Plot Note: Due to inter medial Roleplaying with my friend who created Andy, at this point of the story a good amount of time has passed while Skye and Andy were at the Atlas facility. Within that time span Andy's experiments yield result. Those results were in the form of fox ears that began to grow from her head. They took time to fully develop, starting out smaller until they became full fledged. Skye, being the dork that she is, became obsessed with them.

Plot Note Update: Also between short stories (I KNOW I"M SORRY WHEN WE DID THIS WE DID A LOT OF ROLEPLAYING IN BETWEEN. I SWEAR THE TIMESKIP WILL HAVE BETTER CHRONOLOGICAL LOGIC!) Skye and Andy decided to get tattoos. It took them a lot of time and negotiating, and saving money, for them to finally get everything arranged. In the end, Skye got a diving lark tattoo on the right side of her head where her head was shaved and a fox paw tattoo on her ribs. Andy got the same bird although smaller on her neck and a similar fox paw tattoo on her ribs.

"Alcohol or fox ears, you choose!" Andy said, standing in front of me. She held my bottle of alcohol at an arm's length away from me.

I was reaching for the bottle pathetically, sitting or slouching on the couch in my apartment. Andy had taken away my bottle after I was getting a little frisky.

"That's cruel. You can't do that!" I yelled at her futilely "I need that! It's not alcohol… It's medicine~"

"This?!" Andy exclaimed shaking the bottle, sloshing its contents about violently. "This! This is alcohol. Booze, it's definitely not medicine and definitely not good for you! I thought you'd know that birdie!"

I had begun to cry, my eyes tearing up as I still yelled at Andy, "The doctors gave me that! It's for the pain."
That was partly true. The doctors had given me the alcohol but not officially. One of the assistants, I think it was a nurse, took pity on me. She saw all the pain I was going through and supplied me with a steady ration of booze for my troubles. I liked her for that but the problem was that Andy had found out. Rather, in my drunkenness she couldn't help but notice.

Andy placed the bottle on the table across the apartment, well out of my reach since I neither had my chair nearby nor my exoskeleton legs. Damn her for being able to walk.

"The doctors already give you medication, ACTUAL medication and pills for the pain. You don't need this," she told me caringly.

Problem was I could care less about her care. I become irrational and enraged under the influence of the alcohol.

"You don't know! You don't know the pain! All the pain I go through everyday!" I yelled at her stupidly. "Every day! Every single day I go back and all they do is light me up like a Christmas tree! They play operation and electrify my body with pain! Nothing but pain! Everything! Pain! Pain! Pain!"

Andy stared at me shocked and taken aback. I knew why. I had seen her testing rooms and glimpsed her experiments. Her days were just as painful as mine, probably more. They tortured her with experiments and tests every day to the point where she could barely stand. If she could stand she could barely speak or see or hear or… or any number of horrible things. I began to cry uncontrollably as I thought of these things, realizing how much pain she went through. Still the alcohol told me that I matter more.

"You don't understand! You don't know how much pain they put me through every day!" I yelled.

With a pale face Andy came over and sat next to me, wrapping her arms around me and pulling me close to her chest. I latched onto her like the world was going to end. I sobbed into her chest with all that I had. She was my home, she was my protection, she was everything I had in the world and everything that mattered to me. I held her like that.

"I know," she whispered softly into my ear. "I know," it was all the she said. Her voice was low and somber and it told me of how she was thinking about her own days in the lab, constantly being tested on. "But Skye, my little beautiful bird, you are strong. You're stronger than this. You don't need something like that bottle to help you."

"But I do," I cried equally as soft, "I'm not strong. I'm not that tough girl I always act like."

"You're tougher than you know," she said, stroking my hair. Her hand threading through my black strands of hair felt like a dream, calming me more than I expected.

I could tell she was consoling me even though she was thinking about how much her own days push her to and past her limits. That was how Andy was, always thinking about others, always putting them before herself. I loved her for it. It was a quality in her that I adored, but it was also a quality that when I was sober I always fought. I wanted her to think of herself to. Sometimes she cared so much about others that she left nothing for herself. Sometimes I really wished that I could tell her that straight to her face.

Crawling my way up Andy's body like a ladder I got level with her face, staring into her eyes with my balls of water. I kissed her lightly on the lips and then pulled her head into my chest so I could kiss each one of her orangy fox ears.

