Chapter 9 - The Choice
By the time Christmas came, Barbara gave birth to the second litter of puppies; they were a girl Basque Shepherd, Janet, and a boy White Lab, Jonathan. After Brian had shown Barbara Vinny's letter and photo, she felt very guilty for her now-non-existent dead counterpart being selfish to him, and knew that he needed a little love. Neither parent told any of their first litter about Vinny or how their now-non-existent counterparts were also selfish to him.
Author's Note: Brian4life didn't think that the names "Jair" and "Matthias" suit the second litter well enough, so she thought that the names that DMC7500 gave them in his fanfic "A Man, Not a Canine", would be better for them.
Christmas came, and at the same time, so did the first litter's first birthday.
"Happy birthday, kids," Barbara said to all four of the litter, "and Merry Christmas. I can't believe it's been a whole year. My, how time does fly."
"I know," Briana agreed. "Who would have thought that we'd become so grown up in seven whole dog years?"
"Yeah," Ollie added. "I wonder what presents we'll all get this year."
Brian and Stewie sat under the tree, opening some gifts, while Brian handed Stewie one.
"Here you go, Stewie. Merry Christmas."
Stewie opened the gift, and saw that it was a photo they took. It was of Brian in a Santa hat and Stewie in an elf costume. Under the photo was a gold plaque with the words "Friends Forever" engraved on it.
"Brian," Stewie began, "it's...wonderful. Thank you."
"You're welcome, Stewie," Brian replied. "You're my best friend, and I love you."
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Brian walked up to answer it.
Outside was Vinny, still collarless, and holding a Bible, a bottle of Scotch, lineage papers, a loaded gun, and a written will. Death was behind him.
"Are you sure about this?" Death asked.
Vinny nodded. "It's the only way," he replied. "It's either me or them. They can't have both."
As soon as Brian opened the door, he saw Vinny and nodded, letting the two enter. Seeing the items in Vinny's paws had confirmed what Brian thought, as he knew that he was supposed to die, that he was supposed to get hit by that car. He felt pretty guilty, and looked at his family, then at Barbara and the puppies, simply that he'd been allowed to live.
Vinny walked to the center of the room and laid his things down. Death loomed behind the couch without saying anything.
"I take it you must be Vinny, right?" Barbara guessed.
"I am," Vinny nodded.
"Well, let me just tell you how sorry I am for..." Before Barbara could continue, she looked at Peter, Lois, Meg and Chris. They didn't know what happened in the erased timeline. "Uh, for what happened back then."
"What did happen, Barbara?" Meg shrugged.
"I should answer that," Vinny said to everyone in the room, getting their attention. "Most of you probably don't know who I am. But it don't matter now because I'm gonna tell you anyway. I'm supposed to be your new dog."
The human family members were confused.
"What's going on here?" Peter asked.
"It's okay, Peter," Brian assured. "He's here to explain to us all." Brian got up to Vinny as Death unraveled a scroll.
On the scroll was a video feed of what was supposed to have happened since Brian's undone death. How Janet and Jonathan should have died during birth. How Barbara herself should have died due to her heart attack from overeating and fighting Vinny. How the puppies should have been given away after not accepting Vinny as a foster father. And it all led to Jenny and Marcus stealing the time machine return pad from Stewie to go back in time and save their father.
Upon seeing this, Stewie, the first litter, and an understanding Barbara started shedding tears. Brian turned to them.
"Oh, puppies," Brian said. "Why couldn't you just accept my death and move on?"
Out of the four, Jenny and Marcus shook their heads. Death pointed a finger at them, and in an instant, their memories all returned.
"I..." Marcus began. "I don't know, Dad."
"We just couldn't," Jenny added. "Marcus and I, we love you, Daddy."
