Annie''s voice filled the sterile room, sewing memories into the air like a thread, stitching Robert back to life. She focused on his hand, willing it to squeeze even more tightly, as if the simple warmth of her touch could break through the fog encasing his brain.
Remember that time we got lost in the woods?" she said, forcing a laugh despite the weight in her chest. "You insisted we could find our way back by following the sun. I think we just ended up hiking in circles for hours."
A slight shift beneath her touch sent Annie''s heartbeat racing. The nurse leaned closer, eyes wide with anticipation.
"Robert," Annie softly coaxed. "You had that ridiculous grin on your face when we finally stumbled upon that hidden lake. We jumped in fully clothed!"
The nurse jotted down more notes, then looked to Annie, nodding in silence for her to continue.
Annie squeezed Robert''s hand, holding onto their history. "I still have that picture of us, splashing around like idiots. You promised me we''d go back someday."
There was a moment of silence, and the only sound was that of soft humming from machinery monitoring Robert''s condition. She continued looking at him, and his face seemed more relaxed now, like her words had taken some kind of invisible burden off him.
"Just come back to me," she whispered, feeling her eyes prick with tears. "We can make new memories, even crazier ones than before."
In an instant, Robert''s eyelids fluttered again, this time more insistently. The nurse leaned in further, her breath held tight in anticipation.
"Robert? Can you hear me?" Annie felt a well of hope push through her worry.
Slowly, his eyes cracked open—a sliver of blue peering through a veil of confusion and disorientation. The sight sent warmth flooding through Annie''s chest.
"Annie?" he croaked, his voice hoarse like gravel yet imbued with unmistakable recognition.
“Yes! It’s me!” She fought against the swell of emotion threatening to overwhelm her. “You’re safe; you’re here with me.”
Robert blinked slowly, taking in his surroundings as if he were piecing together fragments of a puzzle long left undone. He squinted against the bright overhead lights and then turned his gaze to meet hers.
“What. happened?” His brow furrowed as if grappling with memories trapped just beyond reach.
“You were sick,” she replied softly but firmly. “But you’re waking up now.”
His gaze drifted toward the machines around him—the beeping monitors and IV lines tangled like vines reaching for him. Fear flashed across his features for just an instant before he turned back to Annie.
“What is this place?”
“It’s a hospital,” she explained quickly but gently. “A really high-tech one… from the future.”
His face transformed from confusion to interest as he digested what she was saying; those eyes, in their habitual blue, gleamed with curiosity amidst lingering uncertainty.
"How did I get here?"
Annie took a deep breath; she had rehearsed this moment in her mind a million times in sleepless, anguished nights.
"We''ll figure it all out together."Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
Robert''s eyes narrowed as he listened to Annie''s explanation. The gears inside his head started to whir, trying hard to align to the strange new reality around him.
"A hospital from the future?" He shifted a little and looked around him at the glowing screens and other futuristic machinery affixed to the walls. "That doesn''t make any sense.
Annie''s smile was soft; a mix of affection and urgency darted across her features. "I know it sounds crazy, but it''s true. You''ve been in a coma—at least, that''s what they say."
He frowned, and his face screwed up in confusion. "And you''re… my relative? A long-lost cousin?"
"Something like that," she said quickly, biting back the truth she dared not tell. "I just want to help you get better.
He blinked slowly, a processing of signals in his eyes as his mind wove a web of weighted moments. His brow furrowed once more, as if he wrestled with chains no one could see.
"I feel like I should remember something," he said, frustration etched in his tone.
"Just take your time." Annie''s heart raced with seeing him struggle; she wanted to pull him from the depths of confusion and hold him close forever. "What do you remember?"
Robert stared off for a moment, shaking his head. "Nothing, just darkness." Turning back to her, eyes sharpening with intensity: "How long have I been out?"
Annie faltered. "It''s hard to say exactly. but it feels like years."
His expression darkened further, a flicker of fear igniting within those blue depths. "Years? How old am I now?"
"You''re still you," Annie reassured him quickly. "Just… older in this timeline.
He frowned again, processing her words with an intensity that made her breath hitch in her throat.
“So I’m supposed to just accept this?” His voice wavered between disbelief and a growing desperation.
“Accepting it is just the first step,” she urged gently, squeezing his hand tighter as if anchoring him to reality itself.
Robert pulled away slightly and leaned back against the pillows propped behind him. He closed his eyes briefly as if hoping that would erase this bizarre new world he had awoken to.
"What happens now?" he asked finally, voice low and shaking.
Annie hesitated but pressed forward with determination in her heart. "Now we focus on getting you healthy again."
"But how?" His voice rose slightly; frustration seeped through once more.
"I''ll figure it out," she vowed fiercely, straightening up, her eyes flashing as she met his gaze again.
Annie leaned in, her determination afire. Robert''s confusion hung heavy in the air between them.
"I''ve been reading everything I can about this time," she said, trying to steady her voice. "I know there are advanced treatments here—ones we never even dreamed of back home."
Robert opened his eyes again, his eyes skeptical. "What kind of treatments?"
"Things that could help you recover faster. They''ve made breakthroughs in medicine and technology that make our best efforts look primitive."
He studied her, searching for cracks in her confidence. "You really believe that?"
"I do." Annie nodded firmly, willing him to absorb her conviction. "You''re going to get better. We''ll explore every option.
His eyes had softened, but still the flicker of doubt lingered. "What if I don''t want to?"
These words hit Annie like a blow. She bit her lip to hold back the impulse to retreat and plunged on.
"Robert," she said in low tones, "you have so much ahead of you—so much life yet to live. You can''t give up now.
He frowned and looked away, lost in thought as the machines continued their rhythmic beeping around him. Annie noticed how tightly he clenched his jaw; the battle within him played out like a silent film.
"Maybe you should focus on someone else," he muttered after a long pause, almost as if dismissing her.
"What do you mean?" Her brow furrowed at his unexpected suggestion.
"Find someone who can make your life better here," he replied, his voice thick with resignation. "I don''t even know who I am anymore."
Annie shook her head furiously. "No way! You''re still you—Robert, the guy who climbed trees and made me laugh until I cried."
He looked at her again; there was a tempest churning below the surface of those eyes he knew so well.
“But I’m not that guy right now.” The vulnerability in his tone shattered some of Annie''s resolve.
“Right now is just a moment,” she insisted, desperation creeping into her voice as she grasped at hope like it was slipping through her fingers. “It doesn’t define you.”
Robert remained silent for a heartbeat before shifting again against the pillows as if seeking comfort from them rather than her words.
Just tell me what to do," he finally sighed, exhaustion coating his voice like thick fog.
Annie exhaled slowly as relief flushed through her veins with his admission. She straightened up, and her mind whirred on with ideas as excitement mingled with trepidation.
"Let''s start first by asking doctors about the options of treatment." Taking his hand once more, there surged warmth as she squeezed it soft and gentle.
“Okay.” His eyes drifted to the ceiling; uncertainty still lingered but began to wane under Annie’s unwavering spirit.
“We’ll figure this out together,” she promised softly, letting determination fill every syllable as they locked eyes once more—their connection rekindling amidst uncertainty.