Katherine's POV:

My body was stuck. I wanted to move, to yell, or anything, but I couldn't do none. Voices kept coming and going, some familiar, others not. But one voice attracted my attention, even though it was one of the unfamiliar voices. It was the voice I would hear most, and the desperate one of them all. Desperate for me to wake up, I guess. 

He talked and talked about memories, stories, and just random things. None of which were familiar. But what made me want to wake up most, was when his voice would turn broken. Begging me to wake up and sometimes even crying in the meantime. 

My hand twitched to comfort the stranger, to reply to his ringing words, but nothing would happen. I guess my brain won't just listen. 

'I love you'

His voice would turn soft and caring as he'd say that, but who is he telling that to? The way he said it, the tone he used, made me wish that stranger would be talking to me.

I ran and ran in the darkness, using the sweet voice as a lead, but never reaching an end. My body would fall to the ground sometimes, forcing me to fall asleep, making me miss the sweet voice, but then I would rise off the ground and the voice would come back.

It kept going on forever and ever, the sweet voice of the stranger never leaving me though unless I'm asleep. The way he talked, made me feel like we knew each other for eternity, and a warm feeling filled my heart and my whole body.

It ached, not being able to see the person behind the sweet voice, not being able to touch him back when he does.

Today was a bit different though, his voice was clearer to me, still not familiar though. I can feel every inch of my body, fire spreading across of it, making me take my wish back the moment I felt it all. Why does my head hurt and why does my body ache? 

My eyes were heavy, a bit less heavier than usually. I feel like if I put enough force, then I can open them, finally waking up from this endless dream. The sweet voice still talking though.     

'You know, you used to call me honey sometimes as you joke, not sure if you were aware or not, but every time you'd do so, my heart would skip a beat. I can't wait for you to wake up and call me honey voluntarily'

I wanted to comply to this sweet stranger, I really did. So using these words as encouragement, I finally was able to open my eyes. But as soon as I did, whatever I was hoping to say and the reply I wanted to say, was all gone.

Nathaniel's POV:

"Water, please" her raspy voice begged. I quickly got out of the frozen state I was in and complied.

I waited and waited for her to say something, to scream at me for being around her after everything that had happened, but nothing came. She kept on drinking her water silently, and after three full cups of water, she put the now empty cup aside and started looking around confused.

Her confused eyes kept wandering around the room for a full minute, until they landed on me. Her eyes became even more confused, and narrowed, looking at me intensely as if trying to remember something.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?"

Please no, anything but this. Be mad at me, yell at me, fight me even, but don't forget me. But what if she's mad at me and making me pay by pretending that she doesn't recognise me? Yeah, that seems like a better option.

"You're kidding right? Please tell me you remember me" I begged "Look, I know I hurt you a lot but I promise I've learned my mistake. Be angry, just not this way. Anything but this"

"I'm really sorry, but it seems like you have the wrong person. I've never seen you before" her eyes spoke the truth, sadly. How could I not been informed that amnesia was a possibility from the hit on her head? That damn, good for nothing doctor, told me nothing.

"I could never forget a face like this" I said with a weak smile "I'm your husband, but it seems that you were really mad at me that you forced yourself into forgetting me during the accident" 

"H-Husband?" she stuttered in shock. I pointed at the ring on my left finger and hers. She kept looking back and forth between our hands, then settled on her ring in shock.

"What's the last thing you remember?"

She squeezed her eyes shut for a couple of seconds, trying to remember "My parents informing me that I've been arranged a marriage and deciding to run away" Disgust now showed on her face and her eyes remained closed.

I frowned "The next day was the beginning of our story" She really did hate me after the fight because she managed to erase my entire existence from her life.

"Were you my arranged husband?" she concluded. 

I nodded "Yes"

She nodded to herself "What happened to your nose, is it because of the accident?" She did look worried about my well being, but at the same time, I knew she was trying hard to change the subject and forget about it.

"I wasn't in the car with you. I don't know much about what happened with you, your bodyguard said you were driving too fast and you lost control. No one was with you in the car, so until you gain your memory, that's all I can say. The rest is on you"

"Then how did you break your nose?" 

"It doesn't matter, let me call your doctor" I quickly left the room, not allowing her to ask more questions about my nose. I barged in into the doctor's office that I talked to last time and focusing all my anger on him, remembering Kate's state.

"Kate's awake, but she doesn't remember me. I should have known amnesia was a possibility, but you weren't there to explain. It's either you hand all your cases to some other doctor and put all your attention on Katherine, or you're off the case and I'll get a better doctor"

He tried to explain himself, using the phone call that interrupted us as an excuse , but it was all in vain. We did eventually get to an agreement, he focuses on Kate and I pay him a large sum in the end. My only condition was seeing an improvement before paying him. Seemed fair enough for me.

Kate was immediately taken for a CT-Scan as soon as I was done with the doctor. Turns out she has retrograde amnesia, caused by her heard injury. Retrograde amnesia is losing existing new memories, it's not permanent, but no one can tell when will the lost memories will be recovered.

She lost up till a certain time, which is when I entered her life, and I knew why. She was hurt and mad at me that when she hit her head, her brain forced her to get me out of it permanently. It eases the pain.

Anyways. The good news is that she will remember me. The bad news is that no one knows when, it might take a month or a year.

