Autor's note: I think this chapter is a bit shorter than the others. I'm not completely happy with it, Let me know what you think. Thanks!

Cake and Memories

Lihn woke up. Something wasn't right. She looked around her room. It wasn't the dirty cluttered room at Kong, she used a trick she'd learned from a wizard ages ago, it was a dimensional thing that allowed her to access a house she owned in a different space and time. It was handy for times like this, but of course, if anyone popped in to check on her, it would be hard to explain how a five by ten room had turned into a spacious master suite with a large four post bed, a mirrored ceiling, a walk in closet you could park cars in, and a huge window overlooking a private beach of orange sand, waves the wrong shade of green, and a dark sky with stars the size of golf balls.

There it was again, that feeling of unease that had wakened her. There was a strange tug in the pit of her stomach and she felt the need to get up, to go make sure everything was all right.

Lihn slipped out of bed and pulled on a yellow silken robe. It had been a gift from someone important, but she couldn't remember exactly who anymore. This thought flitted through her mind as she crossed the large room to the door. It seemed as though the door should open onto empty space outside the house, but when she pulled it, there was the hallway in Kong Studios, the right hand leading to the lobby, the left, toward the kitchen and Noodle's room. It was to the from the later that she heard the shout. "Noodle?" she hurried down the hall but paused at the door. Hesitantly she knocked. "Russel?"

Lihn turned the knob and opened the door enough to look in, "No, It's me, are you all right?" It was a descent sized room, it definitely belonged to a child, there were toys and games strewn about the room. Lihn could see the outline of the paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling. The light from the hall fell on a guitar leaning against the end of the bed and Noodle's face glaring at her. Lihn was shocked at the ferocity of the glare, "I can get Russel for you." she said turning to leave.

"Wait!" Lihn turned to find the glare replaced by confusion and unease. "Come in, please." Noodle leaned over and turned on a small lamp. A puppy lying on the end of the bed looked up sleepily, glanced at Lihn without interest and lay his head back down. Lihn shut the door behind her and made her way across the room to sit on the bed beside Noodle.

"Are you all right?" Lihn asked cautiously. The preteen girl seemed ready to either fight or flee at any moment.

"I believe so." she said staring at her hands in her lap. Lihn waited for her to continue. When, after several seconds she didn't, Lihn asked, "Are you sure?" but at the same time, Noodle blurted out, "I know who you are!"

"What?" Lihn tried to keep the shock off of her face but wasn't sure she succeeded.

"Or rather, who you are not." Noodle looked Lihn in the face, her eyes full of accusation.

Lihn had her facial features under control now, "What do you mean?" she attempted to sound nonchalant.

Noodle slipped her hand under her pillow and took out the pictures Lihn had given her earlier that evening. She looked through them slowly, "I don't know how you did this, but you are NOT my mother's sister. In fact, you are not my aunt at all." she tossed the pictures aside with disgust.

Lihn's heart was pounding in her chest. In … well she wasn't sure how old she was anymore, but In all of those years, no one had figured her out this quickly. She kept her face and voice neutral, raising an eyebrow as she asked, "What makes you say that?"

"I remember." she looked away, seeming embarrassed, "well, sort of. They are dreams," she looked back in Lihn's face, "But they are more then that." she insisted, "They are memories." Her small hands clenched in fists.

"And, I am in these dreams?" Lihn asked incredulously. Her heart began to calm down. She hadn't been found out, the girl was having strange dreams. No doubt a by-product of living in such a strange place.

"Not dreams!" she said vehemently. "Memories! And yes you are in them." A look of confusion and apprehension crossed her face, "And you are someone to be feared." she almost whispered. Lihn's spine iced over at the truth in those words. "NO!" her eyes searched Noodle's face intently, "I got them all. I can't have missed one." she struggled to keep her breathing under control, no she was being ridiculous. She shook the unwanted thoughts from her head. "What is the matter?" Noodle asked breathlessly, leaning away from Lihn.

The woman forced herself to smile and reached out to brush the girl's cheek. "You had a nightmare. That is all. Relax, try to get some sleep." she stood to leave the room.

"No." Noodle said, "It was not a nightmare."

Lihn studied the girls face a moment, then whispered, "Do you want me to leave?"

Noodle stared at her, the inner struggle evident in her eyes. "No. whether you are here to harm me or not, you are the only link I have to my past." she leaned her head to one side, her expression making her seem older, "We will keep up the charade for my brother's sake. But I WILL figure you out, Miss Lihn. Have no doubt."

Lihn stared at the girl curiously for a few more seconds then left the room shaking her head. She closed the door behind her and leaned against it. "I should've known, you look just alike!" she heard 2-D's voice in her head. No, that was impossible. "It's just a stereotype. They think all Japanese people look alike." Still, that was too close for she should just phase out. The novelty of hanging out with musicians was quickly losing it's appeal.

She had pretty much made up her mind and was heading toward her room when Russel came through the doors at the opposite end of the hallway. He paused when he saw her, seemed to be having some inner struggle but then continued on toward her, a ghost of a grin on his face. "Everythin' o.k.?" he asked as he drew closer.

