there's just this waiting game

Cassidy listened to him quietly and she watched the expressions he had and paid attention to the small details in hopes of forcing herself to remember something. "So, you're into photography? Are you good?" she asked, though she chewed on her lip at the last bit. It was nice hearing something like that and she wished that she was aware of how much he had meant to her. "If you were asked all those questions right now, would your answers still be the same? Even with me having amnesia?"

---

Dominic chuckled quietly and rubbed at the back of his neck with his free hand. "A little of both, I suppose?" he mentioned, though he shook his head. "It's the truth, but I'm worried your parents will try to use your amnesia into talking you into ending things. I guess, if I'm going to be honest about everything, I should be completely honest, though. The reason your parents don't really like me is because I'm in a gang." He lifted his gaze to hers, watching her in hopes of seeing how she would react to the information.

@ momentai.

"Yeah, I love photography, though I guess whether or not I'm any good is a matter of opinion," Adam said with a little smile. "I know you don't remember, but I'm actually a bit of a perfectionist. I never really look at any of my pictures and am completely satisfied with the results, and I think I still have a lot to learn." He paused. "If you're still here tomorrow, I'll make a stop by our place and grab some pictures for you to look at." He watched her as she seemed to think over something, the warmth in his cheeks receding even as she asked about the questions. "Well, I'm still an average student and don't intend on getting you into drugs or cigarettes or turning you into an alcoholic... I'd have to say that there is an answer I'd change though." Adam met her eyes. "I was crazy about you when we first started dating, but that's no longer true. Cass, I love you, amnesia or no, and I'm going to be here with you every step of the way through this."

---

"A... gang?" Gabriela stared at him blankly, searching for signs that he was using her ignorance of him to pull her leg, and though she didn't see any, it was still... ridiculous. "Okay, I can believe that we were dating and my parents don't like you, even that it really was serious, but really? I know my first thought when you said you were my boyfriend was that you didn't look like the sort of guy I'd date, and yeah, you have tattoos, but come on. And my parents knowing about it? If I accept this, the next thing you're going to tell me is that you're actually the leader of this gang of yours. Nice try, though. I'll figure out what it is my parents don't like about you eventually." She shook her head, sighing. Apparently, she was dating a jokester. As if this was the time to pull that sort of thing.

Cassidy blinked with surprise when he said our place. They lived together? How serious were they? She hadn't ever thought of moving in with somebody or moving out of her parents home, at least not until marriage, so how much did Adam mean to her for her to move in with him? "We live together?" she asked, "Does that mean we've, like... Slept together?" She couldn't even remember her first time - had it been with him? She blinked, though, when he started speaking about changing one of his answers, and she stared at him with surprise. "Even if I never get my memories back? You said that you're going to be with me every step of the way through this, but... What if I never get through it?"

---

"Actually, that's the truth, too - that I'm the leader," Dominic confirmed, despite that she thought he was joking. He hoped she could see that he wasn't, though, because he didn't want her parents to blindside her with the information or use the information to turn her against him. He didn't want to lose Gabriela at all and he worried that her parents would use this as an opportunity to tear them apart. Sighing, he shook his head and leaned back in his seat. "Look, Thomas, your doctor, he's a good friend of mine. He's not in the gang, but he helps my guys out when they get injured and he keeps me updated on this. He knows you fairly well, too, so he knew who you were when you came in. If you don't believe that I'm in a gang and that I'm the leader, talk to him about it."

@ momentai.

It was safe to say that Cassidy had ventured down a line of questioning that Adam wasn't exactly prepared for. "Ahh..." He wanted to tell her the truth, about anything she could possibly ask him, but it suddenly seemed so awkward talking about this sort of thing with her... even though she was his girlfriend and it shouldn't. It wasn't as if she'd really changed, personality-wise. Still, he was grateful when she moved on away from that subject, letting him off the hook--if only for the moment. "You are going to get through it, whether that means that you get your memories back or not. I'll admit that I really hope you do get them back, but if you don't... I'm going to stick by you until the day you tell me to get lost. And don't look at me surprised like that," he gave her a little smile, "I meant exactly what I said."

---

Though it didn't really sink in until he mentioned Thomas and told her to talk to him about it, Gabriela realized that he really wasn't joking with her. He was being serious. An as that realization hit, she turned wide eyes on him. "You're serious? But I'm not--I don't--How the hell did we even meet? And what kind of stupid are you, admitting that sort of thing to my parents? No wonder they hate you! They probably think you're going to get me killed or that you'll kill me yourself!" And then she realized that, according to what he'd told her, she'd basically chosen him over her parents. It just wasn't something she could imagine herself doing, and remembering that he'd said their relationship was serious, she couldn't help but wonder just how serious it was.

Cassidy couldn't really understand how anybody could be so intent about sticking by her. Her family, she could understand. But, how much did he really love her, if he was willing to stick by her side even with the possibility of her never remembering him? And what if her feelings for him never reformed without the memories? It was hard to understand, really. "You're really stubborn, aren't you?" she asked, as that could be the only real explanation as to why he wouldn't just give up and accept that fate had dealt them a shitty hand.

---

"My sister. She met you at school and I picked her up one day and she introduced me to you. We seemed to click fairly well and I asked you on a date that day. You denied it," Dominic said with amusement at the thought. "But I didn't really give up. Any time I saw you when I picked up my sister, I asked you, and I guess my persistence must have gotten you to agree." He shrugged slightly, but sighed and tried to think of how to explain what had happened. "It wasn't me who told them. Your brother spotted us hanging out one day and he told them what I looked like. They jumped to conclusions - appropriate conclusions, I guess - but they don't really know anything for sure."

