His Duchess [Completed]

Chapter 32-Amnesia [E]

"Whoever you are, please wake up..." Annie whispered, standing close to John Doe's bedside scanning his sleeping figure.  He was newly changed into a hospital gown and a white bandage was wrapped around his head.  The monitor beeped every second with his heartbeats.  He was still connected to an IV drip, which administered pain medication and nutrition to prevent dehydration. 

A throat behind her cleared, a startled Annie jumped in place, she could hear her heart beating loudly in her chest as she clutched her shirt.  "You scared the hell out of me Mark, I didn't even hear you enter."  Releasing a deep breath to calm her nerves. 

"Sorry! I didn't mean to startle you.  I need to talk to you privately before John Doe's family arrive, they've been notified."

Mark was nervous.  He caught the concern on her face while she looked down at him—Julien. She hadn't noticed he was watching her from the door. 

"Sure."  Annie's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, following Mark down the hall to his office. 

Once they entered, Mark closed the door. 

"Have a seat."  He gestured to one of the chair's in front of his desk.  Instead of sitting in his chair, Mark stood in front of her, leaning against his brown polished desk. 

"I don't know how to tell you this..."  He begins, releasing a deep breath.

Annie sat up in her chair, stick rod straight.  Panic started to set in the pit of her stomach.  She knew he was not going to deliver good news. Mark's body language was too wound up, hesitant, his anxiety evident.  The bad feeling inside of her intensified to a point Annie was clutching the collar of her scrubs in desperation. 

"What is it Mark?  Something is wrong! Just spit it out!  I'm going to have a meltdown before I even know what you're going to say!"

"John Doe is no other then...Julien St. James."  

At first Annie thought she did I not hear Mark right, but the expression on his face was solemn and filled with pity. 

The color drained from her face. Annie blinked several times, her vision blurring and a faint ringing started in her ears.

No...Julien...!

Annie could not breathe. Her throat muscles constricted the lack of oxygen from entering her lungs. Desperately, she gasped for air, panicking as an anxiety attack over took her body feeling herself freeze up, her limbs in lockdown. It was painful, like a thousand daggers piercing her skin.

Mark jumped up and grabbed her arms pulling her up to a standing position.

"Breathe Annie, just breathe!" He shouted, shaking her immobile body.

Annie collapsed in Mark's arms and sagged against him. He stumbled awkwardly carrying his weight and Annie's but managed to safely drop to the floor with her in his arms.

She tried to regulate her breathing, it was difficult but she managed to gulp large breaths into her lungs. Her hands were in fists, still frozen in place against Mark's chest. His hold was tight as he rocked her back and forth on the carpeted floor of his office.

"I'm sorry, Annie I know it's hard. But please keep it together. Stay strong." He pleaded.

Saying it was hard was an understatement. The man she was caring for was the love of her life. And he was on the hospital bed, unconscious, hurt, battered and bruised.