I've been enjoying reading the other Christmas stories so much and I declared it Christmas today as I decorated my house so I thought I'd give the Christmas Challenge a whirl. I re-read this option and thought I'd give it a try, although not really ever written Myles before, it's straying a little from my usual realm of Bobby and Tara. Well here goes, I'll post my first part after Kav's brilliant starting point.

I hope you enjoy!

Take care,

Sairs

~*~*~

Myles Leland III scorned the season and its festivities; the forced good cheer, the garish decorations and the ridiculous extravagance that mired his fellow workers. He would not be sorry if Tara’s cd player met an untimely end or if Lucy stopped hanging mistletoe from one end of the bullpen to the other in hopes of catching Jack and Sue unawares. He would not regret the day that Bobby took his Pin the Antlers on Rudolph poster off the common wall by their desks or when the nativity scene that Sue had arranged by the coffee pot could finally be packed away. And he definitely wouldn’t miss the outlandish Christmas sweaters Jack had taken to coming into work in – all hand knitted by his mother. Everyone was of good cheer – except himself. Bah! Humbug! Scrooge had it right….

“Excuse me sir, you’re standing on my wing.” A melodic voice intruded on his morose musings. Myles looked around in surprise. An angel stood at his side, waiting, as he was, for the light to change and he was indeed standing on the tip of one finely feathered wing.

“You should be more careful,” he complained gruffly before shifting his heel to release the wing.

The angel frowned. “I should be more careful?” she echoed. “You were the one standing on my wing.”

“It was dragging on the concrete, where feet not wings belong,” Myles retorted rudely.

“So you think that gives you license to traipse all over it?” the angel glared at him furiously.

“Not very angelic are you?” Myles smirked; wondering at the length of time the light managed to stay red. He wanted to get away from lunatics who wore angel costumes in the middle of downtown DC.

“I’ll have you know that I’m a sight more angelic than you are,” huffed the angel defensively, “and I just earned my wings. I’m not used to them yet. Besides, they gave me the wrong size. They’re too long.”

“I imagine they just make a standard size, not taking into consideration a person’s height…” Myles mumbled, wishing fervently for the light to change.

“Angel, not person. Angels wear wings. Which brings me to the point. Myles Leland III I am an angel sent by God to…”

Myles gazed at the ‘angel’ in astonishment. One eyebrow raised, and then two, before he tossed back his head and howled. And the light still didn’t change.

“That wasn’t the reaction I was expecting…” grumbled the angel.

“How did you think I would take that announcement?” Myles asked scornfully.

“With reverence, a certain awe, I wouldn’t have minded if you’d fallen prostrate on the ground like the shepherds did. Those were the good old days…” The angel was clearly miffed.

“Who put you up to this?” Myles demanded.

“Pardon me?”

“Come one – was it Manning? This would be his style. Hudson? He’d be in cahoots with somebody. Lucy still trying to get me back for…well never mind that. Or Thomas, I bet it was Thomas. You have to watch those quiet ones. Whoever it was, just tell them we had a hardy laugh and get lost.” Myles pushed the walk button repeatedly trying to get the light to change.

“You know pressing that button a hundred times isn’t going to do any good. You’re just going to wear it out. The lights are programmed by a computer and…”

“Okay it was Tara – you sound jd\geekish enough to be a cronie of hers.”

“You really are a rude, belligerent man,” the angel rebuked, her wing feathers clearly ruffled. “Well, that’s why I’m here. To turn your heart. It has come to my attention through the Department of Divine Powers, that you are at a crossroads in your life and frankly, you’re heading down the wrong road. Hence God has sent me to tell you…”

“Silence! We may have to stand at this infernally slow red light together but we do not need to converse,” Myles said rudely.

“I don’t believe you understand what you’re saying or who you’re saying it too…I have powers…”

Myles flashed his creds, “Yeah, well so do I, and unless you want to spend the night enjoying the fine hospitality of an FBI holding cell, I suggest you shut up!”

“Excuse me? Excuse me!” the angel levitated in her anger. Myles frowned noticing her rise to his eye level. What kind of trick was this?

“It isn’t a trick, you cretin, it’s a God given talented. It comes with the wings. And yes I can read your mind, pull out your thoughts – disgusting as they might be. Why the Department picked you out as worthy of Divine Intervention, I will never know, but here we are destined to work together for the good of mankind this Christmas season. So get with the program, buster and listen up.”

Myles turned his back and walked away. He would cross over to the Hoover Building down the block. The extra walk in the biting wind would be worth it to get away from that lunatic.

“Okay – no more gentle persuasion here. I’m pulling out the big guns,” the angel warned as a mighty wind picked up and pushed Myles backwards, pinning him to a lamppost. Myles had the presence of mind to reach for his gun.

“I am armed and…” he started to say, only to have the gun whisked from his fingers by some unseen force.

“You dare to draw a gun on an angel?” She was in a royal snit now. “Hello – you do know you can’t kill us, right? What a waste of time. And you with a Harvard education! Listen, mister, you might not like it any more than I do, but we’re stuck together with this assignment and you can either make it easy on yourself or harder. Either way, you don’t say no to God, got that?”

“You are delusional; probably psychotic and definitely an escapee from a lunatic asylum, if they have such things any more. And they should with people like you roaming the streets…” Myles said trying to struggle against the restraining wind. Why wasn’t anyone coming to his aid? There were bound to be agents out on their lunch breaks.

“No one is going to help you because no one can see us. Part of the powers invested in me by the Department. Now, as I was saying, we have an assignment. You need to sort your life out…and in the process help your friends and associates see the true meaning of Christmas. You do that, and I’ll get a promotion and you’ll go down the right road and much happier trust me. So…”

“Trust you – a violent angel? More like a Viking – running rampant through the streets, accosting innocent people…”

“Innocent is hardly an adjective I’d use to describe you Leland,” the angel scorned unangelically. “You know, you’re really annoying me. And when I get annoyed I end up doing crazy things. It’s my worse fault.”

“Is that a threat? Again totally angelic. Which side were you on again? I ‘m having a difficult time figuring that out based on your actions…” Myles felt a whoosh shoot through his body, he felt his insides churning and twisting as he spiraled downwards and landed on all fours. “Arf?”

“Much better,” the angel sighed in satisfaction. “I told you it could be easy or hard, depending on you. Guess you just chose the hard path. Here’s the deal. You want to return to your human form? Well, there’s only one way to do that. Change the tides of Christmas. Make a difference, give a gift beyond monetary value. Find the true meaning behind the glitz and I might just turn you back. Go on now – off you go. Oh and I’ll stop by periodically to check up on your progress,” the angel added, looking down at the furiously barking little dog. “Don’t even think about biting me. I’ll give you a shock,”

Myles ignored her warning and sank his teeth into an ankle. Electricity shot through his body, and frizzed his fur. Yelping he let go and watched her vanish, leaving him suddenly dodging the large and dangerous feet of people hurrying by. He scurried out the way and huddled in the entranceway of a deli. The aromas coming from the place seemed to more pungent -- much more interesting from down here. He pressed his nose against the glass and let out a yelp of surprise as he saw his reflection for the first time. That witch of an angel had turned him into a Dandie Dinmont Terrier!

~*~*~

Part One to follow!

~*~*~*~

Myles sat and looked at his reflection, he raised his arm towards it hoping to see a human arm in his reflection, but instead a small grey paw reached out and touched the glass in the window. He grumbled, which sounded like a low growl.

He stood stomping his paw in fury, how dare an angel change him into a dog! He was Myles Leland the third for goodness sakes, the Leland family was upstanding in the community, worked for charity, shared their blessings, well their monetary ones with those less fortunate than themselves. He worked for the F.B.I, saving his country on a regular basis with his friends and colleagues, what more could God want from him?

An angelic voice whispered in his ear, “Find the true meaning of Christmas.”

True meaning of Christmas, he thought sulkily to himself, what rot! It was a time of year for the shops to make a killing, profits to soar and greedy children to make ever increasing demands on their parents for the latest toy.

He shivered in the cold, as the wind rustled through his fur, fur indeed; he never thought he’d be thinking about fur, well unless it was as part of a coat or rug.

“Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas,” called a man dressed as Santa as he walked along the street shaking a small bell in one hand and holding a collection can in the other. “Help give children in care a magical Christmas,” he added shaking the collection can.

An elderly woman paused, reached into her purse and pulled out a five dollar bill and pushed it into the can, she looked up at the Santa and smiled.

“Thank you, the children will appreciate it. Have a very Merry Christmas.”

“Thank you, you too,” replied the elderly woman before she headed off into the snow, pulling her scarf up around her neck to keep out the biting winds.

Well, I can’t sit here all day, I guess I need to do something unless I want to stay like a little long haired rat, he thought grumpily noticing something moving out of the corner of his eye. He turned quickly trying to catch whatever was waving at him. Finally he launched forward with his teeth bared and grabbed the strange looking thing, he sank his teeth in and a shooting pain suddenly coursed through him. “Ouch!” he shouted, but the passers by only heard a yelping sound.

“Mommy look at the doggy, it’s chasing its tail!” called a little boy to his mother as he passed Myles.

Myles hung his head with shame, of all the ridiculous things to do! He had been chasing his own tail, was he doomed to inherit the habits of a dog too!

He heard a chuckling sound from above him, “I think I’m going to enjoy working with you, Myles,” the angel said, her head appearing briefly a huge smile on her face.

“I don’t know what you’re laughing at, that hurt and I most certainly will not be doing that again! Now I demand that you turn me back, I have a job to do!”

“I will not be turning you back until you’ve finished the job God has asked you to do, so I suggest you get used to your new body and shape and think about how you’re going to make a difference and find the true meaning of Christmas. Otherwise you’re going to find yourself walking on all four paws forever!”

“I’m sure God wouldn’t let you keep me in dog form forever, you wouldn’t be upholding your part of the job, would you?” he asked a slight nervous twinge to his voice.

“God has given me absolute power over this case, he supports my decision. However, if you do feel that you’ve been treated unfairly the Department has a complaints section, although you can’t actually make a complaint until the twenty sixth of December.”

“Why do I have to wait seven days in order to make a complaint?” he demanded, his tail wagging fervently.

“Well this is a holy week, all angels in the Department are on assignment, how I ended up with you is beyond me, Christmas Day is the most important day in our calendar and we have a day of rest to celebrate. Normal working hours commence on the twenty sixth.”

“Normal working hours! You’re an angel, you don’t work!”

She tutted, “What do you call this? A vacation? I can assure you this would not be my choice of vacation, I’d rather be working the prison wing assignment this year than working with you at the moment. You are a pompous know it all who does not appreciate the simple things in life, if it hasn’t got a large price tag then it’s not important to you.”

Myles thought for a moment and hung his head, “That’s a very low opinion of me you have.”

“Well it’s one you portray very well, it’s amazing you’ve got any friends at all, but I know you have six very good friends who care for you and you have your sister who loves you.”

