie kept quiet for a few minutes before looking at his father in the eyes.

"You're leaving for Switzerland," Eddie stated. "Will she be going with you?"

"No, son," Eric sighed. "Anubis House is her home, whether she knows it or not, and I will not take her away from here."

"Then, how will you keep her safe?"

"I think that it's time that I pass on to you all my responsibilities," Eric sighed as he grabbed Eddie's right hand. "I am, after all, an old man."

"What do you mean?"

"Keep her safe, son," Eric pressed the locket to his son's palm before letting go. "Now, what where we talking about?"

Eddie opened his mouth to answer but closed it as something caught his eye. The photo he was holding now looked different as the girl in the picture disappeared.