Final Curtain

Mel's POV

I spent last night curled up on the couch, glaring across the room where the cordless phone sat. The thing had rung minutes after I arrived from College, since my phone had also cried for me to answer it, I didn't pick up.

It was probably the same person who'd called my cell.

And it had been.

Between the recorded message before the beep and his words... I hadn't been able to figure out what shocked me more. The message was simply... strange. First of all, it was proof. More proof than a portrait, no one had forced me to act out those sentences or laugh like... like I couldn't be happier.

I'd sounded so strange to my own ears.

Just like Nathaniel had sounded so different from what I knew, what I remembered.

I actually picked up the phone—but he'd hung up already. Leaving me feeling both relieved and disappointed.

Afterwards, I decided not to erase the crazy answering machine message. Every time I needed a reminder that I had... been with him, that was my only evidence.

One thing was me being told how I should feel, what happened, another was hearing it from myself.

Today, I was hanging with Anna. Trying not to let her know I was texting Jensen for our shopping trip. I figured if she knew I was buying a bike she'd talk me out of it.

"It's not fair to him." I stopped slurping my smoothie, cocking my head. I slid my phone into a pocket.

"You're defending a guy? I really did lose my memory."

Obviously, I'd shared with her last afternoon's events about the answering machine and the message he'd left.

She rolled her eyes.

"Tone down the sarcasm."

I snorted in an unladylike way. My Heaven-sent goodie nearly bit the floor.

"Maybe you lost your memory, too. Queen of sarcasm here!" I said with a big spectacle of pointing at myself. The waitress gave me a funny look making me think I should be wearing white and live at a mental hospital.

What a judgy bitch.

I blinked. Where had that come from?

"I think you need a personality adjustment." I shrugged. It was probably from all the sugar. "You might not remember him, Mel, but he does. He remembers and feels everything. Can't you see how unfair it is that you won't even talk to him?"

I nibbled on the straw, eying Anna through hooded eyes.

"Well, I don't feel bad about this because it's not my fault. It's not like I chose what to forget and what to keep..."

Why did this feel like a cheesy drama-comedy flick? Okay. People had died and others had been hurt, so, not a whole lot of comedy. Maybe the British humor kind?

"Is it so bad that I refuse to believe I had Stockholm Syndrome?"

"He didn't kidnap you." I gave her a pointed glare. "Maybe at first it seemed that way, but he was just protecting you from The Order."

"Are you sure you're not in love with him? The way you stick up for him instead of me is pretty epic."

Anna lowered her head into her hands. I laughed crossing my leg under the table.

"Riddle me this," her voice got muffled by her hands. "If Nate was bad for you—in any way—would I be encouraging a meeting with him?"

I started opening my mouth—

"No. I wouldn't. I'd be the first person telling you to move on. But I'm not." She expelled a long breath lifting her head, eyes on mine. "Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Sometimes I loved Anna like a sister. Other times, I wanted to glue her lips together so she couldn't rationalize my life and show me the harsh truths.

This was one of those times.

Anna hadn't been a hater of me and Parker, but she hadn't been sad when we'd broken up, either. She told me I would find much better.

So, the fact that she was pushing for this... Yeah, it made me curious.

"You're evil."

"That hurts," she narrowed her eyes.

"Truth always does." I heaved a tiny chuckle. I got my phone from my pocket. I bit my lip looking through missed calls. There it was. ID: Nate.

My eyes pounced on hers.

"If this goes wrong in any way..."

"You're holding me responsible. Yep. Got it." She waved me off. "Just call him already. He's been miserable."

His misery was none of my business. That was a lie, but one I was going to hang on to. I didn't want to make choices based on what would make someone happy. I was looking after myself.

"What are you doing?"

"Texting him," I clicked send with a deep pit of unease in my stomach. "You thought I'd call? Not a chance." It would be bad enough to meet today. Face to face. Alone.

I felt compelled to ask Anna to be there but I was a big girl who'd survived a Cult, bombs and comas. I could face an Ex I didn't remember.

Right?

Right.

Meanwhile, I had other things on my mind.

