Leela was almost as worried about Bender as about Fry. It had been weeks now, and there had been no change. The doctors had gone from saying Fry was just resting and healing to saying it didn't look good. Bender still refused to accept that. He'd actually physically thrown a doctor out in a sober stupor.
"Don't tell me he isn't going to wake up!" he'd shouted, slamming the door in the doctor's face. That was when Leela knew she had to take a hold of Bender.
"I know how hard this is," she told him softly. "But the doctors are just telling us what they believe is true."
"Well I don't believe it," Bender sobbed. "You believe he'll wake up, don't you Leela?"
She wouldn't have dared shatter his hope, but the truth was she didn't believe it just then. After this many weeks? It was highly unlikely. She knew Fry had never given up when the doctors thought she would never wake up again though. She couldn't give up on him either.
"I believe he'll never give up if it means staying with us," she told him. "And I know you talking to him helped- helps- keep him going. But what he really needs is for you to be able to keep functioning. If you want to help him, Bender, go back to Planet Express and get the beer Fry and I left there. Drink it, and then go to your place and power down for awhile. Come back refreshed, and maybe the boost in your energy will be enough to help finally wake him up."
She wasn't sure she believed that, but she'd have said anything to get Bender to rest up just then. He was becoming a problem to the doctors, and that wasn't going to help Fry. Luckily Bender nodded in agreement. If that would really help Fry, he'd do it. He still hesitated, looking at Fry before going over and taking his hand.
"I'll be back, soon, buddy. You be here when I get back, all right?" Then he looked at Leela. "You promise you won't stop talking to him until I'm back?"
She nodded. "I promise, Bender. I'll keep talking to him. I won't stop until you're back."
Bender slowly left, looking at Fry several times on the way out. Leela would keep her promise, even if she didn't really believe it would work anymore.
"Fry, if you can hear me, we need you. Bender's a mess without you. And you and I have too many turned down dates to make up for. I wish now I'd have taken you up on every one of them from the beginning. You're a sweet guy, Fry, even if you can be an idiot. You loved me, one eye and all. Remember how mad you were when I had that surgery? Remember when you had those parasites that turned you into my dream guy but got rid of them so you'd know if I loved the real you or them?" She shook slightly. "It's the real you, Fry. I love the real you, just like you love the real me. Now prove it and don't give up!"
The monitor showed his heartbeat grow a little stronger. Maybe, Leela thought, just maybe he had a chance yet.
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Bender staggered to the Planet Express office, easily finding the beer there. Honestly he didn't care if he was drunk or sober, but he decided to at least try to keep himself up for Fry's sake. He downed the beer, and started to feel better. He knew he really should shut down for a bit, but the sooner he got back to Fry, the better. The beer was already helping.
"Awe, who am I kidding?" he moaned. "I can't keep up like this, and if I don't, I'll let Fry down. I could lose him."
He wished he could feel the energy he felt that time he was forced to party because he was powered by one of the Professor's doomsday devices. Wait. The Professor had a whole collection of doomsday devices! He wouldn't even miss one if Bender happened to steal it and used it to keep powered for Fry's sake!
"I'm coming Fry!" Bender shouted. Nothing would keep him from talking to Fry until he woke up now!