Me: Wazzuh, party peoples? =D You ready for a new installation of HIH? Welp, I am, so even if YOU aren't, tough cheese sticks!

(Flint's POV)

Today was the day I finally got to get out of this godforsaken hospital. Whoop-dee-do.

Yeah, now you all probably think I'm being sarcastic. No, it's just it's a little hard to be excited, because I know that Sam can't stay with me forever. She had a job here, in Manhattan, and Dad, Steve, and I had to go back to ChewandSwallow to make sure nothing happened to the house, or my lab.

So I was feeling a bit down-in-the-dumps. As a kind doctor named Emma gave me one final check-up, I wasn't exactly paying attention to all the medical terms. It was getting confusing, even for an inventor.

"...and so, that's why you won't be able to invent anything for a few weeks, alright Flint?" she finished, and it took a few seconds for her latest sentence to sink in. My eyes widened, and I rudely interrupted her next words.

"Wait...I can't invent anything for a few weeks?" I cried out, beginning to panic. I couldn't invent anything? That was my whole deal! I invented stuff, and tampered with it, and sometimes showed it to my dad or Sam! "Whaddya mean I can't invent anything?"

Dr. Emma seemed like she was used to getting interrupted, and answered both my questions. "Yes, you won't be allowed to invent anything for about three weeks. Simply put, I'm not certain if anything you invent might corrupt the healing process, or if you'll get injured during working. So no inventions. But on the bright side, look forward to a couple of weeks of rest and relaxation."

R&R? I didn't want R&R! I wanted to keep inventing stuff! (Even if sometimes, that stuff hardly worked...)"But...w-what about...aw, nevermind. I think I can survive...thanks anyways, Dr. Emma."

Dr. Emma smiled and stood up, pushing up her wire-frame glasses. She spoke, "A nurse will be here soon to guide you out. Be careful, Mr. Lockwood, and make sure to come back in about a month so I can remove your cast."

Fortunately, I had gotten away with only having to leave with a cast for my broken wrist. Everything else was doing great, I guessed. Dr. Emma left, and the room was silent once again.

I sat in the hospital bed, my lab coat and the rest of my normal clothes on my body and a sad aura surrounding me. How much more time did I have with Sam?

-oxxXOXxxo-

A few hours later, we-Sam, me, Steve, and Dad-were all sitting in Sam's living room, discussing what the next step was.

Dad wasn't leaving Manhattan until I did, which made me feel nice inside. Sam and I were gonna go down to this restaurant later that week and spend some desperately-needed time together. Dad wanted to check out this fishing place, and Steve would go with him-there was also a shop that sold gummy bears where my father was going.

I really didn't want to leave, but I knew we couldn't stay in a fairy tale forever. So Dad, Steve, and I were heading back on the following Friday. Which meant I only had nine days to spend time with Sam. Which sucked. A lot.

I didn't state my opinions aloud, though, because I knew that Sam already felt that way. So instead, all three of us (I don't think Steve fully understanded the situation) went to bed with heavy hearts and gloomy-looking futures.

-oxxXOXxxo-

As I stated earlier, Sam and I were at a restaurant that week. It was an Italian one, and I hadn't had spaghetti and meatballs since the Great Food Incident back in ChewandSwallow. Sam, not wanting to be too badly reminded of those chaotic days, simply ordered pizza. I know, so original.

We really didn't have much to say, because I was drowning in my own mini-depression, and Sam was in her own world. I twirled the spaghetti around my fork, untwisting it and repeating the process over and over. Oddly enough, I hadn't even touched the meatballs.

Sam finally spoke up after a long, tense silence. "Flint..."

I looked up from my food, raising an eyebrow to let her know that she could continue. Sam picked up her piece of pizza and frowned slightly at it, before setting it back down and sighing.

"What's going to happen when you guys leave? It was pure unfortunate luck that you were kidnapped, and then I got to save you...but who knows when something like that will happen again? I don't want you to get hurt, and I don't want you to leave...oh, Flint, what are we going to do?"

I hated seeing her like this; in despair, pleading, and so utterly sad. I sighed as well and brushed back a strand of carrot hair from her eyes.

"We're going to survive, Sam. I love you too much...maybe we won't see each other for awhile, and maybe I won't get to hug you for awhile, but I can call you. I can't guarantee that I can visit you...though I really have nothing else to do..." Sam laughed softly at that. I smiled. "...but just know that I won't stop loving you until the day I can't invent anything."

"...Flint, I want you to know that that was really cheesy."

"Yeah, Dad has a couple of romance books back home. I may or may not have leafed through a few."

Sam poked my forehead, and said, "I love you."

"Love you too."

After that conversation (and yes, readers, I do indeed know that my words were ridiculously cheesy) we went to a little park and spent time with each other there. I had my head in Sam's lap as we laid on a hill, the garnet blades of grass tickling my sides. The sky was a perfect shade of blue, the puffy ivory clouds drifting by without a single care in the world. I occasionally pointed out the different shapes in the endless cerulean canvas, and sometimes, Sam would, too.

"Hey, look! A fat clown with his pants pulled down!" I called out, and Sam lazily rolled her eyes towards the sky. She pursed her lips.

"Looks more like a hot air balloon to me."

I scratched my head. "Yeah...okay, fine, we'll say it's both."

Sam smiled lightly, patting my forehead lovingly. I may have not had a long time left with Sam in Manhattan, but I knew that I would always remember this day...and Sam would, too.

Me: No, psychos, the story isn't done yet. -.- Part ONE is done, now onto Part Two. Yep, bet you weren't expecting that one, huh? x3 More development with Flint and Sam's relationship in the next part, as well as father and son bonding and inventor and monkey bonding. ^^ Yes, the ending sucked, get over it.

Part Two is going to be up around July 4, or right after Independence Day. My school district JUST started summer yesterday (don't even ask why), and I have a little baby cousin coming from Germany to stay until September, and I have a busy schedule until July. So sit tight!

~Peachuz =]