Confused as to where she was and to who Mark and Steve were, Mark did his best to assure Lesley that she was gonna be okay and that Rick was waiting just outside in the hall. Before letting Rick in, Mark made it certain that there was to be security outside Lesley's room at all times even if they were unmarked security because it was now the 2nd time that Lesley had been attacked and nearly killed in the hospital.

" We have to Steve. Because if we don't and somebody tries again and succeeds, we and the hospital could and will be held liable for it."

" Steve I don't want to agree to it either but I'll do whatever it takes to make my family safe again… Lesley is everything to me." Rick chimed in.

" I was about to say that I agree with both of you. Lesley has to be guarded and protected until whoever did this to her is caught and put away."

" On another side for you Rick, keep this in mind that Lesley may not know who you are. With an injury like hers, it's possible that she may never regain full memory of anything or anyone." Mark pulled Rick to the side

" But it's possible that she could, isn't it?..." Rick spoke up

" It's possible but right now you cannot expect it… she couldn't tell me if she knew where or who she was. She was confused and she was scared as she didn't even have any recollection of who Steve and myself were."

Hearing what Mark had to say scared Rick right to the core in his heart and mind because to have to question if Lesley was gonna eventually remember who he was or even herself was a hard thing to have to face. Watching Lesley sleep was soothing for awhile and it took what Mark had to tell him off his mind for a bit.

" I promise you Lesley… I will make sure that whoever hurt you and caused this to you will pay for what was done. I just hope that you continue to get better so I can take you home." Rick sat by Lesley's side hoping she was okay in spite of what her current situation was.

Resting by Lesley's side, Jessie and Steve stopped by to check on her progress when Rick was asleep next to her

" Rick…?" Jessie said quietly

" Lesley?!" Rick jumped up slightly

" No it's just Jessie and Steve… Lesley is asleep..." Jessie answered.

" She's so fragile… I just want her to be okay."

" She will be Rick and you will be there by her side. We got to her just in time and this situation Rick is not your fault. Stop believing that it is."

" Except that it is Jessie…. I promised I would protect her and keep her safe and look what happened. She's here in the hospital with no memory of anything. Tell me Jessie, how am I supposed to live with that knowing I didn't protect her."

Not seeing that Lesley started to wake up right as Rick vented out to Jessie. Lesley had just pulled away from him as Jessie looked towards her before she was gonna say something back. " Lesley it's okay…"

" I don't know who you are or why you're here…." Lesley looked right to Rick in confusion after pulling away from him.

" But we know who you are and I have all the time in the world to help you get better..."

" I don't know who you are…." hearing Lesley say it again that she didn't know who he was tore his heart to shreds but he didn't care because he was gonna be determined to help her get her memory back.

" My name is Rick Webber, I am a doctor myself here at the hospital and I am also a colleague of yours… This is Jessie, she's the head nurse here and she's also a dedicated friend of yours. And this is Steve, our chief of staff and one of the doctors who has been jumping back and forth to make sure that you will get better."

" You're saying that I was a doctor myself here….?" Lesley replied while still very confused

" Not was Les, you are a doctor and you will get to be one again when you get better soon and I am able to take you home."

" Take me home? Home to where? You hardly know me if at all and I don't know you either. Why would I be going home with you?." Lesley was more confused than she was given her injuries and Rick knew that which is why he was gonna take it slow when he was gonna be there to help her.

" Just rest Les, you need the time to heal… I'm gonna be right here and by your side." Rick answered

A few days after as Lesley started to get better and with Rick at her side, she couldn't understand why he took what she thought was an interest in her as in her mind she didn't know him or know anyone else that was there to help her get better.

" You're here again…. Just like you were here yesterday and the day before… why?" Lesley asked…

" Because I'm not gonna make the same mistake of leaving your side again…." Rick answered and sat at Lesley's side

" I'm gonna be here at all costs to see to it that you get better and then you go home… I want to be with you if you'll let me, Lesley..."

" But why when you don't even know me and I don't know you either….." Lesley said while confused

" Getting to know you all over again Lesley will be alright…. Because I fell in love with you once before and I will do it all over again."

" I don't want to sound mean or unkind… because I know that I should be lucky that I have people that are showing they care, but I really just would like to rest for right now…" Lesley asked while hoping she wasn't about to hurt Rick's feelings

" It's okay…. I should actually let you rest… if I may… Would it be alright if I come by alittle later to see you?" Rick asked hoping she'd say yes before he stepped out.

