Author's Note: MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! To all of my loyal reviewers who have kept reading in spite of all the annoying cliffhangers, this chapter is devoted to you! One chapter left to go guys and gals! Also, I had to upload in NotePad, so if it looks funky please bear with me!

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Formalhaut: (grins)
Vampyre: Just remember, you don't have to write for the public, write what you want!
Fattyaddy: Updated!
Winged Werefox: I'm afraid we're into the homestretch, but keep your eyes open. There should be more stories coming up on the boards by me as soon as I finish this one!
DARK1 ULTIMATE: I never noticed the connection to Brandy and Mr. Whiskers (laughs). And there is a link in my profile to the pics!
Songbird: Here you go!
Kia: Great to see you back, was wondering when you'd start threatening me to post again (laughs). Thanks for the praise, it means a lot! And stress is my middle name, didn't ya know? (laughs) Indeed, it was a Squeegee of Doom. I blame that entire thing on lack of sleep and convos with Rattlecat XD.

Chapter 21: A Little Light

Mac and Bloo were roaming the halls looking for Eduardo and Coco. Now that they were sure Wilt was all right they had returned to play with a vengeance, trying to make up for lost time. Tucked under Mac's arm was a football that he'd brought from home. Bloo moaned, "But Maaaaac, why can't we just go play? I mean the others will turn up later right"

Mac sighed, this was the fifth time that Bloo had asked that particular question and he was close to giving in to him. After all, if they couldn't find Eduardo and Coco he was sure some of the other imaginary friends would join in, they loved a chance to play with a kid even if he wasn't adopting. That was one of Mac's secret pleasures about coming to Foster's, he was special here. He was not only one of three humans who regularly saw the friends but he was also the only one who ever came back to visit his own friend. He gave them all hope, something to believe in. At Foster's he was part of something, something amazing. He was the whiz kid, the bomb, a hero. It was a nice break from being ordinary, everyday, Mac Evans.

Lost in these thoughts, Mac rounded a corner to see a familiar red form sprawled out in the hall, unconscious.

"Oh my gosh!" Mac shouted, running to Wilt's side, "Hey, Wilt? Wilt?"

Bloo stopped and stared in shock, "Mac . . . Do you know what this means"
Mac looked up, frantic, "What?"
"Wilt wasn't going to murder us after all! He was going to murder," Bloo paused dramatically, one hand in the air, "HIMSELF!"
Mac smacked his forehead, "Bloo, what are you talking about? No, never mind, come'on! Help me wake him up!"
Bloo lifted Wilt's arm and shook it, watching it fall to his side with a flop, "Too late. He's dead."
"Bloo!" Mac scolded, "Don't talk like that! Now go get Frankie, quick"
Bloo rolled his eyes and headed down the hall leisurely, "I don't see what the big dea-"
"NOW BLOO!" Mac yelled.
"Okay! Okay! Sheesh!" Bloo shouted back, taking off at a run.
"Mac! Is he all right?"
Looking up, Mac saw Satin cautiously making her way around Wilt's insane jumble of arm and legs to his side.
"I think so. He's still breathing . . ." Mac wasn't sure what else to check, he tried to think back to that first aid class he'd been sent to at school.
Satin was already on it, she placed her ear to Wilt's chest since an imaginary friend's pulse is terribly hard to pinpoint even on a good day.
"He's okay." she sighed, "He must've fainted again."
Mac looked alarmed, "Fainted?"
Satin nodded, "He passed out earlier. The doctor said it could happen since he'd lost so much blood. It'll probably be awhile before he's back to his old self."
Carefully, she arranged Wilt's limbs so they weren't twisted into awkward positions and he wasn't stretched across the hall. Gently, she stroked his face, looking at him with an expression Mac hadn't seen her use before. When she looked up he pretended he hadn't been watching.
"Did you call for Frankie?"
Mac nodded, "I sent Bloo. We passed her on the way down here, I don't know why he's not back yet . . ."
Satin thought for a moment and then eyed the miniature intercom on the wall. There were a few of them spaced periodically throughout the house so Mister Herriman could make announcements wherever need be. Just as she stood to use itBloo rounded the corner pulling Frankie's arm roughly, "Come'on, I'm telling you he just dropped dead here in the hall . . ."
"Bloo, what are you-ohmigosh!" she pulled out of Bloo's grasp at the sight of Wilt laid out on the floor, "What happened?"
Satin blushed intensely, sparking Mac's curiosity, what was wrong with her?
"Wilt came to visit me. He passed out for a few seconds while we were talking and then when he left I heard a crash and followed him." she replied, looking up at Frankie with worry.
Mac, who had lived with Terrence long enough to know when someone was avoiding the whole truth, raised an eyebrow. What Satin would have to lie about was beyond him but from what he knew of Satin, if she was hiding something it was for good reason.
Frankie looked Wilt over, checking for any signs that he may have hit his head or injured himself going down. When she found none but he had not awoken, she sighed, "Well, he seems fine. Let's get him back up to the infirmary."
Satin winced at the very thought, "Frankie? Why don't we just take him to his room? I think he'd be more comfortable there."
Mac blinked up at her, "You do know he sleeps under the bed, right"
Satin nodded, "Yeah, but it's familiar."
Frankie thought it over, Mister Herriman would already have her hide for letting Wilt wander off after fainting. She sighed, "No can do. Mister Herriman will kill me"
Satin nodded, "I'll stay with him then, once we get him upstairs."
Frankie smiled with genuine gratitude, "Thanks."
Mac was beginning to get a inkling that something was going on here that he was being left out of, but he didn't say anything. He'd talk it over with the others later.
"Mac, go tell Mister Herriman what happened. We'll get Wilt upstairs." Frankie said, looking down at Wilt's unconscious form.
Mac blinked, "But I could-"
Bloo grabbed Mac's hand, "Come'on buddy, we're done here."
Mac was dragged away before he had a chance to further contemplate the subject.

