I'm back with a two-shot when I should be working on my multi-chapters. If anyone wants me to continue this or add a prequel, just comment and I'll see what I can do. Oh, and I really recommend listening to "Forgetting" by David Gray while reading this.

I don't own Hetalia. Enjoy~

Today was Friday. Fridays meant a visit from the doctor and an inevitable physical that came with it. Arthur wasn't sure why he needed these routine check-ups, and he frequently voiced that opinion. In fact, he shouldn't be in this "assisted living" complex at all! There was nothing wrong with him, he was fine. The bleached white sheets always blinded him first thing in the morning, there was barely any reading material, and the tea there was horrible... Arthur wanted to go home to his little rose garden with the azaleas, bluebells, and the would never be home to him, with the beige walls that bored him to no end, the floors that were always far too cold, the windows that never seemed to have enough light. Arthur needed to get back. Back home, something was waiting, but he just couldn't grasp what.

The digital clock on the nightstand beeped. Twelve-thirty, it read. Time for the pills- white capsules with a distinct blue stripe down the center. Although the color was beautiful, the overall taste was vile. Arthur certainly did not need them, but everyone insisted he did. What if he didn't take any today? With that in mind, he looked for a perfect hiding place.

'Maybe…?There!' Taking the conveniently sized pills, Arthur dumped them into a vase of wilting daisies. Perhaps it would do the flowers some good. It sure as hell wasn't going to help him.

"Skipping out on medications again I see." Caught in the act.

"Two minutes late, as usual, doctor" (he never could remember his name). This was their usual greeting. Always mechanical, never varying. Arthur's doctor always wore a nice pressed white medical coat. His hair had a few grey strands, but in his profession, who wouldn't? One strand always loved to stick up. At first, it was annoying, but now it was just another familiar part of the doctor. His glasses were commonly at a skewed angle with 'Texas Core' inscribed on the side. Arthur never knew what shoes he wore though...probably sneakers?

Three more loathsome pills were placed in Arthur's hand. "You have to take these Arthur," the doctor instructed. "You're not in the best state, and if you ever want to go home, you need to continue with the medications."

"They taste horrid" he complained. "Is there any way to lessen the flavour?"

A pause. "Well, I suppose I could find something that doesn't have as strong a punch to it."

"Thank you" he replied genuinely happy. "And another thing. When can I go outside? I really just want to get out of here for a while." Arthur had been pent up in his cell of a room for weeks now. Just a quick peek was all he wanted, to make sure that grass was still green, the sky still blue, and forget-me-nots still forget-me-nots.

A long sigh escaped his doctor. "Ya. Why not? It is stuffy in here."

Arthur didn't even try to suppress his smile. His doctor seemed...what was the word? Offended? No that's not right.

Walking to the small pond that was made for the nursing home, Arthur still tried to remember that word.

'Angered? No. Joyful? No, no. Why can't I recall it?' he was frustrating himself now. His emerald eyes squinted a nothing in particular to help focus.

The doctor watched with all-knowing eyes but never spoke out. Instead, he led Arthur to the wisteria tree. Taking a seat, he patted the spot next to him suggestively. Arthur sat a little way out of reach of the other. "What a beautiful day, huh?" the doctor asked breaking the silence.

"Hm?" Arthur stopped scouring through his vocabulary to look into the blue bespectacled eyes. They were expecting an answer. "Ah, yes. Absolutely lovely." Hoping to change the subject, he looked down at the small silver band around the doctor's ring finger. "What is your wife like?" The doctor looked at him with confusion and possibly...was that sadness?

"Oh, oh! Ya. They aren't really themselves as of right now and the last thing we did was fight. I'm pretty sure they hate me," he trailed off.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude on your private life." he received no response. There was a faraway look on his doctor's face that told Arthur a flashback was probably happening. Of what, he had no idea.

Yet he has seen that face before, that scrunched up contemplative look. Maybe in another time perhaps, another life?

"Is there something wrong Arthur?" Concern flickered through the doctor's usual nonchalant face. Arthur didn't know what to make of it. Perhaps it was because he was the doctor's only patient? They hadn't seemed to be there for anyone else. Not that he would be jealous of course.