Myles raised his head, “I’m not very easy to know, am I?”

“Well if the first impression you made with me is your standard form of introduction I’d say you’d win the Olympic gold medal for pig headedness and rudeness. But that’s just my opinion. God must see something worthwhile hiding in there,” she appeared and pointed to his heart, “Otherwise he wouldn’t have sent me to help you.”

“How do I go about changing this?” he asked raising his paw and pointing at himself as best he could, as his paw didn’t move how his arm once had.

“You do what God wants, you find the true meaning of Christmas and along the way you help your friends find happiness too, you need to give an unconditional gift.”

“Well that’s going to be very hard without not being able to communicate, isn’t it?”

“I’m sure you’re up to the challenge, if not get used to those whiskers and that tail,” she grinned before disappearing into the air. “Remember you’ve got seven days and I’ll be with you every step of the way, if you need me just growl!”

Growl indeed, he thought to himself. He wandered over to the crossing and waited for someone to press the button; he’d wander over to the Hoover building and see what was happening, perhaps he could talk to Levi?

A woman pressed the button and the walk sign appeared, Myles trotted along at her side, safely to the other side of the road.

As he walked along the street he had to have his wits about him, avoiding a forest of feet as they scurried on their way. At one point he nearly got squashed by a baby stroller that suddenly appeared on the street from an office building.

Doesn’t anybody bother to look where they’re going? He asked himself quietly as he avoided an elderly man with a walking stick.

Finally he arrived at the Hoover building and tried to push open the door with his nose, the first attempt made little impact on the door. He reversed back and ran at the door, bouncing off the glass and landing on his bottom. Humbug, he mumbled.

He decided he’d need another plan, so he sat by the door and looked through the glass into the foyer waiting for someone to either enter or leave.

Getting through the door would be relatively easy if someone opened it for him, avoiding security would be difficult, it wasn’t as if he was Levi the wonder dog who had his own I.D. badge, Myles was a little mongrel, well a pure bred mongrel, he could be nothing but a pure bred, he would have to be a little sneaky. He needed to find the safest route to the bullpen; perhaps there someone would take pity on him. As he waited he decided to practise his puppy dog expressions and carefully tried each one out by watching his reflection.

He was so caught up in the range of expressions he could create that he nearly missed his opportunity to access the building. Cook from white collar was exiting the building and opened the door wide enough for Myles to quickly scoot through his legs and hide behind a large cheese plant in the foyer.

Myles sat behind the plant peeking between the foliage to observe the foyer, the Receptionist was sat behind her desk typing away on her computer, apart from her there was currently no one else in the foyer, except for the security guard who was reading the morning paper.

The elevators were on the other side of the foyer to the right of the Receptionist’s desk. There was another cheese plant about two metres away from the one he was currently hiding behind, if he could dash to that one, he could walk in front of the Receptionist’s desk, she wouldn’t see him and all he had to hope was that the Security Guard didn’t look up from behind his paper.

On the count of three Myles dashed from behind one cheese plant and safely made it to the next. He paused briefly to catch his breath. He checked the security guard; he was still reading his newspaper. Myles inhaled deeply and dashed along the edge of the Receptionist’s desk and headed towards the pot plant that was between the elevators. He sat and watched the level indicators on the elevators and wished for a moment that the angel had turned him into a Great Dane; at least he would have been able to press the button with his paw, although stealthy movement might have been a little more difficult.

A beep announced the arrival of the elevator, Myles launched himself inside as soon as the doors opened and he skilfully avoided the only pair of feet inside the elevator.

The doors closed.

The elevator didn’t move.

Myles shook his head, he’d forgotten about how he would work the elevator once he was inside. How long would he have to wait for someone to call the elevator to the seventh floor?

Myles moved to the corner and laid down, his head on his paws.

“Would you like a little angel intervention?” the melodic angel’s voice echoed in the elevator.

Myles was tempted to retort, haven’t I had enough for one day, but bit his tongue, saying instead, “Thank you, I’d appreciate a little help.”

“Humility, my my. Looks like you’re learning from your four legged experiences so far.”

Myles grumbled slightly.

“Don’t spoil it Leland, now what floor do you want?”

“Seven, please.”

“What lovely manners you have for a dog,” the angel replied appearing briefly to press the illuminated number seven on the wall of the elevator.

“It’s all in the breeding,” Myles retorted, sitting as the elevator began to move.

“Have you worked out what you’re going to do yet?” she asked, floating in the air, apparently sitting on a little white fluffy cloud.

“Haven’t a clue, but I’m hoping my friends will help.”

The angel smiled, “I’m sure they will.”

“Won’t they miss me?” He asked her suddenly.

“Oh that’s all been taken care of. I made a phone call on your behalf, booked a week’s vacation for you, you’re due back to work on the twenty sixth of December, or earlier if you carry out your side of the bargain.”

“You’re an angel who thinks of everything aren’t you?”

“Yep, that’s why I’m the top angel in the Department.”

“At least I get the very best,” he replied sarcastically.

“You’re a Leland, Myles did you think you’d get a newbie? You’re caustic charm would have brought a newbie to her knees within milliseconds of meeting you.”

“A newbie wouldn’t have turned me into a dog.”

“No, I dare say she wouldn’t have, but you’d have been travelling a road you’re not destined to travel. The dog is a better option than the other road, trust me.”

“I’m having trust issues at the moment.”
“Well when you’re trust issues are resolved you’ll understand what I mean.”

“You’ve got to always be right as well, haven’t you?”

“It comes with the job,” she winked just as she disappeared.

The elevator stopped moving and the doors opened on the seventh floor, Myles quickly darted out of the elevator and hid behind yet another potted plant. Thank goodness for the F.B.I’s interior decorator, these plants are a godsend.

He just had to dart down the corridor without being seen and then he could sneak into the bullpen.

He paused, who could he approach? Sue, well she certainly is dog friendly, as is Jack, well Jack likes Levi, that might just be because he likes Sue, Myles thought. Bobby, well he liked Togo, so I stand a chance with him, but he’d never respond to my wishes, would he? D, well he’s straight thinking and he’s got a very level head, but Tanya, no I couldn’t live under the same roof as Tanya she’d probably serve me as a main course by mistake, or kill me with kindness. Lucy, sweet Lucy, she likes Levi, but I don’t think I could be that close to her in my current form, it’s hard enough being around with her in my human form, let alone in cute doggy form.

Tara, it’s got to be Tara. She’s bright, intelligent, and funny and loves cute things. I think I stand a chance with her helping me; she’s also very into the Christmas spirit so I might be able to learn something from her.

Okay, decided, Tara it is. Just need to sneak to her desk, make pretty puppy dog eyes at her and she’ll be putty in my hands, rather paws.

Myles inhaled deeply and dashed for the bullpen door and hurtled under Tara’s desk, cowering behind her trash can.

He peered around the edge of the trash can and looked at her empty chair, where was she?

He was going to have to wait, so he might as well make himself as comfortable as he could, he snuck out from behind the trash can and pulled the cushion Tara kept in her chair onto the floor with his teeth and pulled it behind the trash can. He stepped onto the cushion and began to walk around in a circle, pushing the stuffing with his nose until he made a dent in the middle. Satisfied he laid down, curling his tail under his body and resting his head on his paws.

His eyelids felt heavy and his paws were cold, he altered his body so that his front paws were tucked beneath him, he sighed and allowed sleep to claim him.

Strangely he dreamt of dancing bones dressed in pretty elf costumes, he sighed contentedly in his sleep as he chased the bones around the beautifully decorated Christmas tree.

~*~*~*~

ditto!!

wonderfully cute!!

/me loves this!!

I love that someone's doing this option, and cranky Myles is too funny.

Dog instincts are kicking in, Myles !

I hope Tara takes pity on you ...


Good job, Sairs

Hoorah! Myles as a dog!!! I collapsed with when he started chasing his tail! Can't wait for more.

kav

uh-oh....he'd better steer clear of fire hydrants, or else he will be mortified for life! :whistle:

great start, Sairs!! I'm loving it!!
I hope Tara will help him...

enjoying your story waiting to see what adventures Myles gets up to as a dog.

Pure Dead Brillant.....

Part two

~*~*~*~

Tara hurried into the bullpen, she was running late from lunch, but she’d seen the most adorable hat to wear to the Christmas Eve party and she just had to buy it, unfortunately there was a long line in the store and she was now running late.

She quickly hung her coat on the coat rack and quickly sat in her chair. As soon as her bottom hit the uncomfortable springs in the chair she bounced back up. Curious, she thought, where’s my cushion gone?

She glared at Bobby’s desk and chair and quietly made her way over to his desk, she peered into the foot well and in his chair, but couldn’t see her cushion.

“Lost something?” a familiar voice asked from behind her.

She felt herself redden with embarrassment, she stood and turned to look at him, “Bobby, I was looking for my cushion, have you seen it?”

He shook his head, “What’s makes you think it was under my desk?”

“The fact that most of my stationery items end up on your desk made me wonder whether my cushion fancied a change of scenery.”

“Well, it’s not over here, sorry.”

“It’s okay, I’ll keep looking,” she replied as she headed back to her desk. This time she sat more gracefully into her chair avoiding the uncomfortable springs.

Sighing she picked up her pencil and began to study the file she’d been working on before lunch.

~*~*~*~

The bones danced and twirled before him, taunting him with their beauty, he couldn’t resist a moment longer and launched at them, pinning one to the ground and savouring the taste as he licked it hungrily.

Myles’ stomach groaned and woke him from his pleasant dream.

He looked around him and for a moment was at a complete loss as to where he was. Suddenly he remembered the angel and he looked down at where his arms should be and saw two grey furry paws. He grumbled, it wasn’t a dream he was still a furry dog.

He sat up on his cushion, which he had to admit had made a perfect impromptu bed, much better than the cold linoleum floor. He suddenly noticed a pair of black shoes with Winnie the Pooh socks peeking out between the shoes and bottom of the trousers the owner was wearing. Tara, he thought excitedly, she’s back.

His heart sunk, now how exactly was he going to introduce himself to her. He thought for a moment nothing amazing popping into his brain, he thought he’d try something his instincts were telling him to try.

He stood and crept forward on his tummy, keeping his body as low to the ground as doggily possible and reached her feet. His nostrils were accosted by the wonderful smell of leather, his mouth watered as he thought of chewing on the leather, playing with the shoes. He shook his head, shaking the doggy instincts away.

Shoes are for wearing, not chewing he reminded himself. If he ever got out of this predicament he was going to have a new respect for Levi, he hadn’t realised being a dog was so challenging.

With his clear mind he crawled forward and gently brushed his head against Tara’s legs. Her reaction was not what he expected.

~*~*~*~

Tara was lost in her report when she felt something brush past her legs, without thinking she leapt into the air and sat on the edge of her desk, a scream escaping her lips.

Bobby hurried over to her, “Tara, what on earth is the matter?” he asked, concern evident on his face.

