On my way to the bathroom, I feel my right foot step on a small toy car of Haru's.

*Plop*

I land on the floor, face down. My back hurts and my ankle feels a bit weird.

I try to stand up but my ankle hurts too much.

My phone is in the bedroom. The kids are day- napping.

"Haru! Haru!" I call.

No response so I call for him again.

Elma's at work. What do I do?

I touch the part that hurt me the most, my right ankle. It's swollen now.

I try to use my hips and good leg to wiggle to the bedroom. My right leg jams the door and I cry out in pain.

When I reach there, my phone is on the dresser and I can't reach it because it's close to the charging station near the wall.

I begin to feel frustrated.

"Haruuuu" I make one attempt in hopes he would hear me and call Elma.

After my failed attempts to summon him, I feel lightheaded and my vision becomes blurred.

Elma's POV

"Guys, I'm home." Haru is glued to the television.

"Where's your mom?" I ask.

"Maybe sleeping" he says, continuing to look at the anime in front of him.

Sleeping at this hour? Nai wouldn't do that. It's too early.

I open the bedroom door. It's dark and Nai's not on the bed. I go around to the dresser and there she is!

"Nai, what's wrong?" I bite my fingernails. She deosnt answer.

She fainted in the past, when she was sick. Maybe she has a flu. I touch her face but her temperature seems fine.

"Nai, wake up!" I'm panicking. I decide to lift her on the bed.

"She's still breathing."

I dial the ambulance.

At the hospital:

ER Receptionist: "I'm sorry ma'am. But we need to see some identification. We can't let you in the room unless we know who you are."

"I'm her wife. I just left my purse home. IF YOU DON'T LET ME SEE HER, YOU WILL NOT LIKE IT!"

Who are they to tell me I can't see Nai? Something's wrong with her and this is the way they act?

"Calm down ma'am." The doctor nods at the nurse and I was let into Nai's room. She lies there sleeping. She has various lines connected to her arms and nose.

"Your wife is stable but she's in a mini coma. She fractured her ankle. Seems to me, a few hours went by after the incident was reported."

Guilt overcomes me. My poor Nai...If only I didn't volunteer to stay back at work.

"I found her passed out on the bedroom floor when I came from work."

"I see. I have some good and bad news. Well her recovery will take 8 weeks. But the good news is that she will not require any surgery. In her case, we saw it fit for the bone to heal on it's own. For now, I put her on some pain medication and sedatives. She should be up in a few hours."

"Thank you doctor. Will she walk again?" I ask him.

"For 8 weeks, she will have to wear a hard cast in the area. She will walk again in months. At this time, she will need a lot of rest. She should not do any strenuous activity whatsoever."

The doctor leaves the room. I go to her bedside and take her hand in mine. Her skin is so soft. Her face is calm and pretty as she sleeps under heavy sedation. Her silky short hair spreads out on the the white pillow. She's wearing a white hospital gown with small dark blue polka dots. What's noticable is the way her foot is suspended.

Who changed Nai and saw her nakedness only I'm allowed to? Anyways, that's beside the point.

"Baby, I'm here for you. I'm sorry for that thing I said this morning." I move some hair to the side of her head. I wonder if it was karma. Nai and I fought this morning and I might have told her something I now regret. Was I being punished?

"Please wake up."

A nurse comes in. She smiles at me. The nurse gives Nai medicine in her infusion.

"Visiting hours will be over soon" she tells me.

I left the kids home napping. I haven't even changed from my work uniform. Something irresponsible, but I needed to be with Nai.

"Okay" she nods and leaves.

"Nai, I promise you I'm going to be back tomorrow morning. Don't worry."

I kiss her forehead. My lips quiver. My eyes begin to water.

I leave her to sleep alone.

At home:

The twins are crying so I feed them and tuck them in. Haru's sound asleep with his headphones in.

I found Nai here on the bedroom floor.

