Rocket was pacing back and forth across the waiting room, he knew he should've remained seated, and been trying to calm down but he couldn't, all he could think about was how Tia was doing.

When they had reached the hospital, several doctors had took her away on a stretcher, they had told him that the injuries she had suffered were very serious and that if he hadn't have found her when he did, they were certain that she wouldn't have survived, he was glad at first but then he was told that she would have to undergo surgery to remove shards of glass that were embedded in the wound, he had tried to persuade the surgeons to let him be with her during surgery but they turned him away, saying that he was too young to enter an operating theatre. Instead they told him to stay in the waiting room until they were finished.

It had only been about and hour but to Rocket it seemed like forever, finally a nurse came up to him "you can see her now" she said "follow me." She pushed open a door and motioned for him to enter, he did so, then she closed the door and left him there. He immediately ran over and knelt down by Tia's bedside "Tia." he whispered "Tia it's me, wake up!" But she didn't stir, that was when he began to take in his surroundings. The right-hand side of her bed was filled by a variety of machines, continuously beeping and whirring, all attached to Tia by wires; he also noticed, much to his relief, that the cut on her lip was healing, many of the bruises had practically disappeared and her arm was wrapped up in a clean bandage. "She looks so peaceful" he thought, gazing at her sleeping form. He stayed like that for a while, but then he felt his eyelids beginning to droop and very soon he was asleep.

Tia opened her eyes very slowly; groggily she looked around "where am I?" she thought sleepily "It looks like I'm in hospital" Then her eyes shot opened "I'm in hospital?! How did- why-" then the memories came flooding back.

"Rocket" she mumbled, at that very moment, she heard something stir to the left of her, she looked and found, to her utmost joy, that it was Rocket. He was asleep, and by the looks of things he had been there quite a while, she reached over and gently began to play with a lock of his hair; he mumbled something and tried to push her away, then he froze and looked up to meet her gaze. Almost instantly a huge relieved grin spread across his face "Tia!" he exclaimed "you're OK!" she shrugged "well not completely, but I'll live." Just then a nurse walked in "good you're awake" she said smiling "how do you feel?"

"A bit tired, that's all"

"Alright then, we just need to run some tests" she turned to Rocket "could you wait outside please" he was about to protest but Tia cut in "Rocket. Go, I'll be fine" He sighed reluctantly and exited the room.

About fifteen minutes later the door opened and the nurse stepped out "she's fine for now, but her injuries may cause her pain so I've prescribed her some tablets, you can pick them up at reception" Rocket nodded before asking "so is she able to leave?"

"As soon as we can find her something suitable to wear then yes"

"Great!" Rocket replied "I'll go and collect the prescription while I'm waiting" and with that he ran off down the hallway as fast as his legs could carry him.

He hadn't been waiting for long before he heard approaching footsteps, he looked up to find Tia standing there, he got up and pulled her into a tight embrace

"Aah!" he released her immediately and began to apologizing profusely "sorry, I forgot about your arm! Are you OK?" she nodded "yeah I'm fine, just be a bit more careful next time!"

"I will don't worry! Oh and by the way" he grabbed a package off the front desk and handed it to her "the nurse said to take this if you feel in pain" she took it "thanks...I think" He smiled and took her hand in his own "right, time to take you home!" she stared at him in fear, he laughed "no not your home! I'm taking you back to mine!" she relaxed "whew! I thought-" then she remembered something "hang on, I thought your mum didn't like visitors"

"No she doesn't, but I'm not letting you go back to your home, not after all you've been through" Tia smiled and squeezed his hand gently "thanks I knew I could count on you" he looked down at her "you're welcome, and don't worry about my mum, I'll somehow manage to win her over"

"NO! ABSOLUTLY NO WAY!! SHE IS NOT STAYING HERE!!" Rockets mum yelled "we have enough on out plate already! And what if-" she lowered her voice "what if she finds out about 'you know what?' " Rocket had an answer ready "mum look, we have a spare room upstairs, she won't be any trouble plus, she won't find out about 'that' I swear. Please mum you have to let her stay; she has nowhere else to go!" His mum considered it for a minute or so before answering "fine, she can stay, but any trouble and she is out, do you understand? OUT!" Rocket nodded enthusiastically "of course mum! Don't worry!" he yelled as he sprinted away.

Tia sat in the drawing room, the very same one she had sat it when she and Rocket first met; she was tapping her foot and biting her nails nervously "what if his mum doesn't let me stay?" she thought "what will I do then? No don't be silly! He said he'd sort something out didn't he!" But she couldn't help having a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Suddenly she heard the sound of running footsteps, and then Rocket burst into the room "its ok! You can stay!" she stared at him "really? Are you serious?"

"Yes I am!" she beamed "thank you!" she cried "Oh thank you thank you thank you!!!" He smiled at her "OK, OK calm down, do you want to see your room or not?" She looked at him in embarrassment "sorry, I just got a little over excited!"

"That's OK, now follow me." He walked out of the room with Tia trotting happily after him.

"Here we are" he said, stopping outside a huge wooden door "My room's just two doors down so if you need me you know where to find me"

"OK, thanks" Tia replied, Rocket looked at her and noticed something was wrong. "Are you alright?" he asked worriedly. She looked up at him "Yeah I am, I just can't get over the fact that you're doing all this for me, no-one's been this kind to me before, so it's kind of hard to take it all in! I-" But Rocket placed a finger on her lips then, wordlessly, he kissed her.

It started off relatively innocent, but something began to boil up inside him, and he started to slide his hands underneath her shirt. She shivered but made no attempt to stop him; instead she pressed her body against his and, much to his surprise, gently nibbled on his bottom lip as if pleading for entrance which he happily allowed. Their tongues began to circle on another, slowly at first then faster and faster as the passion intensified. Reluctantly they broke away for air, Rocket looked at Tia with uncertainty, and he opened his mouth to say something but was prevented by Tia kissing him again, once again their tongues began the battle for dominance; but this time Tia began to pull Rocket towards the spare room with only one thing on her mind: she wanted him, and wanted him now. By now Rocket had figured out exactly what she was getting at and was more than happy to oblige.

As soon as the door closed behind them they fell on the bed, kissing feverishly, Tia slid a hand up his chest and began undoing the buttons of his shirt while he did the same for her, taking care not to hurt her bandaged arm. Soon they were both shirtless but they didn't stop there, Rocket reached down and undid his belt, then pulling down his trousers; next he began to slide Tia's trousers down her legs while kissing her neck, their underwear followed shortly afterwards. Rocket removed his lips from her neck to look her in the eye "are you sure?" He asked "does this answer your question?" she replied, before pulling him into a deep, passionate kiss and slipping beneath the covers....