Sunlight filtered through the half-open blinds of a two-floor farm house into an impeccably clean young girl's room, warming the fur of a sleeping, former-alley-cat laying on the bed, her black fur stood out against the emerald-green covers. A snow white German Sheppard lay next to her watching the rhythmic rise and fall of her sides. She stirred and the dog got slowly off of the bed, he headed down the hall, to the stairs and into the kitchen. He sat in front of his bowl wagging his tail and gave a high, sharp bark as a young former-actress filled it with left-over steak from dinner last night. The cat walked sleepily into the kitchen and leapt onto the counter, she rubbed her head against the girls arm, as the girl left to open a can of jack mackerel for her the cat looked down at the dog with those beautiful, sparkling emerald eyes and greeted him.

"Hey, Bolt…looks like spring is finally here." He realized he was staring and quickly responded. "Yeah, about time Mittens, I can't wait to get outside!" He glanced over at her, she hadn't seemed to notice his staring, she was busy looking at the pigeons on the window sill. She gave a contented purr as the warm sunlight shone on her, Bolt was staring again and quickly stopped, he went into the living room to find Rhino sitting in his ball watching T.V.

Rhino turned the volume up on the TV as Bolt settled on the couch to watch, King of the Hill was on, Bolt liked it because it was funny, even if he didn't get the gags sometimes. A few minutes later Mittens walked in and settled on the backboard of the couch letting her tail drop over the side. It rested on bolts ear, he flicked it repeatedly. "Mittens," He looked up. "Come on, that tickles." she snapped up her tail a little embarrassed and rested it over the other side. Mittens was never a big fan but she really liked this episode. Bobby sat on Hanks mower pretending to be him, mowing the lawn. "Shut up Dale!" he quoted his father, he accidentally released the parking brake and the mower started moving, picking up speed until it crashed into hanks truck, waking Hank as the horn blared. She let out a pur at the pure absurdity of the scene.

"Gahah! Willy watch out, it's a one way street!" Bolt laughed as Hank shot out of bed. Penny walked in and sat down on the couch next to him, she scratched his ears and settled in to watch. When the show was over Bolt left the room to sit on the deck, Mittens was already there. She was looking out at the road and he knew she was thinking about their cross-country road-trip. He often thought of it too, all of the places he saw and went, it amazed him that he made it back so fast at all, hardly two weeks and he'd been shipped across the country lost in NYC, tied to a cat, got captured by animal control, learned he was normal, nearly drowned, saw Vegas, nearly got killed in Vegas, learned to be a real dog and finally, he rescued Penny from a fire! All that said it sounds like he should be super. The only reason that came back again and again was Mittens, she was the only reason he made it out of NYC at all, let alone across America. He didn't know how Mittens felt but he felt as if He owed her his life a hundred times over, he realized that he'd never properly thanked her for all she'd done.

" Uh, hey Mittens," She turned around."Yeah?" Bolt just sat there, he couldn't think of what to say. "What?""Um, I realized that… I never thanked you for all you did for me, teaching me and guiding me back to Penny." She looked taken aback. "I-I'm trying to say that if it weren't for you I'd never have made it and I feel as if I owe you my life one hundred times over." "I don't know what to say," she searched for the words, this was so confusing and sudden. "Um, thanks Bolt, I mean you're welcome. No, I don't know, uh just, don't worry about it, Bolt," She rested her tail tip on his shoulder. "That's what friends do." She padded inside leaving bolt on the deck feeling more confused than ever.

* * *

That night Bolt didn't go to bed, he called Mittens out onto the deck to talk. "Yeah, Bolt, what's up?"

"Um…Mittens, I've been thinking a lot about… About things." She could swear he was blushing if not for the fur. "And…uh, do you remember in Vegas, with the dogs…"

"How could I forget?"

Well, when I was hurt and you took care of me, well… you see I already, a while back, felt this, and then I saw how worried you wee…for me, and I stated that I kinda really liked you…a lot. And when you came back for ME… I thought that I really hurt you in Vegas and I thought I knew why, but when you came back and stayed with me after the fire until I was better I KNEW that I was right." It was her turn to blush now. "I knew that you really liked me too."

