The drive to Pittsburgh was four and a half hours with light traffic. The conversation with Sid's mom had been brief. He was in the hospital. He was confused. They were concerned about his well being and wanted her there. Caroline had a million questions and twice as many fears about returning home. Returning to him. It had taken months for her to just pull herself out of bed. And even more time to even consider moving on. She'd found the job in Cincinnati, reverted back to her maiden name and prayed that no one would know who she was.

And it had worked. She could move on. It didn't seem so impossible. Nevermind that she was still married. They hadn't talked about divorce. They hadn't talked about even a legal separation. They hadn't talked at all. Not since Christmas of last year.

But now he needed her. THere was something wrong and she couldn't turn off her heart. Couldnt pretend that she didn't still love him.

So she put away the questions and the fears and told Trina she would be there first thing Friday morning.

It was after midnight when she came upon the tunnels. A few minutes later she pulled up to her old house. Her brother lived there now, with his girlfriend, but they were gone for a long weekend and had not asked questions when Caroline had called earlier to see if she could stay. The key was left under a potted plant and it felt strange be a guest in a place she had called home. She wondered if she'd feel the same way when she went to Sewickley tomorrow.

She set herself up in the guest room and started to unpack. She was nervous about everything. She looked critically at her clothes and wondered what would even be appropriate for such a meeting/reunion? Her eyes drifted to the box she had put in the bottom of her overnight bag. She'd put it in there on impulse and now with trembling fingers she lifted the lid and looked at the contents.

Photographs, notes he'd written her before leaving for extended road trips, a clipping of their wedding announcement from the local paper in Steubenville, a small jewelry box that contained her engagement and wedding rings. And another picture. At the bottom. One that was too hard to look at. One that stayed buried. Not forgotten, but filled with too much pain.

The warm tears slide silently down her cheeks as she picked up one that she had loved the most. It was on their wedding day. The official one, not the private ceremony they had together on the beach in the middle of the night.

In this one they were dancing. Sid's mouth was at her ear, his eyes alive with amusement and she with a wide smile.

Even now, while wading in the melancholy, Caroline smiled at the memory.

"I'm going to step on your feet. Madame Helene took away all my confidence." He said softly into her ear. It was their first dance as man and wife. Caroline tried not to laugh, but couldn't help but smile from ear to ear at the memory of the dance instructor's visit a few weeks ago to the lake house. Sid's aunt had called upon the director of the local dance school to come give lessons to the soon to be married couple. An early wedding gift she had said. A completely unwarranted and totally awkward lesson had followed, in which Madame Helene, a 50-something, French Canadian woman with thick black hair and a moustache to match had barked orders at the couple as they tried to find a rhythm with no music.

"Non, non!" she had shouted over and over, clapping loudly and sharply, indicating her unhappiness with their performance.

"Comme tu t'aimes, comme tu t'aimes!"

Suddenly she had shoved them together unceremoniously. Their bodies slamming into one another, Sid's arm came around Caroline's waist. There wasn't an inch between them and the whole thing had turned very embarrassing.

Eventually Caroline had been pulled away and Madame Helene had taken her place. She'd pulled Sid's hips into hers and wriggled against him that made Caroline's eyes widen and Sid's face and ears go aflame in seconds.

"Comme ca!" she said with a smile as she proceeded to pull Sid around the living room in a basic waltz. And then as if things couldn't get any worse, he'd stepped on her ballet slippered foot and the woman had screamed and cursed in French, pulling away and hopping to the nearest chair to tend to her small foot that had just been crushed by a two hundred pound mass of muscle.

Ten minutes later she was gone.

Sid looked horrified but Caroline couldn't stop laughing.

Now, in each other's arms, finding the rhythm was not a problem and in their state, they couldn't even hear the music.

The wedding was beautiful, the reception fun. Teammates and friends, family from both sides coming together, albeit a little shell shocked on Caroline's side.

