“You know exactly what I’m upset about. There are certain things we need to know. Tah may not like my…avenues of finding answers. Which is why we decided not to say anything until we have them.”
“You decided,” she countered.
“Diane,” he warned.
She knew the stress he was under, could see the strain of it on his face, and her anger eased a bit. “There’s nothing to report until there’s something to report,” she uttered with a sigh.
“That’s right. You need to get your head together.” He walked closer to her, and she could see concern for her reflected in his gaze. “What’s going on? You’re not yourself lately.”
“I’m not sure I can do this anymore,” Diane whispered honestly. Doubt. There was so much doubt and uncertainty eating away inside her. “When you came to me with this mad idea of needing my help on a special project dealing with a unique breed of cats, I was intrigued. When you admitted exactly what it was, humans with cat spirits inside them, shape shifters… Well, I figured you were completely crazy.”
“You came,” he reminded her.
She nodded. “I did. I liked you and wanted to help if I could. I was also exhausted. The constant traveling, dealing with cats so near the brink of death from illegal hunting. It drained me. I was ready to walk away from it all when you came to me with your offer. A permanent place to call home. Working with a species in desperate need of saving.”
“You have exactly what I promised you. This is home for all of us,” he assured her. “And this pride needs you more than anywhere you’ve ever been. I need you.”
“I don’t know what I’m doing any more,” she wailed, tears sliding down her face. “I’m terrified. Soon, I’m going to need to deliver a baby, and I’d be lying if I said that doesn’t scare the living hell out of me. What if something goes wrong and Abby or the baby need care we can’t provide? I’m so afraid my ineptitude is going to get someone killed.” She was almost sobbing now. “Everyone wants me to take care of Abby. Hell, if it weren’t for the information Clara gave us, Abby and her baby might be gone, now.”
“Where is the confident woman I first met? The one I had to have because there was no one else in her league.”
“She learned what it means to really be afraid,” Diane answered.
“Everyone has fear. You can’t let it control you or make you think you’re incapable. You are more than capable. I believed in you when I came to you, and my faith in you has only grown.”
“I feel like I’m failing you. The tests on Finn, the anomalies Logan still has in his blood and a baby ready to make an appearance anytime now. You need someone better suited to handle all of this. A real doctor for God’s sake.”
“You’ve more than proven your worth to this pride,” the Professor argued.
“I’m not sure I am worthy anymore.”
“What are you saying?” the Professor demanded.
“I think you need to start searching for someone else. A doctor trained to deal with this.”
“No!” the Professor yelled. “You are the right person, the only person I ever considered. I would have promised anything to get you here, and do you know why?”
She gave a jerk of her head.
“Because there’s no one smarter than you. No one more capable than you. You came in here with a confidence that put everyone at ease. Everything that’s happened, you’ve met with no hesitation, just a confidence that you would find the answers. You’ve seen the truth of what I told you, men and women who can take the form of animals.”
“I have. They awe me. The last thing I want to do is hurt one of them,” Diane told him softly.
The Professor looked at her with frustration. “Don’t say it, Diane. Don’t think it,” he ordered.
She ignored him.
“I think it’s time I leave. As soon as the baby’s born,” she whispered.
“I need you. We all need you. I never once thought of you as a quitter.” He gave her a hard look and turned to head back to his office, slamming shut the door behind him.
Diane dropped onto a stool and lowered her head into her hands.
“You’re leaving?” Clara’s question startled Diane into looking up.
“How much did you hear?” she asked.
“That you plan on leaving after the baby’s born.”
Diane nodded.
Clara came closer and pulled out another stool. “The Professor is right. We do need you.”
“I…” Diane trailed off and lowered her head. She was no longer certain they did. “Without your care, Abby might have died before I arrived and thought to give you the information about transfusions. And don’t think I haven’t heard what you did for my mate. You’re the one who took a bullet out of Logan and saved his life.” Clara shuddered and took a deep breath. “I’ll always be grateful for that. Without you, I would have never met him. I wouldn’t be complete and whole like I am now. I owe that to you.”