A/N: The end is near. Expect a chapter tomorrow and an ending and alternate ending on Monday! Lady POV for you!
Last night…
Last night he told me everything.
What he had been through…
What he had kept me from going through…
I'm glad he told me, but ever since then…
He's been different. Happier, almost.
Like a weight was lifted off his shoulders. I still feel bad, because I could see how much it pained him even if he tried to hide it, but I can now see clearly that he really did need to do this.
"Pidge!" Tramp calls from outside. "We've got some visitors!"
I head out to see what he means and am greeted by two shapes walking in our direction.
"Oy, Lassie!" one of them barks happily. "How've ya been?"
"Jock! Trusty!" I smile.
"I can see that our friend here is doing all right." Trusty observes.
"Yep!" Tramp grins. "It'll take more than a few wounds like that to keep me down!"
"So, uh, Laddie?" Jock utters to the mutt beside me. "Would ya mind comin' with me fer a moment?"
"Uh…" He replies. "Okay, why not?"
The two walk far enough away that they are out of earshot. Seconds later, we are joined by another guest.
"My, my…" The feminine voice chuckles. "Looks like Buster was wrong. The Tramp is still alive."
"…Why are you here, Peg?" I murmur.
"Well, I heard what happened with that bastard Junkyard Dog and wanted to make sure my good friends were alright." She responds. "So, who're little Scottie and the Bloodhound?"
"They're my friends."
"Oh. Alright."
I take another look in Tramp's direction and see him performing his signature scratch.
What on earth are the two of them talking about that's making him nervous?
"Miss Lady," Trusty interjects. "How's the recovery gone so far?"
Strange. It's almost like he's trying to distract me.
"It's been going fine." I stare him down in suspicion. "He woke up on his own yesterday, had to stop him from staying out too long."
"Oh, I bet the Tramp can handle himself just fine," Peg sighs. "In more ways than one."
"Aaaand that's enough out of you," I yelp, flustered. "Shoo, shoo! Get outta here!"
She doesn't and I give up.
I turn back to where Jock lead my mate out to and find them walking back.
"What was that all about?" I ask, confused and curious.
"Oh, uh," Tramp moves to scratch at his neck. "It was, um, nothing important."
"…Are you lying to me?"
"Wh-what? No! Why, uh, why would you think that, heh?"
"If you say so."
We spend the rest of the day enjoying time with our friends. For the first time, Tramp actually seems to be opening up to others. We ended the day with him telling them about his parent and siblings.
"And then…I would have been on my own, if it weren't for Buster and Boris. They saved me. So, no matter how much Buster may hate me…I don't think I'll ever be able to hate him as much. Maybe not at all." He admits. "I'm mostly just disappointed in him. Both for what he did to Boris and what he did to me."
"It's okay, Laddie. 'M glad yer feelin' comfortable enough with us t' tell us this kind o' stuff."
"But we really should be going, Miss Lady and Mister Tramp. Thank you for being such good hosts."
"I think I'll head out, too." Peg adds. "Gotta get back before anyone gets too suspicious."
"See you all later, then." Tramp grins.
And like that, we're alone.
"Hey, Pidge?"
"What's the matter?"
"Look, uh, remember that thing you talked about not long ago? Um, about your heats?"
"Yeah?"
"I, uh, think I've made my decision." For the third time today, he does his little scratch.
"Well, what is it that you decided, then?"
"I decided to, um, agree, uh, with your proposal."
"So…?"
"So, I think I'm ready. For, uh, pups."
Well, looks like things between us just got even better.
Wonder how he'll handle it with those injuries, though. I think it'll be sometime soon.
Like, within the next two or three days. I don't doubt his ability to do it, but that doesn't make it healthy. Maybe I should tell him…
…
Nah!