Stray Dog Heights- A Housepets! Universe Misadventure

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

Maybeeee. I'll never spoil it. NEVER!

[Amazee Dayzee]

Not even if I sing ABBA at the top of my lungs with it on full blast? I can easily get the lyrics off the internet.

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

Chapter 18: Mutual Understanding

West was quiet as he sat in the backseat of Charlie’s car. “I… um… Can we pretend that whole thing in the elevator… didn’t happen?” He fidgeted uncomfortably. “I was… uh… just a little stressed out.”
Charlie glanced at him in the rearview mirror. “I won’t mention it to anybody else, I promise. You’ve been under a lot of stress for a long time, and you’re not really built for that. I do, however, want to talk a bit more about it.”
West groaned gently. “Do we HAVE to?” He rolled his eyes.
“Yes. I feel like we made a pretty big breakthrough in there, and I want to pick up where we left off. It sounds like you have abandonment issues, which might be why you feel the need to police everything I do and makes you overly protective of the others.”
West grumbled. “And what, you wanna be my therapist now? Gonna make me feel all better?” He huffed and looked out the window. He had to admit, he was a bit nervous to be riding in the car with Charlie, given how his last car ride had gone, which was why he had taken the furthest spot from him.
“No, I just… I feel like if I can understand your reasons for your behavior, I can behave and explain things in a way that’ll leave you more satisfied with what I’m trying to do, and will in turn get you to behave in a way that will drive me less crazy.” He stopped the car at a traffic light. “You know, help us get along.”
“I don’t WANT to get along with you! Getting along means…” He trailed off, putting his ears back. “Forget it. It’s nothing.” He huffed.
Charlie sighed. “I know. You’re worried if you’re not actively trying not to get along with me, you’ll end up letting your guard down and letting me get close enough to hurt you.” He accelerated the car into a turn. “What if I promise not to get that close to YOU? I don’t plan on sticking around. Once all the renovations are done and the place is running smoothly, I’m going to hire a manager. I can’t work from my office forever, you know.”
It was quiet in the car for several minutes, then Charlie grinned. “Incidentally, your fur is VERY soft and you give EXCELLENT snuggles.”
West felt his cheeks warm up and the tips of his ears burn with a blush. “THAT never happened and if you tell anybody I’ll deny it and then-”
“I know, I know, you’ll bite me, right? Don’t worry, I won’t tell anybody you cried like a little pup and gave a HUMAN a hug.” He grinned wickedly. “For three hours.”
West threw his hands up in the air. “So maybe it’s BEEN a while since I’ve had any real physical contact! It’s not a crime! Maybe the only person who ever shows affection toward me is Aspen and that’s because he’s still a pup! He’s only like eight, that’s like twelve, maybe thirteen in human years! It doesn’t count when HE does it!”
The car skidded to a halt at a stop sign, then slowly resumed. “He’s only eight?! But he acts so mature! I’ve never really spent much time around dogs, so unless you’re blatantly old or young, I can’t really gauge your age.” Charlie confessed. “He’s really just a child?”
West nodded, then realized Charlie couldn’t see him. “Yeah. Agnes put him in with me because she knew I could take care of him. He was adopted out of the pound by a seventy-year-old woman. She taught him how to bake and sew, but not really how to take care of himself. He’s not the youngest there, either. Allison’s only three. She lives in 2E, with Greta. The little bulldog with the shar pei?”
“I’ve seen them… I thought she was just small.” Charlie frowned. He’d thought he’d learned most about most of the residents, at least their basic information.
“It’s hard to tell because the pups never really got to act like pups. They’ve been working basically since they were born to survive. Even in Stray Dog Heights, it’s hard to get by.”
“It’s called-”
“Yeah, I know, you named it after Agnes. It’s been Stray Dog Heights for ten years and I’m not changing now.” He huffed. “You can call it by its ‘official’ name all you like, it’s always gonna be Stray Dog Heights to me.”
Charlie sighed. “Yeah, I guess it would be.” He pulled into the parking lot, but didn’t unlock the door yet. “Look… For what it’s worth, your presentation was good. Well thought-out. Better than I would have expected.” He turned in his seat to look at him. “West… I’m sorry you had to go through all that. The stuff you told me about, I mean. There’s some horrible people out there, and nobody deserves to go through all that. I don’t think you’re unwantable or unloveable.”
West stared up at him, putting his ears back. “Gee, thanks. What a vote of confidence from the guy who literally only tolerates me because he’s not allowed to kick me out.”
“I’m serious. You’ve had an awful time of life, but I promise, you don’t need to let it get to you. I’m sure, if you let them, somebody out there would want you. You could have a happy life somewhere, with someone who loves you. You may even eventually learn to love them back.” He looked down at West quietly, noticing for the first time that his eyes didn’t match. His left eye was green, and the right was sky blue. With his black and white malamute patterning, it was actually kind of striking.
West looked away and hugged his knees. “... I’m not sure I have any more love to give. I gave so much of it, and all I ever got in return was lied to and betrayed.”
Charlie watched him for a moment, then reached back and tweaked his ear. “Aspen seems to love you. You’re probably like a father figure to him.”
He pulled away, rubbing the ear. “More like an older brother. And anyway, it’s not the same thing.”
“Isn’t it?” He turned off the car and let the doors unlock. “It seems to me that he relies on you, and he’s lucky to have you.” He reached back and grabbed his hand. “It seems to me that they ALL rely on you one way or another. I haven’t spoken to one resident that hasn’t mentioned you helping them out at some point. Not one.” He gave him a little smile. “I think you care more than you let on.”
West rolled his eyes, pulled his hand free, and opened the door. “Lies and slander. I only care about myself, and my home. Everything else is just coincidence.”
Charlie watched him go, sitting in his car and thinking for a few moments, until he was interrupted by his phone ringing. He checked the caller ID, then answered it with a grin. “Hey, babe. How was Miami with the girls?” He listened to the voice on the other end of the line. “Oh, she did NOT! … Uh-huh? Oh, I haven’t been by the apartment in a few weeks, I’m staying at the building that Great Aunt Agnes left me. You’d like it here, the place is FULL of dogs and a few cats. … Can you come stay? … Sure, I don’t see why not. Pack a swimsuit and some extra towels. … Yeah, a pool, can you believe it?”
He grinned and got out of the car, looking around. “I’ve got the place looking much nicer than it was when I first got here. Still need to redo the parking lot though. Oh, you know how I never really cared much for dogs? Well, there’s one living here that I kind of like. I was thinking about trying to talk him into coming with, when I move back into the apartment. He’s a malamute, a pretty one. Needs a good grooming. He DOES have an attitude, though. All the animals here have some pretty damaged pasts, but this one… wow, he’s a trooper.”
He listened for a few more moments. “I know you said you didn’t want to have to take care of a dog, but this one’s a special case. I bet you can make an exception.” He started inside, listening. “Oh, I think you’ll like him, but I gotta warn you, he’s a little… abrasive. Probably won’t let you pet him.” He listened for a few more moments. “You’ll be here tomorrow? I’ll be sure to meet you. The dogs keep the door locked except during visiting hours, so you’ll need me to let you in.”

