Chapter 3

One of My Cookies is Missing

a Three Delivery fic

by Crystalquirt

Requested by

silverheartlugia2000

Profile: u/3218369/

{{{{{{{THREE DELIVERY}}}}}}}}}

Suddenly just ahead and closest to Sid, there was screaming, and a stand of bushes shook. There were six gunshots in rapid succession from behind the bushes.

Sid, Sue and Nana ran ahead, even into the gunfire.

The round man didn't know what he was shooting at, or where he was shooting. He pulled the trigger accidentally, out of fear.

Tobey-wolf pounced but in mid-flight, the wise Tobey-Nian inside overwhelmed the werewolf side. Tobey came up short of landing on the man, and the Wise Nian inside of Tobey had him roll away from the man who was shooting. Proving at least, a Nian with Tobey's mind wasn't a man-eater.

Tobey had already mastered the way of the Nian and seemed to be gaining some control over his werewolf side.

Looking around, the Tobey-nian was hoping for a way to escape from all the people with guns rather than have a meal.

An officer that had been climbing near Sue grabbed his shoulder where he'd been shot and fell.

Mr. Wong from the antique shop was shot in the leg. He had been only a short distance from Nana.

One bullet hit the ground right next to where Sid was running, two went stray, and the other hit Tobey-wolf's hind leg, above his hock. The bullet went through his lower thigh.

The wound sizzled in the damp night air, and Tobey-wolf howled in pain.

The officers went faster up the steep hill, while Sid, Sue, and Nana already in the lead, went even faster.

"Tobey!" Sid cried.

Nana jumped through the bushes followed closely by Sid and Sue. They got there just in time to see Tobey-Wolf jump over the cliff.

"Tobey!" Sid and Sue called. They were helpless to do anything but watch Tobey-wolf fall into the water and rocks below.

Citizens yelled at each other, 'Get down to the beach' and 'The monster fell!' Most of them turned to run back down, excited to get down to the ocean to be the first to find the creature's body.

The officers who weren't tending to the injured followed. No one stopped to look at the small family gathered at the top of the cliff.

Sid and Sue got tears in their eyes, as did Nana. She hugged Sue and tried to hug Sid, but he refused angrily. "I'm fine - I have to go find Tobey!"

Sid wiped tears from his cheeks as he ran down along the cliff side.

Sue broke the hug, "Nana, we have to follow - Sid's gonna get himself in trouble."

"Right Sue." Nana agreed.

Sid ran down the cliff side, slippery with rain-slick rocks and mud. He stayed high where he could see the ocean.

Those who went back down the hill to drive around would take much longer to get there since they had to park and then travel by foot even farther than Sid would.

A large rock sitting in mud tilted when Sid stepped on it, and he slid down the steep incline on the ocean side. Loose rocks and mud went with him.

"Aaah!" He cried involuntarily as he went. Sid recovered and athletically jumped to the first large rock below sitting out in the water.

"That was a shortcut I didn't plan on - but it got me here faster!" Sid said. He stopped to look around. The waves splashed, getting his feet as wet with salt water. He was already wet all over from the rain and mud.

Sid saw Tobey-wolf limping from the water. He only had to go a short distance to be against the cliff. He lay down under a shallow ledge Tobey-wolf to lick his wound.

"It must not have been a silver bullet. But it's hurting him." Sid mumbled as he hopped to another rock to get closer.

"Tobey? Let me help - Please - we have to get out of here - half of Chinatown is coming, and they're all armed."

Tobey-wolf hadn't seen Sid until he spoke. He righted himself and assumed a pouncing position.

"Tobey - no, let me help you - can you just follow me?"

Not understanding, Tobey-wolf, in pain and still hungry lunged at Sid. But Tobey wolf was weakened by his wound and was slow. Sid leaped up, and Tobey-wolf missed, landing where Sid had been. Sid came down on sand surrounded by rocks.

Weakly, Tobey-wolf jumped at Sid again. Sid's feet slipped on the slick rock, and he fell. Tobey-wolf landed on Sid with one large clawed hand on Sid's chest and a back paw on Sid's leg. He growled, casually sniffing Sid's neck.

