Rise and Shine, Jim.

"Is he up?" A thin, nasal voice asked.

"I think so, yeah. Look," A high pitched chirping voice spoke.

"Eyelids are moving. Yep. Yeah, he's up. Quick, call the doc," a low rumble came from the other side. Some light footsteps could be heard tapping away into the distance, slamming a door right behind them.

"Holy crap, holy crap, hoooly-crap!"

"Willie! Put the damn camera away, you'll scare hi-"

POP!

The red fox felt his eyes snap open. He felt a shock, an involuntary tic triggered by the noise, that made his muscles contract and his body sit bolt upright. With a single, fluid jerk, his whole upper body rose off of the bed as his eyes widened for a split second.

"Oh! Oh, my goodness!" shouted a shocked voice, and James' eyes snapped to see the speaker.

He saw a great white bird, in a blue nurse's gown, wings over her beak. Her eyes were wide, and she stared back at James.

James, staring back, felt a small breeze ripple his fur. Looking down, he saw that he wore a patient's gown, complete with polka-dots.

"What-?" his voice croaked, as he tried to speak. He stared, his eyes snapping from one feature of the room to another: the IV drip, the curtains on the wall, the television in the upper corner.

Seeing the people, he looked at each of their faces. He saw the pale bird, and beside her was a young, brown male rat, camera in hand. Next to him was a tall dalmatian, in a dark maroon uniform highlighted with gold. The dalmatian had an angry look, and was glaring at the rat.

"Its you, its really you!" The rat had an open-mouthed smile, showing his buck teeth, and brought his camera to his face again.

The dalmatian snatched the camera, pulled the rat in close, and muttered something into his ear, growling each word. After he let go the rat froze in place, nodded a little, and then went to the door. Turning back to look at the fox, he stopped, and then continued out the door, closing it.

The dalmatian, reaching up to take off his cap, pulled up a chair by the fox's bed.

"Well, hm. This wasn't...well," He scratched his ears, shaking his head.

"this wasn't expected at all. I mean," He pressed his tongue into his cheek and looked up at James, who was narrowing his eyes back at the dog.

"Huh?"

"Well, let me just cut to the chase-do you, know who you are?" The dalmatian held the cap over his knees, focusing his eyes on the fox's face.

A pause. The fox gave him a deadpan look, squinting his eyes back at the dalmatian, "Is this a trick question?"

The doors opened one more time, this time, with another officer in a dark maroon uniform. A doberman, motioning for the dalmatian to leave the room, leaned in through the doorway. The same motion was made at the white nurse.

One by one, they left, each giving a quick glance behind behind them at the red fox on the bed. Shutting the door, some faint voices were heard through the wall.

"Holy Christ, its him."

"It looks like it, yeah."

The fox got off his bed, stepping onto the cold floor with the pads of his feet. He pulled them up, shivering, but then planted both feet back on the ground again and began to walk gingerly to the door.

"God damn! We gotta tell Pepper. He needs to know this."

A small stirring of excitement came from the other side, with nurses tittering as the red fox placed his ear against the wall.

"Hey now, we only just confirmed that its the guy, not that he knows what's happened. He needs to be filled in-"

The tittering stopped. For a while no one spoke. Until one soft voice whispered,

"Damn. Who's gonna tell him?"

James froze. He leaned in a little more.

"How long's it been?"

"Dunno, years? A decade? He doesn't look a year older than thirty."

"The timing, too. God."

The fox's face grew puzzled.

-the hell does that mean?

"We wait, wait for Peppy. He'll know how to talk to James."

The fox's ears flicked at the sound of his name. He tried to shake off the feeling that he had before, so he sat back down, rubbing his eyes. Blinking, his gaze traveled back up, searching the room, and settled on a digital clock with wooden paneling around its red LED lights, with the year number nestled into the side.

2099

Okay its still 208-wait, what?

He stared at the clock, and his heart beat a little faster. Looking around further, he saw a window. He stared at his own face reflected in it for a moment, studying each detail, searching for something. His IV tube twisted uncomfortably, tugging his arm as he moved around. Stepping back, and smoothing the tube back down, he saw his own face crease with worry, then relax as he took a deep breath.

A knock came from the door.

"Can I come in?"

James' ears perked up. He turned to face the door.

Another knock, followed by the same familiar voice, but older, gruffer.

