All right, it is finally here! I've got a bit of an author's note with shout-outs and all, but since I won't talk to you all until Thursday, I think it'll be ok. First off, a huge thank you goes out to xBloomStarx and Authoress-In-Training, my sparxshipping sisters in crime. Bloom helped me with some awesome ideas for this, and Authoress was kind enough to beta (and she was inspiration for a little scene later on that she doesn't know about. Shh!).

Next (to show credit where credit is due), I just wanna say that the inspiration for the Original Shattered Memories came from the W.I.T.C.H. story Candracar's Reward. The link to it is in my favorite story list, so if you're a W.I.T.C.H. fan go check it out!

Ok, so now that that's out of the way, let me run down how this works. There's going to be an update every day through Thursday. The POV changes with each chapter, and you can find out who's POV it's in by looking at the chapter (like, this chapter is just Adision's POV, but next chapter it switches between her and Hale). Making sense? Awesome.

Last thing; I swear! Okay, so I also want to strike a little deal with you guys. If you review every day I update (only four guys!), I'll send you a chapter from a new story I'm writing called High Hopes in Velvet Ropes. I know, I know 'geez Ember, bribing us? That's shallow!'. Yes, it might seem like it, but it's really a win-win situation.

Okay, I've blabbed on long enough. So I'll shut up, and you guys can enjoy!

"Okay, so we just went to the shop on South Durango, and there's another one on the intersection of Hualapai…"

"Adision…"

"And up on Spring Mountain…"

"Addy?"

"And the Palace has some kind of magic convention this weekend, too; maybe we should go there next."

"Back down to the Strip! Are you nuts?"

I glanced over my shoulder, looking at my best friend Hale through the sunglasses I'd bought at Zumiez earlier today. His dark brown hair was damp from the heat – so much it was a miracle his salty sweat wasn't irritating his new contact lenses. "Janey Mack, Adision," Tecna's son continued, "we've been all over this town, and it's so hot we saw a homeless guy frying his breakfast on the sidewalk!"

"I've always been meaning to ask – who is Janey Mack?"

He sighed, clearly annoyed. "Adision, when I told your dad… Sky," he corrected himself when he saw my death glare, "that I was taking you out on a date today, I really did want to take you on a date. You know, cinema, lunch… something fun?"

"How can this not be fun? We're in Sin City – it's the center of fun."

"Adision. Come on – you know all this psychic and gypsy stuff is total bull. What are you trying to accomplish?" He sighed. "For me, please? Ten minutes in air conditioning and I'll love you forever."

I couldn't keep the smile off my face. "You said that yesterday, too. But no shame in losing love. Let's hit Taco Bell."

From behind me, I heard Hale sigh again. "More like Taco Hell."

"You gotta love fast food," I said, my grin widening.

"How do you stand the stuff? Delilah hates you, you know – because you can eat a Big Mac and you're still, like, a stick."

"I am not a stick. Delilah is a stick, just like Flora. Where did she flake out to anyway? I thought she was going to come and chill with us for that supposed movie."

Hale shrugged and fanned himself with the collar of his Michael Jackson T-shirt. "She said her parents didn't want her out in the heat."

I stopped dead in my tracks. "You told Sky you were taking me on a date in Magix?"

"Yeah."

"It's never hot in Magix. I mean, it gets in the eighties sometimes, but never Vegas hot."

"Well, I told her you wanted to come here."

My eyes narrowed as I turned to look at him. "And if she told Flora and she said no, who is she going to talk to?"

It took a moment for Hale to process this. When he did, his eyes widened a little. "My parents."

"And who are they going to talk to?" When he didn't respond, I sighed and started walking again, Hale quickly falling into step with me. "We're dead. My life is officially over. Even more than when I was four. I'm going to be a caged bird for the rest of my life, and there's nothing anyone can do about it."

"Well, we all know you can't be tamed." I shot him a venomous look, and he attempted a smile. "Sorry – apparently my attempts at humor aren't nearly as funny as yours."

"When's the last time you heard about Miley Cyrus? This isn't 2010, Hale."

"Yeah. You were normal back then."

I almost tripped over my own two feet, and resisted the urge to turn and punch him in the face. Sometimes it was hard to convince my friends why I did what I did – go from city to city looking in magic shops and palm-reading booths at Renaissance fairs to try and find the slightest piece of information on the paranormal or things like that. I wanted them to see what it was like – the night Sky lost his mind and my mother broke down in the arms of a person whose face I can't remember, no matter how much I try. But some nights, even I don't want to remember what it was like.

Realizing what he'd just said, Hale placed his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry Addy. I didn't mean…"

I nodded, scrubbing my arm across my eyes. I refused to let myself cry anymore. "Yeah, I know. Let's go find something to eat – I didn't have breakfast this morning."

His hand left my shoulder – after a moment's hesitation, I noticed but didn't comment on. "Good plan. Can you teleport us to the Forum Shops? I think they just put in a Subway."

Your mother changed me, Adision…

This isn't your fault, and I want you to know I'm not going anywhere…

I never, ever, want you to feel like you caused this…

This ring is going to teleport you there once we arrive…

I sighed and looked down at my left hand, twisting the now-faded silver ring on my middle finger. I wore it all the time, ever since the night it was given to me. Thankfully, these days I wore so many that Sky never noticed it. (Well, he hadn't noticed it to start with, and when he asked I'd made up some excuse about where I'd gotten it).

"All right," Hale said, approaching our table with a tray in hand, "two tacos for ninety nine cents, plus the receipt that's good for two free tacos plus a soda and a side of chips equals a heart attack in deep fried goodness."

I smiled a little. "Thanks, Hale."

He sighed as he grabbed a chip. "You know, if you planned to pull off the quiet act, you probably shouldn't have become friends with me. Nerds actually like to discuss things, contrary to the stereotype."

I finally looked up at him, grabbing something on the tray and taking a bite of it without really looking at it. Whatever it was, it had salsa on it. "Sorry. Lost in my own thoughts."

"Yeah. You've been doing that lately."

"Hale…"

"I'm just curious," he said, holding up his hands in an innocent gesture. "I know you don't like to talk about… what happened very much."

"You wouldn't believe me," I muttered under my breath.

