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Marlin panted heavier than he'd ever panted in his life. He'd left Nemo in the care of Hank and Dory's mother, after getting a summons that Bruce had Dory...
What could he possibly want with Dory? Marlin thought as the thought of the Blue Tang caused him to swim faster. So many times she'd been captured or hurt he'd been helpless to save her, that is, until now.
Marlin slowed down when he reached the broken, sunk submarine Sharks Anonymous still used for their meetings.
"Hello...? is anybody here...? Dory!"
Marlin felt a movement behind him, then gasped as he looked into Bruce's blue eyes and rows of sharp, white teeth.
"Hello, Marlin... 'S good ta see ya 'gain ... I suppose your lookin for your little Shiela"
Dumbly, Marlin nodded.
He nervously followed the white shark over to where Chum and Anchor were looming over Dory.
Marlin gasped, as he noticed Dory's body bruised and somewhat misaligned. her right eye was dark, and she was unconscious.
"What in Seaweed's name happened!?" Marlin asked, emotion quickly taking over.
Who did this? would Dory be okay? was she going to...die?
"We dunno mate, we found 'er like that near the drop off...was wonderin' maybe you might know" the shark Bruce glared, his pupils dialating a fraction of an inch.
Marlin shook his head then remembered Dory had muttered something in her sleep last night.
Coral.
Suddenly it all came back to him. In his search for Dory, Marlin had rid his mind of everything including the confrontation with Coral, who by now was probably being "pressed" for information by Hank.
Pin his search for her, Marlin rid his mind of everything but Dory. His love for her, the way she giggled and laughed, her natural beauty, and her optimistic outlook on life. She had tried to console him when he thought he lost Nemo, and what had he done? He left her behind!
"Please don't go... " she had begged.
"no ones ever stuck with me for so long before...I remember it; I do! because when I look at you...when I look at you, I'm home!"
back then, for some reason he had felt a stab of guilt, as if that had been his fault...
Marlin now realized why. it was the horrendous insults that his own father had said about her.
She's crazy...she won't last long with anyone!
During that last part in their journey, his heart had been so burdened with grief about losing Nemo, that he hadn't given Dory's plight a moment's thought.
She had been stuck in a place she had no memory of, and had been terrified of losing him.
Nemo must have been able to tell how much he cared about her, because he quickly jumped into action to save her life...
"Dory...?" he felt as frozen as he had when he thought Coral was dead, even though she'd been alive...
Now Dory was here, bruised, beaten, and near death... and it was all his fault! Charlie gasped and quickly swam to his daughter, taking her head in his fins.
"Dory? Dory, sweetie it's Daddy. Can you hear me?"
Marlin's heart was breaking that the sound of Charlie's broken voice.
"She's still breathing." Charlie said, his voice cracking. He looked over at Marlin.
Marlin was speechless... he felt dead inside.
Yes, Dory was alive now, but for how long?
Looking at her more closely, Marlin winced. Her body looked like it was bent. He didn't want to touch her for fear she may have broken bones.
"Marlin?" Charlie asked.
Marlin shook his head. "Bruce, how did you get her here?"
The shark stopped his inner brooding which included thoughts of ripping her attacker to shreds.
The Sharks knew the vow, but right now, with Dory's life in the balance, never had temptation to rebound been so strong!
"She was unconscious when we brought her, thank God"
Charlie nodded. He wasn't too comfortable with his daughter keeping company with sharks, but if Marlin trusted them, then it must be alright.
"If only we had something to lay her on..." Marlin thought aloud.
"Hey! Jellyman!"
Marlin turned around and flipped for joy. never had he been so thankful to see his friend Crush, than at that moment.
"Crush! what are you doing here?!"
The turtle came to a stop next to Charlie.
"I was lookin for Squirt and Miniman told me you needed help...what's up dude?"
Marlin took a deep breath to keep from breaking down.
"Before I go into that, let me introduce you to some friends. Crush, meet Bruce,"
"Hello"
"hey"
Anchor,
"hiya"
"sup"
Chum,
"Mate"
"Dude"
and Charlie, Dory's father.
"hello"
"Nice to meet you Daddy Blue"
Charlie chuckled, then caught Marlins eye. Marlin shook his head.
"So where's Li'l Blue? she wasn't with Squirt 'n Nemo earlier..."
Marlin sighed. "Well, Crush, that's why I need your help. I don't have much time to explain, but..."
He led Crush over to Dory.
The turtle, getting used to the light, gasped. "Oh, no..." he went to nudge her, but she went limp.
With tears in his eyes, Crush turned to Marlin.
"Dory's Squirt's favorite teacher, bro... he won't stop goin' on about her. Man, who did this?"
Charlie and the others looked at Marlin, waiting for an answer, though Charlie already knew...
"My ex-mate, Coral" said Marlin in a voice mixture of half strangled cry, half growl.
"W-what?" asked Chum, hardly believing his earholes.
"I thought Nemo said your mate died, man..." Crush said, shaking his head.
Sensing Charlie's frustration, bubbled to that of his own, Marlin shook his head.
"I'll go into that later. Right now I need to get Dory home. Can you help me?"
"Of course, man... here."
Crush lay down on the sand bed, as Charlie, Marlin and Bruce picked Dory up gently.
Just then, Dory's eyes flashed open.
Not recognizing where she was, or who she was with, she felt a huge surge of pain from her side...
She screamed. Not a scream of fear or terror, this was a scream of pure pain...
Marlin couldn't bring himself to shut his ears. this was his fault...
"Dory, sweetheart, listen to me. Honey, it's okay. it's me, Marlin"
Dory stopped screaming, but then groaned in pain.
"Shhhh... it's ok Dory." he grunted as they got her up on Crush's shell.
There was a trickle of blood, and Marlin squinted at the Sharks. "For Carp's sake hold your breath till we leave!" he cried desperately.
They did so as it passed.
"Breathe!" Charlie snapped, noticing the Sharks especially Chum was struggling to hold his breath.
All three sharks breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thanks, mate" Bruce smiled sadly. "That was a close one..."
Dory was still whimpering as Crush got up, and started towards home.
Marlin stroked her head with his fin, lightly nuzzling her as he did when they were fishlings, trying to keep her mind off of the pain.
If it weren't for his vow to rescue Dory, he would be giving Coral a taste of her own medicine!
"Lookin' forward to the weddin' mate!" Chum called as the group swam back to the reef. Anchor smacked him.
"What?" Chum asked. Both Bruce and Anchor rolled their eyes.
"'Ey, mates...what are we waitin here for? we should be there when Dory wakes up..." Anchor said quietly.
The others agreed.
Besides, Bruce thought. I ave a bone ta pick wit a certain clownfish...
He chuckled evilly as his eyes flashed onyx.
We're havin fish tonight...