Could Be Worse [Awesome x Mayah]

[Mayah Playah]

Michaela blinked at him, her eyes full of questions and confusion. He kissed her! He actually kissed her! Remembering the song, she took a deep, but shaky breath, and continued. "And, yes, you'll be the only one. 'Cause no one can deny this love I have inside and I'll give it all to you." Moving just a bit closer so that their lips were just a breath away from touching, she finished the song softly. "My love, my love, my love, my endless love." With the song now over, she didn't know what to do except gaze into his eyes. She needed to get away from him, get distracted before she got hurt. Suddenly, she got her chance. A sigh at the door signaled their aloneness, and the door finally was no longer crowded by swooning nurses. "T-they're gone," she whispered, her voice cracking.

 

[Its Smiley]

Alcott gazed into her eyes himself, unsure of how to take in everything. Should he be disgusted? Nervous? Fearful? He didn't know, so all that he felt now was pure numbness. He held his breath when she drew in closer, as if he didn't want her to smell his breath. Fortunately, their awkward moment ended when she mentioned the nurses being gone. "Who?" he said quietly and looked up to see the window clear for once, remembering who it was. "Oh... They are." he grunted and leaned away from her, feeling the awkward silence return.
But it never really left.

 

[Mayah Playah]

She looked down at the ukulele, strumming it lightly. "We're never going to talk about that, are we?" she muttered, keeping her eyes from him.

 

[Its Smiley]

He stayed quiet for a moment before sighing, "No, we will. Just.... Not for a while."

 

[Mayah Playah]

Michaela nodded, examining the ukulele. "So...is there any way to make this not awkward?"

 

[Its Smiley]

"I could leave," Alcott shrugged as he continued staring at the guitar's neck, fidgeting with a few strings to entertain himself. "But it'd still be awkward for both of us."

 

[Mayah Playah]

The young woman lightly strummed the ukulele, then brightened. "The ice cream, it's melted," she stated, pointing at the ruined ice cream. "Could you go get me some more? There's a store right across from the hospital."

 

[Its Smiley]

He looked over to the melted ice cream and sighed at the mess it threatened to make. "Alright, just stay put until I get back." he murmured as he gently laid the guitar down beside her then left.

 

[Mayah Playah]

Michaela waited for him to leave, then gently kissed the warm wood of the guitar. "I don't understand...but I love you..." Adjusting her portable IV bag, Michaela snuck out of the room, biting her lip and grinning.

 

[Its Smiley]

It had been about ten minutes before Alcott returned with a tub of sherbert ice cream. "I didn't know which to get, so I got -" He froze when he saw an empty house. He pause for a minute then relaxed, thinking she had gone to the restroom or something, but as he passed by the restroom to reach the kitchen, he saw that it was open and empty. Now Alcott was worried. "Michaela?" he muttered and quickly set the tub down before he strode around the room, looking in every possible place. But none had her. "Michaela?" he called out louder. No reply. "Michaela!" he shouted now, his voice so loud that there was an echo.
Nothing.

 

[Mayah Playah]

Just down the hall, Michaela was seated at the head of a circle, sitting Indian-style with the ukulele in her hands. The children around her giggled and clapped their hands gleefully, Alcott's call unheard because of the noise. Michaela chuckled at them, nodding. "Okay, okay, one last one. This is a song my daddy taught me when I was a little girl. It always brought a smile to my face, and I think it should bring one to yours as well." Lightly strumming the ukulele, she began to sing. 
"Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, somewhere over the rainbow, way up high, and the dreams that you dreamed of once in a lullaby-hi-hi, I-ay-ay. Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly and the dreams that you dreamed of, dreams really do come true ooh ooooh! Someday I'll wish upon a star, and wake up where the clouds are far behind me! Where trouble melts like lemon drops, high above the chimney tops. That's where you'll find me, oh, somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly. And the dream that you dare to,why, oh why can't I? I-ay-ay!"
Michaela smiled at the children, the nurses looking down at her in admiration.
Meanwhile, the nurse in charge of the Bloodwell room had returned to make the bed, then smiled at Alcott gently. "Hello, Mr. Bloodwell. Mrs. Bloodwell is just down the hall. Follow the music." With that, she started on cleaning up the room, humming to herself.
The sick young woman was a quarter done with the song, and her audience was already enthralled. Continuing on, she swayed from side to side, smiling.
Well I see trees of green and red roses too, I'll watch them bloom for me and you, and I think to myself 'What a wonderful world'. Well I see skies of blue and I see clouds of white and the brightness of day, I like the dark and I think to myself 'What a wonderful world'! The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky, are also on the faces of people passing by. I see friends shaking hands saying, 'How do you do?' They're really saying, I...I love you. I hear babies cry and I watch them grow. They'll learn much more than we'll know and I think to myself 'What a wonderful world, world!' Someday I'll wish upon a star, wake up where the clouds are far behind me! Where trouble melts like lemon drops, high above the chimney top, that's where you'll find me. Oh, somewhere over the rainbow, way up high, and the dream that you dare to, why, oh why can't I? I-ay-ay! Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, oh ah ah eh, ah, ah, ah, eh!"
Michaela strummed off, then stood up and bowed. They clapped louder, laughing. Giggling, she blew them kisses and bowed again. "Thank you, thank you! I'll be here all week!" Turning to bow to the clapping nurses, she gasped. "A-Alcott? I thought you would take longer!"

