"Hal would you calm down please? I'll be finished in a minute and it's not like you're helping."

Hal rolled his eyes as Anne washed out the soap from his hair and while it felt nice, her fingers massaging into his scalp and taking care of him so gently, he was eager to finish.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Make fun of the paralyzed guy, real nice." He was smiling though and laughed at his upside-down view of the doctor as he lay leaned back on a chair with his head over a sink.

"I have a date you know, I don't want to be still getting my hair washed when she gets here."

Anne laughed and finished rinsing the last of the bubbles from the soldiers head.

"Oh I know, you've been smiling all day and your dad told me earlier that he's never seen Maggie so excited and eager to get out of the battlefield."

The doctor pulled the plug from the sink, letting the water drain out before grabbing a towel and rubbing it through Hal's hair, making his head roll around a bit from the movement. Anne had never had so much time with the boy and she enjoyed her time with him now that he took full time care. She was still worried about what was causing the strange paralysis but had found nothing in any tests and so decided to focus on his recovery instead.

He was used to fighting and being the one to save people and now that he wasn't even able to wiggle his fingers. She knew it was hard for him to accept help from others and to come to terms with what his life was like now. But Anne was so proud of how positive he was, always making jokes and insisting that he would be back to fighting in no time. She only hoped he was right.

The over gown kid started whining again and Anne laughed having finally finished drying his hair.

"Come on Anne I'm gonna be late!"

"Alright, alright I'm done. I'll get your brother to lift you back to your bed and don't worry we'll have you ready by the time Maggie gets here."

"Thank you Anne. I mean it, thanks." The woman smiled as she opened the door to leave.

"You're very welcome Hal. I'll be right back with Ben."

Hal couldn't keep the goofy smile from his face. Things had calmed down considerably during the last week and Maggie finally had enough time off to have an actual date with him. He had been planning it with his Dad and brothers for a few days, Anne helping as well to set up something special for the two of them.

The door swung open again as Ben and Anne walked through and Hal frowned as his brother immediately started laughing at the sight of him.

"What are you laughing at math geek?"

Ben came over and stood over his brother barely containing his laughter as he rearranged the sticky-up mess that was Hal's hair.

"Your hair looks ridiculous, it's sticking up all over the place and you have soap bubbles on your ear."

Ben ran his fingers through his older brother's hair and styled it for him before rubbing away the bubbles with the towel still sitting at the sink.

"Anne?!" The doctor made a face which made Ben laugh harder.

"I don't know how to style hair like yours and I thought guys were supposed to like the spikey thing."

Hal shook his head and sighed as Ben finished with his hair and started gripping his knees and back, preparing to lift him.

"I'm gonna move you now okay? Thank god for my spikes cause you're damn heavy Hal. You been stashing food and eating it all by yourself?"

The soldier smirked as he looked up at his brother, waiting patiently as he was placed back on his hospital bed and shifted around by Anne.

"It's all muscle brother. You would know if you had done any physical activity at all before the invasion instead of studying like a dork."

Hal was now sitting in his bed, watching Ben raise an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah? I'm the dork?" The kid grabbed Hals limp hand and rearranged his fingers to make them rest with only his middle finger standing and stood back laughing as Anne tutted from where she was setting up a table.

"Hal Mason are you pulling the finger at me? When did you get movement back in your fingers?"

Hal shook his head and looked desperately at his brother.

"It was Ben I swear I still can't even wiggle them. Ben tell her!"

Anne scrunched her eyebrows, as Ben doubled over with laughter at his brother's panicked expression, and smoothed out Hals hand.

"You're a real dick you know that?" Hal chuckled and wished he could punch his brother's arm like he normally would.

"Hey, you boys watch your language." The doctor was smiling despite her warning at how these boys turned soldiers could still be so childish and cheeky.

"Maggie's gonna be here any minute we better get this surprise ready."

Anne and Ben started getting out the candles, placing them around the room and lighting them as they went.

Hal knew that Maggie wasn't one for romantic gestures but he thought that at least having some time alone for a while would be gladly appreciated and put to good use.

Anne and Ben finished setting up the candles and turned off the lights, Ben coming to straighten out his brother's collar and jacket, fixing him up to look more presentable.

"Ah stop fussin' will ya I look fine."

"Yeah well I think we both know Maggie deserves more than just 'fine.'"

"I think she's coming." Ben and Anne moved towards the door throwing smiles over their shoulders as they went.

"Have fun."

Hal waited in the candlelit room and waited a few minutes till Maggie stepped through smiling in surprise.

"What is this? Candles? What's next, rose petals everywhere?" She was smiling though and Hal couldn't get enough of the way the soft light bounced off of her hair and made her cheeks look pinker than usual.

"You look so beautiful Maggie." She blushed and tried to hide her smile behind her hair as it fell around her face but her boyfriend was looking at her with such awe and she didn't know why.

"You know I'm not the romantic type Hal what is this for?"

She came and sat on the edge of Hal's bed taking his hand in hers and kissing his knuckles.

"Yeah well you might not be a romantic but I am and… Maggie you've stood by me though all this and ….thanks, for not giving up on me."

Maggie looked at Hal with a bemused expression and laughed.

"Why are you looking at me like I'm an idiot Mags?"

"Because you are one. Why would you ever think I would leave you? I love you Hal Mason and this injury doesn't change that, it never will." The blonde placed her hand on the back of her boyfriend's neck and pulled him forward for a kiss, closing her eyes as the candlelight nearby flickered.

The two finally pulled apart after a while and Maggie climbed onto Hal's lap and just held him, infinitely happy that he was okay and still with her.

Those long, long weeks of waiting for him to wake up were agonizing especially since they had had no idea what was wrong or if he would ever come out of his coma. But he was here now and after waiting so long for him to wake up and after being on the battlefield, seeing how quickly people could be taken away from the people they loved, she just wanted to hold him for a while.

Hal looked down at her as she held him close. "I so don't deserve you."

Maggie smiled and pressed her lips to his again. "Well either way, you're stuck with me now."

Hal suddenly remembered the part of his surprise he knew she would like.

"I almost forgot, I got you something. It's in the cupboard in the corner."

Maggie narrowed her eyes wondering what it could be but knowing she would like it anyway simply because Hal looked so excited and pleased with himself.

The blonde walked over and opened the cupboard, gasping in surprise when she saw a bottle of wine and some chocolate. She brought them over to the bed and sat in his lap again, her back resting against his chest as she opened the wine.

"Where did you get this from?"

"My Dad helped me get the wine but I'd been saving the chocolate for a while."

Maggie took a swig from the bottle and turned to give Hal some too.

"Well, I'm glad being the president's son gives you perks."

Hal laughed and opened his mouth to accept the chocolate she was feeding him, pausing to eat it before continuing.

"You love calling me that don't you, the president's son."

Maggie shrugged, her mouth full of chocolate.

"It sounds so proper I think it's funny."

She took another drink of wine and gave some to Hal, pulling his hands from where they rested on the bed to wind around her waist and snuggled back in his hold.

"Thank you Hal this is really nice."

"Anything for my girl."