Chapter 3: Confessions and meetings

A/N hey there guys a few things Ineed to say, first sorry this took so long I broke my wrist in football training (soccer for all you Americans) also if you are wondering I play a goal keeper , secondly I have decided that all chapters will be at least 3000 words long , thirdly in this chapter I just went with the first idea that was PM'd to me about how balto and jenna should admit their feelings for each other, fourthly in this chapter balto is kinda a train wreck who is scared by very nearly everything in Nome but in the next few chapters he will start to man up, well, dog up. And finally we start off in the present and then we go back into the flashback the night after the last chapter, just clearing that up for you. So enjoy. P.S correction on my last A/N Balto and Jenna always were a couple but kept it a secret they didn't end their relationship as I may have implied last chapter. Sorry.

"That day was horrible but at least the night was good." Jenna remarked "and the next day was even better." Balto said, happily. "I know. It's hard to believe that we 'admitted' to each other so quickly and it's even harder to think that if it wasn't for Rosie I would be heartbroken and you would probably be… well…uh." Jenna fumbled with her words not wanting to say that one word.

"Dead." Balto said plainly.

Jenna, wanting to change the subject, nuzzled balto and said "yes, but let's remember we still have a long time before that happens to either of." "I know it's just so hard to believe that I almost died."

4 and half years ago

Jenna woke up snuggled into something soft, furry and cold. Slowly she rose to her paws, yawned and stretched out her stiff joints. She then turned to look at balto and what she saw scared her. Balto was lying limp and motionless, the only signs he was even alive coming from the rises and falls of his chest from his very shallow breathing. "He's just sleeping." Jenna told herself over and over again. She slowly padded up to balto and nudged him with her muzzle, to no avail. Balto didn't respond to the action.

Jenna's worry deepened even further when he was unresponsive, she knew very well he could be dying from his wounds. "Balto?" she said hoping that she just didn't nudge him hard enough. Her small amount of hopes of him being alright diminished as, once again he was unresponsive.

Jenna tried to think of a way to wake him. She tried yelling his name, barking in his ear and even howling but nothing seemed to wake him. Eventually when she realised that balto might not wake up she got desperate, very desperate. She didn't know why she was desperate she barely even knew balto yet she was so worried about him dying that she was willing to do anything to make sure he survived, she thought that it was just that she didn't want to see someone die in front of her, especially such an innocent young pup like balto. So with the thought and image of balto dying in her head Jenna did the unthinkable she slowly padded up to balto's broken leg and lowered her head towards it. The thought of how much pain and suffering balto was about to be put through was enough to bring Jenna to the verge of tears but, it was for his own good so she lightly placed the broken appendage in her jaws and slowly began to add pressure.

As jenna heard balto start to whine and whimper in his sleep tears formed in her eyes knowing that she was hurting the very canine she had saved from bleeding to death and freezing to death no more than 8 hours ago.

As balto's whimpers and whines turned into yelps and then howls of pain his eyes flew open and he quickly tried to escape whatever it was that was clamping down on his leg. Jenna noticed that balto was now awake and released the grip she had on his leg and then tried to comfort the, now crying pup by nuzzling him. Whilst burying herself in his chest fur and crying thinking that she was a terrible dog for what she had just done.

Balto was now fully aware of his surroundings and noticed that Jenna had buried herself into his chest and was saying things like "I'm so sorry." And "please forgive me." Balto then realised that it must have been jenna that had bitten his already broken leg so he dried his eyes and Instead of getting angry like most dogs do, balto sat up right with his now aching paw elevated off of the ground and jenna still crying into his fur and spoke "hey, jenna I forgive you. But please tell me why you bit my leg." Balto asked without even the slightest hint of anger in his voice. Jenna was very shocked that balto hadn't yelled at her for biting his leg and with her tears now almost completely stopped she replied as calm as she could "I bit your leg because I tried to wake you up but you wouldn't move so I tried yelling and barking and howling but nothing worked so I was afraid you were dying and I kind of bit your leg to wake you up, I'm so sorry I really didn't want to hurt you but I just didn't want to let you die."

