The Sad Ending of the Happy Dog

Summary: Superboy didn't know death, until Wolf taught thought it would be sad, like his friends made it seem, and yet Wolf seemed so happy. Why?

~?~?~

AN: my dog, only six, named Daizee, has been diagnosed with an inoperable tumor in her belly, and within the week, she be put down and buried in my grandmother's yard. We're military so we'll never see her again except maybe once a year... She doesn't even look sick, she seems to happy... This is basically what happened with my baby...

When Conner woke up that morning, it was a slimy appendage wiping itself on his face.

"Huh?" Conner muttered only to jump away as he realized what was touching him. He wiped his face harshly. "Wolf! Don't do that! Disgusting!" Conner wiped his face again while the large white wolf tilted his head curiously, tongue lolling out of his mouth innocently.

Conner gave him an ugly look but Wolf only barked, crouching in a playful position. Conner smiled, unable to be upset with his joyful companion, his first friend since he woke up three years ago. Conner chucked, walking over and petting that hybrid on the head; Wolf tilted his head before jumping his partner, his rump shaking from the movements of his happy tail. Conner laughed.

"Mornin pal," he said.

~?~?~

"Come on boy!" "Ruff!"

Conner and Wolf ran side by side on the battlefield; the teen trusting his dog to lead them without taking them to one of many land mines. As they went, Conner would pick up their teammates and punch-out the enemy, his full and undeniable trust on his dog.

*!BANG!*

Conner jerked at the sound, so close by, that he turned only to see Wolf tackling a uniformed man, ripping into his arm which held the gun. Conner sighed in relief.

"Good boy!" he shouted.

~?~?~

They were home now, in the med-bay. They were all patched up, Wolf lying in the corner, panting, with Wally and Robin leaning on his side and flank, resting from their long fight. Walt was idly running his fingers through Wolf's fur when he frowned, glancing at said hound.

"Hey guys," he began, running his fingers deeper, "does Wolf look thinner?" he asked curiously.

The teens looked over and Wolf perked at the sound of his given name. Robin tilted his head.

"Yeah I think you're right," he agreed, and petted the dog's flank. "Is he sick?" he asked Conner in concern.

Conner shrugged, not that concerned himself. "I don't think so," he replied. "He's just as annoying and sappy as ever."

Artemis didn't seemed that upset either. "He should- Ugh! What is that?!" the archer covered her nose.

"Huh?" was the collective response and Kaldur made the mistake of breathing through his nose.

"Oh my," he grimaced, wrinkling his nose.

"Ew! Hello Megan, that's gross!"

"Ugh! Wolf!" shouted Conner, holding his shirt to his nose.

Wolf barked happily at his master, tongue lolling as his tail wagged. His bodily functions ruined their afternoon, and they all forgot about the thinning, happy dog.

~two weeks later~

Conner was worrying now, along with the rest of the team. Wolf was definitely ill; the hybrid wasn't eating, and when he did, he threw it up, undigested. Wolf's fur has lost its sheen, and was dull and limp; he'd lost over thirty pounds and Conner could feel his ribs. What seems like nothing was obviously something and despite all this, the dog was still it's happy, playful self. Finally the team decided to get the wolf checked out by their den-sitters.

Everyone was sitting outside, feeling sad and nervous while Wolf was in the scanner room, getting an MRI from Batman and Red Tornado; Black Canary was in the corner, a silent support. Conner was tense against the walling, leaning on it, face indifferent, determined to not give up hope when nothing could be wrong. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the two mentors returned; everyone instantly looked up, eager, yet dreading for the words that would be said.

They were both emotionless but Robin was filled with horror as he read his mentor's silent, hidden expression.

Red Tornado spoke first. "We have scanned Wolf and have found a mass in his liver, and another under his stomach," he intoned.

Everyone else was instantly filled with horror; Megan jumping Conner to lean on him. They were all crying worst now.

Conner only frowned more. "A mass?" he asked. "Some kind of foreign body?"

Batman nodded. "A tumor to be exact; they seem to be growing quicker than normal. He must be missing something that the labs he was created in didn't give him," he explained.

Conner's face slowly became emotionless. "Inoperable?" he repeated weakly.

"It can not be cut out," Red Tornado said emotionlessly. Conner didn't hold it against him. "The only option is got him to be put down."

Conner looked down, unconsciously holding Megan tighter to his body when she screamed out a sob. 'But he was fine yesterday. He was fine today! Is fine. I don't understand, we were just playing fetch last week and fighting Lex the next day. What happened?'

Conner looked up, a scowl in place. "I want to see him," he said, growl in place.

They all looked at him with pity, save Batman, who looked into the teen's eyes; finally that bat nodded. Conner kissed Megan's forehead before releasing her and walking to the door. Conner paused there, gripping the doorknob as he braced himself for the worst. Painstakingly slow, he opened the door and peeked in.

Wolf was lying on a metal slab that acted as a table, an IV inserted in his forearm. When the door opened, Wolf's head lifted from his paws and he was instantly happy, panting and wagging his tail. Conner closed the door behind him and stared; he was dying and yet Wolf looked so happy. Wolf seemed to be so carefree and when Conner didn't come to him, he yipped and his body shivered from the force of his wagging tail. Conner walked forward, scratching Wolf's head when he reached him.

"Hey boy," Conner murmured, rubbing his ears, "they say you're pretty sick; they need to put you down."

Conner choked as it finally occurred to him, tears pooling in his eyes. Wolf was going to be-

Wolf whined and Conner started, looking at his partner. Wolf tilted his head, not as happy now that his master was upset; to rectify it, he leaned forward. Conner groaned in disgust as a pink tongue dragged itself from his chin to his forehead.

"Wolf!" he reprimanded angrily, then grinned and laughed. "Wolf," he repeated more happily and hugged the dog's thin neck.

Wolf squeaked in reply as he nuzzled Conner's neck. "I've never experienced death before, my friends make it seem so sad but... But you're so happy, and you've always made me happy..."

Conner pulled away and looked into Wolf's big, blue eyes. "You're going to be okay, and I think I will be too."

-the day after the next-

In the ground was a cold body, above it, fresh turned dirt, with a stone plaque. It read: the ground is a dark and lonely place, but don't worry, we'll always be around for you.

The End.

~?~?~

AN: that last quote is from the Anime One Piece, that which has taught me almost everything I know about Nakama, or friendship and comradely. So, to my dog: Daizee May, age 6, and to the dogs of all my fellow readers and writers.