A/N: So, Standard-Ang3l and I have both been working on multi-chapter fics. She has two she's currently working on, and they both have dogs in them. The more she showed me of those the more I wanted to write something with a dog in it. And that resulted in the creation of CoCo. Ella's teacup Pomeranian. Enjoy!

Adventures in Dog Sitting

By angellwings

"So, are we done?" Shane asked impatiently from inside the recording booth.

Nate rolled his eyes and turned on the microphone. "Yes, we're done. Run, be free."

"Woo-hoo!" Shane yelled as he bounded out of the booth. "I've got a date with Mitchie! See you suckers later!"

Jason chuckled as he put up his guitar and he leaned into the microphone in front of him. "Got any plans tonight, Nate?"

"Unfortunately, no," Nate said with a sigh.

"Still haven't worked up the nerve to ask out Ella, huh?" Jason asked.

Nate swiftly glanced around the studio and was relieved to find that every one else was gone. He glared at Jason. "Dude, what are you trying to do? Announce it to the whole world?"

Jason rolled his eyes. "Nate, everyone knows you're in love with her. Except maybe for Ella."

Nate's phone blared Ella's ring tone and his eyes widened before he frantically searched through his satchel in the chair beside of him.

Jason laughed and shook his head. "Dude, you've got it bad."

Nate finally found the phone and sent Jason a silencing glare. "Ella? What's up?"

"Can you do me a huge favor?" She asked in a sugary sweet tone.

He smiled in amusement. "And what favor would that be?"

"Well, I'm going to be working later than normal tonight. Mitchie snagged a hem on a dress during her fitting and by the time either of us saw it the seam was pretty much done for. So, I have to stay and repair it before I can go back to my apartment, and…"

"And?" He asked.

"Could you, maybe, swing by my apartment and walk CoCo for me?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose and grimaced. "Really?"

"Please? Pretty please?" Ella begged. "I know you and CoCo aren't the best of friends but every body else is busy right now, and I know you guys were supposed to finish early today. If someone doesn't go over there and walk her my apartment is going to be a mess when I get home. Please, please, please, please?"

"Fine, fine," He said with a resigned sigh. "No need to beg. I'll go walk your yappy little rat dog."

Ella chuckled. "You know you like her."

"If I like her at all it's because she bit Brandon when we ran into him at the park. Besides, why should I like her when she doesn't like me?" Nate grumbled.

"She doesn't like you because she knows you don't like her. Really, she's a tiny little teacup Pomeranian. It's not like she could do that much damage," Ella said in an amused tone.

"You'd be surprised," Nate said as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I'll go walk your dog. Do I need to come by and pick up your key or—"

"There's an extra key above the door frame."

"Above the door frame? You're not worried that some random criminal is going to come by and find your key?" Nate asked in concern.

"My building has security, Nate."

"Still, Ella. I don't think that's a good idea."

She sighed. "Fine, then I won't put the key out there any more, okay? Happy?"

"Very. Anything else you need me to do while I'm at your place?" He asked.

"Um, well if you could feed her and maybe play with her a bit so she doesn't get crazy hyper…"

He groaned.

"C'mon, Nate. Please? I'll love you forever."

He froze. It killed him every time she said that. He knew she didn't mean it the way he wanted her to. That was just something Ella said. She used it with everyone. He let out a sad sigh and nodded before he remembered that she couldn't see him. "Okay, Ella. Whatever you need."

There was silence for a minute before Ella spoke again. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he snapped.

"Um, okay," She in a soft, subdued tone. "Well, anyway, thank you for doing this Nate. I really appreciate it. You probably have other things you'd rather be doing on a Friday night so…thank you."

He flinched at the hurt in her voice. "Ella…"

"I've gotta go, Nate. I'll talk to you later."

"Ella, wait."

"What?"

"What time do you think you'll be done?" He asked carefully.

"Well, it's 5 o'clock now. Um, probably around seven or eight. Why?"

"What if I just dog sit until you get home and then we order Chinese or something? We'll hang out."

"Really?"

He could hear the smile in her voice and it made him smile as well. "Definitely."

"Okay, I'd like that. It sounds like fun."

"Then I'll see you when you get home," Nate told her happily. "Bye, Ells."

"Bye, Nate."

He hung up the phone and looked up to find Jason smirking at him. "Hot date tonight, Nathaniel?"

"Don't you have somewhere to be? Somewhere with Caitlyn that's far away from me?" Nate asked in an annoyed tone.

Jason laughed. "C'mon, man, I'm just teasing you. Really, I'm happy for you. Big plans with Ella. Congrats."

"Thanks."

"If her little ball of fluff doesn't eat you first, that is," Jason said with a grin and a chuckle.

