Her eyebrows furrowed, blue eyes turning towards the white dog at her side. Even the dog seemed as if it was confused by Ravus’s mysterious disappearance, its head tilted aside before it looked up at its master.

“You wouldn’t happen to know where he is, Pryna?”

The dog looked forward again before standing up and beginning to trot away. Oh! Where was Pryna off to? The blonde-haired princess turned toward the study for another quick glance before jogging after the dog.

The manor seemed far bigger without any sight of Ravus taking his two o’clock patrol around with the other soldiers while giving them their usual regiment and plans for the day. Not even the regular guards seemed to be about, only with a few servants passing by to give the manor any sort of life. Were the rest of the Tenebraen royal guard deployed somewhere? Was something wrong? No… If there was something wrong, the staff would be unsettled and whispering with dread. Instead, it was a rather lithe environment. The princess couldn’t help but furrow her eyebrows curiously in thought.

Well, if Ravus wasn’t working, where in the world would he be? It was honestly hard to imagine. This was Ravus after all. Lunafreya stopped in her tracks, causing Pryna to come to a halt and watch its master curiously. If one was to track Ravus, one would have to think like Ravus. And perhaps it was thinking a bit too much like him, but she didn’t really seem phased as she huffed her chest up. Her shoulders pulled themselves back, and her brow furrowed even more into a scowl as terrifying as a puppy’s gaze.

“’What is the meaning of this?’” Her voice was hardly as low and spiteful as Ravus’s voice ever would be, but it was still a humorous attempt that Pryna responded to with by barking excitedly. “’I am not doing work for once! What am I do to with such nuance and wasted time?! Dilly dally, work work work when I have a day off!’”

The babbling Lunafreya did stopped abruptly with one of the steps she took. “’Wait a moment. If I do not have work, then I would wish to relax. And what would I do to relax, my good faithful companion?’”

She looked down at Pryna as the dog twirled around and began bouncing down the corridor.

“’To the garden, Pryna!’”

She dropped the guise only because she didn’t know how anyone could be so physically stiff all the time.

Lunafreya chased after Pryna, coming to the outside courtyard and entrance to the gardens. As if approaching a sacred place, she laced his fingers together as if in a prayer. The gardens were always a lovely place to visit. But if anything, they were surely Ravus’s domain. She had her own favorite places to visit amongst it, but the gardens were perhaps Ravus’s most treasured place. Not even his own bed could provide him with such solace. If she were to see what Ravus was up to, she’d have to at least come up with a good reason for disturbing Ravus on such holy grounds. It was already so rare for him to break from his schedule as is. And if her intuition was correct, then it would mean it would be disrespectful to bother him… Right?

She let out a soft sight before walking into the gardens. All along the shrubs were white roses, adorning and complimenting the grassy patches that the sylleblossoms sprouted from. Various other flowers were found amongst the sea of flowers, but whites and blues dominated the garden as if they were clouds amongst a blue sky. Seas of green all a sign of the beauty and life that grew just outside of where the royal family resided.

And within the beautiful waves of flora was Ravus. Like an elegant marble sculpture, he sat at one of the garden’s picnic tables with his legs crossed and a book splayed in his palm. He was serene and gentle with his expression and posture, simply absorbed into the novel as he absent-mindedly stirred the creamy liquid in the porcelain cup on the table.

Lunafreya couldn’t help but smile at such a sight. This was the first time in years that she’s ever seen him so calm…

“There you are, Ravus.” Ravus turned his gaze upwards from his book and peered at his sister through the thin-framed spectacles he sported. Even if he didn’t jolt, it seemed as if he was too absorbed in his book to have noticed her so easily. The wide eyes showed it. Lunafreya smiled in response as she approached closer. “I was wondering where you were today.”

“Ah… I apologize.” His expression softened as he looked at her. “Did I worry you, Lunafreya?”

“Hm… A little. When I didn’t see you in your study, I grew worried. It’s rare for you to stray from your schedule, Ravus.”

“A change not on my own volition,” he replied bitterly. “Were it my choice, I would have resumed my tasks.”

“But…?” Lunafreya leaned over his shoulder to look at what Ravus was reading, only to make out a brief sentence in it that made her blush and stand upright again. Oh. Private reading.

Ravus sighed and closed his book, taking his glasses off and setting his belongings down on the metal flourishes of the table. He gestured for Lunafreya to take the seat across from him, to which she eagerly abided and sat. “The doctor has claimed that my constant working has been resulting in the infantry ‘suffering with the consequences.’ I do not understand what it was they were insinuating. But to humor them, I abided in their proposal for a day of leisure and relaxation and left General Tummelt to today’s regiment.”

“Ah… So that’s why everyone’s so relaxed today.”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing, brother.” Lunafreya smiled at Ravus, glancing down at the tea and pastries sitting on the table before she tilted his head at him. “It’s nice though… To see you look so calm today. And to see you at all, really.”

Ravus arched an eyebrow and asked, “What do you mean by that? I live in the palace, just as you.”

“I know you do, but I rarely get to see you in general.” Lunafreya’s expression was soft, but there was a sad look in her eyes as she curled her hands together towards her chest. “You and I have travelled different paths – this I know for certain. But even so, I still miss being able to see you. Even something as mundane and trivial as greeting you for breakfast is something that I have missed from you, brother.”

Lunafreya’s expression seemed to shift to one of surprise as she bowed her head towards her brother. She was supposed to be grateful for all that Ravus was doing to protect her and those of Tenebrae. All the sacrifices he’s had to make for the good of everyone shouldn’t be overlooked all because Lunafreya missed her brother. He had his duties, just as she had her own. It wasn’t her place to complain and demand for his attention. They would always be family, regardless of how often they spoke with one another. That should be all that she should ask for.

“I’m sorry, Lunafreya.”

The princess looked up, having been beaten to an apology as she watched Ravus rise from his place. Was he going to leave? Oh no… She probably ruined his relaxation. She hesitated as she looked up at him. And yet, instead of a harsh glare he often displayed, it was a soft and sincere expression as he knelt before her. He held her hands as if caressing glass, fragile and dainty, as she returned his hold, feeling the callouses from his slender fingers brush over the back of her hands. A comforting gesture that Ravus always did whenever he knew Lunafreya was upset. It always was easy for him to tell, after all.

“Why are you apologizing, Ravus? It-“

“Do not say it is your fault or that you are being selfish.” Lunafreya had to avert her gaze. Ravus, however, only spoke kind words as he shook her hands. Just enough to bring her blue pools back to sight. “I know how hard it has been for Tenebrae – for us – as we find ourselves in hard times. But no matter how the hardships affect us or how the grief and loneliness feel overwhelming, you may always look to me for a remedy. Do I make myself clear?”

Lunafreya nodded in response, just as a small smile pressed itself past Ravus’s stoic demeanor. He brought the princess’s knuckles up to his lips, placing a comforting kiss on top of them as he gave her hands another squeeze. “I do what I can to protect you and make you happy, Lunafreya. But if ever should you need me, even to simply say hello, I will return to your side to protect you.”

“I know, Ravus,” she replied as a smile returned itself to Ravus. “It’s just that you do all that you can, so I don’t wish to bother you.”

“Rather you bother me than the chancellor.”

Lunafreya couldn’t help but laugh at such a curt statement, causing Ravus to chuckle as if it were contagious. “Well, I suppose I can’t argue with that…” She grinned and shook Ravus’s hands. “Then, since you’re trying to defy your doctor’s expectations on your ‘forced leave,’ would you like to share some cake with me back at the palace? We can get your more tea, since I imagine this has gone cold.”

“Has it?” He looked down at the tea pot. “I was too absorbed in my book, it seemed.”

“That interesting of a book?”

Ravus had to look away. “It was something the commodore suggested to me. I wasn’t anticipating it to be this…”

“Provocative?”

“Smutty.”

Lunafreya laughed again, letting go of Ravus’s hands so she could rise to her feet. She began to make her way towards the courtyard, but not without snatching the book from the table and grinning at Ravus. “Perhaps I should read it afterwards then, since you seemed so absorbed in such a tale.”

“You absolutely shall not, Lunafreya!” Ravus’s face reddened as he quickly stood up and chased afterwards. “Return to me the book at once!”

Ravus Week

Worth Waiting For

Ravus is 10 the first time he dreams of her. She is a little girl, only 9 years old and is playing with a little doll on the boulder of a river and humming to herself. He doesn’t know where he is but he’s seen this place before, he just doesn’t know where. But all he can see is her back to him, her hair is long and dark chocolate brown and has many little braids in it and it’s so beautiful.

“Hello,” Ravus greeted her as he stood there awkwardly, in his play clothes.

She turned her head at the sound of his voice and considered him for a second and smiled and waived him over to join her.

“Hello,” she greeted back happily before he climbed the boulder and sat with her on it, not wanting to be alone. “Are you on vacation here? I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before.” She asked him curiously.

“Yes,” Ravus confirmed as he just let the sound of the river gently flowing past soothe his senses. They talked for a little bit before he woke up and he realized it was all just a dream. But that dream felt much realer than anything had before. The colors had been so vivid and he could recall all of it. He just wished he had remembered to ask her- her name.

He went about his day before he saw a magazine laying on the table in his mother’s room, it was a travel magazine that had exquisite pictures of Galahd and a picture of a little girl sitting on a large boulder on a river bank while other boys were swimming in the river and she was simply looking on and smiling. That’s where he got it from, he had looked at the magazine yesterday when his mother was teaching Lunafreya how to play the piano and he had been bored. He picked it up again and looked it over again, this time trying to see if the little girl appeared in any other pictures and was delighted when she did, this time with the other little boys who had been swimming earlier as they all ate popsicles. She was just as adorable and pretty in the picture as she had been in his dreams.

“What are you looking at Ray?” Sylva asked curiously as she looked over to see her son immersed in the magazine.

“Pictures of Galahd.” Ravus answered as he kept looking at them before his mother got up from the piano bench and came over to see for herself as Luna practiced a simple tune on the piano.

“It is pretty isn’t it?” Sylva asked as she bent and rested on the back of the couch and looked over her son’s shoulder at the magazine herself.

“Is it possible to go and visit it?” Ravus asked as he turned his head up to look at his mother hopefully.

“Not right now, but maybe someday. There’s a lot of distance between us and them and while Galahd is peaceful right now, the distance between us isn’t. Maybe when things settle down, we’ll go.” Sylva answered simply. “Why do you ask?” Sylva asked curiously.

“I had a dream about it last night.” Ravus answered.

“Oh? What kind of dream?” Sylva asked as she came around and sat next to her son on the sofa, putting her arm around his shoulders and smiled when he rested his head on her shoulder and relaxed into her and cuddled back.

“A nice one, I had a dream I was right there and talking to her.” Ravus explained softly as he pointed to a picture of the little girl. “And she was really nice and the sound of the river flowing was really calming.” Ravus continued and Sylva blinked in surprise and looked from her son to the picture.

“I’m sure she was nice.” Sylva nodded in agreement. “What did it feel like?” Sylva asked thoughtfully, knowing that when she had prophetic dreams, they had a certain feeling attached to them. And while she knew that the line of Oracle was only passed onto daughters, she also knew that since the Crystal chose Noctis, things could change in an instant and the old ways wouldn’t hold true. She had a feeling that after her own death, there was a whisper in the back of her head that Ravus could be chosen to be the Oracle too. Maybe the Astrals were giving her son hints and gently leading him, even as young as he was, but he had a good heart and seemed to be acutely aware to spiritual things so she wasn’t surprised.

“Peaceful, I felt…it almost felt like I was here at home, I wasn’t scared that I was somewhere I had never been before, like I belonged there with her. Like she was a friend I’ve always had even though I didn’t meet her until last night.” Ravus answered softly.

“Well maybe we should take a trip there after all, let me see what can be done. I can’t promise we’ll get to go anytime soon but it does look like a fun place and it’s a vacation spot, maybe we wouldn’t get too much attention by visiting.” Sylva offered and smiled wider when Ravus seemed to light up at that and kissed the crown of his head sweetly and hugged him.

“Thank you Mother, that would be amazing, could I keep the magazine though?” Ravus asked.

“Of course.” Sylva agreed and Ravus hugged the magazine before Lunafreya made a mistake trying to play the song and made a noise of frustration and Sylva got up and returned to her daughter to try to help her and not get frustrated and play the song again.

And so it became a little pattern, about once or twice a week Ravus would visit Galahd in his dreams and talk with the girl, who he learned was a girl by the name of Selena. They always met in Galahd and she would take his hand and show him more and more of it, her house, her family, her pets, the river, the food. It was amazing. During the day, he read every book they had on Galahd and it’s customs and history. And during his sister’s music lesson, he took up painting and painted hundreds of pictures of Galahd. Lot’s of pictures of the river and the cliffs and canyons and lots of Selena, in fact in all his pictures, even Sylva could see the progression and age of this girl and soon realized when she was looking at them one day that she was looking at pictures of the future Queen of Tenebrae or so her premonition told her.

That’s why Ravus kept dreaming of her, the Astrals were trying to get them to have a connection. So she made plans to go but every single time she did, without fail, something would happen, Niflheim would conquer another territory, topple another kingdom and her own kingdom would be threatened. It was only because she was Queen and Oracle that they didn’t dare directly confront her. They knew better. But it was getting too dangerous to go. So she would pray, pray to the Astrals for help and to keep Ravus’ connection with his future wife and Queen strong and for Selena to stay strong and remain pure, she just needed a bit more time to figure out a way to make this work. To form an alliance or something and she encourages her son to keep dreaming of her and makes a point of praising how beautiful and sweet Selena looks in his art.

Ravus is 13 when he steals his first kiss from Selena. They were swimming in the river and he was swimming underwater in the crystal clear waters had grabbed a hold of her and kissed her right on the lips. He had always been able to kiss her on the cheek or the forehead or on the hand before he would feel himself wake up. Selena is so shocked she exhaled her breath and it escaped in large bubbles before they flowed away in the current.

The next week when he dreamed of her again, she appeared for just a moment and kissed him back, just as quickly and innocently as he had kissed her before she giggled and ran away, prompting a game of hide and seek but he wakes up before he can find her again.

Over the next year Ravus reads every book he can get his hands on about dreams and what they mean and how to navigate them and tells his mother about them and she tried to teach him all she knew because the dream world was as close to the astral plane normal humans could get and does her best to reach her son at night through his dreams until one day, she’s able to dream with her son. Ravus happily took her hand and led her around Galahd and found Selena again and happily introduced his mother to this wonderful girl and Sylva spent the dream in just plain clothes, no royal garb, no crown or anything and sat and talked with this little girl who had just turned 12 and even she could see how close and how good of friends they had grown into already.

