Chapter 17: Please Believe Me...

*REAL HADLEY'S POV*

After my run-in with the bitch in my body, I try to figure out what to do...I decide telling Mason is too risky.  He might not believe me and he might even throw me out...so I call Evie.  I call her number and even though she thinks it's odd, she agrees to meet me at the local pond.

When I get there, I walk up to Evie and almost want to cry.  I have really missed my friend...and I didn't even realize it.  How crazy is that?

Even though I am damn near emotional, Evie is all business.

"What can I do for you, Briana?"

"Before I say what I need to say, I need you to open your mind...way up...I need you to please consider what I'm about to tell you." I start.

She furrows her eyebrows and gives me a look that clearly says she's not going to put up with any bullshit.  

Ugh, maybe it was a mistake to come to her first...but who else could I have come to?

"Go ahead," she tells me expectantly.

I take a deep breath and pray to whoever might be listening before I start speaking, "You know how it's been really weird with Hadley because she's lost her memory?"

"Yeah..." she replies.

"Well...okay, swear you'll keep an open mind," I ask again.

"Look, I don't have time for this," Evie says.

Damn...I am treating her like my best friend when in her eyes, I'm not...I need to back off...but how the hell am I going to do that?

"I'm sorry...wait, please.  What if I told you Hadley has been different because that isn't Hadley?" I tell her.

"Okay bitch, you're crazy," Evie says and starts to walk away.

I grab her arm and shout, "Please, Evie, listen to me."

She turns around, but she looks fed up, "Okay, go ahead.  Give me one good reason why I shouldn't punch you right now."

Insert awkward joke here: "Well for one thing I'm holding a kid...but that's besides the point, Ev, I swear, the reason I know this is because I am Hadley."

She starts laughing...but not in that "wow, this is hilarious" way, but in that "this is unbelievable" way.  Oh, this is not good.

"Oh bitch, you are messing with the wrong chick, let me tell you," she starts, "Number one, don't call me Ev...it's Evie, and that's only to my friends, so you can call me....nothing...because I don't want to talk to you.  Number two, don't think for a second that I don't know exactly what your game is."

"What?" I start.  What is she talking about?

"I have seen the way you have been looking at my brother.  You horned your way into their house and are taking advantage of his good heart...what are you, some gold-digging whore?  Are you planning on getting Mason to knock you up or something?  Let me tell you, it's not going to happen.  My brother is completely devoted to his wife - my best friend, who I have known for my entire life.  To think you are her...it's laughable to be honest.  You are nothing like her..."

Tears start to rim my eyes...and I can't help it...this is my best friend and she's not believing me.

"Evie, please...I remember everything now...I can prove it.  Do you remember when we were kids - our dads used to take us fishing here...and I slipped and fell in and you jumped in after me even though you didn't know how to swim and both our dads had to jump in and save us?"

"Look, I don't know who you are and where you came from, but you are sick..." Her voice has gotten soft and she is speaking calmly again, which for normal people would be a good thing, but I know that she is just about done with this conversation.

"Evie...please..." I can just barely whisper.  She isn't going to believe me.

"No, don't...don't talk to me, don't ever call me again...look, you need help.  If I were you, I would get out of my brother and sister-in-law's house as soon as you can."

With those words, she turns away and I let the tears fall where they're going to.  How could my best friend not believe me?

God, what am I going to do?  If Evie didn't believe me, who will?

As I'm walking through town, I run into my mom outside the grocery store.

She smiles warmly at me, and I remember how kind she was when I was living in that shelter - thinking I was Briana...she has to believe me.

"Hello, sweetie!  How are you two doing?" she greets me.

"I was just looking for you, actually," I start.

"I was thinking about you too.  Are you going to press charges against Trevor?" she asks.

Oh man, I hadn't even thought about that...

"Um, I need to talk to you about something else...and it's a big thing...I know why Hadley doesn't have her memory."

She looks confused - rightfully so, "How do you know about that?"

"I know because I lost my memory like her before," I start, "...but I got my memory back...and...I am Hadley."

"What?!"

"I swear, I am your daughter..."

She looks at me with concern, "Sweetie, I know with what you've been through you want that to be true, but it just isn't."