Sid put his hand up trying to protect his throat. "Tobey - please - you know me! Let me help you get to safety. Tobey-wolf weakly sniffed Sid's hand that he held up trying to protect himself.

Just when it looked like Tobey-nian would win, and the wolf would back off. Sid relaxed a little, and Tobey-wolf chomped hard on Sid's arm.

"Aahgnnnn!" Sid screamed. Tobey-wolf let go of his arm and growled right in Sid's face. "Tobey - please!"

Running along the rocks on the shore, ahead, Nana and Sue saw Tobey-wolf standing on Sid, keeping him pinned down helplessly. Nana stopped and took out her gun with the silver bullets.

"No - Nana! Please! Let me try to talk to him!" Sue cried.

"I'm sure Sid tried to talk to him - that's not Tobey right now - he won't understand! He could kill Sid or even just bite him, and we'd lose both of them!" Nana argued.

Tobey-wolf looked at Nana and Sue and whined before he collapsed on top of Sid.

"Oh, Tobey." Trapped under Tobey-wolf, Sid scratched the fur around Tobey's ears like he'd pet a favorite dog.

"Sid, are you okay?" Sue cried.

"Mostly, but Tobey's been shot," Sid said.

Nana still stood a short distance away, taking aim at the unconscious wolf.

"Nana! Don't," Sue saw her.

Before she took the shot, Tobey turned back into his cute human boy form with a flash of blue light.

Sid stopped scratching his ears and hugged his friend. "I'm so sorry, Tobey!"

"There! He's human! You can't shoot him, Nana!" Sue sacrificed her long sleeved shirt again, covering Tobey's butt and as much of his back as it would reach. She was between the boys and Nana.

Helping to pull Tobey off of Sid, Sue still tried to stay between the boys and Nana. She knew Nana was beside herself with grief and guilt.

Sue helped Sid stand up. He held Tobey across his arms. When he picked Tobey up, Sue repositioned her shirt to keep him covered, and Nana came close and sadly wrapped her knitted shawl around Tobey although it was as wet as he was from the rain.

The first Officer ran up, "Did you folks see a monster fall from this cliff just a few minutes ago?"

"Yes, he attacked my son - and went into the ocean," Nana said. "We have to get my boy to the hospital!"

Nana herded Sid and Sue away from the officer. They walked to the end of the cliff, and only had to climb a short hill to where a cab met them.

The cab driver said after seeing Tobey, "Hospital?"

"No, Wu's Garden, please," Nana said.

"Well, Chinese food is good for whatever ails me." The driver sighed. "You know best."

Sid sat with Tobey mostly in his lap, and Tobey's legs were on Sue's lap. His feet in Nana's.

"Nana, he feels so cold," Sid said, sounding worried.

"I know Sid, we'll get him home and warmed up - but then what?" Nana said.

Sue whispered, "We try the antidote again."

In the middle of the cab's seat, Sue moved her arm to get out of the way when Nana reached for Tobey's leg to see his wound. Nana pulled the edge of the shawl back and picked up his leg.

She whispered so the driver wouldn't hear, "There is an exit wound. The bullet isn't in his leg. I don't' think it got much more than skin and muscle on its way through his calf."

"That's good, I don't think any of us are prepared to do surgery, and they would ask a lot of questions we can't answer at the hospital," Sue said.

Tobey's shoulders needed covering up, and when Sid took his arm out from under him to cover him up, Sue saw his bloody sleeve.

"Sid! Why are you bleeding?" Sue asked her brother suddenly.

"Tobey bit my arm instead of my neck like he was aiming for," Sid said simply.

"But he bit you? It doesn't matter where!" Sue confirmed.

"I know, Sue," Sid said, "I'm trying not to think about it now."

"Nana!" Sue said.

Nana whispered, "We'll talk more when we're inside."

{{{{{{{THREE DELIVERY}}}}}}}}}

The cab pulled up to the front of Wu's.

"They are up early." Nana groaned.

Nana asked the driver to take them to the alley behind Wu's when she saw that Barney and Calvin were already up and cleaning the dining room.

Sid carried Tobey through the garden and inside through the back door and then straight down to the pantry. No one saw them, fortunately.

Sue checked the dryer and pulled out several warm blankets that Barney had finished drying but hadn't had time to come back down to get.

