Another week had gone by, and Stacy was still in California. She was supposed to have left for Norway yesterday, but her doctor instructed her to stay. Both Michael and Stacy got their casts off. Michael still had to go to physical therapy because both of his legs were broken. Stacy went as well, but seeing as it was just one leg, she only had to go to a couple (much less than the amount Michael had to attend). But, she continued to do some exercises at the hotel that she and Lucy were staying in.

As far as Stacy knew, Michael’s memory still remained the same. Michael hadn’t tried to contact her either. It broke Stacy’s heart so much. He really just didn’t seem to care. Stacy had been staying with Lucy, but has just been moping around the hotel.

She missed Michael so much. She was lying on the couch, just scrolling through the contacts in her phone over and over again. She sighed, and stared at one name.

Michael.

Stacy started remembering way back before the car accident. She and Michael would text nonstop, and they would talk on the phone all night. They were seriously like teenagers in high school. Stacy had so many sweet messages from Michael saved on her old phone. She wished that she could read over them, but her old phone was smashed, and it didn’t seem as though there would ever be a possibility to get new ones just like the old ones…

Some of the messages had been paragraphs, some had been sentences. Still, they meant so much to Stacy, and she desperately wanted them back. She wanted Michael back. Stacy started to wonder if Michael missed her. She was tempted to text him, or call him, but she wasn’t going to. It would only cause problems.

She heard footsteps, and soon Lucy was standing over her. Stacy looked up at her friend, and then back at her phone.

“Are you ever going to be happy again?” Lucy asked, “All you’ve been doing this whole week is just mope around.”

“I’ll be happy when he remembered me,” Stacy whispered. Lucy sighed, and moved to the front of the couch. She sat on the edge and stared at Stacy. Stacy looked at her through her eyelashes. “What?” she asked, almost bitter.

“I hate seeing you like this! You are so miserable! This isn’t the Stacy I know! When are you going to come back?” she cried. Stacy frowned. Lucy was right. This wasn’t her, but there wasn’t anything she could do. She tried to be happy, but the happiness that was once there is all drained out. There’s only one way that the happiness would return, but she didn’t know if it was ever going to happen.

“The Stacy you knew isn’t coming back until Michael remembers me. I’m sorry, Lucy. I can’t please everyone. I can’t smile when I’m genuinely not happy, that’s not who I am,” Stacy told her. Lucy sighed, and looked at the floor. Stacy looked at her phone, and placed it on her stomach. She was tried at looking at nothing, and hoping for something to happen. Stacy sat herself upwards. She stood up off the couch and looked down at Lucy.

“Maybe Michael’s not meant to get his memory back. Maybe I’m not meant to be happy, or to ever smile again. Maybe the car accident was just proof that I wasn’t meant to ever meet Michael, or become part of his life. If that’s the way the world wants it to be, then so be it. There’s nothing anyone can do, including me,” Stacy said sadly.

She walked away before Lucy could comment. She went into the bathroom, and locked the door. She didn’t know exactly why she came in here. Usually when stuff like this happened, people would hurt themselves, but Stacy had no plans on doing that to herself.

She sighed and stared at herself in the mirror. She looked so horrible. No, it wasn’t because she hadn’t showered, or shaved her legs and underneath her armpits. She had done all of that. She just looked so fucking miserable. She smiled, and you could easily see that it was fake. She sighed, and looked down into the sink.

She wanted so badly to just give up. Give up on Michael, and him ever getting his memory back. She couldn’t no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t. Stacy didn’t know what to do anymore. She looked at herself one last time, and unlocked the bathroom door. She opened it, and jumped at the sight of Lucy standing there. Lucy smiled at her, and Stacy raised an eyebrow; suspicious.

“Do you want to go out with me tonight?” she asked, sounding hopeful.

“Where?”

“A karaoke bar thing. It’s open mic night tonight,” she said. Stacy let out a chuckle, and shook her head.

“Why would you even go there in the first place? You don’t sing, and neither do I.”

“Just to go out and do something fun! I’ve heard it’s really good! Besides, you haven’t gone anywhere except the doctor’s! Come on, Stacy! It’ll be fun!” Lucy tried to persuade.

Stacy thought about it. It could be fun, and would get her mind off of things. She definitely needed that. Stacy looked at Lucy, and just smiled at her. Lucy beamed and jumped onto her to give her a massive hug. Stacy let out a small chuckle, and hugged her back. They let go, and Stacy walked over and picked up her phone. She put it in her pocket where it would probably stay for the rest of the night.

                                                            ****

Lucy and Stacy were sitting at the back of the bar, watching all of the performers go on. Most of them were drunk, and all of them sucked. Stacy and Lucy were laughing, and having a great time! Stacy wasn’t thinking about Michael really, or anything that had been bothering her before. She realised how much she had needed to get out of her shell, and go have fun. She was so glad that she had agreed to go.

