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I've been following Starwarsisme's work and I'm very impressed, esspecially by Wreckage and Rescue. The best part: He's writing a sequel.
He seems to like your work alot, too, but doesn't use the forums. Oh well.
Can't wait for your next work, and yes, you are very devoted to your readers. I commend you for that.
Me, I need to write more.
My latest one-shot, Seven Spanish Angels, should be up soon. It's short, but I think it's worth the read.
Speaking of reading, now I need to re-read this story and figure out this secret theme, although I'm PMing you with my first guess now.

Write on, my friend!
-LWf

Excellent work Rotramel, I really liked this fanfic. Drake's death seemed a little quick though. I thought that his death would occur towards the middle of the story.

another awesome story

The colt .45 an exellent choice

of course everyone likes it (at least everyone inside of me.) you are the of Fanficwriters RTW.

To Aljan: Right on 1 count, wrong on another.

To All: I have changed the scene where Jason is listening to the humans. I decided it was in bad taste and you are right about that one.
However...
The other one is going to stay, and here's why.
Listen to Balto's words before those fatal two...

“You know what Jenna, that’s fine.” He said. “Never mind that I felt like killing myself the entire time you’ve been gone, never mind that I’ve searched for you every waking moment for over two months, never mind that my love for you never stopped, never wavered…"

Balto is in disbelief that this has happened.
He's always been afraid of losing Jenna, and always known that day would come sooner or later (after all, no one can live forever...) but he never in his wildest dreams imagined that Jenna would wilingly leave him.
It surprises him, shocks him, and angers him all at the same time.
The words I feel express the proper emotion there I cannot (and will not) put in a Balto story. (I'll give you a hint, it starts with f...) anyway, Balto just flys off the handle and loses his cool. (That famous wolf temper...)
What he says he really doesn't mean, he says it (like we all do) out of disbelief, anger and... hurt.
Jenna really hurts him when she says what she does. I think his response shows that he is not a perfect "hero" but that he is a malleble creature, a living thing that makes mistakes. Balto is not perfect.
So this is his response...

"You know what... screw you."

This is how I see this scene in my head, and perhaps I need to describe it a bit better, which I probably will, but here's my picture of the scene.

Balto is mad through the first paragraph, he's incensed at Jenna for hurting him this way, this is Balto yelling.

"You know what Jenna, that’s fine.” He said. “Never mind that I felt like killing myself the entire time you’ve been gone, never mind that I’ve searched for you every waking moment for over two months..."

Here, Balto's voice drops off and he sighs, looking right at Jenna's eyes when he says the last part of the sentence in a hurt tone.

"...never mind that my love for you never stopped, never wavered…"

Here Jenna looks away, unable to take the hurt gaze he's giving her anymore.

Balto sees her just look away from him, even though she has tears in her eyes, it just seems as if Jenna might be thinking "God, is he through yet. Doesn't he get it?"
At this point Balto says the last few words very slowly, a tear rolling out of his eyes as he realizes that Jenna will not be swayed.

"You know what... screw you..."

Then Balto turns and starts walking away, resigned to the fact that Jenna, the love of his life, the essence of his being, the one who he's put his life on the line for so many times in the past... has turned her back on him.

The fact is, Balto has done nothing wrong, nothing to deserve this treatment by Jenna. Now, if it had been because of the events of "Balto: When a Mistake is Made..." that Jenna left him, his response wouldn't have been this way, but now... Balto is truly lost.

It all turns out alright though, and the viciousnous of his parting words are what get Jenna to really thinking, and ultimately what makes her decide to go back to him. If Balto had been alright with it and given in, Jenna wouldn't have felt so bad, but this?
She knows that for Balto to treat her like that, to speak to her like that, she must've really hurt him...

That's the reasoning behind the choice of words.

I am going to re-write that scene, because in writing this I realize I didn't describe it to the extent that I saw it, so, I will describe it a little better, but the dialogue will stay much the same.

