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K-17: New World

© Cederwyn Whitefurr

July 2026

All Rights Reserved

For two long years, Dr. Adrian Lang fought to free K-17 from the laboratory that created her.

When he finally succeeds, he brings home a frightened young red kangaroo doe who has never known anything beyond concrete walls, fluorescent lights, and cold clinical hands.

She calls him "Lang" with trembling trust. She discovers snow, warm showers, pineapples, and the simple wonder of a world she was never meant to see. But healing isn't a straight path, and every new experience brings fresh fears, painful memories, and impossible questions about who—and what—she was created to be.

As the bond between scientist and creation slowly becomes something far deeper, Adrian learns that love cannot erase the past… but it can give someone a future.

A tender story of found family, healing, hope, and the quiet courage to begin again.

Chapter 1 – Trust In Me

"K-17."

She looked up from the sofa.

Lang knelt in front of her rather than standing over her.

"We have a long drive today. Lots of new things."

He held up the tiny syringe before uncapping it.

"Medicine."

K-17's ears flattened instantly. Her breathing quickened. The memory of sharper needles and colder hands still lived under her skin.

She looked at the syringe… then at him.

“…Hurt.”

“I know.”

He didn’t hide it. Didn’t call for technicians. Didn’t restrain her. He simply waited, eyes level with hers.

“It’s a very little needle.” He touched his own neck. “Here.”

He mimed a slow blink, head tilting.

“Not sleep. Just… less scared.”

K-17 flinched, then crawled off the sofa carefully, gazing up at him with fearful eyes. “No hurt? Lang. No hurt. K-17?”

“No,” Dr. Adrian Lang promised, gently stroking her jawline. “I’d never hurt you, K-17.”

With careful fingers he pinched the loose skin at the back of her neck and slid the needle home.

K-17 uttered the faintest whimper.

“There. All done. You’ll feel sleepy, but not sleep. Medicine, not hurt.”

“K-17…” she began, before she swayed. Lang caught her, lowering her gently to the floor, always mindful.

* * *

Chapter 2 – Outside

Dr. Lang drove a nondescript van with no windows.

K-17 lay on the padded floor, the faint chemical taste still coating her tongue. The light sedation blunted the edges but left her aware. Her long ears twitched at every road noise — engine hum, tires on gravel, Lang’s low, steady voice from the front.

“Safe,” she whispered. “Lang. Safe.”

The restraints around her wrists and ankles were soft cloth, not metal. That was new. She tested them anyway, a slow flex of muscle. They held. Not painful. Just… there.

The van slowed. Stopped. Her heart thudded harder.

The back doors opened.

Sunlight — real, unfiltered — poured in like something alive. K-17 flinched hard, ears flattening. The world beyond the van was too big. Too open. No walls. No ceiling she could see. Just blue and green stretching forever.

Lang stood there, silhouetted. White coat gone. Plain shirt, tired eyes. He looked smaller outside the lab.

“Hey, kiddo,” he said softly. “We’re home.”

She tried to sit up. The sedation made her movements loose and clumsy. A low sound escaped her throat — half whimper, half question.

“Big,” she managed.

“Yeah. It’s big.” Lang climbed in, moving carefully, the way he did when she was first learning not to bite. He unclipped the restraints. “Outside. Remember? We talked about outside.”

K-17 crawled forward on all fours first, instinct stronger than training. The grass tickled her leathery pads. Cool. Alive.

She froze at the edge of the van, staring at the house — small, wooden, nothing like the facility. Birds called overhead. Wind moved through trees.

For a long second she didn’t breathe.

Then one word, small and wondering and terrified:

“Father?”

Lang’s face did something complicated. He crouched, offered his hand.

“Yeah. I’m here.”

She took it.

* * *

Chapter 3 – Home

K-17 gripped his hand like a frightened joey, fingers tight around his larger ones. Lang sighed, the sound heavy with self-loathing. He hated himself for what he had done. What the company had done. She was five years old now. By every law of nature she should have been a great red kangaroo doe, powerful and graceful. Instead she still fit easily in his arms.

“Lang,” she breathed quickly, eyes wide, ears twitching. “Scared.”

“I know. Easy now, K-17. I’m going to pick you up. You’re still mildly sedated.”

He crouched, arms open. Awkwardly she crept closer. He guided her paws around his neck, then slid his hands under her hind legs. K-17 squealed and flinched.

“Cold.”

“Sorry. I should have warmed my hands up.” He adjusted his grip, one arm supporting her upper back as he lifted her against his chest, cradling her the way he had once cradled orphaned joeys. “It’s early winter, K-17. We’ll have snow by the end of the week.”

Her eyes widened, then drew together in confusion. “Snow?”

Adrian Lang smiled, small and tired, as he started walking toward the house.

“Snow. You’ll see soon. I promise.”

* * *

Chapter 4 – Our Home

Adrian set her down gently on the carpet. K-17 frowned, curling her toes into the unfamiliar softness, then dropped onto all fours and sniffed it thoroughly. After a moment she rose again, eyes wide and fearful as she scanned the room.

Of course, Adrian thought. She only knows walls, cold concrete, fluorescent lights, gowns, masks, and gloves. This must be terrifying for her.

He twitched as her cold paws suddenly grabbed at his trouser leg. Immediately he crouched, taking her paws in his hands.

“It’s alright. You’re safe. This is my home—our home. No cold walls. No gloves. No more of that. I promise.” He kept his voice low, holding her wide-set eyes.

“Home not safe.” K-17’s reply was instant and heartbreaking.

“K-17… No. That place you were? That was never home.” He gestured gently around the living room. “This is home. This is safe. Now, are you hungry? Thirsty?”

