Chapter 39

Homecoming

Mike had arrived at Mercy General Hospital at nine a.m. sharp, only to be informed that Cassy was with Dr. Feliss finishing up her functionality tests. It was estimated to take approximately another hour or so, and if he would care to wait, the duty nurse would inform Miss Bhunny that he was here.

Around Noon, Gwen, Kel and myself arrived to find Mike pacing the waiting room floor looking on the edge of panic.

"Mike? Where's Cassy?" I asked looking around.

"Don't know. Doctor's waiting on the results of some blood work." the worried Ferret said. Just then the door whisked opened and in rolled Cassy in a wheelchair, pushed by a wolf orderly. Mike panicked...

"Oh-my-God! Cassy honey, what happened?" Mike rushed to her side, glaring at the wolf, who just gave the ferret a friendly grin.

"I'm Fine Love." Cassy reassured her beloved. "This hot rod is just for moving me around. Juno, this is Mike. Mike, meet Juno..." Cassy indicated the orderly.

"Oh, um...Hi. Juno, nice 'ta meet cha." Mike extended a paw.

"S'okay Dude, I'd freak too if my main squeeze was wheeled in 'ta see moi." Juno replied shaking Mikes paw. "She's been, like über cool!" He grinned, nodding.

"Guys!" Cassy beamed seeing Gwen, Kel and myself there also. "Hey Juno, Remember the guys I was telling you about?"

"Shaw...you're_Rick _Coona." I nodded. "YO! Big HaCoona, whazzup?" Juno announced exuberantly. "Dude, you may not, like remember, moi. But we've met b'fore." I couldn't quite place him though he did seem familiar...

"Yo, It was like ancient history, Dude--like twenty years ago--National_Science_Fair? Shaw, like I had this gnarly hydrogen converter and fuel cell combo--that...member?"

I stared at this big wolf... "Dwain? Dwain Zigbee?" He patted his chest with both paws.

"Shaw! At's Moi!" he beamed spreading his arms wide.

"B-But_what_happened to you?" I asked, finding it hard to believe this was Dwain.

"Yo, you like showed me that the path of the Über Geek was like a fast track to loosersville. Shaw, like I jumped ship, and headed to Daytona beach and became like one, with the Surf Gods.."

"Just as well. Remember that badger Horowitz?" I asked my old friend.

"Shaw, totally, _that_dude was like, _way_obsessed." I nodded.

"He went to M.I.T. and completely _lost_it, total brain fry. Shaved all his fur off and went screaming into the night."

"Whoa...shoulda rocked the ganja, man." Juno grinned, placing his thumb and first finger together, bringing them to his lips and inhaling... "Like it kept moi from blowin' my brain-pan." he laughed.

"Y--you were a _science_geek?" Kel asked. Juno nodded, pulling out a picture from his wallet showing a young wolf cub with thick horn rim glasses, a white arrow shirt and tie and a pocket protector full of pens.

"Shaw, total Nurdlinger." Juno commented. "But the big HaCoona here like showed moi the way to Nirvana.." Juno closed his eyes, a blissful smile on his muzzle.

"How so?" Gwen asked, fascinated by the big surfer wolf.

"Well, we were, like shooting e-mails, and when he like, told moi about his transducer array plasma thingy, I had to like, _totally_try it!"

"That was, what? _Ten_years ago?" I asked, scratching my head. Juno nodded.

"Shaw, so like I set it up, awesome_directions, dude. Anyhow, I like, cranked it up, and it was _sooo_cool! I had like, a _revelation!"

"ooh,_What_happened?" Kel asked eyes wide.

"Well, the water got all like, sparkly_and stuff--the next thing I know, I'm laying on the grass outside the lab, like looking up at ta _stars!_Shaw." The big wolf nodded. "It went, like _totally Chernobyl_on moi and like, blew moi out the window! '_BoooM!'" he said spreading his hands wide

"So I like, realized that this was like, soNOT_the place for moi. So I followed my bliss, and eventually, like came ta Seattle, ta check out ta music scene. And really liked helpin' furs out an stuff--so, like here I am!" he said, holding his arms wide and grinning like an idiot. "_Shaw..." he nodded, looking at the assembled Furs.

"Well heck, come on down to Open Season, and we can catch up on old times! Oh, by the way, Dwain--"

"Dude, it's like, Juno_now... 'D_WAIN'_was, like an _Über Geek, k?" the wolf interjected.

"Sorry,Okay- Juno. This is Gwen, my soul mate. Gwen, this is Dwa--JUNO..."

"No WAY!_You Coon-_Dawg, congrats! She's like _totally_hot! Nice 'ta meet cha Gwen!" He held out an exuberant paw.

"Uh,thanks...I guess, it's a pleasure, Juno." Gwen looked from Juno to me, and back again.

"And, this is Kel..." I continued the introductions.

"Whoa,HEL-LOW_Miss _KEL!" Juno bent and kissed her paw.

"Um...Ah...HI. Uh, Juno?" Kel sputtered not sure _what_to make of this exuberant wolf.

"Ah,here_you all are," Dr. Feliss greeted the group. "Oh, Miss Vixxen, you're here too, good. Mr. and Mrs. Coona, good to see you again." With a slight smile on his muzzle he turned to Mike. "Ah, Mr. _Ferretti..." He paused, eyes twinkling with barely controlled mirth.

