Heart: A Balto and Jenna story Chapter 4
Note: The characters of Dillon, Hank, and Jim are from Canine Couple Captivity, an original story by TheTopTier Balto the film, the images used, and the characters of Balto, Jenna and Rosy all belong to Universal. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>It was just after 9 AM on Sunday morning as Balto made his way into Nome. The sleepy coastal town was just beginning to stir and awaken on its weekly day of rest, the inhabitants rising and preparing to attend church services, family gatherings, social meetings...and some were still sleeping off the festivities of the previous evening. The streets were quiet and still as Balto quickly made his way through them, his grey fur shimmering in the post-dawn light, his dark eyes scanning around the cobblestone buildings and muddy roads, looking out for any trouble ahead.Even though in the days and weeks since the serum run, when he was now a local celebrity, his instincts were to still search out danger and prepare to either fight it or run from it. It was a habit from before the run when many of the local dogs and humans would bully or chase him from town because of their prejudice or distrust of him. And it would be a long, long time before he would ever really feel accepted, no matter how much gratitude and affection they'd show him now. He carried a small bunch of roses in his teeth (courtesy of one the neighbor ladies) and walked along the streets, happily but a little nervously. It had been several days since he last spoke with Jenna and he regretted how the conversation ended, so this was his attempt to reconcile with her. "Hey, stranger," a familiar voice rang out in front of Balto, and he looked up to see a young man walking out of the family house. He grinned and crouched down, holding his hands out. "How are you doing, boy?" Balto barked happily.Dillon!Balto dropped the roses and ran up to him, jumping up on his hind legs and resting his paws on Dillon's shoulders, licking his face excitedly. Dillon laughed and rubbed Balto's neck and back. "Long time, no see!" He gave the wolfdog a friendly hug and lifted him down off his shoulders. "OK, OK, OK, OK. I love you, too."Dillon sat down on the front porch, and Balto sat next to him, nestling his body against Dillon's side, while the young clerk slid his hand over Balto's shoulders and rubbed his neck and chest. "So how come you never come around to the market anymore," he teased Balto good-naturedly. "Too busy being the town hero to see your old friends, huh? You forget all about us?" Balto yipped and licked Dillon's hand.I could never forget you, Dillon. Never.Dillon went on. "Well, if you're here to see Jenna, I'm afraid she's not around, boy. I don't know where she could be. The family's gone for the weekend and they had to leave Jenna here, so I've been feeding her while they've been gone." Then he rubbed Balto's chest a little. "Ahh, don't worry, she'll be back."Balto's face became a little crestfallen at hearing all this. He missed her so badly and he really wanted to make things up with her. That's what the roses were for. At that moment, two neighborhood boys were riding their bicycles past the house. They saw Dillon and Balto sitting there, and started to laugh. "Hey, bookworm," one of them yelled out. "Yeah, hey oddball," the other boy said. "You and the mutt having fun?" They both laughed as they rode off.Balto sat up sharply and took a few steps towards the departing boys, letting out a sharp, angry bark at them, followed by a long, low growl...At least that's what it would have sounded like to a human.HEY.......that's my friend you're talking to!Dillon reached out a hand and placed it over Balto's chest as if he were holding Balto back from chasing after the boys. "Easy, boy....." Thanks," he whispered, scratching Balto behind his ears and smiling gratefully at him for defending him like that. A dog's loyalty to others is sometimes immeasurable. "You hear that, Balto," Dillon grinned, scoffing. "Oddball! Weirdo! Bookworm!" He petted Balto's chest warmly and pulled him back into another hug.Balto settled his body back into Dillon's hug and continued to look scornfully after the boys. Mutt.....I'll show you who the mutt is...Dillon squeezed Balto's body gently. "You know, I guess some people can't help thinking they're better than others because they just don't understand people. Same with dogs, too, eh?" Balto nuzzled his warm nose into Dillon's palm.Yeah.....same with dogs, too.Dillon sighed and looked straight