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Pointing to the hose I say quietly 'wash, clean' to Ashley. She slowly takes off her backpack and clothes, while I just take off the shirt and bra. All of them caked with dirt and dried blood, without a word exchanged we seem to both decide to discard them. So we just leave them where they fell. Hobbling over to the where the faucet sits on the wall I grab the hose attached to it and slowly, ever so slowly start to pull the sprinkler towards us. Once it's under the porch I use the hose to flip it over and pull it faster. Picking it up I disconnect the sprinkler from the hose resulting in a steady stream of cool to cold water shooting out of it. I hand the hose over to Ashley who takes it and starts using the water to rinse her fur. Dirt and blood pools on the ground below her until the water running off her fur is clear and free of debris. She puts the hose down before stepping to the side to shake herself dry like any good canine does. Ashley picks the hose back up and walks over to me to start cleaning my fur the same way.

God dammit! That's cold water! Still, I need my fur cleaned, so I just stay quiet as Ashley cleans my fur. She lets out a quiet yip when she's finished, not resisting the urge I start to shake my body to get all the water out of my fur. Only to wince as it causes the wound in my leg to throb. Maybe with our fur clean they will have a harder time tracking us. Not that they had an easy time to begin with using those mutts rather than actual tracking dogs. We move from the shade of the porch to the sun to help with our fur drying and to keep a bit warmer. My fur dries faster than Ashley's due to its darker coloration, still I think we stand and lean against the house for about an hour before we decide to continue moving. Carefully I walk over to the nearest reachable window and pull myself up just to peek inside. I don't see anyone inside, so I think we're in the clear as far as the people living here spotting us. Nodding to Ashley she seems to understand what this means and picks up the backpack before moving to help support me. We move quickly to cross their back yard and into the field beyond.

At least this one's filled with some trees allowing us some cover. Mainly from the house in case someone looks out the window. I do feel sorry for leaving our clothes there, bet they're going to wonder what went on just outside their house. Not to mention they're too dirty to keep and because of that we're now mostly naked. Other than our underwear, in the spring chill we might as well wear nothing. Eventually as we continue or northward trek we spot the road we crossed over earlier to get away from the rednecks. Only now it's curving to the east and stands in our way again. Not that remarkable except for one thing draws my attention, the four by four chasing us. Parked on the side of the road in front of the next patch of woodland while facing east, abandoned. A short couple of day hike through farm and wilderness became a nightmare because of who owns that truck. It's about time we did something to persuade them to stop following us. I let go of Ashley and hobble on my good leg and hands over to it, she only quietly tries to get me to head a bit further east to cross to avoid them. Cautiously I peek inside through the open window upon reaching the vehicle.

Considering who's following us, I suspect there maybe a few extra guns in their truck. Maybe I can take one to use in our defense next time they get close. Peering into the cabin the old and stained seats sit empty. I also notice they left the doors unlocked! Ashley gently touches my arm and tries to pull me away with a whine, shrugging my shoulders I get her to let go. I'm done running like an animal. Grabbing the handle I open the passenger side door and start rooting around in the truck's cabin. My grin of good luck widens when I find a pistol in the glove-box. Along with a full clip of ammo; some lighters, and a box of cigarettes. Taking the pistol and its ammo out of the truck I lay them on the pavement before loading it and clicking the safety on. Time to show them that we're smarter than they think. Ignoring the protesting pain from my leg I stand up and pick up one of the lighters. Breaking it open is the hard part, spilling the fluid all over the seat of the truck isn't. Using the other lighter I ignite the spilled fluid and wait for the seat to catch fire before I kneel down and pick up the pistol. Ashley gives me a disapproving frown as I hobble over to her. She still willingly helps me walk. We go a few yards east before heading north into the patch of woodland. A few minutes later we hear something go off in the truck making me grin again in satisfaction. Take that assholes! As we walk we can start to smell the acrid scent of smoke, that went up faster than I thought. I wonder what else they had in it to cause it.

