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[A Companion's Heart](%5C)

[Friend's and Lovers](%5C)

Companions Forever

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

All characters and storyline ©2010 Elton M. Glover.

Companions Forever

Chapter 1

Karson was in high spirits and it showed, as he smoothly dodged around people and obstacles on his usual route to The Grinning Bulldog. The Companion was quite adept and graceful on his Rollerblades. Over the four months he had been commuting to the Bulldog, he learned several alternate routes, shortcuts, and every pitfall the sidewalk and streets had to offer.

Store employees often waved to him as he went sailing past regular as clockwork. He made a point to spin a pirouette past the large window of the beauty salon just a couple of blocks from the pub, much to the delight of several women and female Companions. Karson came to a stop just as his hand grasped the large handle of the front door of his destination.

The familiar bell tingled as he entered and took a seat at the first booth to get out of his skates. Molly waved her bar towel in greeting, but did not call out to him since she was engaged with another customer. He briefly waved back and trotted through the kitchen door to stash his skates and don his apron. When he emerged back into the common area, he walked right into the open arms of Molly.

"Good to see you, Kar." She hugged him and planted a quick peck on his cheek.

"Hello Molly. How is everything today?"

She sighed but her smile remained. "Bit of a slow one today, I'm afraid. But I'm sure you don't mind, just gives more time for you rogues to talk. Well, speak of the devil."

Bobby quickly locked the door to the upper floor and turned around. Upon seeing that his best friend in the world had arrived, his face broke into a huge grin. "Hey! If it isn't Karson."

Molly laughed and muttered in Karson's ear, "Just wait 'til this guy tells you what he's been up to."

Bobby hugged his friend and Karson grinned. "Hello Bobby, I trust everything is well?"

"You could say that. Want to hear about it?"

"Of course I do, just remember though I'm on duty."

Molly tapped him on the shoulder. "I'll handle the bar, just keep an eye out if anyone comes along and takes a table."

"Of course, Molly, you can count on me."

She patted his cheek and said, "I know I can." With that, she shuffled back behind the bar and attended to the patrons watching the soccer game. Karson followed Bobby to his usual table. The Companions chatted about Bobby's blossoming microbrewery and the new concoctions he was developing.

"I'm telling you, I must have been a brewer in a previous life. Every new thing I try turns out magnificently and every month a new bar wants to carry my brew. At this rate, I'll be able to open my own brewery. Could you imagine?"

Karson smiled at his friend with admiration. "I'm really happy for you Bobby. Excuse me, a customer just came in." Bobby nodded and let his friend attend to the new patron. He wondered if there was anything Karson was not good at; as he watched his friend become the best server the bar had yet seen aside from Molly. The beagle grinned and sipped his drink as the answer to his question echoed in his mind: probably not.

The rest of the afternoon passed relatively quickly as a steady stream of patrons were either coming or going. Karson deftly kept everyone under his charge well attended, and more than once found a tip waiting for him as he cleared the empty tables. All his earnings went directly into his secret savings fund, and Karson kept a running mental tally. So far he had managed to earn approximately $740, minus the few expenses and occasional splurges from time to time. He could feel the moment was approaching soon to use his hard earned money to buy a ring for Rachel.

The Companion had not openly discussed it with his friends, but it was not hard for them to see the love and devotion he held for Rachel. They simply knew that marriage was the next logical step. Molly had offered to give Karson a large advance any time he needed it, but the Companion had steadfastly refused stating that he wanted to earn it. She could not fault him for his ethics and merely let the offer stand.

Molly glanced at the clock as she saw Karson seat a couple at one of the middle tables. She hurried over to them before he started to take their order. "Welcome to the Bulldog, can you excuse us for just a moment? I'll be right back to take your order." The couple smiled and nodded as Molly gently pulled Karson to the side. "I'm guessing you have not looked at the clock?" She raised her eyebrows questioningly at the Companion.

Karson looked over her shoulder at the clock above the bar and saw that it was already 5:45pm. "Oh my goodness! But I just sat down a new table, are you sure it's okay?"

Molly laughed at her friend and server, having run into this very situation numerous times in the past with Karson. "Really, Karson, just how long have I been running the bar? Of course I can handle it you silly mutt, now go on and get home to your girl. She will be happy to see you."

The Companion grinned at Molly's antics, knowing that she only used the slang as a friendly jibe. "Thanks, you're the best."

She smiled as Karson disappeared into the back and muttered, "Don't I know it." Molly turned back to the couple at the table. "Now, what can I get for you this fine evening?"

Bobby patted Karson on the back as he stood at the kitchen door and strapped on his helmet. "See you soon."

Karson grinned and gave his friend a quick squeeze of the shoulder. "Take care!" He rolled out of the kitchen and gave Molly a quick hug on his way out the door. It usually took him the better part of an hour to negotiate the traffic and stoplights of the 6 mile trek back home. It was also not the first time he had let the time slip away from him, but he was not worried.

About a month ago, he arrived home late from his shift at the Bulldog and found Rachel very worried. She had been confused seeing Karson getting home in his skates and helmet. Karson had chosen to reveal his secret job to her and had been surprised when she was utterly relieved. After that point Rachel often encouraged him to get out more and was proud that he had chosen to start working. She did not feel the need to investigate the reason or motivation behind Karson working, and he was secretly glad.

Rachel was already preparing dinner when he arrived home at 6:45. As he unbuckled his skates and helmet, she came in from the kitchen and stroked his cheek. "Hey lover boy, how are you today?"

He grasped her hand and kissed her palm. "I'm good, thank you. And how are you this evening?" Karson stood up and let her embrace him in a hug.

"Doing just fine now that you're home. Hope you're hungry, I'm making mushroom lasagna!"

"Mm, so that's what I smelled."

"It still won't be ready for another 15 minutes or so. Plenty of time for cuddling."

Karson smiled and said, "I think I like the sound of that."

Rachel pressed her nose to his and replied, "I thought you might."

The two sat on the couch and quietly discussed the events of the day between kisses and hugs. Karson was nuzzling behind Rachel's ear when the stove timer dinged. "Dinner time, come on Kuddles save some for later." Karson let her pull him up from the couch and he helped set the table.

After the meal, Rachel discussed an item she had forgotten to mention earlier. "My senior supervisor just told me this afternoon that department reviews are coming up at the end of the month. I'm actually a little nervous since the last review I got was before you came along. Last time I only got a small raise, but that was before we lost two people. Now there are only four people in my group and we each do a lot more work. Hopefully, that will be reflected in the review."

"I'm sure you will do splendidly. From what you have told me, you always get your work done and have never had any complaints." Karson gave her a reassuring smile.

Rachel's return smile was fleeting. "Yeah, I hope so. My boss can let his personal opinions interfere with his judgment sometimes. Just have to hope Mr. Thompson stays in a good mood for another couple of weeks." She sighed. "But anyways, tonight is groom and shower night isn't it?" She raised her eyebrows provocatively at the Companion.

Karson laughed and nodded. "You would be correct. I'll go get my kit."

Rachel had come to enjoy the routine of helping Karson groom, and it became a way for the two to bond. Sometimes she groomed the Companion as a means of relaxing him after a particularly stressful day, and other times it led to an intimate evening. This evening Rachel was in a playful mood and tickled Karson as she helped brush his thick fur.

The Companion pretended to be annoyed, but she knew he enjoyed it thoroughly. When the brushing was done, the pair relocated to the shower and Rachel helped shampoo Karson. The shower took longer than needed as the washing was interspersed with periods of kissing and fondling. Eventually, they finished and retired to the second bedroom where Karson sat in front of the fan to dry as Rachel sat at the computer.

"By the way, that article I was working on last week got posted."

"Excellent! Let me take a look." Rachel pulled up the web site for the magazine and scanned the links until she found the correct one. "Companions as Consumers: Social and Economic Impact. Wow, that is some title," Rachel commented with a smile. "I'll have to give it a read, but I think I'll wait until tomorrow. Is that okay?"

"Sure it is. I would appreciate any feedback you have for me."

Rachel laughed and winked at him. "I don't know, I might be a little biased." Karson joined in her laughter. "Come here Kuddles." Karson stood and walked over next to her, and Rachel pulled him close and buried her face in his chest. She inhaled and sighed into his fur and he in turn stroked her hair.

"Mm, I know I say it all the time, but your fur is so soft Kar. You are like the best plushy that ever lived."

Karson chuckled. "A plush that loves you back?"

She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed him. "Damn right!"

The Companion felt a hand stray down to his tail as it idly wagged. He already knew what he was in for before Rachel said anything. She confirmed it with her expression as she looked up into his face. "I think you are dry enough by now, time to take you to bed." Karson smiled with a nod and let her lead him into the master bedroom.

Chapter 2

The next day followed in the usual routine. Karson was not scheduled to work at the pub and decided to devote some time to writing. He recorded some of his thoughts in the leather bound journal Rachel gave him as a birthday present before switching to the computer. Karson worked on revising the manuscript he finished writing a few weeks ago.

Although he did not prevent Rachel from viewing his work, he did not feel that his current manuscript was ready to share. Karson kept his work in a nondescript folder and filed his revisions and notes under his own numbering system; to anyone else it appeared like a folder system full of half finished ideas. Rachel was always eager to read Karson's work and he valued her opinion, he just hoped he would be able to polish up his current project soon to give her that opportunity.

At noon the Companion waited for Rachel to appear online. When 12:15 came and went, he surmised that she would probably not show up. After a brief twinge of disappointment, he went back to editing his manuscript on the physical and psychological interactions between humans and Companions. No title had been given to the work yet, but he felt confident that something would surface as it neared completion.

Meanwhile, Rachel was wrapping up her own finishing touches on the last analysis of the database she was assigned. She recalculated the last column as a double check for her macros and was satisfied that her numbers checked out. She made a backup archive and sent the finished report to her supervisor. Rachel had been so engrossed in her task she was surprised to see it was already 12:30. "Shoot," she muttered under her breath. She hated to miss a conversation with Karson, which was frequently a bright spot in her day. Hastily, Rachel typed a quick email to the Companion saying she was sorry she missed him.

Rachel stepped out briefly to grab a sandwich from the cafe next door, and decided that if she could not talk to her Companion she could at least read his latest article. While she ate lunch at her desk, she absorbed Karson's insightful and informative article about how the impact from the recently granted Companion rights was affecting the economy and social interactions. She marveled at how well written "Mr. K. Shepherd" was and made a mental note to compliment him. Just as she finished her last bite, her supervisor walked up.

"Good work on that last report, Rachel. I gave it a quick scan and everything looks great."

"Thank you, Mr. Thompson."

"What are you reading? Companions as Consumers eh? I didn't know you were interested in Companion stuff."

"Really? I thought you knew that I adopted a Companion last year?"

"Ah, no I'm sorry. If you did tell me, I must have forgotten. Never had one myself, but my daughter got one after graduating college. She tells me they are pretty smart."

Rachel nodded. "Yes, the Companions I've met are very intelligent. As a matter of fact, a Companion wrote this article."

Mr. Thompson nodded casually as if she had just told him it was sunny outside. "I see. Well, just about anyone can write articles these days. It's not like a Companion really has any basis to write an article on consumer economics though, they are not the same as people."

Rachel silently counted to ten before answering. "Companions have just as much capacity to think and feel as humans. Believe it or not, Karson does actually know what he is writing about."

Thompson squinted at Rachel. "You know the author I take it?"

"Yes, I do. Karson is the smartest person I've ever known."

"If you say so...personally, I don't put a lot of stock in intelligent animals that have only been around for a few decades. It is bad enough people are having relationships with them now."

Rachel fought hard to bite her tongue, but could not resist asking the question. "What is wrong with that?"

Thompson had glanced away for a moment and did not see Rachel's hardened facial expression. He replied, "I'm not exactly sure, it just does not seem appropriate. People loving animals? That is just plain weird. How can they know what a relationship is like?"

Rachel blurted out her next words without thinking. "Karson has more emotion than any other boyfriend I've ever had."

It only took a fraction of a second for Thompson to come to the logical conclusion that Rachel was in a relationship with a Companion. The shock on her senior supervisor's face was clear, but he quickly replaced it with a neutral mask. He did however look at her in a new light as if he could barely tolerate being in her presence. His reply was curt. "Well, what we choose to do with our private lives is our own business. I have some other things to attend to. Thanks for the report."

The supervisor strolled out of her cubicle and left Rachel feeling as if she were on a crumbling ledge. She pushed the feeling aside and took a few deep breaths knowing that her private life had no bearing on her performance in the company; she only hoped that Mr. Thompson would be able to see that.

Karson immediately recognized that something was troubling Rachel when she arrived at home, but in his usual way he waited until she was ready to discuss it. Instead, she was quiet and reserved for the remainder of the evening. Dinner was eaten mostly in silence, and Rachel declined when Karson offered to give her a massage.

"Thank you for the offer sweetie, I think I'm just going to turn in early. I'm not really feeling very well."

Karson was mildly concerned but decided to give her some space. "Okay. I think I will do some work at the computer for a bit. Just let me know if you need anything." She nodded, gave him a kiss and meandered into the bedroom. Karson looked after her and wondered what could have caused Rachel to fall into such a state. He made a mental note to try and cheer her up later.

The Companion spent more time editing his manuscript and took a break to look up the viewer ratings on his recent article. The report looked very promising showing that his article had gotten 250,000 views in the week it had been posted. By comparison the main featured article, covering an interview with the first Companion to hold a government job, only received 400,000 views. He decided to be patient and check the numbers again in another week before setting on a course of action with his manuscript.

By the time Karson shut down the computer, it was already past 11:30. He had intended to go to bed early and spend time with Rachel, but as with many things time slipped away once he focused on his work. He crept into the bedroom and stripped in the darkness. For once, Rachel had not left the TV on. There was still enough light filtering through the window for Karson to clearly see her curled up in bed, tightly clutching his plush doppelganger in her arms.

This was not the first time Karson found Rachel snuggled up in bed with Romeo. She had her face nuzzled into the furry cheek of the little German Shepherd plush. Karson was just about to pull the plush carefully from her grasp in an attempt to take his place, but he noticed small spots of matted fur on the toy. It occurred to him that Rachel had cried herself to sleep.

When he slipped Romeo from her grasp, Rachel inhaled and smiled. Without opening her eyes, her hand found his cheek. "Hey fuzzy, I missed you." Karson stroked a finger across her chin.

"I know and I'm sorry I was late. But I'm here now."

Rachel sighed and whispered, "I love you."

Karson pressed his lips to her forehead before he replied, "I love you too. Go back to sleep."

"'Kay," she yawned and nuzzled into his warm fur. In the space of a few breaths, she was asleep again. Karson lay awake for a time listening to Rachel slumber next to him and contemplated a way to steer a course through the turbulent waters of the future.

Chapter 3

The next day during Karson's lunchtime chat with Rachel, it seemed that she had mostly returned to her normal self. She still avoided discussing exactly that was troubling her, but Karson let the matter lie in favor of not upsetting her further. He suggested that they have dinner at the Bulldog that evening and Rachel agreed. Since he was already scheduled to work, he would simply wait for her arrival.

Karson reached a decision as he lie awake the previous night. The time had come for him to finally set his plan in motion. He left for work shortly after finishing the luncheon chat in order to visit Franklin Jewelers and pick out a ring for Rachel. Through his frequent conversations with his best friend Bobby, he discovered all the necessary details needed to order a custom ring.

A $500 deposit was required and Karson double checked to confirm that he had his bank card and ID with him. When he arrived at the jeweler 90 minutes later, he was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by the store owner Gerald Franklin. The elderly, white-haired gentleman held the door open for Karson. "Come in, come in! Pleasant day outside isn't it?"

"Yes it is thank you. I was told you make custom rings here?"

"Indeed we do sir. I'm Gerald Franklin and this is my shop. What type of ring did you have in mind? Come over to the counter and I can show you what I mean."

Gerald ushered Karson through the small store to the rear counter. A wide array of assorted rings was on display beneath the glass counter-top and the jeweler pointed at a few. "Would this be something you were looking for?"

Karson's brow creased as he scrutinized the rings. He could not help fixating on the price tags attached the beautiful rings. "I uh...how should I put this?" The Companion fidgeted with his hands and his ears drooped as he tried to think of a way not to offend the shop owner at his lack of funds.

Gerald Franklin had seen all manner of customers in his 50 years of service, and knew exactly what was on Karson's mind. The fact that Karson was a Companion made little difference to the jeweler; he saw in Karson the chance to provide a symbol to be cherished, full of meaning and significance. His face creased in a smile and he laid his hand on Karson's arm in a fatherly way. "Don't worry son, I'm sure we can find something within your means." The Companion relaxed visibly and cleared his throat.

"I was referred to you by another Companion, perhaps you might remember? A beagle about my age, he came here several months ago-"

"Oh you know Bobby?"

Karson was surprised and wondered if everyone knew who Bobby was. "Yes, exactly. He said he got a custom ring from you."

"Ah, yes...beautiful setting in that one, simple but elegant. That boy has excellent taste!"

Karson smiled at the jeweler. "Yes, he does."

Gerald narrowed his gaze as the pieces fell into place. "What is your girl's name?"

"Rachel," Karson said softly.

The jeweler pulled out a notepad and started making sketches. "Can you tell me a little about her?"

The Companion pondered a moment at the simple question. "I hardly know where to begin. Rachel is the light of my life. She is what makes life worth living."

Gerald chuckled in his fatherly manner. "I can see that. But what compels you to be with her, what draws you to her?" This was the part of the process the jeweler loved almost as shaping the metal; he was an expert at coaxing out the finer details the customers were sometimes not even aware they knew. Long ago he discovered it was much easier to get right to the heart of a ring design rather than having people fill out questionnaires.

"Her compassion; she delights in pleasing others. She is witty and funny and full of life. Rachel is just fun to be around." Karson sighed wistfully and Gerald nodded.

"I think I have an idea, give me a moment and I'll show you."

Karson waited patiently as the jeweler worked on his rough sketch. After a few last swishes with his pencil, the jeweler held the pad out. "There we are! Tell me what you think of this?"

The Companion took the offered pad and gazed upon the flowing circular band the craftsman had sketched. He was amazed at how such a simple design could hold all the things he described. He found that he had no words to describe it. "This is amazing," he said finally.

