𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐀 𝐏𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄 // 𝘫𝘰𝘩𝘯 𝘣

𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚢-𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚎

"I-" Deep breath. He pushed his lips together slowly and took control of the muscles in his tongue. "I'm...at...Saint..."

"Saint what?"

"Saint...Saint Olive's."

"Very good. Can you tell me your full name?"

His brows came together as he concentrated. "D-Daniel...Daniel um, Daniel D-Dawson...McCormick."

"Very good," the nurse said softly.

The doctor patted the nurse's shoulder, saying as he left, "I gotta grab the stuff to run his tests."

And then he was gone. The male nurse still had his hand on Daniel's shoulder until he was calm enough to lay back down on the hospital bed.

"Can you tell me anything else? Your family?"

"Uh- Oh my God, my-my daughter. My daughter. Where is she?" He sat up more abruptly.

Connor forced him back down. "Listen to me. You can't overstimulate yourself."

"Where's my daughter?"

"Can you tell me your daughter's name?"

"Affinity," he said without hesitation. "Her name's Affinity.  She's my baby girl. Please, where is she?"

"She's okay. She's home. Do you remember anything else?"

"I- Like what?"

Connor started getting nervous. "Can you tell me what St. Olive's is?"

"It-It's a hospital."

"Do you know why you're in the hospital?"

"Yeah, I-"

He stopped and tried to come up with an answer to that question, but nothing came to him.

"I...I'm not sure."

Connor's heart sank slightly. "You don't remember what happened on the airstrip a month ago?"

Daniel shook his head slowly. Connor moved his arm so that he reached to touch the bandage wrapped around his head. Mr. McCormick's eyes searched the nurse's face as fear, confusion, oblivion rushed through his head.

"Mr. McCormick...you were shot in the head. Your partner, Susan Peterkin, was killed."

"Susan?"

"Susan Peterkin. Do you remember her?"

Mr. McCormick sat there for a moment. "No...I don't. Why- Why don't I know any of these people you're talking about? Why can't I remember?!" He grabbed Connor's collar. "What's happening to me?!"

Connor locked eyes with Daniel's teary pair. He could see the pain, the confusion. Everything hurt him. Not just physically...his heart, his soul. Connor grabbed his hands, which caused Daniel's grip to release.

"Listen to me, I know you don't remember most of what has happened recently. I promise you that me and Doctor Wrede will do everything we can to help restore those memories, but overworking your mind is not going to help you at all. The most important thing I need you to remember, for your sake and her sake, is your daughter." He brought Daniel's hands down so they rested on his lap. "Can you tell me your daughter's name again?"

"Affinity. Oh my God..." Mr. McCormick breathed. His eyes looked empty. "I...your voice, I heard your voice. You told me she was dead. How- How is that possible?"

Connor thought hard about his answer. Did he not remember that he also told him that she was alive? "She and John B sailed into a hurricane. They were said to be lost at sea, pronounced dead."