PART 2:

After making a short run over to many of the Court security buildings, I spoke with a few more Guardians to get the information I needed to keep my Moroi and his family safe, even at Court. We'd had problems here before, and I was not taking any chances. I then had a few minutes to spend with my husband, getting his opinion on all that was happening. Next on his mind, was Christian.

"Bells, doesn't your idea further complicate the situation?" Yuri asked me.

"I don't think it does. I think it is one of the very few things that may push this Strigoi to face me."

"You aren't thinking clearly because it's…" I could tell by his behavior and the sound of his voice, what Yuri's real problem with this was. The problem wasn't a Strigoi. It was Mason. After we'd discovered tha this ex Katya Gorchakova had survived, and after she managed to torture me with Illya, Yuri's brother, he was justifiably concerned.

"Yuri, if I asked you to stay here at Court with Sophie and Jess, would you?"

His arms pulled me into him, as close as he could. "I would, but first I would ask why you would keep me from going. Is it because of Mason or Christian?"

"Neither. It's because of Jesse. But also a little because of Mason." I honestly told him. "If he is going to believe anything I say, he cannot know about you yet."

"You are playing a game of deception with Strigoi." Yuri pointed out what he saw as a flaw. "That is dangerous."

"Every bit of this situation is dangerous. Strigoi feed on deception, and whether he is Dhampir or Strigoi, Mason Ashford isn't going to just come when called. He will need motivation. I cannot use most emotion in this case. Strigoi only know anger, hatred, jealousy, and in some cases greed. I need you to be here with Jesse and Soph also because you know Jesse is going to go bat crap crazy when I tell him that I'm leaving."

"Are you going to tell him why you are leaving?" Yuri and I both considered the repercussions of a decision like that.

"No. I don't think he would take it well. I'll only tell him as much as is necessary."

As night fell, and evening faded to the background, I was surprisingly early for my previously unplanned meeting with Vasilisa Dragomir. I made it to the royal receiving rooms where the current Queen held many of her meetings in more comfort, rather than the stuffy ornate rooms Tatiana used during her reign, made to intimidate others. I was met at the door by Rose, who still looked uncertain and in shock, but as I peeked inside of the room, I saw Lissa staring at a computer screen, her hands over her mouth in sheer panic, and the same tears in her eyes. After hearing what Rose had to say, the Queen postponed two diplomatic phone calls with royal families, in order to speak with me.

"How are you doing?" I asked Rose, waiting for Lissa to finish.

"I don't know." She shook her head, trying to make sense of what she had been through in Seattle, and what she had seen then versus what she was being told now. "I really don't know how to react after seeing something so…"

"Impossible?"

Rose gave a single nod.

"Guardian Pearce?" Lissa turned in her chair, spotting me and Rose at the door. "Bellamy, is this real?" I could hear the edge of hope ringing out as she spoke. "Is it true?"

I wish she had not sounded so hopeful. I wish she hadn't sounded as though this were at all easy. It wasn't, and I could not feel what she was feeling. I still couldn't feel much of anything. I had cried when Mason died, I cried when I realized that I had let him go and moved on, but I could not find it in myself to cry over this. I was done crying.

"It's true. It's all true, very real, and it will not be an easy road from here forward." I made this as clear as I could.

"Does the Guardian Council have a plan? What can the Moroi Council do to help? What can I do?" She asked in seriousness, with that tone of authority she did not often use with me.

"Guardian Reznik has asked me to devise a secure plan of attack, and that is what I am doing. It is also one of the reasons that I asked for this meeting. I have a request that I need to make of you, as both Queen and as a friend."

"What is your request?"

"This request I'm about to make is going to ruffle feathers at both Courts if it gets out. It must be kept confidential."

She looked back at me, intrigued by what I might ask. "I trust you, Bellamy. This Court trusts you. Whatever you might ask-"

"And if I asked for your permission to borrow Christian as part of this mission, and as part of my plan?"

"I'm afraid I don't understand." Lissa spoke. "Christian is part of your plan?"

"Bellamy," Rose started, "the laws about Moroi…"

"The laws about Moroi fighting in the field are very clear. I wholeheartedly agree with those laws, and I do not plan on breaking any of those laws."

"Just bending them?"

"More like using fine print to bypass them." I said, and Rose looked fascinated.

"One of these days you'll have to show me how you get around the Guardian laws, and how you know them all so well."

I took in another deep breath, returning to Lissa. "I don't know what all Christian has told you, but when I attended St. Vladimir's as a novice, I was in love with Mason. I was also in love with Christian. They were both in love with me too."

"Christian has told me much more about your friendship and your relationship over time, and it's helped me understand why you two are so close. But I don't see what one has to do with the other."

