"When I wake up, I'm afraid somebody else might take my place."

- The Neighbourhood, Afraid

That's all I have to say, folks ;)

***

Chapter 28: Realistic

"Did they leave already? Without saying goodbye?"

Genie handed me the cup of tea she had been brewing on the old-looking stove. It didn't even seem to be working based on the kettle which still had water vapors settled on its surface. She'd gone for that alternative instead.

I took it from her with a grumpy "thanks" and flopped down onto the living room sofa. Not because I had any grievances against her and wasn't grateful for a warm beverage but because those two imbeciles and sorry excuse of mythical men totally went about their day without us.

"Wasn't the point of us coming on this trip to sightsee things we've never seen before?"

"You mean you," she corrected, sitting opposite of me across the fireplace.

It burned a dancing glow between us and I couldn't help but wonder why it was suddenly so cold inside here.

"The entire point of this trip was for you to come see a land you've never seen before to potentially remember the past. Which, I honestly feel, is a bootless errand. It is by sorcery that you forgot, thus it should be by similar methods that you shall remember."

"Look at you talking like the old hag you are," I mumbled in disdain.

She rolled her eyes but there was no ill intentions behind it.

"I'm just saying," she said, wrapping a blanket around her shoulders. "If you truly want to remember what happened and who you were I think it's best if you just took the chance and seduced Angelo—"

"I won't—"

"Or you can find someone else who's willing to help you for a price."

I perked up.

This was the first time another alternative was being laid out onto the tables.

"You're telling me all along there was another way? And you're just letting me know now?"

She placed her mug down, suddenly as icy as this damn temperature was.

I looked around, heavily dosed with confusion.

"I only didn't tell you because it's not the most ideal option but this wild goose chase isn't gonna do much for either of us here. The reason Cupid and Angelo have us locked up here is because they are also aware of that. Angelo is hopeful but Cupid is realistic. And as much as I honor Angelo and his beliefs, I feel like I have to be on Cupid's side here."

"And by that you mean?"

"Being realistic."

She folded her hands tightly and looked at me seriously.

I hated anytime she became like this knowing that it was something I most likely didn't want to hear.

"Look, Isabelle. I don't wanna be the one to break this to you but there is no effort that can be made simply by Cupid lighting a fire to your mind. That was just a ruse made up by him in order to keep Angelo in check and sadly, he's aware that he's being deceived as well."

"What..."

"I know, it's a lot to take in, but it's the truth. Why do you think you've only seen fragments of the past? It's because Cupid only allowed that much for you to see! Do you honestly think it would be difficult for someone like him and the Commander of Chief of the heavens to have your memories restored in another form other than him bedding you?"

My skin prickled.

"So what you're saying is that they lied to me?"

She ran a hand through her hair. "No, not necessarily. It's true that sleeping with you will do the trick because you and Angelo...you two are married, Isabelle."

"We're what?!"

"You're bound by law. Heaven's law at that. Once a celestial being gets married in the official ceremony and pledges to someone, no matter the status, shape, form or gender it may come in, they are bound for life."

Stunned, my hands began to tremble and I blindly put the cup down only for it to make an awful clinking sound onto the table.

To be honest, I had my suspicions based on the slip ups from Cupid and also Angelo's confession of me being his and also him blatantly referring to me as his "wife" when we had that argument in the stormy room. However, I hadn't put much thought into the weight of it all. That meant that everything that he had said before could have possibly been true. Just how much more of this was I being left out of? How much more of the truth do I not know?

"That's what Angelo is to you and what you are to him, Isabelle." She solidified.

"I..."

"Now think about it even further. If you are such an important person in his life, his entire existence for him to have done something like that with almost everyone being unsupportive of the two of you, why would he not risk it all to have you remember?"

Then it dawned on me like a horrible, disgusting plot twist.

"Because he doesn't want me to."

Angelo didn't want me to find out the depths of what we had gone through. He didn't want me to know his mistakes. He didn't want me to figure out why I had asked him to erase the memories of us. He didn't want me to...because he didn't want me to hate him again.

Genie simply stared at me pitifully and suddenly I felt sick to the stomach.

"Oh my God," I moaned before dashing to the bathroom.

I had made it down the correct hallway, however I was in such a hurry that I had opened the wrong door.

As I held my hand over my mouth to stop myself from puking all over the wooden floors, I found myself staring into a large mirror.

Actually, I was surrounded by multiple of them.

A circle of mirrors cocooned me and standing before me was a reflection of myself that I had never seen before.

No, wait. I have.

I had seen it before.

It was a ghastly pale image of me; deathly black hair and thin lips and a complexion with no sense of joy or life.

Just by looking at her eyes I knew.

It was her.

It was Elisabetta.

I puked all over the floors.

***

Instead of being a replica of what I did and the mess before me, the girl simply stared down at it. I saw her face make a scowl of disgust for a small second before she looked back at me.

Her eyes were hard.

"What are you doing here?"

I was shocked by how much animosity was in her tone as she spoke to me.

I was still stunned that this was even possible.

Just how...

"Did you not hear me or are you pretending to not have heard my question?"

How can such a naturally soft voice sting like a bee?

