Author's note: OK, so firstly, it feels like I haven't updated this or Innocent Illusions in a while. I'm sorry about that. I just have a ton of coursework to do for college so I've had to focus all my attention on that and take a short break from writing fanfics. Plus, I've been working on an original story (it's finally happening!) and I've kind of just been lost in my own new world.

Secondly, this is only a short chapter - a little over 1850 words - and I'm so sorry for that. That's because of the reasons above, as well as the fact that it is my 19th birthday tomorrow! :D (my birthday's 15th Feb) I wanted to get this chapter out before my birthday so I'm just making it in time. If it wasn't my birthday tomorrow, I might have added more to the chapter then but I won't have time to write and I just really wanted to get this chapter out. So here it is.

Thirdly, even though it's only a short chapter, it's a very important one. It basically sets out the catalyst for the whole storyline, so yeah. And I'm sorry the scene is split in two, I just felt it was needed and that the different POV's would make it better.

12th October 2013

Quiet laughter could be heard over the sound of the piano playing and the people sat at the tables and bar were all sophisticated, prim businesspeople. The Ridge hotel was a five-star one, a hotel for rich clientele and the perfect place to have a private conversation with nobody paying attention to you.

In the back corner, sat in a booth shrouded in darkness, was Ireland Hawk. Her blonde hair was tied back into a tight ponytail and she wore plain, dull clothes that didn't bring any attention to her. Usually, if she wasn't wearing all black for jobs, she liked to wear vibrant colours and vivid patterns. But they made her stand out and she didn't want that to happen today.

When Xavier Benedict entered the large, open space, Ireland barely even recognised that it was him. The last and only time she had seen him, he'd been beaten bloody and his face swollen, making his true appearance illegible. He was unbeliveably tall, definitely over 6 foot, and he had a slim physique dressed in trendy, designer-looking clothes. The boy had style, she had to give him that. Suprisingly, there was no evidence of his time at her father's- all of his bruises were gone, leaving behind a pale, smooth and handsome face. He lifted a hand to ruffle his hair – dark roots with blonde highlights – as his bright blue eyes scanned the room cautiously. Because of the darkened corner that Ireland was in, he didn't seem to spot her and headed straight to the bar, taking a seat on one of the stools.

Ireland watched as Xavier spoke to the bartender for a moment, before he paid for a drink that he slowly took a small sip of. She waited a minute or two, her mind feeling outwards to make sure there were no other savants there watching them together. When she was satisfied that they were alone, she stood up and walked over to the bar.

As she slid onto the stool to Xav's left, he looked at her and frowned. "I'm not going to bother asking how you got my number," he started the conversation. "I just want to say that I don't want any small talk. Whatever you want from me, just say it straight so I can get out of here."

"Hello to you too," she snarkily responded, raising her eyebrows. "I guess I won't bother asking how you're magically healed then, either. I did my research; I know that your power is healing. I didn't know you could heal yourself too."

"I can't." He didn't elaborate any further. "Look, you made yourself perfectly clear: you want nothing to do with me, even though we're soulfinders. So why would you want to meet up? Makes me think that you need something from me. So whatever it is, spit it out."

"Fine," she snapped. She took a deep breath to compose herself and her anger before she looked him straight in his eyes, surprised at how beautiful they were and how they made her want curl up in a ball and weep from how perfect he was. Ugh, she thought to herself. Just get it over with. "Your healing power. I was wondering if that makes you able to see people's life energies and be able to see if something is wrong with them."

"If I focus, then yeah." His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why are you asking?"

"I think there might be something wrong with me. But I can't know for certain so I need you to use your power to let me know."

Xav couldn't tell if she was being serious or not.

On one hand, it was ridiculous. If she thought there was something wrong with her, why wouldn't she go see a doctor? Somebody professional could tell her the answers just as well as he could. He wouldn't be surprised if she was lying and this was somehow some elaborate trap. God, he was so stupid for agreeing to meet his kidnapper's daughter who was in on the whole thing. Who the hell did that?!

Yet on the other hand, she didn't look like she was joking. Maybe she looked serious all the time, but there was a look in her eyes now that made Xav think that this was a real thing she was worried about. She looked almost... Scared. She hadn't lost her tough look, not at all, but there was an underlying sense of fear and worry that made him feel bad for her. It also made him want to embrace her in a comforting hug which made him want to punch himself in the face for thinking, even just for a split second, that she would allow him to do that.

"And what," he spoke slowly, contemplating the right way to phrase this, "pray tell, do you think is wrong with you?"