We still have more ground to make up as I don't think having walked all night allowed us get back on schedule. I don't want Patrick's family to wonder where we are. I know they may wait an extra day, maybe two, but no more. Speaking of my injury, along with the constant dull ache there's some mild stinging coming from inside it. I don't want to think about what's causing that, so I just focus on walking with Ashley. My free hand holds the stolen pistol with my finger over the safety. Seems luck's on our side as we find a game trail heading in the same direction we're going a few minutes into the bush, thus speeding up our progress. Following it allows Ashley to keep an eye on me, while I occasionally look down at the pistol. I'm sick of running! I'm sick of them treating me like an animal. If shooting one of them gets them to stop going after us I will fucking do it! Ashley lets out a light whine drawing my attention to her. I just pat her with non-armed hand.

The game trail leads us to the end of this patch of woodland faster than I thought. On the other side is yet another open field filled with grass. Exiting the bush one of my ears turns in the direction of someone's footsteps. Raising the pistol I quickly aim in that direction, only for Ashley to grab my arm, yank it down, then dragging me back into the underbrush. I would've barked in annoyance at her, but that would give us away. A moment later a young man enters our field of view. Possibly only a few years older than us, he's one of those hics chasing us due to his clothing. Casually carrying a rifle he continues walking along, then past us, before the sound of some modern rock song comes from his pocket. Of course, it's a ring tone. Something that obnoxious is always used as one. He pulls out a typical low end smart phone and taps it thus answering the call and silencing the music. Raising it up to his ear he lets the rifle casually point at the ground, holding it in a single hand. With a glance to Ashley I wiggle out of her grip and slowly start to crawl in his direction. Her frown deepens and her ears fold back. Unbeknownst to me, she follows a second later. I want to teach them a lesson. That's all that's on my mind.

"Hello? What?! You're not making sense! Slow down." Crawling up to him is easy while he's preoccupied with whomever is on the other end of the line. Forcing myself up onto my feet once I'm only a few feet behind him. I have to stifle a yip as my leg greatly protests the weight put on it. A throbbing intense pain, but I fight past that. I'm tired of them hunting us. I want to teach these idiots a lesson that we're just as human as they are, if not more so. Raising the pistol I take firmer grip on it by using both hands to hold it. I've never used a gun before but I understand the principle. My paw pads make it a bit more slippery than I expected, my finger moves to toggle the safety nonetheless. I'm forced to shift my weight to my good leg or risk collapsing with noise that will alarm him.

"Okay, wait, what did you just say? They set fire to your truck? How? They're just dumb animals. Look, I'm sorry for the damage but ya most likely left a lit cigarette on the floor or something." Slowly I move my finger to the trigger as he yaps away. One shot, that's all it will take to show these bastards we're not to be messed with! One shot and this hic will get the justice he deserves for what he did to those poor souls at the safe house. So why can't I move my finger? Laying my ears flat back I slowly take a step forward, a stab of pain from my injured leg nearly causes me to stumble. Tightening my grip on the pistol I take aim again at his head. Behind me Ashley silently stands out of the tall grass.

"Now look, I know you're angry. But unless you have proof they did it, then it's an accident!" A smirk crosses my muzzle from the guy screaming on the other end of the line. Just the kind of reaction I wanted.

"Calm the fuck down! No burning down this patch of forest would be a 'very' bad idea! Huh, hello?" He curses up a storm then quickly dials another number. He swaps what he's holding between his hands as he waits for someone to pick up. Again I try again to pull the trigger and end this. Yet my finger won't move. The next breath I take is filled with the rich coppery scent of blood, crap, I must've reopened my wound.

"Ya it's me. Yes I know the phone most likely has scared those animals off. Look Jackson's truck went up in flames. Most likely due to his bad habit of not putting the spent butts in the ash tray. Ya, of course he's livid about it! But he's dead set that those two dumb animal's did it and if we don't stop him he's gonna torch this entire patch of woodland. Of course that's a bad idea! We don't want the feds to come down on us for burning up their precious reserve. Look, after I hang up I'm gonna go over there. But your closer. Go knock some sense into him." Okay, deep breath. Breath in, breath out. Pulling the trigger is all I need to do. This idiot wouldn't hesitate to shoot at us with his rifle, so, why can't I do this? Why are my are hands shaking?

