Stripe stood at the apartment building, looking at the newly put in window. He slyly looked around for anything out of place. The apartment complex had charged money from Stripe's pocket to repair the damage and even though Bandit promised to pay him back, he very much was still angry about the whole situation.

Bruce pulled up, surprisingly in the driver's seat and not the passenger seat as Stripe usually saw him in. Being Bandit's best friend, Bruce knew a lot about the blue heeler, including his history with Kate. Naturally, he had no desire to be up there alone. "How's it going, mate?"

"Not so great," Stripe stared ahead, the new window's shine overtaking the older windows on other flats. "Kate needs to go."

"Don't worry, she has," Bruce consoled him. "The police got involved with her and considering her history with a lot of us...it isn't going to end well for her."

"Still though, it's terrifying. You think I don't see the bite on your neck?" Stripe pointed out a light bruise on Bruce, barely coming through his mostly black fur.

"Oh, this?" Bruce slyly smiled, pointing to his neck. "This wasn't Kate, mate. She did strangle me, not bite...but...you see, Bandit's gone right now, so why not take some girls over to the flat? I mean, yeah, it hurts now, but in the moment it felt amaz-"

"Okay, okay, shut up," Stripe rolled his eyes. How does this loser get chicks into him? "Now hurry up and help me pack up the stuff."

The duo made it up the stairs, Stripe gulping from fear. He assumed all of those stains on the walls were Kate's doing even if he'd seen them before she decided to go on a rampage.

"Do you know where Bandit's going to move?" Stripe raised an eyebrow.

"I don't, no," Bruce shrugged. "I'm sure we'll figure it out. I'm happy as long as we're nowhere near this place. It's already in shambles-and it reminds me too much of Kate anyway."

"You've got to be joking," Stripe stared at him in disbelief. "So I'm going to be packing up his stuff even though he has nowhere to go?! Will you two be living under a bridge?!"

"Relax," Bruce rolled his eyes. Bandit was already a bit of a stick in the mud, but his brother Stripe was even more of a buzzkill. "He'll figure it out. I mean, before we moved here, we were in a similar position at the old flat and we still managed just fine!"

Once Bruce opened the door, Stripe was shocked to see a lot of dust on the ground coupled with some glass and torn out pillows. "You didn't clean?"

"That's Bandit's chore," Bruce defended himself. "Now get to it, I need to watch the telly and relax."

Stripe groaned, but obliged, knowing it was no use to push Bruce out of his daze. He was so insufferable that he often wondered how Bandit puts up with him. Damn cunt.

He walked in the bedroom, seeing mantled sheets on the left bed. Whoever Bruce brought home, it was clear they'd left a lot more than a bite on his neck. Stripe cringed.

He went through the the right-sided drawers, knowing that was where Bandit kept his clothes and ornaments, until he ran into some notes. Knowing this wasn't any of his business, he mindlessly packed it in along with anything else he could find, but boy was curiosity getting the better of him. Ultimately, he knew the done thing was to leave it be, and so that was what he did, instead focusing on hating Bruce as SpongeBob rambled on in the background.

Bandit returned to his room after snacking on a quick bite at the local Macca's. He was busy analyzing the entire plot of Comets in his thoughts while continuously thinking about Brandy.

His cheeks turned red. He turned to sit on his bed before he noticed a sticky note dangling on the hotel phone. He picked it up and lifted it towards closer inspection.

Brandy's number.

His tail started to wag. The last thing I expected to find on this trip was a gal actually into me.

He waited, pondered a bit. She's out with Chilli and Trixie today. Maybe I shouldn't bother her.

He laid on his bed, trying to catch up on lost sleep. Still though, she left me her number for a reason.

But again, he decided against it. She was out, so he shouldn't intrude. He decided to instead hum a song to himself, switching the TV on.

Darn, this was supposed to be my break day too, but now I can't enjoy it.

He pulled out his phone, instead deciding to phone Stripe.

"Hey Bandit! Nice hearing from you," Stripe answered enthusiastically.

"Hey Stripe. Right back at ya," he said. "How's the packing going?"