Hours later they made their exit. Anticipation buzzing around them. Hand and hand in the elevator, the heat radiating, arousal building to a frenzy. Caroline rubbed her thumb against the back of his hand, running it over the cool metal of the ring on his finger. Finally they stood in front of the honeymoon suite. She looked at him and he looked back to her.

"My husband." she said quietly with a small smile.

He dropped a kiss on her upturned mouth.

"My wife," he replied.

A with one easy and swift movement, he pulled her up and into his arms, bridal style.

She shrieked with surprise and then laughed as he tried to balance her in his arms and fish out the room key that was in his coat pocket.

It was tricky.

After a minute of shifting and "I've got it." Caroline unwound her hands from around his neck and reached into Sid's pocket to pull the key free.

"Here you go," she said amusement in her voice.

And then they were inside.

The suite was huge. White, luxurious fabrics with metallic touches here and there. Candles that had been lit just recently. A bottle of champagne on ice, a large jacuzzi tub filled with pink and yellow flowers and surrounded by more candles.

The place glowed and it was like they were in heaven.

And they were.

Their eyes locked as Sid kicked the door shut behind him.

He set her down on her feet and pulled her near. His mouth descended on hers. She met him eagerly and parted her lips to accept the heat and insistence of his tongue.

His hands moved over her bare shoulders and his fingers crept up her neck to pull her hair free from the confines of wedding hair. His mouth reluctantly drew away but his lips trailed across her cheek and to her jawbone.

"I get to kiss you for the rest of my life," he murmured against her skin. "The rest of our lives." He corrected.

He left hot, wet marks all along the column of her neck and waiting to hear the moan of approval he was used to when he nipped at juncture of her neck and collarbone.

But instead of a moan, there was a giggle.

He pulled away but her fingers threaded through his thick dark hair and guided him back to that spot.

"Do it again," but a bark of laughter at the end of the request made him pull away completely.

Her face was red and she was smiling like a maniac.

"I'm sorry," she said giggling.

He gave her a curious look and cocked his head.

"Are you ok?"

"I don't know," she said laughing, her hands coming over her mouth. But the laughter wouldn't stop. She turned away from him, her shoulders heaving.

"Caroline?"

"I'm nervous." She mumbled through her hands. She turned back, trying to compose herself. Her eyes were big and apologetic. "I don't know why I'm acting like this, but I feel so nervous. I thought it was anxiety, you know for our wedding night. But it's not anxiety. It's like... I'm scared." She seemed so surprised by what she was saying.

"I mean I can't be scared. We've done this a ton of times. I love you. So much and I can't wait to be with you, make love. I guess maybe it's the pressure but that seems so silly. I guess I just got inside my own head and now I can't get ou-oof."

Her legs hit the back of the bed. She had been so into her rant that she hadn't realized that he was walking towards her and she was walking backwards.

She looked at his eyes, they had been patient and understanding. But now. They were dark. Nearly black. And he looked like he wanted to devour her.

And the laughing stopped. The giggles were gone. And a heat began to course through her veins.

He pushed her gently onto the bed. With ease he shrugged out of his tuxedo jacket and pulled at the already loosened tie around his neck. She shimmied up a bit to get a better view as he slowly undid the buttons of the still crisp white shirt. His eyes were still dark and they bore into hers.

Caroline watched as he reached the last button, undid his cuffs and then the shirt was off. His arms were thick. Tanned from the summer, a dusting of dark hair along his forearms. His shoulders and biceps bulky from summer workouts. His chest was smooth and broad. The muscles twitching with their own anticipation.

Caroline swallowed thickly, her eyes leaving his to look at his exposed torso. His abs rippled, his waist thick but the muscle defined.

His hands moved to his belt. Then when that was gone, the button on his pants, his fingers moving the zipper down.

She could feel the tightening of her core, the moisture pooling against the soft fabric of her panties.

The was no more laughing. She was captivated.

