A/N: I've been reading Vulaan Kulaas' fics lately, and this idea was inspired by reading chapter 2 of "Powerful Friendship, Iron Bond" over again. And while this chapter's focused Ric and Droop this time around, Ricochet's not the one with the angst ball this time. I bet he'd be very glad to hear that XD
Disclaimer: It goes without saying that I don't own Ricochet and Droop-a-Long, guys.
Story 24: In Good Hands
Ricochet thought he'd imagined hearing the strangled cry that came from the other side of the office. He didn't get out of bed, allowing the rumble of thunder and the pounding of rain on the roof to draw him back to sleep. He was too comfortable, and besides, his deputy could see what the problem was-
There was a loud thump, followed by a shout of, "Where is she?! Bring her back!"
Ricochet got up then, throwing off the covers and racing down the hall to his deputy's room. He threw open the door and ran inside. "Droop! Droopy, what's-"
"W-Where is she?" came a low, angry whisper. "Where is she? You'd better tell me where she is, or you're gonna be sorry!"
Ricochet turned around, and what he saw made his eyes widen in horror. His deputy was slumped over on the floor, shuddering and struggling to crawl. His green eyes were full of anger, but Ricochet could see how desperate he was...as well as unfocused. Droop-a-Long turned over to him, fury in his eyes. He said one word, which was dripping with venomous fury. "You..."
"Droopy!" Ricochet raced over to him. "Droopy, are you-"
Strong, meaty hands closed around Ricochet's throat, stealing his voice. Ricochet tried to pull his deputy's paws off of him, strangling for air. Droop-a-Long brought the sheriff to his face level, his fangs bared as he snarled angrily.
"D-Droop..." He coughed. He didn't know what was causing his best friend to act like this, but he had to get through to him before it was too late. "I-It's me..."
"I know who you are, an' how dare you ask iffin' I'm alright?! Of course I ain't alright!" Droop-a-Long yelled, his voice harsh. "You're the reason I'm in here!"
Ricochet pried at Droop-a-Long's claws, which were digging into his throat. "Droop-a-Long, l-let go before ya kill me!" he said.
Droop-a-Long remained still for a few moments more, and Ricochet saw black spots in his vision. Suddenly, rudely, Droop-a-Long dropped him like a sack of bricks, and Ricochet coughed loudly as he gulped down air. He rubbed his throat as he did so, feeling a few marks along the center of his throat. Thank goodness he didn't go through with it...otherwise he would've killed me for sure...
He heard a thump, and turned to find the coyote slumped against the bed, panting. It was as though he were exhausted. This time, Ricochet kept his distance. "Droop-a-Long?"
"Go 'way...I don't wanna talk to you anyhow," Droop-a-Long said tiredly. The anger was still present in his voice, but Ricochet could hear the regret in his voice. That meant that his friend was still there. The Droop-a-Long he knew wouldn't try to strangle him to death for no reason.
"Droop-"
"I can't talk ta nobody right now." The coyote tried to get to his feet, but he only managed one step before he pitched forward.
Being quicker on his feet, Ricochet caught him before he hit the floor. "Droop-a-Long, hold still. Where do ya think you're goin'?"
"Where do ya think? I've been tryin' to find her ever since I got here. I-I've gotta find Denise..."
Ricochet paused in answering, noticing immediately that Droop-a-Long's back was soaked with sweat. "Droop, it's alright," he said softly. He placed a hand to his friend's sweaty forehead, and grimaced. No wonder he's out of it. He's got a fever, and he's havin a nightmare, he thought. "Droop, why don't you tell me what this is about?"
"You know darn well what this is about," Droop-a-Long snarled. Ricochet had never heard his deputy speak with such vehemence. "T-The marshals...those heartless monsters ya work for took her away..."
Ricochet's eyes widened at the mention of that. The marshals...he couldn't possibly mean-
"Now let go 'o me. I've gotta find her before they kill her!" Droop-a-Long said, trying to twist out of Ricochet's grip.
Ricochet held onto him; he didn't know the full details of this nightmare, but he wasn't about to let Droop-a-Long go anywhere in his feverish sleepwalk. "The marshals haven't done anythin' like that, Droop-a-Long," he said. "I'm tellin' you, Denise is alright. Now come on, it's back to bed for you." Once he was sure Droop-a-Long stopped squirming, he carefully dragged the coyote into a sitting position, and then slung Droop-a-Long's left arm over his shoulder. "Droop, can ya stand?"
"Ugh...I-I think so," the coyote groaned. "Everythin's spinnin'…m-movin' around made it worse..."
"You'll be fine soon, Droopy. Come on, I'll help ya up."
