Mackenzie was starring at the wall in front of him. The nurse put the tv on for him but he wasn't interested in watching it. All he knew was that appearantly he was involved in a accident ten days ago and that he was in the hospital for that long. And today was the day he would leave and go home to heal there further. That should be a happy occasion, because he was done being in a strange hospital room all alone, but the Border Collie pup was still riddled with questions.

What kind of accident was he involved with? If his parents were involved why are they healing at home and he's not? Why haven't they visit him or even called him all this time? He wanted to hear their voices so badly but they didn't bothered to let them hear. The only people who turned up to give him a visit were his teacher and his best friend's father. Even his friends and schoolmates didn't bother to show up. Were they angry at him or did they not even care he wondered.

He slept a lot during the last days, but only once he had a dream. It was a nightmare but he couldn't remember much of it except that his father told him it was all his fault. He was wondering if that was true and if that was the reason they didn't wanted to talk to him. How would they react seeing him?
A awful lot of thoughts shot through his mind. It made him sad, angry and confused at the same time.
At that moment, Mandy the nurse walked in. She just started her shift and went to see him first. It was around 12pm.

''Hey MacKenzie. So ,today is the day. Are you excited to go home?''

Mackenzie turned to face her. For the last couple of days he actually started to like her. She was friendly and just doing her best. He would miss her. With a honest face he just said ''no'' to her. Mandy looked a bit suprised hearing that. She gave him a smile and a pet on his head. ''No worries mate. It's way nicer to be home then stuck in here. You will be back in your own bed tonight in your own room. In your own house, with all of your own toys and best of all, your own bathroom''.
She giggled as she knew that Mackenzie hated the bathroom in the hospital. He had his own room but the bathroom was a shared one with the room next door. In that room was a old man that frequently walked through the wrong door and as result would stand next to Mackenzie, frighten him in the night. Also that man was always very loud when using the bathroom, disgusting Mackenzie.

''Yeah. I guess'' Mackenzie said while looking down, not entirely convinced.

Mandy looked over and saw that Mackenzie hadn't touched his breakfast. ''Hey champ, you have to eat something. Didn't you like what we gave you?''. She was staring at the now cold plate of eggs, a sausage, toast and some now room temperature slice of cheese, pack of jam and cup of yoghurt.

'' I didn't feel like eating anything at all'' he said honestly.

''Well, you have to. It will help you getting stronger and heal faster. Make you feel good too.''. She picked up the tray. ''Is there anything else you would like to have maybe?''.

Mackenzie sighed. ''Just my mom and dad''.

Mandy looked sad. ''I know, love''.

They remained silent for a bit. When the black poodle started to walk away, Mackenzie finaly said: ''Çould you leave the yoghurt?''.
She said ofcourse and gave it to him. He finally decided to eat something. To her suprise he also asked for a glass of milk, some tomato soup and if his breakfast could be warmed up. Mandy did all of that for him. When she returned he began slowly to eat before eating it fast. For the last couple of days he only ate yoghurt or custard and drank water. Now he finally began to eat some real food and he was enjoying it. He even missed it. It were signs of recovery.

After he was done Mandy cleaned up the tray and sat down beside him. In the middle of the silence she heard cheering and looked at the television where the sound came from. She saw it was on a sport channel. Two big fat dogs, a English bulldog and a clumber spaniel, were playing darts and the spaniel just scored 180 points. ''Do you like sports?'' she aksed Mackenzie, trying to start a conversation.

Mackenzie was eating the last bits of yoghurt from his cup while answering. ''Nah, not really. But i like to be active, that's fun. So at home and at school i run, play, use the monkey bars, play cricket or football with friends. But to be honest it's more that i do it because it's fun, especially when playing with friends. But i wouldn't say i am a hugh sports fan''. Mackenzie was starting to loosen up and speak his mind. ''I don't enjoy watching sports. It's fun to play it, but watching it? Nah. I don't like to watch cricket or football on tv, that's just dumb and a waste of time. Why watch other to it when you can do it yourself? What specially is dumb is when people start to dislike each other because you must be either a fan or support for team A or B. Why can't people just enjoy sports without acting foolish?'' he complained. ''My parents are just like that. Whenever there is a football match between Australia and their country they will drive to their friends and they just start shouting at each other and it looks like they don't like each other. And the next day they pretend like it didn't happend and they have a laugh. But that's no fun to do that to each other. I hate it.'' he said with a grumpy face.

