Nico

Nico Andrews watched as they brought her into the main building. Jenn was limp from being knocked out and he panicked, remembering the same scene that happened just about a year ago. The woman seemed to have a knack for finding trouble. He led the lifeguards up to their apartment, just above his laboratory, and had them put her in their bed as they filled him in about her run-in with some driftwood during her swim. He couldn't help mentally beating himself up for not being with her when she left for a swim earlier. He knew another storm was kicking up and he still let her go out alone. His research was taking a little longer than he hoped, and he really needed to get his part finished. The erosion committee was meeting in just one week and he needed to present his findings. His outlook was bleak for the Isle of Palms, the entire northeastern end of the island was sinking into the ocean at an alarming rate. If they didn't take action, they would lose some major real estate properties. If he hadn't had a deadline looming over his head, he would have been with her. Jenn moaned and stirred, raising a shaking hand to her head.

"What happened?" She tried to open her eyes, but the bright bedroom had her clamping her eyelids shut. "Too bright." Her voice sounded hoarse. Nico got her some water and sat on the bed next to her.

"You were hit by a piece of driftwood while you were swimming in the ocean, honey. Here, take a sip of this." He helped her to sit up and take a drink of water. She looked so confused, searching the room for something familiar. He was afraid of what this newest hit would do to her memory.

The first time he ever laid eyes on his beautiful woman was almost a year ago when she literally washed up on the beach with a head injury. The local authorities were amazed that she was alive, but Jenn was wearing a life vest and had miraculously floated to shore. She had no memories of who she was or what had happened to her. Nico worried that with today's head injury, she would lose all her memories of him, just as she had lost her memories of her past life a year ago. It had been his biggest fear that Jenn would remember who she was and walk away from him, and that would gut him. He'd fallen in love with her and hoped she felt the same way, but he cautiously guarded his heart with her, not wanting to get hurt when or if she returned to her old life.

"I need to find my bag and get home." She tried to sit up, but he held her in place.

"You need to stay put, baby. Your head must hurt and I'm not sure you have your wits about you." He gently pushed her long blonde hair out of her face and noticed the lump where the driftwood must have hit her skull.

Her eyes sprung open and landed on his face. "Why did you call me baby? Who are you?" Jenn was scrambling to get out of their bed and away from him. He decided it would be best not to fight her, letting her stand in front of him. She swayed some but planted her feet and the resolve on her face made him smile.

"There's my girl." He reached for her hand, but she yanked hers away.

"I'm not your girl! I don't even know you." She wrapped her arms around her slender body, still in her bikini from her swim. He noticed her shiver. Nico grabbed the blanket from their bed and wrapped it around her, inwardly cursing at himself for not sooner noticing her discomfort. He pulled her into his body and could smell the salty ocean on her skin. He loved it when she smelled like she had just come from a swim in the ocean, salty and sun kissed. Nico couldn't help but nuzzle the top of her head as she snuggled into his body, pulling her closer.

Oliver and Jace, the lifeguards who helped her in, both cleared their throats. "You need anything else, Jenn?" She raised her head from Nico's chest and looked up at Oliver, confusion fresh in her beautiful blue eyes.

"Who is Jenn? My name is Toni," she said, pulling away from Nico and standing on her own. He felt her loss immediately. Had she actually remembered her real name?

"Wait, your name is Toni?" He again reached for her hand. Oliver and Jace shared a look and crowded closer. They had both become friends with Jenn after she started living on the island with Nico.

"My name is Antoinette Bernston, but everyone calls me Toni. Who is Jenn?" She tried to move away from the circle they made around her.

"You're Jenn, or at least that's the name we all call you, darlin'." Oliver grinned down at her, and Nico wanted to push him the hell back from his girl. He couldn't help his predatory growl, causing the two men to laugh.

"Take it easy, Professor. I'm not hitting on your girl." Oliver held up his hands in defense and took a step away from Jenn.

"Well, I'm not Jenn and I'm not his girl," she said, nodding in Nico's direction, and damn if it didn't feel like she'd slapped him. He took a step closer, wanting to pull her into his body again, causing her to take a step back into Jace's chest. Jace protectively wrapped an arm around her.

