Sam ended the call, feeling no less annoyed than when his phone rang an hour before. The irritation warred with his guilt, hearing the confusion in his younger sister’s tone from the bomb dropped at the Gazette that slowly gave way to frustration once Sam had finally explained all the happenings from the past few months, from the Spring Fest debacle, to the bust up with the building bid.

“I knew my gut feeling was right. Why the hell didn’t you tell me any of this before?” He could hear the hurt too, knowing Stacy was completely justified because they rarely kept things from each other. She’d been in Boston since the semester’s end, staying in Sam’s apartment while interning at a rehabilitation clinic in the city as part of her graduate program and while the two hadn’t seen much of each other, there’d been plenty of chances for Sam to fill her in...and he didn’t.

He’d always wanted to shield her from the brunt of their father’s bullshit, and the instinctual big brother move was back to bite him in the ass. Though he apologized, Stacy simply responded with a huff that let him know she’d need more time to cool down before they could really talk about things and his feelings on the matter, and her icy anger was no less than what he deserved.. But it was Stacy’s parting words that stuck with him most, about their father...things he’d considered himself since the night after the cruel videos of James sprawled out on their front porch.

“Dad needs help, Sam. Real help. He can’t fix it himself and we can’t do it either.”

There was no denying it. James’ sobriety ebbed and flowed like the tide, fluctuating between states of slightly sober and barely functional. With the bar more or less running smoothly and off his daily docket, it left too much free time that the elder Evans filled with his favorite vice. The house, that Sam had painstakingly tidied with each visit, was once again in disarray and Sam was at a loss. Things seemed to have taken a dip after Spring Fest and the Gazette story only worsened his father’s mood.

Shoving the phone into his back pocket, Sam grabbed the large black garbage bags and headed from the newly cleaned kitchen to dump them into the cans around the side of the house. It’d taken all morning to get downstairs in some kind of order, and now his father had found his way to the living room, settled in his favorite chair with a copy of the Gazette in hand.

Sam caught the bottle of beer sweating on the side table next to the recliner and bit back his annoyance...a move he seemed to be excelling at, as of late.

“That family’s a damn curse,” James mumbled, tossing down the paper in disgust and reaching for his beer. “Clarington was always a pompous shit, walking round town with his nose in the air. Sounds like the son ain’t any better.”

Sam made a non-committal noise at that, as he swiped up the paper, ready to throw it in the recycling. However pissed off he was at Hunter, he didn’t feel like joining in on James’ rant against Castleport’s elite.

“Don’t know why you trusted anyone in that family, in the first place. There’s no being friends with any of those people, Sammy. They all lie and cheat their way into anything good in this town” James paused long enough for a slow pull of his beer before he was back into it and Sam knew he would power up for a good twenty minutes more if he didn’t put a stop to it.

“That’s why I never took a dime off those bastards. Clarington stopped me at every turn with the bar, even offered me money to not open the place but I told that sonofabitch where he could put his check. That’s the problem with these rich assholes. Clarington, Fabrays, all of ‘em…just take and take and leave us with the scraps.”

Sam scoffed. “A Fabray is about the only reason your precious bar’s still got the lights on and customers on the stool, so maybe reel in the high and mighty martyr act.”

James snatched back the newspaper from his son’s grasp, glassy green eyes fixing him with a hard stare. “You come back to town whenever you feel like it, and decide to play shop, like you know better than your own father and suddenly you’re the expert? Can’t even buy a damn building but wanna lecture me on my business?  Someone’s putting on airs and it ain’t me, boy.”

Sam shook his head, feeling the words jab at him, hitting hard just as his father intended. It’d been something he’d agonized about, ever since he’d proposed the business plan with Hunter. Feeling inadequate, unequipped, reaching beyond his so-called place in the Castleport hierarchy to something he could call his own.

Something without the memory of his gone but not forgotten mother, something he built on his own strength. And in one fell swoop, it’d all been yanked from under him. Outbid, outsold, outclassed.

It felt like a public smackdown, a reminder printed in black and white that the ultimate decision was out of his reach. The very thing he’d been afraid of had happened, and really it felt like his own damn fault for believing, even for a second, that it would be different.

“Talk to me about integrity when you can put in a full day’s work without the booze.” Sam heard the venom in his own voice, thick with barely concealed anger and the shock that registered on his father’s face and knew he’d taken things too far.