Her paws quivered in his grasp before she slipped free and dropped to all fours again. Leaning slightly to the left, she peered around him, fear and curiosity warring across her face.

Dr. Lang lived simply: a couch, a wall-mounted television, a glass-topped coffee table strewn with scientific magazines, and a few quiet pieces of art. Nothing like the sterile labs she had known.

“K-17?” he asked softly. “You want to look around? You may. Home. Safe. Remember? You are home now, with me. I will protect you. Keep you safe.”

Her eyes snapped back to his with startling speed. One ear flicked. “K-17… home?”

Tenderly, he stroked her ears and smiled. “Yes, K-17. Home. A good place. With me. Us. Together.”

“Home…” K-17 breathed. The fear in her voice had shifted. For the first time in her life, something new and fragile coloured her words.

Curiosity.

* * *

Chapter 5 – First Snow

K-17 stood at the back sliding door, a half-eaten slice of apple clutched tight in one paw. Her ears were at half-mast, eyes wide as dinner plates as she stared out through the glass. Timidly she reached forward, short sharp claws slightly curved, then flinched and yanked her paw back.

Touching was wrong. Humans in white coats had hurt her for crying when she reached toward the glass wall of her enclosure.

Outside, beneath a leaden sky, the first snowflakes began drifting down, dusting the grass in delicate white. K-17 watched, mesmerised. The apple slice slipped from her slackening grip and thumped softly onto the carpet. Without thinking, both paws came up and pressed against the cold glass. She tilted her head back, staring upward in pure, open-mouthed wonder as the world slowly turned white.

She was so fascinated that neither her ears nor her nose caught Adrian’s quiet, slippered approach. He stopped a single pace behind her, watching silently as K-17 stared out at the falling snow with the innocence of a child — muzzle slightly parted in beatific wonder.

* * *

Chapter 6 – Small Comforts

K-17 dozed on one of her old laboratory blankets — the only thing she had taken with her. Adrian didn’t have the heart to tell her she could have brought her blocks, the stuffed toy kangaroo, or the rest of her blankets. She had seemed so fearful, so deeply conditioned, that the thought had never even occurred to her. He made a quiet mental note to collect the rest himself if necessary.

He watched her instinctively curl into a tight ball in the corner, trying to make herself small and unseen, exactly as she had done for years.

At last Adrian sighed, set down his book, and stood. K-17’s eyes snapped open instantly, locking onto him and nothing else.

“K-17, come?” he asked gently. Not commanded. Not demanded. Asked. “I’m going to shower and go to bed. Do you want to come…?”

His words trailed off.

She doesn’t even know what a bed is, he realised. She only knows those thin blankets on cold concrete.

Her frown deepened as she struggled to process the new word.

“Sleep,” he explained. “Where I lay down and sleep.”

Her eyes widened in fear. “K-17 no sleep!”

Adrian sighed and rubbed a hand down his face. “Not that kind of sleep. Rest. Come — please? I’ll show you.”

Nervously she rose, shook herself, and crawled after him. Her claws clicked softly on the hardwood floor. Adrian led her down the hallway, one hand resting gently on the back of her neck in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. Doors still frightened her. He remembered.

“In here. Come, it’s alright. Nothing will hurt you.”

He opened the door to the bathroom. K-17’s eyes drank it in. Timidly she reached toward the bathtub, then snatched her paw back, looking up at him.

“You can touch it, K-17. It’s okay.”

Nervously she tried again. Her claws clicked against the enamel. “Cold.”

“Yes, it is. I can make it warmer.” He gestured to the faucets. “These fill the bath with water. It can be cold, like you drink, or hot. But hot water is dangerous — it can hurt you.”

“No hurt K-17?” she asked, worried.

“No. I’d never hurt you, K-17. I promise. A bath is nice. Relaxing. I’ll bathe you one day, when you’re ready. Not tonight. Tonight you’re just learning.” He offered a tired smile. “It’s only been a week since I brought you home. Little things, carefully. I promise.”

“Promise?” K-17 tilted her head. “What promise?”

“A promise is something you keep. I…” Adrian ran a hand through his hair. “I have so much to teach you.”

K-17 simply blinked up at him, utterly confused.

* * *

Chapter 7 – Warm Water

Adrian held his hands out. She crawled closer, then froze at the raised lip of the shower stall, torn between wanting to reach him and fearing whatever this was. He carefully took her paws and coaxed her inside. As he slid the glass door closed, K-17 shifted her tail, eyes darting frantically while her body trembled at the first touch of spray.

“Good girl, K-17. You’re okay. Safe with Lang. Shh, it’s alright. No need to be frightened.”

Her ears flicked back, a deep frown creasing the space between her eyes. “Girl? What Lang girl?”

He gave a soft snort of laughter and ruffled her ears soothingly. “Female. Woman. You. You’re a female — a doe.”

He gently touched her chest. “Doe. Female. Girl.”

Then he touched his own chest. “Lang. Man. Male. Human.”

K-17’s brow furrowed even deeper. Her gaze slid downward for a moment before snapping back up to his face — whether from embarrassment or worry, he couldn’t tell.

“Lang. No…” She grunted and stamped a hind foot, twitching as water splashed. “Lang no…”

“No what?” He unhooked the shower rose and rinsed the remaining suds from his body, careful not to spray her directly.

“Lang no…” She stamped again, then clutched at her pouch with both paws, looking up at him.

Adrian understood. “Pouch? No. Humans don’t have pouches. Kangaroos — like you — do. Females have pouches. Not males.”

K-17 blinked twice, one ear forward and one back. “Lang…”

He smiled and leaned down, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. “It’s alright. Today has been a lot.” He paused, studying her. “Now I want to try something. If you’re scared, tell me — or touch my thigh with your paw, alright? It won’t hurt you. I promise.”

