"What's wrong?" Xavier panicked.

"I can't remember anything beyond about six months before that night," she said lowly as the pain died down.

"Don't strain yourself until you're checked out," he replied. She nodded as the door was opened, revealing a man in a white coat.

"She's awake?" Dr Hyland asked in surprise.

"I was about to call you but she didn't want me to leave," Xavier explained. Dr Hyland understood.

"Well Mrs Kingston, welcome back to civilization," Dr Hyland said to her. Her whole face flushed at the title and she looked to Xavier, who just winked at her.

She smiled. "Uhm, hi."

"I'm Dr Hyland and I've been your doctor since you were brought in. It's great to finally see you awake," Dr Hyland said, laughing a little. She smiled as she brought her hands back down, only to gasp at the sight of the accessory on her finger.

"Holy sweet mother of all things shiny! This thing is beautiful!" she commented in awe, making Xavier smile.

"You are the envy of all the nurses in the building who have heard about and seen it. I believe the fact that Xavier here is your husband makes you even more envied. Your husband is a wonderful man who loves you and will seemingly do anything for you," Dr Hyland informed.

She could only blush even more as she looked at Xavier. What she didn't expect to find was the love in his eyes as he looked into her eyes. She was frankly overwhelmed by the feeling that shot through her from the look.

She'd never had anyone look at her like that before, or at least she didn't think she did since she couldn't very well remember. There was something about the way he was looking at her that made her know that she was the most important person to him in that moment.

What she couldn't understand was why.

"Even I'm jealous of myself," she joked. Dr Hyland and Xavier were confused by her words, but she gave Xavier a look that said that she would explain later.

"Well, we need to run some tests on you so that we know what's going on. Do you feel any different?" Dr Hyland asked her.

"I can only remember things that happened up to six months from the night of the shooting," she replied.

"I guess we'll have to have another CAT scan done," Dr Hyland noted.

"Where's Kenny?" she asked.

"He left with your mother in law not so long ago," Dr Hyland was the one to reply. She was momentarily lost until it clicked- Xavier's mother.

"Do you want us to tell everyone that you're awake? They're all dying to see you," Xavier offered.

"Not yet! I'd like Dr Hyland to take any tests he wants to first and then I want to spend time with my husband," she said with a smirk. Xavier only shook his head with a smile, while Dr Hyland watched on curiously.

"Well ok then! Let me just get the nurse so that we can be out of your hair," Dr Hyland said.

He returned with the nurse and they checked everything they needed to. When they made Diamond stand, the amount of pain was too much for her to handle. She ended up crying and biting down so hard on her lip that she bled.

Xavier felt even worse, knowing that it was his fault that she was in that position. Dr Hyland and the nurse finally left, leaving an awkward silence between the two.

Diamond watched Xavier and she could tell that he was having an internal debate. Guilt adorned his beautiful face, and she immediately knew what he was thinking about. She found herself not wanting him thinking like that. In the little bits she'd heard from him, she'd fallen for him- but then again, she'd fallen for him before she even met him.

While to anyone else it may have seemed otherwise, Diamond was fascinated by Xavier from what she'd heard from her best friend. Emery had told her so much about the man, she was sure she knew all his habits.

From the bits she heard from him in her coma, it was safe to say that she knew enough about him to write a book. While Emery had told her things that she knew, he'd gone deeper than that. She was pretty sure that he'd told her things no-one else knew about him.

"I chose to save you that night, so stop feeling guilty," she whispered.

He looked towards her in disbelief, but she meant her words. While at the time she didn't know that it was him she was saving, watching him, she was grateful that she did. Had she not, he would be dead, and she would've never had her chance to at least meet him.

She wouldn't change anything.

He stepped closer to her. "You couldn't possibly mean that!"

"I do! I may have not known that it was you that I was saving, but right now, in this moment, I wouldn't take it back. I would save you a million times over Xavier!" she said determinedly.