@ momentai.

Adam chuckled a bit at her observation, giving a little shrug in response. "Only when it comes to things I care about," he said, smiling. She seemed to have calmed down considerably compared to her reaction earlier, to which he was glad. He hated the mere thought of her freaking out any time he entered a room. "How are you feeling now, by the way? I got off with only needing a few stitches in my arm, but you got banged up pretty good... scared the shit out of me." Good enough that the E.R. nurse had to bribe him to get him to sit still while she examined and patched him up, though he didn't mention that.

---

At first, Gabriela thought he was going to tell her that she accepted a date the first time they met, and she blinked in surprise when he instead said that she apparently refused to go on a date with him several times before she'd finally agreed. Still, she had asked how they met, and even if it did seem crazy, she knew he was telling the truth. "I'm just guessing, but I'm going to say that you're probably right there. Though I hate to imagine how many times you must have had to have asked me before you wore me down..." Crazy. She shook her head, but focused on him again as he explained the situation with her parents. "Well, at least you didn't actually tell them anything yourself," she sighed, shaking her head. "And I hope that finally taught Elijah something about sticking his nose in my business." She loved her brother, she really did, but he'd always had a habit of tattling to their parents without first learning about the situation. And apparently that hadn't changed in her missing years.

(Before we get to the part of bringing in the families - though it may still be a bit anyways xD - who should play whose family?)

Hearing Adam's words, Cassidy couldn't help but wonder if the fact that she'd forgotten everything was some sort of blessing in disguise. How would she be reacting if she could remember the accident? Would she be terrified and have some form of trauma issue because of it? She didn't really want to think about it. "I'm alright," she assured after a moment, "Sore and everything aches, but... Well, it could be worse." She could have broken bones, after all, but that didn't seem to be an issue. Her head hurt, but she was sure that was expected, so she didn't bother mentioning it.

---

"I don't think Elijah automatically assumed what I was. He just described me, from what I recall you ranting about, and your parents drew the conclusion themselves. Elijah doesn't seem to dislike me as much as they do," Dominic offered in response before he shrugged slightly and allowed himself to relax in his seat. It was still hard, knowing that she didn't remember him, but she seemed to be listening to him. And, he knew it was harder for her, having no memories of somebody who claimed to be her girlfriend and only seeing him as a stranger who she probably wasn't even sure she could trust.

@ momentai.
(Hmm, maybe you for Cassidy's and me for Gabriela's? I've been sort of forming a pretty good idea of how Gabriela's family works as I've been replying)

While he awaited her reply, Adam watched Cassidy carefully, as if he could determine how she was really doing just by looking at her. His shoulders relaxed a bit as she told him that she was sore but apparently doing okay. "I'm glad to hear it isn't too bad. Do you know if they've given you anything for the aching?" He asked, and as he realized that he was still sitting at the edge of the small room where he'd initially gone so as to give her space after her first reaction to him, Adam stood up and pulled his seat over beside the bed as he offered Cassidy a quick, boyish smile.

---

Ranting? Had she really been that mad about it? Actually, when she thought about it, she probably had been. In high school, her parents hadn't quite trusted her opinion in dating and had controlled that aspect of her life as much as they could. This being in the middle of her missing years, she could imagine that she'd been angry about their assumptions and not trusting her judgement after only hearing what her boyfriend had looked like, not even having met him themselves. Yeah, she probably had ranted... "Sounds like we must have had a rocky relationship," she finally breathed as she shook her head. "It doesn't even sound real... I mean, I know you have to be telling the truth, but I just can't remember any of it. I can't even imagine it." Whatever she'd once experienced, at this moment, it was trying to imagine herself with someone she didn't know--like some sort of oddly detailed dream.

(That works~)

"I'm imagining they probably gave me morphine or something," Cassidy said with a small shrug as she motioned to the IV. "Or this could just be liquids to keep me hydrated. Either way, I'm going to pretend it's morphine if it's not and hope for a placebo effect." She watched him idly as he moved closer, her eyes taking in his smile for a moment. It was almost easy to see how she could have fallen for him; he had something really sincere going for him, and she'd always preferred genuine people over those that she could see through. "How banged up are you?" she asked quietly, wondering if he was achy or not. She knew he blamed himself from their earlier conversation topic, but she was sure that he'd gotten hurt as well, even if it wasn't as bad as her.

---

"It was rocky," Dominic confirmed with a small nod, though he almost looked amused when he spoke again, "But we managed to push through all of that. In some ways, it was almost amusing, if not annoying on occasion, but... I can understand your parents' concern, even if they had no proof of their theories of me." After all, they hadn't found out the truth, hadn't found out they were right. But, either way it went, he'd taken care of Gabriela; he'd kept her safe, made her happy - at least, he assumed she was happy. She didn't complain about their life together and she'd almost eagerly moved in with him when he first suggested it. It had caused more problems with her parents in the end, but, really, Dominic wouldn't change a single moment of it.

