Chapter 5: A New Hope

"Who is that?" I asked increduously.

Dimitri opened his mouth and Zane held up a hand to stop him. He looked at me, completely serious. "He is an angel who takes no side in our war. He specializes in signatures in individuals minds. The closer you are, the easier it is of course. But he can pick out any single person, anywhere on this planet, and tell you where they are. He is how we found you. His services are quite pricey, but I'm sure by bringing you in, he can verify who hid your memories for relatively no cost."

"And for getting it undone?"

Zane had a pained expression. "Hopefully not too much. All he has to do is point us in the direction of the angel who did it so they can undo it. I'll haggle him the best of my abilities for a cheaper price."

Dimitri stood up and twirled the keys in his hands. "Awesome, so we've got quite the roadtrip. Roadtrip!"

'Roadtrip?' "How far away is he?"

"He's in Europe. Our on the mountains. We'll have to drive to an airport, take a plane, then take a train and either rent a car or hike our way up." Zane explained. "We've done it before, it'll take about a month or two. But the quicker we move the better."

I nodded. "Okay...I guess we better get moving then."

"I drive!" Dimitri exclaimed before promptly running out to the car.

Taking this moment of us being alone, I decided to attempt to apologize again. "Zane, I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have said what I did. I'm just really stressed out and scared of everything that's to come. I mean, I have no recollection of anything you guys tell me, you could be lying, or maybe I'm just crazy and imagining this entire thing. I don't know what's real anymore and that made me lash out. It wasn't right-"

"As I said, it doesn't matter." He interrupted. His eyes pierced mine. "I know you don't remember me. Or any of this. And that's what hurts the most. I understand that you are scared and confused, so I am not taking what you say personally. Or at least I'm trying not to. As I said, I am not going to press myself on you. I wouldn't even if you could remember."

I nodded. "So... what now?"

He motioned to the door. "We go to the Oracle and get whatever happened to you undone. In the meantime, I'll stear clear of you as much as I can. It will give you time to process whatever you need to."

'He's really sweet. I wish I could remember him more...like when he was that happy kid in the picture...' "Alright, chief." I said, before heading out to the car. Dimitri honked the horn at us. Zane got in the back seat so I took the front.

The car ride was really long. Between bathroom breaks and food breaks, breaks to stretch and driver switches (which was just between Dimitri and Zane), it felt like forever. I always slept when Dimitri did, to avoid trying to make conversation with Zane. Don't get me wrong, Zane was alright in my book, he was just really hard to talk to and I honestly didn't know what to say.

Dimitri on the other hand was so easy to talk to. He was interested in anything and everything. He loved it when I played with the radio station and he always tried to sing along, even when he didn't know the words. It was hilarious! Zane pretty much always had his eyes closed unless he was driving or eating, and said nothing, so I never really knew when he was sleeping or just thinking.

We eventually got to the airport and ordered our tickets and it was a good twelve hour wait. I asked if I could give Anne a call. Zane agreed and said just not to mention our location, so I excitedly ran over to the pay phone.

'I didn't realize how much I missed her.' "Hello?" Anne picked up on the first ring, still sounding tired.

"Hey, sis, it's Rose."

"Rose." She sighed in relief. "I'm so glad you called. I really miss you."

I felt my eyes water a bit. "I really miss you too, Anne. How are you?"

"Okay I guess. Keeping busy. I think about you all the time, wonder if you're okay. What have you been up to?"

"Traveling." I said nonchalantely. "I'm having a lot of fun though!"

"Traveling is always fun. Where are you now?"

'Shit.' "I dunno. We've kinda just been going wherever we feel, you know? I called from some payphone we found. I just really wanted to hear your voice."

I heard another sigh. "God, I wish I was with you."

'Me too. You're so smart, you'd know what to do in my situation.' "Well if you were here you'd ruin my moves." I said, trying to make it light.

There was a small laugh on the line. "Your moves? You seducing that poor guy?"

"Maybe." I laughed. "No, but really, next time you're definitely coming."

"Right. You taking care of yourself?"

"Always, sis." I heard clatter in the background. "Where are you?"

"Work. Did you want to say hi to the super cute couple I'm waiting on?" She asked.

"You answered your phone out on the floor? Are you mad?" I exclaimed.

"Well I never know when you're going to call, so I have to."

'Aww...it's not fair to put her through this...' "Well, I'll tell you what, if I call and you don't pick up, I'll try again a little while later. Same day."

"Is that a promise?" Since learning that demons...my people, take promises so seriously, it took me a moment to really think about it. I mean, I have to keep this if I make it, don't I?

"I promise." I swore. "Now, I'm gonna let you go, okay? I need to get some sleep and you need to get back to work. I don't want to get you in any trouble."

"I love you, Rose. Please, please take care of yourself."

