Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. All rights go to the actors, writers and creators of the show "When Calls The Heart".

CHAPTER 1

Jack opened his eyes. There was bright light around him and the sound of machines beeping in the background. He couldn't remember where he was. He felt stiff and sore. He lifted his hand and it slowly appeared in his vision. He could see the small tubes connected to his hand. He tried to lift his other arm but it took a moment to register that it was crossed in front of him. He looked down and saw it held in place by a white cast from his fingers up to the corner of his elbow. Where am I? What happened to me? He shifted his body and wiggled his toes. He could see movement at the end of the bed where his toes were moving. Good looks like they work. His free hand moved over the rest of his chest and waist patting himself down, making sure he was all there. Oh thank goodness! At least I can feel everything! He glanced around the room, but he appeared to be all alone. The bright light was shining in through a window. Why am I all alone? Where is Rosie and Ma?

Charlotte had raced to the hospital as soon as she heard. Her son, Jack, had been deployed overseas and had been injured in an explosion. No one knew the extent of the his injuries. Thankfully. they had flown him back to a hospital in the city. She was the closest relative, so she had gotten in her car immediately in the middle of the night and gone to find her son. Charlotte's daughter-in-law couldn't leave until first thing in the morning so at least Charlotte could get there first and let her know the extent of his injuries.

Charlotte had arrived to find Jack lying motionless, his arm in a cast and a few bruises fading but he looked like he was all in one piece. Dr Carter had followed her in to report on his injuries. She had said that he had a broken arm, a few broken ribs and a concussion. The biggest problem was that he had not regained consciousness yet. He had been heavily sedated for the trip home, so now they were just waiting for him to wake up.

Charlotte had texted everyone immediately to tell them that Jack looked okay and she would stay the night and let them know when he woke up. She fell asleep in the chair next to her son listening to his breathing and the rhythm of the machines.

Charlotte woke early and walked downstairs to find something to eat and a coffee. As she walked back in the room, she saw Jack's eyes open and he was looking around with a confused expression.

"Ma?"

"Hey honey. I'm so glad you're awake. You gave us all quite the scare." Charlotte came and sat down next to him, her hand patting his own hand on the bed.

"What happened?"

"They said that there was an explosion and you got thrown into a brick wall with force. You don't remember?"

"An explosion? Where was I?"

"In the middle east somewhere. I'm not sure of the exact details."

"I don't remember being away." Jack looked down at his arm.

"You've been deployed for about six months now. You were due home in another few weeks."

"Didn't I just get back?"

"Um .. no .. you haven't been deployed for a good couple of years, thankfully. I think Eve was a baby."

Jack looked at her puzzled.

"Who's Eve?"

Charlotte felt like she had been slapped across the face. He didn't remember Eve. She decided not to answer him. She didn't want to worry him.

"What do you remember last, son?"

"I'm not sure. It's all really fuzzy." Jack scrunched his face up like he used to do when he was concentrating really hard as a boy.

"Okay well maybe you just need to rest a bit and maybe try and think about it when you wakeup next time. I will try and get the doctor here." She patted his hand as she watched him rest back and relax a little.

"I'm glad you're here, Ma" Charlotte stood and brushed his hair back off his forehead. Normally he would have pushed her hand away embarrassed but this time he didn't bother. "Oh Ma?"

"Yeah?"

"Where's Rosie?"

"Rosie?" Charlotte was surprised again.

"Yeah why isn't she here?"

"Oh, she's coming later. Just relax back and close your eyes."

Jack closed his eyes and she waited until his breathing slowed and became more regular.

Charlotte stood and went to the nurse's station. She found the friendly face behind the desk from the night before.

"Mrs Thornton? Is everything ok?"

"No. How soon can the doctor get here?"

"She should be down in another two hours. Is Sarg Thornton ok?"

"No, he's not."

Charlotte had pulled out her phone and called for backup. First, she had called Tom, Jack's younger brother. Charlotte explained that Jack needed a familiar face. Jack and Tom had a huge argument only a month before Jack was deployed and they had been at odds for a few weeks. Jack had managed to fix things between them when he left, but Charlotte sensed things were not back to normal. Even when Charlotte had called Tom last night he didn't seem to care. When he picked up the phone this time, he didn't even say hello before he continued the conversation from last night.

"He's not going to want to see me, Ma."

"I think you're wrong Tom. He's really confused. Your brother needs you here."

