Summary: The past and present collide in this follow up to Ain't What He Used To Be.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the lucky individuals involved; I only use them for my own sick pleasure, which generates no profit. Though it does make me wonder if I belong in the loony bin…

Author's Note: Yes, this is indeed becoming a series. Go me. I had some trouble with this fic; initially, I was going to make it a pure comedy, but the bits from the past didn't seem to want to be funny, so now it's a comedy/drama that utilizes a little theory that had been considered for the "Evils of…" universe but was discarded when it got too weird. But, it wouldn't leave me alone, and I had to use it. I just had to! And, just to warn you, Jane and Gray are way out of character here, but this is my twisted little version of the TSW world, so they can be however I want them to be, darn it! It's not as funny as the first, I don't think, but it was written to accomplish several purposes: a.) to introduce the part that was cannibalized from an "Evils of…" fic, b.) to establish Gray and Jane as a couple, and c.) to prove that Dr. Sid wasn't always pathetic as a werewolf. The end's friggin' sappy though, isn't it? Oh, and I hope you can follow the shifts between Sid's memories from the past, and the present. I didn't exactly make it clear, but I couldn't think of a smooth way of doing it.

Warning: Contains swearing and nudity, though used mostly for comedic purposes.

Good Ol' Days

The Misadventures of Dr. Sid, Aging Werewolf

Sid was beginning to wonder if perhaps he actually should see a veterinarian. This can't be normal, he thought, as he filled yet another Chardonnay bottle with the drool oozing from his decrepit muzzle. It was the second bottle he'd filled that evening with the clear yellow liquid, and it was a wonder he wasn't dehydrated with all the fluids he was losing.

Still, how could he explain this to a vet? One couldn't just go up to someone and claim to be a geriatric werewolf who couldn't stop salivating. And a primitive part of him balked at going to a veterinarian; his wife Elizabeth had taken him to make sure he'd gotten all his rabies shots… And then there was the fateful day of his neutering… He was still perplexed about why a werewolf's legendary regenerative abilities could heal wounds fatal to a normal human but could do nothing about a little snip! And he hadn't deserved it; he and Elizabeth had been separated at the time the incident that brought about the reaction took place!

But he had to do something. All fluids were recycled, and if his saliva were to somehow get into the water supply, well, Sid wasn't certain what would happen – but it was the saliva that carried the infection.

Hmm… On the other hand, werewolves are pretty much invulnerable, even to Phantoms. I could sell bottles of this stuff to the USMF as 'Insta-Werewolf' and make a fortune! He shuddered as he imagined the ensuing chaos. Especially when the female soldiers went into heat.

Speaking of females in heat… Aki was out again, and the time she was spending with Major Elliot was beginning to alarm him. That, and he just didn't want to imagine what they were up to. Still, Sid had been young once, he knew how Aki was feeling. Which was why he was so alarmed.

Maybe I'd better put a stop to it. They're spending too much time together; Aki hasn't helped me with an experiment in weeks, and she's running out of excuses. She's had four grandmothers die so far, and that car she doesn't even own is always breaking down. Even if I couldn't smell him on her, I'd know something was going on. I can't rip the major's throat out, or even bite him, but maybe I could scare him. That man should not be allowed to breed. That wasn't a bad idea, now that Sid considered it. Having spent a night out last full moon had made him realize how pathetic it was for him to just curl up under his bed and collect drool. As hobbies went, it was a bit disgusting.

So, it's decided. I'll go out, and scare the little shit away from my assistant. Dunno how, yet, but I'm a genius. I'll think of something. He crawled out from under the bed, a balding, bony wreck of a hound, and stretched his legs with a series of cracks from his protesting bones. He was going to hurt tomorrow, but it would be worth it.

As he left the safety of his apartment, he ignored the little voice that reminded him of what had happened last time he'd tried to settle the score with another who'd earned his wrath. Hein had come out the victor. Hell, the rat had come out unscathed, as well! And he didn't even have the satisfaction of knowing that the general was traumatized by what had happened; his subconscious had promptly blocked out the horrible vision, as a good subconscious was wont to do.

