PUPPY LOVE¹

{6}

"it's not working, is it?" liam asked, gesturing to both tay and hayden.

"they should be showing signs of improvement." melissa felt tay's forehead yet again. "she's not as hot as she was earlier. that's an improvement, even though she's sweating a bit more." she leaned down to hayden when she tapped her, patting her head and holding her head. "hayden?"

the girl gasped, nodding. "call val... my sister... valerie."

"she's a deputy," liam said while scott walked in.

tay cleared her throat, speaking weakly. "hayden's phone's dead. valerie's number is in mine. over there." she pointed to her phone on the counter.

"i think i might know where she is," scott spoke up. "theo just texted me about the high school. he said there's cops everywhere. might be another chimera."

"why'd he leave anyway?" tay asked, a bit disappointed he didn't stay with her. she knew he probably thought she didn't want to see him, but she could die. and theo just came back. it'd be nice to see her brother.

scott shrugged sadly. "he said you wouldn't want him here so he left and went to the school."

tay pursed her lips, nodding slowly. "hm. 'course."

scott rubbed her shoulder comfortingly. "anyway, that's probably where valerie is."

"um, my sister..." hayden breathed heavily. she mumbled something. "i don't want to die without my sister."

"i'll get her," scott promised.

"get theo too," tay added. "please."

he nodded. "of course."

"wait, what are you gonna tell her?" liam asked, referring to valerie.

"if i have to, i'll tell her everything." scott then left.

melissa was holding both tay and hayden's hands, giving them a small squeeze. "you're gonna be ok, girls."

they shared a look.

"you can't promise that."

𖦹𖦹𖦹

"what is that?" tay asked tiredly, jerking her head toward the marks on hayden's arm. she had just brushed teeth since liam had gone out quickly and gotten her toothbrush from lena's.

"i'm not sure," melissa mumbled.

"it's on her neck too." liam moved hayden's hair out of the way to get a better look. "she's getting worse, isn't she?"

tay sighed. "we're gonna die."

melissa made a face. "you're dying and getting worse. which is why we're taking you guys to the hospital."

tay shook her head. 

"how's that going to help?" liam demanded.

tay grabbed his hand. "watch the tone, blue eyes. melissa's just trying to help."

melissa nodded. "thank you, tay." she turned to liam. "we're in an animal clinic and i need equipment designed for humans. i said that we're going to take them to the hospital. i didn't say we're going through the front door."

tay cracked a smile. "yeah, mama mccall."

𖦹𖦹𖦹

hayden groaned, her and tay in wheelchairs with IV's connected to them.

"ow." tay grunted.

liam cupped her cheek, rubbing his thumb on her skin gently. "you're gonna be ok. just hang in there."