Hey everyone…okay we know you have clicked on this story. I love that "hits" thing you feel so much more loved then just waiting for reviews. So you've a taste of the story, so hopefully this reasonably sized chapter makes up for the short first one. Oh and if you're sitting there going on "What the hell is going on? This doesn't make sense!" Don't worry it will, all in good time my dear, all in good time. Hee hee I quoted the Wizard of Oz without even meaning to. Oh and a comment from the joint author "Ryu is hot."
White washed walls and that hospital green linoleum floors stretched out in front of him. Taking a shallow breath he breathed in that horrid smell of peroxides and too much cleaner.
Calm yourself, everything's alright now, he's awake. Everything will be okay now, back to normal after the hell of these last two months without him.
Beside him Ayane walked at his fast past looking directly ahead, determined and unmoved by the emotions of the situation. Ryu looked up at the numbers 403, 405, 407. 407.
At last, he was here.
Anticipation welled up inside his chest as he, holding his breath, slowly opened the door, dreading what lay beyond.
He moved in cautiously, he was oblivious to everything except the figure on the bed, and he hardly noticed the tears that had began to trickle down his cheeks.
"Hayate...?" he spoke softly.
Hayate was looking out the window which displayed the hospital grounds, oak trees and benches. He did not turn around.
Ryu walked over to him, softly placing a hand on his shoulder. "Hayate?" he said more firmly.
Hayate spun around, mesmerising Ryu with his soft hazel and amber eyes.
How long he had waited to see them, but there was something missing from them. In all his dreams and prayers he had pictured his friend's eyes overflow with love and passion. But now as he gazed into them... he did not recognize the expression.
"May I help you?" Hayate spoke clearly, as if to a stranger.
"Hayate...it's me Ryu."
Ryu stood back smiling, arms wide so his friend could recognize him.
"I'm sorry am I supposed to know you?" Hayate asked confusion and fear spreading across his face. "I'm sure you're right, we probably did know each other...but I don't seem to remember much lately..." he turned and gazed out the window, pulling his blanket closer for comfort.
"Hayate! Stop messing with me...!" Ryu started thinking this was one of Hayate's lame practical jokes. "It's Ryu!"
"I'm sorry..." Hayate whispered sincerely, looking into Ryu's eyes.
"Mr Hayabusa, Ayane, I heard you were here... I wish someone had told me sooner."
Dr. Wood stood in the doorway, looking very sympathetically at Ryu. "I want to discuss Hayate's condition with you, but I think it would be better if we spoke in the sun room," and then in a lower, less audible stone, "It might upset him," he murmured, nodding his head towards Hayate.
Ryu and Ayane diligently followed in Dr. Woods footsteps.
He didn't understand, he couldn't understand. What was wrong with Hayate?
They reached the room, where a few visitors sat with patients enjoying the warmth of the sun. Dr. Wood sat down at a plastic chair and table set away from the other people.
"Please sit down," he said smiling kindly.
Ryu sat, staring at Dr. Wood trying to read something in his expression, whilst Ayane examined her nails.
"I'm afraid there were some, complications with Hayate's recovery from the coma..." he sighed compassionately.
"What kind of...?" Ryu started, but Dr. Wood held up his hand to silence Ryu. "Let me finish. Then you can ask all the questions you want. But it's important you grasp the concept of your friend's condition."
Ryu nodded, trying to stifle the questions that he was dying to ask.
"During the course of Hayate's coma he acquired a case of amnesia."
"Amnesia?"
"Yes, but this disorder is not standard. You see we have no way of telling how strongly it affected him. For example, how much he has forgotten, or how long it will last. For example some patients loose a couple of years or sometimes a couple of days. The time also varies from case to case. Some people regain the memories after a couple of days or month... or in other cases they never remember."
Ryu didn't know what to say. "B-but he doesn't remember me."
"Yes that's the amnesia." Dr. Wood answered patiently. "We won't know the full extent until we see how far back he remembers, but I regret to inform you it looks serious."
"How do you know?" Ryu asked.
"He doesn't know who he is, he doesn't know where he lives, he doesn't know what country he's in, and he doesn't know what year it is. I can't be certain but to be honest I don't think he has any memory left."
Dr. Wood placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."
"Nothing? He remembers nothing? How can this be?"
He didn't care that tears were streaming down his face, and his shoulders were heaving with the pain of it all. "He will never remember me? He will never remember the time we shared...?" he asked, his voice rising slightly so that people began to look around.
"Now, never say never," Dr Wood added pathetically, trying to calm Ryu.
"It'll be okay." Ayane murmured not even a hint of understanding in her eyes. "You can start again...you can start a new life," she twined her fingers across his back and through his hair.
"But I don't want to start over!" he yelled turning to look at her, frustration making him shake with her ignorance. He stood up, knocking his plastic chair. People started whispering about him, but he didn't care.
"Don't you get it? He's everything to me! And now he's gone! He doesn't remember, I have all these memories and love for him and he doesn't even know my name!"
His anger transformed into tears of mourning; the pain was so great he had to lean on the table to keep himself upright.
"He doesn't even know my name..."