"Sorry, who are you?"
The room stilled. A tall guy with blond tousled hair sat at the end of the hospital bed, frozen. It took him a few seconds to recover; He smiled uneasily, waving his hand dismissively at her. "Don't do that, Laur." He laughed a little.
The petite brunette sitting in the hospital bed only tilted her head, her eyebrows knitting up. A lump formed in the blond's throat when she did, knowing it wasn't fake.
The others in the room, Ellen Marano and Stormie Lynch could feel the same discomfort.
"I'm sorry but... I don't think I know who you are." Laura said slowly, trying to smile. Ross's smile faded by now, his eyes dropping to the hospital bed, absorbing the reality.
"Oh," Ross's voice cracked at the end. "Well..." Then, he just couldn't find anything else to say. He slid off the bed, not looking at Laura's direction because he wasn't sure how he felt.
Stormie went to him, making sure her son was okay. Ross was found with his arms crossed, looking sideways at the wall. "Ross, the doctors say she has amnesia."
Ross looked at his mom, not changing his stance. "It's temporary, right?"
From the look on his mom's face, his frown deepened. "We don't know yet." She finally said.
The blond made a thinking face, pressing his lips together.
"Ross?" The other female voice called. Ross turned to Laura's mother, Ellen. She was standing by Laura's bed, her hand resting on it. "Do you want some alone time with Laura?"
Ross tried to take breath in, his eyes going from her to Laura's bed. Reluctant to look at her. Then, he just breathed out and closed his mouth, nodding.
Ellen looked at her daughter sympathetically and nodded to Stormie, and the two older women left the room. When the door closed, Ross shuffled back to the bed, hesitantly.
He had to make himself finally look up to look at his co-star and friend again. She was playing with her hands that laid in her lap, her eyes focused on it. Her long chestnut hair was pulled back in a low ponytail. When she felt him finally look at her, she looked back, her innocent big brown eyes noting him.
Ross opened his mouth, give a second or two before sound came out. "I'm," Pause. "I'm Ross." He gave a smile after that to show he wouldn't bite.
Laura was still eying him like he was a grand conundrum or some sort in an art museum. When he introduced himself, a small smile appeared. "Hi," She replied.
With another exhale, Ross pulled up the chair next to her and sat down. He settled comfortably in it, resting his forearms on his lap, playing with his own hands now. "So..." He looked up at her under his fringe. "How do you feel?" He wanted to know how she was before he asked anything about himself.
She puckered her lips slightly in a pout, looking around and down at the IV in her arm and acknowledged the bandage around her head. "For the most part, I think I'm good." She nodded, positivity still waving around her.
Ross breathed a smile. "That's good."
Laura pressed her lips and then grinned at him, unknowingly. In her mind, she was noting how he could easily make her smile.
"So, you don't remember anything about me? Or Austin and Ally?"
She blinked, evidently trying to remember so she doesn't disappoint him. Unfortunately, she couldn't. "Mm, no..."
He sensed the guilt in her voice and smiled again for her. "It's okay. Maybe in time, you'll remember." He sat up straighter, shifting around in his seat.
Laura hesitated before asking. "Is there anything you can tell me now? That I should know?" She added, a little shy with having such little memory.
Ross raised his eyebrows, making another thinking face. "You know you're Laura Marano, right?"
"Welll, that's what the name is on my hospital bracelet and what everyone has been calling me." She said a little dorkily, lifting her arm as a visual. Ross fought a smile at this. "So, hi! I'm Laura Marano," She grinned perkily at him, raising her shoulders.
This time, Ross couldn't help his smile. "That was spot on," He raised his eyebrows at her greeting appreciatively. "Like it was so normal of you," He explained. She only beamed at this more, proud. She was adorable. Before Ross got caught up by it, he continued with thinking. He hummed out loud. "You're an actress. Are you aware of that?"
Her eyes grew big. "No." She said in wonder.
"Mainly, a Disney actress."
She seemed more surprised by this. "Disney? I act on Disney Channel?"
"Yeah. You play Ally Dawson." He said promptly. "On Austin and Ally."
Recognition filled her face, recalling him mentioning that show just a few minutes ago. She grinned, waiting for him to go on. "What's Austin and Ally about...?"
"Well..." He started. "It's about a shy songwriter with stage fright who meets an outgoing singer who loves to perform. They're basically a perfect match and become music partners."
"I'm guessing the outgoing singer is Austin." Laura commented.
Ross half smiled at her, placing his index finger on his nose and pointed at her. "His name is Austin Moon and he meets Ally by playing the drums in her dad's music store with corn dogs."
"Corn dogs?" Laura repeated in disbelief, not sure to laugh.
"Yeah," He replied, humored by it himself.
Laura is now laughing to herself, imagining. She lifted one shoulder and tilted her head. "Who plays Austin? My co-star,"
Ross got an automatic grin and glanced down amused before looking back at her. "Well, uh... me."
Laura's eyes widened again, but he found no displeasure in it. Instead, she seemed more excited and interested. "Really?" She said, sounding fascinated. "S-So... you're my co star?" She pointed to him, bewildered.
Ross shrugged and lifted his hands to present himself. "I guess I am." He half joked. He grinned when Laura was smiling more.
"So how long have we known each other?"
"Um, about 3 years. We just finished season 3 a few months ago."
"Oh...cool!" She tilted her head at him, grinning. "So you're my Austin to my Ally, in other words..."
Suddenly, Ross cleared his throat, looking away briefly. "What else would you like to know? Don't go into really deep stuff though, I don't know your entire life." He tried to joke at the end.
