Author's note: Post-Trust Metric. Hehe...I am going to move onto other episodes after this one. I'm pretty sure I've exhausted all ideas for Trust Metric. I've never written so many tags for one episode ever before. I hope you like this one.
Warning: un-betaed
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. I really wished I owned Colby Granger :(
"You knew you were on the list; you were gonna kill her."
Colby jerked in the hospital bed. A man in was yelling at him. He was furious.
"You know what we're gonna do. Tomorrow morning, we're gonna start picking through your miserable life. We're gonna look at your bank account, your credit cards and your dirty laundry, the whole nine yards. Are you really gonna waste more of our time?"
Another jerk as the man kept on pounding him with questions. Colby felt like he was suffocating. This wasn't right.
"D'you understand what you're saying?"
Another man barged into the room. Another voice to smother him. Colby tossed as he tried to drown out the angry voices.
"How long you been lying to us?"
"You're a damn traitor! All that crap about serving your country!"
Traitor? He was a traitor. What did he do? Why do these men hate him so much? Was he a bad person?
"Doctor, I think he's waking up?" That was another voice. A female voice. It wasn't yelling, it was gentle. Colby focused on that voice instead of the angry voices. "Mr Granger?"
Mr Granger?
"Colby, can you hear me?" This time a man was speaking but his voice was also gentle. "If you can hear me, can you open your eyes?" Colby tried to do as the man asked. He concentrated on opening his heavy eyelids but his mind was so foggy. "Take your time, Colby, you're doing very well."
Finally, Colby managed to force his eyes. A man, maybe in his 40s, was standing over him, smiling. "It's nice to see you awake." Colby frowned at him, too weak to do anything else. "We've kept you sedated until the drugs in your system ran its course. You shouldn't be feeling the effects of the tubocurarine and the quinuclidinyl benzilate."
Colby couldn't understand what the doctor was talking about. He didn't know why he would have tubocurarine and quinuclidinyl benzilate in him. He couldn't even pronounce those words.
The doctor smiled sympathetically at the confusion Colby was displaying. "Let's start with something simple. I'm Dr Corrigan."
Colby nodded and knew he should be providing his own name as a courtesy. He swallowed before trying to talk. "I'm…" Colby frowned, "I'm…" Why couldn't he tell this man his name? It should be simple. The doctor had called him… "Colby?"
Dr Corrigan turned to the nurse, concerned. "Do you remember your full name?"
Colby thought about that. "Colby…" When he had first been aware of voices, a female, he guessed it was the nurse, called him Mr… "Granger?" He looked at the nurse. "She called me Mr Granger."
Dr Corrigan sighed, "Colby, do you remember where you live?"
Colby was starting to panic now. How is it possible to not know your own name or where you lived? He pushed himself up, looking around, as if trying to find something that would give him a clue. "Why can't I remember?" He gasped, grabbing the doctor. "I can't remember."
Dr Corrigan gentle pushed him back onto the bed by the shoulder. "Calm down, Colby. When the paramedics arrived on scene, CPR was being performed on you. You stopped breathing and your heart stopped."
"I died?" Colby asked. What did he get himself into? Was he a bad person?
"Technically, yes. I was told it took five minutes to revive you. That, coupled with the tubocurarine, which is a drug that restricted your breathing, you suffered brain hypoxia. It's my guess that is the reason you can't recall anything."
"Will I get my memories back?"
Dr Corrigan nodded tentatively, "Your brain wasn't completely deprived of oxygen so I am optimistic they will return. However, its not a guarantee."
Colby closed his eyes. He was tired and hearing about the drugs and losing his memories was causing a headache. "Why don't you rest while I call your colleagues and let them know you are awake? Your boss, Agent Don Eppes, was adamant that I call him as soon as you were awake."
Colby's eyes flew open at that. "Agent?"
"Yes," The doctor smiled, "You're an FBI Agent."