Stacy ordered another drink, and watched as the lights on the stage dimmed. She watched as the shadow walked on stage and walked to the piano player. By the look of the shadow, Stacy was assuming it was a man.

The shadow took a seat on the stool, and the light shone on him. Stacy choked on her drink when she saw that it was Michael sitting up there. His casts were completely gone, and his nose was healed. He looked like the same old Michael. Except for the hair, but it was slowly growing back in. He had cut it all so it matched.

Had it really been that long since Stacy had last seen him? She was only gone about two weeks. Then again, anything could have happened in those two weeks. Stacy started coughing to try to catch her breath, and just stared. What was Michael doing up there?

Stacy looked at Lucy, and Lucy just looked at her once she noticed her gaze. She flashed an apologetic look, and Stacy just stared.

“You knew about this,” she breathed. Lucy bit her lip, and Stacy stood up. All the heartbreak she was trying to forget came back to her. She wanted to leave; now. She started to walk away, but Lucy grabbed her arm.

“Stacy, I’m sorry. Please don’t go,” Lucy begged.

“I’m trying to get over Michael, and you bring me here. Why?”

“It was Janet’s idea, okay? I played along.”

“Well you shouldn’t have. I was having such a fun night, and now… it’s ruined. Let me go,” Stacy hissed. Lucy let go of Stacy, and she walked away. Lately, that’s all she’s been doing; walking away. She did it to Michael, and now she’s doing it to Lucy.

Stacy stopped dead in her tracks where she heard his voice. She turned around, and kept her eyes on him. He still looked do beautiful. Stacy felt her heart break, and tears made their way into her eyes. Michael hadn’t even spoken a word yet.

She wanted to get out of the bar, but her legs wouldn’t move. She leaned back against the wall, and kept her eyes on Michael. Michael didn’t say a word, he just started singing.

Hello world,

Hope you’re listening,

Forgive me if I’m young,

For speaking out of turn,

There’s someone I’ve been missing,

I think that they could be,

The better half of me,

They’re in the wrong place trying to make it right,

But I’m tired of justifying,

So I say you’ll…

Come home,

Come home,

‘Cause I’ve been waiting for you,

For so long,

For so long,

And right now there’s a war between the vanities,

But all I see is you and me,

The fight for you is all I’ve ever known,

So come home.

As the song continued, Stacy listened to the words, and started thinking. Every note that Michael sang, it felt more like it was meant for her. Michael was having a war with himself. Not being able to remember was a struggle for him, and she knew it.

He was fighting an inner battle with himself. Was Michael starting to remember? Did he want Stacy to come back? Why hadn’t he just called her?

Maybe the song really didn’t mean anything, maybe Michael just liked singing it. Stacy wiped her eyes, and watched as Michael wiped his eyes as well. Michael only cried during a song if it meant something to him at that time; that was something Stacy knew as a fact.

The song right now meant so much to Michael. He couldn’t believe that Stacy had left him. He felt like they were millions of miles away. He just wanted her to come home. He needed Stacy. She was always there for him, and never gave up on him.

Michael was ready to fall in love again, and he wanted to be in love with Stacy. He was ready to relearn what it was like to love. Michael got off the stage, and Stacy went to find him. She needed to talk to Michael, or to at least just see him. She didn’t know what was going to happen when she found him.

Stacy searched all over the bar, and found Michel sitting at the bar itself drinking a bottle of water. Stacy felt her stomach start to get upset, but she found her legs carrying her. Michael looked over, and saw who was walking to him. He gasped, and brought Stacy into a tight hug.

“Oh my God! I thought you went back to Norway!” he gasped into her ear. Stacy swallowed back the sob that was in her throat, and blinked the tears away.

“No,” she whispered. Michael let go of Stacy, and looked at her.

“Did you hear me sing?” he asked, smiling. Michael looked so proud, and Stacy really didn’t know why. He just went up and sang for, as far as she knew, the first time since the accident; that could probably be why, Stacy figured.

“I did. You were amazing,” Stacy said, smiling now as well. Michael bit his lip, and looked at Stacy.

“I was hoping I could talk to you about something,” Michael said quietly.

“You can talk to me about anything,” Stacy told him. Michael took a drink of water from his bottle, and placed it on the counter.

“That song I sang was for you. It has a couple meanings. I want you to come home. I may still not remember you, or anything for that matter, but I was hoping you could re teach me. I’m ready to fall in love with you again. I hate not knowing who I used to be, and who I used to love. I can tell from the way you are, and how you acted around me, that our love was true. The way you stuck by me even though I know I hurt you so much, I admire you. I want to remember you so much, and I need you to help me,” Michael said.

Stacy took in everything that Michael said. She almost couldn’t believe it. Michael was looking at Stacy, and there was a hint of desperation in his eyes, something that Stacy hadn’t seen for a long time.