"Fine Ma, but don't say I didn't warn you."

Tom had agreed to be at the hospital within the hour. Charlotte sat there looking at her phone not knowing what to do now. She sent Rosie a quick text. She poked her head back into Jack's room and saw that he was awake again.

"Jack? You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Is Rosie here yet?"

"Not yet. She should be here with Lee soon."

"Lee? Who's Lee?"

Charlotte was getting more concerned with Jack and what his questions were suggesting.

"Jack, I need you to think really hard and tell me everything you remember."

"Everything?"

"Yes. How old you are, who is your partner, where do you live, what did we do last Christmas?"

"They are really weird questions." Jack smirked at her.

"Humour an old lady."

"You're not that old."

"Jack …"

"Ok, um … my birthday is 4th October 1981 so that makes me 26 I think. I'm engaged to Rosie and I moved out of your place a little while ago, I think, into an apartment with Doug. As for Christmas, it would have been the usual with you, me and Tom right?"

Charlotte stared at her son in disbelief.

"Right?" he said again.

They were interrupted at that moment by the doctor.

"Sergeant Thornton. I'm Dr Carter."

"It's just Corporal" Jack corrected her.

The doctor was surprised and looked down at her notes.

"We have a bit of a problem, Dr Carter" Charlotte spoke up.

"Mrs Thornton, I presume."

"Yes." Charlotte paused. "It seems Jack has lost a few details about his life."

"Minor details?"

"Um … no. Pretty major ones."

Charlotte looked at Jack and saw the honest surprise on his face. This is really bad, she thought.

"Maybe we should step outside for a moment."

"No! I'm right here! What have I forgotten?"

"What year is it Jack?" Charlotte asked him gently.

She watched as his eyes scrunched up again in concentration.

"Um, I'm not exactly sure. Maybe 2008."

Charlotte watched as the Dr Carter's eyes widened.

"That is the problem" Charlotte said to her.

"Did I get that wrong? It could be 2009 I suppose. The details are a bit blurry." Jack smiled at her.

"No, honey. It will be okay. Right, doctor?"

"Yes, I'm going to have to call the neurologist."

"What? That sounds pretty extreme for getting the year a bit wrong." Jack laughed nervously and was trying to pull himself to a sitting position without much success.

"Jack, I'm sorry, but you've forgotten more than one or two years" Charlotte replied.

"How many?"

"Mrs Thornton. You need to be careful. He could go into shock" Dr Carter warned.

"Sure, but right now a very important person is on her way here and I don't think he remembers her" Charlotte whispered so that Jack couldn't hear.

Dr Carter nodded.

"Sargeant Thornton …" she began.

"Jack" he insisted.

"Jack, you did experience a knock to the head and a resulting concussion. It appears that you may have lost some long-term memories. Whether that is temporary or permanent, we obviously don't know just yet. I'm going to go contact the neurologist and see if they can come down and see you today."

Dr Carter then turned to Charlotte. "Go easy on him" she said resting her hand on Charlotte's arm gently before leaving the room.

"How bad is it Ma?"

"It seems that you may have forgotten the last … ten years" she said slowly.

"Ten years?! You're kidding? This is a joke right? Did Tom or Doug put you up to this?" Jack was smiling nervously.

"I'm afraid not, honey. It will be okay. I'm trying to get Tom and Rosie here. They can tell you for themselves."

"Trying? They don't want to come?"

Charlotte noticed that he hadn't lost his perception skills.

"Well, you were at odds with Tom for a bit and Rosie, well, she has her own life now."

"You mean we're not married?" Jack was watching his mother curiously.

"No, Jack. She married a man called Lee. Lovely man. You're really good friends with him actually."

"Does she have kids?"

"Yes, she has two boys about 7 and 5."

Jack just sat there staring at her, a state of shock evident in his expression.

"This is all so much to take in. I can't believe she married someone else! What happened?"

"It was a mutual breakup. You remained good friends" Charlotte didn't know whether to continue or not. She hoped that maybe talking about things would bring him memories back. " That's how you met Elizabeth" she added.

"Who is Elizabeth?"

He honestly had no idea what she was talking about. She could see it in his eyes.

Charlotte sighed. When she first saw her son in the hospital bed she had sighed with relief thinking he was okay. She was wrong. This was one of the hardest things she had to do.

"She's your wife."