Sacrifice

Bright lights blinded Bolt when he opened his eyes. When his eyes adjusted, he lifted his head slightly and realized he was in a hospital room. Wires attached to his chest and legs connected to multiple monitors. The only noise resonated from the beeping of one of the monitors, in tune with his heartbeat. Thick layers of bandages wrapped around his central body and hind leg. He lifted himself to sit up and then it all started coming back to him. He reached for his missing ear, which was now bandaged, what was left of it anyway.

My sin...

"They had to cut off part of it so they could stitch and bandage it properly." Bolt recognized the voice when he heard it and turned around to find the visitor at the door.

"Victor? What happened?" The old dog padded inside and sat next to the bed Bolt lay in.

"My owner and I were out on a late walk. I smelled blood and we eventually found you."

"Just me?" He asked abruptly.

Victor shook his head. "A cat too. We took you both to the vet's emergency and they operated on you right away. You've been resting for about a day now."

"And Mittens? Is she okay?" Victor turned ever so slightly. Bolt assumed the worst.

"She's alive, but," The Dane paused while Bolt held his breath, "she hasn't woken up yet. If she doesn't wake up in a few days, they're going to let her go."

Bolt looked down at his ragged and torn paws. He found himself squeezing them so hard that they shook a little.

"It's not looking good for her, Bolt." His friend whispered as he leaned in closer. He relaxed his paws and looked up to his comrade.

"Do you know where she is?" He asked. Victor nodded. "Please show me?"

Victor hesitated for a minute. He went to look outside the door first to make sure no one was around. He nodded to Bolt and shut off the heart monitor before removing the wires. Bolt staggered when he reached the ground. His body still felt sore, making it hard just to stand. Victor went over to help him, but the shepherd shook his head.

"It's alright, Victor. I can walk." Victor narrowed his eyes as he watched Bolt tremble on his own legs, but he nodded. Using his muscles may help him recover anyway. He slowly led him down the hall, allowing Bolt to take his time. It was like he was learning to walk for the first time. Finally after passing a few rooms, Victor peaked into one on the right and nodded to him. Victor waited outside while Bolt padded slowly into the room.

Mittens lay on her side in a small bed where many wires were attached to her body. The heart rate monitor beeped at a slow pace, one much slower than his own. A mask rested on her face to help support her body with oxygen. She was hardly even breathing. Her whole body was nearly covered in bandages. Bolt watched over his friend in vigil, until he saw her paws, her clawless paws, and guilt stabbed Bolt's heart even deeper when he realized the poor cat had no means of defending herself at all when she was attacked.

He felt the need to blame someone. As if somehow it would help him feel better. He blamed the Doberman. That bastard. Until he realized, if he didn't return, maybe Mittens wouldn't be fighting for her life now. They wanted him, not her. They used her. And now she's paying the price with her life. She's going to die because of him.

No. He refused to believe that. She's going to be all right. She won't die.

In the past, recent months, Bolt finally understood. He understood the feelings he felt towards Mittens. He fell in love with her at some point, but when he learned she didn't feel the same way, he tried to win her over still. He thought he could change her mind, hoping she would realize what she had in front of her the whole time. She gave him mixed signals, which gave him false hope. He finally gave up, but then realized, perhaps he mistaken these strong emotions for something else. He determined at some point he grew protective for Mittens. He didn't want to see her getting hurt from someone else. He wanted to keep her safe. All those restless nights he spent thinking about her, all those times when he pretended to save her, it made sense to him now.

He was content with that. He loved her and he always will. But sometimes he still thinks about what could have happened, if it all could still work out. A small part of him still hopes Mittens will see how much he cares for her. But that isn't fair to her, she deserves to look for that perfect guy, just like anyone else would like to. She may never even find him, but Bolt was willing to accept it in order to give her the chance. And maybe, just maybe, she would come back to him eventually.

He wanted to tell her all of this, but by the time he finished planning his thoughts, he forgot how he started. He promised himself he would protect her, until she found someone else, but he failed to keep his promise and now she has someone else to watch over her.

"Bolt, I don't understand how you always put up with me." Mittens stared down at her paws and half-smiled with disbelief. Bolt padded to her side and wrapped his paw over her right shoulder. He rubbed up and down her shoulder a few times and then pulled her in close to him. Her head rested on his shoulder.