"Can I choose both?"

"NO!" she yelled into my chest.

"But I-," I tried to argue.

"EARS OR ALCOHOL! NO BUTS!"

"I can have a butt if you get a tail," I teased her.

"Wh-wh-what?!" she exclaimed cutely. "But I don't have a tail…"

"Not yet," I said mischievously

"D-d-don't tease like that! I'm not going to have a tail!"

"Ears," I told Andy, "I choose your ears." To confirm it I nip each of her ears with my teeth, eliciting a yelp from her from each bite.

I sprinted down the halls carrying my two passengers tucked in my arms. I had to hand it to those Atlas scientists, the new exoskeleton legs were performing beautifully. They couldn't keep up with them me I as I ran away.

My little passengers squeaked and squawked at me as I ran. "Oh shut up!" I heaved between breathes, the new speed of my legs tiring me more than I had expected. Turning a corner I spotted my future partner in crime down the hall.

She began to wave but her expression turned sour when she saw me running. It didn't help when I threw a small armored ball with tuffs of fur sticking out at her.

"Catch!" I yelled passing the idiot off to her.

"Skye! I OOUFF, what in the world is this?"

The little armored ball untucked for a moment, his blue glinting eyes glanced at Andy before he licked her cheek.

I sighed at the idiot, still clutching idiot number two in my arms. "Come on!" I yelled, tugging Andy along with me.

"Stop! You two! Stop right there!" I could hear the scientist and guards bellowing behind us. "Return those two test subjects immediately!"

"Which ones?!" I yelled back as Andy finally matched my sprint, "Us two fine girls or our slightly furry passengers?!"

I could her the Atlas guard stutter as he tried to come up with an appropriate answer. Andy didn't find my joke funny though, she especially didn't like that I was running away from them and that I dragged her along with me. Instead she took the lead, holding my hand so I knew where she was going.

"You're going to explain exactly what is going on later!"

Laughing I yelled back, "Yes mom!"

We ran through the corridors with unparalleled knowledge. We had been here at the facility for years. It was pretty much the closest thing we both had to home. Like home, we knew all the side alleys and places to hide. After doubling back through some side passages Andy yanked me through a doorway into a desolate break room. Andy and I often used this place to get away. No one used it and there weren't any cameras in it. The spot was perfect to hide in and simply be alone with each other.

I crouched next to the door with Andy as she used her superior hearing. I loved watching her do this. Her orange ears would turn and twitch as she heard things that I couldn't and her face was so cute when she focused. It gave me great urges to play with her ears that I had to fight off.

"Are they gone?" I whispered, out of breath.

She took a finger and placed it to my lips. In the hallways a pair of guards walked passed, their voices full of aggravation. A few moments passed and I could no longer hear their footsteps or their voices.

"Now they're gone."

"Good," I said, giving into my urges as I scratched her ears vigorously. "Man, what would we do without these things."

Andy yelped, not expecting me. It almost sounded like she was purring.

"Skye…. Stop, they're sensitive… But, that does feel really good."

"Hahaha," I laughed giving her an extra good scratch before petting her ears and her head. "You're so cute. My cute little puppy."

Her hands shot up and grabbed my hand petting her, "Fox! FOX! F-O-X! I'm not a dog birdie!"

"Are you sure?" I said teasingly.

"Hmph! Fine, no more ears for you for the rest of the day!"

I leapt up from the ground and pointed a finger at Andy, "Th-that's cruel! I haven't even been drinking!"

The passenger I still clutched in my arms against my chest looked up and me and then mimicked me pointing with its wing, squawking along.

Andy yelped in fear, "Grim!"

Laughing, "That's not the only one. You're holding the other."

Andy's gaze quickly shot down to her lap where idiot number one had uncurled slightly from his ball. His wet snout poked out of his armadillo like shell and his blue eyes stared innocently at Andy. She let out another yelp as she tossed him into the air. He rolled himself back up and hit the ground with a squeak, rolling until he stopped against the side of a couch.

"What are Grim doing here?!" Andy exclaimed.

"Well he he," I chuckled nervously rubbing the buzzed side of my head, "They're the reason we're here right now."

Before I knew it Andy had me by the collar, shaking me vigorously shouting, "Explain!"

