A week later, and there was still no news from the Shadow Legion. Kyle and I both felt anxious of the waiting, so we distracted ourselves by making out whenever we were alone and had even a moment to think. So basically, we made out a lot. It may not have been healthy, but it felt right.

Kyle was on top of me one day, we were making out pretty heavily when Brook barged in.

"Ooookay, you guys really need to cut this out." She said sarcastically. It was the third time she had walked in on us this week. To be honest I had gotten kind of used to it.

"And you need to learn how to knock." Kyle grumbled, picking up his shirt that had come off at one point.

Brook eyed us judgmentally. She knew what we were doing, this avoiding thinking and keeping each other from facing our problems, but she didn't understand. When I did think of my problems, I only got overly stressed, but nothing really happened. When I was making out with Kyle, it was a nice way to expel stress and plus: I was kissing Kyle. I mean, why not?

"Theo was calling for you two." Brook told us, and then added, "but you guys should do something with how you look, because you two look like you've been at it for pretty long."

I shrugged, rolling off of Kyle's couch to comb out my hair in the bathroom. Perhaps I was being careless, and a few months ago I wouldn't be able to believe I was doing something like this, so casually. But I wasn't the same me anymore. I didn't think, dress, or act the same way.

After I discarded my ruffled shirt and slipped on a new sweater, I walked out of the bathroom and headed outside the Residential Quarters into the main building with Kyle and Brook. When we got to Theo's office, he looked at us with relief.

"I was wondering where you guys were." He said, shuffling files and papers around. Brook refrained from telling him what we were doing, and for that I silently thanked her.

"I have to show you two something. I found something interesting." He said, and turned his computer around to show us his screen. There was a picture of my mom, I recognized her light brown hair and that wide shape of her dark green eyes, young, maybe a little older than my age, next to another girl who looked really similar to her. They were both laughing, sitting outside in a garden on a bright, sunlit day, the two of them wearing flowy sundresses and holding a glass of lemonade in their hands.

"Is that Roselle?" I asked, and Theo nodded.

"I'm sure of it. Unless your mother had another sibling. But that's doubtful."

I nodded thoughtfully, staring at the beautiful girls in the picture. Roselle had darker hair than me and my mom, but the same green eyes and the same delicate curve to her lips and the oval-shaped face. Roselle was prettier than me, and from the picture I could tell she had basically a perfect body, with just the right curve at every inch of her body.

"Cass, I have a favor to ask you." Theo told me, and I nodded, telling him to go on.

"I know that your mother has been brainwashed, and I would like to know to what extent. If it's not too much for you, I would like you to ask her about her childhood."

That was easy. I wondered why we hadn't done that earlier. "Of course."

"And," Theo said, sliding a printed copy of the picture to me, "I would like you to show her this picture and ask where it's from."

I agreed to do it, but bit my lip hesitantly. I didn't know what the outcome could be of this.

* * * * *

Henry dropped me off after school at my house, and I went to my room to change quickly, and then clambered down the stairs to approach my mom. The picture of her and Roselle was in my pocket, and it felt heavy like I was carrying rocks instead of a piece of paper.

"Mom?" I asked, as I headed inside her office. She looked up and smiled at me.

"Hi sweetie. I feel like I haven't seen you in ages." And it was true. I was always at the Office, and I never saw her anymore.

My mom looked older for some reason, the lines under her eyes more visible and there were a few white strands of hair in her usually vibrant hair. Maybe she forgot to dye her hair and apply her make up.

I sat next to her on one of the chairs in the room, and she gently put a hand on my hair, twirling it around and tucking it behind my ear. "I'm worried about you." She said, "I'm constantly worried what that...that blasted Legion is going to do to you."

"No, mom, stop it. I'm safe. You don't have to worry about me."

My mom smiled ruefully, obviously not convinced. "It's a mother's job to be worried. But, that's not what you came to talk to me about, right?"

"Yeah. This is going to sound a little strange, but I want you to tell me about your childhood."

My mom looked surprised. "Whatever for?"

"It's uh...just for a school project. I have to interview someone."

My mom shrugged her delicate shoulders. "Alright then. Well...uh...I was an orphan." She said, and frowned, as if she was wracking her brain. "Uhm, I know I left the orphanage when I was 18, no one wanted me when I was growing up, and I was old enough, so I went to Yale with a small scholarship." She winked at me, "you might not believe me, but I was a smart girl."

"I don't doubt it. But mom...this is the first time you told me you were an orphan."

Her eyes narrowed in confusion. "Huh? That's strange. I was sure I've told it many times. I just...don't like talking about my childhood I suppose."

