Sky wheeled Bridge out into the fresh air of the hospital's courtyard. This small respite came as a much needed change from his stuffy room. Bridge took in the outside world for the first time in several days. No one had come to see him, save for the commander, since Sky filled Bridge in on their plan to help him remember. Sky felt immensely guilty that he hadn't found any time to spend with Bridge and hoped to try to make up for it by talking him on a stroll around the courtyard.

"It feels good outside. No chill in the air." Bridge commented.

Sky shrugged.

"It has been a month. Winter is finally on its way out." He said.

"Wait, what?" Bridge swiveled in his seat with much effort. "A month? Really?"

Sky's stomach dropped and he nodded, narrowing his eyes. "Yes, don't you remember?"

Bridge laughed nervously.

"Of course I remember, I was uh, just kidding…" Bridge's voice held no hint of humor.

Sky pulled Bridge up next to a bench and sat down beside him.

The two sat in silence for several minutes. Sky was trying to figure out how to ask about the missing month of Bridge's memory.

"Before you ask, no, I don't remember anything." Bridge spoke.

Sky looked at him in surprise.

"I didn't ask."

Bridge shook his head, looking more defeated than Sky had ever seen him.

"You didn't have to. That's all anyone has been asking me about. I feel like it's all anyone ever asks about." Bridge slumped forward, head in his good hand. "I've tried to remember, trust me I have. I keep trying and trying but I always come up with a blank. I mean, I'm missing an entire month of memories!" He sighed. "I'm trying."

Sky put a hand on his shoulder. "I know you are buddy. It's only been a few days. Maybe we just need to give it time.

"Yeah? How much time?" Bridge took a deep breath. "I feel like every second I don't remember is another second everyone else is in danger. I feel like the information in my head means...something. I just don't know what!" Bridge checked the clock on the wall.

Sky thought about the operations and projects that were now in jeopardy and the urgency in Cruger's voice when he commanded them to find a way to help Bridge remember.

As much as Sky did in fact want to give Bridge time to remember, time was something they didn't have.

"How is the… the… the thing… um…" Bridge made a box gesture with his hands. "That thing you're building for my powers? The something chamber?"

"The containment chamber?" Sky suggested.

"Right, that. How's that coming?" Bridge asked in a quiet voice, almost like he was talking to himself.

"We're trying, but there's no kind of precedent for this kind of thing. We're not even sure how to begin. We've never had to try to contain our powers because-" Sky stopped short.

"-because I'm the only one who can't seem to control it."

Sky shook his head.

"I didn't say that."

Bridge looked up to meet his eyes.

"But you were thinking it."

Sky met Bridge's eyes. Behind the tired irises, there was something else, a sort of burden that Sky had never seen in him before.

Bridge lifted his hands.

"I'm starting to find that these uh...these...um..." Bridge gestured to his gloves.

"Your gloves?" Sky finished.

Bridge nodded.

"Yeah. I'm finding out that they aren't working as well as they used to, and my powers are stronger than ever after that month."

Sky sat back, concern evident on his face.

"So, you can read minds now," is all he said.

"No. I told you guys once before that it's more like an energy that I can pick up on, but it's a lot more powerful than it used to be."

The silence overtook the two again.

Sky was starting to worry. Bridge was never the best at controlling his abilities, but then again, his were also the most unpredictable. Now, his abilities had grown exponentially when they still didn't fully understand his original abilities. Something in that month changed him and they needed to figure it out before Bridge or anyone else got hurt. On top of that, it seemed like Bridge was having some trouble with his memory.

Bridge looked at his hands.

"Hey Sky."

Sky looked at him, no semblance of the concern and confusion left in Bridge's voice.

"Why do I wear these gloves all the time?"

Sky's concern for his friend abruptly changed to alarm.

"Bridge, are you feeling alright?"

Bridge shrugged.

"I think so? Why?"

Sky quickly took hold of Bridge's wheelchair and wheeled him back inside and to his room.

"You've been wearing gloves since you were a kid because of your powers."

Realization dawned in Bridge's eyes.

"Uh, right."

Sky helped Bridge back into his bed and hurriedly bid him goodbye before venturing out into the hall.

Sky recognized Bridge's doctor by the nurses station and stepped up to confront him.

"Doc, do you have a minute?"

Banet smiled at Sky.

"Sure, sure. What can I do for you?"

Sky lowered his voice to a whisper.

"It's about Bridge Carson."

Banet smiled again and gestured to a more secluded section of the room.

"What about him?" The calm demeanor remaining on the doctor's face.

Sky took a breath.

"I was with him today and he seemed like he was having a hard time recalling certain words and he forgot a few events such as his disappearance and wearing gloves his whole life. Should we be concerned?"

Banet followed along and smiled reassuringly.

"First thing to note is that Bridge had a traumatic experience and our brains will sometimes dezl with that trauma by blocking it out of our ability to readily recall it. This missing time may or may not return, but only time will tell. Second, we did find a small anomaly in Bridge's brain in his temporal lobe which is the primary lobe for memory, here." Banet pointed to a spot on the back of his own head to show the temporal lobe. "We are having a radiologist take a look at it, but we don't think it is cancerous. We honestly don't really know what it is. It could that Bridge had a small bleed in his brain and this is the remnants of that. It could also be a benign tumor. At this point in time, there is no reason to raise the alarm just yet, but we are keeping an eye on it."

Sky's gaze averted to the ground.

"All that stuff Bridge said about remembering everything? That's not true?"

Banet wiggled his hand in a 'so-so' motion.

"Bridge remembers most everything, but his memory is partially impaired by the mass in his temporal lobe. He will most likely forgot things more easily and words may be harder for him to recall." Banet clapped Sky on the back. "Things will get better, though. Bridge should be released in a few days after we are sure the worst is over and his concussion is healed. He'll have his sling and casts on for a few months and then, physically, he'll be as good as new."

"Physically?" Sky repeated, "Doc, what about mentally?"

Banet shook his head.

"We don't know. But, I'm afraid that he may never be the same person again." Banet gave one last smile before leaving Sky alone in the hallway, his best friend on his mind.

Author's Note: Yikes! It's been too long! I 100% forgot to figure exams into my timeline! Here is the next chapter and in an effort to not break another promise, all I will tell you is that I will get it uploaded as soon as possible! Thank you all for your patience and your support!