The Numbers That Brought Our Fates Together

Three months after the events in Peru.

The camera flashes did not stop for a second. The crowd of journalists that gathered in the conference room continued to ask new questions.

"Mr. Anderson, people are worried about the continued use of ch.i.p.s that have been embedded to almost everyone. Now that the management team of MarcTechnologies has changed, will their work program be somehow changed? Many people want to get rid of the ch.i.p.s because they believe that they installed these devices under the massive influence exerted on them by the media and various social institutions."

David has answered this question more than once in the past three months, but at every conference, it has been repeated again. People were worried about their future, and an unnatural object in their own bodies caused anxiety. This meeting in Berlin was no exception.

After the man took over the management of Marcus' firm, he fully realized how influential MarcTechnologies was. A drastic change in company policy would cause a great commotion and affect the economies of many countries.

It was necessary to act rationally and evaluate every step. The massive chipping of the population was completed within the shortest possible time. And it didn't make sense to carry out a reverse campaign to remove the ch.i.p.s.

There was no economic or practical benefit in this.

After a lengthy discussion with leading researchers from MarcTechnologies, David decided to keep the program, but use it for another purpose.

The man took the microphone in his hands, looked around the crowd of the journalists, and gave his answer in pure German,

"If any citizen decides to remove the chip, he can contact the nearest MarcTechnologies office at any time. This is a free and painless procedure that takes less than ten minutes. But now I want you to pay attention to this data."

He pressed the clicker, and a slide with graphs and charts flashed on the big screen.

"In four months of work, MarcTechnologies has compiled a database that estimates the health indicators of ninety percent of the world's population. The ch.i.p.s embedded in the body collected statistics on the work of organs and systems, and the MarcNet tracking program anonymously analyzed the activity and habits of each chip carrier.

Thanks to this, we were able to prevent more than ten million heart attacks and to recognize early cancer in seven and a half million people, before any symptoms appeared.

Medical institutions with access to the database were able to monitor the condition of their patients remotely and adjust the course of treatment based on the indicators received daily.

In a special application that can be installed on your phone, you can see daily recommendations on nutrition and activity, which will improve your health indicators in your particular case. Micro- and macro-nutrient charts, system analysis, cardiac activity, and much more.

With the new mission of MarcTechnologies, we see improving the quality of life and health of the population regardless of country, age, or social status.

Therefore, if you decide to keep the chip, we will do our best to ensure that its operation has the maximum effect and serves you for your good."

David turned off the microphone and there was silence in the conference room. The eyes of the people were focused on graphs and data, which replaced each other on the slides.

A light whispering gradually grew into a hum, dozens of voices began to discuss the information received, someone immediately began writing an article, others went live to report the latest news.

This data was a revolution, the results of which will bring civilization to a new level of life.

"Gentlemen, if you have no more questions, we'll end the conference," Rick drowned out the general hum of voices with his remark.

"Mrs. Anderson, what caused such a sharp change in your looks? Your hair color has caused a stir in the media circles," one of the paparazzi shouted to Elena. "Did you suffer some kind of stress or did something happen that prompted you to make these changes?"

If David is used to answering the same questions about the company, then in the case of Elena, the journalists were interested in her appearance. Many beauty magazines conducted a detailed analysis of her new image and agreed that the hair color was natural. But how could they change from c.h.e.s.tnut to ash white, as if the woman had turned gray overnight?

"Ladies and gentlemen, answers to personal questions are not provided within the framework of our meeting. I believe that this is where we can conclude our conference. The next meeting will take place in Vienna in three days. Please do not make reservations as you have already attended this event. Thank you all very much." Rick signaled that the meeting was over and the microphones could be turned off.

After a short photoshoot, they left the hall through a separate entrance and headed to the underground parking lot, where a car was already waiting for them.

"Are you all right?" asked David and put his arm around his wife's shoulders.

"I'm okay," Elena smiled but didn't look happy, "Just a little sad. Lenali has such a wonderful child development support program, but no one even asked me about it. Everyone is only interested in why my hair turned white."

"Just forget it. People have always wanted bread and circuses. And if David's information gives them food for thought, it's entertainment to pry out your secret," Rick tried to calm her down. "I regret that I proposed this venture with open conferences by country. You could use the old method of Marcus and press the media. But your husband is too noble to play dirty. Unless it's about you," the man winked. "Marcus almost ate me up in his time when your faithful husband leaked the shares of the Berne Group."

