The only sound she could hear was the beeping. A low one-pitched note that drummed out in a constant rhythm throughout the room. Not quite echoing, not quite flat. Just a single digital speck of a noise that filled her ears and distracted her from everything else.

She was alone. Or, at least, the only one in the room that could presently speak. She sat, curled loosely in a single chair, her hands propped against the arm of the furniture to use as a pillow for her head. With her feet tucked under her thighs and her face poised towards the floor, one might have walked in on her from behind and assumed she were sleeping. But one look at her from the front and her dead staring eyes combined with her tangled hair would have made it obvious that this poor girl hadn't slept a restful night in a solid week. Yes, sleep did not come easy for Sonia Nevermind anymore. Not since she began waiting anxiously for the man before her to wake up a week prior.

"It has to work!" She had told the others in the beginning. "He simply has to wake up!"

Arguing with her proved fruitless. Sonia's desperation was far too great. The normally upbeat and kindhearted Princess had snapped at anyone who had tried to explain the delicate reality of the situation. No one could blame her, really. Tense behavior was to be expected when a loved one lay in a hospital bed next to you. But Sonia's outbursts were a bit too rash for the rest of her friends. Her anxiety had turned to insulting them which, to some, felt like crossing the line. In the end, her refusal to see the truth led to her friends feeling both heartbroken and angry at her.

"Fine, then! Don't say I didn't warn you!"

"You're acting like the Ultimate Brat!"

"You're not the only one praying for Gundham's return!"

The argument left tears staining the Princess' face. Tears, but also clutched fists. She was fuming that the others hadn't seemed to remember what Gundham himself had said to them within the Neo World Program just days prior.

"Giving up on life... That's just an insult to life itself!"

Had they forgotten his words? Had they forgotten what he had told them right before he sacrificed himself for them? How could they go against what Gundham believed in? Especially now, when there was a possible second chance at his life?

No. Sonia wasn't going to let her friend's concerns get her down. It's not what she believed. She was going to remain confident and clear-headed until Gundham finally awoke. She would be true to herself and true to the man who had inspired her will to live. That's what she told herself, anyway.

Sonia was strong. But the week would inevitably break her.

The first few days, her resilience was honorable. She had taken it upon herself to take as much care of Gundham as possible. Pillow fluffing, blanket smoothing, even pretending to check his vital signs which she knew she couldn't understand but made her feel better to try anyway. Mikan, the Ultimate Nurse, was quite helpful in assessing the progress Gundham was making during this time. Sonia was grateful for her friend's assistance and also thankful that the nurse allowed her to stay in the room 24/7. Mikan had no problem with Sonia's dedication to Gundham. In fact, she even let Sonia have a damp cloth in order to wipe against Gundham's forehead, much to the Princess' delight. The cloth helped Sonia feel like she were truly aiding in Gundham's recovery, which eased any worries that she might have had before. But as the days went by and Mikan began to show signs of nervousness whenever Sonia asked about Gundham's condition, the Ultimate Princess began to blatantly disagree with the nurse's medical judgement. Sonia was convinced that Mikan was wrong and refused to accept that there was any possibility that Gundham's condition had worsened. On one particular day, Sonia was so frustrated with Mikan that the Princess had even pushed the nurse out of the door with a polite 'thank you' and nod before proceeding to distract her own invading thoughts by returning to Gundham's bedside, plucking at his scarf as though it weren't the hundredth time she'd adjusted it.

Speaking of the scarf, Sonia had discovered another simple distraction for easing her mind during this time period. The Four Dark Devas of Destruction. These little buggers were, as a matter of fact, still within the familiar purple scarf around Gundham's neck despite their master being unconscious at the time. When they were first discovered, the others had attempted to remove them since it was impossible for Gundham to care for them. When their attempts resulted in bruised and bloodied fingers, the hamsters were promptly left alone. Sonia, however, had no intention of moving them. Rather, she found comfort in playing with them and feeding them, feeling that the little creatures agreed with her in staying hopeful through staying right there by Gundham's side. It certainly helped that she felt as though caring for the hamsters was, by extension, helping Gundham as well. He did, after all, take care of them so strongly the entire time she'd known him. It was just another way to help Gundham's recovery. And the fact that they allowed her to handle them, unlike the others, felt like a sign that it was her destiny to do so. She did admit to herself that it were always possible that the only reason they allowed her to touch them was the fact that they were dependent on her for food (since they refused to leave the room for food themselves) but she tried not to think of it that way. She was naturally an optimist and decided that she wanted to believe in the connection she felt with the small animals. At the very least, watching them shove big pieces of food into their chubby cheeks was enough to keep her spirits up. And no matter how the hamsters truly felt about her, surely Gundham's pets would not stay near him if they weren't sure he would waken once more?

