Dog Man: Fetch-22 with Petey and Maddie

Chapter 2: Shared Custody

Hours later, Maddie, Dog Man, Lil' Petey, and 80-HD were playing cards, forgetting about the unexpected events from the TV show they have watched.

"Hey, fellas, it's almost five o' clock," Lil' Petey said. They all put their cards down and stood, Dog Man and 80-HD looking at Lil' Petey and Maddie.

"That means my Papa is gonna come over," Lil' Petey continued. "He's going to take Maddie and I to his house for the week."

"Remember our plan?" Maddie asked. Dog Man and 80-HD saluted. Then they all put their hands together. "Ok, let's do it!"

Soon, Petey showed up outside the house. Lil' Petey and Maddie came to the door. "Hi, Papa/ Petey," they both greeted at the same time.

"Hey, guys," Petey said, bringing his hand out. "Are you two ready to go?"

"Yeah," Maddie said.

"I just gotta get my backpack," Lil' Petey said, running back into the house. He came back out, tugging on a blue backpack, which didn't seem to be getting through the door.

Petey and Maddie helped Lil' Petey pull his backpack out of Dog Man's house. It didn't take long, as they managed to pull out a big backpack, Petey, Maddie, and Lil' Petey falling on their backs from all the force.

"What the heck is in that thing?" Petey asked Maddie and Lil' Petey.

"Ummm..." Maddie and Lil' Petey were about to answer when Petey walked over and opened the backpack to see Dog Man and 80-HD inside.

"Hey!" Petey said before looking at Maddie and Lil' Petey. "What's the big idea?"

"Get out of that backpack right now!" Petey turned back to Maddie and Lil' Petey as Dog Man and 80-HD climbed out of the backpack. "Look, we had a deal. You two are supposed to stay with me during the week, and those guys on the weekends, remember?"

"Yeah," Maddie and Lil' Petey both said.

"Well, you two can't bring them with you," Petey told them.

"Rats!" Maddie and Lil' Petey said, a little upset that their plan failed.

"Now let's go," Petey said, holding his hand out, which Maddie and Lil' Petey took. They both looked at Dog Man and 80-HD as they walked with Petey.

"Bye, Dog Man, bye, 80-HD," Maddie said as she and Lil' Petey waved at Dog Man and 80-HD.

"Hey, Papa," Lil' Petey started to ask as they walked. "How come Dog Man and 80-HD can't come and stay with us?"

"Because they can't,"  Petey said.

"Why?" Lil' Petey asked his usual question.

"Look, I'm not trying to be mean," Petey said. "But Dog Man is a... he's just... he'd lose his own head if it wasn't sewn on. And 80-HD is... he's just... He's got a race car brain with bicycle brakes. I just don't want those guys living in our house."

"It's not fair," Lil' Petey said.

"Yeah, well, life's not fair, kid," Petey said. "Get used to it."

"Poopy-doopy-stoopy-floopy..."

"And stop that whining," Petey told Lil' Petey. The three continued walking. Lil' Petey was unhappy. They stopped as Petey looked at his son.

"Look, kid," he started. "You're right. It's isn't fair. You've got two families who love you, and there are some kittens out there who don't even have one family. You've got food, a buncha books, toys, games, art supplies, some kittens don't have any of those things."

"And look at Maddie," Petey said, pointing at Maddie. "When she met you, she became the mother you had in your life. She loved you. She cared about you. She read you bedtime stories. She gave you baths and tucked you in for bed. She loved your jokes. You were everything in the world to her, and she was upset when she felt like you were gonna leave forever when I got pardoned. Some kittens don't have moms like that."

"How is that fair?" Lil' Petey looked at the ground with a frown. Then he looked up at Maddie and then at his father.

"You're right, Papa," Lil' Petey said.

"I am?" Petey asked.

"Yeah, I'm sorry," Lil' Petey apologized.

"I was right about something?" Petey asked himself.

"I'll try to be more grateful," Lil' Petey said.

" I was right about something," Petey said as he, Maddie, and Lil' Petey walked together. "Sweet."