Under pretty much any other circumstances, Everest would've done just about anything within her power to keep this from happening unless she was certain the choice was a hundred percent willingly. It's not that she minded watching Audrey by herself, in fact, she enjoyed a bit of one on one time after the past couple of days, it wasn't her she was concerned about. It was Marshall, though then again, that was nothing surprising.

Now that the holiday season was over, everything was starting to open up again, which wouldn't mean much any other year. They were dogs, the only place they ever needed to be open was the store so their owners could get food. However, considering the spiral of events that had forced them into this new way of life, now that process of reopening included their therapy sessions.

Neither of them wanted to leave the Border Collie alone, and although their friends had volunteered to watch her while they were gone, they didn't exactly like the idea of her being supervised by anyone other than themselves. So as much as it pained him, the Dalmatian made the suggestion of just going alone.

And as against it as she was, for his own sake, there wasn't really a better option. She managed to get her own visit rescheduled until tomorrow—planning to tell the others she was only going out to help Jake—but that didn't solve his problem.

Of course, he tried to reassure her that he'd be fine, that if anything, this would be a chance to try and fight his anxiety. He was probably right, realistically he'd never be comfortable being alone if he didn't start somewhere. The entire reason he was going to therapy was to cope with his trauma, loneliness included.

But that didn't mean it wasn't a major stressor, it was an issue with her own anxiety as well, her mind just loved to toy with the idea that he would get too overwhelmed by everything. Thankfully, she had a bit of an excuse to not worry, chances were if he felt really bad he would call her as she suggested.

Besides, she had her little ball of energy with her, along with a breath of fresh air at the park. A bit of exercise would help her feel better, that's what she was told, at least. Although, at the moment, said ball of energy was in a dilemma of her own.

"C'mon, sweetheart, I'm right here," she gently encouraged, spreading her forelegs open to try and get her to come down. Audrey stood above her, tapping her paws on the floor—something they noticed she tended to do a lot—as she anxiously looked down the slide. It was a good thing Everest knew how to be patient, this process had taken minutes. She even walked up there herself and went down the slide to show that it was safe.

Part of her wished she had brought the box of liver treats that she originally decided against, maybe that could've given the pup some motivation. She seemed almost petrified, with her legs shaking and low whimpers escaping her mouth. And yet, she was still up there trying to work up the courage to go down, the husky had to give her credit for that.

"Uhm...here, how about this? I'll catch you." Everest bent down, cupping her two front legs against the base of the slide. She could tell Audrey was scooting a bit closer, which was a good sign, it was just a matter of getting her to make that final leap of faith. "Alright, would a countdown help? 3...2...1...go!"

As much as she wasn't expecting anything to come out of it, she quickly found her expectations being outdone. Audrey's eyes may have been shut, odds were she had just slipped once she made contact with the slick, plastic-like surface, but either way, the pup finally came rushing towards her.

Just as promised, she came to a careful stop with a hug into the husky's chest before she was set back onto the ground, where her eyes finally opened. Instead of the nervous frown she had been wearing earlier, a small yet bright smile replaced it and her tail began wagging. As Everest expected, she quickly pushed away from her and ran back up the playground.

The husky wasn't exactly sure if her assistance was required, but just in case, she got back to her previous position. She waited a few seconds, at least assuming the black and white pup would require the reassurance of a safe landing. But apparently, her choice to try and help was in vain.

Before she could even realize that she was at the top of the slide, the Border Collie had bent down on all fours and shot herself down without any warning. By the time Everest was given the chance to react, they were mere inches away, likely less than a second away from impact.

And to add to her already oncoming demise, when the pup got close to the bottom, she sprang off her back legs and tackled the husky. She may have been small, but with her speed and the oldest already not having the greatest balance, it was more than enough force to result in them both falling to the ground.

Audrey stood up proudly, planting her front legs against the husky's shoulders, who was stuck on her back. She smiled and barked victoriously, staring down at the elder, who laughed at her seemingly successful pin. Even if she was naturally stronger by age, she had to admit, the pup was very far from weak, especially for how young she was.

"Jeez, you little rascal. You're pretty relentless, huh?" Everest asked, gently pushing the pup off of her. The Border Collie stuck her head up confidently, playfully jabbing the husky with her nose. Clearly, she had no shame in answering her question, despite it being rhetorical.

Everest laughed it off, letting her do as she wished, it's not like she was strong enough to hurt her. Then again, she wasn't trying to, if anything she seemed to be careful. Just not careful enough that she wouldn't prove her point. They were laughing together, that was what mattered.