After listening to Jenna's story balto was completely fine with what she had done as he knew it was to help him "jenna you did what you had to do to save me and that's all that matters" he said giving jenna a small smile and a lick on the top of her head. Jenna smiled she liked the attention balto was giving her A LOT, maybe a bit too much because as balto continued to lick her as gratitude for not letting him die, she let her tongue loll out the side of her mouth and she began slightly panting. Balto saw this and laughed as he stopped licking her "someone likes that." He said trying, but failing to suppress a laugh. Jenna, upon hearing this blushed even more and said "sorry it's just that no one has ever done anything like that to me before and it felt really good." .Looking down shamefully for enjoying it so much. "Jenna it's ok to like it. I remember when my mother used to do that to comfort me when I was sad." Balto said a few tears escaping his eyes which he quickly wiped away not wanting Jenna to see him cry.

It was only then that Jenna realised that she hadn't met either of balto's parents, so she decided to ask where they were "umm balto, if you don't mind me asking where are your parents?" balto couldn't take it anymore; he just broke down crying on the spot. He asked himself that exact question every day and he got the same answer time after time. they have to have abandoned him, balto believed this to be the truth and he hated it he wished his mother would come back and comfort him in his time of need, just for her to even be in his presence would be enough for him but, he knew that would never happen she was gone and would most likely never return. So instead of just letting jenna wonder if she had done or said something wrong he sobbed out in a chocked voice "i-i-I don't know j-jenna I never knew my father a-and my mother abandoned me a few w-weeks ago." Jenna felt sick. For a pup to have never known his father and be abandoned by his mother and left to fend for himself at a young age it was despicable "Balto I'm so sorry you've been through so much." Balto's thoughts darkened at that moment and he said "no jenna I should be sorry I'm nothing but a nuisance to everyone and thing in this world…maybe I am better off dead." Jenna was petrified at those words and immediately objected "NO! Balto don't think that you are not a nuisance you are a wonderful and kind person who doesn't deserve ANY of the things that have happened to you." As much as balto wanted to believe that she was telling the truth he knew she was lying "really jenna can you name one person in this world who genuinely cares for me?"

jenna was losing it she cared far too much for balto to let him believe that everyone hated so she did the one of the two things she could do which was yelling at him about how much she cared for him as the other option was to kiss him and she didn't think either of them were up to it so, she yelled "ME BALTO! I CARE FOR YOU I think you're gentle, caring, kind, handsome, intelligent and friendly." After her small rant was over jenna was out of breath and just looked at balto whilst panting waiting for his reply, but what she got was not what she had expected at all "handsome?" balto said with his head slightly tilted. Jenna realised what she had just said and blushed profusely and just decided to go with it "yes balto you are very handsome."

Balto smiled and all of the dark thoughts that were plaguing his mind left him "you really think so I mean I'm just a little scrawny wolf dog and you're a beautiful husky who could have any dog in town drooling over you." Jenna's blush deepened "I'm not that beautiful am I?" jenna asked not entirely believing the wolf-dog that had just commended her beauty "well I don't know if you've looked in the mirror lately but the first time I ever saw you I thought that I had died, gone to heaven and met an incredibly beautiful angel. So to put it bluntly yes I think you are beautiful" Balto said flashing a grin at her.

"You know jenna ever since yesterday I have had this feeling towards you and i-." Balto didn't get to finish his sentence as Jenna had planted her lips on his in a passionate kiss, at first Balto was shocked but soon he kissed Jenna back with equal passion. They both withdrew from the kiss "I love you too Balto." Jenna whispered to him. Balto was in a state of shock, he couldn't believe that this beautiful husky could even consider having him as a mate "was that what you were going to say Balto, that you loved me?" Jenna asked already knowing full well what the answer was. Balto replied with a small lick across the muzzle. Jenna let out a giggle and licked his nose playfully "so I guess we are kind of a thing now huh?" Balto asked unsure if he was even awake or he was still sleeping and this whole thing as one big wonderful, but painful dream. "Well yes, yes it does." Jenna said smiling widely.