"It's okay, honey. We're gonna all sit down and figure this out." She nodded and sat on the bed next to Jace. Nico decided to give her some space, taking a seat on the chair in the corner. Oliver stood by the window and Nico didn't miss the worry on his face.

Jace soothed her, running his hand up and down her back. Nico wanted to kick them both the fuck out of his apartment, but he knew they wouldn't leave Jenn with him, not with the way she was watching him, as if he were a complete stranger.

"So, your name is Toni Bernston?" Jace all but whispered. She nodded her head, groaning at the discomfort that action caused. "Easy, honey. Nice and slow," Jace crooned. "You have a little head injury. Can you tell me what you remember last before you woke up here?"

Toni seemed to consider her words carefully, getting her thoughts together. "Well," she paused, gently rubbing her head where the lump seemed to grow. Nico couldn't help but notice the way her hand shook. Oliver reached into his bag, pulling out an ice pack. He popped and shook the pack until it was cold and handed it to Jace, who gently put it to Toni's head. She winced and held it, thanking them both.

"I remember planning a day at the beach, but that was about it. I think I might have been on a boat, but I can't really remember. I've been on many boats, so maybe it's just an old memory. The last thing I remember from this morning was I had a huge fight with my father about marrying Zac. My dad just wants me to be happy and secure, but I want more." Jenn looked around the small bedroom as if searching for something familiar. She looked out the window. "It wasn't raining this morning. The weatherman said it was going to be sunny and hot. What day is it?" Jenn looked at Nico and he wished he could erase the panic and confusion from her beautiful blue eyes. He noticed Oliver and Jace looked just as worried as he felt.

"Honey, you don't need to worry about the date right now. We should wait for the doctor to get here before we go into too many specifics." Nico needed to tell her the truth, and he hoped like hell she could handle it, but now wasn't the time. She looked so fragile sitting next to Jace. Jace wrapped a protective arm around Toni and pulled her a little closer. Nico's inner caveman wanted to tear his friend apart, but he saw the comfort she obviously got from him, and Nico let Jace comfort her.

"Jenn—sorry, Toni," he corrected himself when her lips parted as if she were going to remind him of her name again. "Listen, honey, you have been here for about a year now, with me." Nico all but whispered the last part. He stood and paced the room, finally settling on the bed next to her. Jace stood, giving them some room. "The doctor said this might happen. You see, a year ago you washed up on the beach. Jace and Oliver found you and I was the closest house, so they brought you in here. There is nothing else around here for miles. You woke up with a concussion, spent a few days in the hospital, and ended up coming back home with me. You had nowhere to go, and no one came to claim you. You were alone but you're not anymore—you have me now." Oliver cleared his throat and Nico sighed. "And these two goons."

Toni watched Nico, as if not convinced by his story. She shook her head. "That can't be! I was just at my family's beach house this morning." Her unshed tears were his undoing, Nico hauled her onto his lap, and she seemed to go willingly.

"I'm sorry this is confusing, baby. You didn't know who you were. We called you Jenn because you liked the name. You said you felt like your name could be Jennifer, so it stuck. I don't care what your name is, honey, all I know is that you have been here for the past year with me." She pulled her damp face from his chest and looked into his eyes.

"My mother's name was Jennifer," she whispered. "That must have been why I liked the name; it reminds me of her. You seem familiar, but I just don't remember you." She looked up at Oliver and Jace. "I don't remember any of you!" She buried her face in Nico's shirt again and sobbed.

"How about we call the doctor to come over and take a look at you, baby?" Nico ran his hands up and down her back. "Maybe he can help you to understand all of this." Toni nodded her agreement against his body, and he pulled her closer to hug her.

"We're gonna head out and make sure everything is secure," Jace cut in. "You two okay?" Jace looked at Nico. Again, Toni nodded against his chest.

"We'll be fine. Have Heather call Doc on your way out," Nico ordered. Jace and Oliver grabbed their gear and headed down through the beach museum and his adjoining lab. Having an apartment above where he worked was usually a convenience. Nico didn't mind it much before he met Jenn, but the lack of privacy was a bitch. He could hear Heather on the phone and knew his time with Jenn or Toni—God, that was going to take some getting used to, was going to be short-lived. He needed her to remember him because the possibility of her not knowing him, not knowing everything they had become to each other, gutted him.