Chapter Thirteen: Heart and Soul

(Here it is everyone, the chapter we've all been waiting for!)

"As a rock on the seashore he standeth firm, and the dashing of the waves disturbeth him not, In the instant of danger the courage of his heart sustained him and the will of his heart beareth him out…"

-Aristotle

Warehouse 13

Red's feline head rose, glimpsing a large spotlight emerging from sky in the distance. His crimson paw fiddled with the shimmering emerald gem that hung around his neck. A shiver was sent up his spine. He sensed his quarry, he felt his anger, his pain, and his sorrow, in fact…he relished and drunk deeply into it. His sinister bright green eyes shined with anticipation and the lust of revenge and destruction.

"It's nearly time Bella…" he spoke softly, still fiddling with the gem.

"Barkin will soon suffer for what he had done to you…" He clutched his claw around the gem, it shined softly, reflecting Red's anger. Red watched as the beacon of light died down. Another shiver of anticipation shot through his body as he breathed in deeply, the smell of darkness and discord filled his nostrils causing him to murr deeply in immense pleasure.

"Dear Charles…little does he know that his pain and suffering feeds me…strengthens me…pleasures me…" the last word had a lustful tone to it, he was immensely intoxicated.

"Dante!" Red suddenly barked, a shadowy Rottweiler-like demonic apparition appeared in a second at his side.

It spoke in a deep, menacing voice, yet proper, unlike Dante's actual voice, "Is it time my lord?" he asked.

Red stroked the demon's billowing dark fur, which shivered slightly in response.

"Yes, it is time…" with this Dante nodded and vanishes in an instant.

Red absentmindedly stroked the air where Dante was originally on all fours.

The clouds above him were becoming dark and twisted, thunder rumbled from above and lightning struck.

Red looked up at the clouds that gathered menacingly above where he was and spread towards the city, enveloping it in dark rain clouds.

The demonic feline gave a small smirk, and returned to gazing at the entrance where a small, yet quickly becoming larger figure was rushing to the location. Charlie was coming.

Red's smirk became an evil smile as he clutched the gem roughly in his claws.

"What a beautiful day, to end a life…" Red gave out a evil, cold laugh as he vanished into a thick, red smoke, it coiled around his form and vanished, leaving no trace to the cat's presence.

Charlie's ears perked at the dark laughter, it sent a deep cold up his spine, a cold that he would never want to feel again… The cold laugh frightened him, truly, but he pressed forward, the thought of Sasha's soul with that evil cat brought the temperature back into his body as his blood boiled in his veins. Charlie had never felt so, bloodthirsty in his life or afterlife, the only moment where he was so intoxicated by the thought of revenge, was when he was betrayed by a once thought friend in an earlier life…

The German shepherd hurried, his breath still yet filling his lungs all at the same time. His heart pumping massive quantities of blood as it rattled in his rib cage. The thought of his love's soul in danger of being wiped from existence pushed his will further.

Charlie reached the woodened dock's end, and suddenly, on the wind, a dark, cold whisper carried into his ears, sending even colder chills into his already frigid spine.

"Pleasant to see you once more, Barkin…"

Charlie stopped in his tracks as he looked around the area around, searching for signs of where the voice was coming from.

"Who are you?" he demanded, the voice was unlike anything he had heard, and yet, it seemed so familiar to him.

"Tsk, Tsk, Tsk… you don't even remember an old friend? Cannot say I'm surprised…you wouldn't anyway…"

The voice had a false sullen tone. Charlie continued to look around, seeing nothing before him.

"Where…are you?" he asked.

The Voice was silent, the wind gently blew forth as clouds gathered above, darkening the area around him.

Time appeared to have stopped….until…

"HERE!" suddenly a Charlie was head butted hard in the side of his abdomen, sending him flying into a structure of lobster traps.

Charlie rummaged out of the pile, gripping his side when suddenly two more slams hit him in the stomach, and then in the back of the head, and before Charlie could think about he was lifted off the ground and sent flying again over the edge of the dock.

In the nick of time Charlie grabs the edge with a paw, his entire body structure was on fire at the pain that was set on him. In that very instant he felt his paw being pinned down by something that felt like several needles.

