Aster

Chapter 17

SAREN'S POV

I wanted to remember. I wanted to tell this man I loved him. I wanted everything to go back to where it was before. But I can't and it won't.

Maybe it would. Maybe it wouldn't.

But right now I just need to get him out of here.  I don't know this man. I only know his name.

He has this look of worry in his eyes, though. And I feel as if I push him away, the lines in his forehead would turn permanent.

He paced around the room and I was about to tell him to calm down, when my mind flickered to something.

I want you to be my forever.

Why does that sound familiar? It seems like I've heard that before.

I decided to not worry about it that much. If it was important, I would remember eventually.

I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a loud, cracking sob.

"Saren, please answer me," I shook my head clear from my thoughts and locked my eyes with Finley's.

They were already bloodshot, and tears were streaming out from them. He looked as if he hadn't slept in days, and the worry and anticipation was eating him alive.

"I'm sorry what?" I asked. I honestly had no idea what he had said before.

He took a deep breath. His eyes closed for a moment before opening. And I realized they weren't his usual bright, vibrant green. But how would I have known that?

"Do you want me to leave?"

He sounded so vulnerable and scared. The shakiness in his voice made it obvious he thought I wanted him gone. I didn't really know what I wanted.

It seemed like as the seconds turned into minutes I remembered small details.

His green eyes, his dimple, the random mole.

A soft melody that kept replaying over and over again in my mind.

"Can you just ask when I'll be able to go back home?" I spoke up. I wasn't entirely sure if I wanted him away from me or not. I didn't remember him, but something in my gut told me otherwise.

"Yeah, alright," he replied. He slowly walked out of the room and a few minutes later he walked back in. He cleared his throat before speaking. "You can leave tomorrow. I'm assuming you don't want to take a plane, so there's a train that can take us back to New York," he explained. I watched as his eyes found their way to the floor and he ran his hands through his long hair. Something I've noticed he does when he's nervous or anxious.

"Okay, thank you," I said back. He nodded his head shortly then started his way back to the door. "Finley?"

His head snapped up and he turned his body around to look at me.

"Yes?"

"You don't have to leave."

"I think it's the best if I go now. We have a train to catch tomorrow and I'll ask for our seats to not be beside each other. I don't want my presence to hinder your memory in anyway."

My head started the throb. I rubbed my temple before choking out a weak 'okay'.

___________________

I sat beside a window. Finley sat two rows in front of me and across the aisle alone.

I slept most of the ride home, as I was extremely tired. However, I noticed whenever I looked over, Finley was still wide awake.

It worried me honestly. He seemed to have gotten no sleep in the past week.

Before I knew what I was doing, I was making my way (downtown lol) out of my seat and into the empty one beside his. His eyes widened at the sight of me and I simply smiled lightly up at him. He gave me a questioning look, probably many questions running through his mind in this exact moment.

"Please get some sleep," I spoke softly. His eyes dropped a little, showing how tired he truly was. He nodded and rested his head against the window and finally closing his eyes. I rested my head against his shoulder and fell back to sleep once again.

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FINLEY'S POV

I woke up to someone lightly shaking me. I mumbled something under my breath and turned my back farther away from the person. I heard the person giggle and I instantly knew who it was.

My eyes slowly opened and I turned back around to see Saren looking at me amused.

I was confused as where we were. And then it all flooded my head.

Saren was in an accident. She was in a coma. She woke up. Saren doesn't remember me. We're on a train back to New York.

It just all creeped its way back into my head.

"Good morning. We have about twenty minutes before we'll be at the train station back home," she softly explained.

I watched as a soft smile formed on her lips and her eyes lightly twinkled. It was a sight I would never get used too.

"Oh, and I almost forgot. Here's your cup of coffee. Black just the way you like it," she said, taking me off guard. 

My eyes widened, and an excited feeling boiled inside me.

"Saren?"

"Yeah?"

"You remembered I like black coffee," I answered a soft smile tugging at my lips.

"Oh. I didn't even realize," she chuckled.

"Well, thank you," I replied bringing the warm drink up to my mouth. She nodded in response and took a sip of her own drink, a tea I assumed.

The last twenty minutes of the ride consisted of me thinking about everything.

This past week has been absolutely crazy. Everything that had to do with Saren's accident. My realization that I want to marry her. Saren remembering small details.

Maybe she'll remember me after all, and maybe one day I'll get to call her my wife.

Just maybe.