FBI? Colby's eyes widened. The dream he was having, he was being interrogated. Did he get captured? If he was an FBI Agent, he couldn't be bad. That meant the men in his nightmare had to be. He sighed, a little relieved he was one of the good guys. "Have a rest and your boss should be here when you wake up. Maybe a familiar face will jog your memory." Colby nodded, closing his eyes and hoping the doctor was right.
Don Eppes was at his desk, filling out the paperwork for Colby's case. He was in trouble with his superiors. He had deployed FBI resources and boarded a Chinese freighter with no warrant. If it weren't for the fact that Colby was not a spy but indeed a hero, he would've been suspended. Don smiled, glad he trusted his gut and went after Colby. He wasn't sure if he or his team would be able to get past this case if they had let Colby die. The fear he felt on that freighter when David told him he wasn't breathing was like no other he'd felt before.
Don watched the video Lancer recorded of Colby's torture. He didn't show it to the others or told them that he had watched it after they left office and when David asked him to see it, he told him he had already logged it into evidence. As their supervisor, Don had to know what happened but David didn't. Guilt at almost not getting to Colby in time was already eating at them, if they saw, first hand, the torture Colby had endured, the guilt would eat them up.
Don's cell phone buzzed on his desk. It was an unknown number. He picked it up, "Eppes."
"Agent Eppes?" Don frowned at the soft voice.
"Yes, who's this?"
"I'm Jenny Tollins, a nurse at Huntington Memorial." Don sat up at that. This was about Colby. "Agent Granger woke up about ten minutes ago. Are you able to come by to see Dr Corrigan? He has some information about Colby you need to know."
Don frowned at that. It didn't sound good. "What's wrong? Is Colby okay?"
Megan, who was returning from her lunch break, saw her boss looking very concerned and went over to see if she could help. She watched him hang up and grab his coat and keys. "What's going on?"
"Can you hold the fort here?" Don asked her, glad she was back. He was about to call her to tell her he had to head out. "Colby's awake and his doctor wants to see me."
"Oh, that's good, right?"
Don shrugged on his jacket, looking a little dubious. "I'm not sure. The nurse won't tell me what the doctor wants to talk to me about."
"Oh…" Now Megan was worried, "Okay. Call me once you know anything."
"I will." Don ran out of the office.
Don got to the hospital and headed straight to Colby room. He needed to see his friend first, just to ensure he was indeed recovering. He smiled when saw that the oxygen mask had been removed and the IV line taken out. Colby was on the mend. After reassuring himself of Colby's health he went to find his doctor. He didn't have to go far. Dr Corrigan had just returned from another patient's room and was at the nurses station, writing his diagnosis.
Colby woke up not long after Don left the room. His mind was clearer but his memories were still evading him. He rubbed his eyes and pushed himself up. He didn't feel as weak as he did the first time he woke up. Looking around his room he saw the bathroom near the door. That was why he woke up. His bladder was complaining. Colby slowly got out of bed and made his way to the toilet, glad his IV was taken out. The nurse must have removed it while he was sleeping, leaving a small bandage over the site at the back of his left hand.
"Dr Corrigan." Don walked up to him with his hand held out, "Thanks for calling."
"Agent Eppes, thank you for coming so quickly." The doctor shook his hand.
Don nudged his head at Colby's room. "I was just checking on Colby. He looks much better than he did the last time I saw him."
Dr Corrigan nodded, "He's recovering well. I still want to monitor him for another day or two to make sure there are no complications."
"Does that happen often after recovery?" Don asked, worried.
"Not usually, no, but Colby's case is different. I'm more worried about any psychological problems rather than physical ones." The doctor told him. "There is already one problem that we know of, now that Colby has woken up."
"What?" Don asked when the doctor hesitated. Colby looked fine to him.
"He doesn't remember who he is."
Don was sure the understood what the doctor was saying. "He doesn't remember, as in; he's confused?"
"As in; he has amnesia."
Don took a step back. This was not what he was expecting when he walked in here. Amnesia! He looked at his watch, something he tended to do when he felt stressed, then rubbed his eyes, suddenly feeling mentally drained. "He can't remember anything?"
"He knows his name but that's only because we told him."
