Minnie sat impatiently on the couch, glancing up at the closed door every few minutes. By the time Daisy returned with Dr. Sheckles, she had managed to slow down the bleeding and they had moved Mickey into the bedroom so he wouldn't be seen if someone came in. Daisy was currently on guard outside, making sure no one did, and the doctor had urged Minnie to wait out here. He'd been at work for almost two hours now. Letting out an anxious sigh, she leaned forward and rubbed her arms.

"It's taking so long," she whispered to herself. Pluto, who was sitting beside her, looked up at her with a soft whine. Minnie managed a smile and patted his head.

"I know… I'm worried too. But I'm sure he'll be all right."

He will… she thought to herself. Mickey would be fine: she couldn't let herself think otherwise. Her heart wouldn't stop racing whenever the thought came that he might not be. The sound of the door opening broke into her thoughts, and she shot to her feet as Dr. Sheckles emerged.

"Well?" she asked anxiously. The man moved up to her with a tired but reassuring smile.

"He's very weak and running a fever from the shock, but he's stable… and incredibly lucky. Any longer and he would have been beyond help."

Minnie closed her eyes as a dizzying wave of relief swept over her.

"Thank goodness."

A moment passed before the doctor spoke again.

"You know him, don't you?"

Minnie looked up in surprise, and some alarm. Why would he ask that? More importantly, how did he know?

"Why do you…"

"He was mumbling about you whenever he could talk. He kept saying your name and that you were in trouble." Minnie stared, at a loss for words. Was that why he was there? Finally, she forced herself to speak.

"But… but I helped him here. He doesn't remember?"

Dr. Sheckles shook his head.

"Probably not… he's suffered a bad shock. He'll likely be confused and disoriented when he wakes."

Minnie was pretty confused herself, but she nodded.

"Thank you for your help," she said. "I know there was risk in this, and…" The doctor held up a hand and smiled again.

"No thanks necessary, my Lady. I'm just glad I could help." He moved toward the door. "Keep a close watch on him for tonight and don't hesitate to send for me again if needed. But as long as his fever doesn't get worse and there are no complications, he should pull through." Then he shook his head with a thoughtful expression.

"I must say, for someone so small, he's quite a stubborn fighter." Despite herself, Minnie smiled and nodded. After he left, she stood for a while, trying to make sense of the emotions spinning in her.

Finally, she headed toward the bedroom, Pluto following close at her heels. The sooner Mickey was strong enough to be moved, the better… he couldn't stay here for long or someone would get suspicious. She would have to get word to his family, so they could take him home. But these thoughts moved to the back of her mind when she entered the room.

Mickey was lying motionless on the bed, his eyes closed. Minnie couldn't stop herself from blushing when she saw that he was shirtless, bandages wrapped around his chest. His breathing was still a little shallow, but soft and lighter now. Pluto trotted up to his master's side and laid his head on the bed with a soft whine.

Minnie walked up to him slowly, feeling a mixture of relief and confusion. Why did he think she was in trouble? Thinking back to where she had found him, Minnie realized that there'd been no signs of a struggle. Whoever stabbed him had met little or no resistance. Had he been looking for her and surprised the wrong person? Had he been taken from behind? She shook her head.

Maybe he can tell me more when he wakes up. She took his wrist to check his pulse, but quickly let go when Mickey stirred and let out a soft moan.

"Unh…" His eyes slowly opened a little, and Minnie was relieved to see that the glazed look was gone. A slight frown creased his brow as they wandered around the room, then they moved to her and instantly widened; or at least as much as he could manage.

"M… Minnie?!" He tried to sit up but let out a sharp groan, wincing. "You… all right…"

Minnie was startled; he'd almost died, and he was worrying about her? A warm feeling grew in her chest, but she pushed it back.

"I'm fine, but the same can't be said for you if you open those stitches," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "Try to hold still." When she reached for his wrist again, he grasped her hand and kept his eyes locked on hers, as if he couldn't believe she was really there.

"He said… y' were in trouble…" he rasped. "That I had t'… had t' hurry…" He stopped and took a few deep breaths, then continued, even though it was clearly taking a lot out of him to talk.

"Followed 'im to the… the alley… Don't… 'member after that…"

Minnie felt a lump rise in her throat as she listened. So that was why he was there, and why he thought she was in trouble. Someone had told him that to lure him there. And he believed it.

