Chapter 46

I: Isaac wanted to hold Jess forever. It was something he could feel would lead them to a beautiful future, regardless of his forgotten memories. There was something about her warmth that made him feel this was his home, and that she was meant to be his wife. But then he saw the horror in her eyes, the fear and shock on her face, and he immediately became worried something terrible had happened. "What...is wrong?" He asked as he went to take hold of her again. The feeling of her stepping away from him was something he instantly hated, and he simply wanted to go back to the second before he removed his clothes when she was so inviting, loving and wanting of him.

Before he knew it, she was leaving him, getting back into her clothes, and he felt like a complete idiot. "Wait, Jess, please." He reached for her hand, but she was already gone. He stood there, like a fool. Whether he wanted to be with Jess or not didn't matter right now, what mattered was that someone had taken his memories, and stolen their happy life away. He needed to get it back, somehow.

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Walking with Jess to the Institute was awkward and uncomfortable. Not many people knew him, simply because those that had known him well, were graduates and all across the world helping to clear the world of dangers. The newer students were unaware of his many accomplishments, which was suitable since he did not remember any of them himself. However, there were a few faculty and Shadow-hunters that had been rendered speechless to see him return. The stares, long glances, and whispers were making him believe that his life was definitely something he needed to remember.

As he followed Jess inside, he stood in the main common entrance, and he waited for her to direct him where to go, and what to do. Not only was he lost, but he was especially clueless to what this place was, and what purpose it truly had in his life. Who would help them remember his past, and figure out who had done this to him?

"Jess." He stopped her from walking and gently took her hand. "Jess, what if I should not remember. If you truly love me, can't we just rebuild our relationship? I do not know what made you stop. I...do not know what I did to make you not want me anymore but, the last few hours I have only wanted to be someone other than a blank canvas. Please Jess...I don't want to be here. Let's leave." He began to gently pull her back. He did not want to go any further.

"I...shouldn't be here." He did not know it was the effects of the rune on his chest, the only thing he knew was that he should not be here. If he did not leave, something terrible would happen. "I can't stay here." He released her and began to exit the building as fast as he could.

"Isaac." Someone called his name, but he rushed past. "Isaac, wait!" a few of the hunters tried to stop him and he pulled away not wanting to go inside.

B: Jess murmured to herself as she grabbed things from the cabinets and began making Isaac something to eat. As she cooks, she realized she was making him macaroni and cheese with hamburger in it. As she waited for him to shower and eat, she paced the living room. There was no one it could have been at the Institute. She knew everyone there. And no one that she really knew of had a thing for her. She knew a lot of girls were upset she was marrying Isaac instead of them, but would they go as far as to break a scarred rule? She hoped not because that could cause a lot of problems in the Institute.

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Jess looked at some of the new comers and nodded. Most of them knew her and her brother as he was now training them, and she sometimes helped him to keep her head on straight. Though the times she helped she was never in the training room for long. It always seemed to be filled with memories of her and Isaac. Some tried to talk to her, but she shook her head and kept moving deeper. She had to find Blane. He had taken over the Institute after the death of the previous leader, Alex. She glared at the three who whispered, and they quickly hurried away.

When Isaac stopped and spoke Jess looked at him. "Isaac, you need to remember. This is not just about us. I love you and if you can't remember us," She motioned between the two of them. "Then at least you need to remember who you were before us. It is something you will miss deeply as time goes on. You will find them..." As Isaac walked away, she hung her head. "I can't leave." She said loudly. She knew she could but if she let him walk out, she knew she would lose him forever.

Seconds later two men walked in and one ran to Jess. "JESSIE! You came back!" a man who looked similar to Jess ran and hugged her and the older man stared at Isaac with a shocked face. "Isaac?" His voice was deep and masculine. As he said that the man hugging Jess looked away from her and walked over to Isaac. "It's good to have you back dude. Where on Earth have you been? We have searched the whole state for you." the man said hugging Isaac.

I: Isaac was trying to figure this all out, leaving the Institute was the only way to do so. As he exited and rushed away, he could hear someone shouting his name. He stopped, and turned, only to see someone hugging the woman who was supposedly his own fiancé. It was enough to make Isaac stop, and he looked down to the floor with shame written on his face and in his eyes. "You call me Isaac, and yet I don't remember that ever being my name."

Isaac sadly walks back up to Jess, and he feels ashamed that he tried to run. "I'm sorry, Jess. What happened to me? I don't know what happened to me."

"Well, you aren't going to find the answers out here on the steps of the Institute. Come inside and get an evaluation in the infirmary." One of the others standing by whom Isaac didn't recognize took him by the shoulder. "My name is Luke. I am new here, but I am sure I will find my way around." Luke looked to Jess, and her brother and he slowly bowed his head in recognition. "You all better take some time to get acquainted. We have a lot to discuss."

