Ribs.

I couldn't help crying. He had been alone the entire week! He must have been scared! And he thought I hated him! Oh god! He cant die! He just cant die! I felt empty at the thought. I had felt empty all week, but didn't understand it until now. I hoped it hadn't meant he was gone… "I want my rib back…" I repeated, confusing the crying group. The was a ringing. The house phone. Lilly leapt to it before any of us.

"Dave?" she asked desperately. Her face dropped. "Yes, im Lilly Truscott…" another pause and she held the phone out for her mum. "Its… it's a doctor Cunningham. He says he needs to talk to you…" I looked at the letter in my hands, and sure enough that was one of the names on it… seattle grace… I looked at mrs Truscott with anticipation. She seemed both relieved and saddened.

"Yes… We had no idea where he… He didn't tell us until… Not he left us all letters!" she snapped at the man. "He left letters explaining he was gone, and he might not come back! I have been worried sick all week, and his cousin is crying her eyes out because we finally know about this! What kind of god damned doctor doesn't even contact the family when the patient has been…" she paused and closed her eyes with a sigh. "Well theres nothing to be done. We are flying down on the next available flight." She hung up slowly and caught her breath, still crying and turned to face us all looking very sad. "He's at Seattle Grace hospital. He… He made it through surgery…" I felt my heart leap, and I jumped up, turning to dad.

"We have to go see him! He has to know I don't hate him! I love him daddy!" I told him. He looked at me and opened his mouth to speak.

"Unfortunately…" Her voice was icy as she continued, glaring at me. "He has fallen into a coma." I closed my eyes tightly, choking back a sob. "When he came out of surgery he started having what appeared to be nightmares. After a number of hours, all of which a nurse took noted of every noise he made, he fell silent after saying three words in what I am told was a very self deprecating manner. He was scanned and it is hard to tell when, if at all, he will wake up." She was still glaring at me.

"What… What words?" I asked quietly. I had to know. Her glare intensified.

"I hate me." She hissed, turning and only pausing at the door. "Come on, Lilly. We are going to Seattle. Grab your things as soon as possible. We don't know how long we'll be there." Lilly was out the room like a shot, and her mum followed behind at a more sedate pace. "I expect you both to be out of my house by the time we get downstairs." She added venomously. I ran out the house followed by daddy and jumped into the car.

"C'mon dad! We have to go pack!" he looked at me sadly, getting in the car and starting the engine. The only thought in my mind was seeing Dave.

"Bud…" I didn't like that tone, and I froze. "I think we should leave them be for now." he told me.

"No." I growled.

"Miley, you arent going, and that is final. I am sorry, and I know its not your fault in any way, but Mrs Truscott is upset, and is being a bit irrational at the moment. She is on the verge of losing her nephew. Let her have a few days at least." he asked. I glared and crossed my arms, staying silent the rest of the drive. If he actually thought I was going to sit here and let my rib lie comatose in some far off city he was wrong. I thought to my credit card. This was definitely an emergency.

When we got home I went straight to my room and got onto my laptop. I knew daddy wasn't going to let me leave the house if he could help it. It would have to be done at night. I filled in the website details and booked a plane for 3am. It was a long wait, but it was better than a few days. I printed off the reciept and packed only a few clothes. Dave's favourites. And his shirt… I thought for a moment and pulled off the one I was wearing, pulling on the one he had given me. I felt the usual warmth envelop me and I snuggled into it crying, leaning against my headboard and drifting off to sleep.

I was woken up in time for dinner, and straight after I went back up to bed, setting my alarm for 12. Daddy was working tomorrow at the recording studio, so he'd be in bed by then. I booked a taxi to take me the airport, and slept again. I was feeling wide awake as I snuck out on my roll out ladder. I snuck past the windows by the deck, and round front with my suitcase, jumping into the taxi and muttering airport, not glancing back. The man nodded and drove, and we were soon there and checked in, and I waited impatiently for my flight. When it was called I rushed on and sat there impatiently waiting for any other boarders, of which there were about 12, mostly tourists. The flight was way too long, and the taxi driver really pissed me off by taking forever to get to the hospital. I mean, for gods sake, he wouldn't even break the speed limit a smidge!

I threw the money at him when I reached the hospital and walked into the entrance, heading straight to the desk and glancing around hoping, perhaps a bit irrationally, to catch a glimpse of Dave. "Can I help you?" a nurse asked with a friendly if tight smile.

"Im looking for my boyfriend. He was admitted last week."

"Name?"

"Miley stewart." the woman glanced up in amusement.

"Your boyfriends name."

"David Allen." her look softened and saddened.

"The poor boy. Well, im sorry, but visiting hours are over." she added.

"Please, I only found out where he was and why he was here a few hours ago! I have to see him! I have to know he's alive!" I begged. A man appeared with a clipboard at the side of the desk and muttered something to the nurse, who muttered back and gestured to me. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Miley, correct?" I nodded, hoping I was getting somewhere. "Why don't you follow me?" he asked. I couldn't help getting the feeling he disliked me. "I have been doing a bit of reading up on Mr Allen. He seems to be quite the hero. From what little I talked to him he seemed a very smart and confident young man." I nodded. That pretty much described the basics of dave. "So I was quite surprised to hear his last words before falling into his coma. I read the transcripts of his nightmare and believe I have found the reason." he gestured me to sit. We were in an office. I sat and he handed me some paper.

12:43, patient uttered single word, 'no'.