He toed off his shoes and deftly pulled off each sock as his pants fell into a puddle at his feet.

He wore only black jockey shorts. And even in the candlelight of the room and the darkness of his underwear, she could see his erection straining against the fabric.

His face still serious, focused on her. His hands at the waistband the cotton stretched across his bulging thighs.

And then they were gone.

His penis stood proud and hard. Ready for her. She stared at it. And despite seeing him countless times in this state of arousal, it still made her nearly weep with need.

She stared at him as he stood there. He was hers. All hers. And she wasn't scared. She wasn't nervous. She wasn't even anxious anymore.

She was aroused. Nearly blinded by it. And him standing there did that to her. And he knew that.

Whatever she was feeling, he always knew how to make it better.

He walked to the bed, his heavy flesh swinging as he moved.

And then he smiled, a boyish smile from someone who at this moment was all man.

"Better?" He asked.

She nodded slowly, her throat dry. "Much," she said hoarsely.

"Good."

And then he was on the bed and he his hands were under her dress. Layers and layers of silk organza and tulle separated him from the warm and pulsing tremble of her skin. The Vera Wang ballgown was beautiful and made her feel like a princess, but right now she cursed all the layers that separated him from getting to her.

Finally his smooth palms found her thighs. He ducked his head under her dress and while it should have made her laugh, it didn't. Because his fingers were at the seam of her panties and they were pushing and pulling at the fabric. Exposing her wet and hot heat to the cool air. His mouth pressed against the wet fabric, his teeth pulling it to the side. And then his lips were on her lips. His tongue already lapping at the seeping of her arousal. He stopped and tugged a few times, pausing his ministrations to removed the pesky barrier.

Once that was accomplished, he dove right in. His mouth covering her, his tongue finding her sweet spot and curling around it. He did all the things she loved and a few that she'd never experienced before. He lapped at the pulsing flesh flattening his tongue against her, putting just the right pressure on her bundle of nerves. His tongue was persistent and found its was into her. He withdrew and then did it all over again.

All she could see was the mass of white fabric and a bobbing lump underneath. But she didn't need to see, because she could feel everything.

He built her up, then pulled back, only to go at her with a calculated frenzy. Finally she reached the peak. Everything tightened to a painfully glorious height. She screamed his name, she moaned and shrieked and even heard nonsensical words come from her lips as the thunderous avalanche of pleasure slammed into her. She grabbed the lump, holding him in place and the flood of her orgasm flowed out of her.

Sid lapped it all up. Her essence even sweeter on this special night.

Finally he reemerged, his lips glossy, his eyes bright.

"I think it's time to lose the dress," he said with a smile.

Caroline nodded in agreement. "Yes, now. Please."

She scrambled up onto her still shaky knees and turned her back to him. The strapless bodice was secured with tiny hooks that ran all the way down the column of her back. He kissed the top of her shoulder as his fingers moved deftly down the curve of her body. Gathering all the fabric, he lifted up and the behemoth of a dress came up and over her head. He easily undid the hooks of her strapless bra and that joined the pile on the floor next to the bed.

Sid's hands moved up and down the warm, smooth skin. His palms cupped her breasts, his thumbs moving back and forth over her pebbled nipples. His mouth dropped back onto her shoulder.

Her skin was the softest he'd ever touched. And he despite having vast knowledge of every inch of it, he never would grow tired of re-exploring it.

But his erection was bordering on painful and he was eager to consummate this marriage.

He turned her into his arms and she pressed herself into him. Her mouth found his as she eagerly kissed him, her hand snaking down to take his hard hot heat into her hand.

"I want you inside me," she said against his lips.

And he was more than happy to oblige his wife.

She lay out below him, her hands on his side then curled around his back, her fingers digging into the solid flesh.

She stared at him as he slipped easily into her, and then moved in a steady rhythm. The steadiness became faster as she rocked up to him, drawing him deeper into her.

