Christian had been so panicked when he had found that Syed had gone. He had been so sure that he had left him, that everything had finally become too much for the younger man and that he had fled. Despite everything that they'd been through in the past, and how much they'd overcome to be together, there was still, and probably always would be, a part of Christian that assumed that their happy ending would come crashing down around them.

Syed had given up so much for them to be together, and Christian was well aware of just what losing his family had done to him. And now that he had no memory of reconciling with them, either before or after they'd gotten together, Christian wasn't too sure how Syed was coping. In his mind, all he could remember was what it felt like to be apart from everyone he loved. And Christian knew him well enough to know that he was probably falling apart. The old Syed, the Syed he had first come to know and love, would have turned tail and fled at the first sign of trouble, and Christian couldn't help but think that that was what was happening now.

But then Jane had called, after seeing Syed back in Walford, and everything had suddenly made sense. He had seen how frustrating Syed was finding everything, and he knew that he desperately wanted his memories back. And right now, Christian couldn't believe that he hadn't thought of doing this sooner. If anything had a remote chance of kick-starting those memories again, surely this was it?

"Christian?" Jane's voice rang through Christian's ears, bringing him back to the here and now. "Did you hear me?"

"Sorry, yeah," he had been so relieved to know that Syed was safe that he'd stopped breathing for a moment. "Thank God he's ok.."

"Actually, he's just wandering round, looking a bit lost. What should I do, bring him to the cafe or something?"

"No, just keep an eye on him from a distance," by now, Christian was in a cab on his way to the station. "The last thing I need is him getting spooked and running off again. Just keep close to him, I'm on my way."

C~S

Jane had been keeping watchful eyes on Syed since she had spotted him sitting on the war memorial outside Christian's old flat over two hours ago. She hadn't gotten too close, just as Christian had asked her not to, but she hadn't let him stray too far from her, either. After she'd heard about the accident, how Syed didn't remember anything from the past few years, her heart had broken for them both.

She hadn't always been his biggest fan, but there was no denying the positive effect that Syed had had on Christian, once they had properly gotten together, anyway. In a way, she would be forever grateful to Syed for bringing back to her the brother she had somewhat lost over the years, what with all they'd been through with David; Christian had mellowed a lot due to Syed's influence.

Syed hadn't really moved much in the last couple of hours, he'd just spent the majority of his time staring around him, his gaze often lingering almost blankly on the flat which had been his home for so long, and just as she was stating to wonder if she shouldn't just ignore Christian's advice and approach him, she felt her phone ring.

"Jane, I'm just heading out the Tube. Where is he?" She could hear the panic in Christian's voice. "Please tell me he's still there.."

"He's here. He's just been sitting on the war memorial all this time, and -" The line went dead, and Jane hurried to meet her bother halfway, casting a tentative look back at Syed, still sitting gazing into the distance, as she left.

C~S

Christian flung himself out of the station and headed straight for the memorial, barely casting a glance around the place he had for so long called his home. The route was as familiar to him as it had been on his last visit, and he was so focused on his goal that he almost ran right through Jane as he rounded the corner.

"Christian!" He allowed himself to be enveloped in one of her hugs for a second, and for a moment some of his life seemed to have a semblance of normality. Without speaking, he grabbed her hand and pulled her with him as he slowed to approach his destination.

Seeing Syed sitting there, his heart ached as he tried to imagine how the younger man must be feeling. To wake up with no memory of the last few years, and then to be told that you've done something you never would have imagined yourself doing in a million years must be incomprehensible. But if his life with Syed had taught him anything, it was to at least try to believe. Even when the odds are stacked against you, and you can't imagine how you'll get through something, if you can believe, then almost anything is possible. Syed had believed, eventually, that he would be able to have the life he wanted with Christian and the love and support of his family. And in the end, that was exactly how it had all turned out. Now, Christian just had to believe that Syed would find his way back to him.

He cleared his throat and called his name, in what he could only hope was a confident way, but in reality, he could hear the desperation in his voice. He watched as the younger man registered his name being called, and as he turned to him, Christian saw, for the first time in too long, that familiar glint in his eye that Syed kept just for him. As their eyes locked, Christian felt something he had wanted to feel since Syed had been taken away from him on a stretcher. He felt a glimmer of hope.