"Hey, guys," Lucia smiled.

Monica smiled back. "Hey."

Lucia kissed Sean's cheek. "Hi, Babe."

"Hey. How's the patient?" Sean went to Denny's side.

Denny moaned drowsily.

"Still a little out of it," Lucia chuckled.

"Well, I am sure it was a success."

"Yes, it was," Lucia nodded.

"Good. He'll feel better."

"Yeah," Lucia sighed. "Poor guy."

Sean smiled at Denny. "Nice of you to stay," he said, speaking to Lucia.

"Well, he's the closest thing I have to a little brother, so it's my job to care for him."

"I think it's important that you do."

"Yeah, it is," Lucia nodded. "Do you know where Jonah is?"

"Jonah's coming," Monica answered.

"Alright. Gosh, I'm starving."

"You can go to the cafeteria."

"But hospital food sucks," Lucia chuckled. "Can we order a pizza or something?"

"I'll take you for Chinese," Sean offered.

"Okay. Can you pull up the car?"

"Yeah. I'll be back."

"Thanks."

Sean left to retrieve the car.

"I'll watch over Denny," Monica nodded.

"Thanks." Lucia grasped Denny's hand gently. "I'm going to leave for a little bit, but Monica's going to stay here with you, okay?" She said softly.

"Okay," Denny said quietly.

Lucia kissed his forehead. "I'll be back soon. Love ya, Hon."

Denny smiled at Monica. "Hey, Mon."

"Hi," Monica chuckled, waving at Lucia as she left. "How ya feeling, Denny?"

"Tired....sore."

"That's too bad. Hopefully you'll be back up on your feet soon."

"Yeah. He said that I might go home tomorrow."

"Yeah? Well, that's good news."

Five minutes later, Jonah came into the room. "Hi, Hon," he said softly, kissing Monica's cheek.

"Hey, Babe," She smiled.

"How's the patient?" Jonah asked Denny.

"Tired."

"I'd imagine," Jonah nodded. "Surgery went well, though?"

"Yeah," Denny nodded.

"That's good," Jonah smiled.

—————

"This food is delicious," Lucia smiled.

"I'm glad I could get you out of the hospital," Sean smiled, eating his lo mein.

"Yeah," Lucia nodded. "I hate that place."

"I get it. I spent a bit of time in them myself."

"Yeah...listen, would you mind if I spend part of tomorrow with Denny? I'll have to take him home and make sure he's settled in."

"Of course. No problem. I understand."

"Thanks," Lucia smiled.

"I know what it's like."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Because of my mom."

"Yeah, I know. I wasn't going to say anything because I didn't know if you wanted to bring it up."

Sean shrugged.

Lucia kissed his cheek. "I love you."

Sean smiled slightly. "Thanks. I love you too."

—————

The next day.

"Hey, Hon," Lucia smiled. "How do you feel?"

"Much better," Denny smiled.

"Good," Lucia nodded. "After you get dressed, I'm going to take you home, alright?"

"Okay. Thank you."

"No problem. Do you want help with getting your shirt on?"

"No, I'm okay. I'll come out when I'm ready."

"Alright. Just be careful. Remember, the doctor said that you're still going to be a little tender around the incision area."

"I know."

Lucia smiled and stepped out of the room.

Denny slowly got dressed and came out a few minutes later.

"Ready?" Lucia smiled.

"Yep."

Lucia took his arm gently and walked him slowly to the car. "I brought you a blanket so that the seatbelt doesn't hurt you."

"Oh, thank you, Luci."

"No problem. Are you hungry at all? We could get something on the way home."

"No, I'm okay."

"Okay, but you have to take it easy. You can't be up all the time. You have to just sit and rest."

"I hate that, though."

"I know, but you have to be a big boy and do as you're told," Lucia chuckled.

Denny huffed.

"Come on. If you promise to be good, I'll give you a cookie."

Denny smiled a little. "I'll probably sleep a lot."

"Alright. That's good," Lucia nodded. "We have to pick up your pain medication. The doctor said that you might also be a little nauseous, so we can get you something for that too."

"Okay. Thanks, Luci."

"No problem," Lucia smiled, kissing his cheek as she opened the car door for him.

"You're an awesome older sister."

"Thanks. You're an awesome little brother."

Denny smiled happily.

Lucia drove off and quickly went through the drive through at the pharmacy before driving back to his apartment.

Sean texted Lucia, "Does Denny want someone to stay with him? I could."

"Hey, Denny, Sean wants to know if you'd like him to stay with you," Lucia smiled.

Denny nodded. "It'd be a help for someone to make sure I don't die. If he doesn't mind, that is."

"Alright," Lucia nodded. "I'll tell him. Maybe we could both stay with you."

"Doesn't matter."

Lucia told Sean, and he texted back, "You don't have to. Keep Monica company."

"Monica's going on a date with Jonah tonight, so I'd be on my own," Lucia replied.

"Okay. But I want you to go back to your apartment at night."

