Ahh! It feels like spring, my goodness! It got so warm today... I didnt realize how much I love spring, lol. Sorry for typos! And possible tears... Blessings!! A. R. -----------------------------------------------------------      Laurel groaned. Her whole body burned and ached. What happened? She tried to think… wait; she had been arrested, hadn’t she? And… and Fern had showed up. But what happened after that?      She lifted her hand to her head, wondering why her arms felt like lead. And her head… what happened?      “She’s waking up,” a voice said softly.      Laurel pried open her eyes, her vision blurred. But gradually the fog cleared and she could see two shapes.      “Mom?” Laurel croaked, wincing as she tried to sit up. But a wrenching pain in her stomach made her gasp and she clutched her stomach.      “Careful, Laurel. You could undo the stitches,” the same voice said, a tender hand touching her hand.      Laurel blinked a few times and she finally could see who it was.      “Harmony? Dylan?” She asked, wondering why they were here.      Harmony was sitting on the edge of the bed beside her, and Dylan was standing just behind her, his arms crossed. His eyes were dim, but filled with relief when he saw her open her eyes.      Harmony tried to smile, holding Laurel’s hands tight in hers. “You scared us,” she said quietly.      Laurel gave her a confused smile. “What even happened? All I remember is…” she trailed off, her smile vanishing. “Vitton, he… is mom okay?”      Harmony’s face fell and she turned to face Dylan. He swallowed nervously.      Harmony got to her feet and looked down at Laurel. “I’ll go get you some tea,” she said, quickly leaving the room.      Dylan inhaled deeply, crossing slowly to her bedside and sitting next to her.      Laurel felt a lump form in her throat. She had never seen him so subdued. It scared her.      “Dylan,” she whispered. “What’s wrong?”      He exhaled shakily and rubbed his eyes. “Laurel, I… I found out you had been arrested yesterday early afternoon. And when… when I found you, Vitton had already been…” he trailed off, shuddering.      Laurel swallowed. “I… I remember someone hitting my head, then… nothing,” she ended pitifully, carefully reaching her hand up to touch her head. She winced.      “You were beat senseless and your mom…” he stopped.     Laurel looked up at him, confused. “Is she okay? All I remember is that someone held her back…”      Dylan hung his head, not saying a word. Silence ruled over the room, and it became increasingly uncomfortable and unbearable.      Without thinking, Laurel grasped his hand in hers, squeezing it. Dylan squeezed it back and raised his head to look at her. His eyes were moist. “Vitton, he… he… your mom-" he stammered, his voice husky and wavering.      Her heart began to pound and it finally dawned on her. Oh, please… no! Her mom couldn’t be gone! This couldn’t be true!      Laurel couldn’t breath, all these thoughts bombarding her like a surprise attack she hadn’t been prepared for. “N-no… she can’t- you mean…?”      Dylan coughed and covered his mouth, not meeting her gaze. She realized he was crying.      Laurel tried to breath but couldn’t. Her mom… was she really gone? That soon? They had just made up, and now…      Laurel didn’t realize she was crying until Dylan handed her a handkerchief. He turned and was about to leave when Laurel tightened her grip on his hand.      “Please don’t leave me,” she whispered, tears rolling down her face.      Dylan squeezed her hand, his eyes wet and full of sadness. “I’m so sorry, Laurel.”      Laurel coughed, winced, and cried softly, not caring that he saw her tears.        Laurel woke slowly, the pain a dull sensation as her slumber blocked it out. She expected to open her eyes and see her mother sitting beside her, a smile on her careworn face and her tender hands smoothing her ears and fur. She expected an old song to be sung as she recovered from her wounds.      But when she opened her eyes, the room was dark, the air was cold, and she was alone.      The truth was her mother was dead. Just like her father. Part of her was grateful that Patrick wasn’t home when they were arrested, but now, she had no idea what to do.      Hot tears slipped down Laurel’s face as she gingerly rolled onto her side, her incision burning and itching dreadfully. She groaned quietly and crossed her bruised arms over her stomach to try and alleviate the pain.      Soft footsteps came from the hall and Laurel looked up as the door opened, the light of a candle filling the room. It was Harmony.      She crossed to Laurel’s bedside and sat next to her. Setting the candle down on the nightstand, Harmony smoothed the blanket over Laurel’s shoulder and began to smooth her ears like a mother would to her young kit.      Laurel choked on a sob and turned her face into her pillow, her shoulders shaking. Harmony never said a word, but continued to soothe Laurel as best she could.      When the worst of it was over, Laurel wiped her eyes on her sleeve and looked up at the doe. She gave her a sad smile. “You feeling alright?” She asked quietly.      Laurel drew a slow, shaky breath before responding. “I guess.”      Harmony nodded, looking over at the door. “I’m sorry, Laurel.” She whispered, wiping her eyes.      Laurel grasped her friend’s hands in hers. “I’m sorry, Harmony. We’ve both lost someone, and…” she shook her head, not sure what else to say.      Harmony nodded slowly. “We have each other, Laurel. That’s the greatest gift I think, to suffer through grief with someone else who is going through the same thing as you.”      Laurel swallowed and nodded, trying to keep her tears at bay.      After a few minutes of silence, Laurel spoke. “Where is Dylan?”      Harmony met her gaze in the shadowed room. “He had to finish an errand. He said he would come right back once he was done.” The doe smiled slightly, squeezing Laurel’s hand. “He’s a good buck… it’s an honor to know him.”      Laurel nodded, her broken heart mending slightly. It was true. He was a good buck. And she was so grateful to know him, and to have his friendship. But… was there more? The light, fluttery feelings she felt, and the way she trusted him, was that more than admiration of a friend?      Laurel internally shook her head at herself and came back to the present, her heavy, itchy eyelids begging for rest. Harmony spoke softly to her, and gradually, she fell asleep, one of her best friends hand in hers.