"What Chris didn't tell you, because he didn't know the extent of it, is that Mason and I fought a lot throughout our relationship too. We mostly fought over my friendship with Christian, my refusal to stay away from Christian, and we fought over what Mason saw as flirting between me and Christian. He hated the way that Chris would look at me, the way I would touch his arms, hold his hand, or protect him."

"So, it wasn't just about Christian's parents and the mainstream dislike for all things Ozera." Rose caught on.

"Nope. Mason disliked Christian because Christian had a part of me that wasn't understood by Mason or anyone else."

"So, their rivalry put you in the middle." Lissa was caught up, and catching on to my plan.

"I have not come to this request or plan easily. I will always say that Moroi do not belong anywhere near the field, no excuses. But, Christian is the only person who can help me provoke Mason enough into making any sort of appearance. Chris and I can tap into the anger and jealousy he felt."

"And you're sure that Christian can provoke Mason enough to…"

"Chris is one of the best I know at antagonizing people. " I joked, gaining laughs from both Rose and Lissa. "I'm ninety-percent sure that Christian's presence will be enough to help."

"And the other ten percent?"

"The other ten percent is up to me. For better or worse, Mason and I have a complicated history. "

Lissa questioned me for the better part of an hour, and unfortunately there were still answers I did not have-one in particular, but once our meeting finished, I had one more argument I would have to face sooner rather than later. I could not avoid contacting the Guardian Council any longer after talking to both Dimitri and Lissa. I needed the Council's permission most of all in order to move forward. If I made the decision to utilize Christian in the field without getting approval from the Council, it wouldn't matter if Lissa and Dimitri were in agreement. My Guardian title, duties, and even my decision making would all be called into question.

As expected, they were not receptive to this idea either. At first.

"Guardian Pearce," I heard the sharp tone of voice that came with a refusal or a reprimand, "this is a highly unorthodox appeal." It was Rhiannon Morgan. "And, it is surprising that such a request is coming from you, considering your own stringent beliefs against Moroi being allowed to fight in the field."

"Please Guardian Morgan, I would not make a request this extreme if I did not believe it to be the most advantageous choice, and if I did not think that it would be successful without loss of life. My beliefs about Moroi fighting have not changed; magic or no magic. It is not my plan to allow Christian Ozera to fight. I would never place him in danger. I would never risk his life." I had to make my case very carefully with this Council.

"But you are asking us to allow you to bring this specific Moroi into a potentially dangerous battle with you?" Guardian Reznik added to the outrageousness of my idea. "Your request is asking us to approve a mission that brings the Moroi lord with you, to locate this Strigoi."

"Yes."

"How does that prevent putting a Moroi life at risk? How would you keep lord Ozera from…"

"I do not want Christian anywhere near a fight, if it comes to that. If it should come to a fight, I will already have multiple safety procedures in place to ensure Christian's safety. Really, I only need him as…"

"Bait." Alicia Jordan finished, and although I did not want to use that term for Christian, I agreed.

"Essentially."

I'd never spent so much time pleading a case or making a request of the Guardian Council. Normally, Guardians made a request, the Council would deliberate and make a decision. They had a long list of questions for me this time, and I was not prepared yet for them all.

"I cannot lure this Strigoi out of his hiding place without Christian Ozera."

"Why Lord Ozera?" Rhys questioned me.

And this was the easiest answer. "Because of the challenging history between Christian and Mason, with me stuck in the middle. Not to mention that Christian Ozera is not just any royal Moroi. He and the Dragomir Queen are the two royals that rank highest on Strigoi kill lists." Was this helping or hurting my case? I wasn't so sure. "Mason Ashford does not like Chris. If Christian and I are seen together, Mason will make his presence known."

There was a long drawn-out silence from the other end of the phone as members of the Council quietly deliberated.

"Guardian Pearce, "I finally heard Katja say, "we would like a fullcomprehensive plan in writing, detailing all of the questions we have posed, as well as any plans you make."

"Of course, Guardian Reznik." I agreed.

"And," This was not the end of their restrictions and demands, "it will be your responsibility to clear this with Guardian Belikov. You then will be solely responsible for the royal. His life is in your hands throughout the whole of this mission. You will take accountability for any and all unforeseen problems, injury, or death that may occur."

Stepping back out of the receiving room, I spotted my big brother, arms crossed, back leaning against the trunk of a tree, clearly waiting on my exit.

"What is the verdict from the Queen?" He moved straight to the point.

I shrugged. "She had some questions and more than a few reservations, but I spent the last hour talking to her, and answering questions about the complicated history between me, Mason, and Christian. She understands why it has to be him. It has to be Christian."

"Does it?" Dimitri wondered out loud. "Does it have to be Christian?"