"Come on," he insisted. "I've believed everything you ever told me. Even the thing about our history teacher dating the lacrosse coach even though he had a boyfriend."

I smiled a little, remembering the incident from the seventh grade. "I tried to make people believe me… but he would've snapped again." Hale nodded thoughtfully, and I grinned at his attempt to make me feel better. "You know what's weird? I don't even remember the guy's name. Mom won't tell me anymore. No face, no name… just a ring and a few memories."

He shrugged. "We all base our lives on what we can remember, right?"

I grabbed a chip off the tray and popped it in my mouth. "Do you think I'm crazy?"

"Yes," he replied, looking serious. "But at least you're fighting for something. Nobody does that these days; it's all about what they want. And if it turns out you're right, everyone's happy. You've got a determination I don't see very often. When this whole 'tracking down a mysterious lost soul' thing is over, you should go into politics."

A faint blush crept up my cheeks. I knew Hale well enough to know whenever he gave a genuine compliment, he laced it with a joke so it would be less noticeable. "Politics… aren't really my thing."

There was a small laugh as he looked up at me. "You're a princess."

"Yeah, well, it's not like I'm getting a kingdom to go along with that. I told you already, I–"

"Want to go to art school," he interrupted, his smirk less appealing with the salsa on the corner of his mouth. "On Earth, probably by a beach. And you need to come with me, Hale, because you're so hot and sexy and I can't live without you."

I shook my head. "I never said the last part."

"Did so. You just don't want to admit it. But that's not important." He wiped his now-greasy hand on a napkin. "So we need a… psychic, right? We can find one here easy enough."

Both Hale and I jumped as we heard a scratchy laugh from behind us. I glanced over my shoulder, seeing a woman dressed in a revealing red corset and a black-and-white-pinstripe jacket smirking at us. Her jet-black hair looked a bit on the greasy side, and there was an outrageous amount of makeup on her face. When she grinned wider, I saw that one of her teeth was a shining silver color – obviously fake.

Shivers raced down my spine; her presence was not a pleasant one.

"You," she said, pointing a bony hand at Hale, "mock our work."

Hale's eyebrows arched up high onto his forehead, the rest of his face staying emotionless. "I beg your pardon?"

The woman sighed, flipping some of her hair back. " 'Psychic'… ha. You mock what we have spent years perfecting. The talent to see into people's lives and arrange time is not simple. I'd love to see you try it."

"I would, but I don't think I could pull off the work attire." He shrugged, gesturing to the corset, and added, "I don't wear red too well."

She bit back a smile. "I see." With that, her eyes slid to me. "My apologies for interrupting you, miss. I just couldn't help but overhear."

I nodded, trying to fight my churning stomach – a combination of the food and the aura of this woman. "That's all right… I'm Adision. The jerk behind me is Hale."

She nodded. "My name is Bridgette. A pleasure to meet travelers like yourselves."

Another shiver hit me. "Who said we were–"

"I can tell. It's quite easy."

"Psh, I'm sure." Hale muttered from behind me.

Bridgette ignored him. "So, what kind of power are you seeking, child?"

I wrapped my arms around myself. "Paranormal contact and retreat," I said, repeating the phrase I'd memorized telling countless psychics and gypsies in hopes of getting answers.

"Ah, searching for lost souls. Obviously with a kind of… physical bond."

"Yeah… Let me guess – you can supposedly help with that?"

Bridgette shook her head. "I'm afraid not. But," she added, a small smile spreading across her face, "I know someone who can. A dear friend of mine who is here for a few days. I'm sure she could be of… great assistance."

Something about her voice made me uncomfortable. It was obviously noticeable, because I heard Hale snicker from behind me and go into his 'sarcastic to protect feelings mode'. "Yeah, I'm sure she's just as pretty as you, too. I think we'll stick to the younger people in the business, sister."

Bridgette's eyes narrowed. "Forsøger du at imponere din kæreste? Hvor modig."

Hale matched her gaze. "Hun er ikke min kæreste. Men jeg stoler ikke på dig, så..." He trailed off, looking at the woman curiously. "You speak Danish?"

"My name is Danish, so I would hope so." She reached into the corset (which, let me tell you, was a pretty horrifying sight), and produced a card, holding it out to me. "This is the room she's staying in. In case you're curious."

I glanced back at Hale, who was giving me a 'this is a bad idea' look. "I…"

"You lost something important," the woman said suddenly, a smirk adorning her red-painted lips. "And yet you fail to see the good in front of you because your fantasies can't compare."

Hale stood up abruptly, one of his hands hitting the table. I was going to say something about spilling the food, but to my surprise the trays were empty. The only things left were our sodas and a foil-wrapped taco I hadn't gotten to. "That's enough," he said. "We're leaving. Come on, Adision."

I glanced back at him. "Look, I know you hate all of this…"

"Never would've guessed," I heard Bridgette say under her breath from behind me.

"But there's some importance to it."

"Maybe there is. So we'll go to Magix, then. Just not here."

Bridgette rolled her eyes. "Most people like us are aware of the magical dimension. The glitz of Magix, Solaria's fashion, Eraklyon's parties…"

"Party?" Hale and I spoke at the same time, our eyes connecting.

"Damn it," I cursed, closing my eyes and rubbing my temple. "That party on Solaria is tonight. Oh, Sky's going to kill me if I'm late… and if I don't look 'presentable'… crap."

"We've got to get going."

"Yeah," I agreed, reaching into my pocket and pulling out a portal device. "Go open this up around the corner. I'll be there in a second. Go," I snapped when I saw Hale glance back at Bridgette. With a final look, he turned and ran out of the store, the device in hand.

Bridgette regarded me thoughtfully. "An extremely clever distraction."

"Maybe because it's a real distraction," I said, grabbing the leftover taco. "If I'm late to this party, bad things will happen."

She nodded. "Should I pass your name on?"

I sighed, looking back at the entrance where Hale had disappeared. "…Yeah. I'll try to come back around here tomorrow."

"Very well. Wait," she said, grabbing my arm as I was walking away. Her hand was ice-cold. "Just to… start her off, what name do you prefer to your own?"

I raised an eyebrow. "That helps you?"

"Immensely," she grinned.

A shiver raked though me. "I don't know," I said, trying to pull my arm free. She wouldn't let go.

