The Healing Time

20

Nathan led them back to the basement hallway where he had originally emerged. His thoughts were still on finding his doctor, but now he was concerned with getting Maxie to some kind of safety too. He motioned for her to wait in the stairwell while he checked for the orderly or anyone else lurking in wait for him. The hallway was silent, bathed in emergency lighting. He looked over his shoulder to where Maxie stood in the stairwell doorway, watching him with wide blue eyes. He felt the spark of a memory but couldn't catch onto it fast enough. Shaking the feeling free, he motioned her forward. He held the keycard that he had taken from the orderly, ready to swipe it through the same door he had emerged from earlier.

"Wait, Nathan!" Maxie said, putting a restraining hand over his. "Where are we going?"

"Ssssafe," He forced out. They locked eyes and his thoughts cleared again just as they had with the paperclip memory. "I have to keep you safe," he added without trouble.

"I am safe, Nathan. I'm with you."

"Nnnnnot safe," he replied, his words slurring again. He clamped his jaw shut in frustration.

"Why? Nathan, what is going on? Where have you been?"

He shook his head at her questions. He didn't have any answers for her. He didn't have answers for himself. All he knew was that he had woken up with no memories and a loyal doctor who knew who he was but wouldn't tell; maybe Maxie would.

They heard a noise coming from the staircase. He swiped the keycard and pushed the door open, pulling Maxie along behind him. There would be time for questions as soon as he found a safe place. He followed the path back to his room until he hit an intersection of hallways. He turned in the opposite direction of his room. He wasn't positive, but he thought he remembered hearing his doctors talking about the extra rooms. There was another room at the other end of the hall, somewhere.

Nathan stopped short in front of a door that looked exactly like his. He tried the handle, breathing a sigh of relief when it swung open easily. He stepped into the room, looking for any signs of danger, and then motioned for Maxie to follow. She stopped to turn the light on, illuminating a sparse room; a bed, two chairs, and small folding table were the only furniture.

"Is this that Cassidine maze Helena built back in the 90's?" She asked, looking around. Nathan shrugged in response. "I guess we're safe for now."

He turned to face her, catching her gaze and really looking at her. She had wide blue eyes, framed by thick lashes, and perfectly arched eyebrows. She had a small line on her forehead, put there by worry or fear he didn't know which, that he wanted to smooth away. God, he wanted to remember her. She smiled slightly and touched his arm, lightly.

"Nathan. You're here. You're really here."

He looked at her hand, seeing a band around her thumb and touched it with his. "I never take it off," she said quietly. "What happened to you, Nathan? I watched you die. Why are you here now?"

"I ddddon't know."

"You don't know?" She asked, sounding as frustrated as he felt. "I don't understand. Why are you talking like that? Where have you been?"

Frustrated, he drew away, turning his back on her. Hearing that she thought he was dead hit him hard. Was he dead just to her or the entire world? Behind him, he felt Maxie inch closer to him. She laid a light hand on his shoulder.

"Nathan, I'm sorry. It's just that when I lost you, I hoped and prayed... and even begged for you to come back to me. Now you're here and I'm just trying to understand how," Maxie said softly. "Maybe we should back up and start over. I'll ask questions and if it's easier for you, just nod or shake your head." He turned back to face her and nodded. "Good. Do you know how you got here?"