"So you were at the orphanage your entire life?"

"Yeah...." She murmured distractedly.

"What do you remember from there?"

My mom had a deep-set frown, and looked slightly pained. I hated doing this to her. "You know what's strange? I don't remember anything that happened while I was at the orphanage. The last thing I remember is...packing up my things to go to college."

"So you don't know anything about your parents or siblings or childhood?"

"I mean, I know about the orphanage, of course. But there's nothing really that sticks." My mom laughed, sounding a little confused. "My childhood must have been pretty boring."

I took a deep breath, and put my hand in my pocket. "Then mom...who is this?"

My mom looked at the piece of paper I had taken out. "Is that me?"

"You and probably your sister, with how much you two look alike."

"My...Cassandra, where did you get this?"

"I found it. I was cleaning my room and it just fell out." I lied quickly.

She frowned, holding the piece of paper gently as if it was a newborn chick.

"This is strange. I really should remember this. I really...huh..." She muttered to herself, and I knew the Shadow Legion had washed out her memories completely, inhumanely. I could imagine she was feeling lost and doubting her entire life. I didn't know what to do, but I wanted to take her out of her misery.

"Maybe I got confused. Maybe this is of one of my cousins or something. I mean, we have so many of them." I suggested. My mom nodded, but she looked doubtful. I retrieved the scrap of paper and walked out of the room, avoiding my mom's eyes.

* * * * *

"She doesn't remember a thing. She thinks she was at an orphanage her entire life, but doesn't remember anything from it." I announced to the room full of people, and they all looked grim. I knew they were all secretly hoping she was simply acting the entire time, and would randomly know all the little secrets of the Shadow Legion when we asked for it.

That would have made things a lot easier.

Theo didn't look surprised. "Was she confused when you talked to her?"

I nodded. "Definitely."

They all kind of nodded their heads, staying quiet.

"Okay, well, thank you for doing that Cass." Theo said, and I quietly excused myself. I went back to the my room, feeling a sense of defeat.

I didn't know if I could keep on going when there was only defeat after defeat. After I collected myself, I went to Kyle's room. He was sitting on the sofa with a book in his hand.

"Hi." I said softly, and he turned around. I joined him on the sofa, sitting close to him. He put down his book, and I instantly placed my lips on his, needing the distraction and comfort kissing him brought.

He kissed me back, and we were only kissing for ten seconds or so, when he stopped me.

"What's wrong?" I asked, but that was the wrong question.

"We have to stop this, Cass." He said, scooting away from me just far enough to feel a little insulted.

"Stop what?" I feigned innocence, but Kyle wasn't going to take my crap just then.

"You know what. We can't just continue to make out and avoid our responsibilities. As much as I would love to." He added at the end, noticing my hurt face.

"Brook has obviously been judging us lately, and rightfully so. We're not even acting like ourselves, and all of this just feels so mechanical."

"Mechanical?" I asked, fighting back the embarrassed, frustrated feelings that were rising up inside of me.

"Yeah...before, you used to look at me like someone you admired, like you had this big crush on me."

My jaw dropped open, but no words came out of my mouth.

"Now you just look at my lips with this craving, which turned me on before, but not anymore, especially when you won't even look at me with those sparkly eyes you used to have."

I looked up into his green eyes, and I realized that I really hadn't looked into his eyes for a while. It felt strange, now that I thought about it. But at that moment, I had an ego to protect. "I did not look like I had a big crush on you."

Kyle laughed gently. "Is that seriously all you have to say?"

"Yes."

"You forget I'm a spy, I notice more than you might think."

I stuck my tongue out at him. "You have a bigger crush on me though."

"I beg to differ." He said, and put his hand on his chin, as if he were pondering something. "But then again, I do have quite a huge crush on you."

I felt my cheeks heat up. I don't know if I liked all this admitting-your-feelings business. It made me feel awkward as hell, but made me feel dizzy with joy at the same time.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but..." Kyle let out a long sigh, "no making out for a while, okay?"

I frowned. "I'm going to miss your lips."

"I don't blame you."

I shook my head, "you need to know when to shut up."

"I don't disagree."

I stood up to leave, but Kyle quickly grabbed my hand and whirled me around, pulling me down onto his lap. He kissed me in a passionate, but somehow refreshing way, which took my breath away. Our lips parted, and I looked at him with surprise.

"That's the face I missed." He said, and I realized I was staring up at him with wide, awestruck eyes.

"That one kiss was ten times better than all the kisses we had this past week." I said honestly.

"I must be getting better." Kyle gave me a wide, cheeky grin that made my heart do somersaults. Just like that, my uncontrollable feelings for Kyle were back.