Balto smirked and licked jenna on the muzzle, but soon his smile disappeared "what about the other dogs in town?" balto asked worriedly "what about them." jenna said nuzzling into balto's chest fur "well their not exactly going to like this relationship." Balto stated "well we'll keep it a secret wont we." Jenna said "well ok but don't expect me to stop nuzzling or licking you anytime soon." Balto said with a hint of playfulness in his voice. "I wouldn't even dream of trying to stop you." Jenna replied.

They both shared a laugh and then Jenna turned serious "you know we need to get your leg seen to, if we don't it won't heal properly and you might never walk properly again." Balto chuckled to himself "when did you become a medical expert." Balto questioned jokingly "a few trips to the vet will teach you a lot of things you might not expect." Jenna answered truthfully. This puzzled balto "what's a vet? He asked truly stumped he had never heard of anything called a 'vet'. Jenna let out a small laugh and said "balto, a vet is a human who makes sure animals are fit and healthy so that they can live with humans." This helped balto slightly but he did have a few more questions "but why do I need a vet I don't live and i do not plan on living with a human" this elicited another short laugh from jenna making balto feel slightly stupid "well you usually need an owner to take you to the vet but if you are injured enough they will help you." jenna explained as clear as she could "ahh ok I think I understand now." Balto said getting the gist of it.

"Well come on we need to get you to the vet." Jenna said whilst walking over to balto to give him a helping paw to get him out of the sitting position he had been in since his rude awakening. "ok but are you sure that he will help me, I mean look at me I'm covered in blood bruises and cuts along with a broken leg and I'm part wolf everyone so far everyone, apart from you that is, has ridiculed me for that even all the humans what makes this 'vet' so different." Balto asked sceptically. "Balto you don't quite understand how a vet works yet, vets are trained to care for animals and it's his job not hobby to look after animals no matter what they are, heck he even took care of two polar bear cubs and a snow goose from Russia one time." Jenna said in a matter-of-factly tone. Balto nodded in response and said "well ok but we need to stay hidden unless I want another broken leg." And with that Jenna let balto lean on her being careful on which side he was on as the cuts on his side were nowhere near done healing and just like the night before they started to walk, but this time from the boat and not to it

After a five minute walk of silence they reached the small Alaskan town and balto froze he remembered. He remembered the smell of his own blood. He remembered the cold blue eyes of Steele and he remembered the pain, the searing ,burning, ripping sensation he felt and he remembered the overwhelming coldness that had developed over the course of that night, balto slowly began to whimper and back away as best as he could with his broken leg. Jenna saw this and asked "balto are you ok?" she noted that he was shaking and judging by the fact that she had been pressed into his side for the past five minutes she knew he wasn't cold, jenna slowly approached balto and attempted to say a few comforting words. "Balto its okay no one is going to hurt you. I'm going to take you to my owner's house, her name is Rosie she's really nice and loves all animals, so when she sees your condition she will take you to the vet for sure." She finished with a small reassuring smile. Balto upon hearing this slowly regained his posture and limped over to Jenna giving her a small lick across the muzzle and nuzzled her as thanks for bringing him out of his state of momentary shock. "Thanks jenna, I don't know what I'd do without you." He said as the pair continued down a side alley of the town attempting not to be spotted.

Jenna led balto down several side alleys and back passages before reaching one specific alley that they had to go down to reach Jenna's house unless they wanted to go onto Nome's main road and be spotted but, as they rounded the corner both canines froze. It was the alley. The one alley balto wanted to avoid. The one he wished to never see again.

