Heart of Hope

This is a revamp of the first chapter and a new look on the second movie of 'All Dogs go to Heaven'. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and leave a review of what you think of the chapter.

Chapter one

It had been 12 years since Charlie Barkin was last on earth, and already he had missed so much about earth. Don't get him wrong he did like being in heaven, but as time went by it became perfectly clear that compared to earth and the life he left behind. Heaven was starting to become...dull. It was boring and uneventful. He had been begging for more excitement in this cloudy kingdom, but everyone else wasn't on the same page as he was. They liked Heaven just the way it was...which made Charlie want to change it even more.

He tried again and again to change Heaven's strict rules and laws and such, but the one rule remained the same. No going back to earth. It was making Charlie wish he had been born a cat instead, he had heard that cats had nine lives after all...but then again that was just a silly myth. He just wished he had some way to go back. He was desperate for an escape from behind the pearly gates.

Today he heard that some new dogs were coming to Heaven, and he was hoping one of them was a good friend of his. The last few times were a bust but this time he was hopeful. Once he was up and about, Charlie ran towards the gates with several other dogs and among the new arrivals he recognized one of the familiar furry faces. He did look older with gray fur around his muzzle and hazy looking eyes, but once he touched the golden ground of Heaven, he began to age backwards. Back to how he looked in his youth.

"Randi?" Charlie asked as a large smile appeared on his muzzle, "Randi!"

Randi looked around in confusion. One minute he had been put down at the vet's and the next here he was...but where was he? It wasn't until he saw Charlie rush up to him that his memories came rushing back.

"Charlie!" exclaimed Randi with a smile.

Charlie tackled Randi into a hug and the overjoyed mutt hugged him back. After a moment of hugging they parted ways in time for a familiar female to come rushing towards Randi with tears in her eyes.

"Lola? Lola!" Randi exclaimed with joy.

He hadn't seen her since she died during childbirth and now here she was, still as beautiful as ever.

Lola kissed Randi and said: "Oh Randi, I missed you so very much! Heaven was never complete without you in my life...or after life."

Randi chuckled and kissed Lola back: "I've lived my life to the fullest and took care of our children as best as I could. Now our babies have children of their own...Oh, how I missed you in my life my darling."

"I did my best to keep Charlie out of serious trouble while you were still alive." Lola said as she gave Charlie a light glare. "And believe me, it wasn't easy."

"Hey, you know I'm not a puppy!" exclaimed Charlie with a frown. "I can take care of myself just fine."

Randi's smile changed into a frown as the other angles gave him his halo and wings. Charlie noticed this and couldn't help but ask Randi a question that popped into his head.

"How were things back on earth? Is Anne-Marie doing alright?"

"More than alright," answered Randi with a smile. "She's started a family of her own, and she's become a very successful and very loving mother."

Charlie felt his chest swell up with pride and he almost teared up. Anne-Marie, his dear little Squeakers was all grown up and raising a family of her own. He couldn't be more proud of his girl. How he wished he could go back and give her a great big hug, even for a few moments.

Lola grinned at Charlie for a moment before she spoke: "Looks like you still have a soft spot for the little dumpling."

Charlie quickly cleared his throat and shook his body before he responded to Lola's statement.

"What? No, no! I mean a little but...a cloud got into my eye and..." he then sighed in defeat and said. "Okay, I admit it. So I'm not made of stone."

Randi chuckled before he spoke again: "Last I heard, Anne-Marie's family is moving from New Orleans to San Francisco to start a new business in culinary. I hope they'll be okay, especially my grandson, Robert."

"Please." Charlie said with a chuckle. "If Robert is anything like you, I think he'll do just fine." Just then he thought of one other friend. "By the way, when you were arriving here, have you seen..."

Suddenly the trio heard a familiar voice screaming out and they all turned to see one more dog arriving. One glance told the trio who exactly the dog and Charlie let out a cheerful shout.

"Itchy!" shouted Charlie as he stretched out his arms towards the flying form.

He soon caught the little dog and through the force of the impact the two tumbled backwards. Randi and Lola had quickly jumped out of the way before looking at each other with smiles on both their faces.

"That answers that question," said Lola with a giggle.

Randi also let out a chuckle as they both turned to watch Charlie and Itchy, who had coughed up a chicken leg that he had died choking on, interact with each other. Once again the foursome was back together, but what they didn't know was that there was going to be trouble brewing once again. And this time it would threaten the peace of heaven.

Meanwhile on Earth, San Francisco

Robert had lost all track of time as he slept in the family car as memories from a whole year went by in a blur. But he was startled awake when the car went over a speed bump and shook his head. He was still in the stuffy and cramped up car with the moving van driving right behind them. Drawing away in her coloring book was his beloved owner and very best friend, eight year old Molly.

Molly was playful, full of imagination and couldn't sit still for one moment. Robert had been Molly's seventh birthday gift to her by her mother, and they have been best friends ever since. Molly had always heard her mother's adventures when she was a child like her daughter and was able to talk to animals back then. Molly had asked her mother if she could teach her how to talk to animals as well. Sadly, Anne-Marie lost that incredible gift the moment she became an adult. She also told her daughter that it wasn't a skill that could be taught or regained. Robert also listened to Anne-Marie's stories as well, but unlike Molly, who believed in the stories that her mother told her, he didn't believe a single word of it. He had always thought that those stories were made up, and would much rather focus on the here and now then in what happened way back then.

Yawing, Robert stretched his body forward to see himself in the rear view mirror and winked at his reflection.

"Now that's one handsome Dalmatian." He said with a smirk of pride, "Not a pure breed Dalmatian, sure, but still handsome none the less."

"We're almost there boy, keep your paws in." Molly's father said as he kept his hands on the wheel before he let out a yawn.

"Need to trade places again?" asked Annie-Marie in concern. "I'd be more than happy to drive us the rest of the way."

"No, we're almost there. I can manage," said Molly father with a reassuring smile.

"Daddy, will I like Aunt Sierra?" asked Molly as she looked up from her coloring book.

"Of course you will, at least I hope," replied Molly's father with smile. "I haven't seen my sister in a very long time, but I'm sure you two will get along great. And guess what? She has children of her own, cousins who are about your age. They could be the first of your many new friends you get to make in your new home."

"I hope so," said Molly with a nervous smile.

"Oh, Molly," spoke Annie-Marie as she turned in her seat to look at her daughter. "I know change can be scary, but no matter how things turn out, never forget that you are never alone as long as you have someone you love and trust at your side."

Molly smiled and continued to doodle in her drawing book, while Robert sat next to her as he watched her for a moment. He then licked Molly's cheek lovingly to remind her that he was always at her side.

"I love you Robert," said Molly as he nuzzled her affectionately.

"I love you too," whispered Robert with a smile.

He knew Molly couldn't understand him, but he couldn't blame her for wishing that she did. He had often wished that he could talk to her when he was a puppy, but now all he wanted was to get out of the car the moment they moved into their new home and sleep in his nice warm dog bed again.

He had no idea that in a few weeks, his life would change in ways he never thought were possible.

To be continued