Beginning credits roll as Aubrey and Raine walk into a clinic room. Raine's voice is heard.

raine

(voice)

My name is Raine. Yes, really. I was living in a big house with my parents and eleven-year-old twin sisters, a fairly regular teenager with a fairly regular family living a fairly regular life. Then Charlie showed up at the clinic with the dying cat wrapped in his sweatshirt. That was when everything changed.

animal shelter - clinic room

Aubrey gently lays the bundle on the examination table while Raine looks on.

raine

Is it dead?

aubrey

It's breathing. But I don't know for how long. Stay here and don't touch it. I'll be right back.

She hurries out of the room and Raine leans back against the wall. The green sweatshirt has a dark, sticky stain on the bottom and it is spreading. Raine looks around and slowly walks up to the table. She pulls back the edge of the sweatshirt, revealing an off-white cat with large blue eyes and blood on its whiskers. The cat's expression is glazed and vacant.

Raine looks around again before carefully reaching out her right hand, the silver friendship knot ring on her index finger glinting in the flourescent lighting. She gently touches the top of the cat's head. The cat's lips pull back defensively revealing blood-rimmed teeth. Raine's eyes fill with tears as she strokes its head.

raine

(whispering)

Sh. It's going to be all right. Soon you'll stop hurting. Once the doc gets here you'll get some medicine.

The cat's lips and eyelids relax and it lets out a long, shuddering sigh. After a few seconds it breathes again and Raine continues stroking it. As she pets its head, her left hand slides down the rest of the sweatshirt exposing the cat's lower body. She rests her hands on its back, covering an unnatural lump and twist in its spine.

Footsteps approach and Raine reluctantly backs away. She covers the cat back up and goes back to her place at the wall. Aubrey and Doctor Thomas come in, followed by Charlie. Doctor Thomas nods briefly at Raine but goes directly to the table. He pulls back the sweatshirt and sucks in his breath.

doctor thomas

How fast was the car going, son?

charlie

Forty-five maybe?

Doctor Thomas nods and runs his hand down the cat's back. He frowns and opens the cat's left eye, shining a light into it. The pupil contracts and he does the same to the right. The cat stirs and lets out a quiet meow. He listens to the cat's chest with a stethoscope and feels all down its body. The cat squirms and gets to its feet. Aubrey gasps.

aubrey

How is that even possible?

DOCTOR THOMAS

I've never seen anythign like it. By all rights this animal should be dead or dying. By the amount of blood and feces I would have guessed massive internal injuries.

raine

It isn't going to die?

DOCTOR THOMAS

I don't know, Raine. I want to get her sedated and get a full set of x-rays. it looks like she'll need some stitches on her left flank and she's severely undernourished, but to be honest it doesn't even look like she was hit at all, let alone by an SUV going forty-five miles per hour.

Aubrey smiles, her eyes wide.

AUBREY

Raine, why don't you and Charlie go and give the rest of his family an update.

Raine nods and leads him back into the foyer. Marcia and Molly are sitting on a bench, holding hands, with a pile of used tissues next to them. Marcia looks up at them, her eyes solemn.

MARCIA

Well?

raine

Doctor Thomas said the cat's injuries aren't as bad as we thought. He's going to do some xrays and other tests but thinks she might make it.

Molly stands up and runs to Charlie, grabbing his hands.

molly

Charlie? Is the cat really okay?

charlie

She was walking a little bit.

marcia

Walking? After being hit by a car?

CHARLIE

Looks like it.

raine

I'm sure Aubrey will tell us more once she knows anything else.

marcia

Thank you. I didn't get your name before.

raine

Raine Feywood.

marcia

Marcia Rhodes. This is my son Charlie and my daughter Molly.

raine

Nice to meet you.

Aubrey comes in, a careful smile on her face.

AUBREY

It looks like the cat is going to make it. She's pretty banged up and Doc Thomas thinks she might be deaf, but he's not sure if that's from theaccident or just from having blue eyes.

molly

Blue eyes?

aubrey

Most cats with blue eyes are born deaf. That might explain why she ran out in front of the car in the first place. She may not have heard it coming.

molly

Can we see her?

Aubrey smiles and shakes her head.

aubrey

The doctor gave her some pretty strong medicine so she would feel better. But it made her pretty tired. She'll probably sleep until tomorrow.

molly

What's her name?

aubrey

She doesn't have one. Maybe we'll find her owner and find out.

molly

Can I name her?

aubrey

I think that would be fine.

molly

Blue Bird. Because she has blue eyes.

marcia

That's a pretty name, sweetheart. We'll call and check on her tomorrow. We should probably get going if we're going to meet Gramma and Grampa for dinner.

aubrey

Please, call any time. If you want to leave a number we can let you know if anything changes.

Raine goes to the desk and gets a piece of paper and a pen. Marcia writes down the phone number and the three of them leave. Doctor Thomas comes into the room, shaking his head.

DOCTOR THOMAS

I never saw anything like that before. That cat should be dead, not just getting a few stitches.

raine

Is she really going to be okay?

DOCTOR THOMAS

If she stays away from the roads she should be fine. I'll check back on her tomorrow. She's sedated and I've left orders for pain killers and antibitics. There isn't anything else I can do for her tonight.

aubrey

I'll check the other shelters, see if anyone reported her missing. But she looks like a stray to me.

DOCTOR THOMAS

With that coat and level of emaciation, I'd have to agree with you.

aubrey

Well, thank you, Doctor.

DOCTOR THOMAS

You're very welcome, Aubrey. It's nice to have a happy ending for once.