Laughter [Tobuscus/Toby Turner]

Chapter Twelve

Vlogs are all that keep me from missing Toby for the first few days. I love to listen to his voice through the phone, constantly smiling and laughing along with him. He seems to be enjoying himself at the convention, constantly meeting Audience members that have countless questions and gifts. Toby and I text all the time, making sure to call each other at least once a day. Life is good.

Until I pick up the call from the vet center on Sunday morning.

I don't know what I was expecting. A message that he could come home, even more about the tumor shrinkage. I was prepared for any good news. Hell, I was prepared for bad news. But nothing as drastic as this.

"Mr. Turner?" The woman on the other line asks, and i instantly recognize her as the receptionist I've come to know.

"No, no, he's not home right now. This is Cassie Embury, his girlfriend." I answer as politely as I could, though the tone in her voice meant business.

"Ah, Miss Embury. Well, I'm calling to inform you that Gryphon is in... critical condition. We need to see you at the centre as soon as possible." She speaks calmly on the other line, which makes me want to hit her. How dare she be so calm? With news like this?

"Oh... okay, um..." I stutter, shock spreading through my body, but I keep my cool before ending the call and hanging up.

Okay, she said he was in critical condition. Not dead. I'm going to take this as a good thing and roll with it. Maybe he'll get better. Maybe it's a false alarm. Maybe.

I grab my keys and head out to the car, sweeping my hair out of my eyes as I slide into the passenger's seat and cranking the car. I'm beginning to feel like Toby did, the night Gryphon got sick. To think that that was nearly a month and a half ago still surprises me.

As I drive, I find myself in total silence. No music on the radio, no noises from my phone. I can barely hear my own breathing. It's like this until I pull up at the vet center, pulling the keys out of the ignition and resting against the seat. I let out a long sigh. He'll be fine. Gryphon is going to be alive and well.

I pick up my phone and call Toby, and he picks up on the third ring. I can hear commotion and chatter in the background, and for a moment I forget about everything but him when I hear his voice.

"Audience! Say hello to Cassie!" I hear a chorus of hellos and force a laugh, returning the greeting. "Cassie, Cassie, guess what I got for Gryphon since he couldn't come?! You know those toys Jenna Marbles makes, the ones of her-"

"Toby," I cut him off, hating to interrupt his enthusiastic voice. "Toby, I got a call from the vet this morning."

That's all it takes. I can hear the worry in his voice when he tells the group of people surrounding him that he needs to go away for a second, then the commotion quiets and it's just him. "What happened?" He asks, and I take a deep breath.

"They're saying Gryphon's in critical condition, and that we need to see him. They're preparing for worse case, Toby." He's quiet for a long time, and then he takes a long, shaky breath. "I'm coming back. Okay? I'm getting the first flight I can and coming back to California. Don't try to change my mind, because it's already made up." There's a long silence, and then he whispers, "I'll go tell the Audience."

I don't argue.

- - -

I hurry into the lobby, where the receptionist signs me in and admits me to where Gryphon is located. I find Gryphon lying alone on a table/bed structure and go over to him, rubbing his head as he whimpers. A doctor comes in, and I instantly start asking questions.

"How long do you think he has?"

"If we're lucky, tomorrow. That's his lifeline right now. We need to keep him healthy until tomorrow. And if we do, we can worry about the day after." A day, at most? That's all he has?

I spend the day with Gryphon, occasionally going out by myself for a bite to eat or a break. Mostly I sit alone in chair in the room, Gryphon in my lap, whimpering occasionally as I pet him.

Eventually, a doctor comes in to check up on him, and I watch in horror as I'm ushered outside. I can see through the window in the door, and Gryphon looks helpless. The doctor starts messing with him, and I keep my eyes trained on the heart monitor. Before I can watch any longer, I risk a glance at the dog, only to find him looking at me. Me?

I turn around to look behind me, and I see Toby standing there, his clothes disheveled, his hair a mess, breathing heavily. I didn't hear him come in. He makes his way over behind me, closer to the window, in a dream-like state, placing his hand on the glass as the doctor messes with the dog.

"Cassie, they need to let me in there, they have to let me in, I have to say goodbye!" He's raising his voice now, and I'm holding him back as he pulls on the locked doorknob. Tears are streaming down his face, and he sinks to his knees, staring at the window. Gryphon looks weak, his gentle frame pale against his resting place. His chest rises and falls slowly and unevenly, and thankfully the doctor opens the door.

"The way I see it, he only has a few minutes left. Go say your goodbyes." With that, he goes off to wherever he wants while Toby runs over to Gryphon. The heart monitor is beeping slowly, a sign of near-death. Toby scratches his head and sighs.

"This is it, buddy." Toby whispers through his tears. "Just you and me, alright? Never forget that. I'm going to be with you, always." His tone is filled with false-hope, like a promise he's making to himself just so he won't fall apart. "We had some good times," He says, so close to breaking down completely that his voice is barely audible. "And I want you to know that I will never, ever forget about you. I love you, Gryph." Gryphon looks into Toby's eyes, and I can see their bond through that contact. He lets out a weak whimper, placing his paw on top of Toby's hand.

The heart monitor goes flat.

- - -

I remember how Toby was when I first met him. Bouncy, radiant, laughing like an idiot. Bold. Walking that stupid dog that had to die and leave him here. Toby grabbed my hand, helped me up, and talked all the way to his house.

I remember the day he took me to 'Our Special Place,' his face calm and content, staring at the sky. Like he could face the world. He was not afraid.

That is not the Toby that shows today.

He hears the long, strung out beep, and a look falls over his face that i cant describe. He stares at Gryphon for a minute, completely still, barely breathing. Then, he slams his fist on the table, rising up to leave. He brushes past me, ghost-like, that expression still painted on his face. He's holding it in, all of it. The tears. The cries. The breakdown. I take one last look at Gryphon, then run after Toby, seeing him exit the building and apologizing to the receptionist before following him out the door.

Outside, Toby is on his knees, his arms wherever he can put them, his head down. His body shakes with sobs, and as I begin to approach him he presses his palms against his ears and yells an earth-shattering yell, the shakiness in his voice surfacing. I slowly approach him, and he looks up when he hears me. Tears stain his already-red face, and he gives me the most heartbreaking look.

He reaches out his hand. I take it, and without a word he pulls me down to sit beside him. His eyes are open wide, and he shakes with falling tears.

And there, on the sidewalk, on he day of Gryphon's death, Toby sobs harder than I've ever seen him cry before. He's just lost a piece of him. And I find myself crying as I comfort him, because I know he'll never be the same.

- - -

I WOULD HAVE CONTINUED BUT I WAS CRYING TOO HARD SO I THOUGHT I'D TAKE A BREAK

TOBYYYYYYYY

SO. I know most of you are going to hate me for this chapter, Hell, I hate MYSELF for this chapter, but... it'll be alright. Ssh, dry your tears.

ALSO! 1K reads?! WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH YOU GUYS, SCREWING WITH MY EMOTIONS LIKE THIS?!

I'm just kidding I love you ü

~ Hollie xx