"That flower's the prettiest one I've seen yet… well, you know… since I woke up. I can't really speak for the other times, and I…"

I followed her gaze trying to figure out what had caught her attention. Her eyes were fixated on a hunched man with a labcoat. He turned, and discovered us staring at him, tipped his hat, and calmly went on his was. The man that runs Danville Pharmaceuticals was just closing up for the day, but the sight of the white coat flapping in the wind had definitely stirred a memory.

I think we were both holding our breaths, and then, her face pinched, and she shook her head in frustration. "For a second… I almost…"

I reached out and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. Give it time.

She looked up at me and nodded. "I know… it's just weird not having more in there when I know I should. And…" she looked back at the pharmacist. "Do I know that man?"

I didn't know that for sure, but it was a safe bet that it was his clothes that had set her off anyway, so I shook my head.

"Are you sure? Because something in me wanted to recognize, really badly."

I glanced back toward D.E.I., but she didn't follow my eyes, just sighed, and started walking again.

I shot a glare at the purple building. She needs you, you big oaf! How could he be too dense to realize that?

"I'm sorry… didn't mean to go all Debbie Downer again, whoever she is… what were we talking about?"

I smiled at that, and pointed back at the flower.

Her eyes lit up. "Oh, that's right! It's pretty." Her cheeks colored and she glanced sideways at me. "Did I always ramble on like this?"

I nodded with a smile, and motioned for her to keep going.

"Well that's hardly fair to you. But I gotta say, you are a superb listener. You probably hear that a lot, huh?"

I shrugged, people usually tried not to rub my face in it, as if it bothered me.

"No seriously. It's got to be some sort of super talent. I mean, I haven't been listening to half of what I've been saying, but you've given me your undivided attention all afternoon, and I'm sorry if I've told you all this before, but I can't remember, and…"

"Hilda?"

We both turned in shock at the sound of her name. Somehow, I'd forgotten one key element about letting her remember on her own.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?"

Rodger Doofenshmirtz gave that diplomatic, fake laugh of his, holding his hand out in a 'stop it' gesture. "You're not still upset about Mother's little prank, are you?" Before she could ask him what the heck he was talking about, he turned to me. "Ah… Heinz's little friend. What are you two doing this fine afternoon."

"We're just taking a walk, but…"

"Splendid! Well, it was nice chatting with you, but I'm busy, busy, busy, as always. Do try to make it to the next reunion, will you? Oh, and tell our big brother I said hello."

She stared after him, then turned towards me, eyes filled with confusion, and hurt. "Our big brother? I do have family?"

I bit my lip, trying to think of something to do as she took a step back from me. "You've been keeping me from them?! Why would you do that?"

Because he asked me to, really wasn't as great an answer as I'd been trying pretend it was.

Desperate for help, I tried to get Annie, but she wouldn't answer her communicator. So I did the only thing I could do at that point.

I brought her to D.E.I.

When Doof opened the door, he gave me a little smile, that vanished completely as I guiltily gestured to the girl wringing her hands in the hallway. He gave a little yelp, and slammed the door in my face.

Her face pinched up, and she looked about ready to cry.

So I kicked the door in.

Doof crossed his arms, but his look of anger faded as she timidly stepped forward. "Why don't you want to see me?"

He melted like goo, and stepped forward to wrap his arms around her. "Of course I want to see you, my little Crumbkin, I just didn't… no, no… don't cry…"

He cradled her in his arms, and shot a glare at me. "Now see what you've done! I trusted you!"

She sniffled. "Trusted him to what? What's going on, and why won't anyone tell me?! I can't take it anymore!"

"Shh, shhhh, shhh, shhh. You take a seat, and let us talk for just a second, and I promise, I'll make it all better, okay?"

Maybe it was his voice, or her instinct, or maybe it was just his labcoat, but she obeyed without another word.

He turned to me, and crossed his arms for a long moment, then went to fetch me a notepad. "What does she remember?"

I took the pen and paper, and filled him in on everything, leaving my family out of it.

He sighed. "Rodger, huh? That figures, the jerk! Can Monogram wipe her mind again?"

I scowled at him, and he took a step backwards. It was a good thing, because I probably would have slugged him if her hadn't. As it was, I just grabbed him by the collar, and yanked him to the couch and forced him to sit down. Then I pointed to Hilda, and started tapping my foot.

He turned to her. "This isn't going to make sense, but I want you to know right from the start that I only ever had your best interests at heart, and so did Perry the… well, anyway. I'm your older brother, and so is Roger, the Dumkoff you met on the streets. Our parents don't want anything to do with us, and I wanted to give you the chance to start over, so now you're going to go back where you came from, and move on with your life, knowing that the past isn't worth remembering. Okay?"

"Look, you both might mean well, but it's my life. Don't I get a say in what happens? I don't care what my memories were… they were mine, and that makes them worth something to me. Quite a bit actually."

My old friend, Mr. Guilt, was back again.

"If I don't ever remember you, that doesn't mean I want to just, shove you out of my life. And something in here, still knows you." She put her hand over her heart. "Don't shut me out, please."

He sighed. "Alright. I surrender. You can drop in for visits. But only once in a while. You'll get sick of me, and won't want to come around anymore anyway, you'll see."

She smiled at him. "Thanks. Now… maybe you can tell me why I have the strangest urge to reverse those two wires in that funny looking machine over there?"

He glanced over at the practically constructed inator she was referring too. "I don't… hey! You're right!" He rushed over to the open panel. "This would have blown up in my face!"

She shot me a concerned look, and I just shook my head with a smile.

It certainly wouldn't have been the first time, and I doubt it would have been the last.