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The Sunday evening after Thanksgiving found me grading papers that I should have tended to long before then. As you might have expected, the long weekend gave me and Aleksandr lots of time to spend together; let's say simply that he was most assuredly diverting to this old bear, and I let him help me procrastinate quite happily. I never knew that there could be such interesting uses for various bits of thin leather straps... in fact, I was well on the way to weaving my first coaster. (Whatever were you thinking?)

When the phone rang, I really didn't expect it to be Aleksandr; neither did I expect the tension and barely restrained fury that I heard in the lion's voice. "Tristan, Dasher's in hospital."

"What?" was all that I could get out before Aleksandr pressed on.

"He'll be all right, but he's in bad shape right now. We're pretty sure it was Roy; we can't be positive until tomorrow. Dasher's got a lot of pain meds in him right now, probably can't make a statement until tomorrow. But right now, we need some help from you."

"Anything; name it."

"Dasher's parents were called, of course; their information was in his wallet. They arrived in town earlier today, and they're at the hospital. They're barring Reed from entering. I get the impression that they don't know their kit is gay, or maybe it's more personal toward Reed, I don't know. As you can imagine, Reed wants to be there; he'd stay the night if he could, but Dasher's parents more or less chucked him out, and I want to find a way to help him get in to see Dasher. Is that something you could help with?"

I nodded; the panther must have been sick with worry over his cheetah lover. "I've got some ideas. Just talking to them is best, but if they're set in their opinions, I doubt they'll be rational right away. Look, let me call a lawyer friend of mine - she's good, and I think we can work something out. A little subterfuge on my part, and we might just make this work. Are you at home? Is Reed with you?"

"Yes, he came here from the hospital."

"If I were you, luv, I'd make him stay the night. If he can't be with Dasher, it's better that he not be alone. How about I see both of you at the hospital tomorrow morning? Can you two get away from work in the morning?"

Aleksandr's voice was softer now. "Yes. I'll see to it. Thank you, dorogoy. I think visiting hours start at nine or so."

"I'll be there. Give Reed a hug from me. I'll help all I can."

"I know you will. I'll tell him. See you tomorrow."

He rang off, and I called Sheila. She's as close to Perry Mason as I could get, and I'd swear she could show him a trick or two. My conversation with her, some research on the Internet, and a bit of prepared subterfuge, and I was ready for the morning. Sheila promised she'd bail me out it if anything went wrong. Yeah, that was comforting...

* * * * *

Dasher's injuries were serious enough to warrant a brief stay in hospital, but not in the intensive care unit. For that much, at least, I was grateful. Visiting hours did start at nine for non-critical patients, and the nurses' station personnel were friendly and helpful. I'd made myself look as respectable as possible, even donning the sweater with the elbow patches to help increase the illusion of the Real College Professor, coming in to visit with one of his students. I asked about DeShaun's condition (remembering that they might not know his sobriquet of Dasher), and they informed me that he was probably out of the woods by now, healing well, might even be released to his home as early as this afternoon, as long as someone was in the house with him, to help him rest for a few days and help him get back on his hind paws for a few days more. I said that I was certain care would be arranged, and I then went to the room to make sure of it.

Hospitals make my fur itch, and they're no less nice to my nose. I don't mind things smelling clean, but the scent of too much antiseptic and odd chemicals, combined with the occasional rambling smells of sickness in the air, always gives my stomach the shivering hits. I tried breathing through my mouth, hoping to ignore the idea that I might actually be able to taste the over-cleanliness of the area, gave up and made a note to keep some sort of menthol rub available to myself in future.

As I entered, I saw two very tired cheetahs, not quite my age, look up sharply at my approach. I smiled as disarmingly as I could, knowing I had to deal with them first. "Mr. and Mrs. Lassiter, I presume? I'm Tristan Black Wolf, one of DeShaun's teachers."

The male looked at me with some suspicion. "He's never mentioned you. What class?"

"I call it Shakespeare and the Price of Rice. It's a literature elective for the English department." I wasn't lying entirely; I was working up the new course for the spring semester, and Dasher, Reed, Gerry, and Logan were helping me refine it by visiting with me for the informal class we'd talked about a few weeks ago. "I heard that DeShaun had been hurt, and I wanted to come visit."

Without waiting for a response, I turned for a look at Dasher and almost wished that I hadn't. I've seen the results of fights before, and if truth be told, I'd seen far worse... but I still wasn't really prepared for what I saw. The slim, strong cheetah had gone down fighting; his forepaws were both bandaged, his arms relaxed yet in a position that told me he was probably sore all up and down. Bandages covered some areas that were probably badly scratched; if it was indeed Roy who had attacked him, the shep had thick, nasty claws. One eye was swollen not quite shut, but the other tracked me well enough. His muzzle had been split and was stitched more out of precaution than necessity; a little luck, and he wouldn't scar there. I was more worried about his teeth, given what I imagined to be the severity of the blow. I was spared seeing anything else, but the description of his condition included mildly bruised ribs and something akin to a baseball bat or length of wood against the backs of his thighs. Enough damage there, to muscles and bones, would have impaired his ability to walk, and ended his ability to run ever again; the nurses said that the blow was strong but blunt rather than sharp, so that particular worst case scenario had been averted. I remembered to be grateful to whatever deities had looked out for the kit.

