Unforgettable (closed for BlondeAmbition4RP)

Sebastian Blake pounded the elevator button with his thumb, watching the lights dancing from left to right above closed doors. He knew there was no sense in what he was doing. The device was going to take its own sweet time. He would have to wait. Then he finally heard the bell as the doors opened. Once inside the elevator, his thoughts drifted back to what had just transpired. His whole world had been turned upside down. No matter how much he tried to convince himself that it wasn't as bad as he thought, he couldn't help feel anything but furious. He began loosening his tie as if it was strangling him. As he pierced the crowd through the lobby, everyone gave way, only to stop and stare at the tall, handsome gentleman. The employees working there had never seen him like this before. The guests were wondering why all the employees were nervous, staring at the man rushing past them like a maniac, swearing, not caring who or what he hit along the way.

Sebastian stormed out of the skyscraper as the doorman held the door open for him and greeted him with his usual smile. He acknowledged the ancient soul, no matter how agitated he was and continued towards the edge of the sidewalk. He had told his chauffeur that he was relieved of his duties for the rest of the day since Sebastian had other plans. But things had taken an unexpected turn. And Sebastian was not fond of surprises. Especially if they were of the unpleasant kind. The refreshingly cool air on the busy city street did little to calm his anger. One could not have asked for a better weather report today. The sun was going down as evening approached. Soon, the city would be enveloped in the brightness of neon lights. In normal circumstances, he would have enjoyed the feel of the fresh air, after sitting in that stuffy conference room upstairs listening to his father lecture him for what seemed like eternity. He needed to be somewhere soon. And give her a piece of his mind. He just had to. How could she do this to him? If only he had listened to his father six months ago when he had first introduced his future wife to him. He wouldn't have had to see this day. One of the few occasions when he had trusted his heart instead of his head. It was her stunning beauty that had made him weak. Forced him to behave like an idiot. An idiot in love. Or so he thought. He had fallen into her trap against the wishes of his family and friends. The old man had been right. And Sebastian hated that. He needed to hail a cab.

After a couple of the taxis passed by, he tugged, yanked and freed the noose around his neck, shoving it into his pocket. If he had more time, or patience, he could have changed into something comfortable. It was too late now. Grabbing the cell phone from his other pocket, he started to dial a number when he noticed a cab approaching the sidewalk. There was nobody in the passenger seats. Sebastian stepped onto the street carefully and strode towards the vehicle as it came to a screeching halt, few feet ahead of where he was standing. How he wished he had his own car at that moment. He was not used to traveling using public transport. But then, he thought about the traffic at this time of the day and decided it was better he was not in the driver's seat. Or in the limousine. Taking a few steps towards the rear door of the cab, he thrust his hand, grabbed the door handle and pulled it open.

Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, an attractive young woman with long blonde waves appeared beside him, looking a bit frantic and in a hurry herself.

"Sorry, but you're not headed towards the East Side by chance, are you? Maybe we could share the cab?" she asked apologetically as she slipped off her sunglasses and locked eyes with him, her blue eyes hopeful as she offered him a friendly smile.

In truth Cecily Cole had no doubt in her mind just which end of town Sebastian Blake was currently headed. She'd been keeping tabs on him for a couple weeks now and had tapped into his cellphone, and had a bug in his father's office. She knew exactly where he was going and why.

The client for this job had informed her agency that Sebastian had a weakness for pretty women, which was one of the reasons why she'd been chosen for this job. She certainly hoped they were right and that he agreed to let her ride along. It would definitely make her job a lot easier. With no driver or security around, now would be the perfect time for her to make her move.

What the hell! Where did she come from? Seconds ago when he had stopped the cab, there was no one in the backseat. Did she appear magically out of nowhere? He did not have time to contemplate that. He was in a rush and certainly not in any mood to argue with the woman. Was it just that? Or did her captivating smile, blonde tresses, and deep blue eyes made him forget why he was fuming and couldn't wait to get to the apartment on the east side where he would confront his wife and demand an explanation? How could he forget. The blonde hair and stunningly beautiful features were the reason he was in this situation in the first place. What was it about pretty women that made the blood drain from his brain? Well, he had surely learnt his lesson this time.

Sebastian closed the door shut as he slipped in next to Cecily, staring at her blankly for a few seconds before blinking, coming to his senses and then as if dismissing her, turned his head slowly towards the driver, who was waiting for instructions. He wanted to get as far away as possible from her, from any woman for that matter, right now. They were all the same. First his mother. Then his wife. The woman sitting next to him seemed perfectly nice. Friendly. She had even apologized to him, even though he was not sure who had caught the cab first. If he had met her yesterday, or any other day, he would have looked forward to a pleasant conversation, or perhaps something more. It didn't matter. They all seemed nice at the beginning didn't they? Without looking back into those blue eyes, he spoke to the cab driver with a restrained anger.