The trip to Little Rock had been fun. It was just Scott and Luisa in the car, and Scott had started off with putting on Christmas music, to celebrate the fact that it was now December. Honestly, this little one-night trip couldn’t go wrong at all, in Scott’s eyes. He was with Luisa, the girl that he loved, and he was getting an epic spa treatment which was much needed after the storm and an exhausting week of getting back to work. However, the week had totally been worth it, with Luisa staying in his place. It had been a week of hot and heavy sex and just spending time together, doing various things. Now, Scott wanted to end it in the right way, by taking Luisa out of Cotton Plant and treating her to an amazing afternoon and night. 

Zoe: rubbed at her eyes tiredly as she drove up to Degrassi. The babies had hardly slept and since she'd forgotten to buy those stupid blankets for them before she left school on Thursday, which meant she'd hardly got any sleep either. She had agreed to meet Tori though, and even though it was 6:30, she climbed out of the car and forced a smile on her face as she grabbed the babies and headed up the school steps. Luckily for them Degrassi was actually open this early but no teachers showed up for at least another hour. Enough time to snoop, and tell Simpson if they found anything. Pushing the school door open with her hip, she bit her lip as she saw Tori sitting on a bench, "Hey.. I guess we should get this over with."

Miles: couldn't believe that Esme was in a relationship with a teacher of all people. It seemed like the group was starting to crumble. First Luke with his drinking then this. He wasn't sure what him, Tori, and Zoe could do, but he was game for anything at this point. When his alarm went off he hit his clock hard causing his baby to start crying yet again. The teen had only got a few hours sleep thanks to this assignment. After getting him to stop he drove to Degrassi and walked inside seeing his two friends. "This week is going to be the death of me. After this I can't take anymore surprises."

Tori: It seemed as if things within the Posse had taken a turn, again. But if there’s one thing they could be counted on for, it was making sure they got each other back on track after each and every slip up and apparent misfortune. The brunette didn’t have any trouble dragging herself out of bed--with everything going on she could hardly sleep anyway. Seeing both Zoe and Miles approach she gave them both a little wave before turning to head into the school. “You’re telling me.” she said in response to the boy as they made their way in. It was weird seeing the halls with no one in them. The brunette sighed look between the two, “So--guess we should try his classroom for something first..”

Zoe: Everything was going wrong but Zoe wasn't about to let the group crumble around her. She yawned again softly after approaching the group, and shrugged her shoulders in response. "Yeah, I guess that's what we do," she nodded her head as she began leading the way toward the math classroom. "I can't believe this shit, what the hell. Esme told me that he loves her, but I've seen him perv on other girls with his disgusting little smirks in the middle of class. I hope we find something because if we don't the investigation would be pointless."

Miles: After Zoe yawned he couldn't help but yawn himself. The way things have been going lately it felt more like a good and bad dream combined then real life. Miles nodded at Tori's response then started walking toward the room. "How are we going to get in exactly?" He asked thinking the door would probably be locked. "I don't know." Miles said shaking his head. He liked Esme at one point and can't seem to wrap his mind around the fact that she'd rather be with perv. "We'll get him someway, somehow."

Zoe: "Haven't you ever picked a lock?" Zoe questioned, luckily she'd used a bobbypin to pin back her bangs so when she tried the door she just pulled it from her hair and stuck it in the hole in the door before twisting it until it clicked. "See, easy as pie." she smirked back at her friends, before opening the classroom door and stepping inside. Wearing a baby and carrying the other made it a little harder but she finally pushed her way fully into the room. "I'll take the desk, someone should check the books and stuff, and someone should watch the door."

Tori: Tori looked over at Miles as Zoe went to work on the lock, giving a smirk before she sauntered behind the other brunette into the classroom, looking around for something to dig through. “I’m gonna check out this supply closet” she called out behind her, already making her way over to the large grey mass. As soon as she opened it all she saw were files packed at the bottom, and a few blazers hung toward. “He’s not all that organized is he?” she remarked snidely, beginning to sift through the papers.

Zoe: Zoe nodded her head at Tori's idea as she headed toward the desk. The drawers weren't locked and she sighed at the fact but opened them anyway even though she figured that nothing of value would be in there. "I swear if i got up this early and we don't find anything I'm gonna be pissed. Check the jacket pockets, Tor. " she bit her lip, sighing softly. Opening the top one she cringed at the half eaten sandwich with something growing on top stuffed in a drawer. "Ew! Oh my god, he's so gross. There's old food in here."

