CHOICES
Disclaimer: As before, see chapter 1.
ANSWERS TO REVIEWS
Blank Ned: I'm glad my poetry meets with your approval. If I think of another rhyme I shall let you know. And yes, Vimesey will indeed go ballistic. It won't be pretty.
Watchman: Yeah, I can see Vimes reacting exactly like that. Don't worry; chapters will come at regular intervals... I'm on a roll with this one.
Estriel: I know. I'm actually surprised nobody else has done this before... It's a great idea in principle. I just hope I can actually write it properly.
Yap: Yay, criticism. Duly noted and thank you for the advice.
Mercator: Wow, I got a review from Mercator! Yaaaaaaaay! Seriously, I got a positive review from one of my favourite authors. Thank you so much!
Frosteh loves you all.
CHAPTER THREE: CONSEQUENCES
She turned to look at him, her expression utterly unreadable.
"What do you mean, what did I just do?" she replied hoarsely, still in shock and trying not to dwell on what she had just done. "I would have thought it fairly obvious..."
Turning back to Carrot, she looked at him anxiously, wondering if it had worked and not really sure which she'd prefer, that she'd succeeded or that she'd failed.
Behind her she heard Vimes take a deep breath, but the expected shouting didn't come. Instead he said very quietly, "Assume I'm stupid, Angua. Explain." His voice had that careful edge of someone right on the brink of complete all-out rage.
She couldn't bring herself to look at him, but a brief spark of faint anger was dimly felt, enough so that she replied with slightly more spirit. "I tried to save his life when nothing else would work."
"You turned him into a monster –"He stopped abruptly, too late.
She whirled, sudden anger flaring, burning away the pain. "A monster. That's what you think? Is that how you see me? I did what nobody else could, and it might be the only thing that saved his life."
He was giving her a wary look now, not sure whether to be nervous or furious. "Most werewolves – all except you, from my experience – are monsters, Angua. You know that as well as I. What if he wakes up another Wolfgang, or worse?"
She shook her head angrily. "Do you really think he has that in him? Biting someone doesn't put a monster in him or her, Mr Vimes; it doesn't alter what's already there. He'll wake the same as he ever was."
"Except he'll be a werewolf."
"Well, yes," she replied slowly, staring at him. "That's how this works." Growling, she turned and faced him directly. "He is still alive because of me. I didn't want to do it but the only other option was letting him die, and I couldn't do that. It's done now and I can't undo it."
Vimes shook his head slowly. Finally he looked at the unconscious man on the bed. "What happens now?"
She shrugged, unsure herself. This was something she knew in theory but had never seen in practise; it was heavily discouraged on the whole back home, severely enough that if every werewolf alive hadn't already hated her now, they would when word spread. "As far as I know, convulsions and fever, fairly severe. If he lives through that he'll be a normal werewolf." Normal werewolf. How bloody ironic.
"You better make sure he does live through it, sergeant," he said quietly, anger in his voice. "Now you've done it, you make sure it was worth it, because when word of this gets out... You're on your own. I won't protect you this time; not over this. If he dies now, you'll go through hell for nothing."
She stared at him, half-stunned, half-angry, both emotions buried under a cold numb feeling. After so long this was almost a betrayal, but she knew he was right. What was to come after this was going to be pure hell. But as she had said, it was done, and couldn't be undone. She'd just have to try and make it through, same as she'd been doing all her life.
The door slammed as Vimes stalked outside. She could hear raised voices in the corridor, but didn't bother trying to listen; she didn't want to hear what was being said. One problem at a time for now. First things first... She turned back to the bed.