When Sylva awoke the next morning she prayed to the Astrals to continue to bless her family and her son Ravus especially to keep seeing his future wife and that their bond would tie them together for eternity and for them to always be happy and to guide her son to be the best king Tenebrae could have, followed by his own son and their family line. She was happy the Astrals chose a commoner, Ravus would learn humility and grace and thankfulness because of her just like she had learned from her own late husband who had been a commoner as well. Thus why he had never been king, simply royal consort.

“Mother! Did you see her?! Were you really with me?!” Ravus asked as he came running into his mother’s room and climbed into bed with her and practically bounced on all fours which made Sylva laugh.

“Yes I was! She’s beautiful, but she’s still young Ravus so you have to go really slow, really be her friend and grow with her. Next time you dream with her, try to concentrate and show her this place, make sure she knows this place and is just as comfortable here as she is with her homeland. So that when she comes here, she’s comfortable.” Sylva advised as Ravus laid down on the other pillow but faced his mother before Sylva went into detail about how he could do that.

The next time Ravus dreamed with Selena, Ravus remembered all his mother’s advice and made a door in the middle of a little field to bring Selena through to show her Tenebrae.

“What’s that?” Selena asked as she appeared and marveled and the intricately carved and inlaid door. Like it had gemstones and opal inlaid into it and seemed to glitter and glow.

“It’s a door to my home.” Ravus answered before he held his hand out to her. She tentatively took it and he opened the beautiful ornate door that revealed the gardens of Tenebrae.

“Wow,” Selena breathed as she came into the gardens and squeezed Ravus’ hand and followed him as he showed her around the gardens and picked sylleblossoms and made a bouquet for her to carry and smiled happily as she smelled them and loved the scent of them.

“Wow, what’s that?” Selena asked as she looked over and saw the palace.

“This is Fenestala Manor, my home.” Ravus informed her proudly.

“You live in a palace?” Selena asked in confusion.

“Yes, well, you see, I’m actually the Crown Prince Ravus Nox Fleuret of Tenebrae. My mother, who you met yesterday, or last night rather, she is the Oracle and Queen of Tenebrae, that’s where you are, you’re in Tenebrae. She taught me how to bring you here.” Ravus revealed excitedly.  

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Selena asked as she pulled her hand from his and turned to face him with a confused frown on her face. “We’ve known each other for a long time now, how come you didn’t tell me sooner?” Selena rephrased as she started backing away from him as she started to get overwhelmed by his revelation.  

“I wanted to, I thought you’d be happy to find this out.” Ravus blinked, growing confused and hurt that she was backing away from him and backing away towards the door. “Look, the Astrals, they chose you, they want you to be with me, they want you to be here with me, to live here some day and call this place your home too.” Ravus tried to tell her.

“No, you’re just...you’re just a boy I keep seeing in my dreams, this isn’t real, this is just a dream, you’re not real.” Selena panicked as she dropped the flowers to the ground and began to look around for the door before she found it and started to run to it.

“Wait! Selena wait! Please!” Ravus pleaded as he ran after her but she fled through the door and slammed the door behind her and when Ravus opened the door again, Galahd wasn’t on the other side, it was just the rest of the gardens.

“Fuck!” Ravus cursed and slammed the door, feeling hot tears sting at his eyes as the door shattered into a thousand pieces. “No! I didn’t mean it! I didn’t mean it! Come back! I have to get to her! I can’t loose her!” Ravus pleaded desperately as he tried to grab all the pieces that started to float and drift away like the air was just another big river and it was in a current as he tried to gather them and put them back together before they disintegrated in his hands and he fell to his knees and sobbed.

“Ravus?” Sylva called as she appeared in the gardens, having been trying to patiently wait for her son and Selena to come inside and meet Selena formally and saw her son on the ground crying and ran to him.

“Ravus, what’s wrong?” Sylva asked as she dropped to her knees and crouched next to him.

“She ran away,” Ravus sobbed.

“Well what happened?” Sylva asked as she looked up and didn’t see Selena.

“I pulled her through the door, we picked those flowers and she liked them, then she saw the manor and I don’t know...got scared? I told her who I was, who you were, told her the Astrals chose her because I know they have, I can feel it and she said that I wasn’t real, that none of this was real and she ran away and left and when I opened the door, Galahd wasn’t on the other side, it feels like our connection is gone. It hurts Mother, Astrals it hurts worse than anything ever has.” Ravus explained as he touched his heart in his chest.

“Oh Dearest, it’s ok, she’s young remember? She probably has her friends and family dismissing her dreams as just dreams, they are probably telling her that and have made her to believe that too. You need to be patient. You probably told her too much too soon.” Sylva tried to rationalize.

“She was mad at me though. Mad at me that I didn’t tell her more sooner though.” Ravus whimpered.

“Well all you can do is be patient. Look for her and be open to her. Give her time to accept everything, accept you.” Sylva advised.

“Should I try to reach out to her in the waking world? Would that help?” Ravus asked.

“Well not right now, but once she comes back to you and you reestablish yourselves, tell her that you’ll be sending her something and we’ll do what we can to figure it out, because I fear if you did something now that might scare her off further.” Sylva answered carefully.

Six months later Ravus is finally back in Galahd in a dream and he called out to Selena and he found her on the same boulder he first met her on. She’s sitting and brought her knees to her chest as she watched the rippling waters flow on the river.

“Mind if I join you?” Ravus asked bravely.

“Sure.” Selena shrugged before she wiped her tears away and scooted over on the surface of the boulder to give him room as he came and sat down cross legged next to her as his mind whirled on what to say. “I’ve missed you.” Selena finally admitted after a few long minutes before she let her head rest on his shoulder.

“I’ve missed you too, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.” Ravus apologized as he let his head rest on hers.

“So is this normal?” Selena asked after another long moment.

“In my family? Yes. For everyone else? No.” Ravus answered simply.

“So I’m destined to be with you then? You’re going to come and sweep me off my feet and I’ll live in a castle and live happily ever after? Is that what all this is?” Selena asked.

“You don’t have to. You could just say ‘no’ if you don’t want it to be that way. I’m sure the Astrals would choose someone else if you really didn’t want that.” Ravus carefully phrased and his heart pounded in his chest. He liked her. A lot. He didn’t want the Astrals to choose anyone else, he already chose her in his heart and he didn’t think he would ever be the same if she rejected this, rejected him.  

After another long moment she took a deep breath in seemed to make peace with that. “So how is this going to work then? How in the world do I tell my parents? My family? They would think I’m crazy and...I don’t know what would happen.” Selena worried as she wrapped her arms around his arm and hugged it tight.

“Well don’t say anything for now, I’m trying to figure something out. A way to reach you in the waking world. My family has Gentiana, she’s an Astral and has been living with us and guiding my mother and my sister, I’ve talked with her about you and she’s offered to help any way she can. Just be patient with me ok? I’ll see what I can do.” Ravus offered and chanced a soft sweet kiss at the crown of her head and nuzzled her head with his own and they didn’t say another word, just sat there together like that.

Ravus woke up and blew out a breath of relief. Oh good, he had found her again. She wasn’t completely cut off from him like he had feared over the last six months.

Ravus got up and got dressed and went to the family’s jewel vault and looked for something, something small, something special that he could bestow on Selena, a sign that she wasn’t crazy and that he had noble intentions, something tangible but not something that would be the end of the world if it got damaged or lost. Then he found what he was after, a locket. It’s beautifully enameled on the front surface and carved with his family’s crest on the back, it was tastefully exquisite yet small and understated that she could wear it all the time and it would be discrete. It had his grandmother’s and grandfather’s pictures in it. He carefully took the pictures out and put them in the little box he found it in. He inspected the chain to make sure it was perfect, no kinks, no damage, it had to be strong yet delicate enough to suit her and once he was satisfied that the chain matched what he wanted and needed it to be he slipped it into his pocket and left the crown jewel’s room.

Getting a picture that he liked of himself was the trickiest part. He didn’t want the ‘royal’ pictures that his family got once a year when he was dressed up in his royal get up. He just wanted to look nice but not formal, he wanted to look handsome but not stuffy, he wanted to look normal, like any other kid his age but also like...like he was worth waiting for. Thankfully his mother and Gentiana helped him with this privately. Once they got a good and decent picture of him they helped him put it into the locket. On Selena’s fourteenth birthday, Selena awoke to a woman holding a white puppy sitting at the end of her bed, who Ravus had shown her to in the dream world at his home which they had since explored many times now. The gardens still being Selena’s favorite part.

“Gentiana?” Selena asked sleepily as she woke up and rubbed her eyes and sat up in bed.

“Hello Selena, happy birthday.” Gentiana greeted cheerfully but softly so as not to wake up anyone else in the house.

“Thank you.” Selena nodded. “So it really is real? My connection with Ravus? And the Astrals choosing me?” Selena questioned.

“Yes Selena, but we can’t say anything yet. But Ravus gave this to me to give to you.” Gentiana smiled and handed Selena the locket and smiled warmly when Selena’s eyes went wide with excitement and she took it graciously from her and turned it over in her hand before she opened it, her breath being taken away when she saw a picture of Ravus on the one side as a few seeds fell out into her palm before she started to cry. “He’s so handsome.” Selena whispered as she touched the picture reverently before inspecting the little seeds.

“Worth waiting for.” Gentiana said and Selena nodded in agreement. “The seeds are sylleblossom seeds, the country’s favorite flower, you can plant them in a little pot in your room if you’d like.” Gentiana explained.

“Oh, I’ll do that, for sure.” Selena smiled as she carefully put the seeds into a little envelope and put it on her nightstand where she would get the best little pot she could find and plant them later that day.  

“I should go, you’re mother will be up soon to make breakfast. I also came to introduce you to Pryna, she’s a divine messenger. When she grows up, you’ll see her more. She should be carrying around a notebook so you and Ravus can communicate that way too.” Gentiana informed Selena as she handed Selena- Pryna for Selena to greet and hold.

“Well hello there Pryna, aren’t you gorgeous.” Selena cooed to Pryna as Pryna licked her face and wagged her tail as Selena nuzzled the puppy and noticed she smelled so good, before she just hugged and cuddled Pryna for a moment before Gentiana stood from her spot at the other end of Selena’s bed.

“Ravus was the last to hold her and cuddle her so you’re really smelling Ravus.” Gentiana explained as she came closer.

“That explains why she smells so good.” Selena smiled into Pryna’s fur and buried her nose into Pryna’s fur more.

“We should go though. We don’t have much time.” Gentiana reminded Selena.

“Wait, um, can you bring something back to Ravus for me? Please?” Selena asked and got up out of bed and went to her cork board and got a picture of herself that her mom had taken of her on the boulder by the river the week before and gave that to Gentiana to give to Ravus.

“Perfect.” Gentiana smiled before she got Pryna back then she and Pryna vanished into thin air. Selena blinked but looked down to see the locket still firmly in her palm still. She opened it again and squealed and giggled. She finally had something real, something she could hold. She put it around her neck and looked in the mirror and smiled brightly before she kissed the locket in lieu of actually kissing Ravus in that moment.  

Gentiana reappeared back at the manor and knocked on Ravus’ door.

“Yes?” Ravus answered as he opened the door sleepily before he noticed it was Gentiana and his eyes opened wider and he opened the door and invited her in.

“Here, Selena held Pryna, so Pryna smells like her.” Gentiana offered and Ravus immediately took Pryna and smelled her and breathed in deeply when he could smell her on Pryna as he scratched behind Pryna’s ears.  

“And this is for you.” Gentiana said as he offered him a picture of Selena, sitting on the very boulder he had always sat with her on.

“Our boulder, she’s even prettier than I ever could draw her.” Ravus realized as he held Pryna in one hand up to his chest and looked at the picture and smelled Pryna with the gentlest, most adoring smile on his lips before he got an idea. He put the picture down on his nightstand and then rubbed Pryna all over his pillows, hoping the scent would transfer to the pillows, Gentiana held back her giggle, he was adorable. Ravus let Pryna go, hoping she would roll in his bed before returning to Gentiana.

“Thank you Gentiana, thank you so so so much.” Ravus thanked her and hugged her tight.

“You’re welcome.” Gentiana smiled as she hugged him back.  

“So how was she? Was she nice? Was she just as beautiful as her picture?” Ravus asked when he pulled away and got the picture to pour over it some more.

“That picture doesn’t do her justice, she’ll grow into a beautiful woman Ravus.” Gentiana smiled softly. “But again, she’s still young, you have to go slow, like really slow. Grow with her.” Gentiana cautioned and urged.

“Uh huh,” Ravus nodded as he continued to stare at the picture before he traced her face.

At breakfast Ravus made a formal request to go to Galahd for his 15th birthday present since they were slightly less than a year apart in age. Sylva did everything in her power to make it happen, but alas, Niflheim had all of EOS in a strangle hold and it broke her heart when she learned that if she or anyone from her kingdom ventured outside of Tenebrae’s borders, that they would be kidnapped or killed or who knows what else. It was just too risky. She knew her son was growing frustrated as was she.

By that time, Pryna had grown and Gentiana, for Ravus’ 15th birthday present got him a special blue violet journal, the same color as the sylleblossoms that grew around the manor and in the gardens. Ravus wrote his first love letter to Selena that took up five pages, all of them written on the front and the back of the pages in his neatest and smallest handwriting. He put pressed sylleblossoms and more pictures of himself, how he had grown in that year, taken by a professional photographer, into the pages too. He carefully tied the journal to Pryna to make sure it wouldn’t come off and prayed to the Astrals that it would reach her and that Pryna wouldn’t get caught or that it wouldn’t be discovered. He couldn’t chance Niflheim finding out about her. He didn’t want to think about what would happen if they ever did. He needed to protect her.

That night he dreamed of Selena again and she kissed him again, it was soft and sweet and full of promise. And when he held her, he swore she was really real and with him and he had never been happier or more at peace in his life. This time when they walked around and explored, he had his arm around her shoulders.

Three days later Pryna returned with the notebook, the pages he had written in had been very carefully cut out. And Ravus found another five pages, all of which were covered with Selena’s handwriting, front and back. They were even scented, sprayed with Selena’s favorite perfume and on the last page, to Ravus’ utter and complete delight, a red kiss mark. Oh he wanted to run away and actually go to Galahd and sweep her off her feet and run away with her, bring her back here where she’d be safe and sound and happy with him and they could be together all the time. He poured over the pages, reading them and rereading them over and over and over again until he knew them by heart, his imagination supplying him with how the words would be said if she was actually speaking them to him. He carefully cut them out of the notebook to keep in his bedside table, he buried his nose in the scent of her perfume. Thankfully the notebook was special and magicked and no matter how many pages they cut out, it would refill itself and soon both Ravus and Selena both had stacks of letters from each other.

