Holy guacamole! I haz returned. I've been exploring different fandoms I used to be in or still am a part of (Transformers and Undertale, mostly) and I finally found a break to write this. The words in italics and bold, for those who don't know, is my sister Honey's favorite TV show theme (It's from Pretty Little Liars). The end conversation is part of the lyrics, but I thought it was oddly fitting of the ending.

Anyway, Enjoy! (By the way, bloopers will be happening again soon when the chapters start lightening into fluffy clouds of cotton candy again.)

Four days. That's how long it has been since the race. Technically, it would be five days if you count the three hours that have gone by since the clock struck midnight. Butchy hasn't woken up yet, but he can hear us. Every time I ask him a yes or no kind of question, he squeezes my hand once or twice (respectively) in response. Once, I got up to go use the bathroom without telling where I was going and, when I came back, he wouldn't let go of me. Ever since then, I have had to tell him where I was going and, if I don't, he refuses to let my hand go until I do. He always has been protective of me.

I had to explain my double world life to Uncle Antonio on the second day of my stay, but he was very supportive of my decisions. He claimed that family is the most important thing in life and that, no matter what, I would always be welcome to stay with him and his family. I really appreciate him and his family. Uncle Tony (as he prefers to be called by his close family) and his wife, Aunt Francesca, have eight children whom I've already met and three more that I have yet to meet because they're in Italy with some relatives.

In order of age it would go: Gideon, Daniella, and Eleanora, the triplets whom I've yet to meet, at seventeen, Roberto at fifteen, Sofia and Stephania at fourteen, Antonella at eleven, Bernadette at almost nine, Ilaria at six, Trevor at five, and little Valentina at three. They certainly keep busy, don't they?

The youngest of the eleven kids, Valentina, loves to climb up on my bed and snuggle when she's tired and even tries to read the hospital menu to me. Last night, before she left to go home and sleep, Valie picked up the menu, pointed at the word 'zucchini' and claimed that it said zebra. She told me to not eat it because "they pretty, Autie Mickie". Valentina had quickly taken to calling me "Autie" when she found that I was going to be married to Butchy soon. She can't figure out how to say "Auntie" instead of "Autie", but I think it's absolutely adorable.

Valie is the black haired version of a Barbie doll and she knows it too, claiming that she already has a boyfriend, but she doesn't want to date him anymore because he took her block at playtime. Between her and the twins, I have a feeling that Uncle Antonio is going to be beating off boys with a twenty foot long pole.

Speaking of the fraternal twins, Sofia and Stephania have kept me highly entertained after school hours. Stephania is blonde and is a very socially dramatic dance queen, so she keeps me up to date with all the drama that comes from her dance practices and recitals. Sofia, on the other hand, is brunette and a rather shy artist, so she attempts to help me sketch out things that I find interesting in and around the hospital. Steph has insisted on teaching me the steps to one of her most popular numbers even though Sofia is pretty insistent on the fact that I should be less stressed, not more so. Sofia thinks that dancing is stressful and Stephania thinks art is boring. It makes me kind of glad that I never had a sister or a twin.

If I'm completely honest, I was hoping Butchy was asleep when Roberto was introduced to me. I really didn't want him to get mad at his young "nephew". The persistent fifteen year old attempted to flirt with me the instant he entered the room. He started out really smooth, but my response really crashed that train of thought.

/Mick's Memory - Two Days Earlier\

"Hello. My name is Robbie, and yours?" Roberto tried as he took my hand the same way Butchy usually does.

I held up my left hand that was tightly laced with Butchy's. "Your Aunt Mick. Nice to meet you, Robbie. Smooth entry, by the way. Did Butchy teach you?"

The twins giggled at their older sibling's defeat as he made a face of shock and quickly moved away. "Uncle Butch isn't awake, is he?"

"Not sure, but, for your sake, I hope he is." I shrugged. However, Robbie's question had been answered very quickly when Butchy's hand tightened on my fingers considerably more than when he answered my regular yes/no questions.

/Present\

Butchy was asleep next to me as it was only three in the morning. His oxygen cannula had been taken out yesterday, but I still was advised to not try waking him up or getting him too worked up over anything as it could wind up with him needing the cannula and the morphine all over again. I was frustrated over the fact that I couldn't wake him up to receive a spontaneous, yet always passionate, kiss or anything, but this is my revenge.

"Revenge for what?" I guess is what you'd be asking. Well, it was my fault that I lost my memory, it was my fault that Butchy felt depressed and hurt because of my memory loss, it was my fault that Butchy got into an accident, it's my fault for everything that's happened in the last month. This is the universe's way of saying, "Haha, screw you, Mick. You are a jerk to society and yourself. Here, this is your punishment."