“There’s a rat under my desk, I felt it rub past my legs.”

“A rat?” Bobby paled, “We don’t have rats at the F.B.I.”

“Well I think we do now. Are you going to take a look?” she asked pulling her feet up under her, so that they rested on her desk.

“Me?”

“You’re an agent with the F.B.I aren’t you?”

“So are you?” he replied sulkily.

She had to think for a moment for a comeback, “Well I am an agent but you’re the big brave bomb disposal person, I’m a lowly communications specialist.”

He smiled wanly, “You have such a way with words, okay I’ll look, but if it runs at me I’ll shoot it.”

Tara rolled her eyes, “If you shoot at the rat you’re bound to miss and make a hole in my desk. If it is a rat we call in the professionals, those who have methods of humanely removing said creatures.”

“You mean poison,” he replied as he began to edge his way around her desk.

“Poison is not humane, I was thinking of a cage with cheese inside then releasing the rat on the banks of the Potomac so that it can make friends and live happily ever after.”

Bobby rolled his eyes, “Only you, Tara.”

“Now are you going to look?” she demanded, preparing to leap towards Lucy’s desk if the need arose.

“On the count of three are you ready?”

She nodded.

“One…Two…Three…”

~*~*~*~

Myles watched in horror as Tara’s legs disappeared and she screamed. What on earth was she doing? Did she not realise he was a cute and furry dog?

He heard Bobby come towards them and then he heard a conversation about rats. He wasn’t a rat! Then he heard Bobby mention shooting the rat. Myles began to panic, he retreated further behind the trash can and sat on the cushion hoping that Bobby wasn’t trigger happy, because if he was he wouldn’t be finishing his task, he’d be working either for the Angels or on the other side and that definitely wasn’t worth thinking about.

He whined pitifully to himself and uttered a silent request to God.

~*~*~*~

On the count of three Bobby hurried around Tara’s desk and peered underneath the foot well looking for a rat. After a few seconds he noticed the end of a small grey tail poking out from behind Tara’s trash can.

He stood and looked at Tara, “There’s definitely something under there, but unless it’s a mutant rat, I don’t think it’s vermin. Perhaps something tasty will encourage it out from under there. Do you think there are some doughnuts left from this morning?”

Tara shrugged her shoulders, “Are you sure it’s not a rat.”

“Pretty sure. Why don’t you wait there while I go and get some food?”

She nodded, “I have nowhere else I need to be right at this moment and surprisingly this desk is very comfortable.”

Bobby walked over to the kitchen area and looked in the box that had been full of doughnuts that morning, fortunately there was a small jelly filled one left. He picked it up and broke it up into several pieces and placed them on a small saucer. He carried the saucer back to Tara’s desk and showed her his handiwork.

She glanced at the saucer and sarcastically said, “Did you want to give whatever it was a napkin and cutlery to go with it?”

Bobby grinned, “It’s not a big animal under there and I didn’t want it to choke whilst trying to eat a whole doughnut at once. Because knowing you if it’s cute and it stopped breathing you’d want me to carry out CPR on it.”

“How thoughtful,” she replied a smile gracing her lips, “And I hope you know your CPR because you never know it might be allergic to doughnuts.”

“Okay, here goes,” Bobby replied as he slowly bent down and placed the saucer next to the trashcan.

~*~*~*~

Myles heard every word of Tara and Bobby’s conversation, he’d shook with distaste at the thought of Bobby giving him CPR, Lucy would have been more than acceptable, Tara would have been okay, but there would be no way Koala boy would ever be practising his CPR technique on him, even if he was currently in doggy form.

Then he heard the gentle clatter of a plate being placed on the floor and the delicious aroma of a doughnut wafting into his nostrils. His stomach growled as the aroma travelled through his body. He sat and contemplated his next move. He could sit there, hide and possibly starve or he could stealthily head out from behind the trash can and catch a nibble of doughnut.

He weighed up his options and finally decided that the second one had more to gain than lose.

He inhaled deeply and counted to three before gently standing and began to gently tiptoe out from behind the trash can and headed towards the plate of delicious doughnut.

Just as he reached the doughnut he felt a pair of hands grasp his body and lift it quickly from the ground, the delicious looking doughnut still sitting on the saucer below him. He growled in frustration, silly people, couldn’t they have let him taste one morsel?

He turned his head towards the person who had him in his hands, Bobby, I might have guessed he said to himself and rolled his eyes.

~*~*~*~

“Tara, it’s coming, it obviously likes doughnuts,” Bobby whispered from behind her chair.

“Don’t you hurt it,” she warned, changing position on the desk so that she could peer over the edge and see underneath it.

“I wouldn’t dream of hurting it, now keep quiet, when it gets to the saucer I’ll catch it.”

“My hero,” Tara replied a tinge of sarcasm dancing through her words.

“Got it!” Bobby exclaimed as he grasped the small furry animal and lifted it up so that he could clearly see what he’d found.

Tara watched as Bobby lifted up an adorable little grey dog, the dog however growled with frustration and looked at Bobby.

“Did it just roll it’s eyes at me?” Bobby asked.

“I don’t know, but I guess he’s a little ticked because you grabbed him before he could eat. But he’s a cute little fellow isn’t he?” She asked holding out her hands to take the little dog from Bobby.

Bobby noticed her outstretched arms and handed the little bundle of fur to her, “You hold him, I’ll pick up his plate of doughnut and we’ll see if we can find out how the little guy got in here.”

“Well however he got in here, he has to stay for a while, because he hasn’t got a collar or tag. I think I’ll look after him, we can’t send him to the pound for Christmas. He can come home with me.”

Bobby shook his head, “Your heart is far too big, Ms. Williams. Let’s hope the little guy is grateful,” he replied holding out a small morsel of doughnut.

Myles eagerly accepted the tasty morsel and licked his lips after he had devoured it.

“I think he loves jelly doughnuts, just like Levi,” Tara replied, scratching the little dog’s neck.

“I wonder what Levi will make of the newest addition to the bullpen?” Bobby asked offering the dog another piece of doughnut.

“Well when Sue and Jack return we can find out, but for now I guess we’ll have to think of a name for him,” she paused, thinking. “What about Fluffy?” she asked the little dog, turning him in her hands so she could see his face.

Myles rolled his eyes, Fluffy indeed; he needed a name with dignity, history, since when was Fluffy anything other than, well, fluffy?

Tara giggled, “He just rolled his eyes at me, and he must be a talented dog. Fluffy isn’t suitable for such an intelligent dog.”

“See I told you he could roll his eyes, I don’t think I’ve ever met a dog before who can roll his eyes, growl, glare and stare but not roll them. How about Elvis, after the king?”

Tara giggled and the dog growled, “I don’t think he likes that one either. How about Hoover after the building?”

Again Myles growled, couldn’t they think of anything sensible, what was wrong with Charles or Henry?

Tara looked again at the little dog, he had floppy grey ears and beautiful brown eyes, but it was the ears that caught her attention, “How about Charlie?” she asked, “After Prince Charles.”

Myles wagged his tail, that was more like it.

“I think he likes it,” Bobby pointed out noticing the furious wagging of the dog’s tail. “Why Prince Charles though?”

Myles puffed up his chest thinking that Tara was about to mention his breeding and he must be pure bred and only a royal name would do, but his heart sank as she explained her theory.

“Well it’s all to do with his ears, they’re a little big and floppy on such a small diminutive dog, in a strange way they remind me of Prince Charles, don’t ask me why, but it was a name that seemed to suit him.”

“Charlie it is then,” Bobby replied and gently patted the grey terrier on the head.

Myles hung his head with shame, was there anything else that could make this torture get worse?

A giggling from above him made it worse, “Charlie, heh? Not because you’re royal either but because of your ears!” the angel gloated from her cloud.

“You’re really enjoying this aren’t you?” he muttered under his breath.

“It’s the best entertainment I’ve had in centuries, just wait until I give my report on the twenty sixth, it’ll go down in angel history.”

“Just what I’ve always wanted, to go down in history,” he replied caustically.

“Would you like a drink of water, Charlie?” Tara asked him as she gently scratched under his chin.

Whatever, thought Myles, becoming increasingly annoyed by the scratching and patting, however, dogs put up with it, he wondered as a saucer of water was suddenly thrust under his nose by Bobby.

“Enjoy your water,” called the angel before she disappeared.

A strong malt whisky would have been more appropriate, Myles thought as he tried to work out how he used his tongue to drink the water.

~*~*~*~

i couldn't tell you what my favourite bit was as i loved it all...ALL of it I say...

Just too funny ... but the thought of Tara asking Bobby to give the poor little doggy CPR was priceless ... not that Myles approved ... even more priceless ... don't choke on the water, Charlie !!!

too funny!! I'm sure Myles..erm...Charlie has a lot to get used to...
walking on four, wagging his tail, eating without hands or paws...

Myles...or should I say Price Charles a.k.a Charlie...

~*~*~*~

Myles sat on the cushion under Tara’s desk, a bowl of water to his left and three pieces of doughnut on a plate to his right. He looked mournfully at the bowl of water, however hard he tried he couldn’t’ get his tongue to work properly. How did dogs manage to drink? Every time he slipped his tongue into the water he tried to curl the end and lap up the water but so far he had only managed to soak his fur. When he had tried whilst in Tara’s arms he’d missed entirely and the few drops of water he’d managed to balance on his tongue had dripped back into the bowl before ever reaching his mouth.

Bobby at that point had made a comment about his technique, with which he’d been forced to reply with a growl. How could Koala boy understand the indignity of his current position, he had wanted to shoot him ten minutes earlier. He’d certainly have to have words with him when he could actually speak again.

Myles once again returned to his vigil, staring at the bowl of water.

~*~*~*~

Levi plodded into the bullpen following Sue and Jack, he looked at both of them and lifted his head slightly in a swift movement, being with them day in and day out was driving him loopy, why couldn’t they tell each other that the cared for each other? He wondered lying down next to Sue’s desk. Surely humans weren’t that blind, were they? Even Mrs. Foster’s cat had commented the other morning in the park when he’d been chasing her that his owner and her friend were so obviously in love that everyone was talking about them and how stupid they were because all they did was smile at each other. Apparently it was the talk of the animal neighbourhood.

Levi was embarrassed, there was nothing worse than being taunted by a cat, especially a cat who had managed to escape from his grasp and head up a very tall tree. Levi groaned as the image of the cat sitting in the tree talking to him appeared in his mind.

A growling from behind Tara’s desk caught his attention; he lifted his head from his paws and cocked his head, listening for the sound again. A few minutes later he heard it again, he began to inhale deeply, a few seconds later he could sense it, a competitor in his bullpen. It wasn’t Togo, but somehow the scent was familiar.

Curiosity getting the better of him, he stood and plodded over to Tara’s desk, sneaking around the edge of her desk and placing his nose under the desk, his nose was a few centimetres from another little black nose that belonged to a small grey face, with brown eyes and the small dog was looking intently at him.

