A/N: Okay. Finally. It's taken me awhile, but I've finally got chapter one up. *happy dances*

Okay, so new readers, welcome, and returning readers, welcome back! I've missed you all so much!

Story Notes: In this story, I had to have Seth and Leah phase around late may of Rory's junior year, as opposed to mid-march of her senior year. I really, really tried to make the canon work for me, but was unsuccessful. So, sorry about that.

Chapter Notes: Takes place around late June, about a month and a week after the epilogue of Lost Puppy. But it's going to skip around a lot, not flashbacks per-say, more like retrospect.

Second, I don't know if they have subways in Seattle. I've only been there once, and I drove. So if there aren't, just play pretend, okay?

Thirdly, there isn't actually a ton of dialogue in this chapter, but most of it's scripted. Sorry. The rest of the story won't be like that. Also, one reason that this took so long was that it took me awhile to come to terms with Rory's desire to break the fourth wall a little bit. So let me know how you felt about that.

Lastly, sorry for the overused boyfriend assumption. It's so overused now that personally, I expect it and when it's not there, I'm like "Huh…" and it distracts from the story. So that's why I felt the need to put it in.

Disclaimer: I do not, have not and never will own or claim to own: Twilight, Beyonce, Dr. Laura, Kleenex, Everybody Loves Raymond, or Scooby Doo or any of its characters.

Dog Person

Chapter One

(Rory's POV)

Really, as I reluctantly admitted to myself, it wasn't all his fault. There were a lot of things that led me to where I was. Which was in a subway station in Seattle, soaking wet with no money and wearing a miniskirt that I hated.

Of course, that's not to say that I didn't hate all miniskirts, but this one was especially evil.

It started back at Christmas.

See-

No, wait, it started before Christmas.

Okay. So about a week after the whole Jasper episode, I met Seth. Seth Clearwater is sweetest, friendliest, nicest human being I had ever known, and after that night, he kept coming back, and every time he did, I tried to ignore him.

I wasn't trying to be malicious. That was part of our unique relationship. If you could call it that. Okay, it was like Jasper and I. Seth tried to win me over, and I tried not to be won over. Much like how I tried to win Jasper over, and how he resisted. Because as much as he said that it was only because of some super-secret information that I wasn't privy to know, I think there was a part of him that only acted like he did to see if he could.

Fact: For most nice/not mean people, it is difficult not to be nice/not mean to people who are nice/not mean to you.

And on top of that, Fact: When you love a challenge, you take them when you can.

So that makes sense.

Of course, there was another reason I resisted his attempts at friendship. One that, like a lot of things, I didn't want to admit to myself. I mean, I was one of those people who loves a challenge, and it happened in Florida a lot-someone would seem standoffish, and I'd do my best to fix that. But I'd never been on the other side-I was always chasing other people, always trying to win them over. I wasn't used to being chased, and I guess there may have possibly been a small part of me that liked that attention. If I gave in and talked to Seth, he'd probably stop coming. And it wasn't like people were lining up to be my best friend.

I'd stopped sitting with Jessica and the Forks High A-List awhile ago, after the novelty of my new-kid-ness wore off, and started my term as the Loner Outcast. I think when I got to Forks, they were running out of labels.

I sat at the outcast table-where I was most comfortable anyway, because they didn't talk about things I had no clue about, like clothes and Beyonce. Even though they didn't really talk to me there, either (hence the 'loner' part of 'loner outcast.') But they acknowledged my presence, at least. And just to clarify, there was no big drama about this adjustment, no big fight or anything, I just never talked to anyone in the in-crowd, and I started talking to the people at the outcast table, and then one day

Me: Jess, I'muna sit with them today, kay?

Jessica: *looks away from Mike Newton for a second.* Did you say something?

It really was for the best.

Thus, the reason I really wanted to just stop being stupid and talk to Seth. And why I couldn't allow myself that privilege. I win, he goes away. He wins, he talks to me once and goes away. So I was screwed either way.

Now let's leave Seth for a second, because what happens next is tied into Christmas.

The up side? Danny came home to visit. The bad side? He brought someone with him. Her official title was 'fiancé.' Her name was Whitney Clark. Out of boredness, I started looking up name meanings once. Clark means "scholar" and I think it would be awesome if that were really ironic, but it's not, because Whitney was actually smart. She was also a dancer, and she satisfied the stereotype of every five-year-old girl's ballerina dreams. She was tall, graceful, and beautiful, with hair that was slightly longer than typical.

Merry Christmas to me.

You're supposed to be happy when your siblings get married, but I'm not usually one to do what I'm supposed to, and heck-I'm not usually one to be happy. Period. I am not an optimist. This was no exception. Reasons Why It Wasn't Going To Last-

One: They had nothing in common.

