Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! I'm so happy you're liking this story more than the Disney one! I love getting your reviews, Milorian Fairy Lover, Singingsilent, YasminXD, and Hayden Avery! I'm pouring everything into this, and trying to make it the best story I've written yet. :D PS - Singingsilent, I can only write heros if I fall in love with them too, so you aren't alone. :)

He blinked slowly, and his fingers shifted slightly in his left hand.

She held his hand. "You just had surgery. Do you hurt?" She spoke slowly, giving him time to process the words.

"I'll grab the nurse," Pete said and left.

His eye shifted around the room, and he swallowed again. His lips parted and a soft grunt escaped him.

Stroking his cheek to get his attention, she spoke slowly again when his eye landed on her. "You're in the hospital. The anesthesia is still wearing off. I'm Emma. Trudy and Stevens are here too." He looked groggy.

The nurse came in with a smile. "You're awake." She looked at his vitals on the screen.

"Is it alright he can't speak yet?" Trudy got up and came over.

"Yes. We'll put on oxygen and help flush that out. Some people wake up slowly." She got out an oxygen mask and reached toward him. "I'm going to put this over your nose and mouth. It'll help you feel better."

He turned his head away a bit and blinked slow, his brow furrowing a bit.

Jason didn't want his face touched. She held out her hand and took the mask and held it up a few inches from his face. "We'll hold it up, alright?" She slowly set it over his nos and mouth.

He tried to turn his head away, his movements slow and jerky.

She held on the mask and stroked his left cheek to help keep him still. "It's alright. This will make you feel better."

His eye slowly drifted shut and his breathing slowed.

"Are you alright holding it on? I'll go page the doctor that he's waking up."

She nodded and the nurse left.

Trudy and Pete hovered on the other side of the bed. "He's frightened. We shouldn't have ever let him go have those plastic surgeries alone, don'tcha know," Trudy sniffled.

Closing her eyes, she held back the stinging tears. Oh god, he'd been alone for everything. "He's not alone anymore," she whispered.

A few minutes later, he stirred again. "Emma," he mumbled.

"I'm right here." She touched his cheek and still held on the mask.

His eye fluttered open, and he looked so tired. His hand dragged across the bed to rest on her knee, and then his eye drifted shut. "Tired," he sighed.

"I know. Go to sleep." The doctor should be here soon. Was it normal to take this long to wake up? Maybe some of it was the brain swelling. He didn't feel so hot at least. Her eyes followed his heartbeat on the screen. It slowed down for a few minutes and then started to pick up. Then it raced and he startled hard. His eye flew open, wide and frightened.

She startled but kept the mask on him and caught his hand. "Shhh, it's alright. I think you were dreaming."

He panted hard, his eye darting around the room. Then his eye landed on her. His hand reached up and clasped around her wrist, as if to feel if she was real. Then he closed his eye in relief and held his forehead.

"Does your head hurt?"

Dropping his hand, he looked at her and caught her upper arm. With more strength than he should possess at the moment, he tugged her close. She tumbled into his arms. "I dreamed I didn't get to you in time." His voice was scratchy but otherwise sounded normal. "I couldn't get in the window."

Gaston. He'd dreamed about trying to rescue her. His hug almost crushed her, and she had to push on his chest a little for him to relax his grip. "I'm alright." She dropped the oxygen mask and wrapped her arms around him. Oh god, it was good to feel his strength. Her arms tightened around him, the fear fleeting out of her heart as his strength seeped in it's stead. He'd beat this brain infection. He'd get better soon.

"Stevens?" He sounded like he didn't believe his eye.

She sat back, although he kept ahold of her hand. He looked confused to see everyone. "You scared us." Biting her lip, she struggled to keep her voice steady. He looked at her with a furrowed brow; a slight crease formed by his eyebrow. "You lost blood during surgery, and they found some brain swelling and a brain infection."

"Ms. Hoplin gave her own blood." Pete nodded at the IV pole.

His eye followed to the blood bag hanging. Then he looked at her, his eye softening and heart so clearly melting. "Emma, you didn't need to do that."

How odd it was to hear his voice coming from a face she didn't recognize. He had such an expressive face. This was so different seeing something besides a black mask. How much had their misunderstandings come from simply not seeing how he felt? Had he cared more than she'd thought? He seemed so much more...real. His hand cupped her face as he held her eyes. She didn't see the bandage or paleness or hospital gown; simply him. Slowly leaning foward...

"I have good news!" The doctor came bustling in.

She shot to her feet with burning cheeks. He didn't let go of her hand, and she glanced at him. A soft smile curled up the corner of his mouth as he looked at her. Butterflies tickled in her belly. She looked away, her face on fire. Apparently he knew she'd been about to kiss him.

"We were able to save most of the skin transplant, so the bandage should be off in about ten days. The brain infection is already responding to antibiotics, if your fever dropping is any indication. Any headache?"

He looked at the doctor dryly. "Feel free to report in front of everyone."

The doctor looked around, apparently surprised to see Trudy and Stevens. "My apologies. I-"

"It's fine," Jason sighed. "The headache is better." Clearly he didn't want to be here.

"Good, good. I'd say let's do a spinal tap tomorrow and see from there. If everything keeps going well, we'll have you out of here in three days." The doctor typed some notes one-handed on a laptop he held.

When Jason heaved a sigh, she looked at him. He looked more and more irritated by the second. "They have to make sure the infection is cleared," she said and squeezed his hand. He didn't say anything but dropped his gaze on the bed. His shoulders slumped a bit. She frowned. He seemed so sad.

"Any questions?" The doctor looked at him.

He just shook his head and stared at the sheets.

Sitting in bed wasn't good for his spirits. "Um, I do," she said. Everyone looked at her. "When can he get up and walk around?"

The doctor blinked. "Well, a nurse will be in within a few minutes to get you up and moving because of blood clot risks with surgery. If you don't have dizziness or anything, I'd say you're free to walk the floor this afternoon after the transfusion is complete."

When the doctor departed, he said, "Stevens and Ms. Van Hoodie, thank you for coming, but you should go home. Ms. Hoplin should go home and get some sleep."

She frowned and looked at him. His tone was firm and his face expressionless. But the loneliness lingered in his eye. She sat on the edge of the bed and held his gaze. "I'm not going home, and I'm not Ms. Hoplin," she spoke softly but with conviction.

His eyebrow rose in anger, his eye narrowed, and his lips drew into a tight line. If she hadn't known his soft heart, she would've been scared. "Oh really?" he growled, obviously trying to push everyone away.

"Really, Jason." Then she leaned forward, resting a hand on his knee, and pressed her lips to his.