Long Chapter. Please comment!

A dream. No, a nightmare. That's the only explanation as to the reason that Cameron James just knocked my boyfriend to the ground in one swift punch to the jaw.

"Hey ba-" I send the man who broke my heart the harshest glare I can muster. Apparently, he's turned into a real jerk these past few years, not that I didn't know that already. "What is wrong with you?" I find myself screeching, kneeling to help Ryan. "Are you okay?" I ask him, my hands shaking. There's so much confusion in Ryan's eyes it makes me frown.

"Uh." My boyfriend looks at the people surrounding us before looking back to me. "Yeah, I'm fine."

But he doesn't look fine, he looks as if he should be the one in this ridiculous hospital gown, and now there's a dark bruise already forming. I'm about to argue his statement when Meghan kneels next to me.

"Mia, whatcha doing?" She frowning and I've never seen her look so confused.

"Helping my boyfriend?" I question and only second later a strong arm pulls me from the ground.

"Taking the joke a little too far Amelia." Cameron growls into my ear and I get frustrated as he holds me against him even tighter. "This isn't funny." He jerks me back to him, almost painfully causing me to scream out.

So many questions overwhelm me. When did Cameron officially lose it? Why isn't anyone helping me? More importantly, why isn't Ryan saving me?

"What is going on up here?" A new voice joins us causing Cameron to loosen his iron clasp on my waist and I take the opportunity to jerk away just in time to hear the old doctor speak again while helping Ryan stand. "Doctor Hunt, get the patient back into her room." When I see him looking at Ryan's nose I push Isaiah back. "Well it's defientily broken." The doctor mumbles and I turn to the billionaire jackass.

"You broke my boyfriends nose!" I surprise myself when I send my palm against his cheek.

My own ragged breath is all I can hear as complete silence ensues, at least for a moment.

"Doctor Hunt! Get the patient into her room or you will be kicked off of this floor!"

Something about what he says causes me to turn from a very pale looking Cameron.

"Wait," I look at Isaiah, for the first time, taking in his white lab coat that covers his navy scrubs. "How are you a doctor already?"

Nursing school. He had applied for nursing school. From the corner of my eye, I see Cameron sink to the floor, but I look away, too angry to care about whatever he has going on.

"Mia," Meghan almost gasps, gripping my arm.

"No," I jerk my arm out of her grip, panic building up inside of me, especially when my best friend looks at me with so much concern. "We graduated two years ago. How are you already a doctor?" I ask Isaiah. "That's impossible." No one can can finish medical school in a quarter of the time it's supposed to take.

"Miss. Evens," The old doctor calls me and I turn to him while, almost simultaneously, an animal like growl comes from behind me. The doctor pulls out a small, white penlight, shining it into my eyes. "Can you follow my light?" I do as I'm told and he hums softly, while frowning. "Miss. Evans, how old are you?"

"Nineteen." I respond, frowning at the small gasps that answer me back. "Doctor, what happened? Why am I here?" I ask, since no one has told me.

"Miss. Evans," The doctor, smiles at me, pocketing the penlight. "I will everything, but I need you to get back into bed while I go get the other doctors who treated you."

I nod in understanding, reaching for my boyfriends hand to have him follow. I need him. He's my support in this confusion. "Come on." His feet stay firmly planted on the ground.

"Um, babe," He suddenly pushes me in front of him and I wince as pain shoots through my ribs. "I'm gonna stay out here to see what the doctor has to say, okay." He mutters softly, not taking his eyes off Cameron who honestly looks terrifying.

"Oh," I feel myself pouting. "Okay." I lean into give him a quick kiss but I'm pulled away.

"Doctor said get back in bed." Meghan says, guiding me into the room by tugging on my hand. "Come on."

"When did you go back to your natural hair color?" I ask my best friend, just noticing her fiery red hair is back and the the burgundy red obviously long gone.

"Before your accident." She responds, looking through me.

"Meghan?" I question, causing her to blink. "What's happening?"

"Nothing." She responds, shoving me to the small hospital bed. "You need to lie down, it's not good for you or.."

"Or?" I urge her to continue as I sit down. My back, crying with relief.

