"Are you sure it's a good idea to go look at those puppies before you ask anyone about it?" Quinn asked, as she sat down on the foot of Artie's bed.

He nodded. "Of course," he said. "We're just going to look…it's not like I'm going to come home with one."

Quinn raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to tell me that there's any way you're going to go look at the puppies and NOT bring one home eventually?"

He shrugged. "I might decide I don't like them."

Quinn rolled her eyes, grinning at him. "Riiight," she said. "And I might decide at the last minute I'd rather go to prom with someone else."

"What?" Artie asked, fully aware of the point she was getting at (he hoped). "Woman, you know there isn't anyone you'd rather go to the prom with than me," he said. "I get your point," he added. "The chances of me deciding I don't like puppies are pretty much slim to none."

She giggled. "Just like the chances of me deciding I'd rather go to prom with someone else," she said, standing up and leaning over to plant a soft kiss on his cheek. "Only they aren't even slim…just none," she added, smiling. "What time did AJ say he'd be here?"

"Any minute," Artie said, reaching to his lap and smoothing out a wrinkle in his pants. "He literally said, 'I'll be there any minute.'"

"Martin coming?" Quinn asked.

"That's what I'm assuming," he said, pulling on his sweater. "It's like they were never not joined at the hip."

Quinn laughed. "I know," she said. "I think it's great! And great use of a double negative there," she added. "I thought you hate those?"

He was about to respond, when they heard loud footsteps outside his door.

"Are you guys decent in there?" AJ called out, knocking on the door.

Before Artie could say anything, Quinn piped up.

"Just a second, AJ," she said. "Just let me find my shirt."

"Oh my…I'm sorry…I…Oh God. We'll just wait. I'm sorry! Please! Take your time!"

Artie burst out laughing, and could hear Martin do the same in the hallway outside his room, before the door opened a crack, and AJ peeked in.

"Thanks for that," he muttered, opening it further. "Really."

Quinn grinned. "You're welcome," she said.

"Are we ready to get this road trip rolling?" AJ asked, hoping his face wasn't as red as it felt.

"Road trip?" Martin asked. "Bro, it's like…a 20 minute drive. How is that a road trip?"

"Well," Artie said, making sure he had everything he needed, "Technically, any time you get in the car to go anywhere could be considered a road trip…but I agree. Not really a real road trip."

"But I made us a CD!" AJ said. "And called it the 'Puppy Road Trip Mix.'"

"Oh, well if we have a CD…" Quinn trailed off, grinning.

"Yeah, if we have a CD, it MUST be a road trip," Artie said. "Who's driving?"

"I can," Martin said. "Everyone will have lots of room that way," he added. "Unless you wanted to."

Artie shook his head. "That's fine," he said. "There is more space in yours."

"Ok, let's go!" AJ said, moving back towards the door. "I can't wait for you to see them! They're so cute…I kind of want them ALL. But I'll settle for one. Still trying to convince Grandma that she should just give me one…Mom won't say ANYTHING if that happens."

"Maybe that would work with my mom," Artie said quietly to Quinn, as they headed out the door. "What do you think? 'Mom, AJ's grandma gave me this puppy. I couldn't say no!'"

Quinn giggled. "Hey," she said. "It's worth a try, right?"

He chuckled. "Yeah," he said. "And, depending how THAT conversation goes…I may need to say that when I bring the puppy home."

Once everyone was securely buckled into the car, and Artie's chair was stowed safely in the truck, they were off.

Quinn usually sat behind Artie, but for some reason AJ ended up there on their way to his grandma's house. Artie could feel him bouncing around behind him, as he explained something about the puppies to Quinn, and he wondered how Martin drove with AJ sitting behind him on a semi-regular basis. Maybe it was just something you got used to.

He glanced into the mirror on his sun visor, catching Quinn's eye, and almost burst out laughing at the expression on her face, as AJ explained in detail how the puppies were born, and how he'd stayed there for the entire weekend waiting for them to make their appearance.

The music on AJ's CD played softly in the car, and Artie found himself listening to it off and on. About half of the time he spent listening was spent trying to figure out what he was listening to. He finally decided it was something or someone he'd never heard of. It sounded suspiciously like Bollywood.

