The vet took a deep breath.
"Well, he's alive, but he's lost a lot of blood, and honestly, if you two hadn't been here so quickly, he would be dead right now." Chris had to swallow hard at the words and tears came to her eyes again. Street put an arm around her.
"But he'll make it, right?" He now asked gently.
"I think so. He's over the worst of it. He's still got a long way to go and you're going to have to do a lot of physical therapy with him, but yes, he's going to be just fine. He's still sleeping it off, but he should wake up in the next 10 minutes. Would you like to see him?" He looked at the two police officers.
"Yes, absolutely!" Chris couldn't wait and together with the doctor they walked to Champ. He was lying in a crib, on a blanket. There was a thick IV needle in his little leg and slowly the fluid was running into his body. Chris opened the cage door and she and Street sat down in front of it. She put her hand on his head and Street put his hand on Champ's chest. This rose and fell at steady intervals and it calmed Chris eerily.
"Hey my boy. You made it." She sniffled. "You're going to be okay now. I'll nurse you back to health, I promise." She had to smile slightly and could now, for the first time in many hours, take a breath.
"Champ we´re with you, you can feel that for sure. You can wake up slowly now, you hear?" Street spoke softly and with such a loving tone that Chris got goosebumps. She was touched that he also cared so much about Champ.
A few minutes later, the two still remained in the same position and slowly Champ's spirits returned. He kept twitching his paws as if he were dreaming and the corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably. The doctor came over and took a look.
"He's waking up now, these are all normal signs." He checked Champ's heartbeat again with his stethoscope and was satisfied. He left the three alone again.
"Look Chris, he's opening his eyes." Automatically a smile crept onto Street's lips and an enormous weight lifted from him.
"Welcome back you sleepyhead." Chris was smiling now too and she couldn't keep her fingers off Champ, she just had to feel him, his warmth, to make sure he was really okay. Champ wagged his tail very gently when he saw the two of them in front of him. He slowly lifted his head, licked Chris once over his hand, only to lie down again right away. He was tired, but you couldn't blame him after such a surgery.
"It's going to be okay now." Street said as he sighed.
The next day, Chris had just come in from the vet clinic for duty. She went to the locker room and changed into her uniform. Some colleagues asked how Champ was doing and after answering all the questions, she wanted to quickly go to her boss and thank him again. As she stood in front of the office she heard him talking, he was on the phone and suddenly Chris' whole body stiffened. Had she just heard right? Clark was here in the interrogation room? She didn't think twice and walked quickly to the room. If he was sitting in there alone, she had to take the chance and talk to him one last time.
Arriving in front of the door, she put her hand around the doorknob. She hesitated and had to pull herself together quite a bit to keep her anger from boiling up even more. She turned the knob. The room itself was very stuffy. It smelled of old sweat and cigarette smoke. The gray walls reflected the mood. Clark sat cuffed to the table, staring at it. When he heard the door open, he looked up and his eyes widened.
"You dare come in here? You of all people! You're the reason I've got all this shit on my hands you bitch!" He spoke calmly, but in a very low voice and menacingly slow. Chris remained quiet at first and walked around the table. She was now facing him.
"You almost killed my dog. You lied to me for months. You used me to get information so you could run your criminal business. You know what, Clark? I've never been happier to see someone sitting here than I am to see you. You deserved it and I hope you get your just punishment and don't see the sun again for many years. I have nothing left for you but contempt." Chris remained surprisingly calm, she had great trouble controlling herself, but it gave her a satisfaction to see him here now like a heap of misery. Clark formed his eyes into slits.
"Too bad the damn mutt didn't die, I should have aimed better." Laughing dirty, Chris jerkily bent over the table and grabbed him by the collar.
"Yeah come on, go ahead, punch me in the face. Then you'll be out of your position here faster than you can look. But you ain't got nothing on you anyway Chris." He tried to provoke her, but Chris didn't give him that satisfaction.
"You can burn in hell for all I care Thompson. Have a nice life." With those words, Chris let him go, straightened his collar, put on a smile, and walked out of the room with his head held high. Clark was seething with anger.
Champ had to stay in the clinic for another week. Chris had visited him every day before and after her shift and had gone for a little walk with him. Almost always Street was at their side, he didn't miss the chance to visit his favorite dog as well. Today was the big day and they were allowed to take the German Shepherd home again. Chris still had to pay a lot of attention and go to physio with him three times a week. Her boss already knew about it and had scheduled her accordingly with her service.
Champ was already standing tail wagging with a veterinary assistant in the clinic waiting room, somehow sensing what kind of day it was today. When he saw Chris and Street coming, he could hardly be contained. Chris went extra in the squat, so that he did not jump up, that was still strictly forbidden.
"Hey boy, God I've been looking forward to this day." She was beaming up to both ears and her companion was also happy. After talking to the vet again and getting the appropriate medication, they were finally allowed to leave. Street lifted him into the car and Chris sat with him to keep him calm.
At home his mistress had made him a good portion of food, and to celebrate the day he also got a dried pig's ear. Champ enjoyed it visibly and when his tummy was full, he lay down in his basket and slept soundly. Chris and Street sat on the sofa and watched him sleep.
"He looks so peaceful. I was terrified I was going to lose him." She looked beside her and gazed into dark brown eyes that looked at her gently.
"I still can't quite believe it, but he saved my life. I'll never forget him for that, and damn, I never thought I would, but I love that crazy dog." Street had to laugh when he said the last words and Chris also smirked with satisfaction. She was totally touched by his words and at that moment something happened that no one would have expected.
Chris looked Street deep in the eyes and as if by herself she brought her entire upper body in his direction and kissed him. He was totally caught off guard but kissed her back. After Chris put distance between him and herself again, she saw thousands of question marks in his eyes, but it didn't matter. She took his face in her hands and kissed him again, stormy and full of passion.
"Chris." Street murmured into the kiss. "I don't know if - " But that was as far as he got.
He lost all train of thought when she softly bit his bottom lip and he only allowed himself to feel. They looked at each other, their eyes dancing together.
