Page 5

Mal got barely any sleep. He didn’t expect to. The worry about Rocky, about being in a strange place, and thinking about what was to come, made for disjointed naps rather than a solid rest. For all that Doctor Nelson had tried to make the place comfortable, trying to sleep in a chair wasn’t the easiest thing to do - although it wasn’t the first time Mal had done it. But that didn’t stop him thinking longingly of his own bed back in Arrowtown. He finally gave up on getting any further sleep as the room slowly started to lighten, the peak of sunlight coming in from the huge window that took over one-half of a wall. A window covered in bars.

In the harsh morning light, those bars were a concern. Did Doctor Nelson think that Rocky was going to try and make his escape out of the window? Don’t take it personally, Mal reminded himself. He was sure they weren’t the first occupants of the room and likely wouldn’t be the last.

Mal managed a smile when a young nurse came in not long after, offering him a cup of coffee, and asking him for his breakfast order. He asked if she could get him a breakfast sandwich, because he really couldn’t think of anything else.

“I’m going to disconnect his sedative line now,” the young nurse said. Her nameplate said Amy. “Depending on how strong your friend’s wolf is, it will take between about an hour to two hours for the sedative to completely flush out of his system. Given that he’s an alpha wolf, think more toward the hour than the two.”

Mal nodded his thanks for the information.

“We’ve got cameras in this room. They have just been turned on,” Amy said, indicating to two small red lights that were opposite corners of the room. “Doctor Nelsen will initially just observe from the moment your friend starts to stir. He wants to see how Rocky will react to you and his new surroundings from the moment he wakes up.”

“He’s not going to be very happy,” Mal said. “He has a long and very affectionate relationship with his own mattress.”

“Oh, that’s expected,” Amy said with a smile. “I don’t think anybody’s woken up in here in a good mood.” She had a delightful laugh. “However, if you get the chance, you need to ask your friend about the curse. Just ask him pointblank, when he was cursed.”

“Rocky knows something is wrong, but would he know he’s actually been cursed?” Mal frowned. “I’m not sure that is a good idea. I don’t want to upset him.”

“It’s the only chance we’ve got at this point of finding any clues as to when or what caused his issues,” Amy said. “Most people are aware that they have been cursed. I haven’t met a magic user yet who’s cast one and hasn’t gloated about the fact that they’ve done it.

“However, it’s possible, because Rocky hasn’t said anything to you about it all these years, that part of the curse’s hold on him is preventing him speaking of it. If you ask him point-blank about it, tell him that’s what the doctors have found, this will give Doctor Nelson a chance to see how his body reacts to being faced with the truth of his situation.”

“I’ll do my best,” Mal said. “Believe me, I want to know how to help him more than anything. But I worry that questioning him so bluntly will upset him and make the situation worse.”

“If you think about it, that’s not possible,” Amy said kindly. “What he’s going through right now is basically torture here on earth. Just remember that the moment he starts to get agitated, starts yelling for cake or however it is his curse manifests, Doctor Nelson is right outside with the injection necessary to force his shift. The really good thing about us living with dual spirits is that his wolf won’t be craving cake and will also have a more simplistic view of why he’s here at all. Doctor Nelson is sure once Rocky’s wolf knows you’re here and keeping him company, he’ll probably just appreciate being out and stretching his legs.”

Mal wished he could feel as confident. He’d been going through his journals, reading page after page, and he couldn’t work out the last time Rocky had actually shifted.

He knew that Rocky had shifted when he was tracking down Simon, when Simon got abducted, but he couldn’t find any other indication of shifts for work reasons or pleasure. He could’ve shifted when the sheriff’s office got bombed, although Mal was fairly sure that it had been him that had shifted. The bottom line was Mal was just so tired. Events, incidents, and chances when Rocky might have shifted for his job were all blending in with each other. Didn’t he shift when Deputy Joe was having a problem with the buffalo shifter out on that sheep farm? Again, random thoughts popping in and out of Mal’s mind and he really couldn’t keep his timeline straight.

He watched as Amy efficiently unplugged the sedative line and moved it away, although he noticed that the monitoring systems were still taped to Rocky’s chest.

“You’ll notice that he’s coming out of his sedation when his heart rate starts to increase,” she said as she patted Rocky’s arm and turned to leave. “If you need anything at all, just call. There’s somebody right outside the door.”

“I appreciate your patience and taking the time to let me know what’s going on. Thank you,” Mal said.

“You’re more than welcome. Now, I’m off to find you a breakfast sandwich. It sounds like a really delicious idea,” Amy said. “I might just grab one for myself.” Mal smiled because he knew it was expected, but he let out a long sigh as she let herself out of the room.

The next hour or so was going to be the longest in history. Mal pulled out his phone. He had messages from their friends in Arrowtown to reply to.

