Beast Within

by Kate Riley

Juno has only been in the US for one year for a better life after graduating from Cherryton. she is now in college and working at the Eat All Meat Diner, a diner which serves plant based meat products to carnivores in an attempt to help them with their instincts. once the black market takes a hit however, the mafia comes for them, resulting in Juno on the run with the help of a cop

1. ONE

The depth of a father's love shows in his daughter's eyes

What's known is what's shown from sunset to sunrise

A foundation built on more than just what is spoken - Michelle W. Emerson

The clock read 8:00 AM as the alarm on Juno's phone went off, ripping her from her peaceful sleep and once again making her wish that she didn't spend all night being awake. As much as she regretted that though she knew that in the moment she didn't want to go to sleep, but also that she would hate herself the next morning, and here she was doing exactly that.

The light brown wolf groaned, hitting the snooze button and quickly falling back into a deep sleep, only to have the same song rip her from it, shortening her patience and making her consider calling out. She knew that she couldn't though as she had promised to cover her friends shift at the diner. There was a lot that she had learned when moving to America but one thing that she picked up and refused to put down was the lesson of never saying no to more money, especially now that she was in college. So when the opportunity presented itself she always said yes, and it was one of the many reasons she was so loved by her manager. That didn't mean she liked waking up early though.

Normally she would head over after class, working a seven hour shift before collecting her tip money for the day and heading back to her dorm to start it all over again the next day. She worked on average five days a week, and for the most part she loved her job but that didn't mean that it didn't take its toll from time to time. That's why when the alarm went off for the second time she growled, her arm poking from under the covers to reach for her phone and for a second she considered chucking it across the room. What good would that do though?

This time she hit "stop" and then lifted the covers off of her and sat up, feeling her heavy eyes and squeezing them shut as if that would help. It didn't. Still she forced her legs over the side of the bed and stretched, feeling a few pops in her joints and then standing up to leave her room and walk out into the hall. It was weird, no matter how many times she did this she always found it fascinating that she got her own room, nothing like the four in one that she was crammed into in Japan. It was almost as if she was staying in a hotel. Still though she had roommates, just with their own separate rooms, and from what she understood not all colleges were like this, it was just one of the nicest ones around as that's what she wanted. It's the reason she made the move in the first place. A better and easier life, but while she knew that's what she wanted she didn't know what she wanted to do with it.

She made her way to the bathroom, running the water in the shower to get it nice and hot, meanwhile she ran the water in the sink as well, picking up her toothbrush and wetting it. She began brushing her teeth, looking into the mirror and making sure she didn't miss a single spot. But even as she brushed in her usual little circles she studied herself, looking at what she needed to fix and straighten out, which boiled down to the fur at the top of her head from rolling around so much in her sleep. She made quick notes, opting to fix all of it and then spit in the sink, going for the mouthwash shortly after.

As always the shower felt great, waking her up just enough to push her out the door. She opted for jeans and a black t-shirt and jean jacket with brown dress boots. As she walked into the small living room she and her roommates shared they turned to her, probably catching the scent of her perfume and making them turn around. Juno noticed the two leopards turning around, and was willing to make extremely short small talk with them. After all, they had become her friends shortly after moving in as they were kind enough to show her around during her first year. If she had to give one more credit than the other though she would definitely give it to Sheila over Jenny. Jenny was great but as for showing her the ropes of getting around… there was no competition.

"I thought I heard the shower going. What are you doing up? It's Sunday, you're never up this early" Sheila called over. Juno lowered her hand from the doorknob, offering a somewhat pained smile as she sighed.

"I made the bright idea of taking someone's shift. Honestly I don't know if I'll be doing that again this early" she admitted. The two girls laughed lightly and then made an offer.

"Well why don't we do something later tonight? There's a frat party going on at omega beta zeta and you know how they throw down" Sheila offered when Jenny chipped in.

"It's gonna be fun," she smiled. Juno giggled but knew she didn't want to go. The last thing she wanted was attention. After everything that happened back then it… wasn't really her thing. But still… maybe she could at least make an effort.

"I'll think about it. Shoot me a text okay?" she said. Sheila gave a thumbs up and then turned back to the TV. Juno then offered one last smile and walked out the door, making sure to lock it behind her. It then wasn't long until she headed down the other halls, through the lobby and out into the cool morning air. While it felt good it was definitely less colorful. Instead of the bright green grass with gorgeous pink trees she was used to instead things seemed more gray. Grass was darker, and the trees all seemed to share a low green, all blending in together. At least in the fall things seemed different. Jenny had told her about it, how the leaves turn brown, red, and yellow and meshed into a breathtaking view. And she was right. If only it had stayed as so all year around.

Even with this new change of scenery though things felt different. If Juno had to come up with a word for it all it would be… gritty. Crimes had always been a thing where she was from, you would never catch her saying Japan was perfect but here? You could just tell things were different. Like if you were caught by yourself things could go south really fast. Juno had been lucky so far though, and in her mind she hoped it would stay that way.

Juno made her way off the campus and around the corner, stepping out into the city streets where the atmosphere seemed to change instantly. One moment you were in a gated community with a large brick building where trees, benches and fountains sat around green grass with plenty of space, to skyscrapers that lined the streets as different species walked up and down them. From when Jenny told Juno in the beginning was that she hated walking because all the different animals around her gave her anxiety, but because of how Juno felt about the new ways here she simply felt safe around all of them. In her mind not a lot could happen if so many others were around. Even at night when the streets were supposed to be empty there were a lot, but never crowded.

It was because of this Juno was able to walk safely and confidently to her job at the Eat All Meat diner. A diner that had been opened for just under a year now piqued her curiosity when she first heard about it. Instantly her mind went to the black market back in japan where mbs ran them and they were cutting up herbivores, selling their meat for a quick and big buck. With all the stories she was beginning to hear about the states she thought for a second that it was something like that, Just legal. But no. eat all meat diner was established by Johnny Browns. A tiger who had a flair for fifties diners ever since he became obsessed with them as a little boy all the way back when. When they went out of style though it was always his dream to bring them back, and as the story goes he put all of his retirement fun into this, and lucky for him it blew up, getting almost a full house every single day and night, not because of the aesthetic though. This was most likely the only diner in the entire world that sold meat for carnivores, the catch was however that it wasn't meat, it was actually plant based.

Juno remembered looking up the place on her school laptop one night, going through the history of it once she saw that it actually had a website. She read about how this plant based meat tasted just like the real thing, and for the price of anywhere else you could go inside and grab whatever you wanted that a carnivore could desire. Burgers, steaks, ribs, and none of it was at the cost of an innocent life. She remembered being fascinated by it, reading about the owner and how he "not only wanted a place for himself to feel at home like the good old times, but to have a place where carnivores could come and feed their instincts in a more civil and healthy way" at the top of it all though Juno saw one web link that caught her eye more than anything. A simple one word button that read "HIRING"

Since she had joined the team she was one of the top waitresses, being fast on the floor, getting along with the cooks and staff, and beginning to find herself caring for the owner. She was skeptical at first, hoping he wasn't full of himself, but found that he was an older gentleman who cared a lot for his business and staff, making sure that everyone was happy. And from what she saw he did a damn fine job. Jenny even got a little jealous one day when Juno had come home sick, barely able to stand and crashing in her bed as she held her hand to her hot forehead.

"Aren't you supposed to be at work?" she asked as she poked her head into the room.

"I'm sick… don't get near me… my manager sent me home" Juno managed to get out. Jenny sighed.

"You're lucky. Most managers woulda made your ass stay and work" she said, peaking the wolf's curiosity, and so once she got under the covers she began looking up all types of workplace stories and holy shit was she right about what she said.

On top of all else though, Juno was liked by staff and customers because of her natural beauty, getting hit on regularly by tables of high schoolers and college kids alike as they filled the tables, and while she hated it she would gladly serve them as they normally would leave a great tip right after asking for her phone number. Always she declined with a smile, trying to be professional, but still it made her wonder about her love life. Was there anyone out there for her? She hadn't tried to date anyone since… It was always such good but painful memories, but the more she thought about the past the more she thought about how strange everything was, like there was way more going on than she could see at the time.

Juno walked in, making the bell above the door ring and making the hostess look up from her stand. It was another cheetah who always wore a smile even on the hardest of days. But the thing about her was that it was never fake as Juno had come to find out that Rose was quite cheerful, the two even hanging out a bit after work or on a lunch break. She was just a generally happy person, only really breaking down during her first breakup which Juno was there for, only managing to calm her down once she told her about her past a bit, letting her know that she knew what she was going through. On top of that though she knew that her favorite thing to do was read, but not just anyone. No, she was obsessed with some writer by the name of Alan Wake. Juno had never heard of him but at the same time she had also never heard of Stephen King and from the sounds of it he was a pretty big deal as well.

Normally Rose was the coffee girl, walking to each table and making sure everyone was good on coffee and water, even making it herself because apparently "no one made a better cup of coffee than Rose." which was why when Juno saw her at the front stand she was a tad bit confused, but Rose lit up once she saw her friend walk in.

"Juno! What are you doing here? Isn't it your day off?" she asked excitedly. Juno giggled as she walked up to her.

"I uh… had to cover Sarah's shift since she called out" she explained. Rose made an "ah" motion although no sound came from her mouth. But right after that she followed up.

"Well I'm glad you're here. Maybe we can do something after. I'm off at three" she offered. Juno sighed.

"Five," she said. Rose closed her mouth with a smile.

"Damn" she replied. Juno laughed.

"What are you doing up here?" she asked. Rose sighed, leaning on the stand with her elbow as her face rested into the palm of her hand.

