Dempeo: The Reunion

Gone

Hey besties, it's me 😌✌🏼. I'm here to say that first off, meredithandtequila will probably kill me, wait I take that back, she WILL kill me if anyone dies so I may or may not be alive but we'll wait to see how I choose my fate 🥲😂. Well update people, I'm writing this hours later and I have chosen my fate, but you'll have to read on to see what I did 🥲. Anyways, hope you enjoy besties and leave your thoughts if you want to ✌🏼❤️

Ellen's POV:

This cannot be happening right now. I must be dreaming. What kind of fucking nightmare is this?! I fight back tears as I get in the drivers seat of my car with Justin sitting next to me and Kate sitting in the back. I start the car and I quickly drive off from Patty's driveway and to the hospital. I could feel Justin and Kate looking at me with worried eyes but I ignore them and keep my eyes on the road because I know I'll have a breakdown if I even make eye contact with one of them. After a few minutes of what seemed like endless moments of holding back tears and driving in silence, I finally reach the parking lot of the veterinarian hospital and I get out quickly.

"El, why are we here...?" Justin asks softly as they both walk on either side of me into the hospital. "He..." I couldn't continue without my voice cracking so I stay quiet until we get to the receptionist area. "I... I need to go to room 227." The nurse nods at me and points to the room at the end of the hallway on the left. I walk slowly towards the room, I could feel my heart beat quickly and I grab Justin's hand to steady myself. He rubs my hand gently and nods reassuringly even tho he has no idea what happened. Kate takes my other hand gently and I stand in front of room 227, tearing up. There's nothing I can do to prepare for me this.

I open the door and I grip Justin's hand tighter for support as I see my beautiful Valentino on the table looking at me with really tired eyes.. I couldn't stop myself anymore as my knees go weak and Kate and Justin hold me up from falling as they look in shock at him. My assistant Viola who is standing next to Tino, walks over to me quickly and hugs me while wiping a few of her own tears away. I hug back and a few of my own tears fall on her shoulder. After my legs become as stable as possible for me to take a few steps, I make my way to Tino and I cuddle him as gently as I can.

He whimpers softly looking at me with the saddest eyes ever and a few more tears fall out of eyes as I look at the veterinarian. "I'm so sorry Ms. Pompeo, but Tino has gotten very old and he needs to be put down." Her words hit me like lightning and all I could do was cuddle Tino closer. I can't say goodbye.. I know it's his time but what about me?

He's the only thing that's been there for me forever, one of the only stable parts of my life. And I'm just supposed to say goodbye? Just like that? All those memories of the last 16 years with him flash through my head and I think Tino could tell because he patted my hand slowly with his paw. He gives me a few small licks, I think it's his way of saying goodbye and to tell me that everything will be ok. I sit down and cuddle with him for a long time and I just take in everything about him. His cute little nose, his old dark brown eyes, his comforting paws, his little licks. I always wanted what was best for Tino.. and that meant letting him go from his pain.

"I'm so sorry Ms. Pompeo, but I think we need to do this now." The vet says softly and I nod looking at Tino. Tino spreads his arms and he wraps himself around my neck. He was always a smart dog, understood everything anyone said and always listened. He always waited at the door for me when I came home from work and he always cuddled with me when I was stressed. And now it's time for me to give back to him.. I need to help him go in the easiest way possible..

I get up with Tino in my arms and I set him down on the table. I keep petting him as he lies down tiredly and looks at me with the smallest glint of a sad dog smile. The vet finally finishes preparing the medications to put him down and she nods at me and I nod back a little, not being able to look away from Tino.. afraid that I might miss a single heartbeat. "I love you my little Valentino, I'll meet you up there soon, and be my good little boy for me. I love you so much..." I say softly tearing up again as the vet injects the drug into Tino's leg. He didn't even try to fight it and he gives me one last pat on the arm before he closed his eyes and his heartbeat slowed down slowly.

My dear Tino... my companion for 16 years.. has now left me. A few silent tears come out of my eyes and I look as the vet lifts him up carefully. "Where would you like to bury him?" I think for a second but I already knew the answer. "I want him buried at the garden of flowers near the Greys Anatomy set." He always loved to run around at the flowers and he used to pick out a few flowers and bring them back to me. The nurse nods and takes him away and I look at him going away, feeling the life drain out of me. Kate and Justin both come up to hug me but I didn't even have the energy to hug them back. He's gone... he's actually gone..

1047 words! If you're wondering, yes I did cry while writing this, pet deaths are always so much sadder than actual people's deaths. I miss Tino so much and I can't even imagine how Ellen feels after having him as her dog companion for 16 years. I hope you enjoyed besties and leave your thoughts if you want to 🤍