Twila@M3 - Tuesday, October 05, 1999, 8:00 PM ---------------------------------------------

Commercial District -- Neo-Tokyo Pets 4 U This building is larger than it looks on the outside. Rows and rows of well kept cages and tanks display many animals of all types. They seem well fed and cared for. Different sections of the store are devoted to different types of animals, and the food is stored in the back on large pallets.

The large store is curiously empty at the moment. Not a person to be seen. A few things are scattered on the floor, and from the other side of the store comes the sound of someone sifting through boxes.

The woman steps inside the building as a small bell chimes, indicating someone had just made way through the front entrance. Her frame freezes at the sight that greets her and wonders if the owners are performing some sort of...inventory or some such. Thinking the noises are caused by sales clerks she steps over some of the mess to find out, thinking it would be better to ask about whatever it was she was thinking of purchasing for little Kyo...rather than staying here too long. However, there's a nagging feeling akin to intuition that, if the store is clear of other customers there may be more of a reason than one would first think. Twila Peterson pauses within her steps after a brief moment. "Hello?"

Snake Man piles a couple of boxes atop one another after going through them, the scraping noise drowning out the human's words. When he's made a pile of suitable height, he climbs up and looks through the cage on the top shelf. He's still hidden by the tall aisles.

Suddenly a flurry of excited squeaks erupt from the other side of the building.

Twila Peterson looks about her and ventures a few steps more away from the door before freezing at the unexpected sound. "Someone there?" she calls out, some nervousness heard around the edges of her voice. She sucks in a breath asnd takes a step back. Something definitely is not right here. Where are the patrons? And where are the clerks? And why are some of the animals seemingly getting excited? What's exciting them...

A small robot hamster, maybe the size of a clenched fist, scurries across the aisle.

Snake Man hisses in annoyance at the prospect of being caught. Trying to change his voice as much as possible and keep control of his hissing, he calls out. "There something I can help you with, ma'am?"

Twila Peterson holds in a squeak of surprise as the furry little metallic thing scampers across her path and onto the adjoining isle. She watches, confused, as to what the small guy is doing out of it's pen. However, when she overhears the male voice she straightens. "I...was just wondering what isle the cat toys would be in," she manages. . o o(Find the toy mouse and get the heck back to base. It's getting a bit late out...)O o .

Snake Man says, "Over here on aisle ten."

Twila Peterson ohs, feeling somewhat embarrassed now as she heads over towards the aisle...trying to place herself at ease. The time with Rock probably has had some sort of affect on her and made her a little paranoid regarding suspicious situations. But then, how couldn't it? The girl stops to pick up the tiny hamster, trying to be of help to the clerk as she continues to approach. "Oh, and one of your hamsters tried to make a break for it," she states as she enters aforementioned aisle while eyeing the animal. When the hamster begins struggling within a blind panic the girl peers at him strangely before happening to look up where she is...and who's with her.

Snake Man is standing on a small pile of boxes, leaning over slightly with his gun arm propping him up against the cage the little guy came out of. There's a few more of them milling around inside it. Snake Man is looking down into the cage as Twila rounds the corner. His hand darts into the cage and snags one as the flurry of excited squeaks begins again. After a sharp squeeze to stun it, he pops it into his mouth and swallows it, whole. Looking down at the visitor, he narrows his eyes, and his black tongue flickers out briefly. "You shouldn't have come, Twila Peterssson."

Twila Peterson loosens her hold on the animal as it finally brakes free from her grip and attempts to get as far away from that *thing* as possible. Her skin pales several shades as it suddenly clicks who and what this individual is. None other than: "Snake Man..." she breaths...

Snake Man just looks back at her, unsure of what to do at the moment. His tail swishes back and forth as an outward indication of his dilemma. Enker wants him to spy on her, so he obviously can't kill her right now, but if she escapes, then the Hunters could show up and make his life miserable for awhile, or worse. He makes a blind grab into the cage, still watching Twila and considering his next move.

Twila Peterson tries to still her thoughts before they trail off in about a thousand different directions. It seems to take her some concentration but she moves a step backwards, keeping an eye on the Master. "I---I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...disrupt you're dinner. So...I'll be going now... Twila Peterson gulps.