I have the first Chapter of "Balto: Two hearts Racing" (THR) done!
It's kind of strange, because... I'm still writing with Drake as a character.
(Since THR is set back before he died) So Ninetalesuk, yes, Drake will be seen again, if only this once.

Then there's the matter of Jason to attend to... Wonder what will come of him?

(Jason, strange choice of names, wouldn't you say? Sounds a bit familar somehow...)

- RTW

I dont know how many more times I'll probably wind up saying this.. but you NEVER cease to AMAZE me with your writing skills RTW.. this is the best one YET!

I was blown away by the last couple of scenes in this fic and I really was surprised with the whole seqenece of events with Drake and I'm sure I wont be the last reviewer to hate him with a flaming passion after the the events of the previous fic before this!

The next piece sounds absolutlely FANTASTIC! I will definitely be checking it out!

So well done and AU REVIOR!

-Lowes

I re-wrote part of 23. (As in added an entire chapter!) Here is the new chapter, as well as the re-written confrontation between Balto and Jenna to the end.

I added the chapter because I realized that I had left Saba's storyline completely open. (do to rushing pro' bly.)
Anyway, here are the new parts.



Chapter 14

Early the next morning, Saba opened her eyes about half-way, and became aware of an intense burning pain beginning in her shoulder and stretching all the way down her left foreleg to her paw.
She shook her head.
The room was extremely blurry.
She looked down and saw a fairly good sized puddle of dark red blood beneath her. It coated the white fur of her leg and shoulder as well.
“I should wake dad…” Saba thought. “…this can’t be good…”
She turned her head slowly and saw the fuzzy brown form of her father on the other side of the room in his bed.
She stood slowly, and her vision swam.
Saba took a few steps forward and stumbled, almost falling.
“I need to move slower…” She thought. “…apparently I’m hurt worse than I thought.”
She took a few more steps forward, favoring her injured limb considerably.
After those few steps Saba felt the leg shake and almost fold under her.
She stopped and shook her head, trying to aid her worsened vision.
All of sudden Saba felt very light headed, as if enshrouded in a fog.
As it lifted she stumbled forward and fell on her left shoulder, sending a violent, bursting pain all the way from her paw to the tip of her left ear.
Saba felt a warm fluid spreading slowly beneath her and realized with a sudden alarcity that her fall and torn her wound open again.
Now she was bleeding worse.
Saba realized then that her eyes were closing, and she could do nothing to stop it.
The edges of her vision went black.
“…no…” She thought. “…no… got… to… get… dad…”
Saba raised her right paw and stretched it toward her father, amazed at the effort even this small action required now.
“…dad… help…” she choked out.
Saba’s strength left her then, and her paw dropped to the ground as her head rolled to the side and was still.
Saba didn’t move.

Balto was running through the snow.
Jenna was just ahead of him, her red bandanna flapping like an angel’s wings behind her.
She looked back and laughed, trying to run harder.
Balto smiled.
“You should know you can’t outrun me.” He thought.
Balto shifted his position to the right a little bit and gained a few inches on her.
He sprinted forward, and pulled even with her.
Balto looked at her and she squealed, as Balto leapt sideways, colliding with her shoulder and sending the two of them rolling across the snow.
The two slid to a stop, and Balto came out on top.
Balto stayed still for a moment, just looking at her eyes.
“Her beautiful brown eyes…” Balto thought.
Jenna smiled.
“What?” She asked.
“…nothing…” Balto said. “…just you.”
Jenna smiled again and did something Balto was completely unprepared for.
She twisted sideways, unbalancing him, and threw her right leg sideways, over his head, and pushed, tripping him over her and rolling on top of him.
The movement threw her bandanna all askew, the knot was now on the left side of her neck, and the tail of it hung on her right shoulder.
She smiled at Balto’s wide eyed look.
“You see, two can play your game Balto.”
He smiled, and she bent down, until their noses touched and she nuzzled him.
Balto closed his eyes and nuzzled her back.
Suddenly something didn’t seem right.
Jenna’s soft fur felt wirey and tousled beneath his touch.
Balto opened his eyes and jumped up in surprise at the creature before him.
It was a white wolf.
Balto looked around franticly, but there was no Jenna.
He looked back to the white wolf before him.
“…mother?” He said, stepping forward.
The wolf nodded curtly.
“You must awake my son. Awake!”
The world swirled and Balto felt himself fall to the snow, seeing the scene now as if he were observing it outside his body.
His mother’s yellow eye filled his vision.
“Awake!”