"But what about me?" Vinny asked them. "Don't you think that I loved you, too, even when I tried to be a foster father to you, after your mother died?" Jenny and Marcus didn't answer. "Look, kids. I know I ain't your father. I haven't written a bestselling novel, or gone through space and time, or any of that junk. And I certainly ain't got his views. But if there's one thing that I do have in common with him, it's that I love you, and your family." Vinny shed a tear of sadness. "You guys are the best thing that ever happened to me in a long time." Turning to Death, he continued, "But it's obvious. You've made your choice."
"No we haven't," Peter said, getting up. Shrugging to Death, he continued, "What are the stakes?"
Death shook his head. "There are formalities that have to be met first," he answered. "Vinny has something he wants to say."
With that, Death allowed Vinny to speak, picked up the lineage papers and the Bible, which was a New Living Translation copy, and turned to Brian.
"These papers, Brian," Vinny began, "are records of my family history. According to these, I have an older brother. And that, Brian, is you."
"Wait," Barbara quivered. "You mean...?"
"Yes, Barbara," Vinny answered. "I'm your brother-in-law, and your puppies' uncle." That bit of information hit Jenny and Marcus pretty hard. "In the original timeline, I originally wanted to marry you, but knowing that Brian's my older brother, I've realized that I can't raise my nieces and nephews as my own." Picking up the Bible, he gave it to Brian. "This Bible is yours," he continued. "Consider it a Christmas gift from me."
"Vinny," Brian began, "I can't take it. I'm a devout atheist."
"That don't matter, Brian," Vinny huffed. "Look, your name's already written in there. It's proof that it's yours."
"But that's not me."
Vinny laughed. "The passages in there are underlined, circled and highlighted, and both the Old and New Testaments are cross-reffed with annotations on every other page. Plus, there are two personal notes you've written, which you discarded some time ago, placed inside this Bible; one in the front, where you confirm your belief, state your name and God in the same sentence, and one in the back, where you denounce alcohol, drugs and make personal decisions to remain abstinent until you find the 'right one'. I insist you accept this gift from me, Brian."
Brian, confronted with the truth about his discarded notes, broke down into tears, as he remembered his past which he tried to forget. It took him several minutes for him to figure it out before he shook his head and turned to Death.
"What are the stakes?" he asked.
Death answered, "The family must choose, either you and Barbara, or Vinny. If they choose Vinny, you and Barbara must come with me, and the original timeline will be restored. But if you and Barbara are chosen, Vinny goes, and you two remain with the Griffins and your puppies, and live your lives."
"Very well," Brian understood before turning to his family. "You know that I would never do anything to hurt you." He decided to make the obvious and right decision for the family before anyone had a chance to speak otherwise. "But Barbara and I must go."
"But Brian," Barbara began, shedding even more grieving tears, "if we go with Death, then our puppies will be heartbroken."
"I know, honey," Brian nodded, "but it's the only way for Vinny to be happy."
"Wait!"
Jenny's shout halted both parents before they could take a step further. There was a rather unsure look on her face and Marcus', and, holding Marcus' paw, she gulped before she said anything else.
"If you're going, then Marcus and I are coming with you, too."
"J-Jenny?" Brian replied, voice breaking. "Marcus?"
"You, too?" Barbara added. "Why?"
"Jenny and I tried numerous ways to bring you back," Marcus answered. "So, if this is the only way for us to be together again, then so be it."
"You... you want to die with us?" Brian asked.
As Jenny and Marcus nodded, Briana and Ollie supported them; they wanted to go, too.
Barbara didn't know what to say. It was their first birthday, and, according to their decision, also their death-day.
Vinny was emotionally shocked as well. Not only were the Griffins going to lose Brian and Barbara again, but so were they going to lose their first litter.
Brian just couldn't say no to those four faces. "Very well," he said, smiling. "We're all going, as a family." Barbara was surprised. "Don't worry, honey," Brian assured. "It's going to be all right."
Barbara then smiled in understanding, and she picked Janet and Jonathan up, before giving them to Vinny.
"Here, Vinny," she said, handing them to him. "Consider these two as a gift from me, as my apology for being so mean to you. Care for Janet and Jonathan, and raise them like they're your own puppies."
