TWO:

Getting Reacquainted

The Bransons, unlike the Griffins, were a kind, civilized family. They went to church on every Sunday, volunteered for everything, and showered their dog, Jasper, with so much love and affection that it just about made the gay pooch sick.

"They don't understand you like the way I do," Cyrus, Jasper's new lover, said as the two of them reclined on the couch and watched TV, trying to ignore the Bransons as they sung in the kitchen next door.

In the family, besides Jasper, there were four of them. Mrs. Sarah Branson was married to Ben Branson and they had two kids. One, the girl, was named Erin and the other was her brother, Erick. They were both very bright, intelligent kids but Jasper often thought that they were putting on an act.

"Oh I agree, Cyrus, but there's somebody who just might understand me better," Jasper contradicted. Cyrus frowned at him.

"Who?" the big Doberman asked, looking quite comical when his serious face turned into an expression of childish ignorance.

"Why, my straight cousin Brian! He's from Quahog, remember?" Jasper inquired. Cyrus stared stupidly back at his friend, who sighed, "You know…I once told you that he's the only one smart enough to read books?"

"Hmmm…I think that I recall something about him." The Doberman crossed his legs and folding his arms about his broad chest. Scowling he whimpered, "I just can't see why he's better than me, though! I mean, look at all I've done for you, you selfless bast-"

"I didn't mean it like that!" Jasper interjected, waving his paws about in protest. Putting an arm around his soul mate he assured him. "I just meant that I miss him is all. Brian and I go way back…"

As Jasper trailed off into fond and sometimes violent memories of his cousin, Cyrus got up and padded into the kitchen. The family was all gathered around the table, eating with long-practiced good manners. Cyrus was about to unexpectedly interrupt their meal.

"Um, guys…I have a favor to ask." He tried to be as polite and formal as he could, which was made especially hard whenever the children turned their deceiving faces upon his.

"What's the matter, Cyrus?" Mrs. Branson asked.

Cryrus couldn't help but stare at her. She was just about hot enough to make him straight, but not quite. For one thing, her boobs were too flat and her hair was too short, not to mention partly grey.

Her husband was a different matter. He was tall, lean, and had pure black hair that framed his business-like face. He was smiling confidently at Cyrus, urging him to go on and the dog finally did.
"Well, I was wondering…could you take me and Jasper on vacation?" He watched their faces as they stared unblinkingly back at them.

"Yes, let's go on vacation!" Erick concurred, clapping his hands together joyfully. They were thin, frail hands, Cyrus noted, not at all like the boy's father's. Yet his face was just as handsome as Mr. Branson's.

"Where do you want to go, Cyrus?" Erin asked, shooting him a quizzical look, and Cyrus smiled.

"To Quahog, Rhode Island. Jasper wants to visit his cousin there," he said, knowing that he would do anything to make his lover happy.

Mr. Branson nodded thoughtfully. "I don't see anything wrong with it," he finally decided, and Cyrus beamed at him. "This is, after all, the best summer that we've ever had so why don't we share it with other members of the family?"

The kids whooped. Mrs. Branson slightly smiled, her eyes twinkling at Cyrus as, after thanking them, the dog returned to the couch and…his one and true love.

That night, Cyrus and Jasper went out walking to the park. Since it was dark, and the town was completely deserted, they weren't ashamed to hold each other's paws. When they arrived at a park bench, they each sat down, Jasper taking out a pen and paper when they did.

"You writing to someone?" Cyrus asked.

Jasper nodded absently as he began to scribble on the paper. Every once in awhile, out of the corner of his eye, he would catch Cyrus' suspicious eyes sweeping over the paper.

"Yeah, to Brian," Jasper admitted minutes later after he had finished writing the letter. It hadn't taken him very long to write it, mainly because he really didn't have much to say. He had just wanted to send a greeting to Brian and warn him that they were coming. He was sure that Lois would appreciate that.

"Oh, that mangy mutt again?" Cyrus fumed, fire dancing in his eyes. "Why do you like him so much?"

Jasper laughed. "Because he's my cousin," he said, running his claws through the little white puff of hair that topped his head, which was just as white as Brian's. Watching him, Cyrus snorted.

"Just don't forget the promise you made to me when we met," he ordered, and Jasper smiled.

"Don't worry, I won't," he said, and he was instantly recalling the first time that he and Cyrus had met…

Sometime last year…

The Country fair had begun. The Bransons went to it the first day it opened, taking Jasper along with them. It was a warm day, a day that none of them was really enjoying; it was just too hot and the fairgrounds were totally congested. Jasper only wanted it all to end.

To make matters worse, the day wore on slowly. Jasper whined throughout the most of it until…he met Cyrus.

The two dogs had crossed each other's paths while they both had been waiting in line to ride the Farris Wheel of Death. Upon first seeing each other, they exchanged the traditional greeting of sniffing each other's butts. Then, when that part of the ritual had been completed, the two dogs touched noses and introduced themselves.