Tapping the phone to end the call he's about to place the phone back into his pocket. A loud bark from behind me startles us both. Turning before I do to see whom it is, though I already know, he freezes in terror upon seeing the pistol pointed at his head. Held by me, a bio-morph that he thinks is a 'just a dumb animal'. Ashley walks around me, then between us. First, she takes the rifle from him and as she does the smell of urine hits my nose. This idiot hic's so scared he wet his pants over this! The second he's on the receiving end he's scared witless. Ashley ignores this. Unloading the clip from the rifle she stashes it in her backpack. Clumsily Ashley ejects the single round already loaded before putting it in the backpack as well. She clumsily throws the rifle away.

Turning her attention to me now Ashley lets out a low growl and yip's that I understand as, 'Bad Alpha'. She snatches the pistol out of my shaking hands, then does the same to it as she did the rifle. Removed from my grasp my will power to stand drains, I collapse onto my good leg. The injured one now burns with stabbing pain. With both firearms rendered useless to everyone she approaches him again, he's managed enough wherewithal to slowly back up from her. With a loud sharp growl she points to his phone. I watch as he glances his hand. Slowly he tries to pocket the phone as if Ashley wouldn't notice. A split-second later Ashley snatches it from his grip. Walks over to the closest large rock and places it on top. Picking up a hand sized one next to it, both the hic and I watch as she smashes the phone to bits.

"My. Phone." He finds his voice but it lacks the volume from before. In response Ashley picks up the remains while tearing out the battery. Shoving it back into his hand she doesn't seem to care about the plastic and glass digging into it. Neither does he it seems. For a moment it looks like Ashley's just going to walk over to me leaving the hic to stand there stunned. She takes but a single step, turns. Using her claws she slashes him across the face from chin to ear. Yelling in pain he falls backwards onto his ass. Survival instinct kicking in he crawls backwards quickly to get away from Ashley. Satisfied, judging by her ears and tail, she pulls me up onto my good leg. The hic stares at us as we walk by, blood dripping from the deep gouges on his face. It'll most likely scar, well I hope it does.

Ashley as we walk northwards, launches into a long-winded and one sided conversation. About how stupid I was to do that. Or that's what I gather from what little I can understand. Her tone sounds angry, but her ears and tail lack the normal aggressive. It's something I've learned that means I'm angry at what you did, but not you as a person. Still, it hammers the fact if I had pulled the trigger, it would've made me a murderer. Done in cold blood no less. The idea that without her intervention I'd be no better than they are makes me sick.

Actually, I feel sick to the point that I signal Ashley to stop. Letting go, I fall to my knees and vomit onto the grass. I thought throwing up as a human is bad. With a larger mouth it's so much worse. An experience I don't want to repeat. Patting me on the back Ashley helps me back onto my feet. With me leaning a bit more onto her than normal we continue to put some distance between us and the hic. I feel no warmer than I did this morning even as the sun reaches its zenith. By this time we've crossed through a few more patches of woodland and fields. All the while I'm so thirsty I've gulped down water from our shared canteen. Ashley just gives up and lets me hold it by the time we reach the edge of a larger area of woodland. The lancing pain from my wound spreads as well to most of the leg both below, and my thigh above the wound feel sore and tender to the touch. Ashley's burdened enough having to carry me and all our supplies, so I keep quiet about this. We don't even bother to move the brush out of our way as we enter.

By the time we find a game trail we're deep inside, and I can see Ashley lightly panting. Strangely I start to shiver. Then nausea strikes me again and I grab onto a tree and in the process alert Ashley by letting go. I spend the next several minutes heaving up the water I've consumed in the past few hours. Ashley's gentle touch on my shoulder helps me recover. Looking over I see she's staring at me with deep concern on her face; ears, and body posture.

