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Colors of the Rainbow

Part 2

Alright. After receiving requests to add another part to the story, I went ahead and started in with it. This part was made while dealing with more personal issues that had come up, so I hope I made it well enough for you guys to enjoy. I'll be making more parts for the story if people request another addition to it, so expect the parts to have some sort of opening for a sequel as I make them. Thanks to everyone for their support with the first chapter. For those who are looking at this chapter first, in order to get the story, please look for the first chapter; there'll be some info pertaining to the title of this story that will help it make some sense. In either case, here is part 2, and I hope you enjoy it.

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The brown wolf groaned as he opened his eyes, a little bit of light piercing the blinds over the window and spotting his face. He slowly pulled his head up and looked over at his fox friend, watching him still snooze. He smiled faintly, trying to keep his confusion out of his mind as he saw Zane breathing softly. He looked at the band on his wrist, his smile slowly fading as his early-morning mind tried to piece everything together, still failing to make sense of it all and sighing in defeat.

Terin took off the band and put it in his pocket as he walked quietly for the door. His dad was probably already mad at him for stealing his car, but he decided he might as well face the music. Zane was alright where he was, so the wolf decided he could do with a little dance with his father in the mean time.

"S-sir?" he spoke up to get the attention of the grey wolf at the desk. The older wolf looked up from his computer at Terin. "I was wondering if I could make a phone call."

"Sure. The phone's on the other side of the desk, and you only get five minutes tops," he replied rather plainly before going back to typing.

Terin nodded and moved around the corner to pick up the phone. He sighed as he dialed his house number, bracing himself for the verbal punch his dad would end up throwing.

A few rings later, a click was heard on the other side of the line, followed by a slight groan. "Mmm. Hello?"

Terin sighed again. "... Um,... h-hey Dad."

"Terin? Alright, where are you with my car?"

Terin winced already. Had his dad been actually awake, his voice would be exploding as he spoke. "I-I'm at the hospital right now."

He could hear his father jumping right now. "Hospital!? What happened, why are you in the hospital!? How ba-!?"

"Dad, chill out! I'm fine!"

"If you're fine, then why are you at the hospital? You have a lot of explaining to do."

"If I could explain everything right now, I would, but they aren't gonna let me stay on the phone for thirty minutes, only five."

He heard a sigh come from the other end of the line. "Then give me a summary."

Terin stopped breathing for a moment. It could go both ways if he told his dad about Zane. He swallowed and prayed for the best. "... Zane." He listened carefully for a response from his father, but there was only silence. He took a deep breath and tried to speak again. "... I'm... I'm at the hospital because of Zane."

The young wolf continued hearing silence again for a moment. As soon as he opened his mouth again, his father finally responded with a sigh. "I'll call a cab, but it's coming out of your allowance. You can fill me in when I get there. Don't think that you're going to escape punishment though."

Terin's voice went low as he spoke. "... Alright, Dad. ... I'll talk to you then."

"Alright then. I'll be there in an hour or so." The call was ended with a click from the other end of the line.

Terin hung up the phone and walked back around, stopping at the front of the desk as a question came to his mind. He tried again for the grey wolf's attention. "Sir, can I ask you about something?"

He didn't look away from the monitor as he continued typing away quickly. "Go to the far end of the hall and make a left. Watch the right side and you'll see the cafeteria."

When he mentioned that, Terin's stomach growled hungrily to the idea. He shook his head. "No, I was wanting to ask something about a patient here."

The desk wolf sighed. Apparently everyone was having a bad morning so far. "What patient?"

"Zane Morrison."

"What do you need to know?"

Terin bit his lip and hoped for the best again as he gambled with his question. "I was wondering if his family has been around to see him, or if they even asked about him or anything."

"We can't exactly give the information out."

"I think they disowned him though," he replied as he thought back to yesterday when they walked out of the waiting room.

"Ok, and why do you think that?"

Terin felt the burning heat from the spotlight that was on him now. He didn't want to pop off about Zane or tell him everything that happened. "They left while Zane was in surgery and were... not using the best language as they left. They were talking rather bad about him."

"Wait." The older wolf's eyes lit up in memory about something. Terin watched him as he shuffled through some papers that were on his desk until he apparently found what he was looking for. "You said Zane Morrison, right? Fifteen years old, light blue fox? Same one that stole his family's car?"

"Um,... yes to the first and second question. I don't know about the third though." He didn't like the feeling of where this was going.

"Yeah, according to this, his parents have filed against him."

Terin couldn't help but yell in shock. "What!?"

"Hey, settle down and I'll explain it to you." Terin obeyed and unwillingly sealed his muzzle. The older wolf just nodded. "Alright. I received this document this morning, saying that as soon as one Zane Morrison recovered, the police were to be notified so he could be picked up for car theft and destruction of property."

Terin shook his head in disbelief. "His own family is trying to turn him into a criminal like this? That can't be right."

He set the papers aside. "Look, I just told you what was on the papers. I don't know what's going on other than that. That's all I can do about your question. If you'll excuse me," he left off as he went back to clicking the keyboard rapidly.

