Hearts On Fire: Into the Flames of Passion

9. Embers of the Past: A forgotten Love

Beep Beep Beep

Jake awoke to the relentless sound of an alarm, but he quickly realized he couldn't move his arms. Blinking his eyes open, he took in his surroundings and felt a rush of confusion. This wasn't his room. Where on earth was he? As he glanced down at his arms, he noticed they were connected to a series of machines, wires snaking away from him. Panic began to rise within him, and he squeezed his eyes shut, desperately trying to recall the events of the previous night. All he could remember was Alexa bidding him goodnight. How did he end up here?

Just as his anxiety peaked, a nurse entered the room. The moment she saw him, her face paled, and she called for the doctor.

"Sir, I need you to relax," she urged, her voice steady but laced with urgency.

"Relax? Are you kidding me? I have no clue how I got here!" Jake shot back, frustration spilling over. The nurse's concerned expression only heightened his unease. Before she could respond, a man wearing a white coat stepped into the room.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Micheals. Do you remember anything?" he asked, studying Jake with keen eyes.

"Does it look like I remember? One moment I'm saying goodnight to my daughter, and the next, I wake up in a hospital bed!" Jake exclaimed, his voice rising. He turned to the nurse, desperation creeping into his tone. "Can someone please explain what's going on and why I'm hooked up to these machines?"

Dr. Micheals settled into a chair beside the bed, taking a deep breath as he prepared to navigate the storm of confusion and fear that Jake was experiencing.

"Sir, you have been in a coma for six months," Dr. Micheals said, his tone calm but serious. "You were brought in here after a building collapsed on you and your partner. You sustained severe head trauma and second-degree burns."

Jake couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it. "Good one, Doc. That's impossible. I just finished a 48-hour shift yesterday," he replied, disbelief etched on his face.

"Mr. Hudson..." the doctor began, but Jake interrupted him.

"It's Jake," he corrected, irritation bubbling to the surface.

"Okay, Jake, this kind of memory loss is very common with head injuries. Can you tell me what you remember?" Dr. Micheals asked, his expression patient.

Jake took a moment, piecing together his fragmented memories. "Alright, I went on a date with a nurse last week. I saved her when her house caught on fire. I remember laying my partner, Rick, to rest on Monday, and last night I had dinner with my parents and daughter before I went to sleep," he recounted, his voice steady but tinged with confusion.

Dr. Micheals nodded, taking notes. "Okay, do you remember anything about the fire?" he probed gently.

"Yes, Rick ran inside, and I chased after him, but I couldn't reach him before the building collapsed," Jake replied, the memories flooding back with disturbing clarity.

Before the doctor could respond, a woman burst into the room, her face streaked with tears as she rushed to Jake's side. "Oh my God, Jake!" she cried, collapsing beside him. "I thought I'd lost you!"

Jake's heart raced at her frantic reaction. Who was she? Why was she so upset? The overwhelming emotions and chaos threatened to drown him as he tried to process the situation. He glanced at the doctor, searching for answers, but his mind was reeling. The fleeting memories of the fire, the loss of Rick, and now this woman—who was she, and what did it all mean?

"You're awake honey'" she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him tightly. The term of endearment caught him off guard. Honey?

"Um, who are you?" he asked, trying to maintain a sense of composure as she pulled away to look at him, her eyes wide with concern.