Perry and Portia ran to collect Carly and raced back down to the hospital with Apollo, both of them sick with nerves. The doctor had refused to say anything more, so they were unsure if Georgia had become better, worsened, or…if the unthinkable had happened.

When they reached the medical bay, they hurried to Georgia's bedside. The golden retriever looked sickly pale and the heart monitor beside her was just as slow as it had been when Perry last visited.

"A-Apollo…?" Portia gently took Georgia's paw, leaving Carly with Perry. "What…uh…?"

"I think she's waking up," Apollo said, injecting something into Georgia.

"WHAT?" gasped Perry and Portia at the same time.

"The stimulants I've given her seem to be working. She's getting all the nutrients she needs from the injections. Her heart rate and blood pressure are improving. I think she's ready to wake up."

"I hope you're right," Portia said anxiously. "Is there any chance of her…getting worse?"

Apollo hesitated. "There IS always the chance, but I'm fairly certain it won't happen. Unless something drastically bad happens, she should recover fully."

Portia breathed out in relief. "Apollo, could you watch Carly for a minute?" she asked. "Perry and I…well…"

Apollo nodded. "Of course." He reached down and gently picked the young platypus up. "Hey, Carly. Would you like to see the operating room?"

"Okay!" Carly beamed.

As Apollo carried her away, Perry and Portia went to either side of Georgia's bed. The golden retriever's fur was looking a lot more golden and a lot less pale.

"P-Perry," Portia stammered. "I-I need to confess something."

Perry glanced across at his mate and put his paw on hers. "Are you okay, Portia? You look pale."

Portia glanced down at the floor and gently pulled her paw away from Perry's. "I-I'm scared, Perry." Before he could comment, she hurriedly continued, "I'm scared of this whole situation. If Georgia doesn't wake up, it's just more pain for us. If Georgia DOES wake up, I'm terrified of what she tells us about O-Oliver…"

Perry gazed at his mate with a sad expression. He reached further over and took hold of her paw. "Portia, I get it. Neither of us want to hear that Oliver's…gone…but we have to accept that that is what Georgia is going to tell us, okay?"

Portia closed her eyes and nodded.

A few seconds later, Perry felt a paw touch his hand, and it wasn't one of Portia's. He started in surprise and glanced down. One of Georgia's paws had moved onto his. "Portia…!" he whispered quickly.

Portia had spotted it too. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Georgia!" she gasped.

The golden retriever's eyes were fluttering. After a few tense minutes, they slowly opened and focused on the two platypuses next to her. "P-P-P-P-," she rasped, trying to speak. "'erry…"

"Shh," Portia said gently, stroking her friend's arm, as Perry ran to get Apollo. "Don't try and speak yet."

"Portia…" croaked Georgia. "Talk…Oliver…"

Portia's breath caught in her throat but she still continued to stroke the dog's fur. "Save your strength, Georgia."

Then Apollo appeared, followed by Perry, who was carrying Carly. He quickly injected something into Georgia and began checking her vitals.

"Oliver," moaned Georgia restlessly, her entire body spasming.

"Apollo, what's happening?" Perry asked fearfully, clutching Carly close to his own body.

"It's perfectly normal," Apollo replied, not entirely answering Perry's question, Portia noticed. "It'll stop soon."

Sure enough, after a couple more minutes, Georgia's body settled. Apollo stood up straight. "There. Now you can talk to her."

As he walked away, Perry and Portia went to either side of her bed. Georgia's eyes were open, and her breathing was regular. "Hi," she croaked.

Portia felt like she could breathe again for the first time in ages. It was as if she had been holding her breath since Georgia arrived, and now she was letting it out.

"Hi," Perry whispered. "G-Georgia…it's really good to see you."

Georgia managed a weak smile. "Likewise, Perry. Despite everything that happened between us four years ago…I really have missed you. And so…" She paused and sniffled. "S-so did Oliver…"

Perry felt a stab in his chest. "Georgia…we hate asking you this so soon after recovering, but…what happened to Oliver?"