Jenna was shocked. 'How could I be so stupid' she thought to herself 'how could I take him here again he's probably scared out of his mind!' Jenna screamed inside her head. And she was right, she turned to balto only to find him whimpering on the floor and curled into a ball. She tried desperately to redeem herself and tried to comfort him "balto I'm so sorry I never should have taken you here, please I didn't mean for this it was an accident." But balto couldn't hear her he was having flashbacks of the previous day

"Call me you worst nightmare" Steele said and launched towards him

"AHHH!" balto screamed, he jumped up and grabbed onto the closest thing to him, which just so happened to be Jenna. "p-ple-ease don't let him hurt me!" balto sobbed out burying himself into Jenna's fur in an attempt to hide him from the invisible threat that was supposedly looming closer to him. Jenna had seen balto scream and was now being clung to by the small brown wolf-dog as if she were his life-line and for the second time today she found herself attempting to comfort her new 'boyfriend' as it were. "Shhh balto its ok no one is going to hurt you whilst I'm here. Don't worry I will never ever let anyone hurt you." She said with a gentle caring tone. Balto slowly raised his head and looked her in the eyes; "really?" he asked his voice still trembling from the image of Steele lunging at him with killer intent. Jenna simply looked down towards to balto with a small reassuring smile "I promise balto. Now come on we need to get to my owners home or your leg will never get fixed." Balto in reply only nodded and leaned into Jenna in order to walk. As balto was about half way down the alley he caught a glimpse of where he had been lying the previous night and the sight sickened him; the entire area was covered in blood, more specifically his blood. Balto was going to empty the contents of his stomach the only problem was that there was nothing in his stomach to empty so; he trudged on through the bloody snow with jenna by his side keeping him from having yet another panic attack.

Jenna, seeing that with each passing second balto was growing more and more uncomfortable picked up the pace but not enough to let balto fall behind. Eventually they rounded the corner of the alleyway to see Jenna's house just across the road. "Come on balto my house is just over there." Jenna said to the shaking form pressed into her side. Balto in reply looked up to the house; it was a medium sized house that had 2 stories and a small on the side of it. Jenna started to lead balto to the small shed on the side of the house.

Once both canines had entered, Jenna pulled on a cloth that was tied around the handle of the door to the shed and the door slowly swung shut. Jenna then slowly helped balto over to the small dog bed that sat in the corner of the shed and lay him down in it "balto stay here and don't move I will be back in about five minutes I just need to go get Rosie so she can take you to the vet" balto nodded in reply and put his head in his paws replaying everything that had happened that day, jenna having to awaken him by biting his leg, their small argument about him being a nuisance , them admitting their feelings to each other, their talk about taking him to the vet and finally his panic attack in the alley. It all seemed like a wild roller coaster ride with random twists and turns. He could hardly even believe it was real. Balto was rather tired as walking with a broken leg for any amount of time can be very strenuous so whilst he waited he decided to take a nap in the warm and cosy dog bed that Jenna had permitted him to use.

Meanwhile inside the house, Jenna was making her way to Rosie's room that was on the second floor. On her way through the small kitchen which had blue walls, a counter and several other kitchen appliances, Rosie's parents Thomas and Evelyn, who hadn't even noticed she was missing last night petted her and opened the door that lead to the living room and staircase that lead to the second floor. Jenna made her way up the wooden stairs and padded over to Rosie's room door. She then stood on her hind legs and placed both of her forelegs on the door and pushed. with little struggle she managed to open the door which let out a small creak as it swung open and peak her head into the room, it was a normal little girls room with pink walls, toys, books and other things that children would have in their room. Rosie herself was in her bed reading one of her favourite books; it was a novelized version of some movie. Jenna couldn't really read human but from what she had heard Evelyn call it when she read it to Rosie at bed-time she thought it was called 'Alpha and Omega'.

After hearing the creak of her door opening, Rosie looked up from her book and saw Jenna. "Jenna!" she cried out launching herself from her bed and over to the small husky. "I was so worried when you didn't come home! Where were you last night!" she yelled with excitement that her little lost pup had returned home. Jenna simply barked in reply and started to tug on one of Rosie's slippers to try to make her follow her to balto.

