Chapter 1: ICU

Rad's eyes blurred from crying so much. He takes out his phone shaking from the fear of losing his only nephew and calls his brother. "Bandit," Rad said, choking on his words. "Thomas has been shot, we're at the hospital," Rad said with tears running down his muzzle. "I don't know they're not telling me anything," Rad said, moving his knee up and down. "Just get here!" Rad said, hanging up the phone. Rad continues to cry looking himself down and blaming himself even though Thomas jumped in front of the bullet to save him. "Sir, are you hurt?" A nurse asked Rad. Rad looked up at the nurse and then shook his head. "No, I'm fine, it's not my blood," Rad answered. "Are you the boy's father?" Asked the nurse. "No, his father is on his way," Rad answered. "Okay, can I ask how you are related to this boy?" The nurse asked. Rad swallowed hard. "He's my nephew," Rad answered. "Okay, we'll keep you updated on him," the nurse said with a nod. "Thank you," Rad said as the nurse left.

Not long later Bandit and his family storm into the waiting room. "Where's my son!" Bandit shouted in anger. "They're still working on him," Rad said standing up. "What did you do!" Bandit shouted as he grabbed his older brother. "Bandit, he jumped in front of the bullet saving me," Rad said weakly. "How could you!" Bandit shouted with tears in his eyes. "That's my boy! That's my baby boy!" Bandit shouted as fresh tears started to flow down Rad's muzzle. "Bandit," Chilli said, placing her hand on her husband's shoulder. "I'm sorry Bandit," Rad said as Chilli made Bandit sit down with her and the kids. Rad then sat down away from his brother. "Mum? Is Thomas going to be okay," Bluey asked with a sniff from crying. Chilli looked down at her daughter and held her and Bingo. "I don't know sweetheart but I hope so," Chilli said, hugging her daughters. Bandit continued to cry into his hands silently as Rad started to make phone calls to Stripe and his parents.

Within the hour Stripe showed up at the hospital rushing into the waiting room. "What happened? How's Thomas doing?" Stripe asked concerned for his nephew. "Ask him!" Bandit shouted, pointing at Rad. Stripe then looked at his oldest brother, "Rad? What happened mate?" Stripe asked, sitting next to his brother. "There was a robbery in progress at the store we went to and the robber was about to shoot me and Thomas jumped in front of me and then here we are," Rad explained, feeling the guilt. "Mum and Dad are on their way now," Stripe said, placing his hand on his brother's shoulder. Bluey and Bingo lightly cried in their mothers arms after hearing about what happened to their brother. "If my son dies I'll never forgive you," Bandit said darkly to Rad. "Bandit please," Chilli said, holding their daughters closer. "I'm… I'm sorry Chilli," Bandit said looking at his wife. "Daddy, I don't want Thomas to die," Bingo said with tears in her eyes.

"He… he won't die mate," Bandit said softly. "How do you know?" Bluey asked, looking at her father. "I… I don't… but he's a Heeler, he'll fight it," Bandit said, trying not to scare his daughters. The doctor then came out to see the family. "Are you the boy's parents?" The doctor asked, looking at Bandit and Chilli. "Yes we are," Bandit said standing up. "How's my son?" Bandit asked worriedly. "He's stable now and in a coma state for the moment," the doctor explained. "Will he wake up?" Chilli asked. "It's hard to say right now but you can go see him now," The doctor said now leading the way. Bandit and his family followed the doctor to Thomas's room. Once they found him he was wearing an oxygen mask with a Machine helping him breath. "Mum, what's that thing doing to Thomas?" Bingo asked as Chilli picked her up. "It's to help him breathe sweetie," Chilli answered. "Does it hurt him?" Bluey asked while holding Chilli's hand. "No honey, it doesn't hurt him," Chilli explained. Bandit couldn't believe the sight of his son on a Machine to help him breathe. Bandit then walked over to his son and held his hand. "I'm right here," Bandit said with tears coming down his muzzle. "Let's give your dad some space," Chilli said, taking Bluey and Bingo back to the waiting room.

"How is he?" Stripe asked as Chilli came into the waiting room. "He's on oxygen to help him breathe," Chilli said, choking on her words. "No," Rad said to himself about to break down again. "It should have been me," Rad added as he cupped his hands together and cried some more. "Rad don't you say that!" Chilli snapped now crying. It was hard on Bluey and Bingo seeing their family so broken for that moment in their life. Bandit sat there still holding his son's hand. "You need to fight, son, fight for me please," Bandit said while rubbing his son's head. "You need to be here for your sisters, for Chilli and for me mate," Bandit said with cracks in his voice. "I can't lose you mate, not after your mother," Bandit said, letting his tears drop on his son's fur.