He didn't know what to say or do. She'd stumped him completely. She would do it all over again- she would take a bullet for him all over again. Just from her words, he fell in love with her all over again. He looked up to meet her eyes, and all he found in them was vulnerability, confusion and a hint of something he couldn't place his finger on.

"Why?" he whispered.

"The same reason that you've been at my side this whole time," she hinted. He closed the distance and sat on the chair again, silence washing over them. She surprised him by grabbing his hand in hers.

She giggled. "Mrs Kingston eh?"

"Every year, on the 24th of December, which is the day before my birthday by the way, my mother hosts a Christmas Charity Ball under The Kingston Foundation. There's always an auction that takes place and I never really participate since it's partly my event. At this one though, something stood out to me- these rings. The set is called The Fate of Destiny. My grandfather will do the honour of sharing the legend behind them with you. Anyway, they fascinated me so much that I knew I had to have them. I outbid everyone and became the highest benefactor at my own charity event. My mother, sister and grandfather were shocked by my actions and confronted me about the whole ordeal. I explained to them that I had no idea why I had the sudden urge to own the rings of all things. My grandfather asked me who I was thinking about when I was bidding, and I told them about the woman I was in love with that I'd never met before. My mother suggested that I go out to clear my head by getting more chocolate cake from her friend Shirley's bakery. Little did I know that not only I would finally meet the woman I was crazy about, but that she would take three bullets for me. When your head was lying on my lap and you closed your eyes, I thought I would die. I realized then why I was so insistent on buying the rings. While I didn't know it then, I knew in that moment why I had bought those rings. It was destiny and fate working together. I put the ring on you and ever since the ambulance fetched you, you've been Mrs Kingston. As much as you would take a bullet for me a million times over, I'm never letting you go Diamond," he said, wiping away her tears.

She couldn't believe what he was saying to her. While she couldn't remember her past, she could see her friends, Emery included, telling her that she needed to find love, and looking at Xavier, she couldn't help but feel that she had, even though she couldn't understand it.

"Why me? From what I remember Emery telling me, you could have any woman that you want," she asked.

"I could, but I don't want any other woman. The fact that you intrigued me before I even met you has to mean something. Emery wouldn't shut up about you, and I don't know how it happened, but I ended up falling for you, even before meeting you. I was hopeful that I would meet you before my birthday, and though I don't like how we were finally introduced, there's nothing I can do about it. All that counts is how we move forward from here," he replied.

"Assuming I decide to be with you," she joked.

He glared playfully at her. "Woman."

She frowned. "Wait, so I'm Mrs Kingston now?"

"Not exactly! We're obviously not married because no paperwork has been involved in the situation, but since you didn't have any hospital records before this, your hospital records are in my name, together with your details. Kenny just filled in any information we needed him too. Also, I settled all of your debts, sold your apartment, got all your stuff moved to my place, and got your car destroyed," he listed.

"Aaaaw, my poor Sherri," she whined.

"That thing was not a car woman! It was a death trap," he scolded, making her giggle.

"She was my death trap, thank you very much! So now what?" she asked.

"Wait, you're not mad that I settled your debts?" he questioned as she rubbed circles on his hand.

She was confused. "Am I supposed to be?"

"From what Emery told me, you didn't want to be helped financially," he explained.

"Oh, I remember that, but I also don't want to argue with this," she confessed.

It was his turn to be confused. "You don't?"

She blushed. "No, I don't! You're not the only one who fell for someone they'd never met before."

"I'm confused," he said earning him a smack upside the head.

"Ow! What was that for?" he complained.

"I'm talking about you dumbass! I fell for you before I met you. Emery wouldn't shut up about you either. While I didn't take the liberty of Googling you, she'd already described you to perfection, and I didn't want to tarnish the picture she'd painted for me by going to the internet," she explained.

He smirked. "So you fell for me before meeting me?"