The father stood slowly. "I'm sure that DeShaun is much too weak to--"

"S'okay, dad," came a muffled response from the bed. "F'nk you, sir." Dasher's good eye winked the slightest bit at calling me "sir."

I smiled. "Your classmates asked me to greet you for them, young fur. We're all glad that it was no worse than it was."

"It's quite terrible enough," the lady cat put in, also rising. "We keep telling DeShaun to be careful in this town. There are dangerous people out there. No good keeping bad company."

As I looked at her, I saw something as close to a hopeless case as I cared to see, and I so very much wished it weren't so. I made a promise to myself to do whatever I could to help Dasher, and I no longer felt even the slightest guilt at the subterfuge I was about to perform.

"Quite so, Mrs. Lassiter. Some of that bad element, I think, is in the school's Registrar's office." I looked to Dasher and held his gaze, smiling for the benefit of his parents. "Bureaucracy is a harsh mistress, and I need to help you keep from getting some credits taken away from this semester." I held up a restraining paw, mostly for the parents who were about to bring up a complaint. "It's very simple, very painless. You remember that there's one final paper for my class, right?"

Dasher caught the almost imperceptible nod of my head and managed to make sounds very close to "Yes, sir."

"I'm here to help you apply for an extension, to give you time to finish it. Your transcript will show an 'Incomplete' for my class until you get that paper finished, but you'll have until the end of April, a good five months, to get that changed. Shouldn't affect your grade standing or anything else, even scholarships. If it does, I'll help you fix it up right away."

"You're a bit more zealous than professors I've seen before, Mr. Wolf." The father seemed to want to step between me and his kit, but I can move more quickly than most people think I can. I refrained from correcting him about my name and got to Dasher's side.

"Your kit is a fine student, if I may say so, Mr. Lassiter. He's got a very good mind, and he is probably the brightest of my current class." I turned with a grin toward Dasher. "Don't let that go to your head; I imagine the pain meds are already swelling it already."

"That's good of you to say, Mr. Wolf, but I'm sure that DeShaun needs his rest."

"This will take only a moment, sir, if you'll let me explain." I took out a small sheaf of papers from my slim courier's pouch and smiled. "To keep the Registrar happy, I need only to get DeShaun's signature on this description of his proposed paper. He and I have talked about it a lot over the last few weeks, and I've taken the liberty of cleaning up the general proposal - a bit of reorganization more than anything else - and I've got it ready."

"He's hardly in a condition to--"

"I've anticipated that, Mr. Lassiter." I removed the back page of the half-dozen in my forepaw and handed it to him. "To make sure that the Registrar is convinced that everything is on the up-and-up, I ask that you and your wife sign this page, simply acknowledging that DeShaun did indeed sign this paper in your presence, even though his signature is likely to be a scrawl." I turned back to Dasher, my eyes again telling volumes that my lips could not. "You've seen this before, I'm sure; if you're strong enough to glance through it - I'll hold the pages - and then you can sign the last one." I grinned, putting the icing on the cake. "I made sure to give you more control over the situation, so that you won't feel pressured into accepting more than you can handle. I'm confident that you'll do well."

I held the pages before him, one at a time. He moved an arm upward, giving the appearance of his forepaw running beneath the words, helping him to concentrate. When he read the title of the document, he flicked another glance at me, and I nodded covertly, reassuring him. He glanced through the rest of the pages, and nodded. "Looks good," he managed carefully. "Thanks for... clearing up the... parts I wasn't sure of."

"You'll be on track now, I'm sure. Your references are good; I'm sure you'll get what you want out of it." I shut up before I laid it on too thick. I took a pen from my pocket - one with a thick barrel, thinking that it would be easier for him to grasp - and placed it in his right forepaw, hoping I'd guessed correctly. He was indeed right-pawed, and he managed to make something like a signature in the right place. I took the pen from him and offered it first to Mr. Lassiter. He looked to his kit, who nodded, and then he signed the paper, having his wife do the same.

I smiled as I gathered pen and papers. "Thanks to you all. DeShaun, I'll make sure these are certified at the Registrar's office," another brief but meaningful look, "and I'll look in on you again, to let you know that it's all in place. Nothing to worry about."

"F'nk you."

It was all I could do not to lean over and kiss the kit's forehead - about the only spot that didn't look damaged. I hoped that my eyes told enough of the story, then turned back to his parents. "I'll take my leave, Mr. Lassiter, Mrs. Lassiter. You've a fine kit there, and I'm honored to know him. I'll take care of this paperwork, and everything will work out well."

"Thank you, Mr. Wolf." The cheetah did not offer his paw in farewell, and his eyes were looking at me uncertainly. I don't think that I radiate my homosexuality in physiognomy or pheromones, but I do sometimes get looks like this from people who worry too much about their own sexuality, or perhaps that of their offspring. I didn't press the issue, figuring that a quick getaway would be best. I stepped back into the hallway as quickly as I dared.

I was puzzled to find that Aleksandr and Reed weren't anywhere to be found. I checked the café and the main entrance areas, where I reactivated my cell phone, hoping to find them that way. What I found was a text from Aleksandr: Need to see you. Important.

Curious, I texted back: At hospital. Dasher okay, Reed can visit. Meet here?