Two: The things they did have in common didn't help. Example: Both talkative. According to Dr. Laura, communication is vital to a long-lasting relationship. Don't ask how I know that. Coming from someone who has five brothers, it is just really, really, really hard to communicate when neither party will shut their freaking mouth and listen.

Thee: It never did.

I'd seen my mother's marriage fall apart like a pair of jeans that's seen far better days, and I'd seen her go through boyfriends and engagements like Kleenex. And from listening to Dr. Laura (my mom played the audio tapes in the kitchen of the diner when we were working, okay? Don't judge me) I knew that this kind of crappy relationship wasn't all that unusual. And I knew from watching my own grandparents (who were reminiscent of the parents and Everybody Loves Raymond, if you've ever seen that show) that even couples that stay together don't really stay in love. So. The point?

And just so we're clear, I do believe love exists, I just don't believe it ever lasts.

Oh, and I forgot the added bonus-Reason Why I Was Not Happy-

Four: Danny was getting a life.

Okay, that one takes some more explaining. Danny and Whitney had both been pretty much out of school, just working in New York, hoping to get a job in what had been their respective majors, when they met. They had been in Forks since Christmas, with Danny staying at our house and Whitney in the apartment they were moving into (oh, yeah, did I mention? They were, for some unfathomable reasons, moving to town. Even though Danny hated the rain and always had, but whatever.) and Danny had barely spoken to any of us the entire time. I'd always considered Danny my best friend-I was closer with him than anyone, even Ellis. And of he hadn't been a total family-ignoring-idiot about the entire thing, I might not have resented him

But he was an idiot, so I did resent him.

But you don't just spread it around that you don't want someone to get married. Especially when you do tell one person (cough, cough NATE cough, cough) and they go all "You are going against the family, I disown you, begone" on you.

So, like so many other things, I felt it best to keep it to myself. Of course, they few times that Danny or Whitney did try to talk to me, I ignored them, mostly because I knew if I tried talking to either of them, it could only end in death. If it was Danny, then probably mine, so I was especially careful around him, but if it was Whitney, then I knew I could probably take her in a fight, but I didn't want to have to clean that up, so I silenced myself around her, too.

The date was set for the day that school let out, which meant I got to skip out on all the "end of year festivities" such as signing the same crappy thing in a million yearbooks of kids I was seeing again next year anyway, and having to explain five million times that no, they couldn't sign mine because I didn't have one, and that wasn't for any reason other than the fact that I didn't want one. Maybe I'd get one next year, and fill all the autograph pages with complaints and teen angst and then when people asked to sign my yearbook, I'd show them that it was completely full. They wouldn't bother to read them, anyway. And then when I was old and I was getting the age where all I wanted to do was complain about the economy and how youngins had it easy and needed to enjoy their youth, I could look back and be like "Oh, yeah. That's why it sucked so much."

But anyway, back to how this ties into Seth. So my family ignores me, hates me or…is Owen, and I really don't have any "friends" per say at school. Then there's Seth, the one person that wants to hang out with me, and I have to keep turning him down out of my natural Rory-ness. And then there was Jasper, who I didn't really talk to, but he and some of his siblings smiled at me in the halls, an honor reserved for very few. Aside from Jasper, there was Alice (who waved, if only to distinguish it from the fact that she pretty much smiled at everyone) and Emmett, and after Bella Swan came to town, Edward. Which left Rosalie in all her perfect blond irritability, to ignore me, but in a very purposeful, pointed way, which is hard to do when the person you're ignoring never actually talks to you, but she did it.

All it takes is one experience in which I interact in a friendly manner towards human beings and they reciprocate-or in English, one prom where Emmett mocks me in a non-malicious way for being really stupid with my camera, Edward, Bella and I have a really awkward but not unfriendly conversation, and Jasper dances with me to one song. That's all it takes. And then I'm hooked on the drug that is human socialization.

So then Seth comes the following Friday, as always (he always comes on Fridays. I can't remember why.) and asks me if I want to hang out and go get coffee or something. And from most guys, it would sound like a date invite, but from Seth, I can tell it's totally platonic. He is just a really good communicator, on top of being oh-so charismatic, which means that if he ran for president, he would win, but that's not important right now.

And, being the social addict that I now am, I say "Sure."

And considering that I've ignored him for eight months, he reacted considerably more calmly than I would have in his situation.

So. We go get coffee (except that I get Hot Chocolate because I hate coffee, and he gets hot chocolate because he's not allowed to have coffee anymore because of the caffeine. But we're at a coffee shop) and then afterwards, he mentions that he'll see me next week.

Me: *surprised* Um…you will?

Him: *laughs* What did you expect?

That nasty little bacon wrapped bubble biting cheese bathing liar face.