"Nothing at all." Don couldn't even imagine what that would feel like; to wake up with no memory. Everything Colby's done in his life was wiped clean. "Well…is there anything we can do to help him remember? Is there any medication?"
The doctor shook his head. "The best thing for amnesia patients is to take him back to familiar places, treat them as you normally would and hope his memories returned."
Don nodded, but he still couldn't wrap his mind around Colby losing his memories. He was about to asked the doctor when Colby could be discharged so he could prepare for whatever Colby needed when he sensed someone watching them.
After relieving himself he decided it might be good for him to go for a walk. Fresh air was always good for the mind. Then again, a hospital gown wasn't the best attire for a walk out doors. Colby went over to the cupboard and smiled when he found a pair of jeans and a dark brown t-shirt in there. Someone he knew must have brought it for him. Maybe someone who knew him well enough to know he was modest and didn't like hospitals. Colby got himself dressed but realised he didn't have any shoes. He looked down at his bare feet and shrugged. It was a toss between staying indoor and going outside. There was no real choice there.
He headed outside the room but froze as soon as he saw his doctor talking to a man who looked familiar, a man in his nightmares. That man couldn't see him yet, he was too focused on what the doctor was telling him.
Don turned his head towards Colby's room and was shocked to see Colby standing there, still as a statue. He frowned when he realised Colby was actually frozen in fear.
Colby was about to slip back into his room when the man turned to him. He froze. This was the man in his nightmare; the one interrogating him and suffocating him with questions. His palms were sweating and the stress he felt in that room pressed so hard against his chest that it threatened to cut off his oxygen. "Colby." The man spoke. Colby's heart beat faster as the fragmented images of him in the interrogation room flooded his mind. Traitor. That was what the other man had called him. I'm not a good person. Colby told himself. If this man was FBI as well, then he wasn't a good person. "Colby." The man stepped forward and Colby bolted.
Don watched in horror as Colby turned from him and ran in the other direction, as if running for his life. "Colby!" Don ran after his agent. On a good day there was no way Don would be able to catch Colby but today was far from a good day. "Colby!"
Colby didn't look back. He just ran. He could hear the man calling his name. It didn't register that the FBI Agent sounded and looked concerned. It didn't matter because the only image Colby had in his mind…the only memory he had was one of two men yelling angrily at him. The only feeling he had was pressure, desperation and fear. None of those feelings were associated with a friend. This man wasn't a friend.
Colby reached the emergency exit and descended the steps as quickly as he could. He didn't even know where he got the energy from. Up until now he had only felt weak and disoriented. He guessed running for his life gave him the adrenaline he needed. He could hear the FBI Agent above him. "Colby!" He kept calling out but Colby ignored him. He wasn't going to stop. He didn't know what would happen to him if he stopped but he knew it wouldn't be good.
Don couldn't believe he was chasing after Colby again. The last time he did, Colby was a fugitive who had just escaped during a prisoner transfer, this time Don didn't know why he was running. He only knew that his friend was scared…scared of him.
Colby burst out of the stairwell straight into the back alley of the hospital. He looked left and right, unsure of where he was or which way he should go. He had to just run and pray. Colby turned to the right and ran. The man was relentless, he could still hear him chasing him. Why won't he give up? What did he do that was so bad he wouldn't stop chasing him? "Colby stop!"
Don's eyes widened in panic as Colby ran straight out in the open road without looking. "Colby!"
Colby could only watch as a car sped towards him. He could hear the screech of tires all around.
Don's heart skipped a beat when the car stopped only an inch from Colby. "Colby!" He thought this was his chance to catch his friend but the call of his name sent him off again. Don cursed, "Damn it!" Don started after him again, but this time he pulled out his phone to get help. Huffing, he called Megan.
"Don! How's Colby?"
"Megan, get David to head towards Eighth and Hunter." Don huffed as he tried to talk and keep Colby in sight.
"Are you running?"
"Just get David here. I'm chasing Colby!"
"He's on our way!"
Don hung up the phone and stopped. "Damn it!" He looked around the busy street. "DAMN IT!" He had lost Colby.
