The sun glowed through the room as I peeled my eyes open, waking up in a hospital room for the second time that day. Someone had opened the window for a reason beyond my understanding, but despite the light, there was something that felt off.

I remembered everything.

I closed my eyes, taking in the fact and mentally sliding through my memories. One by one they all came back, solidifying the fact that somehow I could remember things I couldn't before.

Yet still, though I knew I should have been happy, something wasn't right. I just wasn't sure what it was.

When I opened my eyes, I scanned over everything in the room, my eyes landing on a sleeping figure in a chair beside me. I craned my head, trying to get a better look when the recognition didn't immediately come. It was obvious that it was a male, but I had never seen him before.

When he shifted in his seat, I jumped, feeling as if I'd been caught doing something wrong. I took in a sharp exhale when hazel eyes opened slowly, and he stilled, staring at me with an emotion that stole my ability to form a proper thought.

I had just opened my mouth to speak, when my lungs seized up, the fact that I hadn't drunk anything in hours becoming known as I coughed raggedly, my throat burning. I watched through teary eyes as the man jumped up. His eyes widened as if he was panicking, rushing up towards me but pausing at the last minute when I held my hand up.

"I'm okay," I croaked, gaining control over my lungs again, as I blinked away the moisture in my eyes from my apparent inability to consume oxygen like a normal person. In that time I took the chance to look over him again, searching for an answer to why he was here. He didn't seem as confused as I felt, confliction appearing on his face whereas mine only held curiosity.

We both were silent, as we watched each other, his eyes so remorseful that it made my heart feel heavy. Even though I had no idea who he was, I wished that I could make it go away.

I froze when opened his mouth before shutting it, hastily grabbing a glass from my bedside table and filling it with water instead of speaking. He handed it to me, still not having said a word.

I took it appreciatively but was still confused.

Where were Skylar and Hayden?

"Are you okay?" My eyes flew upward. His voice was raspy, exhaustion evident in it."I left for a second, and they said...they said..." He trailed off, not finishing his words as he swallowed.

"I am okay," I started slowly, trying to piece together the clues, but unable to when I didn't have any. "Have we met before?"

The expression that formed on his face caused me to freeze. The deep hazel eyes had taken on a new expression, shock and disbelief merging together. His face paled, as he ran a hand through his hair, gripping his curls tightly, and swallowing hard. He held a hand out as if trying to comprehend what I had said, and even from a distance, I could see that he was trembling.

I stared at him, my heart rate picking up as I clued in on the fact that something was wrong. My stomach dropped when he reeled back as I had slapped him, the blood draining from his face. My eyes widened as a stricken look etched itself in his expression.

"What did you just...you don't know who I am?" His voice was barely above a whisper. "It's me, Elijah." His voice broke, and my heart faltered.

I had been wrong.

I didn't remember everything.

"This can't be happening," he muttered, taking a step forward. "Please."

At the same time that I had no idea what he was pleading for, I didn't think I needed words just to figure it out. With every second that went by, every minute that passed, a part of me shattered inside because the reality of the situation was clear.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered, my throat tight.

He swallowed hard, eyes gleaming and nodding, and my world falling away with the simple gesture.

I stared at the man in front of me, discomfort washing over me because of how hurt he looked. I traced the outline of his face with my eyes, looking for anything that would give me a clue of who he was.

He was a work of art. I just didn't know him to be mine.

Elijah swallowed hard, blinking repeatedly, as the small muscle in his jaw tensed. I watched, gripping the sheets of the hospital bed in my hand, not knowing what to do. He looked at the ceiling, pressing his fingers to his eyes, a shudder running through his body.

I remembered everything, but the one person who I couldn't help but feel was someone important.