Recovery

I - Adjusting

They were home, all of them. But it wouldn't be long now before the Radcliff's and their newly acquired members of their family are relocated to a piece of land that better suits their needs.

Their need for space especially since there was now a hundred and one Dalmatians instead of just 17.

It had been a little over two weeks since the return home from the nightmare that has been brought upon the Pongo's and their puppies by the scheming, sinister, self-serving, mentally-unstable narcissist, Cruella de Vil.

Due to her mental breakdown from the failure of her plans as well as the loss of her freedom and her prized fur coat, she had been committed to the Bethlem Royal Hospital, otherwise known as Bedlam, where she might get the help she so desperately needs.

As for her cohorts, Horace and Jasper, the ruffians who were tasked by Cruella with the abduction of the 15 puppies, had been soundly captured about three days after they had abandoned the job and fled Hell Hall.

The Inspector had mentioned something rather curious of how Jasper had been raving madly about being attacked by the Hound of Baskervilles. He did have some rather nasty bites on his hand and wrist - which was starting to fester - so his story was not entirely fantastic. And of course, Horace had a rather nasty bite as well but not nearly as severe.

The Radcliff's were rather alarmed by this report. They regarded their Dalmatian companions, Pongo and Perdita with considerable concern. The Inspector of course had assured them their dogs have no need to fear any legal action considering that it was their puppies that were being threatened and if it were indeed either of them who had savaged the Badun's, they were only doing what any mother and father would do. Besides Jasper would receive no sympathy when it was revealed what he and his brother were planning to do the 99 Dalmatian puppies, even though they were doing so on Ms. de Vil's orders. Not to mention the terrible abuse Jasper had done to the eldest of the 15 puppies he and his brother had stolen.

The Radcliff's soundly thanked the Inspector for his compassion and understanding.

And now preparations were underway for the relocation or moving out for the Radcliff's and their Dalmatian family. Roger managed to find a farm which was more than suitable and the owner was ready to part with it that he would've kissed Roger's feet to sell it to him.

The farm had been purchased and made available for moving in. However, it would be a day or two before the Radcliff's were ready to move out. There was still some packing to do and final preparations to make, such as making sure a certain pup was ready to make the long journey.

Patch, the eldest pup of the original 15, laid their on the throw pillow which was laid on the cushioned windowsill of the Radcliff house. His broken ribs were set back and a medical brace was applied. The wounds on his back and on his head have already scabbed over and were now barely noticeable, if you don't look too closely.

His youngest sister, Cadpig sat right beside him, wishing to keep him company and to see if there was anything she could, however small, to alleviate the anguish of his recovery.

"Is it painful Patchy?"

"No Cadpig, just sore."

Patch adjusted himself groggily, trying to get comfortable. It wasn't the throw pillow, it was the condition he was in. Resetting his broken bones was the worst part. The slow recovery however was just ghastly. It felt sore whenever he took a deep enough breath so he had to take easy breaths. The wounds on his back and head itched, but at least they didn't hurt anymore, so long as you didn't touch them. And the antibiotics he had to take regularly made him drowsy but the daily soreness made it hard for him to nod off.

"Can I get you anything?" Cadpig asked softly.

"No Caddy, I'm just fine, really."

"A-are you sure?"

"Yes!" Patch said in frustration.

Cadpig recoiled, hurt clearly shown on her face.

Patch immediately regretted his outburst. "I'm sorry Cadpig, I shouldn't have yelled. This...this whole thing is just such a bother. I've been stuck on this pillow for two weeks. I can't do much aside from a few walks. Eating is a pain, literally and I have to down these nasty pills everyday."

He looked at his sister straight in the eye, calming down a bit. "But I shouldn't have taken it out on you, I'm sorry."

Cadpig smiled sweetly and gave her brother a kiss. "It's ok. I know it's hard, but it won't be long now. We'll be leaving for the new place soon, maybe tomorrow. Won't it be fun."

Patch chuckled skeptically. "Yeah, fun." He slumped into the throw pillow.

Cadpig looked at him sympathetically. "I'll come check on you later Patch, ok?"

"Sure Caddy, thanks."

Patch had nodded off,but not for very long. The soreness that came with the healing process kept him awake. He looked about and saw that it was nighttime.

And seeing that he was no longer on the windowsill, it would seem that he had been moved while he slept.

He also saw that he wasn't alone. All of the remaining 99, plus his parents were soundly asleep.

Patch sighed. Here they are sleeping like babies and I can't seem to sleep a wink.

Patch winced as a surge of discomfort shot up through his ribs, along his shoulders and into his head, causing a momentary migraine.

Ugh. Well, it was certainly worse right when I first received treatment.

The injuries Patch received during the Cruella scheme were grievous. Certainly serious but thankfully not life-threatening, but very nearly. Patch's heart had stopped beating but miraculously, his life returned, just long enough for him to receive necessary treatment.

