Memory Loss AU (requested by @bearattheriver) Maddie Nolen x Reader Angst, no comfort [1.6k words]
Blearily Maddie blinked toward the ceiling, the steady beeping of monitors slowly beginning to register in her ears and a dull ache spreading throughout her head and arm to which the IV was stuck to.
It was peaceful for just about a second, still softly dozing away despite the harsh overheads practically blinding her. Peaceful up until she attempted to raise her arm, not getting far until the restraints held her back. With a careful lift of her head she saw the handcuffs on both her wrists and ankles, tying her down to the bed like a rabid animal.
What the hell happened here?
Not even ten minutes later a Nurse entered through the door, catching Maddies confused gaze.
"Oh you're awake." he'd note, cheerful in the same way a person might be if they found a penny after winning the lottery.
He quickly scribbled something down on a notepad as he checked over some of the machinery that was acting as a noise machine for the moment.
Maddie blinked at him, once again trying to lift her hand to instinctively touch her face. Again, to no success.
"What—uhm." She'd clear her throat "How long have I been out? What happened?"
The nurse looked over his glasses with a narrow glare, eyeing up the innocent look in Maddies eyes like it was anything but that of confusion.
"You don't remember?"
Maddie shook her head no, immediately regretting it as a spike off pain shot through her skull like she'd been hit by an arrow.
The nurse snickered a little, not seeming like he believes a word she's said.
"You're trouble, kid." he'd state, noting down the last vitals before wandering out of the room again.
—
Maddies other visitors didn't seem much more talkative either, doing a few exams and keeping exchanges brief. Nobody answered her question as to why she was cuffed down and what even had taken place that made her end up here.
She had only managed to piece together that a significant head injury was involved, quite obvious in hindsight since she didn't seem to remember a thing at all, had nauseating headaches and got her cognitive functions checked twice daily. The bandage wrapped around her head also wasn't very subtle, especially when she had a mirror held in front of her face for another thing of testing.
—
A few days of repetitive questions, restricted movement tests and getting the cold shoulder from anyone participating, there came someone new.
A woman in a suit, two Enforcers in tow. She stood straight and eyed the form still cuffed to the bed before opening her mouth.
"Maddie Nolen, I'm here to inform you that I'll be your legally required representative in the case of assault and attempted murder of a highly regarded officer, as well as the case of your deception and betrayal of the nation of Piltover."
The ginger just blinked up at the apparent Lawyer very stupidly. "My what?"
Even now she didn't get more answers, just having a folder placed into her lap that was stacked with documents.
"Court date is in here. I'll be seeing you then."
And that was it again.
There was new Information, bare crumbs that felt like they weighed the world.
That couldn't have been me.
She thought about it over and over as she flipped through the folder that stated her case, using the one hand they mercifully decided to uncuff. It was like reading a story from someone miles away, a very distant news report meant to scare people into behaving. But apparently it had been a reality that was lived by Maddie just barely a month and a half ago.
Page by page, everything became more surreal. It felt as though she was reading a rumor someone made up about her: A spy from an old affiliated Nation turned enemy, carrying illegal information across borders. Information gathered in the bounds of an intimate relationship, none of which Maddie can even try to recall, much less ever recalling having broken it off.
—
When it was finally time for Maddie to appear in court, being guided inside by enforcers with her hands cuffed behind her back, she spotted someone near the entrance.
A woman was standing next to another Enforcer, a Vastaya, if Maddie remembered that correctly. She looked dazed and followed Maddies movements closely, eyes kind of puffy and cheeks still red. She must have been crying.
For a second or so, a different image flashed in front of Maddies eyes. That same woman, her features soft in the morning glow that illuminated her bare skin as she laid in bed. Abruptly interrupted only by another memory of fluorescent lights and the woman hysterically crying as monitors beeped and the low hum of a doctors voice tried methodically explaining a diagnosis Maddie was too out of to catch onto. That must've been back at the hospital.
