Chapter 11
*LACHIE'S POV*
I just stared numbly at my brother. The doctor had warned us, but nothing can prepare you for your own brother telling you to leave. Telling him to get his family. How could he not remember us? We had always been together, the three Gallagher brothers against the world! I was so relieved he was alive, but was it really worth it? Would he ever remember s or would he be trapped in his world of fear forever? I couldn't imagine how lonely Chase must be feeling; not being able to move, not recognising anyone or anything around him, but what about me and Dean? What were we supposed to do? Our presence obviously scared him, so how were we supposed to help him, comfort him if he didn't even know who we were?
'Chase,' I said quietly, not wanting to scare him, 'we are your family. I'm Lachie and this is Dean. We're your brothers. Please, you have to remember us. Please.'
'You.. not.. brother' Chase rasped, 'your... lying'.
'We're not Chase, remember us, we're the Gallaghers! C'mon Chase you have to remember.'
Chase just stared defiantly at the ceiling, refusing to believe the truth. Refusing to believe he couldn't remember his own family.
'Dean', I asked pleadingly to my older brother, 'Dean, please. You have to tell him.' But Dean just stared at our baby brother and I could tell that he couldn't answer me, that he couldn't fix it.
I didn't know what to say, had we really been that bad brothers that he couldn't even remember us? Had we made that little impact on him?
I pulled out a picture from my wallet; it was of our team at Rescue; Heidi, Lara, Jordon, me, Dean and right in the middle, Chase, who was wearing the world's biggest smile. How could refuse to remember this? We were his family, not just me and Dean but the rest of the team as well. He needed to remember us, he had to.
'See Chase. That's us! And that's Jordon and Heidi and Lara,' I said pointing to the people who Chase had been best friends with for so many years. 'C'mon Chase. Please tell me you remember them. Remember us.'
I gave the picture to Chase, who held it close to his eyes, forensically examining everyone, their hair, their build, their face. I looked for some kind of recognition in his eyes, anything. But nothing. He didn't know them.
I couldn't do this. Not right now. I thought my brother was dead, that he was going to die, but now I know it is the other way around. It is not Chase who is dead, but us. It is those left behind who are dead. Dead to Chase. We mean nothing to him and right now I can't look upon the face of my brother. I wanted to remember him how he was, the real Chase and not as the man who was lying in that bed. So I left. I left Chase. I left Dean. But what was I supposed to do? Pretend that I didn't care that my own brother didn't know who I was? Who am I kidding; I'm not selfless enough to not be affected by the way he looked at me. The fear in his eyes. I just want my brother back.
*CHASE'S POV*
When I saw that picture, I really wanted to recognise someone. Anyone. I just wanted to recognise something from the life I had before, but it was useless. I was alone in my world. No one was here to help. Nobody could help. I was starting to wish I had never resurfaced from the darkness; I wanted to shy away from this feeling of terror, of pain. I knew I was injured, that much I was certain of. My head was extraordinarily painful, just to move it hurt more than I could even imagine, and there was something missing from the lower half of my body. My leg. I could feel the stump, but I couldn't feel any pain and there was no explanation for what had happened to me. That was what confused me. These people were telling me they were my brothers, they showed me pictures of people they called my friends, but why won't they tell me what happened? Surely they know? I wanted to ask, but how could I trust what they said? I just don't know anything anymore.
I felt a tear run down my face, but I couldn't move to stop it. I was too exhausted, so I just let them flow. The salty river fell down from my nose, dripping into my mouth, soon becoming a torrent. Why had this happened to me? What had I done to deserve this? I desperately wanted the two men to be my brothers, I wanted to remember them, but I just couldn't.