"New girl beat me to the coffee. They're trying to replace me" she joked. Juno turned around and saw what looked like a lab pouring coffee into someone's cup. She wore a nice smile as she poured, making cheerful small talk with the customer as she worked. Juno smiled at the sight and then turned back to Rose.

"Guess you should count your days, '' she teased. Rose scoffed and gave Juno a playful hit as she passed her, making her laugh again as she reached the back. When she did she could see Johnny bending over slightly, talking to the cooks as they worked, making sure everything ran smoothly. He had been going over someone's order when she turned to Juno as she walked through the door. He then smiled and approached her with open arms. Giving her a quick hug.

"Juno! Thanks again so much for coming in. you're a lifesaver. Listen, we should be expecting a rush around four. That's when the plays let out from the theater just down the way. Are you okay with staying later? It'll be good overtime" he smiled as he used what he called a convincing tone. Even without it though it was hard to say no to him, he was always so nice to everyone. Even though Juno didn't like the idea of staying later, she knew that it would be worth it in the long run.

"Sure. I'll make some overtime" she said.

"HA! That's my girl. You're the best!" he said, giving her arm a light smack and then turning back to the cooks. She passed him, walking over to grab her punch card and then clocking in. She was ten minutes early, giving her extra time to go to her small locker and grab her uniform. She put it on and then looked in the mirror, making sure she looked alright. As always though she looked perfect, even if some days she didn't see it. She took a deep breath and shut the locker, walking back out into the dining area with her notepad and pen, ready to get to work for the next four hours until her lunch break came around, letting her finish up her last table and head back out into the cool weather.

When she got outside she was hit with a somewhat hard breeze. Looking up into the sky, Juno could see that it was going to rain soon as the light clouds covered what should have been a blue sky. She sighed, hurrying along to the local goods store that sat in a shopping center three blocks away. She jogged, trying to beat traffic lights as they had prevented her from crossing the crosswalks, and had succeeded every time, making her feel lucky until she got to the third and final one, getting stopped for oncoming traffic. As she waited she could feel wind blowing, blowing her fur back a bit along with her jacket, as the wind blew Juno could pick up the usual acid smell that came with weather like this. Nothing unusual but she didn't want to get caught in it. So when the traffic stopped coming and it was her turn she hurried across the street and into the huge parking lot for what off the top of Juno's head seemed to house around fifteen different stores, but only one she had her eye on as it was where her best friend worked.

She entered after traversing the large parking lot, looking around and hoping he was working. Immediately looking to her right she studied the multiple cashiers, a few she recognized but none of them being her friend. She did however land on a good acquaintance of hers. A gray cat named Cici who once she took notice of Juno smiled and called out to her.

"Looking for Jonah?" she asked. She wore the same apron that the store required her to wear from the start but other than that just casual clothing. Jeans and a gray T-shirt.

"I am actually. Is he working today?" Juno asked as a customer walked over to her aisle and began placing their goods on the counter. She grabbed them gently, ringing them up and causing a beep with each one as she answered juno.

"He's over by snacks" she said.

"Thanks!" Juno replied happily and began walking over to her destination. She walked at a somewhat quick pace, knowing she only had about fifty minutes left of her break. As always the store wasn't too crowded, just a few older customers here and there, not really Juno's type of crowd. But the store didn't seem to sell much of interest to her, selling decorations for the most part along with bedding in the back left and snacks in the back right, with what seemed like candles, birthday cards, and all the other boring shit in the center. Juno had no idea how Jonah wasn't bored out of his mind working here but apparently he loved it.

They had met when he wandered into the diner one day to try some of this "plant based meat" everyone was talking about and Juno seemed to get him every single time. The two started with usual small talk, eventually the conversations getting longer and longer every time he came back until eventually the two became good friends and had decided to hang out when they weren't working. One problem however was that the two always seemed to be working or busy with class, so it was times like this where they could finally hang out.

Juno turned the corner, smiling as she saw the black puma cleaning the aisle with a push broom. She could feel her tail begin to wag slightly as she felt excitement grow within her, knowing that as much as she hated to admit it she had developed a bit of a crush for this guy. A crush that seemed to almost compete with the ones from her past, but it was those failures from before that made her think twice before making any type of move on him. Friendship was enough, and she didn't want anything to come between that. Even if she was alone romantically.

"Hey" she called, causing him to turn around and face her. His face lit up as he smiled.

"Juno! I didn't expect to see you today. Are you on break or did you just miss me that much?" he asked. Juno shrugged with a slight smile, looking away and down at the floor.

"Maybe both?" she answered, her eyes darting up to him afterwards. He laughed and then motioned for him to follow her, pushing the small pile of dust into a corner and then turning to her again.

"How much time do you have left?" he asked. Juno pulled out her phone and checked the time real quick, looking up at him once more as she slid her phone back in her pocket.

"Forty minutes," she answered. Jonah laid the broom against the wall and slapped his hands together.

"Great! I needed some food anyway, and since I've been working for the past four and a half hours, I should be more than good to go on break" he said as he began walking over to the double doors which lead to the back. Once the pair reached it he leaned against them and turned around, leaning on them slightly. "Be right back," he said before walking backwards into the large room. Juno laughed and then waited for what was only around two or so minutes until he came back out. "So where to?" he asked.

"Pizza place, right at the end of the center. Sound good?" Juno asked. Jonah then gave a nod.

"Pizza it is," he said. The two walked together outside, getting hit with the same air that Juno did before when Jonah spread his arms out. "I forgot it was gonna be so beautiful today," he said. Juno simply shook her head.

"I didn't check to see if it was supposed to rain" she said as she began walking in the direction of the restaurant.

"I mean even if it does we have this to cover us" he said as he pointed to the overhang above them which connected all the stores. Juno looked up and knew he was right, but since he was pointing it out it only meant one thing.

"You wanna eat outside don't you?" she asked. He happily nodded. Juno then scoffed playfully as she rolled her eyes.

"Fine. but if it starts coming down hard we're going back inside" she smiled, causing him to chuckle.

"Deal" he said. Jonah then looked out into the clouds again and turned back to Juno. "you know if it does start raining I can give you a ride back to the diner" he offered.

"No, I don't want you to get in trouble. You only get thirty minutes and it'll take at least ten to get our food out" Juno explained. Jonah simply shrugged with a smile.

"Meh, you mean more to me than getting back on time at that place. Honestly I've been thinking about quitting again" he admitted, causing Juno to turn to him as she continued walking.

"Quit huh? Managers been treating you poorly again?" she asked. Again he chuckled.

"You know it! All the shit I do for them and it's never enough. So yeah, if you need that ride" he offered again.

"Thank you, '' Juno said as they passed the Chinese restaurant next to the pizza place. Normally she would just keep on walking and pay no attention to it but the cop car parked out front alongside the curb caught her interest, but nothing to worry about. Juno kept her eyes on it as she walked, stopping once she noticed Jonah holding the door for her. "Thanks" she said, earning a smile from him again as he said nothing and then followed her inside. She ended up ordering a salad while Jonah got a simple slice of pizza, taking their food out front and sitting at one of the small tables outfront that were connected to the building. "I still don't get why you love it there. Even after they mistreat you" Juno said as she began picking through her food.

"Could be worse, but if they make another bold move at me I'll just quit. They need me more than I need them" he said before taking a bite from his slice. What he said made sense when she got her usual idea.

"You know I'm sure I could land you a spot at the diner. It's been awhile since we had a male server" she said, causing him to laugh as he shook his head.

"No. server or not, if I work at a food place I'll mess something up. Plus I gotta get out of retail anyway. Move on to bigger and better things. The semester is almost over and I should start looking into studios" Jonah explained. Juno smiled as she felt happy for her friend, knowing what he wanted to do with his life after school. She wished him the best.

"Let me know how it goes. You still have that script don't you?" she asked. He nodded.

"Yep! And I plan on sending it in as soon as I'm out. Studios gonna love it" he explained happily, causing Juno to giggle.

"I'm sure they will, '' she replied. Things then got quiet as she took a bite from her salad, causing Jonah to look across from her with his light green eyes and feel just a tad bit guilty about the wolf across from him, making him wonder.

"Hey Juno?" he called gently. She looked up at him with fully open eyes as if to ask "what?" but only let out a small "hm?" he hesitated and then asked her. "Have you thought about what you want to do after school? Like… have you decided?" he asked. Juno sighed, setting down her fork.

"No… I'm still feeling stuck. After the move I thought it would be easy. I thought I would have found at least something by now but… really I have no idea. I've thought about picking up a trade or something but… I honestly can't think of anything I want to do. Sometimes at night I just lay in bed thinking about it, thinking about what I'll do once school is done. Honestly I worry about graduating and still not deciding. I mean it'll be two years soon, that's half of college right there. I just don't know" Juno frowned. Jonah could tell that the subject stressed her out but he wanted to help her.

"You took drama a couple years back didn't ya? Maybe you could get a career in acting. I mean you have the face for it" he explained, making her look up and smirk at him. "Besides if I'm going for filmmaking, maybe we could be some type of hollywood duo. The writer and the actor. What do ya say?" he asked, making Juno laugh.

"I'll think about it, but I'll have to change my major if anything," Juno said.

"General studies, right?" Jonah asked. Juno nodded.

"Yeah… dead end studies'' she said, her lip falling again into a slight frown. "I don't know Jonah. I guess I'm just worried about getting stuck as a waitress forever. I mean you always walk into these places and see older workers there, and every time I do all I can think of is me being that person. They just… never look happy. And why would they? Most of them work at least three jobs and they still struggle to make enough money just to get by, and then at the end of the day they're not even doing what they love. It's just… I dont know it's just scary I guess' ' Juno ranted, making Jonah feel sympathetic towards her as he stared across the table at her while she looked down at her plate, her hand resting on her cheek as she picked through her food.