"Don't act so smug when the exact same thing happened to you! I don't know how to describe it, but she thinks so highly of you, it was hard not to like you. But then the more I learned about you from her, the more I realized that you're the kind of guy I'd like to date, but being me, I didn't think life would even bother with me. You wouldn't fall for me of all people," she said, getting teary eyed.

He got up and lay next to her before pulling her into his side, wary of the wires connected to her. He'd gotten her a larger bed than your typical hospital bed, and the mattress was an orthopaedic one to help with her back. She sobbed into his chest, his cologne clouding her senses. He didn't care that she was crying on his designer suit because she was more important than that.

"Love, I may not know what happened to you in the past, but I know what it did to your self-esteem. I don't want you to feel undeserving of me because honestly, I don't deserve you. You are a beautiful, strong and independent woman who could survive the next millennium by herself because you're a warrior. You've fought your whole life, and we all commend you for that, but now it's time for you to be taken care of. I want to do that for you Diamond. I want to be the one to take care of you for the rest of your life. I want to love you, to cherish you and to give you the best that life has to offer, and not because I have money. Even without all my money, I would still want to do that because it's what you deserve. You are amazing, and it's time you know just how amazing you are," he said lowly while running his fingers through her hair. Her sobs had died down.

"I think you should add motivational speaking to your portfolio," she mumbled, making him laugh.

"I'm serious though! I want you to marry me Diamond Carmichael," he smiled, lifting her chin to look up at him.

She looked at the ring on her finger, taking his left hand so that she could examine his as well. She couldn't remember much about her past, but she knew that she wouldn't let that stop her from living the present. What he'd told her about this being fate really hit home in her heart, and for what it was worth, she was going to give it a try.

"Yes," she whispered.

"Yes what?" he asked.

She giggled. "Yes, I'll marry you."

"I wasn't giving you a choice in the matter love," he laughed, earning a smack on the chest.

She sighed. "I can't believe you want to marry me of all people."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he said before kissing her forehead.

"So what now?" she asked.

"Well, as much as you want to be selfish with your husband, you need to see your friends. They're all really worried and my mother, sister and grandfather are about to burst from impatience. Dr Hyland will most probably want to talk to me about the way forward from here. Oh, and I can't forget poor Everett who is dying to meet the only other person his girlfriend will probably ever love more than him," he listed.

"Everett? Your business partner right? Who's his girlfriend?" she asked.

"Think hard about that one," he challenged. She looked to be deep in thought.

"Your sister?" she asked.

"No love, your best friend," he said amusedly. She flushed hearing the term of endearment once more.

"Emery?" she shouted at the sudden realization of his words.

"Yep! He was with me that night at the masquerade party and he's the one who was with her. They discovered that on the day of the shooting. He's the reason why she pushed back the time she'd be meeting you. They had a date and she was planning on telling you all about it later," he explained. Emery couldn't stop feeling guilty about that night.

"She feels guilty about that night, doesn't she?" Diamond asked knowingly. Emery is too much of a nice person not to consider blaming herself.

"You know how she is," he replied, nodding.

"I'll talk to her later. The two of you are not guilty of anything and you should stop feeling like it," she huffed.

"Listen to you sounding all adorable," he teased in a baby voice, until she punched him.

"How in the hell are you that strong when you've been out for more than a month?" he grumbled.

She giggled. "I guess I have my secret weapons."

"You're violent," he commented, making her laugh harder before she hissed in pain.

"I'm not violent Xavier. You're just a pussy," she teased. He stared at her wide-eyed.

"Diamond Lisa Carmichael! Did you just call me a pussy?" he asked in disbelief.

No-one dared to be that bold with him.

She smirked. "I believe I did Xavier Thorne Kingston!"

He was surprised she knew his full name- not many people did.

"I'm genuinely shocked right now," he maintained his disbelief.

"Aaaaw, has no-one ever had the balls to tell you that?" she mocked.

"On the contrary Miss Carmichael! Unlike you, people outside this room fear me," he pointed out.