"Yes." I was fighting for this one. "Yes, it has to be Chris." I understood Dimitri's reluctance to let Christian tag along as part of this mission. He had already lost one Moroi to Strigoi, and blamed himself. Now, I expected him to let me use Christian to provoke another Strigoi? I was putting Christian's life in direct danger, for what purpose? My own plan? A plan that might or might not work?

"Bellamy," Dimitri was giving me the strangest look, "there is something you need to know before you decide to bring Christian into this." He spoke with that scary warning tone. "Come with me."

Dimitri took hold of my hand, driving us all the way to the opposite end of Court, to one of the many Hall of Records. As a Guardian working and residing within the royal Court, Dimitri had access to the building. And apparently as a Head royal Guardian to a high ranking royal, so did I. The cavernous building was as decorated and opulent as any of the other royal buildings Tatiana had designed. And from floor to ceiling, the entire building was filled with, what else? Records. Files on both Moroi and Guardians, and their conduct, depending on the infraction or on the special occurrence were all filed in a special sort of crazy order. Dimitri sat me down at a table with a small simple reading lamp. I watched him as he moved through the room, down aisles and through numbers and names. He had a purpose, even if I did not know what it was yet. The records, like all of those at the Guardian Court, were pretty extensive, but they were not as organized as Guardian Court records. Dimitri seemed to know its system well. His expression was rapt, totally focused on his task, but his eyes were different, catching my attention. I'd only seen this look in his eyes one other time. I watched him with just as much purpose.

"Dimitri," I made him stop and turn, "you are starting to frighten me. You need to tell me what is going on."

Finally, he found the file he was searching for, placing it down onto the table in front of me. "You should read this."

I slid the file back at him. "I don't want to read a damn file. I want you to talk to me. I want you to tell me why we are here."

"Bellamy, please. I would not do this if it weren't necessary."

"Dimitri Belikov." I used his name in a way that shut him down. He sat. "I do not have the patience or the strength to play this game. We have enough to deal with."

"Okay." He relented, causing a chill to run the length of my spine as he said the word.

"The only other time I have seen that look in your eyes, was when Jesse and I returned to Court, the first time you and I saw each other after you were turned Dhampir again. That look in your eyes is genuine fear. You were afraid of my reaction back then, and you are afraid now."

"You and Christian have been in a similar situation before this." He told me.

"With Mason? I admit they had their problems, but never…"

"With Queen Tatiana." Dimitri said. "I should not be saying any of this. These files will tell you everything." He pushed the thick folder back to me. "If you insist on bringing Christian on this mission, I will not try to stop you."

"Glad to hear it."

"On one condition."

There is always a condition. "And the proviso of your choosing is?"

His hand moved to the folder again. "Read. You need to know all of the facts first."

This time I relented, opening the file folder, full of pages. Apparently, Dimitri was telling me the truth. Christian and I had been in a similar fire fight, metaphorically speaking, with the former Queen and her guards. We ran from St. Vladimir's, we were kept hidden, but still we were found. I read on further, reading about what the Queen had done, toying with the compounds of my blood even more.

"I don't remember any of this." I said to Dimitri.

"You wouldn't." He replied. "After everything was said and done, you made the decision to have yours and Christian's memories wiped of all of this."

"No." I still refused to believe what I saw. "No way. I wouldn't do that. I would not ask Christian to do that either."

"You did."

"Why?" The only thing I could think was: Records don't lie. Not the records in this hall anyway.

Dimitri then put his hand on mine. I fought the urge to pull back.

"I cannot answer that for sure. All I can say is that what you and Christian endured together, was traumatic for both of you. You fought so hard for each other. You were separated and both injured greatly. I think by being compelled, you were protecting yourself and Christian too. You were both having nightmares. It was…it was bad Bellamy."

"Then answer this." I made my demand. "How does any of this work to help the situation now, if I can't remember. It was compelled from me. Why are you telling me any of this? Are you trying to change my mind about Christian?"

"I do not want to see you go down the same road."

"What road? I don't remember what happened, Dimitri." I was getting more upset. I should not have been so worked up, but at least I was finally expressing more emotion. "Aren't you breaking the rules by revealing all of this?

"Probably." He smiled slowly.

"This is all quite enlightening." I calmed down, feeling Jesse at work to quell the inner discord I felt. "But, I still don't see how it does much now."

"I just needed you to know."

"And now I do."

He and I sat at the table, silent, studying each other until deciding we'd had enough.

"Come on." I insisted, standing, taking his hand this time. "I would like to pay a visit to Sonya."

Dimitri pulled back a little. "Sonya? For what purpose?"

"I'm multitasking." I cryptically said. "I have a theory I've been trying to work out for months, and I would like to discuss it with her." I kept walking as we talked. "After I had that very weird yet extremely perceptive conversation with your grandmother in Baia, I started thinking."

"Bells, I've already told you, you cannot take everything she says so seriously."