Nana took two blankets from her and folded them in half to fit on the work table in the center of the room. Sid put Tobey down on them, and Sue covered him up with another blanket and a thin comforter.

Sid rolled another small blanket into a pillow and put it under Tobey's head. He sat on the kitchen stool and found Tobey's hand to hold under the blanket.

"Tobey feels like he's freezing," Sid said.

Sue turned up the thermostat to warm the pantry.

Nana was thoughtfully stirring and warming the rest of the Monkshood root recipe. Knowing that she now had two infected kids and trying to think why it didn't work the first time.

"Keep Tobey warm." Nana instructed, "Get his wound cleaned and dressed. Sue, make some more of that tea. I'll be back in a couple of minutes." Nana excused herself and went to the garden to use her phone.

Sue got to making the tea, and Sid sat by Tobey, watching his friend's chest rise and fall with each breath. Sid focused on worrying about Tobey instead of thinking about the fact that he'd been bitten now.

In a few minutes, Nana returned and said, "I called the hospital. Jenny is still hanging in there, but has not awakened yet."

"Will Tobey be out for days too?"

"I don't think so. Jenny was shot by a silver bullet - she should have died right away but for some reason is still alive."

Tobey groaned, and his eyes fluttered open. "Tobey! Glad you're awake!" Sid said.

"I turned again, didn't I? Why didn't you stop me! Did I hurt anyone?"

"You bit Sid. But we just couldn't kill you. There must be a way to cure you!"

"I bit him! That means he will turn tonight too! You'll have to - No! I'm so sorry, Sid. - Nana! You should have shot me before that happened!"

Tobey sat up and pulled Sid over hugging the stuffing out of him. Sid started to pull away but stayed and returned the hug when he felt Tobey sobbing against his chest.

"It's okay Tobey - we'll get through this." he said, supporting Tobey.

Sue came over with the tea and bowls of chicken. "Here, you both need to drink the tea again and here is some leftover Ginger Chicken. It's only from yesterday - smells good anyway."

"Thanks, Sue." Sid took his tea and bowl of chicken.

Tobey groaned when he sat up. "I'm not hungry."

"Tobey," Nana said, "you have to eat to keep up your strength."

Tobey picked up his bowl of ginger chicken and smelled it, "Yuck!" he yelled and threw the bowl against the wall, where it shattered. At the same time, he rolled off the table to run away from the food, but Sid caught him.

"If you're going to be running around, you better get dressed, buddy." Sid had grabbed the comforter and kept it around Tobey.

"That stuff stinks so bad it hurts my nose!" Tobey cried, burying his face in the blanket.

Sue and Nana watched the incident and neither reacted right away because they were thinking.

Sue broke the silence first, "IT'S THE GINGER!"

"YES, Sue! That must be what's missing from the recipe!"

"Or maybe that's all they needed!" Sue answered. "I think I know why. They seem to be werewolves of legend, but they aren't."

"Now, Tobey who usually loves Ginger Chicken shows a great aversion to it!" Sid said.

"And Jenny didn't die from being shot with a silver bullet," Sue added.

"Nana," Sid continued, "you said you were trying to make Nian-like creatures, even though you intended them to be small, from insects - a human at a cookie first."

"Yeah, I must have come close enough to making a Nian, that victims of the cookie, even Tobey who got it sort of second hand, don't like Ginger. It's worth a try!"

Smiling, Sid patted Tobey's shoulder, "I'll run up to our room and get you some clothes."

"If I have any clothes left," Tobey said sadly.

Sid ran up the stairs.

{{{{{{{THREE DELIVERY}}}}}}}}}

"Nana, do you think you should add the ingredients from the Nian antidote to the monkshood recipe that you already made?"

"That might cover all of our bases. I just don't know yet. Just in case, I'll make the Nian antidote the same way, and then if needed add it to the Monkshood."

"Sounds right, Nana." Sue agreed. "At least we should have all day to do this."

"Yes Sue, but we will still have to wait until tonight to find out if it worked."

"Will the moon still be full enough?" Sue asked.

"If your theory is correct the moon might not be needed to make the change happen. Nian can exist anytime, not just during the full moon."

"So it just happened that there was a full moon when this all started?"

"Perhaps Sue," Nana said.

