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Oh. There was something! He was at least curious about those...maybe he remembered the artifacts. She looked a little more hopeful and nodded, on hand reaching inside her coat. "Yeah. You heard about things of power and wanted to go looking for them. So we did. You ended up with a dagger and I ended up with magic wine."

She lifter her flask out for him to see, all steel blue-gray and glowing faintly with runes. "Artifacts."

"Right!" She was nodding hopefully, and she nearly dropped her flask when he reached for her hands. She wasn't about to pull away though. Not now, not ever. "We got them on the mountain and took them to the labs to be converted. I...had to loan you the money because you hadn't been paid yet." She smiled at him.

"After that... we just kind of hung out together. Um." She was thinking really hard about what to tell him next.

She was still smiling as she nodded. "You paid me back at Christmas, so nothing to worry about."

At least she didn't feel like crying right then. Jake seemed determined to remember, and it seemed like they were getting closer. Her gaze rose to meet his again when he squeezed her hands. "Specific and recent?" If he didn't remember her on missions, then, she'd leave those out. Which left the deeply personal memories, the ones she wanted to protect. Though, to be fair, it wasn't like she had a lot to lose. She'd kind already lost them in a way. He'd already forgotten her. The thought brought the sadness back to her face.

Nothing to lose. Right. "I kissed you in a tomb. You uh, ran away and we didn't talk for a while. But...after the mission where Chester was hurt we talked and you said you didn't want to lose me, too. After that we went on the cruise ship together and..." Her brow furrowed with thought. Things were hazy. She remembered kissing him in the tomb, she remembered talking to him in the hospital and him asking her to stay. "I don't know why, but we didn't talk after that. We... weren't talking." She looked genuinely confused, and tears started to form again. Was there something missing from her memory there? There had to be.

"But then you sent me a message. I...I still have it. It was kind of funny." She actually smiled at the memory. "And you came to my room to talk. You um, you told me you wanted a second chance." She stepped closer, hope very much on her face, despite the tears forming in her eyes. It hurt to think about how happy she'd been. "I asked you if you'd push me away if I tried to kiss you, and you said you wanted to kiss me too, so we did and... then you stayed the night."

It was ok, Jake. She'd turned red the first time she'd read the messages, too.

Much like she was turning now, in response to his rather worried questions. "You, um, you don't have to worry. You did stay with me in my bed, but nothing happened beyond cuddling and sleeping. I...I promise. You didn't forget anything--" She closed her mouth, holding her breath and blinking back a new set of tears that were threatening to form. She'd nearly told him he hadn't forgotten anything important. "You didn't forget," she repeated slowly, "anything like that."

She looked down, eyes staring at his chest but seeing nothing. "But after that, you said you were busy and asked me not to wait for you." She still didn't know what that meant. "We met in the other place, too, as shadows with hearts. We...eventually remembered each other." She gave a small hopeful smile at that.

Sherry stepped a little bit closer and swallowed down tears and nervousness. "Does....does any of that help?"

Honesty is the best policy, Jake, and a lie by omission is still not honest.

One thing he'd have to relearn about Sherry was the fact that the girl was full of hope. She'd always hope for the best, since that was often all she could do. There was hope in her voice as she spoke again. "You do?" The hope that he'd given her glittered in her eyes, or maybe that was just the tears.

He still looked a bit lost, a bit confused. Sherry, hopeful as she was, could see that. Was she helping at all? Was he close to remembering? Her brain was working overtime trying to think of anything that might spark him memory. She didn't want to be forgotten. It hurt worse than being rejected. There was reassurance, though, as he remembered bits, reassurance in the fact that he had taken her hands in his. Her mind ran over that kiss his shadow-self had given her (or stolen? she wasn't sure) and all the ones after and before. The one in the tomb hurt a little, but the others....

If he'd remembered who she was he might have seen it coming. She had a history of doing such things. She looked at him, those tears still hovering in her eyes and leaned forward, lightly pressing her lips to his.

She'd expected one of two things. It to be like that time in the tomb, or it to be like the last time they'd kissed. It was neither. He pushed her away, but he was kind about it, and that look on his face not angry or happy but sad and sorry. She looked away when he did, already blushing, already hating herself and her stupid, brash self.

"N-No. It's okay," she said, very much trying not to cry again as she stepped back even farther. He'd looked genuinely sorry, and he was still clearly confused. He didn't remember her. He didn't love her or hate her and they weren't friends. She was just some silly girl who showed up at his door and cried on him and kissed and she in general made a total fool of herself.

The hole in her chest was back, gaping and cold and dark, the edges around it numb.

Sherry swallowed a sob and forced another smile. "It's ok, really." She took another step back. "It's not your fault." She turned slightly, hand reaching for the door. "Thank you, though, for trying. I appreciate it."

She was still smiling at him as she opened the door, but she stepped into the hall and shut it behind her a little too quickly. She'd already done too much, and she wasn't going to make him watch her cry again.

She made it back to her room. Walking really wasn't all that difficult, not after all the things she'd lived through. Not crying was another story.

Forgotten. Few things hurt worse than being forgotten. She thought she knew what it felt like, her mother had forgotten to pick her up once, her friends had forgotten to wait for her a time or two. But this? THIS was different. This was worse. After everything they'd been through together. Everything they'd done. The feelings they'd shared with each other. And he had no idea who she was. She would take hating her over just plain not knowing her. At least that was something.

The door closed behind her. Her room was dark, and she didn't mind the slightest bit. She was too busy crying to care. Too busy hurting to make it to the bed before her knees gave out and she slumped to the floor sobbing. He had forgotten her. It left her feeling empty.

The crooning of a lindwyrm rang her head, a sound of comfort and care and protection.