"East side. As fast as you can take me. I'll pay the fare. You can drive the lady wherever she wants to go after you drop me off."

Sebastian reached into his pocket and handed the fellow a couple of hundred dollar bills. It was the lowest denomination he was carrying. The driver stared at the currency, and then back at his passengers. Sebastian looked at the man patiently.

"I've got more."

Looking straight ahead into the traffic, Sebastian ordered.

"Let's go. Move."

Cecily watched as Sebastian seemingly dismissed her, heard the anger in his tone as he spoke to the driver, but he didn't tell her to leave despite how obviously bothered he was by her presence.
She could tell by the way he spoke to the driver but not to her, how he intentionally refused to even glance her way. Man, this guy's wife had really done a number on him. Soon though he was going to have even bigger problems to deal with.

He had offered to pay her fare, which most others would have probably seen as very generous of him and been impressed by the gesture, but she knew enough about Sebastian Blake by now to guess that this was probably more to do with the fact that he likely didn't have any small bills on him and less likely to be due to him trying to do something nice for her or the driver by throwing his money around. She'd been watching him long enough to know that he usually used a driver, not public transportation; and the guy was absolutely loaded, or at least his family was, which was exactly why she was there.

She quickly decided upon a plan as the driver began to move the car swiftly down the road: she'd knock Sebastian out, dispose of the driver, and hijack the cab. Then she'd take him to the place her agency would be holding him until they collected the ransom from his father. She had a tranquilizer disguised as an EpiPen off in her bag. In a little bit they'd be passing a good spot for her to spring her trap. When they did she'd feign a food allergy and make the driver pull over.

"Oh wow, thank you. That's so kind of you!" she gushed at him with another smile, referring to him paying for her fare.

Reaching into her purse she pulled out a small bag of assorted small chocolates and unwrapped one, placing it in her mouth before holding one out to him as well.

"Want one? You look like you could use a little something sweet... Rough day, huh."

Rough day? That didn't even begin to explain it. But he wasn't going to go into that. Not with her. A complete stranger. The least he could do though was to not be a complete ass and unnecessarily rude. After all, she had nothing to do with all that had happened. She was just a woman who showed up at the wrong place at the wrong time. Sebastian turned towards her, not looking directly at her face but at her hand that held the piece of chocolate in her fingers. He took it from her, hesitating for a moment.

"Thank you."

Was all he managed to say, somewhat absently, staring down for a moment, lost in his thoughts, before glancing at the driver and putting the chocolate into his mouth. He was maneuvering the car expertly through the traffic. Sebastian stared out of the window, rolling it down half way, letting the cool breeze hit his face, remembering the events of the past several months. He tried to dismiss it from his mind, but couldn't. Maybe talking to a stranger might help? The only trouble was that the stranger sitting next to him was a lady. A perfectly beautiful lady. It had never been a problem for him to talk to women before. Why now? He just had to get all the ugly thoughts out of his mind. But how? Sebastian closed his eyes for several moments, trying to block everything out and tried to calm himself down.

Rubbing his temple, he then shifted in his seat, opening his eyes, running his fingers through his thick brown hair before turning to Cecily and extending his hand. He didn’t smile but looked straight at her this time, attempting to be somewhat friendly, not afraid of the silly idea he had previously of what might happen.

"I'm Sebastian. I...I'm sorry if I ignored you earlier. You were correct in your assumption. It has not exactly been the best day."

Cecily smiled softly at Sebastian as he finally looked at her and offered his hand in greeting as he introduce himself. Her grey-blue eyes looked up at him kindly and met his gaze as she reached out and took his offered hand as if to assure him that she had not taken offense to his dismissal of her before.

Inwardly she wondered slightly at his behavior. He was obviously very upset and on edge. In all her observations of him she'd never seen him so visibly unnerved. This woman had sure done a number on him. If she was less of a professional she might have even felt badly for the guy.

"And then some stranger barges in on your cab. I totally get it. No need to apologize," she joked with a bit of a smirk as she shook his hand, "I'm Jane. It's nice to meet you, Sebastian."

It was an alias of course, one that had been assigned to her by the agency she worked for. She never used her real name while working a job.

"Here's hoping the rest of the day goes better for you then," she offered with another little smile as she intentionally let her hand linger a little longer than necessary within his own.

Her hand was soft, with a feminine touch, yet her grip was anything but maidenlike. Sebastian was surprised for a moment as she shook his hand with confidence and began talking while looking up into his eyes. He returned her warm gaze as the driver accelerated, cutting through the traffic.