"I just want to answer the questions I have, seeing as she wouldn't give any."

A few months back, Yuri and I had travelled with Dimitri and Rose, to meet Dimitri's mother, his sisters (also my half-sisters), and his grandmother. It was an illuminating visit. Rose had forewarned me about Yeva Belikova, but the older woman seemed harmless from a distance. I quickly learned that I should've listened to Rose.

"'From the ashes of fire comes new life.' That was what your grandmother Yeva said. "'You are given the gift and the curse of rebirth each day'. There is something more to that."

"Bellamy." Dimitri still complained, but we were already pulling up to the Science, Research, Design, and Development building where Sonya Karp-Tanner spent much of her time. "Bellamy, is this really a priority right now?"

"Yes." I said firmly, softening my demeanor. "You don't have to come with me. You can…"

Dimitri amiably smiled, opening the door for me, entering and following in after me.

"Did Dimitri's grandmother say anything more?" Sonya asked, sitting in her chair, studying me the way she often did when I sat to talk with her, while she studied me and my blood. Sonya had a calming presence despite her strange disposition, so I was happy to be around her right now. I needed a little calm in my life currently.

"Nothing worth mentioning." Dimitri stood next to me, answering before I could after I told Sonya much of what the older woman had to say to me.

"I was hoping that since you have been examining my blood for different or unlikely components, maybe we could try a short dive into a few new theories."

"What sort of theories were you thinking?" I did enjoy Sonya's interest in almost everything around her.

"You are going to think I'm crazy."

"Try me."

"Well, having Strigoi blood mixed into my system suggests there is more to me than others, so I want to start with a strange and improbable theory. Immortality."

Dimitri made a choking sound, but Sonya looked committed and intrigued by the half theory I was running on.

"I don't necessarily mean that I could be immortal."

"To be immortal, you'd have to be Strigoi." Dimitri argued the opposing side.

"I am part Strigoi. We have already established that."

"Strigoi don't have use of their magic." He continued.

"Dhampir aren't supposed to have magic either, but I do. And when we were in Baia with everyone, I admit I did not take any seriousness to what Yeva said, but it has been weighing on my mind Dimitri. There is more to what was said. That crap your grandmother said about rebirth is relative to…"

"Bellamy, it's ridiculous." He interrupted. "It's a half concocted theory that has no real foundation or path to research."

"Maybe, maybe not." Sonya countered Dimitri's argument, but Dimitri was not up for debating this.

"Sonya, please do not encourage her."

While Sonya sat, taking more blood from my arm, and testing it against any and all of our theories again, I was busy noticing Dimitri's sullen mood, and the grimace on his face.

"I didn't mean to upset you over this. I know it is far-fetched. I know it is an improbable theory."

"It's not that, Bells."

"Then what seems to be bothering you? Is it the Christian subject?"

His eyes tilted up to me again. "I wish that you could remember what I do. I wish you could truly understand why I am so worried about this decision of yours. It is not just about Christian. It's about you too."

At least I finally had him talking. "I wish I could remember taking on Tatiana too, but it doesn't work like that."

Did it? Compulsion was part of the Moroi magic, my brain silently hypothesized. Plenty of Moroi could use compulsion at varying levels, on unsuspecting Dhampir and humans. Those who were best at it though, were Moroi with spirit magic, like Adrian, Lissa, or even Sonya. My thoughts ran wild again, and my eyes widened as I considered a deeper question.

"Sonya, you're a spirit user." I pointed out the obvious, but she nodded politely anyway. "What are the laws pertaining to compulsion, or in your case super-compulsion?"

"That depends on what are you asking?" Sonya looked up from the work she concentrated on.

"I'm not entirely sure." I did what I could to properly phrase my next inquiry. "I guess what I am asking, is if compulsion can work in both directions. Can someone be un-compelled to recall specific events?"

Again, I had her full attention. "I am not sure I've ever heard of such a thing."

"Do you think it might be possible?"

"Bellamy, no." Dimitri did not want me questioning or attempting to walk down this road either.

"That is an intriguing question, and an even more intriguing idea. Scientifically," Sonya reflected out loud, "I do not see that it is possible."

Dimitri looked relieved, but I was not giving up.

"And magically?" I asked. "I know that Science and Magic are in many ways intertwined, but spirit magic seems different. Spirit users are always more powerful, and you can do things that other Moroi only dream about. Everything you can do contradicts space, time, life, death, and truth."

"We are still learning more and more about spirit and its different gifts and uses every day. There may be a user out there somewhere that can do what you are asking."

"So we would have to search for that one in a billion Moroi who could potentially do that?" Dimitri sounded purposely smug. I didn't like it.