Rosie seemed to catch her drift and said "what is it girl do you want me to follow you?" to which Jenna barked an enthusiastic reply. "Well lead the way!" Rosie always was very loud and excitable but Jenna never seemed to mind in fact, she found it quite fun when she and Rosie played together because of the never ending amounts of energy and fun that all children seemed to produce.

Rosie chased Jenna all the way through the house until she got to the kitchen where both dog and owner slowed down a bit as to not be given a row by Thomas and Evelyn for running in the house. As they walked into the kitchen they were greeted by the wondrous smell of bacon and eggs, which had been put on a plate and placed down on the counter top for Rosie to eat, but with Rosie, Jenna always came first no matter what so she simply followed Jenna to the door that led to the shed, but not before picking up a bag of kibble to feed her pet who probably hadn't eaten since she had disappeared the night before.

As Rosie was about to enter the shed her mother called out to her and said "Rosie dear, don't forget to eat your breakfast this time. You need to eat breakfast everyday if you ever want to grow up to be a musher like you always dreamed." Right as Rosie's head disappeared into the shed she yelled a reply of "don't worry mum I won't forget it this time."

As both Jenna and Rosie entered the shed they both went about doing their different tasks, Rosie went over to Jenna's dog bowl and filled it with kibble and Jenna went to wake Balto, thankfully Balto awoke without problem and there would be no need of leg biting. As Rosie finished topping up Jenna's food she turned around to see Jenna snuggled into another young pup who she had never seen before so she made her way over to the pair "aww Jenna who is this? He is so cute!" Rosie questioned, Jenna then got a brilliant idea, and she started scratching small lines into the wooden floor next to her. When she was happy with her work, she stood aside to let her owner see what she had etched into the wood. "Balto?" Rosie questioned "is that his name?" she asked almost as if she were able to speak dog. Jenna simply barked which Rosie took as a yes. With the name of the pup now obtained she slowly reached a hand forward in attempt to pet Balto but, he scampered away from the hand and hid behind Jenna. Jenna saw this, "Balto its ok this is my owner, Rosie she is really nice and wouldn't even dream of hurting you." She said giving Balto a small reassuring smile. "Promise?" he asked looking up at her with gleaming eyes "I promise, but please stop that look you're going to kill me with cuteness." She replied with a small laugh. Balto, with renewed confidence slowly padded out from behind Jenna and sat down in front of Rosie as to not put much strain on his broken leg.

Rosie took this as a sign that the young pup was confident enough to be petted, so she slowly put her hand forward and touched his forehead, his coarse fur was the complete opposite of Jenna's silky smooth fur but she didn't mind. Balto himself was rather enjoying the attention that Rosie was giving him and started leaning into her hand, maybe a little too much as he leaned forward his centre of gravity shifted and he lost his balance and fell forward. Sadly he landed on his broken leg and let out a rather loud yelp. Jenna was instantaneously by his side licking his head and nuzzling him in a vain attempt to stop the unbearable pain that he had inadvertently caused himself to be in.

Rosie was almost in tears seeing Balto in such pain. So she slowly picked up Balto and cradled him in her arms like you would do with a human baby, it was only then that she saw the long gashes that ran down his side and she instantly got worried about this small pups health so, she quickly stood up and walked towards the door that lead back towards the kitchen and called for Jenna whilst still cradling the small brown ball of fur that was balto "come on girl we need to show him to my parents." And with that they both left the shed.

A/N yay a new chapter after waiting for forever sorry for the wait but again broken wrist = not good for writing I'm also sorry about the weird spacing problems with each new paragraph I'm not exactly sure what happened I would also like to ask that if you have any ideas for this story then PM me or just leave it as a review because I always like to hear peoples view on my story as some of you may already know and remember constructive criticism always appreciated. I will try to get a new chapter with near enough the same length out quicker than last time.

Until next time: TH3L0NEW01F