"I figured that going with something strictly traditional would probably not fit the bill this time. So I incorporated a tapered band, and the split in the band here would provide the setting for the stone. Those strands would in turn continue down the band and twine around the rest of the ring. Now you can choose to go with a solitary stone, or we can try and incorporate an additional stone or two. Guess it would depend on what you think she might like?"

Karson again looked down at the pad apprehensively. "This is a lovely design, but I'm afraid I have to be practical about it. Can you please tell me how much something like this would cost? Bobby told me that I would need a $500 deposit, and I have that today. But as for the final cost...?" The Companion's words trailed off as he looked back up at the jeweler.

Gerald once again gave him that friendly smile. "What is your name son?"

"Karson."

"You are the kind of customer I like, Karson; very thoughtful but also practical. Much different than the guys that stroll in here every once in a while willing to throw out a stack of money just to impress the girl, without a care as to what they are buying. But you are also different from the penny pinching guys willing to make their prospective wives unhappy just to save a few bucks. I admire you because you know what you want, but are not afraid to admit that you have to compromise." Gerald tapped his skull and winked at Karson.

"That is the real lesson my boy. Life and love boils down to compromise. Plenty of customers try to get something outside their means. I offer my advice, but if they are dead set on paying more than they need, who am I to argue? You look at that sketch and tell me how much you are willing to pay for it?"

Karson stared at the ring and imagined it on Rachel's hand and her reaction. He set the notepad back on the counter and pursed his lips in contemplation. Finally reaching a decision he said, "I believe I would pay $1000 for that ring."

Gerald smiled at him and replied back, "Would you still pay $1000 if I could make it for less?"

Karson nodded and said resolutely, "Yes. There are some things that are worth paying for."

The jeweler picked up the notepad and started scribbling more notes. "Well that is too bad Karson, because I am only going to ask $750 for this ring."

The Companion gasped in surprise. "You would be willing to make it for that amount?"

"Sure I would. I tell you what, how about you only put a $100 deposit down today and I'll make a more detailed finished sketch of the ring. Say, two days? Then you can come in and decide if anything needs to be changed. If you like it I'll take the rest of the deposit and start on the ring. I can have it done in about a month."

"That sounds like an excellent plan, Mr. Franklin."

"Very good, sir! Let me get the paperwork started."

A short time later Karson left the store and agreed to return in two days' time. The enthusiasm Gerald had shown about getting the right touches on the ring was infectious, and Karson was very glad that he had chosen this shop to get the ring at. He wondered if he would be able to wait the two days for the jeweler to finish the final rendering.

Karson's elated attitude was immediately apparent when he arrived at The Grinning Bulldog. Molly did not directly ask him why he was in such a good mood, but she had a suspicion that it involved Rachel. The Companion mentioned to Molly that Rachel was stopping in to join him for dinner, and in turn Molly surprised him when she asked if they would mind having additional company.

Always one to accept the company of Molly and Bobby, Karson readily agreed. Rachel was due to arrive in less than an hour which prompted Molly to go ahead and begin preparing dinner. Half an hour later, Molly apologized to the regular patrons as she announced that the Bulldog would be closing early that evening. Karson was surprised but went about his usual serving duties until Molly ushered out all the guests.

When she closed the door after the last patron, she strolled over to the table Karson was clearing. "Sorry Kar, I should have told you the other day. But since Rachel is coming for dinner this was the best opportunity. I won't say anymore for now, but thank you for helping out." The doorbell tingled once more. "Here is our last customer of the day. Why don't you go greet her?"

Karson's face broke into a wide grin as Rachel closed the front door and turned to face him. He could not help himself from bounding over to her and squeezing her in a hug. She planted a kiss on his nose and rubbed her cheek against his. His tail wagged with an enthusiastic mind of its own.

"Hey sweetie, miss me?"

"Always," he said as he squeezed her again.

Rachel looked around. "Where is everyone?"

Karson broke his embrace and took Rachel by the hand. "Molly closed up shop a little early today. She said she had something to tell us; she and Bobby are going to join us for dinner."

"Ah, okay that sounds nice. Where is Bobby then?"

"Probably attending to his brewing, he disappears from time to time. Don't worry though; I've never known him to miss a dinner." Karson led Rachel to one of the booths near the bar. "Go ahead and sit down, I'm just going to wipe off a couple more tables real quick."

"'Kay," she said and admired the Companion as he bent over a table close by. He noticed her eying him and flashed a quick smile. When the table was clean he gave her a wink and slipped into the kitchen area.

Molly was just putting the finishing touches on the Shepherd's Pies she had prepared. Karson's mouth watered at the aroma drifting through the kitchen. Molly turned at him and laughed when she saw his mouth open and his tongue hanging out. "You're almost as cute as Bobby when he does that. I take it Rachel is situated?"

"Yes. Shall I get us drinks?"

"No, you can take the plates. I'll get the drinks; I have to drag Bobby out of his laboratory anyway. I'll be along in just second."

Karson put the dinners on a large serving tray and deftly carried them to the door with the practiced ease handling drinks and food for several months had given him. Just as he edged the door open, he heard Molly punch the intercom button. She all but yelled into the panel, "Bobby Beagle, you get yer tail down here this instant! You are not going to keep our guests waiting."

Karson paused for an instant as he heard his friend's reply "Aw, but Moll I'm up to me ears in bottles. I'll be down in a few minutes." He shook his head and grinned at the face Molly pulled at his answer. It was definitely not what she wanted to hear. As he exited the kitchen, her response was loud and clear.

"Now!"

As the Companion walked up to the booth, he received a questioning look from Rachel. "Was that Molly yelling?" Karson nodded as he distributed the plates around and set aside the serving tray.

"Bobby is keeping us waiting apparently." They both chuckled.

"Mm, Shepherd's Pie. I wonder what Molly has in mind?"

Karson sat down next Rachel and replied, "I don't know, she had not mentioned anything previously. I guess we will find out."

A moment passed in silence before Bobby emerged from the door leading to the loft. He rubbed his eyes for a few seconds before he glanced over at the booth where his friends waited. His face broke into a warm smile as he walked over. "Rachel dear, how nice to see you." He took her hand and kissed it before turning to Karson. "Nice to see your ugly mug as well." He warmly shook hands with his best friend.

Molly emerged from the side door of the kitchen with a tray loaded with glasses of water and ale. She made sure everyone had a drink before she sat down next to Bobby, but she did not wear a smile. The beagle planted a kiss on her cheek and offered his apology.

"Sorry I got sidetracked with my work, love."

Her expression softened and she turned to him. "Apology accepted, now are you going to kiss me proper?" Bobby raised his eyebrows, and Karson and Rachel looked on with amusement as Molly grabbed his vest and pulled him close. She firmly pressed her lips to his and the pair was lost to the world for a moment as they kissed passionately. Rachel covered her mouth as she stifled a giggle and Karson politely directed his gaze elsewhere.

Bobby had to straighten his cap after they broke the kiss, but Molly turned to the other couple as if nothing had happened. "How are you my dear? I'm so glad Karson had you come for dinner. By all means don't wait on us, dig in!" The four went to it with a will, complimenting Molly on the fine meal as it was consumed.

Small talk commenced as Bobby started talking about the latest concoction he was working on. This of course led to the Companions joking about how the latest brew would be replacing the previous one Bobby had created because no one liked the current beverage. The guys liked to poke fun at the tremendous success Bobby's Beagle Brew had received, and Bobby especially enjoyed the others having a laugh at the friendly criticism of his beloved drink.

During a lull in conversation, Rachel prompted Molly. "So I hear you have something you wanted to tell us?" Karson cocked his ears fully at Molly and Rachel gave her a friendly smile. Bobby looked into his glass and wore a crafty smile as he already knew what Molly was going to tell them. Molly took a sip from her water and cleared her throat.

"Rachel, Karson. I wanted to let you know that because of Bobby's success, we have made a deal with a national brewer to get the Brew distributed. We sold them the recipe. I'm a little embarrassed to say how much, but it was a lot! So in celebration of the fact, we are taking a real vacation!"

Rachel sat in stunned silence, but Karson's threw back his head and laughed heartily when his shocked surprise wore off. Bobby just nodded at his friend as he continued to laugh. When Karson finally regained his breath, he faced the beagle. "You sly dog! I never would have thought you'd have it in you to keep a secret this long, especially from your best pal. Congratulations." Karson extended his hand across the table and Bobby shook it firmly.

"Wow that is a bit of a shock. I am dying to know now, but you don't have to tell me if you don't feel like it. How much?"

Molly simply turned to Bobby and inclined her head. He winked at her and replied, "$250,000."

Karson gasped and immediately began coughing, having inhaled his own saliva. Bobby giggled and ribbed his friend, "Now don't go getting all chocked up on me." The Companion continued to cough and clear his throat though he wore a grin.

Finally, Karson managed to grunt, "Not funny."

Rachel had been momentarily concerned for him, but now patted him on the back. "My goodness, you could have quite a vacation with that much money. Have you decided where to go?"

Molly held Bobby's hand as she replied. "We are first going to visit Ireland and take in some scenery. Then I've always wanted to visit Paris. Bobby promised me dinner at the top of the Eiffel Tower." Rachel sighed at the romantic notion. "After that...who knows? We haven't really worked everything out yet."

"So I guess this means the Bulldog will be closed for a while?"

Karson sat bolt upright as this fact suddenly occurred to him. "Oh no," he muttered softly and could not help his ears from folding back and his shoulders slumping. Molly had already anticipated this and reached out to pat his hand.

"Don't worry, Kar. I'm giving you a little going away present in return for the outstanding job you've done working at the Bulldog. You can call it an advance if you want, but I'd rather you consider it a gift."

"Thank you Molly, that really means a lot."

"My pleasure. Okay, now that the good news is broken who wants some dessert?"

The table cheered as Molly emerged from the kitchen with an enormous hot fudge sundae in which they all ate together. More jokes were had as everyone teased Bobby about what they would be doing on their so called vacation. That lead to Bobby teasing Karson about what he would do with his new found free time. When the question of Karson's bedroom prowess entered the conversation, Rachel stepped in and defended her lover. This of course got Molly involved as well, and soon the girls were off on their own conversation that left the Companion's blushing.

After the conversation had run its course the four agreed to call it a night. Each friend embraced as they said their goodbyes. When Molly hugged Karson, she discreetly tucked an envelope into his pocket and spoke softly near his ear. "I have a pretty good idea what you need this for, and I'm sure she will love whatever you get." Karson smiled and the look of gratitude he gave her was all the thank you Molly needed.

"You take care of that girl Bobby."

"Indeed I will Rachel, dear. Likewise, you take care of your guy."

She grinned and looked over at Karson. "Don't you worry about a thing, he is in good hands."

Bobby laughed and said, "That is what I like to hear."

Molly put her arm around Bobby to prevent him from giving another round of hugs. "All right you two, we have kept you out late enough. Rachel, I'll call you in a few days when we have our itinerary worked out. As for you mister, you can use your free time for writing."

Karson grinned and replied, "Will do. Have fun, we will miss you." The two couples said their last farewells and Karson departed with Rachel.

Chapter 4

Karson was utterly surprised to find that Molly had given him $500 and a note that simply said, "Thank you." Rachel was very happy for him and took it as a sign that good fortune was just around the corner. The Companion secretly hoped she was right.

After two days had passed, Karson returned to Franklin Jewelers in order to approve the ring design. The finished rendering was even more beautiful than he had imagined. Gerald asked if he would like to change any details, but Karson told him it was perfect as is save for one thing. He made a request to have an inscription inside the band and Gerald was all too happy to comply.

The remaining deposit was made and Gerald gave him an estimated pick up date for four weeks. Karson left feeling elated once again. His return home was a blur as he daydreamed about different ways to propose to Rachel, contemplating which would be perfect. He found he could not concentrate on his work as his thoughts constantly strayed to what the future would be like.

Karson could barely contain his enthusiasm when Rachel walked in from work. "Welcome home Rachel, I'm glad to see you!" She giggled as he latched on to her even before she had set her briefcase down.

"Hiya Kuddles, I'm glad to see you too." She kissed him and let him hug her for a moment. "Sweetie, can I go change my clothes?"

"Oh! Yes, of course Rachel." Karson quickly let go and gave her a sheepish smile. Rachel blew him a kiss on her way down the hall.

"Be right back."

When Rachel appeared at the doorway she noticed Karson pacing back and forth. He seemed extremely preoccupied and full of nervous energy, and Rachel was momentarily concerned that something might be wrong. She cleared her throat and Karson immediately bounded across the room to once again latch on to her.

"Are you all right Kar?"

He looked up at her and smiled. "Yes, I am fine."

She giggled and stroked his ear. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you are acting a little more clingy than usual. Not that I really mind, I'm just making an observation."

Karson backed off slightly, thinking that Rachel hinted she was not in the mood for snuggling. "Sorry, I just felt the need to be close to you. I can fix dinner if you are hungry?" He started to turn to the kitchen, but she quickly grasped his shoulder.

"I didn't mean it to sound that way Kar; I love it when you want to be close to me. It's just that you surprised me. It has been a busy day at work and right now dinner sounds like just the thing."

Karson turned back to Rachel and smiled. "Okay, just relax and I'll take care of it. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Oh I don't know. You'd probably think that all the crap going on at the office is boring."

"Not at all," he replied as he started pulling ingredients from the refrigerator and listened as Rachel vented about her hectic day. By the time she recounted the ordeal of explaining to her supervisor why her current project could not be converted to an older data system to accommodate an independent contractor, Karson had all the side dishes prepared and just pulled the main course out of the oven. "So I'm guessing that your boss did not like you telling him that what he wanted could not be done?"

"Pretty much, and when I tried to explain that even attempting what he wanted would waste so much time and money, it just made him angry. In the end he went to a different department to try and get results there. I'm sure I'll get an earful tomorrow."

When dinner was finished, Rachel's mood had improved and she insisted that they play a few rounds of Cribbage. Karson agreed and made a friendly wager that the loser would give the winner a massage. Rachel readily accepted and Karson secretly let her win.

Later as Rachel lay in bed with Karson tenderly massaging her feet, she playfully nudged him. "You think you are sly don't you?"

The Companion's ears drooped thinking perhaps she had somehow discovered his ring order. He cautiously replied, "Hm?"

"You think I would not figure it out? I know you let me win. But it was a really sweet gesture and I appreciate it." Karson closed his eyes and silently blew out a sigh of relief. He focused his attention on pressing his fingers into various pressure points to try and relax Rachel.

Rachel let the Companion continue for a few minutes. "Ooh that feels good," she said as she sat up, "but I know something that would feel just as nice." Rachel gently pulled his hands away from her feet before she put his arms around her neck. She then reclined back and pulled the Companion down to the surface of the bed with her. Karson allowed her to press his head to her chest and he closed his eyes and listened to her heart beat.

"I love you Karson."

"I love you too, Rachel."

The two lovers did not feel the need for any more words as they enjoyed the comfort of their closeness. Rachel stroked his ear tips and giggled softly as they involuntarily twitched under her fingers. Karson wondered if he would be able to endure the four weeks until he had the ring to propose to this wonderfully loveable woman. The Companion's dreams were filled with days spent with Rachel enjoying everything under the sun as he slumbered that night.

The rest of the week passed in its usual fashion, save for the fact that Rachel had to work late on Friday. She arrived home grumpy, but a hot meal and a hot shower had her back to normal. They spent the remainder of the night fooling around under the covers.

The following morning Rachel yawned as she shielded her eyes from a patch of sunlight. Karson's back warmly pressed against her left side and she draped an arm around his torso. He stirred as she combed her fingers through the fur of his belly and blew in his ear when he blinked sleepily.

"That tickles," the Companion yawned.

"Let's go out today, I feel like being outside." Rachel blew into his ear again.

Karson giggled and twitched his ear back. "Stoppit...I think that sounds like a good idea. It has been a while since we went to the park."

"Oh! Let's go have a picnic." Rachel quickly stopped rubbing Karson and slid out of bed. The Companion let out a brief whimper; he enjoyed it when she rubbed his tummy. He rolled out of bed as well and joined Rachel as she got dressed.

By the time the clock read 11:30, Rachel had prepared a cooler full of snacks and drinks while Karson gathered up an old blanket, the portable Cribbage board and a book. He smiled at Rachel as she checked over their supplies a final time.

"I'm ready, how about you?"

"All set."

She picked up the cooler in one hand and her sunglasses in the other. "Let's roll!"

A short drive later they got out of the car and entered into one of the many parks local to them that had several spots under the trees and a path for joggers. There was a small duck pond opening into a large clearing and the jogging path circled the wide open area. Karson strolled with Rachel along the edge of the path as they searched for a good spot to claim.

After passing several curves and trees along the path, Rachel spotted an opening beneath a large oak tree that was deserted. She pointed it out to Karson and he agreed on her choice. They moved past another tree between them and the desired location and were suddenly surrounded by soft music. Rachel looked about in curiosity, but Karson's ears soon pinpointed the source of the melody coming from the far side of the tree they had walked past.

Karson smiled as he approached a trio of Companions beneath the overhanging branches, all of which had instruments. Rachel walked up beside him and they listened for a moment to the soft folk-like music emanating from the musicians. The trio consisted of two male canines and a female feline Companion. The first male looked to be a Rottweiler playing a hollow wooden box, producing a surprisingly complex percussion rhythm. The second male was a younger looking Collie who played a classical guitar. Finally, the female feline resembling an Egyptian Mau, with silvery gray fur and sleek black spots, played a violin. In addition to the instruments, the female added her sweet voice to the chorus of music.

Rachel whispered in Karson's ear as the trio finished up the song they were playing. "I've never seen Companion's play instruments, but I have to say I like it. They sound really good." Karson nodded his head to Rachel as the pair caught the attention of the musicians. When the trio struck the final chord, their audience of two applauded and the feline bowed in thanks.

"That was lovely!" Rachel approached the Companions for a closer look. "Do you often play in the park? It has been a long time since we've visited this area, but I don't remember ever seeing musicians playing."

The feline smiled and bowed her head again. "Thank you, we have only recently started playing here. By the way, I am Angel. The fellow with the guitar is Brian, and our percussionist is Simon." Rachel and Karson made their introductions as everyone shook hands. "Would you like for us to play you a song?" The newcomers nodded enthusiastically and Angel nodded to Simon as she backed up between the two sitting players.

