Jolted Awake

Shepard managed a smile. ”You got that right. You and I graduated From Beata Academy a year ago. We were going to college. Or—our version of it.” He explained, feeling slightly happy she at least understood that. Shepard paused under the shade of a large oak tree. ”As far as we know...we can’t.” He took another breath and kept moving. The blond walked as of trying to get away from something. They were a few more blocks away. Hopefully— a few more blocks away from answers.

"Maybe it's a good thing I can't remember then," she said under her breath. You couldn't miss what you had already forgotten, right...? Shepard had quickly become the only thing she had to cling onto. Literally. The young woman pulled away a little as he paused in the shade. "Are you tired?" she asked. "I can try to walk again."

Shepard liked to assume he was strong, but carrying a full-grown woman was not easy. Yet, he simply paused in his step yet again and shifted his arms. "I don't want to risk you getting hurt further. I can carry you." He said definitively. It was only a few more blocks left. Just a little bit closer. With a deep breath, he kept moving. "I could tell you more about yourself if you want...?

She couldn't help but smile some, thinking that he was being pretty stubborn, even if it were for kind reasons. Joanna couldn't tell which building was ye olde hospital between all these small little businesses, but he seemed to know where he was going? "If you wouldn't mind," she hummed back.

”Gladly.” He hoped her lack of memory didn’t last very long, but would humor her until it did. She couldn’t forget for long, could she? ”Your name is Joanna Wright. Your favorite color is blue, and you really enjoy cheeseburgers. You, me and, Stephen would hang out at a burger joint after school. You laughed at me when I tried the burger challenge...You like the summer months better.” He considered before asking. ”What do you want to know?”

"We could start with your favorite color, food, and season?" She shrugged with a smile. "What was this Stephen guy like? How did we all meet?" Joanna wondered aloud, staring out ahead of her.

Shepard laughed. ”Sure, we can talk about me. My name is Shepard Herman, my favorite color is green, and I enjoy the winter months.” Mostly for personal and selfish reasons, but Joanna would stick close to him to keep warm. ”Stephen was a funny guy. He would be the first one to laugh at a bad joke if he wasn’t the one to make it. All three of us met in a daycare like that one back there. Then we kinda, just...stuck together. You were supposed to be a grade above us, but wanted to stay with Stephen and I.” He smiled wistfully at the thought of their childhood. ”Ask me another.”

The young woman couldn't help but grin into his shoulder. It was a sweet sentiment, the thought of a couple of kids growing their whole lives together, but it also left her a pang for forgetting something so valuable... Would she ever get to meet their close friend they lost? "You said I had some sort of power? What did you mean by that? Do you have one too?" she paused. "Is it real?"

”Oh, Yeah.” Shepard laughed, crossing the street at the crosswalk. ”Your power allows you to have a connection with people. One at a time, but...Your mental connection has always been with me.” He tilted his head to try and glance at her. ”I have a power too. It is Stellar Manipulation. Like—stars and stuff. The school we went to taught us how to use our powers.” He paused. ”I would show you, but since we jumped worlds, I haven’t been able to use it.”

"Maybe that's how you were able to find me there." She mused with a soft smile. Stellar manipulation? That was pretty... stellar? Jo held back a chuckle at her own dumb joke, her tired state clearly wearing on her. "Is that why you're so warm? She wrapped her arms tighter around him. It actually did help with the pain.

Shepard managed a smile, thinking momentarily about the beers he left up there."That is exactly the reason. I can't get hot or cold as you do. I'm just--comfortable." He waved his head back and forth before he continued. "Until I get sick. That's the only time I've felt cold." He ignored a student blinking up at him as he carried Joanna past. "You and Stephen used me as a personal warmer during the winter months all the time." He explained. "I hope the doctors can help you." He said softly after a few moments of silence.

Joanna blinked, shooting glances at the student as they walked by, admiring the uniform they wore. They were a pretty shade of blue, she idly thought. Curious how far they were, she started to twist her head to cast a glance down the road - and inevitably winced when an one-shot pain shot from her shoulder straight to her temple. God, she hoped so too.

"What will happen after that?" She muttered. "What'll they do with me?

Shepard opened his mouth to tell her to stop, but as she winced, he merely held her close. "Likely do tests, a few scans on your head to see..." They entered the hospital parking lot. But still a long walk to the emergency room. "They won't do anything to hurt you, Joanna. I promise. Anything they do is to make sure you are okay." He bounced her slightly and gave her the most reassuring smile he could manage. "I won't leave you." Never again.

Joanna couldn't help but pout, hiding her face away. "I'm confused, but I'm not a child." she muttered into his collar. Despite her own words, she did take comfort in his little promise. "After the hospital, I mean. What are they going to do with me?"

Shepard frowned. "From what I know about our past world, they will probably have you live with someone in order for them to make sure nothing else happens. I don't know much about head injuries, but living on your own after having one isn't a good idea." At least, that is what he figured would happen. He wasn't nearly as involved in those sorts of things as he was back at home. "But after that? I think they just might keep an eye on you. Regular checkups. That sort of thing." She was slipping in his grasp, and he lifted her up a little bit higher to adjust his arms. "If you..." He began, "If you still don't remember anything after this, I'll try my best to help those memories come back." There was a dawning realization of how much pressure was going to be on him. Joanna and Micha would be counting on him.

Joanna grimaced as he shifted around again and she clung on tighter. Maybe she really wasn't much better off than a small child right now. She let her eyes flutter close, taking what comfort she could. "How would you ro that?" she asked, sounding hopeful.

Shepard wasn't sure. He made a noise as if he was going to say something, but it died in his throat. How would he help her find her memories? As they neared the hospital he struggled to come up with something. The places they grew up in were gone. A lot of their personal photos were in the unity links. The only way Shepard had a picture of his father is due to Keirsta of this world. "Not by visiting places or seeing pictures." He admitted, seeming troubled. "But we can figure it out." He did his best to sound certain that she would get her memory back.

Joanna hummed quietly in thought. She didn't exactly know a lot about brain injuries, but maybe if she just got some more rest, that would be enough to get some sort of memory back. "What did we use to do together for fun?" she mused. "Maybe we can try it as soon as the docs are done with me."

He smiled and let out a small laugh. "Anything and everything." He told her. "We would often hang out at the burger bar, but we would also ice skate, play video games. You would sometimes get me to paint, but we would both laugh at how bad I was. Since we lived together, we would often cook together too. Which was a lot of fun." He hummed, as the sliding doors opened, and the reality fell back onto him. He glanced at the seating and gently sat her down. Giving her a supporting smile, he stepped away to the window and explained the situation.