Plus one

Nile woke up sweating. The same nightmare haunted him every so often. The day his father decided to kill his dog. Coming from a poor family a dog was an extra mouth. Food that could have been used to feed someone else.

He remembered clearly as his father pushed the rifle into his ten-year-old hands. It was meant to teach him what was off value. Under his father's stern gaze, Nile made his first kill.

It wasn't clean at all. The blood splattered on the black coat. He whimpered. No matter how many times he dreamt it, the whimper, broke his heart every time. Yassen as usual rubbed soothing circles trying to get Nile to calm down.

"Shh, breathe. In and out," Yassen's voice softly projected.

Within a few minutes Nile fell asleep and Yassen with him.


"Let's get a dog," Nile said.

"Cool,"

"Hell no," Yassen said after Nikita violently smacked him to speak out.

"Why not?" Alex asked.

"Dog very dirty," Nikita answered. As much as she was a worker for the family, she was also Alex's friend.

"Here, here," Yassen said going with the flow.

'Alex were going to get a dog," Nile said grabbing the keys to the car.


The dog pound was huge. Breeds of all kinds all gathered in one place. Nile walked from one cage to the next. He wanted a mixed breed dog. Like they made them on the streets. A scrawny looking thing with barely enough meat to it. He wanted a survivor of a dog.

"This one dad," Alex yelled from the other side of the pound.

Yassen ran panicked. He really believed all dogs from the streets were filthy beings.

Nile just smiled as he stared at the cute face. Alex let go of the puppy. Quickly it scampered toward Nile. The wet nose gently nuzzled Nile's hand.

"Please," Nile said turning towards his husband.

Yassen looked once into Nile's eyes and agreed. His heart melting at the sight of the energetic little thing.


"Happy fifth anniversary," Yassen whispered in Nile's year.

"I love you two so much," Nile whispered right back.

"Dad, Pa come over here it's time for the photo," Alex yelled from the spot Nikita had set the camera.

Nile and Yassen walked over hand in hand. Enjoying the fresh air and feeling content.

Alex scrambled with the puppy and sat in between Nile and Yassen. They smiled and thought how quickly a year past. A year filled with lots of learning and turmoil.

With a snap and a flash the memory was preserved. They could only hope the future would be this great.


A/N: This is it before the sequel which I have yet to write. A big thank you to every single one of you. Especially to pokes and SunnyDay23. My number one flatterers. Thanks to all the reviews, follows and favorites. Hope to see you all in the sequel.