Rikki couldn't put her thoughts into words. She stood there, at Zane's bedside, frozen.
"It's me?" Rikki said quietly. "Are you joking?"
Zane's vacant and confused expression answered her question. He was looking at her as if he'd never laid eyes on each other before. As if he couldn't even remember last night.
"Dad?" Zane beckoned for his father to come to his bedside.
Rikki stepped backwards wordlessly.
At that moment a nurse came bustling in the room. Rikki ran to her.
"He doesn't remember me." Rikki said anxiously.
"Ah..." The nurse pursed her lips. "We were worried there might be some cranial damage.."
"Cranial damage!" Rikki interrupted. "What kind of cranial damage? Amnesia?"
"Let me get his doctor for you." The nurse left the room quickly.
A few minutes later a tall man wearing a white jacket entered. He crossed to Harrison with Rikki at his heels, listening.
"Mr. Bennett," He started. "Zane has some severe swelling in his brain. We do believe that it will go down on it's own, but he's going to need to take it easy these next few months."
"And the memory loss?" Harrison asked.
"Well, for now it seems to be only partial. He remembers you, Mr. Bennett, and he remembers his name and other basic facts about his life. We'll need to run a few more tests but it appears that he's only lost about the last 5-10 years or so." The doctor made a note on Zane's chart. "He should be able to go home within a week, we'll want to monitor both the swelling and his memory."
"When will he get it back?" Rikki couldn't keep quiet any longer.
The doctor turned to her. "Brain injuries are tricky things," He said gently. "It could be tomorrow or... he may never regain his memories at all. Though, in most cases, we're probably looking at a two month recovery time."
Rikki's breath left her, she sank down into one of the chairs along the wall.
"What do we do for him?" Harrison asked.
"Surround him with familiar things," The doctor told him. "Friends, activities, things he enjoys doing. Especially things he's enjoyed during the last few years."
As the doctor spoke, Cleo, Bella, Nate, and Lewis appeared in the doorway.
"For the time being I think it would be better if all of us," The doctor looked pointedly at the group in the doorway, "Let Zane get some rest." The doctor gave Zane's IV a shot of something clear and within seconds Zane was asleep.
Rikki and Harrison were ushered into the hall with the rest of everyone.
Harrison thanked everyone for coming and announced that he would be back first thing in the morning. The rest of the group huddled around Rikki, asking questions and comforting her. Rikki explained what had happened.
"He's going to be ok." Rikki said. The room collectively sighed in relief. Bella pulled Rikki into a tight hug, but Rikki wasn't smiling.
"Rikki?" Cleo noticed that Rikki still seemed miserable. "What is it?"
"He doesn't remember me." Rikki whispered.
The group exchanged concerned looks with one another.
"You mean-" Lewis started.
"He has some swelling in his brain, he is having trouble remembering the last five years or so." Rikki said tiredly. "That means he'll know you, Cleo, and you too, Lewis."
"And me!" Nate said a little too happily. He instantly changed his face back to a sad one, for Rikki's sake.
"Yeah, and you." Rikki hadn't even noticed his happy tone. "But not Bella, and... not me."
They all tried to comfort Rikki, but she was inconsolable.
"Well guys, it's late, I'm sorry but I've really got to run." Nate said. "My mom'll be wondering where I am. Anyone need a ride?"
"I'm staying." Rikki sat in one of the waiting room chairs. "I want to be here when Zane wakes up."
"We're staying with you." Cleo said, sitting next to her.
Bella and Lewis took the next two seats. The promised to call Nate if anything happened.
The hours passed painfully slowly. Lewis and Bella nodded off sometime around 2am. Cleo managed to stay awake until 3:30 before she also fell asleep, leaning on Lewis. Rikki didn't let her eyes close. Too many thoughts were running through her head.
Zane didn't remember. That meant he didn't remember their secret. He knew nothing of mermaids, or full moons, or anything. Rikki thought back to the Zane she had met 3 years ago. He was mean, cold, and self-serving. What if that Zane was back?
