Fifteen years ago… An amnesiac had been found laying in an alleyway. Covered in dirt. Wearing nothing but rags.
Ones a man had asked if he was all right, he started to launch at the man. Tried to stand up but keep falling down.
"Dude, you seem to be really hurt." The kind man had said, a middle aged gentleman with dark skin living in the more poor area of the city.
"Do not touch me!" The amnesia had yelled, flailing his arms as he fell down. "Urgh… Must… Get back… Have to… Safe."
The dark skinned gentleman blinked. "Go back? Where? Is there someone I can call?"
The amnesiac hissed as he looked up. "Yes…. Yes call upon!"
"Call who?" The gentleman asked.
The amnesiac halted, his blue eyes wide. "I… I don't know."
It was a mess outside the conference, people had all run out and then all had tried to drive away at the same time creating a big block at the exit to the parking lot trapping everybody else inside.
Donald unable to stand up anymore was sitting down on the hood of one of the many cars, bowing his head as he held the cane.
Rain had started to drip from the sky as people ran around trying to find heads and tails in what was going on.
Yells of a giant snake and iron man was to be heard all around the place.
"It was so strange." Jane breathed. "I held it and… It started to grow! It grew so large. Right in front of me." she was shaking as she looked at her hands. Then she wrapped her arms around her body as she started to shake, with each breath a white cloud of smoke escaped her mouth.
Donald didn't hesitate to take off his coat and offered it to Jane.
"Oh no I can't." Jane said.
"Please." Donald asked. "You saved my life… I'm pretty sure."
Jane smiled as she took the coat and slipped it on. "Thank you." she breathed.
"Are you feeling all right Donald?" Paula asked from where she stood, rain pouring over her hair as well.
"Yes I…" Donald swallowed. "I don't know…" he breathed holding a hand over his mouth.
"GET AWAY FROM ME!"
The amnesiac was screaming as he was laying in his hospital bed, thrashing and turning.
"What have you done to me?! Why can't I even stand?!"
"Sir! I need you to calm down!" The nurse exclaimed as suddenly the amnesiac rolled around and fell down on the floor. "SIR!" The doctor, a latina woman shouted as she came running. Touching his arm.
"I SAID GET AWAY!" The amnesiac roared.
"Doctor Garzia." A nurse gasped. "I think you need to step back."
Paula stood still then stepped back. "Yes… he will tire himself out soon enough."
The amnesiac fumed as he reached forward and grabbed the floor, trying to pull himself forward, but as he did. His strenght seemed to vanish and he groaned. "I have to…. I have to… Save…" he hissed then, his eyes fell shut and his head dropped down on the floor, all of his energy spend.
"Save…" Donald breathed as he held his cane looking down.
Just then a man came walking towards them in fast strides, holding a umbrella to shield him from the rain. "Doctor Donald Blake?" the man asked.
Donald blinked as he looked up to see a man, smartly dressed, a smart goatee and beard. Dark brown eyes and hair. He was shocked, was this seriously. "Mr Tony Stark!" Donald gasped and the two women turned as well.
"Yup. But let's just skip the formalities." Tony Stark replied. "I checked the security footage to see what happened. That snake, it seemed to be targeting you specifically. Any idea why?"
Donald swallowed then shook his head. "I'm sorry sir." he said. "I don't know."
Stark frowned clearly not happy, then glanced at Jane. "Ah, and the badass lady." he suddenly offered her a very charming smile. "Let me tell you. That really was badass."
Jane blushed as she glanced away. "Oh. It was nothing." she said.
"You're kidding right?" Tony asked. "Badass and beautiful. May I ask what is the name of such an amazing woman."
Donald huffed annoyed as he looked up. "Jane Foster!" he exclaimed loudly earning Tony's attention. "Her name is Doctor Jane Foster!"
"Doctor?" Tony asked still looking as charming as ever and Donald hated it in this moment. "Should have know." he turned back to Jane, smiling that same way. "So, anything you noticed. Anything at all?" he asked.
"I'm sorry." Jane said. "I saw the snake, it looked like it was about to bite Donald so I grabbed it then… as I held it it just started to grow. That's all I know."
Tony sighed deeply. "That's okay." he assured. "Look, if you remember anything else." he reached into his pocket and found a card. "Call me." he offered Jane the card. "And if you don't remember anything, you can still feel free to call." he winked. "Any time."
Jane chuckled amused as she accepted the card.
"So what kind of wine do you like?" Tony asked Jane just as a shout called from the back.
"Mr Stark! MR STARK!"
Tony sighed deeply. "Sorry, duty calls." he rolled his eyes then grinned. "See you later." he winked and walked away.
Donald glared after the man as he pouted.
"My. You certainly get all the attention Jane." Paula commented.