For his 16th birthday, Ravus brought Selena into the royal jewel’s room and they explored it and Ravus happily put his mother’s crown on her head to see what she would look like wearing it, wishing with all his might that this could be real someday that he’d see her wear it in the waking world, hopefully soon.

“It suites you.” Ravus murmured in her ear as he came up behind her and hugged her from behind and kissed her cheek sweetly as she leaned into his touch and put her hands over his folded arms and leaned back into him without the crown falling from her head as she just couldn’t help but giggle.

“It’s heavy though,” Selena realized as her neck started to hurt and she took it off and put it back where it belonged. “I’m going to have to do neck exercises.” Selena said as she reached up to rub at her neck before Ravus replaced her hand with his own hands and started massaging it for her, grinning when she moaned and breathed in relief before he just couldn’t help but kiss the back of her head again. It was becoming painful to not touch her now. Astrals, he wanted to give her so much more, but his mother and Gentiana had warned him to go slow. Advice that was becoming harder and harder to be mindful of with every new dream they shared together.

Selena turned around and kissed him again, but this time, deeper, much deeper than she usually did. But Astrals, did she taste divine and he couldn’t help but try to kiss back as his arm wrapped around her and his hand went to her hair at the back of her head and kissed her for all he was worth.

“Mmmph, how, mmph, do, we, mmph get back mmph to your room?” Selena asked between heated kisses as her own hands raked up and down his chest before her arms wrapped around his neck and shoulders as their kiss continued to progress and escalate.

“But, we shouldn’t...mmph, I mean I want to, so bad.” Ravus tried to hold onto reason but it was becoming neigh impossible as he just couldn’t get enough kisses.

“It’s a dream My Love, we can do whatever we want, we can have all the sex we want and we won’t have to worry about any consequences, I can’t get pregnant from a dream can I?” Selena questioned and pulled away to get a breath of air.

“No, yeah, ok, there’s a short cut.” Ravus admitted before he took her hand and ran with her all the way to his room, both of them laughing their asses off all the way before he came to his room and pulled her inside and shut and locked the door. Then it was a race to get each other undressed as the dream world transformed to night and the full moon came in through his windows before he finally got her naked and picked her up to carry her to the bed, gently laying her down before pulling the covers up and losing himself in her completely. Even though they were both virgins and had little idea of what they were really doing, they still somehow figured it out and managed to have sex repeatedly.

“Happy Birthday,” Selena wished him as they rested, her cuddled into his side and wrapped herself around him.

“Thanks Darling,” Ravus grinned before he kissed her again and then felt himself wake up.

“Dang it.” Ravus whispered before he felt all the cum in his pajama bottoms, it overflowed from his boxers. He rolled over and realized his bed smelled like she had been laying in it in reality and he felt himself grow hard all over again. He pulled himself from bed and took off his soiled clothes and tried to wipe off himself best he could before he got a sock and got into bed and rolled over onto his side and buried his face into the pillow to inhale all of her into his lungs as he started jacking off to her again which usually was a big part of his morning routine as of late. He came in a grunting moan and made sure the sock got all of his load so as not to make a mess of his actual bed before he rolled over and hugged the pillow, wishing and hoping with all his might that her scent will stay and that sooner than later he could hold her in his arms for real and when he could wake up in the mornings, she’d be right there with him and never leave him.

However, just a couple of short months later, Noctis is attacked by a daemon and nearly dies, and Sylva invites Regis and Noctis to come to Tenebrae so that she can cure him and save him.

Disaster strikes and his mother is cut down in front of Ravus and in an instant he looses everything and Tenebrae falls to Niflheim. His kingdom stripped from him like it had been stripped from all the other royalty in all the other kingdoms.

That night Ravus is catatonic and doesn’t sleep, he’s numb and he’s goes from being in anguish to being in denial. His room becomes his new prison cell. Now he really can not leave. In a matter of days, he feels years older as he does his best to come to terms with how things are now.

It takes a week to find Selena again. Only this time, she finds herself in Tenebrae, but it looks different. It’s darker, there’s damage to the actual manor and Selena’s heart drops. She goes inside and searches everywhere for Ravus, calling out his name at the top of her lungs in a panic. What happened here?!

She finally finds his room and lets herself in but he’s not in it.

“Who are you?” A young girl asks as she comes into the room.

“I’m Selena, where’s Ravus?” Selena asks the young girl who looks a few years younger than herself.

“I can’t find him.” Luna admitted before she started crying and Selena quickly comes to hug her.

“What happened here?” Selena asked as this younger girl clings to her.

“Niflheim attacked while King Regis and Prince Noctis were here, it was an assassination attempt on the royal family, they barely escaped. Mother was killed, stabbed through the heart by General Glauca, she was trying to protect my brother.” The young girl sobs and it’s all Selena can do to hold her tight.

“I’m so sorry, is Ravus ok? Did he die too?” Selena asks as panic grips her own chest.

“No, but I can’t find him.” The young girl sniffles.

“Well let’s look for him.” Selena suggested.

“So you’re Lunafreya then? Ravus has told me about you.” Selena said as she pulled away and took Lunafreya’s hand and led her out into the hallway so they could keep looking for Ravus.

“He’s never told me about you.” Lunafreya admitted.

“Well that’s because we’ve been secretly courting. I’m just a commoner from Galahd. The Astrals chose me to be his Queen years ago, I’ve met your mother in dreams like this and Gentiana has come to me personally and Pryna comes to me too, all the time, Ravus gave me this.” Selena explained as she took her locket and held it up for Lunafreya to see.

“Grandmother’s locket.” Luna whispered, having remembered her grandmother wore it always.

“It is?” Selena asked.

“Yes, see it has our family crest on the back.” Luna said as she took it and turned it over gently and traced the seal.

“Selena?” Ravus asked as he suddenly reappeared down the hall.

“Ravus!” Selena and Lunafreya called out as all three ran for each other and had a group hug.

“Darling, what are you doing here?” Ravus asked as he kept his arms wrapped around both of them.

“I came to find you, I looked everywhere, I found your sister, she was looking for you too. Where have you been?” Selena asked worriedly.

“Trying to find my mother, I was hoping that in this dream world I could find her still since this dream world is connected to the astral plane in a way.” Ravus explained.

“Have you found her?” Lunafreya asked and Ravus shook his head ‘no’ and both Lunafreya’s shoulders and her brother’s shoulders fell and all Selena could do is rest her head on his shoulder and hold him tight.

The next night Selena came to Ravus and found him in his bedroom, he was looking out his window and she came up behind him and hugged him and smiled sadly when she felt Ravus hug her arms before he turned around in her hold and hugged her back.

“What can I do to help? Is there any way I can help?” Selena asked, her words muffled slightly by his shirt.

“Stay with me.” Was all Ravus could answer as he held her as tight as he dared before he moved them to a sofa and continued to cuddle the rest of the dream.

Over the next year Ravus revealed his plan, if he joined Niflheim and could become someone within those ranks, he would be able to do more, he could escape the manor and gain some freedoms and try to earn something that resembled what he lost and the plan worked. He was able to be recognized for his tactical thinking and strategy. Then he became a soldier and then a commander in Niflheim’s ranks. He partially hated himself for it. But he was in survival mode and he set his sights on finding a way, any way possible to get to Selena and bring her to Tenebrae where she would be safe. Selena however was hesitant, she didn’t want to leave her family but she loved Ravus unconditionally and knew and freely and happily accepted that she was fated to be with him.

Then Ravus got word that Niflheim set it’s sights on Galahd and Ravus both realized his chance of finally being united with his beloved but at the same time he worried that her family would be casualties if caught in the crossfire and knew she would never forgive him if anything happened to her family. And so he warned her. He begged her to leave Galahd as soon as possible and to go to Insomnia, he even got as many funds as he could and taped them to every page in their own lovers notebook for her and her family to use.

But Selena’s family thought she had gone mad. They thought she had stolen the money and therefore locked her in her room and only let her out of the house if she was supervised by either her mother or her father. Selena thankfully had Pryna who would appear in her room and so Selena sent word of her family’s reaction and what they had done and it made Ravus furious and frustrated. So he told her to pack a bag, only what she held most dear in it and that he would come for her when Niflheim besieged Galahd and he would rescue her himself. And so Ravus helped with the planning of taking over Galahd and told only his most trusted men that he commanded to be on the look out for Selena Ulric, that once they found her, to not harm her in anyway, but to take her and bring her to him if he hadn’t already gotten to her before they could.

King Iodolas was unbelievably pleased with Ravus’ change of heart and sudden and very strong loyalty to him and to Niflheim and happily watched as Ravus used his advanced knowledge of Galahd to come up with the best plan of overtaking it and gifted Ravus with more power, authority and freedoms than ever before.

Ardyn however could see that there was much more to Ravus’ intentions than simply new loyalties. He had become aware of the Astrals choosing Noctis for Lunafreya and he knew that they had chosen someone for Ravus for many years now and he couldn’t stand to see the Nox Fleuret line have one more generation and so that’s why he had joined Niflheim and gotten them to overthrow the rest of Eos, he had helped Niflheim take over one kingdom after another all around Tenebrae so that neither Ravus, Luna or especially Sylva could leave and so that an arrangement for Ravus especially could never be reached. But now that Galahd was all that was left to conquer besides Insomnia itself, that meant that Ravus’ intended must have been there, he also noticed that all of Ravus’ plans seemed to centralized around one point on the maps of Galahd, upon further inspection. They all centralized over one house. That’s where she must be. Ravus asked for him and his men to be deployed in one spot that was in the very middle of everything and was actually between this house and the river itself, Ravus had mentioned one particular boulder in particular a few times. Ardyn knew Ravus had never been to Galahd before but his knowledge of it’s people and layout was as if he grew up there. The Astrals must have set up a very strong connection to his future wife and they must be communicating somehow, there was no other explanation.  With a few tricks and alcohol laced with additives, he found out that his suspicions were right from Ravus’ soldiers. And so he had to do something about it. Because within months of Ravus actually getting his beloved, she would surely become pregnant. So he program-ed his own magiteck soldiers to shoot on sight anyone named Selena and any variations of her name and made sure his own magitecked soldiers were added to Ravus’ troops.

Ardyn’s plan worked flawlessly. Selena’s house was partially destroyed, the outside wall of her bedroom was trampled and knocked down and he saw a young woman run into the rest of the house.

Both Ravus and her brother yelled at her to get down and at the sound of Ravus’ voice she turned to see Ravus and reached for him just as Ardyn’s soldiers raised their weapons and shot her dead.

“Nooo!” Ravus and her family howled in anguish before Ravus finally came forward as the rest of her family was taken away and moved to the center of town with the others. Ravus came into her house through the caved in wall and knelt down next to her and picked her up and cradled her body to himself and wept.

“Please Selena, please come back, please don’t leave me. You have to live, you have to!” Ravus pleaded. “Astrals, someone, help me!” Ravus pleaded but his men knew that there was nothing that could be done to save her and so they simply took up a permiter around the house to protect their commander. Ravus kissed and hugged and held Selena’s lifeless body before he noticed she was still wearing his grandmother’s locket, he opened it and saw how she had put a picture of herself on the other side. He saw her bag laying next to her and grabbed it and pulled it closer to himself to look inside. All that was inside was simply a change of clothes and then all his letters he had written her and pictures. That’s it. That’s what she held most dear. Him. He looked up and saw the pot of Sylleblossoms smashed on the floor next to what used to be her bed. He held her as long as he could before his men alerted him that Galahd had been conquered and that he needed to go. Ravus wanted to take Selena’s body with him but his men couldn’t let him do that. So Ravus did the next best thing. He took a knife and carefully cut off one of Selena’s little braids in her hair, the one he always seemed gravitate towards when they were together in the dream world and would often just run his fingertips down and some more pictures of her from her bag. The ones that she looked particularly beautiful in.

“I swear Selena, I’ll find a way to bring you back, I’ll do whatever it takes. Don’t give up on me and just wait for me ok? I’ll find a way so we can be together. You really are so much prettier in person. I love you, with all that I am. We’ll be together again, you’ll see, I’ll find you and I’ll find a way to bring you back. I swear it.” Ravus vowed before he kissed her one last time, his tears streaking down his face and landing on her before he went to the boulder and chipped a piece of it off to take it with him too left with his men and locked himself into his quarters.  

When he finally had to reemerge because King Iodolas summoned him, he was toasted to and given even more power, authority and freedoms, more than any other non Niflheim borne commander. But Ravus felt like he was a shell of himself.

“Conquer-er’s remorse I presume?” Ardyn noted with a smug smirk as he drank his champagne as he stood with Ravus as they watched Galahd underneath them from the window of the air ship they were on, Ravus watching as Selena’s family gathered around her and prepared her for burial.

“Yes,” was all Ravus could reply with as he watched on with a broken heart doing everything in his power to not cry and not show weakness among his enemies.

After this Ravus became even more withdrawn than ever before. All he did was look up books on magic, both light and dark and tried to learn all he could about how to bring someone back from the dead. Then he became obsessed with the ring of the Lucii. Surely the power within the ring could bring her back. He was a crown prince after all, still in his heart anyway. He was of noble birth and noble blood, surely they wouldn’t deny him. Selena was in his dreams every night, thus why he slept as much as he could. Selena spent half her time in the real afterlife, with her grandparents and family who had passed long ago and then she spent time with Sylva when Ravus was waking as well. Sylva was heartbroken when she realized that Selena had been killed but when Selena told Sylva of all that Ravus was trying to learn to bring her back, Sylva began to do the same and began working with the Astrals herself on her son’s behalf in addition to what they would be doing for Noctis and Lunafreya as well. Other than that, Selena was there in Ravus’ dreams with him and Ravus felt like he had two lives. One in the dream world and the one in the waking one. He preferred the dream world and all his time in the waking was spent on how to make his dreams come true, how to bring Selena back to life. He needed her more than ever before. His own lovers notebook forever in his possession and looked at all the pictures he had of Selena tucked in the pages, her letters to him carefully taped and put back into the book so that he could always read them.

Then it was time to overthrow Insomnia and Ravus smiled more in that time than he had in years before. Soon he could get the ring, soon he could use it to bring his beloved back. Soon. Soon all his waiting would be over. The rest of the world could burn for all he cared, he just wanted Selena back, he just wanted to take her home and never leave her side again.