Don pulled out his phone again. "This is Agent Don Eppes of the FBI." He huffed. "I need to put out a BOLO on FBI Agent Colby Granger. He was last seen on Eighth St heading west. He's not dangerous, but is disoriented and confused. Do not approach him; just call me or one of my agents." Don snapped his phone shut and prayed someone spots Colby before it gets dark.
Colby ran down an alleyway and climbeded a chained gate. He couldn't hear the man chasing him anymore but he didn't dare to turn to look. The alley way opened into a small street. It was quieter with terraces running up and down. Finally, he dared to turn around. The alley behind him was emptied. He dared to think that he had lost the man. Puffing heavily, he started walking down the road, wincing. Now that he had slowed down, he could feel the blisters that were forming on his bare feet. Now that he had slowed down he could feel himself trembling all over.
Colby walked aimlessly in the streets, drawing a few people's attention because of his bare feet, but not enough to warrant a call to the police. He needed a place to hide; a place to rest. The further he walked the quieter the streets got until he was in a run-down neighbourhood. There were a couple of homeless men walking around but they paid him no attention. They avoided him; worried he would take their meager belongings. Finally, he stopped in front of an abandoned building. The windows were boarded shut but the door was opened. Colby made his way in, using the walls to hold himself up until he was near the back of the building. He found a room that looked to be a bedroom. There was no furniture and it was small. He stumbled to the corner and slid down the wall, too tired to hold himself up anymore. Colby closed his eyes and prayed no one found him.
Don and David had searched up and down Eighth Street and every street perpendicular to it. They had no idea where Colby could've gone. Don was pulling his hair out. He couldn't believe Colby, who had only just woken up in the hospital, could still out-run him!
David spotted his boss, after finishing his search of the street adjacent to his Don's. "Don, this is ridiculous. This is L.A. we can't just ask around like this. Let's go back to the office, look at the traffic cameras and see if we can spot him."
Don knew David was right but he felt as if he were abandoning Colby if he went back to the office. He sighed, "You go and call me if you get anything."
David sighed with his hands on his hips. He could tell Don was blaming himself for something that was out of his control and unexpected. "It's not your fault."
Don shook his head, "You didn't see his face. He was terrified of me."
"The doctor said he has amnesia. He wasn't just scared of you, he was…"
"He was scared of me." Don pointed to himself. "He was staring at me; frozen, before he bolted. He didn't look back…he didn't dare to."
"It…" David shrugged, not understanding. "It just doesn't make sense. Why would you scare him?"
Don took a breath, not understanding it himself. "I don't get it either, but I know what I saw."
David nodded, "Okay, so we keep looking."
Don looked at him, trying to ascertain what David was thinking. "I can keep looking. You're right. Looking at traffic cameras are our best shot." He wasn't sure if David was looking because of him or because he wanted to find Colby. David was so mad at Colby after finding out he was a spy and then seemed nonchalant after Colby was recovering in the hopsital. He wasn't sure where David stood when it came to Colby.
David glared at him, "I might have trouble coming to terms with what Colby's been doing for the past two years but I don't want anything bad to happen to him."
Don closed his eyes in relief, nodding, "Okay. I lost Colby on the Cross Street intersection. Let's look for any CCTV footage from any shops." He looked up at the sky. "Come on. I want to find him before the storm sets in." A soft rumble in the sky indicated the clouds were going to open up. It was forecasted to be a wet night.
The sky's rumbles were in time with Colby's trembling. Images were plaguing his mind again.
Needles and another man he didn't know flashed in his head. His body felt like it was being attacked from the inside. Flashes of the FBI Agent and a black man yelling. Traitor. Spy. Pain. Yelling.
Colby jerked in his sleep but he didn't wake up.
Hours later…
The sun disappeared down the horizon. It was raining steadily now. Don and David were donned in their FBI wet weather gear. They followed the leads they got from the CCTV footage and Megan's footage from the traffic cameras. It lead them to the western side of the city.