Jane shrugged. "I know his reputation. He's slept with half of Las Vegas and then some. I wouldn't touch that with a ten foot poll." she sighed as she slipped the card into her pocket and Donald exhaled deeply relieved. "He's kind of cute though." she then added.
"You don't want any of that! You're better than that!" Donald snapped.
Jane turned to Donald with a raised eyebrow. "Donald, are you jealous?"
"No." Donald turned his head away and Jane chuckled amused then glanced away. Smiling lightly as she slipped a bit of hair behind her ear.
Paula smiled amused looking at the two then shook her head, how far he had come. Since back then.
"ARGGH!" The amnesiac yelled as he flung his glass of water across the room so it shattered on the wall.
"My." Paula commented as she looked at him. "For someone whom can't even stand on his own, you sure seem to have a lot of energy."
The amnesiac seethed. "What has happened to me?" he asked.
"I'm sorry sir, I don't know what you mean." Paula said.
"I can't even stand! How is that right?!" The Amnesiac exclaimed. "I can't do anything! I'm worthless, is this a sick joke?!"
Paula looked at him. "Can't do anything?" she asked then turned her head. "You could fling a glass of water across the room. I think there's a lot you can do." she commented looking at the place where the glass have shattered.
The Amnesiac seethed, it was almost as if he started to crackle.
"You need to control that temper." Paula commented dryly. "You are like some Donald Duck!"
"What?" The Amnesiac asked.
"Donald Duck, from the cartoons." Paula helped him. "He always gets angry over the small things and looses his temper. You know, I think that's what I am going to call you. Donald."
"That's not my name!" The Amnesiac huffed.
"Then what is it?" Paula asked. "Tell me your name, I shall call you your name."
"How many times do I have to tell you?!" The amnesiac yelled. "I don't know!"
"Then Donald it is!" Paula stated. "Donald Duck until you give me something else!"
The amnesiac seethed and hissed, his eyes narrowed and filled with pure rage.
"Hey, looks like they have managed to clear up the block." Jane commented looking at the exit to the parking lot. "We should get going."
Donald nodded. "Yeah… Will you be all right Paula?" he asked.
Paula nodded. "I'll be fine. I rented a hotel room it's not far. I wanted to make a vacation out of it. Just over the weekend."
Donald smiled. "It was good seeing you. Truly."
Paula smiled. "And you. You've come so far. It always amazes me." she informed and Donald smiled.
"I owe it to you." he said as Jane grabbed his arm for support before the two made it towards Janes car.
"How…" The amnesiac sobbed. "How am I supposed to do anything?" he asked. "I'm supposed to safe… How can I safe anyone. How can I even be a man when I can't even stand."
"There are a lot of ways to safe people!" Paula stated. "And what's this about not being a man even if you can't walk. That's ridicules. Listen." she spoke softly. "You just have to find it. No you can't run a marathon but there are things you can do. You are young, you have a good head on your shoulders. There are so many things you can do."
slowly the amnesiac looked up, his blue eyes filled with tears. "Like what…. What?" he asked. "How can I safe anyone?"
Paula smiled lightly. "There are many stories. I'll find a laptop, we can look at them together." she said then she halted. "You havn't remembered a name yet?"
the amnesiac shook his head. "No…" he whispered. "But… Donald is starting to grow on me." he said glancing up. "Not the duck part though."
Paula smiled. "Okay." she said. "We can find a different last name until you remember your real name."
"But… What if I never remember?" Donald asked.
"Don't say never." Paula lectured. "It's not a healthy mindset. Say when… When you find your path and when you remember your name."
Donald looked up as he swallowed then he nodded. "Yeah…"
It was nearly fifteen years ago, that conversation had taken place. Donald was in the passenger seat again looking out of the window.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Jane asked concerned.
Donald sighed deeply. "I don't know." he admited. "Things has been so weird lately."
"You can say that again." Jane commented. "I mean giant snake."
Donald smirked then his face faltered. "Jane… We are friends. Right?" he asked.
"Yes, I would say we are." Jane said.
"But what if…. I wasn't me?" Donald asked.
Jane frowned. "What?" She asked.
"You know. What if… Doctor Donald Blake just wasn't real?" Donald asked.
"That's kind of ridicules. I mean you are right next to me. We are talking." Jane pointed out.
"Right… ahem." Donald cleared his throat. "But what if I were someone else? I mean, someone who…" he halted.
"Donald." Jane shook her head. "You're you. Clearly. We've known each other for years! How long has it been now? Five years? Six?" she asked.
"Six years." Donald informed. "Six years since they hired me at the hospital."
"There you see?" Jane asked. "And I am very sure the man I have known since then is very real. I talk to him every day."
Donald smiled amused though as he smiled his heart was sinking… Donald Blake wasn't even his real name.