Hello guys. Sorry I took so long (AGAIN, ugh,) but I've been very, VERY busy as of late with Cross Country and school and all that jazz. I'm having my first meet this Wednesday and my legs feel like crap, but I'm hoping to do good so wish me luck! Ahem, now that the propaganda is out of the way, some of you have been asking for KodiXDustyness…well, here it is…later in the chapter. One thing I want to impress upon you; I tried really hard on the dialogue in this one, as it seems to be the mainstay of the chapter (which is unusual for me, as my dialogue usually sucks). Please, tell me how I did, I don't care if you rip me a new one so long as you give me your honest opinion. I tried to make the conversations as flowing and natural-sounding as possible, but I still have my doubts. Thanks, now, on with the chapter!

Chapter 11
The Memories

Balto lay on the deck of the Trawler, chin propped up on crossed forepaws, watching through half-lidded eyes as the sun began its slow westward descent into the horizon, bathing everything in a soothing amber light. He smiled to himself. The wind had picked up not five minutes before, and was now busying itself with the task of tousling his already matted-looking coat. Still, the evening was pleasant enough to enjoy a serene sunset, for the breeze brought with it the promise of the rapidly approaching spring season…along with the latest news of his son's romantic escapades….

"Kodi…you lucky dog, you…." The aging hero sighed contentedly as his smile broadened as he discovered his son's scent was intertwined with that of a certain attractive female Husky as they made their way back to the Mail Team's shed. "Love her like no other, son…." He intoned to the empty air. "After all…no one deserves her more than you do…." His ears suddenly perked up, picking up the sound of approaching paws off to his left.

"How very true," remarked an all-too familiar voice from where the crunch of compacting snow was coming, "and after all the crap the two of them have gone through, I'd say it's high time the odds turned in their favor…."

His smile replaced with a sizable grin, Balto lifted his head and turned to regard his alabaster brother Kavik who, of course, was taking his sweet old time ascending the gangplank. "I had a feeling you were going to show up…unannounced as always." He added with a chuckle.

"I gave you fair warning though, didn't I?" His brother asked, as he too dropped onto his stomach beside the still grinning Balto.

"I suppose so," the other allowed, returning his gaze to the sinking ball of amber light, "but it's not like you to be so noisy…. What gives?"

The white hybrid loosed a chuckle of his own; "I'm surprised all the racket I was making actually got through to you, what with that contemplative look on your furry, yet lovable mug. Doing some deep thinking, are we?"

Balto shrugged lazily. "Well, considering all that's happened within…oh…the last seven or eight hours, I'd say I've got quite a lot to think about, Kodi and Dusty for one, the approaching spring for another – "

"And let's not forget the possibility of your becoming a grandfather in the not-so-distant future as well." Kavik cut in.

Balto turned to look at him, curiosity shining in his yellow/brown eyes. "Don't you think they'd be going a little fast for that to happen so soon? They've only just confessed their love for each other after all…."

Kavik favored him with an incredulous look. One that seemed to ask 'what are you, stupid or just slow?' "Tell me you're not that stupid. You're not, are you? Because if that's the case, I'm afraid I'll have to disown you to retain my dignity."

"What're you talking about?"

"Come on, Balto. Think about it. Use what small brains God saw fit to grace you with. How long did it take you and Jenna to pop out your six little bundles of joy after the two of you got hitched?"

Balto favored him with a sly little smirk. "That's private business, thank you very much," he replied, his tone dripping with false indignation, as though Kavik should know better than to ask for such confidential information.

"Ah…about two months then I'm guessing?"

"Nope. You're stone cold."

"One and a half?"

"You're getting warmer…."

"One?"

"Watch out, you'll get burned."

Kavik's eyebrows went up and he looked at his brother unbelievingly, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "Jeez, I see you two certainly didn't waste any time…."

Balto favored him with a sly smile and a conspiratorial wink. "Oh…we had some rudimentary form of self-control…but not much."

"Yeah, but four weeks?"

"Well, not that it's any of your business, but Jenna can be very…ah…persuasive when she wants to be." Balto replied, taking on an overly exasperated tone.

Kavik snorted. "Huh, yeah right. I'm sure she had to try SO hard to get you to even DREAM of playing along with her."

Balto grinned. "You've got me there, chief."

