((After, over a year hiatus, I am back to finish this story whether you like it or not. I also wanted to apologize for having no warning about the blood and graphic description of the prior chapters, I have since fixed the tags and warnings. I also know how the comedy dropped off pretty quick, sorry bout that too but the show must go on. Be aware that there are two chapters left and include violence at some point. Enjoy this chapter, and expect the last chapter to be coming soon.))

Fear? Since when does he feel fear? Rick dashed from the porch of the cabin, running down the dirt driveway they had come down just a few minutes before. He wasn't sure what he was expecting, but it didn't take long to find Dell walking back down the driveway. At the pace the man was keeping, he was trying to get far away from that crazy house and everything he had seen. Rick took a deep breath as he slowed his pace to a walk, his ears lowered along with his head. Shame?

Being a canine must be messing with his head because he had always made it a priority to lock away these meaningless emotions. Fear? Shame? He was getting tired of asking himself this question. Why. Did. Dell. Matter. What has this ordinary man done to elicit these emotions? Maybe that was just it. He hadn't done much. For the first time in so long, Rick wasn't expected to be a cold-hearted mercenary. He had taken Rick into his home without much of an argument, expected nothing from him. How long had he expected to go about with this simple life?

While walking, Rick's head rose several times, a few of which he swore he saw something moving. Rick slowed every now and then, analyzing the treeline before coming to the conclusion it was just another animal of some kind, maybe deer lived around here.

Just before they reached the sidewalk, Dell stopped. He turned to Rick, his face hardened and concerned, it was obvious that he was not exactly believing what he heard in that house. Rick slowed to a stop as well, Dell taking a deep breath, "I'm not entirely sure what the hell that was, or if I should listen." he spoke mostly to himself, partially to Rick. He paused, looking down at Rick in silence. Rick could see what he was thinking, was that nut job right? Had everything he saw be real? "...Nod if you can understand me."

Rick couldn't keep this charade up, he set the hat down, raising his head and nodding it down. Dell nodded, physically calm, but it was impossible that he wasn't having some crisis right now. He was standing in front of a wolf that used to be a human, magic wasn't supposed to be a real thing. "Alright. Alright," he muttered as he continued walking, muttering things under his breath as he went. Rick picked his hat back up and slowly followed, he had a bad feeling creeping up his spine.

A tense silence filled their journey as they walked back to Dell's truck. When it came into view, Rick stopped. He wasn't even sure if Dell wanted him back in his home after today, if it were Rick in his shoes, he would just leave. Dell kept walking only stopping when he got to the truck. For a few moments there was silence between them, Dell not looking back and Rick not taking a step forward. It came to an end when Dell opened the passenger door. "I ain't waitin' all day," he told him as he gestured for him to get in.

Rick's tail remained low as he jogged to the truck and jumped in, though a glance to the park and the people talking, he noticed something. Marceau was gone. His eyes narrowed as he analyzed the entire park again and again. Rick stopped scanning, eyes lowering to the seat, there is no way it had anything to do with him. Regardless, knowing he was in town still put him on edge. There was no use worrying right now, he can't do much about… anything at this moment.

Back at home was even worse than the walk to the truck. Rick had made a nice place for himself next to the couch, a nice patch of sun from the window. Dell, on the other hand, had chosen to be outside. He didn't have a beer, he barely moved, he just sat out there for hours. Every now and then Rick would rise to check if he was still there, he was. He wasn't even sure why he checked.

Before long Duchess came waltzing along the back of the couch "Did the park go that badly?" she asked, looking over the edge of the couch and down at Rick.

"He learned about what happened. He knows I'm a human… not sure if he truly believes it, but he knows." He said, not raising his head as he thought. "He's taking it better than I thought he would." he continued as he looked outside once again. In the face of the unknown, Dell looked as though he was struggling between believing what he heard and saw or sticking with the reality he knew and understood.

The idea of a man turning into a wolf shook Dell from the comfort of his life and everything he thought he knew, magic wasn't supposed to be real. Regardless he didn't leave Rick behind after everything. What worried Rick now was the feeling that something terrible was about to happen, an impending doom. You can't forget about a dark past, they come back to haunt you eventually.

"Of course, that's why he is broken again. Leave it to your kind to break everything." Duchess sighed, turning her attention out the glass door as well. "...how did you even manage to tell him?" She asked. He sat motionless by the fire pit, though his mind must be swirling with thoughts.

"Long story. Maybe later." Rick to her as he laid his head back down. Now, what should he do? He got no answers from that pitbull.. guy and was left back at step 1.

It had been hours, some of those Rick had spent dozing in and out until the closing of a door woke him. Dell finally came inside. The sun had begun to sink low in the sky and the house remained silent, only the creaking of wooden floorboards that followed Dell as he moved. Rick glanced at him but decided not to move, at least not until Dell stepped over him to sit on the couch and write something.