Georgia exhaled shakily. "I-I'll tell you…"

Oliver's pained groaning woke Georgia up in the middle of the night. Tiptoeing over to her best friend's bed, she felt around in the dark until she located the ocelot's paw. "Oliver, are you okay?"

"The scar," moaned Oliver. "It-it hurts…!"

Georgia hesitated, unsure of what to do. Oliver had received the scar almost four years ago to the day; a horrible and vicious scar. Kirk had inflicted it on him after they had escaped OWCA and returned to ARCHANGEL. It had pained him infrequently ever since.

"Wh-what can I do?" she asked bravely.

"Need…p-p-pain r-r-relief…" Oliver choked.

"Kirk has some," Georgia said, leaping up. "Come on, Oliver. Let's go get some."

"He w-won't g-give me any," Oliver croaked.

Georgia felt tears spring to her eyes, but she forced herself to remain cheerful-ish. "We have to try. Come, Oliver. I'll help you."

She helped him stand up and began to walk with him towards the door, being careful to avoid touching his right side, which was where the scar was. She hated looking at it, so she determinedly kept her eyes straight ahead.

They got halfway to Kirk's office when Kirk himself came up behind him. "What are you two doing out of bed?" he demanded softly. "You know what the punishment is, Georgia. Better than anyone."

"P-please, Kirk…!" Georgia turned halfway to face Kirk. "O-Oliver needs pain relief. Hi-his scar is…"

"Not my problem," Kirk said breezily.

"But you gave it to him!" Georgia cried shrilly.

"Because it was a punishment," Kirk replied, unfazed. "And because it was a punishment, he does not deserve pain relief."

Something snapped in Georgia's mind. She glared at Kirk and snapped, "If he had received the injury in battle, you would not give him any pain relief either! You don't care about any of us! You just need us to complete your tasks, and in return, you barely feed us and give us a tiny bed. I don't call that a life!"

Kirk raised an eyebrow. "Are you done?"

"Yes," snapped Georgia. "We're done. We're leaving."

"You…?" Kirk actually seemed surprised. "You're what?"

"You heard me," Georgia snarled. "I am taking Oliver and we are leaving here. We don't deserve this treatment, especially after everything we've poured into ARCHANGEL!"

Kirk paused, before smiling dangerously. "I'm afraid nobody can leave unless I say so. And since you've essentially committed treason, that's punishable by death."

Georgia's breath caught in her throat and she stepped back, but Kirk grabbed her scruff, harshly pulling her away from Oliver. She tried to struggle, but Kirk slammed her against the wall, knocking her out.

When she woke up, her entire body hurt. She opened her eyes and took in a deep breath, though the latter hurt her lungs and windpipe. She saw that she was in the main hall. Kirk had clearly moved her here.

Looking to her left, she saw Oliver. The ocelot was lying next to her, injuries all over her body. She rolled onto her stomach, with immense difficulty, and crawled over to her best friend. "Oliver…" she croaked, her vocal chords aching as she spoke.

"You…have to…go…" rasped Oliver weakly. "R-r-run…"

"I'm not leaving you," Georgia whispered, tears running down her cheeks.

"If you stay…you'll die…" Oliver reached up with a weak hand and stroked Georgia's cheek. "I…can't let that…happen. I…love you, Georgia…"

Georgia gasped and her paws flew to cover her mouth. "O-Oliver…!"

"I've…loved you for a…long time. Years…in fact…"

"I-I-I…" Georgia hesitated, before saying what she knew in her heart was true. "I love you too, Oliver. You can survive this."

"G-go…" whispered Oliver. "Save…yourself…"

Georgia began openly sobbing, then. "Oliver…no…"

The sound of a door flying open made her look sharply up. Kirk was striding into the room. Georgia looked down regretfully at Oliver and kissed him on the mouth. "I love you," she whispered one more time, before reluctantly turning and fleeing.

As she burst out the door, her whole body hurting, she whispered, "Goodbye, Oliver. I love you."