From My Heart to You, With Love
Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine! They all belong to Disney, just like almost all the other characters I write for! (That's why I love Disney so much.)
Another long day is coming to close in a small house in London. The sun is beginning to set on the horizon, works are closing for the day, and children are starting to go to sleep. Well, let's rephrase this sentence. Most children are starting to go to sleep. This is an entirely different matter in this particular house.
"All right, everyone, time for bed," a spotted dog tells all of his puppies, trying his best to wrangle them into bed before their mother gets home.
"But, Dad, we're not sleepy yet," a puppy tries to convince; however, a yawn overcomes his mouth almost instantly.
"Your yawn says otherwise, Patch. Go to bed, son," the father tries again, picking his son up by his scruff and moving him over to the dog bed.
"When will mother be home?" Penny, another puppy, questions, her eyes looking up at her father as he tucks the blanket around her and Lucky.
"I don't know, dear. Soon, I hope," Pongo sighs, thinking of his lovely Perdita.
Anita has taken Perdita out to the groomer's today to get her coat done, as it's a very special day for all species alike. That's right, Valentine's Day has come once again, and Anita wants Perdita and herself to look their bests for Pongo and Roger, respectively. The idea was fine with Pongo as soon as Perdita revealed it to him. Now, he's really starting to regret his decision to let his wife leave the house around bedtime. Settling ninety-nine puppies down to sleep for the night is quite a challenge, one Pongo doesn't know if he's up for.
"Daddy, tell us a story!" Two-Tone begs, pressing her paws against the side of the basket.
"Yeah, please, Dad?" Pepper inquires, joining in his sister's request.
"Okay, if I tell you all a story, will you go to sleep?" Pongo gives in, hoping his children will fall asleep quicker if he promises a story.
"Of course, Daddy!" Jewel and Freckles respond in sync, climbing into the basket beside their biological brothers and sisters.
"All right, then. Once upon a time, there was a bachelor Dalmatian who was staring out the window looking for his pet and himself a proper woman in which to marry," Pongo starts off, wanting to tell the puppies the story of how he and Perdita met for the first time.
After all, Pongo's favorite story to tell of all is that of how he met Perdita, the only one true love of his life.
About an hour later, Perdita and Anita return home from the groomer's and the salon. Perdita's fur looks like silk as it now lies flat against her body, looking every inch the equivalent of a model dog. A blue silk bow is positioned on her right ear and it really brings out her eyes more than usual. Perdita begins her ascent up the stairs, wanting to see Pongo and their puppies and show them her new look. The familiar sound of her long nails on the hardwood stairs catches Pongo's attention almost as soon as his mate and wife starts to come up the stairs towards the attic where they and the puppies sleep during the night. Pongo jumps up from his position near the puppies' basket and begins to make his way towards the door. He wants to be the first to see his wife after she's returned home from her pampering outing with Anita. Plus, he has some plans that he wants to do with Perdita for Valentine's Day that he doesn't need ninety-nine puppies finding out what he is spelling. At almost six months old, the puppies have gotten extremely good at spelling and understanding most every word their parents say.
"There's the most beautiful creature on four legs!" Pongo excitedly whispers, walking over to his mate with a smile on his face.
"Pongo, dear, you're too much," Perdita softly laughs, nuzzling her head under Pongo's chin before lovingly licking his cheek.
"Well, is it my fault that you're so beautiful, Perdita? I can't believe you ever fell for an old dog like me," Pongo remarks, pressing a kiss to the side of Perdita's spotted face.
"You're not old, Pongo. You're only a year older than me."
"In human years, Perdy. In dog years I'm seven years older than you, my love! I'm just lucky that you chose me over all of the others you could have married and had puppies with."
"You're the only dog for me, Pongo," Perdita laughs, assuring her husband that she still loves him and that he's the only one she would ever love.
"That's a good thing to know. You're the only one for me, too," Pongo smiles, his dark eyes shining as he looks at Perdita with love and affection.
"Where are the puppies?"
"They're asleep, my love."
"All of them?" Perdita skeptically asks, knowing that it is very rare that all ninety-nine puppies are asleep at once.
"I'm pretty sure, yes, Perdy," he answers, hoping he is right where he can get his Valentine's Day plans started.
"I'll just take a look and make sure," she tells him, gently nudging the door open with her nose.
Perdita steps inside the attic room, being careful not to crush any of the puppies under her paws. There's no telling when any of the puppies may move or wake up. She walks over to the basket that contains her precious fifteen original puppies and smiles upon seeing all of them asleep and content in their dreams and ongoing slumber. Perdita then checks on all the other puppies and notices that only one of them, Smokey, is awake as he plays with Dottie's tail while the female pup lightly snores.
"Smokey, shouldn't you be asleep?" Perdita asks her adopted son in a no-nonsense tone, wanting all of the puppies to be asleep at the same time where they don't wake up any of their brothers or sisters.
"Yes, Mother. I'll go back to sleep," Smokey smiles, hitting Dottie's tail with his paw one final time before rolling over to go to sleep.
"Goodnight, my darling," Perdita smiles, kissing her son's head before walking back out into the hallway.
"So, was I right? Are they all asleep?" Pongo asks, a proud smile on his face.
"Almost. Smokey thought hitting Dottie's tail while she's asleep sounded like a good idea," Perdita laughs, not sure where her puppies get half of their ideas.
"Well, good. I trust you put him to bed, then?"
"Of course I did, Pongo. Why do you ask?"
"Well, good. I was hoping you and I could go on a r-o-m-a-n-t-i-c w-a-l-k," Pongo spells out, hoping none of the puppies are awake still.
