Chapter 36: Don't just stand there kiddo
Advise: Tissues recommended for this chapter
Through out the whole day while Loona did her adoption process, Octavia did a lot of nice things to help Jax feel better from his grief. She softly brushed his fur with a comb and gave him belly rubs to help him relax, took him out for a nice peaceful walk while chatting positively, got him a two scoop ice-cream cone from a nearby parlor, and played catch with a volleyball with him. Thankfully it all worked as Jax slowly became his normal self again. And before you know it, he was back to being the friendly and chill hellhound pup like he always was.
4 PM in Hell
Right now Jax was sitting on the front steps of Stolas's mansion with his babysitter by his side. They were enjoying the evening sky together. Jax casually swished his tail left and right as he looked up at the red Pride Ring sky while Octavia kept him company.
"Are you feeling alright there Jax?" Octavia asked nicely
"Mmmhmm. I feel a lot better now." Jax said as he managed to smile lightly
"That's wonderful." Octavia smiled as she wrapped her arm around Jax side hugging him
Suddenly out of nowhere, the grey I.M.P van pulls up right in front of the mansion.
"Oh that must be Loona." Jax said
But when the back seat door slides open, Moxxie and Millie come out to Jax's surprise.
"Huh? Moxxie? Auntie Millie?" Jax said as he stood up and went up to them
"Hey there little pumpkin! Did you have fun with your babysitter!?" Millie happily greeted
"Yes I did but...where's Loona?" Jax asked
"Well kid, Loona wanted us to pick you up because..." Moxxie said
"She has a big surprise waiting for you!" Millie finished
"A surprise?"
"That is true." Octavia said coming up beside Jax
"What is true?" Jax asked as he was pretty confused at the moment
Octavia then kneels down to Jax and puts her hands on his shoulders.
"You see Jax, when Loona left you with me, she told me she was planning a surprise for you. So you should go with them." Octavia explained
"Oh really?"
"Mmmhmm" Octavia smiled
"...Okay! Goodbye Via!" Jax smiled as he gave his babysitter a big warm goodbye hug
"*giggles* Goodbye little one. I'll see you again another time." Octavia happily returns the hug
After the hug, Jax gets in the backseat of the van with Millie's help. To his surprise Blitzo was in the drivers seat.
"Hey there kid! Welcome aboard!" Blitzo smiled
Meanwhile at Blitzo's apartment
14 minutes later
Loona was on Blitzo's couch waiting patiently for Blitzo and the others to show up with Jax. She was about to check the time on her phone when...
*Keys jingle, Door opens*
"Oh Loona! We are here!" Blitzo enthusiastically called out as he came in with Moxxie and Millie behind
Loona gets up off the couch and goes over to the murder professionals at the door. But suddenly Jax was nowhere to be seen.
"Uhhh...Where's Jax?" Loona asked
With that, Moxxie and Millie happily step aside apart revealing Jax who was eager to see her.
"Hey there kiddo. Come here." Loona smiled warmly as she knelt down and held her arms out
Jax gladly goes up to Loona for her to pick him up and cradle him. Loona then waves her hand gesturing for Blitzo and the others to leave the apartment so she could have a private talk with Jax. The three imps understand the signal and gladly leave the apartment closing the door behind them. With the murder professionals now gone, Loona turns her full attention to her pup.
With her free hand, Loona reaches into her hair and takes out Amanda's necklace.
"Here. This is for you." Loona said softly as she tied the necklace on Jax's left wrist like a bracelet
Jax immediately frowns sadly because that was the same way his mom gave him the necklace seconds before her death.
"Thanks Loona. *sniff* Even though I hardley knew my mom...I...I miss her so much." Jax said sadly
"I know kiddo. I know." Loona whispered as she warmly embraced Jax while softly rubbing his back
The two hugged for a few seconds until Loona spoke again.
"Listen Jax. Even though your mom is not alive anymore, she's still with you. And will always be with you at anytime and anywhere." Loona said in a caring tone
"She is?...But how?...Where?"
"She's right here." Loona smiled as she softly pressed her free hand on Jax's little chest
"Is she in..my tummy?"