Simon tapped on his wooden box slowly and deliberately and in a few seconds had established a slow meandering beat. Brian nodded his head in time and joined in with his strumming. As Angel pulled the bow across her strings, the melody seemed to float down from the trees as the three instruments melded together. The musicians swelled and faded with dynamics and the song drifted around Karson and Rachel as they listened.

Angel closed her eyes and added her voice to the composition, singing in harmony with her violin. At first she merely hummed with the tune, but as the trio played stronger her hums turned into la-la-la's. When the song entered into the second chorus, the males added their own voices in soft tones and provided a strong base for the tune as Angel's voice soared above the tree tops.

The melody became a rich tapestry of timbres, and as one all three musicians stopped playing their instruments letting their voices carry on. Stretching out her delicate hand, Angel seemed to grasp the melody in her fingertips as the two other voices faded and left her holding the last solitary note of the song. Her hand opened and fell as her final note flew away, leaving her fingers like a butterfly. Angel opened her eyes again during the silence that followed.

Rachel and Karson stood in awe of the performance. A passing patron of the park broke the spell when she wandered by and tossed a dollar bill into the guitar case sitting at Brian's feet. "Thank you," Angel called after her cheerfully. Rachel blinked as she was brought back to reality.

"That was simply stunning! What was that song called?"

Brian shrugged and answered, "It does not have a name. Most of these songs are just things we made up without too much thought. We don't even have a name for our little group." Simon and Angel joined in with a chuckle.

Rachel shook her head in wonder. "Whatever you call it, it was wonderful. Would you mind if we sat over here and listened to you?"

Simon grinned and said in his deep voice, "By all means, it is not every day we have an attentive audience."

Karson was delighted to have stumbled upon the trio and enjoyed the music just as much as Rachel did. They spread their blanket and prepared the picnic a short distance from the musicians; close enough to be in hearing range but a respectable distance to allow other potential audience members to enjoy the show. The pair leisurely nibbled on their food and enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere while the band struck up a lively tune. Those within earshot could not help but tap hands and feet in time to the jig.

The small ensemble played three more tunes as Karson sat with Rachel huddled behind him; her arms wrapped around his chest and her head resting on his shoulder. She giggled softly in his ear as she felt his tail wiggle. They whispered quiet comments at each other as the band finished the last song and they both clapped merrily. Angel and the others waved to them and strolled over after they put away their instruments.

"That was an excellent performance, thank you for playing. Speaking of which, we would like to show our appreciation with a donation." Karson extended his hand holding a $10 bill.

The three musicians nodded their thanks. Angel spoke for the group as she said, "I'm afraid we have to be off for today, but we usually play here on Saturdays if nothing else is going on. Stop by anytime."

"We will," Rachel called after her as they made their way across the walk. She hugged Karson and he giggled when she nibbled on his ear tip. He poked her in the leg to try and get her attention.

"You know we are in public right?"

She nibbled a little harder and breathed in his ear. "So, what's your point?"

The Companion squirmed a bit in her arms as he knew where this behavior usually ended up. "I'm just saying I hope you know what you are doing." She laughed softly in his ear.

"Oh, I know exactly what I'm doing. I'm distracting you from my real intentions."

He leaned his head back and murmured, "And what would that be?"

"This," she cried and grabbed his ribs with her fingers and tickled him mercilessly.

"Eeek," Karson shrieked and struggled to squirm out of Rachel's firm grasp.

She laughed and rolled over on top of the surprised Companion. "I gotcha now! There is no escape this time my furry friend."

Karson laughed so hard tears streamed down his face as he fought off her advances. When he managed to get her to stop tickling his ribs, his legs were attacked. When he playfully kicked away, she went after his neck. "Aghahahaha, stoppit stoppit I can't breathe hehehe! No, not my leg again hee hee hee! Eeek! I can't stand it when you eehehehe tickle my ack neck like that!"

Oblivious to passers by, the two rolled around on the blanket and onto the grass as Karson managed to land on top of Rachel and held her wrists to the side. He grinned down at her and smirked triumphantly. "Do you surrender?"

Rachel scowled playfully and grunted, "Never."

"I knew you'd say that. I guess I'll have to use stronger methods." The Companion leaned close and nuzzled behind Rachel's left ear. She closed her eyes and smiled.

"You never fight fair," she mumbled and squirmed under Karson.

He chuckled and replied, "You left me no choice my dear."

The two spent some time cuddling and enjoying being close to each other. As the afternoon passed by, they eventually decided to pack up and go have an early dinner. Rachel chased after Karson as they meandered back to the car, and the Companion taunted her in his usual manner. She got the last tag as she smacked his rump rather hard when they reached the car, and Karson pouted at her when he tossed the blanket in the trunk.

"Ow," he said and rubbed his bottom.

"Aw, I'm sorry sweetie did I hurt you? Would it make it better if I gave you a kiss?"

"It might," he said as he looked down at his feet.

"Ah okay, just checking. Come on, let's get some grub." Rachel started to get into the car as Karson's head snapped up.

"You're not going to give me a kiss?" Rachel's mask of indifference cracked and she giggled at the Companion's real expression of disappointment.

"I was just teasing, you adorable scamp. Come here." Rachel held her arms open and hugged Karson softly when he walked over. She kissed him firmly and stroked his cheek. "I'm sorry. You know I love you, right?" The Companion nodded. "Next time you can swat me on the butt, okay? Come on, I'll let you pick the food this time." Karson nodded and gave her a small smile.

Karson picked a small family diner as their destination. It was a friendly place and actually had more Companions than humans in attendance. A male Tabby came to their booth and passed out menus before taking their drink order. A moment later drinks arrived and Rachel looked across the table at the sullen Companion. She guessed that he was preoccupied with her overzealous behavior from earlier.

Rachel tried to take his mind off of it and asked if there was anything he would like to do for tomorrow. His answer was vague and implied that he wanted to spend some time working on his writing. She could not fault him for that, but felt slightly annoyed that he wanted to use half of the weekend on something he could do during the week. It was hard enough when she had received more work than usual lately, and her free time felt like it was slipping away.

Karson noticed Rachel fidget with her napkin and avoid eye contact with him. It was obvious she wanted to talk about something and he finally asked the question as the silence stretched between them. "What is on your mind Rachel?"

"Are you mad at me Karson?"

The Companion's brow creased as he looked questioningly at her. "No, why would I be mad?"

"You just seem...distant. I said I was sorry from earlier, but you never said anything."

Karson sighed and replied, "It is not that. I know you are a passionate person, both in fun and seriousness. I'm sorry, I guess I was preoccupied. You don't need to apologize for anything."

"Is there something I should know?"

The Companion shook his head slightly. "It is not that big of a deal really, I'm just having a bit of a hang up finishing my manuscript. That is why I wanted to try and work on it some tomorrow."

"All right, I guess I can understand that." Her tone suggested otherwise.

"Is that not okay? Is there something else you would rather do?" Karson tried his best not to sound defensive.

Rachel hesitated before she replied. "Well, yeah I figured that we could spend some time together since lately my free time has become scarce. My boss has almost doubled my assignments over the last two weeks. I can't tell if he is testing me or he just does not like me. The point is-"

Just then the server came by with their dinners and Rachel waited until he had departed before continuing. She sighed and slid her plate aside for a moment as she held out her hand to Karson. The Companion grasped her fingers as he saw the uncertain look in her eyes. Rachel looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"The point is," she said softly, "I really need you right now. I'm sorry if I'm cranky and stressed out, and I'm sure that carries over into our alone time as well. But you have always been there for me, and I try my best to be there for you when you need it. I just want you to understand where I'm coming from, that is all."

Karson raised her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. "Of course Rachel, I am here. I did not know things were weighing you down, I wish you would have said something before. I'll be happy to spend the day with you tomorrow. I can set aside the manuscript for a while."

Rachel sniffed and said, "Are you sure? I don't want to interfere with something important."

Karson smiled. "It is important...but not as important as you. Besides, someone once told me that compromise is the key to happiness. I promise we can talk about it later and I can give you a massage when we get home, okay?"

She nodded and squeezed his hand. "Thanks, Kar." He let go of her hand and the two resumed their meal. Conversation turned to lighter subjects and Rachel temporarily pushed aside her concerns. Karson suggested that they indulge in a movie marathon tomorrow and Rachel agreed, seeing it as an opportunity to relax and have some snuggle time with the Companion.

Rachel still felt a little guilty about her rough play with Karson earlier and insisted that they share a dessert. The Companion could not resist and chose a hot fudge sundae. Rachel was all too happy to share, and the couple left the diner in higher spirits than when they arrived.

Karson helped Rachel with the picnic belongings as they entered the apartment. She took the blanket and stuffed it into the linen closet as Karson cleaned and put away the cooler. On her way back to the living room, Rachel noticed there was a voicemail waiting and she played it back through the speaker.

It was Molly and Bobby leaving a goodbye note. They were not actually due to leave for Europe for another week, but commented that they were starting their vacation early and heading out of town for a few days. Molly mentioned that she emailed Rachel an itinerary in case they needed to be reached. Bobby was his usual silly self and made several innuendos as to what they would be doing. Rachel sighed as the message finished and wished she could take off for a vacation.

Karson made good on his promise to give Rachel a massage and they chatted about which movies to watch for tomorrow. He was surprised at how much tension she had pent up and felt relieved when she finally relaxed on the couch under his working hands. She returned to her normal self when she playfully teased the Companion about other things he could be doing with his hands. Karson tried his best to retort but could not play the game at Rachel's level. She made the decision for him that he could finish his work in the bedroom.

Chapter 5

Karson's nose tickled and he sneezed. He rolled onto his side and absently rubbed his muzzle. Again he felt the tickle on the tip of his nose and he cracked open an eye to see what it was. Rachel's smile filled his vision and he opened his other eye.

"Good morning sleepyhead," she said.

"Morning, what time is it?"

"10-something, I'm not really sure." She grinned at him with that look.

Karson tried not to acknowledge it. "Want me to go fix us some breakfast?"

"I want some breakfast, but you're not going anywhere." Rachel shifted against him and he could not suppress his grin. When she began kissing him and rolled over on top of the Companion, Karson made a mental note that today was going to be a good day.

Some time later, the pair exited from the steam filled bathroom. Karson briefly combed through his damp fur as Rachel came up behind him and squeezed his rump. "Have I ever told you that you have the cutest butt?" Karson laughed and hip bumped her.

"All the time. You have a pretty cute butt yourself." Rachel winked at him and slipped off her towel to get dressed. Karson admired her form for a moment.

"I'm going to dry in front of the fan," the Companion said as he walked into the second bedroom.

"'Kay, I'll go fix something to eat."

Once Karson was dried and dressed, he joined Rachel in the living room where she had a spread of food set out to nibble on. She offered a microwave egg roll to the Companion as he sat down next to her. She sampled some of the cheese dip and clicked on the TV. "I picked the first movie already, so your turn is next."

"What is the first selection?" Karson munched on his egg roll as the disc started up.

"One of those action movies from a few years ago, you might remember it. Two cops track down a shipment of illegal computer chips? Anyways, I think you'll enjoy it. I used to think Peter Preston was such a hunk back then."

Karson chuckled and commented, "Should I be jealous?"

Rachel planted a kiss on his cheek. "Shh, this is the opening scene." The two were quickly engrossed in the movie as a car screeched by and exploded.

The Companion agreed with Rachel that the movie was entertaining. There were plenty of gun fights and explosions and Karson could understand why it was popular at the time. When the credits rolled by Rachel nudged him. "Okay pal, it's your turn. Pick anything you want."

By now Karson was familiar with Rachel's video library, but there were still a number of films he had not seen. He was in the mood for a romantic story and found the old remake of When Harry Met Sally. The film had seen a re-emergence upon its remake several decades earlier. He knew Rachel had seen it several times and had a feeling she would not mind seeing it again. He read the back cover and took note that the original film was released over 70 years ago.

Rachel curled up next to him when she recognized the film. "You never saw this?" Karson shook his head no. "It's a classic; you will definitely like it since you are such a romantic softy."

The Companion was amused at how accurate the portrayal of the story reflected the reality of relationships: the socially awkward situations; the way intentions were often misunderstood; the simple truth that it was hard for people to express how they feel. Karson held Rachel through the movie and felt fulfilled when the video ended. He kissed his girl sweetly before she had a chance to get up and pick another film.

"I'm really glad that it did not take years for me to figure out that I love you. I think I would have gone crazy if I went through what Harry did."

Rachel rubbed her nose against Karson's. "Me too Romeo, I told you you'd like it. So what are we in the mood for now, another action flick or maybe a comedy?"

"How about something funny?"

"Sure thing," Rachel said and skimmed through the discs.

The afternoon passed into evening as Rachel and Karson watched a number of films. They went from comedy to sci-fi to drama, and Karson had to admit that it was a welcome distraction from finishing his manuscript. When the latest film credits rolled, Rachel glanced at the clock and groaned. "Ugh Kuddles, I don't want to go to work tomorrow. Can't I just call in sick?" The Companion grinned at her as she made a sour face.

"Sure, but then you'll just have to go back to work the next day." He imitated one of the marine characters from the sci-fi film. "Buck up soldier! Pull it together and do your job or no one goes home!"

She giggled and pulled a quick salute. "Yes sir, Kuddles sir!"

Later the pair snuggled in bed after cleaning up from the movie marathon. Rachel lay facing Karson and traced a finger over the outline of his lips. Karson stared into her eyes.

She smoothed her hand around the curve of his jaw. "Thank you for being with me today, I think it was just what I needed."

Karson leaned against her hand and replied, "My pleasure. I love you."

"I love you too," Rachel said as she pressed her lips to his.

In the blink of an eye it seemed Rachel was up to her neck in reports as she eyed the clock. It was almost 12 and she desperately wanted to talk to Karson since her day was anything but pleasant. Just as the bell rang for lunch break there was a rumble from the nearby cubicles as all her co-workers left as a group. Rachel pulled up the chat program on her computer and smiled when Karson's name popped up. She immediately opened a chat window and sent a hello.

"Sorry Rachel, I don't have time to talk to you right now. I'm busy trying to come up with the perfect title for my manuscript. Would you quit distracting me?"

Rachel frowned at her screen but before she could type a response, her supervisor strolled up to her desk with a large stack of files. "Splendid! Just the person I was looking for; listen I have a late lunch I have to get to. Be a good worker and finish up those reports would you? I might even overlook the fact that you are shagging a talking dog if you finish all that before I get back. Don't wait up. Oh, and don't forget my review will depend on how much work you get done. 'Kay? Ciao!"

Mr. Thompson slammed the large stack of files on her desk and turned on his heel as he pulled out his sunglasses. Stopping at the end of the row he leaned into another cubicle. "Amy is it? Looks like you could use some lunch, want to tag along?" Rachel scowled as he continued walking down the row with Amy on his arm, and turned back to her desk.

Now her desk was stacked with files and papers taller than her cubicle and each one wobbled precariously. Rachel jumped when her phone rang and answered itself. "Rachel! I can't find the file you were supposed to send me before 12. You promised to send that file, I need it! Now!" As the speaker said the last word, several stacks of papers lost their balance and buried Rachel in an avalanche of files.

Rachel sat bolt upright in bed with a giant gasp and instinctively brought her hands up to cover her face. Her confusion cleared after a few seconds as she realized it was all a dream and struggled to control her breathing. She finally blew out a long sigh and glanced over to where Karson laid facing away from her. His breathing was regular and she was glad that she had not disturbed him. Rachel pondered her nightmare as she struggled to relax again, but soon fell back asleep as she snuggled into Karson's soft fur.

Work that week continued to be stressful for Rachel as the office went into high gear in attempts to complete projects before employee reviews were due. Days passed in a blur as the heavy work load became routine and she adjusted accordingly. Karson noticed her waning enthusiasm for participating in anything after she got home night after night.

After another few days went by, Molly gave a quick call one evening to inform Rachel and Karson her trip overseas began. Rachel knew from the itinerary that the trip was scheduled to last about 2 weeks, and wished them a safe and happy vacation. Karson was again concerned when Rachel went to bed early for the third night in a row, but she assured him she just wanted to try and get a little extra rest.

Karson spent the days making final corrections and adjustments to his manuscript, and one afternoon he felt especially productive when he finally attached a title to his work. He spent the next day reading it and was pleased that he actually considered it completed. Making a final draft copy, he slipped the prepared documents into a small box to wait while he contemplated his next move. According to the calendar, he had roughly a week until the ring order was complete.

The next evening was tense when Rachel came home with a stack of papers and a foul mood. Karson attempted to cheer her up after dinner but her mood actually got worse, and she stormed off to the second bedroom to try and finish up the project she brought home. The Companion left her alone and was feeling sad when he went to bed before she did. He hoped that this rough period passed sooner than later.

Rachel was distant on the following morning and barely managed to mutter goodbye as she kissed him on the cheek before she left. Karson's concern grew quite a bit, but now was not the time to try and resolve the issue. He had to be patient and trust that Rachel could handle it until an opportunity presented itself for him to help her through this trial.

Shortly before lunch, the phone rang and Karson picked up when he saw the number. Gerald Franklin was on the line to inform the Companion that his ring would be ready ahead of schedule; in fact the ring would be ready the next day. He thanked the jeweler for the unexpected surprise and agreed to come pick it up as soon as he could manage.

Karson decided to try his best to discuss the situation with Rachel that evening. He prepared dinner that evening in anticipation of Rachel arriving at the normal time; however she was over an hour late. The Companion was ready to overlook the fact that she had not called to tell him she would be late, but when Rachel came in with another stack of papers and went straight for the computer he was a little upset. He followed her into the home office as she immediately went to work.

"Rachel, you just got home, don't you want some dinner before you start in on all this?"

She pressed her fingers to the bridge of her nose and sighed. "I'm sorry Karson, I forgot to tell you that I already had something to eat. Mr. Thompson said he needs this report by tomorrow and he gave one to each of the other team members. I really need to get this done." Rachel all but ignored the Companion as she focused her attention on the files.

It was rare for Karson to show such a strong emotion, but he was angry. He took a step into the room, crossed his arms and glared at Rachel. "Talk to me Rachel. I don't want you to brush me aside again without telling me exactly what is going on here!"

She turned in her chair and gave him a pleading look. "Do we have to do this now? Kar look, I know I've been run down and cranky lately, but this really is not a good time. I promise things will get back to normal soon, but employee reviews are next week and this work could mean the difference between a raise or not. Now if you don't mind I need to get this finished."

