Nelson, finally back in his own skin (though sporting a faint green tinge from the tests), blinked blearily at the unfamiliar surroundings. Memories of the airport diner, the questionable "mystery meat burger," and the chaotic ride to the clinic flooded back. He sat up on the examination table, groaning as his stomach churned unpleasantly.

"Beatruce?" he called out, his voice hoarse.

Instead of the doctor, a worried Mia rushed to his side. Relief washed over him as he saw her familiar face. "Mia! What happened? Where... where are we?"

Mia, her face pale and drawn, forced a weak smile. "We're at the clinic, Nelson. You got food poisoning from that... uh... interesting burger at the airport."

Nelson winced. The memory of the burger's unappetizing appearance made him gag. "Right. That burger. So, how long have I been... Beatruce?"

Mia sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Long enough. You were... interesting, to say the least."

Nelson chuckled sheepishly. "Interesting how? Did I chase any squirrels? Or try to lick a lamppost?"

Mia couldn't help but crack a smile at the image. "Something like that," she admitted.

Concern flickered across Nelson's eyes as he noticed Mia's pallor. "Mia, are you okay? You look like you haven't slept in days."

Mia hesitated. Lying to Nelson wasn't her style, but seeing him so out of it had taken its toll. "I'm fine," she mumbled, averting her gaze. "Just a little tired."

Nelson wasn't convinced. He knew Mia well enough to see through her act. He reached out and cupped her face, his touch gentle. "No, you're not. You've been worrying about me, haven't you?"

Mia bit her lip, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "Maybe a little," she confessed.

A slow smile spread across Nelson's face. "Well, you can stop now," he said, his voice warm. "I'm back, and I'm feeling much better. Besides," he added, a mischievous glint in his eyes, "no more Beatruce. Just your loyal (and hopefully food-poisoning-free) boyfriend."

Relief and a surge of something else, something warmer, flooded through Mia. "Nelson," she whispered, leaning into his touch.

Suddenly, the clinic door swung open, revealing a beaming Dr. Ingalls. "Ah, Mr. Nelson! You're finally back to yourself. And Miss Mia, I see you're looking much better too."

Mia and Nelson exchanged a shy glance. This crazy adventure, with its shape-shifting shenanigans and bizarre tests, had definitely brought them closer. Maybe, Mia thought, some unexpected missions weren't so bad after all. Especially when they ended with your boyfriend back to normal and a shared secret smile.

"Doctor?" Nelson chimed in, his voice regaining its usual strength. "Could Mia get something to eat? I'm sure she hasn't had much since..." he trailed off, his cheeks flushing a hint pink.

Dr. Ingalls smiled warmly. "Excellent timing, Mr. Nelson. I was just about to offer the same thing. However," she added, her gaze twinkling with amusement, "it seems you might have a very stubborn girlfriend on your hands."

Nelson's brow furrowed in confusion. "Stubborn? What do you mean?"

Dr. Ingalls chuckled. "Oh, you should know, young man. Your girlfriend refused to eat a single bite until you were back to yourself. She claimed she wasn't hungry, but the worry lines on her face told a different story."

Nelson's mouth fell open. He looked at Mia, who was now a brilliant shade of red, her gaze darting between him and the doctor.

"Mia? You... you didn't eat anything because of me?" he stammered, a mixture of surprise and warmth blooming in his chest.

Mia crossed her arms defensively, but the blush on her cheeks betrayed her. "What?! It's not like I was starving or anything. I just... wasn't hungry," she mumbled unconvincingly.

Nelson couldn't help but grin. He reached out and took her hand, his fingers intertwining with hers. "Mia," he said, his voice filled with affection, "you didn't have to do that. You should take care of yourself too."

Mia's eyes softened, and a small smile played on her lips. "Well, you're my teammate," she admitted quietly. "And we take care of each other, right?"

"Absolutely," Nelson said, squeezing her hand. He turned to Dr. Ingalls, his grin widening. "So, about that toast... Actually, maybe something with a little more substance? Mia's been running around saving the world all day, and I definitely wouldn't want her to get weak."

Dr. Ingalls chuckled. "Wise thinking, young man. I have just the thing. Coming right up!" She disappeared into a back room, leaving Mia and Nelson alone.

Nelson leaned closer to Mia, his eyes sparkling. "So, saving the world, huh? Sounds like I need to hear all about it when I'm feeling better."

Mia couldn't hold back a laugh. "There's plenty to tell," she admitted, a secret smile playing on her lips.

________________________________________________________________________________

Despite Dr. Ingalls' delicious chicken noodle soup, Mia found herself picking at her food, her appetite lost in the whirlwind of emotions. Nelson, on the other hand, devoured his meal like a starved man, his face practically glowing with renewed energy and a healthy dose of post-food-poisoning hunger.

"Whoa, slow down there, champ," Mia teased, watching him shovel spoonfuls of noodles into his mouth.

Nelson grinned, a happy glint in his eyes. "Can't blame a guy for wanting to make up for lost burger time, right?"

Mia chuckled, shaking her head. Now that he was back to his usual self, she couldn't help but find his enthusiasm endearing. She glanced at her plate, the untouched soup mocking her lack of appetite. "Look, Dr. Ingalls was right," Nelson said, his voice softening as he noticed the untouched food. "You barely ate anything."

Mia pushed the plate away with a sigh. "I'm not hungry. I just... haven't stopped thinking about everything that happened today."

Nelson leaned across the table, his concern etched on his face. "About what? Us not finding Wu? Or that whole Beatruce thing?"

Mia's cheeks flushed again. "Both, I guess. And... well, the Mechanic getting away."

Nelson squeezed her hand gently. "Hey, we'll find him. We always do. Besides," he added with a playful wink, "you had to admit, Beatruce was kind of... funny."

Mia snorted. "Funny? You were the one chasing squirrels and trying to lick lampposts!"

Nelson chuckled, a sheepish grin on his face. "Okay, that might have been a little embarrassing. But still, it was an adventure, right?"

Mia had to admit, despite the worry and chaos, there was a strange sense of exhilaration looking back on it. "Maybe," she conceded. "But next time, I'd prefer an adventure that doesn't involve food poisoning and shape-shifting."

Nelson squeezed her hand again. "Deal. But in the meantime," he said, his voice dropping to a low murmur, "how about we forget about all this ninja stuff for a while? Once I'm fully recovered, we could go on a real date. No missions, no villains, just you and me."

Mia felt her heart skip a beat. The idea of a normal date, away from the constant threat of danger, was incredibly appealing. "A real date?" she asked, a hopeful smile gracing her lips.

"Absolutely," Nelson confirmed, his eyes sparkling. "Just tell me what kind of ice cream you like, and it's a deal."

Mia let out a genuine laugh, the sound echoing through the quiet hospital room. Maybe, she thought, this crazy mission had a silver lining after all.