"But...it's true...I swear...Keely isn't my daughter...I have an older sister, an older brother, I grew up in a turquoise bedroom with butterflies..."

I desperately look in her face in the hopes of seeing some recognition of some kind...but I see nothing but concern.

"Stop this, immediately," she begins what I know as a chastisement.

"But..."

"How dare you?" she starts, "To think that Mason and Hadley took you in when you had nowhere else to go...that I felt sorry for you in the shelter...and this is how you repay our kindness?  Shame on you."

"Please believe me, " I beg her, "if you won't, no one will."

"Stop this, right now!" she starts again, "Who do you think you are?  Preying on a family going through a difficult time?  I think you should leave."

She turns away and gets in her car.  Then I see my father standing at the door of the grocery.

"What is this?" He asks.

"Daddy, please believe me..." I start crying.  I can't help it.

"Miss, you just need to leave our family alone.  We've been through enough."

He gets in the car with my mother and they drive off.

I am left in a heap of sobs, which makes Keely cry too.

Great, now what am I going to do?

Chapter 16: Body Snatchers

*REAL HADLEY'S POV*

(formerly known as Briana)

Okay, y'all are probably thinking what the hell?  Who the hell?  Why the hell?  How the hell?

Yeah, I'm pretty much there too.

All I know is that until last night, I thought I was this skinny blonde named Briana with a daughter named Keely and an abusive husband named Trevor.

Why did I think this?  Simply, that was what I was told.  The only thing I remember is waking up in a dirty shack, not knowing who I was, hearing a screaming baby, and being screamed at by an angry man who turned out to be Trevor.  I didn't know what was going on, but if I knew I had to get up and do what he said or risk getting pummeled.  I didn't know how, but I recognized the face as the face of a man that would put a-hurtin' on me if I fell out of line.  I didn't realize it then, but I recognized it from my high school relationship with John.

As time went on, I just believed what I was told.  I have no idea how I got there though...the last thing I remember before that, from my real life...is...talking to Mason in the gym and...oh, wait...taking those pills...geez, I have some figuring out to do...were those body switch pills or something?  If that's the case, who the hell is in my body?  The real Briana?

So the answer is simple, right?  Go talk to...whoever the hell is in my body and get this straightened out...she's probably as confused as I am.

As I'm thinking, there is a knock at my door.

"Briana?  Are you awake?"  It's Mason.  Shit.  Do I tell him?  What do I tell him?  Will it freak him out?  Will he believe me?  Oh God, what if he doesn't believe me?

Maybe I better keep this under wraps until I talk to that other person downstairs...

"Come in," I reply.  Okay, act like Briana, act like Briana...well, how the hell does Briana act?

Okay, chill out, you fool...just act like you've been acting...without realizing that he's your husband...damn, what kind of crazy shit is this?

He walks in and my God is he gorgeous...ugh, this is going to be harder than I thought.

"Hey...uh...how's it going?" I ask, casually...at least I hope.  Of course I'm in this sheer lingerie...and I would like nothing more than to rub my body against his...

Damn it, Hadley!  Get yourself together...maybe I should have taken a cold shower before I talked to him.  This is so not going to be easy.

"Hey," he replies, smiling at me.  Maybe this conversation will work better if I turn around.

He continues, "I have great news..."

I raise my eyebrows, "What's that?"

"Hadley and I made up last night," he replies.

My breath catches.  Oh God, I hope he didn't...sleep with her...he couldn't, right?  He would know.  Wouldn't he?  A low growl comes out of my mouth before I can help myself.

Mason looks at me strangely, "Are you okay?"

Play it off!  "Uh, yeah, I'm just hungry.  My stomach is growling."

"Well shoot, come downstairs and get some breakfast," he says, "I'll take Keely for you and let you get ready."

"Thanks." I reply as he leaves.

I start to get dressed - in some clothes I haven't worn since I was a vampire and only eating blood...these were the smallest clothes I could find to fit on this stick body of hers.  It's funny, I have always been jealous of skinny girls, but being in her little body has been a pain.  I have felt awkward this whole time and now I know why.  I am not used to being this skinny...at least not naturally and for long periods of time.

Even though I told Mason I was hungry, food is the last thing on my mind.

I walk downstairs with a mission - to find my body and talk to whoever is inhabiting it.

I find her outside.  It's definitely weird looking at myself this way.