[Amazee Dayzee]

Sounds like Charlie has some daughters along with a wife so if he does adopt West he will have sisters. That definitely will be a new experience for him.

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

Nah. I thought that might be confusing, so he clarifies at the beginning of the next chapter. "The girls" are the wife's friends.
Besides, West's had sisters before. Well, one sister.

[Amazee Dayzee]

Yeah I probably did read it and then forgot about it to be honest which is why I commented that. Unless it is in picture form I usually don't remember stuff long and even then it depends on how long I can hold onto it. >_<

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

Chapter 19: Mrs. Westlake

Early in the morning, Charlie lingered by the door, nervously wringing his hands. Patch stood at his elbow, looking out the window with him. After nearly twenty minutes, Patch looked up. “What are we waiting for, by the way?”
Charlie blinked down at the cat, looking almost surprised to see him there. “Oh, hi, Patch. I didn’t notice you. My wife is coming to stay with us today and she said she’d be here early, so I’m waiting to open the door for her.”
“I didn’t know you were married! Is she pretty?” Patch purred up at him playfully. He wanted to know more.
“Oh, she’s gorgeous. I love her so much, and I’m lucky she chose me. She’s gonna love you guys, too. She’s a big animal fan.” He reached down and scratched Patch between the ears absently, and Patch purred, leaning into the touch. “Her name is Rebecca, or Becky for short. She’s a little younger than me, I’m twenty-five and she’s twenty-two. We’ve known each other for a while, since we were teenagers, but we didn’t start dating until we both moved back into town after college.”
Patch purred more and stepped closer for more scritches. “So where’s she been the past few months? You’ve been here a while, and this is the first I’ve heard of her.”
“Oh, she spent the summer in Miami with her girlfriends. She works remotely and her boss doesn’t care about what hours she keeps as long as her work gets done, so she just took her laptop with her and did all her work in the mornings so she could spend the afternoons on the beach.” He complied with Patch’s unspoken demand, moving his hand down to scritch the back of his head. “She got back into town yesterday and spent the night in our penthouse, but she’s coming here to stay until the renovations are done.”
Patch switched his tail, leaning into the scritches happily. “Mm… that’s the spot, right there…”
Charles looked down at him, amused. “You guys are so much more mature than most pets. I forget you actually are just animals sometimes.” He ran a hand through Patch’s fur, stroking head to mid-back, which was all he could reach without bending down. “I got to pet West yesterday. We were trapped in an elevator for a couple hours.”
Patch blinked in surprise. “And he let you TOUCH him? He HATES being touched!”
He shrugged. “I told him I wouldn’t give out details, but we’re attributing it to stress. He was having a rough day so I was able to pet him.”
A red convertible pulled into the parking lot and parked next to Charles’s car. The woman driving put the hood up, then spent a moment to make sure it was locked up tight before starting toward the door.
Patch purred. “Ooh, she’s pretty. Is that her?”
Charles nodded and prepared to open the door for her. “That’s her. That’s my Becky.”
As the woman came in from the chilly morning air, she gave Charlie a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “I missed you so much, babe! Oh, and who’s THIS little cutie?!” She grabbed Patch by the face and scrubbed his cheeks with her palms, curling her fingers around to scritch his cheeks just behind his jaw. He purred wildly, his tail swishing enthusiastically.
“That’s Patch. He’s one of the residents here. He’s been waiting with me so I wouldn’t be lonely.” Charlie grinned, watching Patch melt into Becky’s loving strokes. Becky was definitely more practiced with petting cats than Charlie was; she’d grown up with dogs and cats, after all.
“He’s such a little CUTIE PIE is what he is!” She cooed in babyspeak, fluffing and stroking Patch happily as she got down to her knees to reach him better.
Patch giggled and purred wildly, thoroughly enjoying the attention. “It’s nice to meet you, too!”
Charlie watched for a few moments, grinning, then looked up. “Looks like the kitchen is opening up for the morning. Shall we go to the cafe for some breakfast?”
“Breakfast sounds lovely. Let’s bring the kitty.” Becky grinned up at him, then stood up and reached for Patch’s hand.
Over house-made bagels, Becky and Charlie caught up while Patch enjoyed myriad pettings and scritches. Eventually, other residents started stumbling sleepily into the cafe for their breakfasts, and Becky went wild, petting as many of them as would let her and happily greeting each of them, running around the cafe excitedly. Charlie grinned. “I told you she’d like it here.”
Patch pouted a little that he had to share his scritches, but seemed amused at Becky’s excitement. “She’s like the complete opposite of you. When you first walked in here, the first thing you said was ‘ew, it smells like dog.’ She’s running around trying to PET all the dogs.”
“To be fair, it STANK in here. It smells much better now.”
“Or you’re just used to it. But you DID replace the carpets, so maybe it DOES smell a little better.”
After greeting every single resident that entered the cafe, Becky came back and flicked her blonde hair back behind her ears. “So, which one is that troublemaker you told me about? One of these? Or are there more?”
Patch glanced around and did a quick headcount. “There’s one more cat and three dogs missing. West’s almost definitely at work already.”
Charlie nodded. “He is, he left not long after I got up. Pansy sleeps late because her job is at night, and Aspen is probably on his way down now.”
“They have jobs? That’s so cute!” Becky squealed with delight.
Charlie nodded. “Before I got here, they were living here, but they had to fend for themselves. I set up a nonprofit to at least make sure they were all getting food every day, and the cafe is open to the public during visiting hours, to help pay for it all. A lot of these guys were rib-counting skinny before, but they’ve all plumped up to look a lot healthier. I’ve even got a vet volunteering time on the weekends down the hall, so they can all get their shots and any medical help they need.”
The day went on, and Becky settled in. She retrieved her luggage from her car and took it into Charlie’s apartment, then came out in her skimpy swimsuit so she could go swimming with the residents. They all seemed to love her as she splashed and played with them most of the day, until she looked like a wrinkly raisin. After lunch, she took them all to one of the old conference rooms that Charlie hadn’t designated for anything yet, pinned a thick blanket over the window, and set up a projector so she could cuddle into a pile of residents and watch a movie with them.
Charlie made a note to fill that room with seats and cushions and a big flatscreen, and maybe a fridge with some snacks in it. People would LOVE that.
Then, at around seven o’clock, came the moment of truth. West let himself in through the front door and was excitedly greeted by people, telling him to come meet Mrs. Westlake. West took a sniff of the air, seeming distracted, and his ears went back. He waved away the residents swarming him and slowly approached Becky, sniffing the air. He looked up at her, taking a sniff, and his eyes filled with tears. Charlie blinked down at West. Was something wrong?
West’s voice cracked as he looked up at her. “... Becca? My little Becca? Is that you? You’ve grown so big…” He hugged into her leg and nuzzled her hip. “You came back to me.”