As he settled back into his seat, Adam glanced over at the IV machine that Cassidy had pointed to and for a moment even looked for anything he could read--any indication, really, of what the IV was pumping into her. Unfortunately, he seemed to be out of luck, and since he didn't see a chart that might have the information on it lying within easy view, upon casting his gaze around the room, it seemed that he wasn't going to know for sure unless he felt like getting up and trying to get the information out of whatever passing nurse he could find. And while the thought was tempting, he quickly put it from his mind; the doctors knew what they were doing. If they hadn't given her anything yet, there was a reason for it, even if he didn't know what or didn't like it.

"I hate to burst your bubble, but I think you really have to believe it's morphine if you want a placebo effect," Adam chuckled, and amnesia or no amnesia, it was a relief to him that she was acting so much like her usual self. Her reaction when he'd first walked in the room earlier that shaken him. He'd been worried that she would remain distant with him if not cold, not wanting him to be around since she didn't know him, even if he did claim to be her boyfriend. Not to mention how slow she was to warm to people. It wasn't exactly as things had been between them two hours ago, but it was a lot better than he'd feared.

"Me?" As Cass asked about him, Adam blinked, then offered a reassuring smile as he shook his head. "I'm fine. Don't worry about it." He was sure she could see the scrape along his jaw as well as some of the bruising, but that was pretty much the extent of his injuries other than the one cut on his arm that he'd needed a couple of stitches for. "There was an E.R. nurse who refused to let me come check on you until she'd looked me over and bandaged me up. I even got a couple of Tylenol out of it." The last was said more as a joke than anything, though he really had been given Tylenol to treat any soreness he was feeling.

---

Gabriela watched Dominic closely as he talked about their relationship. Rocky, he'd said, but he'd been smiling at the same time. Like he was thinking of happy memories--things she would have to ask about and try to imagine because she couldn't remember any of it. It was just gone, and though she really did believe he was telling her the truth, it was hard to reconcile the fact that her mind firmly believed she was nineteen with the fact that she was actually twenty-three. Four years, and she couldn't account for any of it. Four years of life, of learning, of dating, of friendships, of family, holidays, everything. It was all just gone, and it didn't sit well with her.

However, as he said that he understood her parents' concerns, something occurred to Gabriela that had slipped past her before with the overload of information she'd been receiving. According to him, not only had she been dating a gang leader, they were a serious couple; she'd even moved in with him. She'd watched enough movies to know that people usually went after loved-ones if they wanted to get to a person and had no other way to do it. "Should they be concerned?" She asked bluntly. So far, he'd proved to be very open with her, and she hoped that held true even as she looked him in the eye. Knowing her family, there would be a lot of embellishments and half-truths on all fronts, and she'd have to be wary of what information they gave her. But Dominic seemed to be honest with her; at least, if he was lying, he was doing it very well. She was inclined to trust him though, hopefully even to keep giving her the truth whether it be good or bad. And hopefully she wouldn't regret it.

Then it occurred to her... "What the hell happened to me anyway?" She sat up as if she were about to get out of the bed and search for the answer herself, the IV line attached to her at the elbow be damned. She'd never asked about her accident. Everything had moved too fast, and with Thomas being adamant on questioning her then her forgotten boyfriend showing up, things had moved in such a way that it had just slipped her mind. Obviously, she'd been on her own, or she was sure she would have known about the other person by now, if they had been with her at least. It could have been a car accident or she'd slipped and hit her head or... well, her mind got away from her at that point, her earlier line of questioning playing into the fantasies.

(Sorry for my long absence! I've been helping a family friend pack up her home and move and she's such a hoarder and had a huge house, so it took way too long. x.x)

"If you didn't want to burst my bubble, then why did you?" Cassidy asked with a small pout, though she was very aware that he was right. The whole point of the placebo effect was to believe that it would work, except she had no firm belief in it and had only hoped. But, she doubted they'd given her anything - and they likely wouldn't until they knew how bad things were. She doubted she had bleeding on the brain or anything, but she was sure that, if she did, giving her medicine without checking to make sure would only serve to be a disaster and that was the last thing she wanted. Part of her was sure the doctors didn't really want to have that on their conscience as well; doctors did their work to save people. A single misstep could ruin that.

Regardless, she offered a small nod to his words. "Lucky you," she mentioned, figuring that Tylenol was likely better than nothing. Her head still throbbed, but she didn't want to think about it too much. She could only hope that the doctors would finish checking her out, and hopefully find nothing else wrong with her and give her any pain medicine she might need to ease the aching. Closing her eyes, she tried to ignore the way her head ached and throbbed and she idly wondered if perhaps it was some kind of warning. Should she try to relax and hope that the pain went away or what? She really wished the doctor would come back but, before she could think further into that, a knock came to the door and she opened her eyes to peer over to it.

Without even receiving permission, her mother and father entered, rushing over to Cassidy's side. "Cass - oh, thank God you're okay," her mother breathed out as she placed a hand over Cassidy's forehead, though Cassidy, at first, had flinched at the sight, worried it would bring more pain to her head than she wanted to deal with at the moment. "You are okay, aren't you?"

"I'm fine, really," Cassidy assured quietly as she peered between her parents, though she felt rather desperate to escape, certain they would pry and she wouldn't have any answers for them.

---

Dominic hadn't exactly been expecting her question and, for a few moments, he wasn't sure how to answer or what exactly she was meaning. Was she asking if they should be concerned that she was with him because of him? Or was she asking if they should be concerned that she was with him because of what happened around him? Either way, he shook his head slightly. "No, they shouldn't," he said firmly as he eyed her for a few moments, trying to figure out how to convey exactly what he meant, but it was difficult. Gabriela had never questioned him like this in the past and, really, it threw him off, but he knew it was probably because of her amnesia. The non-amnesiac Gabriela had always seemed to accept or know that she was safe around him.