"Perhaps not." Sonya lifted my hopes again. "If there is a spirit user who can do what you are asking, then maybe other spirit users can learn the technique too. Adrian Ivashkov and Queen Vasilisa have been practicing to learn each other's abilities. But as I understand it, neither is as strong in their learned talents."

"Adrian did heal and bring Jillian back to life when she was attacked those years ago." I recalled Eddie telling me the entire story when we were able to really sit and catch up. "He had to learn how to do that."

"Bringing people back to life has it consequences." Dimitri also reminded me that Adrian and Jill were now shadow-kissed, as Lissa and Rose once were. Rose had to die again in order to sever that consuming tether.

"All action has its consequence, Dimitri." I returned to him. "There is no getting around choices and repercussions. Basic Philosophy. It also does not guarantee that the outcome will be bad."

Without warning, I felt weightless, my thoughts going fuzzy. A sharp piercing coursed through me, causing such a strange sensation. I was feeling lightheaded only as Sonya's hand touched to my shoulder. I turned and saw her hypnotic gaze luring me down further into a chasm of dream and memory. But, as quickly as it all hit me, it disappeared.

"What was that?"

"I'm sorry, Bellamy. I'm just not strong enough on my own."

"Wait, it…you were trying to reverse the compulsion? I think it was working. I could feel something strange occurring."

"But, I cannot hold on for long."

Sonya returned to her study of me and my bloodwork, while Dimitri now seemed more interested in this wild idea of compulsion reversal.

"You could feel it working?" He kept his voice relatively lower. "How did it feel? Do you remember anything yet?" He had more questioned than I did.

My head shook. "I don't know how to explain it. It was as though memories were swarming around me into a giant funnel. I couldn't see them or remember anything. But, I am thinking about what Sonya said about Lissa and Adrian not being as strong in their learned abilities, compared to their dominant magical talents."

"And?"

"And, I am wondering if we could vary our tactics in this case. Maneuvering with an army is more advantageous and more likely to work."

"Strength in numbers."

"Exactly." I said.

Dimitri was more on board now. I wasn't going to argue with his change of heart, but if he wanted to help, I had a job for him. While he disappeared to help gather the people I wanted, and any other materials necessary, I was pulling out my cell phone and stepping to the side of the room. This call was unexpected, but I was happy to hear that through the shock of me calling, he was thrilled to hear from me.

"It's true." I listened to Adrian Ivashkov say. "Our ability to compel others is stronger. Lissa can compel entire rooms on her own, and Sonya… "

"That's good to hear, because I am going to need you here, to use your magnificent compulsion in reverse." I told him, hearing silence on the other end of my phone.

"I am not sure I understand. Use compulsion in reverse? Reverse a compulsion?"

Deep breathing, Bellamy. "I need you, Lissa, and Sonya to try to reverse a compulsion that was done on me and Christian back at St. Vladimir's. I need to remember certain moments about an event."

"Is that possible?" What you're asking, I've never heard of anything like this."

I told Adrian about Sonya's first attempt, silencing him again. "If bringing Strigoi back to life is possible, why not this? I think it can potentially be learned, and at the very least, tried."

"It sounds dangerous." Adrian sounded like Dimitri had at first.

"I do not doubt that there may be risks involved," I agreed, "but there is a tenuous situation that I must take care of, and it has come to my attention that there are parts of my past and Christian's that others would like me to recall if possible."

"When do you need me, Guardian goddess?" He still used the nickname he'd given me the first time we met.

"As soon as I have you convinced." I said. "The sooner the better."

"Me, Syd, and Dec are on our way." Adrian was gracious enough to make a trip back to the Moroi Court with his family.

I hung up my phone, looking over to see Sonya smiling as if she held some secret about me. Maybe she did know things about me that even I was not aware of. A few short hours later, Adrian had arrived, and somehow, Dimitri had managed to convince Lissa that this would be a good idea. She still didn't look too sure, but she was willing to try.

"You had me compelled?!" Christian was not exactly shouting when he entered my apartment, but he was louder than normal. "Why?" He moved swiftly to my side of the room. "Why would you do something like that, Bells?"

Out of defense, I placed my palms between me and Chris, keeping him at arm's length temporarily.

"First of all Christian, I had both of us compelled. Second, I don't remember why. I can't remember either. But, if you are willing to attempt an experiment, we can find out together."

"I'm willing." Christian agreed. "Let's go."

"I explained to him the conversation I'd had with Sonya and Dimitri earlier, and he did not look nervous, but he sounded it.

"How does this work?" His eyes were on the three spirit users talking in the corner.

"We don't know." Lissa said to him. "It's a guess. It might not work. We might not be strong enough."

"Sonya tried the experiment on me once already," I tried to silence his frustration and fears, "but she was not strong enough on her own."

"Will it hurt?"

I took his hand with mine.

