Title: Mutual Benefit
Summary: Or, the time Rick got a dog without telling Drew. Following Patterns, Rick takes TC's advice after being discharged.
A/N: I wasn't planning on writing this, but with all the love I've gotten for Patterns, I decided to follow up on the threads I'd started. I hope folks enjoy this as much as they have the first fic!
A/N 2: Save-A-Vet is a real organization that rescues and places retired Military Working Dogs and K-9 Police and they do have a training facility at Lackland AFB outside San Antonio, so I figured it would work perfectly. However, take everything here with several grains of salt, as I have no idea what actually goes into adopting a MWD.

It was two days before TC was satisfied that Rick could be released back into the wild. The two talked quite a bit, during that time, and Rick was rarely alone. There seemed to be a near-endless stream of visitors, mostly made up of hospital staff that remembered him from his previous stay. Topher stopped in to check in once, while Kenny and TC seemed to take turns. Ragosa even stopped by to say farewell, since it was his last day before starting his internship in Dallas. It was therefore understandable that when he'd been discharged and returned home once again, the quiet was a bit unsettling.

He stepped through the house softly, not wanting to disturb the stillness. He deposited his things in the bedroom to be sorted later, and returned to check the mail and any messages. Those sorted out, silence returned.

TC was right, it wasn't good for him to be left alone. He had gotten a call from Drew while he'd been in the hospital, alerting him that things had gotten a little hairy, but his husband was fine. Of course, Rick had not said a word about getting shot, earning a stout glare from TC. Yeah, Rick knew he was going to hear it for that. Twice.

"You and Drew ever think about getting a dog?"

TC's question came back to him, and Rick considered it. They both liked dogs, they had a fenced-in yard, and Rick worked fairly normal hours, so setting a routine wouldn't be difficult. Before he knew it, he had pulled up Google and was searching through local shelters and rescues. It took half an hour to find the one he didn't know he'd been looking for. In no time, he had made contact with the organization and set up an appointment to visit their facility that Friday.

The drive to Lackland Air Force Base seemed to last forever, even though he was only really going across town. Rick was surprised at how excited he was about something so simple as getting a dog. He supposed TC had been right about him needing something normal to keep him grounded.

Following the directions the representative had given him over the phone deposited him in front of a building with a sign designating it as the home of Save-A-Vet.

"Hi, I'm here to see Parker," he told the fresh-faced receptionist, upon entering.

"Of course, I'll let her know you're here."

"No need, I'm already here," said a blonde entering the lobby area. "You must be Rick Lincoln. Parker Ford. Nice to meet you."

"You too," he replied, taking her outstretched hand.

"Why don't you come with me, and you can meet some of the dogs, and you can tell me a bit more about yourself."

"What would you like to know?" he asked, following her past a row of offices.

"Let's start with the obvious. Why do you want to adopt one of our dogs?"

Rick paused. He had been expecting that question, but maybe not so soon.

"Honestly?"

"No, lie to me," came the blunt response. Parker grimaced, "Sorry, sometimes the snark jumps out before I can contain it. Honesty would be preferable."

Rick chuckled, "I have a friend you might get along well with. The reason I'm getting a dog is because I need a distraction. I got married about three months ago, but my husband's unit was called up almost immediately. This is the first time since we've been together that he's been deployed and I'm stuck at home. I need something to focus on other than the fact that I've heard artillery fire in the background on more than one of our calls."

"I can understand that," Parker replied. "My brother's a Marine. I know full well that the gaps between contact are anything but fun. You said on the phone you used to be in the Army. What is it you do now?"

"I train SWAT and state police," he answered. "Occasionally go out in the field. That's how I ended up with this," he added, indicating the gauze peeking out from his collar.

"Ouch," Parker grimaced. "Well, I think I know a couple dogs that might work for you. Lemme introduce you."

Parker led him out to a yard where several dogs were currently either dozing in the grass or occupied by one of the chew toys scattered around.

"Come here, Bear," she called out, and a large, reddish-brown shepherd trotted over. "Rick, meet Bear. He's a five-year-old Belgian Malinois. Bear, say hi."

Rick couldn't hold back the laugh when Bear lifted a front paw to "shake hands." Rick knelt down to better pet him. "What's his story?"

"His handler was killed by an IED in Kabul, six months ago. Poor guy's been in a bit of a funk ever since." Parker paused as she watched Bear get right up in Rick's face and start licking him. "Or at least he was. I don't know that I've seen him take this much of a shine to anyone this fast."

"Well, if he likes me, who am I to argue?" Rick smiled. "Whaddya say, boy? Wanna come home with me?"

Bear responded with a wag of his tail as he knocked Rick backwards onto the grass.

"That sounds like a 'yes' to me," Parker laughed. "I'll go get started on the paperwork."

It wasn't until Rick was back in the truck with Bear sitting in the passenger seat that it occurred to him that it might have been a good idea to talk to Drew about getting a dog before actually going through with it.

Fin.