Warning: None of these characters are in any way affiliated with me...I only play with them like puppets on strings.

Doctor Grey led them over to a corner away from the rest of the people loitering around the waiting room and gestured for them to sit down.

He let out a deep sigh before he began. "I have been in surgery with Ms. Hino for the last 2 hours and I was able to stop the internal bleeding. It seems a beam in her house fell on her and pinned her to the floor."

Serena started shaking even more and Darian wrapped his arm around her shoulders to keep her from crying. "Will she be ok?" Serena asked.

"Well, I beleive she will get through this fully, but she will need help. I am hoping you two will be able to help her." Doctor Grey received two nods. "Ok, she will be fine here at the hospital and I am going to keep her here for a week before I examine her and make sure she can leave. After she leaves, I need her to have someone with her at all times. She will be weak for a while and will need help with everyday things."

Serena and Darian nodded. "When can we go in and see her?" Serena asked.

"She is still passed out from the surgery, but you can see her as soon as you want."

Darian stood, pulling Serena with him. "We would like to see her now."

"Of course. This way please."

Doctore Grey led them through the Emergency Room doors and through several hallways before he turned into Rei's room. Serena had to turn away when she saw all the machines hooked up to Rei.

Noticing Serena's reaction, Doctor Grey's brow furrowed. "These will be unhooked as soon as she wakes up. This is to help her recover while she is still sedated. I will leave you two alone with her. Please buzz a nurse when she wakes up."

Serena pulled up a chair and sat right beside Rei's head, and grabbed her hand. She stroked Rei's hair with her other hand as tears ran down her cheeks. "You're gonna be ok...you're gonna be fine."

Darian just watched Serena whispering to Rei, tears coming to his eyes. He had been there for Rei since they were in High School and he still felt protective over her. He loved her like a little sister and he was devestated that she was hurt and there was nothing he could do about it.

They sat for hours in that room with Rei still passed out, and eventually, they both fell asleep. Serena was still holding Rei's hand and Darian was still in his chair across from them. And that's what Rei saw when she opened her eyes for the first time. A small groan escaped her lips, causing her throat to ache. Her head felt like she had been hit like a freight train. "Serena," she whisperd.

Serena's head popped up. A lopsided grin broke out on her face as she saw Rei smiling at her. "How do you feel?" was the dumbest thing Serena could have thought of to say, but it was what came out of her mouth anyway.

"Heh, I feel like Hell. What happened?"

Serena proceeded to explain what she saw on the News and her being carried out in an ambulance and what the Doctor told them before bringing them in to see her. Rei just sat there and listened. Then she looked down at her body and saw all the machines running into her. It made her sick to her stomach.

Serena spotted the queasy look on Rei's face and reassured Rei they were going to take them out as soon as she was up.

"Well call the God Damned nurse to get this shit out of me!" Rei demanded.

Serena laughed and it caused Darian to wake up. He slipped out and went to get a nurse.

The next few hours consisted of the nurses removing the machines and tubes while Rei demanded that they hurry up. She calmed down when Doctor Grey came in and asked what all the fuss was about.

"Just Rei being herself," Darian explained.

"Well, at least you are acting normal," Doctor Grey said with a half-smile.

Serena looked over and actually saw Rei blush and move to cover herself more. That's when Serena looked at the doctor and realized that he was a very attractive man. Serena laughed on the inside. Trust Rei to care about how she looks in front of a man when she was in the hospital after surgery.

"Could you leave Ms. Hino and I alone for a few minutes please? I need to examine her wounds and have a little talk with her."

"Sure," said Serena. "We should probably eat something anyway." Serena grabbed Darian and led him out of the room. Outside, she let go of him and backed off. "Sorry," she mumbled as she proceeded to the cafeteria, though she realized that she wasn't that hungry. She stopped and looked back at Darian. "I'm gonna catch a cab and head home. I'm dying for a shower. Could you please tell Rei I'll be back soon?"

Darian just looked at her a minute before responding. "I need to get out of this place too, so I'll just give you a ride home."

Serena didn't know if that was a good thing or not. She decided not to overthink it and just accepted his offer.

The car ride was spent in silence...thick, uncomfortable silence. The ache in Serena's chest worsened as she fought with herself on whether or not she should say something. As the car stopped she panicked, not wanting to leave his company.

"Would you like to come up?" she asked quickly.

Darian just looked at her, his brow raised.

"I can at least make you something to eat as a thank you."

"Sure," Darian said after a few seconds.

Serena led Darian upstairs to her apartment, the butterflies fluttering around in her stomach She fumbled with her key before finally fitting it in the hole and opening her door. Darian followed her inside and closed the door behind him.

Serena proceeded to the kitchen to search through her cabinets for something she could make quick. She thought of Rei left alone at the hospital and almost kicked herself in the butt. She ran over to her phone and grabbed it, calling the first number that popped into her head.

"Hello?" she heard Mina's voice say over the phone.

"Mina!" she exclaimed. She then proceeded to hurriedly tell Mina about what happened with Rei and asked her to relay the message to Lita and Amy so they could all go see her at the hospital. After listening to Mina yelling at her for the next 3 minutes for not calling her, Serena hung up on her and let out a sigh. Now Rei wouldn't be at the hospital alone at any time.

Serena went back to rummaging through her cabinet while Darian sat down and patiently waited for her. He watched her every move, how graceful it was, and a smile tickled at his lips when a box of noodles fell on her head.

"Ah hah!" she exclaimed, startling him out of his reverie. "Ramen!"