Hello, lovely readers! Sorry I haven't updated in a zillion years… ish… but eh, here's the next chapter to Unexpected… Ellen said I was not allowed to leave it sad-ish so here you go, kids! Please Read and Review!

Disclaimer: Disney should provide me with a Portman clone since I can't own him…

Chapter 11

Les Averman was sitting on a rather uncomfortable couch. Not only was it uncomfortable but it was crammed with 6 teenagers when it was supposed to hold three; and said couch was also in the waiting room of a hospital where the six teens and eight of their friends nervously waited for news of Dean Portman and Ali Karlon.

Averman attempted to shift around in his seat but it was impossible to move an inch as he was firmly stuck between Julie and Goldberg. He therefore decided to just tough it out and ignore is discomfort by thinking of the situation of his teammate and friend. How had this happened? Ali had definitely been acting strangely the day before, but she had seemed perfectly happy and cheery. It was a good thing Portman had gotten there but what had happened to him? Why did he just blow up like Connie said he had?

Averman's unusually sobering thoughts where interrupted by the shrill demand, "Where the hell is my son?"

A crowd of people entered the waiting room. One was a tall, dark haired man who was undoubtedly Dean's father. He had his arm around the shoulders of a short woman who like she was about to explode with worry and wrath.

"Where is my boy? I want to know immediately!"

"Angela, calm down. Dr. Benson has been trying to tell us something."

"Thank you, Mr. Portman. I was just in to check on your son. He is awake. He discussed with me the circumstances and we are sure that he will be quite fine."

"What about Ali?" asked Mrs. Karlon, her eyebrows furrowed with concern.

"She is doing much better. She lost a lot of blood but she woke up approximately an hour before Dean did."

All of the teens were beaming as they heard the doctor's news.

"So, we can see them soon right?" Ce asked, as she rubbed at her eyes that were still a bit red from crying. Fulton squeezed her hand reassuringly.

The doctor smiled kindly. "Of course. However, Dean wished to see Ali as soon as was possible. Of course, their parents," he added, nodding to the Portmans and the Karlons, "will see them first. You all may see Dean and Ali afterwards."

"Dean!"

Dean looked up from the automotive magazine he had been reading after his nap to see his mother and father standing in the doorway of his room. His mother nearly ran through the room to sit on the hospital bed, crying as she came. Dean sat in bed looking and feeling quite alarmed as his mother hugged and cried on him. His father grinned as Dean gave his mother a rather awkward one armed hug and a cautious "Hi, Mom." Dean's father walked toward one of the chairs next to Dean's bed.

"Angie, calm down, he's fine. I think you're scaring him."

Mrs. Portman took a deep breath as she sat down on a second chair. "Sorry, honey. I was just so worried, with what happened I knew you'd be thinking of your brother and things."

Dean half smiled at his mother. "I'm okay. I was thinking about him but I was more worried about Ali. Did Dr. Benson say exactly when I could see her? I need to talk to her about some things."

"Dr. Benson said soon after we saw you, you would be able to see her."

Dean smiled. Mr. Portman smirked at him.

"So Ali Karlon, huh?" said Dean's father. "Is she pretty?"

Dean rolled his eyes and grinned. His dad always knew how to lighten the mood (and calm his extremely excitable mother down.)

"Yeah."

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"Thanks, Dad," said Dean as his father wheeled him up to the door to Ali's room. (Dr. Benson had said it was fine if he got changed because he had absolutely refused to be seen in public in a purple polka-dotted hospital gown.)

"No problem, Dean. Talk your heart out."

Dean gave his dad a quick smile and asked him to tell the Ducks where he was. He took a deep breath and knocked.

"Come on in."

Dean opened the door and wheeled himself inside. Ali was sitting on the side of her bed, fiddling with the bandages wrapped around her wrists. She was wearing her pajamas.

"I figured I should change. I didn't want to be seen in public wearing a—"

"—a purple polka-dotted hospital gown? Nah, me neither."

"Actually, mine had pink hearts," she said with a wince.

Dean gave a quick laugh. He wheeled himself up to the bed so he was in front of her, his smile turning into a look of confused contemplation. He looked at her slowly.

"Why'd you do it?"

"Um, well," she bit her lip and looked back sheepishly. "Did I ever tell you that I have manic depression?"

Dean raised his eyebrows. "Hm. No, I don't ever recall being told about this. Please continue."

"Yeah, okay. Well, I was diagnosed a few years ago when I started just having these crazy highs and lows. Mom got all worried and took me to the doctor and I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I'm on meds, I just didn't take themfor likeaweek. So yeah, that's my story for Reader's Digest this week. Do you hate me for not telling you?"

"No, I just wish you told me earlier. Then I wouldn't have blown up at you."

Ali nodded and looked at her knees. "Now, what's confusing to me is how did you end up in the hospital, too? I know you got knocked upside the head but how did this happen?"

"Oh, well, uh," Dean began just as sheepishly. "See I have a bit of an issue thing, too. See whenever I get really upset or pissed about something I tend to hit stuff. I kind of demolished your room when you didn't wake up. Something heavy whacked me in the head and I was out cold."

Dean paused and took a deep breath."Last time something like this happened was when my brother killed himself five years ago. I found him, too. All those memories just came back, you know? It was awful. I was terrified. You couldn't just—" Dean trailed off and closed his eyes.

Ali felt tears come to her own eyes as she put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "I understand. I'm so sorry."

They both were silent for a moment. Suddenly, Deanpulled himself out of thewheelchair and sat on Ali's bed.

"Ali? Last night I think did have one good outcome."

"Really? Now what was that?"

"I realized how much I really care about you. I was scared to death that you wouldn't make it. I had no idea what to do. And," Dean paused and looked straight at her. "I can't even say how much I care about you."

Ali bit her lip andsmiled. "Mind showing me then?"

"Sure," Dean grinned as he pulled her in for a kiss.

"Can we go see them now?"

"Jesus, guys, impatient much?"

"You know it."

"Okay, kids. Dean is up visiting Ali. You can probably head up there now."

"Thanks, Mr. Portman."

All the kids walked up the hallway. Ce, Fulton, and Averman were in the lead.

"Should we knock?" asked Ce.

"Nah, when do we ever knock?" said Fulton.

Averman grabbed the doorknob, turned it, and pushed in the door. Fulton, Ce, Averman, Luis, and Julie stuck their heads in the door. Suddenly, five pairs of eyebrows were in grave danger of being separated from five foreheads. They ducked (AN: Oh the puns…) back through the door and shut it quickly and quietly. They leaned their backs to the door and took a deep breath.

"What's up?" asked Connie.

"Oh nothing. We just walked in on them playing a little tonsil hockey," said Luis.

"Well that was unexpected."

"Damn right," added Averman. "Who would've thought. I never knew hospital patients were allowed to wear PJs. What happened to those hospital gowns?"

The other Ducks all turned to look at him with various degrees of exacerbation on their faces.

"What?"

THE END!

AWWWW! How cute and cliché was that? Please RnR! And also, friends, I updated so you all must therefore update as well... That means you, Ell... Woah, I'm such a trend-setter...