"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" were the first words to come from Seymour's mouth. Audrey shook her head.

"I'm alright. What about you?"

Seymour didn't want her to worry. "I-uh, I'm fine." But she wasn't convinced.

"Here, let's go to my house and get ya patched up." Audrey took his hand and the couple waded through the rubble. As it got harder for him to make his way to safety, Audrey scooped him up in her arms. Despite everything, Seymour had to laugh.

Internally, however, Seymour was less amused. It's all gone, Seymour thought. Years of my life, all crumbled to the ground. He remembered something.

"All my plants," Seymour murmured. "They're under there."

"Are ya gonna go under and get them?"

He thought about it. "Maybe."

"It might not be safe," Audrey warned. I don't want to lose you, she added mentally. I almost lost you tonight already. "I don't think ya should. C'mon, let's go." She kept going until they were safe on the other side of the street. Seymour reached out and opened the door.

"Thank you," Audrey smiled, kissing his forehead. She went inside. "I'm gonna have to put you down, just for a second," she murmured to Seymour. He nodded, and she gently set him down. Audrey unlocked the door and opened it, then lifted her fiance back up and laid him down on her bed. He was clearly trying to hide the fact that he was in pain, but Audrey couldn't be fooled. She went into the bathroom and turned on the sink, taking out a few washcloths and wetting them. When it was soaked, she wrung it out and went back to Seymour, who was struggling to get up.

"You stay there," she instructed, and he sat back down. "Now, can ya tell me where it hurts?" Seymour indicated a few areas on his body.

Audrey got to work, beginning to apply the cold compresses to the injured areas.

"To stop ya from bruising," she explained. When she placed the first one on his back, Seymour flinched, and Audrey raised her eyebrows.

"Did that hurt?"

"No," he responded. "It's just a little cold 's all."

Seymour almost asked her why she was so good at stopping bruises, but he quickly thought better of it. I know why, he thought glumly. Being with that damn dentist, and who knows what other kinds of shady characters, she's gotta have to know how to take care of herself. In an odd way, Seymour admired her for being able to treat injuries so skillfully and professionally.

As long as I'm around, he vowed silently. She won't need to treat any more injuries, at least not on herself. I'll try to keep her safe, whatever it takes.

"Finished," she announced, removing the cloths. "I'll just take these back to the backroom to dry." Audrey took the damp washcloths into the other room, hung them on the towel rack, and came back.

"If ya end up bruisin', let me know," she told Seymour.

"Okay." Seymour stared at the window of the remains of his old home.

Somewhere over there are the ashes of that goddamn plant and its little offshoots. Good riddance. He was lucky that barely anything of value had been destroyed.

Seymour quickly checked his suit jacket pocket. It's still in there. Good. He glanced over at Audrey and felt warm. Everything I need is right here.

"What do we do from here?" quired Audrey. "Are we still gonna…?"

"Yeah, if you're sti-if you're still up for it."

She nodded enthusiastically. "Of course!"

"We'll take a subway uptown tomorrow," he decided. "From there, we can go to City Hall 'n get approved for-for marriage. Maybe we can stop an' get our clothes mended."

He was still shocked that Audrey had agreed to marry him, and so happily. I'll be by her side for the rest of our lives.

Audrey was obviously satisfied with the plan. "That sounds perfect. So we'll rest here tonight?"

"Yeah, I guess so. But where should I sleep?" Audrey's house only had one bed, and that was the one he was sitting on at the moment. "I won't stay in your bed, this is your house."

"No, I think we should share."

"Really?"

"Well, suah. I don't want ya sleepin' on the floor. B'sides." She smiled. "We'd have to get used to sleepin' in the same bed, right?"

"Yeah, that's true," he grinned. "I'll probably have to wear this to bed." He gestured at his torn suit.

"What are ya gonna wear tomorrow, while ya suit's gettin' fixed?"

Seymour hadn't thought of it. "I dunno."

"We can get you some new clothes tomorrow," she suggested. "I did promise I'd take ya shoppin'. May as well do it now."

"Okay. That sounds nice."

"Perfect."

"In the meantime, we should get ready for bed. We've got a big day tomorrow." Seymour grinned.

"I can't wait." Audrey kissed him on the cheek, making his heart flutter. "I'll go an' change." She stood up, opened one of her suitcases, and took out a simple pink nightgown. Audrey headed into the bathroom to change. Meanwhile, Seymour took off the jacket, folding it carefully in hopes that the contents of the inside pocket would stay inside. He removed his tie and set it on top of the jacket. When he was done, Seymour laid down on the bed and removed his glasses, setting them on a nearby table.

Audrey came back into the room, now wearing her nightgown. She ruffled Seymour's hair and kissed the top of his head before lying down next to him. Barely able to see, Seymour smiled sleepily in her general direction.

"C'mere," she murmured, opening her arms. Seymour snuggled closer to her.

"Audrey?" he asked after a few minutes.

"Yes?"

"You know it-you know Mister-Mister Mushnik got-got eaten, ri-right?"

"I kinda figured. It started growin' awful big after he left."

"A-And…" He swallowed. "The-The dent-Orin. I-I came to-I was there when he-when he died. He wanted to operate on me, take out my wisdom teeth or somethin'. H-He started takin' laughin' gas, but the mask got stuck and he-he he choked. I know, I-I shoulda saved him but… I was so angry! I-I couldn't stand the thought of 'im hurtin' ya anymore. I'm a-I'm a killer."

"No, you're not, Seymour. Just because you could have saved him doesn't mean you should have. He was going to take the gas before he operated on you, right?" He nodded, and Audrey continued. "He's done that before. Usually when he has a patient he didn't like. He didn't seem ta' like you the night ya met him in the first place. What I mean to say is, every time he did that, the patient would 'disappear'. It was either you or him."

"He would do that?"

"Uh-huh. At least twice. He tried to do it to me, too, but he decided not to."

"What?" Seymour felt a burst of rage, which passed quickly as Audrey kissed his forehead.

"It's okay. He didn't end up doing it, and he's gone now."

"Right." Seymour took a few deep breaths. "You're safe."

"That's right. Now get some rest. You don't seem like you've been getting much lately in the first place."

"Okay. Goodnight, Audrey."

"Goodnight, Seymour. I love you."

"I love you too."