Charlie soon had his own casino up and running with his old buds stopping by and getting into the vibe. A used car was even used as a bar where Itchy had no trouble manning. Cole looked around and clearly he was a bit in dismay as he thought about how Carface was using Anne-Marie to do the exact same thing Charlie was doing now. He rolled his eyes and headed to the back where Charlie had a room set up for Anne-Marie and knocked on the door.
"Who is it?", Anne-Marie asked.
"It's me.", Cole answered.
Anne-Marie didn't answer, so Cole entered and saw that the little girl was packing up her stuff and looking a bit mad.
"You okay?", Cole asked.
Anne-Marie turned, but paused and calmed down when she saw it was Cole when she thought it was Charlie.
"Cole, I want to leave.", she said, "Charlie said we'd help the poor and we didn't. He didn't even help me find a mommy and daddy either."
Cole looked understanding.
"Actually, I was planning to ask you if I can help you do so while stopping by a charity to deposit to help.", he said carefully.
Anne-Marie looked relieved already.
"Thank you, Cole.", she said as she hugged him.
Cole hugged her back and soon, they were heading through the main room towards the doors when Charlie suddenly noticed them.
"Hey, where are you two going?", he asked.
"Cole's helping me leave.", Anne-Marie answered, "He said he's going to help me look for a mommy and daddy as well as help the poor like he promised."
Cole flashed Charlie a triumphant smile and Charlie suddenly slapped on a humbled look.
"Well kid, you're right. What a selfish, callous cad of a heel I've been, blind to the needs of our society's lonely unloved."
Cole rolled his eyes as he had a feeling that Charlie was just playing the sympathy card and tried to lead Ann-Marie to the door before Charlie blocked them off.
"Thank you for helping me see the light.", he said ushering them back in, "Squeaker, we're going to help the poor."
"We?", Cole asked, "I was going to get to a charity nearby and make a-"
"Oh, Charlie.", Anne-Marie said clearly convinced as she kissed his nose and headed back to her room.
Cole looked at Charlie who was clearly disgusted as he quickly grabbed a washcloth and rubbed his nose clean.
"You better live up to what you said.", he said firmly.
"What is it with you two and this kid?", Itchy asked, "We got a business to run."
"We got to keep the little kid happy, right?", Charlie countered before turning to Cole, "And no more taking her out without my permission."
Cole frowned.
"You're not the boss of me.", he countered, "And don't forget that you are under my watch."
He went after Anne-Marie unaware that the whippet that had been following him was in attendance unseen by practically everyone.
/
"So, Cole still wants to help out a brat and butting heads with Chucky, eh?", she asked herself slyly, "And I think it's time I give Carface a little…help."
She teleported away unseen while chuckling to herself maliciously. She reappeared on the street and saw Killer which sparked an idea. She waved her hand and, in an instant, she had turned herself into a beautiful collie dog before she strutted out and got Killer's attention.
"Hi there.", she purred pouring out the charm.
Killer was instantly smitten.
"Oh, uh..what is a pretty lady like you doing out here?", he asked.
"Just got a little lost.", she responded in a syrup sweet voice, "I found this great casino in the junkyard run by a German shepherd named Charlie. Ring a bell?"
Killer looked like he disagreed.
"That's impossible Miss.", he told her, "Charlie got run over. The boss and I made sure of it."
"Really?", she asked snickering slightly, "I'd love to meet your boss. Sounds like my type."
Killer blushed.
"Aw shucks, I'd be honored.", he said, "Follow me."
She did as an idea came to her mind that will hopefully make a splash. As they came in, Carface was the first to greet them, but needless to say, he wasn't looking too thrilled.
"Killer, I told you to go find the girl.", he growled, "Not pick up dames and-"
"Can it Ham-hawk.", she snapped sharply, "My name is Bella-"
She caught herself before she spoke her full name which was Belladonna, but she could see that Carface was none the wiser.
"Whatever.", he said to her, "Tell your boyfriend that we need to talk."
"Sure you do.", Belladonna told Carface, "Charlie is back and I hear he has his own casino now."
Carface looked enraged as he grabbed Killer and dragged him away. Another dog came up to Belladonna looking smitten and just the sight of it made her want to barf. She smacked him hard and walked out, but she shifted into her true self as bat wings appeared from her black vest and she flew up to the window looking into Carface's office where Carface was having Killer lowered into a pool of water which she could see had ravenous fish.