David looked around at the quiet neighbourhood. "It makes sense for him to come here." There were not many people around and there were enough places for him to hide without anyone calling for the police. It saddened David to think about how scared Colby was to hide here.
Colby was woken up by a scream outside the back of the building. His mind was fuzzy. Maybe he was dreaming. Another scream made Colby climb to his feet. He walked towards the sound of the scream. Outside the backdoor of the building was a man holding a woman down at gunpoint. He has his back to Colby but Colby could see what the animal was going to do to the girl. As quietly as he could, Colby opened the door.
Don and David drew their guns upon hearing the scream of a girl. They spun around trying to locate the source of the scream. Don looked at David, who shook his head, not able to pinpoint where the scream came from. The second scream pointed the way. Don nodded to the building further up to their right.
It was still raining steadily, which made it easier to sneak up on the man. The perpetrator was too focused on preparing himself to rape the girl than on anything else. This area was not patrolled often and the people who lived around here kept to themselves. This scum thought he could do whatever he wanted. He was wrong.
Colby tapped the man on the shoulder, then slammed his fist across his face when the scum turned around. He grabbed the man's wrist and twisted it, making him drop his gun. "Run!" He yelled at the girl on the ground, who couldn't be more than 14 years old. It was a relief when the girl scrambled to her feet and ran but the distraction was enough for the man to knee him in the sternum, followed by a punch across the face. Any other time, Colby could've taken the punch and returned it without a thought, but he wasn't the old Colby physically or mentally. He dropped to the ground but knew he couldn't give in to the pain. He pushed himself to his feet only to find a gun in his face. Colby froze. The man pulled back the hammer. "You're going to pay for that." Colby breathed heavily as he watched the man put pressure on the trigger. A hundred images started running through his mind and this time it was a mixture of the men in the interrogation room and the same men having drinks at a bar and laughing in an office. It was confusing at best, but there was no time for Colby to sort them out. He was about to die.
Don moved around the side of the building. David was right behind him. The screaming stopped and he couldn't hear anything else. He rounded the corner. There was no time to think. Colby was held at gunpoint; point blank.
"FBI!" Colby was tugged forward and an arm snaked around his neck, threatening to cut off his air. "Put the gun down." Colby pulled at the arm, keeping it from choking him. He squinted through the rain at the two FBI Agents. It was the man at the hospital and the other man in the fractured images. "Put the gun down and let him go!"
"No way! You put the gun down or I'll put a bullet in his brain." The perp yelled over the rain that was getting heavier.
"You do and that will just guarantees a bullet in yours." David yelled out. He tried to focus on just the situation but seeing Colby confused and physically trembling made his stomach twist. "Let him go!"
Colby's vision was blurring in and out of focus. He was having trouble remaining standing and he could tell the man holding him hostage was having trouble keeping him standing. He listened to the FBI Agents. Were they willing to let him die? Colby gasped as the man jolted him back. "Don't come any closer."
"You are holding an FBI Agent hostage!" Don yelled out. "Do you really want to kill a cop because trust me, you do and there will be no trial," He took a step forward, "No quick death! I will let you get away tonight just so I can hunt you down. There will be no place in the United States where you can run or hide! Every law enforcement officer will have your name and your face and they will hunt you down!"
Colby heard the words. This man meant every word. He could feel the hold on him loosen. It was his chance to make a move. It was almost a natural reflex. His hand came up, grabbing the gun and twisting the man's wrist, disarming him within seconds, followed by a whip across the face with a gun, sending him to the ground. He stumbled back from the man, the adrenaline rush already leaving him.
"Losing your memory hasn't dulled your reflexes." David smiled, impressed.
Colby spun around, raising his gun at the agents. "Stay back." Colby warned.
"Woah!" Don and David raised their hands, showing Colby they weren't a threat. "Take it easy." David's voice was calm and gentle, nothing like the voice in his memories.
"Colby, we're not going to hurt you." Don slowly tucked his gun in his belt. "I don't know why you're scared of me but I promise you, you don't need to be."
