PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
DECEMBER 23, 2016, 1424 PMT

Lonely Friday afternoon

"...and now we'll switch you over to Hannah Marie for the day-to-day news in Philadelphia."

"Thank you Mark. I'm standing here live in front of Larry's Jewelry store off Sunnyvale Avenue where here earlier today an attempted robbery had taken place. Here's an update for those tuned in."

Finally...something interesting enough that will temporarily distract me from working on my deadening Physics homework. I turn my short attention span away to the news topic.

"The lone suspect caught earlier today attempting to steal around fifty thousand dollars remains in police custody, though reports suggest there had to at least be one other person added to this attempted burglary. The individual, who's name has yet to be released, was on his way to escape the scene with a gym bag full of money, but before the authorities had a chance to arrive, he claims to have been attacked by another unknown individual whom the police describe as his 'accomplice'. Evidence shows there was a struggle between suspect and his partner after, what had been assumed to be, a disagreement between the two."

"Hm..." I reach my hand into a bowel full of dry cereal in front of me, tossing a few sugar coated corn flakes in my mouth while listening to the news reporter.

"Witnesses around the attempted robbery described the other individual a woman appearing to be in her mid to late twenties, wearing a black and orange sleeveless top with matching bottom shorts containing stripes on the sides almost resembling features of a tiger. She's alleged to have also been wearing black gloves, black combat boots, and black equip bands around each upper leg and one single band on her upper right arm. More details include her having back length blonde hair worn in a single braid with a domino mask concealing her identity. When the first suspect was booked for question, he too claims he was acting alone during the felony. With two stories yet to be unfold, the scene is still under investigation and this makes this the third attempted robbery throughout Philadelphia city-wide in the past two months. In terms of the money that was to be stolen, only half has only be returned and the whereabouts of the other twenty five thousand dollars is a mystery. A higher security posture is sure to be in talks..."

I can't help but grin at the television knowing the chances of them finding their alleged thief is highly unlikely to happen. With someone I'd suppose having much training in their past to cover their tracks and as easy it was for them to get away with that much money, I'm sure there's not much of a chance they'll get caught. With the report concluding, the sports news takes over and I instantly lose interest, turning the volume to a low. My mind is elsewhere, homework making it to the bottom of my list. With the freezing temperatures outside with the slippery streets wet from the grey storm clouds above making the day seem almost dark as night, rain is more likely to pour again. It makes my afternoon uninteresting, slow, and dull and I anticipate the rest of my day will be me trapped inside my home. But I'm not dressed up to do anything in particular anyway, so it isn't much of a problem sitting comfortably on my couch wearing black socks, sweats, and a white V-neck top. With the heater running throughout the living room, I'm as warm as a summer morning.

I remove myself from sitting in my 'Indian style' position and flip my feet overhead the couch to stand, stretching my toes, legs, and calves; feeling all the good, but uncomfortable cracks and knots snapping throughout my lower body. The longer length of my hair slips from my shoulders to patting against my backside in the ponytail it's held in during a neck stretch. When I'm done and settled, my eyes wander to the small brown table stand beside my couch with three old and wrinkled Philadelphia magazines stack on top of each other with sealed mail hiding underneath. Strange how those envelopes haven't been opened yet. I thought all my mail has been checked while ago, but with some of the side work I've been doing lately they were obviously missed. I reach for the two envelopes for a closer view.

"Not today." I mumble and carelessly toss the first piece of mail to the ground after noticing it was a financial letter from the new college I'm currently attending, Penn State.

On to the next one...a letter sent from a hospital in Palo, Alto, California. This catches my eye to interest because I haven't sent any mail from this location to California, so why did I get this in return? I tear the envelope open from the top to uncover the neatly folded letter, unfolding the paper to read the words typed in print.

"Thank you Artemis L. Crock for...blah, blah, blah." I skim through the first two paragraphs, then my eyes to skipping the rest to the near end. "We're happy to inform you the four hundred dollars you've donated to our Disability Charity has been accepted-."