[Amazee Dayzee]

That was a really emotional reunion between the two of them. I hope we get more heartfelt moments soon!

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

[Amazee Dayzee]

I hope that smile means that we will soon. After everything West has been through he does deserve it and it will help him start to trust people again.

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

Chapter 20: Becca

Rebecka Westlake looked down at the dog hugging into her leg, stunned. He was a malamute, black and white, with mismatched eyes, a hoodie with gray fabric everywhere except the green sleeves, and an orange collar with a tag shaped like a fancy compass needle. She reached down and scritched him between the ears. A lot of the other dogs surrounding them took in a tense breath, but nothing happened, and they seemed to relax. “I’m… sorry, you must have me confused with somebody else. My mom, and my daddy used to call me Becca, but…”
West let go and shook his head. “No, you probably don’t remember… you were only six, it was a long time ago… but I never forgot. I’d know you by scent anywhere. My little Becca.” He wiped away a soft tear. “You left me at the park, just after you’d turned seven. I was just a pup, I couldn’t even read. I didn’t know how to find you… I did see you, one other time, when I was in the pound, but your parents… they wouldn’t even let you look in my direction. I think they were worried you’d recognize me.”
Becky blinked down at him and squatted to see him, pulling back his fur, looking him in the face. She tilted her head and stared at him, squinting as if trying to remember some long-forgotten memories. “... Princie?”
He nodded, his eyes filling with tears. “It’s… It’s West, now… My second family changed my name.” He hugged into her, his tail starting to wag.
Aspen gawped. He’d never seen West wag his tail. He hadn’t even been sure West knew HOW to wag his tail.
West closed his eyes and moved in to hug Becky bodily, pressing his ear to her chest, closing his eyes. His voice cracked. “I missed you. I missed… ALL of you. I didn’t get to watch you grow up. I thought I’d never see you again.”
She hugged him back, stroking his back. “There, there… It’s all right, Princie- I mean, West.” She sat on the floor and let him get closer, gently rubbing his back and head, stroking his ears. “I don’t remember much about you. I remember we were friends. I remember one day you were… just gone. Daddy said you went to live somewhere else, and then I just… forgot about you.”
West pulled back to look her in the face. “How IS Dan? And… Deborah, was it?”
Becky stroked his head for a few moments before answering. “Daddy passed, about ten years ago. He got sick. They got me a new puppy to help distract me from it. He still lives with mom, about five minutes’ drive from here. We never lived that far from you at all…” She gave a sad smile. “We can call her, if you like. You can say hello.”
He nodded. “I’d… I’d like that.”
Becky pulled out her phone and dialed a video call. An elderly woman of about fifty-five to sixty answered. West sat off-screen, watching. He recognized her right away. The old woman squinted at the phone for a moment. “Oh, hello, Becky! Just a moment, I don’t have my glasses on.” She disappeared for a moment, then reappeared with glasses. “How are you today?”
Becky smiled. “I’m fine, mom. I’m with Charlie at the apartment building he inherited from his Great Aunt Agnes.”
“I saw him on the television a couple weeks ago. Dogs! Can you believe it! He hates dogs! That’s why Buffy still lives with me!”
A nose appeared on the screen, replacing the old lady, and a jack russell terrier grinned down at them. “Hi, Becky! You’re not petting other dogs, are you?”
“Hi, Buffy, I’m petting LOTS of other dogs. Sorry.” Becky grinned. “Hey, mom, I ran into an old friend here.” She waved for West to get in view of the camera, and West hesitantly edged closer. Once he was onscreen, he gave a shy little wave to Debby through the camera. “Hi, Debby… You probably don’t remember me, but-”
Debby squinted at the screen, and her eyes lit up. “Is that Princie?! Wow, I thought for sure he’d be d- I mean, have left the area by now. It’s good to see you, Princie. Sorry about that little… mix-up, back then. I’m afraid Dan insisted.”
West gave a dismissive wave. “Oh, that? It’s already forgotten, no big deal. And it’s West now.”
“West, eh? Such a lovely name. Well, I’m happy you’ve found each other again, you used to be such good friends. Nearly inseparable, actually.”
“It’s good to see you, Deb.” West smiled through the camera at her.