At least, they were, it was all fun and games until the husky felt her puptag vibrating as buzzes rang out of its speakers. In a panic, she picked it up and looked down, and unfortunately, the caller was exactly who she worried it would be; Marshall. In a frenzy, she immediately accepted the call and looked down at her tag.

"Marshy, what's wrong? Are you okay?" she asked in alarm, the camera displacing her concerned face to the Dalmatian. She could tell he was at least stressed, she could see the tension in his shoulders. That initial detail she had picked up on happened to be the deciding factor for her own stress, which included ignoring the other details, such as him not even being inside the building.

"Hey, take it easy, I'm alright. I was just calling to let you know I finished my session and would be home pretty soon," he reassured her. Everest finally got the chance to breathe again, now safely holding the knowledge that he was fine, and better yet he'd be relaxed in the comfort of his home soon. "Uh, Eve, where are you? You have Audrey, right?"

"Oh, right, sorry, just glad you're okay. And I brought her down to the park, she's right here." She bent down slightly, gently putting the camera in front of the pup's face. The Border Collie smiled and yipped, nuzzling her head against the tag. After feeling nothing but the screen against her face, she backed away in annoyance, taking her frustration out by barking at the object, demanding to see him in person.

"I'll be home soon, princess, I promise. Until then, take care of your mom for me. Love you two, see you in a few." Everest answered with the same before hanging up, at this point having little to no reaction at the nickname. It continued to be an inside joke between them, and since neither disliked it—although sometimes they'd get a playful comment from the others—they just let it keep going until it wore off.

"Alright, Audrey, let's get you home." She began to walk in the direction of the lookout, which thankfully wasn't a long walk away. The Border Collie, as expected, was a bit pouty about having to leave after just overcoming her fear of the slide. On the bright side, it didn't take a whole lot of convincing to get her to give in, telling her she'd see Marshall once they were home wasn't something either could fight with.

The walk was nearly identical to the one on the way there. Audrey hummed to herself, along with barking at any other critter that happened to cross her path, whether it be a squirrel climbing a tree or a bird flying through the air. Almost nothing was safe from her wrath, but they all were fast enough to escape what they probably thought were their final moments. In reality, the most they would've gotten was a sniff.

One thing that the husky noticed was the pup's reaction to cars driving by. They weren't next to a busy road, but on the rare occasion one would zoom by, she'd get all tense and duck behind her leg until it went away. In the Border Collie's defense, having a loud, heavy object blaring past was never something one would usually enjoy, so she shrugged it off as a normal childhood fear.

After a couple of minutes, the two finally made it back to the tower they called home. The others were busy playing tag in the yard, most of them tossing out a small "welcome back" in their direction as they continued. Skye was gracious enough to notice and catch up with them, greeting them as the three rode up in the elevator together.

"Did you two have fun at the park?" she asked, mainly to Everest since Audrey was a bit distracted by the view. Apparently, her fascination wasn't just a one-time thing as they assumed it was going to, but it was a matter of time before the ride up became nothing more than a chore.

"Yep, took her a while to work up the courage to go down the slide, but she did after a while. What's up with you guys? You didn't have to come with us up here, you know." Skye shrugged, shaking herself to get her dangling fur out of her eyes as the elevator doors opened.

"Oh we've just been playing tag, I was coming up here anyway to take a quick water break," the Cockapoo explained, doing as promised and walking into the kitchen for her drink. The other two headed into the living room, jumping onto the couch to take a break of their own, which felt rather nice on their legs after the walk.

A few seconds passed before Skye came walking back in, jumping up on the other side and leaning her head against the cushion, panting. She may have been one of the most athletic among them, but that almost always came with her usual competitiveness that made her expend so much energy, hence why the break was a necessity.

Everest suddenly felt Audrey's head pressing against her, which quickly gained the attention she was after. Now that they were face to face, the pup barked at her, a small frown visible on her expression. And she didn't stop at one bark either, she kept going, with multiple mumbled babbles following behind.

The husky knew full well what she was after, in fact, it was the same thing she was waiting for. Maybe promising that the Dalmatian would be home right when they were wasn't the smartest choice. Either way, she gently nuzzled the pup to try and comfort her, although her noise didn't exactly stop with that.

"Don't worry, sweetheart, daddy will be home any minute now," she vowed, slipping off the couch herself and beginning to look at the kitchen. Now that Skye had mentioned it, a drink of water didn't sound half bad.

Audrey continued to whine and babble in the background, which she didn't think anything of. Over the past two days, she had become increasingly more vocal, barking almost every chance she got. However, before she got to her destination, a new sound entered her ears. For a split second, it wasn't babbling she heard, but a young, high-pitched voice.

"Da...daddy?"

