Author's Note: Thank you all for the reviews! I really appreciate them and as promised another update as it is the second day. I'm working on new chapters as we speak as I love the ideas you shared and want to incorporate them in with what I have. Thank you! :-)

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"She's so cute." Kat said as she pressed her face into Laces' soft fur. They had picked up the puppy from Kara and Alisha's quarters. Val and Alisha were grateful and more than happy to hand Laces over to them.

"Remember-" Tex stopped mid reminder that the puppy wasn't there's when Andrea appeared at the end of the P-Way. She did not look happy to see them as she walked towards them.

"Tex!" Andrea said, her eyes went to the puppy that was licking Kat's chin and making his daughter smile.

"Red!" Tex said with a smile, he was really in the stink now.

"You can't have that on the ship." Andrea said as she pointed at Laces.

"Captain said it was ok to have Kat on the ship." Tex said with a frown, purposefully being obtuse.

"I was talking about the puppy." Andrea said darkly as they both knew to what she was referring to and it wasn't Kat.

"We're taking her off ship. Want to see our new digs. Plenty of space for the puppy and kid to run and be free." Tex said teasingly as he ruffled Kat's hair.

"You can barely look after me let alone a dog." Kat quipped like a pro mean girl.

"Yet here you are, old and wise at the age of 14 years." Tex pointed out in good humour as he knew she was just joking as she was clearly enjoying the spot of bother they were in. Andrea looked unimpressed with them.

"There are regs, no dogs on the ship." Andrea told him.

"You should tell Danny that." Tex told her. Andrea glowered at him as they both knew the difference in the situation here.

"Halsey isn't a puppy, he's a work dog not a pet." Andrea said, Tex lifted Laces out of Kat's arms.

"She's in training, look fierce Laces. Growl." Tex said as he held the dog under it's front legs out to Andrea. The puppy just hung its tongue out and panted as her tail wagged happily.

"Very fierce." Andrea remarked drily, Tex brought Laces back into his arms like he were holding a bably. He wasn't going to put her down until they were on solid earth. Last thing he needed was it to fall overboard, or worse get hung by it's leash.

"So you want to see our digs? Kat will cook dinner." Tex said changing the topic as he gave Laces a belly rub, the puppy licked at his hands until she decided his shirt was tasty and started tugging on a hole in the pocket.

"What?" Kat asked confused and not impressed.

"Ok, I'll order a pizza." he said to Kat, he then grinned at Andrea. "In or out Red?" he asked her.

"Please come over and save me." Kat said in a droll teenage manner before Andrea could answer. Andrea snorted a laugh at the two and the puppy who was gnawing on Tex. It was hard not to refuse and frankly she couldn't see why she shouldn't go. It was just dinner.

"I'll be there at 1900 hours and get that puppy off the ship before the Captain or XO see it." Andrea told them.

"That's 7pm." He whispered to Kat like she had no clue and he was doing her a favour.

"I know." Kat told him with a roll of her eyes.

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Laces ran around the grassy backyard, she liked the fresh air and these new Humans were fun even somewhat scary given the Human covered in a lot of fur liked to chase her a lot and his youngling just laughed at the mayhem. They also gave her toys to play with and they let her sleep in the sun.

She loved sleeping in the sun and then she woke up, had some water and went running again as the youngling Human chased and played with her. She came to a stop as she ran out of breath and panted as her tiny body was hot from all the running.

She wished her Human as here as she missed him, but she was glad be outside and able to run even if it was just for a while. Hopefully her Human would come and play with them too.

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"Thanks for dinner," Andrea said as she helped Tex clean up. Kat had been excused to escape to her room as Val's valiant work had revived a semi functional internet, Kat like all teens thrived on having every morsel of technology of the old world back. Laces had passed out from all the exertion and food, that they left her in the lounge room on a pillow as she catch her z's.

"Anytime Red, thanks for helping with Kat. It means a lot." Tex said, life was a little transitory at the moment and Andrea had helped him out by keeping an eye on Kat when he had to work and sort out finding accommodation off the ship.

"She's a good kid, good head on her for engineering." Andrea said with self effacing manner and shrug. She realised all the dishes were dry a sign that dinner had come to end and so had the night. She was about to say so when Tex seemed to read her mind.

"You know that you don't have to go." he told her as he drained the sink and turned to her.

"I should." Andrea told him.

"No, you should stay." Tex said as he moved in close drying his hands on the tea towel. She idly wondered when such an innocent act seemed so intimate.

"Don't kiss me." She told him, it wasn't that she didn't want him to. It was that she was afraid she'd like it and it would weaken her resolve. But in saying that, she hadn't exactly stepped away from him.

"Why not? You'll like it." Tex argued with a salacious smile.

"I don't kno-" but before she could finish the answer Tex pulled her into a kiss. Her brain fried from the pleasure, she gave a moan as her hands gripped onto his shirt pulling him close. She'd forgotten how good it was to be kissed, to be desired.

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Laces woke up and pushed to her paws. She yawned and stretched her back before she looked for the Humans. She wondered when her Human would be back. She couldn't smell him here, part of her felt sad wondering if maybe he abandoned her. She hoped not, she padded slowly across the floor and moved into the kitchen. She frowned and tilted her head to the side as she looked up at the Humans. They were doing something she'd never seen Humans do before. She wondered why they were doing it, but then the Human who smelt of engine oil and vanilla pulled back and smiled at the furry Human. It must have been fun as they both laugh before he pulled her face into his furry one again. She really didn't get it, she gave a shrug figuring they were happy which had to be good right?