Disclaimer: All the characters in this fanfic belong to Disney and any other company that owns the series 'In A Heartbeat', except for Detective Lucas High, Trent Watts, and the judge. This is part 8 of the story. Please review!!!
Scenes from the previous episode…
"Take it easy," William said from behind.
"I'm sorry," Tyler apologized. "I'll pick them up."
"Don't worry," William told him. "I'll do it for you later. We have something to tell you."
"OK," Tyler replied as William pushed his chair to his office. When the got there, Daphne Jenks was in there with some strange looking guy.
"Hey, Tyler," greeted his mom. "I'd like you to meet Detective Lucas High."
"Hey," Tyler said as he shook his hand. "So, what were you going to tell me?"
"I have some good news," Detective High replied. "Tyler, we got your assailants."
To be continued…
No One Else but You: "Falling for you"
"Assailants?" Tyler asked.
"You know, the guys who attacked you that caused your amnesia," Detective High replied.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Tyler told him. 'Assailants? How would I know who they are? I can't even remember what happened to me? In fact, I don't care!'
"That's all right, honey," assured Daphne. "Detective High will take care of it."
"So, Lucas, what do you propose we do now?" William asked him.
"Well, the three guys are in custody at the local detention center right now," Lucas informed him. "The appropriate thing to do is press charges. As far as I'm concerned, they should be charged of attempted murder. If Tyler's friends didn't find him on time, he wouldn't be here right now. At this very moment, those three are being questioned. So, you better find yourselves a lawyer."
"Thank you very much, Lucas," William thanked him. "We'll take care of this as soon as possible."
"You should," Lucas told him. "Well, I got to go. I'll see you all in a week or so. Take care."
After Detective High left the house, Tyler's mom turned to him.
"So, what do you think?" she asked.
"You can do whatever you think is best for me," Tyler told his mother. "I don't really remember much of anything, so it's better if you handle this, and not me."
"That'll be fine," his mom said. "William and I will take care of it."
"OK," replied Tyler. "Can someone help me go to my room now? I'm really tired."
"I'll be there in a minute," William told him. "I have something to take care of."
"OK," Tyler said as he went outside the office. "I'll just wait over there." 'So, they're gonna press charges. I guess I'll have to face those three guys that did this to me. Why did they do it anyway? What did Tyler do…I mean I do? I'll just have to wait and see."
Days have come and gone, and Tyler still can't recall a thing. Two weeks already passed by. The sun shined through his window, which made him wake up and get out of his bed. The time said that it was 9:00.
"Nine o'clock," Tyler mumbled to himself. "I should try waking up earlier next time. This is not a good habit at all."
Tyler still had his sleeping clothes on: a pair of boxers. Tyler proceeded to change when suddenly; there was a knock on the door.
"Come in," Tyler called.
"Hey Tyler…oh my god," the person called out as she attempted to cover her eyes.
"Hey Val…Val, what are you doing here?" he said uneasily as he managed to hide behind the closet door.
"The guys…the guys and I, we're…we're here to visit you," she stuttered nervously. "We're off-duty today."
"Really?" he stated coolly as he stopped hiding from the closet door and headed for her slowly as a joke. 'Is she blushing? This is gonna be fun.'
"We'll just wait for you downstairs," Val told him as she noticed that he was approaching her. 'Why is he doing this? This isn't funny at all.' "In the meantime, why don't you go…cover yourself."
Val closed his door quickly. Tyler could hear her footsteps as she ran downstairs.
"Next time Tyler, ask who's outside before letting them in," he told himself with a laugh. 'She really turned red after she saw me. And she was stuttering as well. How cute.'
Tyler decided to take a quick shower. After he changed, he headed downstairs with his crutches. 'This is really not comfortable at all.' When he reached the floor, Jeffrey was there with his wheelchair.
"Thanks Jeffrey," Tyler exclaimed.
"You're welcome, Mr. Tyler," he replied.
"It's Tyler," Tyler informed him.
"OK, Mr. Tyler," Jeffrey said.
"Really, you can just call me Tyler," he told him again.
"If you say so, Mr. Tyler," Jeffrey replied as he went back to the kitchen.
"Why do I even bother?" Tyler muttered to himself as he headed for the living room.
As he approached the living room, he saw all of his friends. Hank was sitting on the recliner talking to Jamie, who was sitting next to Caitie talking to Val.
"Hey guys," he greeted them.
"Hey Tyler/Hi/What's up?" they all greeted simultaneously.
"I'm doing good," he replied as he approached the group.
When he finally got there, he looked around, and caught a glimpse of Val. 'She's really avoiding to make any eye contact. Is she mad at me? I should really apologize later.' He sat himself near her.
"Hi Val," he greeted.
"Hey Tyler," she replied uneasily, not making eye contact with him.
"So guys, what do you all want to do?" Tyler asked them.
"Well, we asked your mom if you would like to go on a picnic with us," Hank told him. "She said it would be fine, as long as you're up for it."
"Sure," Tyler told him excitedly. "That'll be great. I'm dying to get out of this house. We have to pack first though."