Then the ring was cut off of Regis hand and it rolled to Ravus’ feet as if the fates themselves were willing it his way.

“At last, the ring of the Lucii.” Ravus breathed and picked it up and marveled at it. “I lost my mother, my country, my birthright, Niflheim was the only life left to me. But all of that was for this. The ring belongs to me now.” Ravus said before he put the ring on and was transported in front of the ring of Kings.

“Hear me, Lucian kings of old, for I am Ravus Nox Fleuret, and none is more worthy of your power than I!” Ravus announced before he seemed to be weighed and measured. But his dabbling into the dark arts, the forbidden and dark magic as well as his selfish reason that the only reason he wanted the ring and it’s power was to serve himself, to bring Selena back from the dead and not serve the kings themselves or save their city or their kingdom, he was judged as unworthy and rejected.

“No, why, why do you refuse me?” Ravus demanded.  

“We will not give you our light, you have noble blood, but not noble intentions, that is why we will not take your life for asking, but we will take just payment for your presumptuousness.” They judged and his hand immediately burst into flames, as if being lit on fire from the inside and the worst pain since loosing Selena began to engulf him.

He was revived later in the Niflheim medical ward. His entire left arm had burned off and all that was left was a stump at his shoulder and burn marks all over his left shoulder. Getting the magiteck arm was awkward and painful and it took a lot to get used to. In his dreams, his magiteck arm was replaced with his own arm and that served to be the only way Ravus could know if he was still in the dream world or the waking one. But with the arm, came magic itself and more power than he had ever had before, his left eye even changed color, from a beautiful stormy gray to violet. That took some getting used to as well.

And then disaster found him again when Lunafreya died and Ravus was, completely, alone. And then when the Crystal took Noctis, the sun stopped rising and Eos was plunged into darkness but Niflheim was defeated. So Ravus did the only thing he could do. Go home.

But then, something happened…Now that Lunafreya and Sylva were both in the afterlife and all the covenants with the Astrals had been fulfilled and their duty had been done for now, the Astrals finally gave into Sylva’s constant and nagging request that now had Luna’s voice added to it.

One morning, just as a tiny bit of light seemed to creep over the horizon to signify that it was technically ‘day’- Ravus awoke in his bed cuddled with Selena.

Ravus frowned as he blinked up at the ceiling of room and looked down at his chest to see her cuddled to his ‘bad side’. But she was there. He reached over and tentatively touched her face, he could feel the super fine but soft hairs on her face, could feel the soft and silken texture of her hair, could feel her breath as her chest expanded next to his own, he could feel the warmth roll off of her and seep into him. He could feel her fingers and her hand as it splayed over his chest, her fingers twitching ever so often. He traced her face, a face he had fallen in love with every time he saw her. A face he knew better than his own. A face he could carve from stone if he had to. There was no way this was real. He had to still be dreaming.

It broke his heart to pull away from her but he had to make sure she was real. Tenebrae still had electricity for the moment so he turned on his bedside lamp and took a deep breath as he turned back, thinking she would have vanished. But instead, he was greeted by the sight of her stirring awake. Her big brown eyes fluttering open before she focused on him and smiled.

“Good morning My Love,” Selena murmured, her voice still thick with sleep but a dreamy smile still on her face as she moved and reached out to touch his handsome face. “I’ve missed you.” Selena grinned before she pulled him down to kiss her.

Ravus kissed her with his eyes wide open, afraid that if he closed them, she would vanish again.

“What’s wrong?” Selena asked as she pulled away and saw how Ravus had frozen in place and wouldn’t take his eyes off of her.

“I, I’m still dreaming?” Ravus asked in confusion.

“Nope, not anymore, you’re awake. Your mother and your sister and the Astrals found a way to bring me here, I had two choices, reappear in Galahd, or reappear here with you, I chose you, like I always have and always will.” Selena affirmed as she sat up fully and held his face in both of her hands before she crawled and sat in his lap, straddling him and putting his arm around her.

“I’m really here this time, I’m never leaving you again.” Selena vowed as she could feel Ravus’ good arm slowly tighten around her as her front was brought to press against his. Suddenly Ravus just went for it and kissed her hard, his eyes closing as happy tears finally escaped them as he held Selena to him with as much might as he dared. Leaning forward until he had her pinned to his bed beneath him and relished in the taste of her and kissed every inch of her that his mouth could reach as his hand stroked every inch of skin he could reach. She looked like she hadn’t aged a day since she died. She was still wearing the locket even and her bag that she had packed was at the foot of the bed. She was real, she was there, he had her, finally. She wasn’t in danger, he wasn’t in danger. It was just them.

“I mmph, am never, mmph, leaving, mmph, you, mmph, ever, mmph.” Ravus vowed in between kisses that grew more desperate by the minute as his hand pushed up her delicate nighty to reveal her nakedness underneath. “You’re so beautiful,” Ravus breathed before he took a breast into his mouth before trying to take off his own pajamas that separated him and his beloved.

“Could we please get under the covers though? It’s still cold out here.” Selena requested and Ravus practically picked her up and moved her to the top of the bed as Selena began to laugh, not realizing he was strong enough to do that with just one arm. Once settled into the bed, Selena helped undress him completely before peppering his left side and what was left of his shoulder and arm with soft, sweet kisses as Ravus got into position above her.

“Are you ready my Darling Selena?” Ravus asked as he paused and found her slick opening with the head of his rock hard engorged member.

“More than ever.” Selena answered and clung to him before Ravus finally sheathed himself into her, grimacing when she cried out as her maidenhood was torn and he paused for a moment to let her get used to him before she seemed to rock her pelvis under him to get him to move again. It was like making love for the first time all over again, but with the added benefit that they both had grown to know exactly what the other wanted and needed, and it was beautiful.

Then there was a knock at the door.

“I will murder you if you come inside!” Ravus threatened at the door and Selena snickered a laugh and hid her face into his chest to conceal her blushing face.  

“Just making sure you’re awake my Lord.” Ravus’ attendant placated and backed away from the door.

“Yes I am now go away!” Ravus demanded.

“Yes my Lord.” They said, their smaller voice proof of their retreat.

“Is that how you talk to all your servants?” Selena questioned curiously.

“Not usually no, but this should never get interrupted.” Ravus answered before he got back to task of pleasing his beloved.

Ravus Week- Modern AU – Movie AU- Bourne Series (with a Lucy and Mr. and Mrs. Smith twist)

You Didn’t See That Coming?

Selena sailed her little sailboat and managed to make it through the storm that suddenly appeared out of nowhere on the Mediterranean.

And when she felt her boat hit something in the water, she rushed to the bow, hoping it wasn’t a rock. To her horror though, it was a man. Was he dead? But then he moved in the water, trying to stay afloat, so that meant he was still alive. He was in a diving suit, wearing a small life jacket that had a light that was flashing. He must have been diving when the storm hit.

She dove into the water with her lifesaver and got to him and put the lifesaver on him and swam back to the boat and with some difficulty, she hauled him onto her boat. He wouldn’t wake up, but he was breathing. Then she noticed the blood stains on the floor of her boat draining underneath him.

“Fuck,” Selena cursed and got him inside and below deck, getting him on her couch before she tried undressing him to find out the injury. She got him undressed and turned over to see three gunshots to his back, two in his shoulder and one lower, but they looked pretty superficial, but still bullet wounds in the sea that could could get infected or probably already were.

“Shit,” Selena cursed again and got her first aid kit just as the storm finally relented. She went back outside and dropped her anchor so that the boat wouldn’t crash and rushed back inside.

With some difficulty she got the three bullets out and got him patched up to the best of her ability, which for a seemingly simple fishing girl, was on par with the best surgeons. She inspected the rest of him and found he had something embedded in his hip, just under the skin. She took her scalpel and cut at it and found a little device.

“What the hell?” Selena murmured before she squeezed it and a red light flashed in her eye. “Ow,” Selena frowned before she pointed it to the wall and found that the light was actually just the name of a bank and the city it was in and then just a bunch of numbers. This didn’t make sense. She stitched up her incision and checked everything else on his body and couldn’t find any other injures. She took special attention to his head, no bumps or scrapes or anything. She pried open his eyes and flashed a light in them to make sure his eyes were still responsive at least and he wasn’t showing any signs of a stroke or a concussion.

Selena spent the next few days trying to get this man to wake up. She dressed him in her brother’s clothes since he used to sail with her, years ago before he died but she never had the heart to take the clothes off the boat, too much sentimental value. She was trying to do some fishing when she heard him wake up and stumble around.

“Hey! Hey! Easy, easy!” Selena softly tried to ease him as she came below deck and put her hands up as she approached him.

“Where am I?” He asked as he struggled to find his footing and balance before she came up and tried to steady him.  

“You’re on my boat, we’re about 10 miles off the coast of Athens, my name is Selena, what’s yours?” Selena asked.

“I...I don’t know.” He said as he shook his head. “My head hurts.” He complained as he swayed and had to sit down.

“Well you haven’t eaten in days, I’ve been trying to get you drink some water, you’ve been passed out for three and a half days on my boat.” Selena informed him gently before getting him something to eat and a bottle of water. The man practically inhaled the food and the downed the bottle of water.

“Easy, not so fast, you’ll get a stomach ache.” Selena urged him before she got him some aspirin too and another bottle of water.

“What am I wearing?” He asked as he looked down at the clothes he was wearing.

“Those would be my brother’s clothes, he used to sail with me sometimes.” Selena answered.

“Why does my back hurt?” He asked her as he tested his shoulders by trying to roll them.

“When I found you, you had three bullets in your back and something else in your hip,” Selena answered and got up and got the little try she put everything in. “The thing in your hip is some kind of laser pointer.” Selena explained as she handed him the little dish she had put the bullets and the little laser pointer in. He moved the bullets around before he picked up the little pill like thing and squeezed it and then pointed it at the wall and frowned as he read it and memorized it.

“Thank you,” He managed to say.

“You’re welcome.” Selena smiled warmly and smiled wider when he mirrored a small shy smile back.

“Do you need to go home?” Selena asked, her voice and her face showing clear concern.

“I don’t, I don’t know.” He shrugged and shook his head no. “I don’t know where home is.” He finally admitted.

“You must have bumped your head.” Selena frowned and he frowned in confusion back.

“I’ve checked your head for bumps but I didn’t feel anything, maybe I missed something, do you mind if I look again?” Selena asked as she came just a little closer before he reached up and felt around his head on his own.

“No, I didn’t, I just, I don’t know who I am and my head hurts.” He concluded.

“Well, here, eat some more, drink some more, but slowly and rest, just get some rest, and I’ll do some fishing and hopefully catch something. Not unless you’re not allergic to shellfish.” Selena gently urged as she showed him where she kept most of her food and gestured to the stack of cases of bottled water and the gallons of water.

“I don’t..I don’t think I am.” He shook his head no.

“Well good, I’ll see what I can get.” Selena smiled and left and went back and tried an alcove that she always seemed to have luck with. She dropped anchor and got into her own dive suit and flippers before getting her harpoon and her own goggles and jumped off the side and dove down to see if she could see anything before she spotted a decent sized fish and aimed her harpoon before she heard another splash and saw the man in the water with her, wearing her spare pair of goggles and his own wet suit before he gestured to her to hand the harpoon over so she did and watched as she dove down and harpooned a large fish that Selena hadn’t even noticed before they both swam back up to the surface.

“How’d you do that?” Selena asked as she caught her breath.

“I don’t know.” He answered before he climbed back up with the fish as she did the same.

“Well, hey, I’m happy you can do that. It works for me, I was getting hungry anyway.” Selena shrugged before she got one of her knives and started to filet the fish and get it prepped for cooking.

“You know if you could do that for a big tuna, I’d be most appreciative,” Selena playfully encouraged him and he smiled. A true, bright happy smile and Selena felt her heart swoon.

After she cooked it and they ate and Selena took her meds and downed a gallon of water doing so, the sun was starting to set. Selena took off her wet suit and got dressed in her pajamas and took one of her pillows and blanket and made a little bed out of one of the benches before she picked back up on her reading from her phone. She had a special program downloaded on her phone where she could read books at thousands of words per minute, she usually read two or three every night, on everything. From medicine and psychology, to guns and cars to fighting and training manuals, to science, biology, to learning languages to computers, to just...everything, whatever tickled her fancy.  

“I should sleep out here, you should have the bed.” He insisted.

“No, it’s ok, I’m not the one recovering from something probably traumatic. You can have the bed in the cabin, it’s not going to rain tonight, I’ll be fine.” Selena reassured him. “You need your sleep, hopefully when you wake up, you’ll feel better and you’ll start to remember something.” Selena encouraged. “You’ll be ok, I promise.” Selena reassured him.

“Are you sure?” He asked.

“Positive, get some sleep.” Selena repeated. And he got dressed out of the wet suit and got redressed in the clothes she had given him and noticed she tried and failed not to leer at him.

He went back inside the cabin and tried to sleep, after least an hour of tying, he could still hear her humming to herself, it was a soft, soothing sound that relaxed him and helped his headache go away. He noticed when she stopped he sat up and snuck back out and noticed her asleep. God she did look beautiful though. He used the time she was asleep and snooped around her boat, he found maps and charts and he could read them all. He took a pen and a ripped a page out of a notebook and wrote out a question. ‘Who am I?’ Well at least he could read and write, he just...had no fucking clue who he was.

After another hour, he couldn’t take it anymore and picked Selena up bridal style and brought her back into the cabin and set her down into the bed and tucked her in before taking her place on the bench and laid down and watched the stars and let the subtle waves rock him to sleep.

“Coffee?” Selena asked in the morning as she handed him one of her mugs when she noticed him wake up.

“Yeah,” He nodded and took it and drank it.

“Do you feel any better? How’s your headache?” Selena asked curiously.

“It’s still there.” He answered.

“I’m sorry to hear that. Did you remember your name yet?” Selena asked curiously as she mixed some ingredients together and made an omelet for him.

“No,” he sighed. “Can I have some more coffee please?” He asked politely as he handed her the empty mug back.

“Sure,” Selena nodded and took the cup from him and refilled it before she handed it back to him then she handed him a plate with the omelet and fork.

“Thank you,” He thanked her graciously with an appreciative smile.

“You’re welcome.” She smiled back before she worked on her own omelet, trying to mentally calculate how long her food stuffs would last before she would need to go back to port. With feeding both of them and with how much he seemed to eat, she cut down her numbers from half to a third. Which meant barely a week. She needed to catch something big to have something, anything, to sell to restock and refuel and take care of him.

