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"Hello there!" said Elizabeth as she opened the door, "Welcome to Goldhart Manor!" Leo and Angel stepped inside, and allowed their jaws to drop.

"Whoa...!" said Leo, "This is amazing!"

"It's beautiful..." said Angel; and indeed it was. The entire foyer was decorated with wreaths, lights, and ribbons to bring out the feeling of Christmas.

"Thanks;" said Elizabeth, "We usually try to keep it simple, but Dad insisted on going all out this year."

"If this is all out;" said Leo, "I wonder what simple looks like."

"Well," said Elizabeth, "Just leave your shoes there, if you want, and we can get down to partying." Leo left his shoes by the door, but Angel kept hers on. The two of them followed Elizabeth into the kitchen, where they found Bobbie, Ryan, and Chrissy seated around a small breakfast table.

"Hi, Leo!" said Ryan, "Hi, Miss Angel!"

"Hello there;" said Angel, "My... what festive gingerbread houses." Indeed, sitting on the counter were two gingerbread houses decorated with icing, dots, candy buttons, and little gumballs.

"You like them?" asked Chrissy, "We put them together a few days ago, so... they're just for looking at this point."

"Yes..." said Bobbie, "But never fear; James has something special planned for dessert."

"I can't wait!" said Leo. He then walked over to where Chrissy was seated and said, "I'm really glad to be here, Chrissy; thank you so much for inviting us."

"My pleasure;" said Chrissy, "I'm also looking forward to spending Christmas with you,"

"By the way..." asked Leo, "Who's James?"

"He's my mom's dad;" said Chrissy, "So he's my grandpa."

"How sweet." said Angel. Then, she remembered something she had read in the hotel room a few nights past. "By the way..." she said, "He wouldn't happen to be the James Goldhart I've heard so much about, would he?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" asked a voice. Angel and Leo turned around to see a surprisingly fit Cocker Spaniel with dark brown headfur, light cream colored cheeks, and a ready smile. "James Goldhart; president and CEO of Goldhart Construction and Demolition at your service." the spaniel said, extending a hand.

"Oh my goodness..." said Angel, "Well... what an honor it is to meet you, Mr. Goldhart."

"You own a construction company?" asked Leo.

"Sure do;" said James, "Me and my brother, Bruce. He manages the demolition branch, while I handle the constructive side of things."

"Wow..." said Leo, "So, uh... Thanks for... letting us spend Christmas here, Mr. Goldhart."

"Think nothing of it;" said James, crouching down to look Leo in the eyes, "Any friends of Ryan and Chrissy are welcome at Goldhart Manor. Speaking of which, you don't have to be formal with me. You can call me James, or Pops, if you prefer."

"Okay then;" said Leo, "Thanks."

"Say, Pops..." said Ryan, "Now that Leo's here, can we go swimming?"

"Don't see why not;" said James, "There's plenty of daylight left, and we've got more than enough time before the show comes on."

"What show?" asked Leo.

"My moms and Aunt Sylvia were part of a show that was filmed in England last week;" said Chrissy, "They said that the international premiere would be tonight at nine."

"That sounds exciting;" said Angel, "I'm intrigued to see what it is."

"Well, without giving too much away;" said Bobbie, "It's a high-stakes game where the winner really takes all."

"Cool!" said Leo, "Now there's something to look forward to."

"But since we've got a few hours before then;" said Ryan, "I think we should go swimming first."

"Good idea, Son;" said James, "It's a perfect night for it too."

"You all go ahead;" said Bobbie, "I promised Angel that I'd show her around the gym first."

"I now understand how you can get an entire gym into your home!" Angel laughed. Bobbie laughed too, and the two of them headed out of the kitchen.

"You wanna go swimming too, Chrissy?" asked Elizabeth.

"Sure, Mom;" said Chrissy, "I can't wait to try on my new swimsuit."

"Sounds good to me;" said Elizabeth. She turned her attention to Ryan, Leo, and James, "Chrissy and I are gonna be a while getting ready; you three go ahead. You'll keep an eye on them, Dad?"

"No problem!" said James, with a smile, "We'll have plenty to enjoy while we wait for you."

"Thanks, Dad." said Elizabeth as she scooped Chrissy out of her chair to carry her upstairs.

"See you, Leo!" said Chrissy.

"See you too!" Leo said back.

"You're gonna love our pool, Leo;" said Ryan as he got out of his chair, "It's got a basketball hoop and everything!"

"I can't wait to see what 'everything' is!" said Leo.

*****

As Leo observed the swimming pool, he couldn't help but gawk in amazement. The pool (which had a similar shape of a boomerang) had two sets of entrance stairs on either side of a small dining area with two tables and a grill. The sides of the pool where decorated with dark and light blue mosaic tiles. On the far left of the pool, there was a diving board and a small waterfall.

"What do you think, Kid?" James asked him.

"I think it looks great." Leo replied, with a grin, "It must have cost you a fortune to install."

"It did indeed;" the spaniel replied. "But it was money well spent."

"Where should I leave my clothes?" the young wolf asked.

"Oh, just hang them over this chair." said James, pointing to a nearby deck chair.

"Alright." said Leo. With that being said, he removed his shirt and shorts, revealing his Union Jack trunks.

"Hey, nice swimsuit, Leo;" Ryan mused, "You must be proud to be British."

"Thanks for the compliment, Mate." said Leo as he hung his clothes over the deck chair. He then ran up to the side of the pool and cannonballed into the water. He felt a slight chill surge through him as he was immersed in the water. However, it didn't take long for him to find the water to be quite soothing. A few seconds later, there was another large splash, and Ryan joined him under the water, wearing a pair of purple trunks. The two boys surfaced to see James entering the pool via the stairs. The elder spaniel wore a pair of red trunks and a white shirt.

"Well done, boys!" he said, "I'd give you both a perfect score on that one."

"Say, Leo;" said Ryan, eagerly, "You up for a race?"

"Sure thing;" said Leo, "Sounds like fun."

"Great!" said Ryan, "I reckon that we'll do a lap to the deep end and back. First one back wins."

"Sounds like a fun idea, boys;" said James, "I'll referee for you."

"Thanks, Pops." Ryan replied, before he and Leo made their way to the side of the pool.

"Good luck, Ryan;" said Leo, trying to be sporting about it.

"You too, Leo." said Ryan.

"On your marks..." said James, "Get set... Go!" Leo shot off from the side like a torpedo, before he began swimming in a similar style to an otter. Within seconds, he had made it to the other side of the pool. Leo caught his breath for a few seconds, before he shot off again just as Ryan reached the opposite side. Leo couldn't help but smirk as he saw the astonished look on the Basenji's face. It was all over in twenty seconds; Leo hit the other side of the pool and came up for a breath. "Winner!" James exclaimed as he took Leo's hand and lifted his arm up. Knowing he was beaten, Ryan took his time getting back; but when he got there, he held out his hand to Leo.

"That was fantastic!" he said, with a grin, "It was all over in seconds! I've got to hand it to you, Leo; you're one of the best swimmers I've seen in my life."

"Thanks;" said Leo, "It comes from swimming almost every weekend; There's a swimming pool at the gym my mum goes to. Whilst she practices her weights, I practice my laps. When she joins me, we sometimes race each other."

"Sounds like fun;" said Ryan. Just then, Leo heard the backdoor opening, and turned to see Elizabeth carrying Chrissy in her arms to the poolside. Elizabeth was wearing her blue one-piece again, and Chrissy had purple floaties on her arms and ankles instead of her lifejacket. But the swimsuit Chrissy was wearing was what really caught his eye.

"Hi, Leo!" said Chrissy, in a slightly flirtatious tone, "How do I look?" Elizabeth turned so Leo could get a better view. Leo couldn't stop himself from staring. The upper left section of her swimsuit (or upper right from his perspective) was blue with white stars dotting it; everywhere else was vertical red and white stripes; an Old Glory one-piece.

"Oh wow..." Leo thought to himself, "She looks even more beautiful than before..." He turned to Ryan and said, "Uh... you mind if I say, hi to your sister for a bit?"