After the phone call, it was like pulling teeth to get West away from Becky for even a moment. He wouldn’t let her out of his sight. Even when she went to the bathroom, he would stand outside, anxiously pacing back and forth in front of the door.
Charlie knelt in front of him and put a hand on his shoulder. “West… You’re being a little clingy, bud.”
West put his ears back. “Yeah, I know… I can’t help it. I haven’t seen Becca in fourteen years! Last time I saw her, aside from when I was in the pound, was when we had that picnic, and then she just disappeared! I can’t relax, what if she disappears on me again? What if it’s ANOTHER fourteen years before I see her AGAIN?!” His ears flicked upward anxiously. “What if she’s already slipped away while I’ve been talking to you? WHAT IF SHE’S ONLY PRETENDING TO LIKE ME?!”
Charlie gave him a little shake. “Hey. Snap out of it, bud. Becky’s not going anywhere. She came here to stay with me in my apartment. She’s my WIFE. She won’t leave YOU, because she isn’t going to leave ME. And you know, you’re STUCK with me.”
West paused for a few moments, then gave a little growl. “And who told YOU that you could marry MY BECCA?” He pretended to nip at him, a little bit of playfulness peeking through. “That’s my Becca, not YOURS.” His tail wagged as he put Charlie’s arm in his mouth and bit down barely until his teeth touched Charlie’s skin, doing this fake chomp a couple times before backing off.
A hand gripped his head from behind and ruffled his ears. “Hey now. No biting my husband, you silly pup.” Becky snickered. “So, you’re the troublemaker that Charlie told me about. Always second-guessing every move he makes, yelling at him in front of the press, threatening to bite him? You’re just a protective little pup, aren’t you? AREN’T YOU?!” Her voice regressed to the baby talk tone as she fluffed West’s cheeks, sending strands of shed fur flying everywhere as she released it from his overcoat.
She frowned and pulled a gentle pinching maneuver, pulling a handful of fluff away with her hand. “Oh, you poor thing! When was the last time you were properly groomed? There’s so MUCH here, you must be boiling alive, ALL THE TIME.”
West put his ears back, a little embarrassed. “Well.. I’ve been living here for five years… so… longer than that?”
Becky grinned and pulled him in for a hug. “Well, now that you’re my dog again, I’ll make sure you get properly groomed at least once a month, and brushed EVERY DAY.”
West squeaked. “W-wait, what? I’m…”
“My dog. My best boy. That is… if you want to be.” Becky smiled at him.
West’s tail started wagging overtime, scattering fluff all over the place. “Y-yes! Yes, a thousand times, yes! I’d LOVE to be your dog again!”

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

Chapter 21: Moving pains

“So you’re just gonna pack up and move in with Westlake? Just like that?” Aspen dodged aside as West pushed his basket down the hall, full of his belongings.
“Yeah. It’s Becca. I love Becca. I’d do anything for Becca.”
“West, you don’t even KNOW her anymore! You haven’t seen her since she was SIX! You were a PUPPY the last time you saw her! Don’t you think MAYBE you’re remembering her through rose lenses?”
“That’s rose-colored glasses, Aspen. And no, she’s just as sweet and loveable as I remember. She already asked me to move in with her because she remembers me and we’re still best friends.” West grunted as his basket came to a stop by the door, and he grinned. “I’ve missed her so much.”
Aspen grabbed him by the shoulders. “But does it have to be TODAY?! Can’t I have one last night with you?” He put his ears back. “I’m gonna… I’ll miss you.” He gave a little whimper.
West sighed and gave him a hug. “You don’t have to miss me. It’ll be like you’re home alone. You can throw a party, have people over and be noisy.”
“But-”
“I’ll be just down in the admin office. It’s not like I’m going far.” He patted Aspen’s head quietly. “We can have supper together. I’ll bring home my food, we can eat in the cafe.”
Aspen pouted. “It’s not the same, West.” He hugged him. “Please don’t go. Not yet. Not today. If you’re really gonna move in with them when they leave, then you’ll have the rest of your life with them. Stay with me, just a little bit longer.”
West sighed again. “No, it’s better to just rip off the bandage than peel it slowly. If I stay tonight, you’ll want me to stay tomorrow, too. Where does it end? Besides, this way you get your own apartment.” He scooped up his basket and fumbled it through the door.
Once he was gone, Aspen sat on the floor and hugged his knees, watching the door. “I… don’t want my own apartment. I want my best friend.”

Becky met West at the elevator and helped him carry his basket into the administrator’s apartment, patiently waiting while he selected the perfect spot for it. He unpacked, setting his few belongings up around his basket and climbing in to smile up at her lovingly. She smiled back.
After a moment, she went into the other room and kissed Charlie on the cheek. “See, I told you I could get him to behave… although him being the dog I had when I was a little girl was a surprise.”
Charlie looked up from his paperwork and smiled. “You really wanna take him back to the penthouse with us?”
“Oh, goodness, no, but if he THINKS he’s coming with, he’ll behave himself until we’ve finished with the renovations and hired a manager to run the place.”
There was a pause, then Charlie frowned. “He’s going to be SO MUCH WORSE after you’ve finished playing with his emotions like that. Did you know that? He’s already got abandonment issues.”
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you cared. I’ll say it again, I love dogs, I love cats, but I don’t want to have to deal with taking care of one full-time. It’s too much work, and we wouldn’t be able to just leave on vacation any time we want like we can now.” She kissed his cheek again. “No, he’s staying here. But I don’t mind playing along and letting him stay in the admin apartment for the two months or so that we’re still working on renovations.”
Charlie nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah… I guess so… Still, I feel a little bit bad about doing that to him. He’s already been abandoned way too many times… it’s gonna break his poor little heart.”
She shrugged. “And it’ll be somebody else’s problem. This place is just our little tax break. So long as the foundation is tied to your business, we’ll never have to pay taxes again. It was a great idea.”