~*~*~*~

Myles heard Sue and Jack’s voices as they entered the bullpen; he sat on his cushion and wondered if he would actually be able to communicate with Levi. His first instinct was to rush out from the desk and head towards Levi and demand that he tell him how he had survived as a dog for so long and how on earth he managed to drink water from a bowl. Just as he stood up another thought entered his mind, what if Levi didn’t like him and did something that might seriously damage him, after all Levi was now about ten times bigger than he was. He shuddered, being a dog was difficult, more difficult than he’d ever considered, he’d certainly be defending dogs in the future, he would never say ‘It’s a dog’s life’ again, because at this very moment in time he wanted nothing more than to be human again.

In frustration he growled before he could stop himself, he growled again. He heard Levi plodding towards him, his moment of truth was rapidly approaching, please let Levi be friendly, he begged silently.

He closed his eyes and felt his heart pounding in his chest, his tail began to wag nervously, well he hoped it was his tail wagging, but he wasn’t brave enough to open his eyes to look.

“Hello,” a low voice stated, causing Myles to open his eyes, he found Levi looking at him, poking his head under Tara’s desk.

“Hi,” Myles replied nervously.

“Why are you here?” Levi asked, poking his head further under the desk.

“Levi, I’m here because some angel of the lord decided I needed to be taught a humiliating lesson and low and behold I’m here, sitting under Tara’s desk trying to work out how to drink water from a bowl.”

Levi shook his head, trying to shake out the confused rambling he’d just heard, the tone of voice sounded familiar to him, “Do I know you?” he asked.

“Levi, it’s me!” Myles exclaimed.

“Me, who?” asked Levi, still confused.

“Myles Leland the third!”

“But Myles is a human and you’re certainly not, you have a tail and fur.”

“Look, Levi, I might have fur and a tail, but I am most certainly Myles Leland the third, I’ve sat at the desk over there for the last six years, two and a half years before you and Sue arrived and since you both arrived Jack has been putty in Sue’s hands.”

“You noticed that too,” Levi replied, still trying to work out why the little dog thought he was Myles when certainly he looked nothing like the frightening and rude human.

“I know you love jelly doughnuts and you have a stuffed rabbit.”

Levi grumbled, “You haven’t touched my rabbit, have you?”

“Wouldn’t dream of touching your chewed remnants of a rabbit, I don’t know where your mouth has been.”

There was definitely something familiar about the tone of voice, perhaps it was Myles but how? Humans do not turn into dogs, do they?

“Honestly! I’m stuck in the body of a dog, my angel is taunting me and the only other person; well dog on the planet who understands me is a golden retriever who chases a stuffed rabbit! I’m royally stuffed.”

“There’s nothing wrong with chasing a rabbit, it’s very therapeutic, especially when Jack and Sue throw it.”

“Well if you see me chasing a rabbit, I want you to growl at me.”

“Don’t worry growling will be the least of your problems if you go anywhere near my rabbit.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, I value my life far too much.”

“Good. Now if you’re really Myles, where’s your angel?”

“Somewhere up there,” Myles nodded towards the sky. “She’s in hiding at the moment.”

“Well it seems a rather strange story to me, and believe me I’ve heard plenty of strange stories in my time, especially the time I spent in the pound.”

“You were in the pound?” Myles shuddered at the thought of being in a cage surrounded by dogs.

“Yes, the pound. Was there for a while before the service dog people found me and trained me. It was a tough time.”

“I can imagine. Now I have a very important question.”

“What’s that, Myles?” Levi asked sitting in front of him.

“How do you drink water with your tongue?”

Levi shook his head, “What?”

“How do you drink water with your tongue?”

Levi stepped towards the bowl and began to explain, Myles was listening carefully as he explained each step.

Two minutes later Myles was happily drinking water from a bowl, wagging his tail and grateful for the friend he’d just made in Levi.

~*~*~*~

Levi talks!!!!! WOOT!!!!

so going to LOVE THIS.........

It was an amazing post...so many possibilities...
I always knew dogs to talk

Myles as a four legged canine????

Wonder if he has fleas??

Myles arguing with Levi

Sorry I took so long in posting the next part, I wanted to finish the story I had going in the Works in progress section first, couldn't write angst and humour at the same time it made my head hurt!

~*~*~*~

Sue was curious as she watched Levi approach Tara’s desk. Had he hidden his rabbit there? She stood and walked over to Tara’s desk and saw the small grey dog cautiously lapping water from a saucer.

“Hey, Levi, found a new friend?” she asked her dog quietly as she scratched his head.

Levi turned to look at her and moaned.

“He’s cute isn’t he, I wonder who he belongs to?” she reached out and patted the small grey dog; the movement must have surprised him because his nose went straight into the water, causing him to snuffle and sneeze when he pulled his head back. Sue giggled, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you!”

Myles grumbled, why did people say it was a dog’s life? From his current viewpoint it most certainly wasn’t any fun being a dog; in fact it was something from a horror story.

Sue looked up as Tara returned to her desk, “Hi, Tara, who does the cute dog belong to?”

Tara smiled, “I don’t know, he sought of found me, I’ve called him Charlie, after Prince Charles,” she pointed to her ears and Sue nodded in understanding.

Myles grumbled from under the desk and Levi did his best attempt to laugh.

“Found you?”

“Yes, he was hiding under my desk when I returned from lunch, Bobby helped me to capture him, I thought he was a rat at first. But he’s just adorable, I think I’ll take him home with me for Christmas, until I find his owner.”

Sue smiled, “You’ll be able to join Levi and me on our lunchtime walks, I think Charlie will like that!”

“We’d love to join you, but I think I need to go doggy shopping, would you and Levi care to join me after work?”

“We’d love to and I know just the store!”

~*~*~*~

Myles lay next to Levi in the middle of the bullpen watching the others work, they hardly paid them any attention, hurrying from place to place, carrying files, talking and drinking coffee.

“Is it always this interesting?” Myles asked sarcastically.

“Well today is rather a slow day…” Levi replied, before scratching his nose with his paw. “I do like the days when Jack and Sue take me out in the car, I get to see new places and meet new people.”

Myles looked at Levi, “And the rest of the time?”

“I sleep.”

“Sleep?”

“Yep, sleep, it’s a very good way to pass the time, dreaming of bones and rabbits.”

“Bones and rabbits?”

“Yes, nothing better than a nice fresh bone and a furry rabbit, what more could a dog ask for?”

Myles couldn’t think of an answer.

“Mostly my days are the same, wake up, eat, walk with Sue in the park, come here, sleep, go for a walk at lunchtime, eat, sleep, go home, eat, go for a walk and sleep.”

“Don’t you ever get bored?”

“Bored? What’s that, never heard of that before?”

“Fed up, doing the same thing every day.”

“It’s not the same every day, I see different things in the park, yesterday I chased a squirrel, nearly caught it, today I saw a cat; nearly caught that too.”

Myles shook his head, “Not much of a retriever, are you if you can’t catch things!”

“It’s not necessarily the catching things that’s important, it’s the thrill of the chase, using your senses to follow it, running, pouncing and if you’re lucky catching it. But what would I want with a squirrel, or a cat? They’re claws are far too sharp and I value my looks, how could I pout at Sue for ice-cream with a scratch on my nose?”

Myles thought about it for a moment, “It’s much safer then, chasing a stuffed rabbit?”

“Definitely and I can shake the rabbit and growl at it and I know it’s not going to do anything back.”

“So courageousness is not your strong point then?”

“Depends on your perspective, I don’t put myself in danger for the menial things like chasing squirrels and cats, but if Sue, Lucy or any member of our team were in danger and I could help I’d be there in a heartbeat, irrelevant of the danger I could be putting myself in.”

“Very loyal of you,” he paused before asking, “Even me?”

“Myles, you may be rude and pompous and even unkind to my rabbit on occasion, but if you were in danger and there was something I could do, I’d do it.”

Myles smiled as best he could with his doggy features, “That’s very kind of you; I’d do the same for you.”

“Thanks,” Levi replied yawning, “Now I suggest you get some sleep because shopping with Tara and Sue could be a long event.”

“Women and shops are never a good thing, are they?”

“Not if you want to keep to your routine it isn’t.”

“I guess a little sleep wouldn’t hurt,” Myles replied making himself comfortable on the floor.

~*~*~*~

So glad Myles found a kindred spirit !!!

oh god, Sairs....can I quote the entire thing??
It was so brilliant...I wonder if Myles will see things differently
when he'll go shoping with Sue and Tara?
I hope he won't listen to any girl talk...

more...I want more!!

Who'd of thunk it? Myles learning dogese

soooooo funny and perfect.....

~*~*~*~

Myles was enjoying a dream where he was chasing a scrawny looking cat through some rose bushes, when he felt someone touch him. He opened one eye and was greeted by Tara leaning over him patting her hands on her knees.

“Come on Charlie, it’s time to go shopping!” she exclaimed, still furiously patting her hands on her legs.

Myles shook his head, what on earth does she look like, is patting her hands on her legs going to entice me to her, he thought, if she had a piece of doughnut I might be tempted.

She walked towards him, “Are you still tired? You’ve had rather a busy day, shall I carry you?”

Carry me! He stood and began to back away from her before bumping into something hard behind him, he turned to look over his shoulder at Sue’s desk, before he had time to look back, he felt himself being tugged from the ground, a hand mussing up the fur on his head.

“It’s okay, Charlie, I’ve got you. Now come on lets go shopping!”

Myles grumbled.

“There’s no point grumbling, you’ve got to realise your position in society, unfortunately those with two legs are our pack leaders, we have to listen to them,” Levi spoke as he walked beside Tara and Myles.

“Pack leaders, indeed!” Myles retorted, “I’m sure Tara and Sue couldn’t be considered pack leaders in any sense of the word, they’re both too soft!”

“You wouldn’t say that about Sue when she refuses you delicious ice-cream, just because you’ve had too many treats! Or when she insists that you learn new tricks, even when you’re tired. And if she catches you on the bed,” Levi paused, “You’re definitely in the dog house then!”

Myles looked at Sue, “She can be that tough?”

“When she has to be.”

They entered the car lot, “Ooh goodie, we’re going in the car!” Levi called excitedly, picking up his pace and standing eagerly beside Sue’s car.

“I would follow you, but unfortunately my legs are nowhere near the floor!” Myles called after Levi, wishing that he had the power to use his own steam, instead of being reliant upon Tara’s.

Tara stopped at Sue’s car and placed Myles on the back seat next to Levi. Levi sat looking out the window, waiting for his adventure to begin. Myles sat and looked at the arm rest, he couldn’t see out of the window however hard he tried.

He tried to place two paws on the arm rest and peek out of the window but Sue applied her foot to the brake and the sudden stop caused him to lose his balance and he tipped off the edge of the seat and landed on the floor behind Tara, his feet briefly waving in the air before he righted himself.