ahead, talking to Balto but staring at nothing. "I saw Gilly yesterday. My sister and her husband are over to visit. I tell you, Balto, that kid thinks you and I are the greatest thing since Lincoln and Grant," he smiled. Gilly was Dillon's niece, his sister's only child. She and her family were visiting from Fairbanks when Gilly caught diphtheria. She was one of the eighteen children saved as a result of the serum run. He continued, chuckling. "Every time I see her she says, 'tell me how you saved Balto!' And every time I tell her that story, she goes and tells all her little friends about how her 'brave Uncle Dillon' single-handedly saved the dog who rescued her and the whole town! And every time she tells that story she adds something new to it."Dillon's voice took on a more melodramatic tone to it, now. "I think by now she's told everybody in Fairbanks that I walked five miles in my pajamas through the frozen tundra to save you and Jenna," he laughed. Then he sighed, grinning, "I really do love that kid, you know? But it's embarrassing to be such a hero to a twelve-year-old girl." Balto barked up at Dillon, then nuzzled his nose against Dillon's fingers once again, until Dillon was rubbing and scratching Balto's head and neck.Well, it's true, isn't it? You DID save me and Jenna."You know, I remember the first time I ever saw you," Dillon said, grinning. "You'd gotten into a scrape with some of the other dogs in town, like that big Malamute. What was his name?"Balto sighed sadly and looked away.Steele.....Dillon continued. "Well, whatever his name was, I remember he'd really knocked you around a lot. I saw the fight and I saw him and all those other dogs chasing you down the street. And I remember feeling really bad for you, being bullied and pushed around like that for no reason at all. And then that night you showed up at the back of the store, remember?" He sighed....looked down at Balto, rubbing Balto's chest and neck affectionately. "I guess we both needed a friend, didn't we."====================================================================Balto remembered that night, too. It was about five months ago, well before the serum run. He'd been pummeled and run all the way out of town by Steele and the other dogs and warned never to come back. But then it had started to thunder and hail, and by nightfall, he was so cold, hungry, and miserable that he decided to risk another beating and snuck back into town under cover of weather and darkness. The market was open late; it had the only light on in the whole street. Balto nervously made his way to the back of the building and scratched his front claws lightly against the door, trying not to make too much noise, his eyes fearfully looking around, hoping not to see any other dogs. Please....please, someone help me...Dillon had been working alone, stocking shelves and sweeping up. He heard scratching at the back door, opened it, and stepped outside to find a terrified, hungry, shivering, exhausted, soaking wet wolfdog, barely able to stand up and whimpering more pitifully than Dillon had ever heard from any other animal. Then Dillon suddenly heard loud growling from behind Balto and looked up to see that same pack of dogs once again led by Steele making their way down the street towards the market, illuminated by the lightning of the surrounding thunderstorm. They'd seen Balto creep back into town and were now looking to chase him out again. Steele growled at Balto.You're gonna get the beating of your life, lobo!Balto cried out loudly and scurried behind Dillon, looking up at him earnestly for help, eyes wide with fear. Don't let them hurt me again!Dillon's heart sank for this poor frightened dog. He reached his hand down and rubbed the drenched fur on top of Balto's head. "It's all right, boy." Then he gritted his teeth, picked up his broom, stepped down off the porch, and angrily shooed the other dogs away loudly, waving the broom around! "Go on, get out of here! All of you! Leave him alone!" Steele approached Dillon, snarling. Out of the way, human. The wolfdog's mine!Dillon swung the broom at Steele. striking him in the nose, furiously swatting him away! "Get outta here, I said!! Why don't you pick on someone your own size!!" Steele yelped loudly and he and the rest of the pack scattered off into the dark, rainy night.Dillon threw the broom down as he glared after them..."God, I hate bullies," he whispered to himself through clenched teeth.When they had all gone, Dillon crouched in front of Balto, patting his head, rubbing his hand