The brown wolf shook his head as he stepped away and walked slowly back to Zane's room. Zane, being charged by his own family? And it had all started with him throwing Zane out of the house when he had opened up to them. Did he tell his family? Wait, was it because of his family that he tried to...?

Terin fell to his paws and knees as the room began to spin, his head throbbing as his mind went into overdrive trying to figure everything out. A doctor came over and knelt next to him. Terin felt the arm on his upper back, a screaming noise in his ears as his vision became blurred. After a while, he found himself in a chair, a doctor, probably the same one that came to him earlier, tapping the side of the young wolf's muzzle. Terin let out a soft groan as he heard the doctor talk, the sound drowned out a little. "-re you..., sir?" His vision began refocusing as sound slowly began to fix itself for him. "Hey, come on. Snap out of it kid."

He let out another quiet groan as he put a paw to his head. "Uh,... h-huh?"

"Hey, bring me the water and aspirin." Terin guessed that the doctor was talking to one of his associates. After a moment, he heard the doctor push something into his paws. "Here, take this and drink."

Terin nodded as he brought the pill to his mouth and took a small drink of water, swallowing both and exhaling softly. He looked up at the feline doctor, by looks seemed to be a tabby breed. "Um,... thanks. Sorry about..."

The cat just shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Seems you'll be alright, but you probably should take it easy for now."

The wolf gave another nod. "Alright. Um, I need to get back to my friend's room though."

"And I just told you to take it easy," the cat sighed out. "Who's your friend?"

"His name is Zane. He's a fox about my age." He started to slowly stand, trying to find his balance and succeeding, somewhat at least.

The cat held an arm out just in case. "I think I know the patient you're talking about. Considering the note we got from the police concerning his family, I don't think I'll bother with the rules and regulations for now. Here, hold my arm."

"O-ok," Terin replied, making sure not to take too quick of steps as the doctor led him back to Zane's room. When they got there, another doctor, looking not that much different from the one helping Terin, was changing the IV bag. She turned as she heard the squeak of the door. "Eric, you know that we aren't supposed to let anyone other than family in here right now."

"Illy, I doubt his family is going to come and see him if they're filing charges against him for theft. According to Mike, they also left while Zane was in surgery while this kid stayed." He walked Terin over to a chair and helped him get seated.

"You don't think I've heard? We could easily get written up or fired for this."

"It's not like we have perfect records here anyways, 'sis'," the male tabby retorted.

The nurse cat finished hanging up and connecting the new IV and walked for the door out of the room with a sigh, the doctor walking out behind her as they continued to argue on the other side of a closed door. Terin just sighed and shook his head.

"... guess... were broth-... and sist-..."

Terin jumped up as he heard his friend trying to speak and moved quickly to beside the bed. "Zane? You're awake?"

Zane nodded stiffly. "... y-yeah,... b-but... why are...?"

Terin shushed his friend. "Don't worry about it right now. Just get some rest, ok?"

"... But I..." Tears slowly formed in Zane's eyes and ran down the side of his face, his eyes slowly closing as he tried to look away.

The brown wolf brought a paw over to the side of his friend's muzzle and guided his gaze back to him. Zane looked at him in surprise as he found tears in Terin's eyes as well. They both breathed shakily for a moment before the wolf finally spoke up. "It's... it's ok. ... I'm... I shouldn't have... I shouldn't have gone off on you like that."

Zane might not have understood what was happening, but looking into Terin's eyes, he knew what Terin was saying. Neither of them knew what to say about it though, or if anything could be said. After another moment, Terin's eyes opened a little more before he reached into his pocket. Zane watched quietly as the wolf slowly pulled up the armband, the same look of fear as before coming into the fox's eyes again for a moment. That look changed into a more shocked and confused one as Terin slipped the band onto his own wrist. Their eyes met again, mixed emotions and confused expressions decorating each face before Terin finally spoke back up. "Um,... you... you left it at... my house earlier,... so... I thought that I'd hang on to it for you."

The fox just continued looking at him, gasping a little as Terin took one of his paws and held it. He didn't know how to react to one of his many attackers, his own friend, being even THIS close. Terin's eyes closed tightly as all of the feelings from earlier washed over him again, causing his chest and stomach to tighten again. Suddenly, he threw himself against the fox and embraced him, forgetting about the fox's injuries. Zane yelped in surprise and pain, but the tears running down his face weren't from his wounds being abused as he hugged Terin back with his arm that didn't have a cable running into it. Having Terin hold him like this sent his own mind into overdrive, but he let the thoughts all go as quickly as they came. When Terin attacked him, he felt insecure. When his family refused to accept him, that insecurity morphed into the feeling of being an open target or a walking meal that was just wandering around, waiting to be ravaged. All of that disappeared as safety came back to him in Terin's arms, regardless of how rough they were being right now.

Terin's voice became cracked as he tried to speak, and the fox could feel the tears penetrating his patient's gown. "Z-Zane,... I'm... I'm so sorry."

Zane didn't reply with words. His own tears ran into Terin's shoulder as he painfully tried to tighten his end of the hug at least a little.