Tara leaned over the seat, “Oh, Charlie, are you alright?”

Myles grumbled, Levi chortled.

Myles stood and pulled himself back onto the chair, resigned to the fact that he was too short to look out of the window. He lay down and placed his head on his paws.

A small voice above him, caused him to open his eyes, “What are you laughing at?”

“Nothing in particular; but let me say when I present my case on the 26th, I’m sure to win the award for best humorous case of the year,” the angelic melodic voice of his tormentor echoed around him.

“I’m so pleased you’re getting something out of this. The next thing I’ll probably get from this is fleas and if I do, there really will be trouble!” Myles stated through clenched teeth.

“What kind of trouble? Possibly the scratching kind?” The angel replied angelically from above.

“I wasn’t thinking of troubles for me, but of troubles for you. Can angels really fly if they’re featherless?”

“You wouldn’t dare!” exclaimed the angel defensively.

“Wouldn’t you like to know? You’ve not seen doggy Myles in action, I’m getting the killer instinct, and I know I can chase birds and cats, so what difference is a nice feathery angel.”

The angel pouted and then poked out her tongue, “Idle threats, Myles. You wouldn’t hurt an angel, now I believe you’ve arrived outside the Doggy shop. Enjoy!” She called before she disappeared into a puff of smoke.

Myles turned to Levi, “Did you hear her?”

“Who?” Levi replied turning towards the small grey terrier.

“The angel!”

“Angel?” Levi looked around, “Nope can’t say I saw or heard an angel. Anyway they don’t exist, unless you count the one Sue gets out every year and places on the top of the Christmas tree.”

“Oh, Levi, until this morning I didn’t believe, but now I certainly believe in angels!” Myles replied mournfully as he waited for Tara to pluck him from the seat and carry him into the shop.

The rear door opened; and true enough, Tara plucked the little grey terrier and placed her under her arm, she turned towards the shop, Myles couldn’t help but groan at the sign on the store front, Hip Hop Puppy.

I am certainly not hip or hop, but I’ll let you have the puppy part for now, he thought to himself.

The door of the store chimed when Tara opened it and Myles looked around, as best as he could, tucked under Tara’s arms.

He was expecting a few dog leashes and collars, the odd plastic basket. The horror that unfolded before him was intensified by Tara’s sudden squeal of excitement!

“Sue, wouldn’t Charlie look adorable in this little pullover with a Christmas tree on it!” Tara exclaimed plucking the navy pullover from the clothes rack!

Sue smiled, “Are you sure Charlie is the kind of dog who wears pullovers?”

“He’s small and cute and we’ll see. I wonder if they have a changing room?”

Sue laughed, “Tara it’s a doggy store, they don’t need changing rooms, just try it on him and see what he thinks.”

Myles wanted the ground to open up and devour him quickly. He would not be seen wearing a pullover with a Christmas tree on it in human form, let alone doggy form! What was Tara thinking of? Then it hit him, to Tara a dog wearing a jumper was probably perfectly acceptable, he thought back to the previous Christmas when she had arrived to work on the twenty fourth with a red pullover with a picture of Rudolph on the front and a red shiny nose that flashed continually throughout the day.

“Charlie, come on let’s try this on,” Tara cooed as she stood him on the counter and pulled the pullover over his head, and then carefully lifted up his right paw and pulled it through the opening of the sleeve, she repeated the process on his left paw. Then she lifted his right rear paw and slid a piece of knitted cord underneath it and repeated the process with his left rear paw. Then she pulled his tail carefully so that it wasn’t trapped under the pullover.

Myles glared at her.

“Oh, Charlie, you look wonderful, so seasonal. We’ve got to take it. Now what else do we need.”

No more clothes, Myles thought staring at her.

Tara left Myles sitting on the counter as she looked around the store. She selected a blue collar with shiny rhinestones on it and a matching leash. She held them up for Myles to admire, but all he did was stare at her a look of utter disbelief on his face, well he hoped it looked like disbelief, but it didn’t stop Tara shopping.

Tara moved onto the beds, she examined the plastic variety, and then the bean bag kind before settling on a blue racing car, “Charlie, I think this bed is you,” she called holding it up for him to see.

It could be worse, thought Myles looking at the pretty pink four poster bed that was stood next to the car bed.

Then Tara moved on to the toys, she scooped Myles up from the counter and took him to the stuffed animals, “Which one would you like?” she cooed at him, pointing to a rabbit, then to a flower and lastly a monkey.

Myles wanted to shrug his shoulders but all he managed to do was lift his head slightly, who cares he thought, I’m not going to chase any of them.

A low grumbly voice from the floor shouted, “Rabbit! Go with the rabbit!”

Myles looked down at Levi, “If I choose the rabbit, would you like it when I return to human form?”

“Yep, rabbit’s good, my other rabbit could have a friend then.”

“What makes you think you’re going to return to human form?” snorted the angel’s voice from somewhere above them.

“I’ve got to have hope,” Myles retorted before leaning forward and batting the rabbit with his nose.

“You’ve got good taste, Charlie, Levi likes rabbits too,” Tara replied, plucking the rabbit from the display and adding it to her purchases. “Now we just need some food and I think we’re ready to go.”

Thank goodness, thought Myles, I don’t think I could stand much more of this shopping.

Tara sat Myles back on the counter and attached his collar and leash.

The moment Tara finished fastening the collar Myles’ fur was irritated, it was itchy and scratchy, he couldn’t stop his rear right leg from leaping to his neck and scratching, the relief he felt was fantastic that he leant further into the scratch, wonderful he murmured.

Tara giggled, “I guess you’ll just have to get used to your collar, Charlie. Come on time to go.” She plucked him from the counter and placed him on the floor.

Enjoying his moment of freedom he hurried towards the door but was quickly pulled back by something tugging on his neck. The force of the tugging nearly caused him to fall over.

“Don’t forget the leash!” Levi called, after Myles had been jolted back.

“Thanks for the advice!” Myles choked out, between spluttering and coughing.

“I guess you’re going to have to train him to walk on a leash,” Sue advised her friend.

Myles hung his head, could his day get any worse, now he was about to be taught how to walk on a leash! Myles Leland the third walking on a leash! Thank goodness no one other than Levi and the antagonistic angel knew who he really was.

He followed Sue and Tara as they left the store, what joys had Tara planned for their evening he wondered. A bubble bath and hair curlers? An evening walk? Or perhaps a doggy fashion parade? At least they didn’t have a doggy Santa suit; he thought happily, that would really have been scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Unfortunately for Myles, he hadn’t been paying particular attention to Tara’s shopping, because tucked in one of the bags was a small red Santa suit that she’d picked out for him to wear to the Bullpen Christmas Eve party!

~*~*~*~

Here's the inspiration for Myles' jumper, you can find it on www.puccipetwear.com ~ it's amazing what you could dress your dog in! Snuggles just has a bandanna and a lovely pink car, not that she's spoilt!

Hilarious!!!
I see where you get your inspiration from, but I'm glad Snuggles doesn't have to walk down the streets, dressed in Christmas costumes...! The picture of her in her car is so sweet!

trying to compose myself to comment can't quite catch my breath yet if I could just see out of my streaming eyes

Oh forget it! Keep it coming!

I feel so bad for the poor puppy dog..err....I mean Myles!

~*~*~*~

Tara unlocked her apartment door and pushed it open with her foot as she manoeuvred Charlie, her shopping and his basket which she’d tucked under her arm through the door. Fortunately Charlie had learned to walk on his leash without pulling, although she was sure he was looking at her with disdain. He certainly was a funny little dog, in a way he reminded her of Myles, especially with some of his mannerisms.

Finally across the threshold she dropped her bags and let Charlie’s leash go, she closed the door behind her and locked it.

“Okay, Charlie it’s you and me,” she said looking at the little dog, “Why don’t we undo your leash and then you can familiarise yourself with your new home.” She bent forward and unclipped the leash from Charlie’s collar.

She placed Charlie’s basket next to the Christmas tree that she had bought yesterday and placed his stuffed rabbit inside the basket. “Do you want to keep your pullover on, or would you like to take it off?”

Charlie raced towards her and sat before her, his tail wagging. “I guess that means you’d like to take it off?”

Charlie barked.

She leant forward and carefully pulled off the Christmas pullover over Charlie’s head and then ruffled up his fur.

~*~*~*~

Myles couldn’t believe his luck when Tara offered to take off the ridiculous pullover he had, had to wear to her apartment. When they had stepped out of the dog store a woman had nudged her friend and remarked about the cute dog in the Christmas tree outfit. Myles didn’t know where to look, so he hung his head with shame, trying to think of something more pleasant than the day he was having.

He sat on the floor next to the sofa and watched Tara unpack the shopping; she hummed Rudolph the red nosed reindeer as she worked.

Then she went into the kitchen and opened the freezer, she pulled out a package, a ready meal for one and placed it in the microwave, she turned to look at him, “There’s not much point going to the effort of cooking for one.”

Myles empathised with her, cooking for one wasn’t much fun.

Five minutes later the microwave bell rung and Tara removed the steaming platter from the microwave. Before carrying her tray to the table she placed a bowl of dog food on the floor for Myles.

Myles walked with interest to his bowl, the aroma of Tara’s dinner had assaulted his nostrils and had made his stomach growl with hunger. He looked into the little silver bowl and stopped his eagerness for the food diminishing.

He looked at the bowl filled with little brown pellet shaped biscuit, what was Tara thinking? This wasn’t food, this looked like rabbit droppings. He sat down, usually at this time of day he was used to enjoying a freshly prepared dinner, roast chicken, steak, and vegetables, at the thought of the food his stomach growled.

“Don't you like it?” Tara asked as she placed her plate in the sink.

Myles looked at her.

“You have to try it, you can’t say you don’t like something unless you try it,” she cajoled him, scratching his ear.

Myles continued to look at her, would you want to eat it? He thought as he stared at her.

“If you’re a good boy and eat it all up I’ll find you something nice for desert,” she teased.

What one of those little doggy chews Levi has? He thought, shaking his head.

“Well if you don’t eat it you’ll be hungry,” she admonished before heading back to the living area.

Myles continued to stare at the bowl hoping that it would change into a delicious sirloin steak with mash potatoes and carrots, his mouth watered at the thought. Unfortunately his bowl of brown pellets did not transform into the dish he had been fantasising about.

Myles looked over his shoulder towards the living area, did he give up on eating or should he try it, just once, maybe it wouldn’t be that bad.

He stood and bent over the bowl and carefully lifted up a biscuit with his teeth and began to chew slowly, the taste wasn’t awful, but it certainly wasn’t delicious. He continued to chew trying to analyse what the biscuit actually tasted like, he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. But he made a decision, when he finally returned to human form he was going to the best restaurant in town and enjoying his favourite three course dinner.

He ate a few more biscuits before washing down the dry mixture with some water. His hunger abated he returned to the living area to find Tara decorating the small tree in the corner of the room.

