Chapter Two: The Pet Project

Later on that afternoon once school was over the bell rang and Casey started making her way back towards her bus until Eve pulled up to the curb and honked the horn at her. "Casey wait!" she cried while sticking her head out the window and waving her hand at her. Casey smiled as she turned her head to see her and started walking towards the car instead as Eve stepped out of it and then slammed the door behind her.

"You're driving already?" Casey questioned her as Eve grinned back at her.

"Yep, and I really think that I'm getting the hang of it. Your father and I thought that we would surprise you." She explained. "Also there's something else that we would like to talk to you about as well." She added.

"Really? What's that?" Casey asked her.

"Come on inside and we'll explain on the way." Eve told her while waving a hand back over at her and then guided her towards the backseat of the car. Ben turned his head and smiled over his shoulder at his daughter as she climbed inside while Eve got back into the driver's seat.

"Hey Case, how was school?" he wondered while she threw her backpack down beside her and buckled up.

"It was great Dad." She replied with a nod as she and Eve both slammed their doors tightly shut behind them.

"That's good, do you have any homework?" he questioned her while Eve buckled herself back in.

"Yeah, but it's a project and I've got a few weeks to get it done." She told him.

"Really? What kind of project?" Eve wondered as she turned her head and looked back at her and smiled brightly.

"Oh it's nothing," Casey began with a wave of her hand. "I'll tell you later." She said.

"Okay then, is everybody strapped in?" Eve questioned as she turned her head back around.

"Yep Eve, we are all set to go." Ben told her as she got the car out of park and started pulling away from the curb.

"You know it's funny, she hardly even acts like a doll anymore." Casey said while pointing over at Eve who smiled back at her through the rearview mirror.

"Well thank you, I'll take that as a compliment." She said.

"I guess it's because she's been in the real world so long that she doesn't even remember anything different." Ben said.

"And I wouldn't have it any other way either." Eve said smiling brightly as she pulled out of the parking lot.

"Although she still smiles a bit too much." Casey pointed out.

"Well that's because I'm happy being with my special friends." She said as Casey groaned and rolled her eyes before falling back up against the backseat.

"Well I guess nobody can completely change overnight." She examined.

About ten to fifteen minutes later they were pulling into the driveway. That's when suddenly Eve stopped the car, put it in park, and then turned over to look at Ben. "Uh Ben, do you mind if I talk to Casey alone for a few minutes?" she wondered as he smiled and nodded at her.

"Female bonding time?" he inquired as she grinned at him.

"You got it!" she exclaimed excitedly before he unbuckled himself and opened the door.

"I'll leave the front door unlocked for you. Come on in when you're ready." He told them before he got out of the car and then shut the door before he started heading towards the house. Eve unbuckled herself and then climbed into the backseat where Casey was all curled up and staring out the window.

"Hey Casey are you alright? You hardly said anything the whole entire ride home." She pointed out.

"That's because I just found out that my best friend Sarah is moving away and she was going to be my partner in my best friend project." She explained as Eve unbuckled her seat for her and then wrapped her arm around her and pulled her inside her chest.

"Oh sweetheart I'm so sorry." She said while gently running her fingers through her hair.

"It just isn't fair. First I lose my mother, and now I'm going to lose my best friend in the whole entire world." She said sadly before heaving a sigh and that's when suddenly Eve smiled down at her and kissed the top of her head.

"You know what? I think I have an idea." She replied. "Don't you worry baby, Eve will handle everything." She told her with a grin before softly kissing the top of her head again as Casey stifled a laugh.

"Does anything ever bother you?" she wondered.

"No not really." Eve began as she continued smiling warmly and lovingly at her. "That is, unless my daughter is upset." She finished.

"You really think of me as like a daughter?" Casey questioned her as she sat up and Eve nodded at her her smile never leaving her face.

"Of course I do. You mean everything to me Casey." She told her while gently rubbing her cheek with the back of her hand. "I love you so much." She said before Casey threw her arms around her and embraced her tightly.

"I love you too." She told her as Eve hugged her back before breaking out of the embrace a few seconds later. "So what's your big idea?" she wondered.

"Well,.. I have to ask your dad first, but what do you think about getting a new member of the family?" Eve questioned her with a grin.

….

Casey and Eve walked into the animal shelter and started looking around before a young man a little bit older than Casey walked over to them. He had short black hair that stuck up everywhere and baby blue eyes. "Can I help you ladies?" he wondered as Casey gasped as she looked at him as his teeth seemed to sparkle at her. Eve looked at Casey to the boy and back again.

"Whoa,.. forget a hundred watts smile that baby is equal to the charge of a lightning bolt." She said as the boy chuckled and Casey blushed and slapped her forehead.

"Don't mind Eve, she's a loose cannon and she knows not what she does." She told him as he laughed again.

"It's alright, I like somebody who likes to speak their mind. I'm David Johnson." He replied with a grin.

"Casey Stuart." She began. "And Eve and I are here to look at all of your cats and dogs." She explained.

"Alright well in that case follow me ladies and I'll show you around." He told them before he turned around and started leading them away.