The Companion sighed and his shoulders slumped. He took another step toward the desk and spoke softly. "Rachel, I know this is important for your job and I'm sure the raise would be very nice. But it will not do any good if you run yourself ragged over this. Has anyone else been given the same amount of work as you, or the amount of take home assignments to complete? I think this Mr. Thompson is taking advantage of your desire to impress him."

Rachel grunted and said, "Yeah, maybe...I'm not really sure."

Karson shook his head and realized that it was fruitless to pursue the conversation further. Rachel did not realize he had left until she finally looked up from her papers and an hour had passed. She saw the light on in the bedroom and guessed that Karson was reading, and decided to try and press on to finish the report as fast as possible. Her response to the Companion floated through her mind and she felt guilty from pushing him aside instead of taking a few minutes to talk with him.

Even when she rushed through the last of the report Rachel was unable to complete the task until well after midnight. She rubbed her eyes as she gathered her completed documents and stuffed everything into her briefcase for tomorrow. Yawning tiredly she meandered her way to the bedroom but stopped at the door. A small sticky note hung on the edge obviously placed where she would find it. The note simply said: I miss you.

Rachel nearly burst into tears when she read the note. Karson's words again flitted through her head and she made herself a resolution to speak with her supervisor about the situation the following day. She slipped into the bedroom and silently got ready for bed, and joined the Companion under the covers. He slumbered peacefully and curled up in his usual manner when Rachel stroked his head tenderly.

She kissed his forehead and silently whispered,"I should learn to listen to you. I love you Karson." The Companion did not wake, but instinctively grasped her hand. It was the first time in many nights that Rachel slept without a nightmare.

When morning arrived Rachel gave a few extra minutes to Karson, and he appreciated the gesture. "I'll try to be online for lunch, but I cannot make any promises. Hopefully I'll have a chance to talk to Mr. Thompson and see what the situation is."

Karson nodded to Rachel as she gathered her belongings. "That sounds like a good plan. I have an errand to run, but it can wait till after lunch. Have a good day." He gave her a hug and a kiss.

"I'll see you tonight sweetie. Love you." Rachel gave him a smile as she went out the door.

The Companion wasted no time and went directly to the computer. He was determined to find a way to get his manuscript published, and started making a detailed spreadsheet of publishers and submission guidelines. The Companion was thorough and had compiled a list of 30 potential publishers shortly before lunch. He stored the file on the desktop of the computer temporarily, since he intended to investigate each company when he returned from his pick up errand.

Karson decided to just eat the cold leftovers from dinner and returned to the computer to await Rachel's arrival. She appeared online and immediately sent a message at the stroke of noon. "Hi Kar. Spoke to Mr. T, said that we only have about a dozen files left to finish. That means take home work tonight, but then things should return to normal."

"What time do you think you will be home? I can try and have dinner ready by then."

"Should be normal time since I am bringing work. I will remember to call you if it changes."

Karson chatted with Rachel about a variety of topics to take her mind off the busy work environment; she in turn teased him about what they could do once she had some free time. He took it as a good sign that her attitude was not as serious as it had been a few days ago. Karson signed off at the end of the break and hoped that the day passed quickly for her.

Relieved that the end of the turmoil was in sight, Karson prepared for the journey to the jeweler to retrieve the ring. He spent the entire trip pondering scenarios in which he could propose. At first he thought dinner at The Grinning Bulldog would be perfect and he could make an elaborate show to include Molly and Bobby. He filed that idea for the moment considering the pair was out of the country. Many other situations popped up and he took the time to go over details in his mind. By the time he reached Franklin Jewelers, he had a handful of ideas worthy of further investigation.

Karson took a moment to unbuckle his skates and catch his breath before he entered the shop. As he stepped through the door he did not immediately see Gerald, and browsed through some of the rings on display as he waited. The jeweler entered from a curtained back area and called the Companion over to the counter.

"Mr. Karson I am very glad to see you again."

Karson shook the jeweler's outstretched hand. "Thank you Mr. Franklin, and thank you so much for getting the ring done ahead of schedule."

"It is always a pleasure. Would you like to see it?"

The Companion's ears perked up and his tail wagged. "I would like to see it very much."

Gerald chuckled and said, "I thought you might, excuse me for a moment." He ducked back behind the curtain and returned just as swiftly with a small wooden box. He held out the box in the palm of his hand for Karson.

Karson took the offered box and popped open the lid. He blinked at the shining brilliance of the polished ring and his eye examined the flowing curves of the design. Karson held up the box and angled the ring just right to let the setting catch the light and sparkle. His grin told Gerald that he was pleased. "This is absolutely beautiful, Rachel will love it."

"I also put the inscription on the band, can you double check to make sure it is correct?"

The Companion pulled out the ring and read the dedication. "Yes, it is exactly right." He gingerly put the ring back and closed the box before setting it on the counter. Karson cleared his throat and pulled out his bank card. "I'd like to go ahead and pay the balance Mr. Franklin."

Gerald pulled out the invoice for the ring. "Yes, of course. I have the paperwork prepared, if you will give me your card I'll get it processed." A moment later the final sale was rung and Karson folded the receipt. The jeweler pulled out a small velvet bag and placed the wooden box inside along with a polishing cloth. He held out the closed bag to Karson with a warm smile.

"Here you are son. I have only one favor to ask of you. Will you promise to send me a photo of you with Rachel wearing the ring? I like to keep a scrapbook of the clients I've made rings for."

Karson returned his smile. "Of course, it would be my pleasure. Thank you once again Mr. Franklin for all you have done." The two shook hands and Gerald walked Karson to the door.

"Congratulations Karson and best wishes!" The Companion quickly buckled on his skates and stuffed the velvet bag into the pocket of his shorts. He waved goodbye as he started his trek back home with an unwavering smile. Feeling a little adventurous, Karson turned down a side alleyway to cut across the block so he could skate through a nearby park.

Within sight of the next sidewalk, Karson suddenly tripped and sprawled across the ground. Feeling rather embarrassed about his blunder, the Companion rolled over and sat up. He did not feel any injuries other than his pride but a middle aged man appeared from behind a dumpster before he could rise to his feet. Karson immediately felt wary about the presence of the stranger since he wore a ragged jacket and held a slim mangled piece of wood.

"You should watch where you're going mutt," the man said in a gravelly voice. "People often get lost going down my alley. I can help you find your way out of here for a price."

Karson attempted to get to his feet, but the stranger pushed him back down with the piece of wood. The Companion knew that the man had the advantage and that he would not be able to escape before he was attacked. Karson asked, "What do you want from me?"

The man grinned wickedly and gave Karson a small jab in the shoulder. "That depends, what have you got?"

Karson's ears laid back and his shoulders slumped. "Please, I'll give you whatever money I have just let me go."

"Oh don't worry about that. I'm interested in what else you might have. On your feet and hand over everything."

The Companion kept his eyes on the man as he slowly stood up and pulled out his bank card, a few dollars, and his keys. He desperately hoped the man would not notice the small bag still left in his pocket. The mugger quickly snatched the money, tossed his keys on the ground and eyed his bank card. With disgust the man flipped the card away and said, "Pff, can't do nothing with plastic, that stuff is traced anyway." He waited for a moment as Karson stood under his gaze and poked him again with the wood. "No watch? No phone? Don't you have anything?"

Karson winced as the man swatted his leg with the piece of wood and fear gripped him as the man laughed triumphantly. "I knew you had something! What is that in your pocket? Give it to me!" The Companion reluctantly pulled out the small bag which was quickly snagged from his grasp.

The mugger kept an eye on him as he greedily pulled open the bag and dug out the wooden box. The man popped open the box and his grin turned into an annoyed smirk as he saw the simple ring within. "Well, I suppose this will have to do."

Karson cried out, "Please I beg you don't take the ring, if it is money you want..."

The man's smirk turned into an angry frown as he slowly walked behind the Companion. "I was just about to let you go, but the one thing I can't stand is beggars. Here I am doing you a favor by letting you pass through my alley and all you got to give me in return is this crappy ring." The man flung the box down at Karson's feet. "Go ahead take it! I don't want your filthy ring anymore."

Karson nervously eyed the box sitting within reach. The man screamed at him from behind, "Take it!" The Companion quickly stooped and just as his fingers touched the box the man cracked the piece of wood across the back of his legs. Karson yelped in pain and crumpled to the ground.

The man loomed over him with his crooked grin. "Stinking mutt," he mumbled and raised the wood to strike again. Karson took a chance and attempted to scramble away from his assailant. He did not make it to his feet before the man tripped him again.

"Think you're clever huh?" The mugger raised the wood over his head and grinned again as he brought it down. Karson instinctively held up his left arm to deflect the blow and cried out in agony as the wooden weapon struck, snapping the bone. The attacker laughed hysterically as Karson struggled to crawl away.

"Help! Help me somebody!" The Companion bellowed as loud as he could.

"Oh no you don't, you have to learn a lesson and class has just started my furry friend." The mugger kicked Karson in the ribs, effectively silencing him as his breath whooshed from his lungs. He stomped on the victim's injured arm and brought the weapon to bear again. Karson rolled to his left side in an attempt to shield his injury. "Help," he croaked feebly.

The attacker swung the piece of wood and connected with Karson's right foot. He grinned in satisfaction at the crack and loud cry of pain as he broke the Companion's ankle. "You talking animals think you are entitled to go where ever you please, while decent folk have to live in the gutter?" The man stood over Karson and prodded him with the piece of wood as he preached self-righteously. He again raised the weapon over his head but stopped in surprise as a scream echoed a down the alley walls from several yards away. A woman happened to walk by and witness the mugger attacking the Companion. She pointed at the mugger, but disappeared a few seconds later.

The man flew into a rage and yelled at his victim. "Now see what you've caused? I'm afraid the end has come for you." The wooden stick crashed down across the left side of Karson's chest and again he screamed in pain as his collarbone was fractured. Karson fought to hang on to consciousness as his vision blurred and the world spun in a haze of pain. Somewhere in the distance he heard the sound of running feet and voices calling. The man grunted and swung the piece of wood one last time.

The wooden stick the mugger used for a weapon struck a solid but glancing blow across the left side of Karson's head. The man let out a surprised chuckle as he held the broken remains of his stick and quickly tossed it aside as he tore off down the alley away from the newcomers. Several pedestrians gathered around the severely beaten Companion as they tried to asses his condition.

Chapter 6

Rachel was surprised to walk into a dark apartment. At first she thought maybe Karson had planned a surprise for her and she quietly set her briefcase down and crept to the second bedroom. She was thoroughly confused to find it dark as well, and even more confused when a search proved the apartment was empty. It was not like Karson to go anywhere without telling her, especially now that he was not working at the Bulldog.

When she returned to the living room to put away her work, she noticed the voice mail notification. Since she was not expecting a call, Rachel quickly changed out of her work clothes and put the reports on the computer desk before playing back the message.

"I'm trying to reach Rachel Nolan, this is St. Andrew's Hospital ER chief resident Dr. Kline. I'm afraid I have some bad news, your Companion uh...Karson, was admitted this evening with multiple fractures and a concussion. He is in stable condition but we are keeping him in the ICU over night for observation. Please either call the ER or come down as soon as you can." Rachel sank to the floor and dropped the phone without even hanging it up. She pressed her face into her hands and wept.

After several minutes, she managed to pull herself together long enough to hang up the phone and get to the computer to look up the location of the ER. Rachel was somewhat relieved to find that the hospital was only about 5 miles away and left immediately. When she arrived she easily found the ER, but had a much more difficult time finding someone to speak to.

She physically had to stop one of the many nurses to get their attention as they hurried past. "I need to see Dr. Kline, can you tell me where to find him?"

The nurse did not even give her a second glance as he looked down the hall. "Kline is making his rounds." Rachel interjected another question before she let go of the nurse's arm.

"I'm looking for a patient named Karson. He was admitted earlier this evening."

The nurse finally looked at Rachel and then glanced over at the wall listing patients. "ICU room 14, third floor. Excuse me."

Rachel sighed and wandered through the halls to find the elevator. She would not admit to herself that she was scared and preoccupied her mind with the task of locating the Companion's room. When she arrived on the third floor a quick check in at the front desk confirmed her identity and that Karson was admitted down the hall. The clerk pointed in the direction of his room and Rachel walked down the hall, fear building in her with every step she took.

She blew out a sigh and mentally braced herself for the worst as her hand rested on the handle to room 14. Rachel glanced through the small slit of a window, but could barely make out the figure on the bed in the dimly lit room. She plucked up her courage and entered into the quiet setting, letting the door close before she turned around.

Immediately she noticed all the bandages wrapped around the Companion; his arm draped over his stomach, his leg elevated in a sling, the wrappings around his head. Rachel tentatively walked over to his bed and broke down crying. She longed to gather him up in her arms and hug him but was too afraid to even touch him. The best she could manage was to pull a chair to his bedside and grasp the fingers of his right hand in hers, careful not to disturb the IV stuck into the back of his hand.

Rachel was unaware of how long she sat next to Karson holding his hand and letting her tears fall into his fur. Her head snapped up as someone entered the room with a chart. "I'm sorry, I just came in to check up on him. Are you Rachel? I'm Dr. Kline."

She wiped her face and stood up, still holding Karson's hand. "Hello doctor, how is Karson doing? Please be straight with me."

The doctor came to stand next to Rachel and briefly checked Karson's pulse. "He is doing much better now that we got his injuries cleaned up and gave him some pain medication. I'm afraid the head trauma he suffered is a little worse than I thought, currently he is in a coma." Rachel squeezed her eyes shut and her shoulders shook as she cried silently. Dr. Kline put a hand on her shoulder and spoke softly. "Don't worry, he is expected to make a full recovery, it just make take some time. This kind of thing could clear up in a couple of days or it could take a couple of weeks. We did a CT scan and there is no damage to his neck or spine. His broken bones will heal, though he will have trouble moving until the casts come off. Until he regains consciousness, I'm afraid all you can do is try and be patient."

Rachel nodded her head and took a deep breath. She opened her eyes and looked at the doctor. "Thank you. Is it all right if I stay here with him?"

"Of course Ms. Nolan. I'll inform the front desk on my way out." Dr. Kline flashed a friendly smile and exited the room.

Rachel leaned over the Companion and gingerly pressed her lips to his nose. "I'm here for you now sweetie. I love you." She sat next to Karson and wondered how he ended up in this terrible state. Many frightening scenarios played out in her mind, but she reprimanded herself and knew that wild speculation would not do her any good. Sometime around 3 am she fell into a restless sleep sitting at his bedside.

Since Karson was in stable condition, the attending nurse only checked in on him once and did not disturb Rachel. She finally awoke from her sleep when sunlight lit up the room and hunger reminded her that she skipped dinner. Rachel dug through her purse and fished out a couple of dollars and wandered down the hall to a vending machine. She got a cup of coffee and a candy bar and sat on a nearby bench.

The unhappy reality gripped her that she needed to leave for a little while to attend to the situation at work before she could return to the hospital. While Rachel waited for the clerk to come to the front desk, a pair of police officers walked in from the elevators. She watched with interest as they consulted the room numbers and walked down to 14.

The tall cop spoke to the younger looking man. "I guess this is it. Wait out here for a minute, this won't take long." The younger cop nodded and casually stood to the side as the tall one entered the room. Rachel speedily walked down to the hall and was about to enter when the younger officer barred the door.

"Can I help you miss?"

"What does he need with Karson?" She tried to look into the window.

"My partner just needed to get a statement from the Companion."

Before Rachel could tell the young man that Karson was in no condition for social calls, the other officer came back out. "Forget it Jack, we will have to come back some other time. That fellow is out cold." The tall man eyed Rachel and said, "Who do we have here?"

Rachel stood her ground and stated, "I'm Rachel Nolan, Karson's Guardian. Do you know anything about what happened to him?"

The officer's expression softened slightly. "Ms. Nolan, I'm Officer Parker and this is Officer Hutchinson. We were the ones that responded to the assault yesterday." Parker motioned Rachel toward another nearby bench. "Why don't you have a seat and we can tell you what we know." She nodded and sat down as the policemen ran down the details.

According to their report, Karson was already being loaded into the ambulance as they arrived on the scene. They took several statements from the witnesses that called the medical response and reported the mugger running off down the alleyway. The officers reconstructed the attack based on the eyewitness accounts and Karson's injuries, and assured Rachel that they were searching for the missing man.

She was surprisingly calm during the briefing. Hutchinson produced a mid sized envelope and handed it over to Rachel. "This contains all of Karson's possessions at the scene. I guess you can take them now."

Parker pulled out a business card and handed that over as well. "I will check in whenever I can but can you please call me if he wakes up? His statement could make all the difference."

"Of course Officer," Rachel replied numbly.

Parker nodded to his partner. "Come on Jack let's go."

Rachel sat in the hall for a short while and digested the information the officers had given her. She absently opened the envelope and peered at the contents, taking note of the set of keys, the bank card and ID. Curiosity pushed everything aside for the moment when she saw the small wooden box.

She pulled the nondescript scuffed and dirty wooden box out and shook it briefly. Then she noticed it had a lid and pried it open. Rachel gasped and nearly dropped it when she saw the shining ring inside. Her vision blurred and her head swam as she stared at the ring.

"Oh, Karson," she whispered. She was filled with joy and despair in the same moment, and instantly many of the details of the last few months made perfect sense. This was the reason Karson got a job; the reason why he was working on his manuscript so persistently. Rachel suddenly wondered if the attack would not have happened if he had not gone to get the ring. She held up the ring and read the inscription: Friends and Lovers, Forever. Rachel burst into tears.

She sat in the hall and cried for several minutes, but eventually regained her composure. She placed the ring back, closed the box and dropped it into the envelope, and in turn put the envelope in her purse. A nearby clock told her that the hour was approaching 9am and she sighed; better to get loose ends tied up before they got away from her. Rachel stood up and entered Karson's room again.

The Companion was the only one in the room, but she still felt a need to tip toe over to his bed. She stared down at him for a moment and felt her tears well up again. Quickly steeling her resolve, she grasped his hand and spoke softly. "I need to take care of a couple of things Kar, but I promise I'll be back as soon as I can manage. Just hang in there, I'll be back soon." Rachel wanted to quickly exit before she broke down again, but she took a few seconds to lean down and kiss him tenderly.