"Alright," Dell spoke aloud. "You and I are going to have a talk." Dell rose a paper with 'yes' and 'no' written on it and placed on the ground. Rick could easily gather what was going on and left no time for Dell to try and explain. He placed his paw on 'yes' and the conversation began. "Is there a reason you chose me to help you?" he asked. Rick couldn't say there was a reason, Dell was just the first person he saw. His paw moved to the 'no' on the paper. "Is there any hidden motive for you being here?" like what? His paw moved to 'no' again.

These yes/no questions were not getting them far, but maybe they brought peace of mind to Dell. Dell must have thought the same thing because he picked the paper up again. "Who are you?" Dell asked in a soft and strained voice. The big question.

"The question we were all waiting for." Rick stood, trotting to Dell's room. At first, Dell just watched before rising to his feet and following. He walked right over to Dell's backpack and nudged it. Rick was going to tell Dell exactly who he is, but he couldn't do that with words.

"My pack?" he asked before the pieces connected. The last time he used it, Rick hitched a ride home with him. "Let me guess, you want to go on a field trip," Dell stated as Rick passed him on his way to the front door. Thank goodness they didn't have to play charades for long.

Dell was slow to gather his keys before he met Rick at the door. Before Duchess could get a chance to ask Rick what was happening, the two were outside and on their way back to the beginning

Back to the forest.

Just a week ago, this had been the forest that Rick had planned to murder someone. On the other side of this forest, there was a building that belonged to an opposing crime organization. This place was also where the biggest piece of evidence lay hidden in the bushes, waiting for its owner to come back. Within just a few minutes, their fates would both be sealed. Would Dell walk away or, by some miracle, would he stay?

Down the main path the two walked. They walked a few miles before Rick spotted the familiar parting in trees and up the hill they went. He looked back to Dell before doing his best to push between the bushes, the man following with a little difficulty. "I did not bring the right gear to be hiking this far," Dell grumbled as Rick led him up the hill.

At the top, there was a small clearing in the bushes and trees, Rick walked to the bushes just to the side of their path and dug around till he found his case. Taking the strap into his mouth, he tugged it free from its hiding place and into the open, bringing with it dirty clothes that had been sitting out for a week.

Dell hummed as he grabbed the clothes, thinking back to how possessive Rick was with those aviators, plus the hat from hours prior at that spookfest of a house. That probably should have raised more questions for him. He placed the clothes back down and looked to the long brown case, running his hands along with it before opening the slightly ajar lid.

Rick could see the horror that slipped into Dell's features in the few seconds that the case was open. Dell was quick to close the case, standing up and slowly backing away. His mouth opened and closed as he tried to find words, finally he found his footing "Why the fuck do you own that kind of gun." he spoke with tension evident in his voice. Inside the case, Rick's sniper rifle was lying inside, mostly assembled.

"How the hell am I supposed to answer that? I can't play charades that well." Rick spoke frustratedly to Dell. Obviously, the man was getting unsure of just who he had taken into his home and even if he could trust anything he thought he knew.

After this, Dell was not going to see him the same, or see him at all. Surprisingly, he wasn't convinced of anything just yet. He turned around "Were you… hunting?" Dell asked. Rick shook his head, animals were not the target. "...Please tell me you are not a dangerous criminal." Rick, tilted his head a bit. Criminal? Probably. Dangerous? Definitely. Before Rick could manage a nod of his head, he was on high alert.

A new scent was in the area, it smelled different, it wasn't like smelling just one person… there were many people out there. His ears flicked around, listening while his eyes scanned the area around him. Rick's distraction from the conversation wasn't enough to distract Dell from the conversation "Hey." Dell said snapping his fingers trying to get Rick's attention. This action stopped when Rick started growling, ears pinned back.

"Grab the case." Rick's paw shoved the case toward Dell as he kept a keen eye in every direction. He couldn't hear them yet, couldn't see them, but he knew they were there.

"We are not taking that," Dell told him in a flat voice as he looked at the case.

Rick spun around baring his teeth and growling at Dell "Grab it!" he really wished he could tell him exactly what was happening but for now, he just needed Dell to get the point as quickly as possible. The bark in Dell's direction had elicited the response he wanted, but he was sure Dell wasn't exactly happy with him.

As Dell locked the case he refrained from speaking more, instead of pulling the strap over his shoulder and starting down the path back to the truck. Yeah, he was definitely not happy with Rick. This entire situation was going to shit, he was lucky that Dell was cooperative enough to even listen to Rick after all that had been said within the last few hours. That being said, he had a feeling that the oncoming night was going to be a rough one.

From the moment Rick spotted one of them, the threat became clear. Though there seemed to be a few men, they were after something out here, and they were going to get it.