"You and the Singing-Dancing Boy are getting along pretty well, aye?"  Rose yawned, and opened her eyes.  A fat, grinning nurse was smiling down at her.

Rose jumped.  "Oh!  I didn't know anyone was there."

The nurse smiled.  "Okay, I get it.  You're avoiding the question.  Typical, typical, typical."  She shook her curly head.  "But I have some news that may intest you and lover boy."  Rose felt her cheeks color, but she didn't say anything.  She assumed the nurse was talking about Brian.  As much as she didn't want to admit it, though, hearing Brian refered to as her 'lover boy' sent an odd chill down her spine.  "Some big wigs in town here are sponsering a dance for all the hospital patients here tomorrow night."   She reached into one of her pockets, and pulled out a flyer.  Handing it to Rose, she continued, "it's for charity, everyone's invited.  You and Singing-Dancing Boy will have a good time, I'm sure."

Rose didn't say anything.  She stared at the flyer as the woman bustled out of the room.  The clock next to her bed said that it wa 7:10.  Almost exactly as she looked at it, Brian opened the door.  "How are you feeling?"  He asked, sitting down on the edge of her bed again. 

Rose smiled.  "Great.  Those treatments make me stronger every time.  Once the innitial sickness goes away, I feel amazing.  Like I could dance."  She suggested, handing Brian the flyer.

He read it, an amused smile on his face.  "A dance?  I haven't been to one of those since highschool."  He told her.  "Are you saying we should go?"

Rose grinned, but blushed and looked away.  "Well, I mean, I was thinking of it.  But I'm not saying we have to go together.  I'm sure there's someone else you'd rather take."

Brian laughed.  He always seemed to laugh when Rose expected it least.  "Yeah, right."  She looked over at him, barely daring to hope that he'd say he actually wanted to go with her.  Even back in highschool, no one had ever invited Rose to a dance.  It was completely unbleivable that her luck might just be about to change.  "Rose,"  Brian said, putting his thumb under her chin and swiveling her head so she was facing him.  "There's no one in this world that I'd rather take to that dance.  Or any dance.  Or anything.  Ever."

Brian loved the way her face turned a bright shade of crimson.  But she smiled, anyway.  "You're not being serious."  She said accusingly.

"Yes I am!"  Brian insited.  "I'm being totally serious."

Rose laughed.  "Okay, okay."  She looked at the flyer again and something caught her eyes.  "Oh, wait. . ."  She said, suddenly unsure.

"What?"  Brian asked, following her gaze.  His eyes landed on the phrase 'formal dress' written in big black letters.  "Oh.  Well, don't worry about that.  We can get you a formal dress."

Rose raised her eye brows.  "How?  We can't leave the hospital."

Brian thought for a minute.  "Okay, remember my friend Nick?  The blond one?"

"Right, the one with the autographs."  Rose said.

Brian nodded.  "Yeah.  He's dating this girl named Mandy.  How 'bout I call him and tell her to call you, and you can tell her your sizes, and she can get you a dress and everything, and bring it over."

"Wow.  That was confusing."  Rose said.  She looked away from him.  "I don't know.  That's sort of a lot of trouble just so I can get a dress."

Brian shook his head.  "No it isn't.  Not if you want it.  Nothing's too much trouble for you."

For what seemed like the millionth time that say, Rose blushed.  "Uh, okay, then.  I guess.  If they don't mind."

"They won't."  Brian assured her.
"Hey Nick!"  Brian chirped into the phone for the second time that day.

"Uh, hi Brian."  Nick said, not sounding quite as happy to speak to him as Brian hoped he'd be.

"I have a favor to ask."  Brian said.

Nick sighed.  "Fine.  What?"

"I need you to get Mandy to do me a favor."

There was a pause.  "What?!"  Brian went on to explain his idea.  Nick sighed again, even more exasperated this time.  "You know, Bri, you're really playing this 'I'm in the hopital' card for all it's worth, aren't you?"

Brian just grinned.