"Not at all;" Ryan said, with a grin. "Besides, whilst the going's good, I oughtta thank you for being such a good friend to Chrissy. She's been very happy the past few days."

"I'm glad to hear that;" the young wolf said, before he shot off to greet Chrissy and her mother. Elizabeth stepped into the water, and was soon in up to her waist. As Leo swam over to the two canines, a warm smile appeared on the Labrador's muzzle.

"Hi there, Leo;" she said, "I love your swimsuit; I think it's very stylish and it screams you. Uh... because you're British."

"Thanks, Chrissy." said Leo, blushing, slightly, "I am indeed proud to be British. Though... I'm part Italian too." He smiled and said, "Your suit looks brilliant too."

"Aw, thank you..." the Chrissy smiled, "And I'm proud to be American." She then turned to Elizabeth and said, "Mom, can I free float for a bit, please?"

"Well, if that's what you want, then sure." said Elizabeth; she gently knelt until Chrissy was in the water, and released the pup from her grasp. Once in the water, Chrissy used her forearms to gently paddle around. Leo had to admit he was impressed. She paddled up to Leo and said,

"So... Enjoying the pool?"

"You bet!" said Leo, "It's been great fun so far."

"We've got plenty of time to kill;" said Chrissy, "What do you wanna do?"

"I'm not sure, really;" said Leo, "But I have to say, the way you swim is amazing; I mean... you... can't use your legs, yet you still manage to get around the pool without a struggle."

"Thanks;" said Chrissy, "Though, I can't deny that there are some things I wish I could still do. Because of this, I can only swim on my back; if I try it the other way 'round, it's a battle to keep my face above water."

"That doesn't sound like fun;" said Leo. He thought for a moment, then said, "Of course, if you wanted, I suppose I could tow you; like a water skier."

"Really?" asked Chrissy, "You'd do that for me?"

"Sure!" said Leo, "It's easy for me." He floated up on his belly, and positioned himself so that Chrissy could reach out and grab his ankles with her hands. As she did so, she made sure to cross her arms. "Ready...?" asked Leo.

"Ready!" said Chrissy. Leo began swimming, using only his arms. As he started off, Chrissy rolled over so that she too was on her belly, perfect position for some makeshift waterskiing. "Woo-Hoo!" Chrissy let out a squeal of joy as Leo pulled her along; to her it almost felt like she was swimming.

"Hang on!" Leo called back to her, happy that he could help her have a fun time.

"Cowabunga!" said James as he watched them go. He was then joined by Elizabeth.

"Isn't Leo wonderful, Dad?" she asked.

"He sure is..." said James, "You weren't kidding when you said he was a great boy."

"He makes Chrissy so happy;" said Elizabeth, "It's such a shame that he lives on the other side of the world."

"Indeed..." said James, "But there's always the telephone, and email; it's amazing how quickly people can communicate these days."

"You're right, Dad;" said Elizabeth, "They'll probably email each other six times a day!" She laughed at her own joke, knowing that Chrissy would never become that carried away. After a good six minutes of swimming around the pool Leo felt a little fatigued, so he made his way to the shallow end where his feet would touch the bottom, and said,

"You fine if I rest for bit, Chrissy?"

"Sure thing, Leo!" Chrissy informed him. Leo rolled onto his back, which caused Chrissy to do the same. Knowing the ride was over, Chrissy let go of Leo's ankles, and came to rest, floating on her back. Leo then stood up and came back over to her.

"So... how was it?" asked Leo.

"It was great;" said Chrissy, "It was like I could swim again."

"You know," said Leo, "If you want, I'm sure my mum could teach you how to swim with only your arms."

"That would be great!" said Chrissy, "If your swimming skills are any indication, she must be a great teacher."

"Why thank you." said Leo, striking a pose and leaning on the wall for support; forgetting as he did so that tiles are slippery when wet. As a result, he slipped forward and ended up falling right on top of Chrissy!

"Oof!" Chrissy yelped in surprise. Leo tried to stand back up, but discovered that his arms had somehow gone under Chrissy; without thinking he stood all the way up, and when he came to his senses, he discovered that he was now holding Chrissy in his arms!

"Oh crumbs!" cried Leo, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"No, Leo, it's fine!" said Chrissy, "It's fine! I know you didn't mean to."

"I'm sorry..." said Leo, "That was an accident..."

"It's okay..." said Chrissy, "Really." There was an awkward silence between the two of them as they observed themselves, before they started laughing. "Oh man; it was almost like we kissed there." Chrissy chuckled.

"You said it!" said Leo, as he blushed a bit.

"Hey, you two! Up for a game of volley ball?" Ryan asked them. Conveniently, the young Basenji held a beach ball in his paws as he stood near them.

"Count me in;" said Chrissy, "You up for a game, Leo?"

"Yeah; I'm in!" Leo replied.

"Alright! Let's go!" Ryan yipped in excitement as he wadded out to the center of the pool. Not knowing what else to do, Leo carried Chrissy towards the center of the pool, where they met James, dragging an inflatable pink lilo chair with him.

"My, my..." said James, as he observed the scene, "Aren't you a chivalrous gentleman."

"Thank you, James;" said Leo, "I... I try."

"Well it's clear that Chrissy thinks highly of you." said James.

"Thanks for carrying me, Leo;" said Chrissy, "Pops can put me in the float now."

"Okay then." said Leo, he allowed James to take Chrissy into his arms, and held the floating chair steady for her.

"There you go;" said James, as he set Chrissy down in the floating chair. "All set."

"This way, I can play volleyball now." Chrissy explained.

"That's really cool." said Leo. Just then, Elizabeth wadded past them.

"You kids have fun;" Elizabeth told them, cheerfully, as she made her way out of the pool. "I'll get the net up for you; then I'm going to start making dinner."

"Thanks, Miss Elizabeth!" said Leo.

"Thanks, Mom!" said Chrissy.

"So, Leo;" asked Ryan, "Who do you want to play against?"

"I honestly don't mind;" said Leo, "But I would like a challenge."

"Then your best bet would be to play against me;" James informed him, "Be warned... I'm unbeatable!"

"Oh we'll see about that!" said Leo, accepting the challenge, "You with me, Ryan?"

"All the way!" said Ryan, and the two boys high-fived.

*****

Whilst all of this was going on, Bobbie led Angel downstairs into the area of the basement where all her exercise and weightlifting equipment was stored.

"So..." she said, coyly, "What do you think?" Angel couldn't help but gape at the wide array of equipment she saw.

"It's... positively magnificent!" she said, "I wish I had enough room at home for all of this."

"One of the bonuses of living in a big house;" said Bobbie, with a shrug, "Comes in handy when you're a personal trainer too."

"So then..." said Angel, "Warm ups...?"

"Let's go!" said Bobbie. The lioness and the Basenji stripped to their swimsuits and started by doing some yoga stretches to warm up their muscles for what was to come. Once they were all charged, Bobbie started on the treadmill while Angel opted for the elliptical walker. As they worked, they playfully teased each other, calling the other slow, and answering with witty retorts. Then, they decided to do some weightlifting. Bobbie pressed two hundred pounds easily; impressing Angel. Then it was Angel's turn to do some impressing, by pressing two hundred and fifty pounds with a slight amount of difficulty. After a solid hour of working out and pumping iron, the two girls sat down on the benches for a cool down.

"Phew!" said Angel, "That's a good workout in my book."

"If it doesn't make you sweat;" said Bobbie, "You can't really call it a workout; that's what I say."

"Too right..." said Angel before taking a swig from a water bottle, "It's just too bad that I have to pay for a gym membership to do this sort of thing; you can pretty much do it for free."

"Well... kinda;" said Bobbie, "I did buy all this equipment for myself after all."

"Oh of course;" said Angel, "How rude of me; I'm so sorry."

"No offense taken;" said Bobbie, "It's nice to have a workout buddy like you; we should get video chat or something so we can work out together like this more often."

"Well apart from the time zone differences," said Angel, "I think we could make that work."

"Perhaps we could do it on weekends;" said Bobbie, "I'm off on Saturdays. How about you?"

