Has To Be Done
#2 of New Beginnings
Authors Note: Wow, quick turn around this time, huh? Well here we go with a little fun in the Zoo. Hope you remember everyone, if not go read and come back! We have a lot planned for Dulion and the gang. As always, please rate and comment. If you're inclined, favorite and send me a PM or two. Hope you all enjoy!! -AK
Roxie gazed around the lobby of what seemed to be her new home. It seemed nice enough, she thought. A far cry from where she used to live, but a lot better than a park bench. Her tour guide allowed her to gaze around for awhile in silence. She didn't think he liked talking much. She knew he had mentioned his name, but she hadn't been listening when he said it.
"Well then," her guide said, "your room is upstairs; follow me."
"T-thanks." she said. "I'm sorry what did you say your name was?"
"Call me Dulion."
Roxie looked at him for a moment.
"Dulion? As in James Dulion?" she asked him.
"Yeah." he said with a sigh. "That's me. I'm guessing you've heard of me."
Of course Roxie had heard of him. His name had been plastered in many of the lycanthrope newspapers she had read. He had taken down a corrupt FBI agent and some kind of lunatic terrorist. They called him a hero. Now, as she looked at him, he didn't seem the part. He was short and a bit rounder than she expected with a pair of dorky glasses. Of course, she shouldn't judge, after all she also had a pair of glasses on.
Roxie nodded.
"So that means...you know what I am?" she asked.
"Yeah. Blackwood told me. If you're more comfortable you can go ahead and transform."
Roxie shook her head. She didn't enjoy transforming in front of other people. It was like getting naked or something.
"Fair enough. C'mon, I'll lead you to your room."
Dulion led Roxie upstairs slowly thanks to whatever was wrong with his left leg. Still he pressed onwards up the stairs to the third floor. Once he got there he stopped to rest. He let out a sigh and began to transform before Roxie's eyes. She saw white fur begin to sprout all over his body which also began to get a bit larger. By the time it was over, Roxie was standing in front of a white lion.
"Damn my leg." Dulion said, mostly to himself.
"Are you alright?" Roxie asked.
"Yeah, fine. Sorry about that. My leg is fine when I'm a lion. As a human it's gives me a hard time. Your room is just ahead."
Roxie followed behind the lion as he led her, much faster than before. She wondered why he didn't just stay in his lion form, but thought it best not to ask him. Roxie watched as Dulion opened the door and beckoned her inside. The apartment was small, but more than anything that Roxie was looking for. There was a small living room with a lumpy looking couch; a kitchen with a refrigerator and stove; and the best part of all, a bedroom with an actual bed. However, Roxie's happiness left just as soon as it came.
"I have no money to pay for any of this." she said to Dulion.
"Who said anything about paying?" Dulion asked. "You're room and board are both free. Provided, of course you stay out of trouble and attempt to look for some kind of job.Once you do find a job you can talk with the doctor about rent. But don't worry, he's fair."
"The doctor?"
"Yeah. Doctor Tennant. He runs this place. Good guy. Oh you also need some new clothes. No offense, but yours look kind of ratty. Someone will be around later to give you some. Let's see...oh and weekly potluck is tomorrow night. We all get together and make food. The doctor's way of keeping us all together. It's a good way to meet people too."
Dulion reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card and handed it to Roxie. She looked at it quickly and noticed a phone number.
"That's my cell." he said. "Call me if you need anything, and I mean anything. That's kinda my job around here. I'll leave you to rest for the evening. Good night, Roxie, and welcome."
Dulion smiled and Roxie and left the room. After he did, Roxie looked around the apartment; HER apartment. This seemed too good to be true. She already knew what she wanted to do first. She almost sprinted into the bathroom. She quickly threw off her old clothes and stepped into the shower. She turned the taps on and almost cried when she felt the warm water hit her. It had been so long and felt so good. Almost instinctively she felt her body transform. Her ears became much larger, her body became covered with fur and a thin tail develop. She recalled once that someone in one of her classes had called her "mousy." They didn't realize how right they were.
***
Dr. Tennant sat watching some TV in his room waiting for Jayson to get home. There were more protests going on. While he understood protesting, he didn't understand what would cause people to riot and loot. Luckily, things at the Zoo had been peaceful. It was a nice change of pace given what had happened just a short time ago. Dr. Tennant felt his eyes close for a moment before a knock on the door forced them open. The stag got up and opened the door. Standing in the doorway was a large tiger who looked to be absolutely beaming.
"Josef." the Doctor said warmly. "You look happy this evening. What's the occasion?"
