By:Bull Demon


"Why are you so happy?" he asked. She smiled at him with her long, thin
lips.
   
"I'm just going to say goodbye before we depart," she replied. "Forest is
letting me in to see him." She began to walk off when Harlan grabbed her arm.
   
"You think.. I mean when you're done and all.. Could I..?" he muttered.
Elmira gave him an impatient look which softened quickly.
   
"I'll ask Forest," she said and he nodded. Before she walked off, Elmira
crammed a piece of paper into his hand. Harlan read the note and stood
speechless watching her leave down the hall, Her long, green tail the last
thing to disappear from sight.

* * * * * *
    
"You're going to make it through this... you have too," Elmira said to
her friend in the dim Medlab. She sat beside him, holding the glove less
fingers of his left hand. The rest of his arm was wrapped in a loose bandage
to hold the IVS in place. His fingers had a bluish tint to them and were so
cold Elmira ordered another blanket for him. She sighed and looked up at the
door where Forest stood. "I have to go now," she told Radu, hoping he could
hear her from his sleep. She brushed back his bangs and kissed him on the
forehead. "Feel better." She left his side and joined up with Forest. Harlan
was there, waiting for his turn to see his new friend. He smiled at Elmira
which she returned. "I expect him better next time we meet."
   
"I'm sure Rosie will see to it," Harlan replied. Forest smiled at this.
   
"It's up to him as well," she told Harlan. "But the more care you show
him, the sooner he'll be back on his feet."
   
"And that's something I can do," Harlan said. Both Spung nodded their
parting and left Harlan standing in the jam to Medlab. Harlan sighed and
walked over, pulling up the chair Elmira had used. "How you doing, buddy?" he
asked, getting more used to talking to someone who wouldn't answer. Harlan
sighed and looked at the ceiling. He couldn't look Radu in the face at all.
He wasn't sure if it was the disfigurement the tubing gave him or the fact
that he still felt awful for all the remarks he'd every said. Harlan looked
over to the vital monitor and studied it. He had no clue what any of the
numbers or rumpled lines meant, but it was something to look at other then
his friend's face. A thought ran through his mind and he couldn't help but
smile.
   
"You remember the time I was invisible, and you were the only one who
heard me? Man, I'll never forget that. And then Ms Davenport's hand glued to
the wall... that was the best," Harlan said, reliving the event. He sighed
looked at the note Elmira had given him earlier. "And the worst part about
this, Elmira knew this was going happen. Not the battle you had to go through
with her father but, me... excepting you as you. As a real person. We'll get
through this. We have to," Harlan said, his eyes scanning the note a final
time.


FRIENDSHIP IS NOT SOMETHING TO WIN, SELL, OR BUY;
IT IS SOMETHING YOU MUST WORK HARD FOR, AND TRY;
EARNING THE TRUST IS WHAT YOU MUST DO;
THE TRUST YOU MUST EARN, COMES FROM WITHIN YOU.