The vet's office door swung open with a soft click, and Artio surged forward like a freight train that had just been given permission.
"Easy," the vet laughed, steadying herself as the Alaskan Malamute tried, unsuccessfully, to crawl directly into her arms, "She's very enthusiastic."
"She's been like that since she was a puppy," Tyrone said fondly, rising from his chair as Tandy stood too. Artio sneezed once, shook herself, and immediately tried to lick the vet's face.
The exam room was bright and clean, stainless steel surfaces reflecting the overhead lights. Posters of various pet animal anatomy and nutrition lined the walls.
Artio hopped up onto the reinforced exam table with only minimal encouragement, tail wagging hard enough to rattle the paper roll beneath her.
The vet ran practiced hands through Artio's thick fur, checking joints, ears, eyes, teeth. Tyrone leaned against the counter, arms crossed loosely, watching the examination.
"She's in excellent shape," the vet said after a few minutes, jotting notes onto her tablet, "Heart sounds great and her coat is very healthy. Weight is pretty solid for her breed,"
Tandy brightened instantly, "Really?"
"Really," the vet confirmed, "No signs of joint issues, which is impressive for a dog her size. Whatever you're feeding her, keep doing it."
Artio barked out multiple times excitedly as if she understood every word while Tyrone just smiled hearing that.
"There is one thing, though," the vet added, glancing up at them, "She's got a lot of energy. You're going to want to increase her outdoor exercise. Take her out for some long walks or runs if you can handle it."
Tyrone exchanged a look with Tandy, "That won't be a problem," Tandy said lightly, though her eyes flicked toward Tyrone with a knowing glint.
"Good," the vet said, "Otherwise, she's as healthy as they come. You've got yourself a very happy dog."
Artio chose that moment to bark once, loud and proud.
The checkup wrapped up quickly after that. They thanked the vet, scheduled the next appointment, and clipped Artio's leash back on. The Malamute trotted toward the exit like she owned the place, tail sweeping side to side.
The front lobby was busier now. A couple sat near the door with a nervous-looking cat carrier while someone else waited with a limping golden retriever. All of them wore expensive clothes, so it seemed this vet office Tandy had suggested was quite high tier.
Everything was going fine and the duo was about to leave...until Tyrone immediately felt a shock ripple through his link with Tandy, like a sudden hitch in her thoughts.
He turned around and looked at her, who was frozen, and then looked at where she was looking, spotting a tall man in an immaculately tailored suit, dark hair and a rigid posture.
Tyrone didn't really understand what was so special about the man. He was standing alongside a woman in a designer dress that probably cost more than the entire vet clinic's monthly rent.
The woman had her arm looped possessively through the man's, and Tyrone felt Tandy's breath hitch when she saw that as well.
For a second, he felt a flood of emotions overwhelm him through their mental link, vulnerability, nostalgia, longing, a sense of wishful thinking and hollowness all at the same time, and Tyrone quickly pieced together that this had to be her father.
Her real father, whom Tandy never told him about. Tyrone never asked what happened to her dad, as Tandy never spoke about it, but seeing the way she reacted to seeing him, he knew something must've happened.
The man who was her father turned and his eyes crossed with Tandy's, and then...nothing. Just a brief flicker of recognition before his expression remained in the same default manner.
No warmth or anything of the sort, just a brief, dismissive glance as if Tandy was another stranger taking up space in his peripheral vision.
The woman noticed her, though. Her gaze swept over Tandy from head to toe, lingering with open disdain.
"Well," she said, lips curling faintly. "If it isn't the ballerina."
Tandy's shoulders stiffened.
"I didn't know you still hung around in these kinds of places," the woman continued, eyes flicking pointedly to Artio,"I thought you'd be somewhere rummaging around in the slums by now, thought I guess you're not far off with the company you keep," The woman continued, a disdainful gaze running across Tyrone as she said that.
Tandy swallowed, and Tyrone could feel her internal light dimming and becoming unsteady due to her emotional turmoil, especially as her father said nothing in her defense, not even looking her way.
The woman smiled thinly. "Tell your mother," she added casually, "that some of us actually learned how to move on."
That was when Tyrone stepped forward, placing himself Tandy and them with an ease that felt instinctive, one hand resting lightly on Artio's leash, the other brushing Tandy's wrist in a grounding touch.
"We're leaving," he said calmly, not looking at them.
The woman scoffed as she heard that, "Excuse me? I'm not finished talking to that rancid little girl,"
Tyrone finally met her gaze, "You heard me," he said evenly. "We're done here."
For a moment, it looked like the woman wanted to say more. But something in Tyrone's eyes, something cold and final, made her hesitate and Tyrone immediately guided Tandy gently toward the door, keeping his body between her and the pair until the moment they stepped outside.
The door closed behind them with a soft chime.
Fresh air hit Tandy's lungs, sharp and clean. She sucked in a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, shoulders trembling once.
Artio leaned into her leg immediately, whining softly.
Tyrone didn't say anything at first. He just walked her a few steps farther away from the entrance before he finally asked,
"You okay?"
Tandy nodded, though her eyes were glossy, "Yeah," she said quietly, "I just… forgot how good he is at pretending I don't exist."
Tyrone's jaw tightened as he heard that, continuing walking across the parking lot. Only when they reached the car did Tandy finally speak again.
"She's Taylor Romanova," Tandy said quietly as Tyrone unlocked the door, "Heiress to Roxxon."
That made Tyrone pause, just a fraction.
"Roxxon? That huge energy company?" he asked, glancing at her.
She nodded, "Energy is what they mainly do yeah, but for the past couple years, they've been expanding rapidly,"
Tyrone leaned against the car, giving her his full attention.
"My dad left my mom for her," Tandy continued, "Didn't even pretend it was complicated. One day he was just… gone. Lawyers handled the rest. Money instead of apologies." Her voice wavered despite her effort to keep it steady. "That was the first time I've actually seen him in years. Not a screen. Not a headline. Just… him."
She exhaled shakily. "I guess some stupid part of me thought he might look at me and remember I existed."
Tyrone didn't let her finish spiraling.
He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, firm and grounding, pulling her into his chest without hesitation.
"Hey," he said softly. "You don't owe him that kind of space in your head."
She went still for a second, then melted into the hug, forehead pressing against his shoulder.
"He walked away," Tyrone continued, voice low and steady, "That's on him. Not you. And you don't need someone like that validating you when you already have people who actually choose you."
Her grip tightened slightly in the fabric of his shirt.
"You've got me," he said. "You've got Phillip, and your mom definitely loves you too,"
As if on cue, Artio shoved her massive body against Tandy's side, rubbing hard and insistently, tail wagging like she was trying to physically glue herself to her. The Malamute let out a soft huff, then leaned all her weight in.
Tandy laughed weakly through the tightness in her chest,"Okay, okay," she murmured, scratching behind Artio's ears. "I get it. I'm loved."
"Very," Tyrone agreed.
She took one last steadying breath, then straightened, wiping at her eyes and squaring her shoulders. The faint glow of her Light stabilized again—warm, resilient.
"Thanks," she said quietly.
Tyrone gave her a small smile. "Anytime."