But who was she? Somebody important for sure seeing the way they had obviously been so close and vulnerable with each other to the point that she'd cried at Maddies bedside.
Maybe that was the Caitlyn she'd read about in the files. Definitely must have been. Who else could've pretended to love her when she truly had been as cruel as the file had depicted.
—
The trial was rough, a back and fourth of shouting and even booing from the visitor seats on an occasion or two.
What roused the crowd completely had been the judges decision to let Maddie go under close inspection. Everyone was in proper outrage, understandably so! So what if Maddie couldn't recall where she belonged or who she even was. She's fooled everyone before so she must be capable of doing it again. Besides: Who can even prove she's lost her memory at all?
A baseless accusation that threw even Maddie off center. How could she even begin to plead against that? It was hopeless in it's entirety.
The court reconsidered, adjourning the meeting to have Maddie under go just a few more tests. A few more safety measures, just to be sure. Still the crowd wasn't pleased and she could hear it loud and clear while being ushered outside: We can't keep funding a criminals hospital testing! Such a burden she was just because she's acting stupid.
And god how she wished to just be acting stupid instead of feeling as dumb as she is. All those strangely familiar faces, like she'd seen them before but they'd been attached to someone unrecognizable. She knew all these people as much as she didn't.
And among them were you: Still holding onto Stebs arms, fighting to keep tears in. You had watched Maddie the entire trail, watched as she sat with a frown like a kid that couldn't quite understand what they did wrong but took the scolding anyway.
You didn't know her like this. But after everything that happened it felt like you didn't even know her at all. Just as she doesn't know you.
—
Eventually though the court finaled in their decision, deeming Maddies loss of memory and otherwise disabling damage to the brain as enough punishment. She was allowed to stay in Piltover and seek the help required to offer a better quality of Life again.
The decision was heavily debated and Maddie didn't miss any of the glares sent her way and incoherent grumbles. They didn't know how thankful Maddie was for the opportunity given to her and she knew exactly what to do first.
So when she stepped out of the courtroom, seeing the Vastaya enforcer once again, she didn't hesitate.
"Excuse me? Can you show me to the woman you were with last time—Caitlyn, I think."
Steb just looked at Maddie, his face not giving away a thing while his heart still ached remembering their close friendship before. Maddie had been his best patrol companion and now he's not only lost her as a colleague but as a friend too, as anything at all. The Maddie he knew was gone.
Still he tried to stay professional.
"I've not been with the Kiramman." he'd shake his head "but I'll gladly show you to who you must be confusing her with."
Maddie was perplexed for a second, apparently having falsely assumed you were her fling. Nonetheless, she stayed determined to see you, something about you just pulled her in. It was something she couldn't logically describe.
—
You were surprised at first when you opened your door to see Maddie, Steb standing off further to the side. Maddie held a small bouquet of flowers in her hands, a token of kindness apparently, that you can imagine she's bugged Steb to stop for. A sense of normality shone through the clouds that have been hanging over your head ever since you'd seen Maddie in the hospital where they told you she'd never be back to normal again.
The flowers weren't anything special, but it contained your favorites which probably meant more to you than it did to her when she picked them out.
You'd invited Maddie inside wordlessly, carefully picking out a vase to display her gift in as she sat on the sofa, watching like you were a text to memorize.
With a sigh she'd rub her eyes "I feel like I should remember you. But I can't. I'm sorry."
You swallowed back tears once again, remembering how good you'd been doing on keeping yourself composed lately. Don't break now.
So with a shake of your head you carefully placed the filled vase on the table.
"Don't worry about it."
Although honestly, you wanted her to worry. Really you wanted her to just immediately remember you at the snap of a finger, crawl back into the bed you've left unmade ever since she left that one morning. But you knew it wouldn't happen.
Still, you hoped. If there was something like soulmates, she'd fall for you again. She'd come back around and it'd be just like it was before.
Except it never will be.