Miles: watched Zoe do her thing with the lock, hoping that one of their babies didn't start crying. "I don't normally do this stuff." Miles whispers as he looks around. Once she got in unlocked he stepped in the class already feeling uncomfortable as he thought about Esme and Gabe. "Guess I'll be watch," he said after hearing Tori would check the closet. So far there wasn't a soul around. He turned around after hearing Zoe. "Not surprised at all. Have you guys found anything yet?"

Tori: “Got it--” she said back to Zoe, having no good luck with the files underneath, she switched to the jacket pockets, frowning as she went through each one and found nothing but lint and a couple of pennies. “Nada” she said to her friends. She was beginning to think Mr. Bishop might’ve been too smart to leave anything incriminating in his classroom. “Well you know if we can find anything we could always plant something....like a note..” she trailed off.

Zoe: Zoe raised an eyebrow, her brows creasing as she shuffled through the stuff in the desk. The first drawer held nothing, not anything except some disgusting food. Opening up the second drawer she bent down, and began shuffling through some papers. She could make out that it had Esmes name on it, and as she squinted 11:30 pm became visible too. "Guys! I found something! A meeting time between them I think. Come look!" she could've screamed she was so excited, but as she shifted, she noticed the baby shifting against her in the wrap.

Mr. Bishop: decided to come into his classroom early today. After everything that had happened with Esme he could use some quiet time to himself before his students arrived to just sit and think. However when he neared his classroom he noticed that the light was shining out into the hallway. "What the hell" he remarked, walking closer to the door.

Zoe: Just as she heard a noise, Ayla started whining against her chest and Zoe looked around in a panic. "Shhh, you stupid baby." She muttered, glancing at her friends as she quietly shut the drawers of the desk, knowing there was nowhere to hide she shoved the paper in the pocket of her jeans and stood there. All Zoe could hope was the footsteps would pass.

Miles: kept looking around the empty hallways hoping they'd find something soon. He looked down at his watch noticing they were running out of time. He rocked back and forth till he heard Zoe finally say the words he has been waiting for. Miles walked over to her to check it when he heard the noise. "Put your hand over her face or something." Miles said as he rushed over to the door seeing the teacher coming. "Fuck.. we gotta hide. Quick to the closet." Miles cut the lights off before quickly making his way to join his friends, hoping they wouldn't get caught.

Zoe: Zoe bit her lip as she did as Miles said. There was no way they could get caught now because of a dumb doll, and as she moved the baby silenced itself as if she was just getting uncomfortable being in one spot. The closet barely had any space in it but, she climbed in anyways, biting her lip as she realized how tight the space actually was. With Mr. Bishop coming they had no choice but to be in there though, she just hoped that he didn't figure out that they were in there.

Tori: 's ears perked up when Zoe said she finally found something, rushing over immediately to see what evidence she'd come across. However, at the mention that someone was coming she felt herself glance around in panic, following Miles' suggestion for them to hide out in the closet. Quickly, they all crammed into the space as the footsteps drew closer. "Oh my God, I'm claustrophobic" she whispered at both of them.

Mr. Bishop: when he reached his classroom he saw that the light was indeed off, and figured maybe his mind had been playing tricks on him. A sleepless night had been known to do that. Still when he walked in he felt something was off, taking his bag and putting it down on his desk. The male decided that he'd better have a look around, looking around to see if anything on his desk seemed out of place. He glanced out of his classroom window, seeing the faculty parking lot was still mostly empty. Just when he glanced he'd seen that he'd left his lights on by mistake. "Shit" he muttered to himself, turning to look in his closet for a jacket before heading back into the frigid morning. But instead when he swung the door open he was faced with three of his unsuspecting students--including Tori who'd walked in on him having sex with Esme not even a full 48 hours before. Mr. Bishop jumped, startled. "What are you--what are you three doing in my classroom?"

Miles: had his back against wall trying to make a little more room. Luckily all of them are pretty small. Miles was practically holding his breath when he heard Mr. Bishop walked in the room. "We won't be here long," he whispered back to Tori. As the door opened Miles started thinking of reasons why they'd be in there. "..Simpson had us checking all the uh supplies, making sure all the teachers are good. The door closed on us and we couldn't get it open so.. thanks for that." Miles said with a small chuckle and his best fake smile hoping the teacher would buy it.

Zoe: 's eyes widened and she shifted uncomfortably as she felt the footsteps come closer. "Just helping out the facility and making things easier," her stomach churned as she looked up at Mr. Bishop. "You're all good though! Thanks for letting us out, Mr. B!" She grinned brightly, before pushing her way out of the closet purposely brushing against the man, smirking up at him she bit her lip. "Wow, I'm so sorry. You've been working out obviously." The brunette mostly needed to see his reaction for more proof. "But uh, we'll be going now. Sorry to bother you."