Lissa moved to Christian as Yuri too was at my side. I had made certain that he made sure Jesse and Sophia were kept busy for the next few hours, or however long this took. I hoped that none of this would be felt by Jesse. He had not mentioned anything from when Sonya made her attempt, so I figured I was good.

"Is remembering your quarrel with Tatiana really this important Bellamy?" Yuri whispered softly, my face buried in him as he spoke.

"Dimitri is worried I'm repeating some destructive path with Christian. I am making this choice Yuri. I do need to do this. If there is something I need to avoid, I need to know. "I pulled back looking back into his always wonderful eyes. "If it gets to be too much, I'll stop."

Yuri leaned down and kissed me less passionately as we did when in front of others. "I love you, Bells." He told me.

"I love you too." We let go of each other, and Christian and I sat back down in two chairs, at the center of the room.

"We will work separately, one on one, in order to put you back into your memories from St. Vladimir's." Adrian explained. "Then we will all three work together to strengthen the reversal. I will work first with Bellamy, and Sonya will work with Christian. Lissa will help once you are deep enough in."

Christian and I agreed, preparing ourselves for the unknown in every way possible.

Adrian took my hands with his, looking directly at me, compelling me into the memories I already had. "I need you to fall. Fall back to your time at St. Vladimir's as novice. Remember Dimitri training you, remember Bridgette," my heart and mind cried remembering Bridgette alive and happy with Dimitri. "Remember the good, the bad, the successes and failures, the joy and the pain, the fear, and all of your fearlessness. " Adrian had regressed me back far enough to that time, and in the distance, through the many things I could recall, I felt more hands on me. Adrian's still held my hands, but now there were more on my arms.

The three Moroi spirit users worked for the next hour, pushing the limits of their power, their powers waning every so often, and returning after they stepped away and took a breath. And then suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, I could see the swarm of memories returning, and I could see the flashes of pictures, strange pictures of memories that I neither remembered nor forgot. I could feel these foreign memories returning, and I could feel every emotion that had been lost with them. I remembered the helplessness, I remembered the protectiveness, I remembered missing Mason. I had a sudden flash then of Queen Tatiana appearing at the Zeklos estate where Bridgette and Dimitri had hidden me and Christian. I saw me and Christian being held captive in cells, deep in a bunker located secretly at St. Vladimir's. I recalled every detail of how Tatiana looked at me, yelling at me to attack Christian, to use my own magic against him. Christian and I were separated when we refused. We fought, we shouted, but I was forced to the cold sterile table, wires and needles stuck into me as I struggled to escape and help Christian.

Out of nowhere, pain rippled through me over and over again as it all flooded back. I felt as though I were being ripped in two. I reached over with my hand, finding Christian, his hand gripping mine tighter, the pain coursing through him as well.

"Chris." I was barely able to get his name out through my gritted teeth, but I could feel him with me, I could hear his response.

"I'm fine." He lied. "I can remember everything. Keep going." He insisted as the three still held their hands to us, helping us to remember everything to the end.

The pain did not fully subside when Lissa, Adrian, and Sonya removed their hands, but lessened slowly as my eyes refocused out of the compulsion. I could see figures around me, but my vision was still blurry.

"Stand back!" I heard Dimitri yell to everyone still in the room with us.

The others sounded as though they were in awe.

"What is happening?" Christian asked. I assumed his vision was blurry too.

"It's beautiful." Sonya spoke. "Look at the way their aura shines as one together."

There was light surrounding me, the color of a sunrise, just before dawn. Reds, oranges, golds, and blues all blended in harmony around me. I laughed, feeling at peace, turning my head to see Christian looking back at me. The same colors were around him, and he was smiling too.

"I remember it all. You saved my life Bells." He acknowledged with gratitude in his words. "You were willing to risk your own life for mine."

I smiled back at him still, standing carefully. "Chris, I will always be willing to sacrifice anything, including my life, not just for Jesse and Sophie, but for you too. Always."

Christian stood with me, our hands still linked as he moved in closer, bringing my hands and arms around him. I laid my head to his chest, and closed my eyes again, sensing the colors that surrounded us growing brighter and brighter until the increase of power exploded outward. We both fell to our knees, still holding each other. Dimitri, Yuri, Adrian, and Sydney all surrounded us, helping us both to our feet.

"Always." Christian repeated.

We were all breathing heavily. Yuri was with me again, looking helpless and curious. I held tight to him through the surrounding bodies.

"Did it work?" He asked me, and I nodded against him.

"It worked." I said with a clear mind. "I know what happened." Tears suddenly sprang to my eyes. I backed away from Yuri and everyone else, feeling claustrophobic. "Christian and I remember everything about Tatiana, her guards, how they hunted us, used us, and whoa…" A few things were still trickling back, but my brain came to an abrupt halt. I looked to Christian. "I remember that room in Ivan's house." At the mention of it, Christian and I laughed.