"Pick something," she insisted, her tone sounding a lot less friendly then when we'd met her.

"I don't know… Alyssa." I said, jerking my arm again, trying to take advantage of her diverted attention. It didn't work. Good Lord, this woman was strong. "If there's one thing I remember about my father, it was him telling me if he'd gotten to name me, he'd have picked Alyssa. Now let me go."

"Nothing more original? It starts with the same letter as your current name…"

I thought back to when I was little, when Mom was happier and I begged her to tell me stories before I went to bed. "Fine – Sarah. I'd pick Sarah."

With that, Bridgette finally let go of my arm. I didn't even wait to hear what she said in response; I just ran out of there. For the first time in my life, I didn't want help from someone in getting my mother's happiness back.

"So did you and Hale have a good time today?"

I looked over at Sky, dressed in the blue button-up coat that he always wore to formal events. His hair looked the same as it did in his high school pictures – long and shaggy, but still regal-looking. He looked like the fairytale prince from a Disney movie. The only imperfection was a faint line running up his left cheek.

I hated it.

"It was nice," I said, pulling at the hem of my coral-colored dress. It was short – too short for my liking – stopping mid-thigh.

"You know," Sky continued, eyeing me suspiciously. "I was talking to Flora earlier, and she told me the strangest thing."

"Did she now?" I asked, looking through the crowd of people crammed into the Eraklyon ballroom. So far, I couldn't see anyone I knew.

"She said you asked Delilah if she wanted to come with you and Hale to Las Vegas?"

"Uh-huh." I purposely sounded uninterested as I rose up on my tiptoes to scan the crowd for Hale and Selena.

"Adision," my 'father' sighed patiently, "please look at me when I'm speaking to you."

"But I'm listening."

"Did you honestly go to Las Vegas for the day instead of Magix like you told me?"

"There were a lot of paparazzi in Magix."

"That may be, but there are plenty of better places to go on Earth. Rome, for example, is very beautiful this time of year."

I finally turned around and looked at him, putting on a fake smile. "Dad, it was the last concert before Farewell Fighters disbanded. And since we couldn't get tickets, Hale took me there to try and catch them walking around the Strip."

Who knew what number lie that was when it came to going behind Sky's back, but he always bought them. And this time was no different.

He smiled, before giving me a hug and kissing me on the forehead. "Well, that's a relief on my part," he chuckled. I did my best not to shudder. "But Adision, please let me know when you're going to do things like that. I worry about you."

"I know you do."

As he pulled back, he caught sight of my emerald ring shimmering in the light. "What're you wearing that for, honey? Honestly, what's so special about that ring?"

I froze. "Well…"

"There you are." I sighed inwardly as Hale came into view, dressed sharply in a black suit. Behind him was Stella's daughter Selena, dressed a gorgeous black and red floor-length dress – the bodice was black and the skirt dark red with black roses.

I grinned at the red streak in her blonde hair; we never did figure out how she and Stella were related. "We were looking for you, Addy," Selena said, draping an arm around my shoulder and smiling politely at Sky. "Is it alright if we borrow her, Your Highness?"

Sky nodded, a small smile on his face. "Go ahead. Have fun. And Selena, does your mother know you did that to your hair?"

"Of course," she called over her shoulder, already dragging me away. The moment we were out of earshot, the three of us burst out laughing. "Wow," Selena said, glancing back over her shoulder, "you are a terrible liar, my dear."

"He obviously doesn't know that," I said, trying – and failing miserably – to contain my laughter.

"Is Farewell Fighter even together anymore?" Hale asked.

"No," I snorted, the three of us grabbing champagne flutes from a passing waiter. "I found it on Mom's old iPod like a month ago."

"Nice. So how'd it go today?" Unlike Hale, Selena was extremely supportive of me trying to bring back the mystery man of my past.

"Horrible," I said, taking a sip of champagne. It had a buttery taste to it that I immediately liked.

"Extremely," Hale added. "All we got was a lot of heat and some crazy lady who almost made us late."

"Obviously," Selena snickered, examining my dress. "You look like a piece of coral in the Solarian Royal Aquarium."

"Shut up, this was the first thing I pulled out of my closet."

Selena shrugged, taking a large gulp of champagne. Her glass was already half-empty. "Fine. Are you guys ready to ditch and head upstairs? Everyone's already there; Delilah's got snacks, Justin's hooking up the DJ system…"

Out of the corner of my eye, I spied a smaller figure leaning against one of the columns in the ballroom, his face a pout. "I-I'll catch up in a minute, guys."

Hale followed my gaze and then nodded, squeezing my shoulder briefly. "We'll see you up there."

As I approached, the ten-year-old boy caught sight of me. I saw him roll his eyes a little, but I did my best to ignore it. "Hey, Johnny."

"Hi," he said, a slight bitterness to his voice. "What're you doing?"

"I was just seeing what you were doing. You usually like these parties."

"No I don't," Jonathan said, not sounding very interested in me. "I just go with it." I shrugged. He looked at me again, his blonde bangs falling in front of his eyes a little. A small smirk spread across his face. "Dad's mad at you."

I sighed a little. "He's always mad at me." He didn't reply to that, only continued to smirk. "What?" I asked finally, knowing I was probably playing right into his hands.

"I was just thinking… why does Dad like me best?" I could tell by the look on his face that the question was meant to get under my skin, but I honestly couldn't care less.

"Because I don't listen to him twenty-four seven like some people." Here, I shot him what was supposed to be a withering look. Since he was only ten, it flew right over his head. "He can't control me for my whole life, and it's about time he learned that."

"Please," he replied, looking confident, "he's just going to marry you off to a guy twice your age."

"I'd love to see the bastard try."

"It's a shame you can't take over Eraklyon," Jonathan said absently. "You might make a good queen."

"And who do I have to thank for that?" I said, staring daggers at him.

"Hey, calm down, sis." Jonathan held his hands up, still smirking. "I'm just making a joke. Can't your little brother do that?"

"Sure, a little brother can do that. But you are nothing but a smart-ass I'm forced to put up. And I personally can't wait until I don't have to deal with you anymore."

For a second, his face was set in absolute shock, but it quickly disintegrated to a mix of anger and self-assurance. "I'm telling Mom and Dad."