Yes, as before mentioned, the pups are getting really good at spelling, so they know how to spell walk and want to go on one every time their parents do. Well, not tonight. As long as Pongo as anything to say about it, he and Perdita would be the only ones going on this walk. Well, with the exception of Roger and Anita, of course. It would do their pets some good to go out on a walk, of this Pongo is sure.
"I think that sounds like a lovely idea, Pongo. Now, come on, let's go get our pets," Perdita grins, gently brushing against Pongo as she heads for the stairs.
Pongo follows soon after, hoping that Roger would get the hint that the four of them needed a moonlit walk tonight, on Valentine's Day. The man seemed to have a lack of romance more than half the time, regardless of the fact that he is happily married.
Thankfully, Roger gets the hint that Pongo and Perdita want to go on a stroll in the moonlight, so he extends the invitation to Anita.
"Of course I would like to, Rog. Let's go," Anita smiles, grabbing her coat from the hook in the hallway, along with Perdita's leash.
She clips the silver leash to Perdita's blue collar and opens the front door, letting a small gust of cold air into the small London flat. They would be moving in about a month for the "Dalmatian Plantation" as Roger so playfully calls it. Then Anita would never have to worry with this old door and if it would withstand the harsh winds that come to London during the cold winter months. Roger similarly attaches Pongo's leash to the male dog's red collar before heading out behind his wife and Perdita, closing the door behind him gently where he doesn't wake up the puppies upstairs. Roger wraps one arm around Anita, pulling her closer to him as they walk down the street, Pongo and Perdita walking happily by their sides. Both couples have their love for one another come back in a long flash as they reach the park where the four of them first met, thanks to Pongo's ingenious plan.
"All right, Pongo, old boy. You and Perdita can go off on your own," Roger smiles at his dog, unclipping the leash, which Pongo lick Roger's face while happily barking his appreciation.
"Just don't go too far!" Anita calls to Perdita as the two dogs walk over to the lake.
Pongo and Perdita settle down near the water's edge, looking up at the moon. This makes Roger and Anita both laugh softly as they go to sit on the park's bench and sit to look at the stars.
"It's a funny thing, isn't it?" Roger asks, staring at their dogs with a smile on his face.
"What is, Roger?" Anita questions, not sure what her husband means.
"Pongo and Perdita seemed to want to go on this walk tonight, too. And, they seem to have fallen in love on the same day we did. What are the odds?" the blonde man laughs, wrapping an arm around Anita to shield her face from the cold.
"I think it's sweet. They found each other the same day we did. And, as for the walk, Roger, I'd say they've earned it. Taking care of ninety-nine puppies all day gives them the right to need a break," Anita laughs, watching Pongo and Perdita interact. "Besides, dogs have a sixth sense, you know. Maybe they realized just how special moonlit walks are on Valentine's Day."
Perdita and Pongo both happily sigh as they continue to lie on the grass near the water's edge. Pongo lies with his head on Perdita's paws while Perdita gently rests her head on Pongo's back. Her husband and mate gently licks her cheek, making Perdita bury her face into his fur, wrapping herself further in his embrace. She gently nuzzles his back while he continues to lick her face. Pongo suddenly looks over at Anita and Roger, noticing the two have moved closer together on the bench and that Roger's arm is now around Anita to shield her from the cold wind, just like Pongo is currently doing to shield Perdita from the night air.
"It's a funny thing, isn't it?" he asks his mate, turning to face her.
"What is?"
"Roger and Anita both wanted to come on this walk, too. And, they fell in love with one another on the same day that we did. What are the odds of that happening?" Pongo inquires with a smile, not knowing that Roger has just said those exact same words not five minutes ago.
"I think it's sweet. Besides, with working all day and helping us take care of the puppies, I think they've earned it, Pongo," Perdita smiles. "Besides, you know humans must have a sixth sense about this sort of thing. They must know how special moonlit walks are," she continues, watching Roger and Anita as they continue talking amongst themselves.
"Perdy, I just want to tell you something from my heart with love," Pongo tells his love, looking her in her eyes.
"Oh, what might that be, Pongo?" Perdita inquires with a grin on her face.
"You are the most amazing woman in the world. Every day I wonder how I got this lucky to have you by my side. And our puppies are the most beautiful gift we have ever been blessed with. I will always love you, my Perdita, my love. You are the reason that I am so happy in what used to be a rather dull, humdrum life before you came into it. I love how devoted of a mother you are to our puppies and even those we didn't raise from the early days. I love how much you love me and are willing to stand beside my side. If something ever happened to you, I would gladly give up my life to save yours. I hope you know how much you mean to me, my love."
Perdita feels a blush come over her cheeks as she looks Pongo in his eyes. Tears spill out of her own eyes, and she can't keep them contained.
"Oh, Pongo. You are so sweet. I love you with all my heart, and I never want to be apart from you either. I love how much of a devoted mate you are to me; no problem is to unimportant for you to solve or listen to. Your skills as a father are unapproachable. Not any other dog I know could raise ninety-nine puppies without going totally insane. But, most of all, I love you because you act just the way you are. You don't try to put on a show in front of other dogs or females. You're just you: Pongo Radcliffe. Happy Valentine's Day, my love."
"Happy Valentine's Day to you, too, Perdita."
Author's Note: And there it is! My first 101 Dalmatians Fanfiction! I hope everyone enjoyed my late Valentine's Day story. I tried to update it yesterday, but I had too much homework on my school's four-day weekend to finish this story. So, please leave a review with what you thought. I greatly appreciate any and all feedback you have to give me. Have a good week!