Chapter 3 Awakening Memories

Avery's eyes fluttered open, and she was met with the warm glow of morning sunlight streaming through the window. She stretched, feeling a slight ache in her head, but it was no longer the intense pain she'd experienced before. As she sat up, the room spun slightly, and she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. When she opened them again, Ryan was already up, sitting on the couch with his back to her. He was sipping a cup of coffee, and the aroma filled the room. Avery's stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten in a while. "Good morning," Avery said, her voice husky from sleep.

Ryan turned, a gentle smile on his face. "Morning. How are you feeling?" Avery swung her legs over the side of the bed, testing her balance. "Better, I think." Ryan set his coffee down and walked over to her. "Take it easy. You're still recovering." Avery nodded, feeling a wave of gratitude toward him. "Thank you, Ryan. For taking care of me." Ryan's eyes crinkled at the corners. "You're welcome." As they stood there, Avery felt a flutter in her chest. She couldn't explain it, but there was something about Ryan that made her feel safe, like she could trust him with anything. Maybe it was the way he looked at her, with kindness and concern, or maybe it was the way he'd taken care of her without expecting anything in return. Whatever it was, Avery felt drawn to him, and she couldn't help but wonder if he felt the same way. "Hey, do you want some coffee?" Ryan asked, breaking the silence. Avery nodded, and Ryan walked over to the kitchen to pour her a cup. As he handed it to her, their fingers touched, and Avery felt a spark of electricity. "Thanks," she said, taking a sip of the coffee. It was hot and strong, just the way she liked it. Ryan smiled and sat down beside her on the bed. "So, how's your head feeling?" Avery touched the bandage on her forehead. "It's okay, I guess. Still a bit sore." Ryan nodded. "That's to be expected. You took a pretty bad fall." Avery's eyes clouded over as she tried to remember what had happened. She recalled walking in the woods, feeling scared and alone, and then...nothing. "What happened to me?" she asked Ryan, looking at him with a mixture of fear and curiosity. Ryan's expression turned serious. "You don't remember?" Avery shook her head. Ryan took a deep breath. "You were attacked in the woods. I found you unconscious and brought you here." Avery's eyes widened as the memories came flooding back. She remembered the feeling of being watched, the sound of footsteps behind her, and the sensation of falling. She felt a wave of fear wash over her, but Ryan's calm demeanor helped to reassure her. "It's okay," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You're safe now." Avery nodded, taking a deep breath. She felt a sense of gratitude toward Ryan, not just for saving her life, but for being there for her now. As they sat there in silence, Avery couldn't help but wonder about Ryan. Who was he, really? What was his story? She turned to him, asking, "Ryan, can I ask you something?" Ryan looked at her with a curious expression. "Of course. What is it?" Avery hesitated for a moment before asking, "What do you do for a living?" Ryan smiled. "I'm a writer." Avery's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? What kind of things do you write?" Ryan shrugged. "mostly fiction. I love creating stories and characters." Avery nodded, feeling a sense of excitement. "I love reading fiction. What's your favorite book?" Ryan thought for a moment before answering. "I think my favorite book is 'Pride and Prejudice'." Avery's eyes lit up. "I love that book! Elizabeth Bennet is one of my favorite characters." Ryan grinned. "Mine too." As they talked, Avery felt a sense of connection with Ryan that she couldn't explain. It was as if they'd known each other for years, not just a day. The conversation flowed easily, and Avery found herself feeling more and more at ease in Ryan's presence. As the morning wore on, Avery realized that she was having the time of her life. She was laughing and smiling, feeling carefree and happy. It was a strange feeling, considering what she'd been through, but Avery couldn't deny the sense of joy that Ryan's presence brought her.