/~/~/~/~/

It was fifty-two minutes when Rocky started to twitch. Mal noticed because he’d watched every second tick away on his phone. The movements were slight at first, almost imperceptible, but Mal knew his friend better than his friend knew himself. He watched as Rocky twitched and then his nose started flaring.

He’s trying to work out where he is, Mal thought fondly. That was always Rocky’s routine, stemming from when they had been living on the streets together. Rocky always wanted to know where he was, who was around, and what their situation was from the moment he woke up.

Mal could tell the moment Rocky realized he was in the room. A small smile tugged at Rocky’s lips and his shoulder’s relaxed a little into the mattress. Mal quickly finished off the last of his sandwich and gulped the dregs from his coffee mug before dragging his chair closer to the bed.

Holding Rocky’s hand, he watched the man’s face until Rocky’s eyes finally opened.

“Hey there, sleeping beauty,” Mal said quietly. “How are you feeling?”

“Like someone hit me over the head with a set of dumbbells.” Rocky groaned. “Gods, what is this place?” He looked around. “Did we make it? Is this where Doc’s friend is? The research place? Where are we?”

“Yep, we’re in New York. You got to fly on a really fancy plane, and you barely noticed it. Never mind, you can experience it properly when we head back.”

“I’m not healed.” Rocky’s frown was immediate. “I can feel it, Mal. That thing’s still inside of me.”

“Hey, hey, hey.” Mal stroked Rocky’s shoulder. “It’s all right. We’ve got people working day and night to find a solution to this problem of yours. Speaking of which, when were you going to tell me you were cursed, you silly doofus? Honestly, don’t you think we would have been able to find some help before this if you’d just said something? The things you’ll do to get out of writing the monthly reports for the mayor’s office.”

“You write the reports. You like doing it. You say that I mess up all the statistics and those charts you make if I try to do them.”

He’s evading the question.

“Fair enough, I do like making those little charts and tables. But what about this curse, Rocky? Don’t you think you could’ve told me? I didn’t think we had any secrets from each other.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. There’s no such thing as that…that word you said.”

“It’s a curse, Rocky.” Mal met Rocky’s frantic eyes and tried to keep his voice calm. “Doctor Nelson confirmed it. We need to know when you were cursed and why, so we can break it. Don’t you want to get well?”

“Of course I do.” Rocky’s voice was rising. “You’re everything to me. I would tell you anything except…that…I…” He started to wheeze and then started to choke.

“Rocky, it’s okay. You don’t have to tell me.”

But Rocky’s body was going into what looked like a full-fledged panic. His eyes were wide and bulging, his throat was working but nothing was coming out. Strange noises like an ack-ack-ack sound erupted from his throat. Mal realized in that moment it was him that caused Rocky’s panic. Rocky thought Mal believed he’d been lied to.

“It’s all right, Rocky, please,” Mal pleaded. “I didn’t need to know. We’ll find out another way. Don’t do this to yourself. Just forget I asked.”

“Can’t breathe,” Rocky gasped. “Can’t breathe.” He started clawing at his throat.

“Rocky, no, stop it.” Mal tried to catch Rocky’s hands in his. “It’s all right. I’m sorry. I should never have asked you. Doctor Nelson! Doctor Nelson, hurry! Get in here!”

The door burst open, and Doctor Nelson and two large men came running in, one going to Rocky’s head and one to his feet. “Hold him down,” Doctor Nelson ordered.

“This is the doctor, Rocky, he’s trying to help you. Stop fighting, Rocky,” Mal pleaded, as Rocky started to fight, kicking, trying to punch out with his fists, rocking his body from side to side trying to evade the hands working to hold him down. “It’s all right, Rocky. Please, calm down.”

For the first time since they found each other, Rocky wasn’t listening. It took both big men and Doctor Nelson to hold Rocky’s body down before the doctor could jab him with a huge syringe and remove his saline line and monitoring wires. “Shift Rocky,” Doctor Nelson bellowed. “Shift into your wolf form, now.”

But Rocky was still fighting. There was a part of Mal that was amazed his longtime companion still had the energy to fight both the drugs and the men. Doctor Nelson was a very powerful shifter – Mal’s wolf would’ve shifted just from his order alone.

But Rocky was resisting even as Rocky’s wolf was trying to come through. Mal could feel him, sense the desperation in the animal as he clawed his way free. Mal lent all the strength he could to the poor wolf, offering compassion and soothing vibes as the pain kicked in. Even so, it was at least another two minutes before the wolf finally emerged from the wreck of Rocky’s clothing, lifting a painful howl to the ceiling.

“Oh Rocky, I’m so very sorry,” Mal said as he clasped his hands around the wolf’s neck. “It’s going to be okay, baby. I promise we’ll work this out. You’re going to be okay.”

A long wet tongue lapped up Mal’s tears, causing those tears to start falling all over again.