Destruction

Author's Notes: So…I was reading that fourth story from Petshop because, quite frankly, Dreizehn is my favourite pet from D's and I'd been thinking about doing fanart b/c I couldn't find any from other people. While reading it, I suddenly realised that the story, while having an ending, was still pretty open-ended and just begged for a fan-fic or two. But I didn't have a plot…or a title. /sweatdrop/ Then I drew a picture of Dreizehn and Karen, which I'm still working on, and suddenly discovered my plot. So…here's the story. Hope you enjoy.

.oO0Oo.oO0Oo.oO0Oo.

Karen hesitated in front of the geometric doors of the familiar pet shop in Chinatown. Glancing down at Dreizehn, her Doberman, she sighed. "I guess I better get on with it," she murmured to herself.

The Count answered her light knock with a cheery, "Hello, Karen. You are just in time for tea."

Karen smiled and stepped into the shop, closely followed by Dreizehn. "Thank you," she returned, selecting a seat on the Count's sofa and accepting the offered teacup and saucer.

"How are you and Dreizehn doing these days?" Count D asked.

Karen turned the ornamented cup in her hand, stalling for time.

"Everything's alright, I hope."

"Oh yes. We're quite good friends." She took a sip of the overly-sweet tea. "But that's the problem. Now that I have my sight back, I should give him back to you."

"How's that?"

"Well, he's a seeing-eye dog and I'm not blind any more. So, I should give him back so he can help other people. I don't need him, so it's not fair for me to keep him, no matter how much I like him."

The Count chuckled softly to himself. "Dreizehn is much more than a seeing-eye dog." He smiled at the Doberman sitting quietly on the floor beside the girl. "I gave him to you as a body-guard."

"I know, but I don't need a guard-dog any more, either."

"I see," D answered solemnly. Then, with a start, "Oh, I nearly forgot! I was going to have cherry tarts with the tea. Would you like some?"

"Thank you."

The Count settled back into his chair and waited until Q-chan landed on his shoulder again.

"What are you going to do now that Edward can't provide for you?" he asked.

Karen laid the tart in her hand and frowned. "I don't know. Last night I stayed at a friend's house, but I shouldn't just move in with her. I have an aunt two hours away, but then I'd have to change schools and—" She sighed deeply, suddenly missing her parents and the carefree life she had lived with them.

D nodded, a mischievous grin teasing the corners of his mouth. "It sounds like you could use something definite and steady in your life; something that you could know would never change."

The girl gave a rote nod, her thoughts still lingering on the memory of her parents.

"Wonderful!" the Count cheered. "Then I'll let you keep Dreizehn until you've settled in. If you still don't want him after that, we'll renegotiate."

Karen looked up suddenly. "Oh, thank you, Count D!" Grabbing Dreizehn's head, she gave him an enthusiastic hug. The Doberman looked warily at her, but then resumed his station by the sofa as if nothing had happened.

Count D smiled at the turn of events and watched his guest nearly skip out his front door. Chuckling softly to himself, he returned to his tea.

.oO0Oo.

"Ah, Karen!" Amanda cheered when she opened the front door. "But, why's Dora-chan still with you?"

"Oh," Karen laughed nervously, "Count D let me keep him."

"That's great!" Then she frowned. "But what will he do while you're at school?"

"Uh," Karen glanced at Dreizehn and then around the modestly decorated living room. "I was hoping he could stay here."

"Well, I don't have a problem with that. I think he's cool! But I know what Dad will say. He doesn't condone guys living with girls, you know."

Karen started to give her friend a puzzled look, but then she remembered her initial meeting with Dreizehn—the human hand that had touched hers when she had asked to "shake". She remembered the time he had allowed her to feel his face and see exactly how fierce and handsome he was. Glancing down at the top of her Doberman's head, she realised that evidently he still appeared human to some people.

"But let's not worry about that right now," Amanda continued, cheerfully. "I have something I want to show you."

Karen (and Dreizehn) followed her to their room, where Karen sat on the bed. Amanda went to the dresser and opened the top drawer. Pulling out a small paper bag, she hid it behind her back before walking playfully to the bed. Reaching the edge, she thrust the package at Karen, a huge smile beaming on her face.

Karen laughed at the odd behaviour and snatched the package away. Uncurling the top, she peeked into the sack and pulled out a small blue jewellery box. "What's this?" she asked, looking up at Amanda.

"Well, open it, Silly!"

Carefully, she pried open the box and then simply stared at the strange silver emblem. "What is this?"

Amanda laughed. "A friendship bracelet. I gave one to Ellie, too. When you put the charms together, it makes a heart that says, "Best friends, forever." She bounced onto the bed beside Karen and gave her a big squeeze. Letting her go, Amanda laughed again. "I didn't even think to get Dora-chan something. But I doubt he'd want a girly bracelet anyhow."

Karen chuckled at the image of her serious Doberman wearing a bracelet. "No, I don't think that's the kind of thing that he'd like."

"Girls," Amanda's mother called from the doorway, "we'll be having dinner soon. Will Dreizehn be joining us this time?"