Snake Man fixes her with those yellow eyes. Almost in a soothing voice he asks, "And where will you be going, hmmm?"

. o O(Nosey Master ain't he)O o . "No place you would be interested I'm sure," she replies upon reaching the end of the isle....very aware that she's being keenly observed.

Snake Man finally snags one of the rodents from inside the cage. His gaze switches significantly to it, and then back to her. "I don't want any further disssturbansscesss while I finish my little outing. Sssince I'm not asss hungry asss I wasss, how about I make you a deal. You ssstay here where I can sssee you, and I won't eat him or hurt any of the ressst." He rolls his eyes dramatically. "But if you should choossse to leave, then I'll torch the plassce and all the animalsss will be dead by the time help arrivesss. Doesss that sssound fair to you?"

Twila Peterson presses her lips together as she comes to a halt, feeling tendrils of fear pierce her skin. "Wh--What would prevent you from torching the place anyway out of spite?" comes the question. However, by the way she's now still may give one the impression she's already made her decision to stay.

Snake Man shrugs. "Even sssnakesss have to eat. Besssidesss, Buffy needsss another heat pad."

Twila Peterson blinks stupidly. "Buffy?"

Snake Man hops down to the floor, landing without making a sound. "My python."

. o O(Ok...I think...)O o . "So," she says nervously, "I stay here and you don't eat or destroy anyone or anything. Just...look at me?"

Snake Man yawns, showing a lot of sharp teeth. "Bingo. I need ssstuff for my sssnakes. And asss for the lassst part, why not? I've been looking at you for off and on periodsss for quite awhile now."

As if the last part is exactly what she wanted to here. "Enker's still...?" Twila's voice trails off as she cringes at the display of fangs.

Snake Man grins evilly at Twila, again showing those perfectly interlocking, needle-like teeth. There's even a gap where his retractable fangs fit when not folded back. "He doesssn't give up, and neither do I. But I have more presssing busssinesss to take care of for awhile, ssso you may ressst sssecure that you're really alone when you're alone. Or at leassst, you're not accompanied by ME."

Twila Peterson furrows her brow. "Why me?" she questions, a spark of anger showing itself through her fear. "Why was I placed under surviellance in the first place?"

Snake Man shrugs. "Don't asssk me. Asssk Enker, if you can."

Considering Twila's last meeting with him nearly got her killed... "I--I think I'll pass on that thank you. What...exactly do you know of me anyway?"

Snake Man's tail swishes back and forth. "Many thingsss. I know that you're that insssufferable Mega Man'sss girlfriend, for inssstance."

As if that's a big secret. Several Mavericks know. Some other Masters know. Even Bass knows. Twila forces herself to remain calm despite the circumstances and prods, "Several others already know that."

Snake Man snorts. "I know you've got that furry little rabbit thing that you call Kyo. He looksss deliciousss."

And Twila has hardly *ever* taken the small animal outside at all, which makes her wonder just how he would know...or if he had been watching when she had been taken out at the opportune times. Then again, this android is known on obtaining information. This much she understands. "I like her alot better when she's not thought of as a noontime snack," she forces out, losing some of the confidence she once had. She swallows a bit and then questions, "How...long so you expect on staying here?"

Snake Man says, "Until I get what I want over in the reptile sssection. If you want to get out of here, then get moving."

Twila Peterson changes the topic since, mainly, hearing someone go over how well they may have spied on them is a tad unnerving. However, what unnerves her more is the fact she's detained unless she wants to accept the consequences of her departure. She has to wonder if there's another purpose he has to see to it she stays for the time being. When he breaks in with his statement she takes half-a step from the 10th aisle into the adjoining center aisle. "You won't...torch anything?"

Snake Man says, "And burn up all the reptilesss?"

Twila Peterson nods a bit slowly. "Gotcha..." she muses as she backs herself more further away...and then suddenly dashes for the front of the store...not daring to look back! Twila Peterson accidently tips over a display of of magazines as she nears the registers. The display tumbles to the floor, spilling it's contents within a heap. But she doesn't seem to notice.