"Well, you'd better get used to me not being afraid of you because it will never happen," she said.

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure how I feel about that."

"If you're sexist, I swear to God I will knee you in the jewels right now," she threatened.

"Calm down Wonder Woman! We still need these very jewels to make little Kingston's. My mother will have your head if you kill the baby making machine," he taunted, making her blush.

"But I'm serious Xav! I won't fear you, neither will I bow down to you," she said seriously.

"I know love! I was pulling your leg," he chuckled, kissing her forehead.

"Just so we're clear, I don't want children," she stated. His whole body stiffened.

"Why not?" he asked. She didn't miss the dejectedness in his voice.

"Because I'm only pulling your leg," she responded, laughing. His whole body seemed to relax as he joined her in laughing.

"Don't do that to me woman," he said, poking her.

She looked up at him. "You really want kids?"

"Well yeah! I need a legacy and it wouldn't hurt to have little ones that look as beautiful as their mommy running around the house once we get one," he said, smiling.

She furrowed her brows. "Where are we living now?"

"In a penthouse that I hate," he informed.

"Why not get a new place if you hate that one?" she asked.

"They would all be the same. I hate them because of how empty they feel," he explained.

Understanding dawned on her. "Ah, that's why you need me to move in with you."

"That, and there was no way I was letting you move back to that thing you call an apartment. Even prisoners have it better," he commented, making her gasp and hit him.

"Take that back!" she demanded.

He chuckled. "Make me."

"I hate you! Call everyone else," she pouted.

"You don't hate me Miss Carmichael," he teased.

She scrunched her nose. "Now I know why Emery hates it when you call her Miss Applegate. With you it's annoying."

"It's a good thing I now know how much it annoys you," he played back, getting up from the bed.

"I swear if you keep calling me that, you will be without a fiancée," she huffed.

"Wife," he corrected.

"By situation, not by law," she said smugly.

"Ok, you got me there, but everyone else thinks you're my wife," he played back.

She pouted. "So now I don't get my big wedding?"

"Love, you can plan the wedding of the century for all I care. I'll spin a story and say that we got married in the courts first," he said.

"Ok good! As long as I get my dream wedding. Every girl has one and luckily I have a prince charming too," she smiled, her eyes shimmering with happy tears.

"Please don't cry," he groaned.

She giggled as she wiped away the stray tears. "I'm sorry! I'm just happy."

He sighed. "Don't worry love. I've got you from now on."

"I know! Call everyone else already!" she said excitedly.

"Alright, calm down," he chuckled before taking out his phone.

Suffice to say, there was excitement in the hospital once everyone had heard that the newly famous Mrs Kingston was awake. Nurses were streaming in to get a good look at her and she couldn't even hide her shock. Xavier had already called everyone and they were on their way while this was occurring at the hospital.

"Uh honey, just how popular am I?" Diamond warily asked Xavier as twin nurses checked out the ring on her finger.

"Just amongst the hospital staff and some patients who all signed confidentiality agreements. We didn't think you'd appreciate waking up to your face all over the media," he replied.

"Oh my God! You are so lucky! At first we were jealous of your ring, until we heard that you're married to Xavier Kingston!" one of the twins squealed.

"And let me tell you; that man right there loves you! He made sure you had the best of everything and he was at your side every moment he got," the other twin added, making Diamond blush.

"Surely you're exaggerating," Diamond mumbled while Xavier watched on amusedly.

"Oh no sweety, we're not joking about this! That man would go to the ends of the world for you. I never really used to believe in soul mates, but that man right there is yours. You are it for him and he will never love anyone more than you, except perhaps your children, which he will love equally in any case," the same twin told her. She looked to Xavier, who only gave her a slight nod with a smile.

"You guys really reckon he's my soul mate?" Diamond asked them.

"Definitely!" they responded with enthusiastic nods.

