Off Base (Out of Uniform 1)

“It’s not your fault.” Pike’s voice was muffled as he buried his face in the cat’s fur, dropping a kiss on her head.

“Mr. Reynolds?” A middle-aged woman with impressive dreads knocked before coming into the room. “And this must be Nectarine. I’m Doctor Kapowski.”

Pike put the cat up on the table where the doctor proceeded to examine her with lots of clucks and other soft noises.

“I’d like to send her back for some tests. We should look at her liver panel, make sure she didn’t get into some poisonous substance, and look at the other blood work just to be safe, and I’d like to do an abdominal ultrasound as well. We can’t rule out the possibility of obstruction.”

“Okay,” Pike said. “Is she going to be okay?”

“I can’t say yet.” The vet gave them both a sad smile. “But we’re going to do absolutely everything we can. I’ll send Nectarine back with Monica for her tests, and you can both wait in the waiting area if you want, or you can go and we can call—”

“We’ll wait,” Zack said quickly. No way was Pike leaving the cat, and Zack didn’t want to leave them both. If they were about to get bad news, better it come in person.

They went to the waiting room near the receptionist’s station. A TV mounted to the wall was showing one of those reality TV dating shows, and stacks of pet magazines lay on the end tables. Pike took a seat on one of the couches and Zack sat next to him.

Fiddling with his hands, Pike said, “She’s my baby, you know? I mean, Gizmo’s my guy, but Nectarine’s my baby.”

“I know.” Fuck. Zack hated feeling this powerless, like there was nothing he could do to take Pike’s pain away.

“I found her as this teeny kitten huddled against the library building on campus, trying to keep warm. I already had Gizmo, but no way could I leave her there.”

“Of course not.”

“I had to borrow money from my mom to get her checked out at the vet and get her spayed, but it was worth all the extra hours I put in at the campus computer lab. She used to ride on my shoulder when she was tiny. Still tries to climb up there sometimes.”

“I know.” Hell. Why wasn’t there anything Zack could do?

“I didn’t ask the vet about cost.” Pike looked miserably down the hall, through the double doors where the vet tech had disappeared with the cat. “Fuck. I hope I don’t have to call Mom. This was supposed to be the year I finally got it together—”

“We’ll work it out.” That much Zack could promise. And when Pike turned a hopeful eye toward him, he added, “Together. We’ll get through this together.”

“Thanks.” Pike’s mouth wobbled, and Zack did the one thing that made sense and grabbed his hand, squeezed it tight.

“I mean it. If—when—they can save her, we’ll figure the cost out. She’s worth it.” You’re worth it too. And yeah, Zack’s heart kicked up a notch again because he was in uniform in front of the glass window that looked out at the parking lot, holding his guy’s hand for everyone to see, but he couldn’t let go. Not then.

Pike squeezed him back, and the gratitude in his expression made Zack’s breath catch. Maybe there was something he could do after all. He could sit here and be with his guy, hold his hand while they waited for news. He tugged Pike a little closer, and when Pike’s head landed on his shoulder, he didn’t flinch. It felt right to be able to do this for him.

After a while like this, pretending to watch the TV, he chanced a glance at the receptionist. She offered him a fond sort of smile, the same you’re-so-cute expression of the woman at the party on Saturday.

“Doctor Kapowski is one of the best,” she called to them. “Your cat’s in great hands. You guys let me know if you need anything. I’ve got coffee and water if you need it.” She pointed at a drink station across the room.

“We’re good,” Zack said. And they were. They’d deal—

Ring. Ring. The front door tinkled as two people came in. Uniformed guy and a tall, overly tan woman in teetering heels carrying one of those tiny, yappy terrier dogs. Then the guy turned, surveying the room, and Zack’s world ended.

Morrison. The medic from his team, and he was looking right at Zack.

Oh shit.

What do I do?

He dropped Pike’s hand before he even realized what he was doing. Pike’s eyes snapped open, hurt flaring there that pierced Zack in the gut. Pike moved away from him, but it was too late.

“Thought that was your truck out there, Nelson.” Morrison’s voice was carefully neutral. “Pet problems?”

“Sick cat,” Zack said carefully.

“My girlfriend’s dog got a thorn in the paw.” Morrison took a chair adjacent to Pike and stuck out his hand. “I’m sorry, I’m being rude. I’m Mike Morrison, on Nelson’s SEAL team. Didn’t know he had a boyfriend in the area.”