Halfway through the walk, I realize that she probably doesn't have her memory back, so I'm going to have to be careful what I say.  Shit, tact has never been a strong point for me.

"Hey Briana, what's going on?" She greets me in a slightly better manner than she normally does.  I shudder, worried about exactly why she is in such a good mood.

"Hey...Hadley...I'm okay...I was actually looking for you," I reply.

"Me?" she asks, "Why would you be looking for me?"

She looks at me cautiously, and I guess I understand that.  We haven't really gotten along since Mason invited Keely and me to stay here.

I have no clue how to bring up this subject, but I'm guessing slowly is probably going to do it best.

"I just want to...thank you...again for letting us stay here." I start.

"Oh," she is still eyeing me strangely and if I'm right, I'm sure I'm going to get used to that stare, "well, you're welcome."

"I have a question for you...did you lose your memory a few months ago?" I ask.

She raises her (my) eyebrow and looks at me strangely, and I recognize something clicking for her by the expression on her (my) face.  Just when I expect her to tell me, she answers, "No..."

Hmm, okay...do I give her the benefit of the doubt and think she just doesn't trust me?  I'll go with that for now.

"Really?"  I start, "You know, I really want us to be friends."

"Is that so?  That's news to me," she starts, "because it really seems like you have been trying to get close to my husband."

*Hold temper, hold temper, hold temper...okay*

"I'm sorry if it seemed that way, you guys are just so nice to let me stay here."

"Yeah, well...."

"Ya' know, this life has been hard on...me...especially since I lost my memory a few months ago..."

She looks bored.  Okay, what the hell?  I'm getting nowhere with this conversation.  I'm just going to go for it.

I take a breath and say, "...but things are better now...because I got it back.  I remember everything now."
That got her attention.  She looks up at me and my face that she's using has my "Shocked I got caught" face.

A sick feeling creeps into my stomach as I realize something.
"You know, don't you?" I ask.
"I don't know what you're talking about." she replies, looking away.
"Yes you do, Briana," I say.
Her head whips around so fast I think she has whiplash and she has those fiery eyes everyone used to accuse me of having when I got angry.
"Wow...how long have you known?" I ask.
"I swear, BRI-ana, I have no clue what you're talking about..." she looks scared. Uh-huh, I wish everyone who ever lied to me had my face - it would be a dead giveaway every time.

"See, you can't really lie to me while using my face," I tell her, "I can tell exactly what you're thinking."

She doesn't say anything for awhile, but then she glares at me.
"So what am I thinking now?" she asks.
"You're pissed off, but I can't imagine why..." I tell her.

Exasperation wipes over her face.
"Damn you!" she shouts.
Shocked, I reply, "Damn me?!"

She's fuming now, "Yes, damn you!  Why did you have to get your memory back?  Things were working out so well..."
Say wha-?  "Hold one, what?  Have you looked in the mirror lately?  Things are not going well...things are going extremely screwed up."

"No, things were fine...better actually..." she says.

"What world are you living in, sweetheart?" I ask her.
Her voice gets quiet, "One that is a lot better than the one I was living in, that's for sure."

Shit.  Of course...that's it...how could I be so stupid?  Why in the hell would she ever want to get back in her own body?  She has an awesome house, an awesome husband, a family that loves her...she has my life...and her life was...really shitty.  It was all I could do to get out of it.

She is officially in rant mode, "You should know, you lived it for months before you finally got out."
"Yeah, I do know, Briana, but you're out now...and once we get this straightened out, you and Keely can stay here for as long as you need..."
"No!"  She yells so loud I'm surprised the whole neighborhood doesn't hear, "I'm never going back to that life."

What?!

"What about your daughter?" I ask her.
"Shoot, she's in better hands with you than she ever was with me.  You birthed 100 babies, surely you can handle one more."

I try to be diplomatic, I really do.  Yeah, my temper gets the best of me.
"Bitch, are you crazy?" I scream at her, "What am I supposed to do?"
"I don't care what you do.  I'm in this life now and there's no way I'm giving it up."

"You are insane," I say, "you can't have my life."