"Uh… Bolt I want to make this very clear, okay." Bolt's ears dew back and he gave a little whine, He knew that she was about to reject him. Bolt could see that she WAS getting red under her fur. "I don't JUST really like you…I…LOVE you" That last part was more like a whispered question than a statement, and she couldn't look him in the eyes.

"Mittens…" She looked up; he pressed his muzzle into her shoulder, drinking in her scent. He withdrew and looked her in the eye, taking strength from the short contact he said: "I love you too, and there isn't ANYTHING in the world that I wouldn't do for you."

She pressed her head into his chin and nuzzled it, she was purring furiously, bolt held he close and that was how they stood, the two lovers alone in the cold, dark, quiet world, without a care but for each other. The rest of the week went by without incident, Rhino learned to play online games while Penny was at school and as a result was considerably more active. Bolt and Mittens spent more time together usually sitting on the deck enjoying each other's company and she'd throw a stick once in a while for him. Then one night Bolt head a strange sound, it sounded like a drawn out meow, almost like an alarm call.

"Hey Mittens what is that?" Bolt grumbled sleepily. But Mittens wasn't on the bed, he decided to fallow the sound, it was coming from the kitchen. As Bolt walked in he saw Mittens sitting on the window sill, yowling out towards the fields, and road to the town. "Mittens?" She jumped, looking around.

"Oh Bolt, hey." She smiled guiltily, he didn't understand.

"What was that?" He asked, with that questioning gaze, his head tuned slightly, left ear and eyebrow perked up, she loved that stare.

"Um… hah…I was just-"

"Come on, just tell me." It was more a request than an order, but Mittens didn't disobey.

She sighed heavily and studied the floor a moment, but before she could speak Bolt sniffed at the air.

"What's that smell? Mittens, I think it's coming from you."

She turned around more embarrassed than ever, but she answered the question, in hardly more than a whisper. "I'm… in heat, Bolt" Before he could respond, she plopped onto the floor with her head in her paws. Bolt understood THAT at least, but not why Mittens was ashamed.

"Why are you so ashamed, Mittens? Is it something to do with me?"

"Kind of."

"Come on, I don't think it's gross or annoying, or anything okay? I just hope you don't let it get the better of you all right" She gave no inclination that she heard him. "Are you gonna get up?" She nodded. "Okay, I'll see you in the morning, Mittens." He headed back toward the stairs, but got called back.

"Bolt, I…I'm sorry for waking you, and uh, thanks."

"Of course, Mittens," He replied walking forward, he brushed her tail with his. "That's what friends do." She walked into the living room and settled on the couch, Bolt went back up the stairs and slept on the bed. He found that he couldn't sleep and went down to the living to bunk with Mittens on the couch. He was careful not to wake her, but she wasn't asleep. "Hey, couldn't sleep?"

"No, you?" She merely cocked an eyebrow and smiled. "Right." He offered his tail as a pillow for her, she snuggled up to Bolt closely and purred lightly as she fell asleep. Bolt worked hard to control his dreams that night, but stayed for Mittens sake.

* * *

Bolt woke early in the morning with a very numb tail; Mittens head was heavier than it looked. When he tried to get up she flexed her toes as if trying to dig her claws in to keep the tail there, Bolt felt a pang of sympathy, he didn't like that her previous owners had de-clawed her, it was taking bolt's ability to run from him. He got off of the couch carefully, when his paws lightly touched the ground he looked back to see that she was still asleep. Suddenly there was an explosion of noise from behind that made her jump well over two feet in the air. Rhino had turned on the TV and the volume was up too high. "Sorry." Rhino started flipping channels; he was outside of his ball. He stopped on an old 007 film, Never Say Never Again.