Stacy couldn’t help what came over her. She wrapped both her hands around Michael’s neck, and pulled him in. It was only for a split second, and Stacy stepped away.

“Fuck, I’m sorry,” she apologised.  Michael just smiled, and Stacy frowned. She didn’t mean to do it, but her emotions took over. She hoped Michael didn’t feel like she was trying to pressure him or anything, because she wasn’t. “Michael, I’m so sorry. My emotions took over me. Of course I’ll help you. You’re stupid if you think that I don’t still love you. I’d be willing to spend my entire life trying to make you love me.”

Michael smiled, and grabbed her hand. He looked at Stacy in a different way then he had since the accident. He looked around at the bar, and then looked back at Stacy. Stacy raised an eyebrow.

“What?” she asked him with a hint of a chuckle. Michael just smiled at her as the emotions that he used to not know that he had took over his body, and he pulled her into a tight embrace, and kissed her tenderly. Stacy hugged him back just as tightly.

She had missed him so much, and the fact that now she actually felt like he really cared almost completely wiped all of the pain and hurt that she had felt ever since Michael had said that he hadn’t remembered who she was.

She thought that things would never get better. She thought that her life was going to be Hell for the rest of her life, and she thought that she’d never find love again. She’d never be able to give her heart to anyone new because she knew that Michael held it, and all of it.

 “There’s hope, Stacy,” Michael began in a whisper as he pressed his forehead against hers, “There’s hope for me, and there’s hope for us. We’ll make it. I really don’t remember anything, but there’s one thing I know for sure; something that I don’t need a memory to help back it up. I really care for you. I understand how much you loved me and how much I equally loved you. And you know why? It’s because of you, Stacy. It’s because you stuck by me. You tried so hard to help me remember our relationship and every other aspect of me life, and even though you weren’t there to witness it as soon as it happened,” Michael said, his voice turning slightly sad, “It worked. Not completely. I’m not fixed. I’m not healed. Not by any means. There’s still so much more healing that’s left to be done. That includes my memory, our relationship, and you, Stacy. I know I hurt you, but I want to fix it,”

Stacy smiled, and she started crying. Michael smiled back at her, and brought out the promise bracelet. Michael turned Stacy’s hand over, and placed it in her hand. Michael drew his hand away, and Stacy looked at the piece of jewelry. She wiped her eyes, and gasped. Michael had fixed it. Stacy stared up at Michael, and he smiled at her. Stacy ran her fingers along over the fixed crack.

“In a way, the repair kind of has a meaning,” Michael started, “When I got this, we were whole. The accident tore us apart, and now we’re back together. There’s always going to be that hurt, the wound from when I forgot you and hurt you. But I’m ready to spend a lifetime trying to fix it. I’m ready to spend a lifetime remembering, and catching up on everything.”

When Michael had finished what he was saying, Stacy took in everything before throwing her arms around her boyfriend. They shared a long kiss together.

Michael was right. There is hope. They would make it. They were going to be just fine. Even if there would always be that pain lingering in their relationship, they’d heal. They’d stick together, and figure it out as a whole instead of two separate individuals.

“I love you,” Michael told her. Stacy sniffled as she wiped her eyes with the palm of her hand. She looked into his eyes.

“I remember,” Stacy began with another sniffle, “I remember when I’d say that to you, and you’d just reject me. I’d say that to you, and you’d insist that we never happened,” she cried. Michael could hear the ache within her words. He tilted her head up.

“I remember when I forgot 90% of everything that I had ever known. And I remember how there was this one girl who stuck by me. She stuck by me even when I’d shoot her down, even when I made her feel awful. She was there. She’s here now, and I’m ever so grateful,” he told her as he moved closer towards her, letting his breath blow on her skin. Stacy sobbed.

“It was heartbreaking...” she sobbed. Michael wrapped his arms around her once more.

“It’s heartbreaking to know that this is how I made you feel,” he replied sweetly as he kissed the top of her head. “I would never dream of hurting someone as close to my heart as you, even if I do forget everything we were before the accident. When I look at you, I can feel the love. I can see why we chose each other. Please, forgive me. I want to remember you,” Michael begged, almost sobbing himself.

Stacy looked at him, her eyes still shiny from the tears. She was delighted for what he did. He’s asking for help, and he even fixed the promise bracelet. He cares, and she knew it.

She hugged him again and cried into his shoulder, and Michael let her. As more drunk people went up to sing onstage, the two of them just stood there holding each other.

“I missed you,” Stacy cried, although her words were barely audible through her sobs and tears. Michael smiled softly.

“Stay with me,” Michael cooed, “Don’t leave me, please. I want you to be there when I remember everything; our first date, where we met, how we met, and everything after. I want you to be there,” Michael told her. Stacy smiled as Michael held her hands in his.

“I want to be there when it happens,” she said as she sealed her words with a tender kiss.