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Thank you for the review: squidgy78 I am glad you liked the summary and the chapter, joyusbabs- I hope you like this chapter as well, OPGrimReaper- Yes Atlas here is your next chapter.


Vanessa heard the rumble of the truck engine before it turned into the driveway. For a moment she grasped the examination table tightly to stop the tremors racking her body. She hoped he had gotten away and found his family. But the truck outside her building could mean only two things. Jackson found him or Jackson killed him and was bring the body back to gloat. She took a deep breath, picked up the otoscope and gently inserted the end of the instrument into the dog's ear.

She debated on finishing the exam on the Ridgeback after Jackson left. Most of her patients hated the man. "Joshua, come here please."

A young man in nurse scrubs walked into the room. "He's back."

"I know. Can you take Riley here back and put him in one of the kennels. I don't want him getting upset with Jackson's presences."

Vanessa saw the hair stand-up on her assistant's neck and realized time was up. She handed him the dog and said, "Go."

She turned around as a kicking a dog crate shoved his way through the two metal doors separating the exam room from the reception area. Her heart fell as she saw the size of the transport kennel; it was too small for a dog of his size.

"Here bitch I brought you a present," Jackson said as kicked the crate causing it to roll on its side. The large man guffawed as the dog inside yelped.

"I am not a bitch," Vanessa said a slight growl punctuating the last word and defiantly looking the newcomer in the eyes.

Still laughing Jackson dropped his six foot four inch frame into one of the visitor's chairs and watched as the woman walked over to the crate and turned it right side up. "That's right you haven't whelped yet. When is the good doctor going to do something about that?"

She gritted her teeth in an effort not to say exactly what she was thinking. I would just cause her more trouble down the line. Although when she looked into the crate she couldn't help the expletive that came rushing out of her mouth. "What the hell. This crate is designed for a medium sized dog, not a freaking German Sheppard."

The grin faded from Jackson's face and he stood to his full height. "Before you start defending that damn dog you better remember he ran away. Dr. Marcus sent me out after him so he didn't hurt a defenseless human. I would have put him in the bigger cage but the son of a bitch bit me."

Vanessa just glared at him and sarcastically snapped. "Then it's a good thing you're a werewolf then isn't it."

He advanced on Vanessa allowing his teeth to grow and grabbed her by the throat. For a minute he squeezed just slightly enough to cause difficulty breathing. "You might do well in remembering that, you fucking mutt. I could tear your throat out right now and munch on your heart."

For a moment the only thing Vanessa was aware of was the growling coming from the cage on the ground next to her and the spots before her eyes. Just when she thought she was going to pass out Jackson released her with a slight shove. It took everything in her power to remain up right and not look at the floor, but she knew if backed down now he would have dominance.

When Vanessa didn't hit the floor as he had intended Jackson spun around and kicked the cage once more for good measure smiling at the yelp from inside. He stormed out of the vet's office to find the doctor and a good stiff drink and not necessarily in that order.

Vanessa took a deep breath and literally shook herself to get rid of the uneasy feeling. A quick touch to her throat assured her Jackson wasn't intending harm just put her in her place. She bent down, opened the carrier and called Joshua all at the same time.

"Get that side and undo the screws we need to take the top off. He is not going to be able to get out the door."

Joshua didn't say anything and went straight to work. He had been brought here six months ago after running away from home. Jackson was the one who lured him into the impala offering a hot meal and some cash. Then he started his pitch about how no one would ever hurt him again and so on. What Jackson had not said was that he would be the one throwing the punches instead of his father. He had stood on the other side of the door afraid to come in while Jackson was here but he was afraid to leave Vanessa alone as the same time.

As they removed the last section of the carrier Joshua expected the large dog to bolt and stood a little out of his way. Instead the German Shepard painfully climbed to his feet and took a step out of the cage whimpering.

"Joshua, help me get him on the table."

She watched the boy visibility gulp and look at the dog in question. "Josh he's not going to hurt you. I promise." She looked down at the dog and said, "Right? You know it might hurt but we are trying to help you."

They maneuvered the ninety pound dog on to the table and Vanessa sighed when she saw the damage and it was only the superficial stuff. "Joshua, get me the ketamine and a syringe."

She was stopped by the growl from the table. She looked at the dog and then to the vial in her hand. "You're telling me you don't want this."

The dog laid flat on his side and huffed.

"NO. I am not treating you without giving you something for the pain."

Again the dog growled.

"What if you bite Joshua or me?"

The German Sheppard lifted his head and looked at the vet and snorted before letting it drop to the metal table top.

Vanessa just chuckled and exchanged glances with Joshua. "I wasn't suggesting that you would bite us on purpose. I just meant if we touched a place you were … extra tender."

She might have said more but she heard them in the hall way and watched Joshua go pale. "He is going to want to get off this table no matter how badly he is hurt. Hold him. "To the dog she said, they are coming to see how you are and if you get off this table I will pump you full of so much ketamine you will sleep for the next month. Do I make myself clear?"

The large brown head lowered to the table with a soft whine.

She turned and watched the door waiting for the two men to show themselves.

Jackson entered the room first and found the chair he was sitting in earlier. She could smell the alcohol from here and hoped he just drank enough to take the edge off. Dealing with a drunken werewolf wasn't easy and right now she wished she'd had a syringe of the ketamine waiting.

The thin man who entered after him was completely sober and most assuredly annoyed.

"How is our patient?"

"I just started to examine him. Your attack dog over there put him in a kennel designed for a beagle."

Vanessa felt her skin prickle as Jackson started a growl deep in his throat. Cringing slightly she stood up straighter and waited for her throat to be torn out.

James Marcus looked at the girl standing at the table and shook his head. He was going to curb her smart mouth it was going to get all of them in trouble one of these days. "Now, Now, I am sure it wasn't that bad. Jackson was trying to get him home safely."

"Besides if the damn dog hadn't run away in the first place I wouldn't have had to put him in a kennel in the first place," Jackson said with a smirk.

Vanessa just snorted, "As if Jackson, you're a bully. You like throwing you weight around and it was the perfect excuse for you to take hostility on them."

Again James had to get in the middle of them. "He is providing a strong hand where it is needed. But I understand your softness and needing to protect them. They need to be reminded when they break the rules there will be consequences. He ran and Jackson had to bring him back."

"He's a hunter. He is going to looking for his family."

"He has no family any more than you. They didn't want to have to kill him because he became a monster."

Vanessa heard the soft whine and twisted her fingers in the long hair along his jowls. "That maybe but it doesn't stop him from trying to find his family. He wants to hear it from them."

"Do you really think that after nine months if they were trying to find him they wouldn't? If you still think they don't know then by all means let's turn him loose and see if the great John Winchester will talk to him with anything more than a silver bullet to the brain. Both of you need to grow up, live with what you have become, and use it. That is what Dr. Marcus is trying to get you to do."

Vanessa didn't know what to say. He heart ached for the dog on table. And Jackson's tone held no anger, no gloating and she wondered if maybe he was telling the truth after all it is what her uncle and mother did to her.

When the vet looked at the floor and there was only a soft whimper from the patient James cleared his throat. "Now that that is settled he needs to change."

"He can't. He has several injuries that I need to take care of or when he shifts he will be lame," Vanessa said quickly.

James looked at her speculatively and sighed. He was going to have to do something about her independence and soon. Maybe Jackson was right and it was time to try something different in the routines. "Very well, by tomorrow both you and Mr. Winchester will present yourselves in my office. We need to discuss your punishments, His for running away and yours for protecting him."