Patch's Adventures in Puppy School

chapter 7: Wherever You Are

It was getting dark outside and Cherry yawned.

"Guys, we better get back... It's getting late..." Cherry said as she checked the time.

Darla fell asleep with Maisy on one of the benches they were sitting on.

Atticus didn't want to stop looking for Patch, but he couldn't keep them all up all night. "Okay, we all better get home." he said. He picked up Darla in his arms to carry her home.

Maisy yawned and followed them home.

"I know you might not be able to, but get some rest..." Cherry advised. "It might make you feel better..."

"I'll try," Atticus said. "But no promises."

"Of course..." Cherry said, she then got herself home.

Atticus continued to take Darla home as it was very late for them to be awake.

Cherry passed the church, she tried to ignore it as she was on her way home, she thought of maybe asking for help there, but just shrugged it off and kept walking. However, when she unlocked her front door and locked it behind her, she saw Forte was there, sitting at the kitchen table. "Dangit, how did you get in here?"

"Your mother gave me a key..." Forte showed the key he had.

Cherry blinked to him, then tried to take it from him as he dangled it high out of her reach. "GIMME THAT THING!"

"No, I won't, besides I think I might know where Patch is." Forte said, already knowing of the situation.

Cherry looked to him. "How did you-"

"Cerise, are you forgetting I know just about everything?" Forte said as he put the key in his coat pocket.

"Sadly no... Where is he?" Cherry asked, not sounding that friendly with her demand.

"He's at Shelter 17, but that's all I can tell you for right now. What I can tell you is that Cruella DeVil's puppy is about to be exposed for the evil mutt she truly is." Forte said.

"Cruella has a dog now?" Cherry rolled her eyes.

"Yes, but she only adopted the dog to be on the cover of a magazine." Forte then explained.

"Shallow little-" Cherry was about to curse, but her mouth was covered before she could. She then glared to Forte and removed his hand from her mouth, folding her arms. "Can we get Patch back?"

"Cerise, it's after dark, the pound is closed... We'll go later."

"We? Oh, no, no, you're not coming..." Cherry walked down to her bedroom with a small yawn. "There's no way you're coming along!"

"Okay, okay, but you should know that Patch needs to come back home by his own free will." Forte said before showing Patch's collar with his dog tag.

"How did you get that!?" Cherry glanced at him.

"I thought I could hold onto it..." Forte handed the red collar to her. "Get some sleep, Cerise..."

"Okay... I will..." Cherry said calmly. "Now, would you be as so kind as to GET OUT OF MY HOUSE BEFORE MY PARENTS SEE YOU!?"

"They already know..." Forte said to her. "We agreed that I'll look after you so you don't stay locked in your room all day on the computer or television you kids are so fond of these days..."

Cherry growled and stormed to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH THOSE TWO!?"

Colette couldn't sleep as she looked out the window. Atticus was the same as he looked out the window as well. Danielle, Mo, Scamp, and Angel were sleeping just fine, as the rest of Atticus's family. Colette sighed sadly as she nearly cried, staring at the night sky.

Colette: Come out, moon
Come out, wishing star...
Come out, come out...
Wherever you are.

Colette: I'm out here in the dark alone and wide awake come and find me.

Atticus: I'm empty and I'm cold and my heart's about to break come and find me.

Colette & Atticus: I need you to come here and find me cause without you I'm totally lost.

Colette: I've hung a wish, on every star.

Atticus: It hasn't done much good so far...

Both: I can only dream of you...
Wherever you are.

Colette: I'll hear you laugh

Atticus: I'll see you smile

Colette: I'll be with you...

Both: Just for a while

Atticus: But when the morning comes and the begins to rise I will lose you.

Colette: Because it's just a dream when I open up my eyes I will lose you.

Both: I use to believe in forever but forever's too good to be true.
I don't know what else to do...
Except to try to dream of you...
And wonder, if you are dreaming too...

Atticus: Wherever you are...

Colette: Wherever... You.... Are...

Atticus and Colette were then starting to fall asleep as they finished their song and tried to get some sleep like everybody else.

"I hope this plan of yours works, Lucky." Patch said to the older dog.

"It has to..." Lucky said as he tried to sleep, but talked with Patch still. "I'm sure it will... You picked the right dog to end up with, kid... No one's luckier than me!"

"Well then, maybe after this, we could go back to my pet, Atticus's place and have them adopt you." Patch said, hoping that the older dog would agree.

"That's mighty nice of you, kid, but I kinda need to stay here..." Lucky smiled at the offer. "This place would fall apart without me. I don't mind being here at all... We'll keep in touch though."

Patch sighed, he had to make the most of his time with Lucky he supposed.

"Wait, I think Atticus's house is close by." Patch said.

Lucky didn't say anything to that, he had fallen asleep.

"I'm sure of it." Patch said before going to sleep.

All of the Pound Puppies went to sleep that night, they were probably going to need it. Vendella was going to be exposed as the evil bullying puppy she truly was.