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Amnesia Pt.2


The soft hum of machines and the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor filled the hospital room. Mercedes stirred, her head pounding, and her body felt heavy like she was wading through thick fog.

She blinked a few times, her vision clearing as she looked around. The sterile white walls and the faint scent of antiseptic grounded her in the unfamiliar reality of her surroundings.

As her gaze shifted, she spotted Sam sitting beside her, his large frame slouched in the chair, looking down at his phone. His warm and solid hand still clasped hers, and she felt a faint sense of comfort in the gesture.

He glanced up as she stirred, his green eyes softening. "Hey," he said, his voice low but steady. "How are you feeling?"

Mercedes cleared her throat, her voice raspy. "Umm… okay.." She said as if she were searching for the word.

"That's good."

Mercedes eyed him for a moment. She opened her mouth, but a groan was all she could manage.

Sam nodded and pressed the call button for the nurse. "Hold on. Let's get someone in here to check you out."

As the nurse entered, Sam squeezed Mercedes's hand gently. "I'm going to let your parents know you're awake, okay?"

Mercedes nodded weakly, her throat too dry to respond. She watched him as he stood, his broad shoulders tense but his expression composed. He gave her a small, reassuring smile before leaving the room.

The nurse, a cheerful woman in her late thirties, moved to Mercedes's bedside, her smile kind and understanding. "Good to see you awake, sweetie," she said, checking the monitor. She began taking Mercedes's blood pressure and oxygen levels.

"You've got yourself an attentive fiancé," the nurse said with a knowing smile. "He hasn't left your side since you got here."

Mercedes blinked, her eyes widening. "My… what?" she croaked.

The nurse chuckled, motioning to the large diamond ring on Mercedes's left hand. "Your fiancé. And he's got exquisite taste, I might add. That rock is a stunner."

Mercedes followed the nurse's gesture, her gaze dropping to her hand. The diamond sparkled under the fluorescent lights, but the sight of it brought no recognition.

Her chest tightened as she looked back at the nurse. "I… I don't remember," she whispered.

The nurse's smile softened, her tone turning more professional. "That's normal after what you've been through. Memory loss can happen with trauma, especially an accident like yours. But don't worry, Doctor Carter will be in soon to check on you. You're going to be okay."

Mercedes nodded, though her mind was spinning. She stared at the ring on her finger, the weight of it feeling unfamiliar and strange.

"What... what's his name? My...my fiancee," She said as if toying with the word.

The nurse patted her shoulder gently. "His name is Sam. I'll grab Doctor Carter. Just relax, sweetie. We'll figure it all out."

As the nurse left, Mercedes leaned back into the pillows, her hand trembling slightly as she touched the ring again. No matter how hard she tried to focus, her mind was blank, a disorienting void where memories should have been.

The door creaked open, and she looked up, half expecting Sam to walk back in. Instead, it was Doctor Carter, clipboard in hand and a warm expression on his face.


Sam leaned against the wall in the waiting room; his arms crossed tightly over his chest as he spoke to Mayor Richard and Marilyn Jones. The worry etched into their faces was mirrored in Sam's own frustration. Across the room, Steven sat on a plastic chair, glaring daggers at his brother, his foot tapping a restless rhythm on the linoleum floor.

The waiting room door swung open, and Amelia and Garrett Jones strode in. Amelia, two years younger than Mercedes and as fiery as her sister, made a beeline for her father.

"Dad, how's Mercedes? Is she okay?" Amelia's voice wavered, her fear barely masked by her determination to stay calm.

Richard put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We're waiting for Doctor Carter to give us an update," he said softly.

Garrett, the eldest of the Jones siblings and a towering figure in both stature and demeanor turned his sharp gaze to Steven. His jaw tightened as he took a step closer. "You wanna tell me what the hell happened to my sister?"

Steven opened his mouth, but no words came out. He looked to Sam for help, but Sam stared back, his eyes cold and unrelenting.

Amelia sighed. "I am going to call everyone; we told them the party was off, but they are still worried."

Sam nodded as he turned back to Richard and Marilyn. "I'll stay with her. You all should get some rest."

"No way," Garrett interjected. "She's gonna need all of us."

"Agreed," Richard added, his voice steady. "We'll take turns staying with her. We're not leaving her alone."