"What the hell is this?" Martin muttered, pushing a button and making it go on to the next song. "That's the last time I let him make a CD unsupervised."

Artie chuckled softly, turning slightly to see what was going on in the back seat. AJ had his phone out, and was clearly showing Quinn the pictures of the puppies…for the fifth time.

"So, what's the best way to get you up the stairs?" Martin asked, casually.

"Stairs?" Artie asked.

The back seat fell silent.

"Yeah…AJ's grandma's house has a TON of stairs up the outside…and up the inside. Everything is upstairs…" he trailed off. "He didn't mention that, did he?"

"I figured it would be ok," AJ cut in from the back seat. "I have a plan."

"You didn't tell him about the stairs?" Martin asked, his eyes widening and that look he got when he wasn't quite sure what to think of what was going on spreading across his face. "Or your 'plan?'"

"Do I even want to know your plan?" Artie asked, unsure of whether he should be horrified or amused by the situation. AJ's plan almost certainly included someone carrying him up a bunch of stairs. Maybe THAT was why he'd brought Martin? Unless he was planning to somehow hoist him up the outside of a building?

"I thought maybe Martin could just give you a piggyback up the inside stairs," AJ said. "That way you won't be embarrassed, because no one will see, and I can carry your chair."

Quinn caught Artie's eye in the mirror again, noticing that he looked absolutely mortified.

"That's not going to work," Artie muttered. "Unless you want Martin to be strangled halfway up the stairs."

"What?" AJ said. "Why would you strangle him? Then you'd both just fall back down."

Martin turned, taking his eyes off the road briefly, to glare at his friend. He'd wondered a bit, when AJ had presented him with his plan, but he figured that, if he had thought about it enough to make a plan in the first place, he would have mentioned it to Artie. At the time he'd wondered how AJ had gotten Artie to agree to that. Clearly he hadn't.

"I can't exactly hold onto him with my legs," Artie said. "Which means all my weight would be on my arms…which would be around his neck, apparently. No."

"Dude," AJ said. "He's strong. He even carried me once. He could EASILY support all your weight."

"No," Artie said. "Did you have a plan B?"

"Well," AJ said, "if that wasn't going to work, I thought he could just haul you up there, fireman-style."

"Please tell me you're joking," Artie muttered. "I'm not being carried ANYWHERE."

"Maybe the puppies could come outside?" Quinn asked, unsure of what else to say. Artie was clearly uncomfortable, Martin was clearly annoyed with AJ, and AJ was clearly…AJ. She wasn't exactly sure where he was at.

"They'll be stolen by birds of prey!" AJ said. "They're tiny! We have to keep them inside."

"Birds of prey?" Martin asked. "What are you talking about?"

"I saw something on the Discovery Channel," AJ said. "They just flew down and picked up a rabbit! And the puppies are a LOT smaller than that rabbit!"

"I'm not being carried up a flight of stairs," Artie repeated. "I appreciate your making a plan, AJ," he said. "But no. And in the future…if you're going to make plans like that…maybe tell all the people they involve?"

"I was just trying to be helpful!" AJ said. "I figured that, if I told you that my grandma's house has three times as many stairs as mine does to get into it, you wouldn't come. And I really want you to see the puppies. Because I really want you to get one of them! I want them to go to good homes with nice people who will play with them and make them happy."

Quinn looked up, noticing that Artie's facial expression softened considerably as AJ finished what he was saying. He still looked mildly annoyed, but also like he appreciated the thought AJ had clearly put into his plan.

"I have an idea," Quinn said. "Is the basement easier to get into? Because we could bring the puppies down there," she added. "And then no one has to be carried up the stairs."

"There are 3 stairs down to the basement door," AJ said. "That would work, right? We've done it before, with just a couple of stairs."

Artie nodded. "Yeah…that would be better. If your grandma doesn't mind."

AJ shook his head, the look of puppy-related joy returning to his face. "She won't mind," he said. "Oh, we're here!"

Once everyone was out of the car, AJ ran up the stairs to the front door, pushed open the mail slot and announced himself before opening the door.

Looking up at the steep, narrow staircase, and judging from the age of the house, Artie assumed that the inside stairs probably weren't any less steep or narrow, and he was greatly relieved at the fact that he wouldn't have to endure the humiliation of being carried up either of the staircases.