A smile of satisfaction creeps over her face.
"I already do," she replies.
"Not when everyone finds out the truth," I say.
"Please, you think they're going to believe you?" she says, "You grew up in this life, if I tell them you're and making up lies about me, do you think they'll doubt me?  As far as everyone knows, I'm you."
My mouth drops open.  She's not actually doing this.
"So what's your plan?  To fake amnesia for the rest of your life, you don't know half of what my life was like."

"I can manage well enough," she replies.

As she stares me down, I realize that she is right - at least for right now, I can't tell Mason what's going on and I need to come up with a plan to expose her...I just don't know how, and I'm going to need some help.

Chapter 15: All That I Got

*MASON'S POV*

After talking to Briana, I actually feel better.  My head is a little clearer, which is good because apparently Evie told our parents about our conversation.  My dad calls me out of the blue and wants to talk.  I haven't had a serious talk with my dad since he tried to explain the birds and the bees to me...and in the end he just told me to go find Aunt Amy.  Needless to say, as much as I ask him for advice every now and then, we don't really talk - we fish...and maybe grunt.

MASON: Hey Pops, I don't know what Evie told you, but I swear I'm fine...

T-bone: Yeah, I don't know if I believe that.

MASON: What did she say?  That I'm being a selfish asshole?  That's pretty much what she told me.

T: Hahaha, damn, so much for handling the situation with some tact.

MASON: Yeah, but is she right?

T: Hmm, this is a tough situation, and it's hitting you the way it's hitting you.  You can't help that.

MASON: I don't know, maybe I've been lucky up to this point.

T: Yeah, you have.

MASON: Ha, so am I screwed?
T: No, you just have to work a little harder.  You and Hadley have known each other your whole lives.  It's easy to get lazy in a marriage during the best times.  You have taken for granted how much you rely on that past knowledge.  Now you both have a clean slate - you don't know her and she doesn't know you.

MASON: Hmm, I never thought of it that way...
T: Yeah, in a way, you have your own form of amnesia.

MASON: So what do I do?

T: Well, let me ask you a question.  Do you still love Hadley?
MASON: Of course!  I never...
T: Well then you have to stand up and do whatever it takes to save your marriage.

MASON: I've been doing that...
T: Have you really?  You've been doing about as much as you were doing before.  That was fine then, but you have to step it up.  Really learn to get to know her - make an effort.  You've always been better than most men about talking things out and listening.  That's what she needs right now.  She needs you to be there for her and stop relying so much on what you used to know, because it doesn't mean squat now.

*HADLEY'S POV*

I swear, I don't know what the hell I'm doing...and I don't know who to call...crap...

This is what I get for trying to maintain my own household.  Geez.  I tried to wait for Mason, but I was starving, so I fixed myself some dinner and then clean up after myself and I'll be damned if the dish washer didn't break.  It seems like I always have the worst luck...I don't get it.

BRIANA: Is everything okay?

Ugh...it's her again.  Yeah, everything would be great if you would just get out of my hair.

That's what I want to say, but of course I am trying to be nice...this chick makes it difficult to be hospitable.

HADLEY: Yeah, it's just this damn dishwasher.

BRIANA: Oh...what's it doing?
HADLEY: Not working...
BRIANA: Oh...um...
HADLEY: I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be snotty, I'm just annoyed.
BRIANA: Oh, well...do you mind if I take a look?
HADLEY: Since when are you a handy person?
BRIANA: Being poor makes you good at fixing what you have, I guess.
HADLEY: Well, I guess it's a good thing I'm rich.

Okay, bitch, retract your claws.

HADLEY: I'm sorry...it would be great if you could look at it.

BRIANA: Oh, I think I know what it is...you have a fork stuck back here...
HADLEY: I didn't have a freakin' clue.

BRIANA: It's pretty fixable, don't worry about it.

She amazingly gets it working again.  Hmm, she has actually been useful in this situation.

She goes about her business and I'm just about to head to bed when I hear Mason walk in.

MASON: Hey, wait a minute.

Oh goody...I really don't need another argument to add to my bad mood.

HADLEY: What is it, Mason?

MASON: I need to apologize to you.

I turn around to face him and he's looking at me with the most intense stare I have ever seen.

HADLEY: What do you mean?
MASON: I have been such a jerk lately, I don't know what I've been doing.

HADLEY: Okay...
MASON: I keep waiting for you to come back to me and you're already here...

