Lis ran down the hospital corridor, Brian right behind her. They stopped in the waiting room where everyone was. "He's awake?" Lis asked breathlessly. Slowly the group nodded.
Jane and Bob looked at her, "Lisa, honey you should come with us..."
"Why? What's going on?"
Bob looked at Brian. "You too, Brian."
"Ok." Rok answered hesitantly, not liking the way the Carters were acting. He put his arm around Lis to support her since she looked like she was about to faint from nerves.
Bob and Jane led them to a small doctor's office down the hall. "What do we know?" Lis asked them.
Jane sighed and looked at her husband. "Nick regained consciousness about 5 this afternoon."
"Then why are we in here?" Brian asked, sensing something else was wrong.
Bob and Jane exchanged worried looks. "Lisa, Brian, Nick's experiencing amnesia. He doesn't remember anything or anyone."
Brian felt Lis squeeze his hand as a sob escaped her lips as she stared at them in horror. "Nothing...not a thing or anyone?" Brian asked.
"Nothing, he doesn't know us or the kids...we were waiting for you two before we let the others in. Especially Lis since you're family."
Lis nodded. "Maybe seeing me will help him remember something."
Nick watched the door open and a young blonde woman walked in. He could sense her nervousness so he smiled at her.
"Hi." she said, sitting down on the chair beside the bed.
"Hello."
She searched his face for a sign of recognition but found non. "I'm Lisa your...girlfriend."
Nick smiled, "My mom was telling me about you. Said you'd be here shortly and here you are."
"I'd have been here when you woke up but the guys kicked me out." A blank look crossed his face. "The guys, uhm our friends. You're in a music group with them."
"Ok." he looked at her, trying to read her facial expression.
Her eyes met his but she didn't see that same sparkle that was always there. "So...what do you want to know?"
"How'd I get here?" he asked looking around.
"Something tells me I'm not usually attached to machines."
Lis laughed and brushed the hair out of her eyes. "You were in a car accident...head on. Some guy hit your Durango and totalled it."
"When was the accident?"
"Almost a week ago. I guess we'll have to get you a new car when you get out of here."
"I liked cars?" he asked, curious about his life but truthfully he wanted her to keep talking. Something about her made him relax and think everything would be all right.
Lisa smiled. "Very much. And your Durango was your baby...sometimes..." she trailed off.
"Sometimes?" he prompted.
She smiled sheepishly. "I thought you liked the car more then me."
"How's that possible?" he asked with a grin.
"Oh the Carter charm's back." she said with a smile, thinking maybe the amnesia would be temporary.
The door opened and the doctor walked in. "I'm sorry to interrupt you two, but the patient needs his rest."
"Can't she stay?" Nick whined, her presence reassured him and right now that's what he needed most.
"I'm sorry Nick but you need your rest." the doctor said, looking at his machines.
Lis stood up. "Its ok. I'll be back early tomorrow." she leaned over to kiss him, then froze. Quickly she kissed his forehead. "Uh good night Nick."
"Good night Lisa." he said as she left the room. He sighed and closed his eyes, not feeling tired at all. The doctor finished up his notes in his clipboard and left the room, leaving Nick all alone.
~~ 2 Weeks Later ~~
Brian sat on the couch in Nick and Lis' house. She hung the phone up and sat down. "The nurse said they'll release him at four."
"Leaves us five hours." Brian stated looking at the clock and Lis nodded.
"I think...I think it would be better for him if we put away all of our stuff." she said, not looking at her friend.
"No, he has to see it Lis, it could help him." Bri reasoned.
"Or seeing it could make him feel worse. Brian I don't want him feeling bad over this." she said walking over to a framed picture on the table.
Brian sighed, he knew what she was saying was true. "Ok so we'll put that stuff away but everything else will stay."
"Fine." She took off her ring. "There's a locked box that we can put everything in."
"Ok, lets get everything done then."
Lis unlocked the front door and went inside, Nick, Jane and Bob behind her. "So this is your place." Bob said, setting down Nick's lone suitcase while Nick looked around. The living room was a pale green with a black leather sofa and a tv with a glass coffee table in the middle. On the walls were all the platinum albums from Millennium. He took a deep breath and sighed, nothing was familiar to him.
As if sensing his thoughts, Lis turned around and smiled. "We uh might as well get you settled in your room."
He smiled gratefully at her and picked up his suitcase. "Where to?"
"Upstairs, follow me." she said and led him out of the room.
Bob sighed and looked at Jane. "This is gonna be hard on them."
Nick paused in the hall and looked in one room, a single bed was in the corner while posters covered every inch of the walls. "Who's room is this?"
"My sister Hannah's. She's staying with us till she gets settled at University. Right now she's away in Los Angeles." Nick turned and followed his girlfriend down the hall. "And this is your room."
Nick set his bag down and looked around. "I stayed here before?"
"Actually you and I shared the room down the hall but I uh thought you might be uncomfortable with that so I put all of your favorite things in here. You posters, your stereo, cds, and video games." she said pointing things out.
"Thanks." he gave her a quick hug. "I guess I'll unpack and see you downstairs?"
"Sure." Lis said hesitantly and finally forced herself out of the room, down the hall to her own room. Quietly she closed the door and threw herself down on their bed. "I can't do this, I can't" she screamed in her mind, burying her head under the pillows.
Brian picked up his ringing cell phone. "Hello?"
"Bri?" Lis asked in a shaky voice.
"Lisa? Honey whats wrong?"
"I can't do this Bri...I can't"
He sighed, "What do you want to do?" he knew the only other choice was for Nick to go back to LA with the Carters.
"Could...could you come stay here for awhile with us. Till Han gets back at least?" Please I can't be alone with him Frick."
"OK, I'll pack a bag and be there in an hour."
"Thanks Rok." She said softly and hung up the phone.
