Hello and welcome to the next chapter of Comfort and Loss. A couple things to get out of the way before we start. 1. I do not own the Balto franchise or any of its characters. That honor belongs to Universal. 2. Although I fully intend to finish this story with no less than 3 chapters, this will be the last chapter posted until mid-December. You see, I'm graduating from college this semester with a double major in English and History, and before that I have 3 English papers due at the end of the month. Then after that I have final exams and the point is I won't have as much time to dedicate to writing Fan Fiction until after graduation. So please be patient while waiting for Chapter 3. 3. Sunday is my Birthday. I'm turning 23. So if you like this story, please send me a shout out. With all that said please enjoy.
Chapter 2: Looking Forward and Looking Back.
Full…
Such a peculiar word don't you think? Only four letters and yet it has such a multitude of meanings.
For example, one definition refers to a state of being in which something that was once empty or hollow suddenly becomes filled to capacity. Humans, and certain types of animals like dogs or cats, sometimes use this word to describe the condition of certain parts of their anatomy; almost always referring to either the stomach, the heart or the brain. In the case of the mate of a certain local hero, two of these three sayings presently applied.
No one ever accused Dixie of having a full head, unless of course the word full was accompanied by either 'of rocks' or 'of air', but she had long since made a habit of not letting such things trouble her; especially on days like this one, when her heart and, if only for the moment, her stomach were so wonderfully full. The sound of his strong masculine heart beating against her ear, the gentle stroke of his right front paw against her bloated belly, the oh-so adorable way he would nip at her ears just to make her giggle; it was like the Pom's entire body had been filled with sugar-coated liquid flame. This coupled with the scrumptious feast of slaughtered, blood-soaked beef currently resting in her swollen stomach made her feel as though she had reached a state of pure saccharine bliss. Unfortunately there was another meaning of the word fullthat also presently applied to the Half-Blood's lover and it was far less flattering than the first.
For you see, the word full can also be used to describe the state of a creature's figure, or to put it more bluntly full can be used as a polite substitute for fat. And although Dixie was loath to admit it, she had gotten very, very fat in recent months. Not that she regretted it mind you, heavens no, she knew this would happen the moment she gave her heart to him, but still it was quite painful for one such as her to watch her body go so quickly. Weeks of excessive snacking had not only given her a bloated belly, but also fattened up her face and rounded out her rump. She knew she wouldn't remain this size forever, but she also knew she'd never be original size again either and that was more than enough to put a serious dent in her ideal self-image. But on the other hand, the extra weight did come with a few advantages.
Firstly, because of her new physique Dixie had trouble walking long distances, so Balto insisted that he carry her on his back whenever they went out. As childish as it might sound, the little Pom found it quite enjoyable to be paraded around town on the back of such a strapping young specimen; it made her feel like a princess. Well, more of a princess anyway. Second, in addition to carrying her around town like the queen of her own parade, her handsome half-blood had also gone out of his way over the last few weeks just to make sure she felt secure in her new size. He would constantly shower her with complements, cuddle with her whenever and wherever she wanted, and on some occasions she was even able to get him to use Pet Names; something her luscious lover was a bit too reluctant to do under normal circumstances. Dixie hated taking advantage of him like that, but she just couldn't help it; all this extra doting made her Sweetie even more unbelievably adorable than he already was. As for the third advantage, well… that one pretty much goes without saying.
It had been about ten minutes since Dixie finished her breakfast and since it was still very early in the day the two lovers decided that for the moment they would just enjoy the pleasure of each other's company; before worrying about what they would do with the rest of the day.
As they laid together on the large crimson pillow that was their bed, Balto continued to caress his beloved's swollen stomach and playfully nip at her pointed ears; much to her delight. However it wasn't long before their blissful silence was broken by a single question.
"So Dixie," the handsome half-blood said softly in an attempt to strike up a conversation. "What did you think of breakfast?"
"Oh Honey, it was abso-tively scrumptious!" she answered in her trademark cutesy tone. "Dorothy really outdid herself this time."
"I'll say. No wonder she made me work for mine."
At this the pampered Pom's tiny ears began to perk.
"Oh really?" she asked playfully; her sugary voice laced with sinful innuendos. "Did she make you… show her your tummy~?"
