DT Serum, Primary Testing In Progress

"Yes," Lex said without missing a beat. "I'd want you because you'd be thinking clearly, and I wouldn't. I'd expect you to keep me on the saner path. Tomorrow morning, first thing. We can leave at 12 f-ing 0-1 in the morning for all I care, just let us cool down from the wedding and me get a bit of sleep."

Ashton sighed and hesitated. He really wanted to go now, and was half tempted to just wait until Lex was asleep.

Lex glared at him. "Ashton, wait for me. If you don't, I will hunt you down and drag you back kicking and screaming. We had a deal. Three days. Tomorrow, time ends. You've never gone back on a deal with me before. Don't do it now." He headed downstairs before Ashton could answer.

Ashton looked down. He had promised..... and Ashton didn't break his promises. He shoved stuff under the bed before he flopped down on it, just staring at the ceiling. He felt even less social then before now.

*time reverse to back when Tramp first left*
Tramp had gone to the only place he could think of. The safe place Echo had taken him to that time he'd been high. He huddled in the corner with Bobo, silent and still. He didn't cry. His eyes were dry as the desert. He waited until nightfall before venturing out, leaving Bobo in the room with some water and a bit of food he'd scrounged. He wasn't hungry. Tramp returned a couple hours later with a small baggie of white powder. A few hours of oblivion. That was all he needed. Then he could forget all about... HIM. Tramp rolled the bag over in his hand, not feeling the burn he normally did. The need that was almost maddening. It wasn't there tonight. Nothing but loneliness.
Tramp growled and scratched the back of his head. As he did so, his hand brushed the bone earring. He froze. Angrily, he worked the erring free and threw it across the room. He turned his back, glaring at the wall. A moment later, he turned and scrambled across the floor to scoop up the earring. Cradling it gently, he resisted the urge to apologize as he put it back in.
The day and night blended for Tramp as he drugged himself and tried to escape into the haze, but there was no escape. Even drugged, Ashton haunted him. At last, he could bare it no more and slipped away. Echo still hadn't returned. He didn't realize she had gotten a job with Lex's recommendation and now lived in a little apartment. Not much, but it was hers. And now he was truly alone.
Tramp slunk up to Ashton's house and watched. He didn't see Ashton at first. Finally, he spotted the other boy walking slowly into the kitchen. His brother, Lex, seemed to be practically forcing him to eat. He was miserable. He looked as miserable as Tramp felt. Shoulders slumping, Tramp slunk away to hide with Bobo in the trash where he belonged. Maybe he had been wrong...
Tramp didn't know what to do. The drugs didn't do it. Every time a car slowed down as it passed him, he thought of Ashton and ended up turning away. He was starving, broke, and severely sick from his unsteady diet of drugs. There was nothing left...

"It's about time we found you."
Tramp's head snapped up. He'd been aimlessly walking with Bobo and trying to find food for the dog. He opened his mouth to say something only to choke on his words.
The guy Lex and Ashton had paid Tramp bust for drugs stood grinning before him. He didn't hold anything, but the two guys on either side of him held a bat and a big chain. Tramp couldn't even scream as they grabbed him and shoved his face into the dirty street. Bobo started barking hysterically, but one of the others had grabbed him and was holding him back. Tramp cried out at the first blow, but he lost his breath as the blows rained down on him. They were too frenzied to do much visible damage, but enough to keep him pinned down.
At last, the leader knelt on his back and whispered, "You destroyed me. So I'm going to destroy you. I only got the one bullet, but I think that's all I'll need at this distance."
Tramp whimpered as he heard the hammer click back. He closed his eyes.
Then the weight was gone from his back. He heard Bobo snarling as the thugs screamed. A gunshot. A yelp.
"Let's get out of here!"
Tramp waited until the running footsteps faded then sat up. "Bobo?"
Bobo whined and tried to come to him, but he seemed to be having trouble moving. A red stain grew on his side.
Tramp reached out a trembling hand. "Bobo? Bobo, don't worry! I'll get you help." Tramp staggered to his feet and lifted the dog with a grunt. Bobo was almost as big as he was, but Tramp didn't let that stop him as he ran toward the only place he knew to get help.

(It is now just gone dark on the eve of the wedding, so timelines are synchronized. Tramp will show up shortly.)

(Nuuuuuu Bobo! D: Good doggy though, protecting your master!)

Ashton felt restless, and tired at the same time. He hadn't left his room since they got back, and while he felt the urge to do something, he didn't know what. He sighed and got up to pace his room yet again.

True had just gotten Sam, Paul, and Shuni settled into bed and was about to head into his room for some quiet time with Kat. He had a question to ask her. He almost jumped out of his skin at the pounding on the door. "Who comes knocking at this hour?" he grumbled, opening the door. His jaw dropped when he saw Tramp standing alone on the doorstep, blood soaking the front of his shirt, tears streaking his face.
"Please," Tramp whispered, holding out his hands pleadingly.
True shook himself out of his stupor and turned. "ASHTON! LEX! GET DOWN HERE NOW!"

Lex sprang from his bed and almost fell down the stairs as he tried to take them too fast. "What happened?"

