Kiss, Pookie

Title: Amnesia
Author: Bri
Summary: REPOSTED ; Season 6 - What happens when Sean returns, Emma had lost her memory in a car accident.
Authors Note: Bear with me here. I wrote this in 2006 a twist on season five to make season six a little more . . dramatic. Pretty AU. I don’t want to give too too much away towards the plotline. I wanted to change some events in the story, and especially the prologue.

- In season four Emma and Paige continued to remain friends from Mercy Street despite the shooting, the given Rick situation. Sean still leaves for Wasega Beach. Just to clear this up.

- Emma, Paige and Manny are close friends. Hazel is non existant.

As more crucial things happen that need to be told to you the readers, I will let you know in an authors note.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Prologue
Degrassi, 2005

Paige Michalchuck and Emma Nelson were on their way back from a party Peter threw when his dad was out of town at his estate. Yes, the same Peter, Stone who famously made Degrassi-Tube history when he was able to make a video months ago of Emma’s very own best friend, Manny flashing her top for the world to see. Emma avoided Peter because she knew he had it out for her. Emma lost interest in Peter shortly after. Manny didn’t go even though most of the senior class was there including Paige and they don‘t even like Peter. There was some drinking but Paige didn’t drink, Emma had a few jello shots and test tubes but nothing too much for her to still be able to get into a car and be able to face her parents and most importantly Manny.

“I’m so going to miss you when you graduate this year.” Emma told her friend. After this party Manny was to meet up with Emma and her at Paige’s for a sleepover. It’s been the norm for the three musketeers to hang out, eat snacks, watch movies and play pool.

“Don’t worry Banting would only be an hours drive away.”

“But still, after school at The Dot.”

“But then Ems, it’d be your senior year before you know it.”

“Oh I suppose.”

“Speaking of supposing, Peter so has it bad for you.” Paige cackled as she turned through the radio stations absentmindedly as she drove. The pair of girls was antsy and anxious for the night ahead, a sleep over something girls love to have.

“Ew! No he doesn’t. Newsflash, did you see what he did to Manny last month? She’d never forgive me and I don‘t like him.” Gossip always escapes through Paige it goes in her and she spits it out, never believe her vows of secrecy because she’s full of something and it isn’t truth unless you’re talking about friendship then she’s a true friend. Emma had morals compared to Paige, Emma wasn’t reckless like Paige, Emma thought everything big or small had a purpose which is why she was a strong believer in the life of animals and how she cares and has a compassion for others, it’s just your average girl who doesn’t give up the good fight she just beats it to death and it more then likely is a good thing.

“Shouldn’t she just call it bridge underwater? We all know she wasn’t sober, hun. We were both there.”

“You mean water under the bridge? Most certainly not, I don‘t like him and I wont risk my friendship with Manny over a guy who is less-than my standards.” Emma halfheartedly toyed with the ends of her straightened hair that was chest length.

“I have forgotten that small bit of Emma who has that undeniable love for bad boys.” Paige knew how to push Emma’s buttons knowing her. They had been through some things as kids, the two were friends in grade school for a time, Emma was the crusader type girl, everyone in grade school called her “Cause Girl” all because she was so against Paige wearing fur from animals, and the chattering began when Emma trashed her jacket in a nearby dumpster, but fortunately for Emma the teasing and name calling died down, and then quickly became friends in Emma’s sophomore year, “After all, you did date Sean Cameron.”

Emma looked out her passenger side window and had no further comment about Sean, it’s doubtful any girl gets over their first love there will always be a piece of their heart in theirs for the rest of your life. Emma feels if she ever would see him again, her knees would lock and get weak, she probably wouldn’t believe her eyes and she’d say silly things she nearly zoned out seeing a guy in a skull cap with a gray hooded sweat shirt walking along the road but she knew it wasn’t him, just wishful thinking kicking her but with force That’s life, like always your life can never mirror your dreams.

Just then, bright lights interrupted her thoughts quickly as she saw headlights headed straight for her she said nothing, her voice wouldn’t let her. She was engulfed in shock, “Paige!“ was all she could exclaim, and suddenly the whole world went black, it was her final memory, everything she looked back upon stained black.

