Rocky's Rocky Road.

The Date with Fate

-A/N- Back at it again updating the story that has only 384 views when I could be updating the one with 14.9 thousand. Oh well. Guess people who only want that will have to get over it!

- Katie's POV - 
Well, I had only just met the boy and his pup shortly before I was reading x-rays and trying out my best Dr. House impression as a diagnostician. Well, really this is a prognosis, we already know what's wrong with the poor pup. Both he and the boy had hardly touched the food they were given upon arrival. I don't think they could stomach that much food after hardly eating for months. Ryder was in the room with me, looking at the X-Rays. He was hopeful this pup would fully recover, I just didn't see it in the cards. A full recovery would take the time needed to recover (AKA Not doing anything) Way longer than Ryder could afford. I felt bad. Ryder had to choose to take both of them on out of his own pocket or use this pup, knowing that by doing so he was eradicating any chance of him getting back a normal gait. 

I looked at Ryder and made myself ultimately clear to him. "A full recovery could be nearly 18 months. He could walk gingerly and awkwardly as soon as 1 if you aggressively rehab him." Still deep in thought, he replied, "So, if we aim for 18 then how soon could he join us on missions and still fully recover at 18?" I sighed.  "18. Maybe 17. There's no way it would ever be under a year that's for sure, I'd never rule out a miracle though. There's always a small chance that going out with you guys wouldn't permanently stunt his recovery."  It was his turn to sigh. "Let's go give them the news."

- Chase's POV - 
The others and I had been called down to Katie's for an announcement. There was no doubt in any of our minds that it had to do with the pup we'd seen earlier. "I swear if that mutt comes and lives with us..." my whisper trailed off. Marshall noticed, however. "What do you mean Chase? Don't you want a new friend? Also, why are you slinging around that word without even meeting him yet?" I couldn't let him know how I truly felt, so I sheepishly retorted. "Uh... sorry it just slipped out, I'm just anxious to have a new pup around. I'm sure he will be great to have." I thought I passed it off well enough, Marshall appeared satisfied. Shortly after, we arrived at Katie's and walked in.  

I saw in the lobby Ryder, Katie, the boy I had seen earlier, upon closer inspection, his hair was really really starkly blonde. Almost white if you only got a good glance at it. It wasn't opaque and clear how you'd expect though, it retained color enough for that. On his lap was the pup I'd seen before, I immediately looked away, but not before noticing that they were deep in thought.

Ryder took me out of thought with his words. "Thank you all for coming, let me introduce the other two folks in the room." He gestured toward the boy. "This is Conor, he is 17, so fairly older than me, him and Rocky on his lap there, are from Boston, they ran away from a life that gave them nothing but pain, and came here in hopes that we could give them a life better than their previous one." Conor looked at us sheepishly and said in the friendliest way possible. "Hi there guys, I think we can get along great, Rocky here isn't one to talk much to strangers, hopefully, he'll open up to you all." He gestured around the room and winced as he did so. Ryder noticed but said nothing. "Anyway, Rocky and Conor here will be living with us, as they hope to join the team. That part hasn't been finalized, but is looking likely, so get to know them, as they'll probably be around well... forever!" He ended, giving a little chuckle at losing the words he had chosen before speaking.

My inner jaw hit the floor. I had always been a bit against adding to the team, but, this was just... A mixed-breed!?!? What the fuck is Ryder thinking!

-Conor's POV- 
As soon as Ryder finished Katie had me and Rocky go back to get Rocky's cast. Soon after we returned to the lookout. Rocky still hadn't had a bath, but there was no way we were going to get that out of him tonight. Rocky had stayed downstairs while Ryder gave me the grand tour. We were in the garage when he finally asked. "Hey, I know you're putting Rocky first, but now that he's taken care of, are you OK? You've been wincing since Katie's" I hadn't even noticed, the adventure and the relief of Rocky getting better had totally distracted me from my own injuries. "Oh... um... not really, I've got two bullets in me somewhere. Mentally I'm kinda..." My words trailed off as I realized as I was speaking to a 10-year-old who I had just met earlier that day. He sensed I wasn't ready to talk, but still replied. "Well we should take you down to the clinic for people, I assume if you're this alert it'll just be an overnight stay." 

My mind immediately said, "Well what about Rocky" But the younger boy quelled those thoughts. "He can't go with you, but I'll make sure that he does alright." Sigh. I don't know if Rocky's ready to be separated. Fuck, I don't really know if I'm ready. "Alright, let me talk to him first, you can watch but don't let him know you're there," I said, trying to keep the shakiness out of my voice.

I walked down to Rocky, who was working on some contraption. "Hey dude, what are you working on?" He was a little startled, but quickly glanced around and noticed that we were alone. "It's a machine to help you guys give me a bath. I know I need one, but I'm too afraid. So I can sit in here, It'll restrict my movement and help keep the water away from my face." It was genius, I'll give him that. But my heart cracked at him thinking that all this was needed to keep us and himself safe for just a bath. I indulged with him a little, asking where he got the parts from and how he used certain pieces. I glanced up to see Ryder looking at the machine, smiling. I think he had hatched an idea about what Rocky's role could be on the team. 

I remembered why I had come down here, "Rocks, I have to go to the ER and get myself patched up, I'll just be gone for the night, but Ryder will take good care of you, and I'll be back in the morning."  He whined but understood "a-a-alright. be safe." He said lowly. Ryder then walked out, and we went to the garage to leave.

-Chase's POV- 
I'd waited all day for the blonde boy to leave Rocky alone, vulnerable. It was almost totally dark when he and Ryder left. I knew the pup was in the Lookout alone, so I decided to use the opportunity. I walked through the glass doors and saw him hard at work on something, his back turned to me. I slowly walked up to him, and spun him around from the shoulder, he yelped looking at his leg and he immediately folded, he became a shell of what I had just seen. He just sat low to the ground and whimpered.

"Listen up to me mutt. We don't need you or your friend here. So you better find out where you're going next..." I slowly started applying pressure to his cast leg and made him look up at me. "Because you will NOT stay here. You hear me you filthy mutt?" He looked up at me tears flowing, as I was almost applying my full body weight to his leg. I kicked it and came off of it. He yelped again and whispered, "Y-yes, I hear... just please don't hurt me a-anymore." I was satisfied with that answer and left for my pup house. Soon after, I looked back in the lookout and saw the mongrel curled up sleeping next to whatever the fuck he was working on. I decided to call it a night, and head to sleep, just as I heard Ryder return on his ATV.

-A/N- Man Fuck Chase, All my homies hate Chase. Anyway, what Chase didn't know, was that someone witnessed what had occurred. Will they stay silent? Or will they expose Chase to the World? I dunno. Stay tuned to find out!
Much Love,

-TJR