Balto’s eyes snapped open several minutes later.
“Mother?” He said, standing and turning around to take in the room.
“What a strange dream…” Balto thought.
He turned back around and yawned.
“I guess I need to get more sleep…”
What he saw sapped the tiredness from his body with a quickness he’d never imagined.
“Saba!” Balto cried, running to the side of his fallen daughter.
The blood had spread beneath her by this time, and now coated the floor in a shallow pool.
Balto knelt beside his daughter and nudged her head with his nose.
He got no response.
“Oh no…” He thought.
He turned and ran up the stairs.
There was but one hope for his daughter now…

Balto ran square into Luke’s door, slamming it open and leapt from the bedside, landing right in the middle of the sleeping young man.
Luke was startled by this and opened his eyes quickly.
“Balto!” Luke said groggily. “Have you lost your mind boy!”
Balto nudged Luke’s arm, and the young man realized something wasn’t right.
“What is it boy?” He asked.
Balto jumped down from the bed and ran to the door.
Luke repeated his question.
Balto barked in response and ran down the stairs.
Luke grabbed the .45 from his nightstand and slid the silver clip home, jacked a round into the chamber, and followed Balto down the stairs.

Luke followed the sound of Balto’s paws into the living room, where by the light of the fire in the fireplace, Luke could see a good sized white wolf.
Luke jerked the .45 up and heard Balto bark.
Balto ran in front of the wolf.
“Move boy!” Luke said.
Balto stayed where he was.
“Move boy!” Luke said. “What’s gotten into you? If that thing wakes up, it will kill us both!”
Balto stepped over the wolf protectively and whined, nudging it’s still form.
Luke noticed the pool of blood beneath the wolf then.
“Oh I get it…” Luke said.
He dropped his arm and slid the safety of the .45 to it’s on position.
“You don’t want me to kill it… you want me to help it.”
Balto looked up at the young man and barked.
Luke sighed.
“What is it doing here boy?”
Balto barked and nudged the wolf again.
Luke smiled and walked to the fallen wolf’s side.
“Alright boy, I’ll see what I can do.”
Luke stretched his arm toward the wolf, noticing that it was trembling slightly.
He felt a dull, almost imperceptible pulse on it’s neck.
Balto moved to stand beside Luke as the young man worked.
Not noticing any wounds on it’s right side, Luke carefully rolled the wolf over.
He ran his trained hands gently over the wounds on the wolf’s left shoulder and leg.
Then he sighed.
Balto looked up at Luke and whined.
Luke smiled and patted Balto on the head.
“It’ll be alright boy.”
He looked back down at the wolf.
“It’ll be alright…”

