“She's in a coma.” Those words echoed in Bryce's head. Despite his amnesia, he knew what a coma was, and the shock was both sudden and heart racing. The throbbing in his head grew ever so stronger as he tried to both still remember the woman who gave birth to him and process what he had just been told at the same time. It was like something inside him was trying again to literally break its way free. Even though he still couldn't remember her, the fact that he wouldn't be able to talk to his mother and get answers that he needed so desperately to know, caused his head to feel like it was going to explode. He gripped his head with both hands and groaned in pain.

“Bryce?” Aliana's voice became anxious. “Take it easy, try to stay calm. I know this must come as a shock to you...” She turned to give her husband and annoyed glare that he immediately became nervous about. This wasn't the first time he had given someone such uncomfortable news so bluntly, but he usually insists on breaking it to them now to simply get it over with. A bad habit he has yet to break.

Bryce could hear Aliana's words and was indeed trying to do as they asked. He lessened his grip on his head and steadied his breathing. He then released his grip and inhaled and then exhaled slowly. “There you go.” Aliana said while gently grabbing a hold of his hand. “Just relax.”

Bryce felt himself feel a little loose, like a good portion of his body shut down. He felt the sensations return as a sudden desire jolted within him. He began to try and free himself from his bed as the IV next to him jangled and moved around slightly from his gesture. “No no!” Aliana quickly got up from her chair, causing it to slide back along the floor. She grabbed a hold of Bryce by the shoulders and tried to keep him still. “Sweetheart you can't get up just yet.”

Bryce didn't want to disobey her and so he stopped trying to get out of his bed. However, despite Aliana's efforts to keep him there, he still insisted on going to see his mother. “But I have to go see her.” He kept his voice at a reasonable level of volume so as not to cause Aliana any problems. Since she's been so patient with him, be believed it was best to return the favor. “I know I still can't remember her, but I want to see if she's okay. I'm her son right?”

Bryce's sudden desire to see his mother raised a few mild concerns for Adrian and Aliana since he acted so calmly about it. They have dealt with comatose patients and those suffering from amnesia before. They even dealt with a scenario where two of the same cases have occurred where two individuals who were close with one another have happened just like with Bryce and Naylene. However this didn't happen at the same time as the one individual was comatose months before the other suffered from memory loss. But this is the first time someone suffering from amnesia has been this insistent on wanting to see someone that they couldn't remember.

This was the first case that Adrian and Aliana have dealt with involving a mother and her son. Pondering this, Adrian's best guess was that Bryce was instinctively yet unconsciously worrying for his mother's well being despite his amnesia. His original self and their memories that were lost somewhere in his mind could very well be trying to fight their way back out.

“Okay, okay. Just take it east there for a second.” Adrian made his way over to the other side of the bed and placed his hand on Bryce's shoulder. “I probably should have told you about her condition in small details and worked up to the whole coma thing.” He felt a wave of guilt and embarrassment. “But I get it. You want to see your mom.” Even though he felt like it was too early to get out of his medical bed, seeing him acting as though his memories were coming back was a good sign. Taking him to see Naylene may in fact snap him out of his amnesia. “If you give me a minute, I can go get a wheelchair for you and take you to her room. But you have to promise me that you'll come back here and rest up so you don't strain yourself too much. Okay?”

His calm and patient tone made Bryce feel like he could not only trust this man, but letting him take care of both him and his mother would no doubt turn out okay as well. Bryce gave him an understandable grin and a nod. “Yeah. I'd really appreciate it Mr. Asola.”

Adrian nodded while giving him a grin of his own. Despite his wife's annoyance towards the moderate trouble he caused the young fox, Adrian still believed that allowing him to see his mother while his mind was fighting back the amnesia could in fact help them all come back at once.

He walked out of the room to go fetch a wheelchair to take Bryce to Naylene. Aliana stayed to help him out of bed carefully while telling him to take hold of the IV since he still needed to be hooked up to it. Bryce couldn't tell while being in the bed, but he was very weak in the legs. It was like trying to learn how to walk all over again for him. Thankfully Aliana kept a good hold of him so he wouldn't suddenly drop to the floor.

