Is this destiny?

Inside…

Aiden leaned against the closed door and took a few deep breaths while rubbing his temples. His head is a mess and he is not sure of anything, but he knows that Svetlana in his life does not feel right. She held his hand once and it was foreign and unpleasant as if his body was rejecting her and he shook her away, telling her not to do it again.

When he woke up, Svetlana was by his side and several other people. They were talking and sobbing, telling him that he is lucky to be alive, but their concern seemed fake and irrelevant. He assumed that it's because he does not remember them. It was like watching complete strangers rejoicing to see him. Everything was foreign, even the name 'Alex' everyone told him is his.

Soon after waking up, he felt that his eyes are itchy. He used the privacy of his bathroom to check his eyes and he took the lenses out. Aiden was surprised that his sight is fine without lenses. Why was he wearing them? He wanted to ask people around him, but something told him not to. He hid the lenses in his pocket and asked Svetlana if he is wearing glasses or lenses. Her confusion told him that something is off. If they are a couple for several years, how is it possible that she does not know if his eyesight is good?

Next, Svetlana asked him more than once to remove the black ring on his left hand.

"Why would I remove it? It looks cool.", Aiden responded.

"Hmph. Just a random knick-knack. I will get you a better one, Alex."

Aiden was not sure why, but he knew that the ring is important, and he refused to remove it. Upon close inspection, he saw black stones that definitely look like diamonds. Who calls a black ring with diamonds a knick-knack? That was another thing that told him how something is not right.

Whenever he closes his eyes, he sees a woman smiling at him, with green eyes full of love, and she is so bright that it's almost as if she is glowing, but those images feel like a dream or a distant memory and he is not sure if she is his ex or maybe he imagined her. No matter how unreal she feels, she brings him a sense of belonging and he wants to remember her clearly, however, whenever he tries making her shape more solid so that he can identify her features, his headache flares up. So many things are off, and he can't find any answers.

The only thing that is real is the headache which is killing him. He walked to the bedside table and grabbed a bottle with medicines.

"I wouldn't take that if I am you…", Sarah's voice came from the corner of the room.

Aiden turned abruptly and narrowed his eyes at Sarah. He realized that she slipped into his room through the window that is ajar. How is it possible that he didn't hear her? "Who are you?"

Sarah's heart cracked when she heard his distant tone, the same one he used with Svetlana.

She made two steps toward him and removed her mask. "You don't know?"

Aiden blinked a few times. He told himself that she might be a thief or an assassin, why else would she sneak into his room wearing black clothes and a black mask? But something whispered that she is not here with bad intentions and he could not prevent himself from walking toward her.

Aiden stopped one step away from Sarah and he was overwhelmed by a sense of familiarity he could not describe. "I should know you."

Sarah confirmed. "You should."

He observed her face keenly, and he felt as if something is trying to break free from his mind, but he could not get through the fog. "Tell me. How do I know you? Who am I?"

"If I tell you, I am no better than they are."

Aiden closed his eyes. "Everything is blurry, and I can't remember."

Sarah was relieved that his tone softened a bit. "I need you to remember."

"I can't." He said through his teeth while fighting the headache. Does she think that it's simple to remember? He is trying and it's not working.

"I can't tell you who you are, not now.", Sarah explained while her heart ached to the point of madness. "You need to remember on your own, or you will always wonder if those are your memories or the ones I planted in your mind."

She gestured to the bottle of medicines in his hand. "Those are making it worse. If you want to remember, don't take them anymore."

"They help with my headache. I had an accident." Aiden said robotically. That is what they are telling him since he woke up in this place.

Sarah smiled sadly. "You didn't have an accident. And those are not pain medications. I need you to remember. On your own."

She took a step back from him, and Aiden dropped the bottle with medications and grabbed her hand.

"Where are you going?"

"If you don't remember me, I am the same as Svetlana.", Sarah said while trying to control her voice from breaking.

"You are not the same. I can feel it." He knew that this is true, even though he could not explain it. "Don't leave."

"OK...", Sarah responded. She had no intention of leaving, not now that she found him. She only wanted to give him some space, no more than a few steps, so that he can think without the pressure of her proximity.

Aiden released her hand reluctantly. He closed his eyes and tried to break through the fog in his mind. Multiple images overlapped in front of his closed eyes, and his headache spiked, making him frown but he knew that he can't give up because the woman in front of him is important.

A second later, he felt Sarah's index finger between his eyebrows.

"Don't frown. If you do, you will get wrinkles…", Sarah said like many times before.

Aiden opened his eyes and looked at her like he discovered something. A piece of himself, perhaps.

"And then you will not think of me as handsome.", he said under his breath.

Sarah smiled and gave him a small nod.

"Tell me more…", Aiden demanded. "There must be something you can tell me to make me remember."

Sarah removed her finger from his forehead and glanced at his left hand which holds his black wedding band. "You designed that ring. I have a matching one." Sarah lifted her left hand and placed if over her chest. "When we touch, the rings change…"

Aiden touched Sarah's cheek and observed that both of their rings changed from black to silver color.

"Without you, I am in the dark… you are my light.", he murmured.

Sarah tilted her head and placed her cheek in his palm.

"Why are you crying?" Aiden asked.

"Because I am happy."

"I find that confusing."

"You always did.", Sarah said softly.

Aiden took in a choppy breath as the fog in his mind cleared up. The shattered images came together and jumbled up memories got sorted and he realized that the illusive woman from his thoughts is right in front of him. And she is not just any woman, she is his and he is hers.

Sarah saw that the way he is looking at her changed. The confusion was gone, and she was confident that he remembered because there is no other explanation of why he is looking at her with endless dark eyes full of love and with a tinge of guilt and sorrow.

"I am sorry, Sarah. I promised never to leave your side and…"

"It's OK." Sarah interrupted him and plunged into his embrace. She shook through the sobs she was unable to control. "Everything is OK now…"

Aiden's hold on her tightened and he spoke into her hair: "You are right. Everything is OK now…"

Aiden took a deep breath and inhaled Sarah's scent as the last few pieces fell into place. The way she fits into his arms, the way her body presses onto his… the sound of her voice… the Cliffside Villa, and the kids, and their pets and friends and family and technology and everything else that makes them unique… everything fell into place.

"The other half of my soul…", Aiden murmured while rubbing her back gently. "Thank you for finding me."

Aiden touched her chin, lifting her head and his lips landed on hers.

Aiden's and Sarah's breaths mixed, and they found their peace while infinity of chaos swirled around them.

Finally, they are together.

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