It was the longest 12 minutes of Jennifer's life, but finally, they stepped back and told her that he was ok.

"He's going to sleep the rest of the night though, so if you want to go home, now would be a good time."

She nodded.

"What caused that?"

"He had an allergic reaction to the antibiotic. We gave him some saline to flush it out of his system and he's on a catheter, and we are going to monitor him very closely".

"I'm concerned that he hasn't regained his memory".

"That will probably come in time, but it's hard to say".

"Thank you".

After the nurses left, she went over and climbed up in the bed next to him, and laced her hand through his.

"We had a deal, sailor. No more scaring me. I'm going to go home now so you can rest. I love you, all my heart. I know you don't remember that, but I do". She leaned over and kissed him a few times, and then left.

She arrived at the townhouse about 10 minutes later. Max was sitting on the couch.

"Hey Miss Edwards, how did your visit with Jonathan go?"

"Awkward at first, and then it was kind of ok, and then they gave him an antibiotic, and he had a bad reaction to it. He went into anaphylactic shock".

"Is he alright?"

"They got him stabilized but he's asleep, and will be all night. So, I came back here".

"Oh geez. Poor kid can't catch a break".

"I told him I was coming back here, because this is where my things are. But if it makes you uncomfortable, I can get a hotel room".

"Nonsense, Miss Edwards, it's a pleasure to have you here".

"Thanks, Max".

She leaned forward and kissed his cheek and then headed upstairs to change.

She came down a little later in her gown and robe, and made herself some dinner.

Max had gone to a poker game, and had left her a note.

"Gone to play the cards. Will be home later. He loves you, just give him a chance to remember- Max".

She took her dinner to the living room, and tried to watch a movie, but found that she couldn't get into it.

She ended up going upstairs to read.

Within an hour, she was fast asleep, on the pillow she had put inside Jonathan's nightshirt.

***The next morning***

Jennifer woke up and showered and dressed and went to the hospital.

Jonathan was still sleeping when she got there.

She sat down next to him and started to read.

The nurse came in to check his vitals.

"Hi, did he have a good night?"

"He did. He slept all night, no more reactions. That medicine should be out of his system soon, if it's not already. The doctor will prescribe him something else".

"Thank you".

"He should be waking up soon".

"Great".

She sat there reading for a little longer, and pretty soon, she heard a "hey".

She looked over and he was awake.

"Good morning. How are you feeling?"

"Kind of stiff, and like I've slept for days".

"That's the medicine they gave you last night".

"Can you fill me in?"

"The nurse, she gave you cephalexin. And you had a reaction to it, and you went into anaphylactic shock. So, they had to give you some medicine to bring you out of the shock, and then more medicine to help you calm down and rest".

"Did you rest?"

"Yes, I went to the townhouse and slept all night".

"Good."

"Can I get you anything?"

"No thank you".

The doctor came in and examined him.

"Mr. Hart, you are healing very well. If you can have another good day without anymore anaphylaxis, you can go home. We are going to remove the drain today, and see how you do".

"Thank you".

"So, from now on, you are allergic to cephalexin. Also, the lab is going to send the results of the tests on the tumor to a dermatologist, a Dr. Hogan. They will follow up with you after they get them".

"Thank you".

The nurse came in to remove the drain, and put a butterfly bandage over the wound.

"Can I get up and walk today? And take a real shower?"

"Yes, but baby steps. Don't do too much at once".

"Jonathan, why don't I run home and get you some fresh clothes?"

"Yes please. And my shaving kit".

"You got it."

She got up and got her things and left, and was back within an hour.

"Here you go".

"Thank you. I think I want to take a walk first. Will you walk with me?"

"Certainly".

She helped him out of bed and made sure his gown was tied in the back, and they started walking.

He did really well for someone who hadn't walked in a few days.

"Jonathan, are you having any memories return?"

"No, not yet".

They got back to his room.

"Need any help with the shower?"

"No thanks, I think I've got it. But can you stay here, just in case?"

"Certainly".

She stayed while he took a shower and then went to the cafeteria to get them both something to eat.

She brought it back to him and they ate quietly, while they watched TV.

"I'm ready to get out of here, get back home".

"I bet."

"Thank you for staying here and sitting with me".

"We're engaged, Jonathan. I wouldn't be anywhere else".

He was quiet and didn't say anything.

They watched a couple movies together and then the nurse came and took his catheter out, and the doctor officially discharged him.

She carried their bags as he was wheeled out of the hospital.

She drove them to the townhouse, and parked, and he walked inside without any help.

From the back, you couldn't even tell his head had been cut open.

"Hey, Max".

"Mr. H., glad to have you home!"

They shook hands and Jonathan got settled on the couch.

"I'm going to make you twos a special dinner. Whatever you want, Mr. H."

"Primavera stuffed chicken, Max".

"I'll get right on it."

Jennifer took their things upstairs and then came back downstairs and sat next to him. He was watching TV.

She picked up her bridal magazine and started looking through it.

About 20 minutes later, he touched her shoulder.

"Can I see the pictures from our vacation again?"

"Certainly".

She went and got them and brought them back to him.

He looked through them a few times, and then handed them back to her.

"Anything?"

"No. This is so frustrating!"

"I have an idea".

She took his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Embrace me, Jonathan".

He hesitated, and then did it.

She leaned up and kissed him. It wasn't a knockout kiss by any means, but it was tender, and romantic.

"Is that a normal kiss for us?"

"Not really. Our kisses are more like this".

She straddled his lap and framed his face with her hands and kissed him with all the passion and love she could. She did all the things he loved-nibbling on his bottom lip, probing his mouth with her tongue, all of it. She made the kiss last as long as she could, and then finally broke the kiss.