"Your body. Not good for your body." She mutters, frowning. "You were a little harsh to Cameron."

"Are you serious?" I found myself shouting at her, sitting back up, causing almost every bone to scream in agony. "He broke Ryan's nose." I feel confused tears start to develop in my eyes. "He grabbed me and no one stopped him."

Meghan's face scrunches up in frustration and she sighs. "You're right, I'm sorry. I think we were all frozen in shock." She jumps up onto the bed and it feels like one of our middle school sleepovers all over again.

"That makes sense I guess." I mutter, resting my head against her shoulder. "I mean Isaiah..." She looks down at me, frowning. "Maybe its a chance to reconnect." I wince, praying she doesn't get all defensive. Maybe the setting will cause her to let this slide. "You know my vote is still that the whole thing was a misunderstanding..."

The door opens before she can respond but she doesn't seem angry so I guess I should thank my lucky stars.

Ryan is the first one I see and I can't stop my grin at the sight of him, but it evaporates the second I see the man towering from behind him.

"Amelia," the doctor approaches me. "Can I call you Amelia for now?"

I nod a simple approval before glancing at Ryan and patting the bed. "Come sit, please." I want to cry when he shakes his head, the fear in my eyes must be what makes him step forward.

"I don't think it's a good idea for me to sit with you, okay?"

I feel tears starting to roll down my cheek. "What's going on?" I find myself crying out, looking at every person in the room. "Everyone is acting weird. I know something is wrong!"

Meghan, apparently unable to take the tension, jumps up from the bed. "You have amnesia."

Amnesia? I almost smile in relief, that's why everyone has been acting weird. A part of me was starting to feel like I was dying.

"Mrs. Hunt!" The doctor shouts. "That is not how we handle situations like this."

Hunt? As in...

"Mrs. Hunt?" I ask, shock filling me. I gasp at the beautiful ring the rests on Meghan's hand as she lifts it.

"When?" Is what I settle with after I'm unable to come up with an actual sentence.

"Ten years ago." She whispers and my stomach rolls.

"Ten years." I feel ill. "How many years am I missing?"

"Amelia." The doctor starts to say something g but I don't care.

"How many years?" I cry out, begging to know when I crippling thought enters my mind and I glance at my brother, dressed in uniform. "Johnathan, Mom and Dad."

So much can happen in a few years. And I know, with my mother getting cancer and my father being paralyzed within a year.

"Your missing twelve years, and Mom and Dad are fine." Johnathan answers, causing the doctor to sigh in annoyance.

"I'm sorry, but is this a free for all? You all are going to fill my patient in, one dramatic sentence at a time?"

I can't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of it. This how we've always been, no one ever getting a straight answer but still figuring it out.

"Actually," I find myself sniffling. "I'd prefer that..." With a grin, I grab Meghan's hand. I need answers now. "How did this happen? It was a misunderstanding right?" I glance at Isaiah, trying to ignore the baffled look on Cameron's face.

"There were definitely some misunderstandings." He replies, he's smiling softly but there's no friendliness in his tone.

The doctor suddenly coughs. "Back to explaining what's wrong with my patient."

The room becomes silent until Meghan speaks up. "Cameron."

Immediately, my mind goes into overdrive. Have Cameron and I started talking again? I take a moment to look at him, really like at him, and my heart stutters. He's still as handsome as ever, arrogant too. He's standing in the corner of the room, stiff and somehow radiating power and wealth in jeans and a dark flannel shirt. Images of the last time I remember speaking to him flash through my head. 'Make an appointment' he had said, not even looking at me. Now I'm glad it happened, I was going to tell him about that fact that I was falling for him; if I had I wouldn't have been with Ryan. And he... well he's Ryan.

"We- You and I-" Cameron's babbling pulls me from my thoughts, my hard heart towards him starts to melt. He seems so lost.

Ryan suddenly steps forward. "We broke up twelve years ago." His eyes are filled with sorry, and my world feels as is been knocked of its axis as tears rapidly fall down my cheeks.

"Why?"

"I made..." He swallows thickly and somehow I know why. "Mistakes. And it took my too long to apologize, when I did, it was too late."