"No. She's in your heart. And when she's in your heart, she's always with you by your side kiddo." Loona smiled
"Ohhh." Jax said in acknowledgement
"And she did tell you to be brave and strong right?" Loona asked
Jax nodded yes
"Well i'm sure she's very proud of you right now." Loona smiled as she tenderly stroked between Jax's ears. Immediately a thin smile appears back on his face.
"Thank you Loona." Jax smiled
Suddenly Loona's smile turns into a frown.
"What's wrong Loona?" Jax asked upon noticing
"Jax...come sit with me there's uh...there's something I need to tell you." Loona said as she carries Jax over to the couch
Loona sits on the couch face to face with Jax on her lap. Jax was all ears ready for what Loona needed to tell him.
"*deep breath*...Let me ask you this Jax. Do you know why I took you in and cared for you on that day I found you?" Loona asked softly
"Because...Because you felt bad for me?" Jax asked
"Well yes very true. I did feel bad for you...but that's not the main reason. You see the main reason I took you in is because...I didn't want you to suffer like me." Loona said
"Suffer like you?"
"Yes. You see before Blitzo adopted me I was at an orphanage two. But it was a different one. Like way different. Not the same kind you were at." Loona said
"Really? Did your mommy die two?" Jax asked growing sympathetic for Loona
"No. Er actually I don't know. I never really found out anything about my parents. They are still a mystery to me." Loona said sadly
"What was your orphanage like?" Jax asked worringly
With that, Loona proceeded to tell Jax her own harsh experience at her orphanage which was specially made only for hellhounds with prison-like cell rooms with metal bars.
Flashback
Blitzo was in the hallway of the orphanage looking to adopt a hellhound with an old hellhound lady guiding him. On the ceiling of the hallway hung a red banner with words written 'HELLHOUND ADOPTION'
"Awww they're all so cute and they're...sad." Blitzo said as he looks in a cell full of hellhound pups
"Maybe you could adopt this one here. Quite a strong lad he'll be perfect for whatever work you wanna use him for." The old hellhound lady pointed in another cell
Blitzo excitingly looks in the next cell over and instantly grosses out when he sees an awfully ugly hellhound.
"Ugh! No I'm not looking for no ugly wonker heh. I need something that's more family friendly." Blitzo said
"A gift for the wife huh? No problem we have a nice selection for other hounds." The lady said as she walks down the hall with Blitzo following. As Blitzo followed behind, something in another cell catches his eye.
"Who's that?" Blitzo asked pointing in the cell
"Oh her? That's just Loona. What a nightmare, serious attitude problems. She'll be out of our hair next month when she ages out. Good riddance if you ask me. She'll never amount to anything much." The lady said
Inside the cell was a younger teenage Loona sitting on a wooden bench. She was wearing torn up leggings and a red sweater along with a spiked choker. Blitzo watches as Loona angrily knocks a young bully hellhound against the cell bars before cowaring back in her corner space on the bench. Loona quickly turns from extremely angry to sad whimpering as she hugs herself while sheer stressful tears force out of her eyes.
End of flashback
"You were in a cell? Did you try to escape?" Jax asked shocked by Loona's story
"No. *sniff* I didn't see a point on escaping. It was heavy and tight. I just stayed there and endured it the whole way. And *sniff* let me tell you it was not easy. It was cold and harsh." Loona said as she was on the verge of tears
"Howcome I didn't end up there? I'm a hound two." Jax asked
"Well you would've ended up in my paw steps if you were found by the people from there. *sniff* Now the worst part is I spent so many years there dealing with endless pain and stress everyday. Basically I spent my whole young life there until Blitzo showed up and adopted me when I was close to turning 18. It was really bad. Super dreadful. *sniff*"
Loona wipes away a few tears due to the severe stressful memories of the prison-like orphanage. Jax quickly grabs some nearby tissues and hands them to Loona which she gladly accepts.
"*sniff* Thanks kiddo." Loona said as she wipes away her tears
Jax helps Loona feel better faster by caringly petting her shoulder. After calming down enough, Loona takes out her phone, pulls up a picture and hands it to Jax. On the phone was a photo of Loona and Blitzo in front of the adoption center. Blitzo was enthusiastically smiling and holding up an adoption certificate while Loona stood with an unsatisfied grouchy expression.