The reply took longer than I would have thought necessary. Meet at your house. Will explain. I love you, dorogoy.

I sent back: On my way. Love you, my lion.

Walking back to the car, I wore a frown that actually hurt.

* * * * *

Pulling into the driveway, I saw Aleksandr's Jeep parked in its accustomed place. I also noticed Sylvie, my next-door neighbor, step out to wave at me. I waved back, knowing that he must have been waiting for me to come back. He's not one to pry, but he does worry about me. Perhaps seeing Aleksandr arrive, knowing I wasn't home... but that's happened before, shouldn't be a problem. What was...?

The tall, buffed lion - in some ways, even more powerfully defined than Aleksandr - pointed to himself, then to the house, and then used one forepaw to make the "I love you" sign. I put my fingertips to my chin and lowered my open palm ("Thank you") and signed "I love you" back to him. He clearly thought there was some drama coming my way, and he'd be there if I needed him.

I let myself in to the house, noticing both Aleksandr and Reed rising from their seat on the couch. Reed looked almost sick, and although Aleksandr's expression was more stoic, the look in his eyes cut me deeply. He was in pain, and my immediate reaction was to go to him and hug him. He almost resisted, which surprised me. I pulled away gently, still not sure what was going on, then turned to Reed. "It's all in place," I told him. "We can get you in to see Dasher anytime you're ready."

The muscular jet-black panther shifted his stance slightly, look confused. "I don't..."

Reaching into my bag, I withdrew the forms. "I got Dasher's signature on this durable power of attorney for healthcare. Better still, his parents signed a document affirming that they saw him sign it, of his own free will. And I'm a notary public for this state, so I can affix my seal and have it ready for anyone who questions it."

"His parents agreed to that?" Aleksandr asked.

"No. They only signed a document saying that they witnessed Dasher's signature, not what it was affixed to." I smiled. "Sheila wants me to come clerk for her at her law firm. We'll get copies of this into Dasher's medical file, and you have a direct say in his care, which means that his parents can't throw you out of the room. In theory, you could toss them out, if you wanted to."

I was smiling, but the smile ran away quickly as I gazed at Reed's face. He looked at me in abject misery, and I could almost swear that he was going to start crying, although I knew well that he was unaccustomed to such displays. I began to move toward him and felt Aleksandr's forepaw on my arm. I waited, seeing Reed starting to shake. When he finally spoke, he said, "I don't deserve that."

"What do you mean?"

Aleksandr put an arm around me and guided me to sit in my chair, then helped Reed to sit on the sofa again. The panther's tail flipped about agitatedly, and he hugged himself about his firm middle. I could see that Aleksandr wanted to reach out to him, but he held back, and again, I couldn't understand what was preventing him.

"Tristan," Reed began. "I'm so sorry, I never should have..." He took a breath and tried again. "I don't have any excuse, I just... it sort of just happened, but I never wanted to hurt you, it's all..." He looked up at me, his eyes filled with pain and uncertainty, yet determined to keep going. "I shouldn't have stayed with Aleksandr last night. I didn't mean for it to happen. I was... I was hurting so much, and now..."

When he stopped, I looked at him as gently as I could. "Reed, are you trying to say that you and Aleksandr made love last night?"

"I..." the panther began. "Tristan, I'm so sorry. I took advantage of him, I should never--"

"Wait," I interrupted him softly. "Reed, tell me this: What were you feeling when it happened?"

He looked at me, his bright yellow eyes large, looking as if I were speaking to him in a foreign language. He shook his head, not comprehending.

"Tell me what you were feeling last night, Reed," I said, my voice almost a whisper. "What was it that you felt when it happened?"

His body shaking slightly, Reed still only looked at me. I think I knew why, but to be sure I needed words. I turned instead to Aleksandr. "Is it okay for me to ask you, love?"

My great cerulean-furred lion looked at me somberly, and it was clear that he wasn't entirely sure what I would do or say. I could tell that he felt that he was testing the limits of our trust and our love. He held my gaze and began. "You know that Reed and I were lovers once. Last night, we were lovers again. He was so very worried about Dasher, and he was deeply in need. I invited him to sleep with me, to hold him and try to calm him." He paused, glancing away for a moment, shaking his huge indigo mane. "I was hurting with him. It had been a shock to hear about Dasher, and..." He looked back at me. "Dorogoy... if I can still call you that..."

"Of course you can," I said softly. "Please, Aleksandr - tell me what you were feeling."

His beautiful antique gold eyes revealed his soul so completely that I thought I would fall into them. "Tristan, I felt love for Reed. I wanted to hold and comfort him. His pain was so deep that I thought touch might be the only way to reach him. I remember how I loved him before, and that he is my friend, and that I still love and care for him. I felt love, dorogoy."

"You made love."

"Yes." He seemed to understand a little more then, and his expression changed slightly. "Yes, I made love."

I turned back to Reed. "Is that true? Can you tell me what you felt?" I leaned toward him, not in menace but in tenderness. "Please tell me what you were feeling. It's important."

"Why aren't you...?" The panther looked at me in disbelief. "We just told you what happened - I made Aleksandr be unfaithful to you. It's my fault, I didn't mean it to happen, I wasn't trying to hurt you..."