David thought for a moment, recalling the events of six years ago, "I think Marcus was aware that this was my doing, so he let the company collapse. As a result, Berne Group ended up in the hands of his daughter. Hell, the more I think about it, the worse it gets. His brain was working at an incredible level."

"This is all he is," Elena added sadly, there was an awkward pause, and the men mentally slapped their foreheads for having brought this up.

"Oh, I have an idea!" Rick snapped his fingers, "How about a honeymoon?"

"Corey's wedding is just next month and the groom isn't you," David nailed him.

Rick winced, "Is this my best friend? Haa, okay. You are lucky that I am not touchy," he ran his hand with pompous importance through his styled hair. "While we are in Europe, I suggest you take a vacation."

"What about the conference tour?" Elena was surprised.

"So what about the tour? The questions are the same, the answers are the same. Only in different languages. I'm not a polyglot like David, so I won't be able to defeat the audience with my fluency in languages. But my charm will certainly be enough for a few dozen journalists," Rick played with his eyebrows and winked at the woman. "After all, who is the head of public relations?"

David looked at his friend carefully, weighing the pros and cons, and added with a satisfied face, "When Daniel decides about the godfather for the unborn child, I will put in a word for you."

Rick froze for a moment and then burst into wild laughter, "Ahaha, it looks like your brother won't have a choice. I even feel a little sorry for him."

"To the airport, please," David said to the driver and sat Elena in the car.

"Hey, what do you mean, to the airport?! I have all my things in the hotel!" Rick stopped laughing and watched with a dumbfounded look as Anderson got into the car and slammed the door behind him.

"Well, just go to the hotel, and we will go to the airport. You're working and we're on vacation now," David grinned, lifting the glass on the rear seat door. "Oh yeah, ask the hotel staff to pack our belongings and send them after us."

"David! David, damn you! I will remember that!" Rick could have been indignant for a long time, but the car with his best friend had already disappeared around the corner, leaving the head of public relations standing alone in the parking lot.

. . .

"Why Italy?" he asked in a whisper, leaning over to Elena's ear.

The woman emerged from her own thoughts, squeezed in response the hand of David, who had not let go of Elena's hand from the moment they boarded the plane, "I don't know. You offered to fly wherever I want. This is the first thing that came to mind."

David smiled, raised his wife's palm to his lips, and kissed her fingers, "My joy, I know you for two lives. Your 'first thing that came to mind' didn't come for nothing, am I right?"

Elena grunted and looked down at the small vase with a white lily on the table opposite, "Mom loved white calla lilies. They always stood on her table in my parents' bedroom. And then, when we were already traveling together, she always bought these flowers and just sat and looked at them when she thought that I was already asleep."

"And you, I suppose, were not sleeping at all."

"Sometimes not."

"Now it's clear who Sean takes after when he tries to feign sleep."

Elena rolled her eyes. "You have entered a dangerous path, dear. If I start comparing you..."

David laughed, "Just kidding, kidding. And yet why Italy?"

The woman again looked out the window, the ground was already visible, and buildings and roads could be seen, "After the wedding, my parents spent their honeymoon in Italy. Mom said that it was then that she became pregnant with me. I vaguely remember this place, to be honest. I would not even remember about it, but for the last week, I have often had a dream, as if I was there again."

Elena turned to David, "I was small then, but I remember that the house was on a hill, far from other houses. There were many vineyards, green fields. The fence was low, made of dried vines. And there was also a door. Massive, made of some kind of wood. And it had leaves and bunches of gr.a.p.es carved on it. This was our home. Only ours."

David wondered, "Hmm, I guess without an exact address it will be difficult to find this place. We can call Simon and check with him. I'm sure he knows where it is."

Elena nodded, "You're right, uncle should know about this place. But you know, I don't want our trip to turn into a search for memories. Rick offered us a honeymoon. So let's just take a break from everything that happened?"

The landing gear gently touched the landing strip, the pilot's voice announced the time and temperature overboard.

"Since you and I have no luggage, and we haven't booked a hotel either, Mrs. Anderson, how about a breeze ride?"

"What do you mean?"