through the wet fur. "It's OK, boy. They're all gone now." Balto licked Dillon's hand thankfully. "Come on inside." Dillon ushered Balto into the store and set him by the stove to warm up. Balto shook his body dry and collapsed next to the stove, thankful for its warmth! Then Dillon fed Balto a few scraps from his own modest supper. Balto gobbled those up hungrily and gratefully! Dillon laid out a blanket and wrapped the wolfdog up in it, drying him off completely and giving him a hug. Then he left Balto alone for a few minutes while he finished closing up the store. When Dillon returned, he noticed that Balto was laying on his stomach, his paws draped over his eyes and he was whimpering quietly, shivering badly from fear and the cold, wet weather in spite of the warmth of the stove nearby. Dillon lay next to Balto, wrapped his arms around him from behind, and pulled him in close to his own body, holding onto the embrace for several minutes, rubbing his hands and arms up and down over Balto's quivering body, comforting him. "Boy, those dogs must've beaten you up really bad, didn't they," Dillon whispered as Balto cried softly and trembled in Dillon's arms. Yes......yes, they have.....they all hate me....because I'm different.Then Balto started to whimper a little louder. "Shhhhhhhhh......don't be afraid, everything's ok now," Dillon whispered. "It's all right, you're safe here. I won't let any of those other dogs hurt you anymore, ok? I promise." Balto licked Dillon's hands once again. He had never felt more loved, more protected by anyone till now.Finally, Balto stopped shaking and settled down. After a few more minutes, rejuvenated by the heat of the stove, the food in his belly, and the kindness in Dillon's heart, Balto slowly got to his feet, lifted both of his forelegs up, and draped his paws over Dillon's shoulders to return the hug, nuzzling his wet, warm nose into Dillon's neck. He'd found a friend at last.Thank you.......you saved my life tonight.Balto licked Dillon's face gratefully and soon fell fast asleep by the stove....dry, warm, and safe. One of many such nights to come.This was, like a great movie years later might call it, "the beginning of a beautiful friendship."====================================================================Dillon stared ahead for a long time before he spoke again. When he did, his voice took on an odd, distant quality to it. Something was clearly bothering him now."You know, Balto....I've been thinking a lot about that night you and Jenna escaped from that house and managed to walk all the way to the store," Dillon told Balto, looking straight ahead, his voice sounding a little troubled. "That was the craziest thing I'd ever seen in my life, you two walking into the store out of the snow, your legs all tied up together like that and your mouths tied shut." Balto's ears perked up and he looked at Dillon, confused. Why was Dillon sounding so strange? Dillon lowered his head. "There was a moment after I'd cut Jenna's ropes off her that I turned my attention to you, remember? You were lying on the floor, waiting for me to cut you loose. And there I was with the knife in my hand."Dillon exhaled a little, shaking his head slowly. "And you know what I did? I.....I hesitated. Only for a moment, but I actually hesitated. I stopped myself from cutting your ropes off. Do you remember that?"Well......yes, Balto did remember that.He reached over and started scratching Balto's head as if he were trying to ask Balto for some kind of absolution. "To tell you the truth, Balto...I go through that moment over and over in my mind and for the life of me, I still can't figure out why I did that. And it...it really bothers me, especially when Gilly asks me to tell her the story. It's the one detail that I always leave out 'cause I don't want her to think badly of me." Dillon's voice trembled a little more as he was recollecting that moment. "I just don't get it. You were one of the best friends I ever had. You never gave me any reason to think you were a bad dog. You were kind. You were affectionate. And on top of all that, you'd just helped save my niece's life!" he said with a self-deprecating chortle. Dillon could barely keep the tears away at that point, and he put his face in his hands and sniffed. "So why didn't I cut you loose right away," he asked, sadly. Then he took his hands away from his face, sniffed again, took his glasses off, and wiped his eyes. "I'm really ashamed of myself, boy." Balto licked Dillon's hand. Dillon...it's all right. Dillon