Sid returned with Tobey's clothes and was helping him get dressed. Sid held the blanket up around him while Tobey, standing on one leg pulled up his pants.

Once Tobey had his pants on, Sid picked him up under his arms and sat him back on the table.

"Here, at least drink the tea. That's all you need is an infection." Sid sipped his tea too and found it cold. He sat his and Tobey's cups in the microwave on the counter and turned it on.

"Is that still the tea that helps with pain? Because my leg really hurts." Tobey hissed through his teeth. Holding his knee, just above his gunshot wound.

"Yeah, Buddy - it helped a lot with my back," Sid said. "Here, turn sideways." Sid helped Tobey turn so that he could put his injured leg up on the table.

"Looks like it stopped bleeding, it hasn't soaked through the bandages," Sid observed.

"Speaking of blood," Tobey said, "Nana and Sue are both busy. Hand me the first aid kit and take off your long-sleeved shirt." Tobey ordered.

"What?" Sid asked.

"I'm going to bandage your arm where I bit you - it is the least I can do, right?"

"Right Tobey, just don't use as much tape as you usually do."

After just a few minutes, Sid said, "Hey Tobey, that feels great - You put on a good bandage."

"Practice makes perfect, and we have been getting a lot of practice, even though we haven't seen Kong Li in a while."

They heard Nana sniffle and turned in time to see her cover her face with her apron.

"Nana? What's wrong?" Tobey asked. Sue stopped stirring the brown goo she made and went to Nana.

"You're right, I've done more damage to you kids and Chinatown than Kong Li has with my meddling. All the suffering your boys have been through and if you would d-, it would be my fault!" Nana covered her face again.

"No Nana! We would never blame you!" Sid said.

"It takes guts to practice and fight magic with magic - sometimes things go sideways - it's no one's fault!" Sue said. "Nana please, there is still hope for Sid and Tobey, right? We need you to finish the antidote."

"It's our only hope," Sid said.

"Nana you're the only one who can save us!" Tobey chimed in.

"Right kids," Nana pulled herself together.

"Nana since Tobey is dressed and almost looking normal if Barney or Mr. Wu see him - we'd like to go up to our room and rest," Sid said.

"Fine children, when we have something, we'll come up to get you," Nana said.

Sid helped Tobey off of the table and carried their teacups. Barefooted, Tobey hopped up the stairs on one leg.

When they were passing the kitchen, Calvin happened to look up.

"Sid? Tobey? When will you be back to work?"

"I'm not sure, Mr. Wu," Sid said. "You'll have to ask Nana."

"My mother is being very secretive. And every time I see you there seem to be new injuries. Like why is Tobey limping now and your arm is all bandaged up, Sid?" Calvin said.

"We were roughhousing again, even though you told us not to, Sorry Mr. Wu," Tobey said. He kept hopping up the stairs to their room. Sid followed him.

"Wait you two, you know about the werewolves in Chinatown don't you?" Calvin said.

"Oh, um Mr. Wu, we've been awfully busy." Sid began.

"Don't go out all banged up like that - you wouldn't have a chance if you ran into it. It's been all over the news." Calvin warned.

"Right, Nana won't let us leave I hope," Tobey said.

{{{{{{{THREE DELIVERY}}}}}}}}}

In the pantry, Nana and Mei Hua were mixing the last of their ingredients.

"Nana, I'm worried," Sue began.

"I am too Sue - I just don't know what's going to happen," Nana said.

"Not so much about that," Sue corrected, "I mean the dogs were still Nian when they drank the potion and changed back. They weren't Nian long enough to see if they would change back on their own in the daytime."

"I see. You're worried that if Tobey and Sid drink this while they are human, it may not have the same curative effect?" Nana said.

"Right Nana - I hope they don't have to turn into the creatures before it works to cure them."

"I don't know Sue. I hope so. It will be hard enough to get Tobey to drink the Ginger without having to do it while he's a werewolf."

Sue looked sad. "Sid too. Do you think he really will change tonight too, Nana?"

"I'm afraid so," Nana said. "That's how it went for Tobey after he was bitten."

"Maybe it will lose some potency. Sid is the third person bitten from the original who actually ate the cookie."

"We can only hope so, Sue," Nana said. "We have no idea what will happen and can't know until tonight."

