I do not own Molly of Denali, or any of the characters contained within this story. Molly of Denali is the property of Kathy Waugh and Dorothea Gillim.

Please review all my stories. Feedback would give me ideas I can use for not only this story but for future ones. Thank you for your time and happy reading.

Nikichan: Thanks for the kind sentiments. I will do my best to heal but I love writing. I'll try to find another way to write without using my arms too much. I will probably be using the text to speech feature of Microsoft Word, to handle most of the story, but then I'll go through and edit before submission. Have a good day. Look forward to hearing from more of you. Enjoy the story.

Chapter Three – Growing Pains

Trini pushed away the tray that recently contained her breakfast. Daniel finished his own breakfast as he watched his daughter sitting in her bed. "How did you like your breakfast Texas?" Trini looked at the tray, "It was okay, but I can't wait to get back home and make an omelet using our eggs. Dolores and the rest should have a few ready for us when we get home."

She watched as her father looked at his watch, "Dad, when am I going to be going home?" Daniel stood and gathered the tray of their food and placed them on the table by the door. "I have no idea Texas, the doctor should give us a timeframe today, hopefully."

"Which doctor, Dad? Atsaq or the surgeon? Trini asked, looking at the calendar that was on the wall of the room. "From what I was told honey, Atsaq should be here, so she should let us know." Daniel relayed pulling out his phone.

As her father was dialing his phone, a nurse came into the room. "Ms. Mumford, I have your medications." Trini looked at the cup that contained three pills. Confused, she looked from the cup the nurse was holding out for her to her father. He nodded his head.

She reached up and took the cup, removed a pill, and put it in her mouth. She then accepted the cup of water the nurse also had in her other hand. She repeated this for the other pills. When she finished, she handed the empty cup back to the nurse, "I thought all of the medications I got were placed into the IV hanging there?" she asked as she pointed to the bag hanging next to the bed.

"Well, honey, the medication is usually given through the IV but since you need to get used to taking pills, we are doing it this way. Besides, the IV will be removed later."

"Later on. Does this mean I'll get to go home today?" she asked enthusiastically. "Hold on Atsaq." Daniel mentioned waiting for the nurse to answer Trini. The nurse hesitated, "Are you talking to Doctor Ookami, Mr. Mumford?"

"Actually, yes, she just answered the phone. Do you want to speak with her." She walked forward and accepted the offered phone. "Doctor, can I tell them?"

Daniel and Trini waited with bated breath for the nurse to finish the call Daniel had begun. A few moments later, she handed the phone back to Daniel. They noticed that the nurse had ended the call. "Nurse? What did she say?" He asked her putting the phone onto the table beside the bed.

"I'll be back momentarily." She mentioned walking from the room. Daniel and Trini exchanged glances and waited. A minute or so later, she walked back into the room. She had a computer with her. She placed it onto the tray table and pushed it in front of Trini.

Trini adjusted herself on the bed and sat up straighter. "I get to talk to my friends?" she asked as she lifted the lid on the computer. The person on the computer was not Molly or Tooey, but Atsaq. "Hey Atsaq. What did you say to the nurse?" Trini asked aloud.

Daniel moved and sat next to the bed and looked at the computer screen. "Hello Daniel and Trini. I asked the nurse to bring you the computer because I have some news for both of you." Daniel and Trini glanced at each other before giving Atsaq their full attention. "Trini, the nurse mentioned that you wanted to know if you were going home tonight. I just want you to know that I'll be leaving for the hospital in a little bit. I'll let you know after I have spoken to the other doctors that helped you when you were in surgery. I'll see you then. Bye." Atsaq signed off and the computer went dark.

Trini slumped down and sighed heavily. "Oh man, I was hoping to come home tonight." "She did say she'll let us know after she had spoken to the other surgeons that helped you when you arrived. Don't worry Texas, you'll be home soon enough." Daniel expressed kissing her twice on the forehead. Trini smiled slightly since she knew it was coming from both her parents.