At the hospital a montage of events were happening. Emma was in critical condition. Paige had come out of her sleep and was deemed competent to go home. She wanted to wait for Manny to come. Paige had a few stitches but it was nothing to what had happened to her friend. Paige sat by her friend’s bed awaiting her wake up. The monitor beeped steadily. Paige wondered how Emma and she had gotten to the hospital. The initial accident she remembered the lights, her last memory and she went into shock and passed out. Emma had not been so lucky, struck from the side. Paige knew her friend had a few cracked ribs and a head injury only her waking up will be able to tell the severity of the accident.

Moments later Spike and Snake had arrived with Manny. Spike and Snake had gotten back from a teachers banquet for Snake when they heard the news and arrived quickly to grab Manny who was home. Spike was carrying her toddler, Jack in his pajamas sleeping in her arms. “Paige! Oh thank God!” Spike put Jack in Snake’s arms as she threw her arms around Paige, “are you alright?”

Paige sighed, looking to her right from her seated position at her friend. “I’m alright, but I’m not so sure about Emma.”

Manny was crying, walking closer to Paige. “What happened?”

“Apparently we were hit by a drunk driver on the way home from Peter’s.”

“I told you it was a bad idea to go.” Manny crossed her arms.

“I doubt going to Peter’s had anything to do with that.”

“She hasn’t woken up though, but we’re not going anywhere until she does.” As Manny said that, Emma began to stir. She pulled up a stool and sat next to Paige. Spike and Snake remained standing.

“She looks like she might be now.” Snake said matter-of-factly in a whisper.

Emma groaned.

“Emma?” Paige asked.

“Who’s Emma?” Emma asked Paige. She looked at everyone else surrounding her bedside. She kinda went into a small panic, “Who are you all?”

Spike ran to the other side of her bed, “It’s your mom.”

“Oh.”Emma said like it was nothing at all.

“Don’t you remember sweetie? You were in a car wreck.”

“I’ve never seen you before . . .”

Spike welled up with tears as she dashed out of the room to get a doctor. What wondered what had happened to her daughter.

“Emma I hope you know this isn’t funny, whatever you’re trying to pull here.”

“Pull?” Emma asked now sitting up genuinely confused. But Snake had already left to follow Spike.

After Emma not being able to tell who her parents were, Paige and Manny began to worry and wonder if Emma couldn’t even remember her own mother and step dad how would she be able to remember them, her friends.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Paige this is Manny.”

“We’ve been friends since pre-k!” Manny stood up worriedly, “what is the matter with you.”

“Hun seriously, stop playing games. You‘re getting us worried.” Paige retorted before shaking her head whispering, start to pace around the room. “This isn’t happening” she whispered a few times under her breath. Manny hushed Paige and gently put her aside.

“What isn’t happening?” Emma asked Paige even after she walked away.

Paige breathed heavy and then paused, she was scared, her friend doesn‘t remember her or Manny the girls she knew she kindergarten, she was fed up and now tears were falling down her face, before looking at Emma.

“Why are you crying?”

Paige was clearly at a loss. She had never witness something this traumatic before. “Look at you! This! You! Emma! Everything! It’s me, Paige your friend whom with tonight we went to Peter’s house for a party. You were going to come over and we were going to play pool.”

“Who’s Peter? Please stop yelling.” Emma held her head wincing in pain.

With a scoff, she then whispered before letting out any tears remaining strong, “What happened to you Emma?” Suddenly, a male nurse came in and Manny turned around hoping they’d find what was going on with their friend. Paige looked at him and then at Manny before he motioned the girls to sit down.

“She woke up, I heard her parents talking. I told them the unfortunate news.”

“Please join me in the lobby; I don’t want to tell you in the patient’s presence.”

Paige followed him into a set of chairs just outside of Emma’s room. They looked up at him nervously.

They all feel guilty and the doctors wished there was something they could’ve done to save Emma’s memory, he sighed he knew this was going to be a hard part about having a future in being a doctor. He coughed for his voice; “You see. . .” he started fumbling with the embroidered ends of his blue scrubs. He then added as the girls nodded for him to go on, and reveal it piece by piece like a torn up painting, paining them with all the emotions before they even come close to visualizing the imagery, “She has long-term memory loss, more than likely she’ll have to learn everything over again.” The man’s words burned holes in their heart, “Luckily, it’s as far as names, places and people and things like school etiquette are still retained. Once she learns something she’ll retain it but. . ” He rambled on but the girls were most fixated on was learning everything again - the girls were to take up that task.

“Will she ever gain it back? Is it permanent?” Manny asked still crying.