“Lang no hurt K-17? Promise?”

“I promise. Touch me if you want me to stop.”

He began gently waving the shower rose back and forth over her feet. She flinched but didn’t pull away.

“Lang…” she started, then trailed off.

“Warm, nice. Water like you drink, but warm. See?”

Very slowly he moved the spray up her thighs, across her belly, then her chest. He turned her carefully and worked from her tail up to her shoulders. To his quiet surprise, after the first few nervous tremors, K-17 began to accept it - her first shower.

* * *

Chapter 8 – Bed

He dried her gently with two large, fluffy towels. At first they terrified and confused her, but eventually they seemed to amuse her. Almost playfully, she began grabbing at the towel. Adrian held it for her, letting her sniff, taste, and explore the soft texture. Once she was dry, he dried himself quickly and slipped into a short robe.

K-17 gave a sharp coughing cry and flinched away. He crouched at once.

“Not like the coats. It’s warm, like your fur. Keeps Lang warm. Feel it, K-17. It’s like the towel.”

Nervously she reached out, claws extended, and tested the fabric. After a few moments the familiar texture reassured her. The tension melted from her small body.

“K-17, come please?” Adrian asked as he stepped into the hallway.

She crawled after him obediently, ears flicking, eyes fixed on his back. When he entered the bedroom, K-17 squealed and shied violently away from the large, unfamiliar oblong shape.

“Hey, hey, it’s alright. This is a bed. It won’t hurt you. K-17, come. That’s it… good girl.”

Fearfully she crouched low and crawled forward a half-pace, ears swivelling. Adrian sat on the edge and patted the mattress.

“Bed. Rest. Safe place. Here, with me. K-17 safe. Come please?”

Whether it was his gentle tone or her unwillingness to be apart from him, she finally crawled closer. He lifted her carefully — the same cradling hold he’d used when they first arrived — and settled her against his chest.

“There. K-17 is safe with Lang. Aren’t you?” he whispered, leaning back against the headboard so her head rested on his shoulder. “Safe place. Bed. Where I rest.”

He felt the tiny tremors running through her as she looked from him to the bed and back again.

“K-17 is safe with Lang,” he repeated softly, scratching her chest with tender fingers. “Safe place.”

For nearly an hour he held her, rocking her gently, never stopping the slow, soothing scratches. Little by little her body relaxed. Her eyes fluttered, growing heavier.

“K-17…” she murmured. A wide yawn overtook her. She snuggled consciously closer, one paw resting on his chest. “Lang… safe…”

The word barely left her before her eyes closed and she dozed lightly in his arms.

K-17 is safe, Lang thought, holding her carefully. Lang is not comfortable… but K-17 is safe.

* * *

Chapter 9 – Spring

Winter slowly gave way to spring, and with it came K-17’s growing fascination with the world.

Adrian began taking her on small, careful outings once the snow melt allowed. Her eyes, ears, and nose were constantly active. Curiosity bloomed, and with it came more words: birds, deer, trees, pineapple. New life everywhere.

One quiet afternoon he lay with her — half sitting, half sprawled against him — as they watched a wild whitetail doe give birth to twins. K-17 never blinked. Adrian kept one gentle hand on the back of her neck, steadying her, keeping her calm and silent. Later she drank from a clear mountain stream. With his patient guidance she learned what was safe to eat and what to avoid. He pointed at poison ivy and dramatically mimed scratching himself all over, which earned him a deeply confused head-tilt from K-17.

He shared a bowl of fruit with her, letting her choose what to try. Pineapple quickly became her favourite. Adrian spent nearly an hour explaining how they grew and where they came from — things he had simply taken for granted all his life.

At last he drove them home in the van. K-17 awkwardly hopped down from the side door and looked around the familiar yard.

“K-17 safe. K-17…” She paused, then looked up at him. “K-17 home. Safe. Thank… you.”

Adrian blinked. “K-17, did you just say—”

She frowned, worry flashing across her face. “K-17 say bad?”

He crouched and took her paws in his, smiling. “No, no. K-17 say good. Thank you is a very good thing.”

“K-17… good?” She blinked once, then leaned forward and licked his forehead. “Lang safe.”

Adrian chuckled softly and let her go. He headed for the door with K-17 hopping happily after him.

* * *

Chapter 10 – Routine

Adrian had prepared a variety of fruits and salads for her. He sat sipping tea, a pen in one hand as he paused midway through making a list. Kangaroo-safe feed. Marsupial milk replacer. Bottles. Teats. A late-night internet search had shown him that some carers still bottle-fed adult kangaroos, not out of necessity, but because they enjoyed it. He wanted to see if it might help Kay relax.

He set the pen down and stretched, then looked over at her.

“K-17?” he called.

Her head popped up over the edge of the couch, ears pricked forward, dark eyes watching.

“Time for a shower, come on!”

He rose and heard more than saw K-17 awkwardly clamber off the couch and hop after him.

“Lang bad,” K-17 sulkily commented. “K-17 no sticky.”

Adrian chuckled softly. “Body wash, K-17. And you weren’t meant to lick it. Be grateful you didn’t get sick. I had to rinse your mouth out until I was sure you hadn’t swallowed any. I’ll try to find a kangaroo-safe wash for you.”

K-17 huffed and twitched her ears back, but followed none the less.

He showered with her again, carefully keeping water off her head and ears, then dried her off. Afterward, K-17 fell asleep on the couch instead of curling up on her blanket. Adrian gently placed a kiss between her ears and quietly left to go to bed.