She swiftly walked away from the bed determined to get things in order so she could return to his side. The clerk was at the front desk and Rachel informed her that she would return soon, but left her cell phone number in case anything urgent came up. By the time she made it back to her car and left, she had a mental list of things to do and estimated she could be back at the hospital in a few hours.

Rachel made a stop at home to get a fresh change of clothes and gather up her office reports before she rushed off to work. She made a direct line to Mr. Thompson's office, handed over her files and informed the supervisor that effective immediately she was taking a leave of absence. When the supervisor insisted on a better reason than "personal family matters", she briefly stated that Karson was in the hospital. He reluctantly agreed to her leave, but reminded her that according to policy she was only allowed 2 weeks and would have to use her vacation time for anything longer. Rachel acknowledged that fact but almost lost her temper when Mr. Thompson also commented that it might affect her review. She simply requested that she not be contacted unless it was an absolute necessity and strode out of the supervisor's office before he could comment further.

Rachel felt numb as she walked through the office and made the briefest replies when some of her co-workers inquired why she was late. She stopped by her desk and sent off an email to her immediate team explaining that she was taking time off and requested that they refrain from contacting her in office matters. She left shortly after and returned home.

Stumbling around the apartment, Rachel gathered up a few items she thought she might need for her vigil. She grabbed a book, an extra shirt, her mp3 player, Karson's comb, and Romeo the German Shepherd plush to stuff in a small bag. Rachel did not know how long she might be able to stay but assumed that she would return to the apartment late that evening.

This time Rachel parked in the long term area and made her way back to the Companion's room. Before she entered, she consulted the clerk about their visitor policy. Rachel discovered that, although no accommodations where made for the guests, family members where allowed to visit the ICU at any time day or night as long as it did not interfere with the care of any other patients. Since Karson was currently the sole occupant of the room, the clerk told her she could come and go when she wanted and did not have to check in.

Rachel went back to Karson's room and got settled. For a time, she just sat and watched the Companion wondering if he was aware of her presence. She pulled out Romeo and set him down next to Karson and smiled briefly at how similar the two looked. Then hunger made her realize that she needed to worry about her own self as well as Karson, and she took a short break to visit the cafeteria. The food restored her for the moment, but she fell asleep in the chair with her head resting against Karson's arm after returning.

Dr. Kline woke her when he made his first round of the evening and she concluded that he was the attending for night shift. "Keeping watch I see?" Rachel nodded sullenly. Kline quickly consulted Karson's chart and checked his vitals before he scribbled something on the pad. "I think we can probably admit him to the hospital tomorrow morning. I will file the report in a little while and get him moved over to the long term wing, which is up on the fourth floor."

"Will you still be his doctor when he gets moved?"

"No, I'm sorry; my duties only extend as far as the ER and some of the ICU. But I will recommend Karson to be placed in Dr. Barrow's care, as he has had a lot of experience with Companion's." The doctor saw Rachel look at the Companion with more than just casual concern. He placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "Don't worry he is going to be fine, you just have to try and give it some time."

Rachel smiled and said, "Thank you. Have you had many patients with a coma? What is the best thing I can do for Karson?"

The doctor scratched his chin and said, "Honestly, I think just being nearby helps. I've read studies that say a patient can still be aware of their surroundings, even if it is on a subconscious level. Maybe just talking to him or perhaps reading? Forgive me, but I need to get back to my rounds. You can always check in with the front desk if I need to be paged."

Rachel said goodbye to the doctor and grabbed her small bag. She sat down and was about to pull out the book she brought when she had a different idea. Instead of the book, she took the mp3 player and her ear phones. Selecting a random song, Rachel softly sang to the Companion.

After a dozen songs, she let her voice rest and paced the silent room. If not for the bandages she might have thought Karson was sleeping. Her emotions threatened to overwhelm her again and Rachel decided to step out in the hall and make a phone call to her mother.

She roamed up and down the empty hallway, but always kept within sight of Karson's room. Rachel spoke to her mother and related the news of the Companion's situation. She did not go into elaborate details like the policemen, but summed up the situation and explained that she was on a leave of absence. She chose to leave out the detail of finding the ring for the moment. Vanessa offered to come to Chicago, but Rachel declined saying that she would be able to deal with the situation. Her mother left it open that she would provide whatever support Rachel needed if she so asked.

The conversation centered on Karson for a while, but soon turned to the recent ordeal with work. Vanessa listened as Rachel vented her frustrations about the office and offered her motherly advice on ways to cope. When the conversation came to an end, she felt somewhat better and decided that perhaps the best course of action for the moment was to go home and get some rest. Karson was in good care and, though she could not help worry about him, she knew someone would contact her if anything changed. Rachel returned to the room, gathered her belongings and spent a few minutes talking to Karson before she departed.

As soon as Rachel entered the apartment, exhaustion took hold of her and it was all she could do to slip off her shoes and crawl into bed. She fell into the blackness of sleep, but her dreams were plagued with visions of Karson being attacked. Rachel managed to find a few hours of rest between her nightmares and woke around 10am the next morning.

Operating on autopilot, she went through her routine of taking a shower and getting dressed, all while her thoughts centered on Karson. She could not keep her mind from recalling many happy moments from the last year. These were interspersed with angry thoughts of revenge for the person who had put the Companion in the hospital. Rachel sincerely hoped the police would apprehend the mugger and bring him to justice.

Chapter 7

The next week saw Rachel fall into a routine of sorts. Since the visitor policy was different in the wing Karson was transferred to, she was only allowed to stay during the day and part of the evening. Rachel spent most of her time speaking softly to the Companion, either reading one of his favorite books aloud or telling stories from her past experiences. In the evening she went back home to sleep and bathe before she once again went to the hospital.

In a way, the one sided conversations helped her to open up even more than she previously had to the Companion. She had a chance to re-examine her choices and actions over the course of her life leading up to the present. Rachel smiled one afternoon as the realization came to her. Though Karson was unresponsive in his current state, he still provided the support she needed and she bowed her head in thanks to whatever cosmic force allowed them to end up together.

When the end of visiting hours arrived on Friday evening, Rachel sighed and gathered up her possessions one more time. She had read most of one of Karson's favorite romance stories to him and placed the book into the bag with reluctance. Placing a kiss on his brow and then on his lips, her fingers lingered as she stroked his cheek. Karson softly sighed and Rachel could not be certain if it was just a reflex since she did not notice him doing it previously.

She waited a moment longer but the Companion showed no other signs of movement. Rachel placed one last kiss on him and said, "I'll be back soon Kuddles. I love you." She departed the room and headed home.

Rachel found that the absence of Karson was so much of a distraction she could not sleep. After enduring several nights without him, she resorted to wrapping Romeo in one of the Companion's shirts and snuggled with him. The plush's soft fur combined with Karson's scent was just enough of a substitute to allow Rachel to fall asleep. She awoke the next morning squeezing the plush in her arms and sighing in bitter disappointment when reality reminded her that the real thing was miles away in a hospital bed.

Saturday morning arrived and Rachel was awakened by the phone ringing. She quickly bolted out of bed and grabbed the receiver before checking the number, thinking it might be the hospital. She was mildly disappointed but pleasantly surprised to hear Molly's voice.

"We're back! Hey Rachel, just thought we'd give you a call since we came back a few days early. Bobby says hello." She could not help smiling when she heard his voice in the background ("Top o' the morning Rachel").

"I'm glad you are back, Molly. I hope your trip was nice."

"It was lovely and we have plenty of stories and pictures to share. How about dinner tonight? We would love to see you two."

Rachel could feel the tears well up and wondered how she could break the news without falling to pieces. "Molly, something happened. It's Karson, he..." Rachel had to take a deep breath before she continued. "It might be better to talk in person about it since I might lose it over the phone."

Molly's tone became instantly serious and full of concern. "Of course Rachel, I can come over straight away."

"Thanks."

They quickly ended the phone conversation and scarcely half an hour later Molly knocked on the door. Rachel admitted her and was surprised to see that Bobby was not with her. Molly instantly hugged Rachel and said, "Tell me what happened."

Rachel recounted as best she could the incidents of Karson's attack. She also described some of her routine of visiting him in the hospital with details such as reading and talking to him. Molly quietly absorbed all the information and held Rachel's hand when she felt her friend needed encouragement.

Molly shook her head in confusion. "So the police still have not found the attacker? Do they have any idea why he was the target? I would hate to think that someone was trying to make an example out of him."

Rachel sniffed as a tear ran down her cheek. "I know the reason why he was attacked; it was because of this." She stood from the couch and grabbed the small wooden box on the kitchen table. Rachel held the tiny box in her hands for a moment cradling it like a treasure. Lifting her head she slowly held out the box to Molly.

Molly's hand trembled slightly as she took the box and said, "Is this what I think it is?" Rachel nodded and Molly pried open the box and gasped softly. "Oh my goodness Rachel! So this is what Karson needed that money for." Her statement echoed the same emotions Rachel went through when she discovered the ring. Molly closed the box and handed it back to her friend.

"I'm so sorry Rachel. If you need anything just say the word, you know you have the support of Bobby and myself." The two friends hugged briefly.

"Thanks Molly, I appreciate it." She glanced at the clock and saw that it was already past 1pm. "I need to get over and check on Karson. Do you want come along?"

She smiled and replied, "Sure, I mean if you do not mind?"

Rachel smiled genuinely for the first time in several days. "I think you would be welcome company, and I'm sure it would be good for Karson." Molly helped Rachel prepare for the visit and rode with her friend to the hospital.

Molly had never liked hospitals much, having to endure the environment later in life when each of her parents passed away. She followed her friend to the Companion's room and was nearly overcome with grief when she saw Karson's state. She struggled to keep control from the flood of bad memories triggered by seeing the Companion bedridden.

Molly gently placed a hand on Karson's head and asked, "Is he being taken care of? I hope he is not in pain."

Rachel pulled up a second chair and motioned for her to take a seat. "They assure me he is doing fine and is comfortable for the time being. Dr. Barrow says that it is just a matter of time before he wakes up. I just hope that I'm here when he does. I shudder at the thought of Karson being alone and afraid if he woke up in a strange place." She had to take a deep breath as the tears threatened her again.

It took her a few minutes to coax her friend, but finally Molly started talking about her vacation trip. The two conversed while Rachel held Karson's hand. It was a welcome distraction and she had the distinct feeling that the extra company would help in the Companion's recovery.

Molly spent some time going over the places she and Bobby went. They visited Dublin where Bobby was fascinated with some of the local brewers. She spoke of their journey through France and the promised lunch at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Then it was on to Italy and a two-day sail around the Mediterranean.

The married couple enjoyed their overseas trip immensely, but felt the need to return home. And so they did without too much trouble, leaving the rest of their itinerary for some other time and opportunity. To Molly it seemed like weeks had passed since the trip after she saw her close friend lying in the hospital bed, though in reality she only arrived stateside less than 24 hours ago.

During a lull in the conversation Molly turned to Rachel. "I should probably call Bobby since I did not get a chance to fill him in. It is probably too late today, but I know he would desperately want to visit Karson." Molly stood but paused. "On second thought, maybe I'd better break the news in person. I know it does not seem like it, but Bobby can get pretty upset. I can tell you've had the same experience with this fellow." Rachel nodded silently.

Molly laid her hand on Karson's arm. "There is just something about Companion's isn't there? Maybe it is just the second gens; their emotions run deep and strong. All I know is that I would be devastated if Bobby were in the same situation."

Rachel stood and hugged her friend. "And I would be there for you, just as you are for me. Come on, I'll take you back so you can go talk to Bobby. Just let me say goodnight to Kar."

"Oh yes, of course." Molly squeezed Karson's hand and said, "Good night Karson, I'll see you soon. Next time I'll get Bobby to come and visit, okay?"

Rachel smiled and took her turn. She placed a kiss on the Companion's forehead; and then on his cheek; and finally his lips. "I love you so much sweetie. You rest now; I'll be back before you know it. Sweet dreams." The two girls left the room to the recovering Companion.

Molly was correct when she broke the news to Bobby. The Beagle was at first angry that someone could do such a thing, especially to someone as kindhearted as Karson whom he considered a brother. Then she had to console Bobby as he became sad and promised that he could go visit very soon. Molly did not reveal that Karson had a ring for Rachel, knowing that Karson would want to tell Bobby when the time was right.

Rachel made her visit to the Companion early the next day. She brought no book, but was content to sit beside Karson and speak softly. She talked of the weeks beforehand when she had been stressed due to work and regretted not noticing how much her attitude had changed at that time.

"You know when you left me that note...it brought it all into perspective. In that one moment I realized I was close to letting the situation get the best of me and that I was indirectly hurting you. I intended to make it up to you that night...but then," Rachel sniffed as her tears started again. "Then...when I came home and you were not there, I got scared. I thought maybe I had pushed things too far because I was so preoccupied with work." She laid her head on his right shoulder and placed a hand on Karson's chest over his heart.

"I was waiting for you to jump out and surprise me. When I got the message you were in the hospital, my heart nearly stopped. Last year before the Companion Rights were granted I was worried, but that was a shadow of what I felt that night." Rachel sighed and closed her eyes, feeling the steady beating of Karson's heart.

She raised her head a moment later. "At least I have you again. You are a little banged up, but the doc says you'll be all right." Rachel stroked his ears softly, in the same fashion as when she comforted him when he was in need. She leaned close to him and whispered, "I miss you Karson. Come back to me, I need you."

Rachel was surprised when a gentle nudge awoke her. Molly, along with Bobby, stopped by for a visit. Bobby solemnly hugged Rachel and she could tell he was trying to put on a strong face for her, but his body language was clear as his ears drooped and his tail hung limp. Molly suggested they go and get a cup of coffee and Rachel took the hint to let the visiting Companion have a few minutes with his friend.

Bobby gently held Karson's hand and choked back his sobs. "I wish there was something I could do for you, brother. It breaks my heart to see you this way." After a few moments, Bobby wiped his eyes and held up his chin. "Look at me, crying like a babe over your silly hide. This is probably the most rest you've gotten in a long time eh? Molly is a real slave driver." He sniffed and managed a small chuckle.

"You have to get better soon lad, I've got a whole new batch of stories to tell you about our vacation. You would not believe how pretty the girls are in Europe. Not as pretty as Molly of course, but there are plenty that could curl your tail with just a smile." Bobby sighed and tried to imagine what it must be like for Rachel to cope with the situation.

A short while later, the girls returned and brought Bobby some juice. The two new visitors talked to Rachel about how they could help her out, and offered to sit with Karson a couple of days so she could attend to her basic personal needs. She objected at first but soon saw that her friends were glad to keep an eye on Karson and she was grateful to them. Bobby insisted he sit with the Companion on the following day.

The end of visiting hours came and the three friends took turns saying goodbye. Molly gave him a kiss on the cheek. Bobby took his cap and laid it on Karson's head. Rachel was moved by the gesture, since she had rarely ever seen Bobby without his cap. Rachel kissed him in her usual manner before they all left.

With some of the burden lifted from her shoulders, Rachel decided that she could attend to some chores she had neglected. The next day she sat at the computer waiting on a couple loads of laundry to finish up. She was doing some casual web browsing and writing down a reminder when her pen slipped out of her fingers and tumbled beneath the desk. Bending down, Rachel discovered a small box.

She saw the box did not have any markings and was surprised when it was not empty. Lifting the lid revealed that it contained Karson's finished manuscript. Rachel surmised that there were approximately 500 pages stacked neatly inside. She did not immediately pull out the box, but the temptation to read the book stayed at the back of her mind. Rachel put the lid back on the box and decided to wait until she received Karson's permission to read his work.

When the clothes were finished and Rachel was back on the computer, she stared at the cluttered but organized onscreen desktop. Karson kept many of his notes in various folders, but she noticed one file apart from the others. Curiosity got the better of her and she discovered the list of publishers he made. Rachel was overcome with a burning desire and immediately set on a course of action. She studied the file for a while before she made a copy and started adding her own notes.

Rachel's new objective kept her mind occupied even after she went to sleep. Publisher names and guidelines ran through her mind over and over. When she awoke the next day, she called Molly and asked if she would mind keeping an eye on Karson. She was more than happy to sit with him. When Molly asked if there was something Rachel needed to take care of, she commented that it was a secret project.

Going against her previous decision, Rachel pulled out the box with Karson's manuscript and found a comfortable place to sit. She methodically read his book from start to finish, only stopping for necessary breaks. She was amazed at how articulate the Companion was; not only in his writing style but also in the way he formulated his ideas and explanations. Rachel was moved by his work and felt closer to Karson for having read it.

During her reading, she kept a notepad and wrote down specific sections in which she thought were representative of the work as a whole. It was evening when she finished with the book and her notes, and she carefully stacked the manuscript back into the box. Then Rachel went to an after hours print shop and made a copy of the book so she could leave the original undisturbed. She separated the book by chapters and then pulled out the selected highlights.

Rachel laid out the highlights, her notes, and a printed copy of the list of publishers. She nodded at her work and smiled, determined to complete the mission on which Karson had set forth. Rachel's goal was to get the Companion published.

Chapter 8

Rachel's routine changed a bit over the next week. When she was not attending to Karson, she spent her free time in contact with as many publishers as she could find. She found the experience frustrating at best.

Many publishers would gladly accept submissions from non-published authors as long as they adhered to their strict guidelines. Thankfully, Karson wrote his manuscript by using many of the established publishing guidelines widely used. Rachel submitted portions of the book along with a generic cover letter to all of the companies with less rigid guidelines. The bigger companies she tailored the cover letter to display some of Karson's previously published articles before explaining the proposed book.

Rachel was disappointed but not at all surprised that she did not receive any responses immediately after her submissions. It took several days before an automated form letter response came from some of the larger book companies. She knew that patience was required in this matter, but desperately wanted to make some progress to show Karson when he woke.

Meanwhile, the Companion displayed signs that he would soon come out of the coma. His fingers twitched and sometimes he mumbled as if dreaming. He even began to shift slightly in his bed, though his movement was severely restricted by the casts. Dr. Barrow was consulted and concluded that Karson could wake up any day now. Rachel visited every day even if Molly or Bobby stopped by; she was determined to be there for Karson.

Roughly a week after Rachel started her campaign to get Karson published, she received a call in the morning as she was eating a meager breakfast and planning her day. She distractedly answered the phone.

"Can I speak to Ms. Rachel Nolan?"

Rachel focused her attention on the caller from the formal tone he used. "Speaking, may I ask who is calling?"

