Author's note: Hey guys, so sorry I know its been a while since my last update, but my brother was in a car accident on the 3rd. He was hit by a drunk drive and broke his back in two or three different places. So updating has not been my highest priority. I wrote this throughout the comes and goes of hospital visits so I'm not real fond of it but I hope its okay.

Chapter Twelve

I can take care of myself

10-06-2001 Tyler's apartment................

"Tyler what are you doing?" Ally asked shocked at what she was seeing.

Tyler was trying to get something from the top shelf in the living room, but he was trying to do it from his wheelchair.

"I'm trying to get that book," Tyler said falling back into the chair as it began to wobble.

"Well all you have to do is ask," Ally said with a concerned glare at him as she reached up and grabbed the book and tossed it to him.

"Thanks," Tyler said as he caught the book and put it on his lap as he wheeled himself to the kitchen, and turned himself with his back against the wall to look at to Ally, "So-what's for dinner?"

"Pizza, if you'll ever let me make it, I can't leave you alone for two seconds," Ally said with a smile.

"I can take care of myself Ally," Tyler said leaning his head against the back of the wall.

Ally smiled, "I never said you couldn't," she looked at the book she had handed to him, "Why do you want that anyway? You've must have read it at least five times."

Tyler smiled and looked at the book in his lap, A Tale of Two Cities, it was true, he had read it countless times. He looked back up and shrugged, "I don't know, I know the story so I can read it fast."

Ally laughed, "Okay, you do that then." She grabbed the pan she was looking for and started in on making dinner, "So what are we doing tomorrow?"

Tyler bit his lip, he had to time this perfectly, "I have therapy in the morning, you know just one more month and the first set of pins come out."

Ally nodded, "The ones in your ankle right?"

Tyler nodded and looked down at his leg that was strapped to the leg rest but elevated slightly. He had a grand total of eight pins in his leg, two in his ankle, two in his calf, two in his knee and two in his thigh. They would be taken out one by one and each time he would gain more and more movement in his leg.

"That will be great, you'll have full range of motion in your ankle for sure," Ally said with a smile.

Tyler smiled and gave a small nod, the ankle ones were easy to wait for, they only needed to be in for two months, the others were in for much longer. The longest, the ones in his knee he had been told could take up to four months to completely heal and no longer be needed. Tyler sighed and changed the subject, "Anyway, I kind of told Caroline that I would hang out with her tomorrow."

"Oh, okay, do you guys want to hang alone?" Ally asked though somehow she already knew the answer.

"Kind of, you know I just got out of the hospital a week ago, she wants to spend some time just us. Thats okay isn't it?" Tyler asked already knowing the answer.

"That's no problem, I was going to go shopping anyway, that way I don't have to worry about you," Tyler rolled his eyes causing her to laugh.

"Ally, I'm stuck in a wheelchair for a while but that doesn't mean I can't take care of myself," Tyler said spinning around to fast in his chair and hitting the wall with his bad leg making him hiss in pain.

"Of course you can, run your leg into a few more walls, that's really taking care of yourself," Ally said kissing the top of his head.

Tyler rolled his eyes and leaned his head against the wall once again, "Its exercise."

Ally choked on a laugh, "Some exercise, you'll get more pins put in before you get them taken out."

Tyler made a face and shook his head, "Don't say that."

"You have got to start letting me help you," Ally said, "You heard what the doctor said, the less you move your leg the better."

Tyler shrugged, "Am I moving it?"

"Well you're not meaning to," Ally said with a smile reaching down and locking Tyler's wheels.

"Hey now, what are you doing?" Tyler asked mock glaring at her.

"This way I know you'll stay in one spot for more than a minute," Ally said with a smile as she went about making dinner.

It took Ally ten minutes to get dinner in the oven and then Tyler's cell phone began to ring, he pulled it out of his pocket and smiled when he saw the caller ID. It was his sister. He reached down and pulled up the breaks on the wheels, Ally looked up giving him a warning look. Tyler pointed to the phone in his lap, "Sister," he said with a smile and almost ran into Aidan as he wheeled into his room.

Tyler turned himself towards the door so he could motion to Aidan to keep Ally busy then flipped his phone open, "Hey Maestro."

"Why are you whispering?" Caroline asked with a smile her brother couldn't see.

"Why do you think?" Tyler whispered with a smile of his own as his eyes traveled to the door to make sure Aidan was doing what he was supposed to be doing. Caroline's laugh made Tyler's smile even broader, "Are you laughing at me?"

"No, I'm your sister, why would I laugh at you?" Caroline said, then she laughed again, "Okay, maybe just a little, there is an easier way to do this you know."

Tyler rolled his eyes, "I already told you Maestro, I'm getting the ring, she doesn't have any say in the matter."

"I'm just saying it would be easier if you just asked her and then went ring shopping, considering your current situation," Caroline said, though she knew full well that all she was saying was falling on deaf ears, wheelchair or no wheelchair Tyler was going to do this, he was going to get this ring.

"Maestro, I'm not going to ask her until I'm out of this chair and besides I told you-," Tyler began, he was determined.

"Okay, okay, I know, I know, what time will you be here tomorrow?" Caroline asked with a sigh, but she smiled, ever since they day she saw him again Caroline couldn't help but smile every time she talked to her brother now, no matter how crazy his ideas were.

"I have therapy in the morning so I'll be there say, eleven, eleven fifteen?" Tyler said smiling, he knew what was going through his sister's head.

Caroline shook her head and laughed, "I'll be ready and waiting."

Tyler nodded, "Love you Maestro."

Caroline smiled, "Love you too, see you tomorrow," and with that they both smile once more and Tyler slapped his cell closed.