"I wouldn't let anything happen to you, so long as it was in my control. I wouldn't ever let anybody hurt you, nor would I ever hurt you myself." His eyes locked on hers for a few moments and he hoped that that was enough to get her to understand how much she meant to him or at least to get her to understand that he'd protect her with his life, regardless of whether she had her memories or not. She meant more to him than he could possibly explain and, in the past, he was sure she had known that, but, right now, he was still only a stranger to her. This amnesiac her was completely unaware of how much she meant to him or how much he would do for her or to keep her safe. It would probably be a struggle to get her to see that now, but he knew he had to try.

To her later question, though, he sighed and shook his head. "I don't know," he admitted with a small frown, though his eyes settled on her once more, scanning over her features and any visible injuries. "I just know that Thomas called me and said you were in an accident. The last I spoke to you, you were on your way home and you were supposed to call me when you got there. I'm guessing you never got there, because you never called and, even before Thomas called to inform me of the accident, I was beginning to get antsy and worried because we don't live far from where you were leaving from to drive home."

@ momentai.
(oh wow, that sounds like a lot of work. No problem! I've been writing with my best friend and visiting my grandparents anyway!)

Adam chuckled as she pouted at him, about 90% certain that she wasn't actually being serious--definitely a high enough percentage for him not to get worried about having accidentally upset her somehow. "Well, you wouldn't want me lying to you, would you?" He asked with a little smile as he sat back. Of course, it had never crossed his mind to lie to her. He and Cass had always been honest with each other, and it had been good for their relationship. Not only that, he couldn't imagine what it was like for her having amnesia, and even if she didn't remember him, he still wanted her to like and trust him. There was absolutely no way that he would jeapordize that by giving her lies. And aside from those selfish reasons, there was the fact that she deserved it as well.

Before he knew it, Cassidy's parents had arrived, and Adam stood up, shoulders tense. He'd called them, of course, but when he had, he'd just found out his girlfriend had amnesia. He hadn't known what to think about it, much less how to tell them, and even if that didn't factor in, he'd been driving when the car crashed. Her parents were protective, and he fully expected to be yelled at.

Even despite his worries, Adam was quick to keep his promise to Cass, clearing his throat as he attempted to draw their attention to him. "Actually, there's something I didn't mention when I called you that you should know," he said and glanced at Cassidy. "I know you want to stay here with Cass, but would you step outside with me for a few minutes at least? Please, Mr. and Mrs. Hunt? I swear, this is important." It would give Cass a few moments to figure out what she wanted to do about her parents being there, would spare her having to tell them and trying to answer questions, and it would mean she wouldn't be in the middle of a conversation that he was pretty sure was going to go bad.

---

The way he stared at her, almost as if he were confused, but then steadily and calmly as he answered her question somehow settled Gabriela. She let out a breath that she hadn't known she'd been holding, giving him a little nod that she hope conveyed that she believed him. Even so, she was glad when the conversation moved on, not quite knowing what to say, especially to the last part, which somehow felt as heavy with intimacy as a kiss. Even knowing that she'd dated him, as things stood, she just didn't know him, and she wasn't sure what to do about the situation.

"Well, that's helpful," she groaned, searching her mind as she once more began to tug on her hair. She didn't bother stopping herself when she noticed it this time though, having a feeling that she would be doing a lot of anxious hair-tugging with the amnesia. It wasn't as if anyone could fill in her four missing years completely, even if a thousand questions were answered honestly, she didn't know when or if her memories would come back, and it wasn't as if she could just slip back into the life she'd had that morning. Even looking at it optimistically, it just wasn't possible. What all would she have to relearn?

And that was how her parents found her when they rushed into the room, not even bothering to knock: face creased into a frown as she tugged her hair. "Gabriela!" They slipped right around Dominic and came up to her, her mom wrapping her bruised body in a hug before all else that caused her to yelp in pain. She was immediately released, her mom looking horrified as she stepped back from the bed. "Gabby, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I'm calling a nurse," her dad put in, already stepping away.

"I'm just sore," Gabriela rushed to say before either of them could interrupt. "I'm sure it's normal after being in an accident."

"You shouldn't be in pain. The hospital should have given you something. I'm going to find the nurse," Nicholas Pelligrad said firmly, turning away, but as he froze, Gabriela knew that he'd just noticed Dominic. Before she could say anything to draw the attention back to her, her father spoke. "You! You claim to care about my daughter! What the hell is she doing, sitting here hurting while you're just standing there as if nothing's the matter?"

(Yeah, it was fairly hectic. x.x It left me exhausted most of the time.)

Cassidy was more than a little overwhelmed with everything, but she tried to stay calm. The concern her parents displayed almost made her panic because she wanted to assure them that she was perfectly fine, even though she wasn't. She wasn't anywhere near fine, not with her memories gone and not with her parents looking as panicked as she felt. She didn't want them worrying about her in the first place; having people worry about her put her on edge slightly and she did her best not to show it. When she heard Adam, though, her attention went to him and she tried to focus on what he was saying. Hearing his words eased her worries a bit, because it meant that she wouldn't have to deal with explaining the situation when she was still trying to get her own head wrapped around what exactly was going on. She mouthed a 'Thank you' to him because she could tell he was doing it for her sake, even if she still felt like she didn't know him all that well.