Saba’s eyes opened slowly.
She groaned and tried to stand, then realized she could not, something was on top of her.
She looked up and saw her father’s paw on her side, he was sleeping soundly beside her.
She smiled, and then winced as a single shot of pain ran through her.
She blinked a few times as the pain subsided.
The last thing Saba remembered was passing out on the floor of the cabin.
She looked around.
“I think I’m still in the cabin…” Saba thought.
She looked down and saw numerous layers of white bandage on her leg and shoulder.
“Then how…”
Saba looked across the room and saw a young man on the chair against the wall he was sleeping soundly, a pistol in his lap and an olive drab bag with a red cross on the background of a white circle embossed on the flap.
Saba looked back at her father.
“He must’ve woken up.” She thought. “…and the man must’ve saved me…”
She looked back to the young man.
“…odd that my savior would be armed though…”
Saba shook her head side to side a few times and her vision slowly cleared and sharpened.
She sighed.
“Everest was right…” She thought. “…the world of the humans is no place for me now…and I almost had to die to figure that one out.”
She slid her father’s paw off her shoulder and stood up slowly.
She felt much better now. Whatever the human had done he’d done it well.
She sighed again and turned, walking from the room.
“My place is with my pack…” She thought.
Saba stopped in the doorway though.
She looked back toward her father.
“I can’t leave without at least saying good-bye.” She thought.
Saba walked back over to her father and watched him for a moment.
He looked so old now.
Saba realized then that he was getting old, heck, she was already two and a half.
The fact that he wouldn’t always be there for her hit Saba just then and she felt a pang of pain, this, not from her wounds, but an emotional pain at the thought of this noble creature leaving this earth behind.
Saba nudged him with her nose, and Balto opened his eyes.
He smiled as he saw Saba.
“You’re alright.” He said. “I knew Luke would take care of you.”
“I’m very grateful.” Saba said.
Balto smiled. “You’re my daughter Saba, always will be, never forget that.”
Saba nodded.
“So… um… are you and Everest still… together?” Balto asked.
Saba sighed and nodded. “Yeah… we are.”
Balto frowned. “Just know that… I don’t approve… but… I understand.”
Saba smiled. “I know dad.”
“You know…”
Balto yawned.
“… you know you really should be getting some rest.”
Saba sighed. “Thank you for the help dad, but… I’ve got to be getting back to the pack now.”
“Why the rush?” Balto asked.
“I don’t fit in with this world anymore.” Saba said.
Then she told her father about her meeting with Kelly and the girl’s father.
“I see what you mean.” Balto said when she’d finished.
Saba sighed. “Everest tried to tell me that it would be like this, but… I wanted to believe otherwise… now… I see that what he said was true. I belong with them now.”
Balto nodded.
“Thank you father.” She said. “…for everything.”
Balto smiled. “You’re acting like this is the last time I’ll ever speak to you or something. I’ll still be able to come see you.”
Saba smiled. “Yeah…”
It was silent for a long while.
“Well,” Saba said, stepping back. “I’d better get going before it gets light.”
Balto nodded.
Saba turned and walked out the doggy door.
Balto watched her go, and sighed.
Then he stood and walked in front of Luke’s chair.
He curled up on the rug at Luke’s feet and soon he fell asleep.
























Chapter 15:

Balto spent the better part of two months after that searching for Jenna.
He was unrelenting in his search for his lost love.
Some thought that after a week he’d give up and move on, some two, but none thought he’d still be searching two months later.
Finally, Balto ran into a wolf near Nome that had seen her.
His name was Connal.
Balto was currently talking to him.
“…so have you seen her recently?”
The brown wolf shook his head. “No.”
He sighed.
“One of our own, his name is Dolo, he took her out to train her to be a wolf, to survive like us, and they never returned.”
At the horrified look on Balto’s face, the Alpha added. “They decided to stay out there, just the two of them. Last time I saw them was about three weeks after they left, almost three months ago now. They both looked happy.”
“Do you know where they live?” Balto asked.
The wolf nodded, but a suspicious look came over his face.
“Why do you need to find them again?”
“I have some news to pass on to Jenna.” Balto said. “I’m from Nome.”
Connal shrugged. “Alright, they live up by the pond just north of here. Big waterfall in the back… you can’t miss it.”
Balto smiled.
“Thanks!”
With that, he turned around and ran north.