"Go ahead," I said, turning on my heels. "My punishment can't get any worse."

"I… I'm their favorite!" Jonathan exclaimed, glaring at me. "I'm the gift!"

I stopped for a second and looked back at my brother. "Your name may mean 'gift of God', but I'll tell you something; you were named out of irony."

"Another whack-job fortune teller? Wow, Adision, you are just brilliant at this."

I glanced around the theater room, trying to see though the shadows. I caught sight of the digital clock on the wall. The time, three-thirty AM, glowed dully, the only real light in the dark room. Selena was asleep in the beanbag chair next to me, and Hale was stretched out across three foldout chairs. Everyone else had left for the night, so I had no idea who was talking. "M… Mom?" I asked, still groggy.

There was a small laugh. "Not even close. Over here."

I turned in the direction of the voice, and what I saw jerked me awake a little. Sitting on one of the theater chairs was a girl, maybe about my age, with reddish-blonde hair tied up in a ponytail and light green eyes. Her long legs were sprawled across the arm of the chair, her hands laced behind her head. She didn't look like anyone who worked here either, dressed in black skinny jeans and a pink and silver tee. In fact, I didn't recognize her at all. "Um… hi?"

She lifted a hand, encased in a black fingerless glove, and wiggled her fingers. "Morning. Well, still night, I guess, but that's beside the point. We're here to talk about you, and your not-so-brilliant plan."

I glanced over at Hale, who was still asleep, and then back to her. "Do I… do I know you?"

"Sure you do," she replied easily. Her voice was light and singsong-y. "You've seen me before. I'm the random person you bump into on the street, the young teenage intern working at Starbucks, talking on her phone in the hallways at Alfea…"

"A stalker?" I cut her off. "Or better yet, a dream. I'm dreaming, right?"

The girl shrugged. "I could throw a book at you and find out."

I stared at her for a second. "Okay, this makes no sense. I've never seen you before in my life."

"But you've heard of me," she shot back, her eyes glancing over my sweat pants and T-shirt. "Wow, and I was supposedly less pretty? Go figure."

"Who are you?" I repeated.

She sighed a little. "Come on Adision, you know that. You asked about me all the time."

"To whom?"

"To… You know what, that's not important right now. We are here to talk about you."

By now, I was pretty confident that this was just a dream, the result of too much alcohol. I turned over and nestled into the pillows, already feeling drowsy. "That's great, but I'm… tired. Try again in the…" I yawned "morning."

I head what sounded like a disgruntled sigh, then after a few seconds, I felt the covers being ripped off my body. I gasped in surprise and flipped around. The girl stood over me, a scowl on her face. "Now, smart-ass. I'm not a pretty little fantasy that's going to disappear with some Holy Water like my father. It takes more to get rid of family. Get up. I've got some major yelling to do at you."

"Okay, okay, I'm listening, I'm–" I stopped short as I registered what she'd said. "Family?"

The scowl turned into a thoughtful look. "Well, kind of. Not really. You keep getting me off-topic."

"Well, what is the topic?"

"You didn't hear me the first time? I'm hear to talk to you about the psychotic lady you oh-so-smartly gave your name to."

"Sky? Well, unfortunately we're related by blood, so…"

A small smirk crossed her face. "I said lady."

"Yes you did," I replied, standing up and stretching. "What lady are you referring to?"

"Bridgette."

My arm stopped halfway above my head. I looked at the girl in front of me for a second and then let out a groan. "Oh no. This is definitely a dream. First Hale, then Selena, and now my… conscience is coming to me in my dreams. I get it, okay? Bad Adision, don't talk to strangers without a résumé."

The girl rolled her eyes at me. "I am not your conscience."

I looked down at her as a flicker caught my eye. "Your arm's transparent."

"What? I… damn it…" She sighed, running her other arm though the fading one. "I still can't do that correctly? I've only been trying for like thirty years!"

"Look I just–" I stopped mid-sentence again, staring at her in wonder. "Thirty years? You look like you're fifteen."

"I know. I…"

"And why would you refer to me as family?"

"I…"

"I've had enough games in my life, and for once I want some goddamn answers! Who are you?"

"I'm Isa-"

"Adision!"

My eyes snapped open. I sat up quickly and looked around the room. There was Hale, Selena, just like they'd been before. I turned toward the chair where the mystery girl had been sitting, but it was empty.

"Adision!" I heard my name again. Selena glared at me, her head propped up on her hand. "Turn off your bloody phone," she hissed. "It's three-thirty in the morning, for Christ's sake."

Three thirty. Just like in the dream. "Sorry," I whispered, reaching across the floor and picking it up off the ground. As soon as the carpet didn't muffle the speaker, it started blaring out my ring-tone. I quickly pressed Accept Call just to shut it up. The moment it stopped, Selena dropped back to the ground, going right back to sleep. I put the annoying device to my ear. "Hello?"

"Adision, right?"

"…Yeah. Who's this?"

"Bridgette."

I sat up straight. "What?"

There was an annoyed sound on the other end of the line. "You couldn't have forgotten me that fast."

"No," I said, shaking my head, desperate to clear it from my drowsy daze. "I just… how did you get my phone number?"

There was a pause. "You gave it to me."

I couldn't remember if I actually had or not, but I decided to go with it. "Why are you calling me? It's three in the morning."

"Its six here." She replied, not sounding sorry for waking me. "Anyway, I have fantastic news."

The crazy bin decided to take you? "What?"

"I got you in with my friend. She can see you in a hour."

Immediately, I turned my gaze to Hale. He was wrapped up in a blanket, sprawled across an old leather couch. I thought about the clearly suspicious look he'd had the second we'd met Bridgette. "Really?" I asked, still looking at Hale.

"Hmph. You don't sound very excited."

That snapped me out of my daze a little. "I just… why should I trust you?"

"Because I'm offering you what you've always wanted. Wouldn't you be happy to get that? Come on Adision," she said when I still didn't respond, "don't you want your father back?"

I didn't take my eyes off Hale. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"I'm extremely sorry about Bridgette. She tends to… blow things a bit out of proportion."