12:51 patient started struggling in bed and had to be restrained. Mutters about a fire, and his sister. Records show she passed away after mr allen pulled her out of their flaming home. She was 2 years old.

I sobbed. He didn't talk about his family if he could help it. I knew very little about them, and had no idea how old they were, but pulling out his 2 year old sister only for her to… Oh god… I read on.

12:52, breathing rate increased, heart rate reached 160, blood preassure increased.

12:57, patient screamed 4 words. 'Miley! You killed her!' patient then continued to grunt as if taking part in a physical excursion, straining against his restraints.

1, patient threw up at the side of the bed. Cleaned up by another nurse as soon as possible.

1:12 patient is screaming for a Sophie, mum, dad, and Chris. Records indicate his families names.

1:23, patient calms slightly. Seems confused judging from facial features.

1:24, patient utters 'Miley, love.' and pauses.

12:27, patient has been acting as if being continuously struck, and is crying and sobbing.

12:30, patient mutters 'goobye'.

12:30 and 30 seconds approx, patient utters 'I hate me' and falls into coma.

"This is the more condensed version." The man told me, taking the notes back. "You realise the only reason I am even considering letting you in that room is to see if there is any reaction what so ever. If there is non in 5 minutes you will be ejected from this hospital under the orders of Mrs Truscott and will not be allowed to see him again until further notice." I nodded, feeling my chest tightening. He stood and gestured for me to follow the short distance to Dave's room, letting me go inside and standing outside, looking in through the glass. I choked back a sob, seeing him lying there motionless. Hi's hair was gone, he had a bandage on his head and on his chest. I moved over and grabbed his hand, pulling it up to cup my cheek.

"Oh love." I muttered through my tears. "I love you do much. I don't hate you! I could never hate you…" I muttered. I stared at him for a long moment before suddenly getting angry. "But how could you! You could have told me! I'd have helped! Id have understood! But no! you had to break my heart and be a bloody noble sod! And now your in a coma! Oh god, I cant lose you! It already hurts! Losing you would kill me! I love you! Im your rib! Don't leave me! Never leave me!" I started sobbing into his chest and stopped noticing anything for a while. After a few minutes the doctor entered looking at dave sadly.

"Time to go." he muttered, taking my arm and starting to lead me out. At least he tried to. He took a step, but before he could move further we were both stopped. I looked down and was shocked. There, holding my hand tightly, was Dave's hand. I glanced up at his face hopefully and it squeezed me.

"Rib." he croaked almost silently. I tore my arm out the doctors grasp and sat next to him, stroking his arm and holding his hand.

"Im here, love. Im always going to be here." I promised him. The doctor suddenly burst into motion and started shining a light in his eyes. The more he did the more he smiled. After 10 minutes of tests he let out a laugh.

"I have to get him to an MRI! I need confirmation." He stated. He poked his head out of the room, and I felt Dave squeeze my hand again, but he didn't seem to be awake. The doctor returned with a nurse and they started doing things to him, and wheeling him out. I struggled to keep up, but Dave kept firm hold on my hand. I was led into the MRI room, and he was placed on the machine. He finally let go and I was led into a room off the side. They started the machine and the computer moniters were filled with multi coloured images. The more they saw the more they smiled. Finally they pulled him out the machine, and I felt my breath catch as he looked over at me, eyes open and his grin on his face, if a bit weaker than usual. Tired. I threw open the door.

"Don't you dare tell me you're tired mr!" I growled, stroming over and grabbing him by the back of his neck, pulling him forcefully into me and kissing him as deeply as I could. I let him go to see his grin was much stronger. "And don't you dare scare me like this again!" I hissed, grabbing his hand. He chuckled and brushed the back of my hand with his thumb.

"Wouldn't dream of it, rib." he croaked with that grin of his. "You know your lips are swell…" he was interrupted by some coughs and I immediately felt protective.

"Rest, heart." I don't know why I called him that but it just seemed right. "Rest and get better for me." I asked. He nodded and pulled my hand up, kissing my palm.

"I love you." he muttered, making my heart soar.

"I love you too." I muttered. He was helped onto his gurney, sat up this time, and we wheeled him out of the room. He was handed some water by the doctor.

"How you feeling Dave?" the man asked him gently.

"Like I could do anything after that kiss." he said, smirking, and I blushed swatting his arm gently. The doctor chuckled.

"Well you'll be happy to know you'll have all the time in the world." the look of hope on daves face as he glanced at the man, and then shot a quick glance at me made me feel stronger than I ever had. "We managed to remove all the cancer cells in your body." he had a single tear forming at the corner of his eye, and I leant down and kissed it away gently, lingering against his cheek for a fair bit longer than required. "now we'll leave the pair of you to it while I go and call your aunt." The doctor said as we reached his room and put him back into bed. He nodded and pulled me up next to him. He had one of his hands on my waist and the other was playing with my hair. "Just be careful of his chest and the top of his head. He's recovering from surgery well, but they arent going to be fully healed for a while." I nodded, not looking up and just staring into his bright eyes. They hadn't shone like this for weeks before he left. I hadn't noticed how much I had missed it. He leant forwards and captured my lips lovingly, and I opened my mouth invitingly, deepening the kiss. I loved the feel of his rough tongue against my own, gently brushing my lips… I moaned slightly and wrapped my arms around him gently, pressing myself tighter against him but careful of his cuts. We kissed until we were breathless and could kiss no more, and once again, life was good.