"Oh!" Miguel groaned as Karter hoped into his hospital bed. "Carful."

Karter hugged him tightly, shutting her eyes. "I hate you."

"Sorry." he apologized, weakly rubbing her back. "It's gonna be okay. I'm back now."

"Yeah, don't ever go again." her voice broke, holding onto him a little longer. "You smell so weird."

"Yeah, I bet." Miguel had to laugh slightly. "You got here so fast."

"I'm at the hotel across the street." she leaned back, kissing his nose. "I was literally loosing my shit. I was so worried you weren't gonna come back."

"I'm okay. I promise." he held her face as Karter leaned her head into his, even without the metal pole blocking it. "I promise."

"You still look pretty bad." she pulled back with a faint laugh. "Really."

"That sweet side didn't last long." he joked, Karter moved to lay next to him rather then ontop of him, keeping the wires straight. "I'm glad you're here."

"Well, i'm not gonna go anywhere." she said back, inhaling. "I promise."

Carmen had stumbled in not too long after, showing Miguel all the things his friends brought. "And this is from your pale friend. Demetri, is it? He said the plastic isn't UV resistant, so don't leave it near a window."

"Okay." Miguel hummed, not being able to move much, and still tired.

"And the basket is from the LaRussos." Carmen went on.

Miguel inhaled, struggling. "We-"

Karter sat up, rubbing his arms. "What do you need?"

"What is it, Miggy?" Carmen went along with her.

Miguel still struggled to talk, looking for the words. Carmen nodded. "Water?"

"Wafers? I've not Vanilla Wafers." Karter nodded quickly.

"Where's Sensei?" Miguel finally spoke, looking to his mom. She looked to Karter, the pair shared a frowning look.

"Look at you, handsome man." Karter grinned as she came back later that night after taking a shower and changing clothes. Miguel had gotten the metal brace off him. "Can see your full face now."

"Oh, this is Karter. Miggys girlfriend." Carmen intruded Karter to the doctor, still under the influence of thinking they'd been together.

"Hi, Karter. I'm Dr.Stuart." he shook her hand. "I was just checking out Miguel here."

"I know, he's a cutie." Karter pinched his cheek.

"That's not what he meant." Miguel mumbled tiredly.

"You're progressing nicely. How's this feel?" the doctor bent his wrist.

"Yeah." Miguel nodded.

"Yeah?" the doctor agreed, pulling his fingers. "What about this?"

"Normal." Miguel answered, taking the bite of food Carmen feed him.

"Great." the doctor moved to his legs.

"Yayas so excited. She's at home cooking up a storm." Carmen smiled, Miguel gave her a little one as Karter brushed his hair back with a grin.

"That's great, Mom." Miguel agreed.

The doctor rolled Miguel's foot. "How about this?"

Migeul shook his head with an odd look. Carmen and Karter locked eyes. "No."

He then put his pen on Miguels toe. "This?"

Miguel sighed. "No."

"It's okay." Karter rubbed his head. "You just woke up this morning."

"You said the scans were okay, right?" Carmen looked to the doctor.

"Yes. Yes." he nodded with a small smile.

"Am I gonna be able to do karate again?" Miguel asked, Carmen looked to Karter in worry again.

"One day at a time. I'm gonna barrow your mom for a second, okay?" he nodded with a small chuckle.

Karter passed the food to Karter, following the doctor out. Karter scooped some up. "Want me to airplane it?"

"No." Miguel gave a small smile, opening his mouth to accept the fork. "You should eat some too."

"Your week long coma probably wants to eat." Karter shook her head, dropping her voice to a deep one. "Get in my belly."

Miguel laughed at her, taking the bite again. They looked toward the window, hearing Carmen let out a cry as the doctor spoke to her. Miguel and Karter shared a worried look, his eyes going to his legs.

Carmen told Karter that Miguel might not walk again. Making her disappear to the hallway as well as she tried to keep it together for Miguel's sake. She leaned in the wall, squeezing the bridge of her nose.

"Sorry." someone bumped into her, Karter winced slightly. "These hallways are crowded."

"It's okay." Karter shook her head, looking at the boy.

"Are you okay?" he nodded to her, sensed the sadness in her eye. "I mean, I know hospitals are kinda terrible."

"Oh, yeah." Karter nodded her head. "My fake boyfriend might not ever get to walk again."

His eyebrows shot up. "Fake boyfriend?"

"It's a long story." she inhaled, shaking her head. "I just don't want to make it about me infront of him. He's strong and he's keeping it together really good, the least I can do is do the same."

The boy nodded. "No, I totally get that. My moms really sick, and she's being crazy strong about all of this but I just wanna crawl in a hole sometimes."

"I'm sorry about your mom." Karter shook her head.

"Sorry about your...fake? Boyfriend." he stumbled over his words slightly, Karter chuckled as she nodded. "How long has he been here?"

"He just woke up this morning, but he's been here a week." she answered, not realizing how good it felt to be able to talk about it. "Your mom?"

"Three months." he inhaled, shaking his head. "Chemotherapy."

"Oh my god, i'm so sorry." Karter gapped, not expecting that.

"It's okay. Like I said, she's been keeping it together really good." he nodded his head with an inhale. "Kinda sick of all the hospital food."

"I've just been getting postmates."she admitted with a swallow. "How do you do it? Stay strong for her?"

He looked down the hallway, pointed to a door. "Group therapy for family of people in the hospital. We get together three times a week, a safe place to not feel like we're making it all about us but also to avoid loosing it for everyone else's sake."

Karter looked at the door. "It's nice?"

"I was about to head in for a meeting. Why don't you just sit in and see how it works?" he suggested with a nod. "They won't make you talk unless you want to."

Karter heisted, nodding her head. "Okay, I can't stay longer then twenty minutes though. I should get back with Miguel."

"That's fine, people can come and go as they want." he nodded, leading her toward the door. "I didn't catch your name."

"Well, I didn't throw it." she joked, getting a questionable look. "It's Karter."

He held his hand out. "Jayden."

•

kylie speaks

just realized we don't have
a ship name for miggy and
karter....