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I smiled, holding my hand out to him. "Hello, Dante Castellano. I'm Lily... Something." I looked down at my hand and then back up tho him. "I'm sorry. That's what people do when they meet each other, right? Shake hands?" Why did it seem so formal? But he lifted his hand anyway and I smiled, pulling him closer and kissing him, once on one cheek and then once on the other. Slowly pulling back, I looked into his eyes... They were... like the sea after a storm. They made my heart leap in my chest. Biting my lip, I pulled back, blushing. "I don't know why I just did that..."

I sat back, trying to take in a breath that felt hitched in my throat. I cleared it, smiling softly. "Well, you're Italian, like myself, and Italians do stuff like that all the time. Italian's are very loving people. Very touch feely. Don't feel bad.." I finally got the breath cleared. "As for what you said, it's nice to meet you too, Lily." I laughed slightly, smiling. God she was beautiful and her being awake was the best feeling in the entire world. Even if she didn't remember me and didn't ever remember our lives together she was awake and she was Bianca. She was Lily. And she still had that heartbreaking smile that tore at my heart like a knife. The one I was trying hard not to let me drown me.

I reached out, taking his hand in mine again and giving it a soft squeeze. "I'm glad you're here, Dante." I smiled softly at him again. "Thank you."

I looked down at her hand in mine and back up at her face. "You're welcome.. I should.. go call and everyone.. tell them your awake.. but at the same time I know they'll all come running and probably overwhelm you so I'll wait." I smiled. "Your head feels okay, right?"

I nodded, reaching up with my free hand and tucking my hair back behind my ear. "My head is ..." I focused on it a little bit. I was still feeling disoriented, so I wasn't sure what I was feeling and what I wasn't. "I think it's alright. It doesn't hurt or anything, if that's what you're worried about. I feel like I've got some wires crossed or something. But, yeah, I think I'm alright."

"Great.." I said, moving slightly in my seat, putting my elbows on my knees, leaning forward some, looking at her. "Anything you want to know about your old life? Well, not really an old life.. more so a life you can't remember.. not an old one... because you aren't reborn or anything.. God, I'm rambling." I laughed. "This never happens to me.. I'm just not sure what exactly to say."

He was cute. Really cute. He made my heart do funny things in my chest. I couldn't quite describe it. I crossed my arms over my breasts, trying to think of something I wanted to know. I didn't know what I didn't know, so figuring out what I should know was difficult. "I guess the beginning? How did we meet? You and me."

"Well, we met basically in diapers. You moved to North Carolina, Fremont.. and you were my neighbor. Our parents became friends and from there, we pretty much became inseparable. We met our other friends, later on, but the six of us were really close in high school especially. Me, you, Jackson, a friend of ours, Abigail your cousin, Carly your twin sister and our friend Jeff all went to the same schools forever. We were unbreakable, the six of us were pretty much the closest bunch in school.. we also knew another girl.. but she's not really important anymore.. she was for a long time... but.. she's not really an issue anymore." Tessa wasn't going to go away quietly. I knew that much.. if i knew her at all she'd show up sooner or later and make things difficult but for now she wasn't an issue. "I mean there was a period of time you and I didn't really speak but we've always been a part of each other's lives in one way or another.."

I was sure he wasn't trying to overwhelm me, but that was a lot of history packed into a few sentences. Letting it all process in my mind, I thought about all of it. "I can't remember any of those names. I can't even picture faces." I frowned slightly, but didn't want to dwell on that. Looking back up at him, I asked, "You said there was a time when we didn't even speak to each other? Why's that?"

"Eh, a really long story.. but the short version you left to become a superstar, became one, and I became a football player, and we sorta just didn't speak to one another." I knew I was leaving out all of the damage that had piled between us because of those choices we both made but I couldn't burden her with that now. Not when she just woke up.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to think about it all. "So, you're some hot shot football player and I'm some hot shot singer?" I tried to remember, but nothing was registering. "And... we're... together?"

I raised my eyebrow. "I never said we were together.. but yeah.. we are.. I didn't want to tell you only because I didn't want to upset you or force myself on you.. but yeah.. we're even planning on getting married. Well, we were." I stood, moving closer to her. "We have.. a daughter." I suppose since she knew we were together she could know about Tammy. She didn't need to know about how she hid her but she deserved to know about her. "Her name is Tamara. She's ten."

My eyes widened. I think so far, all the things he was telling me, him telling me that I had a ... a daughter... that he and I have a daughter, was the most shocking thing he had told me so far. I found it difficult for me to breathe. "Dante... I don't know how to process that. All of this." Looking back up at him from where I had turned my head down to my hands. "It might be easier if you call whoever you said you were going to call."

I sighed. "Sure.." I stood up, knowing I messed up. "You relax here.. try and rest.. I'll go call the others. I'll back." I turned, headed to the door and stopped to look back at her. "I know you don't remember me.. but I'm really glad you're awake." I smiled at her and shut the door behind me to go make my calls.

I closed my eyes, resting back against the bed. I hated that I couldn't remember all he had told me. I hated that I couldn't remember a daughter he said I had. I couldn't remember any of it. I hated it, more than anything.

Dante came running out of the room again, this time reaching for his phone. "Dante, I have already called Abigail and Carly. Abigail is on her way. Caroline did not answer." I looked back at the door through the glass to Bianca who looked like she was resting, but she wasn't asleep anymore, you could tell that. I looked back at Dante. "Is she alright?"

I stopped, putting my phone away and looking through the window at Bianca. "She's as okay as she can be.. she doesn't remember anyone... not me.. not Tammy.. you or anyone else. She doesn't remember her own name.. but she seems okay.. outside not remembering. I'm just thankful she's okay." I tugged my phone back out and sent a text to Jackson. It was late so I was sure a text would do. "I don't know if and when she'll get her memory back.. but you have to tread lightly with her.. too much is overwhelming. I know because I told her about Tammy and she basically shut down."

I nodded my head. "Si. I think it would be best if I stayed out here for a while. I mean, I do not know if there is anything I would do to upset her, but I would not want to take the chance."

"Why do you think I'm out here?" I asked with a half chuckle. "I had no idea how to talk to her.. or what to say. I felt like all I was saying was wrong.. so I just sorta took her suggestion about making the call and ran out the door. I'm so happy she's awake but this is so strange I have no idea how to handle it."

"She does not remember anyone or anything?" I lifted my hand to his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I can understand how that would upset you. What do you believe we can do to help her?"

"I guess just tell her stuff.. little things.. and try and help her remember. That's all I can think of.. but don't force her to remember. You know?" I shrugged slightly. "We just need to offer our support to her and hope she takes it."

I nodded, letting my hand fall down to my side. I did not feel best qualified to help. I was sure the three, maybe four people would be Dante, Abigail, Carly and Tamara. Honestly, I hadn't even thought she would wake up at all, but she had proved me wrong. "I believe that she will be alright, Dante." I did now.

I nodded. "I believe that too. It's just going to take time. That's all." I smiled at him and looked back through the glass. "Just a little bit of time.. I think I'm going to leave her for a bit. Give her some space. Her sister and cousin should be here soon and she doesn't need all three in her face. I'm going to head down the street and get some coffee. If she asks for me tell her I promise I'll be back.." I turned and headed for the elevator.

I didn't think that Dante would leave her, not more than he already had, but I figured he didn't want to upset her, and from the sounds of it, he already had. He hadn't wanted to, but I don't think he knew how to handle things with Bianca right now. I didn't really know how to handle Carly either. Something about those Parisi sisters, I suppose.