One week later, at the hospital

Author's pov:

"When should she wake up, doctor?" Throttle asked worriedly while sitting on a chair next to Carbine's bed. Carbine was still unconscious. She had been like that for a week already. Since she had passed out while Throttle was driving her to the hospital. And since that Throttle had stayed right by her side and waited for her to wake up.

"She should have already woken up.. We just need to wait.." The Doctor said while checking Carbine's state with a nurse. Her wounds had started healing well but it was still a mystery why she hadn't woken up yet. But then suddenly Carbine started to mumble as a sign she was waking up. Throttle turned back to her and saw her opening her eyes slowly.

"Carefully General. You are in a hospital. Don't be afraid if the light feels a bit weird so sudden.." The Doctor said and then checked Carbine's eyes. They were working fine and after that the doctor did some preparations and removed the intubation tube which made Carbine cough a few times.

"How are you feeling, babe?!" Throttle said and pressed his forehead against Carbine's forehead gently. Carbine smiled weakly and kept her eyes half closed. "I'm just tired.." She said and then smelled something which she didn't like at all. "How long have I been here.. Or you, Throttle?" She asked making Throttle blush a bit. The Doctor had left after the check, the nurse had stayed to write some notes down.

"Is the smell really that bad..?" Throttle said awkwardly. "You smell like you haven't showered in a week.." Carbine said but then heard a familiar voice from the doorway. She opened her eyes fully since she was used to the light already. "Sharp as always, General!" Vinnie smirked and walked into the room with Modo, Harley and Rimfire.

"So it's true.." Carbine said and then yawned. "I couldn't leave you alone here!" Throttle tried to defend himself. "We would have been here.. But I understand you Throttle.. Don't worry.." Harley said and then changed a few words with the nurse. Modo had his eyes locked on that nurse too and Rimfire had noticed that too because he was grinning strongly.

"How long do I need to stay here, doctor?" Carbine asked while turning to look at the doctor. "We need to check a few things since you have woken up now, but I could say already that just a couple of days just to make sure that you are fully recovered. You were brought here just in time, General. You can thank this soldier's driving skills that he managed to drive here that fast!" The Doctor explained making Carbine nod and turn to look at Throttle again before smiling at him gently. He had saved her life again.

"Thank you, Throttle.. What have I done to have you by my side?" Carbine making Throttle blush this time. "You know, I would do anything for you, Carbine.. And you really scared me this time! I was afraid of losing you.." Throttle said before pressing his lips bravely against Carbine's making her eyes wide up and blush badly, but end up answering the kiss strongly too.

"Ask her out, Uncle Modo" Rimfire said and poked his elbow against his uncle's side making him blush and rub the back of his neck awkwardly. "Rimfire.. Those are adult things!" Modo said and then walked to the other side of Carbine's bed, even if he still couldn't remove his eyes from that gorgeous female. She had chestnut fur and emerald green eyes. Her hair was long and platinum white which Modo saw very beautiful.

"Rimfire is right.." Carbine smiled and took weakly but surely Throttle's hand in hers while still blushing. "I have never seen you like that, buddy.. You definitely should ask her out.. What you can lose?" Throttle smiled gently to his friend before turning to Carbine and kissing her palm making her blush even more. "So you two are a couple now publicly?" Modo asked making Carbine to lift her other eyebrow.

"Do not change the subject.." She chuckled making Modo wonder about everything more. "But I need to look after my sister's children often!" Modo said making Carbine smile at him. "I'll do it.. You need to enjoy your life more and find yourself a mate. Don't use your niece and nephew as chains to get you down.." She said making Throttle nod as an agreement.

Modo sighed deeply and then turned around to walk towards the nurse. "If you need any help, you know I'm a master with women!" Vinnie smirked proudly and then turned to Carbine and Throttle. All three of them looked like they were talking with each other but in reality they were sneaking how Modo would do.

"Hey.. Uh.. I'm Modo.." Modo started to say but then General Stoker walked loudly into the room and straight to the nurse and Harley which hid the Modo's words under it. Harley surely was a nurse too but she wasn't working at this hospital, but she knew the other nurse from the school and they had been good friends since then.

"Jessica honey!" Stoker said confidently and lifted his other hand right on Jessica's back making her blush. Modo saw that and swallowed deeply. His ears dropped down and he took a couple of steps backward but then felt someone's hand on his shoulder which made him turn his head. "You never back up in a fight.. Why should you do it now?" Vinnie said and smiled at his friend. He tried to give him more confidence to continue.

Modo looked down and sighed deeply. He gathered his courage together and straightened his back to look bigger and stronger instead of weak. Then he continued walking to the nurse who was happily chatting with Stoker and Harley. "Is everything here alright, Ladies and General?" Modo asked politely while smiling even if he was quite nervous.