(Inside Thomas's head)

Thomas found himself in his old room from California. Thomas was a little confused for the moment. He stood up and walked out of his room. Thomas walked down stairs and went to the kitchen. To Thomas's surprise there was his mother in the kitchen drinking coffee. "Mom?" Thomas asked as Emily looked up at her son and smiled. "Hey sleepy head," Emily said as she took another drink of her coffee. Thomas was so confused by what was happening. "Hey Mate! How did you sleep?" Bandit said coming into the kitchen. "Dad?" Thomas said, confused. Bandit and Emily then shared a kiss right in front of Thomas. "Hold on! Are you two still together?" Thomas asked, a little freaked out. "Yeah, is something the matter mate?" Bandit asked, looking at his son. "What about Chilli? And Bluey and Bingo?" Thomas asked. "Who are they?" Emily asked.

Thomas couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Dad's wife! My stepmom and my sisters!" Thomas said, taking a step back. "Are you feeling okay honey? You don't have a stepmom or sisters," Emily said looking at Bandit and then back at her son. "No! I have a stepmom and sisters and you two are divorced! And mom you're dead!" Thomas said, pointing at his mother. Emily then started laughing. "I'm alive and well I think," Emily said with a smile. "Are you sick mate?" Bandit asked going up to his son and feeling his muzzle and head. "No dad, you are married to Chilli and you love her!" Thomas said, taking a step back from his father. "Mate, I'm married to your mum and we're happily married," Bandit explained. "No, no, no," Thomas said, getting frustrated. "He's right," Emily said as everything went dark. "Mom? Dad?" Thomas said in the darkness. Suddenly the lights came on and Thomas and Emily were sitting at a table looking at each other. "Mom?" Thomas said confused "Hey sweetheart," Emily said with a smile.

(In the waiting room)

Bob and Chris come into the room and see their family in a distraught state. "Nana!" Bluey and Bingo said as they rushed over to their grandmother. "What Happened to our grandson?" Bob asked, looking at his son's. Rad then explained the whole situation of what happened to Thomas as Bob and Chris sat down. "Oh my," Chris said now in tears. Bob was also in tears as he stood up to go find Bandit. Bob came into the room and saw his son holding his grandson's hand and crying. Bob couldn't help but to choke wanting to cry but he knew he had to be strong for his son. "Bandit," Bob said softly as he walked over to his son. Bandit looked up and saw his father standing there. "Dad… he… I…" Bandit tried to say but couldn't piece the words together. Bob then hugged his son tightly and let him cry into his fur. "I'm so sorry son," Bob said, finally letting the tears come down. "I can't lose him…" Bandit said finally being able to speak a Sentence. "I know son, but he's fighting, he's gonna pull out of it," Bob said, still holding his second oldest.

(In the restroom)

Rad had gone to the restroom and washed off the dried blood from his fur. Now shaking with worry and fear about his nephew losing his life brought back feelings and memories of losing Charlie. "Thomas, please don't die please," Rad said as he cried in his hands. Rad then gathered himself together and left the restroom. Rad then bumped into Frisky who was on her way to the waiting room. "Rad," Frisky said as she saw her husband roughed up and red eyes from crying. "Frisky… it's all my fault," Rad said, looking down from his wife. "Shh," Frisky said as she hugged her husband tightly. "He's going to die because of me," Rad said, now crying again. "No he's not, you just need to have faith in him to push through," Frisky whispered to her husband while still holding on to him. "I couldn't be there for Emily… how can this be any different," Rad said while holding Frisky. Frisky broke her hug from her husband and looked at him placing her hands on his muzzle.

"He's your nephew… the closest thing to a son until we have our own kids and he loves you more than anything Rad, he took a bullet for you," Frisky explained. Rad nodded in response while wiping his tears away. "Come on, let's join everyone else," Frisky said as she took Rad's hand and went to the waiting room. Rad and Frisky walked into the waiting room. Bluey and Bingo were by a toy box with Socks and Muffin who came with their mother not too long ago but not playing with any of the toys. Chilli sat near her daughters with a sad look on her face while Bob and Chris sat next to each other holding each other. Stripe was sitting with Trixie holding her. Frisky and Rad then sat down next to Chilli as Frisky tried to comfort her sister in law. "Is Bandit still with Thomas?" Rad asked, looking at Chilli. Chilli turned to her brother in law and nodded.