It makes since now. A month and a half ago people around the town of Palo, Alto had the opportunity to donate money for charity leading towards disabled children. I took the chance to donate money I recently possessed to the Stanford Hospital for the better good of the people that needed the help and care. Then there was also the thought of Wally at the time. Since I truly believed his some part of his brain wasn't fully healed from his recovery after resurrecting him from his death all those months ago and because he never remembered the memories of his life before then, I decided to put in a good deed towards the effort of helping others with those in a similar situation like his. It was something that easily slipped my mind with time passing by.

The past is the past now

I set the piece of mail back on the table stand and head for the kitchen attaching itself to the living room, but I stop all movement when a sudden power outage takes place, shutting off all my electrical power usage.

"Perfect." I grab the remote from the arm of the couch in attempt to switch the power, but like all the rest of my possessions relying on electricity, it was out too. "You've got to be kidding me."

"OH, COME ON!" The neighbor of mine shouts from the other side of the thick wall, hearing a loud thud from his rage.

Chuckling escapes my throat after listening to his obnoxious yell. I'm not quite in the mood to go outside to work the breakers, but there's not much else I can do here. I head to my doorstep to slip on my black sport sandals lying in front of the entrance. Hopefully this will work for the entire complex, or at least to my benefit. There's no way I'd be able to stand being here with my broadcast dysfunctional.

I don't plan being outside too long, skipping the simple task on finding a sweater to cover my bare arms. I open the door to be greeted with wind blowing to the side of me, brushing against my left arm and causing goosebumps to quickly form. With each breath I exhale, I watch fog create from my mouth, dissipating into the 'daylight'. The flow of the grass moves like waves in an ocean with leaves from all sorts of directions traveling in the street, getting stuck between cars and trapped in bushes assorted nearby. The smell of fresh after-rain fills the air to my nostrils, but more noise from the violent wind blasts in my ears. I look up to the sky, the storm clouds traveling east like a pack of wolves, not slowing down for anything. At least it isn't raining yet. The breakers are on the backside of the apartments, so I'd have to make my way around the other end of the complex to reach the other side, which isn't much to worry about because it's short distance from where I stand.

As I look across the street before stepping along my path, I spot someone standing and silently observing me from the other side. I quickly take note of their distinct features; a couple inches taller than myself, a black hoodie sweater with good covering of their face, with blue jeans, and black shoes. Due to how far they're standing away from me and the size of the sweater, it's impossible to make out the person's gender. I look back to my front door, uncertain to leaving it unlocked. They could be a crook and my home will be easily accessible, but I also convey this person can be waiting on someone else living nearby, but my instinct tells me otherwise. There's no point on being shy about confronting this individual.

"Can I help you with something?" I shout at them loud enough to overcome the abrasive wind.

They raise their hands towards their head, reaching for their hood and removing it. The first feature I notice is red hair trickling to his forehead. I ignore the first rushed obvious assumption in my mind, refusing to believe anything I want to believe, but I'm truly not familiar with many redheads.

I shake my head, bringing the tips of my fingers to touch my lips. "Wal-...?" I dare not to say his full name, praying this individualist isn't him. This can't be him. With each step I take closer to them, the more my heart races like a steam boat tugging. I whisper his name again. "Wally?"

I don't need to get any closer to know it's him. His emerald eyes are fairly visible, glistening without any sunlight reflecting off them. The solemnity in his face, he stands partially wet from the rain that had taken place through town an hour ago. This makes me question how long its been while he was standing outside.

My feet splash in the puddles, making the bottom of my sweats soaked and wet. I don't care for the matter. "Wally!" I call for his name louder, walking faster in his direction.

He blinks repeatedly after a few spare droplets of sprinkles lightly smack his cheeks. He relaxes his hands in his pockets, "Artemis Lian Crock..." He announces my full name with his voice spoken softly, then tuning himself up a notch. "You're lactose intolerant, but you love strawberry ice cream and chocolate milk." He states a random fact about myself that's true, but how does he know? I told him that long ago, something he should have forgotten. I continue approaching him in surprise from his appearance. "You're favorite food is sushi even though you hated raw meat until you were seventeen." He clears the back of his throat the closer I get to him, listening to more of what he has to say about me. "You never had the chicken pox unlike your sister." His eyes follow the sky for a brief moment in thought. "You suffer from borderline insomnia disorder only during the autumn season. Oh...and when you were in the seventh grade, your school council offered you to skip the eighth grade after repeatedly impressing your teachers at the school. The reason you didn't is 'cause you didn't want to leave your friends behind."