"I'm sorry," Martin muttered. "I thought he had said something. Part of me wondered how you'd ever agreed to what he had planned, but I figured he'd at least check with you!"

"It's fine," Artie said. "He never mentioned it, and I was going to ask…but then figured he would have said something. I guess in the future…assume nothing. You know what Steven Segal says about that."

Martin grinned. "I do," he said. "Solid advice."

"Do I even want to know?" Quinn asked, grinning at both of them.

"Oh, he just said that assumption is the mother of all…f-ups. I can't say the full word in front of you at AJ's grandma's house," Artie said. "But you get the picture."

She giggled. "I get the picture. And will admit…I agree with Segal on that one."

They waited outside the basement door for another minute or so, before it was opened by AJ and his grandma, who promptly walked up the steps, hugged Martin, introduced herself to Quinn and Artie, and then hugged both of them as well.

"Come in!" she said, gesturing to the door. "I'm so glad you kids were able to make it today," she said. "I've been telling the puppies, and they're very excited."

Quinn and Artie exchanged an amused glance, as AJ hurried up the stairs to help Martin get Artie inside.

"Backwards," Martin muttered softly to AJ, as he asked how the best way to do it was. "Otherwise we're going to throw him down the stairs."

"Oh…right," AJ muttered back. "I can never remember how this works."

After a minute or so of manoeuvring, they had Artie safely in the basement. AJ's grandma and Quinn followed.

"Now," AJ's grandma said. "Quinn, dear, why don't you come with me, and we'll go get the puppies?"

"I'll come get mine," AJ said, following them up the stairs.

"Thanks," Artie said to Martin, after the others were out of sight.

Martin grinned. "Anytime. You know that."

"You didn't tell him about the time you actually DID carry me up a flight of stairs, did you?" Artie asked quietly. "Because that's the last thing he needs to know…or he'll be making plans like that all the time."

Martin's grin widened. "My lips are sealed," he said. "And besides…those were unusual circumstances."

Artie nodded. "Truth. Since then I have NEVER trusted when someone said something was fully accessible without actually seeing it."

"Well," Martin said. "They were total morons. I'm not sure how they thought railings on both sides of a stairwell made the building 'accessible.'"

"Oh, you'd be surprised…" Artie trailed off, as AJ came hurrying down the stairs, a tiny black and brown puppy in his arms.

"This one is mine," AJ said, depositing the puppy onto Artie's lap. "So don't get too attached, ok? He's going to be a fierce guard dog!"

Artie grinned, picking up the puppy and letting it lick his face.

"Ok, two things," he said. "First, this puppy weighs less than two pounds. That's hardly fierce. And second…it's a she, not a he."

"What?" AJ said. "Are you telling me that Killer is a girl? Grandma said that, but I thought she was just joking!"

Martin stifled his laughter. "Killer?" he asked. "Seriously?"

"Maybe you grabbed the wrong one?" Artie asked, cuddling the puppy to his chest. "She sure doesn't seem fierce to me," he added, as she yawned, nestling into his arms.

"No, it's definitely that one," AJ said. "He…I mean…she, apparently, has a brown tail. All the other ones have black tails."

"I see you've met…Killer," Quinn said, appearing behind them, two puppies in her arms. "The other two are coming in a second," she added. "There was just an…accident to deal with."

"I'll take those," Artie said, holding open his arms, careful not to disturb AJ's almost-sleeping puppy. "I feel like I'm in some sort of puppy love pile," he added, once the puppies were in his lap.

AJ's grandma appeared as well, and quickly deposited the other two puppies into Artie's lap, smiling as they began to play.

"Hogging the puppies, are we?" Quinn asked playfully.

"I got a little carried away," Artie said. "Feel free to take one. Martin? Puppy?"

Once each of them had a puppy, and AJ had "his" back, Artie examined the two that were in his lap. AJ's grandma had said that the one Quinn was holding was the one she was planning on keeping, and the one that Martin had was going to her friend from the Seniors' Centre. That meant that the two he was holding were available.