Hm there's nothing here that could have injured her ankle so badly. I glance at her phone still connected to the wall. Her wallpaper is one with the five of us.

That's it!

I check the living room and sure enough I see toys scattered all over the floor.

I notice a red toy car, parked on its back, lodged in between the crease of the sofa.

"So this must be where she fell. She slipped on one of Haru's toys."

In the morning:

"Morning mommy Elma. Where is mommy Nai?"

Haru enters the kitchen.

"Haru, what is this behavior?"

He joins me at the table for breakfast.

He rubs his eyes. "Am I in twubble?"

"Why didn't you pick up your toys like Nai and I tell you so many times?"

"I left it by mistake" he replies, avoiding eye contact.

My eyes twitch.

"YOU CAN'T LEAVE IT BY MISTAKE! BECAUSE OF YOU, NAI'S IN THE HOSPITAL...and Yuka stop pelting food at your brother."

"Mom don't yell"

"You do not tell me what to do, child!"

I can feel my blood boiling. Suddenly my entire body gets bigger. I know what's happened by the looks on the kids' faces. Haru is scared.

"BEHAVE YOURSELVES!" I scream at the top of my lungs.

Haru is dumbfounded. The twins stare at my dragon body looking down at them. This hasn't happened since the camping trip with Kanna and friends.

In the hospital:

"I brought proper ID with me today" I tell the receptionist.

"Ms Joui, you can go in now."

She gives me a visitor badge which I put around my neck.

I step inside the room. The familiar scent of alcohol and detergent greets me. Nai hasn't woken up as yet.

"Good morning Nai. I brought your favorite, blueberry pancakes. But you can't eat them if you continue to sleep."

I don't know if she can hear me. But I will still talk anyway.

"This morning I did something horrible. I got angry on Haru. I can't believe I let myself do that."

I sniffle. "He wasn't at fault. I was angered by what had happened... I was angry with myself, mostly."

My tears fall while I hold her hand. My face is on her tummy.

"Elmuuhhh don't cry" I glance up to see her shaking her head slightly.

My heart skips a beat. "Nai! You're up. I'll call a nurse."

The nurse checks her and clears her. Everything seems ok. She will be discharged tomorrow.

I hug her tightly. "The doctor said you would have woken up since yesterday. I was getting worried."

Nai: "Oh well, a girl's gotta have her beauty sleep. You know, they don't call me sleeping beauty for nothing."

I chuckle and break our hug. "Oh baby, you're back."

"Where are the kids?"

"I asked Lucoa to watch them. I told them they can come when you wake up. I packed a bag of stuff you might need."

"Thanks. I should have looked where I was going. I can't blame Haru."

I gasp. "You heard that?"

"I heard some things."

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I could eat a cow. Bring those pancakes here. I don't want hospital food."

I smile. She eats every bite

"Nai, that thing I said to you. I take it back. That wasn't my place. It's not true."

Nai: "I can't even remember what we were fighting over. I just want to go home."

I tell her everything what the doctors said.

Later on, Tohru, Kobayashi and Kanna visited Nai. Tohru brought some pretty flowers, soup Kanna, a teddy bear and Kobayashi, a self-made get well note."

They didn't have to, but I was glad to see them.

Lucoa brought the kids in the afternoon.

Haru begins to cry. "Mommy Nai, Sowwy. I will be cayful the next time."

He hops on the bed.

"Be careful" I say.

Nai pats his head. "You don't need to worry. I will be just fine. Accidents happen, okay?"

"I'm so sorry for how I reacted earlier" I tell him, apologetically. "But you need to pick up after yourself."

He looks at me with a serious expression and nods.

Nai holds Ryou and Yuka for a while. They pull her hair and dribble on her.

"I missed you guys too" she playfully bites their noses.

A nurse steps in.

"I'm sorry to interrupt. I need to take her vitals and administer her medication. I'll ask you all to leave. Please excuse us."