"That's alright," I replied, absently stirring the tea the woman had been nice enough to give me to help me wake up. We were sitting in what I assumed was her hotel room. Bridgette had met me outside, but promptly disappeared after that, leaving me with my mysterious new friend. "I'm very happy she convinced you to talk to me."

"Oh, don't worry about that. Your story was intriguing, I know that much," she replied, a smile on her face, though something about it set me on edge a little. "Now, you were looking for your father, I was told."

"Yes. Well, not exactly," I stammered a little. "He's not my biological father, but I always considered him my father. And once he left…"

She nodded sympathetically. "I see. Now, when you say you want him back, you mean…"

"Living," I replied immediately. "In the flesh. Not a ghost or something, but real."

The woman's lips pursed. "I see why you've been having trouble. What you're asking for isn't easy."

I sighed a little. "I know."

"Now, if you had something that could connect me to him a little – a hair sample, an heirloom, maybe an article of clothing…"

Almost automatically, I reached down and removed the silver and emerald ring from my finger. "I have this," I said, holding it out to her. "Part of his essence is on there from an attempt at the bracelet method of teleportation. It's… the only thing I have."

Surprisingly, she snatched it out of my hands, looking it over. The dimness of the room kept me from seeing the expression on her face. "I see…"

After a moment, I carefully set the cup of tea down. "I lose most people here. They say they don't have the power to… you know."

"As they should," the woman replied. I still couldn't get a good look at her face; her pale blonde hair was falling in front of it, covering it from sight. "It takes a great amount of not just power, but self-sacrifice, to do this. I'm sure much of the reason people have been unwilling," she continued, finally lifting her gaze to me, "is based on your age. What would a fifteen-year-old know about that?"

Her reaction didn't surprise me (since she was kind of right – a lot of people asked me that). "I've learned from… family."

She looked at me for a moment. "Your mother, was it?"

My eyes widened a little. "Yeah… it was."

She nodded sympathetically. I was starting to think psychics should add split personality to their job descriptions. First Bridgette, and now this woman whose name I didn't even know. The more I sat here, the more I started to think that Hale was right. Maybe this wasn't a good idea. Maybe–

"I can do it."

If I'd had the teacup in my hand, I was fairly certain I would've dropped it. "You what?"

She smirked at me. "I can get him back. It might take a little more power than I'm used to, but it's not impossible. However," she continued, stomping out the small flicker of warmth in my chest, "it might take a little… more, on your part."

I fisted my hand into the skirt of my dark purple and black shift dress. "What does that mean?"

"That depends. How far do you want to take this? Do you just want him back?"

I laughed – a short, sharp thing that barely counted as a laugh. "Just to have Sky do some other whacked-out thing and drive my mother even closer to going over the edge? No thank you."

She nodded, as though it was exactly what she wanted to hear. "Well, if you want to give her that happily ever after, I can only think of one thing."

"…And that is?"

"Simple," she said, leaning back in her chair. "Change time."

I felt my breath catch in my throat. Of course, with all of the research into the paranormal that I did, I often came across different lunatic theories: vampires, mermaids, the Bermuda triangle… So of course I'd heard time-travel theories. I just never thought anyone would agree with it, much less say they could do it.

"It seems to me," she continued, taking a sip of her own drink, "that your best option would be to set your father free here, and then go back and change everything else, so that on the off chance you fail, you can do it again."

"Wait… what do you mean 'if I fail'? What am I doing?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it obvious? If your mother's mistake was marrying this… Sky person, you need to prevent her from doing it."

"What? Stop an Eraklyon wedding? Are you crazy? My mother told me about her wedding. There was a shit load of security. There's no way I could get in there to get her out, much less cover for it."

But she was shaking her head again. "You're still lost. Your mother wouldn't be getting married. You would have to go and take her place. You'd have to marry Sky instead."

I'm ninety percent sure my heart stopped. I felt the ground slip from under me, even though I was sitting in a chair. I gripped the edge of the table, even though I didn't need to. "I… what?"

The woman raised an eyebrow. "With your obvious determination, it doesn't seem like that much of a problem."

"I… you don't…" Suddenly my legs worked again, and I was out of my chair pacing back and forth in the small room, the heels of my boots breaking the almost eerie silence. "When I said… Sky is – technically – my father. Not by anything but blood, but in that little way. I… I don't know if I could…"

"You made it quite clear that your mother's happiness was the only thing you cared about."

I dug my nails into my skirt again. "Well I didn't know I'd ever have to worry about this!"

She leaned back, watching me with curiosity. "The final choice is yours. I'll do what I can to help you."

"Help?" I spat, glaring at her. "Your idea of help is marrying me off to an inconsiderate bastard who's tried his best to make my life miserable for the last ten years?" I reached down and grabbed my black shoulder bag from the ground. "No thanks. I'll find my own help."

I was halfway to the door when the woman spoke again. Her voice was soft, and had an almost devilish quality to it. "Would Baltor appreciate you giving up on him so easily?"

Baltor. That name sent a kind of jolt through my body, making me stop dead in my tracks. Like a spell had washed over me, making me forget everything except what that name meant. Memories rushed back to me – little fragments of conversations I'd managed to keep in my head that now had intricate meanings. I remembered laughing, the sarcastic remarks, the story about a girl and a Goblin King.

And I also remembered the crying.

I turned to look back at the woman. She had a devilish smirk on her face I wouldn't have trusted if my emotions were anywhere close to in check. "You know that name, don't you?" she asked like she already knew the answer. When I didn't respond, she reached into one of her long sleeves and pulled out a long silver chain. From the end of it dangled a small vial filled with a clear liquid. "Half of this," she continued, motioning for me to come and take it from her, "will break the wards on your home and allow your father… Baltor, to return home. The other half you drink. It'll put you exactly where you need to be, and exactly in your mother's place. You'll look like her, talk like her, and everything else."

I stared at the small object, still mute. She took my hand and forced it closed around the vial. "How…how can I be sure it'll bring him back?"

"I'll sense it. I'm true to my word, Adision. Think about it."

With that, she turned and walked over to the windows, not looking back. Her stance told me that was my cue to leave. And I did…after securing the chain around my neck.

I never did get her name.

Outside, the air seemed cooler, more relaxed. There were no secrets being held in it, and it calmed me down. I took a few deep breaths, leaning against the wall near the door. I felt safe for the first time that day.

