Disclaimer: All the characters in this fanfic belong to Disney and any other company that owns the series 'In A Heartbeat', except for Dr. Andrew Bradford. This is my 6th fic. Please read and review!!!J
Scenes from the previous episode…
His body felt as if a ton of bricks had fallen on it. Every single move he made felt like hell. As he opened his eyes, an unfamiliar ceiling came to view. He looked around. He tried to get up, but can only manage an upright position. 'Where am I?' With all his might, he managed to sit on the bed. 'What is this place?' He tried to stand up, but almost fell as pain had overcome him. He let out a small cry. After a few seconds, he was able to move around a little. As he continued to move, a certain figure tended to intrigue him. In his mind, he kept wondering about the mysterious form. 'Who is that man in the mirror?'
"However,…" started to say the doctor. "…we've come to the conclusion from the neuro-scans that Tyler is going to endure a different illness. Mrs. Jenks…Mr. Jenks…Tyler has amnesia."
To be continued…
No One Else but You: "I'm Tyler, and you are…?"
Wintry weather overcame the night. The wind was blowing coolly outside. There was drizzle, and the air was chilly. The Kingsport hospital was filled with patients, ranging from people with the common cold to people with life threatening illnesses. Among the people within the hospital doors were Tyler's mom Daphne, William, and Alex. A few minutes earlier, the doctor presiding over Tyler informed them that he had acquired amnesia. The news only brought shock and surprise to them.
"This can't be...no…not for my son," cried Mrs. Jenks. "Tyler has so much going for him."
"It's going to be OK, Daphne," comforted William.
"I'll be glad to tell you, Mrs. Jenks, that amnesia can be surpassed," he informed her. "With the proper treatments and all."
"Doctor, exactly what type of amnesia are we dealing with here?" Alex inquired.
"Actually, we haven't clarified that yet," he reported to him. "Right now, the scans only told us that there is a definite sign of amnesia."
"Well, when can you clarify it?" asked William.
"Pretty soon," he replied with confidence in his voice. "We'll just have to wait until Tyler awakens. In the meantime, I suggest you should get some sleep. I'll keep you all posted if anything drastic happens, bad or good."
All of a sudden, a voice from the intercom became audible.
"Doctor Bradford...report to room 166 immediately."
"Isn't that Tyler's room?" Mrs. Jenks asked worriedly.
"You're absolutely right," he said. "I'll keep you up to date on what happened after I attend to my patient. For the time being, I suggest you go to the cafeteria and have yourselves some food. If not, you could go home and come back later. It's only 7:00."
Bradford then left and headed for Tyler's room. The three adults were left outside the hall, all dumbstruck. Breaking the silence, Alex went ahead and spoke.
"Why don't we go and grab a bite," he proposed.
"Lead the way," replied William, with his wife alongside him.
"This way," he said as he proceeded to the cafeteria.
The boy in the room collapsed to the floor. The aching he had endured was too much for him to handle. Minutes later, he heard people coming towards him, but he was in too much pain to even bother speaking. He just closed his eyes and let them deal with him. The next thing he knew, he was back on his bed. By now, he was absolutely sure that the burden he had suffered had tripled its effect. He can't even bear to move a muscle. Trying his best, he managed to open his eyes, wide enough to see an unknown figure standing in front of him.
"It's nice to see you awake again," the figure greeted.
"Who are you?" he began to ask. "And what is this place? Why am I here?"
"I'm Dr. Andrew Bradford.," he introduced himself. "I'm the doctor who is in-charge of you. You're in the hospital right now. You're friends found you brutally attacked, and left in your car in some deserted area. You have broken ribs, your left arm is fractured, and your left knee is severely injured."
"That explains why I can't even bear to move," he told him.
"And you just made it worse by trying to stand up and walk moments earlier," he scolded him. "And then as a result, you collapsed on the floor. Luckily, you didn't get any more injuries than what you already have."
The boy however, appeared to not have heard him. His head was tilted in a way so that he could look directly at the mirror across from him. He wore a distraught look on his face.
"Doctor, who am I?" he asked glumly.
"Well, for starters…," he started to say, but was cut off.