Sid and Tobey slept all day and might have slept longer, but Nana knocked on their door.

"Come in," Sid said, finger combing his messy hair. Tobey groaned when he moved his leg.

"How are you boys' feeling?" Nana asked.

"I don't know - I just woke up! Except my leg hurts." Tobey answered. He hopped down from his bunk on one leg and sat beside Sid on his bunk.

Nana came into the room, followed closely by Sue, who was carrying tea for both boys.

"Tea Time," Sue said. She handed the boys their tea. "Nana, can I stay for a few minutes?"

"Of course Sue. I'll see you after while in the pantry. I have one more thing I want to do, and I'll bring the antidote up here." Nana said and left the room. Sue sat on the floor in front of Tobey and Sid.

"How is the antidote coming?" Sid asked.

"Must not be great, or Nana would have had it with her when she brought the tea." Tobey said. "it's almost dark out."

"She just wants to be sure. This whole situation has been unexpected." Sue said. "Nana is pretty upset."

"I know how she feels," Tobey said, "I would do anything to go back and not have bitten Sid."

"You couldn't help it, it fact I don't see it as you who bit me - you were definitely not yourself," Sid said.

"I wish I was stronger, as strong as you," Tobey said. Sid thought his eyes looked wet again and put his arm around his shoulders.

Sue held Tobey's hands in hers. I have faith in Nana - I know she can save you both."

Sue felt a change in the feel of Tobey's hand. She looked down, but at the same time, Sid growled "Sue! Get away! - It's happening!"

Sue rolled away from the boys and caught a glimpse through the window. It was dark outside.

{{{{{{{THREE DELIVERY}}}}}}}}}

Tobey changed into a werewolf and snarled at the others. After the change, shreds of his clothing were left on the floor around him.

Sid changed too, partly. He grew more hair on his face with long sideburns, his human hair got longer, and his arms and legs had a soft, short growth of black hair running along the top of his arms and fronts of his legs.

It looked more like protective skateboard accessories than hair. His muscles grew larger, and his pajama pants tore.

Sue backed away, shaking her head with tears in her eyes. But Sid's face didn't change that much - and he could speak.

"Wow - Sue - I'm still me somehow!" Sid looked down at himself. He didn't have nearly as much hair as Tobey did, and fortunately, he still had only partially shredded, pajama pants on.

"I'll stop Tobey!" Sid promised. He assumed a fighting stance.

At first, Tobey-wolf seemed to be waiting to see if Sid would finish changing and become the first member of his new pack.

One thing Sid did get from the change was that he was as strong or stronger than Tobey-wolf. He stood up his hind legs and tried to push Sid down, but Sid pushed back.

Tobey snapped at his head, and his teeth and slobber got it Sid's new fur. Sid pushed harder avoiding Tobey-wolf's bites. Sid swung his leg behind Tobey's injured hind leg and put him down.

Losing the battle, Tobey-wolf rolled back to his feet and jumped out the window. Sid-Nian ran after him, loping along like an animal.

Now when the two wolf-nian creatures ran along the rooftops, they weren't playing. It took all Sid had in him to keep fighting Tobey-wolf off.

Just when he thought he had Tobey-wolf cornered on the rooftop of a Chinatown Department store things went sideways.

"Tobey, stop! Don't you know me at all?" Sid asked, when his friend hesitated, finding himself in a corner. Too high to jump, Tobey-wolf turned and howled at Sid.

"Come on Tobey!" Sid growled in encouragement, "You mastered the ways of the Nian - now fight the wolf inside you!"

Tobey snarled at Sid, but then he shook his head like he had fleas. His expression softened when he looked at Sid-Nian.

"Tobey? Can you hear me?" Sid asked, thinking he got through to Tobey, "Let me take you back to Nana for the antidote!"

"It's okay Sid," Sue interrupted, "were here, we have the antidote. We only have to get it into him."

Sid didn't see Nana and Sue come up on the roof behind him, and said, "I'm glad you're here."

"Just don't let Tobey get away again!" Sue cried.

Sid took a step at Tobey, and Tobey-wolf leaned back, growling. "Tobey, try to fight it - you know me, somewhere deep down, you know me!" Sid said.