His words, however, drove her parents' concerns to grow as they stared at him. "What? What do you mean there's something you didn't mention? What's going on?" her mother asked immediately and Cassidy's heart ached at the way her mother's voice hitched with her growing panic.

"Is it really necessary to step out to have this conversation?" her father added after a moment and, despite his worried expression, he tried to sound as calm as possible, mostly for both his wife's and his daughter's sakes. But, upon looking to Cassidy, he could tell that whatever this conversation was meant to be about, she looked fairly uncomfortable, so he relented with a small nod and wrapped an arm around his wife's waist. "Very well. Let's step outside," he mentioned.

Cassidy's mom gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "We'll be right back," she promised quietly, though she looked like she might cry then and there, before she let her husband lead her out of the room.

---

Dominic's jaw clenched when he heard the man's words and he stared at him levelly for a few moments. He resolved himself to stay calm and to not get too annoyed with the conversation, figuring it would be best to be the bigger man in this situation. He didn't want to cause Gabriela any further distress, after all, and he wasn't quite sure what would put her on edge at this point and what wouldn't. It was best to be careful with his choice of words and reactions to her parents' behaviors and to try to remain logical and calm when it came to what they chose to say.

"If you knew anything about head injuries, you would know that the doctors would want to get a full scan of the injuries to make sure that she can take medicine without causing any further damage," he pointed out, though he did a good job of not talking through clenched teeth. A big part of him wanted to get the pair to leave Gabriela alone, but they were her parents and he didn't quite like getting between that. He didn't want them to bother her more, though.

"Beyond that, I was more focused on the fact that she has amnesia than anything else. She hasn't seemed to be in pain at all, up until she was hugged. I'm almost certain that her mind's been wrapped around the fact that she has amnesia as well, rather than the pain she's feeling. Either way, until the doctors have everything ready for a brain scan, there's nothing I can do when it comes to her pain. I've been doing what I can, though - talking to her, trying to keep her calm, trying to fill in gaps in her memory. A nurse won't give her medicine, either, by the way, unless the doctor approves it."

@ momentai.
(I bet!)

Adam glanced at Cassidy as he spoke, hoping that she didn't mind the way he was dealing with it. It wasn't that he had anything to hide or really had a reason to take her parents out of the room except that she was obviously overwhelmed and needed a minute, not to mention that whatever first reaction they had probably wouldn't be good for her nerves. He'd have to remember to see if they would be willing to try to be a little calmer around her, though he understood what they were feeling and had acted at first like they were now. Hell, a nurse had to force him to sit down to get his own wounds tended to because he'd been so scared about her. So, when she mouthed a thanks to him, he was glad to see it, to know that he was doing the right thing, and with a little smile, he gave her a nod in return before turning his attention back to her parents.

"Yes, it is necessary," Adam answered, relieved when they relented and agreed to talk to him outside. He offered Cass another little smile before following them out the door, and as he closed it behind him, he took a deep breath, then launched into the explanation about the amnesia, how she didn't remember him at all, how the doctors were preparing tests already, and then he went on to mention how freaked out she'd been over it all. "She'll be better with you guys than she was with me. I had to leave the room at first when I first saw her because of how she freaked out, but I came back after calling you guys and have tried to just be mostly normal with her. She's been pretty calm since then, acting more like herself. The reason I wanted to talk out here was so you guys could get most of the bad reactions out now, even yell at me if that's what you have to do, without her in the room getting freaked out by it," he finished.

---

Gabriela's parents had hardly been in the room a minute, and there was a palpable tenseness in the air that bordered on animosity. Though she'd been warned ahead of time that they didn't like him, she honestly hadn't expected this, especially after having been told that their relationship had been serious--serious enough that she'd been living with him. Sure, they'd been hardasses about her and dating when she was a teenager living with them, but she'd never seen this sort of reaction. Even Dominic, who'd shown himself to be very calm, especially given the situation--she doubted she'd be able to stand back and act as calmly as him--, had his back up. She could already tell things might go bad very quickly.

In the wake of Dominic's retort to the accusations flung at him, Gabriela watched her father's face turn red, though he said nothing in response as he turned away from the other man and walked back to his daughter's side. Put as it had been, there wasn't anything he could say that wouldn't sound belligerent or petty, and if nothing else, he seemed to recognize when he needed to back off.

"It sounds as if you've done as well as could be expected, then," her mom spoke up, and though she didn't sound openly insulting, as her dad had, it didn't exactly sound as if she were offering Dominic a compliment either. "Of course, you can leave Gabby's care in our hands now. I'm sure we can agree that she needs not only people who love her, but people she recognizes and trusts, around her right now, and I'm sure we can answer any questions she might have."

Knowing that her parents would seize control at the first given opportunity and walk over her if she let them, Gabriela took a steeling breath and clearly said, "Dominic can stay if he wants. I may not remember him, but after talking to him, it's obvious that he cares about me, and I trust him to tell me the truth, even if I might not like it. And if I've been living with him and he's my emergency contact, then obviously I cared about him and trusted him before I lost my memories. Besides," the last she said softer, unsure whether or not to say it at all, "he's actually kind of calming." He'd just put his hand on hers when she'd been tugging on her hair, quietly worrying, earlier, and she'd settled, as if it were a familiar thing that had happened plenty of times in the past. Half the people she'd met never even noticed the nervous tick, and the rest mistook it for restlessness or fidgeting--including her parents. In all her memory, minus the four years she was missing, no one had ever bothered to figure out what it really was, and to her, that alone set him apart.