"Well, I work part-time;" said Angel, "As a caretaker in a nursery. The pay's good, and I have enough time for Leo; which is good, considering what the poor boy had to endure in his childhood."

"I won't ask;" said Bobbie, "All I'll say is that he's damn lucky to have found you."

"Yes..." said Angel, "Indeed..." She then thought for a moment, and said, "You know, Bobbie, there's something I've wanted to ask you about Ryan; if you don't mind."

"Not at all;" said Bobbie, "Shoot."

"Well..." said Angel, "Ryan resembles you in almost every possible way. Was this just a coincidence at the adoption? Or did he, um... have a father?"

"Neither..." said Bobbie, "I wanted so badly to have a child in the normal way, but I knew... doing something like that would break Elizabeth's heart. Luckily for me, medicinal technology had unearthed a ground-breaking discovery that could allow females to have children without the need for a father."

"Really...?" asked Angel, "Do go on."

"Well," said Bobbie, "They took a sample of my DNA, and were able to generate a male's cell from it. With that, the cell was... introduced to my system, and soon, Ryan was conceived." At this point, Angel's eyes were wide, and her mouth was hanging open.

"Good lord..." she said, "That's... incredible. So basically, you're Ryan's mother and father all in one."

"You could say that;" said Bobbie, "You could also say that Ryan is an imperfect clone of me; the only difference is him being a boy." She sighed and said, "Perhaps that's for the best. If he had been born a girl, imagine the awkwardness of explaining the truth to her when she turned out to be exactly like me."

"There would probably be a lot of tears;" said Angel, "Still... that's just amazing; not that I would ever try it myself"

"That's probably for the best;" said Bobbie, "I mean... you do have Leo, and it would be really, really awkward for him to suddenly feel out of the loop. I should know; it was kinda hard balancing the attention scale when Chrissy joined the family two years ago."

"I can only imagine;" said Angel, "I've actually had to help a few cubs who feel like they're not getting enough attention."

"Well, all kids should be loved equally;" said Bobbie, "There's no reason any kid should receive more love and attention than the others."

"I agree." said Angel. The two of them sat in silence for the next two minutes, then Angel said, "Well... I'm spent."

"I am too;" said Bobbie, "How about we go grab some pool time before dinner?"

"Sounds good to me;" said Angel. So with that, they grabbed their clothes, and headed back upstairs.

*****

"It sure is nice to see the kids enjoying themselves." said Bobbie as she and Angel made their way outside to the pool.

"I can't agree more; One of the many joys of parenting." the lioness replied as she watched the three kids and the old man playing volleyball. After hanging their towels on a nearby deck chair, Bobbie and Angel slipped into the pool and gave off sighs of content. The cool water instantly cooled them down and soothed their bones. Not knowing what else to do, they both chilled by the side of the pool and chatted for a while, like old friends; mostly about their jobs. Just then, they were greeted by Leo and Ryan.

"Why hello, you two;" Bobbie said, cheerfully, "Who won the game?"

"Chrissy and Pops;" Ryan replied, "I swear, it's next to impossible to beat Pops at volleyball."

"Well, better luck next time." Bobbie told him.

"How was your workout, Mum?" Leo asked Angel.

"Oh, it was great, Hun;" said Angel, with a grin, "It was the best workout I've had in weeks; the basement is practically a private gym."

"We both had fun;" said Bobbie, "Running, flexing, pumping iron."

"That sounds brilliant;" said Leo, "I can't wait until I'm old enough to start weight lifting myself. From what I've seen, it actually looks quite fun."

"Your best bet would start weight lifting at sixteen, Leo;" Bobbie told him. "If you keep up a good diet and exercise regime, hopefully, you'll have the right build for lifting weights. That's when I began weight lifting myself."

"Thanks, Miss Bobbie;" said Leo, "I'll take your advice there." It was then that Leo noticed Elizabeth walking towards the pool. She was now wearing a blue silky dress with a white cooking apron over it.

"Dinner's ready, everyone!" the spaniel cheerfully announced.

"Perfect timing!" said Angel as she clambered out of the pool, "That work out session has left me famished."

"Alright! Food!" said Ryan.

"I can't wait!" said Chrissy.

"Food sounds good to me!" added James. Everyone exited the pool, dried off with their towels, and headed inside to change for dinner.

*****

In a matter of minutes, everyone had changed into appropriate dinner attire, and was gathered around the lavish dinner table, making light-hearted conversation.

"This is amazing;" said Leo, "I can't wait to see what dishes we have for supper."

"You're bound to be impressed, Leo;" said James, "My daughter's an excellent chef."

"Yeah;" said Ryan, "Aunt Elizabeth's cooking is to die for!"

"We won't have to wait much longer." said Angel. It was at that moment that Bobbie and Elizabeth emerged from the kitchen, each carrying trays of food. Bobbie set the main course down in the center of the table.

"Here we are!" she announced, "Loin of pork with honey glazed carrots and pineapple!"

"Oh wow!" said Leo, "That looks brilliant!"

"Positively mouthwatering!" said Angel.

"I'm glad you think so;" said Elizabeth, "I cooked up plenty of side dishes to go with it too."

"Oh boy..." said James, "Elizabeth, you've outdone yourself."

"You're the one who said we should go all out this year, Dad." said Elizabeth, "I'm just contributing to the cause."

"Okay then..." said Bobbie, "First, a few words." She and Elizabeth sat down, and everyone placed their hands over their hearts. To be polite, Leo and Angel did the same.

"We thank the universe for bringing us all together so that we may share this wonderful occasion." said Elizabeth, "The odds against all of us being here on this day, in this place, are astronomical; yet here we are. We are all together in joy and in peace. In return for this wonderful fortune, we will continue to live our lives as good people; for the hope that we may pass on our friendship, compassion, and love to all those who may live in future generations." When she had finished her speech, she said, "Well, I won't keep you waiting any longer. Everyone enjoy." Bobbie sliced the pork loin, and placed a nice thick slice on everyone's plates. Leo had to admit that the pork looked good, and he really wanted to try it.

"Can I have some, Mum?" he asked.

"Of course;" said Angel, "I might as well try some myself." Leo accepted the pork slice with a few carrots and a slice of pineapple. To make the meal complete, he helped himself to a mini baked potato and some salad. Gingerly, he cut off a small piece of his pork, and gave it a taste. In a second, the flavor spread all over his tounge and throughout his mouth. Leo couldn't help but smile as he chewed and swallowed.

"This is delicious;" he said, "Very good, Miss Elizabeth."

"Thank you, Leo;" said Elizabeth, "You're very sweet." Next to him, Angel was also enjoying the pork.

"This really is delectable..." she said, "I don't usually eat meat on holiday."

"Oh...?" asked James, "Why's that?"

"Well..." said Angel, "When I was a cub, my dad got sick from some improperly cooked fish that we ate while in Italy."

"Sorry to hear that;" said Elizabeth, "But I promise, I'll pay for your hospital bills if you get food poisoned on my account."

"Good to know." said Angel with a lighthearted chuckle. Soon, everyone was eating, and not a lot more was said for a while. It was a good twenty minutes before everyone was good and full.

"I hope you all saved some room for dessert;" said James, "Because I have a wonderful surprise for you all."

"Do you think we'll have time to eat it before the show?" asked Chrissy. James looked at the clock and said,

"Oh... maybe not; there's only ten minutes to show time!"

"That sounds exciting;" said Angel, "I'd love to see it."

"I'll gather up the dishes;" said Bobbie, "I'll meet the rest of you by the TV."

"Okay, Mom!" said Ryan.

"Thanks, Miss Bobbie;" said Leo.

"I'll give you a hand;" offered Angel, "There's no reason for you to do this by yourself."

"I appreciate the help, Angel." said Bobbie. As the two of them began to clear the table, Leo and Ryan made their way to the living room and sat down on the sofa in front of the enormous flat-screen TV. Elizabeth soon followed with Chrissy in her arms.

"Mind if I sit next to you, Leo?" asked Chrissy.

"Please do." said Leo. Elizabeth set Chrissy down next to Leo, and the two of them giggled a bit.

"Get a room, you two!" Ryan joked.