Balto found the pond easy enough; it wasn’t hard to spot, as the large waterfall was visible from over ten miles away.
Balto was now thirty-seven miles away from Nome.
He walked slowly toward a small cave at the base of the waterfall.
He glimpsed a red wolf outside the cave.
“That must be this Dolo…” Balto thought.
Then he looked a little harder.
“It can’t be…” Balto said. “Jenna?”
His pace sped to a fast walk, then a flat out run toward the red furred figure.
Sure enough, though she was quite a bit rougher than Balto could ever recall seeing her and she was missing the red bandanna that she’d held on to so dearly for nearly her entire life, here she was.
He’d finally found her.
“Jen?” Balto said.
Jenna turned around and froze.
“Balto?” She asked slowly.
Balto tried to answer, but the tears flooding his eyes choked it out.
There were tears in Jenna’s eyes as well now, and she walked slowly over to him. “I… I don’t believe it…”
She stuck her paw out and brushed his face.
He smiled and stepped forward, nuzzling her.
Jenna felt weak and she fell to the ground. She rolled over and Balto laid beside her.
“How did you know?” Jenna asked.
Balto smiled I ran into a wolf near Nome, his name was Connal, he gave me directions.
Jenna nodded. “Connal, huh?”
“Jen,” Balto said. “Where have you been?”
“What?” Jenna asked.
“You said you were going to come back,” Balto said. “I waited on you, but… you never came.”
Jenna sighed and looked at the snow. “Balto, If I had returned, it would have put both of us in danger. I could have been killed, but more importantly you could’ve been hurt.”
She looked back up at him, at his golden eyes in which she could see hurt and abandonment reflected within.
“I couldn’t bear to be responsible for causing you to suffer.”
She looked away.
“That’s why I didn’t come back… I… I loved you too much to return.”
Balto smiled and put his paw on her shoulder.
“Jenna, I have some wonderful news… you don’t have to worry about that anymore. You’ve been pardoned.”
“How?” Jenna asked.
“Drake is dead.” Balto said.
“What!?” Jenna cried.
Balto sighed. “He was killed trying to apprehend a thief near the outskirts.”
“Oh no!” Jena said, tears coming to her eyes again. “When?!?”
“It happened almost three months ago.” Balto said. “I’ve… I’ve been looking for you for quite a long time.”
“So how does that pardon me?” Jenna asked.
“Blaize is the new Keeper of the Law.” Balto answered. “He made the decision and Gemeni agreed.”
He leaned over and nuzzled her.
“You can come home now.”
Jenna stood up.
“It’s… It’s not that simple Balto.” Jenna said.
Balto looked confused and stood. “What do you mean?”
“Balto I have…” Jenna sighed. “…there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
Just then, a brown wolf walked over the hill in front of the cave.
“Hey Jenna!” He said, smiling. “Who’s that with you.”
Jenna walked over to the brown wolf’s side. “Balto, I’d like you to meet Dolo. Dolo, this is Balto.”
Dolo smiled. “Nice to meet you.”
Balto nodded.
Jenna looked up at Dolo.
“Dear, would you mind giving us some time?”
Dolo nodded and nuzzled her, then turned and walked toward the cave.
Balto stood in shock.
“Jen, who is this Dolo?”
Jenna sighed. “Balto, I… I thought I’d never be able to be with you again… you have to understand… I was alone and…”
Balto hung his head. “I understand now.”
Jenna sighed and walked over to him. “Balto, please don’t be upset. Please try to understand.”
“I do.” Balto said. “…doesn’t make it any easier to take in, but I understand.”
He sighed.
“…but now I am here, and now you can go back. So let’s go.”
“Balto…” Jenna said.
“Jenna please.” Balto said. “Now let’s go. You have no idea how hard I’ve worked to find you, how worried everyone is about you.”
“Balto, I can’t go.” Jenna said.
“what are you talking about?” Balto said. “…of course you can go.”
Jenna sighed. “Balto… I can’t do that to him.”
Balto sighed. “Jen… you can’t be serious… you’re going to stay?”
Jenna nodded.
“Balto, he took care of me when I was all alone, when I had no one else. He taught me how to survive out here. Without him I wouldn’t be able to talk to you right now… I’d be dead.”
Balto sighed.
“Balto, please, please try to understand.”
An angry look came into Balto’s eyes and Jenna stepped back.
“I understand Jenna, I understand just fine! I understand that while I spent every waking moment from the day you left thinking about you, worrying about you, wanting to be here with you, and trying to find a way to make that possible… that you just forgot all about me!”
Jenna shook her head, tears coming to her eyes once more. “Balto, I never forgot you, never.”
“Looks like it to me.” Balto said. “Only thing that’s missing is a couple a pups and you could just replace our entire freakin’ family!”
“Balto…” Jenna said, trying to cut him off.
“Oh wait!” Balto continued. “I may have spoken too soon, perhaps they’re on the way! That would fit the pattern of things so far! I mean, you’ve certainly had the time to…”
“Balto shut up!” Jenna screamed.
Balto stopped.
He was breathing hard.
Tears coursed down Jenna’s face.
“I’ll never forget you.” Jenna said. “The times we spent together will always be in my heart, but… I can’t just abandon Dolo because things are all hunky-dory back home now… I can’t use him like that.”
Balto sighed.
“You know what Jenna, that’s fine!” He yelled.
Balto felt anger consume his feelings.
“Never mind that I felt like killing myself the entire time you’ve been gone! Never mind that I’ve searched for you every waking moment for over two months!”
He stopped yelling and sighed. Then he stepped forward and looked right into Jenna’s brown eyes.
He continued in a softer voice, begging Jenna to hear him.
“…never mind that my love for you never stopped, never wavered…
Jenna looked away, tears rolling down her soft face.
Balto understood then that she would not be swayed. As impossible as it seemed, he’d lost her.
Balto had always known that he would someday, but he never expected it to be of her own accord, certainly when he’d done nothing wrong.
The thought filled Balto not with rage, but sorrow, a hurt deeper than any he’d ever experienced.
A tear came to his eye.
“…you know what… screw you.”
Balto turned and walked slowly away.
“Balto?” Jenna said, looking back at his slowly retreating form.
He kept walking.
“Balto, please don’t do this.” Jenna said, taking a step forward.
Balto kept walking.
“Balto!” She cried.
“Don’t look back boy,” Balto thought. “You can’t look back…”
Balto started running then, and soon disappeared into the trees.
Jenna stood there, tears coursing down her face, blinding her.
Dolo walked up behind her.
She turned and looked at him for a long while.
Then she buried her face in Dolo’s fur and cried.

