Say You'll Remember Me

you understand now (why they lost their minds and fought the wars)

So here we are. This is it. The final chapter of Say You'll Remember Me. The first fanfiction I've ever written. I cannot thank you enough to everyone who've read, voted and left a comment. It means more to me than you know. Hope you've enjoyed reading this little AU of mine as much as I've enjoyed writing it :)

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. There are inconsistencies and things that wouldn't make sense in the real world. It's a good thing this work of fiction is not real world. I don't own any characters but I do own this little made up story and all my mistakes.

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His memories didn't come back all at once. They came back piece by piece. Some came in a dream. Some came when he touched an object related to the event he was remembering, just like when he remembered the night he told her he bought her a star. Some came when someone said something and he remembered a related conversation. It took a while. But they all came back eventually.

After Selin left the country, she cut off what little contact they had. They weren't complaining. Things were slowly getting back to "normal". They were all adapting to a new normal. Serkan was getting used to working with Eda as his partner. She had wanted to give her shares back to him as she planned before his accident but he said no. She managed of both the holding and ArtLife in his absense. And she actually did really well for someone who hasn't even graduated school yet. Of course, she had help but everyone has help in this job. No one does anything on their own. Besides, he actually liked working with her more than he thought he would. She had a way of making him push his boundaries, even if it's just a little bit.

The first full memory after the telescope came to him while he was driving near the Bosphorus at sunset to drive Eda to airport.

("You're tired of it. You are tired of it? I'm tired of it, Eda. You are in my head all the time. You are in my every thought. You took over my brain, you took over my life. I'm tired of it!" "Then go! Alright, just go!" "No." "Weren't you going to Selin? Go." "No, I didn't. I didn't." "Why do I care? Do whatever you want, I'm going." "Don't go, Eda." "Give me one reason to stay. Just one reason." "I'm madly in love with you.")

He almost lost control of the car but he managed to get it together before Eda noticed. That was... a big one. The first time he confessed to her that he was in love with her. Should he tell her? He should, right? That was a moment for the two of them and she did say he could come to her with help with his memories.

"Uh, Eda? Can I ask you something?"
"Sure. What is it?"
"Did I tell you that I loved you for the first time somewhere around here?"

Eda froze. She looked at him. And looked. And kept looking.

"Eda? You okay? Did I say something wrong?"
"Yes! No! I mean, no, you didn't say anything wrong. And yes. We just passed there actually."
"Okay. How did it happen?"
"You sure you wanna know?"
"Yeah. I think I remember us talking and you were leaving. I asked you to stay and you told me to give you a reason. Then I told you that I was madly in love with you. Then I uhh.."
"Then you kissed me?" She says, with a cheesy smile on her face.
"Yes. But I don't quite remember how we got there? Tell me?"
"We were at the end of our contract and I'd been applying for scholarships here and in Italy."
"But we agreed. You'd be my fiancee and I'd pay for your school. Why were you applying for scholarships?"
"Because I was head over heels for you by then and I refused to take your money. We argued about it for a bit but it worked out eventually. Can I continue?"
"Yes, please. Keep going."
"I got a phone call at the office informing me that I was granted the scholarship so I was going to Italy. You came after me. Stopped my taxi and you know the rest."
"Well that's, that sounds pretty romantic."
"Yes, I was surprised too. I wouldn't expect Serkan Bolat to run after a woman to confess his love."
"Don't make fun of me. Any woman who could have made me do that must have been pretty damn special to me." He says, giving her a smile.
"Well she'd better be. You were going to marry that woman."
"Who knows?" He says, looking at her. "I still might."

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The memories kept coming at most random times in the most confusing order.

He remembered her taking care of him and reading The Little Prince together when he had gotten sick when Eda fell down the stairs and broke her leg. She stayed at his place because it was easier to navigate with a broken leg. He took care of her just like she took care of him.

He remembered the first time his mother came to his house when he moved out to a new apartment when he asked to see the video Eda had sent to her.

He remembered Engin's proposal to Pırıl at Melek's 70's themed birthday party.

He remembered Ferit leaving Selin at the altar when Ferit proposed to Ceren.

The memory of finding out about his father's negligence leading to the death of Eda's parents and their subsequent break up came to him in a dream.

He remembered Eda getting lost in the forest and him finding her as if he had a map in his hands when the entire staff at ArtLife went to paintball as a team building exercise.

He remembered the time he thought Eda was pregnant when he came to pick her up from the orphanage she volunteered.

He remembered finally telling Eda the truth about her parents' deaths when he got drunk with Engin at his new apartment.

He remembered getting on the elevator with Eda when she asked for his help to try again.

Regardless of they were related to Eda or not, his feelings for her grew more intense the more he remembered. It was beyond friendship now. He wanted to be with her. He wanted to try again. She said yes.

He remembered their first time together when he and Eda were working late at his house. He asked her to stay the night. They talked. They watched a movie. Then they stopped watching the movie and watched one another instead. They ended the night in bed, tangled up in each other as Serkan rediscovered Eda's body all over again.

He remembered her proposal when he got on a plane for the first time since his accident. He hadn't been able to do it all those months ago so he and Selin had driven from Slovenia. Eda stood by him for every second of it just like he was there for her whenever she had no choice but to take an elevator.

He remembered his own proposal after he did it again and she said yes.

There were still some missing pieces but he didn't mind as much as he used to. He had his friends, his mother and his fiancee to fill in the blanks. He wanted to let go of the past and focus on their future now.

They took their time while planning their wedding. They didn't want to rush it. They wanted to enjoy the process. It was just a formality anyway. They were already acting like a married couple. Arguing for the most insane reasons and making up five minutes later. Being there for each other whenever they needed. They even had a kid in the form of Sirius.

They finally tied the knot two years after Serkan's accident. Their wedding was an intimate affair, only close friends and family. They didn't want to deal with the press or stuck up socialites who didn't know them.

Now, he was sitting at a beach, 5 years married. Watching his wife and their three-year-old daughter playing catch with Sirius. Waiting for the rest of their family to join so they could celebrate his birthday.

6 years ago, about a month after they first met, Eda gave him "the world" as a birthday gift. He appreciated it at the time because it was a personal gift. A gift that was bought with him in mind instead of a generic gift like a watch or a tie or a box of chocolate.

He understood it now. They didn't know it back then but that little birthday gift was a promise that Eda would one day give him the world.

Their little group of friends who've become their makeshift family. His mother, her aunt. Seyfi. Sirius. Their little girl Aylin. And their son who'd soon be joining their family. These people were his world. That was enough. And Serkan wouldn't have it any other way.

Well, he could have done without the hardships they'd endured but it all just made them appreciate each other and the good times more.