* * *

Chapter 11 – Emergency

K-17 frantically clawed at Adrian, her paws clammy, a horrible wet cough tearing from her throat.

He woke with a startled snort and rubbed his eyes.

“Lang… hurt…” The words came broken and desperate. “Lang… K-17… hurt. Scared!”

Adrian came fully awake. He threw back the covers and placed both hands on her. Her body was burning with fever.

“K-17 hurt. Scared!” she repeated, paws grabbing desperately at his bare chest. “Scared. Lang…”

He didn’t hesitate. He dressed in record time, scooped her up despite her squeal, and ran for the bedroom door. Her feverish body was slick with sweat, and that awful rattling cough only sharpened their shared panic.

“K-17, you’re okay. Stay with me. You’re okay…” Adrian half-pleaded, half-begged as he lowered her into the back seat of his sedan.

He drove wildly into the night.

* * *

Chapter 12 – Poison

K-17 was rushed into the emergency operating room. The vet staff quickly sedated her and put her under. Adrian paced frantically in the waiting room, hour after hour, until a nurse finally emerged.

“Dr. Lang?” she said quietly, concern clear in her voice. “We believe it’s poisoning, though we’re not sure from what. She’s on supplemental oxygen and we’ve given her activated charcoal. We can’t induce vomiting — there’s too high a risk of aspiration pneumonia. She’s heavily sedated and—”

“Please,” he begged. “Please, can I see her? She’s… special to me. God, how could I let this happen? I was so careful—”

He froze mid-sentence. His eyes widened slowly as the colour drained from his face.

“No… no, K-17. No, you silly, foolish doe…”

“Doctor? If you know something — what she might have eaten—”

“Chocolate — I was eating chocolate on the couch… I must have left some there, gotten distracted and forgot it…”

A startled look came over the veterinarian’s eyes, then their expression hardened. “For a kangaroo… that’s very serious. Potentially fatal, depending on how much they’ve ingested.”

Adrian bolted past the nurse. She called after him frantically as he shoved through the swing doors into the treatment room, tears streaming down his cheeks.

He rushed to the table where K-17 lay, small and frail under the bright lights. An oxygen mask covered her muzzle. IV lines ran into her arm to flush her system. He rolled her gently onto her back and opened her pouch. His fingers came away smeared dark brown. The sweet, unmistakable scent of chocolate hit him.

She had put the chocolate in her pouch.

He remembered now. He had left the half-eaten bar on the sofa earlier that evening while making dinner, then got distracted and forgot all about it. K-17, curious as ever, must have found it. She had licked it, liked the sweetness, eaten a few squares… and then tucked the rest into her pouch.

Just like the wooden block back in the lab. She had crawled to him and offered it as a gift. Something to carry for him. Something to give him.

She hadn’t been hiding food. She had been saving a present for her Lang.

Adrian pressed his forehead against the edge of the table, shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

* * *

Chapter 13 – Vigil

K-17 remained sedated for fourteen hours. The IV lines were changed regularly while monitors beeped softly, watching for heart arrhythmia's. The nursing staff carefully washed out her pouch and continued close monitoring.

Adrian dozed fitfully on a sofa in the break room, his mind churning with fear, guilt, and dark nightmares. When he finally stirred, a gentle hand touched his forearm. A new nurse looked down at him.

“She’s awake… barely,” she said. “If you want to see her, be brief please. She’s not out of danger yet.”

Adrian rose quickly, rubbing his stubbled face, and followed her without a word.

K-17’s head barely moved as he rushed to her side. Her eyes were glassy, her breathing shallow under the oxygen mask. He sat beside her and took her left paw in both of his hands. The nurses quietly left the room, giving the grieving “owner” privacy with his potentially dying companion.

“Kay,” he whispered. He leaned close, lips brushing her ear. “Please don’t speak. You mustn’t speak. They don’t… know you like I do.”

“K-17—” she croaked. A shiver ran through her and her eyes rolled in fear. One paw instinctively reached toward the mask. “Scared…”

“I know. I know. Please… don’t talk. They must not know you can talk. Please,” he pleaded.

“K-17…” she whimpered, clutching his fingers. “…bad.”

“No,” Adrian moaned, voice cracking. “No, not bad…”

* * *

Chapter 14 – Like a Daughter

“Doctor, we need to run more toxicology tests and administer another dose of charcoal. She’s not out of the woods yet. We couldn’t induce vomiting — in macropods the risk of aspiration is—”

Adrian didn’t hear them. Couldn’t hear them. His entire world had narrowed to the trembling, terrified kangaroo on the table. He squeezed her paws gently, then leaned down and pressed a soft kiss between her ears.

It was the hardest thing he had ever done — turning away while K-17’s wide, glassy eyes followed him, silently pleading for him to stay, to take her home.

He pushed through the doors and returned to the waiting room. A nurse gave him a concerned look.

“She means a lot to you,” the nurse said gently. “You obviously care very deeply. Has she been your companion for long? She seems unusually bonded to you. Was she an orphan?”

Adrian fought for control, a shuddering breath escaping him. He couldn’t meet her eyes, staring instead at the floor.

“She’s… like a daughter to me.”

* * *

Chapter 15 – Aftermath

K-17 remained under care for nearly seventy-six hours. At last Adrian was allowed to take her home. He carefully picked her up, cradling her like the most precious thing in existence. Still heavily sedated, she slept the entire drive, oblivious.

When they arrived, he carried her inside and lay down on the bed with her, holding her small body close. Exhaustion claimed him before he even realised it.

K-17 woke with a shudder and a weak cough. Before she could fully orient herself, Adrian was awake, his arm instinctively tightening around her in protection.

“…K-17… water,” she croaked.

