Author Notes: What we're doing different is making this a bit realistic. Sometimes these types of stories make Cat suddenly 'okay' with losing her memory, but I'm pretty sure people are kind of freaked out when they have no idea who the hell is around them. My girlfriend (DA), her deceased mom was in a car accident a while back and lost her memory for a few months back in like 2008. Her mom was freaked out and refused to be around her kids because she was that confused. So that's what our plan is, to make this realistic.

And yes, Beck's protective. Some guys are like that.

Thanks for the reviews.

Does Anybody Hear Her?

Chapter Four: I'm Not Who I Was

"Hi." I reach over and brush my hand softly against the side of Cat's cheek that isn't hurt. She still flinches. "Hey, hey. I won't hurt you. You know that."

She gulps… "W-w-who are y-y-you?"

I seriously felt the world stop spinning. "What?" I breathe out as my heart was breaking. "Cat…Cat, no, it's me. Beck."

She's shaking. "W-who's C-Cat?"

"No." I swallow the lump in my throat. "No, you know who you are. You're Caterina Valentine. And I am Beckett Oliver, but I go by Beck and you go by Cat. We've been dating for 3 years and we were going to get married next year." I can't stop my tears when she gently takes her hand out of my grasp. I think I'm having a heart-attack. "Please." I grip the bars that are on either side of the bed. "Dear God, please…" When I see no sign of knowing what the hell was going on, I let out a tiny sob, but nod. "Okay…I'll go get a doctor…"

"C-c-can y-you come b-back?" She asked me in a small voice.

I let out a smile, but I'm still in pain. "Will you let me hold your hand?"

"S-sure." She nods slowly. Before I walk out… "Excuse me?"

Another crack in my heart. I turn to her. "Yeah?"

"W-what d-d-day is it?" She asks shyly, but in a curious tone.

"October 11th, 2011." I sigh deeply as I run a hand through my hair. "Also known as the worst day of my life."

I rush to find the doctor, but I'm in deep thought and I can't breathe…this cannot be happening.

I put some clothes in a small black duffle bag after putting in my bathroom necessities and I keep wiping a few tears away. I seriously couldn't help it. The doctor had informed me that Cat's memory could either be gone for days, months, years, or forever. He said it's hard to tell right now since hers is delicate…because this memory loss wasn't caused by a head injury. No, this was worse. This was caused by traumatic stress.

I sighed deeply before zipping up the bag and turning to my best friend, who was leaning against the doorway, giving me a sympathetic look. "Thanks again, man, for driving me around." I tell him. "I'm just in no state to drive anywhere."

"I can tell." He gave me a forced smile. "Come on. Lets get you back to Cat."

"Yes, please." I follow him down the steps of my RV and lock it behind me before making sure my car is locked and get into the passenger seat of Andre's car.

I'm staying with Cat until she gets out of the hospital. She requested me too…it killed me when she saw her dad, Andre, and Robbie, she wouldn't let them in the room. Her own doctor wasn't allowed to come in. No males…except me. The doctor said it's because she saw me first and made her feel safe, so she doesn't want me to leave her. No complaints here. But now she has a new doctor in another part of the hospital because they moved her into a room. It's a big room, believe it or not. I'm sure that tomorrow it's going to be full of flowers and presents.

"When do you think I'll be able to see her again?" Andre asks me suddenly when we're halfway there. It hurts because he sounds so depressed. I can't blame him. Cat's like a little sister to him and now she's terrified of him…I couldn't imagine the pain that Andre's feeling. Robbie is devastated too, although he said he is relieved she doesn't remember all the things he bothered her with.

Tori's not allowed anywhere near Cat's room.

Jade and Cat's mom are in the room with her right now. Her dad is waiting until I get there so he can take Mrs. Valentine home. Poor guy. I'm sure he's upset too, obviously. Another bad thing: Cat's college bound brother is coming from Texas to see her…how's he going to react when he finds out he can't see her?

This seriously sucks.

"I'm not sure." I answer him eventually. "The doctor said that part could last maybe a week…at the very least."