My eyes still met with Christian's, and I could see so much more now. I made my way over to him, sitting with him on one of the couches, curling up against my best friend as he pulled me closer, resting his head against mine.

"Maybe we should give them some time alone to talk." Dimitri made the suggestion.

Yuri was reluctant to leave, as was Lissa, but reassurances from me and Christian were enough to get an empty room. We didn't move away from each other, and we did not talk. We didn't need to. Our connection was stronger than ever now that we could recall every detail of that time. We sat for another two hours together, content to just be. When we left the apartment, I walked him back to the Queen's residences.

"Go get some sleep." I ordered, kissing his cheek.

"Bellamy." His voice stopped me as I turned, twisting back to see him unmoved.

"I know Chris. Me too."

I knew now what Dimitri had been referring to when he'd mentioned that he did not want to see me make the same mistakes with Christian. Christian and I had nearly lost that battle with Tatiana, and if it had not been for Dimitri and Bridgette, neither me nor Christian would be alive today. But, even after remembering all of that, I felt that I needed more than ever to have Christian Ozera at my side in this next battle.

"Chris," I stopped him from walking away, finally ready to ask him for this favor. "I need to talk to you about one more thing."

"Sure, Bells." He yawned.

"I need to ask you a favor."

"Anything." He said, and I knew how much he meant it.

As I turned back around, moving towards the gates where Christian stood waiting, I wondered where I should start.

"Has Dimitri told you anything at all about why I am here at Court so unexpectedly?"

Christian shook his head. "No, but come to think of it, you never show up to Court without a few weeks of planned notice." He was right. Yuri and I always kept our schedules tight, and we gave both Courts enough notice before we visited. "So, what are you doing here?"

I snuck back under his arm again, happier being close to him. "I was at the Guardian Court before this, and I had to get here to the Moroi Court to show other Guardians…" This was still the tricky part in my mind. "Chris, I am heading up a mission to go and subdue a Strigoi."

"Okay. I know that when you say subdue, you mean something totally different." He was still in the dark. "Why all the secrecy?"

My voice lowered to a whisper as people passed by us. "The Strigoi we are going after is Mason."

"Mason?" There was the disbelief and shock I expected to hear. "Mason Ashford? Bells, that's impossible. Mason died in…"

"Seattle. Yes, that seems to be the major consensus."

Christian sat down on the small steps leading up to the gates he would soon enter, looking like he might start to hyperventilate, which in this case would be a normal reaction.

"So, can I correctly assume that this favor you need has something to do with Mason being Strigoi?"

"It has everything to do with it." I sat down beside him, my hand automatically linking with his. "We both know that Mason did not like you when he was alive."

"Christian scoffed in seriousness. "There's an understatement."

"Even more so," I went on, "we know how much he did not like me being anywhere near you."

"He hated it." We agreed.

"And that animosity between you two was only fueled by the fact that I couldn't stay away, and I refused to give you up."

"I'm grateful for that, Bellamy. You know that I am. What are you asking from me?"

"I need you to help me lure Mason out of hiding. I have already discussed this with Dimitri, Lissa, and with the Guardian Council."

"Bellamy, you just agreed that Mason did not have any kind of good feelings toward me when we were in school. And now you are asking me to help you antagonize him as Strigoi?"

I half expected the 'Are you mad' question to come from him next. More than half expected it.

"That is exactly what I am asking you for Chris." I knew this wouldn't be an easy agreement either, but I was hoping it might be easier than Dimitri or Lissa. "I understand if you want to say no. It is a lot for me to ask of you."

Christian let go of my hand, putting his arm around me. "In the scheme of things," he reflected, "it's really not. You saved my life, Bellamy. You saved me in more ways than I know how to say."

"I did not do that then so that you would owe me any sort of favor now."

"That's not what I'm saying, Bells."

"I don't want you to say yes to me because you think you owe me something."

I could sense him looking up at me now. "Does the Guardian Council want you to bring him back?"

"If I can."

"What does that mean?"

I cleared my throat. "It means, if Mason has to die, so be it."

"Could you?" He questioned me, and I could tell that he found my response slightly detached and cruel. "Could you kill him?"

"Chris, if it comes down to him or me, I'll kill him. If it came down to a choice between you and him, I'd kill him without question. Without second thoughts."

"Good to know. When do we leave?"

I now felt that I could look back at him. "When we have a proper plan mapped out for us and the Guardian Council. And by we and us, I mean Guardians. Now," I stood, instructing him, "go and get some sleep."