Kavik snickered. "I'll bet she had you jumping up and down like a puppy, with your tail wagging and everything." Grinning like an idiot, he widened his eyes to an unbelievable size and said, in a somewhat shaky voice, " 'Really Jenna? I'm gonna get to third base already? Wow you almost make this too easy – '"

"All right, all right, I wasn't that bad." Balto interrupted, eyebrows knitting together in slight irritation. His expression softened and he let out a somewhat defeated sigh. "But…ah, damn…yes, she was the one in control…" He smiled roguishly. "For the first half an hour or so, anyway."

"She had you whipped from the start, you dog, admit it. You loved her so much you would've even gotten down on you belly and crawled for her if she'd asked you to."

His brother sighed wistfully. "Yeah…but man was she ever good at it…."

Kavik looked at him with a mixture of pity and understanding. "Well…I don't know if I should be impressed or disgusted…." He paused, considered, and then said with a snigger, "actually, now that I think about it…I'm feeling both right now. How the mighty have fallen…you rescued a sled team in a blizzard, saved countless lives, got the girl of your dreams…." He sighed wistfully, shooting Balto a cocky smile. "…And then she gets a hold of you when you finally reach one of the best parts of your relationship…."

"Ah, so the almighty 'Voice of Experience' rears its white head, does it?"

"Go eat dead moss, wolf/dog."

"Listen to the pot calling the kettle 'black'."

"Go chase your tail then, why don't you? I'm sure that would keep you occupied and out of my fur for at least the rest of today."

"Snappy comeback, though I can't help thinking that I've heard it before…about a million times."

"I'm not surprised; it's almost as old and mangy as you are."

"You've hardly any room to preach to me about the virtues of patience OR control when it comes to mating. Jenna and I knew each other for at least three or four years before all the hanky panky got started." Balto chuckled as he dealt the larger hybrid a light tap to the shoulder. "If I recall correctly, you and a certain silver wolf named Lakota conceived your litter about three or four months after you'd first met…." The words had come out of his mouth before he'd had time to rethink what such a statement would do to his brother. Balto winced and wished heartily that he'd never spoken. What was he thinking? Bringing up that ugly subject up at a time like this? And on today of all days?

The look that crossed Kavik's face did little to allay his shame; the snowy wolf/dog managed to hold onto his smile…but the warm glow emanating from his blue eyes seemed to flicker as though a wave of sadness threatened to envelop him. Balto looked away, a bad taste in his mouth and an uncomfortable weight in his heart. How could he have been so foolish as to forget?

For a time, neither spoke nor moved. The silence between them was now much thicker, as heavy as a blanket of newly fallen snow. From the corner of one eye, Balto could see his wolven brother contemplating the thick woods just outside of Nome. He didn't need to see his face to know Kavik had shed a tear or two and was thinking of his beloved Lakota, who had been first his friend and then, for a time that had not been nearly long enough, his mate.

Finally, Balto spoke up. He had to say something, anything to comfort his sibling. He couldn't stand to see him like this. "Look, I'm…" he began but Kavik gently shook his head.

"It's all right," he said, turning and flashing Balto a small smile. The look of longing buried beneath that carefully crafted mask of indifference nearly broke his heart. "I'm the one who should be apologizing; it's been nearly four years now since she died and I know I should be getting used to it by now…but…" He swallowed. "…I still miss her. Even after all this time…."

"No need to apologize," Balto replied, regarding Kavik with a soft and comforting smile. "You miss her. That's to be expected. Nobody says we go on missing those we lost, but we do anyway. It's just how it is…." He sighed heavily. "It took me six years to completely get over our mother's passing…six whole years."

Kavik's smile grew wistful as he recalled what memories he had of Aniu, their birth mother, and her mate, Loki. "I know how hard that must've been for you…." He sighed and smiled wanly. "But…in a way, I envy you."

Balto looked at him, befuddlement scrawled on his face. "Why?"

"Because," he replied, a small smile spreading across his face, "out of all of us, you were the one who got to be with her the longest."

"True…but when she died, that only made it all the harder to deal with…so, in a way, I envy you."

Kavik sighed heavily. "Sometimes I wonder how we can suffer so much, yet still continue to go on living…."

Balto sighed. "For the longest time, I didn't know what to do. It hurt to even think about her…but with Jenna's help…after a while it stopped hurting so much." He said, eyes growing slightly misty as he delved back into the past. "With someone who's willing to share my pain, the load got easier and easier to bear until finally, it didn't hurt to think about her…and I could get past the fact that she was gone and focus on what was really important; all the good memories I have of her…."

