"Mr. Thomas, I need you to confirm you understood everything I have just told you." Said a blonde female nurse as she looked over the patient expressionless.

Leon Thomas had heard what she just said, but he was having trouble processing it in his mind. He felt awake, he felt alert and sharp enough to answer questions, but when the questions were asked, He could not think of any answers. He was confused, growing more frustrated by the minute, and having a hard time beleiving the lady.

"You are saying I was in some sort of auto accident?" Leon asked.

"Yes. You were involved in a severe car crash and you went flying through the windshield and suffered severe head trauma. Its quite a miracle you are even alive." The nurse assured him.

"Am I... Am I brain damaged?" Leon wondered, concerned.

The nurse spoke calmy and precise. "Mr. Thomas, I just explained this to you. You suffered trauma in your prefrontal cortex as well as your Hippocampus. It seems all of your motor functions have recovered, but your memory has yet to return. You have amnesia, Mr. Thomas."

"So, I can't remember anything."

"Thats correct. Or rather, you are having trouble processing your memories."

"Is this perminant?"

"Well thats what I am here to find out Mr. Thomas. Unfortionatly our neural tests can only show us what your brain looks like and how its functioning. But we still have no control over how long it takes for someone suffering from amnesia to regain their memories. In cases of PTSD memory loss it could take as little as a day to recover or years of therapy to recover. In cases of physical trauma like yours, it may never come back." The nurse explained.

Leon huffed. "Okay, did you bring me any good news?"

"Now Mr. Thomas, I am here to help. I assure you. I just want to ask you a series of questions and guage your responses. Can we do that?"

"Dosnt look like I have a choice."

The nurse gave her disclaimer. "These questions are basic, that everyone should have an answer for. If you find yourself struggling to answer them, that is perfectly natural for someone in your state. I need you to understand that as we move forward."

Leon sighed. "Yes, my memory is bad and you want to quiz me on it. I get it."

"Okay," The nurse turned her attention to a clipboard she was holding.

"First of all, can you please state your first and last name?"

"Yes." Leon said. "I am Leon Thomas. I am thirty four, and I work at Main Street Tire and Lube."

"Just your name is fine. Stick to the questions please, Leon."

"Fine."

"Okay, What color is the car you drive?" The nurse asked.

"Its blue. And its not a car, its a truck." Leon corrected her.

"Okay, you are right. It was a pickup truck that you were driving." The nurse confirmed. "Now, Mr. Thomas. What is the last thing you remember leading up to the crash?"

Leon paused for a moment. He was thinking about the question, reaching into a black void in his mind that was completely absent of thought. He started rapidly shuffling through childhood memories. There were tire swings, friends, school, milestones he remembered. They were all quick moments in his life, all absent of names and faces except his own. None of it answered the question.

"Mr. Thomas?"

He could envision his truck, down to the smallest detail. He could see the cigarette burn hole in the passenger seat where his friend had dropped his cigarette. . . what was his name? what was his face? Leon thought perhaps he was a co worker, or a cousin.

"Leon?"

"I. . . I dont remember anything up through the accident." Leon confessed. "I cant remember anything recently really. But I do remember things that happened to me. All sorts of different events in my past."

The nurse frowned. "Do you remember your wife?"

The memory was pulled forward. Leon, at his wedding, eating cake, dancing. He remembered being so happy. But again, he was dancing with a faceless figure who he couldnt place. "I... I know I am married. I remember getting married."

The nurses face looked very dissapointed. She tried to hide trembling lips. "Do you remember how you first met her? At the park in autumn? When all the leaves were turning and the whole town was decorating for halloween?"

Leon thought for a moment but nothing came to mind. "Im sorry, but nothing is coming back."

The nurse wiped a single tear away from her eye and turned away with the chart. She gulped and said flatly, "Okay Mr. Thomas. Thats enough questions for now. We will pick this up tomorrow."

"I didn't mean to upset you." Leon interjected, noting the dissapointment in the nurse. "I just cant remember. All I can remember are things about me. I know I love her. But I cant remember anything about her."

The nurse got up, keeping her back to Leon, and headed for the door. She stopped after turning the handle and cracking the door open. She turned around and Leon could see her watering eyes. "Yeah well, She loves you very much you know."

"You'll be back tomorrow?" Leon asked. "Maybe you can tell me more about her."

The nurse gave out a single 'Ha!' to herself as if it was some sort of pathetic inside joke. "Ill tell you more tomorrow."

"Okay." Leon agreed. "And one more thing, Nurse. I have to know."

"Yes?"

"How long have I been here? I mean someone has to tell my work what is going on, and I have bills to pay and all sorts of things like that. You understand don't you?"

The nurse opened the door, and walked through it. Then as she was closing it she stuck her head in, tears streaming down her face now.

"Leon. Your wife is a nurse. You've been here for ten years."