"Oh, I'm working quite hard actually! Your friend Bruce here is being a real help!" Stripe eyed Bruce, who was busy chewing on gum and watching the TV.

"I know he can be lazy and dumb, but he's really not that bad," Bandit felt the angry energy through his sarcasm. He knew Stripe never liked Bruce much, but this was just one time they had to be together and he was already fed up. "Here's a little thing I learned about him a couple years back...if you promise him you'll buy him a case of BrainTaste, it'll get him up and working faster than a cheetah."

"Of course he likes that stuff," Stripe cursed as he dropped a bag full of flour all over the kitchen. "Goddamn it! Anyway, I just buy him a case and he'll do it all for me?"

"Pretty much," Bandit answered. "Though, you might wanna empty a can out and fill it with a drink you like. He's always looking for drinking buds and might not take you up on that offer unless you drink that stuff too."

"Thanks for the heads up," Stripe sighed. "Anyway, how's London been?"

"Great! Well most of it anyway," Bandit stretched in his bed. "Ran into some of our friends from way back when. One of them might have a thing for me.."

"Well make sure she's not crazy!" Stripe laughed. "Okay, but seriously, how do you feel about her?"

"Well we did just catch up from a ten year abyss..," he said, cringing at his joke. "Remember the girls at the caravan park?"

Stripe gasped in surprise. "No way! You got...erm...Chilli! Yup, that's it...you got Chilli to like you?!"

"Her older sister to be exact. Brandy. She's great, actually," Bandit continued, gushing. "She's sweet and cute and understanding an-"

"Sounds like you feel the same way," he swept the mess on the floor. "How'd ya find out anyway?"

"Well...it's complicated," Bandit didn't want to expose all the details. He figured Stripe could live without knowing about the awkward time at the party and their "fun" activities during the former half of the night. "Well we talked the entire time last night about deep stuff. Kate and her writing business and life in general. I kinda had the idea she liked me after we talked about Kate, but then I realized she left me her number and now I'm sure she does."

"Man, I wish these things happened to me more often," Stripe joked. "So Chilli is up for grabs?"

"I think so," Bandit said. "And they brought along one of their friends."

"So I've got two to choose from," Stripe threw the swept flour into a trash can. His tail wagged at the thought of having someone to cuddle up against. "Make sure you introduce us sometime?"

"Of course mate," Bandit agreed. "How's life been for you?"

"It's been alright," Stripe answered meekly. "Rad took me to the oil rig a few days ago; I really don't think I'm cut out for that type of stuff."

"What are you cut out for?" Bandit laughed. "Hmm...maybe you'd be a good maid...you did use to be the one who was eager to clean the dishes and sweep with our parents..."

"I am not wearing a frilly dress," Stripe said adamantly. "Still though, I really do need to find something to do.."

"Well Rad chose what was most interesting for him," Bandit suggested. "You don't find anything interesting?"

"Well I'll be honest here," Stripe quieted down, looking towards Bruce who mindlessly zoned out to cartoons. "I'm thinking of probably working some office job. Definitely not cut out for studying rigorously or living away from home nearly the whole year working my tail off."

"Well there's nothing wrong with that. I mean I don't just study and Rad isn't away all the time yet. We're just learning how to properly do the things we want to do."

"Well yeah, you're still in university anyway," Stripe recalled. "Still though, once you really start working...don't you think any fossils you get ahold of you'll end up chewing away?"

"You're acting like I did that all the time," Bandit blushed. "Besides I only chewed on them as a kid."

"Sure," Stripe sarcastically agreed. "Well at least you know you want spend your life studying our ancestors and Rad knows he's wanting to spend his drilling for oil. I...might as well buy the frilly dress and start acting like a maid."

"Hey, I was just joking mate," Bandit felt bad. "You've got plenty of time to figure it out and Mum and Dad aren't gonna send you off to the streets; they love you."

"Thanks," Stripe answered. "I'm really more excited to meet your friends though."

"Well make sure you take your time with them," Bandit reminded him. "We don't need another repeat of you know who."