Sam nodded, his anger toward Steven still simmering just beneath the surface. He'd do whatever it took to protect Mercedes—even if that meant keeping his own brother in check.


Doctor Carter stepped into the waiting room as everyone turned to face him.

Richard moved towards him. "How is she?"

"She's stable," Doctor Carter began, his calm voice doing little to ease the tension. "Physically, she's on the mend. She has a concussion, bruised ribs from the steering column, and a broken knee from the impact. She'll need time to heal, and we'll keep her here for the next day or two to ensure we didn't miss anything."

Gasps and murmurs rippled through the room. Marilyn covered her mouth, tears welling in her eyes, while Richard's expression darkened.

"When can we see her?" Richard asked his voice firm despite the tremor of emotion underneath.

Doctor Carter offered them a smile. "She is experiencing some memory loss, so I would like to see her reaction to seeing you all. And that would give us a better idea of how to treat her."

Everyone nodded as they walked towards the room, and Mercedes' parents and siblings rushed in. Mercedes was propped up on the hospital bed, her face pale but alert.

"Baby!" Marilyn Jones exclaimed, her voice breaking as she hurried to her daughter's side. Richard Jones followed closely behind, his strong demeanor faltering as emotion overtook him. Amelia and Garrett were right behind them, both looking visibly shaken.

Marilyn gently cupped Mercedes' face, her eyes brimming with tears. "Oh, sweetheart, thank God you're awake." She leaned in and kissed Mercedes' forehead.

Mercedes blinked at her mother, her brows furrowing slightly as she glanced at each of their faces. "I'm sorry," she said hesitantly, her voice soft and unsure, "But... who are you?"

The room went still. Marilyn's hands dropped, her expression crumbling, but Richard quickly stepped forward, clearing his throat as if to steady himself.

"I'm your father, Richard," he said, his tone gentle but firm, "and this is your mom, Marilyn. These are your siblings, Amelia and Garrett."

Amelia's eyes filled with tears as she forced a shaky smile. "Meri, it's me, your sister. We're really close—like, inseparable."

Garrett stepped closer, his voice deep and steady. "I'm Garrett, your big brother. You've been bossing me around since you could talk."

Mercedes looked at each of them carefully, her gaze lingering on Amelia. Slowly, she nodded, offering a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "It's nice to meet you all...again?"

The words landed heavily on her family. Marilyn sniffled, trying to hold back a sob, while Richard put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" Marilyn asked, her voice trembling.

Mercedes hesitated. "I'm... okay, I guess. My head hurts, and my knee feels weird." She paused, glancing at them nervously. "I don't remember anything."

Amelia's voice broke. "Not even us?"

Mercedes shook her head slowly. "I'm sorry, I feel like I know you, but…" she whispered.

Before the weight of her words could settle, Steven pushed past them, rushing to her bedside. "Mercedes," he said urgently, his voice cutting through the moment. "It's me—Steven. I've been so worried about you."

He reached for her hand again, but Mercedes instinctively pulled it back, glancing at him warily. "I'm sorry... I don't know you either."

"But…Mercedes, it's me." Steven said again, gripping her hand tightly. Mercedes flinched, pulling her hand away from his grasp. "Please don't do that," she murmured, her tone distant yet firm.

Her eyes flickered toward the door, landing on Sam. For a brief moment, her lips curved into the faintest of smiles, a ghost of the warmth she'd once carried. "Sam," she said, her voice a bit stronger now.

Amelia raised an eyebrow. "You remember Sam?"

Mercedes shook her head. "No, but he was here every time I woke up. Which I guess makes sense since we're engaged." She said, her words tentative but pointed.

The room fell silent, her statement landing like a stone in a still pond. Steven's face twisted in disbelief, his mouth opening to protest, but no words came out.

Sam froze, his hands still shoved in his pockets as the weight of her assumption hit him. His eyes darted to Steven, who looked ready to explode, and then back to Mercedes.

Doctor Carter could feel the tension as he stepped closer to Mercedes. "So you can feel connections? But you don't remember anything?"

Mercedes nodded. "I feel connected to my family. The moment they came in, I knew that we were related; I felt it. And with Sam, I felt connected to him. Even to the two back there." She said, talking about Mary and Dwight. "I don't know them, but I feel like I do."

