-1Hours past as Hunter sat there, lost in his own dark thoughts. Tori couldn't die. He didn't notice the others gathered around sitting in the hard plastic chairs in the waiting room. He stood up, and began to pace, his blond hair a mess from his fingers running through it, his clothes wrinkled. Hunter had been waiting for over 12 hours for new word on her.

Tori's parents were out of the country, but on their way back from their vacation. Until then Hunter intended to look out for her. A nurse came up to him, touching him arm gently as he made another turn in his pacing. Hunter looked down at her.

"You can see her now. Room 216."

Hunter hurried down the hall in the direction she pointed. He skidded in front of the room and pushed the door open. He stopped. Inside he saw her lying on the bed. His legs had lead attached as he had trouble moving them over to the bed.

He stood next to her bed, and reached down touching her hand. He saw the iv's, and the monitors attached to her. She had a cut on her forehead, and bruising around her temple. But she was still beautiful. "Tori?"

She didn't wake up, and he stood there looking at her. Glad that she was alive. " Tori, it's me Hunter. It's going to be alright, Tori. You are going to be fine. I wish you would open your eyes and look at me." He took her hand in his, and sat down in the chair. "I'm not leaving you."

He had been there all night, and it was almost lunch time when the doctor came in as Tori woke. Hunter was happy to see those blue eyes looking up at him. "Hunter?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"Miss Hanson, I'm glad you are awake. I have a few things to talk to you about. If you will excuse us sir."

"No, I want him to stay." She tightened her grip on his hand.

The doctor looked at the young man and then nodded. "Alright. Miss Hanson, you were in a car accident and you substained some injuries. You have swelling on your spine, in a few days we will know something. You had some bleeding from your liver, we fixed that. Cracked two ribs, and have a concussion."

Tori tried to sit up, and winched, and screwed her eyes up. She lay back and glanced at Hunter. "Doctor, I'm not going to be crippled am I?"

Hunter gave the doctor a hard look, the man was tackless, and he wanted to punch him out.

The doctor looked at the file in his hand. "It's too early to say, but you should be prepared. Though you probably will get the use of your legs back when the swelling goes away. We will have to wait and see. You are lucky to be alive, Miss Hanson."

"Am I really?" Tori had begun to cry. Hunter moved and put the rail down and sat down on the bed, leaning over and softly hugging her. "Hunter, I'm crippled!"

"Get out doctor, now!" Yelled Hunter. He whispered to Tori trying to calm her down.

000000000000000000

Hours later Hunter sat there with a sleeping Tori. He had told the others what the doctor had said, and they had gone home, since Tori didn't want to see anyone. Hunter refused to leave her.

When Tori woke she saw Hunter sitting there. "Hunter?"

"Yeah, your favorite thunder ninja." He made a face and she smiled.

"You are a nut, Hunter. What am I going to do?"

"Get better. Tori I was going to tell you yesterday but you had the accident. I know you might not be interested, and if not I understand."

"What are you talking about Hunter?"

"When I was dating Kira, I couldn't get you off my mind. The night before I knew what I wanted, and I told Kira too. It's you that I want. You I love."

Tori looked at him, with a surprised expression, and then she smiled. "Hunter, it's what I wanted too. But I thought you weren't interested because of Blake, or I wasn't your type."

"Not my type? Let's check my list of my perfect girl, see if you fit the bill, shall we? Long blond hair, blue eyes, beautiful, likes to surf, ride motorcycles, and is a water ninja, and former ranger." He started making faces as he pretended to think…"Who fits that bill?"

"Tori rolled her eyes. "Hunter you idiot, but you made me smile."

"Tori, I love you."

"Hunter, I love you too. But, I'm not good enough for you now. Worthless."

Hunter moved from the chair to her bed again. "Don't ever say that. Even if this is permanent, I don't care. I'll be right here for you. We can learn how to deal with it together. It's not just your legs I love. It's all of you."

"Hunter, you are special."

"Be my girl, Tori?"

"Yes."

He leaned and kissed her, and the rest of the world faded away as they lost themselves in that kiss that sealed their relationship.

00000000000000000000000

Weeks had past and Tori was living at Hunter's apartment. He had rearranged things for her wheelchair. Tori couldn't believe that he was so supportive, and by far the best man she had ever met. True to his word he had researched and gone to meetings with her. Wanting to know how he could help her, help them. Even when she had gotten irritable with him over little things, he just smiled or made faces at her.

Tori was sitting on the sofa with Hunter watching a movie. When Hunter turned and kissed her, and she returned it. They began making out, and Tori froze when Hunter touched her leg.

"Hunter! I could feel that! You touched my leg!"

Hunter pulled away, and looked at her. "You can feel that?"

"Yeah, and my feet tingle."

"Tori! You see, you are going to walk again!"

Tori was laughing and crying as she hugged Hunter."I'm going to walk again, dance, and surf. I'm going to walk by your side."

"Yeah, Tori, you will. Forever. It's just the beginning for us."

The end…….