Bandit weakly smiled. I should be able to poke fun at myself for the whole Kate drama, but it still hurts.

"For sure," Stripe commented. "Are you sure you're okay after that though? When you left, you seemed a little nervous. What she did would've traumatized me for sure."

"I'm fine," he lifted his snout. "It's just..."

Stripe waited for Bandit's answer. "...It's just what?"

"Nothing," Bandit shook it off. "It's nothing."

Stripe held the phone with a concerned look on his face. He knew Bandit was lying, but even if he demanded the full answer, he wouldn't budge. "Are you positive?"

"Yeah, mate," he held the urge to sigh. Damn you, Kate.

"Okay," Stripe said. "Please don't forget that I'm also here for you.."

"I won't," he assured him. "Now I'm gonna catch up on sleep, so goodbye Stripe."

"...See you soon, mate," Stripe hung up. He held the phone to his chest, yearning to see his brother soon. I'm worried for him. I hope he feels better again.

A gray-tan heeler stared at him, tears in her eyes as her fur flared all around her. Bandit had never seen her so angry before.

"Kate, I'm sorry. My grandfather passed and I needed to be there," Bandit reasoned, trying to reach out to her. She was so scary when she was angry and he feared he was only adding on to it. "We can go on that date some other time. I'll make it up to you."

He felt awful for having to cancel their date due to his grandfather's sudden death, but the way he saw it was that he and Kate could go out on a date anytime, but he could only see his grandfather one last time.

She used to be so easygoing, Bandit remembered. She was a bit shy and was prone to a few outbursts from time to time, but she meant well. She was a person carrying so much on her plate and all he wanted was to be there for her. It was getting more and more obvious that Kate needed support more than anything and he was just unable to give it to her. He'd temporarily lift her spirits and then her parents or her friends or some stranger would crush her and she'd take it all out on him. It didn't matter if he told her to keep a distance from them, his view would go in one ear and out the other.

He frankly wasn't interested in trying much harder anymore. I have my own needs too, Bandit thought.

~

Flash-forward a year or two, here she was, an insufferable husk of the person she used to be. Bandit couldn't keep denying this deep resentment he was building towards her. He had loved her as much as she'd let him, but deep down, he knew he was only using work and uni as an excuse to just stay away from her.

He knew enough was enough. He has had enough shouting, hitting, throwing things, and lying for his entire lifetime, even if it was completely one-sided...her side. Still though, what he forgot to think about was what a manipulative cunt she had become.

She is such a leech. I can't stand her.

Bandit sighed, opening the door to his very first apartment he lived in, seeing the glaring eyes of the yet angry again cattle dog. Even existing seemed to piss her off and he'd been thinking about being single again for a while.

A few memories twisted, bringing him to the middle of the argument.

"It's clear it's not working out," Bandit stood his ground, his limit finally met. "I wanted to love you and I did, but I can't stand being around someone like you anymore!"

"You selfish bastard," she growled, before slapping him, the shock of the impact making him fall onto the ground. He held his cheek, looking up at the anger in her eyes. "I need you to live, therefore you cannot leave me."

"I will," Bandit growled. "I need to move on. You need to move on. Frankly, I don't care what you decide to do anymore. I've tried caring for you in every way possible and there's only so much I can do."

"Bandit, I don't think you understand," Kate smiled, leaning down to his level. "You won't. I'll get you locked up behind bars. All I need to do is lie a little and your life is ruined. So what will it be? Maintain me or be locked up whilst losing everyone?"

Damn you. Bandit sighed, shivering in fear as she brought his face up to here with her index finger. "That's what I thought, Bandit."

~

Obviously the latter of the whole two, nearly three year relationship was for nothing but Kate using him to maintain herself...and hoping to marry him to get half of that juicy inheritance once she'd finally stop playing her game and let him go. Having no boundaries at all, she really managed to search Chris' house for anything of value until she found her father's will stuffed discreetly in a cabin promising Bandit a huge amount of money once he turned of age.

This was before the passing of his grandfather and exactly when she started letting go of her morals to live life the way she saw fit. So for the rest of the relationship, she thought if she'd play the game until marriage and divorce, he'd have to give her at least half, giving him no way out.