"A miracle." Josef said in his thick Russian accent. "Oh before I forget."
Josef reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigar and offered it to the Doctor.
"This is nice of you, Josef." the Doctor said. "But why would you...no?"
The Doctor grinned broadly towards Josef. Josef smiled and nodded.The Doctor immediately reached out and grabbed Josef in a huge embrace.
"Congratulations!" the stag said. "But how?"
"We tried a new treatment and it worked!"
"Why is someone getting hugged in my doorway?" said a familiar voice, "and why is it not me?"
"Ignore Jayson." The Doctor said to Josef, breaking his embrace. "He gets jealous."
"Duh, I know this." Josef said. "I brought for him too."
Josef reached into his pocket and pulled another cigar out and handed it to Jayson. Jayson stared at the tiger for a moment before grabbing him tightly.
"You Russian devil!" Jayson said as he broke the embrace and kissed Josef on the cheek. "But I thought..."
"We tried new treatment." Josef said.
"Oh happy day! We need to celebrate this!"
"Daddy Jayson, why are you yelling?" asked Cassie as she came out of her room, yawning.
Dr. Tennant smiled at the sleepy child. Cassie was his daughter; not officially yet, but she was as good as. The paperwork just needed to be processed which took forever for normal, human adoptions. For a lycanthrope trying to adopt another lycanthrope, it would probably take longer, just due to a lack of caring.
"Oh sweetheart," Jayson said with a smile, "I'm sorry I woke you. It's just very exciting. Mr. and Mrs. Makarov are having a baby."
"Really?" Cassie asked.
"Yeah," Josef said, "but please don't tell Stephanie, we want to surprise her tomorrow."
"Yes, that's all good. But we need to celebrate!" Jayson said, grabbing both Dr. Tennant and Josef around the shoulders. To the bar for a couple of drinks for the father to be!"
"Jayson," Dr. Tennant whispered so not to be heard, "what about Cassie?"
Jayson thought for a second.
"Cassie, would you like to have a sleepover with Stephanie?" He asked.
Cassie's eyes lit up.
"Uh-huh! Can I please?"
"Ask Cameron first." Dr. Tennant said.
"She already said yes." Josef said. "She say to me "Bring Cassie here when you go out to celebrate." I tell her I'm not going anywhere and she say "Oh you're going. Jayson will make you."
"You married a good woman." Jayson said. "Now, Cassie go pack up a bag for tonight, okay?"
Cassie nodded and ran off smiling.
"I need to get ready." Dr. Tennant said. "I won't be long."
"Take your time, Doctor." Josef said. "I still need to give a cigar to Dulion."
"We're dragging him out tonight, too." Jayson said. "He's been locked up here for far too long."
"But do you blame him? Look who his cellmate is."
"Let's go. Ten minutes, Matt or else we leave without you."
Jayson pushed Josef out the door to get Dulion. Dr. Tennant smiled. It was nice to be around happiness for a change. He could get used to this.
***
Dulion walked into his apartment and looked around with a sigh. It was still messy and getting messier. It was entirely his fault, but having another person basically living in the apartment with him didn't help matters. He turned on the small kitchen light and glanced towards his small bed. Ibuki was there, spread across the mattress of course giving him no room to sleep. He smiled, it was good to see her sleeping for a change.
After all that had happened to her, sleep didn't come easily anymore. The nights that weren't spent wide awake ended with her waking up to a horrible nightmare. If Dulion so much as touched her shoulder, she would shudder. It broke his heart to see her like that. He walked over to his bed and looked down at the kitsune. He didn't know how he got so lucky.
There was a small pounding on his door. He glared at the noise before rushing to open the door. He opened it up to see Jayson and Josef standing broad grins on their faces.
"Gentlemen," Dulion whispered, with a gesture to the bed, "can I help you?"
"You're coming out with us to the bar tonight." Jayson said. "We're celebrating."
"Celebrating what?" Dulion asked.
"Cameron's pregnant." said Ibuki's sleepy voice from the bed.
Dulion looked at Josef in shock as he was handed a cigar.
"How did you know?" Jayson asked.
Ibuki walked up to the door and rested her head on Dulion's shoulder.
"Women can tell these things." Ibuki said. "Besides, Cameron already called me."
"Congratulations Josef." Dulion said warmly.
Josef hugged both Dulion and Ibuki, squeezing them both tightly.
"So come on," Jayson said, "let's get going."
"Guys, I can't. I need to...:"
"You need to stop worrying about me and enjoy yourself." Ibuki said. "You've barely left this damn place."
She glanced him over for a moment.
