They don't remember anything

"...It was always a possibility that they wouldn't." Saunders and Kelly stood with you, David, and Tabitha as the five of you discussed your parents. As Kerry explained, it was always a possibility that they wouldn't remember, so much the trauma that the brain could not comprehend what was happening and simply shut down. Why you two remembered and they didn't was harder to explain but Saunders looked over the charts and came to the same conclusion that you reached earlier with Tabitha: No one knew shit.

"So...that leaves us with mom and dad not remembering anything about their prior lives...but does that mean that they think they were always Tim and David?" Tabitha asked and your ears perked up at that. It was a simple question but one that you never really thought about. David, for his part, also looked at the two.

"Most likely. Indeed, if they don't remember being your parents, you two essentially, the brain makes up a simple reason and latches to it. In essence, your parents adjusted to their new bodies mentally during the coma and the brains inside your old heads acclimated much faster. It was easier for them to believe it than fight against it." Saunders rubbed his temple. "It's all conjecture at this point but it would be easier for everyone if they just adapted the best that they could. Your mom and dad will likely never remember their former lives. It would be easier for them to be Tim and David Connors."

Tabitha leaned back in the chair and looked at the two of you. "What about Tim and David, then? They need to just take over mom and dad's lives?"

"As opposed to?" Kerry queried and Saunders rolled his eyes. Tabitha stuck her tongue out and flipped him off, earning a laugh from David who covered his mouth, something that your mom did often. While the doctors dismissed this, you cast a glance at your sister who looked at you as well at the same time. Both of you caught that. Perhaps the doctors were on to something more than they themselves could realize.

After they left, Tabitha stayed with the two of you and you discussed what to say around Mom and Dad, agreeing that you three would pretend to address each other as Mom and Dad when in their presence. Tabitha didn't really care which way things went though, offering to help David adjust to being a woman now and your brother blanching at the thought of what that entailed. You had the decency to keep quiet, offering to support him in whatever way possible but supporting Tabitha's position when it came down to it. She was surprisingly sympathetic to him, having only last month seemingly threatening to filet his nutsack the next time he stepped into her room.

"So what do we do...I mean, you know, mom and dad had a rather...healthy relationship..." he began, and your mind immediately zeroed in on what he really meant. Your parents were definitely one of those irritating ones, according to your mom's friend Rebecca, who were still very much in favor of open displays of affection. They held hands, she loved linking her arm with his and resting her head on his shoulder, they often kissed without care in front of whomever, and you even remembered how she had even changed up her entire wardrobe when they celebrated their 15th anniversary, just because it added "spice" into their sex life. The things you didn't want to hear...

But now, sitting there in your father's body, you didn't need to remember what that meant. You had to portray your father in front of everyone else, meaning you had to be more than open and willing to hug, hold, kiss your brother. Hell, if it meant that much, what did mean in terms of...