Tori: just smiled and followed suit behind them both, not wanting to create any waves. She could barely look the male in the face as she maneuvered past him, only being able to envision him naked and on top of her best friend.

Mr. Bishop: looked between the three, suspecting that something was up but there was nothing he could really do or say to negate their statements so he simply stood to the side and let them out. “Oh, uh, okay?” he asked confusedly as the three teens hurried on their way.

Zoe: let the breath out that she's sort of been holding, she couldn't believe they'd almost got caught but was glad they were heading from the room. "I got the paper," she dug it from her jean pocket, grinning in triumph. "There's no reason he'd meet up with her at 11:30. Not unless it was for some sketchy reason.. should we go to Simpson /now/?" She questioned the other two, sitting back on the bench where they had met.

Blake couldn't believe she had been out for days, according to her brother and sister. She couldn't believe that she had been in a car accident. It seemed like she was just visiting with Nadia between classes. She didn't even have any memory of getting ​in​ a car to have an accident in one. But the doctor said that was normal, to lose a bit of her memory, especially the memory of the accident. Apparently forgetting the trauma was a way of the mind protecting itself. Which she completely understood. She was pre-med, of course. She was very confused, however. Matthew and Nadia had left the room, saying they were going to send Patrick in. Blake didn't have time to ask who Patrick was before they left, and sat there, completely lost. When a rather attractive young man walked in, Blake smiled brightly at him, though the confusion could still be shown on her face. "You must be Patrick. Matty and Di mentioned you but... I'm so embarrassed, I'm having a hard time placing you. Not that you should feel bad about that, because I'm sorry if you do. I just forever have my nose stuck in textbooks so I don't really pay attention to the world around me. Are you a friend of theirs? I'm Blake, by the way. But you probably knew that. I'm sorry, I'm rambling."

Patrick had become so used to the hospital and the people surrounding him. He had gotten so used to the emergencies happening, the doctors and nurses frantically running around, all the medical terms that he had heard before. The medical terms that he had heard from Blake. His girlfriend. The girl that he was falling for and was crazy about. The girl who had gotten into a car accident and was suffering from a head injury. The girl, who he was now waiting for, to see. After a couple of days, she finally woke up. Patrick was so relieved when she did, he started crying. He had been so anxious, so tense throughout the waiting period, barely having said anything to Matthew or Nadia in the waiting room. Just staring at the walls, waiting. But when the doctors finally said that she had woken up, a relieved sigh had escaped Patrick's lips, and he just broke down into pure happiness. Matthew, Nadia and Blake's mom had all gone in first, leaving Patrick to go last. He was so nervous, his heart pumped in his chest and he was sure that it would escape his body soon, if it kept going. Walking into the room, Patrick's heart broke. She had cuts and bruises all over her face, and bandage wrapped around her head. It was so heartbreaking, and yet, the girl was smiling. Patrick returned it with a soft smile, his eyes sorry for her. Having gone halfway into the room, he heard what she said and he stopped in his tracks. What was happening? Did she not remember him? "What?" His voice came out soft and weak, and he started walking closer to the girl again, a confused look on his face. "Do you not remember me?" He asked her, sitting down at the chair next to the girl's bed. "I-I'm your boyfriend," He told her, pointing at himself. "It's me, Patrick. Don't you remember?"

Blake stared at Patrick for a long moment, her bright smile turning confused as she furrowed her brows, cocking her head slightly to the side as she looked at Patrick. Boyfriend? Okay, either someone was playing a sick joke on her, or this guy was seriously mental. She really hoped Nadia and Matthew hadn't let some lunatic into her room. She knew they wouldn't, so what in the world was going on? "Boyfriend?" she asked, letting out a small laugh. "That's funny. No, I'm engaged to Maverick. I -- I don't know who you are, I'm sorry, but we're definitely not together..."

Patrick felt his heart break all over again. Why was this happening? Why couldn't she remember him? "No, but-" Patrick started, not really knowing what to say, having been left speechless about the entire situation. "We started dating on your birthday," He told her before continuing. "I took you out dancing, and you've met my parents, and you're my favorite color," He was getting distraught now, and he could feel the tears sting his eyes. Had she really forgotten all about him? Was she really suffering a memory loss?