"Oh we will!" Chrissy joked back.

"I'm just glad we set the machine to record the show as it plays;" said Elizabeth as she switched on the TV and searched for the correct channel, "That way we won't have to strain ourselves to remember it." Five minutes from show time, Angel, Bobbie, and James finally joined them; and James was carrying something amazing.

"WOW!" Leo exclaimed, "Is that what I think it is?"

"It sure is, Partner!" said James, "A giant sugar cookie pizza!" Indeed, the cookie was fourteen inches in diameter, was cut into slices, like a pizza, and was topped with festive green, white, and red sprinkles.

"It's amazing!" said Leo, "Looks like you've gone for an Italian theme to it!"

"What...?" asked James, a bit confused.

"Oh!" said Angel, "Because of the national colours of Italy's flag! Good one, Leo."

"Well..." said James, "I was going for something more Christmas related, but I guess that works too. In any case, enjoy, Kids!"

"Sweet!" said Chrissy, as she chose her first slice.

"Totally!" added Ryan, as he picked up his.

"Thank you so much, James." said Leo.

"You're welcome, Kiddo." said James. He sat down in his recliner, and settled in to watch the show. Soon, the introduction titles played, and a male Persian cat stepped onto the screen.

"Welcome to the Grand Motorsport Challenge!" he announced in a British accent, "Over the next two days, three teams of homespun heroes will build fantastic, rip-roaring racecars from this!" the camera zoomed out to reveal that he was standing in the middle of a giant junkyard, "Acers upon acers of junk and scrap!" The scene then changed to show a female Welsh Corgi standing in a grandstand overlooking a racetrack.

"Then they'll be bringing them here;" she said, "Industrial Haven Raceway in Newcastle upon Thyme. By tomorrow night, these grandstands will be packed with screaming fans, here to watch the ultimate showdown in racing prowess." She paused for a moment, and then said, "And to make things a bit more interesting, we've invited two teams from abroad to compete against the best of Blighty!" The scene changed to show three men; a grizzly bear, a fox, and a tiger; wearing bright red boiler suits, and facing the camera with determined looks.

"In red from St. Petersburg in Russia, the Monster Mechanics are titans when it comes to racing trucks and tractors." The announcer spoke. Then, Leo picked out the faces of Elizabeth and Bobbie in the next scene, along with someone else he didn't recognize, wearing yellow boiler suits.

"In yellow from California in America, the Streetrace Sirens love nothing more than burning rubber and making some noise." Next, there were another group; a rabbit, an owl, and a badger; wearing blue boiler suits.

"And in blue from Kent in England, the Formula Flyers are top notch Formula One technicians with a passion for speed." The scene cut back to the cat, who said.

"All three teams will build their own racing car from scrap, and race them in Newcastle; but only one of them can claim this..." He held up a shiny trophy with all three flags and a small racecar on top, "The Grand Motorsport Challenge's international trophy!"

"Well..." said Angel, "This should be interesting."

"I've never seen this program before;" said Leo, "But it looks like it should be great fun!" He turned to Chrissy and said, "By the way, does your aunt have any kids of her own?"

"She sure does;" said Chrissy, "In fact, she's Casey and Joey's mom."

"Ah..." said Leo, "That's nice; so they're family too, I guess."

"Family, friends..." said Chrissy, it doesn't really matter. What does matter is that we love each other, and enjoy being together."

"I know." said Leo. With that being said, he settled in to watch the show. The Grand Motorsport Challenge, did indeed focus on the three international teams building their own racecars from scrap. The teams stuck with what they knew, building an off-road racer, a formula car, and a hotrod. When it came time to race, they competed in a series of smaller races to determine their starting positions for the final race.

"This is it..." said Angel as the three vehicles lined up for the decisive race around Industrial Haven, "If I'm nervous now, goodness only knows how you felt then."

"It was pretty nerve-wracking;" said Bobbie, "Especially since we had already taken our turns. This one was all on Sylvia."

"She's very brave to do something like this;" said Angel, "I'd like to meet her sometime."

"I'll see if we can arrange that." said Bobbie.

"They're about to start!" said Ryan. So everyone focused their attention on the screen, eager to find out who would carry the day.

"This is it..." said Leo, "C'mon England!"

"USA! USA!" cheered James. The lights flashed, and the race was on!" The Flyers and the Sirens got the best start as the Mechanics' machine was simply too heavy; and it quickly became a two horse race.

"Come on, Aunt Sylvia!" cheered Chrissy.

"Go for it!" added Ryan. As the two junk jalopies belted round the track, battling for the lead, the spectators in the stands were cheering as though it were a proper formula one race. With one and a half laps to go, it happened.

"Oh no!" cried the commentator, "The Flyers have lost a gear! And the Sirens overtake them on the bend!"

"YES!!" said Chrissy and Ryan.

"Oh come on!" cried Angel, "Don't lose it now!" Sure enough, the British car snapped back into gear and charged after its opponent.

"Go on!" said Leo. He then turned to Chrissy and said, "Hope you don't mind."

"Nope!" said Chrissy, with a smile.

"Thanks." said Leo.

"This is it!" said the commentator, "As they enter the tenth and final lap, the Sirens have a two second lead over the Flyers! Can the Yanks really do it?" By this time, everyone was on the edge of their seats, cheering for their respective teams.

"Go for it!" cried Leo, "Pass 'em up!"

"Hold on, Aunt Sylvia...!" said Ryan, "Almost there...!"

"The Sirens have got it absolutely right!" shouted the commentator, "She's holding the lead and she's not giving an inch to the Brits! They're round the final turn! They're in the home straight! And it's... The Streetrace Sirens across the line first!"

"YEEEEEESSS!!!" screamed James.

"WHOOOOOO!!!" shouted Chrissy.

"YEEEAAAH!!!" cheered Ryan.

"Awww..." Angel groaned, but she smiled and started clapping. "Well done." Regardless of the winner, Leo couldn't stop smiling; it had truly been a great race. He turned to Bobbie and Elizabeth and said,

"Well done; you really deserved that win."

"Thanks;" said Elizabeth, "That means a lot to us."

"And let me add my congratulations as well;" said Angel, "You got it absolutely right with that."

"I'd say it was a lucky break;" said Bobbie, "I mean, if Dave hadn't lost a gear, he would have beaten me; in no uncertain terms."

"Maybe..." said Angel, and the two of them shared a laugh. They all watched as the Streetrace Sirens were presented with the international trophy, and the credits began to roll.

"That was great;" said James, "Nothing like a good heart-pounding race to end the night huh?"

"You said it, Pops." said Ryan.

"Did you like it, Leo?" asked Chrissy.

"I sure did;" said Leo, "I'm gonna have to start following that show." It was at that moment that he yawned.

"Good idea, Leo;" said Angel, "I'm ready for bed too."

"We should all get some rest;" said James, "We all wanna be up nice and early to open presents tomorrow."

"I just hope you don't keep us kids waiting too long;" said Ryan.

"That's why we're going to bed early, Ryan;" said Bobbie, "So you won't have to wait long for us."

"Thanks, Mom;" said Ryan, before stretching his arms and saying, "Well, I'm spent."

"Me too;" said Chrissy, "I can't wait for tomorrow."

"Neither can I;" said Leo, "So... I guess I'll sleep on the sofa or something?"

"Nope;" said Elizabeth, "We have guest rooms all set up for you and your mom."

"Thanks;" said Leo, "And, I want to thank you again for allowing us to spend Christmas with you.

"Think nothing of it." said Elizabeth.

"This is all very nice..." said Bobbie as she stretched and yawned, "But I think we should all get to bed if we want to rise early." She then beckoned to Leo and said, "C'mon; I'll give you a hand with your bags."

*****

"Are you sure you're alright with carrying my bags, Miss?" Leo asked Bobbie, as he followed her up the stairs.