"Girls! The poor woman has just woken up. Would you give her some space?" Dr Hyland said as he walked into the room. Diamond's friends and Xavier were right behind.

"Sorry daddy!" the twins apologized.

"OH MY GOD! YOU'RE REALLY AWAKE!" Emery squealed before going to hug Diamond who screamed from the pain.

"I'M SO SORRY!" Emery panicked while Dr Hyland and his daughters helped Diamond. Emery was already crying, even when Diamond was ok.

Xavier hugged her. "Hey, she's ok."

"I almost put her in another coma," Emery sobbed, eliciting laughter from Diamond.

"I'm fine Ree! Just a little delicate," Diamond said, wiping away her own tears. Xavier passed Emery on to Everett before going to her side.

"Oh my heavens! She's even more beautiful awake!" Dorothy said tearfully.

"Mother, Macy, grandfather and Everett, this is Diamond Carmichael, my fiancée. Love, this is my mother Dorothy Kingston, my little sister Macy Kingston, my grandfather Lyell Kingston and my business partner Everett Holmes," Xavier introduced.

"Fiancée? You actually agreed to marry this numb nut?" Kenny was the one to ask.

"Ah yes little brother, she agreed," Xavier chuckled.

Diamond frowned. "Little brother?"

"Five months Xav! I'm not that little!" Kenny grumbled while everyone else but Diamond laughed. They were all already used to this banter.

Diamond shook her head. "A person goes into a coma and comes back in the body of someone else because my eyes and ears must be deceiving me."

Gavin raised an eyebrow at her. "You're telling us? We didn't think you'd go through with having any kind of relationship with Xavier to begin with!"

"I really like him?" Diamond offered.

"Uh huh! Since when? Your coma?" Dale asked.

"Uh pssh, no! That's stupid," Diamond mumbled, getting flushed. The look on Emery's face told her that her best friend had just figured it out.

"OH MY GOD! HOW THE HELL DID I MISS THIS?" Emery shouted, making Diamond blush and hide in Xavier's shoulder while he chuckled knowingly.

"What are we missing here?" Everett asked.

"Xavier isn't the only person who fell for someone they'd never met! Diamond was just too good at hiding it from me!" Emery explained.

A chorus of 'ooohs' erupted in the room.

"So the both of you fell for each other before even meeting each other? How romantic!" Jamie gushed.

Xavier chuckled. "Emery wouldn't shut up about us to each other apparently."

"And now you're engaged!" Gail said excitedly.

"Well, married according to the hospital," Dr Hyland spoke up.

"Shit!" Xavier exclaimed. They'd all forgotten Dr Hyland and his daughter's presences.

The girls smirked. "Don't worry Mr Kingston! Your secret is safe with us!"

"And because I'm such a sucker for my daughters, it's safe with me too," Dr Hyland said, making everyone laugh.

Diamond turned to Xavier's family and Everett. "It's an honour to meet you guys."

"Oh dear, the honour is ours. You've brought our Xavier back," Dorothy said as she smiled. Diamond frowned at the statement while Xavier glared at his mother.

"So, what is the news Dr Hyland?" Lyell rescued the situation.

"Well, as I mentioned to Xavier earlier, she will need rehabilitation therapy for her back, as well as taking it easy in general. We're going to place her in a wheelchair, and then we'll gradually move on to a walking stick until she can fully walk by herself. As for her memory, I think the best thing at this point in time is to just let it gradually come back to her if it does," Dr Hyland explained.

"Memory loss?" Kenny asked.

"She can't remember anything beyond six months before the night of the shooting," Xavier replied.

Emery frowned at the news. "Do you remember how we met and what you told me?"

Their meeting holds her past since it was the only time they spoke about it.

"I remember that we met at Starbucks, but nothing after that from that day. I know that we're best friends because I remember all our other times together," Diamond replied.

"So you don't remember Gavin's party?" Gail asked.

Diamond frowned. "That I do remember actually."

