Chapter 3: Homes and Family

        Two weeks had passed since Katherine had met Trace. She had decided to stay with him until she was better, but they had become friends since then. Katherine saw the error on her belief that all humans couldn't be trusted. He was cooking flapjacks in the kitchen for breakfast while telling Katherine his plan to get her some ID papers where she could do things on her own. "So, what do ya think?" He asked, turning as he flipped a flapjack into the air and caught it in the pan. She smiled at him and replied, "Sounds like a good plan." He nodded. "Of course it is, I came up with it." He said jokingly, sliding the flapjacks onto two plates, passing Katherine the syrup. He carried the plates over to the table and set Katherine's down infront of her. She laughed at his joke, and gave him another smile as he set down the plates. "It is a good idea though, that way when I'm better I can find somewhere to stay." She said, putting some of the syrup on her flapjacks. Trace smiled and said, "Glad ya think so Kat." She blushed, still not used to his nickname for her. She had noticed that it was a small thing Trace had where he made nicknames for everyone he knew. She loved it, but she still wasn't used to it. Sam was most often Doc, Kisha was Kish, and Katherine had become Kat. She thought it was ironic that his nickname for her sounded like the word cat, seeing as she wasn't a cat hybrid, she was a wolf. Trace noticed her blush and said, "Still not used to it? If you don't like it I can go back to calling you Katherine." She shook her head, smiling at him. "It's fine, like you said, I'm still not used to it." She said, taking a bite of her flapjack. Her eyes rolled back in her head as she savored the round flat cake that was covered in maple syrup. "Mmmm." She mumbled, chewing thoughtfully. Trace grinned. "Glad you like em." He said, taking a bite of his own breakfast. She smiled again, finishing up her breakfast. Once Trace was done he walked over to the coat rack, grabbing his and Kat's coats. He tossed Katherine's to her, she caught it deftly, sliding it onto her back, having done this many times before while going with Trace to the clinic. They walked out of Trace's apartment, heading toward the middle of town, they rode part of the way to the ID office on a trolly, walking the rest of the way. The stopped breifly in a park to snap a picture, Trace pulled Kat into the shot, their arms wrapped around eachother's shoulders. Kat put up a peace sign and Trace just grinned, holding the camera in his left hand. Kat's oversized sweater made her look smaller than usual, her ears perked up, while Trace's coat lay flat over his shoulders. He snapped the picture and they had walked onward, eventually arriving at the ID office. Trace noticed Katherine nerviously shifting her feet. "You okay?" He asked her, putting his hand on her shoulder as they stood at the front steps of the building. "W-What if they arrest me for not having papers until now?" She asked, looking up at Trace, her confidence from earlier had drained, along with the rosy color that had covered her cheeks, she looked pale. "They won't. This kind of thing has happened before." Trace reassured his friend, knowing that even if they tried to arrest her he could get her out. "A-are you sure?" She asked, looking up at him hopefully, Trace was suprised by her sudden change in demenor, she looked vunerable and upset. "Don't worry about it, we'll be in and out. There's not even anyone else here, there shouldn't be a line. It shouldn't take more than 5 minutes." He replied, smiling gently at her, knowing just how to handle the situation, like always. They walked inside together, hand in hand, true to Trace's word it took them no longer than 5 minutes to finish the paperwork and get Kat her ID papers and badge. The badge was basically a visa that allowed Katherine to do things, like buy stuff, or check into motels. They walked back down the steps, Katherine was admiring her new, shiny ID badge. "See? It wasn't that bad." Trace said with a smile, giving her a gentle punch on the shoulder. Katherine giggled, "Yeah, you were right." She said with a mock annoyed tone. They joked and laughed on the way back to Trace's place, but Kat's face grew dark as they passed an alleyway. She froze in her tracks, her eyes flicking around nerviously, she looked extremely worried. "Kat? Is something wrong?" Trace asked, looking at her, a look of concern spreading across his own face. "Shit...I smell blood, Kadrien blood." Katherine replied, turning away from Trace and running down the alleyway. Trace took off after her, his worry peaking once he saw her crouching beside a Kadrien that was obviously expecting, a pool of blood around her semi-unconcious form. Trace took off without saying a word, since his apartment was just around the corner he was able to get there and get his medical kit before very long. As he ran back into the alley toward Kat and the other Kadrien, he was blindsided by another hyrbid, a male, probably the female's mate. "MAX! GET THE HELL OFF HIM!" Kat yelped, running over and jerking the other hybrid off of Trace. Max looked down at Trace, looking confused. "He's a human though!" Max argued, watching as Katherine helped him up. "He saved my life! He's a doctor for Kadriens!" She retorted, standing infront of Trace protectively. Max looked at Trace, noticing the medical kit in his hand, Max's face turned red once he realized his mistake, he had wasted valuble seconds that Trace could have been using to save his mate. Trace knew this too and decided to get right to the point. "What's her condition?" He asked, beginning to walk over to the near unconcious hyrbid. "She's been shot, and she's expecting." Max explained, pointing to the bullet wound. Trace crouched down beside her, she noticed him and feebly growled at Trace. "Hey, I'm not gonna hurt you. What's your name?" He asked, a gentle look in his eyes. "I-Iv-vy..." The injured Kadrien managed to say, pain and distrust obvious in her voice. Trace nodded and started pulling things out of his med-kit. "I'm gonna have to roll you over, I need to see if the bullet came out, if it didn't then we're gonna need an ambulance, if it did, we'll still need an ambulance, but it won't be as bad." He explained to Ivy, turning to Max he said, "Come put pressure on this." Max nodded and did as he was told. Trace rolled Ivy onto her side and examined her back for wounds, there was an exit wound, which was good. A surgery could have put her pups in danger. "Who the hell did this?" Trace asked Max as he wrapped Ivy's wound in bandages. "I'll explain it to you later Trace, just please, save her!" Kat said before Max could answer, she looked scared. Trace felt a strange sense of determination upon seeing Kat this terrified, he wasn't gonna let Ivy die. Suddenly Ivy jumped, the wind visibly knocked out of her lungs. "That was a kick. How far along is she?" Trace asked Max. "Nine months." Max replied, looking confused. "Kat! Call Sam! Tell him to get the clinic ready for an emergency surgery. We're gonna have to get those pups out if she has any chance of surviving." Trace ordered, grabbing a suringe of Morphine out of the med-kit, sticking the needle into Ivy's arm. "Help me pick her up!" He told Max, putting his arms under Ivy's shoulders and lifting her, Max grabbed her legs and they carried her to Trace's apartment, putting her in his truck. "Get in!" He commanded, grabbing the keys and starting the engine as Max and Kat piled into the truck. The tires peeled out as he backed out of the driveway, putting the pedal to the floor as he sped toward the clinic.