"Whoa whoa! Okay, okay! Here let's sit down first," I said guiding us over to the sofa. I picked up the rolled idiot and set him on the floor in front of the couch and put my winged idiot on the floor next to him. Andy sat down on the couch rigidly while I lounged next to her.

For a moment we stared at our two new accomplices. The one I threw at Andy began to slowly uncurl himself. He looked like an ursa but miniaturized. That wasn't the only difference though. He had the exact opposite color of a normal ursa, his fur completely white and all his armor black. Different too was the armor plates that covered his entire back like an armadillo. And lastly his eyes burned a soft blue, not the menacing red of normal Grim.

The one I had carried pecked at the other idiot for a moment before giving up and proceeding to clean her wings. She was a mini Nevermore. Likewise her colors were inverted, having completely white feathers with small plates of black armor and a black beak. Her eyes were a darker blue but blue all the same.

"Meet the two idiots that the scientist had me fighting against."

"You fought against them?" Andy asked.

"Yeah… For my combat training they made me fight against them. I only realized too late that they were different. One day I saw them getting shocked with electricity. They were forcing them to fight me. I saw that they didn't want to fight me so I sprung them out. As you can tell, they're… different," I explained.

All of a sudden I felt my ear get tugged painfully. "You broke out Grim!"

"OW OW OW!" I said clutching my now tender ear. "Yeah I broke out Grim! They were being abused and torture. It was the right thing to do."

I could tell that got Andy, she always had the right thing to do in mind. She looked at the two idiots and then back at me. "They kind of remind me of us."

"Huh, yeah you're kind of right. I never thought of it like that."

"Well what are we going to do now?"

"Cook them?"

At that idiot number one yelped in terror, hiding under the wing of idiot number two.

"Skye! That's mean! And it looks like they don't like that too."

"It was a joke! We should name them."

"Name them?"

"Yeah we can't keep calling them idiot one and idiot two."

"You're the only one who calls them that. Hmmm…" Andy hummed thinking. "Can I name the Nevermore Skye?"

I scowled at her, "No way. That'd be way too confusing. How about fluffy?"

"She's not a cat Skye. No… No, how about… Spira."

At that her head popped up from where she was picking at her wing. The little Nevermore tucked away her wings and held her head high proudly. Then she bowed as if accepting the new name.

"Spira it is," I said smiling. Spira took to the air and covered the short distance from the ground to my lap in one swoop. She perched on my thigh and pecked at my hand gently. Chuckling I began to stroke her feathery back. "What about the other one?"

At being called the tiny ursi ran up and began to cuddle with Andy's leg. She reached down and began scratching his chin.

"Awwww so cute," she said.

"Idiot," I mumbled. "Can I name him Fluffy?"

"No, he's too adorable to be named something like that Skye."

"He certainly isn't bashful. Bashful… Basher," I said looking at him. "We'll call him Basher."

The newly name Basher leapt up and licked both of our faces before hoping down. He ran in circles around the room excitedly again and again. With a loud CLUNK he ran straight into a dresser.

I sighed, "Still an idiot."

I paid the taxi driver as Andy and I hopped out of his car, thanking him before he pulled away. So far so good, I thought to myself.

"Wow! It's so beautiful and big!" Andy gasped staring out at the long stretch of beach and the vast ocean beyond. "I can't believe you were able to convince them to let us go to the beach!"

"Haha," I laughed a little shakily, "Yeah, it took a lot but I finally convinced them in the end."

In reality I hadn't convinced them at all. The moment I even proposed the idea the scientist had shot me down. They didn't exactly want us leaving the facility apparently, much less have the freedom to roam around. No matter what I tried they denied me so I ended up breaking both of us out of that place. Thank god Andy agreed to the blindfold, made escaping a lot easier.

"This is the first time you've ever been to the beach isn't it?" I asked Andy, quick to get off that topic before Andy saw through my lies.

"Yes it is!" she said happily as we walked away from the street. We passed through a row of beach front stores, shops, and restaurants before we immersed our feet in the warm golden sand. "There's so many people around!"

"Yup, the beach is a popular place this time of year. You know what we have to do first right?"

"What that birdie?"

"We have to buy swimsuits."

"Wh-wh-wh-what?!"