"I'm good, Kiddo;" Bobbie replied, "Besides, you should give me heavier bags to carry next time; I always need the training." Once the two canines reached the top of the stairs, Bobbie led Leo along the landing. Soon, they arrived at the guest room at the end of the hall. Bobbie swung open the door and Leo stepped inside. Despite the small size, it looked very cozy. The walls were painted with a shiny cream color and the fuzzy carpet was a dark purple color. In the center of the room there was a comfy looking bed with ocean blue bed sheets. However, what really caught Leo's eye was a small aquarium that housed several gold fish. "So, what do you think, Kid?" Bobbie asked him as she placed his bags onto the floor.

"Wow!" said Leo, "For a guest room, it sure is lavish." He turned to face Bobbie and said, "Thank you so much for letting me stay here." He opened his arms to hug her, but quickly stopped himself; he didn't know Bobbie as well as he knew Chrissy, so Leo had a feeling that she might not feel comfortable with wanting to be hugged. To his surprise, the Basenji chuckled to herself and knelt so she was down to Leo's height.

"You can hug me if you want to, Leo" She told him as she held out her arms. Leo slowly moved closer to her and she gave him a hug. As Leo felt Bobbie's warm arms around his back, it reminded him of the way his aunt Crystal hugged him.

"I really owe you and Elizabeth" said Leo, "Not mention, James."

"That's very thoughtful of you, Leo; but there's really no need to." said Bobbie, "You have already shown your gratitude in your politeness and friendliness; particularly to Chrissy and Ryan."

"Really?" asked Leo.

"Absolutely;" said Bobbie, "They've both been telling me that they enjoy your company and you have plenty of things in common with them." She paused a moment, then said, "I bet you're a popular kid back in your school."

"I have some friends at school;" said Leo, "But that aside, I'm quite an unknown canine. I do hope to become... well, more known someday."

"Well, I'd suggest joining some after school cubs or even some sports clubs." said Bobbie, "But I wouldn't worry about it too much; you have your whole life ahead of you for meeting new people"

"That's actually good advice;" said Leo with a smile, "Thanks, Bobbie."

"You're welcome, Kid" the Basenji said, warmly. "Now I better tuck Ryan in." Once alone, Leo discarded his clothing into a plastic bag and slipped on a grey pair of shorts. He didn't bother with a t-shirt to wear as it was still a bit warm despite it being dark out. Besides, it would just get sweat on it and add to the laundry. After watching the gold fish swim about for a few minutes, Leo took out an Akira comic from his rucksack. Leo then clambered into bed and after propping up his pillows, settled himself against the bed frame. After reading for several minutes, he was startled by knock at the door.

"Come in!" Leo called. Elizabeth entered the room with a friendly smile on her face.

"Hello, Leo;" she said, "Is this room up to your standards?"

"Oh, it's perfect;" said Leo, "I have no complaints whatsoever."

"Well is there anything I could get you?" Elizabeth asked him, "A glass of milk? Or perhaps a lamp or some more pillows?"

"Thanks for the offer, Miss Elizabeth, but I'm good." Leo said, politely.

"That's good then;" said Elizabeth, "Now, I was wondering if you'd like to say good night to Chrissy."

"Sure, I'd love to." said Leo with a grin.

"Follow me then, Leo." said Elizabeth, before she led the wolf pup down the hall to the door that marked Chrissy's bedroom. "Chrissy!" Elizabeth called, "Leo's here."

"C'mon in!" they heard Chrissy say. Elizabeth opened the door, and they both entered the room. Chrissy's bedroom was a small but lavish room with a hardwood floor, a large window, and a pretty bed with pink covers and white fluffy pillows. Chrissy herself, who was wearing a baggy pink t-shirt and striped sleep pants, was sitting upright in her bed with a warm smile on her muzzle as she saw Leo. Elizabeth approached Chrissy and said,

"Is there anything else you'd like, Sweetie?"

"I think I could use a little glass of milk;" said Chrissy, "If that's okay."

"Of course;" Elizabeth replied, "I'll get it for you right away." As her mother left the room, Chrissy beckoned Leo over to her bed.

"I'm so glad you could come, Leo," said Chrissy, "Because I have something to tell you."

"What would that be?" Leo asked her.

"Today has officially been one of the best days of my life;" Chrissy told him, "I enjoyed every minute of it; especially when you helped me in the pool earlier." She sighed, sadly, and said, "I still miss the days, when I could run, swim, and... use my legs; but... I guess things could be worse. There's no point in complaining about it if it won't change anything."

"I get what you mean, Chrissy;" Leo replied in an understanding tone of voice. "There are times when I wish things were different in my life. But like you said, complaining won't change anything. We should just move on and enjoy what life has to offer."

"I guess that's another thing we have in common." said Chrissy.

"You know," said Leo, "Today has also been one of the best days of my life. I really enjoyed watching the race, dinner was great, and... well; your family is really, really great."

"I can't agree more;" the young Labrador replied.

"So, Chrissy;" said Leo, "Since I'm going back to England soon, would you like my email and phone number?"

"Sure thing!" said Chrissy, sounding excited. She reached under her pillow and pulled out a small diary. Within minutes both canines had exchanged phone numbers, emails and their full home addresses so they could occasionally write to one another.

"It should be fun writing letters to you;" said Leo as he folded the bit of paper with Chrissy's contacts into his pocket, "Communicating the old-fashioned way before there was an internet."

"True;" said Chrissy, "I only use my emails for schoolwork and stuff, but now I can finally put it to good use." There was an awkward silence between them as they both smiled at each other.

"Chrissy, I've... kinda run out of things to say." said Leo.

"So have I." Chrissy replied before they both laughed.

"Well in that case, good night." said Leo, "Hopefully, tomorrow morning I'll have thought of plenty of new things to tell you about."

"Same..." Chrissy said as she stifled a yawn, "To be honest, I'm too tired to think of anything else." Then the young Labrador held out her arms. "Hug?" she asked the wolf boy, causally. Leo didn't hesitate, wrapping his arms around Chrissy's back and resting his muzzle on her shoulder. Chrissy did the exact same thing. Leo began to get a warm and fuzzy feeling inside of him. After what seemed like a very long time, the two pups slowly came apart.

"See you in the morning, Chrissy" Leo said with smile.

"Same..." Chrissy replied, "Sleep well, Leo." As Leo left Chrissy's bedroom, he was greeted by Angel who was wearing a lavender robe.

"Hi, Leo;" she said, "Would you like me to tuck you in?"

"Sure" Leo said, before he led her to his guest room.

"That's a nice aquarium." Angel mused as she observed the bedroom. Leo clambered into his bed, before saying, "Mum, can I talk to you for a bit?"

"Sure thing, Love." Angel replied as she settled herself down on the end on the bed.

"I was speaking to Chrissy a minute ago;" said Leo, "And we both feel that a long-distance relationship can work. I was able to get her email and we've also decided to be pen pals."

"Oh, Leo, that's fantastic!" Angel beamed, "You see...? I knew you could do it. Heck, you can achieve anything you want if you put your mind to it."

"Anything?" Leo asked her.

"Anything, Hon." Angel said before she pulled the blankets over him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Such as swimming the channel..." Leo said he sank into the soft mattress. The lioness gave a chuckle.

"Sure, I'll help sign you up for it as soon as we get back to England" Angel joked as she walked to the door and flipped off the light switch. "Good night, Son."

"Good night Mum..." Leo replied as she closed the bedroom door. Content with the day's fun, and with Angel's reassuring words playing in his mind, Leo was soon sound asleep. Alas, his slumber would be far from peaceful...

*****

Leo felt a sudden draft of cold air, and realized that his legs and chest were exposed. He opened his eyes, only to see a dark and dank cellar with mossy stone walls. He then realized that he was now sleeping on a low wooden bench. These awful surroundings were all too familiar.

"Oh God no! Not this place!" the wolf pup gasped, suddenly realizing where he was. At that moment, a rectangle of light appeared at the top of a wooden staircase, temporarily blinding him. When the light had cleared, two tall canines appeared before him. Leo instantly recognized who they were.

" Well now..." said the Doberman in a dirty leather jacket, " How'd you end up down here, Runt...?"

"I... I don't know..." Leo stammered, his voice shaking with fear.