West tossed and turned. He could hear Agnes’s old grandfather clock ticking away as its inner clockworking slowly unwound itself. It was one of the few things Agnes had left here that was still here. He sighed and lifted his head out of his basket and let himself out of the apartment, tiptoeing up the stairs and knocking on the door of his old apartment. It was only seconds before Aspen answered it, then hugged him and let him in.
“I couldn’t sleep… I guess I got accustomed to you being in the next room.”
Aspen pressed into him, closing his eyes. “I missed you, too. This apartment is lonely when I’m the only one in it.”
West hugged Aspen back silently for a few moments. “I’m sorry I was so… abrupt, earlier. I was so excited to see Becca again…” He took a deep breath, then let go. “Do you mind if I sleep over tonight?
Aspen feigned thinking about it. “Hmm, I don’t know, it’s better to just rip off the bandage than to peel it slowly…” He teased, then led West toward his room. “Come on, we can snuggle like we used to when I first got here and I was having nightmares.”
West chuckled. “You were so cute at that age. Four years old, barely housetrained. I had to bring you food every day, because you hadn’t figured out you could collect and sell scrap to get money and buy your own food.”
Aspen climbed into his little pillow and patted the spot next to himself. “Yeah… good times… You used to bring me spicy things on purpose just to watch me suffer.”
West sniggered. “I liked that stand. It was a shame when they had to shut down. Best stuff in the district.”
“Too spicy.” He stuck his tongue out and cuddled into West’s side. “I like the wrap stand you go to, though. That place is good. Although yours is always bigger than mine.”
“Ah, you gotta become friends with the owner, then she’ll give you a little bit extra.” He grinned and grabbed Aspen’s jacket from the floor, pulling it over him playfully. “And don’t think I didn’t notice that you started wearing your jacket because it was similar to my hoodie.”
Aspen giggled and gave a shy little blush. “Guilty. I was six, you’d practically raised me! I wanted to be like you!” He paused, then nuzzled into West’s chest. “I… STILL wanna be like you.”
West put his ears back, and pulled Aspen’s chin up to look him in the eye. “Don’t you DARE become like me. Not now, not ever, no matter what happens. You can be SO MUCH better than me.” He looked at him seriously. “There’s no reason to try to be like me.”
“I beg to differ.” Aspen cuddled close. “Sure, you’re a little neurotic and untrusting, but you take care of everybody. When the dogs in 2A got sick, you bought them medicine. When we started having a hard time finding food, you bought some for everybody. You’re constantly helping us, even though you don’t have to. You even protect us. Let us know when animal control is in the area so we can make sure to keep the doors locked. When those thugs from the Eastern Brigade tried to take over the area, you chased them off. West, you’re AMAZING.”
West nodded quietly. “I… guess I do… but still…”
“No. No more talking down on yourself. You’re amazing, and that’s all there is to it.” Aspen closed his eyes. “Now sleep. You have to work in the morning.”

[Amazee Dayzee]

I take back everything I said about how beautiful their reunion was. If she is using him and Charlie doesn't say anything they are both scum. This is gonna make his abandonment issues a thousand times worse.

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

Four chapters left~~~~<3

[Chieris]

I already feel bad for West, I hope Charlie will eventually stand up for him

[Amazee Dayzee]

If he doesn't I hope someone gives him a good butt-kicking. He knows that this is wrong but is still gonna go along with it and that makes him just as bad in my opinion.

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

I evoke emotional reaction. Yes, good. You'll have to hold onto that anger until Tuesday to find out what happens next.

[Amazee Dayzee]

But what if the anger boils over too much and I explode? Then I decide I might want to find out where exactly Charlie and Becca live and mow them down with my car?

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

Chapter 22: Time and Telling

Charlie stood at the front door and watched the construction crew lay out fresh concrete in the parking lot. He checked his list. There were only two apartments slated for construction left. With a sigh, he turned away. The renovations would be complete within a week. And then he’d have to find a manager. And break West’s heart.
He glanced over at the malamute, hanging out in the lounge. He’d been so happy the past six weeks, snuggling into Becky, laughing and playing and even opening up to Charlie more. All the while, Charlie had secretly hoped Becky would change her mind. That she would decide to take West home with her after all. But even as of last night, she was still planning on letting him think he was going right up until they left him here.
He sighed and hung his head. He knew what he had to do. But he wasn’t sure he COULD. He turned and went into his office. He grabbed his laptop and opened up a browser window. He had some phone calls to make, and he wasn’t happy with it. But, sometimes, you had to do what you had to do.

West grinned and jumped into the pool, performing a cannonball and splashing everywhere. Now that he’d been properly groomed, his fur was much thinned out, and he could enjoy the water much better. Most of his floof wet down now while he was wet, instead of staying thick and fluffy underneath the wet layers.
He wagged his tail underwater and swam over to Becca, splashing her playfully. “Hah, you got wet.”
“I’m ALREADY wet, you silly mutt.” She snickered and splashed him back. “You goof.”
He grinned and hugged into her. “Heh… We’re having so much fun, I can’t wait to see how much fun we have when we live together properly, like a proper family.”
Becca grinned at him. “Oh, that’s gonna be so much fun. We’ll watch TV together, have pancakes for breakfast twice a week, go to the Bahamas just for fun on the weekends, it’ll be great.”
West’s tail wagged overtime, creating a current in the pool. “I can’t wait!”
She stroked his head and scritched behind his ears. “Me, too. It’s gonna be great.”
West grinned and swam away, padding out of the shallows and up the stairs. He paused to shake off, then started toward the deep end to jump in again, but Patch grabbed him by the arm. “West, Charlie wants to talk to you. He said not to let Becca know where you were going, because he doesn’t want her there for the moment.”
West frowned. “Why would Charlie want to talk to me without Becca? Maybe it’s about the park proposal… We haven’t heard anything since the presentation.” He started to dry off. “But then… why exclude Becca?”
Patch shrugged. “I don’t know, that’s just what he told me.” He turned to leave. “Better hurry, he seemed pretty agitated.”
West sighed and dried off quickly, pulling on his hoodie over his still-damp fur and pocketing his collar. He waved good-bye to Becca, then went down the hall and knocked on the door to the admin office.
“Come in, West.” Charlie’s voice sounded. When West came in, Charlie motioned for him to lock the door. There was another man, a man in a suit, in the office.
West put his ears back and locked the door. Charlie nodded gently at the chair across from him, then smiled forlornly. West took a seat, and Charlie began.
“West, this is Mr. Marino. He’s a lawyer, specifically one specializing in asset management and prenuptial agreements.” He indicated the man in the chair next to him. “He’s helping me divorce Rebecka.”
West put his ears back. “Wh- but why are you leaving Becca? She’s your wife.”
Charlie sighed. “Because of you, West. Specifically, because of what she’s planning on doing to you.”
West put his ears back. “... What do you mean?”
“She’s been telling you that she plans to take you back with us when we return to our normal apartment. This isn’t true. She just wants you to behave yourself and stay out of the way so we can finish the renovations.” Charlie rubbed his temples. “I was hoping she would change her mind after spending some time with you, but as of last night, she’s still not showing any signs of it. I can’t just stand there and watch your heart get broken again, West. You mean too much to me.”
West stood up in his chair. “N-no! You’re lying! Becca wouldn’t do that to me! She WOULDN’T!”
Charlie sighed. “Unfortunately, she would. I knew you might not believe me, so I recorded our conversation last night.” He turned his laptop to show West the video. It started with Charlie setting up the recording, then Becca came into view. They chatted for a moment, then Charlie casually brought up West. “Still planning on just leaving him here when we move out? No change of heart at all?” Charlie pressed in the recording.
The recording of Becca sighed. “This again? I told you, I don’t wanna deal with taking care of a pet. It’s fun to visit and play with them, but I don’t want to be weighed down with one.”
“He’ll be heartbroken. You know that, right?”
“He’ll be fine. He’s just a dog. It’s not like he’s human.”
West put his ears back and looked away. “S-stop, just stop it. I’ve seen enough.” He sniffled a little, scrubbing his eyes. “I’m so… STUPID. Why did I- I just can’t-!”
Charlie closed his laptop and sighed. “West, the reason I called you in here, is because I want to transfer ownership of the foundation to you before I file the divorce. Otherwise, Becky gets half of it, and she could do anything she wanted just out of spite.”
West grunted. “She’s not the little girl I used to know. Aspen warned me, and I was just so happy, I didn’t listen..”
“West, I know you’re upset, but I need you to focus.” Charlie reached over and shook his shoulder. “I’m giving you the building. It’s going to be YOURS. But I’d like to stay on as the manager.”
West looked up from hiding his face in his hands. “Wait, but your company…?”
“No way around it, she’s gonna get it in the divorce, and I’m going to let her take it, so she doesn’t push to try to get this place.” He sighed. “Honestly, it’s a huge load off. I wasn’t happy there, and haven’t been for a long time.”
Mr. Marino pulled out a paper from his briefcase and pushed it across the desktop to West. “Just sign this, and you’ll own the foundation. Technically, we can’t give you the BUILDING, but if you own the foundation, it’s pretty much the same thing.”
West hesitated and looked at the paper. “... Wait, really? You want to… give it to ME? Why?”
Charlie reached over and put a hand on his shoulder. “So you never have to rely on anybody, ever again. You’ll be in control. Nobody can kick you out.”
West looked up at him. “... Okay.” He reached up and signed.