"Hey," Jonah called, causing Juno to look up at him, her eyes looking up as she twirled with her fork. "Whatever you choose, you'll do great," he said. Juno smiled once more and then continued eating just as the door to the chinese restaurant opened up and a shepard stepped out wearing a detective outfit. Black pants, belt with his badge as well as his white dress shirt, red tie and black vest, along with his holster that held his pistol just under his armpit. His fur consisted of brown with a darker brown that was normal for the average shepard but the glasses he wore seemed to add just a bit more to him. Not much, but something, sitting just in front of his light brown eyes. He stepped out with a brown bag with grease stains at the bottom of it and two sodas, walking to the police car and sliding into the passenger seat where he then placed the bag on the floor of the car and shut the door, buckling up.

"All good" he said to his partner in the driver seat. His partner being a slim but tall light brown wolf with dark blue eyes and darker brown hair which sat messy, and what looked like a beard pattern around his muzzle with the same color. His outfit being the same as his partners, just more undone and without the tie.

"Root beer?" he asked with his deep and rough voice.

"Nope… just coke" the shepherd answered as he held up the bottle. The wolf sighed and put the police car in drive, and pulled off as he just wanted to eat. As he drove the shepherd dug into the bag, pulling out a box of noodles and began eating with chopsticks, making the wolf look over.

"In the car? Really?" he asked, causing the shepherd to laugh with a slightly full mouth, making him bend over slightly as he knew he shouldn't have been eating while the car was in motion. The wolf continued to drive for only a few moments before doing a double take and deciding "screw it" and pulled the car over into one of the many parking spots down the lot and away from the stores. "We're eating here?" the shepard asked with a still full mouth as the wolf rolled down the windows and then turned off the car.

"Yep, hand over the rice" he said as he turned over as much as the car would allow him to. The shepard once again dug in the bag and handed his partner his food. He accepted, opening it up and seeing the tofu mixed in, making him feel more hungry than ever. His partner then handed him a fork which he accepted with a quick "thanks" before he began eating. He only got a few bites in, however, before he was called.

"Hey, Joel," his partner called, causing him to look over. What Joel saw was his partner holding his fortune cookie up to him. Joel smirked slightly and accepted it, placing it on the dash board before sitting back in the driver's seat and going back to eating.

"You got Jessica something right?" Joel asked as he mixed his rice.

"You bet. We'll just hand it to her once we get back to the station" his partner explained. Joel nodded as it sounded like a plan and took another bite, placing the box on the dashboard next to the cookie as he chewed and reached for the bottle of coke. He twisted it open, taking a swig and feeling the cold burn hit the back of his throat. "See? Coke's not so bad" the shepard smiled.

"That's exactly it. It's not bad but it could be better" Joel replied as he placed it in the cup holder. He then reached for his box of food and began eating again before turning back to his partner. "Hey Joseph. You brought those documents right?" Joel asked. Joseph nodded and opened the glove compartment, grabbing a folder and then handing it to him. Joel accepted and flipped it open, making Joseph almost wanna sigh out loud.

"Come on Joel… we're on our lunch break. Can't you look at that in a bit?" he asked. Joel kept on going over the files as he ignored his partner's gaze.

"Officers don't get lunch breaks. You know that" he said. Now Joseph sighed, sitting back in his chair and looking up at the ceiling of the car.

"Fine. you can do it here, but you better not pull anything out on wednesday" he said. Joel chuckled with a small smile as he shook his head.

"Don't worry. We'll be off duty then. No work for miles. Just you, me… and me winning at pool" Joel said, making Joseph snicker.

"Well… about that… Jessica might be coming along. Not sure if you're up to that challenge" he replied.

"Well… we'll see, '' Joel said as he continued flipping through the file, looking at the most recent crimes in the area related to herbivore casualties. "Good… the casualties seem to be continuing to lower. Less carnivores are losing it in the city so… maybe there is hope" he said. Joseph looked down at the files and then wiped his mouth with one of the many thin napkins in the bag before speaking.

"Yeah. it's been on the decline for awhile now. Probably because of the diner down the road from here. Why do it illegally and expensive when you can do the opposite, you know?" Joseph asked. Joel didn't respond, instead he just flipped the page in his lap, looking at the leaked stocks on the subject.

"The black market's definitely taking a hard hit. Hopefully that means less busts" Joel explained.

"Yeah. hopefully" Joseph replied. Joel then gave a nod to himself and began gathering the papers, straightening them out and closing the folder. He then handed it to his partner to let him place it back in the glove compartment.

A little while later Juno had returned from her lunch break, thinking about what Jonah had talked with her about at the restaurant. Acting was really something she ever thought about when it came to making it a career but given her history in theater she might have a halfway decent shot. Actually she had thought about it once after the move when she was signing up for classes, but with all the memories coming back into her mind she had decided against it. But Jonah did make a pretty good point.

Juno laughed to herself at the thought as she punched back in, going back into her locker for her uniform afterwards and throwing it on. She then checked her phone to see that it was two o'clock. Rose was lucky, in just one hour she would be clocking out and going home. Well… unless Johnny asked her to stay. But she could always say no. If she didn't though, the more help the better. When the theater let out in a few hours the diner would most likely need all hands on deck.

Juno stepped out into the dining area, going to check with Rose on what tables needed a server. So far there was only one who had just come in so Juno was first up. Walking over she greeted them as she normally did, telling them the specials and overall just making them feel welcomed. Like always though they ordered what they wanted with a kind attitude as Juno wrote down the older couples requests and then brought them back to the kitchen. She placed it on the line next to the other orders just as the golden retriever from earlier came and did the same, placing the order next to hers and then exhaling as she wiped sweat from her forehead.

"It gets easier right?" she asked with a smile. Juno turned to her and giggled.

"Yeah. it definitely does. Don't worry though, you're doing great. And if you need any help don't hesitate to ask me or anyone else anything. We take care of each other here" she explained, the retriever laughed.

"Good to know. I told Johnny I might be a little bit slow but he was okay with it. This being my first job and all he's expecting nothing less. But I think I'm doing alright so far" she said. Juno now was just a tad bit more impressed.

"First job huh? How old are you?" she asked. The retriever sighed with a smile.

"Sixteen. I just wanted to make some money to buy stuff I don't need. And hell… maybe if my mother's lucky… I'll help her with some funds' ' she explained. It sorta warms Juno's heart to hear that. She only wished she was close with her parents. Or at least the one parent that was left, her father.

"Juno," Juno said as she held out her hand.

"Annie. Thanks for the warm welcome. You guys have been great so far" she said, keeping her same smile. Juno giggled again and then sighed, keeping her smile.

"Alright… time to get back" she said. The two girls then headed out, going back to their tables and seeing if anyone needed anything. Juno however was still stuck with the one table, bringing them their drinks and asking if they needed anything else. As of now they were fine though so she gave them a happy nod and wandered back over to Rose who was still standing at the front entrance. "Did Johnny ask you to stay? Apparently we got a lot of clientele coming in later" Juno said. Rose's eyes widened a bit.

"No… he didnt. Should I avoid him so he can't?" Rose asked, making Juno laugh.

"That's up to you, but I have no idea how you're gonna do that if you're stuck here" she said, pointing at the stand. Rose groaned and then looked around to see if anyone was nearby. And for the most part no one was.

"I think during the last twenty minutes I'm just gonna hide in the bathroom. I mean… maybe I'll stay if he switches my position. I've been standing here all day and I really need to stretch my legs. But most of all I would kill for some fresh air" Rose explained. Juno shook her head, keeping her smile when out of the corner of her eye she saw the cooks put some food up on the counter and from the looks of it they were her orders.

"Huh… that was quick. Don't worry Rose, you'll be outta here soon" Juno said, giving her a pat on the shoulder. Rose felt excitement at the thought as she watched Juno walk back behind the counter and into the kitchen where Johnny had just come out of his office to check on everything. She had gotten caught in the sight, staring into space as she thought of making a trip to the bookstore once she was out to see if they had anything new to add to her collection, when the bell to her left made her turn her head to greet the guest who had just walked in. What she saw was a lion in a well tailored suit who seemed to not be having the best day, but it was nothing a trip to this place couldn't fix. Maybe that was why he was here.

"Hello sir. Just one?" Rose asked as she prepared to grab a menu, keeping her enthusiastic smile. Before she could react however the lion reached into his suit and for a split second Rose could just barely see him pull out what was a stylized handgun, taking quick aim at her face and then pulling the trigger, making her instantly collapse onto the floor and grabbing the attention of everyone in the diner as the loud pop rang throughout.

Behind him then came three others, all dressed in suits but two of the lions wearing the exact same ones. Not only that but they looked similar to each other in characteristics as well. Juno couldn't tell much however as she looked over and saw that Rose was gone, not seeing the body fall to the floor as she was hidden by the counter. Instead she only saw the lion holding the gun out, switching targets to a woman eating at a table not far from him, and giving her the same treatment. Juno's mind instantly went blank as her mind raced. She had heard about mass shootings but… being in one… she hadn't thought of what to do in a scenario like that.

Multiple gunshots rang throughout the small diner as Juno was suddenly pulled downward. For a moment she yelped, thinking it was one of the four gunmen in the building, but instead it was Johnny, taking cover behind the counter as he and Juno got down. Juno shivered, feeling like jelly as she froze up, a million thoughts racing through her mind at once. Only after thinking about where he was did she realize that Rose might not have made it, and the thought made her sick. She had to know, but right now she couldn't even move.

"Shh. it's just me! Be quiet!" Johnny whispered to Juno after she yelped when he pulled her down. Lucky for them however the screams of the others were loud enough to cover her on top of the gun shots. The two who were dressed the same using the same pistols as one used a shotgun, the other some type of machine gun. How they could get their hands on such weapons was beyond her understanding. But as of now there were much bigger things at stake.