"Oh, sweetie, you don't even remember him," her mom argued. Gabriela was actually mildly surprised that her mom already knew that. Apparently, Dominic had divulged everything he knew when he'd called them--though it wouldn't have taken long for them to figure it out anyway. "He could be putting on an act, and you wouldn't know it."

"Did he tell you how we've been estranged since he's come into your life? You don't even talk to Elijah like you used to, and we haven't seen you since Christmas," her father added.

Lillian exchanged a look with her husband as they listened to Adam's explanation of their daughter's situation. She could feel her heart aching with the thoughts of her daughter losing her memories. How serious was it? Did she remember her parents? Would she ever recover her memories? Her hands shook as she took hold of her husband's arm gently, a way to stabilize herself and keep herself from letting her mind run wild with the possibilities. Things could have been much worse, she knew, but it didn't bring any relief to her while knowing that her daughter was suffering now. "How could this happen to her?" she breathed out after a moment, her gaze settling on Adam for a moment, "What about the other driver? Was there any news on their status?" Who was more at fault? The other driver or Adam? While Lillian didn't want to blame Adam - she knew how much Adam meant to Cassidy and she and her husband approved of his relationship with their daughter, encouraged it even, - she wasn't sure who was at fault.

"Let's not think about that for now," Martin mentioned lightly as he placed a hand over his wife's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze for a moment before he looked to Adam. He was trying to stay calm, even though the concern was eating away at him. He couldn't show his concern, though, not when his wife was growing more and more worried about everything, and he could only imagine how his daughter was dealing with the situation. No, he had to stay calm for them, be their stability, because it was what he had always done. "Have you heard anything about whether they will let her be released after the tests?" Mostly, he wondered where Cassidy would go. If she didn't remember Adam, would it be a good idea to let her go with him? While Martin didn't want to tear his daughter from Adam, he also worried that letting Cassidy go with Adam might cause more harm than good.

---

"You think you can answer the questions she has?" Dominic asked with a frown, unable to help but to feel insulted. Not only was he sure that Gabby's father was trying to paint him as insolent, but he was also sure that her parents would try to twist the truth around to benefit them, to get what they'd wanted all this time: to break him and Gabriela up. "If she has questions, I'll be around to answer them. I won't let you answer them on your own, so that you can twist the answers around to your benefit - just like you're trying to do now." He gave her parents both a pointed look, both because her mother tried to imply that he was putting on an act and because her father was trying to blame him for Gabby not being around her parents and family as often as she used to. His jaw clenched slightly and he wondered just how long he'd be able to remain around these two before he lost it. That wasn't allowed right now, though, he had to remind himself. If he lost it, if he got angry and blew up on the pair, it might frighten Gabriela away and that was the last thing he wanted - for her to turn to them and for them to lie to her and ruin what he and Gabriela had.

"Gabby doesn't spend time with you because it's what she wanted. I never stopped her from going to visit you or from talking to anybody in her family. The reason she tore herself away from you is because of you. You drove her away, both of you, with your resentment towards me and your avoidance of accepting the fact that Gabby is happy with me." Was. Was happy. She didn't remember him now; she could hardly be happy with him right now. But, he knew that, when she did know who he was, she was happy. He'd kept her happy, doted on her, spoiled her, did everything he could to keep her happy, because he didn't want to lose her. She was the only good thing in his life and he didn't want to lose that, especially by her parents' actions and words, by them lying about everything. "If you're going to try to imply that I'm putting on an act or that I'm the reason she's not around you, perhaps you should tell her about the day she left your house and moved in with me."

@ momentai.

Adam opened his mouth to answer Mrs. Hunt's questions as best he could, but he went quiet as her husband spoke up, probably trying to keep her from asking anything that would upset her more. Adam had noticed that he tended to be the level-headed one of the small family, staying calm even when his wife and daughter weren't and always trying to mediate. And since he wasn't really sure how to answer, he was actually grateful. He'd been so concerned about Cass after she'd been taken away that he hadn't thought to check up on the over driver. When he had a chance, he'd have to ask...

Adam shook his head. "A doctor was talking to her when I walked in the room, but all conversation stopped when she didn't recognize me and freaked out," he explained apologetically. "A nurse all but pulled me out of there, and by the time I headed back in, the doctor was gone. So I haven't heard anything. She seems more or less fine, other than the amnesia, so depending on what the tests show up, I'd imagine they would let her go home." He rubbed his hands over his face before he spoke next, the words tearing at his heart a little. "When they do release her, I think we should ask first, but it would probably be best if she went with you," he said as he dropped his hands. "She just... doesn't know me, and I don't think she'd be comfortable living with me without her memories. You know how careful she is, how long it took for her to warm up to me the first time. I don't want her to be wary or scared of me."

---

Gabriela took a deep, steadying breath as she fought through the headache forming. Though she'd been warned about what was likely to happened and had assured Dominic that she could handle her parents, she hadn't realized just how bad it was. There was more than a year's worth of resentment and tension in the room, and her stuck in the middle unable to even remember where it came from. Not only that, her parents had immediately shown up trying to take over everything and patronize her. They were family and she loved them, but their controlling tendencies drove her mad, and apparently they hadn't changed in the four years she couldn't recall.