"Not to worry, Mr. Tyler," Jeffrey interrupted. "Your mother already packed the food and all. She told me to tell you to have fun, and take care of yourself."
"Thanks Jeffrey," Tyler told him. "Who's gonna drive?"
"I will, Mr. Tyler," Hank said teasingly. "So what are we waiting for? Let's go."
Hank went first, followed by Caitie and Jamie. The two were holding each other's hand. 'Did I miss something here?' Val saw the look on his face, so she decided to explain it to him.
"They got together over the weekend," Val told him.
"I suppose," Tyler exclaimed. "How did you know I was thinking about that?"
"I can read people's minds," she replied jokingly. "I have some mystical powers."
"I'm sure you do," Tyler stated. "Um, can you help me with this chair?"
"Of course," she said as she pushed him towards the door.
"Val," he began to say. "I'm sorry about earlier. I know how uncomfortable it must have been for you."
"Oh, well, apology accepted," Val assured him. "Just don't do it again, OK?"
"I promise," Tyler said as they headed for Hank's car.
The park was rather empty, probably because it was a workday for some people. After Hank parked his car, the gang took all that they needed, and headed for the gigantic tree in the middle of the park.
"Why are we heading there?" Tyler asked.
"Because that's the best spot in this park," Caitie told him.
"And we get to have the best view there," added Val.
"If you say so," Tyler said.
When they got to the tree, Tyler looked around. What he saw almost took his breath away. It was probably the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Trees surrounded the park, which was located beside a huge lake. There were ducks swimming in the pond. Also, there were small patches of garden everywhere, imitating the colors of the rainbow.
"Wow," he exclaimed. "This place is amazing."
"Told you so," Val exclaimed.
"Man, you really need to get out of your house once in a while," said Jamie. "You're like a dog that has been trapped in a house for a very long time."
Tyler nodded his head as he continued to look around. As he continued to admire the scenery, he caught a glimpse of a familiar blond.
"Is it just me, or is that Brooke heading over here?" Tyler asked.
"That is little Brookie," Caitie exclaimed.
Brooke rode her bike towards them, followed by a short little brunette boy.
"Hey guys," Brooke greeted them.
"Brooke, what are you doing here?" asked Val.
"I overheard that you guys are all coming down here," Brooke started to explain. "Since you people obviously didn't invite us, we decided to invite ourselves. And you can't make us go away."
"Fine," Val exclaimed. "I guess we have enough food here."
"All right," exclaimed Nick, as the others looked at him. "What? I'm starving."
"Tyler, that little boy over there is Nick," Jamie introduced him.
"It's nice to meet you, Nick," Tyler stated. "Are you and Brooke…?"
"We're best friends," Brooke told him right away. "Nothing more."
"Just wondering," Tyler smiled.
After that, they decided to eat for a little while.
Caitie and Jamie went out for a little walk by themselves. Hank accompanied Brooke and Nick to the lake. Tyler and Val were left alone under the tree.
"Have you been to this place before?" asked Tyler.
"Sure, even you have been here," Val informed him.
"Really, I don't remember," spoke Tyler. "Of course, I don't remember anything."
"Tyler, is anything bothering you?" Val asked with concern. "You can tell me."
"Nothing," he replied. "So, what did we do when we went here?"
"Well, we all went here lots of times before," Val started to say. "The first time we all went here together was probably the 9th grade activity planned…"
Val went on with her story. Tyler just listened in, taking in her every word. Without even intending to, Tyler found himself staring at her. 'Why am I staring at her? What was she talking about anyway? I don't even know. She just…oh god, this isn't good. I'm not supposed to…' His thinking was suddenly interrupted by a female voice.
"Tyler?" asked Val. "Are you listening? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I was listening," he told her. "I just found it really interesting, that's all."
A second later, Hank, Brooke, and Nick came.
"Nick and I are just gonna go ahead," Brooke told them. "We'll see you later."
The two went off.
"Are you guys ready to go?" asked Hank.
"Yea," Val replied. "We're just waiting for Caitie and Jamie."
As if on cue, the two arrived hand in hand.
"Are you guys ready to go?" Hank asked the two.
"Yea, we're ready," Jamie and Caitie replied simultaneously.
They both laughed, and looked at each other dotingly.
"Geez Waite, what happened to you, man?" Hank asked him as a joke.
"What did you say, Hank?" asked Jamie as he looked up.
"Never mind," Hank replied. "Let's go."
After they gathered all of their belongings, they headed to Hank's car and drove Tyler home first. When they got there, they helped him inside and returned all the things they brought.
"Bye Tyler," called out everyone.
"Bye," he said as their car sped off. "I'll see you later."
When Tyler went back inside, his mom was already there.
"Hey mom," Tyler greeted. "I wasn't expecting you to come home this early. It's only 4:00."
"Well, William called me and said to come here early," Daphne replied.
"He's here as well?" asked Tyler.
"Yes, I'm here," William called out. "Tyler, we forgot to tell you this…"
"Tell me what?" he asked.
"We're going to the court today," Daphne informed him. "They told us that you didn't have to go, but if you want, you can come with us."
"Do you want to come?" asked William.
"I guess," Tyler replied. "I'll just get changed."
