Anuk awoke to the sound of consistent beeps and a bright light. Her eyes fluttered open. She didn't recognize any of the men standing around her in matching blue gowns but she didn't feel the need to be worried, they were all smiling at her. She sat up slowly and turned her head as the clicking of shoes and a man's voice echoed through the hall outside the room. A man dressed in black pants and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the bottom tucked in appeared in the doorway. Anuk cocked her head and gazed at him, engrossed in his messy hair and prominent jaw line.

"Yes Carl she's just waking up now. Don't worry she's just fine…. alright Carl… yes, yes we'll take very good care of her… don't worry I'll be with her every step of the way… ok take care… bye Carl." He snapped shut his phone and slid it into his back pocket before picking up a clipboard and walking over to Anuk. He smiled as he sat on the end of her bed.

"How are you feeling?" his eyes searched her face as he spoke the words kindly

Anuk smiled weakly, "I'm fine."

He grinned and chuckled to himself as he wrote down numbers from the beeping machines. When he was done he looked around at the other men and spoke to Anuk, "These men have been taking care of you since you fainted on that helicopter."

He smiled reassuringly as her vacant eyes.

"Well you guys can leave and thanks for all your help," he nodded at all the doctors as they left the room then he turned back to Anuk, "And we'll get you into some clothes and we'll be on our way."

Anuk looked down at herself and noticed she was wearing a thin, papery half-gown that tied in the back. She felt the faintest warmth in her cheeks but quickly held her chin up and nodded as if giving permission for him to give her clothes. She wondered if he was impressed at her understanding things as Carl was.

He chuckled at her as he retrieved a small pile of clothes from a table at the foot of the bed and layed them at her feet. He nodded and cleared his throat, "Well get dressed and I'll be waiting in the hall when you're ready."

Anuk nodded back and stared at the clothes, not recognizing them. She slid out of the bed when he had shut the door and held up the clothes. The shirt was decent looking and the jeans were faded in the front. She slid into the clothes and examined herself in the mirror. She pushed her hair back behind her ear and turned toward the door.

ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః౦ః

"Tristan dear please wake up this is starting to get a little ridiculous." A cold finger swept across his sun burnt forehead as Tristan rose from his uncomfortable sleep.

His back was stiff from the crooked angles of the rock he had been sleeping on. The sun had returned, only to be setting on the horizon. He blinked a few times, wondering if he had dreamed its disappearance. A smiling face beamed down at him as he groaned and rubbed his eyes.

"Good morning. Or I supposed night since you slept so long. I didn't think my whole effect would put you to sleep but I imagine I made it too long and you got bored." She smiled.

Tristan raised an eyebrow and sat up, scooting away from where she lay next to him, propped up on her left elbow, "And who are you exactly?"

She grinned, "Oh I was hoping you'd ask. My name's Cici. I've been watching you from my little world and I do admire your strength. You possess such a talent of rejecting even the thought of losing. Though many people I know find this a quirk in you, I admire it, which, I believe, is why I was the one sent here for you. None of us really do this anymore. In fact I'm the first one that's done this in about a year, which is saying a lot because we used to run out of recruits every day.

Well anyway I guess I'm getting ahead of myself. I'm from… a different place, and where I come from they send people like me to help people through things. We call ourselves angels, but frankly I don't view myself as an angel. When people have problems and need help we guide them to things that we believe are meant for them to find or do. You might think that's crazy and you might be asking yourself why we get to make those decisions, but trust me, we know what we're doing. We always know whats right for a specific person. If we didn't everything would be in chaos. We're not needed anymore because of this reform… well, accept for you that is." She smiled and continued when he nodded in hesitant understanding, "Sorry for the wait but there was a lot of debate as to what should happen to you. Finally I got to come, and I'm so glad because we are going to have the best time together. I'll show you everything."

Tristan snorted lightly, "Sometimes I dream the weirdest things."

Cici frowned, "You're NOT dreaming. What an insult. I come to help you and you don't even think I'm real!"

"No, no its not that I don't need help… its just that everyone was changed but me. You can't be real."

She smiled, "But I am. I'll prove it."

She leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips. A shock went through him and gasped for air as if someone had hit him with a club across his back.

She chuckled as she pulled her head back and looked into his eyes, "Now am I real?"

As his breathing slowed he swallowed and nodded.

"Like I said, I've been watching you for a long time. I guess you don't know me, but its like I feel like now that I'm finally seeing you I can finally… I mean well I could… I don't know… make you love me as much as I love you?"

Tristan looked up at her panicked. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, "I can't… I love Anuk. I have to find her."

Cici didn't seem discouraged by this. "I'll give you time. Besides it'll take us a week to get to where she is so maybe you'll change your mind."

Tristan shrugged, knowing he couldn't change his mind.