Her comment about her barging in on his cab made him smile as their eyes were fixed on each other. He knew he had called it first. It didn't matter now. The warmth of her hand in his had somewhat of a positive effect on his mood. He forgot about the events of the past few hours, at least temporarily for now as the woman introduced herself.

"It is a pleasure to meet you...Jane."

Sebastian now felt as if he had stared at her long enough for it to be a bit inappropriate, although it seemed as if she was almost reluctant to let go of his hand. He was not complaining, but wasn't sure what was going on. A few minutes ago, he was ready to ignore the woman, and if he hadn't been in such a hurry, would have even considered throwing her out of the cab. He pondered for a while before replying.

"I hope so too. Although, I doubt..."

Before Sebastian could finish his sentence, he was thrown off balance, sinking slightly in his seat, back against the door as the car swerved to the side, unlinking their hands. His eyes left hers as he tried grab the front seat with his hand and look up at the driver to see what had caused him to drive in such a manner. But it was too late to see anything.

She had him, she knew it. When he looked back into her eyes and smiled she could tell that his guard was officially down. What's more, she could tell by the way that he stared that there was an attraction there, an interest. When she feigned her food allergy he'd definitely try to help. Now was the perfect time to put her plan into motion.

"I hope so too. Although, I doubt..."

As he spoke she took a small inhale of breath, preparing to exhale with a well practiced and realistic sounding cough, but she never got the chance. Before he could even finish his sentence the car suddenly swerved and they were both thrown off balance. Hearing a screech of tires she looked out her window just in time to see a car trying to break but failing, the vehicle losing control and sliding straight towards her side of the taxi at an alarming speed.

There was no time to respond, no time even for her to try and brace for impact. There was only the screeching of the tires, the sound of metal crunching and glass breaking as she felt her body being thrown by the impact... and then her world turned to blackness.

Sebastian woke up in the hospital room the next morning after the accident, opening his eyes to see his father sitting in a chair next to the bed. As soon as the monitor started beeping, a nurse came in and began checking him. He turned his head slowly, still in pain.

"Hey...Dad...what are you doing here..."

Walter Blake's head snapped when he heard the monitor beep and his son regain consciousness to address him. When he had heard the news of the crash, for moment, he felt like admonishing his son for storming out the way he did and for taking a taxi. But once he arrived at the hospital, all his anger melted after considering the possibility that he may not see his son again ever again. Sebastian's injuries were not very serious. He had a few minor bruises and cuts from the shattered glass, but he had been unconscious for a long time. The doctors weren't sure when he would be awake again.

"Seb! Thank god you're...okay."

He tried to recall what had happened that had caused him to be here. All he could remember was the noise of tires screeching as he had lost his balance. The driver had swerved the car suddenly and Sebastian had been thrown back against the door. He had attempted to grab onto the seat using his hand...but in vain as another body had come crashing down on him before everything had gone dark.

Another body! OMG! The woman! What was her name? Jane! Yes...where was she? What had happened to her? Had she...died in the accident?

He grabbed the sheets using both hands, pushing down against the bed with his palms and tried to get up. He felt the pain of the bruises as the nurse placed a hand on his shoulder, preventing him from leaving the bed.

"Please, Mr. Blake, give me a minute. I am almost done here. If you need to use the restroom..."

"I need to know what happened to Jane." Sebastian replied, lying back down on the bed.

"Jane?" Both the nurse and his father said in unison as Sebastian glanced from one to the other.

"Yes, the woman who was with me in that cab. Where is she?"

The nurse looked at Walter Blake for a moment before turning to his son.

"The woman who was sitting in the cab with you, Mr. Blake, is in the room across from this one. Don't worry, she sustained some bruises, nothing fatal. In fact, she may have just woken up a few minutes ago before I came here. We have not spoken to her yet. The doctor will be in to see her soon. I take that she is a relative, or a friend?"

Sebastian was glad to hear that Jane was alright. No, she was not a relative. She was...nothing really. Just a woman he had shared a cab with. A very attractive woman.

"She's...a friend. Can I see her?"

His father was surprised to hear what Sebastian had just said. A friend? When he had left the office, he was alone. Where did this friend suddenly spring from that he was so concerned about?

Sebastian wasn't sure why he had told the nurse, that too in front of his father, that the woman was a friend. He hardly knew her. He could have easily told them the truth. But he didn't really know what else to say at that moment.

"Yes, you may see her once the doctor is done examining you and gives you an OK. All yours tests seem normal so far. Have a wonderful rest of the day, Mr. Blake. The doctor will be in to see you shortly."

The blackness in her mind began to fade as she started to wake, her eyes still closed but slowly becoming aware of the noises around her and an aching throughout her body, especially her right temple. The room she was in was relatively quiet, but she could hear the soft steady beating of a heart monitor and the muffled sound of voices filtering in from the hall.

