This is a very sad story so have tissues ready if you want to read it. The beginning part takes place in the What If They Had Kids? story. Enjoy
10 year old Natalie sits down at the keyboard in her bedroom and starts playing as her puppy is running around the room. It's been a couple of weeks since Alex was placed in WITSEC and everyone knew how much Natalie was struggling and Olivia decided to get a Portuguese Water dog for Natalie since Natalie was allergic to dog dander from the non-hypoallergenic dogs (I.E. golden retrievers, labs, etc).
Natalie:
You and me together we'll be
Forever you'll see
We two can be good company
You and me
Yes together we two
Together that's you
Forever with me
We'll always be good company
You and me
Yes together we'll be
Piper starts licking her face after Natalie gets the puppy up onto the bed, making the child giggle. Olivia hears Natalie giggling and softly smiles. She knew she made the right decision by getting Natalie a dog.
SEPTEMBER 2016
23 year old Natalie watches the kids play with 13 year old Piper in the backyard and feels tears in her eyes. The dog has cancer that has spread from her leg to her liver and brain and suffered from a few seizures when Natalie and Ashlyn were in Brazil for the Olympics. The US forward decided to end her dog's pain by putting her to sleep the following day. Ashlyn knows how much Natalie loves her dog and she loves the dog as well.
"The dog is never going to meet the twins." Natalie softly said.
"I know. But she lived a great life babe." Ashlyn replied softly then kisses her wife's cheek and rubs her small baby bump.
The next day, Natalie stands next to Piper in the vet's office as she pats her dog. Ashlyn is out in the waiting room since she wanted her wife and the dog to have one last time together, just the two of them. Natalie leans down and kisses her dog's head and Piper licks her face a couple times.
Natalie:
You and me together we'll be
Forever you'll see
We two can be good company
You and me
Yes together we two
Together that's you
Forever with me
We'll always be good company
You and me
Yes together we'll be
Ashlyn looks over and sees her wife talking to the vet.
"We'll bring the dog around back." He softly said.
"Thank you." They shake hands and Ashlyn patiently waits for her wife. The pregnant forward looks at her wife then walks over and takes her hand. On the drive back to the house with Piper wrapped in her favorite blanket, Natalie is silently crying as she looks out the window and the goalkeeper rubs her leg, letting her know that she's right there, but behind Ashlyn's sunglasses are tears in her eyes as well.
On Ashlyn's birthday, Ashlyn is holding an eight week old labradoodle puppy in her arms as she walks into the house. She kisses the dog's head and sets him down, making the puppy run over to Natalie. The forward slowly smiles and holds the puppy in her arms then looks at her wife.
"I know it's my birthday and it's been a month since we had to put Piper down, but I think this little guy can being some happiness back into the house. Especially for the kids." Ashlyn said.
"Thank you." Natalie whispered after kissing her wife.
"You're welcome."
"Welcome to the family, Duke." Natalie softly said to the puppy, who licks her face.