She needed to get this guy on shore, he didn’t look like he belonged out here, but at the same time, she knew he needed help. If he had amnesia, going to shore and dumping him off was the equivalent to feeding him to the wolves and that didn’t sit well with her. And he was handsome. Between his almost ghostly pale skin, almost white blond hair and those storm gray eyes, oof, he was gorgeous. And he was nice so far. He put her in her bed and tucked her in and she didn’t think he touched her otherwise. He was polite and respectful and honestly it was nice to have company again. Decent company at that. She needed to help him.

“So I’ve been thinking.” Selena began when she plated her own food and came back up and sat down on the opposite bench as him before getting her giant pill bottles out and took out 12 little green pills and 12 little blue pills and put them into a little cup and swallowed a few after eating a bite of her eggs.

He looked up and paused in eating to listen to her.

“You need a name, so how about I give you one until you remember your own ok?” Selena proposed.  

“Ok, what did you have in mind?” He asked before he took another bite.

“You look like a Ray.” Selena seemed to decide as she considered him.

“Ok,” Ray nodded in agreement to that.

“So I have good news and bad news Ray.” Selena began again before she swallowed a few more pills.  

“Good news is, I was just in port last week, that’s why I’m stocked up on food for the moment. Bad news is, with both of us, we’ll only last a week, week and a a half ish on what I have. You should probably get back on the mainland sooner than later but if we go back now, I don’t have much of anything to give you. If all you have is the name of a bank, then you should go there. But I can’t get you there with what I have so if you’ll help me fish, if we could land a tuna or something big that sells well, I can split the price with you and hopefully it’ll be enough money to help you get to wherever you need to go. But good news is, you apparently can fish and I like you so I think we’ll get along just fine and it’ll give you enough time to hopefully remember something. Deal?” Selena proposed.

“Deal.” Ray nodded in agreement before he offered his hand for her to shake.

“What’s with the pills?” Ravus asked, as they looked vaguely familiar but his head hurt just watching her swallow them.

“My medication.” Selena answered.

“For what?” He asked curiously and Selena hesitated and have him an apologetic look.

“Cancer?” Ravus concluded based on her reaction.

“Something like that.” Selena smiled sadly as she finished the last of the pills.

After breakfast, Selena did the dishes because she only had the two plates and two forks as Ray went over all the maps before he located three spots that he thought they might find a tuna. He even worked on her boat and made the opening to the tank where she would stash her fish- bigger, just in case they got a big one. Selena gave him all of Nyx’s clothes she had stashed away and thankfully had a spare stick of deodorant.  

Within four days they had worked out a really good working relationship together and had even become friends, they played cards and swam and usually worked together to catch their lunches and dinners and Ray was, thankfully, not allergic to shellfish because they had found a large lobster and a crab and ate it and Ray was happy. In fact the more time he spent with her, the less the question of who he was or where he was bothered him. They had even gotten to the point where they both laid out on the boat and fell asleep under the stars on the calm nights and shared the bed when it was raining, both of them starting off with keeping their distance but the more time passed, the closer they both figuratively and physically became. But every time Selena had to take her medication, he became somber. She took 12 pills of each color with each meal, three times a day and drank gallons of water and thankfully there was an on board water converter that turned seawater into drinkable water after boiling it but it was a slow process and a pain to get working when she had drained all her gallons, she worked and refilled them and in the mean time finished off a case of water while the converter was working because of how long it took. She said her medication caused severe dry mouth and seemed to pee at least 5 times a day. It worried Ray to no end.

On the fifth day, they tried Ray’s last spot and to their astonishment, they caught a very large tuna.

“Oh my God! We did it! We got a tuna!” Selena cheered when they got it on board and put it into the tank that they had stocked with ice from the ice maker before putting even more ice on it before Selena hugged Ray tightly before she pulled up anchor and they sailed back to the harbor, which thankfully was only hours away.

Once at the docks Ray helped her unload it and they sold the fish to a restaurant directly because they offered the most. Selena split the money evenly between them and packed up the remainder of Nyx’s clothes that she had into a bag before she walked with him to the train station where Selena ‘loaned’ Ray her last name. Having already looked up the address of the bank on her phone.

“Here, if you need any help or remember anything, I want you to call me ok?” Selena offered before she wrote down her phone number and gave it to him.

“Actually, I could use some help right now.” Ray admitted as he took the piece of paper her phone number was written on.

“With what?” Selena asked curiously as she tilted her head.

“Look, you’re the only person I know and I know you don’t know me, hell, I don’t know me at all, but could you come with me? Please? I don’t...I don’t want to do this by myself. And I don’t...I don’t want to leave you.” Ray confessed.

“I understand, ok, I’ll go with you.” Selena smiled before she went back and got herself a train ticket, this time using her ‘emergency’ card her mother had gotten for her in her name, her cell phone and that card seemingly the only ties she had with anyone anymore before she called her mother to tell her where her boat was so she could come get it for her because her friend needed help and she needed to be a friend and go with them. Being specific yet vague at the same time.

“Let me go back to the boat and pack and I’ll be back ok? But if the train comes before I come back, I want you to get on the train, with or without me.” Selena urged.

“I’ll go with you. I don’t want to be alone.” Ray confessed because the thought of being separated from the only person he had a connection to seemed to be almost physically painful.

“Come on.” Selena waived and took his hand and walked with him from the train station back to the dock and took her remaining bag and packed her few belongings in it along with her pills and left the key in a special spot she always kept it that her mother would be able to find it. She locked up the boat and took her bag and Ray helped her off the boat and they walked back to the train station, stopping at Selena’s “pharmacy” which was actually a drug dealer but he had what she “ordered”.

“Why don’t you use a real pharmacy?” Ray asked as they walked from the place back to the train station.

“Because these medications aren’t technically on the market yet, they’re still being tested and aren’t even allowed in the country but it’s the only medicine that helps and works. That guy has a connection in the country that makes them and “orders” them just for me and he has a guy who steals them from the company who makes them and fudges the numbers. Thankfully he doesn’t make me pay for it because I’m a charity case for him. I don’t want to think of the thousands and thousands of dollars these pills must cost.” Selena admitted as they came into the station and they sat on the bench as they waited for the train that would take them to Switzerland.

“I have no idea how we’re going to get you across the boarders.” Selena murmured as she intertwined her fingers with his and stroked his hand. Not sure what else what to do with her hands. Ray was eternally grateful she was coming with him, he really was lost without her. The whole train ride which took all night, Selena slept on his shoulder and Ray was happy to have her resting on him and stared at his reflection in the window as everything passed by before he got some sleep himself.

After traveling, he went straight to the bank and Selena waited in a cafe across the street as she looked up where they could stay for now.

Ray took a deep breath and walked into the bank where a bitchy and uptight looking woman was the receptionist.

“Are you lost?” She asked snidely in German.

“No, I have an account.” Ray answered and she blinked in surprise.

“Write down your account number and I’ll direct you to the proper officer.” She informed him as she offered him a piece of paper where he wrote it down and she took the paper and gave it to a banking officer who left for a moment before he returned and led Ray to an elevator and brought him up to an upper floor. Ray put his hand on the scanner as he was directed and his hand print and fingerprints were accepted, that was something he supposed.

He was brought to a little room that had a phone and fax machine on a desk against the wall and a chair and sat down and tried not to fidget as he felt his nerves start to fray.

His ‘account’ which really was a special box was brought in and unlocked and then he was left alone. He opened the box and found a United States passport. Ravus Nox Fleuret, born in Michigan and he lived in Paris. He blew out a breath of relief. That’s why Selena calling him ‘Ray’ felt so natural and familiar. She had guessed exceedingly well and the thought made him smile fondly. He looked and found a really nice watch and put it on and blinked when he seemed to have a small tan line around it, which meant he had just been wearing it recently. He saw colored contacts to make his eyes brown, green, blue and even violet. That was odd he supposed. There were various other things, like club cards to restaurants in Paris and bank cards, credit cards and a drivers license and even car keys, there was even flash drives and a cell phone and a portable battery pack, he turned the cell phone on and when it turned on, it asked for a code to unlock it and Ravus’ thumb punched in the code seemingly on it’s own, 011790 before he put his thumb in the circle and the phone scanned his thumb print and accepted it and unlocked. He only had one message. “Forrest” was the last message he sent out to a contact H.Q.. He frowned and slipped the phone into his pocket. His driver’s license and his passport said he lived in Paris and gave the same address which he again quickly memorized. There was a multi tool, a folding pocket knife and a thing of special tape. It wasn’t really electrical tape or even duct tape, like it was a mix between the two. There was even a shopping list written in french and he recognized his handwriting. Ok, so he was an American living in Paris. That wouldn’t explain why he was in the Mediterranean and near Greece. Until he found a copy of a plane ticket, from Paris to Athens. Oh, ok, maybe that explained it. But that didn’t explain the bullet wounds. Maybe he found drug runners? Maybe he had rented a pleasure boat for a vacation. Ok that made more sense, that was the most logical explanation he could come up with but it didn’t feel right. He wished Selena could have come up with him and seen all this, she would have made more sense of it. He didn’t see any jewelry other than his watch, no rings or anything like that. Good, he didn’t seem married. Maybe he was single? He could only hope.

There was a wallet there too, a really nice one. He opened it and found more money in the billfold part along with a single condom and put the cards and driver’s license in it and put everything that seemed like it went into a wallet into it before he slipped that into his back pocket before taking the pocket knife and the multi tool and putting those into his pockets as well.

But then he realized that it was just the top shelf like tray and lifted it and saw more money than he thought would fit into the box, all brand new bills, in several denominations from different countries. But on top of all of that, was a gun and three magazines and several more passports, from Italy, from Spain, from Brazil, from Russia, the United Kingdom and even one from Japan. All the pictures were the same, they were all of him but all the names were different. They all had a passport and then a single card with the name on it together with the passport but there was a name with no passport. Raymond White. He recognized the color as it belonging to a Canadian passport.

What the fuck?!

He felt himself panicking, this didn’t make sense and this didn’t feel right. His headache returned with a vengeance and he saw a prescription bottle for migraine medicine and took it and amazed himself by dry swallowing it. The taste was almost familiar. He took a red bag from the drawer and dumped everything in it. Except the gun and the magazines of bullets, those he put back into the box. He put the draw strings over his shoulder and carried it out of there like a back pack and returned the box to the desk.

“I’m having trouble remembering, when was the last time I was here?” He asked in German from the receptionist who was upon first impression much nicer and sweeter than the first down stairs.

“About two weeks ago.” She answered in German back. “Is everything ok?” She asked.

“Yes, it’s fine, thank you.” Ravus nodded and got back into the elevator and went down to see Selena at the cafe but frowned when he saw that she was now surrounded by men who were harassing her.

“Let go of me!” Selena yelled as she yanked her arms out of their hold.

“Hey! Let her go!” Ravus yelled, reached into his pocket to get his pocket knife and flipped the blade out and tightened his fist around the handle and took a flying leap and within moments he had used close quarters combat and martial arts and rendered all of the men incapacitated, broken and stabbed.

“Ray!” Selena gasped in shocked horror as she clutched the red bag that he had thrown to her in between fighting the men off and breaking their joints and stabbing them in a way that Selena very vaguely recognized but she couldn’t place where she had seen it.

“Are you ok?” Ravus asked worriedly as he wiped his blade off on the pants of one of the guys and put the knife back in his pocket before getting the bag back and inspected her.

“I’m, I’m ok, what was that?!” Selena asked before Ravus took a hold of her hand and led her away from the scene, walking quickly as Selena put her own bag and his on along with keeping up with him.

“I don’t know.” Ravus answered as he kept walking and ducked into an alley before he spotted an older car that didn’t look like it would have an alarm but yet it was well maintained and got his multipurpose tool out of his bag and began to unlock the car.

“Get in.” Ravus ordered as he unlocked the other car’s door and Selena was too in shock to argue or be disobedient. “Hold this and don’t look inside.” He ordered her again as she took his red bank bag and put it in her lap as she watched him hot wire it. Once he did she seemed to follow his lead and put her seat belt on when he did and kept her own bag between her legs on the floor before she noticed him pull out his cell phone and bring up an app that would take them to his home. ‘Home’ was already a setting and the address was the same as it was in his passport.

He just needed to drive and to get away from this place as quickly as possible.

When he got on the highway, Selena chanced speaking again.

“So who are you?” Selena asked, a fearful wariness putting a slight edge to her voice that made Ravus feel like an ass. He didn’t want her to be afraid of him.

“According to the passport that was in a bank box, my name is Ravus Nox Fleuret and I’m an American citizen living in Paris.” Ravus answered.

“Mm hmm,” Selena hummed and pressed her lips together as she looked from him out into the window. “You don’t sound like you believe that though.” Selena noted.

“I don’t.” Ravus answered. “I still don’t know who I am, nothing is coming back to me.” Ravus admitted.

“So where are we going?” Selena asked as she side eyed his phone.

“The address listed as my home.” Ravus answered. “Look, if you want me to take you back to Greece I will, I just, I need to figure this out and I don’t want to be alone while I do it. You’re the only person I know, I know you more than I know me and you’ve helped me and rescued me. That’s what that was back there, I was just trying to rescue you.” Ravus explained.

“Well thank you for doing that then. I don’t think you needed to break every bone in their bodies or stab anyone to death though.” Selena murmured lowly as she grimaced.

“Look, it just came naturally to me ok?” Ravus tried to reason with her.

“Ok,” Selena nodded and decided to change the subject. “Could we listen to the radio at least?” Selena asked.

“Go for it.” Ravus invited.

“Do you still want me calling you ‘Ray’ or would you prefer for me to call you ‘Ravus’?” Selena asked as she turned the radio on and flipped though the different channels to try to find something decent.

“‘Ray’ feels better.” Ravus admitted.

“Ray it is then.” Selena nodded in understanding before she found a station she liked.

After a while Selena seemed to settle in and sat more relaxed than she did before as she kept looking out the window as her mind whirled. What was she doing? This man was clearly capable of becoming dangerous but if he cared enough about her to come to her rescue and was capable of taking out a group of guys all on his own to protect her. She sincerely doubted he wanted to harm her. And if he did he would have tried to do it already. So maybe she was safe after all...in a stolen car...driven by an amnesiac but clearly knew how to drive, how to fish, how to dive, how to sail, how to tie knots, how to cook, how to play cards, how to make coffee, could speak several languages, how to navigate maps and currents and how to beat up people to the point that when he knocked them down, they didn’t try to get back up.