Frankie sighed, "Poor guy."
Satin blushed as she bent down, "How can we get him upstairs?"
Frankie smiled and knelt down as well, "Psh! It's easy. He's light as a feather. Between the two of us it'll be a snap."
Gently, they lifted him, Frankie carrying Wilt's upper body with his arm folded across so it wouldn't drag the floor and Satin with both of his legs resting on her shoulder to keep them from dragging as well. In this manner they carried him up three flights of stairs to the Infirmary.

Frankie fell back into the recliner next to Wilt's bed and looked up at Satin, "He's heavier up three flights of stairs."
Satin chuckled then turned a worried expression on Wilt. Frankie sighed, "He'll be okay Satin. He's just worn out from being up too soon, that's all."
Satin sat on the edge of the bed, "I hope that's it."
"So, he told you?" Frankie asked, knowing that Satin would know full well what she was talking about.
Satin's head snapped up, "Told me what?"
Frankie looked at her friend knowingly, "That he loves you."
A blush spread across the imaginary friend's face and Frankie knew she was right. Satin appeared flustered and speechless by this question. Frankie decided to help her out, "He's been talking to me about what he should do for awhile now. He didn't want to come between you and Crackers or he would have said something sooner."
Satin sighed in slight relief, thankful that she had someone to discus this with. "Why did he think-I mean, what made him believe Crackers and I were anything more than friends? I just don't understand it." Satin replied, watching his chest rise and fall beneath the blankets.
Frankie sat up suddenly in her seat, "You mean-wait a minute, you and Cracker's aren't-"
Satin shook her head, "He's like my little brother"
Frankie sat, speechless for a moment, then laughed, "That makes so much sense now! I didn't think you two were really together, not after I started really watching you. I should have known!"
"Where did he get that idea?" Satin asked, a concerned look on her face.
"He overheard you and Crackers talking about how much you loved one another and just assumed you were together." Frankie replied.
"Ohhhhhh . . ." it all made sense now, the way he'd acted that day with the dishes, the way he avoided her . . .
"How could I be so stupid?" Satin said, placed a hand to her face, "If I had just said something . . ."
Frankie raised an eyebrow, "Said something about what"
Satin's blush returned full force, "Nothing. Um . . . . Frankie, could you"
She was blissfully interrupted by the sound of a very annoyed rabbit, "MISS FRANCIS! YOUR PRESENCE IS REQUIRED IN MY OFFICE IMMEDIATELY!"
Frankie jumped at the sound of her employer's voice rattling over the loudspeaker, "Yikes! I better go. I'll be back later, Satin"
Satin nodded, thankful that she was leaving, "All right Frankie, and good luck."
Frankie looked back over her shoulder and smiled frantically, "Hopefully! And Satin, he'll be fine. If I know Wilt he'll be up and apologizing before the day is out!"
Once she left, Satin settled into the recliner, taking a few moments to run over the days events. Wilt loved her. He loved her. She shook her head in amazement. If only she'd known . . .
But she knew now, and she could set things straight. She cast her eyes upon his sleeping form and allowed herself a small sigh, in the meantime she would have to wait.