'Feel okay?' I can only shake my head even if it makes me a bit woozy. Reaching for a branch to help myself up I realize too late I've missed it. My eyesight seems a bit off. Only Ashley's quick reaction saves me from landing muzzle first into my mess. Startled by her determined growl I watch as she shoulders most of my weight, then pulls out the map to show me something. Pointing at the large patch of woodland right below the border. She then points down, so we're in that bit of woodland? Good, just gotta hold on till they pick us up. Then everything will be fine. Continuing on I'm just amazed at how Ashley can do this. God it's cold too. I wish we didn't have to ditch my clothes. Or that Patrick had put in a lightweight blanket. Yea, the blanket would be better. Something nice to curl up into.

Ashley suddenly comes to a stop. Either I was lost in my misery or the border was closer than either of us realized. It's exactly how Patrick described it, A twenty-foot wide clearing with nothing taller than a three-inch tall blade of grass standing stretching as far as we can see in either direction. We're just twenty feet from freedom, from being considered people. Pain and everything forgotten I'm about to take a step forward when Ashley yanks me backwards. She ignores my startled yelp and angry growl while dragging me and herself into the underbrush. I turn to yell at her with the few words I know, only for that anger to die as the high-pitched whine of drone propellers pierces my obliviousness. Silently we wait there, the noise gets louder until a shadow flies past in the center of the border. Of course my nausea makes itself known again before Ashley can help me back up now that it has passed. This is the second time she's stopped me from making a stupid mistake. I have no clue on how to thank her.

I'm half walked and half dragged across by Ashley, and nothing happens though once we cross. Kinda anticlimactic considering everything else that has happened to us to get here. We just use the game trail on the other side of the border to head as straight north as we can. I think, we maybe are in an older parts of this forest. The trees are larger and thicker.

My nausea rears its head again, and yet, not enough to cause me to heave. It never completely goes away either too. The ebb and flow of it forces me to stop every so often slowing our progress and causing Ashley to worry. Our easy traverse game trail ends at the shore of a large pond. We have to divert east as the westward shore is impassable. Those lapping waves are not helping my nausea. According to Ashley, this is a good sign. Pointing it out on the map I can see through my swimming vision that we are in the park proper now. Not far from where we are supposed to be picked up. Just have to hold on I guess. Our problem is that due to me and the load Ashley has to carry, we're moving at a much slower pace than we should. At least from what I can tell after a long time walking the shore, She spots another northward heading trail and follows it back into the forest.

Sometime about noon I think, something new joins the misery party. The wound itself starts to itch, badly. Demanding my attention but I have no way to scratch it. My free hand is holding the near empty canteen, and thinking about it makes me thirsty again. The other's draped over Ashley's shoulder. It's the only thing keeping me vertical. Our trail suddenly ends depositing us a few yards away from a decently sized lake. Concentrating to hold my vision steady I can see a farmhouse east to northeast from here. Glancing over at Ashley I can tell she sees it, but with the lake here we have no choice but to head for it. Plodding minutes later, as we get closer and come upon a dirt road heading directly for it. Another wave of nausea hits me, but it's different. Weakness comes along with it and my grip on Ashley falters. At least I manage to catch myself with my arms and good leg while spending I don't know how long heaving up nothing. I know we can't stay here, too risky, the resident's may not be friendly to Bio-Morphs. Yet when I try stand up with Ashley's help, the world seems to shift under me. I'm forced to let go and I collapse down onto my side missing the mess I made. Her next attempt is successful, only my strength fails and I lose my grip on her mere seconds later. I let out a painful yelp, she replies with a concerned whine.

I'm spent, empty, I've got nothing left to give. All energy drains form my body, and I'm barely able to move my head to look at Ashley. She's worried. Her ears are drooping to the sides, her tail has a nervous tic to it. I feel cold for some reason, so I start to shiver. Ashley sees this and tears off her clothing to cover me. It kinda helps, but after a few minutes I start to feel hot, so hot I pant. If my arms didn't feel like iron beams I'd fling the clothing off of me. Next thing I know Ashley puts the canteen to my muzzle and tries to get me to drink. I try but it seems I can't move my mouth enough to do so. I'm scared. I've never been this sick before.