"It's about time you came out of there."

The voice didn't belong to Bridgette, as I half expected it to be. When I opened my eyes, I found a figure in front of me, dressed in sky blue-dyed jeans and a black T-Shirt with the Apple logo on it. His dark brown hair was sticking up in every way possible.

"Come on," Hale said, his face cold. "Let's get something to eat."

I expected a hurricane. Hurricane Hale, to be exact. I was waiting for the blow up, the melt down, the lecture of 'what-the-bloody-hell-were-you-thinking' that would fade into Danish or Spanish or whatever language he was learning at the moment. I expected the reaction of over-protectiveness that I'd come to know in my best friend.

Instead, we walked to the local mall in the city, ordered some greasy breakfast sandwiches and iced coffee from a kiosk, and ate them in silence. He popped in his earphones, his head bouncing to a beat I could hear as clearly as if the music was being blasted in my ears.

By the time we were done, the area around us was crammed with shoppers seeking a quick snack before hitting the sales. Eventually, we got up and started wandering around aimlessly, still neither of us speaking.

"Do you have classes today?" I asked finally, desperate to hear something other than bits of conversation from passersby.

He looked over at me and nodded, after a few seconds' hesitation. "My combat class started an hour ago."

"Hale, I –"

"The professor owes me a favor. Forget about it."

It was silent again. "So… is Selena ok?"

"She was asleep when I left."

"Oh."

We turned into one of the halls leading to the parking lot. The noise died down a little. "So," he said, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye. "What happened?"

I shifted my bag to the other shoulder. "She said she could do it."

This was another point where I expected a blow-up. I was wrong again. "Really?" Hale asked, sounding surprised. "For free?"

"No duh. Everything has a price, Hale."

"And what is it?"

"…High. But I was thinking, maybe if we got Selena, the three of us could find a loophole and–"

"No."

I stopped dead in my tracks, raising an eyebrow. "No? You didn't even hear what I had to say."

"When it started with 'I think' I knew it was bad."

I bit my lip. "Hale–"

He punched his fist against the wall, his mask of calm finally fading away. "Fuck, Adision," he swore, his eyes tightly shut. "Do you have any idea how much you scared me? Do you know what I thought?"

There it was. The calm before the storm melting away. The total fury didn't startle me as much as I'd expected.

"You're running in circles," he said, finally turning to look me in the eyes. I thought I saw his eyes watering, but it must have been a trick of the light.

"But it's different –"

"Well, what the hell do you think you're going to accomplish this time? Or the next? I've heard heart attacks are loads of fun. The records say that's how my real father died."

"Hale, listen–"

"No, you listen," he snapped, his eyes betraying the total depth of his fury. He took a deep breath, but I could tell he was still mad by the way his fists were clenched. "Give up," he finally said, his tone cold. "Give it up, Adision. I don't know what you think you saw when you were a kid, but it's gone. Dead. You're fighting a losing battle, and I'm sick of it."

"But with this Sky and I–"

"Sky is your father. And though I know you don't believe it, he really does love you, and your mother, and Jonathan. Honestly Addy," he continued, "is this worth it?"

His words stung, but I did my best to try and keep any smart remarks in my head. "Hale, you don't understand – I was right. He is real. I know so much now. His name is Baltor, and she can bring him back. Why don't you see how great that is?"

"Because I know those people," he replied. "They never do things like this without a price." He stared at me with a gaze I couldn't read. "You said it was bad. How bad?"

My stomach lurched as the woman's words came floating back into my head. You have to take her place at the wedding. You have to marry your father instead. "It's… really bad. And Hale, that's where I really need you help."

He stared at me for a moment, a look of bewilderment on his face. "No," he finally said. "I've had enough. Figure this one out on your own, since you obviously don't need me anymore."

"Hale…"

"No, no, no," he insisted, already turning around and heading down the corridor, "don't let me stop you. Go ahead; have fun selling your soul. Send me a postcard from the Underworld, if you can. Try to find one with a picture of the Fates on it."

This was not the reaction I had been expecting. "Please, you don't understand–"

"I've never understood. You always tell me that."

I folded my arms across my chest, tears stinging at the corner of my eyes. "What the hell is your problem? After all of this, you're just giving up? Why? Why now?"

He stopped, and turned around to face me. His face was blank, but in his eyes I could see what looked like longing. "My problem?" he asked, his voice soft and strained. "Jeg er forelsket. Med dig. That's my problem."

I didn't even have time to ask what he meant before he turned and started walking away again, leaving me alone.

I sat in one of the large leather chairs in the library, staring at the small liquid-filled vial I'd been given earlier that day. The thin silver chain was around my neck as I swung the vial back and forth, my mind swirling as much as the liquid inside it. I finally let it drop to rest in the hollow part of my collarbone.

What was I going to do?

"Adision?"

I jumped at the sound of a voice, shoving the necklace under my shirt so only the chain was visible. Then I turned around in the chair, my eyes scanning the area before resting on a figure in the doorway, her bright red hair pulled up in a high ponytail. "Mom," I breathed, putting a hand to my chest in an attempt to slow down my now rapidly beating heart. "You scared me."

She gave me a small smile. Over the years, Mom's appearance had changed very little. She didn't eat very often (that I knew of), so unlike Flora or any of the other girls, she was pretty much the exact same size she'd been when I was little. She hadn't dyed her hair at all, and her eyesight was still perfect. Looking at my mother was like getting a glimpse of my future – what I would look like in ten years.

"Sorry, honey, I didn't mean to scare you. You're usually not in here."

"I… wanted to be alone with my thoughts, I guess. Hale and I had a fight."

She raised an eyebrow. "Are we talking about the same Hale? The one you've been friends with since you were five years old? Tall, gangly, can't-draw-to-save-his-life Hale?"

I bit back a laugh. "Yes, that Hale."

"What were you two arguing about?"

I froze a little. "Oh just… something I wanted to do this weekend, and he thought it was a bad idea. And it's really not, it's just… complicated."

"Life's pretty complicated, sweetie." Mom replied, walking over and perching herself on the arm of my chair. "But people fight all the time. Maybe you should talk with him a little more about it. I'm sure you can find a good compromise."

I smiled to myself. If only it was that simple. "Maybe. Where's Sk– Dad?"