"If you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself.", Carface groaned talking to himself now, "How do I handle Charlie? Knives? Poison? Car didn't work. Something. Something very special."
"Boss, pull me up, please!", Killer yelped from below, "I got a..I got a gun."
"Gun?", Carface asked as he got to the edge of the opening above but loud enough to let Killer know he was listening, "What do you mean a gun, what kind of gun?"
Killer kept yelping as some of the fishes started chomping on his ears so Carface suddenly turned and started cranking him up while Belladonna observed rolling her eyes.
"Pathetic.", she sighed as she crossed her arms and observed as Killer appeared in front of his boss.
"A flash Gordon thermos-atomic ray gun, boss.", Killer informed.
"A ray gun.", Carface thought as an evil smile came across his face.
Belladonna thought for a moment and then snickered as she flew away. Something had to set Cole off, and she would find out what.
/
Once Cole, Charlie, and Anne-Marie were leaving a charity drive, Anne-Marie was looking more at ease while Charlie looked more hesitant.
"Cole, did you have to spend so much of the dough Itchy and I got you like that?", he asked.
Cole looked his way firmly.
"You mean the dough you got unfairly and swindled just to get ahead of your former partner?", he countered, "Now you are going to help someone tonight or I'm reporting you to my superior."
Anne-Marie looked like she agreed and expected Charlie to do so Charlie had to admit defeat.
"Okay, I know some people who are so poor, that they can't live another day if we help them now."
Cole played along as they came to a pizza place and soon had six extra large pizzas being carried out along with a stop at a bakery to pick up a chocolate cake with strawberry icing which was carried out in a box Anne-Marie carried.
"Well, these people must eat a lot.", Cole thought, "Or there's a whole lot of them."
Charlie led Cole and Anne-Marie to what looked like an old church with some creepy trees in the front yard that reminded Cole about the trees he saw in the forest that the Great Owl lived making him shiver for a moment.
"You okay Cole?", Anne-Marie asked.
Cole regained his nerve and tried to look assured.
"Sorry, just... just a feeling.", he said turning to Charlie firmly, "Are you sure this is the place?"
Charlie put on the most sympathetic look he could.
"I'm quite sure.", he said leading the way in.
Inside the church, it looked pretty abandoned, but then Cole heard voices upstairs.
"Who does his evil deeds in the shadowed dark of night? The Phantom does."
Cole climbed up to what he guessed was the attic behind Charlie with Anne-Marie right beside him as Charlie once again played sympathy.
"These are some of the poorest people I know.", he informed, "They're broker than… the 10 commandments."
Cole rolled his eyes as Charlie chuckled lightly at his own joke. They got to the top where Coel spotted an adult female collie lying on the floor near a radio that was on and fourteen colored puppies clearly into what was being broadcasted. Then came the sound of a door creaking and then a woman screaming as the puppies ducked in fright.
"Hey.", Charlie called out grabbing everyone's attention, "Anybody here order a pizza?"
The puppies suddenly looked his way eagerly.
"Charlie!", they said before running forward, "Pizza!"
Before Cole could get his pizza out of reach, the puppies had swarmed Charlie and made him drop all five pizza boxes as the puppies really got into the food. Cole couldn't help but feel amused before he spoke up.
"Excuse me.", he called out.
/
The puppies paused from their scarfing to pay attention.
"I would like to introduce a pair of very special guests.", Charlie said taking over and gesturing, "Anne-Marie and Cole."
"Pleased to meet you.", Anne-Marie said as she curtsied with her dress as she was able.
Cole gave a smile and a wave as the puppies then got back to their feasting while the adult collie came over chuckling at the sight before turning to Charlie.
"Hi Charlie.", she said.
"Hello Flo.", Charlie said to her.
"You know each other?", Cole couldn't help but ask.
"Yeah, we… go back.", Charlie admitted.
"We never see you so much anymore.", Flo told Charlie.
"Well, you know how it is.", Charlie said to her, "Got a business to run."
Flo chuckled knowingly.
"Yeah, I know how it is.", she said, "How these little guys love you."
Cole then turned to see a chubby puppy come over and he saw Cole."
"Excuse me Cole, but you have some more?", he asked eagerly.
