Wounded, but Alive.
Marty sat in the bed, Valerie standing next to him. She was holding his hand and waiting for the doctor to come back, and Marty was recovering from the surgery. Zaredera and Sasuubi were also in the room behind Valerie, worried for Marty. I couldn't save him I just couldn't oh god why did it have to be him I couldn't have him he died he was right there and the demon just killed him and I tried to help but I couldn't I wasn't strong enough he is dead Taj is dead why why why why was the thoughts racing through Marty's head, reliving Taj's crushed body in his arms and all the blood and the sudden darkness in his eye it was like he couldn't open it.
"Marty. Marty, stop thinking about it, please, its hurting me," Valerie whispered, biting her lip and trying not to cry.
"I.. I'm sorry. I forgot you could see and hear everything everyone experiences..." Marty whispered, squeezing her hand.
The doctor came into the room and put up some x-rays. "You had multiple fractures in your skull, five broken ribs and your pelvis was also slightly damaged. Its amazing you survived. Unfortunately, we couldn't save your eye. You'll have to keep those bandages on for two months, then you can switch to an eye patch and once it gets all healed up we can give you a glass eye," the doctor reported.
"Tell him the rest," Valerie sobbed.
"Hmm, yes, there is more, Valerie ordered us to run some other tests. I'm very sorry, but you're infertile. I know this is a big shock, you might not even understand, but you'll never be able to have children of your own," the doctor said, and left.
"I'm sorry Marty I just.. I had to know," Valerie said, letting go of Marty's hand. Marty didn't respond, he just turned his head the other way. He started to shiver and he felt his eyes start to water.
"Just leave me alone."
'Oh, Marty..." Valerie murmured, wanting to hug Marty and tell him it was all right. Sasuubi set an arm on her shoulder and they left.
{Marty,} Zaredera thought dutifully.
"Go away."
{I have something Taj wanted me to give you. Something he said I had to give you when he died.}
"What is it?" Marty turned to look at Zaredera, looking for the item.
{I don't know. You might know what it means, though,} Zaredera thought, giving Marty an odd shaped necklace. It had a wooden hand-carved wolf with a smaller wolf to accompany it, and a wooden carved insignia. Marty let out a sob and took it from Zaredera and put it around his neck. Zaredera left Marty alone, not knowing how to act around sadness.
"Brother wolf..."
