Misery slowly awoke, opening her eyes to the too-bright hospital-room light that she was all too familiar with. She didn't know how much time had passed, but she had a vague awareness that she shouldn't be waking up. Wait… she'd survived? How?
"Misery!" Iris's voice rang loud and clear across the room, so that Misery could hear her name echoing in her ears. Iris was next to the hospital bed, jumping up and down, in a moment.
"Misery! You're finally awake! We've been so worried- and- and-"
The others appeared as well as Iris gave the still rather incoherent Misery an excited hug. Ruby pulled Iris off her.
"Iris, she's still hurt, you know. Be careful," she told her. She turned to Misery. "How are you doing, Misery?"
Misery pondered for a moment whether to tell them the truth or what they wanted to hear. She decided to change the subject.
"What happened after the lightning?" she asked.
Ruby told her everything.
"…Wow." Misery was shocked. They'd done so much for her. How could she ever repay them for saving her life? "You really…. did all that just for me?"
Ruby looked surprised at Misery's surprise. "Of course. What did you think we'd do?"
Misery didn't know what to say. She couldn't understand why they would go to such lengths for her- her, the girl who brought the gloom to Gloomsville, who brought rain wherever she went and broke everything she touched. She didn't know how they could care so much about her. But it made her strangely… happy. Though she was in a lot of pain right now, she had a feeling that she'd be all right after all. She didn't think she was going to die. It wouldn't be easy, but she'd pull through.
And it was all thanks to them.