Chapter 1. The Forgotten

Another day blared through her sweetest dreams. She rose from the bed, ruthlessly ripping her insistent alarm clock from the wall, throwing it to the floor, watching it bounce against the carpeting. Removing herself from her black bed sheets, she rubbed her eyes and dangled her legs over the side of the bed. Facing the mirror she stared at herself as if she were a long lost ghost. Her skin was pale, near translucent, and it appeared to be stretched over her bones. He cheeks were hollow, yet perfectly framed by a mess of neck length, brown tresses. She tried to smooth her hair to lie flat, only to fail and stalk off to the shower.

She emerged from her bedroom an hour later dressed in a simple outfit of jeans, flats, and a purple cowl-neck sweater. Her face was lightly coated in an ivory toned application of makeup, attempting to hide her exhausted complexion. She grabbed her purse and keys before running out to the bus line. "Another day. Just another day. He won't be there, it never happened." She whispered under her breath as she boarded the bus. She sat in the seat furthest away from the rest of the passengers staring blankly out her window.

"Run!"

She remembered the feel of his hand grasping hers, pulling her away from the impending danger following them through the halls.

"We wouldn't be running if you would have let me shoot whatever the hell that is!",she yelled after the man running ahead of her. He looked back with an expression of disdain as though she were an ant under scrutiny, he dropped her hand. "Less talk more run!" he demanded.

She kept her mouth closed as her pulse quickened in her veins. She found herself pushed into a small room, the door slamming behind her followed by an odd buzzing . Suddenly the man was in front of her pushing her against the wall, his blue pinstriped suit in disarray. Instinctively she looked away as he whispered "Don't move, don't speak, don't even breathe"

She obediently froze in place, eyes wide as she watched a shadow pass under the door. Her breath ceased as the sound of clanking metal became so loud, she was certain that this was it. Some douche with douchie hair and a douchie suite with dochie glasses was going to get her killed, she thought. A million things passed through her mind leaving her reeling and weak in the knees, till he snaked his fingers under her chin. The man turned her head to directly meet his gaze, eyes locked, her soft green eyes meeting his endless baby browns. She felt like she was falling as a sudden calm washed over her.

She exited the bus in a daze of wallowing as she walked into the hospital in front of her. She pasted on her perfect smile, waving to the red head at the reception desk as she walked behind it.

"Morning Elise." The woman offered in a feigned American accent.

Elise faked laughter, speaking in her best British accent. "Well hello Allison is it not a glorious day?"

"So how's the yank doing this morning? I saw you have a twelve hour shift with Thomas today." The woman known as Allison chided as Elise punched her employee number into the computer.

"I am good. Yes, I am working with Thomas again, and no I am not going out with him, so no you won't be collecting on that bet" Elise shot back, attempting to soften her annoyance. She obviously had failed as Allison looked away from her with blatant avoidance.

~6 hours into the day~

Elise was already beginning to get annoyed with her coworker as he hovered over her while she prepared radiology reports for the last patient she had seen. "Thomas. Really? Why do you have to hover so damn much, it's like you're afraid I will poof out of your life?"

He smiled at her annoyed expression and demeanor. "You practically have Elise, you treat me like some sort of stranger. We went to school together, we studied together, hell we went through drinking together at 15 and you threw up in the back of my father's Rolls Royce. When will you understand that I am still your friend? Whatever happened in that week, whatever almost killed you and turned you into a spiteful shell, I don't care, but please talk to me. Just meet me at the café after work. Please." He pushed.

Six months ago Elise had disappeared for a week and appeared on his door step dazed, bruised, and silent. He had taken care of her, and even helped her get her job back at Sisters of Mercy hospital. However, she remained cold and distant to him, only speaking to him when the need arose, always in a flat uncomfortable tone. After so many years of friendship he felt desperate to reach out to her, but his ego had taken so many hits he felt more like a kicked puppy.

"I said please. Don't I get any kind of answer?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I said no"

"But you always say no. I like 'Yes' it sounds so much more positive."

"Look, I just want to live and be left alone for God sakes. Please, I am begging you, don't push me." Elise said, never looking up from her report, sounding close to tears.

"I will push as much as I need to. You have lost weight, you don't do anything but work, I can hear you screaming in terror at all hours of the night- or have you forgotten I live right next door- on top of all this you wander these halls like a damned ghost. Let's share an evening like we used to and act as if everything is fine. I don't want to pry; I just want to be around you." Thomas desperately pleaded .

"Fine. Once. Don't ask again. As soon as we get off tonight we will get chips and hit a pub. Don't think it will become a constant occurrence." She said coldly walking out of the room.

~6 hours later~

Elise drifted to the locker room by the Radiology department to shower and change. She found herself in a daze, fearful of going out. This fear had nothing to do with Thomas. It was HIM she was afraid to see, or did she want to see him? What even made her think he would be around; after all he had the whole of time and space to hang out in. She found herself searching for blue boxes and brown haired men in blue pinstripe suits and converse each time she left the darkness of her flat. "Not this time. You won't make me run." She thought determined as she drifted out of the hospital into the cold night air. She felt somewhat sure of herself till she heard an all the familiar whirring noise in the distance. She located the direction of the sound and ran towards it.