********** Ookami Residence, Qyah, Alaska **********

Molly exited the tub and started to dry herself with the towel. As she was drying her legs there was a knock on the door. She called, "Come in." as she held the towel in front of herself. Atsaq walked in and placed her now dry clothes onto the vanity. "Thanks, Atsaq. I am sorry I interrupted Tooey's bath by falling into it." She reached for the clothes as Atsaq was leaving the bathroom.

"No worries, we enjoyed the laugh. Besides, I had to dry not just your clothes but Tooey's and my own since you had splashed us." Molly put the towel down as the door closed. "I'll be out in just a moment, Atsaq." She called out.

"Mom, you know the bad thing about Molly falling into the tub?" Hearing him as she was walking down the stairs. "What would that be Tokone?" Sighing quietly, "I am going to have to reach for the darn knobs again and fill the tub again."

"I wouldn't worry about that. I'll take care of that." Atsaq replied, turning around, and returning to the bathroom.

Knocking on the door, "Who is it." Molly asked, reaching for her pants. "It's just me Molly, could you please begin re-filling the tub for Tooey since you took the original bath he had been planning to use." Putting her pants down, she walked over and turned the hot water knob. "No problem Atsaq."

"Thank you." Atsaq stated, returning to the living room. "Molly is taking care of it. Once she comes down, we'll help you back upstairs.

After getting dressed and drying her hair with the towel, she sat on the edge of the tub and checked the temperature of the water, as she watched the tub filling up, she began thinking to herself. "Why did I blush when Atsaq told me about Tooey being in his underwear? He was still dressed, he wasn't naked. Why would that bother me? This has never happened before. Why did it happen this time?"

Her thoughts were interrupted when there was another knock on the door. Absent-mindedly she walked over and opened the door. Atsaq was standing there. "I know that you're done, Tooey would like to take his. Could you help me get him and the chair up here again?" Molly still distracted by her thoughts, replied, "Sure Atsaq, I would love to help Tooey."

They both returned to the living room and found Tooey at the bottom of the stairs. She saw that he was now wearing a different pair of underwear than before. This must have been since she had gotten his previous pair wet when she had fallen into the bath earlier.

Molly continued checking Tooey out, looking him up and down, never meeting his eyes. As she was looking at him, Tooey was looking at his lap. "Can you help Tooey to stand and hold him there while I take the wheelchair upstairs?"

"Sure Atsaq." Tooey tried to stand on his own but was not able to make it all the way before flopping back into the chair. Walking quickly Molly positioned his left arm over her shoulder and helped by lifting him while supporting him around the waist as he reached an upright stance.

"Thanks," Tooey replied just looking down at the floor. "No problem, Tooey, glad to help." Molly noticed that Tooey never made eye contact with her. She was about to ask him why when she looked down at what he was looking at.

The heat on her face almost matched Tooey's. Since she now knew why he wasn't facing her when he was talking. Ignoring his discomfort, she hefted him up, "Should we walk and meet your mom upstairs, or does she carry you?" Looking from the floor to the top of the stairs, he replied, "She does what you're doing, since I am too heavy to carry."

"Oh okay, here we go then." Molly said as she led him to the steps and let him use the right rail as she supported his left side. They made their way up the stairs and made it to the top just as Atsaq was returning from the bathroom. "Good timing, I just turned off the water. Ready for the chair Tooey or would you like Molly to walk you to the bathroom instead?"

"We can walk there since it's not that far from the stairs, if that is okay mom?" He asked her. "Okay sweetie, if you guys need anything just call me for help." Atsaq mentioned as she walked back down the steps to the living room.

"Yes Atsaq." Molly replied.

"Yes Mom." Tooey replied.

Molly walked slowly with Tooey into the bathroom where Atsaq had placed the chair beside the tub like it was before. "Do you want to sit in the chair so you can get undressed and then get in the tub?" Molly asked as they were standing by the tub.

