(My thanks to Kausn_husky for agreeing to help me with this story, all of the characters in this story are mine, however, Sergeant Lucas Doyle has been given over to Kausn, as hopefully he will be able to add something to the story)

Lucas and I leave the Doctors office and we are accompanied by the nurse who helped to remove my catheter bag, she heads to the nurses' station while Lucas and I pull up at the desk, she then returns with a pair of crutches, she rounds the desk and then asks for an orderly to help, she then stands before me.

“Okay Mister Doyle would you please help support Mister Marshall for a few moments, I need him standing so that I can adjust the crutches to his height"

Lucas and the orderly gently lift me from the chair and hold me while the nurse tries each of the crutches under my arms, she then nods her head and removes the crutches and allows me to be lowered back into the wheelchair. The nurse makes a few small adjustments on the crutches and then hands them to the orderly.

“Okay Bryce, will you please take these out to Mister Doyle's car, as for you Mister Marshall, I will make you another appointment for one week so that the Doctor can check your dressing and the wound"

With all of the paperwork now completed Lucas wheels me out to his car while the orderly follows with the crutches, once at the car Lucas places the crutches on the back seat, he then transfers me with the help of the orderly into the passenger seat, he then loads my chair into the trunk of the car and thanks the orderly for his kind assistance.

We begin the journey home but as we leave the medical centre parking area I make a snap decision which kind of catches Lucas on the back foot.

“Hon, I know that we are both tired out from the day, but I was wondering if you could do me a favour"

You can marvel at Doberman proficiency as much as you like, but one thing is for sure, Lucas seems to be able to know my thoughts before I have even thought them.

“You want to go visit Trish's Boyfriend and kids don't you?"

I nod solemnly.

“Lucas it is the least that I can do, I need them to know that they are not alone"

Lucas just nods back to me and we begin one of the hardest journeys of my life, though I know that it will be nothing compared to the journey that I will be making on Friday, also I know it will be nothing considering what Mike and the kids, Andrew and Paul, are going through at this moment in time.

After half an hour of driving in complete silence we arrive at Trish's place, I look at the house and I can see that all of the curtains are closed and that there is no sign of lighting or life. Lucas parks the car in front of the house and heads to the trunk to get my wheelchair.

Once I am comfortable in my chair we head up the driveway towards the front door, as we arrive the door is opened to reveal a fifteen year old male Fox, I can see that Andrew's eyes are still red from where he has been crying.

“Unc...Uncle Todd, what are you doing here?"

Spending so much time with Trish over the years means that the boys have come to see me as more of an Uncle than an acquaintance.

“Oh come on Andrew, you didn't think that I would forget about you, Paul and Mike did you?"

The young Fox begins to sob a little as he stands aside from the door, fortunately there are no steps or slopes to navigate and there is just enough space to allow my wheelchair through the door.

Lucas wheels me inside the hallway and I find that now Mike and Paul are standing at the end of it, both looking as though they have not slept in quite some time, Paul is a thirteen year old male Fox and looks so much like his brother it is unreal, Mike is a Husky I believe that Trish told me that he is thirty years old, or something like that.

Mike slowly walks towards me while Andrew closes the front door, as he gets halfway to me Mike switches on the hallway light, he then continues to approach, he then speaks in a voice that sounds hoarse and ragged.

“Hi there, I am Mike, I guess from the fact that you are in a chair that you are Todd?"

A gentle nod is my only reply as I can tell that there is more that he wants to say.

“Trish has spoken of you often and holds...I mean held you in very high regard, it's nice to finally be able to put a face to a name, I just wish it were under better circumstances"

He then leads us all into the sitting room, once inside he switches on a table lamp and then sits on sofa with the two boys either side of him, Lucas sits on a chair by my side, I take the chance to introduce Lucas.

“This is Lucas Doyle; he is my new par...I mean carer, he also knew Trish very well"

 The Husky just nods his head having glossed over my slight mistake.

“Yes, Trish spoke of you fondly too Mister Doyle. I would offer you both some tea but unfortunately since the...incident I haven't been much for doing the grocery shopping"

I hold up my right hand paw.

“Don't worry Mike, you do have quite a lot on your mind, would you like me to ask Lucas to go and get you a few things, because you still have to eat"

Mike looks at Paul who instantly knows what to do.

“Uncle Lucas, can you do a bit of grocery shopping for us please, I know what we need and where the money is kept"

Both Paul and Lucas leave the room, Andrew bids me farewell and heads to his room, this just leaves me and Mike in the sitting room.

“So Mike, stupid question I know but how are you coping?"

Mike suddenly lets his facade fade and begins to cry openly.

“God I miss her Todd, we were talking about getting married at Christmas but now that has all turned to crap"

I slowly wheel myself over to where Mike is sitting and park myself in front of him, I lay a gentle right hand paw on his left knee.

“I know that you miss her Mike, I do too, but you have to be strong, if not for yourself then for Andrew and Paul, they have just lost their mother after all"

The Husky finally brings himself back under control.

“I know that you are right Todd, but I just don't know if I can cope with the boys on my own, I mean sure they have been brilliant with the day to day stuff like getting small loads of supplies, but we can't keep living off microwave dinners and rice forever, at some point we are going to have to face doing a full supermarket shop"

I shake my head a little.

“Lucas will get you what you need for now, and then once things are a little more calm then we can sort out some sort of support structure for you, I will not see the three of you go hungry nor will you be left to survive on your own, after all Lucas and I are only a phone call away, and we can be here in less than half an hour"

Mike sniffs back a stray tear.

“Damn I gotta sort out things for Trish's funeral on Friday"

Again I shake my head.

“Trust me Mike, the department will take care of that, they will also become part of your support, you may not have been Trish's husband yet, but the department never leave its colleagues dependants to fend for themselves and that includes you, Andrew and Paul. Now I may be in a wheelchair for a little while but that don't stop me answering the phone"

Suddenly Mike does something that catches even me off guard; he launches himself forward and hugs me tight.

“Thank you Todd, now I see why Trish was always talking about you"

I'm sure that there was probably a deep blush showing through my fur but right at that moment I didn't care, all I cared about was helping a distressed Husky come to terms with his loss.

An hour later and Lucas has arrived back with arm loads of groceries, Mike helps to get the rest from the car. With the groceries put away Mike takes stock of what has been purchased.

“Lucas I didn't have the money for half of this stuff"

Lucas nods strongly.

“I know, but your cupboards were completely empty and so I did a major grocery shop, and before you say it, don't worry about the money, the health and well being of you and the boys comes first, and always will"

Mike lets out a resigned sigh.

“Well thank you Lucas, it means a lot to me and the boys to know that you and Todd have got our backs"

Lucas and I spend another hour with Mike and the boys and then we say our goodbyes and head for home, we may have made three guys a little less sad today, but both Lucas and I know that they will need more of our support on Friday and over the next few weeks, months and years.