There was a constant beeping sound, it was familiar but at the same time, the surrounding noises were foreign. Every part of my body felt slow and heavy, as if I just woke up from an long nap. I slowly forced my eyes open and attempted to sit up a little, arching my back as I did hearing various cracks in my back and shoulders. I looked around and saw I was in a hospital room, but everything looked so strange, like something I read in a book.
"Nurse, excuse me." I called out the door seeing a woman wearing what I assumed, and hoped, to be one of the nurses. "Doctor Garnett, the patient is awake." She sounded shocked as she ran quickly back into my room,
"Hello sweetie, can you tell me your name?" She smiled and I smiled back, however my smile quickly faltered and I shook my head.
"No." I looked down at the bed, as if what I was looking for was written on the sheets, "I do not remember." I shook my head a bit looking back up at her.
"Okay, you most likely have either retrograde or trauma induced amnesia and we will begin treatment after the diagnosis." The woman was calm and her voice was sweet.
"Or is it simply repressed memories?" I asked her. Strangely, the types of amnesia ran through my head as well as the causes. "I...I think I went to medical school." I looked up at the woman smiling surprised that I could remember something.
"Why would you say that?" She asked me looking down at her clipboard and what I assumed was my medical chart. The nurse did not sound condescending and she sounded like she believed me. I felt like I could trust her, however I had a strange feeling, as if someone near me was not to be trusted.
"Every kind of amnesia and their causes just ran through my head in a matter of seconds." I replied biting my lip nervously wondering how this applies to my memory loss. "Either you went to medical school or you are very well read. What is dissociate fugue?" The nurse asked, "It was formerly known as a psychogenic fugue" She continued and even though the term dissociate fugue meant nothing, I did know the term psychogenic fugue.
"It is caused by psychological trauma and is usually temporary may return. Someone with dissociate fugue disorder is unaware or confused about his or her identity and because of that will attempt to create new identities." I explained as the man the nurse called Doctor Garnett walked in.
"Doctor, either this girl is very well read in medical text, or she went to medical school." The nurse said, "However she only knows dissociate fugue by its former term, psychogenic fugue, which has not been the accepted term since 1948."
The doctor turned to look at me, "Miss, what war is being fought right now?" He asked me and I looked at him confused, tilting my head to the side slightly.
"Great War." I replied simply, "Sorry, that is the European term. World War." I continued nodding my head confirming the slight cultural change in the name of the war.
"And what year is it?" He asked me, scribbling on the chart
"1947." I laughed nervously, "Why are you asking that? What year do you think it is?" I asked getting more and more nervous as the nurse and doctor gave each other worried looks. I quickly sat up straighter, which made my head spin and pulled the IVs out of my arm and kicked off the blankets, completely ignoring the nurse calling for me to stop. I pushed past the two of them and ran out of the room, all the loud talking overwhelming, but not nearly as overwhelming as the idea of not knowing who I was or what year it actually was worse. I spun around shakily watching everyone and stopping once I saw a window. I quickly walked over to it and put one hand against the glass looking outside.
"Miss," The doctor said putting his hand on his shoulder causing me to spin around in shock, "The date is July 28th and the year, the year is 2015." He continued calmly.
"If it was 2015, I would ninety three years old. I am not ninety three, I am twenty three!" I cried out. He did not look alarmed, more sympathetic. I was terrified and the feeling of distrust did not leave, however I quickly convinced myself I had that feeling was because this man was trying to tell me it was 2015, and not 1947.
"Nurse, call Captain America, see if he can confirm she is a victim of amnesia and not psychosis." He told the nurse.
"It is amnesia," I sighed crossing my arms over my chest, "I'm not insane Doctor." I continued slightly insulted, "And Captain America is dead. His plane crashed into the ocean and no one has seen him since the crash three years ago."
"No, he is alive. It was frozen and due to the super soldier serum, he was able to live while he was frozen, no part of him aging." Doctor Garnett explained as the nurse spoke to someone one the phone occasionally nodding. "If you were alive in the 1940s, then possibly that is how you are still alive. It is possible that you were frozen in a way that kept you alive."
"That sounds like something out of a Warwick Deeping novel." I scoffed at the absurdity but then froze trying to think of how it was possible that I was still alive if it was truly 2015.
"I know it sounds absurd miss, but it is quite possible. It was achieved by both Captain America as well as the Winter Soldier." Doctor Garnett smiled as if he was trying to calm me down, and thankfully it was working. "Doctor, Captain America is on his way now. He should be here momentarily."
The nurse smiled, "I believe you miss, if it is any consolation."
"Thank you." I smiled weakly. Captain America was a hero, and I was finally going to see him again, "What if he doesn't remember me?" I asked looking at the nurse. "I am sure he'll recognize you if he knew you before." The nurse smiled again as I heard collective gasps throughout the hospital,
"Well, here he is." I looked up and saw the Captain, and instantly felt dizzy just looking at him. I grabbed the wall next to me steadying myself, my head throbbing as the nurse repeatedly asked if I was alright. I nodded my head enough to get my point across and closed my eyes tightly waiting for the burning sensation to go away.
"Florence?" I looked up and saw him looking at me concerned, "Is that you?"
"Steve...is it really 2015?" I asked the feeling finally gone. Everyone was silent and the only noise were the occasional mechanical beeps of the equipment.
"You have a lot to catch up on." He laughed and I smiled more, "How much do you remember?" Steve asked standing in front of me.
I looked up at him thinking, that if I could remember being friends with him, and with James, then I would at least remember my own name, but I failed. Just thinking about who I was made my head hurt, and thinking about why I was still alive made my head feel like it was going to explode. I wanted answers, but I didn't want to be in pain.