He rolled his eyes as he stood up and gathered his things. "Shut up, Jason. You've been spending far too much time with Caitlyn."

Nate unlocked Ella's apartment door and immediately heard little paws clicking against her hardwood floors. He closed the door quickly as a furry blonde puff ball charged at it. It growled at the closed door and then glared at him. He glared right back.

"You're not escaping that easily."

It yapped at him repeatedly, and stayed right on his heels as he walked to the kitchen to find the leash. Usually the leash was hanging by the kitchen door, but there was nothing there. He called Ella quickly. He shushed the dog as the phone rang, but CoCo never stopped.

"Nate? Is everything okay?"

"Everything's great. I just can't find the leash," He said as he strained to hear Ella over CoCo's barking.

"Oh! Shane and Mitchie bought CoCo a new one for her birthday! It's in the junk drawer by the fridge," Ella told him.

"Right, thanks," He said as he crossed the kitchen. "How's it going?"

"Pretty well. I might be done earlier than I thought."

"Awesome. Call me when you're done, okay?"

"Will do. Have fun with CoCo."

"I'll try."

He hung up and quickly found the drawer. He opened it and then stared down at the leash in horror. It was one of those retractable dog leashing with plastic casing. But…

The plastic casing was pink, and covered in pink crystals. He wasn't aware it was possible for a dog leash to be so girly.

"Only Ella," He muttered to himself in amusement. He looked down at CoCo who was still barking. "If you weren't Ella's dog I would not even dare to touch this leash."

CoCo glared at him and growled before she immediately began barking again.

Nate rolled his eyes. "Chill out. You're not even the tiniest bit intimidating. You sound like a squeak toy."

He pulled the leash out of the drawer and bent down to fasten the end of the leash to CoCo's pink collar. But CoCo barked and then snapped at his hand. Nate jerked away and sighed.

"Really? You were pretty eager to get outside when I got here. What's the problem now?"

CoCo turned her nose up and then ran away from him. He followed her into Ella's living room. She hopped up onto her pink doggy sized Chaise lounge and stared challengingly at him. He reached out again and she growled. He huffed and then made a move to scoop her up, but she swiftly hopped off her little chair and then hopped up onto Ella's coffee table.

Nate glared suspiciously at the dog. "What are you up to?"

Before he could make another move the dog nudged at the pink glass bowl sitting on the table. His brow furrowed as the dog continued to push it off the table. Nate jumped and caught the bowl just before it hit the hard floor. Nate glared at the tiny dog. He'd underestimated her. This dog was smart…

And evil.

CoCo jumped off the table and then ran away Nate scrambled up and followed her. He snagged Ella's round side table as he went and grimaced at the loud crash that followed. He stopped in his tracks and turned slowly.

He'd broken a lamp. He sighed as he started to pick up the pieces of Ella's pink ceramic lamp. He had no idea where CoCo was now. Probably hiding under a piece of furniture somewhere waiting to attack him.

Once he cleaned up the lamp he heard another crash in Ella's bedroom and ran toward it. He walked in the open door and found broken pieces of white stone. He heard panting to his left and turned to his head to find CoCo resting in her pink fluffy bed. He was certain she was smirking at him. He picked up the pieces and realized they used to be a bowl. A bowl in the shape of an owl. He threw them away and then turned to CoCo.

"So have you caused enough damage now?" He asked in an irritated tone. "Are you ready to go for a walk?"

Once again she thrust her nose into the air, but this time she walked toward him and sat down patiently at his feet. He shook his head and chuckled dryly.

"You're one very evil little dog."

He attached the leash to her collar and then the two of them finally left the apartment. CoCo was surprisingly strong for such a little dog. She couldn't exactly drag Nate anywhere, but that didn't stop her from trying. He took her to the little dog park across the street from Ella's building where he'd been with Ella several times while she walked CoCo. CoCo paused on the sidewalk and growled. Nate looked down at her and was surprised to find that she wasn't growling at him. She was growling at the pair of brown loafers a couple of feet in front of them.

Nate looked up again to find Brandon standing there. Brandon, Ella's ex that lived in the building next door. CoCo lunged at Brandon, but Nate scooped her up quickly. She yapped as Brandon came closer.

"Hi, Nate," Brandon said awkwardly. He gave CoCo a disgusted look before nodding at the dog. "CoCo."

CoCo snarled and Nate smirked. Alright, so maybe he could grow to like CoCo. Nate petted the little dogs head and scratched behind her ears. The dog's snarling calmed to soft growling.

Nate forced a smile. "Brandon."

"Dog sitting?" He asked.

Nate nodded. "Ella had to work late tonight."