"Good morning Ms. Nolan, this is Roger Greenburg from the Newpress Publishers Group. I received your submission for Mr. K. Shepherd and I was calling to follow up. Do you have a moment to talk?"

Rachel sat upright in her chair and clutched the phone. "Yes, of course."

"I am one of the submission directors here and I was impressed with Mr. Shepherd's work. According to the cover letter you are his agent, is that correct?"

Her mind raced as she thought of a tactful way to answer the question. "Well, I'm currently acting as his agent. Actually, he doesn't have an agent...yet..." Rachel's voice trailed off.

Roger's voice was reassuring as he replied, "Ah, I understand. Well, since this is not a contract negotiation I am not required to talk to an agent, but I can talk to you about Mr. Shepherd's submission."

"Karson."

"Excuse me?"

"You can call him Karson."

"Oh, I see," Roger chuckled. "Karson it is. Anyway, like I was saying, I was impressed with Karson's insightful writing and I think he has quite a lot of potential to be a best seller. Also the fact that this piece comes from a Companion works in his favor. Here at NPG we are starting to expand our group of authors to include Companions, and as such I would like to offer an invitation to Karson to join us."

Rachel's hands trembled as she pressed the phone to her ear. "Are you saying you want to publish Karson's book?"

"Well, that is one way of putting it. There are many steps to go through before reaching that point, but yes; we would like to make him an offer for his book."

Rachel was momentarily speechless and had to take a deep breath. "That is wonderful news Mr. Greenburg, you have no idea how much this means!"

He laughed good-naturedly and replied, "I might have an idea. I've welcomed a few new authors to our group in my time, although Karson would be the first Companion. I would very much like the opportunity to speak with him if I could. Can we make an appointment, say next week?"

"Oh, uh that might not be possible." She could not prevent the tone of deep disappointment from her voice, and Rachel decided to take a chance and explain the situation. She briefly recapped the events from the last three weeks for Roger. The publisher was shocked but very understanding.

"That is a very trying situation for Karson, but I am pleased to hear that he is recovering. Under the circumstances, I could conduct the contract negotiations with you if you are willing to represent Karson as his agent?"

"I think I might be able to handle that." Rachel was not as confident as she sounded, but she wanted to give her best effort for Karson.

"Very good, then I will go ahead and schedule an appointment for next week. Let me get your email address and I will book you a round-trip flight to New York and send you the itinerary." Rachel provided her contact information for Roger. "Excellent, I look forward to speaking with you Rachel. I will give you all the details with the email. Until then, give my best to Karson."

"Thank you Mr. Greenburg, thank you for everything."

"You're welcome! Have a nice day."

Rachel hung up the phone and placed it on the table. She sat for a full minute as the conversation sank in before she cried out with a whoop, "Yes! We did it Karson!"

The rest of the morning passed in a blur as Rachel got dressed and gathered up a few items to take for Karson's visit. She had a definite positive outlook on the world as she strolled through the familiar hospital halls on her way to his room. Almost every person she passed returned the permanent smile she wore.

Rachel slipped quietly into the Companion's room noting that neither Molly nor Bobby was present. As much as she loved her friends, today she was glad to have some quiet time with Karson, especially after the news from the morning. She sat down in the familiar chair and pulled out Romeo, gently lifted Karson's arm, tucked the plush into the crook of his elbow and laid his arm back down across his abdomen. She patted his hand and smiled over at him.

"I'm here now sweetie, I hope you are doing well." Rachel briefly stood up and leaned over to give him a kiss. She did not notice as Karson inhaled and moved his head slightly. She twined her fingers through his hand and squeezed softly.

Rachel nearly jumped with fright as he squeezed her fingers back. She quickly untangled her fingers and stood over the Companion. She called to him in a shaky and excited voice while she stroked his cheek, "Karson? Can you hear me?"

His brow creased slightly as he scrunched his eyes. Karson's voice was little more than a croak as he spoke, "Rachel?"

Rachel nearly broke down crying with joy as she pressed her cheek against his. "Karson! How do you feel?" She absently pressed the call button for the nurse as the Companion became more awake.

"Ow, my head hurts." He blinked several times as his eyes opened and saw Rachel looming over him. "Where am I?"

Rachel could not stop the tears flowing down her cheeks as she kissed him, but before she could say more than "hospital" the nurse on call walked in. She smiled after seeing her patient awake and quickly took his vitals. The nurse made a note in his chart but departed after reassuring Rachel that Karson was not in immediate need of her services and said that she would inform Dr. Barrow.

Rachel was excited and relieved as she sat on the side of the bed squeezing Karson's hand and pressing it to her cheek. The Companion quickly learned that he was unable to move much more than his head and his right arm. "You've been unconscious for weeks, we were all pretty worried. But now you are finally awake!" Rachel was too choked up with emotion to say any more.

Karson yawned and said, "I think I actually woke up last night, but I was so groggy I did not figure out where I was before falling asleep again. I guess I got pretty banged up huh?"

Rachel sniffed and looked into Karson's eyes. "I know you just woke up sweetie, but can you tell me about what happened?" She felt torn between an overwhelming curiosity to find out first hand details of his attack and not wanting to bring up the traumatic experience for Karson.

Karson nodded slowly. "I can tell you what I remember, things are still a bit fuzzy. First can I have some water, I'm terribly thirsty?"

She gasped and looked ashamed that she had not thought of his needs. "Yes, of course let me get you a glass." Rachel quickly gave Karson a cup of water and he sipped it gratefully.

"Ah! Thanks." He smiled at Rachel and she smiled back. "Well, from what I can remember I was taking a shortcut over to a park on my skates of course. This man jumped out from behind a dumpster and wanted my money. I gave him everything I had but he said he was going to teach me a lesson." Karson paused and had a far away look in his eyes and Rachel wondered what was going through his mind. He turned to Rachel and continued, "When the man broke my arm, I started fearing that my life was in real danger. I tried to get away, but after he hit me over the shoulder I could not move. Then there was black and I woke up here." He again had a blank look on his face and Rachel felt guilty for asking him to describe his attack such a short time after waking.

"Okay, we can talk more about it some other time; the important thing is that you are awake now. Sometime soon though, the police will want to talk to you so they can take a statement and try to catch the mugger." Karson nodded and Rachel crawled up onto the side of the bed with him. She pressed her face into his neck and started crying.

Karson was slightly confused but wrapped his free arm around her. She cried softly for a while, but the Companion held her and the two snuggled as best they could. Karson asked some questions after Rachel stopped crying about what had happened since he had been in the hospital. The two spoke softly and soon lay in silence not wanting to break the mood of their reunion.

Rachel gently combed her fingers through the fur at Karson's neck under his chin. He sighed and chuckled lightly. "That tickles."

"Is that so? It's too bad you are in a hospital bed, you are in such a perfect position for me to tickle you silly."

Karson could not resist and reached around to tickle Rachel in the ribs. She squirmed and giggled in his face. "No fair you cheater, I'll get you back."

The Companion smirked and winked as he replied, "You wouldn't take advantage of a guy in traction would you?"

Rachel giggled in a different tone and pressed close to him. "Somehow I don't think you'd mind if I took advantage of you..." Her last words floated into his ear on her hot breath and she started to lean up and nibble on his ear even though it poked out of the bandage around his head. Before she could follow through with her intended action the door swung open and Molly and Bobby strolled in.

"Good day Rachel, thought we'd stop-Karson, you're awake!" Molly nearly screamed and bounded over to the bed as Rachel moved off of it. Bobby was right on her heels but too choked up to say anything. Molly draped her arm around the Companion and kissed him forcefully. Karson was glad for the sentiment but winced and uttered an "ow" before she sheepishly backed off.

"I'm sorry dear, just got a little excited. It is so good to see you up!"

"Thank you, Molly. Hey Bobby, how are you?"

The beagle came up and swiftly wiped his eye before his usual smile returned. "Doing much better, thanks. You had us worried brother. Rachel was such a trooper, she would have never left if we had not made her go home and get some rest."

Karson smiled at Rachel briefly, but turned to his friends. "Thank you for helping her out. Pull up a chair and tell me what has been happening? Rachel said I've been out for nearly three weeks."

"Well, we went on our overseas vacation." Molly sat next to Bobby and held her husband's hand. "It was lovely Karson, we'll show you pictures when you get out of here."

Bobby nodded and added, "Aye we had a grand time. Next time you and Rachel will have to come along."

Karson smiled at Rachel again and said, "That sounds nice!"

Molly, with Bobby's help, retold their journey through Europe. When she finished describing Ireland and Spain, she mentioned that France was next on the trip. Karson's ears perked up and he said, "I had a dream about you visiting Paris! You and Bobby had dinner on the Eiffel Tower and he gave you a red rose at sunset. It is strange, that dream seemed so real. When you mentioned France it came back to me. Guess I did a lot of dreaming while I was asleep."

Bobby stared at Karson in wonder while Molly simply made eye contact with Rachel and put her hand over her lips to hide her smile. She could not resist seeing Bobby's reaction. The beagle asked his friend, "Did Rachel tell you about our trip? How could you have possibly known about the rose at sunset?"

Karson shrugged as best he could since his left shoulder could not move without pain. "I thought it was a dream, I had no idea that actually happened."

Bobby shook his head and Molly teased him. "Maybe Companions are clairvoyant?" The beagle looked around the room but Rachel could not hold back her laughter any longer and let him off the hook after she giggled.

"Sorry Bobby, Molly actually did tell us about the trip. It was the first time she visited and Karson was still..." There was an uncomfortable pause as Rachel took a breath. "Well, anyway I'm surprised that he remembered that detail. I guess the doc was right about people talking to patients."

Molly smiled at both of the Companions and kissed Bobby, feeling slightly guilty at having a laugh at his expense. Bobby did not seem to mind in the least and continued on with the story about the dinner at sunset. Karson smiled at the pleasant story and both of the girls sighed at the romantic overtones.

Bobby laughed as he concluded the dinner story. "I tell you, she was putty in my hands brother. After I gave her the rose, we sat side by side and watched the sky grow dark and the lights of the city sparkle. I'm sure the wine helped too, but it was just lovely. The City of Lights...there is a reason why they call it the most romantic place in the world." Bobby sighed and Molly leaned against him, both with grins from their remembered experience.

Molly and Bobby recounted a few more stories and were in the middle of the trip around the Mediterranean when the nurse entered. "Good evening everyone. I know that visiting hours still have a little more time, but I need to check Mr. Shepherd's bandages and removed the IV now that he is awake."

The married couple stood and said that they should be going. They gave their goodbyes as the nurse waited. Rachel quickly gave her goodbyes to them as well, hugging each in turn. They promised to visit again soon and Karson smiled and waved as they left.

The nurse prompted Rachel. "Will you be staying?"

Rachel sat next to the bed and looked at Karson. "I'd like to stay if that is okay?"

"Yes it is fine," the nurse said as she raised the back of the bed to an upright position. She had a friendly bedside manner as she spoke about what she was doing. "Now that you are awake, you will be able to eat actual meals instead of having to use the IV. I'm actually surprised you are not already hungry."

Karson smiled and said, "I'm sure I will be soon."

The nurse held out her hand. "Can I please see your right hand? This may feel a little weird and you may feel a little pinch." She peeled back the tape holding the tube to the back of his hand and gently but firmly pulled the IV from his skin. Karson did not make a sound, but his ears flinched as the tube came free and the nurse was quick to pull out a piece of gauze and gave his hand a quick dressing.

She smiled at Rachel but her tone was a little more serious. "The next part is a little more personal. I need to remove Karson's catheter. Do you want any privacy Karson?"

He looked at Rachel briefly before giving the nurse his answer. "No, Rachel can stay."

She nodded. "Very well, this will only take a moment." She pulled down the light cover sheet of his bed and her hand disappeared under his hospital gown. Karson's brow furrowed and he wore an uncomfortable expression as Rachel did her best not to giggle. Suddenly his expression turned to one of relief as the nurse gathered up the tube and pulled his covers back to their former position. Rachel patted his tummy and grinned.

"Better now?" He nodded.

The nurse put away the catheter in a small cart and turned back to the Companion. "Now I need to check your stitches. Please hold still." Karson gave a quick nod and held his head still as the nurse unwound the bandages. Rachel looked on with curiosity and was silently surprised when Karson's hand found hers and squeezed. Rachel knew he was nervous about his injury but she put on a warm smile and tried to reassure him that everything was okay even when she was just as nervous.

Rachel could not suppress the reflexive gasp when the nurse pulled back the pad and she saw the large red scar. The blow to Karson's head had required 8 stitches to repair and was approximately 2 inches long. Karson drew a shaky breath and winced as the nurse gently probed his stitches. Hesitantly he asked, "Is it bad? Can I...can I see a mirror?"

The nurse immediately responded, "Yes of course." She retrieved a mirror from across the room and handed it to the Companion. Karson took a deep breath and held up the mirror to take a good look. Rachel squeezed his hand as his eyes flicked around and he stared intently at his reflection. Karson saw that a large patch of fur around the gash had been shaved and the stitches were clearly visible against his grayish skin. The wound started about the middle of his left eyebrow and ran up at an angle toward his ear. The Companion sighed and let the mirror fall back in his lap.

The nurse patted his shoulder and said, "It is not as bad as it looks. In a couple of weeks you will probably not notice it." Karson knew the nurse was just trying to make him feel better, but he doubted that he would ever not notice it. The nurse quickly and gently cleaned the wound, and replaced the pad before re-wrapping the bandage around his head. He waggled his ears around after she finished and the nurse departed a moment later.

Rachel stared at Karson with concern since he looked quite subdued after he saw his head. She sat once again and patted his arm. "Can I get you anything, Kar?"

He sighed again but gave her a smile. "I think I might be getting hungry, but I'm okay for the moment. Guess I'll have to actually get up to use the bathroom, but thankfully I don't have to go right now." Rachel nodded and also sighed when she glanced at the clock.

"Visiting hours are almost over, which means someone will be along shortly to kick me out until tomorrow." She frowned and stared at the floor. Karson reached over and pulled her chin up.

"Come here," he said softly and Rachel stood up and held his hand. He pulled on her hand and looked her in the eyes. "Closer, like before." She took the hint and crawled on the bed next to him again as her tears threatened to return. Karson stroked her head and murmured, "Shh, it's alright now. You can go home and get some rest knowing that you can talk to me tomorrow. Don't worry, I won't go anywhere." Rachel could not help chuckling at his dry humor and squeezed him.

"I've really missed you, Karson," she said with all seriousness.

"I can tell. I'm sorry for making you worry. Now come on, be a good girl and get up before they make you leave for taking advantage of an invalid."

She laughed again and poked him in the stomach. "Just you wait 'til I get you home." Rachel reluctantly stood up from the bed and placed Romeo firmly back in the Companion's grasp. "I guess this guy can keep you company tonight. Lately, he's been filling in for you but I suppose I can go one night alone."

Karson playfully squeezed the plush in a headlock. "Been putting the moves on my girl eh?" The two shared a laugh as a nurse poked her head in and said visiting hours were over. Rachel sighed again and looked at Karson who smiled back. She leaned over and cradled his face in her hands.

"I love you so much, Karson. I am so thankful that you are awake now." She kissed him tenderly but passionately as Karson closed his eyes in bliss. The Companion sighed and slowly opened his eyes again.

"I love you too, Rachel. Have a good night my love, I'll see you tomorrow." Rachel backed out of the room not wanting to break eye contact with the Companion who smiled back the whole time. She turned around and nearly ran into the nurse bringing him a tray of food. For some reason Rachel found the idea of Karson eating hospital food amusing and she laughed. The nurse smiled at her wondering what the joke was as Rachel left for home.

Chapter 9

When Rachel got home she checked her email and saw that Roger Greenburg had sent her the promised itinerary and booked a flight to New York in four days. The message outlined what she needed to bring and her estimated arrival and departure times. She made a note to talk to Molly about the day trip so Karson would not be left alone.

Rachel's thoughts centered on the Companion and she hoped that he would be able to come home very soon. She tossed and turned all night and was too anxious to get any real sleep. She was already up and into her morning routine when her alarm went off.

Dressed and ready to go, Rachel impatiently kept an eye on the clock. She was prepared to go visit Karson, the only problem was that visiting hours did not start for another two hours. Rachel grumbled and attempted to find anything to occupy her, and finally decided to browse through some of the forums she had neglected over the last few weeks.

She was soon lost digging through the various threads and even found a few useful bits of information. Scanning the forums reminded her that she would need to check in with work at some point, and did not know if it was a good sign that she had not received a single work related email. She pushed the thought aside to worry about later since enough time had passed and she could visit Karson now.

Rachel arrived at the hospital after a quick stop to get a treat for the Companion. She walked into his room and right into his outstretched arm. The two kissed for a moment as Rachel sat on the edge of the bed. Karson was very happy to see her but became very curious when he discovered the bag she brought.

"What have you got there?"

Rachel teased him and said, "Nothing."

He tickled her chin and continued, "Are you sure?"

She pulled the small bag from behind her back and placed it on his stomach. "Oh you mean this? Just picked up a little something to treat my Kuddles."

"Ooh, what kind of treat?"

Rachel pulled out a small container of ice cream with a spoon and held it up for him. "The kind that melts." They shared a giggle as she pulled off the lid, scooped out a spoonful and held it up for Karson.

He smiled but looked mildly confused. "You're going to feed me ice cream?"

Rachel smiled with a nod and waited for him to open his mouth. He did so and licked the ice cream off the spoon as she shoveled it in. He swallowed the bite and licked his lips. "Mmm that is yummy. Pralines and cream, right?"

Rachel took a bite of the ice cream as well. "Yeah, I have not had any for a long time. I figured you deserved a little something sweet."

Karson grinned and said, "Your kisses are all the sweets I ever need." Rachel blushed at the compliment and leaned over to plant a kiss on his nose.

"Ooh you're so romantic." Karson nodded and held open his mouth again for another bite, and Rachel could not resist his cute expression.

After they finished the ice cream, a nurse arrived with a tray of lunch for Karson. He laughed lightly after the nurse left and turned to Rachel. "Guess I had my dessert first. I'm not really all that hungry but the staff gives me funny looks if I don't eat my food. Do you want me to wait so you can get something too?"

Rachel patted Karson's hand and replied, "Nah, you go ahead. I'll grab something later. Never thought you might actually want to eat hospital food, I always hear it is terrible."

