Mrs Ketchum smiled weakly at Brock, before taking one last glance at the couple and left then ward in tears. Brock stood at the foot of Misty's bed and watched the heartbeat monitor closely. Then, almost in silence, Misty moved, ever so slowly, ever so quietly. Her hand fell off her chest and hung over the edge of bed, her fingers bending gradually. Brock's eyes opened wider in shock as her eyelids flickered and leisurely opened.
"Owwwwww...my wrist..." gasped Misty, lifting up her hand and putting it back on the bed.
"Careful Mist." Said Brock, slightly worried.
"Ash?" she said quickly, a confused and upset tone in her shaky voice.
"No, it's me Brock. Remember? Ash's over there." replied Brock in a quiet voice, walking around the bed to sit on the bedside chair.
Misty moved her head to face Ash's bed and closed her eyes, tears beginning to fall down her cheek and onto the pillow.
"Ash...is he d-d-d-dead?" she whispered slowly.
"No..." stammered Brock, beckoning for the others to join him.
"T-t-t-t-tell h-h-h-h-him..."started Misty.
"Tell him what?" asked Tracey and Drew in unison.
"T-t-t-tell h-h-h-him t-t-t-that it's thanks t-t-t-to him t-t-t-that im alive..." she whispered, smiling at Ash's unconscious body lovingly.
"Don't worry, we will." Smiled Max as he hugged his sister.
"T-t-t-t-thanks...and..." replied Misty, opening her eyes wide.
"And what?" repeated Brock quickly.
"That I l-l-l-l-love h-h-h-him with all m-m-m-my heart...if i d-d-d-die..." smiled Misty, as she rolled over.
A quiet voice broke the silence in the ward, making Misty turn back to face Ash's bed.
"You don't need a messenger...when you can tell me in person...and your not gonna die..." whispered Ash as he opened his eyes ever so slowly, beginning to cry silently.
"You're awake!" cried May quietly. "I know..." grinned Ash as he stared at Misty. "Um...sir...can I get up"
A Doctor turned around, his face lighting up magically at the sight of Ash sitting up.
"Master Ketchum! What a surprise to see you awake! Of course you can get up, it may hurt, but as long as you don't go far, and we can see you, its alright." Replied the Doctor happily.
"Good." Smiled Ash as he swung his legs over the side of the bed, stumbled over towards Misty's bed and flung himself into the chair beside it, engulfed with hugs from his friends.
He warily looked down at his completely plastered right arm and his fingers bandaged up, unable to move at all.
"You ok?" asked Misty cautiously, watching as Ash brushed her fringe away from her eyes with his free fingers.
"Yeah. I'm all right. My head is killing me, and my arm is covered with plaster and it hurts so much to move it. You?" replied Ash, kissing her forehead lightly.
"My head's killing me too, my ankle hurts like hell and my wrist is paralysed, but I'm alive thanks to you." Said Misty as she yawned slightly, resting her head on Ash's left shoulder.
"Get some rest." Said Ash, stroking her cheek and drying her tears.
"Sir, can we have a description of their injuries?" asked Brock, directly to the previous doctor.
"Well, Miss Waterflower here has a broken left wrist and a broken left ankle, while suffering slight head injuries. And Mr Ketchum has a broken right elbow and shoulder joints, a sharp dent in his skull from where he hit the ground and a couple of broken right fingers"
"Nothing serious then?" asked Gary carefully, watching as Ash put his free arm around Misty.
"No, not at all."
"Good." Smiled Professor Oak, leading Gary, May, Brock, Tracey and Max out of the room, leaving Rudy alone with Ash and a sleeping Misty.
"Um...Ash..." began Rudy slowly.
"Yeah"
"I'm sorry for hitting you earlier. I never meant for you to end up in hospital." Said Rudy with a truthful apologetic look on his face.
"You hit us? You meant for us to end up in a graveyard or something?" growled Ash angrily.
"Yes, I did hit you, but I didn't want Misty to end up in a graveyard and I'm really, really sorry. I guess Brock was right, I wanted to marry Misty so much that I almost caused her death. God I'm so stupid." Groaned Rudy, falling onto a nearby stool and holding his head in his hands.
"Ya know, your lucky my good punching fist is in plaster and the other is protecting Misty." Said Ash menacingly.
"And if you were able to punch me, then I'd let you." Sighed Rudy, raising his head and standing up.
"Seriously?" joked Ash, his eyebrows raised in mock horror.
"'Course. I was a jerk, an idiot, a flippin' near-murderer for Gods sake!" cried Rudy, making Misty wake up off Ash's shoulder.
"Rudy? RUDY! Why the hell are you here? And...why are you crying...?" Misty Gasped "And what the hell happened to you jaw."
"Mr Slate has a very powerful punch." Sighed Rudy, walking out of the ward, leaving a confuzed Misty lying in Ash's arms.
"Why was Rudy in here?" asked Misty sleepily.
"Oh, he just came in to see how you were." Lied Ash.
"That was nice of him..." smiled Misty.
'I know I shouldn't lie to her...but if she knew...I can't bear thinking about how Rudy would end up...' thought Ash sadly, watching as Misty returned to sleeping, her smile still on her face.
The ward doors flew open and Mrs Ketchum came rushing in, her face lighting up at the sight of Ash awake. Professor Oak, Gary, Brock, Tracey, May and Max followed, trying to restrain Mrs Ketchum from disturbing all the other patients.
"Ash! Honey are you alright!" she cried, flinging her arms around him.
"Ahhhhhhh...my arm..." Gasped Ash in pain as his Mom let go of him.
"Ash, you ok?" whispered Misty, her eyes still closed, but apparently she could still hear all that went on.
"Yeah Mist, go back to sleep."