Balto made it to Nome almost two hours later.
He walked straight toward his home.
As Balto neared it, he saw Blaize standing by the gate.
“Hey dad,” Blaize said slowly. “Any luck this time?”
Balto sighed and walked by his son. “Yeah… I found her.”
“What’s the matter then?” Blaize said.
Balto stopped on the porch.
“She’s staying there.”
“What?” Blaize asked.
Balto sighed and walked into his house.

Jenna didn’t feel very good.
It wasn’t that she was physically sick, she was in good health, but her mind was spinning.
“Did I do the right thing?” Jenna thought. “I do love Balto, but… but I couldn’t just leave Dolo like that, could I?”
She sighed and yawned.
She was tired.
It was late afternoon. Dolo had left almost two hours ago to find them something to eat. Jenna had wanted to help, but Dolo had told get to stay behind.
She knew she should eat, but she just wasn’t hungry. Something about what Balto had said bothered her deeply.
“He’s never spoken to me like that.” Jenna thought. “He was so… hateful.”
She sighed.
“Then again, he had been searching for me for the last two months, only to find me unwilling to leave.”
She sighed again.
“What was I thinking? No wonder he was mad at me. If only Dolo and I hadn’t…”
Jenna covered her face with her paws.
“I’m so sorry Balto.” She said aloud. “I want to be with you, I really do…”
Suddenly Jenna sensed someone in front of her.
She opened her eyes.
Dolo stood there.
“Jenna, we need to talk.”
She sighed. “Dolo, if you heard that I…”
“Jenna, I heard a whole lot more than that, I heard you talking to Balto earlier… you should go back to him.”
“What?” Jenna asked.
“Jenna, I love you, but you don’t belong out here. You weren’t meant to be a wolf, to live this kind of life… you need to be back in town.”
Jenna smiled at him.
“I already talked to Connal,” he continued. “He says that I can come back to the clan… I am going back to the clan Jenna.”
Jenna stood and nuzzled him. “I’ll never forget you Dolo. Thank you.”
Dolo smiled.
“Jenna, I’ll always treasure the time that we spent together, you’ll always be in my heart, and my mind.”
She smiled.
Dolo walked a little ways into the cave and rolled over a small rock near the entrance.
“Oh, and if you’re going to be going back, you might need this.”
He stuck his head into a shallow hole and pulled out a brilliant, though somewhat soiled red cloth.
Jenna’s eyes lit up.
“My bandanna!”
Dolo smiled and nodded.
“You have no idea how long it took to find this thing.”
Jenna walked up to him. “…but why…”
“Jenna, I talked to Connal a few days ago… I knew that Balto was looking for you… and I guessed why.”
“I expected you to just leave with him. It really surprised me when you took up for me and decided to stay.”
Jenna smiled.
“Dolo, I couldn’t do that to you, not after all we meant to one another.”
“Do you know how to get to Nome?” Dolo asked.
Jenna shook her head. “…but thanks to you and your training I can find it.”
“Do you mind if I walk along with you?” Dolo asked. “It’s kind of on the way to the Lorelei Clan’s cave.”
Jenna nodded, taking the bandanna from him and slipping it over her shoulders.
She looked at him and smiled.
“Let’s go.”

It took Jenna and Dolo almost three hours to reach the outskirts of Nome.
Dolo watched as Jenna started to walk away, then stopped and ran back to him.
“Jenna…” Dolo started.
She kissed him.
As Jenna pulled away she smiled.
“Thank you Dolo.”
He smiled at her.
“Go home Jenna.”
Jenna turned and ran across the open field of snow that lay in between the forest and the town of Nome Alaska, her home.




























