**I DO NOT OWN THIS SHOW OR THE CHARACTERS IN THE SHOW, I AM JUST BORROWING THEM**
Previously….
~~~ I waited and waited for Catherine to come back. It had been hours since she left and I was really beginning to worry. I had already called JT and Tess but they hadn't seen or heard from her. I called the nearby store but they said somebody fitting her description had left hours ago. I tried calling her dad, but no answer. "Where are you Catherine?" I said to myself, pacing in the living room. I pulled out my phone and began to dial Catherine's number for the 100th time since she left but I didn't get an answer. Suddenly my phone rings and I don't even take the time to see who it is, "Catherine I've been worried to death…."
"Mr. Keller?"
"Yes? Who is this?"
"This is Dr. Burns at New York General. I saw your number on file as the boyfriend and I'm afraid I have to give some bad news….there has been a terrible car accident and we need you here immediately."~~~
Memories….they can either keep you sane, or drive you raging mad. In my case, they do both. I can remember her smile, the way she smelt…..the way she laughed, her beautiful eyes…..God, why have I been punished? I can do nothing for her but hold her hand and hope that she wakes up remembering who I am…..and who we are as a couple. Yeah, the doc said there is a huge possibility that she won't even remember me when she wakes up. How heart breaking is that to know that the love of your life, that used to know everything about you, just lose every bit of memory of what made us, us. I mean yeah it was better than losing her completely, but isn't it just the same? I mean sure, I have a few photos of us together but how do I even know that she will even want to try to remember me? A week has passed since the accident and she still hadn't opened her eyes yet. I have prayed that God would take my life to save hers but nothing happens. From what I was told, Catherine was passing through an intersection (her light was green) and a drunk driver ran a redlight at 50 mph, slamming into Catherine's car and slinging it across the road. They performed surgery, but they don't think it will be successful because they believe she will have some memory loss. I plan to work with her as much as she will allow me to….hopefully making her remember me or fall in love with me again.
That should have been me laying in that hospital bed, not her. I should have went to get her strawberries and I should have told her to wait to see her dad til the next day, but I didn't….this is my fault. She wouldn't be here if I had stopped her from leaving that night. I wish she would wake up. It's eating me alive seeing her this way and I don't know what to do or if I can do anything to help her. Tess comes on the weekends so I can work to pay the bills at our house…which I haven't been staying there lately, I have been here day after day, night after night…..I can't leave her longer than I have to…I WON'T!
Tess is headed over here to watch Catherine now because I want to go to the courthouse and face the SOB that put her in here….I want to make sure he gets time for this….he deserves to pay for this! Not only for hurting her, but for possibly destroying any memory she may have of me….somebody needs to be there as a voice for her and I was going to be that voice.
JT decided to go with me because he thinks I'll go all beast on the guy, but do you blame me? The guy knew what he was doing when he drunk beyond recognition and then decided to go on a cruise down the road.
We were running late as it was but I had planned on speaking one way or the other. As soon as JT parked I jumped out of the car and ran up the courthouse steps. JT tried to run after me, but I was way quicker than he was. I slammed open the court room doors and began my testimony,
"If you let that man leave this courtroom today you will be making a huge mistake! My name is Vincent Keller…I am the fiancé of the woman he put into the hospital for exactly 7 days, 2 hours, and 33 minutes. I have been there every single day and night, tired and mentally exhausted, waiting for her to wake up….."
"Mr. Keller, I must stop you there…you cannot come into my courtroom causing a scene like this. If you wish to speak on Mrs. Chandler's behalf then you will have to get with her lawyer and I will have to continue this case for another date."
"Wait, please…..let me finish. I will only be a few minutes."
"Proceed Mr. Keller…but you had best keep it clean and respectful to this court."
"….We have been together for a year now. She means the world to me and we have been through so much together…."
My eyes begin to swell up with tears as I continued,
"My life has revolved around this woman day and night because she is my life. Now I don't know if she will even remember who I am anymore….the doctor says that there is a huge possibility that she will suffer from memory loss. Do you even know what that is like to be told that your life is being stripped away from you because this man wanted to get drunk and go joy riding? I feel like I have been kicked in the stomach because hearing those word from the doctor makes it hard for me to even breathe. We was engaged 6 months ago…she probably won't remember that. We met because her car wouldn't start, but she will probably forget that too. She was accepted into an Art School over in France because she is so talented and she will probably forget that as well. All of her life's moments will possibly be taken away from her, from me, from her family and friends and yet you as the judge call the shots on whether or not he deserves to be behind bars. He may be sorry now….but he wasn't sorry when he got drunk….and he wasn't sorry when he ran the redlight…he wasn't even sorry for speeding. But I will tell you this, I am sorry for allowing her to go out that night…all she wanted was some stupid strawberries and to see her dad because she just got back from France and missed him. I am begging you….please, don't let him walk out of here free. He deserves to pay for this!"