"You did this to me after all!" Before Charlie's eyes, Dante appeared before him, his mortal, Rottweiler form was no more, only a shadowy demonic creature with his features existed before him.

Charlie's eyes widened, fear resonating through out every fiber of his soul.

"D-Dante? W-What, how, who did this to you?" Charlie was abashed, Dante only gave him the darkest of glares that sent a all too familiar cold through Charlie's body.

"Don't you know? You made me this way! Red told me everything, YOU DESTROYED ME!" his voice was filled with deep hatred that bellowed and echoed.

Charlie tries to reason with him, "No, No Please listen! Dante I-"

Dante interrupts Charlie and clasped his jaws around the neck of his foe and gave him a great pull up, tossing him back on to the decaying wood of the dock, it creaked with complaint. Dante turned to face Charlie, who was sprawled on the wood, gripping his shoulders as he feels several paws with needle like claws pin him down and just like Dante himself, his gang suddenly appeared before his eyes, causing Charlie to yell out in horror.

"He…No…Red corrupted you too?"

Suddenly a guffaw of laughter broke through, the loudest being Dante's, he took a step closer and pressed a large paw onto Charlie's chest where his heart should be.

"Corrupted us? Please, he revived us! From when you killed our bodies and made us become these, horrible, soul-less demons!" His paw pressed harder, Charlie's breathing was becoming strained as he felt his ribs starting to collapse, his sternum underneath felt as if It was going to snap like it was nothing more then a twig to Dante's supernatural strength.

"Wait…Dan…te…p-please…I…I could hel-" Dante's free paw smacked him across the face, leaving a deep gash on his cheek, it bled, dripping droplets onto the wood below him.

"Shut the hell up Barkin…I'm repaying you…for taking away my body, my soul, turning me into…into this…for all that you've done to me in this life and the past, you're going to suffer, and I'm just going to watch you die as I crush your heart like a beach ball…" there was a tone of sadism dripping from Dante's words, he truly did want to see Charlie slowly suffer before him, gasping and writhing for breath as the pressure on his heart became apparent to him, and the paw on it, as it began pumping blood furiously into his suffocating veins.

Charlie's vision was beginning to black out, the needle like claws still pinned him down firmly as his heart was being crushed.

"No…not…not now…not again…not after…I just found someone…special…"

""GAH!"

Charlie's eyes reopened suddenly to a bright, shining light emitting from his chest, the claws on his shoulder was gone and so was the immense pressure on Charlie's heart as it began to pump normally. Dante and his gang were backing off as the light was greatly affecting them.

Charlie looked down on his chest, seeing his Angel wing pin emit a spectacular shine. Charlie slowly rose to his feet, unpinning the pin from his chest and holding it above his head, where it levitates slowly out of his paw. The light of his love powering it.

"Dante…I'm sorry…I cannot say how much I pity you…how much I give you sympathy…" The pin gathered light, shining even brighter.

Dante was yelling out in extraordinary pain, his form was dwindling as was his gang the same.

"You will…will pay Barkin! I swear I'll see you in Hell!" he was spitting hatred and venom, Charlie only shook his head as the heavenly light healed his wounds, from the bruises from his side and abdomen, to the gash from Dante's claws. Charlie's stamina had been rejuvenated and restored to its fullest.

"Dante…Red has corrupted your heart…unleashed the darkness that was buried deep inside your very soul, He was the one to transform you into what you have now become…But I promise…I promise to return you to the life you once knew…"

Dante spat again as the light became stronger, "I'LL DIE AGAIN FIRST!" and that was the end of it, Dante and his gang were consumed by the light and vanished into the darkness from which these apparitions had been spawned.

The light faded slowly and the angelic pin dropped back into Charlie's paw where it gleamed in a sort of triumphant shine. Charlie gave a small smile, "There is light in me after all…" He suddenly fell back into reality and glared at the entrance into the warehouse and gripped his pin in his paw tightly.

