The Wounds We Heal

Chapter fifty-seven: Flashbacks!

"Wake up. Wake up, Chase! Time to decorate!" Ned happily exclaimed before he sang. "It's so great, making turkeys with paws! We'll paint our paws orange, with yellows galore, and red ears for you! It's so fun, painting turkeys with paaaawwwwsss!"

"Ok..Thank you, Ned!" Marshall chimed in. "I think he's plenty awake now."

Chase blinked and then stretched, shaking himself out to likely wake himself up. But wandering forward, he paused as if forgetting where he was going.

"What're we doing again?" he wondered lightly.

"Well first we were gonna see if you wanted to eat something since you haven't since you got here.. And then if you wanted to paint a turkey." Marshall told him. "So do you?"

"I guess." Chase shrugged. Then Ryder suddenly appeared and set a bowl in front of him full of food. And even taking one bite made him begin to realize just how hungry he actually was, and soon he was practically inhaling his food till nothing was left in the bowl.

"Wow,.. guess you were hungry." Chester commented. "Maybe I should have recorded that."

"Don't you dare!" Chase threatened in a low voice, though it didn't seem as severe as you'd think it would.

"Relax Chase. We.. just didn't expect you to eat so quickly!" Snowflake reassured, trying to ease some of the tension.

"Ok, ok, you've had your fun.." Chase sighed dryly. "Can I get a little more please, Ryder?"

"Sure thing," the boy replied, disappearing once again.

But standing up, Chase groaned and sank back down, slumping where he sat.

"You good there, bro?" Chester wondered, looking him over.

"Yeah.." the younger German Shepherd replied a little flatly.

"Probably still needs to refuel.." Marshall supposed. "Maybe eating a little more will perk you up again."

"*sigh* 'Wish it could work a little faster." Chase remarked openly.

"I've got an electrolyte drip, if you want it." Marshall offered. And while it took a moment for Chase to look his way, his firm nod was consent enough.

xxxx

Marshall had just secured the needle in place, by the time Ryder returned. And moving aside gave Chase his space back as he began to eat a little more slowly.

"By the time he finishes eating and drinking, we should be able to remove the IV." Marshall mentioned. "I've set the drip on a high flow setting that won't overwhelm his system, but will perk him up again quickly enough."

"We could get the paint station ready while you're finishing up." Zuma mentioned, making Chase pause for a moment to cock his glance over to him from his peripheral vision. Then a few of the pups ran off.

"I think we can set it up just like Ryder did." Skye suggested.

"Works for me." Chester shrugged, then proceeded to look around at all the supplies they had stacked against a wall beyond the elevator.

"But leave the paint till last,.." Rocky suggested. "It's the messiest part."

"Good call." Chess agreed.

"Yeah. We can wait," Snowflake replied as Ned nodded his head.

xxxx

They were just placing the work mat down, when Chase was taking one last drink after finishing his second bowl of food. Then bent down to take hold of the IV tube..