"No, not this time, thankfully." Balto answered, sounding more than slightly embarrassed. Were it not for his thick fur, Dixie would have seen his face turn bright red.
"Too bad, that one's my favorite." the smaller dog said in a mock pout. "Sure wish I could make you do that. Then I could give you my Extra-Special Tummy Rubs anytime I want~ even when you say you're too tired~"
The wolf-dog's embarrassment, as well as his unseen blush, intensified, much to Dixie's amusement. As much as she loved her handsome hubby, messing with him like this was just too tempting. He just looked so cute whenever he got this flustered and flustered he most certainly was. So much so that he immediately attempted to shift the conversation into a less provocative direction.
"So… Dixie… um…" he stammered, trying to think of a new talking point. For what felt like an eternity his eyes darted about the room, looking for something, anything to use as an excuse to end this awkward moment. Then his eyes fell upon his lover's bloated stomach and he let out a sigh of relief. "So… Dixie, how many do you think there will be?"
Now it was Dixie's turn to feel embarrassed, although for completely different reasons. This question hadn't crossed her mind before, but by all rights it really should have. Expectant mothers were supposed to think about these things weren't they?
"Oh, well… I'm not really sure." The pampered Pom said as she pondered this question for a moment. "When I was growing up I had two sisters, but our momma always told us that she was an only child. So I guess somewhere between one and three… maybe."
"Huh, only about three eh?" he asked, though more for the sake of thinking aloud than trying to get an answer. "I was hoping for a few more, but I guess that just makes the ones we'll get all the more special."
"Exactly, and our puppies will be the cutesy wootsiest little darlings in the whole wide world." The smaller dog said with a fairy-like giggle. Just the thought of all the tiny, fluffy, yipping bundles of joy that would soon be scampering about their home was enough to fill her heart with unbridled maternal bliss. However, this bliss was soon broken when she noticed a dark look washing over her lover's face. "Balto, what's the matter?"
"It's just…" he said with a soft and slightly melancholy tone. "What if they're… like me."
"Now don't start that again!" Dixie answered, sounding more than a little annoyed. "I already told you, our puppies are going to be the sweetest and most adorable puppies in the entire world; no matter what they are or what they look like. And anyone who says different will have to deal with me!"
The pampered Pom let out a little snarl and bared her teeth to emphasize her point; though the effect was more humorous than threatening. Still it made the noble wolf-dog feel better to know that his children would have a mother so eager to protect them should their lineage ever cause them any trouble.
"Well, that makes me feel better." Balto said playfully, a smile spread across his snout. "I know I wouldn't want to mess with you."
At this the smaller dog let out another fairy laugh.
"Oh you wouldn't would you?" she asked, sounding just as playful as her mate. "Well, then you just better make sure you stay on my good side. Otherwise I might mess you up."
The couple shared a tender laugh, each finding their own unique source of amusement what had just been said. Then once they had had their fill they resumed cuddling in silence.
As Dixie rested her head against the half-blood's chest she thought back to the days before they had become lovers; back when he was still with Jenna. Back then no one ever thought they'd end up together, largely because everyone thought he'd be with Jenna until the day he died; funny how something as insignificant as a rat could turn the entire world upside-down, but then again that's life she supposed.
At any rate, Balto remained in isolation for several weeks after the incident, only coming into town to find sustenance and even then he rarely spoke to anyone. All the other dogs knew what he was going through so nobody pried. Not that they needed to, for after all a dog's life is relatively short and even with his added wolf blood the handsome half-breed knew he couldn't mourn forever. That's why after only a little over a month of sorrowful self-imposed exile, Balto began the long and difficult task of finding a new mate.
Fortunately this proved to be a much easier task than it was the first time. Since replacing Steele as the town's hero and alpha dog, all the lovely ladies who once wouldn't even give him the time of day suddenly found him irresistible. Thinking about this made Dixie want to chastise all those girls for being so shallow and fickle, but she soon remembered that at the time she hadn't been much better so she just dismissed the idea and moved on with her recollection.
Now Dixie hadn't exactly been Balto's first choice for a new mate. As a matter of fact she had been his seventh. Before realizing that they were made for each other the handsome half-blood went through relationships with six other dogs; each one ending with varying degrees of failure.