"Swimsuits? Bathing suits? You know, the things we wear in place like oh say the beach. Oh look we're at the beach," I eyed her suspiciously and then realized why she was so surprised. "Don't tell me you're afraid of showing some skin?"

"M-maybe," she muttered.

"Ohhhh! You're so cute," I jumped onto her, grabbing her fox ears and playing with them.

"St-stop! That tickles!"

"Hahaha, okay well we're going to have to go buy some swimsuits because they didn't exactly have a store back at the facility so come on!" I said grabbing hold of her hand and tugging her along.

We walked through the vendors that had lined up in a row and entered a nice looking shop full of swimsuits. It took a lot of moans, complaints, lots of trying on and goading Andy before she finally found something she liked. More like something that didn't show any part of her skin. She took an eternity, denying every single suit that the store had. As painful as it was I found it calming. Like this is what normal people did, normal people who weren't experimented on every day. I couldn't hide my smile at times, I didn't want to.

Finally we walked out in our new attire. Well I walked out, I had to drag Andy behind me. I had opted for a black bikini top and bottom, wearing some short shorts. My lovely fox on the other hand had chosen an extremely modest swimsuit that covered all of her body except her limbs.

"Who'd have thought a fox could be so shy. Remind me to never taking you shopping again," I teased her.

"It's embarrassing," Andy muttered.

"You look good Andy," I said, taking her hip with my hand and pulling her close, "Real good. Come on, the beach is waiting."

We found a spot on the beach next to a family and two kids. They stared at us suspiciously and it was obvious why. The both of us didn't exactly look normal, me with my half shaved head and tattoos not to mention the mechanical leg braces I wore. Then Andy had her easily visible faunus ears. Even with the war and everything that was happening public opinion of the faunus was still negative. Still the little kids didn't mind, they waved at us and smiled as I waved back.

I set down my bag and laid out a large towel, plopping down onto it as Andy sat next to me. She still seemed kind of tense.

"Hey Andy, relax!" I told her, "Just enjoy yourself! We're finally at the beach!"

Andy didn't relax and sat next to me holding her legs to her chest. I sighed, pulling her gently by her ear down to me, kissing her on the lips until I literally kissed away her unease.

"There!" I breathed in after such a long kiss, "Better?"

Andy looked like she was tearing up but curled up against my body under the strong sun.

"Better," she agreed as I laid my arm around her.

We laid there for a while next to each other, soaking up the sun and the sounds and the sights of the beach. I teetered on the edge of sleep as I laid there, my eyes fluttering open and closed. Everything felt perfect. I listened to the chatter of the other people on the beach, the soft crash of the waves and surf, the air enter and exit from Andy. Her chest rose and fell against my side as she breathed. It made me blush how close she was and how good it all felt. I wished that we could've met outside of the facility. I wished that this could be our life together. I wished we could live in this illusion forever.

"This is perfect," Andy said softly as if she was reading my mind.

I brought my hand and began petting her head and ears, "I was thinking the same thing."

"Can we stay like this forever?" she asked reading my mind again.

I froze for a moment but forced myself to keep petting Andy. "What do you mean my fox?" I asked but knowing exactly what she meant.

"You know little bird," she said in a far off voice, "Being with each other every day, being there for one another, just being together."

"Of course Andy," I said, struggling to keep a calm and strong voice. Now more than ever my tough guise had to hold, for Andy's sake. I couldn't tell her what I thought inside. I couldn't tell her that I thought that one day, from the experiments or otherwise, one of us wouldn't be there.

Andy snuggled up tighter to me content, "Thank you Skye."

"It's not a problem," I said a little relieved. I brought her hand over my ribs where my paw tattoo was and said, "Remember. Always remember these, okay?"

"Okay," she crawled up and surprised me with a kiss. The kids running off into the surf caught her attention and I heard her say, "Hey Skye, let's go into the water."

I froze up worse than when Andy asked her last question, "O-okay, you go ahead. I'll stay here and watch you."

"Come on little birdie, come with me!"

"No, no I'm fine here. You can go though," I said desperately.

Andy frowned at me, getting up and trying to pull me with her. "I want you to come with me! It wouldn't make sense if I went by myself."

"Andy, my legs aren't water proof. They'd get all messed up in the water you know," I tried again to get Andy to stop.

