Can You Be the One to Save Me?

Rian listened to the phone ring several times before Dr Stump answered
"Hello this is Dr Stump"
"Hello Doctor" said Rian "This is Rian Dawson"
"Ahh yes Mr Gaskarth's friend. Hello Rian, what can I do for you?"
Rian smiled, suddenly positive that the doctor would be able to help them

"We have a bit of a situation" said Rian "With Zack"
"What's wrong?" said the doctor "Is he being disobedient?"
"No" said Rian quickly "He's incredibly well trained"
"But?" prompted the doctor
"But he's been stolen" said Rian quickly "And we were hoping that you had given him a tracking chip of some sort?"

The doctor was quiet on the other end of the phone for a few minutes
"Of course" he said "How on earth did he get stolen?"
"He was doing Alex's food shopping" said Rian "Alone"
"Ahh" said the doctor "and how is Alex coping?"
"Not well I'm afraid" said Rian "His ex-girlfriend rang and said that she would give him back to Alex if they went on a date"
"And that's where they are now?"
"Yes sir" answered Rian politely
"And what makes you think that she isn't telling the truth?" said the doctor
"She never has before sir" said Rian "We've searched everywhere for him. Please help us"
Dr Stump paused for a moment before answering

"Of course" he said "Just let me search on the computer"

#

Alex looked Lisa in the eyes and he could tell that she was telling him the truth. She had sold Zack. Alex could feel his heart breaking in his chest. He had no idea how he was supposed to live without him. Zack was more than just his pet, he was his boyfriend, a source of comfort and Alex knew with all of his heart that Zack could never be replaced. Zack was his everything.

Alex quickly let go of Lisa and left the restaurant. He never wanted to be anywhere near her again in his life. As soon as he was out of the restaurant he broke out into a run, heading towards his house. If he was going to have a breakdown he was going to have it in his own house. He knew that he should probably ring his doctor but he knew that he would have nothing useful to say other than 'Don't worry, we can just get you a new one' .

He could hear Lisa calling out behind him but he didn't care, he just kept running towards his house.
His phone rang in his pocket and he quickly pulled it out
"Zack" he panted
"No" came Lisa's voice "I have no idea why you have your heart so set on him but he's not coming back Alex"
"I hate you" he spat into the phone before hanging up and starting to run again.

#

Rian quickly scribbled down the address that the doctor had given to him
"Now" said Dr Stump "that is his current address but he may move so you better get going"
"Thank you so much" said Rian
"You're welcome" said the doctor "Now go and find him"
Rian quickly hung up the phone and Jack was already holding the front door open, eager to be able to help in any way that he could.

Rian picked up his keys and ruffled Jack's hair as he left the door and Jack smiled brightly at him. His happiness was short lived though when Alex appeared on the front lawn. he looked completely wrecked. His eyes were bloodshot, his nose was running and he was panting so hard that he couldn't stand up straight anymore.

Rian spotted him and quickly ran over to him
"Alex" he whispered softly "It's ok"
Alex shook his head and his body started to shake. He was panicking. Rian was quick to act though. Pulling Alex into his lap so that his back was pressed against Rian's chest to help him breathe.
"Listen to me" said Rian firmly "You are going to be ok. Zack is going to be ok. You need to calm down though so we can swoop in and save the day though"
Alex just shook him head again "She sold him" he whispered and Rian could feel Alex falling to pieces in his arms.

"Jack" said Rian and Jack's ears perked up, Rian handed him his keys "Open up the house ok? Alex is going to stay here with you while I go and rescue Zack"
Jack nodded eagerly before running over to the door and unlocking it. Rian gently picked up Alex and took him into the house, laying him down on the couch.

Rian tried to move away but Alex was holding onto his t-shirt tightly and was refusing to let go. His eyes were wide and full of fear. Rian gently pried Alex's fingers from his shirt and held his hand "Jack" he said softly "Close the front door and come here"

Jack did as he was asked and was soon by Rian's side, kneeling on the ground in front of the couch where Alex was lying. Rian slowly passed Alex's hand to Jack "Hold onto him Jack" said Rian and Jack nodded, he was jumping around on the inside though. Rian was trusting him to look after Alex! Him!

