Disclaimer: Garfield and all related characters are the property of Paws Inc. and Paramount Global/Nickelodeon at the time of this story's creation.

Chapter 1: Moving In

*Flashback*

2 years ago…

*DING DONG!*

"I'll get it!" Jon Arbuckle shouts as he gets up from his work chair to answer the door.

"Gee, I wonder who that could be?" Garfield the kitten ponders to himself. "Hopefully someone delivering pizza!" His mouth watering up with excitement as he gets up from his kitty bed and follows his owner to the front door.

*DING DONG!* *DING DONG!*

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Sheesh!" Jon said, annoyed by the door bell's constant ringing. Opening the door, his angry frown immediately turns into a smile upon seeing a familiar face at his doorstep.

"Lyman!" Jon happily greets. "How's it going!?"

"Aww, why couldn't it be the pizza guy?" Garfield whines, disappointed.

"Jon!" Lyman happily greets. "Great to see ya! You haven't changed a bit, I'm sorry to say."

"Neither have you." Jon said, feeling like it's only been yesterday since their high school days. "So, what brings you here, old buddy?" He asks.

"Jon, I need a place to stay. I just lost my job and now I'm broke! I'm cold, I'm weak, I'm hungry! PLEASE take me in, Jon!" Lyman begs on his knees.

"Sure, old friend." Jon said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You know my home is your home."

"Eh, I guess he can stay." Garfield said. "But my sandbox is off limits."

"Oh, thank you, Jon! You're a lifesaver!" Lyman said, running back to his car. "Hold on, I need to get my stuff!"

"Man, he really hasn't changed a bit." Jon chuckles to himself.

"Great, just what this house needs, two dorks!" Garfield said to the reader. "Then again, maybe having two people to cook for me wouldn't be so bad."

"Okay, I got all my stuff!" Lyman said, entering the house carrying only one suitcase in his hand.

"Is that all you have? The one suitcase?" Jon asks.

"Not exactly." Lyman replies.

"What do you mean?" Jon then asks.

"Well…I had to sell most of my things when I couldn't pay the rent, so now all I have is just this…and my friend." Lyman admits.

"Your friend?"

"His friend!?" Garfield shouts.

"Yep. Here boy!" Lyman whistles.

Just then, a puppy peeks his head through the front door, carefully scanning his new territory before hopping his way inside the house.

"Lyman's friend…IS A DOG!?" The kitten exclaims, praying that this is all just a really bad dream.

"Aww, he's so cute." Jon said, gushing over his friend's adorable pet. "Did you just get him?"

"Yeah, I found the poor guy all alone in the streets. I couldn't bear seeing him in such a state, so I took him home with me, and he's been my dog ever since." Lyman explains, albeit leaving out some of the more…gory details regarding the dog's mother.

"That was very nice of you, Lyman." Jon said, rubbing the puppy's belly. "I can tell he's very grateful for what you did."

"Uhh…Yep…heh heh…he sure is…heh heh heh…" Lyman chuckles nervously, twirling his fingers. "Anywho, I can see that he's already taking a liking to ya."

"Pffft. Big fat hairy deal!" Garfield said, unamused. "I can show twice as much affection to Jon, as long as he keeps feeding me lasagna."

"Oh, by the way, Lyman. This is my cat Garfield." Jon said, properly introducing his friend to his kitten.

"Nice to meet ya, Garfield!" Lyman happily greets, offering to shake his paw.

"Hmph, get rid of the dog first, and maybe I'll let you stay here." Garfield greets in a not so pleasant way, crossing his arms.

"I have a feeling that he doesn't like me very much." Lyman said, turning his attention back to his friend.

"Well, Garfield's not really the social type, especially when it comes to people who own dogs." Jon explains. "Buuuut, I'm sure that he'd love to have a playmate around the house to keep him company." He adds, hoping to bring some optimism to their situation.

"Whoa, hold on a minute there, Arbuckle!" Garfield exclaims, repulsed by such an idea. "You're not suggesting that we actually let the dog stay here, are you?"

"Hmm, maybe you're right, Jon." Lyman said optimistically. "With a little more time to get to know each other, maybe these two could become best friends."

"Like I'd ever be friends with a stupid, drooling, disgusting mutt!" Garfield angrily shouts, disgusted with the idea of befriending a dog, let alone a dumb one like him.

Then, the puppy notices the angry kitten and pounces him to the ground, showering him with saliva from his affectionate licks.

"AAARRRGGGHHH! JON! HELP ME! I'M BEING COVERED IN DOGGIE KISSES!" Garfield screams in terror, giving both the cartoonist and his friend a good laugh. Eventually, the kitten manages to shove the puppy away from him.

"I take back what I said before." Garfield said, catching his breath. "That's not a dog, it's a tongue with eyeballs!"

"What's your dog's name?" Jon asks.

"Spot." Lyman answers, revealing his name.

"Some name for a dog…Spot." Garfield said.

Later, Garfield lays down on his bed, reflecting upon everything that has happened over the past few hours.

"Come on, Garfield. Snap out of this deep blue funk." The kitten said to himself. "So what if a dog moved in…You can handle it. Cheer up."

Watching the puppy spinning around the living room in circles chasing his own tail, the kitten can't help but feel appalled by such a sight.

"Oh, who am I kidding!? I hate dogs!" Garfield insists. "They're the most ridiculous thing on this planet! Just look at that poor, mindless, undignified mutt! All buggy-eyed and pant-y and slobbery! It's just disgusting!"

"Spot, you're so cute!" Lyman said, watching his puppy as he enters the kitchen to happily greet his owner.

"Here boy, have a nice, juicy steak." Jon pats the puppy as he gives him a fresh piece of meat.

"What the…" Garfield said, watching Spot as he walks back into the living room with a steak in his mouth.

This gave him an idea.

*PANT PANT PANT* Garfield runs around the kitchen chasing his tail like a dog, waiting for either Jon or Lyman to give him food.

"Nice try, Garfield, but you're not getting any of my ham." Jon said, unamused. "Now scram!"

The kitten retreats to the living room with nothing but the blues once again.

"The nerve of those guys!" Garfield rants to himself. "Giving that dumb mutt a whole stake, but won't even leave me a piece!?"

Spot, seeing the poor kitten in such a rut, walks over to him to help him feel better.

"What do you want, you little runt!?" Garfield demands, not wanting to speak with him.

Spot places his steak on the floor, gesturing for Garfield to have it.

"Wait…for me?" The kitten asks.

*MMM HMM* Spot nods his head.

"Why…thank you." Garfield said, happily patting the puppy on the head while chewing on the steak. "Heh heh, I guess you're worth having around after all."

Spot, touched by his kind words, gives him a nice, big lick on his face.

"Don't push it, mutt!" Garfield warns him, shoving him away.