"Oh. It's nothing. Just...looking a bit through this old thing" Arthur said while lightly tapping the side of his head.

He was rewarded with a small laugh. "Guess you better organize those files, Artie," the doctor joked.

"Hm. You're always such a tease Alfred." His world froze. Wait. Alfred? Alfred. "Al-?" Arthur could barely contain his overwhelming joy. But of course then came the sadness."I...I remember. Oh god. I-I don't have much time left do I?" Alfred was on the verge of tears, shaking from the countless days of pent-up emotions.

"For two years...you couldn't recognize me for two years. I, I wanted to see you every day, but then you got all defensive and-" Arthur brought a hand up to silence him.

"I know you now, and that's all that matters. This won't last forever, so please tell me what I've missed out on." Arthur leaned close into the now ecstatic blonde, listening to the ramblings and details of what had happened over the few years. Francis had gotten the old trio together to travel around the world. Ivan was still in Russia, visiting his two sisters. Lovino and Feliciano were off to Rome to visit their uncle, and Matthew was at an animal reserve in Alaska, studying the habitats of polar bears and trying to stop poaching. Arthur shifted off of Alfred's chest to look into the azure he loved so much.

"What did you do?" he asked without breaking away from the sky eyes.

"I transferred from the hospital to work with you after…." Alfred looked away. He wanted desperately to deserve Arthur's compassionate gaze but after the incident?

It all happened rather suddenly. They were on a walk back from the park, fighting. One minute the two were crossing the street shouting about who knew what, in the next, Alfred was shoved harshly aside. Arthur was hit by the full force of a car that didn't stop at the red light. His injuries healed, but his mind was in tatters. The one the young American loved became a blank slate. A blank slate that did not want to get to know him, nor have a conversation about anything except leaving. Until now.

"Hey, hey, Alfred" Arthur started to pull the side of Alfred's coat for attention. "I don't blame you. I wanted to be hit because that meant you would be safe. You can't imagine how glad I am that you're alright." Nuzzling into Alfred's side, he caught a familiar whiff of sandalwood cologne and the slight tang of sea salt. Arthur wanted to have these small moments more. He wanted to stay by Alfred. There was just so much he wanted, but couldn't keep. "D-don't forget me. Even if I'll end up...even...if it…" Now Arthur was babbling and was soon hushed by the other.

"I never did, and I never will. Why would I have monitored you every day? Why would I come here every Friday? Now tell me. Does that sound like someone who would forget you easily?" Alfred's words were so sincere, so honest, that any worries were tossed to the gentle breeze. A small silence.

"I uh, still have your ring…" The blonde reached into the back of his pants pocket for a moment to withdraw the object. Without hesitation, the familiar silver was slipped back to its rightful place.

The little span of happiness the two lived in was running short, though only Arthur knew this. Before the end, he tugged Alfred closer by his coat lapels to plant one last kiss. So many days. So many weeks. The kiss was simple, like the first one they shared back in April. Sweet, gentle, caressing, yes. This was what they both needed to be reminded of.

That was until Alfred was shoved away rather roughly.

"Doctor? What are you doing?" Arthur asked angrily. "I don't believe it is within your rights to abuse a patient like that."

And so the happiness had died in a flash. Arthur was no longer Arthur, just a clone who claimed to share the name and personality of one long deceased.

Alfred wanted to curl up in a ball so tight so that he would fold into himself to become nothingness. That's what he felt as of now: nothing. The blank cold of loneliness had come back to haunt his memories and present. Alfred would give anything to just hold Arthur just a while longer, and he burned to do so with the blonde just centimeters in reach.

No, he shouldn't or rather, he couldn't. The Arthur in front of him wasn't the one he fell in love with, the one who would sacrifice anything for him.

After standing up and brushing off a few stray leaves, Alfred looked to the still fuming Brit. "I apologize for that...now, do you want to go back inside Arthur?"

He was met with a sigh. "I don't suppose why not Doctor Jones. I've seen all I've wanted to." Picking himself up, Arthur couldn't help but think to what a strange man the doctor was. Speaking of strange, where had this ring come from?

Smiling a bit too widely, Alfred thought, 'The Jones part was new. Maybe there is hope after all.'

Part 2 coming up!