David looked up at the sky, which didn't seem to want to let up. His eyes turned its focus back on Colby. Colby's hands were shaking, he was pale and his eyes moved in and out of focus. "Colby, you're not well. We have to get you back to the hospital."
"No…I want to know who I am."
Don saddened at the desperate plea. "You're Colby Granger. You're our friend."
Colby shook his head, confused as the memory of the interrogation reared its ugly head. He closed his eyes tight, shaking away the memory. When he opened them again, Don and David had taken a step closer. "Stay back!"
Don stopped but gestured to the man on the ground, who looked to be waking up. "Will you let David cuff him? You don't want him getting away."
Colby looked down at the scum at his feet. No, he didn't want him to get away. He took a few side steps away from the man and nodded.
Don gestured to David to arrest the man. "Why are you so scared of me, Colby?" He's been waiting to ask this question all day.
Colby wasn't quite pointing the gun at anyone. The gun was slowly lowering as if Colby's arms couldn't hold it up any longer. "I have images in my head. You," He gestured to Don, "And you…" He nodded at David, "are…really angry. I keep hearing the words 'traitor' and 'spy'."
Don sighed, "That happened a couple of months ago. It was…" There was no way Don could explain this to Colby in his state. "It's complicated." He held out his hand when Colby look ready to protest. "I'll explain everything, but not now. You need the hospital."
Colby shook his head, "No…these are the only memories I have, and they keep flashing in my head. It's driving me crazy. You have to tell me." He begged Don.
"Tell you what, Colby?"
Colby's voice shook as he asked the question he'd been asking himself since he woke up. "Am I a bad person?"
David closed his eyes and wiped the rain from his face. Why was the world so cruel to take away Colby's memories but the worst one? The one that made him run from his friends instead of seeking their help?
Don looked at his friend with sympathy and sorrow. This is what the country's hero wakes up to; a world full of strangers and fear. "You're a good man, Colby. You're better than a good man, you're a hero." He could tell Colby was still sceptical. After all, why believe the man you've been running from for a day? "We've worked together for two years. David's your partner. Together, we've saved a lot of lives. Together, we put a lot of people," He pointed to the man on the ground, "like him, behind bars. You're a good man, Colby, a really good man."
"We're friends?" Colby recalled the images of them laughing and drinking at a bar. He prayed they were memories as well and not his mind conjuring up more pleasant images to counteract the bad ones.
"No, Colby." Don said and smiled at the confused expression. "We're family."
David stood up. He'd listened to Don's words and realised how true they were. He'd been holding onto an anger he had no right to hold on to. "Don's right, Colby. We're family."
Colby finally allowed himself to believe these men…to not be afraid of them or of his past. "I'm a good person." He breathed before letting the gun drop from his hand. There was no strength left in him to remain standing.
Don's heart skipped a beat when Colby's eyes rolled back and his legs gave out. He launched forward, catching his brother before he hit the ground. "Colby!" He was unconscious. Don could feel the heat emitting off Colby without having to touch his skin. He sat Colby up against him so that his head rested against his shoulder. "David, take that guy to the car and shove him in the boot, then drive it to the front of the house. We need to get Colby to the hospital." David nodded, doing what he was ordered even though his mind was yelling for him to stay close to Colby. Colby needed a doctor more than him right now.
Don pulled Colby's arm over his shoulder and grunted as he pulled the unconscious agent to his feet. He dragged Colby to the entrance and straight to the front door. Don was puffing. "You need to lose weight, Colby." It wasn't true. If anything, Colby needed to gain weight after everything he's been through. He waited inside the building until the car pulled up to the front. David rushed out to help get Colby into the back seat of the car. They laid him down and Don ran to the other side and got in while David took off his jacket, laying it over his shivering partner. Don gently lifted Colby's head and slid into the car, lowering Colby's head in his lap. "Let's go!"
David grabbed a towel from the gym bag he usually had in the back of his car and handed it back. "Here."
Don took it and wiped away the dripping water from Colby's face and neck before wiping his own face. "He's burning up. Step on it, David."
David floored it.
