Hello, everybody! Lady and the Tramp has always been one of my favorite Disney movies, so I decided to write this Fan Fiction, in which Lady learns not to take her youth for granted after a little talk with Trusty on Christmas day. I wrote this story way back in December, so that's why I went with a Christmas theme. I'm sorry it took me so long to post it. I hope you enjoy the story!

Christmas would always be special to Lady.

It was the day she had first been broght home to Jim Dear and Darling. Out of all the puppies that had been in her litter, she had always been happy and grateful that they had picked her, though she still felt bad for all of her brothers and sisters who didn't get chosen and still wondered where they were to this day from time to time. Wherever they were, she hoped a good family had chosen each of them and given them a good home, just like the one she had.

Still, she couldn't contain her excitement when she woke up on yet another Christmas morning and ran into the living room to see all the presents Jim Dear and Darling had placed under the tree a day or two before. Her eyes widened in surprise and she wagged her tale, unable to suppress the yelp of joy that escaped her when she caught sight of the presents. She knew there would be a few under the tree for Tramp and her puppies. Jim Dear and Darling always bought them a few every year. They might've been dogs, but Jim Dear and Darling, unlike some humans, saw them as equals, and treated them as such, except for that one time Jim Dear had actually called her dog. She had felt so humiliated and insulted. She thought she had done something wrong, even though she knew she hadn't. She had talked to Jock and Trusty not long afterwards and they had reassured her that she hadn't. Jim Dear and Darling had just been very stressed due to the baby they had been expecting. She hadn't known Darling had been pregnant at the time, though. Lady shuddered, still ashamed by the accident, even after all these years later.

Her excitement was renewed somewhat when she looked outside and saw all of the snow. She always loved playing outside in the snow with Jock and Trusty! Though Trusty wasn't able to do it anymore with his leg. The wise old bloodhound had injured it last year chasing down the dog catcher. He had neen trying to free Tramp, who had been captured by the one human all of their kind feared. The human's wagon had fallen over him, almost killing him, but had somehow only managed to break his leg. He was very lucky to have survived the accident. The thought of him not being able to play in the snow anymore greatly saddened Lady, however. She sighed, hanging her head, some of the happiness she had felt earlier at seeing the Christmas presents vanishing somewhat.

"Why, hello, Pidge! What are you doing down here so early in the morning? Snooping into the presents already?"

Lady jumped and turned to the sound of the familiar voice, not too surprised to see Tramp coming toward her, but glad to see him. She was the father of her puppies and the love of her life. She couldn't imagine celebrating a Christmas without him.

Lady smiled at Tramp. "Maybe," she said, a slow, mischievous smile streching across her mussle.

Tramp beamed at and shook his head. "Ah, nothing," he said, and yawned, streching his legs. "I'm just messing with ya, Pidge."

Lady gave him a playful, mischievous wink. "I know," she said, and walked up to him, rubbing her muzzle against his side, closing her eyes. "I was, too."

Tramp began to sputter. "I think you've been hanging around me too long," he said, shaking his head. "You're starting to learn a few of my tricks."

Lady nodded her head in agreement. "True," she said, unable to deny it, knowing it was the truth. Some of Tramp's old ways were beginning to rub off of her. She didn't know if it was a good thing, or not, but she was glad she was no longer the naive, pampered house dog she had been when Tramp had first met her. Thanks to Tramp, she now knew how to defend herself out on the streets if she could ever get lost again. She doubted Jim Dear and Darling would allow such a horrible, unthinkable thing to happen a second time.

"Presents!"

Lady and the Tramp looked at each other and smiled, both of them having turned around to see Jim Jr., Jim Dear and Darling's son, come running toward the tree.

"Wait a minute, son!"

Lady tilted her head and her ears perked up at the sound of Jim Dear's voice, recognising it instantly.

Darling came in seconds later, following him. Behind them came Jock and Trusty, who had stayed over the night for the holidays. All of Lady and Tramp's puppies, including Tramp and Angel, both of them young and in love, puring into each other's eyes wirh pure worship and adoration in their eyes.They reminded Lady of her and Tramp when they had first met and had been dating.

"Ah, young love," Trusty said, his southern drawl thick, and slowly made his way toward Lady, still walking with the slight limp he had gotten from the accident.

"I'm sure you'll find somebody someday," Lady said, looking up at him, and gave him a reassuring smile. She didn't know if he had meant her and Tramp, or Scamp and Angel, but she truly believed in what she had said either way and felt like she had to say it. With the dark bags under his ancient, yet wise eyes, and his long, drawn face, Trusty looked as if he was pretty lonely and needed somebody himself, but, then again, he had always looked like that, even before the accident. He was a bloodhound, after all.

Trusty snorted. "I appreciate the complement, Miss. Lady Ma'am, but not at my age I won't, " he said, shaking his head, his already sagging face droppier than usual. "I'm afraid my dating days are over." Sighing, he hung his head, and limped over to the tree. "That's fine with me, though." He yawned, laying his greying muzzle on his paws, and closed his eyes. "At my age, I don't really need anybody."

Lady walked up to him. "How's your leg?" she asked, giving him a concerned look. "Has it been giving you any more trouble?"

Trusty slowly opened his weary, heavy-lided eyes to look up at her. "It still troubles me every now and then, especially on cold days like this one, but it doesn't bother me as bad as it used to," he said, giving her a small, reassuring smile. "I appreciate your concern, Miss. Lady Ma'am, but I'm all right."

Lady chuckled. "All right," she said, and turned to walk away from Trusty with great relectuance, not wanting to leave him by himself, but knowing he wanted to be alone. She didn't have much if a choice. She didn't want to bother him. Walking by Tramp on her way to the tree, she looked up at him and smiled. "I guess it's time to open the presents."

"Yup," Tramp said, following her, and sat down beside her under the tree.

"I want to go out and play in the snow!" Scamp shouted, ever eager, and as inpatient as always, to go outside and play, no matter what the weather was outside.

"Yeah, me too," Angel said, wagging her tail, and she gave Lady a hopeful look. The beautiful stray had been the only puppy in their litter Lady had not given birth to. Scamp had met her out on the streets and had brought her home after he had befriended her. Being the kind souls they were, Jim Dear and Darling, despite having misgivings about having another mouth to feed, had took her into their home and adopted her as one of their own. Lady and her family and friends had done the same. Angel was a friendly dog and an absolute pleasure to be around.

"We will, after we open the presents," Lady said, smiling at them, knowing they would go out and play in the snow. The puppies wanted to every year. Trusty's inability to do so had taught her to never take her youth and health for granted, and to live her life to the fullest for as long as she could, so she would be able to spend every waking moment that she could with her puppies. Besides, she knew Trusty would want them to play in the snow. They would all still miss being able to play with him, of course, but they all knew, as well as she did, that he wouldn't want them to mope around and worry about an old dog like him, even though she did. She couldn't help it. He was a dear old friend, and she considered him and Jock to be just as much as part of her life as she did Tramp, the puppies, and Jim Dear and Darling. She couldn't imagine her life without him in it, either.

"That sounds like a great idea," Tramp said, sounding just as excited as the puppies were to go out and play in the snow, acting very much like a puppy himself for what had to be the first time in years. "I'm looking forward to that!"

"Me too," Lady said, having a good feeling that this was going to be another Christmas she would never be able to forget!

THE END