I keep my mouth shut after this life-changing relation. As much as I want to vent to someone, the only one within proximity is Ruspin. And his face looks surlier than usual.

Nope. Not touching that.

If Kalvin isn't Kalvin, then who is he? Is someone masquerading as him? Or is he some sort of robot like Mike... but that's not possible, there weren't any wires not in the office, and certainly not in the lake where he ambushed me.

The dream was almost as vivid as the real thing. Colours and sounds, the feel of his lips... even the perfectly weighted ring felt all to real. I touch my finger, wondering for the first time since this grand hullabaloo: where's my ring. It had been the utmost bane upon my existence to have to trade it... then a mind bending tragedy to know Ruspin held it just out of my grasp. Now I've completely forgotten about it.

Ruspin, as usual, is completely removed from my mental state of duress. Instead, he resides in his own pit of despair as he ponders the outcome of this unsolicited fame that came packaged along with his beloved fortune.

Not that I can blame him. This is his life; everything he's saved so hard to achieve.

Still, it would've been nice for him to notice.

"So, if I accept this job, you'll actually listen to my advice?" I ask, drawing him back to the present.

He nods his ascent, his voluminous hair bouncing slightly.

I pause for a moment to consider the best approach.

The public knows nothing about this man. That's why spectators are burgeoning the streets by the second, by now I'm positive they're almost spilling out into the main road.

Somehow, I need to convince him to have a public meeting. Where he can interact with people and give them a sense of his persona. But therein lies the problem. When the people see his persona themselves... experience it first-hand... that mob outside will turn vile and most likely rush in, stampede us, and blame our deaths on inclement weather.

"You should meet the people." I suggest, questioning the wisdom in that idea even as I say it, "Some publicly hosted event where you interact civilly with them."

"Yes, I agree." He states, and I peer at him in bewilderment.

Does he know what 'civilly' means?

"Umm... civilly being the key word." I mutter, unsure how to explain that particular concept to him.

Smirking, he leans forward and whispers, almost conspiratorially, "You have no idea what I'm capable of."

                                                                                       ...

"Cage! I'm home!" I yell, as I walk into the apartment.

I'm lucky I even remembered its location. Or maybe not...

On the couch of all places.

Cage and Celeste laying in various states of undress, presumably in an endeavour to make Jesse some siblings. Not what I came all this way to see. Moving with the agility of a bird escaping a hawk, I dash outside, shutting the door.

While I'm pondering over whether or not I should stay and wait for them to finish or come back later, the door springs open, almost knocking me out.

"Angel!" yells Cage, who immediately flings his arms around my neck.

I hug him back with equal joviality.

"Fair warning... I think I need to move out." I laugh.

Releasing me, he leans against the door sheepishly. His blood red face and shifty blue eyes belay the extent of his embarrassment. Running a hand through his blond locks in an attempt to neaten it, he mutters, "I didn't expect you back so soon."

"Evidently." I quip, giving him a mock pout, "You didn't even miss me did you Cagey-Wagey?"

"Well, the occasional call would've been a nice gesture on my part... if I had known where you were." He says, pinning me with a glare. "Next time, don't just run off like that. Celeste had to reassure me a thousand time over that Ruspin left a message telling her that you're okay."

Hmm... great to know that 'okay' in Ruspin's mind means kidnapped, shot and betrayed.

"Let's go inside." I suggest.

He should at least be aware of the Kalvin situation... maybe not my trip to England just yet.

Inside, things are just as they were when I left. Cage perches on the couch and my look has him raising his bushy brows.

"I'm not sitting on that." I say, shifting to the handle of the recliner.

Celeste seems to have vanished, presumably giving us some time to catch up.

"Well, first thing's first. Do you remember how Bellamy was allergic to peonies?"

He nods, perplexed by the direction of this line of questioning.

"I had a dream... well actually it was a memory, from back when Kalvin and I were still together. And Kalvin wasn't allergic to the peonies at all. In fact, he mentioned that he and his family ate them for dessert regularly. When I was at Michelangelo's, he told me that Kalvin was allergic to the flowers; that's why he never stayed in the office for more than a few seconds. Something has to be wrong, but I just don't know what it is."

Regarding me with a pinched expression, Cage pulls me into another hug.

"Angel, I don't think so. Can you really trust anything Michelangelo says?" he asks, "Kalvin may have just not wanted to be there. I know that thought hurts, but it is possible given his reputation. I'm not saying that you're wrong, but don't base everything on the notion that you're right." It was only a dream.

He doesn't mention that part, but it's sure as hell implied. My emotions running on high, all these earth-shattering events pilled in one after the other. It could be possible that I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill. But I recounted that memory in graphic detail... Kalvin may still be himself, but that means he was really avoiding me.

But why would Michelangelo presume an allergy if he wasn't sure? To mess with me? What would that gain?

He grins devilishly once more, "I want to see the astonishment on your face when he works up the guts to tell you."

Ruspin. He proved beyond a reasonable doubt that it wasn't Kalvin because he wanted Ruspin to be demolished. And I was so preoccupied by Ruspin's deceit and the revelation of Jesse's identity that my selective memory chose to forget the most important day of my life.

I try to hide it, I hold it in with all my might; desperately uprooting any emotion threatening to come forth. No one, not even Cage can know how devastating... how humiliating this is for me. To have been so caught up in everything else, that I'd forgotten the details of the man I love

"I'm Ruspin's advisor now." I say, trying to change the topic.

Now, if only my body would stop shaking with the power of my guilt long enough to get that memo, things would be fine and dandy. "Also Ruspin now rules our kingdom and mom and dad are locked away in the dungeon."

I remain breathless after that lung constricting sentence, my mind spinning relentlessly, trying to predict his reaction before it's even expressed.

What I don't expect, is for him to crumble into a wailing mass.

"Cage?" I gasp in shock, I knew he was the most forgiving, but not to this extent.

"I was so terrified they'd find us!" he sobs, "I know I shouldn't feel relieved but I can't help it, not after what they did to us."