As they finished their coffee, Ryan glanced at his watch. "I'm sorry, but I have to get some work done today. I have a deadline to meet." Avery nodded understandingly. "Of course, I don't want to keep you from your work." Ryan smiled. "Thanks for understanding. I'll just set up my laptop in the living room and work from there." As Ryan set up his laptop, Avery decided to explore the house a bit more. She walked over to the bookshelf and scanned the titles, running her fingers over the spines of the books. Ryan looked up from his laptop and watched her, a smile on his face. "Find anything interesting?" Avery turned to him, a book in her hand. "Just browsing. I love reading." Ryan nodded. "Me too. I've got a lot of books on writing and history, but I've also got some fiction novels if you're interested." Avery's eyes lit up. "Really? What kind of fiction?" Ryan grinned. "All kinds. Romance, mystery, sci-fi..." Avery's eyes scanned the bookshelf again, and she pulled out a book. "I'll take this one." Ryan looked up from his laptop. "Ah, 'The Princess Bride'. Great choice." Avery smiled and sat down on the couch, opening the book and beginning to read. As the day wore on, Ryan worked on his laptop, occasionally glancing over at Avery, who was engrossed in her book. He couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment wash over him. It was nice having someone to share his space with. But as the afternoon wore on, Ryan began to notice something strange. Avery would occasionally look up from her book, a confused expression on her face, and then quickly look back down again. At first, Ryan thought it was just her being engrossed in her book, but as it kept happening, he began to feel a sense of unease. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. "Avery, is everything okay?" he asked, closing his laptop and walking over to her. Avery looked up, startled. "Yeah, everything's fine. Why?" Ryan sat down beside her on the couch. "You keep looking up from your book with this confused expression on your face. What's going on?" Avery's eyes dropped, and she fidgeted with the pages of her book. "I...I don't know. I just keep feeling like there's something I'm forgetting." Ryan's eyes narrowed. "Forgetting? What do you mean?" Avery's eyes flashed up to his, and for a moment, Ryan thought he saw a glimmer of fear there. But then it was gone, replaced by a look of confusion. "I don't know," Avery said again. "It's just this feeling that there's something important I'm supposed to remember." Ryan's mind was racing. He knew that Avery was a princess from Ravenswood, and that her parents had been killed in a brutal coup. He knew that she was in danger, and that he had to protect her. But Avery didn't seem to remember any of this. And Ryan couldn't understand why. "Avery," he said gently, taking her hand in his. "Do you remember anything about your past? About who you are or where you come from?" Avery's eyes dropped again, and she shook her head. "No. I don't remember anything." Ryan's heart went out to her. He knew that she was struggling to remember, and he wanted to help her. But he also knew that he couldn't tell her the truth. Not yet. She wasn't ready. So he just squeezed her hand gently and said, "It's okay, Avery. We'll figure it out together." Avery looked up at him, a small smile on her face. "Thanks, Ryan." Ryan smiled back and released her hand. "Anytime." As the sun began to set, Ryan and Avery decided to make dinner together. They cooked up some pasta and sauce, and sat down to eat at the kitchen table. As they ate, Ryan couldn't help but steal glances at Avery. She was so beautiful, with her long brown hair and her bright green eyes. And she was so brave, despite everything she had been through. Ryan felt his heart swell with emotion as he looked at her. He knew that he had to protect her, no matter what. As they finished their meal and began to clean up, Ryan realized that he had to find a way to help Avery remember her past. He couldn't keep the truth from her forever. But for now, he was just happy to be with her, to watch her smile and laugh, and to know that she was safe.

