Make Katrina Happy.

Ash took a deep breath. He was teetering on a perilous egde here. If he decided to take the jump over the edge, he could irreversably damage his relationship with Katrina, something he treasured most of all. She was his best friend in the world and vise versa. If he tried...this...and broke her heart, he would never forgive himself.

Could he really love his friend and surrogate sister? His feelings for her were elevated above anyone else in the world, but he never thought of it as romantic. Not that she wasn't beautiful or attractive or sexy, which Ash thought she was, he just didn't see their relationship that way.

But now that he was sitting here, looking down at the flustered girl who was hidden away in her world of sadness as she dealt with Ash's rejection of her feelings, he felt a pang in his heart. He cared about her above all else. He wouldn't be the reason for her sadness. He would make this work. He knew he could.

He decided to take the plunge.

Forcing himself off the bed clumsily, Ash stood up and looked down at her. She heard the bed creak as he stood and looked up at him. She wanted to ask what he was doing up, but couldn't find the words. All she could say was his name in a hushed tone.

"I may not feel the same way about you that you do about me, Katrina." Ash said, sending chills down the girl's spine. He almost never used her full name when talking to her. Only when he was most serious. He knelt down so he was face to face with her. "But I'm willing to try and change that."

"W-what?" Katrina asked, flustered. Her crystal blue eyes, wet with tears, flew wide open as she heard his words. "What do you mean, Ash?"

"My feelings for you can change, Kat. They will change." He put one of his casts up against the side of her head. He wanted to touch her cheek lightly, but this was the best he could manage. He looked into her eyes and gave her the brightest smile he could. "Will you give me the chance to fall in love with you?"

"Oh God, Ash!" Katrina cried out and threw her arms around her 'brother'. "Yes! Yes, of course!"

"I had a feeling you wouldn't say no." Ash laughed. He embraced her as best he could with his casts.

"Y-you're sure about this?" Katrina asked. Ash could feel her heart beating a hundred times a second. "I-I don't want you to **** yourself into something just for my sake."

"I'm sure." Ash reassured her. "I am 100% sure."

"I can't believe it." She whispered into his neck. "I never thought..." Her words died off as Ash slumped in her hug a bit. She quickly straightened up. "Ash! Are you okay?"

"Yeah...jus' a little weak is all." The boy mumbled. "Everything's kinda fuzzy."

"Oh, dammit! You've been moving too much. The painkillers are probably still making you woozy. I'm sorry...here I am, supposed to be looking out for you. Let's get you back on the bed." Katrina helped Ash up and put him back down on the bed. As she laid him down, their eyes connected again. Their faces were close, as Katrina was practically on top of him after lying him down on his back. She licked her top lip slowly as her gaze flowed from his eyes to his lips. Would he allow her to kiss him? They are officially trying a relationship, right? But is this a little too soon?

Her lips quivered as she stared down at the mostly helpless boy. It would be so easy to just kiss him right now...