Bolt heard Penny coming down the stairs, it was Tuesday, that meant she was going to school. Bolt fallowed her out of the bus stop and watched her leave. He padded back to the house and saw Mittens around the corner of the house, arching her back and rubbing it over a tree, she then rolled over rubbing o the ground around it, Bolt had had enough, and he padded over to her. "Mittens, what are you doing, and don't say you had an itch, when I had FLEAS I didn't scratch as much." She looked like she was coming up with an excuse. "I just don't want this getting out of hand okay?" He said more gently. "Uh, carry on I guess, just don't do that last thing that I think is coming, okay?" She gave a so-so nod, it'd have to do, Bolt had to figure out how to deal with this, he needed to get under control he knew, but it wasn't easy, not when Mittens was…doing…THAT! Or would be doing that, as it were.

He sighed as he walked into Penny's room and found Mr. Carrot on the desk in the corner. He grabbed him up and tossed him high in the air rearing back to catch him, but falling on his back. He chuckled as he got up and threw Mr. Carrot across the room, he pounced on him. Bolt rolled around; chewing on Mr. Carrot and tossing him to catch him again after a while he left for a drink. He padded into the bathroom; he looked at the toilet, still repulsed by the thought of drinking out of it. He knew what people did in there and didn't want any part of it. Instead he turned to the sink; he stood up and pushed the handle with his paw. He took a few laps and turned it off again. He headed to check on what everyone was doing; Penny's Mom was at work, of course. There was no sign of Mittens, inside, but Bolt scented her close to the house, Rhino was asleep on the coffee table. 'That's strange; he's usually online right now.' He thought. Bolt nudged him awake.

"Huh, what! I'll get 'em I got… Bolt?" He realized where he was. "Oh, sorry, what time is it, son."

"Uh, about seven, and I am older than YOU remember?"

"Huh? Oh sorry, I'm late for my attack on the harbor." He was, of course, talking of the online war game he played; Bolt thought he must've just lost track of time with the movie on. He left it and went to check on Mittens; he wanted to be sure that she wasn't doing something…gross.

He rounded the corner where her scent told him she was, but she wasn't there, he quickly ran to the tree, the scent was fresh, and there was a lot of it, it lead of to the road, he couldn't see her anywhere. He ran back inside as quickly as possible. "Rhino!" his voice cracked. "Mittens is GONE, she went into town…" He paused to catch his breath. "And she's in HEAT! Come quick I got your ball we need to go NOW!" Bolt ran into the corner of the living room where the ball sat and rolled it to the front door, Rhino came lumbering down the hall and jumped in.

"Well…Let's go!" Bolt pushed him out the door, Rhino tried to start running but tripped, the ball halting at the top of the steps. "Just go on Boy--- Bolt, go I'll be fine." Bolt noticed a little gray on Rhino's muzzle, it hadn't been there before.

"Hey, Rhino, you've got some gray on your-"

"It's nothing!" He cut him off, and then continued calmly. "Just go, I have to rest." Bolt felt stupid for not thinking of it before, he was tired from playing. He gave a short nod and pelted down the road. What Bolt didn't know was that Rhino hadn't been doing anything, he'd been tiered for a long time now, and it was only getting worse, he sighed as he fell asleep before Bolt disappeared in the distance, wishing he could keep up." I hope I can help later Bolt, I'm sorry kid." And like that he was asleep, his dreams filled with all of Bolt's amazing adventures, and nightmares of losing both he and Mittens because he was too old to help.

* * *

Bolt pelted down the road full speed, it wasn't that he was worried about her being pregnant, it was that in her state she might be easy prey for hungry stray dogs, she wouldn't be able to take the beating he did, he had to find her fast. He heard a yowl in the distance, the same as the night before, he then heard it cut off by a shriek, then…silence… "NO!" He ran as fast as he could, pushing to go faster still. The sidewalk a blur, the buildings rushing by inches from his pelt and he still felt too slow, he had to find her, and he had to find her alive. He rounded a corner and froze.

She was alive at least but standing on a dumpster, it was the highest thing she could get to, and below her, or rather in front of her, was a very, very, VERY big dog and it only put her level to its head. Bolt charged and knocked the surprised dog off his paws. "Mittens RUN, I've got this." She was obviously going to protest but he picked her up by the scruff and shoved her on her way. "No time to argue, JUST RUN!" He turned back to face the dog, hoping he actually DID have this under control.

