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DOG DREAMS

This is the third in a series. The first two were, respectively, Throw Me A Bone and Red Dragons and Rottwielders. It’s a good idea to read those first before reading this.

Both stories are here on Connections.
pub92.ezboard.com/bwitchb...nnections. TMAB is in the NC 17 forum and RD&R is in the main forum.


And now, more Hubble for those of you who have waited so patiently!

This story is dedicated to my next-door neighbor’s Rottie, Tokota. Unfortunately, he and his ‘daddy’ are moving at the end of June. I’m going to miss him.

_____


We’re finally on the road! Master is driving one of the service vans from around the estate. This one is pretty comfy – for both humans and dogs. The bucket seats up front are leather, and there’s a state of the art stereo system, which is currently playing one of Master’s guitar CDs. There’s a shelf to keep food and drinks on. The back of the van is carpeted and otherwise empty. This is where the luggage and us dogs are. Frida and I can stretch out in total comfort, we have windows to look out, and I can pad up front and stick my nose into the driver’s area to bother Master.

Which I do, promptly. Sniff. Master waves me away. “Hubble, go lie down.” Sara grins and pets my head. “Hey, big guy. You enjoying the ride?” The window is down. The wind is a little chilly, but not unpleasantly so. I lick her hand. “Thanks, Hubble,” she says with a grimace. She wipes her palm with a napkin. I push my nose in her face. “Yes, you’re a good boy.” I pant and wag. “Ugh. Dog breath.” Master grins. My brow furrows. What’s wrong with my breath? I just had my teeth cleaned last year. Sometime. I wag and sniff Sara’s face. “That tickles,” she informs me.

My face is right near the leather seats, so I sniff the leather. That sure smells good! Master gives me a disapproving look. “Hubble, you know better.” I put my head down. Sigh. Sara rummages in her bag. “Here.” A biscuit! I sit up very properly. Frida comes over and we both sit at attention. Sara bursts out laughing and gives us the biscuits. We retire to the back of the van to enjoy our treats.

After licking the carpet very thoroughly, in case any food molecules might have escaped, I pad back up front and sniff Master’s hair. “Not while I’m driving, Hubble.” I sit back and watch the window. Look at all the telephone poles going by.

Master glances over at Sara. “What’s that smile for?” Sara has a little smile on her face, like she’s in thought about something happy. “Oh. I was just thinking about what the puppies will look like.” She glances back at Frida, who wags her tail. “They’re going to be so cute.”

Sara sighs happily and sits back in her seat. “Oh, a vacation. A real one.” She smiles over at Master. “Was it just 6 weeks ago we decided to call a truce?” He looks at her. “Maybe four weeks.”

Sara shakes her head. “If someone had told me 2 months ago that we would be together, I would have called them crazy.” Master glances sideways at her. “Not having any doubts, are you?” She smiles and puts her hand on his leg. “Nope. Not a one. Just planning to enjoy this time we have together.” She leans over and kisses his neck.

“Not while I’m driving, Sara.” She laughs. “That’s the exact same thing you said to Hubble.” Master glances at her, amused. “Well, are you going to be a good girl, or do I have to put you in the back with the dogs?” One of her eyebrows is raised. “Oh? And who’s going to make me stay there?” Master smiles slowly. “We could pull over and I could convince you to stay back there.” She laughs. “You’ve never done it in a van, have you, Nottingham?”

Master’s face looks thoughtful. I’m puzzled. Exactly what is it that they haven’t done in a van? Sara is grinning. I roll over and push my nose against Frida’s. She wags her tail.

Sara folds her arms. “Well, Ian?” Master glances over and smiles. Doesn’t say a word. There’s an exit coming up. He pulls the van across three lanes of traffic, and whooshes down the ramp. Sara looks surprised. “Ian, what are you doing?” We’re pulling over in a rest stop that looks fairly deserted. He stops the van and turns off the engine. I sit up. Where are we going now? Master smiles at Sara. “The dogs need to go out.” He steps out of the van, walking around to the back door.

Sara looks bewildered. She and I look at each other. “I don’t know if I’m ever going to figure him out, Hubbs.” I wag and look earnest. She’s doing a pretty good job so far, I think.

Master clips on our leashes and we walk around the rest area. No one is around, so he lets us off the leashes and we play. Fun! Sara disappears into the rest area, and comes back with some water in dishes for us.

Where did Master go? I don’t see him or smell him. Sara looks around, puzzled. “Ian? Where are you?” She walks around to the back of the van. I follow at a trot. There’s a muffled noise, followed by rustling. I walk around the back of the van. Yup. They’re face-pushing again. Master must have snuck up on Sara. He’s got her pinned against the one closed door. The other door is standing open.

