T W E N T Y - T W O
All Forgotten

I WAS NOT at all ready for the trip looming ahead of us but honestly, did I have a choice? No one is ever ready for the bigger events in life. There could always be a way - some tragic way - in which the operation could be jeopardized. Yet, I knew that I still had to do what I do best these days-pluck up my courage and face my problems like it is my last day alive.

Then again, if this fails, it just might be considering that the third day was about to come to an end in a few very short hours.

My room in the castle of Hell had never seemed as gloomy as of this instant. The curtains that draped limply over the glass windows seemed to hold ghouls in its fabric while the patterned wallpaper that lined the four walls of my room seemed to hold secrets. Not a single corner of my room seemed as welcoming as throughout my stay here and I couldn't help but allow my eyes to wander over to where Minnie's room was.

The wooden door to her room was just a few steps away from where I currently was, definitely near enough for me to walk over and knock. However, I knew for a fact that she must still be preparing herself for the trip, just like how I was supposed to be.

A knock came from the door that connected my room to the hallways, signaling that someone else must be outside waiting. Taking in a deep breath, I pushed the weight of my body off of the silk sheets used to line my bed, taking quick steps to the door in an attempt to reach it at a faster pace. I craved company at the moment and every second alone felt like a dread. That was because with Lucifer in charge of the angels now, any moment could truly be my last.

When I pulled open the door, I was surprised to see a distantly familiar face, one in which I had not seen since my death. A petite young girl with translucent skin stood at the door, her arms placed carefully in front of her skirt. When she noticed that the door was opened, she gave a quick curtsy before a brilliant smile lit up on her freckled face.

"May I come in, Miss?" Tilly asked, her seemingly blue eyes shining like crystals.

"Oh," I said, shocked that it was her at the door and in fact not someone that I had truly expected. "Of course."

With that approval, the young girl was scurrying into my room, buzzing about the space to clean the room up with speed. The second she drew the curtains up and allowed whatever was left of today's sunlight to spill into the room, I couldn't help but wince slightly at the sudden brightness.

Tilly had been a young helper that was assigned to me during my earlier stays at the castle. The last time in which I had seen her was the night of the ball, the same one in which Lucius had brought me to Heaven as captive. Ever since then, I had not seen her around the castle and naturally assumed that she had met an ill fate during the war.

"If you don't mind me asking, Tilly, where have you been all this while?" I asked carefully, closing the door of my room before walking back towards the bed that she had made with clear efficiency.

"Well, after the war, Miss, many of the servants had left the castle under the Kings' approval to take care of their families. I was one of them. My brother had fought in the war and very fortunately survived. I was back at home taking care of him until he recovered." She answered, barely even turning around to glance at me for she was too busy rearranging the furniture of the room.

"No wonder the castle felt so deserted," I commented idly.

"Yes. It was very kind of the Kings to allow us time back home. My family was fortunate to have lost no one. Some of the servants have members of their family..."

"Dead?" I supplied.

"No, Miss. Not just as simple as 'dead'. We are all dead here. They are just erased from existence, never to be seen or reborn again." Tilly paused for a moment, a hint of sadness in her eyes before she bounced back up to continue her work.

"What about your parents? Surely they were at home too?"

"Parents?" The young helper paused, blinking her wide eyes for a good few seconds as a look of oblivion flitted across her features. "I never had them."

Now it was my turn to be shocked.

"Surely you don't believe that? Everyone has parents. Are yours reborn into the mortal realm?"

"I... I actually don't know. I don't recall having them. It had always been Timothy and I. We depended on each other all our lives and even until now."

"Then you are orphans?"

"No, not really. I don't know. I remember someone taking care of us. I just don't remember who. It's been a few long decades since my death, Miss. I don't remember many things about my life."

I stared, gawking at Tilly's confusion. Although I wanted desperately to keep probing at my suspicions, a knock came at the door, to which gathered Tilly's attention immediately.

"I'll get it!" Just like that, she was smiling again, running to the door before pulling it wide open. "Your Majesty!" She exclaimed before dipping down into a low curtsy for the man at the door. "I suppose I should take my leave now."

"It is good to see you again, Tilly!" I called after the young girl. She turned once, her body see-through yet somehow radiant when accessorized with her smile.

"You too, milady." And she was off, scattering down the hallway most likely in search of the destination of her next assignment.

The man at the door had a crooked smile on his face, lifting the corners of his lips to show a single dimpled cheek. With mercury-colored eyes lighting up in amusement, Dimitri took a step into the room, lightly kicking at the door with his foot to shut the door with pure elegance.

"I take it that you are ready for the trip to Paradise?" He humored, gesturing at my choice of clothing.

Just like my usual attire, I had adorned a simple gray sweater and a pair of skinny jeans, something comfortable and practical. Scowling, I folded my arms across my chest at his comment.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." Dimitri raised both of his palms, a look of faux innocence dancing across his eyes. "That's just the same attire in which I had seen you in when we first officially met. It brings back memories."

"The boathouse," I murmured under my breath. I had not even noticed that all the while, Dimitri had been walking towards me. Right now, he was just mere inches away, enough for me to take a whiff of his cologne. "That seems like such a very long time ago." I pressed my face against his chest, wrapping my arms around his torso and silently relieved when he returned the gesture.