The boy now looked directly at him. His eyes were starting to water.
"How come I don't know anything about me?" he questioned him. "How come I can't remember anything about my past?"
"I'm sorry, Tyler," he told him. "I know how hard this must be for you…"
"You don't know half of it!" he yelled in frustration, rather than anger, but hurt himself when he tried to get up.
"Easy there," he said to him. "And you're right. I don't know exactly how you feel, but I've dealt with people who have been through what you're going through now. It wasn't easy for them. Amnesia never is. But you just have to move on, and live. That's the only way you could get through this. You have so many people who care about you, and they will be the ones who will walk with you along the way. And in time, you will eventually get back on track."
"Do you think so?" he asked him.
"I know so," he replied sternly. "You're just lost right now. But if you really want it, you will find your way home. You just have to take it easy. We'll all be here to help you."
"So, my name's Tyler, huh?" he asked, trying to change the subject.
"Yes, you're Tyler Connell," he answered. "And as I mentioned before, you have amnesia, that is basically a period of memory loss, which in your situation resulted from a severe blow to the head. As for your assailant…or assailants, we don't know any information yet about their identities. But that's not the important thing. What matters is that you're alive, and that you're OK."
"Yea…um, doctor, can I have a moment alone by myself,…please?" he pleaded.
"Sure," he agreed. "I'm just glad you're fine. I'll tell the others to hinder any visits for you at the moment. If you need anything, you can always use the buzzer located above your head."
Dr. Bradford then left, closing the door behind him. Tyler just stayed there, his body flat on the bed. 'I might as well have been dead. I don't even know who I am…who I was,…or should I say Tyler Connell. And did he say I was OK? I'm far from OK. I have amnesia for crying out loud. I'm really this close to just giving up. You could find tons of ways to die from this place. But then why do I get this feeling that I just had to live? I don't even know any of these people…Why?' Giving up on trying to find some answers on his puzzling thoughts, Tyler drifted into another sleep.
A few moments later, the trio headed back to Tyler's room. On their way, they ran into Dr. Bradford. To their relief, no signs of worry or distress were present on his face.
"I was just about to go look for you guys," exclaimed Bradford. "I have some update on Tyler's condition. If you could follow me to my office, I'll tell you the details there."
The three followed him, anxiously waiting to hear what he had to say. Finally, they arrived at his big, yet modest office.
"Please, sit down," he directed them to the chairs.
"What's the news?" asked the eager Alex.
"Is Tyler fine?" added Mrs. Jenks.
"What did you find out?" jumped in William.
"I see that you all are excited," he stated, grinning. "For a start, Tyler is doing fine. He seems to be having a rough time about this whole deal. I had a little talk with him, but it probably wasn't enough to reassure him. Nonetheless, I did find out a little more about his condition. After our short conversation, I found out that Tyler is experiencing retrograde amnesia, which is actually a lot better in some cases, like anterograde. This means that Tyler can't remember things prior to the incident."
"What's the difference between that and anterograde amnesia?" asked William.
"Anterograde amnesia is the loss of memory for events immediately following a trauma," he explained. "This is also better known as posttraumatic amnesia. The only thing is, with retrograde amnesia, it would be harder for Tyler to identify whoever attacked him."
"Well, have you figured out how long it will take until Tyler regains his lost memories?" asked Tyler's mother.
"These memories are not actually lost, since they can generally be recovered through psychotherapy or after the amnesic state has ended," he explained. "Occasionally amnesia may last for weeks, months, or even years, during which time the person may begin an entirely new life pattern. Such prolonged reactions are called fugue states. When recovered, the person is usually able to remember events that occurred prior to onset, but events of the fugue period are mostly forgotten. They will however, usually recover and be able to recall the events leading up to the event and after."
"What possible treatments are available to help Tyler cope with this?" asked Alex.
"Treatments obviously include rest, and sometimes mild sedatives are taken," he informed them. "As I brought up earlier, psychotherapy would also help. It does however require counseling or psychiatric consideration. Most importantly, family support should be provided. Reality orientation is recommended as well. This includes the supply familiar music, objects, or photos to help the patient become oriented. Support for relearning may also be required in some cases. In addition, any medication schedules should be written down to avoid depending on memory."