I sighed deeply as I fell back onto my bed, my left hand still latched onto Butchy's. I leaned over onto his bed and put my head over his chest. "Babe, please wake up. I don't know if I can keep up this whole 'I'm fine' bit for much longer. I know this is my punishment for doing this to you for a month, but I want you back more than anything right now. I really want to go home and cuddle with you and just be us again. I love you so much, Biagio. Please, come back to me."

I sat up a bit and wiped the sleep from my eyes before bending down and pressing a light kiss on Butchy's cheek. "I'm going to go take a shower, My King. If we were at home right now, I would tease you by asking if you wanted to come join me and we would end up just sitting in the tub and talking for hours, but we aren't at home, this place doesn't have any tubs, and you can't get your bandages wet because it could infect the area they did surgery on." I pulled my hand from Butchy's as he let it slide from his grip.

I grabbed my bag from the floor next to my bed and headed for the adjoining bathroom. I turned back, taking one more glance at my husband to be before going inside the bathroom and closing the heavy door, sliding the lock into place.

/Butchy's PoV\

I woke up to the sound of Mick sighing and flopping back into bed. As much as I wanted to pull her to me and tell her that everything would be alright, my body was still terrifyingly weak from surgery and the only thing I could do at the moment was squeeze her hand. I couldn't even open my eyes to look at the absolutely gorgeous girl that had stayed by my side every day and every night for not only the last four days. However, as much as I wanted to hold her close and reassure her of everything, I also wanted to hear what was bugging My Queen so badly.

Mick's ear pressed against my chest as she listened for my heartbeat, her free arm draping it's way over my waist. "Babe, please wake up. I don't know if I can keep up this whole 'I'm fine' bit for much longer. I know this is my punishment for doing this to you for a month, but I want you back more than anything right now. I really want to go home and cuddle with you and just be us again. I love you so much, Biagio. Please, come back to me."

I thought over her words as Mick quieted again. She doesn't need to fake being strong for everybody, she's strong everyday, even when she doesn't realize it. I don't know what she's talking about with the whole "punishment" thing, but she needs to get that thought out of her head. She put me through a lot, yes, but it wasn't entirely her fault. I'm just as much to blame for staying away from her for so long. I wish we could go home and forget all of this...

You know, I usually hate it when somebody calls me by my first name, but, with Mick, I could really get used to it! She makes it sound so... brilliant and unique, like it flows off of her tongue like that honey stuff Mick likes in her tea and her milk when she doesn't feel well.

I heard the bed do that horrible creaking noise again as Mick sat up. Mick kissed my cheek, the closest she could get to my lips before she squeezed my hand a little. "I'm going to go take a shower, My King." I smiled in my head at my nickname. "If we were at home right now, I would tease you by asking if you wanted to come join me and we would end up just sitting in the tub and talking for hours, but we aren't at home, this place doesn't have any tubs, and you can't get your bandages wet because it could infect the area they did surgery on."

On any other day, I would have held her close and waited until she had forgotten about wanting a shower to let her go, but I wasn't in any real position to argue. I let my hand slide free from hers as she got up from the bed. I heard her moving around for a while before the bathroom door slid shut and locked.

I heard the door open again, but, this time, it wasn't Mick. "How's my favorite nephew doing today?" Uncle Antonio asked. I'm your only nephew, Uncle Tony, of course I'm your favorite. "I'm guessing you're pretty ticked off right now because your beautiful Queen has left you all alone. However, I'm here now and, even though I'm not as beautiful and sweet as she is, you will have to put up with me for a while. I have to check your blood to make sure that there is no infection left over from the surgery."

If I had the strength to do so, I would've shivered and moved as far across the bed as possible. I hate needles and blood and everything to do with the medical practice. Uncle Tony knows this and likes to tease me about it every chance he gets. Well, at least Mick is in the bathroom and can't see this. If she did, I wouldn't be able to look at her for the rest of the time I'm in here. She'd be the first one to join Uncle Antonio in his teasing.

Of course, with my luck being the jerk it has been for the last couple days, I just had to think that. No longer than a couple seconds went by after I had thought that and, just my luck, Mick opened the bathroom door and came back inside the room. It had been too soon for her to have taken a shower so I guessed she had either forgotten something or had heard Uncle Tony and had decided to take it later.

"Oh, hi, Uncle Tony. How are you this morning?" My Queen asked as her voice got closer.

"I am wonderful, mia nipote. How are you?" Uncle Antonio asked as I heard Mick sigh.