David mysteriously smiled and winked at his wife, "I suggest we rent a car and go wherever the road takes us," he leaned over to Elena and bit her earlobe slightly, "Let's choose the one with a comfortable back seat."

. . .

Elena twisted the map in her hands, but it was beyond her strength to understand all the signs and names of the tracks. "Stop laughing! We are lost because of you, David!"

"Ahaha, people used to be guided by the stars before. And right when the phone got discharged, you started panicking without your navigator? Darling, I thought you were braver," the man laughed even louder, Elena chuckled and stared at the map as if they were on a desert island and needed to find the last food supplies.

"We have been driving for two hours. This is not America or Siberia, after all! When will there be at least some town? If we had not lingered on the wild beach, we would have managed to find a lodging for the night before dark!"

"What's the problem? We have a great seat in the back, we can spend the night in the car," David suggested with a clear hint in his voice, "Or we can go back to that beach. Oh, my new sweet memories. Sunset, the hood of the car, and you on the hood with your legs thrown over my shoulders... It was amazing!"

Elena's cheeks turned crimson, "God, don't remind me! What a shame! It's all you! Who claimed that there are no people nearby, eh?! What if they videotaped us? What a scandal it will be!" gasped the woman. Elena did not consider herself a lady of puritanical morals, but s.e.x in public places is too much for her age, marital status, and reputation.

David was only amused by the situation, "Honey, it was a wild beach on the outskirts of the track. There was definitely no one there and there shouldn't have been. And that couple... I'm sure they came there for what we stopped for. Agree, it came out hot? And don't pretend you didn't like it. Your m.o.a.ns-"

Elena gagged her husband's mouth with her hand, "Enough. I am hungry and want to use the toilet. If you find us a place to spend the night within twenty minutes, we can continue where we left off." Knowing the right motivation for your partner is one of the benefits of a long-term relationship.

David's eyes flashed with enthusiasm, "Give me ten minutes, baby." He lowered the glass on the door, stuck his head out, and peered into the darkness. Nearby, on one of the hills, he saw the scattered lights of houses. The man turned the car from the main road to the adjacent lane, and then pulled out onto a dirt road leading up the mountain.

After driving about a couple of kilometers, they stopped in the center of a small village. The houses were decent, there were no bright shop signs. It seemed that the residents had already gone to bed, although the time was barely past eight in the evening.

"D-David," Elena grabbed her husband's arm and stared out the window, "I think this is it."

"What?" David followed the direction of his wife's gaze and noticed an old church standing to the side.

"I remember this church, David! I was here! This is the place where the parents' house was!"

"Honey, this is an ordinary Catholic church, of which there are thousands throughout Europe. Why did you decide this is the right place? We didn't even ask Simon about the direction." David would be glad if they happened to be where Elena was as a child, but such a coincidence seemed too fantastic. However, in the case of them, such a thing could be commonplace.

"Look, there is a man there!" she pointed her finger at the silhouette of a man who was walking slowly, leaning on a stick, "You know Italian, go ask him if there is a house on a hill nearby."

David nodded, got out of the car. It was not difficult to ask about this. At least he will find out if there is a place to sleep in the village. Elena's twenty minutes had not yet expired.

The woman watched breathlessly as David talked to the old man. Then the old man entered the gate of the nearest house. David waved to his wife to wait a couple more minutes. The old man went back and gave something to David. Anderson bowed, shook the man's hand, and walked back to the car.

"What is it?" Elena took a glass jar with unknown contents from her husband's hands.

"This is a raspberry jam. Mister Strelli's wife cooked it," David nodded towards the house where the old man lived, "He asked to give it to the owner of the house who lives on the top of the hill."

"Is there such a house here?" Elena was delighted, her heart knocked harder with excitement.

"Yes, he said there is another house above. Mr. Strelli looked after it in the absence of the owner, but the owner and his wife returned about a week ago."

"What do they look like, did you ask him?"

David sighed. The flaming fire in his wife's eyes longed for a miracle that David could not give, "Yes. An ordinary couple, about fifty years old. Polite, calm, prefer solitude. That's all he said."

"I see," Elena's shoulders drooped, as did the spark of hope in her eyes, "Why did he give you this jar of jam?"

"To be honest, I didn't get it myself," the man shrugged, "Anyway, since we're here, how about checking out a lonely house? You will know for sure whether this is the place or not. And we will not be empty-handed. If people are normal, maybe they will let us spend the night in their house."