Ryan and Avery were sitting in the living room, watching TV and enjoying each other's company. They had been together for a few days now, and Ryan was starting to feel a strong connection to her. Just as they were getting comfortable, Ryan's phone rang. He hesitated for a moment before answering it. "Hello?" he said, his voice cautious. "Ryan, this is Captain James from the Ravenswood police department," a deep voice said on the other end of the line. "We're looking for a missing princess from Ravenswood. She was last seen near the river, and we have reason to believe that she may have been injured." Ryan's heart skipped a beat. He knew that Avery was the missing princess, but he couldn't tell Captain James that. "Do you know anything about it?" Captain James asked, his voice firm. Ryan hesitated. "No, I don't know anything," he said finally. There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Ryan, we've had reports that you've been taking in strangers," Captain James said. "We need to know if you've seen anyone matching the princess's description." Ryan's mind was racing. He knew that he had to protect Avery, but he also knew that he couldn't lie to Captain James. "I haven't seen anyone," Ryan said finally, trying to sound convincing. There was another pause on the other end of the line. "Ryan, we need to talk to you in person," Captain James said. "Can you come down to the station?" Ryan's heart was racing. He knew that he had to protect Avery, but he also knew that he couldn't avoid Captain James forever. "I'll be right there," Ryan said finally. As soon as Ryan hung up the phone, Avery turned to him with a concerned expression. "What's wrong?" she asked. Ryan took a deep breath. "The police are looking for you," he said. "They think you're the missing princess from Ravenswood." Avery's eyes widened in shock. "What?" she exclaimed. Ryan nodded. "I know it's a lot to take in, but we have to be careful. The police are going to come here and ask me questions." Avery's face went white. "What are we going to do?" she asked. Ryan took her hand. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it," he said. "We'll figure something out." But as they sat there, holding hands and trying to come up with a plan, Ryan couldn't shake the feeling that they were in grave danger. And as they waited for the police to arrive, Ryan knew that he would do anything to protect Avery, even if it meant putting himself in harm's way. As the minutes ticked by, Ryan and Avery heard a knock at the door. Ryan's heart sank as he got up to answer it. "Who is it?" he called out. "It's Captain James and Officer Johnson," a deep voice replied. "We need to talk to you about the missing princess." Ryan's heart was racing as he opened the door. Captain James and Officer Johnson were standing on the porch, their faces stern. "Ryan, we need to ask you some questions," Captain James said, his voice firm. Ryan nodded, trying to stay calm. "Okay, come on in." As the police officers entered the house, Ryan knew that he had to protect Avery at all costs. He couldn't let them find out that she was the missing princess. But as they sat down in the living room, Ryan couldn't shake the feeling that they were already onto him. "So, Ryan, can you tell us where you were on the night of the princess's disappearance?" Captain James asked, his eyes narrowing. Ryan hesitated, trying to come up with a believable alibi.

As Captain James and Officer Johnson sat down in the living room, Ryan's mind was racing. He knew that he had to protect Avery's location, but it was clear that the police already suspected that she was the missing princess. "So, Ryan, we've received reports that you've been seen with a young woman matching the princess's description," Captain James said, his eyes narrowing. "Can you tell us if you've seen her?" Ryan hesitated, trying to come up with a convincing lie. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said finally. But Captain James just smiled. "Don't play dumb, Ryan. We know that you've been helping her. What we need to know is where she is now." Ryan's heart was racing. He knew that he couldn't reveal Avery's location, not even to the police. "I don't know what you're talking about," he repeated. Captain James sighed. "Ryan, we're not playing games here. The princess's life is in danger, and we need to find her before it's too late." Ryan felt a surge of fear. He knew that Captain James was telling the truth - Avery's life was in danger, and he was the only one who could protect her. But he also knew that he couldn't trust the police. If they found out that Avery was with him, they would take her back to the kingdom, and she would be in even greater danger. So Ryan did the only thing he could think of - he denied everything, and hoped that the police would leave him alone. But as Captain James and Officer Johnson left the house, Ryan couldn't shake the feeling that he was in over his head. He was protecting a princess, and he knew that it wouldn't be easy. As he turned to Avery, who was watching him with wide eyes, he knew that he had to do everything in his power to keep her safe. "It's okay," he said, trying to reassure her. "I won't let anything happen to you." Avery nodded, but Ryan could see the fear in her eyes. She knew that she was in danger, and she was counting on Ryan to protect her. As they sat down on the couch, Ryan put his arm around Avery, trying to comfort her. But he knew that it wouldn't be easy - they were in this together, and they would have to face whatever dangers lay ahead. As they sat there in silence, Ryan couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He knew that they were in grave danger, and he wasn't sure if he could protect Avery. But as he looked into her eyes, he knew that he would do everything in his power to keep her safe. He would risk his own life to protect her, because he knew that she was worth it. As the night wore on, Ryan and Avery sat together in silence, waiting for whatever lay ahead. They knew that it wouldn't be easy, but they were ready to face it together.