Chapter 2

The following day I went into work for the same shift. I was looking forward to having a day off tomorrow and then getting a couple day shifts. When I got there a woman dressed like a high fashion soccer mom was at the front desk. I went behind the desk and put my things down. My boss Octavia, a kind older woman, was trying to appease the grouchy soccer mom. She really was a grumpy woman and also looked like she might scratch your eyes out with those perfect nails.

They both seemed to quiet down some once I arrived.

"We'll take care of him. I'll call you if there are any changes in his condition." Octavia said and the woman simply nodded and walked away. She didn't even say thank you. I bet you she was a city person. They were usually pretty god damn rude.

"Who was that?" I sat down in the computer chair next to Octavia.

"You know that blonde man that showed up last night?" She was filling out paperwork with her glasses halfway down her nose.

"Yes" I replied all too quickly.

"That was his sister. She came in once she heard we called the police last night to see if anyone put a missing persons report out." Octavia had yet to look up from her work.

I was burning with curiosity and tried to hide it. I had no idea why I was so interested except for his oddly quiet mind. "So… who is he?"

Octavia sighed and looked at me like I was an overly talkative child. We usually got along so I had no idea why she seemed a little prickly about this topic. He was just a patient.

"His name is Eric Northman" She sighed "His sister said something stressful happened and she suspects that's why he's having memory trouble. She requested no medication for him. She wants to wait it out but have him stay here just in case."

I just nodded and got to work. Geez, what was so hard about explaining that? It would have been easy to pick through her mind and see if she was hiding anything. However that felt childish so I shrugged it off as her being grouchy.

A couple hours later I was getting my things together for the nightly rounds. Octavia was still at her computer silently working. It was usually quiet when we worked together. She was not chatty like Amelia but I didn't mind it. She also was not a loud broadcaster and her thoughts were usually fairly quiet. I went around all of the rooms and checked on each patient. I saved one in particular for last.

"Eric?" I knocked and opened the door slowly.

He didn't look at me right away. In fact he was staring out the window and it seemed to take a second for him to realize Eric was his own name. Poor fella.

"I guess that's me…" When he turned to face me it was still shocking how tall he was. I felt bad for him too. Because other than the memory loss he seemed perfectly normal. Why wouldn't his sister try to take him home and wait it out? It seemed like he could function fine in society as long as he knew his name. Most of the patients here might not be violent, but their disorders were just too much for them to hold a job and live on their own. Half of them would forget tomorrow anything they did today.

"How are you Sookie?" Eric seemed to have no problem remembering my name from last night.

"I'm supposed to ask you that." I grinned and stepped further into the small room. "I'm fine though."

"Only fine? What was wrong with it?" He seemed curious.

"Um, nothing? Fine means it was… the same as every other day. Nothing went wrong." I wasn't sure what he was getting at.

"Oh… I just thought your day should be great if nothing went wrong." Eric explained and sat down on the edge of his bed. I pondered that statement. Maybe he was right…. Fine sure as hell sounded like I was settling for less in my day to day life.

"Any changes? Do you remember anything?" I decided to change the subject.

"I don't think so." He shrugged and took a sip of the water at his bedside.

"Is that a yes or a no?" If he could pester me about being fine, then I could pester him about this. Plus I was his nurse. It was allowed.

"I don't want to sound crazy and I know if I say this it'll make you think I belong here." Eric actually seemed nervous about what I thought. His blue eyes went to the window again. You could barely see the moon behind the thin grey clouds.

"I don't think you're crazy. What did you remember? Anything can help."

Eric's voice was quiet and I had to listen hard to hear him. "I dreamed I was in the sky. I was flying over everything. It felt real, like something I had done before. The humid summer wind was on my skin and I could see all the lights from Shreveport below me."

He didn't turn back to look at me yet thank god. I quickly hid any emotion that might indicate I indeed thought he might be a tad more in need of help than I had been thinking. When his head turned back towards me and I caught his gaze, I wanted to believe him. The truth was right there in his eyes. I could swear there was not a mean or manipulative bone in this man's body. His expression was so honest and almost innocent.

"Maybe you used to fly an airplane? Sometimes our dreams give reality a little twist." That actually made sense and he wouldn't be crazy if that was the case.

It was obvious Eric did not buy my theory. However he did not bother arguing either. "Maybe" He shrugged.

"Okay, I have to go, let me know if you need anything." I really did have to get back to the front desk. Octavia would notice I had taken longer than usual on my rounds.

Eric's face fell slightly but he tried to hide it. My heart melted a bit seeing that he liked having me around. Then I reminded myself he was a patient and I shouldn't be caring about anything more than his recovery.

"Will you come back before you leave?" God, he was giving me this puppy dog look I couldn't say no to. Then I'd feel like the most evil person in the world.

"I'll try to stop by on my way out this morning." I smiled softly at him and that seemed to be enough for now. He rolled onto his side and looked to be going to sleep.

I exited the room and quietly shut the door behind me. Already I wanted to go back in and talk to him. He didn't even know who he was but I was fascinated. He seemed like a true gentle giant and I wondered how the heck he managed to stay that way with how shitty society was these days.

a/n: please review! It always makes me write faster!