Fearing that we're not safe here I try again to move my arms, only managing one to gently grab onto Ashley. No clue if she felt it or not but I try to push her away. For her part she just removes it and lays it back down against my chest. Things are getting a bit more blurry but I can make out Ashley tearing the filthy bandage off my leg. The scent gets me to dry heave as fluid that doesn't look good or healthy leaks out of my bullet wound along with blood. My head's suddenly and frantically shaken by Ashley. I think, I think I blacked out. My eyelids feel so heavy and I don't notice them closing till I hear the thud of the backpack. Ashley's dropped it, we need it, but she's dropped it.

A howl bursts out as the next thing I realize Ashley's lifting me up off the ground. Her arm that is under my knees are causing red-hot lances of pain to shoot up my injured leg. I don't feel the arm under my back. With my head unsupported and being too weak to keep it up, I can feel it slightly bob about as Ashley lumbers somewhere. The second the pain subsides my eyes droop, then close. The next thing I hear are Sirens and footsteps, she's still carrying me. Only I can now tell where we're headed. The farmhouse. But the footsteps and sirens are behind us. Why? Ashley stops walking and I black out again. I feel like I'm floating and I try to open my eyes, only to shut them again as everything's a blur of red, blue, white along with shapes that look vaguely human. My world goes black again soon after one of them comes close.

'Beep' 'Beep' Can someone stop that noise? I'm trying to sleep here. Only for the memories of right before I blacked out to return suddenly. Where the hell am I? Opening my eyes to find out is a mistake. It's painfully bright. Also, there's something in my mouth, big, round, tastes like plastic. Shit! Was I taken to some kind of vet for run-away Bio-Morphs? Going to have to open my eyes to find out. This time I open them more slowly, letting them adjust to the light in here. Everything's still kind of blur. A few more blinks seems to help things coalesce.

My muzzle is still here, that's good. But there's a tube sticking out of it and I can see medical tape keeping my muzzle shut so it can stay in. Looking around is secondary now, first this has got to go! My arms still feel heavy, only not as heavy as before. Clumsily I direct my hands to my muzzle and hook my claws into the tape. Good thing they weren't trimmed, I can't seem to move my fingers that well right now. Now that I can open my mouth I grab the tube between my hands and pull it out. Shit! That was a big mistake, not only does it taste nasty, like vomit, Its ridges rub harshly against my dry mouth and throat that I can finally feel. Coughing, I spend the next few minutes coughing. Each one like sandpaper to my throat. This pain envelopes my focus for the moment. Didn't even realize I could feel my ears again until they twitch and zero in on the sound of someone moving not to far from my left side. Who?-

"You're awake! Take it easy Jack. You're going to be fine, everything's fine. You're in Winnipeg memorial hospital. They're treating you for a gunshot wound and a nasty bacterial infection as well." I recognize the voice and it fills me with relief and happiness. It's Patrick So that means that I'm safe. Wait Winnipeg memorial? As in Winnipeg city in Canada? We're free? I turn my head to the side to look at him. He moves his chair closer as I do, my backside starts to feel the bed. Patrick reaches for something on the side of my bed. Said bed moves and pushes me up into a sitting position. It only makes my throat feel worse. Looking over at him again I whisper 'water'.

"I'm, not allowed to give you anything till the doctors check you out." I let him gently remove the tape from my muzzle. "Technically you weren't even supposed to remove the feeding tube till the nurse arrived." I finally notice he looks a bit disheveled? Wait, he's sleeping in here? Next to me? How long has he done that? Long enough to require medical help to be fed obviously. But how long was it? Glancing about all I see that can give me any sense of time is a clock. The face reads ten AM, but what day? A turned off flat screen hangs on the wall next to it. Near that and next to the door to this private room's a whiteboard. Mom's name and Patrick's is written on it as family to the female form of my name, Jackie.

Other than that the room is your boring standard hospital room décor wise. I'm also hooked up to an iv, blood pressure and heart beat monitors. A peek under the covers shows that yes, they shaved bits of my fur on my chest to place the sensors. And from between my legs I can see a catheter. My ears fold in embarrassment at this. Speaking of legs, I can't help but see my injured leg. Completely shaven from crotch to foot, Stitches crisscross most of the area above and some below the wound that's covered in bandages. The skin looks puffy and irritated around the stitches, and there appears to be a small tube sticking out one of them next to the wound. Feeling my ears burn with embarrassment I put the sheet down and look at Patrick.