"I'm coming for you Sasha…and I'm not leaving this world until you are safe…"

Charlie re applied the pin to his chest and began padding slowly, with caution, to the warehouse entrance door and inspected it, sensing his adversary inside its walls.

The clouds above reached their darkest and rain began its descent from them. They touched the wood behind him with the softest 'drip' and soon the drops began to pick up, starting to soak Charlie's fur. He looked around him, as the rain fell, not a soul was there.

Charlie placed a paw on the door, and out of nowhere yielded without him so much as pushing on the door.

Inside was dark and the only light was from the windows inside, Charlie gave the door another push so that he could enter. A suddenly chill swept over him, a presence of overwhelming evil had a tighter clutch on his heart then Dante had a few moments ago.

Charlie took another step, the door behind creaking to a close. Charlie peered through the darkness, stepping into the dim light of the windows.

"I sense you Red…Show yourself." his voice gave an echo, the same evil presence was becoming stronger.

Out of the darkness, a deep, yet malevolent voice echoed back to Charlie, "How did you like my welcome gift, Charles?"

Charlie felt outraged, "GIFT? You destroyed souls of living beings! YOU SLAUGHTERED MY MENTOR! And worst of all…you've taken the one thing keeping me bound to this world, the one thing I've grown to love immensely, with the light in my heart!"

Red gave a scoff from the shadows, " The light in you heart is meaningless Charles… Annabelle's light was easy to crush, and so will yours with a flick of my claw! My fury will consume you, and you will truly know pain, the likes of which you can never comprehend!"

Charlie's eyes darted back and forth, trying to pin point Red's location in the dark, but to no avail, his voice seemed to have been coming from all direction.

"Charles Burt Barkin, witness TRUE DARKNESS!" in an instant the shadows around him was set a blaze as the very dimension around him seemed to contort and dismember, the shadows died off as the world around him ceased to exist until, the ground underneath him shattered like glass and he was falling, falling into the deepest pit of darkness, a cold wind slapped him across the face as he descended.

The wind quickly became scorching hot as flames engulfed his surroundings, providing an immense illumination and to his horror, he sees various souls screaming and writhing in agony as their very sins tortured them to their very core, dispelling whatever hope they ever had in life.

Charlie, has fallen into Hell, the realm of Darkness.

He had been here once before, but Annabelle had rescued him from Lucifer's grasp himself, but this time…he was alone.

Charlie was diving deeper, the wind picking up as gravity was pulling him down further faster. The end was in his grasp, he closed his eyes waiting for the impact, the wind howled in his ears as he gritted his canine teeth, preparing himself for the inevitable pain. But, strange enough, the pain had not come, instead Charlie felt the ground beneath as delicate as if his weight was equal to that of a feather. He opened his eyes, he surrounded by a chain links, each inch of it was covered in thorns. Charlie took a step but was immediately cut by the thorns in the links, he sucked in air in a hiss.

"Hurts doesn't it Charles?"

Charlie looked forward and a burst of green flame appeared his adversary, the cancer that decided to rear his ugly head…Red…

"So, you're this Red I've been hearing so much of…Tell me…what do you have against me? I've done nothing to you…well, other then escape your boss, how is he by the way?" He tried to show a bit of courage, but Red still didn't faze.

The crimson feline answered coyly, "Cute Barkin, but you will meet him soon enough." He raised a paw and in a instant, the chain links dispersed and a enormous pentagram appeared under them.

"Why don't you have a look around, won't you?" Red's paw was held out behind him in a dramatic sort of flair. Charlie stared around him until of visions appeared in the dome like structure that the pentagram had brought with it. His eyes widen in horror at what he was witnessing.

"N-no…" he breathed silently, in the dome's invisible walls, Charlie sees all that he knew, all that he had loved, was destroyed. The entirety of San Francisco was in ruin and ablaze with hellfire, all of its citizens were transformed into stone, their pained and horror stricken faces.

"Once your soul is destroyed, Heaven will be sent into chaos, my master will arise and lay waste to your precious world, all life as you know will cease to exist, with out Heaven to balance the scale between light and darkness and cause everything from this world to the next to crumble…" Red's green eyes flickered with a sinister flame.