Karen glanced at the Doberman, calmly sitting on the plush rug in the centre of the room. "No."

"Very well. I suppose he's going to eat the same thing as last night?"

"Yes, please."

Amanda's mother nodded and returned to the kitchen. Silence filled the room as Karen thought about what would happen when her friend's father saw that her bodyguard was still there. She hoped that Dreizehn would comply with whatever Amanda's father decided, but there was the possibility that he wouldn't even let the dog stay in the yard. It was hard enough for Dreizehn when she made him stay out of her room. She feared he wouldn't accept being very far away from her. And besides, she thought, he's a dog, not a man. He can't take care of himself like that.

"Why does Dora-chan only eat one thing and only twice a day?" Amanda asked.

"Um…well…" Karen flushed and scratched the back of her neck. "He…doesn't like anything else. That's how…um…he ate when he was in the military." She smiled nervously.

"Oh. I guess that makes sense. No sense breaking good habits when he still has a job to do."

Karen nodded, mutely.

"Girls?" Amanda's mother called.

"Ah, dinner!" Amanda hopped off the bed and hurried into the next room.

Karen stood and started out of the room as well. Hardly had she taken a step, when Dreizehn stood up and began walking with her. Karen froze. "Uh…Dreizehn? Can you stay in here?" The Doberman just stared at her. "Oh whatever. You might as well come. He'll find out about you eventually. Better sooner than later, I guess." She breathed deeply and continued with decided steps to the table. Pulling out her chair, she sat, and avoided eye contact with Amanda's father. Dreizehn sat beside her.

.oO0Oo.

"I can't believe Dad didn't say anything at dinner," Amanda gushed while the two girls were dressing for bed.

Karen nodded silently.

"I guess he's just okay with the fact that he's your body-guard. Maybe that's what makes it different." Amanda shrugged. "But whatever the reason, we get to keep him another day!"

Karen smiled. "He's not sleeping in the room, tonight, though."

"What?" Disappointment flashed across her friend's face. "Why ever not?"

"Well, I'm not exactly comfortable sleeping with a guy in the room," Karen replied. It wasn't exactly a lie. When she had only known Dreizehn's human form, she had made him sleep outside the room for a while because it was too uncomfortable otherwise. Now, though she liked him to be in the room when she slept, Amanda's giddiness around him unsettled her. She better not be getting any ideas about my dog!

"Oh, come on," Amanda pressed. "Dad doesn't care!"

"Yah, but…"

"And you didn't seem to have a problem with it last night."

"I was a little out of sorts last night," Karen snapped in exasperation. "I had only just lost one of my best friends!"

Amanda flinched at her tone and fell silent. After a few minutes, she murmured, "I'm sorry. You do whatever you want."

"It's okay," Karen sighed. "I guess I'm having troubles believing it. I've not exactly been myself lately."

"What are you talking about?" Amanda laughed. "You don't even act like…anything's happened. I forget sometimes. It just feels like you're here for a sleep-over of something. I guess…I should be more thoughtful."

"Again, it's okay."

Amanda looked at her friend, doubtful of the sincerity in those words. Eventually, it would hit her. Getting her sight back was an improvement, now she just had to come to grasp with her parent's death…and her cousin's. Amanda swore to herself that she would be cheerful and happy all the time until Karen was ready to process her grief. Then she would be sure to be the sympathetic shoulder that she would need.

Karen walked to the door and let Dreizehn back into the room, now that they were both done dressing.

"Karen?" Amanda's father called from the living room.

"Yes?"

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Karen and Amanda exchanged worried glances. "Sure."

Amanda's father, Herald, was a heavy-set man who managed a grocery chain. Sitting in his over-stuffed chair in his slippers and housecoat made him look like anything other than a manager. "Yes?" Karen said, timidly.

"Have a seat," Herald said, gesturing to the divan. "I noticed that Dreizehn is still with you."

"Yes?" Karen said quietly, motioning for the Doberman to sit close to her. His presence was a comfort in the face of Amanda's rather intimidating father.

"I thought you were going to return him to the petshop today."

"Well, I was, but…Count D let me keep him. He thought I'd need companionship."

Herald tugged on his short beard. "Amanda's not companionship?"

"Oh, she is, but…um…well…we were talking, Count D and I, and I told him that—" She sighed deeply. "I don't think its right for me to stay here for an indefinite time. I have an Aunt near here…well, near-ish. After the school year is over, I'll probably move in with her."

Herald nodded.

"Well," Karen continued, nervously, "we decided that I'd need Dreizehn then. I believe Count D's words were 'something…um…solid and unchanging' or something like that."

"And what will you do with Dreizehn until then?"

"Um…" She chewed on her lower lip. "I was hoping that he could stay here. He won't like being very far from me. I'll make him sleep outside the room and…uh…anything you want."

Harold nodded again, thinking the situation over. Karen sat silently, toying with the hem of her skirt. Finally, Harold asked, "Do I need to get him a litter box?"

.oO0Oo.oO0Oo.oO0Oo.

Last notes: Well, that's all. If you all liked it, I'll post more. Otherwise, I'll keep the story to myself. /smile/