Haru waves at her. I smile. Lucoa is in the waiting room after seeing Nai earlier.

"I thought you would have already left by now"

Lucoa: "Hm. I wanted to stick around...I'm relieved she's ok. I wish her a speedy recovery."

She offers me an orange soda from the vending machine.

"Thank you, Lucoa-kun."

Lucoa: "Humans are fragile. It seems she hasn't really forgotten what you told her. I may have read her."

I swallow. "I told her she thinks she knows it all."

Lucoa: "Look, even Shouta and I fight too. It's normal for people to do so when they're close."

Elma: "So you're saying it's natural?"

Lucoa: "Yeah. Elma, if there's something bothering you, you can always speak to me."

Elma: "Thank you, Lucoa. You already do enough for us. I can't repay you."

Lucoa: "It's not a problem. Besides the cash comes in handy for treating Shouta."

Elma: "Things can change in the blink of an eye."

Lucoa: "That's true. Well I'll see you around. Take care of her and the family."

Nai's POV:

"Only one more night and I will be home. My arms are sore."

"I can't wait too. No matter what, I love you. Never forget that."

"Elma, stop it. You'll make me cry."

Haru's playing with a toy plane, running around the bedroom.

"You don't have anything to worry about. The nurses treat me well."

Elma smiles. "I'm happy to hear that. Tell me if someone messes with you and I'll be glad to do them a favor. I'll be here to pick you up tomorrow."

"Oh and that nurse always tries to flash you her butt."

"Elma! The kids are here" I chuckle.

Elma hugs me then we kiss passionately.

Nai's overnight stay:

The nurses did their nightly checks on me. They constantly poke me for tests and medicine so I can't sleep.

I'm missing the soft gaze of Elma near to me.

I feel a cool air in my room suddenly. A portal opens. Elma's mom steps out and the portal behind her disappears.

"Nai, I heard what happened." She approaches my bedside. She has a soft tender look on her. The dragon strokes my cheek.

"Mom, you're too kind. You really didn't have to come all the way here. It's not a big deal. Just a minor accident."

Elma's mom: "Oh honey. My daughter's family is also mine. Don't fret yourself. I'll spend the night with you. Besides if your mother was alive, she'd be just as worried for you as I am. You want to hear a story?"

Me: "Ok sure."

She pulls the blankets a little closer to my chin.

She's using perception blocking so no one can see her except me.

"One time when Elma was a small dragon, she was tested on the battle field for the first time. I was so worried she'd be fighting among the strongest chaos dragons. So I spent all night worrying for her."

Me: "What happened?"

Her: "She defeated 5 powerful dragons. This was the first Elma had ever been away from me. She and I were very close when she was growing up. She came back without a scratch. From then on, our faction looked up to her."

Me: "That was a good story."

I was beginning to feel slightly sleepy. I yawn.

"Get some rest. Close those tired eyes of yours. I'll be here watching over you." She smiles warmly at me. There's something homely about it.

I shut my eyes and drift off into sleep.

The next day:

Elma meets me in my room and jangles some keys.

"I rented it just for you"

"You didn't have to. That's really sweet, babe"

"I wanted to. You'll be much more comfortable in my car than in a taxi."

She pushes my wheel chair and the nurse aide helps her get me into the car.

2 months later:

I've gotten accustomed to using crutches. I can hop from car to the apartment back door, leaning on Elma. Each hop makes me nauseous and exacerbates the pain. Doing things like brushing my teeth became easier over time.

Elma has helped me walk everyday. Step by step. She always says "one step at a time." Lucoa's there for me when she's at work. At times the children's grandmother visits when Elma's working.

Haru has been drying dishes every night, packing his books and toys away. He also helps Elma with cleaning.

The doctor said that soon enough they will remove the bandage and I can walk again.

Elma, my love, thanks for always standing by me, in sickness and in health. I know your love is true.