Karson started to eat his cooked carrots and shrugged. "It is not so bad. Trust me, I've had much worse."

Intrigued, Rachel prompted him. "What was the worst thing you've eaten?"

The Companion chewed his food and reflected briefly. "It was probably when Kara decided she was going to cook the family dinner, and of course I had to eat it because I was her Companion." He pulled a face at the remembered meal. "She somehow managed to burn and undercook pork chops. Then there was the corn that had way too much salt in it. The combination of having to eat that stuff was not pleasant." He continued his current meal moving on to the small portion of pasta.

Rachel giggled at his tragic experience. "Well, if I ever cook that bad I promise I won't make you eat it."

Karson was just finishing his jello when Dr. Barrow walked in holding his chart. Rachel stood and greeted the doctor and he briefly checked Karson's vitals. The doctor scribbled a note in the chart and smiled at the pair.

"I have some good news; it looks like Karson will be ready to be discharged tomorrow." Rachel squeezed Karson's hand and could tell he was relieved to hear such news. "We just need to do a little paperwork and get you set up with a pair of crutches. I'll also have some of the upper portion of your arm cast cut so you can start doing physical training, but you'll get a packet that has exercises and guides to help you along."

Rachel asked if there would be any last effects from Karson's head injury that they need to worry about. The doctor explained briefly the extent of the injury and tried to give them his reassurance that Karson would be just fine. "Please do let me know if for any reason you experience dizziness, blackouts or uncommon headaches. I do not expect you to have such symptoms, but it's always better to play it safe." The doctor pulled out a card and handed it to Rachel. "Just in case," he said.

The doctor told Karson that there would be someone coming in the evening to take care of the cast and he departed when the Companion had no further questions. The pair sat and talked about things to do once they got home. The conversation quickly entered into playful teasing by both partners about what would happen when they got into the bedroom.

Before she knew it visiting hours had concluded for Rachel. She left as an orderly came to escort Karson to another room for his partial cast removal. She kissed him lovingly and promised she would be back bright and early.

Karson did not enjoy the procedure to have the upper portion of his arm cast removed. Since his left forearm and bicep were enclosed in the cast it was difficult for him to move. Also since his left collarbone had been broken, the extra weight of the cast made it painful to be moved around. The technician did his best to be quick, but by the time Karson was returned to his room he was in a sour mood. He certainly was not looking forward to the next few weeks of inevitable pain and discomfort as he recovered fully.

He lay on his right side to try and relieve some of the pressure on his left shoulder and cuddle Romeo. He snuggled his nose next to the plush and inhaled discovering that it held a bit of Rachel's scent. Karson closed his eyes and wished he was in the arms of his lover.

The Companion let his thoughts wander as he contemplated how he could get back to his normal life. Just then there was a knock at the door. Karson was curious since the staff rarely ever knocked before entering, but he did not look up as his back was to the door.

"You can come in," he said clearly. He heard the door open and close and footsteps approach the bed.

"Karson Shepherd?" The voice was firm but did not hold a tone of aggressiveness.

"I don't mean to be rude, but visiting hours are over." Karson did not particularly feel like talking at the moment.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but I need to talk to you. I'm Officer David Parker, my partner and I were the ones on scene after your incident. I was hoping I could get a statement from you?"

Karson sighed and snuggled his plush wishing the man would go away. "Can't we do this tomorrow?"

David walked up closer to the bed and his voice was softer when he spoke again. "I would have come earlier today, but I could not get away from duty. It might help us catch the guy that did this if you could talk to me and let me take some details?"

The Companion turned back towards the officer and saw the sincerity in his face. "Okay Mr. Parker, I'll answer what questions I can."

David smiled and got out a small digital recorder. "Thank you and you can call me David. I'll just record everything and file the statement when I get back to the office. Hopefully we can keep this short, the last thing I want to do is make this unpleasant for you, but we do need to go over everything you remember."

Karson nodded and took a deep breath. "I'm ready; you can ask me whatever you need."

David placed his hand on Karson's arm in a friendly gesture. "If you need a moment don't hesitate to ask, okay?" Karson swallowed and nodded. "Now, can you tell me where you were going when you were accosted?"

Parker asked a series of questions, each trying to get slightly more detailed information from Karson. The Companion in turn tried to describe as much detail as he could recall: the clothing of the man, the way he talked, the things he said, and the way the man acted. Karson was actually surprised that he could talk so objectively about his attack as he examined the experience in hindsight.

The officer stopped the recorder when he felt that he had gained enough information. "Thank you very much Karson. I know that this is a difficult experience, but I am going to try my best to find this criminal. For now, you focus on getting better. I'll get in contact with you if we come up with any information."

David stood and wished him a good evening. Before he stepped away, Karson held out his right hand. "Thank you David, it means a lot." The man smiled, shook Karson's hand and then departed. Though the details from Karson's attack were fresh in his mind, he felt a bit more relaxed about the situation knowing that the officer was sincere in his declaration to find the mugger.

The following morning arrived and before long Rachel joined him as he was ushered out of the hospital. Karson was dressed in shorts and a loose shirt that Rachel had brought from home and was glad to finally get some fresh air. The transition from wheelchair to car was a bit awkward since Karson was still trying to figure out how to move without wincing in pain, but with Rachel's help he was finally buckled in. Rachel stowed his crutches and other items in the back seat before she hopped in the car as well.

"Let's get you home Kuddles."

Karson grinned with a nod and pulled the cabbie hat Bobby had left him lower across his forehead. "I'm ready, let's go."

Chapter 10

The next few days were a somewhat trying experience for both Rachel and Karson. Karson found that in his weakened condition he was more dependent on Rachel than he would have preferred. Rachel did not mind tending to Karson, but sometimes was a bit overbearing trying to anticipate his every need and even insisted on feeding him.

Rachel had mentioned to him that she needed to go to an appointment and that she arranged for Bobby to come over that day to help him out. "It is only for the day, so I should probably be back late in the evening. You two can behave that long can't you?" Karson was secretly glad for the break, but was also reluctant to have Rachel leave.

When Bobby arrived early the next morning, Rachel kissed Karson sweetly and told Bobby to keep an eye on him. She left shortly with Molly who agreed to ferry her to the airport. Before long the two Companions were up to their usual antics and Karson enjoyed the time with his friend as Bobby shared stories about his vacation.

Meanwhile, Rachel met with Roger to discuss the book deal. She was impressed with the company and equally impressed with how much Roger wanted to sign Karson on as one of their published authors.

"This is an excellent time for Karson to get his book out," Roger was saying. "With Companions having much more economic freedom, we anticipate that there will be a large influx of new readers, especially with a book looking at the topic of Human/Companion interactions."

Rachel had to agree with Roger's assessment. "Now is the part I'm sure you've been waiting for. I am prepared to offer Karson $25,000 for the first run of his book, along with royalties and an open offer to publish his next book. There are some other fine details we can discuss later such as an exclusivity bonus if he publishes his next book with us, but I digress."

Roger looked at Rachel as she sat in stunned silence. He smiled having seen this reaction a number of times in the past. "I can give you some time if you need to think about it?"

Rachel shook her head to snap out of the state she was in. "No, I'm fine, just surprised that's all. I accept the offer on behalf of Karson."

"Excellent, I'll get the notary and our contract lawyer to go over the finer points with you. Let me be the first to extend our congratulations to you and Karson. Welcome aboard!"

Rachel met with the lawyer and got all the paperwork taken care of with the notary, and was given a full copy of the contract to keep on file. She in turn gave Karson's full manuscript to Roger. "How long do you think it will take for the book to get onto the shelf?"

Roger laughed, "Very soon I hope. We need to pass this by the senior editor, but I suspect very little will need to be fixed. After that, we basically just need a cover design and start printing. I think we could get copies to stores in as little as 4 weeks!"

Rachel was indeed impressed and asked for Roger to contact her as soon as he knew the first shelf date. Roger said to give his regards to Karson as he escorted Rachel out when her visit was concluded. Rachel hoped that she could hold on to the surprise for Karson and contemplated ways to reveal it to him on her flight home.

She surprised everyone when she entered the apartment unannounced. Molly hopped up and helped her with her bag as she berated her in a friendly manner. "You should have called me; I would have picked you up."

"Nah, it's okay," she said as she walked over to where Karson sat on the couch next to Bobby. She winked at Bobby as she knelt down to kiss and snuggle Karson. "Sorry, boyfriends first Bobby."

Bobby laughed at the expression on Karson's face as Rachel stroked his ears tenderly. "I completely understand Rachel. That boy missed you."

Rachel giggled and planted a kiss on Karson's nose. "Aww, did Kuddles miss me?" Karson nodded and Rachel could tell just how true the sentiment was when he was reluctant to let go of her hand. Rachel leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Let me see these two off, and then we can have some snuggle time, okay?"

Rachel chatted with Molly and Bobby for a few minutes, but dropped the subtle hint to Molly that she was tired and wanted to be alone with Karson. Molly immediately understood and ushered Bobby toward the door. The beagle was reluctant to part from his friend but gave in when Molly tugged on his ear in a playful manner. Bobby shook his friends hand and hugged Rachel goodnight. Molly likewise gave her farewells and in another moment the apartment was quiet.

Karson thoroughly enjoyed when Rachel sat next to him and stroked his ears and his cheek. He did not realize how much her overbearing touch had meant to him until it was not there. He was suddenly ashamed that he could ever feel resentment over the fact that she cared too much for him at times.

"Rachel," he said softly, "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for the way I've acted since I got home. I know I got kind of grumpy because you wanted to do everything for me. I just want you to know that I really do appreciate it, and I still love you no matter what."

"Aw, Karson you don't have to apologize for anything. I should apologize for smothering you; I just don't want anything else to happen to you. You mean so much to me."

The two had a quiet moment as they stroked each other's cheek. Karson was the first to break the silence. "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately...actually, even before my incident. I know that I will probably not live as long as you will, but I want to spend the rest of my time on this world with you."

"Karson, I-"

He placed a finger on her lips gently. "Shh, let me continue." She nodded and smiled at him. "I did not get a chance to tell you that the policeman stopped by my room the other night. I told him all about the attack, but I did not tell you the real reason it happened." Karson took a deep breath and looked into Rachel's eyes. "I was on my way back from picking up a ring for you."

Rachel stroked his ears and spoke. "Karson sweetie, I know about the ring. I was going to bring it up when the time was right, but things have been so busy lately." She stood up quickly and retrieved the ring from her bag where she kept it, and handed the scuffed wooden box to Karson.

The Companion stared at the box in disbelief. "I was afraid that I had lost this in the fight." He looked up at Rachel with a mix of emotions. "So...you've seen it then?" She nodded once and saw his expression change from disappointment to hurt to confusion. The look on his face almost made Rachel reveal her own secret of getting his book published, but she decided that he would forgive her later. She hoped he would forgive her.

Karson's gaze sank to the small box he held in his hand. Rachel stroked his head again. "Karson, I love you so very much. I'm sorry that I forgot to tell you about the ring, I know it really means a lot to you. It does to me too! But we can wait just a little while longer while you get better."

He could not help feeling some disappointment that his surprise had been taken away. The Companion saw the sincere look in Rachel's eyes and decided that she would always be with him, ring or not. He gave her a smirk and set the ring aside. "Just try to act surprised when I finally get around to proposing, okay?"

Rachel nearly started crying when she knew that Karson understood. She pressed her face to his neck and hugged him. "I'll be the most surprised person you've ever seen! But you have to be surprised when I say yes."

He smiled and stroked her head. "Of course!" Rachel sighed and snuggled next to the Companion. After a few moments, she stood up and disappeared into the bedroom. Karson called after her when she did not immediately return. "Rach? What are you doing? I think I'm feeling like turning in."

She leaned around the corner of the hallway and smirked at him. "Is that so? I was just on my way in here to collect you." She leaned seductively against the door jamb dressed in a skimpy light red chemise. Karson's eyes widened in surprise and his ears perked up.

Rachel swaggered up and bent down to scoop him up. Karson licked her cheek and she giggled. "Be gentle, love," he said playfully, but half serious.

She winked and carried him into the bedroom where the bed was already turned down. Rachel carefully placed him in bed and made sure he was comfortable before she turned off the lights and lit a candle for mood lighting.

Karson enjoyed her attentions as she slowly and sensuously snuggled and massaged him all over. Their activities were nothing more than being close to one another since Karson was in no condition for lovemaking, but they both took pleasure in being together once again. Karson drifted off to sleep happily with Rachel's warm body pressed against him and her head on his chest.

After another couple of weeks Karson had recovered enough to get his casts removed. Rachel replaced his crutches with a cane to help him walk while his leg regained strength. When he returned home free of the casts, the first thing he did was take a shower. Rachel insisted on joining him and he could not refuse.

It was probably the longest shower they had taken together in several months, but Karson enjoyed every minute. He relished the feeling of letting Rachel scrub his fur, which lead to quite a lot of intimate caressing and fondling. Reluctantly, he had to end the shower when he became tired from standing.

Rachel helped him towel and comb his neglected fur and sat with him in front of the fan afterward. Karson sensed that something was different about Rachel this evening. When she leaned over and kissed him passionately on a whim, he waited until she finished before asking her.

"Is there something on your mind Rachel?"

She turned away and fidgeted with her hands. "You can read me so well, Kar. Actually, yeah there is something. I got an email from my boss asking when I was coming back to work."

Karson smiled and replied, "Well, now that my casts are off, I guess you can start back whenever you want."

She sighed but gave him a small smile. "Yeah, I suppose so. I just don't want things to get to the point that they were a few weeks ago. I don't want anything to come between us again."

Karson place a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, things will work out. At the very least we can always talk about it." Rachel turned away again and bit her lip, wondering if she should go ahead and tell him about the book. She decided to wait just a little bit longer. She hoped that since Karson was occupied with his recovery he would be distracted from resuming his own search to get published.

Between the two of them, they discussed Rachel returning to work and decided that she would visit her boss the next day and see what her status was. Just as Rachel hoped, Karson became preoccupied with planning out his physical training routine and did not mention anything about the ring or his book.

Rachel was surprised to find that talking to her boss was very straightforward. He went over her review and she was pleased with her results, finding that he had given her a fair and subjective report. She even managed to get a small raise. They agreed that she would start back to work at the beginning of the next week, since it was almost the end of the current week.

She also took the opportunity to stop by her area and briefly speak with her teammates. They were supportive and glad to hear that she would be returning to work, which lifted her attitude significantly. Rachel found that she looked forward to picking up her job where she left it.

Karson was very understanding and supportive of her decision, and proud of her upon hearing the results of her review. When Saturday arrived Rachel decided to celebrate by taking Karson to dinner at The Grinning Bulldog, which also gave them a chance to see their friends.

Bobby greeted the pair at the door as they arrived and helped Karson over to their usual booth. Rachel momentarily joined Molly at the bar leaving the two Companions alone. Bobby sat down across from his friend.

"I'm glad to see you up and about and I'm sure you are glad to be rid of those casts." Karson could not help noticing that his friend was not wearing his hat, which currently sat atop his own head. He removed the hat and held it out to Bobby.

"Here, I should return this." Bobby glanced at the small bandage still on Karson's forehead and gently pushed his hand back.

"It was a gift, brother. It would mean a lot to me if you kept it and wore it. Besides, I can always get another one." Karson grinned at his friend and placed the cap back on his head.

"Thanks." Bobby nodded and leaned over to tug the cap further down on his brow.

"Least you can do is wear it proper." The two friends laughed and Bobby launched into another story.

Across the bar, the girls turned at the laughter and shared a giggle themselves. Molly came to stand next to Rachel and squeezed her arm. "It is good to see Karson here again. This place is not the same without him; I cannot wait until he can come back. That is if you don't mind?"

Rachel dismissed Molly's concern with the wave of a hand. "Are you kidding? Karson loves this job and he loves you two as well. I could never take that away from him. As long as he is happy then I am happy."

Karson and Rachel stayed until closing time after the friends had dinner. Molly took it upon herself to tend to customers so Bobby could visit and Karson teased his friend to no end every time she had to leave the table.

"You should help her clean those tables. Now if I was on shift, Molly would never see a table waiting to be cleaned." Rachel tweaked his ear playfully.

"Don't brag in front of your girlfriend and best pal. Bobby can't help it if he is lazy." Karson and Rachel both turned to the beagle and burst out laughing.

He put on a mock hurt expression and called to Molly. "Moll, they're saying I'm lazy!"

She appeared beside the booth with a bucket of dirty glasses. "You want to help me carry this load into the kitchen?" Bobby shook his head no. "That's what I thought you lazy flea bag of a husband." Molly turned to the other pair and smiled. "He may be lazy, but I still love him." She planted a kiss on his head between his ears and shuffled back into the kitchen.

Bobby sighed and his gaze followed her to the kitchen door. He grinned sheepishly at his friends when he turned back around. "Excuse me for a moment." He hopped up and trotted into the kitchen.

Karson smile at Rachel. "Thanks for the wonderful evening."

Rachel smiled back and leaned close. "You are most welcome." If Karson meant to reply further it was lost in the kiss she gave him. They briefly broke their embrace and giggled when they heard a loud whoop from behind the kitchen door.

Karson said, "Maybe we should give those two some alone time?"

"Yeah, and then we can have our own alone time." Rachel raised her eyebrows suggestively. Karson nodded and Rachel stood up. She walked over to the kitchen door and called out, "Molly?" When she got no response she pushed her head into the door.

"Hey, Karson and I are going to-whoops!" Rachel quickly let the door close and returned to the booth blushing. Karson was curious and Rachel murmured what she had seen behind the closed door. They both shared a quiet giggle and Molly appeared a moment later with tousled hair.

"Hey guys," she said slightly out of breath. "Sorry, got a little distracted in the kitchen...we didn't mean to keep you. You probably want to get home..."

Rachel stood up again and hugged her friend. "Thank you for having us, it was fun. I'll talk to you soon." Bobby emerged a few seconds later and shuffled over to the booth as Karson was standing.

Karson got a hug from Bobby and a kiss from Molly. "We'll see you around, Kar," Bobby said to him at the door. The beagle bolted the door behind his friends and turned back to his wife. "Now, where were we...?" She grinned and threw her arms around Bobby as he whisked her off her feet and went back to the kitchen.