"No they're not. You told me that they could weather through anything. Skye… Why are you lying to me?" she said, her accusing tone stinging me deeply.

"I'm not lying!"

"Yes you are, I can tell!"

"No I'm not!"

"Why can't you just come into the water with me?!"

"I don't want to, is that a problem!"

"Yes because you're not telling me the truth!"

"Why can't you go by yourself?!"

"Because I want you to come with me! Is it that hard Skye?!"

"YES!" I yelled, "Yes it is!" I shook her hand off mine and turned away from her, holding my legs to my chest.

For a while it was eerily silent. I knew Andy hadn't left and that she was standing right behind me staring. I couldn't bring myself to turn around or say anything to her, I was too mad, too frightened.

"Skye…" Andy said without an ounce of anger in her voice. God how she did that, change her tone so quickly. It was like Andy could turn off her anger like a faucet and put her feelings aside for anyone. "Talk to me."

I balled up tighter, resisting Andy's sweetness, her kindness, everything that I loved her for.

Her arms slid around me and her chin rested on my shoulder as she held me from behind. I felt everything, all of her against my bare back. She whispered into my ear just one thing, one simple thing so lovingly it broke down all my walls. "Skye…"

Squeezing tighter on my legs I whispered into them, "I can't swim."

Andy sounded completely shocked, "Wh-what?"

"I can't swim alright!"

"But," she began, "you said you've been to the beach before."

Against my will my eyes began to tear up, "That was when I could walk by myself. When I was a little kid. I never learned how to swim properly and then I… I…"

"Shhhhhh, shhhhh," Andy hushed me, pulling me closer into her, "I know. I know"

"Please, just go on Andy. I'll wait here and watch."

There was a moment of silence but then Andy said with a strong resolution in her voice, "Skye, take off your legs."

"Wh-what?!"

"Take them off."

"But I won't be able to walk. I don't even have my wheelchair."

"Do you trust me?"

"I…" the question was so sudden that it caught me dumbfounded. The answer was simple though, "Yes. I do."

Sighing I brought my hand over my mouth and pressed down hard as I gritted my teeth. I reached behind and hit the button to detach the braces from me and screamed like many times before as hard as I could. In a second it was over and I collapsed into Andy's embrace, unable to hold myself upright anymore.

I gazed up into her face which was smiling slightly, "Okay fox, what now?"

Andy kept holding me up but somehow pulled me onto her back, wrapping my useless legs around her and holding me up on her back. I yelped as she rose up with me precariously.

"Wh-wh-what are you doing?!"

Andy just giggled mischievously and started walking toward the surf. I saw the water approaching and began to freak out.

"No. No! Andy take me back. Put me down! What if we get swept away? You can't swim for both of us you know!" I said frantically.

"Well then will just be lost together."

I complained the whole way until the water was well past Andy's waist and all around me legs. My arms held on for dear life around Andy.

"See, this isn't too bad," she said.

"Yeah… yeah sure…" I mumbled too concerned with the water that was splashing up to the parts of my body that had feeling.

"Relax little bird, you're safe."

That was it. That was all she had to say. Instantly I relaxed against her back.

"Only because it's you," I whispered into her ear defeated.

She laughed and took us around the surf. Slowly after I got over my fears I began to enjoy myself. This was my dream and I didn't want it to ever end. Andy and I laughed and giggled as we splashed about and let the waves wash over us. She was very careful not to go too far where the waves were stronger and only went as deep as I was comfortable. It was wondrous.

I pecked her where her bird tattoo was on her neck making her freeze momentarily. "Thank you," I said into her ear.

There was a growing chatter behind us though. The peaceful voices turned into shock and confusion and in the distance I could hear the blare of sirens. Andy turned around so we could face the beach. Before I even saw the police cars and the Atlas men and scientists I knew what it was about and who was coming. There were dozens of flashing lights and men dressed in Atlas uniforms questioning people on the road and on the beach, everyone and everything pointing at the two of us. I buried my head into Andy's shoulder. The dream was ending.

"Little birdie, what's going on?" she then saw all the Atlas men beginning to notice us and walk our way. "Skye…" her voice was laced with dreadful suspicion, "The scientist did give us permission, didn't they?"

"It's time to go my fox," was all I said.