It took some effort, but Ricochet managed to get Droop-a-Long into bed. "Here, let me get that offa ya," Ricochet muttered, taking the damp nightshirt off of Droop-a-Long's body. He tossed it on the side, and then helped the coyote lay down on the pillows. He looked down at his deputy, his expression full of concern and worry. "You've got a fever, Droop-a-Long. You're gonna sit here in this bed an' rest for the next few days."
"But...my job...Denise...Mr. Ricochet...I can't stay here-"
"Let me worry 'bout your job," Ricochet answered, putting the covers on Droop-a-Long when he saw how bad he was shivering. "You focus on yourself for once, alright?"
"Y-Yessir, Mr. Sergeant, sir. I-It's so c-cold...an' so hot at the same time..."
"Your fever's makin' ya that way. Hang on, I'll bring ya a towel to keep you cool," Ricochet said. He raced out of the room, heading for the kitchen and grabbing a white metal bowl. After filling it with cold water, he carefully made his way back, pausing by the washroom to get a towel.
After putting the bowl on the nightstand, he dipped the towel in cold water and wrung it out, then climbed into the coyote's bed to place it on his forehead. "I'll be right here ta help ya, alright?" He gently put his hand on the top of Droop-a-Long's head, rubbing between his ears. It was something that usually helped him sleep, and right now, Droop-a-Long needed it more than he did. "Just try to get some rest."
"I-I'll try...but I'm still worried 'bout her," Droop-a-Long muttered. His voice became slurred as he started drifting off. "Gotta get ta Ricochet...an' tell 'im..."
Ricochet watched as his friend fell into an uneasy sleep, hating how vulnerable he was. Droop-a-Long, who normally kept his wits about him in even the worst situations, was reduced to a terrified, desperate wreck because of both his fever and this nightmare, almost killing him in the process. And he knew just what he meant by marshals—the feared species marshals that came after people and animals for the crime of intermixing. He'd heard of those people and the cruel things they'd do to the people they'd captured. Droop-a-Long had told Ricochet of how Denise had run into one of them before, and the thought of them being found out had terrified both of them, but not nearly as bad as it had scared Droop-a-Long. Both of them would be separated, possibly for years, and the tortures they'd endure would change them forever. Just the thought of either of them suffering like that worried Ricochet as well.
Droop-a-Long let out a low, painful groan, and Ricochet continued to rub his head. "Don't worry, Droopy. You're both in good hands." He settled next to Droop-a-Long, still lightly rubbing his head. Most people would've thought twice about sleeping next to someone with a fever, but Ricochet wasn't about to leave Droop-a-Long in this state, not by a long shot. "That I can promise ya."
It would be late that morning when Droop-a-Long awoke, pain shooting through his head. The skin under his fur was clammy and he wanted nothing more than to bury himself in a multitude of blankets. "Ugh...I don't feel too great..." he muttered. "Need ta get an aspirin or somethin'."
He slowly rose from the comfort of his bed, only to pause when he felt something resting against his arm. He turned to his right, and his eyes widened when he saw Ricochet there, sleeping. In his hand was a washcloth, and Droop-a-Long could tell that it was moist.
"What...what's he doin' in here?" Droop-a-Long muttered. He was tired to think, so he nudged the rabbit awake. "Mr. Ricochet? Mr. Ricochet?"
"Hmm?" Ricochet's eyes shot open immediately and he sat up quickly, only to wince slightly at the sudden action. Leaning across the bed for that long amount of time had caused his back to lock up. He stretched, feeling a few bones back into place.
"Are you alright, Mr. Ricochet?" Droop-a-Long asked worriedly.
"S'alright, Droop. I jus' slept in the wrong position for too long," Ricochet said, pausing to yawn. "Plus, I fell asleep a little while ago." He looked up at Droop-a-Long, still blinking to get the sleep out of his eyes. "Are ya feelin' alright?"
"Not really," Droop-a-Long replied. "I'm a bit cold, an' feel teribly achy, too. Plus, my head hurts." He offered a small smile. "But it's nothin' a little work can't-"
"No, Droop-a-Long. You're not goin' out here, workin' in your condition," Ricochet interrupted, the tiredness gone from his eyes. His face was set into a frown, but there was no hiding the concern. "Last night, you had a nightmare, not to mention you're sick with a fever."
"But Mr. Ricochet-"
"Droop-a-Long, I came in here because you were so outta it, you almost hurt yourself. You were havin' a nightmare and you were feverish," Ricochet explained. "I stayed in here to help you rest, an' keep your temperature down."