" Wow. You don't know...?" The Doberman gave a sadistic laugh before saying, " Can you get any more stupid? Why don't you remind the little fur-bag, Kate?" The all too familiar form of Leo's blood mother bared her teeth and said,

" You're not going to believe this, Charlie; He didn't clean the kitchen properly and kept on moaning that he was tired. It's the second time this week, so I've sent him down here for not following orders."

" Figures..." said Charlie. He turned back to Leo and said, " Do you like being sent down here? Because I think you ought to live here full time!"

"No..." Leo began to say.

" QUIET!!" Kate roared, before a twisted smile formed on her muzzle, " I think it's a perfect idea... and that's what will happen if you don't work hard enough!"

"I... I'm sorry...!" Leo stammered, "I won't let this happen again...."

" Apology not accepted;" growled Kate, " You're staying down here until I say so..."

" You know, kid..." said Charlie, " My boots could do with a good cleaning... If you lick them clean for me, then maybe we'll let you out early." The Doberman waved his mud encrusted boot in Leo's face. The poor wolf pup could only curl into a ball and whimper.

" Perhaps you didn't hear him..." said Kate, " He told you to clean his boots!"

" Crying already...?" Charlie asked, " I'll just have to knock some sense into you!" He raised his arm, and started to swing it. Suddenly, everything stopped.

"Leo... Leo...!" a faint voice called.

"Huh...?" Leo asked, momentarily looking up. He could see Charlie above him, arm poised to strike; and Kate, bearing her teeth and scowling. But they were both still; as if frozen in time.

"Leo..." the voice called again, "Be strong, Boy!"

"Eric...?" Leo asked, finally recognizing the voice, "I... I can't! I'm not brave like you are!"

"Yes you are!" said Eric, "You were only convinced of that because that's what they forced upon you! You had the strength the find a better life! And you have the strength to win!"

"I do...?" asked Leo.

"Yes!" said Eric, "Now stand up, Boy! Take command of your life! Put your destiny in your own hands!"

"Put... my destiny... in my own hands..." said Leo, "Yes, Sir, Colonel Duncan..." Mustering all his courage and strength, the young wolf got to his knees and raised his left arm. In an instant, time unfroze, and he stopped Charlie's arm with his own hand.

" Huh...?" Charlie asked, sounding surprised. Gritting his teeth, and ignoring the tears in his eyes, Leo threw Charlie's arm aside and got to his feet.

" Hey!" said Kate, " I never said you could get up!" Ignoring her, Leo stared at the Doberman and said,

"I am not licking your boots, Charlie."

" What was that!?!" Charlie barked.

"I am NOT licking your boots, you sicko!!" Leo replied, with much more force than before.

" Why you little brat...!" said Kate, " You apologize to Charlie now!!"

"No..." said Leo, "I won't!"

" You are walking on very thin ice, Mister...!" snarled Charlie, " Unless you want to be picking up your teeth with broken arms, I'd do exactly what we tell you to do."

"No!!" said Leo, feeling courage pulsing through his body like never before, "You can't tell me what to do and that's final!" He turned to Kate and said, "You treated me like nothing more than an indentured servant! Why? Because your husband walked out on you! Just because he left and broke your heart was no excuse for you to take up drinking or to take your anger out on me!" He then turned on Charlie, "And you; bullying me just impress to her?!? What the hell is wrong with you? I don't see how anyone could love such a sadistic brute!"

" You watch yourself, Punk..." Charlie snarled, " You know what happens when you talk back to me...!"

"That was before..." said Leo, "But this is now. You and her are out of my life now! This is all a bad dream; and I'm not afraid of you. I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU!!"

" Is that so...?" asked Kate. At that moment, her eyes began to glow blood red, and so did Charlie's. Their teeth sharpened and lengthened, and their fur became even more disheveled. Their bodies began to grow in size; stretching and ripping their already torn clothing. Leo gasped; they were becoming exactly how he viewed them; monsters! At first, he stepped back in fear, awaiting a potentially fatal blow.

"No..." he told himself, "They're just trying to make me afraid so I'll do what they say again..." He took another step back, but with less fear, "Eric's right... If I let them scare me, I'll never be free. My only choice is to stand and fight... Stand and fight...! Stand... and FIGHT!!!" In an instant, the entire room was bathed in a blinding white light. When the light faded this time, Leo discovered that the white on his fur was glowing, and he had a pair of large feathered wings! "C'mon!" he said, "Just try and take me!" In response, Charlie roared and pounced at him. Instinctively, Leo shielded himself with one of his wings, and then thrusted his arm upwards. In response, his wing sent the Doberman flying backwards and into the far wall, which broke and crumbled on top of him. In fury, Kate charged at Leo, but he flipped over backwards to dodge her attack, then thrusted himself forward and landed a heavy punch on her lower jaw. The impact knocked the she-wolf flat on her back. Leo then stood above her, noticing the fear in her glowing red eyes; now the shoe was on the other foot.

" Leo... Please have mercy...!" Kate begged, " After all, I am your mother... I brought you into this world...! Please... You know how hard it was for me when your father left...!"

"Why should I...?" asked Leo, "You never showed me any mercy; and the moment I do, you'll just turn on me again! It was always clear that I never meant much to you anyway! Whatever you've become, you are not my mother!!" He flapped his wings together, creating a gust powerful enough to send Kate flying backwards.

" DAMN YOOOOOU!!!" Kate screamed before she smashed through the wall and was buried beneath the rubble.

"Well that's taken care of..." said Leo, "There's no reason to hang around any longer!" He pushed off from the ground and broke straight through the ceiling. He could feel himself rocketing up into the sky. When he stopped to look around, he discovered that he was now high above Firewall City, and the sky was a brilliant shade of blue, with only a few white clouds dotting it.

"Leo!" a voice called. Leo looked around to see...

"Colonel Duncan!" he exclaimed. Indeed, the beaver was standing at attention on a cloud. Unlike before, his uniform was in perfect shape, and he was also bearing a bright smile.

"Well done, Soldier!" said Eric, "I knew you had it in you."

"Even when I didn't." said Leo.

"Yes;" said Eric as the cloud floated him over to the flying wolf pup, and he produced a small case, "In light of the occasion, I hereby award you with the highest honor I can bestow upon you." He opened the case to reveal a silver medal inside it. In the center of the medal was a gold star, encircled by the words, 'Courage', 'Perseverance', and 'Heart'. Eric took the medal out of the case, and placed it around Leo's neck. "Congratulations, Soldier." said Eric, "You've made me proud."

"It's an honor, Sir." said Leo as he saluted the colonel.

"Yes indeed;" said Eric, "Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I think you have more pressing matters right about now."

"Huh..." asked Leo.

"Leo...!" a voice called, "Catch me...!" Leo looked up to see... Chrissy! She was looking down at him as she slowly descended towards him.

"I gotcha...!" Leo called out as he leaned backwards. Sure enough, he caught the falling Labrador in his arms. Leo was still stunned as she looked up at him.

"I knew you would catch me..." she said, "I knew I could trust you."

"Always..." said Leo as he broke into a huge smile and pulled Chrissy close to him. Not knowing what else to do, Leo looped around and dove towards the ground, gaining some speed before he pulled out and settled into a fast glide. Chrissy laughed happily, enjoying every bit of it. As they glided over the beach, Leo was sure he could see the very spot where they had first met. He looked into the Labrador's eyes and said, "Chrissy... I love you."

"I love you too, Leo." said Chrissy, before closing her eyes. Feeling daring, Leo leaned in towards her, when suddenly...

'BRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!!!''

*****

Leo jolted awake to the sound of ringing; which turned out to be the alarm clock on the bedside table.

"Guh..." he moaned, "Just when it was getting good too..." Leo checked the clock, and saw that it was almost seven o'clock. Not knowing what else to do, he crawled out of bed and walked out on the small balcony that gave him a great view of the neighborhood, and the ocean beyond. "Brilliant..." he thought to himself, "What a brilliant view to wake up to." It was then that Leo recalled some of the details of his dream from the previous night. He remembered fighting back against Kate and Charlie, and meeting Colonel Duncan in the clouds; the memory of that particular moment made him smile. Just then, there was a knock at the door. "Hello...?" he asked.

"Leo...!" came a voice, "It's James; may I please come in?"