"How late?" I cry out, unable to stop sobbing. "How late Ryan!?"

"After the rehearsal dinner for your wedding." He almost whispers, as if it's something he never wanted to think about again. And maybe it's not.

"Oh my god." I found myself on the verge of hyperventilating. I glance at my left hand, it bare and I become more confused.

The doctor must notice because he speaks up. "Your rings were taken off when you were brought in. They're now in custody of your husband."

My husband. The thought makes me frown, as I take a second glance around the room. Where is he? What kind of husband is he to not be here?

When Cameron suddenly steps forward, looking as sick as I feel, every emotion that one could feel, mix together and clog my throat.

"No." I don't know who I'm begging but the thought of being married to him... He's cruel.

"Lia, baby."  An unknown feeling tugs at me when his voice breaks, his face holds so much raw emotion as he kneels next to my bed.

"No." I don't know who I'm begging but I need someone to wake me up, my sobs start to overwhelm me.

"Baby, please." He starts to begging, holding his shaking palm out, showing me the most beautiful rings I've ever seen. They're not obnoxious like I would think he would buy for his wife, they're small but obviously they hold a story. Honestly, I think they're what I would have picked for myself.

"Please, Cameron, leave." I'm too overwhelmed to think clearly.

"No." His voice shakes and tears fill his eyes.

"Cameron, leave!" I beg him, my lungs feeling as if they can't get a full breath.

"I'm not leaving you." He states with his voice full of emotion as a tear slips from his left eye. "I love you, okay? We're going to figure this out." He promises, moving to touch me and I look to Meghan.

"Please, make him leave."

Meghan sighs and when she mutters my name I know she's going to deny my request.

Rapid, irregular beeping fills the room and my doctor jumps into action. "Everyone out!" He yells as it becomes harder to breath, my chest feeling like it's caving in. God, I haven't had a panic attack since middle school, and they were never like this.

"Doctor Hunt, page Doctor Kingsley and request a fetal monitor be brought up!" He yells, as he's raises the head of the bed. But the mention of a fetal monitor causes everything to freeze. My heart feels like it's going to beat out of my chest; I see the chaos around me, but all I can hear is ringing. When Cameron rushes toward me, everything goes black.

So much has happened since that day, three months ago. I woke up thinking I was seventeen and in love with the boy next door only to find out I was thirty-two and the mother of five beautiful children.

I'll never forget the moment the tiny blonde with striking green eyes ran into the hospital room, screaming 'mommy.' Cameron's green eyes were the first thing I noticed about him, just like emeralds. Our daughter's were just as vibrant. Each of my children had a piece of my heart the second I saw them. Learning that Cameron adopted Marie's children, for me, makes my heart swell in such an unexpected way.

These past few months I've realized he's the Cameron I had feelings for in high school. Sweet, funny, charming. More than anything, he's understanding. I can see it in his eyes, each time he looks at me, there's so much pain there. I wish I could take it away but... I'm not ready.

I don't love him. Not yet. I think my heart remembers his love and wants to return it, but my mind is what's struggling. My mind just doesn't understand yet.

Last night, hearing his mother list everything he's done for me. How can someone not immediately fall in love with a man that's taken care of them over and over, never asking for anything in return?

I listen to him talk to the baby every night, I watch him interact with our kids. The way he treats our adopted children the same as our birth children. He's a wonderful father and an amazing husband. And everyday I feel my walls breaking down more and more.

"Lia," His grumbling pulls me from my thoughts, his nose nuzzling into the back of my neck.

I don't think he realizes how often he talks in his sleep. Maybe that's the most heartbreaking part of this whole thing, every few nights he begs through his sleep for 'Lia' to just look at him or to not leave.

Recently, it's been happening more often and I guess that's why I've been pushing myself, testing boundaries. He deserves a wife who loves him.

Rolling to face him, I take my time looking at his face. He's really is handsome. His jet black hair is currently matted to his forehead, beads of sweat forming.

"Cameron." I whisper, pushing the hair from his forehead. Oh god, he's burning up. "Cameron!"

"Lia." His eyes flutter as he tightly grips my wrist as it rests on his forehead. "That feels good."

"Cameron, you need to wake up!"

