Can't Remember to Forget You

Chapter Four

Cassie

I don't know how this could happen to me. I've seen the movies, read the books, but never thought something like amnesia would happen to me.

The doctors spent a long time with me going over everything. I listened to them as best I could but the only thing I was really thinking was that this must be a joke. Maybe Trevor put them up to this since I always gave him a hard time when he was in the hospital.

I smiled at the memory. Trevor had to have a procedure done to fix his deviated septum and the night before I had joked with him about all the things that could happen. I am a kind of terrible girlfriend. This has to all be a big elaborate prank on me for causing him to worry so much.

"I'm sure you must have some questions." Dr. Travon said.

I realized I had zoned out on them and so I focused to remember what they had been saying. "I have a ton of questions." I answered. I hoped that didn't give away that I've been ignoring them.

"Naturally." Dr. Glenn said nodding and looking to me to elaborate.

"I don't even know where to start." If this is true I don't know what I need to ask first. "Where are my parents? Or my boyfriend, Trevor? They should be here." Now that I was able to ask what I wanted I couldn't stop the questions from flying. "Why am I in New York? Why can't I remember anything? What kind of accident was I in exactly?" I took a breath then fired off more. "Why isn't anyone here with me? When can I go home? Will I ever remember?" I stopped and let out a gasp. "Oh my god, how old am I even?"

Dr. Glenn smiled softly at me and reached out to place her hand gently on mine. "There is a lot we are going to have to talk about. I'm going to try to go through your questions starting with the ones I can answer." She patted my hand then put hers back in her lap. "Alright, Ms. Clark, according to your records you are 24 years old." I had to let that sink in. I was only 19 when I climbed into bed last night. I had a small chill run up the back of my neck. This is all too much. I can't be 24. That's so...so old. The doctor gave me a second to process then moved on. "We don't know much about your accident Cassie. Someone found you in an alley laying among bags of trash. You had been badly beaten. Whoever found you saved your life. If you hadn't gotten here when you did you would have succumbed to your injuries." She paused gaging my reaction to this. "The police are calling it a mugging right now and they have been wanting to take your statements to find out if you saw anything that could help them catch the person who did this to you. I've explained to them the seriousness of your injury but they will still be by later today." She reached over to hold my hand again. "Cassie you have survived a brutal attack. Along with all the cuts and bruises you also suffered internal bleeding, two cracked ribs, and a very serious brain injury." I didn't know what else to do other than nod. "It is very hard to say with your type of TBI whether or not you will regain your memory. I am sure that is very difficult to hear, but honestly Cassie, you are very very lucky to be alive at all. You are the first person I have ever had to come back from an injury that severe. You Cassie, are a fighter. There is going to be a lot of challenges for you to face now, but I have all the faith in the world that you will strive from here."

She said I am strong. She said I am a fighter. Even though I didn't know her, I wanted to believe her. I wanted to prove her right. As badly as I wanted to cry, I held my composure and tried to be the mature 24 year old she says I am. "When will I be able to go home? And my family?"

"Cassie," she started gently. "You will be able to go home just as soon as Dr. Travon clears you as mentally ready to face the challenges ahead of you." She smiled. "It shouldn't be too long. You're physically able now, still weak, but you're healed enough to be mobile and care for yourself now. Later today we will remove you from the catheter and IVs and move you to another floor." She stood up and whispered something in Dr. Travon's direction. When he heard her he slipped out of the room quickly. "Alright, your boyfriend is in the waiting room. Dr. Travon just went to get him. Dr. Travon will finish up with your questions." She turned to exit the room. "I'm very proud of your progress Miss. Clark." Then she closed the door on her way out.

She had hardly been gone for a minute when the door opened up again slowly.

Dr. Travon walked in first, followed by a man I didn't know.

I'm confused. I thought she said he was going to get Trevor. Why did he bring this guy in with him?

"Hey babe." The man said with a forced smile.

I just looked back and forth between the two men with a dazed look on my face. "Who the heck are you? Where is my boyfriend?"

"This is your boyfriend Miss. Clark." Dr. Travon said carefully tilting his head in the other guy's direction.

"That is not my boyfriend!" I said loudly. "This isn't funny."

The man walked over to me and plopped next to me on the bed. "Sure I am baby. Don't you remember me? I don't know how you could forget."

I jerked away from his body but there wasn't anywhere left to go on the bed.

"Let me get you a chair." Dr. Travon said awkwardly and quickly walked out of the room.

The man next to me leaned in closer. "Tell me what you know." He said hushed.

I widened my eyes at him in shock. "What the crap are you talking about?"

He narrowed his eyes and gave me an annoyed look. "Oh, 'what the crap'." He mimicked me. "When the hell did you become such a goody two shoes?"

I was in shock at what was happening right now. "I...what are...who are you?" I stammered. With him this close I couldn't help noticing how attractive he was. His skin was a deep brown tan color. His shaggy brown hair, that reached just above his shirt collar, hung in his face a little, teasing at the warm green eyes hiding behind it. He pulled his dark brows together and licked his full pink lips. Watching his tongue slide across them made my eyes linger there for a second too long. He leaned away from me slightly and gave me a strange expression. "I...um..." I don't even know what I was trying to say but my brain was having trouble telling my mouth we didn't need to talk. The man stood up quickly and headed for the door.

Dr. Travon cut him off in the door way, sliding a rolling chair over to him. "Please have a seat." He said to him.

The guy slid the chair back over to the side of my bed and sat down. I was trying so hard not to look at him, but I was failing pretty miserably at it. I might have been able to stop looking if it weren't for the fact that he kept cutting his eyes over to me and then darting them away whenever he caught me looking too.

"Ok, Miss. Clark, this is your boyfriend Owen Tracer." He gestured to the man sitting beside me. "I've brought him in so we could discuss some of the more complicated parts of your recovery." He gave me a warry glance. "Cassie," he said. "We need to talk about your parents."