A hospital room?

She slowly opened her eyes, her gaze first upon the ceiling and then looking around to examine the rest of her surroundings as her thoughts were confirmed as she took in her bed and the IV and monitor beside it. Definitely a hospital room of some kind. She was quiet as she took it all in, trying to get what information she could, but it wasn't much. The name of the hospital was printed on one of the IV bags, and a clock on the wall told her the time. She could see a bit of city skyline through the room's window.

Trying to get a better look out the window she tried to sit up and instantly regretted it, the ache in her head and body intensifying as well as a sudden sharp pain in her side. She winced as a nurse suddenly appeared rushing into the room, no doubt signaled by one of the monitors that had begun beeping as she'd started to move.

"Miss please, I need you to lay back down. The doctor doesn't want you moving moving too much until he's come to finish examining you now that you're awake."

"What happened?"

Just at that moment the doctor walked in, a clip board in his hands.

"There was a car accident. You were very lucky young lady. The impact was on your side of the vehicle, but it appears you're going to be perfectly fine.. given some time of course. You've sustained some superficial cuts from the glass and have a cracked rib, and of course there will be quite a bit of bruising, but nothing life threatening. I am a little concerned about the swelling from the blow to your head however, you likely sustained a concussion..."

Pulling out a pin light he pulled up a stool beside her hospital bed and shone it in her eyes, checking her pupils.

"Follow the light, please."

She did as he asked, following the light with her eyes. He performed a few other simple tests, such as squeezing her toes to check her reflexes and sensation.

"Alright, looks good," she doctor commented with a smile, "Now, I'm sorry but it seems your personal items were misplaced in the accident and we couldn't find an ID on you when you came in, so we're going to need your first and last name for your medical records and your insurance information if you have it.. Is there any friends or family you would like us to call for you?"

"I.. I don't know," she replied, a look of confusion and worry coming over her features.

"You don't remember the numbers dear?" the nurse asked kindly.

"No, I..." there was a look of shock in her eyes as she suddenly had the realization that she couldn't remember the phone numbers or if she had family to call, she couldn't even remember her own name!

"...I don't remember any of it."

"It is known as retrograde amnesia, Mr. Blake." the doctor explained, as he sat in the chair next to Sebastian, who had now completed all his check ups and was signing the release forms. "It is not uncommon for a person not to remember any events prior to the accident. They typically lose access to the information that was learned in the past. The extent of loss can vary from person to person, and from accident to accident. In her case, we are still not sure how much she does remember. She definitely does not know that her name is Jane. We only knew that because you told us. Do you know her last name, Mr. Blake? Or any other information you can provide to us about her?"

Sebastian did not know a thing about her. He handed the last form to the technician and stared at the doctor for a few moments.

"So you're telling me she doesn't remember anything about the accident? Not even her own name? What about her belongings? You must have found an ID or something in her bag, or her pockets, maybe..."

"That's correct, she does not remember anything at all. We checked everything. No ID. Nothing." replied the doctor, continuing "We cannot release her until we have done some more tests on her. And even after that, we are not sure who to contact, and who is going to pay her hospital bills, unless she can do it on her own. You're the only person so far who seems to know the most about this woman. The nurse mentioned she was a friend of yours?"

"I...She is..." Sebastian was at a loss for words. He felt bad for the woman. He still hadn't seen her though. "Can I go see her now, Doctor?" Maybe she would recognize him if she saw him?

"Yes, of course." said the doctor with a slightly confused look on his face. But then, he was not going to question the man who was the sole heir to one of the richest men in town and a generous donor to the very hospital he was working at. They both rose from their respective seats. Sebastian followed the doctor into another room where a nurse was talking to Jane who was lying on the hospital bed. The doctor motioned for him to come in as he drew the curtain.

"Hi, Jane. How are you feeling?"

Sebastian noticed the blank look on her face as he spoke. She obviously did not recognize him. He walked over to the side of her bed and sat next to the edge. Even with the injuries and bruises, she looked as attractive as ever. He gazed into her eyes, searching for something. But all he got was an empty stare.

"Don't you remember me? I am Sebastian. We shared a cab together yesterday. And then..."

He looked down, then glanced up at the nurse before looking at the doctor and finally back at Jane. She really did not remember anything. Sebastian had heard of amnesia, even seen it in the movies. But had never known anyone in real life who had lost their memory. How lovely it would be if he didn't remember a thing that had happened in the last six months. His thoughts drifted back to his darling wife when the nurse's voice interrupted them.

"Mr. Blake?"

"Yes. Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts." He stood up and smiled weakly at the nurse before looking down at Jane.