But he wasn't going to try to kill the major. Oh, no… He'd just come up with something much more clever, much more humiliating. Something that would be remembered years from now. Sid licked his gums in satisfaction. Oh, yeah… Watch yourself, Major, because I'm going to make you wish you'd never been born. I'm going to…

Sadly, neither Major Elliot, nor the rest of the world, were ever going to find out what insidious plot had brewed in the werewolf's mind, for a girly scream shocked him from his thoughts a split second before something collided with his skull.

XXX

The party was still going on around him as he came to, and Sid rolled fluidly to all fours. He shook himself, his dusky fur briefly standing out on end. What had hit him?

"Oh, my God!" a voice cried, and two dark shapes filled his vision. No… just one, he realized as his vision slowly cleared. "Did we hurt you?" Pale hands rubbed his muzzle, then played with his ears as the speaker searched for injuries. Still shocked from whatever had knocked him out, Sid didn't even bother to snap at the person who dared touch a werewolf. "Anthony, you hit a dog!"

Now he remembered; he was at the party of an associate's, a weeklong celebration held at a beach resort. Sid hadn't wanted to come, due more to the fact that he and his wife had just separated than the lousy timing that placed the party during the week of the full moon. But his friend had persuaded him to come, saying that nothing would help him get over his pain like a good party. Right… He'd been compelled to stroll down the beach, away from the press of bodies, even before the moon had risen.

And now it seemed someone had used his sanctuary for a parking spot. That was progress for you.

The woman's hands continued to run over his body, and he yelped when she got a bit too personal. He whirled to bite her… and then he saw her face.

She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Pale, with light blue eyes framed by a silky mane of wavy black hair. Wow… Sid whined and leaned his muzzle into her chest. "You poor dear," she murmured.

"Big bastard, ain't he?" the woman's companion said. "C'mon, Nicole, leave him be and let's go have some fun!"

Nicole's hands tightened in Sid's fur. "Just a moment, honey," she said, her voice flat.

Sid glowered at the man who wanted to take this vision of loveliness from him. He was a portly man with a receding hairline and wisps of facial hair clinging to heavy jowls. His face was already red from drink, and Sid suspected he was anxious to get more. Could this beast be her husband?

Sid growled angrily.

XXX

Meanwhile, back in the real world, any soldier walking along the corridor leading to the officers quarters would have come upon a strange sight. The woman leaning over what looked like a heap of sticks and leather wasn't so unusual; it was her companion, clad in a captain's uniform, hiding behind a potted plant and bawling his eyes out that drew attention.

"I've never heard a man scream like that before," Jane commented to her weeping superior. She nudged the thing – a dog? – with the toe of her boot. It looked like it should have been put out of its misery years ago, but it still breathed. "Did you have to hit it? I don't think it could have hurt you." She turned away from the dog, stooping over to pick up the Nocturne Gray had dropped after bashing the creature. The weapon's barrel had a sizable dent in it, and Jane sighed in frustration. The weapon was hers, so repairs were going to come out of her paycheck.

"What's it doing now?" Gray asked, voice quivering.

"You can come out. It's not doing anything right now. You knocked it unconscious. You're not frightened of dogs, are you?" Jane asked, bemused. So much for her hopes of a strong lover…

Gray came out from behind the plant, suddenly courageous now that he knew the beast was insensate. "Me? Frightened? Never." As if to prove his point, he went over and kicked the helpless dog.

Its eyes suddenly snapped open, and it got to its feet with a grace that belied his age. Gray shrieked and leapt behind Jane. As the creature balanced awkwardly on its feet, as though trying to get its bearings, Jane knelt down to check it for injuries, ignoring Gray's pleas to just get out of there. "It's harmless," she told him flatly, "See? It's not going to hurt –" Abruptly, the dog settled its head on her breasts, and Jane stiffened. Okay, now she was pissed. "Get offa me, you horny old mutt!" she snapped, trying to push it away.

She needn't have bothered. The creature turned on its own, eyes fastening on Gray. A growl rose in its throat.

Great, another suitor. Just what I need. She cocked her head, watching the creature's bold movements, then checking Gray's cowering figure. But at least this one's got some spine.

XXX

"Go on ahead," Nicole told her husband. "I'll see if I can find his owner and tell him what happened." Anthony shrugged, and headed towards the sounds of the party.