First he tried to forge a relationship with Eska, a lovely young husky who bore a striking resemblance to Jenna, only with a silver coat. At first everything was fine, they got along quite well and she genuinely seemed interested in making a life together. However, two weeks into their love affair Eska accidently let it slip that she still harbored some prejudices about his lineage, which led him to believe that she was going out with him for the attention. Well it was all downhill from there and eventually the relationship ended with lots of yelling and inappropriate name-calling.
After that fiasco, the noble wolf-dog tried his luck with another husky, a slightly younger maiden by the name of Bubbles. Oh what a train wreck that was. And people thought Dixie was an idiot. Where the tiny Pom had a habit mixing up certain words, Bubbles forgot names. Over the course of their three day relationship she called him Bingo, Bongo, Billy, Baron, Byron, Bjorn, Bjork, Bernard, and on more than one occasion Elizabeth. Needless to say Balto saw no future with this girl.
A short time after that he started dating yet another young husky, this one named Adelaide. There wasn't anything wrong with her, but they had trouble connecting on an emotional level so the relationship died within a week.
After Adelaide, Balto backed off from the dating scene for a little while; the emotional whiplash of three failed relationships after such a horrific tragedy was apparently more than he could handle at the time. During this brief respite he had an epiphany. He realized that limiting himself only to huskies was both a means for him to cling to the past and a detriment to any future happiness he might achieve. So when he finally returned to the dating circuit the noble half-blood decided to widen his range.
To this end, he sought out one of Jenna's closest friends, Sylvie the Afghan. Unfortunately this relationship didn't last as long as he'd hope. He found Sylvie to be a bit too eager for his liking. Now dogs may move on a bit faster than humans, but trying to get into bed with someone on the first date; that was too fast even for a canine. Though in Sylvie's defense, she had been out of the dating circuit herself for quite some time and her instincts were a bit rusty. Nevertheless their love affair ended before it ever really began.
Sometime after that he began seeing Pricilla, a pug. She was… nice, in her own way, but were a couple of things about her that bothered him. First there was her incessant need to call him Pookums, even when they were in public. Second there was the little matter of her eating habits. She ate more like a pig than a dog and she held no inhibitions about belching whenever and wherever she pleased. Lastly, as you may have already guessed, Pricilla was very full for a dog her size, if you catch my meaning. And although Balto was never one to put much stock into a lady's appearance even he had his limits. So after a week and a half they broke it off.
Then there was Fifi, the local French poodle. Of all the relationships the noble half-blood had between losing Jenna and finding Dixie that one was the most enjoyable. Fifi, although a bit snooty, was very sweet and loving. Oh they had such a wonderful time together, wonderful enough to renew his faith in ever finding true love again. Unfortunately Fifi wasn't at all interested in starting a family. So even though they enjoyed each other's company immensely, they eventually realized it was best if they just remained friends.
Not long after that, Balto got together with Dixie and the rest, as they say, is history.
In all honesty, the pampered Pom still had trouble believing that this was real. Sure it felt real, but then again so do all dreams. Some days, when she woke up to find herself alone in bed, she half expected to learn that her beloved half-blood still with Jenna, but of course this was never the case.
Still, it was a tough pill to swallow that such happiness could be born from such a horrific tragedy. That such a loving relationship could be forged from the bite of a single rat. That a family could be created from a single case of ra… ra… ra… oh dear!
Dixie's lengthy stroll through the garden of her mind was suddenly halted by an overwhelming pain emanating from her stomach. It was as if something deep within was pushing through her insides trying to get out. Although this sensation was unfamiliar, the tiny dog knew exactly what it meant.
"Ooooooooooooo!" she howled in agony, unintentionally startling her mate. "They're coming!"
"Coming?" Balto asked, sounding more than a little panicky. "You mean right now?"
"Of course right now!" the tiny Pom snapped before letting out another howl. "Go get Dorothy! And hurry!"
Without hesitation the handsome half-blood obeyed and rushed into the kitchen to fetch their master.
"Oooooooooooooh! Please hurry!" Dixie moaned as a new wave of pain washed over her. "These cuties won't wait forever!"
End Notes: Sorry to leave you all hanging like this, but I promise the next chapter will be worth the long wait. As usual, any comments, critiques, or questions you may have are welcome and encouraged. Until we again fair reader.