 

[Its Smiley]

Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap!
He leaves for five minutes and she vanishes? Damn that girl and her rebel-ness!!
Oh crap, Cole and Sarah are going to kill him then kill him in Heaven! He'd better stay indoors so he doesn't get hit with lightning.
Crap, crap, crap! Where the Hell did she go?!
Alcott was just about to unfold his wings and go on a lightning fast hunt for her when he heard a voice and quickly turned around. He listened to the nurse talk about where Michaela wa - Wait, what did she call him? "Mr-? No, we're not-" But she left before he could explain himself. Alcott slumped his shoulders. Great, one kiss and everyone thinks they're married. Thanks Lionel Richie.

Alcott walked out of the room and followed the nurse's instructions. He followed the ukelele music, recognizing it as Michaela's, and recognized the tune as 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow'. As he neared it, he heard the song change to 'What A Wonderful Wo'- No, it's the rainbow one again. He walked to the end of the hallway to see Michaela entertaining many little kids, most of which looked as if they had only a few months of precious life left. He slowed his pace to a halt and leaned against the wall as he crossed his arms and watched the children sing and hum along. His own admiration might have showed on his face had he not still been in his freak-out state.

The song finished and Michaela blew kisses and had her little moment of fame before she looked at him. "Really? You snuck away just to sing to children?" he grunted with quirked eyebrows. "Come on, you're making me sound like an evil step-dad."

 

[Mayah Playah]

"Well, aren't you?" she teased, handing him the ukulele. The nurses had already started ushering the children back to their rooms, but before Michaela could go, a little girl, about five or six years old, came running up to her.
"Hello," she greeted, grinning.
Michaela bent down to her level, smiling. "Hello there. I'm Michaela."
"I'm Emma," she said. "Thank you for playing for us. It was very nice!"
The older girl chuckled, brushing the girl's thin hair from her eyes. "You're very welcome. I enjoyed it."
Emma scowled as her hair fell back into place, then slipped it off, revealing a bald, pale head. "I hate this thing...it's so dreadfully itchy!" Handing it to her nurse, she turned back to Michaela. "It made me feel much better, and my mum loved it too!"
Michaela smiled softly. "How old are you, Emma?"
"I'm six and a half," she stated proudly. "I'll be turning seven in August."
Her eyes softened immediately at the young, happy girl. "Wow, what a big girl you are! You're getting old."
"Not that old," giggled Emma. She looked up at Alcott, smiling. "Your girlfriend is very pretty, mister. You're lucky!" Turning back to Michaela, she wrapped her arms around her waist and squeezed. "I should be going, I have to take my medication. Thank you again, Michaela!"
Michaela hugged back gently, kissing the girl's head. "You're welcome, Emma, darling."
She released the older girl and walked away, giggling.
Michaela wrapped her arms around her middle and sighed, tears coming to her eyes. "Six and a half, Alcott. She's six and a half. She probably won't live to see eight, and she knows it. And yet, she's still so happy, so alive. Like she knows she won't let it win." She watched the little girl disappear into a room, then turned to her guardian, wrapped her arms around his waist, closed her eyes, and started to cry. The doors of the empty room shut loudly, but she didn't jump. She just cried.

 

[Its Smiley]

Alcott felt his eye twitch when the girl said that Michaela was his girlfriend. What the Hell?! Did the little children sneak a peek at that stupid kiss or did the nurses decide to gossip?! He sighed and allowed her to keep talking, usually he would have yelled that Michaela was more of a niece to him, but seeing this girl's situation, he'd do otherwise.

When the girl left Alcott turned to Michaela and noticed her grief and sadness, so he didn't try to push her off when she hugged him and began crying. He sighed and wrapped his arms around her comfortingly, patting her back soothingly to help her.

 

[Mayah Playah]

A few minutes later, Michaela finally pulled away, wiping away any excess tears and sniffling. With a shaky hand, she laid her palm on his damp shirt, blushing with shame from letting him see her cry again. A brief second later, she pulled away, grabbed her IV carrier, and started the short trek back to her room. "You can borrow one of my father's shirts, if you need one," she said quietly once the door shut behind them. She sat on her bed and stared out the window, watching the light aprinkle of rain.