Dimensions

Serena and Nathan

James drove faster to their destination. They were losing daylight, Dawn was barely there, and that only made it that much harder to find where they were going. Cassandra laid her head against the window and had finally fallen back asleep. Greenery passing them by as he grips onto the steering wheel harder. Turning his red knuckles white.

"I know I said I would take you to hell, to save your friend, but I can't. I can't let the possibility of Gabriel getting a hold of you, so I've decided to take you to Serena. She owes me one, so this would be her repaying me," James thinks over how he'll explain this to her.

She stirs slightly and then repositions. Her hair curled into beauty and her mouth was open to let drool fall from her lips. James smiled slightly at her, at how she can still be beautiful even when she's drooling.

He turns down another dirt road in the woods and slowly drives up the long drive way to Serena's house. He'll say that it got too dark to drive to Hell, this is just another pit stop.

The great log house comes into view and he examines the new arrangements. She got her porch, she always wanted one. Serena has a flower garden out front now.

James parks the car in front of her garage and sighs his sorrows out slowly. Cassandra not quite awake makes a muffled sound and then quiets. She's sleep talking.

"I'd give anything to protect you," He whispers to her.

James gets out of the car and walks up the beautifully stained porch. Warm lights bright against the blackening sky.

He gets to the door, knocks promptly and loudly.

"JUST A MINUTE!" Serena's voice shouts.

James begins to pace as the wait is burning into him.

A giggle comes from the other side, "Stop it, Nathan, there's people at the door," She smiles brightly and giggles again.

"It's just a person," He whispers into her ear.

Serena reaches the door handle and pulls it open. Shock and a shiver run through her veins. A man with stark black hair like hers, green piercing eyes like her father's, and lean shoulders from his adventures. There he paced, in front of her very eyes...Her brother.

"No...it's not," She whispers to Nathan.

James was flustered to see not only his sister but an accomplice. Words came and went in his mind.

"Ser-Ah-Um..."

"James," Serena sighs out as she runs and hugs him.

He wraps his arms around her and couldn't believe how long it had been since they last talked. Almost five years.

"James?" The man's voice was a little confused.

They pull apart and James is pulled to this new man.

"Nathan...This is James, my brother." Serena smiles proudly to him.

"Your—"

"James? Uh-where are we?" Cassandra's voice echoes softly behind him.

He turns away from Nathan and Serena to Cassandra. His smile crashing upon the surface of his face.

"Cassandra, Come here."

She cautiously climbs the steps and then walks slowly to James's side, clutching the inside of his coat. He wraps his arm around her and pulls her in closer.

"Cassandra, this is Serena, my sister," James walks her over to Serena.

Serena felt like crying and rejoicing at the same time. She ran to Cassandra and gave her a tear filled hug.

"Oh my God, I can't believe it's you!" She exclaims into her ear.

"Uh, ya, good to see you too."

Serena pulls back and smiles at her old friend, "Remember when James used to trip over you when we were younger!"

"Uh-Serena, can I talk to you for a second?" James interrupts their little reunion.

"Sure, hm, Nathan why don't you take Cassandra to our guest bedroom."

"This way," Nathan ushers Cassandra inside and walks out of hearing shot.

"What?" Serena's annoyed voice flows into him.

"Listen...something kinda happened."

"What James?"

"Well, when I...we, you know..."

"No I don't know, what the hell did you do?"

"We...uh, Well—"

"James?" Serena saw the hurt in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, I should've protected her better! I should've been sent down to hell not her! They took them Serena, her memories. She has no idea who she really is, no idea who I or you are, and it's been hard...It's been hard trying to have her fall for me again."

Her hand was covered over her mouth as she listens to what happened to her best friend.

"I wanted to save her! So bad... I found her walking on the streets home about three years ago, and I kept an eye on her. A closer eye than I expected. It doesn't matter though, she's back, but she doesn't remember so be gentle when you remind her of things. I don't want her to flip out because she can't remember the first time I stumbled over her."

"I'm so sorry James...I had no idea—"

"Nobody did."