"I'm as well as I can be." Mick sat down on my left side as she talked with my Uncle. "I'm more worried about Butchy than I am about myself. Is that a normal thing?"

"Of course." Uncle replied. "You two must have a great connection. I have never seen any lovers stay this long when one is in the hospital. And that includes myself when my Frankie was in here after the birth of our little Val. Most, if not all, have at least gone home to sleep, but you have stayed the entire time and have hardly left his side."

"Yeah, well, he has a hard time sleeping when I'm not with him." Mick carefully took my bandaged left hand in hers and leaned down, pressing my hand to her face. "I don't want him to go through those nightmares again."

"Nightmares?" Uncle Tony asked. Ugh...Mick! You had to give him more teasing material, huh?

Mick nodded against my hand. "He told me once before that, even when it's just me getting up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, his dreams turn to nightmares and it's always the same one."

"Really?" Uncle Antonio questioned, "Did he tell you what the nightmare was about?"

"Me leaving him. He is afraid that I'll find something about him that I won't like and that I'll leave him forever. He turns that thought into a nightmare and he doesn't like to let me leave his side. I don't really like to leave his side anyway, but he still tries to keep me nearby at all times."

I squeezed Mick's hand to let her know that I was awake. Mick lightly kissed the tip of my fingers in response as they were the only part of my left hand that wasn't in a bandage. I nudged my thumb against her lips before rubbing a little circle around her mouth.

"Butchy's awake." Mick mumbled against my hand before she leaned down and kissed my cheek. "Good morning, My King. So, Uncle Antonio, how is Bucthy, by the way?"

"Actually, I was just about to draw blood when you came in. I wasn't sure if you wanted to be here for it or not." Uncle Antonio claimed. "It's nothing major, I need to make sure there's no infections or anything. However, what I'm more concerned about is how much blood he has in him. He lost a lot at that race and I have a feeling he may need another transfusion."

"Another transfusion? He had a first transfusion?" Mick questioned as she sat up, shifting my hand away from her face, yet still gripping it tightly.

"During the surgery, yes." I heard Uncle Antonio reply as some papers shifted around. "Oh, no. I can see the wheels turning in your brain. What are you thinking, Mick?"

I heard nothing for a moment before Mick spoke again. "What blood type does Butchy have?"

Uncle Tony sighed, "Type A. I have a feeling I already know the answer to this, but, might I ask why?"

"I'm a match for him. I have Type O positive. I can donate to anybody with any type of blood and it will work. I'm over the age of eighteen, Uncle Tony. Let me donate some of my blood to Butchy." Mick explained.

I tightened my grip on Mick's hand again to stop her. Mick's free hand ran through my hair before settling on my cheek. Mick leaned down next to my ear and whispered to me softly. "Babe, you put up with a month of torture for me when I lost my memory. Let me at least do this for you. Besides, if the roles were switched and I was the one in your position, wouldn't you try to donate for me?"

"Mick, if it's against Butchy's will for you to donate blood for him, I can't-"

"Uncle Antonio, please. If it was Aunt Francesca in Butchy's spot and you were in mine, wouldn't you do the same thing?" I heard Mick ask.

Uncle Antonio took a deep breath. He and I had come to the same conclusion: we couldn't stop Mick. We knew that we would donate for our loved ones any day. We understood. I still didn't want her to donate just for my sake, but she was determined. I couldn't stop her now, but I sure could try.

"Fine." Uncle Tony sighed. "I'll get my equipment after I draw his blood for the lab."

I heard the smile in Mick's voice as she thanked Uncle Tony repeatedly and gave him a hug. Mick climbed over me and snuggled up to my right side, her right hand still laced with my left. How did she do that? "I'm right here if you need to squeeze me or my hand."

"Not the one he's holding. If he squeezes with that hand while I'm taking blood from that arm, it will go everywhere and he will need even more blood." Uncle Antonio explained.

I slid my hand up to Mick's back before sliding it down and gripping one of Mick's hips as she held my shoulder. I heard Uncle Tony snort like he was holding back laughter as Mick tripped over her words. "I-It's alright, M-My King. I'm right here f-for you." Mick's head turned toward my left again. "Uncle Tony, is it alright if I distract him a little?"

Uncle Tony laughed. I think you already have! Haha! But, you never know. By all means, go right ahead."

I heard Mick giggle a little as she pressed her mouth to mine. I pushed my lips against hers as much as I could as I felt the needle prick into my arm. I could barely feel it as Mick's kiss made my whole body numb as usual. She has some sort of venom in her lips, I swear. Too soon for my liking, the kiss ended and Mick moved away as a piece of tape was slipped across the crease in my elbow. Oh, they are good at this!