His eyes slowly open and a dazed smile crosses his face. "Morning, Baby."

"Do you feel okay?"

"Never better." He grins but it's odd, there's just something different. I squeal when he suddenly grips my hips rolling over and forcing me under him. His lips attack my neck, and for a moment I'm stunned into submission, but when the attack starts to move lower, I start trying to gently push him.

"Stop." I mutter and he immediately lifts himself off allowing me to sit up.

"Cameron, you're burning up."

"I'm fine." He mumbles, pulling his pillow over his head. "I just have a headache."

"Where's a thermometer?"

"Lia." He groans in annoyance and I pull the pillow of his face. He's been calling me Amelia since I got out of the hospital. "It's just a headache, I'm fine."

"Cameron." I insist and he sits up, groaning in frustration, before looking at me and frowning.

"Amelia?" He reaches for me but I jerk back, causing his frown to deepen. "I-" He looks confused. Sad. Helpless.

"A thermometer, Cameron." His eyes flutter closed, when I rest the back on my hand of his forehead for the second time this morning.

"Bottom drawer, left side of the sink." His eyes close and he sighs as I stand up, rushing to the bathroom.

Every part of this house takes me breath away, especially this bathroom.

The white adds so much elegance. 'Left side of the sink.' Going to the black and white marble Jack and Jill sink, I crouch down, opening the bottom drawer and wondering why I've never noticed the child proofing done to this specific drawer.

I realize why when I get it open. Packets of medications and vitamins, perfectly organized, fill the drawer. A small white thermometer rests on the top and I grab it, quickly going back to the bedroom.

Cameron's breathing has evened out as I crawl onto the bed.

"Cameron," I mutter, taking the thermometer out of the of the clear casing. "Open your mouth."

He obeys, keeping his eyes closed, and I slip it under his tongue.

A few seconds later it beeps rapidly.

Oh my. A hundred and three.

"Cameron, we have to get you to the hospital." I tell him, shaking him lightly, causing him to groan. "Cameron, please."

"I just need to sleep a little longer." He sighs, opening his eyes with great struggle. "So this headache will go away."

"Cameron!" I snap at him, gripping his arm. "You have a fever of a hundred and three, we need to get you to a doctor."

"Xander!" I yell when my husband tries to sit up but is unable. I should have know he was sick, he talked about having a headache and feeling hot last night. "Xander!"

"Amelia." Cameron groans, throwing a pillow over his head.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, "Cameron, I need you to try to sit up again."

"Mrs. James?" I hear and turn to see Audrey standing in the doorway frowning. "Is everything alright?

Her brunette hair is tied up in a sloppy bun, she's wearing an old t-shirt that must have been Xander's, and I pair of black leggings covers her legs.

Looking at her, she seems like someone I would have been friends with if we were the same age. And, under different circumstances, she's definitely someone I would have wanted for Xander. She's beautiful, smart, and kind. I've seen her before, playing with Theo, helping Ryder with his homework, comforting Mayzie.

"I was in the guest bedroom," She points down the hall. "I heard you yelling. I don't know where Xander went."

"Cameron is sick." I tell her, motioning to my husband. "Can you help me get him to the hospital?"

"Oh..." She walks into the room. "He... You guys have a private doctor, Henry, I can call him." She pulls out her phone, pressing on the screen a few times before bringing it to her ear. "Henry, hi, it's Audrey." She laughs lighting, almost forced. "Actually, it's Mr. James, he's ill. Okay," She glances at me. "Yes, I'll tell Mrs. James." When she hangs up, she nods at me. "He's coming, I should only take him about twenty minutes."

"Thank you." I notice her looking at the thermometer on the nightstand. "It was a hundred and three."

"I can get some cold washcloths." She offers hesitantly and I nod. "I'll be back." She quickly walks out of the room.

"The doctor's coming." I mutter, brushing the hair from his face. "Why is it that you own a hospital and yet have a private doctor?" I laugh, knowing I won't get an answer.

"Mom!" Xander comes running into the bedroom. "What's wrong?"

He's sweaty, wearing only basketball shorts; he must have been outside.

"Last night he was complaining of being hot and having a headache and now he has a fever and is to weak to wake up."