"If it makes you feel any better jack. I wasn't watching. Neither was I in here when they hooked you up" Sighing he pats my head gently as my ears return to their upright position.

"You're damn lucky, you know that? Whom ever shot you completely missed the femoral artery. Not even a nick. As for the rest, well you weren't so lucky. You're doomed to infection from the start. The person that shot you coated the bullet in, well, feces, animal and human. With the bullet being old, porous, and shattering upon exit. Combine with the slightly slower healing rate to a human led to what happened." Sighing, I point to the white board half-way through. Eventually my rambling friend gets the hint. Retrieving it and the marker he hands them both to me.

'You're rambling. Get to the point, what happened to me? How long was I out?' I write down and show him.

"A staff infection, along with other bacteria I can't begin to pronounce from the bullet fragments went septicemic. It spread up and down your leg eating tissue along the way. The doctor's were able to take out the diseased and dead tissue. Then treat the rest with skin made stem cells. They say you'll have a nasty scar and white fur, maybe some divots, but you'll keep the leg." Patrick sighs. "You've been out for two weeks. Admitted to the hospital unconscious Monday afternoon last week, they decided to keep you under for most of the time. It's now the second Friday you've been here." Slumping against the bed I blink. Then use the whiteboard.

'Two weeks?' Patrick nods when I show it to him. Ashley must be climbing the walls!

"During that time they put you on feeding and breathing tubes. The latter of which was removed last Tuesday when your condition improved. You're on an intense cocktail of antibiotics and phentomorphine. A Bio-morph safe and non-addictive morphine like pain med." Well that explains why I don't feel any kind of discomfort with how it looks.

'Where's Ashley? How's she doing? Can you explain to me why mom's name is on the board?' Patrick runs his hand through his hair while sighing as I show the whiteboard to him.

"Ashley's next door. She's been lightly sedated to keep her calm while you've been unconscious. When the paramedics picked you up she acted hysterical due to your condition and had to be restrained and removed from your side. Based on what she was screaming, she must've latched onto you as her new Alpha Female. If you're feeling up to it later today, I'll ask them to wake her, so she can finally calm down." Thought as much considering how she acted during the whole trip.

"As for why your mother's name being on the board. I recalled what you told me back at the safe house. About your teeth, so I had them remove your molars after you've stabilized. Had them sent of to a lab along with a sample from your mother last Monday night. The results came in last night, the conversion virus did not get into one of them and did not activate in the other. Enough of your human genome was left to confirm that you're her son." I smile, at least there's some good news. Still, I wonder how she reacted? Will mother even accept me now? I'm different, both physically and mentally compared to the son she knows. Wiping off my last question I replace it with one asking how she reacted to the news before showing it to him.

"Better than I had expected, but not as good as I hoped. She's staying in one of the neighboring hotels for family. She accepted that the DNA test's authenticity, but wanted to see you when you woke up to make sure." He straightens up in his seat. "You have to realize that she only learned a few months ago about the intelligence of Bio-Morphs. As well as that humans can be changed into them. If she doesn't accept it at first, give her time." Letting out a sigh I put the whiteboard with pen on the bed next to me. Patrick scoots his chair closer and gently pats me on the head. In response I reach up to gently hold onto his arm. I don't let go of his arm as he stops, so Patrick just lets me hold onto him. Eventually his hand ends up in mine and I wonder why it feels warmer than last time I held it.

"Looks like you're awake. I'll notify the doctor in a minute, but first I need to check your vitals." We let go of each other and look towards the door. I didn't even notice the door opening, was that I absorbed with talking to him? A young human female nurse walks up to me and over to the monitoring equipment to copy down what they show onto a wrist mounted tablet. I just watch with detached interest, kinda interested on how it works. Then she walks over to the IV's and scans the bar-codes on them before tapping on the screen some more. I can't see the screen, but I guess she's entering in how much's left. Reaching to the wall behind me She then removes an instrument off the wall, I know what it is and let her use it to look examine my ears. Going 'ah' I open my mouth shining the light inside.