"Thank you Mr. Keller. That was a very touching speech, but I am going to have to ask you to take a seat now or exit the courtroom one."
Me and JT sat down and waited for the verdict. I kept my glare onto the bastard that hurt my beloved and he knew it too. My whole presence intimidated him.
"I happen to know that this isn't your first appearance Mr. Brookes….I find you guilty with reckless driving…guilty for DWI…and guilty for attempted vehicular homicide, all without bond. Supervised probation for 2 years. Indefinite Suspension of License….with 10 years in prison. You will also be responsible for paying fines and court costs."
I finally released my breath that I didn't realize I had been holding and tears fell down my face. It was over and he was actually going to be punished for what he had done. I was so relieved at this news, but I was still not satisfied because Catherine was still not awake yet.
Me and JT left and I got a missed call from Tess while I was inside, so when we made it out to the car, I called her back.
"Hello?"
"Hey, anything?"
"She's not fully awake but she's dreaming….she keeps calling out your name, so…get here when you can."
"Thanks Tess. I'll be there asap!"
I practically sped the whole way there since it didn't take no time to get there. I told JT to park the car and I ran inside. When I got to her room Tess greeted me in the hall and said, "She's awake but they are running a few tests to see where her stability stands."
"Do you think she will remember us? I'm sure she will remember you, but what about me?"
Tess rubbed my shoulder as she said, "Hey, it's not the end of the world….besides if she truly doesn't remember you, this is a given opportunity to rediscover why you both fell in love in the first place….and JT and I will help you work with her. Just don't fret right away, we may not have to work with her at all."
"Thanks Tess. She is so lucky to have a friend like you…."
"I'm your friend too."
"A very good friend at that. I truly appreciate you and JT through this."
"You know we are here for you."
As the doctors leave the room, Tess and I sighed and entered. I let Tess go in first because if she doesn't know me then I don't want her to freak out.
"Hey, Tess. How are you?" Catherine said in a mumble.
I started staring out the window when she said, "Vincent?"
I spun around no sure if I had heard her correctly.
"You're the man in my dreams."
Oh my God….she remembers! She remembers us!
"I'm so sorry." I said as I walked closer to the bed.
"Why be sorry?"
"I should have been the one that left that night. Not you."
"Wait…what?"
Oh no! I spoke too soon.
"Don't you remember Cat? You and Vincent were home when you decided you wanted something to eat. You got hit by a drunk driver which is why you are here."
"We were home….together?! So you and me are like friends?"
She looked at me with such a puzzled look I just couldn't look at her. She placed her hand on my left cheek and turned my head to face her. She began running her hand through my hair and down my cheek.
"Catherine, I don't know if you remember or not but we are together….engaged actually. I just bought us a house out of the money I got from selling the club. I know it's a lot to process but it's true."
"I don't know….I'm trying to remember….I'm so sorry."
"Don't be…it's not your fault and the doctor said this was subject to happen. But we will help you remember if you want?"
"I do Vincent….is that even your name? Or just a name my head came up with while I was dreaming?"
I let out a slight laugh, "No, Vincent is my name. I'll be right back. Do you want anything Tess? Catherine?"
"Well since you asked, I would really love a heated donut with a cup of coffee." Tess said.
I look back towards Catherine who was staring at me like she knew, but couldn't quite figure it out.
"Catherine?"
"Chocolate pie sounds good….but they won't let me have anything right now….so no thank you."
Our eyes locked and it took everything in me to not kiss her right now. I wanted to so badly but I know it will freak her out since she doesn't really remember me.
I pass JT and tell him not to go in the room yet, "She doesn't remember me."
"Dude, I'm so sorry. We all will get through this. It's just gonna take some time."
~Catherine~
Vincent…a name that seems so familiar but I can't really bring my thoughts together to remember him. He seems to care a lot about me to be here, so maybe we do have something together. The connection with him is so strong and I am confused as to why that is. I don't have any memories of this man yet hes there in my dreams and even here in real life, he was standing in my doorway. The man of my dreams that touched me and loved me and smiled at me...me returning the same things as if I had knew him my entire life. Was it maybe flashes of my distant memory? Or was it just a coincidence? Who knows….but I plan on trying to figure everything out one way or the other.
My head shot up at him when he entered the room with food and coffee. Who is that other guy with him? Did I know him too?
