Cats And Dogs [Cashby]

10.

[Jack]

My tail brushes back and forth across the floor as I sit in the chair next to the bed that has Alan in it.

I can't say I'm entirely mad at Austin for what he did because I know how much Shayley means to him and I know how much it had effected him when they took Shay.

But I am mad that he left Alan in the way he did, and yet Alan still protected him even though he got uncomfortably close to loosing his own life.

The small boy shifts a bit in the bed and his face twists into a look of pain before his eyes flutter open and glance around in a panic.

I can see him relax a bit when his eyes land on me. He only looks slightly better than he did last night. He has a dark bruise that rings around his eye and has even darker bags under his eyes from lack of sleep. His ribs and collar bone show almost completely from them not feeding him. And there's more bruises and scratches lining the fragile skin. There's bruises and cuts lining his jaw and cheek bones and there's a small clipping missing out of one his his ears.

He quietly clears his throat before speaking: "What's going on?"

"Don't worry, you're safe," I say simply, knowing it's all he needs to hear at this point.

He lets his gaze drift back to the ceiling and stays silent.

"Are you hungry?" I ask.

He nods and I silently get up and walk out to go get him something to eat.

[Alan]

The dull throbbing in my head is all I can think about as I stare at the designs carved into the ceiling above the bed.

After a minute or two I manage to distract my thoughts, but that doesn't last long as Jack walks back in.

"Come eat," he says simply.

He helps me get up and I, with much difficulty, follow him to the kitchen where there's a table and chairs set up with breakfast layed out on the table.

---

"Y'know, I'm not trying to be rude, but where are your ears?" I ask Jack.

He sighs and pushes his hair back, revealing folded ears that perfectly blend in with his hair.

I stifle a laugh as he fixes his hair back to its original form.

I shift on the bed I'm sitting in.

"So if we're playing the question game," he says, flashing me a smile. "How'd you meet Austin?"

"He kinda kidnapped me," I mutter, playing with a loose thread in my jeans. "But he did say it was for my own protection."

"Well it doesn't look like he did a very good job," Jack replies running a finger across the bruise around my eye.

"Honestly, I think this was my fault," I say, looking down. "I was the one that ignored him and still ran for it when I had the chance."

He nods slowly, pursing his lips.

"Austin knows you're out," he says quietly. "And he's coming here to see you."

Slight panic courses through me, knowing I don't want to see, or be near him ever again.

Yet, there's still a small voice in the back of my mind that keeps reminding me that he can protect me, if I would just let him.

My ears perk up to the sound of voices downstairs, but fall flat once I realize who's voice it is.

Austin walks in the room and Jack moves away from me.

The look of pure regret and sorrow flashes across Austin's face as he sees me.

I wrap my tail around myself in a protective manor as Austin sits next to me.

"I'm sorry," he says, running a finger along the bruise around my eye.

I jerk back and scowl at him, not wanting him anywhere near me, let alone touching me.

An apologetic look rests in his features as he looks at me.

"Do you trust me enough to at least protect you now?" Austin asks quietly.

That simple question sets off a war in my mind.

I know he can protect me and keep me safe, he's done it for the others for so long.

But I also know that I was doing just fine by myself.

Now they know the area that I'm living in though, I'd have to move again and I don't really want to do that.

"Yes," I say. "I trust you."