Sid managed to take three more steps toward Tobey-wolf. Tobey was blinking and growling deep in his throat. To Sid, it sounded more like purring than growling.

Sid got a little closer, and Tobey went down on all fours shaking his head and gritting his teeth, he cried, "No! I don't want to hurt Sid! Run Away!"

"Tobey!" Sid cried, "You did it!"

But suddenly Tobey-wolf shook his head as though to clear his mind and jumped at Sid-Nian.

"No!" Sue cried, and Nana held her back. Nana said, "You can't help Sid, it would be like jumping into a fight between two lions!"

Nighttime inventory re-stockers at the department store came up to see what was making the ruckus on the roof. They stayed behind the door to the roof, peeking out timidly.

Sid was caught off guard and fell backward when Tobey-Wolf jumped. He was stuck on his back, with Tobey standing on him.

Sid kicked under Tobey's belly and made him howl. Tobey snapped at Sid's face, and Sid barely managed to hold him back.

"Tobey! Please! You were almost there! I know you can understand me! Fight it!"

A lady covered her mouth when it looked like one monster would kill the other. The onlookers closed the door a little more, but still peeked out except one man; he stood out in the open feeling braver than he should have, watching.

Tobey stopped trying to bite Sid's face, and his growl turned soft again. Sid used both feet and threw Tobey-wolf over his head. Tobeywolf landed on his back, with Sid on top of him.

Tobey-wolf growled a sound that sounded like "Sid," but then he kicked with his hind legs and clawed Sid's outer thigh. Sid whined but didn't let up.

Larger when human, Sid was still larger and stronger than Tobey, even as a werewolf and he kept him pinned down. Sid only changed his position a little to keep Tobey-wolf from clawing his leg again.

"Nana!" Sid sounded like he was growling.

"Stay back!" Nana said to Sue and ran to Sid. She handed him a bowl full of the monkshood nian antidote recipe.

"Get this down Tobey's throat however you can!" Nana instructed.

Sid put his knee on Tobey-wolf's front leg and used his hand to pry open Tobey-wolf's strong jaws. He started to pour, but Tobey bit at the bowl nearly making Sid drop it.

Nana took the bowl back, and Sid used one hand to hold Tobey-wolf's jaws shut, and with one clawed finger he pulled open a pouch of lip made in the corner of Tobey's mouth.

Nana moved in and poured the antidote into the little opening that Sid made between Tobey-wolf's lips.

Tobey growled and sputtered. Some of the antidote spilled, but they got most of it in Tobey's mouth. Trying to growl, Tobey had to swallow or drown.

"There, it's in," Sid said. "Tobey - keep fighting the wolf!"

"Nana we don't have any for Sid now," Sue said, worried about her brother.

"Don't worry I have enough for your brother in my bag."

"I need to stay this way right now to help control Tobey anyway. I can still help!"

"Tobey stay down!" Tobey-wolf looked fearful, and he cried softly when he struggled under Sid.

"It's okay Tob, please, just change back!"

"It didn't take the nian this long to change back. What do we do Nana?" Sue asked impatiently.

It seemed like the earth stood still for a moment when a gunshot rang out. The worker standing on the roof watching held a gun.

Sid-Nian exhaled suddenly and fell onto Tobey as the bullet entered his body. "No. . ." Sid growled as he passed out.

"Nobody shoot!" Sue screamed "Nobody shoot! Those are my brothers!" She stood between the wolves and the other people on the rooftop.

Tobey-wolf took advantage and pushed Sid off. Sid had fainted, and Tobey-wolf rolled him around like a wet noodle.

Now Tobey-wolf was on top and had Sid's shoulder at his collarbone in his jaws.

Tobey-wolf shook Sid like a favorite toy. Sid was completely limp as his arms flailed around and Tobey drug him further toward the corner.

Sue covered her eyes, fell to her knees and sobbed thinking Sid was dead and the antidote didn't work for Tobey.

Nana shot a fireball at the crowd gathering to make them back off but took her gun with the silver bullets out.

As she took aim at Tobey, Sue looked up as everything was suddenly very quiet.

Sue screamed again, "No! Nana!"