After Tyler changed, he went downstairs and met up with his parents.
"I'm ready," he told them before they headed to William's car.
The courtroom was full of people. Tyler was seated with his mother behind William, and their lawyer, Trent Watts. The judge finally arrived, and ordered everyone to settle down. Debates and arguments were discussed. It was a little over an hour, when finally, the assailants were called to come out. As the three came out, one of them looked at Tyler in the eyes. 'You're still alive, Connell. I should have just finished you off.' Tyler just looked at him, although he had no clue that he was the guy who hit him. 'Why is he looking at me like that? Was he the one that did this to me? What about those other two?' Each and every one of them was called out to the stand. Tyler looked and listened to what they had to say…
"State your name."
"Ashton Croft."
"Were you at the crime scene?"
"Yes."
"Do you know Tyler Connell?"
"I've heard of him."
"Did you join in his attack?"
"Yes."
………………………………
"State your name."
"Jason Harley."
"Were you at the crime scene?"
"Yes, I was."
"Do you know Tyler Connell?"
"Yes."
"In what way?"
"We play in opposing football teams."
"Did you by any chance join in his attack?"
"Yes, I did."
………………………………
"State your name."
"Blakely Wilson."
"Were you at the crime scene?"
"Of course"
"Did you know Tyler Connell?"
"How could I not?"
"In what way?"
"He played against my football team during the regional championships."
"Wasn't the football game held the night of the attack?"
"What's your point?"
"Did you, Mr. Wilson, attack Tyler Connell that night?"
"Right on the head."
Noise from the crowd erupted in the room. The judge ordered them to be quiet.
"Why did you do it, Mr. Wilson?"
"…because he deserved it."
"Do you have any regrets for your actions, Mr. Wilson? You should know that this was a criminal offense."
"The only thing I regret was that I didn't finish YOU off!" he said as he stood up and pointed at Tyler. "I told you to stay out of my way!"
The policemen behind Wilson restrained him.
"No more further questions, your honor."
Tyler continued to look on, not knowing what to say. 'What did I do? That guy really wanted to kill me. Football game…championship…wait a minute, Hank gave me a ball. He said we won, and Blakely said they were against us. Was that the reason why?…because his team lost?'
"It appears that our suspects did in fact do the crime," proclaimed the judge. "I saw a little or no regret in their faces. The jury has decided that all three men are guilty of the crime. Since all three are above 17, they will be charged as adults. All three will be imprisoned for…"
Tyler didn't even bother to listen. 'That's it. They're punished, but what does that help me with? I still can't remember.'
"Tyler, isn't this great?" his mom remarked excitedly.
"Yea, great," Tyler told her with a fake smile.
After the verdicts were handed out, the three men were escorted out of the courtroom. Just then, Wilson jumped on Tyler as he passed him.
"This is not over yet, Connell, not for a lifetime," he managed to say before he policemen took him. "Mark my words, Connell."
Tyler stood up, caught by surprise on what just happened.
"Are you all right?" asked his mother.
"Yea, it's just my head, but I'll be fine," Tyler exclaimed. 'Connell? Why does he call me that? And why does it sound so familiar?'
Tyler stayed his room for the remainder of the evening. He only ate a light dinner, and headed upstairs. He paced around his room, trying to remember everything, and talking to himself.
"Blakely Wilson." he spoke. "He called me Connell. Did anyone call me that before? It sounds so familiar, but I can't recall anything. Oh well, I should stop thinking about him. He's in prison now, and I don't really care. Maybe I just want my memories back so much…"
His voice trailed off when he saw a picture on top of his desk. It was a picture of the whole EMT gang. Hank, Jamie, Alex, Brooke, and Val were on the picture.
"…or maybe not," he finished his sentence.
He took the picture from the desk, and looked at it intently. 'Val…what was that during the picnic anyway? She's just my friend. But then I couldn't stop looking at her. I can't even stop thinking about her. What does she care anyway? She and Tyler were just friends. I can't just go to her and say, "I'm falling for you". She probably will just laugh at me and let me down easy. Anyway, once I get my memories back, we'll just be friends again. Nothing more…' Tyler returned the picture on his desk.
"When did things get complicated?" he asked himself out loud. "Why did things have to complicate themselves? Now I'm falling for a person that I obviously can't have. I'm just a stupid illness, a lapse that will eventually go away. I'm only here temporarily."
Tyler sighed and laid down on his bed.
"Now I'm torn between the past and the present," he stated again.
When Tyler stood up again, something fell out from under his bed.
"What the heck was that?" he asked himself.
Curious, he looked under his bed and sought for the object. He searched until his hand caught a hold of something. When he took his hand out under the bed, a small book, resembling a notebook, came to view.
"I wonder what this is," he said as he opened it.
When he turned to the first page, it read: THE JOURNAL OF TYLER CONNELL - KEEP OUT!!!
To be continued…
I have to stop right there. I hope you liked it. I'm sorry it took long. I just started my second semester, and I hate al of them. I had a test in ALGEBRA II on the second day. They're all really hard, except for that boring Software Applications class. I'll try to get the next part out soon.