For a moment, I honestly considered slapping him across the muzzle just to get him to stop repeating the same self-hurting accusations over and over. I could hear Perry Mason about to object to my leading the witness. "Reed, do you love Aleksandr?"

He paused, as if searching his heart for answers. "I did. And we're still friends."

"Then yes, you love him. Friendship is love. And so is being there for someone. That includes being there to help me when Roy showed up that afternoon. I told you then that I'm very glad that you and Aleksandr are still friends."

"But not like this!" Reed blurted out.

He wasn't hearing me, and I took the chance. As fluidly as an old bear can manage, I got up from my chair, crossed to the sofa, leaned down and took him into my arms. He struggled for a moment, perhaps thinking I was trying to hurt him somehow. I held him close and said gently, "Reed, I love you."

All movement stopped. I don't think he was even breathing. I kept on holding him, and I felt more than saw Aleksandr move close to us and put his arms around us both. "I love you too, Reed," the great lion rumbled softly. "And I love you, my dorogoy."

Reed was still shaking, still not understanding. I shifted enough to take his muzzle in my paws and make him look at me. "I'm not inviting you to an orgy, Reed." I smiled at him. "I'm telling you that I love you, and that I'm here to help you and Dasher in any way that I can. Because I love both of you. And I love Aleksandr with all my heart and soul, and I hope he won't mind if I say in front of him that I'm truly, deeply, joyously proud of him."

The panther clearly thought that I was mad; I suspected that he was looking for some way to break out of this three-part huddle and run screaming through the neighborhood in search of a padded wagon from the local asylum. I pulled back to give him a little air, and I knelt at his hindpaws looking up at him.

"Reed, I need you to hear me. I don't hate you at all. I love you. And you have nothing to be sorry for, nothing to apologize for. You have shared love with Aleksandr before, and I'm willing to bet that last night may have been the most intimate love you've ever shared with him." I took his forepaws into my own. "You told me that you weren't very good at expressing your feelings. I don't want to embarrass you, although I fear that I may. You don't cry easily, do you?"

Still not understanding clearly, the panther shook his head slowly.

"But you did last night."

He didn't move, although his bright yellow eyes changed slightly, like clouds passing.

"You hurt so much for Dasher, and you couldn't be with him. I can only imagine how much that hurt, being forbidden to be with him when he needed you the most. You turned to Aleksandr for help, and he called me so that I could help too." I smiled a little. "Did you know that I recommended to him that he keep you there last night?"

Reed blinked.

"No, I didn't know this would happen, but I'm not surprised that it did. I'm actually glad that it did. It gave Aleksandr a way to help you. It gave you a way to cry."

"But we..." He swallowed, blinked. "Aren't you angry that he was unfaithful?"

"He wasn't." I smiled again. "He was completely faithful to himself, and it's he who I love. We haven't had much chance to talk about this idea between us, and he took a chance - perhaps because he knows how much faith I have in him, and in his love. He also knows how much he loves you, and Dasher as well I suspect."

"But that's not what relationships... it doesn't work that way."

I squeezed his paws gently. "If relationships aren't about love, they're in trouble from the very beginning. My dear Reed, this is all incredibly new to you, and it will take a lot more explaining... and right now, what you really need is to go be with Dasher. Right now, just know that I love you, and Aleksandr loves you, and that you've done nothing wrong to either of us. Know that deep down, because you're going to need your strength to help Dasher. Are you ready?"

After a long pause, he shook his head yet again. "I still don't understand."

"You will," Aleksandr said, a smile on his muzzle. "You're so much smarter than you give yourself credit for, Reed. I've always known that about you. C'mon - let Tristan explain what we need to do next." He paused so that his next words would be heard that much more fully. "Dasher's waiting for you."

That seemed to get through to him when nothing else had. He finally nodded and said, "Okay... what do I do?"

"It's what we do," I smiled. "We're in this together."

* * * * *

Within an hour, we were ready to go. I telephoned Sylvie briefly to say that all was well, and that I expected him and Maggers for dinner later, where all would be revealed. The big lion hated suspense, but he reckoned he'd make it for several more hours. Aleksandr, Reed and I piled into my van and rode to the hospital together, talking over the finer points of a durable power of attorney for health care. In theory, given the timing of our arrival, Reed and Dasher could have lunch together, even if it were only liquid supplements and gelatin cubes.

I found that the Assistant Administrator for the hospital was both sympathetic and supportive, and after all of the paperwork was in place, he invited a couple of the hospital security staff up to the floor with us - to stay out of sight unless needed. I truly hoped we wouldn't have to wage war, but I didn't know how Dasher's parents were going to react. I went in first with the AA, hoping for the best, prepared for the worst.

The Lassiters rose when we came in, both of them casting me deeply suspicious looks. The AA, a lean gray-furred otter of early middle years and a level of diplomacy and intellect that belied that young age, introduced himself. "Palmer McMurray, Assistant Administrator here at the hospital. You are Mr. and Mrs. Lassiter?" He put a forepaw out for the male cheetah to shake. It took several seconds for it to be accepted. "Good to meet you. I wanted to talk to you about your kit's care here at our hospital."

"What is it?" The mother took a step forward. "Where are the doctors?"

"Nothing of that serious nature, Mrs. Lassiter. Medically, your kit is doing very well." He looked at Dasher with a smile. "That's easy for me to say, eh?" He sobered slightly. "I do hope you're starting to feel better."