Rad then stood up and was about to go find Thomas's room and talk with his brother until Bob stopped his son. "Son," Bob said looking at his oldest son. "Yes dad?" Rad asked, looking at his father. "Just be careful of your brother, he's still hurt," Bob said while holding his wife. "I will," Rad said as he went to find the room. Rad eventually found the room and found Bandit still by his son's side holding his hand. "Bandit?" Rad asked as he walked into the room. "What do you want?" Bandit said coldly not looking at his older brother. "I'm here for you," Rad said, taking a step closer to his brother. Rad looked at Thomas who was still in a coma. Rad's heart ached as he watched his nephew in this bed in this state. "I don't want you here," Bandit said while holding his son's hand. "Bandit please, this isn't going to be like Emily," Rad said as he placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. Bandit flinched as tears started flowing down his muzzle.

(In Thomas's head)

"Mom?" Thomas said confused, looking at his mother. "Hey sweetheart," Emily said with a soft smile. "Am I dead?" Thomas asked. Emily placed her hand on her son's head. Her hand felt warm and so real. "No, but think of this as the in between," Emily explained softly. "I remember… me and uncle Rad… we went to a convenience store or a gas station and then… someone was trying to rob the store and uncle Rad tried to stop them and then… I jumped in front of the bullet and saved uncle Rad," Thomas explained, now finding himself tearing up. Emily nodded already knowing the story. "Mom…. I don't want to die," Thomas said, now breaking down. "And you're not going to honey… as much as I want to have you with me… you still have tons of life to live with your dad," Emily said, now tearing up. "There is so much I want to say to you… so much I want to experience with you," Thomas said, holding on tighter to his mother. "I know honey, I know," Emily said, wiping away her son's tears.

"I don't want you here!" Bandit's voice echoed. Thomas was confused when he heard his fathers voice. "Dad?" Thomas said looking around but not finding his father anywhere. "Bandit, please I'm your brother and I want to be here for you," Rad's voice also echoed. "Uncle Rad?" Thomas also questioned hearing his uncle's voice. "Your dad and uncle are fighting," Emily said softly. "It's because of me isn't it?" Thomas asked, looking at Emily. "Yes… they haven't fought like this since Charlie," Emily said looking down. "Have you met Charlie mom?" Thomas asked. Emily looked at her son and smiled. "I have and he's so much like your uncle," Emily explained. "But you… you're so much like your dad and when I watch over you you're more like him everyday," Emily explained with a soft smile. "You need to leave! And don't ever come back!" Bandit shouted. "Bandit…" Rad said with a heart breaking tone. "Don't! You've done enough!" Bandit shouted some more. "It's time for you to wake up sweetheart," Emily said while holding her son's hands. Thomas nodded now with fresh tears in his eyes. "I love you so much baby," Emily said, kissing her son on his head. "I love you too mom," Thomas said as his mother started to fade from his grip, and then it was that moment she was gone.

(In the Room)

"Bandit…" Rad said with tears in his eyes. "Get out," Bandit said coldly with a low growl. Rad nodded as he turned away and left the room. Rad went back to the waiting room and walked over to Frisky. "I should go Frisk, Bandit doesn't want me here," Rad whispered to his wife. "You should be here," Frisky said, looking at her husband. Rad shook his head as he started to leave. Frisky then went after her husband and stopped him. "You need to be here," Frisky said, holding Rad's hand. "I can't, I'm sorry," Rad said as he left Frisky in the hallway and went outside to his truck. Frisky then went back to the waiting room and waited with the rest of the family. Rad then got into his truck and started hitting his steering wheel while crying.

Bandit stood there looking at the door feeling heart broken. Bandit had so many mixed emotions and fears of losing his son and having anger towards his brother even though his son made the choice to save his brother. Bandit sighed before looking back at his son and then looking back at the door. Bandit then gathered himself together and walked out to the waiting room to be with his wife and daughters and the rest of his family. As soon as Bandit left the room. Thomas slowly opened his eyes.

Kodiwolf321 A/N: Well guys! Here's the start of Sad Faces: Changes as we know Thomas was shot in the ending of Sad Faces and luckily I went ahead and started this while me and Rakoon1 were making chapter 43 of Sad Faces. I wanted to jump ahead because I knew how Sad Faces was gonna end and I knew how Sad Faces: Changes was gonna start. So let me know what you think about this start and I'll keep updating as soon as possible!