Hello lovelies! I am soooooo sorry that this chapter is so late. My school year has been off to a busy start and it's difficult to find time to edit and tweek. But I've managed to finish this chapter and I hope you enjoy it! It is a bit shorter than the others but I am pretty proud of it. I mean, as proud as I can be coming out of a month-long writer's block frenzy. But anyway, enough of me jabbering on about nonsense. Read!

His mind was a blur as he walked through the streets. He did not understand what was happening.

He blinked when the rain began to fall in a gentle mist. People around him opened umbrellas or scurried under shop-window canopies, but he walked on.

The truth is you're dead!

The man's declaration stung Florian deeply. Nothing made sense.

The street lamps created little halos of light through the soft rain. It was beautiful, but he did not care.

All he could think about was her. He'd felt something when he held her, a familiar something he could not describe. It was joy and agony all at once, a consuming need to stay beside her.

If only he could have stayed. If only -

Why couldn't you stay dead?

Florian shook his head as he darted up to the hotel entrance. He was in a daze while he ascended the once-grand staircase and walked the short distance to his room.

He fumbled with the rusted lock and entered, gently shutting the door behind him.

The door to the adjacent room opened and Antoine stormed inside, exhaling in relief.

"I've been looking for you everywhere!" he stated exasperatedly, "Where have you been?"

Florian sighed, removing his coat solemnly, "Where do you think."

Antoine closed his eyes, "Don't...please don't tell me you went back to her house - "

"Of course I went back!" Florian raised his voice but then lowered his head and continued in a whisper, "I had to."

"Had to?" Antoine asked, raising a brow.

"Yes..." Florian replied softly and slowly sat in the chair by the window.

Antoine took a deep breath as he watched his friend, "What happened?"

"That man from the store was there," he began, "He would not let me talk to her - "

"Really?" Antoine tried to appear surprised, "What did he - "

"He said I was dead," Florian turned his head sharply, wanting to see his friend's face, "He said I'd been dead for years and that you knew about it."

Antoine's curiosity had faded by this time and his eyes were fearful.

"Tell me it isn't true," Florian shook his head, "Tell me you had nothing to do with this."

"Please, hear me out," Antoine stepped forward, wanting to explain it all away, "You had forgotten everything. I did what I had to do."

"And what exactly was that? Kill me?" Florian asked sternly, "Not only that, you concealed it from me. And you have obviously worked with this man to prevent me from learning the truth, from seeing her - Why?"

"Please understand, I did not know what else I could do," Antoine swallowed hard, knowing his words meant nothing to his friend, "I only wanted what was best for you."

Florian stood, rage boiling in his blood. A murderous anger rose from his heart, though he did not know why.

Florian's voice was coarse with pain, he could hardly breathe, "Whatever your motivation, you have stolen a part of my life that I can never get back."

Antoine's shoulder's sagged, "Florian, You could not remember anything," he reiterated, "And the doctor...the doctor said - "

"I remember what he said!" Florian snapped, "I also remember what you said that day - the day I woke. And every day since - You will never let me forget it."

"Forget what?" Antoine's brow furrowed.

"That I saved your life," he replied harshly.

Antoine was silent.

"I saved your life yet you destroyed mine," he spat out, shaking his head in disgust, "By lying, going behind my back, playing God...How could you do it? You who know what torment I have lived in these five years!" Florian exclaimed, frustration and sadness causing his body to shake, "Why you...you know more about my life than I do!"

His eyes began to water and an overwhelming wretchedness filled his heart.

"I knew her, Antoine...I..." he lifted a hand to his cheek, wiping the tears away, "I do not understand. I do not know why I'm reacting this way," he muttered, leaning on the chair for support, "Why should I cry over a woman I hardly remember?"

Antoine closed his eyes, willing himself to speak, "Because you do remember."

"No I don't," Florian slumped into the chair and leaned forward with his head in his hands, "I don't...I..."

"You might not think you do," Antoine went on gently, "But the heart does not easily forget."

Florian looked up, his misery quickly replaced with confusion.

Antoine sighed, "You were lovers."

Florian's teary eyes widened.

Antoine smiled at Florian's mystified expression and shrugged, "Or that's what you told me, anyway."

"I told you?" Florian asked in astonishment.

"In the trenches," Antoine explained casually, "You talked about her a lot. In fact, she was practically the only person you ever talked about. Well, besides your family, obviously, but even then...I mean, you had the other men thinking she was your legitimate wife."

Florian looked down, his brow furrowed, "But she...she is so much - "

"So much older than you?" Antoine asked, "It was an odd romance, I will not lie," he let out a soft chuckled, "I remember you saying that she was not old enough to be your mother, so there was nothing wrong with it," he looked to Florian and smiled, "But even if she was, I know you would not have cared. You were very much in love."

"Love..." Florian stared into nothing, "I really loved her?"

Antoine nodded.

Florian's heart warmed in his chest. Of course he loved her. Nothing else made sense. Why else would he dream about her every night and want to hold her in his arms the moment he saw her?

Florian was silent as Antoine walked to a side-table and poured a glass of water.

"Do you remember anything now?" Antoine asked, handing over the cup.

Florian shook his head as he took a sip."No...nothing."

Antoine shrugged, "It is probably just as well. She is engaged now."

"Engaged?" Florian asked, his heart sparking with jealousy though he did not recognize the feeling as such, "To be married?"

"Yes..." Antoine nodded, watching Florian carefully, "To Mr. Grove. The man you met."

Florian's heart sank but he said nothing.

A moment passed before Antoine spoke.

"Forgive me, Florian," he muttered, "For everything I have done. Please, forgive me."

"Forgive you?" shaking his head, Florian turned and looked to his friend, "I wish I could say yes, but it is not possible. Not now."

Antoine nodded and began towards his room.

"I know I should hardly be asking this of you," Antoine said, glancing over his shoulder, "But I must beg you to return with me to Belgium," Florian scoffed under his breath, but Antoine continued, "You can despise me, you can hate me, but you must think of Josie now."

Florian sighed and then nodded, "Of course. I may not remember loving her but I would never dream of causing her additional heartache," he wrinkled his brow, doubt clogging his mind, "And yet I do not think I could live with myself if I were to leave - without seeing her again, without letting her know the truth..." he looked down into his glass.

Antoine shrugged, "It is your choice, my friend. But I believe that if you care for her, really care..." he took a deep breath, "...then you would leave this place and never come back."

Florian closed his eyes and made no reply.

He heard Antoine's door shut and the room fill with silence once more.

He opened his eyes and gazed out to the street below, his head swimming with thoughts of her.

Oh no! What will he choose? Will he leave and never see Josie again? Or will he stay and ruin everything for Roger?

Find out soon...ish

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