He helped her off the bed, steadying her until her feet and tail were settled, then hurried to the kitchen for her water bowl. He held it for her as she lapped at it like a dog, then dunked her muzzle and gulped deeply.

“Easy,” he murmured, gently stroking her neck. “Not too much.”

K-17 lifted her muzzle, water dripping from her lips and chin. Her eyes widened, ears flattening. Before she could speak, he set the bowl aside and pulled her close, pressing her head against him.

“K-17, no. You were not bad. If anyone is to blame, it is me. I should never have left that where you could find it. I didn’t think. If anyone is wrong or bad… it is me.”

K-17 trembled, lifting her head just enough to look up at him. “Lang… bad.”

He held her tighter, rocking her gently as tears spilled down his cheeks for the first time in his adult life. His voice broke with heavy sobs.

“Yes… yes, Kay. Lang very bad…”

* * *

Chapter 16 – The Bill

Later that evening, after K-17 had finally settled into a deeper, more natural sleep against his chest, Adrian’s phone buzzed quietly on the nightstand. An email notification.

Subject: Invoice – Emergency Care for K-17

He opened it without really seeing it, the glowing screen casting harsh light across the darkened room. The total was several thousand dollars. He didn’t scroll down to read the itemised list — seventy-six hours of hospitalisation, oxygen therapy, toxicology panels, IV fluids, charcoal, ECG monitoring, pouch irrigation, sedation, specialist nursing. None of it mattered.

He tapped “Pay Now” with his thumb, entered his details on autopilot, and set the phone back down. The money had no emotional weight. Only the small, warm body curled against him did. K-17, alive and breathing, was all that mattered.

* * *

Chapter 17 – Phone Call

Two days later, long past when Adrian normally rose, they were both in a deep, exhausted sleep — the kind that only comes after days of terror and relief — when the phone rang sharply on the nightstand.

Adrian jolted awake. K-17 startled hard against him, a frightened squeak escaping her as her ears shot upright and her paws clutched at his shirt.

He fumbled for the phone, heart hammering, and answered in a rough whisper.

“Dr. Lang,” the voice on the other end said. “This is the after-hours line from the clinic. We just wanted to confirm you received the discharge summary email and check that K-17 is doing alright at home. Any new symptoms? Coughing? Lethargy?”

K-17 trembled against his side, eyes wide and glassy in the dim light from the phone screen, clearly terrified by the sudden noise and the unfamiliar voice leaking from the speaker.

Adrian wrapped his free arm tighter around her, stroking her back in slow, soothing circles.

“She’s… she’s okay,” he murmured, voice thick with exhaustion and lingering fear. “Still coughing a little, but she’s home. She’s safe.”

He kept his tone calm for her sake while the nurse continued with follow-up instructions. K-17 slowly relaxed against him, though her ears stayed half-pinned and her breathing remained quick.

When the call finally ended, he dropped the phone onto the bed and pulled her closer, pressing his face into the soft fur between her ears.

“Shh. Just the clinic. You’re safe, Kay. I’ve got you.”

She gave a tiny, shaky sigh and burrowed deeper into his embrace, one paw fisted in his shirt like she was afraid he might disappear.

“K-17… scared. Lose… Lang.”

He eased a hand underneath her and pulled her as close as he dared, kissing her once more between the trembling ears.

“Never again, Kay… I promise. I’ll never be so stupid with you again.”

K-17 twisted her upper body to look at him sideways. “Lang… promise?”

He reached up and gently wiped beneath her wet eyes with a caress. “Yes, Lang promises.”

* * *

Chapter 18 – Box Full Of Memories

Adrian smiled and thanked Natasha as she dropped the box off early one morning. K-17 was still fast asleep on the couch, oblivious.

“Dr. Lang… Adrian,” Natasha said, shaking her head with a mix of disbelief and fondness. “I still can’t believe you actually did it. Two weeks’ notice. Your life’s work. Just… gone.”

She trailed off, then brightened a little and leaned in. “How’s K-17? I miss her. We had our moments, didn’t we? Is she… alright?”

Adrian gently pulled the front door mostly closed behind him. The box at his feet was filled with her old blankets, the coloured wooden blocks, and her beloved stuffed wallaby plush. She would be overjoyed when she saw them again.

“K-17 — Kay,” he corrected himself softly. “Adjustment is hard, but she’s progressing. Every day she experiences something new. We… what we did… we had no right. Bringing a sentient being into the world just because we could. Our hubris outran our humanity and our ethics. I signed off on it. I was the lead scientist. I should have—”

Natasha smiled weakly and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“We, Adrian. Not just you. All of us should have known better.”

She sighed, the weight of it still heavy between them. “K-17 is exceptional. And it’s clear you genuinely care for her. You had a choice. You could stay with the company or resign. You chose the right one. I don’t doubt that for a second.” She gave his shoulder a light squeeze. “Stay in touch, Adrian. And give K-17 the one thing I never did - a real hug.”

Adrian watched her walk back to her car and drive away. Only when the taillights disappeared did he sigh, pick up the box, and carry it quietly inside.

* * *

Chapter 19 – Old Friends

Adrian set the box down quietly in the living room while K-17 was still dozing on the couch. He didn’t open it or draw attention to it.

When she eventually woke, the strange new object made her wary. Ears half-pinned, she hopped closer, then stopped a careful distance away. Her nose twitched, sniffing the air. She circled it slowly on all fours, one paw never far from the floor, ready to bolt if it proved dangerous.

Adrian sat on the couch nearby and waited in silence.