"And you want out of the friend zone so you were more than happy to help. Am I right?" Brandon asked tightly.

"Hey, I'm just walking her dog, man. Don't get mad at me because you didn't see what you had until it was too late," Nate told him as his smile fell. "You lost her. That's not my fault."

CoCo barked her agreement before Brandon spoke again.

"Do you think I didn't see how you felt about her while I was dating her?" Brandon asked with a glare. "It was painfully obvious. It's also painfully obvious that nothing is ever going to happen. The sooner you get over her, the better."

Nate shook his head. "You'll forgive me if I don't take advice from you. Considering you're here insulting me out of jealousy four months after she broke up with you."

CoCo wiggled in Nate's arms and barked longer and louder. The dog wanted Nate to put her down, but he wasn't going to. She'd already bit Brandon once, and Nate had a feeling if it happened again Brandon wouldn't be as nice as he was last time.

Brandon backed away from CoCo worriedly before glaring at Nate again. "Don't say I didn't warn you, Nate."

Brandon turned and walked back toward his building and for the first time Nate wondered why Brandon took so many trips to the dog park. The guy didn't have a dog. All the answers that were popping up in his head did nothing to make him feel better. They only made him worry about Ella.

Nate looked down at CoCo and continued to scratch behind her ears. CoCo looked up at him curiously. "Alright, CoCo. You and I need to call a truce. We have a few things to discuss."

She let out a short yap that Nate took to be an agreement.

"I know you're tiny, but he seems to be scared of you anyway. You keep protecting Ella the way you do, and I promise to be nice. I'll even buy you those treats Ella thinks aren't good for you," Nate told the tiny Pomeranian. "If you can keep him away then you and I will be very good friends. Deal?"

She yapped again and licked his hand. He smiled softly at the dog. "Good. Now go do your business so we can go inside." He placed CoCo on the ground and she tugged him toward the grass. At least he could find comfort in the fact that CoCo preferred him to Brandon. Maybe Ella did too.

The rest of the night CoCo had caused very few problems. In fact, she'd really started to warm up to Nate. She was actually sitting next to him on the couch instead of sitting on her little Chaise Lounge or retreating to her bed. Nate turned on the TV and stopped on one channel that was showing Superman Returns. CoCo perked up at the sound of the two Pomeranians in the beginning and her eyes were glued to the TV. He chuckled and left it there for a while. Until it reached the point where Lex was returning to the house where he'd left the dogs. Then Nate remembered the fur and the bones that insinuated one of the Pomeranians ate the other one and he quickly changed the channel.

CoCo barked at him and growled a little, but he looked at her and smiled affectionately.

"Trust me, it's for your own good."

Keys jingled in the door and CoCo sat up excitedly. The door opened and Ella smiled at both of them.

"Well, you're both alive. That's good."

CoCo hopped off the couch and raced over to Ella. Ella smiled brightly and picked her up. "Hello there, CoCo. Did you have a good time with Nate?"

CoCo barked happily and licked at the hands that held her. Ella laughed and petted CoCo as she joined Nate on the couch. She did a double take at her side table and her brow furrowed.

"Where's my lamp?"

Nate cleared his throat and squirmed in his seat. "Well, ah, you see…CoCo and I played a little game of cat and mouse, and while I was chasing her I, sort of, knocked over your lamp."

Ella chuckled. "Pottery Barn. Spring Catalogue. Page twenty-two."

Nate nodded and ran a hand through his hair nervously. "Expect it soon. But to be fair…CoCo broke something too. It wasn't just me."

CoCo growled at him.

Nate glared back. "What? We're friends now, but if I'm going down I'm taking you with me."

Ella gave the tiny dog a stern look. "What did she break?"

"That little owl shaped bowl in your room."

"I knew she'd do something to that one of these days. She hated that thing."

CoCo barked defensively at Ella, and Ella shook her head.

"Yes, you did. The first night I had it on my nightstand you barked all night long. I had to stick it in the drawer just so you'd shut up."

Ella sat CoCo down on the couch and was pleasantly surprised when CoCo sat down next to Nate and snuggled into his side. Ella looked back and forth between CoCo and Nate in shock. Nate, for his part, looked just as shocked as Ella. Apparently, CoCo wasn't just tolerating him. She genuinely liked him.

"Alright, it's only been an hour and a half," Ella said in awe. "What the heck happened that caused her to be so fond of you?"

CoCo and Nate shared a look before CoCo hopped off the couch and retreated to Ella's room. Nate's shoulders sagged. He looked back at Ella. "Your dog is a coward."

"What?" She asked worriedly. "What happened?"

"We ran into Brandon at the dog park," Nate told her.

Her eyes widened. "Oh?"