David started the car and they drove slowly up the slope, which was clearly not designed for such transport. Or the transport was not intended for such a road.

Five hundred meters later, they stopped the car and left it, while they themselves went on foot.

The evening was warm. A light breeze played with Elena's hair, and the night light that came out dyed the silvery strands in a moonlight.

"You are so beautiful," David whispered, mesmerized by his own personal miracle.

Elena walked a couple of steps ahead of him. She stopped and turned around. Moonlight slid across her face, accentuating her fair skin and a slight blush on her cheeks from being under the Italian sun.

They looked at each other for a few seconds until they heard the sounds of classical music drifting through the gloom.

"Is this Tchaikovsky?" Elena was surprised.

David silently walked over to his wife, took her hand with one hand, grabbed her waist with the other, and pulled her to him, "Do you remember our first dance?" the man took a step to the side and led the woman with him.

"At Jason's birthday?" Elena followed him and relaxed in her husband's arms.

"Not. The very first. Then, long ago. It was snowing," he said in a whisper.

"Of course I remember," she looked at David fondly, "The chocolate you gave me back then was the tastiest chocolate I've ever tasted. Although the price was too high."

David shook his head and touched his lips to Elena's, "No, my happiness. That death was a worthy price to pay so that I could be here now and hug you like this."

Elena buried her nose in the man's c.h.e.s.t, "I love you, Daniel Arenson. I loved you in a past life, I love in this one and I will love you in future ones, no matter what your name is. Find me and my heart will recognize you."

"My Lena…," David hugged his wife and kissed her tenderly for a long time and until both of them gasped. "Elena, let's have another baby. No, two. Or three!"

"Are you serious?" she was genuinely surprised, or even shocked by the proposal. After the aftermath of Sean's birth, the question of another pregnancy was taboo.

"Of course! Imagine how cool it will be!" David waved his hand, the jar of jam slipped out of his palm, and only Elena's quick reaction saved the glass container from certain death.

"I'd better carry it before you break someone else's gift," she pressed the jam to her c.h.e.s.t. The woman's face lit up with a happy smile, "I like your proposal. When do you intend to start fulfilling your plans?"

"Right now, ma'am!" David saluted to his wife.

"Ahaha, okay. Let's go first and take this thing to whoever needs it. And then we'll discuss your job duties in replenishing the country's gene pool, private Anderson."

"Hey, why a private? At least an officer!" the man added with feigned resentment in his voice, and Elena walked ahead and laughed fervently. The impudent woman even dared to show her husband her tongue!

David overtook his wife in two steps, picked her up in his arms, and sat on his shoulders.

"Ahh, put me down! We will fall!" Elena grabbed her husband's hair with one hand as if it were a lifeline, and with the other held a glass jar to her.

"You better look, are we still far away?"

The woman stared into the darkness. There was a house on the hill, and the sounds of classical music were coming from its direction. The garden was lined with lanterns, apparently powered by solar batteries, and along the house, there was a low fence, about a meter, of dried gr.a.p.evine.

David lowered Elena to the ground as they got closer to the house. They joined hands and headed for the front door.

"David, this is that door," Elena whispered as her fingers touched a bunch of gr.a.p.es carved into the massive wooden door.

She knocked gently, but no one answered. The woman froze on the threshold, not knowing what to do next.

"It's open here," David turned the handle, the door was unlocked.

"Do you think it's okay if we come in?" Elena felt a growing tremor in her fingers and tightened her grip on the glass jar of jam they had promised to give to the owner of the house. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#%5Bfree-completed%5D_12606628305103005/book-2-epilogue.-welcome-back-home._52024906744907974">#%5Bfree-completed%5D_12606628305103005/book-2-epilogue.-welcome-back-home._52024906744907974</a> for visiting.

"It is unlikely that we will be killed for this, at most, we will be handed over to the police," David winked, but his joke did not work. Elena was too tense.

He opened the door wider and pushed his wife forward.

The house was warm and smelled of fresh baked goods. The logs in the fireplace were burning out in the living room. The atmosphere in the house was cozy. One would want to stay here.

Elena walked forward, guided by the sound of the music, which grew louder with every step the woman took.

