The Pacific Coast, 2044

    The only mercy from the pain was the cold he felt as the burnt skin was removed. Inch by inch. He knew he was dying, but he could do nothing but wait as the doctors on the ship tried everything they could to save him. Their grim expressions told Zack that the injuries sustained were fatal. Someone made eye contact with him, grabbed something from out of view, sticking it into Zack's neck. Quickly, it all faded away as he slipped out of consciousness.
    The events played back in his head in reverse in flashes. The pirate raid, the bombs, being shielded from the blast. It came too fast to make sense of. Nothing remained in order. His husband and him meeting, the time they spent out at sea, the dates then nights in bed. It all swirled around him, out of  his reach. Danny Boy, who shielded him from the blast. Danny Boy, who proposed during a storm off the front of the ship. Or was it clear that night, beneath the moon in calm seas.. Memories came and went too fast to know which were ending or beginning. There was an ache in his heart, his lungs felt like they were empty, shriveled. He needed to breath, but there was no air. He concentrated with all his might and gasped with ever bit of energy he had.
    His eyes were open, he could breath again. He was warm. He could hear things, but they were dulled. A rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor, the sound of the rain against the window. He could feel the gentle rocking of the ocean. He felt sore over every inch of his body, but the numbness was gone. He tried to look around, but his muscles wouldn't let him. He didn't really know if he still had the ones he needed anymore. He could feel his heart speed up as the panic set in. What shape was he in now? Where was Danny? How was he alive?
    A doctor entered the room, Decker. Zack knew him, decent doc, his skin was paler than usual. One of the three on board. All three were helping him before. He looked much less grim now, though, not exactly happy. Pulled over his chair beside Zack's bed, the metal legs scraping against the floor seemed to have lost their pitch, at least, from what Zack could hear of them. He breathed deep and let out a long sigh.
    “Zack." He immediately got a bit choked up, “Fuck man, we thought we lost you, too."
    He breathed again, regaining his composure, “There's so much to talk about, but that can wait." He reached over, plugging a small cord into Zack's neck.
    “You can't talk right now, honestly, can't do much, we're still trying to get all the implants to work. We're a little out of our element here.."
    Zack tried to open his mouth, but his jaw felt strange, it didn't move how he remembered.
    “Yeah, so, we uh.. We found a way to safe your life." He gave a weak smile, “Could make a full recovery, in time, actually."
    Zack tried to smile, but his face. Something was still off about it.
    Sensing the light in Zack's eyes, Dr. Decker gave him another grim look, “Hey.. Don't thank me just yet, man.."
    Decker picked up a flat mirror, holding it away from Zack, “You remember that gift you were going to get Danny for your anniversary? The skin mod he'd been wanting?"
    Zack's heart sank, he remembered exactly what Decker was talking about. The mirror flipped around, showing Zack his new body. The bat skin that Danny wanted. Grafted onto him was the permanent skin change of his husbands.. What was it called? A Fursona.
    It was something Zack had gotten used to thinking about seeing the rest of his life. The skin his husband wanted since he was younger but never made the commitment to get. This wasn't some cheap suit, either. It was made for a full body resculpting, room to be modded further with all the skills a bat would have. Granted, it was incomplete, but he'd been saving up for a couple years now. For all it was, it wasn't Zack in that mirror, it was Danny Boy, his husband's body.
    “D..Dan..?" Zack tried to speak, but his new face made it difficult to get the words out.
    “It was the only way to save your life." Decker said, tears forming in his eyes, “Danny won't be needing it anymore, anyway.."
    Zack gave the doctor a pleading look, unable to speak.
    “He saved your live twice in one night, it seems." He put a comforting hand on Zack's now furry shoulder, “But I'm sorry, but he didn't make it."
    Zack's heart broke, he tried to sit up, but it only caused him more pain. Decker was quick to wrap his arms around Zack, trying to comfort him while keeping him from moving and harming his new flesh. After Zack calmed down enough to be mostly rational, Decker set him back down
    “We still have to work the kinks out of all the tech." Decker said with a sigh, “I'm gonna try to get you out of here as soon as I can. I'm sure everyone is dying.. Er, really looking forward to seeing you up on your feet."
    Zack stared up at the ceiling, trying to take it all in as all the programming and information rushed in front of his view through his electronic eyes. Eyes that weren't his. A dead man's eyes. In time he could move again, with some difficulty, he could form words.
    “What.. What happened?" Zack said, sitting up on the bed.
    Decker sighed, “Some pirates trying to take the ship. You and Danny were defending a hall. They threw some kinda bomb. Almost killed the both of you."
    “I kinda remember some of that." Zack felt a little more confidant with his new mouth or muzzle as it was now.
    “Yeah, most of your skin was charred." Decker smiled weakly, “Vince remembered the furry skin you grabbed in Oregon when we were up there and brought it down. You'd be dead otherwise. Then we would have lost both of you."
    “We'd have died together at least." Zack lowered his head, his large bat ears flopping in front of him, causing him to nearly lose his balance.
    “Don't think like that. He'd want you to have lived."
    Zack sighed, “Yeah, I know, but." He didn't really know what else to say.
    “It's okay." Decker patted his shoulder, “You're not alone. Ship full of friends grieving, too."
    “Yeah, you're right."
    “Damn right, I'm right. Just take your time." He unhooked the small wire from Zack.
    Zack looked at his new, clawed hands, “Gonna take some getting used to."
    “There are people out there who'd kill to be the furry that you've become."
    Zack looked over at Decker, “Yeah, Danny was one of those people."
    “Oh.. Right, sorry." The doctor frowned, “Well, there's not much left for me to do, here."
    “Guessin' I got a party waiting for my outside the infirmary?"
    “Oh yeah." Dr. Decker grinned, “You ready for it?"
    Zack shrugged, “Dunno. Guess I got no choice."
    “That's the spirit." The doctor helped the bat to his feet.
    “Doctor.." Zack looked down at his body, “Why is my dick just a metal hole with a stopper?"
    “You never got that part. We don't have anything on board for that."
    “Fuck, man.."
    Decker handed him a robe, “Yeah, I know." The doctor sighed, helping Zack get dressed, “Just keep in mind that you are alive and maybe shouldn't stress the little things."
    “What else is wrong with me?"
    Decker walked the bat to the large metal door, “We'll be in L.A. In a couple days. You'll live til then, at least, okay?"
    “What the fuck else should I know about?"
    “Look, we'll cross that bridge when we find it, okay?" He opened the door, the crowded hall filled with the crew, looking to see Zack give a sign that he's okay.
    Zack looked at them, their eyes all on him, looking for a sign of how to react. Zack took it all in, gave the group a nod and a smile. They cheered, glad to see him alive and aware. He was pulled into the crowd and towards the party to celebrate his survival. It was going to be an emotional night, but he was glad he was surrounded by so many eager to comfort him in his hour of need. He was thankful for that, at least.