Charlie continued to stare at the at the images around him in terror, but soon, his eyes widened when the images flickered to a certain face.

Red gave small, evil chuckle, "Look familiar?"

"I-Itchy…" the name was in a pained whisper, Charlie was seeing his best friend, the boundless life he once had, was gone, only that pained mixed with horror expression remained, scorched deep within his mind's eye. He was spellbound.

Red's eyes gave another flicker and with a evil smile his voice echoed in Charlie's ears:

"Don't you want to be by there side?"

"They will be lost anyways…so why not spend you're eternal moments with them, in oblivion.

Charlie's irises dimmed a green, the same as Red's.

In a monotone voice he spoke, "I must surrender my soul, my friends, its…my fate…"

Red's echoing, hypnotic voice dug deep into Charlie's subconscious:

"Yes Charles, surrender your soul, its already lost, all you have to do is submit."

"Yes, I…" Charlie's will was trying to fight Red's hold over him, but Charlie turned to face Red, without his brain and will's consent, he places a paw over his chest and bright light shone underneath.

Red's voice became dripping with lust, he licked his lips:

" Yes Charles, give in, reach deep within your core and set your very spirit free…you will be with your friends very soon…"

Charlie removed his paw very slowly as the light soon dims into nothing, in Charlie's paw as a bright and shimmering orb, his very heart was in his paw which also carried the soul that lives within him. Red glided very slowly towards Charlie, noticing Charlie's brown eyes becoming a distant glaze.

"Well done Charles…" His paw reaches forward to take the orb from Charlie.

"Sasha is waiting…"

Sasha's name suddenly triggered a powerful burst of light pushing away Red and into the other side of the dome. Red hit the wall with a loud hiss.

"WHAT?" he spoke in outrage, "WHERE DID THIS LIGHT COME FROM?"

Charlie began to speak in a determined and powerful tone, the light from his heart and soul had formed a barrier between him and Red, impeding any movement from the demonic cat.

"You told me to gaze deep within my core…thinking I would find only sadness and pain…"

Red stood up slowly, using the dome wall as support and was trying to shield his eyes from the light, "Then you gazed into the wrong place you fool!"

Charlie's voice was un-wavered by Red's sudden fury, "Look, believe what ever you wish…but my heart is coursing with the light of love and no dark powers of yours can take that away!" Charlie's head rose, a new fire burned in his eyes, no longer were they glazed, he pointed a finger to Red, the orb still emitting the barrier of light in his other paw.

"RED! IT ALL ENDS RIGHT NOW!" Charlie took the orb and smashed it into his chest, where the barrier exploded into waves of light that circled around Charlie for a moment and had vanished as quick as they came. The angel wing pin on his chest shined on his chest, the emblem in the center gave off a blue shine.

Red glared razor sharp daggers at Charlie, his claws and teeth bared, a dark, shadowy aura surrounded him as the flames in his eyes intensified.

"Very well…" his voice became deeper, and filled with malice. Red lunged at Charlie, catching him off guard and enclosed his paw, claws and all, into the shepherd's flesh, issuing a loud yelp and wheeze as the claws dug their way into his neck.

"Get…-wheeze- off", Charlie's breathing became heavy, he was lifted off his feet, starting to cough up blood onto Red's already crimson paw. Red's evil eyes stared into his slowly dying ones and suddenly averted his gaze to throw Charlie straight into a dome, he hit the dome with a bone crushing force, but it wasn't over just as the pain had begun, he was snatched up by the cat's wicked claws and tossed to the other side like a rag doll, repeated over and over, hitting each wall with a force that sent the bone in his shoulder, fore arm and hip to break. Charlie hit the ground in a loud cry of anguish, which caused Red to shiver in unfathomable pleasure.

"Yes…your pain…the suffering, the unrelenting agony…"The aura around Red intensified, giving the area around them a more malevolent presence.