Wilt sat up slowly, allowing the dizziness to drain off of him as he rose. He felt so shaky . . . What had happened? Then he remembered Satin. He bowed his head slightly at the painful memory. With a shake of the head he tried to reconcile himself with the thought that he'd finally gotten it off his chest . . . That would have to be enough. He rested a moment in that position, giving himself time to shut away the pain so that he could get back to being his cheerful self for the house. They didn't need his problems, most of them had enough of their own to worry about. Not to mention the attention that would be focused on him if he appeared to be anything less than his usual self. Furious tears sprang into his eyes, he couldn't even afford a minute of sadness among his friends.
The light touch on his arm brought him out of his cloud of thought.
"Wilt, how are you feeling?"
He didn't need to look up to know it was her. Swallowing the lump in his throat he fixed the smiling mask in place and replied, "I-I'm fine. Just a little tired. I think I might want to rest alone for awhile if that's okay."
There was a pause in which he felt the hand leave his arm but he didn't hear her walk away.
"No. It's isn't okay." she replied, drawing his full attention.
She stood beside the bed, staring at him with those burning green eyes, "I need you to know something."
Wilt waited, wondering what would come next. He'd given up hoping for something other than rejection awhile ago, now he just wanted to know what she thought was so urgent for him to hear.
In a graceful, settling motion, she sat on the edge of the bed and looked him in the eyes, "Wilt, I love you."
"I'm sorry but-"
Reaching up, she placed a small, delicate hand over his mouth, "No. Don't be. Now, let me say this. Wilt, Crackers and I aren't a couple. We're close, but he's more like my brother than anything."
Wilt's eye widened in surprise but he didn't try to speak.
"You were the first person to welcome me to Foster's and you've become the one I'm closest to. There's just something about you, Wilt. You made me feel safe, like everything would be all right in the end. And it is . . . I hope. That is, if you . . ." she trailed off, uncertain.
Wilt gently pried her hand from his mouth and smiled, one of the first genuine smiles she'd seen from him in ages, "I'm sorry Satin but why wouldn't I?"
Tears welled up in her eyes as her own smile appeared. A gentle arm wrapped around her, pulling her close, and she laughed, "Oh Wilt!"
A collective sigh issued from the pair as they resolved any past issues or doubts they still held about this endeavor.
"Oh! I'm so happy for you guys!" came a voice from the doorway.
The two jumped and looked up to see Frankie leaning on the doorframe with a very amused Crackers sitting on her shoulder. Frankie grinned, "Sorry, couldn't help myself!"
The pair on the bed blushed deeply, but still remained in contact, Wilt's arm resting across Satin's shoulders.
"I'm sorry Frankie but how long have you been standing there?" Wilt asked, still smiling in spite of himself.
Frankie grinned, "Oh, not long. Just about since the 'I love you' part."
Crackers crowed happily, "I knew it!"
Satin smiled back at them then paused, "Frankie, could we have a moment alone, please?"
Frankie feigned annoyance, "Fine, we know when we're not wanted! Right, Crackers?"
Crackers nodded, "Right!"
They left, the door shutting behind them.
Turning to Wilt, Satin blushed, "Wilt."
"Yeah, Satin?" he prompted, wondering what was on her mind now.
Eyes turned on her hands, she fiddled with the edge of the quilt, "Wilt, would you mind terribly if . . ."
Wilt waited, not quite picking up on what it was she was asking.
"If I-that is-if we . . ."
Chuckling at her indecision, he gently tipped her face upward and smiled at her, "It's okay Satin, just say it."
Satin sighed then looked up at him, "Kiss me?"

It took five seconds for Wilt to respond to this request. In those five seconds he reached several conclusions of his own.
The first was that he was loved. He'd always been, of course, the friends and family of Foster's loved him but this . . . This was something he'd never known before. And he knew now that every saying about love was true, in it's own way.
The second was that he didn't have any bad feelings towards Crackers anymore. He'd very rarely ever been truly jealous of anyone before so it had taken him awhile to register the emotion.
The third was that he'd made an assumption about Crackers and Satin that he never would have made if he'd just told her the truth from the beginning. He vowed to do this from now on out.
The fourth was that Frankie and Crackers had probably spread the good news to half the house by now and they could be walked in on at any second.
The fifth, ah, the fifth, was that Satin was still looking up at him expectantly.
It was all the reminder he needed.