"Is there some reason why you don't want me with you?"

"No, I just think Monica will need you. But as long as it's fine with Denny, you can stay. Is there enough room for all of us to sleep?"

"He has a guest room and I can take the couch. And he said that it doesn't matter either way."

"Alright. Then it's settled. I'll be over soon."

"Perfect. Pick up some Mexican on your way over. Can't wait to see you. Love you, Babe!"

Sean sent a heart emoji.

"Alright," Lucia smiled as she pulled into the apartment building parking lot, "Sean and I are staying the night here. Want help getting out?"

Denny nodded and Lucia assisted him inside.

"Alright. Do you want to go to bed or sit on the couch and watch a movie?" Lucia asked softly, setting her things on a chair.

"I'll watch a movie in the living room. I'm not too tired right now."

"Okay," Lucia smiled, helping him to sit down. "What are we going to watch?"

"Gilmore Girls?"

"That's perfect," Lucia grinned, sitting down beside him.

Denny turned on the show.

Not too long after, Sean arrived with a bag of food. "Hey, guys."

"Hi, Babe," Lucia smiled.

"How you doing, Denny?"

"Still pretty sore, but better," Denny nodded.

"Good. Glad it worked out."

"Yeah. Thanks for coming over, man."

"Of course."

"You hungry, Denny?" Lucia asked, getting up and walking to the kitchen.

"Yeah," he smiled.

"What would you like?" Sean chuckled. "I sort of went crazy."

"Surprise me. Lucia knows what I like."

"He hates spicy food," Lucia whispered to Sean, "so give him something spicy."

"But he just got out of abdominal surgery," Sean whispered back.

"Dang it. I knew there was something wrong with that plan," Lucia chuckled. "Well, then give him something not too spicy."

Sean smiled and put some enchiladas on a plate.

"You're no fun," Lucia pouted.

"I don't want to jeopardize my place here."

"Denny's mentally like five years old," Lucia joked. "He does this to me all the time, you know. Let me get some revenge."

"Go ahead, but I'm staying out of it."

"Thank you," Lucia grinned. "And I won't do anything too spicy." She put a taco on his plate. "There. It's mild, but it'll surprise him a little." She brought Denny his food. "Here."

He nodded and took it the plate. "Thanks, Sis."

"No problem," Lucia smiled, kissing his forehead. "The taco might be spicy."

Denny already had it in his mouth as she said it, his eyes growing wide.

"Do you want milk?"

Denny shook his head no.

"Really? Okay," Lucia shrugged.

Denny decided to stick it out.

"You're sweating," Lucia smirked.

Denny glared at her and took another bite.

"Hey, when I had my tonsils taken out, you gave me granola cereal," Lucia chuckled, kissing his cheek. "It's just a little payback. You don't have to actually eat it. Just eat the enchiladas and I'll get you some milk."

Denny nodded and put the taco down.

"Love you, little bro."

He grumbled.

"Oh, come on. In the four years that I've known you, I have never once gotten payback. Consider this the one and only time," Lucia sighed. "I know you still love me."

Denny continued to grumble.

"I know you can't stay mad at me," Lucia said with an innocent smile.

Denny huffed and continued eating.

Lucia chuckled slightly and returned to the kitchen. "Babe, did you get a burrito?"

Sean held up a box.

"You are the best," Lucia grinned, kissing his cheek. "Have I told you how much I love you lately?"

"Several times, Dear."

"Good," Lucia smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Sean smiled back.

"Let's go see if we can talk Denny into watching a Star Wars movie." Lucia went back into the living room.

Denny was eating his enchiladas suspiciously.

"Hey," Lucia grinned, sitting down beside him.

"You sure you didn't spice these up?"

"Course I didn't. Why?"

"Just checking."

"So I give you a spicy taco once, and now you don't trust me?" Lucia frowned.

"Nope."

"Oh, come on. I promise I will never do it again."

Denny nodded and kept eating. "It's good."

"Good," Lucia smiled, kissing his cheek. "Don't be mad, kay? It was just a little joke."

Denny smiled. "I know."

"There we go," Lucia chuckled. "I'd hug you, but I don't want to hurt ya."

"Much appreciated," Denny chuckled as Sean came in.

"Let's watch a movie," Lucia nodded.

"Fine. What movie?" Denny asked with interest.

"Could we watch a chick flick?"

"We could."

"What about To All the Boys I've Loved Before?" Lucia suggested.

Sean groaned. "Chick flick? You said Star Wars."

"I say a lot of things," Lucia chuckled. "Fine. We can watch Star Wars."

Sean cheered.

Lucia sighed. "I'll get you to watch a chick flick with me one of these days."

Sean laughed. "Keep wishing."

"Mhm. Maybe you should just keep wishing about that wedding then," Lucia smirked.

Sean's eyes grew wide. "Ooh, that's low."

"Yep," Lucia grinned, kissing his cheek.

Sean huffed.

"I love you."

"Love you too."