Disclaimer you know.
Dorothy awoke to the feeling of someone's lips pressed up against hers. She knew it was Alex. She attempted to open her eyes only to be met with a throbbing headache. She tried to sit up and found that she still felt weak and dizzy. She then felt someone pressing lightly against her chest prompting her to lie back down. She found that her throat was dry and that her right arm felt as if it were bound in some way.
"Dorothy, Doctor Maxwell will be here in a moment now that you're somewhat awake." came Alex's voice.
"Alex, what happened?" Dorothy asked weakly.
"Dorothy, you were brought here by, by the jester, he said that you went outside chasing after an orb of light, you fell off the statue on the fountain." Alex said as he ran a hand through Dorothy's hair.
"Alex, how long have I been out?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"Dorothy, I'll tell you, but promise me this, you won't panic about it and you won't get too worried." Alex requested.
"You have my word." Dorothy replied coughing a bit.
She felt Alex's hand grasp her left hand and squeeze it tightly. She knew she was in for some bad news.
"Dorothy, you've been unconscious and in hospital for almost two weeks." Alex said.
"Alex, the others? Are my aunt and uncle alright? The triplets? The…" Dorothy started too asked worriedly before she felt Alex's hand press over her mouth.
"The others are fine, they're all at the farmhouse, and the doctors let me stay here rather reluctantly." Alex said.
"Ah, is she finally awake?" Doctor Maxwell asked walking into the room.
"Awake yes, eyes open, no, worried as ever, yes but this is Dorothy we're talking about." Alex said chuckling.
"Well that is expected, go to the front desk and call her aunt and uncle, let them know she's finally awake." Doctor Maxwell said.
"Is there a phone we can just plug in here? I don't want to leave her side." Alex asked curiously and worriedly.
"If you have a quarter there's a pay phone down the hall that still works, one of the few in this hospital that do." Doctor Maxwell said walking over.
"Dorothy, I'll only be a moment." Alex said kissing her on the cheek and running out.
"He really cares about you." Doctor Maxwell said as held open Dorothy's mouth and shined a light in it.
"And I care about him." Dorothy said as he finished.
"He escaped the storm with a sprained wrist, he went out when he realized you were gone, now can you try to open your eye? Once more you managed to badly injure one of your eyes, you'll still be able to see out of it but you may end up needing prescription glasses, at least according to one your friends." Doctor Maxwell said.
Dorothy sighed and mustered up some strength, she managed to force her good eye open and was able to get a good look at the room she was in. however immediately she had a rather bright light shone in her eye. She squinted a bit and her eye quickly adjusted to the light.
"Well, you're pupil is reacting to light properly." Doctor Maxwell said.
"Doctor Maxwell, they're all relieved that she's alright, but they can't come at the moment, apparently it's started snowing again." Alex said walking back into the room.
"I'd rather they stay at the farmhouse where it's safe than try to make it here in this weather." Doctor Maxwell said sighing.
"Is she alright?" Alex asked curiously.
"She'll be fine, just make sure she gets water and eats the food that we have." Doctor Maxwell said sighing.
"Well what is going to be able to eat?" Alex asked curiously.
"Um, we have canned sardines and toast, we have the usual meals, but the sardines are filled with more stuff that will help aid in her recovery." Doctor Maxwell said.
"How am I going to do anything with my right arm wrapped up?" Dorothy asked curiously
"Have Alex help you if need be." Doctor Maxwell said.
"I can live with that, can I have some water?" Dorothy asked coughing a little as Doctor Maxwell checked her breathing.
Alex smiled and walked over to the bed. On the side table there was a large pitcher of ice water and a cup. He poured some water into the cup and brought it to Dorothy's lips. She took a few sips and then raised her left hand took the cup from Alex. She then downed the glass in a matter of seconds.
"Thanks." She said turning her head to look at him.
"Well, everything seems to check out." Doctor Maxwell said starting for the door.
"We'll call you if we need anything." Alex said.
"I know." He said as he walked out.
For a few minutes they waited in pure silence. It was then that the clock struck eight.
"Is it morning or evening?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"Morning." Alex said.
Dorothy smiled weakly and tried to sit up. She then noticed something she hadn't before. Her leg was also bound, but she could hardly feel it. The feeling of it in the cast was there but it wasn't really noticeable.
"What happened to my leg?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"broken, like your arm, it will heal in a matter months, Dorothy, promise me that the next time you decide to do something that stupid ever again you'll let me in on it first." Alex said.
"Alex, I didn't think you'd, approve…" Dorothy said trailing off and glancing around the room with her good eye.
"Dorothy, you know I'll stick by you, but you shouldn't have gone out alone." Alex said.
Dorothy sighed and continued to glance around the room. Something was wrong but she couldn't put her finger on it. Something was missing, something rather important. It was on the tip of her tongue but she couldn't figure out what it was.
"Is something wrong?" Alex asked worriedly.