My body ached. From the combat training and extra tests they were administering to me everything hurt. It didn't help that my record of misconduct was fresh in all of the scientists' minds. They had only finished dealing with me adopting Spira and Basher but then I went on our little unapproved vacation to the beach. Needless to say they were done for a while of giving me leeway. The first were the ramped up training schedule and tests. Then they made me leave my leg braces and exoskeleton back at the testing rooms. I was diminished to wheeling myself around in my chair. It was a grim reminder that my legs were a gift that could easily be taken away.

"Good work today Skye," one of the testers told me as I pushed myself towards the door in my chair. "We'll see you again tomorrow."

"Yeah whatever," I moaned, popping more pills into my mouth to subdue the pain of today's experiments.

As I neared the entrance the sliding doors automatically slid apart and revealed an angel waiting in the hallway. Andy stood there with a bundle of brightly colored flowers, wearing an orange dress that complimented her hair and ears.

"Whoa," I uttered shocked by how beautiful she looked. "Andy… You look… stunning."

She blushed madly, "St-stop. It's only a silly dress."

"Yeah and look damn fine, I mean you're beautiful in that," I corrected myself.

"O-oh well thank you."

"What's the occasion?"

"It's a secret, but… here, put this on," she handed me a blindfold.

"Andy?" I said curiously.

"D-don't ask why! Just… put it on!"

"You're so cute when you're nervous you know that," I said giggling, "Okay my dear fox, I'll play along." I put the blindfold against my eyes and doused myself in darkness, fumbling with the knot in the back.

My wheelchair gently picked up speed as I assumed Andy pushed me. It was a little unsettling not to be able to see but I trusted Andy with all that I had so there was a blanket of safety over me.

"So what's with all the mystery?" I asked.

"You'll see," she told me simply.

"Okaaay… so how was your day?"

"Oh you know, the same old things," she avoided my question again.

"Hmph," I grumbled, it was obvious that wasn't going to get anything from interrogating her so I changed tactics. Reaching behind me I guess where Andy was, taking whatever I could and squeezing teasingly. There was a sharp yelp and a jerk of my chair as I found purchase on something quickly followed by a violent tug of my ear. "OW!"

"Watch where you're grabbing Skye!"

"I would if you hadn't given me this blindfold," I chuckled.

"Don't worry you impatient bird, it'll come off soon."

Andy kept pushing me along and soon I heard a door open. She pushed me inside and then stopped, walking around and away from me.

Frightened I reached for the blindfold and called out, "Andy? Andy?! Where'd you go?"

Two hands stopped me from removing the blindfold, making me jump in my chair. "Andy? Is that you?"

"Yes I'm right here. Hold on okay? Just leave it on for a little longer."

"O-okay. You're scaring me though."

I forced my hands to relax on my arm rests and listened intently. Andy's feet, I hoped, pattered around me. Things flicked and clicked and made noises that could've been anything. I tried to call upon some of my training, focusing on using my ears as my eyes but I was still inexperienced.

"A-Andy?" I stammered, the fear truly sinking deep.

Suddenly a pair of lips met mind as two hands caressed my face. I was lost. I fell into an abyss. My mind was wiped blank. My body was filled with euphoria. I knew these lips. I knew that smell. I knew that kiss. It was all Andy.

The lips pulled away from mine, breaking the contact between us. Light flooded my eyes as the blindfold came off and I squinted as my eyes adjusted to the dark room. As the blurry shapes began to sharpen the first thing that I saw was Andy, still dazzling in her orange dress, stepping away from me. Her face looked tepid, unsure, it made me wonder why until everything around us finally was clear. We were in my dorm room but all the lights were out except dozens of candles she had light around the room. Hung all along the walls and the ceilings were a plethora of lights along with what looked like a hand-made banner that said 'Happy Birthday Skye'.

"No… No way," I managed to mutter in disbelief. I had entirely forgotten that it was my birthday today. Years at the facility had made a date like that pointless, my family wasn't allowed here and couldn't celebrate it with me. I accepted that and didn't mind it at all. The thing that got me even more was that I never told Andy when my birthday was. "This is… impossible."

Andy stepped aside revealing a small cake behind her that had all the candles lit, one for each of my years.

"No my lovely bird, it's all real," she said, walking around and wheeling me up to the table.

