(A/N: I'm really sorry about the excruciatingly long wait on this chapter. Hope you like it and I hope you don't hate me for taking so long! I try my best to update ASAP, but I find it pretty difficult to write about this kind of thing. Oh and please review! Thanks.)

~ Love Conquers All ~

Chapter 10: Déja Vu

Finally the moment came when Kevin returned home for the first time. Lucy spent her hours with Kevin who was relearning simple things like eating with silverware and buttoning his shirt. One morning, Lucy was helping Kevin attempt to button a shirt.

"Are you hungry?" she asked.

"Yes, very. What can I have?"

"Anything you want." Kevin decided on cereal for breakfast. This would be one different breakfast for Lucy.

Lucy sat silently as she watched Kevin eat. He was having trouble bringing the spoon to his mouth and getting the food into it. Lucy guessed this was another result of the accident. She hoped it wouldn't be permanent. She didn't want him to be this way. She wanted him to return to normal. She missed the Kevin she had married.

By the time Kevin was finished with his cereal, more than half of it was dripping down his shirt or all over the floor. Lucy was disheartened. Kevin still had the ability to speak well, and still had normal intelligence, but he couldn't remember a lot of things, such as the fact that he had children, a wife, and was a police officer. He also had trouble with physical things as well. After all, he had been bedridden for several weeks and his muscles had not been used. However he was getting better every day.

Lucy was lying in bed that night pondering about Kevin. She was trying to think of some way to get him to remember. It would definitely not be an easy task at hand.

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First thing the following afternoon, she took him to see Roxanne. Lucy thought that maybe if he was reintroduced to his partner, it might help him soon remember who he was. This idea worked to no avail. Roxanne tried her best to help Lucy, but it was no use. Kevin did not remember much of anything. After the visit with Roxanne, she took Kevin to the church, where they had gotten married. Kevin looked around almost amazed, and said, "This place reminds me of something." Lucy gasped. Kevin grew silent as he tried hard to remember. "Oh well," he said, shrugging the thought. Lucy sighed heavily.

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Mary had been in town for a few weeks now since she arrived after finding out about the accident, and Eric and Annie became more curious as to whether she was really still "here to visit" or if she was keeping something from them and wanted to share it. Their suspicions rose higher when Mary called everyone to dinner that night. There had to be big news if she called everyone to dinner.

Once everyone was settled at the table and they were about to start dinner, Eric blurted out the question that was on everyone's minds. "Mary, why did you have everyone come to dinner tonight?" His sudden outburst startled Mary.

"Well, Dad, everyone: I have an announcement to make." Everyone inhaled as they prepared for Mary's news.

"I'm engaged." The room was completely silent.

"Who's the guy?" the family asked in unison.

"Come here, fiancé!" Mary called to the hallway. Everyone's heads shifted to the direction she called to. After a few seconds, the man who appeared was…

Ben Kinkirk.

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"Ben! You two are…engaged?" Annie asked, apparently very surprised.

"Yes. We've been engaged for about three weeks now. Mrs. Camden, I love your daughter very much, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her," Ben said sincerely.

"Well…I guess what I have to say is… congratulations!" Annie cried, hugging Mary. She had always wanted Mary to end up with Ben.

Kevin sat there unmoving, watching Ben in curiosity. This man looked very familiar, but he couldn't quite process a name in his mind. He continued to watch Ben.

"Kevin, how are you feeling, bro?" Ben asked, with no reply from Kevin.

"Wait. You called me bro?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah you are my brother you know." Kevin thought about what Ben had just said. Kevin's face lit up like someone had just turned on a light bulb.

"Ben's my brother!" Kevin said hugging him. Ben looked a little startled. When Lucy heard and saw Kevin do this, a look of pure surprise flashed across her face. Jealousy quickly replaced the surprise. Lucy was extremely jealous. Ben was getting what Lucy had wanted from Kevin. Kevin remembered Ben, and not her, his wife. Lucy threw her napkin onto the table and stormed out of the house. She tried to fight back tears, but it worked to no avail. She didn't know where she was exactly going at the moment, but she didn't care. She just needed to take a walk.