"Is this all we can do to help?" Alex asked, obviously wanting to be of assistance.
"Oh, I almost forgot," he replied. "Interaction with other familiar faces such as friends, co-workers, and classmates would also help dramatically in his recovery. Then again, as the injury heals, the memory will gradually return. One of the things that we just have to learn to work with is time. We don't know what will happen next, but hopefully it will be good."
After the discussion, the three set out to leave.
"One more thing," he added. "I would suggest that you get Tyler some crutches, or a wheelchair since his knee is injured. I don't recommend him to walk any time soon."
"When will he be able to get out of the hospital?" asked Mrs. Jenks.
"Until his broken ribs are somewhat healed, I would recommend that he stay here until then," he notified her.
"Thank you doctor," thanked William. "This has been really helpful."
"It's my pleasure," he replied. "By the way, you guys should really head home for a while. It's only 8:00 and Tyler is resting at the moment. You could come by in an hour or two. If anything comes up, I'll call you."
"OK," said Alex. "Thanks for the info, doc. We'll see you later."
It was 9:30. The hospital seemed to have settled down. The crowded halls earlier were empty. Tyler's parents, and Alex came back to the hospital, hoping to visit and see him. Once again, they met up with Dr. Bradford.
"Doctor, can we see him now?" asked Tyler's mom.
"I think he's awake right now," he said. "I'll have to accompany you though as to not startle him. Follow me."
The three did as they were told, and went inside Tyler's room. They can only guess what their meeting will result. As they went inside, they say a boy looking lost with a mystified look on his face. He was sitting slightly upright on his bed. When he heard the noise, he turned his head to the direction of the sound. The three just looked at him. The boy just stared, and greeted the doctor, the only person he knew at the time.
"Good evening, doctor," he said.
"Hey Tyler!" he greeted back. "It's nice to see you up again. Well, I want you to meet these people. They know you very well. I know this might come as a surprise, but they won't bite you or anything…at least I hope not. I'll just sit over there, and leave you to talk."
Bradford then went ahead and sat on the small couch by the door. The three then approached Tyler, as if he was a little boy. Daphne was the first one to greet him.
"Hi Tyler!" she began as she tried not to cry.
"Hi," he said in return. "Who might you be?"
"I'm your mother," she told him. "I know you might not remember me,…"
Daphne just started to cry. William took a hold of her and then introduced himself to Tyler.
"Hi," he said. "I'm William."
"Are you my father?" questioned Tyler.
"No. I'm William Jenks,…your stepdad."
"Oh," he stated. "It's nice to meet you. Well, are you my father?"
He directed his gaze on Alex. Alex let out a small laugh.
"I'm sorry, but no," he replied. "I'm Alex. I'm your boss."
"It's nice to meet you, too," he stated.
He then looked at his "supposedly" mother. 'She did look very sincere. I can just tell by her eyes.'
"Mom," he said awkwardly. "Where is my dad?"
"Honey, your dad and I are divorced," she informed him. "He doesn't live with us anymore."
"Oh, I see," he sadly replied. "So, how old am I? What job do I have?"
"You're 16, Tyler," his mom responded.
"And you work for me as a teen EMT, or Emergency Medical Technician," continued Alex.
"Sounds like fun," he said, his voice lacking emotion. "You all probably know my condition be now if you talked to Dr. Bradford."
"Yes, and we will help you," added his mother. "We'll be with you along the way. All of us will."
"And your friends will be here for you as well," said Alex.
"Thanks," he said, showing no sign of excitement.
"I think we better go," proclaimed William, getting the hint that Tyler doesn't really want to talk at the moment.
"I'll see you later, Tyler," said Alex.
"Goodbye, honey," exclaimed Daphne as she hugged Tyler.
Tyler hugged her back, knowing how she must be feeling at the moment. For some reason he can't explain, he knew that this person really was his mother.
"I'll be fine, mom," he told her. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye," was her final word before she joined the others outside.
Dr. Bradford then approached him.
