Since it seemed to be a recurring theme in her life, it wasn't too much of a surprise that luck chose not to be on the Husky's side. She originally only planned to just nap, but as it turns out, her body wanted more than that, keeping her passed out as if she was sleeping for the night.

Then again, she wasn't going to complain. Sleep was almost always her best escape from the pains of daily life, it was something she tended to do a lot more when she lived with Jake before he started growing suspicious, forcing her to stop. And being cuddled up in the warm embrace of her Dally's fur would usually keep her fast asleep. Usually.

Despite her definitely being able to sleep for hours more, she wasn't given a choice when a loud bang shattered her already sensitive ears, forcing her awake and afraid, clueless to the source. She paused and caught her breath, instantly hearing the rapid pitter-patter of raindrops crashing down on the roof.

At first, she didn't think anything of it. It's not like rain was anything new to her, although it was by no means her favorite. Most of the time, it was irritating to get her fur wet, considering it was noticeably longer than everyone else's, meaning it took a while to dry. But, if she was in the mood, sometimes she'd love going out and playing in it.

Shrugging it off as nothing, she slowly laid herself back down in the bed, careful to not accidentally slip and fall. Despite the odds, since she had nothing to balance herself with, she actually did it successfully.

However, through the tiny cracks in the doorway, a bright light shined inside. Her eyes widened, and although she never was blessed with the time to fully prepare herself, she had just enough to process what would come next.

Quite similar to the one that woke her up, a burst of thunder echoed throughout the sky, sending her into a spiraling panic, both mentally and physically. Her heart went through the roof as her internal sirens were blaring, a sudden jolt of adrenaline running through her.

Naturally, in her old home, she never really had the chance to get out much, if at all to begin with. In the Arctic, if there was ever any weather, it'd always end up being snow. The same could apply to the times she spent living with Jake, although that had a much more positive connotation.

But here, close to the ocean, she had no choice other than to deal with storms, even sometimes in the winter. The others seemed to be pretty used to it, which made sense. Most of them had lived here since they were just pups, they had gotten their immunity years ago. But for her, the unfamiliar booming sound of thunder and the flashing lights in the sky were nothing short of terrifying, despite Marshall's attempts to soothe her when they happened.

Speaking of the Dalmatian, as another blast of sound erupted from the darkness, she whimpered and tried to huddle closer to Marshall, who she assumed was still sleeping. She scooted closer and closer in his direction, only to end up pressed against the wall. Confused, she flicked on a small lamp, looking around at the dreadful sight. She was alone, nothing but her and the empty, quiet void of their puphouse.

"M-Marshy?!" She called out, jumping up from her bed. Under most circumstances, getting out of bed was a challenge, but this time she was able to bend the rules. Normally, doing that on her own will would've been an accomplishment, but the frightening context blocked out any sense of that joy, having the good feelings filtered out as if they were useless, only hindering emotions.

Her head darted around the puphouse, not a single spotted hair in sight, aside from the small bits of shedding laying on their bed. By now, she felt like was hyperventilating. The raging storm outside, the loneliness, not having the slightest idea where her mate was. Any one of those factors alone could've easily worried her, but this seemed to be a bit extreme.

However, that was replaced by curiosity once she noticed a small sticky note on the door that caught her attention. Almost tripping from her shakiness—and natural newfound clumsiness—she reached her paw out and snatched it, pushing out what was going out in her head and silently reading it to herself.

Don't worry, Eve, I'm fine. Just went out to go see them. I'll be back by morning at the latest, I promise. Love you.

Although relieved that he was at least fine, she was more than confused on what exactly it was he was doing. But, he was alone, and that was enough to make her concerned. Where he was or who he was seeing was still a question, but one overshadowed by her fears about his anxiety.

Knowing there was only one option, she slowly pushed the door open, getting a sight of the cold water coming down as she stepped out. For a split second, she was simply annoyed. Rain in December, by this point it should've been snow. It was almost an insult to her love for the cold, powdery weather. Unfortunately for her, that irritation only lasted a moment, getting cut off but yet another blast of thunder, instinctively sending her back to the corner of her house.

After taking a few seconds to regain herself, she knew her best option was to just get it over with and make a run for it. Assuming now was the best time, as that horrific sound had just happened, she bolted out of her puphouse and moved to the next, knocking on the door quickly.

Thankfully, it didn't take long at all for it to open, allowing easy access. Before that dreaded thunder had its chance to catch up, she jumped inside, resisting the urge to shake and dry off. The last thing she wanted to do was get her friends wet at one in the morning, that wouldn't have been the best entrance.

"So...Everest...w-what exactly is happening?" Almost forgetting she was there, the Husky turned back to see her half-asleep friend, just barely holding her magenta eyes open. An equally confused, although more awake, German Shepherd, seemed a bit more worried than anything as he stood up from their bed.