[Amazee Dayzee]

Glad to see that Becca is getting her just desserts as Charlie is divorcing her lying butt and is trying to make up for it by giving West the building. He's not a total grump without feelings after all!

Now onward to a gym so he can get a shredded post-divorce body and pick up a woman who ISN'T a total swine.

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

You're all getting a bonus chapter today so that the story will end on Saturday instead of Tuesday.

-------

Chapter 23: Betrayal and Beginning Anew

The hardest part of the next few weeks was, for West, watching Becky lie to his face when he told her how excited he was to be moving with her. She was already packing, moving stuff back to the apartment, but always found an excuse not to bring him with.
He often lay awake in his basket, thinking about the false promises she’d made each day, and how much he would love if they were real. Tears came frequently, and he hated it. Where had the tough West gone, the one that never let anything bother him, never let humans dictate how he felt? The renovations were starting to wrap up; all the apartments had been remodeled, the parking lot relaid and painted, the bricks outside stained so they all matched. New buildings had begun to appear in the areas surrounding the Foundation, and the city had even begun clearing broken old roadways to make space for the new park.
Charlie’s lawyer was frequently in the cafe, working on the paperwork with Charlie. Everything had to be set up just right before Becky was served the divorce papers, all to prevent her from doing anything to the building or its residents.
Finally, the paperwork came. As expected, Becky was furious. She stomped into the admin office and could be heard yelling for hours. To his credit, Charlie never once raised his voice back at her as she angrily shrieked and screamed, then stomped out of the apartment with a slammed door and skid marks from her car on the new pavement.
Charlie slowly walked out of the office with a tired sigh. “Well… it’s done. She’s got the paperwork. I bet this is over within a week. I intend to let her take anything she wants as long as she doesn’t go after this building.”

As expected, the divorce was short and brutal. Becky took everything she could: The summer home, their penthouse, both of the cars, almost all of the contents of their shared bank accounts; anything she could get. Charlie was left with the clothes on his back and the contents of the administrator apartment at the Foundation, which wasn’t much given Becky had already moved almost everything to the penthouse before she was served the papers.
The day after the paperwork was signed and finalized, West entered the apartment and climbed up on the couch next to Charlie. He was quiet for a few moments, letting Charlie brood, then leaned against him gently. Charlie lifted a hand and scratched behind West’s ears.
After a few minutes, West spoke up. “I’m… sorry about Becky. I’m sorry she took everything. And I’m sorry you did all that just for me.”
Charlie looked down and gave him a weak smile. “I didn’t do it JUST for you… we’ve been having problems for a while. Becky was… well… kind of a money hog. She only liked me for the lifestyle I could give her. That’s what she was most mad about last week, when she got the paperwork. She was mad that I was taking away her lifestyle. Now, well.. I’m not exactly PENNILESS, but I’m not exactly rich anymore, either.” He pulled him in for a hug.
West looked down, then back up at him. “But you DID decide to do it because of me.”
He gave a little nod. “Yeah. I saw how she was treating you and decided, if she could treat YOU that way, how could I be sure she wasn’t treating ME that way? And then I realized, she HAS been, for months. Years, even. And I decided, I couldn’t let her keep doing it. Not to me, not to you, not to anybody. Not on my dime.”
West lay down, putting his head in Charlie’s lap. “... I’m proud of you. You did something that didn’t profit you, for the benefit of someone else.” His tail thumped gently. “And it hurt, but you did it anyway.”
Charlie scritched West under the chin, and West made a happy little noise, tilting his head up. Charlie watched his movements and wondered how touch-starved West had been before, that he would allow this now.
“You’re good people, Dad.” West’s proclamation came through closed eyes and a wagging tail.
Charlie felt his eyes watering up, and it took him a few moments to realize why. West had called him good people. West didn’t believe in good people. West had called him dad. He looked down at West, touched his tag. He could see that West had scratched out his old address, apparently a long time ago, based on the color of the scratches. Becky had never bothered replacing his tag, since she never actually planned to bring him with her.
“... And you’re a good boy, West. A good dog.”