Mikan inevitably returned the next day after being kicked out. She had a duty to perform, after all, and Sonia's outburst wasn't going to stop her from helping a patient. When she did so, it was time for Sonia's game of make believe to crack. The Ultimate Nurse informed her that Gundham's temperature was rising and as such they needed to remove the scarf from around his neck. The Princess' instinct was to fight this, her need for normalcy and routine overriding the common sense that a scarf would only add more heat to a man who lay unconscious with a fever. But eventually she agreed after Mikan sought help from others. In a noble attempt of a last-ditch act of defiance, Sonia accepted the role of wearing the garment herself, claiming that the hamsters would, of course, be alright in her care, and Gundham would want that anyway. But right as she was that she could care for the animals, the specific worrying circumstances caused the hamsters themselves to want to leave the comfort of their home just to crawl back onto the hospital bed and be with their master. Sonia's heart couldn't take the pain of their little noses pressed against Gundham's neck. She had cried as she removed the scarf from her body and had coiled it onto the bed. She regretted acting rashly and was sorry for being selfish.

Day five was the worst yet. It was the first day that not even she could deny that she was scared. She couldn't leave him. Not even to eat would she tear herself from the bed. Wary whispers about Sonia's relentless sitting traveled through the hospital's halls but the Princess couldn't hear them. She was deaf to their uncertainty. She was too far gone, too transfixed by Gundham's rising and lowering chest. The incessant need to watch his breathing wormed into her mind, telling her that if she didn't make absolute certain that his chest was still moving that it would mean the end. For hours she had sat next to him, just watching. Sometimes placing a hand against his shirt to make absolute certain that his chest was still moving. But by the time the sun had set that day, Sonia's fixation had left and she knew that she was being foolish. After midnight, she had retreated to the one hospital room's chair, her body a lump of sorrow that would find no sleep that night.

Now it was the seventh night. She hadn't slept. She hadn't eaten. She hadn't moved a single muscle since retiring to the chair the night prior. Her eyes were lazily gazing at the floor, not caring what they looked at. Her body felt drained of all energy as it hung loosely across the piece of furniture. The only thing she could still process was the sound of Gundham's EKG machine which had been beeping ever since he had first been hooked up to it. A week ago, Sonia would have said she hadn't paid any attention to the sound. That the noise had simply been a part of the background through her daily routine. But now it was all she could hear. And it was the only thing she was aware of in the room.

That beeping. That constant unending beeping. It was suppose to represent life. It was suppose to represent hope. But to Sonia it was a sound that rang in her ears as sharply as a knife. Fear was what the beeping represented to her. Fear that the beeping would someday cease. Fear that someday she wouldn't hear the beeping ever again. What would she do if the beeping suddenly stopped? What would she do when that blip, blip, blipping would turn into one low sour drawn-out note? She didn't know. She didn't want to know. And that question she so desperately wanted to ignore loomed over her like a thick heavy fog. It was all she could do to just sit still and wait. She no longer had the confidence nor the will to do anything else. Just sit. And listen to the beeping.

Her lip trembled as her thoughts shifted. 'Don't give up' he had said. 'It's an insult' he had said. She tried to cling to his words. To reach out for the last remaining straw of hope before the incessant beeping took over. His voice echoed throughout her mind, distant and fading, like the sound of a bell's ring just starting to end. She could feel her eyes starting to water as his voice left her mind.