Selena absentmindedly rested her arm on the middle arm rest and fidgeted with the chord that closed the bank bag as she continued to look out the window. Then she couldn’t help but grin when she felt Ravus hold her hand and squeezed gently and grinned wider when he squeezed back.

Meanwhile back at HQ.

“So what happened?!” Drautos demanded as he pressed the number to the floor he needed in the elevator again as he hoped it would get him to the right floor.

“Our contact at the bank called, Fleuret came and cleaned out the box and left the gun, what does that mean?” Luche asked as he rode the elevator with his boss.

“I don’t know.” Titus growled angrily before the doors opened. “Reports, now!” Titus boomed as he came into the room.

“We have video of Fleuret coming to the bank with a girl who stayed outside in a cafe but shortly after Fleuret left her, she started to get harassed, Fleuret returned and sent all five men to the hospital, where three died shortly after arriving the other two are in critical condition. His phone is on and he’s using it to go home.” Tredd answered.

“Who’s the girl?” Titus demanded.

“We’re looking into it now sir.” Khara answered.

“Find her, now, I don’t care how.” Drautos barked. “And send a message to his phone, demand that he code in. I need to know what the fuck is going on and why he failed.” Titus barked.

“I found something!” Pelna piped up. “I have Fleuret and the girl on a train, they came from Greece to Switzerland. His name on his ticket is Ray Ulric and her name is Selena Ulric. She owns a sail boat slash fishing boat registered in Greece she uses as her home. Only comes into port once every month or every other month to restock has a cell phone and credit card in her name but isn’t paying for them, she has a living mother, we’re still looking for siblings.” Pelna reported as he read off what he was able to find.

“Ok, I want phone taps, I want everything on her and her family, try to find friends, I want that cell phone tapped too, I want to know everywhere she’s been for the last 6 years.” Drautos ordered.

“Yes sir,” his men answered him.

When it got time to sleep, Ravus pulled off and got them a hotel room for the night and ordered room service using one of his credit cards before his phone dinged while he was in the bathroom.

‘Code In’ was all the text read. But he couldn’t think of anything as his head started to hurt again and panic gripped his chest so he just took a chance and texted ‘Forrest’ back and held his breath before there wasn’t another message sent to him.

Meanwhile back at HQ-

“Drautos! Fleuret just coded in- he coded Forrest. Which means he is still on assignment. He must have failed and is regrouping to try again, they’ve just stopped at a hotel for the night, he used his credit card. Also we have more news on Selena Ulric. Her brother is one of ours, he’s our agent in Athens, she’s a friendly. We’ve contacted him and has requested to extract his sister and sustains she’s much too innocent to get involved in any of this. Also the other Fleuret offered to reach out as well to do an assessment and will bring him if need be.” Luche informed his boss before Drautos blew out a breath of relief.

“Keep on eye on them for now, notify me of any movement.” Drautos nodded in understanding before he called his higher ups to notify them of the update.

Meanwhile back in the hotel room, Ravus was going through his bag, trying to organize it and it’s contents to see if anything would come back to him. But his mind was still blank. None of this felt right. When he heard Selena finish with her shower he quickly put everything back into the bag and got the spare clothes out of the other bag.

“Everything ok?” Selena asked as she came out of the bathroom.

“Yeah, everything is fine.” Ravus nodded before he got his things together to get a shower himself.

Selena plugged her phone in and got into the king size bed, keeping to one side and looked at the red bag that sat on the other side of the bed at the foot of the bed. She wanted to get into it so bad but she needed to be respectful.

Selena rolled over away from the red bag and tried to go to sleep before she heard Ravus’ phone go off in the bathroom and Selena lifted her head and stared through the wall as her hearing trained on the sound. She heard movement from Ravus in the shower but the phone continued to ring. Then it was silenced. But she didn’t hear talking. She frowned and huffed and settled back into bed, sleeping on the very edge of the side of the bed until Ravus came out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but the boxers and Selena fought not to stare.

“Who called?” Selena asked curiously.

“I don’t know, it was just a number. They left a message but I don’t remember the code to get into my voicemail to hear it though.” Ravus lied, a woman by the name of Lunafreya Nox Fleuret called and he had been terrified it was his wife.

“Well maybe you should call them back tomorrow, for now we should get some sleep.” Selena gently urged him. Ravus nodded as he got in bed with her and plugged his phone into the charger and frowned when she didn’t roll over to face him like she usually did, in fact her back was to him and she was so far on the other side that she’d be out of it if she moved another inch. He hated that she was retreating away from him. Ravus frowned as he watched her, he wanted to be close to her again.

“So...are you mad at me?” Ravus asked cautiously as he read her body language.

“No, I’m not.” Selena exhaled and rolled over to face him with an apologetic look. “You just scared me is all.” Selena finally admitted and let him take her hand in his own and scooted closer to him when he pulled on her hand and held it in both of his own before he kept a firm grip with one hand and rolled over to turn out the light before turning back over to hold her hand with both of his again.

“I’m sorry, I don’t want to scare you. I just wanted to protect you. I never want you afraid of me.” Ravus confessed in a low murmur.

“I never want to be afraid of you either.” Selena whispered.

“Come here,” Ravus invited and scooted closer to Selena as she in turn scooted closer to him until he wrapped her up into his embrace and blew out a breath of relief when she relaxed and wrapped herself around him possessively. Ravus wanted to kiss her so badly. To do a lot more than that but he hesitated, that if he had a wife waiting for him, he should probably be faithful to her. As much as that hurt and as much as he wanted this woman in his arms more than anything else in the world.

“It’s not you I’m afraid of.” Selena whispered in a whimper as Ravus pet her now much softer wet hair.

“Oh?” Ravus asked.

“I’m afraid...I’m afraid you’re married and I think your wife tried to kill you.” Selena confessed and Ravus paused in his actions as that suddenly felt right for once, not the wife part but the someone tried to kill him part.

“What?” Ravus asked.

“Yeah, the part of the Mediterranean I found you in, is close to the outer islands, lots of tourists come all the time, I think you were on vacation with your wife and she tried to kill you. People die from scuba dives if something is messed up with their dive tanks all the time. I think she sabotaged you and your tank, she may have tried to do a ‘Jaws’ thing where shooting your tank will make it explode and I think she missed your tank but shot you instead and I think that trauma is why you can’t remember and I’m terrified that when you go home, she’ll be in the process of cleaning you out and moving out or moving someone else in if she’s been having an affair.” Selena speculated.

“Oh my god, that makes sense.” Ravus breathed in relief. If his wife tried to kill him, that means their marriage was off and he was good and free, no wonder he couldn’t remember anything, that would be one hell of a traumatizing event and before he knew it, he had ducked his head and kissed Selena, finally letting all their pent up sexual tension let loose.

Selena made a little keening noise before she hiked her leg up around his hip and kissed him back for all she was worth and almost cried tears of joy when the kiss began to escalate and faster than she thought possible, they were both undressed and he had rolled on top of her and was currently kissing and licking and sucking on her pulse points on her neck which practically lit her on fire with lustful desire. It had been way too long since the last time she had had sex and he clearly knew exactly what he was doing.

“Wait, wait,” Ravus remembered.

“For what?” Selena asked as her chest heaved and sat up when he rolled off of her and turned the light on and got into his wallet that was on the nightstand.

“This,” Ravus grinned when he found what he was looking for. A condom.

“Oh, get that on and get back to me right now.” Selena purred and Ravus did as he was told and quickly opened it, rolled it on and turned the light out before he completely lost himself in her and did much more than have sex, but actually made love to her the way he had wanted to since he woke up on her boat.

The next morning, they leisurely got breakfast before doing some clothes shopping, Ravus buying her some really pretty and adorable clothes, some amazing makeup and personal care items and even perfume and a dress and some heels because he wanted to take her out to dinner along with a lot more condoms and rented a decent car.

“Ok so am I allowed to ask what’s in the bag?” Selena asked as they drove back to Switzerland to get his gun out of the box because now he was going to use it, on his cheating soon to be ex wife who tried to kill him.

“Lot’s of money, you’re free to look in the bag, maybe you can help me make more sense of it, if your theory is right, which more than likely it is, maybe it was a miracle that she didn’t get to it before I did and really clean me out.” Ravus answered as he gestured to the bag still in her lap before she opened it and gasped.

“Oh my God, Ray, there’s more money in here than I’ve ever seen in my life.” Selena admitted as she dug through it.

“You’re welcome to it too, you’ve shared what you had with me, now I’m going to share what I have with you and I’ll split it with you if you want.” Ravus offered.

“Aw, you really don’t have to do that. I’ve already taken enough advantage of you.” Selena tried to reassure him. Even though she was actually really relived and happy he trusted her enough with even this much. But she didn’t want to take advantage of him any more than she already had.

“Ok, this is weird, why do you have...so many passports..looks like one is missing though? Raymond White?” Selena asked as she showed him the card. Ravus could only shrug. “Ok, I need to think about this for a while. Let’s just drive and we’ll go back and if there’s anything else in there, we’ll get it and we’ll see what we can do. What did you leave in there anyway?” Selena asked.

Ravus took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “A gun.” Ravus answered as he gulped.

“A gun?” Selena repeated in surprise. “Well maybe you should have brought it with you.” Selena couldn’t help but grin. What kind of heartless bitch would kill her sweetheart of a husband? Not unless he was worth more to her dead than alive and was cheating on him and a gold digger. Well this bitch had what was coming to her.

Within hours they arrived back at the bank and Selena waited in the car Ravus reappeared, a second bag just as full as the first and wearing a smug grin. “Don’t you look like a fox who got into the hen house.” Selena cooed to him when he got back in the car.

“This Darling, is all for you.” Ravus offered her the second bag, with just as much money as the first but without all the passports.

“Did you get the gun?” Selena asked as she took it from him and put it next to her own bag on the floor between her feet.

“I got two.” Ravus grinned before he put his seat belt on.

“Gimme,” Selena demanded as she held out her hand expectantly before Ravus looked at her strangely.

“Ok, I had an ex who was a very bad guy who was very much into guns and taught me how to use them.” Selena explained and Ravus frowned but got his extra gun and gave it to her along with the magazine that went with it.

“What’s his name? I feel I should pay him a visit.” Ravus asked and he narrowed his eyes as Selena seemed to recall the last time she had seen Ravus’ moves. Nyx had used them, years ago on her ex.

“He’s dead, my brother got into a rage and killed him, I don’t know how my brother didn’t go to jail but he died too shortly after joining the army anyway not long after, it’s just me and my mom now.” Selena informed him as she looked the gun over and checked the clip and the gun and Ravus smiled sadly when she appeared to know exactly what she was doing.

“Well at least you have her.” Ravus nodded before he got the car into gear and they drove back to his ‘home’. Not seeing at all how there was a car following behind him all the way form the hotel to the bank and back again.

“You know, I’m thinking after I deal with all this, I think I might want to join you back on that boat of yours.” Ravus proposed.

“Oh, I’m thinking I’m gonna upgrade.” Selena grinned.

“Yeah it is a bit cramped isn’t it? Maybe a yacht would be nice but nothing bigger than what only the two of us could handle. Wouldn’t have to keep fishing, not unless you really wanted to. We could just, sail.” Ravus offered.

“Perfect.” Selena smiled as she put his bag down towards her feet too and put the gun in her coat pocket before taking his hand again as they drove to his address in Paris.

Once there, Ravus took a deep breath and parked and the two of them went to the address and Ravus blinked when he saw that there were two Nox Fleuret’s listed, one L. Nox Fleuret, the other R. Nox Fleuret.

“Which one will you hit first?” Selena asked curiously.

“Let’s go with R.” Ravus said before he buzzed it and there was no answer before buzzing it several more times.  

“So you’re not home?” Selena asked, a playful smirk on her lips before an older woman came to the door.

“Monsieur Nox Fleuret!” She exclaimed in French as she opened the door. “I haven’t seen you in a while, I thought you said you were supposed to be back from vacation last week?” She asked before she seemed to notice Selena and her face went from worried to knowing.

“Sorry, I lost my keys.” Ravus answered back in French.

“Ah, brought back a souvenir I see.” She winked at him before Ravus blushed hard and she let him in and they walked upstairs to his apartment and she opened the door for him there too before she left to go make more copies for him.

“Wow, nice place.” Selena appraised as she followed him into the apartment and they looked around. “Is anything coming back?” She asked again.

“No.” Ravus shook his head as he looked around the apartment and frowned when he didn’t see any feminine looking items in it. It was minimalist and simple and uncluttered.

“Well, I’m going to go to the bathroom.” Selena said before she left and wandered around until she found it and refilled her water bottle that she kept with her always.

Ravus sat in the chair of his desk and looked over at his phone. Which had no new messages and decided to go ahead and redial the last number that was dialed and listened before a receptionist at a hotel answered.

“Hi, I’m looking for someone, do you have a Ravus Nox Fleuret staying with you?” He asked hopefully.

“No, sir, we have no one here by that name.” She answered.

“Oh, thank you, wait, wait, can you look up another name, could you tell me if um, Raymond White is there?” Ravus asked.

“One moment, I’ll have to put you on hold.” She said before she did so.

“Hello? Are you looking for Raymond White?” A different guy who sounded like a manager answered.

“Yes, he’s my friend.” Ravus answered.

“Well I’m so sorry to tell you this, but Raymond White has passed away, there was a scuba diving accident and he died at sea.” The manager informed him.

“Oh, thank you, thank you for telling me, goodbye.” Ravus said numbly before he hung up and Selena reappeared and there was a knock at the door and Selena had her gun drawn on the door before Ravus could even reach for his.

“Ravus?” Lunafreya asked as she knocked and put her ear to the door. “Ravus, it’s Luna, open up.” Luna insisted as she knocked again.

“Oh come on I’ll only bug you a little I promise, you haven’t called and I’ve been worried.” Luna explained. “I called you last night, why didn’t you answer? Or even call me back yet?” Luna asked as Selena watched Ravus’ facial expression closely before she intervened.  

‘Stay there.’ Selena mouthed to Ravus before she put her gun into her pocket and opened the door.

“Hi,” Selena greeted.

“Hi, who are you and why are you in my brother’s apartment?” Lunafreya asked.

“Your brother?” Selena repeated in disbelieving confusion.

“Yeah, brother, we live across the hall from each other, he left a couple of weeks ago and I haven’t heard back from him since then and I’m worried.” Luna explained as Selena sized her up.

“Ok, come in.” Selena invited and let Luna in.

“So what’s your name?” Luna asked Selena as she passed her.