Nicole remained kneeling, absently stroking Sid's fur. "I don't want to be here, but Tony's been invited for the whole week, and I'm stuck."

She sounded depressed, but Sid's spirits lifted. The fact that both of them were married didn't bother Sid. Animal instinct cared nothing for the rules of human society. Besides, he and his wife were separated, and she sounded as alone as he was.

Nicole got to her feet and Sid followed after. She watched him critically as he took a few steps, but his injuries had already healed so he showed no sign of being hurt. His back was level with her hands, so he let her rest one on his shoulder as they went around the main house of the resort to the beach.

Sid winced as the noise assailed his ears, and Nicole looked like she would rather be anywhere else. He scanned the crowd for her husband, baring his fangs when he saw the man was busy indulging himself.

"Do you see your owner?" Nicole asked him. He could barely hear her over the din, even with his sharp ears, and he wished he could tell her that he had no owner, and that he'd be quite willing to follow him home and be kept… Why was he so besotted with this woman? Was it her beauty? Or the sadness she felt at the obvious neglect from her husband?

He suspected the latter, and her distress at standing here and watching a party where she seemed to feel she didn't belong made his heart go out to her. When he and Elizabeth had been together, he'd never forced her to attend anything like this against her will.

Sid decided to get Nicole out of there. He whined and began to walk away, towards the beach, glancing back periodically to make sure Nicole was following.

XXX

"It's gone. You can remove your face from my back now."

Jane's firm voice finally got through to Gray, who tentatively peered out under her arm to see for himself. He sighed in relief, then released his death grip from Jane's ribs. "Thanks; I couldn't really breath," Jane grumbled.

"Sorry," Gray muttered. Great; just great! This is supposed to be it, my perfect night with Jane, and it's already almost been ruined! Gray just hoped the evening could be salvaged… Jane was so much better than most of Gray's previous dates. She wasn't inflatable, for starters. And she was willing. Sort of. "Do you still want to go…?" Gray hinted, nodding his head towards his quarters. Jane shrugged and gave him that I've-got-nothing-better-to-do look, and set off with that catlike prowling stride he admired so much.

Oh, yeah… He was gonna score tonight.

Gray unlocked his quarters, standing aside to let Jane in first. She took no notice of his efforts to be a gentleman, stalking past him as if he wasn't even there and standing in his living room with her nose crinkled in distaste. "Kinda… cramped, isn't it?" Jane observed, reaching out both arms to brush the walls on either side of the room. "Don't officers get bigger quarters than this? Hell, my closet's bigger!"

Gray pushed her forward, anxious to get her somewhere more pleasing. "The apartments are all oddly shaped to conserve space," Gray said quickly. "I assure, all the other rooms are bigger. Like the bedroom," he added, opening the door to said room.

Oops. Maybe he shouldn't have shown her that now. From the look on her face, she was disgusted by his lack of finesse. You can't push Jane, Gray cautioned himself. She'll just push back even harder. Remember Sergeant Wilkins and his broken ribs? "But we don't have to go in there," Gray said hurriedly. "The kitchen's this way – I have some nice wines if you're interested, and…" He trailed off when Jane peeked her head into another room and pulled back with a smirk. "That's the bathroom," he said, puzzled.

"How about a bath?" she purred.

Gray blinked. Did he smell that bad? Then it sank in. "Together?" His tub was big enough for it; what his quarters lacked in living room space, it made up for in other areas

"Of course. Then you can show me that tattoo you're so proud of. The one you supposedly got just for me."

"Supposedly?" Gray repeated, trying to sound baffled. "It's a JP; who else would it be for?"

Jane pushed past him to go to the kitchen, and quickly located a wine glass before pulling a bottle out of the refrigerator. "Jamie Phillips. A girl you wanted to date back in the Academy but had no interest in you, and certainly wasn't impressed to have her initials inked onto your butt for all eternity." Jane poured a large quantity of wine into her glass, then looked up at Gray. "Rumor has it you've been dating women with those initials ever since."