Blake 's smile faded as she saw how upset the young man was getting. Favorite color? What in the world was he on about? But he seemed so sincere, so upset. Blake's heart broke for him. "I'm so sorry," she said softly. "I don't -- I don't know who you are. I don't mean to upset you or anything..." She swallowed hard, looking up as a nurse passed by her room. "Hi! Excuse me? You there!" The nurse stopped, and walked through the door. "Hi, yes. You're one of Nadia's friends, right?" The nurse nodded. "Do we know each other?" Another nod. "Great. This guy -- he says he's my boyfriend. Is that accurate?" The nurse nodded once again. ​"Yes, that's Patrick, your boyfriend. You're head over heels for him."​ Blake nodded. "Right. Thank you so much." The nurse left the room, and Blake turned to Patrick. "So, it appears I have amnesia. Which is not good. At all. Brain injuries are a lot more complicated than other injuries. Brains are a lot less predictable. Sometimes, due to the way the swelling tissue presses against the skull, it can cause some impairment. Like memory loss. It's completely normal, thank god, especially after the kind of accident my siblings said I was in. Thrown through the windshield, I guess? Which is serious. I'm lucky that I'm alive, honestly. So I think we can deal with a little bit of amnesia. The good news is, in most patients, it goes away and they get their memory back. We just have to be patient. In the meantime, Patrick --" She held out a hand for him to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you. And you're very cute."

Patrick was so close to just breaking down and cry right there, he had no idea what to do or what was going on. He couldn't wrap his head around the fact that she had forgotten everything about him, and that she thought she was still engaged to Maverick. That wasn't how it had gone down. She was with Patrick now, and they were each other's favorite colors, and that was how it was supposed to be. If this was some practical joke that she was playing on him, it really wasn't funny. Patrick followed the conversation between the nurse and Blake and swallowed hard, once Blake started to get all medical with him. She was the same girl. She had the same personality that Patrick had fallen for. She was still stuck in her textbooks. But she just couldn't remember Patrick, and that absolutely killed the poor guy inside. Looking at her extended hand, Patrick let out a deep sigh, feeling a tear roll down his cheek. What could he do? Taking it into both of his hands, Patrick leaned forward and connected his eyes with the girl, just absolutely adoring those blue eyes that he could look into all day, every day. "I will make you remember me. No matter what it takes."

Blake felt her breath catch in her throat as Patrick looked into her eyes, her heart beating fast in her chest. Her hands were tingling from his touch, in the most magical of ways that she couldn't even begin to describe. No, no, that's not how it was supposed to be. That's how her body reacted to Maverick, not some guy she didn't even know. "Please don't cry," she said softly, swallowing hard. "I'm really sorry about not remembering you but..." She reached up with her free hand, wiping away at Patrick's tear. "You know, it's funny what the body remembers when the brain doesn't." She had goosebumps from his touch, and his words, and him just simply being so close. She felt like he heart was going to beat out of her chest. "That nurse wasn't kidding, was she? My body loves your body. And I know that sounds really weird, but --" She suddenly broke off, shaking her head, closing her eyes as she pulled her hands away from Patrick. "No, this isn't right. I don't even know you. My body reacts that way to Maverick. My fiance but -- but not my fiance anymore. I don't understand. Our relationship was great, what happened?" She was talking to herself more than to Patrick now. "And now I'm with this -- this admittedly really good looking guy who seems super sweet and --" She rubbed a part of her head that didn't seem to be injured. "I'm starting to get a headache."

Patrick couldn't bear to think about the couple starting over from scratch. They were so good now, everything was going so well. Patrick loved spending every minute of his day with the girl, and even if she was just studying at his place, just having her there gave him so much pleasure in his life. Sitting there and just watching her read and do her notes brought the guy so much joy. Even seeing her, first thing in the morning, with her hair messed up from the night before, wearing his t-shirt, it was all so good. And now, he didn't have any of it. Hearing what she said, Patrick closed his eyes. She could feel it too. The sparks and everything. The emotions that came with just being near each other. But she was denying all of it and she thought she was still engaged to someone else and it all just hurt. Feeling her pull her hand away, Patrick let out a deep sigh and opened his eyes. "You need to take it easy," He said, his voice breaking midway. Reaching over for the glass of water, he handed it to her, making sure that she took a sip of it.

Blake took a sip of the water, before letting out a sigh. "Okay, so the logical thing to do would be to go back to my normal routine after they release me. Which probably won't be for at least a few days, considering it was a brain injury. Albeit a not totally serious one, considering they only had me out for a few days instead of like, two weeks or something. So that's good. That means that my memory loss being permanent is highly doubtful. But someone with amnesia really need to go back to their day to day life in order to regain their memory. So what did I do in my day to day life, Patrick? Please tell me I'm still pre-med, at the very least. I don't care if that means I study all the time. Just tell me at least one thing is normal in my life."

