Hey to all my readers! I'm trying to pace myself with these updates, but I just can't help it! At any rate, this one was inspired by various stories of Therapy Dogs (and other animals). I figured I'd try and include it in "Return Home" , but never got it finished (tear). Hopefully I got the part about the grooming tools right. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Halo.

Chapter 2: Therapy

Laura smiled as she motioned to the younger Spartan behind her; the young girl had a curious look on her face.

"Don't worry, Lucy-Lu, it's not like I'm taking you into a war zone. Fred would kill me if I did, or at least attempt to." Lucy smiled and tapped her head, which Laura assumed meant "I know". No child should have to see what she has—and here I thought I had it bad. The minute she'd learned of Lucy's exact association with the SPARTAN-III project, Laura had done some hacking in ONI's networks; when she saw the history on the project, it had taken all her self-control to not launch a nasty virus in the networks. Small wonder that the girl couldn't speak—Laura had had first-hand experience with a similar trauma, though she never spoke of it if she could help it. The biggest thing that had helped her was some therapy that her mother's coworkers had suggested, and Laura hoped it would do some good for Lucy too.

The two women rounded a bend and stopped when they saw a small farmhouse not too far away; Laura smiled, knowing exactly where they were going.

"Ryder Farms, I spent a lot of time there growing up. They raise Thoroughbred horses, and from time to time I lend a hand with the chores. They're really friendly, just don't be surprised when the dog runs up."

Lucy tipped her head to the side, as if she were asking a question. But before Laura could answer, a large black and tan dog bounded up; she moved forward and knelt in one smooth motion.

"Hey, Chip, long time no see," she crooned as she wrapped her arms around the furry animal. "You're looking gorgeous, yes you are." The dog placed his paws on her shoulders and licked her face, clearly enjoying the attention. Laura rubbed his ears and smiled, motioning for Lucy to come closer.

"This is Chip, he lives on the farm with the horses. He's really friendly, your biggest worry is a wet face." Lucy moved closer and cautiously pet the big dog; Chip's tail thumped against her legs, and Laura saw the beginnings of a smile.

"See? He's just a big ol' softie. Mrs. Ryder says his favorite thing to do is sleep in front of the fireplace. Come on, I'll show you the rest of the place."

She stood up, wiping her face with one sleeve, and strode confidently towards the barn; as they walked Lucy saw lots of horses grazing and moving around in their pastures. A few came closer to the fence, poking inquisitive heads over the wooden railings; warm brown eyes watched them curiously, and somewhat warily, she noticed.

"Laura! Haven't seen you in a while. What've you been up to?" A cheery voice called from the barn, followed by an older woman. She looked to be in her late sixties, but her movements were those of someone who was much younger.

"Oh, the usual, causing trouble and all. Glad to see you and the horses are still ok. You've recovered well from all the trouble we had a while back."

"You were a big help, working with the horses. If it wasn't for you we would never have saved as many as we did—how did you know we'd be attacked?"

"It was only a matter of time, Mrs. Ryder—I figured I should at least save as much as I could. Good thing Dad taught me to plan things in advance." A sad look flickered in Laura's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by her usual mischievous twinkle.

"Anyway, I brought someone along with me, so she can meet the horses. This is Lucy." Lucy inclined her head and tried to smile. "She doesn't talk much, but she's very bright."

"Well hi there! Don't you worry, Laura's good with these horses, they all know her and trust her. You're in good hands on this farm, and any friend of Laura's is more than welcome here." Laura smiled and thanked Mrs. Ryder, then led Lucy to one of the stables.

"She's friendly to just about everyone, people are like that out here. Now let's start showing you around." Most of the stalls were empty, but one at the very back of the barn held a very pregnant mare; Laura smiled and whistled kindly.

"Heya Cissy! Still waiting on the little one?" The mare blew noisily and put her head over the stall door; Laura rubbed her nose and stroked her broad neck.

"Lucy, meet Cicero's Legacy, but everyone calls her Cissy. She's pregnant and due to foal any day now, but she's still a sweetheart. Come say hello." Lucy moved forward and placed a hand on the mare's nose.

"Go ahead and pet her, gently does it. Horses love attention, and as long as you're gentle they'll love you to death. Once I got my augmentations it took me a long time to figure it out, but you're a bit quicker on the uptake than I am." Gently she took the younger Spartan's hand and guided it along the mare's nose and neck, watching as the girl's face lit up.

"Pretty…" she whispered, voice hoarse from years of disuse. Laura smiled, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. It's a start. After all this time, it's a definite start.

"Yes, very pretty," she answered, trying to keep her voice controlled. "She'll be even prettier once she's foaled, but horses are gorgeous anyways. Although right now I think Cissy needs a good grooming." Smiling broadly, Laura led Lucy to the tack room, where she proceeded to teach Lucy how to groom the pregnant mare.

"The key here is to be gentle, and to remember to be gentle—it's easy to get carried away here. We start with the currycomb—" she held up a round brush with rubbery bristles—"and move that around in circles to pull dead hair off. We use this—" here Laura held up what looked like a metal stirrup with metal teeth on each edge—"to clean off the currycomb when it gets too full. The straight brush and rag are to smooth down the coat with, and the hoof pick—" and she held up an oddly pointed metal instrument—"to clear out the dirt in her feet. Simple enough to remember, but practice makes perfect." Loading the aforementioned items in a box, Laura and Lucy returned to the mare's stall, where she showed Lucy how to groom the mare. By the time they were finished, Cissy's dark mahogany coat gleamed.

"Isn't she gorgeous now?" Laura whispered.

"Very pretty," Lucy answered, and Laura had to blink away the tears gathering in her eyes.