#11. Memory
A drabble by: the nat-chan
Rated: shockingly, R season G!
Disclaimer: Naoko would never have made it this easy ;)
Author's Notes: I can't believe this idea never came to me before! I've been so blinded by my love for first season that I failed to notice such possibilities with other seasons!
Beta: Alicia B (the "B" is for Beta!)
This is set at the beginning of the doom tree series, when Serena is the only one who remembers everything and has rushed to Darien assuming he remembers too. Alas he does not…..but what if he had reacted differently to her claims?
No, I know I won't forget you
But I'll forget myself
elbow "Forget Myself"
Darien's longtime physician stared across the desk at him. He had taken off his reading glasses and stopped taking notes halfway through his patient's speech and now sat, hands folded together in a perplexed pyramid, trying to believe that it was Darien Shields who had just said that mouthful.
Darien sat gazing earnestly back at him, waiting for an answer.
"So this girl claims you were in love with her, but you've forgotten?"
Darien nodded emphatically.
"And that you were in love in another life a thousand years ago?"
Darien nodded again.
"And you believe her?"
Darien finally relaxed back into the young man his doctor remembered. "I know it sounds crazy, and it probably is, but….I forgot my parents. What if I forgot this too?"
His doctor nodded. "You thought maybe there was some leftover condition from the crash that makes you prone to forgetting? Is that what you wanted me to check for?"
Darien nodded and his doctor smiled. "Darien, you're perfectly healthy. Your amnesia is a very severe kind but it cannot branch out to affect other parts of the brain and erase other memories; that's not the way amnesia works."
Darien nodded slowly, reluctantly, and gave himself away.
"What should I do then, about this girl?"
His doctor gave a low laugh. "You like her then?"
Darien looked embarrassed. "She's…interesting."
"What does she want you to do? What does she think will help you remember?"
Darien shrugged. "I don't know. She's always running up and talking to me about it but I usually high-tail it away as fast as my legs will carry me!"
His doctor laughed again, "Well, if she interests you, I guess my professional suggestion is that you go along with her and see where it leads you. If she just so happens to be right, surrounding you with familiar things might help."
Darien smiled. This was why he loved his family doctor.
"Thanks!" he said and scooted out.
Many hours later, Serena was in his apartment, standing impatiently in front of his couch as he sat watching her through half-hooded, terribly amused eyes.
"Ok, well, how about these roses?" she said, stuffing an armful of sweet smelling roses in his face and making him inhale deeply several times.
"Ring a bell?" she prompted. "Anything?"
He shook his head.
"Maybe try throwing them—like this!"
She tossed one like a dart and it lodged between two CD's on his shelf before tipping over and landing on the floor. He threw a couple and was a little surprised at his aim, but nothing more.
She'd already dragged him to the arcade, but he couldn't remember being there with her. Then she'd taken him back to his place and made him try on a black tuxedo—he had no idea why.
He enjoyed watching her flit about though. She certainly had a lot of energy, and very strange hair. But there was something earnest and sincere in her face that made him deep-down kind of want tobelieve her.
"How about this jacket?" she said, holding up a green blazer.
He cringed. "Are you saying I used to wear that?"
She laughed. "It was your favorite!"
He shook his head in horror and she smiled. "Whoopie! I hope you NEVER remember the jacket then!"
She looked in her bag but apparently she had exhausted all the possibilities. She sat down beside him with a sigh. "You really don't remember my hair? Or calling me Meatballhead?"
He chuckled again at the nickname but shook his head. "Nope, nothing."
She was thoughtful and quiet for a long moment and didn't meet his eyes as she said, "There's only one more thing I can think of…"
"What's that?" he asked when she didn't finish her thought.
She suddenly leaned over, caught him about the neck and shoulders and kissed him. It was a lovely kiss, warm and sweet and he found himself in no hurry to end it. When she pulled away he looked quite dreamy and she smiled hopefully. "Do you remember anything?"
He shook his head and smiled at her. "No, but I really, really want to now!" he replied and she had to laugh.