A nurse was walking down the hall of the hospital holding a clipboard in one hand and swinging a pen on a lanyard with the other. Suddenly a blur of red came barreling at him. The surprised man focused his eyes and found that a rather attractive woman was gripping his shirt collar in both hands. Then she growled at him. "Where's ERIC?" She tightened her grip on the nurse's shirt and shook him a bit.

"Um…What is the last name of this Eric?" asked the nurse nervously.

"ROUS! Now where the hell is he?!" shrieked the girl.

"Who might you be?" continued the nurse.

"I'M RO-" she stopped short. She had almost blurted out the fact that her name was Rouge. What had she told the people at the restaurant? Wait…she hadn't told them. The lady just always called her Petunia. What could she tell this man? "MY NAME IS POCAHONTAS! NOW LEMME IN TO SEE ROUS-KUN!"

The nurse raised a skeptical eye but led her to Eric's hospital room. It was empty but his charts were tacked to the wall. Another nurse was just walking out. "Excuse me," said the male nurse Rouge had bumped into, "But where is Eric Rous?"

"Well, Tosaka, he's off in the ER. They said to go ahead and get a room ready for him since he will have to stay a few days. He's in pretty bad shape according to Doctor Mizuno. A bruised rib, some minor internal injuries, lacerations, a few bad cuts and several medium burns. I think he might have a head injury too." Replied the second nurse. Rouge noticed that her nametag read Lizzy. Lizzy brushed past Tosaka and Rouge and went off down the hall.

"I'm very sorry you couldn't see your friend. But it can't be too much longer, they brought him in-"

"And hour ago, I know…Tosaka-sama." Rouge read the nametag carefully.

"You may sit in the waiting room, I'll make sure someone informs you when the patient comes to his room."

"Miss Lizzy said he would have to stay a few days. Could you arrange…for a cot to be put in this room? So I could spend the night too?"

"I'll see." Said Tosaka shortly.

Rouge went out into the waiting room and waited. She noted that the clock on the wall said 2:00. She sat in the little chair and sat. There was little else to do, none of the magazines interested Rouge at a time like this. A time like this. That phrase sounded so odd to Rouge as is floated around in her mind. Why? Then it suddenly dawned on her, she was worried about Eric. Of course, she told herself. Eric was the key to the whole plan. But what was the plan? Key hadn't told her much. Why? Why would he not tell her everything if she was such a vital part of whatever he had figured out? Rouge thought about last night. They hadn't done much, just a little kissing and hutchie-cootchie on the couch. And man had she been drunk! Good thing that aspirin had been in Eric's medicine cabinet, otherwise she would be quite miserable right now.

Rouge decided quite suddenly that once Eric was out of the hospital she would take some time off work and go to the seaside with him. It would be nice and help him get better. It would also help cement their relationship. With all the thoughts about the mission, Rouge decided she should call Key. She pulled out her cell phone and hit the speed dial button.

"Hello? Key?" she asked when she heard the other end pick up.

"Yes? Is that my Rouge?"

"Yup!"

"Where the hell were you last night?"

"I went to the rave with Eric like we had planned and went back to his place. There was some couch."

"But you didn't check in with me?"

"I'm sorry…come on honey, you know I am." coaxed Rouge. The honey, and the baby, why? She said them as easily as she said them to Eric. Hadn't she been surprised a few days ago when she said such things to him? She was just getting used to Eric that was all. She was lucky to have such a good lover as Key, lending her out to Eric for the sake of the mission. Lending her out…

"I'm sorry I over reacted. How did it go?"

"Not too far. Just enough. I asked him about the sword."

"ROUGE!"

"I was careful. It seemed like I was sleep talking, you know, half awake. He doesn't have it with him."

"Where is it?"

"Who knows? Look, it's not a big deal. I'm at the hospital right now, Eric had a bad accident. Once he gets checked out I'm going to go to the sea with him and work on bonding a little more. Find out his secrets…"

"Oh goody." Key said sarcastically. He hated mushy crap like that.

"I have to go, but I'll check in later. I'm taking work off tomorrow. I'll come back then okay? It can be just us. And a little more than what Eric and I got to."

"Lovely. I'll be waiting."

"Uhuh, me too. Sayo!"

Rouge hastily pressed the off button on the phone and dropped it into her purse. Key. She didn't want anymore of this. No more. Why did it hurt so much when she loved him?

"Excuse me miss…excuse me…" said a pretty lady; it was Lizzy from earlier that day. She was gently shaking Rouge awake. The later had fallen asleep in the chair, curled up in a little ball and fast asleep. She started awake immediately and looked up at Lizzy eagerly.

"Can I see Eric?" she said desperately. The nurse nodded and showed Rouge back to Eric's room. It was about 8:00 PM. The nurse smiled and shut the door as she left. "Eric! The hospital called and said you had an accident. Are you alright?"

"About as alright as one can be after crashing into a guard rail and having a Kawasaki motorcycle land on you." Eric said sleepily. His head was bandaged, as was a lot of the rest of him.

"Oh Eric! How did you manage that?"

"I-I just spaced I guess." Eric didn't want to tell Rouge anything about the memories.

"You need to be more careful. I don't want anything happening to my Eric again." Rouge soothed. She was bent over the bed and was smoothing his hair away from the bandages. "I'm spending the night here. At least I think I am. I asked the nurse to bring a cot in for me."

"That's great Rouge. It's lonely in here. And I certainly don't mind having you around."

"I don't mind being around." Said Rouge. "I'm going to go out for a while and get a bite to eat. I've been sitting in the waiting room all day. I just wanted to see if you were okay. But don't worry, I'll come back real soon baby." Rouge bent and kissed Eric on the cheek.

"Come back soon?" pleaded Eric. Rouge turned and nodded smiling before leaving to get her food.