Johnny paced in Susan and Mary's lab, every so often glancing toward the door he hadn't known existed until today. It seems that Susan and Mary had an outer lab - where they did their normal experiments - and an inner lab, where they dealt with things they considered too dangerous for Johnny to be involved in. THey had kept him out of it by the simple expedient of never telling him it existed...until today.
Now, thinking of all the things that had happened here in the outer lab, he could understand why he should never enter the inner lab seeking thrills. If that was the truely dangerous stuff...He sighed. He would not go in there seeking thrills, but...just this morning, Susan and Mary had led Dukey inside, and they had yet to come out.
Sissy placed her hand on Johnny's shoulder. "Johnny...I know how worried you are, but this isn't good for you. COme on, sit." She led him over to a chair, and sat him down, putting her arm around him. Missy sat nearby, whimpering.
Johnny looked at Sissy. "It's just...I'm so worried. He's gonna be okay, right? He has to be..."
"Johnny...he'll be alright. Trust in your sisters. Have they ever let you down? THey knew what was wrong, and they're going to fix it."
"THey said they would fix it if anyone could. That means they don't know. That's...that's why I went to so much effort to get Dukey's birthday so perfect, but...but how do you tell your best friend ever that you went to such effort because this birthday might be his last?" Johnny broke down into tears once more.
Sissy just held him tight, trying to offer what comfort she could. Missy rested her head in Johnny's lap, whimpering. This had been a secret only Johnny, Susan, and Mary had known until today...that Dukey was sick and might die. Susan and Mary were now working overtime, trying to fix the illness and save Dukey.
Finally, after several more hours of frentic worry, tears, and recrimations, the light above the door went out, and Mary came out, looking very disheveled and exhausted. Johnny stood up. "Is he gonna be okay?"
Mary looked up at him. "It...it was a close call, but...we fixed the problem. Only time will tell if he's going to recover fully. If...if he makes it through the night, he should be fine." Mary wiped at her eyes with a handkerchif before blowing her nose.
"I'm gonna spend the night with him, then," Johnny said simply. It wasn't a request.
Mary nodded. "Okay. Just don't touch anything."
Johnny nodded. He followed Mary into the lab, but Mary paused. "Where do you think you're going?" she asked Sissy when she moved to follow as well.
"With Johnny." Sissy stared at Mary. "You aren't stopping me."
After a time, Mary nodded. They followed in past several high security doors leading off into other areas and finally through one. Dukey was hooked up to a great deal of medical equipment, which read his vital signs as stable.
Johnny walked up to him. "Hey, buddy," he said quietly, resting his hand on Dukey's forehead. Dukey's tail wagged happily in response, but there was no other response.
Sissy waited a ways back with Susan and Mary. Mary closed the door between them. "He'll have a lot to say to Dukey...let's give him some privacy to do it."
Some hours later, Sissy entered the room again. Johnny was asleep, curled up next to the slab Dukey was on, his hand resting on Dukey's broad nose. Sissy sighed, curled up next to him, and covered them both with a blanket.
Johnny was awoken by a cold, wet nose to the back of his neck. "GYAH!" he shouted as he shot awake.
"He he...gotcha!"
He turned, eyes wide. "Dukey! You're okay!" He threw his arms around his friend, letting tears of relieved joy fall from his eyes.
"Of course I'm okay, Johnny. Why wouldn't I be?" Dukey seemed confused. No one had told him how serious this was.
"I was just worried, dog, that's all," Johnny said, wiping his eyes.
Sissy sat up. "Hey, Dukey. Johnny was real worried about you, you know?"
"Uh...er...woof! Woof!"
Johnny and Sissy laughed. "Dukey," Sissy said, "I heard you talking with Johnny at your party. He told me all about it. It was kinda funny, realizing who the kid with the rare hair disorder was all along!"
Dukey chuckled nervously. "Johnny, why did you tell Sissy about it, anyway?"
Johnny looked from Dukey to Sissy, and decided it was time and past to cease with secrets. "Why wouldn't I tell my girlfriend about my best buddy."
Sissy blushed. She still wasn't used to Johnny talking about her like that, not that she disliked it. Far from it.
"Girlfriend?" Dukey laughed uproariously. "I told you you liked her!"
Johnny smirked. "You were right, Dog! Come on, let's go play! The arcade should be open today: my treat!"
Laughing, they ran out of the lab into the dawning new day.