"Tyler, I'll see you later, OK?" he told him. "Now get some rest. You need it."
"All right," he said. "See ya."
Sunday finally came to Kingsport. The day was much more calmer compared to the condition last night. The sun was shining brightly, and the wind was blowing gently. It was a perfect morning. Val woke up to the thunderous sound of books falling to the floor.
"Sorry," Brooke apologized as she picked up the books on the floor.
"That's OK," said Val. "At least it managed to wake me up. What time is it?"
"The 21st century," she replied sarcastically.
"Gee, that's helpful," commented Val to her sister's usual sarcastic replies.
She looked at her clock. It was almost 9:00. She obviously overslept, even though she had every right to. She spent the whole night worrying about Tyler. She even went to the basketball court in the station, for obvious reasons. She was rather upset that she didn't get a call from Alex last night. 'He must have forgotten. I just wish Tyler is OK.'
"Brooke, are mom and dad downstairs?" she asked her.
"No, they're on the roof, still eating breakfast with the squirrels," she replied, occupied by whatever she's doing.
"OK, thanks," she said before she went downstairs to eat.
When she got downstairs, she saw her dad watching the news, while her mom was in the kitchen.
"Good morning, dear," greeted her mom.
"Good morning, mom…dad," she greeted back. "What's for breakfast?"
"We have some French toast, milk, orange juice, pancakes, cereals, and some leftovers in the fridge if you want," she told her.
"I'll just have some French toast," she said as she took a plate and took some food to the table to eat. "Um, did Alex call?"
"No, honey, he hasn't," replied her dad as he turned off the TV. "But Hank called a while ago."
"Really,…what did he say?" she asked with interest.
"He just said that he and Jamie are going to visit Tyler today," Mr. Lanier informed her.
"Can I visit Tyler later?" she asked them.
"Sure,…but you have to finish your chores before you can go," said her mom. "You can bring Brooke along too."
"OK," she replied excitedly. "Thanks. I'll call Caitie later and see if she could come with me."
Val finished her breakfast, and went ahead on finishing her tasks. She couldn't wait to see Tyler.
Hank and Jamie arrived at the hospital. It was still 9:00. Surprisingly, Alex was already there. Curious, they headed towards him.
"Hey Alex," said Hank. "What are you doing here this early?"
Startled, Alex turned around and saw Hank and Jamie.
"I could ask you the same thing," he said. "I think we all apparently came here for one reason, and that's Tyler."
"What's the deal with his condition?" asked Jamie. "Is he a lot better now?"
"Not necessarily," replied Alex. "He did regain consciousness last night. I even got a chance to talk to him. He looked terrible, but he's fine nonetheless."
All of a sudden, Alex grew silent. Hank and Jamie knew that there was more to the story that he had shared with them.
"Alex," said Hank. "What is it?"
"You can tell us," Jamie insisted.
"Tyler attained amnesia," Alex solemnly said.
Hank and Jamie were stunned by what they had just heard, similar to the adults' expression when they first heard the news.
"What type of amnesia?" asked Hank.
"Retrograde."
"Can we see him?" asked Jamie.
"Sure," Alex replied. "Just keep thins simple when you talk to him. Make him feel at ease. Don't do anything to confuse him."
A smile crept on Jamie's face.
"And I'm not kidding Jamie," he added.
"What?" he said innocently as Alex continued to glare at him. "OK, I promise."
"Follow me," he ordered. "Right this way."
As Alex led the way, the other two were trying to think of words to say to their friend. They knew it was going to be tough, but he's still Tyler, and they want to help him in any way they can. When Alex came into the room, the two heard Alex greeted by a familiar voice.
"Hey Alex!" said the boy. "Hi…," he directed to the two males who followed behind him.
"Tyler, I want you to meet two of your close friends," he said. "This is Hank Beecham…,"
"Hey," Hank said.
"…and this is Jamie Waite."
"Hi," Jamie greeted them.
"I'm Tyler,…which you all probably know," he responded with a small laugh.
"I'll leave you guys alone," Alex excused himself as he left the boys to themselves.
"So Tyler," started Hank. "How are you?"
"I'm fine," replied Tyler.