And ever since, Patch had been doted on by his family, much to his discomfort. Penny would always make sure Patch was awake in the morning. She nearly panicked when he would not stir from sleep one morning. Turns out the tranquilizer he had been given to quell the pain was a bit stronger than anticipated.

My momentary death is still an open wound for Penny. Healing might take longer for her.

Pepper and Freckles would take it upon themselves that Patch always had company.

Those two are as thick as thieves, hard to dislike their company, but still…

Cadpig of course, bless her little heart, was adamant to alleviate whatever suffering Patch was going through. Although her efforts were indeed genuine, her constant doting seemed to annoy Patch more than heal him. On the other paw, her efforts to love Patch and help whenever she could did make it easy for him not to get too annoyed.

Patch smiled to himself. Hard to get upset with a face like that.

And then there was his parents. They were especially attentive of him - especially his mother, Perdita - making sure he was fed, helping him feed himself even though he was perfectly capable of doing it himself, even moving him about whether he was in too much pain or just too drowsy to move on his own.

Hopefully it won't be long before I recover completely. I don't know how much more of this attention I can take.

Granted, he did die, even if it was only for a few minutes. That would make any loving family want to make sure that everything was alright.

I can't blame them, not really.

However, it was not just the constant doting that bothered him, but also the lack of attention from one particular person.

Lucky.

Ever since they came home, Lucky had been distant and very quiet. He had not been himself. Not even when they watched Thunderbolt on the telly, Lucky would not even stand himself up off the bottom of the screen like he always did.

He didn't even have much of an appetite. Not even when presented with his favorite treat, it was like nothing particularly interested him.

But more disturbing was that Lucky seemed to be avoiding Patch. He didn't even want to look in his direction.

Does he still blame himself for what happened to me?

Patch scanned the room for any trace of his little brother. It wasn't hard to find him as he was at the far end of the room by himself.

Oh Lucky.

Managing to harness some of his old strength, Patch picked himself. He very carefully stepped off the throw pillow and tiptoed around the mass of sleeping bodies which filled the room.

As he drew closer to his brother, he noticed that he was shaking.

Trembling really.

He can't be cold. All the windows are closed and we have fur.

Once Patch was only a few steps away, his ears picked up the sound of soft, moaning whimpers. Patch froze upon hearing this.

He's having a nightmare.

Patch walked around his brother so that might see his face only to find that he was covering his eyes with his left paw.

"...Patchy."

Patch's eyes widened, any trace of tiredness left him, startled by Lucky's sudden words.

Is he talking in his sleep?

"...I'm...sorry…"

Patch cocked an eyebrow. Why is he apologizing? Is he apologizing to me?

Lucky's whimpers became even more heightened. His trembling worsened.

Patch had had enough. Crouching, he nudged Lucky with his nose, trying to rouse him.

He whispered, "Lucky?"

The pup hardly stirred. He just continued to shake in his sleep.

Patch turned his head to see if any one of his family had stirred. Fortunately, all of them seemed to be sound asleep.

Seems a bit contrived that not one of them has woken up to Lucky's crying.

Patch nudged Lucky with more force and he raised his voice. "Lucky?"

The young pup groaned slightly but it sounded like he was in pain.

This time, Patch nudged Lucky with his paw, gently pushing him. "Lucky, wake up."

With a groan, Lucky opened his eyes. They were brimming with tears. He looked up to see his big brother looking at him.

"Patch?" he croaked.

Patch smiled. "You ok little brother?"

Lucky covered his face with his paws and the sounds of sobbing could be heard, albeit they were muffled.

Patch looked at his brother aghast.

Just looking at me would reduce Lucky to tears.

"Hey hey, easy Luck," Patch said as he laid his head against his brother's.

This time, Lucky did not resist his brother's affection, he leaned into it.

"It's ok Luck, whatever it was, it was only a dream."

"I-it felt...so real," Lucky sobbed. "You died...and...I...I couldn't stop it."

Patch said nothing. He didn't know what to say at this point. For now he simply stayed by Lucky's side, trying his best to bring what little comfort he had to offer.

"I'm alive Lucky," Patch said soothingly. "That Badun failed to kill me and I'm alive and quite well." His voice became firm. "And you're not to blame for what happened and no one ever never has."

"It...it's not just that," Lucky wheezed. "I...I saw her."

Patch's heart skipped a beat. "What happened?"

"She…" Lucky said quivering. "She was...literally...a monster."

"How do you mean?"

Lucky gulped and took a deep breath. "She...she was driving that devil car of hers. We were in this moving truck, all of one hundred and one of us. She was gaining and…" Lucky paused to rub his eyes as new tears started to form. "I was on the edge and her face…that horrible face...she looked so angry...more than angry…she seemed mad, like stark-raving mad, even possessed."

You can say that again.

"And the truck, it went out of control...we crashed...but there was fire everywhere...it was as if the truck crashed into a forest that caught fire."

Patch stared at his brother but nodded. "What happened to us?"

