"You partially lost your memory when he cracked open your head. It was during the time frame I met you that you'd forgotten." He answered, pulling me into his arms. His chest was firm and warm, I embraced the hug greedily.

I thought carefully about my past. "I guess I never really went digging into what I had forgotten. I've wanted to put the past behind me and move on. That wasn't a great time in my life, well you know, what I can remember. Out of all the things I remember it was the beatings."

"Why did it take so long to leave?" He asked, placing a hand on my head.

"You know, you're not the first one to ask that." I sat back. "I was scared, I felt like no one else could love somebody so broken. That's what I was, I was broken. If I had left I would be so alone." The tears came down faster.

Tripp put his hand on my face, wiping away the tears. "You're not broken. You're one of the strongest women I know. You've been through so much, and no matter how tough you try to be, you're also one of the most caring people. You go out of your way to help others, even at your own expense. I love you, and I always have since I met you. I just wish I could take back those years I let you go, I wasted a good five or six years we could have been together." He stroked my hair, it was actually pretty comforting, though I worried his hand would become sticky from all of the hair spray. "Why did you finally leave?"

I took in a deep breath and released it. "I broke up with him during my hospital recovery, I finally had enough when he screamed at me, and I quote." I even did the air quotations with my fingers. "Stop trying to get sympathy from people. It's not that bad! You're making me look bad! He then proceeded to rip my IV straight out of my arm. And people wonder why a grown woman freaks out around needles. In case you've never had one ripped from your arm it hurts like a bitch." I burried my face into his chest. "I wish you would have told me all of this sooner. I keep second guessing myself, after all what would a CEO want with a nobody like me?"

"Hey! You're not a nobody, any man would be lucky to have a woman like you!" He lifted my chin up and wiped the tears away. He leaned in slowly and stole another kiss. "I really wanted you to figure out on your own, but you may never regain your memories…" He trailed off, caught in mid thought.

"Thank you though, it's a relief to know some of the things I forgot. I'm so sorry I couldn't remember." I really wish I could remember, not just for my sake but for Tripp's as well. I wonder what he was like back then, before the fame and money, back when he was just a regular guy.

"It's not your fault, if anything it's his. If I ever see that bastard again I'll knock him out just like he did to you." He clenched his fists in anger.

"Tripp that's not necessary, what's done is done. I can't get the past back, but I can focus on making the future right."

He relaxed his hands and brought them over mine. "I don't understand how you can be so hopeful despite all you've gone through, but I love you even more for it." He kissed my forehead and released me from his hug. "Let's eat before everything gets cold."

I glanced down at my meal, for the first time the scent finally hit and it smelled absolutely delicious, and it looked just as good. I dug right in, stuffing the chicken into my mouth, chugging down the wine the waiter had brought us. I've never really been a wine type person, more of a hard liquor but if there's alcohol I'll drink it because I totally don't have a problem. "It's so good!" I said in between bites.

Tripp ate a little more elegantly and took his time with the wine, but he seemed to be happy I was enjoying the food. He poured me more wine when I slurped all of mine down. "Don't forget you have to work tomorrow!' he teased.

"Eh." I joked right back taking another huge gulp, once again, totally don't have a problem.

The food was so delicious, I had no problem finishing it all. "Ready to head back to my place?"

"Sure." I replied, knowing full well what that meant.