Epilogue:

Balto was sleeping on the porch when he was violently shaken awake.
“What?” Balto said groggily.
Last night’s sleep had not been a good one.
“Open your eyes sleepyhead.” A familiar voice said.
Balto slowly opened his eyes.
“I must be dreaming…” He said. “…either that or I died and you’re an angel.”
Jenna smiled.
“You’re not dreaming Balto, and you’re very much alive. I’m really here.”
“…but you’ve… you’ve got your bandanna back… you… you look like… you.”
She smiled.
“I got caught up with Rosie and her family before I could get over here. They groomed me up and cleaned the bandanna… I guess they were real worried about me.”
“I was real worried about you.” Balto said, rolling over. “So why are you here?”
“I’m here because I’m home.” Jenna said.
“What about poor Dolo?” Balto asked.
“He’s the one that told me to come home. He overheard us when we were… uh… talking.”
Balto sighed.
“Listen, about that Jenna… I’m real sorry about what I said… I was out of line.”
Jenna smiled. “No, I needed that. Really, it woke me up…”
She sighed.
“Balto, I love you. I never stopped…”
She paused.
“I will never stop loving you.”
Balto nodded.
“I know.”
“Mom?”
Jenna turned to see Blaize standing on the ground in front of the porch.
“Hey Blaize. I hear you’re Keeper of the Law now.”
He nodded.
“Congratulations.” Jenna said.
“It’s good to see you Mom. Dad said you weren’t coming home.”
Jenna looked at Balto. “I had a change of heart.”
Balto smiled.
“Okay.” Blaize said. “Dad, I know you probably have a lot of… um… things planned with Mom, but I need a minute of your time.”
Balto looked at Jenna, smiled and nodded.
“Blaize!” Jenna said. “You shouldn’t be thinking like that.”
Blaize walked up the steps.
Mom, I understand these things. I’m an adult now.”
He paused and smiled.
“Now, I have to do this by our laws, so don’t take offense or try to ground me or anything.”
Jenna smiled. “What is it?”
“Jenna, of Nome, Alaska, you are hereby found innocent of the charges of kidnapping and attempted murder. I do however uphold the conviction in the charge of assault. As such, your punishment has been altered. Jenna, you are hereby placed on six months of probation. If you should commit any crime during the next six months, your previous punishment will be re-instated. Do you understand?”
Jenna smiled and nodded.
Blaize smiled back at her.
“Okay, well, I guess I’ll leave you two alone then.”
He turned and walked down the stairs.
“Blaize?”
He stopped and turned.
“What is it Mom?” Blaize asked.
“It’s good to see you son.”
Blaize smiled. “You too Mom. Oh and hey, you’re going to have to come meet Astarre later!”
“Alright.” Jenna said.
She turned to Balto as Blaize walked out of the yard.
“Who’s Astarre?”
Balto smiled. “Our little boy is growing up Jen. Astarre is a girl.”
“Oh really?” Jenna said. “…and when did this happen?”
“I’m not even sure of that yet.” Balto said.
“Is it serious?” Jenna asked.
“Oh yeah.” Balto said.
Jenna smiled. “Let’s talk about this later.”
Balto smiled back at her.
“Alright.”
Jenna kissed him.
“I love you Balto, I really did miss you.”
Balto smiled.
“I missed you too Jen. It’s good to have you back.”
“It’s good to be back.” She said.
Jenna smiled.
“Let’s go inside.”
Balto returned her smile. “Oh come on Jen, it’s boring inside, there’s nothing to do.”
She batted her eyes at him. “I’m sure we can find something to occupy out time.”
The two laughed, and then walked through the doggy door into the cabin.



