Alright, I seem to have given the impression that Olivia was going to walk out on Elliot. That wasn't what she meant when she said "I'm out of here". She just meant that she was being discharged. I used the phrase completely innocently and it is how Elliot interprets it also. I know she runs a lot, but how could she, under these circumstances? She can't. Well, not yet anyway ... (Insert evil laugh.)

...

6. Fight

Elliot stared at her for a few seconds, still covering her hand with his on his arm. She could feel his warmth and it warmed her as well. Still, part of her wanted to move away as well. They didn't touch each other like that. And the he asked her,

"You have a son?"

"Yes," she said, unable to suppress a wide smile, and Elliot returned her smile.

"That's great. How old?"

"He's two."

Elliot looked at her attentively again and she guessed what he must be thinking. How did an old spinster like herself end up with a two-year old?

"Are you married? Do you have more kids?"

Right. He didn't remember her.

"No. I've never been married and Noah is my only one. There's no daddy in the picture."

She wasn't going to dwell on the reason she had felt the need to add that little detail right away, and quickly continued,

"I keep forgetting that you don't remember me."

"I wish I could do that," Elliot said, smiling, and she smiled back at him.

"Maybe I can help."

"I'm sure of it," Elliot said, and the conviction in his voice made her believe it too.

She pulled her hand away and pulled up a chair to sit down, knowing he would have more questions for her. She had expected him to bring up the conversation they still needed to finish, but he surprised her when he told her,

"I dreamed about you last night."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Weird, isn't it? It wasn't much of a dream. Just you and me, walking down the street with a cup of coffee in our hands. You know, those Styrofoam cups?"

She knew. It was such a familiar image that she ached to be there again.

"That really happened, didn't it?" he asked her.

Olivia just nodded. It had been her life.

"So I'm dreaming actual memories now? Interesting."

"Have you ever dreamed of me before?"

The question was out there before she could stop it. And somehow, she knew it was alright to ask. This was Elliot, after all.

"I don't think so," Elliot answered but she could see he was still thinking about it.

He was quiet for a few moments and Olivia was very curious what he was thinking. She decided to wait for him to speak again. He was a lot more talkative now than he'd ever been so she expected him to speak up again soon. He didn't disappoint.

"You wanna know how I lost my memory?"

God, yes!

"Sure."

"It was my birthday. October 20, 2011. I turned 45 that day."

Elliot closed his eyes and frowned, as if he was straining to remember.

"We had this big bash in a restaurant with just about everyone we knew and everyone they knew, and they say I drank way too much. I don't remember that but I suppose I had good reason to drink that much," he added sadly, looking at her once more.

"They say I retired from the NYPD after a dramatic incident. Maureen told me most of this, and Kathy wasn't very eager to fill in the blanks so ..."

He sighed and Olivia waited.

"I got into this huge fight with Kathy. Maureen wasn't sure what it was about and Kathy won't tell me. She used to say it's in the past so let's leave it there."

Olivia guessed that particular fight wasn't the only one Kathy had tried to leave in the past.

"So I was pretty drunk and stormed out of my own party, off to God knows where. I was hit over the head with a baseball bat by a homeless guy, and I was mugged. When I woke up in the hospital, I didn't have a clue as to who I was or what had happened to me. The only thing I remember clearly is, that I was desperate to go somewhere. Unfortunately, I don't remember where. They had to restrain me for a few hours before I would calm down enough to let them treat me and to see my family."

"I'm so sorry Elliot. I wish I had known ..."

"Me too, Olivia. You know, for weeks I had these restless dreams. I was still trying to get to wherever I was going. It was suffocating because I felt that I had a goal, but no one would tell me what it was or where it was."

"That must have been so frustrating," Olivia sighed, looking down at her lap and fiddling with the sash of her robe.

"I always felt like I was trying to find someone rather than something," Elliot continued. "I'd chase unknown people in my dreams. Well, shadows really. But I just couldn't ever catch up with them."

Her own nightmares would often involve trying to get away from something or someone, but Olivia could imagine that trying to catch up with someone and failing could be just as unnerving. When she looked up she saw that Elliot was gazing at her intently, his blue eyes piercing her browns.

"Olivia, you must have known me pretty well. Do you have any idea where I would have wanted to go that night?"

...

Dun dun.

A/N Well, I think some of us may have an inkling ... And yes, I corrected Elliot's birthday after a reader pointed my mistake out to me. Thank you, iHATEamarorollins. (PS. Your pen name always startles me a bit because of the part in caps ... Glad to know you don't hate my stories!)

I may update again within 24 hours after this because of my schedule tomorrow, so be sure to check for the next chapter on Monday, even when the story list doesn't show it. Or just follow the story so you'll be notified at once.

Review, anyone? I'm no expert on amnesia obviously, I made this up completely. Is it still plausible?