Chapter 7: Resurfacing

When Adele awoke late the next morning, she stumbled into the kitchen, head throbbing. Spike was reading the paper, but he looked up when he heard her.

"Hey, good morning," Spike said, smiling. "How are you feeling?"

"Like hell," Adele answered, wincing.

"You should eat something before you take your pain pill," said Spike. "I'll make you some toast."

He got up from the table and went over to the freezer. He took out four slices of bread and placed two in the toaster and turned it to medium. He let his mind wander until the toast popped up, then placed it on a plate for Adele.

"Here you go, just how you like it," Spike said, smiling.

"Thank you," said Adele, smiling back.

"Oh, and..." Spike said, getting up from his chair and going over to the teapot. He handed her a steaming mug of her favorite lemon tea.

"Spike, how did you know I liked lemon tea?" Adele asked, smiling as she accepted the mug from him.

"Well, you used to make it all the time," said Spike. "It's your favorite."

Adele nodded and took a drink from the mug.

"Are you ready to go somewhere today?" Spike asked.

"Where?" Adele asked.

"Well, that depends. How are you feeling today?" Spike asked.

"I'm fine, Spike," said Adele. "I'm just really tired. Waiting for this pain pill to kick in. Waiting for the day I can take it and not sleep for 16 hours straight. Where are we going?"

"Any urge to self-harm or thoughts of suicide?" Spike asked seriously.

"What? No," Adele said quickly. She looked confused and alarmed. "Why would you ask me that, Spike?"

"Because I know you, Adele, even if you don't remember," said Spike. "I know you struggled with depression and anxiety in college. It's my responsibility to keep up on how you're feeling.

"I want to show you something and tell you... a story," said Spike. "But I don't want to upset you."

"I can handle it," said Adele. "You didn't answer my question."

"Alright, then come with me," Spike said, offering her his hand. "Here's your answer: I want to take you to where we first met."

He didn't expect her to take it, but after a moment of hesitation, she did.

"Do you trust me?"

Adele looked up at him. "I trust you."

Ten minutes later, they arrived at Don Valley Parkway Bridge. Spike parked the car, pocketed his badge (just in case), and, together, they walked toward the bridge. As they neared it, Adele looked around, confused.

"Spike, what are we doing here?" Adele asked. "I don't like this... It feels like... we shouldn't be here..."

"Calm down, Adele," Spike said. "I know you're scared. It's okay. You're safe. This is where we first met."

Adele closed her eyes, letting her body relax and inhaling deeply, as the memory washed over her.

"Do you remember?" Spike asked.

Adele began to hyperventilate. "Yes," she said, starting to cry. "I... I wanted to jump..."

"Shh, Adele, it's okay," Spike said, easing her down to sit on the pavement and putting his arm around her comfortingly. "Tell me what you remember."

"I wanted to jump," said Adele. "Jules... she persuaded me to come down."

"That's right," said Spike, nodding. "You made the right choice."

After another very long moment, to the team's immense relief, Adele stepped back, then stepped off the barrier. Spike rushed forward and grabbed her securely around the waist, as she dissolved into tears and crumpled to the ground.

"I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry..."

"No, no, no, it's OK," said Jules, holding her close. "You don't have to say that."

"Subject's been contained," said Spike. "Stand by for decision to contact family."

"Copy that," said Greg.

"I'm sorry, Jules. It was so stupid," Adele cried.

"You got nothing to be sorry about, my friend. Nothing, all right?" Jules said firmly.

Spike offered his hand and helped both Jules and Adele stand up. Once she was standing safely on the ground, he pulled her into a hug. He could feel her body shaking with unshed sobs. When he released her, she looked up at him through puffy, bloodshot, exhausted eyes.

"I'm Mike," said Spike.

"Adele."

"Yeah, I know," he said, giving her a sideways cheeky grin.

Adele chuckled.

"Aha," said Spike, "there it is."

"What?"

"A smile," said Spike.

Adele smiled again, stronger this time.

"What happened afterward?" Adele asked.

"The team took you to the E.R. to get checked out and to sign off on the case," said Spike. "Remember what happened?"

It took a minute, but then Adele nodded. "I remember screaming at you."

"I'm NOT crazy!"

The curtains of a bay were torn back, and Adele, seeing Greg, Jules, and Spike standing nearby, rushed over to them. Spike, caught off-guard, grabbed her gently by her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes.

"Whoa, whoa, easy, Adele. Adele, go back inside, honey," Spike said urgently.

"No! This bastard wants to lock me up!" Adele yelled angrily.

"Shh, shh, no, they don't," Spike said, shaking his head.