Dasher nodded gently, the ghost of a smile on his damaged muzzle. "Thtarting to, f'nks."

McMurray turned back to the cheetah parents. "We've had a special request from a young panther named Reed Burchett--"

"He is not welcome here," the father asserted firmly.

The otter's face took on a professional level of sympathy. "I respect your feelings, sir, but I must inform you that Mr. Burchett is named as the principal in a durable power of attorney for health care, signed by your kit, who is of age; the document is properly executed and notarized. The secondary is one Aleksandr Mashchenko. They're both waiting outside."

"They can wait until Satan drives a snowplow to work," Mr. Lassiter growled harshly. "They're not coming in here."

"DAD." All eyes turned to the voice. I could see Dasher trying very hard to control himself. His good eye stared hard at his father. "Want him here. Want both."

"DeShaun, you don't know what you're saying." Mrs. Lassiter took over, and I recalled my earlier assessment, downgrading it a few notches. "Those medicines are clouding your judgment."

Dasher's eye became more cold than not. "Want Reed. A'ksndr. Here. Now."

"Mrs. Lassiter, Mr. Lassiter, why don't we step out of the room for a moment? We can talk about this outside--"

"I'm not leaving." The lady cheetah moved to her son's side and looked at him with a sort of loving contempt. "You're my kit, and I won't have you being ordered about by some--"

"Want Reed now," Dasher said more clearly.

As the otter tried to restore some order, I backed out of the already crowded room and went to where Aleksandr and Reed stood waiting with the security guards. One of them, a young Dalmatian, looked at me sympathetically. "Trouble?"

"I hope not," I said honestly. "We've already had enough. Which reminds me - do you guys know if the police have been here to take DeShaun's statement?"

"That young cheetah?" The other guard, an older Italian mastiff with large hanging jowls, nodded. "I saw them come by the security desk a little while ago. A couple of guys in suits; armed cops tend to make the other patients nervous. Seeing a gun, no matter who's paw it's in, is a disturbing sight. Can I ask about the ruckus here?"

"A bit of enforced diplomacy," I ventured. "I think that it may be a case of parents denying that their kit is gay. Does that bother you?"

The mastiff shrugged. "I'm only here to help keep things peaceful. Think we can do that?"

"I certainly hope so. I'm a peacenik from long ago."

At the door to Dasher's room, the otter appeared and gestured toward us. After a bit of confusion, we finally figured that he meant for Reed and one of the guards to enter the room. The Dalmatian went with him. Looking back over his shoulder, the guard grinned at his companion. "Let's avoid tear gas, eh?"

The mastiff harrumphed. "One campus riot, and it's on your record for years."

I patted his shoulder. "For what it's worth, I'd love to hear that story sometime."

"Why?"

"I might have been there."

The guard chuckled good-naturedly, and we did our best to wait quietly with whatever was happening. After several minutes, Mr. and Mrs. Lassiter exited the room, their faces set in masks of barely-controlled fury, followed by the Dalmatian, whose expression I could not read. I nudged Aleksandr to go on into the room, then I crossed the floor to stop the Lassiters before they could leave. "Please let me help," I said, without preamble.

The couple stopped, staring at me. The lady cat spoke first, her voice icy. "I imagine that you are behind the plot to steal our son from us."

"Quite the opposite, Mrs. Lassiter. I owe a large debt of gratitude to your kit. He quite literally helped save my life, only a few weeks ago."

"How?" the father asked flatly.

"My life was threatened by a young German shepherd who was jealous over me. DeShaun was one of Aleksandr's guests when it happened; he and Reed prevented that shep from hurting me or the other guests. We think it was that pup who attacked DeShaun, and if so, we're all prepared to help get him sent to prison for the maximum sentence possible."

The lady cat stepped closer to me. "Then you are part of this... this group of..."

"The word you're looking for, Mrs. Lassiter, is friends."

The slap was hard and fast, catching me completely off guard. I staggered sideways and might have fallen if the young Dalmatian hadn't been so quick. I replaced my glasses, which had nearly flown off my face when the lady cat slapped my muzzle hard. I managed to straighten up slowly and face her directly, my arms hanging at my side. She shook visibly as she stared at me, her fury too huge to allow any other expression. Her husband put a paw on her shoulder and looked at me with no less contempt in his eyes.

"Our kit has just commanded that we leave him, and you dare to make jokes?" he grunted through gritted teeth.

"I'm quite certain that your kit has not--"

"He has just chosen that... pederast over us!"

"No," I said with a steel-edged calm. "He has chosen to be loved instead of imprisoned. When you decide that you want to love him, he'll welcome you back into his life with open arms."

I saw the change in the father's eyes, and both the Dalmatian and the mastiff did as well. "Why don't we get some fresh air, sir?" the older guard said.

"I will have you arrested," Lassiter said coldly. "I will break that power of attorney and have you charged with... with..."

I spoke softly and, perhaps more astonishingly, with actual sympathy in my voice and my heart. "What is it that terrifies you so much, Mr. Lassiter?"

The lady cat started to move again, but the mastiff seemed to know her thoughts even before she did. Putting a strong but gently restraining paw to her arm, he said, "You've already had your free hit, ma'am. There'll be no more of that. Now let's go downstairs. You'd be amazed how cool air can calm the mind."