Gunshots rained throughout the diner for what seemed like hours as everyone who was still alive was left with a racing heart. Most of them hiding and trying not to panic. Suddenly two shots were fired into the kitchen as the cooks tried to flee, from Juno's perspective though she couldn't tell if they had succeeded in escaping or not. She thought about using that exit, but to get into the main kitchen meant she would have to go back around through the dining area, and as far as she knew, that's where they were.

The diner fell silent. Nothing but footsteps as the gunmen searched for any survivors. One of them was easy to find as a lady who was bleeding out, crying as she crawled away from the man with a shotgun, felt a foot on her back, making her grunt before she felt a sharp pain in the back of her head for only a second before she was gone. The shotgun rang throughout the diner and made Juno squeeze her eyes shut as she covered her muzzle. A tear running down her face as she began to lose hope. Her body grew more tense by the second, making her barely able to stay conscious. Her neck felt hot as she shook, still just barely able to process what was actually happening.

Another gunshot made her jump, but she was able to keep quiet. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder, making her open her eyes and look into Johnny's.

"I… I have to see what they want… they're gonna get all of us otherwise. Stay down okay?" he whispered. Juno nodded quickly as tears continued to stain her face. Johnny then crawled over to the entrance as Juno now realized that he was leaving her alone. She wanted to call out to him, make him stay as if anything happened to him… how many of the others were even left? The thought of not knowing terrified her, and the fact that she knew she could do absolutely nothing made her even worse. "COME BACK! COME BACK! PLEASE! DON'T LEAVE ME! I DON'T WANNA BE ALONE!" Juno wanted to scream at him but there was no use. He got to the end of the counter and put his hands up, calling out to the gunmen as he stepped out.

"Hey!" he called, beginning to get to his knees. Juno jumped again as she heard the shogun get pumped. They could see him. She then looked up and watched him as he stepped out. "I don't know what you want but… I promise we can work this-" BANG! The shotgun went off, making Juno see for only a second before closing her eyes the shot went right into the face of her boss. Blood splattered over the wall and floor as his lifeless corpse fell back, landing onto the floor with a sickening and squishy thud. Juno kept her hands pressed against her muzzle tighter than ever as she waited for the next horror to happen. At the point in her mind the best thing that could happen was this all to be over. Sadly that wasn't the case, as Juno could hear footsteps slowly walk in all directions, the shotgun being pumped again as the shell hit the floor, clattering throughout the dead silent diner. The next familiar voice she heard was Annie as she screamed, the gunman finding her with tears in her eyes as she hid behind one of the booths, covered in blood. Shortly after her terrified and pleading scream, Another blast from the weapon was heard along with a splatter and a pump, followed by another shell hitting the floor.

Back in the parking lot the two detectives sat full, Joel sighing as he turned the car back on, preparing himself mentally to head back to the station.

"You ready to go?" he asked. Joseph nodded, making sure that Jessica's food was nice and wrapped so that he could just hand it to her once they passed her at the station. Joel put the car into drive and began to pull off when suddenly the radio in the car went off as the dispatcher began talking, grabbing the pair's attention.

"10-33 we got a mass shooting downtown at Eat All Meat diner. Any available units please respond" they said. Joel turned to Joseph as the two exchanged a somewhat panicked glance. Joel then grabbed the walkie quickly.

"Dispatch, This is detective Riley in one-eight-four. We're on the move" Joel said quickly before practically throwing the walkie and turning the sirens on, heading full speed into the streets. Joseph took his gun from his holster, checking the ammo and making sure the safety was off as Joel drove.

"You good on ammo?" he asked.

"Yeah. let's just hope there aren't any casualties" Joel replied when the dispatcher came on again.

"Any other available units? Repeat, are there any other units in the area" she asked. It took a second but eventually they got a response.

"We're on the way. ETA ten minutes" they said.

"Ten minutes?" Joseph said, seemingly outraged.

"Looks like we're gonna be on our own for a bit. Let's just try and contain the situation" Joel said, not taking his eyes off the road. They were almost there. As he drove Joseph picked up the walkie.

"Is it possible to get a swat unit down there?" he asked and then waited for a response.

"Copy one-eight-four but it's gonna take awhile" they said, making Joel smack the steering wheel.

"Shit!" he exclaimed. From here he could now see the diner, and as fast as he could he pulled into the parking lot, parking the car out front in front of but away from the main doors, allowing the pair to see inside if need be. As fast as they could, the two stepped out, Joseph leaving the door open in case he needed to get to the radio again. Joel meanwhile ran around to the other side of the car, taking cover next to his partner and crouching behind the car with his gun drawn. Only now did Joel check his ammo, flicking open the revolver and counting eight shots. He then flicked it closed and looked up at Joseph.

"What's the plan?" he asked just as they heard a gunshot from within the diner. Joel noticed instantly though that the gunshot wasn't at them, meaning someone was just executed. Quickly he reached into the car, grabbing the radio and pulling it to him.

"10-79 dispatch, get here quick!" he said before placing the radio down. He could then hear chatter on it but had no time to focus. Innocents were dying and the ones left alive were running out of time. "We don't have a lot of time, and dispatch is saying we got ten minutes before any back up" Joel began, making his partner nervous.

"So what are you gonna do?" he asked. Joel poked his head over the hood of the car for a moment, trying to catch a glimpse of anyone but found nothing. Quickly he ducked back down.

"Think you can keep them busy?" he asked. Joseph then began to shake his head.

"Don't tell me-"

"Joseph! We're running out of time, just do your best" Joel said in a panic before going to leave.

"We don't even know how many are in there!" he said. Joel turned back and then looked back down at his revolver before looking at his partner again.

"Let's just hope it's less than eight" he said before leaving, leaving Joseph at the car by himself. As much as he didnt want to as anything could happen, he had to take the chance if it meant saving someone who could be in danger. While staying low he made his way around to the back of the building, keeping an ear out for anything worth noting but there was nothing.

When Joel got to the back entrance he could already see he was late, finding someone in what looked like a cooks outfit laying in a pool of his own blood in the doorway. He winced, trying to muster up the courage to go inside and found it pretty quickly. Once he did everything seemed quiet, nothing but the sounds of still frying food. Most likely they were looking for survivors. Joel made his way deeper into the kitchen, continuing to stay low as he listened for anything, when luckily one of the gunmen spoke out.

"The police are here. any one you find line them up, we gotta use them" someone said. Joel felt a small bit of relief. At best he got more time to save someone, and at worst they would execute someone to prove a point. He could hear footsteps on the other side of the counter, but the only body he could see as he stayed low was the one in the doorway.

The next thing Joel could hear was a feminine scream, but nothing that said that she was going to die right that second. Just cries of terror as she was dragged out in front of the dining area. He could just barely see them over the counter and went to move into position. Joel took this opportunity to move outside, finding himself still behind a counter, this one for eating. Suddenly one of the gunmen shouted out to the car, hoping to catch the attention of what would be his partner behind it.

"Listen! We have hostages in here! And as you can see we have no problem taking them out! But our mission is done here so we'll cut you a deal! You let us go and we won't execute the one still left!" someone shouted, this time a different voice. Joel had no idea how many were left but from the light sounds of sobbing he could make out two. He now held his firearm with both hands, ready to stand to see them and take a shot if they did anything, but right now he needed to buy as much time as possible.

"The getaway vehicle is still at the corner, right?" someone asked, making Joel once again listen in but as he did he neared the corner, looking around it and seeing someone still in hiding. Juno and Joel made eye contact, Juno just barely opening her eyes as they were still filled with tears, letting go of her muzzle and mouthing the words "help me" she studied the wolf, taking note of his rough appearance, almost careless like and putting it towards her odds. He looked as if he was hungover, getting into bar fights and walking out on top. Whether or not that was a good or bad thing it didn't seem to make her feel any less better as she was still too petrified to make her way to him. Joel saw this and simply raised his finger to his lips as his hair fell in front of his right eye, hushing her and lifting his head up slightly, watching the four gunmen look out the window as they made plans, but Joel also took note of the hostages. There were three.

"Of course it's still there. Just get ready to make a move. You all ready to go?" one of the more well suited ones asked the other who looked just like him.

"Sure thing. All loose ends are wrapped" he replied. The two then turned back to the window as one scoffed. "They aren't getting the message" he added when another walked behind one of the three poor souls still on their knees and took aim with his shotgun.

"Just tell me when," he said. One of the suits sighed and took another gaze at the car.

"Last chance!" he yelled. Nothing. Just silence when he heard Joseph call out to them.

"It doesn't have to be like this! Just lower your weapons and come out with your hands up and this can be over! You dont wanna take this route!" he called. Joel then watched the suit turn to the executor and give a nod, springing him into action as he watched him just barely lift the shotgun, ready to fire when Joel stood up, taking a shot and splattering him in the back of the head. He had no choice. Joel then took cover again. Moving back into the kitchen quickly as the three remaining gun men looked in his direction.

"They're in the building. Find them!" he heard them yell as they split up, searching all around. Joel tried his best to listen to who was closer, trying to think of who to focus on. This was going to be close. He could hear two sets of footsteps, letting him know that one of them stayed with the hostages, at least he only had to worry about two.

Suddenly he heard someone enter the kitchen, checking his corner before making his way inside. Joel waited behind one of the tables, getting ready to grab him once he got close enough. He tried listening out for the other one, as far as he could tell he was still in the dining area. Joel just had to make quick work of this guy and then move to the next. He felt himself grow angry though as he wondered why backup was taking so long. As the footsteps got closer he could hear a radio turn on, and from what was said Joel instantly concluded it was the getaway driver.