'Gundham… I think I'm starting to give up…'

Two fat warm tears rolled down her cheeks and she sniffed. Admitting her true feelings hit her like a brick wall and instinctively her body coiled tighter into itself. Like a frightened dog she buried her head into her arms and began to cry. But just as she began to succumb to the negative thoughts, a new sound caused her to pause. A rustling coming from the direction of the bed. It was a generally soft noise, but loud enough that she knew it couldn't possibly have been made by the hamsters. Sonia perked her head up, confused and alert. The only noise was the beeping. But then… A quiet grumbling noise murmured from Gundham's direction. Sonia's heart leapt into her throat. In an instant, she was scrambling from the chair, nearly tripping over her own feet as she did so. She flung herself across the room, frantic to see if the hope that had suddenly filled her heart was not in vain. Her hands jutted out to grasp the metal railing on the side of the bed, her heartbeat racing. She locked her eyes on the pale face of the man before her, desperate to see even the slightest movement.

At first there was nothing. But Sonia knew she hadn't been crazy to think that something was about to happen for Gundham's four hamsters also appeared to be watching and waiting. They stayed still, ears erect and faces lifted to catch any positive sign of their master's return. After a few seconds of silence, Gundham's face began to twitch. His eyebrows furrowed and his head began to turn little by little. Everyone stayed as still as possible, as if any movement could jinx things. Finally, after one large intake of breath, Gundham's eyes sluggishly opened. His chest heaved as the air filled and released from his lungs. He appeared to be quite sleepy, but otherwise Gundham looked very much alive.

Sonia couldn't hold back any longer.

"Gundham!" She cried, quickly pushing down the metal railing that she had previously been gripping and hurtling herself onto the bed, kneeling next to him as close as she could get given the relatively small bed. To say that Gundham was startled as two arms shot towards him and instantly wrapped themselves around his neck was an understatement. Confused and weak, he lay still, unable to move or process what was going on. Meanwhile, the four hamsters that had previously been stationed near his neck were now racing in excitement all around the bed. They looked like little race cars speeding around the blankets.

"Oh, thank God…" Sonia whispered through her shaking. "Thank God… Oh, Gundham.. I thought you might… might…"

She began to cry again, not caring if the tears fell onto his skin. She clung to him, finally able to release all the pent up emotions she had carried inside her for the past week. She was overjoyed to see him, of course, but also desperate to be comforted after what she had just gone through. Gundham, on the other hand, simply blinked, obviously confused by the position they were both in. He tried to figure out what was happening by staying still and looking around but this proved difficult considering her arms were locked around him. The next logical move was to turn his head so that he might see her face, but before he could do so, Sonia suddenly blocked his view by pushing her cheek tightly against his and strengthening her hold against his neck. She was now sobbing into his ear, clutching his shirt in one hand and his hair in the other. Startled by this sudden increase in emotion, Gundham decided the best decision was simply to wait for her to finish. He remained silent the entire time, both unsure of what to do to help the situation but also understandably too weak to properly move. He dared not admit to her that her clinging was actually hurting slightly.

After a few minutes, Sonia's sobs started to calm. A few sniffs here or there still came through and the tears were still flowing down her cheeks but in general she was feeling more relieved and settled. As such, Sonia immediately released away from Gundham. A hint of blush spread across her face as she clasped her hands together in a prayer-like fashion and she apologized for acting so hastily.

"Oh, I wasn't thinking properly!" she said quickly. "I'm so sorry, I was just so worried. Are you okay? I didn't even ask if you were hurting…"

"Where.. are we..?" Gundham asked, looking around the room.

"You're at the hospital," Sonia answered, wiping the tears from her face. "We're out. We all got out of the program. You were the last one to wake up but we're all finally out. Oh! Oh, I just realized that you're probably dizzy from being asleep that long and here I just tackled you without thinking! I shouldn't have grabbed onto you so tightly so quickly! I'm so sorry!"

Gundham took a moment to try and understand what she had just explained. She was speaking rather fast and his mind was still trying to catch up to reality. Eventually, relief washed over him as he understood what had happened. He nodded.

"Are you okay?" Sonia asked as she watched Gundham close his eyes.