“We still have to run some tests.”

“How can she still live a normal life?” Paige asked.

“I can’t answer that now. We hadn’t really gotten to talk to Emma and ask her questions.”

“Nurse, she didn’t even recognize her parents. It’s bad!” Manny explained starting to stand up.

“Calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down, she’s my best friend!”

“Please sit down ma’am I understand this is hard for you. I know this is tough. . ” he said explaining that Manny needed to sit down.

Ever since that day between that night and now Manny and Paige had made it their goals to have Emma remember everything from the past to the present.

Kiss, Pookie

Chapter One: Shocking Conclusion
Degrassi
One year later, 2006

Emma Nelson went school shopping alone. She was usually accompanied by Manny but she had a meeting with Beatrice, her manager. Apparently, she changed her mind a year ago a few weeks after Emma’s accident. Manny has been in a few area commercials, and even got cast in a few TV movie roles and a show pilot was in the talks, that are still in pre-production but still hasn’t gotten the big break yet. She had a few shopping bags in her hands but she froze as she heard some echoes behind her that resembled her name there was an ice-cream trucks song ringing in the distance which at first made it hard to hear. She turned around and they said it again, “Emma!”

The voice wasn’t at all familiar or reassuring. It would be if she had all her memory. If the Emma of yesteryear would have heard this she would be jumping for joy. Finally, when she found her name caller she whipped her head around finding called from across the way from the park and crossing the street to her. The ice-cream man’s song in major was out in the open and in tune, and was still out for the young kids. The first guy, Sean Cameron with a milkshake and a guy beside him better known as Jay Hogart clad with a black hat. He didn’t seem very comfortable in Emma’s presence as he stood behind him with a vanilla ice-cream cone, she was confused but she gave the guy who initially called her name a polite smile. For some reason it didn’t quite strike her how familiar he looked, “I’m with Jay now.”

“Easy Brokeback Mountain. He means he’s sleeping on my couch.”

Emma was confused. Sean dashed a smile at her. She continued to smile and nod. But still remembering to remain polite she decided to introduce herself anyhow. “I’m Emma, nice to meet you two.” She put her hand out for them to shake but she had no takers. Jay continued to eat his ice-cream almost ignoring her polite advance. Sean’s smile faded to a frown.

Jay knew well of Emma’s condition, and he felt bad. I mean the whole town knew he just didn’t have the heart to tell Sean. He knew he would be crushed, but he wanted his best friend back in town again. It was lonely with out Sean. He’s got a few secrets he doesn’t want to be let out in the open, or what he saw the crisp fall night with Paige and Emma’s car wreck when he closed up The Dot. Beforehand, he had wished he would mend something with her before she lost all memory to anything. He really didn’t think it was relevant, like Emma was really on his mind when he discovered his best friend was returning after three years they had so much to catch up on and so much to do.

Sean was perplexed by Emma’s behavior, first not recognizing his voice, taking her more than two minutes to get her attention and now she doesn’t even recognize his face or anything not even the name. He didn’t think he looked all that different when suddenly he began to stash the thought he might look so different but he doubted it, and rejected in a never mind. Sean advanced forward towards her, as he raised his eyebrow at Emma’s introduction, “What? I know you Em. You have to remember, you know me. .” The two were very close to each other, almost in each others faces.

“Actually, I don’t know you. What’s your name?” She asked him innocently in every way shape and form, he of course didn’t read it that way, “Please tell me.”

“Is that how you want to be?” Sean bellowed raising his voice as well as his temper to a high note.

Emma dropped her bags and stepped forward towards him, “Excuse me? You don’t talk to me like that I don’t care who you are! You are way out of line.” Jay was behind Sean enjoying his ice cream paying no mind to Emma and Sean’s discussion. But he knew he would intervene soon. The thing is, he knew but he wasn’t going to come out and say it. Not in front of Emma, he wasn’t sure if Emma even knew of her own condition. Jay honestly was afraid to care about her; he is scared of her in an odd way.

“I will when you stop playing games.” Sean tells her as if he’s being factual.

“God! Why are you being so mean?” Emma started welling up with tears, as she grabbed her bags and started to run away until she saw Sean getting yanked off by his friend. She flashed him a nice going ******* smile as she started on her way home.