If you're wondering, no, he didn't show up. About a week after that, right when I was starting get over myself and think, maybe he had a family emergency or something, he has his sister call me and tell me I suck and he never wants to see me again.

I mean, those weren't exact words, but that was the gist of it.

So naturally, I was already in a bad mood. So naturally, that was when Danny he'd had enough of my bad attitude.

"Sit up, I need to talk to you." Danny said, shutting the door behind him. He sounded ticked.

I sighed, paused the CD and brought myself into a cross-legged position, staring at him expectantly. "What?" I asked.

"Who do you think you are?" he snapped.

I raised my eyebrows.

"Treating Whitney like you do, always moping around like you hate everyone around you, what's up with you lately?"

"Whitney doesn't exactly go out of her way to be best buddies either, Danny." I snapped back. "And-"

"Just because your boyfriend broke up with you doesn't give you the right to act like a total brat, Rory." He continued as though I hadn't spoken.

"He wasn't my boyfriend, and-"

"Gosh, ever since I got here you've been all moody and angry all the freaking time. It's like I don't even know you anymore."

That's when I snapped. Big brother had crossed the line.

"You know what, Danny?" I asked, standing up. "You need to just shut your flipping mouth, because you've been here for a month and you've barely spoken to any of us, not even mom! Ever since dad left, we've all looked up to you-Gary and Alex especially, and me and Nathan and even Owen, even though he'll never admit it, and you don't even care anymore! And you know what else?" I asked. My voice was starting to sound more Floridian. That was what happened when I was mad. "Maybe if you'd paid any attention to anything that's been going on, then you'd know exactly why I've been so angry lately. Do you think I like being like this? I DON'T. And you coming in here and acting like you still have the right to put me back in line-"

"I'm your older brother-"

"Bullcrap." I snarled. "You know, what you said just now? That's the most you've said to me since you got here. I used to be able to talk to you, you know. I'm not the only one that's changed."

"Rory-"

"Just get out!" I screamed. I considered throwing my stereo at him, but more out of concern for the stereo's welfare then my brother's, I decided this was a bad idea and picked up a shoe instead.

It hit the door as he slammed it on his way out.

And then it was official-Danny, my brother Danny, who I had formerly considered one of my closest friends, wasn't anymore. Something had broken between us.

So we've covered the first two things that pushed me over the edge-Seth's abandonment and Danny's engagement. Let's move along, shall we?

So, Carter and Courtney come to town for the wedding. Carter and Courtney are Whitney's brother and sister. They're twins, and "about my age" and everyone told me enthusiastically. Why do people always assume that if you're the same age, you'll get along? That's no guarantee of anything. I'm also the same age as this girl named Lily back in Florida, who I used to get set up with on play dates by our parents when we were younger.

There are no words to describe how intense my dislike for her is.

Courtney and Carter were a different story. At first, Courtney was the kind of friendly where you can tell they're only being that way to be polite, and Carter was standoffish. Then we realized the one thing we all had in common-none of us wanted Danny and Whitney getting married.

I would rather have just watched them crash and burn on their own, but they-okay, mostly Courtney-insisted that we try to break them up.

Me: You couldn't have tried to do this without me because…

Courtney: Because three is a lucky number. Obviously.

Obviously.

But it turned out, the three of us were also really uncreative when it came to breaking up weddings, so mostly we just lied to them about things the other said, like petty High School girls. I'd looked down on those kinds of chicks my whole life, so I was kind of a hypocrite, but…

Man, it was fun.

Through it all, I wound up really starting like these kids. Maybe, when Danny and Whitney got divorced, I'd keep touch with them anyway. Courtney was bubbly and talkative and hyperactive and you didn't understand half the things she said, but that was okay. She made things interesting. I was the sarcastic, pessimist of the group, and Carter was the quiet-but-not-shy brainiac. The most he said to me at once the entire time he was there (which, admittedly, was only a week, but still) was in this conversation:

Carter: *not as nervously as you'd expect, but not overly confident either* So….I was wondering if you might wanna go out with me? I mean, while I'm still in town and everything.

Me: *blinks*

Before I go on, I should mention that that had never happened to me. Ever. I had never been popular with boys in Florida-okay, well I had been, but not like that. I was "one of the guys," that was the mindset, and considering my feelings on romance, I never really regretted that too much. And it didn't help that I was two years younger than everyone in my grade. As for Forks, there was the two grades younger thing, plus the fact that I was, as you remember, the "loner outcast." So I'd never been asked out before-I couldn't even remember the last time I'd even fantasized about being asked out.

So as it happened, I was not the most experienced tool in the chandelier about dating.

Me: Er, um, uh, no. I'm, um, flattered, but no thanks.