"What's gotten into you?"

"What do you mean?" Anna stopped mid-bite.

"I don't know. I mean, I know half a year is missing from my mind, but... I can't put my finger on it. You're just different." She lowered her nut cupcake onto her plate. "We've been together for hours and you still haven't bragged about your latest boytoy. There are plenty of those on campus, right?"

Jensen popped to mind. I pursed my lips to conceal a smirk. I could totally peg him for the Casanova type.

"Probably," she gave a small shrug. I all but gasped. "What? It's not like I sleep around with every guy, Mel. Jeez."

I never thought I'd see the day Anna Leighton got awkward talking about sex. Yet, the tips of her cheeks were red—not pink. Red. She was shifting nervously under the table... Squirming in her chair.

"Oh. My. God." My jaw barely worked. "You're seeing someone—wait! It's... It's someone I know isn't it?" Anna breathed for a minute before giving me a yes. "What... Is it Pacey?"

"Yuck!" She waved her hands frenetically. "Eww, Mel. I've known Pacey since we were kids. That's gross."

"I dated Parker."

"Yeah, but that's because you two were idiots." She deadpanned with an eye roll.

I lifted a finger in the air when my phone vibrated in my lap. I glared down. Not sure who I wanted it to be. Jensen saying we were ago for bike shopping or Nathaniel saying yes to meeting me in the afternoon.

It was the latter.

I relaxed once I saw all it read was: K

Not big on words, I see.

Anna tore a chunk off her muffin, nodding to my phone.

"It's from him."

"Try not to sound too happy."

"None of this is comfortable for me, Anna. It's like I woke up in a twilight zone or something..." I blinked, shoving the Samsung into my satchel this time. "But you were just about to tell me who's the unlucky bastard—"

"Hey."

"That got you to settle down." I beamed a smile her way, she looked so funny. Eyes all round and big. I'd rendered her speechless.

"That would be me, luv." I jumped when someone—a guy—slid into the third, unoccupied chair between us.

"Wha... Where...?"

The guy was familiar. Dark hair, green bright eyes, a sinful mouth... He smiled disarmingly.

"The unlucky bastard? It's me. Although, I often think of myself as lucky." He said the last part stealing a glance at Anna, who pushed hair behind her ear. "Anna's told you about me. Who I am?"

Yeppers.

"You're... my brother." That felt weird to say. Brother.

"Half-brother. Only on our Father's side." He sat a little straighter keeping eyes on me. They were so intense. "My name's Aric."

I pushed back into my chair, insulted.

"I knew that."

Aric gave a lazy shrug, "Just in case you didn't."

My brain turned its turbo on.

"Wait. He's your boyfriend?"

Aric's eyebrows arched and we looked in union at her. For different reasons.

"Am I?" he asked, smirk creeping on.

She huffed, "I never used that word." Her lashes lowered as she glowered my way. I pulled an innocent mask on. "You're the worst ever. And what are you doing here? Stalking is not attractive."

"It's not stalking if you voluntarily tell me where you're going and I decide to drop by. Chill, darling." Aric had a dreamy accent. "I thought it was about time I checked on my baby sister, see if you were taking good care of her."

"And try to talk me into seeing Nathaniel? You're too late for that, Anna already manipulated me." I scooted forward in my chair, trying to pass off the impression Aric studying me didn't bother me. "I think I need a coffee now..." I muttered motioning for the waitress to come our way.

"You're going to see him?"

"She is," Anna filled in as I asked for a cappuccino. "Shouldn't you back home babysitting? Or at least studying the perimeter..."

Aric's hand shot across to Anna's face, his thumb wiped her bottom lip. Okay... I hadn't seen crumbs there, but hey? They looked into each other's face for a serious minute, Anna's mouth closing as she gave an imperceptible nod.

"Do you guys always act like this?"

Aric threw a glance at me, "Like what?"

I pressed my lips tightly together. I didn't know where I got the feeling from, but my gut told me something fishy was happening here. Anna had been talking about studying a place—a perimeter? What was that about?