Patrick nodded along, knowing where she was getting at. Drying his eyes with the back of his hand and sniffing the tears away, Patrick took in a deep breath before opening up his mouth to speak. "You're still a pre-med. You've been spending the last week back and forth between your own place and my house, studying," He told her, swallowing hard and looking down at his feet. "I'd make you dinner or bring you something and we'd spend the night together. You know..." Patrick looked up at the girl, hoping she'd know that he meant that they had sex. "And I'd just make sure that you'd eat and sleep, and then you'd study again the next day. Sometimes, we'd go out for dinner or I'd introduce you to a movie you've never seen."

Blake nodded, frowning. "Okay. Okay, we can work with that." So she'd have to do something along the same lines. Maybe being around Patrick was what she needed to regain her memory. Sure, she had no idea who he was or anything, but that didn't mean he was a bad guy. Quite the opposite, he seemed sweet and like he really cared about her. "So maybe I should spend some time at your place, then. And study or something. We can, uh, eat dinner and watch movies and -- and do whatever we normally do, then."

Patrick bit down on his lip, so confused and sad about the entire situation. He hated this. He hated it with a passion. They were supposed to be good, and together, and like a real couple, and now this came up and Patrick was so close to just breaking. First, it was his sister who had been in the hospital, and now it was his girlfriend, and she didn't even remember him. He just couldn't deal with all of it at the same time. "What's the last thing that you remember?" Patrick asked her softly, his jaw clenching. God, he hated this entire situation.

Blake furrowed her brow, looking down at her hands. She shook her head. "I don't -- I don't know. I think I... I think I was with Nadia, maybe?" She looked up at Patrick. "I remember hanging out with her between classes. Maverick was supposed to come into town that night. Nadia and I were talking about going shopping somewhere so I could look cute for him. I asked her where we should go and --" She shrugged. "I don't remember after that. It's like everything goes blank."

Patrick listened intently, feeling his heart sinking to his stomach. The fact that she still thought she was engaged to Maverick broke his heart completely. She wasn't anymore. She had told Patrick all about it and what had happened, and Patrick had understood everything, but it was still as if he had lost all of his chances of ever being with the girl again, just because she thought she was still engaged to the other guy. "Do you want to be with Maverick?" Patrick asked hesitantly, looking down at his fingers and fidgeting with them.

Blake was rather taken aback by Patrick's question. Her mouth dropped open, and she raised her eyebrows. "I -- Patrick, that's not fair," she said, shrugging a little. "I'm suffering from memory loss right now. I'm sorry that I don't remember you and remember how in love I am with you, okay? I really am. I feel so, so bad about it. But you can't just -- you can't expect me to not be in love with him. He's my fiance, my world, my everything. And, okay, maybe him and I broke up, and I can't remember why, and he's not really my fiance -- but the point is, I ​don't remember that​. I just remember how amazing he is, and how special, and sweet, and thoughtful he is. To answer your question, yes, right now I do. But who's to say I won't regain my memory tomorrow? I'm not going to go chasing down a guy who's probably over me by now. I love Maverick, but I have you right now, right? And you're sweet, and thoughtful, and special, too."

Patrick could see how unfair his questions was, but he couldn't help but feel that way. He couldn't help but want an answer, and want to know how she felt about everything. He couldn't help but worry about them and their relationship, and where they stood. He just wanted to know, because he was so confused. Biting the inside of his cheek, Patrick nodded slowly. "I suppose, if you really love him and he loves you, you should be with him," He said quietly, hating everything about it. But it was all about Blake's happiness. That was all Patrick cared about, even if he had to hurt.

Blake sighed softly, shaking her head. "No. No, Patrick, that's not how this works. Amnesia patients can't live in the past. They need to remember, okay? I need to remember. I mean, I only took one psychology class for the required credit, but I know that if I go to Maverick and try to be with him, that won't be healthy for my recovery. So what if he still loves me? You haven't said it but I can tell you do, too. So we're going to stick to the plan. When I get out, we're going to your place, okay?"

Patrick swallowed hard, not knowing how to tackle the entire situation. He just wanted to curl up next to the girl and hold her and cry and have her remember him again, but there was no way he could do that. To her, he was a complete stranger. "What if you'll never remember me?"