"I'm NOT going to the nuthouse!" Adele yelled.

"Adele, you showed suicidal behavior," Spike said. "Something has to be done. Maybe this is the push you needed, to get the help you need."

"I'm sick of people telling me what to do! This is MY LIFE!" Adele screamed in Spike's face. Spike didn't flinch.

"And then... the team persuaded the doctor to release me into their custody," said Adele, opening her eyes. "I spent the weekend in your protection."

Spike nodded. "That's right," he said, smiling encouragingly. "You're starting to remember."

"I remember you making me laugh," Adele said, smiling. "That was what attracted me to you the most."

Spike grinned. "Good. That's very good. So your memory's up to at least mid-June of 2009."

Adele nodded wearily, then massaged her temples with her fingertips. "My head is killing me."

"Let's go home," Spike said. "You need to rest."

"Copy that," Adele said, walking with him to the car.

"Hey, that's my line," Spike said, smiling and taking her hand. "You remember that the team says that?"

Adele responded to his question with a pretty smile.

That afternoon, Spike and Adele were looking through picture books, attempting to jog more memories, when the doorbell rang. It was Jules.

"Hey, Jules," Spike said, smiling. He stepped aside to let Jules inside.

"Hi," Jules said, walking into the living room with an envelope in her hands. "How are you feeling, Adele?"

"Not bad," said Adele. "I'm starting to remember."

"That's great," Jules said, smiling. "I have something for you."

Jules handed her the envelope and she opened it. Inside were more photos; the team sharing stories of initiation and hazing; everyone sailing toy boats on the water; Spike flying a remote control helicopter; Spike and Adele dancing on a dock; them standing close, arms around each other, kissing tenderly.

Spike gently took her face in his hands, leaned down, and kissed her tenderly.

When they parted, Adele was speechless. "I, um..." she said quietly, then she looked down at her feet, then back up at him. "I don't know what to say."

Spike inclined his head curiously, looking down at her. "You don't have to say anything," he said softly.

"Do you... do you think we could do it again?" Adele asked him.

Spike grinned, then leaned in and they kissed softly again. Adele wrapped her arms more securely around Spike's shoulders and she felt his arms do the same around her waist.

They kissed until they could barely breathe, then parted when they finally had to, both desperate for air. Suddenly, Adele wished she did not need oxygen to survive. Spike's kisses were warm, tender, light, and had a moment of hesitance that left her craving more each time.

Satisfied with the photos, Jules snuck back up the beach and rejoined everyone else.

After a while, they realized they needed to remember their manners and rejoin the group.

"Are you ready to go back?" Spike asked.

Adele looked conflicted. "No," she said, "but we really should."

Spike nodded, took her hand, and they walked back up to where everyone awaited their return.

Adele smiled as she reviewed the photos. "I remember now," she said. "Sam crashed your helicopter. You were so pissed."

"That's right," Spike said, smiling. "You took me down to the dock to deescalate."

Adele nodded. "It worked, didn't it?"

"Yes, it did."

"We started going out after that?"

Spike nodded. "Yes. We celebrated your birthday together, with the team."

"I remember."

"Good, very good," said Spike. "Later, we both met each other's parents."

"On your birthday," said Adele.

"Yep," said Spike, nodding. "You told me you worried about me, with what I did for work."

"That I was never sure if you would go to work and come back again."

Spike nodded. "Yeah," he said, looking at her. "Then you told me... that you loved me."

"Well, if I said that... I must have meant it," Adele said, looking up at him. She smiled.

Spike nodded. "The next day... Lew died."

"He stepped on a land mine," Adele said, closing her eyes, as the memory flowed over her. She opened her eyes and saw Spike's eyes were shining with tears. "Oh, Spike... we don't have to talk about this if it's too hard for you."

Spike wiped his eyes quickly. "No, it's okay..." he murmured. "Do you remember more?" Adele nodded. "Go on."

"I remember you came to my apartment and... you told me you loved me, too."

Raising a shaking fist, Spike gently knocked on her apartment door five times. A moment later, the door swung open. Spike and Adele looked at each other, but neither moved. Without Spike having to say a word, Adele could see it written all over his face, that something had gone terribly wrong today.

Tears shone in Spike's eyes as he swallowed hard. Then, his voice awash with overwhelming emotion, he murmured, "I love you, Adele."

In answer, Adele silently stepped forward and met Spike's lips in a long kiss. Spike's hands pressed against her neck, deepening the kiss. Finally, when their lips parted, one hand moved to her waist, the other stroking her face. Then both his hands framed her face. He swallowed a heavy sob, before kissing her again, then he held her close, wrapping his arms around her, pressing his face into her shoulder, feeling like, if he let her go, he could lose her, too, at that very moment.

