Heartaches & Peace
Ray took my father to the hospital to be treated before he was to be hauled off to jail. A great weight was finally lifted off of me and I was finally able to be at peace. Well that is except for the fact the squirrel of my dreams was also being rushed to the hospital except his wound was more fatal then my father's. At my side holding my paw was my best friend Ruby, she also loved the squirrel of my dreams.
"He's strong he's going to be okay." repeated Ruby as she held my arm tightly.
"Are you telling me or trying to convince yourself?" I asked not really sure how to feel. I've never really been in love before nor have I lost anyone before. Was I wrong to feel happy?
"Both. I mean I don't know please tell me he's going to be okay." replied Ruby as she wrapped her arms around me in a sobbing embrace.
"How am I to know Ruby? I'm a lawyer major not a doctor?" I confess pushing her away just enough to look her in the eyes before adding, "All I know is he's strong and that he knows we love him and knows we're here for him."
"Well I think you'd be more encouragement to him at the hospital for and with him then here." teased Jill with a smile, "Come on I'll drive only because I'm hoping to run into Ray there."
This was just the wisecrack we needed to cheer us up enough to smile, we'll cheer Ruby up I was still confused on what I was supposed to feel. So I follow in toe with Ruby and Jill as we get in her car and head off to the hospital. No one talked the whole trip, now it was a short trip but still.
Once there I didn't want to go in. I knew if I entered the hospital I'd have to face a sad truth, the chance that Marcus didn't make it. I don't know why but I just couldn't get myself to cross the threshold into the hospital. And for the first time I realized it wasn't my father making me afraid to do something.
Ruby took my paw and looked at me in the eyes and said, "I know what your thinking and I'm scared too but we can get through this together."
"Thanks." I replied and I know it wasn't much but it was all I could seem to muster up before sighing and together we entered the hospital.
Now it wasn't that busy even though they had two gun shot victims everyone seemed laid back which made me feel a little more at ease or at least until the thought popped in my head that they were all laid back because there was nothing they could do and he was dead. This made me freeze and forced Ruby to almost drag me to the counter where with one glance the nurse on duty, a young ginger cat with blue eyes, she assumed to know why we were there.
"The detective took the wolf to room 293 but I don't think the police are allowing visitors at the moment." sighed the nurse.
"Actually were here to see Lt. Squirrel. He should've been admitted for a gun shot wound about the same time as when my brother brought his father in." explained Ruby with a smile.
"Wait you don't want to see your father?" asked the confused nurse to which all I could do is frantically shake my head no.
"His father and him had a very bad relationship and Lt. Squirrel is a friend. As for my brother I can see him later." replied Ruby with a smile hopping the nurse would just give us a room number already and stop asking questions.
"Sorry dear but Mr. Squirrel hasn't come out of surgery and when he does he wont be allowed any visitors." sadly explains the nurse.
"Oh." Ruby sighs not really wanting to leave.
"He will be transferred to Room 117 after surgery and I think they can wait there for him." replied a bulky panda with green eyes that seemed so familiar to me but I just couldn't place them.
"But Dr. Valentine only family is privileged to that information and we haven't been able to get ahold of them." replied the nurse and now I really was confused because where had I heard that name before.
"Nurse Joy, I believe these two are almost family to Mr. Squirrel and will be fine waiting for him." replied the panda with a smile before turning to face us, but before he could say anything else we heard a joy filled scream.
"Daddy!" screamed a very excited Jill as she ran from down one the hallways and wrapped her arms around the doctor. It was a that moment that I was able to place the eyes and name of the doctor. This was Jill's father.
"It's good to see you too Jill, I was hoping to meet this new boyfriend of yours. I heard he brought in a patient." explained Dr. Valentine as he separated his daughter from himself. "But I don't see him yet."
"My brother is most likely trying to make sure the prisoner doesn't escape. He is both wanted for multiple counts of cub molestation and for shooting a law enforcement officer." explained Ruby which both made me nervous and scared to which Ruby put and arm around me.
"I don't think you're supposed to tell everyone that sis?" teasingly came a voice behind us to which we turned to find Ray very tired and covered with blood staines. He then smiled at me and added, "Don't worry Damien I made sure he's not going anywhere. I put my most trusted officers on it."
"Not O'Malay?" shockingly asked Ruby as I saw her eyes get huge in what looked like fear.