"I—I don't know." I barely got out after wiping my mouth with the base of my hand.

I glanced around for the entrance that I had come through but there was none.

I walked slowly away from the mirror before me but then I jumped in shock when the one beside me manifested her once again.

"Are you trying to run away from me?" She asked slowly, her theory spot on.

I looked around frantically this time and when I saw what looked like an exit I ran but the mirrors re-arranged themselves.

I was trapped again.

And there she was before me.

"You know..." she drawled, "You're never going to leave like this. If you run away, I mean. You're gonna have to talk to me whether you like it or not. Think of it as therapy; talking to the voices inside your head."

I got chills at the end of her sentence with how slimy and distorted her voice sounded.

"You're not a part of me. You're not me."

She laughed.

Obnoxiously and mockingly.

Her hand moved for the first time to wipe a stray tear from her eye.

"Ahhh, that was funny. I haven't laughed like that in centuries. I guess I do have myself to thank for something since then."

"You're not making any sense to me. Who are you and what is this place?"

She stared at me.

"You really have no idea, do you?"

"If I did, would I be asking you?"

She snapped.

"I hate how weak you are. He's made you into a fool once more and I physically cannot stand having to watch how you welcome his pursuits, completely clueless of how manipulative he can be."

"Who? Are you talking about Angelo?"

"Is there another man which the two of us shares?"

I flinched.

"Don't say it like that."

She smirked. "Like what?"

"Like...we're...you know."

"It's funny to see how you lose your marbles around yourself yet speak so eloquently around others; albeit a bit too glibly."

"Shut up. Are you going to explain to me or not? I don't have time for your mind games."

"Just as Genie told you, you should already know who's the one really playing mind games here."

My lips folded.

"I don't think I completely believe Genie." I lied.

"If you don't, you're a complete fool. She's the only one who is truly on your side and has always been."

My heart surged hearing that for some reason but then it almost completely stopped at her next words.

"Angelo is the one you should not believe. He'll do everything in his power to make sure you stay only his again. However, you cannot expect the same from him. Ironic, isn't it?"

My expression must have shown how torn I was hearing that because she laughed once more.

At my hurt.

At my pain.

At...her pain?

"Are you saying that Angelo cheated on you?"

My mind, in whichever form it had taken itself to become a traitor, curved itself and submitted to the theory of us being one just to ask that painful question.

"Angelo is a man of many. His role has made him so since the day he burned across the auspicious skies of the heavens. He is a prized possession of theirs in more ways than one. The most gifted out of the three highly regarded angels by God's side."

"There are three of them?"

"Yes, but the only one you can trust to help you among them is Mikael. Don't forget that no matter what anyone else says."

"Why? What has he done for you to say that?"

For the first time, I saw her eyes gloss over in what appeared to be sadness.

"More than what Angelo has ever done for me."

As soon as the words left her lips, I screamed as she shattered into a million pieces.

A fist punched through the mirror and broke the others simultaneously, having shards fly around in what was a slowed down interval of time.

I covered my face in fear of being cut open before I felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around me and carry me away.

I could hardly comprehend what was happening as Genie rushed to my side as I was laid on the couch.

I couldn't move.

All I could feel was a numbing sensation of coldness.

God, I was freezing!

"Genie, I told you to watch her! How could you let something like this happen?!"

"You think I wanted her to get hurt? How could I have known the room would open like that? Why wasn't there a goddamn lock on it?"

"There was! However, she technically has the key to every fucking thing I do!"

There were booming voices and the breaking of boards and glasses.

But all I could think about was trying to stay awake because I knew if I closed my eyes that would have been the end of me.

And I really didn't want to go like this.

Not before finding out what was real and what was not.

Moreover, who was lying and who was not.

"Belle," I heard a voice softly whisper as a strand of hair was brushed out of my face.

I blinked up behind frost-covered lashes.

"God, she's a damn snow woman at this point."

It didn't sound like Angelo nor did it Genie whose voice I haven't heard in a while.

So it must have been Cupid.

"Bad timing?" He asked after a heartbeat.

Yeah, definitely Cupid.

I would have flipped him the finger if I were physically able to.

"Come here, darling," Angelo said before taking me into his lap and suddenly I felt like I was placed on top of the warmest of sunshines.

He wrapped his arms around me; holding me close enough not to squeeze me to death but secured enough so I was comfortable.

I sighed inaudibly.

He radiated such a comforting heat that I could almost cry.

But maybe that would come out as an icicle and give Cupid something else to make fun of.

I felt him rocking me back and forth and murmuring something I couldn't quite make out into my ears.

That was until I was falling into nothingness and heard it clear from the depths of his soul.

"I'm sorry."

***

A/N:

I bet no one saw that coming...

Did Angelo & Cupid really hinder Isabelle's path to finding out the truth? Or is there more to the story?

Also we've got to talk about how Genie has been deemed a "real one" by the infamous Elisabetta herself. Talk about a character redemption? Or not, because she's always been showing that she cares. Anyway..

Also...Mikael?? 👀

Any theories as to how he falls into play?

I love hearing your theories (whether it's here, on my message board or by direct message)! I'm so excited to share what I have waiting for you. 😼