HADLEY: Well, yeah, that's what I've been trying to tell you...
MASON: I know, and I've been stubborn and ignorant, holding on to the past and unwilling to change, but that's over.

HADLEY: Really?

MASON: Yes, baby, you are my world, my reason for breathing and I need to remember that instead of trying to turn you into someone you're not anymore.

HADLEY: So you're going to accept me, even if I never get my memory back?
MASON: That doesn't matter to me.  I don't care if you never get your memory back.  I've got you here in front of me, and that's all that matters.

Overwhelmed, I reach for him, and he reaches for me and we kiss...and boy have I missed this.

HADLEY: Wow...
MASON: I love you so much, baby girl.  Anything you need, I'll get it it, I'll do whatever you want me to do, I swear.  No more Asshat Mason...

HADLEY: Mason, this makes me so happy.  I love you too.  All I have ever wanted was for you to love me again, and be my husband.
MASON: Well, the first thing I want to do...if you'll let me...is move back into our bedroom.

Even though all we do is sleep, it's a more restful sleep than I have had in a long time.  To make it even better, at some point in the middle of the night he reaches out for me and wraps his strong arms around me, holding me close...and I feel instantly safe.

****

In the middle of the night, I start having these visions...of a little girl with dark hair and freckles...

...and of that girl a little older, having a sleepover with her best friend and getting excited about her older sisters birthday cake.

...and sharing her first kiss with her true and only love...

....finding joy in her children...

...a lot of children...

...a whole lot of children...

...and after a long road and a lot of starts and stops, marrying her true love as her friends and family watch happily...

...and building a life with that man full of triumphs and trials that they take on together...

Somehow, I realize that these aren't just visions, but memories...of a life I thought I would never get back...but I finally have.

I wake up ecstatic, ready to find Mason and jump his bones from morning to night, but then I realize that even though I remember my life, I still don't have it back yet...

I slowly lift myself up out of bed...

...and wonder how in the holy hell I ended up in someone else's body.

Chapter 14: Somebody That I Used to Know

*HADLEY'S POV*

Things have been massively strained between Mason and I, so I've been spending almost all my time working with Pepper.  We have gotten so good riding I am entering her in riding contests.

The first contest I entered her in, we came in sixth place, but the trainers tell me she shows great promise, so I enter her in a couple more races and she finally wins!

I know this is nothing but a distraction, but I have done all I can to try and work with Mason on our relationship, our future, all of it.

My "family" doesn't really help either.  Honestly, sometimes I feel like I'm visiting a funny farm.  They're all crazier than I am.  They joke with each other, get into fights, then get along minutes later...it's too much to deal with.  I guess since I don't remember anything about my life, I don't remember that I used to love all the crazy.

It seems like the only thing I have is Pepper and the fact that everyone seems to know me.  I like the paparazzi.  All I have to do is smile and let them shoot pictures of me and they're happy.  It's refreshing and a lot less stressful than all these people that expect me to be my "old" self.

*MASON'S POV*

As much as I want to be strong for her, I am having so much trouble dealing with the "new" her.  I can live without her memories, but I'm having trouble with her complete personality change.  I don't get it.  To beat it all, I don't know who to talk to.  I don't want to burden the kids and I don't want to go to my parents, or her parents, or her siblings...and Evie is her best friend...although they haven't been as close since all this happened, so maybe I can talk to her.

I catch up with her outside her house.

EVIE: Hey, what's going on, bro?  Is everything okay?

MASON: Oh...yeah...I mean, nothing is seriously wrong, I don't guess.

EVIE: Well damn, you had me scared...I thought something was wrong with Hadley, or Mom or Dad...

MASON: Good Lord, I told you it wasn't an emergency.

EVIE: I thought you were telling me that so I wouldn't panic.

MASON: And you panicked anyway...

EVIE: Well, yeah, you knew I would...

MASON: Anyway...

EVIE: So what is it?

MASON: It's about Hadley...

EVIE: Is she okay?

MASON: Damn...Evie, yes...she's okay...it's just...we're not.

EVIE: What's that supposed to mean?

MASON: We've been fighting a lot...

EVIE: What could you all possibly be fighting about?  She can't remember anything.

MASON: That's kind of the point...