Adrian came back in with a wheelchair fit for his size and both he and Aliana helped him into it. They made their way out of the room, dodging and maneuvering around other doctors, nurses, patients, and more miscellaneous hospital obstacles.

Bryce sat quietly while being taken to where his mother was being kept. Thoughts began racing through his mind as he pondered them to himself. “I hate that I can't remember my own mother. Do I have a father too? I don't think so. If I did he'd be here seeing if either one of us were okay.” He felt a slight throb in his head. “I can't remember him either.” One particular thought scared him. “Is he even still alive? Could that be why he's not here?” He gently shook said thought out of his mind as he rubbed at his bandages gently. “Hopefully seeing my mom will snap me out of this. I've been scared and confused this whole time.” He glanced back at Adrian and Aliana for a quick moment and turned his gaze back towards the hallway they were heading down. “Well, at least these nice people were here for me.”

A sudden curious thought entered his mind just then. “Wait...how do they know me? Mr. Asola called me by my first name before I even told them it. Do they know me through some hospital paperwork thing or something?” His eyes looked around the hallway a little. “I'm sure that a place like this has stuff like that.” He felt more and more at ease as his knowledge of basic things continued to prove they were still intact. “I'll ask them after I see mom.” However he still felt unsure of what would happen once he saw her. “I hope that I get some kind of flashback or whatever when I see her. I hope they're good memories.” He shook his head once more to shake off the unwanted thoughts. “Stop worrying about stuff like that Bryce. Good or bad at least you'll remember something.”

As they reached an intersection that lead to another hallway, they stopped just short of the room Naylene was being kept in on the other side of said intersection. “Okay Bryce,” said Adrian with a quick exhale. “Don't be too alarmed by her appearance okay? She may look like she's in serious condition but that's just what comatose patients look like when hooked up to machines. She's being taken care of in the best ways possible and is not in any serious danger. Alright?”

Bryce gripped the pole to his IV tightly and took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “Okay. She's just...in a deep sleep right? One that you can't force them out of?”

Adrian looked over at his wife who gave him an insistent smirk, telling him to answer Bryce instead of her doing so in his place. He exhaled a little out his nose. “Yeah. Comas can be very tricky for us doctors. But like I said, don't worry. That's all that's wrong with her.” He pushed Bryce's wheelchair towards the room and turned into the doorway slowly so as not to bump the IV into it. “Here we are.”

The first thing Bryce saw was the hospital bed. The second was the blankets covering up a majority of his mother's body. The third thing he saw was the one he couldn't take his eyes off of. His mother's half bandaged face, laying there on a pillow in a neck brace with tubes going into her nose. The beeping and sounds of the machines around her were almost inaudible as his heart began to beat so loudly that it was practically the only thing he could hear. The only other thing he could hear over the thunderous beating of his heart was Aliana's words right next to him.

“Bryce?” She bent over to be at eye level with him. “Remember; deep breaths, exhale slowly and stay calm. You don't want to throw yourself into a panic attack.” He could feel her hand gently rest on his shoulder. Coming to his senses slightly he looked over to her and was greeted by another comforting smile.

Bryce looked back over to his mother as it was too hard not to look at her. Closing his eyes he did as she said and breathed deeply and exhaled. Performing the act a few more times he was able to regain his composure. He reopened his eyes and looked upon his mother once again. He felt a slight throb in his head but no other negative feelings or sensations. He turned his head so that his left side was looking up at Adrian as Aliana looked up at him as well. “Can you take me to her? Please?”

Adrian grinned but with the expression that he had no say in the matter. Bryce and Aliana were going to make him wheel him over to her bedside and they wouldn't take “no” for an answer. He chuckled softly and rubbed the back of his head. “Well it's my own fault for telling you about it. If anyone else did they'd be the ones in this situation.” He kept his grin which soon became a smile and then gently wheeled Bryce over to his mother's bedside.

He could now hear the sound of air going in and out of the machines she was hooked up to along with the beeping sounds that were monitoring her heartbeat. He could also see her chest moving up and down under the blankets. This assured him that she was still alive and breathing. “Mom.” This was the only word he could get out at the time.