Carter: Oh. *shrugs* Okay.

Me: *Feels guilty even though Carter doesn't actually look that disappointed* It's not because of you though.

Carter: *looks at me expectantly*

Me: I don't believe in love. I mean, I do, just…not that it ever lasts.

Carter: Is that why you don't want Danny and Whitney getting married?

Me: It's part of it.

Carter: That's a pretty pessimistic point of view.

Me: It's a realistic point of view.

Carter: *frowns*

Me: Don't judge me.

Carter: Who said I was judging you?

Courtney: *comes in from kitchen* Hey, guys! What'd I miss?

And so-here's where we get to the good part-the wedding went on as planned, except for this party crasher named David who was a total jerk.

And also happened to be my father.

It's a long story how it happened, but basically, he heard it from a friend in Florida that Danny was getting married, and where. The friend heard that from one of our friends from Florida that were coming to the wedding. So he shows up in a tux and when someone notices him, there's this big scene. And Owen probably would have hit him, but he couldn't.

Because I did first.

So my mom starts screaming, and then Owen winds up taking me home early (but I didn't feel bad, because I knew that Owen was being sent away, too. That was the only reason my mom designated him to take me home, was so he couldn't hit him, too.)

So Owen and I spent the afternoon talking about the one thing we agreed on-how much Daddy Dearest sucked. And then mom comes home and says that they're going to "try again, try harder this time to make it work."

Some people are extremely logical, and base all their actions on thought. My mom and I are the exact opposite-we base everything on emotions, without even realizing we do it when we do. That's actually kind of weird, especially for my mom, because if you try to talk to her about your own emotions, she doesn't get it. She goes all Velma Dinkley on you and is just like "That makes no sense." No, mommy, they don't make sense, that's why their called emotions. But in her own life…I think she thinks she's thinking when she's really feeling. Or she thinks to justify the action demanded by feeling. If that makes sense.

Whatever. You see my point-if she'd been thinking logically, she would have totally let me or Owen beat the dude up, but no, she goes and says "Okay! I'll date the man that left me with six kids!"

So, you see how this decision could end badly.

So, after two weeks of forcible family bonding, Danny and Whitney come back and get moved into the apartment their going to be living in. And then, when they're totally moved in (this is about three weeks after the wedding, in early July) we go out to dinner. And we go to this fancy restaurant and have to get all dressed up, hence the miniskirt.

And that was when it occurred to me how isolated I was.

Once again, I felt like I wasn't a member of my own family, but now it was even worse. Because David was winning.

I mean, I still wasn't talking to Danny. The temporary truce Owen and I had had the day of the wedding had ended. Nate still thought I was going against the family, and plus, he was the weak link. What I mean by that is, out of all of us, he was the one who wanted dad back the most. And even though he was still holding out, I could tell he was about to snap.

And Gary and Alex were too little to realize how much of an idiot their father was. Actually, they didn't realize he was their father yet-they kept calling him David. My mom let them get away with it, but not me.

Even when we'd first moved here, it wasn't as bad as this.

That night, I grabbed an old hoodie and switched my heels for some tennis shoes, stuffing all the cash I had into them before putting my feet in. The reason I didn't take more was that it was late and I was supposed to be going to bed, so I had to be quiet. And fast.

And then I wound up walking to the train station and going to Seattle. Which, if lowering my budget considerably, it got me far away. And that's how I wound up in a miniskirt, in a Seattle subway station.

If I sounded bitter during any of that, it's only because of the rain.

The sad part? I'd been accusing my mother of being too emotionally ruled and idealistic and overly-dramatic. But I was the same way.

But it made sense at the time-why should I stick around and let myself be let down yet again? And there had to be something out there other than a family full of people that barely noticed my existence, with the exception of David, the one person that I almost wished did hate me.

Of course, after the first week, I realized how stupid that was, even in my mindset at the time. I could've at least waited until I turned sixteen and could actually get a job.

By the second week, I was starting to miss them. Even Owen. But some stupid sense of pride wouldn't let me go back.

And by the third week, I didn't even know what it was that was keeping me there, under the careful watch of Nutjob Nick, the hobo that sometimes stared at me with a plastic spork in his hands like he wished there weren't so many people around, that there weren't so many potential witnesses.

But it wasn't until I'd been there a full month that I finally had to go back.

It was a day like any other-people throwing quarters at me, and I watched Nick carefully. It was a busy day, but still. You don't just not watch the hobo that you think wants to kill you when he has a spork. That's how you wind up with a spork in your liver.

Suddenly, I felt a presence, like someone was standing over me. I looked up to see the person I least expected to-who I expected, I didn't know, but if I'd had time to put together a theory, he wouldn't have been a part of it.

"Jasper?"