"The least is the main point." He clenched his hands around his steering wheel, making me a bit nervous, but he didn't drive crazy. Thank God. I don't want to join Cat in the hospital…well, I do, but not on a hospital bed. "That fear of men could last up to years, Beck…or her whole life."

"But we have to work her into it." I assure him, but he still huffs. "Maybe you could come tomorrow and-"

"No." He tells me firmly. "That's too soon."

"But-"

"I refuse to stress her out." He shakes his head. "It doesn't make any sense. She doesn't remember the…attack. So then why is she scared of men if she doesn't remember anything?"

"Instinct." I tell him, reciting exactly the conversation the doctor and I had. "She may not remember, but she still gets a sense of panic that something is very wrong." I hear him mutter a swear word, but I don't say anything else until we get to the hospital. He pulls up in front. "Are you going to come in?"

Andre shakes his head. "No…why bother?"

I sigh deeply and nod. "Okay."

"I'll call you tomorrow and see how she's feeling." He tells me after I get out.

I nod and give him a small smile before I shut the door and turn to walk in the front doors. I see Andre waiting until I get in safely and then he takes off. He's a pretty protective guy, if you couldn't tell. Sure, I'm older and a bit taller than him, yet he still wants me safe too. He's like my brother. We've been friends for a while now and I hang out with him almost as much as Cat. He's not a third wheel either when he goes out with us. He's just cool like that.

Of course, when I step out of the elevator to the 4th floor of the hospital, I see Jade's evil blue eyes staring into mine. "What?" I ask as she grabs my arm with a bruising grip. "Dude, that hurts!"

She rolls her eyes and leads me to Cat's room. "Cat had a major breakdown and they had to freaking sedate her-"

"THEY WHAT?" I don't give a care if I'm being too loud. I zoom past Jade and enter Cat's room, dropping my bag by the door, and both Cat's parents are standing beside her bed. Cat's mom is trying to calm Cat down, while her dad is patting her knee. Cat's lost all color to her face and skin, she's breathing heavily, and…she had straps that are tied to her wrists on either side of the bed. She sees me and I'm absolutely furious. "Out." I growl at her parents.

They wince. They understand how protective and in love I am with Cat. "Beck, they had no choice!" Her mom defends herself.

"Let's go, honey." Her dad looks a bit fearful of me.

Soon they rush out after gathering their things and I run to Cat's side. I lift up her blanket and undo the restraints on her ankles. She almost kicks me, but I jump away. "Hey, hey, none of that." I tell her firmly and she nods. I untie her wrists and suddenly she jumps into my arms, crying. "Ssshh, it's okay. It's alright. I'm here." I rub her back and she's sniffling. "It's okay. No one is going to touch you anymore."

"I'm a bad girl." She whimpers out.

I shake my head and pull her back. "No, you're not." I feel like I'm talking to a child…but I have to. She's confused. She's scared. She has no idea what the hell is happening. "Who said you were a bad girl?"

"Those people." She pointed to the door.

"The two people who were just here?" I ask her clearly. She nods. "Okay. I'll talk to them."

"No. Stay." She pleads.

"I'm not going anywhere." I sit down on the side of her bed and lay her back down. "Why did you get scared?"

"You were gone." Her voice cracks. "You said you would stay with me. Where did you go?"

I run my fingers through her hair. "I'm sorry. I had to go get clothes. I'm going to stay here with you. How does that sound?"

She nods. "Good."

I chuckle. "Good…so…can we talk?"

"About what?"

"You."

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She nods. "Yes. I like talking to you. You're a good friend to me."

Friend?

Friend?

DID SHE JUST SAY FRIEND?

"We need to get something clear, Cat Valentine." I get firm with her, almost glaring. She cowers a bit, but she knows I'm not going to hurt her. "I am not your friend. I am your boyfriend. There's a very big difference in those words."

"But I don't know you that well." She mumbles, not wanting to hurt my feelings.

My lip trembles. "What? But…we've been going out for over 3 years…"

"To me, it's only been a few hours." She looks to me and gives me a sad expression.