Balto stopped suddenly, somewhat embarrassed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make a speech…. Listen, the bottom line is that…I just want you to know that I'm here for you, that we all are." He nuzzled his brother affectionately.

"Thanks…" Kavik replied, giving his smaller sibling a lighthearted blow to the shoulder with one large forepaw. "It's just…with it being the day she died…." He trailed off, unable to say any more.

Suddenly, his face brightened and he let out a chuckle. "Listen to me! What the heck am I doing, dredging up that depressing stuff at a time like this?" he chuckled. "We should be laughing, celebrating my niece and nephew's newfound love for one another!"

"Amen to that…." Balto replied, also chuckling.

"So, back to the subject at hand; if I recall…we were just beginning to probe into what could soon be an extension to our ever prosperous family…." Kavik said slyly, one eyebrow raised, his eyes sparkling humorously. "Oh, wait till Kemo hears! He'll probably wet himself from excitement!"

"Oh no we weren't, and he's not hearing about this for at least a week," Balto interjected quickly. If there was one thing he was most certainly not ready for, it was grandkids, or his brother's words of sage advice, which could be a little too cryptic at times. "I don't even want to think about it. I'm still getting used to not having to do anything but sit on my butt and watching all of them grow up…."

"Yeah…you're right. They were all quite a handful when they were younger…God, were they speedy little devils!" Kavik said, whistling at the memory of one particular afternoon romp where he had been swamped not only Balto and Jenna's litter, but Kaltag and Tricksey's as well. "Besides…you're still too young to be called Grandpa yet."

Grinning, Balto fixed him with his enchanting eyes and growled in mock anger. "Watch it buster; I might be starting to gray around the edges, but I'm still young enough to whop your tail."

"As I recall, the last time we had an honest-to-Gods fight, it was I who was doing the tail-whopping, not you, oh-so-forgetful brother of mine." Kavik replied dryly. "But," he said, adopting a more serious tone, "in reality you really should start to prepare yourself for that inevitable eventuality…."

"Gee, thanks for the tip, Dad,." Balto replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "But, not to rain on your parade, but unlike me, I'm happy to say Kodi knows how to control himself when it comes to that."

"You two have had 'The Talk' then?" Kavik asked, in a tone that seemed to suggest that he already knew the answer.

"Yes, we did, thank you, and it went very smoothly. Besides, he knows what both of us already do; if he and Dusty have pups too soon, it would jeopardize his job on the Mail Team."

"Not to mention hers as well," Kavik added. He paused and a sudden devilish grin lit up his face. Balto looked on with growing trepidation; whenever you saw that look on Kavik's face, nothing good would come of it. "I do believe you've miscalculated, Balto."

"And where pray tell, did I falter?" Balto asked, beginning to feel a little uneasy.

"Well…we've established the fact that Kodi knows how to control himself (and that he knows what to do when the time comes)…but here's a little something you forgot to check up on; Kodi may know enough to check himself…but can the same be said for our sweet, innocent little Dusty?" Kavik asked and then burst out laughing at the way Balto's face went the color of ashes in a woodstove.

"Oh crap…I forgot. And if they…."

"Yup…better hope they don't decide to throw caution to the winds and have at it, because if I know Dusty…." Kavik let loose a whistle and shook his head sadly. "Man…I hate to say this, but he'll probably end up whipped just like his father…not to mention his uncle."

"Well…damn." Balto said finally, after shaking his head a few times to get the blood flowing to it once again. "I guess…I guess we'll just have to hope Dusty's injuries put off any moonlit walks in the woods tonight, eh?" He said with a chuckle and smiled…but then frowned at the way his brother's face had suddenly darkened.

"What is it?" He asked, not liking the smell of mingled self-loathing and fear now beginning to seep from under Kavik's fur. Balto no longer felt happy; their good spirits from only a few moments before had been brutally murdered in the face of that bleak expression. "Kavik what's – "

"I ran into some dogs in the alleyway between the General's Store and the Hospital earlier today…after Kodi and the Team pulled in." Kavik said. The light in his eyes seemed to darken as his troubled mind began to recall the early morning's unpleasant events. "One of them was Forest, that brute they brought in to replace Dusty. I saw him sneak away while everyone else was preoccupied and I didn't like the way he did it, so I followed them, just to be sure that everything was all right…and I overheard them talking about doing something to Dusty….God, how could I be so stupid as to forget?"