"Who told-" Gray screeched indignantly, then stopped himself. "That's not true," he said reasonably. "Aki Ross –"

"General Phillips herself told me," Jane shrugged. "We're poker buddies. And from what I heard about you and Aki, she was drunk, you were desperate –"

"We don't need to talk about this now," Gray said desperately, seeing his plans for the evening go down the drain. "Here, have some more wine," he added, topping her glass. Maybe, if she were drunk enough, she'd forget…

"Of course not. I want that bath," Jane said, giving Gray a push. Gray almost ruined it by questioning his good fortune, but he caught himself in time and smiled at Jane.

"I'll get the bath ready," he told her, hastily taking his leave.

XXX

They strolled along the beach, away from the sounds of the party until there was only the soft noises of the night. The full moon illuminated the world as if it were broad daylight, and Sid couldn't help but admire the beauty of the palm trees, the ocean, the soft sand under his paws… and the woman who kept pace with him.

Away from her husband, she seemed to come alive. There was a spring to her step, and she even gave a delighted twirl before flopping down in the sand after they'd come a suitable distance from the party. Sid lay beside her, tongue lolling, as she rested her hand between his ears. He'd gotten the impression she was seldom able to escape from her husband, and wondered how she'd gotten stuck with him in the first place. I could bite her! She'd become stronger than him, and she could kill him and be free of him! We could run away together and be our own little pack. He felt a momentary surge of guilt; he'd never had that thought about his wife. But then, she'd made it very clear that she didn't mind that he turned furry, just as long as he didn't drag her into it. Nicole, however, would probably love the freedom.

But he resisted the temptation. After all, who knew how she'd feel about him in the morning, when she saw him for who he was? And she would see; Sid had no intention of abandoning her now. He wasn't going to worry about that now, however; as a wolf, he liked to live for the moment, the here and now.

Besides, she'd started to rub his tummy, and he couldn't think clearly with that sensual touch scattering his senses. He writhed on his back, feet lashing the air, tail beating happily in the sand. When she rose to her feet, he whined at the loss… until Nicole began to strip off her clothing.

Sid watched, not bothering to hide his interest. It wasn't like he'd do anything in wolf form anyway; bestiality wasn't his thing. She was perfectly safe until morning. That didn't mean he couldn't swim with her, though, and he excitedly leapt in the water around her, generally making a fool of himself as she waded up to her chest into the calm water. He dogpaddled effortlessly beside her, enjoying the feel of the cool water on his skin, and the musical sound of her laughter as she watched him. He didn't think the night could get any better than this.

XXX

Gray didn't think the night could get any better than this. The tub was warm, the wine was cold, and Jane… well, she alternated between being both. Her rough exterior sometimes slipped, and Gray could glimpse the passionate woman beneath. Why, he wondered, did Neil turn this woman down? Oh, well. His loss. Gray leaned back against the rim of the tub, watching out of the corner of his eye as Jane wrapped a towel around herself to fetch another bottle of wine. Gray sighed as he left, closing his eyes and relaxing in the warm water.

Water sloshed over him as Jane slid back into the tub. "That was quick," Gray murmured without opening his eyes. "I'm glad. I missed you." With a mischievous grin, he suddenly rolled over and grabbed her tightly in his grip. "I really missed you," he said, burying his face into what he hoped was her bosom. Odd; he didn't remember her skin feeling quite so leathery…

"I leave you for a few seconds and already you have someone else," Jane said wryly. "Though I have to admit, you two make a really cute couple." Her voice was coming from… behind him! Gray's eyes snapped open, and he released what he'd been holding. When he got a good look at the object of his affections, he screamed and backed away, scrambling over the rim of the tub.

"How the hell did it get in here?" he cried, as the furless old dog paddled happily around the tub.

Jane shrugged. "I dunno… But you should have seen how you were holding it," she added with a sly grin. "I always knew you were an ass kisser," she said, then burst out laughing.

She's laughing at me. Me! This date was going so well; why does that stupid dog keep ruining everything? That was it; fear or no fear, Gray was going to keep this stupid mutt from further making him look like an idiot.

Gray leapt to his feet, nearly falling when his wet feet slipped on the tile. He snatched the wine bottle from Jane's grasp and sprang forward, landing beside the dog with a splash that splattered most of the water out of the tub. Blissfully oblivious, the dog continued trying to paddle around in an inch of water. "Die!" Gray screamed, raising the bottle and bringing it down on the old dog's head with all his strength.

