George was feeding the dogs as Vincent was feeding the cats. It was refreshing to get the experience with the animals, but there was this one dog that stayed at the back of the enclosure.

Julia was a small puppy, but her brown eyes were always full of fear. George had tried everything, but his proximity had made the small thing hide in a corner and look at the food he was handing out with apprehension.

So, George had decided to keep his distance. There were some problem cases in the shelter, despite their best efforts. Abused animals that came from households that consisted of the vilest wretches that exist in their town.

Julia had been saved from a burning dumpster. How she got inside, no one knew. But the theory was that someone put her there. She had burns on her coat and she limped with one of her legs. Not the heartwarming puppy most people wanted for their children.

As George was feeding the dogs, he saw from the corner of his eyes a young man with scars on his face approach. George straightened up. Hopeful that this was a potential adopter.

"Hello, I came here for a dog," George took a good look at the man. From his army haircut to his slight limp with which he walked; he must obviously be a veteran.

George became thoughtful. It took two broken things to fix one another. The ginger opened the enclosure's gate and let the unknown man inside.

"Before you take your pick, I would like to introduce you to one special lady, sir," George said, and he turned and led the man to where Julia was hiding. "She has been through a lot, but the vets have cleared her for adoption, and she has all her shots."

George bent down, and he watched as the man next to him, too, bent down. They stared at Julia, who backed away into her corner and began to whine.

"So young," the man murmured, and he extended a hand towards the puppy. Julia sniffed at the hand, but didn't move closer. She did stop whining, though. "The shelter is a no-kill one now, right?"

"Yes, sir. We pride ourselves on that fact," George boosted. The man laid down on his stomach on the soft grass and extended both of his hands towards the puppy, without touching Julia.

"Can I spent some time with her? And come until she gets used to me?" George nodded. Taking things slowly with the scared and scarred puppy was for the best.

"I will leave you to it," George got up and went back to feeding the animals.

Dereck, the veteran who was trying to get Julia to trust him, stared at the frightened puppy. He sighed when she didn't come any closer and began to speak.

"You have been through war too, right? Look at you, with a PTSD at such a young age," Julia tilted her head, probably wondering why the human was not going away like the other one. "But, do you know what? I have been through war too. The troops got pulled out recently. But not fast enough. If the recall had come just a month before this, I would be whole again."

Dereck pointed at his scarred face and then at his leg. Julia got out of her fetal position, and she laid on the ground, nose inches away from Dereck's hand.

"But, we are alive, girl," Dereck smiled at the puppy. She didn't look older than four months. Not a tiny munchkin. Probably why, when she had outgrown her cuteness, she had been sentenced to death. "And that is something to be happy about."

Dereck got on his feet and made a couple of steps away from Julia. She looked more relaxed than when he began talking to her. Then, as if the veil of fear lifted from the small puppy, and she stood on shaky legs and made a couple of steps towards Dereck. The veteran grinned and sat down on the grass, cross-legged.

He stole glances at the approaching puppy and waited patiently for her to come to him. Julia stopped next to his back and leaned on it, her nose touching the fabric of Dereck's jacket.

"Shy, girl?" Dereck chuckled as he heard a huff from behind, and he was glad that he was not hearing a whine. "You still want to make friends, despite everything."

Dereck stood with the comforting slight pressure of the puppy's nose on his back. He didn't move and he didn't speak. When the rest of the dogs were finished eating, they neared him and one golden one got on his lap and licked his face.

That was all the invitation the rest of the dogs needed to circle Dereck and begin playing with him. Julia stood and circled Dereck until she could get in front of him. She sat before him and tilted her head at the sight of the golden dog in the human's arms.

"There is space for one tiny you," spoke Dereck softly, reaching out with his left hand to Julia. "Hug pile?"

Julia made a couple of tentative steps to the hand and let herself be picked up. When Dereck placed her on his lap next to the other dog, she curled up and went to sleep.

But Dereck knew that this was not the end of her fear. That it would remain in the back of her mind her entire life. But it was a good start. And so, he stood patiently, just holding the two sleeping dogs as the rest played around him.

When the closing hour for the shelter came, George found the man he had let in the dog enclosure with a handful of dogs and sleeping.  The young caregiver gently shook him awake, and he took little Julia off of his hands, careful not to touch her burns.

George placed her down and she went back to her corner, giving a small yawn all the while.

"I will be back tomorrow morning," the man said as he stood. "And my name is Dereck."

"You are welcomed to visit as often as you wish, Dereck," George said, and he led the veteran out of the shelter and locked the place up for the night. Vincent having gone home ten minutes prior.