Begin Again

2 - Damaged Head

Something was moving in his hand. A pinky finger. Ah, now he remembered. He was idly squeezing her thin pinky between his forefinger and thumb. Elle has slim hands. He often did that to her at leisurely times when they were hanging out because her pinky felt bony, but that was back then when they were together.

He saw that he had fallen asleep while sitting on a chair next to her bed. He lifted his head from the blanket as he realised her hand was moving, then her whole body. She opened her eyes. He lifted his head from her blanket. She started a little and pulled her pinky away from his hand.

"Elle," he said, tenderly and stood up. "You're finally awake, Elle. I was so worried." He didn't even try to hide the relief and happiness in his voice, giving her a smile. She just looked at him, as if she was observing his very soul.
"I'm sorry.. who?" she finally said.

"It's alright, I know you're confused. You had an accident." he told her. She looked at his attire then back up to his face. Her expression was showing confusion. "Who are you?"

**********
(Hunter's p.o.v.)

"Coffee and donuts. I'm going to get some coffee and donuts. Yeah." I told the doctor. My mind was blanking out and one could say I was dying inside. What happened was: I questioned her about.. well, myself. She didn't know me at all. I called for the doctor.

After examining her and asking some simple questions, with my help he gave her an autobiographical memory interview. He tested her with names of relatives, personal information, history like about school and college. She remembered everything except for anything about me and the past six months. It was there that he diagnosed her with retrograde amnesia, and said "..Subjects are more likely to lose recent memories that are closer to the traumatic incident than more remote memories,". He questioned me, "Were you there during the accident?"

"No, I wasn't."
"Were you and her very close?"
"Yes, I've known her since childhood."
"Then maybe she was thinking of you a lot before the accident?"
The doc looked at me than at her, sitting on the bed listening to our conversation.

I went silent and after some thought, made up the excuse of buying donuts to get out of that recovery room, leaving the doc with her.

**********

"Is there a way I can make her remember everything again? Maybe show her a photo album or share some moments we had?" I asked (half-asked, half-pleaded more like) the doc when I came back with the coffee and donuts an hour later. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid re-exposing patients to past personal information a.k.a. reminder treatment does not reverse the effects. Memory has to be recovered spontaneously." was his reply. Goddamn, I would be better of not knowing that and holding on to hope. "No one's stopping you from trying though." the doc said, sounding sorry for me.

"Thanks doc."

I didn't need his pity. He went away to tend to other patients and I entered the room carrying the rest of the donuts (the doc surprisingly took one when I offered) and drinks. "Wow, you weren't kidding bout the donuts. I thought it was an excuse to get fresh air 'cause you were stressed out." she said, bluntly honest as always. "Of course," I replied. I took a donut out of the Big Apple box called Dancing Queen, a flavour I know she likes and put it on a napkin.

I poked the green tea soy drink (I decided against Starbucks because she never liked it) with a straw and set them both down on a tray, careful not to spill or drop anything. "You're meticulous," she remarked. I smiled at her. "Here you go, princess." I brought the tray to her.

We both ate in silence, her with a grateful expression at getting free food and me trying not to just watch her. "Hmm... you know exactly what I like. So.. was I, I mean am I you're best friend? Or something like that." So the doctor did fill her in about her memory loss and about me when I was out.
"Yes, we were.. like two peas in a pod."
She looked thoughtful, processing what I said.

"So.. Did you like me?"
I almost choked on my coffee.