Mandy was smiling. Mackenzie was finally starting to be his own, old self again. She heard the stories from Calypso that a simple question to him could turn into hours of conversation full of wondering, complaining and explaining. And now she was witnessing it for herself for the first time.
She tried to start a new topic of conversation ''So, your friends. You look forward seeing them again?''.

Mackenzie started to talk about them straight away. ''Oh yeah. I miss them. I am wondering if they miss me?.

''Ofcourse they do''. Mandy said reassuring. ''Do you have many friends?''.

''Well i play with most of the kids at school and some kids that live in my neighborhood. They are fun to play with, like Pretzel, Chloe, Indy, Lucky and Snickers. But i don't have really that much close friends to be honest. Not that i mind. I don't need much people around me. Way to busy. I would say i got three real friends''. He started to think about them. ''There is Rusty. A red kelpie. Bit bossy but very serious. I can always count on him. Very good at sports aswell. Then there is Jack. Bit simple minded but a lovely guy. Very friendly, always excited to hang out and fun to be with. And ofcourse there is Bluey''.

He stopped and started thinking about her. ''I would say she is my best friend out of everyone i know. She is always there for me, always happy and enthusiastic. She knows fun games to play and i really can be myself around her. She was my first friend you know? We have known each other since we were like three or two years old. We met each other at the playing ground and always played together all kind of games.''

He smiled and looked a bit dreamy while talking and thinking about her. ''The others i only learned to knew at school when we were six. Bluey went to the same school, so i luckily wasn't alone. Untill i met Rusty also ofcourse and later Jack when he joined our class''.

''Well. They sound like fun kids. And Bluey, isn't mr. Heeler her father?'' she asked.

''Yes, that's correct'' Mackenzie said. ''My father and mr. Heeler learned to know eachother because they were bringing us to the same playground. It took a while for them to become friends too. Bluey eventually convinced them to hang around when she invited us to a dinner at their house. Since then they hang around. Sometimes Bluey and her sister visit us when their parents don't have a baby-sitter and other times i stay with them when my parents are both away. But Bluey and i also have playdates sometimes at eachother. So that's fun''.

''I bet you look forward seeing them again.'' Mandy said.

''Yes i really do. I am wondering what they are doing right now'' Mackenzie answered.

-
At the school Calypso was at ease for now. She drank a lot of relaxing tea during the day and took some tranquilizers she was given in the hospital. She knew that after school was over she had to go to Mackenzie's house. Bandit would pick him up from the hospital and bring him back home. She would be there to wait fot them as she recieved the keys of the Collie's house. She did not know to who they key belonged to. It was picked up from the site of the crash and the police used it to only open the door once to confirm their identity. It was just a clean, gold front door key that was lying on her desk. But somehow it felt unsettling that it was a silent witness of what had happened to one of its former owners.

When Bandit dropped of Bluey earlier that morning he signed the paperworks to be the legal second caretaker and reassured Calypso that he and Chili would also take care of Mackenzie. He also told her about the plans he made to stay with MacKenzie and that he would get the groceries so that there was something in the house. That took some of her worries as she was very gratefull for the Heelers help.
All the other worries she had were for after school was over. Right now she would not have to worry about anything and that calmed her down too.

When recess started, every pup ran outside to play. Except three dogs. Calypso just started to pour in her fifth cup of tea for the day when she saw Bluey, Jack and Rusty approaching her.

''Hi guys'' she said with a warm but soft smile. ''What can i do for you?''

''Have you already heard something from MacKenzie?'' Rusty asked without hesitation while looking a bit grumpy.

''It's been two weeks and we still haven't seen him or heard from him'' Jack added with a sad face while twiddling his thumbs.

