here." Steele answered. He looked around him, and noticed that night had fallen on Paris. He hadn't realized that it was so late, but he didn't feel like leaving.

   "And that's everything you wanted to know, Steele." Jenna said solemnly, "I'm sorry I've kept all of this from you. I just didn't know who to turn to."

   "I don't get it, Jenna." Steele began, "You said he loves you, but then he acts crazy when you took of his mask. Hmm, sounds like a psycho to me."

   "I don't know, Steele. That's the thing. I don't know how to feel about him. I…I just don't know what to do." Jenna sniffled, "He's done so much for me, and he's by far one of the most amazing dogs I've ever met, but his face was so…" Jenna couldn't finish. She felt conflicted. Could she really be this cold-hearted towards him? No, she'd never felt that way towards anyone before. She never looked down on anyone, no matter what kind of flaws they had, but this time, she wasn't so sure.

   Steele wasn't sure either. He had sat there and listened to one of the strangest stories he had ever heard, and he really wasn't sure if he wanted to really believe in what she was saying, but it sounded so absurd. Jenna had never expressed such terror in her eyes, such pity in the way she spoke of this 'Balto' that he seemed somewhat guilty that he had accused her of seeing another dog.

   Looks like I was right, he said, but I didn't think it would be this crazy. But, if she doesn't love him, does that mean…

   "Jenna, you said he loves you?" Steele inquired.

   "Yes, he does, far more than any other dog."

   "So, does that mean you're going to go back to him tomorrow?"

   "That's the problem, Steele. I don't know what to do. After what happened down there, I don't know whether to pity him for being deformed, or be afraid of him for having committed murder. He seemed so nice to me, his voice was so entrancing, and his eyes were filled with all the sadness of the world. But he…he…" Jenna lowered her head in her paws, "I'm afraid, Steele. I don't know what he's going to do to me, now that I know his secret. Now that he's confessed his love for me, I don't think he'll ever let me go. He treats me with so much respect and he's by far the kindest dog I've ever met." Steele silently scoffed to the side, "I just…I don't know what to do." She then placed her paws over her eyes. Steele saw that she was upset, and he did his best to comfort her.

   "Jenna, look, I don't know him, this Balto guy seems kind of weird, to me that is," He whispered, placing a paw over her shoulder, "but do you love him back?"

   "I don't know, Steele," Jenna replied, "He loves me, and he's done so much for me, but I don't know what to feel anymore. I don't know what it is, but I feel like he's no longer the same dog he was before I took off his mask. I feel like I've unleashed a monster…a monster that loves me." The husky sank to the ground again.

   "Come on, Jen, don't you know that he's obsessed with you?" Steele added, "Don't you see he's manipulated you into loving him? I mean, it's sounds like he's just some creep to me."

   "Why do you care?" Jenna responded, shifting her head on her paws, "I thought you didn't really care about me, or anything that has to do with our friendship?" She tried to sniff away the tears that were coming down her face, but she let them fall, "I'm just so confused, and lost, and afraid…"

   Steele seemed to see that Jenna was clearly upset (and this time it wasn't his fault). He hadn't really understood Jenna's relationship with Balto. He almost thought that they were just friends, but after she had said he loved her, he seemed a bit jealous. But that all seemed to fade when he had suddenly become violent with her when he took of his mask. This, along with what she said about him being the Opera Ghost, and a wanted criminal by the Inspector Jean-Claude, he realized that Jenna wasn't at all too conflict with who she wanted to be with.

   His eyes lit up, as he gazed down at the weeping husky at his feet. This was his first, and only chance.

   But, how was he going to comfort her? He had never done anything like this before, he had never ever shown any kind of affection towards anyone. True, they were friends, but he had never said the three magic words that every other love-sick canine said to their mate. Even when he had admitted his feelings to Philippe, he still seemed somewhat embarrassed. But now, something seemed change in him. He almost felt like the brave, naïve, and nostalgic pup he once was, one that always wanted to be the best at everything. And the one that had come to Jenna's rescue, all those years ago, when he had rescued her bandanna.

   It was kind of like that now, but this time, their entire relationship depended on it. He had to act quickly, but how? How? Come on brain, he thought hard, think of something to say! You have to do something! But what am I supposed to do? Hug her? Kiss her? Sing to…He suddenly froze, that's it. That's how I'll do it…no, that's a stupid idea. Steele de Chagny does not sing. It's girly…He then looked down again at the husky, who seemed sadder than ever. He breathed through his nose, realizing that he had to act fast. He had no choice, he had to do it. It was the only way. He quickly thought of a random jumble of lyrics in his head, one from some corny love song that he once heard someone sing in a bar.

   The malamute took a deep breath and tried to find his diaphragm. He then slowly sank down on his paws, his face close to Jenna's, and began. "I could bring you flowers…to mingle with your hair…but what, good would be flowers? They only last for hours."

   Jenna slowly looked up from her paws, to look at the malamute in front of her. What was that? Jenna thought, did he, the famous Vicomte de Chagny, the toughest dog in all of Paris, really just…sing? She was somewhat confused as to what he was doing, but it seemed like he was trying to comfort in some way. She almost thought it was cute.

   Steele, on the other hand, was blushing red. He inwardly cringed as the words left his untrained vocal chords, the notes somewhat flat. He felt like a complete loser for doing that, as he sat on his haunches, looking away from the husky.

   Jenna sat up, "Steele, did you just sing to me?" She asked. The malamute turned to glance at her, his cheeks visibly burning on his snow-white cheeks.

   "Yeah…maybe…I guess…" He said, darting his eyes about the place.

   "But, why?"

   The malamute sighed, "I don't know," He replied, "I just thought…maybe…you could use some cheering up…"

   Jenna didn't know what to say. The Steele she knew wouldn't really care less about her, but now, he was kind enough to try and make her happy?

   Steele…I knew it…under all that muscle you really do have a soft spot in your heart? Jenna thought, chuckling to herself.

  "Don't laugh!" Steele whined, "I thought it was, you know, a good idea, seeing how you're a singer and all. I guess I'm not though." The malamute turned to face her as she felt her put a paw on his shoulder.

   "Steele, you'd really do that? For me?" She asked.

   "Yeah, kind of, sort of, I guess," He blushed again, "I don't think it's a good idea, though…"

   "Nonono, it's not a bad idea," Jenna responded, "It's actually kind of cute. A big, strong dog like yourself doing something 'feminine' for once." She giggled. "I actually like that song, but it could be a bit better…much better in terms of lyrics…"

   "Well, you're the expert on these things, not me."

   "Maybe I can help, if you really want to do this." She said, "I think we can make it better."

   "Right now? Up here? Won't somebody hear us?" He had forgotten that they were outside, and that some kind of figure had been following them. He wondered if it was still around.

   The husky came up to the malamute, "No one's around, I hope…" She looked over her shoulder, and around the platform they were on.

   "Come on, let's just get this over with," Steele sighed deeply, "I just thought it would help you."

   "I didn't think that you'd do something like that. I thought you didn't care about our friendship."

   "Jenna, I know now…" He abruptly began, "…what I have to do…" Jenna then gasped when the malamute suddenly took one of her paws. He then reached out and kissed her on the lips, almost making the red husky stagger back. Her eyes went wide with surprise, as she was completely taken aback from Steele's lips pressing against hers.

   They then