How can he remember Ben first? I am his wife! I bore his children, we started a family. How can he not remember this? Why? Why must this happen to us? No. You are being selfish, Lucy. You are very lucky and you should be grateful that Kevin is doing as well as he is. He could have died…or he could have ended up reduced to a childlike state of mind. You could have lost the man that means the most to you. He is still here. You have to stop being selfish. Things will get better. They have to, don't they?

Lucy fought with her thoughts as she continued to walk. After some time, she became tired of walking and decided it was best to just turn around and go back. She apologized to everyone for her unexpected departure and gave her congratulations to her sister and brother in-law. "Come on Kevin, let's go home," Lucy said dejectedly.

"Go home? Go home with you? But I don't know you," Kevin explained. An expression of deep sorrow and hurt spread across Lucy's pale, delicate face.

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2 Weeks Later

          The sky was crystal clear, and the sun was still shining brightly, casting its brilliant rays upon the yard, giving it a spectacular yellowish orange glow. The air was fresh and cool, and the whole day had seemed to be perfect. It was AJ and Emily's first birthday, and their party had just ended. Kevin and Lucy thanked their guests for coming and cleaned up the mess that was left. Finally, after the cleanup, Kevin and Lucy had some free time to relax. They went out onto the front porch and plopped onto their swing. The kids were playing on a blanket on the front lawn. Lucy had put it there when the kids and their friends were playing outside earlier. AJ crawled over to Lucy and looked at the balloons that were drooping in the air. Lucy untied one of them and handed it to AJ, who giggled happily when he received it. Lucy smiled as she watched him. Even though Kevin had not changed much since Ben and Mary had announced their engagement, Lucy was feeling rather happy. Although Kevin didn't remember her, he still was basically the usual sweet, gentle Kevin for the most part. What she missed though, was his kiss. He hadn't kissed her since before the accident, mainly because he wasn't sure who Lucy was. Lucy was sure that Kevin would be angered or confused if she tried to kiss him. Lucy yearned to kiss him even for a moment, but was afraid he'd push her away.

          AJ continued to play jovially with his newly acquired blue balloon. Kevin and Lucy continued to rock in the swing as they watched the children play. Somehow, this all looked extremely familiar to Kevin, but he could not figure out why. A breeze picked up. The balloon started drifting. Floating along the ground, it traveled closer and closer to the street. Kevin watched, as images processed in his mind. Something wasn't right. Something was really, really familiar about this, but Kevin didn't know what. It felt like déja vú. Thoughts raced through his mind. Just as the balloon was about to enter the busy street, something sparked in Kevin's mind, and he snapped up off of the swing and ran after his child, who was about to face something horrible if Kevin could not get there in time. All that Kevin then heard was the horrible screeching of the car slamming on its brakes… just like in his dream… and then it was all over.

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          Kevin opened his eyes slowly. He was in a white room filled with bright lights and electrical equipment. It was the hospital. Suddenly, the sound of Lucy's voice filled the room. "Kevin, thank God you're okay! How are you feeling, honey?" Kevin moved his lips a bit, but no words left his mouth. He stared at her for a moment, almost enchanted by her. Tears fell from her eyes. "He still doesn't remember me," she thought forlornly. She bowed her head in defeat. Suddenly she felt a hand wipe away her tears. It was Kevin. "Lucy, why are you crying?"

          "Kevin you wouldn't know even if I t-." Lucy stopped herself in the middle of her sentence. "What did you say?"

          "What are you talking about Luce?" Kevin queried.

          "Kevin is it really you?"

          "Well I hope so. If it wasn't then I'm in some guy's hospital room," he joked. Lucy stared at him for a moment in disbelief. Kevin immediately ended his laughter when he met her eyes. They were glistening with moisture. She was crying.

          "Lucy what's wrong?" he asked, gently caressing her cheek.

          "Nothing's wrong. I'm just so glad you're back!" she cried.

          "Why, where did I go?" he said half-joking.

          "Honey, you've been in a coma for about a month up until a few weeks ago. Then you came out a few weeks ago and you were like a stranger. You didn't know me, our children, or almost anything from the past. I-It was awful. I felt so alone, and so…defeated." More tears fell. But they were not tears of sadness. They were tears of genuine gladness and happiness. Kevin put his hand on her shoulder, and took her into a hug as she wiped away her tears. He smiled at her and kissed her softly. Finally, it was all over.