"Can I please come in?"

James opened his mouth, but then closed it. Instead, he walked forward. He placed his hand on the doorknob, slowly, and turned it.

In the hallway, with gray fur and tall, long ears, was a hare. He wore a gray flight jacket complete with a button-down shirt and long jeans.

And yet, it was still him.

The hare's eyes widened, and he froze. Seconds passed, and then his hand reached forwards slowly, inch by inch, towards James' face.

James looked back at him, staring at his old, grizzled face, and asked:

"Peppy? Peppy, what happened to you?"

Peppy stopped, and for a second, his eyes watered. Then, with a great lurch, he stepped forwards, arms spread wide.

James, surprised, raised his arms up, but was greeted with a bear hug.

Peppy laughed. He hugged him tighter and he laughed.

James asked, surprised, "What happened? What happened?"

He stepped back, beaming, and with both hands on James' shoulders: "You're back from the dead, Jim! That's what happened! Ha!"

James looked at Peppy's eyes, and he saw Peppy's eyes watering. Peppy was biting his lip, and shaking his head, as he continued,

"I'm...I'm so sorry, James. I didn't think..." He began, but then sniffed, standing straighter, "Well, I don't think anyone here thought they'd ever see you again."

"Why? Where was I? Was I dead?"

"Well, if you don't know that, then I'm not sure I know, either, Jim," Peppy was laughing, breathlessly, wiping his eyes, "All I know is, you're back! Come on, come on, grab your stuff, we gotta get you home. Riley?"

"Yes sir?" The tall, uniformed rat jogged up, speaking.

"Get the Prime Minister, let him know what's happened here, we've got news for him. Hah!"

"...Right away, sir," the rat jogged off, looking over his shoulder at James. Peppy went on, looking back at James:

"Hah, I've got an aide now, can you believe it?"

"Peppy?" James leaned forward, asking cautiously.

"Hm? Yes?" he was not as loud, but he was happy. Peppy wore a broad smile as he looked back at him.

James spoke slowly, licking his dry lips, and swallowing before he spoke, "Peppy, what happened? What...did I miss?"

Seeing James' face, Peppy's happy expression faded. James kept looking at him, frowning, but with his brow creased with concern. After a while, Peppy's smile vanished, replaced by a small grimace.

"...James," He spoke, very quietly, looking directly at his eyes. He was speaking cautiously.

"James, there are...some things that have happened, I-" Peppy stopped, and then he looked back at the rest of the group, licked his lips before speaking aloud,

"I'd like to ask everyone else to leave the room,"

The group of officers and nurses stopped, staring as they mumbled.

"Now, please," he spoke.

The group loitered for only a second longer before filing out and rounding a corner of the hallway, out of sight.

"James," Peppy looked at the wall, and took a deep breath "I think you should...you should find a spot to sit in."

James stared at him, eyes narrowed and mouth opened slightly.

"Please," he asked again, swallowing.

He sat down, slowly, as he felt his skin prickle. He could feel the premonition. He felt a slow, creeping fear crawl through him. Staring at Peppy's changed expression filled him with a penetrating cold. The kind that sank into your bones and made your blood freeze.

Peppy sat down on a chair beside him, sitting together in the hallway of a hospital. Peppy's eyes started to water again, and he stared at the wall, "James, I am so sorry."

James felt his heart sink further, and swallowed, "Peppy, what happened?"

Some seconds passed. Peppy's mouth opened and he raised a hand, palm upwards, to explain, but his hand closed, falling to his knee as he sighed, shakily. His was blinking his eyes, now reddened, as he looked back at the floor, and said again,

"I am so sorry."

"Peppy,... tell me now...please," James' expression barely changed, but the tone of his voice became shakier. An edge of dread creeped into it.

"James," Peppy looked up at James' face, then back down, biting his lip. There were tears rolling down his face.

"...it's..." Peppy started, taking a deep, shuddering breath, before he finished the sentence:

"It's Fox. He's gone."

A short intro chapter for my fic about James McCloud. I wanted this chapter to be emotional, but I haven't written stuff like that before. Let me know what y'all think.

The next chapter from me will be about Fox's story, which will take place in a different setting, place and time. i'm thinking of alternating between the projects to let me get some writing practice.

Edited: some word changes. Next chapter up soon.