"H-hey, s-sorry to wake you guys up," she apologized, having her guilty conscience catch up with her. She would have talked more, trying to make up for her actions, but after running for pretty much any distance, she was worn out. She could barely even breathe, let alone talk.

"Hey, it's fine, calm down." The Husky slowly nodded and did as she was told, sitting down and catching her breath. Now that she had some form of balance, she rested her paw where her beating heart was as she remembered the reason she had come here in the first place.

"C-Chase...d-do you know where Marshy might've gone? H-he just...disappeared and left this note." The shepherd, clearly startled at first, took the note from her. And to her surprise, instead of an answer, his face slowly melted into a frown as he read it to himself. She could've sworn she saw tears building in his eyes, but he shut them and drowned them out before she had a chance to look into it.

The paper slowly left his paw and made its way to the ground, leaving the brown pup still as a statue. Everest looked at Skye, who seemed understandably worried about his condition as she got closer, staring into his eyes with only care being her intent.

"Chasey, what's...o-oh...." The Cockapoo's own expression suddenly switched to sympathy, catching on to what Everest still couldn't bring herself to fully realize. There wasn't a clear answer, but whatever it was, must've been a sensitive subject for him, and Marshall as well if he just left the way he did.

"Marshall probably went down to the graveyard. Don't worry, he'll be back," he explained, not a single hint of emotion being found in his voice. The Husky nodded, getting her answer, until the obvious question entered her head as she fully processed the response, having to do a double-take on the situation.

"Wait...what? Why would he be in the graveyard?" Chase only sighed, slowly laying back down. Skye could tell he wasn't too fond of the conversation, she was really the only one he'd ever talk to, aside from sometimes Marshall or Ryder. And even then, it was rare for him to do so. 

But, even if he wanted to, he couldn't hide the truth from her. The Dally would've wanted her to know anyway, and she would naturally be the most qualified to help him.

"Today's the day our parents died."

Everest's eyes widened as she finally caught on, realizing what was going through his head. The pieces slowly moved together and connected themselves, remembering what she had been told all those months ago on their first date. And this was that day. Her mate was grieving...again.

"Oh...I-I'm sorry...I shouldn't have brought it up. I'll just go find him, you two go back to sleep," she muttered, getting the feeling that she had brought unwanted memories for the Shepherd. It certainly wasn't a topic she could see anyone enjoying, including herself. She never knew her parents' looks, personalities, even names. Those few weeks she got to spend with them were just a blur, viciously taken over by darkness known as the memories of suffering and abuse in the following years.

What an awful friend you are, making him think of that in the middle of the night. She closed her eyes, wishing she had the magical ability to block out the nagging thought. No matter how much she wanted to, it didn't save her, once again forcing her to believe the voice in her head.

Without saying a word, she turned and slowly walked outside. She only managed to get a paw out into the cold grass before a voice called out, thankfully one outside her mind.

"Hey, Everest, bring this with you." She whipped her head back around to see Chase handing her a warm blanket, which she'd be lying if she said didn't the surprisingly kind gesture shocked her, considering what she had done. "It's cold out there, especially for Marshall. And, don't worry about it, that's an extra, we still have one."

"T-thanks," she answered, carefully taking the cloth with her mouth. Although a bit hesitant to walk out into the storm, she made another dash to her snowcat, thankfully avoiding any thunder on the way. She didn't waste a second jumping inside, almost instantly hitting the pedals.

Even if she had important matters on her paws, she could still feel the anxiety slowly creeping up her spine. Knowing that Marshall was all alone, mourning and cold. The thought of him in such a condition terrified her, taking her mind hostage. Even the booming sounds of thunder—the same ones that normally caused her to hide in fear—were only echoes. All the noise she could process was happening on the inside.

Part of her wanted to stop the vehicle and calm down, catch her breath and allow her brain to slow back to normal speed, but the majority of her consciousness was purely focused on getting to Marshall. The rain continued to hit down on her fur, with the already strong winds from driving almost made it impossible to see. She knew where she was going, and could see enough to not crash, but that was as far as her vision could go.

Eventually, after what probably was a much faster drive than it should've been, she finally found the gates. It was a miracle she even remembered how to get there in the first place, it's not like this was an area she'd visit often, if ever.

Even if she was still internally panicking, she jumped out of her snowcat and ran into the graveyard, desperately looking around for any sign of spotted fur. She wandered around aimlessly, walking for what seemed like forever, which wasn't exactly the easiest of tasks.