They come up for air. “Ian.” Sara sounds like she’s been running hard. “Yes, Sara?” Master answers lazily. “What are you doing?” He scoops her up and deposits her on the carpeted floor of the van. “I’m answering your challenge.”

He climbs in after her and pulls the door shut. I look over at Frida. She’s lying on the grass, all four paws waving in the air. I trot over and lay down with her, nose-to-nose.
Pretty soon, the van starts moving back and forth. I sit up. Are they rearranging the back of the van? I hear a couple of muffled noises. I trot over to investigate. The van movement slows, and then stops. Master and Sara emerge presently, fixing their clothes and their hair. Sara’s face is flushed and she makes a beeline for the ladies room. I stick my nose in the back door and sniff. They were body-pushing again! Hmmm. Frida walks over and stands waiting patiently. I look at her. Hey, we mated and now Frida is going to have puppies! Will Sara have puppies too? Oh, that’s right; humans have those things called babies. Personally, I think puppies are cuter than babies.

Earlier, Sara was wondering what the puppies would look like. Will they look like me or Frida? I consider this, head tilted to the side. If Master and Sara have a baby, would it look like Master or Sara? This is making my head hurt.

Sara reappears, looking more collected. Master smiles and hugs her, nuzzling her neck. “Ian,” she pushes at him, smiling. “We’re never going to get there if you keep that up.”

“You mean, if you keep it up,” he murmurs into her hair. She blushes. “Do you want me to drive, Ian?”

“Anytime,” he replies. She rolls her eyes and laughs. “Am I going to have to restrain you?” “Anytime,” he says again. She laughs. “Get in the van, I’m driving.”

We’re back in the van. Sara is driving, humming a song, happy. Master is actually asleep in the passenger seat. I push my face into his. Sniff. He doesn’t move. Lick. Sara laughs. “Good boy, Hubble.” I wag. Master doesn’t move. Lick. Lick. That did it. Master opens his eyes. “Hello, Hubble.” I make doggie noises at him. “Yes, you woke me up.” Master sighs. “Go lie down.” I look expectantly at him. We’re not going to play? I put on my best sad face. Sara is grinning. “Why don’t you go back there and keep them company, Ian?”

“Hubble, go.” Master commands. Once I move out of the way, he climbs back to where we are and sits down, cross-legged. I crawl right into his lap. Frida comes over and burrows her head into his chest. Master laughs. Sara glances back. “That’s a picture worth a thousand words.” Master looks amused. “All right, you two.” He pushes around the luggage and makes a pillow. He lays down and Frida and I curl up on either side of him.

I wake up suddenly. My head is on Master’s chest. He’s breathing steadily. Thank goodness. That was a weird dream. I never usually remember dreams. This one seemed so real . . .

There were voices. A man was talking to Sara.

“ . . . We're patriots of a new revolution. We make up our own laws.”


Then, Sara was in a taxi, being threatened by another man, although he sounded very reasonable.

Man: I've arranged to have the warrants for your arrest rescinded.


Sara: You have that kind of power?


Man: Don't ever doubt it. We're not elected and we're not named. We're, uh ... we're invisible. We don't operate the same way we used to. But there are many of us still around who just want to be left alone.


Sara: So who did you kill?


Man: We're going to allow you to live, Sara. You know about us, and we know about you. And there may come a day when we will ask you for a favor ... in exchange for your life now.


Man (to driver): Driver, pull over here.

The cab pulled over and stopped. The man talking to Sara lit a cigar. I don’t like the smell of cigars. Once in awhile, Irons would have a cigar and it would make me sneeze and want to push my face into the rug.


Man: And to show you, Sara, our heart's in the right place, we've decided to give you a token of our pledge.


The man got out of the cab, then leaned in and spoke to Sara again.


Man: Until that day when we need you.

Sara didn’t look happy, but she nodded her head a little. The man left, and Sara picked up something on the seat beside her and looked at it. Suddenly, someone was shoved into the cab.

Sara: Oh, Gabriel.

It’s Gabriel, the guy who sold Master the dagger. I like Gabriel – he smells good. But in the dream, he didn’t look good at all – his head was bleeding and apparently they’d beat him up pretty good.

That part sort of dissolved, and then the Lady was there too, and she was saying something to me, but I didn’t quite catch it . . . something about danger . . .

I shake my head. Master’s eyes open. “Hi, buddy.” I wag and make a doggy noise. He rubs my ears. I can’t remember what the Lady said. I hope Master isn’t in any danger. Sara’s right – a lot has happened. We finally got rid of Irons, the Red Dragon was taken care of, Master is happy with Sara, and I’ve got Frida. I hope nothing bad is going to happen.

“Don’t look so worried, Hubble.” Master smiles fondly at me. I wag my stump and burrow my head into his armpit. He chuckles and pushes me away. “Sara, where are we?”

“The exit is right up ahead,” Sara announces.