" I think that would be nice…." Lesley slightly smiled.

" Alright Lesley you get some sleep and I will come by later to see you."

Rick stepped outside to let Lesley rest but was in no rush to leave Lesley entirely; instead he called Bert and asked that he meet him in the lounge of the 7th floor.

" Bert I want to know the progress is on catching the person responsible for what happened to Lesley.." Rick wasted no time going to the point

" Rick, we're doing everything we can…. I have my men in on this round the clock to solve this case."

" Bert I'm sorry to be direct or of sounding like I'm angry at you. I know you're doing everything you can. I'm just worried for my wife and her recovery." Rick sat back

" I know Rick… what happened to Lesley is horrible to say the least."

" She doesn't know who anyone is, not me, or Jessie, she doesn't even remember who she is either." Rick admitted

" I hope that with time, Rick she'll get that memory back. Lesley will eventually know what she means to you and your family."

~~~

6 weeks after Mark moved to operate on Lesley after her last seizure that caused further bleeding, he determined that Rick could take her home when her head CT and all of her blood work had come back clear and good enough.

" Lesley, how are you feeling?" Mark asked before he officially discharged her from the hospital.

" I feel fine…. Alittle tired because I am in physical therapy but that's normal isn't it?" Lesley answered

" Yes it is and that shows that you are on the right track to a full recovery."

" I guess I'm ready to be going home soon with everything going so well.?"

Mark pulled up a chair to answer Lesley's question and to assure her that everything was in fact normal.

" Lesley everything is in good condition from your blood work to your head CT scans… I am pleased that you are gonna be going home. But I do want you to take things easy for a while. You suffered a massive brain injury that nearly left you in a permanent coma. I don't want to see you have to be back here as patient. At least not for a very long time after this."

" This brain injury, is that the reason I don't have any memory of anything or anyone I'm supposed to know."

" It's normal that you have no memory… The hope is that your memory will return with time and with progress." Mark answered as honest as he thought he was.

" And if it doesn't… what am I supposed to do then?" Lesley looked towards Rick

" You will Lesley and I will be right here to help you whenever you need me to be."

Rick later took Lesley home and helped her to get settled before he was gonna call about the kids who were still at Monica and Alan's. " I'm gonna make a phone call to check on the kids… is there anything I can maybe get for you?" Rick asked while Lesley was looking around the house.

" Um no I'm okay… did you say you have children?" Lesley asked with curiosity

" I do… I have twin girls and my son who's almost 1. Would you like to see pictures of them?"

" Sure I guess that would be nice." Lesley answered shyly

Rick pulled out some of his favorite family photos that he and Lesley had taken a while back after Riley was 6 months old.

" they're all very precious… You must be very proud about them." Lesley looked at them again

" This was taken when the girls were first brought in to see their mother after she had surgery and they couldn't wait to see you." Rick showed Lesley his favorite picture of when the girls were born and Lesley had just been out of surgery a couple of days after.

" Is this your wife?"

" That was taken when you were in the ICU soon to be transferred to a regular room. When I brought them in to see you, your eyes and your smile lit up like a Christmas tree."

" You mean this was me?..."

" Yes Lesley…. It was taken 8 years ago.."

Lesley stared at the picture of her and the twins with Rick for another few minutes before she was ready to go up to bed. She wanted to remember she hated that she couldn't and it tore at Rick every time because he wanted to help get things back to where they were but knew it was gonna take time.

" Would you like to go up to bed?" Rick asked carefully

Lesley stared at the pictures of her kids more and Rick saw it right then. The faint holding feature Lesley always showed when she didn't want to let go or she didn't want to cry when he knew she was upset about something… " Lesley…. Are you alright.?" Rick went to ask when she just went into his arms and cried..

" I just want my life back…. I look around here and you're showing me things that I was supposed to have done before and you showed me pictures of these kids and I see that I'm in some of them but I don't remember anything and it's not right."

" You will remember Lesley, it's just gonna take alittle bit of time. What you've been through Lesley… it was traumatic and the injuries from what you went through will take time to heal but you'll get there and I hope Les, with my heart on my sleeve that you'll let me help you through all of this." Rick rubbed on Lesley back before she pulled away to look up at him

" I'm sorry…. I should know better than to lose my cool like this." Lesley sniffled while she felt embarrassed

" Sweetheart don't be sorry for showing how you feel….. what happened you are right it's not right and it wasn't fair that someone targeted you just to hurt you."

" I want to meet the kids…. I want to see them.." Lesley looked up as a few tears started to slide again..