"...you heard my nightmare?"He paused when he saw some red marks on the base of Ricochet's throat. "W-Wait a minute, Mr. Ricochet...what are those?" He stared at them closely, and then his eyes widened. "Did someone try to strangle you last night?!" A rare surge of protective anger came over him. "Who did it? Who did that, Mr. Ricochet?"
"Droop-a-Long, y-you don't wanna-"
"I do wanna know! If someone attacked ya while I was knocked out with a fever, then I need to find 'im!" Droop-a-Long urged. "Who hurt ya? I swear, I'll-"
"Y-You did, Droop-a-Long," Ricochet admitted slowly.
Droop-a-Long stared at him in stunned silence. "M-Me? Mr. Ricochet, that's not possible-"
"Last night, when ya had your nightmare...you thought I was one of those marshals. I came to get ya to wake up, and you...y-you seized me by the throat, Droop-a-Long." Ricochet sighed when he saw the dawning horror on his friend's face. He hadn't wanted to tell him this, but he couldn't bring himself to lie to the coyote. "I don't know what caused ya to do that, but if you hadn't let go of me, I..."
"Oh, no...Mr. Ricochet, I'm so sorry!" Droop-a-Long blurted. He sounded close to tears. "I-I nearly killed someone in my dream, an' I managed to stop myself there, but..." He shuddered. "I-I can't believe I almost did that..."
"It's alright, Droop-a-Long. It's alright," Ricochet said. "I'm relieved that you weren't angry at me or somethin'."
"Don't say that. That doesn't make me feel any better at all," Droop-a-Long said. He sniffled. "I nearly killed you 'cause I thought you were the guy who took Denise away. I-Iffin' you hadn't said anythin'...I would've woken up an' realized I-I'd-" That was all he could say before sobs closed his throat.
"It's not your fault," Ricochet said. "What happened last night wasn't your fault. I know that wasn't you, Droop-a-Long. You'd never kill me, jus' like how I'd never kill you." He pulled out a neckerchief from his vest pocket and handed it to the coyote. "There ain't no need to keep blamin' yourself for it, or to apologize. I forgive ya. So don't cry, alright?"
Droop-a-Long sniffled, and then he nodded as he wiped away his tears. "A-Alright..." He blew his nose and then sighed. "T-Thanks, Mr. Ricochet..."
Ricochet nodded. "It's alright, Droop. You were terrified and angry," he said. His eyes narrowed in concern. "You were that scared for Denise, weren't ya?"
Droop-a-Long nodded, his expression downcast. "I-in my dream, the sergeant who was in charge of me told me that she hadn't been taken from me, an' that I needed to rest for the next few days. But...how was I supposed to believe that when I saw her being dragged away in my dream? She was so scared, Mr. Ricochet, an' the thought of losin' her to people like them..." He shuddered. "I pray that never happens."
"So do I, Droop," Ricochet answered. "I care about Denise, too, 'specially since she's my former girlfriend. I wouldn't want anythin' to happen to her, either." He then moved over so that he was sitting in front of Droop-a-Long. "But Droop-a-Long, those marshals are already losin' their positions across the state due to people learnin' what they've been doin'. From what my brother Roger told me, they're getting rid of that whole program."
"They are?" Droop-a-Long asked, hope in his eyes.
Ricochet nodded. "You don't have to worry about any of 'em comin' after you or Denise anytime soon, Droop-a-Long. And if one of 'em even tries, I'll set 'em straight," he said. "Ain't nobody hurtin' you or Denise, 'specially over somethin' like that."
Droop-a-Long couldn't help but be touched. "Aww...thanks, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long said. "And thanks for bein' by my side while I was out of it. I appreciate it...an' I-I'm sorry."
Ricochet smiled. "No problem, Droopy. I know you would've done the same if I was. And like I said, there's no need to apologize." He got down from the bed. "Now, you get some rest, an' I'll take care of things around the office. And I mean it when I say that I'll toss ya right back in here if I catch ya doin' any type of work."
"...I think I got the message the last time you did that, Mr. Ricochet."
The End
This was part of a small short collection called "Through and Through", which I wrote after I read several prompts on Tumblr, and this one was long enough to be a short chapter.
The species marshals is something I came up with, and as described above are evil people who use the "law" to do horrible things to people such as separate them for intermixing. They came from an older story I did a while back, where Droop-a-Long and Denise almost get caught by them. They may appear in a future story, but I haven't come up with the whole plot yet.
I actually don't have much else to say here, other than friends can and always will inspire you :D
I did say the last time that the next chapter wouldn't be so angsty, but with me, you can't tell. I've been working on other stories, though, so this won't be the only story getting updated.
As usual, constructive criticism is most appreciated!
God bless, iheartgod175
