Secret smile

58

"Shh.." he breathed, putting his hand out slowly toward the tiny puppy that suddenly seemed much smaller than the other golden retrievers. "I just wanted to come over and say hi, it's okay." The puppy didn't move, just whimpered harder and for some reason Derek just stayed in place. He had no idea why it was so afraid but he was pretty sure that it would relax eventually if he stayed still. He wasn't sure how long he sat there, waiting for it to move towards him, but finally, slowly, it moved carefully, its little nose moving quickly as it sniffed at his outstretched hand. Its dark brown eyes looked almost sad, and he turned his hand over carefully as it belly crawled towards him. It whimpered harder for a moment and then relaxed, rubbing its head under his hand, its soft fur brushing against his fingers.

"See? I'm okay," he murmured, quietly, still not moving his hand as the puppy rubbed gently against him, taking a pause to snif his hand again, still trembling hard as the other puppies barked while playing with Meredith. "You're okay, aren't you? You're just a little shy and small for your age. That's okay, you're still cute. I'm just saying hi. We're okay."

The puppy looked up at him for a moment and then reached its paw out, swiping at his hand playfully. He smiled widely but still didn't move, letting the small dog play quietly. It took a break every few minutes to sniff him, to make sure he was still safe and he just shook his head. It let out the smallest, playful bark and then fell back, as if its own bark scared it and fell back onto its belly, trembling.

"Mer..." he breathed, trying to get his girlfriend's attention as he moved slightly closer to the puppy, offering it his hand again. "Mer..."

"Der...Der, we should get Bandit," she laughed, the sound causing the little puppy he could feel himself falling for to look up quickly and then practically barrel into him, nuzzling his stomach.

"Hey! It's okay," he murmured, wrapping his arms around the small trembling dog. "It's okay. That's just Meredith. She's nice too. Loud but nice."

"I see you've found Cosette, Dr. Shepherd," the woman, Karen, smiled sadly.

"Cosette?" Derek whispered. "Is that your name?"

"She doesn't take very well to people," Karen sighed as the little puppy rubbed up against him, still trembling.

"She seems pretty shy," Derek laughed softly, watching her carefully.

"She was the runt of the litter," Karen explained. "The owner figured she was going to die so took her away from her mother."

"Oh," Derek breathed, letting Cosette sniff is hand again. "The poor girl...had her family taken away. No wonder she's shy and nervous."

"Thankfully, a neighbor saw her and called us. We've had her for almost eleven weeks now."

"And there's nothing wrong with her? Just nervous?"

"Just nervous," Karen nodded. "She's perfectly healthy."

"Hmmm..." Derek breathed, running his hand gently over the puppy's back.

"She's a fighter."

"Mer..." Derek whispered, looking at his girlfriend.

"Yeah?" Meredith giggled as she got off the floor, a few puppies following her over. Cosette buried her tiny little face into Derek's sweater again, whimpering loudly.

"Come see Cosette," he murmured. "But be quiet and gentle. She's nervous."

"Okay," his girlfriend nodded slowly before sitting down slowly next to him, the other puppies nudging her as she reached to slowly pet Cosette.

"I want her," he whispered.

"She's a puppy, Der," she pointed out quietly.

"I know," he nodded. "But she...she's so nervous, Mer."