"Sure!" said Leo. The door opened, and the ageing Spaniel entered, wearing a bathrobe and a warm smile.

"Merry Christmas, Leo;" he said, "You looking forward to breakfast and presents?"

"Sure!" said Leo, "I'm not super hungry just yet, but that's because dinner last night was so good."

"Glad to hear it." said James, "By the way, Chrissy had something she wanted to give you. Would you like to see her?"

"If she's alright with it;" said Leo, "I don't know if she's an early riser."

"Oh, no one can sleep in on Christmas morning;" said James, "Not even me." Together, they walked down the hall to Chrissy's room, and knocked on the door.

"It's me, Chrissy!" said Leo.

"C'mon in!" Chrissy called from beyond the door. Leo entered to see Chrissy sitting against her pillow. "Hi, Leo;" she said, "How did you sleep last night?"

"I... guess I slept well;" said Leo, "You would not believe the dream I had, though."

"Try me." said Chrissy.

"Well..." said James, "I'll leave you two to talk; breakfast is at seven-thirty."

"Thanks, Pops;" said Chrissy, "We'll see you there." James left the room, and Leo began his story.

"I dreamt that I was flying;" he said as he sat down on Chrissy's bed, "I had white, feathery wings, and I was flying above Firewall City. I even got to see the beach where we first met."

"Was I there?" asked Chrissy.

"Actually, you were!" said Leo, "You came dropping from the sky, and I caught you in my arms."

"Awww..." said Chrissy, "How sweet of you."

"Thanks;" said Leo.

"So..." said Chrissy, "Some night, huh?"

"Not just any night;" said Leo, It was one of the best nights of my life; and I'm so happy I got to spend it with you."

"Thanks;" said Chrissy, "I'm glad too." She was quiet for a moment, then said, "You know, Leo; you probably might have guessed by now, but the truth is that even though I'm adopted, my birth parents... they're not really dead."

"Really...?" asked Leo, genuinely intrigued, "Well... if you don't mind me asking, "What... happened?"

"When I was young," Chrissy began, "I lived in a family of Jehovah's Witnesses. My parents had a lot of expectations for me and my little brother, and we had to adhere to them always. I remember that they wouldn't allow us to play with any kids that didn't receive their approval, heck; we never even celebrated our birthdays."

"Not ever...?" asked Leo.

"Not ever;" said Chrissy, "I remember being jealous that my friends would have cake and presents on their birthdays. But when I brought it to my mom, she just told me that Jehovah didn't approve of jealousy and greed."

"That must have been awful." said Leo.

"It was;" said Chrissy, "But it was nothing compared to what happened next." She sighed and said, "As time went on, I put on a happy face, trying to please my parents. Then, one of the senior members of our congregation started to feel sick. She was very old; eighty... eight, I think. When my mother and I visited her in the hospital, she would remind us that Jehovah would take care of her in paradise; and I believed her. But... one night, I remember she asked to speak to me alone, and she said, 'Chrissy... Don't make my mistake; don't let the text in a book define your whole life. Dream your own dreams; and make them come true...' And she died, right in front of me." She paused for a moment, then continued, "I cried myself to sleep that night; because I missed her, and because I was trying to make sense of what she had said."

"Oh my..." said Leo, astonished by her tale.

"I know;" said Chrissy, "After that, I basically went on with my life. But when I was eight, things changed forever. I was playing soccer at school when I was in third grade, and having a great time, when I fell over. At the time, I didn't know what it was because it felt like my legs had just stopped working for a moment. The school nurse said I should go to a doctor, so my parents took me. It was there that I learned that I had contracted meningitis; and soon, I would lose control of my legs forever."

"Was it scary?" asked Leo.

"It was;" said Chrissy, "I prayed to Jehovah; asking him to please fix me so I could live my life as a normal kid. But three days later, I woke up to find that I couldn't feel my legs anymore. I was disabled. And that is when things really got bad." Leo was stunned; he almost didn't want to know what happened then, but in the end, he decided that it was best to show interest and empathy for Chrissy.

"However bad things got..." he said, choosing his words carefully, "Would you be okay talking about what happened?"

"I guess so;" said Chrissy, "It's not like keeping it a secret will change things. After that, I started reading the bible, trying to find a reason that Jehovah could have helped me. As I read, I started finding things that didn't make a lot of sense when put in context with what we had been told; and some things that were... downright horrible. At first I thought it was Satan making me think those thoughts, but then I remembered what Ruth had told me, about not following a book all my life. So, after some consideration, I decided that Jehovah wasn't exactly for me. I decided to come up with my own ambitions and work to achieve them. I thought my parents would be accepting of my choice; Ho boy, was I ever wrong."

"Go on..." said Leo, placing his hand on Chrissy's shoulder. Chrissy took a deep breath, and continued,

"One night, I heard them saying things like, 'She is beyond saving.' and, 'We cannot keep her in this family.' I thought either mom or dad would stand up for me; but the next morning, they took me aside and said that since I had cast Jehovah out of my heart, they could no longer associate themselves with me. They were going to disown me and send me away."

"Wow..." said Leo, "That's awful."

"I was afraid..." said Chrissy, "I begged them not to kick me out; saying that I would do anything to make things right, but they told me it was already too late. Two days later, they took me to the airport and put me on a plane to the most Godless city in America; Firewall City." She looked down and said, "I'll never forget the way they looked as I went to the gate. My brother was waving at me with a blank look, like he didn't really care that I was leaving. My mother was crying; probably because she was certain that I would end up in Hell. And my father... he didn't even wave. He just stared at me with a look of disappointment; as though he was glad to be finally getting rid of a burden that had held him back for eight years." Leo could not believe what he had just heard. The very thought of someone treating Chrissy so poorly, especially after what she had already gone through, was enough to raise the temperature of his blood. But rather than continue on with something sad, he decided to change to a happier topic.

"And then Bobbie and Elizabeth found you, right?" he asked.

"Yeah..." said Chrissy, "I spent eight months in the Firewall City Orphanage, which, I have to say is the nicest orphanage I've ever seen. Then, Bobbie and Elizabeth came in one day, and after talking with them for a few visits, they decided they wanted to adopt me."

"I'm so glad they did;" said Leo, "Was it nice to have a family again?"

"Well, at first, I didn't know what to think;" said Chrissy, "The family was so different from what I knew. In fact, they were exactly the kind of people that my old family would have shunned. But as I got to know them, I discovered that they were wonderful people who just wanted to live their lives to the fullest, and be happy; and I decided that that's what I wanted to be too."

"Wonderful." said Leo. He put his arms around Chrissy and let her rest her head on his shoulder. After a minute or two, he said, "Chrissy... I really feel for you. While I may not have contracted meningitis, I can strongly relate to... some of the things you had to deal with in your childhood."

"Really...?" asked Chrissy.

"Yeah..." said Leo, "I bet you're wondering about my past, right? Why my mother is a lion and why I have that scar on my shoulder?"

"Well, kinda." said Chrissy, "If you'd like to tell me, that's okay, but you don't have to." Leo took a moment, then said,

"Chrissy... I'm a victim of abuse..."

"Oh no! Really?" asked Chrissy

"Really..." said Leo, "I spent most of my childhood getting smacked around by... my real mother. She had a serious drinking problem and took all sorts of other substances as well. She acted this way because she was depressed over her husband leaving her."

"So your father left you?" asked Chrissy, "Why?"

"I'm honestly not sure what was with him." said Leo, "As far as I can remember, he was constantly leaving home as he had some business overseas. But I do recall Kate, my old mother, saying plenty of bad things about him; that he'd said mean things to her and cheated on her. Then one day, when I was eight or nine, he just vanished, and I never saw him again."

"That's terrible." said Chrissy

"It was;" said Leo, "After my father left the picture, my mother's drinking problem worsened. So, I stayed with my grandmother for a while. But nothing lasts forever; she passed away, and I was back with my mother again, since she was the only blood relative I had."

"And I'm guessing that your mom didn't have the decency to send you away like my parents did." said Chrissy.