"Get some rest. I will see you later."

He walked out of her room and stopped in the hallway, turning to the doctor who was now following him.

"Keep me updated of her progress. And don't worry about the insurance or hospital bills. Just make sure she gets the care she needs so she can regain her memory, hopefully soon."

'Jane' watched the man in confusion as he exited the room. Her first impression was that he'd been very handsome, and seemed nice enough, though obviously upset about something. Was it about her or something else she wondered, remembering the look in his eyes as his mind had wandered.

"Do I know that man?" she asked the nurse.

"That was Sebastian Blake dear."

She looked at the nurse with a blank look. Was she supposed to recognize that name?

"The son of Walter Blake... THE Walter Blake."

Another blank stare.

"Never mind. Um.. Sebastian is a friend of yours. He was in the taxi with you when the accident happened. No need to go into everything right now, just get some rest. We're going to do everything we can to help it all come back to you soon."

Except it didn't.

The days stretched on and physically she was healing well, but her memories wouldn't seem to come back to her. She could make new memories just fine. She learned the names of all of the doctors and nurses treating her, and she understood the information that they gave her about her treatment just fine. She'd even memorized the layout of the hospital and the shift times, but she still could not remember anything about herself or her life before the accident.

She stood looking into the mirror of her hospital room's bathroom as she brushed out her hair, her eyes searching her face as she did, searching for something that would jog her memory, but it was like looking at a stranger.

Sebastian stood against the glass window of his office idly staring down, watching rows of vehicles, and human beings that seemed like ants from that height. It had been more than a week since the accident. Luckily for him, the injuries had been minor and he had healed quite well so far. The woman who had stolen the other half of his ride that day, had not been so lucky however. The doctor had just called earlier in the morning to let Sebastian know that Jane's amnesia had not gotten any better. She had recovered from the physical wounds, but her memory, details about her past life, had not come back to her yet.

He had decided to pay her a visit after hanging up the phone with her doctor. He had requested his secretary to get a a bouquet and a card to go along with it. Just as he was about to leave his office, Walter Blake walked in through the door.

"Good morning, Seb. How are you feeling now? And I still don't understand why you're not taking rest. You shouldn't have left the hospital so soon. What's this obsession with work?"

Sebastian had a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a card in the other as he was about to go to the hospital.

"Dad, we have been through this already. You and I both know I can't just...not work. And since the doctor has ordered me not to engage in any sport or physical activity for a while, what else am I supposed to do?"

His father noticed the flowers in his hand and glanced up and down a couple of times before looking at him quizzically. Knowing the way he had been recently, he was actually surprised that he would be buying flowers for a...lady perhaps...or anyone for that matter.

"Alright, alright. May I ask who the flowers are for? Are you going somewhere?"

Sebastian realized he was holding the bouquet when his father had walked in. He looked at the flowers in his hand and back at his old man.

"These..these are for a friend, Dad. And yes, I was actually just about to leave."

"Anyone I know?"

"I doubt it. Did you have anything urgent that you wanted to discuss?"

His father knew there was no hope in probing his son for answers. Whoever this friend was, he would find out eventually.

"Nothing urgent. I came to see how you were doing and if you wanted to have dinner together later on. But we don't have to...if you are going to be busy."

Sebastian looked at his father and smiled softly.

"I'd like that. I don't think I will be busy. I'll see you later then."

......

When Sebastian entered her hospital room, there was no-one there. He had knocked the door a few times but there was no reply. He had been there just a week ago but had to ask the nurse for directions and the room number just to make sure he didn't end up in someone else's quarters. He was well within visiting hours, even though he had a feeling they wouldn't prevent him from seeing her anytime.

"Jane? It's me. Sebastian. Are you there? Can I come in?"

He stood behind the curtain and wondered is they had switched her to a different room, or perhaps he had not listened to the nurse correctly when she had provided him directions.

Jane's thoughts as she had gazed into the mirror had been interrupted as she'd heard a knock on the door. Instantly she tensed. She didn't have any more tests or treatments scheduled for that morning and it was another hour yet before the nurse would usually be coming in to check on her. She shouldn't have anyone coming to see her right now, so who was knocking at the door?

Instinctively she started looking around her for something to defend herself with and an exit. There was only the one door, but the window... Somehow she knew that even this high up she could make it. It was then that she heard the voice calling to her.

"Jane? It's me. Sebastian. Are you there? Can I come in?"

Her body relaxed. She recognized that voice. It was the man who had come to see her on that first day she'd woken up in the hospital, the man the nurse had said was a friend of hers. Of course it was just something like that. Why on earth had she thought otherwise? Had she seriously been considering jumping out the window just now?!