And all of that is true

By his last statement I've already completely made myself to him, standing only a few inches apart on the sidewalk across the street from my apartment. We stand in mere silence. He removes his hands from his pockets. I forget all about the cold causing my body to shiver. My hair flows the with wind like the little of his. Emotions spiraling out of control, I don't know how to feel inside. As much as I wanted to unleash me anger on him for leaving me two months ago and as much I struggled with the inner turmoil, I can't, especially with him looking down on me with his cunning grimace. He knows I've come to realize he retrieves some facts about me, maybe more about is. Somehow his memory had finally blossomed, but to what extent? I don't know how and I'm not planning on asking. I don't return the smile either, too busy focusing on hiding back the watery tears in my eyes. After all this time, he's back.

He licks his bottom lip, keeping eye contact with me the entire time from the beginning. "I've missed you."

My heart continues its constant beating at full throttle, my spine acquiring the chills from all parts of my body, my blood rushing like cars racing. This isn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to come back and I honestly never planned on seeing him again, but him being here changes everything. The breeze decreases a little, making it easier for us to hear each other despite being so close. "I..." My eyes break away from his to the parking lot a few yards to my right. I use my fingers to comb a few loose locks of my hair behind my right ear. "I've missed you too." I sound like the wind has taken my breath away.

He's pleased to hear the truth as his smile grows wider as I purse my lips. He takes a step closer to me, closing in on the gap space between us. "I've been hit on the head a couple times. Random dreams popping up here and there, one after another...and mid-day images. There were times where I'd remember something random during anytime of the day. Artemis, I know more about myself than I could as the past two months went by, but it's been slow." We notice the sprinkling around us getting heavier, bringing on light rain to shower us in the street. He continues shortly after while shaking his head in a regretful manner. "I shouldn't have given up on us. I should have been patient like you and go with it for the long run."

Words can't describe how ecstatic and happy I am to see him. This means so much to me, foremost knowing his brain is healing and he's getting better, but I don't express it. The frustration and pure upset boils inside from him putting me through the emotional roller coaster he had me ride in the past. I'm lost for words, only left in wonderment. When he left me, I didn't want a future apology he's giving me now. I didn't want him to speak to me after he left me in tears that night. I honestly never wanted to see his face again. The last thing I need from him is to come back to me like this. I know his apology comes from his heart, but I find it difficult, almost impossible to forgive. His chance was there and he walked out on me, but this situation is complex. We were both victims of a complicated situation and neither of us were in an easy positions. I try changing the topic elsewhere with my emotions needing to be contained.

He scratches the back of his head. "I, uh-..." He clears his throat again. "A little birdie told me you resigned from the Team and moved on from there. It wasn't too long ago when I returned to our home in Palo, Alto, but the new people told me you moved. They were still receiving your incoming mail to this forwarded address with your name on it. It took me a month to find you."

My smile is hidden in the duration of biting the tip of my tongue. I'm flattered in the non-creepy way I should be knowing he was waiting for me outside my home with a hood on for who knows how long. Though he's given his form of an apology, I question myself where we stand.

"It was hard..." I take a second to gather myself after my voice cracks. "It was challenging putting everything aside to move on, but I did..." I bite my bottom lip, eyes following the threads down his damp black sweater.

I know he's here to reconcile, trying to patch everything to our loose ends together in such a short amount of time, but after two months passing by without a say from either side, it's almost too easy to give in. It's never simple to build on what was once damaged. And I know rejection is something he doesn't want to perceive. His brain might be healing, but he's not one hundred percent himself yet and I've already taken a different route in my life. It's, once again, complicated. Our present days can't counteract with each other right now, especially if he has picked up the hero mantle again. And I promised myself I wouldn't turn back to what I once let go in the past. If I do, I'll be going against my word again and can potentially disappoint myself. I don't want to put myself in that place again, to risk getting hurt.