"A headache." Gundham replied. His slow tone of voice suggested that speaking was still a bit of a struggle. "But nothing… someone of my great magnitude… can't handle."

Sonia grinned through her worried expression, chuckling a bit at Gundham's words. Even in pain he still spoke in the same unique (if not egotistical) manner. She stared at him, relieved to see him with his eyes open and well enough to speak. Her eyes floated over his various features, taking all of them in slowly and appreciating them one by one. His dark brooding eyes. That scar that evoked mystery and intrigue. His hair, which, at the moment, had fallen into a disheveled heap. The curve of his cheek and even the way his lips were shaped. Temporarily, her thoughts were broken as she noticed a small smile spread across his face. She followed his gaze to see that his four hamsters were now gathering on his chest, evidently finished with their energetic running. Gundham attempted to reach out to them, only finding himself able to barely lift his right hand. After a few attempts he was able to place it on top of his chest. The hamsters immediately cuddled up to his hand and stayed there, understanding that he could not provide anything more at the moment. Sonia smiled at the innocent act, then returned her sights to Gundham's eyes. A strong feeling overwhelmed her and she began to lean forward. Gundham sensed the movement and looked up, suddenly dropping his smile as he noticed that her face was getting closer.

"What are—" he began to say but was interrupted as Sonia pressed her lips against his. Gundham was shocked, having prided himself on being able to detect anyone's next movements around him. Needless to say he hadn't expected this action at all and he was unsure of how to handle it. He was frozen, wide eyed and stiff, never guessing that she would pull such a stunt. The kiss itself could not have been more than a few seconds but thoughts were racing through his mind at an alarming speed during it. Confusion, uncertainty, surprise. The knowledge that this had never happened before and the realization that he'd never prepared for it. And then… most surprising of all… the feeling that perhaps… maybe… possibly… for just a moment… he might have enjoyed it. Try as he might to deny it, the fact was that just as Sonia was starting to pull away, Gundham had actually started to close his eyes. And it was this moment of sudden vulnerability that caused Gundham to flush red as soon as Sonia started to lean back.

"I'm sorry, but I had to," Sonia explained, ignoring his blush. "I didn't want to regret never getting the chance to do that ever again."

Gundham couldn't help but look away. Her words were genuine but he was still trying to gather his own thoughts and decide how he himself should feel about the situation. His lip twitched for a moment as he tried to resist the feeling now pooling in his stomach. But no sooner had he tried to resist than the urge to reply with something honest entered his mind. "I… didn't mind," he muttered quietly.

Sonia's expression brightened. "Really?" Gundham said nothing, too embarrassed to look at her. She smiled, finding his troubled face to be quite adorable. "I look forward to more."

Gundham's eyes traveled back to meet her gaze. Her reply caused him to blush yet again but instead of feeling only embarrassment he couldn't help but notice there was happiness this time, too.

The Princess leaned forward to kiss her Dark Knight on the forehead. "I'm happy you're safe," she said. Then she gently scooped his hamsters out of the way so that she could lay her head down atop his chest. Gundham watched silently, taking in her long blonde hair that flowed down her back like a serene waterfall. His eyes then moved to see her hand, delicately placed against his stomach, moving in rhythm to his breathing. His intrigue increased as his hamsters began to move away from his own hand in order to cuddle themselves against Sonia's fingers, their eyes all closed in their apparent peace with her. A strange feeling overwhelmed Gundham in that moment. A feeling he couldn't explain. His stomach felt fluttery and there was an unexplainable warmth building in his chest.

Gundham found himself hoping that this wasn't a dream. Moving his left arm out carefully from underneath Sonia, he placed his hand gently atop Sonia's shoulder. Then, he moved his right hand to lightly push through his furry companions in order to lock fingers with the Princess'. She accepted his finger's embrace right away, squeezing them tightly as the four hamsters gathered back together to join in on the embrace.

"Gundham," Sonia said.

"Yes?"

"I love you."

Gundham smiled, thankful that the Princess wasn't looking at him. And for once in his life, he didn't reply with the words of his own private fantasy.

"I love you, too."

It was the happiest all of them had ever felt.