And, as the story of exactly how and what Kavik had overheard began to slowly unfold, Balto shivered and felt a finger of cold fear caress his spine. 'I'm not liking the sound of this,' he thought, and looked out towards Nome again. The sun had almost set by now…which meant night would soon be upon them…and night was always the best time to catch your enemy on their blindside….

'No…I'm not liking this one bit.'

((()-()))

She couldn't believe it.

Even though she kept telling herself all this wasn't too good to be true, that it was real and not just some wonderfully fantastic dream, her mind still had trouble accepting the fact that less than an hour ago, the dog of her dreams had confessed his love for her. It was the stuff of fairy tales and legends! Whoever heard of a Princess finding her True Love these days? Whoever heard of a Prince winning the hand of the Lady Fair in this age of electricity and indoor plumbing?

She had long ago dreamed of finding her own Prince Charming, back when she had still been a pup and her uncle had told them all a slew of great and wonderful tales. She had held onto the idea for a year or two…but it had slowly lost its luster as she matured and her experience with males grew with her. After two failed relationships – both of which had held only a little potential to begin with – all the glamour of her childhood fantasies had been dispelled. Unlike the dogs or wolves from her uncle's stories, those who frequented the real world were rude and self-centered pigs that prized her only for her bodily charm more often than not. She had begun to give up hope of ever finding her True Love…but all that had changed when he had been added to their team….

Kodi…

She looked at him lovingly, smiling and letting her eyes roam over his sleeping form with none of the little-girl shyness she had suffered from during her formative years. His fur was like sleek, dark burgundy, his muscles lean and firm and he was oh so very easy on the eyes. She lowered her head onto her paws once more, snuggling closer to the bulky warmth of his side, loving the rich scent of cinnamon that teased her nose.

Out of all the others, he had been the easiest to talk to, she recalled now, lying beside him in their sleeping quarters on his bed of sweet-smelling hay. It hadn't really been a surprise; more like a relief. Everyone else on the team had been such a stranger to her (with the exception of Nova and he had only joined their ranks last year). Sure, they were a good bunch of guys and none of them made tasteless jokes like the males on her previous team had done, but when Kodi had come on, everything had changed.

He was her age and they had grown up together, so it was no shock that he got on with her the best out of the six of them. She'd often gone to him when she'd needed someone to talk to, someone she could trust, and he had done the same. Both had listened and conversed on a variety of sometimes troubling subjects with ease surprising to both, despite their already close relationship. He had been there for her and she had been there for him, watching out for one another, just as they had done so many years ago…back when her had first learned Kavik was Kodi's uncle…

She shivered, unable to help herself. It had been almost three years since it had happened, but the memory of being kidnapped by that…that demon still gave her nightmares once in a great while.

Juji….

Another shiver racked her curvaceous frame; just thinking his name was enough to put a scare into her. He had been the first manifestation of pure evil she had ever witnessed in the world around her…and he'd also been the worst, and hopefully last. Juji had captured her and Kodi, along with their siblings for use in some diabolical plan that, fortunately, had never come to fruition. A team of dogs from Nome had rescued them…or tried to anyway, as Star and Angel had been forced to flee for their lives before they were able to spirit the two of them off to safety….

They had been taken to Juji's hiding place and put under the watchful eyes of a brown wolf named Timber, who had done what he could to comfort them in their parents' absence. He had been an old friend of Kavik's and, following a midnight rendezvous with his old friend, had tried to sneak them out in the middle of the following night when…. She shook her head and shivered again, not wanting to think about it.

"…Dusty…?"

She jumped as her lover's voice snapped her out of her perusal of those grim days. Unbeknownst to her, the tremors of her body had apparently waked the handsome Husky laying beside her. She watched as he lifted his head, blinked once or twice, trying to clear the sleep from his eyes and looked at her, confused by her skittishness.

"What is it, Baby? What's wrong?" he asked, sensing her fear, concern now evident in his tone and body.

She shook her head, a little abashed. "…Nothing." She said, hoping to put off a bout of questions she knew he would ask and not wanting to disturb the tranquil mood they'd been in since confessing to each other.

Smiling that way he did when he knew she wasn't being completely honest, he licked her muzzle and nuzzled her neck. "Is it nothing…or, maybe something?" he asked, looking at her with those soft brown eyes of his.