"If you guys can't stop attacking Dominic and our... relationship... you're going to have to leave." She hesitated in the middle, glancing over at the man in question, but picked it up again as she turned her attention to her parents. "I may have a hole in my memory, but I know I'm an adult, and I can kick you out. I don't want to, but I'm not going to sit here listening to the fighting, and no, I'm not threatening to kick him out too, because he's only been defending himself."

Frances looked at her daughter in shock. Gabriela had always been headstrong, even more so since meeting that boyfriend of hers, but here she was defending a man she didn't remember and threatening her parents. "Gabby, you can't. We're here because you were in an accident! We could've lost you. We still don't know what happened to make you forget your memories. What if you take a turn for the worse?"

"Then I'll have one person in the room who cares, and he can decide whether or not he wants to deal with you once I'm unconscious." It was admittedly a little harsh, but Gabriela held firm. Give an inch, and her parents would take a mile.

(This is probably going to be short since I’m just now getting back into it, but I’ll hopefully start making these longer again)

Martin and Lillian listened to his explanation quietly before exchanging a look of concern. Neither wanted to outright agree with Adam’s suggestion, both worried that he might take it the wrong way, but they also worried that he was right that Cassidy might have trouble being comfortable around him for a while. “I see,” Martin decided after a moment before he looked to Adam and offered a small nod. “We understand. If you’re sure this is the best course of action, we have no problem agreeing. At least until she seems to feel better or until she gets her memories back - or until she’s comfortable enough that living with you might help more than put her on edge.” After all, for all they knew, having her still living with Adam could make things easier for her, make it so that she can return to her normal life so she can adjust better. But, they didn’t want Cassidy to be on edge or wary, so, until she was comfortable enough, having her live with them could be the best option.

---

Dominic was mildly surprised by her words and he found himself staring at her with mild shock. She trusted him to have her best interest in mind, even despite her being unable to remember him? The thought eased his heart a bit. She still trusted him, and that meant more to him than he could really say, especially when she’d been told constantly that he wasn’t worth her trust in the past. And, right now, she was basically being told the same thing, but she still trusted him. She still believed in him, even when she couldn’t remember him. He watched her for a few long moments before he offered a small nod. “I’m sure everything will be fine,” he told her after a moment before he looked to her parents, “And, if anything does happen, I’ll be right here for her. I won’t let her go through this alone.” He refused to. She needed him and he was going to be there for her. “You can hate me as much as you want, but I’ve always put her first and that’s not going to change. The least you could do is accept that as truth, because I haven’t given you a reason to believe otherwise.”

@ momentai.
(I am so sorry it took me this long to finally reply! School has been a little hectic...)

By the look husband and wife exchanged with one another, Adam guessed that his proposal had been completely different than what they'd expect. As much as he loved Cassidy and wanted to be by her side though, he wanted what was best for her more. When she was released from the hospital, he didn't want to force her or even make her feel like she had to go with him. He wanted it to be her choice, based on wherever she felt comfortable, and if that happened to be with her parents, then he knew he could come and visit and if the amnesia pursued, try to rebuild the trust between them. And thankfully, her parents liked him and weren't so protective that they'd try to keep him away.

Even though it was his looking away for that second that had caused the crash.

"I think we have to ask Cass, but with how she reacted to me earlier, I'm pretty sure she'll want to go with you guys," Adam admitted. He didn't look happy saying it, but he didn't back away from the truth either. Then, he offered Mr. and Mrs. Hunt a half smile. "I guess that's about all I wanted to say. I just... wanted to let you guys in what I knew away from Cass, since she's so freaked out already, so maybe we could all be a little calmer for her." He was definitely trying his best, and it looked like it was working for them too, as they'd come into the room practically panicking and had calmed down significantly since.

---

Gabriela knew she'd surprised everyone in the room. It was written all over their faces. She'd even surprised herself, if she were being honest, but from the little time she'd had to talk with Dominic before her parents had arrived, she'd just... Well, there was this feeling that she could trust him. Maybe it was the way he acted, maybe it was something else, but she'd decided to listen to that feeling. At least insofar as this concerned, and she gave him a little nod as he took a moment to reassure her before he defended himself, once again, to her parents. It wasn't the first time in the past ten minutes, and it didn't sound like it had even been the first time in the past year.

Just when it looked like Nicholas would say something, though, his wife put a hand on his arm and silently squeezed. Frances didn't look any happier than he did, but she recognized the stubborn look in her daughter's eye. Gabriela had always been strong-willed, even before becoming a teenager. It wasn't until she'd moved out, really until she'd met this boyfriend of hers, that she'd grown quite this obstinate with them however. She may have resented them for it when she was younger, but she'd trusted them to make the right decisions, and then to give good advice as she'd grown older. And something they were still struggling to get used to was this new version of their daughter who wouldn't yield once she made up her mind. "Gabby won't be going through this alone," Frances said to Dominic. "We're staying." Which was as much of an admission of defeat as would be given.

Gabriela didn't back down from the stern, uncompromising look she'd been giving her parents until that moment, as she realized that they'd gotten the message and would only be rude to Dominic going forward at the risk of being sent away and not being allowed back. And whatever stress was between them, it was good to know that they loved her more than they hated him. "Okay," she breathed, but no sooner had she breathed the word than the door opened, and in walked Thomas, who paused just steps inside the doorway before clearing his throat and explaining that he needed to borrow her for a few tests.