"I don't know. Just... weird." I shrugged hoping to look naive. When Anna told me the complicated story of my family, she mentioned Aric hating his... our Father. That he'd left The Order at a young age and had done other things, but called himself a mercenary nowadays. So, did I want to know what studying Aric was supposed to do?

Nope.

My half-brother leaned into his chair, crossing a long leg.

"I'm not used to you not remembering things." I cocked my head waiting for more. Nothing. "What's that made of?" he shifted attention to Anna—rather, her half finished cupcake.

"Nuts," his lips curled. "There's dark chocolate, too."

"That's my favorite."

"I know," she beamed a cutesy smile at him. Holy baby Jesus. She was being nice. "I've gotta run to the bathroom. I'll tell the waitress to bring one for you." It looked like Anna, walked like Anna, sounded like her but wasn't Anna.

As she went, I glared at Aric.

"You brainwashed her."

"I call it being smitten, luv." He angled forward, resting his chin on a hand. "You used to know what fancying someone felt like, you were head over heels for my little brother until a few days ago."

His little...

"Nathaniel?" he nodded. Holy cow. I'd totally forgotten that minor detail. "Don't you think that's messed up?"

"No. Nate and I are related through our Mother. You and I through Vincent. There's absolutely no blood relation between you kids."

I wasn't a kid. Although, sulking wasn't the best way to make a point.

We fell into quietness. The waitress brought the cappuccino and Aric's black chocolate muffin, she didn't leave before spying glances at Aric's mouth, then she practically ate him up. I couldn't blame her, Aric was an eyesome fellow.

"Thank you, you can bring us the check now." Anna's voice sounded sharply. She took her seat promptly, keeping a fearful posture. Warning was clear even before she ran her fingers along his hand 'hands off, he's mine'.

"Coming right up." The twenty-year old girl replied with a tight smile. Envy was close to breaking her face, though.

Aric bit into into his muffing keeping a calm front, like tension hadn't been stuffing our lungs and making it hard to breathe.

"Twilight zone..." I muttered, bringing the cup's rim to my mouth.

My phone pinged.

Getting it out, I resisted an urge to dance around the table. It was from Jensen.

Tmrw afternoon?

I replied: I'm a dropout. Any time's good.

My finger hovered a winky face... Hmm, should I? Heh, why not?

;)

My phone came to life fast.

Like ur humor. Text u later with details.

Okay, I typed back.

"Is it Pacey?"

"Nope," I finished up my beverage. "One of the reasons I quit College was to get away from Pacey. Why would I be texting him?"

"You what?"

Whoopsie.

I might not have mentioned I was no longer a student at Columbia. But rather an alumni.

"I dropped out yesterday. It just seems like a waste of time and money." Aric snickered at Anna's choked expression. "Aww, Mom, am I grounded?"

"Don't make jokes! You wanted to come back and finish College—it was all you talked about. Did you know one of your teacher's wanted you to go to Rome? On a really swanky art program in the summer?"

"They mentioned that yesterday when they were giving me reasons to stay."

"You've gone crazy!"

"No. I've lost my memories, big difference."

"Aric."

He swallowed the last of what had looked like a delicious cupcake and straightened, holding up his hands.

"Don't drag me into this, kitty-cat. Melissa can make her own decisions. I'm not her legal guardian, neither are you."

Anna looked like she wanted to object. I beat her to the punch.

"See? He doesn't meddle in my life."

"Because he's trying to give you space—"

"Maybe you should do the same." I slapped my hands on the coffee shop's table. "You drop six months of information on my ass and you expect me to just nod to everything? I'm trying to assimilate this new... life. But it's not that easy. I don't know anything—the things I do know I feel like I have to get away from. Things that held my interest suddenly don't..."

"Here's the check—"

My head snapped towards the waitress, face pulled in taut lines.

"Excuse me, can't you see I'm in the middle of a soliloquy?" the way she blinked her eyes, coming up with a blank expression, told me she had no idea what the word meant. "Argh. Forget it."

I slapped enough money for what I consumed, shrugged on my jacket and walked out the coffee shop filled with this undeniable, all-consuming rage and confusion.