He walked over to her and sat beside her watching her as she lifted pretty baubles and hung them on the leaves of the Christmas pine.

“Did you enjoy your dinner?” Tara asked pleasantly.

Enjoy was not the word he would use to describe the food he’d just eaten, he’d remind himself to point that out to her later.

“It’s really nice to have someone to talk to,” she began to chatter to the dog, “I really enjoy work but sometimes it’s hard coming home to an empty house. At least having you here, Charlie it gives me someone to talk to.”

Myles looked at Tara, he didn’t realise she felt so lonely.

“When I was little I always dreamed of falling in love, getting married and living happily ever after,” she paused to scratch Myles’ head. “But that doesn’t seem to be a dream I’m going to achieve anytime soon. At home Christmas was always a magical time of year, spending time with my Mom and Dad, visiting my Grandparents, but now they’re all gone, it’s just me.”

Myles’ heart began to ache, he didn’t realise Tara hadn’t any family, she was always so bubbly and lively, she had never once told him or any of their colleagues that she didn’t have anyone.

“Christmas is always the hardest time of year, but at least this year I’ve got you to share the day with. Maybe I’ll share my Christmas dinner with you too, if you’re a good boy.”

Myles’ mouth watered at the thought of turkey and all of the trimmings, but he still couldn’t get over the fact that Tara was going to be spending the day alone. Even though he didn’t get on with his family particularly well, at least he had a family to spend the day with, and in their own Leland way it was a special day.

Feeling the need to comfort her, he snuggled by her side and was rewarded with a smile of pure joy from Tara.

“Thank you, you obviously knew I needed that. Now what do you think? Will the tree do?”

Myles barked, hoping that Tara would take the bark as a complement to her completely unique Tara way of decorating a tree.

“I agree, Charlie, I think it looks perfect and the Winnie the Pooh angel bear on top looks wonderful. Now why don’t you and I snuggle on the sofa and watch Miracle on 34th Street?”

Myles grumbled in agreement.

Tara turned off the lights and turned the DVD player on, she made herself comfortable on the couch and patted the seat next to her, which Myles jumped up onto and snuggled next to her.

He thought he’d feel uncomfortable, after all she was his work colleague, but in his new form, her closeness helped him to feel some sort of normality in what had been one of the strangest days in his life.

~*~

Tara sighed as the film finished, “I do like a happy ending, Susan got her wish, didn’t she? I wonder if I made a wish whether Santa would deliver?” she asked Charlie dreamily.

Myles wanted to ask what she would wish for, but all he could utter was a grumble.

“If you promise not to think I’m silly I’ll tell you what I’d ask for,” she looked into his eyes and fluffed the fur on his head with her fingers. “Okay, you look like a dog who doesn’t laugh. If I could make a wish for me it would be to have someone who would love me for Christmas.”

At that point Myles’ heart broke.

“I have such a rotten history with men, that I’m seriously considering giving them up. First there was Rob, well it was going okay for a while, but he couldn’t deal with my job. Then there was Stanley, he was kind and intelligent but there wasn’t any spark there at all. Then there was the kiss…” Tara’s eyes clouded and her face took on a dreamy look.

Myles pricked up his ears, kiss? Come on Tara who did you kiss? He was desperate to know. His impatience growing he nudged her arm.

She was brought out of her reverie and looked down at the dog, “You want to hear the rest of my story.”

Myles wagged his tail.

“Well he asked me to go out with him at the last minute, to accompany him on a work function. He arrived in his tuxedo and he looked fabulous. We had a fantastic evening, laughing and talking, I saw him differently. When he drove me home he walked me to my door, we were talking about the band we’d heard that evening and something happened. I looked at him, he looked at me and then we kissed.”

Myles was intrigued; he rested his head on her leg as he waited for more.

Tara’s face changed as the memory unfolded, “Then he told me the kiss made him realise that he was in love with his girlfriend.”

Myles raised his head, and cocked it to one side.

“We talked and agreed to be friends. The problem is. I don’t think I can keep that promise. That kiss opened my eyes and I tasted something that made my heart flip and soar, I think I found someone I can love with everything that I have but he just wants us to be friends. He sees me like a little sister.” She huffed.

Myles nudged her hand with his head and waited for her to stroke him, hoping that it would comfort her. The burning question though, who was Tara talking about.

“His girlfriend moved away about six months ago, but he hasn’t spoken to me about that night and I’m not going to risk what’s left of our friendship on what might be.”

Myles sat upright. Bobby! She had to be talking about Bobby. Maybe there was a way for him to redeem himself; perhaps he could make Tara happy. All he had to do was to get Bobby to tell Tara how he felt, because he had noticed that Bobby had spent an awful lot of his time recently glancing over at Tara, like a love sick puppy. Tara’s little confession had answered a lot of the questions that had been plaguing him. If he didn’t act he could be suffering another three years of Jack and Sue and even they hadn’t sorted themselves out yet.

Maybe he could bring Levi onboard and together they could solve all of their problems, Sue and Jack could be together and Bobby and Tara. Then he could return to his own life and maybe sort it out, because he certainly owed Lucy some humble pie and perhaps when he was human again he could begin to mend bridges.

First thing in the morning he would be talking to Levi. Operation Christmas Present would be underway. All he had to do now was plan.

“Well, Charlie. It’s getting late; I’m going to go to bed. Enjoy your basket, or if you like you can sleep on the couch,” she paused and stroked his fur. “I’m pleased you’re here.” She stood and headed towards her room.

Myles sat on the couch and began to think about how he could help his friends.

~*~*~*~

Sairs, that post was heart breaking and so sadly realistic...

good job...I believe Levi wonder dog and Myles Einstein with a gun
will do wonderful things together!!

Woof! Woof! Come on Myles, fetch Bobby for Tara. Go fetch Bobby!



Such a good boy! Yes, you are!

The shoppingpost ... one word ... FUNNY ...and I almost felt sorry for Myles but it was too comical



Tara's wish post ... so touching ... Myles, you can do something about it

i believe that this challenge is not outwith Myles scope of expertise.....so Myles be a good little doggy and get Tara her man and in the process get Jack and Sue together....

Sairs, I just caught up on your story and I'm loving it!! Myles as a dog is hysterical!!

Even though he started out a little rough, he seems to be thinking about things now!! He and Levi - the matchmakers!!

Can't wait for you to continue!!

Joy

~*~*~*~

Myles trotted into the bullpen and sat by Tara’s desk, watching the door, waiting for Levi and Sue to arrive. He heard the elevator bell ring announcing its arrival, his new hearing was impressive; he listened as footsteps approached, but dismissed it as Sue and Levi because there were definitely only two feet. He sighed, he’d have to work on his patience, he’d never been a very patient human and it didn’t look like he was a very patient dog either.

Bobby strolled into the bullpen whistling ‘Waltzing Matilda’ as he hung up his coat and placed the box of doughnuts on the counter in the kitchen area. He noticed Tara sitting behind her desk, “Morning, Tara, doughnut?”

She looked up from her computer monitor, “Not at the moment, thanks, but by the way Charlie’s eyeing up the box, I think he’d love one.”

Bobby looked down at the little dog, “Guess you’re keeping him, then?”

“He’s all alone for Christmas; we can’t have him out on the street. Look at those sorrowful brown eyes, even you couldn’t evict him.”

Bobby frowned, “I don’t know what you’re hinting at, but I’m not that cruel, at home in Australia I had a dog when I was a boy, my best friend. I admit Bruno was a little larger than Charlie, but still he was one of my best friends.”

Tara smiled, “Bruno, hey? A boy and his dog best friends, I bet you got up to all sorts of adventures.”

He smiled, “Wouldn’t you like to know,” he plucked a jelly doughnut from the box and headed towards Tara and Charlie.

“You’ve seen my interrogation skills, when I start I mean business! Agent Williams always gets to the truth! Just wait one of these days I’ll extract those childhood stories from you and then I’ll know everything I need to know about Bruno.”

“Tara is that a threat or a promise?” he winked at her as he bent down and began to break the doughnut into small pieces for Charlie.

“You’ll just have to wait and see,” she leaned over her desk. “Don’t give him too much, otherwise he might get too excited and we don’t want him leaving any messages in the bullpen.”

Myles rolled his eyes, messages indeed, what does she take me for an unbroken mongrel, doesn’t she recognise the class in this cute terrier face?

“I’m sure he just rolled his eyes again!” Bobby exclaimed, giving Charlie the last piece of doughnut. “The way he ate that it was as if he hadn’t eaten for days. What did you give him to eat last night?”

Tara frowned, “The best dog food they had in the store, although he didn’t eat much of it.”

“Well if it was the best he obviously didn’t like it, perhaps he’s not used to the best in life. Perhaps it was too much too soon. Maybe he’s a leftovers kind of dog.”

“Well you don’t get many leftovers when you’re eating a meal for one,” Tara said before she could stop herself.

Bobby raised his head and looked at her quizzically, “Where’s Stanley?”

Tara began to blush, “Stanley and I broke up a few months ago; our relationship wasn’t really going anywhere.”

He nodded, “I’ve certainly been there and got the tee shirt.”

“So back to meals for one,” she smiled. “Although now I’ve got Charlie I might have to start cooking just so that he eats.”

“Tara, a dog will never starve itself, he’ll eat anything when he’s ready.”

Myles looked at Bobby with a look of sheer disbelief, I will not eat anything Koala boy, you were doing so well at persuading Tara to cook for me and now what are you doing, making her change her mind. Remind me to make you drink the coffee when Jack makes it next time, I’ve been saving you all for years, but now, you’re in for it, he thought angrily.

“Tut, tut, Myles and there was me thinking you were making progress, spreading a little Christmas cheer and love and you go and spoil it with veiled threats!” The lilting voice of the angel surrounded him.

“It was just a little thought, he’s not being very kind to me, I was just returning the favour,” Myles replied haughtily.

“Myles returning favours like that is what got you into this mess in the first place. I was watching last night, you and Tara, you made a connection with her, and you know what needs to be done. Look at them,” the angel briefly appeared and pointed towards Bobby and Tara who were talking about him over Tara’s desk. “They’re both lonely, did you know Bobby spends every Christmas morning speaking to him Mom on the phone, he hasn’t seen her in nearly ten years. Tara has spent the past six years alone at Christmas; neither of them has ever let anyone see their pain at this time of year. They both go home at the end of the day to empty homes, neither of them have any family that are close to them. Look at your life, you have your home, your sister, I know your Mother and Father are hard work, but they love you, as does your Grandmother. Your family may be aristocratic and money orientated but you have your family. There are others in the world who don’t have family, or friends or even a home this Christmas. It’s time you opened your eyes and really begin to see the world as it really is. It’s time for you to change.”

Myles listened carefully to the angel’s speech and it really did make sense, he had so much and yet he gave so little. She was right; it was certainly time for change. “I want to make a difference, will you help Levi and I start with giving the people we care for love this Christmas?”

