A vow and an investigation.

"Don't let her steal your life away, leave while you can."

Those haunting words drive a chill through your soul. The sweet thoughts of Janice quickly sour with a few sounds. "You-" You bite down on your tongue to stop your flow of anger, anger for something that hasn't even happened yet. That won't happen! Cassandra's eyes go wide in a moment of shock at your harsh tone. Clenching your teeth you let out a long breath. "If you... ever find yourself in a difficult position, or are struggling, or stressed, or heck even scared... Come to me. I will be there for you this time. Like you were there for me." You did so much for me and Janice last time that I can't be angry, not when I couldn't do anything.

After your uncle's **** in your first life, you were unable to focus on anything for a long time. The pain you felt when losing your parents felt like it was happening all over again from your uncle. This pain stopped you from attending Ravenwood academy and subsequently caused you to drop out. The pain from losing those closest to you drove you to distance yourself from everyone you knew, friends and family. The fear of losing someone again made you keep your walls up when you started to work. Finally after many years you feel different about everything that happened. Where the pain that once caused a distraction was now a focusing point for what you needed to do. Where the fear that once made a shield was now an anchor to keep you steady and close to those you cherish.

Cassandra lightly punches your arm while looking ready to cry and shooting you a little smile. "You're being weird doofus... Why would I need your help?" She lets out a strained chuckle and avoids making eye contact. You rest your hand onto of hers on her lap. She looks from your hand all the way back up to your serious, stoic expression.

"I mean it Cassey." She loses her smile, tears threatening to break out once more. "Come to me for anything. I will be there, always."

"Yeah... Okay..." She nods her head slightly. You sit in a lasting silence whilst holding onto her hands still. Eventually she stands and twirls a few steps away. "You know it's a good thing you woke up because I was getting ready to kick your ass right out off that bed if you didn't wake up soon." Wiping away her teary eyes she now grins widely from the foot of the bed.

"Yeah sure." You scoff with a roll of your eyes. "With what? You and those little chicken legs?" Her face fills up red and readies herself to say something back.

"Are we all ready honey?" Janice asks cheerfully interrupting Cassandra and holding a clear plastic bag with your clothes inside.

"I think so, Cassey was just saying how much she missed me and can't wait to serve me while I finish recovering." You say with a smirk while stretching your arms behind your head.

Saturday. October 26th. 2069. Gamrock town. Your house.

You wake up from a nap in the passenger seat of Janice's car, just as she turns the car onto your driveway. Before you had left, you had gotten yourself dressed into a pair of light grey jogger pants and a plain t-shirt with your black hoodie over the top. Thankful for the comfortable clothes, the moment you got in the car you went straight to sleep. The ride from the city hospital to your town, Gamrock, takes a little under an hour in quiet traffic. Your uncle got the house when he and your aunt first arrived to Ashfield saying that he wanted a family house and not an apartment to live in, despite the long travel times for himself and later on you and Cassandra.

Despite the few weeks of rest, your body still aches all over as well as occasionally causing you to feel lightheaded from time to time. You are acutely reminded of this when you go to step out of the car. You collapse forward just as Cassandra grabs you, straining to keep you upright. "Thanks..." You mutter, regaining your balance. "I think I'll go and take a nap or something."

"You should take a shower too." Cassandra replies with a grimace.

"Sure, you can wash my back then." You retort whilst being led inside by your hand. She leads you upstairs and straight to your bedroom where you sit down and lie back. With a moment of pause in the doorway, Cassandra shuts the door on her way out. Your room is kept very minimalist with bare white walls and a window with curtains half drawn. You have a plain metal desk with a swivel chair on wheels tucked under, a pc, monitor and lamp on top of the desk, as well as a wardrobe at the foot of your small double bed.

You close your eyes, getting ready to take a nap when your head fills with thoughts again. What's actually going on with me? Can I even change the past? Will I be here forever? Why was there a fairy before the explosion? Who was that guy driving? Why was I sent back? Could I have saved uncle Harold? You let out a frustrated sigh and sit up slowly. "Okay think this through. A fairy sent my mind back in time to the exact day of the Emergence. Do all fairies have that kind of magic?" You scratch you forehead. "Focus, think about what I can answer. I can change the past, I ended up in hospital this time and Janice looks better than the last time this happened. I need to test it and see if I really can change the past in more drastic ways. I'm also gonna need to look into Vortex Solutions because something feels wrong with it. I need to make a list." You get up and sit at your desk, turning the pc on. Quickly you load up a blank document and begin unloading your thoughts onto the screen.

To do list

• Change the past in a major way.
• Find out more about Uncle Harold's work.
• Improve myself.
• Find one of those fairy's.
• Keep my family safe.

You lean back in your chair, the text cursor blinking at the end of your new list. "Guess I could take that bath while thinking things over." Absentmindedly you trudge to the bathroom and grab yourself a clean towel from the shelf inside before striping and filling a warm bubbly bath. You let out a satisfied groan, letting yourself submerge deeper into the warm embrace. With a heavy head you rest it back and close your eyes. I should start to work through everything as soon as possible. I could ask Janice for Harold's stuff, if he had anything at home. The bigger issue is going to be finding a way to change the past...

Your internal monologue continues right until the comforting warmth and your own exhaustion takes over, lulling you into a deep slumber.