"Yeah, he seemed awfully upset that I was dog sitting. We exchanged words, and CoCo really wanted to bite him again. I kind of wanted to let her."

She sighed. "I'm sorry, Nate. Whatever he said…just ignore it. He's a jackass."

"You know, he just happened to show up the last time I walked CoCo with you too," Nate said suspiciously.

Ella looked away from him and down at her hands. "Yeah, he did."

"Does he run into you a lot while you're walking CoCo?"

She didn't answer him right away so Nate scooted a little closer to her.

"Ella?"

She twirled a strand of hair around her finger and refused to look at him. "Maybe."

"Ella," Nate repeated sternly. "Why haven't you told anyone about this?"

"It's not a big deal," She told him. "He keeps his distance. He just shows up and tries to talk to me, that's all. I swear. He hasn't tried anything."

"It is a big deal. The way he acted tonight…it worried me, Ells. If you ever feel threatened by him you have to promise me that you'll tell someone," Nate said as he hesitantly reached for her hand. "Don't wait for him to 'try anything' before you do something about it, okay?"

She nodded and squeezed his hand. "Okay."

"And just in case, I made a deal with CoCo. She's going to keep Brandon away, and I'm going to be nice to her. It's been really working out so far," Nate told her with a smirk.

Ella smiled at him and tilted her head to the side. "Nate?"

"Yeah?" He asked curiously.

He hadn't pulled his hand away yet, and Ella really didn't want him to.

"Um, why do you care so much about Brandon?" She asked hesitantly.

This time he looked away from her. "Because you're my friend, Ella. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you."

She sighed and nodded before she pulled her hand from his and stood up. "I see. Because we're friends, of course. So, where do you want to order from?"

His brow furrowed at her tone. She didn't sound happy. He stood up as well and followed her into the kitchen. "Ella…"

"There's that little place down the street or Hunan's by the studio or we could just flip to some random place in the phone book if you want. I'm not picky."

"Ella," He said again. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," She said. "I mean why wouldn't I be? We're friends. What's there to be upset about?"

He swallowed thickly. One corner of his mouth turned upward in half of a smile. "You don't sound fine. You sound like you don't want to be my friend."

She bit her bottom lip as she pulled out the phone book. "No, no. It's not that. I—I'm glad that we're friends. I just—a part of me thought…you know what? Just forget it. Food. Let's focus on the food. Chinese is what you had in mind, right?"

"Ella—"

"Because if you've changed your mind, that's fine. We can order pizza or wings or something…as long as they're boneless. And mild. I'm not very good at handling spicy food. I mean I could try, but last time I had really spicy wings I cried. Not like sobbing cried just like the eyes watering type of crying. You know, like what Shane did that one time he got a bit of Wasabi in his eye?" She paused and winced. "What am I even saying? I just keep talking and—"

She cut herself off as Nate slowly pulled her against him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and smiled lovingly at her. "Do you mind if I talk for a bit?"

She shook her head but didn't say a word.

"I, um," Nate started nervously. He took a deep breath before he continued. "Ella, I think I'm in love with you. I have been for a while now only by the time I realized it you were dating Brandon, and…I didn't want to get in the way of anything. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is…you're not just my friend. You haven't been for some time now. I—I love you. I really love you."

Her eyes watered and her face flushed, but she didn't say anything. He squeezed her waist lightly.

"Ella? Are you alive?"

"You—you love me?" She asked as she smiled brightly at him.

He nodded. "I do."

She sprang forward and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "I love you too. I—I didn't think you'd feel the same though…I only went out with Brandon to try and get over you, but it didn't work. It didn't work at all. And I…I just love you."

She pulled back a little and her lips hovered just centimeters from his.

He smiled softly at her and whispered. "So, you love me and I love you? At the same time, in the same place, and with no obstacles in the way?"

She breathed deeply before she nodded very slowly. "Yes."

"Okay," He said just before he lowered his lips to hers. She gasped and tensed for a split second before she relaxed and parted her lips. Nate pulled her tighter against him as he deepened the kiss. Ella let out a soft whimper as Nate's hands slipped into her hair. There was silence for a few moments where the only thing that could be heard was the sound of their kissing.

Until the sound of little paws on hardwood interrupted them. Yapping sounded from the floor at their feet and Nate groaned and pulled away. He turned to look at CoCo.

"I thought we were friends? Huh? As my friend you should go away."

Ella laughed as CoCo stubbornly continued barking. She rested her head on Nate's shoulder briefly before turning to her dog and speaking sternly. "CoCo. Bed. Now."

The dog whined pathetically before turning and prancing away.

Ella turned to him and smiled flirtatiously. "Now, where were we?"