K-17 stretched her neck forward and sniffed the cardboard again. After a long minute she batted lightly at the flap. It moved. She flinched, then batted it harder. The box tipped over with a soft thud. A dozen coloured blocks clicked and clattered across the floor. K-17 twitched but didn’t shy away. Her ears twisted as a faint memory surfaced.

She pulled out a worn blue blanket and buried her muzzle in it, breathing deep. Another blanket followed. She held it for a moment, then set it aside — not from disinterest, but because something more important waited.

Finally her claws brushed soft, familiar fur. She drew out the threadbare stuffed wallaby plush, her old comfort toy.

K-17 froze.

For several long seconds she simply held it, staring. Not with words - she had none for this. Just a rush of feelings. Cold nights. The hard floor. The fear that never quite left. And this small, threadbare thing that had been there anyway. It had never hurt her. It had never left her.

She hugged the plush tighter against her chest. Her eyes closed for a moment. When they opened again, she crawled over to Adrian and leaned heavily against his leg, the toy still clutched close.

“Old,” she whispered.

Adrian rested a gentle hand on her back. “Yeah. It’s yours, Kay.”

She didn’t cry. She didn’t bounce with joy. She simply held the toy a little tighter — the one thing from that place that had survived with her — and stayed there, breathing quietly against him.

* * *

Chapter 20 – The Vest

Two weeks had passed since Natasha brought the box. K-17 still carried her threadbare stuffed wallaby plush almost everywhere, often tucked safely inside her pouch when she grew tired. She was slowly growing more confident inside the house, but the outside world remained vast and frightening.

Adrian knelt in the living room one quiet morning, holding up a bright orange vest. Bold black letters across the back and sides read: Not a pet. Do not approach.

K-17’s ears pinned back the moment she saw it. She took a small hop backward, eyes wide.

“Bad?” she whispered, voice small. “Hurt?”

“No, Kay. Not bad.” Adrian kept his voice soft and steady, laying the vest on the floor between them so she could inspect it. “This is for you. For outside. It will help keep you safe.”

She crept closer on all fours, nose twitching. One paw reached out hesitantly and touched the stiff fabric, then snatched it back.

“Safe?” she asked, ears flicking with confusion.

“Yes. When you wear this, people will see it and stay away. They won’t try to pat you. They won’t scare you. No strangers touching. You will be safe, and I will be right there with you the whole time.”

K-17 stared at the vest for a long moment, then looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes. The concept clearly puzzled her.

“Out… side?” she tried. “Park? Beach? What… is park?”

Adrian smiled gently. “A park is a big open place with grass and trees, where people go to walk and play. A beach is where the land meets the water — lots of sand and waves. And a sanctuary… that’s a safe place where other kangaroos live. You could meet some of them. Your own kind.”

Her ears came forward slowly, then flicked back again. The words meant almost nothing to her. Park. Beach. Kangaroos. They were just sounds — new, strange, and a little overwhelming.

“Kangaroo?” she repeated carefully, tilting her head. “Like… K-17?”

“Yes. Like you. But bigger. You could see them. From a safe distance, if you want. Only if you feel safe. If it gets too much, you just touch my arm like we practiced, and we come straight home. No questions. Home is always safe.”

K-17 looked down at the vest again. She reached out with both paws this time, turning it over carefully, claws tracing the big black letters. Her expression remained one of pure, wide-eyed bewilderment mixed with cautious curiosity.

“Safe… with Lang?” she asked finally, voice barely above a whisper.

“Always,” he promised, reaching out to gently scratch behind one ear. “I will never let anyone hurt you, Kay. This vest helps me keep that promise.”

She was quiet for a long time, ears twitching as she processed everything. Then, with a tiny, uncertain hop forward, she lowered her head and nudged the vest toward him.

“On?” she asked.

Adrian’s chest tightened with quiet pride and sadness all at once.

“Yes, sweetheart. Let’s try it on.”

* * *

Chapter 21 – Sanctuary

Adrian kept a loose, relaxed grip on the halter and leash. He knew he didn’t truly need it — K-17 stayed close by choice — but public appearances had to be maintained. Twenty feet from the chain-link fence he stopped, crouched down, and unclipped her. She immediately cowered behind him, clutching his trouser leg with both paws, nervously peering around his leg. Her small body quivered.

He had chosen a quiet weekday when the sanctuary was closed for a holiday. No crowds. Only one keeper who kept a respectful distance before slipping out of sight.

K-17 watched fearfully as a mix of grey and red kangaroos lounged, grazed, and dozed behind the high fence.

“Those silvery-grey ones?” Adrian spoke softly, crouching beside her and pointing. “Those are eastern grey kangaroos. The reddish-brown ones — they’re like you, Kay. They’re red kangaroos. Oh, look—”

K-17 leaned further out from behind him, eyes widening. A young red doe, easily twice her size, stood up and scratched herself. A tiny, velvety head suddenly popped out of her pouch.

“That doe — remember? Doe means female, like you. She has a joey. A little baby. Would you like to get a little closer? They can’t hurt you, Kay. You’re on this side of the fence. If you want, we can go nearer. I’ll stay right beside you. They’re very tame.”

“What… tame?” K-17 asked nervously, looking up at him.

“Friendly. They were hand-raised. They’re used to people. Visitors like me come here, touch them gently — like I touch you — pat them, feed them. Understand?”

K-17 gave a shallow, uncertain nod. “Lang. Safe.”

He smiled and stroked her neck gently. “Yes. Like Lang. These kangaroos are safe. Humans care for them, feed them, protect them. Just like I protect you.”

He took one slow step forward. K-17 froze, then crawled after him. It took nearly twenty minutes of patient coaxing before she timidly reached out and touched the chain-link, only to snatch her paw back.

“You can touch it. It’s alright.”