"Are you guys still in there? It looks like we over prepared. I count one car outside, best to leave before backup comes" he said. Joel then heard from the dining area someone reply to him.

"Be right there. We got one in the building. We'll see you soon" he said. "So the plan was to take care of me and then leave? Good. stay'' Joel thought. He then looked up, noticing that the guy was right next to him ready to turn the corner. It wasn't one of the suits but nevertheless he had a gun and had to be dealt with.

Joel watched the barrel swing over to him when he leaped up, grabbing the gunman's arm and pointing it away from him as he fired in a panic. Joel then twisted his arm, making him drop it and kicked it away from the two, raising his own to him when he heard someone call out to them.

"HEY!" they yelled, making Joel see for a split second the suit holding the girl he saw just moments before at knife point. He thought quickly, turning the gunman around and pointing his revolver at his head, the two now making eye contact with their own hostages.

"Remmie what are you doing? Shoot the bastard" he said as Joel held him. Remmie chuckled as he held Juno, the poor wolf now stained with tears as the large knife was held to her throat.

"We;re playing it smart, remember?" Remmy asked. The gunman didn't respond, seemingly fearing for his life. "You want them unharmed right? Well I'm giving you a chance here. Give your department a call, tell them to get off our backs and we'll let the rest live '' he offered, making Joel furious. With his own hostage he took a step closer to the two, making eye contact with Juno again as she whimpered.

"I'm gonna get you outta here okay?" he said. Juno squeezed her eyes shut, sobbing as she prepared for the worst. Remmie smiled as the four now stood just five feet apart.

"So we have a deal?" he smiled. Joel thought as quickly as he could and then suddenly it came to him. It was risky but he had to get this poor girl free.

"No deal" he said, popping the gunman he held and then shoving him at the two. They fell over, Juno screaming as Joel ran over to Remmie. He tried grabbing him to hold him hostage as well for the other suit but he was much faster than expected. As Juno got out of the way Joel reached for him, getting slashed in the hand by Remmie's knife as he stood up. Joel then went to shoot when the gun was smacked from his hand, sliding across the floor. Remmie then lunged at him, initiating hand to hand combat as Joel focused in on his opponent.

First a knife swipe, then shank, both of then he dodged and allowed him to grab Remmies arm which in turn led Joel to grab his hand. They then wrestled for the knife, Joel forcing Remmie against a wall as he tried to raise it at Joel which he partially allowed, only to grab his hand and start forcing the knife over to Remmies throat.

"What's going on back there?" Joel heard the other suit call out. He had to be quick. With all his force he pushed the knife towards Remmies throat as Remmie struggled, baring his teeth as he gave it his all but soon felt the tip of the knife push into his neck. Just before anything else however there was a loud pop, almost silencing as Joel's face was splattered with blood, leaving him wide eyed and confused as Remmie fell to the ground dead, blood instantly pouring from his head. Turning to his right he could see the girl from before, shaking extremely as she shakily held the gun up, crying as she began to clue in on what she had just done. There was almost a moment where time stopped, Joel not knowing how to react when he noticed from the corner of his eye the other suit looking in through the serving window from the dining area.

"NOOOOOOOOOO" he screamed, raising his machine gun and spraying at the two. Joel took quick action, running at Juno and leaping at her to get her on the ground and in cover. He lay on top of her, protecting her from debris as sparks flew and objects fell, every bullet hitting something in the kitchen until the lion was all out of bullets. He reloaded, a mag taped to the other for speed, resulting in more bullets flying only four seconds after the other clip was emptied. Joel continued protecting Juno, trying to get a direction of the shots until that clip was emptied, making the suit reach for another, taking longer than the first time. Joel took the opportunity to quickly get up and pull Juno up as well, still staying low as he pulled her into what was Johnny's office.

"Stay here! You stay here and don't come out until I get you!" he said quickly. Juno went to say something, her voice breaking as she spoke but Joel couldn't stick around. He shut the door and took cover behind the counter just as the suit came into the doorway, spraying his gun at him. Luckily Joel was just in time, sitting there and realizing that he no longer had his gun. He knew he couldn't do what he did last time though, this guy would never get so close. Still he had to do something. Joel looked around, looking for anything to use as a weapon when he found a large kitchen knife. He took it quickly and then quickly switched sides of the table as he was shot at again.

"I dunno why you're grabbing that… I promise you're not gonna need it… look at what you did… my brother was the best of the best… and that girl… just wait until I'm done with you… I'm gonna skin her alive… DO YOU HEAR ME!" he screamed, giving a spray above the table as Joel stayed in cover and he got closer, getting ready to turn the corner but still keeping his distance. "Sixteen years we ran cities and now that is DONE! Just you wait" he snarled as he readied the corner.

Joel edged his way over to the end of the table, getting ready to switch sides again as the suit turned the corner. He had to find a way to get close to him. He kept thinking and thinking but nothing came to mind, the best he could think of was to stall. Stall and hope. The suit turned the corner as Joel switched sides, coming face to face with Remmies corpse again.

"Yeah, look at what that bitch did. I promise by the end of this you two are gonna look way worse! Just you wait… just you wait" the suit threatened, still being slow as the two both knew that one quick move could give a huge advantage to the other. Joel once again considered all options but again came out empty handed, as he began to turn the corner again though he heard what sounded like a slam from the dining hall and someone yelled something that he thought he would never hear.

"FREEZE!" he heard someone yell. It was only then did Joel notice the oncoming army of sirens just outside. He heard the suit gasp and began running as the same person called out again. "FREEZE" they yelled as Joel heard quick footsteps run out the exit. He lifted his head to look and saw him run out the back door as a swat officer opened fire but it was too late. Joel grunted and leaped for his gun which was by the window of the kitchen, standing up and getting the same response from the team. "FREEZE" they yelled but just like the suit Joel didn't, luckily they noticed his uniform as he bolted out the door, taking aim and watching as a van pulled off at full speed.

Joel grunted in aggravation, walking inside where two swats guys took aim at him for only a moment before realizing it was Joel again. Joel holstered his weapon and then ran for the office, opening the door to the distressed wolf as she cried loudly, Joel getting down to her level and holding her arms.

"Is it over? Is-is it over I-I '' she got out before breaking down. Joel didn't really know what to say though and so he just pulled the poor wreck into a tight hug, holding her close.

"Yeah… it's over…you're safe" he said, wrapping his arms around her back for a moment and then letting go, getting face to face with her. "Come on, I'm getting you outta here" he said. Juno still hasn't calmed down though, crying hysterically as now she could finally get it all out without getting added to the list of brutal massacres of people she cared about.

Joel wrapped his arms around her again, standing her up and then turning her to walk her out, his hands on both of her shoulders as she kept the side of her face on his chest, crying into it and wetting his clothes. Joel had wanted to take her through the back but with swat guys clogging it up as they radioed about the getaway van, Joel knew that they had to go through the front. Juno continued moving as Joel walked her slowly, keeping her eyes shut as they made her way through the diner and outside, Joel guiding her along where he took notice that the three hostages were gone, most likely making a run for it once that suit snapped and went to the kitchen. More than anything though Juno finally saw the rest, opening her eyes and looking at the bodies that now littered the building.

"OH GOD OH GOD!" she screamed, burying her face into Joel's chest and making him somewhat have to catch her.

"Don't look… just dont look" he said solemnly, looking down at her and then back up. Juno didn't see much but even so it was too much for her. Bodies all with their own pool of dark blood, some pools bleeding into others. One woman reaching for what looked like nothing but Juno knew that nothing was just a bit of hope. Some bodies either headless or some so mangled they were unrecognizable from the blast of the shotgun. But others littered with wounds either on the floor or at a table where they ate peacefully just moments ago, the old couple that seemed sweet and kind that Juno had served just moments ago sitting slumped, one backward one forward as the husbands face lay on the table, blood dripping from both of their seats. Juno also caught a glimpse of the lady sitting left of the door, still seeming to have the look of panic on her face as she lay back in her seat, a bloody hole sitting between her eyes. But more than anything was Rose, laying on her back and looking up at the ceiling, eyes open as blood soaked her face and head.

Juno continued to cry as the two were finally outside, and to Juno the cool air never felt so good. Honestly she didn't expect to ever see the light of day again, which is why when she felt the cool air on her fur she opened her eyes again, this time to the sight of cop cars and swat vans as they cluttered the parking lot. Joel noticed her with her eyes open, her crying calming to shaking pants.

"Joel!" Joseph called out, running to his partner. Joel looked up, seeing the shepard run to him. "I'm so glad you're okay. I didn't know what to do once the bullets started flying. I wanted to come in but I didn't know the locations of them an-"

"Joseph…" Joel said, making him stop and see the crying girl in his arms. "Get the door," he added, nudging to the car. Joseph gave a nod and ran over, opening it and waiting for the two to make their way over. It didn't take long but once they were there Joel sat Juno inside, lowering himself once again. "We're gonna get you away from here okay? Take you down to the station and… just go from there, okay?" he said as friendly and sympathetic as he could. Juno nodded slowly. Joel didn't know what to say after that and so he averted his gaze from her and then stood up, almost ashamed of himself that he didn't get there sooner. He shut the door and then turned to Joseph.

"What happened in there?" he asked. Joel shook his head.

"One got away," he answered, noticing the look on Joseph's face. "What?"

"Is that blood?" Joseph asked. Joel then reached up, rubbing his fingers on his face and looking at them. It was blood. Joel didn't answer though, he just looked at his partner as if he didn't know what to say. Suddenly the wolf was called over by his captain who was just now arriving on scene. A gray husky who was rivaled in height only by Joel when it came to that in the office. He wore his usual white button up and black pants, and stood with other officers as he called him over. Joel took a look at his partner and then went over.