The room became filled with the sounds of their lovemaking and the cries of release as they came as one.

That night they made good use of the Jacuzzi, along with the strawberries and cream that had been left with the champagne.

Throughout the night they found each other over and over, and just as dawn began to break, Caroline snuggled deep into Sid's embrace as they fell into a heavy and peaceful sleep.

Sure enough, it felt weird being a guest in her own home, again.

At nine o'clock, she'd pulled up into the driveway of Creek Drive. She used the code that she had always used and for a moment wondered if he'd changed it.

He hadn't.

The gate opened and she pulled up. Parking her car, she took a deep breath.

She'd slept well, the memories served as a lullaby to a restful sleep that she sorely needed.

As Caroline approached the house, she wondered if she should go right in, or knock. Trina had told her yesterday, that this morning she and Caroline would meet with the doctor. Troy was with Sid at the hospital and they were hoping he would be discharged this afternoon.

She stared at the door and then pressed the doorbell.

A few minutes later it opened and there was Trina.

She looked tired and her eyes were red and swollen from obvious crying.

Caroline's heart panged for her mother in law. And she he felt the anxiety build at seeing Trina like this. It meant it was bad. Really bad. Trina typically took her son's injuries in stride. She'd barely batted an eye when Sid's teeth had been knocked out and his jaw had to be reconstructed with titanium rods.

Nevertheless, she smiled weakly at Caroline and ushered her in.

The two embraced lightly, both keeping a bit of distance.

"Thank you for coming," Trina said kindly.

"Is he going to be ok?" Caroline blurted out, surprised by the tremor in her voice and the sudden rush of emotion.

Trina's eyes began to mist. "I hope so," she said. "The doctor is in the kitchen."

Caroline followed as Trina walked through the foyer and down the hall towards the kitchen. She looked all around, trying to see what had changed, what had stayed the same. She stopped at a side table in the hall, a framed photo catching her eye. It was the same photo she'd looked at last night. The two on them on the dance floor. So in love, so unaware.

"I found that photo in the closet this morning. There was a whole box of photos. I put them out around the house. I'm hoping they will help."

Caroline looked at her mother in law.

"Help with what?" she asked, stupidly.

Trina looked sheepish, as if she had said too much.

"The doctor will explain."

They came upon an older man sitting at the kitchen island, a croissant in one hand and his blackberry in the other.

He looked up at Caroline and gave a nod.

"You must be the wife."

Caroline frowned at his tone, but nodded nonetheless.

"Caroline Re...Caroline Crosby," she said extending out her hand.

The man stood to meet her. "Dr. Becker. Chief resident at Emory University's neuroscience department. I flew in this morning and was just getting familiar with your husband's case."

"His case?" Caroline asked. She had thought it was a concussion. He was confused is what Trina had said. He was being discharged, surely he was getting better. RIght?

Dr. Becker nodded, "Yes, it's fascinating really. Rare. But there is so much about the brain we are still discovering. I'm hoping to do some tests this afternoon. We can do them here at the home. They are not at all intrusive. Actually some find them calming. But based on what I am hearing, the symptoms tell the real story."

"The real story?"

"Yes, the memory loss."

"Memory loss?" Caroline realized that she was just echoing the last few words of what Dr. Becker was saying, but she was having trouble absorbing everything that he was saying.

Caroline looked at Trina, who just stared back sad and a little shell shocked.

"Mrs. Crosby," the doctor said gently, looking from Trina back to her. "You're husband has amnesia."

***Author's note: dun, dun, dunnnn. Ok, so I know this sounds crazy, but I'm going to try and make this work and not turn it into some bad soap opera. This story will be kind of like now and then, in that there will be flashbacks to life up until where we are now in time. Thank you everyone for your interest and kind reviews! I really hope you enjoy this story, there will definitely be moments where you have to suspend disbelief, but I'm really excited about how it will all unfold. Your feedback is always appreciated and go pens!***