They went through the living room, the kitchen, and out into the backyard, which was decorated with the same lanterns as the street garden. There was a gazebo in the center of the yard. There was a table in the gazebo. A man was sitting on a bench, and a woman was sitting on his l.a.p. They were playing chess.

"Checkmate, my love. You owe me one wish," the owner of the house laughed.

CRASH!

A glass jar of jam slipped out of Elena's hands and loudly fell onto the brick path.

The man and woman turned and stared at their guests.

For a few seconds, they all looked at each other in silence.

The woman slid off the man's knees, left the gazebo, and with an accelerating step walked towards Elena. Another second, and she hugged her.

"My girl, how have you grown! So big, so beautiful!"

"M-mom?" Elena grabbed onto Amelia with trembling fingers, "Is it really you?"

"Yes, my princess! It's me! God, how I missed you, even though I left you yesterday," Amelia began kissing her daughter's face. They both cried and clung to each other.

David shockingly looked from the two women at Marcus, who had approached them. Taubert did not look the way he did before. The man's face was more m.a.t.u.r.e, with wrinkles in the corners of his eyes and on his forehead. He looked older like he was twenty years older.

"Admit it, it's much more comfortable this way," he winked at David and pointed to his face, "It's a strange feeling. When you are mistaken for your daughter's boyfriend."

"H-how?" David barely squeezed the question out of his instantly dry throat. He didn't notice how Amelia jumped up to him, hugged him, and kissed him on the cheek. This woman looked a lot like Elena, only she looked older.

"A week ago we were thrown by a weird dude right here. He said his name was Taaren. I was passed out for three months, and Amelia was generally stuck in a time loop for more than twenty years," explained Marcus, but from the stunned looks of his daughter and her husband, the man realized that the explanations were useless at the moment. "I guess Armand will be surprised."

"He'll kill you," David whispered, trying to connect with reality.

"Oh, I'm mortal now, so it will be not the best idea," Marcus laughed and pulled Elena, sobbing with happiness, "Uh, my princess, calm down. Otherwise, you and your mother are already all in snot from tears."

"It's true? You won't disappear, will you? I'm not sleeping, am I?" Elena could not calm down. Deep down, she hoped for a miracle, but reason asserted that it was impossible. And when the miracle happened, she could not believe that it was in reality.

Marcus wiped his daughter's nose on the sleeve of his shirt. His eyes were moist, but he controlled himself. The man kissed Elena's forehead and hugged her tightly.

"Do not be afraid. We are not going anywhere else and will always be there. Welcome back home, my princess."

. . .

Fifteen years after.

Bzzzz, bzzzz, bzzzz.

Nick covered his head with a blanket, but the disgusting sound only became more annoying.

Bzzzz, bzzzz, bzzzz.

"Ahh, damn mosquito, damn you!" The guy with a sharp movement threw back the blanket, jumped on the bed, and tried to grab the flying alarm clock. The device buzzed over his ear, Nick took a step, jumped, his leg caught on the edge of the blanket, and the guy, jumping upward with all his might, sniffed his nose on the floor.

"Ahahah, did you see that? Wow, I should have recorded it on video," a couple of unknown voices laughed loudly nearby.

Nick turned his head and saw two teenagers in the doorway. They looked alike and seemed like brothers. They looked like they were fourteen or fifteen years old.

"Yo, morning, Sean. You don't look ok. How you have hit the floor so stupidly," one of them said with a sarcastic grin, "It's like you're waking up to Ashley's alarm for the first time."

They shook their heads and walked further along the corridor, forgetting about the incident they had seen.

Nick sat down on the floor and rubbed his bruised nose and forehead, looked around. The room seemed familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. He turned his head and looked at the flying alarm clock, by the ingenious Ashley, which parked peacefully at the dock and no longer made annoying sounds imitating various insects.

Where did it come from here? Nick left it in the future, he only had a phone and a pendant with him. Stop.

The guy shuddered, a wave of fear swept through his body with an unpleasant chill. The last thing he remembered was that he was in his room at Elena's house when they went to Peru. Nick wanted to talk to Sean, but couldn't even get to the door as he passed out.

"What's happening?" he rose to his feet, his body swaying to the side. He was clearly on land, but he felt nauseous as if there was a nine-point storm in his head. Nick with difficulty went into the corridor and, clinging to the wall, trudged down the corridor.

The layout of the rooms was also familiar, but the interior was slightly different as if your house had been renovated in your absence.