They both sat like that for a while until they heard the sound of someone clearing their throat. Terin didn't catch it until Zane gasped and the extra visitor spoke. "I guess it's safe to say you took my words to heart."

Terin whipped around to see his dad standing in the doorway, a half-serious look on his face that belied his faint smile. "D-Dad,..."

"I already got the story from the front desk. I'll just let the cost of gas and the cab fare be your punishment when I take it out of your allowance," the older wolf said quietly as he walked over to the side of the bed. "How are you doing, Zane?"

Zane shook a little in nervousness, his voice carrying a stutter. "Um,... o-ok, sir."

The older wolf chuckled. "You mean, ok considering, right?" Zane just replied with a weak nod before Terin's father turned his attention to his son again. "How was your overnight stay?"

"It was... alright I guess." He didn't bother trying to find a way to talk much. He was still at a lack of words for his friend.

His father just nodded. "By the way," he said as he looked back over to Zane. "What happened with your family?"

"Dad, I don't think tha-"

"Um,..." the fox started off as he interrupted Terin. The two friends looked at each other, a worried look in Terin's eyes against a calm and confessing one in Zane's. After a moment, Terin went ahead and nodded, the fox taking a slow breath as he dug the memory out of his mind.

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"Zane, what are you crying about?" his father bursted out in a drunk fit as Zane ran into the house.

"I... I just... Terin... he..."

"Shut up and calm the fuck down! Stop whining like a bitch already!" his father just screamed at him.

"Phil, if you're gonna drink, go to the bar!" Zane's mom yelled from the kitchen.

"Shut up, you're making me miss..." The announcer on the TV yelled out as one of the teams in the football game scored a touchdown. "You BITCH! I fucking missed the play because of you!"

"Then watch your damn game an-"

"STOP IT!" Zane yelled out as he tried to get their attention, crying furiously. "Why are you two always fighting!?"

"Drop that attitude before I drop your body in a hole!"

"Phil, for the love o-"

"Shut up, I don't want to hear it! And Zane, if you don't stop your sniveling bullshit, I'll wear your hide as a fucking coat! Either say what the fuck is wrong or get the hell out of here and cry your river some fucking place else so I can watch the game!" His father finished off his yelling with another turn of his bottle.

Zane sobbed heavily, wanting to curl up somewhere to escape everything again. "T-Terin,... he..."

"What about that little asswipe, huh? Just fucking say what he did so I can beat your ass for crying over nothing, that worthless bastard." His dad got up and walked over to the kitchen, pulling out another bottle from the fridge and snapping the lid off of it.

"H-he... he said that... he threw me out of... out of his house because I... I opened up to him." His breaths became panicky, short and rapid, as he realized that his own family didn't even know yet.

"Opened up to him? About what? We already know everything about you. We're your damn parents," his mom said rather agitatedly.

He felt like she was telling the truth, that they already knew, and it built a small comfort in him for a place that he could feel even slightly safe. He slowly began speaking up. "A-about... about me being..."

"Fucking say it already, you're pissing me off with each second!" his dad screamed out.

"... ... ... being gay."

Glass shattered next to him as his father threw a bottle in his direction, the only other sound being caught by his ears being the clattering of various utensils on the kitchen floor. "Gay!? GAY!? Let me show you what happens to fucking faggots, you little shit!" He charged at Zane who jumped out of the way, barely avoiding his dad who crashed into the wall. "Oh, you little fuck! You're dead now!" He picked himself back up and charged at Zane again, the young fox ducking down to avoid a wild swing from his father before bolting for the front door. He slammed the door behind him, the sound of his drunken father crashing into it, forming cracks in the glass parts of the door. Zane made a mad dash for his dad's car, thanking whatever higher power there was that his dad always kept the keys in there for some stupid reason. He had only been behind the wheel once or twice before, but he remembered watching his parents drive enough that he easily managed to pull away from the house quickly and floor it, leaving the house behind him in a cloud of smoke.

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By the time he finished saying what had transpired, Zane was already sobbing again. Terin moved over to hold him close again as his father looked at the fox with pity. After a moment, his dad stood up and walked for the door. Terin watched him as he moved to leave the room, stopping briefly. "I'm gonna make a couple of contacts. Depending on how things go,..." He paused in thought for a moment. "... Well,... let's just see what happens first. Then I'll decide what we'll do for our share." He let those words hang as he closed the door behind him.

Terin held Zane close as he attempted to calm the pained fox. "Shhh. Go ahead and get some more rest, alright?" Zane looked up at the wolf's worried eyes. "I'm gonna follow Dad and see what he's gonna do. I'll be here for you this time, ok?"

Zane gave a shaky nod as he hugged Terin again. "... Promise me,... please."

Terin more than willingly held him close again. "Of course. ... I promise, Zane."

Zane nodded weakly again as he slowly started to calm down. It didn't take long for the fox to begin snoozing again. 'Guess he spent himself too much,' Terin thought silently to himself as he laid the fox back. He watched Zane's sleeping form for a moment, giving the fox's paw a light squeeze before standing and walking out of the room to find his dad.