~Videl~

Videl was lucky the first door she tried - the one on the left side of the living room - was a bathroom. She didn't struggle for too  long trying to figure out the controls to work the shower. Once she was done, Videl was feeling brave enough to venture to the bedroom in search of fresh clothes. She decided to try one of the doors on the right side of the living room, and when she walked up to it, it opened as if controlled by a motion sensor, rather than a laser scanner - just like the bathroom had - and inside she saw a bed fit for a princess with an ornate, white bed frame and a canopy with curtains of pink tulle draping over it, like a shield from the outside world. She noticed another bathroom in this bedroom, with a bathtub instead of a shower, and again, she wondered how a Starship could be so vast that she could have a private bathroom, as well as one that must have been for guests. The walls were bare, except for a mirror on one wall, and a framed picture near the bed of what Videl assumed was the old  Videl's family she no longer had. A tall, stern man, with golden eyes like hers, stood next to a petite, dark-haired woman who cradled a baby girl in her arms. The woman's smile was so warm and infectious, Videl found herself smiling back at her. She blinked slowly, remembering why she came to this room in the first place, and she turned her gaze on a white wardrobe to the left side of the room, and then the matching white dresser on the right side of the room. She chose the wardrobe first, and was pleased to see it filled with dresses that were hung from hangers. Videl hesitantly pulled one out that was a shimmering silver color. Like Kane's eyes. . .

Blushing, Videl shoved it back in place and closed the wardrobe. Maybe there was something more suitable in the dresser, she thought. The dresses seemed like they were for special occasions, and appeared to be used very little. She went to the dresser, and chose a drawer at random. Inside the drawer was casual-wear: T-shirts, sweatpants, shorts, and tank tops. She pulled out a small, yellow tank top - the color of it alone making her feel happy, like it was a little piece of sunshine on a dreary day. Then, she picked a pair of baby blue sweatpants. She sat them on the top of the dresser which was covered with all kind of things (bottles of perfume, unopened make-up products still wrapped in plastic packaging, and little trinkets that might have been toys or just decoration) - taking care to not knock anything out of place. Then she opened one of the smaller drawers to find underwear, bras, and socks. Another blush rose on her cheeks, feeling like she was going through someone else's unmentionables, but she grabbed some to wear anyway, since she couldn't do without them. After she had successfully put on the clothes (the hardest of which to manage was the bra, by far) she left the bedroom, feeling dreadfully parched. 

The kitchen light responded to her voice command when she dared to enter, and she noticed a miniature dining area to one side of the room, and to the other side, there appeared to be an adjoining tiny laundry room. She went right for the refrigerator and opened it up, ignoring the feeling that she was rifling through someone else's things again. Inside it was only neatly arranged rows of water bottles, strangely enough. But she was thirsty, so she took one and gulped down the contents, gratefully, not bothering to wonder why there was no food. And deciding she had put it off long enough, she thumbed her wristband to open her holo-menu.

The digital clock read just past 8 a.m. which seemed like a reasonable enough time to call someone. With only a mild sense of trepidation, she opened her contact list. There were only three names, which Videl thought seemed a little less than how many she would expect someone to have. Two of the names she recognized - Dr. Sharp and Sienna. But there was also a contact named Risa, and Videl wondered if that was another friend of hers she had no memory of. With a frown, she decided to focus on contacting the friend she'd already met, and selected Sienna's name. She would worry about whoever Risa was, later. She tapped the call  icon floating in the air in front of her, still not understanding how something that seemed so insubstantial could respond to her touch.

A melodic ringing sound filled her ears, ringing twice before the call was accepted.

"V?" Sienna's voice was groggy, but still sugary sweet.

"Sienna? Do you want to meet for breakfast?" A short pause followed her question, then a scuffling sound like Sienna was wrestling herself free from her blankets.

"Totally! See you in the Cafeteria in 10!" Sienna chirped, excitedly.

"See you there," Videl replied, relieved that she had agreed so readily.

A beep sounded and the holo-menu screen confirmed that the call had ended. Videl was glad for the opportunity to see Sienna again and at the same time, scared half to death of how she would react when she told her what had happened to her. She waited until they had their trays and had taken their place at a table in the corner of the upper tier dining area. Sienna was reaching for the syrup, blissfully unaware of Videl's growing anxiety, when Kane's voice met her ears.

"Why are we getting breakfast from a vending machine then?" 

Kane was sitting a few tables away with another guy, both of them were dressed in what could only be considered gym clothes - tank tops and basketball shorts, their muscles on display. Videl tried to ignore a resounding hum that vibrated through her, seeing Kane smiling, sweaty clothes clinging to his hard, muscular body, and forced herself to focus on the task at hand.

"I have something I need to tell you," Videl stuttered, heart pounding for more reasons than one.

Mouthful of pancakes, Sienna chewed and swallowed as fast as she could. 

"What is it, V?" Her bright green eyes were filled with concern at Videl's serious tone.

Videl was momentarily distracted by Kane standing to toss something in the trash and stretching. His abs peeked out from the bottom of his shirt where it had lifted up a few inches, and she could see the lines of a V-cut diving below his waistband. Videl licked her lips, her mouth suddenly going dry. Sienna started to follow Videl's gaze, and panicking, Videl blurted out the truth in a whisper.

"I lost my memory in Cryo!"

Before Sienna could see what Videl had been distracted by, the admission caused her to snap her eyes back to Videl's. 

"What?!" Sienna whisper-shouted, her hand smacking down on the table hard enough for the trays and syrup container to rattle. Videl risked a glance at Kane to see if he'd been alerted by the ruckus, and regretted it immediately. Kane was looking right at her. Videl's cheeks burned, and she fixed her eyes on her food tray.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you yesterday," Videl said as quietly as possible. "I didn't know what to do."