"Yes," he agreed. Pressing his lips against the top of my head for a brief second, he began to run his fingers through my hair, almost absentmindedly combing it. "Time seems to pass so slowly when you are alone and yet so very quickly when spent with someone you love."

When I pulled away from the embrace, I could still feel Dimitri's steely gaze fixated on my figure. Ignoring the wild thumping of my heart the best I could, I gestured slightly to the door, clearing my throat.

"That girl, Tilly, did she had parents?" I asked.

"Of course she did. Everyone has them. It is just the matter of whether they were an active part of their children's lives or not." Dimitri answered with a slight shrug of his shoulders. It took him a second before his nonchalant expression dropped, a flash of doubt causing his eyebrows to crumple. "Why do you ask?"

"She doesn't remember her parents. Also, she mentioned that some of the helpers in the castle actually lost members of their family to the war and were hence wiped from existence. Were her parents one of them?"

"Many of our people died again in that war, Addison. Whether it's themselves being wiped from existence or being left in a husk of what was once their home and was filled with joy. Nobody is alive during such a tragic time. But yes, her parents did fight in the war. Her mother had been reincarnated upon her death due to infidelity but her father was sent to peace here. He volunteered as a soldier and was one of the casualties."

"So you are implying that it is true that once a being is wiped from existence, all memories of them are lost?" I could not believe what I was hearing.

"Yes. Only I remember them because of a book that I keep. I've noted down every soul ever made and the way they died over their lifetimes. But it even gets hard for me sometimes, to remember everyone."

"Oh."

"Is there something bothering you, Andy?" With both hands cupping my cheeks, Dimitri swiped a thumb gently over my cheekbone in an attempt at showing affection.

"It's about Ida and Fabian," I simply replied.

I knew I need not explain further when Dimitri's lips parted in understanding, his hands dropping back down to his sides before he nodded just once.

"He will move on after that. It is for the best." Swallowing a bile in his throat, Dimitri clenched his jaw in what seemed to be determination. He took in a deep breath before nodding towards the door, reaching out a hand for me to take. "Time is running out. Shall we go?" He asked though knowing fully well what my answer would be.

"Anytime, anywhere, as long as I am with you." I smiled, placing my hand in his and allowing myself to relish in the feeling of his fingers intertwined with mine.

Though I could not feel the cold of his hands like I used to, the weight of his skin against mine still caused sparks to light up and dance across my flesh, sending me into a sort of giddy joy and comfort just knowing that I wasn't alone. It was like that, hand-in-hand, had the both of us made our way toward the entrance of the grand castle, stopping only when we were at the front doors.

"Look who finally decided to show up," Wilhelm slurred before hiccupping just once.

"Had Wilhelm been drinking again?" Dimitri asked while trying to smother his laugh at Wilhelm's drunken stupor.

"He drinks whenever he can and wherever he can." Calvin rolled his eyes playfully.

"Well, he most certainly did not need the extra alcohol in his system. He had been hitting on that redhead for the past five minutes." Fabian snorted.

As if to prove Fabian's point, Wilhelm casually strolled towards Minnie before dipping down in an overly dramatic bow, causing Minnie's eyes to widen in surprise before trying to back away inconspicuously.

"Ah, fair maiden, how I do wish that we had the time to properly get acquainted. Your company elates me so."

From where I stood, I could see Minnie darting her eyes about, frantically searching for a way out. When her eyes finally landed on me, she mouthed the word 'help' in an over-exaggerated manner, pointing at Wilhelm all while taking more steps away from him.

"Alright, Wilhelm, cut it out. We have someplace else to be." Dimitri chuckled, sauntering towards Wilhelm with his hands tucked in his pockets before heaving his redhead brother up to a proper upright position. Once Wilhelm was standing back up properly and in Calvin's control, Dimitri waved a hand at me, gesturing for me to come over. "Come on, Andy. It is time for us to head to Paradise."

"Oh, I wish," I quietly muttered under my breath but the gleam in Dimitri's eyes told me that he had well caught my words.

"After this war is over, don't you worry. I will whisk us off to a haven and utopia," he promised.

With my hand in his and Minnie's in my other, I took one last glance at the glorious castle that I had come to call home as well as the residents that lived with it. All three brothers stood tall and proud in front of the front doors, depicting every inch of the royalty they undoubtedly are. When my eyes landed on Fabian, I was met with an unexplainable gaze coming from his side. His orbs stared intensely at me as if trying to examine something and I could feel my heart clench painfully at the thought of my previous conversation with both Ida and Dimitri.

In time, Fabian will begin to forget and in turn be set free.

The world before us started to swirl, colors melting vibrantly into one another before the beachside scenery dissipated into one of lush green forestry. When the world was back on its axis and my stomach had stopped churning painfully, I was greeted by the familiar sight of ever-growing rows of tall trees and its spanning canopy. Flowers of all sorts laid at the beds of the green grass and in a distance, I could even hear birds chirping away melodiously.

"Here we are, Addison." I heard Dimitri's voice right by my ear though I did not turn to face him. Instead, I was too busy taking in the stunning view though it was not the first time I had been greeted by such a sight of immense beauty. "Paradise."

[A/N]:

So sorry I am a tad bit late! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and remember to leave me your thoughts.

QOTC: If you woke up one day to find out that your family has forgotten about you, what would you do?

xx aurora