No, Rikki convinced herself. Just because his memory is gone, that doesn't mean his personality will be any different. Right? Everything will be back to normal in no time at all.
The hall was deserted because of the late hour. Rikki stood quietly and walked to Zane's door. Looking up and down the hall to make sure no one was coming, Rikki silently opened the door and slipped inside.
Careful not to make a sound, Rikki walked over and sat in the chair beside Zane's bed. She rested her head next to Zane's arm and was sound asleep within minutes.
"Hey, you there. Hello?"
Rikki awoke suddenly. To her surprise, Zane was awake, and looking at her with a disgusted look on his face.
"Good you're awake." He sneered. "Now would you mind letting me have the bed to myself? I didn't sign up for a bunk mate."
Rikki sat up, surprised. "Sorry," she muttered as she stood. She turned to walk to the door but stopped herself and forced herself to turn back to Zane. Zane was still looking at her without smiling, waiting for her to leave.
"Well?" he raised his eyebrows at her.
"Zane..." Rikki started. She didn't know what to say but she felt like she had to talk to him.
"Listen, whoever you are, I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm in a bit of pain. So if you'll do me a solid and head out that would be fantastic." Zane said sarcastically.
Rikki nodded. At that moment a nurse came into the room carrying a tray of food. She stopped when she saw Rikki.
"Young lady, visiting hours don't start until 9am, you aren't supposed to be in here." She said sternly.
"I know," Rikki said quietly. She looked at Zane one more time before leaving the room.
Zane didn't know who the blonde was, but he had been more than a little freaked out when he'd woken up with her sound asleep in the chair next to his bed. Who does that?
"Here you are, hun." The nurse set the tray on the bedside table.
"I'm not hungry." Zane said flatly.
"Well you really should try to eat something, it'll make you stronger." The nurse said, pouring him a glass of orange juice.
"What part of 'I'm not hungry' don't you understand?" Zane said snidely. "Take it away."
The nurse gave him a look but picked up the tray and left the room.
Zane assessed his injuries. He could move, but it was painful. His ribs were in a lot of pain. His head was tender, but manageable. He wanted out of the hospital.
Zane's doctor came through the door with his charts and a folder of xrays. "Awake already?" He said conversationally.
"It would appear that way." Zane said. "How much longer do I need to stay here?"
"That's what I've come in to talk to you about." The doctor put up the xrays as he spoke. "You'll most likely be able to head home in a couple days. We need to keep you here until the swelling in your brain subsides."
"Swelling?" Zane asked.
"Yes, that's what's causing the memory loss." The doctor walked to Zane's bed side.
"Right." Zane furrowed his brow as he remembered the conversation yesterday. The doctor had asked him question after question. They said he couldn't remember the last 5 or 6 years. Whoa.
"Get some rest, I'll be back in a bit to run a few tests." The doctor made a note on Zane's chart before heading out.
Right. Rest. Zane thought to himself bitterly. He couldn't remember his life and the doctor wanted him to just lay there.
Lewis, Cleo, and Bella were outside the door when Rikki left Zane's room. They had all been worried when they'd woken up to find Rikki gone.
Rikki didn't say anything, she just sat in a chair in the waiting room. She waited there for the next two days and nights, only going home for a bit at a time to shower and eat a little. Lewis, Cleo, and Bella took shifts staying with her. They were worried about both Rikki and Zane. Rikki didn't try to go back into Zane's room. Nate had been in, and she'd listened to the two laughing and joking with one another.
"He seems normal to me." Nate had said as he left.
Finally the day came when Zane was to be released. His father filled out a stack of paperwork and led Zane down the hall.
"That weird blonde is still here," Zane muttered to his dad. There she was, still sitting outside his room like a stalker.
"Rikki?" Harrison asked.
"I dunno." Zane shrugged.
Harrison had been given strict instructions not to overload Zane with information.
"She's a nice girl," was all he said. He would give it a few days before trying to explain more to him.
