Work Text:
Angela knows this has been a long time coming.
This doesn't make it any easier, though. If anything, knowing that there was never going to be any other ending, that her dog's life would end in a vet's office, just makes it harder for Angela to stay calm.
“I can’t, ‘Manda, I can’t, I can’t stay, please."
Each breath Angela takes is rapid and shallow. Her chest rises and falls quickly, and she speaks frantically with tears running down her face.
She’s not sure what exactly she’s asking for, but Amanda seems to know what she needs.
She hears the desperation in Angela’s voice and it breaks her heart, and after looking back at the vet - who gives her a sad, understanding nod - she puts her hands on Angela’s shoulders: “It’s okay. He’s already asleep, Ang, he won’t feel anything. His last memory was you hugging and loving him, I promise, you can go.”
Tears now begin to rise to Amanda’s eyes as well and her own voice cracks when she leads Angela out of the door and softly caresses her hair, whispering “It’s okay” all over again.
The second the door closes behind them, Angela breaks down completely.
She slides down the wall and pulls her legs to her chest, sobbing loud enough to make the vet’s assistant, who’s on the computer behind his desk, look up and throw Amanda a compassionate look.
She nods, signaling that she can handle it, and sits down on the cold, tiled floor of the veterinary clinic next to Angela.
"I am so, so sorry, Ang," Amanda murmurs into the crook of her neck as she puts her arm around her waist and pulls her closer, "I am so sorry."
Amanda doesn't know how much time they spend sitting on the floor. And she doesn't care. She would've spent hours hugging Angela, drying her tears, comforting her as best as she could. And she does.