"I don't understand either, but there has to be some reason, right?" He smiled, but she dared to not look into his hopeful eyes.

"I feel like I'm the lucky one." She murmured. Her eyes stared off into the distant sunset. Bolt leaned in and groomed her ears.

"You can't have happiness without pain," he said finally, "and it's worth the happiness I get with you."

She finally looked up to him. Her green eyes glowed. "You're sure?" She asked, still unconvinced. He wrapped his other arm around her and hugged her tightly.

"I think so."

It was his fault. Tears streamed down his face. For he was going to break another promise he couldn't keep. It was the only way, for Mittens and himself.

Victor sat up when the shepherd entered the hallway with his head and tail down. Bolt didn't look at him and neither of them said anything. He watched him turn away and rest his shoulder on the wall.

He blames himself. The old dog took a deep breath.

"It's not your fault." Bolt slowly lifted his head. "You did everything you could."

While still facing away, he lifted his shoulder to sit, but dipped his head again. "I know," he murmured. All the possibilities ran through Bolt's head once again. What if he never came to find Mittens? What if he talked to Mittens when he came back instead of leaving without seeing her? What if he never saved Victor? Anything to have prevented this. Maybe if he was stronger, he could have saved her. But he wasn't and he couldn't bear to see her anymore after failing. Maybe if he wasn't in her life anymore, she would be safe then. She had him now anyway to look after her.

"Victor, when she wakes up," there was no doubt in his voice, "you have to tell her..." Bolt reached for his collar and gently slipped it off his head. He stared at the golden tag with his name on it and gripped it in his paw. Then he finally turned to face Victor. "You must tell her," he reworded, "that I'm dead."

He reached out his paw. "Please, give this to her."

"Bolt, you don't have to do this." Victor narrowed his eyes. There was much pain and regret in Bolt's eyes.

"I was the reason why she got hurt in the first place." He looked inside her room once more, "I dragged her into this. If I'm not around, she'll be safe."

The Great Dane didn't know what to say. "Besides, she doesn't need me anymore. She has someone else now and…" Bolt glanced back to his friend. "I trust him to keep her safe."

"What about your show? She will find out eventually." Bolt looked down at his tag once more and to the faded ink on his fur. He actually smiled a little.

"Not if the show's cancelled." Victor raised his brows. "They can't do it without me. I'm willing to give it up. For Mittens." He reached out his paw with his collar once more.

"There's no going back."

Bolt felt his eyes water with tears "I know." He whispered. Victor hesitated, but nodded and took the collar from him. But then another thought crossed his mind.

"Thank you, Victor." He set the collar on the ground.

"What will you do now?" Victor narrowed his eyes.

"Don't worry about me." Bolt scoffed. "I guess this is good bye then. Take care, Victor." Bolt bowed his head and Victor simply nodded. Bolt started down the hall. A small bit of doubt wondered if Victor would actually keep his word, but he trusted his friend. At least, he hoped he could.

"Bolt." As soon as he turned, he was tackled hard into his flank, sending him flying a few feet. He gasped for breath and tried to get up, but he was pushed and held back down. Suddenly, he was pinned by the neck.

"Victor?! What are you-" He started gagging when Victor started to bite down into his neck. He panicked, he tried kicking him off his body and rolling, but he was still weak and couldn't move. He couldn't do anything.

"What… are you… do-" Victor bit harder until Bolt couldn't breathe or call for help anymore. His senses slowly disappeared one by one. His body went numb and then he started feeling light-headed as his vision blurred. All he could hear was his heart beating slowly, as if time itself slowed. Thoughts raced through his head. Why is Victor doing this? Was he really going to die like this? Will he ever see Mittens again? He felt himself about to pass out. He was going to die.

Suddenly, he was able to breathe again and life returned to his body. He coughed and quickly gasped for air. It took him a few minutes to recover. His vision cleared when his breathing returned to normal. Victor just sat in front of him.

"He won't hold back like I did." He kept his gaze with Bolt as the white dog struggled to stand up. "You can't go after him, Bolt."

Bolt scoffed again. "You should've killed me. Then you wouldn't have to lie to Mittens."

"At least wait until your injuries are healed." Bolt sighed.

"You're right. I promise, as long as you keep yours." He turned away and started walking, but stopped to give his farewells to Victor again. Be careful was the last thing he heard his friend say as he staggered down the hall.