Moving to the male cat's side, the Dalmatian looked back at me. "Do you want to..."

"No," I said. "Nothing happened here."

The two guards escorted the cheetahs gently out of the ward and down the hall. I was surprised to see one of the nurses from the nurse's station come up to me carefully, a tissue in her hand. It was only after she touched my muzzle that I realized the blow had been sharp enough to split my lip. I winced sharply. "It's really not bad," the sleek marmoset told me softly. "Bet it stings like a bugger, though."

"If you have a sailor on the ward, would you wake him up and have him say something appropriate for me?"

She smiled. "Come now, Mr. Black Wolf; I'm sure you've used a few such words in your day. I've read your books."

"This wasn't how I'd hoped to meet my public." I smiled, gently, taking the tissue from her.

"Just hold it there for a bit. You won't need stitches like your young friend; if it starts to hurt, you can use some oral anesthetic spray on it. We're not supposed to use brand names like Chloraseptic." She put a paw coquettishly to her lips. "Well, shut mah mouf!" she chuckled at me.

"I won't squeal if you won't squeal. Thanks."

I padded slowly back into the room. The sight of Reed sitting next to the bed tenderly holding Dasher's paw made any and all pain go away at once. If love could be collected and measured, I wagered that science had yet to find a number large enough to encompass what flowed between them. Aleksandr looked on from a short distance, reflecting all that love and more. He looked up at me, a sweet smile on his muzzle, telling me stories about his love of Reed, and of Dasher, and of me, and I felt my heart more full than I could ever have hoped for.

The young otter moved to my side, smiling. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you all were family."

"I'd like to think we are." Reed cast a glance at me, still unsure but for the moment completely filled with his passion for Dasher. For his part, the young cheetah looked over at me with his good eye and nodded slowly.

"F'nk you, Thr'stn."

I smiled at him. "We'll talk when it's easier for you." I paused, the smile weakening. "I saw your parents in the hall." The cheetah looked at me, managing to indicate my bloodied muzzle. "Your mom's got a surprising right cross. Don't worry, lad, I'm all right. I'm sorry that it's come to this. Your parents seem to think that you've dismissed them from your life. I know better, don't worry. And we'll find a way to reconcile all this. Meanwhile, with your permission - and that of your guardians here - I'd like to arrange to have you discharged into our care, at my home. You can have the spare room, and the three of us can take shifts to make sure you're looked after. I suspect Reed will want the night shift." I winked at the panther. "Take it easy on him, eh?"

Reed, no doubt still confused, did his best to smile at me. "Sounds like a lot of trouble."

"None at all," Aleksandr cast his vote. "It'll be easier for all of us to have the resources we might need. It's a good central location. I suspect that we might be able to call in Gerry and Logan, if need be."

"And my neighbors Sylvie and Maggers will be glad to help also." I looked to the hospital administrator. "What sort of paperwork do we need?"

The otter smiled happily. "Doctor's approval for release, approval from Mr. Lassiter and/or his health guardians, and whatever billing information is required. I think I can safely say that he'll be given to his family for the rest of his care."

I raised an eyebrow with an unspoken question.

"No," he chuckled. "Straight but not narrow."

"So," said Dasher, obviously much happier now. "When k'n I go?"

"Heavens!" McMurray deadpanned. "You wouldn't want to miss a hospital lunch, now would you?"

* * * * *

We brought Dasher home that afternoon. (As a vote of sympathy, we all had protein shakes and gelatin for lunch. I promised something much better for dinner. And I hoped that no one noticed me sneaking out of the house for a quick burger later that afternoon...) I notified Sylvie when we'd be arriving, and he volunteered to make sure the spare bedroom was ready. I suppose I could have been offended, but I knew that the offer was kind... and I know full well that I'm not always the best housekeeper on the planet. Besides, it made a great excuse for Sylvie (and later, Maggers, the great muscular black bull who comprised the other half of that most remarkable couple) to meet my and Aleksandr's friends.

Dasher was ensconced in his own private fiefdom with a great fuss and to-do that embarrassed him only a little and amused him to no end. Sylvie immediately became everyone's new best friend and was around long enough for Gerry and Logan to drop by and introduce themselves. My leonine neighbor took the lead and made up a master list of names, cell phone numbers, and times to volunteer keeping an eye on Dasher for the balance of the week. By that time, he should be fine on his own, although we all had plans for some more pampering over the weekend as a celebration of his getting better.

I had made arrangements with the hospital to make sure that Dasher's parents knew where he was, if they wanted to come visit him. It would be easier for me to eject them from my home than from a hospital room, if it came to that... but it didn't. I was sad that they didn't even bother to contact their own kit via his cellular phone. I could only hope that they would eventually heal the rift. I did make it a point to know what Dasher planned for Christmas break, in case he needed housing then as well.

On Tuesday mid-afternoon, Dasher got a phone call from the local police. Reed took it, and since he was one of those with prior complaints against Roy, the officer gave him the information. Roy had been found on Monday night, drunk, rowdy, and making the mistake of being too aggressive toward a couple of cops who came up to ask if the staggering shep needed some help. Checking Roy's ID, the officers discovered the warrant for the beating in the early Sunday hours, along with the complaints we'd registered a few weeks before, and the shep was arraigned that morning. Idiotically, he pled Not Guilty and chose a "fast track" option for a trial. Because of the prior complaints, he was held without bail - and frankly, I'd have been surprised if anyone would have coughed it up anyway.