Rian slowly moved away and Jack stayed where he was, holding tight onto Alex's hand. He was going to prove to Rian that he could do this, he could be trusted. Rian quickly moved to the front door
"Don't worry Jack" said Rian "I won't be long"
Jack nodded his head and focused on Alex. Rian sent a small smile to the pair before quickly leaving the house and locking the door.

#

Rian jumped into his car and quickly turned on the engine and pulling out of his driveway as soon as he could. He slammed his foot onto the accelerator in order to get to Zack as quickly as possible. He honestly had no idea how much longer Alex would last without him. Alex had put so much trust and faith into Zack, thinking that he would never leave which he wasn't supposed to. Alex must feel as if the floor has been pulled out from underneath him.

Rian arrived at the address that the doctor had given him and looked around. It was the very same 'pet shop' that Rian and bought Jack from.
He climbed out of his car and headed straight inside the building where, once again, Brendon was sitting behind the front desk. Rian walked straight up to him and placed both hands on the desk, looking Brendon in the eye.

"Here's the deal" he said "Mr Gaskarth was assigned a pet by his doctor and by a long and complicated turn of events his pet has been stolen and this is the address that I given as his current location. I am here to get the cat back and return him to his owner before Mr Gaskarth acts on his depressive thoughts. Do you understand?"

Brendon just nodded quickly "Ok, good" said Rian "His Cat's name was Zack, well built, has brown hair and would have been brought in sometime either today or tonight"
Brendon just nodded again "Sir" he said "I cannot allow you to see the animals"
"And why the hell not?"
"Because I am only here in case there is an emergency overnight, I don't have the authority to let you in there" whispered Brendon and Rian sighed

"Brendon" said Rian "You sold me my own pet, I know that you have the keys to go in there and I can get Mr Gaskarth's doctor to talk to you if you need but please, please let me take Zack back to Mr Gaskarth. Before something bad happens"
Brendon paused for a moment before nodding reluctantly "Fine" he said "You call the doctor and I will unlock the door, you have to find him yourself though"
Rian nodded frantically, pulling out his phone. He was going to save Alex.

#

Meanwhile, back at Alex's house Alex was still clutching tightly onto Jack's hand. Jack looked up at Alex from where he was sitting on the floor in wonder. Alex and Zack had been together for just a little while longer than him and Rian. Would Rian react like this if he was stolen? Jack absent-mindedly stroked back Alex's hair and Alex opened his eyes to look at him.

"Jack" he whispered "Do you think that Rain will find Zack?"
Jack nodded enthusiastically "Yes" he said "Rian will find him"
"How do you know that?"
"Because Rian will do anything for you" said Jack "That and it helped that your doctor put a tracking chip in him, so Rian had a head start on where to look"
Alex's ears perked up at that comment "Dr Stump?" Jack just nodded "Why would he do that?"
"Rian told me it was because Zack is for health reasons"
"What are you for?" asked Alex quietly
"Pleasure" said Jack "Although I'm still trying to figure out what that means"

#

Rian dialled Dr Stumps number for the second time that night and he answered on the second ring
"Mr Dawson?"
"Yes, Dr Stump it's me" said Rian "I just need you to talk to the owner of the pet shop before he will let me take Zack"
"Of course" said the doctor "So you found him"
"I think so" said Rian "Here's Brendon"
Rian quickly handed the phone to Brendon before taking off down the corridor where the cats were held.

"ZACK!" he called out "ZACK!"
He ran up and down the corridor, looking into almost every cage that he went past.
"Rian" he heard faintly after a couple of minutes and he ran to where he thought he had heard the voice come from he stopped in front of a cage where he could see Zack had been squished inside.

"Zack" he murmured "Do you know who I am?"
Zack nodded "Of course I do" he croaked "Are you taking me back to Alex?"
Rian nodded "Yes I am" and Zack smiled up at him with as much energy as he could muster.

Brendon came running down the corridor soon after, keys in hand and gave Rian's phone back to him. he unlocked Zack's cage and Rian pulled him out.
"You better hurry" said Brendon and Rian nodded
"Thank you very much for helping" he said before standing up and pulling Zack up with him before they ran out of the building. Zack was finally free.