"Did you get a number of casualties?" he asked once Joel made it over.

"No… my priority was the hostages" Joel answered. His captain nodded.

"We're gonna need a statement from you" he said shortly after. Joel nodded, looking at his partner again as he noticed he followed.

"Take the girl to the station, get her cleaned up and… I'll be there when I can, okay?" Joel said. Joseph nodded and then began walking over to the car, shutting the passenger door finally and then climbing into the driver's seat. After shutting his door he looked in the rearview mirror, hearing silent sniffs from Juno in the back.

"Listen… you're safe now alright?" Joseph said, not really knowing what else to say. Juno didn't really know how to respond either so she didn't. Joseph took note of her silence, sighing and then pulling off, heading back to the station. It stayed silent the whole way there as Juno stewed on the events that happened. Over and over again she just kept closing her eyes and replaying the events, making her blood run cold as shivers were sent down her body.

Again and again she kept turning in the past to see that handgun up in the air, pointing after rose hit the floor, not that she saw that but… now that she knew who was shot during that moment she couldn't help but picture how it happened, everytime making her heart sink as she felt more and more disturbed. At one point it even caused her to whimper, grabbing Joseph's attention. He offered a glance in the mirror and went to say something but decided against it. Meanwhile Juno was thinking of her time behind the counter, waiting… and waiting, not sure what would come first being helped or being found. She then thought of Johnny taking a bullet to the face, remembering the way his body fell backwards as he tried to talk the bastards down. It was a dumb move but… to him it was the only move, the only move to keep the ones he saw as family safe.

"Annie… she was so young" Juno thought as she squeezed her eyes shut, gritting her teeth. She didn't want to imagine the fear of looking down the barrel of that gun, wanting life… wanting to go home and see her family. Juno kept thinking of how things would unfold with her family. Being told the news, reacting, going through grief that would no doubt never go away. Juno then for a moment wondered if there would be a viewing or if she was too damaged. Suddenly Juno felt a new level of disturbed. Not because Annie was scared but again, she probably just wanted to see her mother in the end. Her final moments most likely not even hoping she would make it out, but her just imagining herself being in her mothers arms again… safe… together… loved. furthermore she probably disturbed herself knowing that it would never happen, and then that bastard came around the corner with that shotgun and then… and then…

"Are you okay?" Joseph asked as Juno began sobbing in the backseat. She didn't answer though. She could only focus on her own horrible thoughts that refused to use her brain. "We're almost there… we'll get you cleaned up and… look I'm just… I'm so sorry this happened to you" he added.

When they pulled in, Juno didn't even look at her surroundings. She just kept her head down as Joseph parked. She didn't notice how the police station was just on the outside of town, sitting out in the open pretty much by itself. That being said you could see the rest of the town as it sat just fifty yards away, but apart from that the only thing accompanying the building was a forest close by.

Joseph pulled into the fenced-in area meant for the police cruisers, most of the parking lot was now empty as most of the units were at the diner. He swiped his card on a nearby reader and then drove inside, the gate sliding shut not long after they entered. They parked and then he stepped out, walking over to Junos side of the car and opening the door for her. She didn't come out though as she was still lost in thought. He took notice and then knelt down next to her, getting eye level with her so she would hopefully feel more comfortable.

"Hey… I know you're probably feeling disturbed right now, but trust me. Joel and I are gonna take care of you. I promise. You're in good hands" he said. Juno's eyes darted to her left to meet his, making her see the sympathetic expression on his face. Only one thing out of that caught her attention though.

"Joel… he was the one that… saved me?" she asked. Joseph nodded slowly, making Juno think back to when she saw Joel come around the corner. Instantly she had taken notice of his uniform, no matter how unkempt it looked she still recognized it, but his appearance and the fact that he was the only one there still made her question her chances at the time. Even so however Joel had more than proven himself to her, and she couldn't be more grateful.

"Come on. Let's get you inside" Joseph said, offering her a hand. It took a moment but she accepted it, getting out of the car and letting go soon after as Joseph shut the door and began walking over to the building with her. As they made their way over Joseph was thinking of something to say, anything to break the awkward silence. "Once we get you inside I'll probably let Jessica take care of ya. She's much better at this type of thing than me" he said with a slight chuckle in his voice. He then thought of the situation she was coming out of. It just seemed inappropriate for him to be smiling now. He was just grateful that he didn't see the inside of that diner, and he hoped Juno hadn't either. Little did he know…

"What do you mean?" Juno asked. Joseph then scratched the back of his head.

"Uh… I guess just… being caring. Being less awkward and such. You'll see. Ten minutes with her and you'll feel just like you're part of her family" he answered as they approached the door, and just like the swiper on the fence he swiped his ID, making the mechanism on the door beep and turn green. He then opened the door for Juno, letting her go first. "After you" he smiled.

"Thanks" Juno replied shyly, stepping inside and seeing the rows of desks lined down the room, each with a computer on them and most with someone working at them. Juno didn't really know where to go and so she looked over at Joseph who followed close behind.

"Let's see. She's not at her desk… ah!" he said, spotting her over by the dispatcher's office. She had been coming out with her hand over her face, seemingly looking worried when Joseph called out to her. "He Jessie!" he called, making her look up. Juno had also taken notice of her now. Instantly she noticed her casual outfit, looking a little less professional as she wore blue jeans, a white shirt and a black and red checkered flannel over it which was unbuttoned and rolled to her elbows. Still she had her badge and gun on her belt along with a few other essentials. But more than anything that caught Juno's eye was her features. Light blonde fur going just a tad bit darker across the bridge of her muzzle with long golden blonde hair going just past her mid back and over her shoulders, and on top of it all was her gorgeous green eyes. Since she had hair it also let Juno know that like Joel these two weren't gray wolves. They were both a canis lupus, one of the few species with hair on top of the fur they had. Juno had often been jealous of wolves with hair, making her feel ugly at times. Of course she was wrong, going through a faze that most girls do at that age, and if she hadn't gone through what she just did then she would have thought the same thing about Jessica but right now she had other things on her mind.

"Oh you had me worried sick. I'm so glad you're safe" she said, hurrying over and throwing her arms around Joseph. It seemed to catch him off guard as he took a step back, holding his arms out awkwardly as she hugged him. On top of that though the first thing Juno noticed when Jessica opened her mouth was her southern accent, making every other feature thus far make that much more sense.

Jessica let go of Joseph, taking a step back herself as he laughed. "I guess she really does treat others like family" Juno thought as she thought back to what Joseph had just told her in the parking lot. But it also made her take notice that no matter how much she treated them like family she wasn't really one to hug. Juno now watched as the wolf looked over Joseph's shoulder, her expression turning worried.

"Where's Joel? Is he okay?" she asked, her eyes pleading for a good answer.

"Yeah. he just needed to stay behind to make a statement. We uh… there's something else" Joseph answered.

"Somethin else? What?" Jessica asked. Joseph then put a hand on her shoulder and looked at me again.

"This is Jessica. She's me and Joel's partner. She'll take care of you, okay?" he explained. Jessica looked at Juno just a tad bit wide eyed, taking note of Juno's outfit as she still wore her work apron. Instantly she walked over to Juno, trying to comfort her as she felt instant sorrow.

"Oh you poor thing. Listen, don't you worry we'll get you cleaned up and situated alright? Just let Jessica take care of ya" she said, kneeling down and placing a hand on Juno's shoulder. She then stood up, keeping her hand there as she walked with Juno over to the locker room, giving Joseph a nod before she did so. Once inside Jessica stopped her, going to lift off Juno's apron. "Here, why don't we get this off of ya" she said, being careful not to get any blood on the poor wolf's fur. Afterwards she locked eyes again. "Hey… you okay?"

"I… I was so scared…" Juno answered as she began thinking back to everything again. She began to tear up, sobbing once more as she began to feel embarrassed but she couldn't help it. Jessica felt horrible, placing the apron on the floor and pulling Juno into a tight hug. Juno not only accepted but returned the hug, squeezing Jessica tightly as she rested her muzzle on her shoulder.

"Shhh. It's okay… you're gonna be okay" Jessica cooed, giving Juno small pats on her back as she too kept her muzzle on the others shoulder. She wished she could say that she couldn't imagine going through something so horrific at such a young age, but sadly she could. She only hoped that it wouldn't scar her for life. "There there" she continued after Juno eventually calmed down. She then broke the hug and made eye contact again. "What's your name, sweetie?" Jessica asked.

"Juno," she sniffed. Jessica nodded with a slight comforting and sympathetic smile.

"Listen… there's some showers back there, if you want to wash up a bit go ahead and I'll… take this and try and clean it up for ya" Jessica said, talking about her shift which was just a tad bit bloody, really only one stain below the collar.

"I… I don't wanna wear it again" Juno said. Again Jessica felt heart broken.

"Oh sweetie, I know. But we don't have anythin else. We'll get ya out of here as soon as we can okay? Is there someone we can call?" she asked. Juno shook her head.

"No… no one" she answered. Jessica didn't really know what to say to that.

"Look… lemme get this cleaned up for ya and I'll come right back in about ten minutes. 'Kay?" she offered. It took a moment but eventually Juno nodded. She then took her shirt off, handing it over to Jessie who folded it slightly over her arm and stood back up. "Be back soon. You gonna be alright?' she asked.

"Yeah… I'll be fine, '' Juno said quietly. Jessica simply nodded and left the bathroom, taking one look over her shoulder to see Juno begin walking over to the mirror, checking her body for any blood stains. Luckily there were none. Jessica sighed and walked out, heading back into the office and going over to the janitors closet where she grabbed some stain remover. She then walked back out and down the hall into Joel's office, one of the very few that existed in the station. Once inside she placed the shirt on the desk and began spraying the stain and scrubbing. She did that for about fifteen seconds before checking. The remover had done something but just needed a bit more pressure. Jessica sprayed again and began scrubbing once more, just as the door opened, grabbing her attention as Joseph walked in.