Tooey looked from the chair to the tub and back again. She wondered what he was thinking as she held him up. "Please put me in the chair Molly." Tooey whispered to her.

Barely hearing him, she asked, "What did you say Tooey?" Using his right arm he pointed to the chair. Seeing this she walked him closer and turned them around so he could sit making sure not to fall into the tub again.

"Is something wrong?" she asked tentatively.

"Yes, I don't like the chair because I feel like Trini did when you had to help because she wasn't able to do things for herself because of her injury." Molly listened and understood his point of view.

"Tooey, we both suggested that she not move much because it could hurt her more. Your knowledge of your mother's work and things you've seen helped us to not make things worse for Trini." Molly explained.

"I know I just feel like that." Tooey sighed. "You're not like Trini. You can get around, the injuries you have are not as bad as hers."

"Molly, do you realize that I have fractures in both of my legs. All the climbing I did, in and out of that hole. I am surprised I didn't hurt them worse than I already had."
"I know it was hard, but you're okay now. Your mom's taken care of you and I am here if you need me to be. I am your best friend, and I'll always be here for you."

Lifting his eyes, Molly saw uncertainty in them, "Always?" He asked.

"Always." Molly answered smiling. A few tense moments passed by without either of them saying anything. Molly could see that Tooey was thinking about something. Before she could ask him, what was on his mind, he asked her, "Could you please help me get into the tub." Molly hearing him said, "Sure." She then hesitated because now she had an ethical problem she had to deal with.

"Shouldn't I call you mother for this since putting you in the tub would mean that you are naked in front of me? Molly asked. Tooey looked her in the eyes, "Help me up, please" He pleaded with her.

She instantly held her arm out and Tooey placed his arm onto hers and pulled himself up. Stepping closer to the tub he reached down and quickly pulled his underwear to the floor and took painful steps to remove his feet from them.

Not looking down Molly stepped closer to the tub and Tooey raised right and wobbled before lifting it above the edge of the tub and placing it in. Bracing himself for what he was about to do, he raised his other leg, also placing it into the tub. Still supporting himself using her arm, he pointed down. Molly lowered herself and Tooey until he slid into the tub and was sitting down in the water. "Thanks Molly."

"Anytime." She said keeping her eyes elevated as she walked out of the bathroom and quickly closed the door. She stood there in the hallway and pondered what had just happened. Running the events of the last few minutes through her mind. She realized that her relationship with Tooey had changed since the accident. She thought to herself she needed some time to think about this. "I need to talk to someone."

********** Alaska Native Medical Center, Anchorage, Alaska **********

Trini pulled the laptop closer and noticed that it was almost 9:30am. "I wonder if Molly is done with the chickens and Four-spots?" She thought to herself. She put in the address for the Trading Post and waited for one for the Mabray's to answer it.

She was not disappointed as a few seconds later Layla appeared on the screen. "Hi Trini, how are you doing?" "I am doing fine, is Molly there?" She watched as Layla shook her head. "No Trini, she went over to your house to take care of the animals, and then to Tooey's to visit him. You know Atsaq's number so you can talk to them both right now, they should be available." Layla informed her.

Trini noticed she had her aviator glasses on her head. "Layla, are you bringing Atsaq here?" Layla nodded as she picked up her gloves. "Yes, I am going to call her in a minute so we can get going. I'm getting ready to fire up the plane. We'll be seeing you in an hour or so." Layla smiled. "Okay, I'll see you then. I'll try to get a hold of Molly then. Thanks Layla." Trini smiled ending the video stream.

She then typed in the number of the Ookami residence and waited a few moments. The screen opened and Atsaq was there. "Hi Trini. Is everything okay?"

