Steve watched from the table as Wendy went over his X-rays again.
"So take very good care of that leg and don't get hit by anymore cars." The woman instructed sternly.
She smiled, rubbing his back in a gentle manner. Wendy stepped away and squatted down to the German Shepherd.
Joe huffed in her ear happily.
"Hey old boy, I'd like to check that little scar of yours, if I can?" She played with his ears.
As Joe lay down heavily on his stomach, Steve stood up in a confused manner and almost slipped off the table trying to see. Wendy pushed the black and caramel brown fur to the side, revealing a massive scar which ran from the base of Joe's head to the top of his flanks and flared out like a smeared line of charcoal.
It was expansive, but just how much so was blocked from the puppy's view.
"Looking good fella." The Vet said perceptually.
Joe stood up, shaking his fur back into place. Steve weaved back and forth wanting to be on the ground, and Wendy obliged, picking him up and placing him next to Joe.
"Can we go? I really need to get home." The smaller dog whined.
Joe looked pointedly toward the woman, and she lifted her hands in surrender.
"I said I wouldn't inhibit you, so-" she held the door open, "Good luck pup. Old Joe, come back and see me more often, we miss you around here."
He nudged her hand and Steve leapt with all his puppy energy out the door. Joe licked her hand and followed the little blonde shadow with amusement. The small stood on all four feet while still favoring the broken, casted one.
As they started to walk, Steve found himself fizzing and bubbling with potential questions.
"Joe?" He finally burst out, looking at the older dog.
The old dog looked at him with a tilt to his head. "Mm?"
"What happened to your back?"
The old dog chuckled. "Life, pup. I had a job to do and I was damn well goin' ta do it."
"What was your job?" Steve was curious.
The Shepherd lowered his head and twisted his ear strangely. "Look there, cub."
Steve did so. "A number?"
The old dog nodded lifting his head so they could keep walking. "It's my code. Every dog on the New York Police Canine District received them after they finished their training."
"You were part of the police?" Steve asked wide eyed.
"Yes indeedy, I was." The old dog bobbed his head.
"What happened? Did you have a team? Did you run away?" Steve bounced with an energy which matched his puppy nature.
"One question at a time pup!" Joe chuckled. "I didn't have a team, just a handler. Her name was Jessica." The dark eyes looked off. "She was so kind, better even than my trainer, Robert. Guess you want the beginning though eh?" He asked, seeing Steve's little blue eyes.
"Yes! Please sir!" He barked, not bouncing as much - he was a little sore now.
"Well. My litter and I were born on the street, not a bad place." He checked on the smaller dog. "Mum was a smart girl, put us somewhere safe and knew where to go fo' food. She hadn't counted on the group of school girls finding us though - they took us right to the shelter. Never saw mum again."
"I'm sorry." Steve said.
Joe shrugged nonchalantly. "Dogs don't get much attached to their folks." He paused to think. "After that, we grew and then this guy comes in. Musta heard there was a litter of pure blooded German Shepherds at the shelter. Odd little fellow, he was - really short and he smelled like Chinese food."
Steve snorted and chuckled.
"He came up to our cage and tapped the bars. All my litter mates flinched back, and I stepped forward and snarled my very scariest. Prolly wasn't as impressive as it should 'ave been but I sure wasn't going to let anyone scare them." Joe looked off. "He took me off to the facility. Trained me. Fairly easy stuff, after you built up enough muscle that is. Once I was old enough and all trained up, I got my vest and my partner."
"Robert?" Steve asked turning his head as someone flashed a picture with their phone.
"Naw. That was the Chinese-smelling guy, the trainer - Jessica. She was my partner." Joe gave a doggy grin then looked down at Steve. "Do you need a break?"
Steve shook his head, panting. He wasn't in pain so he could handle the exercise. "I'm good. We can get there today right?"
"Mhmm." Joe nodded affirmatively.
There was a little pause, and then Steve prompted. "Jessica?"
"Oh." Joe recalled. "Her. I was introduced to her first. She was a weathered police woman, well-respected and her old partner - a dog named Bower - had died a year ago in a fire fight. She was finally ready to move on and I fell for her at first sight." A spark leapt in the dull eyes. "I wanted her safe. I wanted her protected. She wanted the same for me. We were like two halves of a shadow. We were mostly a hostage rescue team; Jessica and I were the top team for seven years." The German Shepherd suddenly looked younger- holding himself up, full of pride. "The best thing was when you could watch a person come back. Come back to their families. The children. The men. The women."
"What happened to her? Is she still around?" Steve huffed.
The old dog sighed. "C'mere and rest. I need a break too."
They staggered into a nearby alley. The big dog lay down like an avalanche falling to the earth. Steve collapsed gratefully against his warm side. The sky was dark grey with the kind of clouds promising some sort of cold, wet fury. Joe nudged the puppy deep into his side to keep him warm. Steve started to tear off the cast. When he turned back, which was hopefully soon, it would be in the way. Joe gave him a hand - jaw - until it was all the way off.
"It was two years ago. Hostage situation - two little girls being held up in an old apartment building by some murderer." Joe looked across the street at two little girls and a young boy playing. "Fetch. That was our command. It didn't actually mean fetch. It was more just a 'go' word. One word sent myself and Jessica to action, the rest of us too. Fetch. Go. Action. I was in first, in the back. Stay quiet." His eyes were so very far away. "Jessica was in right behind me, the girls were in the corner, tied up. The guy was pacing the floor laughing, just laughing. You could just smell that there was something wrong with him, with the situation. I put my nose to the sky."
They inhaled together and Steve looked into the sky.
"It smelled like danger. Bad." Joe growled. "The air was hazy. He stalked forward then I got the scent. Smoke. There was smoke, and smoke comes from fires. It was getting hot. The girls kept glancing at us and they unwittingly gave us away. The building creaked and the murderer spun. He started shooting and I got him down easily enough but the whole thing went to hell."
The kids had stopped playing and looked up too.
"Fire. It literally fell from the ceiling, and the building started to fall apart. Jessica pinned the guy and shook at me - that was my signal to get the girls. I grabbed one and nearly dragged her outside. The other team took her. The doorway collapsed, but it was an easy jump though." Small white flecks floated down from the sky. "It was ashy and hazy. Way too hot. I couldn't see."
The kids on the street were running for their homes. Steve could nearly smell the pain of Joe's memories.
"There were flames everywhere. I could only crawl, trying to see, trying to smell. Neither one worked though. I let my heart show me the way. I found her, Jessica was kneeling. She had her mouth covered and her cheeks were streaked. The girl got out." The old dog didn't cry. Dogs don't cry. "It was so sudden. The building, it fell on us. On her. That's how I got the scar." The brown eyes turned back to him. "It tore my back open. Fanned out. But it…it…" They could barely see across the street from the snow.
"It killed her."
There was silence. Steve put his muzzle to Joe's shoulder.
"I'm sorry." Steve mumbled sadly, shivering.
Joe jolted suddenly. "Come on kiddo, we can't stay here. It'll get too cold fo' you tonight."
He picked the pup up in his jaws, and they started to move again.