I was going into Kate's room just as she was being tucked back into her bed with a nurse's help. The nurse made sure Kate was comfortable, if not too comfortable, worried that she might be fired from her job and not about a patient's comfort.

"I called everyone and informed them that you woke up. They said they'd visit tomorrow to give you enough time to adjust" I said, eyeing the nurse carefully as she left. I didn't like her one bit.

Realising that I never got an answer, I shifted my attention from the gone nurse to Kate. Her face was a bit pale, just not as pale as she'd been when she was unconscious, and she looked like she'd just started shivering.

I quickly rushed to her and touched her forehead then her cheeks then her hands. Her whole body was cold and shivering "Kate, lo- are you alright? Do you need me to call the doctor?" The love word almost slipped, but I reminded myself that it's too early. Once she gets used to me, I wouldn't miss a chance to tell her that.

My love.

"Do you always call me that? I mean I'm used to Katy but never Kate, it's nice though" I narrowed my eyes at her. Here I am worried sick about her and she just asks me about her nickname. 

She rolled her eyes at me "I'm fine, it's just a bit cold in here"

I nodded letting go of her hands to adjust the heater "I'll just go increase the temperature"

She took my hand in hers just as they let go and stopped me "No......could you just stay next to me instead?"

Excitement rushed through my body as she said that, but I kept still. I missed her warmth, her berries scent, and the way her body reacts when she's close to me. Her heartbeat changes, pulsing crazy and loud, the tingles both her and I feel as our hands touch, and the blush that colours her cheeks. I miss just being close to her, but I could never ask for something she's not ready for.

"Uhm- Are you sure? I mean we've known each other for almost half a year but right now, you've known me for only less than a day. I just don't want you to do something you're uncomfortable with"

Her eyes looked at me lovingly as she moved to the side of the bed and motioned for me to come next to her "I would like to try"

I got on to the bed resting my head against the wall and moved Kate closer to me, taking her into my arms. She wrapped her cold arms around my waist and laid her head on my chest right where my heart was drumming loudly. My head immediately went to her hair, inhaling her sweet scent as I stayed calm in my place letting her adsorb my heat. 

"I've always called you Kate while you called me Nate. It was our thing since the moment we met" I whispered against her hair.

"I just realised that I never asked for your name"

"It's Nathaniel, but you never call me that unless you're mad at me" I laughed lightly and she joined. She took a deep breath then moving back a bit, allowing me to see her face.

"You smell" she scrunched her nose at the scent, but still held on to me "I'm sorry, I didn't leave the entire week. I wanted to be here when you woke up" 

"It's okay. The smell doesn't matter, you feel good" she murmured as she snuggled more against my chest.

"What happened to your nose?"

I sighed "You're not going to let this go, aren't you?" she shook her head, her hair brushing against my chest as she did so, and I shivered at the feeling. She giggled softly and I just sighed again, her next to me is just too overwhelming.

"I was punched, but I deserved it" she gasped "Why would you let anyone punch you, even if you deserve it?"

I shrugged "A wake up call"

Silence then took over us for a while, our loud heartbeats where the only thing you could hear. But I felt something wrong, with Kate, like she wanted to say something but refrained last minute. I knew that by the way her body would move slightly away from me, then freeze and go back to it's original position. 

It kept going to a while, but I was never frustrated. I wanted her to think things through and know exactly whatever she wanted to ask. I was worried though, that she would want to know things that will bring back pain to the both of us, but her more than me. Still, I knew I would never lie to her and increase her pain later on, so what's the point in avoiding what sooner or later would be asked.

"You know you can ask me whatever you want?" my question sounded more like a statement. Kate nodded and inhaled deeply preparing herself mentally. 

"Were we in love? Not necessarily in the beginning, but did we end up in love at least?" I wanted to nod, but refrained and shook my head.

"It's a bit complicated"

She moved away and narrowed her eyes at me "What do you mean by that? It's either yes or no"

I sighed "We disliked each other at the beginning, trying to stay apart from each other as much as possible. Each for a different reason. I was attracted to you ever since I met you, so I maintained distance because I was afraid, and I started hurting your feelings to force you to stay away from me as well. Sometimes we would spend our times together, and when we did, it would be the best time ever. It kept going like that -sometimes far, sometimes close- until the night of the accident"

My voice kept fading and fading and by the end of the last sentence, it had disappeared. I kept my head down the whole time, afraid Kate would hate me all over again. Still, she deserved the truth, knowing that she won't like the fact that I lied to her when she remembers me, so I continued.

"We fought, about several things, and one of the last things you said before leaving was confessing being in love with me"

"Did you- no, do you love me back?"

I looked up at her as she asked that, hope filled her eyes. I knew right then that by explaining the truth, I'd be risking losing her again. Still, I did it, because I knew it was the right thing to do.

"I kept denying my feelings towards you, you even called me a coward for that. When you told me you loved me, I said nothing at that time, I just let you walk away. But the moment you walked out of that door, I realised it all and I realised that I've been in love with you since the moment I met you, I was just too scared to admit it. I regret not telling you though, I regret not stopping you the moment you told me you were walking away, but it's all too late for that"

She looked away from me moving her body further from mine, tears filling her eyes as mine did too. She forgot me because of the pain and now I'm causing it all over again. 

I knew I had lost her again, now and then.

.........................