"You Should've waited till I got the doctor. You scraped the back of your throat, it'll be sore once we ween you off the phentomorphine later. Otherwise, your about normal in your vitals." She gives a polite smile and exits the room with almost the same soundless grace she had entering. What wasn't graceful was that Patrick's staring at her, or more specifically, her assets. Something I paid little attention to. Only in hindsight do I realize she would've been someone I would have stared at back when I was human, and male. I feel jealous about that and I know why, but as I realize this I also feel a bit calmer. Still, he looked at her and some part of me wants me to make sure he looks at me the same way. I decide my friend here deserves a little teasing over this and I know exactly how to do it. So I pick up the whiteboard and marker with a sly grin.

'Like what you see Patrick? If you ask nicely maybe I'll put one of those uniforms on for you later. You liked how I looked back at the safe house.' His face turns beat red from simply showing it to him. Gotcha! That's the exact look I wanted to see. The feeling of victory's short-lived as a twinge from my leg brings me back to reality. Looking down at it makes me think about how close to death I came, It scares me. Not the death itself, but on how it would affect people I care about.

Whatever happens between my mother and I, I'll deal with when she gets here. She knows I'm alive and that's good enough for Right now. What needs to be dealt with is something I've been feeling since Patrick rescued me. We're such close friends, have been since we were kids. I'll never trade that for anything, yet. My feelings about him, something's new about it. I've accepted I'm going to be attracted to men, and they will be attracted to me for how I look. It's a bit weird though to feel that with him.

I've heard the antidotes, just because you're good friends doesn't mean they will be good girlfriend's/boyfriend's. And yet, it makes me sad to realize that I came so close to not being here right now considering this. My ears droop and no more than a moment later I feel his hand on my head gently patting it. For the first time I feel my heart melt when I look at him. I have no clue if he feels the same way. But if I can drag myself through woodland with an injured leg as I'm hunted like an animal. I should have the courage to tell him how I feel about him.

This may be a mistake, but what's the worst that can happen? Well, other than me scaring him away, leaving me alone here. We break eye contact, and he sits back down in the chair. I reach over to the whiteboard, raising it off my lap and erasing my prank. How am I going to word this though? Can't just say, hey, I think you're hot now, fuck me and let's be an item. Now my ears burn at the thought of that. The sound of him pulling a cell phone out of his pocket draws my attention and away from that lewd but attractive line of thought.

Okay, I admit I do a bit more than stare. But I'm pushed back to reality upon hearing my mother's voice on the other line. Meaning I don't have a lot of time to do this without other problems getting in the way. I can't be direct, so let's be a little indirect.

'Patrick. Remember when I told you I've accepted that I'm female?' Showing it to him after he hangs up with my mother. She'll be over soon now that I'm awake from what I can tell.

"Yes?" His answer is a question and it's tinged with curiosity from what I can tell, I think. Giving him what I hope's reassuring smile, I erase the board and now with the ice broken about the subject, write what I feel. I don't stop my ears from drooping nervously, I do however try to make him keep his distance as he tries to pat my head again. I don't want him to see what I'm writing till I'm ready for it.

'I've- I've been feeling something new, have been since you rescued me from Mauri's. I know what it is and yet this is the first time I've felt it. It's more than a simple attraction to you, and you're attractive, no doubt about it. But it feels built upon our friendship since childhood.' I let him read it, quickly erase it and put down the next part.

'At first I dismissed it. After all, you saved me and Ashley like a knight in shinning armor. What woman wouldn't feel attraction to that? Ignoring it back there was simple, I told myself it was just due to how sudden things happened. But now, thinking about how much this must hurt you. Seeing me here like this and knowing how close I came to death. It scares me to about how much it would have hurt you and my mother if I had died.' He's about to say something, but I stop him by holding up my finger as he opens his mouth. If I don't finish this, I doubt I'll have the courage to do so later.

