Prologue

There's no bond like a girl and her first dog. And, once it's all said and done, there's no loss like it, either.

Hugo has lived a long, happy life with Bay, his one and only human. When their time together comes to an end, Hugo watches Bay's life unfold from an afterlife designed just for dogs. While Hugo watches from Dog Heaven, Bay makes a grief-stricken wish from the heart and Hugo vows to answer it for her, even if she doesn't know it.

Forced to watch the rest of Bay's life unfold from a distance, Hugo plots to bring joy back to her, and he knows just how to do it.

Content warning: pet loss

ONC 2024 entry, prompt 24: A wish made from the heart is always answered, sooner or later.
Total word count: 23,049