He bought me a pie? I can't accept that, "Vincent, I can't have the pie…."
"Well, if your hungry then I'm going to feed you whatever you want. Screw the doctor orders."
I couldn't help but smile at his caring nature. This man truly cares. When I begin eating, Tess starts drooling over my pie, so Vincent turned and left to grab her one. It felt good to have them here. It all felt familiar but again, I couldn't remember any of them but Tess.
2 weeks have passed and I had continued having dreams about Vincent. He wouldn't leave my side in the hospital so I wanted to know more about him and our supposed history. Was there proof of us that he could show me? Like an answering machine of us together? Or some photos? I needed something besides dreams to tell me that this was real.
I was released from the hospital, but I wanted to take a shower before I left. We walked into the bathroom and he turned on the water. He turned towards me and our eyes locked as he asked, "Do you need me to help you with your clothes?"
"I don't want to pain you any more than it is for you now."
I couldn't help but want him to join me so I stated, "Maybe you should get in with me in case something happens?"
At first he hesitated, then nodded and turned back around towards the shower as I turned my back towards him and we both began to undress. This felt awkward to me but it seemed like it wasn't the first time this has happened between us. I was temporarily distracted by the dogtags that gracefully dangled on his firm muscular body….I think I was getting aroused by this. When I saw him look back towards me, I quickly shifted myself back to face the wall, blushing yet smiling. I wasn't the only one who took a peek, he too peeked at me and I must admit, it made me feel good. Once I was naked I grabbed a towel quickly and turned around towards him covering my body. Oh my God, he was fully naked and I could see everything. My breath hitched when my eyes moved to certain places and I turned my head away instantly as I began blushing again.
"Like what you see? It's not the first time you have seen it before." He said with a huge grin.
"Oh…uhm…I wasn't looking, exactly…..I'm sorry, did you say that I have seen it before? So, we…."
"Yeah…your no longer a virgin. It was your idea to do that in the first place….trust me I was more shocked than you that night….and for the record, you was totally looking, which I don't mind." He said jokingly causing me to blush even more.
I sighed before I dropped my towel exposing my fully nude body to him and I could tell by a certain something moving that it turned him on.
"Shall we?" I asked with a smile and I walked past him and into the shower. He entered soon after me and I couldn't resist the heat radiating off of his body so my hands explored a bit, up his chest and down to his toned abs. I looked back up to him, eyes locked yet again and I knew then that if I didn't stop, that it would escalate. But my body was against pulling back now…no, I couldn't stop. Our faces were nearly inches away and I could feel his heated breath against my lips. Something inside me wanted him and I didn't know if I could control it….or if I even wanted to. There was a pull between our hearts that tugged us closer.
Without even thinking about it, I crushed my mouth against his and there wasn't no going back now. I jumped up wrapping my legs around him as I began to have flashes of our life together….
"Uhm, hi. I'm Vincent. I couldn't help but notice that you were having car problems….mind if I take a look?"
Moans slipped out of my mouth in between thrusts and old memories of what we had.
"Catherine, I can't really explain how or why, but I have fallen completely, madly in love with you and I know it doesn't make sense because we have only known each other for a short time, but I do, Catherine….I'm crazy about you. I dream about you in my sleep, I wake up in the mornings wanting nothing more than to be around you….I have never felt this way about anyone else besides you. I am here telling you this because I can't let you leave….please…..stay here with me."
This is real. This was memories of us and pieces of it was coming back to me. This actually felt so right for the first time since I woke up in the hospital.
"Forever is a long time Mr. Keller….you might want to reconsider your choice of words."
"I can't…cause I am so in love with you."
We kissed even harder than when it had began and when my flashes came to a hault, I gasped for air like it had snapped me back into reality. He looked at me with a look of fear almost like he thought he had hurt me…and then it slipped off my tongue like lyrics I had memorized, "I remember….."
"What?"
"Not much….but enough that tells me who you are….who we are. I know who you are Vincent, I remember."
**A/N: (flatlines) ugh I know! Cliffhangers suck :/ but only momentarily. Just so you know, we only have 8 more days until BATB returns and I am going to take this time to happy dance…..Okay I'm back lol. Anyways, I'm sorry if this chapter sucked but oh well if you don't like it you don't have to read it lol. Just saying :/ Anyways, how do you think Vincent will handle this news? Will Catherine remember them being engaged? Will she have more flashes of their romantic relationship? Find out in the next chapter of Decisions, Decisions. : ) Oh…and I love you all! Also, if you haven't read it yet, you should check out Kezlyn's story "The Situation" here on fanfiction….It's amazing! Okay, you know what to do?**