.11.

Gene slept.

A Retriever leaned forward to nudge him. An Akita mix stood nearby, smiling, her eyes on him. "It's time to wake up, Gene." He stared at them. "Who are you?" They both look at him, their expressions changing to those of sadness. "Have you really forgotten?" The Akita mix's voice was soft. Sad.

Gene lowered his head. "I...I don't know! I don't know who you are!" More dogs began appearing – ones he'd seen in dreams before. Gene looked around, beginning to panic. "I'm...I'm sorry! I don't know!"

And then a paw slapped him directly across the face.

"Gah! OW!" Stark stared at him, looking bored, paw raised to deliver another blow. "What'd you do that for, Stark?!" "Because I felt like it. No, but seriously, the girls are back, and they brought a dead dog with them for some reason. I don't care either way, I just like to smack you."

Gene stared at Stark, unamused, face throbbing. "There are other ways to wake people up." Stark grinned at him. "Correct. I could have dropped a brick on your head, peed on you, dragged you to the roof and chucked you off..." "You can stop now." "So you're admitting the slap was the kindest option."

He shook himself off and glared at Stark again. "Why are you like this?" "I only do it because it bothers you." "Fantastic," Gene muttered, wandering off to find Val.

-

Ranger wandered over to stare at the dog with Val and Troy. "Why'd you bring a dead dog back with you? I'm not eatin' it." Troy glared at her brother. "I thought you were the smart one. She's not dead, and we're NOT eating her." Ranger studied the pit bull. "Well, she looks dead. And like she's had the shit beaten out of her."

He snorted. "And she's knocked up. You know how much I hate puppies, Troy." "Only because nobody in their right mind would let you father any!" Val sat there, quietly, trying not to get in the middle of the siblings squabbling.

"Val?" She turned. "Gene! Come here..." He pushed his way through the cluster of dogs. "Stark said you found a dead dog? Why'd you bring a -" He stopped, staring openmouthed. His legs went out from under him.

"Gene?!" Val cried out, confused and concerned. He lay there, wide-eyed. Mouth open. His whole body was shaking. He whimpered, tears spilling down his cheeks. "What...what have they done to you?" He crawled over to Gin, staring in horror. It's her...it's her...what have those monsters done to her?!

Carefully, he began to lick the blood and dirt from her face. "Gin...It's me...It's Gene...Remember? We were gonna go to Detroit?" She didn't move. He bit his lip. "You've gotta wake up...Please..." He lay there, resting his head on hers, willing her to wake up.

Her leg twitched.

She gave a low whine as she tried to open her eyes. Her voice was hoarse. "G...Gene?" She raised her head slightly. "Where..." "Hey, don't move too much yet!" Val said, curling herself around Gin's other side. "You...You're he one who saved me..." Gin blinked, still disoriented. "Hey, I helped!" Troy yapped. "From what I hear, all you did was bitch," Stark grinned. "So, Gene can raise the dead. That should come in handy when Bartleby kills all of us."

Gin suddenly lunged to her feet. "Bartleby! I'm gonna...I'm gonna...kill..." She sank back down, exhausted. Stark stared. "Shit, I think I hit a nerve." Gin lowered her head. "Bartleby...He killed...Charon..." "Charon?" Gene licked away her tears. "He...He helped me escape the...the dogfighters...And...he might be the father of these pups..." "Might be?" Troy scoffed. "How do you not know who the father of your kids is?"

Gin mustered up enough energy to glare at Troy. "Because I was repeatedly raped by a complete monster before I broke loose with Charon's help. His name was Riot. I killed him." "...That's understandable." Troy said, realizing she should shut up.

Gin whimpered softly. "Gene...I need your help." "Of course. Anything you need. You can count on us – all of us," he emphasized, glaring at the trio of siblings. Gin looked at him, radiating fear. "I need your help to kill Bartleby. He's a monster. He doesn't deserve to live. He said...he said he'd kill me one day."

Gene looked at her. His heart hurt. "If he's that dangerous...He'll die. Gin, I promise you...I'll end his life myself." Gin stared at him, openmouthed. "He's...he's gigantic. Bigger than that dog!" She gestured towards Val. "Charon was an experienced pit fighter...So was I...We couldn't even..."

Gene grit his teeth. "I can't ask you to try to kill him again in your state. I...I can do it." Gin let the tears flow down her face. "Gene, I..." She suddenly cried out in pain. Val licked the top of Gin's head. "Ngh..." Gin shut her eyes. "No...not now...It's too...early..." "Gin?! What's wrong?" Gene stared at her, concerned.

"My...My pups...they're early..." "What?!" Gene turned to where the trio of siblings had been. Conveniently, they'd vanished. "Shit!" Gene turned to Val. "Val, I have no idea what to do." "Hey, don't worry. My sister had pups once. Since she's so weak, I'm gonna need you to help clean the pups off."

"C-clean?" "Yeah. Lick 'em, make sure they're breathing, then put them up to her so they can nurse." Val smiled at Gene. "You can do this." He stared at her, a goofy half-grin on his face. "I...sure hope so..."

Gin whimpered again, before crying out. Val licked her head again. "Good. Keep breathing, the first one's out. Gene!" He got right to work, licking the tiny pup until it began squealing. "It's a girl! She's solid black." Charon! Your daughter is here! Gin began crying again. "Hey, don't cry now! Gene, get ready!"

"I'm on it!" The second puppy had been delivered. "You've got a son! He looks like you, Gin!" The puppy squalled as Gene licked him clean. "You're doing a good job, Gin. Keep pushing." "Let...let me have a break..." Gin murmered, shutting her eyes.

"You can try to take a break, but I don't know if youre body's gonna let you." "The third one's coming!" Gene yelled, before setting to work cleaning the newborn. "Another boy! He's a dark red brindle!" Gin's blood ran cold. So, some of them might be... She gritted her teeth. I can't let him become like Riot...

Stark took that moment to show back up. He sat down next to Gene. Gene turned to him. "So, you came back." Stark shrugged. "Yeah. Ranger's throwing up outside because he thinks this is disgusting, and Troy's out there laughing at him."

"You three are a real treat." Stark grinned at him. "You and Val seem to have this handled." Gene snorted, and focused his attention back on Gin. She whined, gritting her teeth. "The fourth one's here, and - " "OH MY GOD, IT LOOKS JUST LIKE GENE." "Gah! No, it doesn't! It's a little girl, she's brown and white!" Gene gave Stark a sour look, which earned him a toothy grin in response.

Gin smiled at Gene. "Thank you, Gene..." She turned to look up at Val. "Val...I'm glad I had you both to rely on." Val stared down at the wriggling pups that clung helplessly to Gin's side. "I can't wait..." Gene and Stark turned to stare at Val.

"Can't wait...for...what?" Gene asked. Val turned to Gene, smiling. "C'mon, don't play dumb." He blinked once. Twice. And then he got it. "Ah! Val, you...you mean..." "Yeah, now you remember...That night on the beach? You got so excited you fell off that rock formation?"

Stark was now staring at both of them with a look of disgust. "No. Don't tell me..." Gene grinned, "I'm...I'm gonna be a father..."

"NO. NOT MORE KIDS. I'M LEAVING." Ranger had entered to this news, which had thrown him into an immediate fit. "Hey, wait! Ranger!" Troy ran after him. Stark turned to Gene. "I can't believe you've reproduced."

Gene's only response was nervous laughter.