Fic: Dogsbody (12/13)

[rusty_armour]

Title: Dogsbody (12/13)
Author: Rusty Armour
Pairing: Lester/Quinn
Summary: Lester is forced to depend on the people around him when he finds himself in a strange and startling predicament.
Word Count: 1,320
Rating: Slash, PG-13
Spoilers: S3 in general
Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the characters or the shiny prehistoric creatures. I just played with them for a while and then returned them to the toy chest.
A/N: I was inspired to write this fic after reading knitekat’s Under the Moonlight, the first story in the Under the Moonlight wolfverse. Although I had intended to post this as a serial, the original plan was to finish the story first, as I swore to myself that I wouldn’t commit another crime of WIP. However, as so often happens, this story ended up being longer and more complicated than I’d imagined. Reality has also been rearing its ugly head and there are other commitments I can’t put off any longer, so…WIP. Well, at least this time, a large portion of the story has already been written, so I think most of the posts should be delivered in a timely fashion.

This is a sequel to Ps & Qs and Better Late Than Never, though this could probably be read as a stand-alone. As you’ll quickly realize, this story is complete crack and unapologetically self-indulgent. I’ve had a lot of fun writing this – probably too much fun. *g*

I’d like to give a big thanks to lukadreaming for the Brit-check beta.

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“I didn’t want to do that, but you left me no choice.”

Lester managed to lift his head enough to see Anna Taylor standing over him with a gun – the same gun that had fired the bullet that was currently lodged in his shoulder. At least, Lester thought it was his shoulder. The pain was so intense that it seemed to be everywhere. The slightest movement was excruciating, and it took all his concentration to ignore the spots dancing before his eyes.

Anna studied Lester, appraising him coolly. “You’re just determined to hurt me, aren’t you, James? It’s not enough that you tried to have me killed in my universe. Oh, no. You decided to attack me in yours as well.” Anna sighed as if this additional betrayal was all too much to bear. “I had considered transferring your consciousness back to your own body, but you’ve blown your chances now.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” a voice said.

Lester’s eyes blinked open in surprise and his tail wagged weakly.

Danny, dressed as a security guard, had stepped out from behind one of the machines. He moved directly behind Anna and had her in a chokehold before she could turn to face him. Then he was pressing his own gun against Anna’s head.

“Drop it, bitch,” Danny hissed.

Anna hesitated for a few seconds before opening her hand and allowing her gun to fall and clatter on the floor.

“Now,” Danny said, “I believe you were about to tell James how much you’d love to help him.”

“I don’t bloody think so,” Anna growled.

Danny tightened his grip around Anna’s neck and tapped the muzzle of his gun against the side of her head. Then, he looked across the control room, as if just remembering the guards, and grinned. “I suggest you lower your weapons, boys, or I’ll make sure the boss lady gets it.”

Lester couldn’t see what was happening, but he could hear weapons clacking against wood as the guards placed their guns. Then, Becker was barking out orders to his men, and Lester could feel the vibration of combat boots on the floor as the soldiers rounded up their prisoners. He was beginning to black out when Abby and Connor raced to his side.

“What part of ‘stay close’ did you not understand?” Abby was holding dressing against Lester’s wound, trying to staunch the blood. She stroked Lester’s head with her other hand and there were tears in her eyes.

Lester had the irrational urge to apologize, though he didn’t know how he’d manage that as he wasn’t even sure if he had the strength to bark. Whimpering didn’t seem to be a problem. He didn’t even have to think about that.

“We need to get him up on a table or something,” Connor said. “I assume he has to be beside his body if the transfer is going to work.”

Danny nudged Anna with the gun again. “How did you do this the first time? Come on, you’re going to lose him if you don’t speak up. From what Lester has told us, you think death’s too good for him.”

Anna scowled. “It is.” She paused for a moment, as if weighing her options, then said, “Fine. I’ll do what I can. There’s a cart over there in the corner. You can place him on that.”

“I’ll get it.” Sarah sprinted across the room and grabbed the cart, wheeling it over to Abby and Connor.

“Right,” Connor said. “Abby, you need to keep pressure on the wound, so I’ll do the lifting.” He smiled down at Lester, trying to look reassuring, but there was fear in his eyes. “I’ll be as quick as I can, but I’m sorry – this is going to hurt.”

Lester managed a faint bark. Go on. I’ll be all right.

Connor carefully gathered Lester in his arms and lifted him off the ground. It felt as if a knife was ripping through his shoulder and Lester yelped in agony.

“Sorry, sorry!” Connor said. He set Lester down on the cart as gently as he could.

Abby still had the dressing pressed against Lester’s wound, but she reached out to scratch behind one of Lester’s ears. “You’re going to be okay. Just hold on a little longer, Lester.”

Lester wanted to hold on, but there was just so much pain – sharp searing pain that kept cresting like a wave. If he could just close his eyes and escape for a while, he’d try to be stronger when he came back.

“Lester!” Abby cried. “Stay with me, Lester!” Abby seized Lester by chin and shook his head. “Come on, you’ve got to fight this. You’ve got three kids. You don’t want to leave them without a father, do you?”

Lester managed to force his eyes open, but it was proving almost impossible to keep them that way. He was just so tired.

“Danny, I don’t think we can wait any longer,” Connor said. “We’ve got to do this now.”

Lester thought he heard Danny say something and then there was movement beside the cart. He pried his eyes open in time to see Anna bending over him with an electrode in her hand. He lost consciousness after that.


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There was something in his throat. It was uncomfortable, and it hurt, and he wanted it out. He tried to reach up to pull out the obstruction, but he couldn’t move. Then there was a hand on his forehead and he could feel someone’s breath on his cheek.

“Easy, James,” Danny whispered. “It’s okay. It’s the breathing tube. I’ll take it out.”

His throat felt even worse as Danny pulled the tube out, and Lester began coughing weakly. He tried to open his eyes, but they were as heavy as lead.

“There. That’s better,” Danny said. “You’re breathing on your own now.” He patted Lester’s chest gently. “You’ve been in a sort of coma because of all this, so it’s going to be a while before you’re really with us. According to Connor, the movies always get it wrong. People don’t instantly wake up when they’ve been in a coma.” Danny lifted one of Lester’s hands, and Lester felt a thumb brush against his knuckles. “I know it’s really hard, but do you think you could squeeze my hand? We need a sign that you’re back – completely back.”

It was hard. It was a task that required complete focus, and it took every bit of energy he possessed, but he managed in the end. He squeezed Danny’s hand.

“It worked!” Danny shouted. “He’s back in his body! You two can go!”

Go? Go where? Who’s going? Lester made another attempt to open his eyes and failed. Then he heard Abby’s voice.

“We’ll phone you as soon as we know anything.”

Know anything about what? Then, Lester thought he heard the cart rolling and feet pounding on the floor. Oh God. The dog. The dog still has a bullet in him. He’s bleeding and in pain because of me. If that poor creature dies, I’ll never forgive myself.

Lester tried to move, to speak, to do anything, but his body just wasn’t responding. Then he felt the thumb caressing the back of his hand again. “Shh…it’s all right. Anna’s going to take out the rest of the tubes and wires, and then we’ll get you to hospital.”

But the dog…Will the dog be okay? Lester pondered the question for a moment before fading out.

Lester returned briefly to consciousness when he was lifted off the camp-bed. Unsupported, his head rolled on to a broad shoulder. It felt nice. Lester could feel heat radiating through the fabric under his cheek. He hadn’t realized how cold he was until he was cradled against a warm body. Then Danny’s voice was with him, soft and close to his ear.

“I’ve got you, James, and I’m not letting you go.”


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