Sissy and Johnny sat under the tree in Johnny's yard, watching the sky. They were lost in thought. SO much had happened, and they didn't know how to handle it all.
Flashback...
"Is Johnny gonna be okay?" Sissy asked Mr. Black. He and his partner, Mr. White, had been called in to deal with the clean up, and had pretty much taken over handling the entire situation.
"Johnny will be fine. A few weeks in the hospital and he'll be good as new. Mr. Mittens really did a number on him, though. He will have scars on his back...and in his mind."
"His mind? What do you mean?"
"Physically, he'll make a full recovery rather rapidly. But mentally, emotionally...torture's not the sort of thing you get over easily. I'm sure he'll get over it eventually, and you'll be able to help him with that."
"I'll do my best. Can I see him now?"
"Go right in. YOu're the only one he's willing to see just now. You and Dukey."
"Right." Sissy turned to go in.
"Shame about what has to happen to Mr. Mittens, though."
Sissy stopped. "What do you mean?"
"Oops. I wasn't supposed to say anything."
"But you did. Now spill. He's going to jail, right?"
"Not this time. THere's...protocols regarding animals that attack humans."
"But...but Mr. Mittens has attacked Johnny before."
"With technology or weapons, in a human manner, and was treated as a human criminal. But this attack...was animal, and has to be treated as such."
"But...but that means..."
"He's been handed over to animal control. He'll be put down within the hour."
Sissy stared at the agent. Turning, she fled to Johnny.
End Flashback...
Even though it had been several weeks since, they still didn't know how to handle it. One of Johnny's long time rivals...dead. On top of everything else, it left the two of them shellshocked.
FInally, Johnny spoke up. "If Mr. Mittens got...put down, for this one time...what are they going to do to Dukey?"
Sissy looked over at him. SHe understood his worry. "With dogs, it's only biting. He's never bitten anyone."
"I guess..." Johnny sighed. "But...when all is said and done, no matter how smart and cool DUkey is...he's still a dog, with a dog's life span. How much longer...do you think he has?"
Sissy sighed, and gently wrapped her arm around him. "I don't know...but I think you could ask him and he'd tell you, he doesn't have any regrets."
Johnny smiled, a sad smile. "I wonder how many humans can say that."
She looked over at him. "DO you have any?"
He looked at her for a long time. "Not anymore," he whispered, leaning in to give her a gentle kiss.
THe End