"We normally kiss like that?"

"Yeah, when we really get going, or when we are finally alone".

He had a blank stare on his face.

"No bells, huh?"

"None. I should remember a kiss like that".

She resignedly nodded, and then climbed off him.

"I'm sorry Jennifer, I promise you, I'm trying".

"It's ok, I believe you".

"Can you tell me more about things that we did?"

"Well, when we had our date in London, we went dancing, and had dinner and had some champagne. And when we were with the kids, but we weren't a couple, our interactions were just friendly. You wanted us to be together, but I didn't want to confuse the kids. After we became a couple, just before Christmas, our alone time was basically when the kids went to sleep. We did get a sitter a couple times to go to dinner, but that was it. Aruba was really the only time we were truly alone".

"I see".

Max came and told them that dinner was ready, so they went and ate.

He lit them some candles and put on some soft music.

"Max, that isn't necessary".

"Sure, it is. You two haven't had a lot of romantic alone time since the kids were here. Consider this a prelude to your romantic interlude".

"Thanks, Max".

He left them alone, and they enjoyed a quiet, peaceful dinner. It wasn't as romantic as Jennifer or Max had wished for, but at least they weren't fighting.

After they were done eating, Jennifer did the dishes and Jonathan put away the leftovers.

"Oh, darling, I'll get that".

"It's ok".

He came over to her after she was done with the dishes.

"How about we take a walk?"

"Are you sure you're up to it?"

"Yeah, I'm fine".

"Ok".

They went and thanked Max for dinner and told him they were going to take a short walk.

They walked down to the beach and out towards the shore, and walked on the shore for a bit.

"Jennifer, I saw you looking at a bridal magazine earlier. Did we set a date yet?"

"We said August 18th. But we haven't booked anything for it yet".

"I think we need to rethink this".

"What do you mean?"

"It's just that I can't remember us at all. And I don't feel right about marrying someone who I can't remember being in love with, and I feel like you deserve someone who wants to be there at the altar with you, and I don't know that I am that person".

"Jonathan, as soon as your memory comes back, the feelings will too".

"If my memory comes back. We have no guarantees that it will".

She let go of his hand and crossed her arms across her chest.

"I'm not saying this to hurt you. Believe me, that's the last thing I want to do. I just think it's not fair to you for me to not feel for you the things I'm supposed to feel as part of the engaged couple".

She nodded.

They turned and started walking back to the house.

"So, you didn't want to come on a walk today to feel better, you wanted to come here to break up with me?"

"I wanted us to be able to talk in private and this was the best I could think of".

"Jonathan, I know you don't remember this. And it's not your fault. And I have faith that in time it will all come back to you. But I want you to really understand what I gave up for you. I let my apartment go. I put my things in storage, and shipped some stuff out here, including two cars, to live with you. I quit my job to come live here with you. And it's only been a couple days since you lost your memory, and you are already giving up on us."

"I know it's not ideal. But I'm trying to do what is fair to you and for you, and overall, this is the best option".

She didn't say anything, she just walked silently beside him back to the townhouse.

As soon as they went inside, she went upstairs and started packing her clothes into suitcases.

Jonathan gave her some space and then came upstairs.

"Jennifer, I wasn't saying that you had to move out".

"I know. But we aren't engaged anymore, so there's nothing keeping me here on the west coast. So, I figure, I'll go back to New York, and see if I can get my job at the Times back, and find an apartment".

She took her ring off and walked it over to him and handed it to him.

"I don't even remember buying this for you".

"I'll never forget you proposing to me".

She finished packing her suitcases and took them downstairs.

She loaded the car and then came back in.

She handed him his house key.

"Bye Jonathan, I hope that you get your memory back, and if you don't, I hope you find whatever it is you are looking for. I'm sorry I couldn't make you happy".

She kissed his cheek and then left.

She blinked back the tears as she drove, and managed to book a room at the Westin.

It wasn't till she was in bed, and trying to fall asleep, that the tears really fell.

Under normal circumstances, Jennifer would have picked up the phone and called Caroline. And for the first since the accident, she truly realized that she couldn't do that.

She cried herself to sleep, missing her best friend and the man she had fallen in love with.

***Jonathan***

Max came in from his poker game.

Jonathan was still sitting on the couch.

"Hey Mr. H. How was your walk with Miss Edwards?"

"We decided to go our separate ways, Max".

"You two decided that?"

"Well, it was more me, but she agreed to it".

"Are you crazy? Mr. H., you know that even though I'm the closest thing you got to a Pop, I don't treat you like I am your Pop. I think of you as my kid, but I don't boss you around like you are my kid. Now, I gotta tell you, you've brought home some beautiful women in your day. I mean really beautiful. And that's all they were, Mr. H. They didn't have much going on in the smarts department. If they did, they were only interested in you for your money. But not Miss Edwards. She's the greatest woman you ever brought home. She's so in love with you, and she can't deny that, it's obvious. But she's smart, she's classy, and she cares about other people. She's the only one that you've brought home that has been this nice to me. I mean, thanking me for making dinner, or helping you. Pitching in to do the dishes and not treating me like a servant. You gotta fix this with her, Mr. H. You just gotta".

"Max, it's not that simple. I did this for her. I don't know that I'll ever get my memory back. And she deserves someone to be waiting for her at the altar, who wants to marry her because they are in love with her. I can't promise that will be me".

"I understand that, but Mr. H., did you have to kick her out?"

"I didn't kick her out. She chose to leave".

"I see. Well, I'm sorry it didn't work out for you two. We gotta hope that your memory comes back really soon".

"I would love that. I'm trying, Max. I'm trying".