"I didn't want to lose you, too," Spike said, after Adele opened her eyes. "It would have been too much to bear."

Sensing that they needed time alone, Jules stood up.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow," she murmured. "I just wanted to drop off the photos. I thought it might help."

"It did, Jules," said Adele, smiling. "Thanks."

"No problem," Jules said, smiling, then leaving the room.

After the door closed behind Jules, Adele looked at Spike.

"What happened next?" she asked.

"Well, we're up to November, 2009, now," said Spike. "We responded to a hot call at a hockey rink. Subject's name was Darren Kovacs. He was suffering from survivors' guilt, after his three friends had been killed in Afghanistan. Sam tried to talk him down when he—"

"When he took you hostage," said Adele. "Right?"

"Right," said Spike. "But Ed had ended up taking the Sierra shot. Sam took Darren's death really hard. He almost resigned."

"I went to SRU Headquarters to meet you," Adele said, blinking rapidly as the memory overcame her. "I needed to make sure you were okay."

The team was just leaving the building when she arrived. She parked her car, got out, and ran over to them.

"Spike!"

Hearing Adele's voice, Spike looked up and his eyebrows rose with surprise when he saw her running toward him. In the next few seconds, he had dropped his bag and his car keys, and she had run into his arms and crashed her lips against his.

"Are you OK?" she asked, tears running down her face as she gently framed his face with her hands. "I saw what happened on the news."

Spike nodded, his eyes weary and exhausted, his energy and adrenaline from the day's work spent.

"I'm OK," he said. "Adele, we... we need to talk."

Adele took his hand and Spike took off his earpiece, then they walked out of earshot of the team.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I need to tell you something. I don't know how to say this, but... Anyone who gets close to me... my dad, Lou... they either get hurt, physically or emotionally, or killed. I don't want that for you," he said, looking straight at her.

Adele shook her head in disbelief. "Spike..." she said. "Are you saying you don't want us to be together anymore?"

Spike looked away from her. "I don't know."

"Spike," said Adele, tears brimming in her eyes, "when lives are taken, we mourn and we miss them. But we need to remember those we love without forgetting those that are still with us." She gently took his face in her hands. "I love you, Spike, and I'll be damned if I'm gonna let you go that easily."

Spike nodded, listening.

"Do you really think I'd still be here if that's what I was afraid of?" Adele asked him seriously.

Spike shook his head and gently wiped away her tears with the pad of his thumb. Adele leaned up and kissed him again.

Their faces touching, their eyes closed, Spike said, "I love you, too, Adele. I-I'm so sorry..."

"Shh, I know," said Adele. "You were grieving. You needed space. I understand. But I need you to come back to me now."

"Promise me you won't let me be such an idiot ever again?" Spike asked her.

Adele smiled and hugged him. "Copy that," she said, holding him close, as they went back over to join the team.

"I said I wanted to be with you, no matter what," Adele said, looking at him. "That I wasn't going to go anywhere that easily."

"I made you promise not to let me be such an idiot ever again," Spike said, smiling.

"Did I keep that promise?" Adele asked.

"Yes, you did," Spike said, smiling. "You certainly did."

Adele smiled.

"Adele," Spike said slowly, looking straight into her eyes, "can I..."

"Can you what, Spike?"

"Can I... can I kiss you?"

Adele was speechless. "Y-yes..." she stammered.

Spike gently took Adele's face in his hands and leaned in. Very, very slowly, he brought his lips to hers and kissed her tenderly. Adele tensed at first, surprised, then relaxed into his touch. She slowly brought her hands up and entwined them in his soft hair. They slowly broke apart and leaned against each other's foreheads.

"You don't know how long I've wanted to do that," Spike whispered to her. He smiled against her cheek.

Adele grinned. "Do you think we could do it again?"

"Of course," Spike said, grinning. Adele wrapped her arms more securely around his neck and shoulders and Spike wrapped his arms around her waist, and their lips met again. Spike pulled her closer to him, deepening the kiss. When they parted, he murmured, "I love you, Adele."

Adele smiled. "I love you, too, Spike."

Well, after working on this chapter for most of today... I'm so ready for bed. But I've been watching Harry Potter all day, so that won't happen for a few hours, lol.

I am fully aware that it would likely take much longer for an amnesiac to regain his or her memories, but I'm not finding any information in that regard, and I want Adele to regain her memory as soon as possible, so that being said, I've expedited her rate of recovery.

Please review! Thanks. More to come...