''Calypso, i'm really starting to worry about him. Bluey said softly with a concerned look on her face.

''I went to his house last weekend, two times both days. But no one was home the entire time!'' Rusty continued while waving both his arms in the air.

Calypso closed her eyes and sighed. She knew the whole class was wondering where he was. She knew especially Bluey, Jack and Rusty were really worried about their friend. She tried for the last couple of days to avoid this topic when someone started to ask how he was or where he was. But she knew she couldn't escape it for long and that she had to tell his schoolmates something. So she decided that today was the right time to tell everyone what happend. Not everything ofcourse, but just enough to let Mackenzie's schoolmates knew that he was fine for now and why he wasn't at school the last couple of days.

''Kids. I understand you concerns. When the break is over i will tell the whole class all about it. But i will tell you first now what i know. Just promise not the tell the others before i have told everyone it, okay?'' she said to them.

The three kids nodded and then came close to her and leant on her desk to hear what Calypso had to tell. She started to explain in a serious voice, that sounded sad and soft.

''Recently i learned what happened to Mackenzie. Two weeks ago he was involved in a road accident and he has been in the hospital for the last couple of days''.

Bluey cupped her hands around her mouth while Jack and Rusty mouths fell open as they all gasped.

Calypso looked at them while the news that just reached them sunk in to them. Then all of the sudden all three of them started to fire different questions to her all in once: ''How is he?'', ''When is he getting out of the hospital?'', ''Is he alive?'', ''How did it happen?'', ''Is he in a wheelchair?'', ''How bad are his injuries?'', ''Did they catch the guy who hit him?'', 'Is he ever coming back?'', ''Is he in a coma?'', ''Why didn't we know this?''.

Calypso tried to calm them down while waving her hands signaling them to be silent. ''Kids, i understand you have a lot of questions, i do. Please let me finish so i can tell how he is''.

The three looked at each other while sharing their worried expressions. Calypso continued.
''MacKenzie was in a coma for a couple of days. He has woke up, and the last couple of days he had to sleep and rest a lot to heal. He is fine for now. He has a broken his arm and bruised a rib, but that will heal overtime. Today is actually the day he will leave the hospital and return back home''. Bluey, Jack and Rusty looked a bit reassured.

''So, we can visit him today?'' asked Jack.

''No Jack. That's not possible yet'' answered Calypso much to Jack and Bluey's disappointment. ''Why not?'' asked Bluey.

''Well, he's just returned home. It takes some time for him to settle down again and be his old self. This week has been very stressful for him so he needs some quiet and rest''. The kids nodded that they understood, but weren't happy with the answer.

''I know that he really misses you too and want to see you all again.'When he is feeling better, i ask him if you could visit him. How does that sound?'' asked Calypso with sympathy.

''Thank you, that would be nice'' said Bluey.

''Yeah, i hope he will feel better soon. Poor guy.'' added Rusty.

Then Bluey had a thought popping up in her mind. ''Calypso, could we do something for him now?''

Calypso looked at her. ''What do you have in mind?'' knowing that the blue heeler was full of creativy and probalby had a idea.

''Could we give him or make something for MacKenzie on behalf of the entire class? To make him feel better and let him know we miss him too and think about him.''

''Oh yeah. Like a card or something!'' Jack said enthusiastic.

''Good idea Bluey!'' Rusy said to her. Calypo agreed.

After recess was over, Calypso had everyone sit down in a circle and she told the whole class the same thing she told earlier to Bluey, Jack and Rusty. Like them the whole class was shocked and felt sad for MacKenzie. But they were happy to finally know why wasn't at school for so long and that he was doing better.
After that all kids went to work and they all together a a big sized 'get well soon' card for Mackenzie. They made a big sized yellow card and decorated it with drawings, glitter and stickers. Every kid, some of the other teachers of the school and later on the day some of the parents when they were picking up their children, wrote a personal message in it for Macenzie wishing him well. After the card was done, some kids also wanted to give him something with it. Bluey came up with the idea they all agreed on. Out of wood they made a Barky boat as a gift to MacKenzie. They decorated it and painted it black, white, blue and yellow. His favorite colours. Calypso complemented them as it looked really pretty.