"Can you remember us?" Jamie asked.
Hank glared at him.
"What?" Jamie said. "I was just asking."
"Actually," answered Tyler. "…I have no clue who you guys are."
"Cool," replied Jamie.
"Yea,…sure," smiled Tyler.
"So what can you remember?" Hank asked.
"I remembered when I woke up on this bed," he replied. "That's about as far as my memory goes."
"That sucks doesn't it?" said Jamie.
"Yes it does," replied Tyler. "Are you two part of the EMS thing?"
"Yep," the two replied simultaneously.
"Is it fun?" Tyler asked again.
"Yes/No," Hank and Jamie responded, respectively.
Tyler chuckled a bit as Hank looked at Jamie in disbelief.
"Just kidding," he said. "The EMS thing is great. We help a lot of people in this town."
"I can't wait," Tyler commented. "I'm sure you guys are great at it."
"So are you," said Hank.
"Thanks, I guess," replied Tyler.
"Hank, do you mind if I go now?" asked Jamie.
"Why?" countered Hank.
"Because I really got to go," he replied as he went outside and headed for the restroom.
"So Hank, how did we get along as friends," asked Tyler, trying to find anything to say to him.
"We're actually best friends, believe it or not," he told Tyler.
"Really, that's cool," Tyler stated. "I can see myself getting along with you."
"I'm still your best friend though," Hank said as he took out something from the bag he was carrying.
"I know," he said as he curiously looked at what Hank was taking out of his bag. "What's that?"
"Well, you probably don't remember…," he explained.
Tyler looked at him with a look that said 'YOU THINK?'
"Anyway, this is the football that was given to you after we won the Regional Championships," he started to explain again. "You were…are the MVP of the game."
"Why do you have the ball?" asked Tyler suspiciously.
"Well, you actually gave it to me, but you don't remember that," he said. "Anyway, I'm giving it back to you."
"Why?" he asked.
"I have my reasons," Hank told him as he headed out for the door. "I'll see you later, Tyler. And I promise."
"Promise what?" he shouted, hoping Hank had heard him, but he was too late.
His attention lingered on the ball. On it were signatures of people unfamiliar to him. In the center, it said "REGIONAL CHAMPS '01". He held it for a longer period of time before he set it on the table next to him.
Val arrived at the hospital around 10:30, along with Caitie and Brooke. When she got there, she saw Hank's car leaving already. She was sort of disappointed to have missed him. As they got in, they saw Jamie in the hallway talking to Alex. When they came up to them, Alex had a beep.
"Hey guys," Alex greeted. "I'd love to chat, but I got to go."
Alex then left and stormed out of building.
"Hey girls," Jamie greeted them.
"Hey Jamie," said Caitie. "Why are you here so early?"
"I went to see Tyler," he said.
"What room is he in?" asked Val. "Can I go see him?"
"Sure," he said. "He's in room 166."
"I'll catch up with you guys later," Val said as she went and looked for his room.
As Val left, Brooke excused herself from the two.
"I'll go look around for a while," she said. "I'll see if I can do anything here. I'll meet up with you later."
Brooke then sped off and headed down the hall.
"So James, how are you?" Caitie asked.
"I'm fine," he answered. "You?"
"I'm fine," replied Caitie.
There was a moment of silence between them. Jamie's heart was pounding. 'Should I just do it now? No one is around after all,…and time is surely ticking away. Anything can happen…' While they were walking, Jamie slid down. He somehow didn't see the warning sign set on the floor that said 'CAUTION: Wet Floor'. Regaining his balance, he stood up and acted as though nothing happened. 'See what I mean?'
"Jamie, are you all right?" Caitie said while laughing at the same time.
"I'm OK," Jamie assured her.
"What's up with you?" she asked. "You can tell me."
"Actually, do you want to go outside for a while?" Jamie suggested.
"OK," she replied. "If that's what you want."
As they reached outside. They walked around the building. Eventually, they came across a small garden at the back.
"Would you like to sit down for a minute?" Jamie invited her.
"Sure," she said as she sat down on the small bench.
Jamie then sat down beside her.