“My name is Selena, I found your brother floating in the Mediterranean just off the coast of Greece with two bullets in his back and weird little lazer pointer in his hip. He was in a dive suit and unconscious by the time I hauled him onto my boat and it took three and a half days to get him to wake up. He has amnesia and has no idea who he is or what his name is even. Thankfully that little laser pointer had the name of a bank in it and once he got to the bank he found his bank box thing and his home address was this so we’re here, trying to jog his memory but it hasn’t worked.” Selena informed Luna.

“Aww, so you’re just playing good Samaritan, thank you, thank you so much for taking care of him and for getting him home. I should take him to the doctor, I can take care of him from here, I’m sure you’d like to go home now wouldn’t you? Can I take you to the airport or the train station or something?” Luna asked politely.

“Actually I’d like to stay with him for a little while at least, just to make sure he’s going to be ok.” Selena noted and looked past Luna to see Ravus nodding yes adamantly to that notion.

“No you really don’t have to, you should really go home, consider yourself relieved of Ravus duty.” Luna tried to insist again with a chuckle. But Selena’s gut told her something was off and wrong.

“Ray, come and help me get my bags from the car. I’m staying.” Selena affirmed.

“Yes Darling.” Ravus nodded in agreement before he walked passed his sister, staring at her, hoping maybe her face would jog his memory but it didn’t.

The moment the door was shut and Selena and Ravus went down the stairs, Luna called Drautos and didn’t hear Selena sneak back up the stairs and put her ear to the door to eaves drop. “Ok we’re fucked. Ravus failed his mission and self scrubbed. He doesn’t know who he is or who I am and he’s broken rule number 4 and is practically in love with this girl who is being a good Samaritan and brought him home. The Hero needs to extract her immediately and I’ll bring him in and we’ll see if we can get him reloaded.”  Luna informed him. “Honestly I have no idea why he coded in, he is not on mission, I doubt he even realizes he’s supposed to be on a mission or that he knows he failed it. He doesn’t even know he’s an agent. He’s being stupid and using his phone and his cards and is making tracking him way too easy, he should have known better. If he was himself he would stay off the grid. But that’s just it, he’s not him, he’s practically a blank slate, we’ll have to scrub him again before we reload and probably dart the girl so she thinks this was all a dream because she’s very protective of him.” Luna reported.

“Yeah, ok, they’re getting their stuff now, I’ll go down and detain him while she’s extracted, I have two shots in my pockets right now, they’ll be out like a light.” Luna informed them and Selena’s heart and mind raced.

‘We need to leave right now.’ Selena breathed to Ravus as they both speedily took off down the stairs before they ran to the car and got in and sped away. Then Ravus seemed to finally notice someone tailing him.

“Give me your phone and your wallet Ray, I need to destroy the phones and the cards because that’s how she said they could track us.” Selena demanded and Ravus gave her everything in his pockets and handed them to her before she used his multi-tool to break open the phones and rip everything out of them before stabbing them and chucking them out of the window and using the scissors in the multi-tool to cut up all the credit cards, especially the chip in the cards before throwing all the pieces out of the window as Ravus did everything in his power to loose the tail they had acquired but it was as if he knew exactly which way Ravus was going to turn to try to get away.

“I can’t seem to shake them.” Ravus informed Selena.

“It’s ok, I know you can do this Ray, besides, I think I know who and what you are. You’re a secret agent of some kind. That woman who claimed to be your sister said that you were on assignment and you did something called ‘self scrub’ and you’re supposed to be on a mission right now. That explains your bullet wounds. You had a target who fought back. That explains all the money and the passports and the phone. She reported that and then told whoever, I’m assuming your boss or bosses that she was going to tranq us and scrub you again so you wouldn’t remember any of this or me. And do the same thing to me and said that someone she called ‘The Hero’ is supposed to extract me and I’m pretty sure that’s who is following us. You can do this Ray, I know you can, I have faith in you.” Selena encouraged as she tried not to panic before the Landrover who had been tailing them rammed them and made them tailspin and that was when Selena got a good look at the driver and gasped. No. It couldn’t be. Nyx? They locked eyes and Selena’s jaw dropped as she stared in stunned, disbelieving shock.

“What?! What’s wrong?!” Ray asked worriedly as he tried to get the car back under his control.

“I swear that’s my brother, back from the dead.” Selena breathed before Ravus finally got control of his car again and tried to drive away but the Landrover was in hot pursuit but by this point there was an army of police cars chasing both of them.

“So uh, there’s a bump coming up.” Ray tried to warn her.

“What?” Selena asked before she looked out the window to see that Ravus was about to drive down a very large and a very long flight of cement steps.

“Oh my God!” Selena screamed as she curled in on herself and clutched her bag that had her pills to her chest as she rode down the flights of stairs.

“Oh my God we made it,” Selena breathed in relief once they made it to the bottom and Ravus drove away, thankfully putting some space between them the police and the Landrover.

Ray found a parking garage and pulled in and parked in it and had himself and Selena take out what they needed but only a few feet away from the vehicle the Landrover found them again.

“Fuck.” Ray and Selena cussed before they both drew their guns on the occupant before the door opened and Nyx stepped out with his gun trained on Ravus.

“Selena, you need to come with me and Ravus, you need to stand down.” Nyx ordered before Selena sidestepped and put herself between Ravus and Nyx, Ravus moving the line of sight of his gun from the top of her other shoulder.

“First of all, who the fuck are you, how the fuck do you know my name and who the fuck do you think you are thinking you can order me around?” Selena growled angrily as she aimed the gun at what she could still swear was her brother’s head, as crazy as that was.

“Selena, it’s me, it’s Nyx, look, you’re in way over your head here, you need to come with me, so I can get you somewhere safe, take you back home.” Nyx tried to reason with her.

“My brother died 3 years, 4 months and 15 days ago, you ain’t him, you look like him, you sound like him, but you ain’t him.” Selena sustained.

“Selena, I don’t have time for this right now, any minute the Princess is gonna be here and she’s not gonna ask nicely. This is me asking nicely, trust me, you don’t want me to ask roughly.” Nyx warned before he noticed Selena’s gun start shaking as persperation started beading on her forehead and her labored breathing as her limbs seemed to loose their strength.

“Selena, what’s wrong, talk to me,” Nyx asked.

“She has cancer, she’s late getting her meds.” Ravus answered.

“Really?!” Selena growled as she glared at Ravus behind her.

“You what?!” Nyx asked as he dropped his gun and put it away. “Look I’m not gonna shoot,” Nyx admitted which got Selena and Ravus to finally lower their weapons before Selena finally lowered hers and had to brace herself on her knees and bed over before dropping to all fours before Nyx and Ravus went to her.

“She needs water, lots of water.” Ravus said as he got her bag.

“Selena, please believe me, it’s me Nyx, what kind of cancer do you have? What kind of meds are you on?” Nyx demanded as he watched as within a minute Selena deteriorated quickly.

“Fuck, I’ve never seen her miss her dose before.” Ravus breathed as worry and panic gripped his chest again. “Will you help us?” Ravus pleaded before Selena passed out and collapsed.

“Yes, of course, she’s my sister, help me get her in the back seat.” Nyx agreed as he and Ravus got Selena into the back seat of the Landrover and got their bags before they wiped the car down and got their bags into the back seat of the Landrover except for Selena’s purse that had her pills.

“Ok, open that bag, I need to see the pills,” Nyx demanded as he started to drive back to Ravus’ apartment and Ravus did as he was told.

“Oh no fucking way!” Nyx spat as he took one and took it.

“Why would you take her medication?” Ravus asked as he watched Nyx in shock.

“She doesn’t have cancer. Fuck, fuck, how did she get into this, how did she find this? How many does she take?” Nyx asked.

“She gets them from a drug dealer, she gets them for free from somewhere in Asia, she takes 12 of each  as a set, three sets a day, so 36 pills of each color, 72 total and drinks three gallons of water doing so.” Ravus explained.

“She should desalinate with that much water.” Nyx stated as his mind raced. “Ok, your sister said you self scrubbed, so is that still true? Do you have any idea who you are?” Nyx demanded.

“No, I still don’t, I have these horrible headaches, I have no memories before a few weeks ago when I woke up on your sister’s boat, she rescued me.” Ravus explained.

“Because she’s bleeding heart.” Nyx cocked a half grin and shook his head and huffed a laugh through his nose.

“Ok, so what these pills are, do they look at all familiar to you?” Nyx asked.

“A little?” Ravus shrugged.

“These are Chems. These are what make us, you and me and your sister, super soldiers, how my sister found them and has been taking them for who knows how long I will find out when she comes to, we took these, greens are for your body, your performance, they enhance us physically, fine tune our senses, blues- those are mental, mental elasticity. We need to go back to your place, you need to get your go bag, your ghost bag. Does that ring any bells? Every agent should have one, mine is in the back already. You should take out your pill from your hip so they can’t track you anymore that way.” Nyx advised.

“Oh the laser pointer? Selena removed that when she removed the bullets from my back when she rescued me, she found me floating in the water in the middle of the Mediterranean sea, off the coast of...” “Athens, I know, you failed your mission. Any memory of that? Do you know why? You’ve never failed before.” Nyx questioned.

“Nothing, the more I think, the more my head hurts.” Ravus shook his head no and closed his eyes tight. Fuck this hurt.

“Yeah, you’re definitely not you.” Nyx noted with a small smirk.

“Why do you say that?” Ravus frowned.

“Because usually, you’re the most self absorbed asshole there is and usually I would rather be tortured in a third world prison rather than be stuck in a car with you for any real length of time.” Nyx chuckled.

“Why do I sense that the feeling is mutual?” Ravus slowly returned as a slow grin quirked on his own lips as the two shared a look of amusement and understanding before Selena woke up and gasped again.

“Where’s my purse?!” Selena shrieked as she sat up.

“Here.” Ravus said as he gave it to her. “So your brother said he would help us.” Ravus informed her with a hopeful smile.

“Why do I feel like there’s a ‘but’ in there?” Selena asked warily as she looked from Ravus to the man who claimed to be her brother.

“But good news is you don’t have cancer, but how did you find those pills Selena?” Nyx demanded.

“I don’t answer to you.” Selena firmly rebuffed him before Nyx slammed on the brakes and turned around to face her.  

“Selena! I swear to God, I am so close to loosing my patience with you, it’s me ok?! We grew up in Athens, our mother’s name is Sabrina, our father’s name was Dorian, Libertus was my best friend growing up and we said that when we grew up we would open a bar together. There was tower on the roof of our house where we would camp out on and look out for pirates, even though they were nothing more than fishing boats. Your favorite teddy bear, Scuzzie, is probably still on your boat and you probably still have my blue hoodie too.” Nyx ventured and Selena’s jaw dropped as her eyes watered.

“Then why did you leave me asshole?!” Selena screamed at him before she slapped him and Ravus put his hand over his mouth to keep from gasping, or laughing.  

“Long story.” Nyx huffed as he shook off the slap.

“Long story my ass, just wait until mom gets a hold of you, you son a bitch.” Selena grumbled in Greek under her breath as she sat in the back seat and crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her brother in the rear view mirror.

When they got back to the apartment Luna was still waiting inside and gave questioning look to Nyx.

“Look, things have changed, I need like 72 hours and access to the plant in Soel.” Nyx informed her.

“What exactly has changed? Because that’s a lot to ask, that’s a full mission in of itself.” Luna asked warily.

“Somehow, Selena is in possession of Chems, she’s been taking them for I don’t know how long, she needs to be viraled out. But I don’t trust headquarters to not yellow her.” Nyx tried to discretely explain and something tried to come to Ravus’ memory but it was blurry and fuzzy and he couldn’t make sense of it before he left with Selena to the kitchen to get her some water so she could take her pills.

“Selena, do you know what you’re really taking?” Ray asked her softly.

“Some kind of enhancement drugs, I feel like a superhero when I take them and I feel like death when I don’t.” Selena finally admitted with an apologetic look to Ray.

“Plus they’re inseperable, but if push comes to shove, I think we can use this as leverage, if we can get Ravus to come with us and get Selena fixed and feeling better, he’ll do whatever it takes, he’s that much in love with her.” Nyx whispered to Luna once Ravus and Selena left to go to the kitchen.

Lunafreya huffed and texted Drautos and Regis before getting clearance.

“Deal, we’ll take your car. If we can get them to go for it, I’ll do it. We might as well take out Izunia and Iodolas while we’re out and about huh. And if Ravus comes to his senses, then we’ll still scrub him.” Luna offered her hand for a handshake. “But for their sake, I think it’ll make a bigger impression if it looks like we’re doing this off the books.” Luna ventured.

“You’re right, as always,” Nyx nodded in agreement before they both heard Ravus and Selena come back to them.

“So now what’s a yellow?” Selena asked Luna warily.

“Let me see your pills.” Lunafreya insisted as she stood and held out her hand. “I promise not to take any I just want to inspect them.” Luna proposed before Selena begrudingly handed them over.

“Fuck, these are Chems, how long have you been taking them?” Luna asked as she looked them over.

“A while.” Selena answered vaguely.

“Selena, let me try to put this into perspective for you. These are special drugs designed to make normal humans into super soldiers, so I’m going to ask you some questions because your life and your brain hangs in the balance, if you miss a dose of these blue pills especially by any more than 16 hours you may go into a catatonic coma and never recover if you’ve been taking them too long, so answer my god damn questions truthfully so help me God, I’m helping you as a favor to Nyx and if you sass me, I’ll stop. Got it?! Now how long have you been taking the Chems?” Luna asked again.

“One year 10 months, 16 days and 14 hours.” Selena answered.

“Jesus Fucking Christ.” Nyx and Luna both cursed and groaned as they exchanged a worried look.

“You need to get viraled out ASAP. Ok so these Chems, are actually made from a live virus, but the virus is stored half way across the world, we need to get you there and infect you with live virus and just make all this permanent so you don’t have to keep taking the pills so you won’t fall if you miss any either, if we tried to order it through the proper channels, those channels would probably switch it out and...”

“And the pills would kill her,” Ravus guessed more than remembered. “Guess, not memory.” Ravus clarified as everyone looked at him hopefully before they looked a bit disappointed-ly.

“Ok, I’m gonna get my ghost bag, Nyx, try to help Ravus find his, we need to fix this.” Luna ordered and gave the pills back and Selena put them away and Nyx helped Selena and Ravus search through the apartment.

“It’s not this is it?” Selena guessed when she found a large white bag on the top shelf in his closet and when Ravus retrieved it and pulled it down and opened it and found guns, a sniper rifle and money and even more passports and all kinds of secret spy gear.

“Yup. Of course your ghost bag would be white.” Nyx snorted a laugh before Luna returned, a large white bag of her own over her shoulder.