(can’t think of a name for the husky yet, oops)

A while had passed since Cassidy had been released from the hospital. Her parents had gathered her things from Adam’s - or, at least, they’d gathered the necessities, clothes and such. They hadn’t wanted to take everything or too much, since they were sure Cassidy’s memory would return eventually. It had come as a shock when Cassidy walked into her old room the first day, finding it bare. After all, she remembered it being full of decorations, colorful, and… Well, a little messy. But, it had just been bare. Even now, after she’d been here for a while, all that was in the room was a new bed and a dresser. A part of her wanted to decorate, but that would just make leaving difficult if her memories came back; she’d have to pack more.

It seemed her parents were acclimating to her being back in the house. And, they coddled her, constantly asking if she needed anything, but she didn’t want to trouble them, so she tried not to ask for anything unless she really needed it. Adam visited and Cassidy couldn’t help but to feel guilty each time, because she still didn’t remember him. A part of her hoped that each time he showed up, something would happen, that she’d remember even a tiny detail of their life together, but there was never anything. Nothing ever came of it.

Making her way out of her room, she made her way downstairs in hopes of getting out of the bare room.

---

It was hard, living at home without Gabriela there. Dominic tried to deal with it as well as he could, but, throughout their entire relationship, it was hard for him to stay away from her. Each time he went to visit her, though, she was usually gone - her parents having dragged her out to do something, he assumed. And, he was certain it was never anything important; her parents just wanted to keep her busy so that she couldn’t spend time with her. They probably thought that keeping them apart would make it so that there would be less of a risk for Gabriela’s memory to come back and for her to remember him. Her parents probably preferred things being this way, but Dominic couldn’t just sit around and accept that.

Looking to their pet husky, he ruffled the dog’s fur as the dog whined. “I know, boy,” he said gently, “I miss her, too.” He stared at the dog for a moment before getting an idea. It might not help get Gabriela’s memory back, but it was late enough that there was no way the family was out doing anything. “Let’s go see her.” Moving to grab the leash, he latched it on and led the way out to the car. Once he got the husky into the car, he climbed in and drove off to Gabriela’s home.

@ momentai.
(It's okay! I would've named him, expect Gabby doesn't know his name xD)

Adam had decided to try something different. At first, he'd thought he could jog Cass's memory somehow. He'd shown her around their apartment when she got out of the hospital and had even tried a couple of things before then. It hadn't taken him long after she moved back in with her parents before he realized that it was just an effort in futility though. If something was going to trigger her memories into coming back, it would just happen. He couldn't force it. It was a hard thing to accept, especially since he wanted her back, but that was just how it was.

So now he was just trying to rebuild their relationship. He loved her, and he didn't plan on letting her slip out of his life. Something might cause her memories to come back, or they wouldn't return, and if that ended up being the case, he wanted to continue to be in her life. In whatever way he could. So now when he visited, he tried to avoid the subject of her memory. She'd let him know if something came back ; he was sure of it. Instead, he just tried to be her friend. Ask how she was doing, talk...

It was horribly awkward and he hated himself for it.

Which was why Adam had decided to try something different, and after being let into her house and walking back to her room, he knocked on the door, then walked in when she answered and immediately asked, "What do you say to going out for lunch today? Maybe taking a walk afterwards? It isn't a date or anything, I promise! I just figured you might want to get out of the house for a bit. We don't even have to do lunch and a walk specifically. If you have something else in mind, even if it's me leaving and coming back some other day, that's fine." Adam hoped she wanted to spend time with him, but this was basically Cassidy before they'd started dating, closed off to him, and knowing how things had gone the first time around, it would take her awhile to really open up. If he could endure it once though, he could do it a second time.

---

Gabriela had expected her room to have changed. More than it had, at least. Her bed was still there with the comforter she remembered, the same curtains and rug. Some decorations were missing, pretty much all of her clothing, and what was left didn't fit her anymore. Knowing she was missing years of her life from her memory, she'd expected a lot to have changed, but her parents had left it all just as it was when she'd moved out. They claimed it was for her, but with everything she knew about how life had been before the car accident, she couldn't help but wonder if they'd been hoping she would come back one day.

She tried not to think about it too much, tried to just focus on getting her feet under her, but it was hard. It was hard to think about anything at all, really, with how busy they kept her. They hardly left her any room to just sit and relax. No, instead she was doing things with her family and visiting old friends, some of which she knew and some of which she couldn't remember and trying so hard not to feel guilty that she'd forgotten so much but completely failing in that regard.

Gabriela was actually helping Elijah wash dishes after dinner when the door bell rang. She'd been told that she didn't have to help with chores or anything, and when she'd still felt pretty banged up, she'd allowed herself to sit back, but it didn't feel right. There wasn't anything physically wrong with her other than the gaping hole in her memory. Nothing that would prevent her from washing dishes, at least. And since she was drying and therefore not sopping wet and already standing, she'd called out that she'd get the door. Her mom tried to stop her, getting to her feet, but by the time Frances had stood, Gabriela was already halfway to the door and had opened it before her mom ever reached her.

But whatever surprise Gabriela had of seeing Dominic, who to her knowledge had just been giving her space to try and get her memories back, was buried under the huge mass of fur that came right to her, demanding her attention. The husky, tail waggling excitedly, pressed himself against her legs, and caught off guard, she fell to the ground, where he wasted no time surging forward and attacking her face with slobbery kisses. Gabriela immediately fell in love, and laughing as she turned her head away from him, reached up to scratch behind his ears with both hands. "Hello to you too! Aren't you a sweet puppy?"