"Nancy?" he stared in surprise at the young girl who had left the room.

"You didn't seem to drink, but you look like you have a hangover," she replied with an equally surprised look, "Did you fall out of bed again when you caught the alarm?"

"Can you talk already?"

The girl looked at Nick as if he were insane. "Um, you know, Sean, if this is your attempt to get out of today's exam, then Ashley won't appreciate it. Do not overplay too much," she said, turned around, and walked on to the stairs leading down.

Nick followed. He went down to the first floor and froze. In the dining room, at a large table, were those two strangers, the girl he met, David was reading a book, and Elena was laying out pancakes and toasts on the plates. Ashley was also sitting there. His Ashley.

"Mom, can you imagine Ashley's voice assistant project has been approved! Next week we will start modulating the voice!" the pretty brunette girl clapped her hands happily.

"Really? Congratulations, Ashley," Elena smiled, "Why are you so happy?" the woman turned to her daughter.

"I asked Alice to make her voice a model for the assistant. She reads several pages of text, and my program will analyze and modulate her voice," Ashley explained, "I will call the program the voice assistant Alice."

"Cool, yeah?!" exclaimed the real Alice.

"Ashley, you spoil her. First her appearance for the android project, now the voice for the program," David put down the book and took off his glasses, "So Alice will wake up with star fever."

"Not true! Dad, I'm seriously interested in this!"

"Yeah, I saw you seriously making eyes at the technician who works with Ashley," one of the guys threw a line, and Alice threw a teaspoon at him.

"Richard, stop teasing your sister! You are twins, and you constantly argue like a cat and a dog! Common, let's get done with your breakfast and go to school quickly!" Elena barked at the children.

"Uncle, don't worry. Alice is really great. It's not my fault that mom and Daniel never deigned to make me a sister, I had to use your daughter. Since my brother in this regard," Ashley threw a sidelong glance at the teenager who was sitting next to her and received the same sidelong look in response, "Since my brother in this regard is not the most suitable candidate."

"Ha, whatever. I'd rather go with my parents than listen to your reproaches about my studies."

"That's why I told them to leave you at home. They spoiled you! Both Daniel and daddy are letting you too much, Dylan," Ashley said in an educational tone.

Dylan smirked at his sister, "Don't pretend to be white and fluffy, Ash. Rick told me a lot of stories from your childhood. So my studies are the lesser of evils."

They exchanged malicious glances confirming the temporary truce.

"Corey didn't say when they're coming back?" Elena asked. Her friends went on vacation two weeks ago. And they chose an extremely strange direction.

"The last time I spoke to Daniel, he said they would be on their way for a couple of weeks," Ashley replied.

David chuckled and took a sip of hot tea. They say it snows even in summer. In their family, this has begun to happen quite often in the last five years. First the mountains of France, the Alps, Alaska. Now Corey and Daniel went to Antarctica.

Just think, Daniel and Antarctica. David shook his head, his brother was completely lost. A happy family life can change a person beyond recognition.

"How is your android work progressing? Need help?" the man asked the girl.

Ashley shook her head, "No thanks. I've almost finished developing the code. The skin foundation provided by MarcTechnologies feels like real. It will be super cool! My android will be like she's alive! In a year and a half, I want to defend a patent. It remains only to come up with a name."

"Nancy," came an uncertain voice from somewhere on the side.

Everyone forgot about breakfast and looked up at the guy with tousled hair and a slightly reddened nose, who was standing nearby in only his pants. He approached so quietly that no one noticed him.

"New Artificial Non-human Creature, short for Nancy," repeated Nick.

Ashley blinked a couple of times and burst out laughing, "Nancy? Are you serious? God, Sean, what's wrong with your face? You fell out of bed again trying to catch the alarm?" she brushed away the tears in her eyes, "Well, that was quite funny. A new artificial non-human creation. Okay, I'll think about your suggestion."

Nick did not take his eyes off the girl, catching her every gesture and movement.

"Sean, just because you're at home doesn't mean you have to walk around the house n.a.k.e.d. Going down to breakfast, be kind enough to wear at least a T-shirt in addition to pants," David chided him.

Nick looked at his father and noticed how a little gray appeared on the temples, and small wrinkles appeared in the corners of his eyes.

