In a way of making Ace as comfortable as possible before the vet was due to arrive, Maria and John helped him up onto his feet and lifted him onto the couch. Placing his favorite blanket under his large head for comfort, Maria undid his collar and slipped from under his thick neck. Sitting down on the edge of the couch and running his fingers up and down Ace's back, John glanced down at his watch and saw it was quarter to five. His felt that lump gather in his throat.

"John?"

"Hm?" He lifted his head to look at Maria kneeling beside Ace's large head.

"Had you ever had to let a pet go like this as a kid?"

Inhaling a deep breath, John furrowed his brows as he thought back through his childhood. "Well...we had this cat growing up. She was more my mother's cat, but she was just like one of the family. One day, she disappeared and we never found her until a few weeks later. She had gotten into a fight with a possible feral cat and we took her to the vet due to her injuries. We ended up having to put her down after we were told she had no chance to make it." Running his hand firmly over Ace's back to help his tense muscles, John remembered back to difficulty his mother had with the lose. "It didn't really hit me until a few days later until I saw mom packing away her toys and I went to my room and cried."

"I'm so sorry," Maria whispered as John's jaw clenched. "This is the cat tragedy all over again, huh?"

"Yeah, except Ace isn't a cat nor badly injured." He replied back with a firm tone. "That is what I'm grateful for, sweetheart." His eyes lowered and released a long sigh before continuing, "It's really quick, though. Smores was in the middle of purring when they gave her the shot and she was gone within seconds."

"Smores?"

John nodded and with a slight smile. "Yeah...she was a calico and Bernie named her." He leaned back in the seat, his hand still on Ace's back, "I wanted to name her Snickers, but I was out voted two to one."

Maria cracked a small smile until a knock at the door wiped it away. John stood and walked to the door, peering through the peep hole. "It's the vet," his voice was at a low level, glancing at Maria's sad stricken face. Opening the door, John held it open as the middle aged man walked in with his suitcase and shook his hand. "Thanks for coming over, Doc."

"No problem, Mr. Munch," He said in a soft voice as he headed in the direction of the living room. "Maria, how's the patient doing?" He knew the answer, but he just had to ask.

She gave a half attempted shrug as he sat down and ran his hands over Ace's back. "For now, he's just hanging on, Steve." She rubbed under Ace's ear as he leaned his head in the direction of the scratching. "Or at least, he's trying to hang on."

Opening his suitcase and removing his stethoscope, Steve listened to Ace's heartbeat and felt around for his pulse. "Okay, what I'm going to do in inject him with the euthanasia through the vein in his right front leg. He's not going to feel any pain, it's going to be really quick and it's going to be like he was falling asleep."

Feeling her throat going tight and dry, Maria nodded as she continued to rub under Ace's ear for her own comfort. John kneeled down on one knee by Maria, one hand going to her lower back while his other hand went to stroke Ace's neck. Watching him reach back into the suitcase, John leaned close to her ear and whispered, "It's okay, baby. Just keep petting him and take deep breaths." Nodding at his advice, Maria chewed on her bottom lip as Steve readied the needle and rubbed Ace's leg.

"Here we go," He whispered as he inserted the needle into Ace's leg and slowly injected the solution. "I'm sorry, old man."

Ace released a sigh as Maria leaned over and kissed the graying muzzle, her tears landing in his fur. Pressing her forehead against his dark head, she felt as he went drew in one last breath and was still. "Oh, God...," Maria allowed her tears to fall as Steve took one last inspection with his stethoscope and gently petted his still body. "Oh, Ace...I'm so sorry, baby boy."

Placing his hands on her shoulders and giving them a gentle squeeze, John tried hard to keep his own emotions in check while Maria grieved. Glancing over at the vet, he rested his chin on top of Maria's head to give more comfort and asked carefully, "What can I do about getting cremation?"

"Don't worry about, Mr. Munch. I'll take care of it." He waved his hand to wave off the offer. "I know someone who gives free animal cremations for free for our boys in blue. I can give her a call, let her know and it can be done before tomorrow afternoon. She can also reserve a spot for him if that's what you want." John nodded as Maria lifted her head, her red eyes looking at him.

"No, wait. You can take him and get him ready, but I'm taking him back to Boston to be buried. He had been born and trained there." Maria stated firmly, her voice hoarse from crying. "He was born there and he's going to be buried there." More tears streaked down her face as she looked down at Ace's still body. "You can cremate him, but I want him to go back home where he belongs."

Steve placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and gave it a small squeeze. "I understand, Maria. When would you like me to move him to the vet's office?"

"Tonight, but I want to say one more good bye to him."

Steve nodded as he reached into his case and pulled out the black bag. "Sure, let me know when you're ready." Standing and heading into the direction of the kitchen, he pulled out his phone and placed a call.

---------------

A half hour later, John and Steve had carefully moved Ace into the black bag and headed to his car while Maria hide in the bedroom. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Maria held onto the dark red collar with the gold plated license with his name etched in. Hearing a door shut and foot steps heading towards the bedroom, Maria didn't even glance up when John said her name.

Sighing, he sat down beside her and took a hold of her hand. To him it felt cold, clammy and, to him personally, it felt like it had been drained of her gentle touch. "Maria? Talk to me, baby," he reached out and gently caressed her face. "Please, sweetie."

Turning her head slowly, she stared at him with a blank stare. "What do you want me to say? John...I don't know what I want right now and...he was here one second and gone the next!" Her voice was sore and hoarse still from grieving, her blank look mixed with her voice broke John's heart."I'm just going to take a shower and hide there until I feel like coming back out." Standing and pulling her hand from John's, she walked slowly in the direction of the bathroom and slipped through the door.

Shedding her clothes and turning on the water, Maria stepped in and allowed the steaming water to pound her back. Closing her eyes and letting out a sob, she covered her face with her hands as she sobbed uncontrollably and nearly jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up and seeing John stepping in, Maria watched as he tipped her head and kissed her gently.

Fueled by her bodily tension and feeling the urge to release her stress, Maria's hands moved to the back of his neck and pulled him closer, her tongue moving to taste him. Giving her what she was wanting to have, John wrapped his arms around her to keep her steady until she felt the need for air and pressed her face into his chest. "Easy, baby. Easy," He whispered to her as she finally allowed her tears to fall to the point she hiccuped.

Standing in silence, they both held onto each other under the warm water and allowed their silent tears to mix in with the pounding water. Feeling numb, Maria could only feel John's long fingers going through her wet hair. "I miss him," She whispered against his ear, feeling him embrace her closer, his hand moving the the back of her head.

"I miss him too, baby."

An add in at the last minute - this fic is dedicated to all the family animals we have lost. Mostly to Phantom who had passed away May '08, when this was originally written down on paper.