She rolled her eyes halfheartedly. "You tell me." He looked at her. "Tell me all you know about me." She asserted. She fell back comfortably on the bed and put her hands on her lap, patiently.
Ross ogled her in disbelief, stunned by her comfort level with him already. He could've shook his head at her just in surprise to himself. Even if he did, it felt like they both could feel the playful argumentative atmosphere they always had. "Ah..." He leaned back as well, hissing through his teeth. "I don't know Laur; I don't know anything about you—we're practically strangers who work together." He shrugged, shaking his head wryly.
Laura's face fell, about to believe it. Ross gave her a smile. "Kidding." He assured and she visibly relaxed. He couldn't help but ask about that. "Why'd you seem so appalled by that?"
She opened her mouth and sputtered for words. "I don't know, I just, it seemed appalling we could work together for 3 years and not know anything about each other." She looked at him in a way that reminded him of how Ally looked when she thought she gave bad advice to Austin.
The blond smiled a little and sighed, waiting a while before talking. "You're really energetic. You're always complimenting people through out the day, and always positive. Like, someone will be running around set, and you'll be like Hey! You're awesome. And it would just brighten up the set." He explained. "Or something like Hey you rock, or you're beautiful. You're also spontaneous, and like helping people. You're a UNICEF ambassador; you always go to these charity events. Oh you sing too," He left out the parts about her being dorky. For now.
He didn't hear a response from Laura so he looked at her, a little worried. She was staring at him with an unreadable expression. Right when Ross was about ask if she was okay, she spoke. "Hey Ross, guess what?"
He blinked. "What?"
"You're awesome!" She said in a cheery voice. Blinking again, Ross scoffed in disbelief.
"Yeah, you're still the same Laur..." He said under his breath, lowering his head.
She heard that, retorting, "I'm still me." She said a little softly, making him lift his head. "I may have memory loss, but I'm still me." She let her dorkiness color the memory loss part, but other than that, she was sincere.
With a half smile, Ross nodded. "I know."
With a final smile and small sigh, Laura sat up a little. She opened her arms to him. Ross raised an eyebrow at her. "I don't know why, but I want to hug you." She said.
Ross suddenly laughed and resisted shaking his head at her again. He stood up and carefully folded her into his arms. She still felt so small in his arms, yet she fit so perfectly. He felt her hug him back, relaxing into his hug. They stayed like that longer than they thought, but neither said a thing.
In the hug, he felt her IV tugged and the bandage around her head and remembered the accident she was in. The drop he felt in his stomach when he heard Laura was in a car accident and brought to the hospital; The worry that filled him that he had to drop his schedules with R5 and rush to the hospital as soon as he could. That the possibility that he almost lost her—the girl he's known for three years and has made her laugh with stupid jokes he made up just to please her and argued with all the time but knew they both cared for each other a lot—terrified him. He's suddenly glad he didn't lose her.
He tightened the hug, closing his eyes in relief and relish. Laura felt this and didn't say anything. They finally pulled away and Ross stared down at her before smiling. "Get your memory back soon, okay?"
After a beat, she lifted her hand and did a two finger salute. "I'll do my best."
He smiled, amused by her dorky gesture.
Right on cue, someone knocked on the door and he pulled away from her to stand a good non no-personal-space distance when the door opened.
Raini and Calum came in, flowers in Calum's hand. Ross frowned for one second, knowing he didn't have time to get Laura flowers before he came to the hospital.
"Hey guys," Raini said in a hushed voice.
Ross smiled and nodded at them.
"Hey," Calum said carefully, the two of them a careful distance from the bed now. Laura blinked, looking at the latina and redhead. She wasn't scared, but her cluelessness did intimidate herself.
"Hi," Laura said in surprise. She looked at the flowers and relaxed a little. "Flowers?" She grinned.
"Oh, yeah, here," Calum said in a quick way, handing her the flowers in a gentle manner.
"Heh, thanks," Laura thanked. Ross couldn't help but be amused that she was trying her best not to blurt something like 'who are you?' like she did to him.
"Laura, I'm so glad you're okay." Raini said, sitting in the chair Ross was in earlier.
"I- thank you, I'm okay now...thank you for the concern." She responded sincerely. Finally, she snuck a look at Ross, a small plea for help in her eyes. Ross snickered, making everyone turn their head at him.
He lifted his hand, swiping it to dismiss misunderstandings. "No... um, in all respect, Laura doesn't know who you guys are right now."
Calum's face twisted in confusion. "What?"
Raini's mouth dropped, her eyes looking down to process it and looked back at Laura. "Oh no, she lost her memory?" Since she was looking the brunette's way, Laura raised her shoulders in a shrug, bearing a grin.
"Sorry," Laura apologized shyly.
"You don't need to say sorry," Raini raised an eyebrow. Of course Laura would apologize for something like that. "But..." The latina saddened. "No memory?" She was astounded as well.
Calum exchanged a look with Ross. He frowned and looked back at the brunette. "Is it temporary amnesia?"
Ross leaned against the wall. "We're not sure yet." He watched Laura and Raini begin to talk, nodding and becoming familiar. "But I hope it is." His words were less than a whisper.
Calum exhaled with a closed mouth and put a firm on hand on Ross's shoulder. Ross looked at him for a second before continuing to watch Laura ramble on about Austin and Ally with Raini.
A/N: Hi! So this too, along with Love is an Open Door, was one of the things I ended up writing when I had no internet. Memory Loss fics are so hackneyed, but I made one anyway under the circumstances of no internet and yolo. But this time, Ross and Laura instead of Auslly. I've been writing more Raura than Auslly, I wonder why...
Disclaimer: I own nothing!