You cannot return to your world, Nick, that world no longer exists, he remembered the words echoing in his head. As if his consciousness remained for a long time in some kind of white fog. Someone told him a strange story, but Nick could not remember who it was, what it was about, and whether it was even in reality.

'I cannot return you there, but you can stay with those who are dear to you here. You just have to wait.'

After these words that surfaced in his memory, hundreds of pictures of another past followed. His past, Sean Nicholas Anderson. The one in whose body he was now. Who he really was.

The future that he lived and which did not happen. A past that happened, but which he did not live for himself. All of this came together at one point, renewing his memory and his personality.

He was no longer Nick. And he wasn't just Sean. He became Sean Nicholas Anderson. With pieces of memory connected into one common puzzle.

His family was sitting in front of him. Parents. His beloved Ashley. Her brother Dylan is the son of Corey and Daniel. Twins Richard and Alice. His siblings.

"Alice, you are simply beautiful. Richard, you look so much like David," Nick said in a voice full of happiness. He looked like he was about to cry.

"Dad, he is scaring me. Shall we show him to the doctor? Who knows, maybe he has a concussion and his mind cracked," Richard moved closer to David and looked at his older brother warily.

"Um, I think we should get going," Ashley glanced sideways at Sean and slowly climbed out from the table. For some reason, it seemed to her that a second and he would pounce on her as if he had not seen her for a hundred years. Maybe he really hit his head hard? "People, get in the car, I'll give you a ride."

"Yahoo, sister Ashley is driving! Go go racing!" exclaimed Alice, kissed Elena and David on the cheeks and disappeared out the door. Richard and Dylan followed her.

Ashley walked around the table and almost passed Sean, now and then casting a sidelong glance in his direction. But as soon as she took a step past him, the guy picked up the girl in his arms, hugged her, and whirled around the room.

"Ahh, what are you doing?! Let me go now! Your parents are watching!"

"Ashley! My Ashley! I love you so much! You're the best!"

The girl struggled to free herself from the guy's tight grip, her cheeks were burning with fire from embarrassment, "You... you... you," she poked her finger in his direction, but the words flew out of her head, "Get dressed now! And just dare to be late for Professor Aggarwal's lecture! I'll tell Manisha that you played a fool to skip the test. And then nothing will save you from retaking!"

"I'm ready to give her all my blood if she needs to," Nick broke into the happiest smile in the world, ignoring the girl's threat.

Ashley's cheeks flushed even more. Sean's smile was so disarming that her heart quickened faster than a sports car on a racetrack. She suddenly remembered a moment from childhood when her dad was in the hospital for a long time, and there she met a very handsome guy.

Ashley didn't really remember what the guy looked like, and she didn't remember his name either. He gave her a gold pendant with the letter A. That guy was her fairy-tale prince and her first love. So she thought.

"You've become even more beautiful since our last meeting," Nick finished off with his next compliment.

"D-don't be late," everything she could squeeze out of herself and hurriedly disappeared out the door.

Nick stared at the closed front door for a few more seconds, then turned around. Elena and David got out of the table and looked at their son as if there was an alien in front of them.

In confusion, he pointed to the door, "Did you see? It was Ashley! The real Ashle-" A lump stuck in the guy's throat, he swallowed hard and silent tears streamed down his cheeks. "Oh, silly me," he laughed and began to wipe away his tears, but the laugh came out fake, "Probably, I've hit my head really hard this time."

"Sean, honey, are you okay?" Elena went up to her son and looked at him. "What's the matter with you today?"

He raised his eyes and stared at his mother, it took a couple of seconds for the woman to understand everything, "N-nick?"

Nick nodded his head, and unable to utter another word, put his head on Elena's shoulder and cried like a child.

David hugged his wife and son. All three had tears in their eyes.

None of the children knew about Nick's existence, even Ashley and Sean forgot about him. Only the a.d.u.l.ts remembered that there was such a guy who appeared in their world, and his disappearance left a deep scar in their hearts.

David ruffled Nick's hair and said with great relief and joy, "Welcome back home. We have been waiting for you for a long time."

_ _ _ _ _

Dear readers, I wish all of you to have a loving and supportive family and friends.

May your life be blessed with happiness, health, love and joy.

With the deepest respect for your time spent on my work and support all the way through our journey,

Anya.

See you in the next books! ^_^ Keep smiling!