They talked for several minutes before abandoning the Ferris Wheel and taking off into the direction that their noses were pulling them: The food stand. After purchasing hotdogs and sodas from there, they then went off to a nearby tent and sat down.

The stuff that they had talked about that day would always be on Jasper's mind for as long as he lived. He would always remember that he himself had promised Cyrus one thing: Eternal love.

He never mentioned Ricardo.

Cyrus' face softened as his friend stared up at him with pure love and affection. Sighing, Cyrus leaned his head in Jasper's lap and fell asleep.

The next morning, they awoke to the annoying chirping of birds and the scorching heat of the sun upon their backs. Deciding it was time to head home, they did, and Jasper stopped by the post office to mail his letter to Brian on the way there. After that had been accomplished, they walked the rest of the way home in happily, contented silence.

Days passed. Almost immediately the month, which was June, came to an end and the Bransons were planning to move out. Soon Jasper would be reunited with Brian once again.

"Mom, Chris is pulling my ear!" Meg wailed as her brother clamped a stubby hand over her ear and tugged – hard.

Just entering the living room, where Meg and Chris were bickering with each other, Lois sighed and said, "All right, kids. Knock it off!"

"It wasn't my fault!" Meg cried, dropping to the floor as soon as Chris had released her ear. Sobbing, she covered her head with her arms and began to scream. As she did, Peter walked into the living room to investigate.

"Jeez, I can't wait 'till these little freaks are back in school," he complained. Lois gave him a stern look.

"Peter, that's two months away," she informed her husband, causing him to burst into tears.

"Waaah…Why won't it end!" He stormed off to another room in the house. Not too long after he had left, Brian walked in, Stewie following behind him.

"Good lord, I hope they don't act like this when Jasper comes," the dog said, fearfully. Stewie chuckled.

"Oh yes, that would be an absolute disaster wouldn't it, Brian?" He rubbed his hands together menacingly. Brain raised his eyebrows.

"Did you ever finish off the monkey after it crawled into Meg's room?" he asked the baby, who shuddered.

"Oh yes, I killed him dead," he said, remembering how, later on during the day in which Chris had gunned down the evil monkey, the evil beast had crawled into Meg's room and tried to attack her. Fortunately, having been nothing more than a zombie, it had only been able to flail its arms about wildly and groan, giving Stewie enough time to charge into Meg's room and stab a knife through the monkey's back. The weapon had worked more efficiently than the blaster gun had, and Stewie made a reminder to himself to use it more often, especially on Lois.

"Brian's right! You kids need to be on your best behavior," Lois scolded them, not noticing that Stewie was mimicking her every word behind her back as she turned to go after Peter.

"Stop that. They could be arriving any day now," Brian barked, swiping a paw at Stewie, who dodge the dog's forceful swing skillfully.

"It's more likely that they'll walk in on us tonight when we're all asleep," the baby predicted, leaving Brian to ponder on this horrible possibility on his own as Meg and Chris recovered from their struggle.

In the end, the hateful baby was actually right.

Later that night, all was silent in the house. At the foot of Lois' and Peters' bed, Brian lay curled up, his eyes wide open, his ears fully erected. He couldn't sleep. What Stewie had said was really bothering him. What if Jasper and his family were to come tonight? What if they just barged into the house and –

Suddenly, a loud engine erupted over the driveway below, and Brian yelped, leaping shamefully off the bed and tiptoeing to the window. Lois and Peter began to stir.

"Jeez, what's the matter Brian?" Peter grumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before placing his glasses on the bridge of his short, fat nose. He fumbled over the nightstand and switched on the lamp which was perched on top of it, illuminating the couple's room in a golden glow.

"Sounds like somebody's out there!" Lois dropped her voice to a whisper and walking up to Brian's side. Looking downward through the window, she could see a van pulling into the driveway.

"I'll get the gun, Lois!" Peter cried. He was about to rush off when the van's engine died and all its doors opened, allowing Jasper and his family to step out of the vehicle.

"Relax, Peter, it's just my cousin." Brian pulled his lips into a snarl and his paws were clinched at his sides. He was going to kill Jasper for this!

"Where are you going, Brian?" Lois asked the dog, who had bounded toward the door frantically before he stopped to turn around and look at her.

"I'm going to give him a little welcoming gift," he growled, and tore out of the room.

Stunned, Lois muttered, "Oh my…"

Peter just stood there.

Feeling exited as well as nervous, Jasper approached the Griffin's font door and gently knocked. Cyrus, walking alongside of him, frowned.

"I don't like this," he said.

The door began to swing open.

"Well, that was quick! But it's about time that we got reacquainted – hey!" Jasper cried just as Brian pulled back his fist and made sure that his knuckles contacted firmly with his cousin's nose, which popped loudly.

"Ow! You bastard! You broke it!" Jasper cried.

Cyrus got into a crouching position, ready to lunge.