"What about me?" Steven said.

Mercedes shook her head. "I don't… I know. Should I?"

Steven moved to step closer to her, but Sam moved closer to the bed, his expression softening as he met Mercedes' gaze.

"It's okay; I am sure we don't want to push you too hard too fast."

Doctor Carter nodded. "Yeah, can I talk to you all outside for a minute?"

Everyone looked at Mercedes before heading towards the door.

Reaching out for Sam, Mercedes grabbed his hand. "Are you…will you come back?"

He nodded, leaning down and kissing her forehead. "I will, and so will your family; we will stay here with you until you leave."

Mercedes relaxed slightly, her hand instinctively squeezing his hand before letting it go so he could leave.

Steven stepped back, his face reddening as he struggled to process what was happening. Standing in the doorway, Mary folded her arms and said nothing, her sharp eyes observing the unfolding scene with quiet intensity.


Doctor Carter exhaled deeply as everyone stood in the waiting room, looking at them with a grave expression. "It's as I suspected. While her physical injuries are manageable, her head is a different story. She has significant memory loss."

"No shit!" Steven snapped, his voice sharp and impatient.

Doctor Carter frowned at the interruption, his eyes narrowing. "I feel like there's something I'm missing here."

Richard cleared his throat, his face stern. "Sam isn't her fiancé," he explained, gesturing toward Steven. "Steven is."

Doctor Carter's lips parted slightly in surprise, his expression shifting as he processed the information. "Ah," he said, his voice thoughtful. "Well, that does complicate things. However, it's important to note that Mercedes believes Sam is her fiancé at the moment, and I strongly advise you to allow her to maintain that belief."

"What does that mean?" Amelia asked, her voice rising with worry as she approached the doctor.

Doctor Carter hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "She has significant memory loss," he reiterated. "This isn't just about the accident—it's broader than that. Right now, she doesn't remember anything. Not her childhood, not her past, nothing; all she is going off of his feelings, and right now, she feels connected to Sam, not Steven."

A stunned silence fell over the room, the weight of his words pressing down on everyone.

"So she has Amnesia?" Amelia's voice cracked, her concern for her sister painfully evident.

Doctor Carter nodded solemnly. "It's not uncommon with severe trauma like she's experienced. Her brain is protecting itself by erasing memories. At this point, we can't say if it's temporary or permanent. The best course of action is to provide her with a calm and supportive environment while her brain heals."

Steven scoffed, shaking his head. "You expect us to just let her believe a lie? No. She has a right to know the truth."

Doctor Carter's expression hardened as he regarded Steven. "Telling her the truth right now could do more harm than good. Forcing her to confront reality before she's ready could increase her stress levels and slow her recovery. It's vital that we let her mind process things at its own pace."

Steven stepped forward, his tone combative. "She deserves to know who I am. I'm her fiancé—"

"No," Amelia interrupted, her voice sharp with anger as she turned to Steven. "This isn't about you, Steven. It's about Mercedes. She needs time to heal, and you need to deal with that instead of making this about your ego."

"I agree," Sam said. "After what she saw, it's no wonder she is protecting herself."

Steven opened his mouth to respond, but Richard raised a hand, his authoritative tone cutting through. "Enough. We will do what's best for Mercedes, not what makes us feel better."

Doctor Carter nodded approvingly. "Thank you, Mayor Jones. I'll check in on her again later, but for now, I advise keeping things as simple as possible. If you need me, let the nurses know." With a polite nod, he excused himself and left the group in tense silence.

Marilyn took a shaky breath and turned to her husband. "Let's go see our daughter."

Richard nodded, and the two walked down the hallway, followed closely by Amelia. Sam watched them go before turning his attention back to Steven, who stood with his arms crossed, glaring at the floor.

"You know they are right, Steven. She doesn't want to know you right now."

Steven looked up, startled by the sudden confrontation. He quickly schooled his expression into feigned indignation. "You have no right!" he stated, though the slight tremor in his voice betrayed him.

"No, right? I would think you want to protect her after what you did!" Sam growled, his eyes narrowing into slits. He pointed a finger at Steven, his tone as sharp as a blade.

