Pain and Healing
I was walking home. It had been a long day even for me, I work all the time. Today, though, I needed a break it was about 10 p.m. and it was pretty dark except the streetlights and the moon. I left my office early, for me anyway, when something told me to walk through the park on my way home. As I walk I see a crumpled heap on the ground. I walk over expecting to see another homeless sap using the tree as shelter, but instead I see the one person I least expected to see here, at this hour, Joseph Wheeler. I was taken aback and quickly strode to cover the remaining ground separating me and my puppy. Wait did I just call him mine? I guess I did and I like the sound of it.
I gently check his unconscious body for serious cuts and broken bones. I find one of his wrists is broken and I set it and shift him so I could check his torso and neck better. His abdomen is littered with bruises and his left upper arm has a deep cut filled with glass. I removed some of the larger pieces of glass and tear my trench coat to wrap the cut. I soon was able to call the police and ambulance to come and get Joey. They arrive in less then five minutes. They lift my puppy on the gurney and load him into the ambulance. I followed, not wanting to leave him alone. The ride to the hospital was quiet and uneventful, besides puppy's condition was improving slightly. He was obviously anemic but his vitals were steady. When we got to the hospital my puppy was carted off to the O.R. with a nurse simultaneously hooking a bag of blood to the boy's IV rig. A nurse took me to the waiting room as I waited for nearly four hours while they set his wrist and stitched his multiple cuts.
I quietly thought to myself. 'When I find the one who hurt my puppy, MY PUPPY, I will kill him with my bare hands.' Then doctor comes out still in his cap and mask.
"Are you the one who brought in Joseph Wheeler?" The doctor asked me while questioning why in his mind.
"Yes I am. Will he be alright?" I ask standing to my full height, which dwarfed the small doctor.
"Thanks to your emergency care he will be. My name is Dr. William Adofo. I have been Joey's doctor for the past six years. This isn't the first time he has come in with injuries similar to these, although, these are far worse then any of the previous ones. I believe he is currently being abused by his father." The doctor said looking down at his notes.
I was dumb-struck. My puppy was being abused? My hands started to shake of guilt and rage. Guilt because of all the remarks I made that could have reminded him of his home life. Rage because he had not told anybody, because somebody hurt MY Joey. "May I see him now?"
"Yes you may, Seto Kaiba. Am I correct to assume that you will be taking care of the medical bills?" the doctor asked timidly.
I nod and he walks me to the room my puppy was staying in. He was hooked up to multiple machines and had three bags of blood was dripping into Joey's handicapped system. I sit down in the chair next to him and draw in a shaky breath. I grabbed his hand only for it to be squeezed the next minute. I look at my puppy's face and saw his brow was furrowed.
"S…Seto? Wh….where am…I?" my puppy asked his eyes fluttering in the light and looking at me.
"You're in the hospital puppy you just got out of surgery so take it easy, alright?" I say brushing a piece of hair out of his lovely face. "You don't have to worry about any more bills okay? I am going to take care of it; I am going to take care of you." I nuzzled his hand gently. "Get some rest I am going to call your friends."
My puppy just nodded and soon fell asleep. I stepped outside with his phone and mine out. I found the game shop's number and dialed it on my cell. The phone rang and soon a familiar voice answered.
"Hello, Kame-"
I cut him off before he could finish his traditional greeting. "Yugi its Seto, get to the hospital. I found Joey in the park and now he is here."
"Do you know how he got hurt? We will be up shortly I will get a hold of Tristan and Tea. Stay with him Seto. Don't let him be alone for to long." The small teen said with desperation
"I have an idea on what happened and I don't plan on leaving him ever." I said before clicking my phone shut.
I walked into the room and found Joey's head thrashing back and forth and him screaming out for help. I practically run over and wrap my arms around him in a protective embrace. As I hold my puppy to my chest he whimpers and grips my shirt. Soon Yugi, Yami, Tea and Tristan walked in the room and saw me gently cuddling Joey close. Yugi smiles and ushers everyone out so we could talk. We look at each other and Joey lets out another pathetic whimper. I look at him worried and begin to rock him back and forth comforting him.
"What hurt Joey so bad?"
"It wasn't a what, it was, I believe, a WHO."
Me: DUH-DUH-DUH Cliff Hanger I can't fathom where this came from.
Yuni: Seriously Jen! Another story? –glares at me-
Me: yup! Im uploading older stories so lay off. -glares right on back-
Takashi: -walks into the room and shrugs- while the glaring pair is busy I guess I will introduce myself. I am Takashi, one of Jen's relentless plot bunnies please review! Cool I get to do the disclaimer for once. Jen doesn't own anything, only the plot.