She sighed, smiling in spite of herself now. What could it hurt? He was here for her and if anyone would understand why she'd felt the way she had…he would. "Well…it's just…I was thinking about how it was when you came to the team…about how we always used to talk to each other…and that got me thinking about…. Him." She finished somewhat lamely, not wanting to say the name, not wanting to feel it slide out over her tongue and past her lips like puke.

Knowing whom she meant without having to ask, he moved closer and nuzzled her once more, licking her face. "…It's okay…I was thinking about him too earlier today…." His voice was soft and reassuring in her ears as she melted into him, surrendering herself to his caresses. "I can't say I relish the memories either…." He finished somewhat sarcastically, making her giggle. "Speaking of the team…" he said, his tone becoming more serious, "there's something I've been meaning to ask you…."

"What?" She asked, already knowing what was on his mind.

"What are we going to tell them, about us, I mean?"

She shrugged. "Honestly, I really don't think it'll be much of a problem…Kirby can pretty much read you like an open book, and he's worse than Sylvie when it comes to keeping a secret so I highly doubt it that he hasn't already told the others about you and me."

"But how would he know? I haven't told anyone about us…well, except my Dad."

"I told my Mom…" She grinned slyly. "I almost forgot; I told our uncle too."

"Oh no, you didn't." Kodi cried disbelievingly. "Come on, you're joking. You've got to be kidding me."

"What's the big deal? I needed someone to talk to and he's just as dear to me as he is to you, so I went to him." She giggled. "Would you rather I went to your parents instead?"

"No, I'm actually relived you went to him instead of my Mom…" he grinned sheepishly. "She has a way of giving out information without meaning to."

"I'm glad I went to him too, as a matter of fact…" she said with a smile.

"…Why…?" Kodi asked, not liking the look she was giving him; he felt totally exposed, like he was out of his depth here.

"Because he told me all about your conversations and how you think I'm more beautiful than the sunrise on the first day of spring and that you smell like Wild Flowers mixed with milk and honey." She leaned in close and asked, in a low, almost frightened voice. "…Is it true?"

Kodi looked at her closely, trying to decide if she was just pulling his leg or actually being serious. He looked deep into her blue eyes and saw that she was in fact, a little scared of what his answer would be. He felt his love for her well up inside him and he leaned down and licked her muzzle and then whispered into her ear; "Yes…it is. Every single word of it, I swear to God. I love you, Dusty."

"And I love you, Kodi." She said, and nuzzled his neck and licked his face.

For a few seconds, a blessed silence between them held, then Kodi said. "Well now, I think it's my turn to hear your story…" he said, his own sly smile popping up as he looked down at her puzzled face. "Fair is fair, right?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.

"Well, since you know what I really think of you, now it's only right and proper that I get to hear what you think about me, so…what did you think of me, when I first joined the team I mean?" Now it was his turn to be anxious and more than a little uneasy. The considering look Dusty adopted didn't help matters either.

"Well…" she said slowly, knowing that this was torture but not really minding, "I guess my first thought was that I was amazed how big you'd gotten and…" she blushed, "…and how handsome you looked…." She finished, looking up at him with those smiling eyes again.

"Did you think I was hot?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows up and down in a manner that made her burst out laughing. "Was I a stud, huh, was I?"

"Oh yes, you were just so incredibly…incredibly sexy that I wanted to run over to you and scream, 'I'm yours! Take me now!'!" she gasped between sporadic gusts of laughter.

"Yeah…I have…I have that effect on most women!" he managed to choke out and that set them off again, howling with laughter until they were both fit to split.

When at last even the last of their giggles had died away, they simply lay there, each taking comfort from the warmth afforded from the other. Finally, Dusty spoke up. "This reminds me of our third or fourth run together, remember? That time it was so cold we had to share a foxhole in order to keep from freezing to death?"

"Yeah," he replied dreamily. "I do, although I don't recall liking the weather as much as I did the company that night…." He added with a conspiratorial wink.

"Can't say I do either…" she replied with a lick to his muzzle. "…But I can say I remember how close together we were…." She added mischievously.

He smiled. It was that slyly twisted one that let you know he was entertaining somewhat seductive thoughts. "Well, it was cold in there and you were shivering, so, being the big, strapping gentleman I was, I couldn't very well let you freeze to death, so I though I might warm you up…."