"I'm glad you are all here. I've got the results of Miss Bhunny's blood-work, and we need to talk...if you will come this way?" We all looked at each other and silently followed the doctor. He led us all to a conference room. "That will be all for now Juno, thank you." "Shaw, C-ya later Dudes and Dudettes." Juno said as he stepped out of the room.

"Okay Doc, give it to me straight, what's wrong?" Mike asked.

"Well, the blood work shows an unforeseen complication in Miss Bhunny's condition."

"How serious _is_this, Doctor?" Kel asked, taking Cassy's paw.

"Potentially...she could end up in a wheelchair for the rest of her life..." Dr. Feliss said gravely, seeing the look on Cassy's face.

"W--what is it, Doc?" Mike asked in a hoarse whisper, fearing the worst.

"...you're_P_regnant, Miss Bhunny.." The doctor announced, not taking his eyes off Cassy.

"WOO-HOO!" Cassy cheered, pumping her fist in the air--overjoyed at the news.

"YESSSSS!_Thank you _DOC!_WOO- HOO!"Cassy crowed. Mike felt his stomach hit the floor. "Oh my _God, what have I _done!"_he uttered in a despair filled moan, sitting heavily in his chair.

"Miss_Bhunny_," The doctor said flatly. "I _don't_think you understand the _seriousness_of this development." he said, trying to cut through the bunny's exuberance.

"_You_don't _get_it, I _DON'T_CARE! Doc. _I'm_gonna be a _Mom!_That's the _best_news. And here _I_thought it was just the _hospital_food making me queasy." Cassy beamed. Mike looked over at Cassy; he was absolutely devastated...

"Hun_-ney_don't_look at me like _that, we're gonna have kids!_Isn't that _GREAT?"

Gwen, Kel and I exchanged glances and small nods; we _would_need to talk later.

"But Miss Bhunny..." the doctor tried to get her attention.

"Look Doc, here's what _I_see." Cassy stood, placing her paws on the table.

"You_say I'm knocked up, and that the pregnancy _could_result in me being stuck in a wheelchair, I say it _AINT_gonna happen. You even _said_it was a 80% chance--right?_"

The Doctor nodded.. "But Miss-" Cassy held up a paw.

"Look, I love_this guy, and before this happened we were planning on having kids... Then you come in and say I _shouldn't_have kids...do _you_have _any idea_of how much that _DEVASTATED_Me? Now you say I'm Pregnant, and _what, what do _you_think I should do?" Cassy demanded. The look the doctor gave her said everything. "Medically, it is--"

"DON'T_YOU _DARE_SUGGEST _THAT!" Cassy screamed. "I_don't care _HOW_dangerous _youthink_this _ potentially _is. You're _not_going to _deny_me _this!" In the silence that followed, and in the face of her resolve, Dr. Feliss was left with just one option.

"Very well, Miss Bhunny; I just felt it was my obligation to fully inform you. In light of your _vehement_decision, there is only one thing I can say...c_ongratulations,_Miss Bhunny. If you would like, I can recommend a good doctor, Dr. Kenobi comes to mind. He's an OB/GYN."

Kel giggled, as Mike looked at Dr. Feliss, clueless. Gwen groaned. "An Ob/Gyn- Obgwan Kenobi."

"Well, with _that_matter settled, I have your discharge papers, they need your signature, your health insurance has you 100 percent covered." The Doctor nodded, satisfied with the way things turned out.

"Thanks Doc, _sorry_about the shouting match back there. It's just--I _don't_think you understand _how_important this is to me." Cassy said apologetically.

"Quite understandable, Miss Bhunny, or should I say, Mrs. Feretti?"

"First thing Monday morning, I'm takin' her down to the courthouse, and makin' an _honest_woman of her." Mike beamed, puffing out his chest.

"Well than, _double_congratulations are in order!" Dr. Feliss said as he shook Mike's paw, then sliding a stack of papers in front of Cassy and handing her a pen. "Just sign where I've highlighted, and we can have you on your way home in no time." The good doctor said.

Outside the hospital, Cassy stretched in the late afternoon sun.

"I'm_FREE!_Thanks guys for being here to spring me." Cassy said with a muzzle splitting grin.

"Cassandra," Gwen said. "I'd like you and Mike to come over tomorrow; congratulations hon." she said, hugging the bunny.

"Thanks Gwen." she replied, looking at Kel who gave a slight nod. "Okay, we'll _be_there, _won't_we Mikey!" Cassy said to Mike, indicating it was _not_a question.

"Um, sure thing Snuggle Bunny, Anything you want. I'm just glad I get to take you _home."_He hugged his wife to be.

When they got to their cars, she looked at Kel, who gave her a small nod, a large grin on her muzzle.

"Ready?" Kel asked.

Cassy nodded. "Uh-huh. Do it, Kel."

Kel reached down, drawing the power within herself. When she opened her eyes, Cassy gave a slight gasp. Kel's eyes were glowing green! She took Cassy in a full body hug, engulfing the bunny with a flood of radiant healing energy...

"Ooooh thanks hon, That_felt _won-der-ful..." Cassy whispered into Kel's ear.

"See ya tomorrow, k?" the vixen replied, breaking the hug. Sagging slightly at the intensity of the energy discharge. The bunny nodded.

"Oh, we'll _be_there. Course, _Mikey_may be _walking_funny, but we'll be there. Say noon?" Cassy asked in Gwen's direction.

"Noon-ish will be fine, Cassandra. We will see you there then." Mike and Cassy drove off, heading for home.

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