EVIE: What?  That she lost her memory?  Kind of a dickish thing to be pissy about, isn't it, Mason?

MASON: It's not like that...

EVIE: Than what is it like?

MASON: She's just different...and...

EVIE: The doctor told you she would be different.  She told you you might not completely recognize her, but she's still her.

MASON: I know...I just didn't expect her to be this different.

EVIE: Don't you think it breaks my heart that we don't get along all that well anymore?  It's like she's not really my best friend...

MASON: That's one thing...you all got along, even as babies...why aren't you getting along now?

EVIE: We're getting along, we're just not that close...maybe we're the ones that have changed, Mace...ya' know, she is just working with the personality she was born with...we have a whole lot more to deal with.

MASON: So what?  I have to teach her right from wrong?

EVIE: No, you have to get your head out of your ass and stop worrying so much about what this is doing to you.

MASON: Evie, come on...

EVIE: No, have you even thought about how she's handling all this?  She's living with a husband she doesn't know, hanging around people she doesn't know.

MASON: Evie, I think about that every day.  I try to be understanding, but this is hard on me too.

EVIE: Honestly, Mason, I don't know what to tell you...you just need to man up.  Look, I have to go to work...call me when you're ready to not be a selfish ass.

Wow...that was awesome.

*BRIANA'S POV*

After I get Keely her breakfast, I come in to get her out and see Mason holding her.

A site like this warms my heart.  He has really proven to me that there are good men in the world.  Trevor was such an asshole, I can't believe I spent so much time with him.

BRIANA: You're so good with her.

MASON: *laugh* Thanks.  I think it's second nature to me.

BRIANA: Yeah, I know what you mean.  Sometimes I feel like I've been raising children for my entire life.

MASON: Is Keely your only child?

BRIANA: Yes, but...I just really love being her mom, I guess.

MASON: You're good at it...do you ever want to have more?

BRIANA: Yes, definitely...I just don't know how I'm going to be able to.

MASON: It'll happen for you, I'm sure of it.

BRIANA: I hope...hey, I wanted to bring something up with you.

MASON: What is it?

BRIANA: I want you to let me know if we overstay our welcome, okay?

MASON: You haven't...

BRIANA: Mason, I heard you and Hadley fighting the other night...

MASON: Oh...you heard that?

BRIANA: Look, I don't want to be the reason you all are fighting...

MASON: We don't really need a reason to fight these days..it seems to happen whether we want to or not.

BRIANA: Oh...I'm sorry to hear that.  You and Hadley always seem like the perfect couple.

MASON: We're far from it, believe me.  I don't know what to do anymore.

BRIANA: What's wrong?

He looks taken aback...uh-oh...I've overstepped.

BRIANA: I'm sorry...I didn't mean to be nosy...it's none of my business.

MASON: No...it's okay...it's...well, she's not the same person I married.

BRIANA: What happened?

MASON: She got...sick...and she hasn't been the same since...I don't know what to do.

BRIANA: People change, Mason...

MASON: Yeah, I know, and I can deal with it, but she's so different...I mean, you heard her.

BRIANA: Well, I didn't know her before...

MASON: I'll tell you, my Hadley would have never said half the things she did.  She would open her home to anyone.  If she thought they needed help, it wasn't even a question.

BRIANA: Well, if she's been sick, maybe that's why...

MASON: Yeah, I don't know.  We grew up together, I don't know if you know that, and she has never been this way.  I guess I didn't realize just how much of her personality was based on her life experiences, not just her nature.

BRIANA: Nature versus nurture...I guess nurture wins, huh?

MASON: Yeah, I don't know, I guess you know how people change better than anyone, huh?  I'm sure Trevor wasn't always an asshole.

BRIANA: No, he pretty much always was...

MASON: Oh...well...

BRIANA: Don't worry about it.  I guess I'm not known for my good choices.

MASON: Hey, we all make bad ones...believe me.

BRIANA: Well...what are you going to do...about Hadley?

MASON: *sigh* I don't know...but I really appreciate you talking to me...I actually feel a little better.

BRIANA: No problem...

MASON: I'm sorry I unloaded on you like this...

BRIANA: No, don't apologize...

MASON: It's just...I can't really talk to anyone else...

BRIANA: Well, if you ever need someone to talk to, you can come to me.