So she decided to go ahead and continue to force him into an unwanted relationship, using the saying "I'll tell them what you did if you don't do what I say."

Even when his 18th birthday came and he received his inheritance, he made sure to put it somewhere safe and convenient. He placed it all in his card and made sure he never ever left it anywhere near her. Needless to say, Kate had gotten bored waiting 2 years for her faulty plan to start before she got it on with Hal, the Macca's employee as Bandit knew him.

Once news of the cheating came to his ear, he knew he had an outage...and he took it and never looked back, even if it meant she'd come in and start a fiasco at the party or break a window at his flat. Even then, he was so relieved to finally be out of her clutches that everything that occurred afterwards were only minor consequences.

He opened his eyes slowly, sweating profoundly yet feeling unusually cold. He was suddenly angry again, feeling nearly the same way his helpless 17 year old self felt when she faulted him for that stupid missed date.

Why am I remembering this now? It's over. She didn't have a kid or pass any STDs or steal my inheritance or kill me. I got away from her. I'm free now.

Then he remembered exactly what he had done yesterday. Did Brandy really want that? She kissed me...but I also hugged her.

The red heeler was just as reciprocative with him in bed and seemed to be enjoying it. But was he sure? She looked regretful when she came back later that night. She was shy to touch me again until we started reading her novel together.

He placed a pillow on top of his face, trying to stop the new ringing in his ears. He whimpered, feeling an urge to remain in London.

If he didn't return, he'd never see her again, right?

It's not like people would have warped views of him here. The people here either don't know him or know him as the singer of his band. Here, he didn't "lose" to a McDonald's employee or "let" himself get slapped by a girl, or other things people ignorantly said without knowing what that bitch was capable of. In fact, he used Hal as a reason to break up with her, of course bearing in mind to avoid her as much as possible to prevent her trying to chase him with hell behind her tail.

The truth is, he felt awful that she got an even more vulnerable guy to manipulate.

Hal was a momma's boy, but he was even more loaded than Bandit was. He knew what she was after now, but did the poor guy know?

On top of that, she's seemed to grow a strange obsession with him. It's been a little over a week since the "breakup" and she'd only gone ballistic every time she saw him anywhere, despite supposedly still in a relationshit with Hal.

She was so lustful for money she was willing to try her ridiculous plans with anyone unfortunate enough to fall into her trap.

Why can't I stop thinking about it?! Bandit growled to himself. I'm free, I'm free. I've got a sane chick into me, I've got my mates and my brothers, I'm studying hard to fulfill my dream of being an archeologist, I have money. But that doesn't change the fact that I'm pathetic.

He curled up into a shivering ball only calming down once he slowly fell asleep, his breaths slowly calming into a soft rhythm.

It was over, and he needed to move on with his life.

Brandy sighed, getting off the taxi along with her sister and Trixie. They'd spent the day going out to various landmarks or restaurants, but the sheer awkwardness didn't seem to fade at all. The closest they had gotten was when they teased her over the whole Bandit thing and she'd broken her promise and pretended to get an important call. Why do they care so much about my feelings anyway?

When she had walked to a bookstore, they joined her, but it was clear they weren't as big a fan of reading as she was. She ended up purchasing her own work...leaving a confused look on the friends' faces.

Why would an author buy their own work? Chilli thought, thinking of asking. She didn't, but noted that she had written a special note on the cover's inside, angling it at a way to prevent anyone seeing.

She knew now what her intentions were when she took off without them, smuggling the book in her paws. She's gonna give it to him.

"She's fallen so hard I'm surprised she hasn't broken a bone yet," Trixie commented. "I wonder if Bandit feels the same?"

"It's good to know I wasn't the only one thinking that," Chilli sighed. "Anyway, who cares anymore? Let's go watch TV, it's getting late."

Brandy held the novel tightly against her chest, her heart pounding loudly. She'd gotten a call by him a few hours prior and he didn't sound well.

He'd asked her to come over and without hesitation, Brandy shouted "yes!" in the restrooms, grabbing the attention of other women nearby. Still though, something didn't sound right.