Spira and Basher sat on the table, each wearing miniature party hats. Spira looked slightly annoyed while Basher kept scratching at his head. His leg was too short to reach all the way though.

I read the icing on my birthday cake. It said, 'Happy Birthday Skye, From Your Fox." Next to that were an imprint of Spira's talon foot and Basher's paw. There was still icing on his front right paw.

Tears of pure joy rolled down my cheeks. "Oh my gods. It's beautiful. It's… It's… How?"

"You have your connections and so do I," was all Andy said grinning, "Hurry, make a wish."

"I don't…" I said thinking of something to wish for, "I don't think I have anything I can wish for. Right now, I don't think I have a single want. Everything… Everyone I could ever wish for is right here."

"Well, you could always wish to walk again."

"I can already walk, and it wouldn't be good for you to know my wish!"

She giggled, "Okay well hurry and make a wish and don't tell me!"

For a moment I stared at all my candles completely clueless. Then I said in my head, I wish Andy and I could stay together forever. I took in a huge breath and blew out all the candles in one go.

Andy clapped her hands together gleefully, "I hope whatever you wished for comes true!"

I wiped away the stream of tears from both my cheeks and smiled at her, "Me too."

Spira and Basher chirped and barked respectively as Andy began to cut out slices of cake. She places a plate with one on my lap, digging into the strawberry filling. It was delicious and I assumed that Andy had made it. I only made it a couple bites in when Basher, ignoring the plate she had set out for him, decided to do a belly flop into the cake. The splatter missed Andy completely but Spira got creamed. Pieces of cake and icing also plastered the side of my face.

"BASHER!" I bellowed, enraged that he had ruined Andy's cake. Luckily Spira took care of him, proceeding to carrying him off in her talons and probably do some sort of Grim punishment.

My eyes shot to Andy, thinking that she'd be depressed by the destruction of all her hard work but she was laughing. "Basher is too cute."

I sighed, "Yeah but he's a pain in the butt."

"Here," Andy said, "You have cake all over your face."

"Huh, oh yeah, dumb Basher."

I thought that she was reaching behind her for a towel but instead she grabbed more cake and smashed it into my face. For a second I was utterly astounded but soon became intent on my revenge.

"Oh my foxy Andy you will pay for that dearly!"

She yelped playfully as I chased after her in my chair. It wasn't fair and I couldn't catch up to her. There was too much furniture and she was more maneuverable. Somehow I managed to corner her, leaping out of my chair and tackling her.

"I will have my revenge!" I shouted, holding her down and nuzzling my face into hers.

"No!" she laughed. "No Skye! You're making a mess! Stop! Haha, noooo!"

We wrestled on the floor for a while longer until we were both properly covered in cake and icing before I tried to roll off her. Instead she held me in place, laying on her like a pillow. I didn't mind it, everything was a mess but I was comfortable in her arms.

"Skye."

"Hmmm?" I hummed.

"How did you get us out of the facility?" she asked calmly, stroking my hair.

A pang of alert sounded somewhere far off in my mind but I paid it no attention. With Andy so close and her hand combing across my hair nothing mattered.

"Why do you want to know?" I dreamily asked back.

"I'm just curious."

"Ah, well it's simpler than you think. There's an emergency exit that leads right outside. The guards' rotation leave it unattended for 10 minutes at a time. I tricked the alarm into thinking that the door was still closed and viola, slip outside," I told her, nuzzling into her chest. There was icing all over each of us at this point.

"That simple?"

"That simple."

"You know you're oddly curi-."

"Oh it's time for you present!" she interjected.

"Present?" I asked surprised. I thought that the surprise party was enough but Andy had even went out of her way to get me a present.

She helped me back into my chair and wheeled me into the restroom, telling me to clean myself up and that my present would be ready when I came back out. Dutifully I washed my face of all the sugar and cake, cleaning my shirt off as best I could. I'd just have to change later after Andy gave me whatever she had in store. Throwing the towel back on the rack I wheeled outside to see Andy standing there with bows atop each of her fox ears.

"I… Wha… Andy?" I stammered utterly confused.

"Your present…" she said nervously blushing a mad red, "Is me."

"WHAT?!"

"You can… play with my ears all you want until the morning."

I finally realized why there were bows on each of her fluffy, orange, pointed ears.

"Oh," I said, a grin slowly dawning upon my face.