sighed, regained his composure....and thought....replaying the moment in his mind once more. "I don't know. Maybe.....maybe at that moment, I just...I just didn't see my friend there, you know? I think at that moment, all I could see was this wild, angry, feral animal who'd been kicked around his whole life, and who'd probably just snap and attack me if I let him go!""I guess at that moment...I lost all trust in you, boy. I completely lost faith in your character." Then Dillon looked down at Balto, sadly. "That was it, wasn't it. I just lost faith in you. And I had absolutely no reason to." Balto could see that this sudden realization was starting to tear Dillon apart inside. And it made Balto see and understand Jenna's own point of view, about trust and his lack of it in her. And it started to hurt Balto, too. Dillon continued on. "And then I saw Jenna walk over and lie down next to you, looking up at me." He scoffed at himself. "And I could tell what she was thinking. She was thinking, 'Hey, what's the matter with you? This is your friend, you idiot! Cut him loose!' So that's when I finally snapped out of it and cut you loose." Balto "spoke" up at Dillon, continuously nuzzling his hands. He hated seeing his friend beating himself up like this. He was also distressed that Dillon would ever think so poorly about Jenna.Dillon, stop it! Please don't ever say that!Jenna never felt that way towards you. Oh, I wish you could understand. She was so grateful to you, Dillon. We both were.Dillon put his chin in his hands and stared ahead again. "I feel like I let you down."Balto rose up on his hind legs and rested his front paws on Dillon's shoulders, trying so hard to lock his eyes into Dillon's, barking and whining loudly at him, wanting so much to get through to him.Dillon, no! That's not true! You could NEVER let me down, you KNOW that!Dillon looked down at Balto with a small, sad smile and scratched behind Balto's ears. "Maybe that's why you don't come over anymore, eh," he teased. Then the tears started again. "I'm sorry, Balto. Oh, God, I'm so sorry." He lowered his head, rested his forehead against his fist, and started to cry.Balto curled his body up close to Dillon, lowering his front paws to Dillon's knee, leaned in, and licked the young man's hands and neck over and over, softly whining up at him, trying to comfort his friend. Heyyyyyyyyyy.........Come on, now. It's all right. Please don't cry. I understand, I really do, and.......and I forgive you, Dillon. I forgive you. Balto did remember that moment when Dillon paused....and, yes he was a little bothered at the time, he'd admit....but when Dillon finally cut those terrible ropes off him and Jenna, freeing their limbs and their mouths from hours of torment, none of that mattered anymore! All Balto felt was gratitude and affection. You see, Dillon was more than just Balto and Jenna's "rescuer" that night. What was so much more important to Balto was the many freezing, soaking, and miserable nights before that Dillon had helped him survive . That's what mattered! Oh sure, Balto was the "hero of Nome" now! But not so long before, he had been constantly picked on and harassed by Steele and the other dogs, and looked down upon by nearly all the humans! Dillon was the first human friend that Balto ever had, even before he met Rosy. He was the only human who cared. He would feed and shelter Balto at a time when nobody else would have given a damn about some stray wolfdog no one wanted...a half breed, a mongrel! A mutt. There is no doubt that Balto would have died if not for Dillon. And Balto was NEVER going to forget that. I love you, Dillon.....Dillon finally scoffed, took off his glasses, wiped his eyes again, smiled ruefully, and rubbed Balto's shoulders and back again, giving him a soft hug. "I guess maybe I've still got a few prejudices of my own to work out, eh? But, for what's it's worth, Balto, you're still one of the best friends I have."Balto looked up at Dillon, warmly.Oh, Dillon, that means so much to me. And you're one of my best friends, too. Then Dillon took Balto's face in his hands, kissed him on his furry forehead, looked the dog right in the eyes, and smiled. "Thank you, Balto. For Gilly.....for the town.....thank you for everything."Balto stood on his hind legs and draped his long paws around Dillon's neck, just like he had that first night. He licked Dillon's face and rested his chin on Dillon's shoulder, closing his eyes. Thank you too, Dillon......For everything.
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