Guess who's internet connection went on the fritz today?! :D Mine!

In all seriousness, my internet wasn't working well today. I was actually editing this chapter online when it decided to quit and I lost all of my progress. I'm very sorry about that.

Anyway, this chapter is a short one, but it's a really important one too. We finally find out what caused Lucky's injuries and establish where he's going to be staying from now on.

The front door opened to reveal Steve, Nat, and Fury. Clint felt Lucky go tense under his hand, seemingly distressed by the scent of new people.

Nat moved so that she was in Lucky's line of sight. The two made eye contact for a few good seconds before she spoke. "If we pick him up he'll fight back. At least as much as he can in his condition."

Steve said, "I agree, but he's in no condition to walk. It's a miracle Clint even managed to get him here."

Clint asked, "Did you guys have sedatives by any chance?"

Nick shook his head. "None that we can use on dogs."

"That's the only way you can keep him unconscious. Lucky's in too much pain to sleep soundly. He may have gotten more sleep than me last night, but that's not saying much."

Everyone sat or stood in silence thinking about what to do next. Then, Wanda held her hand about a foot over Lucky. A stream of red light drifted from her hand to his head. For a moment, his irises turned red, but the color quickly changed back to normal as his eyelids drooped closed.

"I don't know how long he'll stay asleep," she said, "You must go now."

Nat gently yet quickly scooped him into her arms. Clint tried not to feel disappointed as his hand slipped from his fur. He reminded himself that this was for the best.

"If we can't find the owner," said Nick, "we'll get him to a shelter."

Clint shot to his feet faster than he would care to admit. "Or you could... you know... bring him back here." At the silence and everyone's stares, he continued, "Just a thought."

Nat nodded, failing to hide her smirk, before exiting the cabin with Nick. Clint sighed in relief before going to the table. As much as he wanted Lucky to get back to his rightful owner, he really wanted to see him again.

Natasha and Fury entered the veterinary clinic. The smell of numerous cleaning supplies mixed with the odors of numerous pets assaulted them as soon as they entered. They could also hear dogs barking a few rooms away.

Natasha, holding Lucky, was the first to make it to the front desk. "We're George and Evelyn Peterson. We need a vet, stat."

The receptionist, an older gentlemen with glasses and a name tag reading 'Stan,' began typing away on his computer. "Can do. Just have a seat and I'll let her know that this fella needs emergency care."

They thanked him before taking a seat in the empty waiting room. To their surprise, Lucky hadn't yet stirred from his slumber. Natasha actually found herself hoping that Wanda's powers hadn't worked too well. She had no idea if he would need to be awake for any portion of the checkup.

She whispered to Nick, "How many days would it take for him to get from the nearest civilization to the lake?"

"In his condition?" he responded, "I'd say about a week. I'm no vet, but I can tell you that these wounds were not received all at once. Some of his scratches are scabbed over while others are really fresh. And given the amount of blood he got on you on the way here, I'd say some of these wounds have been opening back up for a while now."

She looked down at herself to see that there was indeed blood on her arms and lap. Not enough to cause grave concern, but enough to demonstrate how many wounds weren't healing. "Poor little guy. At least he doesn't seem to be suffering from internal bleeding."

"I bet it's a miracle he's still alive. He's one tough dog. Made an impression on Agent Barton too."

Natasha smiled. "Clint's always had a soft spot for animals. I think a dog would be perfect for him and his family, actually. It's no wonder Clint wants him back. We'll have to make another shopping trip before we return to the safe house. I'm sure he'll still be fed pizza, but he's going to need some actual dog food."

"Unless he already has an owner."

"Call it a hunch, but I have a feeling he's Clint's dog now."

A young woman wearing a long, white coat and stethoscope came into the waiting room. Her name tag revealed that she was a vet tech. Her eyes widened when she saw Lucky. "Oh my God."

Without a word, she picked up Lucky and rushed him to the back.

It was hours before Nick and Nat were summoned. Lucky, now awake, was laying on a metal table. He was wrapped in several bandages, but seemed to be in less pain. The vet, a middle-aged woman with her dark hair up in a bun, explained how they gave him several shots, over a dozen stitches, and how he would need a cone on his head once he was healthy enough to mess with his injuries.

"How long has it been since he's done his business?" asked the vet.

Nick answered, "Not since we found him almost a day ago. We weren't able to get him help until recently."

The vet nodded. "I asked because as soon as he woke up he went ahead and emptied his bladder and bowels, but immediately tried to get as far away as he could from us. It was as if he was expecting a punishment."

"So he's house trained?" Natasha asked, "Does he have an owner."

"He does," said the vet, "but not one that he should be returned to."

Natasha and Nick stayed silent, waiting for her to continue.

"We took a closer look at the scratches to try and identify the source. We can confirm that they're from other dogs, different breeds. We also found several bruises under his fur that appear to be caused by human hands. I have no doubt that this dog escaped a dog-fighting ring."

This wasn't the answer Natasha was expecting. Dogs trained to fight were usually aggressive and distrusting. While Lucky did appear to be uneasy around people he didn't know, he's shown that his trust can be gained. And while Nat was sure he would resist being carried away, he didn't show any signs of aggression outside of self defense. No dog should be forced to fight, especially not a sweet dog like Lucky.

Thankfully, his new owners, especially Clint, will love him to pieces.

"We know someone who can take care of him," said Natasha, "We just need you to give us instructions for him."

I hope I made the Stan Lee cameo obvious enough!

I recently published an Iron Dad and Spider Son story called Milk and Nachos. If you think you might be interested, feel free to read it and let me know what you think!

And of course, please let me know what you thought of this chapter! I know it was short, but the next one is going to be much longer!