Life couldn't be anymore perfect for Collette. She was truly very happy for the first time in a long time. Having made up with everyone she wronged, took a huge weight off of her shoulders. She felt as if she could actually be around her family again. Her warm mornings next to her parents were always welcome and much to her liking, Darling admitted to Jim Dear that the dreadful clock in the living room was not in her taste. He removed it happily. She and Angel spoke everyday, sometimes about girl stuff, but mostly about Stormé. Collette hadn't told Angel that the French Spaniel was outside in the yard, right in the doghouse, but she told her of how the two had met, the details of Stormés' past and above all else her feelings towards the dog. She'd considered having the two meet, but knew that Stormé would be reluctant about such a thing.

Her 'close friend' seemed happy too. She was starting to look less like a skeleton with fur tossed over her and more like an actual dog. Her ribs were hiding themselves and she looked pretty clean. The two spent long hours together, talking, joking around, telling stories. Stormé laughed, a lot actually, clearly happy to be there. Yet at the same time she felt...distant over the days. Collette couldn't be sure, but it felt as if there was something that she was missing. Something that Stormé would communicate with her eyes, but she could never pick up on. It unsettled her slightly, because even though, they hadn't known each other for very long, it felt like they knew everything there was to know about one another. "She told me about her past, why would she hide something else important from me?" Ultimately she shook it off and just focused on enjoying her presence.

The nagging feeling only returned when she caught Stormé daydreaming as they laid on their backs in the doghouse.

"Ahem." She fake-cleared her throat.

Stormé almost seemed to jump out of her own skin. "Wha-oh! Sorry, did you say something Collette?"

Now she knew that she had to pry. "No...Stormé is there something that you maybe want to tell me? Something about your past, or-"

"No!"

Collette eyed her questioningly.

"I mean..." She lowered the volume of her voice. "Everything's fine."

"Really?"

"Yes really. I hope you don't think that I'm ghosting you or anything."

"Well alright then." She looked back to the ceiling of the doghouse. "But we're friends, you can tell me anything." Her mind went partially back to the conversation with Angel. "I'll always be there, no matter what."

Stormés' mouth opened, but then closed again. She huffed. "That's really nice to know...thank you." The sombre in her voice quickly faded then and she smirked. "Friends, huh?"

"Oh shut up."

Collette was on to her, she knew that something wasn't right.

"That doesn't matter now." She thought. "I'll be gone by this time tomorrow. She'll never have to worry about me again." As much as she appreciated Collette's words, she couldn't bring herself to tell her that she was leaving. "It would cause unnecessary complications, I don't need all that." There was a reason that she didn't want to meet 'Angel' or any of these other dogs. What was the point in becoming apart of this dog's life, when you were going to leave anyways? What was the point of meeting everyone and putting even more lives in harm's way?

"She'll be fine without me, better even, I just know it. It's not like she needed me to begin with, I just barged in and burdened her with my troubles." Stormé felt guilty just sitting there, it felt as if anything could happen at anytime, while Collette would be totally oblivious to the fact that she and her family were in danger, all because of her. "It's not enough that she knows the truth. She just doesn't understand how dangerous Farace is- the fact that he got the entire city's strays looking for her." She shook her head subconsciously. "That's reason to be alarmed, for sure. That's why it's best I leave."

She allowed herself a smile. "We had good times- not enough to be honest."

"That smile makes me think that you're thinking of me."

She turned her head, Collette was back to looking at her.

"And what if I am?"

Collette giggled softly. "Well, it's just nice to know that I make you smile."

Stormé turned away suddenly. "She really is my happiness, isn't she?" Her eyes closed when they stung slightly, tears wanting to well up. She quickly made an excuse. "Well would you look at that, the bowls empty again."

Collette rolled her eyes. "Eat anymore and you'll really start picking up weight."

"C'mon I'm starving here!"

With one more roll of her eyes, Collette stood up, grabbed the bowl between her teeth and walked off in the direction of the house.

Stormé looked on and finally let the tears roll out of her eyes.