Hospital…
Colby had a fever of 105.3. Any higher and it would've caused brain damage. They had got him to the hospital in time and the doctors started him on an IV that was administering fluids to battle dehydration, as well as acetaminophen to bring down the fever. The fever was lowering but until Colby temperature reached a healthier level, he'd be monitored. Throughout the night, Don and David alternated tending to Colby's fever with cold compresses on pressure points and along the brow. The doctor also bandaged Colby feet. They were bleeding and blistered from running and walking for hours.
"Do you think he'll get his memories back?" David asked Don as he sat back to relax in the armchair.
Don shrugged, "I hope so, but if it doesn't we can help him make new ones. I'm not letting him get stuck with just the worst one."
"Out of all the memories, why did his mind hold onto that one?" David shook his head, "That one memory almost cost him his life today."
Don shrugged, "I don't know. It might be because it's the strongest one; the one that caused the most pain, the one that would trigger emotions. Maybe it's just too painful to suppress."
"I thought our mind protects us from memories like those. It should've been the first one his mind blocked off." David was angry but it was more at himself. That memory was painful because Colby's so-called partner believed he was a traitor. Colby was right. It was only one voice on a recorder listing names and he believed it, without a doubt.
"Maybe it's because Colby's not someone who runs from his problems." Don tried to put a positive spin on it but it was hard considering how much trouble the fragmented memories caused. He sighed, "Anyway, it's over. Colby knows the truth and he knows we're here for him."
David knew that was true but having support was only part of the solution. "What happens to his career if he doesn't get his memory back?"
Don laughed softly at that. "You saw how he handled that perp and that's when he's at ten percent. His career as an FBI Agent will never be in question."
David smiled. It was true, Colby was a natural.
Late afternoon the next day…
Colby finally woke up after sleeping for over 12 hours. Megan, Liz and Charlie had visited throughout the day to make sure Colby wasn't alone while Don and David went into the office to give their reports on the events of yesterday. It was Don who was there when Colby woke up.
Colby moved his head without opening his eyes, groaning at the cotton in his head. Everything was foggy. "Hey." Colby gasped and opened his eyes at the sound of the voice. It was Don. He smiled, "How are you feeling?"
Colby furrowed his brow, "Thir…sty." Don poured a cup of water with a straw in it and guided the straw to his mouth. He smiled as Colby sighed at the water running down his throat. "Thanks, Don."
Don paused, thinking about the use of his name. He wondered..."Colby, can you tell me where you live?"
Colby frowned at the bizarre question. "128 Chapel Road North. Apartment 1C."
Don grinned in relief, "You remember! Thank goodness."
"Remember my address? Of course I do." Colby was confused. "Why are you so happy?"
Don looked at him thoughtfully, "Do you remember what happened yesterday?"
"Um…" Colby assumed it was what happened on the freighter. "Lancer found out I was a triple agent and shot me up with drugs."
Don sighed. Colby's memories were back but yesterday's memories were gone. He should be happy that Colby's entire life's memories were given back in exchange for just one day. "That was three days ago."
Colby was shocked. "Have I been out for three day?"
Don shook his head, "Two. You woke up yesterday with amnesia. You couldn't remember a thing about yourself." It wasn't true, he remembered the interrogation.
"Amnesia?" Colby raised his eyebrows at that. "I thought that only happened in soap operas." Don chuckled at that. "Did I do anything weird?"
Don shook his head, "No, nothing weird. It's not important to remember what happened yesterday." He put a hand on Colby's forearm. "You just need to remember two things."
Colby looked down at Don's hand, then looked back up. Don was acting strange. "What's that?"
"That you're a good person and we're family." Don smiled at him.
Colby gave Don a shy, crooked smile. "I can do that." Colby wasn't expecting to be alive let alone have Don forgive him so easily for keeping the truth from him for two years. He wondered if he could get a real position on Don's team once he's back on his feet.
As if reading his mind, Don added, "One more thing; I still haven't filled your position on my team and I know you'll probably have your pick of where you want to be but I really hope you want to be with us."
Colby grinned this time. "No place I would rather be."
The End!