He approaches his father, frowning at him.

"Audrey called the doctor and she was getting cold rags."

"I'll go wait for Henry." Is all he says, disappearing as quickly as he came.

A few minutes later, Audrey rushes in with a bowl, I assume is full of water and washcloths.

"Sorry it took so long." She apologizes, setting the bowl down and I can tell something happened. Her eyes are slightly red, giving the impression that she must have just cried.

"There's more to the story, isn't there?" I ask, as I grab a rag from the bowl, ringing it out before rolling it and setting it on Cameron's head.

"I'm sorry?" She asks, but she heard me, her hands stilled for just a milli-second.

I smile, I remember the first time I saw her, I honestly thought I would remember something. I couldn't explain it but I just knew that I shouldn't be receptive toward her.

"The first time I met you," I chuckle, taking another rag from her hand and resting it on Cameron's neck. "Well, you know what I mean. I had this feeling that we had a history."

Her hands suddenly freeze in the middle of wringing out another rag.

"Cameron told me the story, how you broke Xander's heart."

She hands me the rag before stepping back. "Mrs. James..."

"You love my son." I study her face. "There's more to that night, isn't there?"

"No, I don't love him." Her eyes well with tears, as she shakes her head but the longer she holds my eye contact, the more her resolve breaks. "It doesn't matter at this point." She cries just as an elderly man appears in the doorway, carrying a ratty old black bag.

He older than I expected, almost completely bald, and worn my age. But his eyes hold kindness and I immediately feel relaxed.

"Mrs. James," He addresses me, stepping past distraught looking Audrey. Maybe now wasn't the best time to interrogate her. "I know you don't remember me, I'm Henry, I've been a doctor for the James family for a long time. Miss. Rush mentioned that the temperature was high enough to cause concern."

"Please." I step away from the bed and I stand in silence as he sets his bag down, pulling out a stethoscope before spending the next ten minutes assessing Cameron before giving him some medications. Finally, he sighs, moving away from the bed.

"Is he going to be okay?" I ask him, feeling tension leaves as he smiles at me. "He was acting strange this morning."

"Overworking has always been your husband's weakness." He chuckles, placing the stethoscope in his bag. "He seems to have caught the flu and working through it has led to dehydration."

He pulls a writing pad out of his pocket along with a pen.

"This," He scribbles something down. "Is a medication to help with the fever."

He rips the sheet off, handing it to me before writing another.

"And this?" I ask, taking the second sheet of paper.

"Mrs. James, I know your husband has been under a lot of stress recently. That," He nods toward the small paper. "Will help him sleep."

"Thank you." I mutter, glancing at Zoey when she walks in.

"Xander told me." She says, glancing at Cameron before holding her hand out to me. "Want me to go fill those?"

"Please, Sweetheart," I hand them both to her. "Thank you."

"I already gave him both of those, so starting tonight give him one each night." The doctor tells me and I follow as he walks out of the room. "And keep him drinking fluids."

"Thank you for coming, Doctor."

"It's Henry to you, Mrs. James." He smiles at me as I open the grand mahogany door. "Have a good day and feel free to call me if you have any questions."

"Thank you," I frown, noticing my brother's best friend appear in the driveway, before I look back at the doctor. "Henry."

My attention is then moved to Kai as he quickly  greets the doctor.

"Amelia," he grins boyishly before moving into hug me. "You look good!"

"Hi, Kai," I laugh, returning his hug. Everything was different when I woke up after the accident, except Kai.

He's still the same guy moonlighting at weekend rock concerts only to show up in uniform on Monday morning. The guy that's always had my brother's back and in turn mine.

"We need to talk." He whispers into my ear, so seriously I have to pull away. He looks at something behind me, and I follow his gaze to Audrey. "In private." He mutters, reaching past me and closing the door.

"K-kai."

"I've been debating telling you about this." He says quickly, looking down at me. "I just, I think you need to know."

"Know what?"

He pulls a piece of paper from his pocket. On it there's an address, a date, and a time; two in the morning to be exact.

"Okay." I mutter, looking at him, hoping for an explanation.