-
Back in the hospital:

Later on the day MacKenzie stood outside of his hospital room for the first time since he arrived. He had to leave his room as the facility service had to clean and prepare the room for the next patient. Just when they left he saw how a Swedish drever dog was carried into the room and placed in the bed where he laid just an hour earlier. The dog shouted in pain and was twitching, making MacKenzie feel uneasy.

''Nothing serious'' Mandy said. ''This woman has gallstones. It's no fun and very painful but nothing too serious'' she explained to him.

Then Mandy gave him a plastic bag. It were his belongings. A file of his time being there, his cut off wristband with his name, a 'get well soon' card signed by the doctors and nurses that helped him, a chocolate bar from Mandy to him. But what surprised him the most was to see a damaged comic book that hat burn marks on it and plastic toy car with a molten door. He knew these items as they were his. But these items were always laying in his father's car where he would play with the car or read the comic on long journeys or when he was brought to school. Why did they return these to him now and not earlier and why were they so badly damaged? Before he could ask he heard a familiar voice coming from the hallway.

''Hey there champ'' MacKenzie heard. As he turned around he saw Bandit standing beside him.

''Hi Bluey's dad'' he greeted him with a smile.

''Ready to leave this place?'' Bandit said. ''Yes, very'' MacKenzie answered.

He turned around and thanked and said farewell to Mandy. She gave him a hug and wished him well and all the best. If he ever wanted to talk to someone, he was always more then welcome to come here and ask for her, she let him know. When they left she decided to go home early. She was happy that MacKenzie was taken care off and that he was recovering great. But she also knew that when he would return home, his would receive some of the worst news a child can get.

MacKenzie and Bandit walked to Bandit's red car. To his surprise he saw that Chili was waiting for them and was sitting in the front passenger seat. Chili had took a day off and had arranged for Trixie to pick up Bluey and Bingo from school and stay with her and Stripe for dinner. Chili did not want Bandit to do this alone. Not that she didn't trust him, but she felt like he shouldn't go alone through this. Same thing she felt for Calypso.

When she saw them approaching she stepped out of the car and walked towards MacKenzie and hugged him. ''Hi Mack. How are you?'' she said friendly with a voice filled of compassion.

''Could be better'' he said. ''Í'm just happy to go home''.

Chili nodded and placed her paw on his shoulder as they walked toward the car. She helped him getting in to the car and places the plastic bag beside him. MacKenzie saw a small suitcase in the back of the car and a big bag full of groceries. He felt strange to sit in Bandit's car. He had ofcourse ridden in this car before but never alone without Bluey sitting next to him. Just him and her parents felt weird somehow. He knew he wouldn't have to feel that way, but he did anyway.

After they all sat Bandit started to drive off. When they were on the road, MacKenzie started to sweat and panic. He felt uneasy being in a car again. He couldn't remember actually what happend. All he knew was that he and his parents were involved in a car crash, that resulted in him laying in the hospital the he just left and for him to be seating in a car again didn't feel right. It made him nervous.

Chili saw all of this happening as she looked behind her. She looked at Bandit and they both knew that back in a ca rafter a crash wasn't probably doing him any good. She asked Bandit to stop at a carpool carpark on the side of road. When he found one, she got out of her seat and decided to sit next to MacKenzie on the back bench to comfort him. Bandit drove off again and decided to take a short cut.

Without realising it, Bandit rode on the same highway the Collies had driven on that fatal night. On that night MacKenzie was asleep and in the darkness and chaos that happend when he was awake he hadn't seen the road actually. But how closer they came to the site of the impact, the more nervous he got, even when he didn't know why. It was a feeling he got that he shouldn't be there. Something in his mind was telling him to turn around. But he couldn't as he was just a passenger in a car. MacKenzie was starting to have a panic attack. Chili tried to calm him down as he was panicking and started to breath heavily and gasping for air.