"I said trusted not best sis." replied Ray. "No, Officers Foxtail and Hedgehog."
"I know James he's been working along side Marcus for the last week, but didn't he only recently graduate from the academy?" asked Ruby confused.
"They both were part of the same graduating class last week and Marcus personally selected them for a special task force within the crime lab. James was being trained on case management and will be overseeing that the cases remain in the correct propriety and that the team is always working on the most important cases or in the most efficient manner possible." explained Ray.
"Enough work talk. I'm on lunch and want to discuss things with these two lovebirds, while you two have a room to get to in order to wait for the one you love." replied Dr. Valentine while placing an arm around both Ray and Jill with a smile.
I watch as they leave before being dragged off by Ruby to try and find the room we were told Marcus will being transferred to. Once inside we see that he won't have to share a room with anyone so we get situated to the one side not wanting to be in the way for when they bring him in.
"Ruby when you two get married will you still allow me to come by?" I ask once we both had sat down.
"Damien I told you we're not going to do anything until we've come up with a plan that all three of us can agree on." replied Ruby looking at me boldly.
"I know but you too are the ones needing the loophole in order to be together not me. Besides I know the two of you can hardly keep your paws off each other." I tease with a smile. It really felt good distracting myself with this conversation.
"Says the guy who gets speechless and starts shaking every time you see Marcus or hear his voice." teased Ruby playfully punching me in the arm.
"Go paw yourself." I teased nudging her before adding, "Then again you might end up enjoying that too much."
"Oh someone is getting really bold." joked Ruby but before we could say anymore we heard a commotion as Marcus was wheeled into the room and transferred into the bed. Then all of the doctors and nurses left the room except a young female anthro fawn with yellow eyes who stopped in front of us and smiled.
"Sorry but he's not awake and we did all we could but it still doesn't look good. If you're able to contact the rest of his family I'd recommend it because he might not have long." softly sighed the nurse as she took each of our paws and tried to smile again, "It's a shame he is such a handsome young squirrel."
The nurse then left and we just sat there too shocked to really move or speak or anything. Eventually we both moved each to one side of his bed and took one of his paws. We held on hopping for a miracle as the heart monitor faintly beeped along with his heart rate.
"Do you think they've contacted his family yet?" I asked finally able to muster the strength to talk.
"I didn't know he had any. At least he never talked about them." confessed Ruby as I saw a tear form in her eye.
"He once mentioned to me about his birth parents giving him up and being considered an outcast in his home town because he was the only anthro there." I softly reply as I recall the night the three of us cooked dinner together.
"Wow I never knew that, he must like you more." sniffed Ruby trying not to cry.
"I think it was more that he was trying to cheer me up then that he liked me more." I confess, "To be honest I wouldn't know that if it wasn't for the night at the cabin."
"To think things have changed so much this semester and we almost threw away our friendship over a squirrel who turns out might not even make it throw the night." replied Ruby as she tried to hold back the tears.
"If it is his end at least we'll be here with him the whole time." I replied forcing a smile on my face.
We talked a bit longer before we fell asleep each of us on one side of Marcus while holding a paw and stretched over his body as much as we could from a chair. Now I don't know how long we had slept but when we woke Jill and Ray were in the room with Dr. Valentine. The three of them were softly talking as I blinked my eyes open and took in Marcus' scent one more time before slowly standing and stretching.
"Good you're awake. We have to get back to campus you two have class in the morning. Don't worry my dad will watch over Marcus for you and he's promised to call me the moment he wakes." called Jill seeing me stretching and hearing Ruby's loud and obnoxious yawn which we're all surprised didn't wake Marcus up.
"And please no arguing it's been a long day and I really wish to climb in the tub and just relaxes a bit before my next shift." sighed Ray.
Me and Ruby were also too tired and just wanted to crawl into our beds and cry ourselves to sleep. So we just quietly let them lead us away and while we road in the car home I over heard Jill and Ray discuss the possibility of Ruby going home with Ray but in the end concluded that it be best for the two of us to stick together.
As the days passed we started to loose hope that things would change though we didn't let that stop us from going to visit him. Then one day Jill met me right after class with a smile on her face and she'd been so full of joy that we were both expecting to see a nice shinny ring, but what happen next changed everything.
"He's awake!" explained Jill and with those two words me and Ruby started leaping for joy and I was even ready to sprint all the way to the hospital. Jill actually had to grab me and add, "Slow down killer we can take my car."