"Yep, everything is fine, is Molly there?" Trini watched as Atsaq turned and called out to Molly. A moment later, Molly was on the screen. Before she could say a word, Atsaq's phone rang, she knew that Layla was calling her. She then focused on Molly. "Hi Molly, did you have any trouble with the chickens or Four-spots?" Trini noticed that Molly was not paying her any attention. Behind her, she noticed Atsaq was getting ready to leave for the trading post.

"Earth to Molly. Earth to Molly," Molly lifted her head and looked towards the screen. Her eyes opened wide when she noticed that Trini was on the screen. "Oh, hi Trini." She then became quiet again.

"Is something wrong? You were on another planet just now. What's going on?" Trini asked with some concern. "I'm not sure what happened or what I am going to do about it." Confusion was written all over Trini's face, "Molly, I would love to be able to help but what the heck are you talking about?"

Molly just spaced out again, this time looking around the room as she was thinking. Trini patiently waited for her to dial back in. "Molly is there something you want to talk about? Or something you need help with. Just tell me and I'll see what I can do to help." Trini offered despite her presence in Anchorage while Molly was in Qyah.

Molly looked back at the screen and looked Trini directly in the eyes, "I just helped Tooey get into the bath." Molly said in a deadpan voice. "I had a feeling you were going to go there and WHAT?" Trini screamed into the screen startling her father who had fallen asleep in the recliner. "Trini, is everything okay? Daniel asked, righting himself in the chair since he nearly upset it when he jumped.

Trini looked at her father, "Everything's fine, Molly just said something I wasn't expecting. Everything is okay dad." Trini smiled. "Are you sure?" He asked. "Yep, I'm sure."

Molly watched as Trini smoothed things with her father. When she was finished, she turned back to the screen and whispered, "What did you say?"

"I had said that I helped Tooey get into his bath. His legs are broken, and he can't take showers, so Atsaq mentioned that he had to take baths." Trini listened. "Okay, that is fine, I guess. I am curious why you were helping him get in."

"It's a long story." Molly said. Trini sighed, "I am not going anywhere. Go ahead." Taking a deep breath Molly began, "I arrived about an hour ago. I knocked on the door and Atsaq answered…"

"So that happened when he had gotten into the tub. Did it bother you when he did that?" Trini asked. "I don't know how I feel about it. I mean it didn't bother me when we were mink sprayed because we're girls. He's a boy and is physically different from us."

"Why is it bothering you so much?" Trini asked getting more comfortable on the bed. "I don't know, my heart was beating faster, and I had to concentrate on not looking down and checking him out. I am not sure, but he might have felt that my arm was sweaty and clammy. I don't know."

Molly hesitated before resuming, "I have never felt this way about Tooey before. He has never acted this way to me before. I wonder if I need to talk to either mom or Atsaq."

"Well, when I get home, maybe we can—" "Excuse me, Miss Mumford, are you finished with the computer? The next person would like to use it." the nurse asked, interrupting her.

Trini's countenance changed. Molly saw her face become sad. "Molly, I need to get off the computer. We'll talk more later. Okay?" Molly nodded. "Bye Trini." Molly waved. "Bye Molly." Trini said returning the wave.

Molly placed the computer back onto the table. She then thought about the conversation she and Trini had been having. "How do I feel about it? It wasn't gross or anything, Mom had already told me this and how it might make a girl feel. This is Tooey, I'm thinking about though. Do I have feelings for him? I mean he is a boy, and I am a girl, we're the same age and we've known each other ever since I can remember. I really wish I had an idea what to do about this."

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Tooey calling out. "Mom, I need your help." She quickly stood from the dining room table and walked up the stairs and knocked. "You can come in mom." Tooey said.

"Um Tooey, Atsaq isn't here, she left about 10 minutes ago. Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked, barely peeking into the bathroom. "Just like when I was in the chair. I can't reach below my thighs. Bending them really hurts. Can you help me to wash my legs since I can't reach them without pain?" Molly hesitated "What about you being in the bath."