"How is she?" he asked. Jessica sighed.

"She's… about as well as you would expect. Poor things's probably traumatized" she answered as she worked. Joseph shut the door behind him, walking over as he noticed what his partner was doing. "Have you heard from Joel?"

"No. nothing since he stayed back" Joseph answered.

"What the hell happened back there?" Jessica asked, seemingly annoyed as she felt she was being kept in the dark with her only answers being as vague as possible.

"I don't know. Joel and I were on our lunch break and we were about to head back when we got the call. We got there and… Joel went inside while I waited for backup-"

"He went in by himself?" Jessica asked, stopping her scrubbing to look up at her partner. Joseph hesitated but eventually answered nervously.

"Uh… yeah… he did," he answered.

"Remind me to slap him when he shows up. Fuckin dumbass" Jessica muttered as she went back, more fiercely this time.

"Well if he hadn't then that girl might not be alive. We still don't know what happened once he went in there" Joseph explained.

"Oh yeah well where the hell was backup? And where the hell were you?" Jessica asked, stopping again.

"Joel told me to keep 'em busy while he flanked from the back. As for backup they were ten minutes away when we got there. He didn't want to wait" Joseph answered. Jessica shook her head and sighed, going back to work on the shirt.

"I'll tell you this much, one of these days you two are gonna get yourselves killed, and if not by someone out there then me. I catch you doin that again '' she said, lifting the rag up and checking the stain. By now it was a dark spot surrounded by a slightly lighter one. At least the red was almost gone, it just needed a little more.

"Where's the girl?" Joseph asked.

"In the shower. Poor thing probably needed one to clear her mind. I gotta get this back to her. Just wanted to get the stain out" Jessica answered. Again she went back to her scrubbing.

"By the way… I uh… left that food on your desk" Joseph said, making Jessica snicker.

"Pssh. thanks, but I dont think I'll be gettin to it anytime soon. Not that I wanted to anymore. Ugh… I just… I can't stop thinkin about what she musta saw in there" Jessica said, reflecting on what little she knew about the situation.

"Well when Joel comes back you can ask him all about it" Joseph said, this time making Jessica scoff.

"Thanks, '' she said sarcastically. She then checked the shirt one more time and saw that while the shirt wasn't perfect, it was as good as it was gonna get. Like last time she folded it over her forearm and then began walking over to the locker room again. Joseph stepped to the side, letting her pass and then walked out with her and over to his desk. Just as he got there he heard the door open and then looked up to see Joel walking inside, his face now clear of any blood. His uniform however still had some which was now dried.

"Joel. how did you get back?" Joseph asked as Joel walked over to him.

"Caught a ride with Leon. Where's the girl?" he asked back. Joseph nudged over to the locker room.

"With Jessica. She just got done scrubbing the poor girl's shirt" he explained. Joel nodded and then began walking over to his office.

"Follow me," he said. Joseph obeyed, walking with his partner back into his office where he shut the door and then sat at his desk, Joseph standing behind him as he logged on.

"What is it?" he asked eventually. Joel winced, pulling up the database and searching profiles of highly known criminals in the area.

"What that guy said in there… the girl might be in danger. I need to look into it" he explained, searing the name Remmie. A lot of Remmies came up however because of the species the one Joel was actually looking for was easy to find.

"What do you mean?" Joseph asked. Joel's eyes then darted up as he noticed Juno and Jessica walking out of the locker room. His eyes softened at the sight, again feeling bad for her as he watched the two sit at Jessica's desk. Jessica had taken a seat from an empty desk, sliding it over and then sitting in the chair next to it which was in front of her computer.

"Here ya go sweetie. Take a seat" she said. Juno sat down, her hands in her lap as Jessica clicked around a few times and then opened up her drawer, pulling out a pen and paper. "Alright now I'm gonna ask you a few questions and if at any point it's too much or you wanna take a break you just let me know okay?" she offered.

"Okay" Juno answered. Jessica nodded and then looked over at her paper, sighing.

"Alright… it might be tough but I need you to tell me what happened in there okay?" she said. From Joel's office he noticed Juno close her eyes as her lip quivered. Obviously he couldn't hear what was being said but he knew the questions and couldn't help but sink into another level of deep sympathy.

"Joel?" Joseph said, snapping him out of his trance.

"Oh uh… Right" he said, looking at his monitor again and pulling up Remmie's profile. He then looked at related instances and immediately found something that he should have suspected. He sighed, feeling more nervous than anything.

"What?' Joseph asked.

"I think that girl's in a lot of trouble" Joel answered, looking up and out of the window again. Joseph followed his gaze and couldn't help but wonder what it was.

"Should I go get them?" he asked.

"Yeah. just Jessica though. I don't want that poor girl to be in a panic" Joel explained. Joseph nodded and then walked outside, over to the two as Juno gave a trembled explanation of what happened.

"It… it was just so fast but… being behind that counter felt like it lasted forever… I can't thank that guy enough" Juno explained as she wiped her eyes. "He… helped me…"

"Yeah… that's what he's good at" Jessica replied when she noticed out of the corner of her eye Joseph walking over. Once he was close enough Juno looked over as well.

"Hey Jessie. Could you come into Joel's office for a second? He has something he needs to show us" he explained. Jessica looked at Juno and then back at him.

"Can't it wait? I'm kinda in the middle of something" she said.

"Joel says it's important," he answered. Jessica bit her lip and then turned to Juno once more.

"Stay right here okay? I won't be long" she said, her tone of voice changing from annoyed to soft as she spoke to the young wolf.

"Okay" Juno nodded. Jessica then walked past Joseph and over to Joel's office, opening the door to find him at the computer.

"You couldn't have waited five fuckin' minutes?" she asked, annoyed. "You know I outta slap the shit outta you. What you did was reckless" she added, making Joel lean back in his chair as Joseph jogged inside, shutting the door behind him.

"What part of what I did was reckless?" he asked.

"Oh I don't know. Going in yourself, popping one's who didn't need to be popped, putting every hostage in there in danger!" Jessica listed.

"Well if I hadn't then we would've had more dead. They were getting ready to execute the remaining hostages when I got in there" Joel explained. Jessica hesitated and then remembered something.

"How the hell did you lose your gun?" she asked.

"I made a wrong move. That's all. Won't happen again" he assured as he leaned forward to his computer.

"What the hell do you mean-"

"Just come here," Joel said, losing his patience. Jessica then huffed and did as she was asked as Joel waved Joseph over as well to look at his monitor. Once the two were behind him he began to explain. "It seems that the Paxton brothers are at large when it comes to the mafia and the black market. Once that diner opened up there was a decline in sales reaching the nearest three states. Thats a huge loss in profit for them and the mafia loves their money"

"So we have a motive," Jessica said. Joel nodded.

"Not only do we have a motive for the shooting but… this guy here" he explained, pulling up Remmie's picture. "When we were inside he was the one that managed to get me away from my gun. I would have taken him out myself but…" Joel explained but stopped, not really knowing how to say what happened.

"Yeah… the poor girl told me she shot one of em… that was him?" Jessica asked.

"Yeah… and the one that got away was his brother. Goes by the name of Albert. Before this the two ran this mafia in good order and nobody was able to take them down. They're at the top of everything. They got numbers, money, power… it's not good" Joel explained.

"So he's gonna want revenge. Is that what you're saying?" Joseph asked. Joel then rested his muzzle on both of his hands as his elbows sat on the desk.

"Yeah… on the one that killed his brother" he said, looking out the window again. The two followed his gaze and looked over at the innocent wolf waiting for someone to come back.

"Damn it," Jessica muttered.

"What are we gonna do?" Joseph asked. Joel then began typing up a report and request.

"I'm gonna get her into witness protection. It's not much but it's the best we got. Does she have any family in the area?" Joel asked, turning to Jessica.

"I don't know, I didn't get a chance to ask, '' she answered, feeling more and more concerned by the second.

"Well could you? If what we think is right then everyone she knows is in danger" Joel explained. Without hesitation Jessica then made her way out of the office, shutting the door behind her and walking back over to her desk. Instead of taking her seat though she knelt down in front of Juno, getting a little below her and looking up.

"Hey… I asked earlier if there was someone I could call. You said no. Does that mean you have no family in the area?" Jessica asked gently.

"Um… My mom isn't in the picture, and I moved here from Japan last year. My dad is still over there" Juno explained, catching Jessica off guard a little. She didn't sound or look Japanese at all.

"Japan? You're japanese?" she asked. Juno shook her head.

"No. it's just where I'm from," she answered.

"Well where are you stayin?" Jessica asked.

"My campus. I live with two roomates" Juno answered. There was no way she could stay there. Her school would be the first place they looked if they were out to get her. Joel watched the interaction from his office when he saw Jessica look over at him and shake her head, making him sigh.

"I guess she can stay here then. We'll open up one of the cells and… keep her safe" Joseph explained, but Joel hated that idea. If they did that then she would be in there all day scared, alone, and worst of all feeling imprisoned, as if she did something wrong which would only make the situation for her worse, and that thought broke his heart even more.

"No… she's not staying in there" he said. Joseph then turned to Joel, seemingly annoyed.

"Well where else is she gonna go? If she doesn't have a family to go to or somewhere safe then-"

"I'll take her," Joel said suddenly, thinking about it all. If she was with him then not only was she more likely to feel safe, but more likely to actually be safe as well. Not only because one of the first places this group may look was at the police station, but with less numbers it would allow the two to get around easier.