"I don't know," Lucky answered. "Next thing I know, I'm in the middle of the forest. Everything was ablaze. I saw pieces of the wrecked truck everywhere...but…" Lucky was trembling now. "But...I couldn't see any of the others...Mum, Dad, Cadpig, Roly, Penny, Freckles...it was as if they vanished…" Lucky was beginning to cry again. "I was all alone...and I could hear her coming."

Oh Lucky.

"And then I saw her," he said shakily. "It was like she was in shadow and she had something in her hand, something small and...spotted. She stepped into the light...and she looked...well...her body was twisted...warped...like she had been broken and stretched."

Lucky squeezed his eyes shut. "Her eyes...oh merciful Heaven...they were the worst part...they were pitch black, like the eyes of a spider...her teeth...were like needles…and then I realized she was smiling...but worse yet, I saw you Patch...that was you I saw in her hand...you were bleeding really bad...even worse wh-when we found you in that room that night...when Jasper killed you…"

Lucky laid his head back down and no longer held back his tears, but did his very best to muffle them as he did not wish to disturb his family.

Patch laid down beside him, laying his head on top of his. "She's gone Lucky, the mad lady is gone, for good this time."

"But dad said the same thing when-"

Patch cut him off. "Yes, but he didn't know what she was capable of then. But now she has nothing left. You heard what Roger said, the devil woman cracked and now she will be put away for a very long time. The Badun's too. We never have to worry about them ever again."

Lucky was comforted by this but was not entirely convinced. "But what if she gets out? What if she comes after us? What if-"

"Luck!" Patch said sternly and firmly. "Don't even think that. Don't let yourself think like that. What if's amount to nothing. Dad always said that thinking the worst is going to happen is an absolute waste of time and a misuse of your thought life."

Lucky looked at Patch. "That was awfully elegant of you."

Patch chuckled nervously. "Well, that's how Penny put it and...I kind of borrowed it from her."

Lucky giggled. "She's pretty smart isn't she?"

Patch nodded. "Just like mother." His voice took a serious tone. "Now, do you understand now Lucky?"

Lucky looked sullen but no longer upset. "I guess so."

"We're going to be ok Lucky, soon we'll be gone halfway across the country and that devil woman...well…let's just say she won't be getting out of Bedlam anytime soon."

Lucky cocked an eyebrow. "Where?"

"Bedlam. That's the place where people who go strange in the head go and they don't leave until they're either sane or dead. In other words, we'll never see her again."

Lucky didn't smile but he seemed to relax a bit. "Wow, I actually feel sorry for her."

"I know what you mean."

Lucky looked up at his big brother. "Patch?"

"Yeah Luck?"

"Could you...stay with me?"

Patch smiled. "Of course, just need to get my pillow first."

A voice spoke from behind him.

"Here you go Patch."

Patch nearly cried out in surprise before turning quickly to see who had just addresses so suddenly.

"Wha!? Penny?!"

Penny, the eldest sister of the original 15, stood there smiling that mischievous smile of hers whenever she was up to something or knew something no else did.

Patch started to pant anxiously. "How long have you been awake?"

Penny shrugged. "Long enough. Here." Using her nose, she nudged a throw pillow in Patch's direction.

Patch barely paid attention to the pillow. "What'd you hear?" he asked nervously.

Penny put on a face of innocence. "Nothing you need to worry about."

"Penny…"

"Hey relax Patchy, we may be pups, but ridiculing one of my siblings for being there for another sibling is beneath me."

"Oh," Patch said. "Good."

Penny yawned. "I'm going back to sleep."

"Alright." Patch yawned as well. "Good night Penny."

"Good night," she said before giving him a kiss. "Love you."

"I love you too."

Penny then regarded the pup lying beside Patch. "Love you Lucky." She bent down to give him a kiss goodnight as well.

Lucky sniffled. "Love you too sis."

Before she turned to return to where she was sleeping, she leaned towards Patch to whisper.

"Good job."

Patch looked at her slightly confused. Penny simply smiled and motioned her eyes towards Lucky.

Oh.

Patch's eyes shot open.

She was on the other end of the room. If she overhead me and Lucky, then who else might've overheard?

Managing to keep from panicking, Patch looked over the sea of spots, trying to find some sign of movement among them. He found none.

"Patch?"

"Yes Lucky?" he answered.

"We should get back to bed now."

Good idea.

Patch laid back down his throw pillow. Lucky laid close to him so that he could lay his head on top of Patch's back.

"Does this hurt?" he asked.

"Not at all."

"Good night then Patch," Lucky said nuzzling him but being careful not to do so too hard.

"Good night Luck."

Lucky whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too little brother."

In less than a minute, both pups were sound asleep. And this time, both slept very soundly, comforted by each other's warmth and presence.

Just across the room, a single eye was open and had been open ever since Patch stood up, approached the youngest among the 15 and comforted him in his time of need.

What was tiredness in that eye, now it was glowing pride.

"That's my boy," Pongo whispered before he shut his eye and nodded off.