***

After I left the coffee shop I went home. I was mad at so many things I didn't trust myself to be out in the open.

That had me laughing. It wasn't like I'd kill someone.

But I just felt like being safe behind my four walls. There, I walked to my room—not my parent's completely changed bedroom, the one that I'd shared with him—my room.

I sat on the window seat overlooking the view of skyscrapers, people scurrying down below nothing but dots, and after what seemed ages, I took my sketchbook. I allowed my imagination to run, driving my hand, twisting lines, molding and shaping. I must've reached for the eraser a hundred times before I let myself focus on what I'd drawn.

A pair of eyes. A man's eyes

Men eyes were more squared than women. The eyelid was more angled, the eyebrows thicker and lower towards the eye. Also, men had more shadows on the eyelid.

The highlights inside the irises were light, meaning the eyes I'd been picturing were bright. I tapped the end of my pencil on a knee. Maybe those blazing blue eyes Jensen had?

I shook my head with a grin. Taking in the toasted sunlight another pair of bright eyes shimmied into my thoughts...

My tooth bit down on my lip so hard I tasted blood.

The door bell rang.

I stared into the hallway with lingering panic. Why had I let Anna get to me? Yes, a tiny part of me was curious... I couldn't deny myself this, I decided, setting down my drawing stuff and making my way down the hall, into the living room.

I drew numerous short breaths that didn't seem to calm me. Standing in front of the door, I felt jitters, my hand grew shaky once I reached for the knob after twisting the key. I stopped, closing my eyes.

I couldn't nip a feeling—a whisper in the back of my mind saying this could change everything. For better or worse? I didn't know. I had no idea if I wanted to change anything. I was building something new...

I scolded myself. My memories hadn't come whirling when I woke up and saw him, not when I'd seen his portrait or heard our recorded message.

Seeing Nathaniel wouldn't flip my life. I was strong enough to do this.

Curling my fingers once, I reached for the doorknob, pulling it open.

I swear my lungs emptied every ounce of air once his gaze grappled for mine. His shoulders dropped just as his chest did, the look in Nathaniel's eyes made me confused. They were wide, twice more shiny than what I remembered and...

I frowned at a cut on his left cheek. Now that I paid attention, a black bruise peeked from under the collar of his navy shirt. There was a yellow blemish on his chin, too.

My stomach turned violently. Maybe this had been a bad idea.

"Can I come in?" he asked quietly, in a deep voice.

My hand tightened on knob. Be brave, I chanted, be brave.

My tongue skipped over my lips, "Yeah, sure." I stepped aside never releasing the door. He bowed his head slightly, hiding his bruised left face, showing me a good view of his right cheek.

That soft layer of stubble stole my attention.

"Are you going to close the door or are you planning to make this a show for the neighbors?"

The tease caused my arm to work fast—the door slammed closed. A painting rattled on a wall. Huh. Hadn't meant to do that.

It was all his fault. The stubble was... distracting.

"So..." he began, shuffling his feet, hands shoved into his pockets.

I walked three steps from the door, shifting on the balls of my feet.

"So," I intoned.

Nothing awkward about this.

Nope.

"I don't know what to say." I carefully whispered gauging his reaction.

Nathaniel's eyes didn't waver from my face.

"Have you remembered anything?" I shook my head looking at the carpet. "Okay. What's... Why did you want to see me, then?"

"You said you wanted to see me. And Anna said I should, so... here we are."

"Here we are." He mimicked softly. His body language was tight. A caged animal waiting for an opening to run wild. It... put me on edge. "I miss you,"

And what could I say to that? Nothing.

I ran a hand up-and-down my arm wishing I could drill a hole in the ground and jump inside. His gaze was heavy, mellow—exactly the opposite of what I remembered. The Nathaniel I knew had cold, calculating eyes, was distant and careless with me.

In an eye blink, he was directly in front of me. Cool hands reached for mine. Stunned, I let him touch me, let his fingers brush the underside of my wrists until he found bumped skin—my scars.

"Mel..." he called when I pulled away. Nathaniel looked distraught by me slipping free, but made no move to stop me.