"God, I don't know!" She was frustrated and angry. She shook her head. "I don't know. I just... I keep losing time. Like, one minute I'll be talking to my friend and the next thing I know I'm somewhere else entirely. It's like time passes without me, or I keep forgetting things seconds after I've done them. I'm not sure how to explain it. Also, sometimes things will happen and I'll have memories of them, like I can vividly see in my mind me doing that thing, but I don't actually remember doing it. I can't remember the sensations of doing it, or remember what thoughts were going on in my mind at the time. But I know that I did it because the memories are there. Does that make any sense? It's not making any sense, is it? And you're looking at me like you think I'm insane. Great."

Xav didn't know what kind of facial expression he was making but he quickly changed it to a neutral, less-shocked look. "No, no. Of course not," he scratched his forehead, frowning as he gathered his thoughts. "I just- I've never heard anything like that before. Losing time and black outs can be signs for a number of things, physical or mental illnesses. But the memory thing, well I've never heard of that before. Have you told anybody else about this?"

"No," she scoffed at him as if he were an idiot. "Of course not. I don't know anybody that I can fully trust not to hold that against me."

"But you trust me?"

"Not exactly. I just know that you most likely won't tell your family about this because that would mean you'd have to tell them I'm your soulfinder, which I'm pretty sure you don't want to do." She was right, but he didn't point that out. "Plus, I know you'll be able to tell me if I'm just insane or if there's something serious going on. So use your power, tell me what the hell is going on in my mind." She paused for a moment before the look in her eyes changed to a desperate one. "Please."

Knowing that it probably took a lot out of her to use manners and be a normal, polite person – note the sarcasm – Xav nodded his head. "Just give me a moment to focus."

His eyes fluttered shut as he drew the energy of his power from inside him and breathed in deeply, letting it overtake his senses, most importantly: his sight. When he opened his eyes again, Ireland looked completely the same, other than the golden glow around her body. The fact that her aura was gold was a sign that she was in good health and no physical ailments were sticking out to him. However when he delved into the energy of her mind, it was a whole different story.

He told Ireland what he saw. "I can't completely figure out what's wrong with your mind, but there's definitely something. It's a good colour and it feels strong, but if I push past that strength I can feel something else. It's dark, it feels... Foreboding, dangerous. It's energy is unlike to yours, as if it isn't even a part of you at all. You're right; there's something wrong. But I don't know what it is."

He switched his power off, the glow and energy disappearing from sight, and saw Ireland gulp. She looked so young at that moment, innocent and unlike the heartless killer he had met just two days beforehand. As if she sensed that he'd seen her looking comparatively weak, she looked away from him and stared ahead, at the glasses of expensive wine displayed behind the bar.

She was silent for at least a minute, and Xav left her to it, figuring that she was probably just lost in her own thoughts and panicked about what she'd just learnt about her own mind.

Xav himself was panicked over it. There was something really off with her mind and he hated that he couldn't tell what it was. He couldn't even put into words just how dark and disturbing it felt. Whatever was in Ireland's mind honestly terrified him. He felt like if he'd kept looking at it for a moment longer, he may just have gone truly insane. If that's how he felt about the whole thing, he dreaded to know what Ireland was feeling over it.

When she finally looked back at him, she was again the same girl he'd met two days ago. The innocence was lost from her eyes and expression, and she was back to being a tough, intimidating girl with a heartless look in her eyes. He didn't understand how she had transformed so quickly.

"I'd say thank you but I really don't think you deserve a thanks," she bitterly said. "You didn't help me at all, just told me something I could kind of already feel myself. I'm leaving now." She jumped down off the stool and turned to walk away, but Xav grabbed her arm to stop her. "What?" she snapped, spinning back around to face him.

"Well it's just..." He sighed. "I want to help you. I don't like you, but I want to help. It's literally in my genes to help people. Why don't you stay for a bit longer? We can try and figure out what it is, I can try and fix it."

"I don't want to be fixed!" She raised her voice and pulled her arm from his grip. "God, Xav. Just leave me alone."

"You're the one that asked me to meet you!"

"And that was a mistake," her voice was flat. "It won't happen again."

She stormed off and left the room, leaving Xav bewildered and absolutely unable to figure out how the hell that just ended on such a bad note and why on Earth it had seemed as if she'd suddenly switched personalities. He almost jumped when he suddenly heard the bartender's voice from beside him. "I will never understand girls. And that one, your girl, she sure has some mood issues."

"She sure as hell does," Xav was quick to agree. "I have no fucking idea what just happened."

Author's note: Hope you enjoyed reading. Please leave reviews, maybe even let me know what you think is going on with Ireland? I doubt anyone will guess exactly what I have in mind, but I think some might come close. I'd love to know what you all think I have planned! :) x