"I...I'm so sorry Loona." Jax said sympathetically as he hands the phone back
"It's fine you don't have to be sorry. Now you see Jax, when I found you lying half dead on that sidewalk, I knew exactly how you felt and I related to you. So I took you in, cared for you, and treated you warmly because I never ever got that kind of treatment at all. You're way too good Jax. You don't deserve to live a lifetime of loneliness and sheer misery like me." Loona said as she sweetly ran her fingertips behind Jax's ears
"Do you...Do you really mean that Loona?" Jax asked feeling touched upon learning that Loona saved more than just his life
"Of course. I hate to see another hellhound grow up the same way I did. You're a good boy Jax and you deserve way better. You deserve me." Loona smiled
Jax slowly smiles before snuggling up against Loona.
"*sniff* Thank you so much Loona. You're the best." Jax said joyfully
"You're welcome Jax. You're welcome." Loona warmly whispered as she patted his back
Right at that moment, it was time for Loona give Jax the biggest joyful surprise of his life.
"Um hey Jax."
"Yes Loona?"
"I ummm...I need a wet rag to wipe my face. My tears really messed up my makeup. There's one on my bedside table in my room. Can you be a good kiddo and get it for me?" Loona asked nicely
"Okay Loona." Jax smiled before hopping off Loona's lap and walking to the bedroom
Loona proudly swished her tail knowing Jax was in for a real treat.
Once inside Loona's bedroom, Jax goes over to the bedside stand and to his confusion, he finds a piece of paper instead of a rag.
"Huh? This doesn't look like a rag. What's this?" Jax asked himself as he picks up the paper and reads it
When Jax reads the paper, he sees that it's an adoption certificate.
...
...
Wait! An adoption certificate!?
Jax's eyes light up in shock and his fur stands up upon seeing the two big words at the top of the page. When he reads down the paper, he sees that the certificate states that Loona is officially his new adoptive mom and he is her adoptive...Son!
'W-What!? Is this-!?...No way!" Jax said in sheer disbelief
"Ahem." Loona gets Jax's attention
Jax turns around and finds her standing by the bedroom doorway with a warm smile. She then sits on the carpeted floor cross-legged and holds her arms open.
"L-Loona?...Are you really my..."
"*giggles* Well don't just stand there kiddo. Come to mommy." Loona smiled
Those words were enough for Jax. Without a word, he drops the paper and dashes right at Loona. Jax jumps right into the arms of his new mom giving her the biggest hug with all his strength. Loona passionately hugs her adoptive pup tightly while wagging her tail. As Jax happily hugs his new mom, he blurts out the words he always wanted to say.
"*sniff* I-I LOVE YOU MOMMY!" Jax cried out through tears of Joy over Loona's shoulder
"I love you two kiddo! I love you two!" Loona smiled joyfully
There were a thousand fireworks going off in Jax's heart right now. No words could describe how extremely happy he was to have Loona as his new mommy. Well his little high speed wagging tail could describe well enough.
Meanwhile outside the apartment door
"Guys you hear that? I hear some screaming going on. Could be something wrong." Moxxie said in concern as he listened through the door
"I sure hope they're alright." Millie said
"Well I ain't gonna stand and wait for something bad to happen. Come on we're busting right in!" Blitzo said before bursting open the apartment door
The three imps rush into the apartment only to be greeted by the heartmelting sight in Loona's bedroom.
"Huh? What's going on in there? Why are they hugging eachother to death?" Moxxie asked confused
"Oh my! You guys look!" Millie joyfully pointed to the adoption certificate on the floor
"Oh...Well I'll be damned. We were worried for nothing. They're just having their lovely moment." Blitzo smiled
"She finally told the kid. She finally told him. The surprise has been successfully executed." Moxxie smiled
"Ohhhhh this is just too precious! *snorrrrrt* It melts my heart to watch! I think I'm gonna die from happiness! Mox you gotta pinch me! I must be dreaming!" Millie said through tears of joy while blowing on a tissue
"This is so going in the history books." Blitzo said as he took out his video camera and started recording the wholesome moment between Loona and Jax
Unfortunately for the murder professionals, Loona sensed their presence. Without Looking, Loona uses her long tail to slam the bedroom door shut so she and Jax could have their precious moment together in private. They continued to hug each other for a long time.
End of chapter 36