When she got to her floor, she looked for his room number before gently rapping her knuckles on the door. She picked a few stray hairs from her coat and patted it softly.

He answered, their tails wagging by simply seeing each other.

"I thought you wouldn't come," he said, shutting the door behind her. "It's late in the arvo. Still, I'm so happy to see you."

She blushed, telling him the same thing. "I got here as fast as possible. Trixie and Chilli were so strict on visiting all these touristy places; it was awful. Now...I need to ask you something."

Bandit flinched, trying to hide his reaction from the red heeler. "Y-yeah?"

"I...uhm...," she handed him the novel, not daring to look at him. "Just open it.."

He nodded, opening the novel Stars Under the Bridge. On the back of the cover was a small paragraph on a sticky note written in pen, with her signature at the bottom of the actual cover.

I know it is soon and we have just started catching up to one another. Still, I am leaving soon and I just wanted to make sure we'd still talk. I like you a lot, and I think you should know that. You're the only person I've felt like this towards...and I was wondering if you'd like to go out on a date whenever you return.

"Brandy," he forced a stern face, trying to hold back laughter. He knew she didn't have much social experience, but the thought of confessing on a note was so primary school. "I'd love to take you out sometime. I'm actually leaving soon too."

Brandy blushed so furiously, feeling like she was standing on the surface of the sun. "Great! Oh, and how soon?"

"Three days," Bandit answered. His expression changed again, catching Brandy's attention. She answered "same", curious on his saddened expression.

"You don't seem like you want to go back," she commented, following him to the bed. He placed the novel aside, thanking her quickly before he started opening up again.

"Well I don't...," he was blunt. He felt his throat closing up. "...want to leave so soon, ya know? I like London."

"So do I," she said. "Still, they say the best part of going on holiday is coming back home. I've missed my dad and well...I guess I also miss keeping to myself."

"Yeah, I like my home too, or at least I used to," he sulked. "I'm thinking of moving away. You know the Kate stuff's getting out of control and these days I do enjoy being alone more often."

"Don't kid yourself," she held his paw. "You can't leave everything behind because of her!"

"I know it's a cowardly move. But you try and have a creepy psychopath behind your tail."

She sighed, but nodded as best as she could understand his situation. "...You can always stay with me if it's truly this bad."

"Are you crazy?" Bandit stared at her, eyes wide open. "You haven't known me for even a week!"

"I know I sound that way," she stated. "I'm serious, though."

"That would be amazing- my mate Bruce and I are in the middle of packing up to move away even though there's no other place to stay in right now...Though this is a huge decision to make. Are you sure?"

"Of course. Even your friend. I want you to be okay," Brandy smiled.

"You're amazing. Thank you so much," he sighed, hugging her again, Brandy reciprocating. She saw his expression and even though he seemed so relieved...he still seemed down.

Brandy knew she didn't know the full tale, but she knew it wasn't her place to press on about. "You wanna go down to the pool?"

"...Sure," he laid on his bed, looking smugly at her. He seemed to be feeling slightly better.

"Well get up then!" Brandy shook her head with a smirk.

"Too lazy, help me up," he extended his paw. Brandy side eyed him, but she placed both her paws on his and started pulling.

"Oh come on," she pulled, barely getting him a few centimetres off the bed. "You can do it yourself, can't ya?"

"Nope," he smiled and watched her struggle. After a few seconds, he got up and the two started laughing.

"Pfft, what was the point of that?!" Brandy lightly punched him on the shoulder. "You made my back age twenty in one minute!"

"I'm just lazy," he proudly said. I know a way to ease that back pain though...

...He kept his thought to himself. "Let me grab the towels before we head out."

Now I won't have to say goodbye to him... Brandy's tail wagged enthusiastically.

When's the last time she felt so excited?

-End-

Author's note:

Yes, this was a shorter chapter. There's still a lot in the making and none of the others are short like this! Also thanks to all those who favorite, save, and leave reviews. It's great to see what's going great and what would need improving on. Stay tuned for chapter 7!