''MacKenzie, please breath calmly. Everything is alright.'' Chili said softly to him as she hold both of his paws. She took a bottle of water and gave it to him. He took it immediately and drank the bottle empty. But it did not calm him down. He closed his eyes. Chili took him and let his head rest on her shoulder. Bandit looked helplessly in the mirror as he couldn't help them from his position.

When Bandit looked back at the road again he realised his mistake and why MacKenzie didn't feel well. Bandit knew the place where the crash happend as it was on the news and some days earlier he decided to see it for himself. And it was still all visible. On the left side of the road the guardrail was still bend and the orange paint of the Collie's car was still visible on it. Tire marks of two vehicles and burning spots we're also still visible on the tarmac. ''Chili, cover his eyes please'' he whispered.

Chili wanted to ask why, but when she looked out of the window she saw why. Her eyes widened and the expression on her face turned to anger. ''You nuffy!'' she snapped to Bandit, but quietly so that MacKenzie wouldn't hear it as she turned his head a bit so he would look the other way and couldn't possibly see the site of impact. ''How could you drive here? Off all places'' she scowled at Bandit.

''I'm sorry! I wanted to take a short cut and didn't think this through'' he said. ''Cleary'' his wife said annoyed.

Bandit drove the car to the other side of the road. As they drove further MacKenzie started to calm down again. Chili still held his paws and made him feel a bit more at ease. She tried some small talk but he only nodded and shook his head on questions she asked. He didn't want to talk really at this moment.
When they drove in to his street he sighed of relief when seeing the familiar houses. He was happy to see this sight again instead of the hospital walls.

When they stopped at his house he got excited and smiled. He was happy to be home, finally. He looked and was suprised to see a strange car parked in front of the garage. He thought he had seen that car before somewhere else, but didn't know where. It wasn't his parents car. Then he thought that his parents maybe got a new car as the old one probably would be damaged by the accident.

Bandit stepped out and opened the door for him. MacKenzie jumped out of the car. His face winced in pain as he felt his bruised ribs. ''Whoo, be carefull kid'' said Bandit worriedly. ''You have to be carefull''.

He and Chili walked with MacKenzie toward the front door. Chili rang the doorbell. MacKenzie was now starting to get a bit happy and his tail began to wag. He was feeling happy and relieved hat his house was still there, the flowers in the garden were still alive and the doorbell still sounded the same. He heard someone approaching the door from the other side and he was curious if his mum or dad would open the door. Maybe even both would be standing there. He smiled as he couldn't wait to see them.

But when the door opend his smile disappeared immediately and both his tail and ear drooped down. Instead of greeted by his parents he was greeted by Calypso. He didn't understand. Why did she opend the door? And what was his teacher doing inside of his house?

''Hi MacKenzie. Welcome home.'' She said nicely.

He just walked silently and carefully inside as he kept starring at his teacher. When inside he walked immediately to the living room. It was empty to his surprise. He looked in the kitchen which was empty to, aside from Calypso's handbag on the dining table. As he walked back to the living room he saw Calypso and Chili sitting on the couch. Bandit was carrying the bag of groceries that were sitting in the car into the house, confusing MacKenzie even more.

Chili invited MacKenzie to sit between her and Calypso. But MacKenzie just stared at them silently.
When Bandit came back he sat in MacKenzie's dad's chair much to MacKenzie's schock. Even his mum wasn't allowed to sit in that chair most of the time. Well she did sometimes, but not when they were all in the living room together or when his dad wanted to wacth tv.

He had now three adults looking concerned at him in his living room. They were no strangers, but the atmosphere in the living room felt strange.
After a while Calypso asked: ''MacKenzie, how are you? How does it feel to be back home again?''

MacKenzie looked around the room again before looking back to the couch. ''Where are mum and dad?'' he asked.

Bandit bit his lip and Calypso and Chili looked at each other. Chili stood up and went to the kitchen. She made a glass of lemonade for MacKenzie and gave it to him when she returned. ''Here MacKenzie. Drink something. It's good for you.'' MacKenzie took the glass from Chili. It felt cold in his paw. He steered the lemonade by moving the glass in his paw but did not drink. He looked back at the women on the couch.

She then said: ''Please come sit down with us. We need to tell you something''….