Blake rolled her eyes. "Okay, I get that you're heartbroken right now, but there's no reason to be overdramatic. The chances of me never regaining my memory was slim to none. I mean, if it had been a really serious brain injury sure, I'd say you could be correct. But if it was, I'd have been out for more than a few days. Try a few ​weeks​ while the swelling went down. I know I said the brain is unpredictable, and it is, so yeah, there's always a chance. But I'm not throwing all my eggs in one basket here." She sighed softly. "Listen. If I don't remember you, then guess what? You get to make me fall in love with you all over again. How hard was it the last time, honestly?"

Patrick shook his head, his jaw clenching. He wasn't being overdramatic. Not in his eyes. He was tired. He was tired of having to go to the hospital constantly, not being able to sleep because of the constant worry about the people that he cared for. Maybe Blake was up and awake and she knew more about the brain than Patrick would ever be able to know and remember, but he couldn't help but worry, and he therefore got a bit mad about what she said and how she reacted. But he kept it to himself, knowing that she wouldn't know what had happened to his sister, and therefore not knowing the trauma that he had been forced to go through. "Yeah. We'll see."

Blake sighed. "Maybe you should go home and get some rest. You look like you haven't slept a wink since I've been in here. I think you need to recharge, refuel, and make sure that your house is in tip top shape for me to temporarily move into in a few days. Because I know that you said that I've been going back and forth and that's the normal routine, but I'm guessing my car is shot, and I'm probably going to need you to look after me while I recover. Catch any lingering side effects of the swelling that I may miss."

Patrick nodded, keeping quiet and getting up from his seat. He wanted to break down, but he kept himself together, knowing very well he'd have a fit once he got home. Maybe he should stop by the liquor store on his way back. "You rest, okay?" He said, having reached the door. "I'll come back tomorrow and see how you're feeling. Just please take it easy."

Blake nodded. "Yeah, of course. And try not to be too bummed, okay? I know that's a lot to ask, and probably impossible but -- this isn't going to last forever, okay? You'll get your girlfriend back, you're just... you're going to have to deal with me for a little while first. And I don't know how much of my memory I lost, but I know I'm not her. I know I don't look at you the way she does, or think about you the way she does, or -- or anything like that. But I hope I'm good enough for now."

Cobie had been considering visiting Ofelia for the past few days. Ever since her argument with her via text, she'd felt like she had to go and speak to her former best friend in person. There were things going on within the gang that Cobie really wasn't okay with. Ofelia's constant torture of Bailey J was one of them, and Ofelia also treating Cobie herself like dirt was another. The two girls needed to have things out between them properly, and finally air everything that they'd been bottling up. After a night of nothing but sex, Cobie had never felt more relaxed and ready to go and have an argument with someone in her life. Normally she'd be an anxious mess, but right now she was still riding some sort of pleasure high. Arriving at Ofelia's and Caleb's apartment, Cobie rapped her knuckles on the door three times, waiting for someone to open it.

Ofelia had been avoiding pretty much everyone since things had blown up between her and Bailey J. Really they were probably avoiding her, but she figured that was for the best since there was a good chance she might actually hit someone if they were to try her in person. When she heard a knock on the door, she jumped up thinking it had to be the doilies she ordered from Pottery Barn. She was severely disappointed when she opened the door to find Cobie standing on her doorstep, "Do you need something?" She crossed her arms over her chest, standing in front of the doorway so Cobie couldn't get in.

Cobie rolled her eyes as Ofelia opened the front door and already began being a bitch. It literally took her 0.3 seconds to piss Cobie off, which was an actual record. "Don't be a bitch all your life, O. It gets boring and repetitive." Putting her hand on the center of Ofelia's chest, she began to push her backwards into the house. "We have to talk," she grumbled as she shut the door behind her. "What is your problem? Literally, like... You're acting like you have a raccoon lodged up your ass, and I'm sick of it. You treat me like dirt, and you think it's okay. You treat BJ like dirt, and you think that's okay. Like... Do you get off to it? You're making me so fucking... so fucking mad! Literally, right now I'm so mad at you and all you did was open the front door and act like a major dickbag. I want you to be the Ofelia I first met again."