“Emma wait!” Sean hollered after her starting to walk towards her. Jay finally gave up on his ice-cream and sighed tapping his friend on the shoulder tugging him away. Sean already felt terrible, not only did he leave her alone years ago but he barely acknowledged her when he said his goodbyes. He had a lot of time in Wasega Beach to think, and as he thought about it, it hurt him.

Finally they arrived at the bench. Jay sat Sean down trying to calm him and erase his scowl finally he inched his way down and slumped down and put his hand on his shoulder, “Listen man, I’m going to start to tell you something. You’re probably going to get upset. There have been a lot of things that’s happened . . .”

“Including the fact Emma mysteriously hates me. . .”

“I’d say it would be but you and I both know that isn’t true. It would be the complete opposite if she could remember, put it that way.” Jay assured him, and reassured him as he knew more than Sean did.

“What you mean, Jay?” He got short with Jay. It commonly happens when he’s angry or get’s a feeling where he’s going to become angry. When Sean is angry, he doesn’t yell or scream he just keeps it in and gets really short with you.

“I- I honestly didn’t have the heart to tell you! Let me rephrase that, I didn’t really think I was my place I guess? I knew why you wanted out of Wasega. Actually, I don’t really have much of a heart at all do I?” He asked rhetorically, he knew his friend better than he knew himself. Sean wanted to see her so bad and he was only to be let down.

“What happened to her?”

“You sure you want to know?” Sean nodded to his question.

“Just tell me, Jay. Cut to the chase.”

Jay sighed shaking his head, “she and Paige got in a bad car wreck a year ago, and Emma can’t remember anything before it. I’d say it’s a blessing -”

“I wouldn’t. She doesn’t remember me! God I’m such an *******!” Sean exclaimed.

“No not like that. I mean God man; she gets excused for the dumbest things in school everyone yields to her. Oh- a- and she doesn’t want to remember like the shooting and stuff - that was bad for her. It’s nice to have a fresh start sometimes?”

Sean shook his head, “She was supposed to be my new start. . . I realized I f’ed up with her years ago - I hoped we could work things out - Jay you knew all along how I felt for her!”

That last final statement made Jay’s stomach wince. He felt like **** with the mention of knowing how Sean feels. He can’t help but cringe and think of the ravine and him and Emma. Jay lost eye contact with Sean, “Yeah. How can you help her now? She doesn’t even know who you are. You are just some jerk who yelled at her.”

“Maybe she and I can start all over.” Sean pondered at it out loud, “It would have me going back to square one and apologizing for everything, and telling her everything and it’s - it’s worth it.”

“I’m sure.” Jay stated sarcastically before adding, “But I know, and don’t deny it Cameron; you want to simply pick up where you two left off. I know I’m right? Maybe girls who are dense are easier to bed?”

“Not at all. The extra time, taking it slow - I like that sort of thing. I’d appreciate you to knock it off - I told you how I feel about, Emma again. Cool it.” Sean warned him nudging him in the arm in all seriousness, “Is that all you think about Jay?” The truth was, he really didn’t want to think about his Emma and sex in the same sentence only because he simply couldn’t see it. She’s Emma for Christ sakes! She’s high up on a pedestal in Sean’s eyes. He didn’t have those types of feelings about her; it isn’t the first thing that comes to his mind when it came to her. In fact, a lot of things came to mind, good memories, innocence, and vanilla, long walks, and stories. They had something deeper, even if her memories faded away he knew he could find her somewhere in the balance.

“Eh, it’s a hobby.” Jay agitatedly kicked a stone.

“Where was the wreck?” Sean asked after a long pause. He wanted to know things, the things that couldn’t be explained in one day by one person. He had forgotten Jay wasn’t a considerate person, he wouldn’t look out for someone, it took him awhile to go out and tell Sean Emma has lost her memory of Sean or anything in general.

Jay shrugged it off, but he simply couldn’t shake it. He was there! He saw. He had some involvement but he wishes he could have forgotten along with Emma. For once he knew how to be a good person. He now knew he could‘ve told Sean ahead of time but he knew his friend was reeling over the whole thing. He didn‘t want him to be concerned, and he didn‘t want him to worry; but he is and he did. “Look.” He got his friend to look at him. “I didn’t research it. I just know it happened not far from Emma’s house. For awhile it was talk of the town.” Sean gave him a smug grimace, “Look it’s not good. I never said it was going to be a nice story. I didn‘t tell you it was going to be easy to tell. It‘s the truth.”