Aliana stood next to him while Adrian continued to stand behind the wheelchair. She looked on at him with concern in her eyes and wanted to say something but didn't know what. Just then she felt her husband's hand on her shoulder. She turned to see him giving her a face she's seen before from other cases that they dealt with at the hospital. A grin that told her that the two individuals in front of them should be left alone for a while. She was then able to find some words thanks to this gesture. “We'll leave you two alone. If you need anything sweetheart, we'll be right outside okay?”

Bryce nodded without meeting her gaze. The only thing that he could look at and not stop looking at was his mother's face. “Yeah.” He said calmly. “I'll let you guys know if I need anything.” Aliana and Adrian both nodded in agreement and made their way out of the room. The last thing he heard was the door closing gently behind him.

He looked up at the heart monitor briefly and watched the horizontal line make vertically pointed ones with a beep every second. He looked back over to her face and noticed that twice as many bandages were covering up her left side more than the ones he had on his right side. Her eye was not covered and he took that as a good sign that she'd still be able to see out of it.

Bryce didn't know what to say. He simply sat there staring at his mother with both confusion and anxiety. The throbbing pain in his head continued to increase slightly along with his heart rate. Again he took calming breaths and relaxed his body. He looked over at her IV injected hand, and at that time he figured that the only sensible thing he could do right now was at least hold comfortingly.

He slowly reached over and placed his hand on top of hers. He felt a slightly stronger throb in his head at that point. He winced and grabbed his bandaged side, scratching at them with mild irritation. He unknowingly gripped her hand until he felt his fingers press up against her palm. Once he noticed this the throbbing stopped. “The pain stopped? Did I try to remember something?” Pondering, he looked back over to her while still clutching her hand. He expressed a look of determination and looked back over to her hand and lifted it up gently. He lifted her arm up while letting the elbow support it until it was held in front of him at a vertical angle. Carefully, he grabbed hold of her it with both of his hands while not disturbing the IV.

Sitting there quietly he continued to try and remember anything at all. The throbbing pain continued to increase slightly but he didn't grab his head to try to ease the pressure. He kept his hands on his mother's and wouldn't let go until something clicked in his mind. He strained and groaned mildly as his eyes twitched. It was frustrating that all he was feeling was pain and that no memories were emerging. “Come on.” He said through gritted teeth. “Anything at all to help me remember. Anything. That's all I ask.”

Just then, a much stronger sense of pain flooded his head. It was so intense that he couldn't help but release his one hand's hold and grip the injured side of his head tightly. His groans almost turned into shouts of pains as he felt someone was punching him from the inside of his skull. The throbbing kept pace with his heartbeat as he struggled to not fall out of his wheelchair or let go of his mother's hand. “Come on!” He quietly shouted and grunted to himself. “I know you're in there! Come out already! Let me remember her!”

Frustrated, he closed his eyes so tight and gritted his teeth so hard that they both hurt along with his head. He didn't care about the two additional pains however. All he cared about was remembering his mother. Even her name would be satisfying enough for him.

Just then, he could see a small light appear within his thoughts. He was not the one causing this image to appear. It began to glow brighter and brighter until all he could see in his mind was white light. Much like the one he saw in his dream before waking up.

Gasping and opening his eyes with a jolt, and image of his mother was seen in his mind. At first she just stood there with her back to his imaginary point of view. Her hair and clothes moving from an imaginary wind that could not be seen or heard. She slowly turned her head around to look towards him with an inquisitive look upon her face. She then closed her eyes and smiled at him, and Bryce could hear a soft chuckle of happiness come from her. After that, the image faded and his thoughts became his own again.

He stopped gritting his teeth and his tense body relaxed and felt as though it went limp. He exhaled a long breath from not realizing he had been holding it in since he closed his eyes. One word then exited his mouth after he inhaled to catch his breath. “Naylene.” His eyes widened and began to water. “Naylene.” He repeated the word again and bit his lip as tears began to roll down his face. “You're my mom...and your name is Naylene.” He gripped her hand tighter with both hands again and pressed it against his forehead. He couldn't help but sob happily that he had now remembered the woman who had given birth to and raised him in the thirteen years he has been alive.