The husky's ears perked up, and her head darted around to look at the couch in shock. The Border Collie was still just sitting on the cushion, watching as her tail thumped against the side rapidly. Skye had the same look of shock on her face, and both females made eye contact with each other in unison, studying the other to take in their reaction.

"Was that you?" the snow dog silently mouthed, earning a small shake of the head from the Cockapoo. Realizing what this was implying, though she was still partially convinced her ears were lying to her, Everest sprinted back to the couch and jumped up next to Audrey, her eyes staring her down in wonder. "W-what was that, Audrey?"

"Daddy!" she blurted out again, looking rather pleased with herself in the process. The husky's eyes widened, and she looked over at Skye, whose jaw was hanging to the ground. There was no question about what they had heard anymore. Her blank expression was slowly starting to turn upwards, a huge smile appearing as excitement and pride started rushing through her veins.

"Y-yes! That's right, sweetheart!" Everest praised her, ruffling her paw against the pup's head. Audrey barked, jumping up in excitement at the praise from her elder. Skye, on the other hand, was still struck by silence. And to make the moment even better than it already was, the next sound they heard was the familiar noise of a vehicle pulling into the lookout.

After making sure the Cockapoo was fine to watch the Border Collie for a second, she sprinted into the elevator, her head growling in impatience as it lowered. It felt like an eternity before it finally opened and revealed Marshall on the other side, who had probably been waiting for it to get down.

"H-hey, Marshy, how was it?" She was barely able to contain her excitement from taking control of her body and yanking him inside without checking on him first. As she should've expected, the Dalmatian wrapped his forelegs around her, setting his head into her fur as he received her embrace and strokes on his back.

"It was stressful, I missed you. But it wasn't too bad, mainly just catching up since the holiday break, and talking about, y-you know, those thoughts. And Haley seemed really curious about Audrey," he explained, slowly backing away now that he had gotten the contact with her he needed. And it was only then did he notice how fast her tail was wagging.

"T-that's good, I'm glad you're home. Now speaking of her, get in here." Without any sort of elaboration, she took hold of his leg and brought him onto the platform. The Dalmatian raised his eyebrow at her in confusion, but she was barely even paying attention to his questioning. The look in her eyes wasn't a common one, but he had seen it enough to know it meant she was excited.

Just as he was about to open his mouth and ask what in the world was going on, and mainly question her about why Audrey was related, the doors beat him to it and opened before he was given his chance. Everest once again dragged him into the living room, where the other two had been eagerly waiting for the return.

"Audrey, look who's home!" The Border Collie looked up, her eyes widening once she saw the Dalmatian. Skye leaned to the side, allowing her to run in his direction, which didn't come off as much of a shock to him at first. But she quickly changed that mindset of his, turning it into one that completely pushed the stress from therapy away.

"Daddyyyyy!" Audrey squealed, wrapping her paws around what part of him she could reach and nuzzling his fur with her head. Marshall's eyes widened in shock, the majority of his body freezing, apart from his leg slowly hugging her back. Well, that and the tears beginning to form in his eyes, if that counted.

"W...what?" he barely even whispered, looking down at the pup who tilted her head. She let out a small, questioning whine, trying to find the source of his confusion. The Dally just gently brought her back into his hold, slowly looking away from her and back to Everest sitting in front of them. "W-was that...?"

"Her first word." Marshall nodded, licking the pup's face as she giggled and nuzzled his face in return. And even when he was done with her, she was still eagerly sitting below him, tongue flopped out while she looked at him with one of the brightest expressions he had seen from her, which was really saying something.

"I-I...y-yeah! T-that's me!" he congratulated, making sure to use the typical voice he would usually use when praising her. The Border Collie yipped with joy, her tail wagging as she sprinted circles around him, filled up on energy as per usual. And now that she had unlocked this magical ability, Everest naturally had a question of her own.

"Now...can you say mommy?" the husky asked, pointing to herself as Audrey brought her eyes up and studied her carefully, remaining silent. At first, Everest jumped to the conclusion that she was asking too much of her, or even being selfish by making the other two's moment about herself. Regardless, as poisonous as the thought was, she had no choice but to bring herself to other matters as the Border Collie opened her mouth.

"M-momma?" It may not have been exactly what she asked, but it was surely enough to give her warm butterflies in her stomach. The previous thought had fully left her mind at this point, with the husky squealing in joy as she grabbed the pup, brought her closer, and smothered her with a bear hug.

Audrey was adoring all the attention being given to her for this, they had no idea how long it had taken her to get that hidden talent out of her system. Even when she had lived with Katie, she desperately tried to vocalize herself the way the girl and her patients did, but it all only ever came out as barks or babbles. It was only here in her new home did she finally scratch that itch of hers.

