Chapter 6 - L-O-V-E

Around sunset, a teal Mustang convertible with a white top pulled into the driveway of the Griffin house. Brian exited the Mustang and knocked on the door. Barbara opened it and was amazed.

"Oh, Brian!" she exclaimed, smiling. "I was so worried about you that I was about to cancel our dinner date tonight. Have those exes of yours caught up to you?"

"It's all right, Barbara," Brian assured, hugging her. "I lost them, and I had a little help. But before I can tell you who helped me lose them, I have a couple of surprises for you." He presented the Mustang to her. "Happy Valentine's Day, honey."

"Oh, Brian," Barbara replied in awe. "It's the convertible I admired since New Year's Day."

"I'm glad you like it, dear," Brian chuckled. "And there's someone in the back who wants to say hi to you, too."

The back passengers side window rolled down, revealing a very happy Sheridan, waving at her.

"Hello, Barbara," she greeted. "Long time, no see."

Barbara looked a bit confused, with a peculiar look on her face.

"I'm sorry," she responded. "Have we met?"

"What do you mean, 'have we met'?" Sheridan repeated. "It's me, Sheridan, from the organization."

This widened Barbara's eyes. "Little Sherry?" she remembered, her lip curling into a smile. "Oh, my God! It's so good to see you again!"

Sheridan opened the back passenger door and hugged her.

"I thought you had died after you were brought out to fight that big, ferocious Arnie," Sheridan replied, shedding tears of joy. "Brian told me about how he found you and started a family. I'm so happy that you're still alive."

"Hey, Mom, what's going on out here?"

Jenny's voice brought everyone's attention as the Basque Shepherd puppy came outside. She noticed the Collie.

"Who's the girl Collie?"

"Oh, hey, Jenny," Barbara greeted nervously. "This is a young friend of mine, Sheridan, from the dog fighting organization. I nearly forgot about her and her father and sisters until today." Barbara turned to Sheridan and continued, "Sheridan, this is the third in my first litter, Jennifer. 'Jenny' for short."

Sheridan looked pretty interested in seeing Jenny.

"Hello, Jenny," Sheridan greeted.

"Hi," Jenny greeted back. "It's a pleasure to see a friend of my mother's, even if that friend is younger than her."

"So, honey," Brian began, to Barbara, "are you ready for our night on the town? There's something special planned for us." Brian turned his attention to Jenny and Sheridan. "The two of you can come with us if you'd like, since I see that you're becoming fast friends."

"Thanks, Dad," Jenny replied.

Later that night, at the Quahog Pizzaria, Brian and Barbara were served a heart-shaped pepperoni pizza, while Jenny and Sheridan sat at a table waiting for their order.

"So," Jenny began, "how well have you known Mom?"

"Your mother was like a savior to Anna, Bella and I," Sheridan explained. "That jerk, who brought us into the organization, refused to feed us and abused us. She stood up to him and shared her food with us. One night, she was brought out to fight a Pit Bull, and I didn't hear from her again. I feared that she was long gone, but your father told me that he found her and raised a family with her. I'm happy to know that she has puppies to take care of."

Just then, Briana and Arnie came in and were led to a reserved table. Sheridan cowered behind Jenny.

"What?" Jenny shrugged. "It's just my older sister Briana and her boyfriend Arnie."

"Boyfriend?" Sheridan repeated. "Arnie's the Pit Bull your mother fought. Why is he your sister's boyfriend?"

Both Barbara and Arnie noticed what was going on with Sheridan.

"It's okay, Sheridan," Barbara explained and assured. "Arnie's changed. Briana helped turn his life around after a wolf attacked him."

"Oh, Sheridan," Arnie began, walking to their table with Briana. "I didn't even notice you. If you want to know the whole story, maybe I can explain everything that happened since the organization's shutdown."

Sheridan noticed that he wasn't as fierce the last time she remembered him, as there had been a change in him. She calmed down a little.

"Very well," she responded. "What happened?"

As soon as Arnie finished, Jenny and Sheridan's orders were brought up. They were plates of spaghetti and meatballs. This reminded Briana that she and Arnie needed to order something to eat. A jazzy instrumental of Nat King Cole's "L-O-V-E" began to play in the background.

Outside the pizzaria, watching through a window, New Brian and Vinny smiled contently in the latter's Prius.

"Happy Valentine's Day, big brother," Vinny whispered. "You, too, Ba5que_Sh3pherd."

"Happy Valentine's Day to you, Sheridan," New Brian added. "Welcome home."

They then drove off, on their way back to the apartment building.

Lois, after spending all day in the bedroom with Peter, tucked Stewie into his crib in his bedroom and kissed her baby good night. Stewie tried to back away, but he threw up as soon as she kissed him.

Brian's exes gathered together in a hotel room. Their search for Brian was at a dead end, but they lay together content in bed.

The End

Author's Note: Well, everyone, that finally brings an end to this adaptation of "Valentine's Day in Quahog". Here's hoping that all of you have a happy Valentine's Day as well.

What sort of antics are Brian and Barbara going to have next? Find out in the next story.