She gave me a look, but didn't comment on my little slip. "He and Jonathan are going to Red Fountain. He's giving a lecture to some of the freshman, and your brother wanted to go along. Speaking of which," she said, getting up and going over to the large oak desk, "when is your spring break over? I thought you were supposed to be back at Alfea by now."

"We got an extra week. Ms. Griselda's granddaughter's in the hospital, so…"

"Right," Mom murmured. I could tell she had barely paid attention to what I'd said.

Subconsciously, I reached into my shirt and retrieved the necklace, tapping the side of the vial with one of my purple-painted nails, the hollow pings to soft to be heard. And before I even thought about it, I was talking. "Mom, do you remember that imaginary friend I had when I was little?"

I watched her eyes widen as she jerked her hand. The pen she was holding dragged across the page, messing up whatever she was writing. "Oh hell," she muttered before she addressed me, her voice sounding too hard to be nonchalant. "You know, I don't remember that much, honey. I know you always talked to it."

I nodded, watching her carefully. "Do you remember why I stopped talking to him?"

"You… grew up, I suppose. Once you met Hale and you and Selena made up, you kind of… pushed it aside."

"Him," I corrected her. "It was a 'him'."

She gave a small strained laugh. "If you say so."

I looked at her for a few seconds, twisting the chain around my finger. "His name was Baltor, wasn't it?"

Mom took a deep breath, squeezing her eyes shut. "It might have been."

My stomach tightened. Oddly enough, this was one of the reasons I loved my mother. Despite everything that had happened over the years, she was still strong – even for me, when she didn't have to be. "Mom," I began, deciding I needed to tell her the truth.

"There you two are."

I saw Mom cringe a little, and I dug my nails into the leather seat of the chair to calm myself down a little upon hearing Sky's voice. We both realized he'd probably been listening to us this whole time.

"I thought Jonathan came in here to say goodbye before we left," he said, a smile on his face as he looked back and forth between mother and daughter. His eyes, however, were anything but friendly. "I guess I was wrong. He must be in the hangar already."

Mom nodded, smiling much like Sky was. "You're right, though. I should go and find him before he leaves."

Sky nodded. "You do that. Did you get those papers from the Solarian Court yet?"

She held up the papers she'd been writing on. "Signed and ready. Do they need them back? I'd be more than happy to go and drop them off on Solaria."

He opened his mouth to speak, but his tone changed as he seemed to remember that I was in the room. "That's alright, dear. I'll just take them with me now and give them to Brandon. He told me he was going to be at Red Fountain this weekend too."

I saw my mother's expression darken. "Well, alright then. I'll just go and find Jonathan." With that, she stood up from the desk and walked out, pausing only to kiss my cheek and shove the papers into Sky's hands.

When the door closed, Sky turned his attention to me, his expression still attempting to be kind. "What were you two talking about?"

I gave a small smile, still gripping the chair. "Just about stuff when I was little. Toys and crap."

He nodded, going over and picking some more papers up off the desk. "Did I hear you talking about that imaginary friend you used to have? God… no offense, Addy, but that thing was a little… different. I mean, I personally didn't have a problem with it, but your mother was so glad when you finally gave it up."

I don't know why, but something inside me snapped at that comment. Watching this man who was treating my mother like a prisoner talk so simply about the way he'd ruined everything set my blood on fire. I looked down at the vial around my neck, and it suddenly seemed as though all my answers were contained in it.

I stood up abruptly, catching his attention. "I promised Hale I'd call him. We wanted to do something tonight."

Sky chuckled a little. "No more trips to Vegas, okay?"

I felt myself smile a little. "What are you going to do if I do? Lock me up like Mom?"

I heard the rustling of papers stop. "What?" he asked, turning to look at me.

My eyes narrowed. "I," I said after a few seconds, "am not stupid. I have a memory, mind you. And I know what happened. And all I have to say is that you'd better watch yourself, because the 'happily ever after' ends tonight."

I left the room before he could regain his voice and reply.

It had to be around midnight when I returned to the library, hiding out on the second floor balcony, looking down at my mother. She was at the desk again, papers fanned across its surface. Her hand however, wasn't moving. The only way I knew she was awake was from the sound of her tapping the pen against the desk.

Hang in there, Mom.

I carefully removed the vial from my neck and popped open the lid. The faint smell of lavender and blood oranges wafted over my nostrils. I glanced down at the liquid inside. It looked harmless enough, but there was still something about it that made me nervous.

My hand ran against the molding on the bottom of the wall, feeling the dusty place where it met the carpeted balcony. It was now or never. Before I lost my nerve, I poured about half the vial out onto the side of the wall.

I don't know what I expected – fireworks, loud hissing, fire – just… something. But all the liquid did was seep into the floor and disappear. I ran my hand along the area again. It was as bone dry as before.

"Nothing," I said to myself, somewhat angrily, standing up and brushing stray hairs off my dark pink skinny jeans. "What a surprise. After all of this, why would it–"

From downstairs, I heard my mom scream.

I spun around and was immediately blinded. The bottom of the walls all around the library were glowing like neon signs, constantly changing colors. I saw Mom's hand reach under the desk, and a second later, there was a black object in her hand, that I recognized as a handgun. She'd probably stashed it there for safekeeping. Or, now that I thought about it, maybe for keeping Sky away from her.

The color of the walls was now a dark black that somehow illuminated the whole room. The wards were breaking; the strong ring around the castle that had cast my childhood out was crumbling in front of my eyes. I found myself grinning.

A loud bang sounded from somewhere. After a few seconds, I heard it again. And then a loud, high-pitched wail ripped through the room as the wards around the walls turned blazing white. I covered my ears and shut my eyes tightly, still clutching the vial.

There was a loud crash, a male scream, and then the brightness that shone even through my eyelids disappeared with the noise.

Cautiously, I opened my eyes, still crouched behind the banisters on the balcony. Looking down, I found my mother pretty much below me, her eyes staring straight ahead. As I followed her gaze, I saw the desk she'd been sitting at previously lying in shambles, papers strewn all over the ground. I looked around, wondering what cracked it.

There was a sound between a grunt and a moan, and then I realized it wasn't what had ruined it – it was who.

