Chapter: 1

The Hospital

He was falling.

Down into a deep dark hole.

He could see pieces of railing fly past him.

Sparks bursting everywhere.

His heart was racing and his arms and legs flailed as his cape whipped around violently.

'I'm sorry mother, I'm sorry.'

Was all he could think as he fell down farther than he could ever imagine.

It was cold.

He couldn't move, he was lying in a bed of some sort.

'It's itchy' he thought.

He could hear voices in the background but, couldn't quite make them out.

He tried to open his eyes.

The light hit him like the burning sun.

He hadn't even opened them that much, yet the light burned brightly.

Sighing heavily, he tried to open them once more.

Slowly, very slowly, he opened his aching eyes about halfway before shutting them quickly, not being able to take it.

He enjoyed the cooling relief of darkness that shutting his eyes brought him.

He heard beeping and slowly turned his head to the left.

Opening his eyes, he saw a few white machines placed beside him.

"How do you feel?"

'What? Who was that?' He thought.

He turned his head to the right and opened his eyes a bit more.

All he could see through the slant in his eyes was curly hair that was the color of chocolate and caramel.

Opening his eyes even more, he saw hints of Raven black and gold.

His throat was sore but he decided to speak anyway.

"Who are you?"

His voice was more quiet and more raspy than usual.

Speaking felt like fire balls speeding down his throat.

"I am a muse." She gave a soft smile.

"Amused? By what, may I ask?" Still proper as always.

She giggled.

"No Balem. Not amused, 'A' Muse."

"How do you know my name?"

He was tired.

To tired to be speaking to some common earthling.

"You are Lord Balem.

Who wouldn't know who you are?"

He sighed.

'Of course, she's correct.

Who wouldn't know?'

"Plus, that's what it says on your chart."

She picks it up and flips through it.

She whistles.

"Fell from 3,000 feet, rendered unconscious, mild comma.

Ouchie."

He rolled his eyes.

'Ouchie? So human.'

"What is your name, earthling?"

She looked up at him.

"My name is my own and I'll keep it."

He looks at her confused.

"Excuse me?"

"You don't need to know my name just yet."

He shifts in the bed.

"You speak a lot of nonsense, muse.

Owning your name.

Where do you come from?"

She stared at him for a bit.

"Why do you need to know?"

Why did he need to know?

She was just a commoner.

Why was he interested in her?

"Well... I am in a, what looks like, a make-shift infirmary room.

I don't know you, and I am alone with you."

She set the chart back on the bed.

"My name...you have to earn.

You are in the best hospital in New York, and I am here to look after you."

His expression softened.

"New York, that's on..."

"Earth."

They both said it at the same time.

He, out of recognizing and remembering the beauty of his mothers beloved planet.

Her, out of stating where she lived.

'As if he didn't know.'

She thought and shook her head, giggling at herself.

He smirked at her subconsciously.

Then he noticed.

'Stop it. She's beneath you.'

He thought.

He wiped the smirk off his face faster than any harvest he had ever had done.

He tried to sit up and groaned as pain ran through his chest.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

She sat down on the bed next to him.

"It's gonna hurt."

She giggled.

"Do not laugh at me."

He was pissed off.

He had just realized the filth that was on his mothers beautiful planet.

The vermin race that populated the earth.

Earth was beautiful, yes.

But, what lived on it was not.

The residents there had no grace, no beauty.

They were nothing but filthy, greedy beings who needed to be wiped from existence.

"Hey, it's alright. Chill." He stared at her.

"I want to go home...now."

Her expression saddens.

"I'm sorry, but you can't. You have to stay on earth till your ship is fixed and you are better. I'm betting that you'll get better before your ship is fixed."

"What are you talking about, earthling scum?"

She winces and he can't tell wether she was actually hurt by what he said, or if she was being sarcastic.

"Watch what you say, space boy. Or I'll pull the plug on you and watch you die here."

He gives her a smug look.

"I am not on life support."

She tilts her head.

"Just because I am an entitled, does not mean I can't read a book on something or other about my mothers planet."

She giggles.

"True, your majesty. Very true."

Now it was his turn to tilt his head.

"You giggle a lot."

"You amuse me."

He raises a brow.

"So you 'are' amused."

"Slightly."

She smirks.

"You know, if you're good, I can get you out of here."

"Why 'on earth' as you say. Would I ever let a human help me?"

She sits closer to him so that she doesn't have to speak to loudly.

"You want to go home, yes?"

He slightly nods.

"Well, you can't. At Least, not yet."

He blinks slowly.

"But, I bet... That you don't want to stay here either. So, I am offering for you to come stay with me till you are better."

He scoffs.

"Would you rather stay here?"

She gently removes his oxygen tubes, while he stares at her.

"Why do you want me with you so badly? What will you get out of this?"

He looks at her a bit curiously.

She smiles softly.

"I will get to care for one of the most important people in the universe."

He smirked.

"And what do 'I' get out of it?"

"Well, for one; a decent meal."

Summer had just signed the release forms when Jupiter came barging in.

It takes her a moment before she sees Summer sitting there.

"You."

She marched up to her.

"You're the one who's releasing him. You're all over the news."

Her voice cracks as she speaks.

"You can't do this.

That man needs to go to prison on his own planet.

You can't take him /home/ with you!"

Summer calmly stands up and looks the Russian girl in the face, saying very quietly: "Watch me."

Jupiter's mouth drops as she watches Summer walk to the counter and hand the forms to the head nurse before walking back into Balems room.