"Oh! Doctor! How is he?" Penny spoke quickly as the doctor exited the room Seaweed had been admitted to an hour before.

"Yes, how is?" Maybelle asked. She arrived as soon as Penny called her from the hospital.

"He's going to be fine." The doctor smiled as the two women sighed. "He lost a lot of blood though, so he'll be drowsy, but you can go in and see him. However, we're going to have to keep him here tonight."

"Yes." "Of course." They chimed in. As soon as the doctor left, Maybelle grabbed Penny's had and gave it a small squeeze. "Ready?" She asked. Penny nodded and they entered the bright white hospital room.

Seaweed was laying on the bed silently.

"Baby?" Maybelle called to her son softly. He opened his eyes and smiled.

"Hey Mama!" He spoke quietly with a cough.

"How are you feeling?"

"I've been better." He gave his mother one of his award winning smiles that Penny loved so much.

At the moment, Penny stood back a little from his bed side. She decided to give Miss Maybelle a little space. After all, he was her son.

"I was so worried baby."

"I know Mama, but I'm fine." He tried to reassure.

"If you say so. You better rest up and get better real quick! Because you know the Corny Collin's show will suffer with out you!" She pointed out half seriously and half jokingly.

Seaweed laughed a little. "I will. I promise." Silence filled the room a moment.

"Mama?"

"Yes, baby?"

"Where's Penny. I .. Kind of thought she'd be here ..."

"She's right here baby. Right –" Maybelle turned around to find that Penny was no longer standing behind her.

"Now where could that little chickadee have run off to?" She muttered under her breath. She kissed her son's forehead and slipped out into the hall. Slightly exasperated, she went to go find Penny. Practically right outside of Seaweed's room she found Penny curled up in a corner.

"Penny!? What in the devil's name are you doin'? Why won't you talk to Seaweed? He did take a bullet for you after all!" Maybelle pointed out.

"Don't you think I know that?!" Penny picked her head up from her knees and shouted. Tears were pouring down her red cheeks and her lips quivered while her eye showed both sadness and fear. Maybelle's expression lightened and she took her hands off her hips.

"Honey, why on Earth are you cryin'? The doctor said he's going to be okay!"

"I know!" She croaked. "But it's my fault he's in there in the first place! It's my fault he nearly bled to death! It's my fault he almost died! It's my fault I brought him close to my mother! It's my fault he's in there… It's all my fault! How could he possibly love me now? How could he ever understand that I love after what I've put him through?" She screamed. "How could this happen …." She closed with a whisper and a slow shake of her head.

"Now Penny, I'm sure he understands …"

"Oh yeah?" Penny glared at Miss Maybelle.

"Well I think …"

"I think he'd understand." Seaweed shouted from his hospital bed. Both women turned around with a confused look on their faces.

"What … what did you say?" Penny asked as she stood up.

"I said, 'I think he would understand.'"

"You mean…" She entered his hospital room.

"I could hear you. And baby, this isn't your fault." She made it up to his hospital bed and looked down at him.

"Yes it is …" she looked away.

"No!" He slid the back of his hand down her cheek. She faced him once again. "It isn't. And I love you. I will always love you! No matter how many bullets I have to take." He smiled. As did she.

"Really?" He nodded.

"Oh Seaweed! I love you so much! I was so worried!!" She bent down quickly and let a trail of kisses fall down the side of his face, ending with a hardy kiss on the lips.

"I know baby. I know." Seaweed assured.