Videl glanced up at her friend and Sienna's pained expression made her wince. Videl's guilt tripled.

"So you don't . . . remember anything? You don't . . . remember me?" 

Videl forced back the tears that pricked her eyes.

"I'm so sorry." Videl's voice cracked, the pain leaking through her words.

Sienna wasn't angry though, she stared back at her with tear-filled eyes that mirrored her own. She looked heartbroken and worried, and that was somehow worse.

"Oh my Stars, V!" Sienna's words were laced with sympathy rather than accusation - she didn't worry herself that Videl had kept this from her yesterday. "I can't imagine - " She cut herself off with a half-stifled sob as she pulled Videl into her arms. "It's gonna be okay," Sienna murmured over and over, rocking slightly, consoling Videl as well as herself.

~Kane~

After Dare left to go grab a shower, Kane couldn't help but linger, hoping to catch Videl on her way out. A part of him questioned himself for doing so, and another part of him told the other part to go fuck itself. It seemed like Videl had been thinking the same thing, because after Sienna departed in the elevator, eyes red-rimmed from crying, Kane saw Videl looking around - her eyes immediately grazing over the table that he and Dare had been sitting at. Seeing it empty, she looked disappointed. Just like yesterday, he waited until she turned toward one of the elevator doors to scan her wristband, and without a word, he joined her in the elevator - this time before the doors started to close. And unlike last time, she didn't shrink back in fear.

"Kane," Videl breathed, her big, honey-gold eyes gazing up at him. Glowing with admiration? She seemed genuinely happy to see him, regardless of the cold shoulder he'd given her when he saw her last. I could get used to this,  he thought, then immediately kicked himself for thinking it.

"Videl," Kane murmured quietly, unsmiling, but trying to soften his usual glare.

"V." He blinked at her correction. "Call me V?"

Kane mulled it over for a moment, before agreeing. "Alright . . . V."

In response, she flashed him a blindingly beautiful smile, and he had to close his eyes. It still didn't make sense. Videl smiling at him? V,  he corrected himself, silently. She was smiling just for him, and it shook him up a little bit. When he opened his eyes again, she was looking at the floor, poking the toe of her shoe against the edge of a floor tile, looking nervous.

"I told Sienna . . . " she said, her lashes brushing her soft, rosy cheeks - the freckle on one her cheeks begging for a kiss. 

Kiss?  Kane figured his brain must be addled from the terrible sleep he'd had - there's no fucking way he'd just had that thought cross his mind. He was sleep-deprived, that's all.

"Oh," Kane's voice came out strangled, so he coughed and took a drink of his bottled water, hoping his thoughts weren't able to be read on his face. "How'd that go?"

V looked back up at him, and he cursed himself inwardly at the responding thump in his chest.

"I think we're gonna be okay, " she replied meekly, her tone conveying her relief, though her eyes still seemed unsure - like it was a question more than a statement.

Kane dragged his gaze away and fixed it on an insignificant spot on the elevator doors. 

"That's great," Kane said as he nodded minutely, slipping his half-empty water bottle in the pocket of his basketball shorts with a crinkling sound of protest from the plastic. Then, he shifted uncomfortably and folded his arms over his chest. The words felt strange coming out of his mouth. Especially considering the two of those girls together had been a thorn in his side for far too long, and under normal circumstances, a strain on their friendship would be a welcome reprieve. However, the circumstances were anything but normal, and as alien as it felt to respond in a supportive manner to the situation, he did feel genuinely glad that her memory loss hadn't cost her one of the only semblances of a family that she had left. Given the fact that she had no one else that he knew of, he didn't want to imagine how she would cope with this alone.

An awkward silence followed, giving time for Kane to take note that V had made no effort to choose her Level as his averted gaze drifted to land on the elevator menu screen. Suppressing a sigh, he allowed his eyes to look down at her again, raising an eyebrow in question. V was peering up at him with her head tilted slightly - in a way that reminded him of a confused puppy.

"What?" Kane finally grunted, pivoting his shoulder a fraction, attempting to open his body language slightly, yet not wanting to turn to face her all the way.

"I . . ." Her words trailed off before they fully materialized. She seemed to think better of whatever it had been that she'd wanted to ask, and shook her head. "It's nothing," she mumbled shyly, her fingers poking at her Level on the elevator screen, finally - a flash of something flitting across her face. Sadness? Regret? Embarrassment? He couldn't tell. Kane felt a pang of guilt, knowing she was probably trying to avoid him snapping at her again, and he couldn't really blame her for that. He wanted to encourage her to ask what she'd wanted to ask, maybe apologize for how he'd acted the day before, but the words wouldn't come out. Restless, he dropped his arms and squared his shoulders to parallel the elevator doors once more. Instead of saying any of the things he wanted to say, and still looking down at her from the corner of his eye, he murmured - more to himself rather than to her, "I'm sure I'll see you around . . ."

Something he used to avoid - seeing someone he detested more than most, but now, the idea of seeing her around . . . well, it didn't raise his hackles, let alone make his blood boil. The possibility sort of intrigued him. V offered him a small, hesitant smile this time, a faint but noticeable blush blooming on her cheeks, her unspoken thoughts swimming in her warm, gooey-honey eyes.

"I'm sure you will," V offered a goodbye wave as the elevator dinged, and she made her way to her place, her words more of a gentle admission than the arrogant, biting retort she would've once preferred. 

Kane breathed out a long exhale, as if he had been holding his breath the entire time, choosing his own Level once the doors closed him off to the sight of her walking away - her long, glossy, dark hair swaying against her hips.