"I have bubble bath in the water. I haven't taken a bath in a while, so I thought I could enjoy myself and have some fun. You have nothing to worry about Molly." Tooey reassured her. "Okay," she said opening the door and looking at Tooey as he was sitting in the tub. He was mostly covered with bubbles. "How can I help?" she asked, pulling the chair closer to the tub, locking the wheels.

"Could you use the washcloth and do both of my legs below my thighs? I am not able to reach there without intense pain." he pleaded trying to lift his leg but having difficulty. "Of course, I'll help." She pulled the sleeve of her Kuspuk over her elbow to protect it from the water. As she lowered her arm the sleeve returned to her wrist.

Tooey watched as Molly did this a couple of more times before she just reached down and pulled the Kuspuk over her head and placed it on the back of the chair. Now in her t-shirt she put her arm into the water and brought his legs above the level of the water. She accepted the washcloth and slowly scrubbed his leg looking at him for a reaction.

His only reaction was a smile as he watched her helping him. "Molly, you can scrub harder, the break isn't in my calves or ankles. The breaks are in my thighs. Just don't lift them too high. If you did, it could cause me some pain. Okay?"

"Okay." She said lowering the leg keeping it above the water. She resumed scrubbing his leg down to his ankles. Satisfied she had done a good enough job she lowered the leg until it was below the water, she then repeated her actions on his other leg. A minute or later she placed his other leg under the water.

Reaching behind the chair she retrieved the beach towel that was hanging there. Feeling that it was still damp from when she had used it earlier, she stood up. Without moving her legs, she asked, "Where do you keep the other towels?"

The towels are in the linen closet between my room and my parents' room. "Okay, be right back." She unlocked the chair and moved it away to avoid tripping over it. Molly walked down the hall passing Tooey's room and stopped at the skinny door before Atsaq's room. She pulled out another beach towel. Folding it in half she draped it over her arm, closed the door and returned to the bathroom.

Entering she saw Tooey was still in the water, she also noticed that the bubbles in the water were dissipating. She dried her hands and draped the towel over the seat of the chair. "Uh, Tooey, the bubbles." She said, pointing to the area where she could see his legs under the water clearly.

Looking down he shrugged. "No big deal." Molly looked at him and exclaimed, "What do you mean "No big deal" this is a noticeably big deal. Your mother is not here to help you. The only-"

"Molly!" He called out in a loud voice causing Molly to stop and stare at him. "You had said that you would always be here to help me right?" Molly nodded her head. "To make sure I asked you "always" and you said,"

"Always." Molly replied. "Well, I need your help because right now I can't do this myself and my mother and father are not here." Tooey told her. "Just like when Trini needed us, we were there to help her in any way we could. Right? Without waiting for her answer he continued, "Well, I need you, I don't care about what you think is going to be a problem. I can't do this, but with your help I can." Tooey concluded, watching his best friend.

Thinking about his words she concluded that he was right. Nothing should stand in the way of doing what the three of them do best. Help each other and those in need.

"You're right Tooey, I did say that I would always be there for you, and I think you and Trini would always be there for me."

"Yes, we both would." Tooey agreed. "I love guys for that" Molly said. "If Trini were here, she would say the same thing, right?" Tooey asked again. Molly feeling better about the situation replied "Right." No longer caring about the situation, "What do you need?" Molly asked Tooey.

"I need to talk quick since the water is starting to cool down. I don't want to feel like I'm freezing. First go to my room and get my clothes, you know where everything is. Then go downstairs and get the braces for my legs. I'll show you how to put them back on. Once you have them, bring the chair alongside the tub, and help me climb out of here and back into the chair, once I'm dry of course."

Trying to remember everything she counted them off on her fingers to ensure she remembered them. She then left the bathroom. Seven minutes later she returned with his clothes, the braces and placed them into the chair. She reached for the towel and offered it to Tooey, who was shaking his head. "Molly, I need help to get to the edge of the tub so I can dry off."