"Yes," she lied, "Noodle just had a night mare." his eyes tore away from Lihn's chest and went immediately to Noodle's door filled with concern. "She's fine now!" Lihn said hurriedly, not wanting him to investigate. Inconspicuously, she loosened her robe, allowing the neck line to reveal more, hoping to distract him. "Why are you up? Are YOU all right?" she asked bringing his attention back to her.

He seemed to behaving trouble making his mouth work, "I, uh, -ahem, I was heading to the kitchen." he rubbed a hand on the back of his neck, "You know, fer a snack." Lihn grinned at his awkwardness, "You wouldn't want to join me, would you?" And suddenly, the appeal was back. She would figure out that whole Noodle situation later. "Hai. I mean, Yes, that would be nice." She smiled at him and turned toward the kitchen.

Lihn sat at the table while Russel busied himself with plates, flatware and glasses. He seemed to be having a muttered conversation with himself but she couldn't make out what he was saying. He turned to the table with a couple glasses of milk and two enormous slices of chocolate cake with white icing, one of Lihn's favorites from this dimension, and sat in the chair next to her. Lihn took a small bite of the cake and Russel cleared his throat, "So. Is your room o.k.? I could help you clear it out or whateva." he took a large bite trying to cover his nervousness.

"It is fine, thank you." she grinned knowingly to herself, of course, it was more than fine!

He nodded still chewing. When he swallowed he wiped his mouth before asking, "So you'll be joining us in L.A., right?"

"Oh, yes. Mr. Niccals has graciously given me permission to accompany you, as long as I 'pay my own way' as they say" she giggled girlishly.

"Yeah, that sounds like Muds." Russel grinned. "I'm surprised he didn't charge you extra for his company." he laughed.

"Shh, don't give him any ideas!" Lihn laughed back.

Russel gave his attention back to the cake for a moment before saying, "I wasn't really looking forward to this trip, but maybe it won't be so bad after all." he grinned at her.

Lihn had the decency to blush as she answered, "Perhaps not." They ate in silence for a few minutes, Lihn stealing glances at Russel from the corner of her eye. She was utterly fascinated by him. His eyes were amazing. She noticed again how they seemed to glow from within. And the fact that she had seen someone else in his head made him even more interesting. Did Russel know he was there? How did he get there? Who was he? And how could she find out?

Russel cleared his throat, tearing her from her thoughts. She hadn't realized that she'd been leaning closer to him, unconsciously trying to get a better look at him. He was looking into her eyes, a trickle of sweat ran down the side of his face and she realized that by the way she was leaning and looking up at him with a small smile on her lips, it must seem as if she were trying to seduce him.

She dropped her fork with a loud clatter, causing them both to jump. "Oh! Excuse me." She said.

"No, let me." they leaned down at the same time to grab the fork and smacked heads. They both jerked back upright, softly cursing in two languages.

"Sorry." They said at the some time, making them both grin. "I'll just get you another" Russel said starting to get up.

"No, that is all right." Lihn replied running a finger through the icing and sucking it off, inwardly delighted by the way Russel watched her. "I think perhaps, I should go back to bed."

"Oh, O.k." he said as he watched her drain her milk, disappointment dripping from his voice.

Lihn stood and touched his shoulder gently, "Thank you." she briefly considered kissing his cheek, but quickly turned and left the room. The last decades of her life were spent in such seriousness, it was fun to have the chance to be flirtatious. But she had to watch herself, being flirtatious was one thing but throwing herself at someone was quite another. Lihn climbed into bed and fell asleep quickly, the 'Noodle situation' almost completely forgotten.

Almost.

Lihn saw herself back in Japan, in an unfamiliar apartment. The furniture was thrown about the room, some of it burned and broken. There were scorch marks on the walls and in some places they were beginning to burn too. A thin fog of smoke was beginning to cloud her vision.

There! A whimper from behind the paper partition. Her hand tingled from the fire that she built up, ready to hurl at her target. Slowly, quietly, she approached the partition and slid it open with her free hand. It was a bedroom, definitely for a little girl. Frilly pink curtains hid the small window. A matching bedspread covered the bed. The walls had 'Hello Kitty' painted on them.

Lihn's eyes scanned the dim room, her ears strained to hear any small sound. Under the bed. She crept forward until she could reach the end of it. With a move so fast it was barley seen, she grabbed the corner of the bed and flipped it, sending it crashing into the wall. The small figure curled against itself and screamed. Lihn raised her flaming hand to strike and the little girl looked up into her eyes, it's face a mask of fear and betrayal.

Lihn sat straight up in her bed, clinging to the blankets, sweat coated her body and her heart threatened to burst through her chest. She slid out of the bed and crossed to large window, laying her head on the cool glass. She stared out at the deep green waves and watched the lime colored foam smash onto the sand. She stood there until the sky turned a light purple with the morning sun, trying to erase Noodle's agonized face from her memory.