None of us was required to be at the trial, even Dasher. I called Sheila to verify, and she very kindly offered us all a bargain rate to take our depositions in the matter; as a member of the bar, thus an officer of the court, Sheila recorded our statements, had them typed up later, and they were all signed, witnessed, and given to the DA's office well in time for the trial, which was slated for some time in December. With six statements from us, plus medical records and (apparently) an eyewitness who had interrupted the beating and saw Roy running off with blood on his paws, we were reasonably certain of a slam-dunk. For Roy's sake, I hoped so. Perhaps it's a trait of lions, but both Aleksandr and Sylvie were - shall we say - strongly opposed to Roy's being back on the street.

By Thursday, Dasher was feeling good enough to be moving around on his own, although we all still took turns making sure someone was within shouting distance if anything went wrong. He was weaning himself off of the pain meds (mostly for the bruised ribs, the last things to heal), and he could still act a little loopy sometimes. My classes were done by lunchtime, and I posted a note in my office saying I'd be available by cell if needed and otherwise to let it wait for other office hours. I came home to find Dasher and Logan in high spirits and making sandwiches.

The comely young folf set plates down at the kitchen table and indicated that I should sit down. "We made lunch for you," he said, smiling. "My shift is over, and I've already had a salad."

"Not staying?" I asked.

"Interview and audition at a talent agency!" he said excitedly. "I don't know what you told them, Tristan, but this agency really wants me to come talk with them."

"I sent a photo of you, explained how I knew you, and said that I thought you'd be worth talking to." I grinned. "Your natural beauty and talent have to take it from here!"

Logan leaned over and kissed my muzzle softly. "Have I mentioned lately that I absolutely love you?"

"Say it as often as you wish." I squeezed his forepaws in my own. "Go get 'em, gorgeous! And be sure you call or come by to tell us the results!"

The folf, all dancing and flowing cream and beige fur, promised to do so and left me and Dasher to our lunches. The cheetah laughed. "I thought I had a lot of energy, but watching Logan makes me tired!"

"You're still recuperating," I smiled. "You're allowed. I'm just glad you're appetite is back."

Dasher smiled softly. "Don't think I could have managed much longer on soft food. Although I have to tell you, that Tuscan chicken stew you whipped up was amazing."

I managed a nonchalant wave of the paw. "McCormick recipes save the day."

The cheetah smiled a bit lopsidedly, a condition that would be fully healed before long, and regarded me carefully. "Reed talked to me last night."

Slowly, I nodded. "I think I we both know, but please tell me what he said."

"He said that he and Aleksandr had sex last weekend. And he asked for my forgiveness."

"And what did you tell him?"

"The truth." Dasher put down his sandwich and put his paws carefully on the table. Though no longer bandaged, they clearly weren't quite thoroughly healed. "That I love him, and that I wanted to talk to you about it. He told me some things that I didn't understand."

"Perhaps he didn't understand them either." I smiled softly. "Aleksandr and I tried to get him to understand, but we didn't do a very good job, I guess."

"Do you and Aleksandr have an open relationship?"

I thought for a moment. "Dasher, I'm not sure that I want to put any sort of label on our relationship. The problem with labels is that everyone else thinks that they are rules, descriptors, or doors - open or closed. I'm an old bear, and I've seen a lot of craziness in my day. For one hair-raising point in my young life, I was said to be a 'submissive, bottom-switch, slave-in-training, pig-sex bitch.' I think that's the full description; I may have missed a kink or two."

Dasher looked mildly horrified. "How did...?"

"It wasn't my doing," I chuckled. "I can promise you that Aleksandr wouldn't accept that definition of me, nor would he try adding to it. He might tease me about being a muscle-worshipper, mind you. You've met Sylvie and Maggers, and although they are two of the best reasons I had for moving into this house, I promise it's not because they're absolute studs. Well, okay - not only because they're absolute studs."

The young cheetah took a breath, regained his humor a little. "I can see why you're worried about labels," he agreed.

"And I can see why you asked the question." I leaned my elbows on the table, held his gaze steadily. "Dasher, you know that Aleksandr and Reed were lovers once. In the midst of a crisis that Reed had no idea how to handle, he reached out to his friend, and to me, to ask for our help. I told Aleksandr on the phone that he should convince Reed to stay with him, since he couldn't be with you. I didn't know that they would make love together, but as I told them, I'm not surprised that they did. And as I also told them, I'm very proud of Aleksandr for being able to share his love so openly."

"Then you don't consider that Aleksandr was unfaithful?"

"Not at all. Here, let me approach it this way. When people use the word 'unfaithful' in reference to something that happens in a relationship, what they are trying to say is that they had an agreement to be exclusive to each other sexually, and one of them broke that promise. The lack of faith was to a promise made. Aleksandr and I have no such promise to each other, or at least we haven't spoken of it. So to begin with, he hasn't broken any rules we've established for one another.