"…By all but laying on top of me? How charming, my Prince…" she retorted and chuckled.

"You're the one who said you enjoyed it…." He reminded her, sniggering.

She half-snorted and cocked an eyebrow, a sly slime playing at the corners of her lips. "Speak for yourself, I never said I enjoyed it…"

"Is that so?" he asked, raising his own eyebrows. "If I recall, you weren't exactly screaming and yelling for me to get off you either, my dear…."

"Don't get all technical with me, buddy-boy. I was cold and you were warm, it's as simple as that." She said, kissing him again.

"Forgive me, my dear, I was but a stupid, mewling greenhorn in those bygone days of old." He replied with a theatrical little head turn that made her laugh.

"What do you mean by 'was'? You may be the sexiest dog in the kennel but you're still not the sharpest." She said, giggling and kissing him again.

"Is that so?" he asked coyly, leaning down and returning her kisses with some of his own, burying his face in the mane of fur encircling her neck. "Well, let's see if I can make up for what I lack in brains with pure animal magnetism…."

"Excuse me, what's this about animal magnetism? That's got to be the worst line I've ever heard!" She laughed. "You're lucky I can't go very far or I'd walk right out on your sorry butt after that one!"

"Ouch, girl, you fight dirty," he said, nibbling her ear and licking her muzzle, as she responded by rubbing her head under his jaw to attack his Adam's apple with her rough tongue.

"Darn straight…" was all she could manage. Her tongue was currently doing too much work on Kodi's face and neck to spare much time for idle chitchat.

'God does he taste good…' was all the gray husky who was slowly but surely becoming intoxicated with the rich aroma of her lover's scent could think as she and Kodi continued to 'make out.' They went on and on, tasting, feeling, memorizing every contour of each other's face and muzzle. She was soon panting and would've been sweating – if dogs could sweat that is – from all the activity and her heart was hammering. Her body felt fever hot and a steady need was beginning to build within her. All she wanted was for this moment to last forever….

But of course, like all good things, it couldn't; her burning lungs soon forced her to break for oxygen and it was then that she noticed that the two of them must've been doing some rolling around…because the hay was spread out all over the floor…and Kodi was on top of her…his body almost unbearably close to hers….

"…Kodi…?" she panted, her head spinning with the waves of emotion and sensory overload their session had sent crashing into her frazzled brain.

"…Yes…?" he replied, his voice low and husky.

"…Do you want – "

BANG!

((()-()))

The door crashed inward as if it had been thrown open by a head-on charge from a rampaging Grizzly. Kodi's head shot up, his eyes wide, mouth open, body rigid.

'What the hell?' was all he had time for before the sight of the three figures standing in the doorway blew every gasket in his brain. It was a shock that the top of his head didn't simply pop right off. Dusty too had twisted around beneath him to see who had interrupted their fun and what she saw lit her entire face up like a red torch

'Oh…My…Freaking…God…'

Standing in the doorway, were three of their team members, Kirby, Ralph and Nova. Kodi guessed they must've been talking too loudly to hear the commotion from their rolling around, or they most certainly would've steered clear of the shed. Now, whatever conversation they might've been having die in their throats and they simply stared and the two interlocked Huskies with eyes the size of dinner plates and open jaws that hung almost to the hay-covered floor. Kirby and Nova simply looked like they'd received a good kick to the gut whilst Ralph looked like he was ready to pass out or maybe…you know…ralph.

Finally, after what seemed like eons, Kirby closed his mouth and looked away. Glancing to either side of him, he saw Nova follow suit and Ralph divert his gaze to the floor and both were pink cheeked. Returning his gaze to the now positively blazing couple on the floor, he cleared his throat, looked down at the floor, seeming uncertain, and then decisively lifted his head once more. Unlike his comrades, he was beginning to look like a dog with a sunburned face. He gulped and forced a smile that looked about as genuine as a six-dollar bill.

"Uh…hey there guys…" he said, and gave a nervous chuckle. "Uh…sorry…is this a bad time?"

((()-()))

Author's Note

Well guys guess you're in luck; it seems we'll have one more chapter to go after all…heh heh…uh…yeah. Alright, you know the drill. Tell me what you think – especially the dialogue. I'll try to update as soon as I can but, sadly, I can make no promises, what with Cross Country and school being evil the way they are. Thanks again for all your patience and support!

LoL

BaltoLuver63