Chapter 11

Rachel found going back to the daily grind a bit challenging the first few days, but was soon adjusted as if there was no interruption. Karson likewise got adjusted to his new regiment of exercising and getting back in shape. The two even resumed their after dinner games and looked forward to spending the evenings talking.

Wednesday afternoon Rachel received an email from Roger Greenburg stating that Karson's book was due in stores in approximately one week. She was very excited about the news and immediately started thinking of the best way to reveal the surprise to Karson. Rachel wondered if she would be able to endure the next week.

Perhaps thankfully, Rachel had more than enough work to keep her occupied and so far Karson had not mentioned anything about his book. The weekend arrived and she treated Karson to a day in the park. They managed to catch a few tunes from the musicians they discovered previously and the two enjoyed the time spent together.

As the weekend came to a close Karson was a little out of character as he professed his love to Rachel. She welcomed his advances and the two spent most of the day in the bedroom. Rachel was reluctant as always to go back to the work routine, but the thought of Karson's book reminded her that she had something to work for.

Rachel was sitting at her desk a couple of days later having just finished her lunch conversation with Karson when the idea struck her. Karson had not visited the bookstore since before his incident and what a perfect way for her to 'discover' his book. By the end of the day she had worked out the plan for her to take Karson to the store under the pretense that she was going to buy him some new reading material, and then she would show him his own book.

She began dropping hints and suggestions to Karson from that evening and by the time Saturday came the Companion looked forward to getting a new book. Rachel took him to the large bookstore he preferred and she followed Karson around as he browsed at a leisurely pace. She made suggestions as they moved through the store trying to steer him to the section where he could find his book.

When they finally wandered into the Social section, Rachel let Karson look around. She spotted the book first and quickly went to stand next to the shelf. She picked up a copy and looked at the stylized cover and ran her finger over the embossed title: Companions for Companions. An overwhelming sense of pride coursed through her and she nearly giggled when she looked at Karson's picture inside the back cover. He looked so handsome and professional she could hardly believe that it was a picture she had taken with her digital camera.

Rachel quickly set the book back on the shelf when Karson came over to her. "See anything you like?" She watched the Companion's face for any sign that he had seen the book.

Karson glanced around before replying. "I'm not sure; nothing is really grabbing my attention."

A smiled hovered around Rachel's lips as she said, "Maybe you aren't looking hard enough?" She leaned right next to the copies of his book.

"What is that suppos-" Karson stopped in mid-sentence as his gaze fell upon the book. He stared in utter belief as Rachel picked up a copy and handed it to him. "This can't be..." He turned the book over and read the back cover, and was still in shock when wordlessly Rachel opened it to his picture.

"I'm sorry sweetheart...I wanted to tell you so badly so many times recently. I just wanted to make it a big surprise. Congratulations!" Rachel hugged the still unbelieving Companion.

He looked at her with an expression of deep confusion and all he could manage to say was, "How?"

"After your incident I found your manuscript one day. At first I was not going to touch it, but then I found your spreadsheet with publishers and I put the pieces together. I just wanted to help you out since I knew it was important to you. I can show you the contract when we get home."

Karson's face finally broke into a wide grin. "I can't believe it. I'm a published author now!" He nearly leaped on Rachel as he wrapped his arms around her neck. "Thank you, thank you!" She laughed with him and shared in his excitement. "I love you Rachel, this is a dream come true!"

"I love you too Karson!" She squeezed him back for a moment before they both regained their composure. The Companion wore an irrepressible grin as he wandered across the store to the small coffee cafe still clutching his book.

"I'll get us something to drink," Rachel said as she pulled out a chair for Karson.

Karson nodded and set down the book but did not sit. "I think all this excitement is a little much, I need to use the restroom."

Rachel giggled in return and said, "Okay, go ahead. I'll be here." She watched him for a moment as he disappeared into the book isles, but took her place in line and soon returned to the table with two iced teas. She sipped her drink and idly looked around wondering what was keeping Karson. According to the clock on the wall he had been gone for nearly ten minutes.

It took Rachel several seconds to realize that there was no longer any music playing in the store, but someone was speaking. She could not quite make out what the person was saying, but saw a few people standing next to a nearby column break out in smiles. She looked up and saw that it had a speaker pointed toward that section of the store, so she stood and approached to listen as well.

Standing within range of the speaker she finally heard what was being said. She was confused for a moment at hearing the familiar voice.

"-to read a poem I wrote for someone special in my life, hopefully she is listening."

"Her eyes sparkle like topaz

Caught in the last rays of the sun

The warmth held in that gaze

Fears once held, now gone.

Her laugh echoes in my ears

Like the chorus of gentle rain

To wash doubt from my mind

And take away my pain.

Her fingers deftly pluck

The vibrating strings of my heart

My voice calls out to her

'Let us never part.'"

Rachel listened intently as the voice read the words, and as the poem continued she realized that it was familiar. Karson had composed the poem and recited it to her on her last birthday. During the last stanza, she was oblivious to the people around her who silently parted to make way for the speaker as he approached behind her.

The voice suddenly originated from behind Rachel instead of the speaker, and she whirled around to come face to face with Karson. The world melted away as the Companion slowly sank to his knee in front of her and pulled out the small wooden box. He smiled and continued his poem.

"Dearest Rachel, you are the love of my life. Will you do me the honor, of becoming my wife?"

Many of the people in the crowd said "aww" at the tender and romantic display before them, but Rachel only saw Karson and the intense look of love in his eyes. She was too overcome with emotion to speak and simply nodded vigorously.

Karson quickly slipped the ring on her finger and rose into her waiting arms. There was a smattering of cheers and clapping as a few people gave their congratulations to the couple. Rachel squeezed him so hard that he nearly winced in pain.

Rachel cried tears of joy and Karson had to reassure her that this was really happening. "I love you Rachel."

She whispered in his ear, "I love you more than words can say, Karson." The pair moved back to the café as the small group dispersed. Rachel could not suppress the grin on her face and Karson could not take his eyes off of her. She squeezed his hand as they sat across from each other.

"That was quite a little production there. How did you get a microphone?"

Karson winked at her. "I promised the store manager I would do a free book signing if he did me a favor."

"You sly dog," she replied.

Chapter 12

Karson straightened his tie for the third time in as many minutes. Bobby stifled a giggle and leaned over to his friend. "Are you okay, brother?"

He was a bundle of nervous energy as his ears could not decide whether to lay back or perk up, and his tail reflexively curled between his legs. "I'm fine." Bobby raised his eyebrow as if to question his statement. Karson took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, "I'm fine, I can do this." Bobby gave him a small pat on the back and took his former position.

Suddenly the organ came to life and Molly appeared at the threshold of the cathedral. She looked lovely in her cream colored dress and held a large bouquet of white and red roses. Karson heard Bobby's soft gasp at seeing his wife walk up the isle.

The old church was not full, but held enough familiar and friendly faces to generate a joyful atmosphere. Molly smiled at everyone as she walked up the handful of steps to the altar. She briefly leaned in to Karson and kissed his cheek, and quickly grasped Bobby's hand for a quick squeeze before she stepped to the other side of the altar.

The organ changed its cadence and everyone turned to await the appearance of the bride. Karson felt his heart pound in his chest as Rachel appeared at the archway. The amassed gathering murmured their approval as she slowly marched down the isle. The cream dress she wore made her glow with radiance.

The gown was a simple design with modest shoulder ruffles and a sweeping skirt that trailed behind her. The veil did little to hide the sparkle in her eyes, and Rachel nodded to several people as she passed them.

At first Karson struggled to regulate his breathing when Rachel appeared, but with every step she took closer his nervousness melted away and left him with nothing but his pride and compassion for the woman he was about to wed. She briefly squeezed Bobby's hand and he whispered, "You look lovely, Rachel." She winked and turned to Molly to squeeze her hand as well. Molly was already shedding quiet tears of joy.

Rachel then turned to face Karson. She could see the happiness in his eyes as his ears perked up, and also noticed that his tail wagged merrily. He slowly reached up and pulled back the veil. In the softest whisper she said, "Hi Kuddles." He smiled hugely and winked back at her.

The minister, who also happened to be the same one from Molly and Bobby's wedding, held his hands wide and began the ceremony. He made a brief statement about the meaning of marriage and what the union symbolized. "Now, it is time for the vows. These two have chosen to say their own vows, so I leave it to you. Karson, would you please give your vow to Rachel."

The Companion nodded and took each of her hands looking deep into her eyes. For a few seconds the world disappeared, but Bobby cleared his throat and brought Karson back to the present.

"Lovely, radiant Rachel; I could not be standing here today, if not for your love and compassion. Every passing day is a gift I will forever treasure, and I wish to give you all my days from now unto forever in return. You are the pillar upon which I stand so high, offering its unwavering support. You are my guiding light that brings me home to the harbor of your loving embrace. I pledge my dedication and devotion to you for the rest of my life. I would offer my love as well, but you already posses it. I love you Rachel, now and always."

Bobby sniffed as he stood behind his friend and there were many murmurs in the audience. Karson smile warmly at Rachel when she squeezed his hands tightly. The minister spoke again. "Now Rachel, would you please give your vow to Karson."

Rachel took a deep breath and nodded before she began.

"Sweetest Karson; words are pale in comparison to the happiness and joy you bring to me each and every day. Your spirit is with me even when your body is not. Your tenderness and love bring light to the darkest of days, and I am thankful that you are a part of my world. I pledge, now and forever, to stand by your side through life's journey. I only ask that you take my hand in friendship and love so we may face the world together."

Bobby openly wept at Rachel's vow and Karson's expression showed that her words moved him. The minister once again stood before them and said, "Thanks to both of you for those heartfelt words." He motioned for the bridesmaid and best man to produce the rings for the couple.

Before the ceremony, Molly and Bobby presented a gift to Rachel; it was a ring for her to give Karson. She now held the small shiny band in her fingers and briefly pondered the significance of the ring that would bind them together. At the correct moment, Karson slipped the ring he held onto her finger and said, "With this ring, I thee wed." Karson was all smiles as her eyes twinkled with excitement.

Rachel in turn slipped Karson's ring on his finger and said, "With this ring, I thee wed." He gave a quick little sigh of relief and the two had the briefest giggle. The minister smiled in knowing, acknowledging the emotions running through the both of them.

He held his arms wide and said, "I now pronounced you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." The congregation cheered and clapped as the new couple embraced in a loving kiss. Bobby slapped his friend on the back proudly once he broke the kiss and embraced him in a hug of his own. "You do me proud, brother!"

Karson laughed and hugged his friend. "Thanks!"

Molly could not stop the tears of joy, but hugged Rachel excitedly. "Well done girl, I'm so happy for you! That was a very lovely ceremony."

"Thanks Molly! Thank you too, Bobby!" Rachel wrapped her arms around the beagle and planted a kiss on his cheek. Bobby blushed and his ears folded back in embarrassment.

"Aw, it was nothing Rachel. I'm so happy for you both."

The congregation of friends milled about for several minutes as everyone commented on the ceremony. Suddenly in a very loud voice Molly called out, "All right! Now that the formal stuff is over, we are holding the reception at The Grinning Bulldog! We'll see you there!" There was another round of cheering and before long the hall was empty as everyone adjourned to the pub.

Karson sat with Bobby at their usual table as he watched everyone mingling and having a good time. He waved at the small band as they finished their last tune. Rachel arranged to have the musicians from the park come and perform much to the delight of everyone in attendance. Molly was so impressed with their music that she offered them a regular gig at the pub and the trio gladly accepted.

Bobby held up his glass to his friend. "Ain't married life grand? Here's to good times!" Karson clinked his friend's glass and took a drink.

"You would be correct, brother." Karson had picked up Bobby's mannerism of calling his close friend 'brother'. "Speaking of which, I think I will join my wife for a bit."

"Well go on you rascal," Bobby called to him as he crossed the bar. Rachel was sitting at an end stool chatting with Molly. She held out her arm for her husband and Karson stood next to her as she hugged him close.

"You two are such a lovely couple," Molly commented to her friends. "I knew from the first moment you came in together so long ago that you two would end up together." Rachel laid her head on Karson's shoulder and he kissed her forehead.

"Excuse me for a moment," Molly said as she attended to a nearby table. Karson took the seat next to Rachel and smiled at her. She grinned back with that certain smirk.

Karson knew that look all too well. "What?"

"Oh nothing, I was just thinking about later."

He laughed and replied, "I bet you were. But don't you want to save some for the honeymoon?"

She suddenly sighed. "Yeah, I really wish I could have gotten more time off, but I had to use almost the whole thing when you were hurt. I guess a long weekend will have to do for now until I get more time saved up."

Karson grasped her arm softly and said, "I've been thinking about the whole job thing. You know my book is doing surprisingly well over the last 3 months, and I was thinking maybe..."

She looked up at him. "You think I should quit my job?"

"Well, that is one way to look at it. But actually what I was going to suggest was becoming my full time agent. You seem to have a knack for it, and you have helped me out tremendously with interviews and bookstore dates. I'm just saying think about it."

She nodded and replied, "I will. Besides, I'd get to be with you all the time; the best of both worlds." The two leaned close together and shared a kiss. They broke their embrace when Bobby coughed politely next to them.

Karson grinned at his friend. "Do you mind? I'm trying to make out with my wife?"

"Aw go on, you can snog her later on your own time. Me and Molly wanted to give you something."

Rachel started to protest. "No, really Bobby, you two already gave us enough presents. I can't thank you enough for the ring and paying for the honeymoon-"

"This is just a little modest gift," Bobby said as he cut her off. "A little token of our friendship since it has a double meaning." The beagle stepped aside and Molly placed a medium sized box on the bar.

"Open it my dears."

Karson looked at Rachel and she shrugged. They both tore open the wrapping paper and popped open the box. Carefully they pulled out a statue and placed it on the bar. It was a hand carved wooden piece depicting a human and Companion sharing a friendly kiss. The base had "Companions Forever" carved into it.

"Aw that is just the cutest thing ever," Rachel said and hugged Molly and Bobby at the same time. "Thanks you two!"

Karson ran his finger tip over the wooden statue. He turned to his friends and said, "This is a wonderful gift." He also joined in the hug.

After a moment, the foursome broke the hug and Karson put the statue back in the box. Rachel stood off to the side and held a whispered conversation with Molly. Karson raised an eyebrow at her and received a wink in return. Rachel made a shooing motion for him to join Bobby again and he playfully poked his tongue out at her before heading over to the other table.

The two Companions sat and joked for a while before Rachel strolled up to the table. "Well hello there, Mrs. Nolan-Shepherd," Bobby bowed his head and raised his glass. "Mr. Shepherd here was just discussing what to pack for the vacation. I hear it can get pretty chilly up there in Alaska."

"Oh, I don't think we have to worry about that eh Kuddles?" Rachel subtly stroked Karson's tail as he got her implied meaning. He shifted in his seat and smirked at his friend as his new wife made it clear what her intentions were even before they went on vacation.

"Anyway, I think it is about time I got this boy home. Karson, why don't you go say goodbye to Molly?" He nodded and hopped of the stool. Rachel took the opportunity to hug Bobby one more time. "Thanks for everything Bobby, especially for being so supportive of Karson."

The beagle blushed when Rachel kissed him and squeezed his shoulder. "Anytime Rachel, you know I love both of you."

She smiled and replied, "I know and it means a lot."

On the other side of the bar, Karson was hugging Molly. "I'll let you know when we get back so I can come back to the bar."

Molly laughed and patted his cheek, "There is no hurry my dear. You can come back whenever you feel ready. Besides, you have a writing career to look forward to now."

She placed a kiss on his nose and stroked his ears the same way she would Bobby. "You and Rachel have a wonderful time. We will miss you."

Karson smiled and replied, "Thanks for being such a great friend."

She laughed and said, "It's my pleasure." Molly turned him around and gave him a playful shove. "Now go on, take your girl home and make her happy." He grinned over his shoulder and went back to Rachel's side.

Karson said his goodbyes to Bobby and walked out of the bar among a chorus of cheers for the new couple. They both waved but bolted for the car the instant the door closed. In a flash they were at the door to the apartment.

Rachel scarcely had the door closed before the two were engaged in a passionate kiss. They left a trail of clothes to the bedroom as Karson planted kisses all over Rachel's body and she fondled him madly. It was quite some time later before the two lay happily exhausted, stretched out on the bed.

Karson propped his head on an elbow while he traced a finger lightly across Rachel's stomach. She in turn seductively rubbed her leg against the Companion's. He leaned over and softly planted a kiss on her navel. "You are so beautiful." He punctuated every word with a kiss as he moved up her body and ended at her lips. She pulled him close by wrapping her arms around his neck and lost herself in his kiss.

"So are you, lover," she replied when they finally parted. Rachel's face broke into a grin and she suddenly pushed him over and straddled his waist. Karson grinned up at her, but he closed his eyes and his expression changed to one of bliss as she leaned down and nibbled on his left ear. She definitely knew how to stir up his desire he thought to himself.

Rachel was content to tease the Companion as she rubbed and pressed her body to his without engaging in anything more than intimate closeness. Karson whined at her and said, "You are driving me wild Rachel. I want you; I need you."

She coyly giggled and kissed him firmly, but she held his wrists down. "Slow down Romeo, you have to pace yourself. You'll never last all weekend at this pace."

"Is that so?" Karson growled playfully and rolled over so he was the one straddling Rachel. "Don't worry about me; I've had lots of practice."

She laughed and was about to challenge his boast but nothing more than a moan escaped her as Karson went to work nuzzling Rachel in all her tender spots. She wrapped her arms and legs around him and murmured, "Oh Karson..."

The new husband and wife lay cradled in each other's arms late into the evening. They kissed and stroked and were generally content to just be in the presence of the other. Rachel giggled softly as the thought crossed her mind. "Should we pack? The flight leaves at 11am and all we've done is shag since we got home."

Karson appeared to ponder the question but decided instead to nuzzle Rachel. "Nah, we can worry about that in the morning. I do think we should worry about the shagging part though."

Rachel laughed and tapped him on the nose. "You are such a horndog, but I love you for it." She kissed him on the lips and winked at him. "Let's go take a shower."

"Whatever you say Mrs. Nolan-Shepherd."

The two jumped up and laughter soon echoed through the steam filled bathroom as the pair had fun in the shower. Rachel discussed with Karson in shocking detail what they could and would do on their honeymoon. The Companion looked forward to every moment as he embarked on the journey of the rest of his life with Rachel.

~End~