A/N: Here it is, the long awaited chapter. I'm trying to update as quickly as possible, although I'm losing a little motivation for the lack or reviews. I have no idea whether people are even enjoying this or not? Please review if you've read this and want me to carry it on, as I'm seriously doubting the point.
I had no idea how to get to the Veterinary in Baton Rouge, I was sure I'd probably drove past it a couple of times, but in that moment my mind had gone completely blank. I'm not even sure how I managed to form a sentence to ask Alcide if he'd drive me there himself. I don't know whether he agreed to take me because he's trying to win brownie points from me for Harley's sake, or that he has some kind of sinister ulterior motive. Whatever the reason I didn't care, I felt a wash of relief as we reached the vets.
The moment I stepped into the building I was met by the metallic smell of blood, I almost bolted for the door. Sometimes these heightened senses were a burden, I took one last deep breath and made a mental note not to breathe through my nose. I didn't even bother checking in with the perky looking receptionist at the desk I just followed the activity that I felt. For some reason my body called to Tommy, and it was almost like he responded to me. I knew exactly where to find him, then the copper smell got stronger.
In a bloody tangled mess on the vet version of a hospital bed was a beat up pitbull.
Tommy.
The vet had laid him on his side, I couldn't help but recoil in horror when I realised the full extent of his injuries. There was so much blood, I grew dizzy and weak but I wanted to be strong for him, I bit on my lip hard, as I always did when I was nervous. The pain awakened me and I was surveying the bloodied heap. There were fresh and fierce looking bite marks all over his body, made by another dog. Deep scratches oozing with pus and blood adorned his body, the vet had shaved most of his fur off, attempting to stitch him all back together. He was unconscious and hooked up to a drip, his brown eyes were half open but they were dead and lifeless, just like Tommy. By his side was Sam Merlotte, he stood up instantly to greet me. His blue eyes were watery and puffy, he'd been crying. This didn't look good, and suddenly I was clinging on to Sam for dear life, sobbing deeply into his chest, I cried so hard his plaid shirt was damp with my tears, gingerly I stepped back and he left to go get a coffee for him, and a soda for me.
I took one of Tommy's paws in my hand, ignored the vet stitching manically around me. I squeezed gently just to let him know that I was here, I couldn't be sure he was even coherent. I hoped he healed slightly, just enough to shift. He may heal a little better as a human, although again I couldn't be sure.
"Talk to him, let him know that you're here." The silver haired vet whispered. It was almost as if he- no. Of course not.
"Tommy, its me, Laura. I'm here. You don't have to be afraid, everyones doing the best they can. Sam's beside himself with worry and I'm. You're not looking too great I'll be honest, but that doesn't matter. All that matters is that you get better, and maybe I can. Take you for a walk again soon?"
The vet shook his head so gently that I almost didn't notice, I knew what he meant by that, I began to cry again.
"You talk to him almost like, you love him very much. How long have you had him?"
"Six years."
I was guessing, I didn't know pitbulls very well, I could tell most cat ages straight off of course. I hoped my guess was accurate, the vet accepted it anyway and finished up the last stitch, he patted me on the head before leaving the room. I rested my head on the bed, my hand still holding his paw.
I don't remember falling asleep, I don't even remember closing my eyes. But the next thing I know, I'm rubbing my tired eyes and yawning. Realising I've just passed out with my head still resting on the bed, and when I look up I realise that he's gone.
He's gone?
There is nothing on the bed except a few bloodstains, and the pipes once attached to Tommy are discarded and swinging side to side, as if they've recently been pulled out. And dressing quickly in the corner of the room is a worse for wear looking Tommy, I recognize the clothes as the ones Sam was wearing earlier, then panic set in.
"Sam's shifted, he's causing a distraction so we can get out of here, I'm gonna need you to kind of prop me up and help me out, do you think you could do that?"
The stitches had popped open during the shift, so that meant most of his wounds were now open and bleeding, we didn't have much time before he'd bleed to death. So I didn't say a word, I just nodded and linked my arm through his. It was near impossible not to be seen in a hospital, even if it was a veterinary. Tommy was limping and in obvious pain. I was thankful that it wasn't a large building, there was just one corridor leading back to the reception, all we would have to do was to walk down and straight out of the door. I could hear the sound of a collie barking loudly in the waiting area, and the chaos of other dogs and cats reacting to the raucous, Tommy smiled and then grimaced. I didn't ask but carried on, I was pretty much pulling him along now. The collie turned its head to us as we passed only slightly, nobody even noticed us slip through. The perky blonde receptionist wasn't looking quite so perky anymore, she was trying to shoo Sam out with a broom. The whole scenario would have been hilarious, if Tommy wasn't dying next to me. Tommy pointed to a pick up truck, one I'd seen before outside Merlottes' obviously Sam's, I opened the door and helped him into the passenger seat.
"Okay we have to get you to a hospital, we don't have much time. Do we have to wait for Sam or shall I drive us? You're bleeding again, I don't know how to stop it." I babbled.
Tommy remained calm, I was panicking enough for the both of us. He took my hand in his and shook his head.
"There's no time, I won't make it to the hospital in time." His voice was weaker now, he was fading away.
"No!" I screamed, squeezing his hand hard, attempting to rouse him. His eyes grew heavy now, I could tell he was going to be unconscious.
"Laura, I need to tell you something." His breathing was shallow now. "I'm sorry about-"
I shut him up with a kiss.
I probably shouldn't be cutting off his main air supply but I couldn't help myself, I was losing him. I was on tiptoes and stretching over him, kissing him with as much force as I could muster. He reacted just as enthusiastically as me, this was a good sign, maybe we had longer than I thought. I stemmed some blood seeping out of a wound on the side of his neck, and then I felt his lips go completely still, his head fell back and his eyes lolled in the back of his head.
"Tommy!"