The next day, the cafe had a celebratory meal. It was the same as their regular fare, except there were cupcakes today. At supper, Charlie stood up and tapped a spoon against his glass to make a speech.
“As you all know, my wife and I just went through a messy divorce, and she took almost everything I owned. So, unfortunately, as this is the only place I have to stay for the moment, you’re all stuck with me.”
There was playful jeering, though nobody really meant it. He waited for it to stop, then continued.
“Some weeks ago, I signed the foundation over to one of you, one you all know. One that’s been through more than a lot of you have been. West?”
He looked down and put out his hand, and West climbed up to stand on the seat next to him so everybody could see. Charlie continued.
“West has been in possession of the Foundation’s funds, care of me, for the past month. But now, I would like to do something for West.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a tag, just like West’s old one, and held it up. “I would like to officially welcome West home. Let’s everybody give a round of applause for our generous benefactor, West Westlake!” He turned and removed the tag from West’s collar, replacing it with the shiny new tag with the building’s address and Charlie’s phone number on it.
West stared up at him, eyes round. They slowly started filling with tears, and he grabbed hold of Charlie to hug him as soon as he was done fiddling with his collar. He barely even heard the applause.
Only those standing nearest heard West whisper to Charlie. “I love you, Dad.”
And Charlie whispered back, “I love you, too, bud.”

[Amazee Dayzee]

I am pretty sure Charlie can't be completely cleaned out and has some money he can use. Or else how would he still be able to function somewhat? Hopefully his crappy Geo Prizm doesn't die anytime soon! XP

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

Chapter 24: Bittersweet

West stood on tiptoe to see his new tag in the mirror, his ears held back nervously as he touched it, almost afraid it would disappear. He wasn’t wearing his hoodie now, and hadn’t been for a few days. There was no need; since he’d quit his job at the museum, he didn’t need to worry about whether it would rain anymore, and his new tag meant he didn’t need to worry about animal control getting too close.
He wagged his tail happily and jumped down off the little stool, sliding it back under the counter and running out the the kitchen to give Charlie a hug. “Morning dad. Mmm, that smells good, what are you making?”
Charlie gave an awkward chuckle and showed him his burnt offering. “Well, I WAS making bacon and eggs, but I kinda burnt it a little. Sorry.”
West grinned, and grabbed a fork. “Burned food goes to the dog. Universal rule.”
Charlie laughed and shook his head. “Oh, is THAT the rule? You’ll have to forgive me, I’ve never had a dog before.” He scraped the burnt food onto a plate for him and ruffled his headfluff. “There you go, kiddo. Sorry about that.”
“Daaa-aaad, my fluff!” He fixed the tuft of fur on his head with a hand, playfully swatting at him.
“Aww, did I mess up your look? Sorry. You look good.” Charlie teased playfully.
West snickered and dug into the only slightly-burned bacon and scrambled eggs, wagging his tail. “Mmm… This is good. It’s been AGES since I’ve had bacon.”
“Well, you’re gonna be eating it until you’re sick of it. I need more practice.”
“Sick of bacon? NEVER.”
Charlie’s second portion turned out much better, the bacon only extra crispy at the edges and the eggs only slightly overdone. He sat down with West at the table and grinned. “You got plans today? Gonna hang out with your friends?”
West’s tail wagged eagerly. “Oh, yeah, it’s gonna be GREAT! Aspen wanted to meet up at the pool, and Patch said he’d bring his ball!”
Charlie grinned and reached under the table, pulling up a brand-new ball. This one was clean, made to be used in the pool. “Or you could use YOURS.”
West’s eyes lit up, and he reached for it, bouncing excitedly. Charlie snickered and passed it over. “Just make sure to wait an hour before getting in the pool, to let your breakfast digest. And don’t forget your towel!”
“I absolutely will.” He grinned playfully, hugging his ball to his chest before standing up and setting it in his chair so he could take care of his dishes. “You gonna join us?”
“Nah. I gotta go check on the boiler. It’s been acting up again. Might be time to replace the old gal.” Charlie scratched West’s ear. “You go have fun. I’ll see you tonight.”
West gathered up his new ball and his towel and bounced off down the hall to the pool, where he sat on the edge and let his paws dangle while he waited.
It wasn’t long before first Patch, then Aspen joined him, sitting on the poolside, dangling their feet. The three sat in silence for a while, watching the water ripple calmly in the early morning light through the windows. The doors would unlock for the day in a few minutes, and humans would rush in, eager to meet and play with the various dogs and cats still living here.
“It’s not quite the same… but it’s pretty nice.” Patch was the first to speak. He lifted a paw out of the water and wiggled his toes, then lowered it back in.
West nodded. “It’s nice having a family again… I spent so long swearing I never would, I forgot how much I missed it.”
They were quiet for a few more moments, then Aspen and Patch both started at the same time.
“West-”
“West, I-”
They trailed off, then Patch waved a resigned paw at Aspen, signaling for him to go first.
Aspen closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them. “West… I met a nice family. They’ve been visiting me for a month or so, and yesterday… they asked me to move in with them.”
West nodded quietly, and Patch spoke up. “I… also met someone. A little old lady. She needs someone to take care of her. You know that’s my specialty, helping old ladies through their last few months.”
Everything was quiet for a few moments, and West looked up with tears in his eyes. “So… you’re leaving? Both of you?”
Patch nudged him. “Hey, you’re not rid of me yet. You know old ladies don’t usually last very long. I’ll be back in a year or two. Three, tops.”
Aspen opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. After a while, he found the words. “I… probably won’t be back. Ever. They’re a really nice family, West.”
West leaned in and gave Aspen a hug. “When are you leaving?”
“Tomorrow morning. They’re going to come by today, help me pack up my stuff, take most of it with them, then come back in the morning for the rest.” He hugged back, putting his ears back. “... I’m gonna miss my big brother.”
“And I’ll miss my little brother.” West hugged Aspen quietly, closing his eyes, then reached over and pulled Patch in. “And of course, I’ll miss my best bud, too. When are you leaving?”
Patch hugged them. “Also tomorrow. Sorry.”
They hugged for a few moments, then West swallowed his tears and held up his ball. “Let’s… enjoy our last day together, then. Just like old times.”
“No.” Aspen grabbed his hand. “Just like new times.” He slipped off the side into the pool, stepping back away in chest-high water and waving for them to follow. “Come on!” He forced a smile. “Let’s go, and have some fun before the people get here!”
“I second that.” Patch slipped in, grabbing West’s ball out of his hand.
“Wh-hey!” He laughed, sliding in after them and grabbing for it. “My ball, I get the first throw!”
“Gonna have to catch me first!” Patch sniggered, holding the ball over his head and walking away through the water as fast as he could.
Charlie stood at the doorway and watched the three play for a while, a sad smile on his face. So much had changed since he’d first gotten here, and not all of it for the better. He wondered if West’s issues would resurface once his friends had left. After a while, he checked his watch and turned around to head down the hall.
Time to unlock the doors and let the people in.
Time to unlock the doors and let old friends out.