"So, what's on your mind, Waite?" she asked.
"Can I ask you something?" Jamie started.
"Go on," Caitie urged him.
"Did Tyler's accident made you think about things differently?" Jamie said in a serious tone.
"I haven't really thought much about it," shared Caitie. "Why? Did it make you think differently about stuff?"
"Since the incident, I've been thinking a lot," said Jamie. "And I know I don't do that much."
"I wasn't gonna say anything, but since you mentioned it…," Caitie remarked with a laugh.
"Anyway, it made me think that life is something to be treasured," he went on. "It made me think that the unexpected could happen any time. Who knows if I'll be here tomorrow? Tyler just had one of the greatest nights of his life, and then all of a sudden it was almost taken away from him," he continued but stopped. 'At some point, it seemed like it was taken away from him. He does have amnesia after all. Wait a minute, I forgot to tell Val. Oh well, it's too late for that now.' "He was lucky that he got another chance, but usually most people don't," he resumed his speech. "I think that in an instant, you could be another person's memory. And I thought to myself, that what matters most is now. Not yesterday,…not tomorrow,…but today. You just have to seize the moment while you still have the chance…while you're still alive."
Caitie just looked at Jamie. 'He's being serious. Is that really you Jamie? I've never seen that side of you before. You seem so…sensitive?'
"Jamie," Caitie said, shocked by the sincerity and compassion in his words. "I'm…speechless."
"Caitie," he started again while looking straight into her eyes. "Would it be okay if I ask you out sometime?"
Once again, Caitie was shocked. Her jaw must have fallen to the ground. She was still left wordless.
"Caitie, say something, please," pleaded Jamie.
"I sure wasn't expecting that," Caitie said. "You didn't just say that, did you Jamie Waite?"
"I just did, Caitie Roth" Jamie said confidently. "So, what's your answer? I can't stay here and wait forever you know."
"Yes, that would be nice," was Caitie's answer as she looked at him.
"Great," exclaimed Jamie. "How about tonight?"
"I'm busy," she informed him. "Sorry."
"Monday?" begged Jamie, which he took as a 'no' when Caitie shook her head. "Tuesday?… Wednesday?…Thursday?…Friday? Come on, Roth."
"I'm busy," she told him again, now amused at how hard Jamie was trying. "You look so cute when you beg, you know that?"
"If I beg some more," Jamie pleaded. "…will my cuteness, plus my extremely good looks, get me a date?"
"You would think, wouldn't you?" an amused Caitie remarked.
"Please, please, please…," he continued to beg, but stopped when he noticed a bunch of girls laughing at him at the corner of his eyes.
"Jamie, calm down," she insisted. "I'm free Saturday."
"Really?" asked Jamie.
"Yes really," she said.
Jamie smiled, quite proud of himself for finally getting the courage to ask Caitie out.
"I knew you couldn't resist my good looks," kidded Jamie.
"Oh, shut up Mr. Ego," countered Caitie as she playfully hit him on the shoulders. "So why did you do that?"
"Do what?" he asked.
"Ask me out," she responded. "…especially here of all places."
"Just seizing the moment," replied Jamie as he flashed her one of his irresistible smiles.
Val finally found Tyler's room. She was quite excited to finally be able to see him again. She missed him so much. As she held the door open, tons of emotions and thoughts were rushing through her head. When she went inside, she saw a familiar boy gazing towards her. He smiled, and she smiled back.
"I'm Tyler, and you are…?" the boy questioned her.
The question startled her a bit, but she thought to herself that it must have been a joke.
"Very funny, Tyler," she said as a come back.
"No, seriously," he said. "I don't know who you are."
"Sure you do," she said, now fearing the fact that he might not be kidding.
"No, I don't," he replied boldly.
"I'm Val," she told him concerned. "Don't you remember?"
"Didn't anyone tell you?" he asked.
"Tell me what?" she inquired.
"I have amnesia," Tyler informed her.
To be continued…
J Sorry for the delay. I really had to do an in-depth research before proceeding to write this particular fic. Besides that, I have my finals this week, and I really really really have to study. Anyway, I hope you like it, and please review!!! J