Jane gave him a disgusted look. "Good work, mighty hero. You just brained a dog too senile to fight back." She wrapped the towel more tightly around herself and stalked out of the bathroom.

XXX

When Sid awoke that morning, curled in a burrow of sand a human body wasn't meant to fit in, he had no idea where he was. Alarmed, he sat up quickly, eyes darting around as he took in his bearings. When he saw the slight form sprawled on the sand a short distance away, the night came back to him. Nicole, he thought warmly, then stiffened. She'd come out here alone with what she'd assumed was a friendly dog. But she was married, and waking up by another man, a naked one, no less, would likely panic her.

So he did what any man suddenly finding himself nude on the beach would do; he ran like hell the seemingly endless distance to the main beach house, leaping the unconscious bodies of partiers as he frantically tried to remember where he'd left his clothing. It wouldn't do for one of Canada's premiere scientists to be seen like this at a party, after all. Sid frantically ran the length of the hedges, sighing in relief when he spotted his clothing neatly folded under one shrub that was adorned with a drunk's limp body. Lovely… With one last disgusted look at the remains of the previous night's party, Sid crouched between two vehicles and hastily clothed himself.

That done, he set off at a more leisurely pace to where he'd left Nicole, hoping she hadn't yet woken. Her husband had been one of those he'd jumped over, and Sid suspected he'd be out for hours. Plenty of time to get to know Nicole as a person. He already knew her as a wolf; the scent of her, the nuances of her body language, her voice… All signals that meant little to a human but meant the world to a wolf.

He arrived just in time, for Nicole was stirring in the sand, blinking sleepily as pushed herself into a sitting position. Her eyes found him and widened, all signs of sleep gone. "Oh," she said, sounding surprised and a little frightened. "Who are you?"

"I'm Sid." He offered his hand, which she hesitantly took. "Dr. Sid, actually, but I can't help but think that makes me sound old."

"Sid?" she repeated uncertainly. "Just 'Sid?'"

"Yeah." He didn't want to explain further.

"I'm Nicole H… Hackett," she said quickly. She was lying about her name, Sid sensed. So she wasn't happy with her marriage, after all.

"I appreciate you taking care of my dog last night," he said. "He doesn't like crowds, but I couldn't leave him behind." Sid scowled. "I didn't want to be here, either, but the man throwing the party is a friend of mine. I spent the night huddled in my room, trying to sleep."

"Your dog? He's beautiful… Where is he?" Her eyes were wide. "My husband hit him with the car… Is he all right? He seemed fine last night…"

Sid smiled reassuringly. He felt perfectly fine, truth to tell. "Wolf's doing just great. I had to put him in my room, though, because I didn't want him marking any drunks as his territory."

Nicole smiled hesitantly. "His name's Wolf? It's very fitting." Then her face fell, and she looked down the beach towards the house. "I should get going. There's someone waiting for me."

"Everyone's too drunk to get up from their own piles of vomit, much less actually notice you're missing," Sid said bluntly. "It's disgusting."

She sighed. "Yes, it is, isn't it…" She looked up at him and smiled, a real smile this time. "Since you're actually conscious, maybe you'd like to… take a walk?"

"I'd be glad to," Sid smiled, gallantly offering his arm.

XXX

"Is it dead?" Gray started as Jane's voice came from behind. He'd thought she'd left him for good!

Gray looked up from where he was boldly poking the dog's nose with his toothbrush. He smiled, relieved. "You came back!"

She rolled her eyes. "I was worried about the dog," she said, crouching down by him. "I'm starting to like the old bastard." She examined the lump on its head, twin to the other one Gray had given it earlier. "Poor thing," she said, gathering it into her arms. Gray gaped wordlessly as she walked out, seemingly uncaring that all she wore was a towel. Gray followed, desperate to catch her. He ignored the whistles and hoots of the soldiers he passed, thinking at first they were making them at Jane until it suddenly occurred to him to wonder: Had he bothered to get dressed before he'd left his apartment? Had he even grabbed a towel?