"You look great." she said. "Now go, get wasted with the boys. And don't come back until you do."
"Be careful, Ibuki." Jayson teased. "You know what may happen if he gets drunk."
"You say that like it's a bad thing." Ibuki said. "As long as she's cute I don't care."
Dulion and Josef looked at each other shocked for a moment. Jayson smiled mischievously.
"Now I'm going to have to try it." he said.
"If he comes home tonight Jayson, I'm going to be disappointed." Ibuki said.
"You...uh...are coming, yes?" Josef asked.
"I don't think I have a choice." Dulion said.
Dulion quickly transformed from a lion back to a human. When he did, he immediately rubbed his bad leg.
"I'll meet you by the door." Dulion said.
Josef and Jayson walked out of the doorway. Dulion began to hobble over to his cane before Ibuki handed it to him.
"Thanks." he said. "I don't know when I'll be back."
"Tomorrow morning." Ibuki said.
"You're funny."
Ibuki put a hand on Dulion's shoulder.
"I'm not joking." she said. "Have the most amazing night of your life with someone sexy."
"I would, but you're making me leave. I love you."
Dulion kissed Ibuki softly on the lips.
"Enjoy. Good-bye Duly."
***
Roxie sat on the couch in the apartment wrapped in a towel she had found in the bathroom. She didn't feel comfortable being naked in a new place, but she couldn't stand to wear her old clothes again. If that meant she had to be naked, then so be it. The was a small knock on the door of the apartment. Roxie got up, making sure to hold the towel close to her.
"W-who's there?" She asked through the door.
"New neighbor with some clothes for you." Responded a female's voice.
Roxie opened up the door. Standing before her was a fit looking collie who had two large bags in each of her hands.
"Hello!" The collie said. "I'm Cameron. You must be Roxie, yes?"
"Yeah, come in."
"Pleasure to meet you." Cameron said as she walked in. "I have some clothing in both of these bags. Thank goodness for Good Will stores right? Everything has been washed by me, so it's clean I promise.Oh and there's' a couple packs of clean underwear in there, too."
"Thanks." Roxie said. "It means a lot."
"My pleasure. After all we're all family here."
Family. The word seemed to hang in the air for a moment. It brought back painful memories of that night. The friendly discussion turned debate that ended with Roxie being thrown out of her house for being a lycanthrope. How could her mother who always told Roxie how proud she made her do that? How could her dad who had called her his "pride and joy" turn his back on her.And her boyfriend, dumping her on the spot and saying such horrible things to her. Without warning, the tears began to flow. Cameron walked up to Roxie and held her close.
"Hey, it's going to be okay." she said. "You're safe now. Everyone in this building is here to help you. Whatever it is you need."
"I'm sorry." Roxie said between sobs. "It's just a lot to handle."
"Here, go dressed and, if you'd like you can tell me what brought you here, okay?"
Roxie thought for a moment. It wasn't in her nature to get too attached to people quickly, but she couldn't help herself this time.
"O-okay." she said.
"I'll wait here for you. We can go back to my apartment and I'll make us some tea."
***
The moment the door to Dulion's apartment closed, Ibuki began to move about. She didn't want to do this, but she had to. She couldn't stand the pain anymore. The countless nights spent awake or worse, waking up to a nightmare. She thought that spending some time in the Doctor's cabin with Dulion would help, but it didn't. The thoughts were always there. Those memories of getting shot, seeing her father arrested, and everything else was damn unbearable.
Dulion, to his credit, had been doing everything he could to help her. He would hold her close, tell her how much he loved her, all the things a good boyfriend would do. Ibuki loved him, she really did, and she knew this would be the worst part, but she had to do it. She couldn't live like this anymore.
She found a blank piece of paper and began to write a letter to Dulion. Tears fell from her face and stained the page as she did.
"Get a grip!" she tried to say to herself. "I'm stronger than this! I can fight this. Dulion is here, Jess is here, Cameron and Josef and the Doctor are all here, they'll help."
She tried to listen to those words. She tried to believe in them...and for a moment, she stopped writing. But before long, more words appeared onto the page. Yes, she was strong, but this was too much. After the letter to Dulion was done, she kissed it as more tears would flow.
"You're going to break his heart. He'll never forgive you. None of them will."
She could deal with that later, if at all. She felt guilty, but she knew this was for the best.
"He'll heal." she said to herself, still crying. "They all will. I...I need to get rid of this pain now...I can't do it anymore."
Ibuki put the letter down on the kitchen table. With a deep breath and sometime, she was able to calm herself down.
"This has to be done."