'I, don't want to ignore it anymore. Not after all that. I can't bare the thought of not knowing. I want to be closer to you. I want to be- Want to be your Girlfriend. Hell I know more about you than all your previous ones combined.. Damn that came out wrong. I want to know if you will accept me as I am and if you feel the same way.' Putting down the whiteboard I look him in the eyes. To show I'm serious as well to judge his reaction. I can't read most of his expressions clearly. Shock, confusion maybe? As that terrible seed of doubt that screams I made a mistake starts to grow. Patrick surprises me by standing, reaching down, and hugging me tightly. My heart melts again and I summon what strength I have to hold him back. Eventually he lets go of me and I sink back down into the comfortable divot I've made on the bed by laying here.

" I have to be honest with you. I felt something as well when I realized it was you, and when I got a good look at you at the safe house. I pushed it aside thinking you would've taken it the wrong way if I told you. I had no idea what you went through and how you thought of yourself. So I assumed you're the same Jack as before. When you didn't show up on time I started worrying, and in that state I realized that it was because there's something more between us than I realized." He stops for a moment to take a breath or two.

"On top of the fear of your safety, was the fear that I would never see you again and it hurt more than it did before finding you. A fear that got worse when we got word that a sympathetic farmer found you and had to call the paramedics. As you laid there, fighting to stay alive I had a lot of time to think. I was going to come clean, when you're good and ready, about how I now felt about my close friend. Imagine my shock as I tried to figure out how to talk to you about this, you'd beat me to it and ask me first!" He suddenly ruffles my head-fur playfully, I don't stop him. Only snort in mock annoyance.

"So yea. Let's try this whole couple thing out." Then his face has that mischievous grin I know so well. "On one condition. When you're better. I get to see you wearing what that nurse wore, only with a skirt because that fits the image better of a sexy nurse." He.. Accepted my proposition?

For a moment I sit there stunned. I didn't think he would accept, but he did. I don't care about that last part, I just feel so happy about him accepting that I can't stop my tail from wagging. The sharp jab of discomfort though does that for me as it moves the catheter a bit. Ouch. Still if he would like it, I guess I can do it once. Just for him.

As he reaches to pat my head again upon noticing my discomfort I gently grab a hold of it. He lets me bring it to my cheeks and allows me to rub them against it. An instinctual impulse I in no way fight. But! I'm not going to let that joke slide on principle. After all, I have to keep the score in check. So when he least expects it, I gently nip his hand. Instinctively knowing how hard to not cause marks or break the skin.

Patrick reacts exactly how I knew he would. He eeps and yanks his hand back, only to notice I didn't break his skin nor leave even a mark on it. Looking at me I just look back with the most innocent look I can muster. Well, as innocent as a mischievous fox can look. With equal speed as I look at him, he boops my nose. The sensation causes me to shake my head and sneeze involuntary causing him to laugh. Fine, you win this round.

"Even doped up on painkillers you're still the prankster." Smiling he sits back down and I just nod. I'm about to say something but there's a polite knock on the door. The only warning we have before it opens and my doctor for the duration of my stay here enters. She's an older lady, compared to the nurse. Possibly old enough to have been in practice before Bio-Morphs came about. Her eyes flutter between the tablet on her wrist and us.

"Miss Strader? I'm glad to see you're awake. But I wish you would've waited to remove the feeding tube. At least you waited for me to arrive, so I can remove your IV and catheter. Neither of them are needed now that you're conscious." Oh, yes, that. Thankfully I wasn't awake to feel it being inserted, but I'm not looking forward to its removal. My ears pin back against my head at the thought of it. She then smiles politely at Patrick.

"Can you wait outside for a few minutes? I'm sure the young lady here wants some privacy as I remove her catheter." With a polite smile he stands and nods. I won't lie, I enjoyed the view as he leaves the room. When the door shuts, the doctor takes his place beside my bed and removes the sheet.

"It'll be quick and painless." She disconnects the tube, takes a grip on hard plastic, and pulls it out in one swift and gentle motion. Painless my furry ass! I now know how a woman can feel a similar pain to being kicked in the dick.