Reassured, she reached again, claws curling around the cold metal. “Cold…”

A young red doe chuffed softly and hopped closer, clearly hoping for food. K-17 gasped and cowered behind Adrian, trembling.

“Kay? Hey, it’s alright. She’s not going to hurt you. She’s friendly, remember? Gentle. Like me. Like Lang.”

With his calm hand on her back, K-17 slowly crept back to his side. The young doe — not fully grown but still much taller than K-17 — blinked curiously and leaned in. The two stared at each other through the fence.

“Lang…” K-17 whispered, one ear swivelling toward him.

“You’re okay, Kay. She just wants to smell you. Friend. Gentle. Kind.”

K-17 twitched, then crept right up to the chain-link until their muzzles were nearly touching. The feral red doe flicked an ear and sniffed at her. For several anxious heartbeats Adrian watched, equal parts amazed and protective.

K-17 trembled against him for a long moment, breathing fast. Her head kept turning, ears swivelling, taking in everything that felt unsafe simply because it was unfamiliar. This was a huge step — bigger than anything she had faced since leaving the lab.

Then her paw found Adrian’s forearm. She gripped it tightly.

Adrian didn’t hesitate.

“Time to go home,” he said softly, already turning with her. “You did so well, Kay. I’m really proud of you. That was enough for today.”

K-17 stayed glued to his side the entire way back to the van, still trembling but never letting go of his arm until they were safely inside. On the drive home she curled tightly against him in the passenger seat, exhausted.

After a long silence she whispered, barely audible:

“Kangaroo… like K-17.”

Adrian reached over and gently scratched behind her ear.

“Yes, sweetheart. Just like you. And you were very brave today.”

* * *

Chapter 22 – Empty

That night, K-17 lay on her back on the couch, propped up by large pillows. She stared down at her pouch for a long time, ears low, muzzle tight with quiet distress.

Adrian sat beside her and gently rested a hand on her leg.

“Kay? What’s wrong? What have you got in your pouch?”

K-17 blinked up at him but didn’t speak.

“May I?” he asked softly.

She trembled, then nodded. Adrian carefully slipped three fingers inside and eased the pouch open. There was nothing — just her small, undeveloped teats.

“No…” K-17’s voice cracked. She suddenly clutched at his head with both paws, claws scraping his scalp in panic.

“Hey — easy, Kay!” He caught her wrists gently and held her paws instead. “What’s wrong?”

“…joey.” The word broke into a raw, heartbroken sob. “K-17. No joey. K-17 bad!”

Adrian’s heart fractured. He pulled her close, cradling her against his chest as heavy guilt washed over him.

The tests had been inconclusive. They simply didn’t know if she could ever carry a joey. But after everything they had done to her — the genetic tampering, the stunted growth — he was terrified the answer would be no. That he had helped create a life that might never know the one thing that seemed to matter most to her after seeing the other does today.

“I’m so sorry, Kay,” he whispered, voice thick. “You’re not bad. You’re not broken. This… this might be because of what we did to you. I wish I could fix it. I wish I could give you that.”

He rocked her slowly, stroking her neck and back, feeling her tremble against him. It took nearly an hour of quiet apologies and soothing words before her shaking eased.

When she had calmed enough, Adrian mixed a bottle of milk replacer — their private comfort ritual. K-17 crouched on the floor, paws resting on his thighs, and nursed from the warm bottle with her eyes half-closed. When she finished, he wiped her muzzle gently with a warm cloth.

She climbed back onto the couch and lay with her head in his lap, exhausted. Adrian continued stroking her shoulder and side, feeling the last of the tension slowly leave her body.

His own eyes stung as he looked down at her.

She deserved so much more than what I helped make her.

* * *

Chapter 23 – Small Steps

A month after the sanctuary visit, Adrian took Kay to a small, out-of-the-way shopping centre. He affixed her lead and she crawled after him, head turning, ears twitching.

K-17 quivered as they stepped into the supermarket, ears snapping forward and back. She stayed glued to Adrian’s side, often bumping against his leg. The bright orange vest helped — most people kept their distance after reading the bold black letters — but the sheer size of the space, the lights, the noise, and the overwhelming colours still terrified her.

Adrian had spoken to the store manager ahead of time and received permission. He kept his pace slow and steady.

K-17’s wide eyes darted everywhere. The bright packaging, the piles of fresh produce, the endless rows of new things — it was almost too much, yet she couldn’t look away. She remained silent, just as they had practiced. Not a single word.

One staff member noticed them and smiled. Adrian gave her a small nod. The woman crouched down and held out a small carrot.

K-17 shied back instantly, pressing harder against Adrian’s leg.

“You can have it, Kay,” he said gently, resting a reassuring hand on the back of her neck. “Be gentle. Take it from the nice lady.”

The woman watched in quiet amazement as K-17 cautiously reached out with both paws, carefully wrapping them around the carrot and taking it.

“She’s… beautiful,” the woman said softly. “So young. And so gentle and sweet. I know I probably shouldn’t interact with a service animal, but...I hope I didn’t offend you, sir.”

“She’s still in training,” Adrian replied with a warm smile. It was a half-truth that came easily now. K-17 was in training — slow, careful desensitisation to the outside world. She wasn’t a service animal, but the bright vest and its clear warning did the job. Most people respected it.

K-17 clutched the carrot tightly and looked up at him, ears flicking with nervous uncertainty. Adrian gave her a small nod of encouragement.

“You’re doing so well, Kay,” he murmured, too quiet for anyone else to hear. “We can go home whenever you need.