Vinny, though he tried to avoid choking up with tears, couldn't help but do it anyway.
"I will, Barbs," he replied. "I'll take good care of your second litter."
"Thank you, Vinny," Barbara nodded before joining Brian and the first litter.
Stewie ran up to Brian, still fighting back with tears.
"No, Brian," he cried. "I don't want to lose you."
"You never will, Stewie," Brian replied. "No matter what happens, I'll always be your friend in your heart...forever."
Stewie understood, and hugged Brian.
Peter sighed deeply, smiling. "I guess this is it, then?"
"For us," Brian answered as Stewie let go of him. "But for you, this is just the beginning." Brian turned to Vinny and hugged him, as a way of passing the torch of being the Griffins' family dog to him. "Take good care of the Griffins for me, and for my family."
"I will, Brian," Vinny answered. "I'll treat them like they were my own."
"They are your own," Brian replied before breaking away and turning to his mate and the first litter. "Everybody ready?"
Barbara and the first litter nodded as they all held paws with Brian.
"Okay. Let's go."
Trying hard to reach out
But when I tried to speak out
Felt like no one could hear me
Stewie waved, still shedding tears.
"Goodbye, Brian," he said, "and thank you for being my friend."
"You're welcome, Stewie," Brian replied. "And goodbye to you, too."
"Goodbye, puppies," Vinny also waved, smiling sadly. "And happy birthday."
"Thank you," Jenny and Marcus replied, shedding tears of joy, "Uncle Vinny."
"Goodbye, Vinny," Barbara waved, shedding tears of joy, "and welcome home."
Vinny smiled at her, finally getting some compassion from her.
"Thank you, Barbs," he replied.
Wanted to belong here
But something felt so wrong here
So I pray
I could breakaway
And with that, Brian, Barbara and the four puppies accepted Death's hand...and vanished.
I'll spread my wings, and I'll learn how to fly
Though it's not easy to tell you goodbye
Upon their disappearance, a new timeline was created, similar to the original. The only exception being that the first litter of puppies have joined Brian and Barbara in death instead of the second litter.
I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway
As a courtesy to the Griffins, Death, Brian, Barbara and the four puppies agreed to give them an extra day and make it Christmas Eve.
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget the place I come from
Vinny kept his promise and did everything he could to make his year as memorable as possible for his new family, by taking them to his previous home in North Providence, where they spent the rest of the holiday in peace.
I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway
Stewie, though saddened by the deaths of Brian, Barbara and the four puppies, had learned to accept it. Vinny received a new black collar, similar to the one he wore before, from the Griffins, with a tag engraved with their home address on the back, and the name "Vinny Griffin" on the front. It was the greatest Christmas gift he could've gotten from anyone.
Breakaway
The first litter, including Jenny and Marcus, eventually learned to accept their parents' deaths, as well as their own, and felt content for their uncle to take care of their two younger siblings, and to be part of the family, and, along with their parents, started a new life in the afterlife.
Breakaway...
And so, the story of Brian and Barbara Griffin, and the four puppies, came to an end. But for Vinny, Janet and Jonathan, this was just the beginning...
The End
Author's Note: The song used in the chapter, "Breakaway" (performed by Kelly Clarkson), is written by Avril Lavigne, Bridget Louise Benenate and Matthew Gerrard, and copyright of Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, and Universal Music Publishing Group. It is fair use. Like the previous chapter, this one is also based on The New Idea's Family Guy one-shot fanfic, "Man's Best Friend", only this time, it's for the end.
Thanks for reading the "Christmas Guy" adaptation that VBG didn't want to write. Hope you all enjoyed it, especially B4L and her friends.
Now that Vinny is a Griffin (again), what sort of adventure will he have next? Find out in the next fanfic. I'm just sorry that the four puppies had to join their parents like that. Of course, there's going to be a time when they'll be needed again. But that's another story...