Snake Man levels his blaster at her back, then pulls a little off to the left. With a small whooshing sound, a Search Snake emerges from the barrel, biting its way through the air. As it hits its target, one of the cash registers, it chews its way inside, eating through it like a mouse through Swiss cheese and finally exploding. Bits of particle board and plastic scatter like rain. He gives a hissing bark. "Ssstop! Or the nessxt one will be through your back."

Twila Peterson turns to glance at the rather disturbing results of the android's weapon even as it explodes, the force of the blast knocking her down the floor. Not knowing what to do a hand reaches down to her radio...locks it to send only before she attempts to push herself back up to where the Master can see her. "Ok...I stopped!" she cries, staring at him with widened eyes.

(Ch. B []) Twila Peterson transmits: '* sounding a bit distant* Ok...I stopped!'.

Snake Man hisses in annoyance as he advances. "And thisss wasss going ssso well. Did you think that I wouldn't have carried out our little bargin? It would be easssy to remove the reptilesss firssst before torching the plassce. But now that I sssee that you can't be trusssted, I'll have to keep an even clossser eye on you."

(Ch. B []) Twila Peterson transmits: *Again the voice is distant...but this time the voice is recognizable as Snake Man*'And thisss wasss going ssso well. Did you think that I wouldn't have carried out our little bargin? It would be easssy to remove the reptilesss firssst before torching the plassce. But now that I sssee that you can't be trusssted, I'll have to keep an even clossser eye on you.'.

(Ch. B []) Rock transmits: 'What the...'. (Ch. A []) Rock transmits: 'Twila? Twila!'.

Twila Peterson swallows, tasting her siliva as she forces herself up to her knees. "And you honestly think I trust you? You know...you can't very well keep tabs on me if I'm dead. And Enker wouldn't want that would he?'

(Ch. B []) Twila Peterson transmits: '*continues to sound distan. But now somewhat closer. it's Twila's voice* And you honestly think I trust you? You know...you can't very well keep tabs on me if I'm dead. And Enker wouldn't want that would he?'.

Snake Man grabs Twila by the arm and hauls her up the rest of the way, wrapping his tail loosely around her. "It doesssn't matter now, doesss it? I jussst want to get what I came for and leave."

(Ch. B []) Twila Peterson transmits: '*Snake Man sounds a bit closer now* It doesssn't matter now, doesss it? I jussst want to get what I came for and leave.'.

Twila Peterson ughs as she's handled...and not much in a position to offer too much of a resistance. "Can't very well vistit the local 'Pets 4 U' like a *normal* customer can you?" she chokes.

(Ch. B []) Twila Peterson transmits: '*Twila's voice...sounding a little choked* Can't very well vistit the local 'Pets 4 U' like a *normal* customer can you?'

Snake Man's eyes suddenly narrow as he picks up something. "There'sss a transssmisssion coming from around here sssomewhere. And I bet I know where it isss."

(Ch. B []) Twila Peterson transmits: '*Snake Man* There'sss a transssmisssion coming from around here sssomewhere. And I bet I know where it isss.'

Twila Peterson attempts to stifle a wince, trying to feign some sort of innosence. Her life may depend on it after all. "A transmission??"

(Ch. B []) Twila Peterson transmits: '*Twila* A tranmission??'.

Without waiting for a reply, Snake Man brings his gun arm around and crushes her to his chest. Rearing back slightly, his long fangs swing down into biting position, and in one swift strike he buries them and all the rest of his sharp teeth to the hilt in the human's shoulder. Snake Man gives a start as one of the stands behind him falls, shattering glass and water everywhere. He releases his bite almost as soon as it starts, spitting out blood like he's just tasted something foul.

(Ch. B []) Rick Morgan transmits: '*blip* Hey.....Rock, what's the hurry?'

Twila Peterson attempts to pulls back almost as suddenly as she's held closer. However, unable to break free she's unable to do much else but emit a rather loud shriek as needles of steel pierce her skin...only to be once more removed...