" You will Les, I promise… how about I bring you upstairs and I draw you a bath and after that I make you something to eat. How does that sound to you?"

" I think that's sweet of you to offer." Lesley answered

Rick helped Lesley upstairs and shortly after he helped her, he stepped out to make her something to eat and he called Monica at home to check on the kids before Lesley called for him to help her out of the tub.

" Quartermaine residence." Stella answered the phone

" Mrs. Fields, is Monica there? It's Rick Webber." Rick asked and waited for Monica

" Rick, is everything okay?" Monica asked

" Yes and no… Lesley is okay but she's having a hard time adjusting with not remembering anything from before she was attacked. How are Riley and the girls?"

" The girls miss Lesley and continue asking about her and Riley just finished with his bottle and he's playing with Alan Jr.."

" Lesley wants to meet the kids and I'm alittle concerned if she should just yet. I don't want her medical progress to go backwards."

" Mark said she has no memory at all, not even of the kids or you or anything?" Monica asked

" I showed her a couple of pictures and she was confused when she saw herself… She thought maybe I was divorced or a widower she couldn't recognize herself. Could you maybe bring Riley home and come over here?"

"Ah okay sure I can be over in about half an hour." Monica answered and got off the phone to head up to her son and Riley

Rick helped Lesley to go downstairs but was in no rush to let her go right away " Rick…. What was it like before we had the kids… like just before I mean…. Were things difficult?" Lesley pushed up

" You mean just before the girls were born?" Rick spoke up and continued when she nodded. " Everything was okay up until your 4 and a half month check up with our friend Dana and then I had to turn into a complete jerk when Dana was clear you had to stay in bed until it was time to deliver…. In fact just a few weeks after that she had you set for a section until the following day when I was stuck doing an emergency surgery and you had gone into early labor."

" But you did get home didn't you?" Lesley spoke up.

" It took me a bit but I got back for you just in time for our first daughter to come…. It was alittle more difficult for when our second little one was born you had a couple complications but it all worked out…"

" I'm sorry I don't want to just bombard you with questions, it's just… I wish I could just remember my life and what I was doing before all that happened and I can't and it's just frustrating that I don't remember anything."

" Hey you will and you're not bombarding me with anything I am happy to answer anything that you ask..." Rick spoke up then got up to get the door.

" Monica thanks for bringing him home… would like to come in.." Rick and took Riley from Monica's arm

Monica stayed for at least alittle bit and then left so Rick and Lesley could have time while things were okay.

" This must be Riley that you were talking about earlier… he's my son?"

" He most definitely is and he is quite a mommy's little boy… He loves getting up in the morning with you…. His routine is awake around 8:45. He waits for when you get up with him and he gets his diaper changed and after that he gets his morning bottle and plays with you downstairs until you normally would get ready for the hospital."

" That woman…. There's something strange about her… Like I got the feeling that her and I aren't really friends and like I know her from something or from somewhere but I don't remember what it was or who she is.."

" That was Monica, another colleague that we work with, and she was keeping the kids with her and her husband while you needed the time to get through what you've been through. She and I are gonna take alittle time tomorrow to talk to the twins before they come home tomorrow plus I made an appointment for you with Monica just to make sure that everything with your heart is still okay."

Lesley started to get tired and later fell asleep on the couch while Rick had put Riley to bed. Seeing that Lesley was home and was doing okay was a blessing but to see her struggle with trying to remember things tore into his guilt that he couldn't keep his promise and obligation to protect her like he set out to do. Rick though did remind himself that while he couldn't protect her like he wanted to, he could at least have the relief that she is a survivor and she's okay in spite of her slight problems with her memory.

Rick carried Lesley up to bed after around 11:30 so she could sleep for the night but made sure she was comfortable before he was ready to go to bed himself

" I didn't mean to wake you Les," Rick whispered while pulling up the blanket alittle more.

" It's okay… I know that you're just trying to help and make sure that I'm okay…. I want you to know that I appreciate that.."

" Even if you aren't able to have your memory back, it'll be okay because we could just make new memories together. You're the best thing that's ever happened for me Lesley. You're not just a friend or a colleague. You're the love of my life and you're my best friend."

Lesley and Rick went to bed for the night as they were both tired and Rick had an early start to the day in the morning before Lesley's appointment with Monica and after her appointment, he was gonna take Lesley back to the house and go pick up the girls but before taking them home, he was gonna sit them down with Monica and explain the situation and what's going on.