"I will. And I love you too, Anne. Bye." I hung up and let out a big breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"You okay?" Dimitri asked, having heard the whole conversation. Zane said nothing.

I nodded. "Yeah, I just... it's not fair to her. I mean she's my sister. Well, sort of. I guess. I don't know."

"Let's talk about this in the car." We went back out to the car and each sat in our respective seats.

"So...Anne, your 'sister', you feel strongly about." Zane said, giving me a starting point.

"Yeah, I love her. I mean, I remember her for what I thought was my entire life. Her teasing me when I was little, to her going to high school and me being in middle school and wanting me to not be part of her life, and then her getting in a car accident and becoming way more family orientated and treating me like gold up til now. She's always been there for me when I really needed her, I've always been able to confide in her with anything, no judgement. And now...I have this. And I can't tell her the truth. And I can't get her advice. And I know she's worrying about me but she's also trying to let me live my life and I just..." I trailed, tears flowing freely.

"Hey, don't cry. You know I hate seeing you cry." Dimitri murmured. "I mean, it might not even be real what you feel. It could be the angel shenanigans in your head."

I laughed without humor. "That's suppose to make me feel better?"

"It's the truth, regardless of how it makes you feel." Zane said softly. "Leliana, I-"

"That's not my name." I closed my eyes. "At least it hasn't been these past years. And until I remember, I don't want to be called it. Until I remember, please, just call me Rose."

It was silent for a moment. "Okay...Rose. I will get food. I have heard it brings comfort to humans. And since you have been living as one, maybe it will help." Zane said, before leaving the car. The door slammed loudly.

"And now I pissed him off." My voice cracked. "I can't do a damn thing right."

I felt warm arms wrap around me, holding me, comforting me. "Hey, now, that's not really fair. I mean, for not remembering who you are, you've taken it all pretty well. In my opinion."

I wiped my eyes and hugged him tightly. This embrace, it felt good, it felt right...and for the first time, it gave me hope that it would all be okay in the end. "You're a good friend. To Zane...and to me."

He rubbed circles in my back, soothingly. "I try." He chuckled. "As for Anne... I think, even when you do get your memories back, that you'll care for her. You're a caring person, from both what Zane told me and what I've seen with my own eyes. So don't think of what you're doing as lying to her, but as protecting her. Because that's what you are doing. Knowing anything about us puts her life at risk, because a human knowing about angels and demons puts our species at risk right now. So the less she knows, the safer she is."

Oddly enough, his words were comforting. 'I'm doing this because I have to. Tough love.'

Zane came back and Dimitri and I seperated. It's weird, I really liked Dimitri hugging me...holding me like he was, but when Zane came, it felt less innocent. It felt...like I was cheating on him. 'Which I'm not. I mean that was strictly a friend hug...thing...and I mean, I don't recall ever agreeing to being Zane's fiance...sooo...if it's not, who cares, right?'

Zane didn't seem to notice anything had happened. He simply handed us the food. "It occurs to me this may be the best time to ask what you've been up to. Once you remember, you may try and lie. So, what have you been doing?"

"Um...living. I mean, I went to school and hung out with friends. I got a job at a bookstore. I spent time with my family. You know, normal things."

"Did you date?" He asked, evenly.

I felt my face redden. "Uh... does it matter?"

"Yes!" Dimitri exclaimed, grinning widely at my discomfort.

Zane rolled his eyes at him. "No, I'm just curious."

I started playing with my food. "Uh well ummm I went on one date and it was with this kid I had known since I was younger and uhh it didn't go that well. But enough about me, what about you?"

"I haven't dated. Just trained and then started looking for you." Zane replied, eating some food himself.

"And you?" I asked, turning to Dimitri. I actually really wanted to know if he had dated much. 'If he's in love with someone else...'

Woah, do not need to go there. I seriously don't need to add any more drama to my life right now. "I haven't really dated, like nothing serious. I have slept around a little. Curiousity at first...then it was just really enjoyable." He said, before smirking evilly. "Have you ever had sex?"

If my face wasn't red before, it definitely was now. "N-No."

"Enough, Dimitri. Our goal isn't to make her so uncomfortable she runs away again, it's to let her accept the truth." Zane reprimanded.

I let out a breath of relief. Time to change the topic. "So...as to what I've been up to, all my memories are of this family. So I mean, to my understanding, I could've just been there for six months and all of them are fake. But for however long I have been there, I haven't been up to much outside of normal child of the USA." I explained.

"So you haven't trained?"

"Trained?" I asked.

Zane and Dimitri both shared a look of surprise then smiled. "Why didn't we think of that earlier?" Dimitri asked him.

"Because we're idiots." Zane replied, a small smile appearing on his face.

"Uh, hello, guys?" I interrupted. "Trained?"

They both looked at me, smiling. "Your mind may not remember training, but certainly your body must. We're going to show you how to play with fire."

Something told me he meant that literally.