(Ch. B []) Twila Peterson transmits: '*some movement and a crash is heard followed by a painful shrieking scream by Twila*'

(Ch. B []) Rock transmits: '*Silence*'

With the tact and grace of Guts Man, Rock bursts through the door to the Pet Store, and he's none to happy at this point. Once again he's out on his vacation, and this time, it's a lot more personal. Just as he comes to a halt inside of the store he catches Snake Man taking a bite into Twila's shoulder as his face -erupts- into rage. His body begins glowing an extremely bright blue as he stares at Snake Man, narrowing his eyes. He's been walked over, beaten, ganged up on, and trampled all week, and this is not what he needed. He aims his Buster right at Snake's head and says quite simply, in probably the meanest, darkest tone you'll ever hear conjured up by Rock's voice box. "Let her go, or you die, period."

(Ch. B []) Twila Peterson transmits: '*Rock's voice: dark, menacing. Let her go, or you die, period.'.

Snake Man stiffens as he sees Rock enter. His tail tightens a little unconsciously and his pupils narrow in fear. He hisses into Twila's ear. "Thisss isss not working out well. Thisss isssn't what I wanted to happen at all." His gaze darts around as he tries to figure out a way out of this mess.

Twila Peterson's slows her struggle as the tiny amount of venom the Master manages to get into her system makes its way into, and then enters, the bloodstream. Her breathing slows as the Master speaks, but she doesn't answer him. She's too busy trying to fight the sluggishness felt by her muscles as well as the bellyflops her stomach happens to be performing. However, unnoticed by both, as he pulls her closer once more his tail bumps against her radio...knocking off the lock she had previously placed on it. "Huh...?" she asks...somewhat dazed now.

Rock growls, "Then why don't you make this a whole lot easier and let her go now, and I might consider letting you run back to your twisted little doctor. Or, you can chose the hard way, which involves a lot of pain, delt in a very unsatisfactory manner. The choice is yours Snake Man, and I'm not going to stand here for much longer waiting for a response." He keeps his buster trained on the robot master. Rock mutters, "You may have taken my best friend, but you are -not- taking her."

Snake Man pauses for a long moment, sizing up the situation and making internal calculations on things like Rock's mood, the available cover, the closeness of the door, possible escape routes and other such things. He drops his arm blocking her to him, and then shakes his head. His tail unwraps from around her and a final snap sends her stumbling towards Rock. At the same moment, he spins and makes a dive behind the nearest cover

Rick Morgan streaks towards the scene....carrying Roll in his arms as he moves at what appears to be top speed. In fact, as he homes in on Rock's signal, he heads right -for- the pet store at that speed, right up until he applies the brakes that is...and enters a long skid, that only comes to a halt just at the door, which strangely has been kicked in. "This is the place," he announces to Roll, gently setting her down and pulling out his sidearm at the same time.

Rock blinks and takes a few quick steps forward, catching Twila in his free hand, pulling her in close to him as he keeps an eye on where Snake Man dove, and announces, "You've got about 5 seconds to get your filthy hide out of Neo-Tokyo before I send an entire squad to come disassemble you piece by piece. Ya here me? DO YOU?!" Rock is mad, yes he is.

Rick Morgan pauses as he hears the bellow. "Uh.....yeah this definitely is the place."

Roll nods in agreement as she takes in the scene she can see just inside the doors, not needing to take the time to get any weapons ready as long as she has her keytool with her.

Twila Peterson ungracefully lands within the Blue Bomber's outstreatched arm. Her locks of hair drape around her as she offers a soft groan. She slowly blinks as if it seems to somehow register she hit something hard. "Rooooooooock? Wh---why....'re yo-you shout...shouting...." her words slur softly as she tries to force her limbs to move...

Snake Man doesn't wait for a second invitation. He streaks towards the door on all fours, but screeches to a halt as it suddenly fills with observers.

Rick Morgan heads straight for the door...and promptly comes face to face with Snake Man. An audible, "Yipe!" comes from him as he actually leaps back a few paces, instinctively snapping his revolver into place. "YOU again!?"

Roll looks quickly at Robot Master, then at Rick Morgan. They know each other? She stands to one side, ready to act, but not sure if she should be trying to stop Snake Man or letting him go, since her brother *had* said he wanted him out.