Despite her long, fluffy coat of fur, even she came to the conclusion that the Dally had to be freezing, just as Chase said. He may have loved the cold weather as she did, but that short fur of his would always be a curse to that appreciation, hindering his potential to actually enjoy it without having to constantly bundle up. Although admittedly, she did find that scarf and beanie of his quite cute on him. Every once in a while she'd try and remind him of that, but each time he'd blush and embarrassedly try to deny it, unknowingly just making it worse for himself.

"M-Marshy?" She called out, her head turning rapidly in circles. Now that she had been out there for a while, she was starting to feel genuinely concerned for his health. Even for her, it was chilly, the raindrops weren't frozen but they certainly felt like they were. And with him being unfortunately sensitive to the cold, well, it wasn't exactly in his favor.

Finally, despite not getting a response, she managed to find a glimmer of white fur through the water. Thankful to see him, she walked closer, seeming him silently leaning over two gravestones, each with fresh flowers laying on the dirt in front of them.

Even with the countless raindrops, she could tell he was crying. He was shivering as well, which wasn't helping her worry for his well-being. Without saying a word, she took the damp blanket, knowing it'd be better than nothing, and carefully wrapped it around him.

As she expected, the Dally flinched and shot his head to the side, caught off guard by her arrival. The Husky only smiled and moved closer, hoping her fur could possibly pass off some warmth to him. The second the two made contact, she immediately could feel how cold he was, and not to mention soaking wet.

"Oh...i-it's just you." Everest nodded and looked down at the graves, slowly moving her leg around him. Naturally, her sole presence lifted his spirits a bit, but that didn't take away the pain of the moment. His parents, the only blood family he had, resting beneath the soaked grass below him. He had gotten over their death years ago, but this was the anniversary. Today always brought those old feelings and memories, and the events over the last few months weren't helping.

He leaned his head on the Husky's shoulder, forcing himself to use every last bit of his willpower to not cry in front of her. His lip was quivering, and the longer he stared at the stone the more his body wanted to break down. The emotions wanted to come out, but the urges to not be vulnerable kept them in like a dam.

But, even with his resistance, only so much could be kept on the inside. Tears slowly crept out of his eyes and down his cheeks, joining the infinite drops of rain that were coming from the sky. "I-I miss them," he murmured aloud, not even meaning for the words to be vocalized.

"I know, but they're in a better place now." Everest carefully tilted her head over, trying to not push the Dally's own off her shoulder, which thankfully succeeded. Seeing the tears going down his face almost made her cry, but she couldn't crack now. This was his moment, not hers.

"B-but...why? W-why does m-my family always have to s-suffer? F-first them...now you....I don't get it." As much as the Husky wanted to give him a comforting answer, not much could be said that wasn't a lie. She didn't want to admit it, but he was right.

The ones he held closest in life were either dead, or her. Someone unworthy of his care, taking her own battles and forcing them to be his. Because that's all she was doing, hurting him, right? Yeah...that had to be it. After all, who would enjoy having a freak like her as their mate?

"I-I don't either, I guess that's just life. But I promise you, you will never have to lose me again," she encouraged, knowing that was the only sort of comforting thing she could say. Even then, that wasn't something within her control, and Marshall knew that.

"T-that's what you said last time." Everest lowered her head, aware that again he was right, and there wasn't anything she could do to prove him otherwise. For a few moments, there was only silence, except for the raindrops still falling. It wasn't until yet another ear-shattering noise broke through the sky, causing the lavender pup to yelp and cling to Marshall for some sense of safety.

Up until now, the Dally never questioned her being here, but that quick sudden action changed that. He looked at her, and as he expected, she was terrified, shaking in fear and cuddling as close she possibly could.

"Hang on, Eve, w-why did you even come out here? You hate storms." The Husky didn't answer at first, trying to regain her composure after the shock of the sound. Slowly, she scooted out of his fur, not exactly leaving him, just not trying to hide anymore.

"'C-cause I was worried about you. A-and on that note, come on, let's go home. You're freezing, I don't want you getting sick or something." Marshall nodded, although not exactly caring about him falling ill. He just didn't want to be the reason she had to stay out here when he knew how scared she was of the thunder.

With one last look at the graves hiding away the ones who raised him, he slowly turned away and followed his mate back to their vehicles. Everest, despite still being nervous and anxious, awaiting the next bolt of lightning that was sure to come, took the lead, somehow managing to remember the way she came.

The two drove without much of an exchange of words, it was obvious the spotted pup still wasn't in the best mood, and the other certainly didn't want to start a conversation while she was driving in the storm. Thankfully, for their sanity, especially Everest's, the drive wasn't long, both making it back to the lookout in just a matter of minutes.

With Marshall jumping out and turning his firetruck back into their house, he opened the door, and instantly the Husky jumped back inside, scooting into a corner in a desperate attempt to shield herself from the noise. The Dally frowned with sympathy, getting his cold body under a few layers of blankets, which his mate slowly crept towards, huddling closer than usual to calm her fears.