Making her way to the door she slowly opened it and peered out at him.

"Uh, hi.. Sebastian? Yes, sorry. You can come in," she offered, opening the door wider for him.

Sebastian heard the door open and the woman's voice asking him to enter just as he was about to leave, thinking he was in the wrong place. He turned back to face her as she stood peering out at him.

"Jane...Hi...Sorry to have surprised you. I just came by to see how you were doing."

He stepped inside and smiled as she opened the door fully, welcoming him in. She was wearing the hospital gown, her blonde hair tied loosely, her face a little pale compared to what he had seen when they had first met. She seemed a little lost, trying to figure things out, trying to remember. Not the woman he had shaken hands with in the cab. Of course. She couldn't remember a thing before a week ago. She still looked just as pretty though. And she had healed surprisingly well, considering the damage the accident had inflicted on her compared to him. He gazed into her deep blue eyes for a moment before glancing at the bouquet in his hand, then looked up at her again.

"No worries."

Raising his hand, he held the flowers in front of her and flashed a warm smile.

"Oh, here...These are for you."

Jane's eyes shifted from Sebastian's warm smile down to the bouquet as he held it out in front of her.

"Thanks.. that's very sweet of you."

She reciprocated the smile, albeit a little awkwardly though, as she reached out and took the flowers from him. She had to admit, she had absolutely no idea how she should be acting around him. He seemed very nice, and the nurse had said he was a friend of hers, but she couldn't remember a single thing about him... and then there was the way that he had looked into her eyes right now. Just what kind of friends were they exactly? She hoped he would be able to give her some answers.

"I'm doing alright I guess. The doctor says my injuries are healing well, but he still doesn't want me exercising. No reading or TV either to give the brain injury time to heal too, so I guess I'm starting to get a little stir crazy," she admitted with a bit of a shrug.

She paused, looking up at him again.

"I remember you from the day I woke up here... sorry I didn't say anything that day, it was just all so... The nurse mentioned you're a friend of mine?"

He noticed the awkward smile as she accepted the flowers. She seemed hesitant in her demeanor. He figured it was probably because of her lack of any memories from the past. The worst part was, he couldn't help her remember anything, other than the fact that they had met in a cab only minutes before the accident. He could only imagine how she must be feeling. He wouldn't know what to do, or say, if he was in her place, talking to a complete stranger, only being forced to recall that they weren't strangers.

"You're welcome."

He listened as she spoke about her recovery and confinement. He had wasted no time in getting out of that hospital room once he realized he could walk. It would have driven him crazy if they had locked him up in here, like she was. But then, where could she go if she didn't remember anything? He gave her an empathic smile as she looked up at him.

I am not a friend of yours. I am just here to..

Sebastian wasn't sure why exactly he was here. But a simple yes or no was not going to work. He didn't want to scare or confuse her anymore than she already was. He had to tell her the truth.

"No need to apologize. I completely understand. I'm glad you remember me from the other day. Can we please sit down and talk...Jane?"

Once he was sure she was not standing anymore, he sat in the chair next to her, gathered his thoughts, and looked at her again.

"My name is Sebastian Blake. On the day of the accident, we...we shared a cab together. I had never seen you or met you prior to that day. After I woke up, I asked the nurse whether I could see you and make sure you're alive and well. The doctor then explained to me about the amnesia. When you failed to recognize me, I was in no doubt that he was telling the truth."

Sebastian searched her eyes and her face for any signs she might react to him in an unfavorable fashion, before continuing.

"I'm...I'm sorry Jane...we don't know each other. The only reason I told the nurse what I did, is because I didn't know what else to say, and I was in no mood at the time to explain to her what I just told you. I am not a friend of yours."

He didn't like the sound of what he had just said. I am not a friend of yours. He paused once again and then smiled softly.

"I am not your enemy either."

Jane sat staring at Sebastian for a moment in shock at what he had just told her. Slowly the information began to sink in. They weren't friends, he didn't even know her, had only just met her probably moments before the accident as they'd shared the cab together.

It was a huge disappointment, she had to admit. He was the only person that had seemed to know her at all, the only person that she had hoped might have some answers for her as to who exactly she was. The doctor had said no ID had been found in her bag, no reports of a missing person fitting her description had been made. She didn't even know her last name. On all of her hospital paperwork she was just listed as "Jane Doe".

The hospital paperwork... that made her think of another question.

"So...we're basically strangers.. but you're paying my hospital bills?" she asked him in confusion, not understanding why he would do something like that if they didn't know one another.

"I uh.. I'd overheard some of the nurses talking to one another about it," she smiled a little sheepishly and gave a shrug, "Eavesdropping helps pass the time a bit."