Ashton, having always been less graceful than Lex, actually did fall down the stairs in his haste. He overstepped at the end and fell right into Lex's back. He hadn't noticed who had knocked yet.
Layla came down too, but stopped on the stairs when she saw Tramp. Her face deadpanned as she stared silently at him, her face betraying no emotion.

Lex grunted as he staggered then caught himself and Ashton, righting him. He frowned as he approached Tramp. "You hurt?"
Tramp sniffled and shook his head. "They sh-shot Bobo. I couldn't- I couldn't carry him. He was just too heavy. Please!" He noticed Ashton. "Please, I know you hate me, but please help Bobo. He's-" Tramps voice cracked and he pushed a hand over his face, smudging it badly.

Ashton completely tensed up when he saw Tramp. Now that he, or rather, Tramp found him, Ashton didn't know what to do. After a moment, he shakily walked over to Tramp, hesitant to touch him in case the illusion broke. "Where.... where's Bobo?" he asked softly after a moment. Ashton turned to True and Lex. "Lex, I might need your help. True, get Dr. Ally here."

"On it," True said, backing out of the way and flipping his phone open. "Layla, get the kitchen ready for injured dog. Kat, play interference with the cats and the boys if they wake up."
Tramp took a deep breath and forced himself to focus. "He's- he's a few b-blocks back. I hid him."
"Wait." Lex walked away and grabbed a couple of towles and an old sheet before rejoining them. "Show us where."

The girls nodded. Layla went to the garage and found a tarp, laying it on the kitchen table and moving the chairs away. Kat stationed herself at the entrance to the hallway to keep half an eye and ear for the boys.
Ashton stayed with Tramp, although he was hesitant to do anything, although he did notice something that made him relax a little more. "Tramp, it'll be all right." Ashton said steadily. "I'm here for you, and Dr. Ally is the best I can think of right now." He assured Tramp as he followed him to Bobo.

Tramp wasn't sure if he answered Ashton or not. He was staggering more than he was running now. He led the way to a sort of blocked off alleyway not far from the Gaster household and moved some empty cardboard boxes. "It's okay, Bobo! I came back. I promised you, didn't I?" he soothed as he moved the finally boxes stacked carefully around the dog.
Bobo whined and licked Tramp's hand. He knew his person wouldn't leave.
Lex wordlessly knelt and began wrapping a couple of towels around Bobo. Tramp had down his best with an old shirt, but this was better. The dog wrapped, Lex shifted him carefully into his arms. "Ashton?" he said quietly, nodding to the trembling Tramp. He needed someone to open doors and keep an eye on him.

Ashton nodded and led the way back, lightly guiding Tramp with a touch to the shoulder. "Tramp, what happened?" He asked as calmly as he could muster.

Tramp shook his head, teeth chattering, his eyes on Bobo as he struggled to keep up with Lex's fast stride. "Sh-shot Bobo. Should ha-have sh-sh-shot me," he stammered out. "Shot Bobo."

Ashton nodded. "Hey, it'll be fine. Dr. Ally will fix him up. She helped fis me and Lex up after all." He said. When they got there, Ashton held the door for Lex just as a bustling Dr. Ally came up in a little VW Beetle and scrambled to get stuff out of her car and inside. Ashton held the door for her too before he walked over to True. "True?" He asked quietly. "May I use your bathroom to try and coax Tramp to wash up a little? I promise to clean up any mess."

"Yeah. Best to keep him out of the way for now," True replied in a hushed voice as Lex placed the big pup on the table. "I'll let you know if anything happens. Don't worry about the mess."

Ashton nodded thankfully to True and gently got Tramp's attention. "Tramp?" He said quietly, "We should clean you up a little." He carefully guided the other guy to True's bathroom and got a warm, damp washcloth to start.

Tramp tried to resist, but he was too weak and shaky. He ended up standing in True's bathroom with Ashton, hugging himself as he shivered, head down, looking more lost and broken than he had since the day he'd first arrived on the streets.

Ashton sighed softly. He gently sat Tramp on the toilet lid and carefully started to wipe the blood off. "I, ah, still have the clothes if you want me to grab a change for you?" He offered quietly.

Tramp didn't reply. He seemed in shock as he automatically peeled off what was left of his ruined shirt and let it fall to the bathroom floor. His torso was covered in bruises that would look colorful in the morning, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. "They shot Bobo," he mumbled.

Ashton sighed a little. "Tramp, Bobo will be okay." He said softly. "Unfortunately, I know what it's like to be shot. The wound didn't seem to have hit anything vital, so all Bobo will need is a closing up of the wound, and plenty of rest to recover." He continued to gently and carefully wash the blood and grime off of Tramp.

A tear escaped Tramp's eyes as he looked up at Ashton. "I can't lose him. Not him, too. He's all I've got. He's the only one who's... who's... loved me. Just me."

Ashton flinched at the line that Bobo was the only one who loved Tramp. He couldn't help it. Ashton looked down to try and mask or hide the hurt he felt and finished cleaning Tramp up with the washcloth. "If you want, take a shower. I'll get you clean clothes." He said and left, unable to meet Tramp's eyes.

Tramp dropped his head. "I just want Bobo back," he whispered. "I want to tell him I'm sorry. I can't ever fix anything. I can't help. I can't be helped. I thought I could make things better for him. I was wrong. I'm always so wrong." His shoulder shook. "I just want... Safe. Home."