Blue swirls of light enveloped Tobey, and he changed, naked again, he fell on Sid's Nian fur. Shocked by the sudden change and sudden realization that he was naked and laying on Sid, he yelped and hopped off, sideways staying low to check Sid.

Concerned for Sid, he forgot himself. He landed kneeling by Sid, leaning down trying to see into his friend's face, he cried, "Sid!"

"Nana - tell me I didn't hurt him! Oh Sid, please open your eyes."

"No Tobey - you did not hurt him. Someone over there shot him. They would have shot you too before you changed back but Sue put herself in the way.

Sue kneeled down by Tobey and her brother. Tobey was shivering in the cold rain. She took off her rain jacket and put it around Tobey's shoulders. It was long enough to cover most of his 'business.'

"Sid - please!" Tobey was sobbing on Sid's furry chest. "Sid - please be okay!" he cried.

"How will we get him out of here?" Sue asked sounding desperate.

Nana was down on one knee checking Sid over. "Sid is not breathing well, and there is a sucking sound," Nana said softly. "The bullet entered his chest, probably a lung."

"Oh!" Sue cried.

"Come on Sid - we need you to wake up to drink some antidote!" Nana said.

Nana waved a vial of something giving off purple fumes under Sid's nose, and he miraculously opened his eyes.

"Oh, the pain! What happened to me?" Sid growled.

"You'll be okay Sid - we just need you to drink down some of the antidote."

Sid clenched his jaw and groaned, "I don't think I can Nana! Why am I in such pain?" Sid growled softly.

"Just do your best." Nana encouraged.

Nana held up a small canteen took the lid off. She began letting it dribble into Sid's mouth."

Sid coughed violently.

Sid please, Tobey begged, "Please you have to drink the antidote!"

Sid closed his eyes and tried to hold his breath. Nana started dribbling more antidote in his mouth. He had swallowed a couple of times before he began coughing violently again.

Sue and Tobey turned Sid up on his side to cough more effectively. When the coughing was over, Nana had him try again.

Tobey cried, "This is like we're torturing him! He can't breath well enough to drink anything!"

"No Tobey - it's okay," Sid said, "I have to get it in" - and opened his mouth so Nana could give him more.

Every time Sid coughed, he pushed out more blood and bubbles through the gunshot wound.

Sue folded her handkerchief and pressed it to the hole in her brother's furry chest.

Sid had tears in his canine-like eyes after another swallow of the foul Gingery stuff.

"Stop - I can't breathe!" Sid groaned.

He rolled all the way onto his side and drew his legs up in a fetal position. He panted. "It hurts!"

"I know Sid - I hope you got enough," Nana said. "Well give him a minute and try for some more."

"It would be better if paramedics or doctors didn't see his animal side if we can help it," Sue said. "I just hope the cure doesn't finish him off."

Sid whined, "Doctors?"

"Yes Sid," Nana confirmed, "you need real medical care - you're injured beyond my ability to treat," Nana said sadly.

"What happened to me? - not Tobey he wouldn't have!" Sid asked.

"No not Tobey." Sue answered, "You saved Tobey - you held him down long enough to get the antidote down his throat too."

"See, I lost all that extra hair," Tobey said, holding his arm where Sid could see it if he opened his eyes.

Tobey leaned forward again. From behind Sid, he put his forehead on Sid's shoulder and spoke softly, "Thank you, Sid, I owe you big time - I'll let you win the next time we race, okay?"

"Yeah, buddy." Sid smiled at his attempt to keep things even.

"You'll be okay - you're the strongest person I know," Tobey whispered.

Finally blue light swirled around Sid, and he lost all the extra hair he'd grown, but he also lost all the extra muscle, and it made his injury look so much larger.

Sue only moved the makeshift bandage she held over the wound while he changed. Her brother's human body being more frail, the wound was bleeding again when she pressed back down on it.

"Oh, Sid." Sue was shocked and surprised how much more terrible the wound looked now.

"A little relieved, Nana yelled at the on-lookers, "didn't anyone call an ambulance? My son's been shot here!"

"No way, I didn't shoot a kid - he was a monster!" the man who fired the gun dropped it and took a few steps closer to Sid to try and see him.

"This is my son!" Nana yelled. Three women in the group were calling 911.

"Was he in a costume or something? From over there he looked like a monster! Both of them did!"

