The weight of the files in Evelyn's hands felt heavier than steel. Her own name, printed in bold letters, stared back at her like a ghost from a past she couldn't recall.
Theo sat beside her, his jaw clenched as he flipped through his own file. The air in Dr. Reed's study was thick with silence, but their thoughts screamed.
Dr. Reed leaned forward, his gaze sharp. "Everything you're looking for is in those files."
Evelyn inhaled shakily. "Then why do I feel like it's only the beginning?"
The doctor didn't answer. Instead, he tapped the edge of the file. "Do you want to remember?"
Theo met Evelyn's gaze. The unspoken answer was clear.
"Yes," Theo said firmly.
Dr. Reed sighed, standing up and moving toward a cabinet. "There's a reason your memories were taken. And once they return, you might regret wanting them back."
Evelyn straightened. "We've already come this far."
Dr. Reed hesitated, then finally unlocked the cabinet. He pulled out a small vial filled with a translucent liquid.
"This will trigger the first wave of memories," he explained. "It won't bring back everything at once, but it will open doors in your mind."
Theo's fingers curled into fists. "And the risks?"
Dr. Reed's expression darkened. "Pain. Confusion. And… possibly nightmares."
Evelyn swallowed hard.
Then she took the vial.
Theo didn't stop her. He simply took his own.
Without another word, they each drank.
---
The First Fragments
The effect was almost immediate.
A sharp, searing pain exploded in Evelyn's skull. She gasped, clutching her head as flashes of images crashed through her mind like a broken film reel.
A lab. Cold, sterile walls. Bright, blinding lights.
A voice. "She won't remember."
Pain. Someone's hand gripping hers—tight, desperate.
Then—
Theo.
His face, younger, covered in blood. His voice, broken. "No matter what happens, I'll find you."
Evelyn's breath hitched. The image vanished as fast as it came. She opened her eyes, realizing she had collapsed into Theo's arms.
His grip was steady, his forehead pressed against hers. "Evelyn. Breathe."
She gasped for air, her fingers digging into his shirt. "I—I saw you."
Theo's grip tightened. "I saw you too."
His voice was hoarse. He had seen something.
Something worse.
Evelyn lifted her head slightly. "What did you remember?"
Theo hesitated. Then, softly—"Blood."
The room fell silent.
Dr. Reed's voice broke through the tension. "Then you're getting closer."
Theo's jaw clenched, but his hand remained on Evelyn's back. He didn't let go.
Neither did she.
---
A Promise in the Night
That night, they stayed in Theo's apartment. Neither of them spoke much after leaving Dr. Reed's office. The weight of their returning memories lingered between them like a storm waiting to break.
Evelyn stood by the window, arms wrapped around herself. The city lights flickered below, indifferent to the turmoil inside her.
She felt him before he spoke.
Theo's voice was quiet. "You should rest."
Evelyn turned slightly, meeting his gaze. The exhaustion in his eyes mirrored hers.
"I don't think I can," she admitted.
Theo hesitated, then stepped closer. His presence was steady, grounding. "You don't have to be alone."
A flicker of warmth spread through her chest.
Without thinking, she closed the distance between them and rested her forehead against his shoulder.
Theo stiffened for a second, then—slowly, carefully—he wrapped his arms around her.
Evelyn closed her eyes, breathing him in.
A memory whispered through her mind.
A different night. A different moment.
"If we ever lose each other," Theo had once whispered, "promise me you'll find me again."
Evelyn gripped the fabric of his shirt.
"I promise."
And in that moment, she knew—
She was starting to remember.
---
End of Chapter 6