"Everything is completely fine, Soldier! I came to see my niece and asked about her state from the best nurse ever!" General Stoker said making Jessica giggle a bit. "General Stoker, all you do is just flirt with nurses here.." She said while shyly looking at Modo who was gently smiling at her back which made her blush a bit.

"Wasn't I 'the best nurse ever' anyways, General?" Harley smirked back at him making him mess up with his words. "Uh.. I... How is my niece doing Jess'?" Stoker blurted out clumsily but Harley answered after seeing Jessica being more interested about Modo than work at the moment. And she also saw that the feelings were both sided which made her smile happily to them.

"As you can see General. Carbine has woke up and is doing just fine" Harley said and nodded towards the three very curious mice that tried to hide the fact that they had been watching them all the time. "So the view is quite nice from this level!" Vinnie tried to make a subject to talk about when they saw Stoker and Harley walking to them. Harley rushed to sit next to Vinnie and leaned against Carbine's bed. "You saw it too?!" She was excited about Modo and Jessica's thing.

"We should give them some time alone.. But how.." Carbine said while they were still following their friend's action. Meanwhile at the other side of the room Modo and Jessica were still both silent but also still smiling at each other.

"So uh.. I'm Modo.." Modo asked and rubbed the back of his neck again awkwardly. He surely was interested in her but he wasn't good with women. "My name is Jessica.. Nice to meet you Modo.." She blushed and smiled back at him. Her voice was like heaven to Modo's ears and he kind of liked the fact that she was a bit shy.

"You too.. I mean me too.. Uh.. Nice to meet you too, Jessica!" Modo blushed after messing up with his words. Then he heard Vinnie's comment again. "How can not a big and furious soldier handle a woman?! Go get her Big Guy!!" He whistled making Jessica blush even more, while Modo turned to growl at him. Carbine had sat up and slammed the back of Vinnie's head. "Don't make me rip your tail off!" She hissed but then Jessica hurried her way to Carbine. After noticing that Carbine gulped, she had ruined Modo's changes too.

"General Carbine you can't get up yet!!" Jessica walked to her and gently helped her to lay back down. She checked her state and turned to her quests. "I need to ask you all to leave now. She needs to rest.." Jessica said and continued checking her situation more even if she was trying to look after Modo who was leaving with Rimfire and the others.

"Carbine, I'm not going anywhere!" Throttle said making Carbine look demandingly at him. "I meant ALL of you.." Jessica said when Carbine was about to say something. "Or do I need to throw you out?" She continued making Vinnie's eyes go widen at the doorway when he walked outside of the room.

"You need to take the shower and take a rest too, Throttle.. You can come back tomorrow.." Carbine said and gently rubbed Throttle's shoulder with her hand. He sighed deeply before nodding and getting up from his seat. "I'll make sure that he does that.. You shall rest here.." General Stoker said making Carbine smile at him. "Thank you, uncle Stoke.. But before you go, I would like to know how's the new guy?" Carbine asked making Jessica look demandingly at them.

"Mace is doing just fine! It just takes time to fit into a group.. But he is going to be a great soldier!" Stoker said making Carbine lift his other eyebrow. "A Soldier? This soon?" She asked but Jessica was already pointing the door to the general. "We can discuss this later too.. You need to rest, Carbine!" Stoker said and then obeyed the nurse.

"Was that really necessary..?" Carbine said after Throttle and Stoker had left. "You have your own orders and I have mine.. You should know it already, General" Jessica said and wrote something down to the Carbine's notes chart. "But how about Modo? I saw how you were looking at him.." Carbine said and looked at the nurse.

"Is that your business, General? I'm here to take care of patients here, nothing more.." Jessica said but Carbine could easily hear something more in her voice. She definitely was interested in Modo. "But in your free time you can date.. I can get you to meet him again, if you want?" Carbine said making Jessica growl at her. "Get your nose out of my business, General! Your main duty for now is to focus on resting and healing!" She hissed making Carbine sigh deeply while she walked to the door.

"Ring the bell if you need anything.. I have to go and check other patients now" Jessica said and then left the room leaving Carbine there laying on the hospital bed. She sighed deeply and looked out of the window, the sky was beautifully red since the sun was setting already. It was evening already when she woke up.

Meanwhile outside of the room, Jessica was leaning against the wall and sighing deeply. All of her thoughts were at Modo. That big and handsome, gray furred male had just stolen her heart. But how would she meet him again? She didn't want to ask any help from Carbine because she had her reasons for it.. But what were they? Who Jessica truly was? Did she already know Carbine from something else than the Army forces? Harley was her friend but what Carbine was to her..?