And even better, her caretakers were proud of her for it, praising her for her hard work. She could practically feel the excitement rushing to her head, plaguing her head with energy. Nothing felt more rewarding than having one's efforts succeed, and now she reveled in the warm hugs they were giving her as a reward.

"I'm so proud of you, sweetheart. You're absolutely right, I-I'm momma. And you're getting extra treats later," she praised, rubbing her nose against Audrey's. At the single mention of the word "treat", the pup smiled and barked, already craving the delicacies being promised to her.

To hear that little voice of hers come out of her mouth was already something special, not to mention the honor being bestowed upon both of them, especially Marshall. Her first time speaking, used to say both of their titles. And effectively, whether they liked it or not, locked their joke nicknames into their full-time names, through her eyes at least.

"You guys gotta come in here and see this." The three turned their heads to the source of the voice, seeing Skye dragging in the rest of the team from the elevator doors. None of them knew what was so important, but they all agreed to go with her, the last thing any of them wanted was an angry Cockapoo.

Knowing where this was going, Everest gently turned the pup around, and of course, she naturally got curious of the others and moved in their direction. After sniffing them, she looked up at Ryder and barked before looking back at the husky curiously.

"Can you say Ryder, Audrey? Ryder," she asked, emphasizing his name and saying each letter individually. Before the boy had any sort of chance to question what was going on, the Border Collie looked up at him, proudly opening her mouth.

"Wyder!" she confidently proclaimed, although her "r's" were pronounced the same way Zuma's were. Although, unlike his speech impediment, she still had her age to use an excuse, along with the fact that this was only the third thing she had ever said.

The boy was visibly shocked, looking down at the pup before he brought his eyes back to her caretakers, who were both just smiling proudly. The rest of the team didn't react much differently, all of them letting out a mix of surprised looks and "awwws" at the pup, who still had her head up high.

"Since...when could she talk? That wasn't her first word, was it?" Everest shook her head, gently laughing at the others' reactions. Not that she was any better, she just couldn't help but enjoy watching them swoon over the cuteness of Audrey discovering her ability to speak.

"Since about two minutes ago. And no, it wasn't, her first word was daddy," she explained, resting her head on the Dalmatian's shoulder. He could feel himself blushing, but at this point, he couldn't care less. Not when the title was being handed to him by the pup herself, there was no getting out of the name now. Not that he wanted to.

"What about your name? Can you tell us yours?" he questioned the pup, turning his attention back to her as Audrey pondered the question for a moment. And after what was only about a second of consideration, she brought her head back up and made eye contact as she spoke.

"A...Audwey?" She tilted her head in unsureness, silently asking if her answer was correct. However, the other two did everything physically possible to remove that doubt from her, Marshall nuzzling her as they both congratulated her and told her how right she was. He ended up pushing her in the process, rolling her over onto her back as she giggled and pawed at his face.

"Well, that's great, you two. Congratulations. Now, come here, I wanna get a picture of this," Ryder insisted, bending down on his knee and taking his pup-pad out of his pocket. Neither of them hesitated and walked in front of him, with the Dally helping Audrey up and making sure she was in the proper position for her photo to be taken.

"Smile," he told her, bringing his own expression up as an example. The Border Collie did just that, grinning as she stared directly into the screen in front of her. Ryder took a second to fit them all into frame before his thumb pressed against the capture button, which unknown to him, still had the flash setting turned on.

Unfortunately for the dogs' ability to see, two bright, blinding flashes of light shot out at them. Out of instinct, the older two snapped away to avoid it. After rubbing their eyes, and accepting the quick apology from their owner, they brought their attention to Audrey, who was still staring at the camera, frozen in her previous position.

"Hey, are you okay, princess?" The dally quietly asked, carefully placing his paw on hers. The pup whimpered, clutching onto him and pressing herself against his side. From both the noises she was making, and due to her tail being in between her legs, he could tell she was scared, which spread its contagious effect to him.

Both he and Everest looked at each other with worry about whatever was going on with her. They had seen her nervous before, it wasn't that uncommon, but never like this, whimpering like some terrifying monster was out to get her. Marshall leaned his head lower, nuzzling her check in an attempt to snap her out of her trance.

Audrey shut her eyes and squeezed his paw, it almost hurt how hard she held him, but that was the least of his concerns. That wasn't mentioning how hard she was breathing, her entire upper body was bobbing up and down in the process. And he could've sworn he saw a tear or two slip down her cheek.

Before he, or anyone for that matter, had the chance to do any more to help, her legs suddenly gave out and she collapsed onto the ground.