Might Just Be Tomorrow, some good news at last

[Mimi Marquez]

Axel Igniz crouched outside of Dr. Cullen's office, his ear pressed to the door-frame. Cullen had confided to the redhead nurse that something big might be happening with one of his patients...secretly, he knew who he hoped it was and what he hoped the news was...

BANG! Axel was bowled over as Dr. Cullen exited his office, a small smile on his face.

"Mr. Igniz, you should be happy to know that your sore knees are worth it..."

Axel blushed. Cullen must realize he'd been squatting out there for about twenty minutes.

"...we have definite proof: Ms. Marquez is out of the danger zone. She is recovering."

Before the doctor could get another word out, Axel was streaking down the hallway, one word on his lips.

"MIMI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

(In Mimi's room)

The dancer was shaken awake by Axel, who, if his enthusiasm was any indicator, was happier than he'd been since Roxas admitted he loved him too.

"Wha..." Mimi muttered.

"Mimi, Mimi wake up! I have new....Dr. Cullen says we have definite evidence that you're OK! You're not in danger! You're going to live, you're going to get better!!!!"

Mimi sat upright. For the first time in weeks, her haunted, hollow eyes displayed a glimmer of hope. "...You're serious..."

"Yes! You did it, chica, you made it!!"

In one motion, Mimi surged upward from the bed and engulfed Axel in a huge embrace. Tears streamed down her face as she clung to the nurse, her brain still attempting to wrap around the fact that it was over. She couldn't decide whether to laugh or scream...

"Mimi, listen, I know your friends will want to hear about this. Here," Axel handed her his cell phone. "Ms. Schunard still has the phone we gave her on her last visit...here's the number. Now if you don't mind, I have a date to schedule!"

As the redhead darted out of the room, Mimi dialed Angle's number with shaking hands.

Ring....

[Angel Dumott Schunard]

Angel jumped as the phone in her pocket rang loudly, startling her. She wasn't used to it; she'd never had a phone before, after all. The whole 'ringing noise suddenly coming from your pocket' deal was a bit new to her.

Fumbling it out of her jacket pocket, she flipped it open and searched frantically for the little green button, which was what she'd always heard answered calls.

"HAH! Found you!" she exclaimed triumphantly, then held the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

[Mimi Marquez]

"Ang...Angel...news, good news..." Mimi sobbed into the phone, her friend's voice bringing on a fresh wave of tears.

"Ax....Axel just told me...Dr. Cullen has definite proof..." she paused a moment, shoulders shaking. But the news was too joyous, her friends had to hear!

"...I'm out of the danger zone. I'm going to live. I'm going to live." she managed to say before totally dissolving into tears of joy.

[Angel Dumott Schunard]

Angel's eyes widened to the size of frying pans. "OH MY GOD!!!" She spazzed out so hard she fell off of the bench and onto the ground. Not really noticing, she sat up again, waving her free hand around like a madwoman.

"You're serious? OH MY GOD!" She repeated those three words at least ten more times, beginning to cry in happiness herself. "This day just gets better and BETTER!!" Tears streamed down her face, but there was a huge grin spreading from ear to ear.

[Mimi Marquez]

Mimi's tears turned to laughter as she heard the "plunk" that meant Angel had fallen.

"Better and better? What happened already?" She had a suspicion, as Collins had hinted something of a plan to her, but she wasn't really sure.

"And...can you and Collins come pick me up? Ax doesn't trust me to get home by myself, and...." At the word "home," the tears came again. "Ang, Ang, oh Ang...I'm going HOME!!"

[Angel Dumott Schunard]

Angel blushed heavily at the question, glancing up at Collins. "Oh, Collins proposed! I said yes, of course." She held up her free hand, the one with the ring, zoning out for a moment as she admired it again.

Snapping back to the conversation, she answered, "Of course, chica, we'll be there as soon as I can tell Collins what's going on!"

[Mimi Marquez]

"Oh, Angel, congratulations!" Mimi gushed, switching into Spanish as she congratulated her friend multiple times.

"Oh...cool, tell Collins I said hi and good job..." she snickered slightly, "and come soon, I can't wait to get out of here!"

She put the phone down with a slight click, a grin splitting her face as she listened to Axel's exuberant "I LOVE YOU, ROXY!" Today was just getting better and better.

[Angel Dumott Schunard]

Angel hobbled quickly through the doors of the hospital. "Come on, let's go get Mimi!" She started to head for the stairway, then stopped dead. "Oh wait... with these" she shook the crutches, "I can't get upstairs. I guess you should go up and get her, and I'll just... wait... here..." She looked at the uncomfortable plastic chairs in the room and frowned. Dang.

[Tom Collins]

Collins looked at Angel sympathetically, and then wracked his brain for a solution. "I could carry you again," he said uncertainly, looking at the steep steps. He would probably have to stay in bed for two days if he did that, but he knew how much Mimi meant to Angel, and wasn't going to let her miss such an event. "Come on baby, you have to," he held out his arms and smiled warmly.

[Angel Dumott Schunard]

Angel shook her head. "No, you'd get hurt if you carried me all the way up there." She looked at the stairs again, furrowing her brow. A moment later, a determined look came across her face. She crutched (that's not a word, but I don't care!) over to the bottom of the stairs, looking at them shrewdly.

She set one crutch on the ground, taking hold on the handrail instead. She lifted her good foot off the ground, balancing on the crutch only for the split second it took to step up onto the first step. Pulling her other foot and the crutch up onto the step as well, she repeated the process until she stood on the sixth step up, panting.

[Tom Collins]

Collins stared after Angel with wide eyes as she attempted to climb the stairs with her crutches. He snapped out of his trance and ran after her, pausing when he was beside her, on the sixth step.

"Angel! You'll fall!" He said, picking her up, not caring what she said. He began walking up, two stairs at a time. "See? It's not so bad!" He grinned at her. "Do you remember what floor she's on?"

[Angel Dumott Schunard]

"Collins!" she yelped as he suddenly scooped her up, making her drop her remaining crutch. Crap... "Collins, don't hurt yourself..." she muttered, not wanting him to get hurt because she couldn't walk. Damn that Man! He caused so much trouble!

At Collins' last question, Angel winced. "Um... fifth I think."

[Tom Collins]

Collins took a deep breath and continued to carry Angel up the stairs, trying not to let her see how much of an affect is was having on him. Panting lightly, he reached the fourth floor and grinned. "Only one more!" He said. "Come on!" He readjusted Angel's position and began making the climb to the top of the fourth floor stairs. He reached the top and gently put Angel down. As soon as she was out of his hands, he stretched and smiled widely.

"See?" He teased. "I'm not the frail old man you seem to think I am!"

[Angel Dumott Schunard]

Angel could see the effect it had on Collins, and she bit her lip in worry. Once she'd been set down on the ground, she grabbed onto the guard rail next to her and hauled herself to her feet. "Okay, fair enough. However, there is a problem. My crutches," she pointed over the railing, down the stairs. "Are down there."

She looked around, face lighting up as she spotted a wheelchair in the corner of the little room. Steeling herself, she took a couple of limping steps and practically fell into it. "This'll work!" She grabbed onto the wheels, spinning them a little too hard and almost running into the railing as a result. Working the wheels a little more carefully, she turned herself around and headed for the door.

[Tom Collins]

Collins laughed as Angel haphazardly spun around in her new wheelchair. He opened the door leading to the hallway and squinted as the bright white light flooded into the dark, grey stairwell. He gestured for Angel to go through throught the door and waited, still chuckling.