"How am I supposed to decide this?" Artie muttered, more to himself and the puppies than to anyone else. "You're both so cute, and so soft, and cuddly," he said, holding them up to his face. "And you have gigantic ears, and little noses, and tiny little brown feet," he added.

Quinn giggled. "Should we leave you three alone for a moment?" she asked, grinning at him.

"Um…no, that's ok," Artie said, placing the puppies back in his lap, watching as they nestled themselves in beside his thigh. He had a very brief moment of wishing that he could feel their warmth against his leg, before being snapped back to reality.

"Which one are you going to take?" AJ asked. "I think you should take the boy. And name him Killer. I need to find a new name for mine."

Artie grinned. He was actually leaning towards the girl, and he definitely wouldn't be naming anyone Killer.

"I like the little girl," Quinn said, passing the puppy she was holding to Martin, before reaching down and gently picking up the puppy from Artie's lap. "They're both cute, but she's so tiny and delicate!"

"I like her too," Artie said. "I like them both, but I can only have one, and I think I'm going to go with her."

AJ's grandma grinned. "She's a real sweetheart," she said. "She has a much more relaxed demeanour than Killer over there," she added, gesturing to where AJ was dangling a toy in front of the brown-tailed puppy, who was jumping and growling at it. "I told him she was a girl, but he wouldn't listen," she said quietly, laughing. "At least he listens to his friends…even if he doesn't listen to his old grandma. I meant to ask you kids," she said. "Would you be able to get some pictures of AJ in his prom outfit for me? That's coming up, isn't it?"

Quinn nodded. "It's in two days," she said. "And I'll make sure to get some pictures for you."

"Thank you," the older woman said, smiling at Quinn. "He had originally told me he wasn't going to go. I'm really glad you were able to convince him," she added.

"It didn't take much convincing," Martin said, quietly. "I think he just really didn't want to go alone. And I can't blame him…I wouldn't have either. So I'm glad we're all going together."

"To prom?" AJ asked, having grabbed his puppy and hurried over to join the conversation. "Grandma, wait until you see the tuxes Uncle Max hooked us up with. You won't even recognize us."

She grinned. "I can't wait to see," she said. "Now, while you're here…have you asked your mother about the puppy?"

AJ shook his head. "No, but I'm pretty sure if you just give hi-her to me, she won't say anything," he said. "She likes dogs."

"I know she does," the woman said. "But I also know that you really should ask her."

"Fine," AJ said. "But if she says no…Killer and I are coming to live with you. Ok?"

Everyone laughed, and AJ glanced around the room.

"I was serious, people," he muttered, a small smile forming on his lips. "Or…mostly. I can't name a girl Killer, but the rest was true!"

After playing with the puppies and chatting with AJ's grandma for another half hour or so, they decided they'd better head back.

Everyone had a final cuddle with all the puppies, and AJ had said that he'd take care of delivering Artie's puppy to him the following week once they were definitely ready to be separated from their mother.

Once they'd said their good byes and thank yous to AJ's grandma, they headed back outside and to the car.

On the drive home, Quinn sat behind Artie, much to his relief.

Most of the conversation in the car consisted of what AJ could name his puppy, now that it was a girl.

When they got back to Artie's house, they noticed that no one else was home yet, and decided to take advantage of the situation by spending a little time together, cuddling on the couch.

"I'm really glad we went," Artie said. "I can't wait to bring her home."

Quinn nodded. "What about your mom and dad?"

He shrugged. "I'll think of something," he said. "Or…what is it you always say? Maybe I'll play it by ear."

She giggled. "Excited for prom?" she asked.

He nodded. "Woman, you have no idea," he said. "Mostly excited to see you looking amazing and hot in your dress," he added, grinning at her. "Just like I know you're excited to see me in all my hotness."

She grinned back. "I'm seeing you in all your hotness right now," she said. "Everything else? Just a bonus."

"Have I told you lately that I love you?" he whispered into her ear, squeezing her hand.

Her grin widened into a big smile. "You have," she said. "But you can never say that too much. And you know what?"

"What?" he asked, smiling back.

"I love you, too."

A/N: Corresponds with All My Dreams, chapter 113 and The Smile on Your Face chapter 95.

Stay tuned for prom in the next couple of days! I'm planning on making that one with two chapters, I think, just to make sure I get everything in. :)