"Now let me tell you what I tried to tell Reed. To me, what Aleksandr did was an act of love. How can I be angry with my beloved when he showed so much strength and courage, to give his love to someone who was hurting so badly?" I smiled softly. "I know that Reed loves Aleksandr too, and that's the other reason I have no problem with this. Reed's emotions were need, and love, and accepting the gift. If Reed's thoughts had been that he would somehow hurt me or Aleksandr by being with him - something I cannot conceive of his ever doing - it would have been an entirely different matter. But there was no hatred, no anger, no trace of anything that would hurt. It was all about love. Pushing away pain and fear by creating love together. Making love."

Dasher regarded me for a long moment before he spoke. "You may be the strongest person I've ever met."

"Love is the strongest emotion there is. And before you ask, no, I wasn't always like this. Not by a long chalk!" I laughed, enjoying Dasher's continued look of mild awe. "It takes a lot of belief, and a lot of support. When I met Aleksandr - that was only this past summer, mind you - I wasn't nearly this secure in my own love. In many ways, it is he who brought me to my strength. Before him, Sylvie and Maggers helped me through some really tough times, and I love them so very much. And now Gerry, Logan, Reed, and you, Dasher. You all show so much love. You all keep proving me right."

"I don't know if I'm that strong."

"Why do you say that?"

The cheetah looked down for a moment, frowning. "I get the feeling that Reed thinks that we won't be ... well, 'even' maybe, if I don't go to bed with you."

It would have been grossly inappropriate to laugh, and although it was a near thing, I managed to keep my face calm. "Please forgive me if I say that I think Reed is being a bit literal. I had no such idea in mind."

Dasher blushed and grinned. "He did tell me that you said you weren't inviting him to an orgy."

Happily, I was free to chuckle aloud at that one. "He's right. Forgive me if I'm talking out of turn here - I get the impression that Reed has trouble with the word 'love,' just as he's not always good at expressing his emotions openly." The cheetah nodded, and I continued. "Maybe he told you - do you know if he cried that night?"

"I think he did; he wouldn't come right out and say it."

I nodded. "That's the vulnerability that gave Aleksandr the courage to reach out to him. For Reed, sexual lovemaking is one of his great comforts. And I completely agree with that." I grinned. "You can get Aleksandr to confirm that."

The young cheetah laughed at that one, then sobered again. "So you don't want to...?" He looked up shyly, and I realized all in a sudden that he wasn't entirely sure what answer he really wanted to hear. I looked into my own heart, and I discovered that I wasn't really sure either. I took a deep breath and sought for the most loving answer I could find.

"DeShaun Lassiter, you are one of the most beautiful males I've ever known, and I love you deeply. I love your mind, your heart, your smile, and every last spot on your gorgeous furry bod. It would be an honor, a privilege, a deep and lifelong joy to make love with you. And I would like to invite you to keep making love with me for as long as we know each other." I let out a soft breath. "And I don't think we need to be sexual with each other, at least not right now."

The look in the kit's eyes was somewhere between relieved and disappointed. I had more to explain to him.

"Right now, my beautiful kit, our coupling would be to somehow 'make you even' with Reed. And even though I know you want to reconcile with him, that's not the way. I'd be lying if I said that I'm not hoping that an opportunity finds us, sometime in the future. Not today, though. A wonderful thing, done for the wrong reason, still ends up being wrong. That's why Aleksandr and Reed's love making was so special - a wonderful thing, done for the right reason." I sighed and smiled. "I'm so proud of my lion that I could burst."

"I think I understand that now." The kit's eyes misted slightly, and he smiled back at me. "I'm starting to realize just how lucky I am."

"And how strong you are."

"Not yet."

"You will be."

For several minutes, we enjoyed the silence and finished our sandwiches. When we were done, Dasher told me that he thought he would nap for a short while. I took him into the guest room and brought out a light blanket for him. Before he climbed into bed, he stepped up to me, took my face gently in his paws, and gave me a long, sweet kiss of tenderly touching muzzles and the slightest hint of tongues. At length, he pulled back, then put his head against my chest as he hugged me warmly.

"I love you, Tristan. And I love Reed, and Aleksandr... my family..." I felt his chest hitch once as I pulled him close to me (gently, the bandages under his shirt reminded me), and then he settled again. I pressed his head against my chest, pet his headfur softly, letting him calm himself. After a moment, he pulled back and looked at me. "You're my family now."

I still held out hope for reconciliation with his parents, but now wasn't the time to tell him. "I accept, with all my heart. I'll be here. We'll all be here for you."

He lay down tiredly, and after I laid the blanket on him, I kissed his forehead. "Get some rest, kitling," I whispered to him. "If you're up before the others get back, we'll cuddle up and watch a DVD together."

Dasher smiled sleepily. "I'll hold you to that."

"And I'll hold you right back. Count on it."

I left him to doze for as long as he wished. Back in my bedroom, I changed into sweat pants and a scrub shirt - my usual "comfies" for knocking about the house - and I sat on my own bed for a few minutes to think about all that had happened. I found my cell phone and tapped out a message to Aleksandr: Wish I knew which deities to thank, for you and for all my loved ones.

After a moment, my phone chirruped with a reply: Thank them all... and remember to thank them for you, too.

And because I always do what my beloved tells me to - especially when he's right - I spent several minutes shedding few happy tears and saying "Thank you," over and over and over again...