THE END


Hope you enjoyed it!

- RTW

Yeah! Hooray for the Red Cross of mercy! (You made Luke a medic? Sweetness!)
A wonderful addition to an incredible story. This one will be one of the stories I read over, and over, and over again. I just can't get enough.
Fantastic job as always, my friend!

Write on!!!
-LWf

Well Lonewolf, Luke isn't a medic exclusively, but pilots came from different jobs in the first world war, to serve in the newly set up army-air corps. He was a medic before, became an officer and swithched to piloting.
His medic skills came in handy when it would be too strange for Doc to do the work.
If I ever finish "Balto: The Race" you will get to see Luke during the "great war" as there are many flashbacks to this time in his life.
I've been unable to finish it, I don't know why, but everytime I try to go on with it I just draw a complete blank.

Anyway, someday I'll finish it and you'll get to see Luke's story, and what eventually brought him to Nome.

As always, thank you for the kind words and I look forward to reading some more of your stuff as well.

- RTW


P.S.

Any of you happen to have saved a copy of the story when I made "When You Come Back to Me Again" into a human based story?"
I lost it when my computer crashed.

OMG, have I been gone this long?

Well, I read the whole thing in two hours and all I can say is: WOW.

Rotramel, you are one heck of a creative genius. ^___^

The fact that there's so much action going on makes this story "saga" work almost like a soap opera IMO. The fact that Drake is gone and Blaize has taken his position is a good thing (sense I never really liked Drake, and Blaize is a young character that seems to have a big future (and a huge job on his shoulders to carry!), so yeah . . . .), but I'm not all that sure about the some-what "happy ending" with Jenna returning from her new life in the wild all because she (and Dolo) realize that Nome is where she really belongs.

Yes, I know I'll have many Balto/Jenna fans starting to hate me right now, but I had a feeling that she (almost like her husky-like daughter, Saba, who we all know her story by now, right?) would also adapt to the wolf lifestyle and begin to move on with her life, knowing that she would die if she dared to return home. (Do you understand what I mean?: More drama for the storyline and all . . . . and it really looked like she and Dolo were ready to start fresh together . . . . you're so sneaky, RtW, you know that?)

But . . . . it was really gripping to read. You really are the true legend of Balto fanfics! (Yes, many may come close, but not even I could be as great as you!)

Good luck to you on your next fic! I'll be waiting . . . . . ^___~

- Juuchan17

RTW you are the best fanfic writer ever!!! (atleast to me.)