* * *

Chapter 24 – Birthday Preparations

Adrian stood at the kitchen counter one bright morning, preparing a special meal. Through the window he could see K-17 dozing peacefully on the grass in the backyard, sprawled in a patch of sunlight with her stuffed wallaby plush tucked against her chest. The sight brought a quiet, complicated smile to his face.

For years he had never thought of this day. Back then she had simply been K-17 — a subject, an experiment. Not Kay. Not his daughter. Now she was six years old. Still small in body, still juvenile, but her mind and confidence had grown in ways he had never dared hope for. She explored the woods on her own. She brought him small gifts. She laughed more freely.

One afternoon she had frozen in front of a toy store window, paws pressed to the glass, staring in open-mouthed wonder at an enormous plush kangaroo. It had taken him less than a minute to buy it for her.

Because today was the anniversary of the day she first emerged from that artificial pouch — the closest thing she had to a birthday. It wasn’t a real birth date, but it was the day K-17 had come into the world. And this year, Adrian had decided it should be special. Something joyful. Something from love, not science.

He celebrated quietly at home. Pineapple chunks, fresh greens, and other safe treats were arranged on a low plate. To finish, he brought out a single slice of fresh carrot cake — no frosting.

K-17 had been playfully wrestling with her new oversized plush kangaroo. When he called her name, she hopped out and stopped short, staring at the small feast in confusion.

“Today is your sixth year, Kay,” he said softly, crouching down to her level. He leaned in and kissed her gently between the ears. “I still can’t believe it. You’ve been part of my life for six years now. Three of them as my…”

His voice caught. Tears slipped down his cheeks.

K-17 blinked, then reached up with both paws and cupped his face. With her soft tongue she carefully licked the tears away.

“Lang no… cry,” she whispered. “K-17 cry.”

Adrian gave a weak, watery smile and pulled her into a gentle hug, pressing her head against his chest.

“Then we will cry together,” he murmured, voice thick. “Today we can. Because you mean the world to me, Kay. I love you.”

K-17 trembled. Her own tears soaked into his shirt.

“K-17… love Lang.”

He held her tighter — but still gently — rocking her slowly as they both cried.

“Yes… yes, Kay,” he whispered, stroking her back. “I know you do.”

* * *

Chapter 25 – Second Chance

Kay was eight now, and in those years she had grown in confidence and trust in so many ways. She explored the woods behind their home on her own. She spoke more clearly. She laughed more freely. She brought Adrian small gifts — smooth stones, bright leaves, once a perfect pine cone — with quiet pride.

But lately something had changed.

She still ate with him. She still showered with him when the world felt too loud. She still let him gently open her pouch when she was anxious. Yet for the past few weeks she had stopped sleeping in his bed. She curled up on the couch instead, or in her blanket nest in the corner. Adrian had lain awake many nights wondering what he had done wrong.

One quiet evening he found her on the couch again, lying on her back, propped up by pillows, staring down at her pouch with that old haunted intensity he hadn’t seen in a very long time.

“Kay?” he asked gently, sitting beside her. “You’ve been so quiet lately. May I look?”

K-17 trembled. She hesitated longer than usual. Then she gave the smallest, hesitant nod.

The moment Adrian’s fingers gently touched the edge of her pouch, a low, rumbling growl tore from her throat. Her ears pinned flat. One paw came up sharply, claws extended in clear warning.

Adrian froze.

She had never done that. Not once in her entire life.

K-17 blinked. The growl died instantly. Horror flooded her face as she realised what she had done. Her paw dropped and she whimpered, curling in on herself.

“Kay…” Adrian breathed, heart hammering. “It’s alright. I’m not angry. I’m just worried about you.”

He moved very slowly. When she didn’t stop him, he carefully eased her pouch open.

Inside, impossibly tiny and barely visible, a jellybean joey was firmly attached to one of her teats — nursing.

Adrian stared, stunned into silence.

K-17 began to cry — raw, terrified sobs. “K-17… bad. Joey… come. No understand. Big buck… collar. Woods. Chased K-17. Smelled… wanted. K-17… wanted. No understand. Hurt. Strong. Did… things. Scared. Ran home. Not tell Lang. K-17 bad?”

Adrian’s mind raced, quickly piecing it together. Someone’s escaped pet red kangaroo buck in the woods behind their house. Pure instinct overwhelming them both. K-17’s hybrid mind had no real framework for what had happened — only fragments of fear and confusion.

He carefully closed her pouch and pulled her into his arms, holding her close as she shook.

“Shh, Kay. Listen to me,” he whispered, stroking her neck and back with slow, soothing motions. “Whatever happened out there, none of it makes you bad. The buck was following his instincts... and your own instincts were stronger than anything you could have understood.”

K-17 trembled harder, confused and overwhelmed. “Mother…? K-17… mother?”

Adrian’s voice cracked with emotion — a powerful mix of worry, guilt, and overwhelming joy.

“Yes,” he said, tears slipping down his own cheeks. “You’re going to have a joey. Your own little one. I’m not angry, Kay. I’m happy. I’m so happy for you. This is a wonderful thing. Being a mother is a wonderful thing. You’re going to be a good mother. I know it.”

He rocked her gently, pressing soft kisses between her ears.

“You’re safe. Your joey is safe. We’ll figure this out together. I’m right here. I’ve got both of you.”

K-17 clung to him, still crying, but her trembling slowly eased under his gentle hands and reassuring words. For the first time since the joey had appeared, some of the terror in her eyes gave way to exhausted, uncertain hope.

Adrian held her long into the night, one hand resting protectively over her pouch.

Kay slept at last, exhausted, one paw draped instinctively across the tiny life hidden safely beneath her fur.

Adrian watched her for a long time.

Then, for the first time in many years, he allowed himself to believe that perhaps they had both been given a second chance.

- FIN -