𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 ➢ ɪꜱᴀᴀᴄ ʟᴀʜᴇʏ / ꜱᴄᴏᴛᴛ ᴍᴄᴄᴀʟʟ

Ch. 23 - BATTLEFIELD

Scott walked into the examination room from the back room only to pause slightly when he saw Azalea petting the dog that was on the table as she talked to Deaton. "What are you doing here?" Scott asked and Azalea looked over at her and shrugged, "I got bored and decided to come here. Help out if you guys needed any help." She said and Deaton nodded.

"Azalea actually used to want to be a veterinarian." Deaton said making Azalea shoot him a look while Scott raised his eyebrows, "Really?" He asked and she sighed. "Yeah, ten years ago." She said and Deaton looked up, "Ten years ago Azalea and Stefan lived here for a year and Azalea worked here." He said and Azalea shook her head slightly.

"Okay, can you stop telling my life story?" She asked making Deaton chuckle, "How long have you guys known each other?" Scott asked as he walked over and Azalea thought for a moment. "Since he was sixteen, I believe. Stefan helped train Deaton and his sister to be emissaries." She said and Deaton nodded while Scott's eyes widened slightly, "Woah." He said making Azalea chuckle before the bell to the door dinged.

"Would one of you mind seeing who that is?" Deaton asked as he filled up a syringe and Azalea nodded and was about to walk towards the door but they all stopped when the dogs in the back room started barking. Deaton set the syringe down and the three of them walked over to the doorway to find awkwardly Isaac standing in the waiting room with his hands in his pockets.

"It's okay, Isaac. We're open." Deaton said as he walked over and opened the front gate, letting Issac walk past. Azalea smiled at him before they all walked back into the examination room. Deaton gave the dog that was on the table a shot while Isaac took a deep breath and furrowed his brows.

"Why does it smell like that?" Isaac asked making Deaton, Scott and Azalea look at each other and chuckle, "What?" Isaac asked. "Scott said almost the same thing to me a few months ago. One day, he could somehow tell the difference between which animals were getting better, and which were not." Deaton said and Azalea smiled sadly as she gently petted the dog.

"He's not getting better, is he? Like, cancer?" Isaac asked and Deaton nodded, "Osteosarcoma. It has a very distinct scent, doesn't it?" He asked and Scott and Azalea both nodded. Isaac looked down at the dog with glossy, red eyes and Azalea smiled softly. "Come here." She said making him look at her as she held her hand out to him.

He grabbed her hand and walked over to where she stood. "I know Stefan already told you everything about your newfound abilities, improved strength, speed, and healing... But we never got to talk about what it could do for others." She asked making him furrow his brows.

She took his hand and gently placed it on the dog and a second later black veins started to trail up his hand making him gasp lightly. Azalea smiled as she glanced at Scott and Deaton before Isaac pulled his hand away, pulling his sleeve up to watch the veins trail up his arm.

"What did I do?" He asked in a slightly whisper as he looked at the dog in shock. "You took some of his pain away." Scott said and Deaton smiled softly, "Only a little bit. But, sometimes, a little can make quite a difference." Deaton said. Isaac took a deep breath as he brought his hand up to his face.

"It's okay. First time they showed me, I cried, too." Scott said and Azalea nodded, "It was pretty funny." She said and Isaac looked up at them and laughed softly. He looked over at Azalea who smiled softly at him making him smile and glance down.

🦎

"They're leaving tonight, during the game." Isaac said as Scott and Azalea put stuff away making them look at him and Azalea sighed softly and closed her eyes for a moment. "So, why are you telling me?" Scott asked and Isaac shook his head, I'm not telling you- I'm asking you." He said then glanced at Azalea.