That night Paige went to sleep in her new bed. "How could this happen?" she thought as she snuggled up to the big stuffed gorilla that Alex had won for her at the beginning of their relationship at the school carnival. She wrapped her arms tightly around the fluffy gorilla and pretended she was cuddling close to Alex. Three long years they had lived together and the only thing that they had ever fought about was Spinner. Paige wasn't use to sleeping alone. Alex would always go to bed at the same time and she would take care of Paige, even if Alex wasn't tired. It was always completely up to Paige what they did or didn't do.

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Alex slept on the cold couch of hers and Paige's apartment. She couldn't bare sleeping in their old bed. She struggled on hose she would make rent payments or take care of their two pugs, Marlyee and Brando, on her own. Marlyee jumped on Alex's lap. "Get down you mangy dog." Alex said, not pushing the dog away. She softened and said, "You're going to miss your mommy, aren't you?" the dog laid down on Alex's tummy as Brando panted and begged for attention from the floor, "Your mommy's going to be back, don't worry."

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Paige woke up a few hours later and sighed in complete drudgery. She didn't like waking up to an empty bed, even if the huge gorilla took up most of the bed. Alex always lay in bed for Paige to wake up. Alex would be softly stroking her hair or rubbing her back. Then Paige would get up, go to the kitchen and make breakfast for them both. Alex would go to work after and Paige would do classes online. Everything was different now. Paige looked around at an empty bed that mirrored her empty heart.

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Alex rolled over to be greeted with big sloppy kisses from Brando. "Dammit! Brando, you mut!" she pushed the stout pug off the bed and Marlyee quickly followed, barking and begging to be taken out and fed. Alex had gotten the pug duo to keep Paige company while she studied. She remembered how Paige had begged her for the two. "OHH! Alex! Aren't they just the cutest things?" She had smiled so sweetly at Alex.

"Fine, I'll get you the pups…" Alex remembered Paige had held onto Alex so tightly in the pet store as they took the two pet carriers home.

Marco popped around the corner and stood in the doorway of the kitchen holding a cup of coffee as Alex got up from the couch. "Looks like Brando misses Paige a lot." Marco smiled down to the pup, rubbing his tiny ears. The pup leaned and licked Marco's fingertips. "Are you going to come over and try to get her to come back home today?" Marco shifted his stance from the doorway to the couch as Alex struggled to wake herself up.

"I don't know. Marco. It just seems like I shouldn't."

"Come on, Alex…She misses you. You know that."

"No, I don't." Alex said, wrestling to put her shirt on while Brando happily tugged the other end, "Stop it, go lay down!"

"She does….she looked horrible this morning getting out of bed. That's why I snuck over here to see you."

"How'd you get in?"

"I stole Paige's key while she wasn't looking."

"Good job Marco…"

"I do what I can."

"But how do you know she wants to come back home? That she's even ready?"

"I'm not sure if she's 'ready' persay, but I know that this is unhealthy. I heard her crying all last night. She didn't look like she slept at all.

"She can come back whenever she likes, but honestly I didn't ask her to leave. If she didn't want to then she shouldn't have."

"Alex, stop being so defensive. You know that's not how you really feel aout it. You probably layed here all night just thinking about her like she did with you."
"Shut up, Marco!" Alex hit him with a pillow.

"I'm just saying," Marco laughed, "I just thought you should know." Marco got up, "Besides, you all are made for each other. I don't think that either of you should be alone when you all love each other so much."