As the Blue Bomber screams, a tear forms slowly in his left eye, but his facial expression remains that of pure fury as he waits for the robot masters reply, or attempted escape. He catches the movement in the corner of his eye and looks over at Snake Man stopped at the door and immediately swings his buster into a locked position on the creature. He looks beyond the creature to see Rick and his sister and grits his teeth, knowing he can't fire without putting the both of them at risk, unless... X's armor suddenly shifts into a greenish color as he lowers his arm a little, aiming it more towards the floor than Snake Man himself. He fires his weapon, but instead of the usual energy blast, a small snake, similar to the ones Snake Man himself uses, streaks towards it's originator.

Rick Morgan frowns and grits his teeth, glaring at Snake Man, remembering Twila's scream on the radio. "What'd you DO!?" he practically shouts in the reptilian master's face. But the sudden shift in coloring in the background catches his attention....and Rick's eyes widen for a moment, as he merely reacts, snapping to the side to get the heck outta the way of any blast to come.....and take Roll with him of course.

The moment after the snake spits out, he shifts back into his normal color. He brings his buster back up to bear with the Robot Master giving him a bit more incentive to leave as he holds Twila close to his body, that tear that began to form streaking down his face now.

Roll oofs as Rick snags her. She had been ready to help her brother out against the bad Robot Masters, not to be tackled by a human! She stumbles to one side with Rick, out of the way now, anyway.

Snake Man's delicate senses are rather confusing in all the excitement. Everything seems to be moving in slow motion, and yet in hyper motion all at the same time. He merely notes a scream in the background and a familiar sounding woosh. Then the obstruction in front of him is gone. Glancing over his shoulder, he notes a familiar persuer and leaps forwards, not caring if he runs over anyone or not.

Twila bluish-green orbs, dilated now, blinks back at the change within the armor color moments before the shot is fired. She closes her eyes at the brightness of the energy, mumbling something incoherently. They open once more as she's held a bit closer. With a grunt she raises her arm halfway...but is unable to maintain it's position with Rock's waits but for a few short moments. It feels too much like led. Why does she feel so weighed down? "Wh--what's going on?" she questions, words still slurring quite a bit. She then idly notes, more to herself than to anyone else, "Should...er hurts."

Rick Morgan blinks as he straightens up, one arm still in that motion of sweeping Roll out of harms way....but it slowly lowers it as the Snake makes his break. A scowl sets on his features, as he raises his right hand and levels the revolver at the fleeing Robot Master. Retreat permission be darned. *BLAM BLAM!* The two shots streak out, not likely to hit their target, but still carrying their message. He even fired the gun one handed. Dirty Harry eat your heart out!

Rock waits until the Robot Master is completely out of sight before shifting his buster back into a regular arm, he swings it around to embrace Twila as another tear forms, and another, as they begin to stream a bit more frequently now. He whispers softly, "You're gonna be okay, Twila. You're gonna be okay..." he says, almost as if to reassure both himself and her. As he lets go with one arm and scoops up her legs, cradling her in his arms, he doesn't waste much time and begins heading for the door quickly, not really giving much acknowledgment to Rick and Roll. He heads straight for the labs, knowing the doctors they have there will be able to help her with Snake Man's venom more than a regular doctor could.

Snake Man scrabbles on a right turn trying to keep his grip on the road without slipping. The bullets hit his retreating rear, but by now he's out of range of them doing any damage other than to his dignity. He rounds the far corner of the next block and disappears.

Twila Peterson looks down on the nasty wound as if through blurred vision, not really seeing the blood or torn fabirc even as Rock breaks off into a run. She weakly gazes up towards her beloved. Her vision shifts focus, allowing he to catch a glipse of his features for a few moments before the world is a blur once more. "Hey, I pro...prom---" She can't quite manage to form the words tho.

Roll shakes herself up, looking up just in time to see Snake Man disappear around the corner. Quickly shifting her attention to Rock and Twila, she notes in horror the full extent of Twila's injuries all the while bemoaning the fact that she can do little to help, Twila being a human and not a reploid. She steps back out of the way, letting her brother through, not wanting to get in his way at this moment in time.

Snake Man sends a tightbeam radio transmission to Rock: "Thisss isss... all her fault. If she hadn't called you... none of thisss would never have happened."