"It was a trick," she said. "Whoever told you that and brought you to the alley attacked you."

She stroked his hand, wanting to keep him relaxed.

"Do you know who it was? Do you remember anything about him?" Mickey closed his eyes for a bit, frowning as he tried to remember. Then he opened them again.

"Big fella, heavy," he murmured. "Said he… was yer guard. Silver badge… royal crest." Minnie waited for him to explain more but his voice tapered off and his eyes closed, exhausted. She sat back, thinking. The description wasn't much, but no guard she knew matched it. Even more puzzling, how did he know how to find Mickey? He was one of the most important people in his movement, well protected and very careful about who he identified himself to.

Minnie was pulled out of her thinking when she heard Mickey's breathing grow more ragged. She looked at him in alarm and saw him frowning in his sleep, sweat beading his forehead.

"No… not her…" Minnie sat beside him and laid a hand on his forehead. She didn't know if he could feel it, but she wanted to ease his pain and fear any way she could, and this was the best way she could think of. After a short time, he gasped and woke up again, his eyes darting around.

Once they rested on Minnie, he relaxed, and a weak smile tugged at his face. "Yer safe…" he whispered again, his eyes shining. "Yer really safe…"

Minnie gave him a reassuring nod, then reached for the bandages to check if his movement had affected the injury.

"You said that already. I think you're still confused."

Never taking his eyes from her, he shook his head slightly, took her hand and drew it over his heart, pulling her closer to him in the process.

"Never… been clearer…" Minnie felt her heart beat faster along with his, and then shook her head, trying to clear it. He was just delirious… and she shouldn't be thinking about her feelings right now.

"Don't talk so much." She barely heard her own voice. "You need to rest." He squeezed her hand, and then his eyes closed again. Minnie felt guilt start to fill her as she looked at him. He looked so frail and in obvious pain. It was almost unbelievable how bravely he was bearing it, and it was for her sake.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, thinking he was asleep again. No one deserved this, and at the thought of how close he'd come to… She closed her eyes, feeling tears sting in them. "I… I never wanted… I never wanted you to…"

She broke off when she felt fingertips lightly touch her lips, stopping her words, and opened her eyes to see Mickey giving her another weak but comforting smile.

"S' all right…" His hand slowly but surely reached up, brushing her cheek. Minnie gazed into his warm sapphire eyes, lost in the pure ardor she saw there. Almost right away, she felt herself smile in return.

Mickey winced and his hand began to shake, but he still held it to Minnie's cheek. When she placed her own hand over it, holding it steady, he couldn't help wondering if he'd died after all and made it to heaven. Then he realized that if that was the case, he'd probably be in much better shape than he was now, and he couldn't imagine her being in the other place. Suddenly forgetting how tired he felt, Mickey raised his head a little, so there was even less space between them.

"Minnie…" He was too weary to go on, but she knew what he wanted to say. Suddenly, her only thought was to close the distance between them. Her heart beating faster and faster, she began to lower her own head.

"Say it again," she said softly. "My name… please." Mickey's eyes grew even brighter and, gathering all of the little energy he had, lifted his head a little more.

"Minnie." There were only a few inches left, but despite how badly he wanted to close them, he just didn't have the strength. He closed his eyes for a moment as his head began to fall back, but they quickly opened when he felt a supporting hand under it. Her hand. He looked up to see her smiling at him, tears in her eyes.

A soft, tender whisper reached his ears, "Mickey…" Minnie leaned down, and their lips met.

In that moment, everything dissolved. There wasn't the fact that he was a rebel and she was a princess, nor that her father had been trying to arrest him for months. There was only him, and her. After several seconds, she finally drew back, her senses spinning, gently lowering his head again.

Mickey stared at her, his eyes full of surprise… then relief. He clasped her hand in a gentle grip before closing them again. Soon he was resting quietly, his breathing a little more even now and a peaceful look on his face. Minnie reached down and touched his cheek. Her heart melted as he smiled and tightened his hand around her other one.

"I… I love…" he whispered almost inaudibly. Minnie rested her forehead against his and moved her hand to his chest, smiling as she felt the strong, steady beating of his heart. Somehow, those simple vibrations brought her more comfort and peace than any words.

"I love you too," she breathed, and Mickey's last thought before he lost consciousness again was that any pain he'd been feeling was now nonexistent.