He should have heard some of the theories they'd come up with on who she was and how she knew Sebastian. Then again... maybe it was best he hadn't.

He watched her closely as the disappointment on her face was apparent. He was the only living person that knew... well, he knew her name. That was about it. But the hope he had seen in her eyes just a moment earlier evaporated when she realized she was not going to find out who she was from the stranger sitting next to her who had falsely claimed to be a friend.

“I’m so sorry Jane. I wish I knew you...”

He really did. His eyes conveyed a genuine concern. He hadn’t expected that question from her about the hospital bills though. Not yet anyway. How did she come to know about it? Before he could respond however, the puzzled look on his face faded and turned into a knowing one when his question was answered by Jane immediately. She had heard the nurses talking about it. Of course. That made sense. He wondered what else she had heard about him.

Money was no object for the son of Walter Blake. He had more than he needed. He figured Jane probably didn’t know that. And even if she did, who was to say she would just accept his money. In this case however, he had no choice. He was the only person she knew and her treatment had to be done. He hadn’t even thought about the issue after his last conversation with the doctor. Until now. And he was completely unprepared to answer her.

“I...I had to do that so they could continue your treatment and let you stay here. If you feel awkward about taking money from a stranger, you can pay me back once you regain your memory...if you want. If that makes you feel better? But you don’t have to. I would rather you not have to think about the bills right now. Or ever. I don’t care about it. Not while you’re in this condition anyway.”

His eyes conveyed warmth as he smiled softly and rose from his seat, glancing around the room. He then walked over to the counter and poured himself a glass of water. After taking a sip, he looked at her as she sat staring at him.

“Oh. I’m so...Would you like some water? Or coffee? Or something to eat?”

Despite the current situation she was in she had to stop and smile a bit at his flusteredness and the way he stumbled through his words, finding it endearing. She was making him nervous? Why?

The way the hospital staff talked about him, he seemed like someone very important. His father too. When the nurse had spoken his name that first day she'd said it like it was a name Jane should have recognized, that anyone should have recognized, 'the' Walter Blake. She was curious about who he was exactly, but she figured that would be too personal of a question considering that she and Sebastian were in fact strangers.

"I'm fine, thanks," she assured Sebastian, turning down the water, "Sorry if my question bothered you. Just, you know, trying to figure all of this out."

She offered him a small smile.

"That's very kind of you regardless to take care of it for now and make sure they'd let me stay. I'll pay you back for it all as soon as I can..."

She trailed off for a moment, looking down at her hands and then looking back up at him.

"Do you mind if I ask you what you remember about that day we shared the cab? What we talked about? If I mentioned where I was headed?... Anything that might give me more information about myself."

Thankfully, Sebastian's memory was in place. It was his composure that had been affected for some reason around this woman. Was it because he was feeling bad for her? Or was it due to the fact that she was very attractive? He had been around attractive women before. What was so different about this one?

"No no...it was a perfectly valid question. It didn't bother me. I was just a bit surprised, considering..." Sebastian smiled at her before continuing, "And to be honest, I wasn't sure how you would feel about it. That's settled then. You'll pay me later."

He really didn't care if she did or not. But he knew it might be important for her that she did. He knew the lady had a thousand questions on her mind. And he wanted to answer all of them, but he couldn't. But he could help her with some of them at least. He took another few sips of water, placed the glass down and sat next to her again, gathering his thoughts.

"I was trying to catch a cab that day, just outside Blake towers when you appeared suddenly out of nowhere next to me. I..., "he paused and looked at her sheepishly "I would probably have thrown you out of the cab any other day, but I was in a hurry and had no time to argue. It appeared like you wanted to go in the same direction so I reluctantly agreed to share the cab with you."

He paused for a few moments before speaking again as he watched her face for any signs that she might remember something. She had such beautiful eyes. He could gaze into them all day long. Then he suddenly remembered more of the details, before it became apparent that he was staring at her.

"You were wearing sunglasses that day. And there was a purse...did you check your purse? For any ID cards, a wallet, anything that might help you? You had this little bag of assorted chocolates. You offered me one. Oh, and don't ask me why, but I also paid for your cab fare that day..."

His voice trailed off as he looked at her. Her expression changed. He wasn't sure if it was because she had suddenly recalled something, or more of the same disappointment. Or because the stranger sitting next to her just kept paying for everything. He thought it would be best not to mention that both of their hands had lingered within each other's for longer than appropriate when they had first made contact. Little did he know that the reason for that was completely different when she had done that in her past life.

"I'm sorry Jane. I wish I could tell you more."

A hundred different thoughts and questions seemed to flood Jane's mind as she listened to Sebastian explain what he remembered of her and their brief interaction that day together before the crash had happened. He had SKYSCRAPERS named after him?! What area of the city had the cab been headed? Why did she want to go there? Why was he looking into her eyes like that?...

