Lost in Technicolor

On the Stairs

It was about two hours after lunch, while she was doing her normal rounds, when she saw Drake again, but this time it was in her head. While she was trying to rub the oil off the concrete floor from the machinery that had just flown off, vivid visions of her past continued to flash before her eyes. However these were memories that she hadn't seen or known in years. Shaking her head, she tried to ignore them, scrubbing harder at the greasy floor.

"Come on, hurry it up. It's getting late," Michael growled, kicking the bucket of suds towards her, "stop daydreaming."

Jade nodded as she continued to work, slowly but surely the stuff began to come up, bending to her will. Shaking the aches from her blistering hands, she stood, grabbing the bucket and handed it over to Michael.

"Done?" He barked, shocked.

She gave a quick nod, "Goodnight."

She heard him scoff behind her as she made her way through the maze-like basement to the stairs. With a sigh she took the first step to hundreds. She tried to force a smile, climbing those stairs. This was what she had to do in order to simply take one class on mechanics. She wasn't from a rich family like Erik. Suddenly she ran into something and almost fell back down the many stairs she had ascended had not that something grabbed hold of her arm.

"Hey," she heard Drake's voice snap, "watch where you're going. What are you doing down here any ways?"

He seemed suspicious of her for some reason. "I work down here," she snapped back, jerking her hand away from him.

"Work," he paused looking her up and down, without a doubt noticing every greasy stain and tear in her once clean dress, not to mention her tangly hair. She looked like a wreck.

"Yes, work," she hissed, pushing her hair out of her face, frustratedly, "not everyone is filthy rich."

"Right," he smiled grimly, staring hard into her eyes.

For a moment she thought that she head his voice, speaking, I guess I feel sorry for you.

However his lips weren't moving, "What?" She asked, her eyes widening and hair standing on edge.

"I didn't say a word," he continued to smile. It was that very smile that caused her to remember her necklace.

"Where's my-" she began, but he interrupted her.

"Gone," the smile slipped away, "I don't regret to say that I disposed of it."

"Wait," she shook her head, "you . . . you what?"

"I'm sorry, dear," he apologized hardly in earnest, "but it was altering your memories."

She studied his barely brown eyes for a long time, trying to decide if he was telling her the truth or if he was simply a mind reader. "How do I know that I can trust you?"

"Didn't you realize it yourself?" He muttered, leaning against the thin metal railing with a sigh. "Haven't your memories been coming back now that you've taken the stupid thing off?"

"Yes," she nodded, "but-"

"And aren't I in them," he sighed, taking her hand. This time she didn't pull away. "Don't you remember me, Jade?"

She stared harder at him as the hot steam from the noisy machines racketing around them blew upwards. Forcing her eyes to water and she had to look away.

"At least do you remember Dane?" He asked hopefully.

Pursing her lips and feeling the warmth of his hand around her's she dove into the depths of her mind. Dane, who was Dane. He was Damien's brother. But, who was Damien, Drake's father. That made her insides squirm. Dane made her feel safe, but Damien. She couldn't remember why she hated him.

"Dane's your uncle and Damien's brother," she managed as she looked up at him once more, biting her lip from the pressure of the concentration.

"Right," he said kindly. "good. Now, who am I and more importantly who are you."

"I don't know," she said in a panicky voice, pulling away from him suddenly, "this is too confusing."

She tried to push her way past him so that she could get away from him, but he held her fast.

"Calm down, dear," he muttered into her ear, "I'm trying to do you a favor."

"Damien's your father," she blurted out, but wasn't quite sure why.

He bit down on his lip hard and looked away from her furiously. He couldn't hide how hideously angry those words made him. "Yes," he hissed, like water on fire, "yes, Jade that is true."

"Why do I hate Damien?" She asked as a thousand different images of his smiling face flashed through her head.

"Because he is pure evil," Drake stripped off his anger to look at her gently once more.

"And what do you want with me, Drake White?" She asked coldly, having regained her mind again.

"Can't you hear my thoughts, yet?" He laughed. "Your's have been ringing in my head since the day I set foot here."

Aren't I in your head? He smiled at her, forcing her to shiver.

She opened her mouth to reply, yes, but he quickly put a finger over her mouth.

"I already heard your response," continuing to smile, he lifted his finger to tap the side his head meaningfully.

"Erik won't like this," she muttered as more memories began to flood her head. They had always been able to hear one another's thoughts, but she had never understood how or why and just as in the past she was forced to accept it without an explanation.

"No, I don't think he will," Drake frowned, slowly letting her arms go.

"So why did Damien, send me away all those years ago?" She asked boldly, remembering that she had in fact lived in Damien White's mansion until she was six and sent to live in Monorail.

No clue. He smiled devilishly.

And why are you bothering me with all of this now? She tried to think to him.

"Damien, wants me to bring you back to him," he said taking a step up the stairs, and looking back to see if she'd follow. "It took me forever to find you. I had no idea that you were under my nose the entire time."

"I have a family here," she protested deciding to indeed follow him, "friends. I have a life and I-"

He looked down at smugly, eyeing her filthy clothes, Yes, a very nice life.

She shook her head. I don't want to go back there. I can't remember it very well. I was so young, but I don't feel . . . it doesn't feel right, Drake.

"I won't make you," he took her hand kindly. She didn't trust him in the least bit.