Steven swallowed hard, his gaze darting nervously to the others in the room. His foot stopped tapping, and his shoulders stiffened under the weight of Sam's glare. "You don't get to make that choice for her, Sam; she isn't yours!" Steven said, trying to sound confident but failing miserably.

Sam scoffed, taking another step forward. "Maybe not. But you and I both know that right now, she isn't yours either. This is your fault. She ran because of you, and now she's in there fighting to remember who she even is, and you want to continue to hurt her."

Garrett, who had been standing nearby with his arms crossed, caught the tail end of their heated exchange. His head snapped toward the two brothers, his dark eyes narrowing in suspicion. "What's going on?" he demanded, his deep voice cutting through the room.

Sam hesitated briefly, but then he squared his shoulders and turned to Garrett, his voice steady but simmering with anger. "You wanna know what's going on? Mercedes and I walked into Steven's office today. She caught him kissing some woman."

Garrett's expression darkened immediately, his jaw tightening as his fists clenched at his sides. "He what?"

Sam pressed on, his voice rising with each word. "She saw them, Garrett. Hours before their engagement party, he was sucking face with another woman. She ran out in tears and couldn't even think straight. That's why she got in the car and sped off." Sam jabbed a finger toward Steven, his voice cutting like steel. "If you hadn't been screwing around, none of this would've happened. That lunatic would have never made her crash."

Garrett's face twisted in fury as his focus zeroed in on Steven. His fists flexed, and he took a menacing step forward. "You son of a—"

"Garrett, wait—" Steven stammered, throwing up his hands as he stepped back, but his excuses only seemed to fuel Garrett's rage.

"You've got some damn nerve, Steven," Garrett spat, his voice low and dangerous. "She could've died because of you. And now you're sitting here pissed because she doesn't want you."

Garrett took another step toward Steven, his fists raised as if ready to land a blow. Steven stumbled back, his face pale with fear.

"Garrett!" Amelia's sharp voice cut through the tension and appeared out of nowhere; they all thought she was in the room. Her hand gripped his arm to hold him back. "This isn't the time or place. I understand your anger. I am angry too, but this is a stressful situation, and we need to keep things calm for Mercedes' sake."

Garrett let out a frustrated growl but stepped back, his chest heaving with restrained anger. He shot one last glare at Steven before letting Amelia pull him away.

As the tension in the waiting room began to simmer, Mary and Dwight Evans exchanged a look before stepping forward. They had been quietly observing their sons, but now, it was time to intervene.

"Boys," Dwight called firmly, his deep voice cutting through the silence.

Steven folded his arms across his chest, clearly still on edge, while Sam shoved his hands deep into his pockets, his jaw clenched.

"What the hell is the matter with you two?" Dwight demanded, his tone sharp but controlled. "This isn't about you. You need to pull it together—for the Jones family."

Steven's gaze darted away, guilt flickering across his face before he straightened up. "You're right," he muttered, though his voice carried no real conviction.

"So, who wants to tell me why you two are acting as if your mother and I didn't raise you correctly?" Dwight asked.

Steven didn't respond immediately. Instead, he pushed past his father, muttering, "Dad, I'm sorry, but I don't need this right now," before walking toward the exit.

Dwight sighed heavily, glancing at Mary. "I'll talk to him." Without waiting for a response, he followed Steven out of the waiting room.

Mary stepped closer to Sam, her expression soft but serious. "Sam," she began gently, "I understand that you care about Mercedes, but—"

Sam didn't let her finish. "Mom, please don't do that," he interrupted, his voice low but firm. "Mercedes and I aren't even friends; I just hate what Steven did."

Mary raised an eyebrow, her hands resting on her hips. "Sam," she said quietly, tilting her head, "do you really think I don't know how you feel about her? How you have felt about her since high school?"

Sam opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat. He looked away, his jaw tightening as he tried to gather his thoughts.

The waiting room door opened before he could say anything, and Amelia stepped out. She looked tired but relieved as her gaze landed on Sam. "Mercedes is asking for you," she said softly.

Sam blinked, surprised. He glanced at his mom, who gave him a knowing look but didn't say another word.

He turned back to Amelia, nodding quickly. Without hesitation, he strode toward the hallway leading to Mercedes' room, leaving his mother watching after him with a faint, bittersweet smile.