"Mark...Mark, can you hear me? Oh god, is he dead? Oh my god, I just met him..."

Mark could faintly hear Amy muttering beside him as he began to regain consciousness.

"Mark? Oh thank god." Amy sighed in relief when she saw Mark'a eyes crack open to face the bright hospital lights.

"What-where am I? Is Chica okay?" Mark croaked, his throat dry and scratchy.

"You're in the hospital, you got shot trying to chase Chica's kidnapper. As far as Chica's whereabouts, police are still trying to figure out what happened." Amy informed him grimly as she poured him a cup of water from the pitcher on his bedside table and handed it to him.

"How long was I out?" Mark asked as he took the cup and downed its contents in two large gulps.

"A couple of hours." Amy stated.

"A couple hours? So it's been hours since Chica's gone missing and no one's found her yet?!" Mark exclaimed in disbelief mixed with anger.

"They're trying their best." Amy protested meekly.

"Ah, I wasn't expecting to see you so soon today Mr. Fischbach. Your chemotherapy isn't scheduled until later this evening." Mark's doctor remarked as he entered the room.

"Chemotherapy?" Amy repeated with a confused expression.

"I..." Mark trailed off as he took off his wig to reveal his bald head speckled with hair trying to grow back in.

"I have cancer." Mark admitted, head hung in shame to avoid her gaze.

"I'm so-"

"Don't. I know. It's fine." Mark cut her off with a soft growl, not wanting to hear the same two words everyone had been telling him for what felt like forever.

Sympathy meant nothing to him anymore.

Words couldn't get rid of his cancer.

"Anyway, you're clear to go whenever you feel like it. I'll see you later." The doctor spoke up with an awkward smile before walking out.

Mark grimaced in pain as he slowly sat up, feeling his heavily bandaged shoulder scream in pain.

"Do you need help with anything?" Amy asked with concern.

"No, I'm fine." Mark shook his head as he hopped off of the bed and walked with Amy to the front desk to get his clothes back.

Mark was able to change into his pants easily enough, but he couldn't put his shirt on without making his shoulder hurt.

"Amy? Can I have help?" Mark asked reluctantly as he stepped out of the bathroom with his blood stained shirt in hand.

"Um, s-sure." Amy stuttered, her face burning red in embarrassment as she took his shirt.

"Ow!" Mark winced as he raised his arm slightly.

"Hold still." Amy instructed gently as she put the shirt over him before guiding his arms through the sleeves with delicate precision.

"Thanks." Mark nodded in appreciation.

"No problem." Amy replied with a shrug, trying to look casual, but failing much to Mark's amusement.

"I never thanked you for saving my life either, or for staying with me even though you just met me." Mark remarked, glancing over at her as they walked out to the parking garage.

"No problem." Amy repeated, looking more nervous than before.

She looks adorable when she's shy, Mark thought with a smile as he followed her to her car.

"Sorry it's a bit of a mess." Amy apologized sheepishly as she shoved trash and clothing out of the passenger seat and into the backseat.

Who am I kidding, she's adorable in general, Mark mused as he climbed into the car.

"So, where do you wanna go?" Amy asked as she buckled up before turning to face him with her beautiful brown eyes.

"I want to stop by the police station." Mark decided firmly.

Amy did as he said without questioning, taking him to the police station despite the uneasy feeling she had.

"I'll come in with you." Amy volunteered as she pulled up at their destination.

Mark nodded as they walked inside.

"Hey, are you the guy with the kidnapped dog?" One of the officers asked as Mark and Amy went up to the front desk.

"Yeah, have you found her? Is Chica okay?" Mark asked hopefully.

"We just got a call about an illegal dog fight downtown, and we think that's where your dog is." The officer informed him grimly.

"Why aren't you down there yet?!" Mark demanded fiercely.

"We have other people there scoping the area out." The officer assured him calmly, seemingly unfazed by Mark's attitude.

"Thank you sir." Amy interjected before Mark could argue further, leading him out of the building.

That was when Mark saw Chica.

An officer had her in his arms, her body bleeding from various cuts and her fur shaved off in various places to reveal bruised skin.

"Chica." Mark sobbed as he ran to the officer holding his dog with tears in his eyes.

"She's alive, but she'll need to visit the vet as soon as possible." The officer told him.

Mark nodded as he took Chica into his arms, remembering how broken she looked when he first saw her as a puppy.

"C'mon, I'll take you there." Amy offered as they darted back to her car.

Mark sat in the back with Chica on his lap while Amy drove them to the nearest vet center.

As soon as they walked in, a vet came out to greet them.

"I'll get her fixed up, wait here." The vet instructed as she walked away with Chica in her arms.

Mark and Amy waited in tense silence for what felt like hours, Mark's pacing tracking every second that went by.

"Okay, I've got some good news, and some surprising news." The vet announced as she walked back to Mark and Amy.

"On the plus side, none of Chica's injuries are super serious." The vet stated.

"And the surprising news?" Mark prompted impatiently.

"Chica's pregnant."