"Well, she only wanted me back so she'd have someone to do work around the house;" said Leo, "and someone to take her anger out on. That's how I got the scar on my shoulder. I remember her bringing up my father whenever she acted aggressive towards me, since I constantly reminded her of him." He scoffed and said, "I doubt she even remembered what decency was; and it only got worse when her new boyfriend came into the picture. Do you want to hear about it?"

"Sure;" said Chrissy, "If you don't mind."

"Well;" said Leo, "Her boyfriend, Charlie, was just as bad, if not worse. He gave her drugs and thumped me around whenever he felt like it; as a way of impressing her! I was scared to tell anyone as they frightened me by constantly bringing up orphanages and telling me that they were awful places. They also told me that no one would adopt me, and I'd spend the rest of my life one if I went there."

"How did you get away?" asked Chrissy.

"Well," said Leo, one night when I was nearing my 12th birthday, I decided that I didn't want to be a slave or a punching bag for the rest of my life. So, I waited until they were occupied with something and escaped. Then, out on the streets, I met Angel, who just happened to be out for a run that night." A small smile appeared on his muzzle before he continued. "Angel is very good at noticing things. She must have seen my scars and marks, because she asked me if anything was wrong. So I told her what had been happening, and it was that was one of the best decisions I made in my life."

"What about your mom and Charlie?" asked Chrissy, "What happened to them?"

"Angel took me back to her place and called the police." said Leo, "My mother and her boyfriend where arrested and charged instantly as the cops found plenty of illegal substances and laundered money after searching out the house. As I had nowhere else to go, I stayed with Angel for a while. We got to know each other quite well, and we had plenty of things in common. Then, before I knew it, she offered to adopt me; I was all too happy to accept."

"Wow..." said Chrissy, "We really do have a lot in common. I never would have guessed."

"Neither would I;" said Leo, "But it's nice to have someone I can share all that with without feeling awkward." He then remembered what James had said, and said, "By the way... James said you had something for me?"

"I sure do;" said Chrissy, "It's in that box on my table." Leo picked up the box, brought it back to the bed, and opened it. Inside were two bracelets decorated with red, white, and blue gemstones. One of them had letters spelling 'Leo', and the other one had letters spelling 'Chrissy'.

"Wow..." said Leo, "These are beautiful..."

"Mom and I made them specially;" said Chrissy, "To represent our friendship, and... blossoming love." She couldn't help blushing as she said that.

"Thank you;" said Leo as he put his bracelet on his left wrist, "Thank you so much." He then took Chrissy's bracelet, and slipped it onto her right wrist.

"You're welcome, Leo;" said Chrissy, "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Chrissy." said Leo. Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" said Chrissy. The door opened, and Angel stepped in.

"Awww..." she said, "You two enjoying your Christmas morning?"

"So far, Mum;" said Leo, "Merry Christmas."

"And a Merry Christmas to you too, Leo;" said Angel, "Bobbie sent me up to tell you that breakfast is ready; and after that, it's time to open presents!"

"Alright!" said Chrissy. She looked up at the lioness and said, "Would you mind carrying me to the stair master, Miss Angel? My wheelchair's downstairs."

"I'd be delighted to;" said Angel. She took the young Labrador in her arms and said, "Ready for breakfast, Leo?"

"Rather!" said Leo. And the three of them headed downstairs for what promised to be a wonderful Christmas day.

*****

It was indeed a very merry Christmas. The family and friends opened their presents, and while the kids played with their new toys, the adults chatted, laughed, and had fun. Later, everyone sang Christmas carols, and made homemade pizza for dinner. To end the day, they played some video games and watched a movie. Everyone went to bed that night, happy at the wonderful day they had had, but saddened by the fact that they would part ways the next day. When December the twenty-sixth dawned, Leo and Angel packed their bags one last time, for the trip home to England. James was kind enough to drive them to the airport in his '34 Packard; which both of them really enjoyed. Chrissy and Ryan came along too, so they could say goodbye. As they approached the departure terminal, Angel said,

"I just want to thank you so much for having us over, James; you've made this Christmas one to remember."

"Happy to do it, Angel;" said James, "Christmas is, after all, the season of goodwill to all."

"I'm really gonna miss you guys;" Leo said to Ryan and Chrissy, "It was really fun exploring your city."

"It was great having you here, Leo;" said Ryan, "We're so glad we got the chance to meet you."

"Especially me;" said Chrissy, "Promise you'll write to me sometimes?"

"All the time;" said Leo, "I'll keep you posted on what's going on across the pond."

"Thanks;" said Chrissy, "I will too." Soon, James pulled the car up to the curb.

"Need any help?" he asked.

"No thanks;" said Angel, "We can manage it."

"Sounds good;" said James, "Just remember; the welcome mat will always be out for you at Goldhart Manor."

"Thanks, James;" said Angel, "See you 'round, then!" She got out, and unloaded her rucksack from the footwell before going around back to grab the suitcases.

"Well..." said Chrissy, "I guess this is... goodbye..."

"Yeah..." said Leo, "But not forever. We'll see each other again; I promise." Chrissy managed a smile, before leaning over and giving him a hug. Leo couldn't do anything but hug her back.

"I love you, Leo..." said Chrissy.

"I love you too, Chrissy..." said Leo as the hug finally broke, "And I always will." With that being said, he grabbed his rucksack and joined Angel on the sidewalk.

"So long!" called James as he pulled away.

"Bye...!" Angel and Leo called back, waving until the car disappeared around the corner. Then, the lioness and wolf pup headed into the building, went through security, changed their American dollars to British pounds, and went to the lounge to wait for the departure of their flight. As they were waiting, Angel turned to Leo and said,

"So... had a good Christmas holiday?"

"Absolutely;" said Leo, "Gosh... Watermane will seem so small after the time we've spent in Firewall City."

"It certainly will..." said Angel, "But that's traveling the world for you."

"We sure picked a great place to visit;" said Leo, "The city was spectacular, the food was great, and the people we met were just wonderful; especially the Goldharts."

"I can't agree more;" said Angel, "I'd have to say that making new friends was the best part. Bobbie is officially my new favourite sparring partner."

"Not forsaking Aunt Rachel of course;" said Leo.

"Of course!" said Angel, with a laugh.

"If I was to rate this holiday, then I'd have to rate it a thousand out of ten;" said Leo, "Since the best part would have to be meeting Chrissy."

"Well I'm really glad that you enjoyed yourself;" said Angel, "And since we both had such a good time, I've been thinking that maybe we could come here during the summer holidays or for next Christmas."

"Really?" Leo gasped, "Mum, that sounds brilliant! I'm definitely up for coming here again." He thought a moment, then said, "You know, for this holiday, I really owe you one. When I'm old enough, I'll take you on holiday to someplace nice."

"Aw... Leo;" said Angel as she put her arm around him, "There's no need for you to pay me back for a holiday. I have always wanted you to be happy and for you to enjoy life. It's what both my parents wanted for me and Crystal when we were cubs. Whenever we went on holiday, they took us to amazing places so we could see the world and just how wonderful it really is. That's what family is for."

"Thanks, Mum" Leo beamed, "Even though I've said this about a million times already, I'm really, really glad that I met you. Because if I hadn't, I wouldn't have met Chrissy and her family."

"That's a good point, Leo." Angel replied, "Come to think of it, if I hadn't met you, then I don't know where I'd be, myself. However, at the end of the day it all comes down to chance; and in some ways, life is all one big chance."

"I know;" said Leo, "And I guess when it came to that chance, we were both winners."

"We sure were." said Angel. At that moment, the call sounded for boarding. "This is it;" said Angel, "Ready to go home?"

"Sure;" said Leo, "And I'm already counting the days until we come back."

"Good;" said Angel, "So am I." The two of them boarded the plane; and in another half-hour, they were airborne and headed northeast, back to England. As they flew through the clouds and left the desert of the western United States behind, Leo found his thoughts drifting back to the amazing week he had just had, and the courage he had found. Yes, he would miss this place, and he would miss Chrissy, especially. But no matter if he was in Watermane, England; Firewall City, USA; or anywhere else in the world, Leo knew that he could always return to this paradise in his dreams.

THE END