"Well, did she suffer from anything traumatic in her past?" Dr Hyland asked the other people in the room.

"Her whole life until six months ago was traumatic, now that you mention," Kenny said in thought.

"Then it would seem that her brain has shut her memories down from before then, and she has selective memory from what she can actually remember," Dr Hyland explained.

"Well that's a blessing in disguise," Emery commented. Only she, Kenny, Everett and Xavier knew the truth since Emery told Everett and Xavier that night. Xavier noticed the faraway look Diamond had on her face.

"Love, do you want to know about your past?" he whispered in her ear. She turned to him, surprised at the question.

Before she could answer, Macy spoke up. "So you guys are going to get married as soon as Diamond is healed?"

"Hold on little sis! We need to take everything one step at a time," Xavier responded.

"When can she leave?" Emery asked Dr Hyland.

"Well, I'd like to keep her here for another week or so, until she's used to being back and we're sure of everything," Dr Hyland replied.

"Clear my whole week," Xavier told Emery, who nodded.

"Your whole week? What are you going to be doing in that week? Bugging me?" Diamond asked him wide-eyed. Everyone else burst out laughing while Xavier scowled.

"Bugging you?" he said, not bothering to hide his hurt.

"Ah man, pulling your leg really is fun," Diamond said playfully, resulting in another uproar of laughter while Xavier playfully glared at her.

Everett chuckled. "I believe Xav has met his match!"

"ABOUT TIME!" was the resounding response, making Diamond giggle before her stomach silenced the room.

"I don't know if it could get any obvious that I need to be fed," Diamond mumbled. Everyone laughed at her while Xavier kissed her forehead.

"What is she allowed to have?" Xavier asked Dr Hyland.

"Let's start off with some soup and we'll work our way from there," Dr Hyland responded.

Xavier smiled. "Chicken and mushroom soup with a dash of cream and parsley it is."

"You know?"

"You remembered?"

Diamond and Emery both didn't hide their surprised expressions with Diamond saying the former and Emery the latter.

Xavier shrugged. "I paid attention."

"That isn't paying attention son. You hadn't even met her yet. That's love," Lyell teased, making Xavier blush in embarrassment.

"Isn't this a sight?" Kenny smirked at the opportunity tease Xavier while everyone else laughed.

"Well, just for that, Kenny can go and get Diamond's soup because I don't think Xavier will leave her side. The rest of us will come back to visit at better hours," Dorothy instructed.

After a lot of goodbyes, everyone finally left. Dr Hyland's daughters, who Diamond learned are Shay and Skylar and are both actually studying to be doctors like their father, administered her pain medication before leaving.

She made space on the bed and patted the spot beside her, inviting Xavier to join her. This time, he took off his jacket and shoes before doing so. She put the blanket over them as he pulled her closer to him, once again wary of the wires.

"You never answered my question," he reminded her. She knew which question he was referring to.

"Honestly, I don't want to know, or at least not yet. I feel like my past is the reason why I was so unhappy for such a long time, and if I get to leave my past exactly there, then maybe I shouldn't bother finding out. Maybe I should just live in the present and give happiness a shot for once," she replied.

"Sounds fair enough, but anytime you want to know, just ask Kenny or Emery. I only know the basics," he told her. She nodded against his chest.

"You smell like heaven," she mumbled, inhaling his scent.

"You smell like a hospital," he teased.

"I will knee you Xavier," she mock threatened.

"Don't knee my jewels without giving yourself a chance to fall in love with them," he joked. He didn't expect to be punched in his manhood.

"Why on earth would you do that?" he groaned in pain.

She smiled innocently. "Because you clearly had a problem with me kneeing them, but not punching them."

He sighed. "What am I getting myself into?"

"I keep asking you the same thing telepathically," she replied seriously before they both burst out laughing.

"This is worth it," he smiled.

She sighed. "I sure hope it is."

"I know it is," he said before kissing her forehead.