“Good you guys found it.” Luna grinned proudly. “Ok, I don’t know how much time we’ll have on this excursion before they’ll notice that something is up. So Ravus, here’s the deal, we’ll help her, but after we do and she’s safe and on her way home, you have to come back in with us, you just do.” Luna proposed to Ravus.

“I knew there’d be a catch, ok.” Ravus agreed before Selena could stop him but he squeezed her hand reassuringly.

They packed up Nyx’s car and drove to the airport, Nyx had a clean passport for Selena already in his ghost bag ready for her. On the plane, Luna and Nyx sat behind Ravus and Selena for the long flight, thankfully Selena managed to buy a little notebook and was able to write notes back and forth to Ravus during the flight.

‘Why did you agree so readily?’ Selena asked Ravus.

‘I didn’t want to but it was the only to help you. But I’m trying to figure out a way to ditch them once you’re better, I don’t care if I have to live on the run, I just can’t risk you being sick.’ Ravus wrote back.

‘I’ll go on the run with you.’ Selena offered. ‘I don’t have much at home anyway, as long as I have you, I’ll be ok.’

Ravus’ heart melted and he took her hand and intertwined their fingers and kissed the back of her hand sweetly.

‘I love you’ Selena wrote.

‘I love you too’ Ravus wrote back. ‘We’ll find a way.’ Ravus wrote before they settled in and a few hours of sleep, Ravus letting Selena sleep on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms possessively around her. He didn’t know how they were going to get through this. But he had to find a way.

They woke up just a few moments before they touched down and Luna had made them all passes to get into the plant on the trip over and they got two hotel rooms, one for Selena and Ravus and one for Nyx and Luna to get changed and cleaned up and changed and dressed the part of ‘doctors’ coming in to do some research.

Both Selena and Ravus gave each other wary and suspicious looks because of how easily they were granted access to the plant and both started looking around at possible exit points and strategies. This didn’t feel right, this felt like a set up, the biggest set up there could be. But Selena follows her brother and hopes and prays that he would protect her and holds Ray’s hand as her eyes grow glassy.

When they get to the lab, it’s deserted and several other projects are in several other locked compartments and sections. Selena stops in her tracks as she looks curiously at them as Lunafreya goes right towards what she’s after, the technition giving her orders in her earpiece in her ear.

Luna washes in and goes through the procedures of getting the live viruses out and fills both syringes.

“Is she going to be able to handle viraling out both at the same time?” Nyx asked Luna quietly and Luna paused as she waited for the doctors and technitions to discuss that and then give an answer back to her. There was a long moment that Selena and Ravus seemed to note before Luna finally nodded.

“Selena, come here, it’s time.” Luna instructed before Selena took a deep breath, Nyx held one hand while Ravus held the other while Luna prepared the IV. Selena took deep cleansing breaths as Luna first took a blood sample then injected both sets of live virus into Selena’s system.

“Why did you take my blood sample?” Selena asked. “Because I’ve been studying the Chems myself and I want to see what self regulated looks like, hope you don’t mind.” Luna explained with a small smile before she pulled out the IV and put a bandaid over the injection site.

“You’re gonna be really sick for the next few days, but we’ll be with you the whole way through ok? We’ll keep you safe and secure.” Luna offered encouragingly and Selena wished with all her heart that she could believe her but something in her told her run for her life, that now that she had the live virus, all bets were off.

Luna cleaned up the trash and when she did Selena saw the ear piece and knew an ambush was immenent, would they even leave the building? Luna and Nyx led the way out of the lab but at the last moment, Selena panicked and yanked Ravus back into the lab and sealed it off and locked it.

“What the fuck?! Selena! This wasn’t the deal! Open the door!” Nyx roared as he banged on it as Luna cut her eyes but smirked.

“Selena?” Ravus asked as he stood and looked at her curiously.

“Ray, Luna was wearing an ear piece, this was all a set up, it’s an ambush, we gotta find a new way out.” Selena answered.

“Ok.” Ravus nodded and went around the room looking for anything that could help while Selena went back to the boxes that had caught her attention and for some reason, she just had the urge to eat the contents of them. These bright blue crystals just looked like candy and she felt an overwhelming urge to eat it. So she busted the lock and got in it and started scarfing it down while Ravus was too busy and distracted to notice or stop her and she was out of sight to Nyx and Luna.

“Ok, do we have anything in there that could actually hurt her?” Luna asked the doctors and nurses in her ear. “I don’t know, I’ll ask.” Luna said into the mic hidden in her necklace.

“Nyx, what are the chances your sister would break into the locked boxes in there?” Luna asked him.

“Like a percentage? 85%” Nyx guessed.

“Wait, what?” Luna said into her ear piece before her eyes went wide and she gasped. “Ravus! Ravus! Where is Selena?! What is she doing?! You need to make sure she’s not getting into anything!” Luna practically screamed as she beat on the glass door before Nyx got scared.

“What the fuck is in there?!” Nyx demanded.

 “There’s a substance in there, it’s bright blue shimmery crystals, it’s a new drug that’s a take on C.P.H.4 and a bunch of other stuff that’s supposed to replace every drug on the market, a drug lord dumped millions and millions into developing it and the whole supply is in that room and if she gets a hold of it as it is, she’ll get high as a kite for 48 hours and then die because the brain overloads itself on it’s own chemicals and burns out, they’re still trying to tweak it so that you don’t die but instead only become addicted for life.” Luna gravely informed him.

“Selena!” Luna and Nyx screamed as their back up and ambush finally arrived in full force.    

“Everyone better just have darts in their guns!” Nyx barked angrily as hot tears came to his eyes before the lights and all the power came off.

“Selena what did you do?!” Ravus yelled as he came to Selena convulsed on the floor but every electronic around her came to life before she started levitating.

“OH SHIT! OH SHIT!! FUCK! SELENA! SELENA!!” Ravus screeched as he held onto her and watched in horror as if she became a woman possessed by the devil himself as he held onto her so tight he was lifted off the ground until both of them bumped into the ceiling.

“Please let this just be a bad dream, please just let this be a bad dream.” Ravus cried as he clung to her tightly and squeezed his eyes shut. This had to be a nightmare.

Very slowly Selena floated back down to the floor or what Ravus hoped was the floor and Ravus used the lights from the electronics that were turned on around them that were now going nuts to look into Selena’s eyes that were glowing an eerie bright blue before she blinked and seemed to come back into herself and licked her lips and the lights came back on.

“Selena? What just happened?” Ravus asked as he held her face and searched her eyes.

“Oh Ray,” Selena whispered in relief before she hugged him and clung to him. “I’m ok, I’m better than ok. Everything is going to be ok, don’t worry.” Selena reassured him as she held his face before putting her thumbs to his head and unlocked his memory.

“Ow!” Ravus grimaced as his eye screwed shut before he blinked. “What did you just get into?” Ravus asked as he felt himself become whole again and stared in awed wonder at the woman before him. “Something that should have killed me but because of the Chems and because I’ve been taking them for so long, I literally had the perfect chemistry for them to work like they were supposed to, my brain is working at much higher percentages. I feel like a superhero and basically am.” Selena smiled brightly.

“So what are we working with?” Ravus asked as he helped her to her feet.

“Nothing we can’t handle. Your sister and my brother have thirty one guards armed to the teeth at the door, your sister and my brother are panicking and there’s 387 people in the plant just working their normal jobs and so far I’m corrupting all the digital data that we were even here because I can control electrical signals and impulses to a degree.” Selena grinned.

Ravus just stared with his mouth slightly agape, horribly impressed and eternally grateful she was on his side before Selena stood on her tip toes and pulled him down to kiss him.

“I love you too.” Selena cooed. “So? Do you want to stay working for the government and Treadstone or do you want to just walk away? It’s up to you. I wouldn’t mind joining you in Paris and frankly you’d be the most feared and respected agent in the agency and with me by your side, everyone would have to think twice if they tried to double cross you.” Selena offered.

“Your morality would be ok with that? I’m basically a hired killer and you’re a good samaritan who pulled a half dead man out of the sea and risked your lively hood to help him, granted I’m eternally grateful...” Ravus cocked his head to the side and considered her curiously before they could hear banging on the door.

“Look, I don’t care what we do, I’m not leaving you, from this day forth, not unless you want me to.” Selena vowed and Ravus couldn’t help but kiss her again. He framed her face and kissed her with everything he had.  

“I don’t, I never want you to leave me, ever, you’re the best thing to ever happen to me and I would be so lost without you.” Ravus confessed. “But are you sure you’re going to be ok? Will you need anything?” Ravus asked as he stroked the apples of her cheeks with his thumbs.

“Nope, I’m good, no more drugs, no more Chems, nothing, just food and water and the occasional drink, date night and sex and I’m good.” Selena smiled brightly.

“Deal.” Ravus quickly agreed and kissed her sweetly before taking her hand. “Ready?” Ravus asked before they walked side by side and re emerged so they could be seen. Both Luna and Nyx both looking surprised yet relieved to see that Selena was ok.

“Hey! Tell them to put their guns down or I’ll put them down!” Selena yelled at Nyx through the glass as she pointed to the small army behind them.

“What?!” Nyx and Luna asked as they looked at her like she had lost her mind and Ravus just grinned smugly.

“Do it now. In 5...” Selena held up her splayed out hand then counted down from 5. “4...3...2…1...Down!” Selena snapped and pointed down and all the guns pulled to the ground, as if magnitized to the floor before the guns crushed in on themselves.  

Luna and Nyx looked at each other and then back to Selena. Selena put her hand up pushed it forward and the men behind them all were pushed back too.

“Did you need to snap?” Ravus asked her softly.

“No, it’s for dramatic effect.” Selena answered as she kept her gaze on her brother and others outside the lab.

“What the fuck did she get into?” Nyx breathed to Luna.

Selena moved her hand over the door and it unlocked and Ravus opened the door for her and she stepped out.

“Ok, here’s the deal, no one touches me or him. You do, I snap, you’re out and I will unleash a hell you can’t begin to imagine.” Selena warned as her eyes glowed an iridescent blue again as the guns began to levitate and then break down into simple components until it was nothing but light. “Lunafreya, set up a meeting with Drautos and Caelum. There’s going to be a new negotiation.” Selena told her.

“Who are you and what have you done with my sister?” Nyx demanded, she looked like Selena, but this wasn’t Selena.  

“I’m still me Nyx, just, very...enhanced.” Selena tried to explain as she gave him a hug. “I’m ok, I’m sorry for worrying you, I’m ok.” Selena whispered before she allowed herself to be escorted out of the plant, Ravus making sure only he touched her.

Several hours later Lunafreya, Nyx, Selena, and Ravus were sitting in a row in front of Director Regis Caelum and Drautos.

“So let me get this straight.” Caelum began as he focused on Ravus. “You failed your mission, self scrubbed, were lost at sea, you found him.” Caelum continued as he shifted his gaze to Selena. “You took care of him, nursed him back to health, brought him back home and somehow you got into chems and had been taking them and while you were getting viraled out, you got into something else in the lab and now you’re superhuman?” Caelum continued.

“Yes.” Ravus, Selena, Nyx and Lunafreya confirmed at the same time.

“And now, you want to work for us?” Caelum questioned warily.

“That’s an oversimplification. You see, the only loyalties I have are to the people beside me. I will work with them for as long as they want to work for you. We are your dream team. If you want us to work with you, you will give us more free reign, let us cherry pick our assignments and we would answer only directly to you, no middle men. But what you get in exchange is the results you can only dream of, for instance...” Selena began before she turned on the monitor with a waive of her hand to show a video of Iodolas giving a speech at a gala across the globe.

“His doctors really should run more thorough checkups more often, to think they missed so many blood clots hiding in the most peculiar places.” Lunafreya practically sang as she and Selena shared a mischievous grin.

“That will hit him and cause a most unceremoniously embarrassing way to die on national television no doubt, such a pity.” Ravus grinned as he reached out and held Selena’s hand  and gave it a reassuring squeeze as Selena focused extra hard on Iodolas as she mentally moved everything into position as she closed her eyes for a moment.

Selena prompted Ravus by squeezing his hand back.

“Director Caelum, if you’d like to count down his death if you will,” Ravus invited.

“Me?” Caelum asked and Ravus, Selena, Nyx and Luna all nodded yes.

“Ok, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1?” Caelum counted down and Selena squeezed her eyes tight and suddenly Iodolas’ face scrawed up and his body contorted in a very strange, undignified way before he seemed to walk around like a chicken in his white tux before doing a face plant into the ground, his bony ass in the air and promptly died and shit himself, through the pants of his tux, staining his tux red and brown as Caelum and Drautos both stood and gasped as they both covered their mouths before they both couldn’t help but start erupting into a snickering out right giggle which turned into deep belly laughs as the gala was thrown into hysterics.

“Oh that was perfect!” Caelum cheered as he turned on his TVs as it was suddenly reported world wide that Iodolas had indeed, just died.

“Son of a bitch. You guys actually killed him and made it look like natural causes.” Caelum couldn’t be more pleased. He was going to celebrate tonight. “So what if we refuse your terms?” Caelum questioned a bit warily though.

“I snap.” Selena grinned and held up her hand and pressed her thumb and her middle finger to prime the snapping motion and suddenly every firewall was on the verge of collapse as the whole building seemed to sense that it was suddenly under attack as alarms suddenly started to sound and alerts started popping up on every single device.”

“Uh oh? Is there a problem?” Ravus taunted smugly.

Selena’s eyes narrowed as she focused and suddenly the stock market started to show signs of imminent collapse before her other hand flipped rightside up and did a crushing motion and suddenly the walls of the room started to crush in the building’s structural integrity started to become compromised.

“Easy.” Nyx smirked and Selena relaxed her hand rearranged the walls and the broken things around the room and the building but the electronics she had a firm grip on, she had already read and uncovered and had created fail safe after fail safe for them. So that if want or need be, they could all walk away and never be touched again, either on or off the grid. No one would ever touch any of them or their family ever again. They would be safe. Governments would topple before danger would come to them.

“I believe you’ve made your point, young lady, consider your terms agreed upon.” Caelum agreed. Thoroughly impressed and took the pen and signed on the dotted line in front of him before he gave the pen to Drautos who begrudingly signed too. Granted he didn’t trust any of them but he didn’t have choice in the matter. Once they both signed Selena dropped her hand and everything returned to normal.

“Pleasure doing business.” Selena offered as she, Ravus, Nyx and Lunafreya all stood and shook Caelum’s hand before they took their copies of the terms and agreements.