There is someone with a sledgehammer pounding on the door of Ru's bedroom. After a couple of attempts to cover her ears with the bedraggled and not-very-recently-fluffed pillows, she realized that the sound is coming not from the door but from inside her own head. She sits up and reaches automatically for a tissue, which she uses to dab at her nose.
Catherine: (softly) Ow. Ow. Ow ow ow.
There actually IS sound at the door now--furtive whispering that is as loud as any normally-pitched voice. Catherine picks out the voices of her roomies--Fozzie's anxious whine, Piggy's growly demands and Kermit's attempts to moderate--and even though her head is pounding, she smiles.
Catherine: I'm up already. Come on in.
(There is an abrupt cessation in speaking, and she sighs.)
I'm awake already--and I can hear you. Come on in and don't lurk in doorways.
(The three roomies trundle into the room, looking sheepish.)
Kermit: Sorry--we didn't mean to wake you.
Catherine: (stuffily) You didn't. I had to get up to turn off my head.
(Fozzie looks confused but Kermit nods in understanding. Piggy pushes past Kermit and walks over to the edge of the bed. She puts a calculating hand on Catherine's forehead.)
Piggy: (briskly) Fever's down.
Fozzie: (impressed) How do you know?
Piggy brushes her long, golden hair back from her face.
Piggy: While it's true I'm not a nurse, I--
Kermit: --played one on television.
Fozzie: --played on on tv.
Catherine: --played one on Vetrinarian's Hospital.
Piggy: (growling, now) Well, her fever IS broken!
Catherine: I think it is--but how could you tell?
Piggy: (not unkindly) Because you're all sweaty and disgusting, dear.
Catherine: (honking her nose into the tissue) How nice of you to notice.
Kermit: (hastily) Um--well, that's good, right? It means you'll start feeling better soon...doesn't it?
Catherine: (blearily) Actually, I do feel better already.
Fozzie: (skeptically) Really? Cause you look kindof drippy and, you know, puffy.
Kermit: Fozzie!
Catherine: (holding up a hand to stop her urstwhile defender) No--no, I think Fozzie was being quite kind under the cirsumstances. But I think I might manage to live after all.
Kermit: Oh, good. Can we, um, get you anything?
Catherine: No--I'm good. I'm going to dose myself and try to hurl myself back into sleep.
Fozzie: Won't that hurt?
Catherine: (smiling faintly) I don't think so. But I feel worlds better than I did now that I've had a good long snooze, so I bet I'll feel fine by tomorrow morning.
Fozzie: Does this mean you'll cook for us?
Kermit: Fozzie!
Fozzie: Gee--I was just asking...
Piggy: Ignore the bear. You don't need to think about cooking us breakfast. But I doooo have a teensy little interview after lunchtime, so if you can't sleep and you feel like ironing....
Kermit: Piggy!
Catherine: (laughing) I'll see what I can do, Piggy. And I'll do my best to be up and cooking by tomorrow, okay Fozzie?
Fozzie: I, um, hope you feel better.
Kermit: Yeah--we'll get out of here so you can get back to sleep.
Piggy: (leaning down impulsively and pecking her roomie on the top of her head) There--feel better, sweetie. We all want you up and around again.
Catherine: No one more than me! Thanks, guys--thanks for looking out for me!
Kermit: No problem! (He steers everybody out of the room.) There--see, I told you Fozzie--she's gonna be fine.
Fozzie: But I was worried! And I've missed her.
Kermit: Yes, I know--she was gone for over a week, and now that she's home she feels rotten, but she'll be up and around soon and things will get back to normal.
Piggy: (giving Kermit a look) Normal?
Kermit: (shrugging) Well, you know....