Disclaimer: I do not own or make money off these characters.

Rating: PG-13

Author's Note: What if Garret forgot who he was?

A Bump In the Night

The night pressed down on the lone figure of a man dressed
in an overcoat as he lay motionless on the dirty cement behind the
bar. Raindrops splashed off the coat and ran in rivulets down to
the ground, puddling in circles here and there. The man could have
been asleep, or even dead, but he was not.

Suddenly, his head and body jerked as one, and he re-entered
the world of the conscious. A soft groan escaped his lips. His
right hand came up from under the coat, and he rubbed it across his
damp forehead. Sharp, deep pain lanced through his head as he tried
to sit up. Struggling with the long, heavy coat, he finally managed
to stand. He stood bent over trying to work through the pain and
dizziness. It was dark except for the single bulb that only
illuminated a few feet around him. He glanced at his watch for the
time, but was surprised to find it missing.

It took him awhile to finally stand upright. He touched the
back of his head where it hurt the most and was rewarded with pain
and blood. He looked at his hand in wonder and fear. The rumble of
an early morning garbage truck coming down the alley startled him,
and he involuntarily took a step closer to the building. As the
truck passed, the driver gave him a funny stare. What the hell am
I doing here?" The man asked no one in particular, especially not
himself.

Himself. Now that was an interesting thought. He realized
for the first time that he didn't exactly know who he was. But, how
could that be? With fingers that were only shaking slightly he
delved into his pockets, one by one, coming up with only a plastic
badge. He glanced at the picture and the name. "Garret Macy, Chief
Medical Examiner." It didn't even sound familiar, but he had to
start somewhere. He walked around the building and stood, confused,
at the street, wondering which way to go. His head was aching and
he swayed slightly in the soft rain.

HONK! HONK! A Boston cab pulled up along the curb in front
of him, splashing more water on his already soaked, wiry frame. Hestared at the passenger window of the cab until it rolled down and a
cheerful voice asked, "Need a ride, Doc? Hey, whatcha doin' out in
the weather like this?"

Garret actually didn't know the answer to that one, but was
relieved to see the man in the cab obviously knew him. He
gratefully slid into the front seat, careful not to bump his head.
His neck was getting stiff now too, and his stomach was issuing
warning signals of the nausea to come. The cabbie studied the man
sitting next to him. He was soaked to the bone, pale as a ghost,
and shivering.

" You don't look so good, Doc. You want me to take you to
the hospital?"

Garret considered this, but shook his head. He needed to
find out who he was, and what had happened to him. Judging from his
expensive overcoat and clothes, he knew he had to have a job
somewhere. That would be where he could get some answers. That
place, and home. But, he had no idea where home might be. The more
he thought about it, the more his head ached, so he politely asked
the driver to take him to his office, hoping that the man would know
where that was.

" Sure. No problem." said the cabbie. But, as he pulled
away from the curb, he couldn't help but glance worriedly at the
medical examiner. Ever since Garret had found the killer of his
youngest child, Amy, he had repaid the debt he felt he owed the
doctor by giving him free cab rides. Garret always still offered to
pay, but the cabbie would have none of it. When the police had
given up, the persistent medical examiner had continued on the case,
eventually finding key forensic evidence that nailed the miserable
creep. He was now doing time in a maximum security prison.
They pulled up in front of the Medical Examiner's building,
and the cabbie helped the struggling doctor inside to the elevator
where Garret leaned heavily against the elevator wall. His
breathing was ragged, and the cabbie frowned.

" Doc, you sure you don't want me to go up with you?" But,
Garret managed a weak smile and shook his head no.

" Okay, see you then." He punched the correct button much to
Garret's relief. He had no idea what floor he might work on. The
elevator rose slowly while he tried to mentally convince his stomach
not to betray him. As he closed his eyes, a picture flitted quickly
across his mind. It was of a beautiful dark-haired woman, her brown
eyes shining as she gave him a crooked smile. Then, he gritted his
teeth as the picture was erased in a blinding flash of pain. He had
only just recovered some control when the elevator doors opened and
he stepped out shakily.

" Well, what the heck did you do - swim to work?" he was
confronted by the very same woman that was in his vision moments
ago. He wanted to just stand and bask in her warmth for a few
moments, but his knees had other ideas. Slowly, he sank to the
floor, watching helplessly as her bantering smile turned to a look
of concern, and then shock. She stepped forward and moved to the
floor along with him, holding his head against her shoulder.

" I could just die now..........." he heard himself say
idiotically just before he grinned and passed out.

TBC