Ofelia widened her eyes when Cobie put a hand on her and pushed her backwards. She didn't know Cobie could get that aggressive and it was more confusing than anything. She regained her balance after Cobie threw her off a little bit and flipped her hair off of her shoulder, "I should ask you the same question. You're the one who thinks it's okay to just barge into other people's houses uninvited. And Cobie, you weren't invited. I don't want to be a part of your weird hormonal pity party, okay? I'm so sick of hearing about how Kenzi could never ever love you. It's so boring, Cobie. I want you to go back to the weak girl who thinks she can talk to her dog," Ofelia rolled her eyes. She was so tired of Cobie and Caleb pulling shit like this, "Since when do you like Bailey J? Last I checked you hated her just like me. Or is your switching sides just part of whatever fucked up mental illness you have?"

Cobie could feel the rage building inside her with every word Ofelia spoke. How could she ever have loved this girl? The one who was standing in front of her and speaking to her like she was nothing? The one who was calling her weak, and picking out all of Cobie's flaws? How could she have ever loved such a cold hearted bitch? Without speaking a word, one of Cobie's hands came up to Ofelia's face, grabbing it harshly, her fingers digging into the girls jaw. "If you ever speak to me like that again, I will fucking put you in a coma. I have put up with your bullshit for years, and I have been nothing but loyal to you. But the moment I stand up to you, you think it gives you the right to stand there and put me down, and pick out every little thing that's wrong with me. You pick on my mental illness like it's something to be ashamed of, but it isn't. You're more fucked up than me, sweetheart. And Kenzi does love me, so that's where you're wrong." Her grip tightened even more as she pushed Ofelia into the nearest wall. "You wanna know something, though? Nobody is ever gonna love someone who can turn into a psycho as quick as ​you​." Cobie's tone was laced with venom and hatred. She had never spoken to someone like this in her life, and she'd only ever been soft and sweet with Ofelia in the past. "I was weak because I cared about you, but now I fucking don't. I'm not your bitch anymore, so you better fucking find a new one."

Ofelia wasn't expecting Cobie to get any more physical with her than she had already, but she was surprised yet again when Cobie grabbed her face. Ofelia felt her stomach flip just like it did whenever someone got too close to her face with something that could damage it. She reached up to grab Cobie's wrist to pull it off her face, but she hesitated when Cobie called her a psycho. She was so fucking tired of that being to only word people seemed to use to describe her anymore. She felt something inside of her snap and she knew her brain, her heart, and her fist were no longer speaking to each other, "I'm not a fucking psycho!" She yelled and ripped Cobie's hand off her face, her other fist winding up and flying full speed at Cobie's face. She hit the girl hard and slipped out from where Cobie had had her pinned against the wall, turning back around to face her.

Cobie was more than a little taken aback when when Ofelia began yelling. The look in her eyes was scary, and Cobie knew she'd pushed her too far. But it was what she deserved. What she didn't expect was for her former best friend to completely lose it and hit her. The pain that she felt in her lip was awful, and her hand flew up to her face to check the damage. Blood. Ofelia had made her bleed. That fucking bitch. "You are a fucking psycho!" Cobie screamed back at her when she turned around to face her again. "Look at what you fucking did! And I'm pregnant, you actual fucking insane bitch!" Without thinking about what she just said, or giving the new information time to sink into Ofelia's mind, Cobie was throwing Ofelia back into the wall, her fist flying straight at her throat. Maybe that would shut her up for a few damn days.

Ofelia hated the fact that Cobie was almost half a foot taller than her because it put her at a serious advantage. She'd never thought about fighting Cobie, but she knew if she really wanted to she could have her on her back in just a few moves. Ofelia laughed once when she saw the blood start trickling from Cobie's lip. Ofelia furrowed her eyebrows when Cobie said she was pregnant. She started to say something when all of the sudden she was being thrown against the wall again, Cobie landing a punch to her throat. She felt like she couldn't breathe, as if Cobie had knocked all the air out of her windpipes along with the punch. Her hand went up to her throat, gasping for breath. It was at that moment that she knew she lost. No matter how mad she was at Cobie, if she really was pregnant she couldn't hit her again. Even in her demented state she knew that that was bad, and if she didn't care about Cobie she at least cared that there was a living thing inside of her that hadn't done anything wrong. She turned so her side was on the wall, facing away from Cobie, "Just go," She forced out, her voice shaking from the damage of Cobie's punch, "Get the fuck out of my house."

ROXANNE

There were no plans to stay at the burrow that day. She knew she should be with her family but she couldn’t. She couldn’t handle the anguish that seemed to be linger around a home that many came to think as synonymous with happiness. She groaned as she sat on the bed in the room she and Lucy shared, looking around and wondering how the blonde was doing, noting her bed hadn’t been slept in. Then again, neither had hers.