A/N: I had told myself I would not begin another story with another one still pending, but I've had this plot on my mind for quite some time, and just decided I better start writing it. My other fic remains my first priority writing wise. I do not even know if anyone will be interested in this storyline, and if you're not, then I won't continue. Since I am a fan of the Demily pairing, I'm sure it goes without saying, that it was very disappointing how Season 3 played out. It is my hope with this story to explore a different, and more positive, direction for their characters after the shooting. It is my opinion, if the writers had remained true to Daniel's character established in the first two seasons of the show, he would not have given up on Emily so easily.. before or after the shooting. I'm just saying... :)

Prologue

She had been a fantasy to him. He'd wanted her from the first moment he saw her, and once he had her, he felt as though he was complete. Then the rain came, both literally and figuratively. From the night of their engagement forward, events began to unfold that neither one had anticipated: from Tyler's murder trial to Emily's betrayal, to their broken engagement. The months that followed were lonely for Daniel. Ashley Davenport had attempted to fill the void Emily had left in his heart, but had paled in comparison. No one else was her. Emily was all he had ever wanted and would ever want. And when she returned to him, Daniel swore to himself that he would never let his pride get in the way again, that he would never let her go. Now she was his wife, for better or for worse. Well, it was far worse than he could have ever imagined.

In a matter of seconds, Emily had shattered his dreams. It had all been a lie. Hearing the words coming from her mouth that she had faked the pregnancy had sent him into a rage. His intoxication level had merely fueled the fire. Daniel had done the unthinkable when he pulled the trigger of her gun, not once, but twice. The vision of Emily's body falling backwards over the railing of the yacht and into the ocean would haunt him forever.

As he now stood at her bedside, listening to the monitor steadily beeping with the rhythm of her heartbeat, he felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. He was still furious with her for lying to him, for playing him for a fool, but he did not want to take her life. How could he have done this? No matter how Emily had wronged him, it did not justify his actions.

Daniel felt her hand on his then. He flinched, startled by her touch. She was awake, gasping slightly, and seemed to be rather disoriented as her eyes searched the room and then turned to him. "Where am I?" She asked in a whisper.

"You're in the hospital."

His response only seemed to puzzle her. "Why?"

"You don't remember?" He tentatively questioned.

"I don't remember...anything." She was becoming more panicked by the second causing him to furrow his brow. "Please tell me. Who am I?"

Daniel swallowed deeply. Did Emily really not remember who she was? He studied her for a moment in disbelief, but she was a little too convincing to not believe her. She shifted uncomfortably in the bed due to her wounds, the wounds he had caused. There was the guilt again. She looked utterly frightened and desperate as she pleaded with her eyes for answers. Finally, Daniel spoke, "You're...you're Emily. You're my wife."

"We're married?"

"Yes. I'm Daniel. Daniel Grayson." He waited for her face to show some sign of recognition, but none came. Emily looked away as she continued to slightly writhe in pain.

"What happened to me?"

"You... were shot."

"Who shot me?"

"They're still trying to figure that out." It was true. The police were investigating the unsolved crime. Daniel just failed to mention that he knew the answer to her question. He cleared his throat, wishing his mind would follow suit. "You...you should get some rest. We can talk later."

"Please don't leave me," Emily begged, grabbing his hand. Daniel had never seen her look so helpless. He was accustomed to the strong and independent woman he thought he knew.

"I'm not going anywhere," he promised as he forced himself to lean down and kiss her forehead. This seemed to soothe her and she closed her eyes. Daniel watched as she drifted off to sleep, and then took a seat in the chair beside her bed. He was an innocent man as far as Emily was concerned. That is, as long as she didn't remember.

He began to drift off to sleep as well, having barely slept within the last forty-eight hours. It was his mother's voice that woke him hours later. "Is there any change?" Victoria asked as she stood erect in a red suite and black heels. Daniel felt stiff and his neck was hurting from sleeping in such an awkward position all night. "I'm sorry to wake you, but the nurse said you'd been like that for quite some time."

"It's fine. And yes, there has been a change. Emily regained consciousness last night, but she doesn't remember... anything."

"She has amnesia?" Suspicion lined Victoria's voice.

"I spoke with her doctor during the night, and apparently, it's not an uncommon occurrence given the oxygen depletion she suffered." Daniel stood and ushered Victoria to a corridor in the hospital where they could speak privately. She noticed her son's deflation, and assumed it was due to his seemingly unceasing adoration of Emily. Though she loathed his choice of a wife, Victoria attempted to offer him comfort.

"Daniel, I'm sure it's upsetting to you that Emily doesn't remember who you are..."

"That's the least of my concerns right now, Mom." She was surprised at his curt response, but remained silent. Daniel paused, closing his eyes. "I shot her. I shot and nearly killed my own wife." Most mothers would have been horrified by such an admission, but not Victoria. She took in smooth stride.

"You overhead us on the deck, didn't you?"

"Yes. I didn't have any intentions of harming her, I swear. I just wanted answers."

"Where did the gun come from then?"

"I don't know. I was drunk...and angry."

"Of course you were angry. You had every reason to be." Victoria's understanding tone only elicited agitation for Daniel did not want any excuses made for his vile actions.

"It doesn't justify what I did!"

"This is Emily's fault, Daniel."

"No, Mom. It's her fault for lying, but this...this is on me."

Seeing that she was not going to win the argument, Victoria decided to change the course of the conversation. "Did the doctor say when she might regain her memory?"

"It could be a matter or hours, weeks, months...years. There's no way of knowing just yet." Daniel could tell the wheels were turning in Victoria's mind as she processed what he was saying which was never a good sign. "Mom?"

Victoria looked at him stoically. "You know what you have to do then."

He nodded. "I'm going to confess."

"No. You're going to give the performance of your life."

"What?"

"As far as Emily's concerned, you're a happily married couple. And you're just the loving husband who has been devastated by this almost tragic event."