Charlie gripped his arm in immense pain, feeling like his entire left side had been broken into several places. Without a single moment of respite, Red snatched Charlie into his claws once again, and tossed him up, extending his claws and impaling his abdomen on them as if they were spikes. Charlie's eyes widened and he gasped in air as Red tossed him aside onto the ground again. The warm, sticky crimson liquid poured out of his wounds, painting the green pentagram in a deep scarlet, Charlie was frantic as he attempted to breathe in, but all that came out was him coughing up more blood.

Red gave out a evil, cold laugh, "This is the one who took away Bella from me? I expected more from an angel from the heaven's above?", another laugh rang in Charlie's ears as he gripped his stomach, trying to keep himself from bleeding out, his vision became blurry.

"B-Bella? Who…Who is…Bella…" he breathed out, trying to keep himself alive a moment longer.

Red glared back at him, as if just realizing he was still there, breathing. "Belladonna as your mentor likes to so 'affectionately' name her, my mate…"

Charlie's eyes widened even more, he coughed up another mouthful of blood, "Be-Belladonna, was a tyrant…a-" Charlie's words was interrupted as Red, glided towards him and gave him a slap to the cheek, his claw creating a deep gash in his skin.

"She was the dog I loved! And you stole her life from me…"He spoke passionately, holding Charlie's face in his claw.

"Of course you wouldn't understand true love when it really slapped you across the face!" on 'face' Red backhanded Charlie across the face , sending him flying into the wall of the dome behind him with a loud yelp, Charlie rolls onto the ground, a paw on his stomach wound. His paw outstretches to the emerald gem around Red's neck, trying to reach it in vain.

Red stared down at Charlie, a look of satisfaction on his smug face, "Oh, and you were correct before Charlie… It all ends right now…"

Charlie's paw fell to the ground and his eyes closed as he felt the life within him disappear into nothingness.

Suddenly, there was a light, a beautiful, sparkling light, what looked to be from the Heavens themselves, Charlie tried to reach them but it was still too far away. But soon, a calm, lovely voice issued from the light…

"I will always be with you…." Charlie's eyes blinked as he saw a figure descend upon him, the one person that he would of wished to see at his end.

"Sasha…" his paw tried to reach for the light again and small delicate paw reached his and held it as it helped him up.

"Like a guardian angel, constant and true…"

Charlie's eyes opened finally, only to find…that he was standing, the wounds still remained on his body, but the pain had somehow ceased. Red gaped at him with immense hatred.

"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO KILL YOU DOG?" Red conjures a ball of flame in his paw and sends it straight at Charlie, the flame hit him, but seemed to spread around him, as if an invisible barrier was shielding him from Red's wrath.

"WHAT?" Red sent another dozen balls of flame at his enemy, only to have the same result happen.

Red snarled and lunged at Charlie in a savage manner, only to be held back by something. He looked around him to find both Dante and Jacob's spirits holding him back, Red gazed in horror and looked down at his neck, only to find that the gem was missing.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?"

"Funny thing about anger…" spoke a voice from the oblivion around them, "Let it consume you, and soon enough…" and in that instant, Itchy appears in front of his best friend, who was holding Annabelle's pendant tight in his paw and Red's gem in the other, "You lose sight of everything…" Itchy smashed the gem onto the hard floor, fully releasing the bonds around Dante and Jacob's spirits, both becoming tangible as they held Red back with all their strength.

"Leave - my -brother- alone!" yelled Jacob.

Red tried to throw them off, but to no avail, "YOU TRAITOR!"

Dante bit down on Red's shoulder causing him to snarl in pain, " That was for my family!"

Charlie stared down at his friend as he used Annabelle's pendant to heal his wounds, "H-How did you-"

Itchy interrupted before Charlie could utter another syllable, " Well, you left in such a hurry, that you didn't give Reginald the chance to tell you that Annabelle's pendant would allow you to be protected and also cloaked from Red's dark powers."

Charlie cursed himself in his head for missing that piece of information, "I could of avoided this agony if only I stayed for a little bit longer…"

"But, its ok pal, I know you were more concerned about Sasha's and Annabelle's safety then you were your own." Itchy smirked coyly up at his taller friend, to which Charlie responded with the same smile.

"Now take Red down, once and for all!" Itchy grabbed Charlie's paw and placed the heart shaped pendant into his larger paw.