"Please don't touch me." It came out razor-sharped and low.

Nathaniel looked side to side, tossing ash hair from his whiskey gaze.

"Yeah, sure. Sorry."

"It's... because of the scars. They're tender." I have no idea why I was lying. Why should I make him feel better? He'd hurt me. Because the slapped expression made me guilty, that's why.

A teasing smirk gripped his lips.

"You're lying,"

My cheeks puffed out, "I'm not."

"I can always tell when you lie." He was sounding like a smartass jerk already. Hurray. "You have a tell."

I did?

My cheeks heated up worse when he caught me gawking at his wounded face.

"I thought Anna said you quit your... hmm... job?"

"The Hive," he chided. Right. "I did."

For me, Anna had said. He'd quit the only thing he'd ever known because he'd found something worth living for with me. More negative feelings welled in my chest—for myself. Great.

"Then what happened to your face?"

Changing lanes seemed good.

"I had an altercation with some guy at a bar. Nothing to worry over."

"That depends. Is he dead in a ditch somewhere?"

I didn't think about it. It simply came out. Dropped from my mouth and surfed like a bullet for him. Before me, Nathaniel's soft cheeks pulled firmly against his bones. Making him look scary.

"I'm not a psychopath." Right. Killing was normal as long as there was money involved. "Aric and I are trying to find a way of stopping Nolan."

My eyebrows squinted.

"What do you mean?"

He paused, thoughtful.

"Nothing. Just that he's still out there. But we'll handle him, he won't get to you again. I can promise you that."

"Huh, thanks."

A heartbeat of silence fell between us. He had to break it, though.

"I don't always do the right thing or say what you want to hear. Truth is, I screw up a lot. But if there's one thing that was never a mistake it's you and me. Being with you was the best choice I ever made and..." I drew in a big sigh as whiskey eyes smothered my aquamarine ones. "I'm not giving up on us."

Okay. That was a pretty solid stand on his part. Where he stood and all.

"Look, the only thing I remember from being with you is... fear. Pain." Luminous eyes fluttered to somewhere over my shoulder. I crossed my arms hard—forcing the words out. "I know what I'm supposed to feel about you. Anna told me we were... together. The thing is," I shook my head. "I don't remember anything with you besides the night we met and a trip into a gas station." A mirthless chuckle left me as I finished.

Nathaniel's eyelashes lowered, fanning his cheeks, as he racked a hand through his wavy hair.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I don't know. I don't know if I want you in my life, if I want to try and know you because... I forgot those memories for a reason. If we were so great together, why did I forget it all? It's strange."

It scared me. The notion of being with someone so different from myself. Someone who hit me when we'd met. It just... didn't feel right.

Nathaniel stayed still, pinching the bridge of his nose. Muscles in my legs tensed. I was ready to haul ass out of here if he lashed out.

His eyes slipped open. I took a step back. I thought I saw hurt swimming in those bright irises.

"What if I can't stay out of your life—until this mess with Nolan is finished?"

I shrugged. I could put up with him if it was for my safety. It didn't mean I had to talk to him or even look at his face.

"As long as you keep a safe distance..." He flinched at the words. I bit my lip as Anna's words rained all over: I didn't remember but he did. "I didn't mean for it to sound so..."

"Honest?" he bit out. He bent to grab his jacket—when had he taken it off? Then, circled around me avoiding my eyes like they were a death sentence. "Don't worry. I got exactly what you meant. I'll come back for my stuff when you're not home." I licked my lips while watching him open the front door and before leaving, he turned his head toward me. "Do whatever the hell you want, Melissa."

He slammed the door.

A hand shot to my head, pinning back my hair in utter frustration. Just then, my phone vibrated on top of the coffee table. I thought it was Jensen setting time and place for our shopping adventure.

Instead, it was an unidentified number.

Trouble in paradise already? What a shame. He was always a good pet until he met you, but everything will be fixed soon.

I'll take what you stole from me.

I stared at the text long and hard.

Troubled in paradise was about me and Nate? Nate was person—not an animal. He wasn't a pet and I'd stolen something?

What the hell was this?