Rock kisses Twila gently on the forehead. "I know you do Twila, you won't give up on your promise just as I won't give up on mine," he says to her softly as he makes his way past the others towards the labs. He just blinks at a radio message and doesn't even feel it warrants a response. Snake Man is now right under Bass on 'The List'.

A small trickle of smoke rises from the barrel of Rick's revolver, and he continues to scowl as Snake Man disappears. As Rock and Twila burst out into the open.....he flips his sidearm back to its usual resting place, and merely watches quietly. "Cripes...." he mutters, almost instinctively putting an arm around Roll's shoulder and giving it a quick squeeze.

<Soon.>

Medical Bay <Hunter HQ> This room is kept immaculately clean and organized, from the polished tile floor to the bright exam lights and walls painted with soothing colors. Several repair and medical beds for robot and human patients line the walls, monitors above them indicating the status of the patient's vital signs. There are no windows here, as this is in the center of the floor and heavily reinforced against possible attack. It is here that the Maverick Hunter medics patch up the wounded.

Rock zips into the medical bay and places Twila down gently on one of the tables, barking at one of the medical doctors they have to come have a look at Twila.

Twila Peterson lulls her head to the side. "Wh---where 're we...?" she manages. Her eyes stare upwards as one of the doctors looks up at the sudden commotion. He sees the wound first off and in turn barks to an orderly to bring over some supplies. "Oh, goodness," he exclaims as he hurries to the medtable....what happened?"

Rock places one of his hands on Twila's forhead and brushes some of her hair back as he leans over and kisses her gently on the forehead again. "We're home Twila... just relax, you're gonna be okay," he says, as he looks over at the Doctor, "She got bit by Snake Man, not sure how much venom she got, but I think it's safe to assume she got some."

The orderly retrieves one of the roll-a-way trays which carries some medical instruments as well as the more "traditional" supplies given for first aid. The doctor himself nods towards Rock in acknowledgment as he reaches for a knife and cuts away the the left hand shoulder and upper arm area of her shirt and undergarments to get better of the wound. The cut itself is still bleeding and appears to be quite deep. "The incisions are about three inches," he mumbles absent-mindedly as he begins to clean the area...but not before extracting some of the venom still around the wound. "Better make sure that doesn't get infected or it would be worse than the venom..." The doctor gives the sample to the orderly with the instructions, "Have Matthews look at that...stat...so we know what we're dealing with. Also need to run some bloodtests to check how much of that got into the bloodstream." When the orderly gives him a blank stare the doctore merely mouths the word, "Now," sending the lad off to another section of the lab while he continues cleaning the wound. "What have her symptoms been?" he asks the reploid who's standing across from him decked within his armor.

Rock just stands there holding onto one of her hands tightly as he looks up at the doctor. "She's been sorta woozy, and she hasn't had very good control of her motor skills, sorta like if she was really drugged up or really tired."

Twila Peterson nods weakly to Rock with a teeny, tiny smile, one that becomes a grimace as she feels some of the effects of the medicine used. "Ow," she dead pans. Then, not realizing he has already taken old of her one of her hands asks, "Ho---hold myyyy hand?"

Rock nods and smiles back at her, cupping his other hand over hers and gives it a gentle squeeze. "I'm here for you Twila, just like I said I would be," he gazes into her eyes, trying to help her through the pain. "I love you." he says softly, giving her hands another squeeze.

Again the doctor nods, casting a glance of appraisal towards the patient as she asks the reploid to do what he already is. He slightly shakes his head as he finishes doing what he can with the actual wound. After the use of a device to detect injuries he starts bandaging the shoulder. "Cuts are deeper than I would have liked. And some damage done. But nothing that can't be helped," he continues mumbling...mostly to himself. As he and the other orderly continue to tend to her and extract what medical information is needed in orderly to provide their assistance.

Rock nods, "So, she's gonna be okay?" he asks meekly, knowing she probably will by his statements, but still afraid of the worst.

Twila Peterson manages another small smile. In some aspects it would seem she's handling th pain quite well. However, ironically enough, it's the venom itself that's keeping her from acknowledging the full brunt of it. She offers what passes for a squeeze back towards the reploid's armored hand. "I--I love you tooooooo," she coos. "Nooooow and aaaaaaalways...before going back to merely staring at him, although indirectly it may be.