Her thoughts zeroed in though when he mentioned she'd had a purse with her and asked if she'd looked through it, her eyes lighting up and snapping to attention.

"I'm sorry Jane. I wish I could tell you more."

"No, no this is helping! Really it is!," she assured him quickly, "The doctor had mentioned that they were unable to find any ID with my name on it, but you're right, if I had a purse with me then there might be something else in it that could jog my memory or give me a clue as to where to look next. I'll ask the hospital staff to help me track it down so I can see for myself what all's inside."

She smiled, a true and genuine hope filled smile, her hand resting upon his arm for a moment in an appreciative gesture.

"Thank you, Sebastian."

It seemed as if she had some vague memory related to her purse. Did she remember something? Was it her favorite purse? Like she said, maybe there was some item in the purse that could provide her a hint about her identity, that the doctors wouldn't have been able to recognize. Perhaps a gift from someone? Did she have someone special in her life already? Family, boyfriend, maybe a husband? And kids? Did she have kids? It was least likely, considering her demeanor in the cab when they first met. The smile. The handshake. The look. Those eyes. Or maybe he was just imagining things. Sebastian dismissed the thoughts from his head as she thanked him. He realized a few moments too late that her hand was on his arm. He glanced at the friendly touch and looked back at her. The smile on her face was nothing like he had seen ever since the accident had taken place. There was promise in her eyes. He just hoped he hadn't driven her towards any false expectations. Her purse might have no clues whatsoever.

"Oh, you're welcome. It is the least I can do to help."

Sebastian thought for a minute as his mind wandered before suddenly rising from his chair, taking her hand into his and placing it back gently next to her on the bed. If the purse was still here at the hospital, he could easily get it for her. And get it faster than anyone else. That way, she wouldn't have to wait for some nurse to track it down, hoping they hadn't already discarded it, or sent it for any examinations.

"You know what? I will be right back. Don't go anywhere..." Saying that, he turned around and disappeared down the corridor.

Jane had blinked a bit in surprise as Sebastian had suddenly risen without warning from his chair.

"You know what? I will be right back. Don't go anywhere..."

"Oh.. okay. Sure, I'll wait here," she replied as he left the room without further explanation.

"Where would I go?" she spoke aloud to no one with a bit of a shrug and a small self-depreciating laugh.

Not sure where he was going or how long he would be gone, she moved over to a seat over by the window where she'd left a notepad and pencil. Drawing was one of the few things that she could do to pass the time that wasn't against the doctors orders, so a nurse had brought them in for her the other day. Apparently she'd had a skill for it in her unremembered past, because she was fairly good at it. It was strange how this amnesia thing worked. She couldn't remember any facts about herself or her past, but her previously learned skills and 'muscle memory' were perfectly fine. She picked up a pencil and just knew what to do with it without thinking.

Looking out the window she began to sketch the skyline before her.

It didn't take long for Sebastian to locate the doctor, and eventually Jane's purse with the help of the staff. The leather was torn a little bit on one side but everything else was still intact. He literally snatched it from the nurse's hand who retrieved it on the doctor's orders, thanked them for their assistance, and sped towards Jane's room. Just then, the cell phone inside his pocket started ringing. It was his father.

"Seb, we need to talk. Where the hell have you been? I've been trying to reach you for the past hour."

"I'm a little busy at the moment dad. What do you need to talk about? Can't it wait? I haven't forgotten about dinner."

"This is not about dinner. And I'm afraid it can't wait. That woman you married is trying to sue you. And us. I had a meeting with her attorney earlier. They’re claiming that the child...”

"Dad, I don't care about her anymore. She can do whatever the fuck she wants." Sebastian interrupted him as he walked along the corridor of the hospital. "Can't you just handle it? And keep me out of it this time? I'll sign any damn paper you need me to."

"Seb, you are the one who should have kept yourself out of..." Walter Blake paused and took a deep breath before continuing, "Very well. I'll call you if needed. Keep your phone with you. And please pick up when I call.”

Sebastian strode through the doorway of Jane's room even as he was talking on the phone with his father, not realizing that he hadn’t knocked even though the door had been wide open.

“Okay, dad. Thanks again. Love you.”

As soon as the conversation ended he looked up to see Jane with his back to him near the window startled by his entrance. He shoved the phone back into his pocket and held the purse up in his hand with a triumphant smile as she turned her head.

”Here you go. I thought it might quicker this way, instead of you waiting for one of the nurses.”

He couldn’t see what she was doing from where he was standing but it seemed as if he had distracted her from something important. Something she was engrossed in. Maybe something she was really enjoying.