Mick whispered to me again, "Um, Babe, do- uh, do you think you could, um, let go of my butt?" I could feel my face getting a lot hotter as I let my grip slide off of what I had assumed was Mick's hip. "We can save that for after the wedding, alright, Biagio?" I heard Mick giggle lightly in my ear before she moved.

I heard Uncle Tony whistle a bit as I felt my face turn the same shade of a cherry. "Good goin', Butchy. Good goin'. Alright, Mick, I'll go get my things and I'll be right back. If my nephew tries that again, just hit him."

"Okay, Uncle Tony. I'll be here." Mick giggled. "I actually didn't mind the butt grab all that much. He does it in his sleep all the time."

The two of them laughed at my expense for a moment before Uncle left the room. Mick put her head on my chest again and put her right leg between mine as she held me close. "I hope you aren't too mad at me for donating my blood. I just want you to know how much you mean to me and how much I want you to be able to come home. How much I want you to be able to say that you love me. How much I want you to hold me and tell me that everything will be alright."

Mick, you have no idea how much I want to tell you that I love you. I'm not mad at you for this, but I'll have to tell you later. It's been a couple days since my last attempt, why don't I try again? Nothing's stopping me and Mick needs to hear what I have to say.

"B-Ba-abe." I whispered hoarsely, hoping she could hear me at least a little as I squeezed her hand.

Mick's head flew off of my chest as the hand that had been on my waist came up to my cheek. "Butchy?" Mick whispered hopefully. "Did you just-? Babe, tell me you said something. Anything. Please."

"No-ot ma-ad. N-No-ot your-r fa-ault I-I'm he-ere." I hated the sound of how weak my voice was, but I was so glad that I could at least talk to my wife. "L-lov-ve yo-ou."

"Oh my gosh! Butchy! I love you too!" Mick squealed before holding my face in her hands and kissing me repeatedly. Mick made a sighing noise as she pulled away and pressed her forehead to mine. "You're okay. You're okay. Babe, I love you. I love you so, so much."

"I'm o-kay, My-y Qu-Que-en. S-Say my nam-me again. Soun-nds go-od fr-from yo-ou." I claimed before my throat squeaked and I coughed. Mick backed up a little to give me room to breath, but, as soon as I stopped, she pressed a kiss to my throat. I slowly dragged my eyes open as much as I could without the lights blinding me. I wanted to see Mick even more so now that she could remember me.

"I love you more, My King. Save your voice, okay?" Mick asked, as she moved to grab a cup of water from the table next to me. "I want you to be able to show Uncle Tony and Lela and all the Rodents that you're coming back and better than ever. Biagio, you are my miracle."

Mick helped me take sips of water as she rubbed her eyes with her free hand. I watched Mick carefully place the cup on the table before she leaned back into my arms and smiled up at me. "You have no idea how much I was worrying about this. Now, I see you and everything actually is starting to feel real."

I opened my mouth a little, but Mick cut me off, "You can tell me when you are strong and stable enough to do stuff without pain."

I smiled a bit before moving my hand up from the bed, across her arms, and to her hair. We laid like that for a while until the door to my hospital room opened. "Hello?" a girl's voice asked.

Mick's eyes widened before hardening as she sat up, putting my arm back on the bed before heading toward the door. "You have a lot of nerve coming here, Juliet."

Juliet sighed. "I know. I just- ... I know how much you hate me and you have every right to. I just thought you might like some kind of explanation."

"What kind of explanation?" Mick asked as she let the blonde walk across the room and sit in the window sill.

"An explanation for everything. Every single thing that nobody else knew happened in the past month or so." Juliet explained, toying with the lace of her sneakers.

Mick closed the door to the room and sat in the window across from Juliet. "Alright. Explain away."

"Not everything is something you can tell other people." Juliet looked to Mick anxiously. "Promise you won't tell anyone, Mick?"

"Of course, Juliet." Mick smiled.

"Take it to the grave?"

"Take it to the grave."

"To start things off, I'm not some lost girl who just ended up here..." Juliet took a deep breath. "I am- I mean was the First Lady of the Sparx. My ex-boyfriend was Xander."

Got a secret, can you keep it? Swear this one you'll save. Better lock it in your pocket, taking this one to the grave. If I show you then I know you won't tell what I said... 'Cause two can keep a secret if one of them is dead.

"Mick?"

"Yes, Juliet?"

"I have something I want to tell you but you have to promise never to tell anyone."

"I promise."

"Do you swear on your life?"

"I swear on my life."