The angel smiled, “Well love is certainly one present God would approve of and it’s pretty evident that this place is filled with love. I noticed the way Sue and Jack spend their time staring at each other, poor Levi, I heard his conversation with you, I think it’s time we helped him. I’ve also been watching Tara and Bobby, you’re right they do care for each other, if you watch them very carefully you can see the same colour aura floating around them, it’s very rare that two auras match so perfectly but here Tara and Bobby’s match as well as Jack and Sue's,” she paused, “And they’re not the only auras that match.”

Myles raised his head and looked at the angel, “Who else’s’ auras match?”

Her smile widened, “Now that would be telling, I think we’d better wait and see how your first attempt at matchmaking works before we try the third couple, because I think they’re going to be a really difficult challenge.”

Myles tried desperately to think of a third couple but he couldn’t.

“Myles don’t try and think about it, if it’s meant to be it will be, even if it takes a little bit of divine intervention. Now what do you want me to do, but be warned any more veiled threats to me, or anyone else and I’m off the team and you’re left to your own doggish devices.”

Myles attempted to smile, “Okay, we’ve got to get Bobby and Tara to spend some quality time together, to talk. The way the electricity is flying off them over there I’m surprised Tara’s computer monitor hasn’t gone into melt down!”

The angel nodded, “I see what you mean, all we’ve got to do is contrive a little situation where they spend some time together…” she looked deep in thought. “How about the elevator? I heard a couple of people moaning yesterday that they elevator is forever breaking down.”

Myles rolled his eyes, “Would you want your first romantic encounter with your soul mate to take place in an elevator?”

The angel looked at him, “It is not within an angel’s job description to have romantic encounters; we’re personally responsible for God’s plans.”

“And God would be impressed that you trapped two of his subjects in an elevator in the name of love?”

She thought for a moment, “Well it’s not the most original plan I’ve had, but have you got something better under that doggy paw of yours?”

“I might have, let’s wait for Levi and see what we can do. You can show yourself to Levi, can’t you?”

“Why would I want to show myself to Levi?”

“Because if we want his help I think he’s going to need to see in order to believe.”

“As long as it’s only Levi, I am not appearing for anyone else, this mission of course is top secret; by showing myself to Levi I’m breaking one of the rules.”

“Well rules are made to be broken and it is in a very good cause.”

“Good cause it may be, but I can still get into an awful lot of trouble.”

“Not as much as I’m already in.”

“Good point. And Levi can’t really tell anyone else about me, can he?”

“Not unless you count the squirrels and cats he chases, but they’re just going to think he’s losing the plot, like he thought I was yesterday.”

“Okay, I’ll show myself to Levi. Now what’s your plan?”

~*~*~*~

What time does Levi arrive?

Come on Levi, hurry up i want to hear the plan....

(snickers) Myles the matchmaker...
could his aura match the other matchmaker's aura
(aka Lucy...)??

I'm so glad that Levi finally has a kindred spirit to consort with!!!! Those two are going to have way too much fun!!!! And so are we!

kav

I hope so!

~*~*~*~

Myles heard the sound of clicking claws on the laminate flooring and jumped to attention, Levi was here. He stood, felt his tail wagging behind him, he couldn’t believe how annoying the feel of something swishing behind him was, but however hard he tried to stop it, he couldn’t. Another thing to add to his I hate being a dog list that he had been formulating in his mind.

A few moments later Levi padded into the bullpen, following Sue and Jack, “Morning, Myles,” Levi grumbled as he walked by Myles.

Myles followed him and sat next to Sue’s desk, “Morning, Levi. We need to talk.”

Levi yawned, “Talking is so overrated; sleep is what I need. I’ve had rather an exhausting morning, Sue insisted on taking me on a longer walk than normal.”

“Sleep!” Myles yelled, before noticing everyone in the bullpen stopping their work and looking at him. He hung his head and lowered his voice, “Levi, you and I have work to do.”

“Work?” Levi asked lifting his head from his paws.

“You want Sue and Jack to finally admit they love each other, don’t you?”

Levi cocked his head to one side, “Maybe I do, and maybe I don’t. Anyway what can you do about it?”

“It’s not what I can do about it, it’s what we can do about it. You, me and the angel.”

“Angel. What did you have for breakfast, magic mushrooms?”

Myles rolled his eyes, magic mushrooms indeed! “Levi I did not eat any magic mushrooms or anything else except for the delicious jelly doughnut Bobby gave me.”

Levi sat up, “Jelly doughnuts! Bobby gave you a jelly doughnut. What made you chief of the pack! Where’s mine? I’m not being outdone by a little terrier, I’m a working dog after all, and you’re just here to cause problems!” Levi stood and walked towards Bobby and sat beside him, looking at him with his best sorrowful look.

“Want a doughnut too, do you?” Bobby asked, patting Levi on the head. “Guess Charlie told you all about his tasty breakfast and you felt left out.”

Levi groaned; humans were so easy to manipulate at times.

“Okay then, one jelly doughnut coming up. But don’t get sugar on your fur, ‘cause Sue will only tell me off.”

Levi groaned again.

Bobby stood and walked over to the kitchen area, Levi at his heels, he gingerly took the doughnut Bobby offered him and quickly ate it, licking his lips when he’d finished.

“You enjoyed that, boy, didn’t you?” Bobby asked rhetorically, “Now let’s just pretend we didn’t share a doughnut, shall we?”

Again, Levi groaned in agreement, before trotting back to Myles.

“That’s how human manipulation works,” Levi informed his grey little friend.

“Well if you’re so great at human manipulation why haven’t you manipulated Sue into Jack’s hands. You’ve been a witness to the last three years of slow and painful torture they’ve subjected us to.”

“Okay, so I’m good at manipulating humans into giving me delicious food items, but the romance department is not my forte. I’m hoping they’ll get there on their own.”

“And pigs might fly,” Myles looked sternly at his friend, “Believe me, Levi, Jack and Sue are never going to get there on their own, we’ve watched, waited and hoped for three years and I for one am not going to wait for another three or thirty three years. We are going to get them together by Christmas.”

“That’s five days away.”

“Five days is plenty of time, especially with a little divine intervention.”

“Divine what?” Levi asked confusion evident in his voice.

“Intervention…”Myles paused, “Never mind, I want you to meet someone.”

“Who? I don’t see anyone new here today.”

“You don’t see her yet, because she hasn’t come out of hiding.”

Levi inhaled deeply analysing the air, “I can’t smell anything out of the ordinary. There’s no one hiding here.”

Myles shook his head, “Angel! Oh Angel! Show yourself, please.”

Levi looked at Myles with sheer astonishment, “Turning into a dog has completely addled your brain, Leland.”

Myles looked sternly at the retriever, “Addled indeed. There is nothing wrong with my mind, it is in perfect shape.” He looked in the air for the angel, but she had yet to appear. “Typical, I call on her she doesn’t show. No wonder Levi thinks I’m several roses short of a bunch of flowers!”

“What are you mumbling about, Myles?” Levi asked, considering whether he should be worried about the grey terrier.

“Where are you?” Myles called again, looking into the air.

A sudden whoosh from above them indicated the arrival of a small creature with white feathery wings and a glowing halo over her head.

Levi whined, what was in the jelly doughnuts this morning?

A little cloud appeared underneath the angel and she sat down and made herself comfortable, “Okay, Myles, Levi, I’m here. Now what’s the plan?”

Levi rubbed his eyes with his paws, he was dreaming, but what had happened to the lovely dream of cats he was having earlier.

Myles looked at Levi, “A slightly different response to my own, but genuine shock. Don’t worry Levi, she means okay, she can be short with you but she has a heart of gold.”

The angel smiled, Leland was making moves in the right direction; maybe turning him into a dog was the right choice after all.

“I can not be seeing an angel floating on a cloud in the bullpen. Bobby must have put something in that jelly doughnut,” Levi moaned.

“Levi you are not seeing things, the angel really exists and Bobby wouldn’t dare put something in your doughnut.”

“Sue and Lucy tried it once,” Levi reminded him.

“And Lucy paid dearly for that trick, didn’t she?” Myles replied.

“I guess. So the angel’s real?”

“Very real, she’s the one who caused my little furry coat to appear.”

Levi sat up with shock, “If I don’t play ball will she turn me into something?”

The angel looked at the retriever, “Levi don’t worry, I won’t be turning you into anything, unless it’s part of the plan. God knows you have a heart of gold and you have earned your angel wings.”

“What if I don’t want angel wings?” Levi asked doubtfully.

“Well all good dogs go to heaven and have angel wings so that they can chase the cats that also have angel wings,” the angel replied.

“So if I want to catch the cats in heaven I have to have wings?”

“It helps, otherwise they can fly away.”

Levi thought about if for a moment, “Okay, I’ll trust you, but do you have a name, because I don’t think it’s polite to refer to you as angel all the time?”

The angel smiled, “That’s one question Leland has never thought to ask me. I’m Gabby, it’s very nice to meet you Levi; I’ve read a lot about you.”

“Read about me where?” Levi asked.

“In God’s journals, he keeps track of everyone who is good, everyone who is straying and everyone who needs a little divine intervention. You, Levi are in the good books, Myles here…” Gabby turned to look at Myles.

“Is in the divine intervention book?” Levi asked.

“Yes, that’s right. That’s why I’m here, giving divine intervention.”

“And making my year. Myles certainly is learning a very hard lesson,” Levi chortled.

“I’m glad I’ve earned your sympathy,” Myles replied indignantly. “Now we’re here to put Operation Christmas Present into action.”

“Operation Christmas Present?” Levi and Gabby asked in unison.

Myles looked at each one in turn, “Yes we have five days to spread the message of love to all mankind and we’re starting with our very own bullpen. We have two couples to unite, we know they love each other, we just need to get them to see it.”

“And how are we going to manage that?” Levi asked.

“Now that’s where I’ve been thinking, why don’t we adjourn to the conference room? We need some privacy and I think we’re drawing a little attention to ourselves,” Myles looked over his shoulder.

Levi followed his glance and looked at Jack who was looking at them a look of curiosity on his face. “Okay, let’s go. I’m interested to see what you have planned.”

“So am I,” Gabby replied before disappearing into a puff of smoke.

“Does she always do that?” Levi asked as he stood.

“Yes she has a habit of appearing and disappearing out of nowhere. It can be rather unsettling, but you do get used to it, slowly.”

“I guess I’ll have to get used to it if I want to see Sue and Jack together, but who else do you want to match make for?”

Myles nodded over his shoulder, “Haven’t you noticed Bobby and Tara, they’re made for each other.”

Levi glanced towards Tara and Bobby who were standing next to each other looking at a folder, Tara was nervously playing with her hand and Bobby was smiling showing his dimples. “I guess they have been getting closer than usual, they’re almost like Sue and Jack.”

“And we definitely don’t want a repeat performance, do we?”

