A Christmas Miracle

The store was busy as Arania took the garbage container out back. Pre-Christmas sales usually had a tendency to do that. On the good side, she had more than enough help to get things done. She hummed a Christmas carol to herself as she propped the door open and walked towards the dumpster. She paused, looking out towards the other businesses, smiling at the lights and decorations.

"Nice, glad I had the boys put up the ones I bought a bit back." She loved that part of Christmas most of all, even if she wasn't sure what she believed in when it came to the religious part of the holiday.

She dumped the bags in, followed by emptying the trash can, the loud clatter of broken clothes hangers echoing in the small alley. As she set the can down, she shivered, the cold still air biting through her clothes the longer she stood out in it.

As she turned to go back into the warmth of her store, she heard something. It was very soft, and barely heard above the hustle and bustle of the street beyond the alley.

"Hello, is someone there?" She looked around the alley, knowing she had heard it, but not being able to tell where it came from. "Can I help you?"

The noise grew louder at her voice, a whimper sounding from somewhere nearby. She knew the sound wasn't human, but still couldn't tell what it was either. She didn't see anything out in the open of the alley, but as the sound became clearer, she knelt down, peering into the darkness beneath the dumpsters.

"Bingo." She said softly, not wanting to frighten the little dog she saw underneath. The poor thing was shivering and whimpering, cold from the winter's night. "Here little one I won't hurt you. Let's get you in somewhere warm."

The soft soothing sound of her voice calmed the little animal. It slowly crept out from the hiding spot it had found, tail tucked firmly between its legs. It sniffed the hand that Ari held out to it, the shivers still coming from the bitter cold. It was frightened, but it calmed as it could tell that the person holding the hand was friendly. Ari gently stroked the top of it's head, the little thing flinching the first time she touched it.

"Oh dear." As she looked closer, she saw something she hadn't before. The little dog had a very large swollen belly. In the dim light, it was a little black terrier, it's little tail curling over its back. It was actually a she, and she was very pregnant.

Ari sighed, then gently wrapped her arms around the little dog, carrying her into the back store room and settling her on a pile of blankets to get warm. Judging from her ribs and hips standing out, she hadn't eaten in a very long time. The little ones inside her had been drawing all their nutrition from her, causing her to wither faster.

"Poor thing. I better get you to the doc." She left her there, laying next to the heater and went to let Mus and Sparrow know what was going on.

-----

Less than ten minutes later she pulled into the drive at Haven, honking her horn to get the attention of anyone who could hear. The noise brought the children to the windows, and Apollo running out the door.

"Quick, Apollo, get Dr Ben, I got a mommy dog in labor in my car. The poor thing was starving." With a nod the clone ran back inside.

Carefully, Ari picked up the little black dog, cradling it as gently as an infant as she walked around the house and into the clinic. The dog's water broke as she stepped through the door.

"Oh dear." She muttered, laying the dog onto a bed. Just then Dr Ben walked in, and she told him everything that happened.

"I'll do my best." Was all he could say before he set to work.

After a few hours, Ari and Ben stood there exhausted. Arania was on the brink of tears as she rubbed and rubbed the tiny still form of the litter's runt. It was the only one left.

The mother was too weak to live through the birth, and because of all the nutrients the larger ones needed, they had not been able to survive. There was a faint heartbeat in the little one Ari held in her hand, but unless a miracle happened, it would join the rest of its family.

"Great Spirit," Arania murmured, praying. "Please give the little one a chance at life. Its mother worked so hard to bring it into the world, let it live. I will tend to its needs, I will be its mother. Please Father, give me the chance."

Ben stood silent watching the scene before him, his heart breaking. He didn't believe the little one would live, but he allowed her to keep trying. He pulled a tissue out of his pocket and wiped his tired eyes. As he looked back up, he was amazed.

A soft glow flooded over Ari's body and the little life she held, quite literally, in her hands. The glow was blue, and warm, it filled the room with a feeling of joy and peace. A thread, glowing only slightly brighter than the light around it, passed between the chest of the puppy and Arania. Though he could not hear who she was talking to, Ben clearly heard Arania say, "Thank you father, I will."

The light faded, revealing the pair it had wrapped around. Somehow the puppy was a little larger, it's body wriggling and it yapped strongly.

"I don't know how," Ben said a few moments later after checking the pup, "But it's strong and healthy. Whatever happened here was a miracle."

"A blessing, and a Christmas miracle Ben." She smiled. "That's her name Miracle."

The puppy looked up at them and yapped happily.