"Something's missing, I can't quite think of what it is." Dorothy said.
"Everything is fine, your things are here." Alex said.
It was then that it dawned on Dorothy what was missing. The one thing that always stayed at her side more than Alex or Toto ever did.
"The scepter! Where is it?" Dorothy asked worriedly.
"Dorothy, promise me you won't get mad." Alex said.
"Again, you have my word." Dorothy replied
"Glinda currently has the scepter, as well as the slippers, she's keeping them for your safety and for theirs, no the jester cannot take them, and the scepter zapped him several times when it reactivated, but you are not allowed to have them until you're completely recovered." Alex said.
Dorothy sighed and closed her eye. She took a few deep breaths and then looked at Alex again.
"I guess that's a fair enough punishment for my stupidity," Dorothy said sighing.
"Dorothy, I didn't agree with Glinda's decision but it was a majority vote and Aislynn, Ellie and I were sort of outvoted." Alex said
"Alex, that's alright, was being stupid and I have to take my punishment like an adult." Dorothy said.
"Fair enough." Alex said.
"Now tell me, why did you go out after me?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"We all did when we figured out you were gone, I went towards the town while the others checked out the farm, I fell and sprained my wrist and that's when the jester showed up." Alex said
"I don't know why but he was trying to stop me." Dorothy said.
"But what were you doing out there" Alex asked curiously.
"I'll explain later." Dorothy said sighing.
"I have time." Alex said sighing.
Dorothy smiled and pushed herself up a bit. She looked at Alex and giggled a bit.
"I do managed to get myself into a lot of messes don't I?" Dorothy asked chuckling.
"Dorothy, some people think you are more trouble than you are worth." Alex said chuckling
Meanwhile at the gale farmhouse.
Almost everyone was at the gale farmhouse. Eliza had returned home and Mr. Teak who had gone back to work in his shop. Mr. Foreman was helping Henry with the barn which had suffered considerable damage from the wind during the storm. Meanwhile Glinda and Ellie were helping Em with the triplets while Mrs. Teak and Annabella waited in the living with Officer Grey, Mr. Alistair, Donna, Kelly and Aislynn. Everyone was having some sort of conversation about how relieved they were that Dorothy was alright.
"I'm just glad she's going to be alright." Donna said teasing Pockets with a piece of string.
"I just wish henry and Jon would come back in before they have to dig their way back to the farmhouse again, it's been snowing on and off like this since the jester's storm, is it true that Oz still hasn't thawed yet?" Mrs. Teak asked curiously.
"Last time I was there it was still frozen with a thick sheets of ice, people have been working to break off all the ice but Oz is a pretty big place." Aislynn said laying down on the floor and sighing.
"Imagine what would happen if Dorothy found out." Officer grey said taking a sip of tea.
"Oh don't even suggest that, Dorothy would probably have a complete panic attack, the only places that weren't affected by the ice storm were China country and Candy County, both of which were somehow protected." Aislynn said.
"But won't Alex tell her what happened?" Mr. Alistair asked curiously.
"He never promised he wouldn't." Aislynn and Donna said in unison.
"Well she's been in the hospital pretty much comatose for almost two weeks I think she's earned the right to know what happened." Mr. Foreman said as he and henry walked into the house.
"Fair enough." They all replied in unison.
"Em!?" henry called out.
"Yes henry!?" came Em's response.
"We're going to have to wait till spring before we can fix the barn again!" He called.
"That's okay dear." Em replied walking out carrying Alicia and Robert.
"I'll drop by the hospital later to check on them." Glinda said walking out carrying amber in her arms.
"Thanks Glinda." Em said setting Alicia and Robert in the playpen with the other cats.
"No trouble." Glinda said setting amber down with her siblings.
"Sis?" Ellie asked finally joining them.
"Yes Ellie?" Glinda replied.
"Can I come, please?" Ellie asked curiously.
Toto then ran over and barked as if to asked "can I come?" this made Glinda chuckle and pick up Toto.
"Oh you just want to return to work as a therapy dog don't you?" Glinda asked as her eyes flashed a sapphire blue color.
"All of us want to see Dorothy again." Toto said.
"I know boy, we all do, and you two can come with me." Glinda said picking him up.
"You should wait till after lunch." Em said walking towards the kitchen.
"That was the plan." Glinda said as her eyes flashed sapphire again.
"Do you think she knows you've hidden the scepter and the slippers by now?" Aislynn asked curiously.
"I'm sure she does, I'm sure she's noticed by now." Glinda said sighing.
"Well then, I'm going to start preparing lunch." Em said walking into the kitchen.
Glinda smiled and then looked at Ellie and Toto. Dorothy would definitely be glad to see these two. She was not sure how happy Dorothy would be to see her however.
Well well, Dorothy has indeed gotten herself into quite a mess. that fall from the fountain indeed did a number. But I guarantee dear readers that she will indeed be alright for the most part.