It had been hard to see at first, but now that my eyes weren't seeing stars, I could make out the outline of a human figure on the desk. His long, red blonde hair was splayed out in all directions, a deep burgundy coat covering his dark pants and old-fashioned-looking vest. After a second, he reached out a gloved hand and gripped his shoulder, a pained look on his face. "Bloody hell, that hurt…" The moment he finished his thought, his eyes snapped open, bright gold and shell-shocked. "…that hurt…"

My mother raised the gun and pointed it in the direction of the desk. "Who's there?" she called, her voice strong. "Show yourself now!"

"It hurt," he repeated wondrously. "I can feel it. How is that possible?"

The barrier of light momentarily flickered, trying to come back to life. I poured a few drops on the dully-glowing wall, and it flickered off with a small pop. My mother's head jerked up to where I was, and I had to duck back into the shadows.

Apparently, that was her breaking point; I heard a distinct click of the gun being clocked. A second later there was a loud bang, and a few books in the case behind the desk exploded, more paper flying around. "This isn't a joke! I order you to show yourself!"

The man, who'd been examining his arms to see if they were intact, stopped short. He turned in the direction of the voice, his eyes growing even wider. "Bloom?"

The way he said her name made me shiver. It sounded like a violating caress, laced with a deep affection and a bit of wonder. Explaining it was impossible, but it was undeniably beautiful.

My mom seemed to recognize it, too. The gun fell to the floor, and this look washed over her face, something I'd never seen on her. "No."

I knew then that the man had to be Baltor. Even as he stood, brushing stray chunks of wood off his clothes, I began to recognize him more and more – from dreams, memories of my childhood, and the odd sketch my mother drew on the corner of a page. It was Baltor.

The look on my mother's face only further confirmed my theory. She was staring at him in complete shock, tears falling down her face. "Those lights were the barriers breaking. You managed to get through it. You–" She stopped short, taking a few deep breaths.

Baltor looked close to tears himself, but he managed to keep them at bay. "I didn't do anything," he said softly, walking towards her – slowly, like she was an illusion. "One second I'm trapped in Obsidian, thinking I'm never going to get out, and suddenly… I'm here. I thought you might have done something–"

"And I thought you might have," my mom said back, a small smile crossing her face. "But the Dragon Fire… I feel it. I know, and…" Her breath hitched, and she threw her arms around his neck. "I can't believe it's you."

I had to fight back my own tears as Baltor wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly against him. He was whispering something in her ear, but I couldn't hear it. And after a few seconds, Mom drew her head back and pressed her lips against his. I smiled at the sight, squeezing the vial so tightly I was surprised it hadn't broken.

The vial.

Immediately, the wave of happiness around me fell away. My father was back, and now… I had to keep my end of the deal. I had to go back; I had to set things right.

And looking at my mother now… there was no way I could back out on my part.

As quietly as I could, I stood up and backed away from the edge of the landing, reaching behind me to open a door that led out of the library. I couldn't hear anything anymore. With a small sigh, I turned around.

"There you are, Addy."

I jumped about a mile in the air. Standing in the hallway was the last person I'd ever expected to see.

"Um… hey," Hale said, raising a hand in an innocent gesture.

"…Hi," I said, my voice a whisper. Shit. "What're you doing here?" I kept my voice low, considering I was still in the doorframe between the hall and the library.

"Well, to be honest, I felt really bad about what I said earlier. But then I got here and… what the heck was that?"

"What was what?" I asked, still keeping my voice down.

"Did you see the walls? This place was glowing like a firework. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry. That was my fault."

"I didn't try to touch it and–" He cut off mid sentence. "Wait, what? You did that?"

I ran my finger down the length of the vial. "…Yes."

Hale gave me a look. "Adision, what's wrong?"

Tears were stinging at the back of my eyes. "I told you, I found a way to get my father back. And I did."

He knew by my voice that wasn't the end of it. "What did you do?"

"I… I…" I shut my eyes tightly.

"Adision." Hale's face was set in a look of mild fear. He took a step towards me, but I took one back. He took one forward, and I took another one back. "Addy," he said, his voice surprisingly calm. "Talk to me."

I glanced over the railing at Mom and Baltor. They weren't paying enough attention to notice me. "I'm sorry Hale," I said, raising the vial to show him.

I don't know what he thought it was, but he obviously assumed the worse by the way his face paled. "Adision," he said slowly, holding out a hand. "Give me that."

"Bridgette's friend gave it to me."

"Another reason to give it to me."

"Hale." My voice was still a whisper as I motioned to my parents with a slight nod of my head. "I did it."

He glanced over the rails, but stopped short when he saw Baltor. For a moment, there was nothing but silence. "That's him?"

"That's him. And by drinking this," I raised the vial again, "I make sure he stays."

He looked back at me. "What does it do?"

I balled my hands into fists. "Trust me."

Hale gave me a long look. I couldn't meet his gaze, so I just shut my eyes tightly, trying not to cry. I felt his arms go around me in a hug. "Do you know what I yelled at you this morning in Danish?" I shook my head against him, not returning the embrace. "Good," I heard him mutter, exhaling in what sounded like relief.

I was about to ask why, but suddenly his arms tightened around me. "Bloom!" Hale yelled, loud enough for my mother to hear. "Help me!"

My eyes snapped open. "Hale, no!"

"Adision?" I heard my mother say. I assumed she was looking at me. "Sweetie, I–"

"Let me go!" I yelled, trying to push myself away from Hale. "Hale, stop it! You're ruining everything!"

"She has some kind of drug!" he yelled to my mother. "She got it from a fortune teller! It just caused the firework show here. Help me get the vial!"

"No!" I screamed, louder. I kept struggling, especially when I felt Hale's fingertips reach for the vial. "You can't!"

"Just… give it to me! Addy, please, I lo– "

Just then, I got one of my arms free, elbowing Hale with all my strength, and I finally managed to get away from him. And before I could even think about it, I raised the vial to my lips and gulped it down.

My mother yelled my name. A gloved hand reached out to touch my shoulder. I could see Hale reach for me. I saw everything around me, but I felt like I was being dragged away from it all. The world was suddenly too bright, and I was too tired. I dropped to the ground as I felt the world slip from me.

The last thing I thought I heard was Hale saying the word 'love'.