DAN P.O.V

My head felt like it was about to explode. I could hear the blood pumping furiously around my brain; obnoxiously loud and painfully aggressive.

I tried to open my eyes but flinched when they were assaulted by a blinding white light, which sent stabs of pain through my head. I barely had time to adjust to the brightness when I was immediately engulfed in somebody's arms.

"Oh, thank goodness!" I heard them say, the sound muffled slightly against my chest.

With the embrace came the pleasing aromas of coconut and shampoo, which provided a brief reprieve from the sharp smell of disinfectant that hit me when I first woke up.

Disinfectant. Bright white lights. My heart jumped into my throat as I realised: I was in a hospital.

What was going on?

The person pulled back and I was slightly alarmed to see that I didn't recognise him. He was young, probably mid to late twenties, with dark charcoal hair and fair blue eyes.

My initial thought was, 'wow, the nurses here are so friendly,' but then I noticed that he wasn't wearing a nurse's uniform. Or a doctor's uniform even. And the way he was looking at me was far too familiar for him to simply be my nurse or my doctor.

"Damn it, Dan. You scared me half to death!" He breathed in relief, letting out a nervous chuckle. I stared at him wide eyed. I'd never met this person before. Why was he acting like I had? Who was this guy? Why was I here? What was happening?

I tried to remember what happened before I got here but my mind completely drew a blank. I couldn't think of a single thing that would have led to me ending up in a hospital. I couldn't recall anything for that matter. My thoughts were all jumbled and chaotic and fuzzy and confusing. It hurt to even think.

I tried to choke back the rising hysteria but I wasn't doing a great job. I scooted further up my bed, away from the dark haired stranger, and started frantically tugging at my hair. "I – How - What's going on?" I spluttered in a panic. The pressure in my head was growing more and more intense as the questions started piling up. I shut my eyes against the pain.

"Hey, hey, Dan. Calm down. It's okay. Everything's okay." I felt a pair of hands wrap around my wrists and gently return them to my sides. I opened my eyes and blinked blearily up at the stranger. "It's alright." He said again, quietly. He was still holding my hands.

I wanted to flinch away, scream at him, tell him to let go... but I didn't. His voice was soothing. Calming. It seeped in through my ears and worked wonders to dull the panic that had set in.

"You're in the hospital. You had a little accident, but you're fine now." He said slowly, his thumb tracing light, comforting circles on the inside of my forearm. "Everything's going to be fine."

My heart nearly stopped. "W-what kind of an accident?" I asked, my voice sounding scratchy and strained.

"You were, uh… hit by a car." he said, eyes glazing over. "I saw it happen. It was… not pleasant." He finished lamely. He looked as if the memory of it was still bitter in his mouth. Sour to the taste.

So he was the one that called the ambulance? That made a bit more sense. I guess it explained why he was here checking up on me. He was being a good Samaritan and seeing that I made it out okay.

Although it didn't explain the level of relief he expressed when I woke up. Or the familiarity with which he embraced me. Or the fact that he was currently holding my hands. Perhaps he was just overly friendly?

I didn't complain about that last one though. I should have, but it was just so damn calming. It was the only thing keeping me together. I concentrated on the comforting sensation, putting all of my energy into regulating my breathing.

I took a moment to observe my surroundings. There were other beds in the room but none of them occupied. The small bedside table to my right was cluttered with a variety of objects: balloons, flowers, photos, cards. All displayed messages along the lines of 'get well soon'. I smiled at the largest card that sat on the table, able to see from this angle that it was signed from my parents and my brother.

The smile slipped from my face when I registered one of the photos. Most were of me and my family from when I was younger. But one of them in particular leapt out at me.

I snatched my hands out of the stranger's and picked up the small frame to be sure I wasn't seeing things. I looked up to the stranger then back to the photo. It was definitely him. A photo, that I had clearly taken, of me and him.

"Oh, yeah. I brought some of your pictures up, I hope you don't mind. I thought they could brighten up the place. Make you smile when you woke up." He said, smiling slightly himself as he did. He was looking at the picture in my hands, clearly remembering what I clearly wasn't.

"Who the fuck are you?"

I regretted the bluntless of my words almost immediately. He recoiled, as if I'd just slapped him in the face. "I – uh... what?" he stuttered, clearly just as confused as I was. Perhaps not as confused, no. Nobody was as confused as I was in that very instant. I was mayor of fucking confusion.

I stared at him as I waited for a response. Meanwhile the panic was beginning to resurface within me. "Dan, quit messing about. This isn't funny." He said uncomfortably. He studied my face intently, clearly desperate for a sign that I was joking.

I wasn't fucking joking.

"You're – you're being serious." A combination of absolute shock and undeniable hurt registered on his face. If I weren't so frenzied myself, I would have felt sorry for him. "Tell me you're not being serious." He pleaded, though I think he already knew my answer.

He staggered to his feet, breath coming out harsh and ragged. He still hadn't answered my question and I was starting to get frustrated.

"Do I know you?"