Chapter Text
Pawbert looked at the doctor expectantly with impatience - well it's simple when you- a phone started ringing in the room, he immediately answered - mmm yeah, no, actually, I found more things than we thought...... yeah, of course, I'm free, he was the last one........I'm on my way right now - he took the documents in a folder that he had on the desk in front of Pawbert and left still talking on the phone, Pawbert frowned a little in annoyance since he didn't answer his question, he stayed sitting in his place, honestly it was nice to be completely alone for a while.
After approximately 15 or 17 minutes he started nodding off to sleep, and falling asleep until the doctor arrived again, he gave a small jump of surprise and went rigid - well, ummm there was a change of plans given your current physical condition, the law doesn't allow us to just send you like this, we need you to recover at least 60% from your injuries... So... We have to find other options for you, look, well, for now the only official thing we have is that you will be transferred to a hospital outside the prison, to treat your fracture a little better and that, but I don't know exactly what will happen after, anyway, we will do that, come, follow me" - the wolf made a gesture with his hand signaling him to follow, Pawbert got up slowly with a grimace of pain, but followed him as best he could, a couple of guards joined them when they left the office, Cattrick who was also nodding off from boredom woke up when he saw Pawbert and the rest leaving without them, he was bewildered he didn't know whether to feel relief or rage, since he didn't know if where they were taking Pawbert was something good or bad, he just followed him with his gaze, Pawbert felt Cattrick's accusatory stare and turned to look at him for a few seconds, lowering his ears when he met his older brother's gaze.
When he left they handcuffed him and put him in a patrol car, upon arriving at the hospital he was also escorted inside, the wolf doctor told the nurses there everything he had said he had, and with more details that he didn't understand, and they took him to a room, Pawbert felt somewhat anxious, he didn't know what would happen next but for now he will only do what they tell him, a little while later they put his paw in a cast and kept him for a while on a gurney with IVs, he slept for a while, he really needed it,
He slept more than he imagined, when he woke up it was all dark, he turned his head to see a small clock, 4:30 in the morning, would he stay here until he recovered? He didn't think so, but then?......he spent a while thinking about what they could do with him after, it was 5:13 am, until he fell asleep again, he woke up slowly upon hearing a small commotion of voices around him, although he woke up slowly, honestly although the night of sleep helped him he still felt tired, when he opened his eyes heavily he saw a couple of nurses chatting with..... Gary?! He opened his eyes wide when he realized, Gary turned - "oh! Buddy! You're awake, what a joy" - the nurses stepped away to give them space, Pawbert didn't know what to feel, well he did know, guilt, he didn't want to see Gary again, he didn't deserve to see him again, they were supposed to keep him away from him, why was Gary here?! Did they make him come, he must be very upset about being forced to come to see the animal that tried to kill you and your friends tried to ruin your life and your family's, Pawbert felt helpless and anxious, he started to tremble slightly,he lowered his head and ears in shame, he couldn't bear to look Gary in the eyes, he didn't say a single word, without realizing his collar lit up yellow, Gary saw him worried, he approached slowly, saw the little light of the collar in yellow, and got more worried - "p-partner, wait, breathe, it's okay" - Gary said with a reassuring voice, although still worried, he noticed Pawbert's mini panic attack, he wanted to hug him but wasn't sure if this would make Pawbert worse - "Pawbert, y-you have to help me, calm down a little because if not the collar-" he didn't finish the sentence when Pawbert, who had his paws gripping the sheets, felt a small and painful electric shock, Pawbert startled at this with a whimper and grabbing the collar, this helped him get out of his trance but generated more questions for him - "or else that would happen" - Gary said worried and sad realizing it had already happened - "I-I should have said it faster since I arrived, I'm sorry" - Pawbert raised his gaze to Gary, looked at him for a few seconds, his look of guilt, as if any of this was his fault, his voice came out somewhat weak and hoarse, he hadn't spoken much for a while now- "it's not your fault, it's just that........why are you here?" - he tried not to sound accusatory, it wasn't annoyance what he felt, he lowered his ears and looked away when he finished his question, - "oh.... Well, Judy, Nick and I were informed about your current condition, they explained to us that they couldn't take you back until you recover a little, they asked us if we didn't know of any other family member of yours, Nick and Judy investigated about it, and uhh you do have but they didn't want to get involved in this, so, they asked Judy and Nick if they could act as guards, but uhhhh Nick didn't want to, nor did he let Judy, I volunteered from the beginning even though they didn't want to let me, although given the circumstances they did let me in the end, they said I can come visit you on your days here, but you won't be able to stay here forever, so most likely I'll take you with me to my house!" - he said this last part with a small smile, Pawbert stayed thinking about everything Gary had just told him, it didn't make sense, why did they let him go with him if he tried to kill him, why would he want that? Why would he take him to his home?.
-although......- Gary's voice brought him back to reality.- "you will have to wear the collar while you are out of prison, I tried to get them to put an ankle monitor on you instead but they refused, in fact, it was somewhat complicated to get them to let me take you, but.. don't worry, I will try to help you control the little shocks of the collar well, oh oh, and you will see my new home, I live near my parents, I hope you like it, oh and we can do activities and -" Gary's voice felt distant, Pawbert had stopped listening to him a while ago he felt strange, he definitely felt from this moment like a burden, like he had been all his life, but, this was worse, and that was even before going to Gary's house, heavens, the idea made his chest hurt a little, Gary looked so excited about that, but he didn't want to be a nuisance