Charlie nods, "Thanks pal, I couldn't have done this without you." He gave a smile to the dachshund and proceeded to glare daggers at Red who was struggling against his canine adversaries.

"Red, now, it all ends!" Charlie held up the pendant and soon a bright light burst from the pendant, shattering the dimension around them as they find themselves on the rickety wood of Warehouse 13 once again, the wood beneath Red was cracking underneath him as Jacob and Dante kept their grip strong on the demonic feline.

"Hope you can Dog Paddle!" Charlie's pin glowed and on cue Dante and Jacob released Charlie as the wood gave way, causing Red to plummet into the salty waters below, causing him to scream and yowl in pain as the water scorched his skin. In that instant, the warehouse was starting to shake and creak, the canines didn't have a second thought, they bolted out of the warehouse, as it gave way, collapsing apart as the dock itself began to give out. Charlie, Itchy, Dante, and Jacob all made a leap of faith off the falling dock and onto its bridge.

They watched as the remainder sunk into the deep, bringing Red with it as a glimpse of a crimson paw sunk into the water as the waves swallowed the remainder. Charlie inhaled breath heavily as he gripped his heart.

"He's-He's gone…", Charlie felt himself smile, but soon, he frowned again and turned to Itchy, "If Dante and Jacob's souls were set free…where is Sasha's?"

"Charles, I am surprised at you."

Charlie nearly jumped and looked around to see where the voice was coming from.

The voice was delicate and calm, a orb of light floated down from the heavens and gave shape, forming a canid shape, but the figure held two marvelous wings that gave off a shimmering sparkle in the sunlight.

"A-Annabelle?" stuttered Charlie.

Annabelle took shape before them, looking radiant underneath the sun, the clouds above were dispersing from the city, she placed a delicate paw on Charlie's chest, smiling at him.

"Charles…I am eternally grateful for you and Itchy's services today, and for that…I extend your due dates till let say…after the school dance?" she gave off a giggle.

Charlie looked at her with a wide smile but as soon as his heart began to ache, the smile had vanished from his face.

"But…Sasha…where is her-"

"Her soul?" interrupted Annabelle, she gave off another giggle, "Charles…its much closer then you think…"She pressed firmly to Charlie's chest where his heart was.

"She wasn't kidding when she said, "I always be with you" and she truly is Charles…her soul rests with yours, waiting to be returned to its vessel…" Annabelle removes her paw from Charlie's chest, a warm smile graced her angelic face.

Charlie looked down at his chest and placed a paw over where Annabelle's paw once was, in an instant, he felt warmth course through his body. He felt Sasha inside him, acting as his guardian angel his entire confrontation with Red.

Itchy tugged at Charlie's arm, "Charlie, it was Sasha who helped me find you, her voice led me to the dimension Red held you in and that's why I was able to help you."

Charlie looked down at his small companion and looked to the others, who nodded.

"Brother?" spoke Jacob, he took a step to Charlie and held his younger brother's paw, falling to his knees and began to sob. Charlie's eyes widened as he tried to console his older sibling.

"J-Jake it's alright!"

Jake continued, " I-I almost got you killed! Because I gave into to Red, he almost had his revenge on you, and its all my fault!" Jake's sobs worsened until he began hiccupping.

Annabelle gave a soft smile and placed a paw on Jake's shoulder, "My child, we all give into temptations, but once you truly feel resort for what you have done, only then you can be truly forgiven of your sins."

Jake looked up at the heavenly whippet, his eyes red from his crying. "I-I-I am forgiven?" he sniffed.

Annabelle's smile warmed Jake's insides, "Yes, and for that, you are allowed back into Heaven."

Jake looked as if he would pull Annabelle into a tight bear hug, but restrained himself greatly. "I…I can return? You mean it?"

"I do not lie, Jacob." Annabelle gave a giggle, " All you must do, is step into the light…" behind Charlie, a beacon of light appeared. He looked at his brother and helped him up, with a warm smile he pat Jake on the shoulder.

"I love you bro…" Charlie pulled his brother into a tight embrace to which Jacob returned with the utmost gratitude.