As always the police showed up with the paramedics. Nana told them that her boys had been attacked by a werewolf since the rumors were already circling, her story would fit right in with their injuries. Well, most of their injuries.

One paramedic wrapped Tobey up in a silver thermal blanket and then put another one over his head like a large hood to keep the rain off of his head.

Then he covered Sid from the waist down. The torn pajama bottoms he still had on were soaking wet and stuck to his skin.

The first Paramedic said, "Gunshot wound to the chest! Call it in!" he was busy counting Sid's heart rate and taking his blood pressure.

"His blood pressure is dangerously low!" The first paramedic said, starting an IV while the other medic called the hospital for further instructions.

Nana was trying to explain what happened to an Officer without explaining everything.

"One of the onlookers shot my son accidentally when he tried to shoot the werewolf," Nana explained.

"Where is that man now?" the officer asked.

"He must have left - he was very upset. He may have gone inside. The others over there who were watching could probably tell you who he his." Nana suggested, hoping the officer would walk away.

But the officer didn't leave right away. He stayed and asked, "What happened to the boys' clothes?"

"Oh, um the werewolf shredded their clothes," Nana explained weakly.

The officer kept asking, "What were you doing up here?"

"We were below, shopping and the werewolf chased us up here to the roof." Nana was getting a little nervous. He was asking a lot of questions.

"The moon isn't full tonight - are you sure it was a werewolf?" the officer asked again.

A few feet away, Sue screamed and fell, pretending to faint. With the Paramedics already helping the boys, the officer left Nana alone to check on the fainting girl.

Nana looked worried at her, but Sue managed to wink at Nana without anyone else seeing her.

{{{{{{{THREE DELIVERY}}}}}}}}}

The ambulance took Sid to the same hospital where Jenny was still recovering. It was only about a block away. The medics, joined by nurses and doctors ran Sid straight to surgery.

They wanted to take Tobey into a treatment room, but he refused. Sue and Tobey sat on a sofa in the emergency waiting room. Tobey still only wore the two large thermal blankets.

When Nana left the area, Sue knew where she was going and explained to Tobey. "She is going to sneak into Jenny's room and give her some of the antidote if she can."

"I hope she's in time," Tobey said. "She should have let me go with her!"

"You aren't quite dressed for it." Sue reminded him, "Besides, until we hear about Sid's condition, I want you to stay with me."

"Okay Sue," Tobey smiled in spite of being very worried about Sid too.

{{{{{{{THREE DELIVERY}}}}}}}}}

Nana sneaked into Jenny's room and gave her some of the antidote, waiting for her to reflexively swallow a drop at a time since she was unconscious it was lucky that she still had a swallowing reflex.

Even though she wasn't a wolf at the moment, the blue sparkles showed Nana that her antidote worked.

"Rest child, I'm so sorry my actions put you through all this. Of course, it all started because you were trying to take things that are not yours."

Nana rejoined Sue and Tobey in the waiting room. They had waited for four of the longest hours of their lives before Sid's surgeon came to the waiting area.

"We got the bullet out of your son, and he's alive and doing as well as can be expected. The bullet damaged his left lung, but he is breathing on his own, and his vitals look good."

"Then he'll be okay?" Sue asked urgently.

"He is doing well, as far as we can tell right now, he will be fine. Recovery will take months. He won't be feeling up to returning to his normal routine right away."

"You don't know Sid - He is strong and will bounce right back," Tobey said proudly.

"When can we see him?" Sue asked.

"He's still recovering from the anesthetic, but as soon as he wakes up, you can see him. It will still be a while. In the meantime, maybe get something from the cafeteria and go on up to the waiting room by intensive care to wait. The nurses there will keep you informed," The doctor said kindly.

"Thank you, doctor," Nana said. She was feeling a great sense of relief. Tobey slipped away but was only gone for a minute. He came back without the silvery thermal blankets and wearing two hospital gowns, one on frontways and the other on backward so he had everything covered.

"Good Idea Tobey, if you lost one of those blankets in the cafeteria, everyone there would have lost their appetite."

"Hey, they just would have seen exactly how good looking I am, from my luscious hair to my toes."

"Yes, you are quite the Greek god." Sue giggled.

The end