Chapter Twenty-Eight

By the time Eli had finally found his way to Clare's room, Toronto was already starting to be painted in darkness. Almost like the darkness that is about to descend on this hospital, Eli mused. He was thankful that he had taken his time getting to her room. It bought Kyle enough time to spread the truth about Scorpion before he arrived, and it also allowed Eli to assess how many personnel were still at the hospital. Just as Eli had expected, the moment that people heard gunshots from the main lobby, people had fled. The hospital was almost all but deserted, save for some of the patients that were unable to be taken in the panic. Eli found himself hoping that Clare had been left behind so he wouldn't have to go on a search for her. To his relief, she was in her bed, staring out at the Toronto skyline absently.

"Hey, Clare," He whispered as he approached her.

She turned to the sound of the voice, her eyes searching his. After what seemed to be an eternity, she exhaled. "They told me that some of my memories might come back over time," She said conversationally, "Although I can't remember your name right now, I recognize your face."

Well, that's a relief, Eli thought to himself. He knew he probably shouldn't ask this question that was in his head, but he needed to for his own sanity. He needed to know from which part of her memory she knew him from – just the other day, or from farther than that. "And how do you recognize my face?" He asked, his voice still a whisper.

Her lips pulled into a smile that struck Eli as almost sad, and that broke his heart. "You were here the other day," She said softly, "And I recognize you from some of my flashbacks. Except... you're much younger in them."

It was Eli's turn to smile sadly. She was recalling him from high school. Morty, their dreadful breakup, their intense love that still echoed through to today. Even though she barely knew him, he still loved her as strongly as he had when they were teenagers, perhaps even more so now. He wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with her, as he had imagined so long ago. He wanted to help her regain all her memories. He wanted to see her become Clare Diana Edwards again, the woman of his dreams - his angel. She was a broken angel right now, but Eli placed his faith in knowing that all she needed was some time and a little help and she would be back to her old self in no time – but that's what she needed: time.

"Did you hear the gunshots downstairs?" Clare asked, tilting her head to the side and a curl of her hair covered her left eye.

"That's why I'm here," Eli said, "I'm here to get you out of here before the police arrive."

"Why before they arrive?" Clare asked, tucking the strand away from her eye and behind her ear.

Eli knew that he was going to waste time explaining this, but she needed to know something before he just took her away. "There is a very dangerous man that wants to hurt you," Eli said with a frown, sitting down on the other edge of Clare's bed. "He's the one who–" He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat, "–did this to you."

Her brow furrowed and her soft lips went downwards into a frown as she tried to remember what exactly happened to her. A tear gathered at the corner of her eye and spilled and went down her cheek slowly. Instinctively, Eli wiped it away before she could. She half-smiled at that, but she was still sad. "I wish I knew what happened to me," She murmured.

The man downstairs happened to you, Eli mused to himself darkly. And the man who hired him, and the man who was meant to be your stepbrother who instead became your husband. These people happened to you. At the end of the thought, he didn't realize that he'd scowled. He looked back up into her blue eyes and tried to force a smile for her. "You'll remember one day," He said, although he didn't want her to. "I promise."

She accepted that with a nod and stood up. "I don't think I want you to be sad," She said as she gathered some of her things near her bed. "I'll go with you."

Not like you had much of a choice, Eli thought but smiled. It would be best if she didn't know that she had no choice in the matter. "We don't have a lot of time," Eli said, grabbing her wrist softly. "Whatever you have in here we can easily replace. We've got to get going."

She looked down at her wrist, frowning for a moment. Eli feared that she may pull away or resist, but she just nodded and her frown faded. "I'm sorry," She murmured, "I just... I'm sorry."

"Nothing to apologize for." Eli said and helped guide her away from her room with only the things she'd grabbed. "I just want to get you to somewhere safe, that's all."

"Is anywhere safe?" Clare asked softly, confidently.

This made Eli stop in his tracks. That almost sounded like the Clare from his memory. Was she starting to get back some of her memory? Eli felt his hopes rise. "What do you mean?"

"There are these two men that keep popping up in my memories and they're not you. They were cops, I think."

Jake and Scorpion. Eli thought. "They were two people that you knew, yes." He said, rubbing her lower back. "What else can you remember?"

"That's all. Except a few times the shorter one hit me."

"You're starting to remember." Eli said and finally smiled genuinely. "That's good news, Clare. Come on." He nudged her lower back and she continued walking. They made their way down the flight of stairs and all the way to the side entrance where he'd entered. Eli saw a flashlight down the end of the hall and ducked him and Clare into one of the rooms, hoping that the person on the other end of the flashlight didn't see them.

"What is it?" Clare whispered.

Eli pressed a finger to his lips, indicating he wanted her to be quiet.

"Elijah Goldsworthy!" A voice called out from down the hall that Eli did not recognize. Eli closed his eyes and hoped that the man hadn't seen him, but his flashlight settled onto their hiding spot and Eli cursed. "Come out with your hands UP!"