Luke lead them all inside, and Isaac hesitated for a moment before going inside. Luke lead them to the infirmary where he sat Isaac on a bed and began to inspect the rune, then give Isaac a full workup. It took a while. "Unfortunately." Luke said as he scribbled something in Isaac's medical folder. "His memory is completely wiped, whether by brain damage or some sort of spell, it seems permanent. I understand you two were engaged? Apologies, you two Are engaged." He said as he sighed and set down the folder. "Seems your body has only muscle memory. Your abilities and use of runes, it's all still there, but your memory of Jess, the Institute and our world seems to have been scrubbed clean. I am not sure the purpose of it, but at least otherwise you're healthy. Jess, maybe you should teach Isaac the basics, and hopefully he catches on quickly." Luke gently pat Isaac on the back and left them in the room alone.

Isaac turned to Jess with guilt in his eyes, he felt so terrible that he had forgotten her that now he didn't know how to move forward. "I'm really sorry, Jess. It seems that 'sorry' is the only word I can say to you. I have to find out who did this to me."

B: The man looked who had hugged Isaac looked at him confused. The second man who was still near Jess looked at her. "Where is Blane?" Jess asked simply as they walked along to the infirmary. She knew he was the head now and he would be the best chance they had of figuring out how to reverse this all. When Luke said that his understanding of their relationship she nodded. "Yes, we are." She said. As Luke talked Jess spaced out. Her brother, Seth watched her closely. He could tell just by looking at her that she was dangerously underweight. He knew she was in no shape to train. "Luke, I can train him. I think Jess could use some time to talk with Blane. Jess, Blane is in the library. He should know that you are here, and I want you to tell him everything. Later we can talk." He said in a brotherly tone. He wanted to address this issue with her now, but he knew that she would not do anything about it till Isaac was better. It pained him but he knew that she loved him deeply.

Seth turned to Isaac and smiled. "I am Seth Hawkings, we were never close, but Jess is my sister." He said and motioned for Isaac to follow him. "We should head to the training room. It may bring back some memories. You spent a lot of time in there when you stayed here." He said as they walked down the halls. Seth didn't speak much as they walked. He was worried that all of this would just be a waste of time, he had seen mundanes go years without gaining memory back. He worried not only for his sister's health and sanity but also for Isaac's. Sure, the two had not had much time to spend together, but if Jess cared for someone Seth usually ended up liking the person sooner or later.

Jess watched as Isaac and Seth left the infirmary. She sighed and made her way to the library, as promised by her bother, Blane was sitting at the large desk. She knocked on the door and he rose and smiled. "Jessica...how are....you look thin dear. How long has it been since you last ate?" He asked walking up to her and hugging her. "No time for that Blane. I found Isaac. He has no memory. Luke said he may regain it, but he is healthy, and his brain has been fully erased. We need to find a way to save him." She said walking over to the desk and plopping into a chair. Since she had found Isaac, she had done nothing but fight her body to do as she had once done with Isaac. They had always been close, her and Blane, but in this moment, she felt like a stranger. Blane came over and sat in his chair and started taking notes. "Explain everything that happened." He said and Jess did just that. Telling him everything. From finding Isaac to the mark to the journey to The Institute.

I: Isaac looked up to Seth as the man introduced himself. He seemed to care a lot about his sister, but when he mentioned they were never close, Isaac wondered if there was a reason. "I don't remember much if anything, but I am hopeful I never had any enemies. If we weren't very close then, I guess this is our second chance to be better. If you're going to be my brother in law then-, we'll..." he stopped and shamefully shook his head. "What type the hell am I saying? I don't even know if Jess will want to marry a man who doesn't remember her. I guess the happy ending she always wanted isn't going to happen. I was supposed to be someone special in her life, how could I just forget her? I hate myself for it." Isaac went into the training room and he angrily punched his own palm. "And to think, she is actually thin. That means she's unhealthy or stressed and I couldn't even tell. Why didn't I know that she needed to eat? I feel like a total idiot. I can't expect Jess to love me, not if I can't get back my memory." Isaac sadly looked up to Seth. "Can you tell me things about her? I want to be sure I don't lose her."

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Luke finished gathering the information he needed. He had been monitoring Isaac for a while, and he was aware of who had cursed him with the forgetful rune and the rune of undying love that caused him to forget his fiancé. Luke didn't want to alarm anyone, especially since he had been dabbing with the mundanes for a while now, which was forbidden with his line of work.

Luke was a tall, sophisticated, and well-dressed Doctor of Science and fact. He had blonde hair that was both wavy and slightly unruly in the evenings, and cold as steel blue eyes. He was not a master of runes per say, but he did know combat and could handle himself quite well when the situation called for it. Today, it was all about Jess.

Luke needed to keep a close eye on Isaac, and observing his behavior was best served as placing a wedge between the two. He would have to be that wedge for now. Luke knocked on the door to the office library and he stepped inside. "Blaine, I hope I am not interrupting. I have Isaacs medical report, as you requested." Luke stepped in and he smiled to Jess. He gave the medical report to Blaine. "So, has Jess given you any information to help us understand who did this to Isaac?" Luke asked and he sighed as Blaine explained.

"Hmm. I see." Luke took a seat and he looked to Jess. "Jess, was there ever a time in the recent past that you and Isaac encountered an enemy that may have a vendetta against you? Perhaps a jealous woman or lover? Maybe you encountered someone who swore revenge. Do you remember anything like that you and Isaac faced together?" He asked her.