"We have some catching up to do." I give him a polite smile, placing my right hand on his left shoulder. His small grin reappears after my touch, sending off a sense of comfort. Touching his shoulder somehow has me feeling like I've touched his soul, his body seemingly liquescent during contact. "But we have time."

I know he's hiding his disappointment behind his eyes, but my words have a backbone and they mean the world. He may not realize it, but at this point it's for the best of us. His smile is fake, "That's good cause...like I said, some of my memories come and go, but it'll take some time for everything to come back. I'll be patient."

He doesn't do a good job concealing all of his emotions, but I leave it at that. He knows where to find me when the day comes and pending on how I'm currently doing at the time will course us in the future. I remove my hand from his shoulder, bringing it back to my side. With the rain picking up, my shirt is almost completely wet, causing my red sports bra to be seen visible underneath. I can feel the drizzle seeping through the strands of my hair, causing it to become drenched. I predict frizzy hair problems in the next hour once it dries up. Some strands are linked to the sides of my face, but I don't care. The rain seems almost unnoticeable when getting lost in Wally's eyes.

"Can I ask you something?" He asks.

I nod, but he's uncertain after permission. He stays quiet when taking another slide step forward, widening his arms out from his sides and, slowly but surely, making his way through and in-between my arms and waist. I'm frozen for the moment, wondering what it is he's exactly trying to accomplish, watching his every movement in attempt to wrap his arms fully around my body, steadily surpassing my waist until his arms meet around my back to the middle of my spine. The same moment he steps closer into me, our chests make contact, body heat exchanging body heat, and his left cheek resting against my right temple. My body automatically responds without will by my hands gently grasping on to the triceps of his arms, then leisurely making their way to his backside, clinching to his sweater. A tear escapes from my eye, I bury my face into his chest in silence. Nothing but the rhythm of our heartbeats and the sounds of the rain hitting the pavement is heard within the seconds we're embracing each other. By this time, all of the negative energy locked inside washes away. He tightens this hug a little more, resting his chin above the center of my head and his fingers planting against the ponytail portion of my hair. It's been so long since I was this close to Wally. I would've never foreseen this happening. Our embrace explains everything on both ends, making it unnecessary for words to be spoken.

For actions speak louder than words

And though I'd love to hold him like a little girl with her favorite stuffed doll and just how all good things happening in one significant moment, this comes to an end. We mutually separate, I avoid eye contact as another tear slips during our departure. Too much pride in letting him watch me cry from joy, and sadness. His hands slide from my elbows, down to my forearms, wrists, then 'till our fingers glide apart. My solitary arms make their way to my sides again.

"I'll see you again, on one side or the other." He says with self-assurance.

Wally doesn't wait for my response, turning away with a gleaming smile and disbanding from our brief unexpected meeting. I watch him walk down the street, then starting a rapid pace while flipping his hood over his head to resume normal. He looks both ways for vehicles when approaching the intersection ahead and when he reaches the block leading to the roadway, he turns around one last time to take a quick glance at me, signaling a wave of goodbye. I don't return a wave of my own, responding with only a fake smile he can't see in the distance. In my eyes, the fastest man alive races off in the road with traffic, leaving me behind to watch nothing but his black and blue speed trails following him to wherever he chooses his next destination and the rain pouring above me.

I don't expect you to understand my confused emotions right now. Just know that my love for will never fade and our memories created will remain in a special area of my brain. I hope the best for you, for success, and future happiness. One day I hope you will forgive me, for being honest with how I feel, just know what I feel with you was real… I just couldn't feel it any longer. You must know that when I love someone as much as I love you dear, I forget to love myself in the process, and I become numb. After a while, I create a monster within myself that eventually lashes out, and this is what you haven't seen of me. I don't expect you to understand it all now, just know I gave you everything my heart could have offered and I never wanted to be the reason why you were hurting so deeply. And because you were hurting so much, don't think that I wasn't suffering as well. I was suffering. Understand one day, that this is best for both of us. Until then, when the time is right.

Love,

Artemis L. Crock