"Eve, it's okay. It's just thunder, we're fine," he cooed, knowing he couldn't do much, but it was at least worth the effort. She had always been scared of storms, which all things considered, he couldn't blame her for. It just stung him, seeing her afraid, and the voice in his head was encouraging the idea that he, as her mate, was making it worse.

"I-I know, sorry, it's a d-dumb thing to be scared of." Marshall shook his head, nuzzling up against her as she hugged closer, clinging to him as if he would turn to dust and disappear if she were to let go. It was an attempt to calm herself, but also partially in hopes of raising his body temperature, just in case the blankets weren't enough.

"It's fine, don't be sorry. Let's just try and get some sleep." Even with his suggestion, he knew that wouldn't happen for either of them. He might've been home now, safe and comfortable with Everest, but the thought of his parents wouldn't leave.

The faint memories he held onto, he barely even remembered them, but that was all had of them. He was just a young pup at the time, most of what he knew about them had to come from Chase.

"I-I guess, sure. Night." Everest closed her eyes, still not leaving his fur. Despite it seeming like she was asleep, or at least trying to be, with the storm outside, he was certain she wasn't.

With every shock of thunder, he could feel her flinch. The process went on for who knows how long, it felt like a never-ending eternity. Eventually, out of pure boredom, he finally let himself give in to the temptation of conversing.

"You still up?" He asked, quietly enough that if she actually was asleep, it wouldn't wake her. But as he expected, a low sigh came out of the Husky.

"Yep...w-we aren't getting any sleep, are we?" Marshall softly shook his head, starting to regret his poor judgment. Earlier, he was only planning on napping, meaning he wouldn't have to take his sleeping medicine, but clearly, that wasn't the right choice to make.

"I guess not, it'll probably be time to get up in a few hours anyway, " he answered. The Husky groaned in annoyance, peeved that both of them would have to just lay here for the rest of the night, especially with the noisy storm outside. Quietness from the two filled the puphouse, all until a simple question floated through the air. "Would you rather...rescue Chickaletta once every day for a month, or not be able to eat liver for a month."

Everest laughed, sitting up and looking at the Dally, who was smirking at his own immature question. "Really, Marshy?" She joked, letting out a small giggle. The Dalmatian gave her a single determined nod, clearly not about to let her avoid the question.

"Do you have anything better to do?" The lavender pup playfully rolled her eyes as her mate sat up, giving her the perfect chance to lean onto his side, nuzzling her head into his chest.

"You're such a goof." Even if it was a simple game he was invoking, to say it made her proud would've been anything but a lie. Him willing to try and have some fun, get a quick laugh. It was all she wanted to see from him, his shining personality that could make anyone smile. But she couldn't stay on that forever. After all, she had a game to play. "Save Chickaletta for a month."

"Seriously, you'd rather do that every day for a month?" The Husky only shrugged, obviously, she didn't want to do that. However, it was worth it if it meant she could hold onto her beloved snack.

"I mean yeah, saving her doesn't even take that long. And besides, you know I love liver. Why else do you think I...wait, never mind." Marshall raised an eyebrow, and Everest noticed. She had said too much.

"Why did you do what?" He asked curiously, unsure if he should be worried or excited, or anywhere in between. The Husky went silent, before giving him a small grin as her mouth opened. She nodded beside her, over to where her own cabinet was. The spotted pup inched closer as she opened a drawer, revealing the hidden treasure within.

"So...that's where the liver treats went?" Everest nodded, smiling as she reached inside, taking the small box out. That box had disappeared a few days ago, and despite Ryder being near positive it was her with her love of the treats, there was never enough evidence to convict her of such a crime. Until now, that is.

"If you don't tell on me, we can split them." The Dally grew a mischievous grin on his face, accepting the deal without hesitation.

"You know, since neither of us are getting any sleep tonight, we might as well just stay up." The Husky had to stifle a small laugh, the question almost seemed like a joke despite knowing he was serious. The thought of them staying up past their bedtime with stolen snacks seemed like something they would've done ages ago. But, that didn't necessarily make it a bad idea.

"You don't think Ryder would care, do you?" She questioned, hoping her joining in with the idea wouldn't get them in trouble. She still wasn't fond of the idea of that, even if logically the boy would never hurt her as a form of punishment. In fact, he wasn't one to get mad often in general, which was a lifesaver.

Marshall shrugged, admittedly unsure how their owner would react if he caught them. However, that was only an if, and at this time, it's not like anyone else would be awake. The night could be theirs, just a few hours to momentarily forget about their pain. Leave their broken memories and emotions aside, distract him from thinking of his parents, drown out Everest's fears of the storm, and spend some time with the loves of their lives.

"Well...what he doesn't know can't hurt him."