The mergeverse

Confrontations

We headed back to the castle to tell some of the others. Mainly Moon, as she was really the only one who knew about this guy in the first place. I guessed she was probably up in her room, but I also knew if she was she might be asleep. Either way, I went up and lightly knocked on the door. "Moon, you in there?"

It wasn't Moon who responded, but the voice whom I recognized as one of her friends from the lab. "She's in here, just sleeping right now." I knew Moon probably really needed sleep, in all honesty I did too. But this felt kind of important. "Normally I'd let her sleep, but this is kinda important. Could you wake her up please?"

It was quiet for a few moments, then Moon opened the door. "You needed me?" I nod and motion for her to follow me and Miles. I explained a bit what was going on, mainly just that it was about the scientist from the lab in my universe. Once we got downstairs. I took out the photo I had found. "Me and Miles had been looking around my old house, and I found this. That's the same guy who brought me to the lab the first time."

Moon was just as confused as we had been. "So, he knows you in a more personal way than what we thought?" I nod. "But he most likely doesn't actually realize. I look a lot different, sure, I looked similar to how he remembers me from, but this is a really old picture, I'm not even sure I had seen him that much in my life. But, from what I remember, I'm thinking he's my uncle, which would make sense if I really hadn't seen him much."

I explained a bit more of what we had been thinking, and in the end, we all agreed that strangely enough, I might have to go back again. Just to confront him. We ended up finding Lucifer and talking things over with him as well. It took him a lot more convincing to get him to agree.

"Come on, you've gotta let us come with you, you can't just go back there alone." Moon said as I was preparing to leave. "I'll be fine, I promise. I'm going in on my own accord, I can handle myself better than the times I was taken against my will. I'm just going in to confront him. Plus, I know for a fact you'll both know if I do need help."

Some more convincing later, and I was on my way. I teleported straight to the lab, now that I knew where it was. I snuck in, making sure no alarms got set off. I found my way to Anthony's office, getting out of the shadow I was in and closing the door behind me. He looked over immediately. "Well, look who's decided to come back." I glared at him. "I'm not back to just be here." I said, handing him the picture. 

He seemed shocked. "How.. How do you have this?" I could tell he recognized it. "Explain why you recognize it first." His explanation confirmed my theory. According to him, it had been an old picture of him and his niece. Which also meant he hadn't recognized me. I took a deep breath before giving him the answer he wanted. "I found it in my old house. So tell me, why have you been doing this. I know it was you who took my brother, and he had to have been recognizable."

He sighed and looked away from me. "Look, kid. When I took your brother, I didn't even actually know it was him. I hadn't seen either of you in years. All I was told was the area you might've been in and a brief description. I wasn't even given names." I could tell he felt guilty. "Answer me this, if you had known who I was this whole time, would you have brought me here the first time you did?"

He shook his head no. "If I knew I could've avoided doing more harm to what's left of this family, no, I wouldn't have. Hell, looking back at what I had done I know I should've recognized him. I should've just never done anything. But I didn't. And I know I'm in the wrong for that." Despite my better judgement, I felt myself holding back tears. "At least you can admit it. I just want to know one last thing. Where is my brother. I know he's not dead. I just want to see him again."

He just looked back up at me and shrugged slightly. "I don't actually know. He got out a couple months ago. Only thing I can suggest is maybe look in the area we caught him. I have a feeling that's where he'd be." He handed me the picture back, as well as another one I didn't recognize at first. Until I realized it was of the shadow walker I had met in the woods. "That was the last picture I got of him.  His memory is probably a bit jumbled by now, there were.. a lot of side effects to being here."

I put the pictures in my pocket and left through the shadows again. I couldn't bare to be in the room with him anymore. I just wanted to find my brother.

I teleported to the clearing in the woods, knowing Altair would be there. He must've seen me, surprisingly recognizing me, because he came right over. I sat down next to him, the tears finally escaping my eyes. I handed him the picture Anthony had given me. "Is this you..?" I asked, and he nodded. "You don't remember much, do you? And yet you trusted me."

"You felt.. familiar.." He whispered. "Where.. where did you get this..?" I explained a briefly. I explained what Anthony had told me. He seemed to pause, thinking about everything. Maybe even remembering some things. "That.. explains a lot.. I think I remember things a bit better now.. It's.. a bit cloudy, but.. there.."

I knew how that was like. Regaining memories felt weird, like you never fully remembered it, it too a bit. After a few moments, I felt him pulling me into a hug. "I've missed you. More than I've realized." That was the first clear sentence I had heard him speak since seeing him like this. I couldn't help but just hug him back and let the tears fall from my eyes. "I missed you too."

I felt myself soon drifting off to sleep, my crying having exhausted me.

{Altair's POV (First person):}

Everything had slowly started coming back. It was.. a lot. I also felt Dagger soon fall asleep in my arms. I guessed he probably was pretty tired as is, and the crying just tired him out even more. It was weird to think I just forgotten everything, just like that. I guess I just needed someone to remind me of who I even was.

I felt a bit protective of Dagger. I didn't wanna lose him again. I didn't want him to have to lose me again.