"Joel… I'm not so sure that's a good idea" Joseph explained, taking his past into account. He felt as if Joel was trying to prove something here, but what was there to prove? It just wasn't a good idea for either of them.

"She's not staying here. If she wants to then that's fine but… I don't want her spending the night here in a prison cell. She's been through enough" he explained as he got up. Joseph went to say something else but by then Joel was already out the door and so he sighed and followed close behind. As Joel approached the two girls Juno heard his footsteps, turning around and her eyes widening a bit. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and thank him again and again for saving her, but with the weird nature of that in her mind she just stayed sat as her tail began to wag a little.

"Nowhere. She stays at her campus" Jessica explained as she stayed belt down in front of her. Joel nodded.

"You got your statements and questions right?" he asked her.

"Yeah. everything I need" she answered.

"Good… then we can get her out of here" Joel replied. Jessica felt confused as Joseph leaned on the desk. Joel knelt similar to Jessica but rather than looking up at Juno was eye level because of his size. "What's your name sweetie?" he asked.

"Juno," she answered. "You're… Joel?" she asked, remembering what Joseph said earlier..

"Yeah… that's my name. Listen… I'm gonna be placing you in witness protection until that guy gets caught okay? We'll have our best people on it to make sure that it's over as fast as possible. Until then we can't have you going back to campus. It's too dangerous for you and the ones around you" Joel explained. Juno felt worried, feeling stuck now as she struggled to ask her question, afraid of the answer she was gonna get.

"Then… where will I go?" she asked.

"Well… you can stay here or… you can come with me… either way I promise I'll take care of you" Joel explained as Joseph closed his eyes, looking down as he worried for his partner. Not just him though, Jessica as well.

"Joel I-" she went to say but stopped as his eyes darted at her. That was enough to stop her from finishing.

"It's up to you sweetheart," he added. Juno thought about it, not really feeling as if she had much of a choice but even if she did she would rather be with him than anyone else.

"Okay" she nodded. Joel nodded back.

"Okay… I'll go get my coat and then we can leave" he explained. He then patted her shoulder and stood up, walking to his office. Joseph and Jessica exchanged glances, making her follow Joel to his office and shut the door as he put on his light brown trench coat. "What?" he asked.

"This isn't a good idea. If they find you and have as many units as you say then what are you gonna do? You can't protect her from the world. She's better off here" Jessica explained.

"She's been through enough today. She's coming with me to rest up. Last thing she needs is to be isolated in here and feeling even more scared. Patch through to the captain, let him know what happened and if he wants I'll bring her back. In the meantime I'll have Joseph try and put a request in to have protection at the school. No telling what they'll do if they find out she attends there"he explained as he got ready, grabbing his car keys but stopping at the door as Jessica stood in his way. "Is there a problem?" he asked.

"Joel… what are ya doin? Don't tell me you're tyin to make up for…" she began but stopped, making Joel's heart drop with just an ounce of anger rising from the pit of his chest.

"I'm doing my job" he said angrily. Jessica simply stared at him, feeling a tad bit bad.

"Okay… well you have my number. Let me know if you need anything and… just please stay safe" she said, stepping aside. Joel flicked out the light to his office and began walking back over to Jessica's desk as she followed him.

"I will, thanks for the offer" he replied. When Juno finally noticed him she stood up, the two locking eyes. "Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yes… thank you" she said.

"Of course" Joel replied, the two then walked off as Joseph and Jessica watched, Jessica feeling regret for not doing more as Joseph shook his head, going to his desk. The two entered the parking lot, immediately noticing the rain that was now coming down. It wasn't hard but it was definitely uncomfortable to walk in, the two getting wet as the sky wore a dark gray, not because the clouds were bad but because the sun was now going down. They probably only had around thirty minutes of sunlight left.

Joel slid into his car, unlocking the passenger seat and letting Juno get inside. His car was nothing fancy, if anything it was the opposite. An older model not because it was stylized but because Joel had only wanted something to get him to and from work. He put the key in the ignition and turned the car on, beginning to drive to his house as the ride stayed silent, only ever breaking the silence once Joel asked "are you hungry?"

"No… thank you though" Juno answered. He may have saved her, but Joel still felt bad because of what she went through. The two eventually pulled into his driveway, Juno immediately noticing that it was a trailer home, an unkept trailer home at that. Joel turned off the car and turned to her, the only sound being the rain hitting the window as the sound of the engine was now gone.

"I know it's not much but… you're safe here" he said. Yeah it looked odd to Juno but after everything he just did for her.

"I know… thanks" she said. Joel nodded, not sure if it was to her or himself and then stepped out of the car. Juno followed, jogging closely behind Joel until they were under the very small porch. Joel then fished for his house key, turning it and pushing the door open. Inside felt quiet as Joel flicked on the light, stepping to the side to let Juno in as she looked at her surroundings. Like Joel said it wasn't much, just a living room and a combined kitchen along with a hallway that presumably led to a bathroom and bedroom. On the counter to the kitchen though along with the coffee table were empty bottles of booze, the only full ones being the ones that sat on top of and next to the fridge. As for the smell of the place, Juno couldn't help but think of old furniture as she thought of it.

"Just… make yourself at home and if you need anything just let me know '' Joel said as he hung his coat up. Juno nodded, continuing to look around as Joel disappeared down the hall and into a room, flicking on the light. She walked further into the living room, looking at the couch, coffee table and small flatscreen that sat on the TV stand across from the two. Next to that though was something that caught her eye, something that sat in the mess of napkins, ashtrays filled with cigarette butts and bottles. It was a photograph, one of Joel and two others. It looked like a female wolf, being of the same species as him. She had beautiful blonde fur with a white mid section and gorgeous long golden blonde hair and light blue eyes, and between them a smaller wolf couldn't have been more than eight, taking after the female that stood next to Joel, the only difference being her eyes which seemed similar to Joel's. something felt off though, not that it was Joel looking younger he looked… happy, cleaned up, proud. The three in the photo were all in each other's arms, looking at the camera smiling, looking as though nothing could come between any of them. Juno studied the picture until she heard a light clank as something fell over, making her turn around to see Joel carrying pillows and blankets over to the couch. "One of the blanket's must have bumped into something, '' she thought before taking into account just how much he was carrying.

"Oh no… that's too much," Juno said, noticing that he was carrying two of each and feeling as though she was taking advantage of his generosity.

"Well it's not for you it's for me. You can sleep in my bed" he said, making her feel even worse.

"Oh… no I couldn't" she laughed, forgetting what happened earlier for just a moment.

"It's okay. Really" Joel said as he tossed the four things on the couch and began fixing them up. "And uh… I'll have someone pick up your clothes in the morning. For now just… stick with what you have on okay?" he said. Juno nodded.

"Okay… are you sure?' she asked.

"Of course, and if you need anything just… let me know" he said as he placed the pillows at one of the far ends of the couch.

"Thank you" Juno smiled. Joel could hear the smile in her voice and so he looked over to see if he was imagining it. He wasn't though, and the fact that he wasn't brought him joy.

"Anytime, kid" he said. She nodded and then thought of something, going into her pocket and checking the time. 8:03 it wasn't late but because of everything that happened and the fact that she was up early she just wanted to get some sleep.

"Hey Joel?" she called.

"Yeah?" he replied, sitting down on his makeshift bed.

"Do you mind if I go to sleep now? I'm just… I'm really tired" she said.

"No… not at all," Joel replied.

"Thank you" Juno said, walking behind the couch and down the hall. She was right about the other room being a bathroom she saw. It seemed small with the bare essentials. A toilet, sink and shower, and then further down the hall was a closet but at the very end was Joel's bedroom. She walked in as she heard the TV turn on down the hall. She sighed, closing the door and feeling as if she was intruding. This was so weird to her but again when given the two options, this was the best one.

Once she was gone Joel heard his door shut, making him look over down the hall. Again he felt bad about everything but right now this was the best he could do. He rubbed his eyes and stood up, walking into the kitchen and grabbing one of the many bottles, popping it open and taking a sip of the rich whiskey. "Yep… that's what I need" he thought as he brought it over to the couch and sat back down, taking a long swig and then locking eyes with the photo on the coffee table. He picked it up, studying it and trying not to tear up, he then laid down, still looking at it as he took another swig, not even paying attention to the TV, and it wasn't long after that he was asleep.

Meanwhile in the bedroom Juno looked around, seeing nothing more than a small closet, a dresser and his bed with two end tables, one with a lamp and another with an alarm clock, a watch, another filled ashtray, and another photo. Juno walked over, sitting on the edge of the bed and grabbing the photo. this one didn't have the younger wolf. It was Joel and the same girl from before, this time Joel wearing a suit and the girl wearing a bride's outfit. She had her arms wrapped around him as he had her leaned back, the two smiling and looking into each other's eyes as the photo was taken. They looked lost in the best way possible, giving an almost haunting feeling to Juno as she looked at it, so many thoughts going through her head.

Without any answers, Juno eventually put the photo back, getting up and walking over to the lightswitch that sat next to the door and flicking it off, putting the room in absolute darkness. There were two windows in the room that would have offered at least some light, but with the dark gray curtains covering them there was nothing, the only light in the room being the red digital numbers that came from the alarm clock.

Juno pulled her phone from her pocket, turning her flashlight on and looking at the bed which had tan sheets and pillows with a gray quilt. It looked cozy but Juno could tell that changing the sheets was something that rarely happened. She was so tired though that she didn't care, crawling in the bed and falling asleep not long after she was under the covers.

It was a deep, quiet sleep. Something that Juno needed and craved but sadly it didn't stay that way for long until the memories had crept their way into her head, infesting her dreams with the same screams, and cries, and gunshots until she woke up in a cold sweat, gasping and panting as she looked around the dark room, alone and afraid.