Levi shook his head, “Three painful years is long enough, I don’t think any of us could stand more. Come on; let’s get to the conference room we have romance to plan!”

Myles rolled his eyes, “Well that went easier than I had anticipated; now all I have to do is persuade them about my plan.”

~*~*~*~

Thanks for all the feedback, I'm pleased you're enjoying this little adventure!

Sairs

It is so much fun to see how Myles' character has changed over just a couple of days. I guess he has had more time on his hands...ehm sorry, paws, than normal to contemplate on life, love and food

I also love the Three Stooges Levi, Myles and Gabby. I can't wait to see what they come up with for the 2 couples. But ehm, Sairs, you also mentioned another couple - wanna share?!

This is so comical. So who is going to be the couple that they work on first, Jack and Sue or Tara and Bobby?

As a dog, Myles has lots of potential !!!

magic mushrooms?
Sairs...lovely post! I loved the way Levi was so suspicious about the angel
and believed someone put something in his food (we'll call it: happy doughnut...)

I can't wait to see what Myles is planing, I'm sure they'll cause lots
of mischief together...

~*~*~*~

Myles followed Levi into the conference room; they couldn’t reach the conference table but decided to sit around a small coffee table in the corner of the room. Gabby refused to sit on the floor like her canine counterparts and materialised her cloud which hovered inches from the floor.

Placing his paw on the table Myles tapped his claws on the surface, “Okay I call the first meeting of Operation Christmas Present to order.”

Levi looked at Myles, “Do we have to have formalities?”

“We need to have formalities in order to ensure that our plan goes to well… er…plan.” Myles retorted.

“Do you think we could stop talking in circles and actually talk about the plan, we’ve only got five days before Christmas and we’re wasting valuable time,” Gabby retorted from her cloud.

“Okay then, we have two target couples, Sue and Jack and Bobby and Tara. Both couples have proven themselves useless at acting upon the feelings they obviously have for each other, we need to create a few opportunities for them to act upon their feelings,” Myles stated officiously as if he was presenting case information to his colleagues in the bullpen.

“What kind of situations?” Levi asked his mind boggling at the thought.

“Romantic situations,” Myles clarified. “Now, Gabby, by chance have you ever worked in the angelic romance department?”

Gabby looked at Myles and a smile crossed her lips, “Well when I first began in Angelic Interventions I was assigned briefly to the Romantic Developments Department, I’m actually quite famous for delivering a special message or two.”

“What kind of message?” Myles asked his interest piqued.

“Well, I’ve been an angel for a very long time, I was one of the angels who delivered the important message which Christmas is based upon.”

“Huh?” Levi asked confused, although he attended Church every Sunday with Sue the speeches from the priest often went literally straight over his head.

Sitting opposite him though, Myles’ mouth dropped open.

“There aren’t any flies in here,” Levi rebuked.

“What?” Myles managed to ask his friend.

“Your mouth’s wide open and if there were any flies in here you’d be an expert at catching them and trust me they don’t taste good at all.”

Myles looked at Levi and refused to reply to his speech about flies, instead he was more interested in Gabby. “Is Gabby a shortened version of your real name?”

She nodded, “All my friends call me Gabby and you’re actually quite privileged that I’m allowing you to call me Gabby. The name God gave me when he called me to his side was Gabriel, which is the name that’s used in all official documentation.”

“You’re The Angel Gabriel?” Myles asked dumfounded.

Gabby nodded, “Yep, the one that’s mentioned in every Bible and represented each year in a variety of forms, ornaments and children’s nativity plays.”

“God sent me you?”

“Yep, he thought you needed extreme divine intervention and as I have an excellent angelic track record only the best would do, and lucky for you I am the best.”

“Well at least we got the best,” Levi echoed.

Myles’ mind was awash at all of the implications of what the angel before him was saying, was she really the Angel Gabriel who delivered the annunciation over two thousand years ago? He shook his head trying to clear his thoughts.

Gabby smiled, “I know it’s hard to take in, Myles. I haven’t told many humans before, but I thought you would be able to handle it, especially because we’re here to help you learn the true meaning of Christmas.”

“Wow!” was all that Myles could finally muster.

“Anyway that was only the start of my illustrious angelic career I moved out of announcements and into romantic interventions, one couple I remember very well were Romeo and Juliet.”

“But they died,” Myles interjected.

“In Shakespeare’s play they might have, in reality they lived, got married and reunited the Capulets and Montagues and ended years of unhappiness. They were one of my greatest success stories.”

“But why did Shakespeare write a tragic ending?”

“Because tragedy sells seats in the theatre, too many lives happily ever afters soon wear thin with the audience. You can’t blame him for playing to his audience, he had to make a living, and he didn’t really know the real Romeo and Juliet, he just worked on a rumour of the great rivalry between the families.”

“Oh.”

“But his version helped to make him famous and ultimately Romeo and Juliet, but once again only the privileged few know the real story.”

“So you have experience then?” Myles asked warily.

“Plenty, I could list other famous couples, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, King Henry the VIII.”

“But he had six wives,” Myles stated.

“Yes, but I didn’t get involved until Jane Seymour and when she died King Henry was beside himself, he didn’t want love after her death, only companionship, so ultimately my job was done.”

“Okay,” Myles began hoping to stop Gabby’s verbal resume because it was making his head hurt. “So we know you have plenty of experience, so what powers do you have to help your little missions?”

“Plenty, thank you,” she replied angelically.

“Specifically?”

“That’s for me to know and you to find out as and when we need them.”

“But if we’re going to plan effectively we need to know what skills we have at our disposal.”

Levi grumbled, “Would you please stop talking about things that mean nothing to me, all I want is Sue and Jack to kiss, get married and live happily ever after. Is that too much for me to ask for?”

“Sorry, Levi,” Gabby and Myles said in unison.

“Apology accepted, now can we plan before I suffer from complete brain meltdown.”

“We need to create situations where our couples are alone together, where they have the opportunity to communicate effectively, any suggestions?” Myles asked.

“Well Sue and Jack were married for a time," Levi began. "We lived in that lovely house and Jack did nearly see Sue in the shower one morning. I got to eat lovely ice cream dessert, that was fantastic, but even being married and sharing the same house didn’t give us happily ever after.”

“Married?” Gabby asked incredulously, plucking a book from thin air and flicking through it. “There is nothing in here about Jack Hudson and Sue Thomas being married!”

Myles shook his head, “No they weren’t actually married, just pretending to be for an undercover mission.”

“Is that legal?” Gabby asked.

“In this case yes. So there were romantic opportunities?” Myles directed his question to Levi.

“Oh, yes, if they had been there a little longer they would have acted upon their feelings, I’m pretty sure they would have at least kissed,” Levi replied sighing happily as he finished his statement.

“So we could orchestrate a little situation where Sue and Jack are left alone for a long period of time together, perhaps undercover as a married couple, or just stranded somewhere.”

“The elevator’s a good place,” Gabby suggested.

“We talked about elevators earlier, they are not a good place to begin romantic encounters,” Myles replied, stretching his front paw.

“No I definitely don’t want to be in an elevator for a long time, there’s no food!” Levi exclaimed. “Somewhere warm, dry, quiet and with food would be good!”

“So how about Jack’s or Sue’s apartment. Do you know anyone in the weather department?” Myles asked Gabby.

“Weather department?”

“Well an idea sort of popped into my mind, it’s the season for snow, yes?”

Both Gabby and Levi nodded.

“We could possibly hit both of our couples at the same time, if it snowed really heavily Bobby could get stranded at Tara’s apartment and Jack could get snowed in at Sue’s.”

“What about Lucy?”

“Her Grandma could suddenly need her,” Myles suggested.

“How do we get Bobby stranded at Tara’s and Jack at Sue’s?” Levi asked.

“That’s the part of my plan that needs working on, and we also need to have the weather on our side.”

Gabby smiled, “Well that’s not the worst plan I’ve ever heard of and I do know someone in the weather department who owes me a favour and manipulating the weather is not outside my remit, so I think that could be easily achieved. We just need to think about giving them a reason to get stranded together.”

“That’s the part that needs working on, I think. Any suggestions?” Myles asked, his tail slowly wagging, they were certainly making progress.

“Well, Jack often takes Sue home after work; he sometimes stays for pizza too. So getting them alone together wouldn’t be too hard, it’s Tara and Bobby that might be difficult,” Levi suggested.

A thought popped into Myles’ head, “Gabby do you know anything about engines?”

“What kind of engines?”

“Car engines? If Tara and Bobby left the building together at the end of the day; which they have been doing more and more recently. Tara’s car could stop working, Bobby would hopefully do the gentlemanly thing and offer her a lift home. It could start snowing on their journey home, by the time they reach Tara’s apartment it could be far too snowy for Tara to let Bobby drive home. Therefore he’d be stranded at Tara’s!”

“That could work,” Gabby replied. “But I have little experience of car engines, I have my own rather environmentally friendly way of travelling.”

“Well I could tell you what to do,” Myles suggested. “But I can’t actually do it with my own paws; it’s a little difficult to pick up things without a thumb.”

“Okay, that sounds like it might work,” She replied her face displaying a huge smile.

“The thing is that Levi will be with Sue and Jack and able to monitor their situation and I’ll be with Tara and Bobby and you Gabby, dear will be the third party who will be able to monitor both situations and allow us to communicate effectively with each other. You’ll also be able to offer us your invaluable experience.”

Gabby beamed, “You’re becoming more considerate and appreciative of my skills, Myles. I think we might be able to redeem you after all by Christmas Day.”

“I hope so, Gabby, because after five more days of being a dog I’ll be glad to get my human body back, no offence, Levi, but there’s only so much I can take.”

“No offence taken, Myles. I guess it’s what you’re used to, although I wouldn’t change my life for a second.”

“I’m glad to hear it, Levi,” Gabby smiled affectionately at the golden retriever.

“So how about we start this evening? Could you get the weather sorted by then?” Myles asked Gabby.

“What time is it now?” she asked looking around the room for a clock. “Twelve o’clock. Okay, they leave work at what time usually?”

“Five, half five.” Myles replied.

“Okay, five hours. That gives me plenty of time to head up to the North Pole. I think it can be sorted. So Operation Christmas Present begins at five o’clock then.”

“Agreed,” Myles said.

“I think so,” Levi replied, still a little confused, but he felt happier that Gabby would be with them.

“Okay, I’ll see you at five; now try not to draw any unnecessary attention to yourself, Myles. Go and lie down and dream of bones!” Gabby suggested before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Myles turned to Levi, “Forty eight hours ago that would have seemed like a very strange suggestion, but now I could just do with going to sleep. Shall we return to the bullpen?”

“Yep, definitely sleep time,” Levi replied, leading the way back to the bullpen.

~*~*~*~

Oh, they have a grand plan starting. I can't wait to see it unfold.
Sue and Jack, Tara and Bobby, prepare to be involved in a romantic encounter.

never underestimate a canine....