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

Thank you so much for taking this journey with me, West, Aspen, and Patch! It's been a wild ride!

------

Chapter 25: Goodbyes

West put his ears back and sat in the lobby, watching Aspen help his new family load up his stuff. They seemed like nice people; there was a mom and a dad, and a little boy. They seemed excited to have Aspen joining their family. Once they were all loaded, they came back in to speak to Charlie. Aspen went around, saying his goodbyes, then paused at West.
West looked up at Aspen, his eyes filled with tears, then jumped up and hugged him tightly. “Hey, little bro… Be good for your new family, okay?” He sniffled a little, nuzzling into Aspen as Aspen hugged him back. “Be a good boy. Protect them. Don’t let anything hurt them.”
Aspen’s voice cracked a little. “I will, big bro… I will…” He hugged back, nestled his head in West’s shoulder and neck, putting his ears back and sniffling. “I’m gonna miss you so much.”
“Well… you can always come back and visit. I’ll be here.” West sniffled again, then reached behind him and handed a gift box to Aspen. It wasn’t wrapped. “H-here, you’ll need this more than me…”
Aspen took the box and opened it, then gasped and put his ears back. “Y-your hoodie!” He pulled it out of the box. “I can’t take this-”
“You’ll take it and you’ll think of me when you wear it.” West said, trying to sound stern despite the wobble in his voice.
Aspen pinned his ears, took a deep breath, and pulled the sweatshirt on. It was a little too big for him. He pulled the sleeves back to free his hands and hugged into West. “I’ll… I’ll think of you always, when I wear it. It even still smells like you…” He sobbed a little.
West hugged him back and closed his eyes to stop the tears. “You’ll grow into it. I’m gonna miss you, bud.”
“Hey, West?” Aspen’s voice sounded small.
“Hmm?” He hummed questioningly.
Aspen pulled back and looked him in the face. “Thank you for saving me.”
“... What?”
“When I was a puppy, and that man threw me in the river. I finally remembered- it was YOU that saved me. You that ran with me to the pound. You gave yourself up to the pound to get me medical help.” He hugged him. “Thank you.”
West nodded and hugged him back. “And I’ve never regretted it, not for a SECOND. You grew up to be such a good pup, and the world is better for having you in it.”
Aspen nuzzled him one last time, then backed up to get a last look at him. “I… I won’t ever forget you, West.” His voice cracked again as he turned to join his family. West watched them kneel to give him loving pats and hugs, and he held the mom’s hand as they walked out. West walked to the window and watched them climb into the family car, watched the car until it was out of sight down the road.
A single tear streaked down his cheek until it soaked into his fur. “Bye…”
A hand on West’s shoulder made him turn around, and he looked at Patch. Patch gave a little half-smile, put up a fist. West put up his own fist and bumped it.
Patch grinned. “Look at you, having feelings and all that. Never thought I’d see the day.” He put an arm around him with a gentle purr, nuzzling into West’s forehead. “He’s gonna be all right. You did good, raising him.”
West nodded with a sniffle and used the heels of his hands to try and scrub his eyes dry. “I know… and I’m happy he found a family… but it’s sad to see him go.” He looked out the window again. “I’m gonna miss the little pest.”
Patch gave a sad smile. “I’ll miss him too. But who knows, maybe he’ll end up back here again one day.”
“He’d better not. I’ll track down that family myself if I find out they’ve hurt so much as a single hair on his head.” He gave a protective little snarl. “He’d better live with them for the rest of his life.”
“That’s my West.” Patch punched his arm, then hefted his bag over his shoulder. It was stuffed full of all his belongings. “I’m heading out. I’ll see you in a couple years, hey?”
West nodded and grabbed him, pulling him in for a hug. “Hey, you better not get into any trouble. You take care of that old lady, and then you come right back here. No shenanigans, got it?”
Patch purred and hugged West back. “No promises.” He turned and waved over his shoulder as he walked out the door and was gone. West sniffled quietly to himself and turned toward the admin office and his apartment.

A few days later, West opened the door to 4B, which now had its number corrected to the newer numbering system, and dragged a vacuum inside. He opened the trash bag slung over his shoulder and started cleaning out the apartment. Food left in the cupboards and fridge got tossed, as well as any remaining personal belongings he could see. The vacuum got run over the carpets in the living room, and everything got wiped down.
The apartment had to be ready for some of the new residents coming in from the pound, after all. With the Agnes Home being a much better choice, the city was working on clearing out the pound to shut it down. At least the stray-capturing division of it, anyway.
He went down the hall and cleaned up his old room first, pausing at the window to look at the old view. Old, but completely new. There was almost no trace of the old broken-down downtown left in view. Buildings were popping up, foundations were being poured, and the view looked brand-new and foreign. Once he was done cleaning up his old room, he paused and looked across the hall.
There was only one room left to clean.
Aspen’s room.
He took a deep, shaky breath, and opened it, half expecting to see Aspen inside, running at him to give him a big old flying hug and asking him what took so long. Just like he used to do.
Instead, there was only silence. Silence, Aspen’s jacket laid out, and a note.
West blinked at the note. It had his name on it. He picked it up and read.
“West. I’m no good at sappy notes, but I wanted to thank you again for everything you did for me. I’m leaving you my jacket. I doubt it’ll fit, but I bet it still has my scent on it, so you can remember me by it. Just throw it away if you don’t want it. It was never any good for keeping me warm anyway. Love, Aspen.”
West’s eyes filled with tears again as he picked up the jacket and inhaled deeply. Aspen’s smiling face and glittering eyes flashed through his mind, and he choked back a little sob. After a few moments of just breathing the jacket’s smell, he hesitantly tried to put it on.
A perfect fit.
He smiled and shook his head sadly, pocketing the note and starting to vacuum.
“I’ll think of you always when I wear it, brother. If you ever need me, you know where to find me. I’ll be here. Love you.” He whispered into the void, wiping away a tear.

Miles away, Aspen paused in playing with his new brother to sit on the porch and have a drink. He idly put his hands in his hoodie pocket, then blinked. There was something in there. He pulled it out and looked at it in his hand. It was a dog tag, old and worn-out, in the shape of a fancy compass needle. One side was all scratched up to remove the text, but one word remained, clear as day.
“West.”

–The end