"Oh right." She placed the towel back onto the chair and put her arms under each of his arms and pulled him up to the edge of the water. She walked to the other side and removed the drain plug and allowed the water to empty from the tub. "I'll clean the tub when I get you situated okay." She mentioned sitting in the chair and waiting.

Tooey nodded as he continued drying down to his thighs. He then handed her the towel. Steeling herself, she reached forward and began to dry his ankles, and calves. When she finished, she placed the towel on the arm of the chair. "Molly could you please put the clothes and braces on the vanity since I'll be needing the chair?"

"Sure thing." She stood and removed the clothes and braces and placed them onto the vanity. "Help me up, please" She turned and again used her shoulder to brace Tooey's left side while he used the wall to help bring him to a standing position. Tooey noticed that like before she placed her hand on his waist to support him. She had looked down. He thought nothing of it, since this was his best friend being helpful. Being naked in front of her seemed like the most normal thing since they've known each other since they were toddlers.

Molly lifted him up and watched as he picked each leg up as quickly as he could to minimize the amount of pain he had to endure. He placed each leg onto the mat. "Molly, can you bring me closer to the chair?" Changing her stance, she pivoted and made sure he could sit down before releasing him.

"Thanks," he stated once he'd sat down. "Do you remember the next part?" "Yep, the braces." She reached back and picked up one of the braces. She looked it over to see if there was a way to see which went on which leg. Seeing an L in a circle she surmised this belonged on his left leg.

She reached down for his left leg, before Tooey stopped her. Looking up Tooey pointed to his clothes behind her. "Did I miss something?" She asked. "Can we get my underwear first, I feel cold?" he asked her.

"Okay, no problem," She offered them to him, but he pointed to his legs, Understanding, she placed each of his legs into the holes and pulled them up to his knees. He lifted his legs and got them to just below his waist. She stood and again hefted him to a standing position, and he completed their journey up his body and into place.

Molly noticed that during the whole process up to now her heartbeat only raced a couple of times, as she was looking/checking/helping him out. She smiled as she was thinking this. "Now the braces." Tooey instructed her. "You must roll them up and place the bottom end over my ankle and the pull the rest of it back up to about halfway up my thigh. Trust me, it won't go any higher. Then we tighten the four straps, the two above my knee and the two below my knee."

As he was talking, she did exactly as he instructed her. When he had finished talking about the straps, she had the brace up to the knee. "Should I pull them higher, or should I leave that to you?" She asked not wanting to cause him any pain. "You can do it. I'll brace myself since it's going to hurt a little anyway." Molly pulled gently at first, and then more forcefully until the strap was about halfway up his thigh.

Tooey took a deep breath, "Now the other one." Molly looked from him to the other and back to the one in place. "Pull them both up and then we'll worry about tightening the straps." Tooey told her through gritted teeth. She felt bad because of the pain she was causing him. He seemed like he was ready for the next brace when she looked at his face. He nodded and she again raised the brace to his knees, and this time continuing until the strap was fully on his leg.

She then released the brace and watched as Tooey started tightening the upper straps. Taking the hint she tightened the lower straps. They both finished at about the same time. Tooey breathed a sigh of relief as he slumped in the chair.

"Thanks Molly, you were such a big help to me. I never would have been able to do everything or anything without you." He smiled. "Sure thing, Tokone. I am sorry for how I acted before, I had a lot of things going through my mind and I also didn't want to embarrass you."

"The one who made me feel that way was mom. It happened when she blurted out what I was thinking when you had fallen into the bath earlier." He admitted.

"Do you mean when she told me about your underwear?" Molly stifled her laughter, hoping he would join her in laughing. He watched her for a second before laughing quietly. "The part about you joining me in the bath." Molly immediately stopped laughing and watched Tooey laughing as she blushed from her head to her toes.