Rhino forced himself awake, with great effort. "Don't worry bolt I've got your back, at two or two thousand, I've got your back." He rolled down the steps toward the street, stopping by the ditch. He looked down and saw that the water was rushing by quickly, the current lead towards town. "Ha ha, ring, ring…" and he rolled down into it. The water carried him at breakneck speed towards the town. "I'll be there in no time flat, Bolt."

* * *

Bolt raced forward, jumping onto the dumpster and from there to the fire escape above it, the dog on its paws by now lunged for him and missed. Bolt climbed easily, he'd had to many times on his show; this was one of the times he was glad that he'd done it. He rushed through the derelict building and out to a hall, he saw the dog at the top of the stairs, an Irish wolfhound, very big and very pissed. He readied himself to ram it down the stairs, but was pushed from behind, another had shown up, Bolt got to his paws as, out of the room he'd come from came a big angry pit-bull, he could see the scars from numerous fights. 'I'm gonna die, no doubt about it, if they all attack at once. But I'll go out fighting my damned hardest!' Bolt readied himself to take the pit-bull, the obvious leader. He snarled and growled snapping his jaws at it. When the dog was about to leap it fell back, struck in the head by something moving FAST, too fast to see, it knocked down the Wolfhounds.

"Bolt, come on, let's go!" Bolt spotted Rhino by the stairs, the first dog had fallen down them to the landing, Rhino's ball showed marks of extreme stress, as if from very hard impacts. He answered Bolt before he thanked him. "You're welcome, now let's GO!" He rolled to the stairs, bouncing off of the wall to land on the railing and slide down, the three floors to the ground. "Hey Rhino, how'd you do that?"

"Mittens pushed down on the ball, it sprang forward. I had aimed for that brute at the top of the stairs; I guess I hit him anyway though." The dog twitched with a snarl. "HOLY SH-- keep moving, Bolt!" Bolt heard waking snarls as he exited the building. Mittens was on the sidewalk looking VERY worried.

"No time! JUST GO, they're waking up already!" They sprinted back home, not even stopping when Bolt picked up Rhino's ball when he started to slow. They sat on the deck catching their breath. "What was THAT, you just LEFT!" Mittens looked a little hurt by Bolt's growl.

"I tried, but the more I said no, the more I wanted to…go…there…" She looked heartbroken, as if she thought Bolt wouldn't forgive her.

"Mittens, I'm not angry with you, I'm angry at myself for not thinking about it, at least I got to you before anything could happen." He meant with the dogs.

"Actually…'something'…DID…happen." She looked up pleadingly.

"I'm not worried about that, I was being stupid, I know I can't give you a litter, no matter how much I want to, but another cat can."

"Yes. He did chase off this really annoying tabby though." Bolt started laughing, and continued for a long time. "It wasn't THAT funny."

"No, not that, I'm…relieved….I thought that I'd be freaked out by all of this, but I actually like the idea of being sere gate dad!" Rhino rolled over to him in his ball, looking tiered, yet somehow powerful (for his size) maybe it was that his ball looked battle-scarred.

"Bolt, the cat may be a FATHER, but you will be a DAD, you'll be there for all of the good times, and bad. All of the scraped pads and pulled claws, all the trees they climb, and the fun they'll have, with you and Mittens. Any one can be a parent; it takes someone devoted as to be a DAD. I'll be the obscure uncle who lives in the house as well." He added with a smirk.

"Thanks HANK, but you're right." He looked over at Mittens; she nodded as if saying "You'll be a GREAT father." He felt himself glowing with pride for what would come as he looked at her. She got up and headed inside to rest, today had been stressful. "Hey, Rhino, how long are cats pregnant?"

"Can't wait huh?"

"Well, yes but not why I asked, won't she have mood swings and such."

"Uh… kind of, I don't know for how long, I think it's going to be about two months."

"Hmm. No problem."