"I was the first officer on the scene of your accident. This is a scan of the paper found I found in your SUV."

The date. "This is where I was going the night of the accident?"

He shrugs. "Maybe."

"Why have you been hiding it?" An idea sparks in my mind. "If I went there, it might trigger something."

"Amelia," He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "It's a house."

"We should go!" I say, eagerly, the idea of remembering something making me eager, but Kai grips my arm.

"The Russels owned the house." He says, and my heart stops as he refers to Ryan's parents. "Ryan had been here for about a month, trying to sell it for his parents, it sold the day after you woke up from your coma."

I practically fall into the rocking chair. What was I doing meeting up with Ryan at two in the morning? My eyes squeeze shut, begging for a memory to appear. Why?

"Amelia," Kai grips my face and I open my eyes to see him kneeling in front of me. "Don't start assuming the worst of yourself."

"Why not?" My voice trembles, I feel disgusted with myself. "That's why you hid it."

"Amelia," He sighs, gripping my hands. "That's not why I did it, I just-"

"If I wasn't cheating, then why was I meeting the man my husband hates at two in the morning?" The urge to vomit hits me unexpectedly and I end up jerking away so I can avoid spewing all over Kai.

"Shit." I hear him mutter just before he starts pulling my hair back. "Amelia, you gotta calm down." He forces me to sit back down before opening the front door. "Audrey, bring me a water!" He yells before turning back to me. "Breathe, Amelia. Think about the baby."

'Think about the baby'? That's what I'm doing! I'm think about my family.

"I was cheating!" I can't help but shout, just a Audrey appears, smacking his hands away as he tries to calm me down.

"Stop!" He yells, grabbing me by the arms and shaking me gently. "Listen to me!"

Wide-eyed, I look at him. "I know you don't remember, but you wouldn't cheat, okay? You love your husband. You love your family."

My thoughts overwhelm me. I firmly believe anyone can be capable of anything, under the right circumstances.

But in only three months I've basically forgotten about Ryan and Cameron overwhelms my thoughts. Even right now, not loving Cameron, I would choose him over Ryan.

"Hey Uncle Kai." Ryder appears in the doorway suddenly. "Mom, Dad's looking for you."

"I need to go." I pull away from Kai. "He's sick."

"The back of the paper has Ryan's number. Call him. I guarantee you there's a simple explanation."

"I'm not that person, right?" I ask him, begging him to tell me again that it's not what I think.

"Amelia, go take care of your husband."

Rushing inside and up the stairs I come to halt when I see a shirtless husband sitting on the edge of the bed, rubbing his temples.

"Cameron?" I gain his attention, slowly walking  toward him, stopping when he holds a hand up.

"I don't want you getting sick." He answers, grabbing the water off the nightstand in his side of the bed. "I wanted to apologize though."

"For what?" I question, ignoring his protests as I sit in the bed next to him. "Cameron, we swapped quite a few germs last night.."

His chuckles lightly before grabbing my hand. "Normally, you would have just left because that's what I asked."

"Really?" I find myself frowning, that sounds very irksome.

"I wasn't a gentleman this morning." He mutters, I watch as his thumb plays with my wedding ring. "I could say that I do t think I was fully awake, but there's no excuse."

I find myself laughing at his nervous tone. "I think a fever induced dream is the perfect excuse. Besides, I know it's been awhile." I add slowly and he laughs.

"My fist has nothing on you." He says before realizing his words and we both sit in tension filled silence.

"I'm sorry."

"No," He says, bringing my hand to his lips for a light kiss. "There's nothing to apologize for. I feel like I've been hit like a damn freight truck." He quickly changes the subject, causing me to reach for his forehead.

"You're fever seems to have broken." I pull my hand back. "Maybe you should sleep again."

He hums in agreement before shifting to lie down. "Last night you said something." He mutters, closing his eyes. "About Ryan."

"Yes?" I question slowly, watching as, even now, his breathing starts to slow.

"Tell me again."

"I don't love him." I say firmly, watching a faint smile form on his lips, which are currently surrounded by a five o' clock shadow.

I don't love him because I'm falling for you.

The realization hit me in an almost painful way.

My feelings for him are currently the same as when I was in high school.

***