Gray glanced down. No… Oi…

Really, he shouldn't be surprised. This was the perfect end to a perfect day.

XXX

It was the perfect end to a perfect day. Sid sat with Nicole, watching the sun set. The moon was waning tonight, so he could spend the night with her, if she wanted it. And from the way she was looking at him, she wanted it. They both knew nothing could last between them, but at least for the night, they could escape reality. Tonight, his marriage wasn't falling apart, and she wasn't stuck with an overbearing oaf. Tonight, they could pretend everything was perfect.

Of course, if she didn't keep asking about 'Wolf,' things would've been less awkward.

Tentatively, he leaned over, drawing her face close to his. He searched her face for any sign of refusal, but saw that she was as eager as he. He close his eyes, and their lips touched…

"What are you doing?"

Sid blinked. There was no sign of refusal, so he leaned over to kiss her…

"You really are an old letch, aren't you?"

This isn't right, Sid thought in confusion. Nicole wanted him, right?

"Yeah, I'm glad you're alive, now get off me!"

That wasn't Nicole… And with that realization, the world shattered around him, and suddenly Sid became aware of the drab grey surroundings of the post-Phantom-landing world, of his wrinkled, decrepit wolf's body… and the fact that he had his paws on Jane Proudfoot's chest.

What the hell? Sid backed away, shocked. One moment he'd been with Nicole, and now he was here… No… Nicole was in the past. She was long dead; he'd only been living a memory.

Physically as well as mentally, it seemed, if he'd been about to kiss Jane Proudfoot. His eyes widened as he wondered just how much he'd re-enacted, and how had he done it? His fur smelled alcohol and… bath soap? And Proudfoot wore only a sodden towel.

Huh. On second thought, Sid was rather unhappy he'd woken when he had. It might have been fun to let it go further… Argh! What am I thinking? If I'd licked her mouth, I could have infected her! But then, if he'd had a lady friend, he wouldn't be obsessing about Aki's love life and endangering himself in the process, now would he?

Jane stroked his head, rubbing the toughened flesh idly. "You're a pretty cool dog, you know that? I didn't think I'd have any fun on my date with Gray tonight, but you really livened things up." She grinned. "I may just have to go out with him again. Are you busy this weekend?"

Sid decided then and there that he didn't want to know what he'd been up to during his lapse.

He whined, and she let him go. He rolled off her lap and trotted to the door. She let him out with another quick pat, calling after him, "Stay away from Gray for now; I don't think you could handle another blow to the head."

Ah. So that was the reason for his headache. Sid would have to whip up something… interesting to give to Gray in the lab tomorrow.

Sid was on his way to his room, then stopped. Nicole… He'd tried not to think of her over the years, even when his wife had found out about the little affair and promptly had him neutered. But now the memories were fresh in his mind, and he didn't think he'd be able to sleep the rest of the night. Instead, he went up to the roof, gazing upwards. The barrier's harsh light obscured the stars, so he shut his eyes and recalled the vastness from all those years ago, how they'd seemed to glow all the brighter during that one night with Nicole.

He threw back and howled, a sound that was tremulous and weak at first, but somehow deepened and became the melancholy call of a true wolf. He mourned for that night almost thirty-six years ago, and the loss of a young woman whose spirit had been crushed by her husband.

But at least he'd given her something her husband had never been able to give her. It was the reason Elizabeth had been so incensed by his one little liaison. Had it just been a little one night stand, she'd have let it pass. But Sid had given Nicole a son.

Sid fell silent, listening to the cries of the Phantoms beyond the barrier echo his own haunting song. The thought of his only child made him ache, for the man he'd become would never know. It was fortunate that, physically, he looked like his mother, for Anthony had never suspected. But sometimes, Sid wished his son had inherited some of his mother's softness instead of his real father's hard head.

Sid felt the pull of the moon as it neared the horizon, and he opened his eyes, turning to go back to his room before the moon disappeared from the sky. His heart was heavy as he thought about lost love, and lost chances. If only he'd never let her go…

It was no use thinking about bygones, Sid thought as he wound his way through the mostly silent corridors to his room. If he thought about it now, it would drive him mad. Much as he hated to, he'd have to forget he'd ever loved Nicole Hein.

The End