Nino, Kim, and Alix all look towards Adrien in surprise.

         "Adrien, you are back, man," Nino sadly responds to his presence.

         "Yes, and I told Marinette, but she was hysterical about it," Adrien tells the others. He does not let on she is recovering from a transplant since they have enough to worry about with Alya.

       Alix brings up,  "I can understand, after all, Alya has been Marinette's  and my best friend for ages, Adrien."

      "I hope for everyone's sake, Alya makes a full recovery,"  Kim frowns.

        "It is a bad time to bring this up, but someone did confront Alix and me at the coffee shop," Kim points out.

        "Yes, and we are still both glad that the manager just threw the man out," Alix adds.

          Nino and Adrien glance in Kim and Alix's direction and think those two make a great couple.

    
   Marinette continues to rest but calls out in her sleep, "Alya save Alya!"

     Adrien looks up when a doctor comes their way. He smiles when the man tells him a friend needs him.  He walks back to the room where Marinette is asleep.

      The others ponder over what the doctor could have meant when he came and got Adrien.  None of them could guess the truth behind it though as Adrien did promise Marinette not to tell anyone else.

      The doctor tells the other three friends of Alya's  the good news. The surgery was a success in closing up the wound and most of the infection was removed.  "However, we still need to put her on medication to wipe out the rest  of the infection to keep it from spreading,"  The doctor explains.

     Nino nods his head glad to hear the update about his girlfriend. He still thinks it odd Adrien was sent away before these details were given. He does not question it since he figures the hospital workers know what they are doing.

     At ten o'clock that evening, Marinette wakes up and sees Adrien.  She smiles grateful for the company. She must admit it makes it a little easier to keep her mind off Alya. She notices Adrien scratch his neck then hears him speak.

   "Mari, Alya pulled through the surgery just fine,"  Adrien states.

      Marinette grins and blurts out, "Yes, she is going to be just fine."

       Adrien nods his head in agreement, "Sure sounds like it."  He does not know most of the infection is gone. This is not something he heard anyone say since he was preoccupied with checking up on Marinette again.  

     The others have all gone home by this point since it is late at night.  Nino is the only one who stayed. He is now in the room where Alya is in recovery so he can keep a proper eye on her. He does not know Adrien has not left the hospital yet either.

         Will Adrien and  Nino bump into each other within the next few days?  Will the others find out about Marinette?

     Find out more in Chapter  13

      bye, bye little owlets!

     _Summer out!