I left Christian with more questions than answers between us, but I could find more answers later. I had too much on my mind to start sorting through more questions. I grabbed a golf cart from Alberta, driving back home. In the distance as I closed in on the Zeklos Court property, I saw Yuri sitting at the edge of the property, a good ten miles out. As I pulled to a stop, he looked as though he needed to talk, and I was not going to deny him any answers he wanted with everything going on. After I'd asked him to stay at Court with Jesse and Sophia, and after he left me and Christian alone, seeing the true intensity of our closeness returned, he had the right to any answers he wanted.

"We should talk." I said as he climbed in on the passenger side of the cart.

We were silent the first half mile onto the property, but Yuri started the conversation.

"Your connection with Christian…" He started slowly, his voice soft.

"Our connection feels stronger than before. It feels more tangible now."

"Did it not feel real before this? I've listened to you and Christian talk about each other, and your connection has always seemed real."

"No. It's always been real." I was trying to better explain what I was feeling. "But along with these returned memories, I also remember feeling like something has been missing between me and him. Like a missing puzzle piece." I tried for the best example. "There is always one puzzle piece that falls to the floor, and it takes time to find it. I feel like that piece is slowly returning."

"Do you….Are you still in love with Christian?" Yuri sounded so sad as he asked the question.

"No." I told my husband. It was bad enough that he had to watch and accept the returning full connection between me and Chris, but to think that I could be in love with Christian seemed ridiculous only to me. I took his hand, as the golf cart pulled to a full stop. "I've heard people say that you only get one true love in a lifetime, but I do not believe that anymore. I have had three, and you've had two. I am lucky to have once been in love with Mason and Christian. But, I am even luckier to have found you; the one man who has completed my love and soul, and will do so for the rest of my life."

Yuri was always convinced of my love for him. It was no lie to know how much I adored, loved, admired, and needed my husband, and we both knew it.

"When I returned to St. Vladimir's after I lost Mason, I was broken and incomplete. I was walking through a maze of pitch black, and on unsolid ground. I could not find my way forward, backwards, or out of the maze. But then I found your hand in that darkness," Yuri put his hand to my face, "and I was able to slowly take those steps forward. You led me back to a place where I could find light again. You are the person who kept me from free-falling. Christian is my best-friend, and I love him in that way only. But I will forever be in love with one man."

Yuri opened his mouth to speak, but closed it before doing so.

"I don't know what to say, Bells. I don't know any way to respond to that sufficiently enough to express how much I love you in the same way."

You never had to say anything, Yuri." I leaned over and kissed him, my hands both moving to the back of his neck, moving through his hair, and as we separated, my eyes meeting the silver and blue of his. "I have always known how much you love me."

"No man has ever loved you as much as I do." Yuri said. "And no man ever will."

"I believe that." I sat leaning into Yuri, finally feeling at peace in my life. There was only one more hurdle I needed to jump in order to find true peace and happiness.

As the light of day crept over the mountain horizon, Yuri and I were finally returning to our apartment, taking a few minutes first to check in on the kids, as well as Jesse and Sophie before they went to sleep.

"You were in pain." Jesse rushed to me as soon as I walked into the library Jesse was busy pacing in. "I felt it. It was unbearable. What's wrong?"

My hope that Jesse would feel nothing as Christian and I went through our memory regression, was dashed as soon as I looked into Jesse's eyes. He had experienced it all with me.

"I am so sorry Jesse." I moved into the room, closer to him.

"What happened?"

I told Jesse about the experiment Lissa, Adrian, and Sonya had attempted and finally succeeded at.

"After the pain lessened, you felt… I don't know." Jesse had trouble placing my emotions afterward. "You were changed. You were-"

"Complete?"

"Yes." Jesse agreed. "You feel whole." Jesse was on his way to sleep a short time later, content to know that I was feeling more like myself.

Yuri and I were also able to grab a few hours of sleep before my phone began to ring, along with the doorbell. Yuri was up out of bed before me, on his way to answer the door as I picked up my phone, looking at the callback number.

"Christian?" I answered, looking at the clock on the bedside table. "It's three in the afternoon. Why aren't you asleep?"

"I was hoping Yuri might let you come out and play." He offered.

The bedroom door reopening kept me from responding right away.

"They need us." Yuri was already grabbing his weapons as he changed into actual clothes.

"Who needs us?"

"Belikov, Castille, and the others."

I was upright and pulling on my own clothes in seconds. "Chris?" I spoke into my phone again, "I will have to meet you later tonight. I'm being called into a Guardian meeting."

Yuri surprised me by adding to my conversation. "Belikov says that if you insist on bringing Christian with you, he should know exactly what he is getting himself into. He should know all of the plan too."

"You get all of that Chris?"

"See you soon, Bells."

We hung up and I grabbed my stake and hoodie before Yuri and I were headed out the door. When we arrived, the entire group of Guardians I had assembled to go with me on this 'Mason mission', were all gathered in one of the larger strategy rooms.