"Neverending, forevermore..." he says softly to her, giving her hand another squeeze, gazing down at her with love and sympathy and sadness, all mixed into one.

The doctor glances from his work and nods while casting his young patient a glance. "I expect her to be. Judging by the symptoms and from what I saw of of the incision, she didn't receive enough of the venom to be life threatening. She really is quite lucky. Her system may be able to work this out within the next day or so. Regardless, it's better if she's kept in here for the next day or so just to be sure.

Rock nods to the doctor, "Okay.," he says, as he kneels down a bit to be level with her face, and takes one of his hands and runs it through her hair, "Hear that Twila, the doctor says you're gonna be fine," he says softly, tears streaming down his face, "I won't leave your side until your better."

The doctor excuses himself to look over the results, leaving the two alone. "Ok..." Twila answers, watching as he lowers himself. "Would---wouldn't mind the com...pany. I--I won't leave you...you're side eith...er." She then brightens as a thought, no matter how strange or odd it seems, and blinks. "Hey, you---you gonna get marr...married in your arm....suit?"

Rock's expression softens at her comment and squeezes her hand tightly, "Only if that's what you want me to wear..." he replies softly. "I wouldn't want to clash with your gown..." he says with a faint smile, knowing full well what he's saying, and what feelings and vows it confirms. He leans forward and kisses her again gently on the forehead. Which doesn't necessarily mean he's ready to just yet, but it does mean that he knows that he does.

Twila Peterson mumbles something. Some of the words are comprehensible such as "not" and "snuggable" but not much else. She smiles up towards Rock as if she doesn't truly understand the full meaning of what she had just asked or his answer. Her free hand flops back to the bed a few times as she attempts to raise it. Finally, after the fouth try she gives up and goes back to staring at him...her focus seemingly a tad more steadier. "You-- -you're cry...ing.."

Rock nods with a smile, "It's just because I'm glad you're alright." he replies, as he strokes her hair a bit, "Try and relax, it'll help your body fight the venom."

Twila Peterson closes her eyes only to open them again. "Al..already re...laxed. Like when you....you do that..." she drawls out. She sighs in content despite her circumstances at the fingerbrushing, enjoying it immensely. Her brow than furrows as she recalls something unsavory. "Ham...hamsters. He was eating them..."

Rock frowns, "How horrible," he replies, continuing to stroke her hair, knowing that it's probably helping her out. "I'm sorry I wasn't there with you. I might have been able to stop this before it happened."

Twila Peterson shakes her head. "Ca--can't always be there. You...you were there when....when you c--could be. She pauses for a moment and then adds, "Th-- thanks..."

Rock squeezes her hand again, "Your welcome," he replies. "Are you tired? You might want to get some sleep. I bet you'll feel a lot better when you wake up."

Twila Peterson appears to have to think about that for a full minute before realizing she is a bit drained. Aside from the venom her body is fighting against she had been injected with an antidote mere moments before which is causing her to tire even more. She nods while her hand weakly returns the affection. "Goo-good night kiss?" she requests.

Rock smiles warmly and leans over, brushing his lips tenderly on her own softly, as he continues to run a hand through her hair gently. He holds the kiss for a few seconds before pulling back with a smile, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, "I'll be right here next to you if you need me. Good night my dearest. Sweet dreams," he says softly, adding at the end after gazing into her eyes for a bit, "I love you, today, tomorrow, forever."

When he pulls back Rock may notice her opening her eyes halfway, as if she had closed them as soon as their lips had touched. "I l-love you noooow and al-always,. "I- -I'll be o...ok w--with you here," she vows. A smile curls once more around her lips as she whispers, "You...you're a good kiss..er..." within words which soon trail off. Her eyelids close further as her breathing once more begins to slow.

Rock blushes slightly, as he gives her hand another squeeze as he continues to run his hand through her hair. He suddenly phases into his casual wear, but it doesn't really interfere with what he's doing. He just watches her with his loving gaze, and doesn't intend on going to sleep until she herself awakens.