Cole looked thoughtful for a moment as he didn't want his pizza to get scarfed like the rest did when an idea came to mind.
"I do, but if I do this, you and your siblings must do something for me.", he said.
The others gathered around Cole as if eager to know what it was to get more pizza. Then Cole spoke up again.
"I only give my pizza to those who share.", Cole said smiling.
The puppies looked confused and Charlie saw an opening.
"Hey, your Uncle Charlie and Uncle Cole here are going to tell you a little thing about sharing.", he said before going into song, "What's mine is your, what yours is mine. The more you share, the more the sun'll shine."
Cole then got to his feet and was soon singing along.
"Whether you're the boss or someone's pet. The more you give, the more you're gonna get."
Cole then brought down his pizza and started passing out pieces and this time, the puppies started passing around as they started singing.
"If you've got a little or a lot, you've got to share 'cause you know what. Each other's all that we have got. The sun'll shine if you share all the time."
Before long, the pizza was gone and eaten, but the song still went on as Charlie and Cole suddenly found themselves in a conga line.
"Whether you're the boss or someone's pet, the more you give, the more you're gonna get."
"More than you had.", the puppies sang back.
Cole and Charlie brought out the cake and opened the box for all to see. Needless to say, the puppies dived in as if they hadn't learned anything, but Cole and Charlie both shrugged as they both thought "What the hey?" and they were just kids so what could they do? Cole noticed Anne-Marie looking at a wallet and Cole suddenly remembered that Charlie had stolen it.
"Charlie, where did you get this?", Anne-Marie asked him.
/
Charlie looked confused as if thinking of an explanation, but Cole beat him to it.
"He stole it.", he informed.
"I was going to give it back.", Charlie insisted.
"But you didn't.", Cole countered, "You must return it right away."
Anne-Marie turned and was soon upstairs as Cole headed after her after giving Charlie a firm look again. Then he heard Anne-Marie singing mostly to herself.
"All I have is a picture in my mind how it would be if we were together."
Cole reached the top and saw Anne-Marie with the wallet and looking like she was imagining.
"Let's pretend that you're far away. Let's say you write to me and you promise in your letter that you'll come home. Come home to my heart when you come home, we'll never be apart if I keep dreaming of you."
Cole couldn't see what she was imagining, but he decided to let Anne-Marie sing like he wasn't there.
"Start believing it's true.", Anne-Marie kept singing, "Soon, you'll come home, soon you'll come home, soon you'll come home to my heart."
Anne-Marie paused as a couple puppies came up and snuggled up to her. Cole ducked so Anne-Marie didn't see him, but he listened as she wrapped up her song.
"Soon, you'll come home. Home to my heart. Soon you'll come home, home to my heart. If I believe."
Cole felt like Anne-Marie had gone to bed and he went back down to see the puppies getting into bed themselves. Charlie and Flo were helping, but some of the puppies looked a bit eager.
"Uncle Charlie, can you tell us a story?", one asked.
A round of eager puppy voices rang out and Cole came forward thinking about a story himself.
"I got one.", he answered, "While Uncle Charlie here gets his rest with Flo."
Charlie looked thankful as the puppies' eyes came on to Cole.
"What's it about?", one asked.
Cole thought for a moment.
"It's about a group of dinosaurs who travel across a landscape of danger and learn that if they hold on together, anything is possible."
The puppies were at attention as Cole started recalling his first adventure in Littlefoot's world. He kept himself anonymous so as to keep the puppies' attention, but he told them about his first encounter with Sharptooth, the death of Littlefoot's mother, the new friends he and Littlefoot met on their journey, the dangerous landscape, the final battle with Sharptooth, and by the time he had gotten to describing the Great Valley, the puppies had all fallen fast asleep and he shrugged with a smile.
"Well, my work is done.", he said before looking up again to the top of the stairs that led to where Anne-Marie was sleeping, "Good night, Anne-Marie."
He found a light switch and flicked it before going over to an old pillow and making himself comfortable before he laid down and looked up to the ceiling.
"Annabelle, I'll help Anne-Marie take that stolen wallet back.", he said as if she was listening to what he was saying, "Hopefully, the owners won't be too upset."
And after a quick prayer, he drifted off to sleep himself.
(A/N: I'd like to thank LORfan2187 for the suggestion made here.)