"and-and I love you, Charlie, my brother…" Jacob and Charlie's hug tightened as they both begun to tear up, Jake already started sobbing on Charlie's shoulder, soaking it.

After a moment, they released one another and Charlie and Jake stared at each other for a moment until finally Jake walked past Charlie. Charlie turned in time to see his older brother vanish inside the beacon of light, and for once, finally resting in peace.

"Your brother will become strong hearted as time passes…and soon, he would finally know of serenity." spoke Annabelle, "and now Charles, Sasha awaits for you, let her soul wait no longer…" Annabelle soon vanished into a orb of pink light that floated whimsically up into the heavens above.

Charlie smiled as the orb disappeared, a deep cough called his attention.

"Barkin…erg…I mean…Charlie…I…um…well…" Dante, who was still standing with them when all of this was happening.

"I..just one to say…that I'm…thankful, yes thankful that you saved me…and I'm, I'm in your debt."

Charlie tilted his head at his once foe and gave a smile, placing a paw onto the Rottweiler's shoulder.

"Dante, as far as I'm concerned…your debt has already been paid, I must be thanking you, for saving my life…"

A small blush issued in Dante's cheeks, "Don't you have some place to be already?" he tried to avoid the conversation.

Charlie nodded, smiling, "Take care Dante, and I'm truly sorry that you lost your gan- I mean, your family to Red…"

Dante, shook his head, "Yea yea…now get going, your girl is waiting for you…"

Charlie nodded at him, and without a further word, he and Itchy were off, leaving Dante to stare at the ware house where his gang had once lived.

" You all won't have died in vain…" he silently spoke as he walked away from the scene, a tear drop running down his cheek and onto the wood.

San Francisco Memorial Hospital, Moments later

Charlie and Itchy ran as fast as their legs could carry them, Charlie breathed heavily as he felt Sasha's spirit begin to stir inside him.

"Hang on Sasha, I'm coming…"

Soon he could hear Sasha's father speaking, "Wait! Please, my wife and I need to spend more time with her!"

A doctor responded, "I'm sorry sir we have to call it in, she's been dead for nearly three hours, that is more then enough time for you-"

"NO! PLEASE!" screamed Sasha's mother, "PLEASE JUST GIVE US A FEW MOMENTS MORE! I BEG OF YOU!"

Charlie and Itchy turned a corner past the receptionist who yelled out for them to stop. The twosome took a hard right into Sasha's hospital room, Balto was there too. Trying to help shield Sasha from the doctors who want to remove Sasha from her bed. She still laid exactly like she was before Charlie had ran out of the ward.

"WAIT!" yelled Charlie as he and Itchy squeezed pass everyone.

"SHE'S ALIVE!" squeaked Itchy, helping Sasha's parents and Balto keep the doctors at bay.

The doctor gave Itchy a stern look, "That has got to be the most absurd thing I have ever heard in my nine years in this field."

"Just trust me on this Doc…" Itchy glared back up at the taller Dalmatian.

Everyone turned their attention to Charlie, who was holding Sasha paw in his, he stroked it gingerly. "Sasha…" he spoke softly, and he leaned over to whisper into Sasha's ear."

"I'm a part, of who you are…"

Out of the silence, Sasha's heart monitor suddenly beeped insanely, her heart had started back up and was pumping blood furiously though her veins.

Everyone's (except Charlie and Itchy) mouths just dropped, spellbound at what is happening before their very eyes.

Sasha began to stir quietly and in an instant their eyes were glued to her, Sasha's mother had fainted again, her husband caught her, and yet still didn't break his gaze from his stirring daughter.

Charlie raised his head to look down on her, tears were forming in his eyes.

Sasha slowly opened her eyes, seeing Charlie's face slip perfectly into view and she smiles lovingly at him as she held his paw in both of hers, slowly pulling him down into a soft, gentle kiss as the sun shone bright on them, in a heavenly and euphoric light…

To be Continued…

(Hey Everyone! Finally I get this chapter out! This was not easy to write let me tell you that, but I promise there is more to come in the final act! Stay tuned!)